05 Jan Things to Come
Each of us has a somewhat different perception of reality, i.e. the nature of something. Arguments can erupt between people having different perceptions. Logic and pervasiveness are tools we use to convince others that our perception is more correct and another wrong but those who win these arguments don't necessarily have them most accurate perception. A better way to judge individual perceptions of reality is by their accuracy in forecasting how reality will unfold, as understanding the nature of something likely allows us the best guess of how it will be over time. Studies of "super forecasters" (people who are much better than most at forecasting upcoming events) have identified the following characteristics these people share: Probabilistic thinking. Nothing is certain. There is no right answer, just likely outcomes. Ability to put mathematical weights to possible outcomes. No righteousness. What happens isn't preordained, isn't necessarily a logical or moral outcome. Metaphorical thinking. Able to see unrelated situations as shedding light on the subject at hand. Curious. Engaged by thinking about how something works and driven to understand it. Open-minded. Realizing that possible outcomes are only limited by one's imagination. Economic. Good at productively allocating time and resources to information gathering. Detached/dispassionate. Able to view things from the outside in, without personal prejudices. Wise. Able to view things from many perspectives. Flexible. Openness to changing one's point of view as conditions or one's perception changes. Humble. Knowing that one will never really understand something. Accepting that other forecasts are likely more accurate. Integrity/confidence. Able to ultimately chose what one believes is the likely outcome. While few people exhibit all of the above characteristics, those lacking many of them should be cautious in taking their perceptions of reality too seriously....
29 Dec Across the Universe
Words are flowing out Like endless rain into a paper cup They slither while they pass They slip away across the universe Pools of sorrow, waves of joy Are drifting through my opened mind Possessing and caressing me Jai Guru Deva, Om Nothing’s gonna change my world Nothing’s gonna change my world Nothing’s gonna change my world Nothing’s gonna change my world Images of broken light Which dance before me like a million eyes They call me on and on across the universe Thoughts meander like a restless wind inside a letter box They tumble blindly as they make their way across the universe Jai Guru Deva, Om Nothing’s gonna change my world Nothing’s gonna change my world Nothing’s gonna change my world Nothing’s gonna change my world Sounds of laughter, shades of life Are ringing through my open ears Inciting and inviting me Limitless, undying love Which shines around me like a million suns It calls me on and on across the universe Jai Guru Deva, Om Nothing’s gonna change my world Nothing’s gonna change my world Nothing’s gonna change my world Nothing’s gonna change my world Jai Guru Deva Jai Guru Deva Jai Guru Deva Jai Guru Deva Jai Guru Deva Jai Guru Deva The Beatles, 1968 “Jai Guru Deva, Om” is a mantra-like refrain which in Sanskrit literally means “glory to the shining remover of darkness.” However, the lyrics seem more reflective of a psychedelic journey than a meditation. Interesting is the refrain “Nothing’s gonna change my world.” Does that mean that my world will never change or that from nothing will come the light that will change my world (the shining remover of darkness)? The ambiguity of the refrain suggests that one’s person experience (“my world”) is as it is (eternal) and yet bizarrely changing with revelations when traveling across the universe....
26 Dec Meditation of Death
There are times we are overwhelmed by stress, pain, multitasking, internal strife (mixed feelings about choices we need to make), depression, anxiety, etc. Overwhelmed means drowning. Drowning leads to death as without freedom from that which overwhelms us, we are living in hell. Fortunately, there is a life vest to save us from hell: the meditation of death. The meditation of death is setting our minds to imagine we will die in the next 5 minutes. With death imminent, everything transitions from like wallpaper that's been up for years (flat and unnoticeable) to three dimensional objects of intense beauty. Ugly, unfashionable Formica kitchen counters become beautiful abstract art. As we are energized by the beauty of everything, a calmness settles inside us and we are free from that which was overwhelming. As we continue with the meditation of death, we realize that death is a transition to becoming one with everything as we were before we were born. As one with everything, we view the universe from infinite perspectives (the essence of wisdom) and treat everything no differently than we treat ourselves (compassion). This is living in heaven, as before birth and after death. From the perspective of heaven, all that happens on Earth is absurdly funny. Thus, that which was once overwhelming now seems trivial, selfish and funny. To avail ourselves of the life vest, the meditation of death, we need never forget it is always near. But as we tend to be forgetful when we're overwhelmed, best to keep us from oblivion are short periodic prayers (meditations) several times a day wherein we are thankful for our circumstances as we acknowledge that there are many in the world who would love to be in our shoes (especially if they have no shoes)....
23 Dec Enlightenment is Overrated
Enlightenment is overrated except by those who are enlightened. That's the essence of enlightenment: non-judgmental, acceptance, humility and joy. The enlightened are non-judgmental. To them, the world is flat, not vertical, as they don't rate their enlightened state as higher than other states of mind. They accept each state of mind as it is what it is whatever it is, to be appreciated as it can be appreciated. They are humble and as such they don't confirm the status bequeathed them by others who desire to be enlightened as they view everyone as enlightened, some more some less. Asked if they are enlightened, the enlightened would respond: I am who I am. That is, categories, descriptions and identities deny the uniqueness of everything; the enlightened know that everything is unique; hence, self-descriptions are not an enlightened view. The enlightened don't overrate enlightenment as they know the joy that springs from wisdom and compassion can never be overrated....
21 Dec where the gods sit
Life is a play, we are the actors and the gods are the audience. However the actors experience the play (comedy, tragedy or a bit of both) doesn't matter to the gods as for them it's all a farce. But where do the gods sit in the audience? In the front row are the gods that most clearly know the human mind and the deceptive costumes that clothe it. These gods have the greatest laugh. In the back are the gods that don't completely get what's going on. However, they are fortunate (or not) to be closest to the exit, wherever that might lead....
19 Dec Is marble colder than wood?
In a room, marble and wood have the same temperature, room temperature. However, unlike wood, marble is cold to the touch. This is an anomaly as it doesn't comport with our expectations. (Marble feels colder because it's a relatively good conductor of heat and as such it drains heat from our skin, making our skin feel cold.) What makes the foregoing interesting is that while it's common knowledge that marble feels colder than wood, very few of us are curious enough to find out why; probably because our curiosity is not aroused by anomalies, though maybe it should be. Anomalies are funny. Funny as in odd as they don't conform to expectations, preconceived notions. Preconceived notions are categories in our mind that organize past experiences. These categories have descriptions and associations. We experience not our experiences as they happen but the descriptions and associations we have with the experiences. Thus, also funny, as in laughingly funny, is when we realize we mistakenly placed an experience into a category into which it doesn't belong. We laugh at our stupidity. If not, then we are truly stupid. Anomalies nudge us to awaken from having mechanical/category based experiences. While everything is unique, not like or unlike anything else, we fail to experience its uniqueness when we mechanically classify our experiences. When our curiosity is aroused by the uniqueness of an anomaly, we seek to understand the anomaly and in doing so we start on a journey that makes us realize everything is unique; unless we ignore the anomalies....
01 Dec Eric Hoffer
“In times of change, learners inherit the earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.” The learned know the temporary "it." The learners know the everchanging "is."...