Comments on: Enlightening Chinese proverbs and a question from a quote http://enlightenyourday.com/2009/01/30/enlightening-chinese-proverbs-and-a-question-from-a-quote/ Your Daily Cup of Enlightened Zen & Artistic Beauty Thu, 11 Mar 2010 01:26:53 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Robert Miller http://enlightenyourday.com/2009/01/30/enlightening-chinese-proverbs-and-a-question-from-a-quote/comment-page-1/#comment-1692 Robert Miller Tue, 17 Mar 2009 01:39:04 +0000 http://enlightenyourday.com/?p=623#comment-1692 I am enjoying your website and plan to return often. Loved the quotations you presented here. I think I may ask more questions than I have answers and I am content with that. I am enjoying your website and plan to return often. Loved the quotations you presented here. I think I may ask more questions than I have answers and I am content with that.

]]> By: chetsho http://enlightenyourday.com/2009/01/30/enlightening-chinese-proverbs-and-a-question-from-a-quote/comment-page-1/#comment-1262 chetsho Fri, 27 Feb 2009 05:10:05 +0000 http://enlightenyourday.com/?p=623#comment-1262 You have beautiful pages here. Thanks for the stumbles that u sent me. have good times You have beautiful pages here.
Thanks for the stumbles that u sent me.
have good times

]]> By: Lisa Erickson http://enlightenyourday.com/2009/01/30/enlightening-chinese-proverbs-and-a-question-from-a-quote/comment-page-1/#comment-925 Lisa Erickson Thu, 12 Feb 2009 05:03:56 +0000 http://enlightenyourday.com/?p=623#comment-925 The proverb cards are gorgeous...stumbled upon you (literally) while you were away and loved your blog, glad to see you are back...as for your question, I can't remember who said it, but there is some quote I like along the lines that someone finds their way to enlightenment/nirvana/God-realization, and then everyone else tries to mimic it, and then that becomes religion. In other words, for me, spirituality is the personal journey to liberation/understanding (or whatever word you want to use), and it can't be codified, but people try, and then you have religion. Within every religion there are therefore signposts and nuggets of value, but people get lost in trying to 'follow' the religion, instead of finding their way. Another way of thinking about it is that religion is done from the outside in, and spirituality from the inside out. The proverb cards are gorgeous…stumbled upon you (literally) while you were away and loved your blog, glad to see you are back…as for your question, I can’t remember who said it, but there is some quote I like along the lines that someone finds their way to enlightenment/nirvana/God-realization, and then everyone else tries to mimic it, and then that becomes religion. In other words, for me, spirituality is the personal journey to liberation/understanding (or whatever word you want to use), and it can’t be codified, but people try, and then you have religion. Within every religion there are therefore signposts and nuggets of value, but people get lost in trying to ‘follow’ the religion, instead of finding their way. Another way of thinking about it is that religion is done from the outside in, and spirituality from the inside out.

]]> By: Damien Riley http://enlightenyourday.com/2009/01/30/enlightening-chinese-proverbs-and-a-question-from-a-quote/comment-page-1/#comment-854 Damien Riley Sat, 07 Feb 2009 23:40:53 +0000 http://enlightenyourday.com/?p=623#comment-854 Interesting topics on religion and the journey etc. Another thought is that religion should be feeding the poor and taking care of elderly folks ... or something like that. We often glamorize or vilify the word when it's quite simple. Interesting topics on religion and the journey etc. Another thought is that religion should be feeding the poor and taking care of elderly folks … or something like that. We often glamorize or vilify the word when it’s quite simple.

]]> By: Jonathan http://enlightenyourday.com/2009/01/30/enlightening-chinese-proverbs-and-a-question-from-a-quote/comment-page-1/#comment-852 Jonathan Wed, 04 Feb 2009 07:28:32 +0000 http://enlightenyourday.com/?p=623#comment-852 Author, Thanks Mimi I appreciate you sharing that great Kahlil Gibran quote; I love his work. Your more then welcome to post here anytime. My Best to you too… Author,

Thanks Mimi

I appreciate you sharing that great Kahlil Gibran quote; I love his work. Your more then welcome to post here anytime. My Best to you too…

]]> By: Mimi http://enlightenyourday.com/2009/01/30/enlightening-chinese-proverbs-and-a-question-from-a-quote/comment-page-1/#comment-851 Mimi Wed, 04 Feb 2009 06:15:54 +0000 http://enlightenyourday.com/?p=623#comment-851 I love you when you bow in your mosque, kneel in your temple, pray in your church. For you and I are sons of one religion, and it is the spirit. -Kahlil Gibran That's what I was trying to say but then again, I am no Kahlil Gibran :-) Am I welcome to post here? I somehow feel like I'm intruding but I could be sleepy. My best to all! I love you when you bow in your mosque, kneel in your temple, pray in your church. For you and I are sons of one religion, and it is the spirit.
-Kahlil Gibran

That’s what I was trying to say but then again, I am no Kahlil Gibran :-)

Am I welcome to post here? I somehow feel like I’m intruding but I could be sleepy. My best to all!

