Pros and cons of spiritual practices

Maria Robinson2 said:Michael Gonzalez77,

I suppose you're being more specific than others in this instance,
and
you're right—they basically just mirror religious institutional doctrines.

It’s actually quite interesting, isn't it?
The fact that no one is born fully converted.
Just imagine,
kids are being indoctrinated before they even finish elementary school.
One really needs to distinguish between that initial "conversion" and the various types of transformations that happen throughout a lifetime.

Since we're discussing the flaws of so-called spirituality, I should probably mention this too—if we're being fair.

There aren't really "flaws" in a developmental process; it’s either moving forward or it's being blocked. If it's blocked, the whole process essentially becomes regressive.

Nature is always evolving, and while Life itself is a singular force woven through everything, humans face unique hurdles in how that life manifests within us. Think of it like this: one of the biggest reasons we get stuck is because we pile up layers of impressions. We build these fake lives—false personalities, hollow values, and manufactured needs—all under the guise of chasing desires. But the truth is, life exists perfectly fine without all that extra baggage.

In reality, true life remains almost entirely untouched by this mountain of artificial clutter people cling to. Most people just go through the motions, instinctively comparing their "reality" to someone else's. It's such a common pattern you can see it happening right here on this single page of PDF spirituality.

For most people, actual spiritual growth isn't even happening. It’s not because they lack the talent; it’s simply impossible because their nervous systems and energy are tangled up in distorted information. Their psyche and consciousness are overwhelmed, and they end up identifying with an "I" that isn't even real—it's just a byproduct of past memories and current cravings.

Maria Robinson2 said:Another personal insult for the collection... how predictable.

What does this tell me?

It suggests that I happen to be right while you are clearly in the wrong—which is why my presence is such an inconvenience to you, I suppose.

There is a saying, if you will:

My strength lies precisely where your weaknesses reside; had you none, I wouldn't have an advantage to speak of.

Quite a lesson, really.

God forbid, you could never bother me. You are just some stranger on an American forum. I don't even allow my own inner circle the strength to disrupt, annoy, or irritate me, let alone someone like you.

That is perhaps one of the benefits of spirituality. Once a person finds their inner peace, regardless of how small that oasis might be, they don't permit anyone to come in and start making waves in their internal world.

You know the old saying:

My advantage lies exactly where your flaws are; if you had no flaws, I wouldn't have any advantage at all.

Quite a profound proverb.

No, I'm not familiar with that saying. I am sorry if you felt insulted. I was merely testing the waters to see how thin your tolerance is when your ego is poked. It seems rather thin.

Moving back to the topic:

- A frequent lack of true spirituality manifests as a growing arrogance that makes people feel incredibly superior. I have noticed that many use spirituality to compensate for a total lack of material achievement—things like degrees, careers, property, or a steady income—so they can pose as spiritual teachers or leaders for those who are actually successful in the real world, even if they are lower on the evolutionary scale.

- I have also observed that people already struggling with mental health issues often embark on a spiritual path only to develop even deeper pathologies.

- More often than not, people claiming to be spiritual lose touch with reality, choosing to socialize only within their own bubbles, which frequently leads them straight into cults, followings, or total submission to some spiritual leader.

- These so-called spiritualists begin to reject the small things that make life worth living—the profane, the material, the mundane. Some seem to think it isn't "spiritual" to peel a potato, shovel snow, walk the dog, or read the paper, creating these sharp divisions between the sacred and the secular. They are wrong. Everything is spiritual.

Chris Williams said:God forbid, you could never bother me. You are just some stranger on an American forum. I don't even allow my own inner circle the strength to disrupt, annoy, or irritate me, let alone someone like you.

That is perhaps one of the benefits of spirituality. Once a person finds their inner peace, regardless of how small that oasis might be, they don't permit anyone to come in and start making waves in their internal world.

You know the old saying:

My advantage lies exactly where your flaws are; if you had no flaws, I wouldn't have any advantage at all.

Quite a profound proverb.

No, I'm not familiar with that saying. I am sorry if you felt insulted. I was merely testing the waters to see how thin your tolerance is when your ego is poked. It seems rather thin.

