Right And Wrong
"What is right and what is wrong? Depends on who you are asking the question to!"
Introduction
Defining Right and Wrong
It’s only natural that we will all have our ideas of what is right and wrong, after all, we all have our own unique personalities, preferences, likes and dislikes.
Thus, what is right and what is wrong?
It really depends on who you ask.
Some may think that loving oneself more than others is the right thing to do.
Some may think it’s wrong.
Some may think that it’s not right to disagree with each other.
Some may disagree.
By looking at the way people vote their presidents, order their dinners, criticize the movies they’ve just watched, one can realize just how unique everyone’s perspective can be.
However, when one lacks the awareness that everyone is entitled to think differently, one can experience the suffering states of the mind. So, in this article, we will explore in-depth the ideas of right and wrong to develop such awareness and the ways to release one’s attachment from such ideas so that one can experience greater wisdom and happiness in life.
Right and Wrong In Depth
If one were to explore the many parts of the world, meet many kinds of people and experience different cultures and traditions this world has to offer, one will realize that the ideas of right and wrong can vastly differ from one place to the next.
One will find that even families can have shared ideas of what is right and wrong. Even religions, schools, clubs, and countries. Even different sides of the world, for instance, one can find discover that there are Eastern ways of thinking and also Western ways of thinking.
In understanding this, one will realize that one’s idea of what is right and wrong could have been learnt and influence from one’s family, tribe, culture, tradition, school, all the way to one’s country.
That is why it’s important to question oneself as to whether or not these ideas of right and wrong are truly theirs.
Do I believe in these ideas with reason? Or have I been just blindly accepting them without question?
Without asking such questions, one can end up blindly following cultures and traditions that may not resonate with one’s heart.
Realize that at the end of the day, what is right and wrong are not divine laws but simply products of the human mind. So, the best thing one can do for oneself is to discover their own ideas of what is right and wrong—to question whether existing ideas are working for one’s journey towards happiness or working against it, or whether they are helping one to discover their True Self or they are simply impeding it.
And it’s important to assess these ideas from time to time. Because things naturally will change with time. So, as you mature and grow like your surroundings, it only makes sense to refine your ideas of what is right and wrong to make it resonate with the Present Moment.
Without learning to refine one's ideas of right and wrong, one can live with beliefs that cause more problems than good.
For instance, there are some cultures with the belief that one must attend a funeral if the deceased was part of their family or extended family. When one follows such a belief, one can end up spending money on flight tickets several times a year to fly back just for funerals. Now, this is not saying that such traditions are bad, as there will be those who would want to visit funerals to release their grief. But if there’s a family in the tribe that doesn’t care about these things, they would end up with a lot of stress with the only winners being the businesses that profit from such a tradition.
The example given is not an example of not a “bad culture” or criticizing specific businesses as they will all have their place in society. It's simply an example of what can happen if one does not question their ideas of right and wrong. Realize that the point of questioning is not to judge other people’s ideas of what is right and wrong, but rather, to question yourself as to if you want to follow it. Because after all, it’s your life. Other people have made the choice to follow it, so you can make your own choices.
So, question yourself as to whether your beliefs are currently working for you or against you. Without questioning it, one would never know.
And when you decide to follow your own beliefs, it can be challenging especially if you are in an environment where the majority is voting against you.
But realize this.
Just because the majority thinks that something is right, doesn’t make it so.
Actually, some studies have suggested that over 80% of the people in the world has health problems.
So should you follow what others are doing?
Time to question!
Path Of Creator
Right and Wrong In Relation To The Path Of Creator
To create greater happiness in life, one can learn to release one's attachments to the ideas of right and wrong because becoming attached to these ideas will only create suffering and judgement whenever they encounter others who have opposing ideas, sometimes even making conversations with them sound like a criminal trial.
Attachment to ideas of right and wrong can also generate the desire to control others so that they can be converted to see the world in the same way as one does. One can also begin to experience fears of being wrong when one is attached to these ideas.
Thus, creating attachments to the ideas of right and wrong can only lead one down on a sure path of Suffering.
To start the journey of releasing oneself from these ideas, one can ask the question,
"Do I want to always be right?”
Or
“Do I want to be happy?"
Sometimes, one may not want to let go of their attachments to the ideas of right and wrong because being right all the time can be addictive. Winning an argument surely can feel somewhat exciting and fulfilling. But realize that the happiness gained from such experiences will only be short-lived and always be accompanied by the fears of being wrong.
So, if one wishes to create greater happiness, one will have to release their attachments towards the ideas of right and wrong. But this does not mean that one should stop arguing with people or winning arguments or expressing their points of view; rather, it's about learning to let go of these ideas at the state of the mind, i.e. learning to accept others and oneself for having different opinions, learning to accept oneself whether one is right or wrong, and so forth.
Realize that the way to make progress towards greater happiness is to develop Self-Acceptance.
And on that journey, as one learns to accept everyone for who they are, one will experience less of a desire to judge others, less anger, less need to control others, less frustration—fewer negativities of the mind when confronted with a Self that has an opposing view.
One will discover that by developing Self-Acceptance, one will also learn to express one's point of view in a clearer and calmer manner instead of being overly defensive or aggressive to other people's opinions.
To let go of one's attachment to the ideas of right and wrong thus can open many doors to greater happiness.
But the journey won't be easy. It can be challenging especially when one has deep attachments to their beliefs.
That is why the practice of meditation is much recommended for those who wish to release their attachments. Meditation will help one to Still their mind so that one’s focus can shift to what is more important—Happiness.
You can be the smartest person in the world.
Or, you can be the happiest.
And usually, it will require one to abandon the former desire to have both. Because when one can let go of the desire to be right all the time, the suffering states of mind will slowly disappear, creating the grounds where wisdom and intellect can thrive.
The destination is towards greater happiness and Self-Acceptance. A state where one can see that all ideas are valid, including one's own.
At The Ideas Level
Let us briefly examine how the attachment to the ideas of right and wrong can happen at the deepest level of the mind.
These ideas are created from self-declarations that promote Self-Rejection. They can be transcribed as ideas beginning with—
"It is not ok.."
I.e.
"It is not ok to be arrogant."
"It is not ok to not fulfil people's expectations."
"It is not ok to disagree."
"it is not ok for others to disagree."
Etc....
When one creates a belief that deems something as wrong, the ideas of what is right will be created alongside at the same time.
To transform and release oneself from these ideas of right and wrong, one can learn to accept oneself and others for who they are, more and more every day. This will be challenging at first as the mind will seem as if it won't budge. But with time, the more one carries that intention to accept, the more the mind will be moved to find reasons to accept.
To accelerate the journey, one can actually do things that one considers is wrong. This will help to shake the mind and challenge one's way of thinking. But this can be too challenging for some. That is why if one wishes to go deeper into oneself this way, one can practice meditation as it will help one to Still their analytical mind, helping one to quell their fears.
See Catalyst-Mistake for more detail.
Know and Transform The Self!
Reading articles helps with understanding, but to transform the mind, one realizes the truth from experience.
For such an enlightening journey, the Self-Transformation Course has everything you will ever need!
