lunaticheathen Posted October 22, 2010 Share Posted October 22, 2010 I'm trying to write a book about my own experiences and other assorted musings having to do with spirituality, religion, gods, faeries, ghosts, and mythical beings from the Abyss. It's interesting, to say the least, but I just wrote something that I think most people here (even some materialist atheists) might appreciate. Any editorial advice is welcome, since this is only part of the whole, and a very rough first draft. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Don’t let anyone make you think you’re stupid. Don’t let anyone deride your previous opinions to the point that you were ashamed to have them. Everyone grows, everyone goes through ideas and beliefs that cease to work, or have even worked against them. As long as you keep growing, you were not stupid, or exactly wrong. A child isn’t stupid for not knowing, at one time, where the rain comes from. Also, if a teacher, book, or belief starts to limit you, or tell you to not look here, or that such and such is evil or harmful, be wary, or drop it. I had a teacher tell me that Santeria was a terrible thing, because they work with the dead in a way that’s unethical. This made me frightened, because I was studying Santeria, and thought maybe I had done something wrong – but I couldn’t figure what part of the practice she was talking about. Never mind that I had been sensitive to the dead since I was a child, and likely would have noticed if I had done something wrong. I fell into a spiritual funk, because of that, and other things this teacher had told me, such as I didn’t know how to read tarot cards – I had been reading for years, but because this teacher thought I didn’t learn the way she thought was necessary, I didn’t know what I was doing. I had to hear her openly insult me and lie about me to leave, and then learned the extent to which I had been stunted. Pruning isn’t a bad thing to do with one’s spiritual knowledge, but this was wholesale herbicide. I had to replant a large portion of my soul’s garden. So I feel I need to warn others – if someone makes you feel dependent upon them for “correct knowledge”, if you feel like EVERYTHING you have learned up until you have met this person, or read that book, or encountered this particular society, is stuff and nonsense, stop and think – hard. Don’t let years of experience, or titles, or successes blind you. Listen to your heart and head. If something smells rotten, it probably is. This isn’t to say that everything that’s difficult is spiritually stunting – the opposite. If it’s difficult, it very well could be worth the effort. Just be wary of anyone or anything claiming to be the one or best gateway to spiritual knowledge. Also, pay attention to attitude. Is someone cynical, snappish, dismissive of most things people say? Low on empathy? Is he selfish, and wonders why most people aren’t? Take what this person says with a grain of salt. Knowledge and intelligence doesn’t have to come with a great personality, but one would expect spiritual gnosis to be accompanied by an openness of the spirit. This doesn’t mean someone has to be all sickly sweet, love and light all the time and to everyone – certainly, some people and attitudes require fire and a firm hand to deal with. Don’t look for a doormat. Don’t be a doormat. In your spiritual journey, the highest authority is always you. There is no one else who is you. Of course, you’re on it to learn, to grow, to seek knowledge from others, to gain experience, and so on – but you’re no one’s slave, unless you consent. You should give of yourself, and fairly freely, but you are not a piece of putty for someone else to shape into what they want. And if you want that, you are free to choose that, but you must consent. No one makes the decisions for you, not even a deity. I took this realization to break free from a soul-sucking teacher, bad attitudes, bad ideas, and the threat of being sucked back into a religion I had already rejected. It took a square kick in the ass to get away from that situation, despite every part of my soul screaming against what I was being “taught.” In some ways, it was a deconversion from Christianity, all over again. I thought I was doing right. I was dead wrong, and my spirit and soul knew it. I did, for a while, consent to the treatment of a second-class citizen in magickal and spiritual knowledge. I can’t solely blame the teacher – I did just as much to myself by accepting what I was being told. That’s an awfully bitter pill for many to swallow, but it’s necessary. From there, one can start looking to form better ways of thinking, thinking before accepting “knowledge” and “facts” and “revelations.” Filtering all these through your own good sense and heart before letting it sprout in your soul. Then you can enjoy the real fruit of your own knowledge, and it will never taste so sweet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Margee Posted January 2, 2011 Moderator Share Posted January 2, 2011 I'm trying to write a book about my own experiences and other assorted musings having to do with spirituality, religion, gods, faeries, ghosts, and mythical beings from the Abyss. It's interesting, to say the least, but I just wrote something that I think most people here (even some materialist atheists) might appreciate. Any editorial advice is welcome, since this is only part of the whole, and a very rough first draft. