Welcome to the Buddhist Boot Camp Podcast. Our intention is to awaken, enlighten, enrich, and inspire a simple and uncomplicated life. Discover the benefits of mindful living with your host, Timber Hawkeye. It's been said that the meaning of life is to give life meaning. To search for, find,
and be motivated by a sense of purpose or a mission. I'm not necessarily talking about grand philanthropic entrepreneurship like running an orphanage or saving lives; it can be whatever internal drive fuels you with a vision that gets you out of bed each morning. For many people, raising children is the ultimate calling, while others' vocation is their artistic expression, their career, or the objective of progress; be it environmental, humanitarian, or spiritual.
In our monthly discussion circles about these topics, many parents said they had, or adopted, or fostered children, in order to have a sense of purpose when they didn't feel they had it. And one father in the audience said the child was not had on purpose, but the moment it was born, it gave his life purpose.
They all admitted, however, that parenting is a double-edged sword in that you essentially work yourself out of a job; for once the kids are grown, you start looking for meaning elsewhere; be it rescuing dogs or cats, or counting on being a grandparent someday. All of that is to say that the search for meaning and purpose is universal,
but the methods vary. Regardless of the path we choose, many still tell me they feel empty inside despite having loads of money in the bank, a big house, or the latest iPhone. I think that's because those things take amazing photographs, they impress strangers, or they provide us with a false sense of security, but they don't give our life meaning. In other words, altruism, not consumerism, is the path to true fulfillment.
And that's because altruism gives us purpose, while consumerism just gives us more stuff. But let's be honest and realistic, we are all consumers at the end of the day. We buy food, clothes, appliances, coffee, household goods, each and every one of us.
So I'm not going to sit here and suggest that we start leading austere, ascetic lives as a path to fulfillment, I just think that by making mindful purchase decisions, we can make a meaningful impact, not just in the world outside of us, but also within.
The invitation, therefore, is to make our consumerism altruistic, which is kind of like feeding two birds with one scone: we still get what we need or want, and it simultaneously gives our life meaning if we are purposeful in what we get and where we get it from. An altruistic lifestyle is not just for billionaires like Bill and Melinda Gates, it's a way for all of us to avoid feeling empty inside. The key is to practice discernment
at every turn. Whenever I'm tempted to buy something, and trust me I'm tempted just like everybody else, I first ask myself why I want to buy it. If I think it will "make me happy," then I just leave it in the store because I already know material things only momentarily boost my mood, they are not an investment in my overall well-being, especially if the true cost causes harm to someone down the line.
Healthy food, however, or supporting organizations that are doing incredible work in the world, can lead to true fulfillment in the long term. So when it is something useful that I am going to get, I ask myself where to buy it, and then I decide which retailer I want to support. Shantideva said that our suffering stems from wishing our SELF to be happy, while all the happiness in the world arises from wishing others to be happy.
It's why I keep telling people to read books, for example, but then pass the books on to someone else; it is more meaningful to give than to receive. Did you catch what I just said? Generosity is meaning-full, as in full of meaning. And generosity doesn't have to be monetary; we can be generous with our time, our skill, energy, or something as seemingly simple as a smile that can enrich the lives of others.
The key common denominator is to give. If you want your life to have meaning and a sense of purpose, then shift your focus from accumulating to sharing. I only used consumerism as an example because regardless of how we identify politically, sexually, culturally, or religiously, it's something we all are no matter what. Do you remember Jon Krakauer's Into The Wild? Even happiness is only real once it is shared.
Your life's purpose isn't something you come up with one time and then run with it, necessarily, like some grandiose mission, career, or an overwhelming calling. It can be something that we manifest on a moment-by-moment basis with every decision we make. From what we're about to eat, and where we will get it from, where we shop, what organizations we support, to where we choose to invest our energy and time. What I'm saying is let's do everything on purpose with purpose.
Saint Francis of Assisi said, "It is in giving that we receive," so let's live meaningful lives by giving life meaning. There's a list of recommended books on the BuddhistBootCamp.com website, and one of those books is called "The Go-Giver." It invites us to use the same enthusiasm with which many of us are considered a "go-getter" but flip the script to be a "go-giver." What a wonderful world it would be.
Timber Hawkeye is the bestselling author of Faithfully Religionless and Buddhist Boot Camp. For additional information, please visit BuddhistBootCamp.com, where you can order autographed books to support the Prison Library Project, watch Timber's inspiring TED Talk, and join our monthly mailing list. We hope you have enjoyed this episode, and invite you to subscribe for more thought-provoking discussions. Thank you for being a Soldier of Peace in the Army of Love. 🙏🏼