If you could change the past, would you?

[Quintessence]

In the religion of Buddhism, emphasis is placed on focusing on the present moment, rather than dwelling on the past or dreaming of the future. From there, it is sometimes said that those who have the most inner peace are those who are fully present in the right here, and the right now. To frame things another way, those who would answer the question "if you could change the past, would you?" with a yes, are lacking inner peace or contentment with their lives. Do you agree with this perspective? Is it possible to have great inner peace and contentment while desiring to change the past? If a person desires to change the future or shape the world, does this also indicate a lack of inner peace and contentment?

 

[Iti oj]

In the religion of Buddhism, emphasis is placed on focusing on the present moment, rather than dwelling on the past or dreaming of the future. From there, it is sometimes said that those who have the most inner peace are those who are fully present in the right here, and the right now. To frame things another way, those who would answer the question "if you could change the past, would you?" with a yes, are lacking inner peace or contentment with their lives. Do you agree with this perspective? Is it possible to have great inner peace and contentment while desiring to change the past? If a person desires to change the future or shape the world, does this also indicate a lack of inner peace and contentment?

its not wise to rewrite history, no telling the fallout(to reference your other thread ).

 

[Nietzsche]

Well y'see, I had my Time-Travel license pulled when I did a bit of grave-robbing in bum**** Palestine about 2000 years ago..

 

[Sees]

I think it's good to both reflect on the past and live in the present...as well as plan and prepare for future. Just how much reflection or planning and preparation is good/wise for the individual will vary and something for them to figure out.

I would change certain things but not the "main events", if possible. I don't preoccupy myself with it though. Think it's better to put what you learned to use from here on than to sit in regret or sorrow.

 

[picnic]

There were some decisions I made in the past, that I often wish I could change.

Also there are times when I wish I could clone myself and take both forks in the road ("the road not taken").

Usually those wishes diminish when I feel more cheerful.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

In the religion of Buddhism, emphasis is placed on focusing on the present moment, rather than dwelling on the past or dreaming of the future. From there, it is sometimes said that those who have the most inner peace are those who are fully present in the right here, and the right now. To frame things another way, those who would answer the question "if you could change the past, would you?" with a yes, are lacking inner peace or contentment with their lives. Do you agree with this perspective? Is it possible to have great inner peace and contentment while desiring to change the past? If a person desires to change the future or shape the world, does this also indicate a lack of inner peace and contentment?

You come up with some throught-provoking questions. I actually couldn't answer the question, really. If I wanted to change the past, then it would make me unsettled. Just like I can't predict the future today, it would be the same if I change the past. The difference is, whatever I change it to, I don't know what would happen in the future.

Reversing it, I try not to look to the future in regards to "spirituality." I never had the outlook of what will happen to me after I die? and What is my purpose in life? Should I even make one? Type of questions. So, unless planing on my future as in work, school, etc makes me unhappy, I wouldn't know how to answer.

To your question, no. I dont believe that makes the person unhappy if he wants to shape the world. Totally happy people may have goals to shape the world just as people who need a purpose thus have a calling to do so. Maybe the former is more rare than the latter?

However, most people I meet want to change their past because they feel their past is more horrible than their present. Others I know want to predict the future because they don't want to be uncertain if their current decisions will have good or bad results. The former sounds like insecurity and needing closure. The latter is fear and probably anxiety of the unkown.

I like Buddhism because, as you said, they focus on the present moment. It would be nice to change my medical ordeals when I was young but it would throw all my karma and such off. I was only meant to have This life. It would be nice to know the future, but knowing the future wouldn't make it easier on me today. That's like knowing in the future I'll have Lukemia. That doesn't make the illness go away by knowing it. If anything, it makes me worse in the present.

I mean, what can changing the past or the future really do? Life will still have it's same "rules." We can't change reality just because we change our life.

Final answer: No. I wouldnt.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Although I would try to change my past in a few ways (though the effectiveness and results would be highly questionably), I wouldn't alter any historical events. While many would think going back in time to eliminate Hitler before he could do anything would be a good thing, the consequences of how today would be effected are beyond prediction or comprehension.

 

[Deidre]

No. Because as painful as some events were in the past, they helped me grow.

I'd like to undo some bad choices in men that I've made, however.

 

[Quintessence]

its not wise to rewrite history, no telling the fallout(to reference your other thread ).

Heh heh heh.

This brings to mind a thought, though. We rewrite history constantly, as it is, after all, a story. It is a thing told, and the story changes in the telling. And while we may not be able to change the fact-of-what-was, the stories we choose to tell as a culture can have powerful effects. It's something I aim to be more mindful of - that often the stories we tell are far more impactful than whatever the objective truth of a matter is - and that we should choose the stories we tell ourselves and to others with care.

I think it's good to both reflect on the past and live in the present...as well as plan and prepare for future. Just how much reflection or planning and preparation is good/wise for the individual will vary and something for them to figure out.

I would agree with this. My own code of honor says something to that effect: live life for today, but not forget the lessons of yesterday or the potential of tomorrows.

I would change certain things but not the "main events", if possible. I don't preoccupy myself with it though. Think it's better to put what you learned to use from here on than to sit in regret or sorrow.

Oh! What makes something a "main event?" What if we're mistaken about what is "main?"

