What I learnt reading philosophy

I spent a good amount of time reading after quitting my full time job last year. I read on various subjects ranging from food, health, science, literature and philosophy. I found Philosophy the most interesting among them all. Some of my favorites were J Krishnamurti, Epicurus, Seneca, Socrates and Marcus Aurelius. I maintain my reading list on Kit.

These are my learnings so far:

  • We have to treat the world as one without any division.
  • We have to live our life moment by moment.
  • Life is very short.
  • We have to let go of our anger, ego and attachments with things or people.
  • Nothing is permanent.
  • Empathy makes you rich.
  • We can only control things which are in our hand so worrying about things which are not in our control will harm us.
  • We have to observe our thoughts (the monkey mind) and not control it.
  • Having a set of virtues and principles is the key to living our life with fulfillment.
  • Appreciate what nature offers us. Take short walks to the woods, listen to birds chirping.
  • Always indulge in any discussion with proper reasoning and logic. Apply the same in everyday life.
  • Living a life of honesty and truth is more satisfying.
  • Happiness and pleasure have 3 key ingredients:
    • Company of close friends who are honest and share the same set of values.
    • Independence to live life on our own conditions not under someone we don’t like.
    • Being aware of our thoughts.
  • We are conditioned since birth about our associations with race, caste, religion, belief et al.
  • Love requires no return favors, it is like a free flowing stream.
  • Anger arises due to conflict and leads to misery and unhappiness.

I will be updating the list as my reading journey evolves.