You discard your garbage into containers and place it out on the curb where it conveniently gets hauled away by the garbage man. Where does it go? What happens to your garbage after it leaves your curb?
Ha! Who gives a rat's ass!
What matters is that you no longer need be aware of it.
It’s not your responsibility any more and you can go about your life pursuing all your big plans for glorified self-fulfillment. Besides, you pay good money to have all that garbage hauled away, why should you have to worry about where it goes or what happens to it?
For many folks “spirituality” serves just such a purpose.
When you embark on your “spiritual journey” all the world’s refuse is conveniently hauled away and you need no longer be aware of it. War, starvation, poverty, economic collapse, unemployment, homelessness, child abuse, murder, disenfranchised groups, AIDS, injustices in the world, etc, etc, no longer need disturb you because “spirituality” has hauled it all away.
Now it’s no longer an obstacle on your “path” and you can simply focus on your pursuit of enlightenment, nirvana, bliss, awakening, realization, revelation, rapture, non-duality, God-consciousness blah, blah, blah, blah.
Hey! It’s okay if people suffer, because suffering is part of life, just another object of consciousness, the oneness of everything, karma, cycle of births and deaths, blah, blah, blah, blah.
As a devoted “spiritual seeker" you know that God doesn’t want you to sweat the small stuff, because it’s His job to haul it all away (remove it from your consciousness) so that you can focus on receiving what you’ve asked for.
So, just hunker down for a brief spell of meditative bliss and let the garbage man worry about the garbage.
For cryin’ out loud! You’ve got more important stuff to take care of and that’s the point of your “spirituality.” It’s not your problem any more, now that you’re “spiritual.”
But always remember, slip up just a little, or fail to vigilantly follow your “spiritual path,” and all that garbage will quickly make it’s way back into awareness and then you’ll be forced to engage with it because, in reality…
…the garbage man is YOU.
So stick out your can, here come the Garbage Man!
More of the same song and dance routines from:
mikeS
Image by Fred Einaudi - "Patriot"
The suffering-type garbage...that has been a big part of "my" story. And the funny thing is, it turned out not to be garbage at all. It was, for lack of a better way of putting it, a rare privilege. What is called a "spiritual path" is just some people's way of trying to relieve their own suffering. If their own suffering seems less, and they're not in the way of themselves anymore, it's amazing what efficient actions to relieve the suffering of others can unfold. The care and concern, perhaps, can come about naturally from there being less fear. What seems a selfish journey turns out to be one that enables selflessness. Just maybe! Or so it has seemed, with "me".
ReplyDeleteLove your posts Mike!
Hello again Michael!
ReplyDeleteProbably shouldn't call you that without asking, sounds like it could be a mother/grandmother thing...so let me try again.
Good afternoon Mike,
As you know, your recent posts have all struck me as more than humurous. Today no exception. It seems as you have met my fellow classmates as they learned the significance and various uses of the trash disposal business. I used to call it the out of sight out of mind theory being their specialty.
Furthermore, you providing visuals without any pictures seems to be a budding talent. Speaking of talent, how good are you at the other kind of song and dance?
Finally, I too, like your other readers, find spending time with you and your posts very fruitful. Walking away with just a big silly grin, despite the state of the world, isn't all bad, is it?
'til next time,
Barbara
No One,
ReplyDelete"If their own suffering seems less, and they're not in the way of themselves anymore, it's amazing what efficient actions to relieve the suffering of others can unfold."
Hmmm...but if you see suffering in them, how can it not also be yours? How can there be levels and degrees of suffering? (a little less, a little more. Could it be that all our attempts to relieve suffering merely reinforces its continuing to appear? (or "arise" as you like to say)
"The care and concern, perhaps, can come about naturally from there being less fear."
Yes, that does seem the case.
mikeS
Barbara,
ReplyDeleteActually, my wife has been known to employ the "Michael" when in distress (usually my fault, I must admit)
"Speaking of talent, how good are you at the other kind of song and dance?"
Unfortunately no "song" (too many complaints) however, I can slice up the floor quite well, thanks.
Glad you're grinning, since that's the purpose of this site.
Always great to hear from you!
mikeS
I don't know how there can seem to be levels and degrees of suffering, but that certainly seems to be the case. There comes up an urge to comfort or care, and comfort and care is attempted. Just another little snippet of the dance of life. It is and isn't "my" suffering. Suffering is seen. Also, joy. And humour!
ReplyDelete"It is and isn't "my" suffering. Suffering is seen."
ReplyDeleteAhh... but it is ALL "yours" if "you" see it.
Who else would it belong to? Take ownership.
But I can understand your not wanting it.
Behind the choice to deny choice, there is another choice made, but denied. This is because "First Cause" was a choice you made, but denied.
You are the Prime Mover and all delusion is "yours," and everything is "you" and there ain't no "isn't" in that equation.
This is often referred to as "Oneness."
mikeS