Enough

[East Coast Hustle]

welcome abroad.

[LMNO]

So, superstition is a habit, while spirituality is closer to an emotion?

I agree with Felix; this is a good distinction.

I tend toward the trite sometimes, so I might fall into that here. My general stance, though, is that spirituality tends to be more personal/independent. Superstition is something provided by external stimuli. Spirituality is something arrived at through the individual, and therefore should theoretically be more adaptable, if you will (which is why I like comparing it to an emotion--it isn't fixed/concrete). Superstition is something fed in by outside sources accepted at face value without personalization, which makes it far more concrete and habit-like. I also tend to separate spirituality from religion (an experience can be spiritual without having to have anything to do with religion, although I might raise my eyebrows at someone who described it as such). Superstition tends to be more tied in to religion or other group mentality institutions.

I dislike the term "spirituality," though, because of over-use of it by neo-pagan-wiccan-thingies who want me to open myself to my inner eye and fondle crystals, etc.

P.S. - Hi. I am newbsauce. Long lurker, new poster. Eviscerate at will, etc.

Interesting point, but it doesn't explain supersitions like a "lucky bowling shirt", or some other personal posession that takes on supernatural significance, but only to the individual.

[Darth Cupcake]

So, superstition is a habit, while spirituality is closer to an emotion?

I agree with Felix; this is a good distinction.

I tend toward the trite sometimes, so I might fall into that here. My general stance, though, is that spirituality tends to be more personal/independent. Superstition is something provided by external stimuli. Spirituality is something arrived at through the individual, and therefore should theoretically be more adaptable, if you will (which is why I like comparing it to an emotion--it isn't fixed/concrete). Superstition is something fed in by outside sources accepted at face value without personalization, which makes it far more concrete and habit-like. I also tend to separate spirituality from religion (an experience can be spiritual without having to have anything to do with religion, although I might raise my eyebrows at someone who described it as such). Superstition tends to be more tied in to religion or other group mentality institutions.

I dislike the term "spirituality," though, because of over-use of it by neo-pagan-wiccan-thingies who want me to open myself to my inner eye and fondle crystals, etc.

P.S. - Hi. I am newbsauce. Long lurker, new poster. Eviscerate at will, etc.

Interesting point, but it doesn't explain supersitions like a "lucky bowling shirt", or some other personal posession that takes on supernatural significance, but only to the individual.

Well crap. Nice job knocking the bottom out of my theory! 

Your point is very valid. I have no answer, but I'll definitely think on it. My first inclination, in not wanting to immediately contradict myself, is to say that something like that could in theory be qualified as spirituality because it isn't the group mentality sort of thing; it's individual. I mean, I think it's sort of dumb, but I don't necessarily think all spirituality is non-dumb, either. On the other hand, that is so flagrantly a superstition-category situation. I don't know.

Hmm. I am going to reconsider this. Good call.

[LMNO]

Go ahead and contradict.  We don't care.



Sorry to knock your theory.  I think it has potential.  Keep at it.

[Jasper]

I'd like to develop the compare/contrast with a focus on spirituality-  There's definitely a certain emotion attached to feelings of divinity or reverence, and that checks out with me as human and healthy.   Those that attach those feelings to arbitrations or stories they've heard are the ones I have a problem with.

[Random Probability]

I'd like to develop the compare/contrast with a focus on spirituality-  There's definitely a certain emotion attached to feelings of divinity or reverence, and that checks out with me as human and healthy.   Those that attach those feelings to arbitrations or stories they've heard are the ones I have a problem with.

Brain studies have figured out that those "divine" emotions are just electrochemical brain states.  Nothing special about them, other than they feel good/wierd/whatever.  I expect that there is an endorphin release involved, the body's best positive reinforcement tool.  It is exactly like mental masturbation.

People are free to jack off with their thoughts all they want.  Doesn't bother me.  It's when they get all mystical/magical that I start looking around for a bludgeon.

Superstitions are a part of that whole "mystical magcial wowzorz" bullshit.  It is the unreasoning response to fear.  Some people think that they can magically control reality by doing certain things that accidentally might even be related to whatever it is they are trying to control.  It is shamanism at its very best.

True spirituality (please refer to BMW's posted definition) has more to do with self actualization.  It seems to be a  process by which an individual comes to realize exactly who they are and where they are in the world around them.  This is often encapsulated in various spiritual memes such as "dying to one's self" in Buddhism.  Christians have co-opted the concept as apothenien kerdos or some such.  Same shit.  The goal is to realize one's place within the greater scheme of things.

