An Old Story of a Hunter and His Grandson

                                   


                                  

It happened on a regular cool evening in the savanna, evening no different from the other evenings filled with fresh scent of drying twigs, far away singing of night birds and far away muffled noises of animals...An old seasoned hunter and his grandson were sitting around their small campfire after a long day of hiking and stalking the animals, that the grandpa was so good at trapping and killing. The grandpa always took a great pleasure in sharing his multitude of experiences with the grandson. The grandson always intently listened without interrupting, marveling at his grandpa's prowess and youthful looks despite the advanced age. However this time he asked him, " Grandpa, you've killed lions and rhinos, stalked hyenas, and other dangerous animals. How is it that you weren't afraid to be killed or mauled by them?" The old hunter looked at his grandson and smiled with a grin...He said "Yes, I've killed lions and rhinos, stalked hyenas and other dangerous animals, but who said I wasn't afraid? Fear has always been there, but I made it my only true companion besides my spear. Me and fear are like this (he crossed his palms in a gesture of mutual camaraderie) We know each other intimately, closer than the closest of the relatives, and looked into each others eyes many a time, in fact it is with me all the time! So accustomed are we to each other that we became the best of companions! Now let's go to sleep!"
Although the grandson did not understand all of what the grandfather said, he thought it was one of his grandpa's weird ways of joking, he knew, that there was something in that story, something that avoids scrutiny....He thought about it for a bit, and then peacefully went to sleep by the campfire accompanied by the chirping of the night birds and the muffled noises of some distant animals.

How to meet your Soulmate (instructions for a seeker of one true love)

Although self promotion is not my major concern, I have to confess that I have no problem with the word/phrase soulmate. I think meeting someone you truly appreciate, your second half so to speak is important, and should be a priority for those who haven't yet found one, and who are looking to have someone of that rank in their lives...

So how to meet a soulmate? I am not giving out anything secret or taboo when I say - you have to want it. Check with your desire - what is it that you really want? If that is really your desire, I think you have all the rights and reasons to meet the person who suits you most. Now, whether THAT is a soulmate has to be figured out along the way, and there is no one simple answer. Reason for that being that the 2 people have to be able to grow and change together, and these are not just words. People grow, people change naturally and unnaturally. Sometimes they look nothing like the people you have met in a first place. Other times the transformation is truly miraculous and makes you just holler and weep in astonishment, like some sort of a deity just came along and changed the person with the magic wand. So there is that, and there are other things too.

So a few words of advice to help you meet your soulmate and with gods blessings may you be on your way to that great path of love and understanding, and not too much fighting;)




1) Be open. By that I mean that you have to allow for people to be there in your lives, and not just sit there at home and think that the person will magically manifest themselves in the middle of the room. Although there is truth to the story of Pygmalion who created a sculpture so beautiful and so imbued with life that it became alive, we shouldn't just hope that the sculptures will turn into women/men in life as a rule. Please check, when you meet someone if they are a sculpture or a human so there are no complaints later on.

2) Acceptance. When the person comes along - be attentive! Naturally, you want to be either liked or disliked, but if liking is that which you want be attentive to that person. Listen to them. Listen to their story. What are they manifesting? Pain and sorrow, joy and contention? Are they exactly what you think they are? It is good to see these things right away in the first stages - even the first dates.

3) Freedom. Now, if you don't like the person, but you feel that you are being drawn into something outside of your volition, you have to make sure that you don't make the wrong choice just because....Be firm, and let them know that it is time for you to move on. Sometimes, there is no other way dear, and I have found out through sometimes rather harsh experiences that if you don't tell sooner, later it becomes so much more harder, that it becomes a big problem. Prevent big problems, and rationalize how much that person is fitting your parameters now, but once you have decided keep going with the firm resolve. By the way ladies I am single - no I'm just kidding:) but anyways you get my drift about the freedom part.

4) More Freedom. Freedom of movement is also a huge one, because the 1st steps are the nicest ones but also the most challenging ones since it could be that one person wants to go bowling and the other one wants to go see a movie. Disbalance in those early stages becomes sort of like a map for a relationship to come. So if you like the person - yield! It doesn't matter bowling or movies as long as you are together and enjoying those 1st precious moments.

5) Roles. Have you ever seen the Tai Ji symbol? The yin and the yang? Well, that is how women and men are. Women can manifest male traits, males - feminine. Accept it, that the girl that you meet may be able to lift 300 lbs. and you are into flower arrangement. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that, but if you assume that that is something that automatically authorizes you to start changing that person and helping them out to fit some mold that you want - well, not meant to happen. That person is that way for a reason, and you are the way you are also for a reason. Not everyone wants and needs to change, so please think before you start changing the other person, because you know that you need to be careful what you wish for, as it may just come true one day.

Well, that's it for now. I am happy that I was able to share this information with you it comes from my own experience as a man and also as a spiritual being who likes to see others being happy and content. I hope that you find that special someone today, or tomorrow and please feel free to share your experiences with me, Iggy (at your service always).

Shamanic Aesthetics in Cubicle Design.

•  It is important to have your space set up the right way to promote the flow of energy and to avoid its stagnation. I wrote elsewhere (Feng Shui in the Workspace) about some of the possibilities when orientating yourself in your office or cubicle. In this post I would like to touch on some other of the principles that can assist in making your space more comfortable as well as aesthetically pleasing to you and your visitors alike. 

   

  

  
  First of all, I think its a good idea to be able to see your space from the what I call a "3rd point of reference" - in other words not from the human eye, but from the perspective of the spirit - an impersonal force that very subtly pervades matter. To make it a little but easier for everyone - choose a point above your cubicle, about 3-4 feet above perhaps a little bit to the northwest close your eyes and imagine that you are looking from there - how's the arrangement? Are you content with it? Mine has too much random paper lying around that I will have to clean up;). With the closed eyes you can also feel different heat and color patterns that you may not necessarily see simply by looking. In any case I think its a good experience to try to sense that sort of environment and its repercussions on your work day.
  
  What is a perfect space? It is a space that's perfect for your energetic configuration, In other words its an extension of yourself and in a larger sense your luminous sphere  - an energy reality that serves as a sort of a matrix for your body. Although most people probably don't think about that very often on a daily bases, but ultimately we are the sole creators of what's around us, an the material is no exception i.e. objects made out of plastic, wood or metal are intimately connected to our heart chakra by the invisible lines:.
  
  I see a small fan - I placed it there. I turned it to the right for clockwise wind tunneling to disperse any stagnation. I see a Sensei's photo on my left to remind me of my determination. I hung a precious hamsa - gift from an Israeli brother to remind me of our unity if not in body at least in spirit.
  
  Continuing in this style of inner talk I become conscious of a great will and volition that comes into situating objects and placing small things. Of course, there are circumstances that may seem outside of my will, such as the day light that needs to be reinstalled - but its up to me to make the right people aware of it. I send out the message to the Verse and I know that it will be reinstalled today.
  
