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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Religion: A Doorway

12/03/08

“And he to whom worshipping is a window, to open but also to shut, has not yet visited the house of his soul whose windows are from dawn to dawn.” – Kahlil Gibran

Did you miss it?

Did you know that the door was open?

Why did you shut it?

Why did you shut out the very thing that you are looking for?

As I sat in one of my classes today an argument broke out. One party was discussing how he believed that his priest had the power to exercise demons, and the other, a self proclaim rationalist was trying to debunk his belief.

When you are studying religion in college, you see this kind of argument all the time. Admittedly, I myself have been guilty of participating in these kinds of discussions. But today was different for me. Today I sat back and watched patiently, letting the argument unfold.

Both were highly intelligent individuals, both had many arguments that fit their point of view, but neither could convince the other. They were at a stalemate. Both were speaking eloquently, but neither was listening.

I remembered how frustrating that is. You feel that you know you are right and the other person is definitely wrong. There is no question in your mind of who will win the debate. You know that if you just keep at it, eventually the other party will see the error of their ways.

But ultimately neither party can win. The reason is that all beliefs, all ideas, all thoughts, and all religions are a doorway. They are a place from where we can move from. Every element of consciousness is a place that we can move from. We must learn to start where we are at, and simply open the door.

What does it mean to open the door? It means that you should remember that your thoughts, beliefs, ideas, and religion are all relative to you. Why are they relative to you? It is because all your experiences and perceptions color your mental constructs. Can you honestly say that you have ever met anyone who agreed with you 100%?

The moment you feel that you can win a debate of this nature, is the moment you have closed the door on yourself. You have missed an opportunity to see into the heart and mind of another individual and have a profound and shared experience of the human condition. I did notice that one of the two individuals was almost there, he was almost reaching out to the other. I will not say which one it was, but he was giving the other the benefit of the doubt.

When it comes to ones mental constructs, we must give the other the benefit of the doubt. Why? Because in the end there is really no argument to be won. If you think there is something to be won, then you have missed the point of power of the human exchange.

Just listen to others, learn from them as much as you can. Even if their ideas contradict your own, it is important to listen, and then look into your heart. When one argues over their beliefs, or ideas, they are becoming defensive because of fear. They are afraid something is going to be damaged or destroyed.

One who possesses great wisdom, knows that he cannot speak of it properly. One who possesses great knowledge, does not boast, but uses it for the benefit of others. One who loving, does not ask for credit for good deeds, and does not brag about them. One who knows the truth, knows that truth can never be attacked or injured.

Religion is a door because it can open you up to love, or it can close in your face to fear. Science is a door because it can open you up to the great possibilities and wonders of the universe, or it can close your mind to them. Emotions are a door because it can help you to connect to other human beings, or it can close your heart to mistrust and resentment.

No matter what position you take, open your heart, open your mind, open your thoughts, to the idea that the other party may have some validity to what they are saying. Even if there is a single pearl in the whole ocean of conversation, is it not worth finding that pearl?

A Monument to Consumerism

12/01/08

I just finished reading about that Wal-Mart Black Friday Death. You can read about it yourself at this Link.

Have we as consumers become so mindless to a sale that all other considerations go out the window?

What is happening to our culture and our society that a group of people who trampled someone, would continue on shopping after the incident?

Have the people of this country lost their humanity?

Was it that important to get a new deal on a camcorder or an HDTV?

How could people get that worked up in a frenzy over shopping?

Is this what people mean when they talk about the greatest country on earth?

Is this what we mean by Christmas Spirit?

Is it any wonder that our irresponsibility has brought upon us a crumbling economy, two wars, and other violent incidents like school shootings?

What other mindless acts do we participate in?

Have you ever commit acts of road rage?

Have you ever screamed at a server at a restaurant or a cashier at a retail store?

Have you ever been in a fight at a bar?

Have you ever attacked or screamed at someone at a sporting event (including a referee)?

There are so many more acts of violence and mindlessness that occur everyday. They don’t have to be big events, but once in a while they are. Once in a while something happens that points out our own mindless actions. The thing is, they are happening everyday all around us.

Our emotions overwhelm us and we become like mindless emotional beast, looking for ways to dominate over others because of our incessant belief that, I am right and you are wrong.

We have to learn to step back from ourselves, we have to learn to detach from our emotions and our actions so that we may take an honest look before we proceed. Every so often we are given little reminders like this one, that cost someone their life. That is a life lost that should not need to be lost.

Let us hope that people learn from this incident so that nothing like this ever happens again. What is wrong with our culture? We have to push others down and out of the way so we can have the best, and be the best. We have this idea that in order to be on top we have to step on someone every step of the way. We have to eliminate the competition.

And that is what happened to this poor soul. He was a roadblock to these people, nothing more. He was part of what was stopping them from obtaining that shiny object that held their happiness. All too often people become objects to us, instead of people.

Becoming a Creator

11/30/08

If we take an opportunity to turn inward and engage in our inner life we open ourselves up to the possibility of creating a better life.

Many people out there have been watching “The Secret”. You can love it or hate it, either way it is a pop-culture phenomenon. Many people feel empowered and inspired, at least temporarily. The moment “The Secret” doesn’t work, people lose heart and give up.

