Chapter 10.2: Three Questions To Ask Ourselves

 

As we care about people and bring order to our nations, 

can we still practice unmediated action?

As the gates of Heaven swing open and shut, can we stand still as a bird?

Understanding clearly the Four Attainments, can we be free of outsmarting?

In caring for others, governing ourselves, bringing order to our communities and countries, the first question to ask ourselves is are we continuing to practice unmediated action – free from the failures and successes of the past as well as any expected outcomes in the future?  The more successful we are in our endeavors, the more prestigious the past, the harder it can be sometimes to manage and not elevate our expectations.  In caring about others and improving our communities and nations, we must be cautious of letting our successes go to our heads, of attaching our worth and our identity to our performance, and drinking our own Kool-Aid a little too much.  As the Proverb goes, “pride goeth before the fall.”  We also run the risk of getting comfortable – of returning to “tried and true” techniques and approaches that have worked for us in the past.  We run the risk of clinging to things that have worked before, of going back to the well, one too many times, and of hanging or holding on a little too long or too tightly.  Each situation and circumstance is different and requires presence and spontaneity.

The second question to ask ourselves is are we practicing patience and stillness as we encounter the ebbs and flows of life, the ups and downs of success and challenge?  The imagery here is of a bird, perhaps a nesting hen or a bird standing still.  Anyone who has watched birds, has observed that birds have the innate ability to remain perfectly still for long periods of time, taking care of their eggs or waiting and watching for the opportune moment to act.  Can we maintain stillness in those moments where it feels like the universe is conspiring against us, when we feel like we are being kicked when we’re down, or when it isn’t just raining but pouring?  Do we fall all to pieces, run away, or overreact when circumstances get a little tense?  We can practice what essayist Pico Iyer calls "the art of stillness?" We can pause to observe situations as they begin to unfold before committing to a course of action – this creates time and space to get a clearer and more complete picture, and thus to make a more informed decision – to be proactive instead of reactive.  Move too soon and we run the risk of jumping the gun or making much ado about nothing.  Wait too long and we run the risk of failing to act in time.  Patience and stillness are about timeliness.

Lastly, as we increase in knowledge, wisdom, and understanding, can we keep ourselves from resorting to the need to outsmart others – to use our attainment of knowledge as a weapon to get ahead of others?  In ancient China, the Four Attainments referred to four understanding in four areas of knowledge: 1. Heaven, or the universe that surrounds us; 2. Earth, or the world we live in; 3. People, or self-awareness and interpersonal understanding of others.  This includes what scholars, such as Psychologist Daniel Goleman, have identified in the most successful people in all fields as Emotional Intelligence (EI or EQ as opposed to IQ); and 4. Phenomena, or how things work.

As we walk on the Way, pursuing our personal purpose, making an impact in our communities, and giving others permission to be themselves and find their own Way, regularly reflecting upon these three questions can prevent us from falling into the common pitfalls of influence, intellect, and our own success.  Continuing to practice unmediated action, stillness, and humility as our impact, perspective, and intelligence grows provides a safety net of self-reflection, allowing us to make regular course corrections in our lives.  These three questions are leadership tools enabling each of us to see more clearly as we stand at the crossroads of infinite opportunity.  ~ DCB