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Daily Question, May 7

Is it possible to truly live a deeply spiritual life and never take risks?

  • Ed Schulte

    Is it possible to truly live a deeply spiritual life and never take risks?

    Human Beings are “Dual IN One”. Both a temporary-present-day-personality AND an indestructible-Permanent-Soul-Self. The only part of this Being-ness that can be perceived to “take risks” is the “egoism” of the temporary-personality.

    So the first reaction here is to sense the Soul-Self’s …laughing and singing out a “who cares!” and then returning with the thought ….”how and with what exactly, c...

    Is it possible to truly live a deeply spiritual life and never take risks?

    Human Beings are “Dual IN One”. Both a temporary-present-day-personality AND an indestructible-Permanent-Soul-Self. The only part of this Being-ness that can be perceived to “take risks” is the “egoism” of the temporary-personality.

    So the first reaction here is to sense the Soul-Self’s …laughing and singing out a “who cares!” and then returning with the thought ….”how and with what exactly, can something measure ME and determines MY “deeply-ness” in so far as Our IN ONE Life is concerned? Very strange indeed!”

    And the answer to that Soul pondering is .. “why, it is the temporary Present-day personality’s egoism that is the ‘who/what’ pretending it wants to “take a risk” so as to have a “deeply spiritual life”. And it is the one who comes up with the concept of ‘measuring methods’ just for the sake of its own idea(s) of what a ‘spiritual life is! Cleaver little trickster that it is!!

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  • Michael

    it’s not possible to “truly live” and never take risks. going out of my comfort zone has yielded gains thru failure or success every time. even though I have a spiritual component to my life…I firmly believe that my atheist friends have similar experiences to mine w different labels.

  • Ben

    It seems to me this question comes with another question that (as far as I can tell) is impossible to really answer, which is "what is spiritual?"

    If spirituality is thought of as all that life is, and what both holds and is the substance of all life is, then I'd say there's no life without risk. To be born, to walk across a street (or drive a car), to love, to state an opinion of any kind, to learn something new that challenges all I've believed, to stand up for others and for the earth -...

    It seems to me this question comes with another question that (as far as I can tell) is impossible to really answer, which is “what is spiritual?”

    If spirituality is thought of as all that life is, and what both holds and is the substance of all life is, then I’d say there’s no life without risk. To be born, to walk across a street (or drive a car), to love, to state an opinion of any kind, to learn something new that challenges all I’ve believed, to stand up for others and for the earth – all this seems inherently risky to me.

    And yet is there that which isn’t touched by all this, that’s also true to who or what we all are? It feels like there is. It seems to me that language or conceptual thought has no way of putting this into words though.

    So I’m with Kevin – yes and no! And I’m grateful to let go into all that I can’t understand. 🙂

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  • Deb

    No. A truly deeply spiritual life IS, in itself, a risky endeavor.

  • Anita

    Every day is a risk. Any day could be your last day on earth. The tools for facing any day are these:
    Faith
    Prayer
    Gratitude
    Love
    Believe
    Miracle.

  • Palm

    Finding it difficult to articulate my thoughts on this question, so thanks for the answers so far.
    I would only like to add a quote I wrote some time ago, although I can’t remember from where or who, and just found
    “Hope is the certainty that something makes sense, regardless of how it turns out”

    • Karen

      Thank you for reminding of that beautiful quote – It’s from the Czech writer and political dissident, Vaclav Havel.

  • Antoinette

    “If I could summarize nonviolence in one word, it would be: patience.”
    I believe today’s thought of the day brings to mind one of the perfect examples of patience and spirituality . Gandhi was a great spiritual warrior who led people without violence. His dedication to the vision was full of risk and patience. Jesus was also someone who clearly, like Gandhi, took risks, but displayed patience and love wherever he went.
    Mother Teresa’s love is another example of living a life full of br...

    “If I could summarize nonviolence in one word, it would be: patience.”
    I believe today’s thought of the day brings to mind one of the perfect examples of patience and spirituality . Gandhi was a great spiritual warrior who led people without violence. His dedication to the vision was full of risk and patience. Jesus was also someone who clearly, like Gandhi, took risks, but displayed patience and love wherever he went.
    Mother Teresa’s love is another example of living a life full of bravery and patience.
    Walking a path of true spiritual growth means trusting and following your innner voice. Opening up to truth and love taking the risk to overcome the ego with dedication to the vision.

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  • Kevin

    My, my, such a heady question today! But I like it. My answer? Yes and no; maybe; and it depends.

    Yes and no because it depends on one’s depth of belief and willingness to truly become “released” to live fully into a spiritual life, and surrender oneself into the flow of wherever it may take you. The risks may still be there, but are blunted as grace attends to smooth the way.

    “Maybe” and “it depends,” because living a deeply spiritual life frequently fortifies one to witnes...

    My, my, such a heady question today! But I like it. My answer? Yes and no; maybe; and it depends.

    Yes and no because it depends on one’s depth of belief and willingness to truly become “released” to live fully into a spiritual life, and surrender oneself into the flow of wherever it may take you. The risks may still be there, but are blunted as grace attends to smooth the way.

    “Maybe” and “it depends,” because living a deeply spiritual life frequently fortifies one to witness, to stand clear, firm and unwavering, to answer a “call,” regardless of risks that surely do come. Such challenges, perceived as risks by those looking on, struggle, not knowing how “call” and “grace” combined, levels one’s journey into living a truly deeply spiritual life.
    – Kevin

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  • Christina

    For me, I think, the risks just come: life offers them. So often, risk comes from change, which I’m starting to realize is constant. I guess simple faith, belief–in God, in life, in something–is a risk. The leap of faith and all. Isn’t life and living in itself a risk? As someone here prompted me recently, “Christina, life is a spiritual exercise…” I think of a deeply spiritual life as being peaceful; and I guess that would mean in the depths of even wrenching, harrowing change and risk.

  • Malag

    Is it possible to truly live a deeply spiritual life and never take risks? I don’t think so. Travelling into the unknown and unknowable has its risks. For me the rational and incessantly thinking mind is sometimes not happy being there: it’s uncertain. I like a good map, compass and clear weather when I hike. Travelling in a spiritual sense can be pretty misty and have limited navigational aids available.

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