Instruction Manual for Life

Spiritual worldviews are like pieces of artwork; there's no right way of artistic expression, just your way. 

Christmas is for Everyone

Here’s O’Reilly on recent Atheist Bus Ads:

 

Rather than Atheists having a problem with Christmas, as suggested by O’Reilly, they have a problem with being the #1 hated minority in America.  These Ad’s clearly suggest Atheists are merely trying to gain acceptance into a culture that is  full of misconceptions about them. Weather this was the best way to go about it is another question.  Backlash reports such as O’Reilly’s will only further deepen the negative image of Atheists.  If they are at all ‘anti Jesus’, their tactics would probably look a lot more like the aggressive anti-America displays of the Westborough Baptist Church. These atheist Ad’s couldn't be more passive in their approach with  inoffensive language and images suggesting holiday festivities. They are not telling Christians they are wrong for celebrating Christmas, but rather, they are trying to alter the cultural close-mindedness surrounding Atheists and their values. 

 

Here’s what atheists have to celebrate:

 

Although life should be a daily calibration of mere existence, Celebrating Christmas,  Hanukkah, the winter solstice, or any other religious or secular tradition, all represent this shared meaning of joy. Christmas (being the must dominant in America) is not necessarily a religious calibration, but rather, its origins suggest it is a secular festival built on Christian adaptations to a pagan tradition.  Call it what you want, its meaning amongst individuals who recognize the holiday is the only real measure of its worth. As Shakespeare said; “Does a rose by any other name not smell just as sweet?”  Understanding our shared humanity is the true meaning of Christmas.

Peace, Joy, and Love

6 Ways to be Spiritual

This is a post for those of you who want the benefits of spiritual practice without the traditional method turning to God or church.

#1 Stop trying to be spiritual

The moment you start trying to be spiritual is the moment you are not being spiritual. Trying too hard just creates the illusion of spirituality. Even worse are the self-righteous image conscious people who want to look spiritual. Get your head out of the clouds!

#2 Parkour

Also known as ‘free-running’, this practice of urban gymnastics can let you experience your body in a way that is truly unique, while getting exercise while you’re at it.

Atkinson (2009) describes his experience of free-running as the following:

“We took turns shepherding one another through the city, practicing speed and stealth in our movement at times as we made our way across the rolling and varied architectural terrain. The movement, and our underlying orientation in the session, encouraged me to let go of all conscious thought and simply be present with my breath, movement, and the physical environment. Lines separating roads, buildings, cultures, selves, and bodies disappeared. I had never experienced the city, or running for that matter, in this way. And even though I felt exhausted at the end of the session, a strange peace descended upon me.”

#3 Meditation

Visit my meditation post for various practical techniques:

Practical Meditation

#4 Contemplation

Albert Eisenstein said it best:

“The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion that stands at the cradle of true art and true science. Whoever does not know it and can no longer wonder, no longer marvel, is as good as dead, and his eyes are dimmed. It was the experience of mystery — even if mixed with fear — that engendered religion. A knowledge of the existence of something we cannot penetrate, our perceptions of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty, which only in their most primitive forms are accessible to our minds: it is this knowledge and this emotion that constitute true religiosity. In this sense, and only this sense, I am a deeply religious man.”

The ‘religion’ referred to is a pantheistic metaphor for contemplative exploration into the nature of the universe

#5 Pilgrimage

This does not require a special trip to across the world; rather, it can be practiced anywhere using any method you choose.  A pilgrimage is defined as a journey to a sacred place. The delusion exists in the view  that the destination is the purpose. Just as in life, the true meaning lies is in the journey. A pilgrimage can consist of a hike, a road trip, or even a motorcycle ride across the country as seen in the American Run for the Wall motorcycle event.

#6 Being in Awe of Nature

As Richard Dawkins says:

“After sleeping through a hundred million centuries we have finally opened our eyes on a sumptuous planet, sparkling with color, bountiful with life. Within decades we must close our eyes again. Isn’t it a noble, an enlightened way of spending our brief time in the sun, to work at understanding the universe and how we have come to wake up in it? This is how I answer when I am asked—as I am surprisingly often—why I bother to get up in the mornings.”

Taking awe in life, existence, and the complexities of consciousness  that allow us to experience beauty, may be one of most spiritual endeavors. 

 

References

Atkinson, m. (2009). Parkour, Anarcho-Environmentalism, and Poiesis. Journal of   Sport  and  Social Issues. Volume, 33. Number, 2. 169 – 194

Pantheism: The Spiritual Metaphor

“Pantheism is sexed up atheism” – Richard Dawkins

        What comes to mind when we hear “sexed up atheism”? If it’s a hedonistic sex addicted atheism, you may have to reconsider – but don’t get your hopes up too soon. Just as sex is pleasurable, natural, and perhaps even a spiritual experience: so is pantheism.  So what is it?

