Meaning of life?

[sweetcheeks]

it's funny that you posted this as i was just talking with my girlfriend. i mentioned how i used to think that this is all there is. this life and then done. but that despite thinking this way, i had never truly felt that way and that i always gravitated towards 'something more' is to this life. i feel thinking along the lines of 'this is all there is' is an easy way out, a cop out. a way to affirm yourself. a way to explain every action you've taken, are taking, and will take. a way to close yourself off in your bubble. a way to excuse behaviors, attitudes, thoughts, actions.

now, don't get me wrong, as i am not saying this is a 'bad' way to live. it works for many, many people but just not for me (anymore). i mean, why incarnate here and learn and experience everything we ever have, only to die? only for our lessons to be forgotten, our experiences to be nullified?

 

[Mandatory Intellectomy]

Thinking 'this is all there is' is rather silly. It's more of a lack of thinking that leads to such a notion. It's lazy.

If by 'this' we mean what we can easily perceive, then the truth is that we don't know or understand even a fraction of 1% of 'this'. So thinking there's nothing beyond something about which we know almost nothing is quite presumptuous. And once we start discovering more, we keep opening new doors, and with every new door we find that there's much more we don't know than we had thought before. The more you know, the more you realise how much there is that you don't know. The view just keeps expanding.

Is there more than 'this'? We may not know for sure (though we may feel it), but until we understand all of 'this', it makes no sense to assume there's nothing more. There's probably much more than we can even imagine right now.

 

[Jones]

I've never watched much Monty Python, but this clip is good in relation to the title of this thread. The comment about 'hats' is kind of like continuing to learn because the more you learn and apply knowledge the more roles or duties you can fulfil. For those for whom English isn't their first language, there's a saying 'wearing many hats' which basically means having many roles. Then there's a bit about soul development that is close to Gurdjieff's take on things along with a reference to commercial/corporate interests that kind of represents an underlying current of every day life in general - all in less than two and a half minutes.

 

[AdamJM]

Is there more than 'this'? We may not know for sure (though we may feel it), but until we understand all of 'this', it makes no sense to assume there's nothing more. There's probably much more than we can even imagine right now.

Ive thought about in regards to depression. People (especially myself) have a tendency to reduce things down. This in my case has lead to feelings of futility because everything seems very simplistic and almost pointless. But this reduction of 'things' is almost a prerequisit of human thought in regards to dealing with the vastness of existence. It seems like one of the main tools we use in life is also responsible for our feelings of sadness towards it. Focussing on all the finer, compicated details seems like a good antidote.

 

[Mandatory Intellectomy]

Ive thought about in regards to depression. People (especially myself) have a tendency to reduce things down. This in my case has lead to feelings of futility because everything seems very simplistic and almost pointless. But this reduction of 'things' is almost a prerequisit of human thought in regards to dealing with the vastness of existence. It seems like one of the main tools we use in life is also responsible for our feelings of sadness towards it. Focussing on all the finer, complicated details seems like a good antidote.

The key is, as usual, in balance. Whenever you go too far in a certain direction and experience negative feelings (like depression), you know you're on the wrong path. So you have to figure out what pushed you in that direction and see if the opposite would get you back.

I've come across a lot of things that can help me regain balance, so I remind myself of those when needed. Mostly it's things that Don Juan told Castaneda, but it can be any number of things, like, you know, remembering Fight Club or something. Whatever gives you the perspective and attitude you need at the moment.

If everything seems simplistic and pointless, remember it's all lessons and there's always some point, whether you see it or not. Maybe the lesson is just getting through that feeling of pointlessness and finding a point, whatever it may be. It doesn't have to be anything earth-shattering. And when life seems pointless, you can always do something for others, even if it's the smallest thing. It will likely make both of you feel better.

My best advice: when life seems pointless, stop taking it so fukking seriously! Just have fun. Do something you don't normally do. Start a fight and lose it. Feel alive.

 

[AdamJM]

And when life seems pointless, you can always do something for others, even if it's the smallest thing. It will likely make both of you feel better.

From my personal experience this is very true. Even as far as just smiling when you pass someone in the street. You never know how it will impact someone.

Also, attitude plays a big part. I was walking back from the gym the other day and saw and old fella struggling with the bins. I ran to offer him a hand, but he refused and said something along the lines of 'if i start giving up now how long will i last'. Its was a powerful sentiment and just off the cuff. The older generation are cut from a different cloth.

