Spiritual Reorientation 10: The Art of Life

1.

Can one walk past all that has hitherto been called “spirituality”, the promises of a ‘higher life”, an eternal one, a greater share in the divinity, a greater share in “God”, and move even further beyond it? Can one keep climbing higher, only to look down upon those other mountaineers, perhaps tired, perhaps weakened, and witness that in their hibernation, they have simply stopped at one cave or other, only to remain there frozen in the icy carapace they have built around them?

For the prophets, their life’s work was conceived far too young. They were still pups at the nipples of the world, barely weened, and still far too dependent on something besides themselves. Thus they attributed divinity to their ignorance. How can they claim to know the world at such an age? How can they claim to know people, having only met a few? They cannot. Their spirituality ended with them arriving at their “truth”, or in other words, with their stopping, and henceforth called that stopping “enlightenment” or “revelation”. The whole time, what they called spirituality amounted to seeking the end of seeking.

2.

It is indeed a painful cliché, but life is an adventure, and we, adventurers. In what manner one adventures is spirituality. One can run, one can walk, one can close one’s eyes. No matter how one reaches the end, death is the only prize, and life is the only way there. But since the prize is the same, spirituality is no competition. Since every life is different, every way there is as unique as the one who moves forward along its path. No prize, no competition, every spirituality different—life becomes a medium, and spirituality, an art.

However, there are salesmen waiting along paths laid with golden bricks and golden handrails. It is their own path they have gilded, or the path of another, and now they want to walk down it with others. But these salesmen do not understand that others cannot walk down their path even if they tried, for that would mean crawling into someone else’s skin and bones and body, someone else’s experience, so instead of attracting buyers or renters, they attract those who can only mimic, those who would do nothing but imitate, parrot and echo those who gild their paths—at least until a more artful adventurer passes by.

3.

Do you ever wonder why only a few days of the year are holy? At these times, people put down their guns, enemies become friends, they put down their ideals and they make merry with others, make merry with themselves, if for but a moment in recognizance. What if every day was holy? What if every thing was holy?

Do you ever wonder why monks adhere to monasticism? to the confined life of a monastery, and to the confined life within not only actual walls, but also their traditional and religious ones? What if the world was a monastery? and our skin, the only walls within which we confine ourselves? What if all was consecrated ground, all was sacred, rather than a few square feet here and there? What if we were all self-ordained monks of this monastery?

4.

The religious are the greatest nihilists, misanthropes and skeptics. Their doctrines only speak of the struggle with the world, and not the joy of it. In Solomon, everything is vanity. In Buddha, everything is impermanent and suffering. In Plato, everything is but a fleeting idea. In John, everything is dust and mud and flesh. In Schopenhauer, the world is endless strife. In Descartes, we are minds disembodied. Thus divinity and salvation is found elsewhere, or rather, nowhere, but perhaps in the words of these nihilists. What they call “love” is their hate. What they call “freedom” is their submission to an imaginary set of rules, legislated by no legislator other than the one that tyrannizes over them the most—themselves.

Look at a loved one and tell them they are the cause of endless strife, that they are a fleeting idea, a “spirit”, that they are not a body, that their love, their body, their movement, the very same “spirit” from which all their actions arise, is vanity, is dust and flesh, is impermanent and never any thing. Better to mistrust it. Better to look away. Better to conceive of something better. Of what is left of them to love? Of what is there left at all?

5.

There is not a moment where a person is not at the exact unique center of their experience. Therefore, what comes out of this experience is entirely original, spoken from a place no one else can speak from. Though they may act similar and speak similar things, each person is an original, a life’s work, a becoming of a masterpiece, and a unique way to live a life—a prophet. Yet we do not teach our children their prophetic nature, nor do we allow them time to find it, and they remain forever the tongue-tied prophet, the prophet who cannot express his experience without an orientation towards a doctrine, a set of pre-ordained and honorific words as it was devised by someone else. They cannot find the strength to consecrate and sanctify what they wish, and they instead rely on another spirit to do it for them. The meaning is only ever given to them, and they spend their whole lives taking meaning, rather than finding inside themselves the strength to give it.

