Whats the point of life?

[IlseVdG]

What resonates with me is that happiness is the journey not the destination. I’ve heard it in a dozen different ways, The Power of Now, quotes here and there... all you have is today.

Yes, I also like The Power of Now, I like listen to it on Audible, many times over. Even when you're not actually listening to it, it's relaxing.

 

[mr4ffe]

To achieve ataraxia. I live by the words of Epicurus and the original Buddha.

 

[IlseVdG]

[/QUOTE]

i know exactly what you mean,
Believe it or not, this helped me feel something again: I do it 1 hour a day at least.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOp7wPtE6qA

So glad that you posted this. I'm not surprised at all that this helped you.
I do this very regularly:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1CJZ5MkuqI

But lower to the ground, with the knees more bent (keep the pelvis tucked in, though, that's crucial). A few years back I had the privilige of getting teachings from a kung fu monk. It's all that I can remember now from his lessons, hihi, but it's more than enough, has helped me tremendously.
I'll try your video too, for variation.

 

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[QFP]

“Question: What is Buddha? Answer: Three pounds of flax.”
“Question: What is Buddha? Answer: Cat in box.”

 

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[StrikingViper69]

So essentially greed is your answer

Greed is how any greatness in human achievement, is attained. Nothing great happens without an intense desire to do so.

 

[luniac]

So glad that you posted this. I'm not surprised at all that this helped you.
I do this very regularly:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1CJZ5MkuqI

But lower to the ground, with the knees more bent (keep the pelvis tucked in, though, that's crucial). A few years back I had the privilige of getting teachings from a kung fu monk. It's all that I can remember now from his lessons, hihi, but it's more than enough, has helped me tremendously.
I'll try your video too, for variation.

Yea the video i posted is just a good intro for people who don't know anything.
I take classes with kung fu dude from china as well and read a shit ton of books and articles

pelvis tucked in and sunk down and chin must be tucked in too and neck stretching upwards.
so lower back stretches down while head streches up, so the spine is straightened.
My issue is shoulders constantly tensing up and hunching too much, gotta keep relaxing them lol

length of practice time matters a lot, for best results at least 40 minutes to an hour is good.

I keep noticing that after practice i feel more energy and motivation to do anything.
But throughout the day or even if im just being little too loose with the standing, its like i get lazy and apathetic, and just have no motivation to do shit.

Its like a fine balance where if you hype yourself too much u will burn yourself out and get too tense and irritated, but relaxing too much just leaks the energy right out of you and affects your conscious mind.

That's why i believe just practicing Zhan Zhuang every day consistently, and focusing on keeping the proper stretched posture so there's no slouching but also no stiffness, that will naturally cure any issues of motivation in the long term.

It's like a physical natural phenomenon, that the state of mind is directly affected by the physical posture, and health as a whole.
Its the gateway to everything i think, you really just gotta feel it, no amount of philosophical thinking about life will make you feel that purpose.
If anything itll make you more depressed because pure logic wise, there is no known meaning to anything, there is no known purpose. Reality is basically absurd existence.
But emotionally, spiritually, you can feel there's meaning to everything, that you're on a meaningful journey or something.

 

[Fastlane Liam]

Growth and ONLY GROWTH. Humans are the only species on this planet with the ability to come up with stupid ideas like what is happiness? A tree doesn’t think that. It just F*cking grows. A squirell doesn’t think this , it just finds nuts and scavenges. A bear doesn’t think this, it just wants to eat enough and provide for its family during hibernation.

Focus on pin and growth NOT happiness. Those that do the former get both. those that focus on the latter get none

Ah the ol' blissful ignorance. I like your style!

 

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[WJK]

@guy93777 I understand much of what you post about here on the forum and I agree that "some people can see the truth and most people can't"

What's important is what you do with the truth.

There's a principle that you can become like what you hate.

So, if you hate the Illuminati, NWO, Globalists, The elites, Trilateral Commission, CFR, Bilderberg, etc...
There's a good chance that you will become like them, which based on some of your comments, you may have already been infected. "our job is to use them"

I believe in the principle of:
Be not deceived...let no man deceive you
...but I also believe
Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

Don't let all your deep knowledge make you proud, so that you become like them.

You're talking more about power than truth. Truth can be relative, depending on the teller and their point of view. Remember that history is written by the victor. What's "good" and bad also changes with who is putting their thumb on the scales. The older I get, the more I realize that there are no moralistic absolutes in this world. That goes for the meaning of life as well.

 

[StrikingViper69]

You're talking more about power than truth. Truth can be relative, depending on the teller and their point of view. Remember that history is written by the victor. What's "good" and bad also changes with who is putting their thumb on the scales. The older I get, the more I realize that there are no moralistic absolutes in this world. That goes for the meaning of life as well.

What do you mean by "there are no moralistic absolutes in this world."? Can you give an example?

