June 24, 2008
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WCFQ 10a: The Purpose… to learn, to teach
Everyone must find a reason to exist… without it, life is rather boring. The only true purpose in life is to experience,
but each person must choose which experiences to take to heart. Some
people allow things to occur in their lives, while other people go out
and do things in the hope that certain things will occur. Some people choose fulfillment by doing things for their own gain, while others choose fulfillment by serving others.Finding one’s purpose is tantamount to finding what satisfies, and that is different for everyone. But finding what experiences stimulate the mind more than others is the key. Whether that lends itself to physical or cerebral pursuits dictates the kind of purpose a person will seek.
Some people never even realize they have a purpose, though they pursue it for their entire lives. The purpose of (my) life is the acquisition of new experiences, and to share what I learn with others. On a spiritual level, I feel that our only purpose in life is ultimately experiential. We exist to take our experiences back to “the afterlife” with us to aid in our spiritual evolution. While many people feel that living a “good life” entitles them to a “reward” in the after life, I feel that a life filled with experiences is what enriches our eventual spiritual existence. Call that a reward if you like. That you live a “good” life is just a way of polite coexistence with others who are also trying to gain experiences for spiritual enrichment in the next phase of being.This is also where the desire to serve oneself or others comes into play. Some people choose to return in order to help others enrich themselves. In the Buddhist traditions, these people are known as Bodhisattvas. They have reached a point in their spiritual evolution where they could choose not to return to our realm, but choose to do so in order to “teach” others. So while it is the purpose of some to learn from new experiences, it is the purpose of others to teach… which is something I always try to do with my posts.
June 24th
St. John’s Day, as an adaptation of the solstice festivals, was celebrated with bonfires on hilltops to commemorate the high point of the year.
Fors Fortuna, Lady Luck, had this as one of her holy days. This day was dedicated to her by King Servius Tullius who set aside a temple to Fors Fortuna beside the Tiber.
The Peruvian Incas once held a festival known as Inti Raymi in honor of the sun god. The future was divined from the entrails of a freshly killed llama. The Aztecs also honored the sun with a feast day.
Janet Farrer was born today.
Egyptian Festival of the Burning of the Lamps was held at Sais. This is the third great festival in Sais to Athena (Isis-Neith). In an under-chapel beneath the temple, lamps were carried in procession around the coffin of Osiris. It was by the power of light, symbolizing the life-giving power of the Moon, that Isis rekindled life in her dead husband.
Ishtar and Tammuz were honored today, as were Astarte, Aphrodite, Venus and Adonis.
In Scandinavia, the ceremonies normally associated with Beltaine or Whitsuntide take place at Midsummer. A Midsummer Bride is chosen and she selects for herself a Bridegroom. A collection is made for the pair who are looked upon as man and wife for the day.
Comments (6)
I am life that wants to live in the midst of life that wants to live is my tag line on my site.
I love working in environmental policy, i love celebrating people’s unions, i am going to begin presiding over memorial/funeral servicesClearly I love to serve goodness…flashback: about a day before one former now ex broke up with me, he told me I saved his life from the shadow side,he called me a bodhisattva-as much as it was a kiss off, it also felt like a kiss on the forehead.I love your posts
I really liked this post. Knowing one’s purpose in life is a true gift, I think.
I love visiting your classroom of life and information.
I’m reexamining Christianity as I understand (or choose to understand) it, and I find this explanation totally in line with how I think the religion should work. Not that your opinion and theirs need to agree – I just think this was an interesting question. Thanks!
Is one experience of more value than another?
@scifly - I think it only depends upon the level of experience a soul already possesses. If a soul has received all the experience it can by living for its own development, then the only step left is to either move on or return to teach. There’s nothing that stops a soul still in development from assisting others in their development as well, but for those who return expressly to assist others, there’s not much more that they can acquire by serving only their own needs.