The roots of quasi-spirituality and the misery it causes, based on people like this!

frozengull2 said:John;
Quincy:

I don't really get these Christian values. Maybe write a bit about them.

They're right there in the song by St. Francis.
Every time I read it, it just hits me differently... reminds me of those moods I find myself in sometimes.
It makes me feel this crazy connection to him.

CANTICLE OF THE CREATURES
St. Francis of Assisi

Most High, almighty, good Lord,
to you alone belong all praise, glory, honor,
and every blessing.
It belongs to you alone,
while no human being is worthy enough
even to mention your holy name.

Be praised, my Lord,
with all your creatures,
especially with brother Sun:
from him we receive the day,
warming us with his light.
He is beautiful and full of bright splendor,
a reflection, Most High, of your divine radiance.

Praise and bless
my Lord,
give thanks to him, serve him all,
in great humility.

Be praised, my Lord,
by our brother Moon and sister Stars.
You have scattered them, so bright, dear, and beautiful,
across your sky.

Be praised, my Lord,
by our brother Wind,
by the Air, the Cloud, and the clear skies,
and by all your weather,
that sustains your creatures.

Be praised, my Lord,
by our sister Water,
she is useful, humble, precious, and pure.

Be praised, my Lord,
by our brother Fire, which lights up our dark night.
He is beautiful and pleasant, powerful and strong.

Be praised, my Lord,
by our sister and mother Earth.
She feeds us and carries us, bringing forth sweet fruits,
colorful flowers, and herbs.

Be praised, my Lord,
by those who forgive out of your love
and bear the hardships of life with joy;
blessed are those who endure all things with peace,
for you will crown them with an eternal crown.

Be praised, my Lord,
by our sister bodily death,
which no mortal can escape.
Woe to those who die in mortal sin;
but blessed are those you find according to your holy will,
for a second death will not harm them.

How much are you actually able to understand/"feel" this, John?
Does it even make sense to you?

Quincy:

So how do you think you'll be saved if you don't believe and don't belong to the one true—the Orthodox Church?

My heritage is Catholic.
That doesn't make Orthodoxy any less valid (or vice versa).
Apparently, sticking to your own spiritual roots is considered a flaw on this subforum.

I wonder what kind of person I'd have to be to be accepted or "verified"?
Something impersonal and "free-spirited"?
What kind of kid is this guy, anyway? Can someone explain it to me...!?
Just so I can finally see where I'm going wrong.

Honestly, I don't see how anyone actually gets anything out of that poetry.
It looks like the guy was pure of heart and actually stumbled into something mystical—which isn't surprising. We know plenty of famous mystics, whether they were Christian, Muslim, or Hindu, who had a hard time being understood by the mainstream religious establishment. They often ended up making theological compromises just to keep their heads on their shoulders or because they were pressured by the people around them.
Seriously, what does that even have to do with Christian values?
Are we talking about values that differ from Buddhist, Islamic, or—God forbid—atheist ones? Or even worse... New Age stuff?
Zachary Cook2:

I come from a Catholic background. This doesn't take anything away from the credibility of Orthodox Christianity—or vice versa.

They don't like you. They claim you're heading down the wrong path—and honestly, vice versa. A good chunk of that comes down to the way the Vatican is structured.
And you could also try guessing what the average Muslim actually thinks—not those spiritualists, just the everyday majority.
Zachary Cook2:

It looks like having any kind of unique spiritual perspective is considered a major flaw on this subforum. I wonder what he’d actually have to do to get approved—or even just verified. Impersonal and "spiritually free"? Please. Who even is this kid, if anyone can actually explain...? Let's see—where exactly am I getting this wrong?

Christianity isn't some native thing that just popped up in the North America.
This is just some new nonsense imported straight from the Middle East.
It’s been a while—but hey, it finally made it in.

Why would anyone even bother validating your spiritual expression?
Especially here on this forum?
I honestly think spiritual expression should be universal—nothing dogmatic, nothing stuffy. Just... alive.
You’re probably just tripping because you want this to be true—so you rationalize it after the fact. You're trying to convince yourself that Christianity is somehow the most "correct," original, or moral religion out there, but it's really just an emotional reach.
It looks like you’re pinning that same blame on the Catholic Church and its hierarchy, too.
You’re just giving it all away to everyone else.

Aside from just believing in him, there isn't a single shred of evidence—or even a logical reason—to suggest otherwise.
P.S.
You didn't answer—so, what's actually the difference between Brandon Sanderson and those former Popes you mentioned?

wearyowl29 said:It’s definitely not for those who haven't quite managed to shake off that whole herd mentality mindset just yet...

It honestly feels like people act as if there are only two paths available—either you blindly follow the crowd, or you dive headfirst into total, pure ego and individualism (or whatever term you want to throw at it). But that's just not how it works. In reality, neither of those extremes is actually a viable way to live...

Angela Cox4 said:Wait, didn't you guys learn in TMu that anticipation is totally counterproductive? (It just builds up this massive, nasty tension in the mind)

The real deal is that searching for any kind of peace outside of ourselves—which basically means finding it in the present moment—is the goal. Any daydreaming about how much better things will be in some distant future is really just a refusal to accept who we are right now; it's just fantasizing about a version of ourselves that doesn't even exist.

In principle, you shouldn't have to expect anything at all. Everything just arrives on its own. Or so the literature claims. For instance, see here:

There was this intense push to frame meditation strictly as a relaxation technique—just a way to blow off steam and de-stress—to make it align with a materialistic worldview. By wrapping it in scientific jargon, they made it accessible to the masses, I suppose.