  Sounds are no less important. If your usual Sound is Silence, perhaps it is time to have something more intricate and more mood setting. My choice for a morning music is the great Bill Evans or Dexter Gordon, but in some cases it may be a rock tune, or an ambient track to set the right mood that goes well with my morning coffee. I am a total sucker for a comfy environment and will go at great lengths to make sure that its according to my liking. That I advise to others too, as people often times look at their office space simply for its utility. In other words " I am here only for 8 hours - once I am gone I would like to forget all this as fast as I can". However 8 hours a day is a lot of time not only in terms of productivity but also in terms of the life in general so I think it is only natural to make the space around you as perfect as possible. And yes I am not afraid of that word as the perfection is not being a perfectionist but coming as close as possible to that great dream of yours, something that made you come to this space in the first place. Start fulfilling your dream today and don't hesitate to ask an advice from that great Spirit which is also your Higher Self - the Self that has already accomplished what it has been set to do. The Dreamer of the Dream.
  

Training = Pain?

I was inspired to write this post after some feedback about the "pain" being an integral part of some training and certain practices. If you are spending any of your time training whether physically or not you will probably agree that there is pain involved. Not suffering, which a psychological condition made ultimately by choice, but pain. "It hurts!" you may be saying to yourself. Or "Why am I doing this to myself?" Well, the reason you are doing it to yourself is because you are convinced that it will bring you some sort of benefit, most likely a long term benefit which translates into happiness.

To zoom in on the topic a bit - when you are working out some group of muscles there a threshold when there is a painful feeling. It makes you cringe. Sometimes with pleasure. in fact many will claim that they are looking for that feeling as a side effect of training. But that's a "good" pain. You have convinced yourself that your muscle will recover and grow as a result. The ends, therefore justify the means. Another example is how in martial arts training when applying joint locks during practice, although painful, they are not hurtful if applied correctly and even serve as a sort of the ultimate stretch + acupressure of tendons done by one practitioner to the other. You are being asked to "relax into it" and allow for the mind to neutralize the painful effect of the joint lock application. The result of such practice is that you are learning more about the joints and the limits of their rotation. You are also learning about the muscles surrounding the joints, as they are very good indicators when there is too much pressure, or the technique is done incorrectly i.e. - done too fast, abrasively, and without the feeling for the structure. That is also a good pain.

There are other kinds of pain that are less desirable and should be avoided. In other words - the pain is created not for learning purposes, but often as an accident and a side effect of inaccurate application and simply wrong understanding of the purposes of training. One such example comes to us from the sport of football (American). I remember when a good friend of mine was playing "tackle" with his buddies, and because of the nature of the game he had some pretty serious injuries in his shoulder. Well, when we met I asked him to tackle me, and when he did I simply yielded in a timely manner as I would during my Tai Chi practice and allowed for his attack to pass through. It was interesting that his response was somewhere along the lines "this is not how we play - you don't understand the game!" And when I questioned his parameters of understanding it turned out that there was no reasonable explanation why people are banging into each other thus injuring each other - it simply became a habit, transformed into the "nature of the game". Force against force. Now I consider this kind of pain "bad" and something that should be avoided because it can be avoided. A little bit smarter and your foe passes right by....Of course, I am not a football player and don't understand many things about the game, but this one seems to be logical enough.

For those of you my friends who are in the competitive martial arts, the "bad" pain cause by a low kick to a shin is a well known but common example, that can be avoided not by blocking by counter block, but by simply raising the knee up getting the shin out of the way, or simply moving the foot away. While this may be a "smart" talk for many who are in training please remember that your longevity as a player, a fighter etc. depends on how much injury you were able to sustain, so avoid "bad" pain, keep training and take care of your bodies!

With Best Regards,

Iggy.

Corporate Martial Arts

There is no point in knowing how to properly punch and kick or throw when you work for a company. In fact, reliance on the techniques alone is a sure way to get yourself in trouble. Soon or later you will get frustrated about whatever issue is at hand, loose your cool and punch someone, and being that that is overstepping the lines of the company code well, you know the rest - reprimand, humiliation, and finally termination of employment, which is like a death in life. So consequently using techniques in life may have similar repercussions. Perhaps something to consider when going back to your martial arts school or academy and taking out your frustrations.


Now with that in mind, do you have to know self-defense when working for a big company? I very much think so. Reason for that being that a big company in a competition driven environment is a battlefield of ambitions primarily, but also emotions, attitudes, manners or the lack of thereof resulting in a very complicated web that is functioning on the artificially implemented premise - gain. Yes indeed, it is a known fact that if a corporation does not expand, it will necessarily contract, as if nothings is static, and everything is in the state of constant movement, flux. Of course, to realize that on a profound level with your body is not the same as the theory-driven knowledge that usually takes advantage in the workplace.


Martial Way can teach you to connect theory and practice, and unify mind body and spirit, and I would also say gain control of your emotions. But how does it do that?


Well, first of all when you embark on the path of learning of any martial discipline, first you have to learn the very form of it. Learning of the form, (the dao lu in Chinese martial arts) is foundational, it is the very vocabulary of the art form. Principles are imbedded in the form, and are conveyed through the language of the movement. Some teach a perfectly straight back while others require a tilt. Some grasp the ground with the toes, others don't. Various palm positions, and so on. Does it remind you of anything? Well, it actually reminds me of sitting at the desk, because your body is, obviously there, and without knowing it you are creating habits that will make you move and act in a certain way - in other words, you are doing (or are) in a form. But the virtue of sitting with the straight back is an ever-present reminder that the practice never ends (please see my post "How to develop a good sitting posture?")


I think there is definitely something in donning a traditional garb and acting in the imitation of the ways of old, but going beyond that, an attitude of the warrior is that of endurance, and centeredness acquired through practice of the martial arts. It can help one to endure in the world of business, but the constant study is deeper than anyone can imagine as the martial way is also about the patterns in the Universe and Nature as well as the chaos - lack of order and the unrestrained nature of the Great Out There.


Corporation is only a model, albeit on a smaller scale of some structures that are reminiscent of life, but the goals are magnified - survival, promotion, gain, respectability, they are all present in the company. But the competition is present like nowhere else in life - only professional sports can come close in intensity. In other words, people are ready to exert themselves to the utmost of their capacities in order to achieve their goals, whether it be success in their carriers, or rising up the carrier ladder signified by promotions or bonuses or other signs of appreciation. Within that tense environment one feels as if under attack, because the attacks are not of physical but of psychic nature, therefore an increased mental stamina, centeredness and calm are of increased value. And I am not even talking about the preparedness of the spirit. It is hard to withstand the onslaughts of negativity within the corporate environment, but that is where the wisdom gained through the martial arts practice comes in handy.


As an example, instead of resisting the negativity a good aikido player will join in until there is a moment of throwing it off. Instead of responding to a bad rap with same, a good Tai Chi player will soften up and allow for the words to go through, like she is a sheet of silk cloth. A good jujutsu player will be very aware of timing of the attack and issue punishment before it escalates into something dangerous for his well-being, by perhaps talking to the person in question. And so on, and let's not forget what the founder of Aikido said, "The goal of martial training is peace". So let's remember that being good does not necessarily mean that you have an impeccable technique, although preferably it may involve that aspect. Being good to me is realizing that the "goal of martial training is peace", and its immovable center. So let us keep in mind the deep morale that the Martial Way teaches us - that we all share the same nature, and therefore we can do our best to add to the well-being of our environment as without fear and self-pity the Way of Peace outlined by the greats also becomes the Way of Growth and Nourishment and ultimately coincidentally that of wealth.

