How do you cope with lack of spirituality around you

[FallingStar21]

I am a spiritual person, not religious per se, but my beliefs are quite close to the Buddhist teachings. I also respect and believe there's truth and wisdom in every religion.
My "issue" is that I struggle with the lack of spirituality around me. I mean mostly at work or random every day places where you need to talk to people etc
I never start a conversation of that sort (in fact I shy away from disclosing anything about my personal faith). But as people love to discuss all kinds of things and share their opinions, I have realised that the majority are very much in the material so their interests and priorities are very different. They can often be very sceptical, if not dismissive, of anything that's not part of it and that's another reason I don't say much on such topics.
Of course everyone has a right to believe or not believe whatever they like, but ithe lack of spiritual awareness and mindfulness is really bringing me down. Anyone else feels that way?

etc etc - surely that’s doing something in exchange for something else? Gods grace depends on thoughts and actions. Otherwise what’s the point?

The point is we get far more than we put in by sacrificing ourselves as a living sacrifice to God - through being merciful to others/ aligning our thought and beliefs to Him. What we get is God manifesting in us!

Last post @OMG12

Like I say, it’s pretty arrogant to think that people need to demonstrate their spirituality to me, or their gruelling journey, before I think they are interesting to talk to. I said nothing about game playing and “playing by the rules”. How interesting that you want to liken responses you don’t like to burning witches

Your responses are very predictable - and that’s ok! It’s ok to conform to predictable responses, it’s not a moral failing or demonstrating a lacking in spirituality on your part (if that is a concern to you).

Note, I said nothing about arrogance in relation to small talk. That is your conflation. Why do you like to extrapolate people giving opinions you don’t like to “Is it a fear this makes people unpredictable? People don’t like people who act outside what is expected, hence the need to pin ostracising labels on them like anti social, rude, arrogant, eccentric, mad, heretic, witch.”? I have said very little about my own beliefs and behaviour, but you have seen fit to extrapolate? Why do you think that’s ok?

people aren’t stupid, however mundane or materialist they may seem to you, and they can tell when you are testing them to see if they are worthy of your attention, and it is off-putting. It means that actually you are not getting a full picture of someone’s level of spirituality (if that is a measure that interests you) because your behaviour is blocking the route to those kinds of interesting discussions with a significant proportion of people

"Drews :
"Start accepting it. It's one of the primary teachings of Buddhism."

This is a mistaken understanding.
A basic Buddhist belief is impermanence, meaning everything; you, the culture, the world is constantly changing. Nothing is permanent. We are all interconnected (dependent origination)
@FallingStar21 by joining a Buddhist group, specifically a Mahayana one you will learn about such ideas and practice techniques to help you on the path.

Many people have something which lifts them out of the mundane, even if it isn't obviously spiritual. It might be bookbinding, pressing flowers or knitting for their grandchildren. For me it's yoga and I also enjoy the spiritual elements.

I would tend to avoid religion and politics with people I don't know very well, and might mention yoga as a hobby but not necessarily talk about what a lot of people consider to be "woo nonsense".

Oh bless you! You really are angry aren’t you? Why don’t we talk about you for a little bit? Where does your anger come from?

Now let’s talk about the word arrogant. Where have I exaggerated my own importance? I have merely expressed a preference for conversation topic. Why do you find that arrogant? You seem willing to throw words around yet not explain why you have used them?

And absolutely I will refer to the persecution of witches (in reality they were usually hanged).

Well you seem to have taken it upon yourself, for reasons only known to you, to attack me. Now as you have not seen fit to provide any explanations as to why you’re having some kind of temper tantrum, it leaves the gate wide open for me to guess why you are acting the way you are.

I suggest if you are on a spiritual path it might be worth re looking at it. No spiritual path should leave you with such anger issues.

Where did I say people are stupid? That seems to now be something you are taking it upon yourself to draw out of my answers.

There are numerous reasons why I like to speak to people who are spiritual. Interesting you think you know how my conversations work.

So what is your spiritual journey my friend?

@OMG12 "Now let’s talk about the word arrogant. Where have I exaggerated my own importance?"

Well, I can't speak for others-but saying that you only engage in "small talk" when you feel it would be useful to other people and that your journey lifts you out of the "mundane" certainly suggests a certain self importance, yes. As does calling another perfectly measured poster who disagrees with you "angry"...

This is so interesting, this reaction to challenge.

“Oh bless you! You really are angry aren’t you? Why don’t we talk about you for a little bit? Where does your anger come from?”

i’m not the one complaining about lack of spirituality/conversation about spirituality in others. All I’m saying is that maybe there is a reason people aren’t sharing that with you, and if that’s the case, maybe you’re fine with that.

Well it’s quite clear the wording being used by that poster is quite angry, it is very accusatory and not balanced, it is not simply disagreement, it is very clearly angry. So what is wrong with calling someone who is clearly angry, angry?

Of course my journey lifts me out of the mundane (defined as “of this earthly world rather than a heavenly or spiritual one). Otherwise it wouldn’t be a spiritual journey., I can’t see anything arrogant by saying my spiritual journey lifts me to a spiritual place.

The fact you find that “arrogant” is perhaps very telling why I prefer to speak with spiritual people. Often there is a huge communication problem, cultural references are not understood and people accuse you of things that are false.

So I guess thanks for proving my point.

So why is it interesting? Maybe if you set out your “challenge” in a more balanced way we could discuss it better?

I certainly have no urge to share any spiritual journey of mine with you, make of that what you will.

Ah, the word arrogant - now that brings back memories- but maybe it’s a message from my spiritual guides? -I guess your spiritual path includes reincarnation.😂😂😂😂

Ah, the word arrogant - now that brings back memories- but maybe it’s a message from my spiritual guides? -I guess your spiritual path includes reincarnation.😂😂😂😂

@OMG12, regarding spiritual guides I find Christ the best. Except He is more than simply a guide....

As an aside, regarding spiritual language, I think you are correct in this respect and there is much we agree upon. I think the missing link is how we each respectively view Christ. I see God and you see 'a god'. I hope in faith you find God and come to full knowledge of Him. 🙂

Take care, much love.

I see Christ as a spiritual guide too, but like you say there’s a different view on who Christ is.

But yes we agree on many things, it’s just different views of the same tree as F Scott Fitzgerald would have it.

@OMG12

And as aside I believe God is everywhere if you will see/acknowledge Him. Just look at the Merlin Sheldrake quote upthread. I see the spiritual transcend languages and manifest in every day life all around us if we would only see it. 🙂

I agree, as a emanationist I would probably go much further and say everything is God

I see Christ as a spiritual guide too, but like you say there’s a different view on who Christ is.

@OMG12

I hope you try walking with Him, keep close to Him and really observe Him, talk to Him and start to see Him as He truly is.

(Him) Jesus Christ that is.

Trust me I will might not be exactly as you envisage but the effect will be the same for me within my understanding. But thank you for your light