JAMBO's Jumbo Jumble

This blog focuses on putting spirituality into action, and is based on the book JUMBO JUMBLE (https://store.bookbaby.com/book/jumbo-jumble1) and the ideals of Jambo International Inc. (jambo.ngo) Each blog entry includes: JR - the author’s reflection of the writings in the book  PP - a personal question for the reader  PA - My own personal answer (not included in the book) to the question

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MAY BLOG

Illustration by Miki Howenstein

Optimal balance creates a wonderful environment.

May 12 (in the book “Jumbo Jumble”)

Ever since the French Revolution, people throughout the world have gradually come to see both equality and individual freedom as fundamental values. Yet the two values contradict each other. Equality can be ensured only by curtailing the freedoms of those who are better off. Guaranteeing that every individual will be free to do as he wishes inevitably short-changes equality. The entire political history of the world since 1789 can be seen as a series of attempts to reconcile this contradiction. (Harari, Yuval Noah. Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers, 2015, p 164)

JR: It is easy to talk about universal values while ignoring the fact that, surely, each one clashes with certain others. Revolution  is frequently an attack against extremely corrupt systems, and the universal values hold great appeal to and hope for the masses. In the process, they easily become idealized. Yet, as history bears witness to all too often, another corrupt system arises from the ashes of the previous one UNLESS the women and men who take control after the revolution lead lives of great integrity and transparency in their efforts to harmonize conflicting ideals.

PP: Reflect on how the individuality vs. equality conflict is enacted in your own life. Do you feel this is well-balanced?

PA: I’m often conflicted by this dilemma in my own everyday life. On the one hand, I wish for equality for all (that is, that everyone be treated equally and be paid equally for the same job). At the same time, my “right” to be me (individuality) and the good fortune of having many advantages (a good education, a safe, well-off upbringing, etc) have influenced me to prosper much more than others who have worked harder but have been raised in less fortunate circumstances. While this state of affairs may not be my fault, I am responsible for trying to change it (for example, through supporting groups trying to make a more equitable system so more and more are brought up with similar advantages as I had). So by giving and being a part of such causes, I hope for my life to become more well-balanced.

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APRIL BLOG

 Illustration by Miki Howenstein

No question where the impact is here

April 15 (in the book “Jumbo Jumble”)

The dynamics for principles of classic nonviolence are the same: the consciousness-raising impact of the “new” force, the way non-violent resisters mobilize that force by refusing to identify the humanity of the individual aggressor with his intention (the sin is not the sinner), and finally the dramatic declaration that success is primarily spiritual and long-term rather than visible and immediate. These are all familiar landmarks of nonviolence, and each of these principles has been known to work. (Nagler, Michael N. Is There No Other Way?: The Search for a Nonviolent Future. Berkeley, CA: Berkeley Hills Books, 2001, p 249-50)

JR: Nature has no problem creating an impact with its multitude of colors, shapes and unique living characters which it is constantly molding and re-configuring. IF WE ONLY STOP TO TAKE NOTICE. Nonviolence, too, is most effective when people notice, which they do when the action is uniquely carried out and makes people feel a sense of “the divine made earthly.”

PP: Commit a nonviolent act (or a random act of kindness) that will leave a deep impression on someone.

PA: One of the beauties of living in Japan is the custom of gift-giving. When someone travels, they bring back things (often food) to give to family, co-workers, classmates, etc. As a teacher, I am fortunate to receive goodies from all over the world because of the ingrained “acts of kindness” which Japanese society promotes.

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MARCH BLOG

Illustration by Miki Howenstein

It can feel lonely being different.

March 21 (in the book “Jumbo Jumble”)

When you face differences with people of other faiths that present challenges to both of you, and your emotions intensify, remember to ask yourself this key question: “What does it feel like to be the other?” (Don Mackenzie, Ted Falcon, and Jamal Rahman, Getting to the Heart of Interfaith: The Eye-opening, Hope-filled Friendship of a Pastor, a Rabbi & a Sheikh (Woodstock, VT: SkyLight Paths Pub., 2009 (Kindle Edition), 133.)

JR: When you get caught up in feelings of intense frustration or anger, it becomes impossible to see the perceived cause of this feeling objectively. To step back and try to view the situation from the other’s perspective may be the most difficult, but most rewarding, thing you can do. This is because, when you do so, your rage is subdued and you can relate to him as a feeling human being rather than as an evil enemy.

PP: Who do you most despise? Put yourself in his shoes and try to understand why he acts and talks as he does.

