Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Morning meditation - How to live?


"But all the religions of the world have been committing such crimes that they cannot be forgiven. They have not been teaching you how to live, they have been teaching you how not to live - how to renounce life, how to renounce the world. This world, according to the religious, is a punishment; you are in jail. So the only thing is to try to escape from jail as quickly as possible.


This is not true - life is not a punishment. Life is so valuable that it cannot be a punishment, it is a reward. And you should be thankful to existence that it has chosen you - to breathe through you, to love through you, to sing through you, to dance through you."


Osho


I guess Osho does not agree with the Christian Augustinian doctrine of Original Sin. He would probably agree with Father Matthew Fox that a better metaphor would be the Original Blessing.


I heard Rev. Kaaren Anderson at First Unitarian of Rochester say that we Unitarian Universalists don't try to get people into heaven, we try to get heaven into people. Osho would probably love that way of putting it.


I have muttered to myself since I was a little boy, "It isn't a bad life if you know how to live it."


And how to live it? That is a question better answered by the philosophers than by the theologians. I have my own answers and I will share them with you. They are not original with me. I have picked them up from others along the way and they have "stuck" with me.


1. Always be honest, at least with yourself if not always with others, but try to be honest with others as much as you can too.


2. Always give others the benefit of the doubt maybe once or twice, but three strikes and you're out. What's the old saying? "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me."


3. Be loving and compassionate. It takes no more energy to be positive and nurturing than to be negative and destructive. Accentuate the positive and minimize the negative.


4. Suck em in then stick it to them. It is hard to hold others accountable for the right thing unless you have a relationship with them. First there has to be an element of trust, familiarity, and attachment, or it is hard for them to accept any corrective advice or requests that you make of them.


5. Here are the priorities in life: God comes first, then comes you, then your significant other, then children if you have any, then your work, then your friends, then your extended family (maybe they are your friends too, in which case they come first, if not, friends come first) then others like hobbies, politics, etc.


6. Use your talents and abilities in actitities that bring you satisfaction and fulfillment. It possible make this your life's work.


7. Be humble. Life isn't about you. You are a teeny tiny speck in the Universe. It helps a lot in life if you know your place.


8. Make plans but take things one day at a time, sometimes one hour at a time.


9. Be prepared to let things you love, go. Grief is a huge part of life because we become attached. Attachment is a good thing, but, believe it or not, detachment is too. We need to learn and practice both skills.


10. As you grow up, which continues through out life, you will find that the majority of people are self centered and stupid (unaware). That's Okay. You have to take people where they are at. However, don't them hold you back either. Almost always you have to separate yourself and move up. This takes courage, persistence, and faith.


11. People in groups can be a great source of support and strength and also a great source of evil and destruction. Be wary and careful of the groups you affiliate and participate in. While it is good to belong to a group, always be yourself and listen to your own conscience. Don't just follow the herd; it can lead to great sorrow and regret.


I, no doubtedly, have more answers, but this is enough for now. You probably have some answers for how to live life yourself. Share them in the comments.

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