Nope. It's a pleasant activity, and an area of avid interest, but that's all.
Do You Associate Pipe Smoking with a Sense of Spirituality?
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I learned of and about tobacco from members of the Saginaw Chippewa (Aniishnabe) tribe, a few of the Lacandon Maya, and elders in the Huichole tradition. Tobacco has been a spiritual pursuit for me since day one. The physical pleasures are just icing on the cake.
I'm a huge fan of stoicism and a pipe of tobacco certainly doesn't hurt such contemplation.
For me a pipe (or cigar) is always for a time of relaxation/contemplation.
I’m not one of those guys who can do yard work or chores with a pipe or cigar. Always have a dip of Grizzly for those times. But to the question- not much spiritual thoughts, but more deep thinking
I’m not one of those guys who can do yard work or chores with a pipe or cigar. Always have a dip of Grizzly for those times. But to the question- not much spiritual thoughts, but more deep thinking
That's a no from me. I left the faith about 25 years ago along with the spirituality it entails. My pipe is a calming pursuit which forces me to slow down a few times a day and let my mind wander, or not.
Now a fine rye whiskey or peaty single malt scotch, that is your spiritual experience.
Now a fine rye whiskey or peaty single malt scotch, that is your spiritual experience.
No religious beliefs here. I just like the smoke.
And I look cool doing it.
And I look cool doing it.
Well, Fr. Brown smoked a pipe.
The age old (R.C.) Seminary question is "Is it o.k. to smoke while you are praying?" The answer is "No!, But there is no reason why you can't offer up prayers while you are outside smoking." The implication being you should always give God your full attention without distraction but you can always turn your mind to God while doing other activities. Hope that helps in some way.
The age old (R.C.) Seminary question is "Is it o.k. to smoke while you are praying?" The answer is "No!, But there is no reason why you can't offer up prayers while you are outside smoking." The implication being you should always give God your full attention without distraction but you can always turn your mind to God while doing other activities. Hope that helps in some way.
I'm a devout Roman Catholic, and I find the pipe a definite aid to certain types of meditations . . . Litanies especially are suited to pipe meditations, certain prayers, psalms, scholarly writings like from the Saints and Church Fathers, and many appropriate YouTube programs. For general daily prayers, or studies of Canon Law, Catechism, or scholarly research areas, no. For me, it is a hindrance in these areas.
It's also great in listening to music and especially opera. Glad you brought the subject up! I'm sure there are many on the forum of like thought.
PS - Many laity, Priest, Bishops, and especially the younger men (and some ladiies, too), smoke a pipe or cigars to beneficial effect.
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the nicotine keep me drunk and sedated, eventually slow me down so i can dream or think, or read a book 
..next comes guilt and remorse..unfortunately nothing spiritual just yet 
..next comes guilt and remorse..unfortunately nothing spiritual just yet 
I do find it as such. It is an incense of type that carries my thoughts and prayers upward.
I avoid the word "spiritual" because it has very specific meaning for some, and I've talked with some who use the word a lot who don't seem to have any ides what they mean by it. But yes, I get what you mean. And also, some traditions would say anything done with mindfulness is meditation.
Are they loosely connected? Perhaps. But I wouldn't go as far as to say I associate one with the other. Sure, pipe smoking often puts me in that contemplative state, as it does for many others as well, and in that state, a cornucopia of different thoughts can enter one's mind. Inexplicably, that includes thoughts of the "grander scheme of things," and other things that fall under that umbrella.
Coincidentally, the last time this happened to me during a smoke, I thought deeply about the vast, yawning difference between spirituality and religion, how the two so often get confounded, and the subsequent consequences that result from this confusion. Curiously, the thought stream concluded many minutes later with a memory of myself back in little league dropping the easiest tailor-made pop fly at 2nd base right in front of a visibly perturbed paternal grandfather. So you never know...
Coincidentally, the last time this happened to me during a smoke, I thought deeply about the vast, yawning difference between spirituality and religion, how the two so often get confounded, and the subsequent consequences that result from this confusion. Curiously, the thought stream concluded many minutes later with a memory of myself back in little league dropping the easiest tailor-made pop fly at 2nd base right in front of a visibly perturbed paternal grandfather. So you never know...
Are they loosely connected? Perhaps. But I wouldn't go as far as to say I associate one with the other. Sure, pipe smoking often puts me in that contemplative state, as it does for many others as well, and in that state, a cornucopia of different thoughts can enter one's mind. Inexplicably, that includes thoughts of the "grander scheme of things," and other things that fall under that umbrella.
Coincidentally, the last time this happened to me during a smoke, I thought deeply about the vast, yawning difference between spirituality and religion, how the two so often get confounded, and the subsequent consequences that result from this confusion. Curiously, the thought stream concluded many minutes later with a memory of myself back in little league dropping the easiest tailor-made pop fly at 2nd base right in front of a visibly perturbed paternal grandfather. So you never know...
You should have been using two hands like he told you.
For pipe smoking? Seems excessive. How would I light and tamp? I'd have to be Vishnu.
I guess it does tend to come back to spirituality after all...
No man. You dropped that pop fly because you didn't put your other hand over it when it hit your glove.
Now you have to live with that for the rest of your life.
I may use you as a example to my son when baseball season rolls back around.
I know. I was just being obnoxious. AKA normal.
I'm pretty sure I was using two hands. I might've been preoccupied with a baserunner, or perhaps it was the sun's fault. 1996 was a long time ago. That and the 10 years of Ritalin intake played hell with my long-term memory, still does.
I got bad news for you. My memory of totally blowing it in a little league game is over 20 years older than yours...and it never goes away. But if you can serve as a lesson to the Funk Meister's son, then that at least is some consolation.
Yeah. Everytime I accidentally blow into a pipe. "Jesus Christ!!!"