loisamseep - Philosophy


	PHILOSOPHY Society cannot flourish without some sense of shared purpose. Bentham, the great thinker of the Enlightenment stated that the best society is one where the citizens are happiest. Happiness comes from outside and from within. The secret is compassion towards oneself and others. Buddha Gautama’s three essential disciplines: Ethical Conduct-based on love and compassion for all living things. Mental Discipline-good concentration and mindfulness so as to develop and bring to perfection the good and wholesome state of mind already present in man. Wisdom-according to Buddha for a man to be perfect there are two qualities that he should develop equally: compassion and compassion.
	Cornucopia of Ideas MAN Man is a complicated social animal and can only grow and flourish among others of his kind. But he is also selfish and greedy; he can neither live without company, nor for their sake abandon the satisfaction of his own desire. "We have tamed the beasts and schooled the lightning……but we have yet to tame ourselves" H.G Wells If every one tells lies, steals, kills, rapes, assaults and torture, imagine what the world would be like. Would you wish for such a world? How could you want such a world for your children? Such human behaviour is undesirable; you do not wish human beings to behave this way; it is wrong to do so. Ethics is therefore something you practise because you think it is the right thing to do. It is a code of practice you impose upon yourself through your own reasoning or through the teachings of great Philosophers and Thinkers. Wisdom is the goal, philosophy is the path. My wealth is my health and perfect ease: My conscience clear my chief defence; I neither seek by bribes to please, Nor by deceit to breed offence: Thus to live; thus will I die; Would all did so as well as I. By Sir Edward Dyer “The happiness of the human race in the world does not consist in our being devoid of passions, but in our learning to command them” …Anonymous “To be at peace with others you must be at peace with yourself; there must flow in us freely and joyously that source which is at the origin of our being, our personality.” ...Martin Gray HIDDEN TALENTS You might be surprised to find that you have not one but several hidden talents and you have only to tap and find out, and once you have discovered something you can develop and expand it until you reach your desired goal. “Man is a goal seeking animal. His life only has meaning if he is reaching out and striving for his goals” - Aristotle “We all have ability. The difference is how we use it” – Stevie Wonder “Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going” - Jim Ryun “Success is the sum of small efforts repeated day in and day out” - Robert Collier CONFIDENCE Confidence is essential when it comes to success - Confidence is not arrogant or self-importance. Confidence comes from realising what you are good at and acknowledging your self worth or self-value. With confidence you are able to assert yourself and take responsibility for your thoughts, feelings and actions. “It’s lack of faith that makes people afraid of challenges, but I believe in myself” - Muhammad Ali Assertiveness is different from aggression and can benefit every aspect of your life. It begins with self awareness, recognising a clear picture of what you want to achieve: You have the confidence to say what you want, need and feel and deal with most situations and at the same time respecting other people’s viewpoints and feelings. You are not ashamed to make and admit mistakes, and you have the right to alter your mind. “Those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything” - George Bernard Shaw Identifying different Types of Behaviour An assertive person’s voice is steady, firm, medium pitch and volume, sincere, clear and stressing on key words. He smiles and frowns appropriately, with open expression and a calm gaze and eyebrow level. His gesture is relaxed, upright, holding his head straight and his hands and limbs at rest. An aggressive person’s voice is domineering, sarcastic, hard-edged, loud, menacingly quiet, with little or no hesitation, often brusque and stressing on blaming words. He has a sarcastic smile with a scowl, jaw set, teeth clenched, eyes narrowed, chin jutting, gaze too long and eyebrows raised mockingly. His body language is demonstrated by finger pointing, rigid back and shoulder, leaning forward and coming too close. Angry, with hands on hips, and turning away abruptly. A person with a passive personality often speaks in a dull monotone, shaky or whining voice and at the same time swallowing words. He is hesitant, jerky and often clearing throat. He has a fixed smile or smiles when angry or sad. He avoids eye contact with eyebrow raised anxiously. Fiddling, fidgeting or wringing hands , stepping back, hunching shoulders; covering mouth , shuffling feet and hugging self. A manipulative person tends to be too smooth, too warm, and with a dramatic pause or hypnotic inflection, sighing and seeking sympathy. He has an ingratiating or sad smile and very calculating. His eyes are darting and eyebrows often raised. His body shows dramatic gestures, intrusive touching and conspiratorial closeness.
