It seems like as we get older certain desires become less interesting, I don't know if it's a consequence of seeking a spiritual life. What does a spiritual life even mean? But I titled this thread the spiritual life because I know members here practice meditation, kriya, and have listened to the guidance of self realized individuals. So I pose a question for the members, and anyone reading, and some separate but related contemplation.
Do you notice, your desires to appease your physical senses becomes less and less? Do you think this is a normal aging experience or is it one that comes about from meditation and kriya yoga?
Separately... I've noticed- some creature habits, I've kind of changed a few of my habits for the better. I still enjoy appeasing the senses with something like frozen fruit- banana's and cherries, almond butter drizzled atop with real honey. The texture of thawing bananas mixed with almond butter is such a delight. And I don't feel bad at all because the ingredients are completely wholesome.
I've been curbing another creature habit- masturbation. I don't think there's anything wrong with it at all, but I do think pornography has taken a turn and attempts to manipulate the psyche of the user. I do think there's plenty to disagree with concerning pornography- but I've talked about this before in a different thread and don't need to get into it.
What I'm seeing is... When I'm tired, the body and mind wants to fall back on creature comforts as a way to shut things off and feel "rewarded and relaxed". And so maybe we go to a quiet place and appease our habitual mind- whatever your indulgence may be. My Fathers and Sisters is drinking. My Mothers is talking on the phone. And not all creature comforts have to be negative.
And what I've noticed is that, in attempts to satisfy a mind that wishes to relax and feel rewarded- an irritability and impatience is produced when something gets in the way. Why should we get irritable? Because we feel tired and believe we should be rewarded? Rewarded how? By satisfying some habit that we sometimes find questionable, other times, regrettable? I guess I've come to see it as selfish thoughts. Nothing wrong with selfish thoughts, and we all deserve some TLC tender love and care... But we should not become irritable because Life would pull us away from pleasing our self in the moment.
Maybe we shouldn't identify the self-numbing as a reward. A quick example I can give is like when my Mom is trying to talk to my Sister or Father when they're watching their show. They get snappy, "I'm watching my show!" Who is right, who is wrong? Or maybe even when you're trying to meditate- or paint, or play music... And someone comes up to ask you a question. "I'm meditating!" Who is right, who is wrong?
When the attitude becomes focused on the self... Hazrat Inayat Khan says this is the source of all life's misery making. When we think about what we're owed, what we're missing, why we need such and such.
Anyways... The spiritual life isn't just out of body experiences, telepathy, clairvoyance, etc. Sometimes its just working on our undesirable behavior and attempting to keep ourselves in a state of harmony within and with the world around us.
So I find, at times, my interest in appeasing the physical senses waning. Other times I recognize the need to appease- and there's an element of renunciation that comes into play. Some other wisdom shared by HIK is that no level of renunciation should be forced. That is not real renunciation. Renunciation comes when we willingly sacrifice- be it a creature comfort, or whatever. If you try to force it, there is typically a rebound effect. I should know, growing up I used to go 110% in whatever direction- forcing and learning, but not always understanding.
And I wonder, is this disinterest in certain bodily appetites just typical aging and maturing process? Or is this a part of the spiritual life?
I like your original thread here Eric and the comments Hazrat Khan made. I’ve noticed the changes you mention also. Yet at times I still feel the stimulation of physical warmth from a relationship of some sort. It even seems to help me in some spiritual activities, such as fasting and energizing. Perhaps an occasional activation of the sacral chakra is needed under the delusion of maya to inspire needed exercise, that may not be a factor in complete enlightenment.. the activation of for instance the dorsal or 💜 heart chakra, seems to supersede all need for the lower chakras, and their expression and desire for experience.
On a different note I found this statement of particular interest to me personally;
When the attitude becomes focused on the self... “ Inayat Khan says this is the source of all life's misery making. When we think about what we're owed, what we're missing, why we need such and such.”
