Matthew Gates http://notetoservices.com 12m 2,992
The views of this article are the perspective of the author and may not be reflective of Confessions of the Professions.
Waking Up To Reality
Questions about Life
There are many questions that we have in life, some that we can only wonder about, others that are up for long discussion and debate, but what you see on this current slide are just severeal questions I came up with that I think we all have at one time or another in our life.
- Who am I?
- Where am I going?
- What do I want to do?
- What is my purpose?
- Why do I suffer?
- Does free will exist?
- What is happiness?
- What is love?
What is Reality?
The world is something we all face; it is the platform for which we perform our actions and see results. It is the prime experience that we come to know and live; it is, essentially, our reality, the true reality, as we know it, for all human beings. I like to think of it as a chess game, or a stage, as noted in the quotes from Thomas Huxley and William Shakespeare.
Although argued and debated whether it exists or not, the soul is ultimately the essence of the human mind, it is the consciousness within humans that establishes itself as a being with a body.
The body is the instrument that is used to explore and interact with the world and it also serves as the shell encasing and protecting the important organs which operate as a system that helps the body and consciousness to continue functioning.
The tool that extends our thoughts and ideas to others is language, it is how we communicate. Language is used to gather information and knowledge in order to understand we we are capable of doing and being. Language is used to communicate with others so that we may come to know them and ourselves, as well as our purpose in this world.
Time In Reality
We have the ability to understand and perceive time in which we see things that are born, live, and eventually die. These events are established as was, is, and will be; or the past, present, and future. For the past, this is what we has happened already, it can only be remembered. It existed as the present moment when it was happening but it is not currently happening now, cannot be lived and cannot be changed: what is done is done; the effects are seen in the present moment and all we can do is reflect and learn from those events and apply those lessons to the current moment.
The present moment is currently happening, has no effect on the past, but has the ability to affect the future. It is also the most exciting time to be alive because we have access to knowledge right now, we can know information at a greater rate and knowledge leads to more knowledge, which helps us to understand the world around us so that we can continue to evolve intellectually.
The future will happen and is going to happen. It is not the past and never actually is because it becomes the present moment. It can change the present moment if there is a vision of what is to be. Therefore, the greatest moment to focus on and appreciate is now, the present moment.
Life: What is it?
The body is the instrument to which these applications, the six senses are used to gain different perspectives, using the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and touch to perceive the world. These are the tools used to gather data about the world for the mind to interpret so that we can make sense of things and experience life. Each moment, each part of our life, from entering one room to another, to speaking to different people, can be viewed as a different show. These are our surroundings that we engage in, and our shows are filled with different aspects and emotions of life, from action, romance, drama, and even sometimes mystery, horror, or suspense.
As for living life, the idea is to remain in a state of constant departure while always arriving. There is always opportunity everywhere you look, no matter where you go, or what you choose to do. Go with the flow, the sea refuses no river! Even when you come to a halt, consider your path like the path of water: even when blocked, it finds a way through or around obstacles in its path, or the water builds up so much that it forces the obstacle to collapse and the water flows free again. In other words, keep yourself open to new opportunities. Accept life for what it is, what it has to offer, and enjoy every moment.
Life and Reality
Faced with life and reality, we are challenged with some questions that have no definite answers. “Who am I?” Have you ever thought of this question or been asked it? This question is really both subjective and objective. You are about to give yourself a numerous amount of identifying labels: a human being, a student, an employee, a daughter or son, a sister or brother, and even a nice smart funny and honest person. We are who we choose to identify as and what we feel most comfortable with. Lets dive into your calling. How do you know what it is? The easiest way to know your calling is to meet these three criteria: Joy, Talent, and Service.
- Do I find joy in what I am doing?
- Do I possess talent for this thing that I find joy in doing?
- Is it or can it be of service to others?
If you can establish these three standards, you can begin to understand your calling and purpose in the world.
Calling or Career
“What do I want to do?” This is completely up to you. If you enjoy doing something in particular, than you should find a way to make it your career.
“What am I after?” Money? Wealth? Fame? Happiness? Helping others? Really, just ask yourself how you want to wake up and re-enter reality every morning.
