For anyone on a spiritual journey...

I have been on a spiritual journey for the past 6 years, trying to find myself and what I believe.
Raised a devout Christian, I was always having the Bible pounded into my head, church 3 times a week, reciting the rosary every night... But as I grew up I was always one to ask questions. Wanting to know what everyone else believed, and why.
Since then I have become open to every view on spirituality.. Lately I have been meditating for 2 hours daily, and it has opened a whole new view of the world.
A few weeks ago my roommate lent me a book he had been raving about for a while, and since he is on the same journey as I am I knew it would be good.
He had always been into the teachings of Buddha, but I only knew what I had read in a few text books and on the internet, but after having read this book I feel like I know Buddha personally, literally followed in his steps from birth to death. My mind has been opened to entirely new values, nature seems brand new, and I have a greater love for the people around me.
The book is called "Old Path White Clouds" by Thich Nhat Hanh.
It is almost impossible for me to explain how much this read can change your life.
No matter what religion or deity you believe in, I can guarantee this book will hold powerful meaning.

If anyone has any other good reads on spirituality, please please feel free to pass them on to me. I am looking to greatly expand my collection.

DanK

Ill have to look for it.

Ive read a few others on Buddha, and he absoloulty amazes me. I love the story about the garden and the tiger, apparently the tree he was meditating under became rather mutated and still stands today.

I personally love the Western Esoteric material. It rather obsoletes religion but it also illuminates certain aspects of it. I am a very big fan of the metaphysical and occult so I rather enjoy it.

If your interested let me know.

Oh absolutely! I am open to any and everything. I want to have studied every aspect of religious, spiritual, and metaphysical views before I have settled on anything.. My beliefs are completely malleable.. If I learn something new that supersedes or adds to prior knowledge, my views have to change with that.

Reply to post by Dank513

If you have not, so read ancient wisdom, modern world by the dalai lama. Given where you are in you searching, you may find that it is not as deep as you would like, however it is filled with wisdom which can easily be Imparted to friends and family without coming off as too preachy.

Kind regards
tamale


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reply to post by Dank513

Here's a comment for you from someone who never thought of himself as on a "spiritual journey." After working for my church as basically a volunteer for most of my adult life and finding myself living in a little rented room surrounded by a relatively few things that I enjoy; no TV, no cell phone, no car... I still don't think I have been on a spiritual journey!
I cannot really justify myself, but don't see it as necessary. And as for finding myself, well, that idea always seemed odd to me. I live with myself 24/7. How could I be the one that needed finding???
As for the TRUTH, well that is something else again. If you feel that you are missing something, try finding just a little more truth. As far as I am concerned, this is the most amazing journey one can engage upon. I wish you well in yours.

reply to post by Dank513


i regularly read my "bible", which is "I AM THAT" by nisagadatta.

it is chock full of questions by mainly western students, and his extremely logical answers. it also describes how to BE the enlightened state.

and by the way: I AM, therefore i can then think.

My favorite Buddhism type books are by Wei Wu Wei. I think that "Ask The Awakened" was my favorite. Each book though is great. It was like every few pages was some amazing new bit of wisdom.

reply to post by Dank513


The "Bhagavad Gita" and the "Upanishads" my personal two top favorites. They are both esoteric Hindu texts. They really resonated with me. I specifically recommend the translations by Eknath Easwaran. He sets up the chapters for you. He also has some Buddhist material. I so happy to hear that your on your journey. Keep meditating. The truth comes from within. Peace & love to you and Namase (which means I ackowledge the Divinity in you)

[edit on 31-3-2010 by Klaatumagnum]

Thank all of you for your suggestions, I will definitely be looking into all of them! Keep them coming, and if you have any advice for finding "Truth" PLEASE enlighten me.. I have made much progress over the past couple years, that much I know.. But I am still very far off from where I wish to be.

Please keep the suggestions coming!

