Here are my notes:
- Our Nature Controls Us:
- Today, we're immersed in the quality of selfishness, seeking to benefit ourselves with no regard for others. The only thing human beings want to do is destroy. We can't control our lives. Our Nature controls us and our intellect doesn't help.
- Some may say that we're worse than animals because animals can get on with their lives, and generally speaking, animals only take when they need from Nature. We pride ourselves on being smart and intelligent, yet we cause harm to ourselves, to others and to all of Nature. There's no evidence of intelligence in the way we behave because we're negative and destructive. We lack cooperation, collaboration, foresight and strategy. We're negligent, thoughtless and oppressive. We live for ourselves, for today, with no regard for the damage we do to ourselves, to others and to all of Nature.
- Freedom Of Choice:
- We think we have freedom of choice, but we don't. While we're immersed in the quality of selfishness, we have no freedom of choice. We have preferences, but not freedom of choice. For example if I choose an apple over an orange, it's not freedom of choice, it's simply that I prefer apples over oranges.
- True freedom of choice comes only after we enter into the quality of bestowal (seeking to benefit others instead of ourselves). Then we have the ability to choose between the quality of selfishness and the quality of bestowal.
- We don't have freedom of choice over our bodies. Our entire bodies are governed by Nature. I don't choose to breathe, I just breathe. I don't choose for my heart to beat, it just beats. I don't choose for my immune system to work, it just works. We don't choose when to enter puberty, it just happens. Somehow, we've decided that we govern our brains, which is where we've assumed our thoughts comes from. Our entire bodies, including our brains, are governed by Nature.
- We're Puppets Controlled By A Puppet Master:
- There is none else besides Him. We're all puppets controlled by a Puppet Master. We are the governed and there's a Governor.
- French Philosopher Descartes [4] said, "I think, therefore I am":
- If a puppet says, "I think, therefore I am", everyone watching the puppet show knows that's not true. A puppet doesn't control what it says.
- Descartes assumed that he's the one thinking. We're not our thoughts. We're the awareness behind our thoughts. We can actually watch our thoughts come and go. We can police our thoughts - agree with positive thoughts and disagree with negative thoughts.
- Our Thoughts Serve Our Desires:
- If I want an apple, I have to go through a series of thoughts (and actions) to get that apple. I have to go to the store, pick out some apples, pay for the them, come home, wash them, peel them, and eat them. My thoughts (and actions) serve my desires.
- Are our thoughts connected to the quality of selfishness? If we change from personal selfishness to mutual bestowal, rise above our egos, stop harming others and seek to benefit others instead of ourselves, will we transcend thought altogether? Will we enter into a new state where thoughts don't exist, where all that exists is pure emotion, sensing and feeling?
Instead of focusing on our intellect and our minds, we should focus on our desires. The true question is, "What do you want?" We are the desire and God is the fulfillment.
In everything we do, we should seek to benefit others instead of ourselves.
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References:
- Socrates. www.en.wikipedia.org. Retrieved Oct 5, 2014.
- Plato. www.en.wikipedia.org. Retrieved Oct 5, 2014.
- Aristotle. www.en.wikipedia.org. Retrieved Oct 5, 2014.
- Rene Descartes. www.en.wikipedia.org. Retrieved Oct 5, 2014.
Copyright © 2014, Carter Kagume. All Rights Reserved.
