TorquiseB writes snipped: Theoretical spiritual practice is just that, theory. Applied spiritual practice is *applied*, one moment at a time, all day, every day. Meditation without mindfulness and the intention to bring the light of that meditation into the world and share it with others in every action is a waste of time. Better to never meditate and spend the time of one's life in "small gestures" of humanity than spend one's life meditating regularly and never practicing any such gestures.
Tom T: According to Ramana Maharishi there are four ways to get enlightened. 1. The Guru says your are THAT and you are done if you are ready. 2. The Gurus tries you are THAT and you are not ready so you go home and do the WHO AM I inquiry for a few years and then come back for your mahavayka. 3. If you can not do self inquiry into WHO AM I the guru tells you to go home and meditate for a decade or two to get ready for the WHO AM I. 4. If you are unable to meditate then go do good deeds for a few decades so you can be ready to meditate. It would appear that a lot of the TMers started at step 3 and hadn't done enough or any of step 4 and are a few decades short of step 4. Ain't going to happen till you get your tank topped off at step 4. Tom
