Balancing spirituality and personal development

[Kshantivadin]

I'm sure this is one of the keystone issues seekers on this forum face(:  

Personally it's been very difficult. Impermanence, suffering inherent to a tainted mind, voidness of self of all phenomena, Void itself - I still cannot bring these insights in harmony with "personal development". There is nothing I can cling to that can be developed. There is nobody behind the intent of the development either! Yet there is still craving and I still suffer. I still want personal development - even though there is nothing to develop. This, obviously, leaves me confused and in suffering. Prior to writing this, I was in a state of nihilism for a couple of weeks - the clouds seem to clear, if only for a bit.

I'm not talking about the initial drop of ambition and motivation after starting spirituality, though. I refer to personal development after the wisdom of "form is emptiness" but before Love is found.

[Nilsi]

What do you mean there is nothing to develop? How is your relationship with your parents? That's something you can develop. 

Don't overthink this too much. Life is always evolving and so are you. The only question is, what do you want evolve into?

[LfcCharlie4]

'There is nothing to develop' 

Be careful using absolute Non-Dual insights in the relative world. 

If you don't develop for example, and have no job, no relationships, poor health etc then your life will be shit, its as simple as that/

This is where Neo-Advaita can be dangerous imo, Rupert Spira speaks about how true non-duality doesn't involve denying the world & experiencing but loving it even more than before. 

Maybe instead of personal development, see it as integration & the living of spirituality through creating a life you love

[Tyler Robinson]

You don't have to deny yourself or your circumstances. You are who you are. You might want to look into ego development. You are always a body of constant growth. 

[Razard86]

He actually isn't wrong there is nothing to develop, because the secret is developing just happens. You develop all the time whether you try to or not. 

Your brain is always creating new neurological pathways and strengthening others. You are constantly updating and changing your psyche in every passing moment in real time based on your reactions. The thoughts you entertain and the mental diet of thoughts and emotions are not just updating your brain but your whole body.

Development is just conscious pointing or attention of this process that just happens. Development is automatic, its like a gun that constantly fires with infinite ammo, and nobody is firing it. Self development/Actualization is pointing that gun in a specific direction. That is all.

[Kshantivadin]

1 hour ago, Razard86 said:

Your brain is always creating new neurological pathways and strengthening others. You are constantly updating and changing your psyche in every passing moment in real time based on your reactions. The thoughts you entertain and the mental diet of thoughts and emotions are not just updating your brain but your whole body.

No brain, no psyche, no update and no downdate. Mu

[Kshantivadin]

On 8/24/2022 at 5:05 PM, LfcCharlie4 said:

If you don't develop for example, and have no job, no relationships, poor health etc then your life will be shit, its as simple as that/

Shit is dependent on the mind. 

For a shit mind, everything is shit.