Weightlifting and Spirituality

[quote]thethirdruffian wrote:
Of course, as a reminder, Crocket died a horrible death in the Alamo. Can’t remember, but I think he was shot in the gut.[/quote]
There are scarcely more glorious dooms than those of the Alamo defenders.

Digity,

You asked:

“I’m just wondering if doing weights will make me develop any unskillful qualities, like becoming vain or more prone to violence, etc. I think the crux of the matter is that I always want to make sure I’m developing skillful qualities and not feeding the unskillful ones.”

Weights will not give you this, vanity or violence would have already existed within you.

[quote]Digity wrote:
I have a bit of a conundrum. Firstly, I should state that I’m a practicing Buddhist. I’ve also had a desire to be good at weightlifting, but I’ve never accomplished anything significant in that area. I’m currently dedicating myself to practicing weightlifting and I’m going to really push myself this time around. A big part of the reason I practice is to develop mental will and greater confidence. Also, I want to be in good shape when I get older so I’m not some decrepit old dude that can’t wipe his own ass.

Having said all that, I sometimes struggle with the spiritual side of things. As a Buddhist, we’re taught that the body is not something to get too attached to. That’s not saying that we shouldn’t take care of it. However, we’re only suppose to keep the body in shape for the purposes of continuing the practice. That being said, there’s a lot of attachment to the body and a lot of grandiosity around it when it comes to weightlifting. I often feel that this is at odds with Buddhism, because in Buddhism the body is seen as something impermanent, not-self and being attached to it leads to suffering.

I sometimes feel torn between my spiritual life and weightlifting. I’m doing my best to make sure that I lift with the proper intentions. I think lifting for the purpose of developing mental strong will and also with the wish of wanting to stay healthy for old age are positive things. However, I would be lieing to myself if I didn’t think it was also about improving the look of the body, which I don’t think is completely in line with my spiritual life. Not saying I’d quit lifting because of this, but it’s something I think about at times.

I wonder what you guys think. I’m guessing most of you don’t give a shit about this. Although, would like a different perspective on these matters.[/quote]

I don’t see the conflict. Your body is part of who you are.

This is Bullshit. Buddhism teaches the “Middle Path” to the vast majority of the world. Seek balance, try to follow the tenets which the Buddha says bring happiness and avoid those which bring distress. But no need to become a monk or do nothing but seek dharma.

There is nothing anti buddha about a healthy and strong body or spending several hours a week lifting to take care of it. This is a bullshit concern of a video game dude spinning a philosophy thousands of years old into something it completely is not.

[quote]thethirdruffian wrote:

[quote]BroLac wrote:
I can’t stand religions. [/quote]

Why do you care?[/quote]

Because of things like this. This guy is on the fence as to whether he should be lifting or not because of a religion. It all goes black when you die anyway, do what you enjoy.

My 2cents is that through training to fight and what not I became more willing to defend myself instead of verbally diffusing a situation.
Lifting weights will bring you pain, physical and mental progress, happiness, and elation after good training sessions. Vanity comes along with loving yourself too much.

No one is bigger than the whole so with that in mind and checking your ego go forward and lift because it improves your health vastly which Buddhism from my knowledge, is about being balanced and healthy. Remember if you meet a man that does not have some type of contradictory nature to him; he is not real. You shouldn’t do mental gymnastics on why or why not just do it if you know it is right as mentioned from the DBZ crowd lol.

A sport like weightlifting is very compatible with spirituality and I’m sure Siddharta would approve.

In order to have any shot at thinking clearly, you have indulge your body and your apish needs from time to time.

There would be a lot less women beating or husband nagging if people were physically more activity.
Or less molested children if catholic priests would be required to pay hookers a weekly visit.

So by engaging your body in planned, progressive workouts, your ape-genetics won’t bug you as much.
Meditating, persuing your spiritual path, being a loving human being, all that will work more easily if your inner chimp is too sleepy to rattle his chains.

