Self-denial A traditional approach to spiritual realization would include repetitive prayer, painful disciplines, suffering misfortune, social isolation, and poverty. Most who take such a path of self-denial expect to realize something of great value and personal significance; but there is an incongruity in practicing self-denial as a means of self-awareness. The end negates the means! The objective refutes the methodology. The destination denies the journey. If there is any validity to self-denial then ignorance is the only end that would be justified by such means. A spiritual pilgrim on the path of self-denial would never arrive at the realization he seeks, for he would have to deny himself the benefit, the satisfaction, the fulfillment, …show more content…
If they ever come to know a God of Love, an infinite Being, if they ever confront the implications of the concept of Our Father which art in heaven, or the realization that I and my Father are one, or if they even begin to consider themselves a child of God - then they would have to accept themselves as a spiritual being, here and now. Those who deny themselves would have trouble accepting that as their truth. Those who think they are separate from God, who think themselves to be just human, deny the infinite Life, and deny themselves the experience of It. Do not deny yourself if you would find and accept the infinite God, within. The first realization is this: “We arrive at a consciousness of Unity only in such degree as we see that what we are looking FOR, we are looking WITH, and looking AT.” [The Science of Mind, pg. 124]
Consciousness Holmes asserts that: “clear thinking, health, happiness, friendships, and prosperity” are necessary steps in support of a spiritual realization, and then he states that they are also the consequence of such a realization.
“Looked at another way, it is just as correct to say that spiritual realization is the basis of all those experiences. Attaining a high spiritual consciousness, which we call realization, man is automatically assured of all these other things. It is a rule that works both
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6:33] What things were to be added, once we arrive at our realization? According to Jesus, food and drink and clothing. Our needs would be met. And, if you search the scriptures a bit further you’ll find that Jesus also taught that we could expect to get more of what we give, and to reap more than we sow, and to be entrusted with more of what we put to good use. There is not much difference between his assurance and the health, wealth and happiness which Holmes wrote
After, the main character joins with the samanas, wandering ascetics who practice extreme religious habits, the protagonist develops a Buddhist influenced perspective and intentions, ¨Siddhartha had a goal, a single one: to become empty – empty of thirst, empty of desire, empty of dreams, empty of joy and sorrow. ¨(Hesse 11). The following quote resembles the understanding of the Four Noble Truths. Siddhartha understands that suffering is caused by desire. Then, he agrees that suffering can be brought to cessation thus his desire is to become empty and free from suffering. Once a practitioner achieves emptiness they become enlightened. However, it is difficult to be completely empty for example even vacuum contains some particles or atoms. Thus, for a human filled with emotions and thoughts striving to be empty is impossible in principle. The religion states that once a practitioner is enlightened they are filled with peace and wisdom thus it contradicts the search for emptiness. In conclusion, Siddhartha 's quest for emptiness intrigues me because I cannot comprehend the
It is the idea that once we strip ourselves from our ego or the idea of a real and fixated self, one may reach nirvana, which again, cannot be seen, but only experienced. However, here it is important to note a striking difference between Armstrong’s Being and Thurman’s Void: Being relates to an unseen force while void refers to a lifestyle and a mental state. More specifically, Thurman focuses on the idea of self-knowledge. For instance, Thurman claims that “because the only thing that’s frightened by the word ‘selflessness’ is the artificially constructed, unreal, and unrealistic self” (Thurman 441). This artificial self isn’t real, because it doesn’t really exist. Rather, it’s a manmade concept that we hold onto so tightly because we feel it necessary. Here it is necessary to point out why so many are frightened by the idea of acknowledging one 's selflessness: they fear becoming nothing. But “realizing your selflessness does not mean that you become a nobody, it means that you become a type of somebody who is a viable, useful somebody, not a rigid, fixated, I’m-the-center-of-the-universe, isolated-from-others somebody” (Thurman, 443). In other words, realizing your selflessness does not mean that you disappear or become nothing, because that is quite impossible. It’s quite the opposite actually. Once we realize our
Both writers claim that as long as one is wrapped in the veil their attempts to gain self-consciousness will fail because they will always see the image of themselves reflect back to them by others. Du Bois applies this by claiming that as long as on is behind the veil the, "world which yields him no self-consciousness but who only lets him see himself through the revelation of the other world. "Footnote4 Saint Paul in Second Corinthians says the way to self consciousness and an understanding lies in, "the veil being taken away, Now the lord is the spirit and where the spirit of the lord is there is liberty.
