23
Feb

Of Heaven and Hell: A Zen Parable on Anger

“Monk!” “Teach me about heaven and hell!”

The monk looked up at the mighty warrior and replied with scorn,

“Teach you about heaven and hell? I couldn’t teach you about anything. You’re ignorant. You’re arrogant. You’re a disgrace, and an embarrassment to other samurai. Get out of my sight. I can’t stand to see you.”

The samurai became furious. He shook, red in the face, spitting with rage. He pulled out his sword, and prepared to kill the monk.

Looking straight into the samurai’s eyes, the monk said softly,

“That’s hell.”

The samurai froze, realizing the grace and compassion of the monk who had risked his life to show him hell! He put down his sword and fell to his knees, filled with gratitude.

The monk said softly,

“And that’s heaven.”

2
Feb

Life’s Intersections. Looking East. Looking West. Going North!

speaker | communication craftsperson | cross-cultural connector | author

connect. communicate. co-create – vienna | cape town | goa | new york

LOOKING EAST, LOOKING WEST – LESSONS FROM JANUS

This is a new year reflection on endings and (hopefully) significant beginnings containing 7 bits for 2017 like…

  1. Greek god-ly information and 2 reflective questions
  2. 4 lyrical life hacks
  3. how to F.O.R.C.E yourself in 5 easy steps
  4. 3 A’s that will win friends and influence people
  5. a link to the land of OZ – a business book and,
  6. a boring print-out-able freebie for goals
  7. and some interesting words for my non-native readers!

So! We’re 32 (or possibly 33) days into the new year and it looks like some new year plans aren’t going to last past January. I know that thing. But don’t let January be another Jan-u-worry any more. I have created a goal planner to keep your plans and yourself (or was the process of creating it more for me?) on track. For you. Free of course. A real print-out-able freebie! But more of that further down this read.

Please note, that if you’re 100% satisfied with your life just the way it is – there is absolutely no need to carry on reading. But, if you are entertaining even the smallest of thoughts about wanting to change even the littlest thing (or big) carry on reading. This is packed with good stuff. As is the norm. This is what I do. I deliver good stuff!

But, I digress. Let’s take a look at this auspicious month. The month of significant beginnings.

January, gets its name from the ancient Roman god Janus who had two faces, one looking forward, toward the East – yip, you got it – the sunny side, and his other face looking backward – toward the west – gazing into the distant sunset. Janus was the god of gates and doorways, lord over the first hour of every day, the first day of the month and of course, the first month of the year, January.

He was worshipped at the beginning of planting time, harvest time, marriages, births and other significant beginnings in a person’s life. Our Janus has a big responsibility every day.

But seriously. In a deeper sense, old to new transitions, whether they be in our calendars or at the intersections* of our lives – can be exciting, thrilling, powerful and often overwhelming.  They can leave you looking this way and that and back again and even though you know it is safe to proceed you might hang around a bit, stuck, not knowing which way is best. Right or left? East or West?

Challenge #1 * Pausing is necessary * but the juggling act of taking a healthy pause and not pausing for too long is something you have to keep juggling to get perfect at and, just like riding a bicycle, you’ve got to keep pedalling – or you’ll fall off.

You need to do an ecological emotional check – because transitions don’t just happen overnight and achieving your goals takes time. If you’re going to be beating yourself up because things aren’t happening quick enough you’re setting yourself up for failure. Ask yourself
1) Just how badly you want the things you think you want and,
2) just how eager you are to step into your significant beginnings?

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