Michael's Blog

Personal Transformation and the World We Live In.

The culture we live and the events around us directly effect the way we think and feel about things. This blog will discuss the world around us and ways to transform our lives. The internal life and the external world are directly correlated, and so the writing contained here will discus both topics.

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The Obsessive Pedestal
3/20/09

I am tired of hearing about Celebrity deaths and tragedies. The current Natasha Richardson is no exception. First let’s be clear. I don’t hate celebrities and I do accept that this death is a tragedy. Celebrities are people just like anyone else and should be treated as such. But I am tired of hearing about it. In reality this is a part of a much larger problem then many of us realize.

If one of my uncles died tomorrow, would anyone outside of my family, or his friends really care? They may offer condolences but I doubt very much that people would become entirely upset. It would be considered odd if someone did. And it might be a bit uncomfortable for the mourning family if someone did.

The celebrity worship in this culture is out of control. It is a testament to our own lack of self worth. As a culture, we are so unhappy with our situations that when someone “has it all” it is even more devastating to us then death of the common man.

In a way, they are like the Greek Gods of old. We hold them up on a pillar as if they weren’t real people. Their suffering is iconic. It reminds us of our own and in a way amplifies our emotions of tragic situations because they are “more real” then we are.

They become a symbol of our own death, of our own kidnapped child, of our own tragic situation. It is a way of living out our own greatest fears, and for some reason, we love it. We love it because we can detach ourselves from it when we have had enough. But as long as we like, we can focus on the suffering. I think in some way we may be trying to understand our own suffering.

If we truly want to understand this suffering, it is vital that we stop looking to the world. Instead we must start within. Many people are afraid to turn within, because we might have to deal with some things we don’t like about ourselves. So instead we search for answers in the death of people like Natasha Richardson.

Part of the problems is that some Celebrities feed into it. They continue the “woe is me” act. Yes they have suffered, and yes they have a right to mourn. But I think perhaps it should be kept private. To be fair, some do try to keep it private and the media exploits the loss, but to those who feed into the media, amplifying the situation, shame on you.

We need to refocus. It’s time to turn our focus on restoring our own confidence and accepting the suffering in our own lives. It’s time to stop living vicariously through others and discover the beauty within. This is the only way that we can begin to correct the things that have gone horribly wrong in our society. Just because someone has “The American Dream” doesn’t mean that it is for you. You have to find your own path, not the path of everyone else.

The idea of having it all, and the worship of celebrities, and “keeping up with the Joneses” are what caused this whole financial crisis to begin with. We are living beyond our means because we are unsatisfied with ourselves. We are looking to understand and relieve suffering outside ourselves. That is an impossible task. There is nothing outside of you that could ever possibly make your life more complete. All you need is inside you. Forget the Celebrities, they are just people, like everyone else.

Right Education
3/15/09

Education can be a powerful tool on the road to wisdom. By educating yourself, whether it is in a formal classroom, or simply picking up books for your own enjoyment, you can open a door to a deep foundation of wisdom. Unfortunately education can also lead away from wisdom. It can steer you into the direction of rigidity and close mindedness. In education you must walk a fine line in order to reach “the pearls of wisdom”.

If you want education to be the most effective in bringing wisdom, then you must first look at your motivations. What is the reason for your learning? Are you trying to prove your point? Are you trying to make your financial situation better? Maybe you want to be a really well read and intelligent person. Are you simply looking to have more knowledge than someone you know?

Any of the above reasons, are in fact, not good reason to seek education. All of them, if followed, will lead you down a road to arrogance, and a one sided viewpoint. Now I can’t say this is universally true, as one may start out down one of these paths and eventually come to understand, what education is suppose to be about.

Education should be about expansion of thought within the very elements of the human condition. What I mean by that is that, it should be about trying to understand the points of view of other people, or the environment in which they reside. True education withholds judgment, until every fact that is available can be obtained. Education is not about reinforcing your current opinion, but opening the doors to other opinions in order to incorporate the thoughts and ideas of others.

There are so many issues out there that are approached from a one sided point of view. Each side has versed themselves in the knowledge that defends their position, but often they have not taken an Honest look at the point of view of the opposing sides. Their method of education did not encompass the spirit of true education because they have not been truthful to themselves.

We can use just about any politically charged topic as a point of reference here. The Immigration Debate, the Gaza Conflict, the Past and Current Administrations approaches to foreign policy, all are examples of issues that have two sides battling for dominance. There are very few individuals out there stopping to take a look at what each side is really saying, and doing the research into the documented history into the subjects that is necessary to come to any real conclusion. Most people educate themselves in rhetoric and hearsay based off of their own one sided view in order to “prove” a point that doesn’t exist in the real world.

Right Education is about bringing people together. It is about having the wisdom to mediate between two steeply divided sides in order to reach a kind of common ground. Most people are so involved in their own political views, that they feel the acceptance of the point of view of another would be to undergo a kind of death. And in fact it is a kind of ego death that one must undergo in order to be fair and impartial in a topic that they feel a strong allegiance to one side or the other.

If we are to educate ourselves properly, we must get out of our own way. If you feel there is a black and white answers to any subject, then in fact you are in your own way. Those who would uphold their morals, as black and white, right and wrong, should realized that there are always exceptions to every rule out there. As individuals we prevent ourselves from pursuing the spirit of true education by our own biases constructive over years of experience. We should remember that experience does not necessarily equal wisdom.

If we as human beings are to evolve as a species towards a positively constructed human society, we must put aside old conflicts and hatreds (as well as new ones). In order to do this we must engage in a kind of education that allows us to open our mind and perceive all people as human beings, who are simply trying to have their needs met.

We must educate ourselves with the purpose of bringing unity between people, and not division. We should not look to prove our points, but to understand the points of others. Only then can we have a healthy and productive debate. This is the meaning of Right Education

Problems with Tolerance

3/11/09

“Tolerance - a fair, objective, and permissive attitude toward those whose opinions, practices, race, religion, nationality, etc., differ from one's own; freedom from bigotry.” (Source: Dictionary.com)

Sometimes in languages there are problems built in within the structure. The understanding of Tolerance is one of these key problems.

The key problem with this term is the idea of extension of permission. By its very definition tolerance promotes the idea of superiority. So the question I offer is, what makes you so superior that you have the ability to judge whether or not to be tolerant in the first place? It is my purpose here to point out the flaw in the linguistic use of the word Tolerance.

Now of coarse I know that many people have the spirit of the understanding of Tolerance. Tolerance to these individuals is the withholding of their judgment. However many individuals also delve out tolerance to some and withhold it from others, as if they had the ability to judge correctly what one should and should not be tolerant of.

Of this of coarse I speak of cultural practices, and cultural constructions of morality and right and wrong. There are many gray areas as to right in wrong within this area, and I would be a bit concerned for any individual who simply makes a judgment of right and wrong without taking a good hard look at all the objective content or interior cultural understanding of any particular cultural practice.

I have seen people use the world tolerance in a Religious understanding. Should we be tolerant of other religions? My answer is no. Why is my answer no? It is because we do not have the right to allow or extend permission to others to practice what they feel or believe. Everyone in this country has the right to freedom of religion, but we do not have a right to decide what we will allow or give permission for people to practice. So I think tolerance is a bad word to use when dealing with Religion.

The issue of Race also uses the world Tolerance. Before I address this problem I would like to first say that the concept of race is a rather flawed one. There is but one race on this planet, which is the human race. The culturally constructed concept of race is a flawed one in the first place, and is compounded with the idea of tolerance. So should we tolerate other Races? Should we give our permission to others for being who they are? This to me is such a ridiculous notion, that one should be tolerant of an inherent trait. There is nothing to be tolerant about. It is an invisible issue; originally created by the idea that there is a kind of lack of resources that we must hoard.

My point? The idea of giving permission to others to see the world through their own eyes is a flaw one. It may feel like I am splitting hairs to some and others may try to counter my argument by using extreme examples, but I think it is important to take a look at the structures built within our own language. Language is an inseparable part of culture, and if we do not take a critical look at structures we cannot understand our own flaws. This is a problem of arrogance, to feel that we have the right to judge others. Most people do not give a second thought to how their language is constructed, but I think if we want to make positive changes in the world we must be critical of words that make assumptions of superiority.

In other words, learn to watch your words carefully and try to understand the true meaning behind words. Tolerance is not something we should extend because once again I say, we do not have the right to judge in the first place.

