Monday, July 28, 2008 at 10:10am
How religious traditions encourage us to embrace a vibrant philosphy of life
Column: PERFECTBALANCELIFE
Last week I spoke about the fact that most people actually embrace a philosophy of death throughout their entire life. I identified elements that make up the philosophy of death lifestyle. This week I want to demonstrate how our authentic religious traditions encourage us to live by a vibrant philosophy of life. I’ll do this by contrasting the orientation of both lifestyles.
FOD: An inability to recognize your own unique qualities and gifts.
FOL: You are created as a unique individual endowed with one-of-a-kind gifts to share with the world.
FOD: Being unwilling to take action even when you know this is what you need to do.
FOL: One needs to properly balance the tension between contemplation and action.
FOD: Blaming other people for your troubles and difficulties.
FOL: Take one hundred percent responsibility for your actions.
FOD: Accumulating and holding onto resentments.
FOL: Transform yourself through the constant renewing of your mind.
FOD: Refusing to admit when you are wrong.
FOL: Be humble.
FOD: Fearing other human beings.
FOL: A healthy “fear of the Lord” is the only fear to be embraced—no other.
FOD: Accepting the ideas or beliefs of others without verifying whether or not they are valid.
FOL: Your conscience is your only authentic guide.
FOD: Fearing your own mortality.
FOL: Nothing dies.
FOD: Lacking trust in yourself or others.
FOL: Surrender yourself to the universal source of all wisdom and strength.
FOD: Giving up in the face of extreme trial.
FOL: Those who persevere to the end “shall be saved.”
FOD: Multiplying your personal problems into the lives of others.
FOL: Do not gossip.
FOD: Accepting advice from others because you doubt your own ability to find the correct answers.
FOL: “Trust in the Lord and do not lean onto your own understanding.”
FOD: Unable to state to your own satisfaction the reason why you think you are alive on this earth
FOL: You are created to manifest love into the world.
Being on the spiritual journey is the process of removing any elements of death that have been embraced and are being practiced your life. The choice is ours. Let us choose wisely.
FOD: An inability to recognize your own unique qualities and gifts.
FOL: You are created as a unique individual endowed with one-of-a-kind gifts to share with the world.
FOD: Being unwilling to take action even when you know this is what you need to do.
FOL: One needs to properly balance the tension between contemplation and action.
FOD: Blaming other people for your troubles and difficulties.
FOL: Take one hundred percent responsibility for your actions.
FOD: Accumulating and holding onto resentments.
FOL: Transform yourself through the constant renewing of your mind.
FOD: Refusing to admit when you are wrong.
FOL: Be humble.
FOD: Fearing other human beings.
FOL: A healthy “fear of the Lord” is the only fear to be embraced—no other.
FOD: Accepting the ideas or beliefs of others without verifying whether or not they are valid.
FOL: Your conscience is your only authentic guide.
FOD: Fearing your own mortality.
FOL: Nothing dies.
FOD: Lacking trust in yourself or others.
FOL: Surrender yourself to the universal source of all wisdom and strength.
FOD: Giving up in the face of extreme trial.
FOL: Those who persevere to the end “shall be saved.”
FOD: Multiplying your personal problems into the lives of others.
FOL: Do not gossip.
FOD: Accepting advice from others because you doubt your own ability to find the correct answers.
FOL: “Trust in the Lord and do not lean onto your own understanding.”
FOD: Unable to state to your own satisfaction the reason why you think you are alive on this earth
FOL: You are created to manifest love into the world.
Being on the spiritual journey is the process of removing any elements of death that have been embraced and are being practiced your life. The choice is ours. Let us choose wisely.