But pretty soon, that approach started showing its cracks—real inconsistencies, actually. If you want actual progress, true understanding, or any kind of stability in higher states of consciousness, you really need to practice the entire system of Yoga as a whole, just like the traditional texts instruct.

The crux of the issue lies in these "higher" or "lower" states. Does such a hierarchy even exist? Or is it just a downward spiral into lower states? One student back in the day made a rather poignant observation: before I started my IBM practice, I was a bit depressed and scattered. After a year of doing it, I felt exactly the same. Only difference was, I had "learned" how to blush in public. "Before that, I never felt awkward around people, but now I start turning red if some stranger asks me where the Mary Smith hotel is located.
I guess I ended up sinking into lower states of consciousness instead of ascending to the higher ones. 😢😲😁

Zachary Cook2

Angela Cox4 said:That's a killer shot of Jesus.

(I mean, why should the devil get to have all the best tunes?) 🤣

🙂

It’s fantastic... Christ is basically using some ancient desert sorcery here to ward off magical attacks.
Come on, Joe Smith, let's go...

mistyscout2 said:It honestly feels like people act as if there are only two paths available—either you blindly follow the crowd, or you dive headfirst into total, pure ego and individualism (or whatever term you want to throw at it). But that's just not how it works. In reality, neither of those extremes is actually a viable way to live...

So, when you look at those two extremes on a spectrum, we all know what lies in the middle—it's the full, beautiful palette of colors in between.
But man, people just love their extremes.

wearyowl29 said:Zachary Cook2

It’s fantastic... Christ is basically using some ancient desert sorcery here to ward off magical attacks.
Come on, Joe Smith, let's go...

And once you compare that to how Dick usually gets portrayed... it always makes me think of that buddy Jesus from the Doctrine.

Benjamin Taylor6 said:In principle, you shouldn't have to expect anything at all. Everything just arrives on its own. Or so the literature claims. For instance, see here:

There was this intense push to frame meditation strictly as a relaxation technique—just a way to blow off steam and de-stress—to make it align with a materialistic worldview. By wrapping it in scientific jargon, they made it accessible to the masses, I suppose.

But pretty soon, that approach started showing its cracks—real inconsistencies, actually. If you want actual progress, true understanding, or any kind of stability in higher states of consciousness, you really need to practice the entire system of Yoga as a whole, just like the traditional texts instruct.

The crux of the issue lies in these "higher" or "lower" states. Does such a hierarchy even exist? Or is it just a downward spiral into lower states? One student back in the day made a rather poignant observation: before I started my IBM practice, I was a bit depressed and scattered. After a year of doing it, I felt exactly the same. Only difference was, I had "learned" how to blush in public. "Before that, I never felt awkward around people, but now I start turning red if some stranger asks me where the Mary Smith hotel is located.
I guess I ended up sinking into lower states of consciousness instead of ascending to the higher ones. 😢😲😁

Whenever we stumble upon something that looks like it might actually help us out, we tend to get tunnel vision—we fixate entirely on whatever little thing is gonna pull us out of our current mental rut or shitty headspace. It’s like we're just looking for an exit ramp from the "bad vibes." But honestly? Just like every other screw-up in life, at the end of the day, we’re the ones holding the bag. We're the ones responsible to ourselves for how we handle things.

Look, our mindset matters—and I mean this for everything, not just when we're talking about meditation. If you want a specific result out of life, you can't just wing it. I honestly think it’s a massive mistake to treat meditation, or those higher states of consciousness people are always chasing, like they're some kind of endgame goal you just stumble into after doing all the work. It’s not some artificial thing you just "set up" once you've checked enough boxes. It's deeper than that.

Look, we were born with a higher level of consciousness from day one—even back then, nobody really knew what to make of us. And now? Now it’s just become some topic of speculation for some depressed college student from a year ago, and some socially anxious girl today. It’s honestly exhausting.

And why does that happen? Because she’s basically left wide open to her own thoughts—just constant, relentless self-criticism looping in her head. It’s this heavy, negative internal monologue that stays stuck on repeat regardless of how much she meditates, and honestly, it all just hits her at once the second someone asks her for directions to the Mary Smith hotel.

frozengull2 said:Got it. Ready to roll.
Look, your post is actually the perfect excuse for me to finally get to the heart of what I’ve been trying to say.

Hold up, I gotta sort one thing out before I even start typing.
Hey mods, look, just a heads-up—please go easy on me regarding the parts of my posts where I'm quoting headlines or dropping info from other sites. I’m not gonna name names or anything, I'll just be dropping links instead. Just asking for a little breathing room there.
Look, I’m not out here trying to run ads for the competition or whatever. Seriously. I’m just laying out the actual facts here because if you don't get those, you aren't even going to understand the point I'm making. It's pretty simple when you look at it that way.
Without them, my whole setup is incomplete, and honestly, it just leaves me totally handicapped when I’m trying to actually explain the core of what I’ve figured out.
Thanks in advance for being cool about this and understanding where I'm coming from.

Look, my stance on this whole propaganda circus surrounding Christian spirituality is already out there in the open. I’ve said my piece. What I’m pointing at is pretty damn obvious if you actually bother to look.
It really gets under my skin, man, the way he constantly goes after her with those sneaky, backhanded jabs; it's just constant.
Pure propaganda, pure populism, just straight-up hypocrisy... and they don't even give a damn about what’s actually going on right here at home in the States.

First things first, we gotta talk about where all this info is actually coming from and the whole shady way they push it on us.