6.

The most dangerous spiritual orientation and invention is the idea that we struggle with the world, that the world is to be denounced as dust, as particles, as chemicals and machinery. One look at the one we love, and with one touch at the caress of her hand, do we find that this is not the case. Through the invention of a mind, a soul, a psyche, a spirit, a consciousness, they sought escape from this struggle, our body and its insatiability. They posited something within it at the expense of the rest, something separate from the body’s base desires and needs, its ugliness and foul smells. Only this part of it was “good”, was capable of love and beneficence, while the rest was Satan, the corpse from whence evil came, the origin of our deadly sins, our greed, our lust, our hate. Only by waging a war for this separate something within the body were they finally able to embody their own spirituality, to finally reveal the result of their spirituality, which has been the result of spirituality up until now—Inquisition, thought police, moral authority, myth, the enforcing of a spiritual caste, the squandering of life, and the killing of it—all for the purpose of attaining a greater share in the attributes of divinity. In other words, their spirituality is lust for spiritual power. And in the end, it was this something they posited within the body, from whence their evil always came.

Spirituality is but sophistry if it is not embodied, and hence, not spirituality at all. Unless it can produce the fruits of good deeds and works, rather than remain a lullaby from which one can find emotional comfort, we find instead a lack of spirituality. If it is only every used as a path to peace, bliss and happiness, it is not used at all. It is squandered for one’s base desires. Capitalism become the spirituality, and profit the motivation. In times of frenzied creativity and the producing of art, one is ready to suffer for their desire, one is ready to even die for it. This is where one is truly selfless. Happiness never even enters the equation. Living life for happiness is unethical, and reduces spirituality to spiritual currency.

7.

Can we become not only our dreams, but also our mistakes and failures, our pains and sufferings? Can we remember what we’ve tried so hard to forget? Is it possible to see no God, no spirit, no soul, no holy ghost, no mystical current, no connection, no cosmic consciousness, in anything else and still value what it is that stands before us? Can we imagine the sea of objects in our experience to be not only objects, but subjects in the midst of their own sea of objects? Are we able to be an object in someone else’s experience? Have we yet earned that right?

Imagine living to satisfy the conditions for which entry into the afterlife is required. We can apply this to living, for the afterlife was only ever the memory instilled in the thoughts of others after we’ve passed. The afterlife is how we are remembered, enduring in the memory of others, according to our works and deeds. The art of life—be its samurai. We need not imagine beyond this for any immortality. We need not imagine beyond our bodies for any spirit. We need not imagine beyond the world to any God. Consecrate everything. Make all water holy. Seek that which is and forget that which isn’t. Use your evil for good. Value the intrinsic. Believe that which is around you. Have faith in the world. Love not for love, but because there is something to love. Transcend transcendence. Come back to yourself. Embody yourself. Be nothing other than what you are.

you should teach this stuff

a reply to: TzarChasm

And spread this biased waste even more? I certainly hope not.

He doesn't seem to be able grasp the fact (among everything else he has misinterpreted) that life really IS struggle, but that doesn't mean that there's isn't any joy in life.. also he seems to be obsessed with the idea that "mysticism" is somehow against "your body".

There's just so many in-your-face mistakes and stupid assumptions that I don't even know where to start. I don't actually give a rats ass what he believes (seriously), but it's sad to see that it's getting so much attention over here. Luckily some insightful threads are getting more.

a reply to: Tryptych

Still unable to grace us with any of your special reasoning of why I might be mistaken? Of course not.

If only you actually didn't give a rat's ass, but dishonesty seems to be the only method through which you operate.

a reply to: Tryptych

i think aphrism is very elloquent and makes excellent points. you know where the door is

originally posted by: Aphorism
If only you actually didn't give a rat's ass, but dishonesty seems to be the only method through which you operate.

