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Guest Post - The Majesty of Mindfulness

Cognitive Dissonance's picture




 

The Majesty of Mindfulness

By Joe Withrow

Author of "The Individual is Rising"

 

You will always find original articles by Cognitive Dissonance and other authors first on www.TwoIceFloes.com before they are posted here on ZH. Please stop by and take a look. If you wish to subscribe to ‘Dispatches’, a periodic newsletter from Cognitive Dissonance and TwoIceFloes Creations, please click here.

 

Mindfulness is a rare quality in our world today.  There is little need for Mindfulness within the halls of the great and mighty institutions of society.  There is little time for Mindfulness within individuals due to the demands of the rat-race, the allure of consumerism, and the overload of electronic stimuli.  And there is outright disdain for Mindfulness from the ruling class sitting atop the collectivist pyramid.

Yet Providence smiles favorably upon the Mindful.

Mindfulness is neither flashy nor fashionable and its power is not of worldly nature.  Mindfulness does not presume superiority and it does not seek recognition.  Mindfulness seeks only harmony – harmony of body, mind, and spirit.

Mindfulness is careful, but not timid.  Mindfulness is confident, but not arrogant; strong, but not domineering. 

The one who is Mindful understands the power of consent and thus does not consent to anything which disrupts the harmony of Mindfulness.  The power of consent is derived from the fact that one’s reality is ultimately a construct of one’s choices.  The Mindful one recognizes he has dominion over his thoughts, emotions, and actions.  Reality is merely an intersection of the three.

Because s/he is aware of the power of consent, the one who is Mindful chooses everything; he is not swayed by external forces.  The one who is Mindful takes great measures to avoid all manner of toxins that would serve to disrupt his harmony.  He avoids toxic food, toxic drugs, toxic thoughts, toxic words, toxic schools, toxic music, toxic television programming, toxic news, toxic people, and toxic government.

The one who is Mindful embraces self-education, self-employment, self-reliance, and self-governance and he rejects those who would seek authority over him.  The Mindful one recognizes the hubris and the ignorance of those who claim worldly authority over others.  S/he knows what they do not – that this life is not a trivial event in search of fame, fortune, and power.  Nay, this life is an interconnected part of the very fabric of the Universe through which the individual spirit has the opportunity to grow in transcendent knowledge and wisdom.  It is an opportunity to observe a very small section of Space-time within this massive Universe.

Those who seek power and dominion over Mindfulness are the same ones who seek power and dominion over the human spirit.  They claim authority over the Mindful one and seek to govern every aspect of his life.  They ultimately seek to convert the Mindful one’s infinite potential into blind servitude.

Look back through history and you can see that they who seek power over humanity have been at it for a very long time.  The dominion-seekers are responsible for all of the wars that have raged since the dawn of human civilization, for the institution of overt slavery that existed for most of human history, and for the modern institution of covert slavery that is perpetuated by central banking and fiat currency.  It is they who murdered the most enlightened of the Mindful throughout history, from Socrates to Gandhi, and even the one called Christ.  The power seekers revel in fear and servitude and they hate individuals who practice the art of Mindfulness.

Despite this Mindfulness remains calm and centered.  Mindfulness understands that worldly power is irrelevant in the bigger scheme of the eternal Cosmos.  Mindfulness recognizes that the external worldly battle is but a reflection of the battle that rages within each sovereign individual.  It is the inner battle that matters, for the external battle will fade from existence once the inner battle is won.  Mindfulness quietly focuses on winning this inner battle without any need of praise or recognition. 

To the worldly onlooker Mindfulness appears weak, callous, and cold.  Mindfulness offers no refute or explanation to these charges, but the Mindful one is fully aware of the strength that flows within and the flame of love that burns at the core.  The Mindful one understands that the same flame burning eternally within him also burns eternally in others.  Mindfulness knows that all of life is interconnected; that each individual is nothing less than an eternal spirit of humanity manifesting in a gloriously unique way.

 

Majesty

 

The Mindful one recognizes there is no ‘left’ or ‘right’; there is only Liberty or Tyranny. 

Liberty leaves the individual free to wander in whatever direction calls out to his spirit.  Liberty recognizes the individual’s right to discover and cultivate his passion, whatever that may be.  Liberty respects the sacredness of human life and presumes no superiority over the human spirit.  And Liberty leaves the individual free to discover his destiny and ascend to a higher state of being.

