Happy 80th October 30, 2008
Posted by Geoffrey Wilson in : Meditations , add a commentRecently, my father celebrated his 80th birthday. I had the good fortune to hang out with him on the grand occasion. Below is my account of it. What was especially enjoyable for me was watching how the old man conducted himself while his tribe did what they did to please him. There is certainly much to be said for growing old with dignity!
‘And so here we are gathered
To witness attainment
The conflict of time
Now disengaged
Four score years and the message is clear
That truly love really is all you need
At this tender juncture
Ambition has ceased
And the demons of sorrow
Have all been released
They fly in the face
Of our desperate attempts
To make peace with the past
To acknowledge the present
Yet something else stirs
Within and without
The lucidity of sages
The uncertainty of doubt
When fear drowns in the ocean
Of mercy and love
The glow of the heart
Is Spirit’s covenant
The old warhorse sits
At the table to eat
Images flash across his screen
He sees their suffering
He knows their pain
He feels their anguish
He smells the rain
Wherever he goes
Whenever he tries
Whatever the challenge
Despite the disguise
He breathes
And as he relaxes
They enjoy his peace’
On Reading People October 22, 2008
Posted by Geoffrey Wilson in : Articles, Personal Freedom , add a commentReading people is not as difficult as it may seem. And it could come in handy! Who knows? You might just be the one to orchestrate a winning strategy because you were able to accurately evaluate the mentalities of those around you.
And on that note, imagine sharpening your awareness so finely that you were able to see into the core nature of people and things at a glance. As if you could see it all – equipped with a crystal ball and highly developed powers of observation.
In China several thousands of years ago, the King of Huainan invited a number of sages to his court in an effort to compile a comprehensive body of teachings on life. The plan was ambitious but not without a chance for success. And the King as an established patron of the arts intended the auspicious gathering of the wise to serve as a model on how to live in society harmoniously.
Happily, the result was the erudite collection of sayings known as the ‘Huainanzi’ – the teachings of the Masters of Huainan. No doubt the King thereafter felt as if he had the good fortune of looking at life through a crystal ball!
From a layperson’s perspective, the most striking features of the ‘Huinanzi’ seem to focus on the sages’ abilities to see directly into the heart of the human condition. With chapters on society, peace, war, and government, the authors speak with a lucidity that only the wise can muster. In one famous passage they also seamlessly evaluate people in terms of status and intention. Some examples of their prowess follow.
On High Status
In evaluating people who hold positions of high status, carefully observe what they promote. In observing what they promote you will know their genuineness.
The key here is in the observation of promotion. I once knew of a respected chief administrator who consistently used all the right words at just the right pitch to deliver his message with plenty of passion.
Unfortunately, as believable as his message happened to be, the actions of those he represented didn’t match his words. In other words, his position of status afforded him the luxury of posturing without substance.
On Giving
In evaluating the wealthy, observe what they are prepared to give. In watching what they are prepared to give, you will know their parsimony.
Most wealthy people become wealthy and stay wealthy because they have learned how to keep their hands on the dough once they have it. We have all heard of the famous Dickens character Scrooge. He kept it all too himself and earned a reputation as a miser. Then there are some who give it away freely. The key to this evaluation is on the quality of the giving rather than the amount of it.
After all is said and done, giving to charities is one thing when you have plenty stashed away and it looks good on the books. But there is another kind of giving. It is often measured in terms of time and energy.
On the Poor
In evaluating the poor, observe what they refuse to accept. In watching what they refuse to accept, you will know their pride.
Pride is one of the seven deadly sins for good reason. Not only does it defy logic but it also gets in the way of taking the next step – in terms of growth. Football teams have their pride to contend with, as do all those who are in competition with one another. We expect that from our sporting heroes. In the real world however sadly, pride does go before a fall because strengthening of the ego cripples common sense.
In Oriental philosophy, pride is often associated with arrogance. There is a Yin type and a Yang type. Yin arrogance belongs to the one who believes that the world owes them a living! They suffer silently but cannot mask their discontent. Yang arrogance on the other hand is more up front and in your face. The prevailing belief is that it is one’s birthright to belligerently uphold an opinion and shout about it!
