Truth

"Truth cannot be accumulated. What is accumulated is always being destroyed; it withers away. Truth can never wither because it can only be found from moment to moment in every thought, in every relationship, in every word, in every gesture, in a smile, in tears. And if you and I can find that and live it - the very living is the finding of it - then we shall not become propagandists; we shall be creative human beings - not perfect human beings, but creative human beings, which is vastly different." - J. Krishnamurti

That is enough

Never Tell You, this tune brings me back. Back to London, to earlier times, when I was young, full of curiosity, exploring a new city all on my own. That was my breakout moment, when I stopped being a shy guy and completely came out full on into it. I miss those moments, those feelings, but they are gone now, in accord with their nature. Bittersweet. Hanging out with Jen, with Scientist, with Ed, Stanton, Mike, Skipple. A family of music lovers, in love with a new sound and a new feeling. It just felt so free. I have never felt so free. There's no reason I shouldn't feel free all the time. We can. It's always right here. Something new. That which is new soon becomes the passed. It is their nature. They traverse through time. Reverberations of intention, action, passion. Now it's Echospace. This takes me even deeper. Timeless music, in a way. I feel I could listen to this throughout my life and never tire of it. In its own time, its own space, when it's appropriate, or when it just comes out of a shuffle. It's all about letting things flow, however they are, they are your life. Right and wrong? Good and bad? These are descriptors, sometimes useful words to express how we feel. But is anything truly right? Is there really a Right Effort, Right Concentration, etc? What does that mean? Right as opposed to wrong. Without these polarities, it's all a gray area. Beneath these words, it's static, black flickering into white, it looks like gray, because it's changing so fast, no one could ever keep up. We must live in the gray area. What determines right and wrong, good and bad, is up to us, our choice. In the end there is only choice. According to natural feeling. Before hesitation, before thought, before judgement, only feeling and acting on it, when we are true to it, not censoring, not filtering. I certainly do too much of that. It's again, a useful tool in situations. But it's my choice to say when it's useful and when it's not. Experience informs my decision. Effects and causes. Interlinked, from the beginningless past, stretching forward into the endless future. Never repeating. What appears as repetition is really different, ever so slightly, and through repetition is the only way to notice such a subtle change. Breath one, breath two, breath three. Not the same. All breaths, but each their own. One is now, one is next, one is gone. Do not be ashamed of who you are. Be who you are in the fullest, own it, stand behind it, this does not mean be rigid and fixed, but allow change to happen, allow sensitivity and observation to inform you, to respond. Listen closely, fully. That is the only way to absorb. Observe, absorb, respond. All in one fluid motion. What room is there for mind? Only in searching for such a mind can it be discovered it cannot be found, measured, weighed, located, held in a physical place. Mind is just as fluid as water. Water is water, mind is mind, both a natural flow, never fixed, always in motion. If points of the mind are stuck, it creates dams, obstructions, other flows are blocked and re-routed. Also natural, but unnecessary. How much easier is it to admit what you like, what you desire, without acting on it immediately, but just feeling it and being curious about it, looking where it comes from. Which is nowhere at all. Arising out of the dark like the sun on the horizon. It is okay to live in the gray areas. We need not define and categorize phenomena, they do that sufficiently on their own, when we look at them, in categories and definitions beyond what we can accomplish with our words and thoughts. See how it changes. See its character, how it moves in time. Sadness, crying, then relief. Joy, laughter, then a settling. On to the next. Pay attention. Attention may stretch out and around, expand to the furthest reaches of awareness. Feel everything that presents itself in the process of being. Colors, flavors, pitches, tones, differences, characteristics, qualities. All in their own mode. Recognize and own how these phenomena come up inside. They are no different in nature than rain falling, wind blowing, birds calling, geckos kissing. There, and gone. Coming back? Maybe, maybe not. Let's listen and see. Let's engage and find out. Let's look closer if we want, or let's let it go. What returns, returns, if it needs our attention. How unique! How precious each minute transformation. London here, London gone. London different. Maui distant, Maui close, Maui alive. Shy, scared, single, hesitant, onto brave, cool, calm, collect, celebrating, facing uncertainty, onto partnership, commitment, anxiety, marriage, growth, gratitude, discipline, routine, habit, progress, education, meditation, wisdom, foolishness, learning through trial and error, repeated mistake, deep recognition of circumstance. Where is it now? Where was that just gone? Where are we going? Who is this? The entire range and spectrum of feeling, explore and experience it all as it comes, fully and completely. Avoidance is not the way. Onward into the night, into the light. Turn the light around, turn it inward. That is the intention for this weekend. Just look, listen, without judgement. That is enough...

ILX2 Leaders You Admire

I started taking this course, ILX2 Inclusive Leadership Training: Becoming a Successful Leader via edX.

I will be posting my responses and discussions here for the sake of preservation.

Question:
Which leaders do you look up to? Which leaders do you admire? Which leaders inspire you? And why?
Choose a leader or leaders you admire. These leaders could be anyone—a parent, a teacher, someone in your family, someone you work for, a famous leader (living or dead).
What makes their leadership special to you? What leadership attributes do you admire in these leaders?

Response:
The leaders I admire most in my life are: my boss, Cassandra, my Zen teacher, Michael, and my favorite famous philosopher, Alan Watts.

Cassandra is a great communicator, handles unexpected circumstances and pressure very well,  despite whatever is happening in her personal life, and always shows appreciation for her employees. She is able to recognize talent and encourages her team to do a great job every day.

Michael values tradition, practice, and clarity of mind, and exemplifies it in his presence at all times. He is very wise and always knows the best thing to say in response to any situation.

Alan Watts has an incredible command of language, speaks like a true storyteller, expressing everything with profound and vivid effect, whatever idea or concept is the subject at hand. He is able to bring a big-picture perception into every aspect of life.

All three are very honest, sometimes brutally so, never deceive, and easily cut through the bullshit to get down to what really matters - being true to yourself, doing great work for the sake of the world, not taking life too seriously, and ultimately, the pursuit of truth.