Chop Wood, Carry Water \ stacker news ~bitcoin

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2819 sats \ 17 comments \ @hodlpleb 12 Feb bitcoin_beginners

There is a proverb:

Before Enlightenment, 
Chop Wood, Carry Water

After Enlightenment,
Chop Wood, Carry Water

I don’t recall where I first read this proverb, but I have examined it from time to time.

What this means to me is that life is what you make of it.

Hours turn to days, days to years, years to your life.

You are going to spend time doing tasks (chop wood, carry water). You can either resist your life or embrace your life. The enlightened person understands that we must do these tasks, and the interpretation of the tasks is up to you.

Most of what we do in our lives is mundane - wake up, go to school, go to work, cook, eat, sleep, repeat … The only meaning in any of this, is the meaning that you give it.

If you hate your job, if you think your boss is a jerk, if you think you are not paid enough... you are giving it that meaning.

If you are annoyed that you spend 2 hours every night putting your kids to bed, when you could instead be watching the ball game or playing xbox or anything eles... you are suffering where you could instead be finding joy.

As you explore Bitcoin and if it begins to affect your life, that too is a path of enlightenment. Saving money that cannot be degraded, for your future, is a great gift. It will open new ideas, it will shift your perspective in all aspects of life.

There is nothing to get to. Your life is as it is. You certainly can and should bring change to areas that you are unhappy with - but you will still wake up, eat, shit, work, sleep… but maybe now it is all for something, rather than being for nothing.

Before Bitcoin, 
Chop Wood, Carry Water

After Bitcoin,
Chop Wood, Carry Water

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213 sats \ 2 replies \ @cryotosensei 12 Feb

I love your philosophical outlook.

When I posted about my parenting woes, a Stacker advised that I should think in terms of “I get to do this” rather than “I have to do this”.

I was sharing this enlightenment with my colleagues when my boss overheard me and said, “Actually, you should think ‘I love to do this.’”

The night before, my baby girl had diarrhoea and passed motion on the baby chair. That was unpleasant.

So while I accept that the obstacle is the way, there are just some unsavoury aspects of parenting I refuse to like haha

149 sats \ 1 reply \ @Bitman 12 Feb

Before Enlightenment, Chop Wood, Carry Water

After Enlightenment, Chop Wood, Carry Water

It isn't just to do these (to live), but to do these mindfully, to be in the present moment.

I feel this part is vital, and shouldn't be forgotten.

By being deeply in the present moment and seeing things as they are, it is said one can reach enlightenment.

To reaching enlightenment? Mindfulness. Upon reaching enlightenment? Mindfulness.

@cryotosensei, I offer an alternative.

Instead of,

“I have to do this”

In the spirit of the proverb, raised by @hodlpleb, I offer:

I am doing this (mindfully)

It does, I feel, complement

"I get to do this”

But I think it needs to proceed this, in a way, to reach this.

And then, maybe it will turn into:

"I love to do this."

But always,

"Chop Wood, Carry Water"

Before and afterwards.

🧡

21 sats \ 0 replies \ @cryotosensei 13 Feb

I have read this many times. It’s like Chicken Soup for the Soul. Thanks, mate.

And won’t you join our book club here to add your two sats’ worth? I think you will find it right up your alley: #417471

11 sats \ 1 reply \ @hodlpleb OP 6 Sep

wow just came back to this b/c was shared in this post and turns out I wrote this the day before my wife's cancer diagnosis.

354 sats \ 0 replies \ @IamSINGLE 6 Sep

Thanks for giving it "a share to share", I really liked your post! Also, I believe in the strategy or the moral that this proverb suggests, it's the best I've read!

31 sats \ 0 replies \ @TNStacker 12 Feb

Had a profound impact on me. I read it in a book somewhere during my seeking years.

Stack Sats and stay humble

31 sats \ 0 replies \ @oraltosun 12 Feb

This way of life also exists in the animal kingdom. Since we are human beings, we must show our difference and go beyond just living for ourselves. Summarize We must touch the lives of others in positive ways. Only then can we enjoy our existence as human beings. Of course, this is not easy to do. But there is no other choice.

10 sats \ 0 replies \ @Bell_curve 12 Feb

Very Buddhist, very zen, great insight

31 sats \ 0 replies \ @cascdr 12 Feb

Another one I like is: wherever you go, there you are.

26 sats \ 0 replies \ @TheFish 12 Feb

Fantastic write-up. Watching my colleagues fight depression when they have been given anything, when the answer is to find the joy and spirit of what is right in front of you. Enjoy your tasks, enjoy the precious time of putting your children to bed, put the effort in and make delicious meals, then enjoy them properly with good conversation.

26 sats \ 1 reply \ @voxmagdalenea 12 Feb

I am new to this world, however I have noticed something, there seems to be a spirituality or philosophy tied to Bitcoin. Why is there a connection to enlightenment and Bitcoin?

15 sats \ 0 replies \ @hodlpleb OP 12 Feb

I don’t have a coherent thought about this at the moment but will think on it.

21 sats \ 0 replies \ @Malachi17 12 Feb

That's not exactly what that phrase usually means. It means you go back to what you were doing for the necessity of life, but not in the same way you were before.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @398ja 13 Feb

Most of what we do in our lives is mundane - wake up, go to school, go to work, cook, eat, sleep, repeat … The only meaning in any of this, is the meaning that you give it.

💯

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @fm 12 Feb

spot-on

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @OgFOMK 12 Feb

Nice work, here.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @SaToSHiWoMaN 12 Feb outlawed

stackers have outlawed this. turn on wild west mode in your /settings to see outlawed content.