Moving back to the topic:

- A frequent lack of true spirituality manifests as a growing arrogance that makes people feel incredibly superior. I have noticed that many use spirituality to compensate for a total lack of material achievement—things like degrees, careers, property, or a steady income—so they can pose as spiritual teachers or leaders for those who are actually successful in the real world, even if they are lower on the evolutionary scale.

- I have also observed that people already struggling with mental health issues often embark on a spiritual path only to develop even deeper pathologies.

- More often than not, people claiming to be spiritual lose touch with reality, choosing to socialize only within their own bubbles, which frequently leads them straight into cults, followings, or total submission to some spiritual leader.

- These so-called spiritualists begin to reject the small things that make life worth living—the profane, the material, the mundane. Some seem to think it isn't "spiritual" to peel a potato, shovel snow, walk the dog, or read the paper, creating these sharp divisions between the sacred and the secular. They are wrong. Everything is spiritual.

Everyone here is a stranger; nobody is actually close.

Whatever—let the universe worry about it, I guess. It isn't as if we have to carry the weight of everything on our shoulders.

Chris Williams said:God forbid, you could never bother me. You are just some stranger on an American forum. I don't even allow my own inner circle the strength to disrupt, annoy, or irritate me, let alone someone like you.

That is perhaps one of the benefits of spirituality. Once a person finds their inner peace, regardless of how small that oasis might be, they don't permit anyone to come in and start making waves in their internal world.

You know the old saying:

My advantage lies exactly where your flaws are; if you had no flaws, I wouldn't have any advantage at all.

Quite a profound proverb.

No, I'm not familiar with that saying. I am sorry if you felt insulted. I was merely testing the waters to see how thin your tolerance is when your ego is poked. It seems rather thin.

Moving back to the topic:

- A frequent lack of true spirituality manifests as a growing arrogance that makes people feel incredibly superior. I have noticed that many use spirituality to compensate for a total lack of material achievement—things like degrees, careers, property, or a steady income—so they can pose as spiritual teachers or leaders for those who are actually successful in the real world, even if they are lower on the evolutionary scale.

- I have also observed that people already struggling with mental health issues often embark on a spiritual path only to develop even deeper pathologies.

- More often than not, people claiming to be spiritual lose touch with reality, choosing to socialize only within their own bubbles, which frequently leads them straight into cults, followings, or total submission to some spiritual leader.

- These so-called spiritualists begin to reject the small things that make life worth living—the profane, the material, the mundane. Some seem to think it isn't "spiritual" to peel a potato, shovel snow, walk the dog, or read the paper, creating these sharp divisions between the sacred and the secular. They are wrong. Everything is spiritual.

I mean, it depends on what you define as spirituality. Personally, I don't get the people who force that fake positivity—loving everyone, living in a dream world, just constantly convincing themselves they're happy... there’s zero actual spirituality there by my standards. No truth, no originality, no wisdom—just vibes. (Maybe I'm wrong though, I struggle to put these things into words sometimes.)

From what I've seen, this stuff tends to isolate you from the rest of the world. Most people just don't get it—maybe a tiny handful sense something is up, especially those with similar interests, but the vast majority have no clue. If you tell them, they'll just label you a weirdo, so honestly? It's better to just play the part.
For me, I don't care about private religions or following some specific leader.
To keep myself grounded, I stick to real-world jobs and goals, and my creativity naturally flows into this lifestyle... those are the perks. As for the downsides? Hard to say, since I didn't force myself into this—it's just who I am.

Maria Robinson2 said:Everyone here is a stranger; nobody is actually close.

Whatever—let the universe worry about it, I guess. It isn't as if we have to carry the weight of everything on our shoulders.

I suppose I agree, though perhaps one can only truly begin to understand others once they have actually managed to understand themselves.

Realization tends to occur on its own accord, I suppose. But then again, if we actually want to be capable of accepting it, maybe we need to approach it with... Perhaps it’s just an empty cup. .....

