I think instead [of happiness] we should be working for contentment... an inner sense of fulfillment that's relatively independent of external circumstances. – Andrew Weil
Scott's Hermit is shown in the belly of the subway; the spirit form of Cerberus (the three-headed hound from Hell) lurks in the background. The Hermit has come to confront his demons - his habitual thoughts and behavior patterns. Unlike the Hierophant, who is eager to tell you how to act and what to think, the Hermit's assessment is based on an honest personal inventory of his motives and choices. He reminds me of Buddha, who after spending years studying with ascetics, decided to sit and look at his own mind. There he discovered the root of his suffering grew within himself. The good news was that since this was an internal rather than external issue, something could be done about it. Contentment is an inner wealth found in the small joys, wonders, and beauties of each moment, not in some future time and place. Without it, we find ourselves restless, irritable, and filled with an insatiable feeling of deficiency. Yet as Buddha discovered, what fires together, wires together. We can change our thinking by practicing gratitude - not the grocery list of what we're supposed to be grateful for, but what we can touch and see all around us if we pay close attention.
well thought.
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