The bottom line is that pride erodes any relationship to humility that one may have. The latter is essential for personal growth. The former precludes it!
On Resentment
In evaluating people who are of low status, observe what they refuse to do. In watching what they refuse to do, you will know their resentment.
People will only refuse to do something if they think it is beneath them! This means that there is an existing inferiority complex. A man or woman of humility will not hesitate to do the dirty work if called upon.
This is because there is no regard for either superiority or inferiority. It is all the same for this person.
Refusal to do the work however is a by-product of resentment – especially concerning those of low status. People accumulate resentment when they think they’ve been hard done by. So resentment is a justice issue as much as it has to do with being a victim of the system. The bottom line is that resentment is the brewing of unresolved emotional issues that have festered in the swimming pool of the family dynamic.
On Greed
In evaluating the greedy, observe what they will not take. In watching what they will not take, you will know the quality of their satisfaction.
Greedy people usually take anything and everything they can get their hands on. So it’s interesting to see them leave something alone. This will only happen when they have enough of course. So we know they must have quite a bit stored away! Observation of the greedy also indicates much about personal values.
On Self-Restraint
In seeing people change difficulties, you will know their courage. Entice people with the promise of joy and happiness and you will see their capacity for self-restraint.
Those lacking in self-restraint are prone to excesses of one kind or another. Usually this revolves around the endless pursuit of desire. Yet few realise that those who are incapable of restraint can never be truly happy. In other words, indulgences stretch the boundaries of balanced behaviour and lead to extreme shifts between sanity and neurosis.
Moreover, desire is an endless pit and the consequences of chasing after it are rarely considered. This is predominantly why ‘The Secret’ was such a runaway success. When people get a sniff of something that can lead to the fulfilment of their wildest dreams they will jump at the chance to do something about it regardless of the consequences.
So we know that self-restraint and the working off of karma have something in common. Though it is true that every desire must eventually be realised, the cultivation of understanding can sometimes knock a few unnecessary desires off the list and in so doing, bolster spiritual economy.
On Humanity
Entrust people with goods and money and you will see their humanity.
When people are in the throes of feathering their own nest though not accustomed to doing so, they invariably become self-obsessed and lose sight of others. Humane people on the other hand, always look out for those less fortunate than they are.
This premise is really about the acceptance of responsibility. To what extent are we responsible for each other? In the grand scheme of things personal autonomy is one of the higher spiritual goals. You are not responsible for me in the sense that I must cleanup after myself. And vice-versa.
That being said however, am I able to respond to your plight (whatever it is) with compassion? This doesn’t mean I am obligated to do your dirty work but in the same breath I am responsible for helping you to learn about personal autonomy.
On Discipline
Shake people with fear and you will know their discipline.
It takes tremendous discipline to overcome fear. To begin with, one must dispense with indulging in disturbances of one kind or another. Then one must pay attention to everything that is happening with enormous sensitivity.
The current economic rollercoaster is a case in point. The fear of losing everything (if one has investments) or never recovering (if one is dependent for anything on those who are players in the market) can only be overcome by limiting desire and consolidating one’s position through cutting down on spending.
To put it another way, fear drives people to accumulate. When things go awry, there is panic. Don’t worry about accumulation and focus on the day-to-day.
In Summary
How many people do you know that fit into any of the categories outlined? There are probably a few. Make an effort to apply something that you’ve learned today. Observe what others promote. Watch what they give. See what they refuse to do. Assess what they resent. How do your values rate in terms of the greedy? Do you possess any self-restraint? Would others call you humane? And are you an accumulator?
In fairness to those sages who spent time and energy putting together a book to harmoniously live by, we might do well to pay more attention to our observational habits. Reading people is not difficult. And it does get easier with practice.
Sexual Excesses October 15, 2008
Posted by Geoffrey Wilson in : Wisdom Notes , 1 comment so farEkiken once said that before reaching the age of 50 the vital energy is unstable. He was right of course but those under the age of 50 may not quite appreciate the wisdom implied by his observation. So what did he actually mean?