Empty Mind

3/06/09

“In pursuit of knowledge, everyday something is added. In pursuit of the Tao, everyday something is dropped.” – The Tao Te Ching

In both Taoism and Buddhism the concept of the empty mind appears. We have all heard the expression; “a mind is a terrible thing to waste”. The expression meaning that an uncultivated mind is not a valuable as one that is long cultivated.

But does this mean that we should absorb knowledge endlessly? Does it mean that we must cram as many facts and information in our head as possible? How many books have you read? How many degrees do you have? How many years have you studied? How ridiculous we can be!

I have often found that those who dedicate their life to study easily find unhappiness. Sometimes these people become socially awkward, or have episodes of depression and anxiety. Often the brightest people are the unhappiest. Of coarse I am by no means saying this is universally the case, but there is in fact a connection here.

Sometimes however, those who spend their time filling their brain reach a kind of critical point. They begin to realize that the world is much bigger then facts. Perhaps they will rediscover some parts of themselves they have previously ignored. Maybe they begin to recognize themselves as more then just a “Thinking Thing” as Descartes dangerously put it.

This discovery doesn’t have to be a religious experience. It could be simply a time to begin turning inward and recognizing the other elements of being human, such as emotions, or social interaction, as being equally valuable.

Does the opening quote seem puzzling to you? Does it seem to contradict everything you have learned in your life? Does it seem like I am advocating ignorance and stupidity? So what is the value of an Empty Mind?

It isn’t that we shouldn’t learn it is that we should not hold onto our thoughts. We should not try to possess knowledge, or possess or own thoughts. Knowledge has become an object to obtain, not a useful means of understanding the world.

In the beginning one might set down the path of knowledge by looking to explain things they do not understand, however in the end one can easily fall into the trap of being possessed by their own knowledge.

The paradox of knowledge is that the more one studies, the easier it is to fall into the same trap of rigidity and ignorance that one was trying to get way from in the first place. If you have solidified your mind and your judgments then you have missed the point of knowledge all together. Knowledge is only useful insofar as it is applied to the world.

A truly cultivated mind is not one that can spew out an uncountable number of facts. The powerful and wise mind knows how to handle any situation that may arise in an appropriate manner. Their actions are not based on preconceptions, but at looking at the facts in the least biased manner possible and then acting accordingly.

This mind knows when it is to be silent and is careful to not get caught up in the game of mind. The game of mind is when the mind begins to imagine things that are destructive and may never come to pass. Extreme examples include conspiracy theory, and those who often imagine themselves falling into sickness and death. But spending too much time daydreaming can also be bad.

The great empty mind is present in whatever it does. It does not linger on what is past and does not focus all of its energy on the future. It deals with the task at hand. One should be mindful of the future so long as it pertains to the present. There is a difference between planning or goal setting, and keeping your head in the clouds.

When the Tao Te Ching says, “In pursuit of the Tao everyday something is dropped”. It means your preconceptions and your emotional baggage. The problem with accumulating knowledge is that if you aren’t paying attention you can build preconceptions that are very difficult to overcome. This is why knowledge must be balanced with the letting go of the self. Knowledge is not suppose to be about Ego.

The wise man doesn’t just accumulate knowledge, but utilizes it for the betterment of the people around him. If all of your knowledge is not being put for the service of others, what good is it anyway?

Focusing on emptying your mind until the time is right to use your knowledge and you will find great success. Focus on letting go of judgment and preconceptions and you will find the greatest knowledge of all, the knowledge of appropriate action.

Try just watching your thoughts, rather then engaging in them. After all what makes humans unique is the ability to critique our own thoughts and observe them. Why not utilize the very thing that makes us special. Watching our thoughts is true meditation. Knowledge of yourself is the greatest knowledge of all.

Be As Water

3/05/09

“The highest good is like water. Water gives life to then ten thousand things and does not strive. It flows in places men reject and so it is like the Tao.” – The Tao Te Ching Verse 8

What work is there to be done in the places that people would avoid. People often try to turn a blind eye to the very thing that needs fixing. They would rather let someone else do it. Let someone else deal with the man naked and starving on the street. Let someone else fight the war overseas. Let someone else worry about the problems of the world.

And thus the very seeds of avoidance we have sown have now come to bear fruit. Instead of addressing problems when they are small we have let them grow, fed by our own avoidance. Even within our own lives we spend more time avoiding small problems then solving them. Often things become much larger over time and we are forced to go to great lengths to solve them.

Now in the world there are many places, and many people we avoid. We must do as the Tao tells, and work in those places of disgust and shame. Those who live in such places are the one who need our help most. After all, it is your own judgments and perception that make a place disdainful.

This isn’t about saving the world. This is about getting over our own arrogance and finding time to help those who are normally ignored. Those who are in prison, in mental institutions, in third world countries, those who are homeless, or the sick and the dying, are the ones who need attention.

Let go of your judgment when helping others. For our judgments prevent us from doing the right thing. Don’t be afraid of injury or suffering when you go to help others. Who are you that you are so important? What makes anyone less valuable then you? Are we all not born in the same way? Just because you may have worldly possessions or status, does not make you more important? No one person’s life is worth more then another.

If you’re excuse for neglecting others is that you are afraid of death, or that the place is dangerous, then you are a coward. These are only excuses, for death can come to us at any moment. It is much better to die in the service of others then to live a selfish life in comfort and indulgence.

Be as water, do not concern yourself with the judgments of the places you go or the people you encounter, but help them when you can.

Life is so much bigger...

3/4/09

It is so easy to get caught up in our own world and forget all the other people out there. It is easy to get lost in your way of thinking, feeling, living, and forget that there are other ways as well. Sometimes I find myself lost in my own world forgetting all the others that are out there.

Life is so much bigger then us. It is bigger then our job, our beliefs, our thoughts and ideas. It is bigger then our families, and friends, and homes. Without life we have none of those things. At any moment anything can be stripped from you, and yet, life still remains.

We must participate in life. We must follow what our hearts tell us and walk the path that leads to serving others according to our talents, and our passion. If we let anything get in the way of participating in life, we might as well let ourselves fade into nothingness.

If we cannot let go of fear and walk the path of our heart, then we will always fail in life. Nothing in life is black or white; nothing is simple or easy. We must remember that sometimes, everyone around us may think we are doing the wrong thing. But if our heart speaks to us and tells us it is right, then we must act accordingly.

People will not always understand your actions. Harsh judgment may come from the mouths of those who do not understand. But you should let it go. Hold no anger in your heart; do not judge them, for perhaps one day they will understand.

All things that stand in the way of you following your path are simply tests. You will be tested time and again to make sure that is what you want. The closer you get to goals, the more obstacles will stand in your way. You must persevere, strive through all obstacles and remember that this is your path, this is what you came here to do.

Trust in the universe, and trust in the signs that are all around you. The universe has a funny way of giving you constant signposts. If you are mindful and attentive, you will see them. The universe gives us a hundred signposts a day, acknowledging if we are on the right path or not. Trust that as long as you walk on the path of service, as long as you participate in your path, that everything will always work out for the best. You will always have what you need as long as you walk your path.

Sometimes we feel we lose our way, but just because we feel we have lost our way, does not mean that we are not headed in the right direction. Navigating the path can be tricky and if truly you are on the path you are suppose to be, you will lose the trail from time to time. It is times like this we must be gentle with our self; we must be patient. Keep pressing forward and one day soon you will find the path is no longer hidden.

All paths lead to the top of the mountain, but at some point no one can walk that path with you. You must walk alone for a while. This doesn’t mean isolation, but that in fact you must find the strength and power of aloneness. If you are to truly work with others along your path, you must own your own power and talents.

Life is bigger then us. All we can do is be true to ourselves. Without living in your own truth, then life will become empty and meaningless. Live in your truth, and you will be a part of something much bigger then yourself.

Suzuki Roshi

1/8/08

Suzuki Roshi May 18th, 1904 – December 4th, 1971 was largely responsible for bringing the practice of Zen Buddhism to the United States. He is known mostly for his famous book, Zen Mind, Beginners Mind. When asked to describe Buddhism, Suzuki Roshi once said it could be summed up in three words, “Not Always So”.

Suzuki Roshi made Zen accessible to everyday life. His teachings were simple, direct, and profound. He embodied skillful means (a Buddhist term for teaching someone according to their own understanding). His lessons were dynamic and his wisdom was accessible to everyone.

