Legacy

How will you define your legacy? In a modern world where discussions on the purpose to living are missing, the subject regarding legacy is elusive also.  Many speak of the concept in terms of  overall acquisition totals at the end of life.  Many do not contemplate the subject at all.  Legacy is an idea that may realize itself both in external and internal realms of human living.  

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Ego

Ego exists in human nature, and it manifests as ignorance, greed, and desire to name a few. The ego-consciousness fights, often triumphantly, against the individual’s actual self; it bears arms to keep a self-construct derived from external impositions in power over the individual.  

Simplify

“Let your mind wander in simplicity, blend your spirit with the vastness, follow along with things the way they are, and make no room for personal views – then the world will be governed.” ― Zhuangzi

Simplify perceived emotional turmoil, external challenges and desires, and existential push-back by taking personal power and control over the thoughts that enter the mind.  Rather than allow distress to run both the mind and body, attempt to gather greater understanding over the causes.  View matters from different angles in order to begin delineating between what is objective and truth versus what is subjective and skewed perceptions.  

Death & Dying

“Live as if you were to die tomorrow.  Learn as if you were to live forever.” – Gandhi

Death is certain, which is not intended to start with a melancholic tone, but rather a calling for understanding the phenomena in order to elevate the physical form.  The Stoics viewed death in a manner that aided human purpose.  By philosophizing on our impermanence they were able to reason ways in which fear of death could be replaced by honoring living.

Philosophy & Love

“The Stoics actually both say that the wise man will experience love, and they define love itself as the effort to make a friendship from the semblance of beauty.  Which love, if there is any in the world without disquietude, without longing, without anxiety, without sighing, then so be it!  For it is free from all lust.” – Cicero

Love is made difficult throughout history, and perhaps more in modernity than in previous eras, because not only are unsolicited expectations thrust upon another unknowing individual and are later expressed as premeditated resentments, but also because some individuals forget, consciously skip, or are unaware of the first critical step to loving others is to love the self first.  The power to love another human being reaches its capacity potential from self-derived and self-aimed love. 

Freedom

Exercising mental and intellectual freedom is blissful.  Unlike other animals human beings have the psychological capacity to think and develop reason.  Although other animals’ instincts only concern them with survival in terms of securing water, food, shelter, and protection from predators to feel content humans have a more sophisticated mind, which has the tools to elevate one’s level of living.  

Uncertainty

“Truth is confirmed by inspection and delay; falsehood by haste and uncertainty.” – Tacitus

The future is uncertain; yet, the present moment is certain.  Everyone faces uncertainty regarding decisions leading to professional and personal or external and internal development.

Courage

“A man with outward courage dares to die; a man with inner courage dares to live.” – Lao Tzu

Courage is more than fearlessness and heroic acts.  The underlying assumption of courage is that it responds to external conflict, particularly the kind where taking action can result in possible death.  While there exists skepticism toward externally-focused courage such as taking action due to other fears, the definition is narrow and overshadows other kinds of courageous acts that individuals are able to engage and exercise daily.  

Attachment

“One day you will disappear on a funeral pyre — just into nothingness, as smoke. Don’t get attached to anything. This attachment takes you away from your real being; you become focused on the thing to which you are attached. Your awareness gets lost in things, in money, in people, in power. And there are a thousand and one things, the whole thick jungle around you, to be lost in. Remember, non-attachment is the secret of finding yourself, then awareness can turn inwards because you don’t have anything outside to catch hold of. It is free, and in this freedom you can know your self-nature.” – Osho

Anger

“Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.” – Buddha

Anger is paralyzing.  Albeit anger is normal, recognizing how to express it constructively makes the difference between it causing harm or not.  Anger is healthy in terms of serving as a signal.  It reveals how a difficult situation must change in order to return to emotional equilibrium.