God...
Blu**ed Lines...A ClockWork SR
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: AZ
Posts: 2,529
God...
Could it be that "God", hp or spirituality in general is simply becomming aware of our consciousness and emotions? A shrink mentioned "The god reflex" a while ago.. It seems to make sense to me. Interested on the collective consciousness take.
Forum Leader
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Scottsdale, AZ, one big happy dysfunctional family!
Posts: 23,024
Just my $.02 worth.....yes it's an awareness for me, but more than that it's an openness. If my heart, soul, and mind aren't open and available to a Higher Power, then I'm shutting myself off to the "sunlight of the spirit".
I got nothin'
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: My house.
Posts: 4,890
I'm aware of my consciousness and emotions. I do not have a belief in gods. I do not have spirituality.
Everything that makes up who it is I am is due to brain activity (influenced by genetics and environment).
Everything that makes up who it is I am is due to brain activity (influenced by genetics and environment).
Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Oxnard (The Nard), CA, USA.
Posts: 13,878
I'm not connecting the "God reflex" (a desire to label the unexplainable as an act of God) and being aware of our consciousness and emotions. But I do believe the God reflex is a good short answer as to how the idea of God came about in the minds of early humans.
As for becoming aware that I'm a conscious and emotional being and labeling that spiritual. Not sure of where to take that one. I am however becoming very reluctant to apply the term spiritual to myself because of the generally accepted definition of the word. It just doesn't fit well with my secular understanding of the world around and within me.
I can say that having an awareness of how I effect the world and how I'm effected by the same is more pronounced now that I'm sober.
As for becoming aware that I'm a conscious and emotional being and labeling that spiritual. Not sure of where to take that one. I am however becoming very reluctant to apply the term spiritual to myself because of the generally accepted definition of the word. It just doesn't fit well with my secular understanding of the world around and within me.
I can say that having an awareness of how I effect the world and how I'm effected by the same is more pronounced now that I'm sober.
Blu**ed Lines...A ClockWork SR
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: AZ
Posts: 2,529
I think that subscribing to a secular ideology or recovery
program does not exclude the possibility of god. Secular does not mean athiest ergo this post is appropriate. Even if one argues that spirituality is an abstract concept simply
created to prevent people
from jumping off
of buildings. The original post was created to explore and expand upon the commonalities of successful recoveries.
program does not exclude the possibility of god. Secular does not mean athiest ergo this post is appropriate. Even if one argues that spirituality is an abstract concept simply
created to prevent people
from jumping off
of buildings. The original post was created to explore and expand upon the commonalities of successful recoveries.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Pugetopolis
Posts: 2,384
"As for becoming aware that I'm a conscious and emotional being and labeling that spiritual."
I'm a God person, but lately I've realized that I don't believe in "God" per se.
I think it is more about consciousness, awareness, & experience than any set of beliefs. I've heard it said that religious beliefs can be a bar to religious experience. What a person believes can keep them from the experience.
To sum it up, for me "God is more of an experience than an idea.
Peace,
Jim
I'm a God person, but lately I've realized that I don't believe in "God" per se.
I think it is more about consciousness, awareness, & experience than any set of beliefs. I've heard it said that religious beliefs can be a bar to religious experience. What a person believes can keep them from the experience.
To sum it up, for me "God is more of an experience than an idea.
Peace,
Jim
Member
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 271
Yo, I think many of us drank to become unaware of our emotions. 
Sometimes to the point of unconsciousness.
Anyway, if want to talk "collective unconscience," that's more interesting in my opinion. But what is "collective conscience"? It sounds a whole lot like "group conscience."
Sometimes to the point of unconsciousness.
Anyway, if want to talk "collective unconscience," that's more interesting in my opinion. But what is "collective conscience"? It sounds a whole lot like "group conscience."
Never settle.
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Under immense pressure
Posts: 1,505
I had a friend tell me his concept of God isn't an old dude in the clouds. He thinks of it as an energy that runs between people, sort of similar to karma I guess, but he thinks of it as positive rather than positive or negative (if my understanding of the concept of Karma is off, forgive me). If I were going to believe in God, this is how I would think of it.
Member
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: The Swish Alps, SF CA
Posts: 2,144
The following sum it up for me as good as anything else, if you don't recognize where the quotes are from I can't help you
It's an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us. It binds the galaxy together.
my ally is the Force, and a powerful ally it is. Life creates it, makes it grow. Its energy surrounds us and binds us. Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter. You must feel the Force around you; here, between you, me, the tree, the rock, everywhere, yes.
the most difficult trial we must face is to look inside oneself. Often we see things we don't like. But these aspects are not set in stone. It is our decisions that shape our destinies."
many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view
For a good idea why Man created God in his own image, read The Naked Ape by Desmond Morris and his theory about the lost "alpha male" we lost when we evolved into a cooperative species, even to "Primate begging gestures" being identical to prayer and us keeping a house for this lost alpha male for his return, and we bring him offerings of food and money
Like Jim I am a "god person" that doesn't believe in God per se, I don't believe in a deity or an otherness and like liveweyerd I have a philosophy rather then a religion, although it's more closely tied to Taoism then Buddhism although it has aspects of both
There is no try, there is only do
It's an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us. It binds the galaxy together.
my ally is the Force, and a powerful ally it is. Life creates it, makes it grow. Its energy surrounds us and binds us. Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter. You must feel the Force around you; here, between you, me, the tree, the rock, everywhere, yes.
the most difficult trial we must face is to look inside oneself. Often we see things we don't like. But these aspects are not set in stone. It is our decisions that shape our destinies."
many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view
For a good idea why Man created God in his own image, read The Naked Ape by Desmond Morris and his theory about the lost "alpha male" we lost when we evolved into a cooperative species, even to "Primate begging gestures" being identical to prayer and us keeping a house for this lost alpha male for his return, and we bring him offerings of food and money
Like Jim I am a "god person" that doesn't believe in God per se, I don't believe in a deity or an otherness and like liveweyerd I have a philosophy rather then a religion, although it's more closely tied to Taoism then Buddhism although it has aspects of both
There is no try, there is only do
Blu**ed Lines...A ClockWork SR
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: AZ
Posts: 2,529
Thought this post died... Must be philosophical Thursday!
