Spiritual Portal

A Spiritual Smorgasbord => Zen Moments Golden With Awareness => Topic started by: brock on Feb 23, 2014 02:34 pm



Title: repressed intelligence on the spiritual path
Post by: brock on Feb 23, 2014 02:34 pm
There is a problem that plagues "spiritual circles". In the name of faith, people stop using their discriminative intelligence. This is not good. God has given you an intellect so that you can discriminate.

"You people do not use your head. That is the source of all your troubles." - Neem Karoli Baba

Why, in the name of spirituality or humility, do we have a tendency to dumb ourselves down and neglect using our intelligence? Why does this seem to be such a common trap? The truth is that this is not spiritual at all.

It is a great insult to God to think that we should not develop our minds. Such an attitude is not a sign of faith, but a lack of it. Perhaps one fears that their intellect might weaken their faith, that if they become honest thinkers it will somehow eliminate their religious beliefs. So becoming dumb is the answer? Our intellect is a tool that God has given us. An oar to paddle our boat with. We don't use it, and then sit in the boat and cry out to God why won't he help us.

Maybe you have parents who watched Christian TV preachers. Such preachers seem to pander to the weakest minded people. We should not fall into the "eastern" version of TV preachers in our time. We should not listen to those who might encourage us to prance around with a dumb, empty grin on our face, and buy their trinkets and write them checks.

True, there are states of consciousness and truths that transcend the intellect. However, that does not justify one, especially before reaching those states and realizing those truths for himself, to disregard the intellect. This is a mistake and a misinterpretation.

So disregard the intellect at your own peril. Repression is not only of emotions, but also of intelligence. Intelligence can be repressed. This is what people seem to be doing a lot.

"Dumb people won't find God." - Paramahansa Yogananda











Title: Re: repressed intelligence on the spiritual path
Post by: Beatrice Landcaster on Feb 23, 2014 09:34 pm
Hot tuna Baba Brock y'a'al bring that learnings down here in the weed patches where the cat fish bite. See what that there nozin can hook into for supa honey.


Title: Re: repressed intelligence on the spiritual path
Post by: Dumpster on Feb 23, 2014 10:08 pm
Hey sweetheart I just found 10 hot pizzas in a dumpster behind Pizza Glut.


Title: Re: repressed intelligence on the spiritual path
Post by: Jitendra Hy-do-u-no-us? on Feb 24, 2014 04:03 am
All the glitz aside.,, It just seems like people use their intellect in so many unproductive and abusive ways. I pray for constant guidance to use my intelligence in a way that serves and helps others and my greater self and does not cause more difficulties in the world around me. When the divine plan starts awakening in our hearts... then and then only can we truly use our reason guided intelligence for our divine purpose.


Title: Re: repressed intelligence on the spiritual path
Post by: brock on Feb 24, 2014 11:41 am
All the glitz aside.,, It just seems like people use their intellect in so many unproductive and abusive ways. I pray for constant guidance to use my intelligence in a way that serves and helps others and my greater self and does not cause more difficulties in the world around me. When the divine plan starts awakening in our hearts... then and then only can we truly use our reason guided intelligence for our divine purpose.

 :)


Forgive me if I am just ranting.


Title: Re: repressed intelligence on the spiritual path
Post by: Jitendra Hy-do-u-no-us? on Feb 24, 2014 03:42 pm
Quote
Forgive me if I am just ranting.

You can find valid points in most any view and you can find counter views just as valid. That is the nature of the mind and this reality in which we find ourselves. It is filled with duality. I find it helpful to have this recognition when observing the views of ourselves and those around us. This material world will always be filled with such contrasts. Hanging on to opposite views rigidly makes us confined to this dual nature. That is something i have recognized more and more about myself over the years.
No doubt you are also.

I think we all repress emotional and intellectual material when we see only one view. Most of us our unconscious of much that we have yet to utilize. Yet humility is the basis for spiritual understanding. A quality which i see here.



Title: Re: repressed intelligence on the spiritual path
Post by: brock on Feb 24, 2014 05:00 pm
Quote
Forgive me if I am just ranting.

You can find valid points in most any view and you can find counter views just as valid. That is the nature of the mind and this reality in which we find ourselves. It is filled with duality. I find it helpful to have this recognition when observing the views of ourselves and those around us. This material world will always be filled with such contrasts. Hanging on to opposite views rigidly makes us confined to this dual nature. That is something i have recognized more and more about myself over the years.
No doubt you are also.

I think we all repress emotional and intellectual material when we see only one view. Most of us our unconscious of much that we have yet to utilize. Yet humility is the basis for spiritual understanding. A quality which i see here.



Wise words, indeed.



Title: Re: repressed intelligence on the spiritual path
Post by: kingfisher111 on May 06, 2014 01:13 am
Religions of the past have focused on Faith over doubt, for the most part

But then there is Zen Buddhism, where Doubt was more of a focus, the great Unknowingness, and poetic koans which inspire the mind and heart to look "further" towards a greater sense of the Divine

I think the Age of Aquarius we are entering is one that encourages both the sacred value of Faith in the Divine and Doubt of all physical and mental constructs, as the Divine can never fit into one box, system or word, and yet Faith is a power which can go far beyond reason...

Yin and Yang

Intelligence and Intuition

Faith and Doubt

Earthly realm (where we "seem" separate) and Spirit (where we are undivided, One consciousness/Divine Love)


maybe...