I am reading a book called "Think on These Things" by Krishnamurti. Krishnamurti was one of the most famous philosophers and theosophists of the 20th century, although he would hate to be classified as either of those things. He has such a unique and quietly powerful philosophy to living life, I think he might be on to something.
In the book, he talks about never trying or wanting to be anyone but yourself. He says if you are a crude person and want to change, do not try to become not crude because in trying to become something you are not you only become cruder. Just come understand yourself and your crudity. Watch yourself. When you catch yourself being crude, observe it and understand what that means to you and everyone it affects. In understanding, you find the crudity will wash away.
Krishnamurti also talks about how ambition is such a huge root of the world's problems. He says that the ambition to get something, be something, do something will always cause the world to hurt because one person's desire or ambition and actions to fulfill that desire or ambition is another person's sorrow. If you aspire to get a promotion and receive it; that is to someone else's detriment. Somebody else lost out because you won. If you decide you need to lose weight and become more beautiful and have decided to go to the gym 5 days a week, then where you are again succeeding, your family (or friends) have lost out on time with you. Krishnamurti says that always, when you strive to become something that you are not it causes sorrow for others. But when you accept who and what you are at the present moment, and try to be nothing but yourself, that is when life is in harmony. He said that we should only try to be healthy and content in ourselves and whatever jobs, relationships, or changes happen to come about will come about organically and to the benefit of us and those around us.
Krishnamurti emphasizes the importance of learning, of never accepting anything you hear as a fact, but questioning everything to find the truth in your heart.
