Let us read chapter forty-seven of the Tao Te Ching: Without opening your door, you may know the whole worldWithout looking out your window, you may see the way of the heavensThe farther you go, the less you knowThus the sage knows without travelingHe sees without lookingHe accomplishes without doing This is not what society tells us. Rather, what we are taught to believe is the exact opposite: that we must pursue events, culture, travel, adventure. There is always a way to expand our … [Read more...]
How to Live a Good Life by Doing Your True Will
The most common cause of failure in life is ignorance of one's own True Will, or of the means to fulfill that Will. [...] A Man whose conscious will is at odds with his True Will is wasting his strength. (Aleister Crowley, Liber ABA, Part III) How can you be successful and live a good life? Well, don't waste your strength. That's simple volitional logic. But what is success? Success is subjective, and yet... you cannot define it for yourself. You can't determine what success means to you, just … [Read more...]
Don’t Be Yourself
Don't be yourself. Who are you anyway? A fabric of personality biases? Your body's twitching sensations? Your opinion of someone else's opinion of you? Your confidence that breath is the key to the universe? You are nothing. So don't be yourself. And don't fool yourself. You are a shell at best. Or a vessel. "Shape clay into a vessel; it is the space within that makes it useful," said Lao Tzu. "Let the True Will exert its force through your eternal vacantness," say … [Read more...]
Is Self-Control Natural? On the Dilemma of Discipline Vs. Spontaneity
The Dilemma of Discipline Vs. Spontaneity The dilemma of being human comes from having a prefrontal cortex in an animal body, from having both animalistic desires and the power of will to control those desires. I believe that almost all human beings make some sort of a distinction between the self that wills and acts, and the subconscious self that manages our hearts and glands and nerves. Such words as self-control and self-consciousness suggest this division of our being into two parts … [Read more...]
Solving the Problem of Acceptance
The Problem With radical acceptance, you accept your past, future, and present. Your past involves your childhood, bad memories, and traumatic events. Accepting your past makes sense because it creates peace of mind and allows you to look ahead. No problem here. Your future involves your plans, goals, and ambitions. Accepting your future makes sense because it creates outcome independence and regulates your fear of failure. No problem here. Your present involves your bodymind, physical … [Read more...]