Reading Descartes’ essay was an experience. I have been inspired! His hunger for the “truth” and knowledge is so motivating. Here are some quotes that really stood out.

” And, in fine, our age appeared to me as flourishing and as fertile in powerful minds as any preceding one.” We are young and our knowledge can grow. We need to take adavantage of our youth and expand our minds. There are so many unanswered questions that we all as individuals have and there is nothing stopping us from finding the answers.  Let’s get to know ourselves and our “good sense”. We all have a natural light and most people are not aware that sometimes “things” in society dim our own personal light.  So we lose sight of our path.  Descartes felt this way about school and staying in his country.  So what did he do? He traveled with an open mind and made an experiment out of himself.

“I think, therefore I am.” I used to find this quote very strange because to me the thoughts in our heads are not who we are. After reading this I finally understand what he meant. The “I think” is just our minds being self aware.  He also mentions that “our thoughts cannot be true because of our partial imperfections.”  Hence, we are not our thoughts.  Since he says that our minds are distinct from our bodies, I interpreted that to be the soul. The soul is a big ball of energy and like he said it does not come to an end. It will just be what it is.  Energy cannot be destroyed.

“My third maxim was to endeavour always to conquer myself rather than fortune, and change my desires rather than the order of the world…. accustom myself to the persuasion that , except our own thoughts, there is nothing absolutely in our power…” I have adopted this maxim. If you conquer yourself, you can conquer the world. You are the world. Descartes really opened my eyes with his ideas. He was very focused on what he truly wanted. There really is nothing we can do to be in control. Whatever happens just is, we can only choose to prove ourselves in the different situations we have been put in. When we reflect on ourselves and our situations, we grow. Many people don’t become self aware because of their material desires and need for fame. They limit themselves without even knowing it.

We all have different ways of doing things and that’s okay. If you feel that your path is being darkened then enlighten yourself.