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life, the universe, and everything

16 years ago 0 +0 / -0 466

I'm great, Miki! Hope all is well with you, too!

16 years ago 0 +0 / -0 477

Hey everyone, how are you all? I haven't been on for a while, but I hope everyone's doing alright.

Hello Marisa, nice to meet you!

During the beginning of this year, I was obsessively thinking of similar thoughts like yourself. It's really interesting to know that many people thought about this. Because of that time, I became really depressed and sick... but now I am overwhelmed by 'typical' life stuff that I haven't had much time to think of those things. In a sense, I've also accepted the fact that there will always be things that we can never truely know and understand and there is a bigger force then ourselves... what ever that may be. I'm trying to go life day by day without questioning it... well, I think it's good to keep questioning, but I'm taking my time to find the answers.. because it really does take time.

16 years ago 0 +0 / -0 34

I too have the thoughts about the life and existence and all that. But what I am really trying to do now is live in the moment (way easier said than done) but it makes so much sense. Those people who seem oblivious to everything (oh how I wish I was like that) are either not voicing their real thoughts, or they really do live in the moment. I find very young children do that too, but they lose it fast because they learn that their lives become scheduled just like ours and they start to think ahead too. It's a really tough concept to learn and I am trying really hard but as I type I am thinking about things that I need to accomplish tomorrow!

16 years ago 0 +0 / -0 1693

Marisa,

Great train of thought- whatever may be, may be, we cannot change it, accept it and let it go.

I think you've got the right idea Marisa! Keep up the positive attitude, and keep on reading, learning and exploring

Breanne, Bilingual Health Educator

16 years ago 0 +0 / -0 466

Ah, I was only thinking how the chaos theory directly works with life/death. My apologies, sometimes I need to step back from the picture to see there's more then meets the eye. (Yea, I love transformers)

I agree that there are predictable patterns. But personally, figuring out that formula, especially with how much goes into it, is too daunting a task for me to take on. If only I were super intelligent mad scientist!

Till then, like you said...que sara, sara!
Whatever will be, will be...the future is ours, to see...que sara, sara

16 years ago 0 +0 / -0 150

Hi Marisa,

Ignorance is bliss.

And those who either have blind faith or simply do not think about this sort of thing have life a lot easier.

I was never raised with religion, and although I went to a Christian school, I never accepted it. I've always been surrounded by those who have faith, and it used to frustrate me that they couldn't see what I thought I knew.
In truth, it's very difficult to say that we know anything about the subject. And it's impossible to say if there is a divine creator or not.

Even if we do prove the big bang theory so that it cannot be argued at all - there will still be those who say "Yes, but God made it" And it's very difficult to say otherwise.

The truth is, we are all blind. Some by faith, others by ignorance, and people like us are blinded by the sheer complexity of the proposition.

I read "Being and Nothingness" by the existentialst philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre, when I was a teenager, which made me truly question life.
I went on to read "The selfish Gene" by Richard Dawkins, which forcefully puts across the point that there is no God.

From Being and Nothingess, I took away one great phrase which gave me hope.

"Man is nothing else than what he makes himself"

So maybe we don't have a purpoes, perse - but we can make our own purpose.

I've always wanted a job where I can live comfortably, help people going through problems, and ultimately - make a difference. A mark on the world.

Maybe that will be a big mark, or not.

I will know when I find it.

16 years ago 0 +0 / -0 9

Hi all, thanks again--you have given me some good points to think about.

I have been doing pretty well the past few days; although I've felt twinges of anxiety if I allow myself to consider my existential questions, I've been successful in just acknowledging that Yes, I feel worried, but No, the worry doesn't need to control me. For those of you ladies who have children, you won't be surprised when I say I've discovered that dealing with my panic is a lot like dealing with labor pains. Both come in waves, and the fear (of pain in labor, or in this case of panicking) makes it feel worse. What did I do when I was in labor? Focus on something outside my body, something comforting and "real." Know that it will only last a few minutes, even though these minutes may be intense, and once they pass I will feel normal again. The feeling is transitory, as is everything in our lives. Acknowledge the feeling, allow it to touch you, but don't dwell on it. I find that I am starting to relax more quickly now. I just remind myself, the fate of my consciousness is nothing I can change, and that it is a waste of my valuable time to allow it to affect me so deeply.

