The Pythagorean Storyteller: January 2012

Friday, January 27, 2012

21

THINK TANK: THE POWER OF NOW

HENRY HAMILTON: “If you had as much time as I have, what would you do with it?”

WILL SALAS: “If I had all that time, I sure as hell wouldn’t waste it.”

—In time, 2011, Andrew Niccol.

I HAVE READ The Power of Now 1 several times.

The first time, I was so marveled that I underlined many paragraphs and studied them carefully. I even followed the instructions stopping at the right places to reflect on the insights and to find an analogy on my experiences. The second time, I thought I had a gem in my hands, and perhaps it was the best book I’d ever read. From the last readings, I come to the conclusion that I still consider it a brilliant book, with useful insights, but I also admit that Eckhart Tolle has not invented the wheel. I’ll tell you why.

The author of the bestseller The power of Now is not the father of the teachings about how to live in the Now—the only one time that exists. Although many more spiritual seekers have been teaching it, the source of his piece comes from the Hindu philosophy Advaita Vedanta, and especially from the spiritual teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi a hundred years ago. Of course, Eckhart Tolle translates that philosophy for the western society.

Don’t get me wrong! This is not a negative critique. His writing shed powerfully light on people’s suffering from the insane travels of the mind. However, it’s good to mention that nowadays when we dig into the source of knowledge, we can’t talk about individuals but 'Think tanks.'

If Tolle merchandises the philosophy of Advanta Vedanta, I can’t find anything wrong; my only concern is that his message lacks practical approach; above all, about the issues of everyday life.

The same holds true for German philosopher Martin Heidegger who proposed two modes of existence. He stepped into the dichotomy of everyday life and the ontological mode. Let’s try to dissect that.

Absorbed in everyday life, you are completely immersed in your surroundings. You observe the identifications of the ego: physical appearances, belongings, prestige, and belief systems. On the other hand, when you are in the ontological mode, not only you’re focus on the miracle of being itself, but also you’re courageously prompted to construct an authentic life of meaning, connectivity, and self-fullfilment.

The turning point to focus on the ontological mode is an awakening experience. Yet, nobody tells how we can overcome the challenges to seek and construct an authentic life of meaning, your own richness. I guess it takes your own journey.

1 The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment, Eckhart Tolle, 1999.

Friday, January 20, 2012

20

Deconstructing INFATUATION.

What is infatuation?

A initial convulsion based on ignorance?

—Lack of trust, loyalty, commitment, and reciprocity?

What was it about you that made you fall for someone?

—A biological impulse? Loneliness? Crisis? Boring life? Innocence?

Are the need to know who’s the other, to be ourselves?

Why is it harsh to believe completely in ourselves sometimes, and through the crystallization process[1] we entirely surrender to believe in others, exaggerating the qualities of the beloved object?

When does the dimension of reality enter the game?

What can we learn about it?

I’m glad to introduce you my new novel ‘Deconstructing INFATUATION.’ Enjoy the reading and don’t forget to tell me what you think about it.

[1] It is a process developed by French writer Stendhal, who stated ‘What I call crystallization is the operation of the mind that draws from all that presents itself the discovery that the loved object has some new perfections.’

Friday, January 13, 2012

19

THE SOUND OF NEW YORK.

Water drops hit the ground

While an outlander came to town

Her song took along

To be part of the sound

We are part of it

We are heart of it

Tireless vagabond shoes

And fancy Jimmy Choo’s

Walk around the streets

Forming strong and stoppable beats

Noise of the cranes

Shapes the temporary frames

Impatient horns are calling for future

Train’ speed plays its tune through the drains

Rollerbladers allow themselves to play like bairns

We are part of it

We are heart of it

Expected but unwanted cries of the sirens

Now and then hit our ears as reminders:

Frail and human is our heart,

Don’t rehearse your play!

Don’t sing wearing your neighbor’s hat!

Haven of countless songs

Haven of unique songs

Unique songs into a time, into a space

Sharing my song, my soul has been nourished

And joyfully dancing, my body has been cherished.

—Merce Cardus, The sound of New York.

Friday, January 6, 2012

18

TRUE CRIMINALS ARE OUT OF PRISON.

TED RIKER: “For teaching, for inspiring, you really have to open your soul to the students, you have to water each one of them as if they were the last plant of the garden.”

—The last time, 2006, Michael Caleo.

WHEN I was in high school, one day some classmates and I were laughing at something that I can’t recall right now. Suddenly, our pseudo-teacher said to me, “You are not allowed to laugh; you don’t have a nice smile.” All my classmates went in silence. Everybody knew something was wrong.

As a result of that:

1) I could have stopped laughing.

2) I could have hated Mathematics—since he was a Math pseudo-teacher.

3) I could have dropped school.

4) I could have got into drugs.

5) I could have become like the pseudo-teacher, a criminal.1

Five minutes later, right after hearing the bell, I grabbed my books and I ran away. Tears, that I had held, were running on my face. He chased after me calling my last name. I turned around and he said, “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it. My apologies.”

It doesn’t surprise me to see long-faces walking on the streets. Does laughter bother more than tears?

What the pseudo-teacher did to me was a criminal act. If it were now, I would sue him until I got him in prison. No kidding. True criminals are out of prison.

When you are young, you think that you should learn from teachers, that they are always right. You admire them. Yet what you can’t imagine is that most likely the pseudo-teacher is a psychopath, a mediocre, a criminal who’s parroting something already found in books. How the hell you go home and tell your Mom you have a psychopath as a teacher? So you have to swallow all that trash. One day after another. And you know what happens when the credit side is full of it, right?

I’m very skeptical about the education system. And if that fails, everything falls apart. I’m not a mother, nor a teacher, but I consider one should work really hard on oneself in order to become a beacon of light. Only then, you will be ready for:

1.-Helping them to discover their POTENTIAL. Never tell them to follow your path. Never tell them they are like you. NO, NO, NO, AND NO.

2.-Giving them FREEDOM2 and UNCONDITIONAL LOVE and UNFAILING SUPPORT.

3.-Allowing them to be CREATIVE, to reason, to question, to search, to discover.

4.-Opening the curtain of THE WORLD. They have to see wealth, they have to see poverty. They have to see love, they have to see hate. They have to see light, they have to see darkness.

5.-Allowing them to ENJOY life, PLAY, and LAUGH AS HARD AND LONG AS THEY WISH.

1 Teachers have a great responsibility on children’s education. Some criminals are hidden under the mask of teachers to command and manipulate defenseless children. It’s extremely necessary to unmask them, and replace them for quality teachers.

2 Putting aside your own fears.