       Pantheism states that God is all. It is basically a form of atheism that uses spiritual or religious terms as a metaphor for the natural world. All of nature is revered and looked at with a sense wonder and awe. The word God can also be synonymous with the words truth and love.  As with any worldview, there are many variations in pantheistic perspectives between individuals; the common element is merely the lack of belief in god as a transcendent deity and acceptance of the metaphorical use of spiritual and religious terminology.

      Some Pantheists view god as being the whole of physical existence, while humanity is just a part interconnected with everything else within God. Just as our cells make up our bodies, we are a minuscule part of a much grander scheme that, from our perspective, we can never grasp in whole. As Richard Dawkins also states, “The universe is queerer than we can suppose”.

     We can only use symbols to describe spiritual matters. As Lacanian theory posits, the symbol (the metaphor) can never fully represent the symbolized (the true nature of the universe) we are always at a disconnect from the true reality. As all religions use their own metaphors to explain the unknown, pantheists use these metaphors in nature and the physical world to create a spirituality that interconnected with all of existence.

Existential Dilemma: Free Will

Richard Lancaster's “Waking Life” ponders one of the greatest philosophical questions: free will vs. determinism.

Mystery and Reverence

 

“…mine is not a smart-alecky atheism. I am no "evangelical atheist" (as I once heard someone described); instead I am a "reverent atheist." I have deep reverence for the immensity and wonders of the universe, including the mystery of the apparently deliberately fine-tuned constants of nature. I do not kid myself into thinking that I already have answers to those awe-inspiring mysteries. To accept a question-begging non-answer ("God did it") as their explanation would, for me, indicate disrespect for the wonders of our universe and for their continuing exploration.” - Leland B. Yeager

 

Wonder and awe should not be diminished by taking away from the complexity of nature and the universe. The creation stories of the Bible are examples of this gross oversimplification. Although, they can have symbolic meaning and therefore may be interpreted as a philosophical position on the nature of humanity. Those who read it as actual occurrence are missing out on the true brilliance of existence.  Creationists taking this position usually place their reverence and mystery in God. This view can be a respectable viewpoint so long as it does not attempt to discredit scientific findings (as many often attempt). If there is a God, we must look further than the Bible; therefore, scientifically exploring the nature of the universe can be considered one of the most spiritual endeavors. Although he was not religious, Einstein uses religious symbols in describing his  scientific quest for what may exist behind our observed reality. Science and Religion do not have to be in conflict; open-mindedness and faith can and do co-exist in many individuals. Whether you are a theist, atheist, pantheist, or deist, reverence for all in existence simply requires an open-mind.

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NPR: Your Brain on God

"More than half of adult Americans report they have had a spiritual experience that changed their lives. Now, scientists from universities like Harvard, Pennsylvania and Johns Hopkins are using new technologies to analyze the brains of people who claim they have touched the spiritual — from Christians who speak in tongues to Buddhist monks to people who claim to have had near-death experiences. Hear what they have discovered in this controversial field, as the science of spirituality continues to evolve." (NPR, 2009)

See story at:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=110997741

Dawkins Commentary On “Religious” Scientists

Richard Dawkins explains the use of the pantheistic metaphor in the physical sciences.  

Difference Between Wisdom and Knowledge

“’ What is the main principal of Buddha’s teachings?’        The Master replied, ‘Do no evil and perform what is good.’ Bai Juyi said, ‘even a three-year-old knows that!’ The master responded, ‘A three-year-old may know it, but not even an eighty-year-old can do it.’” - Recorded dialogues of Daolin

       This is the disconnect between the metaphorical heart and the mind. We can conjure up a multitude of idealistic thoughts, and just as easily neglect their transfer to action. This gap in thought and action can be seen in the smoker who, again, claims they are quitting, in the couch potato who wants to get in shape but never seems to take the necessary steps, and the student who knows how to obtain an ‘A’ but does not take the required action. It appears that we, as subjects, at times lack the willpower to carry out the thoughts that we consider virtuous. Though, this is not only a problem of willpower: this is is a problem of mind-heart disconnect. This problem is essentially a wisdom deficit. Wisdom is defined as possessing the knowledge of what is right and combining it with proper action. Eckhart Tolle describes wisdom very eloquently in the following passage:

“You do not become good by trying to be good, but by finding the goodness that is already within you, and allowing the goodness to emerge. But it can only emerge if something fundamental changes in your state of consciousness”

      This shift in consciousness is precisely the essence of wisdom. Simply trying to be become good is never sufficient since it draws upon that same state of consciousness that produced the suffering in the first place. One must be prepared to view the world through a new lens. Getting rid of a foggy or broken worldview may be the first step.

