There Cannot Be One Path

[aurum]

This is going to be some random thoughts I've had following Leo's "Why People Seem Crazy" video. The question I'll be tackling is: why isn't there "one correct path" that every spiritual seeker can follow?

If you haven't verified it for yourself, let's assume there exists an Absolute Oneness / God / Spirit / Big Bad Divine No-thing. It is everything that exists, and this Oneness is seeking to experience itself by dividing itself into an infinite number of finite parts. This self-realization is the ultimate point of life and what we're all "doing here" so to speak.

In order for this to happen, there must be an infinite number of individual paths back to Oneness. There is simply no other option that exists.

Why?

Simple. If there was a single optimal back to the Divine, then every individual would converge onto this single path. They would lose their individualness, rendering the whole process pointless.

But if there are an infinite number of paths, then each entity can remain as an individual until they are reunited with the Divine. And then the process will simply repeat ad infinitum.

Also, given that time is not actually finite and linear, there must be an infinite number of paths to the divine. Otherwise this process could not keep happening indefinitely.

What does it mean to be the Same? It means indistinguishable. We must be different in order to realize we are the same.

So what does this mean on a practical level?

It means good luck finding someone exactly like you .

Also, it means there's no "right way" to play this game. Relax. You have a unique path that is entirely your own. Not me, not Leo, not the Buddha can tell you what it is. Have the courage to listen inside.

If we could tell you, the whole thing would be ruined.

When you see someone committing a crime, that's part of their path. When you see someone doing something heroic, that's part of their path. When you see someone destroying the environment, that's part of their path.

There is no way to be off the path in the first place!

Does that mean you shouldn't work to grow yourself? Of course not. I just said the whole point of life is to grow and evolve.

It also doesn't mean there aren't tried and true techniques that have worked for many, many people. Meditation is a great example. But if you think something like meditation "has" to be part of your path, that's when you've misjudged.

[Leo Gura]

Life is the ultimate sandbox, open-world video game.

Unfortunately, most folks are COD gamers, so they can't appreciate the infinite richness. It's overwhelming to them. They want it dumbed down. And so religion is born.

[Nahm]

@aurum I love your post. Possibly, in a way, there is one path, it's the place we reach in meditation, the place of nothing / everything. Not sure if I would consider all the stuff we do in the world part of the 'path', but that's merely my connotation. 

[cetus]

13 hours ago, aurum said:

There is no way to be off the path in the first place!

@aurum I was listening to Adyashanti earlier and what he says @5:00 chimes with what you said here.