Sunday, March 27, 2011

Fundamental Principle

Joseph Campbell was a brilliant, self-directed and disciplined scholar who, throughout his life, continued to uncover the mysteries of himself and our world.

He painstakingly outlined procedures for accomplishing his goals which are evident in one of his early journal entries in which he wrote his plan to keep "a careful dairy of my reactions, plans, etc., as an attempt to crystallize, more or less, my essential point of view - or at least discover what that point of view may be".

His journey was epitomized by self- reflection and reevaluation that continually altered the path he followed.  It is Joe who coined the phrase "Follow Your Bliss" that so many others have embraced (including me - obviously).

Following your bliss means remaining true to yourself, living an authentic life that feels right deep in the essence of who you are.  If you listen to that voice you will know your path but attuning yourself to hearing can often prove mystifying.

Joe wrote of the intensity of life.  The passion.  The pull of wanting to experience it all ensures a dizzying roller coaster ride of unfocused adventure that leaves one seizing the moment but ultimately unsatisfied. He posited that perhaps it is "best to carefully discriminate, and find what phases contribute most to poise, sympathy, sensitivity and organic growth - the whole thing being goverened  and selected from within rather than by chance. Then live intensely what you have intelligently decided you want to live".

This is akin to Dolly Parton's statement "Find out who you are and do it on purpose".

Good advice that isn't always so easy to unravel but I, like so many others, am committed to doing it on purpose.  And I am basking in the thrill of my purposeful journey.

5 comments:

37paddington said...

What a wonderful reflection for this Monday morning. I often feel guilty that I don't embrace more of life at a time, my life sometimes feels narrow, but it always feels purposeful, and now I have a language for why that is. Thank you for this. And we are blessed indeed that you are following your bliss! Love to you.

Tess Kincaid said...

Thanks for the beautiful inspiration to follow my bliss.

Gary said...

Angella - You have beautiful successes with your "narrow" focus on family and love. Your posts are an inspiration.

Tess - I think you are doing pretty well there kid!

Betsy Brock said...

Wow...what an inspiration. And I love that quote of Dolly's! I'm writing that one down! Thanks, Gary!

Gary said...

Betsy - It's easy to fall in love with Dolly and her perspective on things, isn't it?

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