Section 1.0 - Views on Purpose
1.2 - “Thou Shalt…” Reflection
In “Thus Spoke Zarathustra,” Nietzsche describes a dragon with “Thou shalt” glistening on its scales that represent 1,000 years of values -- values that society, government, our parents, say we have no choice but to accept.
Please take a moment to reflect and share your response to the following prompts:
What “thou shalt” values do you notice in your life? Which ones do you accept and live by?
Societal “thou shalt” values that I notice in my life include:
Formally inscribed legislative laws as passed by governments including local bylaws, provincial laws such as the Motor Vehicle Act, and federal laws such as the Criminal Code of Canada, as well as the Constitution of Canada and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Folkways, mores and taboos I’ve noticed include the following items as included in an October 31, 2022 article by Charlotte Nickerson as written for Simply Sociology called EXAMPLES OF SOCIAL NORMS:
Shaking hands when greeting someone
Saying "please" and "thank you"
Apologizing when one makes a mistake
Standing up when someone enters the room
Making eye contact during a conversation
Listening when someone is speaking
Offering help when someone is struggling
Respecting personal space
Accepting others' opinions even if we don't agree with them
Being on time
Dressing appropriately for the occasion
Thanking someone for a gift
Paying attention to personal hygiene
Speaking quietly in public and formal places
Step outside to answer a cellphone call
Clearing one's dishes from the table after a meal at one's own home, or at one of a friend or stranger
Not interrupting when someone else is speaking
Asking before borrowing something that belongs to someone else
Walking on the right side of a hallway or sidewalk
Saying "bless you" or "gesundheit" after someone sneezes
Standing in line and not cutting in front of others
Yielding to pedestrians when driving
Hanging up one's coat when entering someone else's home
Taking off one's shoes when entering someone else's home (if this is the custom)
Not talking with food in one's mouth
Chewing with one's mouth closed
Not staring at others
Other folkways, mores and taboos I’ve noticed include:
Keeping one’s space organized and clean
Cleaning up after your pet
Disposing of trash and waste properly
Wash your hands after using the bathroom
Stay at home when you’re sick
Refraining from using offensive and foul language
Putting your smartphone away during meals with others
Paying bills on time
Not spending beyond one’s means
Finally, I’ve been drawn to the attitudinal foundations of mindfulness, as follows:
Suspension of Judgment (Non-Judging);
Patience;
Beginner’s Mind (Shoshin, Openness, Curiosity);
Trust;
Non-Striving;
Acceptance (Self-Acceptance, Acceptance of Things, Acceptance of Others); and
Letting Go (Let Go & Let Be).
There are two additional attitudinal foundations that I found referenced in some YouTube videos featuring Jon Kabat-Zinn, as follows:
Gratitude; and
Generosity.
Which ones, if any, do you (or did you) choose to slay like the lion?
I’ve not really one to slay any of the “thou shalt” rules that I’ve noticed in my life. I struggled to define societal rules and did spend time looking at various lists online. Once I did that, I was able to define my own which appear under the last list above, labeled “…other folkways, mores and taboos.”
I’ve sometimes been bad at not interrupting when someone else is speaking - I have a habit of offering a word that finishes a sentence or lube of thought when someone’s searching for a word while speaking.
I’ve also had issue with accepting others' opinions even if I don't agree with them, this is more so online in discussion threads, although I’m trying to become better with empathic listening.
But of all the other norms I listed, I’ve found with my depression there are several I’ve not been consistent in following, such as:
Shaking hands when greeting someone (I actually prefer fist bumps)
Making eye contact during a conversation / Not staring at others (I find it can be a fine line between these two - but if I’m down, I find I look away towards the ground or to the sides of someone’s face, just out of direct eye contact)
Keeping one’s space organized and clean
Putting your smartphone away during meals with others
Paying bills on time
Not spending beyond one’s means
Which of your values are ones that have been born anew, like the baby?
The attitudinal foundations of mindfulness are something that’s new for me, and they have been helping me shift how I view myself and others in this world - but they are things I need to focus on more consistently and consciously. I see it as a bedrock for cultivating an unconditional compassion, empathy, forgiveness, gratitude, love, and reverence for all life, starting with myself.
1.4 - Crafting and Sharing a Purpose Statement
During the week 1 lecture "Purpose: A central, self-organizing life aim," you were asked to consider drafting a few "be" goals and then drafting a purpose statement. If you have a purpose statement you feel comfortable sharing, we'd love for you to share it!
