Follow Your Bliss! (moral, worship, faith, moral, religion)

[Sunstone]

Joseph Campbell used to admonish people, "Follow your bliss!"

What did he mean by that?

What is the danger, if any, of not following your bliss?

What is the danger, if any, of following your bliss?

What are the rewards, if any, of following your bliss?

What are the rewards, if any, of not following your bliss?

Which is better: To follow your bliss or not?

What is the relationship, if any, between following your bliss and being true to yourself? Or, becoming what thou art? Or, finding one's excellence in life?

Is there any conflict between following your bliss and conventional morality?

Is there any conflict between following your bliss and society?

[Sunstone]

Is there any conflict between following your bliss and religion?

[Willamena]

Following your bliss is an empowerment and an acknowledgement of the righteousness of your path. It is a feeling that "the life that you ought to be living is the one you are living."

It's not about doing what you want when you want, but rather about doing what you should be doing, what feels right to do, at every moment, and to its fullest. If all goes well, you find rapture. There is no danger in it, and the rewards would naturally be boundless: "Jah provides the bread."

Conflict with morality, society or religion how? No clue.

[doppelgänger]

Originally Posted by Sunstone

Is there any conflict between following your bliss and religion?

It depends on how one approaches religion. The "you're no good, let us tell you who you are, what to think and what to do" approach that is the basic methodology of organized religion stifles bliss. Indeed, the message is "don't follow your bliss, you can't be trusted."

But Faith is trusting.

[Sunstone]

Originally Posted by doppelgänger

It depends on how one approaches religion. The "you're no good, let us tell you who you are, what to think and what to do" approach that is the basic methodology of organized religion stifles bliss. Indeed, the message is "don't follow your bliss, you can't be trusted."

I've seen again and again how that advice harms people. This is one reason -- perhaps the main reason -- I have a dislike for the child rearing advice of James Dobson. Dobson is a proponent of the "you're no good" approach in so far as he believes people are naturally bad and must repress themselves to be civilized.

[michel]

Originally Posted by doppelgänger

It depends on how one approaches religion. The "you're no good, let us tell you who you are, what to think and what to do" approach that is the basic methodology of organized religion stifles bliss. Indeed, the message is "don't follow your bliss, you can't be trusted."

But Faith is trusting.

I agree; This reminds me very much of the two approaches to teaching children about authority.

The parent who tells his/her child "If you are naughty, I will make sure to get the policeman in to deal with you " compared to the "The policeman is there to help you if ever you need help; but he is also there to find people who have done wrong" immediately emphasise the two approaches; one is built on fear, the other on understanding.

I know which one I taught my children - having had the living daylights frightened out of me when I broke a key of the house in Africa because I didn't want a siesta - I wanted to go play outside...........

[Booko]

Originally Posted by Sunstone

Joseph Campbell used to admonish people, "Follow your bliss!"

On a bbs I was on at least 15 years ago, we used to refer to him as St. Joseph Cambell.

What did he mean by that?

Well, if Djamila were answering, she might say "follow your passion." I think that works.

What is the danger, if any, of not following your bliss?

You don't live up to your capacity in this life?

What is the danger, if any, of following your bliss?

You could get so focused on your bliss you forget to care for your family.

What are the rewards, if any, of following your bliss?

You will have the best shot at excellence and to accomplish the most and will be most happy. Who can say they are really efficient and useful at a job they despise so much their spirit is crushed?

Also, in my religion work done in the proper spirit is considered worship. If I despise my job and am ill-suited for it, I'm going to have a much tougher time working the right spirit.

What are the rewards, if any, of not following your bliss?

I can't think of any. That's why, while a career in performing arts is a dicey thing to pursue at best, that would definitely be her bliss. We've known that about her since she was 3. She has some other things she likes also (all related to biology and alternative healing arts) and can have a 2nd track on those. But if she doesn't put her full effort into her dance, voice, music and theatre skills, she would be kissing goodbye her chances at doing what she loves most. That's why we've definitely decided to start home schooling her this fall. Her public school studies are interfering with her education.

Which is better: To follow your bliss or not?

The best of all: To follow your bliss -- but be wary of losing balance in your life.

What is the relationship, if any, between following your bliss and being true to yourself? Or, becoming what thou art? Or, finding one's excellence in life?

I usually think of being true to myself as more a matter of integrity, but now that you mention it, it can just as well mean knowing who I am. I know that I can be happy in a 9-5 sort of job, mostly left alone to work on my techie projects. Same for my husband and son. It would kill my daughter.

Is there any conflict between following your bliss and conventional morality?

Only if your bliss is to become a mass murderer or something like that.

Is there any conflict between following your bliss and society?

Sometimes. I expect to get a lot of crap from family about "letting" our daughter spend so much time and money "and you can't make money at that."

Which brings me to another question: At what point does attachment to material things interfere with finding one's bliss?