Searching for the Divine

[Fool]

when you went looking for what you considered holy, right, just, did you encounter the potential devil, evil in "me"?


And I'm damned if I do and I'm damned if I don't
So here's to drinks in the dark at the end of my road
And I'm ready to suffer and I'm ready to hope
It's a shot in the dark and right at my throat
'Cause looking for heaven, found the devil in me
Looking for heaven, for the devil in me
Well what the hell I'm gonna let it happen to me - shake it out - florence and the machine

 

[Spirit of Light]

When you are on the spiritual path and take it seriously you will encounter the dark side of you self, The Ego , hatred, evil thoughts, jealosy. and so on, The spiritual path is made so one can work thru this things and see the effect of being evil both in mind and body, then one will understand that the darker side of "self" is something one should let go of.

Personally experience: Many years ago i was meditating when what looked like a red demon come infront of me. (in mind i would think) what it said was not possible to understand for me, but the feeling i got was enought to make me open my eyes. later i found that this could be my own dark side testing my calmness. This episode only happen once. But i know i did not pass it then. but worked on the parts of what could be seen as dark within me.

 

[Windwalker]

When you are on the spiritual path and take it seriously you will encounter the dark side of you self, The Ego , hatred, evil thoughts, jealosy. and so on, The spiritual path is made so one can work thru this things and see the effect of being evil both in mind and body, then one will understand that the darker side of "self" is something one should let go of.

This is very true. Another way to look at is that it is not something to fear, but simply not indulge it, which is what feeds it. When the dark voices come up, "you're worthless... what a fool you are.... you'll not survive if you lose those things that make you happy," and so forth, to engage in response by worry, fear, shame, guilt, and anger, you simply feed it. And the more you try to shove it away, to disown it, the more powerful you make it. Repressing your dark self, creates a beast a thousand times more powerful, and you are giving it that power from your reserves, depleting your joy in trying to deny it.

The key is to not fear it, but rather simply witness it, begin to recognize it from yourself, and simply let it go, as you say. You own it as part of yourself, then gradually you take the energy that arises from it, and transmute it into the service of good. Releasing fear, vanishes the demon.

Personally experience: Many years ago i was meditating when what looked like a red demon come infront of me. (in mind i would think) what it said was not possible to understand for me, but the feeling i got was enought to make me open my eyes. later i found that this could be my own dark side testing my calmness. This episode only happen once. But i know i did not pass it then. but worked on the parts of what could be seen as dark within me.

I would say if you want to call it a test, that what it is is a gift on your path to expose that you have more work to do. I know these come sometimes in the form of people, who so severely rub you the wrong way you want to rage at them. That little gift of that person shows you that you still have a demon you need to befriend as quickly as possible! What these "demons" or "annoying people" are, are a projection of our own shadow-self, the disowned, shunned, and rejected parts of ourselves we do not want to acknowledge. They are unintegrated, fractured off parts of the self that need healing and integration in the whole.

I don't know how it is possible anyone can truly love another person, if we can't love ourselves. And if we can't love ourselves, then how can we be one with Reality, which loves all unconditionally. Escaping ourselves is not Freedom. Being our true Self is.

 

[Spirit of Light]

This is very true. Another way to look at is that it is not something to fear, but simply not indulge it, which is what feeds it. When the dark voices come up, "you're worthless... what a fool you are.... you'll not survive if you lose those things that make you happy," and so forth, to engage in response by worry, fear, shame, guilt, and anger, you simply feed it. And the more you try to shove it away, to disown it, the more powerful you make it. Repressing your dark self, creates a beast a thousand times more powerful, and you are giving it that power from your reserves, depleting your joy in trying to deny it.

The key is to not fear it, but rather simply witness it, begin to recognize it from yourself, and simply let it go, as you say. You own it as part of yourself, then gradually you take the energy that arises from it, and transmute it into the service of good. Releasing fear, vanishes the demon.


I would say if you want to call it a test, that what it is is a gift on your path to expose that you have more work to do. I know these come sometimes in the form of people, who so severely rub you the wrong way you want to rage at them. That little gift of that person shows you that you still have a demon you need to befriend as quickly as possible! What these "demons" or "annoying people" are, are a projection of our own shadow-self, the disowned, shunned, and rejected parts of ourselves do not want to acknowledge. There are unintegrated, fractured off parts of the self that need healing and integration in the whole.

I don't know how it is possible anyone can truly love another person, if we can't love ourselves. And if we can't love ourselves, then how can we be one with Reality, which loves all unconditionally. Escaping ourselves is not Freedom. Being our true Self is.

100% agree with you on this

 

[osgart]

When i think of the devil its someone that wants to destroy souls, and cause irreparable harm to innocents. Dominate and control, and destroy, and live in vain excellence sharing nothing, ruling everything, loving nothing, despising virtue and possessing everything. The world would be its toy and toil.

I dont think many people's dark side is that severe. My dark side is selfishness, but that in no way am i a devil as i describe it.

If all a devil is is being selfish, and feeling no harm to others, then so be it, fine.

Hatred with no just cause is the beast.

Heaven is love of others because they are goodly. Goodly is those who love virtue.

Hate with just cause, that is despising the prosperity of evil.