And, once again, you've proved yourself to be extremely biased and make lame assumptions. I really don't care what you think. At all. It's just sad to see all this flooding of this lame materialism on this forum which is supposed to deal with subjects like metaphysics (of which your writings are the total opposite of).

The point in mysticism and "spiritual" experiences is to find you inner self through wisdom and through wisdom comes happiness and stability, which is actually a side product the wisdom itself. It's not about doom and gloom, pain and grief. It's about that you RECOGNIZE the necessary darker aspects of life, accept them and strive for realism which will bring true joy and peace.

But your assumption (again) that altered states are somehow similar to drinking a bottle of whiskey really sums it up for me

a reply to: Tryptych

Ad hominem is fallacious and it reflects on your arguments. I find your view conformist at best. You seek happiness And stability. This is entirely selfish and is no different than locking oneself in a room playing video games all day.

It's sad to see that this escapism and spiritual playground for children is so prevalent in society. No wonder the world is in a downward spiral. You just keep meditating and stay locked in those dreams, while others attempt to change this direction.

AND, once again, jumping to conclusions and not understanding what you've just read. I already explained to you that "happiness" and stability are just side products of studying esoteric material.

Also, meditation actually quiets down your mind and helps you see things more clearly. You just keep on proving that you simply don't know anything about meditation, yoga, altered states and consciousness in general. These practices have and will continue to exist and develop long before you're dead. Your bizarre hatred for spiritual practices will be long gone too.

Your "opinions" reminds me of the dark ages and witchhunts.
This is useless, but I will just throw this here, just as an example:

www.sciencedaily.com...

Also, your comparison of mediation to playing videogames.. hahaha. Thanks for the good laugh. Just keep digging that hole.


ALSO, if you'd understand ANYTHING about meditation at all (or consciousness for that matter) you'd know that in meditation, you'll have to face the things that bother you, so it's the exact opposite of escapism. But, because you don't, you don't.

In Solomon, everything is vanity. In Buddha, everything is impermanent and suffering. In Plato, everything is but a fleeting idea. In John, everything is dust and mud and flesh. In Schopenhauer, the world is endless strife. In Descartes, we are minds disembodied

You're leaving quite a few out. What about Shakespeare? What about Rumi? What about Walt Whitman? William Blake?

"Theologians may quarrel, but the mystics of the world speak the same language.”

― Meister Eckhart

I'm sorry but I remain convinced you don't speak that language. You're like a tourist who doesn't speak the national language, and doesn't want to learn it.

Opinins are like sphinters...everyone's got em

I was looking through your series and you really shoukd put this stuff in a book. This isn't the typical run of the mill mystic hogwash. There's serious insight you ought to share with the worls at large.

a reply to: Tryptych

AND, once again, jumping to conclusions and not understanding what you've just read. I already explained to you that "happiness" and stability are just side products of studying esoteric material.

And they are the "side products" of having a rewarding job. They are the "side product" of having a lot of money. No one cares.

Also, meditation actually quiets down your mind and helps you see things more clearly. You just keep on proving that you simply don't know anything about meditation, yoga, altered states and consciousness in general. These practices have and will continue to exist and develop long before you're dead. Your bizarre hatred for spiritual practices will be long gone too.

Sitting, closing the eyes, stretching the limbs, breathing exercises—yes the world is better because of this. You keep on proving you cannot think beyond your own base desires for happiness.

Your "opinions" reminds me of the dark ages and witchhunts.
This is useless, but I will just throw this here, just as an example:

Also, your comparison of mediation to playing videogames.. hahaha. Thanks for the good laugh. Just keep digging that hole.

Sitting. That is all it amounts to. That is all you can ever accomplish. Prove me otherwise. Let me see you do something other than sit with your meditation. Film yourself if you have to.

ALSO, if you'd understand ANYTHING about meditation at all (or consciousness for that matter) you'd know that in meditation, you'll have to face the things that bother you, so it's the exact opposite of escapism. But, because you don't, you don't.

