Benefits of Reading Books?

[Orb]

One of the beliefs I noticed I hold is that reading books and learning aren't helpful for spiritual seekers as it involves the usage of thought.

I want to be successful and im on the road to it, but I want to know if reading has benefitted you guys when it comes to life (Business, family, etc.).

Please feel free to share your thoughts on the matter. 

[Faith]

21 minutes ago, Orb said:

One of the beliefs I noticed I hold is that reading books and learning aren't helpful for spiritual seekers as it involves the usage of thought.

Hm, have you read any spiritual books? I found the insights obtained from books priceless in the first few years of seeking. They can't be everything though as self-inquiry and other practice has to be done as well.

 

21 minutes ago, Orb said:

I want to be successful and im on the road to it, but I want to know if reading has benefitted you guys when it comes to life (Business, family, etc.).

I had to read to become a nurse and just recently, I also did some online courses and became dually certified in ICD-10 coding and OASIS review. I had to read to get these accomplishments. I'm getting paid pretty well for it and my new job is working from home too!

Today I wore a reebok sweatshirt and yoga pants while working.🤣

[Orb]

@Faith

2 minutes ago, Faith said:

Hm, have you read any spiritual books? I found the insights obtained from books priceless in the first few years of seeking. They can't be everything though as self-inquiry and other practice has to be done as well.

I used to read spiritual books but now Ill watch some vids on youtube or read the sections on the AOB site. 

2 minutes ago, Faith said:

I had to read to become a nurse. Just recently, I also did some online courses and became dually certified in ICD-10 coding and OASIS review. I had to read to get these accomplishments. I'm getting paid pretty well for it and my new job is working from home too!

 

Thanks for sharing this, its very inspiring! 😊 I got resistant beliefs about doing brain stuff (studying, reading, memorizing things). 

[Faith]

3 minutes ago, Orb said:

I used to read spiritual books but now Ill watch some vids on youtube or read the sections on the AOB site. 

I would watch videos too. Still do sometimes, but I did get a lot out of some of the books. 

What's AOB site? 

8 minutes ago, Orb said:

Thanks for sharing this, its very inspiring! 😊 I got resistant beliefs about doing brain stuff (studying, reading, memorizing things). 

Your welcome! 😊 

My son is very smart (no really he is, it's not just because he's my son🤣), he tested in elementary into the gifted program, but for logistic reasons we didn't put him in it.

Anyways,  he REFUSED to do any college for probably the same reason as you're saying or because he didn't want to waste his time or something. 

Here's an example, he wouldn't read his school books or do his homework. No, I couldnt get him to do it once he hit about 13. He would just pay attention in class and then get A's on all his tests, that would give him  a "C" in the class with little time and effort invested.🙄 

I however am not that smart and have to study like a mad woman.🤣

[Nowt]

@Orb  Fred Davis always says "You have to use thought until you don't". 

I read a lot of books, but also watch videos and listen to podcasts.

I think what's important is seeing the difference between adopting the text as belief and noticing what it's pointing to. If you can always keep that in the back of your mind so to speak then there's no issue 

What's crazy is that we're like a dog chasing its tail. Can being ever stop being? Is the being that's "present" reading the spiritual books different from the being in any other moment? Isn't it all just more being? Can being actually be made to not be? 

The very "thing" that's doing the seeking is the thing that's being sought.

 

 

[MetaSage]

Especially at the beginning, I think reading is useful. It gives you useful pointers and makes you cognizant of various obstacles and traps you’re likely to fall into. I think excellent literature offers a compass or can be used as scaffolding.

If you want, you can simply throw yourself into contemplation instead. But some theory makes you consider different perspectives, even if perspective is irrelevant relative to enlightenment.

Although it is ultimately not needed because in order to grasp You, you only need You. Consider the example of Ramana Maharshi. He didn’t even hold the notion of enlightenment and yet he got deeply and permanently conscious in an instant.

In terms of life success, absolutely; reading is a must in my mind. Naval Ramikant, for example, is an entrepreneur that endorses reading as essential for his success.

Even without practice, a book in the right time can change your perspective or disposition, or inspire you. This can make a difference. But hey, I’ll tell you when I get successful (rich). 😄

Edited March 16, 2022 by MetaSage

[Isomorphic]

Books must only be read if they blow your hair of, unless for practical reasons their contents are to be consumed as a efficient means. There are not many who would deviate in wisdom by application of this principle. Our lives are simply too short and resources to scarce to be less then selective here. 

But to read something you could have discovered for yourself had you paid better attention robs you of the deep potential you posses, for books relates to our understanding the way a fan relates to the circle. You could witness a hundred fans spinning without ever applying the logic which underlies the spin the way you could read as many books without becoming the slightest wiser.

