Is it, inspiration or envy?

 

Let us for a moment be selfish and examine this in material terms. 

Envy is toxic, just by its presence. Not only does it corrode us  from within, it destroys everything it touches.  

On the other hand Inspiration provides so much for so little. Inspiration gives us hope, courage and energises us to better ourselves without us even making a conscious effort, to do so. 

Need I say, which is the better choice?

The sole purpose of travelling on the spiritual journey is for the salvation of one's soul. In that sense being spiritual, is to be selfish. Selfish being defined as 'being concerned about oneself'.

If we remove all vestiges of morality imposed on us by organised religious, selfishness is the natural condition of man.  To accept that selfishness is a virtue in an increasingly socialistic society, is to attract scorn and even abuse. This is not unusual for more abuse is heaped on speakers of the truth than those that mislead, lie and cheat. 

The spiritual journey does not permit a being to carry any baggage, be it material, emotional or intellectual. That is why the great masters ask disciples to shed this baggage.

Summary

Everyone has faults but they also have goodness.

A 2500 year old philosophy proposed by Chanakya still holds true, today.

Acceptance or rejection of goodness makes all the difference between being inspired or become jealous. If we are inspired we will change for the better, if we grow envious we will regress.

Herman why don't you go outside dear?

Why it's known as April fool's day?

  

Six million Britons went to bed on September 2, 1752, and woke up on September 14. The reason? The Calendar (New Style) Act of 1750, passed by British parliament.

The mystery begins in 1582 when  Pope Gregory XIII was reigning as leader of the Roman Catholic church. He discovered that the Julian calendar that the church used at the time erroneously measured a year as 365 days and 6 hours long.

Actually the average length of a year is 365 days, 5 hours and 49 minutes. 

Over 1300 years the error became very significant. So he released a Papal bull (a declaration from the leader of the Catholic Church) —decreeing that every country would have to shift to a new calendar and skip some days.

Britain being mainly a Protestant nation cared little for the Pope's wishes. Soon many Europeans and many parts of the world changed from the Julian Calendar to the Gregorian Calendar. Eventually 168 years later Britain too decided to shift.

So the King ordered that 11 days be wiped off the calendar in Sept 1752. The workers worked for only 19 days but were paid for 30 days. Some historians claim that is how the concept of 'paid leave' was born. 

In the Roman Julian calendar the year began on 01 April, whereas the Gregorian calendar began on 01 January. Many Britons refused to change tradition and continued to celebrate 01 April as New year's day.

When royal orders failed to stop the celebrations on 01 April, the King decreed that all those who celebrate New Year's day on 01 April would be called 'fools'.

Why, Philosophy is Important

 

 Creation, life, death, the universe, love, hate, jealousy, desire, etc. each one of us countless questions about many aspects of our existence. In a sense everyone at heart is some sort of a philosopher.

We delve into philosophy whenever we can, but the pressures of work, and society, formal education and entertaining ourselves leaves most of us little time to contemplate about or discuss philosophical issues. 

Modern existence is focussed primarily on material issues, meaning money and science. It is but natural therefore for the vast majority of people to ask, 'When science provides all the answers, of what benefit is philosophy?' 

Today science and its daughters of technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine (STEMM) reigns over our lives, providing us the means to progress materially and economically. We seem to forget that philosophy provides us the soul, the emotional gain and the conscience to experience that progress in a meaningful way. 

Philosophy is the delightful pursuit of answers to the question of our existence and millions of its  facets, because the questions are more important than the answers. It may take even a lifetime to obtain a somewhat satisfactory answer, but a philosopher deems it worthy.

It is important to remember that all scientific answers started off as philosophical questions. Seemingly slow and placid, philosophy is actually at the forefront of our seeking,  Science on the other hand is the conquered territory of answered questions yielded to it by philosophy.  

Science provides answers, philosophy the questions.

Science will tell us how to how to live and even kill, but it can never tell us when and why to live and kill.

Science dissects to the smallest possible to see and understand the parts whereas Philosophy seeks to synthesise and unify the whole. 