Reactions: Problems with the Soul theory

The original post can be found at: Philo-Psycho Freedom.

          This critique of a specific dualist theory by Philo-Psycho Freedom gives us insight into several fundamental problems with many peoples idea of soul. Although, this critique is too narrow in its view on dualism. It addresses the most common dualist stance found in western religious teachings: that the soul being unique to humans, it has influence over ones personality, and it has a specific role in the afterlife. To begin contemplating the nature of the soul we must first recognize the several possible ways  in which it may exist.

          First of all, we should not limit the conversation to only one soul for each individual since some cultures believe we possess several souls. Second, we must contemplate the interaction between the soul and mind. I agree with Philo-Psycho Freedom in the assertion that the soul does not affect the mind. Though, we must consider whether the soul/ mind interaction is only one way; the mind affecting the soul, but soul not affecting the mind. Third, we must ponder the question of where the soul resides. Does it reside in a specific place within, outside, or fully immersing the body? Philo-Psycho Freedom raises a very important question about whether the soul is unique to humans. I personally like the idea that a soul exists in every living organism; we are merely highly developed minds possessing the rare ability to contemplate  what has eternally existed in the essence of all things.   Lastly, we must ask the question that gets to the heart of spiritual contemplation: what is the soul after death to the body? Does it die with the body, transcend with in-tact memory, transcend with no memory, or become the essence of another living organism?  These are the questions we must ask when contemplating the soul theory.

          There are a lot of questions with no simple answers. Although Philo-Psycho Freedom targets only a fraction of this complex topic, they provide a logical and compelling critique of the dominant cultural stance of the west on the nature of the soul. 

Wake Up to the Common Beauty

For lack of attention a thousand forms of loveliness elude us every day. - Evelyn Underhill

 

Brooks from Shawshank Redemption couldn't have put it any better when he said; “ The world has gotten itself into a big damn hurry”.  Mindful awareness of our surroundings is killed as we rush through our environments, completing  task after task without getting the chance to reflect. This is the super saturated reality many industrialized capitalist societies experience. We look for beauty when we get a break from the everyday, but fail to notice the beauty confronting us while we are in it. We often discredit the common artist or musician in favor of those we consider distinguished and honorable.

Like the classic philosophical idea of the tree falling in the forest; if a great musician plays well and no one hears, was he any good?

Beauty can be seen as a matter of ones perception and personal opinion on one end of the spectrum, while as something that can be measured on the other. The logical position would be that beauty resides somewhere in-between these two extremes. Whether we see it or not, beauty exists in the places we pass by without even taking notice. Our perception of common situations is tinted with a grey fog of monotony and disinterest.

The Washington post illustrates this perfectly in their social experiment “Pearls for Breakfast” on the perception of common street musicians.  They put one of the world’s best violinists, Joshua Bell,  into the Washington Metro Station with a 3.5 million dollar violin for one hour and watched what happened. Considering he had recently sold out the house at Boston's stately Symphony Hall at $100 a seat, one would expect he would receive plenty of attention for his 6 Mozart pieces. This couldn't be further from the truth.  Within the hour he managed to gather some pocket change and a handful of  half-interested pauses from busy city-goers, only to be met with an awkward silence in place of an applause after each brilliant piece.

 

 

If we can so easily walk past a violin performance from  Joshua Bell, what other beauty may we be missing?  We need to learn the importance of opening our consciousness and realize the beauty that may be eluding us everyday.

Interconnectedness of Events

A novel look at the interconnectedness of events from DoubleEdgeFilms.

Existential Viewpoint: Taking Responsibility

Seems like everyone is sleep-walking through their waking state or wake-walking through their dreams; either way won't do them any good – Waking Life

One bares the the responsibility of giving one’s life meaning. There is no fixed path, no proper way, and living a fulfilling life depends the individual. In the tradition of Existentialism,  free choice triumphs over determinism. Your life is like a ball of clay; you are what you make of it.

Start by taking control over your life course by realizing the meaninglessness in most activities of the everyday. Seek authenticity and become conscious of unconscious actions or rules you may follow. Once you realize these rules, you are free to consciously evaluate whether you want to follow them or go against them; the meaning of your actions are decided by you. Questioning the everyday and making unfamiliar the familiar is necessary in pursuit of this awakening. Deconstruct discourse, question the use of language, expand your awareness from self centeredness to realizing the fullness of life that surrounds you in the everyday. This shift in perspective is the shift necessary to  taking back reality, creating your own meaning, and realizing the possibility of possibility.

