“‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.” (Revelation 3:15-316)

The two paths leading to enlightenment… the path of knowledge, for those inclined toward contemplation, and the path of work for those inclined toward action. 

(Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3, Verse 3)

I remember being interrogated by a serial killer looking psychopath KGB Officer at an airport in his small office for half an hour, and I asked myself why I keep doing that. Or being harassed by corrupt Mexican cops in a dark alley asking for money. For me, it is a form of prayer. Walking on those busy bustling streets simply opened my heart, beyond what I could do on my own. It was a form of worship, of the world and the whole creation.

Imagine that you are living at a buddhist monastery somewhere in the himalayas. Your day consists of keeping pure through daily meditation, contemplation, group chanting and eating a pure vegetarian diet that keeps your sexuality pure and at bay, as a devout buddhist who practices celibacy.

And between meditation sessions, you glance into the immaculate view down into the valley below, as if suspended in the air. The cool, pure air pacifies your body and soul. There are no women allowed in the monastery after dark, or any other distractions. You simply live in peace. You sleep well, without any sexual urges. This is good.1

Now, instead imagine that you live in downtown Vancouver. You work like a Dog just to pay the crazy rent, and wake up in the afternoon on Saturday after a long night shift, only to find out that You’re out of milk. You walk out of your tiny apartment with a headache and walk to the corner grocery store to buy milk. The streets are busy and packed, buzzing with excitement. At the store you find yourself surrounded with scantily clad young women staring at you like heavenly creatures. You buy the damn milk, walk back home and sit down to meditate. The smell of the female perfume still lingers into your nostrils. You cannot concentrate during meditation, and your mind wanders, into scenarios that make babies. 4

Which one is better? Well, in reality we do not have a choice. We either gravitate towards one or the other, so our decision is already made for us, in a way. 

The problem arises when we try to combine both. Hence the stories of Hara Krishnas involved in sexual abuse cases or the Buddhist monks living luxuriously and having sex with their female students. 

The path of passion consists of living the everyday life to its fullest, even the dirty things. You may drink, smoke and  have crazy sex. You get promotions, have drinks at the bar, and smoke once in a while. And you grow in conscious awareness, and are on a solid spiritual path. This path is not necessarily better or worse than the path of purity and contemplation. It is filled with difficulty and heartache. The struggles we face in our work and social life represent opportunities to grow spiritually and reach enlightenment. We drink together, fuck together, and meditate together. And little by little we grow in our consciousness.

It is a way of sin. That’s why Jesus said that many Prostitutes and Sinners enter the kingdom of God before the righteous and the “Pure”.  Because those so-called “sinners” grew on the heart level through their difficulties and challenges. 1

We experience life to the fullest, in all its ups and downs, in all its extremes and Colours. We essentially use all of these opportunities for growth. To not try and become pure, but rather seek purity in the un-pure conditions you find yourself in.

This is Jesus sitting and drinking with sinners, with tax collectors and prostitutes. Yet, who was more aware in her consciousness, the sinner woman who washed the feet of Jesus with her hair, who probably sold her body to buy that perfume, or the Pharisees and jewish scholars at the time, sitting pristine in their expensive and clean garments? Who understood the texts better? Through our suffering we learn much. And our hearts and awareness expand, something that is seldom done in the pure setting of mediocracy. And that’s what Jesus was referring to in the above quote. 1

As Rumi says: “It is not always a blind man that falls into a pit. Sometimes it is a wiseman. We fall…and falling we are given wings”.

Do I recommend following that path? No. But if the choice was between paralyzing clinical depression and using hallucinogens and mind altering drugs to find a path to healing, then the choice is clear. 5

The point of this article is not to talk people into one way or another. The point is to work with what you have, to work with who you are.  

The point is to make desire and impurity work for us, not the other way around.

What is better: Sitting for meditation through Purity and celibacy and vegetarian diet peacefully, or Sitting for meditation after crazy sex with a heavenly creature, a steak dinner the night before, without worry about money? They are both equally good. The problem arises when we force ourselves to choose one over other, regardless of our pre-ordination, or circumstances in life. 

There are two paths to enlightenment. One is denying desires and reaching purity. The other is to pursue desires to the point of exhaustion and thus reaching purity through a state of  desire-less-ness. Because all your desires have been fulfilled.

The purpose of this article is not to tell readers what’s the best path for them. But to dispel the myth of purity or spirituality found in a distant place or other circumstances in life. What we seek is in front of us, this very moment.

1. Putting on the mind of Christ, Jim Marion Pg 133 (Amazing Book. Dude is Rock solid)
2. Actually, monastic life is not as it is described in popular culture, both in the east and west. In Tibetan tradition (now adays rife with sexual abuse claims and misconduct allegations) the monks and nuns had to live a good portion of the year (Three months) with a Sponsor family to get supplies for monastery. Not to mention that you have to give Gold coins to your teacher to merely be accepted, as it is the tradition (Trunpa, Money Sex work). So, it is neither as isolated nor as pure, but rather rife with turmoils. However, it has worked for those that choose that life in the past. So it is always an option.
3. Trugpa’s books are great and aimed for western readers. I would, however not suggest visiting their centers as they are rife with sexual abuse and manipulation allegations. He was an alcoholic and sex addict who died because of his drinking habit. Some of those Tibetan gurus on youtube are just cringe worthy though. So Buyers beware.
4. Make no mistake, the purpose of this article is to take away the romance associated with either one. Travelling is a waste of time. Not having a long term partner is lonely and miserable. The point is this: The grass is rarely greener on the other side. Please do not let my eloquent way of describing one way or another give the impression of having an easy go at enlightenment, or life in general for that matter. I do not want to mislead anyone 🙂
5. “Guy Traveled To Mexico To Kill Himself, Had A Change Of Heart After Banging Hookers And Doing Tons Of Cocaine” Brobible/Reddit Author unknown