Re: [FairfieldLife] Right Place, Right Time

[Richard J. Williams]

Karma, or the results of our actions, can go both ways - good or bad, 
depending on your outlook. Sometimes bad things turn into good things. 
Remember the saying about someone's death that they are going to a 
'better' place?


Everyone knows that MMY was a born optimist, and those who have been 
around him have caught on to this feeling of optimistic outlook, noting 
with subtle humor that the best of all possible worlds is the world that 
we are living in right now, that is, we think this world is as good a 
place to "Be" as any other relative existence, since to be otherwise 
would entail not being at all, keeping in mind that life without 
absolute knowledge is like living in abject ignorance of the real all 
the time!


The story of 'Candide' by Voltaire is a satire depicting in caricature 
the irony of those who profess unbounded optimism for all circumstances, 
regardless of the obvious suffering of normal mankind. This attitude is 
supported by the theory of natural order, which states that there is a 
reaction to every action, and that nature involves a law of causation, 
which is good, because then man is already determined - there's no need 
for worry - we all get the best we can possibly get. You're going to get 
only as much enlightenment as you're going to get!


According to Maynard Mack, the German Philosopher Gottfried Leibniz 
provides Voltaire with a specific target in "Candide"; that being 
Voltaire's version of optimism "reduced for satiric purposes to a facile 
formula" (Mack 519):


"He proved admirably that there cannot possibly be an effect without a 
cause and that in the best of all possible worlds the Baron's castle was 
the best of all castles and his wife the best of all Baronesses." 
(Candide 522)


Thus according to Voltaire, everything is for the best in this best of 
all possible worlds. However, everyone knows that we live in a world 
full of suffering. In fact, one of the marks of humanity consists of the 
recognition of suffering, called 'dukkha' in Sanskrit, the first link in 
the Buddha's Chain of Dependent Origination.


The central theme for Voltaire is the dichotomy between optimism and 
pessimism, two subjects that interested greatly the philosophers and 
writers of Voltaire's time. The central question being that, if this is 
the best of all possible worlds, then why do people suffer?


Gottfried Leibniz was Immanuel Kant's teacher, and it was he, Leibnitz, 
who first coined the term 'the best of all possible worlds." (Bahm 76). 
If, as Mack proposes, Voltaire's Candide is an exaggerated satire on 
Leibnitz, it would be interesting to note what, exactly, Gottfried 
Leibnitz himself said about this world. Go figure.


According to my Professor, A. J. Bahm, whoever believes that life is 
worth while because it contains more good than evil is an optimist. 
Optimists vary in outlook from those who, like Leibnitz, believe that 
God created this best of all possible worlds, to those who feel that 
life has a preponderance of good over evil in life or in the world. 
Pessimists think that evil predominates over good. An extreme pessimist 
should of course commit suicide, unless he feels that such an act would 
bring him more suffering. However, most people are born optimists, and 
believe that somehow everything will turn out for the best, in the end.


It is obvious that what really got to Voltaire was not the philosophy of 
optimism but hypocrisy itself:


"He asked alms of several grave personages who all told him him e that 
if he continued to beg, he would be shut up in a house of correction and 
set to hard labor" (Candide 525).


The meaning of the Sanskrit word dhukka, or suffering, means much more 
than just physical suffering. It would be interesting to speculate just 
how much Leibnitz and Voltaire knew about the pessimistic philosophies 
of ancient India, and how these two opposing views on life were 
reconciled in the Buddha's Middle Way. By way of a juxtaposition to 
"Candide" and its satire on optimism, we might consider that to do 
nothing, that is, pessimism, would be the other extreme, opposed to 
positive work in the world.


According to Bahm, a 'Middle Wayer' would say that, though there are 
both good and evil in the world, and though the outcome may be 
uncertain, still it is possible to improve our lot if we try in 
appropriate ways by being pragmatic. William James said concerning 
pragmatism: "Every such ideal realized will be one moment in the world's 
salvation." (Bahm 286)


A Middle Wayer is a 'meliorist', who believes that the fate of each 
person's values is partly under his own control and that he or she has 
the power to increase such values, which makes the effort largely 
worthwhile.


Works Cited:

Bahm, A. J. (1972). "Introduction to Philosophy". Bombay: South Asia Pub.

Mack, Maynard. "Francois-Marie Arouet de Voltaire." World Masterpeices. 
New York: Norton 2000. 518-520.


Voltaire. "Candide." In "World Masterpieces" Ed. Maynard 

RE: Re: Re: [FairfieldLife] Right Place, Right Time

[jr_esq]

 Share,
 

 I agree with your strategy.  That's how jyotish works.  You'll realize that 
the world is magical if you know the right path.
 

---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com,  wrote:

 John, I also thought it interesting that Maharishi said that when you're 
taking a test or have a bunch of tasks to do, do the easy ones first to build 
up momentum. Then do the difficult ones.
 

