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Spiritual Holism
Posted: Sat Dec 27, 2014 11:03 am
by Mimesis
I thought it interesting to discuss a topic that I view, and know that others view due to personal conversations, as fundamental to our Occult work and journey; Spiritual Holism. By this, I mean to express the importance of our spiritual journey underpinning every experience, even whilst bound to form.
To what extent is this agreed with, and to what extent is it followed?
Rhetorically speaking; 'what is spiritual devotion if it does not underpin and bring unity of being between the micro and macrocosm, the spiritual and form, metaphysical and physical experience - what is the understanding of Satan if that totality does not reap totality of being, both in direct Spiritual praxis, aims and journey as well as form bound existence and experience....'
To me, Spiritual devotion is nothing if it is only directed toward spiritual practice and 'the end goal' (so to speak), with no understanding and application of it allowed to influence every aspect of self. To me, this would be a failure to realise the unity of 'self' and all aggregates, and would have negative impact on the spirit when Death does come (in regard to karmic effect and the onward journey thereof).
Re: Spiritual Holism
Posted: Sat Dec 27, 2014 10:01 pm
by RaktaZoci
So basicly you are quite elaborately saying that spirituality needs to take place in every day life rather than just being something that happens 'behind the curtains', so to speak?
This is an important point to make and I didn't realise that this doesn't come naturally for all (or does it?). I find my Path radiating through my whole being at all times, so I'm pretty much for this approach of living (obviously).
Re: Spiritual Holism
Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2014 1:03 pm
by Nefastos
Omoksha wrote:I thought it interesting to discuss a topic that I view, and know that others view due to personal conversations, as fundamental to our Occult work and journey; Spiritual Holism. By this, I mean to express the importance of our spiritual journey underpinning every experience, even whilst bound to form.
To what extent is this agreed with, and to what extent is it followed?
Wholly agreed.
I think one great practical as well as philosophical application for this is to always keep one's life as One, never allowing complete turns, never becoming hostile to one's past. It's not easy, but when followed, this becomes a living, unifying form of everyday yoga.
I have known many people who have naturally great vigor & promise as it comes to energetical side to one's process, but who constantly burn their own bridges by keeping changing their opinions and thus the inner processes. In my eyes that is anti-yoga & anti-occultism, for instead of working everything into unity, it disintegrates one's inner constitution. That is mortality.
I do not mean one should never change one's mind or modus operandi. If something proves to be false, of course such a mistake must be corrected & amended. But every change should be integrated as to create a flawless continuum without any inner hostility. And no excuses why something had to be turned: the soul (atman, the Self) always tells us if we're making excuses. Deep down we know if we're at one with our true conscience - which is our personal sense of integral unity - or not. I am my own soul with its never changing ideals, even though those ideals' outer pictures have changed when I have learned more of their perfect forms.
As most good practices, this sounds perhaps too simple. Actually, it is not. It needs constant waking state of ethical mind. And it makes the tempting leap to the abyss - both in great & small scale - impossible, because one's mind has accustomed to be wholly responsible to one's future (and timeless) self for every taken action.
Re: Spiritual Holism
Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2014 7:45 pm
by Mimesis
RaktaZoci wrote:So basicly you are quite elaborately saying that spirituality needs to take place in every day life rather than just being something that happens 'behind the curtains', so to speak?
This is an important point to make and I didn't realise that this doesn't come naturally for all (or does it?). I find my Path radiating through my whole being at all times, so I'm pretty much for this approach of living (obviously).
Essentially, yes. Something which informs our ‘everything’, and the self in every aspect. It pleases me that it forms such a fundament for us all, but have observed numerous examples outside of our treasured brotherhood of individuals claiming great spiritual experience and praxis but failing to let it dictate their every day, moment, action, decision and consideration etc.
Nefastos wrote:
It's not easy, but when followed, this becomes a living, unifying form of everyday yoga.
I have known many people who have naturally great vigor & promise as it comes to energetical side to one's process, but who constantly burn their own bridges by keeping changing their opinions and thus the inner processes. In my eyes that is anti-yoga & anti-occultism, for instead of working everything into unity, it disintegrates one's inner constitution. That is mortality.
