Lotusflower Posted April 20, 2011 Author Share Posted April 20, 2011 I think I was partly arguing from a different viewpoint, and that’s partly down to my fault because I hadn’t watched the video in your opening thread post. Apologies for that. However, I have seen this guy before, and I think he has something quite special in terms of achievement against all the odds, in both a spiritual and practical way. I suppose I’m thrown by your username as it leads me to guess your belief, and if I’m right, then I disagree with it. Thing is… although I agree that decision-making has consequences of either good, or bad, and also carries personal responsibility, I don’t think there’s a law connected to fulfilment of dreams and personal satisfaction in this lifetime. The reason I don’t think so is because from what I see, hear and read, bad and selfish decisions can be rewarded in people’s lives-for example certain celebrities who have all the things ordinary hard-working people would love to have-the house, the comforts, the luxuries, the children, the adventure, the choices. On the opposite side, I think of the people who have to live with tragedy, for example: poverty; redundancy and loss of earnings; the parents’ of children that are kidnapped, killed or harmed; family members who are diagnosed with terminal or chronic disease; earthquakes; tsunamis and generally just allsorts of disaster which isn’t deserved. And so, even though ‘life is what you make it, or ‘life is what you make of it’ can sound like an inspirational message of hope for the unmotivated, it can also suddenly sound like empty words for the traumatised and bereaved. Surely sometimes people just need help and support, which is difficult to ask for and accept. I mean we’d all like to be happy and independent, but ultimately and realistically, that could only ever be a temporary state of pride at best. I’m sure your thread and viewpoint is well intentioned, and I'm sorry if I sounded harsh, and I think you are quite right, to a degree. Yet I remain somewhat unsure and curious of your own beliefs. Re my bold. (1) I don't see what he has as something "special." Everybody else has it. He chose to use it...some don't...and that's ok. Re my bold. (2) This is not my own experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harleyman Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 I like the cut of your jib! Joined the navy have yer Swami ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metaphoria Posted April 21, 2011 Share Posted April 21, 2011 Re my bold. (1) I don't see what he has as something "special." Everybody else has it. He chose to use it...some don't...and that's ok. Re my bold. (2) This is not my own experience. Indeed, I think he has a different faith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildcat Posted April 21, 2011 Share Posted April 21, 2011 If you liked that film you should watch the Butterfly Circus: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BritPat Posted April 21, 2011 Share Posted April 21, 2011 is life really a bowl of cherries ? Yep and everyone has a bloody great stone in it ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lotusflower Posted April 21, 2011 Author Share Posted April 21, 2011 Joined the navy have yer Swami ? A life on the ocean wave? Not me Harleyman...I got seasick on the Bridlington Belle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lotusflower Posted April 21, 2011 Author Share Posted April 21, 2011 Indeed, I think he has a different faith. I wonder a lot about the concept of faith. I'm not sure what I've found is actually faith in the sense that I think you mean. Whatever it is it works. I am happy, I am content. Life has never felt this good...and believe me it hasn't always felt that way. I've trawled some pretty desperate states...but I got lucky. Someone showed me a door to a completely new perspective. I'm not trying to make myself out to be anything special...I'm not! We are more powerful than we think we are as a species. Not the power over others, more the power to change our lives by changing the way we look at things...because when we do that...the things we look at change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hennypenny Posted April 21, 2011 Share Posted April 21, 2011 I do think that what you get out of life is very much down to the individual. I have always thought of myself as a lucky person with a happy life, and in spite of tragedy in my life, I still do. It is just a bit harder to always think that now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buck Posted April 21, 2011 Share Posted April 21, 2011 A life on the ocean wave? Not me Harleyman...I got seasick on the Bridlington Belle. When I was in the navy, I went with my Dad to visit Liverpool. He got sick on the Mersey Ferry. Embarrasing:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lotusflower Posted April 22, 2011 Author Share Posted April 22, 2011 The guy who showed me the door to another perception had this to say about the subject and I thought it may help Metaphoria and Discodown and others in so far as he has a different way of putting it. In a village where the great Zen master Hakuin was living a young girl became pregnant. Her father became incessant with rage and demanded to know who the father was. She steadfastly refused to tell as the birth drew nearer and nearer and finally the father threatened severe punishment. To escape this punishment she told him the father was Hakuin. The father said no more...but as soon as the child was born he marched straight to Hakuin and threw the baby down in front of him. "It seems that this child is yours." He continued to rant and rage using every conceivable kind of insult and slur until his spleen was vented. Hakuin looked at him and said, "Oh is that so?" He picked the baby up into his arms and thereafter, wherever he went he took the baby with him. During rainy days and stormy nights he would go out to beg for milk from the neighbouring houses. Many of his disciples considered him fallen and a false teacher and so they left him. Hakuin said not a word! In the meantime the mother had suffered many agonies at not being able to see her child and broke down and confessed to her father the name of the real father. Hearing this he rushed to Hakuin and prostrated himself asking forgiveness over and over again. Hakuin let him finish and said only, "Oh is that so?" and gave him the child back. This is acceptance! Whatsoever life brings is okay, absolutely ok. This is the mirrorlike quality...nothing is good, nothing is bad, all is divine. Accept life as it is. Accepting it as is, one starts feeling very joyful for no reason at all. When joy has a reason, it is not going to last long. When joy is without reason, it is going to be there forever. I am just a humble Swami (seeker after truth) and whatever blessings are mine to give are yours fellow forummers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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