Friends, Family or Spirituality?

[elnoctumblanc]

Hey guys,

I have a question for everyone.
Who do you find yourself giving more faith & passion to? Your friends, family or spirituality. Hear me out though, yes family is who you go to for surefire support or unquestioned financial aid. Then friends are your family or support system in all comfort and lastly spirituality is the non judgmental comfort. So who is you trustee or who do you pretty much find yourself turning to when times get heavy emotionally?

[ButterflyWoman]

Originally Posted by elnoctumblanc

family is who you go to for surefire support or unquestioned financial aid.

I assume you mean parental units? Mine checked out on me quite a long time ago. I don't even speak to them any more. And they were never supportive, though now and then when they could be bothered they'd help me out (but usually I was on my own). So this is a big assumption on your part, right from the start.

Originally Posted by elnoctumblanc

Then friends are your family or support system in all comfort

I can't parse that, sorry. Can you put it another way?

Originally Posted by elnoctumblanc

spirituality is the non judgmental comfort.

Not always. The spiritual path (for lack of a better term) is not an easy, comfortable one, and there are periods of tremendous difficulty and even pain while travelling on it. Mountains to climb, rivers to ford, rocks to stumble on. (At least, such is the experience of the illusion.)

Originally Posted by elnoctumblanc

who do you pretty much find yourself turning to when times get heavy emotionally?

My husband. It's been that way for as long as I've known him. It's still that way. He was my friend before he was my lover and he's still my best friend and closest companion and confidante.

I also have a couple of female friends who are of a very like mind to me, and they're excellent for being sounding boards when I'm puzzling through something or just want to vent. I don't know what I'd do without them, really.

[Andras]

There is a karmic family (of which you happen to be in - good or bad) AND a spiritual family that you establish and build. Of course, the later is more important. Did Jesus stay home and made babies? Nope, if you have a family (kids, wife) you are obligated to fulfill your role, but to your family after you are grown you are on your own. It is not wise to live in an extended family if they are controlling and running your life) You help them as much as you can but you must move on, especially if they are cut from a "different spiritual cloth". This is natural.

Originally Posted by elnoctumblanc

Hey guys,

I have a question for everyone.
Who do you find yourself giving more faith & passion to? Your friends, family or spirituality. Hear me out though, yes family is who you go to for surefire support or unquestioned financial aid. Then friends are your family or support system in all comfort and lastly spirituality is the non judgmental comfort. So who is you trustee or who do you pretty much find yourself turning to when times get heavy emotionally?

[elnoctumblanc]

ButterflyWoman:

I appreciate your response and see that yes other people do have support from different sources then mine, I asked the way I did simply because it's the way I've known support to be and come from. Family- mother, father, sister, husband, daughter, son (immediate contact) so I suppose you're saying then family for you is the strongest support system and friends may be the more like minded support system?

Andras:

In asking the question, of course I was emotionally heavy and your response really sparked some interest in me, I'd be interested in knowing where you've learned or how you've come up with that idea/mindset ... speaks truth to me and gives me great advice as well!

[ButterflyWoman]

Originally Posted by Andras

Did Jesus stay home and made babies?

In fact, he said he'd come to divide families and put a sword in their midst.

[ChristsLight]

Spirituality isn't a comfort. If it is, you're doing it wrong. Spirituality teaches you the futility of suffering and the temporality of the objects of desire. It shows that every time you thought you had a grasp on the truth, you were wrong, and will continue to be wrong until you quit trying to grasp the truth at all.

Having people as emotional support is great, but I find that you still have to be careful. There can be a danger of relying on them too much, and allowing yourself to put up blinders to potential growth. Others may well not completely understand the significance of whatever you are going through, so will give it less value than it actually has in helping you to grow. I find that you must rely on your intuition first, once your intuition is clear enough to rely on, and then lean on others if necessary, or even just to have someone with whom to share.

My wife has been great with that. She can't always understand my path, but that's OK. She's always excited to hear what I have to share.

[Andras]

This came from my teacher whom I have had group meditative session on every Thursday, for three years...

Originally Posted by elnoctumblanc

ButterflyWoman:

I appreciate your response and see that yes other people do have support from different sources then mine, I asked the way I did simply because it's the way I've known support to be and come from. Family- mother, father, sister, husband, daughter, son (immediate contact) so I suppose you're saying then family for you is the strongest support system and friends may be the more like minded support system?

Andras:

In asking the question, of course I was emotionally heavy and your response really sparked some interest in me, I'd be interested in knowing where you've learned or how you've come up with that idea/mindset ... speaks truth to me and gives me great advice as well!