Where did it all even start? Honestly, looking back at how everything kicked off... it’s a mess. Just one big, chaotic chain reaction that nobody really saw coming. It feels like we're just dealing with the fallout now, staring at the wreckage and wondering where the hell we took that first wrong turn. Everything just spiraled.
From that one site.
So, what's his deal with orientation?
Check out what we've got here;
Look, for those of you who are too lazy to actually read anything, I'll just give you the whole deal by summarizing everything right in the first sentence of the article. There, happy?
In the name of Metallica, Black Sabbath, Motörhead, and Grandpa, let's pray...


The picture I grabbed from that site pretty much says it all. You know what I mean... they say a single image is worth a thousand words, and honestly? This one hits harder than most.

If you want to know if a source is actually legit or just some random clown, you don't even need to look at their bio. Just look at what kind of garbage they’re serving up. The topics they pick tell you everything you need to know about how much of a joke they are.
Look, I’m just saying—take a look at the headlines under the "serious" news section on this site. Honestly, don't even get me started on the rest of the garbage they post. It's a joke.
So, I was looking through this massive archive—we're talking over 360 pages of seriously heavy-duty stuff—and honestly? I only skimmed through the nine most recent ones. Out of about 60 articles total, I managed to pick out half of the ones that actually mattered. Just a tiny fraction, really.
So, here’s the deal on what I stumbled upon (basically just a breakdown of the kind of content and profiles we're talking about here);

Confessions of a troll.
So, how do you actually get big boobs? Apparently, some people think getting slapped helps. Seriously? What kind of logic is that? Just sounds like a recipe for a bruise, not a glow-up.
If the US wins the World Cup, some porn star is gonna be giving out freebies to everyone.
World Cup glorious deaths on Halloween.
Total garbage opinion.
So, I was sitting there, right? Just staring at my coffee, thinking about how much everything sucks lately, and then it hit me. What if the world actually ends? Like, for real. Not just some political nonsense or some billionaire losing his mind on Twitter, but a full-blown zombie apocalypse. Yeah, you heard me. It sounds crazy, but honestly, given the state of things, why not? I’m not talking about that Hollywood crap where everyone runs around screaming and dies in five minutes. That’s stupid. If you want to survive, you need a plan. A real one. First off—supplies. You can't just rely on Amazon Prime. When the grid goes down, those delivery drivers aren't coming to your door with a box of protein bars. You need the basics. Canned goods, yeah, but don't just grab whatever is on sale at Walmart. Get the stuff that actually lasts. And water. People always forget the water. You can live a week without food, but you won't last three days without water. I remember back when my old man tried to go camping in the Rockies and we ran out of water halfway up the trail... man, that was a rough two days. Don't be like us. Second, gear. Forget looking cool. Nobody cares if you look like a tactical badass from a video game. You need stuff that works. A solid knife, a decent flashlight, and maybe a crowbar. A crowbar is underrated, seriously. It opens doors *and* it hits things. Simple math. And please, for the love of God, find a good place to hide. Somewhere quiet. Not some big city like New York or LA. Those places will become giant meat grinders the second the first bite happens. Think more like a small town in the Midwest or somewhere tucked away in the mountains. Somewhere you can see people coming from a mile away. It's all about being prepared, man. Most people are just drifting through life, totally clueless, waiting for something to happen. But if the zombies show up? Well, most of them are gonna be toast. Not me, though. I'll be chilling in my bunker, probably listening to Metallica, waiting for the chaos to blow over. Stay safe out there.
Strava and absolute nightmares; the most terrifying urban legends out there.
Stabbing; dancing and sex on the dry side (dancing that’s basically known for wrecking your junk)
So, let's talk about weed. Like, everything you actually need to know without all that medical jargon or the weirdly intense lectures from people who act like they're lecturing you from a pulpit. Honestly, it’s a whole thing. I remember back in my college days—well, before things got too crazy—my buddy used to say that everyone thinks they know what they're getting into until they've actually tried a specific strain. It's kind of like trying to pick a band at a dive bar; you think you want heavy stuff, then suddenly you're just vibing to some lo-fi beat and staring at the ceiling for three hours. Total trip. There’s so much noise out there. You’ve got the "wellness" crowd treating it like some holy elixir, and then you’ve got the old-schoolers who still look at you like you're committing a felony just for wanting to chill on a Friday night. It’s a mess. But if you're looking to understand the basics—how it hits, how it affects you, and why everyone's constantly arguing about it—you gotta look past the hype. It's not just one thing. It's a spectrum. Whether you're looking to spark up and forget your boss exists or you're trying to deal with some actual stress, there's a rabbit hole for every mood. Just... don't go thinking it's a magic fix for everything, because it's definitely not. Trust me, I've been there.
Man, I was scrolling through YouTube the other day—way too late, obviously—and I ended up falling down one of those rabbit holes that makes you question if humanity is actually cooked. Just a straight-up collection of the most bizarre videos ever uploaded. It’s wild out there. One minute you're watching a cooking tutorial, and the next, you're staring at some fever dream that feels like it was filmed in a basement in middle America by someone who hasn't slept since the nineties. Honestly, it gets weird fast. Like, really weird. You start thinking you've seen it all, then some guy decides to film himself doing something absolutely unhinged, and suddenly you're questioning everything. It's a total trip.
Big Brother knows exactly what you look like.
Honestly, some people have zero taste when it comes to Halloween. Like, seriously? I saw someone walking down the street yesterday in one of those cheap, plastic superhero outfits that looks like it was made out of trash bags. It’s embarrassing. I mean, don't even get me started on those "sexy" versions of everything. You know the ones. Just a tiny bit of fabric and a prayer. It’s lazy. If you're gonna go as a character, actually put some effort in! I remember back in high school, my buddy tried to go as a giant taco, but he forgot the structural integrity part, so he just spent the whole party looking like a crumpled bag of Doritos. It was tragic. Truly. And the puns... oh man, the pun costumes. "Holy Guacamole"? Really? That’s where we are now? If I see one more person wearing a sign that says "Error 404: Costume Not Found," I might actually lose it. It’s just uninspired. It’s like they didn't even try to think for five seconds before hitting the store. Just give me something with actual substance, or better yet, just wear a regular outfit and call it a night. At least then you won't look like a total clown.
The Brazilian Batman is out there patrolling the streets.
So I’m out back, just minding my own business, you know? Doing my business in my own yard—just peeing, nothing crazy—and then I look up and realize I’ve somehow ended up on Google Street View. Like, seriously? Can't even have a private moment without some satellite camera catching me mid-stream. It's absolutely ridiculous.
So, I was thinking about this earlier while scrolling through some random threads, and honestly? Sharing porn is totally legal. Like, it's just part of the landscape now. People act like it’s some huge taboo, but in the US, it's pretty much wide open unless you're getting into the illegal stuff, obviously. It's just how things are.
Jane's got some hot blondes between her legs.
Just sang a freaking anthem dedicated to those girls' chests on the beach.
From having the longest tongue to rocking the biggest afro, man... things just get wild.
Some leaked photos of Scarlett Johansson.
A thousand boobs for buddy Putin.
College life, man... I'm basically majoring in video games, terrible movies, and absolute losers.
Man, I was scrolling through some old history forums last night—you know how it goes, getting sucked down a rabbit hole at 2 AM—and I started thinking about the absolute worst popes in history. Like, seriously, some of these guys were straight-up villains. It’s wild when you look back at the sheer chaos they caused while sitting in the highest seat in the Church. Honestly, looking at the mess people made this summer, it feels like we're just repeating the same old patterns of terrible leadership. Just total disasters from start to finish.
You can basically spend this whole summer licking Lady Gaga's boots.
Total goal in the trunk.
Chattroullete; there aren't any more naked pees left.
So, they finally picked the hottest girl in the Netherlands.
Rent a friend – I’m honestly losing my mind over that Justin guy.
Pornography for the blind. Seriously? What even is that? Just... what?
Forty thousand hookers against forty-two million condoms... I mean, do the math, people. It just doesn't add up. Seriously.
Vampires working for the White House... seriously? This guy, who’s basically positioning himself as the next Obamin, is out here promising people will be staked through the heart. What a joke.

