a note to the sea
Why I think spirituality is the right way of thinking in the modern world. I believe that with the growing power and abundance of information, it is very important to recognize and understand that there are many different paths founded upon different languages and points of reason. Since this is the case, I firmly believe that there are ways of being that are founded on entirely different cultures and languages that may lead one to live in a harmonious and righteous way. Since this is the case, within the growing interconnected modes of sharing and communicating, it seems that ensuring harmony among different groups of people requires a fundamental recognition of a pure and noble way of being. An overall spiritual path of noble righteousness must then be the way.
I have found that in my own personal investigations that Siddhartha Gautama seemed to be sharing his own findings at eliminating suffering. It seems that Jesus Christ was also sharing his own discoveries for eliminating suffering. I personally believe that both of them would most likely have been great friends, but they just live in different times and in drastically different culture circumstances. Krishna was also another figure that I have learned very little about, but it seems to me that he would also be another figure in the spiritual category that would join these two as being a great friend. In thinking about these different worldly figures, I have begun to believe that different paths coming from different cultures and languages may seem to converge toward some style of objective altruism.
Thinking about this has caused me to reflect on the very people that were the true natives to north America. Many of them had entire lives that were disconnected from the knowledge of all three of those prominent spiritual figures, yet I am certain that many of them lived in some manner that was righteous and pious. There have also been people throughout time that lived their entire lives with certain knowledge absent that many religions declare are absolute in relation to language. I certainly do not agree with any religious declaration that proclaims that certain knowledge or thoughts are absolutely required for the salvation for a persons being in time. Such axioms are just reasonable attempts via language to communicate the importance of certain spiritual practices.
The difference between the two concepts: psychological and spiritual, is a massive question that I do not believe there is a linguistic answer for. There are many things that are apart of living as homo-sapiens that go beyond the realm of language. The first instance that I want to cite that I believe is very well known is that of the emotional paradigm of love. Love itself is a perpetual mystery for human beings. It is in the very mystery of this paradox that love itself begins to blossom and flourish. Perhaps within the spiritual realm the shroud that maintains a division between language and the intangible spiritual dynamic serves a similar purpose that the mysterious shroud in love does.
Why is it that love is such an exhilarating, wonderful, and beautiful thing that people strive for? Wouldn't such a rational and solid conclusion remove the entire unknown ride of wonder which often serves as a fundamental basis for meaning for so many people? Perhaps the unknown type of ride which takes place due to the unknown that I reference is also a means for the ride of living? In a religious sense, either it is a firm single ride of existence which is then judged and comes to an end, or a reincarnated continuous ride that transfers its self unto another cart passing also either forward momentum or downward drag. There is also the idea that a dormant waiting state also exists for some souls in Catholicism.
I do also believe that following the eight noble-fold path seems to converge with Jesus's ultimate message of selfless love for one another. It seems that the primary target for suffering and wrongdoing also converges in Buddhism and Christianity alike. It seems that in Daoism, it is also the case that selfish attachments and consuming desires are often that which is opposed to the way. Ultimately I feel as if in many different spiritual disciplines there seems to be a unified direction toward some objective righteous path that ensures a style of living and being that is harmonious for everyone. I just know that spending one entire lifetime within a cultural context makes some spiritual paths remotely unavailable within a persons lifetime.
Another thing that I do want to stress is mindfulness meditation. I do think that in my own life the combination of practicing aerobic exercise, thirty minutes of meditation when awaking and before sleeping, and yoga-like stretching, have made a wold of difference. Faith is another incredibly important paradigm to cultivate within ones life and mental landscape. I have tried to combine a Buddhist and Christian style mental spiritual paradigm. I also have very much identified with pantheism in a secular context. I have taken many strides away from Christianity in the past, I believe I am not worthy of Christs saving grace. When I do think of selflessness of Siddhartha relative to Christ, I do think that Christ most definitely made a much larger sacrifice, but that type of thought is a judgment that is far beyond my minuscule microscopic existence. The waves of space and time or the sea of Samsara are Gods spiritual paintbrush.
Cheers!
周培森