--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "curtisdeltablues" <curtisdeltablues@...> wrote: > > This seems like it might turn into an interesting discussion of values. > Personally I don't buy the Buddha line at all. It goes on that even when we > have pleasure it doesn't last forever so it becomes suffering later. I find > this a juvenile approach to life's ups and downs. > > It isn't that life IS suffering. It can be, but the mix often helps direct > us. (not always) I was moved by a show about a little girl who literally > felt no pain so she was constantly destroying her body. It was very sad but > shows how much value we get out of some of our pains. > > I also want to throw in Maharishi's premise that we are all ignorant members > of the "peaceless and suffering humanity." I find it both condescending and > lacking in merit. It is a filter, and for me, a bad one. I see plenty of > joy in the people I meet. Sometimes, considering their circumstances, > amazingly so. > > It is a basic premise of spiritual systems that our lives are a problem that > needs fixing. It is the ultimate self-help book rack assumptive premise that > we all need more of something and less of something else. And although I do > try to improve my life every day, I am not starting with an assumption that > my relationship with the objects of perception is all wrong. I think this is > the kind of rap that works for people who are unhappy or young people that > lack self confidence. (me at age 16) It also smacks of a glorification of > dissociation which is a psychological disorder, not some higher state. > > It also lacks some of the wisdom I have stumbled across in my own life. The > most relevant thing for me is the revelation that focusing outward on skill > acquisition has done more for my sense of self value than looking inward. > Rather than teach people that they need to shut their eyes I would say open > them and focus on attaining proficiency in some skill you admire. When you > get pooped with your efforts you can close you eyes to recharge if you feel > like it, but don't think that closing your eyes is going to bring you > fulfillment. Our inner "awareness" is so over rated in spiritual systems > IMO. Some of the most boring people I have ever met are the most into their > inner lives. Frankly I was the most boring I have ever been when I was most > into my "inner life". My interactions with people are richer now, not > because I meditate, it is because I focus on learning more about other people > and other cultures and other ways to see the world.
Curtis, as always, I think there is lots of wisdom in your posts. I too think of the early years in TM - it took me a few year to figure out that non-meditators had a lot to offer in the way of living life, too, and could teach me a thing or too . But on this point I wonder if people who did not get into spirituality as adolescents and young adults in the early 70's might have a very different take on things than we do. They usually focused on education and skills and career and family during the years we were devoted to TM. If they come to spirituality in late middle age, or older, I think they are very grateful for it, and find it a good complement to their lives. Many probably wish they had found spiritual beliefs earlier in their lives - and assume they would not have been such materialists. This is exactly what I see in the yoga classes I go to - and also, of course, the young kids who are all starry-eyed over some yoga teacher and the Hinduish stuff they can begin to learn. I feel a bit cynical then. The whole thing comes down to some sort of balance in life > > This is just a ramble but it is leading in the direction of how I feel about > spirituality. I don't need to stand in line for hours waiting for a stranger > to hug me. I have people I love in my life for that. I don't need to spend > hours making my awareness itself grow. I need hours focusing my awareness on > things that make my mind grow. And on people who make my heart grow. And on > exercises that make my muscles grow. And on hotties who make my... > > you get the picture. I am the guy that spiritual books warn against. I have > more in common with this girl than any yogi: > > http://www.maniacworld.com/young-girl-turns-to-the-dark-side.html > > > > > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "authfriend" <jstein@> wrote: > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, turquoiseb <no_reply@> wrote: > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "WillyTex" <willytex@> wrote: > > > > > > > > "However, the wise (though their own mind is totally free > > > > of all sorrow) consider all experiences painful as they are > > > > all the fruits of the actions of ignorance" (Y.S. II.15). > > > > > > Here, in 28 words, is why I don't consider much of anything from > > > the Yoga Sutras valuable, let alone "wise." What kind of life-hater > > > aspires to "consider all experiences painful?" > > > > And there we have it, the definitive refutation of > > the Yoga Sutras: Because one verse sounds to Barry > > as if it implies hatred of the world, therefore the > > entire work is worthless to him. > > > > This is similar in its brilliant incisiveness to > > Barry's refutation of the central teaching of Buddha, > > that life is suffering. Why is this wrong? Simple. > > Because, Barry claims, *he* doesn't suffer. Q.E.D. > > >
