There is a lot of truth in your approach, imho. By truth I mean these things that we allow ourselves to accept even if we don't understand it fully, and "let th

There is a lot of truth in your approach, imho. By truth I mean these things that we allow ourselves to accept even if we don't understand it fully, and "let the data speak" — experience will be the judge. I've researched a lot of human-made content for "being better" — from ancient religions and myth to modern self-development passing by classic philosophies and hordes of thinkers, whatever I could put my eyes on. It's obviously just anecdotal, probably, but there is a lot of truth and a lot of good in very ancient principles and philosophies. Just yesterday I was reading on how "restrictions" in the Jewish tradition are meant to essentially implement what we'd call "self-discipline" today, which is a clear marker of one's ability to succeed in most life's endeavors — conduct projects, maintain relationships, etc. It's basically just the idea that having a ritualistic frame of lifelong habits is an extremely strong basis to implement whatever change you will require in life, and to resist things that tempt you but you shouldn't. It's just training, basically, and all validated by modern neuro-cognitive sciences and psychology. Hindsight is 20/20 but it gives a sense of "how true" some ancestral, or random, or even anecdotal idea or principle may be, and why it "endures" and resonates for so long across people, centuries. Buddhism is notorious for how close it is to a lot of what we call cognitive therapy (or training, if you're not 'sick' but after improvement). The Tao Te Ching in particular, very relatably to Stoicism in the Western world, is a treasure of happiness and greatness for countless people across the ages. I'd really not refrain myself from "discovering" the essence of buddhism, it can only be an addition to your own philosophical distinctiveness. ;-) And your girlfriend probably loves that you discover here through this medium, too.