Good Thoughts, Good Words, Good Deeds: Thus Spake Zarathustra

WE USE THE WORD ＂GOOD＂ EVERY DAY without really thinking about what it truly means. What does ＂good＂ mean? We say ＂good morning,＂ we call a tasty meal ＂good,＂ and if we’ve seen a movie we liked we say it was ＂good.＂ But ＂good＂ has a deeper meaning, one that is central to the core of our being, and expresses our authentic self.

Zarathustra, the founder of Mazdaism and Zoroastrianism, teaches the meaning of ＂good＂ by encouraging ＂good thoughts, good words, good deeds.＂ This teaching delves into the consciousness of each person’s right to choose. By becoming aware of our internal world and choosing good thoughts and good words, we reach higher levels of consciousness and the result is doing good deeds. We grow into our authentic selves when we do no harm to ourselves or others. This is the meaning of ＂good.＂

By once again employing analogy and metaphor, Bahram invites us into a deeper understanding of what it means to choose what is good and follow the universal teachings of Zarathustra.