Here’s what everyone’s losing their minds over right now (the TOP stuff):
Those bratty politician daughters who basically dragged their parents' names through the mud... man, what a mess.
So, how do you actually use a vibrator with him in bed? Honestly, it’s all about the vibe—literally. You can't just barge in there like a drill sergeant; you gotta play it cool. I remember this one time back in Chicago when my girlfriend brought out this crazy high-tech thing, and we were both just staring at it like it was an alien artifact. It was awkward for a second, but then we just leaned into it. The trick is to make it feel like part of the flow, not some weird interruption. Don't make it a solo mission where he's just watching you work. Use it on yourself while you're together, or even better, let him direct it. It's about building that tension. If you go too hard too fast, it’s like trying to drive a Ferrari through a school zone—total disaster. Just ease into it. Keep it playful, keep it messy, and don't overthink the mechanics of it all. Just go with it.
Porn as decor? Seriously? Like, just hanging it on the wall like some fine art masterpiece? I don't know, man. It’s such a weird vibe. People act like it’s some edgy statement, but honestly, it just feels a bit desperate. Reminds me of that one guy I knew back in Chicago who tried to make his entire apartment look like a neon-soaked fever dream—everything was just... too much. You think you're being bold, but really you're just making everyone who walks through your door feel incredibly awkward. It’s like trying to make a mess look intentional. Just a thought.

Who even writes this sensationalist garbage? Honestly, you can tell exactly how brainless the content is just by looking at the way the site recruits its staff. It’s pathetic.
So, this is basically how they get them all riled up;
Listen, you little scribbler, pay attention... (frozengull2).net is looking for collaborators. They're basically hunting for people who actually give a damn about what they write—you know, folks who can actually pass that passion on to the readers instead of just churning out mindless garbage.
Look, if you're just here to talk trash about whatever, then yeah, welcome to the party. Grab a seat.
The crazier and more insane, the better...
And honestly? It’s like expertise doesn't even matter anymore. Like, at all. You can be the smartest person in the room, have all the credentials from Harvard or wherever, and people will still just look right past you. It’s a joke.

Just a quick glance at what was written and you can already tell how questionable and shallow the whole thing is (pretty sure the source is just Wikipedia).
Regarding Innocent VIII, for example, it says (and I'm quoting here): "The moment he died, the Middle Ages ended and the era suddenly brightened." Like God Himself was throwing a party for his death or something!?
Where the hell does that conclusion even come from?

It’s nothing more than cheap populism and the kind of loud, screaming sensationalism that’s just bottom-of-the-barrel stuff. It's in the same trash bin as vampires running for the White House and preaching about being staked through the heart, and Catholicism!?

The obvious goal here is to paint a twisted picture of everything that is "default" despised by these people.
They only mention the negative examples selectively—if I remember history right, there were over 260 popes. What about them? And how do they fit into the equation with these few examples mentioned?
Same goes for when you criticize an entire era through one specific figure without mentioning that, say, Saint Francis appeared at the exact same time with his vow of poverty and became the total antithesis, carving out a whole new path. It’s clearly not giving an objective view.