With freedom comes responsibility. If we lived in the eternal day portrayed in the movie Groundhog Day, our actions would not matter since we would have eternity to test the outcome of every imaginable action. As entertaining as this may be (for a while at least), we can only dream of such a reality. Reality as we know it must be faced with the freedom and boundlessness of a lucid dream, but with the responsibility of wakeful consciousness. We need to release blame from our mentality and see ourselves as agents of our own interaction rather than merely objects of external forces. All too often the object of blame is God. Realizing a metaphysical force does not dictate our lives releases the individual from using God as a scapegoat. When our lens of reality shifts, our actions follow. Going through life taking on the role of a victim and feeling like the object of various external forces only creates a distorted lens which is destined to cause suffering for ourselves and those who are in our presence. Taking full responsibility for the direction of your life starts with the awareness of individual meaning and agency.


For more on existentialism see: Existentialism: a guide for the perplexed

Dawkins Scale of Belief

 

 

          

Source: Christopher Sisk

Neither this site nor myself are in any way associated with Richard Dawkins or the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science.

Waking Life: The Holy Moment

This clip from Richard Lancaster's Waking Life presents spirituality in relation to film from a pantheist perspective.

Spirituality and the Self

To be spiritual is to contemplate the nature of the self, but not necessarily the other way around. When contemplating the nature of the self we can talk about the social self and the transcendental spiritual self. The social self can otherwise be called the ego. The ego is formed based on cumulated social experience, relationships, career path, and material posessions.  This self is the self we know and see ourselves as. We refer to this self as an object when using the word ‘me’ and refer to it as a subject when using the word “I”. This self is shaped and shifts thought our lifetime based on outside influences of socialization.

What is the self behind the social self? Pure awareness of consciousness: the spiritual self. It is the simple awareness of “I am” that remains constant though ones life. Descartes makes a fundamental error when he says “I think therefore I am”, when referring to the transcendental self. This is the error of equating the realm of soul with the realm of thought. The former is formless while the latter is purely form. Thinking exists in the realm of the mind which can not not be equated with the irrational realm of spirit. Reflection on the nature of a spiritual self is the deepest and most important spiritual practice one may engage in.

Tomorow's Spirituality

Ken Wilber talks about states and stages of the spiritual experience.

5 Practical Forms of Meditation

            Recently meditation has been gaining popularity in the west. Meditation can be a powerful way to relive anxiety and maintain focus in an ever increasingly fast paced society. I am going to outline some of the basic types of meditation that can be easily integrated into ones hectic lifestyle in order to maintain presence and ease stress.

1) Mindfulness: This is the practice of the mind operating in the present moment rather than being lost in thought. Don’t dwell on the past, don’t become anxious about the future. Focusing on the present situation can be done any time whether you’re working, doing chores, participating in a hobby, or any other daily activity. Immerse yourself completely into the activity at hand and take notice of small details you would normally overlook.

2) Breathing Meditation: Relax in a comfortable position, close your eyes and concentrate on your breathing. You may notice your breaths become slightly deeper. Focus the mind solely on the sensation of each breath.

3) Walking Meditation: This is a form of mindfulness that focuses entirely on each sensation as you walk. Notice the feeling of each part of your foot against the ground, the feeling of the atmosphere, the feel of your clothes against your skin, and the sensation of each breath you take. Take notice of your surroundings and feel present within them.

4) Transcendental Meditation: This is a form of meditation that has gained a lot of hype lately. It is portrayed as the most difficult form of meditation which requires the guiding of a spiritual guru who provides you with a unique mantra. In reality, a mantra is simply a tool to tire the mind and bring it into a state of blankness. This state of mind is said to be the connection to our true nature. This can be done by sitting in a comfortable position and getting into a relaxed state through breathing meditation. Once in a relaxed state, any word or sound can be repeated in your mind. The key is to not focus on the meaning of the sound, but rather just the sound. The less you think, the deeper you go. The goal is to go beyond concentration and  transcend the realm of thought.

5) Contemplation: This is the opposite of transcendental meditation since it focuses completely on  thoughts. This can be done with a short passage of wisdom such as an inspirational quote, philosophical maxim, or teaching from a religious text. Deeply understand this idea and how it relates to you.

“The ultimate value of life depends upon awareness and the power of contemplation rather than upon mere survival.” - Aristotle

Allan Watts - The Illusionary Self

Allan Watts talks about our narrow consciousness and how we are disconnected from our true nature.