The Magic of Speech

I assure you that I am in no way a magus when it comes to the facility of speech, just a feeble learner, who realizes the scope of the topic: its depth profundity, and in compassable scope of what can be learned. However I decided to write a post because it has always bothered me how little control I have over my facilities of speech, its esoteric aspect so to speak. I have recently realized that speech has the ability to manifest wondrous things, but if not - it can be an anathema to its bearer, hollering a reality that becomes not a garden, but a necropolis of demise. Many of a relationship has been destroyed over words...


Something can be done about it! And this is our inheritance as beings who have at least theoretically been endowed with the gift of culture. A diamond spending all its time in the dirt will never become any dirtier. Therefore, the gems of cultures, spent too much time in the lower strata of political incompleteness and incompetence, the "street" of what society has to offer do not become any less in value. In principle - more. And in practice, well that is what makes the gems what they are - it is their inherent value and that has been accepted for fact for several thousands of years.


When we speak, utter words, it is so not easy to think at least once about the subject matter and its consequences for the both parties. There is a lot of "casual talk" happening every day, and anything that comes out in the media becomes more and more reminiscent of the casual talk  elevated to the point of worship. The gossip is god it seems. But I do no think that this is the same god who have been proclaimed as the speaker of what was to become the 1st word. Remember? First there was the word. I am definitely not the one to analyze the depth and the historical value of this statement, controversial in many ways, but coming from rather esoteric traditions I would say that the word is a vibration of sound, and with that we vibrate. Not just our bodies and minds. But also the outside - sending out that wave of sound-intention.
Some things to be considered when speaking are these:


1) What is the subject of your speech?
2) Who or what is the addressee?
3) What is your intention?
4) What are the characteristics of your speech:
its sound level, pitch, texture?
5th and probably most important from these, "Would you listen to yourself?"


Let's give a few moments to analyze the five.


1) Seemingly the most simple yet most complicated. What are you talking about? Is your speech coherent? Are sentences connected into a logical wholeness or are you off speaking about 3 different topics thinking that by that you are killing 3 birds with one stone?
2) Who are you addressing your speech to? What is the character of the people who are your current listeners? Are they your peers? Older/younger? Male or Female? Are they more savvy in the topic of your choice or are the newcomers on the scene? Are they really listening to you? If not, then what can be done to capture their attention (considering it needs to be captured)?
3) What are you intending to pass on to your listener? Why are you even saying what you are saying? Are you just feeling talkative today? Or may be you are speaking because it is your job - say, a college professor? Of course, these usually have the greatest excuse to speak - they are lecturing. And some should definitely be lecturers. However, many shouldn't. Also, what is the quality of knowledge that you are transferring, its worth?
4) How do you sound? Are you pleasant to those who have supposedly the pleasure of listening to you? Are you using a lot of rough words? Cussing? What is your state of being for the moment. Go into a deep meditation and say to yourself what you are at the moment. For example, "I am strong, confident, sure". "I am light of knowledge", "I am a rainbow of skills!" Etc. May be that is not what you are feeling, then just say "I don't feel very good", "I am scared of something", or " I am tired" With that you are placing yourself on the scale, you are being self-conscious, and you don't have to fool yourself about various topics. And if you have to speak, you just take a few deep breaths and do it despite the odds.
5) Finally, with all that in mind, would you listen to yourself? I mean really, how would you react to yourself physically? For example to your body posture, to your eyes, to your gestures, etc? Are you repulsed/attracted? Would you be paying attention to yourself the way you are now?


With all that in mind one I am sure enters into a very interesting labyrinth of dilemmas. And there is probably no one answer, it is a search. However, I guess the difference between the speech that has nothing in it, and that has everything in it is awareness that the speaker is bringing to his or her listener. By that I mean not just the informative value, but aesthetical, without which it is no fun,(an overused word) and no beauty. I would place aesthetical value even before the informative, as in for example of the news media - there is a lot of information, but there is very little aesthetical value.
So, to get back to my original point - one has to think about what they are saying - in time and space this word means a lot, and fighting with words is same or worse in some cases as fighting physically. We don't always need to fight reflexively, or as we have come to term it "we are not animals". Bu that is an insult to the animals, so let's not fight like humans.

Дао в Поэзии 2: А.С. Пушкин

Александр Сергеевич Пушкин, по общепринятому мнению "величайший русский поэт" как никто другой запечетлел Даосскую отрешённость от внешнего мира, мнения других людей, и некую Ахиллесовскую благослoвенность, святость война перед лицом чего бы то ни было. Великолепно передаётся неизбежность успеха в миру а в месте с ним и присутствие некого Олимпийского одиночества. Надеюсь вам это стихотворение тоже понравится. Я получил огромное удовольствие от чтения его в слух, смачно прорабатывая интонации, и собираюсь представить его близким на Новый Год.


Хвалу и клевету приемли равнодушно
И не оспаривай глупца.
                  А.С.Пушкин.

Хвалу и клевету приемли равнодушно,
И не оспаривай глупца.
Тебе в столице грустно, скучно,
Ты оправдал мечты отца.

Ты покорил Олимп высокий.
Ты превзошёл врагов умом.
И Вашингтон тебя далёкий,
Зовёт в тумане голубом.

Ты сильный воин, бог без тени,
Талантлив, скромен и красив.
Сберечь сумеет от измены
Твой шестикрылый серафим.

Стоять готовы на коленях,
И в мыслях лишь тебя любя,
Девицы бойко в иступленьи,
Все ищут встречи у тебя!

Блистаешь гостем ты желанным
В салонах лучших всей страны.
Слывешь любовником коварным,
И другом первым сатаны!

Клевещут в зависти писаки,
О всём, что ты творишь герой.
А ты всё избегаешь драки
Красивый, умный, холостой.

Хвалу приемлешь равнодушно,
Не споришь с алчным подлецом.
На этот мир взираешь скучно,
И стать готовишься отцом.!

The Abyss and the Mood of the Warrior

In the books of Carlos Castaneda there is a famous story, when Carlos along with several other apprentices jumps down into a chasm located somewhere down the mountain with no parachutes or any other type of insurance. But he doesn't turn into tomato juice and neither do his mates. In fact Carlos emerges, after an unknown amount of time in his apartment in L.A. Hung over, dazed but alive and well....Only then does he realize that he had jumped into the abyss with several others. It takes him a long long time to come into grips with this, probably most irrational out of all irrational occurrences of his life. After all, no one he has heard of has been able to perform such a feat except for his own teacher and his team of practitioners.


In any case, the story is one of a kind in any kind of specialized literature, and from what I understand it has given headache to many a reader, no matter how educated or well-versed in metaphysical matters they were. "Has he really jumped? Was he dreaming when he jumped and then just woke up?" are some of the common questions asked by readers. I do not believe any one has been able to answer them to the fullest extent without confusing either themselves or others or both.


