Life Lessons from Your Tradition

[sayak83]

One of the major functions of religions is to provide guidance for living the good life. This guidance is often framed by the values articulated by that religion, and while other religions might not share those values, the life lessons can still be useful and wise outside of the tradition.

What is an important teaching or lesson from your religious tradition that you would like to share? Put another way, what is something positive that your religion brings to the world that has helped you or others in your tradition live a good life?

I'm hoping this thread will become a collection of wisdom and positivity.

Security and equanimity through ups and downs of life through practice of yoga and meditation. An anxious, insecure being is unhappy, non-generous and non-empathic as he lacks the resource to look outwards to others. Having peace and stillness inside provides a substance of health out of which growth is possible.

GITA chapter 2

He who is not agitated by suffering or by desires,
Freed from anger, fear and passions,
Is called a sage of steady mind.
Who is wholly unimpassioned,
Not rejoicing in the pleasant,
Nor shrinking from the unpleasant,
Is established in wisdom.
.......
Clinging to sense-objects comes to one who meditates on them;
From attachment comes desire, and from desire unfulfilled anger arises.
Delusion emerges from this rage, loss of mindfulness follows delusion;
With mindfulness lost, conscience perished,
And thus alas a man is lost.

But one unyoked to hates and passions, though engaging with sense objects,
Is self-control led and self-restraint. That one attains tranquility.
Cessation of all suffering is born of his tranquility.
The intellect at once becomes steady for one of tranquil thought.
There is no higher mind in one without control, nor meditation ;
No peace without meditation, and without peace no happiness.
.......
The man who has abandoned all desire moves, free from longing,
Indifferent to "me" and "mine", and without ego, attains peace.
This is the divine condition; who, undeluded, comes to this,
And Abides there till his end-time, O Aruna, knows the Absolute.

 

[Kelly of the Phoenix]

Put another way, what is something positive that your religion brings to the world that has helped you or others in your tradition live a good life?

When in doubt, use what data is currently available to try to assure the least harm is being done.

There's more than one way to eat a Reese's.
All the ways lead to satisfaction.
Many people play with the picture on the Reese's wrapper instead of eating the Reese's.

Indeed. Insisting on homogenous practice ossifies one's beliefs.

 

[Akivah]

One of the major functions of religions is to provide guidance for living the good life. This guidance is often framed by the values articulated by that religion, and while other religions might not share those values, the life lessons can still be useful and wise outside of the tradition.

What is an important teaching or lesson from your religious tradition that you would like to share? Put another way, what is something positive that your religion brings to the world that has helped you or others in your tradition live a good life?

I learned several important life lessons from Judaism that have a positive effect on my life.

From the 'Ethics of the Fathers':
Who is strong, one that can control themself.
This lead to me making a change to my personality that has enabled me to be successful.

If not me, then who? If not now, then when?
This lead to me taking actions as soon as I see something wrong or that can be improved. If I see something that I can do or solve, I will do it instead of waiting for someone else to do it. This led to a business corollary of Never present a problem without also presenting a solution.

Tikkun Olam has also been successful for me. It is the concept that everyone is needed to bring about the Messianic Age of Heaven on Earth. It states that we each have a part of play in repairing the world. We should each do what we can. A parable of this:
This man walking on a beach saw a little boy throwing fish back into the ocean and asked what he was doing. The little boy answered "I'm throwing the beached fishes back into the ocean to save their lives." The man exclaimed "There's a million beached fish around here, you can never save them all." The little boy pondered that and then threw another fish saying "It sure made a difference to that one." An act of kindness, a bit of patience, any positive action we do will make a difference.

 

[Rival]

There's no humour quite like Jewish humour.

 

[zahra67]

One of the major functions of religions is to provide guidance for living the good life. This guidance is often framed by the values articulated by that religion, and while other religions might not share those values, the life lessons can still be useful and wise outside of the tradition.

What is an important teaching or lesson from your religious tradition that you would like to share? Put another way, what is something positive that your religion brings to the world that has helped you or others in your tradition live a good life?

I'm hoping this thread will become a collection of wisdom and positivity.

To treat others the way you want to be treated and to want for others what you want for yourself.

the Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him and his progeny)
also the way of life and sayings of the Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him and his progeny)
i extremely love this book and cryed out of joy when i read it!
generosity and mercy of them even towards there enemies.
they dont want going to hell even there enemies, pray and strive for guiding mankind towards prosperity.!
we have not sent you but as a mercy to the entire creation.
God bless you and thanks so much for your great post!