"Live simply. Get used to solitude. Know that the highest form of freedom is the consciousness of necessity, and the highest form of knowledge is to know that we know nothing. Do not ask what life is for. Live it day by day. And when it becomes burdensome, end it at a time and place of your choosing."
A buddhist teacher told me - simply be - accept what happens and simply be --- and when the iniquities of life become burdensome I will choose where when and how it ends
I value solitude more and more as I get older. A time for reflection and just quiet from the noise of life.
I also value experiences rather than things...the things have become a burden, requiring me to make too many inane choices each day: which pants to wear, which cup to use, which book to read...simplifying my possessions limits this myriad of choices and bonus: less cleaning and caring for things, more time!
I have stopped trying to "learn" about the meaning of life...why am I here, what is it all about, what is my contribution to society...I have learned that so much of this is tapped into by those who seek to profit or are going through their own journey and wish to share or even impose their discoveries onto me...so, no self-help books required, no Tony Robbins seminars, no women empowering retreats are required as I do as you say...live it, not learn it (life, I mean, not learning itself)...
I saw through the death of my mother and father that we do indeed have quite a bit of control to let go when the time comes...
Thank you for a thoughtful and generic post that can be interpreted to fit anyone's personal journey...
That person must have been really speaking about him or herself. Lots of people would go mad with solitude. They say we're naturally social creatures and I believe we are, even though my life has become reclusive. Does the highest form of freedom mean not being conscious of things other than necessities?
Like Socrates, I really believe the meaning of life is very important. I suppose that's not exactly the same as having meaning in your life. I think that is essential and the lack of it is causing enormous problems in society with people trying to replace meaning with drugs and alcohol.
Matias, will you explain the consciousness of necessity?
Is this your own composition? It’s very nice.