Troubled by other people

One thing has been realized.
I just cannot like 'other people'

No matter what, the existence of 'other people' has caused tremendous misery.
It is impossible to like others.

But no matter how much you dislike others, your dislike affects no one but yourself. This is extremely difficult to accept. Why cant my dislike result in their destruction?

Who are these 'other people'? And who dislikes them?

Remember you opinion of other people only affects you. 'Other peoples opinion' is a thought which only affects you.

So although it is not easy to implement, stop caring about the behavior and actions of 'other people'. Why do you allow yourself to be troubled by your imaginations regarding other peoples activities?

Even if you think that they are getting influenced by your choices, your malice will affect none but yourself. Whatever you think about other people only affects you. Not the 'other person'. Realize this.

Let them be influenced by your choices or not, let not your mind be troubled over the actions of other people. Do not be bound to 'others' in thought.

Some thoughts are like addictions. Realize that what matters in the end is who you are. No matter how selfish this might sound, this is what is important.

Some realizations

Here are some of the things I've realized:

1. Most of our thoughts are spent in thinking about how 'other people' perceive us
2. The biggest worldly attachement is relationship
3. Inner silence is the greatest treasure

The day you stop caring about other peoples perception of 'you', that day you will find yourself free.
Stop chasing after meaningless relationships.
Be ruthless with what matters.
The man who has no relationship is definitely not the most unfortunate person.
We are terrified of being all alone.
Being completely alone and isolated from people is scary.
Work is more about relationships than activities.

Being fully alone can be a scary experience. We need the presence of other people to acknowledge our own existence. In the absence of 'other people', our sense of who we are starts to dissolve. All we see is the great emptiness that lies at the heart of existence. This creates a profound fear.

Relationship

Most of our energy is drained in maintaining relationships. The maintenance of relationships and thinking about our relationships with others is the largest consumer and drainer of our energy. Toxic relationships are like poison to the soul.

Yet relationship is what gives meaning to our lives. Living with this paradox requires wisdom and understanding. Prioritize a few key relationships. Forget about all others.

But above all, take time to reconnect with your inner self in silence. This is the most fundamental relationship and the one which matters most. In solitude, one finds the source of ones self. That is silence. This is the first relationship and the only one which truly matters in the end. All other relationships are artificial. Yet, one must have relationships in order to live.

Family relationships are important worldly relationships and must be maintained. Relationships with a few close friends is good to maintain. Relationship with your boss or employer is an important worldly relationship and must be maintained, but less important than family relationships.

Tread the soil of worldly relationships very carefully. They are the largest consumer of thought and the biggest attachment.

But in the end remember that the only relationship that truly matters is the one with your own inner self. This is realized in solitude. This is the relationship of absolute silence. The silence of pure awareness.

Travel

Traveling the world is the passion of a fool. What purpose is there in travel?
They say it is the journey that counts. But isn't our life itself a journey?

Travel is done to change the environment which changes one's habitual patterns of thought.
Putting oneself in an unfamiliar environment completely changes one's perspective.
We seek vacations from our routine. But the true vacation is vacation from the mind. This cannot be achieved through traveling. The mind remains no matter where you go. Placing yourself in a different environment merely changes the thoughts in your mind. Routine thoughts are replaced by different ones. This is the effect of travel. To change the repeated thoughts in the mind seems to be the effect of travel.

Void and choice

There is a great void that lies at the heart of existence.
All our activities and relationships are an escape from this void.
This void cannot be eliminated by any  activity or relationship.
Our only freedom lies in our response to this void.

Do you choose to start a family to avoid facing the void?
Do you choose to serve the nation to avoid facing the void?
Do you choose achievement?
Do you choose to become a prophet?

Or do you choose to live with it until death?

Our response to this void is the story of our life.

What story do you choose?

Consciousness alone is

Imagine that the world that you see outside is not really there.
Imagine that the person you think you are is not really there.
All that is seen is not what is there.
Neither is the one who imagines seeing it.
Only consciousness is.

So it has been said.

A fundamental doubt

What are some of the fundamental things that matter...let us investigate..

Imagine that you are right here right now....What is it that you exactly crave? What is it that you exactly fear?
This world fundamentally makes no sense...we find ourselves here and absolutely no clue about what to do or where to go? How does one decide what to do at this very moment? What needs to be explored? How is one supposed to feel? Who is one supposed to meet? What is one supposed to do? Who is one supposed to ask? Deep down, there exists a fundamental doubt. A fundamental doubt. Can this fundamental doubt be extinguished? All our pursuits seem to be a way to avoid facing the fundamental doubt. What is the fundamental doubt? Why are we so terrified of what others think of us? Who am 'I'?

Who
am
I?