The path to Tranquility (spring)
19. Doing things willingly
Doing things willingly is a positive attitude that represents our love for life. With this attitude, not only will we feel energetic, but we will also have a lot of joy in the process of doing things. This joy is better than the feeling of success. It remains long in our memory, calms us, and nourishes our reason and consciousness.
If we can choose freely, we will do things willingly and be more focused. For example, when singing, if we can sing when we want to and stop when we don't want to, we will be more willing to sing. It feels good to sing like this because we can sing without any worries. Another example is walking. If we become aware of the need to walk or sit and then follow this consciousness, we will also feel relaxed and at ease.
However, in life, we are often forced to do things we don't like, even if we are not sure whether there are benefits. For example, we eat some so-called healthy foods despite not liking them. Doing something against our will shows that we are not free in our hearts and are always forced by fear or driven by desire.
This causes our body and mind to separate into two parts that conflict with each other and create negative emotions. Moreover, under the interference of negative emotions, our actions will become more chaotic, causing a lot of trouble and regret due to mistakes. These feelings can also bias our consciousness, further deepening our inner shortcomings.
If we were severely disciplined when we were young and were used to doing things against our will, we are likely to be in a state of physical and mental separation when we grow up. Therefore, we need to repair the relationship between mind and body so that it becomes consistent and whole again.
By looking within and thinking about our motivations, we can determine whether our actions are motivated by desire or need. Using reason, we can judge whether something can be done, whether we have the ability to do it, and then decide whether it should be done and how to do it. In this way, we can abandon past habits and no longer decide whether to do something based on our likes and dislikes.
Likes and dislikes are emotional operations, primitive tools used by the ego to guide our actions. It is conceivable that if we adopt this behavior pattern, we will face many dangers. Therefore, cultivating more awareness and freeing ourselves from the constraints of our ego is something we must do.
When consciousness controls the mind, actions will be directed by consciousness. We only like to do things that are beneficial to our lives. At this time, no matter what the outcome is, we will accept it without regrets. This is not only an important foundation for success, but also a source of happiness and satisfaction. Therefore, as long as we recognize our inner contradictions and understand the true meaning of life, we will do things willingly.
18. Transforming anger into creativity
20. Taking off the shell of the soul
