How to Escape our Physical Prisons

I hear often, usually from folks with a mystical tendency, that they are spirits in a physical prison (a paradox to those who consider them selves non-dualists), and that eventually they would like to do without their physical existence to become what they really are: some sort of spirit or eternal consciousness. I’ve tried to devise a way to expedite the process to help out my mystic friends so that they may finally be released from that which they fear. Here is the method:

In order to become spirit, it’s best to start by breeding a contempt for everything physical.

In order to do this, one must first consider every memory he’s ever had, every experience he’s gone through and every breath he’s taken, as mere illusion and a form of anti-truth. Every notion of love, good, hate, evil, consciousness, spirit, happiness, sadness, the self etc., since they were conceived through the physical body and pondered by living physical beings, must be regarded as enemies of the spirit.

Every other human, every animal, every organism, every friend, love and foe, being somehow trapped inside all that constitutes them, should in turn be regarded as without value, without meaning and mere walking prisons that should be destroyed.

The very ideas of God, eternal truth, the Absolute, the divine etc. since they were first imagined and contemplated by living beings always in the context of their own bodies while existing within the physical realm, must be treated as suspect and likely just as contemptible as the physical beings who created them. Of course we will not include soul or spirit in this list merely because it wouldn’t suit our fancy.

Life, as the perpetuator and the foundation of all organisms, having bred the very physicalness we operate within, must in turn be thought of as the prison of all that is spiritual in mankind. With this in our minds, we begin to wish to negate life in favour of not-life.

Once we reach this level of nihilism, and we are still able to tell ourselves that all that is physical is less important than all that is spiritual, we may begin to practice what Jesus taught us: to sacrifice our flesh for the other-worldly, for God, for spirit.

The quickest technique of doing this is any form of suicide. We know that physical things can be damaged by physical things, so what better way to break out of a physical prison by doing it physically. Luckily, all that is spirit within us—since of course we know beyond any doubt that it is eternal—remains unscathed.

Suicide, it seems, as the quickest means to negate life, destroy the flesh, to dispose of all memories and ideas, and to finally become the spirit we so desire to be. So why not?

Of course if suicide sounds absurd—which in my opinion it is—why not consider a healthy alternative? Enjoy life, enjoy your body, enjoy your ideas, memories and experiences. Hone them, embrace them, utilize them. When we destroy these, we also destroy ourselves. Put value on this world rather than the next. Trust yourself. There are real things here that need to be valued and respected. If you negate the physical, you also negate the spiritual. The only prison you’re stuck within is the prison you create for yourself in your thoughts. First, maybe, try to release yourself from that before doing anything too drastic.

Ummm... are you a cult leader?

reply to post by TheSubversiveOne


Your message came too late. Too many committed suicide before "Doomsday".

But being in this prison isn't bad, why would I want to escape? I'll stick around till the warden kicks me out. The guards can be bought with coffee and sweets in my section of the prison. Being friendly to everyone usually helps.

reply to post by TheSubversiveOne


But going by that logic, spirit is "anti-truth" and even your message and "method" of achieve "spirituality" is also anti-truth.

Since you are hating all things since it is physical (or an idea imagined in physical), are you also hating yourself? Are you also hating your own spirit since this idea was imagined as in physical?

I think this is not a great message to be teaching people and "THIS" seems like a form of "anti-truth".

All that exist is "What is" (Whether it is physical or not) and to "HATE" that is to hate its creator (spirit) and is to hate reality.

reply to post by TheSubversiveOne


You were quite right when you said negating the physical, also negates the spiritual. I read the same thing not long ago in a book of Manly P. Hall. The body is like a tomb or vessel for the spirit, on principles of as below, so above, committing suicide is the only way to destroy your soul.

