When you think about your ideal day, what are the two key factors that come to your mind?​

Here's the image of the tranquil and mysterious landscape at sunrise, capturing the soft hues of pink and orange in the sky with the mountain range, forest, and lake as described.

When you think about your ideal day, what are the two key factors that come to your mind? Why are these factors important to you?

The first things that come to mind are ‘freedom’ and ‘relationships’.

Freedom has many layers. Do we have freedom of time, energy, ability, and health? That’s just the first layer. The second layer of freedom is mental and emotional freedom – being unaffected by changes in people, events, and circumstances. Currently, I don’t have much freedom, so if I can achieve these two layers, I would be joyful on the day.

The second factor is ‘relationships’, which also vary. Inevitably, we are involved in various relationships within human society – relationships with our parents, elders, juniors, friends, and partners. Are these relationships harmonious, or are they dependent, or perhaps transactional? I’ve come to realise that these are external relationships, and behind them lies the most crucial relationship – the one with myself. If I can manage all these relationships well and coexist harmoniously, I believe I will have much freedom and space in my heart, and I would be very joyful on the day.

But how can we achieve an idea day through these two key factors?

The first step is to initiate reflection. Try to answer the original question, ‘What does an ideal day look like for you?’ Through this response, feel your own existence. Descartes said, ‘I think, therefore I am.’ [1] Reflecting on our existence is a joyful experience because we often neglect our true feelings, shaped by external expectations. How much time do we allocate for ourselves? How much time do we really spend thinking and feeling?

The second step is to prepare for your freedom. If you lack time-freedom, consider making a daily schedule to see if there are moments spent on your phone or watching shows, or if you have a full weekend available. If so, use it wisely. If it’s a lack of ability, like wanting to communicate in a foreign language but not knowing how, then investing time to improve this skill is a wise use of time. As time passes, your abilities will naturally improve. If it’s a lack of energy, learn to take good care of your emotions, which can drain energy significantly. For instance, smartphones provide screen time statistics that clearly show how much time users spend on different apps. Similarly, emotions are like the ‘apps’ that consume the most ‘battery’ in our body’s hardware. Taking care of your emotions also involves steps. The first is to take good care of your physical health, as people without good health often struggle to maintain positive emotions. Once you have time for reflection and have identified activities you want to engage it, you can fully utilise your time and energy to enhance your capabilities. With capabilities, financial resources will follow since wealth is just a result of your abilities, provided you can increase your freedom and space.

The third step is to organise your relationship with yourself. Learn to respect, appreciate, and patiently bless yourself for growth. This is a mindful process. Even if external relationships aren’t great, shift your thoughts to improve your relationship with yourself. Train yourself to listen to your thoughts and be patient. Impatience is a stumbling block in relationships. If you’re impatient with family, it’s hard to maintain good relations; if you’re impatient with friends, it’s difficult to deepen those friendships; if you’re impatient with your partner, arguments are likely.

The fourth step is to repeat the first three steps. Through this process, experience the joy of being, the joy of growing capabilities, the ease of harmonious relationships, and strive for the utmost good.

 

[1] The Latin “cogito, ergo sum”, usually translated into English as “I think, therefore I am”,[a] is the “first principle” of René Descartes’s philosophy.

Who Will We Become?

Insights into Growth and Inner Peace

Embracing Inclusion and Compassion2

Embracing Inclusion and Compassion 

A person of depth and character possesses a heart that embraces all – a heart that tolerates what the world finds intolerable, demonstrating an extraordinary air of sophistication. 

Such individuals do not dwell on trivial disputes but understand the art of concession and live life with a transparent ease. They are considerate, empathetic, and can fathom the hardships of others, forgiving their faults. The capacity to empathize and understand determines the breadth of the path we walk.

Cultivating Strength of Character 

Be a person of strength and integrity. Regardless of how others treat you, cherish and honor yourself to live up to that inner sense of pride. In your own world, be righteous and good; in the world of others, let things take their natural course. 