Tyranny sets forth to funnel the individual into worldly systems of enslavement and to regulate all manner of individual activity.  Tyranny sees the individual and presumes to know what’s best for him.  Tyranny looks upon the infinite human spirit with disdain and seeks to cage and dominate it.  Tyranny attempts to inundate and distract individuals with all manner of worldly fear, power, and entertainment so as to disconnect the individual from the spirit.  Tyranny places all individuals into collective groups, labels them accordingly, and then proclaims that individuals are meaningless outside of the collective.  Individuals who fall for this deceit then see themselves as part of a group and they see other groups as their enemy.

Mindfulness cuts through Tyranny like a fiery blade and the Mindful one sees right through these distractions and deceits.  Mindfulness knows that Liberty is required for harmonious individual interaction.  Mindfulness maintains amor fati - a respect for Fate.

This is why Tyranny holds an eternal hatred for Mindfulness: it cannot exist where Mindfulness is present.  Tyranny understands it actually has no power; it must be chosen by individuals.  Thus Tyranny must convince individuals of its ability to deliver a better future.  History shows that Tyranny is fairly adept at selling this illusion, at least until Mindfulness rises in opposition.  History also shows that Tyranny is never capable of delivering the better future as promised.  Instead, Tyranny always disrupts the lives and plans of individuals, families, and friends – always for its own benefit and not theirs.  Tyranny disrupted or ended the lives and plans of billions of individuals in the twentieth century alone.

Tyranny, for the life of itself, cannot understand the Mindful one.  Despite being in touch with their tremendous individual power, the Mindful ones do not use this power against others.  Nor is the Mindful one ever interested in negotiating with Tyranny; s/he simply refuses to stray from her/his chosen path.  Tyranny is befuddled when the Mindful one refuses all manner of bribes, deals, and kickbacks.  Tyranny is frustrated when the Mindful one is not deterred by slander and ridicule and it is enraged when the Mindful one does not respond to intimidation and threats of force.  Through it all the Mindful one stands tall, confident in the validity of his/her principles.  Tyranny has learned there is very little it can do to deter the Mindful one other than kill him.  But the eternal spirit of Mindfulness can never die.

Tyranny comes in different sizes, shapes, and colors and these different forms often compete with one another in the political arena.  Politics is simply the art of Tyranny, and a clever one at that.  Many an individual has strayed from the Mindful path for the allure of politics; often with good intentions. 

Mindfulness understands, however, there are no political solutions to political problems.  Political solutions always begin with “we must” or “you must” but this is a dead-end road.  “We must” and “you must” are unsustainable because they are not grounded in Mindfulness; they are grounded instead in some combination of self-interest, short-sightedness, ignorance, fear, and/or exploitation.  All true solutions must stem from “I must” first.  That solution is then amplified if multiple “I musts” come together in harmony.  But the inspiration has to come from within first – from the “I must”.

 

The Path

 

Applying Mindfulness

The Majesty of Mindfulness is the solution to the major problems of our time.  Mindfulness is simply a choice and anyone can choose to put it on their mantle.  Mindfulness cannot be forced upon others, however, as free will is a vital part of the Universal code.  Thus, Mindfulness is latent within each individual seeking to unlock its power for them.

The first step to awakening the Mindfulness within is an honest assessment of the System.  We are told at a very early age that the key to success in this life is to master the System’s power game.  We are herded into schools to pledge allegiance to the System and learn how to play by its rules.  We mindlessly rush off to college to further our education on how to succeed inside the System.  Then we pursue jobs in corporate America or maybe even an MBA from a public university.  The MBA, we are told, is the key to unlocking and gaining entry to the higher tiers of the System.  Similarly, each corporate job is a platform to prove our ability to operate within the System so we can get raises, bonuses, and then move up to the next rank within the System.  And there is always a higher rank in the System.

This is not the Mindful path. 

There is nothing inherently wrong with pursuing this path within the System, but it is much more likely to lead to stress, confusion, short-sightedness, small-mindedness, physical exhaustion, mental atrophy, family problems, and depression than it is to enlightenment.  Now there are certainly those who have achieved self-defined success and happiness from within the System.  There are plenty of people who have used the System to provide a quality life for themselves and their families.  But past experiences are not indicative of future results and the System is becoming more and more fragile, and suffocating, by the day. 