Einstein Quotes on Buddhism

 

"The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed.” -Albert Einstein

“If there is any religion that would cope with modern scientific needs it would be Buddhism.” -Albert Einstein

"When you examine the lives of the most influential people who have ever walked among us, you discover one thread that winds through them all. They have been aligned first with their spiritual nature and only then with their physical selves.”
-Albert Einstein

“Buddhism has the characteristics of what would be expected in a cosmic religion for the future: It transcends a personal God, avoids dogmas and theology; it covers both the natural and spiritual; and it is based on a religious sense aspiring from the experience of all things, natural and spiritual, as a meaningful unity.” -Albert Einstein

"Measured objectively, what a man can wrest from Truth by passionate striving is utterly infinitesimal. But the striving frees us from the bonds of the self and makes us comrades of those who are the best and the greatest." -Albert Einstein

“A human being is part of the whole, called by us 'Universe'; a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest--a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and affection for a few persons nearest us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole nature in its beauty. Nobody is able to achieve this completely but striving for such achievement is, in itself, a part of the liberation and a foundation for inner security.” -Albert Einstein

The Vast Expanse of Nothingness

To live at all is miracle enough.
     -- Mervyn Peake,
The Glassblower (1950)

I often wonder if the infinite nothingness we experience before randomly coming into the world is the same infinite nothingness we will experience after we die. This is the single most frightening thought I can fathom, and makes me realize why spirituality is such an important factor in relieving such existential angst. Although this nihilistic view is bleak, I sometimes turn to it for a zest boost in times of monotony or boredom. Nothing gets me in the mood to live every second of life to the fullest then the impending doom of eternal nothingness.

What is it that randomly allowed me to feel conscious during this brief segment of time at this specific place. This question may never be answered. Although this remains a mystery, we are left with the spiritual endeavour to ponder our existence and take awe in the miracle of life. Richard Dawkins said it best in Chapter 1 of "The Anaesthetic of Familiarity" (1998):

“After sleeping through a hundred million centuries we have finally opened our eyes on a sumptuous planet, sparkling with colour, bountiful with life. Within decades we must close our eyes again. Isn't it a noble, and enlightened way of spending our brief time in the sun, to work at understanding the universe and how we have come to wake up in it? This is how I answer when I am asked -- as I am surprisingly often -- why I bother to get up in the mornings. To put it the other way round, isn't it sad to go to your grave without ever wondering why you were born? Who, with such a thought, would not spring from bed, eager to resume discovering the world and rejoicing to be a part of it?”

To live fully is to question matters of our existence and reconcile our spiritual beliefs with scientific discovery.

Whatever Works

This Woody Allan film does an amazing job illustrating the role random chance plays in our lives.

"... whatever love you can get and give, whatever happiness you can filtch or provide, every temporary measure of grace -- whatever works! Don't kid yourself, it is by no means up to your human ingenuity, a bigger part of your existence is luck. Christ, you know the odds of your father's one sperm from the billions finding the single egg that made you? Don't think about it or you'll have a panic attack!"
- Boris Yelnikoff, Whatever Works

*Special thanks to my girlfriend Adeline for recommending this film

Christian Atheism

The word atheist is usually associated with being non-religious. Although this is usually the case, there is a group of atheists who identify themselves as being Christian. They follow the moral teachings of the faith while rejecting the existence of a God, as well as the divinity of Jesus. Rather, Jesus is seen as an ideal model of morality which one should strive to reach. Instead of accepting Jesus as a way to heaven, Jesus is seen as a way to humanity. This humanistic view gets to the root of Christianity, and represents the core teachings of Jesus: peace, love, helping the downtrodden, and rebelling against popular belief of the time. Does this sound familiar?

Going back to the left wing peace rallies of the 1960’s, you would see an abundance of this ideology. If this is so, why does the American right wing advocate religion so heavily? Religion is a powerful political influence with its core message manipulated,  misconstrued, and institutionalized to the point where even Jesus wouldn’t want to be associated with it. The right wing makes God partisan, while advocating for individualism and free markets that inevitably create a greater societal dichotomy between the rich and the poor. This is done while simultaneously cutting social programs that the poor rely on.

Jesus is to the American right-wing as Nietzsche is to the German Nazi party. Their messages misconstrued in order to justify an end that directly contradicts their real meaning.

Fascinating take on the universe by the BBC

This illustrates the idea of a realities beyond our reach, and raises some very interesting questions on the nature of multiple universes in relation to dimensions.

Heaven Without God

The other day I was thinking about the possibility of there being a heaven without a God. In the face of tragic events, persons of faith become angered with God. They feel a lack of understanding in why such an even has occurred, which can ultimately lead to the loss of faith. The problem is that we can not actually be angry with God, but only angry with our idea of God. If you see God as an entity that is loving, promotes justice and, wants the best for us, we can not make sense of the horrific tragedies that plague us every day. With such a specific definition of the nature of God, we can not explain many events that contradict this definition. Having a complete loss of faith is not necessary when faced with such events. The only change should be our realization that we really do not know the nature of God.