While there is a certain level of vulnerability you may feel in sharing your statement, this can be a test of how strong you feel about your purpose. And by sharing, it can help your fellow learners craft theirs as well.
My purpose in life is to be:
balanced and grounded, living mindfully in the present moment as a way of living life without the struggle of anxiety and depression;
honest and trustworthy;
unconditionally compassionate, forgiving, kind, and loving;
creative and productive in my fine art and writing profession;
financially wealthy which includes being financially independent, responsible, and stable;
an exciting and passionate lover;
a faithful, loving and caring husband, and father;
resourceful and helpful when it comes to dealing with issues that are important to me; and
someone in life who works to leave the world a better place.
Section 3 - Being Purposeful
3.4 - Share Your “Be,” “Do,” and “Action” Goals
Please share one or more of your "be," "do," and "action," goals using the following format:
One of my "do" goals is to be more ___________________.
The reason why I want to do this is because I want to ________________ (alignment with a "be" goal).
I can achieve my "do" goal by _________________ (tied to a specific "action" goal).
One of my “do” goals is to be more balanced and grounded. The reason why I want to do this is because I want to live life without the struggle of anxiety and depression. I can achieve my “do” goal by living more mindfully, meditating, doing my morning pages journaling, taking cold showers, and walking in nature 4x a week.
One of my "do" goals is to be more energetic. The reason why I want to do this is because I want to have enough energy for the things I love doing. I can achieve my "do" goal by sleeping, eating healthy meals, and exercising daily.
One of my “do” goals is to be more creative and productive in my fine art and writing profession. The reason why I want to do this is because I want to be a successful artist who is able to earn a living. I can achieve my “do” goal by working on my artwork and writing practices daily.
One of my “do” goals is to be more financially wealthy which includes being financially independent, responsible, and stable. The reason why I want to do this is because I want to be able to earn a living that allows me to pursue my interests and travel. I can achieve my “do” goal by working on my artwork and writing practices daily.
One of my “do” goals is to be more financially wealthy which includes being honest and trustworthy. The reason why I want to do this is because I want to be true to who my values are. I can achieve my “do” goal by asking myself whether or not something I’m about to do or say is rooted in honesty.
One of my “do” goals is to be more financially wealthy which includes being unconditionally compassionate, forgiving, kind, and loving. The reason why I want to do this is because I want to align the needs of my personality with the needs of my soul which only knows unconditional reverence for all life. I can achieve my “do” goal by being more mindful, with a moment to moment awareness of how I’m feeling and reacting to the world around me.
Week 02 Review
Carl Jung’s concept of individuation entails creating one’s own purpose, based on one’s own values, in order to live a more independent life.
Jean-Paul Sartre suggested “we’re condemned to be free.”
In Nietzsche’s Thus Spoke Zarathustra, the spirit is metamorphosed from a camel to a lion, and finally, to a baby.
This entire course is all about learning how to live your life in a way that’s like a child: innocent and building your own core values.
In the Myth of Sisyphus, Albert Camus said if Sisyphus can find purpose in pushing the boulder, we can imagine Sisyphus happy.
Willingness to fight and die for a cause involves an interaction between parts of the brain associated with the self versus material costs. And the interaction in the brain is between the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (self) and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (material costs).
Dr. Stretcher’s use of the “what kind of a cook are you?” metaphor alludes to the idea that, we should strive to become “chefs,” becoming more knowledgeable about the world and striving to create our own values.
The “Reversed Golden Rule” refers to taking care of yourself (“Do not do to yourself what you would not do to others.”).
"Action" goals show us how to achieve our “do” goals.
"Be" goals remind us why our “do” goals are worth achieving.
The following purpose statements would be considered to be self-transcending: helping children to learn how to read; providing for family; improving conditions for homeless people; and taking care of an elderly Mother.
A few domains in which someone could create a life purpose include: relationships, friendships, family, work, school, community, personal, and retirement.
The three types of goals that can guide one towards living a purposeful life include: be, do, and action goals.
“Be a leader of an organization or a team” would be an example of a good example of a “be” goal.
The following questions would be a part of the process of self affirming one’s personally relevant values:
Are my values transcending or eudaimonic?
Are my values autonomously created?
Are my values thoughtfully created?
The following questions would help gauge the quality of your stated purpose in life:
How strong is your purpose in life?
Which domains in your life have you identified a purpose for?
The following questions would help gauge the quality of being purposeful in life:
How integrated are your be / do / action goals?
Are your be / do / action goals temporally consistent?
What is the breadth of my engagement across domains?