Fool proof method for choosing a path

[shivadas]

I was looking over the seeker section and ive noticed there is less time spent learning & loving and more time spent wondering what your going religion to claim...

I've come up with a fool proof method...

step one) decide what philosophies you are interested in... If you are interested in western philosophies pick-up a neo-pagan book, if its eastern philosophy that intrigues you pick up a book on new age...

step two) read and study, and meditate or pray as much as possible...

step three) Now its just a process of elimination...
focus on a topic of interest, that topic will have a religion of origin. You will notice that you will find a religion or two you'll like...

If you like Chinese philosophy you may become a Taoist. If meditation is super important you could take refuge under Buddhism... If you see God as the path to attainment you may choose Hinduism...

There is a religion for everybody!!!!
People think having so many religions is bad, dead wrong... Many Religions mean many choices to find spiritual truth... If there was only one religion it would end up as oppressive like in the middle ages..

"Truth is one, sages call it by many names" - Rig-veda

I'm certain any one following these steps will find a path...

peace & love
om shanti...

 

[shivadas]

Its a fool proof method for finding a path...
Not a foolproof path...

And as for my personal chosen religion it is Ajah, not new age.


and "new age" for the most part, is based on Theosophy a religion which was started by a Rosicrucian/Christian Mystic... Despite its focus on meditation and eastern practice, they are not eastern based in fact they are more in tune with occultism...

The term "new age" was a name coined for the mystics that preached the Age of Aquarius... the Current astrological age, Aquarius is one age(2,100 years) in a set of twelve ages that make up a solar year. Each age is associated with a sign of the Zodic.

 

[Me Myself]

I never trust failproof anything.

But sounds like a good way to find a path that should work most of the times.

 

[shivadas]

yeah, Im sure there is probably one or two that need a little more guidance.
I see your point, really i just want people to stop the BS and start loving.

 

[En'me]

Well, I don't really understand what kind of "spiritual paths" people want to look for. Generaly it's just something that they can temporarely, at the time relate too and then pick up.

I disagree with your view. I recommend picking up whatever path you find explains the absolute truth best, regardless of your past experiances, likes/dislikes, etc.

Ofcourse, only my opinion.

 

[shivadas]

I think its all the same, one should just pick the one they like the most....

 

[Iti oj]

You could be a chaote like me and be what ever you want on the fly. Great way for seeking. That being said simple and easy steps. Good op

 

[shivadas]

Really I guess I am a chaote. I just do yoga instead of occultism.

 

[shivadas]

I was a wiccan when I started all this in fifth grade.. but eventually graduated to tantra, yoga, and Vedanta. I started attending a Vishnu non dual bhakti temple and thus became a Hindu.
I know that there is only one god who is all, there are infinite ways to appretiate love and learn about the One Truth. Meditation is the route of direct contact with God.
It really doesn't matter what you do because you always learn what is ready for you to learn, what god sends next... the spiritual path is always the same in any faith....

 

[Iti oj]

I was a wiccan when I started all this in fifth grade.. but eventually graduated to tantra, yoga, and Vedanta. I started attending a Vishnu non dual bhakti temple and thus became a Hindu.
I know that there is only one god who is all, there are infinite ways to appretiate love and learn about the One Truth. Meditation is the route of direct contact with God.
It really doesn't matter what you do because you always learn what is ready for you to learn, what god sends next... the spiritual path is always the same in any faith....

That last part is very Taoish.

 

[shivadas]

Cool I have a lot of love for Lao Tzu....

Taoism is the Chinese way of describing truth, I consider Taoism completely true, just understood using Chinese words...

 

[shivadas]

Wei we or what ever the Taoist call non action should be at the core all spirituality. Going with the flow.....

 

[Vichar]

The philosophies and specifics belief of a path, are important, I agree. However, I most agree with the part about love. Have you ever heard of a claim, "The truth is not the truth unless it is spoken in love" ? I believe in this wholeheartedly. People use the "truth" (factual statements) all the time to mislead others and hurt people.

It seems to me that people are better off choosing a path they feel supports them positively. It should pass the "love smell test". In this belief system, is the almighty out to lovingly instruct us? Are the principles of the path focused around love?

In my very limited experience, it seems the only thing true I ever encountered was love.

 

[shivadas]

I agree but I think love is the end result of focusing on the absolute... the love comes easy when you have something to love.

 

[Vichar]

Agreed. I meant divine love, not romantic love. I never know how much to qualify words, since English is not an ideal language for discussing spiritual matters.

 

[Iti oj]

My source of love as an athesit is humanity and the human potential and experience

 

[shivadas]

its just another way of looking at it, potential is Shiva(the self) and expirience is shakti(energy)
shiva and shakti, yin and yang make one God....
my mom is an atheist, and as i always tell her, i know God exist because i exist... God is'nt a dude on a cloud, God is the whole of everything....


And to Vichar... your totally right its really hard to express vedanta (and similar systems) in english. I manage because its my only language(besides basic sankrit, which is pretty much dead) im looking to find a Hindi tutor to rectafy this problem, as it limits the amount of people one can teach. ive noticed that what would take a Hindi-sankrit speaker one word to say, it takes me three or four english words to say...
For example: "Brahman" is known in english as "the whole of everything" or "God, the absolute"

 

[Iti oj]

So pantheism?

 

[shivadas]

actually monism, but pantheism is true too..
pantheism and monism are really the same thing,
pantheism says that all things are made out of God...
Monism says that there is only one thing, one God, that we see in infinit ways... a mass of homogeonous energy

its like quantom physics vs. micro physics...
it says the same thing with a differant sized scale.

 

[Iti oj]

Iyo does god have traits?