I picked up a book the other day of some of his sayings. The book is called “Zen Is Right Here”, and it is a collection of stories of student’s encounters with him. The book embodies a deep sense of wisdom, while also showing Suzuki Roshi’s great sense of humor.

One passage in particular caught my attention. “A well-known Japanese Rinzai Zen master droobed by Sokoji to meet Suzuki Roshi. After they had changed a sutra together, the visiting priest asked to see a sutra book on the altar. He looked at it, then suddenly exploded, stamping his foot on the floor and shouting, “This is not Zen!” He tore the book in two and threw it on the floor. Suzuki squatted down and picked up the pieces. “Oh, this sutra book was donated to the temple when there was a memorial service for an old woman from a different sect,” he said. “We accept everything here. We chant everything. We eat everything.” For a moment the guest still looked angry, then Suzuki said, “Let’s go have some tea.” A friendship began that continued as long as they were both alive.” (page 15)

I suppose as I read this I remembered the conflict in Northern Ireland, the division between the Shia and Sunni and many other splits that occur between members of religions. All of those divisions are about politics, politics that would have made any of the founders of the world religions role their eyes.

Even beyond the boundaries of one religion, we must learn to accept other religions and beliefs. It is not a contest to see who has the right answer, because if you think you have the right answer, you have missed the point of the human experience. We have different answers for a reason.

I highly recommend this book and other writings about or by Suzuki Roshi.

The Cultivation of Patience

1/7/08

Patience has always been difficult for me. Time and again I catch myself being impatient, and time again I feel like I must begin again from the starting line. Cultivating patience is no easy task, but then as we all know, anything worth doing is not always easy.

Patience to me appears to one of the most important qualities to cultivate. Without patience our anger and frustration take over. We make rash and uninformed decisions that result in disasters like the Iraq War. Most of all, we escalate conflict on both an internal and external level.

I am still fairly new to the parenting thing. I have only been a parent for 2 and a half years. I have two children and a third one on the way. All parents experience days when they have more patience then others. Some days you get down and involve yourself in their world, and other days their abundant energy drives you up the wall.

On those days, that they drive me crazy, I find myself constantly correcting myself and telling myself to be patient. In all honesty this is usually after I have lost my patience, but I have found my children to be some of the best teachers I have ever encountered.

We are so patient with the people we love most, or at least we try to be. But what about the people we don’t know, or that we dislike? Why do we not extend patience to them? Some of the most challenging people to be patient with, are those who are being impatient with you. However, these people are the most important ones to be patient with, because by losing your patience, the situation becomes escalated.

If someone begins to yell at you, disrespects you, or does something you generally don't like, try to pull yourself out of instant reaction. If you are in traffic, turn on the windshield wipers and clean the window as the other party leaves your general vicinity. If you are in person, let the person finish, and try not to act out of defense. Instead remain silent. This is not a passive aggressive silence, but the kind of silence that will allow for more peaceful conversation.

In my own experiments with this, I have found that dropping my argument, forces the other party to really think about the words they directed at me. Do not acknowledge, or disagree with the other party. If you don't put up your opponents defenses, they can often see their own mistakes more quickly.

To be clear, you are not a doormat; you are simply not reacting to heated conflict. You are waiting for the other party to relax and become more patient before you attempt to solve the problem. If you neglect to solve the problem, you are missing the point.

One method to cultivate patience is to simply set your focus on moments of impatience. When you become impatient, acknowledge it. This may not seem like much, and it may take some time before you notice any results, but it can be a powerful tool.

Even the thought of cultivating patience takes patience. The most important person we can be patient with, is our self. If we extend patients to our self, it often begins to surface in our exterior life as well. So if you are trying to recognize patience don’t forget to recognize when you are impatient with yourself.

The End Times

1/5/08

Lately on the History Channel there have been a lot of end time prophecy and Armageddon shows. In fact they have dubbed this Armageddon week. The shows are dark and filled with ideas of despair and hopelessness. One could become very depressed dwelling on such concepts.

There are many serious issues that need to be addressed on this planet, but I can see of none that cannot be solved by human ingenuity. One should not focus on the end but the problems in the present that need to be addressed.

I have encountered people who base their whole life on millenarianism (end time beliefs), these people are often looking at all the troubles of humanity and giving up. Instead of thinking that we can turn things around and move in the right direction, they believe that things have become some bleak that the end of the world is coming. Some believe that some kind of divine punishment is at hand for those who don’t believe what they believe, or those who do not act according to their theory.

Anger and fear motivate the lives of those who follow in millenarianism. Sometimes these theories form out of desperation. Situations that are so bleak, that the individual(s) cannot see their way out of it. Or they believe that the world is too corrupt to continue.

The art of Alchemy does not see an end anywhere in the universe. One powerful symbol of Alchemy is the Ouroboros (the serpent that eats its own tale). This symbol represents the cycles of the universe. The universe is in constant change, it has no beginning and no end. It is ever moving through a cycle. The universe wastes nothing, everything is infinitely recycle and reused.

Cycles of destruction can be important in order to create room for change. Often times rigid structures that we build are lives on do not allow for easy change. Thus a crisis is a result because we are unable to quickly adapt to the necessities of the situation. The idea of Peak Oil is one such crisis that may cause turmoil.

The thing is though it doesn’t have to. Destruction and devastation don’t have to be the answer that forces us to take a look at the way we live our lives. If we live our lives in the present rather then focusing on the future and really address the major issues of the present, we may not need to go into crisis mode. But we have to stop putting things off, or letting someone else deal with them. We have to begin addressing the issues immediately. Of coarse we must also be mindful of the future as it pertains to the present. We must regard the problems of the present in a smart way that would allow long-term solutions. In other words, let’s not put a band-aid on a bullet wound.

An absolute reality where the end times are definitely coming would also mean that human beings have no free will. If we have no free will then we cannot be responsible for our actions, and we are nothing more then pawns in some kind of sick cosmic joke. I have to believe that if we focus on wisdom and the present, that we can make positive decisions that result in positive situations.

I guess my whole point is that it is pointless to focus on the end. In fact not only is it pointless, but it is a kind of destructive negative behavior that prevents us from motivating ourselves to make positive change. Even if the end time was coming as some kind of terrible natural disaster that we can’t change, would you want to focus your last days on the idea of death and destruction? Or would it be better to get the most out of your life everyday and make as many positive changes as you can?

Sometimes what we think of the end is just a new beginning. This is the lesson of the Ouroboros. It is the lesson that time and again mother earth has shown us in her natural processes.

Being with Life

12/31/08

We have been programmed to believe in constant improvement. Everyday we strive towards an abstract concept of perfection. And of coarse because this concept does not exist anywhere we always fall short of perfection.

There is nothing more perfect then simply being with life. Being with life means integrating acceptance, compassion, and patience into every moment of our life and directing it not just at others, but also towards ourselves. It is about being at peace with whatever is happening in the moment.

Naturally the question arises of terrible situations such as war, poverty, and genocide. People immediately move to a place of skepticism of acceptance of such horrible things. I myself have had several debates with people over this very subject. People begin to move from a place of linguistic difference. There is a difference between allowing things to happen and accepting the truth of the situation.

When we allow things of a negative nature to occur when we can do something about it, we are not accepting. Why? Because when we accept something, it also means that we must confront the truth of it. We must be honest about the situation so that we can move from a place of honesty. When we move without honesty, disaster always strikes.

We must be patient and understand that our immediate actions do not always bare fruit right away, and we must be compassionate to all people, not just those who seek to help us, but to those who seek to hurt us as well. We must remember that all people have a stake in life. Sometimes if we just meet people’s needs, anger and violence fall away on their own.

When we allow things to happen, we are in denial, or we push away real situations to places that we do not wish to see them. We cannot move towards change if we do not accept the honest truth about the present situation. When we allow, we do not accept the truth. When we do not accept the truth, we cannot move forward, instead we walk in circles.

Accepting the fact that there is no such thing as perfect is also important. There is no need to be perfect; the need is in being at peace with our own inherent imperfection. That also doesn’t mean we don’t learn from our mistakes, it means that we must be kind and gentle with ourselves when we do make a mistake. We must be mindful of our actions so that mistakes are reduced, and accept it when other wrong us as well, so that we can begin to move forward.

