Buddhist quote

We live in a time where there has never been such an abundance of information, of values, of different lifestyles on offer, of conflicting opinions of right and wrong. There is always someone with an opinion on how to live your life, particularly those who claim to be experts in any particular field.

I think it's more than important, in fact it's critical, to start with a blank canvas and believe no one, but to truly use your own sense of logic and reasoning to ask what is best for you. Nobody has more of an interest in your own well being than you do.

Can you really trust all the voices that there are out there, on TV? in the newspapers? at school? Can you trust the experts? Do you really know what their motivations are, or whether they have been compromised by money, or fame, or political pressure? Can you even trust your culture? Your religion?

To really do this can be very frightening for most people, and it seems easier to just accept what they are told by others rather than staring into the void, but we must trust that there is a natural compass inside us that will guide us onto the right path.

To listen to others is to be thrown around by the waves of a storm at sea, never knowing when your ship will be turned over, or crashed against the rocks. If we listen to the voice within, it will be a light that will guide us through whatever darkness we find ourselves in.