Hello Francis,
Would it be fair to say that spirituality can become a trap. In that we can spend a great deal of our lives cooped up and trying to ‘get it’. The contrast of the spiritual path seems to be the ‘worldly’ person. Someone with a DESIRE to go out and make something. That desire to create and do seems to be completely in tune with sexual desire as well. It seems like when I’m looking for God I’m deader than I am if I WANT something. When I want something, when I’m doing something I’m so much more alive, I feel so much more energy. I was reading some Rumi poems just a moment ago, and felt very inspired by them, and it almost seems like the opposite approach of what I thought religion is. It’s like, we can find the source through doing, through not restraining any desire. Weather it’s to make love, or paint, or eat a really delicious pastry. I was listening to an interview with Madonna (the pop star) and she said at some point that sometimes when she’s on stage she has really bizarre experiences. Like being out of her body and so forth. Could you comment?
Dear Nicholas,
It would be equally fair to say that activity can become a trap in that we can spend a great deal of our lives desperately trying to get happiness were it cannot be found: in objects, relationships, fame, money, etc. The wanting makes us feel alive because it feeds on our very life and turns it into misery the moment we believe that our happiness depends on the fulfillment of this desire. There is no problem with trying to fulfill a desire as long as we enjoy the trying. If the trying becomes a chore, stop it. Stick to happiness instead of projects.
By the way, I very much recommend Rumi. Other than that, I have no comments to add.
Warmest regards,
Francis
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