Siddhartha Reading Response
Siddhartha Reading ResponseIt seems that at some point in our lives, we are taken over by some force, and are tricked into feeling like our desires, our destinies, whatever they may be, have fallen out of reach. Are dreams just a phase that you grow out of after childhood, are they for motivational use, to help us hold on to our sanity when we face each new day, or are they something more? It takes courage to leave behind whatever will slow you down and seek personal happiness. At times we stop listening to that quiet, benevolent voice inside all of us, and sometimes people neglect it altogether when they most need guidance and direction. Siddhartha stirred up my emotions, reinforced a philosophy that I live by, and made me want to rethink my life’s goals.
This book was profound, and stirred up my emotions because it contains intelligent advice on many levels. The setting of Siddhartha is ancient China; perhaps author Hermann Hesse is suggesting that good morals to live by can never be outdated. If I were to ask any person walking down the street if they felt the human race is better now than 100 years ago, they would most likely say yes. I believe that we have become more advanced, but have we become better, happier people? It’s difficult to agree to that; we have the potential to become better, moral people, but far too many have lost sight of what’s important.
I believe that life is about finding personal happiness and reaching your dreams. After reading Siddhartha, something became very clear to me: lessons you learn from a journey cannot only be learned after the journey’s conclusion, but more importantly, should be learned along the way. I also took from this book that wisdom cannot be taught to anyone, because the beliefs of others will not apply to your life. You are your own person, and must find your own path. Such messages can also be found in my favorite book The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho.
Don’t let the days go by without an objective in your mind to inspire you. Goals can be compared to a beacon at the end of a dark tunnel. Without it, we would wander around in the dark, not knowing whether we are making progress or falling further behind. One of my life’s goals is to help people, and only I will feel when I have reached this goal. However, I have a feeling that this goal of mine is a repeating loop which will be constantly rewarding but less specific. In Siddhartha, the main religion followed was Buddhism, and the goal of Buddhists is to attain Nirvana. I liked very much how Hesse did not preach Buddhism as the only way to reach this goal. The message I received was that the choice of religion was up to me. Life can put two different people on two different paths, but sometimes the paths both lead to the same destination.
Siddhartha was a type of book that I love to read because it didn’t just contain good writing, but more importantly, good messages that everyone can use to live a more fulfilling life. It seemed idealistic at times, but it also portrayed life accurately. The path to success will present difficult times, there will be depression and temptation, but there will also be guidance and direction along the way. It inspired, and it created in me the desire to be a better person. It quietly suggests that we step outside our competition for money, material possessions, and earthly pleasures and focus on whatever it is that will lead us to inner peace. Treasures of the mind and soul will cost nothing, but also remain priceless.