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Enthusiasm

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The etymology of enthusiasm is, to have god within.

It would be comforting to have a special faith, and to believe in resurrection, afterlife, or reincarnation. But after thousands of years of humanities believing in these fairy tales, no evidence or proofs have ever surfaced. Reincarnation is the most appealing to me of the many choices. But if I analyze the millenniums that wisdom should have accumulated in reincarnated individuals, there should be more talented and smart people on the earth, including more statesmen. Instead we have orangutans running for office, politicians that only think of power and personal enrichment, an unholy alliance between big government, big business, and big media, all benefiting by billions of dollars from this partnership. How are we to have faith, have enthusiasm about trying to improve the world, and ourselves, faced with the realities of our lives? It ain’t easy, but we still have to try.

Perhaps, to be more objectively analytical, considering action and time are life’s most important concepts, we should concentrate our beliefs and faiths in taking advantage of what we have and do it in a timely fashion. In this life, all we see and touch, is all we will ever have. This is not a dress rehearsal, soak it up and do it now. Satoru

Unknown's avatar

Humor and Hyperbole.

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The name that the Secret Service called Richard Nixon was different from the name that they called him among themselves, Pencil Dick. I was thinking about this cryptic name when I entered my building. Stationed at the entranceway there is a security guard named Tommy. He is six feet four and probably weighs two hundred and sixty pounds. He knows me and asked for some information about taking classes at night. Upon finishing the conversation I continued to enter the building and said, “All right Tiny.” Near by a neighbor was also entering the building. She was newly arrived from Germany and said to me, with a puzzled expression on her face, “Vos is loose mit dear Tiny?” Another guard was near by and guffawed. I explained it was a joke, but she did not understand.

Over time Tommy adopted Tiny as a nickname. A few weeks later a woman was having a problem getting out of her apartment because the door was stuck. She called downstairs to the guards post and asked for help. Tiny answered, “Tiny speaking, can I help you?” The women said, “Can you please come up and help me open my door?” Five minutes later there was a big commotion. The woman had called the guard office and the police. She told them that there was an intruder in the building, impersonating a guard, and knocking on her door. When the police arrived they helped the women open her door and detained Tiny even though he was in uniform. The police asked the women why she called. She answered, “I called the guard downstairs and he said his name was Tiny. Then this man showed up.” The officers were all smiling as they took the elevator down.

Zen, laughing, and humor, are essential ingredients of life. Perhaps laughing was invented to encourage social interaction. We laugh more when we are with others. We want to be with people who are happy and make us laugh. When was the last time you had an evening of laughter with others? Shutdown the computer, TV, and IPhone for a while and make the effort to find some new social contacts and reaffirm older ones. Laughter is good for the heart, relieves stress, and reaffirms our humanity. Satoru

 

Unknown's avatar

Focus

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You want to relax. You are tired and watch TV. Your mind is open and receptive. If you watch the news on television you must be aware that what you are seeing, that directly affects your mood, psyche, outlook, disposition, and modifies your ability to reach a higher plane, is condensed negativity.

Your focus determines your reality. Where focus goes energy flows. So become more aware and you can realize your goals. But, you must write a plan and take action. Stop waiting, work is more fun than fun. Satoru

 

Unknown's avatar

Zen perception

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Zen perception of the now is anchored in spontaneity, simplicity and total awareness.

You understand a joke spontaneously. Your perception of the humor usually is not analyzed or studied before you simple smile or laugh. No amount of explanation or intellectual analysis can explain to a person who does not have a sense of humor why the joke is funny. You get the joke or it escapes you, even if you fake the laugh you still haven’t got the joke.

In the same way you must experience the awaking of Zen Buddhism directly. You either get it or you do not. Satori cannot be learned, it must be experienced through your personal newly found awareness.

All things change when we do.

Satoru

Unknown's avatar

Bushido’s Lesson

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The Samurai were respected for their fighting skills, their code, and their loyalty. Although these particulars are exemplary, this is not why the Samurai have been revered for centuries. The reason that they are remembered is because of their entire life style and the living examples’ that they encompassed. They lived in a continual state of being involved, with honor, true to their word, focused in the now, persistently improving themselves, their relationships, skills, aesthetics, attention to detail, and striving not for perfection but excellence in all their endeavors.

So how do we emulate them, gain mental strength, and positively change? First identify points of failure and make small changes. This will help you reap disproportionate gains. Take full responsibility for your deeds or indecisions. At the same time you must understand and internalize that, hope is not a strategy, dreams are for those asleep, this existence is not a dress rehearsal, and Life is Action. Satoru