Posts Tagged ‘time’

17
Apr
2015

We’re Late Only if We Want to Be

categories: Authentic Living, Lifestyles, Spirituality & Religion

I cannot prove this, but I’m sure it’s accurate: all great sages throughout history gave their greatest teachings to their students at the point of action; and they gave their most inspiring and truthful sermons about the field of action. That’s where the true wake-up occurs. It never occurs in words and ideas; that’s just more delusion, or spiritual ego —another fixed point of view without any bite or bark. That’s why people who sit in big halls and listen to teachers prattle on never grow, never learn anything and remain lost, confused, and frightened, clinging desperately to the words they just heard, but then turning unchanged to face the waiting world without any new strength.

Action comics

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28
Sep
2014

An Audit of My Life at 64

categories: Authentic Living, Speaking Truthfully, Spirituality & Religion
It’s September 2014. I am 64 years old.

I’ve gotten here so fast, I’m almost certain that some of me isn’t here yet, hasn’t caught up to the here and now.

Wasn’t I in Magnolia High School last month, radicalizing the student body during the ’68 presidential campaign? Back then, looking forward, I didn’t even know what 64 years old was. I’m sure I never thought about it; I never thought about time. I believed I had forever: time was like an endlessly moving horizon I would never reach.

Now, I can hold an entire decade in the palm of one hand, like a glass.

But a glass that somehow has within it 10 years of moments, real and imagined. Ten years of seconds that passed without much notice. (more…)

27
Aug
2014

Being Late is a Sign of Mastery

categories: Business, Lifestyles

It’s one thing to talk about awareness and enlightenment; it’s another to demonstrate it.

I cannot prove this, but I’m sure it’s accurate: all great sages throughout history gave their greatest teachings to their students at the point of action; they gave their most inspiring and truthful sermons about the field of action.

That’s where the true wake-up occurs.

running-late

It never occurs in words and ideas; that’s just more delusion, or spiritual ego—another fixed point of view without any bite or bark. That’s why people who sit in big halls and listen to teachers prattle on never grow, never learn anything and remain lost, confused and frightened, clinging desperately to the words they just heard, but then turning unchanged to face the waiting world without any new strength. (more…)

18
Jul
2014

A Zen Kid

categories: Authentic Living
35

Leah & Robert

Some years ago, I was babysitting Leah, the five-year-old daughter of a friend. Leah and I were good pals. She was a little edgy that afternoon, and at one point started to cry, wanting to know when her mom would be back.

Trying to console her, I stroked her hair and whispered as reassuringly as I could, “Leah, your mom will be home in exactly one hour.”

Leah straightened up, stopped crying, looked me dead in the eyes, and asked, “When is an hour? Is that now?”