So what is the difference between a career and a calling?
Career
- A career is what you do.
- A career is normally a 7-3, 8-4, or 9-5 shift.
- A career is what they have to pay you to do.
Calling
- Your passion directs you to your calling.
- A calling is who you are.
- A calling is 24-7-365.
- A calling is what you would do for free.
- A calling cannot be measured with money or fame.
Fortunately, you can make your calling your career! When I think of such an example, I am reminded of my friend Libby, who absolutely loves being a nurse. She has a lot of patients and she’s definitely overwhelmed and stressed, but I did ask her once, “Do you enjoy doing what you do?” She said, “This is my life, this is my calling, and I’d continue doing it no matter what.”
In previous slides, I was focused on establishing the understanding of life, reality, time, and human purpose as it relates to oneself. In the following slides, I will be focusing on human suffering, as it relates to oneself and others; and focus on oneself and others in the world.
Suffering
How do we come to understand what our calling is? What are the factors that drive us to do what we do and be what we want to be? I’m going to be discussing what leads a person to their path in life. Every human being suffers at one time or another, but how often do we understand what it means to suffer? This insight into suffering was made more clear by Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism. He discovered the Four Noble Truths which I will now explain.
- To live is to suffer, life is suffering.
- Desire is the primary cause of suffering. The more expectations you have the more likely you are to be disappointed. If you come to understand this, you can develop an absence of expectations leading to serenity. This does not mean you become stagnant, you just simply realize the world is more powerful than you and you aren’t going to get everything you want. You should know this is the way the world is and accept it.The things you need will come to you so long as you remain proactive.
- There is an end to suffering.
- The Solution is the Eightfold Path.
- Right Understanding: You know what it means to suffer and it is selfish to think of your problems better or worse than anyone else because life is difficult for everyone.
- Right Thought: You know you suffer, you know others suffer, and you begin to think about suffering.
- Right Speech: You now know and think about how you and others suffer, and not wanting others to suffer through negative words, you speak only positive words.
- Right Action: You understand that yourself and others can suffer through your actions so you only perform positive actions.
- Right Livelihood: Understanding the previous four principles, you can begin to live an active life which helps you transcend your character, your old self, to become a new person that lives by the aforementioned principles.
- Right effort: In understanding that I suffer and others suffer, I realize we are more similar than different. By being aware of this, I would not want to create more suffering in the world.
- Right mindfulness: By actively engaging myself in these ideals, I try to be mindful of what I have learned in order to live the lifestyle I am trying to achieve.
- Right concentration: By incorporating all these principles I’ve laid out, the idea is to live a life completely based on these principles without any barriers. My intuition would take over and I would be able ot handle any situation based on the Eightfold Path now that I have a complete understanding of suffering.
Basically, I realize everything I have been through has made me who I am today.
Karma
Karma is the balance of the world’s will. It is the law of nature and can be attributed to society and the individual. It is cause and effect. What I do today will likely come back to me in the future. For example, lets say I speak bad about a person who just happens to overhear my conversation. In a few years, I hear about a great job offer that I really want. Guess who happens to be the hiring manager or boss? The person I spoke bad about. Either most likely won’t hire me or give me hell. This is negative energy. Karma effects cause on the physical, mental, and spiritual levels of being. Think of it as like produces like: things that once were in contact continue forever to act on each other. What you do today is what you will see and experience as it plays out in your everyday life. By my talking about this positive knowledge, hopefully I can influence you to influence others even more and see the positive change in the world.
So why do we treat each other poorly? Is it the ego which seeks competition, strength, and power? What we do to others will surely come back to u, according to the laws of karma. We also must remember the previous slide, for when the ego seeks domination over others, everyone suffers.
Unfortunately, karma is controlled by the world and not any individual – bad things do happen to good people and vice versa in all ways, it is the world balancing itself out. The idea is that you are not in control of the world, the world is actually in control of you. Be careful of the seeds you plant – you can control your actions and others’ actions – and you will reap what you sow.