If one thing still stands from my of Catholic education growing up, it is the idea of heaven. When I say heaven, I don't mean a white place in the clouds with angels, harps, and a golden gate. Anything that has to do with transcendence of the soul into a reality we can not know is heaven to me. God doesn't necessarily need to exist in order for heaven to exist. I like to imagine heaven as another dimension parallel to the dimensions of the physical universes. Accepting the idea that we can not know the nature of god allows us to take comfort in the fact that we can not know why tragic events happen. Organic life is fragile and our bodies - part of this physical realm - can not survive without all its parts working properly. It's all very complex physical matter we can alter and label. The idea of a non-physical soul that possesses consciousness, allows us to look past the physical reality and take comfort in the possibility of an eternal spiritual life.

As Stephen R. Covey put it; "We are not human beings on a spiritual journey, we are spiritual beings on a human journey."

Waking Life - The Nature of Existance

           This is a short clip from the brilliant film "Waking Life" by Richard Linklater. This deep existential clip compares our lives to dreams by asking whether we are really awake, or are we really just asleep in life's waiting room. This metaphor of 'life's waiting room' suggests that our life on earth may just be a pretense to our next spiritual stage.
           Living life with the infinite possibility we experience in our dreams allows us to encounter obstacles with confidence and optimism. Comparing life to a dream we did not get paid for, suggests that we need to take life with ease, and love every day, rather than having a cluttered mind of worry and anxiety.

The best awakenings start with pleasant dreams.

*Special thanks to Phil for recommending this film

Fine Line Between The Buddha and The Beggar

We've all heard the line, "there's a fine line between genius and insanity". This fine line between opposites can also be applied to the a Buddhist vs a vagrant beggar. 

Take this scenario:

A Buddhist and a beggar are walking down a path and the beggar asks the Buddhist what he is trying to achieve.
"I aim to live my life in the now, for thats what the Buddhist tradition teaches." replies the Buddhist.
To which the beggar quickly responds; "Why do you need Buddhism?  I can teach you how to do that!"

The art of living in the present moment is fundamental to  the Buddhist way of life. Meditation is one of the practices that trains the mind to rid itself of thought so that the present moment can be experienced to the fullest. When woody Allan said, "80% of life is just showing up", he was on to something. Showing up to the present moment allows us to escape mechanical mindsets that keep us from experiencing fullness in life.

As a retreatist from mainstream expectations, the vagrant beggar lives in the present moment. Perhaps the beggar is drug addicted and simply looking for a fix. Upon getting that fix, the beggar feels every sensation. Warmth coming up through the veins, a liquid orgasm engulfs the body; consciousness zoomed in on the present. The anxiety laden world appears robotic in what's really just a game after-all. Some players in this game simply prefer to sit out and watch.

The Buddha knows this game well since he's seen it been played may times: always through the powerful consciousness of the present.

*Special thanks to Phil for ideas on this concept 

Allan Wattes "Atheist Spirituality"

This is a must see video from Alan Watts.

Contemplating Artificial Consciousness

Are we able to go beyond artificial intelligence and actually create synthetic consciousness? Can we create a robot that has subjective experience, and is aware of its own existence?

This question boils down to the whole mind/brain debate. Are we the product of purely deterministic laws of physics, in which case our brain is certainly amenable to simulation, or is the experience of consciousness that we seem to be able to perceive, that is, the act of knowing we are thinking, an impossibility for even the most complex of artificial intelligence systems? It is true that much of our brain function could be simulated by a machine, however what about the fact that we are aware that our brain is processing information. This ability seems very difficult to understand and I have been struggling to realize how it is even possible. However, it is still possible that this "consciousness" feeling is also itself an illusion brought about by chemical stimulus and interactions of neurons within the brain all that are simple deterministic processes.

The illusion of free thought has been discussed in great length by the classic philosophers, and it really opens up questions about free-will, responsibility, and personal identity. It is certain that a large breakthrough in either artificial intelligence or neuroscience could answer this question once and for all. Currently AI is a very long way off ever getting to the level of artificial consciousness. However, there is a tonne of research on topics dealing with re-creating the functionality of certain parts of the brain we take for granted. Sight, Recognition, Speech, are some of the complicated aspects that humans perform without second thought.

If you subscribe wholeheartedly to the laws of physics and accept the sort of materialistic science view of the world, then you must conclude that the brain is simply a complex computing device and therefore your own mind is completely beyond your actual control, which is scary. Even with the magic of quantum physics being brought to the forefront of scientific research, all it adds is a probabilistic element to the fundamental behavior of the universe. So, you're either a machine completely deterministic or some sort of randomized macro-entity; either way is not that great.

