I usually say something like I think I have a spiritual side but do
not consider myself very religous. Some people get it right away
and others you need to expand more but it is really hard to explain.
I just wanted to comment on one thing you said:
"condensed this is: understanding your place in the universe, accepting you
>are of little importance within the universe, and " a good man will do no
>wrong"... three simple truths personal to me!!"
I say something similar but it probably won't appear as negative to others..
Joseph Campbell said something like
hell is a large stiff ego and heaven is a loose ego.
I find myself at my worse moments having a dilated stiff ego.
The best explanation was from this Sanskrit scholar that
said good karma was actually a misinterpretation.
Actually the goal is no karma and karma accumulates when actions
stem from an ego.
erin
>Hey All
>
>On a lighter but maybe a more personal note, I would like to know more about
>each of your own views on spirituality, I am asking this, because of late I
>have been asked numerous times if I am spiritual, and am then asked in what
>way am I spiritual.
>
>it usually goes like this......
>
>Firstly I try to explain that my views on spirituality may not seem to be
>the same as theirs, and it may be hard for me to explain exactly what they
>are, because I have never tried to condense them into soundbites.
>
>This, whilst being true always seems to enrage my peers, they seem to think
>I'm being arrogant , so I am then "forced" to try and explain.
>So I start by saying I am an "everyday" Buddhist, a Taoist. So far so good
>everybody has an idea of what Buddhism is, ( not necessarily the same as my
>idea, but..), now comes the difficult bit, trying to explain my take on
>Taoism.
>
>condensed this is: understanding your place in the universe, accepting you
>are of little importance within the universe, and " a good man will do no
>wrong"... three simple truths personal to me!!
>
>now comes the barrage of "what are you talking about?", " that's not
>spirituality", that seems very cynical/negative etc. blah! blah!
>few of my peers will accept they are "unimportant" as their whole lives have
>been a struggle to be important. so I'm on a loser here, I try to explain
>that the universe is huge, massive etc., and in no way can anything as small
>and short lived as ourselves, can be of any real importance, by accepting
>this, you don't have to worry about being important/useful, and you can just
>enjoy living in the now ( wow! wayne's world .. garth is right), just being,
>the essence and goal of Buddhism. (living at the cutting edge of DQ)
>
>" What about your soul? " is usually the next question, I tell them I do not
>believe in the eternal soul, and that i believe every individual is born
>without a spirit or soul, and it is through what you do in life, that you
>create your own spirit, and this spirit/pattern of values ( ooops!) , and it
>is this which may exist after you die. There cannot be reincarnation in my
>philososphy because every individual has the " right " to create his/her own
>spirit, and not be invaded by someone elses. BIG MISTAKE... very few people
>want to accept my views, which is OK, but I am often left frustrated having
>not said /explained something right.
>
>These are only my views after all!!
>
>Now what I would like to ask is this, has anybody else had similar problems
>when trying to convey how they feel and integrate the whole MoQ and/or
>Taoism/Buddhism in their own lives, to people without going through the
>whole Pirsig route.
>I would be interested to hear of your experiences
>Regards
>Rod
>
>
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