Beat Me Spiritual

[Nakosis]

Should we be looking for spiritual meaning in myths?

We humans can create spiritual meaning out of anything. Harry Potter stories, Christmas stories. Aesop's Fables etc...

To which I start wondering what "spiritual meaning" even means?

Perhaps we are able to an create external narrative for a story that held some special meaning/value to us personally.

Whether this meaning had anything to do with the original story is pretty irrelevant.

I can create a "spiritual meaning" to a story/myth that makes sense to me, and maybe it will make sense to you too.

That's no validation that this spiritual meaning had anything to do with what the original author had in mind.

Ought we not stop fooling ourselves that a "spiritual journey" is leading us to some esoteric universal purpose/consciousness behind our existence?

Spirituality: the creation of a narrative that helps us to accept life as it is.

 

[Debater Slayer]

Why does the thread title make me have mental images of "spiritual" BDSM?

 

[stvdv]

Ought we not stop fooling ourselves that a "spiritual journey" is leading us to some esoteric universal purpose/consciousness behind our existence?

Spirituality: the creation of a narrative that helps us to accept life as it is.

I think spirituality is linked with evolution. The more spiritual we grow, the more we evolve.

 

[sun rise]

To which I start wondering what "spiritual meaning" even means?

To me 'spiritual' is that which leads us closer to realization of our unity with Divinity. Further: "There are as many ways to God as there are souls of men"

The 'spiritual path' is to me what describes the internal journey in our search for ultimate meaning, Truth, Divine Love, perfect joy and so forth.

Whether this meaning had anything to do with the original story is pretty irrelevant.

I find that there are songs that might seem worldly but to me have spiritual significance. Some examples: "One" by Enter The Haggis. "One Tribe" by Black Eyed Peas. "I Can't Help Falling in Love with you" (replace a personal 'you' with 'God').

Ought we not stop fooling ourselves that a "spiritual journey" is leading us to some esoteric universal purpose/consciousness behind our existence?

What to you is 'fooling ourselves' is to me the purpose of my life. I am inspired by the "divine fools" such as Upsani Maharaj who said "... I am the crowning jewel in the assembly of the greatest fools of the world".

 

[Nakosis]

Why does the thread title make me have mental images of "spiritual" BDSM?

I think that is the perfect image for this thread. At least pretty close to the image I had.

 

[Nakosis]

To me 'spiritual' is that which leads us closer to realization of our unity with Divinity. Further: "There are as many ways to God as there are souls of men"

The 'spiritual path' is to me what describes the internal journey in our search for ultimate meaning, Truth, Divine Love, perfect joy and so forth.

The path of atheism, same thing, without the divine part.

I find that there are songs that might seem worldly but to me have spiritual significance. Some examples: "One" by Enter The Haggis. "One Tribe" by Black Eyed Peas. "I Can't Help Falling in Love with you" (replace a personal 'you' with 'God').

I like the Black Eyed Peas

What to you is 'fooling ourselves' is to me the purpose of my life. I am inspired by the "divine fools" such as Upsani Maharaj who said "... I am the crowning jewel in the assembly of the greatest fools of the world".

I don't mind playing the fool. Just don't like seeing people fooling themselves about it.

 

[Nakosis]

I think spirituality is linked with evolution. The more spiritual we grow, the more we evolve.

To me, life is the journey. Spirituality is just the narrative we tell ourselves about the journey.

 

[stvdv]

To me, life is the journey. Spirituality is just the narrative we tell ourselves about the journey.

To me:
Spiritual growth is the growth in "Truth, Love, Righteousness, Peace, Non Violence", so growth in reality
Material growth is the growth in "Ego", so 'growth' in unreality.

 

[SomeRandom]

Should we be looking for spiritual meaning in myths?

If that is one’s goal. Myths can offer us multiple meanings, depending on what one wishes to take from them. Historical understanding of a bygone culture, context into various rituals, simple pleasure in an epic tale. It really comes down to what a person wants to gain, imo

We humans can create spiritual meaning out of anything. Harry Potter stories, Christmas stories. Aesop's Fables etc...

Sure. Though Aesop’s are boring and weirdly randomly violent. Just my opinion.
Also every tale literally tells you what the moral is. At least the edition of Aesop’s I own does. It’s....actually kind of an interesting window into the morality of the society that created them.

To which I start wondering what "spiritual meaning" even means?

