Discipline and Transformation
August,
You said: “When a thirsty man drinks he transforms his condition. When a poor man hits the lottery he transforms his circumstances. And when Mr. Scrooge wakes up on Christmas morning an utterly new man he has experienced a transformation of being.” Do you think most people really seek a transformation of being – which requires deep spiritual awareness, a wide open mind and discipline? Or do most people seek “quicker fixes,” changes at the condition and circumstance levels? Given the ego dominance we witness on a daily basis, it seems a majority of people seek some form of change/transformation without really understanding what it means to transform “being.” I suspect this is where you can really help a lot of people with your work. I applaud you! Cheers.
John
John,
Thanks so much. Kierkegaard said all he wanted was a “reader.” I think I have mine in you. I think everyone LONGS for a transformation of being. Very few seek it. Seeking implies:
- Realizing that a transformation of being is both what you want and is possible. This is a “call” or “vocation.”
- Being willing to undertake “discipline” to bring about what you refer to as a “wide open mind.”
- A commitment to make a transformation of being a priority.
- Eternal vigilance because the temptation to try to find a transformation of being through a change of condition or circumstances is so strong and so habitual.
The “discipline” you refer to is so important. Aristotle said “we are what we repeatedly do. Excellence is then not a choice but a habit.” Discipline or what the monks call “formation” is the WILL to transform.
The reason it is so hard is we must change our habits.
Most people, though they long for a transformation of being, don’t realize it and so they stay mired in transformations of condition and/or circumstance. They end up bitter and disappointed and they don’t really know why so they lash out at proximate frustrations rather than the real reason.
That is further compounded by the vast amount of “false teaching” out there. Even when we do decide a spiritual solution is the only solution all too often there is somebody pushing some “quick fix” methodology for bringing it about without work or “discipline.”
Joseph Campbell points out that every authentic path MUST go through the wilderness or desert stage. But we continually sucker in for those who offer us a way to skip that stage. We go for these gimmicks even though we watch hundreds of movies and in every one the “hero” has to go through hell to get to heaven. And if the hero did not we wouldn’t go to the movie!
Thanks again,
August Turak
Download a PDF Version of this Post
