Perennial Meditations
Perennial Meditations
There is More Within You
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There is More Within You

Pushing Back Against the World - According to Albert Camus

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What if there is more going on within us than we realize? The philosopher Kierkegaard once asked, “What if everything in the world were a misunderstanding, what if laughter were really tears?”

In The Stranger, philosopher Albert Camus wrote,

In the midst of hate, I found there was, within me, an invincible love. In the midst of tears, I found there was, within me, an invincible smile. In the midst of chaos, I found there was, within me, an invincible calm. I realized, through it all, that… In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer. And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there’s something stronger — something better, pushing right back.

Do you feel “something stronger” pushing back against the world?

In his classic War and Peace, Leo Tolstoy explained that pure and complete sorrow is as impossible as pure and complete joy. It seems our emotions are often more intertwined and complex than we understand. But, what if the distance from hate to love or chaos to calm is shorter than we think?

Can one simply decide to choose love, joy, or calm…?

In the final chapter of The Myth of Sisyphus, Camus compares the absurdity of man’s life with the situation of Sisyphus, a figure of Greek mythology condemned to repeat the same meaningless task of forever pushing a boulder up a mountain, only to see it roll down again. […]

Image: Sisyphus by Titian (1548–1549)

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Perennial Meditations is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a subscriber.

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Perennial Meditations
Perennial Meditations
Welcome to The Perennial Meditations podcast with J.W. Bertolotti from the Perennial Leader Project. Perennial Meditations brings you short reflections on ancient wisdom for everyday life. Each reflection is based on ancient philosophical and spiritual traditions designed to help you live your highest good. To learn more, visit perennialleader.com