The question Am I? points to the simple fact that you are, regardless of what you are experiencing. beneath everything that's going on, is a sense of existing. This question points to a dimension other than experience.
Once that sense of existence is in your field of awareness, then it's possible to find out what's true about existence, to explore that. what's it like right now to just be? is it enough right now to just exist? or is there a sense that it's not enough? All our lives we've been told it's not enough, that you have to be smarter, richer, prettier, more enlightened, more compassionate, more loving, and on and on... you have to be some thing.
you have the sense that if we could just be what we're supposed to be, then we could just BE. Take a fantasy about being richer, for instance: what's great about being richer is that you think it will finally allow you to just be because you no longer have to become richer! we think that being richer or smarter will finally allow just being to be enough...Wherever this inquiry takes you, its amazing to discover both the extent to which our existence is enough and the extent to which we think it is not!
Benjamin Button
For what it's worth: it's never too late to be whoever you want to be. There's no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you're proud of. If you find that you're not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again...
Meaning of Life
As each situation in life represents a challenge to man and presents a problem for him to solve, the question of the meaning of life may actually be re-versed. Ultimately, man should not ask what the meaning of his life is, but rather he must recognize that it is he who is asked. In a word, each man is questioned by life; and he can only answer to life by answering for his own life; to life he can only respond by being responsible.
What man actually needs is not a tensionless state but rather the striving and struggling for a worthwhile goal, a freely chosen task. What he needs is not the discharge of tension at any cost but the call of a potential meaning waiting to be fulfilled by him.
[Viktor Frankl]
What man actually needs is not a tensionless state but rather the striving and struggling for a worthwhile goal, a freely chosen task. What he needs is not the discharge of tension at any cost but the call of a potential meaning waiting to be fulfilled by him.
[Viktor Frankl]
The FountainHead
Yes! And isn't that the root of every despicable action? Not selfishness, but precisely the absence of a self. Look at them. The man who cheats and lies, but preserves a respectable front. He knows himself to be dishonest, but others think he's honest and he derives his self-respect from that, second-hand. The man who takes credit for an achievement which is not his own. He knows himself to be mediocre, but he's great in the eyes of others. The frustrated wretch who professes love for the inferior and clings to those less endowed, in order to establish his own superiority by comparison. The man whose sole aim is to make money. Now I don't see anything evil in a desire to make money. But money is only a means to some end. If a man wants it for a personal purpose--to invest in his industry, to create, to study, to travel,to enjoy luxury--he's completely moral. But the men who place money first go much beyond that. Personal luxury is a limited endeavor. What they want is ostentation: to show, to stun, to entertain, to impress others. They're second-handers. Look at our so-called cultural endeavors. A lecturer who spouts some borrowed rehash of nothing at all that means nothing at all to him--and the people who listen and don't give a damn, but sit there in order to tell their friends that they have attended a lecture by a famous name. All second-handers.
...they've been taught to seek themselves in others. Yet no man can achieve the kind of absolute humility that would need no self-esteem in any form. He wouldn't survive. So after centuries of being pounded with the doctrine that altruism is the ultimate ideal, men have accepted it in the only way it could be accepted. By seeking self-esteem through others. By living second-hand. And it has opened the way for every kind of horror. It has become the dreadful form of selfishness which a truly selfish man couldn't have conceived. And now, to cure a world perishing from selflessness, we're asked to destroy the self. Listen to what is being preached today. Look at everyone around us. You've wondered why they suffer, why they seek happiness and never find it. If any man stopped and asked himself whether he's ever held a truly personal desire, he'd find the answer. He'd see that all his wishes, his efforts,his dreams, his ambitions are motivated by other men. He's not really struggling even for material wealth, but for the second-hander's delusion--prestige. A stamp of approval, not his own. He can find no joy in the struggle and no joy when he has succeeded. He can't say about a single thing: 'This is what I wanted because I wanted it, not because it made my neighbors gape at me.' Then he wonders why he's unhappy. Every form of happiness is private. Our greatest moments are personal, self-motivated, not to be touched. The things which are sacred or precious to us are the things we withdraw from promiscuous sharing. But now we are taught to throw everything within us into public light and common pawing. To seek joy in meeting halls. We haven't even got a word for the quality I mean--for the self-sufficiency of man's spirit. It's difficult to call it selfishness or egotism, the words have been perverted, I think the only cardinal evil on earth is that of placing your prime concern within other men.
