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Is anyone else teetering on the edge of abandoning this earthly world?

why not visit monasteries of different faiths in the u.s., maybe stay for a bit, and see what their day to day life is all about?
there was a benedictine priory near where i lived in vermont in the '70s. they hosted a sunday breakfast and then would play some great acoustic music afterward. they were very welcoming, extremely intelligent and interesting.

there's no need to rush. take your time and make sure the monastic life is really your passion.
-izzy
 
I've lived in this Zen monastery of mine for 3 days. It was amazing. I felt more alive in those three days doing "seemingly nothing" than I have in years outside...
 
Simply_Live said:
What the others in this thread mean is the connection between our spirituality as a whole and the notion of a society to feel comfortable. I hear your desire to stay with society for protection, but sometimes, risks need to be taken to obtain your version of freedom.

I am still wondering myself where each one of us stands in this world. Personally, leaning more toward a simply, hearty and well-lived lifestyle is more appealing than keeping these material possessions any longer. I'm about to disappoint at least one person soon.

What say you? Could we meet in the middle and work out a living condition? It's always nicer to have another mind to work through difficult times with together. No house needed. :)
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I also live in NY... :)
 
Until I read the OP I morbidly thought the title alluded to suicide.

For myself I don't see how indulgence in things earthly is a negative. Physical materialistic comfort is not shameful and simplicity in living is not honorable.

What end would abandoning materialism serve?
 
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the only post i read was the original one but; DONT SELLOUT MAN!!!!
You know whats real, whats the true path. Make no compromises, you'll only regret them in the end. Live the life of awakening, it will be way harder than the alternative you mentioned and therefore teach you way more. You are a better use to yourself and the world if you follow your own, completely unique spiritual path.
 
hlin818 said:
Until I read the OP I morbidly thought the title alluded to suicide.

For myself I don't see how indulgence in things earthly is a negative. Physical materialistic comfort is not shameful and simplicity in living is not honorable.

What end would abandoning materialism serve?
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the beginning of the realization that it is empty, as is living your life by it.
 
ganja god said:
the beginning of the realization that it is empty, as is living your life by it.
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And at this point, it's difficult to go back to a sense of "normal living". You feel like you're almost lying to yourself and everyone around you if you do.
 
hlin818 said:
Until I read the OP I morbidly thought the title alluded to suicide.

For myself I don't see how indulgence in things earthly is a negative. Physical materialistic comfort is not shameful and simplicity in living is not honorable.

What end would abandoning materialism serve?
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I can't help but LOL. I guess you have strong feelings about this...

and the monastery: google 'zmm'
 
^Which is not to say it is dishonorable but rather that it holds no inherent honor.

I assume you think that a lack of materialism in life is inherently honorable?

ganja god said:
the beginning of the realization that it is empty, as is living your life by it.
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Empty how? Spiritually? I don't think many people in this world are deluded enough to assign spiritual significance to material conveniences. Materialist comforts are simply conveniences that technology has afforded us...certainly they should not be central to one's life, if they are not, I don't see how the abandonment of them is of spiritual significance.
 
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Yeah, suicide was the first thing that came to mind when I read the thread title too. Maybe rewording it would be appropriate?
 
hlin818. The reason you do not get it, is that you're trying understand this through the rational egotistical thinking - "What will he get out of this? This would not be honorable etc". In reality it has nothing to do with honor or gaining anything at all, but the opposite. It's a way of giving up an all of your attachments (the monastic life). An 'efficient way'.
Why would anyone wanna do that? Because these attachments most often cause unwholesome states of mind, which hinder our spiritual growth.
 
Fair enough. The way I think is just contrary to the concept of spirituality as a whole. I won't waste any more space in this thread.
 
TheAppleCore said:
Follow your intuition.

Don't live your life in search of what you think is going to reward and enrich your life, but instead seek what you know to be real. The primal core of your being is voicing a clear message, but you only hear it muffled by the chatter of your wandering conscious intellect -- let this message inform your consciousness, and let your intellect reflect and further this message rather than fight it. You have to ask yourself, "what life will lead me to a fundamental sense of self-respect and fulfillment?"

All of your knowledge of spiritual or religious practice should only then be chosen, if and when and where appropriate, to serve as a means of achieving this essential and complete fulfillment.


Here's something key:

Even if you wanted to somehow fight your primal, instinctual self, by nature you are too weak to really win the battle, and you'd be forever stuck in a sour compromise between two arguing parts of your self. You'd never be able to go "all the way". You need to let your entire being work in harmony.

