Spiritual vs. Religious

[InfiniteNow]

Originally Posted by Pyrotex

In other words, you're a Bonsai Tree!

I really like your analogy of being a Bonsai tree... or, more accurately, I really like how I perceive your statement about us being Bonsai trees...


Let me ask, what would you analogize as being our source of food/light/water? Into what do those resources translate?

[Pyrotex]

Originally Posted by InfiniteNow

I really like your analogy of being a Bonsai tree...what would you analogize as being our source of food/light/water?...

Thank you.
Being clear that no analogy is ever perfect, and many are not even useful, here goes...

Our spiritual "inputs" would be our relationships with other humans, special events that take our breath away, insights, and of course, suffering. We have to find ways to "integrate" these into the ever-becoming Bonsai of our spirit-being. If we're not careful, the Bonsai will become lop-sided, weak, scraggly. Limbs may break off, rendering us unable to engage in certain kinds of relationships. If we are careful and patient, all of these inputs can be crafted into a whole and healthy interlock of talents and spiritual skills.

A spiritual skill would be the ability to foster and enhance relationships--to build those "bridges" I spoke of in my last post.

[InfiniteNow]

Originally Posted by Pyrotex

Our spiritual "inputs" would be our relationships with other humans, special events that take our breath away, insights, and of course, suffering.

Thanks Pyrotex... Well said.

To extend the analogy then, we could say that there are seeds dropped by the tree as well... the seeds are representative of growth and new life, whereby teaching or sharing our experience of spirituality in an open and non-assuming way with another helps add to the proverbial forest.


Cheers.

[Racoon]

Originally Posted by InfiniteNow

I really like your analogy of being a Bonsai tree... or, more accurately, I really like how I perceive your statement about us being Bonsai trees...


Let me ask, what would you analogize as being our source of food/light/water? Into what do those resources translate?

Ah InfiniteNow, you would have to be the second one.
This makes me the third double poster!

There will be many a sin to atone for Now, by God!
I better start getting religious

[InfiniteNow]

Originally Posted by Racoon

Ah InfiniteNow, you would have to be the second one.
This makes me the third double poster!

There will be many a sin to atone for Now, by God!
I better start getting religious

I'm pretty much tilting my head right now like a confused dog... whatdya mean?

[Racoon]

Originally Posted by InfiniteNow

Oh cwes... you had to be the first.

I obviously have had too much time on my hands lately...

[InfiniteNow]

Originally Posted by Racoon

I obviously have had too much time on my hands lately...

Ah... thought that sounded familiar. Thanks for the clarification.

But after all, I started this thread. hehehe.

[Pyrotex]

Originally Posted by InfiniteNow

...To extend the analogy then, we could say that there are seeds dropped by the tree as well... the seeds are representative of growth and new life, whereby teaching or sharing our experience of spirituality in an open and non-assuming way with another helps add to the proverbial forest.

Yes. Excellent extension.
Humanity is a forest of Bonsai Trees, though most of us are scraggly shrubs. That is a sad thought to visualize. But everyone remembers at least one occassion where you met someone who truly "had it all together". My father used to say that such folks were "comfortable in their own skin". These are the Bonsai Trees that make us wonder how WE will grow up, what WE will look like some day.
And if we're very lucky, we get to hang out if only for an hour with such folks and be inspired, enlightened, made hopeful, if only by their example. Such singular people drop "seeds" around them all the time.
But here is where the analogy must be twisted.
The "seeds" don't drop on the ground to germinate.
The "seeds" are caught by fledgling Bonsais, who germinate the seeds within themselves.

[Pyrotex]

Originally Posted by Racoon

I obviously have had too much time on my hands lately...

Perhaps if you washed your hands with very mild soap, every hour on the hour, and wore clean cotton gloves elsewhen, it might help.

[InfiniteNow]

I'm going to go ahead and remove the single post restriction (request is more apt)... It's not really happening anyway...


Thanks everyone for the wonderful ideas. It was nice hearing thoughts expressed in this thread without argument.


Cheers.