...they've been taught to seek themselves in others. Yet no man can achieve the kind of absolute humility that would need no self-esteem in any form. He wouldn't survive. So after centuries of being pounded with the doctrine that altruism is the ultimate ideal, men have accepted it in the only way it could be accepted. By seeking self-esteem through others. By living second-hand. And it has opened the way for every kind of horror. It has become the dreadful form of selfishness which a truly selfish man couldn't have conceived. And now, to cure a world perishing from selflessness, we're asked to destroy the self. Listen to what is being preached today. Look at everyone around us. You've wondered why they suffer, why they seek happiness and never find it. If any man stopped and asked himself whether he's ever held a truly personal desire, he'd find the answer. He'd see that all his wishes, his efforts,his dreams, his ambitions are motivated by other men. He's not really struggling even for material wealth, but for the second-hander's delusion--prestige. A stamp of approval, not his own. He can find no joy in the struggle and no joy when he has succeeded. He can't say about a single thing: 'This is what I wanted because I wanted it, not because it made my neighbors gape at me.' Then he wonders why he's unhappy. Every form of happiness is private. Our greatest moments are personal, self-motivated, not to be touched. The things which are sacred or precious to us are the things we withdraw from promiscuous sharing. But now we are taught to throw everything within us into public light and common pawing. To seek joy in meeting halls. We haven't even got a word for the quality I mean--for the self-sufficiency of man's spirit. It's difficult to call it selfishness or egotism, the words have been perverted, I think the only cardinal evil on earth is that of placing your prime concern within other men.
which one are you?
Two little mice fell in a bucket of cream, the first mouse quickly gave up and drowned, the second mouse wouldn't quit... he struggled so hard that eventually he turned that cream into butter and walked out... gentlemen as of this moment I am that second mouse...
[Catch me If you can]
[Catch me If you can]
Extreme Ways
.
.
.
I've seen so much in so many places
So many heartaches, so many faces
So many dirty things
You couldn't even believe
I would stand in line for this
It's always good in life for this
.
.
.
(Extreme Ways - Moby)
.
.
I've seen so much in so many places
So many heartaches, so many faces
So many dirty things
You couldn't even believe
I would stand in line for this
It's always good in life for this
.
.
.
(Extreme Ways - Moby)
Point Break
Fear causes hesitation, and hesitation will cause your worst fears to come true.
isn't it weirdly so true...
isn't it weirdly so true...
The Secret Of Happiness
"A certain shopkeeper sent his son to learn about the secret of happiness
from the wisest man in the world. The lad wandered through the desert for
forty days, and finally came upon a beautiful castle, high atop a mountain. It was there that the wise man lived.
"Rather than finding a saintly man, though, our hero, on entering the main
room of the castle, saw a hive of activity: tradesmen came and went,
people were conversing in the corners, a small orchestra was playing soft
music, and there was a table covered with platters of the most delicious
food in that part of the world. The wise man conversed with everyone, and
the boy had to wait for two hours before it was his turn to be given the
man's attention.
"The wise man listened attentively to the boy's explanation of why he had come, but told him that he didn't have time just then to explain the secret of happiness. He suggested that the boy look around the palace and return in two hours.
'Meanwhile, I want to ask you to do something,' said the wise man,
handing the boy a teaspoon that held two drops of oil. 'As you wander
around, carry this spoon with you without allowing the oil to spill.'
"The boy began climbing and descending the many stairways of the palace, keeping his eyes fixed on the spoon. After two hours, he returned to the room where the wise man was.
" 'Well,' asked the wise man, 'did you see the Persian tapestries that are hanging in my dining hall? Did you see the garden that it took the master gardener ten years to create? Did you notice the beautiful parchments in my library?'
