Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard

To be at our best, we must take time to rest. Soren says we need to stop long enough to let the fever of busyness break. I also share some tips on how to get rest.

Soren writes that we use busyness as an excuse to not willing the one thing, the Good. Through a winnowing down of activity, through contemplation, we provide space for eternity to manifest itself. That space must be comprised of a spirit of honesty.

Soren continues with his train of thought that busyness is akin to a plague of locusts. We get stressed out and overwhelmed. Then, neglect helping others. Be willing to thin out the swarm and experience more peace and tranquillity on the fields of your life and serve others with cheerfulness.

Soren describes how we use busyness as a distraction from really examining ourselves or focusing inordinately on the superficial. Our willing the one thing gets overshadowed by the multitude of activity that never ceases.

Using the C.S. Lewis quote as an epilogue to this chapter, the way to remove the ego is to not think less of ourselves but to think of ourselves less.

In mid-March 1855, Regine (Soren’s ex-fiancée) approaches Soren and says, “God bless you and may all go well with you.” They are never to see another again. Soren is to die in November of that year. Her blessing of him is a example of willing the good without expecting reward, fearing punishment, or for her ego.

It is possible to renounce the reward and not fear punishment yet still wanting the Good to succeed through us for the ego.

Taking a Fall Break. Let listeners catch up! See you next week!

Fear ultimately is a poor motivator. Only love makes us want and wish for the good.

If we do wrong, we should want to be punished versus entering into the abyss of avoidance and addiction, which just leads to more pain. Punishment is meant as a corrective, to get us back on the right path.