Moral imperative

It is your moral imperative to always do what is in your rational long-term self-interest.

Being “selfish” should cease holding a negative connotation, for how can you be of benefit to anyone else if you neglect to take care of yourself? According to a philosophy called Objectivism, the greatest virtues to uphold are rationality, by employing your brain; honesty, by committing to truth; justice, by being equitable; independence, by remaining responsible for your own life and never living for the sake of another nor asking another to live for yours; integrity, by standing firm on your principles and applying them consistently to all that you do; productiveness, by being useful and fruitful and contributing to your life and to society; and pride, by valuing your self and your output.

If each person were to put their own self-interest first, we would live in a thriving world. Many say that selfishness leads to some gaining at the expense of others, but since when did anyone find health and happiness through lying, cheating, and stealing? No: unethical practices are spiritually toxic, and are in no one’s rational long-term self-interest, as are any other self-destructive behaviors, many of which tend to fall under the umbrella of instant gratification. It is in each person’s best interest to be cooperative with others, since we are social beings who flourish in healthy communities.

Be charitable, volunteer, rear children – if you like – but only support causes or people you value, and be sure that your support is aimed at their growth, and does not engender long-term reliance, for fostering dependence is a great injustice – to the individual, as well as society.

Perhaps a wider adoption of greater selfishness would produce a more thriving existence...

Paradox

Life is paradox.

Another Peck gem, he artfully illustrates that this truth is best met with embrace. We must not seek to obliterate one extreme in favor of its counterpart, but affirm both the light and the dark, and seek balance. The miracle of life is its persistence alongside entropy. I have always valued balance and made it a priority in my life, as I found it a crucial element to my inner peace and happiness. Therefore, I have deep appreciation for this broader view of it: that everywhere in existence we find paradox, and that it is not meant to be solved, but to be balanced.

We're all familiar with the dichotomies of good vs. evil, and emotion vs. rationality, and I've mentioned the dilemma of prioritizing current possessions vs. desired possessions. However, these opposing forces are not meant to fight out battles of elimination, rather we are meant to seek out ideal harmonies among them. It's not about banishing the darkness for the sake of the light, for those who live in the light will always cast shadows; it's not about listening to your head OR your heart, it's about informing each with the other; and it's not about appreciating your gifts at the expense of your dreams, it's about utilizing gratitude to manifest abundance.

Recognize dichotomies as paradox, and pursue equilibrium.

Balance

Calling again on the insight of M. Scott Peck, who listed balance among the four tenets of discipline, I am grateful for his elucidation and expansion on this distinctly essential virtue.

Balance is a thing to which I feel particularly sensitive. What is required to achieve it is different for each person, and its perceived importance varies as well. For me, it is crucial; I know that I like an eclectic array of interests to be served in my life, and that moderation is a great equalizer.

In general, balance requires strength, determination, discipline, and ultimately flexibility. Balance means maintaining a sense of evenness, but it also involves a capacity for adaptation to achieve such maintenance in a changing world. In order to stand on one foot on a hill in the wind, you have to be able to constantly make minor adjustments as the forces change. Similarly, in order to preserve balance between opposing forces in your life, you must support an equilibrium; it's not balance if you favor one extreme or the other; you have to accommodate each of them to a degree that zeros your scale, so to speak.

May you find peace and harmony :)

Bedtime meditation

While bedding down last night, I found my brain searching for a meditation to use to transition from evening activities to sleep, and "Now I lay me down to sleep" came to mind. I don't relate to the rest of that psalm, so I rewrote it:

Now I lay me down to sleep
I pray my soul to venture deep
For in my mind the truth does wait
To be revealed and emanate

I can't say I noticed anything upon waking, but I found sleep quickly and pleasantly :)

Autumnal Equinox

How fitting! Today marks the beginning of Fall, and I got a hankering to yank out all the dead foliage from a particularly dense part of my yard. I don't usually put much effort into the upkeep of the yard at my rental home, but now and then, I just can't help myself from tidying up a bit. As I worked, I realized the apt timing, and remembered that now is the season for shedding waste. I already made a Goodwill run last weekend, so I got a head start on my material life, and I got rid of a lot of used up matter today, so now I get to focus on dumping the ineffective thought patterns and counterproductive emotional processes that no longer serve me. Over the next three months, I shall strip down to my essentials, continuing to weed out my unnecessary belongings, as well as emptying my mind of impractical contents. That way, come Winter, I can repurpose my whittled possessions to better serve me, and rejuvenate those aspects of myself I have shunned or neglected, and become a stronger, more efficient Me by Spring, in time for the planting of new beginnings, before the Summer festivals for the fruits of our labors :)

Happy Fall!

World Gratitude Day!

How wonderful is that?! World Gratitude Day :) It's like an extra, global, Thanksgiving!

The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation has posted a short list of suggestions for ways to celebrate this glorious day, including making a "personal gratitude card" with 5 things for which you are thankful in your present life, and on the back, 5 things for which you will be grateful to receive in the future. What a fabulous idea! I second that recommendation :)

And of course, just be sure to say "Thank you" as you go about your day - to those who help you, to those you appreciate, to those who irritate you but thereby educate you, to yourself, and to Omni!

HAPPY GRATITUDE DAY!! :D

Gratitude - a little ditty

I previously re-wrote the "star light, star bright" poem to go from a wish preamble, to a thanks preamble:

(original)
Star light, star bright,
First star I see tonight,
I wish I may, I wish I might
Have this wish I wish tonight:
[insert secret wish here]

(re-write)
Star light, star bright,
Shining star I see tonight,
I fill with joy at Omni's might
and give thanks for this tonight:
[insert cause for gratitude here]

But I've recently found myself making a new minor, but substantial, alteration:

(REDUX)
Star light, star bright,
Shining star I see tonight,
I fill with joy at Omni's might
and give thanks FOR THIS NIGHT
(emphasis added for this post)

Nice, huh? Yeah, I like it :)