Buddha never really conquered Mara, (Mara was the Buddha’s tempter) time and again Mara would show his face. The Buddha would not fight Mara, just simply accept him, invite him in for tea, and acknowledge his presence. Jesus too, never really conquered Satan, Jesus never gave in to Satan, but he did not eliminate Satan either. Jesus acknowledges that our negative attributes existed, he accepted it, and he did not judge others for their own flaws. Look at the company Jesus kept, do you think that he did not accept those who walked with him?

Being with life is about all these things. It is about being present, being ok with what is happening, and being kind and gentle not just towards others, but towards yourself. I am teaching a workshop on the 18th of January on this very subject. The workshop will include several meditations to help you shift your perception so that you can Be With Life.

I hope that you will come and join us in this opportunity to use meditation to Be With Life. There is so much joy to be found when you stop fighting life, and start spending time with it.

Force on Force

12/30/08

For generations now the Middle East has been a hot zone for violence. The United States too, has been involved in many conflicts for the past several generations. One thing we can learn about conflict, is that the use of force always leads to more force.

Every example we can see in history, either directly on indirectly led to further conflict. World War 1 created the power vacuum that caused World War 2. World War 2 led to the Cold War, and so on.

The Middle East has used the force on force tactics for generations. In fact most civilizations have used force on force. India is one example of a powerful revolution that used the power of compassion to gain their independence. It however, took the extraordinary efforts of Gandhi, to teach the people how to use compassion as a powerful agent of change.

Unfortunately despite Gandhi’s efforts, violence sprung up in the formation of Pakistan and in part Gandhi was assassinated for his efforts in trying to stop the violence. His methods nonetheless were effective and were employed by the Civil Rights movement in the 60s.

If we are to survive as a race on this planet, we must learn to extend compassion and remember that our enemies are also a part of the same human family that we too are a part of. People can kill, steal, and cheat one another when people are dehumanized.

Gandhi was unique because even though the British Empire thought of the people of India as inferior, Gandhi remembered that they too were humans that had forgotten themselves. His movement was effective in creating a lasting friendship between two countries that may well have turned into bitter enemies.

The horror that is going on, on the Gaza Strip right now is not the fault of one group or the other. It is the fault of both parties for neglecting to extend compassion. If either group extended true compassion and recognized the other as a human being with a legitimate cause for complaint, then things could begin to move forward. Peace talks don’t work when neither side is willing to listen.

Yes one group is typically more hostile then the other in any military situation. That however did not stop Gandhi from taking the hostile tactics of the British and showing them the horror of violence. Gandhi took that violence and used it to help the British remember that the people of India were also human.

I am not by any means saying there is an easy answer to any of the violence going on in the Middle East. But our presence over there has definitely stirred things up. It is estimated that there are now more terrorists (even if they may be less organized as the government claims) then before the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. The reason is because people’s lives are being destroyed by violence, and as a result they too become angry and violent.

I am by no means justifying Terrorism, but we must take an honest look at the reasons for it. Most people do seek revenge when a family member or friends is murdered. By stamping out terrorists, innocent people often get caught in the crossfire. Those innocent people have family members who seek out revenge. Thus the cycle continues.

Violence is a never ending cycle, the more powerful the force, the more powerful the return of force. It is only by extending compassion and finding ways to humanize people, that we can achieve greater peace. Where there is long standing blood feuds and great hatred, we must extend more compassion.

As we have seen in the past, it only takes a few people to stand up and start using compassion to inspire countless others to do the same. Gandhi, Martin Luther King, and towards the end of his life Malcolm X, all used compassion to inspire others.

I think perhaps it is time for people to start looking at other options besides war and violence. As the cycle can be broken in domestic violence, so too can violence on much larger scales. But we must each take a responsibility to stop the violence in our own lives.

I myself practice the peaceful martial Art of Aikido right here in Castle Rock. Aikido is unique because it takes force and redirects it. The techniques disable the opponent without injuring them. If we can learn to stop violence in our own lives, (this includes shouting matches and harsh words) then perhaps it will begin to spread.

For those of us here in the United States there is currently little we can do to stop the violence on the Gaza strip but if we can remember that both sides are indeed human beings then that is a powerful start.

“Therefore the sage takes care of all men
And abandons no one.
He takes care of all things
And abandons nothing.

This is called "following the light."

What is a good man?
A teacher of a bad man.
What is a bad man?
A good man's charge.
If the teacher is not respected,
And the student not cared for,
Confusion will arise, however clever one is.
This is the crux of mystery.” –The Tao Te Ching Verse 27

The Holiday Spirit

12/23/08

I have a problem with the idea of the holiday spirit. Everyone always talks about the season for giving and sharing; they talk of treating each other better because it is Christmas. People will sometimes go out of their way to be more generous and more giving during Christmas.

So what is my problem with the Holiday Spirit? Why does it have to be Holiday Spirit, why can't we extend this kind of kindness, goodwill, and generosity to each other every singe day. Why is it that we need an excuse to do nice things for other people and treat others with respect and dignity?

To be honest, most people I encounter don't really embody this Holiday Spirit anyway. Most are in a rush, shoving others out of the way in order to get the best present for their loved ones. Many people max out credit card bills in an attempt to impress their family and friends. People spend far beyond their means. I am not saying it is bad to be giving, but some people go far beyond what they need to in order to make the holiday a pleasant experience.

The point is, instead of focusing on love and respect on a few days a year, we should be focusing on love and respect year round. Every moment of every day is an opportunity to make positive changes in your life and the lives of others. We shouldn't an excuse or a superficial obligation in order to do so.

We must also respect those that do not recognize this holiday as well. It is estimated that about 5 billion people around the world do not share in this holiday. We need to show them respect and compassion as well.

Of course, there are many people out there doing good deeds year round, and I have a lot of respect for that. But this idea of the Holiday Spirit inspiring people to do good things falls short. One or two days a year of being considerate to other human beings is just not enough. We have to make a conscious effort to be kind, compassionate and considerate of others all the time.

Always treat everyone like it is Christmas day. Be generous, don't be in a rush, and do what you can to help others. Just simply enjoy the moment and try to inspire smiles on the faces of others as much as you can. That doesn't mean you have to give people things, it means you just have to help them when they ask, and stop cutting others off in traffic. Try to be lighthearted, and laugh as often as you can, especially at difficult situations.

The Golden Rule doesn't extend to just Christmas. It must be applied everday.

Heaven As An Opportunity

12/21/08

Many religions and cultures believe in some kind of afterlife or cycle of birth and death. In the Christian and Islamic religions, there are very strong elements of what heaven and hell might look like. But I feel that heaven is already here. It is the opportunity that currently presents itself.

If you are a believe that a deity of some sort created the earth, then how could such a place be anything less then perfect? If you are believe in only science, then you must notice that the configurations of energy that make it possible for matter to assemble in its current form, is a kind of harmonious and beautiful symbol of great potential.

If you want to find heaven, look to the natural world. The harmony that nature presents is nothing short of a kind of heavenly perfection. Nothing in the universe is wasted, and everything has a kind of renewable cycle of cooperation and interdependence.

The universe is constantly ending the old, and giving birth to the new. There is no place you can look in the entire universe that constant evolution is not taking place. Of coarse on such a large scale that kind of change is very slow going, but it is happening nonetheless.

If we look inside the very structure of our bodies we will find an uncountable number of atoms working together to create the very structure of our body. The atoms create the DNA, the DNA creates cells, the cells create the organs, and the organs together create our ability to be alive. If even a single atom were out of place, our bodies would not exist in the same way.

Part of the problem we have on this planet is that we feel that we have dominion over the earth. In actuality it is the other way around. We could not live without the earth, the earth as it turns out could live without us. If we had dominion over the earth, we could easily leave our atmosphere without any trouble. Of coarse we cannot leave, and we very much depend on everything that our planet provides in order to live.

The concept of Heaven is also a concept of creation. In many aspects we have created a living hell for many people around the world in the name of colonialism and progress. Our own short-sited inability to respect other people has created many terrible situations around the world. There are plenty of examples out there. I would like to highly recommend the book “Victims of Progress” by John H. Bodley. This book demonstrates very clearly that progress does not always equal happiness and cites many examples of exploitation in both the past and the present.

We as human beings are capable of amazing things. Heaven as a concept of creation, is the creation of positive change. We can begin to shift the world towards the positive, or we can continue down a path of exploitation and destruction.

When people think of heaven, they usually think of peace, harmony, and bliss. In this way we must understand that before we can create heaven on an external level, we must begin to cultivate it on an internal level. I cannot stress enough that this requires a critical analysis of everything we think, feel, and believe. If we are to have heaven as an internal representation of our conscious mind, then we must find the roots or our individual experiences in the first place.