Of course if suicide sounds absurd—which in my opinion it is—why not consider a healthy alternative? Enjoy life, enjoy your body, enjoy your ideas, memories and experiences. Hone them, embrace them, utilize them. When we destroy these, we also destroy ourselves. Put value on this world rather than the next. Trust yourself. There are real things here that need to be valued and respected. If you negate the physical, you also negate the spiritual. The only prison you’re stuck within is the prison you create for yourself in your thoughts. First, maybe, try to release yourself from that before doing anything too drastic.

reply to post by arpgme


I don't suppose you read the closing paragraph? The part where his apparent view on the situation does a 180?

Ooooh, subtle and yet cutting. This is why I enjoy your posts SO.

Unfortunately I think the subtlety and the extremism taken will probably ensure it flies well over the heads of most of its intended audience. Maybe you should just post something from YouTube instead.......

reply to post by SpreadLoveNotHate

Originally posted by SpreadLoveNotHate

Of course if suicide sounds absurd—which in my opinion it is—why not consider a healthy alternative? Enjoy life, enjoy your body, enjoy your ideas, memories and experiences. Hone them, embrace them, utilize them. When we destroy these, we also destroy ourselves. Put value on this world rather than the next. Trust yourself. There are real things here that need to be valued and respected. If you negate the physical, you also negate the spiritual. The only prison you’re stuck within is the prison you create for yourself in your thoughts. First, maybe, try to release yourself from that before doing anything too drastic.

reply to post by arpgme

 

I don't suppose you read the closing paragraph? The part where his apparent view on the situation does a 180?

Thank you. I thought he was reasoning that suicide sounded absurd but wasn't. I totally misread that closing paragraph.

reply to post by 1littlewolf


Aah littlewolf. I'm glad you got a kick out of it. I was being a little facetious, but all in good fun. Let's hope the intended audience takes it too seriously.

Originally posted by arpgme
reply to post by TheSubversiveOne

 

But going by that logic, spirit is "anti-truth" and even your message and "method" of achieve "spirituality" is also anti-truth.

Since you are hating all things since it is physical (or an idea imagined in physical), are you also hating yourself? Are you also hating your own spirit since this idea was imagined as in physical?

I think this is not a great message to be teaching people and "THIS" seems like a form of "anti-truth".

All that exist is "What is" (Whether it is physical or not) and to "HATE" that is to hate its creator (spirit) and is to hate reality.

May point exactly. I hope you can excuse and appreciate a little irony on such a touchy subject.

Originally posted by TheSubversiveOne

In order to become spirit, it’s best to start by breeding a contempt for everything physical.

In order to realize that you are spirit, that there is only spirit, one must understand the mentality.
You believe there is something outside of the present moment - and this is mind that leads you to believe this.
One does not need to negate the 'physical', one just needs to be present with what is present.
All else can be negated.

reply to post by TheSubversiveOne


The prison is not the 'physical'. The prison is the mind - it is the mental chains that cause the suffering that is the human condition.
When the mind is seen for what it is then there is boundless freedom.

reply to post by Itisnowagain
I'm glad you noticed the absurdities of yearning for the spirit world, the ascension, consciousness, the kingdom of God. I am merely pointing out the quickest way to get there.

Originally posted by TheSubversiveOne
reply to post by Itisnowagain

 

I'm glad you noticed the absurdities of yearning for the spirit world, the ascension, consciousness, the kingdom of God. I am merely pointing out the quickest way to get there.

Physical suicide will not work.
Life is everlasting and can feel like hell or heaven. Freedom must be found in life.

Originally posted by TheSubversiveOne
The very ideas of God, eternal truth, the Absolute, the divine etc. since they were first imagined and contemplated by living beings always in the context of their own bodies while existing within the physical realm, must be treated as suspect and likely just as contemptible as the physical beings who created them. Of course we will not include soul or spirit in this list merely because it wouldn’t suit our fancy.

You may have ideas about God, the absolute and eternal truth but that is because the mind is an idea making machine. But what made the idea making machine - where does it come from?
Where do ideas appear? And what are ideas made of? Ideas appear firstly as a thought - what is a thought made of? What sees and knows the thought (idea) that arises? And where does that thought/idea go after it is not present anymore?