posted October 24, 2008 07:44 PM         

I must be honest and say I have smoked since then on and off. Sometimes I get deluded into thinking smoking is some kind of meditation for me since I don't smoke normally, during the day, with friends, none of that..just when I have a cup of tea and feeling very introspective. That's odd.
I don't smoke for weeks and months, even years, then one day? It happens. LOL

So I guess it's more of a ritual than a habit?

Does it make you less spiritual? Am I looking for a justification?

I always remind myself of Cayces view, and Lindas view on smoking itself. Some of the greatest people I admire smoke, and they truly believe it aids their experience.

Personally, I also see it used as a destructive habit, which eventually destroys lungs and affects the "amount of breaths" in a day, and since learning about Jing & Chi principles I can see the significance of having ultimate gratitude for EACH breath we take. Can we have ultimate gratitude if we choose to breath in something toxic? Is our breathing really that important? If we are truly concsious of our breaths would we put a ciggarette in our mouths?

The Anthroposophic view is that the number of breaths that we take in a day is equivilent to the amount of "days" we are living. So within so without. Each new day is a new breath.

This is an internal moral dilemma. What is right? Sometimes I attribute my smoking in the past contributing to the most spiritual insights I have had. I also find walking contributes ( i have never smoked while walking) ~ the same kind of meditation occurs.

Most of the success technology reveals that ritual promotes a trigger to gain access to a meditative state. That meditative state is important, and I feel as we grow, sometimes we can be in that meditative state for days or longer in a succession, and for me, walking in nature also ignites this state. Walking increases breaths - whereas smoking reduces real breaths (the amount of oxygen).

posted October 27, 2008 08:23 PM         

As a smoker, i'd like to give my opinion...also as a once and future non-smoker...and as a fellow human being living here in a bodily temple on earth, in this illusiory past/present/future timeline ...but, i'm afraid I really dont have one, honestly....no, not one that's not contradictory at least.

Must everything be so? Contradictory, i mean? Perhaps, it must! Maybe that's something that comes along with this gig.

Does smoking make you non-spiritual?

What the heck..? Seriously, what is that anyway? Why is that "non-spiritual"? And is it possible to get around such a thing - being non-spiritual? I think that's what we are, whether we like it or not. It's the judgements that come along which are non-spiritual. From yourself and from others. I dont judge it anymore, but I get judged a lot. It's nice though; it tells me alot about another; where theyre at. I'm an addict and theyre an ego. Is that me judging them then? Only an ego could say "I'm an addict." *sigh*

Take it as it comes. I think smoking is very ritualistic; or can be. For some of us, it stems from aeons ago. Maybe I had a few past lifetimes as an Indian in circles with peace-pipes and it's comfortable; what's familiar. Maybe it's my highest form of meditation right now. Maybe if I couldnt escape certain situations to be alone with my cigarette I would go nuts. Maybe I'm a weak addict making excuses. Maybe I dont need an excuse.

One thing that makes me want a cigarette more than anything lately is being around a "New Age" or "spiritual" type of person, who thinks they are holier than thou for a myriad of reasons, but number one because they don't smoke. Automatically they are higher up on the ladder?

Ladders dont exist to me and neither do cigarettes. I still smoke em though. And enjoy them to their fullest.

You dig?

Thanks for sparking that rant.

Honestly, some of the most meditative times for me in my life have been with my pack of cigarettes and lighter out in the woods or another quiet place. Much has gone on there.

I am greatful for them. Dirty lungs and all.

Make everything your meditation. Walk, sleep, eat, listen, talk and breathe a 'watcher'. It's all a joke. It's all a joy. Love. Life comes down to love.

Smoker or non-smoker, SC, you know I love you anyway and think very highly of you. Smoker or non-smoker, you are and will be, alright. Thanks for bringing this up.

Writing this was a real breath of fresh air for me.

posted November 03, 2008 06:02 AM         

I seem to want to smoke less since I've been taking Spirulina tablets, maybe it's the antioxidant effect of these working on my body.

There is also some conflicting research concerning the effects of smoking, but who knows what to believe? lol
I came across an article but I'm not sure where I found it now. Ah well.