My line of thinking was more along the lines of how the concept of god and spirituality are interwoven in culture and evolve as we come to a better understanding of our world. As societies modernized the isms too precedent over organized religion as the primary means for ordering societies, fascism, capitalism, communism etc, while religion remained a choice as a spiritual outlet. Specifically applied to modern addiction recovery; I think it means that everyone has choice to figure out how fill the void/ rebuild oneself without their doc. It implies different paths for different people. It's why AA works. AA teaches a discipline that ultimately enhances personal growth and awareness. It's spiritual, which validates our emotions as experiences sober, and open ended enough to allow a person to grow as an individual. The god reflex, then could be considered a necessary human quality for social order, whether channeled into denying, believing, or embracing the isms. The Jungian concept of collective conscious involves more than I could explain with any brevity, but includes aspects of budhism, Freudian psychology, sociology and many other things. It's sort of an overlap or shared understanding among people in general or a subgroup in specific. His dream analysis is both fun and informative. Sorry for rambling, reading everyones posts helps me keep it real and clarifies my own thoughts. Humbly on day 93.
My line of thinking was more along the lines of how the concept of god and spirituality are interwoven in culture and evolve as we come to a better understanding of our world. As societies modernized the isms too precedent over organized religion as the primary means for ordering societies, fascism, capitalism, communism etc, while religion remained a choice as a spiritual outlet. Specifically applied to modern addiction recovery; I think it means that everyone has choice to figure out how fill the void/ rebuild oneself without their doc. It implies different paths for different people. It's why AA works. AA teaches a discipline that ultimately enhances personal growth and awareness. It's spiritual, which validates our emotions as experiences sober, and open ended enough to allow a person to grow as an individual. The god reflex, then could be considered a necessary human quality for social order, whether channeled into denying, believing, or embracing the isms. The Jungian concept of collective conscious involves more than I could explain with any brevity, but includes aspects of budhism, Freudian psychology, sociology and many other things. It's sort of an overlap or shared understanding among people in general or a subgroup in specific. His dream analysis is both fun and informative. Sorry for rambling, reading everyones posts helps me keep it real and clarifies my own thoughts. Humbly on day 93.
Blu**ed Lines...A ClockWork SR
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: AZ
Posts: 2,529
Great post ago. Interesting Alpha Male observation. We are social creatures and need leadership. Collectivism and communism ultimately lead to inefficiency corruption and totalitarianism. Has our societal concept of an ideal alpha male evolved into something better... Or has it degenerated into simply wanting a Patsy figurehead to satisfy society's whims to the best of his/her abitities. Churchill's take makes sense to me, "democracy is the worst form of government; with the exception of all the others. Though here in the states we do live in a Republic. Relating this to addiction recovery; it means we have choice wether we want it or not. A rigid program for a recovering addict is necessary for a quality recovery, yet choosing one is contrary to the addicts nature. Hence, bottoming out and "conversion experiences" make real sense to me now.
Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Oxnard (The Nard), CA, USA.
Posts: 13,878
Originally Posted by ElegantlyWasted
Relating this to addiction recovery; it means we have choice wether we want it or not. A rigid program for a recovering addict is necessary for a quality recovery, yet choosing one is contrary to the addicts nature.
Never settle.
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Under immense pressure
Posts: 1,505
Originally Posted by Ago 
The following sum it up for me as good as anything else, if you don't recognize where the quotes are from I can't help you
It's an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us. It binds the galaxy together.
my ally is the Force, and a powerful ally it is. Life creates it, makes it grow. Its energy surrounds us and binds us. Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter. You must feel the Force around you; here, between you, me, the tree, the rock, everywhere, yes.
the most difficult trial we must face is to look inside oneself. Often we see things we don't like. But these aspects are not set in stone. It is our decisions that shape our destinies."
many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view
It's an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us. It binds the galaxy together.
my ally is the Force, and a powerful ally it is. Life creates it, makes it grow. Its energy surrounds us and binds us. Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter. You must feel the Force around you; here, between you, me, the tree, the rock, everywhere, yes.
the most difficult trial we must face is to look inside oneself. Often we see things we don't like. But these aspects are not set in stone. It is our decisions that shape our destinies."
many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view
There are worse things to base it on I suppose. I think I'll go with Lord of the Rings.Jes' bein' a smart alek. This is a cool thread.
[/interuption]
Member
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: The Swish Alps, SF CA
Posts: 2,144
Originally Posted by gneiss
*Gulp* If I'm reading this right, we're now basing religion on Star Wars? There are worse things to base it on I suppose. I think I'll go with Lord of the Rings.
Jes' bein' a smart alek. This is a cool thread.
[/interuption]
There are worse things to base it on I suppose. I think I'll go with Lord of the Rings.Jes' bein' a smart alek. This is a cool thread.
[/interuption]
Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
