Nobody likes to be weak - but often we make ourselves smaller and weaker then we are. Why? Is it a lack of confidence? A lack of knowledge of strength and abilities? Or do we sometimes choose to be weak to get rid of any responsibilities and lucrative chances?

Martial arts always had the additional effect of building character - apart from the obvious effect of killing others even better. Thanks to more moderate times and less violence within societies martial art mostly became more spiritual instead of lethal.

Still the Warrior label lives on - and it’s a bad thing. It doesn’t matter if you try to make it more esoteric or peaceful by tweaking it like Rainbow Warrior or Dolphin Warrior.

But is it still the Way of a Warrior? No - unless you consider life, relationships and even business as war. Unless you are in a War or prepare for one you are not a Warrior. Any you should be happy about it.

The Way of a real Warrior who has to fight someday is tough and not just an esoteric hobby to make yourself feel stronger when you a pencil pusher in a huge company who likes to meddle with self enlightenment.

Isn’t love great? Somewhere out there waits your perfect soulmate for you. Right? Wrong! If there is one idea in the spiritual scene that drives me nuts it’s the illusion of the soulmate, because it’s so wonderful egoistic and blatant unspiritual …

The very idea of the soul mate is so very appealing: the great cosmos has just the perfect match for you in store. You now longer need to surf russianbrides.com or draw angel cards in the morning to find him or her.

What is your soul mate supposed to be? First of all, this person connects to you on an extremely deep level - yay - it’s not just the usual shared interests and screwing all day - this time it’s spiritual!

I just wonder what a connection on ’soul level’ really means? Total understanding? That would rather imply you are clones of each other, not very exciting. And why is total understanding so important that makes it such a top priority to most people within relationships?

It’s one of the main mental fixations of stressed modern individualists that hardly anyone understands them. Why does nobody understand you - simple in most cases: people hardly communicate and care for each other anymore. To know a person well and participate in their lives takes a serious amount of time and dedication. Sending an eCard from work and met once in while to have a latte together hardly counts as ‘involved’.

In an era, where many people suffer from loneliness, depressions (harhar) and single lifestyle - nobody wants to embarrass themselves or their friends by being ‘emotional’, ‘high maintenance’ or ‘too serious’. It’s the age of easy friendships, fun and laughter … join the party and don’t you dare to come depressed. Join the fucking prozac nation of happiness.

So a ‘good understanding’ of another person can be achieved with some work and time - you don’t need a soulmate for that one. To connect to other people is a simple set of social skills, not a big spiritual task.

Back to the ‘connecting at soul level’ - another illusion about the soulmate is the reincarnation myth. Would it be great walk the path to nirvana with friends, lovers and family from former lifetimes?

I personally believe in reincarnation, but that’s as much thought I give about the whole thing. Why? It doesn’t matter that we already lived once or a hundred times. I am living now! I must take responsibility about people and actions I do in this lifetime. Spending to much time thinking about reincarnation is like trying to insure yourself against life …

People love the whole karma thing, because it’s an easy way to score points for being a good person! The concept of good and bad karma is very ‘logical’ and appealing for spiritual types (like saving points in your local supermarket - but only for the next life). But it confuses most of them. It transforms them into karma nazis: ‘Oh look at this crippled guy over there, he must had have bad karma in his last life, that’s why he is so disfigured in this life.’

Why do people love the idea of karmic relationships - lasting several life spans? It’s a nice romantic idea: life lasts only once, love forever. This idea seems to appeal especially to women or men who like to cling to their partners. ‘Hey, I will be stuck on you for several reincarnations - how do you like that?’ Yuck!

Since nobody can proof we really incarnate, there is also no proof our souls come back as the same or similar package. And this is a stupid idea anyway. The whole idea of the karma cycle is that you try improve yourself and come back as a more evolved soul (depending what you did last time and what you have to learn on your next tour). Some traditions say that our soul lives start as insects or other less aware life forms. We hopefully graduate with each experience on this earth to finally exit to nirvana anyway.

What would be the point of reincarnation, if the same old boring you would come back like a television rerun? This would be like Groundhog day, repeating yourself with the same people and mistakes until you ‘get it’? Nah …

Most boring of all: why would you spent your next lifetime with the very same souls you already met last time? If this cosmos stand for one thing it’s diversity and complexity - there are billions of different stars, alone on this planet we have millions of species and again billions of life forms walking this earth. I bet my life that the spiritual cosmos is at least as complex, colorful and chaotic as the real one (if a separation exists at all!).