While “The Secret” takes time to talk about using your thoughts to manifest whatever you want, it doesn’t care to mention that most people aren’t really sure what they want. Many people think that they want something, but they do not understand the consequences of that thing, or that the thing does not necessarily bring you happiness or peace.

I think the fundamental problem with “The Secret” is that it has taken then art of turning inward, and being mindful, and left it behind. It talks about success like it has to do with some apparent external indicator. True success comes from knowing oneself. Or as the founder of Aikido, Morihei Ueshiba once wrote, “True victory is victory over oneself”

“The Secret” is also so successful because it appeals to the external materialism from which many people feel will bring happiness.

There is no place to look for happiness and peace; it is already inside of you. If your happiness is dependent on something external to yourself, then you will never find it. It is a quest similar to catching your own shadow.

Of coarse not everything in “The Secret” is bad. It does inspire some people, and it does help some people to feel like they can achieve something. It does teach people to try and shift their thinking from negative into positive, but it never says how. The Secret is like a manual without instructions. The part missing is the most important.

We can create our lives how we want to, but first we must try to understand ourselves. We are all intricate, and dynamic beings with many layers of thinking. It is imperative that we peel away those layers and reach into a core understand of ourselves if we are to become a creator.

An Image of Inspiration

11/29/08

I have always been drawn to the image of the Buddha. Since I was a small child I remember seeing the image and being curious about the meaning of the statue. The image seemed so contrary to myself. When I was younger, I was a rage of emotions. Anger and depression were a constant theme in my life.

But there was the image of a man, sitting so peacefully, with a peaceful smile on his face. For me, even simply looking at the image helps me to feel more at peace and more at ease. This was a man who recognized the simple truth; life is suffering.

You may say that sounds cynical, or negative, but actually it is just an honest evaluation of the way life is. There is much pain, anger, and sadness in the world, this man, who was known as Siddhartha Gautama, sought out an end to the plight of those who suffered.

The image that many of us associate with him now, was his answer. He is long gone, but his image remains, teaching with his silence. This man sits in meditation, looking for the answer to the question of suffering. He is smiling because he has found it. He has found his inspiration.

I ask you, what images inspire you? Why do they inspire you? The image of Christ is powerful for many, but look inside yourself and find the answer. Find that place in you that feels inspired by whatever image you see. Perhaps it is not the image of a spiritual teacher, but of a sunset, or a landscape. Explore that inspiration; if you can find the source of that inspiration, then perhaps you too can smile like the Buddha.

Inspiration is all around you, all you need to do is open your eyes.

Our Greatest Potential

11/28/08

It is when we become truly lost in suffering that we lose our view of the light. It is when we have forgotten that suffering is a condition that we can solve that we resort to all kinds of monstrous behavior.

Around the world there is a great many injustices. Many people are exploited for their resources so that we can fuel the American Empire. Many people go starving because there are so few resources to go around. And many, become angry at the source of their suffering. Mencius, who was a Confucian sage proposed a simple idea, “How can the people be good if they are hungry?”

Ask yourself, if you were starving, if your family was sick, because of the exploitation of another, how would you feel? This is the question we must ask when confronted by horror that humans inflict on one another. Many times this comes out of desperation; many times it is hate that has been building for years. Sometimes people feel that they do not have the right to be free.

Someone told me today, “If I was president we wouldn’t have a problem with the middle east because I would have nuked all of them a long time ago.” I was speechless, my stomach turned and I felt almost like crying.

I don’t think this person knew what they were saying. I don’t think this person realized that, that was the very attitude of Adolph Hitler when he opened his death camps. This person must not have realized that he was speaking of ethnic cleansing and mass genocide.

I thought of a small child playing in the streets. I thought of a pregnant woman looking forward to giving birth. I thought of the men and women doing their best to get by. Their only crime was being born in a difficult part of the world.

People here only want to see the terrible side of the Middle East. Yes there are things in the Middle East that are terrible. By why do we so easily forget that these people are just as much part of the human race as we are? People here don’t want to see the beauty of the culture and all the things it has given us. They forget or do not know that the great city of Baghdad invented hospitals, arithmetic, and saved all the classic works of philosophy. Baghdad was once a great center of learning and peace. While Europe was in the dark ages, Baghdad was in a golden age. Without the Middle East our civilization would not have been possible. After all computer language was written on the basis of arithmetic.

My mind began to go elsewhere as I thought on what this person said. I began to think of the shear power of the Atomic Bomb. I began to think about the great intelligence and ingenuity that went into the creation of such a horrifying weapon.

But then something shifted in me. I began to remember that even though human beings are capable of such horrors, they are also capable of equal goodness. It was strange coming home this evening to see that my wife was watching CNN’s Heroes. As I sat on the couch and watched these people being honored for making a difference in so many lives I began feel a surge of great hope.

Each of these individuals used their talents to reach other people. One woman in fact was simply a runner who decided one day to help people by running. She ran with the homeless everyday. Some of the people she ran with turned their lives around. All she did was run with them, nothing more, but she inspired people. She showed them that they have the potential to succeed.

Each of us has the potential to inspire others. Each of us has different talents and gifts that we can use, not only to inspire others, but also to move the world away from inventing bigger weapons, and other methods of destruction.