The jump is both literal and metaphorical and there are many times in our lives when we have to perform that jump. It could be something in a relationship, profession, or life in general where one does what Carlos has done, which is get all of his guts and wits together and just go for it, trusting into his or her training, and believing that it is gonna work. Of course it is much more than just believing, but let us remember that Carlos wasn't that old at the time, so there is no way that he could have believed as much as his older teachers, and that feeling actually shows in his writings....


While it is easier to look at the jump into the abyss as a purely metaphorical phenomenon, we have to remember that it wasn't meant as a metaphor. The training was directed with all its seriousness of a time-honored practice to learn how to disassemble and then reassemble perception at the time of the jump. The point of assemblage is supposed to move at that time to a different place, thus saving its bearer from human death. Then, it was suppose to reassemble itself in the place of the bearer's predilection  - for Carlos it was his apartment.


So, examining the event one may notice that the depth of the matter is somewhat like an abyss itself - the further you go, the more you feel as though your perception disassembles - there is no way to understand it, and that is a peculiar trend in many of Carlos's writings. The mood of the warrior that is required to make such jump, or to even read about it is essential now that we have grasped the depth of the issue. What is the mood of the warrior? It is first of all abandon. Warrior is able to act without thinking of a result, or consequences of his actions. The preparation is all that matters, but once you have to act you do so without thinking. Then it has to be sobriety, as acting in abandon the warrior needs to have all of his or her wits together, as in the end they are the only things he can rely on. Sobriety is also a sense of clarity about the issues. Determination - the unbending intent of the warrior is what gets him there, along that line he or she must persevere, i.e. continue along the chosen path despite of or thanks to the odds. Grace. When the unbending intent is in place, still an understanding of beauty, grace is needed as that will cushion any attempts of the unknowable to sabotage one's efforts, and will make the journey pleasant, enjoyable, rather than morose. Without that profound aesthetic pleasure there is no sense in warrior's life.




To summarize, the story about the jump into an abyss is unparalleled as a teaching device, or just as a story. Its scope is ungraspable, and its consequences are incalculable. It is as multilayered as the onion, or as the grandmother's cake and I have just taken it in a very general sense, to just prove how real it is!

Feng Shui of the Workspace

In this post I would like to share some of my thoughts on the art of Feng Shui as it is related to work space. Space suited for work.

Feng Shui literally means "clouds and water" and although there may be no clouds and no water in your work space there are elements pertinent to those related to air, water, as well as the earth, metal and wood, which is a classical Chinese perspective related to the 5 elements and the interchange and communication in the Tai Ji: the yin and the yang.


Taking that aside, one needs to feel comfortable and stable, depending on the course of the day as well as the call of the moment. What is the main element of your office, cubicle, or desk? I can hear voices yelling "Computer!" So place your computer in the spot where it creates a round corner, so the energy doesn't cut, but merges and flows. Here we can talk a little bit about energy, the chi as it is understood in the Chinese world view. The term itself came from "vapor" rising from cooked rice, and came to mean among other things: vitality, because the ruling element of vitality, the life force is like vapor that starts rising during the movement and circulating around the body. On a deeper level, and I can safely assume that the professional Feng Shui adepts were and are on the level where the understanding is that this vitality flows not only internally but also externally, and it is THAT, that we are trying to attract when we set the elements of the office space up a certain way. The space becomes the extension of the body, and you treat it just as such. Yes, that cactus in the corner is your body, it is your palm that you stretched out into that corner and made into a cactus.


Well, how about which direction to face? There are the four cardinal points and the 4 corners. Which one to choose depends, in a very strict sense on a level of comfortability. Try an easy exercise. Sit down in your chair with the straight back. Relax and close your eyes. Now slowly turn around the whole 360 degrees and try to feel something. A wisp of air, coldness or heat, emotional arousal or a depressed feeling. Really get in touch with what you are experiencing, and slow down there, keep rotating now stop at the most comfortable spot. What are your feelings? Are you excited, or may be not so much? Are you seeing any particular colors? Are you feeling magnetism, attraction towards that spot or the contrary? Try it several times.


So, after several tries you have located your "cornerstone" spot, now you have to start creating your space, so take a rock from your backyard, or somewhere and just place it in front of you. Look at it - what does the rock tell you? Does the rock want to be there? Wants to be moved? Is it a male or a female rock? Does it need a company? And so on....


This simple but profound beginning enlivens the space which comes alive with energy. Sometimes literally. If you are fully successful in this endeavor, you are definitely on the way to becoming your own master, and Feng Shui, that mysterious Oriental science and art is beginning to work. Of course things get more complicated with larger spaces, and those where there is a need for lots of furniture, but generally that feeling of beeing grounded and stable that is very familiar to chi gong and tai chi practitioners should be there at all times, assisting you on your way to becoming a better, perhaps more effective professional.




Feel the vitality! Enliven your Space!

With love,


Iggy.

Shamanism as the modus operandi in the relationships (part 2)

What are some of the problems facing relationships and how can the Shamanic, seemingly archaic worldview give a helping hand? Well, let's enumerate the problems and see if anything can be understood...


1) The 2 are from the different cultures, ethnicities, nationalities, races - view this situation as you would look at the two different fruits of a tree. In other words don't attempt to turn one thing into another, unless you are out performing a magical act, by which I mean that the change that you are envisioning in the other individual is so important and has to be so profound, that you are putting everything on the line to make it happen. It also helpful to understand how particular things are viewed from the perspective of that individual's culture? In other words, you must study in order to gain some solutions on the subject, but make it light as there is no reason to fully transform yourself into someone else's cultural type as even that may not be enough to satisfy anyone.




2) The 2 are from different financial backgrounds. As I understand, historically speaking it used to be a rarity that 2 people from different financial, (which also signified social) backgrounds would become united. I think that has changed a lot with the advance of the technological age - we can and do exist more or less side by side; buy pretty much same gadgets, eat from more or less same stores and even restaurants. However, there is no reason why the two people from different financial background shouldn't be able to make each other happy as long they can isolate themselves from the negativity, which may include opinions of people close to you, such as your close family and friends. An arranged marriage is not as common as it used to be, but it still exist as a convenient way for the older folks to resolve the younger people's issues. Look in paragraph #5.




3) Same financial backgrounds. A relationship involving 2 of the same strata, such as corporate professionals, or farmers or anyone else should be happy together by all means, but their problems may arise from the fact that they have different visions of progress together. One of them for example may crave a "better life" not knowing exactly what that entails, as for another one, he or she may feel comfortable with being where they are. In any case, the common solution requires lots of compromise and the unity of vision. If it really feels like you are spinning into different directions attempt to just stop talking, and sit together in silence for a while seeing if the answer may arrive. Spending time together THAT WAY is essential from the perspective of the shamanic path which values silence over words. I recommend having some common activities together. "Let's go out!" etc.




