Purposelessness

[Nasruddin]

Western psychology is beginning to understand that certain human behaviors, done for their own sake alone, are critical to thriving. In Taoism, this principle makes for an entire world view, seeing existence as happening in the same way as a dance unfolds, or a symphony played, each moment complete in itself. Yet most of us are born into a world that has little use for aimless, purposeless things, because after all, one must get about the business of living.

Thoughts?

 

[Craz]

Western psychology is beginning to understand that certain human behaviors, done for their own sake alone, are critical to thriving. In Taoism, this principle makes for an entire world view, seeing existence as happening in the same way as a dance unfolds, or a symphony played, each moment complete in itself. Yet most of us are born into a world that has little use for aimless, purposeless things, because after all, one must get about the business of living.

Thoughts?

Reminds me of this:
"Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans."(usually attributed to John Lennon)

 

[Namaste Jesus]

Western psychology is beginning to understand that certain human behaviors, done for their own sake alone, are critical to thriving. In Taoism, this principle makes for an entire world view, seeing existence as happening in the same way as a dance unfolds, or a symphony played, each moment complete in itself. Yet most of us are born into a world that has little use for aimless, purposeless things, because after all, one must get about the business of living.

Thoughts?

Depends on what one considers purposeless. What one man sees as aimless holds deep meaning for another. It all depends on what side of the fence you sit and where your priorities lie. In my view nothing is without purpose. Be it negative or positive. As stated in the Bhagavad Gita: in action there is inaction and in inaction there is action.

 

[Devils' Advocate]

Agreed, Nas. Have always believed that the path is the most important part of any journey. Too many people think it is the destination that counts. They don't think the journey itself has much value and rather ignore it. That is a sad statement as most of us spend most of our time on the journey.

There are people who live for the future. There are people who live in the past. There are people who live in the moment. For the most part I am the latter, though like everything else in life, achieving a balance in this process is almost always best.

Live in the moment.

 

[Nasruddin]

Depends on what one considers purposeless. What one man sees as aimless holds deep meaning for another. It all depends on what side of the fence you sit and where your priorities lie. In my view nothing is without purpose. Be it negative or positive. As stated in the Bhagavad Gita: in action there is inaction and in inaction there is action.

Ah, the Bhagavad Gita! That line makes me think of how when one thing becomes two, we look to the opposites rather than the one from which they emerge!
Is Western culture your culture of origin? I ask because those of us raised in the Western world tend to think that everything we do needs to have some aim or purpose, our lives must have a purpose, something leading to something. We value the pragmatic, and see things done for their own sake as mindless entertainment. We feel strongly that we must go places and get things, so strongly in fact that we bring that spirit to our spiritual pursuits as well. When confronted with the Zen idea that there is nothing to get and nowhere to go, our minds are confounded. It never occurs to us that life can simply be lived for its own sake, much like listening to a beautiful symphony, the listening to each note, the playing of the note, is the entire point. Trying to find a purpose beyond this I fear is where many of us begin to tell ourselves stories. Stories that we ourselves then begin to believe and defend.
.

 

[Namaste Jesus]

Ah, the Bhagavad Gita! That line makes me think of how when one thing becomes two, we look to the opposites rather than the one from which they emerge!

The Bhagavad Gita is a great source of wisdom for me. This site explains that particular line a bit more in depth. http://www.thespiritualscientist.co...-action-in-inaction-and-inaction-in-action-2/

Is Western culture your culture of origin?

Born and raised. 30 miles from DC no less! I have however been married to a native born Hindu woman from the Fiji Islands for going on 27 years now. Changes a man's thinking in more ways than one.