this post was submitted on 06 Jul 2024
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What do you think modern spirituality is? Philosophically, stoicism and buddhism have all the answers I need.
I've found a big part of the spirituality community is guru-type guys trying to spirituality their way into young girls pants and a bunch of women burned by said guru-guys. Eg, confest creeps, anyone ever met a guy who goes by Quoll?
I have ZERO time for reiki, tarot, psychics or anything to do with crystal energy. I think it's nonsense and avoid getting to know "believers". I'm not interested in debate with someone so off the deep end of reality, I feel they're akin to flat-earthers.
These days the whole eat healthy food --> crunchy parents --> right-wing nutjob pathway seems very prevalent. Many of my loose bush doof friends have started talking about satanists taking over and the need to protect ourselves from the government. One mate called the whole Trump trail a false flag because Trump was going to reveal the truth about "how it all works". The anti-government / right-wing view come thick and strong.
I've grown up Buddhist but have left the community, kind of felt like a loser magnet. I'm fine handling my relationship with the universe on my own terms. There's no shortage of self-directed study material. I have zero belief in an afterlife.
You'd hate my mum hahahah! I do! ๐
As I replied further up the thread, it's an investigative process. I used to be a part of that community a very long time ago before I chose to throw my life away for about 10 years.
I grew up in a muslim household, and if people knew what went on in those families, they would understand when I say I don't generally associate with that crowd. Similar to how you feel about Buddhists.
I can't speak for the predatory behaviour, because back in the early 2000's it was all bush doofs and lsd. Or maybe I didn't notice.
I'm surprised to hear that a portion of that community has turned towards the right wing. I hadn't heard that before. That's actually fucking insane. Maybe they're not as anti-racist as I had assumed.
As for the "woo-woo", I don't particularly subscribe to much of that, but I am agnostic, and find that crowd at least willing to discuss things around that idea. Can't say I've had any luck finding people into that sort of thing in the circles I've travelled the last 8 or so years. I don't subscribe to Identity Politics, so I'm generally unwelcome in Progressive circles despite being left wing myself.
Appreciate the info though.
I think even they don't know it themselves. The podcast "Conspirituality" is pretty good at investigating this stuff, from what I hear. I think it's a distinctly post-Trump thing that went into overdrive with Covid. Distrusting the lockdown and vaccine measures opened up huge swathes to hardcore rightwing communities that were ready to suck them in and provide them with a sense of community in a time of crisis overriding rational thought (which was unfortunately the basis of many hippie groups in the first place tbh).
Not subscribing to identity politics is also a hard one with progressive circles as you mentioned.
Every "scene" has its downside tbh, especially if you have a difficult past and/or are not white. It's an everyday task to rewire the brain to allow moments of belonging and areas of common ground to sink in, vs the sometimes disproportionate amount of attention given to the moments of not-belonging. Hard to not be hyper vigilant and to trust. Trying to seek a community in that frame of mind is difficult...
I figured that vaccines and lockdowns would be the thing that brought them across to the right. And it's not surprising that the right welcomed them with open arms to swell their numbers.
You make an interesting point about fitting in. For me, it resonates that I would have a disproportionate perception of not fitting in. The 2 natural communities I would belong to, I don't want anything to do with. One of them being Alcoholics Anonymous.
I generally keep my past to myself in real life. Which creates a sort of glass wall between myself and others. I feel that the "hippie" community would be less inclined to judge me harshly for the life I've lived previously, than say, the average person.
But you've given me something to consider. Thank you :)