4) Sexual issues. Sometimes you hear, "we are not having it anymore", or "there is not enough happening.." and so on hinting at the fact that when people are together for sometime, the excitement of seeing and feeling each other is not the same. The fire is going out it may seem. Don't be swayed, and remember that success is sometimes is in not seeing each other, and not even missing each other, because those are all may be old lived out patterns. May be you don't have to miss each other? May be it is good that there is a little coldness - it has a potential turning into a fire. Looking deeper - sexuality is not only sex but it is much more varying with little things playing big roles sometimes. Ultimately, I guess growing old together is letting go of all the foolishness of the youth and yet remaining attracted to each other.




5) Parents. Parents usually dictate their children what to do and how to conduct their lives, out of sense of protection for their kids. However not all advices are good, because they are basically parents' projection of their own personal ideas, perhaps of a more happy life. The formula may not work twice, and it is a good idea sometimes to disassociate yourself from your parents and make all the crucial decisions yourself. Although it may be scary, shamanic path teaches us that fear is inevitable but not final, and once it is understood in all its morbid glamour and glory, the apprentice learns how to go with it, around it, or any other tactic. I think if the two are united with this intention, any barrier can be overcome. Maturity, stemming from this perspective is an ability to face adversity in good form. Detach yourselves, avoid the gossip and move forward in a principled manner.




6) Children. When the children come into the couple's life they are a happy hindrance. To nurture children and yet to have time for ourselves is a subtle balance, but it can be achieved if the couple is looking into deeper perspective of things and is not swayed by temporary happiness. Although it is important to feel good, and contend, it is also important to understand that even though we give birth to children, they are their own independent beings in essence, and soon or later they have to fly free. Allowing for that free flight comes easier in some cultures than the others. An old joke about the difference between the Jewish mom and a Rottweiler still holds true today (Rottweiler eventually let's go:). In Mexican culture children are on their own early on, you won't see a Mexican Mom being overly protective of her children, as there is a notion that children have to be on their own anyway. With attachment children learn how to be dependent. Being let go, they have to learn how to function. I believe it is essential for kids to be able to spend time outdoors and learn the survival value in Nature so when the time comes for their coming of age, they are fully aware of their role in comparison to the very tall trees, very small ants, and very ferocious predators.




7) Health. When the issues of health arise, healing becomes an essential priority and all prayers are directed to the Medicine Buddha, the Virgin Mary, or whichever deity your culture worships. But that may not be enough sometimes - actions have to be taken. Moral and spiritual support is important, and also choosing the right doctor. How do you know which doctor is right? A true doctor is a healer of the soul along with the body. She projects confidence and is kind with a streak of discipline that only she knows the source of. Without consciously realizing you believe such person and their plan of action in regards to you or your loved one. This intuitive knowledge is available to everyone, but some have it more keenly developed, and it pays off in the right way by directing you. Of course, we cannot sometimes expect for it to do everything for us, and in the dire times loss becomes inevitable, but we must make efforts to educate ourselves about the meaning of life and death. Whether we are transcendental or not is not my question to answer, but I do understand that life and death are intertwined every step of the way. That is why the Oriental medicine says things that sound strange to the Western mind, for example "too much joy is not good for the heart". This is the source of the saying - when you laugh, being grounded makes your laugh more valuable. And when you cry, the same will put a streak of transformative value into it to keep you afloat with the realization that even death is not as final of an act of Nature as we were made out to believe.


On the other hand, if everything is done to nurture robust health, why worry? What are some of the things that improve health? Eating right, exercise, spending time outdoors, and doing things simply for the hell of it, for pleasure are all those ingredients that make healthy and content individuals. With that society becomes better. More than anything else though, constant learning, keeping the powers of the mind alive and functioning in a sense of all-encompassing knowledge is what makes us healthy and powerful individuals. The mysteries of the Universe are here to be delved in and discovered, and they don't yield their secrets easily to no one, even the most talented ones. So keep running to the beat of the forest like the Sacred Stag of the Celts and may the powers recognize You!


With Love,
Iggy,

Shamanism as the modus operandi in the relationships (part 1)

First of all let's look at the shamanism itself, as the world view and a system of understanding. Shamanism is extremely complicated to the rational mind, as it deals not with our social selves, but rather with our primordial selves, those hidden underneath the layers of socialization, therefore it is much more long-lasting than anything that we are aware of on this planet. It has endured simply because like the nature itself it is self-contained and does not aim to impose itself on the others. It simply is. Shaman, as a conduit of such a worldview is generally a very pragmatic individual who is/was simultaneously a diviner, a healer, an advisor in personal and societal matters, but is viewed by the mainstream society as a somewhat of an eccentric, "he is in his own world". It helps for a shaman to be viewed that way as that space barrier helps him or her to conduct their affairs without unnecessary interference.

As for the "shamanic lifestyle" if I may use such term, it is definitely a journey, a macro model of a shamanic ritual, that involves self-induced trance states with the purpose of travelling to the Otherworld for whatever purpose - either healing, or getting an advice from the ancestors (totemic or human). Shamans have also been known to bring back to life otherwise seemingly dead individuals.


So, even though a shaman is a professional of his craft (a doctor, dancer etc.) there is one in each and every one of us - it is available to any of us for the simple reason that just like the nature itself, a shamanic path starts from the vision quest in which an individual separates herself from the society and sends out a message which may sound like this "I am not on your timeline - I am on the sacred timeline, therefore don't approach me as you would before".  Entering the sacred timeline, which I think is a term that Mircha Eliade used in his works is absolutely necessary, because one who is seeking knowledge has to create the sacred space around her, in which the ancestors must be met, the protectors invoked and found, and the priorities clarified. It is a very deep inner work, which is crowned by the newly initiated apprentice returning literally and figuratively back to where they have begun - their family, village, etc. However, during the time that the apprentice is wrapped in a cocoon of the initiation she is hardly approachable for many reasons - may be because physical locality has been changed, definitely spiritual though, and the individual sometimes becomes hardly recognizable. It may be a tough time for a family that can never be fully aware of what the individual is going through and where it may eventually lead. Meanwhile, the adept is going through an intense process of visionary search either by themselves or with a guide/s, who make sure that there is sense of direction, safety.


How is this useful in the relationships? Well, a relationship is a journey, a journey together, to use the shamanistic model of the World Tree - it has its ups downs, highs and lows, rock bottoms and havens. Sometimes a relationship may start on the higher branches of the tree, we are singing and immensely enjoying ourselves, but then all hell breaks lose and the lovers are sinking into an oblivion. Other times a journey begins not so well, the two are timid, fearful, but then slowly grow and gain strength together, until they fully realize each other's essences.  Other times the tree bears beautiful flowers that may even become fruits.
In any case, it doesn't seem to be a journey in a straight line, and a relationship that hasn't experienced the lower levels of the Tree can't claim growing strong roots, because just like in an individual shamanic path, the two have to go down there deeply and connect with what has been known as the "protectors" of the human kind. Spiritual energies that exist only in the astral realm: they may or may not be old or even ancient, and they may or may not be able to inhabit human, animal, or any other bodies through which they may send messages, give advices, and otherwise just be as an ever-present force, unseen to anyone but the shamans, who have a developed  inner vision.


