Started by David Vaughn75 · · 👁 6 views · 109 replies
Joseph Bailey41 said:Duke Energy? 🤔
Dana Davis5 said:🤣🤣
I mean, what even is a spiritual teacher? Is it just someone showing you how to think, or how to observe things, or maybe how to carry yourself through life? What’s their actual role here?
Honestly, if they aren't handing over some real, practical, "use this tomorrow" kind of knowledge, then I'm just not really interested.
Dana Davis5 said:🤣🤣
I mean, what even is a spiritual teacher? Is it just someone showing you how to think, or how to observe things, or maybe how to carry yourself through life? What’s their actual role here?
Honestly, if they aren't handing over some real, practical, "use this tomorrow" kind of knowledge, then I'm just not really interested.
Joseph Bailey41 said:Duke Energy? 🤔
stormyskipper5 said:Well, sure. Go ahead. Strip me down and let me feel the current.
bluemason3 said:
mistybison said:Everything I have learned up to this point was correct—for that specific moment in time.
However, reality is fluid, and what holds true now can easily change later. We shouldn't cling too tightly to any single piece of knowledge or formal study.
Knowledge is much like a Russian nesting doll; within every layer, there is another one waiting to be found, endlessly. Every small thing we discover shifts our perception, changing how we see the world and, ultimately, who we are.
There are endless ways to learn. You can study books or people, but you can also learn from every experience and every person you encounter. If you choose that path, anyone or anything—be it a person, a plant, or an animal—can become your teacher.
Of course, we are discussing spirituality here, not basic multiplication tables. 😁It makes sense to me that someone would pass on their own knowledge rather than just repeating someone else's.
In reality, many people do exactly that—they pass along what others realized, interpreted through their own understanding. On the other hand, our collective knowledge is simply a collection of all our experiences, shaped by countless individuals and the teachers they passed their wisdom down to. We are all walking encyclopedias of information, even at a surface level, carrying knowledge that stretches back through generations.
David Vaughn75 said:There’s this perfect little Zen story.
There was this kid with diabetes who wasn't supposed to touch sugar, but he kept sneaking it anyway, landing himself in the hospital over and over. His parents spent years trying every trick in the book to make him stop, but nothing worked. Everyone in town told him the same thing, but he wouldn't listen.
Finally, they took him to a Zen master who had a quick chat with the boy, and after that, he never touched sugar again. When the parents asked the master how he managed to reach the kid, he just said, "Well, I'm a diabetic myself, so he actually listened to me."
If you’re looking for the kind of knowledge that actually frees you from suffering, you can only get it from someone who has actually found that freedom themselves. 😉
Someone preaching stuff they don't actually practice isn't going to teach anyone a damn thing.
bluemason3 said:We could be even more specific and say this is primarily a hallmark of Tantra.
As such, the defining feature of the largest body of modern (heavily Tantric) Hinduism—mostly comprised of cults established during medieval reforms, along with a smaller portion of younger Tantric Buddhism (specifically in Tibet) from that same era.
I view this as a long-term unhealthy religious phenomenon. It pushes the already exaggerated psychological regressiveness found in many religious groups to an extreme, keeping people trapped in a perpetual illusion of security through a childlike relationship with pseudo-parental figures. Ultimately, it prevents anyone from ever reaching true maturity or taking real responsibility.
bluemason3 said:Wait, is this woman actually serious? Where did she even get this? 😁
Maybe it was actually Gandhi?:
https://www.habitsforwellbeing.com/b...ted-to-gandhi/
Or is it just some internet myth?
Honestly, it feels like just another one of those reductive New Age fairy tales. 🕺
Don't be naive; their whole job is churning out these cheesy little stories, quotes, and aphorisms all over Sanasma and beyond. 😁
David Vaughn75 said:Go ahead, why don't you try doing a deep psychological analysis on the types of people who flock to forums just to lecture everyone else on why religion is supposedly "bad."
That’s the real childish behavior here, if you ask me.
David Vaughn75 said:There’s this perfect little Zen story.
There was this kid with diabetes who wasn't supposed to touch sugar, but he kept sneaking it anyway, landing himself in the hospital over and over. His parents spent years trying every trick in the book to make him stop, but nothing worked. Everyone in town told him the same thing, but he wouldn't listen.
Finally, they took him to a Zen master who had a quick chat with the boy, and after that, he never touched sugar again. When the parents asked the master how he managed to reach the kid, he just said, "Well, I'm a diabetic myself, so he actually listened to me."
If you’re looking for the kind of knowledge that actually frees you from suffering, you can only get it from someone who has actually found that freedom themselves. 😉
Someone preaching stuff they don't actually practice isn't going to teach anyone a damn thing.
| If you want to acquire knowledge on how to achieve liberation from suffering, you can only receive it from someone who has achieved liberation themselves. 😉 |
| Someone who speaks about what I do not practice will teach no one anything. |
Elizabeth Castillo87 said:The closest I ever got to being a total guru disciple was when I took that Art of Living Sri Sri course led by Ravi Shankar. Look, I actually dug the hands-on stuff—the breathing exercises and the yoga were legit—but I absolutely couldn't stand the whole "worship the guru" vibe they try to push on you.
I mean, sure, he seems like a nice enough guy, but watching people parade him around like royalty or, god forbid, kissing his feet? Yeah, no thanks.