So it is the ultimate test then, as such to your judgement which book you are reading instead of another.

Edit: Try Ecce Homo, by Nietzsche

Edited March 16, 2022 by Isomorphic

[BlendingInfinite]

Imo a book is great even if it only gives you one or a few deep insights.

Edited March 16, 2022 by BlendingInfinite

[Mandy]

It's basically a download or channeling of someone's clearest thoughts. How can this be? Because thought is for and from no one ultimately. I think that can potentially be immensely powerful, but as you said it's thought. I'd read just what you love and resonate with. Don't just make people into experts and authorities and accept everything they say. I also wouldn't hesitate to drop a book if it's not resonating over making myself finish it. 

[Joseph Maynor]

You can learn to read texts without letting them hijack your sense.  

[Orb]

@Joseph Maynor @Mandy @BlendingInfinite @Isomorphic @MetaSage @Nowt

From reading your posts and looking into direct experience, I see that reading is a very powerful skill because it sharpens our cognitive abilities (Memory, planning, problem solving, etc.).

So reading a book is like using a sharpening stone for the mind. Knowledge can still arise, its just a question of can one use knowledge when necessary and then just turn it off. 

Im inspired to read many books that feel good to me! Im currently reading Siddhartha by Herman Hesse, such a good book!

[MetaSage]

6 minutes ago, Orb said:

@Joseph Maynor @Mandy @BlendingInfinite @Isomorphic @MetaSage @Nowt

m inspired to read many books that feel good to me! Im currently reading Siddhartha by Herman Hesse, such a good book!

Love that one!

A book I recommend you is: Jonathan Livingston Seagull.

Lovely spiritual literature.

[Joseph Maynor]

On 3/17/2022 at 3:54 PM, Orb said:

@Joseph Maynor @Mandy @BlendingInfinite @Isomorphic @MetaSage @Nowt

From reading your posts and looking into direct experience, I see that reading is a very powerful skill because it sharpens our cognitive abilities (Memory, planning, problem solving, etc.).

So reading a book is like using a sharpening stone for the mind. Knowledge can still arise, its just a question of can one use knowledge when necessary and then just turn it off. 

Im inspired to read many books that feel good to me! Im currently reading Siddhartha by Herman Hesse, such a good book!

When looked at in the right way reading is like exercise for your brain.  I think we overestimate reading because we forget most of what we read.  But if you read to exercise your brain, and you do it as a catalyst for new insights to emerge, that a good usage.  But if you're doing it to collect information and try to possess it/own it, that's more precarious because we don't remember most of what we read as time passes anyway.  The other caveat which I mentioned before and I'll repeat is it's good practice to let voices occupy your consciousness without letting them manipulate/hijack you.  You can realize that every text leaves a bunch out and has a kind of symbolic nature and biased nature.  It's also practice for not letting the voices of people hijack you in a similar way.  You can entertain voices without letting them hijack/dominate your consciousness.  I study a lot, not just books, but audiobooks, courses, YouTube videos.  Another thing I often recommend to people is to start a YouTube channel and let what you read inform your content there because then you don't lose it because you've used it to manifest the videos you make.  I also find that reading is exercise for my eyes too, all the muscles around your eyes, and even though my vision is getting a little worse as I age I find that reading forces me to keep my vision as sharp as possible until I do need glasses at some point.  I listen to audiobooks when I walk as exercise.  I watch YouTube videos in the mornings.  So, I have a whole course of study that I continually do.  But then I make sure I take the earbuds out and enjoy practicing trumpet and walking through Golden Gate Park which I do daily when I practice trumpet.  You don't want to live your life in the books, but there's a balance, it's not a strict, bright-line either/or.  Humans clearly benefit from information -- all we have to do is look at people who have benefitted enormously from self-education to see that.

Edited March 20, 2022 by Joseph Maynor

[Aware Wolf]

A Point of View (POV) is that our root problem is ignorance.  We are delusional. We mistake the rope for a snake. 

How do we correct this? Do we meditate on the snake? Make a prayer to God to remove the "snake"? Do we pretend that a cobra by the well is fine, it's not a problem, the thought of a cobra is just a thought. Will this work?

What we need is instruction and knowledge. Someone to come by and tell us that it's just the rope coiled up by the well. Once we know this, our ignorance and delusion is removed. Books can certainly help with knowledge, but they can also help with delusions too. Keith Raniere of NXIVM had courses, Heaven's Gate has a website (still active), the Lama T Lobsang Rampa has many books (my favorite is titled "My Trip to Venus" along with the book authored by his pet cat). It's buyer beware in the spiritual marketplace. You must do your due dilgence.