Finding of a spiritual protector for a couple is a crucial step as it kind of surmounts the couple with a certain degree of awareness, light, which is very important in a relationship. Through this magnificent prism everything is filtered surely and finally, as there is nothing in the human understanding that can be greater. All in all, I need to disappoint you right now, my dear reader: our humanity is rather opaque, comparing to that great Unseen that exists in and beyond the realm of thought. If you take away our basic worries and desires - what is there? What is there?


Well, there is no one answer to this question. But I have to say that spiritual life is earthly, because it is here, on this great Earth that we build our mental worlds.




to be continued.....

Комментарии к посту: Дао в Поэзии. Борис Пастернак

В этом посте я объясню строки поэмы Бориса Пастернака  "Быть знаменитым некрасиво" в стиле комментария к классическому китайскому тексту, чтобы уважаемый читатель  смог соединить для себя мировозрение присущее Даоской традиции с этой поэмой, и может быть понял насколько близок Пастернак к "даoсскому идеалу" если так можно выразиться.

1)Быть знаменитым некрасиво.

Стремление к признанию, и её прямому результату знаменитости, отнимает вниманиe от созерцания Дао, тобишь Пути, или же Невидимого. Знаменитость годится для людей которые живут так сказать "во вне". Даосский Путь, он основан на созерцании внутреннего мира, и уже на основе этого раширения и роста. Внешний мир несколько иллюзорен, и поэтому даосский адепт ищет уединения, хотя бы на первых этапах практики.

2)Не это подымает ввысь.

Так как для Даосского Адепта точка соотношения находится в другом месте, он не стремиться возвыситься с точки зрения общества. Видя более широкую картину вещей и их отношений внутри он знает что "подымает ввысь" только дух. .

3)Не надо заводить архива,

Оставлять после себя записи о своих деяниях, мол "я сделал то то и то то, и принёс такую то и такую то пользу" тоже не имеет смысла для Даосского адепта - что за толк в словах если Дао всё равно ими невыразить (первая строка из Лао Цзы) ? "Архив" с точки зрения Даосского Пути это ненужная окаменелость.

4)Над рукописями трястись.

Опять же, зачем "трястись над рукописями"? То есть тратить время на то что неявляется действительно важным? Главный приоритет Даосского адепта это созерцание Дао, необозримого в своей сущности, это даёт истинное счастье и приводит к цели и завершению. Всё остальное второстепенно.

5)Цель творчества самоотдача,

Цель любого действия по сути глубоко укорененна в личный интересах, то есть она делает вам лучше. Любой созидательный процесс естественным образом возвышает, восполняя ваши душевные изыскания  - других итогов просто не может быть.

6)А не шумиха, не успех.

Возвращаясь к знаменитости и "шумихе". Даосскомо адепту не нужны рукоплескания и премии, потому что она самодостаточна тем что находится на Пути, величайшим из всех достижений. По-сравнению с таким достижением блекнут все аплодисменты.

7)Позорно ничего не знача,

После многих лет медитативных и т.д. практик ученик Даосского пути становится пустым, то есть свободным от каких бы то ни было личных побуждений или влияний. Для окружаещего мира такой человек отождествляется с некой бесполезностью, даже позорной в некоторых ситуациях. Такой человек ничего не значит: его трудно  заинтересовать политикой, любовными интригами, или финансовыми возможностями.

8)Быть притчей на устах у всех.

О таком человеке никто не говорит и даже не сплетничает - не интересно это.

9)Но надо жить без самозванства,

Тут автор делает такой крюк, что тоже характерно для Восточной литературы, в частности Даосской и Дзенской. Оказывается что даже с таким отсутствием эгоизма возможно усиление сильного желания утвердиться. Иногда оно настолько сильно что в человеке преобладает состояние которое я называю "синдром учителя". Нужно, абсолютно нужно быть признаным, уважаемым, со всеми присущим этой позиции бенефитами. Человек становится неким Лжедмитрием - и вид вроде правильный и имя тоже, но вот только сущность ещё не на месте. Должен Вам сказать что это одно из любимых мест застревания для любого свершившегося архата. И в этом нет на самом деле ничего плохого, только немножко попахивает некой неотёсанностью.

10)Так жить, что бы в конце концов


Показать определённое усилие, гонг фу, которое и приведёт к конечному результату. Гонг фу это время потраченое на совершествование какой то дисциплины. Так как речь идёт о Даосском гонг фу, тоесть внутренней культивации, то мы говорим о таких практиках как всевозможные виды цигуна, методы сексуальной культивации по одиночкe и в паре, а так же всевозможные виды медитативныx и боевых практик. Всё это зачастую обобщается под названием ней гонг.

 11) Привлечь к себе любовь пространства,


Заключительный этап практики это так называемое "сокрушение пустоты", или "полное единение с Дао". Безусловно, если всё делается правильно, то привлечена любовь пространства, то есть везде следует удача в целостном смысле этого слова; успех в работе и в личной жизни кажется не таким уж недостижимым. Хорошие добросердечные отношения являются прямым следствием повышенного осознания, и многиx лет отрешённой жизни. Любовь пространства, это любовь внутри, это роман со Вселенной.


12)Услышать будущего зов.


Кроме этого, появляется повышенное чувство интуиции, если не провидения, то хотя бы видения - не обязательно угадывать что произойёт, просто чувствуйте, и смотрите неким внутренним взглядом. Это заменяет кучу лишних действий. Как говорится в великой книге Дао Дэ Дзин, "Мудрец сидит дома  и видит весь мир".


13)И надо оставлять пробелы


Как и номер этой строчки "13", в Даосской нумерологии обозначает пробел, или ворота, в жизни неумолимо присутствуют пробелы между звуками, между событиями. Даос стремится найти через эти пробелы свободу и вылететь через них в общее пространство, где сны становятся реальностью, где неcбыточное становится сбыточным; где человек общается с богами.


14)В судьбе, а не среди бумаг,


В данном случае "бумаги" это всё что ни есть рутинное - всякие там процессы связанные с каждодневкой. Всё должно быть сделано чисто, чётко, пунктуально, и даже педантично: "без пробелов". Причина в том что философия очень часто выводит адепта на такой уровень где всё человеческое как бы становится неважным. От туда некая профессорская небрежность, даже неряшливость. Такой подход надо по возможности избегать, а то есть вероятность что небесный нектар превратится в смрад.


15)Места и главы жизни целой


Где мы были? Что мы делали в процессе своей жизни? Чему её посвятили? Какую книгу вы написали своими поступками?


16)Отчеркивая на полях.


На поля выносятся самые важные заметки, те на которые нужно обратить внимание. Какие бы события своей жизни вы бы вынесли на поля? Действительно ли они важны настолько насколько вы думаете? Кто принимал участие в данных событиях? Какой вклад эти люди внесли в вашу жизнь?






17)И окунаться в неизвестность,


Неизвестность это всё что находится вне известности, вне знаемого. Когда мы окунаемся в неизвестность мы рискуем, мы откpываем старые раны, но мы становимся на путь знания, мы входим в Тёмное Женское, или Мистические Ворота как оно красиво называется в Даосских писаниях. Для этого адепт опять и опять становится первоклассником, ничего незнающим ребёнком который опять должен изучать алфавит и внимать своим первым учителям. Для этого взрослому человеку требуется безмерная смелость.






