Discussion Forum > It’s not what’s happening … it’s how you respond
I was pondering this from a Taoist perspective. I pondered if a Taoist approach might have just 4 ways of responding:
- wait for insight
- take a rest
- do nothing
- choose an action
If we randomised on this we would spend 75% of time in pausing before acting, slowing the urge to be on to "the next thing", which might be helpful, (do you feel yourself reacting as you read that? feel that fear of being bored?) - or maybe equivalent to Mark's scanning of the list. It would at least move us from the usual motivating force of tension > adrenaline > action to being more conscious and open to life, leavng behind the necessity for tension reduction (ie fear/excitement - 2 sides of one coin) as motivation. Being in "now" goes up as "getting on to the next" goes down.
- wait for insight
- take a rest
- do nothing
- choose an action
If we randomised on this we would spend 75% of time in pausing before acting, slowing the urge to be on to "the next thing", which might be helpful, (do you feel yourself reacting as you read that? feel that fear of being bored?) - or maybe equivalent to Mark's scanning of the list. It would at least move us from the usual motivating force of tension > adrenaline > action to being more conscious and open to life, leavng behind the necessity for tension reduction (ie fear/excitement - 2 sides of one coin) as motivation. Being in "now" goes up as "getting on to the next" goes down.
February 8, 2014 at 10:12 |
michael
michael
michael:
I don't know. I think our modern Western (or Westernized) minds are incapable of understanding the Tao Te Ching.
Just look at the mess we make of translating the opening verse, which in Chinese is 12 words of one syllable each, using only 5 separate words in a beautiful almost mathematical arrangement:
道可道，
非常道。
名可名，
非常名。
Dao ke dao
Fei chang dao
Ming ke ming
Fei chang ming
The Dao that can be understood
cannot be the primal, or cosmic, Dao,
just as an idea that can be expressed in words
cannot be the infinite idea. (Goddard)
I don't know. I think our modern Western (or Westernized) minds are incapable of understanding the Tao Te Ching.
Just look at the mess we make of translating the opening verse, which in Chinese is 12 words of one syllable each, using only 5 separate words in a beautiful almost mathematical arrangement:
道可道，
非常道。
名可名，
非常名。
Dao ke dao
Fei chang dao
Ming ke ming
Fei chang ming
The Dao that can be understood
cannot be the primal, or cosmic, Dao,
just as an idea that can be expressed in words
cannot be the infinite idea. (Goddard)
February 8, 2014 at 11:21 |
Mark Forster
Mark Forster
Michael's list, applied to a specific project, doesn't bother me. I get insights often enough when I wait that I value it. I find, though, that when I'm ready to move on a project, I need take advantage of the momentum.
Yesterday while meditating, and probably the day before, I often thought, "If not for the recording, I'd move on. The only way I'm going to get any benefit from meditating is by using a recording to enforce the times."
That resistance to doing nothing intentionally (as opposed to wasting time unintentionally) is probably a sign.
Yesterday while meditating, and probably the day before, I often thought, "If not for the recording, I'd move on. The only way I'm going to get any benefit from meditating is by using a recording to enforce the times."
That resistance to doing nothing intentionally (as opposed to wasting time unintentionally) is probably a sign.
February 8, 2014 at 18:55 |
Cricket
Cricket
Loved that article. I have lots of monkeys moving balls around. LOL
February 14, 2014 at 1:37 |
Melanie Wilson
Melanie Wilson
Hi Mel
I'm usually the monkey moving my own balls around. Plays havoc with my stroke and ruins my handicap. (no, not meant to be a pun. I hate that word. Disabled isn't much better...)
I'm usually the monkey moving my own balls around. Plays havoc with my stroke and ruins my handicap. (no, not meant to be a pun. I hate that word. Disabled isn't much better...)
February 14, 2014 at 5:46 |
learning as I go
learning as I go
Learning, we have that in common then. I don't know which is more frustrating--having my other monkeys move the ball or moving it myself. In any case, we just need to carry on, right?
February 17, 2014 at 4:36 |
Melanie Wilson
Melanie Wilson
Hi Mel
LOL! I definitely get more peeved when others' foil my plans yet it feels far more shaming when I do it to myself! LOL!
LOL! I definitely get more peeved when others' foil my plans yet it feels far more shaming when I do it to myself! LOL!
February 17, 2014 at 4:45 |
learning as I go
learning as I go
http://www.wildmind.org/blogs/on-practice/its-not-whats-happening-its-how-you-respond-2
It's a good way to look at time management. Every situation is different, and we need to adapt our system to our environment.