Man : Valuable (Life Is a Treasure)

Life is a treasure hunt. 
Life itself is the land to be explored. 
You’re a treasure hunter; a seeker to explore the possibilities life holds for you, desiring to live your best life, the original.

 
As a person consciously intending to maximize the meaning of life, you’ve probably already done a fair amount of digging, perhaps without much of a map, going clue to clue, experimenting with what does and doesn’t bring satisfaction and a sense of purpose to your life.

Pinpointing to the area of life, the location where your energies will be best spent “digging” in relationship to the individual wiring of your soul. This treasure of life is hidden within. It also might be said that the treasure is buried under layers of ego, desires, emotions, habits, and other imbedded thought patterns.

Peeling off the layers of ego, emotions, and imbedded thought patterns is not so easy. The treasure doesn’t come out when you call it. It must be hunted for and dug up. All that is heaped over the buried treasure must be removed. The decision to look for the treasure is only the beginning of the hunt.

This digging is the reason for worldly human existence. Knowing which tools, a shovel, a map and a guide to assist, to use, the art of life. This work is life, and it is a magnificent adventure, the treasure, as its goal.

As we gradually dig, scrape, and peel off the layers of what is not our real and permanent nature, until finally the work is done and we know who our true Self is.

1. Everyone Has Treasures:

"Treasures of the body" are attributes that endow our person, such as skills, knowledge, educational background. They also include perceptions that are attached to or associated with us, such as social standing, reputation, position and fame. Treasures of the body are perhaps more stable and lasting. Nevertheless, simply possessing them does not ensure happiness, and when such attributes are misused even a little, they can lead a person to ruin or to the ruin of others.

"Treasures of the storehouse" are material treasures. They include such things as property and financial wealth. They are, for the most part, life's external adornments. These are things that almost all of us want—treasures we are naturally attracted to, often feel we need, and to which there is usually attached monetary value. And while we tend to seek these things, most of us realize that focusing on them exclusively or excessively can be futile, or even detrimental.

2. What Are The Treasures?

The treasure chest is in your heart---it is that which you hold dear in your heart. A treasure is that upon which you place your affections and attention.  It may be your money, possessions, reputation, honor, praise, relationship, degree, or time. Your treasure is that which you value above other things.

Thus, your treasure is your attitude toward your possessions. It is whatever you most eagerly strive to attain. It is that which you most dread to lose.

When we think of “treasures” most of us limit it to what we have in the stock market, in a bank account, or in a secured safe.  On this assumption we may think that only the rich and famous have treasures. But treasures may be tangible or intangible. They can be held in the hand or simply stored in the mind.  

Benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and faith. Benevolence is to love humanity,
righteousness is to judge affairs properly, propriety is to follow the correct path, wisdom is to discern right and wrong, and faith is to uphold the true and not be disloyal.
 
You can recognize your treasures by that which you think is most important to you, that which you believe you cannot do without, that which brings you the greatest pleasure and satisfaction, and that which you think most about. You might give up other things, but you are not willing to part with your treasure. 

  3.  Not Opposed to Treasures:

Though “treasures of the body” are generally considered to be on a higher level than “treasures of the storehouse,” people usually desire fulfillment in both these respects and feel happy when these desires are satisfied. We all do what we can to try to obtain such treasures. Yet although “treasures of the storehouse and body” are necessary conditions for happiness, they are not the condition for attaining complete satisfaction.

Of course, it is much better to have enough treasures of the storehouse and body than to have too little. We certainly feel unhappy when we are impoverished in these ways. As common, ordinary mortals it would be asking too much to tell us not to hope at all to increase them. The fewer of these treasures we have the more fervently we desire them, and a great many people have taken faith in the hope of fulfilling such desires.

Treasures are not necessarily evil in themselves, the improper value that we place on the treasures. It is that which so ties us to the world that we risk losing eternal life. It is our affection to these things that give treasures wrong values.

 4.  When the Treasures are NOT Treasure:

 The pursuit of treasures of the storehouse and body belongs to the dominated of the world of desire. When these desires are fulfilled, the reward of pleasure appears. But the rewards of the world of desire are temporary and transitory; without exception, we will inevitably fall into the three evil paths (greed, anger, and delusion), and continue to wander from one condition to another.

       If the faculties of mind are not working in harmony and balanced, these basic urges will express themselves in dysfunctional, unbalanced, and generally unhealthy ways. Eating disorders, addictions, and sexual excesses affect a person’s physical and emotional health. Too much or too little sleep or fitful sleep has similar effects on emotions and health. The fear of death, which is the central issue of self-preservation, leads to a wide variety of fears, including fear of loss of belongings, possessiveness in relationships, or fear of flying and other phobias. These disorders and addictions, with all of their emotional complications, shaping personalities and creating habits for years and even lifetimes.

     We set our heart on garments, grains, and gold, eventually we would lose them all. Our garments could be eaten by moths, our grain could be eaten by animals or insects, and our gold and precious metals could be taken by thieves or destroyed by rust. Moth and rust represent loss from within; they reduce the value of our treasures. Thieves represent loss from outside; they steal our valuables—not just our money, but our hearts and affections (resulting in broken hearts).

    The point is this: Despite our moth balls, our rat poison, and our burglar alarms, none of our wealth is very safe.  The recent corporate scandals in the United States are all too familiar. You can lose your life savings overnight.  Even if you kept it all until you died, you would still leave it behind. For, when rich people die, they do not just leave behind a lot of money----they leave it all behind.
 
