The Way and the Power of Virtue

Stillness is the lord of commotion, Silence is the lord of cacophony,  Serenity is the lord of contention. What is the wellspring of serenity and stillness that we can return to for a rest and cool drink amidst all the hustle and bustle, the running around, and the cacophony and commotion of our culture ?  At the start of a race, it is what happens in that moment of stillness before the shot fires and everything and everyone explodes in a swift snarl of commotion that matters most.  It is the mindset, the self-talk in that moment of stillness that governs the performance and experience (though not always the outcome) that follows.       So too with silence.  Taking a moment of silence before responding to the chaotic cacophony of voices empowers us with intentionality to avoid reacting emotionally to triggers or saying something we might regret later.  Far too often we raise our voice in an attempt to be heard in this world only to s...

Weight is the root for light, Value is the root for slight, The load is the root for the empty cart. We live in a world that is constantly weighing, measuring, and judging us.  Have you ever felt slighted, lightly-esteemed by others, or undervalued?   Have you ever felt misjudged or that the scales were tipped against you because of how you looked or what you believed?  Worse yet, have you ever slighted, diminished, or thought of yourself as insignificant?   Sometimes we strip ourselves down to nothing but an empty frame – just a shell of who we really are – or allow others to do so.   When we do so or allow others to do so, we need to reconnect with our roots .  To do so, we need to first get to the root of the problem and address our self-valuation .  It is not what other people think of and believe about us that is important, but rather what we believe about ourselves that is the root of the problem.  So, when we feel slighted, undervalue...