Ekiken was talking about the preoccupation those under the age of 50 have with sex and the problems associated with lust. Young men in their 20s, for example, can think of nothing else for the most part. The welling of the vital energy within (the feeling commonly linked to the desire for sex) is an uncomfortable but nonetheless urgent sensation that can only be relieved through sex (or so many think). The more the merrier – most will in fact jump for joy and then shout about the delights of their adventures.
Unfortunately, the thinking behind ‘the more the merrier’ philosophy is delusional and destined to invite energy deficiencies of the kidney predominantly. In other words, long ago it was established by the ancients that sexual excesses lead to depletion and compromise longevity.
According to Oriental Medicine, when the energy of the kidney and the vital energy in particular (stored in the kidney) becomes depleted, general stability is compromised because of the connection shared between the vital energy, the mind, and the body.
Instability can be measured in many different ways but basically it is recognisable as wavering determination, distracted focus, lack of consistency, and fundamental insecurity. These all ride on the back of fear and cannot engender the kind of foundation that is necessary for the cultivation of real spiritual growth.
You don’t have to be celibate but it helps if the energy is used appropriately.
Reading the Obituary October 12, 2008
Posted by Geoffrey Wilson in : Meditations , add a commentRecently I confessed to someone that I frequently check out the obituaries in the newspaper. Somewhat curious, the listener asked why.
So I explained.
‘There’s nothing quite like seeing someone’s life spread out in front of you in black and white,’ I said.
‘It’s as if you are assessing the relative merits of this person’s search to find meaning in life. It includes the successes and the failures, the highlights and the low-lights, the quality of the vision, the clarity of the thinking, the urgency of manifestation, the sensibilities, the drive.’
A lifetime doesn’t really last for very long. It ends as quickly as it begins. It is like a bubble. A blink of the eye. And there is so much to learn and understand. When you look at the evidence before you in the obituary, this person’s attempt to reach an understanding of life, you look for the hints of intelligence, the connection to Spirit, the extent to which this person has actually grasped something of life, embodied it and surrendered to the will of the divine.
Occasionally, someone’s life turns out to be quite remarkable. In these instances it seems apparent that destiny demanded a forthright response to the challenge of living and got what it asked for. After all, in reality there are no children of a lesser God! The working off of karma is a big deal and everyone has to play the game.
The Wisdom of Margaret Olley October 1, 2008
Posted by Geoffrey Wilson in : Wisdom Notes , add a commentThe picture of famous Australian painter Margaret Olley appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald yesterday in a column titled ‘Money Talks’. She had just handed over a cheque for $1 million to help fund the acquisition of an original Cezanne for her beloved Art Gallery of NSW.
She was also asked some big questions and her answers were mystically striking as much as they were refreshing. In reference to being asked her biggest regret in life, she said she had none.
‘Regrets are a waste of time!’
But there was more to come. This reader was particularly taken by the credo of her personal philosophy.
‘I don’t understand the current obsession with the “me” and the “I”,’ she said.
‘The best way to exist is to forget about yourself and just get on with it.’
One supposes she meant forgetting the self – in much the same way as the Buddhists would say feelings should be forgotten because they are an impediment to understanding reality.
And as Chuang Chou once said several thousands of years ago, ‘What I am calling feelings are judgments about right and wrong.’
Anyway, Margaret Olley hit the nail on the head! She is absolutely right. The best way to exist is indeed to forget about yourself. And once the delusions created out of self-importance are dissolved, one can then put one’s attention to more important matters.
Margaret also recommends the philosophy of giving back. ‘The world would be a much better place,’ she urged, ‘If (retirees) were encouraged to give back a little bit of their knowledge to society.’
They would love to no doubt. Unfortunately, there does not exist the appropriate platform. We seem to be more interested in other things. And there would be few who didn’t know that we tend to pump for the pomp of the young and the restless!
We certainly have a bit to learn, don’t we?