How about philosophy that ties into cutting edge science, like cognitive theory or perceptual psychology? As an adherent of ‘scientific method’ I would assume you try to keep up with actual research results in such cutting edge fields. — Joshs
Of course none of us can guess at Madonna's motivations, but this all seems to be the typical trajectory of a restless showbiz type who constantly playacts with charged but superficial images and appearances in an endless quest, and by association with such images, to remain relevant and interesting. I wonder if it's all just surfaces for her and if there is any depth at all. — Tom Storm
The perennial philosophy and the New Age movement were as popular as Netflix when I was young (I mixed in those circles for a few years) and it frequently seemed to be fuelled by a resentment of the Christianity of the West and often the West in general. I often think this is an outcome of the modernist mindset to go against the West's own presuppositions. — Tom Storm
And this can be a dangerous game as your adoptive culture will likely have its own faults that ought to be identified, exposed, and addressed instead of being covered up. — Apollodorus
This is one of the reasons why there is often a higher level of fanaticism among new converts than among those who were born into a particular culture — Apollodorus
Though apparently not enlightened stricto sensu, the Dalai Lama seems to be more enlightened than those who claim to be enlightened .... — Apollodorus
The only evidence we could ever have for someone's "enlightenment" would be behavior that indicates a disposition of predominant concern for others. — Janus
So, all facts considered, things are not necessarily quite as simple as they might appear to be, and a degree of critical analysis can’t be a bad thing. Unless we choose to not analyze the inconvenient bits that most people prefer to overlook or cover up. — Apollodorus
Of course none of us can guess at Madonna's motivations, but this all seems to be the typical trajectory of a restless showbiz type who constantly playacts with charged but superficial images and appearances in an endless quest, and by association with such images, to remain relevant and interesting. I wonder if it's all just surfaces for her and if there is any depth at all. — Tom Storm
the miraclulous nature of everyday reality. — karl stone
Codependent people, for example, engage in behaviors that indicate a disposition of predominant concern for others, but we don't consider codependent people to be enlightened. — baker
In any case, the systematic observation, analysis, and control of psychological processes, concentration, etc., are sufficiently similar to the practices found in Eastern systems like Yoga and Buddhism. — Apollodorus
The Orthodox Philokalia tradition goes back to the early centuries of Christianity when there was a fusion of various contemplative schools, and is based on the practice of stilling and centering the mind through watchfulness or watchful attention (nepsis) and interior prayer (proseuche) leading to a state of stillness or hesychia, hence the term Hesychasm. This prepares the mind for spiritual experience and, eventually, spiritual realization or perfection. — Apollodorus
Which explains why new religious movements have such a ready audience - amongst all of those who feel the need for a mythological or spiritual framework around life, but who are completely lost to the ‘sheep and fields’ tropes of Biblical theology. — Wayfarer
If we think about it, the various spiritual traditions of the world have sufficient elements in common for truth to be discoverable in any of them, and this includes Western ones. But if we start from the premise that “Light comes from the East, and form there only”, then we are already on the wrong path and we are unlikely to find what we seek even though we might convince ourselves otherwise. — Apollodorus
Riiight. Let's go to a slaughterhouse or an abortion clinic where we can observe the "the miraculous nature of everyday reality". — baker
Can you explain - It sounds tantalising and I am a little slow today. — Tom Storm
Part of the philosophy is not trying to seek experiences or get something from it. Which is not to say there is nothing to be gotten from it, but that its real lessons only become clear when you put aside the attempt to gain or to get something, whether that be enlightenment or some other kind of power. — Wayfarer
Where that saying is coming from is outside the ego-logical point of view through which we automatically interpret everything. — Wayfarer
That’s what triggers the incredulous response, ‘what, you get nothing from it?’ — Wayfarer
There’s a saying in the Diamond Sutra which is one of the core texts of Zen, where the Buddha says ‘I have realized the supreme, ultimate truth, and I have gained nothing from it’. It’s a very hard saying, that, as we automatically interpret everything through the lens of gain and loss. It’s in our DNA, you might say. — Wayfarer
There are, bhikkhus, other dhammas, deep, difficult to see, difficult to understand, peaceful and sublime, beyond the sphere of reasoning, subtle, comprehensible only to the wise, which the Tathāgata, having realized for himself with direct knowledge, propounds to others; and it is concerning these that those who would rightly praise the Tathāgata in accordance with reality would speak. — Brahmajāla Sutta
The more the heart becomes purified, the more the intellect becomes enlightened. The more the intellect is purified, the more the heart shines. Intellect and heart must unite and travel together on the road of the Jesus Prayer* (Philokalia Vol. 1, p. 196, #188).
The Prayer purifies the clouds and fog which wicked thoughts create. And when it is cleansed, the divine light of Jesus cannot but shine in it, unless we are puffed up with self-esteem and delusion, and so are deprived of Jesus’ help (p. 193, #175).
Truly blessed is the man whose mind and heart are as closely attached to the Jesus Prayer as air to the body and flame to the wax. The sun rising over the earth creates the daylight; and the venerable and holy name of Lord Jesus, shining continually in the mind, gives birth to countless intellections radiant as the sun (p. 197).
Enlighten my eyes, O Lord my God, lest I sleep the sleep of death; lest my enemies say: “I prevailed over him” (Ps. 13:3).
Send out, Lord, your light and your truth; let them lead me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell (Ps. 43:3).
For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light. For you are the fountain of life, the light by which we see (Ps. 36:9).
I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light (John 8:12)
Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be just as full of light as when a lamp shines its light on you (Luke 11:36)
Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light (John 12:36)
Kyrie eleison — Apollodorus
I think back to J. D. Salinger. Sweet Franny illumined the meditative path - repetition of any name of god - in my hour of desperation two decades ago. And although I don't always find content - or seek content - in that pliable and procrustean word, its quake-and-tremble powers continue to console. — ZzzoneiroCosm
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