The totjo´s look on suicide

Alluvius wrote: My answer would be:

Because the spirit is real, we're here to learn and understand. (There's a longer answer than that, but it seems pointless at the moment)

So again, why would I want to spend the whole time I am supposed to be experiencing and understanding, would i want to spend my time trying to get out of it?

I don't think people should commit suicide, except for extenuating circumstances. I used to be impartial until a few weeks ago when someone I've been good friends with since middle school killed himself. After experiencing the effects of the aftermath, regarding the friends and family, I can't see suicide as an act approved by the Jedi. It's just so selfish and hurtful. I get the fascination with it, it seems so dark and romantic, but in reality, to those who care about the person, who love them, it's one of the most painful things to ever imagine, let alone live through. It changes you, your outlook on the most trivial things to the most grounded of beliefs. To be perfectly honest, it's one of the reasons why I haven't been on this site in a while, or why I kept being so nonchalant when serious things happened to me. It's had me questioning everything I thought I knew, and not caring as much as I should. But that was only at first. The numbness fades away after a bit, and then you just feel angry all the time. You get furious at the drop of a hat, and you hate the world for forgetting about the tragedy that only happened barely 4 weeks ago. How quickly the Christmas reefs came up right afterwards, how the smiles and laughter didn't stop, not even for a day. How every mention of your childhood brings back this person you cared about, and how the funniest event from those times doesn't escape unscathed. There's nothing poetic about suicide. Nothing romantic. And unless it's some poor old person who can't live a day without grievous amounts of pain and anguish, I don't think it's right. It's just opting out of a situation that may take time to overcome. What we sometimes forget is we are made who we are by struggle and pain, and by overcoming obstacles and rising above it and flourishing like a phoenix rising from the ashes.

Andy Spalding wrote:

Alluvius wrote: My answer would be:

Because the spirit is real, we're here to learn and understand. (There's a longer answer than that, but it seems pointless at the moment)

So again, why would I want to spend the whole time I am supposed to be experiencing and understanding, would i want to spend my time trying to get out of it?

Why would you want to spend time getting out of what?

Life?

I feel I am reading circles, lol... Just trying to keep up...

Khaos, I know you dont need it, but thanks for what you do for a living, it is under-appreciated...

yea, life, and having a physical experience.

We spend our time trying to "realize the truth" and to "transcend the mere physical existence", that this whole thing is just an Illusion to what is really real.

However, as it has been explained to me before, the reason we just don't end this illusion for ourselves is because the meaning of life is to experience it.

So my question is, if we are meant to have experiences in the illusion, why would a philosophy of learning how to deny that illusion serve us in anyway?

Andy said it before I could- what's the point in sticking around.

Lucas didn't just draw on Eastern beliefs, there are mixtures of Western beliefs as well. So while we're on the topic of suicide- let's talk about one of the major problems many people have because of their religious beliefs with regards to crises:

Everyone seems to think that cookie-cutter answers are how you're going to get through a traumatic event.

Congregations are looking for assistance in meeting the increasingly complex challenges of mission, ministry and congregational life. Programmatic, cookie-cutter answers are now often viewed as inadequate to meet these challenges. The need is growing for church consultants who can provide more personalized, context-specific help to congregations in need. One size definitely does not fit all in today's world.

(http://www.nepastoral.org/clergy/index.html)

Cookie-cutter answers, in the long run, can make a situation worse if the situation does not resolve in a timely manner. People don't want to hear "They are transformed by the Force" when they have lost someone- because it's impersonal. It sounds like you don't care about them, so you pass off a tidbit of wisdom to not deal with them.

For the most part, we don't live in the East. We live in the West, where our society revolves around individuality and we communicate concepts much more intricately than they do in the East. It's flawed to compare our society to that of another- we don't think the same way.

Ah, ok...

Well, for me, it makes me not get so bent out of shape over things that I would blow up about before...

People take stuff way to serious, realizing that life is fun too...

Like I say about most things...

Balance...

The right amount of philosophical thinking with the right amount of experience...

Andy Spalding wrote:

Alluvius wrote: My answer would be:

Because the spirit is real, we're here to learn and understand. (There's a longer answer than that, but it seems pointless at the moment)

So again, why would I want to spend the whole time I am supposed to be experiencing and understanding, would i want to spend my time trying to get out of it?

I didn't say you would...or should...I think, perhaps, I don't understand the question.

Andy Spalding wrote: However, as it has been explained to me before, the reason we just don't end this illusion for ourselves is because the meaning of life is to experience it.

The meaning of life (sorry, I had an additional thought) isnt 'one thing'...

Such as to experience life...

It is many faceted... I think anyway, although, only one other facet comes to mind, and that is evolution...

The furthering of our species...

Cookie-cutter answers, in the long run, can make a situation worse if the situation does not resolve in a timely manner. People don't want to hear "They are transformed by the Force" when they have lost someone- because it's impersonal. It sounds like you don't care about them, so you pass off a tidbit of wisdom to not deal with them.

I agree...

And I doubt any of us would offer this in the way of condolences to another... Well, maybe...

But, it would be offered in the way that "it's god's will" would be offered...

And bad advice is bad advice... Whether in suicide prevention, or parenting...

Khaos, I know you dont need it, but thanks for what you do for a living, it is under-appreciated...

Please tell that to the people that make out the paychecks. Haha.

Andy Spalding wrote: yea, life, and having a physical experience.

We spend our time trying to "realize the truth" and to "transcend the mere physical existence", that this whole thing is just an Illusion to what is really real.

However, as it has been explained to me before, the reason we just don't end this illusion for ourselves is because the meaning of life is to experience it.

So my question is, if we are meant to have experiences in the illusion, why would a philosophy of learning how to deny that illusion serve us in anyway?

OK, I should have read further down. LOL

The purpose of life is learning...or you could say that the meaning of life is to experience it, I'm good either way. The idea, in my view, is that you don't get caught up in the meaningless and miss the meaningful. Also, when we lose that which is precious to us, we grieve or mourn, which are two ways of saying "feel bad". If we practice non-attachment, we can love, and love deeply; but also we can let go when it's time and spare ourselves some negative feelings. I regard these negative feelings as being very selfish, but I also understand that not everyone can see it that way, and I'm fine with that. I do not encourage anyone to "get ahead of themselves"...life, and death, happen in their own time. While you may not be conscious of it, your spirit is in control, just relax and trust that what is happening is supposed to happen. Let go of the negativity. Breath.

As for time wasted trying to "realize the truth", it is important to understand that once you do realize the "truth", you will know that you have "wasted" no time in getting to that realization. If you want better answers than that...look inward. You already know the "truth", all you have to do is to know you do.