As we begin to examine ourselves, there is a natural tendency to examine our social structures that we exist in. Once we have become critical about ourselves, it is often easier to be critical of the flaws in the surrounding social structures. So often we do not want to address major social issues or change, because it would require us to be critical of ourselves. It would require us to challenge the very belief structures (and I am not talking about religion but beliefs in general) that we build our lives on.

We as a species have come to a point where heaven is possible on earth, as well as within ourselves. Our technology and ingenuity gives us the ability to do amazing things. If we can focus on positive change on both an internal and external level, then Heaven is an opportunity that human beings should begin to utilize.

The Wisdom of Dr. Seuss

12/19/08

About a year and a half ago, I was taking part in an International Alchemy Conference. During the final night, a man stood up and recited the story of the Zax from a Dr. Seuss book.

“One day, making tracks in the prairie of Prax,
Came a North-Going Zax and a South-Going Zax.
And it happened that both of them came to a place
Where they bumped. There they stood.
Foot to foot. Face to face.
"Look here, now!" the North-Going Zax said, "I say!
You are blocking my path. You are right in my way.
I'm a North-Going Zax and I always go north.
Get out of my way, now, and let me go forth!"
"Who's in whose way?" snapped the South-Going Zax.
"I always go south, making south-going tracks.
So you're in MY way! And I ask you to move
And let me go south in my south-going groove."
Then the North-Going Zax puffed his chest up with pride.
"I never," he said, "take a step to one side.
And I'll prove to you that I won't change my ways
If I have to keep standing here fifty-nine days!"
"And I'll prove to YOU," yelled the South-Going Zax,
"That I can stand here in the prairie of Prax
For fifty-nine years! For I live by a rule
That I learned as a boy back in South-Going School.
Never budge! That's my rule. Never budge in the least!
Not an inch to the west! Not an inch to the east!
I'll stay here, not budging! I can and I will
If it makes you and me and the whole world stand still!"
Well...
Of course the world didn't stand still. The world grew.
In a couple of years, the new highway came through
And they built it right over those two stubborn Zax
And left them there, standing un-budged in their tracks.” –Dr. Seuss

We can guess that this peace was about the politics between North and South Korea. The funny thing is, it has been nearly 59 years since the start of the war, and still no solution is in sight. Guess those Zax are still standing at the border just like South-Going Zax declared he would.
I have found myself standing still, face to face with others so many times. Sometimes it would take a disaster to shake me out of my stubbornness. I spent many years of my life refusing to compromise, and listen to others. Obviously this was a mistake.

In many cases if I had simply just listen to others or at least attempted a compromise, I would have saved myself a lot of trouble. But yet I was like the Zax, refusing to budge no matter what happened.

Some might ask, well isn’t stubbornness a good thing sometimes? My answer is no. The qualities of stubbornness that are positive are found in what we call perseverance. There is a small but important difference between stubbornness and perseverance.

Stubbornness is when we refuse to listen, refuse to compromise our situation. Stubbornness usually leads to suffering. Often times it causes problems not only for ourselves, but for those around us. Nothing can get accomplished because there is no willingness to compromise.

Perseverance is when, no matter how many times we are knocked down, we continue to get up and move forward. We stand our ground but we are willing to compromise. We are willing to adapt to the needs of the moment in order to move forward. Often times we accept the aid of others, even if it there point of view is not aligned with our own.

Being stubborn does not allow for dialog to solve problems. But if you are perseverant in your cause, you are willing to have the dialog and do whatever it takes to make things work.

Often it only takes one side to make things very difficult to move forward, especially if one group has a great amount of power over the other. China and Tibet are a can be used as a perfect example.

In our personal lives however, most of the time things are fairly equal. Compromise can make great strides in the work place, or within your family and friends. We must always be willing to compromise, and yet still stay true to ourselves. If you compromise too much, then you will lose respect of the other party for what you are trying to accomplish. If don’t compromise enough and hold to stubbornness, neither party will get anywhere.

Sit down and write out a few examples of where you needed to compromise. For those of you who let people walk all over you, try and find a way that you could have stood your ground in these past examples. For those of you who never budge an inch like the Zax, try and find a place where you could have given in a little. Or perhaps you should examine why you are fighting, often you may find that it is for a silly reason in the first place.

We have to learn to compromise on a small scale before we can even think of beginning to take on major situations like Korea, or China. I think you will find that if you truly evaluate the places were compromise has been unbalanced; you will begin to notice things running much more smoothly. You may also plant the seeds of mutual respect.

Final Destination

12/17/08

Why do we look at life as some kind of final destination? Many of us set our goals with some kind of end destination in mind, even though we know that goals do not exist like that.

Goals are not a fixed point. They do not happen in a single moment, but over a gradual coarse of time. So why do we treat them as if they happen in a single moment? Why do we so often bite off more then we can chew? We want to take on all the problems at once, instead of taking small steps.

In this culture, we are always looking for the quick fix solution. We want things done now, not over time. But so much of the goal is the journey to get there. It is the learning and the patience acquired during the process of achieving the goal, that is the most value.

Once we have taken the journey, we realize that the final destination actually has very little value, and that getting there was all the fun. People like to say getting there is half the fun, but I think it is all the fun.

Even when times are hard, and you must overcome great adversity, the journey is still an incredible experience. If we embrace all of our life as an incredible experience, then we will see the beauty and the joy in adversity.

Look at barriers to your goals as a challenge. This is a challenge to learn about yourself, and about the circumstances surrounding the barriers. By looking at barriers as a positive thing instead of a negative one, you will immediately remove your own psychological barriers, thus enabling an easier way forward.

And Justice For All?

12/16/08

“And let him who would lash the offender look unto the spirit of the offended. And if any of you would punish in the name of righteousness and lay the ax unto the evil tree, let him see to its roots.” – From “The Prophet” by Kahlil Gibran

It is clear to anyone who spends a few hours reading up on our prison system that it is broken. Instead of reforming people and giving them greater opportunities to turn their lives around, in many cases we are creating super criminals.

Criminals come out of our prisons, stronger, smarter, and more well connected then when they entered prison. Instead of reforming criminals, we enable them greater opportunities to be better at crime. Hatred, anger, and fear, have found new breeding grounds within the prison system. Prison gives birth to the powerful agent of indifference, without which human beings could not commit atrocious acts.

The problem is, no one wants to spend money in reforming these people. Once a person is labeled a criminal, (especially a felon), they are stuck with that label for the rest of their life. Instead of being considered human beings, they are then considered numbers, and something almost sub-human.

I think it is important to consider the fact that social injustice is a large cause of our criminal population. There are a disproportionate number of minorities in prison, in comparison to their representation in the governmental system. Minorities often have difficulty receiving quality education, and equal opportunities. Thus there is often social pressure to turn to criminal activities. This is the root of a large body of problems with the system.

I would mostly like to tackle the issue of reform here. As I stated above, in general, people do not want to put money into the prison system beyond more cells, and security. We have a current tendency to throw away the key once someone has been convicted.

I have read about yoga programs moving into jails in Mexico, only to find an amazing change in attitude of the prisoners, and a higher level of reform rate. I have also read about programs that involve team building, and implementing courses that teach specific skill sets, so that work would be more readily available once the convict is released.

But these programs are few and far between. Despite the show of success, it seems that we still want prison to be a place where people sit and rot. I once encountered a girl who worked in a courthouse with me, who believed that punishment should be much harsher then it is. She said that in countries were crime was punished in harsh ways (such as chopping off one’s hands for stealing) crime was significantly lower. I pointed out the fact that all the countries that employ these methods, also have very little rights for women, and are usually run by dictators. Often the people who are punished in this way do not receive fair trials, and punishment is at the whim of the totalitarian government.

Human beings make mistakes. Obviously the severity of the mistake differs, but either way, many people deserve another chance. Sometimes all people need for a second chance is for someone to open the door, and teach them the resources that are available to them. Often people return to prison time and again, serving many years and many sentences. Shouldn’t we focus on eliminating this problem instead of focusing on building more prisons?

Part of the reason they return to criminal activities, is because after prison, people are blackballed. Often they are unable to find a decent job with a fair wage. The moment someone has to talk about there past transgressions, the employer often will immediately dismiss them in their mind. Once convicted, it becomes very difficult to find a good job.