You're sitting and closing your eyes. You're not facing anything other than your eyelids. You are speaking of non-action, or in other words, doing nothing. Is this what you are an expert at?

a reply to: BlueMule

I'm sorry but I remain convinced you don't speak that language. You're like a tourist who doesn't speak the national language, and doesn't want to learn it.

A tourist to what? You are in no other realm than this one. You speak no other language than this one. Because you call someone a mystic does not make them a mystic.

a reply to: Aphorism

So meditation is nothing more than closing you eyes? ONCE again, you have taken the cake of COMPLETE ignorance what meditation actually is.

You've AGAIN proved that you have difficulties understanding phenomenon if it doesn't happen in the the physical world.. so if you can't see it, it doesn't exist for you.

AND, once again, you have difficulties understanding what you've read: i already told you, happiness it's just a side product. And maybe, just MAYBE, the world would actually be a bit better place if people found some inner peace instead of all the money grabbing.

"Having a lot of money".. That pretty much sums it up about you.

A very eloquent and well written plea, but wrong in so many aspects that I cannot even hope to cover them all. However, for the sake of discussion here are the ones that stand out and makes your whole theory kind of invalid.

First of all there are too many generalities, and no one can argue with generalities. What are we talking about here actually? You say spirituality but that covers a huge area of religions, practices, cults, philosophies and so on. No matter how much they have in common you cannot put them all in the same pot and declare them all wrong. There is no way you tried them all and found them all faulty. So what do you mean when you say spirituality?

For me spirituality is looking within, a process of exploration and discovery, and I see nothing wrong with that. For others it is maybe the search for God, or a certain set of rules to live their life, or a feeling of something missing, or the need to know, a search for happiness and so on: there is no end to the list. Which one do you talk about?
The problem is when you see spirituality as a mean to achieve something, some kind of power, or reward, or a high seat in the afterlife, whatever, then yes, I can believe you'll end up frustrated and empty handed. So you see, it's essential to know exactly what you mean when you say
Can one walk past all that has hitherto been called “spirituality”, the promises of a ‘higher life”, an eternal one, a greater share in the divinity, a greater share in “God”, and move even further beyond it?
It may be that the problem lies in your own perception of spirituality. And what is beyond that anyway?

In the same way you use generalities about prophets, or mystics, or I'll call them for that matter "people who found the truth". I have no idea what your experience with mystics is but there is no way you checked them all out and find them all liars. It's like a woman, or two, or three cheated on you and you come to the conclusion that all women are bad; let's just give up women.

Next,
"The most dangerous spiritual orientation and invention is the idea that we struggle with the world, that the world is to be denounced as dust, as particles, as chemicals and machinery."

This is another huge generalization who only further confuses the topic. But even so, let me tell you this: no matter how you put it and what you believe, our life in this world is highly unsatisfactory, and I don't need a religion or a mystic to tell me that. We do struggle, we suffer, we get old, sick and die, and the same our loved ones. We do experience happiness, of course, and joy and love and a million of other good feelings, but they are all temporary, conditioned and unstable, and in the end nobody is the wiser: you die and everything you think you achieved or learned is gone. We actually spend our lives hunting those fleeting moments of happiness like chasing the horizon; as soon as we think we got it, it's gone. There is no stronger drive for every living creature then finding happiness, and if you live long enough and take a good look around, you realize than nothing in this world can bring you a reliable, stable happiness. Not money, not love, not beauty, sex, food, art, charity and so on. They will only satisfy you momentarily, then the chasing starts anew.

I see spirituality not as a weakness but as a hope that maybe there is more of this life than those material satisfactions, so I can understand the stressing to remove the focus from the material world. This life is not the final purpose. And when you finally realize that we are so much more than this material body the world is losing it's weight on you.

