The Inauthentic Spirituality of the Alternative Scene

[Reaver]

A fatalist rant, I almost cut my veins when I finished the product:

Spirituality and Authenticity go together. The idea of spirituality is also related to the idea of being authentic, to find and create expressions which ultimately are used to refine the Human Totality.

You have to understand that the ideas of Spirituality and Authenticity have been severely prostituted through the ages and the Alternative Media has also done a good job to give its Frankensteined versions to pacify people with ideas of Peace & Love.

Religions have sold Spirituality as something which requires submission of some kind. Islam, Judaism and Christianity require people to surrender to an idea which is supposed to be bigger than themselves and this idea has various methods to keep people in check, something like taking advantage of people's fear of death and promising a place of eternal damnation for their eternal and sinful soul.

Religions which revolve around Karma require another kind of submission to some unknowable destiny, a compound interest on your soul so that you don't question why your life is so miserable and why there's so much insanity in the world... these religions would have you believe that it's all because you were a bad boy/girl in some ancient past life that you don't even remember... meanwhile the priest class will feast at your miserable expense. So this is far from being Spiritual, it is closer to Psychopathy, Neurosis and what have you. This insanity couldn't possibly offer any venues for Authenticity.

Modern times do a good of job when it comes to corrupting an idea like Authenticity. You've got all sorts of masks to decorate your miserable life. Cultural programming has a key role to play in all of this because in some distant past there were people who launched revolutions, offered political reforms and died for you (even though you didn't even lived back then).... so this can only mean that you are free... free to choose one of the many carbon copies so that you can become "it".

Perhaps you can be a big CEO... you'll get your stars on your forehead in school, you'll get your cute degree and your mighty PhD, you'll work in the Corporation and rise to the top... in the end it turns out you are a pedophile and an emotionally unstable person who has too much money and very few brain cells since you also happen to be a coke abuser. This can only be a Simulacra of Authenticity to keep you pacified while you dream about becoming the big noise and the biggest PIMP in town.

Ah, aren't we Aware folks conscious of all this? now comes the harsh truth that few within the Alternative Media are willing to accept. The fact that the Alternative Media is a three ring circus for the most part. This is a medium which provides a permutation of the old Simulacra you see taking place within society day in and day out.

A place where people can get together to repudiate their mind, be afraid of Judgement and take all kinds of pretty labels to avoid facing the Truth. Who is willing to come face to face with the fact that this world is going down the drain, that maybe one of these days the Leviathan is gonna kick the door down and rape their children... that's just too painful to face.

So what we'll do is to create brand new versions of corrupted Spirituality and Authenticity. We have terms like Indigo, Star seed, Star child, Multidimensional, Light bodies, Divine. But everyone seems to be scared ****less of just being a mere human being who has to put effort, sweat, blood and tears to achieve perfection (if that's even possible). Who wants to stare at the abyss only to realize that they have been seriously dissociated since day one? who wants to stare at a mirror to see their own weakness reflected?

Some even like to use the term "The Powers That Were" so that the monster may go away. The next day you'll look outside the window to see a mother screaming because her only child was blown up into tiny pieces by the Artillery Shells which were commissioned by "The Powers That Were" and she asks to the heavens "Why, why, why, why". You'll walk down the street repeating cute phrases like "We are multidimensional beings" "We are already perfect" "The Powers That Were" and all of a sudden you stare at a bloody gang fight were dozens are killed in cold blood.

You keep deluding yourself with your cute phrases. You want to prove to yourself that "All is Well" "All is as it should be" so you find a person to tell her/him everything about The Powers That Were and everything about their Multidimensional nature, your cute hopes get crushed when you realize this person couldn't care less and thinks you are nuts.... ah, but everything is as it should be, you tell yourself that "All is Well".

The night comes down and the nasty images comes rushing to your mind, somehow you know you should accept that the Elite still have a pretty strong grip on people's destiny and that most people just want to make it in the big leagues... you don't want to accept the Truth which shows you that there are very few people who give a **** and who have little to no cohesion... this realization is too painful so you'll wake up, repeat your delusional mantras and maybe you'll just have a nice and polite exchange on a virtual forum where no one strives to better themselves... because the pain is so great that you and your "Awake and Aware" peers have degraded Truth into another recreational activity.

