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foralways
Sweden
19 Posts |
 Posted - Nov 16 2008 : 10:12:26 AM
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how important is it to have people to love and care about?
is it possible by meditation to find total happyness without personal relations? and is that desireable?
maybe it is easier without any personal relations?
what role do other people play in our lives? i've heard about yogis living all alone not needing anyone. i long for that feeling of hole-ness. is it really reachable?
and will it not be empty not to share all the love we have inside?
just want to hear your opinions.
and, any special order to read the books recommended? |
Edited by - foralways on Nov 16 2008 10:17:53 AM |
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anthony574
USA
549 Posts |
Posted - Nov 16 2008 : 10:31:40 AM
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A friend and spiritual mentor to me mentioned a very inspiring quote to me when I was asking him a similar question. I don't recall who said it or how it went exactly, but I'll paraphrase it.
"It is not possible to go from ego-conciousness to Christ-conciousness. You must first go from ego-conciousness to group-conciousness. Only then can you advance higher."
I've also heard it said that "You are not truly enlightened until everyone else is enlightened".
These quotes resonate to me as someone who has always had a hard time socially. It is hard to me to get out of my head and into my heart. For a while I had the attitude of being a "solitary yogi" and not needing anyone. But that path was delusional I found and did not result in true happiness. It is almost egotistical, in my opinion, to think that YOU don't need anyone else. We all need and are eachother. I don't think we can advance as a species until the wall of ego is broken between us.
Also, social relationships can be very advanced spiritual practice. I can't think of many other situations where your flaws are reflected onto you more agressively :-) |
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Anthem
1608 Posts |
Posted - Nov 16 2008 : 8:26:07 PM
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quote:
and, any special order to read the books recommended?
Hi foralways,
If you are interested in the practices, then reading them from top to bottom as they appear to the right of this thread is the order I enjoyed them in. I would think that if you were going to read the Enlightenment Series books, I would again start at the top with Deep Meditation and work my way down to the bottom with the Eight Limbs of Yoga. This coincides best with the order of the lessons and expands on them nicely. |
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brother neil
USA
752 Posts |
Posted - Nov 17 2008 : 6:17:49 PM
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i would agree with anthony. Look at me and my postings. At times i have been rebelous and non accepting of the lessons here and i have also thought "i dont need someone telling me how to get there" for years i have spent too much of my time condeming others and too much time locked in my room, the one in my head and the one in my house. i have also been a know it all as well. enjoy the company of others and if you cant tolerate them then it may not be them that needs changing, it may be a change of perspective is in order. be friends with as many people as possible, everyone needs a friend.
there was a story of a man who was practicing his tamas in a cave for 12 years, people knew about this. so one day he came down and a local person made it a point to irratate him. so the man got upset and lashed out. the local man while laughing told him to go back to his cave for another 12 years and try again. Not sure tamas is the right word.
we are never seperate, so since we are one we might as well act as one. I need to reread my own words about 10000 times. So do as i say not as i do why do i avoid friends, family, and close personal relationships? because i have a very big ego that thinks it knows it all and also because i am afraid of being close to people and having my heart stepped on.
we are one
brother neil
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Edited by - brother neil on Nov 17 2008 6:20:34 PM |
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