 
 
 On Saturday, November 23, 2013 5:29 PM, "jr_esq@..."  wrote:
 
Richard,
 

 MMY stated to take the path of least resistance.  That is the more likely the 
correct alternative.  Jyotish can help in that regard.
 

 But some people have a problem with that.  IMO, they end up fighting for a 
lost cause.  FWIW.
 

---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com,  wrote:

 This got me to thinking too, about being in the right place at the right 
 time. I wonder how much being in the right place at the right time is a 
 matter of personal choice or just plain old karma.
 
 As I get older I've begun to think back about the choices I made in the 
 past, and why I made those choices. Only a few times can I remember 
 actually deciding what to do - there's always some force involved that 
 is often unseen or accounted for.
 
 Most of the time being where I was was not something I had much control 
 over - it was mostly a matter of necessity and/or survival. Most of us 
 don't get to make real choices - we think we do, but mainly we make 
 choices because of finances that seem to dictate where we go, how we 
 live, and what we do.
 
 But, if you look back and examine things and events real closely, you 
 may find that things and events happen for a reason, sometimes for 
 reasons we don't understand at the time. Everything is connected and 
 every action we take comes from a cause - there's not much free will 
 when you really think about it.
 
 If we've all lived lives in the past, you'll realize that there's 
 nothing much we can do now to change what came before - all we can do 
 now is try to make things better for ourselves in the future. For some, 
 being in the right place at the right times is just a matter of fate, 
 but I think most of what happens to us is the result of what we did in 
 the past, which we often don't even understand. If we could go back and 
 make another different decision, who knows what would happen?
 
 Karma is a bitch! Remember the future.
 
 On 11/23/2013 8:39 AM, TurquoiseB wrote:
 > Bein' in the right place at the right time... 


 
 

 
 




 
 
 
 

Re: Re: [FairfieldLife] Right Place, Right Time

[Share Long]

John, I also thought it interesting that Maharishi said that when you're taking 
a test or have a bunch of tasks to do, do the easy ones first to build up 
momentum. Then do the difficult ones.





On Saturday, November 23, 2013 5:29 PM, "jr_...@yahoo.com"  
wrote:
 
  
 Richard,

MMY stated to take the path of least resistance.  That is the more likely the 
correct alternative.  Jyotish can help in that regard.

But some people have a problem with that.  IMO, they end up fighting for a lost 
cause.  FWIW.


---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com,  wrote:


This got me to thinking too, about being in the right place at the right 
time. I wonder how much being in the right place at the right time is a 
matter of personal choice or just plain old karma.

As I get older I've begun to think back about the choices I made in the 
past, and why I made those choices. Only a few times can I remember 
actually deciding what to do - there's always some force involved that 
is often unseen or accounted for.

Most of the time being where I was was not something I had much control 
over - it was mostly a matter of necessity and/or survival. Most of us 
don't get to make real choices - we think we do, but mainly we make 
choices because of finances that seem to dictate where we go, how we 
live, and what we do.

But, if you look back and examine things and events real closely, you 
may find that  things and events happen for a reason, sometimes for 
reasons we don't understand at the time. Everything is connected and 
every action we take comes from a cause - there's not much free will 
when you really think about it.

If we've all lived lives in the past, you'll realize that there's 
nothing much we can do now to change what came before - all we can do 
now is try to make things better for ourselves in the future. For some, 
being in the right place at the right times is just a matter of fate, 
but I think most of what happens to us is the result of what we did in 
the past, which we often don't even understand. If we could go back and 
make another different decision, who knows what would happen?

Karma is a bitch! Remember the future.


On 11/23/2013 8:39 AM, TurquoiseB wrote:
>> Bein' in the right place at the right time... 

RE: Re: [FairfieldLife] Right Place, Right Time

[jr_esq]

 Richard,
 

 MMY stated to take the path of least resistance.  That is the more likely the 
correct alternative.  Jyotish can help in that regard.
 

 But some people have a problem with that.  IMO, they end up fighting for a 
lost cause.  FWIW.
 

---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com,  wrote:

 This got me to thinking too, about being in the right place at the right 
 time. I wonder how much being in the right place at the right time is a 
 matter of personal choice or just plain old karma.
 
 As I get older I've begun to think back about the choices I made in the 
 past, and why I made those choices. Only a few times can I remember 
 actually deciding what to do - there's always some force involved that 
 is often unseen or accounted for.
 
 Most of the time being where I was was not something I had much control 
 over - it was mostly a matter of necessity and/or survival. Most of us 
 don't get to make real choices - we think we do, but mainly we make 
 choices because of finances that seem to dictate where we go, how we 
 live, and what we do.
 
 But, if you look back and examine things and events real closely, you 
 may find that things and events happen for a reason, sometimes for 
 reasons we don't understand at the time. Everything is connected and 
 every action we take comes from a cause - there's not much free will 
 when you really think about it.
 
 If we've all lived lives in the past, you'll realize that there's 
 nothing much we can do now to change what came before - all we can do 
 now is try to make things better for ourselves in the future. For some, 
 being in the right place at the right times is just a matter of fate, 
 but I think most of what happens to us is the result of what we did in 
 the past, which we often don't even understand. If we could go back and 
 make another different decision, who knows what would happen?
 
