Who am I? Why am I here? What is the purpose of life?
These are the big questions. The questions that we, as human beings with self awareness are left to contemplate and struggle with. We may try to hide from these questions as best we can (and indeed that is what this post is about), but ultimately they remain. A feeling that something is missing. An emptiness that can not long be filled.
These are the big questions. The questions that we, as human beings with self awareness are left to contemplate and struggle with. We may try to hide from these questions as best we can (and indeed that is what this post is about), but ultimately they remain. A feeling that something is missing. An emptiness that can not long be filled.
We can ponder these questions intellectually. The existentialist movement is evidence of this. However these are questions that the mind alone holds no answer to. The answers can be found only in silence, in our hearts, for it is our heart that knows who we are and what we need to do to heal. The challenge is to silence the mind so that we can hear our hearts speak.
Instead of doing this though, most of us fill our lives with distractions. People, experiences, and things to capture our attention and take us away from our self. We learn to be busy, to always be doing something – anything, so we can avoid the whispers of our heart felt in quiet moments. We opt out through addictions; alcohol, drugs, and so on. We design our lives around the accumulation of stuff. Stuff that mostly we do not need, and stuff that brings very temporary pleasure and distraction at best. Instead of trying to understand who we are, we become instruments of mass consumption in a vain attempt to escape our self awareness and the question in our heart. Who am I?
There is much information to be found on how to connect with the heart. How to be, rather than do. All that is required is to seek it. But in order to practice, in order to begin to seek out the truth of our existence, we first must shed ourselves of distractions.
I don’t propose that we take up lives of aestheticism. I am not suggesting we adopt a monastic lifestyle. However I am saying that with our lives full of distraction we will eventually pass from this world no wiser than when we entered it.
Balance is the key. So cut back on your distractions.
Not sure where to start? Then turn off your television and put your smartphone away. Sit in silence and listen. What do you hear?
Namasté :)
Instead of doing this though, most of us fill our lives with distractions. People, experiences, and things to capture our attention and take us away from our self. We learn to be busy, to always be doing something – anything, so we can avoid the whispers of our heart felt in quiet moments. We opt out through addictions; alcohol, drugs, and so on. We design our lives around the accumulation of stuff. Stuff that mostly we do not need, and stuff that brings very temporary pleasure and distraction at best. Instead of trying to understand who we are, we become instruments of mass consumption in a vain attempt to escape our self awareness and the question in our heart. Who am I?
There is much information to be found on how to connect with the heart. How to be, rather than do. All that is required is to seek it. But in order to practice, in order to begin to seek out the truth of our existence, we first must shed ourselves of distractions.
I don’t propose that we take up lives of aestheticism. I am not suggesting we adopt a monastic lifestyle. However I am saying that with our lives full of distraction we will eventually pass from this world no wiser than when we entered it.
Balance is the key. So cut back on your distractions.
Not sure where to start? Then turn off your television and put your smartphone away. Sit in silence and listen. What do you hear?
Namasté :)
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