[Buddha-l] neuroscience: neural plasticity

[Joy Vriens]

Richard,

>As I understand the term "spiritual materialism," precisely what it connotes 
>is worldly lusts masquerading as spirituality. Trumping someone else's 
>achievements by referring to one's own is worldly and hence essentially 
>materialistic. Snobbery about one's own path is therefore exactly what 
>spiritual materialism consists in. But wait a minute. The essence of 
>spirituality is trumping what one disdains. So I guess spiritual materialism 
>is the only spiritualism in town. 

Spiritual materialism doesn't necessarily have to be applied to others, one can apply it to oneself too.

"A man was sitting under a tree in the perfect meditation posture. Another man wandered by and asked, "What are you doing?" The seated man replied, "I am meditating on patience." The man who happened by said, "Well! If you are really practicing patience, then you should eat shit." The seated man then retorted angrily, "You should eat shit."" (stolen from http://www.namgyal.org/articles/peace.cfm)

"Being patient" (and all it implies) is a spiritual exercice, meditation on patience is a religious exercice, or spiritual materialism if you like.

Joy