"The Lord of the Rings" by J.R.R. Tolkien is more than just a fantasy escape; it's a treasure trove of philosophical wisdom wrapped up in hobbits, wizards, and epic battles. Even though Tolkien was generally negative and thought that the "Fall" had ruined the world in a way similar to the idea of entropy in thermodynamics, the story goes beyond just sadness. It teaches powerful lessons about how to find your way through life's maze, find your purpose, and even make pockets of light in a world that is getting darker and darker.
The Ring's Wicked Whisper: When Want Turns Into Our Enemy
The One Ring, which stands for ultimate power, shows how dangerous it is to want things too much. Seneca, a Stoic philosopher, said, "It is desire that troubles us, not things." Frodo's fight against its alluring power is similar. Like unchecked desires, the Ring promises control and fulfilment, but in the end it destroys the person who wears it, just like ambition and greed do. Gandalf, unlike Frodo, doesn't give in to the Ring's pull. This shows how moderation and reason can help you deal with life's temptations. His words, "Even the smallest person can change the course of the future," give us hope when things look like they'll never get better.
From Grey to White: How Gandalf Changed and the Power of Evolving Within
The change of Gandalf's color from worn-out grey to bright white represents spiritual growth and strength. He showed selflessness and courage by giving up everything in Moria, which made way for new hope. It means that we have the power to change ourselves through this rebirth. We can let go of our fears, gain wisdom, and come back stronger from problems, just like Gandalf. Growing and thinking about ourselves can help us find strength and purpose, just like Gandalf does when he comes out of the woods. The core message i derived for this is that whenever we set a goal or we must rise to a new level to take on a harder challenge, we must change our identity internally and even externally so our body and mind can act accordingly. For example, an officer worker that identifies as an athlete, reads and has posters of their favourite athletes life and has athletic goals set along with daily activities is going to do drastically better than the second office worker who sets a vague goal in his mind, doesn't note down exercise as a habit in his day as proof of a commitment and who still labels themselves as a 'fat person'. Other methods you can try is positive and negative visualization (negative is more effective) , present tense affirmations, appearance altering and being aware of your daily content consumption.
Beyond the Epic: Everyday Heroism and Your Own Shire
Even though "The Lord of the Rings" is about big battles, its real message is about brave and kind actions that people do every day. Each of us can start our own "hero's journey" by:
Facing your "Rings": Recognizing and fighting the bad desires that want to take over our lives. Choose delayed gratification over instant gratification, even if this means not acting at all for while.
Building your Fellowship: By making friends who can help you and asking mentors for advice.
Accepting problems as chances to learn and grow: You must start to cultivate this mindset of "embracing challenges."
Finding your Shire: This means making a place for yourself where you can feel calm and at ease, even when things around you are crazy. This can be both mental and physical. If your mental default whilst stressed or tired is to resort to outside pleasures as comfort then you must change your mindset and label behaviors as positive or negative ones. The physical environments that you setup are arguably more powerful than your mental environment. This is because places that you frequent regularly are associated with certain behaviors and emotions that is triggered by your five senses. Therefore, don't do important work at the desk you play video games and keep items such as your phone out of your field of view whilst working.
Remembering the power of small actions and maintaining momentum: Recognize that things that don't seem important day to day can have big effects.
How to Build Your Own Legend: How to Use the Ideas of Tolkien and Philosophers Everyday
There's no need for dragons or magic rings on the journey. Use the ideas of Tolkien and philosophers like Seneca in your daily life by following these steps:
Practice Stoicism and Think like a Roman Emperor: Embrace a moderate and mindful approach to life's desires, remembering that true happiness lies not in external possessions but in inner peace and with a reason to wake up in the morning. Marcus Aurelius once said “Think of yourself as dead. You have lived your life. Now, take what's left and live it properly. What doesn't transmit light creates its own darkness.”. To start off one must ask themselves what their ideal day and life would look like starting from scratch.
Discover your Goal and Map out your Vocation: Think about your interests and values. What do you want to leave behind? The story of Aragorn's journey shows us that even ordinary people can become great through hard work, reflection and mentorship.
Cultivate Courage: Like Frodo, face your fears and anxieties with determination. Don't forget that even small steps forward can be brave. Maintaining momentum is the most important thing and this will become easy once you establish the task as a habit.
Seek Wisdom: Gandalf's role as a mentor shows how important it is to get advice and information from people with more experience.
Accept help from others: Samwise's loyalty shows us that we can't get through life by ourselves. Build strong relationships with other people and help them out.
Celebrate Small Victories: Don't wait for grand gestures. Celebrate your everyday triumphs, just like the hobbits celebrating in the Shire.
Conclusion: A Beacon of Hope
Tolkien thought the world was ending, but 'The Lord of the Rings' has a strong message of hope and strength. By understanding the dangers of unchecked desires, embracing the power of community, and finding strength within ourselves, we can navigate our own journeys with purpose and courage.
Remember that anyone can become a hero, just like the hobbits did when they defied the odds. So, travelers, don't worry. Let the wise people of Middle-earth show you the way on your own epic journey.
This blog post is just the beginning. You'll find a lot more lessons to help you on your way if you learn more about Tolkien's world and Philosophy in general. Don't forget that the journey is the prize and that trying your best in victory and defeat is the only way to avoid ego and steer clear of regret.
p.s. there is a great book that I read recently called the ‘Sampson and the Wizard’ that combined self development and fantasy, which was concluded with a list of tenets that are perfectly suited to this blog article. As of recently, I am going to consciously filter my big future decisions through these tenets and see if they are aligned with wisdom of the tenets.
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