We get philosophical this week, discussing a way to think about the purpose of suffering and the very nature of existence. We also …
5 Comments
Hello Ben & Patrick
I am a 39 year old English and PE teacher, crossfit junky, no kids) and I`ve been listening to your podcast a lot recently. THANK YOU – Love it!
Sports and training have been a vital part of my life ever since. Up to my early 20s I played Basketball, followed by middle distance running, bodybuilding and fitness, some powerlifting and finally crossfit. I`ve been training 5-6 times per week for 4-5 years, made it to the quarterfinals in 2021 (overall and 35+) and was aspiring to make it to the semifinals 40+ next year. 8 months ago, however, my lower back and sacroiliac joint back started to hurt and I was diagnosed with L5/S1hermenia 8 months ago. I`ve been trying so much to recover and heal (osteopathy, physical therapy, tcm, core stability…) but the pain is still present. These last months I`ve been reading Eckard Tolle and Michael Singer and did a lot of awareness practice to help me deal with the injury and find meaning in life outside of training, started yoga and going for walks. Still, I keep going to the gym 4-5 times per week and follow my physical therapist`s training plan (lots of strict gymnastics/upper body work, some tempo squats and DL, Cardio) hoping I might be able do crossfit again some day.
My question to you Ben: In one of your podcasts you mentioned you`ve had a hermenia and back surgery. Which advise can you give me to handle the injury in terms of training and on the mental side?
Loved all of this! I agree with the spiritual framework chosen. It’s beneficial to have an operational context around suffering/experiencing. Recommend “Conversations With God” by Neal Donald Walsh. And as always – grateful for your leadership Ben.
Great episode! Love the challenge too, my first hour has been wim hof then Vishen's "6-phase meditation" which is about 30-40mins. I will continue that habit but my last hour will now be reading a fiction or biography before bed. Thanks for putting out these challenges for us to create better lives!
Man, I love Chasing Excellence. Freaking love it. But this episode…
I'm not posting this to hate on the show of this episode. Just honestly curious about what other people think.
If I'm following this correctly: The point of our earthly existence is to experience humanity. The peak of the human experience is suffering.
Maybe I'm strawmanning a bit, but doesn't that mean that the best thing we can do to enhance other peoples existence is to cause them to suffer? That way they can experience greater depths of humanity?
I think it's great that Ben is exploring these deeper issues and that he is excited to do so. I'm just not sure that this explanation offers any solace to people experiencing real suffering.
Great book to read on this subject- C.S. Lewis :Problem of Pain"
I recommend you read Peter Kreeft's Summa of the Summa. This conversation was a little bit further along in philosophy than other things I've seen you put out before that were extremely disappointing. COMPLETE health and fitness require four dimensions, MIND, BODY, SOUL, and SOCIAL. In the soul category, your discourse is lacking in PHD level Philosophy or Theology. Understanding that I can see you are improving, it is obvious you've read some of the stoics and maybe some Kant. Keep improving Ben, as you grow, thousands of people are being drug along with you. For others who may be Atheist, I recommend Answering Atheism by trent horn.
Hello Ben & Patrick
I am a 39 year old English and PE teacher, crossfit junky, no kids) and I`ve been listening to your podcast a lot recently. THANK YOU – Love it!
Sports and training have been a vital part of my life ever since. Up to my early 20s I played Basketball, followed by middle distance running, bodybuilding and fitness, some powerlifting and finally crossfit. I`ve been training 5-6 times per week for 4-5 years, made it to the quarterfinals in 2021 (overall and 35+) and was aspiring to make it to the semifinals 40+ next year. 8 months ago, however, my lower back and sacroiliac joint back started to hurt and I was diagnosed with L5/S1hermenia 8 months ago. I`ve been trying so much to recover and heal (osteopathy, physical therapy, tcm, core stability…) but the pain is still present. These last months I`ve been reading Eckard Tolle and Michael Singer and did a lot of awareness practice to help me deal with the injury and find meaning in life outside of training, started yoga and going for walks. Still, I keep going to the gym 4-5 times per week and follow my physical therapist`s training plan (lots of strict gymnastics/upper body work, some tempo squats and DL, Cardio) hoping I might be able do crossfit again some day.
My question to you Ben: In one of your podcasts you mentioned you`ve had a hermenia and back surgery. Which advise can you give me to handle the injury in terms of training and on the mental side?
Yours Heidi (Switzerland)
Loved all of this! I agree with the spiritual framework chosen. It’s beneficial to have an operational context around suffering/experiencing. Recommend “Conversations With God” by Neal Donald Walsh. And as always – grateful for your leadership Ben.
Great episode! Love the challenge too, my first hour has been wim hof then Vishen's "6-phase meditation" which is about 30-40mins. I will continue that habit but my last hour will now be reading a fiction or biography before bed. Thanks for putting out these challenges for us to create better lives!
Man, I love Chasing Excellence. Freaking love it. But this episode…
I'm not posting this to hate on the show of this episode. Just honestly curious about what other people think.
If I'm following this correctly: The point of our earthly existence is to experience humanity. The peak of the human experience is suffering.
Maybe I'm strawmanning a bit, but doesn't that mean that the best thing we can do to enhance other peoples existence is to cause them to suffer? That way they can experience greater depths of humanity?
I think it's great that Ben is exploring these deeper issues and that he is excited to do so. I'm just not sure that this explanation offers any solace to people experiencing real suffering.
Great book to read on this subject- C.S. Lewis :Problem of Pain"
I recommend you read Peter Kreeft's Summa of the Summa. This conversation was a little bit further along in philosophy than other things I've seen you put out before that were extremely disappointing. COMPLETE health and fitness require four dimensions, MIND, BODY, SOUL, and SOCIAL. In the soul category, your discourse is lacking in PHD level Philosophy or Theology. Understanding that I can see you are improving, it is obvious you've read some of the stoics and maybe some Kant. Keep improving Ben, as you grow, thousands of people are being drug along with you. For others who may be Atheist, I recommend Answering Atheism by trent horn.