"The boy was embarrassed, and confessed that he had observed nothing. His only concern had been not to spill the oil that the wise man had entrusted to him.
" 'Then go back and observe the marvels of my world,' said the wise man.'You cannot trust a man if you don't know his house.'
"Relieved, the boy picked up the spoon and returned to his exploration of the palace, this time observing all of the works of art on the ceilings and the walls. He saw the gardens, the mountains all around him, the beauty of the flowers, and the taste with which everything had been selected. Upon returning to the wise man, he related in detail everything he had seen.
" 'But where are the drops of oil I entrusted to you?' asked the wise man.
"Looking down at the spoon he held, the boy saw that the oil was gone.
" 'Well, there is only one piece of advice I can give you,' said the wisest of
wise men. 'The secret of happiness is to see all the marvels of the world,
and never to forget the drops of oil on the spoon.' "
from the wisest man in the world. The lad wandered through the desert for
forty days, and finally came upon a beautiful castle, high atop a mountain. It was there that the wise man lived.
"Rather than finding a saintly man, though, our hero, on entering the main
room of the castle, saw a hive of activity: tradesmen came and went,
people were conversing in the corners, a small orchestra was playing soft
music, and there was a table covered with platters of the most delicious
food in that part of the world. The wise man conversed with everyone, and
the boy had to wait for two hours before it was his turn to be given the
man's attention.
"The wise man listened attentively to the boy's explanation of why he had come, but told him that he didn't have time just then to explain the secret of happiness. He suggested that the boy look around the palace and return in two hours.
'Meanwhile, I want to ask you to do something,' said the wise man,
handing the boy a teaspoon that held two drops of oil. 'As you wander
around, carry this spoon with you without allowing the oil to spill.'
"The boy began climbing and descending the many stairways of the palace, keeping his eyes fixed on the spoon. After two hours, he returned to the room where the wise man was.
" 'Well,' asked the wise man, 'did you see the Persian tapestries that are hanging in my dining hall? Did you see the garden that it took the master gardener ten years to create? Did you notice the beautiful parchments in my library?'
"The boy was embarrassed, and confessed that he had observed nothing. His only concern had been not to spill the oil that the wise man had entrusted to him.
" 'Then go back and observe the marvels of my world,' said the wise man.'You cannot trust a man if you don't know his house.'
"Relieved, the boy picked up the spoon and returned to his exploration of the palace, this time observing all of the works of art on the ceilings and the walls. He saw the gardens, the mountains all around him, the beauty of the flowers, and the taste with which everything had been selected. Upon returning to the wise man, he related in detail everything he had seen.
" 'But where are the drops of oil I entrusted to you?' asked the wise man.
"Looking down at the spoon he held, the boy saw that the oil was gone.
" 'Well, there is only one piece of advice I can give you,' said the wisest of
wise men. 'The secret of happiness is to see all the marvels of the world,
and never to forget the drops of oil on the spoon.' "
Inception
What’s the most resilient parasite? An idea.
A single idea from the human mind can build cities.
An idea can transform the world and rewrite all the rules...
A single idea from the human mind can build cities.
An idea can transform the world and rewrite all the rules...
It is just funny how we cheat ourselves.....
Cognitive dissonance is an uncomfortable feeling caused by holding two contradictory ideas simultaneously. The theory of cognitive dissonance proposes that people have a motivational drive to reduce dissonance by changing their attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors, or by justifying or rationalizing them. It is one of the most influential and extensively studied theories in social psychology.
Dissonance occurs when a person perceives a logical inconsistency in their beliefs, when one idea implies the opposite of another. The dissonance might be experienced as guilt, anger, frustration, or even embarrassment. The idea of "sour grapes"—from the fable The Fox and the Grapes by Aesop (ca. 620–564 BCE), where the fox decides that the grapes he is unable to reach are probably not ripe enough to eat anyway—illustrates an example of cognitive dissonance: desiring something, then criticizing it because it proves unattainable, a phenomenon that Jon Elster calls "adaptive preference formation."