The System was easy to support in its adolescence as there was ample room for growth to mask the ill-effects of exponentially expanding credit-based money.  The hockey-stick graph of credit expansion has now eclipsed the rate of economic growth, however, and the System is teetering as a result.  The owners of the System must now resort to iron-fisted measures to keep it from tipping.  If you follow the System’s predefined path, your every move will be subject to restrictions, licenses, regulations, taxes, and prohibitions.  This is not a formula for success and it is certainly no way for a sovereign individual to live.

An honest assessment of the System will likely lead you to conclude that you would be better served by exiting it, but you will probably be unable to immediately make your get away.  Unless you have a tremendous amount of resources at your disposal, you will have to distance yourself from the System one step at a time.  This is not easy for someone who has spent their entire life doing the ‘right’ things – getting an education, working hard, and saving some money for retirement.  It is very difficult to accept the fact that the System has been structured to plunder the honest people who follow the predefined path and it is normal for this realization to lead to depression or anger, or both.  

But Mindfulness cannot coexist with depression or anger.  The next step to awakening Mindfulness is to learn to be calm and accept the worldly injustices for what they are – an opportunity for growth.  Liberty and Tyranny swing on a pendulum.  As do Justice and Injustice.  One or the other is inescapably present at all times in all places.  There is a fundamental balance that seems to exist in the Universe which suggests that opposite and contrary forces are always interconnected.  In order to know one you must also know the other.  This is expressed as the yin and yang principle in Eastern philosophy.

The System currently represents Tyranny and Injustice but it is becoming extremely fragile and one day the pendulum will swing back towards Liberty.  And later the pendulum will reverse course once again.  There is nothing we can do to change this process at the macro level.  All we can do is learn how to move away from the System and become a positive force in our local reality - our families, friends, and communities.  

The Mindful one does not seek to change the world; he seeks to change himself.  The end goal is admirable, but it is the journey that is most important.  The obstacle is the path.

Opportunities for earning income outside of the corporate cubicle arise as Mindfulness grows.  This income is still subject to the regulations and taxes of the System, but some of it can be legally sheltered before the System gets to it.  One must develop these meaningful sources of income in order to move away from the System.  Yes this means paying taxes that the System will use against you.  Yes this means accepting dishonest fiat currency that is used to transfer wealth from the outsiders to the owners of the System.  But what other options are there currently?  It is difficult to grow in Mindfulness if one’s life is a constant struggle just for sustenance. 

As your non-wage income grows you will need Mindful strategies for protecting and investing your money.  The System suggests you trust government approved retirement plans and government licensed Wall Street brokers to handle your asset management needs.  Those moving away from the System prefer some combination of a more diversified approach:  gold in the basement to hedge against currency collapse, specially structured high-cash value life insurance to hedge against future bail-ins and wealth taxes, domestic real estate, farm land and other locally-controlled hard assets that cannot be inflated away, offshore real estate to hedge against domestic political risk, a bitcoin wallet or two in case crypto currencies have a role within the next monetary system, and/or a contrarian approach to the stock market with the assistance of real (non-licensed, non-commissioned) investment analysis.  And of course it is prudent to keep a little cash on the sidelines for the times when assets are dramatically oversold due to herd-mentality investors rushing for the exits.

Mindful investments are not based on greed or on the hopes of future luxury; they are made to sustain individual freedom.  Mindful investing is not about making money; it is about converting money into income streams and hard assets so as to be free from the need to work as a wage slave for basic necessities.  The specifics differ with each individual but the idea is the same:  to blend Mindfulness with practical self-reliance so as to strengthen the synergy between mind, body, and spirit.  This approach enables you to get rid of ‘life pockets’ and adopt a more holistic approach to living – instead of having a ‘work life’, ‘social life’, and ‘family life’ you just have ‘life’.

The Mindful path is steep and rugged with lots of twists, turns, and forks.  Rumor has it the path also has no defined end.  But those who choose to walk the Mindful path find that their problems seem to fade from relevance with each additional step taken.  So they trod on, confident in the validity of their journey and respectful of the eccentricity of the Universal code. 

Where does the Mindful path lead?  Who knows…? Such is the Majesty of Mindfulness.

 

Joe Withrow aka ZH's Joe Galt

ZH's Joe Galt

 

For more of Joe’s thoughts on the “Great Reset”, the global paradigm shift, and regaining individual sovereignty please read “The Individual is Rising”.  The book is also available on Amazon in both paperback and Kindle editions.

 

Blue Ice

 

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Sun, 10/05/2014 - 18:16 | 5291937 Casey Stengel
Casey Stengel's picture

No, in this case it wouldn't. I think this is the squid flexing it's muscle thru the tax code. No serf gets away free.