It isn't hard to see that this is just low-level agitprop, using gutter tactics to try and shape or steer public opinion.
By leaning into loud sensationalism and bizarre claims while being super cynical, they’re trying to target the most vulnerable—you know, the young and the gullible who are still figuring out their own stances.
Just imagine what kind of thinking level we're looking at for people who consume nothing but this kind of garbage.
Unbridled consumerism...
The kind that encourages non-discriminatory impulsiveness aimed solely at self-gratification and entertainment without any limits whatsoever.
That’s basically how a dog acts once you wash it and let it off the leash.
To me, this looks like just one tool in the attempt to drag society down to that level—this globalized, consumerist, gender-numbed hive mind where the only rule is: "Consume as much as possible. You're free to do whatever you want... anything goes."

Who actually buys into these projections?

You do (clearly, based on what you posted), and so does whoever cooked up and distributed this text. They don't even stop to ask where it comes from or who is planting it and why.

That's exactly what I'm pointing out here.

Btw;
Isn't it reasonable to conclude that in the same way you swallowed this questionable content (totally impulsively and naively), you're also taking everything Castaneda feeds you at face value?
In my book, cheap populism, screaming sensationalism, and that mystical emotionalism (which I call "Castaneda-ism") mostly attract "pudding" minds.
Why "pudding"?
Because they're easy to mold with some cheap writing.
Think about the spiritual potential of someone who is so prone to these kinds of influences.
How much do they actually "see" or understand!?

What frustrates me most is when these types (who are basically modeled like pudding) start talking trash about things they don't even comprehend.

How else am I supposed to interpret this twisted, malicious critique of Christian spirituality? It's presented as a bunch of half-truths and snippets used to wave around, while blatantly burying heads in the sand and ignoring facts that I have pretty thoroughly pruned away regarding what he's actually bragging about.
Everything I’ve attacked regarding Castaneda (unlike those shady anti-Christian texts from certain sites) has clear, verified, and authentic sources.
Personal testimonies from people who were part of Castaneda's innermost circle.
Please, go watch the film produced by the BBC!
Those testimonies aren't just hearsay; they were filmed and well-documented by the people closest to Castaneda themselves.

So, isn't it fair to say that being obsessed with dreaming according to Castaneda's recipe—given the fact that he based his writing on a 19-year-old girl whom he crushed, exploited, and falsely portrayed as a "Blue Scout" whom he personally "brought" to Earth from the astral plane!?—is rightfully considered a form of self-induced obsession?

How do you even begin to describe how some people interpret their "life experiences" on this forum? It’s all through this weird lens of "blue scouts" and imaginary creatures...!?
Like... "Oh, I actually met a 'scout' just like the ones Castaneda writes about!"
Doesn't that kind of nonsense deserve a serious deep dive from a psychoanalyst?
Honestly, anyone prone to this stuff should probably take a second to look in the mirror and question the "alternate reality" they've basically hypnotized themselves into living in.

And look, your attempt to brush this all off by saying the text was just "linked" isn't cutting it.
It wasn't just some casual link; the title made it incredibly loud and obvious—it was practically slapped right in our faces.
The thread title I started as a response is basically just a paraphrased version of that exact same thing!

Anyway, to wrap this up;
It doesn't matter if Castaneda wasn't convicted of anything.
What does that even have to do with anything?
The point is, his manipulative nature and obsession drove several women straight toward their deaths.
The fact that those women ended up killing themselves because they were left crushed by unfulfilled promises of "learning" after he died... that changes absolutely nothing. Inside Silence.

Later!

Look, I've watched CNN documentaries, so what? I've watched Batman, too. 😂

I've experienced what Brandon Sanderson writes about firsthand—I've come close to kicking the bucket a few times, and believe me, if you want to know, it isn't fiction... but I really don't feel like arguing this with you. It's just a waste of time. 😉

Look, go ahead and be a sheep in your own little world. So what? You won't be the first, and you certainly won't be the last.

Anyway, I wish you nothing but the best in life. 😉

Amen!😂

It’s like wrapping your entire being inside this hollow shell of meaningless philosophy—stuff that isn't actually philosophy and never will be. In the process, people lose sight of their own limitations and their fundamental inability to grasp any actual value within that framework. And that value doesn't just pop out of thin air, nor did it create itself; rather, according to how we perceive anything that exists, what we're seeing is just the negation of some potential reality caught in a whirlwind of deviant non-reality. It exploits a version of reality that isn't even real, yet somehow is poised to become a white-hot truth—not because it lacks the capacity to exist, but simply because it doesn't realize it *can*, since there's no primal foundation to begin with. It’s this state of unconscious awareness regarding a universal nothingness, which just builds upon the repetition of empty concentric circles in a cloud of dust, all carried over from an ideological matrix spun by manipulators and charlatans who catch everyone in toxic webs of fictional love, cleverly packaged as various forms of narcissistic, anti-anti-love.

It's a byproduct of lasting value sitting right on the edge of those yellow bananas that stop being bananas and start turning into oranges.
Too bad they aren't actually oranges and don't have any flavor; honestly, they don't even exist. Instead, hanging from the tree is a starship filled with aliens whose crew occasionally passes out on hallucinogenic mushrooms, drifting through psilocybin-induced ecstasies of cognitively infinite love...

Hold on a second, I don't usually wear glasses—well, okay, I do—but let me put them on just for this specific occasion, acting as a conscious observer with the sole desire to unmask this kind of cheap merchandise coming off a branch that’s priced way too high on the New York Stock Exchange. I look and I look and I look, and truly, I see the ship, but it isn't alien; it's definitely a spacecraft, and hell, maybe I'm an alien myself, but I see an Earth-bound passenger vessel being consumed by bananas hanging from a yellow branch.