Orangutang: I will probably end up changing that, I like yours much better

Alright,
The book is called The secret teachings of all ages. By P. Manly Hall, its a great sumarization of all or majority of philosophy taught over the past centries, milleniums ect. It also has alot of writing about the occult and metaphysical. It contains mostly western knowledge and not a hole lot of eastern. Mainly because its based on alot of the mystery schools in the west.

Thich Nhat Hanh is the man, I'll be looking for that book. I've been wanting to read something of his for a while now. Thanks for sharing.

Nothing I read has ever been profoundly life changing like that, but I've been very thankful for some of these spiritual authors and their books. I guess to give you one, I really liked Krishnamurti's "Conversations on living." Though it took me until darn near the end until I really saw what he was talking about. I actually need to give that another read. He tackles some deep issues and personal problems of others always keeping with his basic principles and teachings. It has short chapters, something good to pick up and put down a lot I guess.

I'd definitely recommend the Baghavad gita, it really hits deep down into your soul. Superb.

reply to post by bargoose


The Bhagavad Gita, yes, and even more fundamental to understanding reality imo is the Tao the Ching. Both are linked in my signature.

reply to post by Novise


I highly recommend Thich Nhat Hanh's books, he has written over 75! This is my first experience reading his works and I am truly amazed.. it actually feels like "Walking in the footsteps of Buddha." You learn his entire childhood, from when he was a young prince, to leaving his wife and child to search for Awareness, practicing with the most experience monks of his time.. and then after that.. when they couldn't teach him anything else, he went out on his own to find true enlightenment.. The chapter where he finally reaches full awareness brought out emotions I had never experienced before.. it was truly an amazing chapter.. and that's only 150 pages in! It's 572 pages long consisting of I believe 3 books.

I am writing down every suggestion you all have made, and I appreciate every last one of them... I definitely have a lot of amazing reads to look forward to!

Keep them coming!!
And if you have gone through, or are going through the same journey as I, please feel free to tell your story.. I would love to hear about everyone elses experiences.

reply to post by Dank513


It is funny how quickly we tend to forget he gave up PRINCEHOOD in search of enlightenment. I imagine his family was not happy with him, and his friends thought he was a lunatic. How quickly we forget that small part. As we all deal with the social pangs of such, whether mild or extreme. As some think enlightenment is tied to material gain, success in business/career, God wants you to have "everything," etc. Kind of funny, to remember that small fact at this point in my life. And I am sure I'm not alone.

reply to post by Novise


Yup, had an entire kingdom waiting for him.. but he didnt agree with the politics and crooked workings of the council.

I've been reading the book again since posting this, and I can tell you the second time around is SO much more enlightening.. Here's a nice excerpt from the book I think you will all enjoy


Uruvela Kassapa sat silently for a moment and then said, "Gautama(Buddha), I know you speak only from your own direct experience. Your words do not simply express concepts. You have said that liberation can only be attained through the efforts of meditation, by looking deeply at things. Do you think that all ceremonies, rituals, and prayers are useless?"
The Buddha pointed to the other side of the river and said, "Kassapa, if a person wants to cross to the other shore, what should he do?"
"If the water is shallow enough, he can wade across. Otherwise he will have to swim or row a boat across."
"I agree. But what if he is unwilling to wade, swim, or row a boat. What if he just stands on this side of the river and prays to the other shore to come to him? What would you think of such a man?"
"I would say he was being quite foolish!"
"Just so, Kassapa! If one doesnt overcome ignorance and mental obstructions, one cannot cross to the other side to liberation, even if one spends one's whole life praying."



[edit on 31-3-2010 by Dank513]