In all honesty, I have been racking my brain lately to try and find a way to help and inspire people. I found myself wishing I were some kind of engineer or economist who could solve the major problems we are now dealing with. But I am neither of those things. I decided to meditate on this for a while, to see what I could possibly do to take participate in the crafting of a better world for my children.

After several days and many hours of meditation my answer was simple. I must like all of you reading this, use my talents. In my case I know I must use meditation and other forms of empowerment to show people that they can in fact reach their greatest potential. All I can do is open the door for others. I cannot force anyone to walk through it. I cannot make someone want to move in a positive direction.

All ten of those CNN heroes didn’t force anyone who didn’t want help. They just offered their help, or did something to encourage others. It seems so simple when you put it that way. That is because it is that simple. Ask yourself, what are you good at? What can you do that brings something positive into the life of another? All we have to do is start bringing a smile to someone else’s face. That can be inspiration enough.

As human beings we have two great powers, one is to create, and the other is to destroy. The attitude of the person who said we should just bomb the Middle East, is an attitude of destruction. We can take that path if we want to, but we have been down that road, and we know exactly where it ends. Perhaps we should try the new road. It is a road of finding mutual understanding and benefit for all parties. It is not an attitude of us verses them, but one of remembering we are all human.

Every human being, regardless of his or her race, or beliefs has great potential for creation. It is important to remove our judgments of others and help them to meet their basic needs. If a person’s basic needs are not met, then of coarse there will be a struggle. It is our duty, as a people of great privilege, to be patient and extend loving kindness to those who have little.

Do this with your talents. Reach out to others, even if it is your neighbor struggling to pay their mortgage. Reach out to someone, anyone, even if you are just reaching out to your children, or even yourself. We are here on this planet to love one another, and take care of one another. Our greatest potential is the compassion that lay often within the depths of our hearts.

Family

11/27/08

“If you think you’re so enlightened spend the weekend with your parents” – Ram Das

I thought this topic was appropriate for Thanksgiving and the Holidays in general. I think for most of us our families are some of the most difficult people to deal with. All of us have at least one family member (or maybe you are that family member) that is difficult to deal with. I know I can be a bit difficult to deal with because I am a very independent person.

The hard part is, we can’t get away from them. If you meet someone in public who is difficult to deal often you simply walk away. But with family we often have an obligation to meet with them periodically.

Here’s the thing though, your ability not only to be civil with your family, but also to actually have enjoy spending time with them, directly effects you ability to deal with the difficult aspects of yourself. We can learn a lot about those we have conflict with. Often our conflict directly effects problems we are having in ourselves. The people we disagree with, are in fact a mirror for us to look in.

I recently had a heated discussion with an acquaintance over a political topic. This person took a very different stance on the subject then myself. Though I did not get angry, I felt rather defensive about the subject and so did she. Later on, long after the discussion was done, I couldn’t seem to drop the discussion. It really bothered me.

I let myself explore myself for a moment. Why was I so defensive about this subject? Why did I have to be so sure that this person was wrong and I was right? Then something occurred to me, my very beliefs and perceptions were threatened. If she was right then a whole portion of the world I saw would be altered in a negative way. I realized at once that it was not that we were having a disagreement of philosophy, but in fact somehow the debate had triggered my very sense of survival.

As soon as I realized this I chuckled to myself. There was no threat to me really, just my ideas. This person didn’t realize it but she held up a mirror for me to critically look at myself. Because she was on the defensive, the same subconscious factors that were in me were most likely in her. Neither of us will be hurt if we agree to disagree. However, if one is attached to their ideas, and that idea is threatened, then they too will feel the threat and become defensive or sometimes hostile.

There is so much hostility within the family unit. There is always at least one member who thinks different then the others. I know my family has one particular sister who does not fit in with the rest of the families mold. She is a very strong willed individual and sees things differently from the others. She does not get along with the rest of the family and avoids some of the family events.

Of coarse it is difficult to put yourself in an uncomfortable situation. Because of the difference in ideas when she is at an event often there is conflict. What neither party realizes is that they are holding up a mirror for each other to learn from. Both parties are engaged in the “who is right and who is wrong game”. The truth is that game is pointless because both parties are right and both parties are wrong.

During these holidays when you come in contact with that family member you don’t get along with, be patient and try to see the mirror. What qualities in your self mirror that of the other? Are you both stubborn and impatient? Are you both rigid in your points of view? Are both your ways of thinking different from the other? If you can hold up the mirror sometimes the conflict dissolves naturally.

If you can’t be loving and patient with your family, no matter how irritating they may be to you, how can you do so to the rest of the world? For some people it is easier to deal with an enemy then a family member. I think this is because they feel separated from the enemy and connected to the family member. The truth is though, we are all in this together. There is no separation really, we are all one big human race and our collective actions will determine our fate.

This isn’t about getting along; it is about understanding one another. It is impossible to always get along with everyone, but if you can understand someone, conflict falls away on its own before it even starts.

Causality

11/26/08

Everything begins with choice. The real question is, when do we make the choice? If you think about it ones choices can be fairly well predicted based on the persons perception and level of experience. In other words, you make many choices before you even arrive at them because of your prior experiential program.

