Is all this necessary?

Originally Posted by H:O:R:A:C:E

Something troubles me with this thought. Imagine being on a raft, drifting down the stream. Blissful ignorance allows me to be "in harmony" and "go with the flow". But where am I going? Isn't there the possible danger of rapids ahead? Awareness of process seems important to peace of mind.

Yes awareness/being mindful is important and can go hand in hand with acceptance. There is no inconsistency here. I think maybe you are deducing that acceptance would have to mean total passivity.

We are not robots but can adapt/adjust to what life sends us if we so choose (e.g. using an oar on that raft). Should we encounter problems there is something to be said for learning from situations rather than not facing up to what can be learnt (perhaps a missed opportunity?) and just wishing/manifesting ourselves a better reality. That seems a bit like taking a fast plane that flies over the reality of what's going on down on the ground (socially, physically, emotionally etc) that we may have learnt more from.

Ah well, lots of people prefer the scenic routes in life - it's squaring it with our spirituality/conscience (if we see ourselves as spiritual) that can be the issue with that.

[Xan]

Yes... Accepting does not mean being passive to what's around us, as we also accept our own feelings and urges to act. In fact, self-acceptance has a great deal to do with being able to receive the natural flow that is given.


Xan

[norseman]

And the priestess spoke again and said: "Speak to us of Reason and Passion."
And he answered saying:
Your soul is oftentimes a battlefield, upon which your reason and your judgment wage war against passion and your appetite.
Would that I could be the peacemaker in your soul, that I might turn the discord and the rivalry of your elements into oneness and melody.
But how shall I, unless you yourselves be also the peacemakers, nay, the lovers of all your elements?
Your reason and your passion are the rudder and the sails of your seafaring soul.
If either your sails or our rudder be broken, you can but toss and drift, or else be held at a standstill in mid-seas.
For reason, ruling alone, is a force confining; and passion, unattended, is a flame that burns to its own destruction.
Therefore let your soul exalt your reason to the height of passion; that it may sing;
And let it direct your passion with reason, that your passion may live through its own daily resurrection, and like the phoenix rise above its own ashes.
I would have you consider your judgment and your appetite even as you would two loved guests in your house.
Surely you would not honour one guest above the other; for he who is more mindful of one loses the love and the faith of both.
Among the hills, when you sit in the cool shade of the white poplars, sharing the peace and serenity of distant fields and meadows - then let your heart say in silence, "God rests in reason."
And when the storm comes, and the mighty wind shakes the forest, and thunder and lightning proclaim the majesty of the sky, - then let your heart say in awe, "God moves in passion."
And since you are a breath In God's sphere, and a leaf in God's forest, you too should rest in reason and move in passion.

Kahlil Gibran

[Nameless]

Norseman~Quite stunning and very moving.

couldn't we just keep it simple....the law of attraction is simply having a glorified wish list......wants and needs are two different things......and wanting or wishing doesn't bring a thing except disappointment in most cases..........

I hear you Juanita.

I was wondering though, If desire is an extension of , a branch of need.

I think we misuse the word need. We need the basics like air, food, water, shelter, warmth. We can convince ourselves that we need other worldly things when they are actually desires.

[Dragonfly1]

Going with the flow....not wanting.......ive read these words a few times in this thread.....all written on a computer......was that computer a want or a need?.....and was it going with the flow when purchasing that computer and was it want or need when the internet service was purchased to communicate via the net?......why not just exist without any luxury...anything that isn't just basic form of shelter, or basic food, is a luxury.......so either you are just going to go with the flow, and not have anything electronic...hell electricity for that matter.......a car a supermarket to buy your food.....if you don't have a job, then don't rely on the government for a cash hand out.....grow your own food.....light a fire to cook it......and keep warm the best you can....because a bed is a want too, isn't it?.......everything we have has been a want at some stage......its natural to want stuff......even if you pretend you don't want to live with luxury.....take a look around you, .....do you live in a house, do you have furnishings, clothing...electric kettles, frying pans.....fans, aircons, digital tv's, telephones, mobile phones........the list goes on........photo frames? pictures on the walls? ornaments....all totally unnecessary, but we have them because we want them......how about art products, paints, canvas, pencils paint brushes etc etc etc..... any specific colour, or particular type of clothing.......not necessary but a 'want'......we all do it.......no one is excempt on this forum.....otherwise you wouldn't be on here writing on your computer using your internet......its because you want to....not because you need to........so basically to me, anyone that says they don't want any more stuff as life goes on, are big fat fibbers..........there are very few in my view that don't want more stuff, even if they have plenty already......

[Gem]

Originally Posted by Neville

I hear you Juanita.

I was wondering though, If desire is an extension of , a branch of need.

Brilliant OP.

I keep thinking of that movie Samsara. "Is it better to overcome a thousand desires or satisfy just one?"

In the tradition I was in, at the ashram, desire is a tricky business. People know that desire is there and are taught it is suffering. I don't disagree with that, but I noticed that the devotees have a huge desire to overcome desire. They crave nirvana.

I didn't really go in for the doctrine as such, I just thought it was Eastern philosophy.

My beleif is that desire is there and there's nothing to be done. If someone wants something then thay can't not want it... just coz they want to, see the catch? One can not choose to not want... see the contradiction there?

Originally Posted by Dragonfly1

Going with the flow....not wanting.......ive read these words a few times in this thread.....all written on a computer......was that computer a want or a need?.....and was it going with the flow when purchasing that computer and was it want or need when the internet service was purchased to communicate via the net?......why not just exist without any luxury...anything that isn't just basic form of shelter, or basic food, is a luxury.......so either you are just going to go with the flow, and not have anything electronic...hell electricity for that matter.......a car a supermarket to buy your food.....if you don't have a job, then don't rely on the government for a cash hand out.....grow your own food.....light a fire to cook it......and keep warm the best you can....because a bed is a want too, isn't it?.......everything we have has been a want at some stage......its natural to want stuff......even if you pretend you don't want to live with luxury.....take a look around you, .....do you live in a house, do you have furnishings, clothing...electric kettles, frying pans.....fans, aircons, digital tv's, telephones, mobile phones........the list goes on........photo frames? pictures on the walls? ornaments....all totally unnecessary, but we have them because we want them......how about art products, paints, canvas, pencils paint brushes etc etc etc..... any specific colour, or particular type of clothing.......not necessary but a 'want'......we all do it.......no one is excempt on this forum.....otherwise you wouldn't be on here writing on your computer using your internet......its because you want to....not because you need to........so basically to me, anyone that says they don't want any more stuff as life goes on, are big fat fibbers..........there are very few in my view that don't want more stuff, even if they have plenty already......

Of course it's natural to want stuff. I was making the distinction between NEED and want...but you clearly missed this point.