Also there are times when I wish I could clone myself and take both forks in the road ("the road not taken").

The curse of being curious about everything - wanting to see it all and what could be - is that not even a thousand lifetimes would satisfy its compulsion, right?

 

[Quintessence]

To your question, no. I dont believe that makes the person unhappy if he wants to shape the world. Totally happy people may have goals to shape the world just as people who need a purpose thus have a calling to do so. Maybe the former is more rare than the latter?

Perhaps wishing to change what is only works well when it is one's... oh, what words to use... the phrase "true will" is used sometimes in Western esoteric thought. To use different terms, happiness is still there when the drive to change comes from a place of being authentic to who we are rather than a reaction to some external circumstance we dislike. A sort of love of the journey, rather than its destination? When people aim to change things from a place of dissatisfaction or dislike with the world, that is a problem, yes? The fixation is on having the destination, that thing at the end.

But I don't know. I'm just another furless mammal on a big rock hurtling about some hydrogen gas...

Although I would try to change my past in a few ways (though the effectiveness and results would be highly questionably), I wouldn't alter any historical events. While many would think going back in time to eliminate Hitler before he could do anything would be a good thing, the consequences of how today would be effected are beyond prediction or comprehension.

You distinguish between your past and a historical event? I get what you mean, but why do we do that? Aren't all of our pasts historical events? Gets back to the question I asked Sees... what's a "main" event? Why is something "historical" and something else not? Who decides that?

No. Because as painful as some events were in the past, they helped me grow.

I'd like to undo some bad choices in men that I've made, however.

LOL. Yeah. I'd have to say one of my biggest life regrets involves exactly that sort of thing.
But as time goes on, you recognize it helps you grow. That $#@% hole helped me recognize the sort of person I did not want to become.

 

[Deathbydefault]

In the religion of Buddhism, emphasis is placed on focusing on the present moment, rather than dwelling on the past or dreaming of the future. From there, it is sometimes said that those who have the most inner peace are those who are fully present in the right here, and the right now. To frame things another way, those who would answer the question "if you could change the past, would you?" with a yes, are lacking inner peace or contentment with their lives. Do you agree with this perspective? Is it possible to have great inner peace and contentment while desiring to change the past? If a person desires to change the future or shape the world, does this also indicate a lack of inner peace and contentment?

I would say this is correct for me to a degree.
I am discontent with being alive, more so than my personal life.
This perspective doesn't hit as completely accurate, as there are passionate people who just want to do "good" that would try to alter history.
"Great inner peace" is not something I can speak of, probably ever, however; contentment a definite yes.
Someone trying to change the future can be found almost anywhere. In any sport, science, economics, health (etc..) feild.
Shaping the world sounds rather difficult, not sure how anyone in our time could do that .

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

I don't know. I might, if given the opportunity, might change me, if that were even possible. I don't look at it as making different choices, but making choices differently, if that makes sense. But I think I could only do such a thing if I retained my knowledge of how I've learned to make choices now...

I'm sorry, but this is giving me a headache...

 

[RedDragon94]

In the religion of Buddhism, emphasis is placed on focusing on the present moment, rather than dwelling on the past or dreaming of the future. From there, it is sometimes said that those who have the most inner peace are those who are fully present in the right here, and the right now. To frame things another way, those who would answer the question "if you could change the past, would you?" with a yes, are lacking inner peace or contentment with their lives. Do you agree with this perspective? Is it possible to have great inner peace and contentment while desiring to change the past? If a person desires to change the future or shape the world, does this also indicate a lack of inner peace and contentment?

If changing the past creates a better present and future for me then yeah I would definitely try to.

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

I would say this is correct for me to a degree.
I am discontent with being alive, more so than my personal life.
This perspective doesn't hit as completely accurate, as there are passionate people who just want to do "good" that would try to alter history.
"Great inner peace" is not something I can speak of, probably ever, however; contentment a definite yes.
Someone trying to change the future can be found almost anywhere. In any sport, science, economics, health (etc..) feild.
Shaping the world sounds rather difficult, not sure how anyone in our time could do that .

But as you say, there are lots of people "trying to change the future" by changing what is happening now...

 

[RedDragon94]

If all of us were completely content then why would we try and change anything about us?

 

[Willamena]

In the religion of Buddhism, emphasis is placed on focusing on the present moment, rather than dwelling on the past or dreaming of the future. From there, it is sometimes said that those who have the most inner peace are those who are fully present in the right here, and the right now. To frame things another way, those who would answer the question "if you could change the past, would you?" with a yes, are lacking inner peace or contentment with their lives. Do you agree with this perspective? Is it possible to have great inner peace and contentment while desiring to change the past? If a person desires to change the future or shape the world, does this also indicate a lack of inner peace and contentment?

I agree with that perspective. But your question introduces fantasy, and so my answer is also a fantasy: if the past could be changed, I would allow that.

 

[Willamena]

If all of us were completely content then why would we try and change anything about us?

We are not all completely content.

 

[RedDragon94]

We are not all completely content.

Right, I'm just saying contentment can be a bad thing.

 

[Willamena]

Right, I'm just saying contentment can be a bad thing.

Not in my experience.

 

[RedDragon94]

Not in my experience.

Contentment is the removal of desire. You need desire in order to change. If you're so content that you don't feel the need to do anything with your life it's bad.