The golden rule. Do you live it?

reply to post by TRGreer


Hey, that's a cool experiment. Good luck. Gardening is fun, but only when you know your garden is just an imitation of nature, and you are always prepared to wake up the next morning and see it destroyed. It becomes not fun, though, when you grow attached to a set of expectations of what is supposed to happen and then the weather or soil turns out to be bad, or insects invade, or an animal comes and eats or digs up the garden. Then suffering and disappointment arise. So it is more the process of gardening and seeing what happens which is fun, then it is to actually set expectations for that garden and then break your back to try everything you can to nurture and protect it with a sense of desperation.

The same can he said about the self. It is fun to create a self, but only when you know that this self is not your real self and thus you can wake up the next morning and see it destroyed and not become sad. It becomes not fun, though, when you believe this self you have created is your real self and thus you grow completely dependent and attached to it. Then you are never truly satisfied with the results, and you become devastated when you feel this self does not meet your optimal expectations. "I must keep working at it", you say in desperation. But the wise man could care less if his 'self' is a failure or gets destroyed, "I enjoy working at it", is what this wise man says. So, again, it is more the process of creating a self and seeing what happens which is fun, then it is actually believing you are this 'self' and thus must build it to adequate specifications and then protect it with a sense of desperation. That is not fun, in fact, that is bondage to suffering.

Originally posted by LifeIsEnergy
reply to post by TRGreer

 

Hey, that's a cool experiment. Good luck. Gardening is fun, but only when you know your garden is just an imitation of nature, and you are always prepared to wake up the next morning and see it destroyed. It becomes not fun, though, when you grow attached to a set of expectations of what is supposed to happen and then the weather or soil turns out to be bad, or insects invade, or an animal comes and eats or digs up the garden. Then suffering and disappointment arise. So it is more the process of gardening and seeing what happens which is fun, then it is to actually set expectations for that garden and then break your back to try everything you can to nurture and protect it with a sense of desperation.

The same can he said about the self. It is fun to create a self, but only when you know that this self is not your real self and thus you can wake up the next morning and see it destroyed and not become sad. It becomes not fun, though, when you believe this self you have created is your real self and thus you grow completely dependent and attached to it. Then you are never truly satisfied with the results, and you become devastated when you feel this self does not meet your optimal expectations. "I must keep working at it", you say in desperation. But the wise man could care less if his 'self' is a failure or gets destroyed, "I enjoy working at it", is what this wise man says. So, again, it is more the process of creating a self and seeing what happens which is fun, then it is actually believing you are this 'self' and thus must build it to adequate specifications and then protect it with a sense of desperation. That is not fun, in fact, that is bondage to suffering.

That was eloquently spoken. Your point is well taken. Thank you so much for sharing this perspective with me. Sending out positivity to ya! Just wanted to add that its the process of the day to day workings.The punchline is ... That the stuff growing with weeds around it and no real cultivating like turning the soil. No real fertilizer which I don't use a lot of anyway is growing far better than the stuff that sweated for. Amazing! Sending positivity to ya!

Originally posted by TRGreer

"The way you treat yourself is the way you will treat 'others'
It has nothing to do with how 'others' treat you or have done to you. It is all about the relationship you have with yourself. You hate yourself, you will hate the world."


(((Again, I am right there with you on this but I also know that I am not even close to having it all down so to speak. I have to work everyday at being aware and understanding why I react the way I do in certain situations. I have to be aware of my faults and call myself on them daily. I am a work in progress and practice makes perfect so they say. ))))) Quote.


If you cannot accept yourself as you are then you will not beable to accept 'others'. If you are critical of yourself, you will be critical of 'others'. 'Unconditional' love. If you cannot love yourself without condition then you won't beable to treat 'others' kindly.

Originally posted by Itisnowagain

Originally posted by TRGreer

"The way you treat yourself is the way you will treat 'others'
It has nothing to do with how 'others' treat you or have done to you. It is all about the relationship you have with yourself. You hate yourself, you will hate the world."

edit on 18-6-2012 by Itisnowagain because: (no reason given)

(((Again, I am right there with you on this but I also know that I am not even close to having it all down so to speak. I have to work everyday at being aware and understanding why I react the way I do in certain situations. I have to be aware of my faults and call myself on them daily. I am a work in progress and practice makes perfect so they say. ))))) Quote.


If you cannot accept yourself as you are then you will not beable to accept 'others'. If you are critical of yourself, you will be critical of 'others'. 'Unconditional' love. If you cannot love yourself without condition then you won't beable to treat 'others' kindly.





I understand what you are saying but I don't feel like I am being critical of myself for working on my own short comings. We all have good and bad traits so to speak. I see nothing wrong with trying to understand my emotions and the circumstances that cause me to react less than desirable. I don't throw out emotions. I embrace them as parts of me but sometimes certain emotions such as anger are really not called for or needed in most circumstances. Maybe you are a bit further along the path than I am or maybe my belief system differs from yours. No matter really because I accept and respect your perspective and I have gleaned much wisdom from your beliefs. We don't have to agree on everything to work together. Sending you a positive vibe!

