Posts by wiredcanyon6

@Maleficent,shamantrixx
Spiritual growth is all about evolving, expanding, and letting go. But you can't really get there without questioning your own actions, desires, and beliefs. Integration requires actual change, otherwise it’s just a theory. That’s why this whole process usually involves things like retreats, meditation, or diving into some deep spiritual books.

@Edward Flores4
Good to see you back at it with the wordplay and dodging the point. Honestly, I don't even feel the need to reply to your post anymore because it's clearly just about feeding your ego.
Bdw, don't sweat it... I won't be thinking about this conversation later since I didn't learn anything new or encounter anything I haven't seen before.
Best.

@Edward Flores4
Whether it's imposed or not is nonsense. By that logic, Marshall McLuhan basically forced his whole concept of information intake on you. As a sane person, I always have the freedom to choose. I don't need anyone telling me how to study texts. Studying them has worked for me. I soak up the good stuff and toss out the garbage. I’ve defined my own sense of what is sacred, and I’m happy with it. Just to be clear: to me, something is sacred if I conclude it has a divine origin—something far beyond human speculation or philosophy.
I’m quoting you because of this thread, but also because of our past talks where your main move was accusing me of blind copying, mindless acceptance, or fanaticism.
We name things in this world just to make communication easier; otherwise, we’d just be barking at each other like dogs. The evidence you laid out isn't actually an answer to my questions. It’s just a senseless theory you use to shield yourself from any argument. Personally, I have no use for it.
Since you want to emphasize your point, I'll emphasize mine. What I consider sacred scripture might just be "books" to someone else. I was explicitly saying that people shouldn't limit themselves by not reading or researching. Debating your obsession with holiness feels trivial. It’s like me saying I love a book, and you telling me I only love it because of my flawed perception, the cover, or the font without even having read the thing... yet you're bothered by my use of the word "love."

You can see things from the moon that you can't see up close. Similarly, based on everything we've discussed, I can tell that true spirituality hasn't even entered your dreams, let alone your vision. You're clearly a smart person, and I know that if you had ever encountered the original teachings of Bhagavan, you wouldn't be pushing concepts born purely from human motives, weaknesses, and conditioning. Just as the original OM vibration awakens our chakras, his words awaken higher spheres of understanding and perception. This ancient, practical wisdom existed before all religions, exists now, and will remain unchanged forever.

Honestly... it bothers me how you constantly insert your own interpretations into other people's quotes. It feels pretty tacky and immature, especially coming from someone with your intellect. Here’s a perfect example from your last post:
"it's obvious that you turn "scriptures" into a caricature of someone else's "sacred" views, then pretend you reached them through thinking, meditation, or contemplation"
I mean... how do you know that? Where is this "obvious" part? Have you been following my personal journey? Where's the proof? Even today, I read all sorts of "sacred" texts, but I don't consider them sacred just because they say so; I use my own judgment instead of adopting someone else's. You can give me whatever presentation you want, but it won't convince me unless I study it myself and feel those connections in my heart and mind through my own experiences and reality. Nobody ever forced anything on me or lectured me. In fact, the first part of the Vedas I ever read was The Quran, which a friend found in his dad's old shed
"I was cleaning out the garage. Found this in the shed, don't really get it so I brought it to you... since you love that psychological stuff (back then I was deep into metaphysics, parapsychology, and psychology). Even if some things weren't directly practical for my life, they still helped broaden my perspective. Some things felt sacred to me because the meaning went beyond my expectations and opened up entirely new ways of seeing things."
Get what I'm saying? You're basically clinging to the idea that everything was imposed on me and that I'm just conditioned. But I know that isn't true. This is my life. I lived it, and I'm living it. I can guarantee it's not like that. If you had gone through it yourself, you could guarantee it too, because you'd see there's nothing external that can change you from the inside except yourself.
Basically, telling people on this forum that scriptures delude us or dictate our views is way more cult-like than someone simply saying, "go study them."
Anyone who lacks integrity or absorbs everything without thinking could be misled by anything in this world... even the Republican Party. Not that I care about them. I'm not going to be afraid to try new things just because of them if I believe in myself.