A powerful cause of dissonance is an idea in conflict with a fundamental element of the self-concept, such as "I am a good person" or "I made the right decision". The anxiety that comes with the possibility of having made a bad decision can lead to rationalization, the tendency to create additional reasons or justifications to support one's choices. A person who just spent too much money on a new car might decide that the new vehicle is much less likely to break down than his or her old car. This belief may or may not be true, but it would reduce dissonance and make the person feel better. Dissonance can also lead to confirmation bias, the denial of disconfirming evidence, and other ego defense mechanisms.
(Find out more on wikipedia)
Dissonance occurs when a person perceives a logical inconsistency in their beliefs, when one idea implies the opposite of another. The dissonance might be experienced as guilt, anger, frustration, or even embarrassment. The idea of "sour grapes"—from the fable The Fox and the Grapes by Aesop (ca. 620–564 BCE), where the fox decides that the grapes he is unable to reach are probably not ripe enough to eat anyway—illustrates an example of cognitive dissonance: desiring something, then criticizing it because it proves unattainable, a phenomenon that Jon Elster calls "adaptive preference formation."
A powerful cause of dissonance is an idea in conflict with a fundamental element of the self-concept, such as "I am a good person" or "I made the right decision". The anxiety that comes with the possibility of having made a bad decision can lead to rationalization, the tendency to create additional reasons or justifications to support one's choices. A person who just spent too much money on a new car might decide that the new vehicle is much less likely to break down than his or her old car. This belief may or may not be true, but it would reduce dissonance and make the person feel better. Dissonance can also lead to confirmation bias, the denial of disconfirming evidence, and other ego defense mechanisms.
(Find out more on wikipedia)
Dots will connect down the road....
.... you can't connect the dots looking forward, you can only connect them looking backwards; so you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future.
you have to trust in something , your guts, destiny, life, karma...whatever. because believing that the dots will connect down the road will give you confident to follow your heart, even when it lead you off the well worn path and that will make all the difference.
.
.
.
Your time is limited so dont waste it living someone else's life, don't be trapped by dogma which is living with the result of other people's thinking. don't let the noise of others' opinion drown out your own inner voice, and most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition, they somehow already know what you truly want to become; every thing else is secondary.
.
.
.
Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish.
(Steve jobs' speech at Stanford university)
you have to trust in something , your guts, destiny, life, karma...whatever. because believing that the dots will connect down the road will give you confident to follow your heart, even when it lead you off the well worn path and that will make all the difference.
.
.
.
Your time is limited so dont waste it living someone else's life, don't be trapped by dogma which is living with the result of other people's thinking. don't let the noise of others' opinion drown out your own inner voice, and most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition, they somehow already know what you truly want to become; every thing else is secondary.
.
.
.
Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish.
(Steve jobs' speech at Stanford university)
Finger Tips
In the time it takes to laugh,
love can turn the key.
Crystal clear the future lies
and what will be will be.
Don't hold it back,
take the chance you missed.
Don't hold it back,
fill the emptiness.
Soon the time to say farewell,
will come with no return.
Older now but wiser from
lessons we have learned.
Don't hold it back,
take the chance you missed.
Don't hold it back,
fill the emptiness.
Slip through your fingertips,
Speak from your heart don't let it
Slip through your fingertips,
Search for the feeling in it.
Don't let it -
Slip through your fingertips,
Lost if you leave too late.
All at your fingertips,
Gone if you hesitate.
(Camel - Finger Tips)
love can turn the key.
Crystal clear the future lies
and what will be will be.
Don't hold it back,
take the chance you missed.
Don't hold it back,
fill the emptiness.
Soon the time to say farewell,
will come with no return.
Older now but wiser from
lessons we have learned.
Don't hold it back,
take the chance you missed.
Don't hold it back,
fill the emptiness.
Slip through your fingertips,
Speak from your heart don't let it
Slip through your fingertips,
Search for the feeling in it.
Don't let it -
Slip through your fingertips,
Lost if you leave too late.
All at your fingertips,
Gone if you hesitate.
(Camel - Finger Tips)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)