ACTION AS A THOUGHT PROCESS Ralph M. Lewis, FRC I Can we ever be content? Defining what contentment really is comes down to how satisfied we are with our present status. But does the sustaining of a particular satisfaction equal prolonged contentment? Continuous stimuli, invariable sensations, no matter how enjoyable at first, eventually result in boredom. However, we should observe that consciousness is an active state, its activity being maintained only by varying stimuli. Psychological tests have proven for example that when we are exposed to a continual sound of unvarying pitch and volume, we eventually become “deaf” to it. Our consciousness appears to no longer respond to the auditory impression. In fact, for us to hear a habitual sound requires us to concentrate upon that sound; we need to consciously isolate it from other sounds of which we are aware. Contentment therefore does not arise from a particular thing or condition; it can only come from a general state of freedom from any kind of aggravation. Let’s suppose for instance, that someone enjoys listening to music. When listening to it, anxiousness or aggravated disturbance of the emotions are dispelled or are, at least, more easily suppressed. But if the music that contributes to their sense of well-being was played repeatedly, hour after hour, day after day, its agreeable and pleasing sensations would diminish. The listener would finally come to experience the same piece of music as being unsatisfactory and inducing dissatisfaction. It is a common experience that a play or a film that once brought pleasure is less and less satisfactory in doing so every time it is seen thereafter. There are people who will tell you that all through their lives they have found happiness in the reading of a particular book or in reciting the words of a poem without experiencing any diminishing gratification. But actually, if we think about it, that book or poem wasn’t being read or recited constantly. There may have been hours or even days between the reading, so the stimulus wasn’t constant enough to cause monotony to set in. Monotony follows where there is no change, and if our consciousness isn’t varied enough, a state of lethargy and irritation occurs. Those of us who are exposed to constant intense excitement, as great mental and physical activity, or those who are engaged in strenuous work, will often need to wind down, expressing a desire for quiet and relative inactivity. When they achieve this, a sense of contentment arises. Having said that, this doesn’t mean that a state of less stimulation is necessary for contentment. Rather, it shows that the conditions of the previous environment, taken collectively, were becoming all too monotonous. Moreover, the quiet and peace that follows is a different kind of experience, a consciousness of different stimuli which, by contrast, is a gratifying change. Personal Satisfaction The elements of contentment lie principally within ourselves. We won’t all experience “well-being” in the same environment. Our temperament, personality, and conditioning must be taken into consideration. For example, a dynamic person, one of considerable nervous energy, can find pleasure only in exceptional activity. Their energy must be dissipated or it causes a restlessness that is discomforting. Another type of person may be an introvert. Their contentment is had perhaps in contemplation, periods of abstraction, and creative thought. Continuous restlessness is evidence that we have desires and urges that aren’t being satisfied. We may frequently change our interests, but to no avail. Consequently, our inability to achieve contentment isn’t always due to any monotony in our mental or physical activity. It must be realized that, although variations or changes are necessary factors of contentment, they alone aren’t sufficient. The change must be consistent. It must be a change within the group of things in which we find satisfaction. Individual Pursuits However, a continuous change of general interests by someone is an indication of emotional (not mental) instability. It demonstrates that they are not aware of that desire or desires which will bring them the personal satisfaction they crave. Their frequent changes from one kind of activity to another imply a blind search for a source of inner peace. Such plunging into life may of course eventually unearth or reveal to them the course they should pursue for satisfaction, but it is a trial and error method which most often brings failure and discouragement or even mental and physical suffering. Having said that, we do need to have some exposure to life, to its multiplicity of appeals and demands, if we’re to learn what’s in harmony with our latent abilities and desires. When we are young our minds are continually active and we need to find a channel for expression; if not, our inhibited energy may lead to emotional distress. Youthful mental energy sometimes makes it difficult to attach ourselves to, or engage with anything worthwhile for a length of time. For young people, education should allow exposure to different fields of human endeavor, an essential component so they may find a relationship to their inclinations. They should, as in all progressive, modern schools, have an opportunity to do manual work as well as academic subjects. In this way, a connection may result allowing them to concentrate on a particular sphere of activity where they’ll find contentment. As far as the individual pursuit of contentment is concerned, an essential first step is to begin by asking yourself what you want in life. This shouldn’t be construed in terms of particular things. As we’ve said, no one thing alone, if constantly indulged in, provides a long-lasting feeling of satisfaction. The question should be related to your feelings, your urges. In general, what activity, what kind of life, physical or intellectual, appeals to you? The Right Choice A little thought will soon make clear to you that such answers as “wealth” or “fame,” for example, are inadequate as ends in themselves. Wealth per se is an award that’s achieved as the consequence of the accomplishment of something else. You cannot set out to be wealthy. Rather, we become wealthy because we’ve been a success in some business venture or other. We cannot be successful in an enterprise unless we can give ourselves fully to its demands. To do this without any mental reservation we must really enjoy it. What we do must make us content. The same reasoning applies to fame, which is recognition for some achievement. We must first, by hard, personal work win that fame. Again, to win acclaim we must have some outstanding ability. This ability must be liked. It must provide personal contentment. There are many people who find satisfaction in creating, for example. They firstly need to discover, by personal analysis and endeavor or just through a natural bent, what kind of creative talent they have. They should try writing, painting, music, and perhaps other pursuits such as woodwork or mechanics, always being aware however that it’s the act of creating that provides the greatest satisfaction for them. Others may find that, when they’re outdoors or close to nature, working on a farm or in the forests, they experience an ecstasy or sense of unusual well-being. Such pursuit will often lead to a career that is very satisfying. In contrast, how unfortunate are those people who discover, only after they have incurred many obligations and commitments which prevent them from making changes in life, that they’re in the wrong job? Life can be miserable in this kind of situation unless they resort to an effective substitute, such as a hobby or pastime. Once a particularly satisfying interest has been found, engaging in it will be a contributing factor to their contentment. Sometimes it may be that the needs of daily life and family obligations don’t permit the time for us to indulge in our talents and desires. Consequently, we will suppress our interests, hoping that eventually when we retire we will be able to find the time to pursue them. In the meantime we will be deprived of contentment which sometimes leads to unrest, casting an emotional gloom over our lives and creating what we might see as a drab existence. The only option for someone in these circumstances is to try and find at least an hour or two a week to do what satisfies their interests. This will at least provide a feeling of contentment that will bridge the interval until circumstances change and they can spend more time engaging with their pastime. Remote Ideals There is also a negative aspect to this subject and it concerns that state of mind by which we permanently obstruct the acquisition of contentment. The lives of others, great men and women, have always been the incentive for many to achieve success and happiness. However, not everyone can be a Beethoven, a Francis Bacon, or a Thomas Edison. Consequently, don’t make your ideal in life the activities of a famous film star, singer, or sportsperson unless you have within yourself similar ingredients. Live for today! By that statement it is not implied that you shouldn’t plan or prepare for the future. Rather, don’t just make every day a building block for some future castle of dreams. Try and live a life so that some part of each day will satisfy a healthy and natural desire. Ideally, contentment should be cumulative daily, not a sudden prize at the end of life. We must also realize that contentment isn’t a great exaltation, reaching to a peak of emotional pleasure and satisfaction. Such a state can be dangerous because it cannot be sustained and the let-down, the reaction, can be adverse. The realization of contentment is an adjustment to the affairs of life in order to have normal pleasures and satisfaction. It is a smooth highway rather than an acceleration to peaks and a plunging down the other side
Posted on: Sun, 30 Nov 2014 03:20:35 +0000