Daily Meditation: Monday, November 6, 2023

Pleasure - using this natural inclination constructively

11/06/2023

Nature impels people to seek pleasure, for without it life would lose its flavour, its meaning and become dull and monotonous. It is pleasure that animates and lends colour to life, so there is no question of doing away with it. The only thing is that it must not become a priority, a goal in life; rather, this natural inclination for pleasure must be used constructively. A human being is like a ship sailing on the ocean of life. There are sailors on board who stoke the boilers so that the ship can keep moving, and at the helm is the captain, who keeps the ship on course with the help of a compass. The stokers are our instincts and appetites. They cannot see, but they provide the power to keep us moving. And the captain is our intelligence, the wisdom at the helm that steers our ship in the right direction and makes sure that it does not founder on the rocks or collide with another ship. So, keep a close eye on this ship of which you are the captain, and be sure that the crew is never left to its own devices!*