The Master Series: 3,000 Years of Wisdom

Discussion in 'Self Improvement' started by WOTL, May 30, 2015.

  1. WOTL

    WOTL Fapstronaut

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    In this thread I will share some wisdom from people that went through large challenges at various points in their lives and chose to do the right thing. I hope it becomes a source of useful information and a reminder that we are not alone in this quest. I encourage you to post here thoughts, techniques, information or anything that you have read or learnt from extraordinary people. At the end of the day, they were people like us with similar issues that chose the high road. Their lives show that it is possible to succeed.
     
  2. WOTL

    WOTL Fapstronaut

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    Saint Augustine (354 AD)

    He lived for a while a life of depravity. He was enslaved by sex: lust, masturbation, concubines. He realized he could not make progress without breaking the shackles of lust. You may or may not find it useful to ask God for help. But this is what he did, and he succeeded. Listen to this short powerful story by John Piper if you can spare a few minutes.

     
  3. WOTL

    WOTL Fapstronaut

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    The Buddha asked us to focus on NOW. Staying present. Here's a message on how to stay present through the eyes of a modern master (Eckhart Tolle)

     
  4. WOTL

    WOTL Fapstronaut

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    From the Bhagavad Gita:

    "Those who lack self-control will find it difficult to progress in meditation; but those who are self-controlled, striving earnestly through the right means, will attain the goal"

    "Closing their eyes, steadying their breathing, and focusing their attention on the center of spiritual consciousness, the wise master their senses, mind, and intellect through meditation"

    "Pleasures conceived in the world of the senses have a beginning and an end and give birth to misery (...) But those who overcome the impulses of lust and anger which arise in the body are made whole and live in joy"

    "Approach those who have realized the purpose of life and question them with reverence and devotion; they will instruct you in wisdom"

    "Do your work with the welfare of others always in mind"

    "Considering your dharma, you should not vacillate. For a warrior, nothing is higher than the war against evil. The warrior confronted with such a war should be pleased for it comes as an open gate to heaven. But if you do not participate in this battle against evil, you will incur sin, violating your dharma and your honor. The story of your dishonor will be repeated endlessly: and for a man of honor, dishonor is worse than death".

    "Eventually a person following the senses loses strength of will and unity of purpose; his choices are dictated by his desires. When the will is led astray by the desire for pleasure, the mind becomes confused and scattered"
     
  5. Kenji

    Kenji Guest

    Wow dude I had no idea about this, fascinating and inspiring!
     
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  6. Kenji

    Kenji Guest

    Nice thread man right up my alley, fellow Jedi, peaceful warrior, martial artist!

    From the James Allen daily,

    Be self-reliant, but let thy self-reliance be saintly and not selfish.

    May Thirty-first.
    FOLLY and wisdom, weakness and strength, are within a man, and not in any external thing, neither do they spring from any external cause. A man cannot be strong for another, he can only be strong for himself ; he cannot overcome for another, he can only overcome for himself. You may learn of another, but you must accomplish for yourself. Put away all external props, and rely upon the Truth within you. A creed will not bear a man up in the hour of temptation; he must possess the inward Knowledge which slays temptation. A speculative philosophy will prove a shadowy thing in the time of calamity ;a man must have the inward Wisdom which puts an end to grief. The Unfailing Wisdom is found only by constant practice in pure thinking and well-doing ; by harmonising one s mind and heart to those things which are beautiful, lovable, and true.

    Goodness is the aim of all religions.

    Great pdf version of Johnathan Livingston Seagull, truly must be read at least once, I'm going to read it again today,
    csermelyblog.tehetsegpont.hu/sites/default/files/angol%20sirály.pdf
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited by a moderator: May 31, 2015
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  7. Kenji

    Kenji Guest

    As a man thinketh. By James Allen.

    Mind is the Master power that moulds and makes,
    And Man is Mind, and evermore he takes
    The tool of Thought, and, shaping what he wills,
    Brings forth a thousand joys, a thousand ills:—
    He thinks in secret, and it comes to pass:
    Environment is but his looking-glass.

    Contents
    1. Foreword
    2. Thought and Character
    3. Effect of Thought on Circumstances
    4. Effect of Thought on Health and the Body
    5. Thought and Purpose
    6. The Thought-Factor in Achievement
    7. Visions and Ideals
    8. Serenity
    Foreword
    THIS little volume (the result of meditation and experience) is not intended as an exhaustive treatise on the much-written-upon subject of the power of thought. It is suggestive rather than explanatory, its object being to stimulate men and women to the discovery and perception of the truth that—

    "They themselves are makers of themselves."

    by virtue of the thoughts, which they choose and encourage; that mind is the master-weaver, both of the inner garment of character and the outer garment of circumstance, and that, as they may have hitherto woven in ignorance and pain they may now weave in enlightenment and happiness.

    JAMES ALLEN.

    BROAD PARK AVENUE, ILFRACOMBE, ENGLAND

    1. Thought and Character
    THE aphorism, "As a man thinketh in his heart so is he," not only embraces the whole of a man’s being, but is so comprehensive as to reach out to every condition and circumstance of his life. A man is literally what he thinks, his character being the complete sum of all his thoughts.

