Creed

We are all born with emotional instincts, or the ability to feel the world around us which in essence is our purest state of being. Throughout childhood and adolescent growth, human intelligence allows for the development of our ego which is used to protect our pure self from the assault of the world surrounding us. The ego is who we want to be, or how we want to be perceived and this ego prevents us from listening to our true feelings and instinctual emotions and creates the ability to lie to oneself and convince ourselves of false realities. Extended exposure to this state of being is often the cause for the development of anxiety and depression.

The key to returning to our instinctual state is to break down the ego. This can be done by accepting the ideology that we are driven by certain false realities and breaking through personal fear to face our true feelings and emotions. Basically, it is the process of accepting who you are (and who you’re not). The ego is our natural defence; no matter how many times it is broken down, it will resurface, so maintenance is mandatory.

Wisdom comes with age and experience. While we are born with the ability to feel the world, we need to develop the ability to understand it. Some people will naturally seek out and try to define their existence, enabling them to interpret their world. Others, often driven by personal trauma are instinctively pushed to find meaning. Those people that are unable to attain understanding or refuse to find meaning, will fall by the wayside and be ruled by the psychological ramifications of their trauma.

The last group of people are those that refuse to or are yet unable to comprehend the world around them. These are the surface dwellers that often feel, but have no comprehension of why these feelings occur or what causes them. They will often lead happy lives, yet their happiness will be shallow.

In my view, the ultimate state of being; the Zen of human existence, should be characterised by one’s ability to feel and understand; to exist in a near egoless state with a developed personal philosophy that is unique and specific to one’s existence.