The problem we have in this society is that we think of time as linear, one event following another. Of coarse this is how we perceive time, but that is in part due to our cultural training and understanding of the function of the universe. Like it or not (for those who oppose Christian beliefs) our theory of time actually originates in the Judeo/Christian model of the universe. The idea that there was a beginning and there is an end both come from that model of thinking.

We don't however know that this kind of linear universe actually exists. Most scientists, despite linear thinking, subscribe to the rubber band theory of the universe. That is the universe is currently expanding but at one point it will contract and implode, eventually causing the big bang to reoccur.

Many cultures around the world think in terms of a cycle. If we think of time as a cycle, repeating itself every time the big bang reoccurs then of coarse it would seem like fate and not freewill. Thus we are stuck in a kind of repeating universe.

However, I believe there is another factor here. I believe in something I like to call Conscious Choice. I call it Conscious Choice, because it is the choice of awareness and mindfulness. One only practices free will when they make a conscious choice. A Conscious Choice is a choice outside of the pattern that we fall into due to our perception and programing. We have all heard of instances when an elderly women lifts a car, or people survive impossible odds.

When we move out of the perception of causality and into the perception of present being that is where conscious choice occurs. In being present we have all the knowledge of the past and all the knowledge of the future in our very being. Thoughts drop away and actions move from pure awareness.

When once is seated in pure awareness anything is possible. This is the place from which all the great spiritual masters acted from. This is a place of infinite possibility and infinite creation. This is a place accessible to everyone, if one is simply willing to become present in awareness.

What does that mean? "In the pursuit of Knowledge, everyday something is added. In the pursuit of the Tao, everyday something is dropped." In order to access the power of pure awareness we must remove our mind from its seat of dominance. It is not that the mind does not have its place, but that it should not be our master. The same goes with our emotions, and our identifications with ideas, concepts and forms.

The answer is simple, meditate in every moment. That doesn't mean sitting as a recluse, it means make every moment a form of meditation. If you are cooking, be with the ingredients, if you are speaking, be with your words, if you are singing, be with the music. Be with everything you are experiencing, but do not lose yourself in the moment either.

Then the door opens to conscious choice, then the door opens to all possibilities. This was the Kingdom of Heaven that Jesus spoke of, the end of suffering of the Buddha, the end of Maya and the path to Liberation for Hindu philosophy, the symbol of water in Taoism, and so on. This idea shows up everywhere around the world. It turns out that we in fact are the only thing stopping us from anything.

We are trapped in causality because we cannot get out of our own way.

First Video Blog

11/25/08

I thought I would try something a little different today. This video clip is from the workshop on November 16th. I am hoping to post more clips like this in the future.

Enjoy

 

If you having trouble viewing this video here you will also find it by clicking here

The Limitation of Language

11/24/08

In studying Anthropology we are required to study communication and linguistics. In studying myself, I find that I often fall short of being able to correctly convey some of my points. Recently in a discussion on some of my writing, I was made aware of several well-made observations that I failed to consider when writing the piece. The problem? I thought that I had considered those points thoroughly.

The problem was not the readers, or really even my own. The problem comes with the limitations that language presents. When you are in person, often you have the opportunity to clarify and explain your point, but when someone is reading a piece of writing, there is no room for defense.

As a person reads your piece, every ounce of linguistic programming and education they have ever received remains in the subconscious acting as the middleman interpreter. Thus they come to your writing with a filter, much as we come to anything in life. A single word may trigger a positive or a negative association with your writing. A single phrase may trigger emotions that you had not necessarily intended.

I think that is why masterful writing is so rare. Understanding how to convey language is an art form that I feel is often under appreciated. It takes a great deal to master the craft of language, but even then it is still limited. Even eloquent speakers or writers find that their use of language is put under heavy scrutiny.

A while ago I read a book on the writings of Gandhi. I noticed that in his earlier writings sometimes I needed to reread his writing several times to understand the point he was trying to make. However as he grew with age, and experience, so did his skill in the use of language. His later writing is much more clear and there is much less confusion.

This gives me a bit of hope. I know that with every passing day I can learn to refine my own use of language in order communicate with others through various mediums. I think it is very important to put effort forth to master the craft of communication. There is so much at stake when we try to communicate with others.

It is also important to try and put away your own filter and try and listen to the other person’s point of view. If someone is lacking in communication skills, then your own communication skills can sometimes be a bridge between both parties. Sometimes all it takes is one party reaching out to another.

But language is difficult no matter what you do. It’s strange that despite the fact that two parties speak the same language, often so much is “lost in the translation”.

The Miracle

11/23/08

Have you ever stopped and really thought about what a miracle life is? Every thing on this planet is part of an intricate web of existence. Our ecosystem is fragile, and yet without it, life would not exist.

Every creature on this planet relies on another to survive. Even the single blade of glass relies on bacteria and other microorganisms to break down larger objects into the soil from where it receives its nutrients.

Our planet orbits our sun at the exact right distance, and rotates at the right speed, in order to support life. The sun is just the right size and so is the moon. Without the moon life would look very different on this planet. The gravitational pull of the moon allows for our tidal structure, which is very important to many forms of marine life.

Look beyond the stars and down into the subatomic level. If carbon did not bond together they way it did, carbon based life forms could not exist at all. Even beyond that, if atoms did not bond together there would be no such thing as matter to begin with.

