Observing Your Passion Level 4
The word passion comes from the Greek word pathos. Pathos refers to suffering. When debating had three different methods to prove their point. One is logos which means word. You would use a lot of words to overwhelm your opponent. Another one is ethos which means ethics or fair treatment of others. Then we have pathos, where you would point out that your opponent's argument would bring out lots of suffering. A doctor who researches pain and suffering is called a pathologist.
As we have learned, your passion is what you are willing to suffer or endure pain to achieve. When you are suffering with others or you understand their suffering then you become compassionate. Suffering is an integral component of being human. Dostoyevsky wrote several words on The Human Condition where he noticed that human beings seem to enjoy ways to seek out suffering. Even the Buddha in his Four Noble Truths takes into account the suffering of human beings. The First Noble Truth says that suffering is an integral part of being human and that it is everywhere. The Second Noble Truth seeks to identify what causes suffering. The Third Noble Truth is the elimination of the graspings, clingings, and cravings. The Fourth Noble Truth examines the way of life that eliminates suffering.
We can understand that suffering is integral to our lives. In order to embrace your passion, you will need to take a different paradigm or point of view towards the suffering. At times in order to follow your passion you may need to live in a sparse environment with limited food, clothing, and shelter. Other people viewing your condition in life may think you must really be suffering when in fact you are living your dreams. You may look at them with their bills, mindless jobs, and domineering bosses, and see they must really be suffering.
This act of suffering is really a point of view. When in reality each and every one of us has our own passion. We have different things that are important to us and other things that we are willing to go without. When you are mostly concerned about your personal comfort and this takes a dominant portion of your energy then your passion becomes obsessing over comfort. At times in order to be comfortable we have to give up things that others feel are important. This is called self-sacrifice. The person making the sacrifice feels no loss as what they are giving up has little or no importance to them.
Our society today is heavily sunk in The Human Condition, constantly trying to establish itself as being more important by a demonstration of material possessions. The Buddha referred to this as grasping and clinging. Just as a baby in a crib may grasp and cling to trinkets and cry when they are removed, we can do the same thing. Many people when talking about hitting rock bottom, talk about losing their home, their car, and their TV. All of these things can be quite enjoyable, but are they your passion?
In order to eliminate this suffering which is forced upon us we will need a different view of the world. If it is food, sex and fear that drive our passion then our passion is residing in our Lizard Brain. All three of these things are important to us, though when they dominate our lives, they will also destroy us. In this state of mind where you are constantly never having enough or your are threatened by having too much will always create suffering in your life. You can die from lack of food and too much food can also kill you. You can die from a lack of water, yet too much water can also cause you to drown.
Balance is very important in understanding the Four Noble Truths. Once you have discovered your passion and focused your energy and effort on this passion, then the abundance in the world will surround you with your basic needs. You will not become fearful if an apple is taken away from you. “Hey, that’s my apple!” When you approach Nirvana you will be able to let go of these insignificant things. By letting go of useless objects and mindsets you will open yourself up for time and energy for your passions in life.
Let’s make a list of the things that are stopping us from moving forward toward our passions. Which one of these can you eliminate? Which one of these can you lessen its importance?
If your house payment is keeping you from following your passion can you sell it and acquire a smaller loan? If the maintenance on your large home is consuming your time can you get a smaller home with fewer nick-nacks to clean?
Do friends and family consume your time by asking you to run errands for them that they can do on their own? Do you drive your kids all over creation taking them to schools, plays, and games just so that they can keep up with other children? Are these activities really important to the kids? Or are they just something that they do to fit in? Do you feel compelled to eat out at restaurants every night which are very expensive and consume a lot of time? None of these activities are bad in themselves, but are they robbing precious time that you could be spending on your passion?
We all need a break and a diversion on occasion. We all need a safe place to go where we can get out of the elements and a restful sleep.
Take this list that you have made up and discuss which things you could eliminate; with your family, your friends, and your tribe. The more that you can free yourself from this grasping and clinging whether this is material objects, or emotional memes, you to have more time and energy to devote to things that are really important to you. In the comments below, please list some examples of what you have had success eliminating in order to achieve your goal.
Some people gave up food and comfort in order to have good health. Some people gave up fear and prejudice to gain love, kindness, and respect. What are you willing to give up?