Showing others kindness can dissolve anger, and hatred. Compassion can dissolve fear. Honesty without judgment can help us to begin to move forward. In many people’s minds, once guilty = forever guilty. This is an attitude that must be changed.

We have a prison system that cripples people, and prevents them from changing. I believe that in people’s hearts they want to find a positive way to live. It is simply that no one has ever opened a door for them. No one has ever sat down with them and tried to help them find a way out of the mess that their life has become.

We must all be that person. When someone messes up we must learn to forgive, and to begin to move forward, this of coarse applies to all situations and not just to those in prison. We must help those who have forgotten themselves. Everyone deserves a second chance, because everyone is a living-breathing creature. Our compassion should extend to them, in the same way that we extend it to our own children.

If your child injured or killed someone else, would you not want to help him or her to move forward? Would you condemn them for all time, or would you find a way to help them make it through the difficult times? If your child were stealing, would you not want to find out why? If your child fell into drugs, would you want to lock them up for a mandatory minimum sentence, or would you want them to go to rehab?

Meditation can be a powerful tool both to empower people, and to help them find peace in their past transgressions. I think it could be a useful tool in the prison system and I myself hope one day soon to work within the prison system. Everyone needs a chance, and everyone needs someone to extend a hand to them.

The only way we can achieve peace in this world is to take an honest look at our own social structures and find the flaws that are in dire need of repair. The current prison system is one such structure.

Many of the current prisoners would easily find reform, if only helping hands were extended to them. Of coarse there are some, that after a lifetime of hatred, may never be willing to change their ways, but shouldn’t that be the minority of prisoners, instead of the majority?

It is clear that something must be done, like all other major issues affecting us we ignore them until they cannot be ignored. The prisons system is already over populated. Perhaps we should begin to address this issue before it has reached a critical point.

A Critical Look at Living

12/14/08

About 75 years ago Mohandas K. Gandhi took a critical look at the present structure or the society in which he lived. He saw that city life created a large number of people in poverty, and suggested self-sustaining villages in order to foster a more efficient way of living.

I look at life in this country right now, and I see disaster waiting to happen. We have built a foundation on the grocery store ideal. The problem with that is, if something ever happened to the grocery store, or the food became tainted somehow, many would starve.

Even if you have money, you are living beyond your means. We are consuming at an alarming rate and in fact it has been determined according to many ecologists, anthropologists and sociologists, that the earth can viably sustain 5.5 billion people with the current available resources.

Obviously we are closer to 7 billion people at this point. What does that mean? It means that we are quite often exploiting our environment and others in order to fill those grocery stores.

Honestly we are so reliant on our lifestyles that it is difficult to see a way out. It seems that the only thing that could shake us awake to our flawed way of living would to be a natural disaster. Hurricane Katrina pointed out our inherent weaknesses in our society.

Yet we refuse to listen. It doesn’t seem like anyone out there wants to hear the truth. The truth is, we have reached a critical mass on this planet, and if we don’t start looking at positive ways to change, we may very well end up destroying ourselves.

Eventually the virus destroys its host and must move on to another one. Unfortunately for us, we have no way of moving on to the next planet. We are the virus, but we don’t have to be. The earth is sick, our race is sick, but we can become the cure.

It seems to me that one of two things need to happen in order for us to survive. We either need to begin constructing small-scale sustainable communities and give up a large part of our current technology; or we must find a renewable, clean resource that would allow us to continue our lifestyle.

Of coarse with the latter, we would still have to take a look at our consumption, but we could curb it in such a way that we could keep some aspects of our technology, while still preventing ourselves from running out of resources.
If I had the scientific mind to do so, I would be devoting my time to inventing something that produces limitless clean energy. It is my sincerest hope, that someone out there is working on this very thing now. For those of us who are not an engineer, we must be looking at our own talents, and begin using them to make positive changes in our lives and the lives of others.

The fact is, if oil has not peaked yet, it will in the next 20 years sometime. This will create a situation of escalating problems in the way we live our lives. We need to take a critical look at our lives, and the way we are living. There may be many things that we must discard.

I think it is important to see what our technology currently causes. We are destroying the ecosystem, we are exploiting the poor and causing the suffering of countless millions, and all so we can have things like cell phone technology, and stores like Wal-Mart.

I have written before that real changes comes from honesty of the self, but perhaps even greater honesty is required to make positive changes on the planet at large. We only have one planet and we need to take care of it, and our fellow inhabitants. We need to learn to respect all things and treat them as if they are sacred, because they are.

Sometimes we don’t see the sacred until it was gone, let’s hope that it doesn’t come to that. It’s not to late for a critical analysis of our life style. In fact now that the world is reaching its critical mass, we can now make some of the greatest positive changes in history. Human beings are capable of so much beauty; we need only to express it.

There is Nothing Else

12/13/08

“Firewood becomes ash, and it does not become firewood again. Yet, do not suppose that the ash is future and the firewood past. You should understand that firewood abides in the phenomenal expression of firewood, which fully includes past and future and is independent of past and future. Ash abides in the phenomenal expression of ash, which fully includes future and past.” – Dogen Zenji

Are you who you were yesterday, or are you who you will be tomorrow? Do you suppose that tomorrow you can be a better person, or that you were better in the past? Tomorrow never comes, and yesterday is only a memory.

You are an entire expression inside and out of yourself now, without ever trying to be so. Now is the moment for choice. We cannot know what tomorrow brings, nor can we perfect the past. If we are always viewing ourselves as past or future, then we cannot achieve anything.

You are independent of the past and the future. You are independent of time itself. Everything is fundamentally available, and yet there is nothing in existence to be available. You are intertwined in the very nature of your own being, inseparable from all those things that give you the ability to exist.

Past and Future are markers of a limited subjective scope of perception. All the information that is currently available to us is impossible to process all at once, and so we perceive only what we can. We are like a single computer trying to download the entire Internet at once.

And thus we feel disconnected, isolated, cut off from the whole. But how can we be? The vary nature of our existence is the coalescence of so many variables that it would be impossible to determine every single one. If even a single atom were slightly off in its connection to any other atom, we would not exist.

You are but a drop in the ocean, independent only insofar as you think you are. Because you are a single drop, you are never really apart from the rest of the ocean. The only boundaries we have are the ones we create for ourselves. The only thing that stands in the way of finding a powerful sense of inner peace is ourselves.

Peace is knowing that in time everything changes and being open to that change.

Do you think that the trees try to hold onto the wind? Does each leaf attempt to grasp the ungraspable? Why would it make such an effort? And yet so many are holding on to what is long gone. Do the leaves reach for the wind, and beckon it to come closer? Why should it? And yet so many are living for something that may or may not exist. Do not think of yourself, for thinking of the self is by definition a memory of the past. You are not who you are.

You are change.
There is nothing else.

A Multitude of Unfinished Projects

12/12/08

Today a friend of mine called me to talk about quitting her schooling. She felt that she wasn’t going to be able to create a viable profession out of what she was studying. This isn’t the first time she has done this, she knows, and I know, that when she gets close to finishing something, she backs out of it.

I realized talking to her, that I do the same thing sometimes. Often I start several major projects at once, and never see them through to the end. Thus a lot of my time and energy is wasted on many things, when if I had been successful in one of them, it would have made all the difference.

I think it is easy to get excited about something new. It is even easier to give up on something when roadblocks pop up. I think this is why we start so many projects at once. We want to feel that newness, not the barriers that get in our way. Unfortunately you always run into barriers at some point, and so when you come to them, it may be time to evaluate your situation.

Ask yourself if you are quitting because the project really isn’t going anywhere, or is it because you ran into a small obstacle and you want that new feeling again? This desire to start a new project, and discard the other, is often the result of being unhappy.

It is yet another way to make us forget to look inward and find the real causes of our unhappiness. We can get lost in this new project, so we are perpetually starting new projects to continue “the fix”.

In reality, this is a huge waste, of time, energy, and often resources. If you talk to any successful person out there, you will find that they stopped all the side projects, and put all of their effort into the one big project they were passionate about. It was the moment that they focused, that things unfolded for them.

As the year comes to a close, ask yourself what projects you started, but did not finish? Try and find a reason why you did not finish them. If it was out of boredom or lost of interest, remember this the next time you start something new. Just because you focus on one project at a time, doesn’t mean you can’t do all those other things you want to do. You simply need to be a little more patient.