What makes it all work? That is up to you to decide. What I am interested in right now, is looking, watching, and listening to the miracle that we live in. In fact I would go so far as to say that being alive is the greatest miracle and the greatest gift one could receive.

I suppose this writing came out of hearing that three teens took their own life in the area this week. I remember in my teen years thinking how difficult and how horrible the world could be. Even now I see a lot of ugliness in the way that human beings treat each other. I remember feeling isolated and alone. I remember thinking that no one could possibly understand me, or care about me.

Sometimes it is just so difficult to see the miracle. Sometimes we simply don’t want to see it. But it’s there, all around us, ever present, ever beautiful, and simply waiting to be recognized. Like a patient mother, it asks nothing of us, just offering a beautiful vision of life.

This is the power of meditation. Meditation can help you to remove the blockages that prevented you from seeing. Meditation can help you see that same external beauty inside of yourself. But most of all, Meditation can help you to remember how connected you are to the entire universe, and that you are never truly alone.

Impressing Others

11/22/08

Have you ever gone somewhere new only to realize that you are not being yourself? It’s strange but often when we are in a place that we are not comfortable with, we put on a mask instead of being ourselves.

First I would like to make light of the difference between a mask an a role. A role is something you have to switch in and out of, mother, sister, wife, businesswoman, etc.. These are the different aspects of yourself that must be used on different occasions. A mask is deceitful, it is not authentic, it may exaggerate or lie about the realities of your life.

Obviously this is due to a lack of self-confidence. We where this mask because we believe we are not good enough for these new people. Or perhaps we want to make new friends. Or maybe we are looking for a love relationship.

The problem with wearing a mask, is that we cannot wear it forever. We cannot pretend to be something we are not. Think of how much time and energy you have to put into wearing that mask. Is it worth it? Is it worth it for someone to befriend you or date you for someone you are not?

The trick is paying attention to what you are doing when you meet new people. You should ask yourself several times, am I being fair and authentic to myself? Is this person getting to know me, or a shadow image of me? Obviously other factors influence this as well. Drinking alcohol can make it easier to wear a mask.

If you keep wearing a mask, then too, you attract people who are also not authentic to you. You will find yourself surrounded with many unreliable people. Wouldn’t you rather have a few close and trustworthy friends, then many who only enjoy the mask?

This doesn’t mean you have to be confrontational either. You can get along with other people with different views and still be authentic to yourself. You do not always have to disclose your entire point of view in the beginning, you can remain silent and try to understand the other point of view before you present yours. This of coarse requires patience.

Watch others and their masks. If you walk in the door to someplace new and someone starts trying to impress you, just watch them. It is easier to see our own faults in others and sometimes we have to recognize them elsewhere first. Be silent and patient and see what kind of mask they are putting on, and ask yourself why would they do that? What are their motivations? Then the next time you find yourself doing it, ask yourself, what are your motivations?

Being mindful of your mask can be a powerful tool to a more peaceful life.

The Power of Sound

11/21/08

Music and the power of sound have a great capacity to alter not only our moods, but also our mind. When you think about it, a song you really love can help you to forget your thoughts for a moment and be present with that song.

But there is another level to sound. In ancient India the Vedas told of the sacred sound of OM (spelled AUM for them). This sacred vowel sound was supposed to have all of the power of liberation from death and rebirth and an end of suffering contained within it.

For many of you who are yoga practitioners out there, you are familiar with OM. However, sacred sound is not just for yoga or for those seeking something spiritual. Music and Sound can help to shift us from negative thinking to positive. There is sacred sound all around us.

We have all had that experience where music can change our mood, so why not use that experience during a difficult time. Establish what I like to call, “a song of great power”. This is a song that always makes you feel uplifted when you here it. It is a song that reminds you of all the positive things in the world.

This one song is a link to shifting your mood from negative back into positive. Once you have chosen a song, use it every time you feel stressed, afraid, depressed, or angry. Hum this song to yourself and feel the sound of it inside of your body. After a few times of practicing this, you will be amazed to see how quickly your mood can shift.

This song doesn’t have to be a famous one, it simply has to be something that you feel personally aligned with. Admittedly, my song comes from a video game that I loved and helped me get through some tough times. But the power of the song is not diminished by its source so long as you feel aligned with it, it will have power.

Instead of whistling while you work, I say, hum while you work.

 

The Tea Cup

11/20/08

The following passage can be found in the book “Tales from the Tao” pages 118-119 compiled by Solala Towler (publisher of “The Empty Vessel)

“There was once a highly educated and somewhat arrogant student of the Tao. Upon hearing that an old sage lived nearby he decided to visit so that he could show off his great depth of knowledge in hopes of gaming some new tidbit to add to his resume.

When he arrived at the sage’s home he was surprised to find it but a humble hut. Inside, and old man with a long wispy beard and bright shining eyes sat over a tea kettle humming to himself.

Presently he looked up and, upon seeing the student outside the door, bade him enter his hut. He then sat the student down in the place of honor and asked him to join him in some tea.

They sat, and while the student boasted about his education and recounted his many accomplishments, the old master began to fill his guest’s tea cup. As the student rambled on and on so too did the old master keep pouring tea into his cup until the hot tea overflowed across the table and poured onto the students lap.