You are scared of writing what you really feel and think so like an ostrich you'll bury your head in your ass and hide behind civility... you are so afraid of having to walk steep roads that you won't bother to study the works of people who had great ideas, you won't bother to challenge yourself and so you'll let someone else do it for you... you prefer your stupid camaraderie, you prefer to deny Judgement because that's bad according to your favourite alternative celebrities, you prefer your fake smiles and your pretty thoughts of compassion.

How can anyone who denies the harsh and ugly reality within themselves and out there call themselves authentic and spiritual? how can anyone who is afraid of becoming more be called authentic? I call these types delusional.

Of course some nebulous, painless and fluffy kind of spirituality is more popular with some people. To attempt the Hero's Journey (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monomyth) towards Authenticity is too much to ask. We want unicorns to ride, not dragons to face.

We only want our hugs and our smile and our fluffy compassion... we want ascension, we want benevolent aliens, we want a massive change in consciousness.... but please dear "Source" don't allow us to stand alone in the cold cave of the world, don't give us sleepless nights where the awareness of a world that is and the awareness of that world that should've been clash within our fragile minds.

Dear "Source" give us our Placebo so that we can numb our pain and become Inauthentic expressions of ourselves, the pain is too much to bare, please give us our spiritual terms and send your legions of friendly ETs to make this nightmare stop.

But what if we are alone in this sector of the Universe, the Source has forgotten about its children and there's no alien army nor a cosmic wave that will save the day,? can we face the possibility that we are alone in a Dark Abyss and that it's up to us and only us to get ourselves out of this mess? can we face the possibility that we are far from being divine and that we are a bunch of broken humans who have to sweat and bleed to achieve divinity?

[Fred Steeves]

Reaver, the day is coming when the Truth you know in your heart will rise to match that of your "beautiful mind", to steal a movie phrase. When that happens, you will truly be a force in this world to be reckoned with.

I'm glad to know you, even though we are often at odds.(LOL)

Cheers Mate,
Fred

[Cartomancer]

Well said and well written. Hang in there. Knowing what is going on is a large part of the solution.

[Gardener]

Nothing fatalist about that rant Reaver, in fact it is a very acute truth which everyone (you and me included) needs to look at with some deep introspection every single day of our lives if we are to even begin to root out the insidious lies we tell ourselves.
I like this story of Reprobus..........it reminds me where the hero's journey begins, with a lot of good intentions.
http://www.thehighcalling.org/attitu...nt-christopher

[Chester]

Posted by Gardener (here)
Nothing fatalist about that rant Reaver, in fact it is a very acute truth which everyone (you and me included) needs to look at with some deep introspection every single day of our lives if we are to even begin to root out the insidious lies we tell ourselves.
I like this story of Reprobus..........it reminds me where the hero's journey begins, with a lot of good intentions.
http://www.thehighcalling.org/attitu...nt-christopher

Quite interesting as I recently discovered that (for me) the foundation of all my intentions depends entirely upon my attitude. Cheers, Chester

[Hervé]

Fatalist... nop!

Realist... yep!

By their fruit... where are the fruits of 1000s of years of prayers, positive thinking and love and light fluffs?

Then, one only needs to look around to notice the fruits of those same 1000s of years of organized programming, the planned warss, the yearly increase of missing children, etc...

[markpierre]

If you can remove the idea of 'spiritual' from everything you've illustrated, then put it back and include absolutely everything without exception,
you might have an easier time with what you still regard as inauthentic.
It is all authentic. Every fraud and ridiculous pandering to outside forces. It authentically reflects your own predisposition to judgement.

"Enter the narrow gate, for the gate is wide and the road is spacious which leads to destruction, and many are those who are going in it.
How narrow is the gate and strict the way that leads to life, and few are those who find it!" Whether that's Matthew associated with Christianity is irrelevant.
It's solid advice.

No one wants to hear that. But the easiest way to deny it is to pretend to embrace it. Form armies to protect that pretense. Hence 'religion', and then hence 'spiritual' identity.
No one is fooled when they stumble across the need in themselves to be honest, and then brutally honest. It's a change so unprecedented and startling in the individual
that it changes everything. The world from a place to hide and seek safety in the status quot, into a place that rejects everything about the awakening mind.

