tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822894759353679437.post7559684939877315703..comments2024-03-01T23:41:02.240-05:00Comments on louie, louie: the hermit is nothing but a failure (solitude)beth cioffolettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09300116274007165612noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822894759353679437.post-9767416754171801872012-03-23T08:20:00.521-05:002012-03-23T08:20:00.521-05:00What a relief, indeed, Beth! Because in the end, i...What a relief, indeed, Beth! Because in the end, it is this ego that is cause of all human dissatisfaction. With the ego in place, we cannot be our true selves. <br /><br />Christianity, as well as other faith traditions, teach us to let go of the ego. <br /><br />For instance, I guess, this is the point of the Buddha's Noble Eightfold Path. The Buddha's teaching can be summed up in one sentence: "Life sucks, but you can do something about it," that is, follow the Noble Eightfold Path - to free ourselves from the morass of suffering caused by the ego.<br /><br />In Christianity it can be summed up by these words of Jesus: "He who loses his life will keep it."<br /><br />But let's remember the teaching is not as stark as it sounds. The effort and even the renunciation implied in this teaching is but one side of the picture. There is the treasure hidden in the field and the pearl of great price. To find these the suffering is worthwhile...Matthttp://mattandjojang.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822894759353679437.post-36973046972299406302012-03-23T06:46:02.232-05:002012-03-23T06:46:02.232-05:00Well said, Matt. Thank you. "Success" ...Well said, Matt. Thank you. "Success" and "failure" really are words of the ego, don't you think ... those concepts don't make any sense in the realm of a deeper self. What a relief!beth cioffolettihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09300116274007165612noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822894759353679437.post-60942036685301045432012-03-22T18:38:43.978-05:002012-03-22T18:38:43.978-05:00Although hermits, from the point of view of societ...Although hermits, from the point of view of society, live in the margins, so to speak - they have this important function to play: they keep the rumor of the Sacred and the Divine alive in our society. <br /><br />Besides, words like "success" or "failure" are swallowed up in the hermit's solitude, and don't have any significant meaning for him any more...Matthttp://mattandjojang.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822894759353679437.post-77499836744164952002012-03-22T14:46:21.410-05:002012-03-22T14:46:21.410-05:00Hi Pat - nice to see you here. It's reassurin...Hi Pat - nice to see you here. It's reassuring to know that we all have our parts to play, and are necessary - even the nobodies!beth cioffolettihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09300116274007165612noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822894759353679437.post-90369665124898558962012-03-22T13:24:56.517-05:002012-03-22T13:24:56.517-05:00Authentically contemplative hermits absolutely pla...Authentically contemplative hermits absolutely play a vital role in society--as "place-holders," holding The Field / envisioning a Positive world to help bring it into manifestation.Pat Thomasnoreply@blogger.com