”What are you doing, you old dolt?” he shrieked, leaping from his chair. “You are spilling tea everywhere. Can’t you see that my cup is already full?”

The sage calmly stopped pouring tea and looked at him. “Your mind, sir, is much like this teacup. I am afraid it is already too full for me to be able to fit anything else into. Else it will surely run over and spill everywhere.” – Traditional Chinese Tale

There is always room for refinement. Arrogance can be ones greatest enemy. It can prevent us from making necessary changes. Arrogance can bring about justification for horrific crimes. Arrogance is the current reason for the meltdown of the automakers, Ford, Chrysler, and GM.

Sometimes arrogance can come from a long education. Some of the most arrogant people I have met had earned their PHD. Another source can be an indoctrinated person, or someone who holds their belief as the one and only truth.

Arrogance gets in the way of our own potential. If that educated person tried to learn something new everyday wisdom would soon follow. Wisdom does necessarily come from age or from level of education. It sounds counter intuitive, but wisdom does not even come from knowledge. As Democritus once put, “Life unexamined, is not worth living.” We must examine ourselves and the world around us in a critical and honest way.

If you want to find wisdom, you must remove arrogance, remove rigidity, and open your mind and heart. The universe is vast and infinite how can we possibly ever think that we have learned enough? How can we say we know the truth with absolute certainty? There is so much to learn about and to experience. Wisdom comes from simple willingness.

Don’t let your tea cup run over.

My New Office

11/19/08

Well after some time and planning it looks like I am headed up North. My new office is in the DTC area and I will be starting up there next week. I am sharing the office with 2 wonderful people. The first is renowned Colorado psychic Linda Allen, and an excellent massage therapist by the name of Ron Jones. We are still looking for a person to fill the forth room, but I am sure it won’t be a problem.

The office is beautiful, spacious and located in a convenient area for most of my clients. Since most of my clients are from the Denver area, it makes their drive time a lot quicker.

I would also like a moment to thank Dr. Jeff Albright for the use of his Castle Rock Office. He and his company, Rocky Mountain Wellness have been generous in loaning me the space for the past few months. For all of you who are not familiar with Dr. Albrights work, he specializes in Chiropractic and Acupuncture. The combination of the two makes for a powerful and potent healing session.

My new office is located at 385 Inverness Parkway #220 Englewood, CO 80112.

The Wisdom of Dogen

11/18/08

Dogen Kigen (1200-1253) was a Japanese Zen Buddhist teacher born in Kyoto, and the founder of the Soto school of Zen in Japan. He was a leading religious figure of his time, as well as being an important philosopher. Zenji is a title meaning "Zen master", while the name Dogen means roughly "Source of the Way". (From Wikipedia)

The school of Zen Buddhism that Dogen found taught that meditation is in itself enlightenment. He realized that the very practice of meditation brought peace and mindfulness to the mind of the practitioner. He saw the power that meditation brought into his life and to the lives of those he taught.

When I read some of his teachings I was astonished. I realized that everything I was seeking was already in my meditation. In my meditation practice, I am peaceful, mindful, and patient, as well as many other qualities that I sometimes forget. As I read this I realized that achieving enlightenment only means making your everyday life a form of meditation.

A passage from Dogen’s writings states, “Yet this is not all that zazen (meaning sitting in meditation) does. It is like the hammer striking emptiness, the bell's melodious sound continues to resonate as it echoes, endlessly before and after. It is not limited to this moment. Not only that, but all things are endowed with original practice within the original face, which is impossible to measure. You should know that even if all the Buddhas in the ten directions, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges River, together engage the full power of their Buddha wisdom, they could never reach the limit, or measure or comprehend the virtue, of one person's zazen.”

Each time we meditate we drop something, thus we are striking the bell. Each time we meditate we open the door to become the peace that is meditation. Dogen tells us that all we need to do is sit in meditation to understand the profound wisdom we can find hidden within our everyday life. Practicing meditation is nothing more then training for the everyday world.

What does this mean? Anyone can sit in meditation. Anyone can open the door to a world of peace that has been hidden inside of them all along. What you believe in does not matter, meditation has no agenda other then bringing peace and stability to our lives. One could meditate on the teachings of Jesus by asking themselves during meditation if they really were trying to show love and compassion to their neighbor. One could meditate on the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, or The Tao Te Ching.

It does not matter what you meditate on. The focus of meditation is letting go of the self and realizing our own flaws in a mindful way, so that we can attempt to fix them the next time we are given the opportunity to do so. If we pay attention to how we are living our lives, and our actions, if we focus every moment on how we can better ourselves the world will naturally begin to follow.

Just take time to sit and open yourself. All you need do is sit and breathe and patiently watch our own thoughts. If you do so, you open the doors to peace entering your heart.

Averting Disaster

11/16/08

As part of my ongoing attempt to help more people and expand my business, I have been studying marketing. What I did not realize is that in some ways spiritual teachings match up with some principles of good business. I experienced one of those principles today.

Today I was supposed to work at a metaphysical fair. Little did I know an email was sent out a while ago canceling the fair. As I arrived I immediately called the owner of the establishment. She explained to me that she had cancelled it a few weeks ago and sent out an email. However not only did I not receive the email, but I already had several clients schedule time with me in advance, and I marketed the event to my own clients. I was also scheduled to teach a meditation workshop at the end of the fair.

