The great wisdom traditions emerged at a time when life was radically different than it is today. The world has changed immeasurably in the past two thousand years. And human beings have changed along with it.
We are a new humanity facing a new set of challenges—and a new set of opportunities.
How can we liberate the spiritual impulse from the outmoded structures of the past, so it can guide us in creating the future?
We’d like to invite you to join us in our quest for answers.
Are we really that "new?" By "wisdom traditions" don't they mean "religions?" Just what are specific "outmoded structures of the past" from which "the spiritual impulse" must be "liberated?"
I could go into details, but suffice to say, none of the principals for whom this webinar is a pulpit actually gives an example.
I could give a few "outmoded structures of the past" from which we need to be liberated from, and I guess by extension our religious and spiritual impulses.
They would include my own structures of ignorance, selfishness, and hatred. They would include those that do not help people. They would also include structures of aggrandizing one's religion/spiritual path at the expense of others. Even if others' paths are permeated by hatred and ignorance, you cannot get them to leave that burning house except possibly with some skill.
That said, there's no reason to deny the house is burning in the first place to others, even if the children playing inside the house cannot see the flames or smell the smoke.
But if the topic is "outmoded structures of the past" from which a spiritual impulse must be liberated, perhaps examination of one's own life and behavior is a good place to start. And you'll have no need to share your e-mail address with anyone else.
1 comment:
Making changes in my own patterns of thinking and action can be very difficult. But it's not impossible... any habit that I can establish for a few weeks tends to become much easier after that. Point is... as difficult as personal changes are, they seem far far more likely to effect than attempts to change anyone else, let alone "humanity" or "traditions" etc.
There's every reason to suspect that efforts to act clearly and correctly in my own moment to moment life is a more reasonable and effective way to help the world, vs trying to change "humanity" etc. In wanting to change the world, perhaps we need to meet the matter like a crab, approaching it sideways.
Stuart
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