There was no real reason for this irs rule.

Sun, 10/05/2014 - 19:28 | 5292221 Yes_Questions
Yes_Questions's picture

 

 

Find the minimum interest you must charge, do some algebra and simply reduce the price accordingly so that the sum of the 240 payments will be equal to the sale price with no interest?

Mon, 10/06/2014 - 06:39 | 5293504 Casey Stengel
Casey Stengel's picture

We actually did some creative work and fixed it but the fact that we had to stuck in my throat.

Sun, 10/05/2014 - 17:17 | 5291842 Sick
Sick's picture

God

Please grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference.

Sun, 10/05/2014 - 19:18 | 5292184 WhackoWarner
WhackoWarner's picture

THE STUDENT Tokusan used to come to the master Ryutan in the
evenings to talk and to listen. One night it was very late before
he was finished asking questions.

"Why don't you go to bed?" asked Ryutan.

Tokusan bowed, and lifted the screen to go out. "The hall is very
dark," he said.

"Here, take this candle," said Ryutan, lighting one for the
student.

Tokusan reached out his hand, and took the candle.

Ryutan leaned forward, and blew it out.

Sun, 10/05/2014 - 19:24 | 5292201 WhackoWarner
WhackoWarner's picture

And one of my faves:

 

ONE WINDY day two monks were arguing about a flapping banner.

The first said, "I say the banner is moving, not the wind."

The second said, "I say the wind is moving, not the banner.'

A third monk passed by and said, "The wind is not moving. The
banner is not moving. Your minds are moving."

Sun, 10/05/2014 - 17:15 | 5291837 Mesquite
Mesquite's picture

Much appreciated joeg/CD..

First lengthy article on zh that I read totally..

And focused on the thought stream..

The concept of Integrity, and letting go, come to mind..

And a slogan campaigned many years ago,

in The Phoenix Seminar:

'I Am Responsible.."

Safe Travels..

 

Sun, 10/05/2014 - 17:37 | 5291886 joegalt
joegalt's picture

Mesquite, I am humbled you took the time to read the essay in its entirety.  Thank you for the kind comment.

"I Am Responsible" -  great slogan!

Sun, 10/05/2014 - 17:13 | 5291827 blindman
blindman's picture

speaking of majesty ...
.
“One's spiritual realization lies in none other than how one walks among and interacts with one's fellow beings.”
B.K.S. Iyengar, Light on Life
.
“Yoga does not just change the way we see things, it transforms the person who sees.”
B.K.S. Iyengar, Light on Life
.
“Do not aim low, you will miss the mark. Aim high and you will be on a threshold of bliss.”
B.K.S. Iyengar, Light on Life
.
“Nothing can be forced, receptivity is everything.”
B.K.S. Iyengar, Light on Life
.
“Health is a state of complete harmony of the body, mind and spirit. When one is free from physical disabilities and mental distractions, the gates of the soul open.”
B.K.S. Iyengar
.
“Yoga allows you to find an inner peace that is not ruffled and riled by the endless stresses and struggles of life.”
B.K.S. Iyengar, Light on Life
.
“You exist without the feeling of existence.”
B.K.S. Iyengar

Mon, 10/06/2014 - 22:17 | 5297311 acetinker
acetinker's picture

Good stuff, blindman, but I must say that your truth, your wisdom lies within...you!  It is well and good to quote sages past or present, but it is wise to understand that this was their truth.

Disclaimer:  Your results may vary.  Know what I mean?

Wed, 10/08/2014 - 21:55 | 5306732 blindman
blindman's picture

@..." Your results may vary. Know what I mean?"
i don't know about results. i know about a process
that rides and runs, ruins and consumes on some hard
and some soft boundaries;
there are no results beyond the cycle of
birth and death, flow, where spirit moves and
rolls.
the truth of the sages is the truth, either that,
or we would call them idiots and not sages.
.
i like the quotes, especially
“You exist without the feeling of existence.”
? B.K.S. Iyengar
.
challenging but so simply true, as in sleep
or samadhi.
who is the i in deep sleep, the one that
surely exists but has no feeling,
or thought, of i or you?
there is a school of thought that postulates
that the mind of man is actually exterior, in
space, to his cranium, briefly descending
to find out more concerning the
energy of the soul. who knows?
.
you see the sages have concluded resoundingly
that i, the feeling or sense of i, is nearly
universally, a distorted fabrication and illusion.
i quote them because i think they are correct
and so, not much more need be said. some
but not much more by "me". i just like to stay
apprised of the main plot as best i can, it gets
difficult as you must know being a tinkerer.