Now I feel like everything has just flipped upside down...

And those bananas, as bananas, they sort of look like apples to me. Of course, it's entirely possible, because in truth, they are both bananas and apples, and vice versa.

Everything has been revealed, and a gentle spring breeze, accompanied by the rising sun, has just brushed against my tired face.

It doesn't really matter, the main thing is that it's been realized. Everything will be fine; the ones who believe in bananas instead of apples are saved—or maybe it's the other way around, I don't know anymore now that I've gotten confused. I got confused on purpose, you see? I realized that I realized. It isn't about me, it isn't about you, and it isn't about any of them; it's about...

But seriously, we agree here, jokes aside, New Age stuff is dangerous nonsense. It drags so many people into a kind of totalitarian idiocy. It's a shame, really. Everything is going to happen exactly as it's written, and yet so many will complain, "No one told me! They didn't tell me!" and there you go—you go read the places where it says everyone should know, while the true seeker, the one with a real target in mind, isn't left out in the cold to listen to some folk bard playing a single tune on a Tuesday night just to take a break.

The root of quasi-spirituality lies in organization.
When we live our lives without dwelling on spirituality, that is true spirituality. The moment we start actively pursuing some specific spiritual practice, it ceases to be spiritual...

The root of quasi-spirituality? It’s basically just ego structures and laziness.

The first part—ego—is why people convince themselves they’re "spiritual" just because they belong to a specific religion or group, believe in certain supernatural phenomena or gods, perform various rituals (religious, magical, whatever), or hold a specific worldview—be it philosophical, religious, magical, or New Age. Doesn't matter which.
The second factor, laziness, stops anyone from actually testing those delusions and making contact with the deeper layers of being—which, honestly, is the only way to get any real transformation or true spirituality.

Of course, there are variations. Some people are delusional and super active about it, while others are less delusional but just plain lazy (I’d definitely put myself in the second camp 😍).
Almost everyone is, more or less, prone to this kind of "delusion," which makes us all pretty much quasi-spiritual.

Here’s what Patanjali says about this whole "delusional" thing:
II, 3
Ignorance, unjustified attachment to personality, surrender to passions, unjustified aversion, and craving for life represent—most importantly, the primary ways they show up—the obstacles.

II, 4
Ignorance is the field where all other (obstacles) manifest—whether they’re dormant, weakened, suppressed, or fully active.

II, 5
Mistaking what is transient, impure, painful, and devoid of self-awareness for what is eternal, pure, pleasant, and self-aware—that is the ignorance we're talking about.

casualtiger2 said:The root of quasi-spirituality? It’s basically just ego structures and laziness.

The first part—ego—is why people convince themselves they’re "spiritual" just because they belong to a specific religion or group, believe in certain supernatural phenomena or gods, perform various rituals (religious, magical, whatever), or hold a specific worldview—be it philosophical, religious, magical, or New Age. Doesn't matter which.
The second factor, laziness, stops anyone from actually testing those delusions and making contact with the deeper layers of being—which, honestly, is the only way to get any real transformation or true spirituality.

Of course, there are variations. Some people are delusional and super active about it, while others are less delusional but just plain lazy (I’d definitely put myself in the second camp 😍).
Almost everyone is, more or less, prone to this kind of "delusion," which makes us all pretty much quasi-spiritual.

Here’s what Patanjali says about this whole "delusional" thing:
II, 3
Ignorance, unjustified attachment to personality, surrender to passions, unjustified aversion, and craving for life represent—most importantly, the primary ways they show up—the obstacles.

II, 4
Ignorance is the field where all other (obstacles) manifest—whether they’re dormant, weakened, suppressed, or fully active.

II, 5
Mistaking what is transient, impure, painful, and devoid of self-awareness for what is eternal, pure, pleasant, and self-aware—that is the ignorance we're talking about.

Yes, that is exactly my point.

When a teenage girl falls in love, that is spirituality. When a priest leads a mass, it isn't.
Wholeness is what matters—when the entire being is engaged, especially the emotional aspect. That is how it penetrates deep down to the soul; otherwise, everything remains superficial.

Everything done in so-called spiritual groups—meditations, prayers, attempts to contact God, and the like—is nothing more than empty straw. It's just a standard ego trip.

Angela Cox4 said:Whenever we stumble upon something that looks like it might actually help us out, we tend to get tunnel vision—we fixate entirely on whatever little thing is gonna pull us out of our current mental rut or shitty headspace. It’s like we're just looking for an exit ramp from the "bad vibes." But honestly? Just like every other screw-up in life, at the end of the day, we’re the ones holding the bag. We're the ones responsible to ourselves for how we handle things.

Look, our mindset matters—and I mean this for everything, not just when we're talking about meditation. If you want a specific result out of life, you can't just wing it. I honestly think it’s a massive mistake to treat meditation, or those higher states of consciousness people are always chasing, like they're some kind of endgame goal you just stumble into after doing all the work. It’s not some artificial thing you just "set up" once you've checked enough boxes. It's deeper than that.

Look, we were born with a higher level of consciousness from day one—even back then, nobody really knew what to make of us. And now? Now it’s just become some topic of speculation for some depressed college student from a year ago, and some socially anxious girl today. It’s honestly exhausting.

And why does that happen? Because she’s basically left wide open to her own thoughts—just constant, relentless self-criticism looping in her head. It’s this heavy, negative internal monologue that stays stuck on repeat regardless of how much she meditates, and honestly, it all just hits her at once the second someone asks her for directions to the Mary Smith hotel.