It was strange, but I knew somehow I could fix this. Dan Kennedy, who is widely known as a famous speaker in the marketing world, talks about the mark of a strong business men is being able to fix a disastrous situation quickly. Remembering that, and then also remembering the Taoist principle of acting appropriately when situations arise, I withheld judgment of the situation and worked immediately to find a way to fix the situation.

Luckily the office is closed on Sundays in the first place. I talked to the owner and we worked out a deal so that I could rent the space for the afternoon and still teach the workshop in the evening. I ended the day by seeing not only those who scheduled with me in advance, but gained a few new clients as well. The workshop was also a great success. All in all it was one of the more successful days I have had in the past month or two.

When it was all over my Personal Assistant asked me why I appeared so calm when I found out it was cancelled. I told her that I had a feeling it was going to be ok, and that I could do something to make it right. I then told her about what Dan Kennedy talks about and what the Tao Teaches.

It is important not to panic when things go haywire. Instead assess the situation and think outside the box. If you can do this, then you can avert disastrous business mistakes. If I would have just given up and went home I may have alienated several clients and wasted a valuable opportunity to (as we say in Alchemy) transmute lead into gold.

Lessons from Aikido: A Balance of Three Part 3 of 3

11/15/08

In the previous two blogs I talked about a revelation I had about Aikido and its applications in life. I felt that there were three important aspects Aikido presented that could easily help us grow in our everyday life. Those three principles are Power, Flow, and Timing.

This blog will focus on the element of Timing. There is a saying, “Timing is everything.” What people do not realize is that this is truer then they know. In Aikido as in any combative form, if your timing is even a little off the power of the technique will be lost entirely.

If you are too early, then your opponent will not have provided you with enough force to redirect their energy. If you are too late, it is likely that they have already landed a blow. In life you must be patient, but if you are too patient you will in fact miss opportunities.

Timing is not about procrastination or haste. It is about acting when the appropriate moment arrives. Aikido teaches conflict resolution, so any attack on an opponent would be a hasty act. Instead we are taught to dissolve the conflict before it escalates to violence. In order to do so we must be patient with our opponent and also realize that in reality we have no true opponents except ourselves.

The Tao Te Ching speaks frequently of the concept of wu-wei (non-action). I have encountered some who are baffled by this concept. They ask, how can we live if we take no action? Non-action isn’t about taking or not taking action. It is about timing. Non-action means acting in the best time possible. Often when you do so you find that things happen effortlessly. It is almost as if the entire universe conspires to help you with your task. That is why it is called non-action, because very little effort is put into the task.

This effortlessness is why Aikido looks very much like a dance when someone has trained for many years. The person knows their body so well that they can make corrections in their timing without thinking about it. So to must we learn to be able to accomplish the same thing in our everyday life. If our timing is not perfect, then we must use the other two principles, flow and power, to correct the situation. But each time we are mindful about bad timing, we improve it.

Timing is also about having patience. You must have patience with yourself and others. You must stop and examine all sides of the story, and take as many perspectives as you can, whenever possible. When we fail to be mindful and look at each thing in life as something that is multidimensional, we act are acting in haste. Sometimes it is better to wait and see then to rush in headfirst.

Of coarse sometimes it is also better to take quick action, but the trick is to learn the difference between quick action and hasty action. We can only learn this sort of thing by direct experience. Just as in Aikido we must learn about timing by applying the technique at different speeds, so to we must learn from our hasty actions and our procrastination.

When we procrastinate in dealing with difficult problems, often we find a bigger mess then had originally existed. Like everything else problems are like a seed. Ideally we would stop the seed from ever being planted. But this can be difficult and requires an enormous amount of mindfulness and concentration. If we uproot the plant just as it sprouts, then very little effort will be put into removing the problem. However, if we let it grow and continue to procrastinate, the problem will become like a massive and deep-rooted weed that is very difficult to get rid of.

Many times, timing is about fear. We are afraid of dealing with a difficult issue, or in the dojo we are afraid of trying a technique we are uncomfortable with. We must learn to put aside whatever reservations stand in our way. In my own personal experience I have found that when I hesitate and do not follow through with a technique I experience pain. When I rush into a technique, or try to go unnecessarily fast, I also experience pain.

I am fortunate to have wonderful teachers at the dojo I belong to. In cultivating the power of Aikido on the mat, I have learned a lot about myself and other ways to think about life and relationships. But I know that just like my life, I have many years of training ahead of me. It is my hope that I will continue to grow both on and off the Aikido mat.

Lessons from Aikido: A Balance of Three Part 2 of 3

11/14/08

In practicing Aikido we are taught not to meet force with force, but to take force and redirect it. When this principle is applied to our lives we examine the multidimensional aspects of perception. We must constantly remind ourselves that our singular perception is not an accurate description of the world.

In Part 1 of this Blog I discussed that I felt there were three principles in Aikido that apply to everyday life. Those principles were Power, Flow, and Timing. In part 1 I discussed the nature of power. In this section I would like to address the question of flow.