    As the plant springs from, and could not be without, the seed, so every act of a man springs from the hidden seeds of thought, and could not have appeared without them. This applies equally to those acts called "spontaneous" and "unpremeditated" as to those, which are deliberately executed.

    Act is the blossom of thought, and joy and suffering are its fruits; thus does a man garner in the sweet and bitter fruitage of his own husbandry.

    "Thought in the mind hath made us, What we are
    By thought was wrought and built. If a man’s mind
    Hath evil thoughts, pain comes on him as comes
    The wheel the ox behind....

    ..If one endure
    In purity of thought, joy follows him
    As his own shadow—sure."

    Man is a growth by law, and not a creation by artifice, and cause and effect is as absolute and undeviating in the hidden realm of thought as in the world of visible and material things. A noble and Godlike character is not a thing of favour or chance, but is the natural result of continued effort in right thinking, the effect of long-cherished association with Godlike thoughts. An ignoble and bestial character, by the same process, is the result of the continued harbouring of grovelling thoughts.

    Man is made or unmade by himself; in the armoury of thought he forges the weapons by which he destroys himself; he also fashions the tools with which he builds for himself heavenly mansions of joy and strength and peace. By the right choice and true application of thought, man ascends to the Divine Perfection; by the abuse and wrong application of thought, he descends below the level of the beast. Between these two extremes are all the grades of character, and man is their maker and master.

    Of all the beautiful truths pertaining to the soul which have been restored and brought to light in this age, none is more gladdening or fruitful of divine promise and confidence than this—that man is the master of thought, the moulder of character, and the maker and shaper of condition, environment, and destiny.

    As a being of Power, Intelligence, and Love, and the lord of his own thoughts, man holds the key to every situation, and contains within himself that transforming and regenerative agency by which he may make himself what he wills.

    Man is always the master, even in his weaker and most abandoned state; but in his weakness and degradation he is the foolish master who misgoverns his "household." When he begins to reflect upon his condition, and to search diligently for the Law upon which his being is established, he then becomes the wise master, directing his energies with intelligence, and fashioning his thoughts to fruitful issues. Such is the conscious master, and man can only thus become by discovering within himself the laws of thought; which discovery is totally a matter of application, self analysis, and experience.

    Only by much searching and mining, are gold and diamonds obtained, and man can find every truth connected with his being, if he will dig deep into the mine of his soul; and that he is the maker of his character, the moulder of his life, and the builder of his destiny, he may unerringly prove, if he will watch, control, and alter his thoughts, tracing their effects upon himself, upon others, and upon his life and circumstances, linking cause and effect by patient practice and investigation, and utilizing his every experience, even to the most trivial, everyday occurrence, as a means of obtaining that knowledge of himself which is Understanding, Wisdom, Power. In this direction, as in no other, is the law absolute that "He that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened;" for only by patience, practice, and ceaseless importunity can a man enter the Door of the Temple of Knowledge.
     
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  8. WOTL

    WOTL Fapstronaut

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    Some of the best advice on how to live a life of integrity and constant self-improvement comes from the ancient philosophers from Greece and Rome. This is not the place to provide a lecture on their philosophy and views on life, but let us remind ourselves of some of their most useful and practical teachings:

    From Marcus Aurelius: "Such as are thy habitual thoughts, such also will be the character of thy mind; for the soul is dyed by the thoughts". Lesson: fill your mind with wholesome thoughts. This is what people in this forum are striving to do.

    From Plutarch: " The whole of life is but a moment of time. It is our duty therefore to use it, not misuse it". Lesson: Focus on what is important. Let us not waste time in mindless activities.

    From Seneca: "No man was ever wise by chance". Lesson: wisdom and integrity require hard work. Success requires effort. Another one from Seneca, who is one of my favorite thinkers: "Adversity is exercise. It matters not what you bear, but how you bear it". Lesson: an urge is an opportunity to do the right think and grow. And another one: "For a man to know himself, he must be tested; no one finds out what he can do except by trying. Great men rejoice in adversity". Lesson: Adversity is an opportunity. Remember this next time you face one!

    From Aesop: "A crust eaten in peace is better than a banquet partaken in anxiety". Lesson: compulsive behavior can produce a rush of excitement, and then what? Anxiety and remorse. The right path may be less exciting at first but it is the only true path.

    Frome Epictetus: "Do not surrender your mind". Lesson: Be in the present moment and take possession of your mind. Do not become an automaton that does not control his behavior when tested.

    I will add more and elaborate on each author in subsequent postings.
     
  9. Kenji

    Kenji Guest

    I love your commentary on those quotes and look forward to the subsequent postings, may I share a link of full works of ancient Greek philosophers, although I find them tedious and they beat around the bush so to speak, I prefer to get right to heart of the matter, anyways without further ado:

    http://classics.mit.edu/Browse/
     
  10. WOTL

    WOTL Fapstronaut

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    Yes, excellent link. Thanks a lot! I agree sometimes the works can be tedious. Hard to read them in full. This is why I tried to extract the main idea. But if we read some of their passages, we can see that most self-help books nowadays just copy their thoughts. To me what is useful is to realize that the "recipe" for a good life was already invented thousands of years ago.
     
