Follow Your Bliss!

[Sunstone]

Following one's bliss seems to imply a certain amount of leisure, resources, means and freedom from the struggle to get food, shelter, etc. that a large number of people have to face every day. There's got to be more than just following your bliss, a hope and some kind of ease for the meek and suffering. Something that everyman can have even when what they do every day is far from 'bliss.'

Unless one's bliss is the struggle to get food, shelter, etc, that's very true. It's unlikely that everyone in this world is in a position to follow their bliss. But for millions of people in the industrialized nations especially, doing so is quite possible these days.

 

[Willamena]

Following one's bliss seems to imply a certain amount of leisure, resources, means and freedom from the struggle to get food, shelter, etc. that a large number of people have to face every day. There's got to be more than just following your bliss, a hope and some kind of ease for the meek and suffering. Something that everyman can have even when what they do every day is far from 'bliss.

It involves no more or different resources than living your life does, because all it is is living your life. 'Follow your bliss' isn't about choosing or doing activities, it is about attitude.

Let's say that you find you are aroused to great enthusiasm by the activity of loving other people. If you follow your bliss, then that same lovingness will inform every aspect of your life. You could even adopt an enactment of it as a myth to live by. Same if you are enthusiastic about bringing people together so that they can interact, or researching information, or bringing happiness to small children, or dance. Your bliss is what empowers your path, because it's right.

 

[MysticSang'ha]

There is a huge difference between following your bliss and drowning in it.



I'm currently following my own, and it's the best advice I've got for anyone else.




Peace,
Mystic

 

[Willamena]

"You follow your nose, it always knows..."

 

[Sunstone]

There is a huge difference between following your bliss and drowning in it.



I'm currently following my own, and it's the best advice I've got for anyone else.




Peace,
Mystic

Could you elaborate on what you mean by "drowning" in it?

 

[MysticSang'ha]

Could you elaborate on what you mean by "drowning" in it?

Booko and luna alluded to it, which is becoming so enmeshed with your bliss that you forget your responsibilities.




Peace,
Mystic

 

[lunamoth]

It involves no more or different resources than living your life does, because all it is is living your life. 'Follow your bliss' isn't about choosing or doing activities, it is about attitude.

Well, I think so too, but perhaps a different term is needed than "bliss,' like perhaps following your own "light" or something. To me bliss too easily is translated as indulgence, even if that indulgence is in reading lots of books as was Campbell's bliss. And, to the single Mom stuggling with two jobs in a tenament house, she might follow her integrity and find joy in her struggle and see God in her sacrifice and love, but if it were me I'd have a hard time saying that I'd be following my bliss.

Let's say that you find you are aroused to great enthusiasm by the activity of loving other people. If you follow your bliss, then that same lovingness will inform every aspect of your life. You could even adopt an enactment of it as a myth to live by. Same if you are enthusiastic about bringing people together so that they can interact, or researching information, or bringing happiness to small children, or dance. Your bliss is what empowers your path, because it's right.

Yes, I quite agree that following love for me is following bliss, but I'm eq1ually sure not everyone thinks of it that way. Eh, sorry, I'm not trying to be difficult, and I agree in principle with what Joe is saying, I guess I'm just hung on the term "bliss."

 

[lunamoth]

Unless one's bliss is the struggle to get food, shelter, etc, that's very true. It's unlikely that everyone in this world is in a position to follow their bliss. But for millions of people in the industrialized nations especially, doing so is quite possible these days.

Yes,that's true, but this being the case, that some of us can follow our bliss and others can't...doesn't that suggest that following one's bliss is not really the Way to a better world for all?

What if my bliss happens to be antagonistic to the bliss of others?

 

[lilithu]

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

Two days ago, Sunstone quoted Aristotle: "At the point where your talents cross with the needs of the world, there you will find your excellence."

Then yesterday I saw him post this thread on bliss, and I chuckled, thanked the Spirit for Its sense of humour, and intended to respond but got distracted. Now I see that luna has raised a question that makes my response even more appropriate.

