Purpose of our lives...

[East Sun]

What is the purpose of our lives?

In my opinion, it is "to reach perfection."
Your definition of perfection is for you to decide for yourself.

You don't have to strive continuously. Just the opposite.
First decide what you want in your life and 'if you want' slow down and meditate.

You can achieve more by doing less. When I say more I don't mean gaining material things or money that is beyond what you realistically need to be comfortable.

It took me a long time, all of my long life to conquer all the obstacles, physical and spiritual and other problems that I had starting out.

If you are fortunate enough to be a thinker, we all are of course, to varying degrees and want to contemplate on life and what it's all about I can only say what I realized just yesterday.

You can have a goal for life that becomes a way of your live each day without pressure or worry.
Decide what you feel totally comfortable with. Then write down what you want. Put your note to yourself where you can see it every day.

My message to myself is, "This world is not "AT ALL" what we have been led to believe it is. So, I adjust to what I learn every day.

Teach yourself to listen, think and then decide. If you make a mistake, adjust and go on at your own pace.
You will achieve your own perfection with practice.

Make all the mistakes you want. They are part of the journey. Don't worry about what others say if you can.
That part is not easy but you can, let it flow like, water off a duck's back.

Good luck, even though it is not a matter of luck.
It's a matter of your enjoying every step of the journey to your own perfection.

[thepainterdoug]

east sun

it is i imagine up to each of us to define our perfection. i could say in one sense, to be as a child would be.
but I am not a child
I have learned from nde people, to experience. to just experience
to breath and don't resist .

[Ben]

To be as one with myself, and nature, and to embody pure love. Inasmuch as I can, and increasing always as much as is possible.

[Vangelo]

I was having this discussion the other day with a friend and I finally settled on my purpose is 'to be'.  I don't mean this to sound esoteric, falsely deep or mystical, but the idea is to simply be in healthy relationships with others. Said a little differently, my purpose is to live a life that fosters healthy relationships that are additive to others and myself.

[xidaijena]

The purpose of my life is to experience human world and feel the suffering in the world, and also wonder whether there is a space higher than the world, and what that space is like, including the people living in it and the environment, etc., so as to compare with them, I need to know how to perfect myself so that I can go to that space after my end on Mother Earth.
Why am I looking for that space? Because the world is not suitable for me. The programmes of family, society and the country make me feel selfish. Why should I support my family? Why do I have to compete for my salary? Why do I need to apply for a visa to go to other countries? Besides, am I perfect? How do I know if I'm perfect or not? Why Jesus or Buddha taught people? What did they want to show to human beings?
In the past, I didn’t have any purpose in life, just being a normal person who needs to worry about the food, clothing, housing, transportation, survival, also followed the general way to get married, but marriage made me crazy and full of diseases.
Now I, with the dream of New Oasis for Life in my heart, do every little thing with peace of mind, waiting to return to live in the collective life of New Oasis for Life so that I can perfect myself. I hold that if I can live with more than 100 people who come from different countries and have different personalities peacefully, then I can be sure that I am close to perfection.

[JackMcThorn]

What is the purpose of our lives? In my opinion, it is "to reach perfection." Your definition of perfection is for you to decide for yourself.

perfect
/ˈpɜː(ɹ).fɪkt/
Brought to a consummation; fully finished; carried through to completion in every detail; finished in every part; completed.
Full; whole; entire; complete; existing in the widest extent or highest degree.

A person could pursue perfection at a great cost. In Japan they thrive on a pursuit of perfection while also accounting for a significant and unhealthy rate of suicide.

A young person with their entire life ahead of them may become a perfectionist early on until they realise the stress is not worth the endeavour. [Myself included.]

I was thinking real hard on why I disagree with the thesis statement of reaching perfection and the self-defining aspect presented. To reach perfection as defined would be to finish one's life according to every necessary detail. I realise that definitions are not final; it is my opinion that culture influences definitions to a large degree and one should not be hung up on the detail of precision in definitions. However, the statement to reach perfection becomes a bit hazy if you do not lean on the actual definition of perfect and realize that one's life is not complete, in some circles: even after death.