[quote]BroLac wrote:

[quote]thethirdruffian wrote:

[quote]BroLac wrote:
I can’t stand religions. [/quote]

Why do you care?[/quote]

Because of things like this. This guy is on the fence as to whether he should be lifting or not because of a religion. It all goes black when you die anyway, do what you enjoy.[/quote]

You realize you can only say your last sentence with the same degree of certainty as those who beleive in life after death, reincarnation, heaven/hell etc right?

Or do you fail to see the irony in that?

Because “going black” has better odds than “pink clouded heaven”?

[quote]BroLac wrote:
It all goes black when you die anyway, do what you enjoy.[/quote]

Really? What evidence do you have to support this belief?

It is the most educated guess.

[quote]thethirdruffian wrote:

[quote]BroLac wrote:
It all goes black when you die anyway, do what you enjoy.[/quote]

Really? What evidence do you have to support this belief?[/quote]

(eats popcorn, waiting reply)

[quote]Schwarzfahrer wrote:
It is the most educated guess.[/quote]

Still a guess.

Look, I got told I was a hero and wonderful guy by various decent Afgans and Iraqis (there are a few; well, not so much in Afganistan, but Iraq had plenty of decent people).

Anyway, there were very upset I was Roman Catholic and even more upset that I read about Judaism (been a long time thinking about that). They were convinced I was going to burn in Hell. (This is the kind of shit you talk about when sitting in a hole for 10 days. It’s like PWI forum, with rifles.)

Well, I don’t really care. I rejected their religion after due thought. What they thought of my ultimate fate was meaningless to me. I was, and am, secure in that.

If you are secure in your atheism, then you should not care that I think you are going to burn in Hell. Nor should you care that I have beliefs that affect you not at all.

[quote]Waittz wrote:

[quote]BroLac wrote:

[quote]thethirdruffian wrote:

[quote]BroLac wrote:
I can’t stand religions. [/quote]

Why do you care?[/quote]

Because of things like this. This guy is on the fence as to whether he should be lifting or not because of a religion. It all goes black when you die anyway, do what you enjoy.[/quote]

You realize you can only say your last sentence with the same degree of certainty as those who beleive in life after death, reincarnation, heaven/hell etc right?

Or do you fail to see the irony in that? [/quote]

The point is that no one knows what happens after death so you might as well enjoy your time on this earth while your here and do what you like. People read so deep into religion with no proof of an after life.

Religion is such a touchy subject. Everyone has their own beliefs but I think we all can agree that if this guy enjoys lifting then he should do so regardless of what religion he follows.

[quote]thethirdruffian wrote:

[quote]Schwarzfahrer wrote:
It is the most educated guess.[/quote]

Still a guess.

Look, I got told I was a hero and wonderful guy by various decent Afgans and Iraqis (there are a few; well, not so much in Afganistan, but Iraq had plenty of decent people).

Anyway, there were very upset I was Roman Catholic and even more upset that I read about Judaism (been a long time thinking about that). They were convinced I was going to burn in Hell. (This is the kind of shit you talk about when sitting in a hole for 10 days. It’s like PWI forum, with rifles.)

Well, I don’t really care. I rejected their religion after due thought. What they thought of my ultimate fate was meaningless to me. I was, and am, secure in that.

If you are secure in your atheism, then you should not care that I think you are going to burn in Hell. Nor should you care that I have beliefs that affect you not at all.[/quote]

In that same vein, why do you care that he cares about some other dude? I mean you at least care enough to comment, which is really all he did.

[quote]thethirdruffian wrote:

[quote]Schwarzfahrer wrote:
It is the most educated guess.[/quote]

Still a guess.

Look, I got told I was a hero and wonderful guy by various decent Afgans and Iraqis (there are a few; well, not so much in Afganistan, but Iraq had plenty of decent people).

Anyway, there were very upset I was Roman Catholic and even more upset that I read about Judaism (been a long time thinking about that). They were convinced I was going to burn in Hell. (This is the kind of shit you talk about when sitting in a hole for 10 days. It’s like PWI forum, with rifles.)

Well, I don’t really care. I rejected their religion after due thought. What they thought of my ultimate fate was meaningless to me. I was, and am, secure in that.

