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  Opinion   Oped  27 Feb 2019  Mystic Mantra: Life is purpose personified

Mystic Mantra: Life is purpose personified

The writer is a wellness physician, independent researcher and author.
Published : Feb 27, 2019, 3:05 am IST
Updated : Feb 27, 2019, 3:05 am IST

It is rightly said that life is only lived well when there is a good purpose — and, not necessarily wealth, or material comfort.

 It quantifies the purposeful idea of what living well is all about and also realigning things from the inside out. (Photo: Pixabay)
  It quantifies the purposeful idea of what living well is all about and also realigning things from the inside out. (Photo: Pixabay)

Life is the most composite detail. It is “tangible”; it is also multifarious. Yet, life, in its whole essence, is not merely exemplified by its chemical constituents. It is defined by our behaviour — right from millions of cells that propel us through our existence to how life augments, repairs, maintains, recreates, and outperforms itself. Put simply, life “surfs” through matter by way of gentle, dignified movements, like the eternal beating of the waves of the ocean — in simple terms, a form of precise, or inventive, progression.

It is rightly said that life is only lived well when there is a good purpose — and, not necessarily wealth, or material comfort. The philosopher Aristotle believed that life for each of us is keyed to a purpose and the function of one’s life is, therefore, aligned to achieve that purpose — with more than a surplus element of empathetic steadfastness. Aristotle was also convinced that the purpose of life, likewise, is related to “worldly” happiness and thriving through the usage of reason and absorbing the values of virtue in everyday life. He believed that there was an unambiguous, also crystal clear, understanding for the definition of every individual’s life — focus, aim, or goal. Put simply, Aristotle’s sublime directive epitomises the fact that each of us, whatever our status, or situation in life, should use our capabilities to their completest potential to experience happiness through regular “mindful drills,” and not just the application of our conscious, also realised, endowments and capacities.

The fact also is each of us is blessed with a natural yearning and aptitude to know and understand the truth, also moral distinction — to ideate, initiate and execute our ideals through action. This is the foundational cornerstone of success and fulfilment. Yet, the fact is not every effort, or act, has an in-built, failsafe warranty to usher in success, or achievement. This is one reason why all of us are mindful of what it means to go through chaos too — each in one’s own manner. Such inevitable tumults bring on anxiety, and tears, besides courage and resilience, especially when one is pushed to the wall, as it were. In the process, it helps us to surmount the “niggling cargo” of pain, or anguish, that we may experience in the given situation. Picture this — botched projects, catastrophic marriages, or truncated self-esteem. Yet, the best part is failures often lead to new possibilities and opportunities to “fix” the negatives with a positive, or pragmatic frame of mind. This, in realistic terms, bids fair to our instinctive ability to explore our own inner strengths to the full. It quantifies the purposeful idea of what living well is all about and also realigning things from the inside out.

Tags: happiness, aristotle