Ascetiscm

I'm not religious nor spiritual. Is there any point in practicing asceticism then?

Should asceticism have a place in society 2016?

I don't really think so. It just seems like to me that you would be limiting yourself to the joys of life this would be especially true for someone who isn't religious.

Asceticism is the only way to acquire self-improvement in this society.

After all, our society teaches us that alcohol, drugs, bad food, laziness, etc. is actually GOOD for us. Meanwhile fitness, strength training, stretching, self-discipline, self-education, eating healthy, etc. are made out to be things that only freaks do. Even worse, this view has seeped into fitness, whereby you're a fucking weirdo if you do anything other than bodybuilding (ex: people give me weird looks when I mention the clean and jerk).

Of course, there are people like who say "b-but muh fun! muh enjoy le moment :DD" . This is hedonism, and it's pathetic. Sure, you may enjoy moment. But will you enjoy STD's, liver and heart problems, weak joints and muscles, and being forced to depend on others from a relatively early age?

Hedonism kills, while asceticism builds and enlightens.

Yes. Epicurus was not a spiritual lad, but he was very ascetic.

You don't want to be like this guy here

>he was very ascetic.
How so?

>After all, our society teaches us that alcohol, drugs, bad food, laziness, etc. is actually GOOD for us
I seem to remember my public school going on for several years teaching about the harmful affects of drugs and that food pyramid. there's nothing wrong with alcohol in moderation

He usually ate plain food, was celibate, etc. He was ascetic for the wrong reasons, but he was not Charlie Sheen.

>for the wrong reasons,
What wrong reasons, do you not agree with his philosophy?

It had a place in the ancient world when a lot of people were bored with the "life - birth - death - repeat" and wanted to break the cycle.

It's hard to devoid it from a religious spiritual meaning

>when a lot of people were bored with the "life - birth - death - repeat" and wanted to break the cycle
I'm bored with it and I want to break the cycle. What should I do then?

The overall message of the media is that enjoying life is indulging in alcohol, drugs, being promiscuous, etc.

On the men's side, you have those that think Dan Bilzerian or Hugh Hefner live the best life.

On the feminine side, you can see something similar in series like Sex and the City.

Take a look at this quote here:

>“When looking for a life partner, my advice to women is date all of them: the bad boys, the cool boys, the commitment-phobic boys, the crazy boys. But do not marry them. The things that make the bad boys sexy do not make them good husbands. When it comes time to settle down, find someone who wants an equal partner. Someone who thinks women should be smart, opinionated and ambitious. Someone who values fairness and expects or, even better, wants to do his share in the home. These men exist and, trust me, over time, nothing is sexier.”

>waste your most valuable years on self-admitted human trash, then move on to worthwhile men when you want to settle down

damn these people openly admit to taking full advantage of men

I'm the dude you responded to.

Your school might say that, but no one takes that seriously. Just listen to any song or watch any movie about teens or socializing. Alcohol is always involved. Project X glorifies both alcohol and drugs, and when the cameraman says he doesn't drink, he is literally called a fucking weirdo.

And how can you say "in moderation" when almost everyone drinks to get wasted? Most forms of alcohol are detrimental to health and fitness, so "in moderation" doesn't seem to make the cut. The only pass people can get is with red wine, but even then only one cup is recommended.

and you contradict yourself. public schools are a big authority figure for this "society" that you are claiming is trying to influence people in the other direction. contradictions in the good behavior people try to promote in children and how they actually act just demonstrates that there is an attempt to instill these values in children. and "everyone" does not mindlessly drink themselves to death. this really is only the case with people in their 20s

>public school
>taken seriously by anyone
Wew lad

>there's nothing wrong with alcohol in moderation
this is what hedonists believe

i'm ascetic and it sucks. i wish i could be a hedonist but i have a natural inclination towards being prude and society alienates those with moral standards. just forget about it if you are not religious or spiritual, the only thing we all have in common as humans is death.

Even without religion, there is still a place for asceticism.

You're a fucking idiot.

uhh maybe not asceticism but I think there's objective reasons why one should not do certain things. I do not want to live in a world where everyone litters, therefore, I do not litter.

>limiting yourself from joys in life
perhaps the best way to achieve the "joys in life" is not through hedonism. I buy that argument m8.

>there's objective reasons why one should not do certain things. I do not want to live in a world where everyone litters, therefore, I do not litter.
wow, nice opinion

youre just a kant

Would an ascetic browse the internet?

I honestly don't know.

The shortest explanation of the path to enlightenment is to not crave or cling egoistically (possessively) to anything, which includes meditation & enlightenment. For example, in meditation, if everything becomes peaceful, calm & blissful, the mind does not think: "I am blissful" or "I love this bliss". Instead, the mind just experiences the bliss, without thinking about or judging it.

Similarly, when reading or hearing about 'breathing meditation', the mind should not try to do breathing meditation because this is craving. Instead, the mind should just quietly & gently free itself from craving (while sitting in meditation) and allow the breathing meditation to occur by itself.

While 'non-clinging' is not exactly the same as 'non-judging', for a beginner, it is similar. Therefore, a short path to enlightenment is described as follows:

You should train yourself thus: 'When seeing, merely see what is seen; when hearing, merely hear what is heard; when sensing, merely sense what is sensed; when cognizing (a mental object), merely cognise what is cognized.' In this way you should train yourself, Bahiya.

Bahiya Sutta

Meditation for enlightenment requires the foundation of non-harming; with the aspiration to not harm anything or anyone. This makes & keeps the mind pure, without obstacle or hindrance. It also generates compassion, which is an important energy for meditation. Here, a clear v ision/view in respect to sexual morals is especially important because the primary obstacle to meditation for enlightenment is often sexual desire. When there is non-harmful view about sex, the instinctual sexual drive can be transformed into compassion.

Also, beginning by doing a short meditation retreat (7 to 10 days) in a meditation centre or monastery can be particularly useful; not so much for the teachings; but for the atmosphere.