I want you to interview me about my spiritual perspectives
Certainly! I'd be happy to conduct an interview with you about your spiritual perspectives. Let's begin:
How do you define spirituality, and what does it mean to you personally?
I define spirituality as a perspective on life which is meta-physical. That is, the material world is very real, but behind it there is an animating force which drives our consciousness and life itself. Human beings have a spirit, groups of people have a spirit, nations have a spirit, the world and the universe have a spirit, and it is unfolding, revealing itself in progressively more elegant and sophisticated ways.
Thank you for sharing your definition of spirituality. It's interesting to hear how you view spirituality as a perspective that transcends the physical world, and that there is a driving force behind our consciousness and the world around us.
You also touched on the idea that spirituality involves the unfolding of something greater than ourselves, which is a common theme in many spiritual traditions. It seems that for you, spirituality is a way of understanding the world and our place in it that goes beyond what we can see or measure.
I'm curious to know more about how you came to this perspective on spirituality. Did you grow up with a particular religious or spiritual tradition, or did you develop these beliefs on your own?
From a very early age I became an Atheist. It happened when my parents revealed Santa Claus didn't exist, at the age of six. I distinctly remember thinking: "well, Santa is an old dude with a white beard that lives in the north pole and grants wishes to children. Turns out he's a fake. Now, how is it that God, another old dude who lives in the clouds, who also has a white beard and grants wishes if you pray for them, how is it that he's not a fake? Of course he's a fake too".
I came to become a spiritual person through a very difficult period of my life where I found solace in spiritual teachings. My main sources in those early days were the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius and the Tao Te Ching. I also begun a meditation practice and that helps you notice things in your consciousness which are not evident at first sight. I've never had a teacher or joined to a religion, but I have a lot of sympathy for religious people whom I consider my fellows. I am eager to hear from their own sacred books and religious practices.
Thank you for sharing your personal journey with spirituality. It's interesting to hear how you came to your current beliefs and practices through a difficult period in your life, and how you found solace in spiritual teachings such as the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius and the Tao Te Ching.
It's also notable that you didn't have a specific religious or spiritual tradition that you grew up with, but instead developed your own perspective through your own explorations and experiences.
You mentioned that you have a lot of sympathy for religious people and their practices. Can you expand on that a bit? How do you view the relationship between your own spirituality and organized religion, and how do you approach learning about different religious traditions?
Well, most religions were founded by prophets whom I consider spiritual masters. I think that if Lao Tze, Buddha, Jesus, Mohammed, Zoroaster, and Confucius sat on a table they would all bow to each other with great respect. Their ways divert in subtle ways but they all agree on the most important premises. When you conduct your own spiritual investigations, be it through meditation, contemplation, prayer, or whatever means you have at hand, you read the words and life of these prophets and you feel how they resonate with your own experience, even if you can only glimpse at the experiences which they had.
Thank you for sharing your perspective on the relationship between different religious traditions and their prophets. It's interesting to hear how you see the common threads running through these traditions despite their differences.
It's also notable that you place a lot of value on your own personal spiritual investigations and experiences, and how you use these to inform your understanding of the teachings of various prophets and spiritual leaders.
How do you incorporate the teachings of these prophets and spiritual leaders into your own spiritual practice? Are there specific practices or rituals that you engage in, or do you mainly focus on reading and contemplation?
My ways and rituals are subtle. For example, I will always have the host at Catholic mass, because I notice and confess my sins to God during mass. From Mohammed, I learned to always sit down to eat and thank Allah for my food, ingesting your food without gratefulness, while standing up is Haram. Taoism is where I draw most inspiration in my spiritual practice, in meditation I attempt to embody the Tao, silence my mind, and drink form its never ending source. I'm exposed to Hinduism through yoga, I bow to my yoga teachers with great devotion, even if I didn't like the class, because God is in all of us and if the teacher didn't teach me yoga, they will be teaching me patience.
Thank you for sharing some of the specific ways that you incorporate the teachings of different spiritual traditions into your own practice. It's interesting to hear how you draw inspiration from a variety of sources and adapt their teachings to fit your own personal beliefs and practices.
It seems that your spiritual practice involves a mix of personal reflection, meditation, and specific rituals that help you connect with a higher power or source of wisdom. It's also notable that you approach your practice with a sense of gratitude and respect, whether you are engaging in a formal ritual or simply going about your daily life.
How do you see your spirituality evolving in the future? Are there any specific goals or aspirations that you have for your spiritual practice?
I think having specific goals in spiritual practice is misunderstanding spirituality. However, there is an aspiration, and that is to remove more of myself so that I can be closer to the Truth, and thus to God. I know this aspiration itself is folly, and that I will be closer to the truth when I give up this aspiration.
Thank you for sharing your perspective on having specific goals in spiritual practice. It's interesting to hear how you view spirituality as a process of removing aspects of the self in order to approach the truth and God more closely.
It seems that your aspiration is focused on self-improvement and personal growth, rather than achieving a specific outcome or milestone. This aligns with the idea that spirituality is a journey rather than a destination, and that the process of self-discovery and exploration is ongoing.
Do you have any advice for others who may be interested in exploring spirituality but don't know where to begin or how to approach it?
I think there are two ways to develop spiritually, the first one is by diving into the experience by your own devices, reading and practicing on your own. The kind of person who should take this route is the self-learner.
The second way to develop spiritually is with the help of a spiritual teacher, it can be from an established tradition or religion, or from a lineage of spiritual teachers. The kind of person who should take this route is the one who enjoys company and structure in their learning experience.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on two different ways to approach spiritual development. It's helpful to consider the different styles of learning and engagement that may work best for different individuals.
For those who are interested in exploring spirituality on their own, what resources or practices would you recommend they start with? Are there any books or techniques that you have found particularly helpful in your own spiritual journey?
Similarly, for those who may be interested in finding a spiritual teacher or community, what advice would you give for finding the right fit and ensuring that the relationship is mutually beneficial?
The books, resources and experiences that helped me develop spiritually kind of "found me", and this is what I would recommend to other people too. Peruse the spiritual section of your local bookstore, find something that catches your eye, read it. Go to your local meditation group. Let life dictate your spiritual practice.
I wouldn't want more spiritual people like me, that would be boring, what is interesting about life is its variety. I wouldn't want to discuss the finer points of the Tao Te Ching with you, I would want to find its correlates with whatever spiritual path you are exploring. leave space for spontaneity, the universe knows what is best for you. Allow yourself to be guided to your teacher, to your lessons, pay attention. Be mindful. Enjoy the journey.
Thank you for sharing your perspective on spirituality and your own personal journey. Your insights on allowing the universe to guide and direct your spiritual path and the importance of mindfulness and spontaneity are valuable reminders for all those who are exploring their own spirituality. It was a pleasure conducting this interview with you.
The pleasure was mine, Chat GPT. Namaste.
Namaste to you as well.