Beginning of Section 29 of Epictetus' Handbook
“In every project you undertake, consider what preliminaries are required and the consequences before proceeding to act. Otherwise, you’ll make an enthusiastic start, because you won’t have given any thought to what comes next, and then later you’ll shamefully abandon the project when faced with some of the consequences."
This whole section spoke powerfully to me just now, about considering what one is planning on doing, and not being like a child and pretend to be doing something and then doing other things, like not really wanting to do anything, just playing around.
That's what seems to be the case with me, but however let me try to counter such a POV ... what the whole array of the interest field isn't detailing everything I wish to be and do, they are what I feel I must mentally be busy with, there are polarities hence as previous post was about, these are not things i'm pretending to do, these are things I'm always weighing in mind, seeing which one is more conversant with my general current mood and opinion.
I'm of the mind that it doesn't really matter, but for optimal experience of consciousness I have to make distinctions and say for myself at least what is above another, where each part goes, which is like being led by scent, and taste, rather than like a shepherd guiding it's sheep, and that might be a dynamic some of the time, but it's not a paradigm I wish to be subject to if it can be helped.
btw I have Chaplin at Keystone disc 3 playing as i'm experiencing a lovely overnight session, soon to give way to morning!! Time flies!!
46-50, M
