The path of least interference is also the path of least resistance.
The lesser one interferes in other people's lives the lesser is the resistance from those people in that person's life. Not just there is lesser resistance from other people, there is lesser resistance from his/her own thoughts, concepts, judgements, views and opinions. This resistance is almost always the hardest to overcome.
There is always an urge to interfere in other people's lives (especially the ones close to us) and give suggestions as to what we think are best for them. Giving suggestions isn't bad in certain cases when we feel our near and dear one is definitely erring and doing/going to do something harmful for themselves/others but normally expectations are always riding on the back of these seemingly mere suggestions. Along with that suggestion we have an expectation that the other person should accept and start implementing what I "suggested". As if it wasn't a suggestion and was an order instead. That is the problem. This type of interference is hard to get over.
Best is not give suggestions until we feel there are no personal expectations linked with that suggestion. Along the way even if suggestions are given, an effort should always be made to reach a point where the so-far inherent expectations don't ride along with the suggestion.
Once this kind of interference is gotten over, the resistance will cease to exist as well and I will be able to move along in top gear towards what I want to achieve.
The lesser one interferes in other people's lives the lesser is the resistance from those people in that person's life. Not just there is lesser resistance from other people, there is lesser resistance from his/her own thoughts, concepts, judgements, views and opinions. This resistance is almost always the hardest to overcome.
There is always an urge to interfere in other people's lives (especially the ones close to us) and give suggestions as to what we think are best for them. Giving suggestions isn't bad in certain cases when we feel our near and dear one is definitely erring and doing/going to do something harmful for themselves/others but normally expectations are always riding on the back of these seemingly mere suggestions. Along with that suggestion we have an expectation that the other person should accept and start implementing what I "suggested". As if it wasn't a suggestion and was an order instead. That is the problem. This type of interference is hard to get over.
Best is not give suggestions until we feel there are no personal expectations linked with that suggestion. Along the way even if suggestions are given, an effort should always be made to reach a point where the so-far inherent expectations don't ride along with the suggestion.
Once this kind of interference is gotten over, the resistance will cease to exist as well and I will be able to move along in top gear towards what I want to achieve.
February 01, 2009 9:32 AMCompletely agree. Expectation implies that your happiness is in the hands of someone else. If met, it causes "free" joy - one for which we do not have to work mentally. If not met, it causes suffering.
Real joy is one where you are the source.
Since most people in the world don't seem to realize or follow this concept, the people most respected in the world are those that have a lot of "empathy" or "understanding" - because they then become the source of "free" joy to others.
February 02, 2009 11:30 AM
Yes, but that 'empathy' and 'understanding' are just by-products ... the real focus should still be on being happy with oneself. Bringing joy to others is incidental.
February 02, 2009 11:48 AM
If you remove the "but" in your reply, it would convey what I'm trying to say: That since most people in the world are not self-less and do expect things of others, the people who are liked the most in the world are those that give us this free joy by meeting our expectations.
Again, this does not matter to truly self-less people.
Does that make sense btw?
February 02, 2009 2:58 PM
It does make sense ... I guess we are saying the same thing but i am trying to point on the main produce and not the by-products and you are probably giving them equal importance.
But point duly noted. 'Those' kinds of people do bring joy to others.
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