“The chief task in life is simply this: to identify and
separate matters so that I can say clearly to myself which are externals not
under my control, and which have to do with the choices I actually control.
Where then do I look for good and evil? Not to uncontrollable externals, but
within myself to the choices that are my own…”
~Epictetus,
Discourse, 2.5.4-5
“When perception of the physical world is limited to the
five-sensory modality, the basis of life in the physical arena becomes
fear. Power to control the environment,
and those within the environment appears to be essential.
The need for physical dominance produces a type of
competition that affects every aspect of our lives.
It disrupts the natural tendency toward harmony between
nations and between friends.”
Gary
Zukav, The Seat of the Soul, p.22,23
Epictetus is a stoic Greek philosopher. His teachings were
recorded by one of his students. He
began his life as a slave and by permission of his master was permitted to
study books of philosophers. Later when
he was a freedman he became a philosopher himself. The above quote is the foundation of all his
philosophical conclusions.
Gary Zukav was born in Texas and is alive today. He is a
graduate of Harvard and was a Special Forces Green Beret. When he returned from his duty in 1970 he
went wild with sex, drugs, and alcohol. One day he was introduced by a friend to
quantum physics and became very aware of his spiritual being. This awareness is
what saved his life. He teaches, “You are a spiritual being, you have always been
a spiritual being but as you become aware that you are a spiritual being this
is where the difference is made in your life.”
All roads lead to the same truths whether the truth comes
from Epictetus 55 AD or Gary Zukav or your own discovery, at some point when
you realize you are not in control of anyone or anything but your own mind,
your inner mind begins to bring you the peace you sought externally. It can only be found within your mind.
Your time, your place, your abilities, your special something
that only you can do is why you are here. Your personality aligned with your
natural ability will be a part of healing the world. To spread yourself thin doing everything will
stress you, make you fearful. Find the
thing that brings you the most peace and share it with someone.
And so I read, write, study ET and BK to be the best me I
can be. Peace begins within me.
No comments:
Post a Comment