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help with what to beleive !!

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James S

Hi Rodentmouse,

You've asked a really good, valid and very important question.

The quick answer - Find out who YOU are first, and be yourself.

In many books that I've read about spiritual growth or gifts the authors have always made a big point about knowing yourself. This is critical. Until you know and accept who you are, you can only really change things on the surface.

Once you can become comfortable with who you really are, and with the beliefs that you can accept without question, then you can change and grow naturally, not forcibly. With this in mind you'll find that you don't have to struggle with the concept of having to be a loving caring person, this will come on its own as you grow spiritually.

Your personality or charachter is not something set in stone. It is fluid. Don't struggle with a dislike of who you are.

James.

ralphm

Rather than second guess your motives just do as the buddhists and offer the fruits of your practice/donation to the enlightenment of all beings.
In the world in general and in this nation
May not even the names disease, famine, war, and suffering be heard.
May virtuous qualities, merit, and prosperity greatly increase
And may continuous good fortune and subline well-being perfectly arise.

jilola

Look Mom, I can see me from here!
Been there, still there, looking for the T-shirt.

Might I suggest that you stop trying to find the answers by reading about it.
It very much looks like your problem isn't how and what to believe in but rather the ancient and truly righteous dilemma of "Who Am I?".

Read "The Three Pillars of Zen" by Philip Kapleau and "Zen mind, Beginner's Mind" by Shunryu Suzuki.

Yeah, I said don't read [:D]

2cents & L&L
jouni

cainam_nazier

Note: This works for me because it is my path.

But I have found that in spiritual development there are no rules, no laws, only guide posts and signs.  I have touble conforming to one set of rules.  So I don't.  I pick and choose the items that make sence to me.  In doing so I learn who I am, what I like, and what I don't like.  With this I learn what I need to change, what I want to change, and what will always remain as a part of me.

Continue your search and you will find the "rules" or "laws" that ring true for you.  Do not follow some thing or do some thing because you read it or some one told you to.  Only follow/do because you believe, honestly believe that it is true and some thing you need/want to do.

user001

the golden rule works pretty good. Do to others what you would have them do to you.

rodentmouse

hello   to  the  people :D

getting  into  AP  has opened  so many  doors  for  me  in  terms  of  spiritualism...  e.g.  meditation,  energy  work, yoga  etc

hence   i  have  been  reading  lots  of  spirituality  related   books...

Now  i   am  finding  it  hard  to  try  and  be  what  the  books  tell me...   e.g..

after  reading   "nirvana  in a nutshell"     i   should    not  try  to be  anybody  except  myself,   which  is  ok  even  if  i am  antisocial  and  shy....

  but   after  reading  "the  spiritual  teachings of yoga"  i  should  try   and  become  compassionate and  loving  toward  my  fellow man,   which   i  am  having great  difficulty  doing  naturally,  

i  mean,   lets  say  if  i  give money  to a homeless man,   i  will  consiously  refer  to  a passage  in  the  latter of those  books   which  says  something like  "a  selfless  act  is the  quickest way  to   enlightenment"  

but   after  reading "the power of now"   that  book  suggests  i  should  just  accept  who  i am  without   question  or  without a  desire  to  be  someone  im  not.

what   troubles me  is  that   my   positive  actions  are NOT  natural,   when  i   am  compassionate  towards  someone,   it  will  ironically  be  selfish...  because  i  am  wanting  to  make  myself  compassionate  instead of  genuinly  caring for  whoever  has  a problem.

do  you  see  what i mean???  i  hope  so.

but,   how   can  someone  who is not  compassionate  learn  to be  compassionate  without  "practise"   liek   what  i  am  doing.

i  must  admit,  when  i  give a  homeless person  some  change  (ive  only   started  to  do  this  after   reading  the books  which   "tell"  me  i  should   do  so)   and  i  see  the  glint  of  happiness  in  there  eye,  it   does  genuinly  make me  feel  good  (feeling  of  compassion)????.    

Its  like   i  am  slowly  buying  compassion,  literally..

anyway,   back  to  my point....

If  i  am  naturally  antisocial   and   introvert,  am  i  not  "worthy"  of  enlightenment???

or   is  it  the  act  of  embracing  your  natural  self  which  will  lead  you  to understanding  compassion.

I know its a cliche,  but I  am  very  confused  as  to  what  to  beleive  at  the moment,  i  am  trying  to  uphold   all  these  spiritual  laws,    but  they  end  up  contradicting  each other  and  i  dont  know  which  beleif   to   take  my  chance  with.

the  2 main  beleifs  in  question  are...

1)   be  compassionate,  be  loving,  love  your  enemy,  free  yourself  free  desire  etc  (be  like  jesus  and  the buddha)    and  you  will  reach  enlightenment...

2)   be   who  you naturally  are,   compassionate or not,  and  you  will  reach  enlightenment.