Guess the point is to just keep up with your responsibilities, be kind and keep it moving.

 

[gottathink]

But this reduction of 'things' is almost a prerequisit of human thought in regards to dealing with the vastness of existence.

I agree with you Adamski
When we reduce things down to something more simple and straightforward it becomes useful. I think this is what happens when we develop intuitive understanding of things. Getting caught in analysing the minutiae can misdirect us because we get caught in the weeds and miss the current.

However, critical analysis becomes useful (in my experience) to check our thinking. Robust ideas fare well when we put them through rigorous testing in the real world and in complex situations. I find that things only seem complex if we are limited in how many dimensions within we can perceive the subject. When our intellect and neural network is developed through study and interactions with the world we become more capable of thinking in higher dimensions.

 

[gottathink]

keep it moving.

This has so much application in many many situations! Nice bro

 

[gottathink]

Just to complete my analogy-
We can get caught in the weeds and miss the current but we need to check that our thinking has not stuck us in an eddy of self confirming bias.

 

[Color]

From my personal experience this is very true. Even as far as just smiling when you pass someone in the street. You never know how it will impact someone.

When I was 17yo I decided I will kill myself. I was walking back home late at night, preparing for the event in my head, completely wrapped up in dark thoughts. While crossing the street, a young guy passed by from the opposite direction. Suddenly I heard : "Hey! Hey you!!!" I stopped in the middle of the street, shocked and looked back.

"Hey, I just wanted to tell you - you have the most beautiful eyes I ever saw!" And he smiled at me like a little boy, wide smile full of heart! And then just walked away.

That little gesture had such a strong effect on me, it was as if I was pulled out from a dark pit, back into the light and life! Obviously- I didn't kill myself that night.

When we open ourselves to life, no matter the hardship, if we accept the challenge no matter the pain - God, the Universe can then act through us and do some Good, whether we are aware of the full chain of the events of our deeds or not. If we contract, retrieve from life, same rules apply only for spreading the dark, evil.

 

[Mandatory Intellectomy]

From my personal experience this is very true. Even as far as just smiling when you pass someone in the street. You never know how it will impact someone.

Exactly. These small gestures can be very powerful and cost us nothing.

"Hey, I just wanted to tell you - you have the most beautiful eyes I ever saw!" And he smiled at me like a little boy, wide smile full of heart! And then just walked away.

And this is how random guys sometimes save the world. Thanks, guy! You have no idea how much good you've done in 5 seconds!

Imagine the butterfly effect of that one moment... it's still continuing and affecting many people.

 

[Wandering Star]

Exactly. These small gestures can be very powerful and cost us nothing.


And this is how random guys sometimes save the world. Thanks, guy! You have no idea how much good you've done in 5 seconds!

Imagine the butterfly effect of that one moment... it's still continuing and affecting many people.

Huge...

This is a most important Post.

Thanks to those who "opened" their hearts and to those who saw the relationships between the points.

There is no small gesture.

"Perfect".

 

[AdamJM]

Hey, I just wanted to tell you - you have the most beautiful eyes I ever saw!" And he smiled at me like a little boy, wide smile full of heart! And then just walked away

Sounds like you had someone watching over you!

Imagine the butterfly effect of that one moment... it's still continuing and affecting many people.

It really puts things into perspective. Gives even the smallest actions a deeper purpose/meaning. And like wandering star said

There is no small gesture.

We find ourself with a broader outlook. The reduction of our actions to 'just a small gesture' has limited our ability to see our own effect on the world. Theres nothing small about it when you think about it.

 

[AdamJM]

However, critical analysis becomes useful (in my experience) to check our thinking. Robust ideas fare well when we put them through rigorous testing in the real world and in complex situations.

Ive found it to be highly useful. I still find myself on occasion reverting to a more primitive (emotional) thought process but, i eventually see sense and rationalize properly. Theres been a few occasions in the past year where being able to be logical/rational has helped me greatly, whereas ten years ago i might not have fared so well.

 

[gottathink]

Ive found it to be highly useful. I still find myself on occasion reverting to a more primitive (emotional) thought process but, i eventually see sense and rationalize properly. Theres been a few occasions in the past year where being able to be logical/rational has helped me greatly, whereas ten years ago i might not have fared so well.

It’s interesting isn’t it, how useful a rational mind is. Particularly if we use it bravely!