I have witnessed this first hand with an old ‘friend’, although had never been able to analyse it so coherently. With every reinvention of themselves they displayed a wealth of energy and promise, but never built on it due to completely changing both themselves and their beliefs in a big way, which completely undermined the devotion that they claimed before. The way in which this constantly shifting energy and focus then affected their external and perishable surroundings increasingly negatively.
Re: Spiritual Holism
Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2015 1:12 pm
by Jiva
Omoksha wrote:RaktaZoci wrote:So basicly you are quite elaborately saying that spirituality needs to take place in every day life rather than just being something that happens 'behind the curtains', so to speak?
This is an important point to make and I didn't realise that this doesn't come naturally for all (or does it?). I find my Path radiating through my whole being at all times, so I'm pretty much for this approach of living (obviously).
Essentially, yes. Something which informs our ‘everything’, and the self in every aspect. It pleases me that it forms such a fundament for us all, but have observed numerous examples outside of our treasured brotherhood of individuals claiming great spiritual experience and praxis but failing to let it dictate their every day, moment, action, decision and consideration etc.
This could be posted in a few threads, but I think this one might be most suitable. Basically, this is one of the reasons why I rigidly stick to reading or reciting the Stone Aspect hymns at set times of the day. If I forget or am distracted by something, even by one minute, then I don´t say them at all. Therefore, aside from at home and work, they´ve been read in restaurants, pubs, trains, planes and so on. This could be seen as quite an obvious and perhaps even superficial way of attempting to live my life as One, but I view it as directing and honing something that is already present rather than creating something that isn´t.
Nefastos wrote:I think one great practical as well as philosophical application for this is to always keep one's life as One, never allowing complete turns, never becoming hostile to one's past. It's not easy, but when followed, this becomes a living, unifying form of everyday yoga.
I think this is also relevant to the immedately short term. For example, I resolved not to punish myself for forgetting or being prevented from reciting the hymn, as this would be counter-productive in my opinion and perhaps turn the practice into a chore. Although I inevitable get annoyed when this happens, it also ends up having the desired effect anyway as my thoughts turn to the hymns, archetypes etc. Mistakes are perhaps the most important tool for those who are sincerely working.
Re: Spiritual Holism
Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2015 2:36 pm
by Nefastos
Jiva wrote:Mistakes are perhaps the most important tool for those who are sincerely working.
This brought to my mind two memories. Oddly enough, both are lectures about the meaning of mistakes, & both are from my art teachers from whom I remember nothing else that they taught.
The first one is from a gentleman who taught me to play violin when I was a child. (Or rather, I might have learned to play violin if I'd had any interest of such a hobby, which I didn't.) Still I visited this gentleman once a week for some seven years. In any case, the one thing I remember he taught was that "Everybody makes mistakes. But only the masters learn to play along with those mistakes they have made."
The second recollection is something that the art teacher of our elementary school told us. It stuck because it was kind of sounding like she was hating us (maybe she did) when saying: "Mistakes are part of the art. The mistakes are often the best part of your works."
These lessons have indeed proved to be true not only in the lesser arts, but in the Art of the Great Work.
Re: Spiritual Holism
Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2015 10:55 pm
by RaktaZoci
Nefastos wrote:...the one thing I remember he taught was that "Everybody makes mistakes. But only the masters learn to play along with those mistakes they have made."
This reminded me of a Jazz musician, who said:
"You should listen to the notes he's not playing."
Re: Spiritual Holism
Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2015 7:13 pm
by Mimesis
RaktaZoci wrote:
This reminded me of a Jazz musician, who said: "You should listen to the notes he's not playing."
I love this quote, for it makes relevance to far more than just music. I am not sure if the quote you have cited was said by someone separate, or whether it is a version of the following, but it was Miles Davis who said
“It’s not the notes you play, it’s the notes you don’t play” and/or
“It’s the notes you don’t play that make the difference”.
The comment that I think this is making on music also touches on a far more profound point, which music is of course a voice for. Essentially, as has already been said:
Nefastos wrote:
These lessons have indeed proved to be true not only in the lesser arts, but in the Art of the Great Work.[/color]
Rather than a mistake, I view the quote referring more to silence and subtlety, although not inactivity, which are key tenets in our journey toward overcoming ones ego, as well as the more immediately mundane one of becoming better, more communicative/expressive musicians, rather than exhibitionists.