PA: I have found that even coming to understand why a despised person (like Hitler) does (did) what he does (did) doesn’t make me despise him any less. I hope to develop the spiritual acumen to be able to truly love all; yet find myself unable to do so with people who carry out such acts of cruelty, whatever their reason may be. At the same time, putting myself in his shoes leads to some understanding which at least ignites a spark of compassion for what I see as a beleaguered soul. 

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FEBRUARY BLOG

 Illustration by Miki Howenstein

Miracle build upon miracles—How can you miss it?

February 3 (in the book “Jumbo Jumble”)

My question for you is “How can you not believe in miracles when nature is pulling off one after another endlessly?”  Look at the lowly crab, who grows out of its home (shell) only to construct one by itself again. Or the often despised spider, who spins a web, the threads which are stronger than steel (weight for weight). Bees that can navigate without maps. Termite towers (of mud) which keep a steady temperature. Those ugly, furry worms (caterpillars), which build a cocoon to emerge as beautiful butterflies. And, most mysterious of all, green immobile life (plants) which grows from “non-life” (water and soil), and makes food from “non-matter” (sunlight). I myself don’t believe anyone could write a fictional book with more surprises. (David Howenstein, “Seeing the Miracles,” Jambo International, April 2013, http://jambointernational.org/en/2013/04/10/3593/)

JR: Amazing things are happening around us all of the time, many beyond our perception. The wonders mentioned in this passage can be seen and, when paid attention to, greatly appreciated. But how about the millions of microorganisms in the soil that make it alive? Or the electric waves which power modern society? How mind-boggling when you take the time to think about it!

PP: Breath is sometimes equated with spirit. Hold your breath and imagine no longer being able to breathe. Then, take a few deep breaths and feel the spirit surging through you. Yet another miracle, which we usually take for granted.

PA: Gifting yourself with such treasures (like the appreciation of breath) instills your life with simple pleasures. I’ve also observed that those who habitually do shallow breathing tend to be more stressed or ill at ease, while those who naturally have deeper breathing are more likely to be relaxed and healthy. Especially when feeling angry or stressed, I find it beneficial to practice deep breathing to gain (however small) some sense of serenity.

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JANUARY BLOG

 Illustration by Miki Howenstein

Tis much more important to introspect and look within than to stare at me!

January 4 (in the book “Jumbo Jumble”)

Mullah was out in the street on his hands and knees, looking for something and a friend came up and said, "Mullah, what are you looking for?”

And Mullah said, "I lost my key.”

"Oh, Mullah, that's terrible, I'll help you find it."  So he got on his hands and knees, then said, "Mullah, about where did you lose it?”

Mullah said, "I lost it in my house."

"Then what are you looking out here for?"

He said, "Because there's more light here."

You know, that's hilarious, but that's what we do with our lives!  We believe that everything there is to find is out there in the light where it's easy to find, when the only answers for you are in you! (Leo F. Buscallia, and Steven Short, LIVING, LOVING & LEARNING (New York: Fawcett Columbine,1983 (Reissue Edition)), 70.)

JR: There have been many spiritual guides throughout human history, helping us in finding our way. However, all too often, we focus only on the guide, failing to consider who we are and what we need, to the detriment of our own development. External guides are helpful, but they are not living inside of you. Following them thoughtlessly cannot be as fruitful as seeking out and following your inner guide.

PP: What lies in the dark recesses of your soul? What “goodness” have you lost and how can you bring it back into the light?

PA: I used to think that I had to always find ways of giving, volunteering, helping others, even if I really didn’t want to. And I downplayed that which I was best at—in short, being a goofball that makes other people laugh. I hadn’t placed much importance on that, but find that I’m happiest when I do so, and others also appreciate it. In an often weary world, this has proved to be a treasured gift.

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DECEMBER BLOG

 Illustration by Miki Howenstein

 Blessed are those who shape their own paths.

 December 15 (in the book “Jumbo Jumble”)

Only one serious difference does exist from city to suburb, and at times (within one city) from one district to the next: The children of those who are already literate, enfranchised, and empowered learn the exercise of power. The children of those who are not literate, who have been disenfranchised and remain excluded from the exercise of power, learn to accommodate themselves to impotence and to capitulation. Those who are privileged achieve the competence with which to shape the future. Those who are not acquire an attitude of civilized accommodation which will allow them to fit into slots that are provided for them in that future—or else to remain excluded from the future altogether. (Jonathan Kozol, Illiterate America (Garden City, NY: Anchor Press/Doubleday, 1985), 76)

JR: Imagine if you couldn’t read. You could enjoy the pictures and drawings of this book but that’s about it. Your whole life would be limited and you would be faced with far fewer job possibilities, driving restrictions, failure to understand the instructions to your new gadgets, and so on. How could you help but to feel separated from society and disempowered. If empowerment is the way towards providing hope, literacy is a necessary part of the process.