And in this universe nothing gets lost nor wasted. My guess: like matter gets reused to build stars, dogs and biscuits - spiritual energy won’t get lost, but recreated into a new soul.

Let’s get to the most egoistic part of the soulmate thing: that there is an exclusive partner in the universe just for you to love and live with. What an ego centric view of spirituality. First of all we are ALL soulmates! It’s the very idea of almost all religions and spiritual traditions is that we all have a soul and are equally created before God(s).

Another very basic spiritual idea that speaks against the exclusive soulmate is the concept of universal love. An enlightened being should be able to love everyone and everything the same way. An exclusive soulmates does ‘not compute’ within the equation of universal love.

And speaking of love or rather lovemaking we come to the last, but deepest illusion about the soulmate. Screwing your soulmate is supposed to catapult you to a higher state of consciousness - the perfect cosmic fuck guarantees the perfect cosmic bliss. Heaven on earth. The ultimate union between two people, surfing the spiritual energy wave. Enlightenment by super pussy and long dong lingam.

I certainly subscribe to this very idea, since I have done tantra and still adore many of it’s ideas.  But the ultimate orgasm is not the end nor the means to enlightenment. It’s a great moment, you relax, you are happy, you are loved and love. But does it really make you a better person?

But using a soulmate as a substitute for your own happiness or enlightenment is a feeble excuse: ‘When I’ve found my soulmate everything will be fine.’ Nah, spiritual work is your own lonely duty.

Once again the idea of the soulmate is just used by the ego to promise itself a better life … another illusion to get rid off to come closer to this state of existence.

Soulmates? They are all around you. Don’t try to screw them all, start by with accepting them in their crazy variety and with all their sins. Most of all: start loving yourself in an universal way and share that feel to everyone and everything …

*repost 2003-10-05*

No matter where you go - you inner guru is always with you and lifts you up. The problem is only to find people will to carry your heavy ego around.

I am pretty sure I can compete at least in one aspect of his guruness.

I have searched far and wide - but I haven’t found a single religion nor spiritual discipline that made pathetic behavior for it’s followers mandatory. Do you know one?! But people love being pathetic, doesn’t matter if they are new age incense burners or old school Catholics. They all go for it! You can see sparkling eyes and hear thundering voices during sales presentation as well as in churches and meditation centers. Being pathetic seems to work like an universal fudge to help us poor humans to make ourselves and our believes larger than life - whenever we need to feel bigger …

The show must go on! Why do we love pathos? Does it help us to be better believers or sinners?

Religious or spiritual practices mostly work with rules and rituals to help, educate and guide it’s followers to god/enlightenment. It doesn’t matter if you go the way of the Yogi, Buddha, Tantra or Catholic, you are expected to follow certain rules or better say ‘frame of mind’ to reach enlightenment. Since practice makes you perfect, this is always an ongoing process with no brakes and bonuses. Spirituality mostly means working with yourself, which can be pretty boring, annoying and most of all very personal.

But how do you know you are on the right track? Not everybody gets the treat of a burning bush or a booming voice from the sky. Do you feel happy if you are just a good Buddhist? Can you hear angels singing if God acknowledges your good deeds? How does it feel to be holy?

Now this a dangerous trap: since most spiritual practices are boring or hard work - and our egos love instant gratification - we go for great pathetic moments. Something that makes us feel better about being spiritual. We basically trick ourselves into feeling good or even holy - without ‘Gods’ approval.

Very nasty.

I am sure all the devils and demons agree that this is the right moment to seduce believers into false security and push them a bit further to indulge in into even more spiritual vanity.

Especially the human mob mentality is a great vehicle for pathetic temptations. People love shows, the bigger the better. The greater the show, the more powerful your god. And doesn’t it feel good to have the biggest cosmic buddy on the block? Or show off your God’s powers by building the biggest mega church, temple or mosque on this planet?

Of course pathos also helps when you practice your particular brand of spirituality at home. There is always a thin line between lighting a candle as a help for meditation or just to create a nicer atmosphere. And there is still the questions if lighting a candle really makes you a better person anyway. Tools, gizmos and gimmicks are a sure indicator for pathetic believers. The catchphrase is Kitsch-Religion.

