Are relationships important?

[HEX]

In all realness, how important are relationships to someone on the path?

[Mattimo]

In all realness, how important are relationships to someone on the path?

 

What do YOU think? Frankly what anyone else says, be it yes or no, is irrelevant.

[hyok]

What do you mean by relationships?

 

In a way, everything is a relationship between everything else. *que enya music*

[TheSongsofDistantEarth]

Are relationships important?

 

 

Yes! No! Sometimes! Usually! Never! Always! But of course! It depends! Conditionally so! Why? Why not? Why do you ask?! Hel-l-l yes! Hell no! Get a life! Get lost kid, yer bothering' me! Indubitably! Damn straight they are! (In Arizona): Show me your papers! (Everywhere else): Just step away from the vehicle, sir! Gee Mrs. Cleaver, that's a nice dress you're wearing! Gee, Mr. Cleaver, that's a nice tie! What's wrong with relationships? I say Old Bean, it depends on how you define 'important'! Does the Pope shit in the woods? Maybe! Are there any side effects? Ask your doctor if a relationship is right for you! Kinda...kinda important! Maybe not!

Edited June 23, 2010 by TheSongsofDistantEarth

[NeiChuan]

How important are love, and happiness?.. I see emotions as a balance for each and without one it'll eventually lead to unhealthy occurences..

 

Matters how you get the love though I'd say. Family/partner ect. Either is good.

 

Plus if you want a relationship.. Then yes it'll matter bigtime, otherwise im sure you'll get your love somehow else.

[Mal]

Are relationships important?

 

Unfortunately yes. Unless you happen to find a nice monastery and even then you still have to get on with the others there

 

Still when things are going well others are a source of much joy and happiness as well as a good way to learn about yourself.

[Vajrahridaya]

The group or sangha of people in search of the same truths as you is very important as our company conditions our destiny.

[Sloppy Zhang]

Life is what you make of it.

 

As are relationships.

 

If you are looking to learn and help, and be helped, and grow, and nurture others, then that is what you will surely find.

 

If you see people as hindrances, as fools, as less important than whatever it is you happen to be doing at the time, then that is what they will be.

 

What do you want out of life? To be a hermit? To abandon all material possessions and concerns?

 

Or do you want to run toward whatever it is that's out there, and see it in all of its forms?

[HEX]

haha love it! I was flipping channels today and came across a program on dignitas. It covered actual events of a Man's story-willingly ending his life in this fashion due to a terminal illness. Morbid as it was to watch for me, It kept me glued. the stoicism he faced it with was so profound. It was what sustained him (his close ones) that gave him strength. As he lied there taking his last breaths he muttered to his wife who was by his side the famous quote- "You are not gone if someone remembers your name."

Brings to mind a story of a scholar warrior who was critically wounded in a duel. He saught out his children to shelter him during his recovery. They reclined; They didn't want anything to do with a foolish old man, who still engaged in the fuedal practice of dueling. Who had neglected them throughout thier lives, in his search for self perfection, and carefully planned strategy. It was then that he felt his eyes were opened. After his recovery, he was challenged by a formidable opponent whom it wouldn't be shameful to die at his hands. He accepted, and in the duel, when the moment came, he did not even bother to try to block a fatal stroke. He left behind a poem that made all the other scholar warriors weep. It read:

 

In youth, a leaf on the tree:

Fresh, vibrant, beautiful.

In old age, a leaf in the mud:

Ground unnoticed beneath the heel

 

After much thought, and witnessing the deaths of some of the closest people in my circle, reflecting on how they lived. The smash-mouth reality of these resposes from you guys... I know the answer.

I'm so glad my aunt referred me to this 'site'! I would otherwise be pretty much by myself on this path. I thank you and wish you all blessings.

[thelerner]

Beyond the pleasures of friendship, others serve as ballast, compass and map. Sometimes friends can see us more clearly then we see ourselves. We can rationalize our bad behavior but a good friend will tell it like it is.

 

Michael

[CarsonZi]

In all realness, how important are relationships to someone on the path?

 

For me, it's not the relationships themselves that are important, but more how I approach these relationships that is important. I don't think it is possible to live life without having any relationships. Even if one was living a life of complete solitude one would still be in a relationship with their environment and their own body/mind. So the question I would ask myself would be: "What is the most effective approach I can take in regards to my relationships, that will yield maximum happiness both for myself and for those I am in relationship with?"

 

Love!

[goldisheavy]

In all realness, how important are relationships to someone on the path?

 

Important in what sense?

 

Relationships can be unimportant or very important, depending on what you need at the time.

 

For example, if you need an adviser, having a relationship with someone wise is important. If you need food and shelter and you are too engrossed in some spiritual exercises to provide those for yourself, then a relationship with someone benevolent and sympathetic (but doesn't have to be particularly wise or enlightened) is important. If you have enemies that you fear, then a relationship with a protector is important. Of course if you don't fear your enemies, then you don't need a relationship with a protector either.

 

If you are somewhat wise already, and you just need to mature your wisdom, you don't need any relationship in particular, and nor is it bad to have any kind of relationship. In this state, if you have relations with some people, it's fine. If you don't, it's also fine. What makes it be this way is wisdom. But you may still have some preferences, so even if not particularly important, you may still gravitate toward some people and away from others, but without any kind of drastic need for or against some particular type of person.

 

The more immature your wisdom is, the more it is like a sapling that needs a hospitable environment to have a chance to grow up. If your wisdom is at least somewhat mature, then it resembles a mighty oak, which is not as sensitive to the environment as a young sapling.

 

So, I don't think there is one answer to that question.

Edited June 24, 2010 by goldisheavy

[JohnC]

Are relationships important?

 

 

Yes! No! Sometimes! Usually! Never! Always! But of course! It depends! Conditionally so! Why? Why not? Why do you ask?! Hel-l-l yes! Hell no! Get a life! Get lost kid, yer bothering' me! Indubitably! Damn straight they are! (In Arizona): Show me your papers! (Everywhere else): Just step away from the vehicle, sir! Gee Mrs. Cleaver, that's a nice dress you're wearing! Gee, Mr. Cleaver, that's a nice tie! What's wrong with relationships? I say Old Bean, it depends on how you define 'important'! Does the Pope shit in the woods? Maybe! Are there any side effects? Ask your doctor if a relationship is right for you! Kinda...kinda important! Maybe not!

 

What he said.

 

In fact I think relationships taste kind of like a nice song.

Edited June 24, 2010 by JohnC