 Karma is a bitch! Remember the future.
 
 On 11/23/2013 8:39 AM, TurquoiseB wrote:
 > Bein' in the right place at the right time... 

Re: [FairfieldLife] Right Place, Right Time

[Richard J. Williams]

This got me to thinking too, about being in the right place at the right 
time. I wonder how much being in the right place at the right time is a 
matter of personal choice or just plain old karma.

As I get older I've begun to think back about the choices I made in the 
past, and why I made those choices. Only a few times can I remember 
actually deciding what to do - there's always some force involved that 
is often unseen or accounted for.

Most of the time being where I was was not something I had much control 
over - it was mostly a matter of necessity and/or survival. Most of us 
don't get to make real choices - we think we do, but mainly we make 
choices because of finances that seem to dictate where we go, how we 
live, and what we do.

But, if you look back and examine things and events real closely, you 
may find that  things and events happen for a reason, sometimes for 
reasons we don't understand at the time. Everything is connected and 
every action we take comes from a cause - there's not much free will 
when you really think about it.

If we've all lived lives in the past, you'll realize that there's 
nothing much we can do now to change what came before - all we can do 
now is try to make things better for ourselves in the future. For some, 
being in the right place at the right times is just a matter of fate, 
but I think most of what happens to us is the result of what we did in 
the past, which we often don't even understand. If we could go back and 
make another different decision, who knows what would happen?

Karma is a bitch! Remember the future.

On 11/23/2013 8:39 AM, TurquoiseB wrote:
> Bein' in the right place at the right time...

Re: [FairfieldLife] Right Place, Right Time

[Bhairitu]

I saw Dr. John twice in the 1990s. Once in San Fran at Boz Scagg's club 
and another time at a dinner club in Emeryville.  He puts on quite a fun 
show.


On 11/23/2013 06:39 AM, TurquoiseB wrote:


A friend on another forum, which centers on time we spent together in 
(gasp) high school, posted a couple of songs recently from his 
post-Morocco days in New Orleans and other parts of Louisiana. That 
got me to thinkin' about my favorite Louisiana musicians, and what I 
came up with as a "reply song" on the thread was Mac Rebennack's classic:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HT4RainY-lY

[FairfieldLife] Right Place, Right Time

[TurquoiseB]

A friend on another forum, which centers on time we spent together in
(gasp) high school, posted a couple of songs recently from his
post-Morocco days in New Orleans and other parts of Louisiana. That got
me to thinkin' about my favorite Louisiana musicians, and what I came up
with as a "reply song" on the thread was Mac Rebennack's classic:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HT4RainY-lY


And *that* got me thinkin' about the contrary, "Bein' in the right place
at the right time." That's more fun, so because I'm in one of my
favorite Right Places (Bad Habits, in Leiden) again, and because it
seems like the Right Time, I'll rap about it a little.

There are some on this forum -- some still doing TM, some not -- who got
on the TM bus back during the "Beatles wave." That was the Right Place,
and the Right Time. For a number of years, for those of us who were
tired of the drugs and kinda burned out on all the easy sex and
guiltlessness :-) climbing onto the TM bus was the right thing to do.
And it gave us quite a ride. Many parts of the ride were fun, and gave
us glimpses of what we were really riding *towards*. When the guilt
crept back in and the ride became not quite as fun, some of us pushed
the buzzer and got off the bus. But that doesn't mean that the whole TM
thang was either the Wrong Place, or the Wrong Time. It was what it was,
and I for one don't regret a minute of it.

Since then, for me, there have been other Right Place, Right Time
experiences. Climbing on the Rama bus. Climbing off again, when it was
the Right Time to do so. I have no regrets about those places and times,
either. Next came a period of living in Back Bay, Boston, and while that
was fun, something in me could tell that it was neither the Right Place,
nor the Right Time. So I took a long Road Trip, with no fixed direction
in mind, just to search for the Next Right Place in which to have
further adventures. I settled on Santa Fe, New Mexico, and that turned
into six of the most Right Place, Right Time years of my life. No
regrets.

Then came Paris. And then came Sauve, in the south of France. Then came
Sitges, Spain. Not a *one* of them less than the Right Place, at the
Right Time. I would be a *fool* to regret any of the time I spent in
those places.

Then came the Netherlands, and although the first town I lived in might
not have been the Right Place (it was boring with a capital "Blech!"),
it was the Right Time, and gave me a chance to settle in to the weird
Dutch way of life. It was also the springboard for moving to Leiden, and
that has turned into one of the best Right Place, Right Time moves of my
life.

Then Paris reared its head, and I went for it, and that was pretty Right
Place, Right Time, too. Until it wasn't any more. So I'm happy that I'm
going to be spending more time here in Leiden, because -- right now, for
me -- this is the Right Place. And I hope, when I return full-time in
three weeks, to have a Right Fun Time here again.