|
|
|
|
;void(0)) One year after the “9/11” catastrophe I watched a documentary which focused on various persons’ belief in God following, following such a horrible event. How could an All-Powerful, All-Knowing Divine Providence allow such a thing to happen to thousands of innocent people. It was fascinating to listen to the different comments of eyewitnesses – some were children. Needless to say, that event like so many others of its kind, challenged many people’s faith. After all, isn’t our faith supposed to keep us safe and free from worry, pain, and misfortune? All living beings just want to feel good. For some creatures that may mean struggling to survive from day to day while for others it may mean living for the next great thrill. Either way, it’s all about good feelings. As human beings our lives are based on a great deal of thinking and reasoning. And though we have a wide range of choices, some of our decisions are bound to be bad ones, decisions which make us feel unhappy and just plain awful. The fact is that we have a great deal of “choice” when it comes to our feelings. The Greek philosopher, Epictetus, said that our overall well-being begins with our knowledge of: “What is mine and what is not mine; and what is permitted, and what is not permitted to me.” Ever since the beginning of human time on this earth – in the middle of all of the bloodshed; pleasure; and quests for that awe-inspiring “pot of gold” – a few people here and there have gotten together to see through the appearances and learn to accept events with a stern and tranquil equanimity. The practice of sitting quiet and breathing correctly – meditation - is effective and can be considered a metaphor for living a life in harmony with the order of the universe. We all have the natural resources for living well. Most importantly is our reasoning powers. Emotional vicissitudes like fear; desires; grief; etc., are the states of an unhealthy mind. Most of us think that things, people and events, make us happy or sad. However, nothing can be further from the truth. It is our opinions or thoughts about it that impacts our emotions. In other words we tell ourselves how to feel. Newsletter Directory The Aton Project - Home Page Tony VanSluytman info Tony VanSluytman - the Author | Return Home | The BOOK DOCTOR | The BANYON NETWORK | The Banyon Buzz Newsletters | The Aton Project Newsletters | Contact Us | |
||