Another point I want to make is that you use intellectual tools for an argument that is actually in the realm of experience; and it will never work. It's like you never tasted water; you don't know what it is. There are some who did tasted, and you try to understand from them what is water. You realize that no matter in how many words and metaphors it will be explained to you, you will never have the slightest idea of how water tastes or what it is? You will never know until you'll actually experience the water; you may argue endlessly about it, you may find it unworthy, but how relevant that is? How can you actually deny something that you have no experience of? Maybe those who also never tasted it will listen and think about it, but the one who tasted the water will just smile at you and let you have it your way, cause arguing is pointless anyway.
Spirituality is a personal need and a personal experience, no one can prove it or give it to somebody else. If it really bothers you so much then why not embark on a journey to find out the truth, no matter what that is and no matter what it takes; find out by tasting the water yourself, not talking about it.

There are some other things, but I will summarize it with this: in the end you are doing just the same like everybody else. I mean, your post sounds like ''stop chasing spirituality cause it will never give you happiness, do it my way to find happiness". Is not what every prophet out there is saying, my way is the real one?

Well, if it's working for you I'm very glad, but does that mean that it will work for everyone? Does that mean that people cannot find happiness in other ways, spirituality included?

It's rather funny, but I hope you understand how these things work: someone thinks he finally found the way, then he goes out there to tell everyone; someone else listen to it, fails miserably and then believe that all "people who found the truth" are scams.
"Those who speak don't know; those who know don't speak".

Have a great day, and lighten up; whatever works for you is the real way. And the same for others.

a reply to: Aphorism


I don't agree with your basic view that spirituality necessarily leads away from the full experience of physical and material life.

Though that may be the case in some particular paths, I do not find it to be true of all.
My own path of spirituality lead ultimately to a much more enhanced engagement into physical life, in the present- which might have started as a search to avoid it, I was in fact led straight into it, and found the joy in it. (which I hadn't perceived before).

It enabled me to shed all beliefs or hopes in an after-life, in a bigger unseen power, in hopes of something different than what IS- HERE and NOW.

It was a circular path that led back to it's beginning.... but with opened eyes and no resistance this time.

But whatever. That is my experience. It seems yours is not the same. Bonne route!

originally posted by: Aphorism

A tourist to what?

Another point I want to make is that you use intellectual tools for an argument that is actually in the realm of experience; and it will never work. It's like you never tasted water; you don't know what it is. There are some who did tasted, and you try to understand from them what is water.

There is your answer Clark. You are like a tourist in a nation of water-tasters. You run around trying to tell them what's what, but you can't understand what they are saying because you don't speak their language. You can't speak it, until you drink.

But the water-tasters can understand your tongue, and they can see you speak about something you don't know.

The whole time, what they called spirituality amounted to seeking the end of seeking.

Personally, I don't believe there is ever an end to the 'seeking'; whatever that may be for the individual, and that is the question "What are you seeking?".

“Before enlightenment; chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment; chop wood, carry water.”

I would add the word 'Repeat!" at the end of that Zen quote above.

Meditation is the path I use to further my spirituality. At one point on the my path of deep meditation fear set in, but I have since found my strength and faced whatever was to be revealed to me with courage.

As Rilke wrote, “Be of good courage. All is before you, and time passed in the difficult is never lost.”

www.wildmind.org...

www.whatisenlightenment1.org...

a reply to: Tryptych

So meditation is nothing more than closing you eyes? ONCE again, you have taken the cake of COMPLETE ignorance what meditation actually is.

You've AGAIN proved that you have difficulties understanding phenomenon if it doesn't happen in the the physical world.. so if you can't see it, it doesn't exist for you.

AND, once again, you have difficulties understanding what you've read: i already told you, happiness it's just a side product. And maybe, just MAYBE, the world would actually be a bit better place if people found some inner peace instead of all the money grabbing.

Sure. Prove to me you are accomplishing anything other than looking at the back of your eyes and sitting. But no, seriously, stay there. Keep on doing it. Keep striving for our inner peace. If anything, it keeps you out of the way, while others can get the real work done.