Intellectual / Spiritual materialism

[AleksM]

Sharing insights. 

Intellectual materialism - excessively grasping for information, needing information, trusting a thought that one will be complete when we learn that additional piece of information that just came on the horizon

Spiritual materialism - a thought that one needs a certain state to be complete... looking for that state and making justifications for why we're not complete because we're not in that state 

 

Agree or do you have a better definition?

[Flammable]

Both are fundamentally a movement of thought to complete itself with itself - which is bound to fail in the long term, but that is how the ego is perpetuated.

Edited November 22, 2018 by Flammable

[Natasha]

@AleksM I agree. Both can result in strengthening a sense of lack which hinders being. 

[Shin]

32 minutes ago, AleksM said:

Sharing insights. 

Intellectual materialism - excessively grasping for information, needing information, trusting a thought that one will be complete when we learn that additional piece of information that just came on the horizon

Spiritual materialism - a thought that one needs a certain state to be complete... looking for that state and making justifications for why we're not complete because we're not in that state 

 

Agree or do you have a better definition?

So many people are fucked ????

[Toby]

Very important, although nothing new: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiritual_materialism

Quote

Spiritual materialism is the belief that a certain temporary state of mind is a refuge from suffering. An example would be using meditation practices to create a peaceful state of mind, or using drugs or alcohol to remain in a numbed out or a euphoric state. According to Trungpa, these states are temporary and merely heighten the suffering when they cease. So attempting to maintain a particular emotional state of mind as a refuge from suffering, or constantly pursuing particular emotional states of mind like being in love, will actually lead to more long term suffering.