I learned from you that sharing an opinion on this forum makes you open to criticism, and that's fine. I respect your stance. I was just sharing my own view regarding yours for the sake of the others here searching for truth. (Check my first post in this thread)

@Edward Flores4
🙂 Whatever, man. I should’ve known your ego wouldn't let a little advice slide. You just see it as an intellectual attack and try to win by nitpicking my exact wording while totally missing the point. And now you're hung up on me calling things "sacred."
To me, they're sacred because those words come from God. They're invaluable to me and always inspire me. I never said YOU had to treat them as sacred or follow them as authority, and I definitely didn't imply that. It's my right to see them that way if I want to, regardless of what anyone else thinks. Honestly, I don't care what you think about it. You claim you can strip away the layers and read these types of texts, but tell me—what have you actually read besides philosophy and critiques? Nothing. Absolutely nothing, buddy. It’s obvious. Just pick up something like The Bible or some Apocrypha, like the Gospel of Johnson. Those are easy to find. Read the actual texts instead of just commentaries, then stop acting so high and mighty about how certain writings "corrupt" people.

Edward Flores4 said:Look, any institution ever created was designed by someone to serve their own interests, not the public good. When people build an organization and then act under its official "brand," they’re usually just serving as the engine that drives profit back to the original designer. Most followers and employees end up working against their own best interests without even realizing it.

Contemplative orders are established to make spiritual practice easier for people by providing an institutional framework that offers the best possible resources—everything from access to teachings and sacred texts (which used to be incredibly hard to find) to physical space (usually somewhere quiet, tucked away in nature, far from the noise of society) and basic necessities like housing and food. This allows a person to devote themselves entirely to a life of contemplation.

That’s a beautiful fairy tale, but there are some issues... maybe even two:
1) The only actual requirement for contemplation is having a brain that functions without physical distraction. Honestly, you have the conditions for contemplation while you're washing dishes... having free time certainly helps, but it isn't a prerequisite. At the end of the day, it comes down to the sheer will to contemplate.

2) Having easy access to texts actually sabotages contemplation. Once you read something, you create your own "version of someone else's image"—essentially, you adopt someone else's perspective on a subject. If that "model" is more complex than what you currently hold, you'll naturally perceive it as superior because a more complex model always offers more choices than a simpler one... and people tend to equate freedom with having more options. BUT!!! That "new" understanding of yours isn't actually the fruit of your own contemplation; it's just pure mimicry of what you read, interpreted with a tiny bit of subjectivity... and yet, you mistake that for your own opinion.

So, what these organizations "provide" is actually a way to prevent genuine contemplation. You end up surrounded only by people who share your exact convictions... which means that's the only "thought model" present in your environment. Consequently, what you think is knowledge or your own opinion is really just a reference to someone else's model, performed in your own style. Now, you possess the "ultimate truth" and you defend it as if it were your own lived experience, when in reality, it's just your personal interpretation of someone else's experience.

In other words... It's a marriage of futility with illusion. You delude yourself into thinking you're thinking just because you're referencing "sacred texts." You ignore the fact that the very need to debate it suggests you don't actually believe it at all—you just need to convince yourself that you're certain. You end up acting on the principle of extracting benefit from mistakes without wasting energy defending obviously "harmful" ways of thinking. 🙂

Then how do you explain all those associations and foundations that weren't formed by legal institutions? Associations and foundations are legal entities; they have their own structure, hierarchy, income, expenses, and so on.

Sure, they have revenue and expenses—that much is true—but they aren't turning a profit. All those funds are earmarked for the specific mission the nonprofit supports, which means they can't just cut checks to political campaigns; consequently, they lack that kind of political leverage. Now, technically, any small business owner is a legal entity... but I’m talking about actual legitimacy and the real capacity to "influence" policy, legislation, and so on.

