The Purpose and Meaning of Life

by streets76 23 Replies latest jw friends

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  bikerchic

  
  Maybe it's the yin/yang thing? Try starting from the other perspective. What is death? What will my death be like? When will I die? How will I die? Then get on with living the life you want to achieve and be remembered for, there's nothing like a deadline to move you to action.

  Oh heck I'm reading M.Scott Peck's Further Along The Road Less Traveled. Interesting reading. Interesting twist on life and living. He says and I quote, "We cannot live with courage and confidence until we can have a relationship with our own death. Indeed, we cannot live fully unless there is something that we are willing to die for." Page 50.

  I'm getting from this book that the purpose and meaning of life is to learn and from my own experience I've found for myself that I learn my biggest lessons in life from my most difficult times. It's at these uncomfortable times I begin to search and question, in searching I find myself opening up to various reasons and at closer evaluation I find the answer, I grow. Very thought provoking read for me right now just thought I would share.
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  Satanus

  We all had our own reasons/purposes for comeing here. Maybe some of us came here just for the meat ride. In the big picture though, i think that we are sort of like volunteers. You can find your purpose by looking within yourself. The jamesthomas method would do that. Generally, the idea is to build up civilization. Pretty bland, eh? That's as far as i have been able to figure it. Procreations helps, of course. I haven't done that, yet.

  S
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  IW

  The Purpose and Meaning of Life is to do Good.

  IW
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  collegegirl21

  As young as I am, I have tried to stop wondering what the meaning of my life is. I'm here and there's nothing I can do about it. I'm here for a reason and so I let things happen.
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  JamesThomas

  The problem is that the mind seeks for "purpose" and "meaning" via thought (because that is what the mind is, is thought), and there comes to be an identification with thought, which breeds a sense of incompleteness; and all the while the consciousness which sees all this, is already whole and complete.

  What we seek is not realised via thought as phenomenal things are understood and known. What we seek is what we already are, and is closer than thought. It's what sees all thought, emotion and circumstance. In other words: look not at what is being metalized and observed, but rather look closer and deeper into the silent pristine vastness of what is looking.

  So the paramount question is not what is my "purpose", or what is "meaning", but rather Who/what, am I, really?

  j
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  Ms. Whip

  "Maybe some of us came here just for the meat ride."
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  IW

  James Thomas,

  All I know is that the happiest people I have known, people who are truly happy and at peace, are those who help their fellow or the earth. People who do good. Peace to you.

  IW
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  Carmel

  "Now is the time for you to put forth your leaves, and yield your fruit. The fruits of the tree of man have ever been and are goodly deeds and a praiseworthy character. Withhold not these fruits from the heedless. If they be accepted, your end is attained, and the purpose of life achieved. If not, leave them in their pastime of vain disputes. Strive, O people of God, that haply the hearts of the divers kindreds of the earth may, through the waters of your forbearance and loving-kindness, be cleansed and sanctified from animosity and hatred, and be made worthy and befitting recipients of the splendors of the Sun of Truth."

  (Baha'u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 25)
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  IW

  Carmel,

  The earth is God's and so are we. Thank you.
• 

  JamesThomas

  IW:

  All I know is that the happiest people I have known, people who are truly happy and at peace, are those who help their fellow or the earth. People who do good. Peace to you.

  I have no disagreement with you IW.

  Indeed, doing unto others as we would like done unto us, is generally very conducive to a sense of peace and happiness. However, I am not talking about a sense of wellbeing that is contingent upon some activity or circumstance. Rather I am referring to the actual reality of our being that is not reliant or dependant on anything external. I am not talking about being a person who earns peace, or works towards peace, or is at peace, but rather awakening to the fact that I am (you are) P-E-A-C-E itself....already.

  Just beneath all the definitions and story we believe ourselves to be, there is an unbound perfection of pristine presence and awareness that has no needs whatsoever. No need for "meaning". No need for "purpose". No need.

  j