While I don’t agree with the correlation between certain Buddhist practices and Satanism, and I don’t think the OP meant that comparison in that way anyways, I think that the show offers, for its audience, something of a path in-between, a “middle” ground, or, in the very least, it can be construed and presented in such a way.
The protagonist of the series chooses a “middle ground”, so to speak, between various institutions and social pressures that are telling her to be a certain way. She neglects to decide, as that she might experience herself and learn and make a decision thereafter.
This is a universal value in humanity, but in Buddhism, it is expressed as the sentiment of “be your own island”.
It’s when a mendicant preserves a meditation subject that’s a fine basis of immersion: the perception of a skeleton, a worm-infested corpse, a livid corpse, a split open corpse, or a bloated corpse.
This is called the effort to preserve. --DN33
May your charnel grounds gnash and grind to the east and west, to the north and south, above and below you, and all around. And may you be well…preserved.
My ideals of the “dark” practices would be to neutralize the positive, which I feel is the essence of what is taboo in worldly life. such a practitioner could get the label “witch, dark, satanist, etc”. Maybe what I’m attempting to portray is that these are stigmas that have been created over long periods of time and the other nonconducive practices such as sacrifice, revenge, manipulation and whatnot have just been tossed into the same category unfairly to someone who could have been following the eightfold path all along.
I sat meditation for almost 15 years and thought that I had accomplished something because of my serenity during meditation. Then I went rock climbing in Yosemite. I was absolutely terrified, bereft of any serenity. We were up 500 feet in the air and I could look straight down as my backpack receded to a tiny speck as we climbed straight up straight up. The climb was Central Pillar of Frenzy. For me it was Central Pillar of Fear and Frenzy. We were on that climb for six hours. It was dark and horrible. Thoughts of death tore through my mind. My only mantra was calculating how many seconds of precious life I would have as I fell to my death. Should I fall face up? face down? eyes open? eyes closed? should I scream? should I not scream? It was sheer agony.
It was also a beautiful day with clear skies. A postcard day. My fear was a delusion. A deep one.
And this is why I stopped sitting for a decade. Instead, I went rock climbing to face my delusions and still my fears. Because I wanted to be free from that suffering, free from that delusion, free from that terror and fear. I wanted to see that blue sky just as it was, open and wide, embracing our little bit of a world spinning in infinite space.
Ten years later, Jim and I climbed Central Pillar of Frenzy. It was a fine day. A clear day. A day for which I will always be grateful. Thank you, Jim, for climbing with me that day even though you were coming down with a cold. It meant a lot to me.
So, yes. I understand why you would choose to face the dark fears. And you should. I’m not exactly sure how watching Sabrina will help? But, yes, in principle, sitting safe and happy and comfortable is pleasant practice with pleasant results. Sometimes you do have to choose unpleasant practice with pleasant results.
Face your demons and talk to them. Make peace. Bring joy.
I have found as much challenge, fear, dread, terror etc in doing the inner-work of the path. The ‘demons’ inside that guard our ‘identity’ and ‘ego’ are extremely ferocious beasts. In the story of Buddhas enlightenment we have Mara throw all his armies at Siddharta Gotama. In my practice, these have been living within the conditioned mind. And I don’t exaggerate when I say they are fierce and terrifying. In fact, when faced with extinguishment, I found they would use any delusion at all (including making one feel insane, angry, or try to bring on despair and worthlessness).
As such, rather than just sitting meditation for serenity, use the still period after-ward for unravelling the conditions behind identity. That should provide ample tests for sheer courage and determination, without having to seek yet more external sources… though I suppose if ones life appears perfect on the surface, it may be hard to find some cracks as a way inside
Good luck!
Just a final note: when one finally tames and then starts to extinguish the conditioned demons of identity, the ensuing degrees of freedom are the sweetest and most exquisite experiences. For myself this wonderful freedom is the motivation that one could draw on to keep doing the hard work, inch by inch. It is quite a long process, that will also test determination to go on, keeping up the hard and challenging work, so we need to keep reflecting on the positives that come from it…
I think you all touched on something deeper I’ve been going through; thinking I have to live passively, quiet, introverted, and cramped in a room in my mid twenties with straightforward audacity and sheer determination inside me. that’s the samatha and vipassana I dance with every day in mind moments, up to whole life decisions. I do know it flows best with integrity and tranquility at the heart of it all. I’m gaining deeper faith and wisdom in my practice everyday. Thanks for all the input however surface level or deep it may have been
@Coemgenu but her middle way ultimately fails, she commits herself to evil, rejects her humanity & human friends, becomes one of the evil Weird Sisters, possibly their leader.
The very name of the series is The Chilling Adventures… It is a cautionary tale, intended to cool interests.
