It seems to me that there is a lot of conflicting advice about the path to enlightenment. A lot of what people tell you seems to be motivated by a desire to control the reality around us, and, more specifically, to "manifest" stuff. There is one self-help guru who has a lot to offer, but I am always put off by his obsession with cars and houses. He constantly offers up his material success as proof that he is doing it right, and you can, too, in 10 easy steps! Just buy my book! His solid spiritual insights are muddied with the vibe of someone who is insecure and short-sighted. What good is having a great car if you can't like yourself without it?
Am I being judgmental? The truth is, I admire that, though he is not perfect, he still does a lot of good. A guru like that is very approachable for people who are caught up in the material world; he is showing them a next step forward, using materialism as a fulcrum to lift people up for a view of something higher. That is a very good thing. We don't have to be perfect to be helpful. This blog will explore how to take the best of what various spiritual practices have to offer and construct our own spiritual practice, not with a goal of perfection, but just do to as much good as we can for ourselves and others.
I am not the first, of course, and won't even be the best. Joy Star has some insightful essays about the process of becoming psychic. Steve Pavlina has a great blog following his spiritual journey that includes experiments in sleep cycles and raw food. My favorite spiritual writer is Eknath Easwaran, who sends a lovely "Thought of the Day" each day drawing from all the major religious movements, trying to tease out the core of truth they all share.
Luckily, I am not trying to be the best. It has always seemed to me that when we attempt to hide our faults from others (if we can even admit them to ourselves!), we do society a great disservice. On a larger spiritual level, if one believes as I do that we are all connected, then other people must sense dissembling on some level. Even on a superficial level, not admitting our perceived faults sets an unrealistic standard. The truth is that you can be a good person and still do things that don't sit well with you. Yes, I can be domineering to my kids, and petty, and sometimes when I promise to do something and don't feel like it, I try to find a way to wiggle out of it. Yes, I feel awful when my dog bites other dogs or when the cops stop at the door to tell me my kids are throwing apples at cars in the road. Yes, when I don't feel like cooking but do it anyway, I go around slamming pots and acting like a martyr. That is my personality. Everyone's personality is flawed. Underneath, I am compassionate and considerate and go out of my way to be kind. Everyone is the same. The more we can get beyond our personalities, the kinder we become. Everyone has the same potential.
This blog is an attempt to explore my own beliefs about who we all are, really are, and put it out there in the world with Joy and Steve and Eknath so that people can see that they are not alone in searching through all the information in the world to find spiritual truth. Instead of tormenting all my Facebook friends with my observations, I will put them here for anyone who is interested. Thank you, Dear Reader, for making it this far. Thank you for joining me.
