ROBERT J.R. GRAHAM: Taoism

Showing posts with label Taoism. Show all posts

Wednesday, 24 September 2014

Be A Change Master!

by: Keith Varnum

The person who masters change, masters happiness.

The best way to thrive in today’s ever-fluid, volatile world, is to become a master of change. A “Change Master” not only welcomes, invites and celebrates the flux of constantly evolving life, but also consciously drives and directs these rhythms. When you live “smart,” you drive change. You don’t have to let change drive you. When you shift from a “resistance-to-change” mindset toward a self-empowered frame of mind, you unlock your vitality, creativity and spirit.

Change, the Unwelcome Guest

Most of us were not raised to welcome change. On the contrary, our modern Western culture promotes the opposite: the pursuit of predictability. We’re advised to try to keep our life as regular, set and stable as possible. The status quo is sacred. The unknown future is portrayed as dangerous and threatening. “Don’t rock the boat!” we’re admonished. The collective strategy is that the more aspects of our life that remain the same, the less we have to adjust and adapt. And the less we have to change, the easier life will be. The party line is that change is inevitable-unfortunately!-but certainly no fun. Having to constantly change and grow is experienced as a struggle-a challenging, hard ordeal-by most of our elders.

Make Change Your Ally

Indigenous peoples have a different approach to change. Native peoples live closer to Nature than most Westerners do. And they take their cue from Mother Nature who advises: “Make change your friend, your ally. Allow change to work for you, not against you.” The natural world suggests we learn to roll with the punches, so we can enjoy life exuberantly expressing itself through continual change.

Feng-shui Your Life

If we observe elements of nature, we see that water and wind flow with the life’s tides of constant change. Water and wind are flexible and fluid, willing to transform shape immediately with the fluctuating forces acting upon them. They move in the direction of the movement of change. They take the quickest, easiest path-the path of least resistance-no matter what changes in form are required. Hence, the whole philosophy and practice of Feng-shui: the art of nurturing energy flow, health and aliveness. The very term literally means “the way of wind and water.” In Chinese, “feng” means wind, “shui” means water.

Change as Opportunity

Native peoples wisely view change as a personal opportunity, not as a threat. They know that change brings fresh perspectives and new possibilities. Indigenous peoples look for the gift in every curve ball that life throws us. Indigenous cultures welcome the surprise and spontaneity that naturally accompany change. They know that the more we flow with the fluctuations of life, the more resilient and happier we are.

“How Can I Steer Change to My Advantage?”

Knowing that change is inevitable and ever-occurring, tribal peoples intuitively respond to life’s fluctuations ahead of time-rather than waiting until life forces them to change, reacting after the fact. Looking ahead with excitement and clarity, native peoples anticipate the inevitable twists and turns of life’s winding river. They prepare themselves and their lives to bend, re-arrange and transform to harmonize with the upcoming meanderings of the river. They know that change is life’s agent of renewal and strategy of survival.

The Myth of Change as Struggle

Contrary to popular belief, change does not have to be hard! Change can be difficult if we choose to fight it or deny it-like the perennial ostrich, sticking its head in the sand and pretending something doesn’t exist. When we don’t prepare ourselves for life’s rollicking rollercoaster, we don’t enjoy the ride.

But if we get proactive and anticipate change, we can not only flow with the current, but also direct the current. We can lead change by taking the initiative to take creative steps ahead of time that allow the inevitable to be accommodated with ease and even joy! A Change Master chooses to embark in new directions, to experiment with different options, and to surf the waves of change as a fun life adventure.

Intuition to the Rescue!

With today’s fast-moving pace, action often has to be taken with limited or imperfect information about the future. Without all the necessary facts, the analytical mind doesn’t know what to do. But intuition does! A Change Master consults intuition-inner guidance, instincts, “gut feeling“-when sufficient data is not available.

The analytical side of our consciousness organizes and stores information. The intuitive side immediately retrieves all relevant data and experience from the full depth and breath of our lifelong experience in order for us to make wise decisions. The analytical mind is to intuition as a file cabinet is to the supercomputer at the Pentagon. Intuition functions a thousand times faster than the mind. And has resources a million times more vast. A Change Master uses intuition to improve his or her ability to improvise and adjust quickly to change. Intuition helps us to not only survive, but to thrive!

Inner Guidance Saves a Family

Humans also have precognitive abilities, but usually don’t use them as much as animals. Susan, one of my coaching clients, is an exception. One day she received a very strong intuitive knowing to sell her family’s home and move. Loving the house, neighborhood and schools, her husband and children didn’t want to uproot their lives without a good “rational” reason. Her certainty in the accuracy of her intuition fortunately convinced the family to relocate. The week after the their home was sold and the moving van had left with all their possessions, the house was destroyed in the 1994 Northridge, California, 6.8 magnitude earthquake!

Ride the Wave

With an open, willing attitude toward life’s inevitable fluctuations, a Change Master can discern the probable path of the future and make pre-emptive adjustments to make the transition easier when it comes. If we are in denial or blinding fear about the future, we can’t get ourselves ready to handle the shifts with grace. With an accepting approach, we can intuitively predict the course of our future and arrange our life to take the fullest advantage of the changes.

Source

Can Tattva Shakti Vigyaan sadhana, spiritual practices change my destiny?

Feng Shui – How to Use it in Your Home – Rent.com | The Shared Wall

Handle Change Like a Yoga Master

The Homeowner’s Guide to Feng Shui

Intuition: Can It Lead You to Good Decisions?

Attract Career Success the Feng Shui Way

You must train your intuition.

