The Wisdom of Selfishness

[Robban]

Lest we forget, looking deeper we have a loving inclination that leads us to do more in the way of good actions and deeds than the hurtful ones. Acid does not flow through our veins.

Blood flows through our veins pumped by the pumpstation
on the left side of the heart,
That is the animal soul,
the Godly soul resides in the right side,

When the Godly soul is awakened and starts to reach out to it,s source, the animal soul goes on the offensive,
there will be a conflict.

 

[dlamberth]

Blood flows through our veins pumped by the pumpstation
on the left side of the heart,
That is the animal soul,
the Godly soul resides in the right side,

When the Godly soul is awakened and starts to reach out to it,s source, the animal soul goes on the offensive,
there will be a conflict.

I have a different understanding that goes like this. All souls are an activity of God. And being an activity of God, all souls are love, light, joyful, happy and full of the creative energy of God. And when we live from our soul, we also are love, light, joyful, happy and full of creative energy. It's when our ego mind kicks in and takes over that we lose sight of all those good things that our soul brings to the table.

 

[Robban]

I have a different understanding that goes like this. All souls are an activity of God. And being an activity of God, all souls are love, light, joyful, happy and full of the creative energy of God. And when we live from our soul, we also are love, light, joyful, happy and full of creative energy. It's when our ego mind kicks in and takes over that we lose sight of all those good things that our soul brings to the table.

The Chassidic Masters speak of two distinct souls that vitalize the human being:
A "animal soul" and a "G-dly soul".

The animal soul is driven by the quest for self-preservation
and self enhancement;
in this, it resembles the soul and self of all other Creations.


But,
we also possess a "G-dly soul"-a soul driven by the desire to reconnect with its source.

Our lives are the story of the contest and interplay between these two souls.

 

[cloudyday2]

The Chassidic Masters speak of two distinct souls that vitalize the human being:
A "animal soul" and a "G-dly soul".

The animal soul is driven by the quest for self-preservation
and self enhancement;
in this, it resembles the soul and self of all other Creations.


But,
we also possess a "G-dly soul"-a soul driven by the desire to reconnect with its source.

Our lives are the story of the contest and interplay between these two souls.

IMO, humans should strive to be more like animals. My cat is content with a modest bowl of water and dry kibble every day. How many humans would be happy eating that way?

The problem with humans is not our "animal soul". There is something about human brains that want more, more, more. That's probably where the problem lies, and we should not blame that on our kinship with animals. IMO

 

[Robban]

IMO, humans should strive to be more like animals. My cat is content with a modest bowl of water and dry kibble every day. How many humans would be happy eating that way?

The problem with humans is not our "animal soul". There is something about human brains that want more, more, more. That's probably where the problem lies, and we should not blame that on our kinship with animals. IMO

Your cat does not like to play with mice?
Catch and torment

 

[cloudyday2]

Your cat does not like to play with mice?
Catch and torment

No the mice are his playmates. The death of the mouse is unintentional. In fact my cat seems to be very sad when it happens.

Compare that to human serial killers.

It's really odd that "animalistic" is used so negatively in most languages. It should be "humanistic" that is negative IMO.

 

[Robban]

No the mice are his playmates. The death of the mouse is unintentional. In fact my cat seems to be very sad when it happens.

Compare that to human serial killers.

It's really odd that "animalistic" is used so negatively in most languages. It should be "humanistic" that is negative IMO.

Agree,
animals do what they do because,
that,s what animals do.

Man should not try to copy animals,

"Be not like a horse,
like a mule,
senseless,
that must muzzled with a bit and bridle when being adorned,
so that it not come near you."
(Psalms)

 

[grasping the after wind]

Better that the wind just doesn't effect them. That's probably how I should have phrased it.



i would make sure that that is actually your goal, and not a goal pushed onto you by others. altruism, while noble, is not always a person's true path. if it turns out to be your goal, then you will need little advice from others as the path will be clear...if it's your true goal.

The path to loving God is perhaps somewhat less difficult to determine but loving one's neighbor is not so clear as all that. Two people with that exact goal may decide upon two contradictory ways of achieving it and it is not ever certain which one is correct or even if either is correct. Asking the neighbor in question may often turn out to have been a bad idea.

 

[dlamberth]

Agree,
animals do what they do because,
that,s what animals do.

Man should not try to copy animals,

I learn a lot from nature which includes animals. I've found that this Creation is the ONLY sacred manuscript directly written by the hand of God. Animals are an activity of God. So I pay attention and learn from what God has Created. Sometimes even copying animals in the things they do.

 

[Robban]

I learn a lot from nature which includes animals. I've found that this Creation is the ONLY sacred manuscript directly written by the hand of God. Animals are an activity of God. So I pay attention and learn from what God has Created. Sometimes even copying animals in the things they do.

I saw a moose this evening munching away in a field,
and a hare that narrowly escaped being crushed by the buss I was on.

 

[dlamberth]

I saw a moose this evening munching away in a field,
and a hare that narrowly escaped being crushed by the buss I was on.

A moose...how cool is that?!? I've never seen a moose in the wild.

 

[Robban]

A moose...how cool is that?!? I've never seen a moose in the wild.

Not so far from a shopping centre no less,
I like nature too,

But it can be disturbing, like once I heard a screaming from outside, went to look and there were some magpies pecking at a baby hare.

But nature and the animal World are often used in parables,

we have nature all around us, so it is easy to relate to.