Google [CBS News From Amazon to Garden State] for a story that perfectly exemplifies observations Iāve made on civilization over the last few decades. To be clear, Iām not pro or anti civilization; I simply wish to comprehend its full impact on humanity. Despite the obvious downsides of civilization, weāre never going to turn back […]
Continue reading…happy
The Proof is in the Pudding
Buddha felt that we needed to rely on our personal experience to verify his Four Noble Truths, and presumably any other alleged truth. Thereās no ātake my word for itā hoodwinking here. Nowadays, modern science is steadily helping us discern fact from myth. Still, personal experience must always be the final arbiter. Keep this in […]
Continue reading…Natural Happiness
āTo like what I do rather than do what I likeā is a straightforward path to happiness. This motto helps prevent my expectations from dictating my lifeās direction. No doubt, scripture (Buddhist, Hindu, Taoist, Biblical, etc.) first got me considering life this way, and life experience has since verified its truth (1). The previous post, […]
Continue reading…Is Gen Y Unhappy?
I read an interesting article that pointed out much of the same causes for unhappiness that I see, so I accepted it without question at first. Yet soon it began to nag me. Something didnāt exactly meshā¦ there was more too it. If interested, google [Why Generation Y Yuppies Are Unhappy] and see how it […]
Continue reading…Can we pull the plug?
A short video essay on cell phones gave me food for thought. Of course, I need more of that like I need another hole in my head, but I canāt pull the plug on thinking. The essay is ostensibly about the wide use of cell phones. However, scratch the surface and it offers insight into […]
Continue reading…Who or What Do You Trust?
The āsmall ātā taoistā (p.154) within us can find it difficult deciding who to trust, especially if we feel both the advocate and the critic make credible cases. Conversely, the partisan within us seldom hesitates before favoring one side or the other. Sincere advocacy for anything is a projection of oneās own beliefs. Importantly, sincere […]
Continue reading…The Only Safe Escape
The only way Iāve found to escape life without unintended consequences is to give myself to life. It is a bit ironicā¦ as chapter 78 says, Straight and honest words seem inside out, or as D.C. Lau put it, straightforward words seem paradoxical. At times, I can lose myself in the flowing moment by utter […]
Continue reading…So, Iād like to askā¦
A Centertao member asked me if I had any advice for a 30 year old. Right away, too much came to my mind for that question! I had to sleep on it awhile. Interestingly, not thinking about a tricky issue is often the best way to resolve it. Not thinking doesnāt mean disregarding it, but […]
Continue reading…Why God?
Why God? I have not heard this question asked muchā¦ if at all. Debate focuses mostly on whose God is true, the nature of God, or does God even exist. I suppose asking āWhy do we believe in Godā is a zoological inquiry of sorts. That is the place to beginā¦ After all, we are […]
Continue reading…Wandering Mind Is Unhappy Mind
Google [Many unhappy returns for wandering minds] for research that supports watchfulness, as I call it. Left-brain science and right-brain Taoist thought are my two best resources for avoiding the DunningāKruger effect (p.144). Together they offer points of view from opposite ends of the awareness spectrum. Each balances the other. Alone, either one can mislead. […]
Continue reading…The Spirit of Yoga
2019 Postscript: This is a copy of the 2010 PRINCIPLES update for the yoga book I wrote in 1979. At that time, I was focused on the problems that arise out of a belief in free will. In 2017, I finally realized the natural roots of this belief and most everything else that haunted me […]
Continue reading…Poor Thais And Rich Swedes
I had a little bakery on the Thai-Cambodian border in the early 60ās. It was little more than a shack, but big enough for me and my common law Thai wife (photo right), her mother, brother, and sister (1). Most of the customers were Thai peasants who would stop by for some sponge cake on […]
Continue reading…Chairs: One of Our Big Mistakes
The use of chairs in the West is ubiquitous. One of the most important life style changes I ever made was giving up my use of the chair fifty years ago. Chairs and sit down toilets are good examples of my motto, short-term pleasure invites long-term pain; short-term pain invites long-term pleasure. The physical ease […]
Continue reading…Significant Others
There is a curious thing I notice in the life of my two sons. They are not chasing girls like I was at their age. They arenāt gay either, so what gives? I look back on my youthful lust and see a disconnected lad looking for companionship that my independent upbringing never fully provided. All […]
Continue reading…Keeping Birthday Happy
Today is my 67th year here on earth. The picture is a magazineās back cover of me in my birthday suit at a lake in Arizona (1). From then until today, fate has been fortunate, for I should have died quite a few times by now. As to my health, wealth, and family, I couldnāt […]
Continue reading…