Sun, 10/05/2014 - 17:12 | 5291822 Marco
Marco's picture

Tyranny has better healthcare.

Sun, 10/05/2014 - 17:01 | 5291796 disgruntled hou...
disgruntled housewife's picture

Thank you for the article! I have been living a mindful life for some time now but my husband refuses to join me. It is to the point where I seriously want to end the relationship. He is unhappy when I am happy and vice versa. Has anyone out there found success with a mixed marriage or found a way to get someone to see the system for what it is?

Sun, 10/05/2014 - 19:31 | 5292233 WhackoWarner
WhackoWarner's picture

AN OLD Zen master always told this fable to unserious students:
Late one night a blind man was about to go home after visiting a
friend. "Please," he said to his friend, "May I take your lantern
with me?"

"Why carry a lantern?" asked his friend. "You won't see any better
with it."

"No," said the blind one, "perhaps not. But others will see me
better, and not bump into me. So his friend gave the blind man the
lantern, which was made of paper on bamboo strips, with a candle
inside.

Off went the blind man with the lantern, and before he had gone
more than a few yards, Crack! -someone walked right into him. The
blind man was very angry. "Why don't you look out?" he stormed.
"Why don't you see this lantern?"

"Why don't you light the candle?" asked the other.

Sun, 10/05/2014 - 19:12 | 5292159 Yes_Questions
Yes_Questions's picture

 

 

No. 

 

Not without mutual respect at least.  Good Luck with your transition.

 

 

 

Sun, 10/05/2014 - 21:27 | 5292626 new game
new game's picture

agreed, 99 percent enjoy the comfort of their own misery and do not question why it is so.

i can not help one that doesn't ask for help(12  th step and being mindfull). fuckem, they are taking from your mindfull liberty and exploration of life and enjoyment(and sorrows too)...

Sun, 10/05/2014 - 21:57 | 5292740 juangrande
juangrande's picture

"i can not help one that doesn't ask for help(12  th step and being mindfull)." 

 

You can.  Results generally are not immediate, but you can. If you are residing in mindfulness/truth you have an effect on everyone. 

Sun, 10/05/2014 - 17:22 | 5291853 joegalt
joegalt's picture

Cog has written several essays on this topic and I am sure he would be happy to direct you to them. 

I would suggest that any attempt to get someone else to see the System for what it is will probably just push them away.  The System is so embedded in our society that most people will have to wake up to the injustice on their own terms and they will either shut down or get angry when others try to wake them.  I think you are spot on:  "being the change" and setting a good example is probably the best tactic.

Sun, 10/05/2014 - 21:52 | 5292720 Mrs. Cog
Mrs. Cog's picture

Cog recently wrote an article on TIF (Two Ice Floes) which has yet to be published on ZH. It is the fourth installment of a series called Dispatches: Dispatches from Occupied Territory – Awakening Alone While in a Relationship

We may seem to be much more awakened than many around us, but to those who have been on the path far longer, we still appear to be asleep. It's all relative.

Sun, 10/05/2014 - 21:28 | 5292629 Decolat
Decolat's picture

One of my favorite Thoreau quotes:

"Be sure that you give the poor the aid they most need, though it be your example which leaves them far behind."

Sun, 10/05/2014 - 17:05 | 5291808 disgruntled hou...
disgruntled housewife's picture

Just wanted to add to my comment that I am trying to "be the change you wish to see in the world- Gandhi."

Mon, 10/06/2014 - 22:05 | 5297282 acetinker
acetinker's picture

As to your question has anyone found a way... No.  If you insist, it causes the discord which compels you to end the relationship.  By "being the change" you must concentrate only on yourself.  In doing so, you will find that others want to know what you know, and want very much to be part of your journey.

That said, it is a process that is never complete.  Your partner is likely not stupid, or he wouldn't be your partner, right?  He is simply not ready.  Continue to 'be the change" and always be ready to answer any questions your partner poses.  Works much better than bitchin' or preachin', trust me.

I know, I am married to a state employee.  She currently still believes in .gov, but I can see cracks forming in her facade.  It only happened after I quit bitchin'.  Try it!

Sun, 10/05/2014 - 16:58 | 5291783 I Write Code
I Write Code's picture

"The tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao" - Stephen Mitchell version.

