Serendipity
Feb. 4th, 2002 08:12 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
deathpixieIt's odd, the way your life can be made up of coincidences.
I saw a program last night on TV, part of the ABC's Compass series (semi-religious Sunday evening program dealing not just with Christianity but all religions. Often very informative), part of a series on philosophy and how it can help us in ordinary life. This one focussed on Seneca, and his theories on anger. Summed up (very quickly before I get off to work), he believed that the reason we get angry about things is because we have unrealistic expectations of life. We're too optimistic. By meditating in a calm and controlled fashion on the things that can go wrong during the day, we're better prepared to deal with them when they do.
The other part was that while we need to accept that yes, things go wrong, we need to focus or abilities on the things we can change, not on the things we can't. We're going to end up being pulled in directions we don't want to go, so at least we can go that way and not be strangled by fighting it.
The coincidence is that Gerg was explpaining to me about the Bhuddist concept of Dukka, which seems to be the same thing. Things will go wrong, you will suffer, but the more you fight that suffering, the worse you will feel. So better to accept that yes, things are bad right now, and get on with the things you can change.
Or that's my approximation. I may be wrong. Any way, I'll be thinking more about this.
***
I spent a large chunk of yesterday writing. Which means I'm almost finished the latest Common People story (yes, the smook one). I also had an idea for a more original story, which I'm letting churn away in the subconscious for a while - after scribbling down the general idea in a randomly-grabbed notebook last night.
And before I go (because I need to get the mail and open the place this morning as Paula's away), a fic reccommendation: "Cigarettes", by Gen X. It's a Darkminds fic, which is something I've never read, but don't let not knowing the book stop you. Great characterisation, wonderfully dark story.
I saw a program last night on TV, part of the ABC's Compass series (semi-religious Sunday evening program dealing not just with Christianity but all religions. Often very informative), part of a series on philosophy and how it can help us in ordinary life. This one focussed on Seneca, and his theories on anger. Summed up (very quickly before I get off to work), he believed that the reason we get angry about things is because we have unrealistic expectations of life. We're too optimistic. By meditating in a calm and controlled fashion on the things that can go wrong during the day, we're better prepared to deal with them when they do.
The other part was that while we need to accept that yes, things go wrong, we need to focus or abilities on the things we can change, not on the things we can't. We're going to end up being pulled in directions we don't want to go, so at least we can go that way and not be strangled by fighting it.
The coincidence is that Gerg was explpaining to me about the Bhuddist concept of Dukka, which seems to be the same thing. Things will go wrong, you will suffer, but the more you fight that suffering, the worse you will feel. So better to accept that yes, things are bad right now, and get on with the things you can change.
Or that's my approximation. I may be wrong. Any way, I'll be thinking more about this.
***
I spent a large chunk of yesterday writing. Which means I'm almost finished the latest Common People story (yes, the smook one). I also had an idea for a more original story, which I'm letting churn away in the subconscious for a while - after scribbling down the general idea in a randomly-grabbed notebook last night.
And before I go (because I need to get the mail and open the place this morning as Paula's away), a fic reccommendation: "Cigarettes", by Gen X. It's a Darkminds fic, which is something I've never read, but don't let not knowing the book stop you. Great characterisation, wonderfully dark story.