Confidence
Why is there a lack of confidence in many people? Why do people give up on their dreams and goals? Is it fear of reality, the unknown, or fear itself? There seems to be an avoidance of these. Is there a fear of being afraid of what you want or will it hurt more to find out that you may not get what you want? So how does one take back control of their life and become confident? The first thing to understand is that you are not a child, but an adult, and if that still holds you back, recognize you are a human being. Understand that not knowing will always hold you back, with some mental energy aways focused on it. It is best to ask for what you want than to wonder your entire life, “What if?” Ask or you wil never know. This goes for any situation. It is better to know the truth, even if it hurts, but it will bring you peace of mind.
Respect
If you want respect, you must dress appropriately, not only dress for yourself, but for others, dress to show you care. Act appropriately and confidence will come when people begin to see you as someone who deserves respect. When it comes to others respecting you, if its not there, command it by showing that you are a human being that deserves it. Teach others how you want to be treated and then treat others how you wish to be treated. Care about others and always be willing to learn from them as well.
Change
So when it comes to change, why do we resist it? Is it fear or laziness? I believe it is fear. Fear is a primary emotion: anger, sadness, etc. are secondary emotions. Remember the confidence slice, eliminating fear can eliminate all boundaries and we can embrace change. But change also connects back to the suffering, in which one who does not accept and embrace change will suffer in some way, as things are always changing. Once we accept that nothing is permanent and everything is always changing, it helps us to understand the world and ourselves. We have an endless curiosity and should pursue everything, realizing that things are never the same wherever we are in life, and inspiration is everywhere! For change in others, we must accept that someone must change themselves. We cannot change anyone, we can only inspire and influence others. The best thing we can do is accept others for who they are.
Free Will and Purpose
The human body is limited by physics, however, free will itself permits a human to shape their existence and create meaning through the choices that are made. This brings out your own individuality, in which others will respect and admire you for. Going back to one’s calling, human beings are products of the free choices they make so our purpose in this world is our choice.
Connection Is Community
As humans, we find a certain commonality among the species. It is that humans develop thoughts, languages, and beliefs. In what ways are humans similar? We all are human, we all have dreams, and we all have goals. In what ways are we different? Although we all have beliefs, we have a variety of different beliefs, different religions, our skin colors are different, and our appearances are different. Both our similarities and our differences should be embraced because that makes us who we are, as human beings, and we cannot instantly change who we are and who we have become. In understanding all that we have learned, from the fact that humans suffer, to understanding the causes and effects in interaction with other human beings, this creates a sort of insight into the human condition, that we are all interconnected. Deep down inside, we all seek a certain calmness, stability, and security. It is a peace and unity which we seek in order to establish a means of living and working together. From these insights, we come to an understanding that despite the minor differences of human beings, we all more common than we realize. When we understand this, it creates a certain happiness, to realize that you and the next human being are trying to live life, because everyone does suffer, and everyone is working towards the goals and dreams they have. From this happiness comes the ultimate love of humanity.
Compassion is Community
The way to connect with others is through empathy, to understand them on a deeper level, to know or at least try to understand how one feels in any situation. Through communication, an understanding of who they are and what a person is about can be established. You might find they share common interests and differences, but that makes a person who they are. A connection with another person should never be forced. You will find few friends, lots of acquaintances, and several enemies. In the worst situations, it is when ou find out who your true friends are, those people are the ones who will be with you forever.
When it comes to others, it is only natural for human beings to judge and label. In psychology, we call these heuristics, instant snapshots or preconceptions in order to quickly categorize others as we see fit. However, by doing this, we miss out on all sorts of opportunities to make networks and connections with people. There is something to learn from everyone and a missed opportunity is a lost perspective or insight into life. Really, to deny other people changes who we are and makes us less human. When you close off people, you close off the reason for being alive! To experience the world and others! Our definition of who we are defines what we do and how we see those around us. This determines what will happen to humanity and this Earth that supports our life.
“Run your fingers through my soul. For once, just once, feel exactly what I feel, believe what I believe, perceive as I perceive, look, experience, examine, and for once; just once, understand.”
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