Been spending a lot of time thinking about my purpose. What has this all led to? Why am I here and for what? We should be living a purpose driven life, right? After all, they give us books about it.
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| N, Q, R Canal Street Station |
Listened to a sermon today recommended by a friend, that really got me thinking that too much thinking goes into thinking about our purpose. Doing in good will is worth so much more than planning good intents.
I live in a city where everything is planned, separated, ordered. Even a passing smile causes discomfort, if it has no clear intention.
Our generation was told that our best life could be like a series of points on a line: safe, calculated, determinable.
I love this piece of art because to many its nearly invisible, a tiled wall of no distinction. To me it meant everything because it served its purpose without me knowing its intent.
More profound thoughts by the wiser:
Abandoning attachment to fruits
of action, always content, independent,
he does nothing at all
even when he engages in action. [20]
He incurs no guilt if he has no hope,
restrains his thought and himself,
abandons possessions,
and performs actions with his body only. [21]
Content with whatever comes by chance,
beyond dualities, free from envy,
impartial to failure and success,
he is not bound even when he acts. [22]
When a man is unattached and free,
his reason deep in knowledge,
acting only in sacrifice,
his action is wholly dissolved. [23]
The Bhagavad-Gita
23. If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
24. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.
Luke 9
Brooding about sensuous objects
makes attachment to them grow;
from attachment desire arises,
from desire anger is born. [62]
...
As the mountainous depths
of the ocean
are unmoved when waters
rush into it,
so the man unmoved
when desires enter him
attains a peace that eludes
the man of many desires [70]
When he renounces all desires
and acts without craving,
possessiveness,
or individuality, he finds peace. [71]
This is the place of the infinite spirit;
achieving it, one is freed from delusion;
abiding in it even at the time of death,
one finds the pure calm of infinity. [72]
The Bhagavad-Gita
25. Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat [or drink], or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?
26. Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they?
27. Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life span?
28. Why are you anxious about clothes? Learn from the way the wild flowers grow. They do not work or spin.
29. But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them.
30. If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith?
31. So do not worry and say, 'What are we to eat?' or 'What are we to drink?' or 'What are we to wear?'
32. All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.
33. But seek first the kingdom [of God] and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides
34. Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil.
Matthew 7
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