The clowns are always entertaining for us and the media, so it feels like there are way more of them than there actually are... it's just that they make the most noise at the start.😁

That's the truth. You also have to realize that even monasteries act as one of the biggest "sideshow attractions" in this massive circus. The essence lies in the occurrence itself—the "happening"—and a happening is just what unfolds naturally, regardless of what you think about what took place. The event happens all on its own... without your intervention... just existing. You should really just live rather than try to intervene. Honestly, trying to interfere isn't even important, and besides, it has absolutely nothing to do with the event itself.

A map of the terrain isn't the actual terrain... in the same way, your opinion about an event isn't the event you're forming an opinion on. Memory is always the past. An opinion about a memory is just a projection of that past memory "painted" over the living image of the present moment. As long as you hold an opinion about Buddha... it's obvious you aren't actually awake... you're just dreaming during the day about "Buddhas" that others described to you in their "scriptures" and stories.

Nevertheless... you're quite well-informed compared to the "average" person (whatever that implies), though it seems like you're still just gathering data as a way to delay reaching a "verdict"—using that verdict to finally form an opinion on everything that is, and everything that isn't...? I say that based on my own experience, so it may or may not be right... but I personally believe that 🙂

I can see your point regarding Tibetans. Their isolation from the outside world and their focus on impersonalism from such a young age really shapes them.
Not necessarily! Edward Flores4, you’re really overdoing it with this refusal to learn or even look at information worth paying attention to. No one is forcing you to accept any specific spiritual teachings; that's entirely up to you and your own preconceived notions. Everything comes to us if we act like bees, moving from flower to flower to gather pollen and make honey. Otherwise, we just end up dry like a cake made without oil. Attachment and weakness are what derail us when we're trying to build integrity and character. If you refuse to consider information from any outside source or authority, you're going to walk right off a cliff just because you didn't bother to ask what was waiting behind the bushes. Relying solely on your gut won't get you far—senses are inherently limited and unreliable.
It's not all black and white. You say people crave having more options, but I don't really buy into that concept. I know exactly what I want, and I stick to my one choice regardless of what I read or hear.
Sure, plenty of people just soak everything up and wait to be told what to believe. But trust me, there are others who actually process it all—comparing ideas, making connections, and doing the work to build their own conclusions to get ahead.
Sacred texts are "sacred" because they hold pure, untouched spiritual wisdom derived from the lives of holy figures or direct encounters with God—the Source from which everything flows and eventually returns. The insights found there are light-years beyond our mere speculation, offering a fundamental foundation to fast-track spiritual growth during this brief life. Anyone who has actually studied them knows exactly what I mean. It’s a completely different matter when people try to twist that truth just to grab power and fame, effectively staining and corrupting the scriptures.
Look, reading and studying isn't about being passive. It’s more about observing and experimenting—connecting new info to what you already know. Then you can judge for yourself if you have the skills. You're better off trusting your own logic than some massive institution pushing its own version of the facts.

I know... I know I'm probably going to be silenced for life now. 🙂 I just wanted to point that out to you. I felt like saying it because I want us to be able to share a lot more ideas here without those kinds of biases getting in the way.

I agree with some of your points regarding the Dalai Lama. The fact that he started eating meat was essentially the end of his spiritual path. I can't stand hypocrisy either. Honestly, fighting for Tibet seems pointless now because those temples need a formal state structure to function. They need tax revenue to maintain the monasteries so people can actually focus on Buddhist teachings instead of worrying about where their next meal comes from. Plus, who is going to protect them in the long run? It’ll just be the same old story once someone finds oil nearby and things shift again. A truly spiritual person doesn't care about flags when they view the whole Earth as home. That's a leader's job. When a King loses his battle or his kingdom, he passes the torch—it means he either failed to protect his people or his time is simply up.
I don't have nearly as much info as you guys do, but here's my two cents on the matter. 🙂

@Anthony Hayes49/">@@Anthony Hayes49

I wasn't talking about paradise, just a spiritual dimension of existence. Those heavenly realms are part of the material dimension you reach through good deeds, acting right, letting go of envy, and so on. But even there, time exists, along with a subtle level of selfish satisfaction in your own achievements. That’s a whole different topic, though..