18)И прятать в ней свои шаги,


У того кто ступает на этот путь заметаются следы, и след его в миру больше не виден, от туда один из эпитетов Будды "Как пришедший так и ушедший".




19)Как прячется в тумане местность,


Местность прячется в тумане естественным образом. Туман окутывает местность, и создаёт клобук невидимости вокруг неё. Смотря невооружённым взглядом местности как будто нет, это опасно, так как легко можно споткнутся, потеряться, и даже погибнуть. Требуется особая внимательность. В книге И Цзин (Книге Перемен) Это состояние определяется гексаграммой с 6ю оборванными линиями обозначающими пропасть.


20)Когда в ней не видать ни зги.


Как я уже сказал, "требуется особая аккуратность", но и бенефит тоже больше из за предпринятого риска. Напирмер, дух коммерции и купечества это дух бесстрашия - купцы всегда шли в те земли где ещё никто  из их племени не бывал . Конечно же не все из них возвращались, но те кто были достаточно удачливыми пользовались особыми привилегиями чуть ли не сверхлюдей - они получали уважение из за проявленного бесстрашия и привезённого знания а так же объектов роскоши.




21)Другие по живому следу


И вот след нашёлся и вы уже не в полном неведeнии. Вырисовывается местность которая уже не кажется такой страшной как при первом ознакомлении. Видны следы людей и животных а так же строений на горизонте. То что казалось неизвестным и мистическим становится всё более явным.


22)Пройдут твой путь за пядью пядь,


Вы выбираете след и идёте по нему веря что это правильный след, что он не оборвётся, и что он приведёт к хорошему месту. Требуется внимательность, но уже другого плана чем та которая нужна при полном тумане. Эта аллегория чем то напоминает отношения духовного учителя и ученика.




23)Но пораженья от победы


Идя по следу вы не знаете точно куда он приведёт, но смелость и вера вам всегда приходят на помощь и спасают дажет в самых невероятных ситуациях. Кто может знать что ждёт впереди: поражение или победа?


24)Ты сам не должен отличать.


Бесстрашие. Не зная что впереди продолжая путь с уверенностью взявшейся ни откуда. Борис Леонидович очень важно понял как важно, бесконечно важно оставлять в жизни элемент приключения - ведь по большему счёту никто действительно ничего не знает, ну может быть основываясь на опыте. Но что происходит до и после жизни вряд ли кто то знает.




25)И должен ни единой долькой


Усилия всем телом, всем серцем, всей душой а не "может быть", "наверное". Это часть того что называют единением сознания, тела и духа. "Ни единой долькой" - как прекрасно сказано, по-моему я не видел лучшей метафоры по отношению к нашему телу как созданию энергии.






26)Не отступаться от лица,


А вот и лицо: не форма носа, и не размер ушей, не цвет глаз, и не брови, а лицо духа, того который виден у людей в самых экстремальных ситуациях, и нет такой стратегии которая может это изменить. Не отступаться от лица значит сохранять правильную, безупречноправильную форму во всех случаях жизни, это вовсе не значит что с пеной у рта вам надо доказывать свою правоту, а то что как трава вы абсолютно укорененны в земле и растёте ввысь в независимости от каких либо внешних факторов.


27)Но быть живым, живым и только,


Таким образом после долгих лет практики "быть живым" становится единственным стоющим того приоритетом. "Быть живым" это культивация жизненной энергии ци. Это одновременно и очень легко и непомерно трудно, но без этого казалось бы простого условия жизнь невозможна. А счастливая и полноценная жизнь тем более.


28)Живым и только до конца.


И так, пока не приходит тот самый момент, зов бесконечности который нельзя уже не услышать не проигнорировать. Но потому что Даосский адепт всю свою сознательныю жизнь культивировал ци ему как то не до этого. Уж больно отрешённым он стал. Сидит всё и сидит с ровной как стелла спиной, седые длинные волосы украшающие его кристальный дворец. Он уходит, но на его лице играет мягкая улыбка - ведь он наконец то возвращается к Дао, домой.

The Worth of Help

If you look at how "compassion" is represented in different cultures around the world, you will see a benevolent mother, or an effeminate being that is looking at you benevolently, sometimes down, with open palms either in a certain hand positions (mudras) -  always ready to send those golden rays of kindness, love, and compassion. Yes, compassion is an act of love and kindness, and the Venerable Dalai Lama, a spiritual leader of Tibet is considered non-other, but the reincarnation of it, which can give one sense of how important is compassion in human history. I guess, too many times there wasn't enough of it, and people of the world have prayed, called out, out of the depth of their collective or personal miseries to the great benevolent being who can help, and many times who knows, she probably did.

However, where things get complicated is that if we look deeper upon a compassionate act performed by one human being towards the other, we generally see a very selfish motive - there is a personal interest involved in most cases. Even for a mother towards her children - it is her suffering and pain that is a result of children's mishaps. Charity can help the rich and influential to feel as though they are fulfilling their mission in tune with God's will, and alleviate a sense of sinfulness in those who carry guilt about having wealth. On the other hand, even a dollar given to a homeless person makes one feel good with a relief that the great Eye in a Sky has approved of their action, made it count.


Same people though, can be (and many times are) as brutal and harsh, and unforgiving as they are compassionate. This is  the other side of the same coin, just like the love and hate are. In other words kind, compassionate acts will not necessarily act as a protecting film from some of your other, less compassionate acts. To be truly and wholly compassionate, I have to argue, one also has to know the value of ruthlessness, i.e. being and acting from the center of their being without the thought of consequence for their action. Yes, to be truly compassionate one has to be a very rational being, see things "as they are" and then when all is well and clear, a compassionate act will have real power behind it because you are not thinking about it. It is not a rational act anymore.


Compassion doesn't have a face. It acts without asking. If there is a pain, compassion will move in to alleviate it. If there is suffering - compassion will move in to create a happy occasion. If there is a lack - compassion will be moved to create plentitude. And so on. But, if a compassionate act is performed out of a selfish motive - it stops being that and becomes a comfortable way to reassure oneself that they are capable, that all is well, that there is hope, etc. This is truly a human way, and there is no blame in it, since usually we are holding on to our various cultural traits, and tribal and social ways that don't teach us how to be truly compassionate. We all know that Lord Jesus was kind, and that his Mother was even kinder but somehow we expect that role to be fulfilled by the deites, as for ourselves, we are just too imperfect to ever consider a kind act that has a generosity and the swag of a deity. What could become such a gesture? Giving. Simple giving, but without thinking. Think it over before, in your spare time - then simply give. Even a small thing. Yes, there is light in that action. There is merit. There is personal satisfaction.
On the other hand, don't let anything sway you from that. If you have thought it over, and you feel like you are being pushed into giving, that this compromises what you really feel about the act - you have to be strong enough not to allow for that to take place. In other words you have to be in control of your resources, spiritual or otherwise and know what you feel and feel what you know about any such act.
This post is about bringing awareness to the acts of kindness, and I am sure that it will make a whole lot of difference to yourself and to the object of your next act. Let's practice that!