My conclusion with this difficult topic would be to take a dualist stance and say that consciousness is not a physical object and can not be created artificially, but rather, the soul equals consciousness. If this is taken to be true, one must now question where the soul came about in evolution.

*Special thanks to Ian for the insightful thoughts on this subject  

The Great Atheist Misconception

Atheism: a lack of belief in a deity

The biggest reason - outside the bible belt - why atheists are not accepted is due to ignorance of its definition. Atheists do not necessary follow the belief of nihilists, naturalists, or humanists in terms of their worldview. Also, atheism should not be confused with anti-theism which holds strong critical opinions against theism (belief in a god). Rather, atheism is a simple umbrella term which all of these things may fall under; a preceding clause of these belief systems.

Atheism is NOT a belief claiming God does not exist. Atheistic, like the word amoral, simply means the lack of. Therefore being an atheist is having a lack of belief unless you personally take the stance that there is no god and therefore the burden of proof goes to you. Defending this stance would be near impossible since you would now hold the same burden of proof theists hold by claiming there is a God. When answering the question of yes or no to weather one believes in a god the answer must always be a shade of gray since there is no black and white. The key distinction is that one may claim weather or not they believe in a god, but may never claim absolutely that there is or is not a god.

I take a strong agnostic dualist stance. Strong agnosticism states that we can not know whether there is a God. This stance is atheistic in a sense that there is a lack of belief in a deity. This is the point where definitions and symbols start to fall apart, since I believe god is all. With this pantheistic view I challenge the traditional definition of God as a deity. Pantheism states that the word God is used to symbolize everything within and outside the universe.

Spirituality is the illogical. It is separate from the physical objective reality we live in. We can not know a spiritual reality since our brains are physical substance.

Perhaps the word God needs to represent something more than just a supernatural being. If an alternate reality outside our logic exists, there is really no point in trying to logically define God.

God; the reflection of humanity

I come across many people who feel God created man in his image and who never considered that he may actually be created in ours. I will never get into the debate on whether God exists because I feel it is missing the point. I know no more than you, and you know no more than me whether there is a creator behind the universe. Everyone is entitled to their own personal belief (emphasizing the word personal). A problem only comes about when people say their God has specific characteristics and wants us to follow his perfect carefully laid out rules. Even worse, these 'divine morals' usually make their way into politics and encourage the subjugation of out-groups. This is clearly seen in protests by religious groups against gay marriage.

The fact that Gods from various religions have different morals tells us that it is society creating their God in order to suit value system of their own cultural context. Weather inspired by spirituality or maliciously calculated, humans create their god in a human image.

Religious moralizing of a culture is a reflection of what that culture holds valuable or sacred. We are socialized by our families, education, and religious affiliations; but the issue appears when this socialization becomes an iron cage of hollow morals. In some Islamic sects, deviating from certain religious beliefs can be punishable by death. This puts the person at a position to conform out of fear and defend their morals by appealing to authority. I like to call this eggshell moral syndrome.

Morals without attached personal meaning are like an eggshell without the whites and yolk: empty and fragile. When this type of person breaks away from the authority of their parents, or begin to question the objectivity of their religion, their moral compass loses its magnetic poles. Their moral captivity prevents them from developing meaningful moral beliefs.

Being encouraged to critically analyze our cultural value system is essential. It is necessary to take what is personally valued and attach meaning to it. Living a life of purpose and meaning consists of more than a simple appeal to authority.

Atheists Void of Spiritual Beliefs?

"Whilst atheism tends to lean towards skepticism regarding supernatural claims and the existence of an actual 'spirit', for some atheists being "Spiritual" can be defined as nurturing thoughts, emotions, words and actions that are in harmony with the idea that the entire universe is, in some way, connected; even if only by the mysterious flow of cause and effect at every scale." [quote from Wikipedia]

When many people hear the word 'atheist' they begin to cringe with disgust. The word has taken on such a negative connotation that it is almost impossible to use the term in a conversation without getting a negative reaction filled with misconceptions, emotional angst, and devotion to a specific stance. The word 'atheist' has become a blanket term that covers everything from being cold and godless, to being a hedonist with no sense of purpose. With that said, I want to clarify that the word means lack of a belief in a specific deity. That's it. No lack of morals, no soulless void, and best of all: no devil worship.

