Which path to enlightenment? Need advice.

[kakkarot]

perhaps a mountain, where you can see beauty across vast distances.

or a forest, where every step brings new wonder to your eyes.

or the ocean, where perspective of grandness and humility are both made known.

the arctic/antarctic where mere survival brings an understanding of our immediate, base nature.

a volcano, which shows the contained power that could destroy so much if it wanted to.

a quiet holy place to lift your spirit to new realms.

one of the seven wonders of the world to see what great things human hands can concieve when effort is put forth.

the small villages of papa new guinea, where our dependancies on other humans is not masked.

the large corporations of america, to see the ideas and desires of modern men.

inside your own mind, to discover yourself once more.

the astral, to know hope beyond this existance.

back to your wife's side, with renewed passion and love to see the true joy we can experience.


there are many places to travel in this world for greater understanding of it. and many places also to travel for greater understanding of things beyond. [|)] where does your heart tell you to go?

~kakkarot

[WalkerInTheWoods]

If you want to go on a spiritual journey and head straight to the source, then the only place you need to look is within. Everything you need is within you.
If you want to go on vacation and see the world, then follow your heart's desire.

[singularity]

I like Kakkarot's response.  I totally get off on wild nature (or what current facsimiles thereof still exist), and my tourism is almost always eco-.

I'm like both of you, I tend to look inside and distrust dogma of any kind.  But I was thinking more about getting some exposure to, and maybe formal instruction in, a worthy spiritual tradition.  Is there such a thing, or are they all bullsh*t?

[jilola]

What every path boils down to is, is the fact that the path is where You are. The trick in all of them if to figure out and realize what You really are.
The value in enduring all the hardship of physically searching for the right place, the right guru, the right time is all good and well ,and for many people its necessary, provided one realizes the answers sought have always been right there within oneself.

So given the choice of the path I'd choose nothing.

2cents & L&L
jouni

[singularity]

quote:Originally posted by singularity

quote:Originally posted by jilola

What every path boils down to is, is the fact that the path is where You are. The trick in all of them if to figure out and realize what You really are.
The value in enduring all the hardship of physically searching for the right place, the right guru, the right time is all good and well ,and for many people its necessary, provided one realizes the answers sought have always been right there within oneself.

So given the choice of the path I'd choose nothing.

2cents & L&L
jouni

I think that is pretty insightful.  I actually have a working idea of "what I really am", much of which fell into place in the past few months.  I wonder if it's similar to yours?

[kakkarot]

quote:Originally posted by singularity

But I was thinking more about getting some exposure to, and maybe formal instruction in, a worthy spiritual tradition.  Is there such a thing, or are they all bullsh*t?

there are good teachers and bad teachers in all walks of life. but a good teacher is a good teacher REGARDLESS of spiritual tradition [] (that's what makes them good, imo).

so if you are going to search for a teacher of something, ANYTHING, spend the time to find a good one [|)].

(oh, and i didn'te mention any religious things merely because you said you don't like "christians zealots" [], although i do dislike dogma and would much rather see people follow the heart of christianity than the rules. ie, love towards all [|)])

~kakkarot

[Nahaz]

I've been thinking lately that what we call an "individual" is a unique path of experience. There must be infinite individuals as there must be infinite paths.

Ahh, what it is to realise your insignificance and significance in a single breath. []

[The AlphaOmega]

I'd say just pack a bag that you can carry, like a duffle bag, with the essentials.  Warm clothes, food, water, cash, toiletries, and just start walking.  Help people who need help.  Maybe meet some new friends you wouldn't expect.  Who knows what you'll come across.  If it's a spiritual journey then you can't be driving in your 4x4, defeats the purpose.  Other wise, it's just a vacation.  So I guess the question is do you want to go on a journey to discover things, and yourself?  Or do you want to go on a vacation?  In any case, I will leave you with my favorite quote by Buddha-"Discover your own path to enlightenment with diligence".

P.S. I think you would be suprised what hardships many people have experienced.  I'm not saying you're not special... but, well... you're probably not special!

[zaicer]

" I want to find the SOURCE"

Do not seek the sorce, you have met him many times, inbetween reincarnatins. We forget for a reason.
Insted seek knowladge and understanding. Try to improve ur life and the life of others around you.
Do not look for a guru or anyone like that. The most important thing that you have to learn (if u didnt yet) is that spiritual development is all about thinking by yourself. Hear the advice of others and try to understand it, but do not follow others like a sheep (like so many do in our times).