I think this is impossible; for any person. We can always improve and become highly skilled and produce excellent results but if you become a master at your craft[s] then are you indeed finished?

Then there is the question of a skilled person [a master of one discipline] and a polymath who is a master of multiple disciplines.

The following quote is about a person not a polymath. Many, many people are specialists.

“A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.”

― Robert A. Heinlein

I would contend that the definition of the purpose of one's life is best left to the individual; most especially after years of experience. It is my thinking that my experience has produced no short of a million mistakes and learning experiences that I could not achieve perfection as defined simply because it is not possible. I would not reach a point of realisation that I were, indeed; finished: in every detail.

[East Sun]

What is the purpose of our lives? In my opinion, it is "to reach perfection." Your definition of perfection is for you to decide for yourself.

perfect
/ˈpɜː(ɹ).fɪkt/
Brought to a consummation; fully finished; carried through to completion in every detail; finished in every part; completed.
Full; whole; entire; complete; existing in the widest extent or highest degree.

.A young person with their entire life ahead of them may become a perfectionist early on until they realise the stress is not worth the endeavour. [Myself included.]

I was thinking real hard on why I disagree with the thesis statement of reaching perfection and the self-defining aspect presented. To reach perfection as defined would be to finish one's life according to every necessary detail. I realise that definitions are not final; it is my opinion that culture influences definitions to a large degree and one should not be hung up on the detail of precision in definitions. However, the statement to reach perfection becomes a bit hazy if you do not lean on the actual definition of perfect and realize that one's life is not complete, in some circles: even after death.

“A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.”

― Robert A. Heinlei

It is my thinking that my experience has produced no short of a million mistakes and learning experiences that I could not achieve perfection as defined simply because it is not possible. I would not reach a point of realisation that I were, indeed; finished: in every detail.

Jack McThorn

Thank you for your reply.
How are things in Glocamora(sp) this fine day?

I said that your definition of perfection is for you
to decide.
I recomended that you meditate, if you want to,
that you not strive after money ect., a goal of life
that is a 'way of life', no pressure on the journey
of life at your own pace.

I think I convayed that I was talking about spiritual
perfection akin to a Tibetan Monk, NOT having to live
the life of said Monk, of course.

I threw in an observation, of the world NOT being
what we have been led to believe it is.

Hope this clarifies anything I left out.

E.S.

[JackMcThorn]

Jack McThorn

Thank you for your reply.
How are things in Glocamora(sp) this fine day?

I said that your definition of perfection is for you
to decide.
I recomended that you meditate, if you want to,
that you not strive after money ect., a goal of life
that is a 'way of life', no pressure on the journey
of life at your own pace.

I think I convayed that I was talking about spiritual
perfection akin to a Tibetan Monk, NOT having to live
the life of said Monk, of course.

I threw in an observation, of the world NOT being
what we have been led to believe it is.

Hope this clarifies anything I left out.

E.S.

I wasn't going to reply because I thought your reply was either sarcastic or insulting, but due to your spelling error, I do not know what you mean.

I did notice; however, you deleted several of my sentences in my reply and I wish to point that out to whomever is reading this thread. Particularly about Japan's pursuit of perfection.

The essence of my missive was not to elicit an emotional reaction; but rather, to indicate your original post made me stop and think real hard.

[East Sun]

Jack McThorn

Thank you for your reply.
How are things in Glocamora(sp) this fine day?

I said that your definition of perfection is for you
to decide.
I recomended that you meditate, if you want to,
that you not strive after money ect., a goal of life
that is a 'way of life', no pressure on the journey
of life at your own pace.

I think I convayed that I was talking about spiritual
perfection akin to a Tibetan Monk, NOT having to live
the life of said Monk, of course.

I threw in an observation, of the world NOT being
what we have been led to believe it is.

Hope this clarifies anything I left out.

E.S.

I wasn't going to reply because I thought your reply was either sarcastic or insulting, but due to your spelling error, I do not know what you mean.

I did notice; however, you deleted several of my sentences in my reply and I wish to point that out to whomever is reading this thread. Particularly about Japan's pursuit of perfection.