Hi,
I'm new here but not to Spirituality. You said something nice..:But as I grew up I was always one to ask questions.
Let me respond to that. I too asked questions, and then in 7th grade, one was posed to me: Do you believe in all this? (Roman Catholic Doctrine.) I said "No". I said it honestly.
The path, to God, in my life was God decided He would contact me. I never had a notion this was going to happen. Others I know of have exactly the same kind of experiences, yet, this is not a club. It is not a reward per se. It is not me or you or they demanding of God that "He stands still" for our experiments or that when we test Him He responds to our every test as though we are His employer. It is given, I think and feel, for others to benefit from.
This day, I say this, from experience: "When after many years of hardship from honesty I was rewarded." It happened like this in short: I was trying to determine if a position was true for a group professing to know God. I didn't know if they were right or wrong. I was choosing right over wrong. They were very difficult and very adamant in their stance and not very good about answering my questions. One thing led to another and in my case after 11 years of work, or so, and then another two years of work two things were true. The Bible was real. (I was not expecting this.) And, supernatural things happen is the second item, yet I do not determine the when or the where of supernatural events, nor, do I determine the content.
So, I hope this helps.

reply to post by curtish


Hi curtish, and welcome to ATS!

I enjoyed reading what you had to say, and I respect every view.. I too was around 7th grade when I started to ask questions.. My father was a minister and owns/operates a Christian printing company, as well as many other outreach programs for the poor/under-priviledged.
I see what good religion can do, but I also see the bad.. I have never been one to see a point of view and immediately agree with it, even if a credible person had told me. It is in my nature to see the other side and never blindly accept something due to someone elses views.
My parents were very much in the Roman Catholic community, as well as myself and my 6 siblings.. but besides the morals and virtues it instilled in me.. it also made me very critical of everyone else.. for a while I was very much like the Christian trolls on here, blindly stating facts from the bible, which I now see as more of a book of virtues, than the infallible word of God.
If God's word is written by man, then it is man's interpretation of God's word. And we all know that man is flawed.. and after hundreds of re-interpretations and transcribing into different languages.. it all gets blurred and the true nature of the bible ceases to exist..
I have found MANY a flaw in the Bible, the one I will never forget is when Moses parts the Red Sea.
The problem is that the biblical account never refers to the Red Sea by name. In fact, nowhere in the entire Old Testament Hebrew text is the body of water associated with the exodus ever called the "Red Sea." Instead in the Hebrew text the reference is to the "yam suph." The word "yam" in Hebrew is the ordinary word for "sea," although in Hebrew it is used for any large body of water whether fresh or salt. The word "suph" is the word for "reeds" or "rushes," the word used in Ex. 2:3, to describe where Moses' basket was placed in the Nile. So, the biblical reference throughout the Old Testament is to the "sea of reeds" (e.g., Num 14:25, Deut 1:40, Josh 4:23, Psa 106:7. etc.)

So they evidently crossed a shallow swamp, from what I can gather, during the dry season.
Not a massive body of water.

Even though I have denounced my faith in Roman Catholicism, I still know my bible

[edit on 31-3-2010 by Dank513]

I am 2/3s of the way through this book, and have to say it was a great recommendation! What the Buddha say's to his dying father is so touching, and then what the women do to convince him to let them join the Sangha as the first women to join, also very touching.

I never knew "The co-dependent nature of all things" was a big part of Buddhism. I've been meditating on that lately and it's quite knew to me. Also I'm all but sure the word "EGO" does not appear anywhere in this book so far.

Thanks for recommending it. It's a big book, but reads nicely and easily.

Carlos Castaneda made a huge impact on me. I don't if you know who he is.. Castaneda was this dude who claimed that he met a Yaqui shaman called Don Juan (and later Don Genaro) who - throughout the years - taught him how to see the world through shamans eyes.

It's been speculated that Castaneda made the whole thing up. And he probably did. Nevertheless, it's a very impressive body of work, and there's nothing like it written after it.

The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge (1968)
A Separate Reality: Further Conversations with Don Juan (1971)
Journey to Ixtlan: The Lessons of Don Juan (1972)
Tales of Power (1974)*
The Second Ring of Power (1977)
The Eagle's Gift (1981)*
The Fire From Within (1984)
The Power of Silence: Further Lessons of Don Juan (1987)
The Art of Dreaming (1993)
Magical Passes: The Practical Wisdom of the Shamans of Ancient Mexico (1998)
The Active Side of Infinity (1999)
The Wheel of Time: The Shamans Of Mexico (2000)

Sometimes scary, many time hilarious, touching, a true eye-opener.