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...

  Reaching emptiness is the utmost,  safeguarding serenity is the steadiness of a surefooted steed. The myriad things are formed together, herein I observe them coming, going, and returning. To reach emptiness to the furthest extent possible is the utmost limit.  It is the opposite of being completely full of ourselves.  The world tries to convince us that the secret to happiness is filling ourselves up.  We erroneously believe that we need to puff ourselves up with hollow accolades and accomplishments and fill our bank accounts with abundant incomes and investments.  There is nothing inherently wrong with the accumulation of wealth nor in accepting the praise and heartfelt gratitude of others.  It is only a problem when we associate our self-worth with our booming bank balances and our superfluous social media “likes” that we run the risk of losing ourselves.  As Bruce Lee (1940-1973) stated: “Emptiness is the starting point. — In order to...

Who can be stirred up and use serenity to move toward greater clarity?   Who can be at rest and use serenity to move toward steady growth? Those who preserve this Way, have no desire to be overfilled.   It is only because they are not overfilled that they can be tattered like grass and yet reformed anew.   There is a fine line between being fired up and passionate and overzealous.   A balance must be struck between action and reflection.   We cannot just let our passion carry us away.   We need not rush heedless down the path.   As the saying, “I don’t know where I’m going but I’m making good time!” attests, sometimes we need to slow down, get our bearings, get in touch with our true selves, and gain clarity.   Sometimes we get so caught up in the ride, it is important to build in some down time for self-care, stillness , and serenity.   It is in those down times that we can gain increasing clarity of our inherent worth and purpose. ...

  Racing off at a wild gallop in pursuit of a hunt  makes peoples’ hearts and minds go wild. In ancient China, there were few activities as exhilarating as the thrill of the hunt.   There is the sensation of the wind in your face, the feel of the horse running at a full gallop, the element of danger and uncertainty, and the adrenaline coursing through your veins.   Today, the activities may be slightly different, but we are still chasing that same feeling.   From bungee jumping to skydiving, cliff jumping to paragliding, squirrel suiting to free solo climbing, we spend more time and resources “thrill seeking” than any people ever have in the history of the world.   Most of us have a little “adrenaline junkie” inside us somewhere.    Yet, there is inherent risk in these activities and sometimes we push ourselves a little too far, we cross the line, take unnecessary risks, and make poor decisions, and even jeopardize our lives.   When I was...

  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...