A buzz is a buzz, right? On the abstract level, ANYTHING that feels good will attract you. Bliss and gratitude attract mightily. To the extent we have tasted them, we are repeating the behaviors that produced them, automatically and without effort. It is a function of the body-mind.
Not having REALLY experienced bliss and gratitude is the prime cause of slow spiritual growth. Only a few people in our society have experienced enough bliss to have started the virtuous circle of spiritual seeking in a healthy way. Even fewer have gotten to the point that negative experiences are as valuable to them as positive.
Reality and self-interest call us to intend positive experiences for other people, so that they can grow in faith, in turn benefitting others, including us. That would be one kind of definition of Love.
The downward spiral of alcoholism (or the abuse of other drugs) is an example of an experience that initially starts out as very good but ultimately ends up very bad such that it becomes a motivator for seeking a transforming spiritual experience (or suicide).
ReplyDeleteOh, by the way, I saw a Russian proverb today which I thought expressed a very alcoholic sentiment:
"The church is near, but the road is icy.
The bar is far, but I'll walk carefully."
...how would that go in the original Russian (in Cyrillic?)