The 'few' is you, but probably not until you've seemingly incidentally found yourself on the razors edge. You discovered it, you didn't create it.
So use the blessing of coming to recognize what life 'isn't', and allow that discovery in everyone else. In their time, in their own way. You can spend a lot of fruitless attention and worry
on what has to change in it's own timing and in it's own way. Attention better spent balancing on that razor. Your world will always reflect exactly what you need to see, and what you have yet to take responsibility for. The responsibility is in acceptance without judgement.

That's a good thing isn't it? Who is it that's waking up? It's you. Just you.

[modwiz]

Yum yum, a delicious meal from your mind, Reaver. . I am always comforted hearing the voice of someone who "gets it". A few more and we could fill a Volkswagen. Although authenticity needs no second opinion, it does not mind some company.

The generosity and compassion of your post will likely go largely unrecognized. 9eagle9 demonstrated how welcome the truth is. Her problem is she stayed with someone and tried to talk them through their stuckness, even smacking them when they got hysterical. Only in the movies does smacking an hysteric bring them back to reason. In real life they just get indignant and call you mean. Maybe even call the police.

Most think compassion is treacly goo and ego massages and therefore end up staying stuck. The evidence is in the world we find ourselves in. A handful of psychopaths almost retarded from inbreeding running the world, because people have had bad relationships with (insert whoever), and need their hand held through a lifetime of therapy.

Thanks again, Reaver. One of the most refreshing posts I have read in some time.

[lookbeyond]

Hey Reaver, i hav days like this too, but to survive we all spend a bit of time in denial in our reality to pay the bills, at least ur awake and realise that we do hav to do the "work" ourselves, yet as you may discover thru a lifetime of experience (possibly yet to come) there is more than meets the eye to this world...

Kind Reguards lookbeyond

[Chester]

When a human being is dealing with any other one or more human beings, you have beings interacting which in almost all cases are only aware of 5% or so of the makeup of their minds. To phrase it another way, most human beings exists solely within their conscious mind and give no value to the other 19/20ths of the rest of their mind component. No wonder they appear inauthentic and/or act inauthentic. How can one "authentically" be what one does not even know? So I see most of us actually quite inauthentic (I place my former self at the top of this list / I place my current self making measurable strides).

Thus for me, authentic beings have been able to undo their "petty" egos (the ego shell around their conscious mind) such that they are able to integrate and then get to know the vast untapped resource of the rest of their soul. This is when a "healthy ego" begins to emerge (a rare sight to see on our lovely planet IMO).

An authentic being (to me) is one who strives to get to the root of themselves. Note that none of this has anything to do with morals or intentions. Those "things" - morals and intentions come from choices. A person can better know themselves and still choose to attempt to become archon of the multiverses. It just gives them a better shot at achieving their goal if they are honest with themselves, allow themselves to accurately look themselves in the mirror, deconstruct what they think they see and then allow the foundation that is left to become a consciously connected being. This does not mean that they will give a **** about anyone else.

Anyways, when this is done, the Spirit Being has achieved unity. They have become a realized quantum being. Their future now rests solely (again) in their hands. I am sure the top echelon of the illumed and nutty are for the most part realized quantum beings.

Now for some speculation - There is likely a balanced component of solo practitioners that are quite realized quantum beings who are not aligned with the perceived goals of the "illuminati" but note the word solo. At the deepest levels of the psyche, something suggests to me it may all balance out down to one very last teensee tinesee decision that is constantly being made over and over - "Is my self hatred going to ultimately consume me or am I going to cry uncle and choose to live in positive relationship with the rest of myself?"

Now, being a handicapper by trade, the odds of extending the time span (or the experiential "time span" some might see as "extension") increases in proportion to the degree we choose to seek ways to live with each other as opposed to resting in the obsession to destroy each other... but what do I know anyways?

