RE: Not so brave....
Please - don't get me wrong - I am not about to launch on to Spirit Talk with my boots! And I understand that you have a vibe here that everyone speaks in freedom and without fear- and that is good.... however, it could be that what Spirit Talk is doing is causing harm. It is possible that Spirit Talk is collecting followers etc.... not saying that she is, but it is my feeling that Spirit Talk has some very difficult issues... anyway, taking it away from a personal scrutiny, I would say that when we say *evolve* we usually mean to a point where we think life and behaviour will be better for us, personally.... I dunno... it could be that we are just in the right place, at the right time. to learn just the right thing...... and that could be true of every moment of our lives... you know, for me, I never met anyone who wasn't worth meeting.... everyone offers something, and the idea of some future where everyone is a happy smiling never arguing, never hostile t-shirt of light wearing soldier of alien spirit guides sounds.... well, boring.... heh... aya!
For me, I think the earth is an amazing and wonderful place. If the aliens don't like it... well, they know what to do!
X
RE: Not so brave....
"Oh, Brave New World"......;)
Well, Gilly, you had to live it to know it!!![sm=cool-smiley-027.gif]
Just call me the Advocate! (Maybe I should change my login?!)
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RE: Not so brave....
Oh, Xia!
How refreshing. How delightful to see that assurance that who YOU are is just right and that the way of the earth is just as it should be.
Love is limited only by lack of expression!
Myth & Magic
When you join the scouts or the military you agree to wear a uniform that identifies the organization to which you belong, that illustrates how far advanced you are from the starting point, and that signifies your acceptance of all of the rules, regulations, and purposes of the group.
When you join a religious order the procedure is very much the same. You accept all of the belief systems that are inherent with that particular sect, participate in all of the ceremonial requirements, and adapt your behavior to fit their expectations.
When you seek to develop your spirituality you search out a cluster of individuals who can provide you with an established structure. You accept their eclectic principles and their recognized practices.
In each case you have joined yourself with a group which seeks to tell you how to believe and how to act. You accept the control of other humans and it interferes with your ability to be yourself.
Spirituality is not accomplished by prescription. It does not come in a prepackaged dose with instructions to be carefully read and followed. There is no requirement of specific procedures to be followed in order to accomplish a desired result. Spirituality is an extremely personal reflection of your relationship with Spirit.
What is required for me to be spiritual? Only that you are willing to express the unconditional love that is Spirit.
Must I learn to meditate? No. Meditation can allow you to calm yourself. It can also set you up to experience self-induced visions that are given more credence than cogent thought.
Is it necessary to eat specific foods? No. All products upon the earth have value on their own merit and as sustenance for other creatures. Choose your meals as you would like, but one is no more virtuous than another and none is more vital to your body or your soul. Do you love chocolate or pork? Enjoy them with no feelings of guilt!
Should I seek to become more in tune with the stones and crystals of the earth? Thats not at all necessary. In general, what you actively seek will lead you astray, as you then begin to listen to those who will tell you what they think you should know.
What about the "uniform" of spirituality? What do flowing garments and sparkling colors add to the expression of Love? If you like them, wear them, but as an expression of who you are and not as a reflection of what an enlightened or spiritual person is expected to look like.
Can interactions with persons who claim to be able change who I am and what I experience be taken seriously? Take them very, very seriously. Therapies abound in the arena of spirituality. Before participating in any of them, determine what the desired result is. If it is someone else imposing their expectations of diagnosis or outcomeeven if it sounds as though it might be acceptableavoid them at all costs!!
Should I participate in campaigns to affect change in another whether the intent is to accomplish peace, or healing, or the evolution of the earth itself? (See the paragraph immediately above.) You have absolute dominion over your own choices and your own development. Would you abandon that so that another can make your choices for you? No? Why, then, would you think that it is acceptable to another for you to interfere in their development?
Must I accept the idea that what I may have done in other lives carries with it requirements for this life? Absolutely not! Spirit is unconditional Love. Carrying leftovers from any other life would be conditional, would it not?
Many will attempt to convince you of the value and applicability of the beliefs that they hold. Some will be sincere in their desire to share with you the concepts they hold dear, but many will use you
RE: Not so brave....
Yes, we are fine just how we are, in my view. I nfact, I think a lot of personal misery, in terms of how we feel about ourselves, is only made worse by the implication that we need *healing*, or changing in any way....
For me, I am not so in to the *love is all* philosophy.... For me, love is not all, and my love is not given to everyone. My love is part of me, but it is no more valid than my hate, my lust, my kindness, my anger..... I believe that it is fine just to be who and what we are - mixtures of many ways of experiencing and connecting with each other.
To me, if people are told that all they need is love, or that they should be feeling only love, love, love, then that is a kind of anti-human philosophy, because not everyone, IF anyone, is capable of feeling only love - and if they did, a huge part of the experience of being a human being would be stolen from them - and then what would love mean???
I do think a lot of misery is caused by new age gurus infecting people withthe idea that they should be some kind of freakish alien beings of love, when it would be far more powerful just to say that it is ok to simply be who you are. It is my belief that we are here, on this Earth, simply to experience being who we are.
X
RE: Not so brave....
Many will attempt to convince you of the value and applicability of the beliefs that they hold. Some will be sincere in their desire to share with you the concepts they hold dear, but many will use your good intentions for their own benefit. At any moment in your development, if you give control of your thinking processes to another you cease to make the progress that you desire.
Follow no one unquestioningly, no matter what their name or what they are purported to have done. Attitudes from one culture are no more spiritual than another. Some may be cloaked in secrecy or mysticism; others may claim historically significant associations. Noneas they come from the minds of other humansare right for you!
Hi Nancy and Steve,
By the above statments would you kindly confirm if I understand your meaning correctly?
If, for example, I should meet someone, anyone, discuss various spiritual beliefs with them, ask questions, probe, seek and yet not find complete satisfaction, then this is really a very positive outcome? For every instance when someone's else's beliefs are put forward, it is what the individual gains in personal insight that matters, NOT if they take on the understanding of others? In other words, treat no one as a personal Guru, but absorb that which you feel in your heart is the turth and discard the rest having understood that this alternative view comes from an entirely different perspective.
If this is so, then I can easily relate to this and the rest of your very enlightening post.
Dear ,Xia.
For me also 'love' is not all as any person can be ambivilant about another - it does not signify hate or negativity, simply a warning that this person will not ever resonate with me. I find it easier to 'love' the world, and humanity as a whole, but not as indiviudals. I do not find it easy to hate, so, I don't;)
I think the people who seek out Gurus, need to do so. In which case I am not damning them on the basis of the fact that the Guru may be malign. As is the case with all people, individual needs and requirements are that which govern actions. One can feel or think or know that someone is possibly wrong in choosing a certain way or path, but, one shoudl still respect that choice.
Love Gxxx