Knowledge and Preparation for Survival

I was recently made aware of an individual, Chris McCandless, who decided to "live off the land," but who had prepared poorly and subsequently died of either starvation or food poisoning. This highlights the importance of knowledge and preparation. I believe that, with enough forethought, McCandless could have lived off the land, as people used to, if he could have found enough land on which to do so. McCandless didn't die because he was attempting the impossible. He died because he hadn't prepared himself correctly.

Similarly, our spiritual survival depends strongly on our knowledge and preparation. We need to know what spiritual nourishment we need and where we can find it. We need to know what spiritual poisons we need to avoid and how to recognize them. We live in a spiritually inhospitable environment, but we can survive here, if we know how.

There are many hazards that we face in life, both physically and spiritually, but we can survive them if we prepare ourselves for them. Facing challenges can help us develop the strength and wisdom we need to face even greater challenges, even life-threatening ones. Through sufficient exercise and practice, we can prepare ourselves for almost anything life can throw at us.

Life is dangerous. Everyone dies by the end of it. Some die sooner than they needed to. Many physical and spiritual deaths can be prevented if we have the right set of knowledge and preparation. We can overcome life-threatening challenges. We just need to know how to and be ready to do it.