Following one's bliss seems to imply a certain amount of leisure, resources, means and freedom from the struggle to get food, shelter, etc. that a large number of people have to face every day. There's got to be more than just following your bliss, a hope and some kind of ease for the meek and suffering. Something that everyman can have even when what they do every day is far from 'bliss.'

.... this being the case, that some of us can follow our bliss and others can't...doesn't that suggest that following one's bliss is not really the Way to a better world for all?

What if my bliss happens to be antagonistic to the bliss of others?

I don't know what Joseph Campbell meant by bliss, but I know what I mean. I know what my minister taught me. My senior minister has a knack for "paraphrasing" other people's words to suit his needs. As an academician it sometimes drives me batty but there's also no denying that he has a talent for it.

So Aristotle says: "At the point where your talents cross with the needs of the world, there you will find your excellence."

And Joseph Campbell says: "Follow your bliss."

My minister says: "Where the world's greatest need meets your greatest talent, there you will find your bliss. Follow your bliss."

In this conception of bliss, following one's bliss isn't just doing what makes you happy and not caring about the rest of the world. Doing that in fact, utlimately will not make you happy. Sooner or later you will feel empty. Otoh, you also will not be happy if you only try to do what you think the world needs without listening to what your personal skills and predispositions are. That will lead to burn out. Only when you assess your situation, determine what it is that the world needs (and world could just mean your immediate neighborhood if that's all you have acccess to) and what it is that you can best do, what you enjoy doing, and find where they intersect - that is your bliss.

Follow your bliss.

 

[lunamoth]

My minister says: "Where the world's greatest need meets your greatest talent, there you will find your bliss. Follow your bliss."

Now there's a definition of bliss that makes it easy to agree with Campbell. :yes:

 

[Katzpur]

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

What did he mean by that?

I don't know, but if you can tell me, I'll take a shot at answering your other questions.

 

[Willamena]

Well, I think so too, but perhaps a different term is needed than "bliss,' like perhaps following your own "light" or something. To me bliss too easily is translated as indulgence, even if that indulgence is in reading lots of books as was Campbell's bliss.

Campbell's bliss was the myths that informed his life. Or, probably more properly, the need to understand them and teach that to others.

 

[Sunstone]

I don't know, but if you can tell me, I'll take a shot at answering your other questions.

I think the way Lilithu's minister defined it would be very acceptable to Campbell:

"Where the world's greatest need meets your greatest talent, there you will find your bliss. Follow your bliss."

Does that help?

 

[lunamoth]

Campbell's bliss was the myths that informed his life.

I wasn't trying to slight Campbell, I just kind of remembered that as what he said he loved, and when asked by (someone--a student?) what they should do, he replied that they should start reading.

 

[Sunstone]

Perhaps, it's important to realize that following your bliss implies self motivation and discipline.

 

[lilithu]

Perhaps, it's important to realize that following your bliss implies self motivation and discipline.

Well that would explain why more of us don't do it!

 

[Sunstone]

Is following your bliss a moral imperative? If you have a talent that meets a need of the world, don't you have a moral obligation to yourself and to others to develop that talent into a skill that does good for the world? Is that something you owe both yourself and the world?

 

[Willamena]

Is following your bliss a moral imperative? If you have a talent that meets a need of the world, don't you have a moral obligation to yourself and to others to develop that talent into a skill that does good for the world? Is that something you owe both yourself and the world?

If you're obligated then you're not doing it right.

 

[Kay]

Is following your bliss a moral imperative? If you have a talent that meets a need of the world, don't you have a moral obligation to yourself and to others to develop that talent into a skill that does good for the world? Is that something you owe both yourself and the world?

Interesting question and one that I've been pondering the past couple of days. I'd like to take "following my bliss" outside the realm of my brain, and into real situations in the world, where it will enrich me, and help others.