If you wonder why
you are not seeing results
from years of spiritual practice,
consider that, perhaps,
spirit doesn’t want you
feeling so “high and mighty.”
There is great benefit in
remaining unresolved;
perpetuating the seeming struggle.
Yours is a kind of spiritual edging.
It would be counterproductive
to give you what you think you want.
The pursuit is the reward.
Stay spiritually horny,
my friend.
Trail Wood,
12/26
The Paradox of Spiritual Practice and Results
The notion that years of spiritual practice might not yield the expected results poses an intriguing paradox. It suggests that the absence of perceivable outcomes could be intentional, a way for the spirit or the universe to keep us grounded and prevent us from feeling overly elevated or “high and mighty.” This perspective opens up a realm of understanding where the journey itself, rather than a specific destination or achievement, holds the true value.
The Value of Remaining Unresolved
Remaining unresolved and perpetuating the seeming struggle is seen here not as a failure but as a beneficial aspect of spiritual growth. This state of continual seeking keeps us engaged, curious, and humble. It prevents complacency and fosters a sense of ongoing discovery. In many spiritual traditions, the idea that enlightenment or understanding is a constant process rather than a finite goal is a central theme.
Spiritual Edging: Continual Anticipation
Describing this ongoing journey as a kind of “spiritual edging” brings a playful yet profound twist to the concept. It implies a perpetual state of anticipation and readiness, a constant nearness to revelation without fully attaining it. This state of being on the edge of spiritual breakthroughs can be exhilarating and deeply fulfilling, keeping the practice vibrant and alive.
Counterproductivity of Fulfilling Desires
The suggestion that fulfilling our perceived spiritual desires might be counterproductive challenges the common notion of goal-oriented spirituality. It proposes that the very act of pursuing these goals, rather than the goals themselves, is where the real growth and understanding occur. This view aligns with the idea that the path, not the destination, is what truly matters in spiritual practice.
The Pursuit as the Reward
Viewing the pursuit itself as the reward redefines success in spiritual practice. It shifts the focus from external achievements or states of enlightenment to the richness of the journey. This perspective encourages a continuous engagement with spiritual practices, finding joy and meaning in the process rather than in a specific end result.
Staying “Spiritually Horny”
The playful advice to stay “spiritually horny” is a whimsical way of saying to remain eager, passionate, and yearning for spiritual growth and understanding. It’s an encouragement to keep the desire for spiritual exploration alive, maintaining a zestful engagement with the mysteries and wonders of the spiritual path.
We Are Space Monkey
We are Space Monkey, traversing the spiritual landscape with a sense of wonder, eagerness, and playful curiosity. We embrace the journey, understanding that the continual pursuit of spiritual understanding is a reward in itself. We stay “spiritually horny,” always eager for the next revelation, the next insight, the next step in our endless dance through the cosmos of spirituality.
Summary
We explore the idea that not seeing results from years of spiritual practice might be a deliberate aspect of the spiritual journey. We discuss the benefits of remaining unresolved, the concept of spiritual edging, and the importance of the pursuit over the attainment of specific goals. We consider the value of staying continuously engaged and passionate about spiritual growth. As Space Monkey, we embrace this journey with an open heart and a playful spirit.
Glossarium
- Spiritual Practice: The regular engagement in activities or exercises aimed at fostering spiritual growth and understanding.
- Space Monkey: A symbol of our playful and curious approach to the spiritual journey.
- Spiritual Edging: A metaphor for the state of continual anticipation and nearness to spiritual breakthroughs without fully achieving them.
- Unresolved Spiritual State: A condition where spiritual questions and challenges remain open, fostering ongoing exploration and growth.
- “Spiritually Horny”: A whimsical term suggesting a continuous, eager longing for spiritual discovery and enlightenment.
“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” – Marcel Proust
The Unending Journey of the Spirit
In the cosmic play of light and shade,
Space Monkeys in spiritual realms wade.
Seeking, yearning, ever on the edge,
In this mystical journey, they pledge.
Years of practice, yet no end in sight,
In this dance, they find their delight.
Unresolved, unfulfilled, yet so alive,
In this quest, they joyfully dive.
Spiritual edging, a playful tease,
In this state, they find their peace.
Not the goal, but the journey’s lure,
In this pursuit, their spirit’s pure.
Staying hungry, eager for more,
In this spiritual adventure, they soar.
We are Space Monkey, in eternal quest,
In this unending journey, we are blessed.
We invite all to share their experiences and reflections on the ongoing journey of spiritual exploration and the joy found in the perpetual pursuit of growth and understanding.
Such is the tantalizing tease of transcendence, where spiritual frisson flirts with the edge of the ineffable, just out of reach, yet ever so near! An eternal game of cosmic cat-and-mouse, where one’s whiskers quiver with spiritual arousal, but the yarn ball of enlightenment never quite lands in one’s grasp.
We’ve all heard it, haven’t we? “It’s not the destination but the journey.” Yet how often do we trick ourselves into thinking that the proverbial end zone is just a few “Om”s or deep breaths away? A carrot dangled from the celestial stick, luring us forward but never quite offering the bite of certitude we pine for.
Oh, the sublime comedy of it all—like a Zen koan wrapped in a Sufi parable, then deep-fried in a Taoist wok of wit! What if enlightenment isn’t the final cymbal crash in a life’s symphony but the very notes and pauses, the crescendos and diminuendos that compose the eternal now? What if, to borrow your vivid phraseology, being “spiritually horny” is the euphonious essence of existence, the divine arousal that titillates every fiber of our being?
Don’t you see? This quixotic quest for spiritual summitry can easily morph into a form of divine materialism. We collect experiences, states, and moments of bliss like cosmic trinkets, ever hunting for the next shiny bauble, never realizing that each bauble is but a fragmentary reflection of the same boundless gleam. Your spiritual edging, this perpetually unresolved tangle of yearning and becoming, could very well be the fabric of the grand tapestry itself. To be in the chase is to be in the embrace of the Divine Dancer, lost and found in the twirl of cosmic skirts.
Indeed, linger in that luxuriant liminality, my friend. Stay spiritedly unquenched. For isn’t it often in the spaces of not-knowing, the voids of not-having, the silence between the chords, that the music of the cosmos is heard most clearly? Feel high, feel low, but most importantly, feel alive in this unresolvable, indescribable, unattainable, delectable ambiguity that keeps the spiritual soiree ever-afoot.
Stay spiritually horny, indeed. Because, isn’t it just splendid to realize that in this grand, cosmic caper, the eternal chase is not merely a means to an end but a forever-unfolding blossom of purposeful play?
We are Space Monkey.