The
origins of these ideas are found in ancient Indian philosophy and then
re-energized in the words and theories of the philosopher Count Hermann
Keyserling. Keyserling revived the
ancient Indian concept of "Dharma." For
him, dharma is also life purpose or the Way.
In
his book "Creative Understanding" writing in 1920 he said:
"In a word Dharma is the conceptual expression of
the practical understanding that for everyone there is only one way leading
to perfection. The meaning of the
doctrine of Dharma is this: that for
the understanding of every abstract idea, for the realization of every program,
for the satisfaction of every possible ambition, a corresponding inner state is
needed. One must be inwardly
prepared for what one undertakes, whatever it may be; ultimately one is
only justified in aspiring to an ideal conforming to one's personal inner
reality." [ii]
The idea that one must be "inwardly prepared for what one undertakes" is an identification of the basis for the conception of inner purpose or "mission." As a philosophical concept Keyserling introduces it as a principle of living. However, as a psychological concept Maslow introduces it as a psychological imperative: it is not what I want to do but what I must do.
Another way of saying the same thing is that it represents one's purpose
in life. It may not actually be what
you want or wish to do. However, it may
be what you must do because it is THE THING that you are "inwardly" or
"psychologically" prepared to do. It is
the thing that leads not only to correct growth and psychological health, like
planting a seed in the correct ground, but it also is the correct manner in
which one is intended to relate to the surrounding world.
The Future
President
John F. Kennedy's words are a clarion call for a new kind of citizenship. The ideas discussed above reveal that we
have now come to a time when we must put the public/private distinction behind
us, once and for all. The ideas of "the
private citizen" and "the public servant" are obsolete and must be brought to
an end. For, to have a better world, we
must all strive to be of public benefit to each other. We must all strive to be public servants.
For the individual this means that he or she must strive for
perfection. It is not the
all-encompassing perfection of the omnipotent or the omniscient, but it is the
limited perfection of the task at hand.
One has to try and do one's dharma.
One has to strive for the immediate and attainable ideal. One has to try and be the best worker,
teacher, doctor, lawyer, soldier, judge, professor, president, governor, mayor,
CEO, husband, wife, son, daughter, father, and mother one can become. A mayor does not have to perfect being a
president. The mayor has to perfect
being a mayor. The daughter does not
have to perfect being a son. The
daughter only must strive to be the best daughter possible.
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