Pathos is spiritual masturbation, a poor substitute for real insights and rewards from hard practice (yes, I don’t believe in instant gratification just for a nice and good person). Who or whatever you choose as your personal God or Heaven - they won’t deliver manna pills to your front door, just because you have subscribed to their point of view. In most spiritual paths the ‘good stuff’ comes from ridding yourself from ego barriers and connecting to the rest of the universe. Amen Dude!

A pathetic ritual or practice is as useless as no spirituality at all. It’s even more dangerous if you show and infect other people with your pathos. As every entertainer or stage magician can tell you, people love to be impressed and seduced. They will always go for big words, pathetic tears of joy and glorious promises instead of the simple ugly truth. The ministry of health warns: pathetic religious advertising is bad for your soul!

Let’s keep it close and personal. Being pathetic during your personal daily routine or rituals may help to bridge any emptiness or doubt you might have, but that’s not the real stuff. Pathos is a great smokescreen to make your own fears disappear … at least for some time. But isn’t that one of the most basic and essential challenges in life: to face your own fears? Your very own questions and doubts about life, love and the rest of the universe?

*repost 2003-12-01*

We are all idiots on this world - because none of us has figured out what’s it all about. But we can share the madness, beauty and laughter - and finally die in the end.

And dying is a stupid thing to do anyway … but we all do it.

Only those who are on a mission to somewhere realize when they feel lost or alone. Everybody else will simply sit at home and repeat themselves. Only through a change of scenery you will be able to see differences - and with different perceptions and experiences you can start to make judgements and improve your own world.

Hey, this spiritual stuff is real work!

In our age of convenience food, easy to swallow capsules and easy credit there is also a big need for instant enlightenment. Although every language seems to know it’s own version of “no pain no gain” the effort to do the inner or outer journey to a more fulfilled life is not very trendy - unless it comes with the label new age and can be done during a weekend workshop.

So what about it? Can’t spirituality be done with a bit of crying, drumming and tree hugging in a safe space where everybody can breath deeeeep aaaand leeet goooo?

Eeeeep! Wrong answer. Surely tree hugging might help, but spirituality is a constant process of change, reflection and renewal. Sure a weekend is great to kick it off or go deeper into a particular subject, but this might only be milestones on your personal journey.

I feel alive - when I am drowning!

Spirituality is like swimming, you simply can’t stop doing it while you are in the stream of life, otherwise you go down.

Your constant movement in your own waters should help you to reach for a higher state of consciousness, which supports your journey.

First a few words about consciousness. Most people confuse their minds or analytical abilities with it. Joseph Campell - great writer and mythologist - once said “where energy is, there is also consciousness”. Plant’s and animal have consciousness - and even your body has it’s own form of consciousness, it not just the mind by itself.

Consciousness connects you to the world, it’s awareness of what is happening, it let’s you change/direct energy, feel it and relate to it, it opens yourself to the outer and inner world. Thinking in these terms it makes a lot of sense to get into a higher state of consciousness, since it allows you to do more, be closer to yourself and your path.

Hey, it’s all so easy!

We all know situations in our life’s when we are distracted, stressed and out of focus - altogether a lower state of consciousness. Almost every known form of spirituality offer exercises or methods to recenter yourself and find your inner balance. For someone it might be running, the next person prays, meditates or simply watches the sky. Any method is valid as long it centers yourself and helps to achieve that higher state.

Another great value of the higher and complete state of consciousness is, that it can much better deal with paradoxes, confusing emotions and inner pictures. Our normal mind is usually trained to deal with “cause & effect” logical problems. So if we hit a road bump that goes way beyond simple human logic our analytical self gets confused, stuck, frustrated. Sheer willpower seems often to make it worse then actually pulling us out of our misery.

Most of our personal problems are way beyond logical/mental conflicts. It’s usually a mixture out of your ego, interpersonal barriers/communication, emotional needs/wants and social interaction. A very potent mixture that is way beyond simple “yes”, “no” and “maybe” thinking.

The higher consciousness (the whole yourself) has a much better chance of solving the problem, since it will connect to your problem on many levels. It should also include your subconscious which helps to develop creativity and visions. You need these “tools” to break and expand your current abilities or current perception of your situation.