 

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[StrikingViper69]

Here's an example: Murder is bad and we punish that type of behavior by killing the killer -- unless it happens in war -- unless it happens in self-defense -- unless it happens by accident -- unless, unless, unless... Yes, we call it by different names depending on how the death happens -- but that person is dead by another person's hand, and that fact is not questioned. This is even though we condemn one person killing another as a moral absolute. My spouse sees just about everything in black and white. It's right or wrong. He loves you or hates you. You are lying or telling the truth. Conversely, my world is colored in shades of gray. I can see both sides of just about every question or issue. Maybe it's my legal training. (I learned to argue both sides of a lawsuit.) Maybe it's my difficult childhood where I learned to survive by my whit. Of course, it may be that I'm just that old these days. What are your thoughts?

I think the context of these examples is important. Murder, is wrong. If I go kill a dude because I'm bored, or because he looked at me weird, that is wrong.

Is killing someone in self defence wrong? Nope.

If a foreign army chooses to invade your country, and you take up arms against them, is that wrong? No.

This is an example where context is important, but that does not mean that morality is subjective. In the above 3 examples, a very clear case can be made as to why killing is right or wrong, depending on the context.

I think that trying to assign an absolute position on something, without knowing the context, is a logical fallacy.

 

[StrikingViper69]

It depends on not only the context of the act -- but also your pre-assumed position in the situation. What if it was your brother who was killed? Would you accept that killing was self-defense? Your other example -- the invading army and fending them off -- that's a us against them situation that justifies your position without fleshing it out.
I must draw a lot of lines in my life -- it's called boundaries. BUT, I am well aware that many times there are more than one right answers to most questions. Personally, I live a very conservative lifestyle -- because I've decided what is right and wrong for me in this moment and within my situation. As my life changes, I change my rules to bring them in line with my evolution. (No, my rules never include giving myself permission to murder anyone.) But,I take nothing at face value as a moralistic absolute.

If my (hypothetical) brother was killed by someone he attacked... yes I would accept that as a just reason for his death. That doesn't mean I wouldn't be upset at his death, or that I would not experience grief at his loss; but it would be horrifically unjust to the victim (who was attacked), to view his death as immoral. Viewing his death as immoral, would then lead me to hate the person that killed him.

Now, that innocent person, who has already been attacked, now has a second injustice of having to fear me as a second potential threat to his life.

 

[WJK]

If my (hypothetical) brother was killed by someone he attacked... yes I would accept that as a just reason for his death. That doesn't mean I wouldn't be upset at his death, or that I would not experience grief at his loss; but it would be horrifically unjust to the victim (who was attacked), to view his death as immoral. Viewing his death as immoral, would then lead me to hate the person that killed him.

Now, that innocent person, who has already been attacked, now has a second injustice of having to fear me as a second potential threat to his life.

It's sure something to ponder...

 

[WJK]

@WJK my response was really meant for guy93777 and the context in which he used the word "truth" and I believe that he clearly knows what I'm talking about.

He was referring to a specific knowing of information that many others do not know or that they have been misled to believe something that is not "true" (a lie). He then was taking the position that by having this special knowledge it makes him superior and entitled to take advantage of those that do not have this knowledge ("truth"). I was simply trying to caution him that this is a weak moral position and that he was actually becoming like those that he's against.

Hopefully, that makes sense.

I'm not exactly sure what you mean by "moralistic absolutes", which I think @SamRussell was trying to clarify with you also.

I think trying to define "truth" with words can be like trying to explain sunshine to a blind person.
But, for those that see it...words aren't needed.

Would you agree that the proverbial "golden rule" would be a good basis for a personal moral code?
"Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you."

If so, what would that look like? I think the world, as we know it, would be transformed if it was practiced by the majority.
If you don't agree with that, what would you suggest as a basis for a moral code?

I have a very strong personal moral code. I live my belief system which includes the Golden Rule. But, I've learned over the years that what I consider to be the "truth" is not universal. I think you're right. The "truth" is hard to define depending on who you are talking to. I also believed that if you talk to a group of people, they won't individually see it the same way. It's amazing how many different answers you glean if you take a poll.

 

[Eduardo C. Duque]

Not a business question, so posting in Off topic. But I know this forum is filled with insightful people.

Money is modern day survival. The passageway from childhood to adulthood is being able to survive on your own. Earning money becomes your purpose when you don't have enough to sustain yourself.

What is the point of life when you have enough money to sustain yourself?

The usual reply is "just do what makes you happy"

But what is happiness exactly?

All I understand is our brains have one goal in mind: to reproduce. When we are doing actions that are inline and satisfy that, our brain creates happy chemicals to tell us "Good job keeping doing this!"

So is the point just to follow our egos and primal desires as closely as possible?

I don't mean to ask this to try and sound smart or create some debate or something. Ive genuinely been stuck and lost for the past few years as to what life is all about. Or if it is really nothing with no meaning. We happen to exist up until this point and so you just make what you want of it, but at the barebones its to have the most optimum and prolonged survival.