Love yourself unconditionally, embracing acceptance, serenity, and confidence. Lead a life that is ordinary yet remarkable, passionate yet steady, avoiding vanity, complaints, and unnecessary entanglements. Embrace every moment with sincerity and dedication, finding your way and making it worthwhile.

The Art of Relaxation 

It’s vital to learn the art of relaxation and to maintain a sense of calm in the chaos of life. Constant strain and effort can lead to exhaustion and drain our enthusiasm. By cultivating a sense of detachment and tranquility, we alleviate life’s anxieties and unnecessary internal conflicts. For the things beyond our control, we learn not to over-engage or worry excessively. 

Those who master the art of relaxation live with a serene and natural demeanor, controlling the rhythm of their lives and allowing the universe to unfold as it should.

The Journey from Hardship to Sweetness 

Life is a journey each of us must walk alone, bearing our burdens and facing our challenges. Everyone carries unseen sorrows and silent tears; no one is spared by time. Behind every facade of success and happiness, there are untold stories of coldness and hardship. 

In moments of solitude and struggle, stand tall and strive with all your might. Remember, after the bitterness comes the sweetness; after the cold winter, spring blooms. Believe in yourself, for with enough courage, there’s no adversity you cannot overcome.

How does our brain’s consciousness increasingly distance us from a sense of control?

The human brain is not vastly different in structure from many other organisms, yet we lead lives distinctly unlike other species on Earth. Amidst billions of people, it’s a rarity to find two individuals who are exactly alike, not just in appearance but more profoundly in thought and consciousness. 

This suggests that natural evolution prioritized Homo sapiens, allowing the soul to exert some of its functions. It represents the seeds of goodness and the blossoms of civilization, battling the instinctual urge to compete, akin to animals, thereby achieving an evolutionary upgrade.

Throughout human history, numerous saints and prophets have unlocked the wisdom of understanding all things during their spiritual ascension. Buddha once remarked, “It’s astounding how all sentient beings possess the wisdom and virtues of the Tathagata, but due to delusions and attachments, they fail to realize it.

Similarly, Jesus said:

God alone knows the way to Wisdom; He knows the exact place to find it. He knows where everything is on earth; he sees everything under heaven..” – Job 28:23-28 MSG

Thus, for thousands of years, humanity has perpetuated a cycle of birth, maturation, learning, thinking, farming, working, loving, marrying, procreating, aging, and dying, continuously validating these wise teachings. Even today, these religious teachings play a significant role.

But are we truly happier now than the humans of hundreds or thousands of years ago?

For many, the answer might be that, on a societal level, with better material conditions and increased life expectancy, we should be happier. But when it comes down to the individual, it’s rare for someone to claim absolute bliss in their life. Temporary happiness might be common, but that’s precisely why so many seek spiritual enlightenment or religious solace. We are not truly content, or perhaps, our brains have deceived us.

Our brains evolved when humans were far from being the advanced species we are today. However, due to nature’s slow pace of evolution, our brain’s consciousness has become an impediment to our pursuit of happiness. The ‘self-attachment,’ ‘desire,’ and ‘greed‘, ’anger‘, ’conceit‘, ignorance’, ‘skeptical doubt’ constantly generate unhappiness. 

They diminish our control over achieving a happy and contented state of life. Our neural pathways, like algorithms of a computer, were coded and trained in ancient times, primarily focusing on survival, territory, food, conflict, and brevity of life. But with the advent of civilization, humans need cooperation, spiritual growth, and the aim to transcend mortality and return to eternity – goals unattainable with the old neural algorithms. As we use outdated algorithms to navigate new directions, the internal conflicts push us further from our goals, farther from civilization, control, and peace.

Therefore, enhancing our awareness, wisdom, unity of knowledge and action, and sense of happiness becomes one of the most urgent tasks of our time.