“Live long and prosper.” Does anyone on the planet not know this Vulcan salutation from Star Trek? It even has an official emoji. And the proper response being, “Peace and long life.” But wait! How does one accomplish this? Yes, it is an excellent greeting and reasonable goal, but what is the one, most important way to achieve it?
First, most people probably don’t realize that the famous hand sign has a long and ancient earthly origin. Leonard Nimoy, who played Spock in Star Trek, derived this greeting from his Jewish roots. Nimoy witnessed this priestly benediction as a small child. Blessings of a long and prosperous life exist in the major religions, in ancient Egypt, and literature including Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.
Second, “live long” must be interpreted as living a long and healthy life. No one desires to live a long and painful, sickly life.
And then the third…. prosper. What does that really mean? If you embrace the modern definition “succeed in material terms; be financially successful”… it may dawn on you that living a long life and prospering may be in conflict. When you pursue a “He who dies with the most toy’s wins” philosophy, it may come with a “die young” price tag. The book “Blue Zones“, written by Dan Buettner researched how some people live much longer than others. Good genes, diet, exercise all play a big role… but almost universally was a rejection of the pursuit of wealth. Instead, they view prosperity in the old world Greek meaning “succeed in reaching, help on the road”. Thus, of success in developing spiritually, mind and body.
The one, most important way to accomplish it all
Remove, as much as possible, the stress from your life.
“If you ask what is the single most important key to longevity, I would have to say it is avoiding worry, stress and tension. And if you didn’t ask me, I’d still have to say it.” — George Burns, 1896–1996
No one wants to hear this. Everyone wants a magic pill. But research shows, the key to a long and healthy life is to remove stress. Change your priorities in life. I did, almost three years ago. I hope it was in time. My wish for you….
Live long and prosper