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Jim and His Karma
2111 Posts |
 Posted - Jan 12 2006 : 11:13:32 AM
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If your boss is droning on at you and you're getting the increasing feeling that maybe the universe is not quite perfect after all, and you dip into "I Am" and surrender to all that is (including your boss, though more at the cellular level, where he's a lot less annoying) does that constitute a misuse of spiritual practice for escapist purposes, or is it an admirable pause for perspective?
I find I don't as frequently pause for that larger perspective when, say, an attractive woman flirts with me or someone gives me a nice gift or I'm gleefully trying out a new car or computer........ ;) |
Edited by - Jim and His Karma on Jan 12 2006 11:14:04 AM |
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david_obsidian
USA
2602 Posts |
Posted - Jan 12 2006 : 12:04:02 PM
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Jim asked:
does that constitute a misuse of spiritual practice for escapist purposes, or is it an admirable pause for perspective?
Both, though I'd say 'misuse' is too strong. The struggle for 'escape' from the unenlightened state is inevitable. Sadhana (spiritual practice) contains it too -- what distinguishes sadhana from ordinary indulging in maya is only the understanding and skill level.
I find I don't as frequently pause for that larger perspective when, say, an attractive woman flirts with me or someone gives me a nice gift or I'm gleefully trying out a new car or computer........ ;)
Which shows that while the struggle for escape is inevitable, we aren't always diving into some form of practice.  I don't think that the fact that you aren't doing it in those pleasant occasions says anything negative about your doing it in the unpleasant ones.
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Edited by - david_obsidian on Jan 12 2006 12:14:01 PM |
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Jim and His Karma
2111 Posts |
Posted - Jan 12 2006 : 12:28:53 PM
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quote:
The struggle for 'escape' from the unenlightened state is inevitable.
sure, but it's not my deepest self drawing me home. it's my most superficial self drawing me somewhere more pleasant. That's the issue. And it worries me, because dichotomies like pleasant/unpleasant are the big trap in the first place. And I lack deeper perspective 'cuz I've just gone a record 4 days without practicing (couldn't be helped, I'm on a crash project). [edited in later: this is bull$hit. of course it can be helped! anything can be worked around! see my posting further down about giving one's demons opportunity to undermine practice]
quote:
I don't think that the fact that you aren't doing it in those pleasant occasions says anything negative about your doing it in the unpleasant ones.
actually, I'm being self-deprecating to the point of inaccuracy. I'd gladly surrender any of those fun things I mentioned at any time. And sometimes I even am compelled to (i.e. I remember). But I'm not AS compelled, nor do I remember as frequently. And at this point, with the grip of practices loosening by the hour, all bets are off.
Can't wait to get back. |
Edited by - Jim and His Karma on Jan 17 2006 12:14:55 PM |
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david_obsidian
USA
2602 Posts |
Posted - Jan 13 2006 : 11:40:12 AM
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I see what you mean.
Your shallower self trying to get yourself out of what is unpleasant, is not the same as your deeper self pulling you home -- indeed, your deeper self does not care that much about pleasant/unpleasant.
Well, if you have time, on the spot, when something unpleasant happens, to take the reminder from your shallower self, but somehow manage to awaken an appropriate response from your deeper self in response to that reminder, you should be OK....
That's only a theoretical reply on my part. I am significantly stuck in pleasant/unpleasant myself almost always and never really get out of it.
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yogani
USA
5242 Posts |
Posted - Jan 14 2006 : 10:44:15 AM
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Hi Jim:
If you have not already, you may wish to review Lesson #209 on fitting practices into a busy schedule, particularly the part about "honoring the habit." There are lots of ways to compress things down. But most important is to not lose the habit during extended periods of intense activity. It takes a few minutes twice per day to sustain it, and then it (the habit) is there when we are ready to resume full practices again. If we do not honor the habit, over time we will be in increasing danger of losing the whole practice. I have seen it happen many times.
Having spent decades in the corporate world, I learned about this by trial and error. It is not something we find in the yoga books. It is a modern yogi/yogini survival technique. Very necessary in this day and age ... guerrilla yoga!
The guru is in you.
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Jim and His Karma
2111 Posts |
Posted - Jan 17 2006 : 12:04:04 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by david_obsidian
I am significantly stuck in pleasant/unpleasant myself almost always and never really get out of it.
I'm stuck in other things. This one's been loosening. I'm been trying to leave a breadcrumb trail, especially because I've been such a big preferences guy all my life.....well, I'll keep leaving more breadcrumbs. |
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Jim and His Karma
2111 Posts |
Posted - Jan 17 2006 : 12:13:16 PM
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Yogani, I know that lesson well. I'm in a major career transition and everything's getting shaken up. And my practice, which has never been more necessary, has proven difficult to maintain. Perhaps this is what the Christians mean with their language of temptation and the devil. Or, rather, it's what was originally meant (and has been misinterpreted over the years). There are definitely subconscious forces at work threatening the practice, and the better that practice makes me feel and the more important it is for me, the more dangerous the threat seems to be. It's true that my transition is making it very very difficult to practice, but those "demons" seem to hide under that cover opportunistically, if you know what I mean.
But we all have these forces inside us. I'm learning a lot by witnessing the process, though I can't see too deeply into it because of my practice gap (I'm getting back on track, by the way). Sorry to be settting a poor example for the others with this, but I'm trying to learn and grow by working through this knot....a knot like all the other yoga knots....and talking about it. Maybe we ought to start a new thread on this. |
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Pausing to Reflect VS Sheer Escapism