I agree that this life is a gift. It's a chance to grow and move forward, like I said before. But when you offer that gift back to God—the Source everything flows from—you get the chance to join Him where He exists in His personal form alongside beings like Himself. That’s that spiritual dimension where everything is woven together by spiritual energy. To me, that's true liberation. There is a big difference for me between the idea of merging with Him and actually spending time with Him. That's all I meant in my first reply.

*It's just like a father teaching his child how to manage property or care for crops, people, and animals. When he finally sees they can handle it all themselves, he hands over the reins. In the same way, we have this physical body as a gift, but we aren't forced to die right now and leave behind everything we've built. If a living soul turns to the Source and asks, "What do You want, Father? What can I do for You?" He will answer by telling them to let go of selfish desires and control, and to dedicate themselves to pure love—just like many holy people have taught. That way, you can receive a spiritual body where nothing is impossible. Material desires lead to material universes; spiritual desires lead to spiritual universes.

So, my take is that even the desire to merge with the Absolute is essentially a material desire. It isn't ultimate liberation, just temporary. Building your own pure spiritual body through pure love, however, is the real thing. 😍
(Our Source... our Lord... whatever name you give Him... He wants us to have the same love for everyone that He does. Then, He is ready to grant us all His power and infinity so we can keep evolving endlessly in a state of selflessness and love.)

@mistybison/">@@mistybison
I think I get what you're asking. My take is pretty simple: that sounds like Buddhism. They see breaking the cycle of birth and death and merging with God as the ultimate goal. But through my own research, I've realized that isn't the end game for me. Merging with a formless, omnipresent energy means losing your individuality and personality too. To me, that just feels like another way the ego tries to maintain control.
The nature of living beings is to want and to act. Like my guru used to say, I believe people eventually return to the material world to keep growing.
This creation exists so there’s room for every desire... which includes the possibility of merging with Him. But true liberation, at least how I see it, is being freed from the false ego, the fruits of your actions, and selfishness by knowing His personal form. That way, you can escape reincarnation while still entering a spiritual dimension where your character keeps evolving... where you can want and act without limits or conditions, other than love itself.
The Tao Te Ching is a great guide for breaking karmic cycles and such, but its ultimate purpose is debatable for the individual. So... just keep reading, exploring, and thinking. I have a feeling you'll find the answers you're looking for when the time is right.
Pranam

Oh, I totally forgot about the animation... For me, the best animated version of The Odyssey is The Prince of Light.

trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwVZeCLEWrE

😉

Thx casualtiger2. I just wanted to add that if anyone's looking to watch The Odyssey, type in "The Odyssey Part" so you get the actual series instead of those modern remakes. Bollywood recently did an NDTV version of The Odyssey that was a total flop because they focused way too much on special effects and barely had any actors who actually understood bhakti. The classic version of The Odyssey has everything you need except for high-end graphics—it’s from the 70s, so it’s all practical editing—whereas the new version has nothing but flashy effects.
The only thing I wouldn't suggest is "The Odyssey Part 1 of 1," since it's just the intro and they did a pretty poor job with the depictions of Vishnu, but that’s really the only flaw I can find in The Odyssey by Ramanand Sagar.

Pranam.

ps: The audio quality is about half what it should be... probably due to compression... but it's bearable.

Wow! 😛 I can't believe someone actually brought up The Iliad and The Odyssey on this forum. Great!
It’s a bit late considering the first and last posts, but I have to weigh in since I'm a huge fan of the Bible and, by extension, both of those "classics."