If you are secure in your atheism, then you should not care that I think you are going to burn in Hell. Nor should you care that I have beliefs that affect you not at all.[/quote]

True that, I know like 2 cool afghanis out of like 50. They have a word for them in pakistan that translates to shit head, lol. No offense afghan bros I’m sure there is some cool ones out there reading this. People always take thoughts or words against them harshly even though it should not bother them. All humans want acceptance in some form.

[quote]Digity wrote:
I have a bit of a conundrum. Firstly, I should state that I’m a practicing Buddhist. I’ve also had a desire to be good at weightlifting, but I’ve never accomplished anything significant in that area. I’m currently dedicating myself to practicing weightlifting and I’m going to really push myself this time around. A big part of the reason I practice is to develop mental will and greater confidence. Also, I want to be in good shape when I get older so I’m not some decrepit old dude that can’t wipe his own ass.

Having said all that, I sometimes struggle with the spiritual side of things. As a Buddhist, we’re taught that the body is not something to get too attached to. That’s not saying that we shouldn’t take care of it. However, we’re only suppose to keep the body in shape for the purposes of continuing the practice. That being said, there’s a lot of attachment to the body and a lot of grandiosity around it when it comes to weightlifting. I often feel that this is at odds with Buddhism, because in Buddhism the body is seen as something impermanent, not-self and being attached to it leads to suffering.

I sometimes feel torn between my spiritual life and weightlifting. I’m doing my best to make sure that I lift with the proper intentions. I think lifting for the purpose of developing mental strong will and also with the wish of wanting to stay healthy for old age are positive things. However, I would be lieing to myself if I didn’t think it was also about improving the look of the body, which I don’t think is completely in line with my spiritual life. Not saying I’d quit lifting because of this, but it’s something I think about at times.

I wonder what you guys think. I’m guessing most of you don’t give a shit about this. Although, would like a different perspective on these matters.[/quote]

There is a difference between lifting for an ego stroke, and lifting for peace. I am very involved in spirituality and its never been an issue… I found actually desires just naturally fall away on their own the further into awakening you go. In fact personal will itself just naturally drops. It means you get to enjoy things even more though and egoic seeking and striving just naturally gets replaced with a sense of flow and ease. Maybe check out Adyas book “The way of Liberation” its spiritual teaching from whom he hails from the Zen teaching, however I found its better to use the teachings as a sign post and guide, rather then a belief system and attachment to the words which ironically leads to bondage.

You will do well man just don’t think, FEEEELLL… In the words of Bruce Lee

[quote]debraD wrote:

[quote]thethirdruffian wrote:

[quote]Schwarzfahrer wrote:
It is the most educated guess.[/quote]

Still a guess.

Look, I got told I was a hero and wonderful guy by various decent Afgans and Iraqis (there are a few; well, not so much in Afganistan, but Iraq had plenty of decent people).

Anyway, there were very upset I was Roman Catholic and even more upset that I read about Judaism (been a long time thinking about that). They were convinced I was going to burn in Hell. (This is the kind of shit you talk about when sitting in a hole for 10 days. It’s like PWI forum, with rifles.)

Well, I don’t really care. I rejected their religion after due thought. What they thought of my ultimate fate was meaningless to me. I was, and am, secure in that.

If you are secure in your atheism, then you should not care that I think you are going to burn in Hell. Nor should you care that I have beliefs that affect you not at all.[/quote]

In that same vein, why do you care that he cares about some other dude? I mean you at least care enough to comment, which is really all he did.
[/quote]

I just detected hostility toward some random person because the person was religious.

I’m a protector of people, horses, and dogs. Pretty much the primary thing I am good at.

When you detach far from your ego I find one may become reclusive and not goal oriented which is needed in western societies. My own personal view though Like for some periods I can become so far removed from what I used to be and no longer care for material needs or a status but it kind of leaves you depressed bcuz everyone else is after money but being spritual is a harder road to walk than traditional paths and makes you more self aware which this world is seriously lacking