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Spiritual Friendship (Kalyana Mittata)

BuckyGBuckyG
edited May 2011 in Philosophy
I'm about a month and a half into my first "official" kalyanamittata & (so far) have found it a great experience. Does anyone else have experiences with spiritual friends (negative ones not excluded, just please be polite) they'd like to share?

:rocker:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalyana_mittata

mayUb@eze
bg

Comments

  • aMattaMatt Veteran
    I have, and found the more plain and honest I was, the more flexible in my view, the more karma resolved and insight blossomed. I would relate my journey to him, and he would slice ego, pour dharma into the wounds and offer total acceptance of my choices, even with his unrelenting observation.

    He really helped me, as a layperson, bring Buddhism to my western life of family, business, owning a house and car, and cultivating intimacy... while also stilling ego and detaching from the phenomena around me. A good spiritual friend is a treasure in my opinion.
  • BuckyGBuckyG
    A good spiritual friend is a treasure in my opinion.
    Me tambien.
    b@eze
  • SimonthepilgrimSimonthepilgrim Veteran
    I find it fascinating that this notion of "spiritual friendship" exists in so many diverse places, suggesting that my T.A. trainer, Claude Steiner, is right that intimacy is a 'healing' experience but rare for many people. In the Celtic Christian tradition, there is the ancient tradition of the anam cara, the soul friend. Among some parts of the churches over here (UK), this role has been linked to that of "spiritual director" which owes much to Ignatian spirituality and practice.

    In the more 'secular' world, in AA and other recovery solidarity groups, your 'sponsor' can - and often, most effectively, does - become this sort of friend.

    It has been my joy to have had such friends and our love for each other, our honesty and mutual acceptance, has illuminated many a dark time. As one of them commented, "We walk in our own and each other's Shadow with open eyes and love in our hearts."

    Aelred of Rievaulx, abbot of Rievaulx in the mid 12th century wrote a wonderful book on spiritual friendship. Well worth reading, as is John O'Donohue's Anam Cara.

  • BuckyGBuckyG


    Aelred of Rievaulx, abbot of Rievaulx in the mid 12th century wrote a wonderful book on spiritual friendship. Well worth reading, as is John O'Donohue's Anam Cara.

    OMG! thanks for reminding me! I took graduate seminar (Regent Seminary) once long ago. We studied the book and practiced it's principles as part of the course.

    :zombie:
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