Many people are defining themselves "spiritual" or "on a spiritual path", recently.
The New Age movement and many other movements create some kind of fashion about that, although it's some kind of very superficial spirituality, I think, just because doesn't reconnect to the ancient teachings, and it's just a mix of many different traditions and cultures, without any clue about how to really connect them and understand them deeply.
image source: https://www.bulletproofexec.com/benefits-of-meditation-how-to-meditate/
But what happens when you consider yourself a "spiritual person"?
- you start thinking you're better than other "common" people
- you create a division between what is "spiritual" and what is not
- you are creating a dualistic view of reality
There is not a "spiritual" way of living against a "materialistic" way.
Real spirituality can be lived in every ordinary, material situation, you don't need to be meditating or praying or talking to angels.
Being on a "spiritual path" simply means thinking you are going somewhere, but genuine insight is the answer and you don't need to go anywhere, it's already there!
Also the "self improvement" idea may create problems.
For the most ancient traditions, you're already enlightened but the problem is that you still don't know it!
So, even if it seems a paradox, ordinary people may be far more spiritual than self-proclaimed spiritual ones.
Try to be humble, ordinary, keep your feet on the ground, improve your connection with everyday reality
This is what Zen philosophy teaches since centuries.
- be in the here and now
- be aware of what's around you
- be present and alert
- embrace reality, don't create your imaginary world
That's it :)
Please leave your feedback and ideas on comments, I would be glad to answer
This is exactly the conclusion I've reached when discussing spirituality with my friend the other day: the most spiritual people are those who are down-to-earth the most.
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Exactly! How can you fly to high peaks when you're not able to stay down-on-earth first? :)
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I agree with the concept that there's often a sort of artificial element to much of what is referred to as spiritual.
I'm adopting a sort of "practical" spirituality lately.
Good direction with this.
Namaste 🙏🤘
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You got the point here, thank you and Namaste!
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I totally agree. Some try so hard to be spiritual, that they want to show others they are trying and miss the point. They start focusing on showing spirituality instead of feeling spirituality, and that's where they "lose the path", so to say.
Meditation can help on this, on focusing on here and now, on being aware and present. But meditation needs patience, and the world we live in often does not leave space for it, rushing us with news, social media, pokémons and every sort of control and innecessary created need.
The comment could be way longer, but I don't want to bore anyone :)
Hope to see you around,
sharingtheworld
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Thank you got your feedback!
Surely meditation is a great tool, but has to be done "without a purpose" otherwise can also be a trap :)
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I grew up in a rather conservative Christian home. I was taught that there was a certain way a Christian needed to pursue a spiritual life, and for a long time I tried to live that way. As I grew up, I started to feel that living that life meant I needed to think negatively of a lot of other people. I wasn't cool with that. I decided to really take time and learn what my faith meant to me and to understand it for myself instead of the way it was passed down to me. Long story short, I came to adopt a much more open view of what my being a Christian meant as I interact with the world. I often say I don't even like being called a Christian any more because I'm so much different from probably at least 95% of the people who call themselves Christians. The interesting part about the whole thing is that I feel my searching has led me to Zen. Zen is so universal and personal and concerned with the other rather than the self. A lot of Christians have a tendency to just lump Zen in with Buddhism automatically, but it doesn't need to be and I feel that when we look at Zen simply as a philosophy/lifestyle that it actually encompasses a lot of what almost every religion teaches about interacting with the world around us.
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I understand you story.
I'm personally neither Christian or Zen, I am just a free spirit and take best things from any creed or philosophy, but always they have to resonate with my own inner feelings.
About judging others I wrote this post you may find interesting too https://steemit.com/self-help/@andrew0/one-simple-step-to-improve-your-life-try-it-and-let-me-know
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Cool take on the subject!
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Thank you!
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I like your post. What I realized when looking at the bullets descriping Zen philosophy is that my 5 yr old twins make sure every day that I adhere to these principles, at least the best I can. They always remind me that it is indeed the here an now that counts, much more than reflection and planning. I do like create imaginary worlds though, yet my kids make sure that I don´t live in them;-)
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Thank you, Zen is a paradox, as life is, so maybe has no rules but only attitudes, so don't transform them in rules!
Your kids, for sure, will be able to understand and practice better than us
:)
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Very good post. I actually just wrote about such a topic too: https://steemit.com/socialmedia/@limitless/what-is-the-best-way-to-use-social-media
Basically, just be present and do something productive.
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That is indeed a trap. Be aware!
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what is the trap? please explain thanks :)
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Sorry! I meant that :
"But what happens when you consider yourself a "spiritual person"?
you start thinking you're better than other "common" people
you create a division between what is "spiritual" and what is not
you are creating a dualistic view of reality"
is a trap when you try to be a spiritual person.
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Agree
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