Originally posted by autowrench
reply to post by TRGreer

 

You forgot one:
Wicca:
As you harm none, do as thou wish. And we follow this rule to the letter at all times.

And coming from a slightly different angle:

You can't control the way people act. The best you can do is control the way you react to people.

Help ever, hurt never. YES.

Second...

To imply there is a golden rule is to imply there is an injustice based in desire and attachment.

Not to value and employ men of superior ability is the way to
keep the people from rivalry among themselves; not to prize articles
which are difficult to procure is the way to keep them from becoming
thieves; not to show them what is likely to excite their desires is
the way to keep their minds from disorder.

Therefore the sage, in the exercise of his government, empties
their minds, fills their bellies, weakens their wills, and strengthens
their bones.

He constantly (tries to) keep them without knowledge and without
desire, and where there are those who have knowledge, to keep them
from presuming to act (on it). When there is this abstinence from
action, good order is universal.

Certainly it is a good idea, too bad none of these systems of control that you mentioned practiced as they preached. For them I think it is more a "golden stream" than a golden rule. Avoid religions, they steal the focus of your consciousness directing it toward their agenda and not yours.

Originally posted by superluminal11
To imply there is a golden rule is to imply there is an injustice based in desire and attachment.

Not to value and employ men of superior ability is the way to
keep the people from rivalry among themselves; not to prize articles
which are difficult to procure is the way to keep them from becoming
thieves; not to show them what is likely to excite their desires is
the way to keep their minds from disorder.

Therefore the sage, in the exercise of his government, empties
their minds, fills their bellies, weakens their wills, and strengthens
their bones.

He constantly (tries to) keep them without knowledge and without
desire, and where there are those who have knowledge, to keep them
from presuming to act (on it). When there is this abstinence from
action, good order is universal.

Followed by:

"1. It is better to leave a vessel unfilled, than to attempt to carry it when it is full. If you keep feeling a point that has been sharpened, the point cannot long preserve its sharpness.

2. When gold and jade fill the hall, their possessor cannot keep them safe. When wealth and honours lead to arrogancy, this brings its evil on itself. When the work is done, and one's name is becoming distinguished, to withdraw into obscurity is the way of Heaven. "

- Lao-tzu

I'm a firm believer in the golden rule but there's some problems and I believe it's the only problem this planet has ever had. What I want for myself and others isn't what my neighbor wants.

For instance, I think the education, political, financial systems are all out to keep you down and my friend is quite the opposite. She's a happy consumer and loves her black fridays and credit cards. She insists that the problem is people and not the system and I think it's a little of both and a little more of the latter. Clearly we want/think different things. I would like nothing more than for her to stop being a sheep and she would like nothing more than for me to stop being a hippy.

So how can this work?

Originally posted by conspiracy88
I'm a firm believer in the golden rule but there's some problems and I believe it's the only problem this planet has ever had. What I want for myself and others isn't what my neighbor wants.

For instance, I think the education, political, financial systems are all out to keep you down and my friend is quite the opposite. She's a happy consumer and loves her black fridays and credit cards. She insists that the problem is people and not the system and I think it's a little of both and a little more of the latter. Clearly we want/think different things. I would like nothing more than for her to stop being a sheep and she would like nothing more than for me to stop being a hippy.

So how can this work?

The system is corrupted beyond repair. People are a problem when the feel they have no voice in a political system that is supposed to guarantee this right and many more. Our representatives in government are seduced by lobbyist and sell themselves for corporate money. Greed. I think the new phase or evolution of humanity is out growing detrimental concepts like greed. As for the golden rule. I think we all want to be loved. We all want to be respected. We all want to have access to knowledge that can help us. We don't have to conform or sacrifice individuality to live in peace. We may not agree on everything but I am sure there is plenty that we can agree on. Again most people live a lesser version of this rule everyday. Is it so bad to take the leap completely? Sending ya positive vibes!

Originally posted by HEYJOSE
Certainly it is a good idea, too bad none of these systems of control that you mentioned practiced as they preached. For them I think it is more a "golden stream" than a golden rule. Avoid religions, they steal the focus of your consciousness directing it toward their agenda and not yours.

The only "control" I am advocating here is self control. Sending you a positive vibe to ya!

Thanks for the thread OP.

I believe this was the main message of Jesus (and as you pointed out the main message in many other religions) that and the fact that our soul moves on when the physical shell ceases.

Unfortunately the message was co-opted by those with a simple desire for power and buried under the rest of the dogmatic clutter ever since.

The Golden Rule is not just about how you treat one another. As well as One should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself, One should also think of others as one would like others to think of oneself.

Just a shame so few people carry out the simplest of universal truths.