I am angry! I rail against the injustices in the world. Why don’t I act, strike you with blows, and try to incapacitate you? The reason, ultimately, is that it is pointless. All violence only begets more violence and in the end accomplishes nothing. It is only through dialogue that we move humanity forward. In every civilization, it is the written word and physical edifices that endure, not its destructive wars and killing of adversaries, though not all agree. (1)
Continue reading Violence
Age
I have a secret to tell you. It is great getting old! At first blush, that sounds like a foolish statement. Who would want to anticipate the march of time towards a bitter and unknown end? That is the point, isn’t it? If you do not view your life as a grand journey, at any point in its trajectory, you are destined to be cursed and vilified by your failures, and tricked by your successes. We often hear that it is a short, unfulfilled life. This is patently not true. Too many souls have described the magnificence of life — my life if I so choose.
Continue reading Age
Respect all!
Although for the most part, we no longer live in an age of kings and queens, we realize, as a population, that we are ranked in terms of social status, intellect, and moral standing. If we are fortunate enough to reside in the so-called middle class, we may have a greater chance of social mobility. But if we sit on the fringes, our path is virtually predetermined. In the extreme world of the highly intelligent and ultra-wealthy, there is little movement, even if their world collapses. You can think of the transcontinental marriages of the Gilded Age. Many people had no liquid assets, but, through marriage, were soon wealthy again. (1)
Continue reading Respect all!Podcast Episode 136: Why do we travel? We voyage to gain experience and, through our curiosity and openness, to make the world a better place.
The Now
We are all told to live in the now, to live in the moment. This is very difficult to do. We are surrounded by images that constantly tell us to anticipate the future — buy that new phone, purchase this bigger house, create more attractive relationships, etc., the list goes on and on. It is hard to imagine how I can remain stationary long enough to actually grasp the here and now, the moment. But, there is nothing but this time in life, is there? All of our mental activity is actually focused on the moment, and even more strangely, that moment is soon swept away to be replaced by another moment. The only way one is able to appreciate this concept is to consciously begin to document time. That is where Emerson’s (1) suggestion of the notebook is truly clever.
Continue reading The NowPodcast Episode 135: We must all learn to reflect. It is a busy life, but we should still find a way to give ourselves the gift of thought from time to time.
Podcast Episode 134: Color is everywhere. We live in an obviously colorful world. It is important that we allow color to enhance our lives and display and promulgate our Personal Brand.
Some reflections
Many years ago, I attended a yoga conference in India. This was an exotic and interesting experience. It is difficult to relate how the pure chaos and franticness of the country overwhelm you. That said, if you can find your inner calm, it is a wonderful and inviting journey. Upon arriving at the Isha ashram, (1) I was ushered into my very normal hotel room. The gathering began the next morning at 6:00 AM and lasted for a week. What I learned from the meeting was that if I spend more time focusing on the activities of life itself, I would “get on the path” of awareness, of self-knowledge.
Continue reading Some reflections