The essence of my missive was not to elicit an emotional reaction; but rather, to indicate your original post made me stop and think real hard.

Hi, Jack McThorn

no, I absolutely did not mean to be sarcastic or insulting. Gives me food for thought.
Wonder if others have misunderstood my intention. I hope not.

I believe it is common practice to eliminate sentences that you do
not want to address and to save space.

Do you mean the spelling of Glacamara? Anyone in Ireland can
tell you about the mythical name given to Ireland long ago.
Maybe modern--citizens have not been taught about the "old days"
and their history.

E.S.

[JackMcThorn]

Okay, very good.

Regarding Glacamara, I have studied a little of the history here and haven't heard of this, so I will check it out.

Cheers

[palehorse]

" What is the purpose of our lives?"

It is dilemma my friend. How we perceive reality is our purpose (at least for billions out there). A little Buddhist exercise, remove your senses (5 or 6 for some) from the game and see if you can still play the game in this reality, can you? what happened then with that purpose? it vanished, poof, just like that.

What is the human being after all? a genetic experience? who really knows all these answers? We just can't speculate our purpose in life until we know what the human being is supposed to be and I mean we need to know that with 100% accuracy, even if we end up knowing that we are only food for a more developed creature, the answers can and will be shock for the majority, they can't hold that level, I am sure about that.

In the meanwhile we get along with what we feel it is meaningful in our lives, we interact with mind like people, and so on.. isn't that what we do all the time?

Besides I would like to say that it is indeed a very good question you made, but unfortunately there is no answer until we know the answer for a few other great questions.. I almost got insane trying to think and imagine about this very specific subject, it is a dead end until we got to know what the human race is supposed to mean.

[rgray222]

What is the purpose of our lives?



I understand that your question is a rhetorical question but I think it is important to ask................

What is the purpose of my life?

I don't think it has anything to do with perfection, it has more to do with growth, pain, love, death, forgiveness, altruism, and understanding our connectedness.

I honestly believe that each one of us holds the answer to the purpose of our lives. The mistake that most make is thinking that it is complex, complicated, or even difficult to figure out.

[East Sun]

Physically, it would be different for each one.

Spiritually, is what I had in mind but failed to emphasize.
I think that throughout our lives if we are of spiritual--mind
we live in a way that is conducive to the "preparation" for
the next life, not reincarnation, which we may not have to
go into again, but the real thing, namely, our last destination.

Then the purpose of our lives would be to reach spiritual perfection.

E.S.

[Ernie Nemeth]

I believe life is all about death.

It is at the moment of death we learn what life was about.

The longer the life the bigger the surprise.

(Hint: It has to do with the fact that this experience is not life. It is after death that we learn we were dead to ourselves the entire time.)

[scotslad]

For me, the meaning of life is to discover your gift and the purpose of life is to share it.

I also like Seth Godin's take on encouraging us to upset the status quo and start a movement, a tribe to bring people together and create a community supporting each other through a central ethos or culture and connecting like minded people.

Having said that, are we here to experience, learn, apply the learning and evolve helping consciousness to grow?

I believe we are not here to dwell on regrets, worry about the future or stay "down" by reminding ourselves of struggle, stress or limitation.

If the purpose of our time here is to experience and grow helping others and consciousness to continue to grow, its a shame as part of this human existence that we react to life's events instead of responding with a (hard to achieve at times) positive attitude.

Some say we like in a digital universe, and some believe that we co-create our reality by projecting and manifesting our thoughts into physical existance by converting our thoughts as wave energy into particles through our attention and intention.

If so, then what if we all focused on remembering why we're really here at this time of human evolution and what we're each bringing to the table and how we can "pay it forward" in our quest to help others evolve and grow.

I think it was Mark Twain who said “The two most important days in life are the day you born and the day you find out why.”

[East Sun]

For me, the meaning of life is to discover your gift and the purpose of life is to share it.

I also like Seth Godin's take on encouraging us to upset the status quo and start a movement, a tribe to bring people together and create a community supporting each other through a central ethos or culture and connecting like minded people.

