Common Sense is the Fundamental Factor-Daily Meditation 4.17
Today’s quotation:
Common sense is the fundamental factor in all spiritual disciplines. No rule is an eternal rule. Rules change from place to place, time to time and from one condition to another condition.-Sivananda
Today’s Meditation:
I’ve made it one of my goals in life to follow common sense as much as possible. I think that part of this goal comes from having worked in educational settings for so long and seeing so many people who try to analyze, interpret, and quantify everything–but still being no more successful than the person who uses common sense for problem-solving and creating. Of course, education has a lot of value, but some of us get lost in over-intellectualizing, and we lose touch with common sense, one of our greatest gifts.
When we learn to do things by rules, we very often get so caught up in those rules that we follow them even when doing so can be destructive. I’ve driven on roads that have been terribly icy on my side but clear on the other side. The rules tell me that I should stay on my side, but common sense says that I should be safe and drive on the opposite side as long as no other cars are coming. I know many people who wouldn’t even consider driving on the “wrong” side of the road, even when there’s no traffic there at all. I get on that side as soon as I can simply because it makes sense.
Spiritually, too, it’s essential that we follow common sense. We see many people make claims about God and spirit that make little sense at all, but since they’re “religious” people, we listen to them. It makes no sense at all to me that any pastor or preacher should have a private jet for any reason–and common sense tells me to avoid that particular brand of “religion.” People are always quick to tell me what I should believe or what I should do, but if their words contradict common sense, then it’s essential that I weigh their advice carefully.
Some say that common sense isn’t pervasive these days, and they have a valid point. We get so caught up in making decisions and explaining everything using logic and information that we often lose the ability to say, “What’s the best thing to do here?” Sometimes the answer to that question can’t result from an equation, and sometimes it isn’t following the rules. But in our hearts, we know the best things to do, and common sense is one of our best friends if we but use it.
Questions to consider:
Why do so many of us consistently follow the rules instead of common sense?
How might we go about learning how to trust our common sense?
Think of a time when common sense seemed to contradict logic. What course did you follow? How did things turn out?
For further thought:
According to the moment, acting with common sense is the best wisdom I know. The best philosophy is to do one’s duties, take the world as it comes, submit respectfully to one’s lot, bless the goodness that has given us so much happiness with it, whatever it is, and despise affectation.-Horatio Walpole
If you missed the last Daily Meditation, it is right here.
