Spiritual Insanity

I've got a friend who's a compulsive speeder on the roadways. Always, incessantly--regardless where we're going or how much time we've got--he drives way way too fast.

And he pays the price. Accruing on average roughly two to three tickets a year, his habit costs him in fines and court fees and additional insurance charges. Right now he's 34 years old.

This has been happening since he was 16. And in all that time he's never bothered to change.

Insanity has oft been described as repeating the same behaviors while expecting different results. And listening unto his woes at his latest debacle (he went racing across a bridge and got caught when a policeman was parked over the blind crest), I started having an epiphany.

Throughout our everyday life, many of us are caught in similar unproductive pattern-traps--succumbing unto destructive habits that we nonetheless refuse change. And oftentimes those mental cinctures have a debilitating effect on the spirit.

Spiritual progress can only transpires with constant refinement of the soul. And those attendant moral advancements can only occur with proper intention.

In other words, we can only evolve if we're willing and able to find and free ourselves from old useless habits. Yet that's only possible if we first recognize those patterns as problem.

In eighteen years my friend has yet to learn laying off the throttle will save him thousands of dollars per year. He has yet to modulate his behavior to recognize the issue and enact a solution.

In some ways we all labor under similar restraints. We all have proverbial blind spots in our spiritual game--undeveloped areas of our psyche that we either don't recognize as issues or have yet to transform.

Neglecting to see and address these concerns is a form of spiritual insanity, and that from that disease we all suffer.

From meta-analyzing my friend and applying that epiphany to myself, I started searching for holes in my spiritual game. And I decided that I need put a lot more effort into being nicer to people who irritate me. Already I'm nice to practically everyone, but upon having someone press my buttons, I tend view that as carte blanche to remove the gloves and start getting mean.

That's a major flaw in my game that's lingered for a long time. But now, because of analyzing my friend, that issue I plan on repairing.

And this I ask unto you:

What lingering problems in your psyche are you still working to address?

What forms of spiritual insanity are you laboring under?

a reply to: Trachel

What forms of spiritual insanity are you laboring under?

That I may find Jesus on ATS? Seriously though a great thread. On a more serious note; I try to be a little bit less judgmental every day.

S & F

I don't know what this could have to do with "spirituality", but people are human beings, and we're all crazy hairless apes.

I used to have issues with my mistaken beliefs about the species, crying about others insanity.

Then it occurred to me...

crazy. hairless. apes.

I've been a lot happier in life after this realization.

Next time you find yourself stuck in your own insanity trying to figure out another's, just remember.

crazy, hairless apes

a reply to: TheConstruKctionofLight

Well if you don't find JC you might just find Mary Magdelline instead.

I used to consider people all sort of the same, moral and conforming to cultural codes of conduct.

Then an ex boyfriend that seemed okay on the surface was revealed to me (I caught him) as basically a perverted animal of the lowest sort. Then further things about his actions were revealed. It tainted my opinion of men forever. I consider that 'super friendly and straight as you can imagine' surface as an act and beneath which lurked spiritual depravity.

There does appear to be those of whom morals and ethics are but a projection to the public, a mask under which a dark soul lurks.

The ISIS thing is similar in it's depravity, how can such unethical ways be rationalised.

a reply to: Trachel

Some people like to live on the edge. You see it constantly in extreme sports. One person's view of insanity is another person's thrill of living on the edge, disobeying authority, showing their stuff, etc., and finally, yes, there is pure insanity. The basic characteristic is that none of them can help it...or want to (Psst: don't ride with your friend.)

a reply to: theabsolutetruth

I know how you feel... Men can do that, and they can totally ruin how you see reality. I'm happy being single now because i don't give a fark about love and all that crap they push through media/tv/etc. I couldn't give a ratz arse at all about it anymore. It's like i've evolved and im waiting for humanity to catch up to me.

This reality is but a blur, it won't last. It's not real, everything is subliminal. Those who see it will experience it.

Seriously, men drive women nuts, and vice versa. Women can be just as psycho-evil as men, it just tends to come out differently. I could even get on a soap-box about how the culture doesn't recognize some of the evils in women, and gives them a pass, just cause.

No reason to make this a sexist thread. Evil people suck, male and female.

(note: evil is a poor, overly simplistic construct that I don't adhere to, but for simplicity sake bother to use it and then slap myself a bit afterwards)

a reply to: pl3bscheese

Yeah and some women seem to always fall in love with the Psycho's. But you're right another post for another thread...

Compulsions?

The tendency to see the insanity in others and ignore my own and a selfish, Narcissistic, ego driven, spiteful, sarcastic, cynical with a prejudicial streak!!

Other than that I'm very well adjusted.

a reply to: olaru12

Oh quit that with the crazy, hairless ape thing you got going on. You're making me see myself as I am. We don't like that! Evil, I tell you!

a reply to: Trachel

Other than the story about your friend I could have said the same thing about myself.

