May 24, 2013

Our Purpose

"Our purpose is that which we most passionately are when we pay attention to our deepest selves." Carol Hegedus

Have you ever considered what you purpose in life is?   Most humans do.  We ponder why we are here; if we are here to fulfill some divine destiny.  Mark Nepo suggests that perhaps the only reason we are here is to become awake.  And, what does that mean?  It is said that Buddha when he stepped out from sitting under the Bodhi tree, responded to someone, "I am awake."  Scientists suggest that we spend most of our time -- perhaps 95% or more -- lost in our own thoughts, the thoughts of our subconscious.  And, most of those thoughts -- 70% or more -- are negative or redundant.  Perhaps that is what Buddha achieved:  perhaps he moved from his subconscious mind running his life, to acting out of the awareness of his conscious mind.  Many different words are used:  awake, being present to the now, enlightenment, mindfulness --- it seems they are all saying the same thing:  that we become more and more aware of and awake to our lives. 

No comments:

Post a Comment