At least I suggested taking the 7.5 points last night in the Seattle / SF NFL contest (the game landed on 7). Sometimes even the clueless can guess a coin flip right, hey?

justone

[greybeard]

Yogananda said " The darkness comes from the same place as the light"

As long as we are in duality there will be choices between basically fear and love.
Without pain, violence, greed, hate etc there would be no need to bring out the higher aspects of our human nature.
Out of negative acts are born forgiveness, compassion etc.
The reason we still have evil is that it was fought with the same vibration that caused it---hate of war and hate of everything judged to be not good.
I would not be seen at an anti war rally but I might be seen at a peace rally said Mother Teresa.
Seems a slight difference in linguistics but the end result is quite different.

Chris

[Dorjezigzag]

can we face the possibility that we are alone in a Dark Abyss and that it's up to us and only us to get ourselves out of this mess?

Great post Reaver you cut through the illusions and got some where near to the essence of the problem, I can feel the will resounding from your words.

Your post reminded me of this scene from the the film bridesmaids, OK this is hollywood emotional manipulation but the sentiment has some truth; perhaps her chosen career path would not be popular with Avalonians though!

best line
"you're your problem Annie, and you are also your solution!"

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=lUbWIlgo4MU

[Carmody]

A few more and we could fill a Volkswagen.

