12-11-2013, 12:00 AM
~Alternative people and alternative beliefs such as
Nagualism, Shamanism, Buddhism, faux-Zen that sells books or any other ‘ism,’
etc., is the topic. Alternative beliefs and outlooks, alternative everything,
basically, but not very alternative. These are alternatives within the
established paradigm, not alternatives to it: a sub-herd running in parallel to
the main body.
Rather than detaching from their ego and self important
structures via recapitulation, alternative people merely reshape them along more
heart-felt and self-centric lines, their multivarious goals and ideals reducing
to personal happiness via the removal, avoidance and denial of unhappiness.
In short, they make the minor course adjustment from
orthodox to somewhat less orthodox beliefs, and the one reason underlying the
many apparent reasons for this change is always the same: survival of self
importance and ego. A chameleon-like adaptability is one of delusions most
effective maneuvers.
Paint some trees on the walls of your cell and some clouds
on the ceiling and you're free as a bird. This is the status of the would-be
spiritual aspirant in the world today.
Spirituality (or whatever you choose to label your belief
system) is merely an alternative religion: the same lines filled in with similar
colors from a slightly different palette. It fulfills the same needs as religion,
makes the same undemanding demands, and offers the same vague promises and
rewards. (Look at Nagualism and
freedom.)
It also enjoys the same curious immunity from accountability
enjoyed by the religions and whacko cults it falls between, such that users
blame failure on themselves and not the belief package they bought, or the
people who sold it to them. In the end, all three groups—major religions.
whacko cults, and the gooey middle new age spin-offs—are just minor variations
of the one true religion of man: Agnosticism.
Without Knowledgism.
Alternative people have convinced themselves that they have escaped
from incarceration when they have merely burrowed from one cell into another
and labeled the new one Freedom. In this prison of self important ego,
worldview and cell decor are synonymous.
Many live in perpetual dissatisfaction with their cell and
seek remedy by introducing new and exciting decorative touches: a swatch of
Nagualism here, a dab of Buddhism there, a little mystic poetry to brighten a
drab corner, and maybe a little Native American splash to give it some local
color. Always shopping, always looking for that perfect thing to fill that
empty space, finding it and then growing tired of it and returning to the
search.
This chronic urge to spruce up one's surroundings provides
the lifeblood of the spiritual new age marketplace, which is, at all levels,
nothing more than a prison cell design boutique. Whether you're in the market
for Nagualistic freedom, Buddhist new age compassion, or Apocalyptic Chic,
they've got what you're looking for.
The true goal of all spiritual practices is to keep yourself
fooled, to maintain the self-deception, to see what's not and not see what is.
That's why the stated goals are always unverifiable and ill-defined: its not
about attaining them, its about pursuing them. Who wants to wake up to the
totality of self? When we have a little itch that threatens to awaken us in the
night, we want to scratch the itch and make it go away, not let it evict us
from our slumbers.
Spiritual practice is one hundred percent effective. If a
spiritual practice satisfies your urge to do something spiritual, if it makes
you think you're making progress, if it scratches your itch without disturbing
your slumber, then it's doing exactly what it's supposed to be doing.
SHM
Nagualism, Shamanism, Buddhism, faux-Zen that sells books or any other ‘ism,’
etc., is the topic. Alternative beliefs and outlooks, alternative everything,
basically, but not very alternative. These are alternatives within the
established paradigm, not alternatives to it: a sub-herd running in parallel to
the main body.
Rather than detaching from their ego and self important
structures via recapitulation, alternative people merely reshape them along more
heart-felt and self-centric lines, their multivarious goals and ideals reducing
to personal happiness via the removal, avoidance and denial of unhappiness.
In short, they make the minor course adjustment from
orthodox to somewhat less orthodox beliefs, and the one reason underlying the
many apparent reasons for this change is always the same: survival of self
importance and ego. A chameleon-like adaptability is one of delusions most
effective maneuvers.
Paint some trees on the walls of your cell and some clouds
on the ceiling and you're free as a bird. This is the status of the would-be
spiritual aspirant in the world today.
Spirituality (or whatever you choose to label your belief
system) is merely an alternative religion: the same lines filled in with similar
colors from a slightly different palette. It fulfills the same needs as religion,
makes the same undemanding demands, and offers the same vague promises and
rewards. (Look at Nagualism and
freedom.)
It also enjoys the same curious immunity from accountability
enjoyed by the religions and whacko cults it falls between, such that users
blame failure on themselves and not the belief package they bought, or the
people who sold it to them. In the end, all three groups—major religions.
whacko cults, and the gooey middle new age spin-offs—are just minor variations
of the one true religion of man: Agnosticism.
Without Knowledgism.
Alternative people have convinced themselves that they have escaped
from incarceration when they have merely burrowed from one cell into another
and labeled the new one Freedom. In this prison of self important ego,
worldview and cell decor are synonymous.
Many live in perpetual dissatisfaction with their cell and
seek remedy by introducing new and exciting decorative touches: a swatch of
Nagualism here, a dab of Buddhism there, a little mystic poetry to brighten a
drab corner, and maybe a little Native American splash to give it some local
color. Always shopping, always looking for that perfect thing to fill that
empty space, finding it and then growing tired of it and returning to the
search.
This chronic urge to spruce up one's surroundings provides
the lifeblood of the spiritual new age marketplace, which is, at all levels,
nothing more than a prison cell design boutique. Whether you're in the market
for Nagualistic freedom, Buddhist new age compassion, or Apocalyptic Chic,
they've got what you're looking for.
The true goal of all spiritual practices is to keep yourself
fooled, to maintain the self-deception, to see what's not and not see what is.
That's why the stated goals are always unverifiable and ill-defined: its not
about attaining them, its about pursuing them. Who wants to wake up to the
totality of self? When we have a little itch that threatens to awaken us in the
night, we want to scratch the itch and make it go away, not let it evict us
from our slumbers.
Spiritual practice is one hundred percent effective. If a
spiritual practice satisfies your urge to do something spiritual, if it makes
you think you're making progress, if it scratches your itch without disturbing
your slumber, then it's doing exactly what it's supposed to be doing.
SHM