When the great storm arrives, the old oak will fight with all its strength and power. In the end however the Oak will lose the battle to the wind. The Oak has planted its roots deep and is no longer flexible. When the wind subsides and the storm clouds move away, the grass will still stand, swaying in the breeze.

In Aikido the greater amount of force put against you results in greater power of redirection. When you redirect the attack, you turn the attackers energy against them. Because their body is rigid, they are easy to move, much like a board is easier to move then an unwound cable.

When you cannot flow with life, life will move you easily, and often in ways that make you suffer. When you fight the rivers current you accomplish nothing but growing tired from the struggle.

When I work with people, they often tell me, they wish they had something, or they are unsatisfied with their situation. They are often surprised when I tell them that an uncomfortable or miserable situation, can teach you more about yourself then a comfortable one.

People are always looking to wish things away, or change things quickly. A rain drop in the mountains does not make it back to the ocean all in one night. The rain drop moves first into a small stream.

If you want to flow with life, then accept your situation. That does not mean you cannot make changes, but make small ones. The beauty of flowing with life, is that if you are willing to work with life, life is willing to work with you.

When you struggle and resist in Aikido, you learn nothing but what it means to be uncomfortable. The same rings true in our lives. When we fight our intuition and the small messages that life gives us, we find nothing but suffering.

The more you flow with life, the more you become present and accepting what is in the moment, the more opportunities for growth and change will be rewarded to you. If you spend all your time complaining about what is, then you will have no energy left to make change. Or perhaps you will not see the opportunity for change when it comes along.

It goes against everything we have been taught, but when you simply accept your situation life begins to unfold. As it unfolds you find the answers to relieving your suffering and fulfilling your dreams. When you try to force something, you are fighting the current. Perhaps it is not the right time, or the right place to act. Maybe you need to help another person in your immediate vicinity. We cannot truly know the full details of what life holds in store for us. What we can do is learn.

When we learn, we are grabbing on to the log that is flowing with the river and then letting the river take us. As we become more and more mindful, we can apply the lessons to make ourselves more at peace and utilize our resources. Imagine yourself floating on the river and using pieces of deadwood flowing along with you to make yourself a raft. When you flow with life, life gives you the resources to build that raft. When you flow in Aikido, you begin to understand your body in a whole knew way.

Your mind, body, and spirit, were always meant to flow, but when we are like the old oak instead of the grass, we have forgotten ourselves.

Lessons from Aikido: A Balance of Three Part 1 of 3

11/13/08

As I continue practice the peaceful martial art of Aikido, I find the training to directly mirror what is happening in my life. In my own meditation practice I have been working a lot on finding balance. Tonight while practicing Aikido under my one of my teachers at Castle Rock Aikido, Shiraki Sensei, I had a bit of a revelation.

Balance in both Aikido and in Life come in three forms: power, flow, and timing. Each of the three have something significant to teach us and each of the three should be applied to life in order to find peace and be true to the self. It is important to note that each of the three is intertwined with the other two principles. True balance comes from applying all three at once.

In this first part I would like to discuss Power.

Power, very simply put means being true to your self. When you have true inner power there is no need to have power over others. A person who masters their self has no need to dominate others. If you are confident, if you are at peace, why would you need to hold others back?

A person with power does not seek glory or status. A person with power is confident of his or her own abilities. There is no need to seek glory because the confidence and inner strength are already present. There is nothing more glorious then knowing your self and in knowing yourself you will find the greatest power of all.

A person with power is assertive and decisive. They are not afraid to say what needs to be said, or ask for what they need. A person with power can be humble and ask others for help when it is required. Pride is not present in this persons mind, only what is in the best interest of all parties involved.

A person of power does not act for the outcome, they act from the heart. When one acts for an outcome, often we are disappointed because things almost never turn out how we expect. When one acts from the heart, you act with your being and not with your mind. In doing so the outcome does not matter; only the moment matters. If you are mindful and act from the heart all outcomes will naturally become the best outcome.

Power does not come from outside of us. Power is loving oneself, and then reflecting that love to others. A week ago while practicing Aikido Albright Sensei observed me as an uke (someone who attacks and receives the technique). I was resisting, looking back it may have been because I was not comfortable with my ability to use the technique. In doing so I began to resist and make it difficult for my partner to perform the technique. As I did so I realized how much better my partner was at performing the technique. I was forced to take a hard fall. Albright Sensei told me, that there is a time to resist and there is a time to accept the technique.

I felt stripped of my power and felt unsure of myself, and so I wished to force my opponent to feel powerless as well. In doing so I gave my power up entirely and learned a hard lesson (literally by taking a hard fall). In trying to find power outside of myself I failed. After this class I began to see this more clearly.

Ask yourself, where do you seek power? Are you looking for it in material things? Are you looking to climb the corporate latter? Do you try to take it from members of your family, friends, or coworkers? Or are you looking for the small still inner voice that contains all the power you will ever need? Pay attention to where you seek your power.

True power cannot come from anywhere but inside your self. True power cannot be taken away from you, only given away. External power can be stripped easily and it can leave you feeling empty. External power will not create friends, but enemies. External power means exercising your will on others, and in doing so you devalue your fellow human beings.

Everyone has the capacity for great inner power and strength. All you need to do to find it is look inside your heart.

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