Science without an accompanying philosophy in individuals, families, organisations and even society can only produce wealth but not provide meaning to life. The material world without philosophy is like a one winged bird that will live, maybe even grow fat, and give the impression of thriving, but it will never be able to fly leave alone soar.

  

Where does one learn philosophy?

Schools driven purely by economics and science don't have the time nor the desire to teach philosophy. Neither can one get it at work nor from the media.

Libraries are a good source, and the internet can provide good sources and materials. 

All these platforms tend to be monologues and that can never be satisfying.

Philosophy is about questions and answers about life and living, and therefore it is best learnt and appreciated through dialogue. Social dialogue, and discussions with family, friends, associates and even strangers is good, but the best of course, is with a philosopher.

Unless one questions, seeks and obtains, then reflects on what has been received, that acquisition of thoughts is useless. Only after we contemplate on the answers can one form a hypothesis on a matter.

Philosophers in their pursuit of understanding and synthesis are seen simultaneously, both as wise, and foolish. 

Wise because they ponder and separate the chaff from the wheat, filtering out and presenting great truths. 

Viewed as great fools for they seem to lack common sense, and an understanding and appreciation of the material world.

Pursuing and indulging in philosophy is what produces and enriches civilisations. 

The best time to start becoming a philosopher was yesterday, the second best time is today.

It is time of the season, but without awakening, there can be no cheer.

 

 

Wish you Happy, Happy ...,   Happy This, Happy That. 

Seasons greetings, are more common this time of the year. Yet in spite of the brave faces and the plastic smiles, hardly anyone feels particularly cheerful or happy.

Instead of Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, the tone is definitely Merry Crisis and a Happy New Fear. 

Fear is driving a wedge between us. We have grown distant from one another over the past year and even more from ourselves, because of genuine but more so due to imaginary fears.

In fact, 99% of the things and events we are fearful of never actually occur. Then why are we so fearful?

Fear of any kind is considered the most effective method to control and exploit a people.

If we look carefully at the origins of the fear, we will discover that the proponents of fearful belief are the very same people who stand to benefit from providing us solutions to our fears. The media of course is almost always complicit in the spread of these fears.

An unawakened mind finds it difficult to differentiate between rumour and fact. Most of us possess conscious but unawakened minds. That is the ability to see and sense but lack the ability to differentiate between fact and fiction. This is why we live in fear.

We do not need magic or therapy to awaken our minds, just to be one's own best friend and be honest with oneself. To take time to self examine our situation.

To speak with oneself for the answers to our own problems can best be found within our own being. Once the answer is found, the path to negotiate through the various  conundrums in life come forth almost by themselves.

I send you greetings and wishes, hoping that you become and remain your own best friend. The  easiest way to awakening the self.

The folly of seeking happiness in the 'Rat Race'

 

Ever wondered what is this 'Rat Race'? 

Well this video provides a good idea. Many of us can relate to this depiction for the answer.

We run in the race because of FOMO (fear of missing out).

How can we escape the Rat Race?

Simple. Don't run in the race. 

We can escape if we focus on our needs rather than wants, because our needs are limited, whereas our wants are infinite.

Our inner being speaks to us, telling us what really appeals to us, suits us and what does not. 

Most elements in society tell us how inadequate or incomplete we re because we are lacking this or that. So we pursue what we are told is appealing rather than what is genuinely appealing to us. 

If we follow our heart and take the mind with us, we can escape the 'Rat Race'.

The 'Rat Race' can only hold the promise of success. Success however is external to our being so we have to look for it outside. Happiness is inherent within us, it only has to be realised from within our being. 

Rich or poor, the 'Rat Race' cannot deliver happiness.  More money, power or success does not mean more health and happiness. They just help to buy a better quality of unhappiness. If we examine carefully we will notice that the rich are comfortably unhappy and the poor are uncomfortably unhappy. 

Live simply, eat moderately, love intensely, work and play passionately is a good mantra for living outside the 'Rat Race'.

The problem with political jokes is, ...