	Achievement “It is not by spectacular achievements that man can be transformed, but by will” Henrik Ibsen (Norwegian playwright-1828-1906) ---------------- “Never measure the height of a mountain, until you reach the top. Then you will see how low it is” “Thinking is easy, acting is difficult, and to put one’s thought into action is the most difficult thing in the world………” Hohann Wolfgang Von Goethe, German Writer, Scientist, Philosopher, 1749-1832. ---------------- When you take action it will move you closer or further from your goal, therefore consider your choice of action carefully and wisely. “A wise man makes his own decision; an ignorant man follows the public” Anonymous ---------------- “Hope, like a gleaming light Adorns and cheers our way, And still as darker grows the night, Emits a brighter ray. Oliver Goldsmith, Irish playwright, 1730-1774 ---------------- If we lose hope we lose everything, but hope without action will end in just wishful thinking. Acting with hope is having a belief that one day you will reach your goal. Positive attitude will lead to create positive thoughts which will lead to positive actions. Choose to be positive in all walks of life. “Cheerfulness, it would appear, is a matter which depends fully as much on the state of things within as on the state of things without and around us” Charlotte Bronte, writer, 1816-1855 ---------------- “Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing” Mother Teresa- a nun, 1910- 1997 ---------------- Happiness is not just pleasure or enjoyment. It is a state of mind of being contented with who you are, what you do and your success; and your act towards yourself and others. Only contentment can give you peace of mind, peace with yourself and with the surrounding. What makes who you are is how you confront s and perceives the events of life, and make decisions on the road you take. “A tree is known by its fruit, a man by its deeds. A good deed is never lost; he who sows courtesy reaps friendship, and who plants kindness gathers love” Saint Basil, Bishop of Caesarea, 329-379 ---------------- Simple acts of kindness that we do to other people can reverberate long after the meeting. “If there is light in the soul, there will be beauty in the person. If there is beauty in the person, there will be harmony in the house. If there is harmony in the house there will order in the nation. If there is order in the nation, there will peace in the world.” A Chinese Proverb ---------------- “Gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder” G.K. Chesterton, British Writer, 1874-1936 ---------------- We should never take anybody for granted; a word of appreciation or a “thank you” will go a long way. The gratitude you will give in life will make a difference to the giver as well as to the receiver. “Compassion is the basis of morality” Arthur Schopenhauer, Philosopher, 1788-1860 ---------------- Compassion is not about weakness, it is about strength and personal growth. “To err is human, to forgive is divine” Alexander Pope, poet, 1688-1744 ---------------- Until you learn to forgive you will be burdened with resentment, bitterness, anger and revenge. Forgiveness is a fundamental part of almost all religions. PURPOSE “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined” Henry David Thoreau, American author, poet, philosopher, 1817-1862 ---------------- Behind our goals always lies our purpose, without which we will lose our way and drift through life. Let your purpose becomes your motivation. Self motivation comes from focusing on what our goals give us, not only the goal itself. "All words are pegs to hang ideas on" Henry Ward Beecher, American clergy man-1813-1887 ---------------- “If I have ever made any valuable discoveries, it has been more to patient attention, than any other talent” Isaac Newton, English Scientist, 1642- 1729 ---------------- “Only passions, great passions can elevate the soul to great things Devis Diderot, French philosopher and writer 1713-1784 ---------------- Tell your self everyday ,”I shall succeed” and you will “Having courage and perseverance have a magic talisman, before which obstacle s vanish into thin air”. John Quincy Adams, US President, 1767-1848 ---------------- We may not win every time, but we can do our best, and live with the knowledge that at least we tried "You are here not merely to live a living. You are here to enable the world to live amply, with greater vision, and with finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world. You impoverish yourself if you forget this errand." Woodrow Wilson- US President, 1856-1924 ---------------- “Live your belief and you can turn the world round” Henry David Thoreau, American, poet, author, philosopher 1817-1862 ---------------- “The Nation that destroys the soil destroys itself” F.D. Roosevelt -1882-1945 ---------------- “Peace, political stability and reconciliation are not too much to ask for. They are the minimum that a decent society provides “ George Mitchell –US politician and negotiator ---------------- “If money is your only hope for independence you will never have it. The only security that a man will have in this world is a reserve of knowledge, experience and ability. Henry Ford, automobile manufacturer, 1863-1947 ---------------- But you mustn’t forget that financial success is also important for achieving a good standard of living for you and your family. This achievement will give you a strong sense of fulfilment. “To keep the body in good health is a duty, otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear” Buddha, founder of Buddhism Good health is the most important thing in life so do your best to maintain it; think of it in terms of the body, mind and spirit. “All that really belongs to us is time; even he who has nothing else has that” Balthasar Gracian, Spanish philosopher, 1601-1658 Time is precious is very precious so don’t waste or take it for granted. Once it is gone you can never take it back