I have problems - therefore I am.

Now this is very important: Most of our problems arise from a limited vision or knowledge of a situation. If it’s a simple logical or knowledge problem, your mind will do to acquire a new piece of information, integrate it in your life and solve the little bugger. BUT if your problem/limit is more complex you need a more complex set of solutions and tools.

Here is a simple problem with a typical logical dilemma - and a more expanded solution:

I want to have a walk in the park and enjoy the sunshine, but I am stopped in my tracks by a bloody sign that tells me to go off the grass. Now my mind faces a very common dualistic dilemma: either I accept to get overruled by that sign I am frustrated, because my day in the park is spoiled OR I ignore the sign and risk social confrontation.

I am stuck with two logical choices, both with their own not completely satisfying solutions.

In a higher state of consciousness I can observe that my little ego wants something and it wants it right now, so the little sign is frustrating my ego big time. Looking beyond my anger/frustration cycle I am becoming aware of other solutions, like going to a different park or growing out of similar situations where I bring myself into conflict with an authority.

This was simple - right? Now add to that situation a charming lady I want to impress plus a policemen and maybe some other elements and you can see it can get pretty complex pretty easily.

But let’s go back to deeper personal problems.

Wakeup from your own limited matrix.

Like I said before we are mostly limited by our own egos or visions, like if I can’t see myself as the new departement head I will never go for it. We can’t manifest “actions” in real life if we lack the vision, confidence and relationship for them. So this is not just a case of “do I have the right qualifications for the job” but a more complex inner problem.

Here it helps to work with your consciousness and subconscious on your inner limits - so what’s holding me back to become the department head? How do I feel about this job? Do I really want it? Why am I holding myself back - what are the motivations behind that? Why do I have such strange associations with success that I am holding back?

This is soul searching at it’s best!

If one faces negative or destructive inner patterns, lack of motivation and visions then creativity is needed to create new patterns, visions and associations. If your inner world is limiting you - how can you grow. Humans need to grow like plants. If their pot is to small there will be a lot of pain …

Everybody dreams of bigger mice to catch.

This is why a good connection to your subconscious is so important, since it’s the best source for inner pictures/visions that might explain what’s holding back as well as creating better ones. Instead of “thinking it all thru” you expand your complete inner cosmos to deal in a better way with a more complex life. You not only get new insights but also happier life.

For example if I start my positive reprogramming by dreaming about myself in that new position that would help to dissolve old barriers. Another way is consciously sitting down and imagining myself to do this job. Every great athlete knows this kind of exercises, like running the track in your mind before you actually start. A new job might be a lot of work, but dissolving my barriers would enrich my life and new perspectives.

So soul searching is a constant process of a higher consciousness sorting out old and useless associations and visions you might have and replacing them with vital and healthy new ones. It might be painful to let go of some old and beloved ideas/visions, but they simply limit you … get the expanded new version for free from your subconscious and have a happier life.

*repost 2003-08-03*

Ed sent me this amazing video featuring the voice of Dechen Shak Dagsay. It’s rare that one finds anything remotely artful and spiritual on the YouTubes - but this video is pure bliss. Thanks for another great link Ed.

Almost every religion starts with the creation of the universe or the god(s) themselves: Jehova (Judaism), Ptah (egypt) or Brahma (Hinduism). Even the scientific view of the universe starts with creation: the big bang.

On a pure biological level we all posses the power to create new life by having sex. But even on a ‘personal’ cellular level we constantly recreate ourselfes and have ’sex’ by refreshing our body cells. Creation and Sex go hand in hand; every day and every second.

Many people say, that everything humans do has to do with sex and competition - even high art like literature or symphonies. I have to agree and disagree at the same time. YES, we all do and like art to some degree, because it’s the cosmic sex of creativity - but NO, we don’t just do it to compete for better chances in the genetic pool.

There is more to it.

Professor Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi in his lecturing flow.

When you paint, write or just cook a great meal - and you are getting really deeply into it - you start to get into the Flow (here is a great book from Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi about it). The Concept of Flow is a mixture between meditation, ecstasy and total concentration (the same could be said about sex as well).

The Flow is the power wave you ride when you create something, it’s like pure ecstasy during sex.