PP: Could you offer your time to teach an illiterate person or group of people? If you can’t, or don’t know any such individual personally, how about supporting organizations that are empowering people through teaching literacy?

PA: This ability to read is something most of us take for granted, and what a gift it is—allowing us to explore an infinitude of worlds while exercising our imaginations. Living in Japan where there is little illiteracy, I get excited by supporting Room to Read and hearing the stories of how lives are changed when people learn to read. By teaching others yourself or offering funds to help others learn to read, you are a catalyst, casting the light of new worlds (and words) to those in the dark. 

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NOVEMBER BLOG

 Illustration by Miki Howenstein

Feed the soul

November 17 (in the book “Jumbo Jumble”)

You cannot imagine how important action is to the inner life. The interior joy we feel when we have done a good deed, when we feel we have been needed somewhere and have lent a helping hand, is the nourishment the soul requires. Without those times when man feels himself to be part of the spiritual world through his actions, his soul decays. (Albert Schweitzer, Reverence for Life (New York: Irvington Publishers, 1993 (Second Irvington Printing)), 81)

JR: Meditation and reflection on becoming a better person are food for your inner world—the soul. And the outside world provides the environment where the benefits attained from your reflections can be planted through action, thus according a concrete mechanism for the seeds of your meditation to grow and bear fruit. Without such action, the seeds remain fallow, and the acquired treasures remain hidden and of little value.

PP: What action would best embody the benefits you have gained through your personal reflections?

PA: Getting groups of people out regularly to enjoy the natural environment is the action that most embodies the benefits I’ve gained. Hopefully, it makes people value and respect nature more and, in turn, encourages them to do more to preserve it. Also, talking with everyone in the group and especially trying to bring those who have trouble fitting in, I hope that it helps all of us see the importance of treasuring each and every person who comes into our lives.

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OCTOBER BLOG

   Illustration by Miki Howenstein

 Nature is forever designing new models.

October 10 (in the book “Jumbo Jumble”)

1) “You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.” (Buckminster Fuller Quote)

2) The real job to be done is not to resolve the point of conflict but to change the paradigm that led to the conflict in the first place. (Covey, The 3rd Alternative, 66)

JR: While it is important to fight against the unjust practices in society, it is all the more important to provide alternatives—concrete new models and new paradigms—which reflect an enlightened way of thinking to honor all of life. Without showing a hopeful road to the future, and making efforts to put it into practice here and now, our efforts to resist and change the wrongful ways of today will simply lead to a sense of futility and burnout. 

PP: There are numerous creative, new models of living sustainably and with hope. Find one that appeals to you and learn more about it.

PA: For me, finding new ways to invest my money meaningfully is of great importance. Being financially conservative and getting older, I search out safer investments (in addition to the socially responsible mutual funds and bonds I have). Two of my favorites are CNote (which supports mainly poorer women and minorities starting their own businesses) and RSF (Rudolph Steiner Foundation) Social Finance, which supports people involved in permaculture. For the safest FDIC banks, Amalgamated Bank (making environmental loans) and Clean Energy Credit Union (loaning for clean energy businesses/installation) are good. And all of them pay a basic interest rate (less than riskier investments but you know your money is being used for what you believe in).

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SEPTEMBER BLOG

Illustration by Miki Howenstein

Really a bummer to feel so disconnected

September 19 (in the book “Jumbo Jumble”)

The problem is spiritual. We've lost a basic connection within ourselves. And, because of that, we cannot find our spiritual link to the natural world.

We who are alive today are the people who will determine the future of humanity. We are the ones who must goad the human race to squirm out of an obsolete cocoon of mindless consumerism and metamorphose into something more beautiful, and benign.

Spiritual balance is our natural state. Humans are capable of incredible beauty. We have the capacity to be the Earth's keepers, and to live together on this planet wisely, fairly, and with foresight. (Joseph C. Jenkins, Balance Point: Searching for a Spiritual Missing Link (Grove City, PA: Jenkins Pub., 2000), 272.)

