Any thoughts on the various forms of Christian monasticism as paths to awakening?

[Akira]

Sorry for the rather broad question...

Just fishing for people's thoughts, perhaps more knowledgeable or insightful than I, on this topic.

Do you think there is much to be said for any of the current forms of Christian monasticism in regards to awakening  

 

Would love to hear people's thoughts on this

Cheers

[Nahm]

@Akira

For sure. Not the dogmas, but the Bible is the perfect guide to nonduality, if one can comprehend it... which is why you wrote it the way you did. Think of it like a riddle, a game, the ultimate challenge to ego. 

[_Archangel_]

@Akira different cultures, same valid methods...

 

[roopepa]

On 11.3.2021 at 3:27 PM, Nahm said:

@Akira

For sure. Not the dogmas, but the Bible is the perfect guide to nonduality, if one can comprehend it... which is why you wrote it the way you did. Think of it like a riddle, a game, the ultimate challenge to ego. 

Can you point out any specific parts in the Bible that you think are most useful, or correct in a nondual sense?

I'm having hard time getting my head around this. Bible seems very chaotic so I don't know how to organize the text in my mind. Where to start? Do you know any good resources to help to see, or study it from a standpoint we usually see spirituality at this forum, for example?

[Jodistrict]

This is a good website that summarizes the spiritual psychology developed by the desert fathers around the third century AD.

https://www.unseenwarfare.net/
 

[_Archangel_]

@roopepa https://yogananda.org/the-hidden-truths-in-the-gospels

[Chrisd]

I believe it matters what you believe in regards to awakening. If you believe you need to do practices then Christian monasticism is a viable path. You can look up Bernadette Roberts, who used to be a nun. Her being a nun started her off in a path to awakening, resulting in her later in life arriving at No-self. This arrival is equal to awakening in my understanding.

Edited March 13, 2021 by Chrisd

[Nahm]

1 hour ago, roopepa said:

Can you point out any specific parts in the Bible that you think are most useful, or correct in a nondual sense?

I'm having hard time getting my head around this. Bible seems very chaotic so I don't know how to organize the text in my mind. Where to start? Do you know any good resources to help to see, or study it from a standpoint we usually see spirituality at this forum, for example?

It’s not in the knowledge, way of thinking, or the organization of the text in the mind. To point to a change, it would be in the approach. There is no thinker of thoughts, they just arise / appear. Thoughts have a source which is always in communication with the body mind as source is being ‘it’ by appearing as ‘it’.  So it’s kind of a reading contemplatively, posing what it is you want to know, a single sentence at a time, relaxing the body and clearing the mind, and essentially waiting for the responding insight to arise. As far as sentiment, I’d call it trusting the body as an antenna, like a vessel to receive communication from source. This might sound like an abstract answer, but I hope it’s helpful. A re-source won’t do, when you have source, so to speak. 

Also, and this has a tendency to sound ‘personal’, but like it says in the Bible, the body is the temple. There is an unseen flow of well being, and considering the body as the antenna, there are foods, substances and thoughts which align with well being, and foods, substances and thoughts which don’t. Alignment is clearing the way of this communication via contemplative reading. 

[Willie]

I think this goes along with life purpose. A monastic living, in any belief system, is only something the most dedicated followers undertake. It’s not something to dabble in with the hopes of waking up eventually. So, it is certainly a viable method for ardent believers of Christianity, but only brings suffering for those who aren’t. 

[roopepa]

9 minutes ago, Nahm said:

Thoughts have a source which is always in communication with the body mind as source is being ‘it’ by appearing as ‘it’.  So it’s kind of a reading contemplatively, posing what it is you want to know, a single sentence at a time, relaxing the body and clearing the mind, and essentially waiting for the responding insight to arise. As far as sentiment, I’d call it trusting the body as an antenna, like a vessel to receive communication from source.

I might understand what you are pointing to here. The text being the object in meditation, until the separation is seen through. This is done with texts like Bhagavad Gita too, right?

But what does this have to do with the text itself? Can this not be practiced with any text? Even with stuff like oracle cards? Or am I missing something?

[Nahm]

47 minutes ago, roopepa said:

I might understand what you are pointing to here. The text being the object in meditation, until the separation is seen through. This is done with texts like Bhagavad Gita too, right?

More contemplative than meditative. Posing what it is you want to know, relaxing the body & clearing the mind, and receiving insights which are experientially distinct from thoughts. 

Quote

But what does this have to do with the text itself? Can this not be practiced with any text? Even with stuff like oracle cards? Or am I missing something?

What I’m pointing to with the suggestions is what the text in the book is about. 

 

Do you think there is much to be said for any of the current forms of Christian monasticism in regards to awakening ? 

Getting back to your op question, imo the path is really the inquiry ‘what is this and what am I’, until one is ridiculously satisfied beyond any question or doubt. An all encompassing adventure for one, rather than a mono as in singular path like a science, religion, practice, experience, ism, etc, etc. I’d categorize that approach with the Bible as theory & contemplation, and not inspecting direct experience. Yet one can also contemplate and receive insights with inquiries on direct experience. 

[Moksha]

Having read the bible several times (including the painfully endless and meaningless dynastic histories, like Chronicles, OMG), the purest and most inspirational, for me, are Job and Psalms from the Old Testament, and the gospels (Matthew/Mark/Luke/John) from the New Testament.

The key to wisdom through Christianity is the same as through any other religion. Take the direct path of the mystic. St. John of the Cross, Teresa of Avila, and Meister Eckhart are great examples of mystic Christians. You can discover the same essential truth through eastern books of wisdom, like the Bhagavad Gita and the Tao Te Ching.

Bottom line: the Truth is already within you. These books only point the way to who You already are.