Religion is an outlet that grants individuals the opportunity to convey themselves through their beliefs and behaviors. It is perceived as a crucial aspect to many people’s lives, as it regulates actions and teaches individuals to abide by specific rules and morals. An individual’s mode of consciousness grants his/her mind to be aware of perception, ideas, and feelings. Such a state is intrinsically tied to one’s behavior. An individual’s environment, including the people or objects in it, has the power to influence and change one’s attitude in life. In Karen Armstrong’s “Homo Religiosus,” she provides examples of various religions, showing the importance of incorporating religion into one’s everyday routine has the ability to change his/her
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Religion is a default that people turn to - to step outside their norm, to fill a type of need and satisfaction. As Armstrong demonstrates, people use religion and practices to help them find meaning in their lives, when she sates “a poem, a play, or, indeed, a great painting has the power to change our perception in ways that we may not be able to explain logically but that seem incontestably true” (5). If one is willing to free up his/her mind, he/she will then be unable to find oneself in an open place where new ideas and experiences are welcome to enter. People alter their state of awareness in order to change how they think and feel. By doing so, this guides individuals to grow. Although there is a sense of individualism incorporated into changing one’s mindset, the process is bound to whom or what people interact with on a daily basis. Individuals who don’t subscribe to a particular religion seek outlets that allow them to fill the void in their lives. As Armstrong states, “We make a point of seeking out these experiences that touch us deeply within and lift us momentary beyond ourselves” (7). Each individual has a different way of finding value in their daily activities. People will alter their state of awareness through these non-religious …show more content…
People’s behavior changes accordingly to their state of awareness. People can change to their own individual abilities to let go of themselves. When one’s mode of consciousness is adjusted, so is the way the individual thinks or feels. By changing one’s state of awareness, individuals are able to grow and understand their reality more clearly— ultimately guiding them to become less narrow-minded. Individuals that can let go of their selves and envision their lived realities with an optimistic attitude are able to then find interest in their environment that they did not see before. Thus they derive happiness from these experiences. Essentially, peoples’ outlooks on life determines the way they perceive things— including their happiness. Armstrong notes that “by far the best way of achieving anatta was compassion, the ability to feel with the other, which required that one dethrone the self from the center of one’s world and put another there” (17). Change depends on their ability/degree to which they can release their selfish motives. Basically, people have varying abilities to change. Being open-minded grants individuals the access to embrace their surroundings and view it with more importance. Individuals that are close minded, refuse to accept or absorb any other views then what they specifically believe. This type of attitude leaves no room for imagination, new insight, or
Religion is a default that people turn to - to step outside their norm, to fill a type of need and satisfaction. As Armstrong demonstrates, people use religion and practices to help them find meaning in their lives, when she sates “a poem, a play, or, indeed, a great painting has the power to change our perception in ways that we may not be able to explain logically but that seem incontestably true” (5). If one is willing to free up his/her mind, he/she will then be unable to find oneself in an open place where new ideas and experiences are welcome to enter. People alter their state of awareness in order to change how they think and feel. By doing so, this guides individuals to grow. Although there is a sense of individualism incorporated into changing one’s mindset, the process is bound to whom or what people interact with on a daily basis. Individuals who don’t subscribe to a particular religion seek outlets that allow them to fill the void in their lives. As Armstrong states, “We make a point of seeking out these experiences that touch us deeply within and lift us momentary beyond ourselves” (7). Each individual has a different way of finding value in their daily activities. People will alter their state of awareness through these non-religious …show more content…
People’s behavior changes accordingly to their state of awareness. People can change to their own individual abilities to let go of themselves. When one’s mode of consciousness is adjusted, so is the way the individual thinks or feels. By changing one’s state of awareness, individuals are able to grow and understand their reality more clearly— ultimately guiding them to become less narrow-minded. Individuals that can let go of their selves and envision their lived realities with an optimistic attitude are able to then find interest in their environment that they did not see before. Thus they derive happiness from these experiences. Essentially, peoples’ outlooks on life determines the way they perceive things— including their happiness. Armstrong notes that “by far the best way of achieving anatta was compassion, the ability to feel with the other, which required that one dethrone the self from the center of one’s world and put another there” (17). Change depends on their ability/degree to which they can release their selfish motives. Basically, people have varying abilities to change. Being open-minded grants individuals the access to embrace their surroundings and view it with more importance. Individuals that are close minded, refuse to accept or absorb any other views then what they specifically believe. This type of attitude leaves no room for imagination, new insight, or