                               

Дао в Поэзии. Борис Пастернак

Быть знаменитым некрасиво.
Не это подымает ввысь.
Не надо заводить архива,
Над рукописями трястись.
Цель творчества самоотдача,
А не шумиха, не успех.
Позорно ничего не знача,
Быть притчей на устах у всех.
Но надо жить без самозванства,
Так жить, что бы в конце концов
Привлечь к себе любовь пространства,
Услышать будущего зов.
И надо оставлять пробелы
В судьбе, а не среди бумаг,
Места и главы жизни целой
Отчеркивая на полях.
И окунаться в неизвестность,
И прятать в ней свои шаги,
Как прячется в тумане местность,
Когда в ней не видать ни зги.
Другие по живому следу
Пройдут твой путь за пядью пядь,
Но пораженья от победы
Ты сам не должен отличать.
И должен ни единой долькой
Не отступаться от лица,
Но быть живым, живым и только,
Живым и только до конца.




Очень милый стих. Набрёл на него случайно. Чем то он мне напоминает Даосских поэтов не требующих, как трава и камни признания.

Interplay of Energy in Communication with Other People

People are infinitely more complex than what we are used to in our daily education stemming from the highly controlled filtered environment of schools, our parents and peers. We don't get much from those institutions in terms of the real juice, real knowledge. We generally get some bits and pieces here and there that grow into a network of behavioral patterns. It is mostly conflict as we generally are not being taught principles of communication, although in some cultures that may not be exactly so. But in Western it is.


For example, "be polite" is a lived out phrase, as politeness is in a deep respect of the other person's inner nature, which is that, ultimately, of a luminous being. That is why the Indian "Namaste" refers to the greeting of the deity within. We generally just don't have time to figure these things out in this very busy life. But we can try at least....


As beings of energy we are infinitely more complex, we are not bound by patterns, and even socialization. In other words, since everything is in the state of a constant movement, flux (for the seer), even the "dead" matter is moving, albeit at slower rates. The communication are waves of energy being projected back and forth, they intertwine sometimes uniting people and bringing them closer, other times they are repelling, distancing, many create seemingly insurmountable barriers, hardly reachable. Waves upon waves upon waves, energy projecting energy. How does one deal with this sort of complexity in the daily life. It is not an easy question to answer as being aware of constant change is an art form, something that can be trained. Also, vision of this sort can be trained by letting go of patterns and habits. On a simple level, if you bang yourself on the wall, it is perhaps better not to try to bash through it.


In the work place, this is being signified by a certain rigidity of behavior, as there is a code to follow. However, mindlessly following such code leads not only to rigidity, but also to a loss of stature, as nobody is that perfect. So one must consider that there is a constant interplay of will that becomes the energy being projected outwardly. Just look at some of the Alex Grey paintings and you will see exactly what I am talking about.


So perhaps your co-worker is on the different wavelength. She is trying to achieve something that you don't perhaps understand. You can listen to her, and then respond properly, without trying to sound brash. In the case that she insists, perhaps that's the time to be more savvy, and have a tactic of how to avoid an unnecessary interference. Create a schedule, and have her follow an appointed time. Explain to her how important that is for your both success. If you need to avoid unnecessary contacts - just avoid them without having to have an excuse. Remember your priorities.


Study yourself in every way and know your emotional capacities. What you are capable of, and where the limits of your capabilities are being stretched - this is also the way of energy. The closer you come to seeing its flow, the less there should be a need for conflict, i.e. clash of interest as a resolving force. If you rely on the others to do that work for you, that may never come along, simply because there ain't no one that can be as interested in that as you. It is in your own interest to have your schedule strictly delineated in terms of what kind of influences are needed and what kind are not. Think about it, and you will see that just the fact that there is a lot of communication, does not necessarily mean that it is all needed to be there. Some of it must be dropped, other nurtured, and some new perhaps have to come into life. However, if you are starving for communication you won't see that difference, as if you a starving in anything - it all goes. All food, all people, it's all just seems like a gain. For someone who can discern the difference - things are different and some are preferable, while others are not. Take up the challenge - enter the world of energy and see for yourself.

Corporate image: how tough are you, really?

I was prompted to write this post, because as a  company man, which I have been for the last 10 something years. I have been able to observe the modalities of behavior on the company floor, in the office space and all around it. Being located in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan gives me a great chance to look and observe what people are made of, what they think they are made of, and various attributes of their personalities that come to define the ultimate goal of the workplace - total success symbolized by a promotion, a movement upwards.


These are indeed the goals to be achieved, and I can't claim success in that respect, as I have pretty much stayed put in my job. But I have watched others on their way up, and I have noticed that people moving up inevitably develop a new ego - they start dressing differently, have a different look in their eyes, they find new friends and generally start to associate with other people. Their tone of the voice - changes. Indeed, it seems like you are talking to a whole new persona.


Of course, if you are the one promoted, these changes seem all the more natural as you are immersed in your victory, you are a star of the show, at least for that day. You are not thinking for the challenges to come and it is all just one big party, just as when you were a child.




However, the challenge presented is this: if an upward movement breeds greedier employees, more ignorant personalities, and greater negligence of all things that came to be associated with humanity, how good is that for the individuals? Furthermore, how good is that for the company?


I mean even from a bit of history that we have learned in school we know that the greater the station, the greater is the responsibility of a true ruler to be in touch with what is going on his realm. During the younger years the blue bloods had to be treated "as everyone else" - sleep and eat with the soldiers, acquire all the necessary skills for survival, taste the bitterness of an outdoor life on a campaign, etc. etc. When that was accomplished, a newly trained ruler would acquire the necessary bent of character to be real, i.e. to be human, to understand others, thus having capacity to make proper decisions, on which the lives of many will be relying. This is how elite was really nurtured from the immemorial time on.


Looking at many company employees, I sense that they haven't read any history, or if they did - probably haven't extracted any lessons. It seems like they are doing just the opposite: they are surging up with no moral underpinning at all - the only point is self-recognition as a part of a newly found elite. So the higher they climb, the less contact there is even for the most talented with the foundation within the company. Along side, the one surging up is struggling to completely forget what has happened to him during his years as "a commoner", and indeed the vacant look on their faces is a proof that they have reached the Elysian Fields, they are not human no more, but gods, separated from the ground by the clouds; hidden from the human eyes at their managerial Olympus.


While the tone is someone sardonic, I do urge people to get down and look around themselves, get real with where you really are! A higher position can serve as an instrument of greater humility, and greater benevolence. Not required, but very useful to look at things through a humbler prism.


Just moving up and feeling like you are a ruler of the world may not last for very long, and may cause a long term suffering from the glorious inebriation. Stumbling even a half step down may feel like a tragedy, since you already have a conviction of your separation from the ground upon which you stand.


There are many tough facades in the corporate work place, but no matter what position you occupy, you can still fulfill your managerial functions without being overly proud, unreachably snobbish, or simply dumbly narcisstic.


I think the change is going to come when self assertion is going to be separated from the pride. When the intelligence is going to join hands with vision, and when people simply realize how great it is to grow and feel like a flower in the morning sun, thus sharing their radiance with all around, enriching the company space, and the others, indeed being a true "co-worker".