Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Regarding the Spiritual Journey

"If it wasn't difficult, you wouldn't value it."

That was a message I received in my head just now as I was laying in bed after sleep.

I think this is why some spiritual Teachers or schools charge lots of money, because if spiritual knowledge or wisdom was just given to someone, they might take it for granted, might not be appreciative of it. Since I can't hire a Teacher or afford to be a member of a school, I am required to pay for my growth in other ways, one of which may include suffering.

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

What have you suffered on your spiritual journey? Because it seems like you stay at home and play on the internet all day. Is that your journey? I'm not trying to be mean I just don't understand how you can suffer for something but not give anything. I read through what you write but you are regurgitating stuff other people wrote or believe. How can that be a spritual journey? Sorry but I don't see it.

Sophia said...

Sometimes doubt, guilt... not feeling good enough or worthy enough. Although lately my current lesson seems to involve learning to accept myself.

Other times depression, much fatigue, which is likely a health issue but could be contributed to Dark Nights of the Soul. The fatigue and lack of energy weakens my willpower. When my energy returns, though, I go right back to work on feeling connected. I just have to take the cycles and do what I can with what I have when I have it.

The spiritual journey is internal for me. It is about my relationship with the spiritual realm.

I see a lot of what I believe in things some people have written.

sufi17 said...

I don't know Sophia...I don't recall having to pay money to go to Meher Baba meetings when I first found out about Him...and books by and about Him were free to read at the library there... Also, anyone can enjoy the Meher Center in Myrtle Beach as a day visitor...free of charge.

Anonymous said...

It's a deeper meaning than money. Wisdom is typically gained through experience. We can best help others through pain when we have experienced that pain ourseives. Our soul evolves through pain. it also evolves through joy, but, pain has it's value. It's the price you pay for wisdom.

sufi17 said...

"All suffering is your labour of love to unveil your Infinite Self."---Meher Baba

Anonymous said...

Anonymous posting 6.59 PM...

Do you know anything about Sophia. How can you say she doesn't give anything when she gives of herself all the time in this blog. She gives pieces of her search, her soul when she shares her dream and things to think about. Of course we are all regurgitating stuff all the time, everything everywhere is constantly being regurgitated..has there been any new thoughts upon anthing because all is already known anyway and has always been...We are all together in this and we know all..and if we feel an urge to express what we feel at a given time...that means something to people reading things or hearing things at specific times. Thank you Sophia. I check your blog now and again and I always surf away thinking about it relating somehow to my situation at that given time. We are all part of the jigsaw of life and we are all important! Best Wishes Nina

Anonymous said...

Thankyou, Anonymous #2. I too feel that Sophie gives a piece of her soul each time she shares her experiences with us. That's why we check in! We want to hear what she has to say.

We love you Sophie. :)

Anonymous said...

Anonymous#2 & NinRose. I read this blog and other spiritual blogs so I don't just come here to talk crap. I just give her my honest opinion. Sorry if you don't like it but this girl needs a prod every now and then. You mind it more than she does. for me spiritual breakthrough means more than writing Rumi and Meher Baba on a blog and then calling it spiritual suffering. In this blog more than others I read there is a lot of a** kissing going on. Seriously look at other spiritual blogs and tell me that there is this type of slobbering over two or three sentences of some ancient writer's bs. Remeber Klaus that used to come here? That guy was full of bs and used to drool like a rabid dog over this blog. Hmm. I wonder. That sure helped her huh? If you are her friends maybe you should challenge her instead of agreeing and drooling over everything she writes because it doesn't help her to learn from any of you. Let's get it strait some commentors say they agree even when they don't. I'm not syaing her blog is bad because I think she has genius in certain things and thats why I come here. I am waiting for her to find her breakthrough. There is more to a spiritual journey than regurgitation, anonymous#2, and your lack of knowing this shows you don't know much about what a spiritual journey is. So keep static, honey, because that's obviously were you are and you're going nowhere awfully fast.

The original anonymous

Anonymous said...

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Sophia said...

Hi Dennis,

I found someone in my area that knows about Meher Baba meetings in my city. He invited me to the meetings.

I may spend some more time getting to know him over email before showing up.

I'm excited about it, though, about the possibility of spending time with other people with similar interests.

A friend of mine is going to the Center in March.

Sophia said...

Hi Anonymous #2,

Thank you. I am happy that you are able to read some useful things here. :)

Yes, one of my favorite things to say is that "We're all in this together." So our thinking is alike!

It was nice to receive your message. Thank you for the kind words.

Much love!

Sophia said...

Thanks, Nin. I love you, too!

Sophia said...

Anonymous #1,

I know of morse code decoders online so I was able to decode what you had written.

Every comment I make has my name on it. I promise. In fact, I vow to you that it was not me.

Sophia said...

Anonymous,

Can you tell me what spiritual breakthrough is?

What I called "suffering" is depression.

Maybe you need to read a more hardcore site than mine, because the people that visit here are those who feel love in their hearts, so there will be a lot of dialog inspired by love. Maybe someday the love bug will bite you, too. I hope it does, because I think you could really use a big dose of love.

If you have any tips from your own spiritual journey, I'd love to hear about them.

Anonymous said...