Stop it. You're killing me.

~~~~~

We need both kinds. Country AND Western.

[GloriousPoetry]

All is imagination, when we have woken up from the nightmare we have created in this world we can begin to imagine and create another kind of world.

By imagination I am talking about the spiritual body that becomes awakened when the inner highways of your being have been recognized and they spill out into this world through the eyes of imagination.

Save a place for when you manifest your creative act no one can tell you it was based on fact but rather it came from penetrating the fact to arrive where your place was first at through your own special knack.

[Reaver]

Posted by Gloriouspoetry
All is imagination, when we have woken up from the nightmare we have created in this world we can begin to imagine and create another kind of world.

This is the kind of thing I'm writing against. A mindset where humans would like to believe that all is just some sick cosmic joke. A band-aid to avoid facing the monsters which are devouring the world.

See many of the people on the alternative media use the term: "this is just an illusion" is such a vague way that I can tell they don't understand what they are talking about, they just happen to watch and read many encouraging works which constantly remind the audience how this is all just a product of their [insert adjective] mind. If I'd ask many of these people to try and write a treatise on the idea that this realm of matter in an illusion or on Imagination for that matter, they'd come up short.

The fact of the matter is some people reduce the world of matter to a "mere illusion" where nothing is real as an escape mechanism. But, that really doesn't reflect reality to any sensible degree. When you contemplate the idea, you'll find that is has nothing to do with the realm of matter being a phantasm and what goes on within it is just some illusion. I mean these same people who vehemently claim the world of matter to be a mere illusion will cry like little girls whenever their arm is broken.

Understand that what has happened is that humans have gone through a seriously ****ed up process of dissociation and the result is an insane behavior and insane perceptions of the surrounding world and of themselves. Maya then becomes the resulting veil of ignorance and the fragmentation of human consciousness... but is DOES NOT mean that the world of matter is just some cosmic joke which will be fixed with beautiful thoughts.

Surely Imagination is a key factor, anyone can imagine beautiful societies... but it's a completely different matter altogether to bring these kind of societies about. Friction will take place because very few people are willing to cope with the painful process of Individuation.

Now is it that the world of matter is a mere illusion? or is it the we have a narrow understanding of it and the underlying factors which give birth to matter? or is it that the pain of existing in such a messed up place invites us to rationalize our problems and we delude ourselves by repeating: this is just an illusion, intent is gonna fix it all... well the hippies certainly had a lot of positive intent and that didn't sop the madness.

The current state of the world can be seen as a metaphorical nightmare. That doesn't mean that insanity is just a made up concept because when you look at it, it has a very long reach. By just imagining a better future, you won't bring about a better world. Such imagination has to be accompanied by a deconstructive process which will plunge you into the dark abyss. So the Maya can hopefully be broken by Knowledge (and no Knowledge is not just some mechanistic and boring BS, it can be very beautiful and creative), Hard Work and Dedication.

The Placebos coming out of the human mind didn't help before, so why should they prove effective now?

[Beren]

This post of yours has balls. I don`t know will I be censured or not but it`s the truth.
Why do you think all abandoned Jesus?
All that he fed, cured and freed from demons and else?

When he asked his disciples will even they would leave them- Peter replied that they don`t have a place where they could go (implying they would probably leave...)...

Simple as this: Be the truth. Always. It may be harsh for you. You may be beaten,killed,hungry...
But if you stay your ground-you change the world by small start. Later on seed will grow and become huge plant.

Whatever you do-do it from the heart and your soul.
And stand your ground!

Be not afraid.

[DeDukshyn]

Posted by Reaver (here)

Posted by Gloriouspoetry
All is imagination, when we have woken up from the nightmare we have created in this world we can begin to imagine and create another kind of world.

This is the kind of thing I'm writing against. A mindset where humans would like to believe that all is just some sick cosmic joke. A band-aid to avoid facing the monsters which are devouring the world.

See many of the people on the alternative media use the term: "this is just an illusion" is such a vague way that I can tell they don't understand what they are talking about, they just happen to watch and read many encouraging works which constantly remind the audience how this is all just a product of their [insert adjective] mind. If I'd ask many of these people to try and write a treatise on the idea that this realm of matter in an illusion or on Imagination for that matter, they'd come up short.

The fact of the matter is some people reduce the world of matter to a "mere illusion" where nothing is real as an escape mechanism. But, that really doesn't reflect reality to any sensible degree. When you contemplate the idea, you'll find that is has nothing to do with the realm of matter being a phantasm and what goes on within it is just some illusion. I mean these same people who vehemently claim the world of matter to be a mere illusion will cry like little girls whenever their arm is broken.

Understand that what has happened is that humans have gone through a seriously ****ed up process of dissociation and the result is an insane behavior and insane perceptions of the surrounding world and of themselves. Maya then becomes the resulting veil of ignorance and the fragmentation of human consciousness... but is DOES NOT mean that the world of matter is just some cosmic joke which will be fixed with beautiful thoughts.

Surely Imagination is a key factor, anyone can imagine beautiful societies... but it's a completely different matter altogether to bring these kind of societies about. Friction will take place because very few people are willing to cope with the painful process of Individuation.

DISCLAIMER: I POSTED THIS BEFORE I EVEN FINISHED THE PRODUCT BY ACCIDENT, SO THIS IS STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS

Now is it that the world of matter is a mere illusion? or is it the we have a narrow understanding of it and the underlying factors which give birth to matter? or is it that the pain of existing in such a messed up place invites us to rationalize our problems and we delude ourselves by repeating: this is just an illusion, intent is gonna fix it all... well the hippies certainly had a lot of positive intent and that didn't sop the madness.