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  11. Kenji

    Kenji Guest

    Great insight
    I totally agree. The only modern day self help figure I still listen to is Wayne Dyer, he completely admits where his teachings are inspired from.
     
  12. KeenEye

    KeenEye Fapstronaut

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    Fapstronauts I think we can benefit alot from the Stoics. Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, Epictetus, Musonius Rufus, and Cato are famous Romans who were all Stoics. Stoicism ideas parallel with those of Buddhism, Taoism, some New Age, Eckhart Tolle, and others of the kind. There's a great book "A guide to the Good Life- The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy". Although I don't think the Stoics had to deal with social anxiety and masturbation, as those problems were nonexistent for them, still they do thoughts about lust and sex, so we can't rely on them directly in our reboot. However, you will soon find them very wise and will become a semi-Stoic yourself when you read that book.
     
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  13. Kenji

    Kenji Guest

  14. WOTL

    WOTL Fapstronaut

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    Indeed, I find all the stoics interesting but Marcus Aurelius is, in my view, the most impressive because he was at the top of the Roman empire as Cesar. He did not have the philosophical insights of Seneca, but he lived a life of simplicity and humility when most other emperors where corrupted by lust, material possessions, etc. I always carry his book "Meditations" with me. It only competes in my toolkit with James Allen's "Above Life's Turmoil". I am glad my friend and fellow martial artist also likes him.
     
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  15. KeenEye

    KeenEye Fapstronaut

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    Indeed he is a unique human being. I'd also say he was philosophical, because any practicing Stoic is also a philosopher. Eckhart Tolle in his book 'The Power of Now', I think, remarks on the uniqueness of Marcus Aurelius and calls him a "philosopher-king" that may have been enlightened. They say at his time, the Roman Empire prospered greatly, and I think he was the only emperor to share the Roman Empire with another emperor for a while (Antonius, I believe).
     
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  16. WOTL

    WOTL Fapstronaut

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    I thought we could move a bit to the East today and start with some observations by LAO TZU:

    Tao Te Ching - Chapter 13: Accept Humiliation as a Surprise.

    "Accept humiliation as a surprise (...)
    Attainment is a surprise; and so is loss (...)
    If you dedicate your life for the benefit of the world,
    You will be entrusted with the world"

    My interpretation: We should not get obsessed about our "counters". If they go really high, we may become arrogant and think we have become invincible. We could become complacent or feel that we are now masters that can "teach" lessons to others. Conversely, if we fail and the counter goes back to zero, we should not despair. Let us accept that this is a lesson in humility and start again from scratch. Both "success" and "failure" are invented categories of the mind and should be received with humility. If we try to help others, however, there will always be success and we "will be entrusted with the world".
     
  17. WOTL

    WOTL Fapstronaut

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    I will repeat here a recent message from my main journal:

    The Warrior of the Light remembers that "although I have been through all that I have, I do not regret the many hardships I met, because it was they who brought me to the place I wished to reach. Now all I have is this sword, and I give it to whoever wishes to continue his pilgrimage. I carry with me the marks and scars of battles -- they are the witness of what I have suffered and the rewards of what I have conquered (...) there was a time when I used to listen to tales of bravery. There was a time when I lived only because I needed to live but now I live because I am a Warrior."
    I believe this passage from John Bunyan captures how I feel today. Calling myself warrior might seem arrogant, but nobody will disagree with me that this is the hell of a fight! I am more of an apprentice here, learning from the experience of numerous warriors who are showing me how to lead the way. Enough philosophy now, what matters is the simplicity of the accomplishment: just one more day lived with integrity!
     
  18. Eyeofhorus

    Eyeofhorus Fapstronaut

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    "Calling myself warrior might seem arrogant, but nobody will disagree with me that this is the hell of a fight!"

    It is not at all arrogant my friend. The day you decided you will not let the darkness overpower the light in you, you became a warrior. Keep going brother, it is indeed a hell of a fight and that too a decisive one.
     
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  19. Kenji

    Kenji Guest

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  20. WOTL

    WOTL Fapstronaut

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    Some wisdom from India: "It is unwise to be sure of one's own wisdom. It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest might weaken and the wisest might err". (Ghandi).

    Interpretation: I would like to go to the question of humility, where I have also often failed. Humility requires acknowledging that we are facing issues and challenges that are creating problems in our lives. It also requires accepting that we are not really that "special" now because we think we have found the way. For me, it means that we have to be careful when we volunteer advice to others. We might weaken and make new mistakes as Ghandi points out. This is why I prefer to indicate that something does not work for me, and seems unhelpful, rather than saying that such or such course of action is "right" or "wrong". But I may not always have applied this rule and so this is a reminder for myself as well.
     
    Last edited: Jun 11, 2015
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