Boiled down to a single sentence: your life has to feel good, because that's the way humanity works. And that's relieving and inspiring in itself!




These are the strong messages I've gotten in my life experience thus far.
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This is an absolutely incredible post. Everything, every last word you stated is so intuitive, faultless and correct.

I highly recommend everyone read this very slowly and truly think, properly reflect and wholly feel the message in this post.

High five for ye, pal!
 
hlin818 said:
^Which is not to say it is dishonorable but rather that it holds no inherent honor.

I assume you think that a lack of materialism in life is inherently honorable?



Empty how? Spiritually? I don't think many people in this world are deluded enough to assign spiritual significance to material conveniences. Materialist comforts are simply conveniences that technology has afforded us...certainly they should not be central to one's life, if they are not, I don't see how the abandonment of them is of spiritual significance.
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That is exactly what I mean by living your life by it, ie being central to one's life. But abandoning the distractions of modern life, all the flashy things put in your face to distract you from reality because reality doesn't sell anything for anyone, that has allot of value that neither of us can understand because we are both leech like creatures in society, living off of these materialistic things. I don't see how you could successfully make the argument that abandoning the distraction ( and i dare you to argue that your tv, or your electronics aren't ultimately distractions) isn't of any worth. The fact is there are higher powers who have it in their interest that we should be distracted by material shit. A distracted people aren't about to revolt or protest the ugly facts of life in the modern world.

And really you don't think many people are distracted?! My country cares more about being able to drive Hummers than the blood split over our ability to do so and you don't think people are distracted?!!!!open your eyes.
 
ganja god said:
That is exactly what I mean by living your life by it, ie being central to one's life. But abandoning the distractions of modern life, all the flashy things put in your face to distract you from reality because reality doesn't sell anything for anyone, that has allot of value that neither of us can understand because we are both leech like creatures in society, living off of these materialistic things. I don't see how you could successfully make the argument that abandoning the distraction ( and i dare you to argue that your tv, or your electronics aren't ultimately distractions) isn't of any worth. The fact is there are higher powers who have it in their interest that we should be distracted by material shit. A distracted people aren't about to revolt or protest the ugly facts of life in the modern world.

And really you don't think many people are distracted?! My country cares more about being able to drive Hummers than the blood split over our ability to do so and you don't think people are distracted?!!!!open your eyes.
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Continuation:

Everything about modern society is seeping with fast paced living and material possessions. From the way we get our food all the way to the most expensive living conditions, there are little lies that are spread to keep us believing in these things.

The TV, for instance, holds the news channels, which seem important. I have to ask, however, how many television viewers only have news channels and nothing more than that? Didn't the television companies do away with simple twelve channel cable a few years back? It's getting harder and harder to have a few small things (the news channels) without being obligated to buy a whole array of new channels to watch.

Cell phones. In the beginning, the need for cell phones was quite noble; we used our phones to call people in the case of an emergency. Big business stepped in and now it's gotten to the point where if we want a specific type of plan that has the Internet, we MUST buy a touch-screen smart phone. There are still phone plans that keep it simple, but you look like an idiot carrying around an old school Tracfone compared to what that person next to you has.

Long case short, if we want something small these days, just to get by in society, we are ultimately suckered into buying more than what we had planned originally. This is the ultimate advancement of business, which will keep us hooked until we give up on it all. The basis of Changed's thread.
 
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Yep I'm not sure I can compromise much longer either. There's so much I find pretty disgusting tbh, and not just materialism - stuff like authority structures, pollution of our visual space with advertising, mass slaughter of animals for the satisfaction of our appetites etc etc. I'll probably end up as a goat herder or a hermit in the woods. I'd still wanna have sex though, hmmmmm.

Psychedelics precipitating moral outrage at society; how common is this phenomenon? Lots of people seem able to eat them then go about their business like nothing happened.

And why is it regarded as weird to want LESS from life? I told my family I don't want any gifts for Christmas this year - they seem unable to grasp this concept. Some ketamine would be nice though.
 
Portillo said:
We need to all go back to the hunter-gatherer days.
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the farther back in time you go (and i account for hunter-gathering societies here), the more likely you are to die at the hands of another human.

it is a myth that there was some sort of primordial paradise, whether religious society or a utopian "in harmony with nature" hunter-gatherer society.

http://www.ted.com/talks/steven_pinker_on_the_myth_of_violence.html

we should be looking forward. technology is what has opened new possibilities to society that can reduce the chance of violence (it is our connection to the material universe and directly related to knowledge and so far/in most cases wisdom).
 
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