The world has justified that we act out anger and irritation. But acting it out only leads to suffering.

There are times for anger but we can discuss it like civilised men, we don't have to act it out and cause even more suffering.

It is easier to say it then it is to change. But if you keep reminding yourself eventually you will transform and become the you, you want to be.

originally posted by: pl3bscheese
a reply to: olaru12

Oh quit that with the crazy, hairless ape thing you got going on. You're making me see myself as I am. We don't like that! Evil, I tell you!

Who you callin an ape? Why you...I otta....

and a tendency to fly off the handle with a hair trigger temper and a compulsion to use corny, trite, hackneyed, tired, cliches.

But other than that, I'm good as gold!!

originally posted by: Isurrender73
a reply to: Trachel

There are times for anger but we can discuss it like civilised men, we don't have to act it out and cause even more suffering.

100% agree! At all times we each have the choice to be a force for light or darkness.

Upon something bad happening we can lash out with anger and become a conduit for negativity, or we can take the higher road and let those dark energies disperse.

a reply to: Trachel

The path we are on is full of holes that need repair, some more than other's and some of those same holes require different approaches in order to fix them.

We have muscle memory that is the very hardest to repair, because those things have been done so many times the muscles are constricted and react without further training.

In order for the muscles to be re-trained, they have to first experience atrophy brought on by catastrophe, only then will the constriction release allowing for a new manipulation to occur.

Believing a lie thinking its the truth of it all a good example of spiritual insanity.

Its not different when someone believes they performed a taboo that not so much forbidden, but more or less mentally damning ones own self. Like one story I've heard from a classmate years ago about him seeing a priest and a few nun adverting their eyes because some woman didn't hide their under wear, and thinking they will get killed by God for such treason.

It would almost like a schizo response that could keep repeating itself in the back of ones mind constantly, where it get so bad, it literally becomes a part of ones identity.

A liar could have nothing but good thing to say to get what they want, while someone who tells the truth could say one word, or nothing at all and just do.

It like Satan saying I get you into heaven when you know Satan can't, while God will send one to hell, because everyone knows God can.

Now that's insanity.

a reply to: awareness10
Please don't carry on life this way. Not all men are bad, just the ones you are attracted to. You find a hideous looking guy and he will worship the ground you walk on. It's a choice remember. No one forced you to be attracted to these types.if you weren't so focused on the outside you would have discovered the insider much earlier. Agony aunt session over.

a reply to: Trachel

What a fine post Trachel.
You point out

From meta-analyzing my friend and applying that epiphany to myself, I started searching for holes in my spiritual game.

First, how many of us analyze our friends to try to understand them, instead of just giving up on them and labeling them 'no longer friends'.
But more, how many of us having done that can manage to turn that scrutiny upon ourselves and use it to be a better person?
By judging others we separate from them we hold ourselves superior. But by empathizing with their situations, their foibles if you will, we maintain the relationship. By not judging others we are then free to inspect our own lives in the same manner rather than judging ourselves. And who wants to judge themselves.

Yeah Trachel, you make a fine distinction in your post. You got me to thinking and reflecting and that is what my thoughts were and thank you very very much.

originally posted by: TerryMcGuire
First, how many of us analyze our friends to try to understand them, instead of just giving up on them and labeling them 'no longer friends'.
But more, how many of us having done that can manage to turn that scrutiny upon ourselves and use it to be a better person?

First off, thanks for the kind words.

Not trying to pedestal myself, here, just throwing this out there for anyone who might find it useful. One of the things I usually try and do is this: Anytime I find myself mentally criticizing others, I immediately turn that criticism around and search myself for the same type of failing.

E.g. When I see someone commit a social faux pas, I think back and search for times I've been made the same inconsiderate mistake.

Most often, I find myself guilty of the exact same "crime" for which I was about to condemn another. And that revelation I use as incentive to improve.

Great post!

originally posted by: Aliensun
a reply to: Trachel

Some people like to live on the edge. You see it constantly in extreme sports. One person's view of insanity is another person's thrill of living on the edge, disobeying authority, showing their stuff, etc., and finally, yes, there is pure insanity. The basic characteristic is that none of them can help it...or want to (Psst: don't ride with your friend.)

To a degree I live on the edge. I've raced cars and rock climbed, bungee jumped and whitewater rafted.

Next week I'll be parachuting out of a plane.

I love driving fast in appropriate places--I've lapped the nurburgring in about 8-9 minutes (full laps down dottinger hohe, not bridge to gantry)--I just can't understand why after 16 years of suffering thousands of dollars in fines and expenses (he's probably down 20k at this point), he hasn't adjusted his behavior.

But his weirdness forced me to reconsider my own behaviors, so for that I'm grateful he's still driving foolishly after so long.