Creativity is even more: it’s exploration, reflection, association and play at the same time. Creativity is also like a pregnancy - a seed in your psyche slowly evolves, you nourish it, you feel the growing pain and at some point you need to give birth to your idea. The analogy goes even further: sometimes idea get a life on their own - and no longer belongs to you, but to the world.

So if according to the Bible God has created us in his image, then it makes perfect sense that we love creating stuff and that we love sex, because it’s the ultimate act of creation.

The atheist point of view is actually very similar: no life without creation. The universe uses a lot of time to constantly create new planets, solar systems, elements and even life like us. The universe is very creative and never stops doing it …

Creativity arouses us humans in many ways, new and creative ideas can be very ’sexy’. Working on a new sculpture or painting can be very demanding, but also very sexy, erotic, intimate and breath taking.

It might sound perverse when you hear stories about artists like Picasso who sometimes masturbated while drawing - but I personally understand this perfectly. Artists need the Eros of Creativity, the electricity, the flow and exchange - either with art or another person as well - it’s their way of life.

Picasso’s sexual drive is often deemed central to his art, yet relatively few people have seen the myriad paintings, drawings, engravings and sculptures in which he portrays variations on the sex act. Even today, American museums would probably shy from showing what Gertrude Stein prudishly (or was it excitedly?) called Picasso’s ‘dirty side.’ ‘Picasso Érotique’, a new exhibition here, now lifts the curtain.

That said, it would be inaccurate to view the show as a display of naughty pictures, even though some steamy engravings were kept in a locked room when they were first exhibited here in 1968. Rather, “Picasso Érotique” offers fresh insight into his creative process, above all the evolving role that sex played in his life and imagination, from the curiosity of early manhood through the unbridled passion of his middle years to the voyeurism of old age. - from here.

That is also the reason why you will always find a higher percentage of gay, lesbian and bisexual people in artistic circles - not just because sex is ‘free & easy’ in these groups, but because artists often see and accept beauty in others without gender barriers - and they are less afraid to explore the flow/attraction. (side note: but art is never an excuse for screwing around, ok?!)

So it comes as no surprise that the Greek Gods had their nine muses to go out kiss and inspire artists from all disciplines.

We all create, we all have sex and we all are touched by beauty. These are universal principles, you find them in science as well as many (all?) religions.

The Eros of Creativity is no excuse for perversion and lack of responsibility - BUT it is the universes (God’s or Nature’s) invitation to explore, experiment and express ourselves without shame and dogmas.

*repost from 17. December 2003*

From Wikipedia: In Hinduism, a mudra (Sanskrit literally “seal”) is a symbolic gesture made with the hand or fingers. Along with asanas (postures), they are employed in yoga meditation practice. Each mudra has a specific meaning, and they are a central part of Hindu iconography. With the onset of Buddhism, many mudra practices were absorbed into the culture. Common hand gestures are to be seen in both Hindu and Buddhist iconography. An example would be the outward-facing open palm known as Abhay (without fear) mudra, a gesture meant to dispel the fear of the devotee.

More? Mudras in pictures and another one.

Meditation is still trendy and cool - and gets even more acceptance in the western world. But why do people meditate? Often they join groups and classes without a religious context or spiritual goals. Do they meditate to get their minds off things or stress? Or simply to switch off? But what is the best reason to meditate? To find god? To find yourself? To find tranquillity? Or to find nothing at all?

I wonder if a meditation on the moon would grant us more tranquility? But I would love to visit this place in my lifetime.

So many spiritual and religious people expect a payback or rescue team from their favorite Gods for being ‘good’. But there are no angels out there to watch out for you. God’s gift to you is a brain and a heart that are very capable - they will save you if you are willing to use them.

Finally some serious videos about spirituality and on how to meditate. Let’s hope more teachers embrace modern technology and spread the good work over the intranets. Enjoy!

Oh, Lord thanks for the inspiration for this spiritual allegory. I will write about a young man and his path of love. A strong love that will make him worthy to be your son. This story will be a strong and idealistic symbol - a symbol so clear and easy to understand that many people will follow the idea. Everybody will understand that it is only a spiritual story … hopefully …

Just in case you are sometimes wondering what life is all about and why this shit is only happening to you - you are not alone! There is about six billion of us just wondering about the same darn thing …