What is spiritual development?

General discussion about the two books by Michel Desmarquet. Please ONLY post questions that do not fit in any of the available specialized forums.

Moderator: Moderators

Post Reply
User avatar
Matt
Posts: 117
Joined: Thu Sep 13, 2007 8:10 pm
Location: Pennsylvania, USA
Contact:

What is spiritual development?

Post: # 11784Post Matt »

Does the book ever exactly define it? If not, what is your personal definition?

I say personal definition, because we don't exactly know what the spirit is or consists of, therefor we cannot lawfully describe what benefits it.
User avatar
ronald
Posts: 361
Joined: Tue Jul 11, 2006 12:00 pm
Location: 日本

Re: What is spiritual development?

Post: # 11785Post ronald »

I think information in books like these assist to grow exact conceptual understanding on the subject individually.
...guess I would not have a reason to personally define.
TempUser
Posts: 56
Joined: Wed May 16, 2007 5:45 am

Re: What is spiritual development?

Post: # 11786Post TempUser »

What is spiritual development?"


Wow, finally a productive question in this forum that we can all benefit from! But I guess that's just the question? What is it that's benefiting here? As noted in a post I made a while back (New World Order) I still think that the word spirit has way too many connotations tied with it, and I continue to blame contemporary metaphysics. We've all ready MANY metaphysical books, seen many metaphysical movies, etc. all before we came across Thiaoouba Prophecy and The Freedom of Choice. Both books even subtly changed the way I look at such topics. Which is one of the many reasons I think that its kind of tough trying to define or grasp or delve with others into this concept, without all being on separate pages. Perhaps to help us stay on the same page we can compare our personal definitions with such previously mentioned contemporary/orthodox or even unorthodox definitions that we find in or beyond metaphysical books or on the internet first? For the most part I'd have to say that to me, Tom's unorthodox definition from his forum makes the most sense.
Thomas Chalko, Author of Freedom of Choice wrote:To me, "spiritual developement" is equivalent to "intellectual development" or "development of the abilities of the MIND" - in contrast to the physical body
However it's lead me to realize that describing something like spiritual development is moving a step too far ahead and that I (and we)may be asking the wrong question first (arithmetic before algebra). Which will inevitably lead to confusing answers if not approached carefully. As you pointed out the problem is in defining or describing what a spirit is, the heavily loaded root word of spiritual. Usually with compound words the logical thing to do is to obtain a definition of both words separately then find ways that they fit together. We all know what development means but we can define it if we want anyways. MY understanding is that it's a process(obviously). But development implies productive positive progress when it could also be counter-productive negative regress. As for spirit I found 2 definitions on the internet that attracted my attention since they seem related to my understanding that was influenced by Tom's forum (seems a good place to go for "spiritual development" in my opinion).
http://www.dictionary.com wrote:SPIRIT: 1. the principle of conscious life; the vital principle in humans, animating the body or mediating between body and soul. 4. conscious, incorporeal being, as opposed to matter
Still I have much thinking to do on this. I get this feeling that I'm trying to describe a smaller part of a much bigger picture. Anyone else want to lend some definitions and insight??? :-k
It doesn't matter how many books you have read, how many lectures you have heard - What matters is what you actually UNDERSTAND from them today about the universe and your particular role in it" -Thomas J. Chalko
ArioK
Posts: 64
Joined: Tue May 30, 2006 9:33 am

Re: What is spiritual development?

Post: # 11791Post ArioK »

Toms Definition is also the one I adhere to.
" All that we are is the result of what we have thought" - Lord Buddha.... Think Love, Be Love.
User avatar
Rezo
Posts: 725
Joined: Sat Jun 18, 2005 1:28 am
Location: usa

Re: What is spiritual development?

Post: # 11800Post Rezo »

I prefer Tom's words on this subject.

contrast is crucial in developing a learning ability [awareness] including awareness of making sensible choices - sensible meaning in terms of what our highest good is. That, being what both coincides with our most preferred choice, and universal law. of course, we choose what context we want to be in as well. as we grow in a body we learn more about differences [and important uniting commonalities] between need and want, whats necessary for growth in self, and larger pictures [just as relevant] and what is at best waste of time...

This is a mental rather than physical process, but we are in a physical experience in order to develop this - because our body is affected by how we feel it is a unique teaching tool here.

The idea of spirituality itself may be hard to define due to humanity's highly apparent fear of death and what comes with it; as and end to our existence, or, as a selective thing where only 'the right people' or 'the right superstitious procedure' will guarantee a post-mortem conscious existence ....therefore mental development makes sense = there are no miracles, theres either knowledge and understanding, or ignorance and arrogance. or something.
Zio
Posts: 184
Joined: Fri Nov 10, 2006 4:09 pm

Re: What is spiritual development?

Post: # 11809Post Zio »

This subject is really interesting :P

My definition of a spirit is the whole of our thoughts, not only in knowledge, but in emotions and in everything we can experiment.

Therefore, my definition of spiritual development is to experiment to become a better self.

Experiment can also mean not experimenting something, like not taking drugs for example. Well, that's kind of experimenting restrictions and self-control, but you know what I mean :P
Also, experiment implies that we can fail to do something, but that it is important to either continue until we succeed, or that we learn something out of it.
We accumulated all those experience, life after life, and become better each time if possible.
As our spirits evolve, I think that's how we go to higher categories...

As such, life is what we experiment, thus creating our thoughts, as they are shaped by the physical world.

Well, those are my thoughts about it...
Post Reply