Welcome Message For A New-Born
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Yours truly in May 1974.
On the brink of a brave new year, I’d like to bring a George Carlin quote to mind:
“The true owners of this country (the USA) don’t want good education, that’s not in their interest. They don’t want a population capable of critical thinking. All they want is obedient workers.”
Whether Carlin’s view represents an accurate state of affairs or not, it is no secret that most kids in the West receive an incredibly one-sided upbringing: largely devoted to materialism and being able to function in the politico-social system of the day, yet deprived of any noteworthy emotional or spiritual guidance.
Moreover, since patriarchy brought forth hierarchy, authoritarianism, and an insatiable thirst for possessions as its main properties, effectively everyone is following orders from someone else, beginning with parents, then uncles and aunts, teachers, coaches, team leaders, managers, CEO’s, politicians, and generals.
When you’re busy obeying orders, there’s no time to find out about your own unique talents and innate predispositions – let alone being able to develop and cultivate them. In other words, many of us are wasting much time doing tasks or jobs we are not equipped for, which inevitably leads to disappointment, disengagement, and ultimately apathy – not particularly ingredients to make us joyous, healthy, and thriving in our activities and relationships.
Therefore, discovering, developing, and cultivating our own unique talents and innate predispositions, are prerequisites for living a fulfilling life as a human being, hence this warm welcome for every new-born baby. With a welcome like this, value will be evenly distributed over all the innumerable human traits and faculties; not merely the ones in the physical realm, but also in the psychological and spiritual realms.
When each and every one of us spends time on vocations which seamlessly connect with our individual nature, the value of money and power would diminish drastically. When not merely white collar workers, but also forest rangers, artists, and musicians, are able to earn a decent salary, we might be able to lead us away from the road to the great boredom, which we’re obviously heading towards with the fast rising monotony in virtually every field.
Thus, without further ado, here’s an idea for a warm-welcome vow to every new-born baby. May we be enlightened and courageous enough to adopt it.
“Welcome, little one. Thank you for having chosen us to be your parents. We live our lives according to certain rules and guidelines, and we will teach them to you. However, you might one day find out that these don’t apply to your particular nature. Therefore, you are encouraged to ask us any question. If we cannot provide you with an answer, you are encouraged to find the answers to your questions elsewhere. In any case, you are encouraged to explore whatever thoughts or actions come to you naturally, and we will make sure to find schools with a similar attitude.
“Your nature contains unique talents and innate predispositions suitable for particular actions and trades, which are then by default not suitable for others. We shall encourage you to explore what actions and interests come to you naturally, and where possible provide the means and environment for you to play with them, practice, and test them out. For learning, developing, and cultivating ones natural talents is a gateway to living a fulfilling and joyful life as a human being.
“Furthermore, you are regarded as a citizen of a particular nation by most of the people you will encounter during your life (but this is not who you are). We will teach you about nations, the current laws of the nation you are born into, and inform you about the repercussions if you break those laws. We will also teach you that laws and regulations are in reality agreements, made by people. As soon as you are an adult, you can therefore start investigating whether better laws and regulations can be introduced.
Then there’s also such a thing called unwritten laws. These are more like social guidelines, which means that most people in a society expect you to show certain behaviour because that’s supposedly ethical. There are no legal repercussions if you do not comply to social guidelines, but we will inform you how people might treat you if you don’t comply, and what you can expect if you do.
“You shall also encounter problems in life. That is unavoidable, so don’t try avoiding them. Instead, learn to recognize and understand the nature of problems. What exactly is a problem? How did it become a problem? Why is it a problem for you? Does it require a solution right this moment, or is there time to ponder the problem some more? Knowing the nature of problems will tell you that a solution will always present itself, oftentimes without any effort from you. That is because a situation only becomes a problem if you make it so, which means you can also unmake it. In due time you can test that out for yourself.
“You will at some point begin to make a distinction between your mind and body, or spirit and matter. This is an inevitable part of growing up into adulthood, but always keep in mind that in reality, they cannot be separated. However, learn about them and understand how they continuously communicate with each other – they never not communicate. Subsequently, learn how communication between yourself and your environment works – also they never not communicate. As a rule, thoughts and actions belonging to your nature go with a quiet mind and a relaxed body. Thoughts and actions not belonging to your nature go with a disturbed mind and a stiff, rigid body.
“Learn to see that all life is a process in constant change. Inside you, cells die all the time and new ones are being created. In your organs chemical changes happen continuously. According to your activities and circumstances, your thinking changes all the time due to thousands of synapses that are fired in your brain. In other words, change in your body and mind happens endlessly and is inevitable. This process corresponds with everything you are going to observe and experience: all that you’ll see, hear, smell, taste, feel, and think, is everlasting change. This is nothing be afraid of. As a matter of fact, if you learn to embrace change, you can enjoy life with a vigour and zest unknown to most.
“In the process of growing up you are going to lose yourself, which means that you will develop a personality attached to your name. Before you lack the tools to describe what you experience, you have an impersonal outlook on the world. Yet as soon as you learn to communicate with people, you will develop a personality. While in this phase, you will become entangled in the world of opposites. This is necessary and unavoidable, so embrace it. You will learn the meaning of words like good, evil, love, hate, passion, reason, approval, disappointment, life and death. Since life is continuous change, you will learn that every state you’ll find yourself in will at some point pass and transform into another state. Always.
“Lastly, when you feel trapped in the world of opposites, go and find out who, or what, you really are. That is to say, go out and find your true nature (for instance by discovering your unique talents and innate predispositions). For the name we give you, and your personality, are not who you are. Your name is merely a symbol pointing at you, a unique body-mind organism, yet being One with all of existence. In that sense your name has the same function as a finger pointing at the moon. Your name is a communication tool necessary to live life among other human beings. Use it as the tool it’s meant to be, but don’t mistake it for your genuine being – just like you shouldn’t mistake the finger for the moon.
“Oh yes, and always have the support of a joyful state of mind!”
Jolly greetings, and a joyous, blissful, peaceful, and loving new year to all.
Erik Stout
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