My Own Inadequacy

12/11/08

Sometimes I wonder if my ability to put my foot in my own mouth can be matched. Usually after I open my mouth and say something, I have realized too late, that it was the wrong thing to say. I have upset, offended, and alienated people many times through the coarse of my life, because of my inability to recognize the reason for my behavior.

The reason that this occurs, is simply because I feel inadequate. More often then not, I feel like I have to say something funny, or clever in order to be the center of attention. I want to feel liked and accepted. In some ways, my ability to cram my foot in my mouth, is directly related to my need to be liked. It is only recently that I have begun to realize this quality in myself.

I have found that many of the negative attributes we have, are directly related to our feelings of inadequacy. Because so often we don’t feel good enough, we find ourselves going out of our way to prove ourselves to someone.

Even if we succeed, even if we do prove ourselves to the desired party, what have we really gained? In fact, in some ways we have taken a step backwards.

I spend a lot of time examining myself, and the way I think, but sometimes it is hard to see some of your flaws that are only obvious to those who stand outside of you. That is why for all the times I have said, turn inward, you must always be attentive to the impact of your actions on the external level.

Of coarse by paying attention to your words, and actions, you must trace them back to the source, which are your thoughts. We cannot escape the fact, that our internal mental life, and our external experiential world, are directly related.

In my own case, I must now pay close attention to my words. I must focus to decide if what I am saying is to impress others out of my own feeling of inadequacy, or if it something that truly comes from the place of stillness that lives inside of me.

I feel that it is important be critical of your thoughts, emotions, and words at all times if possible. The more honest you can be about your own flaws, the more opportunity you have to improve on them. If we only hide our flaws in shame, how can we ever hope to be ok with ourselves?

Since the New Year is rapidly approaching, perhaps it would be a good time to take an honest look at your own flaws and make a resolution to work on it over the coarse of 2009.

Being The Fool

12/10/08

In a time when the economy is bad, we tend to think of our whole life as becoming more conservative. Sure it is ok to be a little more conservative about your money, but when opportunity comes into your life, you must take it seriously.

It is so hard to know where each opportunity in life will take us, but it can be certain that it will take us somewhere. An opportunity doesn’t have to be about money, but sometimes the question of money gets involved. Even if opportunity takes you down a difficult road, you still are moving forward.

The danger comes from when we become stagnant and unwilling to take chances. Change is a scary thing, because of its great uncertainty, but all things change eventually and all you are doing is simply postponing the inevitable. The only constant in the universe is change.

You must follow your heart; you must have courage and take that first step into change. You know that once you take that first step, that a great burden will be lifted from you, and in many ways you will feel a kind of revitalization.

This is serious business, and yet we must be playful. We must be able to have fun with whatever chance we take. Every choice, every kind of change should be fun, because it is taking you to a different place of opportunity. With every choice, there is a chance to see the beauty in both the good and the bad. Remember, all life is nothing more then a social game, where there are characters with different roles and ideas. We should always keep our heart light and our intention heavy.

As you read this, I am hoping that you are visualizing something you have been hesitant to take a chance on. Of coarse we must be practical, but sometimes the signs around us make it clear that we should in fact be taking a risk. Pay attention to the signs; are there a lot of people talking about what you are thinking about? Are there things on TV, or the radio that bring up the subject?

Pay attention to the signs, but most of all look into your heart. Take a few deep breathes, clear your head, and feel the situation. Ask yourself, what is stopping you from taking this chance? Ask yourself, is the risk as great as the reward? Ask yourself, am I honoring myself and those around me by taking this risk?

Sometimes it is simply a matter of being “The Fool” from the ancient Tarot Cards. The fool trusts endlessly. We must trust that the situation will fall into place. If you are really doing the right things, often when you first start things will come easy, there will always be signposts along the way to encourage you, but it is you who must always be like the sapling fighting blindly through the dirt to reach the surface and feel the sun’s loving embrace.

But most of all, if you missed an opportunity, that is ok too. Let it go, because there is always opportunity around the corner. Who knows, it may be the very same opportunity that you missed the first time.

Walk-ins

12/9/08

A few weeks ago I announced that I was moving into a new office. This office has been wonderful, and I am enjoying working in such a convenient location. I am also teaching a workshop at that location this weekend. You can find out more about the workshop here.

I would also like to announce that I am now offering Walk-in Appointments on Thursday Afternoons for the remainder of December from 12pm-3pm. You can enjoy an Intuitive Reading for Personal Transformation; try out the Seven Steps of Spiritual Alchemy, or come refine your Meditation practice. I have slots in increments of 15, 30, 60 minutes available.

If you haven’t worked with me before, I want to extend an invitation. I am opening up this time to give people an opportunity to come meet me and find out exactly what it is like to work with me.

For those of you who are not in the Denver area, give me a call. I would love to chat about what kind of work we can do together. Some of my clients are in other countries and other states and we have done some excellent work together via phone and email.

Disarming Your Opponent

12/08/08

“Convince your enemy that he will gain very little by attacking you. This will diminish his enthusiasm.” From the book, “A Warrior of Light” by Paulo Coelho

To disarm one’s opponent before a situation can escalate into violence is a powerful principle of non-violence. This principle is very effective and we are familiar with those who applied this technique. Gandhi, for example, showed that if a man beats you and you continue to get up without striking back, you would naturally inspire compassion in the other human being.

This doesn’t mean we should look around for an opportunity to be beaten in order to inspire compassion in our fellow man, but that there may be times when one does not fight back. Instead, one may try to redirect the conflict.

This type of technique, like any other, is something that must be developed over time. Each situation that we face adversity must be addressed differently. Disarming your opponent can be as simple as given someone kind words when they are very angry with you. Or it can be simply silence when someone is yelling at you. But it does require stepping out of the normal conflict situation and trying to find a positive solution.

Years ago I had a personal experience with this. I had just taken the first steps down my spiritual path. I had been reading the words of Gandhi, who spoke of non-violence, and spending many hours in meditation trying to cultivate that spirit inside myself. At one point I arrived at a conflict.

Through my own fault and flaws, I had angered a man. I was dating his sister and causing a great deal of strife in his family because of it. He had every right to be mad at me, and I think a part of me knew that somehow. He threatened to “kick my ass”, but for some reason, instead of responding in violence, something in me shifted.

In response to his words, I said, “I love you”. Immediately his anger changed into utter confusion. Thinking back on this now it makes me chuckle at his great bewilderment. He raised his fist to hit me, and I told him, “You can hit me, I won’t fight back. But ask yourself, what will this accomplish?” Another flash of anger filled his eyes, and then he stormed off yelling that I was some kind of crazy hippy. Though the relationship did not last long, I was able to make peace with him later and we were able to have peaceful discussions.

I must honestly admit however, that the kind of clarity in disarming my opponent that night was something I have rarely experienced in my life. However, every single time that I have used this to disarm people, the end result was much better then when I have resorted to violence or harsh words.

I think what Gandhi taught was even more powerful then most of us know. There is so much opportunity here to shift those who would be enemies into those who would be friends. At the very least, enemies can become neutral, instead of an opponent or obstacle.

Gandhi showed that this method could achieve great things. In fact he believed that this method was more powerful then violence could ever be. I think her was right. The fact that he helped India achieve independence, while creating a positive relationship between their oppressors, the British, shows that this method can help create lasting positive situations.

The next time you are arguing with someone else, try to keep this principle in mind. This can be especially powerful for a conflict that is constantly reoccurring. If you can shift your thinking, sometimes the other persons thinking will shift as well. Even if you just simply confuse the person as I did, the incident will be on their mind, and they will be forced to reevaluate the entire situation.

In this way you can open the door for solving conflict peacefully and to the great benefit of all parties involved.

The Greatest Teacher

12/08/08

We cannot grow alone, just as a plant cannot grow without, water, soil, and air. For our experience without the good and the bad, will always be lacking. If we just had good, we would have no reason to transform. A piece of coal will not become a diamond without a great deal of pressure. Often this pressure can be very uncomfortable.

We cannot grow without those who would challenge us, and make our life difficult. Be grateful for all of the obstacles that people present you. For if we are truly looking at what they can offer us, then in fact we will find everything we need. When someone points out your flaws, acknowledge them.

Even if this person is wrong, it is important to investigate. Why? Because if you investigate you may find even a grain of truth in this person’s criticism and like a clam a single grain of sand can become a magnificent pearl of wisdom.

