What is life?

[Xavier Perez-Pons]

According to the ancient sages of all religions, and even those who did not adhere to any religion (as the great sages of the Renaissance for example) or those who professed their religion in their own way (heterodox as John Scotus Erigena, Ibn Hazm or rabbi Josef Gikatiglia), life is something like a school where we are progressing by degrees (in general the ancient sages believed in reincarnation). Life after life we ​​are evolving spiritually. What sometimes involves painful lives, because suffering is the touchstone of spiritual progress. That's why we go down to this world. Because in our true home (where we are before we were born and where we returned after dying) there is no pain or suffering, and, as a medieval mystic said, "If you do not suffer, you do not grow." Suppose you are a selfish soul and that, in your current life, you keep all the money of an inheritance for yourself without sharing it with your poorest brothers. In your next life you will reincarnate in a beggar, because only by experiencing in yourself the pain of going hungry, will you learn the lesson of sharing. if in the spiritual world you come from you would have been given a “weekly class” about the importance of sharing, it would not have been the same: you would have easily forgotten that lesson (in the same way that I have forgotten the mathematics taught to me at school). However, after a life of deprivation, I assure you that the lesson will be well recorded.

Originally Posted by Xavier Perez-Pons

According to the ancient sages of all religions, and even those who did not adhere to any religion (as the great sages of the Renaissance for example) or those who professed their religion in their own way (heterodox as John Scotus Erigena, Ibn Hazm or rabbi Josef Gikatiglia), life is something like a school where we are progressing by degrees (in general the ancient sages believed in reincarnation). Life after life we ​​are evolving spiritually. What sometimes involves painful lives, because suffering is the touchstone of spiritual progress. That's why we go down to this world. Because in our true home (where we are before we were born and where we returned after dying) there is no pain or suffering, and, as a medieval mystic said, "If you do not suffer, you do not grow." Suppose you are a selfish soul and that, in your current life, you keep all the money of an inheritance for yourself without sharing it with your poorest brothers. In your next life you will reincarnate in a beggar, because only by experiencing in yourself the pain of going hungry, will you learn the lesson of sharing. if in the spiritual world you come from you would have been given a “weekly class” about the importance of sharing, it would not have been the same: you would have easily forgotten that lesson (in the same way that I have forgotten the mathematics taught to me at school). However, after a life of deprivation, I assure you that the lesson will be well recorded.

I agree with most of your post.Earth is a school and we are all at different stages of spiritual development.You base a lot of your post on Karma of which I am not so sure. Though If that is what you believe,fair enough.
I have had a reading and apparently I'm nearing my third phase of initiation having completed the first two successfully so I'm trying to be a good boy and not mess it up for my soul group

[Sunshine111]

Life is what one makes of it and it to be. It can be heaven or hell on earth, depends on your choices, actions and decisions as well as what you invite into your world(inner and outer) and life.

Until one learns that they are in charge and control of the world they created for themselves, be it real or unreal, a reality or an illusion , a lie or the truth, they will simply going round and round in circles, making the same mistakes all over again.

There are bad students in the same way, there good ones. Same goes for the teachers.

An experience that causes suffering to another and is ready to give up, may be experienced by another as a challenge and a blessing as well as be greatful for the experience.

What I mean to say is that is all relative, including the term "suffering"..

I really do not think that suffering has anything to do with another having been a bad person or did something wrong in their previous lives and now they "pay for it" and "get what they deserve to get in this life".

Life is the playground of unimaginable intelligence and creativity.

If I had the choice between existing alone in timeless and boundless silence or creating a phenomenal playground for the purpose of witnessing its grandeur play out and the power to make it so, I know what I would choose.

[ocean breeze]

I don't know. But i heard it was like a box of chocolates because you never know what you're going to get.

Originally Posted by ocean breeze

I don't know. But i heard it was like a box of chocolates because you never know what you're going to get.

It's not in the getting but in the receiving that determines whether one suffers or not.

[ocean breeze]

Originally Posted by JustASimpleGuy

It's not in the getting but in the receiving that determines whether one suffers or not.

What??? Just enjoy the chocolates regardless of what you get. Or receive for that matter.

Originally Posted by ocean breeze

What??? Just enjoy the chocolates regardless of what you get. Or receive for that matter.

Point being life deals both good and bad. Cling to either (craving and aversion) and suffering is guaranteed. Maintain equanimity regardless and there's no suffering. I'm speaking of emotional suffering because physical suffering will occur regardless. Eventually.

[ocean breeze]

Originally Posted by JustASimpleGuy

Point being life deals both good and bad. Cling to either (craving and aversion) and suffering is guaranteed. Maintain equanimity regardless and there's no suffering. I'm speaking of emotional suffering because physical suffering will occur regardless. Eventually.

Oh i see. You were talking about suffering and i was hoping to talk about deeper things like chocolates. I kid, i kid.

Originally Posted by ocean breeze

Oh i see. You were talking about suffering and i was hoping to talk about deeper things like chocolates. I kid, i kid.

LOL! I think we are talking about the same thing just using different phrasing and analogy.

Another way to state it is it's not what the world does that is the cause of our emotions but how we react to what the world does, especially when one bites into one of the chocolates and the filling is not at all agreeable with our taste buds.