Let's take a step away from the every day to consider a couple of thoughts. Perhaps you are aware of these lessons already, but theory and implementation are two entirely different beasts.
The first lesson: events which occur throughout the day do not inherently harm us. It is our perception and consideration of these events which harms us. We, then, are the gatekeepers of our own joys and pains, highs and lows. The world does not exist as a vexation machine here to beat you down. The world could care less how you regard it. It is your reality to perceive, and if you perceive reality as threatening, then you will live angry and afraid.
The next time someone raises their voice at you, makes a threatening gesture, or is disingenuous to you, remind yourself that you are the gate keeper to your feelings. You are not powerless in these situations; just the opposite. You have every bit of power to remain calm, stoic, in the face of confrontation with reality.
Once this lesson has been learned and implemented, you can take it a step further.
The second lesson: as mentioned above, when you think someone is irritating you, it is up to you to construct a response to this irritation. No one can, in and of themselves, irritate you. Only your response to someone's actions can irritate you. Therefore, only you can irritate you. I hope you follow this, because it helps in understanding the point of the second lesson.
When you understand that only you can bother yourself, and no one else, you realize that blaming the world around you or the people in it for your misfortunes is entirely infantile. It is no one's fault but your own when you are winning, losing or stagnating. To cast blame is to display your own weakness, your lack of ability to absorb reality as it really is. It is your inability to be the gatekeeper of your own responses to the stimuli of the world around you.
In summation, lesson one: only you can bother you - no one else can. Lesson two: knowing that only you can bother you, realize that blaming external factors such as the world or people in it is entirely childish.
To understand these concepts is fairly easy, but implementing them requires a lifetime of commitment. And what for? Why, to be a better human being to those around you. If you do not like the world in its present state, with its rampant greed, consumerism, and its deceptiveness in politics, then it is up to us on an individual level to educate. We must make each other better so that the whole may become better. You as a single person are remarkable and endowed with the ability to leave a positive mark on those around you. Wisdom is communicable, so let it be.
The first lesson: events which occur throughout the day do not inherently harm us. It is our perception and consideration of these events which harms us. We, then, are the gatekeepers of our own joys and pains, highs and lows. The world does not exist as a vexation machine here to beat you down. The world could care less how you regard it. It is your reality to perceive, and if you perceive reality as threatening, then you will live angry and afraid.
The next time someone raises their voice at you, makes a threatening gesture, or is disingenuous to you, remind yourself that you are the gate keeper to your feelings. You are not powerless in these situations; just the opposite. You have every bit of power to remain calm, stoic, in the face of confrontation with reality.
Once this lesson has been learned and implemented, you can take it a step further.
The second lesson: as mentioned above, when you think someone is irritating you, it is up to you to construct a response to this irritation. No one can, in and of themselves, irritate you. Only your response to someone's actions can irritate you. Therefore, only you can irritate you. I hope you follow this, because it helps in understanding the point of the second lesson.
When you understand that only you can bother yourself, and no one else, you realize that blaming the world around you or the people in it for your misfortunes is entirely infantile. It is no one's fault but your own when you are winning, losing or stagnating. To cast blame is to display your own weakness, your lack of ability to absorb reality as it really is. It is your inability to be the gatekeeper of your own responses to the stimuli of the world around you.
In summation, lesson one: only you can bother you - no one else can. Lesson two: knowing that only you can bother you, realize that blaming external factors such as the world or people in it is entirely childish.
To understand these concepts is fairly easy, but implementing them requires a lifetime of commitment. And what for? Why, to be a better human being to those around you. If you do not like the world in its present state, with its rampant greed, consumerism, and its deceptiveness in politics, then it is up to us on an individual level to educate. We must make each other better so that the whole may become better. You as a single person are remarkable and endowed with the ability to leave a positive mark on those around you. Wisdom is communicable, so let it be.
I couldn't agree more! ^_^! Great post!
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