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Self image and life's problems

Each of us creates our own problems- what Buddhists call 'suffering'. Our problems arise from our sense of alienation from the universe, or more broadly reality. Western thought supports the concept of self, which has been used as a means of control over individuals and society as a whole.

Each person's self-concept is fluid; having no long term stability. You are not 'self', but 'awareness'. Descartes was close, when he stated; "I think, therefore I am." Substituting 'feel' for 'think' would be equally accurate. But both are still secondary to what 'I' is. "I'm aware, therefore I am." would be more accurate (but concepts and words fail to give us an exact understanding.) Existing as awareness, without letting it be stained from thoughts or feelings, which come from desires and biases, is the path taught by Buddhism, Hinduism and Christianity-

"The goal of the Buddhist contemplative is to develop freedom from entanglement with things as they seem; through the delusions of and consequential self-identity with events resultant fear, aversion and projected hopes- to awaken to things as they are; coming home to a natural understanding of reality with ones given abilities at work in an ever changing evolution of experience."
Quote from Wikipedia

Matthew

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