“Life is a journey, not a destination.” – Anonymous

Each person’s journeys are different.  Life presents one with alluring waterfalls and endless, empty abysses.  However, our lives can converge and we have the opportunity to achieve nirvana.  A mysterious, unattainable destination.  Or is it?

Have our lives been meaningful?

What is nirvana

And how do we achieve it?

“Within you, there is a stillness and a sanctuary to which you can return at anytime and be yourself.” (Siddhartha).  Everyone’s material lives are different and busy.  People fulfill their lives with different activities and people.  But, at the end of the day, people must return to a state of tranquility and mindfulness to focus on themselves.  One must be mindful to meditate and reflect on how to improve their character for the future and remove all material distractions to enter a state of spirituality.  Once one continues to perfect and improve themselves (without any particular goal), then they can achieve a state of accomplishment and assurance.  Nirvana is the state of accomplishment and assurance.

“In life one finds friends in the strangest places” (Seven Samurai).  Throughout one’s life, one’s varied and different experiences lead them to different people in one’s life.  Each person one meets has a purpose to one’s development.  Each individual who comes into our life could be a “friend” and can teach us many different lessons and allow us to discover qualities within ourselves.  Even enemies could be “friends”: they could teach us how to maturely deal with conflict and challenge us to do so without anger or violence.  One can achieve nirvana after experiencing those lessons and learning all that has made one a better and more enlightened individual.

“‘I have always thirsted for knowledge, I have always been full of questions.”

Every individual pursues a goal in this world.  They wonder, they question how to attain their goals.  However, in order to achieve nirvana, one must allow themselves to be vulnerable and allow lessons to be taught along the way.  A purpose, while helpful in achieving a goal, would not be helpful in achieving enlightenment and often hinders one’s learning experiences.

“Life is a journey, not a destination.”