JR: Unlike the other living organisms on Earth which are completely connected with their natural environment (except for those that have been domesticated or captured by humans), we have a choice to connect or disconnect. In choosing to increase our connection to nature, we establish a balance in our lives that “naturally” sets up limits to our desires and establishes a better-integrated spirit that becomes capable of living joyfully and sustainably with the rest of creation (rather than wantonly destroying it, which happens when we become separated).

PP: Make a conscious choice to connect more strongly with nature by developing a simple daily habit that brings you closer to nature.

PA: With my monkey mind and being most interested in big ideas (unfortunately, most often things which I am either too lazy or too unqualified to carry out), it difficult to focus regularly on one simple daily habit to bring me closer to nature. When I have some plants/flowers on the balcony, I do take time to appreciate them and let them soothe my soul, and find the more often I do so, the better I feel. Consciously cultivating even this one simple habit in the morning can help to start the day off on a positive note.

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AUGUST BLOG

Illustration by Miki Howenstein

We all get lost at times.

August 3 (in the book “Jumbo Jumble”)

Imperatives to spend in consumer society are numerous, and the incentives to save are weak. But something else unique to the work-and-spend dynamic is that rising incomes create social pressures to spend. A more leisured, lower-spending lifestyle does not emerge. Instead, people get more money and put in long hours on the job. As long as a few fashion-minded or highly consumerist households take on the role of innovators, spending their increased income on new, better, or more consumer items, the impact of their consumption ripples through the system. 

JR: Think about this. The more you make, the more you spend. Most of us hang out with people in the same income bracket and feel peer-pressured to keep up with them purchase-wise. We lose sight of the direction that we really wish to go, unencumbered by the demands of our peer group and society as a whole. Getting back in touch with what you really want at at the “soul” level will probably relieve your financial pressures and make you feel better about regaining some control over your life.

PP: What things do you buy because you really want them and which do you buy because of expectations from people around you? Are you willing to break out of the expectation trap and fly in the direction of your own choosing? (Juliet B. Schor, The Overspent American, 100.)

PA: While I have little interest in buying more material things and am fortunate to have a lovely wife who feels the same. I do buy (and drink) too much beer, having (had) the reputation of being a partier. When I go out with friends, I feel “the need” to drink a lot, not because of my friends’ pressure but because of my “self-expectation.” Fortunately, the times drinking alone have decreased significantly, but the social drinking remains as my “expectation trap” which I now choose to set myself free from.

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JULY BLOG

Illustration by Miki Howenstein

Stand up and express yourself

July 10 (in the book “Jumbo Jumble”)

Hate and punishment never cured anything, only love can cure.   

If humans were born with an instinct for criminality, there would be as many criminals from fine middle-class homes as from slum homes. But well-to-do people have more opportunities for expression of the ego. The pleasures money buys, the refined surroundings, culture, and pride of birth all minister to the ego. Among the poor, the ego is starved.

The youths who are called delinquents are trying to express power that has been suppressed. I have generally found that the antisocial child, the leader of a gang of window breakers, becomes under freedom a strong supporter of law and order. 

It is only thwarted power that works for evil in a child. Human beings are good; they want to love and be loved. Hate and rebellion are only thwarted love and thwarted power. (Alexander Sutherland Neill, Albert Lamb, and Alexander Sutherland Neill, Summerhill School: A New View of Childhood, (New York: St. Martin's Press, 1993), 48.)

JR: In many spiritual writings, it may be mistakenly assumed that the ego is bad. On the contrary, a healthy (not inflated) sense of ego is necessary for spiritual growth. The disempowered person whose ego has been thwarted is more likely to express his frustration in destructive ways. Through finding ways of constructive expression of himself and empowering his life, his ego is fed and his desire to “fight against” is changed into “living for.” 

PP: When did you feel completely powerless? How did you feel? Try to understand that this is the road on which many of today’s poor and rejected are stuck.

PA: Watching my younger brother die from a terrible cancer was one of the most devastating things I experienced. Absolutely powerless to do anything except be there. Some may say that’s the most important thing of all, being there. And important to keep in mind that the poor and rejected of today’s world often have nobody to be there for them, which makes their powerlessness even worse. Can’t even fathom how that would feel!

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JUNE BLOG

Illustration by Miki Howenstein

 Being just right

 June 27 (in the book “Jumbo Jumble”)

Emotional health isn't about finding the right person, but being the right person. To let go of negative thoughts and emotions and to discover inner peace, joy, and happiness—these are the goals. You will find life so much more enjoyable. (Brian Weiss, Messages from the Masters, 89.)

