This article is the second piece in what will be a very extensive series. To see the introductory article, click here.
East-West Dilemma
A gaping divide exists between 'Eastern' and 'Western' philosophies. Eastern philosophy emphasizes presence and meditation as the only true path to happiness. Happiness comes from the acceptance of the present moment, and being alert and engaged with it. Happiness comes from trained synaptic pathways in the brain that grow stronger with regular usage. Western philosophy on the other hand, emphasizes delayed gratification. Sacrificing the now for rewards that come later. Happiness comes from accomplishment. It comes from leaving glorious legacies that will live on long after you die. Historically, Western philosophy won out over Eastern philosophy, as human progress tended to be built upon the sacrifices of men and women who toiled to push the marker of progress forward, inch by inch. And so, owing to their efforts, we live in the most prosperous global society in human history, and yet, the happiness that our ancestors sacrificed their lives for and hoped for the future generations, still manages to elude us.
The Parable of the Monk and the Businessman
Eastern philosophy is like the Monk that meditates in a cave all his life, in a constant state of happiness, but if he left the present moment at any point and gave some thought to his existence, he would realize he was wasting his life. Western philosophy is like the Businessman that constantly chases milestone after milestone, in search of happiness, but never finds it, holding on to the promise that if he could only just achieve a little bit more, he would be happy. The worst thing that could happen to the Businessman would be for him to achieve everything he could want out of life, only to realize that he trained his brain to look to the future for happiness, and that without anything else left to achieve, the only thing left to look forward to is the promise of an end to misery by the cold steel bullet from the mouth of a loaded gun.
Dissonance
The collective consciousness of the modern world is torn between these two philosophies, unable to find harmony between the two. The Western ideal of sacrifice and milestone-hunting was never intended by its truest advocates and proponents as a path to happiness, but was in fact, the rejection of the need for circumstances associated with happiness in favor of a path in service of a greater purpose. Somewhere along the way, this path that was never intended as a means to happiness was gradually accepted as the only way for a person to achieve happiness. And so, modern society has us pursuing a goal disjointed from the method that it tells us we need to use to achieve that goal, perpetuating our misery, profiting off our overused synaptic pathways linked to the feeling of misery, having us "chasing cars and clothes, working jobs we hate so we can buy shit we don't need", as Tyler Durden says.
Begin With Presence
The truth is that happiness and work ethic don't have to be antithetical to each other. They can co-exist, and more than that, they can support each other synergistically. However - and pay attention to this - starting with presence is key for the synergistic partnership between happiness and work ethic. When you meditate, you train your mind to focus on, and be more present to the moment. By being more present, you stop comparing the moment to the past or the future, and you become naturally happy. However, the happiness that comes from being present isn't a reactive happiness that occurs in response to any event or circumstance, but a clean happiness that stays with you despite any external influence. Being present also makes you less distracted and more focused on any task you are currently working on, and by being fully alert and engaged with your task, you will find it much less tiring to do, more enjoyable, and you will produce higher quality work and in less time. You can move towards a deeper level of presence in your life by meditating regularly. However, being present during meditation and being present in the face of a barrage of external influences during the day are similar, but different things. The goal is not just being happy and focused during meditation, but carrying that heightened state of mind wherever you go.
What to Expect Next
Throughout this series, filler articles on meditation and mindfulness techniques and tips, both conventional and unconventional will be slotted in between the main articles to help you out. Part 2 of this segment of the series will delve further into how being present will transform you into a social leader- an Alpha Wolf.
Stay tuned Wolf Nation!