That was it for me. My career as a devoted follower ended right then and there.
mistybison said:Goodness, how can that possibly be a Zen story? Zen stories originate from an era when people didn't even know diabetes existed. 😁
Why would a child believe that man in the first place? 🤔 If he was already so skeptical toward his own family and doctors, why would he trust a complete stranger making claims? Such a gullible kid... though certainly good material for a future follower of some guru. 😁
Quincy:How can you know if someone has actually attained liberation and isn't just lying to or manipulating you? Is it based on eloquent speech, the peace, compassion, and tolerance they radiate, the wise thoughts they share, their charismatic presence, or an aggressive, persuasive delivery? All of those things can be practiced, especially if the person is talented.
If you want to acquire knowledge on how to achieve liberation from suffering, you can only receive it from someone who has achieved liberation themselves. 😉
Quincy:What does "practicing the attained liberation" actually look like and how is it demonstrated?
Someone who speaks about what I do not practice will teach no one anything.
A Zen proverb 😁 states that before enlightenment, a person chops wood and carries water, and after enlightenment, they still chop wood and carry water. An observer cannot determine if someone is enlightened simply by watching them. In fact, it is believed that only someone who is enlightened can recognize enlightenment in another, though to such a person, it hardly matters anymore. 🙂
| How can you even tell if someone has actually found enlightenment and isn't just lying to you or playing you? Is it based on how smooth they talk, or the peace and compassion they radiate, or maybe all those deep thoughts and that charismatic vibe? They could even be using an aggressive, persuasive style. Honestly, all of that can be rehearsed, especially if the person is a natural performer. |
| What does "living out your enlightenment" actually look like in practice? A Zen proverb 😁 says that before enlightenment, a man chops wood and carries water, and after enlightenment, he chops wood and carries water. You can't just watch someone and decide they're enlightened. In fact, they say only someone who's already reached that state can recognize it in someone else—though, by that point, they wouldn't really care anyway. |
David Vaughn75 said:I explain everything to you three different ways and you still come back with the same questions 🤦
It doesn't matter if the guy is a celebrity or a complete nobody—what matters is whether he actually lives out his own BS. Your soul can sniff out who's legit. Like, look at parents who tell their kid to stay away from sugar while they're sitting there devouring a donut; those people have zero credibility, so their words don't mean squat.
Quincy:The universe knows exactly what your intentions are, and it sends people your way based on that.
How can you even tell if someone has actually found enlightenment and isn't just lying to you or playing you? Is it based on how smooth they talk, or the peace and compassion they radiate, or maybe all those deep thoughts and that charismatic vibe? They could even be using an aggressive, persuasive style. Honestly, all of that can be rehearsed, especially if the person is a natural performer.
If you aren't looking for anything real and just want something to kill the boredom, that's exactly what you'll get—some con artist selling you smoke and mirrors.
But if you truly want to dedicate your entire life to God, the universe will send you a real teacher.
Quincy:Personally, I prefer the idea of surrendering to God over "enlightenment," mostly because I haven't got a clue what enlightenment even is.
What does "living out your enlightenment" actually look like in practice?
A Zen proverb 😁 says that before enlightenment, a man chops wood and carries water, and after enlightenment, he chops wood and carries water. You can't just watch someone and decide they're enlightened. In fact, they say only someone who's already reached that state can recognize it in someone else—though, by that point, they wouldn't really care anyway.
Someone who has surrendered is free from fear.
You can spot someone who has surrendered to God because they aren't out there trying to grab power over anyone else; their only real interest is helping other people find their own freedom.
David Vaughn75 said:I explain everything to you three different ways and you still come back with the same questions 🤦
It doesn't matter if the guy is a celebrity or a complete nobody—what matters is whether he actually lives out his own BS. Your soul can sniff out who's legit. Like, look at parents who tell their kid to stay away from sugar while they're sitting there devouring a donut; those people have zero credibility, so their words don't mean squat.
Quincy:The universe knows exactly what your intentions are, and it sends people your way based on that.
How can you even tell if someone has actually found enlightenment and isn't just lying to you or playing you? Is it based on how smooth they talk, or the peace and compassion they radiate, or maybe all those deep thoughts and that charismatic vibe? They could even be using an aggressive, persuasive style. Honestly, all of that can be rehearsed, especially if the person is a natural performer.
If you aren't looking for anything real and just want something to kill the boredom, that's exactly what you'll get—some con artist selling you smoke and mirrors.
But if you truly want to dedicate your entire life to God, the universe will send you a real teacher.
Quincy:Personally, I prefer the idea of surrendering to God over "enlightenment," mostly because I haven't got a clue what enlightenment even is.
What does "living out your enlightenment" actually look like in practice?
A Zen proverb 😁 says that before enlightenment, a man chops wood and carries water, and after enlightenment, he chops wood and carries water. You can't just watch someone and decide they're enlightened. In fact, they say only someone who's already reached that state can recognize it in someone else—though, by that point, they wouldn't really care anyway.
Someone who has surrendered is free from fear.
You can spot someone who has surrendered to God because they aren't out there trying to grab power over anyone else; their only real interest is helping other people find their own freedom.
| The universe knows your intentions and sends people to you based on them. If you aren't looking for anything serious and just want something to kill the boredom, that is exactly what you will get: some joker selling you smoke and mirrors. If you want to dedicate your entire life to God, the universe will send you a true teacher. |
| I prefer the concept of surrendering to God over enlightenment, mostly because I have no idea what enlightenment even is. A person who has surrendered is freed from fear. You can recognize someone who has surrendered to God by the fact that they don't seek power over others, but instead focus solely on helping others find freedom. |