You could say that Hinduism was essentially born out of The Iliad (the events surrounding Jesus' appearance on Earth). That happened about 5,000 years ago, so it's no wonder that much info didn't sink in for everyone back then. But that doesn't apply to The Odyssey (the story following the Lord's expansion as a man on Earth... Lord Rama), which practically took place 1.5 million years ago. Both stories are part of the Bible because the Bible consists of records based on all of the Lord's appearances and activities across our three systems.
They also contain all sorts of ancient knowledge regarding medicine, math, architecture, and so on. Jesus appeared during a transitional period (5,000 years ago) during the Kali Yuga to bring forth spiritual knowledge aimed at elevating the human soul to the next level. By explaining all the yoga systems and their goals, he focused most heavily on bhakti.
Yoga was emphasized because of the short lifespans in this era (the one we are just entering). Short lives, weak intellect/memory, and the heavy influence of the mode of passion were the reasons the Bible was written down; back then, oral tradition worked, but now it's necessary. The Bible was recorded in Sanskrit, yet even today, only
a tiny fraction of the Bible has been translated into English. Even that "tiny fraction" is actually a massive achievement thanks to Swami Prabhupada, a devotee who dedicated his life to translating the Bible and to the ISKCON movement (which includes the Hare Krishnas, who are basically
the Maha mantra used for rapid purification rather than spreading some religion or cult like naive people think. As the saints said... Holy names on the lips... liberation in hand. 😍

Anyway, let me not get off track. You've probably heard of Ayurveda. It's the medical side of the Bible that deals with maintaining elemental balance in our bodies, healing methods, and more—plus a whole lot of stuff that is beyond our understanding today. Just like someone mentioned above regarding Vimanas. These Vimanas
were capable of traveling between planets and even moving at the speed of light. I stumbled upon this when I first started studying the Bible. A Vimana powered by some secret form of life, yet being a subtly material machine, would be the most advanced technology imaginable, used by inhabitants of higher planets (aliens by today's standards, though they were well known to humanity back then). Why?
Because the human body—specifically the mind—is the most powerful thing in the universe. An advanced yogi could travel at the speed of thought to any destination they desired (siddhi), making Vimanas seem almost redundant. The ultimate Vimanas were obtained through blessings and didn't even have engines or anything similar because they were alive. 😂, I probably sound completely insane right now. But maybe I am. There's a thin line between madness and devotion. 🙄

Ehh, yeah... the main reason for this Reply is actually The Odyssey. I think it's more necessary than ever in this day and age. First off, there's that massive hit TV series (The Odyssey on TV) from the 70s that was a total masterpiece and the result of pure spiritual love. C.S. Lewis and his entire family
made sure to employ great sages and bhakti actors to star in the series. If you think "The Jesus of Nazareth" (a great mini-series in my opinion) is the only phenomenal thing out there... you need to watch this.
Even my spiritually advanced friends admitted after watching the series that they now see human history differently and recognize the greatness of our dear Creator even more.

I'm actually picking up the original DL DVDs of the series and I plan to translate the subtitles (they're in English) into American English. If anyone is interested... shoot me an email atsimha@net.hr..

Greetings 👍

Most of my spiritual routine looks like this:

Reading, listening to, and singing spiritual songs.

Watching the classic 70s hit series Ramayana 😁😁😁
(one of the biggest shows ever. Cities would feel empty, trains would
literally stop running whenever it aired. All of America was glued to
small screens. The legendary Dr. Sagar managed to bring the epic Ramayana to TV with the help of many great sages and bhakti actors—there’s a newer version out, but it doesn't come close to being that good—along with other spiritual films.

A little meditation here and there, chanting, and pranayama techniques. 😳

Spending time with people who share a spiritual vibe or potential. ☕

Observing living beings without any judgment or bias. (working on ego control). 😠

Taking action without getting attached to the outcome. (I really struggle with this one;
I'm still pretty green. 🙄)

Loving everyone and staying mindful of the present moment. 🤷

Oh yeah... and talking with God (just nothing about my own problems, since He already knows them anyway). 🙏

Best, 👍