That what gives meaning to our spiritual journey?

Perhaps we are able to an create external narrative for a story that held some special meaning/value to us personally.

Whether this meaning had anything to do with the original story is pretty irrelevant.

Well, I can see you favour the Death of the Author philosophy.

I can create a "spiritual meaning" to a story/myth that makes sense to me, and maybe it will make sense to you too.

Perhaps. Though it might be a bit trickier to do across cultures. Or perhaps one can find common ground through such myths.

That's no validation that this spiritual meaning had anything to do with what the original author had in mind.

That depends on how high a value one puts on the original author’s voice. Some disregard it, some hold it in higher esteem than the reader’s interpretation. Others find a middle ground.

Ought we not stop fooling ourselves that a "spiritual journey" is leading us to some esoteric universal purpose/consciousness behind our existence?

Maybe.

Spirituality: the creation of a narrative that helps us to accept life as it is.

I can agree with that

 

[Nakosis]

If that is one’s goal. Myths can offer us multiple meanings, depending on what one wishes to take from them. Historical understanding of a bygone culture, context into various rituals, simple pleasure in an epic tale. It really comes down to what a person wants to gain, imo



Sure. Though Aesop’s are boring and weirdly randomly violent. Just my opinion.
Also every tale literally tells you what the moral is. At least the edition of Aesop’s I own does. It’s....actually kind of an interesting window into the morality of the society that created them.



That what gives meaning to our spiritual journey?



Well, I can see you favour the Death of the Author philosophy.



Perhaps. Though it might be a bit trickier to do across cultures. Or perhaps one can find common ground through such myths.



That depends on how high a value one puts on the original author’s voice. Some disregard it, some hold it in higher esteem than the reader’s interpretation. Others find a middle ground.



Maybe.

I can agree with that

All of what you say is fine. I just don't think we should convince ourselves that by correctly understanding the spiritual message left by some author we are going to find the key that unlocks the universal mystery about the universe.

Not saying this is where you are coming from but I was at one time and suspect a few others are like that as well.

 

[SomeRandom]

All of what you say is fine. I just don't think we should convince ourselves that by correctly understanding the spiritual message left by some author we are going to find the key that unlocks the universal mystery about the universe.

Not saying this is where you are coming from but I was at one time and suspect a few others are like that as well.

I think that is very good advice

 

[whosetosay...]

Should we be looking for spiritual meaning in myths?

We humans can create spiritual meaning out of anything. Harry Potter stories, Christmas stories. Aesop's Fables etc...

To which I start wondering what "spiritual meaning" even means?

Perhaps we are able to an create external narrative for a story that held some special meaning/value to us personally.

Whether this meaning had anything to do with the original story is pretty irrelevant.

I can create a "spiritual meaning" to a story/myth that makes sense to me, and maybe it will make sense to you too.

That's no validation that this spiritual meaning had anything to do with what the original author had in mind.

Ought we not stop fooling ourselves that a "spiritual journey" is leading us to some esoteric universal purpose/consciousness behind our existence?

Spirituality: the creation of a narrative that helps us to accept life as it is.

Would it be a spiritual meaning if "created" from fiction? I really do not know of anyone who has created something spiritual out of Harry Potter. Even witches do not give any likeness to their beliefs. Spiritual definitions, would help so we can apply it correctly to your use of the word/s

 

[Nakosis]

Would it be a spiritual meaning if "created" from fiction? I really do not know of anyone who has created something spiritual out of Harry Potter.

Harry Potter For Seekers - Spirituality in Harry Potter, Alchemy in Harry potter

Even witches do not give any likeness to their beliefs. Spiritual definitions, would help so we can apply it correctly to your use of the word/s

To me it seems likely the story of Genesis is fiction. Stories created from earlier myths.

 

[whosetosay...]

Harry Potter For Seekers - Spirituality in Harry Potter, Alchemy in Harry potter



To me it seems likely the story of Genesis is fiction. Stories created from earlier myths.

Alchemy: Anyone found a way of turning metals into Gold? Nothing Spiritual in those three things just human wishful thinking and an amazing way of making fiction become a film. The truth is if such a thing existed it would be a dark and frightening existence/
Do you know who wrote the books of the Torah It is said that Moses penned them but was not the actual author but they came from God. If God cannot lie and was indeed the author then why would assume that God revealed anything but the truth?