Having said that, are we here to experience, learn, apply the learning and evolve helping consciousness to grow?

I believe we are not here to dwell on regrets, worry about the future or stay "down" by reminding ourselves of struggle, stress or limitation.

If the purpose of our time here is to experience and grow helping others and consciousness to continue to grow, its a shame as part of this human existence that we react to life's events instead of responding with a (hard to achieve at times) positive attitude.

Some say we like in a digital universe, and some believe that we co-create our reality by projecting and manifesting our thoughts into physical existance by converting our thoughts as wave energy into particles through our attention and intention.

If so, then what if we all focused on remembering why we're really here at this time of human evolution and what we're each bringing to the table and how we can "pay it forward" in our quest to help others evolve and grow.

I think it was Mark Twain who said “The two most important days in life are the day you born and the day you find out why.”

Hi scotslad

[QUOTE"If so, then what if we all focused on remembering why we're really here at this time of human evolution and what we're each bringing to the table and how we can "pay it forward" in our quest to help others evolve and grow."[/QUOTE]

That is a nobel thought.

?To what end--goal for all of humanity?

Some people firmy believe that our final destination is
some sort of heaven.

I hope it is, but what if IT is not. Then all this would
have been for the RIDE as Bill Hicks said.

I'm not saying that that is what I believe.

I always ask myself, "but what if it is not?"

That means I am open to possibilities always.

E.S.

[iota]

https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/512456813287972864/ofIuAmx-.png

:flower:

[East Sun]

iota

Translation if you please!

[Mashika]

iota

Translation if you please!


I'm not iota, but i know it means "To be"


It is french :p:ROFL::bearhug:

[iota]

iota

Translation if you please!


I'm not iota, but i know it means "To be"


It is french :p:ROFL::bearhug:

c'sst vrai ~ correct


r"aison d'etre" ~ reason for being

and the connundrum

or irony is that we think there is choice about it ....


https://lowcarbalpha.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/We-all-have-two-lives-the-second-one-starts-when-we-realise-we-only-have-one.jpg?quality=75&strip=all&w=360

[JackMcThorn]

Okay, very good.

Regarding Glacamara, I have studied a little of the history here and haven't heard of this, so I will check it out.

Cheers

So a friend of mine heard of this and sort of knew what is was but found the following on wiki:

"How Are Things in Glocca Morra?" is a popular song about a fictional village in Ireland, with themes of nostalgia and homesickness. It was introduced by Ella Logan in the original 1947 Broadway production of Finian's Rainbow.

[Pam]

For me, the meaning of life is to discover your gift and the purpose of life is to share it.

I also like Seth Godin's take on encouraging us to upset the status quo and start a movement, a tribe to bring people together and create a community supporting each other through a central ethos or culture and connecting like minded people.

Having said that, are we here to experience, learn, apply the learning and evolve helping consciousness to grow?

I believe we are not here to dwell on regrets, worry about the future or stay "down" by reminding ourselves of struggle, stress or limitation.

If the purpose of our time here is to experience and grow helping others and consciousness to continue to grow, its a shame as part of this human existence that we react to life's events instead of responding with a (hard to achieve at times) positive attitude.

Some say we like in a digital universe, and some believe that we co-create our reality by projecting and manifesting our thoughts into physical existance by converting our thoughts as wave energy into particles through our attention and intention.

If so, then what if we all focused on remembering why we're really here at this time of human evolution and what we're each bringing to the table and how we can "pay it forward" in our quest to help others evolve and grow.

I think it was Mark Twain who said “The two most important days in life are the day you born and the day you find out why.”

What a beautiful post scotslad. It has taken me a very long time to figure out what you have stated here and to put it into practice. I spent so much of my life believing that intellectualizing this wisdom was somehow enough. You could give me a test on all the correct responses to lead a balanced spiritual life in words and I could sound like a saint, but I didn't go through the often gut wrenching work of practicing and implementing. That's the point now. The universe will respond with precision when it sees you are sincere in this. The lessons will come. (Sometimes, I laughingly wonder what I have invited into my life). Those lessons may and mostly are way different than I envision them. But I take them seriously and I can see and evaluate how I responded to it. Sometimes I am blown away at how I still revert to some pretty rough survival tactics when I am emotionally lost. So I observe that, it is humbling and move on. I know I will get another opportunity to try again.

