Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Positive thinking

One of my work mates is back to work after a three weeks holyday in the Philippines. The weather was wonderful. The beaches were fantastic. “What wonderful clear blue sea. How nice and friendly they are the Philipinos.” Last year she and her husband spent their winter holyday in Thailand. Thailand is also wonderful. Thailand has also wonderful beaches, and wonderful hotels.

She lives in a wonderful world. I have met many people who live in this wonderful world. Mostly I don’t involve myself too deeply with them. I don’t tell them how I look at life. If I do, they immediately begin their, “It's important to have a positive outlook on life. Don‘t you think?”

It's like talking to children. You don’t tell all the details how grandmother died to children. To children you explain that grandmother is now in heaven, with all the angels, and the cat is there with her. Kids are perfectly happy with this kind of information.

This is why spiritual and philosophical teachings often come in two versions, one esoteric and one exoteric version, a secret and a public version. What you hear and read about is almost always the exoteric version. The exoteric version is meant for those who are not ready yet to discuss the deeper levels of truth.

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