JR: Developing a realization that you yourself are responsible for your happiness makes you focus on how to become the right person, and empowers you to move towards that happiness. The opinion that “When I find the right person, everything will be all right” completely robs you of your power, making you dependent on another for your happiness. As you flourish to become the person you wish to be, you find that you fit in more easily wherever you go, with “the right people” naturally gravitating towards you. 

PP: For you, what does it mean to be the right person? How can you cultivate the qualities to become that person?

PA: For me, there are two important qualities to being the right person. First, keeping a sense of humor and fun in my everyday relationships which makes people happy is extremely important. In addition, to be kind and generous with all I have been given by others and by society to benefit those around me and the less advantaged. To do so, I must find the courage to live out and speak out my truth, something I too often fail to do due to my cowardice.

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MAY BLOG

Illustration by Miki Howenstein

Explore nature’s wonders and create anew

May 9 (in the book “Jumbo Jumble”)

Teachers emerging from the New Spirituality will understand that asking children to memorize facts is asking them to re-create the past, but that inviting children to explore concepts and ideas—such as fairness, tolerance, equality, and honesty—invites them to create a new future, for their ideas may be different from yours. (Neale Donald Walsch, Tomorrow's God: Our Greatest Spiritual Challenge (New York: Atria Books, 2004), 302.)

JR:  Memorization and rote-learning of past events require no active thinking on the part of the learner. At best, it is a waste of time: at worst, it is complicit in destroying a child’s ability to think creatively. Rather, learning how ideas have shaped the past and analyzing their good and bad results while developing a strong moral character used day in and day out to build a good future can provide the high quality and very useful education which the youth are both deserving of and inspired by.

PP: What learning most inspired you when you were in elementary school? Why? How can you encourage others to learn in a similar way?

PA: For me, the most inspirational learning came from going into the woods regularly. Not only could I learn about various plants and animals, but, more importantly, my spirit was soothed by the life force in which I was immersed. Knowing how nature can be a healer has encouraged me to take others (and myself) into the rich, natural wonderlands of Japan for hikes and various environmental projects. 

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APRIL BLOG

 Illustration by Miki Howenstein

 No need to work in order to be

 April 23 (in the book “Jumbo Jumble”)

An American businessman was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellow fin tuna. 

The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them.

The Mexican replied, "Only a little while.”

The American then asked, "But what do you do with the rest of your time?”

The Mexican fisherman said, "I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siesta with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos.”

The American scoffed, "You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds buy a bigger boat. With the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats, eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats... “

The fisherman asked, "But senor, how long will this all take?”

To which the American replied, "15-20 years.”

"But what then, senor?”

The American laughed and said, "That's the best part. When the time is right you would sell everything and become very rich. You would make millions.”

"Millions, senor? Then what?”

The American said, "Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos."  (Courtney Carver, ”The Story of the Mexican Fisherman,” (ABRIDGED), Be More With Less, May 24, 2010, http://bemorewithless.com/the-story-of-the-mexican-fisherman/.)

JR: What a wonderful story demonstrating the importance of exploring the question “What do I really want in this life?”  We work hard to make money, but to what purpose? Could it be that the Mexican was much more in tune with his life force, choosing to live as he wanted here and now rather than sentencing himself to 20 years of “hard labor” before doing so?

PP: What do you most crave in this life? How can you start to move towards that here and now?

PA: I crave a beer right now - OOPS, guess that’s not exactly what the question asks. Difficult to define what I most crave in life, but I suppose the closest thing is a spiritual contentment and joy. And this happens, strangely enough, by feeding body (with healthy food, good exercise, making a sufficient living), mind (mentally stimulating studies), and spirit (reading uplifting materials). This combination increasingly nourishes the spiritual contentment and joy I so desire.

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MARCH BLOG

 Illustration by Miki Howenstein

  Here to heal

                                March 20 (in the book “Jumbo Jumble”)

1) There is one question that no one will ask of those who use violence to make their point: What hurts you so bad that you feel you have to hurt me in order to heal it? 

This does not condone violence, but it can help us to understand it —and to understand how to stop it. CwG (Conversations with God) says, "No one does anything inappropriate, given their model of the world." Embracing the wisdom in those eleven words could change the course of human history. 

2) The next time someone hurts you, ignore the hurt and ask this question (in passage 1 above) silently, in your heart, or, if you have a particularly open and honest relationship with the other person, you can actually address the question verbally. 

