The doctor is IN.

[azekeil]

Wow, I got a few (condensed) life stories in reply to my self-reflection post. I was looking for a common theme in the way people plan their lives, but it has to be said - people appear to have all sorts of approaches, some of which seem to work for them, some which don't.

Based on what you lot said, with my biased opinion, it is probably wise to have a broad overreaching plan which you stick to, with shorter term more definite goals to aim for. If the goals are not achieved - no matter. You simply choose another goal that still fits under the broad plan. In this way you can still control your life, whilst being able to take most of the curve balls that life may choose to throw at you.

Comments

[sepheri.livejournal.com]

I don't mean to be rude m'dear but frankly you just can't make such a genralised statement as you made in that second paragraph and expect to apply it to anyone more than just you.
As you saw from the response to your post, everyone has a slightly different approach and really thhe only conclusion you can come to from that is what way is wise for you, not anyone else. Worry about what you want and how you want to do it and everyone else can fix themselves ;)

[azekeil.livejournal.com]

Don't worry, I did point out that this was my biased opinion :)

[sepheri.livejournal.com]

I know you did but you don't have the right to have an opinion on how everyone else is supposed to run their lives.
Ok, I supposed you do but its everyone elses right to ignore it ;p

[azekeil.livejournal.com]

Exactly :)

I would feel lost without a goal, without the knowledge that what I was doing was constantly leading me towards some longer-term purpose. This may not be everyone's bag, but if it is then my opinion may be helpful.

I'm slightly surprised you're being quite so defensive about this - for the record, I am envious of the way you are able to run your life; it must be exhilaratingly free (amongst other things).

All I want to do is promote discussion around it, to understand how others run their lives, and what the benefits/drawbacks are for them. It may not suit me (or others), but it's interesting nonetheless to see what others do.

[sepheri-design.livejournal.com]

Sorry if I seem defensive. I am quick to anger when I feel that people are trying to tell others how best to run their lives. I very much believe in the statements in Liber Oz http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/libers/lib77.html and try to up hold them whenever I can.

I also believe that everything anyone does leads them towards some "long-term purpose" planned or not. I've always had this deep feeling that everything has a purpose and works the way it should just so long as we have the courage to trust in that. Does that make any sense?

[sepheri.livejournal.com]

Sorry, I was logged into my other account there but you knew it was me right ;D

[azekeil.livejournal.com]

The name (plus the fact I knew of the account anyway) did kinda give it away ;)

[sepheri.livejournal.com]

Damn, rummbled :P

[azekeil.livejournal.com]

I like the sentiment behind Liber Oz, but it somewhat unsettles me (and perhaps this is a failing in myself) because it doesn't explicitly mention that your will should be done without harming or hindering others; it sounds like exterior influences should be your governance - if others don't like what you're doing, they have the right to kill you. One could say Hitler was doing his will, and he was fought against as a result.

I have to say I prefer having a little more control over my destiny than simply letting it happen to me - I guess I don't trust in it. I guess that's my gripe with religion and spirituality in general.

Also, and this confuses me - doesn't that conflict with the ideas of the OTO? Isn't the idea that you have to make your own will, i.e. control your own destiny?

[sepheri.livejournal.com]

The killing bit of Liber Oz always worries people at first. Its a long conversatuon that I would be happy to have at some other point but basically I'll just say that it says you have the "right" to do that, it doesn't say you neccessarily should. And exterior influences are not your governance, interior ones are.

I take your last point, its an interesting one.
I do have an explanation for it, a way I explain it to myself anyway but I am awful at putting these things into understandable sentances. Its to do with being part of the universe and therefore the universe being part of me.
I hate it when people give crappy vague answers to questions of religion and spirituality and I'm doing just that! I will try to come up with a better answer.
Besides, its not as if I just let things happen to me, live my life buffeted from place to place letting others make all the decisions for me. I just try to embrace oportunities that present themselves.

[azekeil.livejournal.com]

I guessed it would be hard to explain it in a little box; yes, perhaps a further conversation is in order :)