I heard about this one student in Washington, D.C., who was trying out some techniques from those books by Smith. Instead of reaching some enlightened state, she ended up in a psychiatric ward. Something similar happened to that one "speed-meditating" practitioner of ours. Personally, I think it's just plain old illness. For certain people, certain techniques simply trigger conditions that mimic mental illness. It's like how Hodak's shamanic rituals supposedly drove some participants into madness; sometimes the techniques themselves are what cause the breakdown. There isn't some deep, hidden wisdom in that. 😢😲

Zachary Cook2 said:Look, I've watched CNN documentaries, so what? I've watched Batman, too. 😂

I've experienced what Brandon Sanderson writes about firsthand—I've come close to kicking the bucket a few times, and believe me, if you want to know, it isn't fiction... but I really don't feel like arguing this with you. It's just a waste of time. 😉

Look, go ahead and be a sheep in your own little world. So what? You won't be the first, and you certainly won't be the last.

Anyway, I wish you nothing but the best in life. 😉

Amen!😂

Man, since when did you show up on this forum? 🙂

You really made my day. 😁

Linda Kelly51 said:Yes, that is exactly my point.

When a teenage girl falls in love, that is spirituality. When a priest leads a mass, it isn't.
Wholeness is what matters—when the entire being is engaged, especially the emotional aspect. That is how it penetrates deep down to the soul; otherwise, everything remains superficial.

Everything done in so-called spiritual groups—meditations, prayers, attempts to contact God, and the like—is nothing more than empty straw. It's just a standard ego trip.

Granted, I generalized a bit in my last post, so I'm not saying it's *always* like that.

Sure, a priest could be genuinely spiritual and a mass could be a real spiritual act—just like a teenager's crush might just be a hormonal rollercoaster.

The issue isn't meditation, prayer, or even people gathering to seek the divine (as long as it isn't turned into some rigid, formal Doctrine). The problem is what an individual actually *does* with those experiences.

I feel like there’s still something more I need to say here, especially in a place where people talk a whole lot but actually do very little.
It’s like how an idea is planted deep within a person’s seed long before they are even conscious of its existence. And then the call comes—go out and find understanding, first by knowing yourself, and only then by knowing the One who sent you.

There are really just two things worth seeking: who you truly are, and the Source of all things.

Truth can be found on many different paths. You have those who walk with pure hearts, the true seekers, and then you have the imperialists—that’s a different category entirely, though people discuss them here because they show up disguised as "deviant spirituality." Nowadays, when people are actually out there doing the work, there’s no way anyone should act like they’re smarter than their brother; we’ll see who was right when the final tally is made. Light moves toward the darkness, but does the darkness ever move toward the light?
And if someone is stubborn enough to cling to what is wrong while demanding to be taught, or if they refuse to learn and instead push back with pride, then let them fall until the lesson finally sticks. Falling doesn't make a person small, and staying upright doesn't make them great. This journey is deeply personal; it’s my own thing, my own proof, my own realization. I don't want to go back along the path I've already traveled just to tell someone at the starting line how to navigate the mud and the dark mountains so they don't hurt themselves. I didn't help them, so I ought to remain silent; as the path carries you further away, everything grows quieter and quieter, as if you’re stepping into the foyer of silence, where the noise fades, the clamor dies down, and there is no more flesh and blood left to fuel the body's struggle with life.

The worst place to be is sitting right on the threshold, staring back and forth between two worlds—one that is loud and chaotic, and the other that is perfectly still.

There are lessons that will simply repeat themselves until they are mastered, and once one is learned, a second arrives, then a third, stretching on into infinity.

And honestly, what else is the mission of spirituality if not this childlike questing—going to places where logic refuses to follow and embracing a kind of madness that bridges worlds which shouldn't even touch?
Then there’s the madness of imperialism and false power—that constant, greedy "give me, give me, give me, I, I, I." But here’s the catch: that "I" isn't the real self that is supposed to exist; it’s the imperialistic ego. It’s the part of us that refuses to be what it should be. That’s where the trouble starts. People try to identify with this false ego, trying to make everyone else fit that mold too, creating all sorts of endless theories. It isn't honest, and it never will be. It’s just an ideological desire to reach a state of "spirituality" through the mechanism of identification. It becomes a slickly packaged product of good and evil, using elements of both—like espionage and counter-espionage, both of which serve the State and its cathedrals alike. Truth and lies blend to create a truthful lie and a false truth; at this stage, where most people reside, the concept of relativity seems to be the only acceptable form of spirituality.

And here is the question of all questions, rising above all other musings and searches—if anyone can actually answer it—while you are still inhabiting this physical body: can you truly know God, or will you spend your life guessing through the haze of fear produced by that imperialistic ego? That ego is simultaneously the seeker and the spy, the pilgrim and the double agent, being and not being, a riddle where no one knows that they don't know what they don't know.

Because what haunts me is whether it is actually possible to achieve that realization while still in this body, or if it is all just a game designed to test us until the very end...

casualtiger2 said:Granted, I generalized a bit in my last post, so I'm not saying it's *always* like that.

Sure, a priest could be genuinely spiritual and a mass could be a real spiritual act—just like a teenager's crush might just be a hormonal rollercoaster.

The issue isn't meditation, prayer, or even people gathering to seek the divine (as long as it isn't turned into some rigid, formal Doctrine). The problem is what an individual actually *does* with those experiences.

In such a case, I would find it hard to believe, though I agree it is possible.

just as it is possible for a teenager's infatuation to be nothing more than hormones.

Hormones and spirituality are closely linked.
Just as the search for God and the ego are inextricably tied.

