[split] Buddhism and the Law of One

[mjlabadia]

  Hello from Seoul, South Korea.

   What a fantastic discussion, started by just an off-chance mention while replying on a different thread.
  So,...I thought I would chime in with my understandings / distortions regarding my attempts in living The Middle Way,....which is what Buddhists try to practice.

  Before achieving "enlightenment", Siddhartha Gautama, (Buddha.) attempted a life of self-denial. He followed the same ascetic practices that "monks" of the time practiced. 
  It wasn't until he started taking care of himself, eating, and living in moderation, that he was free from enough suffering to fully connect with intelligent infinity. 

  It's not about self-denial / denial-of-self,....but about ultimately reducing suffering. The belief is that MUCH,..... (Not all.).......but much,..... of our suffering comes from our cravings, aversions, and karma.

 The goal is to live in such a mindful way, that one understands the self, and the world, as it truly is. To live in moderation. To see the self, (Buddha) in other selves. (The meaning of the phrase,..."Nemaste",......"I bow to you", I humble myself,  because I see the Buddha in you.)

 If one can come to truly understand their cravings and aversions, to see the object of their desire or distaste as neither bad or good, but just as it is,...one can lose the desire to waste so much energy on pursuing or avoiding it. 

 Your not denying yourself anything, because you no longer desire it. 

 It is not prerequisite to completely deny yourself in order to achieve nirvana. (Freedom from suffering). The Buddha only achieved it after ceasing to deny himself.

 However, I am only in the beginning stages of this journey.  

 I try to live mindfully, but I backslide into thoughtless behavior.

 I try to live humbly, but pride can temporarily blind me.

 I try to live in moderation, but craving and aversion are still present in my life. 

 I'm not denying myself anything. I still have desires and wants. (After all these years Michele and I are still,.....well,....."intense".) There is nothing wrong with this. There is nothing wrong about being human.

 It is when I mortgage my spiritual energy in pursuit of things that bring only temporary pleasure, when suffering starts to creep in to my life.
  
  Extreme Example)- Think of the immense amount of Spiritual Energy one will waste on a quick "affair".
 At face value, ....without mindful understanding,....it is a lustful craving for a temporary pleasure. It rarely ends up with the type of intense energy exchange that takes place with a true life partner / soul mate.

 Yet we will waste huge amounts of physical, spiritual, and karmic energy in pursuit of this temporary pleasure, forgetting the cumulative negative effects. (look at suffering we cause ourselves and others in the pursuit.)

 If we spent time in contemplation of these cravings, not denying them, but accepting them and looking at them, we learn the root of the craving.

 We find that the desire goes far beyond a physical pleasure search, it is rooted in a deep need for connection to other selves. 

 This is but one example, it is just to show the glaring dichotomy of our cravings and aversions. We crave pleasure, to distract us from our suffering, but the craving of the pleasure causes more suffering.

 Ultimately, it's about getting to the root of our cravings, attachments, and aversions. Understanding them,....so as to reduce our suffering. 

 How'd I do with this meandering post?