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Post by divinity on Aug 18, 2009 10:39:34 GMT -5
Aside from breathing out carbon dioxide for the plants which in turn make oxygen for us to breathe in, why are we here ?
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Post by lightmystic on Aug 18, 2009 13:22:15 GMT -5
Personally, I find that reasons why we are here just come from a feeling of purpose (or lack thereof) and are simply backwards rationalizations for how connected or disconnected we feel about life.
There are an infinite number of purposes or no purpose. I could give some examples, but I think those would just be backwards rationalizations from feeling connected to life.
Why do you ask?
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Post by souley on Aug 18, 2009 13:39:12 GMT -5
Before I saw LM's reply, I also wanted to discuss why people are so dependant on a purpose. Where does this idea come from?
Maybe the character that we create is not worth anything without a purpose, so we feel that we depend on having one, to prove our worth. The usual insecurity of the ego. Without the character there probably is not a need for a purpose. I would guess that without conditioning the question would be more or less bizarre?
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fear
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Post by fear on Aug 18, 2009 14:56:23 GMT -5
I think it's a great question because what do we really know about ourselves, very little if anything. So this basic question is a good start.
I've read and also believe that our only purpose here is to Survive and to Reproduce and to be Recycled. What else is there. Look at nature. A salmon swims in the sea, comes up river to reproduce and becomes bear food and later nutrients for the soil. What makes you think you are so different?
I think people are looking for a mystical answer, because they want to fantasize and play with it.
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Post by divinity on Aug 18, 2009 16:26:37 GMT -5
Lightmystic, I asked that question because that is the most asked question I get from people I speak with.
I agree with "fear" that we may be complicating our lives by thinking we are more important in the scheme of things than we actually are. There is such a species superiority among humans which I think is foolish.
There are lots of people acting out the purpose their parents wanted for them.
Purpose gives people a feeling of place in society and an image I suppose. I find it fascinating as to what people consider a worthy purpose. I am an observer of humans and our thoughts and actions.
Thanks for your responses.
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Post by lightmystic on Aug 18, 2009 16:49:36 GMT -5
Certainly, I think the feeling purpose is incredibly valuable. It's, by definition, what gives life meaning. I just don't see that one purpose is somehow more true than another. If you have other thoughts, however, I am interested. Lightmystic, I asked that question because that is the most asked question I get from people I speak with. I agree with "fear" that we may be complicating our lives by thinking we are more important in the scheme of things than we actually are. There is such a species superiority among humans which I think is foolish. There are lots of people acting out the purpose their parents wanted for them. Purpose gives people a feeling of place in society and an image I suppose. I find it fascinating as to what people consider a worthy purpose. I am an observer of humans and our thoughts and actions. Thanks for your responses. |
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Post by lightmystic on Aug 18, 2009 16:53:28 GMT -5
It's a good question. Is it really a good start? That is a sincere question because I really don't know if that would help anyone. Personally, I find that purpose comes from knowing who one is and that there IS a purpose, to EVERYTHING. It just cannot be said in one limited conceptual statement. Considering that people die all the time without reproducing, and many of those with fulfillment of life, and also in light of that fact that there are so many other aspects to life, I would have to say that our purpose, while it may very well include that (it does seem to include that) is much more than just that. That would be the most logical thing. (if we want to backward rationalize our feelings of connectedness or lack thereof.  ) In terms of salmon, do you know that that is the entirety of their life? It may have many other aspects we haven't even considered... I don't see us as somehow more important, because I see everything as equally important, as opposed to equally unimportant. I think it's a great question because what do we really know about ourselves, very little if anything. So this basic question is a good start. I've read and also believe that our only purpose here is to Survive and to Reproduce and to be Recycled. What else is there. Look at nature. A salmon swims in the sea, comes up river to reproduce and becomes bear food and later nutrients for the soil. What makes you think you are so different? I think people are looking for a mystical answer, because they want to fantasize and play with it. |
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Post by african on Aug 19, 2009 4:21:14 GMT -5
If someone comes up to you and asks the question, "Why are you here?", you have to consider two things before you answer him. First, you have to consider where you came from. Then, you have to consider where you are going. So to put this in context..... for us to know why we are here on earth as a human race we have to know where we come from and were we are going. Simply put, we came from the Absolute - God - and to there we are returning. Thus, over our past lives right from the days of Barbarism in the jungles of the pre-Stone Age to the refined man of today we are unfolding, removing sheath by sheath until we become gods again and until such a time that we will merge with the One - the Absolute - and in Him we are One. Perhaps that is the connectedness of life lightmystic was referring to. Just like a river that comes from the ocean, where it was one with the ocean, passes through beautiful valleys, polluted cities, empty villages, green fields, zones of human war, in some areas dammed and used for irrigation - but through all this, the river finally returns to the ocean where it becomes One again with the Ocean. So are we travelling as a human race - we came from God - in his form of unManifestation- then in his form of Manifestation - we are now in a tiny fraction of many universes, many forms of life manifesting upon different planes which cannot be comprehended by man - but through all that we shall return to merge with the One - and be the One. Spiritual Evolution I say.....is our purpose here. N/B- I've just simplified things here!!! |
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Post by astenny on Aug 19, 2009 22:55:39 GMT -5
I agree that 'why are we here?' is a very general question with many answers. Some of us are here to reproduce, some are here for a spiritual quest, some are here for to just survive and others to just have fun, or so they think.
It is much like asking what is the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything, and then being told the answer if 42. That leads to the understanding that to understand the answer we must know and understand the question. It is very much where we have been and where we are going.
