Thomas Merton
"We too easily assume that we are our real selves, and that our choices are really the ones we want to make when, in fact, our acts of free choice are largely dictated by psychological compulsions, flowing from our inordinate ideas of our own importance. Our choices are too often dictated by our false selves.
Hence I do not find in myself the power to be happy merely by doing what I like. On the contrary, if I do nothing except what pleases my own fancy I will be miserable almost all of the time. This would never be so if my will had not been created to use its own freedom in the love of others."
Merton is an fascinating figure in our modern spiritual landscape. Living at his monastery for awhile enabled me to witness the assortment of characters for whom he has become a spiritual mentor. He is claimed by Catholic conservatives, inter-religious dialogue liberals, new age seekers, poets, and Buddhists to name a few. Like Flannery O'Connor his appeal has stretched well beyond his death. More information on him can be found here.
3 comments:
I know that most of the choices I make are based on psychological impulses but how do I stop???
Merton seems to point to asceticism--not doing what you want. I am a glutton, so watching my inclination to overeat and also my desire to totally control my food intake by dieting/fasting is an area I observe. Habits of mind and action can be cultivated.
What do you think?
I think about all the times I say "I" & take it so seriously. If "I" am tired, I can just be tired without all the melodrama attached to it. I get depressed when things don't go my way; but that is just my ego--when I am reminded of this, I can take my day-to-day life more lightly.
I truly appreciate reading ideas like this; I need to re-remind myself about 7x70 times of what this life is about!
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