I've read "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" so I guess you can Zen anything, but when it got down to "mindful investments" that was trouble, and when it got to a wider zen of economics generally I think the Zen was lost in something else.

Any Zen lecture is problematic, some more than others.

 

Sun, 10/05/2014 - 18:13 | 5291969 blindman
blindman's picture

zen and words are like
oil and water, or the
vinegar attempting integration
of the two? zen, the poetry
striking at its own form of
articulation, arriving at
the main plot.
zen.
.

Sun, 10/05/2014 - 15:55 | 5291550 Clesthenes
Clesthenes's picture

Well, I can’t really disagree with your observations; but, why re-invent something that already serves your aim (?); and by “re-invent” I mean rather incompletely.

You state that the only difference that matters is that between liberty and tyranny. I certainly agree.  Why try to poorly re-invent with 30 or so paragraphs… when one sentence will describe the law and procedures needed to perfectly secure every right and property imaginable?  What is it?  Due process of law: the set of procedures by which no man can be deprived of life, liberty or property but by the judgment of his peers.

Of course, to declare is one action; to deliver is quite another.  And, it probably will remain so; for, Americans have the power to make tyrants accountable for all evil they have done; and they (Americans) refuse to use that power.  There are three main reasons for this failure: one is that they have no knowledge of such power; the second, they’ve been herded into a kind of impotent stupor by medication and indoctrination; the third, that they aid, benefit or were complicit in such evil (full article).

In addition, there is hardly an American who knows ideals won by the Revolution.

For example, Founders repeatedly declared the co-called right of consent: that no man was obligated to obey any law or pay any tax unless he gave his personal consent to such.  Did they really mean that? Of course they did.  They had been living by those rules from the first English settlement to the Revolution.  That is, according to the origin of English/American law, “laws” and “taxes” originated in contracts between various assemblies and those who petitioned for redress of grievances.  Terms of such contracts were sometimes referred to as “laws” and money payments as “taxes”.  And, no one but petitioners were obligated to obey or pay such “laws” or “taxes”; that is, all non-petitioners were exempt from such.  Further, when redress was completed, such “laws” and ‘taxes” were extinguished.

If you know nothing of the law and procedures of redress, and nothing of the ideals of liberty, how possibly can you achieve a condition of liberty?

I deal with this due process in my article, From Unprecedented Crisis…  It specifically deals with crisis spawned by the Mortgage Backed Securities debacle, and is the only solution, so far, that does not create a new set of victims during the solution.  It is, in addition, a means to finance the redress of any grievance that could be named.

Mon, 10/06/2014 - 23:36 | 5297178 acetinker
acetinker's picture

Good points, Clesthenes, as implied consent is pure bullshit.  I was not a party to the various "laws" passed by my government.  Unless I watch them 24/7 how could I possibly know what they're working to enact.  Yet, because I didn't voice opposition to some "act" they deliberately hid from me, my silence is taken as consent.

Similarly, the only involved parties to the US Constitution are those who wrote, and signed it.  However, it was merely a proclamation of the Universal Law commonly understood at the time of its' writing- Itself an extension of the Magna Carta.

Restrictions on the behavior of wo/men were few.  Both documents aimed to restrain the influence of the tyranny Mr. Withrow so elegantly describes here.

How far have we fallen?

Sun, 10/05/2014 - 15:56 | 5291532 radiobomb
radiobomb's picture

Nice article Joe/CD, just wanted to add this;

Mindfulness is the basis of Aikido.... Aiki is the japanese term for 'chivalry' [do means 'way of']. One of the tenents of Aikido is to help those arround you, and always behave honorably. In class the other students are parteners and techniques are practised in a way which enhances the others learning. Of course other things  such as timing, balance and precision also count highly - as does control of breathing and knowledge of techniques.... Some Aikido air techniques involve no physical contact- just timing. Force is never needed, just a mastery of balance and movement.

This helps seperate the Aikido spirit from Ju-Jitsu [a warrior martial art, where self is key, and strength is encouraged, & Techniques terminate in dominating chokes and holds, or strikes.]. And Karate [way of the empty hand], which allows attack pre-emptively and focuses on strikes, and power.

 Check out Aikido if interested, because it fits this mindfulness mindset perfectly.....

Sun, 10/05/2014 - 16:28 | 5291679 DaddyO
DaddyO's picture

As a long time Aikidoka, I will echo your comments...

O'sensei embodied this concept to his last breath...

