January 29, 2010

  • TRUE CONQUEST

    "It's not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game."

    No matter how often you've heard that phrase in response to being a
    "sore loser," no matter how many times you've said it to someone else
    to soften the disappointment of defeat, somehow it doesn't ring 100%
    true.

    Is it merely "environmental" conditioning that inculcates us with the
    desire to be on top? Or is there more to the passion for winning,
    succeeding, conquering?

    In the very beginning of the Torah, in the book of Genesis, G-d gives
    humanity its raison d'etre, "Conquer the earth. Dominate the fish of
    the sea, the birds of the sky, and every beast that walks the land."

    People were put into this world with the express purpose and mission
    of conquering it. Why, then, are most of us turned off by people who
    are aggressive, pushy, or domineering? After all, these are traits

    that would seemingly bring one more quickly to the aforesaid goal than
    being laid back, relaxed,serene, or even apathetic. After all, it would seem that it
    should come naturally for a person to want to conquer.But what is it to
    "conquer the earth? Is it to bend nature to our will or is it more to conquer the physical natures of ourselves to understand better our responsibilities to the earth?
    Every individual is a miniature world. Thus, Jewish mystical teachings
    explain that before conquering the world at large -- the earth, the
    fish, the birds, the beasts -- we must first conquer the world in
    microcosm, ourselves. A person must master himself first before he can
    set out to master the world. This is accomplished through the
    subjugation of the "earthly" and "beastly" in his own nature.Past pieces posted
    discuss this  and it's relationship of not just coming closer to the Creator,but in
     defeating and solving life's problems

    In the Mishna (Ethics, ch. 4), the Sages ask three pointed questions
    concerning titles that most people would be happy to wear. "Who is
    wise... who is mighty... who is wealthy." Our Sages answer that a
    strong person is one who conquers his inclination and they quote
    Proverbs which teaches that a patient person is better than a strong
    man and one who masters his spirit is better than one who conquers a
    city."

    G-d created the first person as a single individual to show us clearly
    that one person -- each and every person -- is potentially capable of
    "conquering the world."
    What is this world conquest? The individual and universal mission.
    To elevate the whole of nature to the service of humanity. Not
    humanity driven by greed, selfishness, ego, But humanity infused and
    illuminated by the Divine Image, by the spark of Godliness, the soul
    which is veritably a part of G-d above.Once we conquer the base aspects
     in ourselves, we can handle the problems of life and  then we can become
    the proper caretaker of the world given us.

    The ultimate purpose of this conquest of self and world is so that the
    whole of Creation will recognize the Creator. This mission will find
    its fullest expression in the Messianic Era when, as the Prophets
    foresaw, the world will be filled with the recognition and knowledge
    of G-d and being in harmony with what we are a part ,creation.

Comments (2)

  • Some peoples drive is stronger than ours. I know now that it is important to not let them over power you if it is against your will. Even for love.

    I don't know if it's in the Torah also, where it states, "the meek will inherit the earth". If you find yourself having to push to get what you want, it's not what you need, so says the teachings of Taoism. What you have in life, should come naturally, without asking, without any problems. Then do you know, it is in accordance with the balance and nature of the whole, that you shall have what you want and need.

  • @SugarH69 - It says God provides food for His creations,but He doiesn't drop worms in a sparrow's nest.There are two types of striving concerning the material, one led by greed and one for for the things that we need to live and to improve life for those around us. Even Taoist monks have to strive to get food.Without a sense of striving, a person stagnates and becomes apathetic.Without striving,there is no improvement of the spirit to reach for what's good.

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