True Spirituality...

[Physical Necessity]

... exists as the pursuit and development of one's conscious experience of life. This is obtained by bringing focus within the present moment and by becoming aware of oneself, one's mind, and one's environment.

That which is directly perceived and realized as a result relates to spirituality. Spirituality is not adopting or creating beliefs, as beliefs are preconceived notions of the nature of reality that prevent one from directly perceiving reality as it is. Spirituality is not contributing to one's sense of identity, as it is one's sense of identity that restricts our ability to experience our identity itself.

PN

[FloatingPancake]

I think spirituality must the totality of all we recieve in those states in which we float in the mean of ourselves and infinity, free of ego, and free of thought. The word om comes to mind. Yet I still question whether we have to be aware of ourselves, our mind, and our environment to create or find these forces that can open new channels, new trains of thought, new guiding paths, and questions to pursue. Whenever or not I've consciously sought out answers they've always seemed followed in time. Sure I've had to wait 4 years for certain truths to rise, but everything that has happened in the mean has worked as a connection in the web. Can we not flow, or must we reflect and concentrate before we can sit in that tranquil void of openness and truly see. Can I not make egley wheel move without touch or concentraion. Can I not make clouds appear from the sky, or electronics to tweek out without reflection and focus.

Maybe this guy is right and these things can only be obtained by bringing focus within the present moment and by becoming aware of oneself, one's mind, and one's environment. I've just lately been stunned by the ideas presented in Castaneda's books. This ability of living in the tonal, free of external thought, to let the nagual take over, for us to truly see intention and spirit free of what our vision may show us. What does it mean to be if we can't truly live in full attention of all the forces around us. We can say we were at this concert or that party last night, but were we truly there if our mind was somewhere else. Can we not see eternal truths unless we're in communion with them. Looks like I better get to my philosophy readings this evening. Thanks for the post PN

[-=S-M=-]

PM writes:

Spirituality is not contributing to one's sense of identity, as it is one's sense of identity that restricts our ability to experience our identity itself. Pardon my Aristotelianism, but this is a glaring contradiction - perhaps it is merely a result of askew formulation of your thoughts, but please do clarify.

I have formed the conclusion that Spirituality is the act of alert introspection, which entails questioning our deepest aspects of our mind, lives and actions.

Spirituality is enhancing [or for some, rebuilding] our sense of self, reinforcing it with four foremost values: rationality, productiveness, pride, and benevolence.

Spirituality is about growth and truth. That means not only accepting criticism, but actively seeking it out so as to refute your erroneous beliefs or validate them if true - i.e., being objective and living by objective principles of truth, read: being a conceptual being, read: being a man of principle, read: living by principles, read: living freely, read: free living, read: freedom.

[JohnShirley]

I don't disagree with most of what Physical said here, though what you mean by identity is a question.

I'd just say that being conscious in the present moment has levels to it. With Sufism and Gurdjieff and other related methods, Vipassana say, it has levels of refinement, and specific techniques for "getting there"--or getting here. ONe can be "here" more and more in more and more ways--and receptive in more and more ways. Increase of "identity"--well, there is the identity that gets in the way then again there seems to be a higher one that is a combination of mingling with a current or presence from on high and a self that is balanced and honest and real.

[ March 26, 2006, 03:25 PM: Message edited by: JohnShirley ]