]]> By: Ian http://enlightenyourday.com/2009/01/30/enlightening-chinese-proverbs-and-a-question-from-a-quote/comment-page-1/#comment-850 Ian Tue, 03 Feb 2009 21:23:29 +0000 http://enlightenyourday.com/?p=623#comment-850 Hi there, Jonathan. My post was mainly inspired by that famous saying "The finger that points at the moon is not the moon". All religions are fingers, pointing at the moon (the absolute truth / the infinite / God / whatever it is you are seeking). But it's the moon we are all interested in, not the fingers, but the experience of the moon can't be communicated directly, so we rely on the fingers to help us find it. A lot of "religious" people have taken the fingers too literally and ended up not very spiritual at all! I think the best thing I did was to start seeking out as many different perspectives as possible - kind of like triangulating a signal - so I could get a really good experience of the moon. My other thought was that consciousness is a process, so spirituality can't be a thing or a destination, it must also be a process - just like life is, in fact. A while ago, I realised I'd made a big mistake - I'd become at peace and appreciative of everything, and compassionate towards everyone, but then my body wasn't happy and I lost my drive (I didn't desire anything) and I got depressed! We are made to move, to do things, to create, to share, so it's important to persist with the journey, even if you feel like you have found everything you want. I ended up coming up with goals purely so I had a worthwhile journey to make, because I really do enjoy the journey - the goals are secondary. Thanks for reading. I'll be sure to browse more of your site when I get time. Ian Hi there, Jonathan.
My post was mainly inspired by that famous saying “The finger that points at the moon is not the moon”. All religions are fingers, pointing at the moon (the absolute truth / the infinite / God / whatever it is you are seeking). But it’s the moon we are all interested in, not the fingers, but the experience of the moon can’t be communicated directly, so we rely on the fingers to help us find it. A lot of “religious” people have taken the fingers too literally and ended up not very spiritual at all!

I think the best thing I did was to start seeking out as many different perspectives as possible – kind of like triangulating a signal – so I could get a really good experience of the moon.

My other thought was that consciousness is a process, so spirituality can’t be a thing or a destination, it must also be a process – just like life is, in fact. A while ago, I realised I’d made a big mistake – I’d become at peace and appreciative of everything, and compassionate towards everyone, but then my body wasn’t happy and I lost my drive (I didn’t desire anything) and I got depressed!

We are made to move, to do things, to create, to share, so it’s important to persist with the journey, even if you feel like you have found everything you want. I ended up coming up with goals purely so I had a worthwhile journey to make, because I really do enjoy the journey – the goals are secondary.
Thanks for reading. I’ll be sure to browse more of your site when I get time.
Ian

]]> By: Jonathan http://enlightenyourday.com/2009/01/30/enlightening-chinese-proverbs-and-a-question-from-a-quote/comment-page-1/#comment-849 Jonathan Tue, 03 Feb 2009 17:19:04 +0000 http://enlightenyourday.com/?p=623#comment-849 Author, Thanks Ian, for that great little contribution to my post, I appreciate your insightful answer. Initially, I wasn’t sure if there could be a simple answer to my question regarding spirituality and religion. But you seemed to sum it up so easily and accurately; I am thankful for your response. Hope you will stop by again and find something to share… Pura Vida Jonathan Author,

Thanks Ian, for that great little contribution to my post, I appreciate your insightful answer. Initially, I wasn’t sure if there could be a simple answer to my question regarding spirituality and religion. But you seemed to sum it up so easily and accurately; I am thankful for your response. Hope you will stop by again and find something to share…
Pura Vida
Jonathan

]]> By: Ian http://enlightenyourday.com/2009/01/30/enlightening-chinese-proverbs-and-a-question-from-a-quote/comment-page-1/#comment-847 Ian Tue, 03 Feb 2009 11:03:21 +0000 http://enlightenyourday.com/?p=623#comment-847 Spirituality is the journey. All religions are just sign posts. The trouble with religion is that if you only focus on the sign posts, you miss out on experiencing the journey. The good thing about spirituality is that you can pick your own path for your journey and don't necessarily need any sign posts. Spirituality is the journey. All religions are just sign posts. The trouble with religion is that if you only focus on the sign posts, you miss out on experiencing the journey. The good thing about spirituality is that you can pick your own path for your journey and don’t necessarily need any sign posts.

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