Often we become upset because we fear the person may be right. If they are right, then we should be grateful. It is important for others to point out our flaws so that we may begin to understand them, and eventually dissolve them. So often we are unaware of our own flaws. Even those of us who are constantly looking to refine ourselves, cannot always see what we are doing wrong.

We cannot grow without losing heart, or losing hope. One of the most powerful states to be in, is that of great vulnerability. When one loses heart, there is a great opportunity for change, because there is a chance for great personal honesty. When one feels lost, often we take time to reevaluate everything about ourselves.

However, this is also a dangerous time, where instead of taking the opportunity for growth, one can become denser and more rigid. Sometimes people trade one form of negativity for another and miss the opportunity all together.

We cannot grow without confronting our own reactions to external forces. When someone is critical of us, we are so quick to respond. Our defenses go up, and before we even have time to think, we react. Usually this reaction is some kind of retaliation.

It takes a great deal of effort to practice non-reaction, but if one can learn to keep their defenses down, so as to fairly assess what the person is saying, a conflict may become a beautiful experience.

We can practice non-reaction, by looking at ways we have reacted in the past. Try writing down some of the ways you may have overreacted, or said something you shouldn’t. If you can bring to light previous situations, it will begin to transfer into the present. It is important not to dwell in guilt for the ways we have reacted in the past, but to simply see where we went wrong and let it go.

Do not criticize others. Sometimes constructive criticism can be a wonderful and a powerful thing, but only participate in it if you have been asked. Do not worry about the way others are dealing with criticism, but focus only on yourself. Sometimes by just handling a situation in a calm and peaceful manner, will help others see that they do not need to put their defenses up. In this case, teach by your actions, not your words.

Peace In The Workplace

12/06/08

“Always you have been told that work is a curse and labor a misfortune. But I say to you that when you work you fulfill a part of earth’s furthest dream assigned to you when that dream was born, And in keeping yourself with labor you are in truth loving life. And to love life through labor is to be intimate with life’s inmost secret.” From “The Prophet” by Kahlil Gibran

Little do we realize it, but our work place can be a powerful place of transformation. Depending on what we say, do, or even think, our workplace will light up or become gloomier. The workplace is one of the most difficult times to be present, and find the joy in life. This is especially difficult when we don’t like what we are doing.

Will doing something you love make this easier to deal with? Of coarse, but in all likelihood part of the reason you are not doing something you love is because of your attitude towards your current working situation. Or perhaps you are not quite ready to do what you love and your current situation is a kind of preparation.

One of my own personal goals is to travel and work at the same time. For me there could be no greater thrill then to meet people who challenge my every way of thinking, and to learn from them as I work with them. I want to teach meditation and use the knowledge I have gained from Anthropology to help people help themselves around the world.

But at the moment, I find myself in the local Denver area. I often catch my mind wandering back to what it would be like to be traveling from country to country, city to city, and then I realize that there is so much work that I need to do here first.

We must bring ourselves back to present and try and find joy and beauty in the tasks we are performing. I can remember once when I used to wash dishes at a restaurant, I would try and put all my effort into the circular motion of that dish. Each time I would try to perfect my ability to wash the dish. When I focused on the circular motion of washing the dish, a great sense of peace would wash over me (pun intended).

By focusing on the present, we can do better work, and in doing better work we can enable ourselves to get to that job we want. If we are always doing a mediocre job, then others will notice. Perhaps you won’t get that pay raise that would allow you to save up for opening your own business because you never focused on the present.

We are all guilty of looking at the clock, waiting for the end of the day, but will that make time move more quickly? We all know that when you focus on your work because it is busy, or because you are working hard on something, time will fly by. So why are we moaning and groaning, and focusing on how much we don’t want to be where we are at?

As I said before, meditation is for every moment and not just for the time that we practice. We must learn to find peace with what we are doing. If we can do so, then not only will time move more quickly, but people will begin to admire your work and you will begin to shift their mood as well.

I can remember working in a municipal court file room and absolutely hating it. Towards the end I started to focus on meditation as I filed. I brought meditation music and put it on my Ipod and began humming to the meditation music. When I focused on the humming and the filing at the same time, I moved into the present, and it brought a great sense of peace and concentration to my work. They days would pass more quickly and I would feel less stressed.

However we must be careful of distracting ourselves into daydreams and fantasies. If we become so irritated by our work, we are likely to put our mind to work. We construct entire fantasies to keep ourselves distracted. Participating in this can cause major problems in your own ability to work. You may hit a wrong key on the keyboard and delete things, or put a file in the wrong spot, causing trouble down the line.

Whatever you are doing, despite how much you hate it, there is an opportunity to grow and learn about yourself in that environment. If you really feel that you cannot learn or grow any more then it may in fact be time to leave. But if you cannot leave, you should at least make an effort to have a pleasant and enjoyable experience at work.

We have all heard that smiling, laughter, and even happiness can be contagious, so perhaps it is time for you to be the person who brings light back to the office. All of us have a hard time with at least one person we work, but if you shift their mood, sometimes that is enough to help shift theirs.

Extending the body

12/05/08

I was watching hockey today, and realized, that the hockey stick becomes an extension of the player’s body. In order to master the skill of using the stick, the player must put aside the place where the stick ends and where he or she begins. That way the actions of the stick act in accordance with your will.

If a player thinks of the stick as a separate object, he is giving the stick too much thought, and will most likely be clumsy and awkward. He will not be able to play hockey very well at all.

In Aikido it is much of the same. If you think of your partner as an extension of yourself, rather then an opponent, then your technique will indeed flow to a much greater level. The moment you think of that person as an extension of yourself, your truly feel the other person’s body, and your technique is not only more effective, but reaches a powerful level of non-violence, that Morihei Ueshiba (the founder of Aikido) originally intended.

In Buddhism it is often said, that we should treat all beings as if they were our mother. The belief in Buddhism is that with the myriad of lifetimes we experience, at some point it was likely that all living beings were our mother.

But I do not think this teaching goes far enough. We still think of our mother as separate from us. If we consider each living thing as an extension of our life, then, this seems to me a powerful teaching of respect.

When you think of another as an extension of yourself, compassion will naturally arise. After all, why would we wish to injure ourselves? Why would we withhold from some, and share with others? In equality would virtually disappear, because in viewing others as an extension of ourselves, we naturally desire equality.

So why should we consider beings as an extension of ourselves?

All life on this planet is interconnected in an intricate web of ecological harmony. It is when we dismiss this harmony that destruction begins. Every time an animal goes extinct as a result of human interference the eco system suffers. It cannot adapt to so many quick changes so easily.

We must remember that other human beings are equally as valuable. We all have something to contribute, or at least something to teach. There is so much ignorance and intolerance in this world, but if not for that ignorance and intolerance we could not learn from it and begin to improve ourselves.

There is Nothing You Can Gain

12/04/08

“You can come close to understanding no-thing by realizing that there is nothing outside of yourself that can ever enable you to bet better, stronger, richer, quicker, or smarter. Everything is within. Everything exists. Seek nothing outside of yourself” – Miyamoto Musashi “The Book of Five Rings”

This is perhaps one of the most powerful statements of the book of five rings. This statement sums up why Miyamoto Musashi was considered one of the greatest Japanese warriors of all time.

So many people are seeking what is outside of them. They are looking for that perfect person, they are looking for that perfect job, or they are looking for financial security. Nothing outside of you can bring you any of these things. If you want any of these things you must start at the beginning.

The beginning is inside of you. Everything starts there and moves outwards. It is not the other way around. We have been taught that good things happen to us if we work hard and sometimes if we are lucky, but this is not so.

We must realize that nothing inherently good or bad happens to us. What happens to us, happens to us. It is we who make the judgment of good and bad, it is we who decide what is right for us. But why should we?

All of us have been eager and jumped to conclusions. All of us had assumed something later to find out we are wrong. How is it that we always seem to forget that same pattern? How is it that we continue to assume, continue to jump to conclusions, when time and again we have found that our judgments were incorrect or not totally accurate?

The next time something happens, look inside yourself, has your essential being changed? Has the thing that observes your thoughts done anything but observe? Of coarse not, for consciousness is not the thinker, but the watcher. It is the force that watches the thinker. If we just thought without being aware of our thoughts, we would in fact be like a mindless zombie.

If you want to make yourself smarter, look inward. If you want to make yourself stronger, turn inward. If you want to make yourself better or faster, turn inward. After all there is no other place to turn. For as you turn inward you turn to the whole world and smile.

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