- January 10, 2019
- Posted by: rubybedi
- Category: News
Philosopher Diogenes, who lived a life of simplicity and great austerity two centuries ago, believed he could be a docto犀利士
r to men’s souls to improve them morally, while at the same time holding contempt for their obtuseness. Known to teach by example, he spared neither friend nor emperor, and these episodes are thought provoking.
One story goes like this. Diogenes as usual was dining on bread and lentils, when his friend Aristippus came calling. The latter was also a philosopher, but unlike Diogenes, he lived a life of great comfort and wealth by fawning on the King.
Aristippus said, “Learn subservience to the king and you won’t have to live on lentils.”
Diogenes said, “Learn to live on lentils and you won’t have to cultivate the king.”
Insight
Imagine watching fishes swimming in a pond. Your eye catches one, this automatically becomes your focal point, and after this you see all other fishes in relation to the first one, close, far, big, small, fat, skinny etc. Your focus of attention sets an unconscious standard and measures. Interestingly, measurement gives us the ability to organize and retain information, it helps to compare and make decisions but it can also create hierarchy and judgment.
Who doesn’t have Diogenes, the philosophical mind, the King, someone they aspire to be and Aristippus, the subservience to what we want to achieve. So what or who is your king? See how fixated you are and how your choice to be subservient has excluded all other opportunities. This simple understanding and recognition will release tension and create abundance. You won’t have to eat just bread and lentils, unless of course you choose to.