We will likely encounter God through hormones long before we ever engage in any kind of spiritual practice.

The problem isn't meditation, prayer, the yearning for the divine, or even gathering seekers with similar leanings (provided it isn't doctrinal and rigidly structured); the problem lies in what the individual actually does with it.

Yes, everything depends on the individual. It isn't about what you do, but how you do it—specifically, how much you immerse yourself in the act.
Generally speaking, you will find more immersion in sex or sports than in meditation, simply because meditation is tedious while the others are engaging.

Zachary Cook2;
Silence:

So I watched a CNN documentary, big deal. I’ve seen Batman too. 😂

And that’s your big response to the actual, genuine testimonies I shared?

You really are an unshakable believer, aren't you?
Once Brandon Sanderson (through his writing) hooked your emotions, you just can't let go, even when facts come along that totally expose him.

What really trips me out about this whole mess is how you insist on believing these propaganda pieces posted on bottom-tier tabloid sites that exist just to trash Christian spirituality.

Why does it confuse me?

Because I seriously cannot wrap my head around how you can be so incredibly exclusive when it comes to Christianity (regardless of all the cheap trash being thrown at it) while simultaneously (!?), stubbornly ignoring the undeniable facts that clearly wreck Brandon Sanderson's credibility.

You're pretty zealous in that sense;
Silence:

Look, I put in the effort and found the link (on some yellow journalism tabloid site). It wasn't hard... Wait, are you telling me that doesn't bother you (what was published on that site)??????????? Just look at what they were doing and you're still defending them like a headless chicken.

You react just as aggressively to the undeniably authentic testimonies shown in the CNN film;
Silence:

So I watched a CNN documentary, big deal. I’ve seen Batman too. 😂 Come on, maybe study a little more so you don't just blabber nonsense,..😂 😉

Isn't that a bit of a double standard?
Don't you feel like you're being inconsistent, even if just a little?

That's basically what I've been pointing out this whole time, but you just keep throwing fuel on the fire... if you catch my drift.



Silence:

I've experienced plenty of what Brandon Sanderson writes in practice. I almost kicked the bucket a couple of times, so believe me if you want, it isn't fiction... but I don't feel like arguing this with you, it's just a waste of time.😉

If I had known what level your spirit was at, I never would have dared to challenge you.

Silence:

Look, just stay a sheep in your own little flock; it's not like you're the first or the last.

Time will tell who the real sheep is here...

Wishing you nothing but the best and lots of happiness in your life.😉
Amen!😂

The thing that’s really eating at me is this nagging feeling that I somehow hurt you.
Like, I poked right where it hurts the most.
I know you’d never admit it—not even if your life depended on it (and yeah, I can see that endless parade of emojis you send my way)—but I just can't shake the feeling.

It’s like I’m an older sister looking out for her little brother (who’s, let’s be real, a bit dim, but has a good heart)... even though you're probably way older than me.

And I'm not being cynical when I say that.

That’s honestly just how I see it.

Linda Kelly51 said:Yes, that is exactly my point.

When a teenage girl falls in love, that is spirituality. When a priest leads a mass, it isn't.
Wholeness is what matters—when the entire being is engaged, especially the emotional aspect. That is how it penetrates deep down to the soul; otherwise, everything remains superficial.

Everything done in so-called spiritual groups—meditations, prayers, attempts to contact God, and the like—is nothing more than empty straw. It's just a standard ego trip.

That is such a flawed perspective, and it honestly just comes from not understanding the fundamentals of effective meditation!!! It’s actually the exact opposite—true meditation quiets things down and settles that restless, messy ego! Anyone who has ever meditated and practiced observing themselves from a distance knows just how much a good session can unburden a needy ego—you know, the kind that usually needs constant little distractions and treats just to feel "whole" to itself.
And group meditations (those established circles)? Even if you aren't physically together, they actually amplify that effect!!!
Of course "meditation" feels boring if you're just sitting there waiting for something to happen, calculating, or overthinking everything in your mind. But that’s not actually meditation!

Drinking, smoking, drugs—even coffee, sedatives, or other useless stimulants and depressants—aren't necessary to feel "better"!

nimblewolf11 said:That is such a flawed perspective, and it honestly just comes from not understanding the fundamentals of effective meditation!!! It’s actually the exact opposite—true meditation quiets things down and settles that restless, messy ego! Anyone who has ever meditated and practiced observing themselves from a distance knows just how much a good session can unburden a needy ego—you know, the kind that usually needs constant little distractions and treats just to feel "whole" to itself.
And group meditations (those established circles)? Even if you aren't physically together, they actually amplify that effect!!!
Of course "meditation" feels boring if you're just sitting there waiting for something to happen, calculating, or overthinking everything in your mind. But that’s not actually meditation!

Drinking, smoking, drugs—even coffee, sedatives, or other useless stimulants and depressants—aren't necessary to feel "better"!

Personally, I think coffee is great. I have one a day, especially if I have someone to share it with while having a cigarette. Two is hard for me, and three is definitely overkill. I might grab a beer when I'm out, but even then, I usually stick to something light like a Bud Light. 😁

I love my coffee; it keeps my digestion steady and keeps me calm all day, every day—especially when I'm fasting (my version: small meals throughout the day, avoiding meat, practicing meditation constantly. I lean into it heavily because I try to avoid negative thoughts, so I practice even when I'm "not fasting"). 😁

That said, I can't claim that coffee is the fundamental reason for my good mood. 😁

p.s. If someone doesn't understand what meditation actually is, you can't explain it to them for anything in the world. Trying to explain it ends up being total nonsense, because you can't teach an old dog new tricks.