Evolved Inspired

Evolved Inspired

Your story

The mind is everything. What we think, we become Buddha Today’s quote touches on both the power and the slipperiness of the mind. Our minds constantly create stories, backstories and predicted outcomes. These stories can work for us, or work against us. Ahead of a presentation does your mind predict a calm engaging smooth presentation or a nervous presentation to a crowd of haters? Both are true, but it is our mind that will create either a calm in-control mindset where you can deal with what arises or an anxious and panicky experience.

Nobler than Mick

Seeing a recent Tweet from Mick Jagger brought a smile to my face as I recall a great first introduction to The Four Noble Truths. Without the right understanding, Buddhism can be interpreted in a very negative and incapacitating way. Its worth remembering the story is Buddha achieved enlightenment and wanted to share the path, so a positive interpretation is good to hold. What are the Four Noble Truths? The Four Noble Truths are regarded as the first teachings from Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama) after his enlightenment.

Ego

Does ego work with us or against us? Friend or foe on our journey through life? Ego or something else? Being egotistical is often thrown outwards towards others. Often ego in that context is mistaken for outwards selfishness rather than being about true ego. Equally if someone goes about their business with certainty or confidence they can be mistaken for being ego-driven. It seems easy to wrongly categorise externals with the ego label.

Worse than anger?

Anger hurts, and anger hurts us back. What could possibly be a worse sentiment to carry than anger? You will not be punished for your anger, you will be punished by your anger – Buddha Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned – Buddha Anger hurts, there are few arguments to the contrary in either ancient or modern philosophy.

What about love?

Is love the most sought after and most misunderstood of human connection? Since the earliest of written word, poets, philosophers and writers have entangled themselves in the quest to capture the essence of love. Love has a wide range of interpretation and regard, from the true single purpose of life to the silly pastime of the young or weak-minded. Love has provoked the most horrific of revenge and the most endearing of self-sacrifice.

Embrace your Mortality

Ready to embrace mortality? The concept of death and mortality has likely created fear and confusion since the first Homo Sapiens walked the earth. As a species that kills for food with ease, we have a level of denial and discomfort of our own mortality. Early philosophy offers a freeing insight into how embracing the reality of our short stay can bring contentment to our life. Western society generally avoids active discussion on our own mortality.