Increasing spiritual awareness leading to diminished happiness?

[rain]

depressed, but never bored.

Edited October 7, 2008 by rain

[rex]

Hi James,

 

Finding oneself in a setting whose norms may be at odds with spiritual practice sure is a tough call! Gender roles and ideas on what it is to be a bloke hits a lot of people - and badly - judging by the disportionately high suicide rate of young males in the UK. Personally (Oh no! Not another set of taobums book recommendations ) I've found Robert Blys' Iron John and R.J Stewart's Celebrating the Male Mysteries helpful.

 

I suppose there are a number of sources of courage and it varies with individuals, predispositions, circumstances and belief systems. Some of my sources have come from the Tibetan Lojong and 'Turning Happiness and Suffering into Enlightenment' teachings whose value I've discovered by applying under difficult circumstances.

 

Love, compassion, joy and equanmity need not be specific practices to cram into an already full practice schedule. Sure, there are practices to develop these specifically but they can form part of an implicit philosophical orientation against which any practice is done. All practices in Tibetan Buddhism are performed in such a context

 

 

_/\_

 

Best,

 

Rex

[.broken.]

Thank you, rex, for an exceedingly coherent response.

 

I may look those books up if the need for them lasts longer than it is wanted. A great part of me fears losing my usual social circle, for they have been such great friends over the years. I guess that only my true friends will stick around if it ever comes down to such. In some respect those around me define who I am at any given moment - personalities are never rigid. Again, it all comes down to having the courage to stand apart.

 

For someone who has been on this forum for so long, and posted so relatively little in all those years, I am honoured to be on the receiving end of your words.

 

Yours in admiration,

James