The Eight-fold Path to the Well-Being Society

The Well-Being Society.

Well-being. It came to me today that what I’ve been taught all my life, and what everyone is taught, is that the goal of life is wealth and success. Wealth is money, lots of it, and success is achieving a high social status, power, fame or professional position. To have both is the American dream. It occurred to me today that another possible goal is well-being, and that is a worthwhile personal and social goal in itself. Well-being as a goal means physical, mental and spiritual health, freedom and equality, free creative expression, strong and consistent sense of being connected in community, ability to care for self and others, opportunities to share and give and be part of a ‘giving circle’, compassion for self and others, and materially, making sure that everyone has the necessities for well-being: housing, nutritious food, medicine, education, a clean, self-regenerating environment that supports all living beings. I call this the “well-being” society.

And I believe it’s the kind of society that Buddha pointed to with his eight-fold path, which is usually defined as “right…” but really means “wholesome”, the nearest equivalent in English.

This is no more than a germ of an idea, a seed that I hope to grow into fully-grown tree that spreads it’s shade and fruits to everyone.