Try to use the spiritual to improve ur physical life by changing the way you look at it and how you act. But if you feel that the only way you can find what you are looking for is by finding the sorce then do not give up on that jurny, but do not close you mind toward other paths as well.
Personaly I think we were put here to understand reality on our own, not to be told it by the sorce or GOD or whatever you want to call it. We help eachother to understand but that is my way.

Everyones way is his own. Seach and maybe you will find.[]

[Tony M.]

Maybe you should try Lucid Dreaming, it can open a world for you that exceedes all of your expectations.

[andros]

Hey singularity,

I hope you are well and happy at this time  You have received good advise, the path is life itself, it is experiencing, living and exploring.  It is looking with in and making contact with source, it is looking with out and making contact with source, for source is not some other, something separate from you, it is you, your most Absolute, original, ever present, true Self.

That being said, if you a were to become a doctor and specialist heart surgeon, you would go to medical school, you would study with surgeons, apprentice with them and one day become a great surgeon your self.  In my limited opinion, it is the same when seeking Self Realization, there are traditions, paths, guru's and adepts, who are just like a master surgeon, they can teach you to remember, who and what you are.  I would say continue to live, learn, love and experience, looking with in and with out, but also speak with others, research all you  can find on the net, learn to recognise the wisdom of Higher Mind in others, to recognise God/Source contacted people, try to find out how it was they came to make contact, be methodical, narrow the field as there are a lot of wanna be's out there.  Try to find a genuine adept, these are very few in number, many low level initiates but adepts are rare, perhaps they work through a school perhaps alone, with the help of one who has already awakened, one can save tremendous amounts of time, multiple incarnations even.  One does not try and reinvent the wheel, one does one try to figure out heart surgery on ones own, by trial and error, it is much more efficient, to learn from another the most effective means of contacting source.

Contact me off list and I maybe able to make a few suggestions, do so at adamwest1@iprimus.com.au Blessings to you my friend,

In the presence of the Most High,

Adam.

[m0d0]

Hey there.

Quickly, Path to enlightenment = YOUR IT.

...Pretending your not.

Cheers,

Mo!

[singularity]

I sense the youth of most posters here.  I could be wrong, but I'd bet a demographic study would show a sharp decline in people's interest in metaphysics and serious spirituality as they age.

(I'm referring to men, I guess.  Who knows about women; they tend to get into various self-help stuff in middle age.)

Then there's me.  I've never really lost my college dorm room fascination with the grand, deep mystery of our existence.  I am right in the middle of middle age now; I've definitely gained a world of insights over the past 20 years, and my drive for deeper understanding and discovery is stronger than it's ever been.

If I believed in such things, I'd feel that I've somehow been selected for an extraordinary journey.  I know, we all would like to think that, but my circumstances are kind of extreme.  I've had a densely eventful life.  I've done so much and experienced so much, I truly believe I've lived more than some people would in ten lifetimes.

I'm not trying to brag.  It hasn't all been fun.  The fact is, the first few decades of my life are a story of unusual privelege and hard-won success.  Then, in the last 10-15 years, fate turned against me (if I believed in such things), and delivered me a series of misfortunes and heartaches which you wouldn't believe if I told you.

It all sucked, but I wouldn't go back and change a thing.  The most painful experiences open your spirit to new directions of growth.  Those of you who know what I mean know what I mean.

So anyway, I'm at this key point right now.  I'm free and mostly unemployed, but I have some cash.  If I can find the boldness, I'm seriously thinking about taking off on a quest.  (My wife will be ticked for a while, but our kids are either grown or taking the long dirt nap, so it won't really do harm to my loved ones.)

So the question is, where would you go and what would you do?  Right now I'm thinking Mexico in my Ranger 4x4.  Shamanism.  Real de Catorce sounds really cool.  

But then, I'm a druggie and I'm thinking peyote.  Would I be better off going to Asia?  I just don't want to waste time learning some BS religion or whatever.  I want to find the SOURCE.

Feedback most appreciated (except for Christian zealots and the like, I'm sick of that noise)!  

Good times!