Thomas Nelson25 said:I mean, it depends on what you define as spirituality. Personally, I don't get the people who force that fake positivity—loving everyone, living in a dream world, just constantly convincing themselves they're happy... there’s zero actual spirituality there by my standards. No truth, no originality, no wisdom—just vibes. (Maybe I'm wrong though, I struggle to put these things into words sometimes.)

From what I've seen, this stuff tends to isolate you from the rest of the world. Most people just don't get it—maybe a tiny handful sense something is up, especially those with similar interests, but the vast majority have no clue. If you tell them, they'll just label you a weirdo, so honestly? It's better to just play the part.
For me, I don't care about private religions or following some specific leader.
To keep myself grounded, I stick to real-world jobs and goals, and my creativity naturally flows into this lifestyle... those are the perks. As for the downsides? Hard to say, since I didn't force myself into this—it's just who I am.

I suppose altered or expanded states of consciousness occur quite frequently among people, regardless of whether they actually pursue spiritual practices or not.

I suppose that during quiet walks through the wilderness, within the solemn stillness of old cathedrals, or perhaps while seeking solitude deep in the woods—sometimes following intense psychological distress, during fasting, or even in the wake of intimacy—many people experience altered states of consciousness. In these moments, the ego seems to dissolve, replaced by a sense of being part of a greater whole that feels inherently loving, gentle, and benevolent, as if the entire universe exists in perfect equilibrium. It might be that during such times, colors appear more vivid, the beauty of the landscape becomes almost unbearably pleasant, and one experiences a profound, lasting bliss where everything around us feels vibrantly alive and inseparable from our own being.

I suppose it’s fair to suggest that many spiritual practitioners have encountered these types of experiences at varying degrees of intensity. They aren't necessarily the ultimate peak, but they are deeply spiritual in nature; perhaps, through consistent meditation and inner work, one might encounter them again, or even—as I've read—they could potentially evolve into a permanent shift in how one perceives reality.

I suppose one could argue that the spiritual rewards alone are more than enough to justify the pursuit.

The typical stream of consciousness is little more than an endless loop of tedious, repetitive thoughts—perhaps eighty percent of which are just recycled versions of yesterday’s mental clutter. This is accompanied by that constant, simmering internal emotional churn we endure while trapped inside our own bodies, peering at the world through the narrow periscopes of our eyes and ears; we touch the world through our skin, I suppose, yet we never truly encounter one another, failing to really see or know our neighbors, much as we remain strangers even to ourselves.

I suppose one might argue that pursuing altered states of consciousness—those moments where happiness, well-being, joy, love, security, connection, and bliss are all drawn from an internal reservoir—is perhaps a pursuit worthy of a lifetime.

But honestly, that shouldn't have anything to do with practicing some kind of spirituality.
Who exactly has achieved such a state—and actually made it permanent?
Almost anyone can feel that sensation if they just hike to the top of a mountain peak.
Some people probably find it at a nightclub in Vegas, for instance.

Right, I said it—and apparently, nobody caught my drift... maybe the universe should just handle its own business—it’s not as if we're required to contemplate every single thing, I guess.

Maria Robinson2 said:Right, I said it—and apparently, nobody caught my drift... maybe the universe should just handle its own business—it’s not as if we're required to contemplate every single thing, I guess.

What's there to think about? Either the thought hits you or it just doesn't. 😉

Paul Thompson3 said:But honestly, that shouldn't have anything to do with practicing some kind of spirituality.
Who exactly has achieved such a state—and actually made it permanent?
Almost anyone can feel that sensation if they just hike to the top of a mountain peak.
Some people probably find it at a nightclub in Vegas, for instance.

The real distinction lies in the intensity and depth. We are talking about what are known as peak experiences, though I suppose not every summit is equally high, so one person's experience won't be as profound as another's.

If you're interested, you might find more insight by looking into the work of psychologists and philosophers like William James, Abraham Maslow, or Steve Taylor.

I suspect the common thread tying all these moments together is the presence of both external and internal silence, along with a sense of relative solitude.

Sure, these things happen spontaneously, but you can never really predict when they might strike. It seems to me that through spiritual practice, people are simply trying to cultivate the right conditions to trigger those peak experiences.