Lovely thoughts on the reason why: A primary religious experience is no more (though also no less) than a seed for a spiritual life. A genuine encounter with the Ultimate does not guarantee a genuine spirituality. The experience may be authentic, but how authentic their spirituality will be depends on what those who had the experience do with it. Will they allow it to transform their lives? Will they have determination and patience enough to let the light which they glimpsed for a moment gradually penetrate every smallest detail of their days? Not a few men and women who have risen to this task bear witness that entheogens first helped them open their eyes to that light. Honesty demands that we acknowledge this. — Brother David Steindl-Rast, O.S.B., foreword to Psychoactive Sacramentals http://csp.org/why/
This is a good quote, but it begs the questions of "What is the 'Ultimate'?" and "What is a spiritual life?" I am an atheist, but I still consider myself very spiritual (more so than most church-attenders that I know on a close level). I spend my life celebrating the lucky fact that I was born into the human species (who can ask the 'big questions'), and living every moment with that on my mind. I also explore my mind meditatively daily, sometimes, but not always with psychoactive substances. However, I still believe in no Creator. I simply celebrate the mathematical reality of how our Universe evolved (which I do not intend to go into here, as it is incredibly complicated- I am in graduate school for mathematics, so it took years to develop skills needed to 'get' the whole thing), and try to find out as much as I can. But does this preclude me from being considered spiritual? I hope not. I think I am.
You can definitely be spiritual and not religious. Take Buddhism for instance. Through my psychedelic endeavors I have come to embrace a lot of Buddhist ideas. It's more of a way of life than a religion. A grand philosophy.
there's no such thing as "why" the concept of "purpose" is an invention of the human race, so it stops there. The greater universe isn't going to operate with any purpose...and does something so big and amazing really need any justification?
My father used to ask why I did this or that and of course all I could say was, "I don't know." He would get really pissed, yelling and all red and puffed up and I would look at him and make him really really tiny and just stare at him. Glad you're posting again Shermin. I've said all along, there's a righteous dude. Oh, I don't know about ultimate purposes and things like that, much less why the universe operates ... !!!! I don't think that's what the quote was about. Seems like to me it was about this journey we seem to be on. One of my teachers said we are born to be healed. I can dig that.
Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon, Who is already sick and pale with grief.. That thou her maid art far more fair than she. Be not her maid, since she is envious... Her vestal livery is but sick and green, And none but fools do wear it. Cast it off...