     Wealth in the human realm is transitory. No matter what you do, no matter how hard you try, you cannot guarantee that you will not lose your possessions. You can lose your wealth, talents and health overnight. The significant person in your life today (your idol) can dump you tomorrow. You can suddenly lose your parents, children, and loved ones in one automobile accident.   

    We tend to find our security in the wrong places. But Jesus urges us to learn to treasure up lasting treasures.

 5. The Treasures to Treasure:  

There is a treasure within each of us – and can be found by looking at our inner life. It lies hidden in our inner moods and feelings. Even if we see ourselves as unspiritual, irreligious, because of guilt or discouragement, characteristics like compassion, a sense of wonder, humility, peace, hope and joy are evidence work within. Spirituality has often been interpreted so narrowly that we don’t recognize it when we meet it in ourselves or others. 

1 — Insight, Creative Intelligence

Becoming aware of your higher consciousness, you discover a tremendous talent which helps you meets the challenges of your life. This faculty of your higher self is called creative intelligence, or superconscious insight. 

Through your creative intelligence you will be at your very best when making a decision. You will be able to see your problems clearly, in all their aspects. You will distinguish between true opportunity and much suffering disguising itself as opportunity. Insights from your higher consciousness will develop your mind, emotions, and will into a constructive team, improving not only your decisions but the advice you give to professional colleagues and loved ones.

2 — Security

To human, the growing sense of security and comfort is the most wonderful aspect of higher recognitions. Life sophistication and seemingly powerful people with numbered Swiss bank accounts, weighty diamonds, and $140,000 cars yearn for a sense of security. A seemingly omnipotent boss confided , "I spent half my life to get this management desk. I have to spend the rest of my life fighting to keep it."

Your life is precious, you are too precious. Have a retrospective  thoughts and emotions for awhile, you can sense the strong comfort of your higher consciousness. You can sense the immensity of your inner strength. When you discover your mighty inner security, a renewed sense of purpose fills your mind. In the security of your higher consciousness, you also gain a sense of self-esteem. You are more able to discern super-conscious insight and learn how to accomplish your projects. This enriching security calms your heart and nerves; it helps your blood pressure. Security prepares you to enjoy your life and achieve your goals at will.

3 — Peace and Joy

An important point, your thoughts and feelings are wearing you out, literally. Your mental/emotional activity is probably shortening your life. Any machine that are kept going without rest and maintenance starts to malfunction in short time. Quite similarly, those who allow their thoughts and feelings to churn continually, every day, as most people do, suffer in many ways.

Most people allow their thoughts to come and go as they please — memories, sensations, fantasies, and other ideas continually moving in haphazard, generally chaotic, fashion. Similarly, the emotions wildly move within us — a warfare of hope, fear, desire, resentment, love, and hatred. 

Also, thoughts and feelings often clash in their separate pursuits. For example, you may have a feeling of grief which dominates and limits your mental range of thought; or your repeated thoughts about a negative situation will likely make a good mood vanish. Usually there are several layers of mental/emotional turbulence going on within, even during sleep.

We all have a unique, complex inner life of thoughts, memories, feelings and desires which are the result of heredity and experience. Even though often stored in the subconscious mind, they affect our perception of the world around us and influence our behaviour. Indeed, the inner life is the source of our direction and energy for our life’s journey. Yet we have divinized reason and tended to ignore emotions – which if not acknowledged and befriended will eventually destroy us. Many bodily illnesses are an expression of inner disharmony, such as ongoing resentment, bitterness and frustration. 

  6. The Heart Follows the Treasure:

An essential lesson is to make the “treasures of the heart” a priority. In the ongoing war against terrorism, it is often said that the best way to get to the heart of the terrorist networks and organizations is to follow the money trail. In a similar way, to know where a person’s heart is we must simply follow their treasure trail. Treasures act like a mirror to reveal the heart. We will see the truth about ourselves in the things we treasure.

 In other words, what we invest in, we are committed to. The things we treasure actually govern our lives. What we value occupies our minds and grips our emotions. It is the theme and content of our conversation. It consumes our time with planning, day-dreaming, and energy to achieve.  “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

 7. Choose Your Treasures Wisely:  

In this fleeting, temporary life, it is most important to live truthfully and honestly as a human being. “The treasures of the heart are the most valuable of all.” Bit by bit, we are losing “treasures of the storehouse” and “treasures of the body.”

If someone wins a first prize lottery, he might feel he has experienced the absolute summit of happiness when he gets that huge sum of money (“treasure of the storehouse”) in his hands. Yet it would be impossible to maintain that feeling of bliss forever. One often hears of people who experience a tragedy they never imagined could happen because of having an unexpected windfall of a large amount of money.

Also, when people are rich in “treasures of the storehouse” (such as wealthy people) or superior in “treasures of the body” (for example, top executives or academic authorities); they often depend on these assets and become self-centred. Their spirit to seek spiritual treasures may weaken because of this self-egoistic until they lose it altogether. One can think of many people whose lives ultimately ended up in misery as a result. Since ancient times, it has been said that such people are “lacking in virtue.”

True worth is created and made good use of when the “treasures of the storehouse,” “treasures of the body,” and “treasures of the heart” are all manifested to the fullest knowing how the mind functions and training it properly is the real duty of a human being. It is this duty and obligation that brings peace and joy to a human being.

“The wise man does not lay up his own treasures.

The more he gives to others, the more he has for his own.”
Lao Tzu

Excerpt with thanks from:

SGI – USA, July 1999, p.5

Samuel Koranteng-Pipim, Ph.D.
Director, Public Campus Ministries, Michigan Conference