Today I came across someone who claims they do not believe in atheists. Ironically, I was shocked at such a lack of belief! How can you deny that someone does not believe in something?! As crazy as this claim may sound, I shortly realized why this person took such a stance: They were wrong in their definition of atheism. They had followed up the remark saying:

"I don't believe in atheists because I feel everyone is looking for something in their lives ... everyone is looking for greater propose or something similar."

Quick to point out this error in perceived atheist living, I went on to show that it is important to distinguish between atheists and persons who do not have any religious or spiritual belief; I would call the latter the common modern day drifter who has little or no spiritual opinion and is unconcerned with such topics.

If I said Buddhism is an atheistic religion, I don't suspect I'd hear too many complaints since it is an explicitly objective fact. Although Buddhists are not concerned with the existence of a god, they are highly spiritual and live by a strong ethical code. In pointing out this simple fact I was confronted by a wall of ignorance:

"I don't think it's fair to say Buddhists are atheists. They are spiritual and believe in a greater purpose ... and don't they worship the Buddha?"

This is where I feel like giving up. Aside from the improper definition, the Buddha is not a god! He's similar to a non-mystical Jesus who laid out a certain way of life based on his experiences.


The problem is in the negative connotation of the perceived definition of the word 'atheist'. Living a fulfilling spiritual life does not necessarily need to include a deity. This lack of belief in a god does not prohibit one from contemplating the nature of the universe and creating their own spiritual meaning. Spirituality is a personal endeavor that should be sacred. Although, there will always be those who will still feel the need to shove their god in your face.

No Good Without God?

Some misled persons believe that there is no good without god. They take it as far as to say that 'bad' is only the absence of god which leaves us with the question: If he is omnipresent then why is everything not always good? But lets make an exception and say say hes slacking a bit and somehow manages to leave a few places out of his almighty goodness. Wouldn't this make you question the goodness of god? Would a manager in charge of a company knowingly allow its members to suffer from the greatest hardships known to man, while on the job of course, when the manager has full capability of preventing it? Wouldn't we call this manager neglectful, cruel, and inhumane?

Now maybe this is an unfair comparison because he IS god and therefore does not work in the realm of human terms and definitions. Maybe good in god's terms does not have the same definition. Opening this Pandora's box would be a great mistake allowing the unraveling of every religious teaching. Following this logic heaven could mean hell for all we know.

This fundamental spiritual mistake in believing there is no good without a god makes it imposable to consider any religion without a god a 'good' religion. Buddhists are an example of an atheistic religion that would be considered void of goodness.

My solution to all this ethnocentric, close minded, garbage is to state the obvious: no one really knows the true nature of god and should therefore stop acting like they do. Spiritual belief is personal and should not be used to judge what others choose to believe. Really, Shouldn't morality be a little more than just worshiping a deity or otherwise going to hell?

Spirituality's Religious Baggage

Religion has been a strong negative influence throughout history as well as today. Religion as an institution is corrupt, deceitful, and a counter productive. The positive aspects that do exist in religion should be stripped from the baggage of traditional values or moral stances that are irrelevant in the modern world. In essence, religion would be deinstitutionalized and be replaced as being a personal spiritual worldview.

Spiritual belief on a personal level has served as a comfort to many people facing death or the grieving of a loved one. Since no one can know what happens to us after death, it is comforting to have a spiritual belief.

Although much harm has come from strong religious conviction, almost all people who are religious do not have ill intent. They believe they are doing the right thing and want to make the world a better place. This intent is useful if directed at things that produce positive outcomes (such as certain charities), but often this intent is misdirected and inflicts harm. The Roman Catholic church illustrates this in its denouncing of the use of birth control and contraceptives. The view that intercourse is a means for reproduction within marriage is worthy of respect. This view only becomes a problem when it it pushed upon people who do not share such opinions.

The act of going to church is useful in that it allows for a sense of community. This sense of community and interaction can be a very positive experience to many people, but is likely limited since you are mainly interacting with people who have similar worldviews to yours. This type of homogeneous group can be dangerous because perpetuates beliefs that won't likely be challenged by opposing viewpoints.

Overall, religion may have a brutal past from being closed minded, moralistic, and segregating. Just as we evolved as a species, I hope religion can do the same. The zeitgeist has shifted; it is no secret that spirituality has too much religious baggage.

The evolution of Ideas

Religion often resists evolution/ criticism, and serves a cultural bubble of outdated beliefs and ideologies. The appeal to divine authority allows this institution to avoid any criticism in justifying its actions that are unjust or unfit for modern society. The purpose of the blog is to debunk the common idea that religion and spirituality are inseparable. I will propose ideas on living a spiritual life without having to appeal to a theistic God. The spiritual life does not remove us from the world but leads us deeper into it. I hope you enjoy my evolving commentary on this path of discovery. 


The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes. --  Marcel Proust