Bodhi123

Yes, I understand Leo I know that you are very big on objectivity and demand empirical evidence to substantiate any belief. But I have a question for you... At what point does the need for direct empirical evidence become a limitation? How much can a single person truly understand? Just because you haven't personally verified a claim does that necessarily make it false?

So I took a look and I still firmly believe that aligning your actions with your Higher-Self is important. I would go as far as to say that aligning your actions with your Higher-Self is one of the few things that actually matters in this life. To put all importance on self-realization and completely disregard integrity is a disastrous error that will ultimately become a barrier to self-realization.

I have actually been contemplating a bit on this topic. The question I've been contemplating is: What does divine perfection really mean? I've come to the understanding that divine perfection means that everything is a manifestation of the Divine and as it should be (i.e perfect). However, everything being Divine and perfect does not mean there isn't good and evil. It just means that good and evil are both Divine and perfect. Each an aspect of One.

Life. Live. Learn. Grow.

@LRyan Check out the book Journey of Souls by Michael Newton (there is a pdf version). It basically supports your theory that overcoming suffering is a means for spiritual growth.

@Shin When I begin to lose my faith, I remember what led me to spirituality. I remember the depression and anxiety I felt when I was heavily identified with ego. I remember how a limited view of reality made life seem difficult and meaningless. I remember being mean and angry. I DON’T EVER WANT TO GO BACK TO THAT TYPE OF EXISTENCE. I now recognize my divinity and eternal nature. I choose love and embrace the light of consciousness. I keep the faith.

@Martin123 I just read your post about the epicness of @Shin and I just became more epic. That guy is fucken awesome!!

"My life is my message" - Gandhi

Always remember the truth of "This too shall pass...". All adversity is an opportunity to overcome. It is by overcoming adversity that we grow stronger and wiser. Keep Going. Never Give Up.

Alright I'll take a look. I've enjoyed this discussion with you

I understand what you are saying. You think of morality as a form judgment that is derived from the ego. For example, the ego deems actions aligned with its preference as “good” and actions counter to its preference as “bad”. My position is that actions are either aligned with the higher-self or aligned with the ego. For example, acts of kindness, compassion, and generosity are aligned with the higher-self and therefore “good”. The assumption is that the Source of all creation is benevolent. Actions such as judgment, hate, deceit, and murder are aligned with the ego and therefore “bad”.

You make it sound like such a sad realization. I would say, you are more than you ever imagined yourself to be

Same to you

Me too brother. But sometimes you have to take a stand.

@Dingus I am defending love and ethical behavior. What exactly are you fighting for?

The Buddha proposed The Noble Eightfold Path as a code of conduct that would lead to enlightenment. In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus said "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself". Come on guys... Lets not pretend we are above these teachings.

Don't presume to know me. You don't. Peace.

@Dingus We can debate each other and both look like assholes, but what good would that do. My point is... we all need to ask ourselves do we stand for Truth or do we stand for Love. And if Truth is Love... Then what the fuck are we talking about.

I didn't know that you spoke for infinity. And for the record, I just matched the emotion you expressed in your post against morality.

NO, I WON'T STOP. I will embrace love and compassion whenever I get the chance AND I will counter hate and abuse whenever I get the chance. The world is in turmoil and I'm going to send out some love. Call me wrong or a fool. Doesn't matter to me. I choose Love.

@Subconscious94 It's true that concepts can be useful for a shared understanding of a topic. To address your question, how to reconcile self-esteem and enlightenment? It is a little paradoxical, but your ego needs to be strong enough so that you can transcend it. For example, if you have low self-esteem and suffer from depression then you are not going to have the will and fortitude it takes to be on the spiritual path. However, if your self-esteem is healthy then you will have the focus and determination needed to pursue enlightenment AND you will have the confidence needed to let it all go when the time is right.

I could be wrong. But I do believe he was joking Sarcasm

I would agree with this. The more identified you are with the body-mind the more unconscious you are. The goal is to become more aware and less identified with your ego. As you begin to see through the illusion of being a separate self you will be more aligned with your "higher-self". BUT... the thing is you are already your higher-self (i.e. Spirit, God, Truth). This is why they call it self-realization. Good job for working to understand all of these concepts. But spirituality is not about conceptualization. I think an important word for you is Integration. Integration means moving beyond intellectual conceptualization and embodying this wisdom. Integration is the challenge for all us

@Shin I respect your dedication. Congratulations on your progress