In my own life, I can answer "what is my purpose?" My purpose is to learn and expand my mind and horizons. I am here to help those who need it, and help myself along the Path to Heaven to one day leave the Cycle of Rebirth.
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Post by african on Aug 20, 2009 2:05:49 GMT -5
I might wanna agree with you astenny. I also think that my purpose here is to learn as much as possible and grow both intellectually and spiritually. I'm realising this coz I'm ever losing interest in "worldly" things and ever becoming interested in matters of the spirit.....But. the bottom line is we might be at different stages individually but all humanity is moving towards the same direction as a race. |
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fear
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Post by fear on Aug 20, 2009 14:32:30 GMT -5
I think our purpose here is very simple, almost animalistic. But I also think that we are the most intelligent beings on this planet. This intelligence grants us a lot of power which humanity has misused for the most part for selfish goals. Our true purpose are the things I mentioned before but if we were all enlightened there would be greater balance. No one would be seeking credit for what they accomplished, everyone would be humble, everyone would be at peace. All suffering (e.g disease) would simply be accepted and there would be no interpretation of anything. The world would simply BE.
In our current situation some feel that they know their purpose because of changes happening in their life or whatever feeling they have at the time. But that is your interpretation of what's happening. Can you say for sure that is your purpose? You really don't know.
Why would your purpose be to grow intellectually? This is the same as saying my purpose is to strengthen my ego. In enlightenment the ego dies. But I think it's ok for anyone to believe whatever they want to. That is the freedom we seek.
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Post by lightmystic on Aug 20, 2009 16:50:31 GMT -5
It sounds like you're implying the purpose is to get Enlightened. Is that animalistic? How is an animalistic purpose more valid then some high minded pie in the sky type of purpose? How do we know which is more valid? You make a good point: how do we know that whatever we think is our purpose is? Can we really say it's one thing over another? And, if so, why? I think our purpose here is very simple, almost animalistic. But I also think that we are the most intelligent beings on this planet. This intelligence grants us a lot of power which humanity has misused for the most part for selfish goals. Our true purpose are the things I mentioned before but if we were all enlightened there would be greater balance. No one would be seeking credit for what they accomplished, everyone would be humble, everyone would be at peace. All suffering (e.g disease) would simply be accepted and there would be no interpretation of anything. The world would simply BE. In our current situation some feel that they know their purpose because of changes happening in their life or whatever feeling they have at the time. But that is your interpretation of what's happening. Can you say for sure that is your purpose? You really don't know. Why would your purpose be to grow intellectually? This is the same as saying my purpose is to strengthen my ego. In enlightenment the ego dies. But I think it's ok for anyone to believe whatever they want to. That is the freedom we seek. |
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fear
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Post by fear on Aug 20, 2009 17:46:11 GMT -5
You cannot get enlightened. It's not something that you can achieve, like getting a degree or something. And who delegates what your purpose is? No one cares if you are enlightened or not, except you. Some may try to help you to end your suffering but in the end the will to awaken comes from you. I don't think it's a purpose of life. In fact it's easier to go through life just living in illusion rather than go against our ego and find Truth.
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Post by lightmystic on Aug 21, 2009 10:42:49 GMT -5
Okay, I definitely respect that. For me it was a purpose. It was a need. And I even knew that I wouldn't be there when I was done and didn't care. Sure there were resistances and such along the way, but the drive was coming from something greater than me, which ended up just being who and what I actually was. I didn't know what Enlightenment was, but I knew what it FELT like. I think every seeker knows that, and I knew that it would not be what I expected and I knew that it would permanently change me on every level. I read words of people that resonated with my experience, and discarded those that did not. I looked for anything that would help me unwind my misconceptions. And life kindly provided, as it turns out it has always been doing. And it helped me drop resistances, through much pain and suffering, so that I could receive it's infinite gift of simply recognizing what has been going on this whole time. I was so frustrated that it was already going on and I couldn't FEEL it all the time yet...And I could feel I was getting closer, but it was rife with confusion and frustration. But when the time was right life brought me some amazing teachers after I had spent years and years alone releasing stuff. And they helped facilitate the initial shift. They helped me understand as the process unfolded so I could allow it and support. And, in the end, gravity took it's course and I went under. Looking back, such a dramatic process. Such a heart rending adventure with vast vistas, staggering victory's and crushing defeats. Ending in the final place that was the greatest loss and the greatest gain from that loss. If people only knew how meaningful and important their path was, their process was. If they only knew how dear to Creation it was, then they would understand. I would have then understood. It would not have made it better necessarily, but at least we would know. And we could take heart in that, and let life carry us forward innocently, as it has always been doing. Then perhaps, I we could more easily really open the flood gates and being taken by the raging storm we are trying to hold at bay. Not to get it over with, but because that IS it. But, of course, that is what happens to everyone eventually. It just depends on how long we can look at the raging river and still have the strength to trust something infinitely more powerful and intense that ourselves.... You cannot get enlightened. It's not something that you can achieve, like getting a degree or something. And who delegates what your purpose is? No one cares if you are enlightened or not, except you. Some may try to help you to end your suffering but in the end the will to awaken comes from you. I don't think it's a purpose of life. In fact it's easier to go through life just living in illusion rather than go against our ego and find Truth. |
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Post by vacant on Aug 22, 2009 4:29:08 GMT -5
Wow, this is great stuff LM.
Even from my obscured vision I feel the same. But...
this I cannot say I know, can you say a bit more about that?
And...
just you mentioning it like that resonates, and I certainly take heart.
Do keep up the good work. It's massively appreciated...
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