I recommend you Viktor Frankl's works.

 

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[LuckyPup]

Perhaps this is one reason why yoga instructors are the among least likely people ever to experience spiritual bliss.

Really? I don't doubt you, but can this claim be supported by data? Just curious.

 

[Athena]

We are spiritual beings experiencing being human. Our purpose on earth is to EVOLVE.

 

[Xeon]

Okay, so who's the dude with all the babes?

Dan Bilzeran. Check out his IG.

 

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[Breeze_Interface]

To respond to the question what's the point of life you may or may not have taken the route of exploring what different religions have to say. This a common thing to do either you go the atheist/agnostic/ finding your own meaning route or the religious route.

If you intended on actually doing serious research on different religions, one that I don't see commonly cited is Islam.

Islam may have a bar rep because of terrorists coverage in the media and the current state of the middle east but I think it would be nice to look at what the religion says exactly.

If I could summarize the main points of this religion it would be this:

Islamic definition of God: Transcendant entity that created this world. God doesn't not ressemble God's creations. Therefore in Islam God's form is unknown. There is no representation of God as being an old men with a beard. You probably noticed that I redundantly used God instead of He/She/It because in Islam God transcends gender (i.e: God is not male, female , an object).

What you're here for as a human: In islam you're in this world to be tested. Both by good things happening to you and bad things. You win the tests by continuing the struggle of being morally good.

What is morality?: Morality is defined by God. You can find what is moral and not and mostly in the Quran. Which I would encourage you to read.

What happen if I pass the test?: You get resurrected and enjoy a place in paradise forever because of the struggling you did on earth to stay on the right path despite the overwhelming adversity. You also get good things happening to you in this world. You attain success both in this world and in the next despite the suffering you might have in this world.

What happen if you don't pass the test?: You will get resurrected and will be tortured forever in hell as a punshiment. There is no sugar coating when it comes to this. You don't pass the test by A.) Denying Islam B.) Worshipping other than God C.) Worshipping your ego and desires and following them without constraint.

The concept of repentence & forgiveness : In Islam, God is forgiving and merciful that is why that if you sincerely repent and reform yourself from a sin you will not get punished. On the other hand if you are rebellious to God you might not be punished now but your punishment is delayed until your death. Which gives you a change to come back from your rebellion to submission.

The concept of relying on God & asking help: In islam, there is this concept of asking God to help you pass the test and other challenges in your life. You do the efforts and God provides the results when God see fits. Relying on God to provide for you and asking help takes serious realization that you're imperfect and weak this brings ultimately the concept of submisson to God.

The concept of submission to God: Muslims who have accepted the message submit to what God wants despite their own desires. The excuses of inacting a desire solely because it's natural is not a valid excuses in Islam because that's exactly what you're being tested on. Will you follow your own whims or not? Will you resist? However to most human desires there is a lawful alternative proposed by God.

(i.e: You're allowed to marry and not marrying is not seen as a superiority in faith in Islam. Imams usually marry and have children and wives.)

(i.e.2: For earning a living, commerce is allowed interest is not)



What are the prophets and the Quran for?: The Quran is the guidebook on what to do to win the test. The prophets were sent to deliver the message to humanity through revelation. Jonas, Jesus, Moses, Joseph, Abraham, Ismael, etc... are all accepted prophets in Islam.

Why Islam exists in the first place if it recognizes Jesus?:
In islam Jesus is a prophet and God doesn't have a son. (Islam is pure monotheistic religion) Secondly, Islam is meant as the final religion. The premise is that all the prophets that were send before had their books corrupted with innovations being added after them. God in Islam will take care of protecting the words of the Quran from any innovation later on. The last prophet is Muhammad (p.b.s.l) who was revealed the Quran gradually over 23 years oral transmission. There is an incredibly strong oral tradition in Islam. Recitation is a big part of the faith. Despite the many varying styles in recitation the same words are being pronounced.

(i.e recitation 1 vs recitation 2 vs recitation 3 )

The concept of "God doesn't need you, you need God": It is made very clear that God doesn't need your worshipping so If you decided to not believe it wouldn't reduce God in anyway.

The concept of Leave it or take it: Because of what I just wrote above Islam is a religion where you aren't coerced into believing. You decide to either leave it or take it. If you think it's not the truth than no problem live your life as you see fit but you'll still pay the consequences if the threat of hellfire happened to be true.

If you want to know more about the Islamic religion I would suggest that you read the Quran itself: a translation is not the Qur’an itself, but only an interpretation of it. I've linked to a translation so that english speakers can understand roughly what it says.

 

[Fastlane Liam]

"Money is the only thing that matters because it is the only thing that people count and measure you by"

I actually kind of love this because I feel like its true, everyone is judged upon how wealthy they are. Its like a universal measuring stick.

Looked it up, quote is by Warren Buffet