Currently, I find Nishio Sensei's video series to be very enlightening.

You can view his work from the late '90's here.

Keep in mind that Nishio Sensei was ~ 70 years old when he made the videos. 

http://www.youtube.com/user/NishioBudo

DaddyO

Sun, 10/05/2014 - 18:41 | 5292056 radiobomb
radiobomb's picture

DaddyO - thanks for the link... he's a serious dude; Shoji Nishio (1927-2005), 8th dan Aikido, 7th dan Iaido, 6th dan Karate, 5th dan Judo.   Impressive.

Sun, 10/05/2014 - 19:33 | 5292239 DaddyO
DaddyO's picture

Here's how you can apply Aikido philosophy in business and everyday life.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyBEIx7fCfY

DaddyO

Sun, 10/05/2014 - 20:42 | 5292491 joegalt
joegalt's picture

DaddyO, I thoroughly enjoyed this video.  Thanks for passing it along.

Sun, 10/05/2014 - 15:58 | 5291558 joegalt
joegalt's picture

I will certainly look into Aikido, thank you for sharing this.

Sun, 10/05/2014 - 17:40 | 5291897 Casey Stengel
Casey Stengel's picture

Joe, ecellent job. I appriciate your efforts to articulate and inform. Thanks. 

Sun, 10/05/2014 - 18:08 | 5291959 joegalt
joegalt's picture

Thank you very much Casey.  I appreciate your kind words.

Sun, 10/05/2014 - 15:38 | 5291482 LawsofPhysics
LawsofPhysics's picture

If one is mindful Joe/CD, one finds that they must be careful in how they point out the idiocrisy around them, for survival's sake.  This can be very stressful.

Interesting that you are also published on "Dispatches", did you ever read the book "Dispatches" wherein the "myth of go" is contemplated...

Why excerise is so important to mindful people.

Sun, 10/05/2014 - 15:31 | 5291480 besnook
besnook's picture

interesting reflection on the buddhist concept of mindfulness. you speak of the power of mindfulness in an individual. the empowerment of that power occurs when mindfulness is multiplied in a group of mindful people.

i like to use the simple example of walking in crowded markets to illustrate the idea. in asian markets there is a sort of melodic flow to the crowd as if there were in sync as a result of rehearsal. their only rehearsal are the observations recorded from past visits. no matter how busy the market gets there is no chaos.

compare this scene with a western based market(not your local farmers market but something like the sunrise flea market in ft. lauderdale on a saturday) and you see chaos in small spectacles all around, people bumping people and having to stop to let others pass and cutting in line, blocking pathways, etc..

this difference i have always attributed to mindfulness. easterners are raised with the concept of mindfulness from birth. the essence of mindfulness is the totality of awareness of all things around you in relation to your awareness of yourself. it should become aware to you that the best path to get what you want, to achieve your goals is to find the least difficult path by being aware, mindful, of your environment. by making your path as smooth as it can be you make the paths of others smooth(trouble free).

it is a difficult concept to learn after childhood. the western idea of self interest as the great motivator celebrates the individual in an an unaware(unmindful) bubble. the very idea is an inherent life of conflict, a pain in the ass.

 

one particular point of mindfulness you might understand is the study of economics ids the study of the allocation of resources. based upon this concept the most efficient allocation of resources is when one works least for the most amount of money. the christian work ethic is a misallocation of resources fitting for a slave labor force.

Sun, 10/05/2014 - 18:32 | 5292033 joegalt
joegalt's picture

I think you may have summed up free-market economics in a wonderfully succinct way. 

When left to his own workings, Mr. Market does a pretty good job of allocating resources efficiently.  If you employ all manner of taxes, regulations, restrictions, barriers to entry, price and wage controls, interest rate manipulation, and so forth you effectively crowd out Mr. Market and you end up with most of your resources going to tanks, bombs, and perpetual warfare overseas as well as massive welfare benefits domestically.  And quality of life diminishes for most everyone.

Mind you, Mr. Market isn't perfect but his mistakes tend to get corrected very quickly - especially when trillions of dollars cannot be created out of thin air to bailout banks and businesses employing poor models.

Sun, 10/05/2014 - 15:09 | 5291394 DaddyO
DaddyO's picture

I'm glad I don't write code, it seems to affect one's very core, rotten at best!

I'm with you Hulk, well done, "Mindful" article!

The corollary to Liberty and Tryanny is interesting when placed against the current FSA mindset of entitlement.