A Look at How Colors Function in Feng Shui

Indigenous people direct victims of climate change

Happy Feng Shui 2013

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Friday, 29 August 2014

The Measure of a Man

by: Lance E. Ong

Since the end of the Industrial Age , men have lacked proper male role models. Pampered by our cushy white-collar jobs, our hands had become soft and our will has turned to mush. We have become the proverbial ‘yes man’ of the corporate world lacking a spine, slithering around with a knife behind our backs, looking for someone to stab so we can climb the snakes and ladders of financial success. Perhaps we think, Maybe the girls will like me now that I have my cool new car and luxurious bachelors pad.

Where are the real men of yesterday? The ones who worked hard all day till their muscles burned; the ones with blisters on their hands and calluses on their feet, the man that women swoon for at first sight? The answer is, Theyre all dead, Jim. All thats left is us backstabbing, spineless, slithering yes-men.

The real men may be dead, but their lessons from the past, live on. Let’s learn from our forefathers, what it means to be a mans man.

#1 A Man Must Be Bold

In Chinese philosophy, a man’s body composes mainly of Yang chi the essence of male energy, representing vigour and vitality. Yang is forceful, the aggressor, and symbolized by fire and heat. Women on the other hand, compose of Yin chi, the cooling, receptive energy that surrounds everything. Yin is subtle, the receiver, and represented by flowing water.

Being a man, it is your duty to represent the essence of Yang chi. There is no time for beating around the bush, being too shy to ask for what you want, and being unsure of yourself. You have to be bold; it is your duty to be bold. You are the Yang, the aggressor. If you want to know a woman, you have to make the approach. You cant possibly wait for her to make the approach, shes Yin. Shes the shy, receptive one who is waiting for you to approach her. Let her be the Yin, dont try to reverse roles and be the shy man who cant even say Hi. Ive never heard someone say, Hah, hes such a wuss for thinking she would even talk to him What you will usually hear is, Wow man, youve got guts! I wish I could do that.

Women are attracted to men who can be their pillar of strength, someone they can lean on, a shoulder to cry on; boldness is a representation of that inner strength. You can define boldness as the courage to act, turning your fear into strength, accepting rejection and pain as a natural consequence for daring to achieve your dreams.

Boldness also applies to business and life in general. The British Special Air Service (SAS) has a famous motto: Who Dares Wins. If youve got the brains, the guts and the tenacity, then chances are, success is yours. Listen to what German Philosopher, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe said, Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.

#2 A Man Must Live with Honour

Honour is a virtue of the Gentleman. Having honour means that you commit yourself to following a specific set of moral guidelines. People trust an honourable persons word as a guarantee of future moral performance. Nowadays, we sometimes use the word Integrity to represent honour.

Learning to live with honour will make you more of a man than ten years of corporate snakes and ladders can. Your promise must be a solemn commitment that you will keep to, no matter what. Your word must be as good as gold, if not better.

Building an honourable reputation is no easy task. It means total commitment to upholding your integrity and living your life by defined moral principles. If you are successful, your good name will spread. People will recognize you as a trustworthy individual, whom they can count on to take care of the largest responsibilities, and entrust with the most confidential secrets. Taking on more responsibilities and secrets, can raise your life to new levels of prosperity and plenty. But be warned if you ever breach that trust by committing just one selfish or perverse act, what could take you a lifetime to establish, you can destroy overnight.

In the present Communication Age, good news travels fast and bad news travels even faster. The only way to stop the bad news is to never allow it to be created. So mind your actions because people listen to what you say, but they watch what you do.

Place your hand over your heart and say

Let my principles be my guiding light, distilled from my highest wisdom about what is right. Let my morals stand tall and true, let them choose what I do.

Now touch your head and say So Be It!

Make a difference today, put your foot down and be bold about upholding your honour. Adhere to your principles. Never do anything that would compromise your integrity and the trust people have in you. In return for your efforts, you will create more flow in your life; opportunities will come faster and more abundantly. You will have the chance to live your life to its fullest potential and splendour. So be a man of honour, your life depends on it.

#3 A Man Must Be Magnanimous

Magnanimous means to have a generous, forgiving and noble nature. Simply put, magnanimous people have a big heart. They are gracious and kind, philanthropic and benevolent. A magnanimous gentleman gives generously and expects nothing in return. He takes joy simply in seeing those around him happy. He is an intriguing conversationalist and tells jokes to make others laugh.

A mans magnanimity does not allow him to easily take offence at the words and actions of others. Anything potentially offensive is simply seen for what it truly is wind passing through the trees. Like bamboo, he will never break, but only bend with the direction of the wind.

When you have mastered magnanimity, you will intuitively understand that there is a Law of Increasing Returns in the universe which states, Whatever you give out will come back to you ten times stronger. For example, if you look down on someone, ten more people will look down on you. If you cheat $500 from an old woman, sometime down the road, you will lose $5000. Likewise, if you contribute $200 out of the goodness of your heart, $2000 will be available for you to earn back. Perhaps through your business or in a sudden lottery windfall.

If you choose to let your greed get the better of you, manipulate others to your benefit, and refuse to help the needy, you can only expect poverty, hate and disappointment to head your way. You reap what you sow; you get whatever you give out. This is a universal law.

A magnanimous man knows that helping others does not exhaust his resources, but rather because of the Law of Increasing Returns, it increases his resources tenfold, allowing him to do more good for the world. He knows that in helping others, he is also helping himself.

Develop the habit of solving other peoples problems and you become a more generative person. You produce and contribute more than the average guy, and thus earn more because you deliver more value to others.

Take little steps starting today, to make these characteristics a part of your character. Help someone in need, keep a promise, dare to speak up. Challenge yourself to become a mans man: Be Bold, be Honourable, Be Magnanimous.

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