Ultimately at the end of the day all I hope for is to be the person I would like to have as a neighbor, a friend, the person you could feel safe calling for help. Believe it or not , in my case that has been a huge amount of inner work and releasing a bunch of locked and stagnant energy, a ton of trauma. I am willing to keep doing it. Till the day I die. And all that work will hopefully make me a decent person that would treat others like I would like to be treated. No hero, no enlightened being, no saint. Just a human who was sincere and never gave up.

If we were perfect I guarantee you , we wouldn't be here. I wasted so much time on the "I will seek enlightenment". I am not criticizing others that do that but for me it was a pipe dream that allowed me to put off the work that I could do today to become the decent person I described above.

[rgray222]

What a beautiful post scotslad. It has taken me a very long time to figure out what you have stated here and to put it into practice. I spent so much of my life believing that intellectualizing this wisdom was somehow enough. You could give me a test on all the correct responses to lead a balanced spiritual life in words and I could sound like a saint, but I didn't go through the often gut wrenching work of practicing and implementing. That's the point now. The universe will respond with precision when it sees you are sincere in this. The lessons will come. (Sometimes, I laughingly wonder what I have invited into my life). Those lessons may and mostly are way different than I envision them. But I take them seriously and I can see and evaluate how I responded to it. Sometimes I am blown away at how I still revert to some pretty rough survival tactics when I am emotionally lost. So I observe that, it is humbling and move on. I know I will get another opportunity to try again.

Ultimately at the end of the day all I hope for is to be the person I would like to have as a neighbor, a friend, the person you could feel safe calling for help. Believe it or not , in my case that has been a huge amount of inner work and releasing a bunch of locked and stagnant energy, a ton of trauma. I am willing to keep doing it. Till the day I die. And all that work will hopefully make me a decent person that would treat others like I would like to be treated. No hero, no enlightened being, no saint. Just a human who was sincere and never gave up.

If we were perfect I guarantee you , we wouldn't be here. I wasted so much time on the "I will seek enlightenment". I am not criticizing others that do that but for me it was a pipe dream that allowed me to put off the work that I could do today to become the decent person I described above.

You have verbalized so much in your short post. I guess that we all must intellectualize information before we understand it but therein lies the problem. Most of us think that once we processed the information and get a fairly good understanding that would be enough. The truth is that is only the starting point. It is even harder to start the work (it is not work but I can think of no better word) of putting that understanding into our daily lives. After that, it is truly a lifetime endeavor.

[East Sun]

Mashika,

I thought that I had mistakenly asked the wrong
person to clarify their reply.

All is good.

[East Sun]

Okay, very good.

Regarding Glacamara, I have studied a little of the history here and haven't heard of this, so I will check it out.

Cheers

So a friend of mine heard of this and sort of knew what is was but found the following on wiki:

"How Are Things in Glocca Morra?" is a popular song about a fictional village in Ireland, with themes of nostalgia and homesickness. It was introduced by Ella Logan in the original 1947 Broadway production of Finian's Rainbow.

Thank you Jack McThorn. I had totally forgotten. I knew that way back in my long past younger days.

E.S.

[Eagle Eye]

Purpose of this life, I think to experience this duality and learn the way out of it. Experiencing duality was the choice of the first human on earth and it will be until the last.
Purpose of my life: I am a soldier of God, if I "hear" the call, I get into action, no matter the consequences.
I know these words will be misunderstood by many, but I can't explain more about that.

[East Sun]

Eagle Eye

Being misunderstood is a big part of discussing anything to do with
spiritual things especially on a forum.

[ulli]

To me the purpose of life is to acquire virtues,
which in turn clears one’s conscience
which in turn raises one’s consciousness.

Higher consciousness is represented by a high frequency energy wave,
while low consciousness is a low frequency wave.

Many people choose the latter, since negative states can be quite addictive, as they provide dramas.