I call bullshit, though.  Refer back to where I talked about "divine" realizations being mental masturbation.  Consider: if you dissociate yourself from your own sense of identity you put yourself back into the state of being an infant.  For a brief moment you experience a rush of euphoria as the world around you fills the cognitive void, then you're pineal gland ejaculates.  Congrats.  You just jacked off your brain stem.

"Mother is the name of god on the lips and in the hearts of all children."
-The Crow (or some shit)

[Shit]

Spirituality seems to be either an emotion (in good spirits), drunkenness, the world of the dead, and/or the Void (as the antithesis of matter).  Spirituality is usually dressed up to seem real shiny and pleasant, just like magic or religion sometimes is, but there's also something wicked about it too.   To me, spirituality is paradox.  Then again, paradox isn't.

[B_M_W]

I'd like to develop the compare/contrast with a focus on spirituality-  There's definitely a certain emotion attached to feelings of divinity or reverence, and that checks out with me as human and healthy.   Those that attach those feelings to arbitrations or stories they've heard are the ones I have a problem with.

Brain studies have figured out that those "divine" emotions are just electrochemical brain states.  Nothing special about them, other than they feel good/wierd/whatever.  I expect that there is an endorphin release involved, the body's best positive reinforcement tool.  It is exactly like mental masturbation.

People are free to jack off with their thoughts all they want.  Doesn't bother me.  It's when they get all mystical/magical that I start looking around for a bludgeon.

Superstitions are a part of that whole "mystical magcial wowzorz" bullshit.  It is the unreasoning response to fear.  Some people think that they can magically control reality by doing certain things that accidentally might even be related to whatever it is they are trying to control.  It is shamanism at its very best.

True spirituality (please refer to BMW's posted definition) has more to do with self actualization.  It seems to be a  process by which an individual comes to realize exactly who they are and where they are in the world around them.  This is often encapsulated in various spiritual memes such as "dying to one's self" in Buddhism.  Christians have co-opted the concept as apothenien kerdos or some such.  Same shit.  The goal is to realize one's place within the greater scheme of things.

I call bullshit, though.  Refer back to where I talked about "divine" realizations being mental masturbation.  Consider: if you dissociate yourself from your own sense of identity you put yourself back into the state of being an infant.  For a brief moment you experience a rush of euphoria as the world around you fills the cognitive void, then you're pineal gland ejaculates.  Congrats.  You just jacked off your brain stem.

"Mother is the name of god on the lips and in the hearts of all children."
-The Crow (or some shit)

Aside from the fact that you are supposed to dissassociate yourself from even that bliss as well. Buddhism en ultimo looks for total dissolution, even beyond joy and euphoria.

[LMNO]

Brain studies have figured out that those "divine" emotions are just electrochemical brain states.  Nothing special about them, other than they feel good/wierd/whatever.  I expect that there is an endorphin release involved, the body's best positive reinforcement tool.  It is exactly like mental masturbation.

Ok, sure.  But when you go there, you end up with, "everything is an electrochemical brain state".  Which is the neurociological equivalent of "we are all one."  It doesn't really mean anything in and of itself.

What is "special" about them is the potential they have to change behavior.  In this way, they are useful tools.

So, then we have to figure out how to achieve these states.  Just by calling it an electrochemical reaction doesn't say how it comes about.  So, some people, or groups of people have suggested techniques to bring this state about.  Some are more useful than others.

So now what you have is an electochemical state, the goal, and the techniques, which are probably specific to each individual.

When these techniques become dogma (i.e. followed even if they don't produce results), they become religious/superstitious. 

So, we arrive once again at "spirituality" being an emotional/electrochemical state, while religion/superstition are stale, outdated techniques originally designed to achieve that state.

[P3nT4gR4m]

Might one work on creating their own forms of religion/superstition, for personal use in accomplishing these mind states?

[LMNO]

 


Hi, welcome to Discordianism.

[P3nT4gR4m]

Sorree dude - Just spoonfeeding the noobs 

[Random Probability]

Might one work on creating their own forms of religion/superstition, for personal use in accomplishing these mind states?

I think my first rant covered that.

The answer is yes.

[Random Probability]

Aside from the fact that you are supposed to dissassociate yourself from even that bliss as well. Buddhism en ultimo looks for total dissolution, even beyond joy and euphoria.

I tend to look over that bit simply because it makes the whole effort seem more than a little retarded.

[P3nT4gR4m]

Everything is retarded. Buddhism is one more interesting, retarded thing to do.

If you wanna do something that's not retarded you'll be a while doing nowt.