Does Fucking Music Prevent Spiritual Growth?

[Evil Raccoon]

I noticed that when I listen to rap music w/ very violent lyrics or even to any other genre that just talks about ego/chimp stuff like money, sex, booze or being "bad" I feel kinda dirty, just like when u consume junk food or watch porn.Does it mean I have to only listen to music that talks about butterflies and rainbows if I wanna persue the Hero's Journey?

[Consept]

Haha Ive felt that before. you can listen to what you want, it's just once you become more present and build up your awareness, naturally certain music won't appeal to you anymore. 

I still listen to rap if I want that energy, usually at the gym or if I just want to hype myself up. But I don't live in that energy if that makes sense. I actually found myself listening to more older music like motown and soul. For you it might be something different. 

There's no rules to this shit, just be present and see where that takes you. Also there's loads of conscious rap or more soulful rap, check out tribe called quest, old but good 

[LfcCharlie4]

Listen to music depending on what you wanna feel in that moment, but of course Music influences you, but it doesn't mean you have to listen to new age music 24/7 lol, for example when you're feeling sad you may want to listen to sad music to express your emotions for a while, but after a while will fancy some upbeat music to pick yourself back up etc. 

As @Consept said there isn't any rules. 

Do whatever works best for you, and whatever you want to do!

 

[Evil Raccoon]

@Consept Well, at first it was only rap that made me feel that way (cuz it's more crude and shit) but as I raised my fucking awareness I began feeling the "Dark Side" in the other genres as well.

I don't know how you manage to immerse yourself in that energy without living in it, I personnally feel that everything is vibration and that we really become what we consume (whether it be music, food, the kind of movies/tv shows you watch etc).Therefore my philosophy is "no amount of poison is good" which means that I either indulge in something and take it for what it is or remove it from my fucking life.Maybe I'm too black and white, maybe I'm completely deluded and just talking bullshit, I don't know, but that's honestly how I feel.

[Evil Raccoon]

@LfcCharlie4 Why would anyone who wants to persue Truth wanna feel like he's a badass alpha-male chimp who bangs dozens of sexy bitches? I dunno man, it didn't feel right for me to listen to this kinda shit back when I was tryin to be a Hero...I can relate to what this guy's sayin:

 

Edited May 12, 2020 by Evil Raccoon

[nistake]

Being involved in spirituality doesn't mean that you have to listen to yoga/meditative/"high-consciousness" music all the time. Even enlightened masters have shadows and violence/aggression often lurk in the shadow. If you feel like listening to gangsta rap, feel free to do so (as long as you don't go out and get involved in any sort of criminal activity :D).

[LfcCharlie4]

@Evil Raccoon  Yeah, again not a one size fits all, if you don't like it and you feel it effects you, then stop listening bro, and find a more 'conscious' artist or genre of music  

[mandyjw]

So we have preferences based on pain or pleasure. As you become more conscious, you become more sensitive or aware of pain and pleasure, so the violent movie, or song lyrics that you used to enjoy is suddenly experienced very differently. Someone may give you "bad vibes", who never bothered you before. You might experience joy and connection on deeper levels. Unhealthy food that you once enjoyed without a thought suddenly makes you feel awful. 

But the same pain/pleasure preference is still running you, the awareness of it is heightened.  This preference is in you, not in the song, movie, person, food. 

This preference itself is also useful (very based on survival, and with more awareness key to your evolution and self actualization) and meant to be honored not discarded. So do what feels good. Stop listening the music if that feels better, maybe you'll go back to it later and experience it in a new light, maybe not. 

[Nahm]

That beautiful change in perspective from wanting everyone else to know how bad it is

to making it good.

[Evil Raccoon]

@LfcCharlie4 I don't wanna stop, that's my problem.I'm a selfish bastard who's resisting moving into stage green.

[Evil Raccoon]

12 minutes ago, mandyjw said:

This preference is in you, not in the song, movie, person, food. 

So do you mean that the type of music that I'm talking about is not in and of itself "bad"? That the the darkness I'm experiencing when listening to that shit comes from me? I'm confused bro.

[Evil Raccoon]

6 minutes ago, Nahm said:

That beautiful change in perspective from wanting everyone else to know how bad it is

to making it good.

I have no fucking idea what u're talking about dude.

[mandyjw]

2 minutes ago, Evil Raccoon said:

So do you mean that the type of music that I'm talking about is not in and of itself "bad"? That the the darkness I'm experiencing when listening to that shit comes from me? I'm confused bro.

Yes, pretty much, except that you aren't what you think you are. If that wasn't true why isn't your user name "Good Raccoon"? Why evil? Is evil interesting, entertaining, bad, which is it? Is there good without evil, evil without good? 

[Member]

Music helps me understand my emotions better and I hate melodic songs. If you have a lot of rage within yourself, it can help you release the negative energy. It depends on your mental state.

[DoubleYou]

57 minutes ago, Evil Raccoon said:

@LfcCharlie4 Why would anyone who wants to persue Truth wanna feel like he's a badass alpha-male chimp who bangs dozens of sexy bitches? I dunno man, it didn't feel right for me to listen to this kinda shit back when I was tryin to be a Hero...I can relate to what this guy's sayin:

 

Also the fastest way to break open a heart. Art is a direct expression of who we are, and so the deeper our understanding, the deeper our ability to speak directly through our art. 

4 hours ago, Evil Raccoon said:

Does it mean I have to only listen to music that talks about butterflies and rainbows if I wanna persue the Hero's Journey?

If you think the hero's journey is about butterflies and rainbows you haven't been paying attention.  

As a composer myself, my best compositions are a direct result of truly facing my deepest shadows. And because of this, those compositions hold a kind of power to do the same for the listener. To speak directly to their hearts and provide an opportunity for integration. And trust me, these songs are not about butterflies and rainbows. Though they can be.  But even those expressions need a deeper foundation to truly work.

Truth be told. I used to have the same fear as you. Especially since it's what I do for a living. I used to think I had to let go of all those beautiful  emotions that I came to love in music. But to truly mature on the spiritual path, is to be able to appreciate even those. And these days I'm discovering more and more music aligned with me and my journey. So my advice would be, keep an open mind and you might discover a whole new world of music you never thought possible. But  before all, just enjoy whatever feels right for you man.

Edited May 12, 2020 by DoubleYou

[Evil Raccoon]

@DoubleYou Mmm...I find ur point of view quite interesting.

[Evil Raccoon]

@mandyjw Haha well I think an evil raccoon highlights stage orange/the trickster archetype quite well, so I'm just using that as a symbol.

[Michael569]

Rubbish low consciousness music isn't going to perpetuate your consciousness practice but hey...maybe you need to go through that, to listen to this stuff for few months just to get over it and be prepared to move on. While you do it, pop couple hundred beers, smoke some marihuana, bang a bunch of girls, get in a street fight, buy expensive oversized clothing that does not cover your butt and live the gangsta paradise. 

If there is a phase you think you need to go through you cannot logically bypass it, it will be a loose brick in your foundation wall. Same as a Christian monk cannot become enlightened before he sleeps with all nuns, flips the  head of the church off, gets wasted couple times, embezzles some of the church's resources just to get into green. 

Edited May 12, 2020 by Michael569

[mandyjw]

15 minutes ago, Evil Raccoon said:

@mandyjw Haha well I think an evil raccoon highlights stage orange/the trickster archetype quite well, so I'm just using that as a symbol.

Ah, I see. I have the perfect solution for you. Since you identify with stage orange, this will help you embrace all the other colors and fill the void the low consciousness music left.  

 

[Evil Raccoon]

@mandyjw Made my day