I think one of our greatest misdirection’s is that we have learned to believe that chasing emotions is a soulful purpose. The branch taken from the tree of knowledge spoken by prophets and challengers of nature, to love one another, to value the happiness of an individual, to not hate. All resonating with a collective treaty as it not only focuses on the individuals well being but gives it purpose by implying that those individual states will then help others.
But here i explain that these are not goals or achievements to reach and pursue. The pursuit of happiness is an empty destination, using the present as a means of getting to the future – spoken by Prophet Jesus, foreshadows that the pursuit of gain, the strive for pleasure is short lived, not just that ‘we should think presently’. Love, hate, happiness, joy and all pleasures are emotions, which by nature means that they do not last and they’re really one of the most shy products of nature. So what sense does it have to find meaning in your life through the mantra ‘to live happy and love others around me?’
The achievement of endurance and climbing out the pits of depressive states, resisting the ease to stay comfortable in a numb life is not to be celebrated as the emergence of happiness but the emergence of strength, resilience and honesty. As Atlas bares the weight of the world on his back on one knee, he wouldn’t be happy if he made it to both feet, he would seem exhausted, relieved but most importantly he would be taking his moment to breathe as he knows soon he will have to prepare himself to take a knee again and bare more weight.
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Achievements give space to be mindful not space to feel complete.
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The true direction of the Universe is not those of love and happiness, it proceeds to destroy, distribute power and light to where it sees fit. Without the consideration of an Apes inclination to hug stranger. Whilst this does not mean we should forget to treat others kindly and certainly appreciate those times when we do feel happy, joyful and loving, i’m merely suggesting that they are not states to reach for.
As we have learned to truly value the life of an individual in the last 100 years, we have learnt to put those energetic states at the top of our wish list but i feel as though they have lead to the contrary of their supposed intentions. What may lead us as individuals and then furthermore collectively as humans and what we may come to touch, as a more healthy, content species, are the far more permanent skills to learn – Listening and consequently Honesty.
The journey of listening arises first from curiosity, which may give some the impetus to ask questions with the intent of learning no matter the situation. Which gives a more clear picture of a complex world, what better way to understand what you, see, hear, smell, touch and think is to ask questions and observe. Because even if the answers don’t land comfortably of your lap or maybe never appear at all, you’ll at least have a question that you know not only you don’t know the answers to, but also those that others do not have. Then that is opportunity to bond in ignorance, they greatest admittance of the Great Ape Sapiens.
This method and skill of listening creates a more honest world as it changes the pursuit of humans from one of thinking temporary states are the greatest achievement into the less sparkling idea, of focusing on what others have to say, which you can then use to give yourself very needed perspective. Worshipping happiness leads us to cause conflict when it seems as though someone is adding extra hurdles to an already difficult journey. But it is those extra hurdles, those challenges, those philosophers, those questions that make the journey harder, needed if one wants to feel closer to being part of a collective group, a species, a Human. That honesty of admitting ignorance, the honesty gained from listening, the honesty it takes to know life will not spare you, the honesty of knowing impermanence. All lead to what i believe to be the meaning of life – To teach, in every manner.
What good is a lonely human on an island in the middle of the ocean with the largest library in the world at his expense? They may read and read all the most important books in the world and then one day die without having told anyone anything, this to me shines no purpose. Now give this person a boat and watch them influence the lives of who they touch.
The skill of building an honest world is a complex task and it certainly is the task of the individual with worldly consequences but i see the pursing of emotions as no more than a fix to mask our inability to cope with a complex world. If we want to make the world a more clear and understood place, deeper than only the layer of appreciation, then we must first make our lives more difficult.
Green Dharma 