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The Psychology of Liberation (part 1)

Spirituality is – the way I see it – not a matter of a “spiritual” belief. It is is not about faith in some hidden and profound fact about our universe. The questions we ask shouldn’t be about what the world is like and spirituality is neither in conflict nor in line with scientific findings on fields like physics or biology or history.

In a horrific meeting of managers that I (accidentally) participated in one day, at some point in the discussion a participant said: “You cannot disagree with me. You misunderstood my statement. It wasn’t actually saying anything, so you cannot agree or disagree with it.” In this meeting it was the low point of the day, but I can use it here. Spirituality is mostly not saying anything about facts and it is a waste of time to check if you agree or disagree with it in that way.

Zen or spirituality is the psychology of liberation. It is about mental processes and it focuses on the process of liberation; of awakening; of transformation.
The only assertion is that liberation (awakening, transformation) is possible. The rest is experiment and practice in order to let this process take place.

And here I think we should make the important step - maybe the first step in the process of liberation – to not try and put this assertion into context. Don’t build a universe around “the possibility of liberation”. It would just distract us and it could even prevent our liberation.
In this context of the psychology of liberation, don’t believe a single thought (with the exception of believing in the possibility of liberation).
In every other context we can use thoughts and argue about them, but for our liberation we must refrain from affirmation and denial.
pegembara

Comments

  • yuriythebestyuriythebest Veteran
    edited September 2013
    Spirituality is – the way I see it – not a matter of a “spiritual” belief.
    yeah, I guess that one of the bigger issues - the term "spirituality" is so broad and nebulous that it can be almost useless since we have to define what it means since it means different stuff to different people
    It is is not about faith in some hidden and profound fact about our universe.
    not to you maybe, but people use this term differently.

    The questions we ask shouldn’t be about what the world is like
    who are you to tell me what questions to ask?
    spirituality is neither in conflict nor in line with scientific findings on fields like physics or biology or history
    yes it is, since nebulous as it is, spirituality is often associated with poor critical thinking skills and gullibility when it comes to esoteric stuff

    Spirituality is mostly not saying anything about facts and it is a waste of time to check if you agree or disagree with it in that way.
    if spirituality is not saying anything then why say anything about spirituality?

    Zen or spirituality is the psychology of liberation. It is about mental processes and it focuses on the process of liberation; of awakening; of transformation.
    ostensibly the liberation from this material world. I'll stay in it thank you very much since I value my life.
    The only assertion is that liberation (awakening, transformation) is possible
    liberation from the material world into a nirvana state? here you assert both the existence of said nirvana state and that liberation is possible, oh and that should must therefore exist. please prove all 3 before continuing. claims that are asserted without evidence may be dismissed without evidence
  • The only assertion is that liberation (awakening, transformation) is possible. The rest is experiment and practice in order to let this process take place.
    When you do different experiments, some of them will seem successful and others less successful. Even when you only take it as a working hypothesis that experiment A was more successful than experiment B, these are forms of belief. So beliefs always creep in, don't you think?
  • oceancaldera207oceancaldera207 Veteran
    edited September 2013
    yuriythebest: "who are you to tell me what questions to ask?"
    ...
    Yes it is good to take a stand here. Otherwise you'll end up like me..every time someone expresses an opinion I immediately accept it as truth and law. This becomes very uncomfortable when opposing opinions and viewpoints are absorbed by me. Then I usually just walk in a tight half meter circle arguing and agreeing with myself until i short circuit and become unconscious, which then starts the process over again. Sound like a living hell? It is! You should definitely not accept what anyone is telling you to do. Or, to put it another way, you should.
    Or not. Or shou......*sizzle....*thump

    zenff
  • howhow Veteran Veteran
    @zenff

    Much of my experience of liberation has arisen from simply no longer demanding my mentality to achieve liberation. I had been trying to push my thought organ into becoming the center of my practice for a long time before discovering how ego bound, such a spiritual acquisition could be over renunciation.
    In letting go of my own directed mentality, of course I discovered that no one limited my freedom but me. Here, intelligence and spirituality, was uncovered as the sea I was formally trying to maintain my identity from disappearing into.

    Your posting reminds me of this.





    VastmindFullCirclezenff
  • maarten said:

    So beliefs always creep in, don't you think?

    Probably yes. But maybe they will be less solid. That helps I think.
  • @yuriythebest
    yeah, I guess that one of the bigger issues - the term "spirituality" is so broad and nebulous that it can be almost useless since we have to define what it means since it means different stuff to different people.
    That’s why I added “the way I see it”. And that’s all this post is about.
    What I do is, I sit down and try to make sense of my thoughts and write them down as if I explain something to an audience. It’s just thinking out loud. They use that in courses (at least in the ones I was in). They have students explain the material to fellow students and force them to make their understanding explicit. The one who is “explaining” is the one who is learning.

    Any feedback is welcome. When people get irritated I learn something. Maybe my tone was insulting or patronizing or whatever; or people just disagree with what I said. It happens. :rolleyes:
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