The current state of the world can be seen as a metaphorical nightmare. That doesn't mean that insanity is just a made up concept because when you look at it, it has a very long reach. By just imagining a better future, you won't bring about a better world. Such imagination has to be accompanied by a deconstructive process which will plunge you into the dark abyss. So the Maya can hopefully be broken by Knowledge (and no Knowledge is not just some mechanistic and boring BS, it can be very beautiful and creative), Hard Work and Dedication.

The Placebos coming out of the human mind didn't help before, so why should they prove effective now?

One also has to consider that although it seems appropriate to remove all "imagination" from "real", the two are actually completely bound to each other -- and not by spirit / magic / witchcraft or sorcery, but by simple logic of the progression of the creation of "reality".

Take a look at you computer you are reading this on. It came 100% from imagination -- the software, the language the software was written in , all the technology, behind it -- all HAD to be imagined before it could be real. Look at your house -- It was imagined long before it manifested in "reality". look at our effed up global economy -- both the economy, its successes and its failures, existed in someones imagination before it was "real"

Think of all our science that we base our reality around - without each scientific consideration being spurred by an imagination, we'd still be banging rocks together. All our media, all our laws, all our culture and religions -- all would be nowhere without the input of imagination to bring forth it's manifestation. Nothing manifests without first being imagined.

One might say, "This tree! This tree was not imagined before it was manifested!" -- I would say the absence of evidence is no case the evidence of absence, prove there is no Being behind creation.

Our "Imagination" and our "reality" are not seperable in iny manner. Our reality does not exist as it does without imagination.


I am not arguing the tone of your original post, just that there is always more than one way of seeing things -- and often, all will be "right" from the person who has the perspective that they are seeing it from.

So in this sense I agree with both yourself, and the person you responded to, each from you own perspective. There is no common reality until humanity becomes a common (single) being.

My 2 cents

[DeDukshyn]

Posted by greybeard (here)
Yogananda said " The darkness comes from the same place as the light"

As long as we are in duality there will be choices between basically fear and love.
Without pain, violence, greed, hate etc there would be no need to bring out the higher aspects of our human nature.
Out of negative acts are born forgiveness, compassion etc.
The reason we still have evil is that it was fought with the same vibration that caused it---hate of war and hate of everything judged to be not good.
I would not be seen at an anti war rally but I might be seen at a peace rally said Mother Teresa.
Seems a slight difference in linguistics but the end result is quite different.

Chris

There currently is only a very tiny shift required to change the world. The example you gave shows how subtle this shift need be.

If I ask for confirmation in my understanding, before responding, this shift is lent to. If I can use empathy to try to see the main point of where someone is coming from before telling them they are wrong, I have lent to this shift.

If I choose to percieve the growing expressions of love istead of the growing expression of fear (both are growing the same), then my subsequent choices and decision will be in reference to that love instead of that fear and I will automatically have a propensity to make decisions that will further that expression, rather than the expression of fear.

If I choose not to see things as representative of the labels they have been given, but rather choose not to see the labels and only respond as such, I have lent to this shift towards a better planet.

If I choose to not react or make selections from my emotions, I can no longer be manipulated through fear and I have lent to this shift.

If I choose not expess in any way, that which I hate or fear, I have done my part in not progpogating that hate or fear. No problems can be effectively solved with hate or fear. We have been programmed that this is the only way to get things done .. in reality, and my life is a huge testament and I'm sure many others as well, that moving forward through problems with love and empathy as in the long run, multitudes better than using hatred or fear.

Got bit carried away .. My 2 cents.

[Reaver]

Posted by DeDukshyn
One also has to consider that although it seems appropriate to remove all "imagination" from "real", the two are actually completely bound to each other -- and not by spirit / magic / witchcraft or sorcery, but by simple logic of the progression of the creation of "reality".

Did I ever imply that Imagination has no impact on the "real"? The point I'm trying to make is that some people use imagination as a means of escapism from the harsh reality we currently live in. Imagination is ONE of the key factors that will help us to get out of this mess (if ever) when channeled properly and when it is combined with other elements as to increase its effectiveness and practicality.

See it is one thing to imagine a system and then proceed to make comparisons with previous or existing systems. Then you'd have to go through a process of trial an error, make constant adjustments, you would have to use Reason to a degree... maybe you'd need to destroy it and begin anew, you'll come across obstacles like the current system and its monsters... but it's a disturbing matter when people think that all you need to change the world is the vision of a better world. The former is intelligent even if it crashes and burns because it seeks to refine itself by using a plethora of tools, the latter is delusional because it only pursues the feel good effect and rests on irrational faith.

Posted by DeDukshyn
There currently is only a very tiny shift required to change the world. The example you gave shows how subtle this shift need be.

What is the thought process you follow/implement to reach this conclusion? How can a "very tiny shift" revolutionize human awareness? what is this "subtle" change all about? is it meditation? is it reason? is it hope?

[Chris Gilbert]

Great points Reaver!!

If one actually researches and pursues older spiritual traditions, rather than New Age or channeling-based interpretations of such, it becomes readily apparent that trying to mentally force oneself to be positive 24/7 is NOT authentic growth, it's pure mental gymnastics.

In my own experience, growing in awareness via Taoist mediation practices and other avenues actually causes me to become MORE sensitive to the negative aspects of this world, but awareness of the non-linear helps to alleviate the suffering born of feeling trapped in a short-term, linear sense. As a result, physical and emotional pain can actually be worse than before, but at the same time one 'suffers' less.

Rather than resting in negative or positive thoughts, a better test would be if one can be conscious of both at once without getting attached to either.