Comments on: What respite? http://quietwatercourse.co.uk/2006/12/27/what-respite/ Buddhism, Taoism, Technology and whatever else comes my way... Thu, 28 Aug 2008 19:51:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Lewis http://quietwatercourse.co.uk/2006/12/27/what-respite/#comment-128 Lewis Sat, 30 Dec 2006 14:53:49 +0000 http://quietwatercourse.co.uk/2006/12/27/what-respite/#comment-128 There's plenty of ideas about living doing one's calling... the idea that each of us has within us some special gift, one thing that pleases our spirit.... of course, time changes, so this may or may not be something fixed throughout a lifetime. Whether there is truth in the idea I am not sure, but the upshot of it is that if we think about these things we might decide to embrace more of our potential than we would otherwise, asking more of life and so giving more as well. Any experience brings with it learning which can be used at a later stage, so I don't see being something other than what we might have been as necessarily a bad thing - I may never treat people professionally [I'm learning holistic massage at the moment, and I have done a short, though unaccredited course on reflexology - fascinating stuff!], but the things that I am learning about the body and myself and my relation to people and healing are immeasurably valuable regardless of the final outcome. Tao speaks of balance - one must have a life outside of work, but one must also remember that work is a part of life. There’s plenty of ideas about living doing one’s calling… the idea that each of us has within us some special gift, one thing that pleases our spirit…. of course, time changes, so this may or may not be something fixed throughout a lifetime. Whether there is truth in the idea I am not sure, but the upshot of it is that if we think about these things we might decide to embrace more of our potential than we would otherwise, asking more of life and so giving more as well.

Any experience brings with it learning which can be used at a later stage, so I don’t see being something other than what we might have been as necessarily a bad thing - I may never treat people professionally [I'm learning holistic massage at the moment, and I have done a short, though unaccredited course on reflexology - fascinating stuff!], but the things that I am learning about the body and myself and my relation to people and healing are immeasurably valuable regardless of the final outcome.

Tao speaks of balance - one must have a life outside of work, but one must also remember that work is a part of life.

]]> By: rtbarker http://quietwatercourse.co.uk/2006/12/27/what-respite/#comment-127 rtbarker Fri, 29 Dec 2006 12:58:05 +0000 http://quietwatercourse.co.uk/2006/12/27/what-respite/#comment-127 I never have liked the idea of someone's work being their life. In some ways, I regret getting a job in IT, as computers were a hobby for me before they were a career, so in a way I spoiled a good hobby. For me, quite a few of my dreams lie outside of work. The idea of a life's work, a calling, sounds similar to the idea of doing your "True Will" in Thelema. Just recently, I've been having a nagging feeling that mine probably isn't IT Support. My ex always seems to think I have healing hands, and that maybe I should have been a teacher or a counsellor, food for thought certainly! You know, I almost took up Reflexology? I might revisit the idea. I never have liked the idea of someone’s work being their life. In some ways, I regret getting a job in IT, as computers were a hobby for me before they were a career, so in a way I spoiled a good hobby. For me, quite a few of my dreams lie outside of work.

The idea of a life’s work, a calling, sounds similar to the idea of doing your “True Will” in Thelema. Just recently, I’ve been having a nagging feeling that mine probably isn’t IT Support. My ex always seems to think I have healing hands, and that maybe I should have been a teacher or a counsellor, food for thought certainly!

You know, I almost took up Reflexology? I might revisit the idea.

]]> By: Lewis http://quietwatercourse.co.uk/2006/12/27/what-respite/#comment-126 Lewis Thu, 28 Dec 2006 11:14:01 +0000 http://quietwatercourse.co.uk/2006/12/27/what-respite/#comment-126 Quite so, it shows an imbalance in the way the majority of people approach life - and we're already seeing the kinds of consequence of not making enough introspection time. We often use the word "living", as in earning a living or "what do you do for a living?" For many, life has become their work, in the sense that it takes up most of their time and energy leaving them little time for a "real" life. Of course, duality being as it is, there's another side to that coin - we can talk about someone's "life's work", where perhaps the benefit of doing that work is a true service: be it in healing, art, or simply mastery of a skill or craft. Then work can be viewed with deeper purpose, and need not be separated from the rest of one's life. Does this mean then, that it merely boils down to attitude? Something easily in our grasp to change where necessary? Quite so, it shows an imbalance in the way the majority of people approach life - and we’re already seeing the kinds of consequence of not making enough introspection time. We often use the word “living”, as in earning a living or “what do you do for a living?” For many, life has become their work, in the sense that it takes up most of their time and energy leaving them little time for a “real” life. Of course, duality being as it is, there’s another side to that coin - we can talk about someone’s “life’s work”, where perhaps the benefit of doing that work is a true service: be it in healing, art, or simply mastery of a skill or craft. Then work can be viewed with deeper purpose, and need not be separated from the rest of one’s life.

Does this mean then, that it merely boils down to attitude? Something easily in our grasp to change where necessary?

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