Try it sometime. It is a terrific argument stopper. It is a terrific abuse ender. 

JR: Building from yesterday’s reflection, this one digs deeper, seeking to comprehend another’s pain and the underlying cause of that pain. Through grasping the deeper source of the other’s distress, you can be more understanding of the real reason behind her lashing out. And perhaps even more importantly, by realizing the root of your own emotional malaise, you can search for ways to heal the wound without inflicting injury on others.

PP: Who are you hurting now, in actions or in words? What is the cause of your hurt that is making you do this, and in what way can you better deal with it, moving towards healing?

PA: I’m guilty of offending others who have a diametrically opposed political viewpoint from me. A simple example is my view that a growing disparity in wealth creates so many of the problems in our society, and therefore tax cuts for the wealthy are detrimental to society. And feeling that those who don’t agree are clueless. I’ve tried to move towards “healing” by disagree with me on this and understanding them, agreeing to disagree. It increases my understanding, and hopefully theirs as well.

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FEBRUARY BLOG

 Illustration by Miki Howenstein

 You never know when it will disappear—   treasure it while you can.

                              February 4 (in the book “Jumbo Jumble”)

Remember the day I borrowed your brand new car and I dented it? 

I thought you'd kill me, but you didn't.

And remember the time I dragged you to the beach, and you said it would rain, and it did? 

I thought you'd say, "I told you so." But you didn't.

Do you remember the time I flirted with all the guys to make you jealous, and you were? 

I thought you'd leave me, but you didn't.

Do you remember the time I spilled strawberry pie all over your car rug? 

I thought you'd hit me, but you didn't.

And remember the time I forgot to tell you the dance was formal and you showed up in jeans? 

I thought you'd drop me, but you didn’t.

Yes, there were lots of things you didn't do. 

But you put up with me, and you loved me, and you protected me.

There were lots of things I wanted to make up to you when you returned from Viet Nam.

But you didn't.

JR: Various people have influenced your life and are a part of what you have become today. And there are those who are in your life now who continue to mold you into ever-newer forms. Some you may treasure, while others you may despise—but all of them affect this unique being called ME.

PP: Think of one person who is very important in your life right now. Imagine that he dies suddenly in an accident. How would you feel? Let this exercise become a deepening of your appreciation for him.

PA: At times, the bickerings and personality differences with my wife make me lose sight of how very important she is in my life. Yet, when I ponder how lonely I’d be without her, and all of the wonderful things (humor, love and caring, healthy food, etc) she brings to my life, I’m filled with love and gratitude that she is in my life. Keeping this in mind, especially in the difficult times, truly deepens my love for her.

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JANUARY BLOG

 Illustration by Miki Howenstein

 The darkness fades as the light returns.

January 1 (in the book “Jumbo Jumble”)

Do you want to change the world? How about beginning with yourself? How about being transformed yourself first? But how do you achieve that? Through observation. Through understanding. With no interference or judgment on your part. Because what you judge you cannot understand. No judgment, no commentary, no attitude: one simply observes, one studies, one watches without the desire to change what is. Because if you desire to change what is into what you think should be, you no longer understand.

The day you attain a posture like that, you will experience a miracle. You will change—effortlessly, correctly. Change will happen, you will not have to bring it about. As the life of awareness settles on your darkness, whatever is evil will disappear. Whatever is good will be fostered. You will have to experience that for yourself. 

But this calls for a disciplined mind. When there’s something within you that moves in the right direction, it creates things within you that move in the right direction, it creates its own discipline. The moment you get bitten by the bug of awareness. Oh, it’s so delightful.

JR: The key to beginning self-observation is to initiate without judgment—something that is very difficult to achieve since we’ve all learned the difference of “good and bad.” Once judgments figure into the picture, you can no longer objectively perceive what is happening because your pre-conceived image is distorted. As much as possible, clear out these distractions and simply observe.

PP: Think of what has brought you to this point in life. Contemplate what is working well for you and what isn’t.

PA: Finding things that work and don’t work for me is easy. The things that work (commitment to relationships/work, regular exercise, etc) take a lot of discipline, but reward me with feeling better so I keep them up. Often, the things that aren’t work ing well (drinking too much, eating rich food, etc) are so enjoyable in the short term (and detrimental in the long term) they are difficult to stop. For me, gradually cutting back (rather than stopping cold turkey) is most realistic and works best - slowly, step by step!