how do you feel carnal pleasures affect your path towards enlightenment? I suppose one could argue that such pleasures are a way in which the ego retains control, but on the other hand, our bodies are the way they are and surely all these wonderful things we can do to/with it are possible for a reason other than to resist temptation? thoughts?
To indulge in carnal pleasures with no intent other than feeling good would be harmful. Sensations are truly natural, but to seek them out would be exactly what one does not want to do, if they are to rid themselves of desire. The topic of whether one can be wealthy/indulge, yet become enlightened has come up before, I believe. If I knew the thread title, I'd try to send it your way so you could see what you think of the responses (if I find it I'll edit this post).
I think any kind of denial and repression is nothing but self deception. The pleasures of the body aren't morally wrong... they're just not All There Is. If you're so fully invested in the things of this world that you've forgotten your true self then you'll wind up suffering, sooner or later. But if you remember your Self, then enjoying the things of this world isn't problematic.
This is also a correct way of living, really. To be addicted to something is to harm yourself, though, just indulge in what you may without becoming attached to the feeling as if it were important or required. At least I interpret that to be the more Buddhist way of considering this question (I assumed you were on Buddhist grounds from a few keywords, but they could go for other philosophies that are somewhat close as well). Many people are fan's of the ideology that, since there may or may not be an afterlife, one may as well enjoy life the the fullest while living, especially including bodily pleasures. I'm pretty sure this is the true "Satanism" (don't think sacrificing goats or worshiping the devil, that's not real Satanism), it's worth looking into, although I don't particularly agree with it.
these words sum up my own current beliefs on the subject quite well. LanSLIde, I did a search but found nothing. I'll have a look for that topic, thanks. I agree that addiction and attachment to pleasures of the flesh are harmful and will inevitably lead to suffering. but I feel indulgence with no such attachment or a sense of necessity must be one of the finer parts of our existence in this world. I have to disagree with this. as long as your intention is only to feel good and as long as it does not cause harm to another or yourself, surely that is a wonderful intention? and I am on no specific religious grounds. I am definitely a fan of living this life to the fullest, because as you say, there may or may not be an afterlife or higher consciousness or what have you, so it stands to reason that we should enjoy our existence while we're here. anything else would be madness, in my opinion.
Well we were born with these instincts so why try to deny them? To stay in line with someone else's beliefs? Personally, I think it's a good idea to at least try to "tame the flesh" (sorry if that sounded biblical, I just like that phrase) so one can understand teh ego and it's tendancies. But the "correct" way of living and wrong and right and all that shit changes from person to person. There is so universal standard. There is no "correct" path to enlightenment. If you want to indulge yourself , then do it. If you don't, then don't. But please, I beg you, do it because YOU want to. Not because you may be worried about how it may align with social and religious beliefs of others. Besides, we don't know what happens when our bodies stop firing (often referred to as "death"). So why spend our days trying to deny ourselves? Because a man , no different that you or I, says it's wrong? If you want to do what makes you happy. Do it. Why waste your days trying to please others? Just don't be destructive to your fellow man. Why would we be born with these urges if they are "wrong"?
Sexual urges may indeed be inborn. But trying to make it more specific than that, I think, requires taking environmental influence into account. Some people's urges, carnal and otherwise, should not be indulged because they are harmful. Many relationships are full of abuse because people just follow urges. A complete withdrawal into the world of physical pleasures seems to me like it would reduce one to little more than a troglodyte. Socrates said, "The unexamined life is not worth living." I believe that is true, and if you can't evaluate the value and effects of your actions and desires and change yourself accordingly, you are probably going to hurt a lot of people and yourself, physically, emotionally, psychologically, whatever... So I guess you could say I agree with xexon, but would like to emphasize consideration for harm that is not necessarily obvious.
