My Personal Philosophy

The Answer

Like a lot of people, I have been searching most of my life for the answer to the big questions:

• Who are we?
• Why are we here? 
• How did it all get here?
• What is reality?

Luther Standing Bear
Wikipedia

Then I read the response from Luther Standing Bear of the Lakota Nation, when he was asked “Who is God?”

He replied:

From Wakȟáŋ Tȟáŋka, the Great Spirit, there came a great unifying life force that flowed in and through all things - the flowers of the plains, blowing winds, rocks, trees, birds, animals - and was the same force that had been breathed into the first man. Thus all things were kindred, and were brought together by the same Great Mystery

The answer is there is no answer. Nobody knows. It is a tremendous relief to let go of the endless task of trying to figure it all out. It’s an emancipation from the never ending debates. Debating the nature of the Great Spirit is pointless since the Great Spirit is the Great Mystery.

Spiritual Harmony with Science

The culture of the tribes of the North American Plains seems to be the antithesis of the Western culture that I grew up and currently reside in. However, this conflict might not be as extensive as it appears.

Our scientific knowledge of biochemistry, DNA and genetics, along with the theory of evolution, says that we are related to all living things. Science says that the biomechanics of life of the flowers, trees, birds and animals is the same ‘force’ that ‘breathed life into the first man.”  It is the beliefs of Western culture that are often at odds with the scientific discoveries of Western culture.

A belief that all living things are kindred leads to a practice of being humble, revering nature and feeling gratitude for all that nature provides us.

From a World Away

From the 21st Verse of the Tao Te Ching

The Tao is elusive and intangible.
Altho formless and intangible,
it gives rise to form.
Altho vague and elusive,
it gives rise to shapes.
Altho dark and obscure,
it is the spirit, the essence,
the life breath of all things.

From the 1st Verse of the Tao Te Ching

Ever desireless, one can see the mystery;

ever desiring, one sees only the manifestations.

And the mystery itself is the doorway

to all understanding

                                                                Lao-tzu

Striving to be a Happy Person

A major goal in my life is to have serenity, joy and love. I want to rid myself of all the unnecessary and wasteful fear and anger. I  don’t want to waste precious time and energy on lamenting the past and worrying about the future, as I have unfortunately done for most of my life. I want to be productive by living in and making the most of this moment. That is my definition of being happy. I want everyone else to be happy also.

Like Forrest Gump, my happiness will lead to my being friendly and helpful, which will bring little bits of joy into the world. It’s a win for me and everyone else.

It Works for Me

Louise Hay is to have said that we should find the thoughts and actions that give us the experiences that we want. For example, if we want serenity, maybe we shouldn’t think about politics so much. In other words, I should find the beliefs, which lead to my thoughts and actions, that work for me to become the happy person that I want to be.

In this It Works for Me philosophy, the criterion for beliefs are not some perceived level of truth. We don’t want to believe in lies obviously, but for philosophical and spiritual questions, we are freed of the burden to find that “true”, exclusionary belief.

In a Nutshell

Thus, the 3 cornerstones of my philosophy of life are;

• It is all about the Great Mystery (i.e. We don’t know)

• I strive to be a happy person, which will make me a better person.

• I choose my spiritual beliefs based upon what works for me to become that happy person I want to be