Never Claim Spirituality
By Scott Shaw
As I frequently discuss, claiming to be a spiritual or a religious person is one of the most self-involved and egotistical statements that a person can make about himself or herself. To step to the pulpit and try to gain a following is even worse. For if you are claiming you are spiritual, you are not. True spirituality is never represented through self-proclaimed titles; it is only depicted through actions. And, actions are never predicated by telling someone you are something before you perform them.
Who claims spirituality? Those who wish to self-elevate themselves to being something more than they currently are. They are not satisfied with them SELF or their life. If they were, they would not attempt to be anything than themselves. They would not have the need to try to gain a sense of self-importance by claiming a position and guiding others.
This is one of the main things that people who are a seeker of spirituality do not take the time to investigate… Who are you listening to? And, why is that person saying anything?
Anybody can claim to have knowledge that someone else does not. But, what does all that mean?
If a person, for example, is a medical doctor or holds an advanced degree in psychology, then one can assume they have been trained in the accepted and applicable science associated with that field. They have graduated and have been certified. Though obviously not an absolute failsafe, at least they have the credentials to substantiate their position. Spirituality is not like that. People can and will say all kinds of things, motivated by all kinds of personal inadequacies and self-proclaimed ideologies in order to get people to full the empty space in their life.
“I know. But, you do not.” That is the ultimate illusion of the spiritual path.
We all know, just some of us do not know that we know. But, listening to someone tell us how we should feel, live, act, or react, is never a pathway to self-realization. That is simply a pathway to manipulation.
You will only know, when you know. No one can tell you how or what to know. The true teacher is silent.
Throughout history there have been those that have stepped up to the pulpit to teach spirituality. Most are quickly forgotten. Even in my lifetime I have seen so many who tried to ascend the ladder and gain followers. But, no one can remember the name of the majority of them, not even me.
For those of us who are drawn to the spiritual path, it is an easy illusion to fall into; the illusion of, “I’m spiritual.” I too fell under its spell in my youth. It is what caused me to travel to India. But once there I realized, just as it is here in the West, they are an untold number of people who seek notoriety by claiming advanced spirituality. And, being of East Indian or Asian descent causes many people, (especially Westerns), to immediately believe that simply because of where a person was born means they MUST be MORE spiritual. It does not.
Seekers, seek a teacher. But, seeking is the ultimate folly on the spiritual path. Seeking causes one to fall prey to those who instead of choosing to refine their own consciousness are, instead, seeking the admiration and/or the worship of disciples.
Seekers can seek. Teachers can teach. But, the ultimate realization comes when you realize that no one holds any more knowledge than you do. If someone is attempting to gather disciples, they have a very big flaw in their personality that they are attempting to fill by gathering followers around them. In the deepest roots of their subconscious, they believe that if others follow them they must be whole, complete, and something MORE.
The true sage is silent. They seek to tell no-one, no-thing.
Be free and know yourself. That is the ultimate knowledge, something no self-proclaimed teacher can teach you.
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