By the by, I was not implying that chaos theory has anything directly to do with life/death. I enjoy physics as well; I only meant that our natural world has a way of manifesting predictable patterns within something that otherwise seems like chaos (to us). And we, of course, are part of that world. Whether or not we can understand a purpose or reason for anything, there is some underlying "equation" that just needs to be teased out of the seeming disorder. There may not be purpose, per se, in the sense that there is intent in the universe, just that all things seem to follow a particular pattern.

So my thoughts on the matter currently are, whatever may be, we cannot change it. Accept, and then let it go.

16 years ago 0 +0 / -0 313

Hi Marisa

Me again... As I mentioned in another post... These thoughts could have been pulled from my mind pretty much verbatim... I too don't really follow a religion although I am ALWAYS looking for something to believe. I am spiritual but find that I do envy those that have faith and really seem to believe they know what awaits them on the other side...that their faith is so strong they are at peace with what will be... now or then.

Not believing or not having found that solace is what fuels my fear and most of my questions, I think... again this goes round & round in my head...

Sometimes I feel as though I am at peace as I lead the best life I can but other times... like when I relapse... it can start up again. Sometimes the thought of just not " being " overwhelms me and gives me a bit of panic... I don't get panic attacks very often anymore so usually I can just work through the thought... but it's the fear of the unknown..

I've tried church and continue to seek out the one that fits myself and my family... as I do believe their is a lot to be said in having something to believe in and ground us... but it can come in any shape and does... look at the cultures of the world - so many to choose from and explore.. I just don't like the fire and brimstone religion... and that's what I was raised thinking the church was to some extent from my Dad...and then my Mom came from a strict catholic background that didn't sound very loving either... too much judgement for me... (This is only from MY experiences NOT my opionon of the religion as a whole..just to make that clear..LOL)

Ok.. now I'm just going on and on... and to sum it up... No I have not found peace in dying but I have come to accept it will happen... Yikes..just writing that gave me a prickle of panic...

keep posting...

Dazed

16 years ago 0 +0 / -0 466

Hi Marisa,

I've pondered the same thing, and agree that nothing is concrete. When it comes to belief in what will happen to us when we pass, the answer is really in the facts you can accept, the things you can believe. Having said that, seems kind of ironic that those who go against the belief system ultimately have one of their own, don'tcha think? Personally, I'm Christian so pondering this subject is all that much worse, well...according to my peers it is. But I don't believe so. God judges and provides me with what I need to know, not them.

According to the scientific theory, we just cease to be...and our death provides sustenance for the next generation. So when the time comes, you won't care about the chance you have because you simply won't be. Scientifically this makes since, since once we pass our body loses it's "boss", so-to-speak...and the cells eventually cease to function and wither out. Circle of life kind of deal, we take from the earth, then give back in our death for the next generation to reap and begin the cycle again.

The Christian belief varies, depending on the vocation, and ultimately your teacher/preacher. I find the most peace with this belief because it provides my life with a purpose that transcends this life, and myself. It helps in the belief that the things that happen to me, the things that happen to others, all have a purpose and from that the next step can be much easier to find. I guess in essence, the idea is that everything you do is for a reason. I find the most hope in this. I need to know that what I do isn't just "doing it to do it". I find a very big gaping hole in me when I think everything I do is pointless, just an action with a reaction kind of deal. There are a great number of other things involved, but I'll leave it at the general idea for now.

And the chaos theory isn't really a belief system for life/death. Although it can relate because it can have an outcome that is life or death, the general consensus with the chaos theory, is that for every action, there is a reaction.

I love philosophy and the sciences! Ponder and ask whatever you want, and I'll debate with you the ideas I've found with each...well, the one's I know. Though ideas aren't always concrete, each does have their own logical process which helps with the conclusion that you come to.

Welcome to the board!

Cheers!

16 years ago 0 +0 / -0 1693

ImissI,

Like you said, the concepts that you are worrying about are not concrete, in any sense. Perhaps you should do some research and try to gain a deeper understanding regarding theories of afterlife and the perception of reality, and knowing more might help in reducing your anxiety. As you know, there is no use in worrying over things that you have no control over, such as the big universal concepts. Do some research, and let us know what you come across.

Breanne, Bilingual Health Educator

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life, the universe, and everything