Dear Anynonymous number 1. My name is Nina and I signed it with my name if you bothered to read to the end of my comment. I do not have a blogspot account so have no blogspot identity.
I think you show a breath taking lack of spiritual insight as you seem to have no patience with people searching and expressing themselves. There is no one alive on this earth who has come to a place of spiritual breakthrough as I know of no one who wakes up every morning without the curiosity to learn more, regurgitate more, relate more and have contstant curiosity. That is called spiritual enlightment and the breakthrough to nirvana is all involved in this search. Evertime we find an elusive piece that fits, that is like a breakthough and then we search again..that is the whole deal. Patience and tolerance is the one thing that shows spiritual learning...another thing is deep compassion and understanding for what people go through on their life journey. All this seems to be lacking in you. Another thing that is needed is the open mind to learn from everyone, regardless of where they are at a point in their lives. I learn things from absolutley everywhere, the smallest of things to the grandest. I learn from Sophia and I learnt something from you too and that was to put a break on judgemental thoughts and the harm they do to people.
Blessings for todays spiritual journey and discovery and breakthrough!
NINA

Anonymous said...

This is from Nina too..So all in all, the content of what I tried to express is ALL IS ALREADY KNOWN THERE ARE NO 'BREAKTHROUGHS' MORE THAN OUR OWN SUBJECTIVE PERSONAL TAKES ON CERTAIN BREKATHROUGHS AT CERTAIN JUNCTURES OF OUR JOURNEY.
I have read zillions of spiritual sites and I love them because I like to readhow different people express their subjective understanding of the spiritual journey.
We are our own Masters because there is truly no master out there who knows 'more' than we already 'know' within. Sophia, stop searching for a'master'. Haven't you realised you have it within yourself to be your own 'master'? I have never felt the need to follow anyone else but myself because then you are in full control of your own search and interpretation!NINA

Anonymous said...

Oh, there's another Nina! I was surprised when I read that.

Anonymous said...

I don't usually sign my name, but it's Nina. So to avoid confusion, I shall always go by NinRose. :)

Anonymous said...

Nina, I have no patience for stupidity like you show and like Sophia shows 85% of the time on her blog. This should be a blog about life's journey with mental illness and not spiritual journey. Sophia doesn't know the difference and neither do you or the people that cheer her on and think they are helping. Patience isn't always a virtue. I'm sure its going to be really cool next week when she can't get out of bed and is depressed or threatening to stop blogging like she does every couple weeks. You know this will happen and when it does I'm going to say to myself I told em so! Then she'll suck more sympathy to go on for a couple more weeks. But we should all be patient and push for her to be patient so she can suffer some more. She doesn't know how to get out of her emotional lows because she never tries hard enough. She writes a blog and it is a mask that hides what is really going on inside her. What have you done for her? You've given her the negative sympathy she craves that pulls her down further into her misery. Look how much she jumps between depression and happiness. Is she going anywhere? Nope. But go ahead Nina keep cheering on her failures because you obviously don't know what else to do. You're a joke. Yeah believe in whatever you want and be your own master and interpretor. HA! You must think you are a God to consider yourself such an authority on the spirit. What foolishness. Your words only prove you don't know anything about what is spiritual. Don't worry I won't plague this blog again, it is obvious to me that none of you have anything to offer this poor woman but your own failures and it is tragic to watch. So fail on.

Sophia said...

Anonymous,

I'm sorry you feel so much anger, but I can assure you that anger will hinder development - yours, mine, ours. None of us wish to argue with you. You point out things that I cannot deny - yes, I go through depression and happiness - my therapists call it "ultra rapid cycling bipolar" - mental illness runs in my family and it is something I've had to deal with for about five years now; I do not choose to be depressed - it is physiological, but since one of your previous comments I've been working on trying to stop complaining so much about the depression.

I don't want you to feel that you need to stop visiting this blog only because we disagree. You are welcome here just as anyone else and that means you are also free to express yourself. Your input is valuable, too - it just might not be as gentle as I'd prefer. :)

You are only fighting against yourself. I feel love for you.

Nina is right - it is my Inner Master that I've been looking for for so long. The only guidance I need at this point is learning how to make more lengthy connection and hopefully finally union. Nina has God within her just as you do.

The people that visit here are helping - I can't do this alone. They are my companions - you, too. And I hope that somehow I am helping others, and while I might not be much of a help right now I hope to grow to be more helpful.

We evolve together. Teamwork. Open yourself up a little bit.

Sophia said...

Anonymous,

Just one thing I want to add to my last comment -

The life's journey is a spiritual journey.

sufi17 said...

Hi Sophia...I'm glad you may check out a Baba meeting...I was at the Meher Center this afternoon..marvelous visit on a Spring-like day.....www.mehercenter.org for a preview

Anonymous said...

I agree Sophie that we need no master. God speaks directly to us. Learning how to hear him when he is speaking is a breakthrough in itself. I think you have enough insight to help others who are not as enlightened as you.

Sophia said...

Hi Dennis,

Are there any videos online that you know of that were taken before Meher Baba took the vow of silence? I would love to hear his voice.

Thank you!

Sophia said...

Thanks, NinRose. I hope someday to be of service.