...thout the enlightenment of the soul to become a part of the life divine, the higher powers pertaining to God.
Underlying each of these claims is the theme of the unification of body and mind into a state of consciousness which greatly facilitates clarity and order in one's awareness. Through the deep periods of rest achieved during levels of transcendental consciousness, t...
However, despite all of the analysis and vast literature on the topic of selfhood there are still no completely agreed upon definitions of the self. Several scholars argue that it can never be given one simple, consistent description. The majority of authors are inclined to avoid the ‘unanswerable’ question of what self is and their constructions are based more on implicit understandings than clear-cut descriptions. As with the idea of consciousness, the self is catalogued amid those notions that are
... reduction mechanisms, I attain cognitive peace as my belief system realigns with my behaviors.
Spirituality is a broad concept, often met with skepticism, but for those who believe in spirituality, it is something real and can have positive effects. Spirituality is difficult to operationalize because it is defined and understood in multiple ways. Participants in studies have described spirituality from experiencing a connection with God or a higher power, to believing something exists that is beyond oneself, to being a search for inner peace and supporting core values to become an ideal human (Hodge & McGrew, 2006). For this paper, spirituality will be defined as an inclusive, multidimensional phenomenon (Starks, Vakalahi & McPhatter, 2014). As well, for this paper belief in spirituality, belief in something bigger than oneself, whether
In this paper two topic from the Psychology and Spirituality course will be discussed in regards to spirituality and their influence on my personal life. I will examine how I have grown and what I have learned from the week on Spring Lake ranch and how I wish to continue moving forward in my attempt to be spiritual and build a closer relationship to God.
Oftentimes, people reach a point in their lives when they realize that they need to think for themselves and take responsibility for becoming who they are cut out to be. Whether or not they actually become that person is questionable. In Sickness Unto Death, Soren Kierkegaard argues that to become the "self" we must avoid despair and the influence of the world, and we must become what God wants us to be. In his essay, Self-Reliance, Ralph Waldo Emerson promotes the idea of individualism and how we must rely upon only ourselves and God to establish and support ourselves. I will first explain Kierkegaard’s idea of what it is to become a “self” then I will show the many parallels between Sickness unto Death and Self-Reliance.
Spirituality is seen as a universal concept relevant to all individuals; the uniqueness of each individual is paramount (Mcsherry, 2000). Therefore, the subject is complex and relatively complicated topic to discuss. This is due to the different interpretation which is influenced by the individual’s life experience. Therefore definitions of spirituality may differentiate significantly to all individuals and literature (Mcsherry, 2000).
Walsh, K., King, M., Jones, L., Tookman, A., & Blizard, R., (2002). Spiritual beliefs may
Nichols states that in life, the soul is one with the mind and as such the brain and body, which limi...
The Buddhist concept of "no-self" is an essential element on the path to spiritual freedom presented by the Buddha Gautama Siddhartha Sakyamuni. It is claimed by many Buddhists that at the age of thirty-five Siddhatta achieved samyaksambodhi, a state of supreme enlightenment, while meditating under a tree. He had been born into excess and protected from life, and then chose to live as an aesthetic. He found that the former stifled to spirit and the latter stifled the mind the only answer was a middle path of moderation. Siddhatta then lived and taught his way for another forty-five ...
Sweeney, P., Rhodes, J., & Boling B. (2012) Spiritual Fitness: A Key Component of Total Force