It would seem from the author's perspective that mindfulness is the antithesis of entitlement.

I wholeheartedly agree.

Again, well done joegalt!

DaddyO

Sun, 10/05/2014 - 15:44 | 5291527 joegalt
joegalt's picture

Yes DaddyO, from my perspective the entitlement system is toxic to the core.  Taxing people to pay for entitlement benefits is theft and most people would agree that theft is wrong.  Not only does this system harm those who are robbed to pay for entitlements, but it also pulls capital out of the economy that could have been used for production, investment, research, or maybe even honest charity.

What's less obvious is how harmful the entitlement system is to the beneficiaries.  There is very little incentive for an individual to seek growth and mindfulness if they are given stolen loot to pay for their food, water, shelter, smart phone, flat screen television, Xbox, etc.  Further, such a system institutionalizes dependency over generations which creates an entitlement culture and a victim mindset that is very difficult for children to overcome as they age. 

Not to mention the fact that this system is not sustainable over the long term and when it finally collapses it is the beneficiaries who will be hit the hardest.

Sun, 10/05/2014 - 19:44 | 5292209 Griffin
Griffin's picture

I think that a welfare system is a necessary part of a normal society. Those of us who can need to be mindful enough to help those who are less fortunate, sometimes temporarily and on some occasions permanently.

What i am against is putting big banks and other financial institutions on welfare. In some cases its probably not a bad idea to try a bailout in some form in extreme cases, but to endlessly fork out money into a bottomless pit is simply not clever.

We are always going to have to have some kind of a system, and rather than to try to escape the system it might be better to repair the one we have, before or after it collapses.

 

 

 

 

Sun, 10/05/2014 - 19:45 | 5292267 joegalt
joegalt's picture

"I think that a welfare system is a necessary part of a normal society. Those of us who can need to be mindful enough to help those who are less fortunate, sometimes temporarily and on some occasions permanently."

It sounds like you are describing voluntary charity which I think is a great thing when verifiable and accountable.  Communities can set up accountable systems of charity through which mindful residents can help support those in need within the community.  No one is forced to contribute but people can be very generous when they see a neighbor in need.  This is much different than taxing everyone to fund national welfare programs that are wasteful and unaccountable.

Sun, 10/05/2014 - 20:23 | 5292400 Griffin
Griffin's picture

I think that you can either have a system that serves everyone equally or you can have divided groups of people with all the problems that come with it, like social unrest, poverty and a long list of expensive problems that you will never be able to control.

I don't know much about the US welfare system, but i suspect that there are other entities responsible for the problems the US economy finds it self in.

Sun, 10/05/2014 - 17:16 | 5291839 Marco
Marco's picture

Wellfare is the other side of the coin of enclosure.

Sun, 10/05/2014 - 15:51 | 5291540 DaddyO
DaddyO's picture

Eating your seed corn!

We're now in our third generation of eating our seed corn as a country and now on a global scale. I have told my kids growing up that life is like our life on the farm, the same principles apply, they are timeless.

A great life lesson is to look at the cycle of life on the farm, crops planted and harvested, animals born, raised and harvested on the farm. You always have to be mindful of maintaining your seed for the next generation. A totally lost concept in today's global society.

You ignore them at your peril...

DaddyO

Sun, 10/05/2014 - 16:18 | 5291643 juangrande
juangrande's picture

Why is it that all empires end up doing this to their demise? Some people call it human nature. I think it is egoic mind nature. 

Sun, 10/05/2014 - 16:23 | 5291659 DaddyO
DaddyO's picture

From my decidedly Christian perspective, the fallen nature of man.

Hell bent on death and dying...

DaddyO

Sun, 10/05/2014 - 16:41 | 5291720 juangrande
juangrande's picture

Daddy O, I think it's the same thing.

Sun, 10/05/2014 - 16:20 | 5291651 LawsofPhysics
LawsofPhysics's picture

evolution, period.  Put all this in perspective please, how long have humans existed again?

Sun, 10/05/2014 - 20:20 | 5292394 juangrande
juangrande's picture

I think the pertinent question is; how long have empires existed. I would think the concept of "future" wasn't always a main pre-occupation of humanity. That aspect probably developed around the time of the advent of agrarianism. Future, of course, in reality never occurs. Only present moment exists. But the fear of what might happen is what drives the human insanity. Especially, the root fear of death.

Sun, 10/05/2014 - 16:43 | 5291725 juangrande
juangrande's picture

Sure. We need to keep evolving.

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