Looking Inside Myself

"Do not be satisfied with hearsay or tradition, with legends or what is written in great scriptures, with conjecture of logic, or with liking for a view or disliking it, or saying, 'This comes from a great master or teacher.'  But look in yourselves.  We must be a lamp unto ourselves, we must find our  own true way."  The Buddha.  

Booda Booda!  Jambooda!

"Spiritual practice can never be fulfilled by imitation of an outer form of perfection.  This leads us only to 'acting spiritual.'  Our heart naturally longs for wholeness, beauty, and perfection, but as we try to act like the great spiritual masters, we impose their image of perfection on ourselves.  This can be very discouraging, for we are not them.  Doubts may arise in our spiritual practice.  This practice may feel more like manual labor than a labor of love, and the images of perfection we hold will leave us more discouraged with ourselves and our practice."  Jack Kornfield

"It is our very search for perfection outside ourselves that causes our suffering."   The Buddha, dude.

"Liberation arises when we are without anxiety about nonperfection."  The Third Patriarch of Zen Buddhism, Longtan Chongxin

"Sabbath, Bloody Sabbath."  The Fourth Album by Black Sabbath

"Whether we agree with a particular approach or conception seems to make little difference.  Experience has taught us that these are matters about which, for our purpose, we need not be worried.  They are questions for each individual to settle for himself."  The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous

"The state of entropy of the entire universe, as an isolated system, will always increase over time."  The Second Law of Thermodynamics

I am amused and heartened by the consistency with which the idea that each individual needs . . . should . . . could . . . look inside and find an idea of greater power that works for them . . . makes sense for them . . . doesn't piss them off too much.  I'm too lazy to try to find the exact quote but the jist of it is that the Realm of the Spirit is wide and accommodating and that there's a great deal of ease and flexibility provided to each of us as we try to figure out a Higher Power that works.