Spirituality: What Is It Good For?
Contemplatis Profundis
I like to think I’m spiritual
I like to think I’m smart;
But sometimes when I meditate
I make a little tart –
Pop Tarts, that is, my favorite kind,
And when I’m finished one
Sometimes I have another
And count each little crumb.
For me, each one’s a mantra
To me, I am a saint;
I’d ask me for my autograph
But maybe I would faint.
Is spirituality about being realistic – or narcissistic? What’s the difference between “spiritual practice” and “self absorption?”
Wrestling with a... Demon?! A Really Really Annoying One...
PS: Why does this post say "Posted by Paul 8:25 PM" on the right? Do you guys see this too? I never saw that before... Could just be another of those troublesome "visions" I suppose...
No kidding, this is spooky. I added the PS above, but then the time posting disappeared. So then I edited this post again, removing the "PS." But then the time read out came back so it needed the PS after all and now I've put it back.
OK, I'm just leaving it this way now whether or not it says "Posted by Paul 8:25 PM" over on the right.
No... I am NOT being self-absorbed. It’s just Blogspot or Blogger or whatever this thing is that’s absorbing me and my time. OK, deep breath... now where did I put that meditation pillow…?
I like to think I’m spiritual
I like to think I’m smart;
But sometimes when I meditate
I make a little tart –
Pop Tarts, that is, my favorite kind,
And when I’m finished one
Sometimes I have another
And count each little crumb.
For me, each one’s a mantra
To me, I am a saint;
I’d ask me for my autograph
But maybe I would faint.
Is spirituality about being realistic – or narcissistic? What’s the difference between “spiritual practice” and “self absorption?”
Wrestling with a... Demon?! A Really Really Annoying One...
PS: Why does this post say "Posted by Paul 8:25 PM" on the right? Do you guys see this too? I never saw that before... Could just be another of those troublesome "visions" I suppose...
No kidding, this is spooky. I added the PS above, but then the time posting disappeared. So then I edited this post again, removing the "PS." But then the time read out came back so it needed the PS after all and now I've put it back.
OK, I'm just leaving it this way now whether or not it says "Posted by Paul 8:25 PM" over on the right.
No... I am NOT being self-absorbed. It’s just Blogspot or Blogger or whatever this thing is that’s absorbing me and my time. OK, deep breath... now where did I put that meditation pillow…?
Posted by Paul at 8:25 PM Permalink
18 Comments:
Maybe there is a blog spook loose in these parts afterall. :-)
There is no difference between spiritual practice and self-absorption, except one term is respectful and the other is derisive.
I guess spiritual practice would not be self-centered but other-directed?
Ah - Paul. I have felt that way too often. Sometimes I find myself (screaming to the kids):
"EVERYBODY SHUT UP! I AM TRYING TO MEDITATE!"
And yes, blogger does weird things -- the other day I couldn't type a title in any post and from time to time the font changes -- so annoying.
No kidding, people...
VINCENT: I agree with you up to the point that "spiritual practice" CAN be self indulgent and even profoundly misguided because I've seen cases of this. Thus this "poem..."
Also see my reply to Crystal that follows where I gossip about you.
CRYSTAL: Ooh... other-directed... I think you're on to something. Can you elaborate on that at all? We need to convince Vincent, LOL. He's the only recovering meditator I've ever met. You hear of people brought up fundamentalist who come to strongly reject it; and, for example, there's that old "recovering Catholic" phrase.
No intense offended - I was raised Catholic myself and I've been told this makes me Catholic permanently, no kidding, by a priest, because I received all the requisite sacraments. I guess he's a member of the far rite. Anyway, in my case, this wasn't anything I needed to recover from and at one point, Catholic or not, coming out of that tradition had a major positive influence on me.
But yeah, Vincent... his experience is something I've never run into before so it's interesting to me although I still feel I'm far from really understanding it.
Thanks for mentioning your own techno mysteries...
EMERGING FROM THE FIRE: LOL on your serene remarks to your offspring! That is a paradox though; you're bringing back memories: the pissed off meditator, LOL... At one point I found myself using sounds that had been distracting me as "found mantras," so to speak, if that makes any sense, and it helped.
About the title thing - thanks! I was having that happen the other day too, at least now I know it wasn't my computer or anything I was doing...
"Is spirituality about being realistic – or narcissistic? What’s the difference between “spiritual practice” and “self absorption?”
The pursuit and practice of sprituality can be both. The line is thin and fuzzy at times.
Yes, I think as Crystal said it can be other-directed, (and outer-directed), but it's inner-directed too.
Some gravitate more to inner-directed (self-directed and self-motivated) spirituality and some gravitate towards other/outer-directed spirituality via a belief in the Divine Spirit and/or Ascended Teachers on the other side or here on Earth. i.e. Gandhi, The Dalai Lama, Amma, and others of Great Wisdom. I'm an innie and an outie.
Like every tool for learning and pleasure, it's all in how you use it! :)
So in terms of this framework, I'm focusing on spirituality. Is looking inward self absorbed? Necessarily? In some cases but not others?
OCEANSHAMAN: Everything is spiritual - being, the all, the whole thing, life, the universe, creation...
Every thing is spiritual...
Is every thing equally spiritual? Including every action?
its abt being one with ur existence. So it's neither of the above. Cos if we try to think of it as being realistic, we'd the be questioning what REAL is. And if we try to think of it as being narcissistic, we'd then be questioning what not being narcissistic is :)
Keshi.
Keshi.
Sometimes when I hear meditation presented and discussed it sounds sort of superficial to me too. Sometimes it doesn't.
What makes for the diffenence is a good question. I think the existence of Buddhists would argue pretty strongly against the idea that the distinction corresponds with whether or not one believes in God.
KESHI: If spirituality is about being one with your own existence yet isn't narcissistic, then it seems to me that "one's own existence" must be experienced as transcending what we usually think of as our own personal/private selves.
What does this awareness consist of?
What difference does it make?
Question #1: To me, the awareness seems to be an ability to believe in the truth of the feeling of connectedness when it cannot be sensed through the five senses. The awareness is closely related to trust, ability to accept truth, and belief.
Question #2: This question reminds me of John Donne's famous meditation XVII "No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friend's or of thine own were. Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee." The awareness should increase empathy and the sharing of joy and suffering with others, a concentration on what is best for the community rather than the self.
I’m so glad you visited me and thank you for your thoughts. You‘re right saying – it happens (about extremely degenerative illness). I often ask – why? Why things are not going well even we are doing well. Everyone is here for a reason. I’m here for a reason too. Now, I don’t know what kind of. With my poor English I am too much shy to talk with such smart man as you are. King Solomon said: "even a foolish pearson is wise if he keeps silent". You created amazing, full of wonderful words and energy place. I need and have to read more and I need more time. So I’ll be back very soon. Now, will be better for me - keep silent.
God bless you and your job, Paul!
Your second point gets at what to me is the hallmark of authentic spirituality: by producing increases in qualities such as the empathy you cite, it helps us engage more contructively with others and the wider world.
KRYSTYNA, thanks for looking in. I used to teach ESL, and going by your writing, it's possible you're not quite fully fluent but close - advanced English class for sure! No problem understanding you.
RAGHU: Thanks and will do -
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