Every [philosophy/aphorism/religion/teaching/etc] seems to function as a causal map—an attempt to chart a pattern of consequence that steers me towards fulfillment and cautions me against undesirable pitfalls.
Ironically, all the worthwhile ones seem to be saying the exact same thing: it’s fine to use them as guides (especially in the beginning) but in the end, I have to figure things out for myself.
So true! We need to make our own mixture. I think that makes it exciting and interesting.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reblogged this on The Perils of Improbable Potholes.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Whaaat! Thanks for the reblog A. Non! 🙂 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Definitely think for yourself! Everything is legit the same old shit. But I would be put of work if everyone was a free thinker. So… maybe help me corral the sheeple towards my pig pen? (This is your muse, talking to you, after all)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Happy to, haha! You got something you want me to reblog or something?
LikeLike
Haha, I am my own pig farmer sherpah goat, and I’m yodelling all my whatsy-whats back to the slaughterhouse.
Or in not insane talk, I am a cult leader and am spruiking my own cult. It would do my a great honour if a caveman such as yourself were to sign up to my own arcadian mkultra cool cult. You will be known as a kimion. and… its all beta, max. very iffy. (its my cultofkim, aka #COK)
cult leading is maybe not not insane talk… it may be the opposite of not insane… I’m confusion
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am ALWAYS down to sign up for something named #COK! 😂I’m confident I can bring a lot to the table, just based off the name!😆
LikeLike
Funny you mention that, that’s how you pray tribute in my religion. Oh me oh my, I love teaching… I would love all the thoughts and prayers from my (adult) acolytes!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ooh—acolyte! Maybe someday, I can make it to adept! (I can do analingus—does that put me ahead of the others?)😆
LikeLiked by 1 person
Er.. Sure. Why not. Any A word, aye? Then so be it. This night, I dub thee… A Knight!
LikeLiked by 1 person
“And thus, Ass Knight was born…”😂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Arise!
Oh my. Yes. I like it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
😂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I suspect that whatever challenges you face have been shared by many others across history, which is probably why we have such systems in the first place.
LikeLiked by 1 person
They absolutely have. ( (Un)fortunately?) the setting and context will vary, so it requires some independent thought to change up the approach but keep the principle when it comes to applying the tradition to the problem.
LikeLike
I’m not saying that one must become a mindless robot if you join an organized spiritual group. There’s a lot of room for variation, which is why there are an estimated 1,500 denominations of Christianity alone. Both Judaism and Islam also have variants. So does Buddhism. I’ve probably said this before, but at the end of the day, no matter what form of spirituality to which you cling, each person negotiates his or her own relationship with God.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Indeed. I think the trouble begins when you have a small minority who believe theirs is the only valid relationship with the divine, and that they get to order everyone else around.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Unfortunately, human nature often gets in the way of our relationship with the Divine.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Agree.
LikeLike
We agree. The highest levels in any of these belief structures are more comfortable with other structures. because they know that. Some people cling to the details trying to differentiate their ideas when the most enlightened way is looking for common ground.
LikeLiked by 1 person
There’s a feeling of comfort and safety in tradition, but just like it’s better for parents and children to evolve beyond a parasitic relationship (though it’s definitely necessary at first), it’s better for people to evolve beyond mindless obedience to a given tradition, and apply the deeper principles behind whatever they were venerating.
LikeLike
I agree. I find it important not to allow this evolution to isolate me from those yet to evolve. Sometimes, one can find them selves alone, with no family or friends to be with on intimate terms. It is never “I and they,” it is always “we.”
LikeLiked by 1 person
In “The Way of the Peaceful Warrior,” the main character, whose name escapes me, was “fitting in” until he discovered himself. But then he rejoined his community as a contribution. The journey is a circle.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I read it when I was a kid—Dan Millman. I don’t really remember the idea of community being a big thing in there, but a sense of isolation was. From what I remember, it arose from his skewed perception
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good point, Isn’t everything skewed perception?
LikeLiked by 1 person
I would say it isn’t skewed if you acknowledge that it IS skewed, but it’s skewed if you think it isn’t. From what I remember, Dan thought he had it all figured out until Socrates taught him otherwise.
LikeLike
True that! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
This thought/musing makes me agree with it on a slightly broader scale. At face value, there are many “guides” to progress through life in an “acceptable” manner. I think no one is better than the other (my opinion). They all offer a means to get through trials and be a part of a community. Then you mention that they “run out of material”. There is no end game for many of these systems/guidelines. It’s as you say, you have to think for yourself, or seek the final answers for yourself. I believe the reason is that none of these systems have “proof” of the existence of the next level of things. When our mortal bodies expire, there is only anecdotes and claimed experiences that give any hint that we go on. In addition to that, we suffer from our survival instincts… a desire not to die. I feel the need to suppose that many of the folks that came up with these systems/guides succumbed to that survival instinct. They reaced the point of facing their own mortalities and ran out of ideas… or the ability to think rationally. The “fear” of death is base instinct in mortal animals like us. The fear of the unknown is part of that, me thinks. So, when these systems run out of material, I would posit that it is because like everybody else, we must achieve an acceptance of our ends. We have to come to terms with the possibility that when we take that final nap, the lights really do go out, and there is nothing after that. Some are fortunate enough to possibly reach a threshold and catch a glimpse of what might be next and come back with some idea of what might be (near-death experience). But given the possibility of something next, whatever is next is less than interested in revealing itself to us mortals until we are at the threshold. Those that get that glimpse are left without proof, and all we can do is believe/hope that they are right. It’s up to the individual at that point to accept what might be. No guideline for that, I guess…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Indeed. And in the face of not being able to know, I think the advice of living in the present moment, enjoying what’s in front of me, and doing what I can with what I have becomes all the more relevant. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person