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Don’t let anyone make you think you’re stupid. Don’t let anyone deride your previous opinions to the point that you were ashamed to have them. Everyone grows, everyone goes through ideas and beliefs that cease to work, or have even worked against them. As long as you keep growing, you were not stupid, or exactly wrong. A child isn’t stupid for not knowing, at one time, where the rain comes from. Also, if a teacher, book, or belief starts to limit you, or tell you to not look here, or that such and such is evil or harmful, be wary, or drop it. I had a teacher tell me that Santeria was a terrible thing, because they work with the dead in a way that’s unethical. This made me frightened, because I was studying Santeria, and thought maybe I had done something wrong – but I couldn’t figure what part of the practice she was talking about. Never mind that I had been sensitive to the dead since I was a child, and likely would have noticed if I had done something wrong. I fell into a spiritual funk, because of that, and other things this teacher had told me, such as I didn’t know how to read tarot cards – I had been reading for years, but because this teacher thought I didn’t learn the way she thought was necessary, I didn’t know what I was doing. I had to hear her openly insult me and lie about me to leave, and then learned the extent to which I had been stunted. Pruning isn’t a bad thing to do with one’s spiritual knowledge, but this was wholesale herbicide. I had to replant a large portion of my soul’s garden. So I feel I need to warn others – if someone makes you feel dependent upon them for “correct knowledge”, if you feel like EVERYTHING you have learned up until you have met this person, or read that book, or encountered this particular society, is stuff and nonsense, stop and think – hard. Don’t let years of experience, or titles, or successes blind you. Listen to your heart and head. If something smells rotten, it probably is. This isn’t to say that everything that’s difficult is spiritually stunting – the opposite. If it’s difficult, it very well could be worth the effort. Just be wary of anyone or anything claiming to be the one or best gateway to spiritual knowledge. Also, pay attention to attitude. Is someone cynical, snappish, dismissive of most things people say? Low on empathy? Is he selfish, and wonders why most people aren’t? Take what this person says with a grain of salt. Knowledge and intelligence doesn’t have to come with a great personality, but one would expect spiritual gnosis to be accompanied by an openness of the spirit. This doesn’t mean someone has to be all sickly sweet, love and light all the time and to everyone – certainly, some people and attitudes require fire and a firm hand to deal with. Don’t look for a doormat. Don’t be a doormat. In your spiritual journey, the highest authority is always you. There is no one else who is you. Of course, you’re on it to learn, to grow, to seek knowledge from others, to gain experience, and so on – but you’re no one’s slave, unless you consent. You should give of yourself, and fairly freely, but you are not a piece of putty for someone else to shape into what they want. And if you want that, you are free to choose that, but you must consent. No one makes the decisions for you, not even a deity. I took this realization to break free from a soul-sucking teacher, bad attitudes, bad ideas, and the threat of being sucked back into a religion I had already rejected. It took a square kick in the ass to get away from that situation, despite every part of my soul screaming against what I was being “taught.” In some ways, it was a deconversion from Christianity, all over again. I thought I was doing right. I was dead wrong, and my spirit and soul knew it. I did, for a while, consent to the treatment of a second-class citizen in magickal and spiritual knowledge. I can’t solely blame the teacher – I did just as much to myself by accepting what I was being told. That’s an awfully bitter pill for many to swallow, but it’s necessary. From there, one can start looking to form better ways of thinking, thinking before accepting “knowledge” and “facts” and “revelations.” Filtering all these through your own good sense and heart before letting it sprout in your soul. Then you can enjoy the real fruit of your own knowledge, and it will never taste so sweet. You have said a lot of great things in this essay that I can 'take with me' right now - Thank you for taking the time to write and share it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chosendarkness Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 The title of this thread appealed to me and I agree with what you're saying. Why do I need to believe in beings from the beyond to help me in daily life? Am I not able to do pretty much whatever I set my mind to? I am god because my actions can build or destroy my life. There are no Superfriends out there doing anything for me, my life is entirely my responsibility. There is no bearded Jew floating in the sky that's going to do anything at all for me. Some stinking sandy freak that has poop on his hand is supposed to control my life? I'm much better than that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deva Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 Yes, as I heard J. Krishnamurti say once "You are the Guru, you are the Master, you are everything." No one else is qualified. I still firmly believe that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts