The Power of Respect

Posted on April 10, 2017 by writeherewritenow

1-20170403_125936The Tao Te Ching tells us that “Those who would lead wisely must first respect life.” (Dreher, 1996, p. 63). A major principle of the Tao is respect: for ourselves, for one another, for life itself.

Since the Tao Te Ching affirms a philosophy of oneness, self and others are intimately connected in a dynamic process. Respect transforms reality, turning fragmented interactions into living relationships, conflicts into creative communication, and lifeless, mechanical systems into dynamic organizations.

As philosopher Martin Buber realized, all of life is relationship. We can relate respectfully—“I-Thou”—or disrespectfully, treating another person as an object—“I-It” (Buber, 1970, p. 53)

Through our daily actions and attitudes, we develop cognitive frames through which we see the world. In one familiar cognitive frame, the mechanistic Theory X model of organizations, leaders perceive their people as objects, replaceable parts (McGregor, 1960). Their “I-It” disrespect is clear in the ease with which they downsize or outsource, undermining many people’s lives in their failure to share information, to listen and learn, to see the people around them not as parts but partners in a creative process.

And since our cognitive frames include ourselves, disrespectful leaders diminish everyone, including themselves. The Tao reminds us to respect ourselves, the process, and the people around us. What is one step you can take to bring more respect into your life today? For even a small step makes a difference—like a ripple on a pond. As the Tao reminds us, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” (Dreher, 1996, p.42)

You can begin that journey by taking the first step today.

Namaste,

Diane

 

References

 

Buber, M. (1970). I and Thou. Trans. W.Kaufman. New York, NY: Scribners.

 

Dreher, D. E. (1996). The Tao of Personal Leadership. New York, NY: HarperCollins.  (Quotes from the Tao Te Ching, chapters 75 and 64)

 

McGregor, D. (1960). The Human Side of Enterprise. NewYork, NY: McGraw-Hill.

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Nurture

Posted on April 2, 2017 by j1velasco

thHe was working carefully, his hands inspecting the rose bush with tenderness, here and there his eyes checking for any disease that might prevent its blossoming. Gazing at the hedge roses, my friend simply said, “nurture them.”

A week later the buds opened. Bright and filled with life,  the delicate pink roses were a gift of beauty and strength.  What was hidden before had become a new life in front of my eyes.

As you go along with the tasks and challenges of your life, do you ever stop and nurture yourself? Do you consider yourself tenderly, attentively, and know how to blossom when the right moment comes?

Take some time to reflect:

Even when challenging times keep you busy,

nurture the growth of your heart.

When paying attention to the life

hidden within your potential,

you will see your life blossoming,

like a flower, your beauty

will come up forward as an offering to the stars.

Juan Velasco

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The Challenge of Forgiveness

Posted on March 21, 2017 by writeherewritenow

“To understand everything is to forgive everything.” Buddha

fireOne of the most difficult challenges you might encounter in your life is forgiving those who hurt you without necessarily forgetting the events of the past. I was thinking about this during one of my trips to El Salvador. I traveled with a delegation from Santa Clara University to the commemoration of the 25th Anniversary of the killing of the Jesuits at the University of Central America. The massacre involved six Jesuit priests, their housekeeper and her teenage daughter. My colleague Margaret Russell,  a scholar of U.S. constitutional law and civil rights, puts it in this way: “I view the opportunity to remember these martyrs as a kind of ‘cleansing moment’ in the struggle for social justice . ‘Cleansing moments’ is a phrase used by Myrlie Evers, widow of assassinated U.S. civil rights leader Medgar Evers, to describe the transcendent power of both historical memory and legal redress in reopening past human rights cases not only to identify perpetrators, but also to recognize and heal the societal wounds inflicted by human rights abuses.”

When I read her opinion piece at the San Jose Mercury News, I was challenged to think not only of those moments in history when entire communities suffer from severe oppression, but also to those ‘cleansing moments’ in my life when I have to hold together memory and forgiveness as a way of moving forward toward healing and reconciliation.

Lawrence, Kansas3In the Buddhist tradition, forgiveness is linked to “understanding,” meaning not forgetting, but investigating the source of suffering. As the investigation of your own suffering begins, the suffering of others comes into the picture as well. The challenge is not to see yourself as separate but as part of a net of interconnectedness that ultimate seeks liberation from suffering. What do you need to hold in memory and forgiveness in your life? What kind of challenge do you face as you investigate your own source of suffering?

Try this:

• Take a few minutes, breathing in and out, to come back to your center.

• As you are breathing in, ask yourself, “What is this?  What am I sensing right now?”  Notice all the sensations, feelings, emotions. Hold it in the space created by your breathing and lovingkindness.

• After listening and seeing clearly what is, breathe out all the tension and communicate your gratitude for the new insight.

• When you are ready, write down your insights about the nature of your challenge regarding forgiveness, and the steps you will take to remove the obstacles toward transformation.

Peace, Juan

 

Posted in Mindful Leader, Spiritual Activism, Spiritual Practice, Uncategorized, Writing | 1 Comment

Attitudes and Energies

Posted on March 15, 2017 by writeherewritenow

1-20170313_231604Unlike the old mechanistic model of organizations where leaders give orders and treat people like replaceable parts, leading mindfully means focusing on underlying processes, recognizing the energies within and around us.

Much of this involves our attitudes, the subtle energies we communicate in personal interactions. An arrogant and ruthless leader can create a toxic atmosphere in an entire organization, while inspirational leaders inspire and empower the people around them.

Research has revealed that interpersonal interactions are emotional energy transactions, producing measurable changes in our brain chemistry, blood pressure, hormone levels, cardiovascular function, and immune systems (Goleman et al, 2001).

A leader’s moods can affect—or infect—an entire organization, influencing productivity, profit, and overall corporate health, including the health of the people around them (Dreher, 2015). Egotistical, defensive, imbalanced, and volatile leaders bring chaos to our world.

Because we have such a powerful influence on the energies around us, we are profoundly responsible for balancing the energies within us. Today, more than ever, a commitment to ongoing personal growth is a vital leadership task.

Try this practice to become more mindful of your own energies. Take a few moments to note your feelings about a challenge at work:

  • Are you feeling nervous, anxious, angry? Something else?
  • Where in your body do you feel this?
  • Take a deep breath and release it as you name your feelings.
  • Then take another deep breath and release it.
  • Realize that your feelings are energy
  • What energy do you want to feel?
  • Breathe in that energy, that feeling, into your heart, right here and right now.

Namaste,

Diane

References

Dreher, D. E. (2015). Leading with compassion: A Moral compass for our time. In T. G. Plante (Ed.). The psychology of compassion and cruelty: Understanding the emotional, spiritual, and religious influences (pp. 73-87). Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO.

Goleman, D., Boyatzis, R., & McKee, A. (2001, December). Primal leadership: the hidden driver of great performance. Harvard Business Review, pp. 42-51.

 

 

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The Lesson of Living Systems

Posted on March 6, 2017 by writeherewritenow

1-20170222_173319In a period of tremendous challenge and change, an innovative book on leadership appeared with lessons that can serve us well today.

The Tao Te Ching, written over 25 centuries ago during the warring states period in ancient China¸ affirms that we are all part of a living system, that nothing in the universe stands still. In this context, leadership is a creative process, a journey of discovery from what is to what may be.

The heart of this journey is our own personal development, which influences everything we do. Effective leaders operate on two levels simultaneously. In the language of the Tao, they combine yin and yang. Inner directed, yet aware of externals, they balance the Socratic wisdom of knowing themselves with the mindful awareness of the energies around them.

We live in a culture of extreme outer-directedness with commercialism, competition, and 24/7 social media. Cultivating the inner life will restore our balance. Being inner-directed makes us more aware of our values and the energies within and around us. Outer-directed people get too caught up in these energies to do anything but react, while inner-directed people have the strength of bamboo.

Like bamboo, they are open at the center, flexible, adapting to the winds of change without compromising themselves. Empowered by a deep sense of purpose, they become strong and flexible like water. With the fluid power of perseverance, they can find their way around or through apparent obstacles. Anyone who has seen the Grand Canyon in the American Southwest or watched the ocean waves wash relentlessly to shore knows this power of flexibility and perseverance.

To apply these lessons to your life, take a few moments to center down, take a deep breath, and write down the answers to these questions:

  • How can I live with the fluid power of water?
  • How can I meet a current obstacle with flexibility, seeing new ways around or through it?
  • How can I practice perseverance, staying in touch with my dreams?

Namaste,

Diane

 

 

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The Wizard of Oz

Posted on February 22, 2017 by writeherewritenow
The_Wizard_of_Oz_Judy_Garland_1939

Wikimedia Commons public domain publicity photo:The Wizard of Oz Judy Garland 1939.

One of the first books I read when I was a child was The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. It sparked vividly in my imagination, the story of the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman and the Cowardly Lion being encouraged by Dorothy to make the journey to Emerald City. Later, when I watched the film, I still felt the characters’ sense of uncertainty and fear. It seemed then (even today) that their journey was filled with unknown dangers, crippling fears and a vast amount of difficulties to overcome.

How do we know when our own journey toward the future is a moment of growth or an unsustainable threat? How do we keep the balance, acknowledging the fears of the unknown and the strength and clarity of our journey?

I still smile when I remember that the Scarecrow desired a brain, the Tin Woodman was searching for a heart, and the Cowardly Lion needed courage. It is also heartening to remember that when the screen revealed the true identity of the Wizard of Oz, what we found in the throne was a pathetic little man, who had arrived in Oz long ago from Omaha. In difficult times we need to use our brains and our courage, but also trust our hearts so we can reveal the truth behind the forces that oppose us.

As you look at your journey, see clearly what is in front of you, what is it that you require as you adapt to the new circumstances around you. Do you see the journey of life as a threat or as an experience of growth? Do you resist and grow wiser or resent the changes? Do you embrace the challenge so you can learn trust, wisdom and courage?

Take a moment to reflect:

The journey is always teaching you,
Growth is all around you.
Do you embrace it and create new wisdom?
Do you adapt and grow in courage and trust?
The journey is showing you the way,
To growth, strength and love.

Juan

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Finding Hope in Dark Times

Posted on February 17, 2017 by writeherewritenow
Winter Blossoms

Winter Blossoms

The flowering quince blossoms by my front gate bring their bright beauty to the darkness of winter. Why do these small blossoms affect me so deeply, more than the profusion of wildflowers, honeysuckle, and roses on long summer days?  When most of the trees and shrubs are bare, these tiny rose-colored blossoms are a rare exception, a harbinger of hope.

Rushing from one task to another, moving mindlessly through our days, we can become habituated to the good and beautiful in our lives (Siegel, 2007). We focus instead on what’s wrong with our world, our jobs, our health and relationships, caught up in what Shakespeare called “the thousand natural shocks that flesh is heir to” (Hamlet, 3.1.64-65).

But a moment of unexpected beauty can wake us up. Winter blossoms, a shaft of sunlight through the clouds, or a rainbow arching overhead can fill us with a sense of awe (Keltner & Haidt, 2003) and gratitude (Emmons, 2016). These positive emotions can heal us, activate our immune systems, broaden and build our personal resources, and enable us to see new possibilities (Fredrickson, 2001). As Emerson, Thoreau, and centuries of poets have realized, a moment of beauty can transform our whole world view.

So if you’re experiencing “the winter of our discontent” (Richard III, 1.1.1) during these dark days, try connecting with the beauty of nature. Step outside, slow down for a mindful moment:

  • Look at the sky. Notice the shapes in the clouds.
  • Look closely at tree or perhaps a winter blossom.
  • If it’s deep winter where you live, look at the patterns in the snow or sparkling icicles.
  • Or spend some time with a living creature—a dog or cat.

Take a long, deep breath. Breathe in the beauty around you and breathe out stress. And remember you are always free to connect with the healing power of beauty.

Namaste,

Diane

References

Emmons, R. A. (2016). The little book of gratitude: Create a life of happiness and wellbeing by giving thanks. New York, NY: Hachette.

Fredrickson, B. (2001). The role of positive emotions in positive psychology. American Psychologist, 56, 218-226.

Greenblatt, S. (Ed.). (1997). The Norton Shakespeare. New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company. All Shakespeare quotes from this text.

Keltner, D., & Haidt, J. (2003). Approaching awe, a moral, spiritual, and aesthetic emotion. Cognition and Emotion, 17, 297-314.

Siegel, D. J. (2007). The mindful brain: Reflection and attunement in the cultivation of well-being. New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company.

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Margins

Posted on September 1, 2016 by writeherewritenow

LOTUSindexWhen I was in grade school, we had margins on the left hand side of our notebook paper, a space deliberately left empty where we could not write. It seemed to have no purpose—just an empty space on the page.

Lately, I’ve begun to see the purpose of margins–empty space, open time in our days, a chance to release the incessant busyness, relax, reflect, and renew ourselves.

Margins are countercultural. Caught up in habitual busyness, many people feel guilty about stepping back, taking margins, afraid they’ll be marginalized, discounted, left behind in our compulsive, competitive culture. And it’s easy to have our margins invaded by 24/7 connectivity.

Have you given yourself a margin today? If not, here’s an invitation:

  • Turn off your phone.
  • Close your door.
  • Close your eyes.
  • Take a deep breath and release it.
  • And then another.
  • Breathe out stress.
  • Breathe in peace.
  • And feel your body relax.

May this subversive practice bring greater peace to your day.

Namaste,

Diane

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Serenity

Posted on August 10, 2016 by writeherewritenow

This week you had nothing but difficult emails, misplaced anger, reactivity that made situations impossible to manage. You tried to bring  a little of common sense but the wave of frustration swallows you up and all of a sudden you are entangled in the reactivity. How do you go back?

lotusThroughout the centuries the different wisdom spiritual traditions have transmitted the tools for peace. Men and women of all ages have always faced hectic, complicated and challenging situations in life. By looking at your own tradition (and others) you can always find a prayer, a mantra or a practice that connects you with the natural flow of peace in the universe. What kind of practice takes you back, in a natural way, to your true self? What do you do on a weekly basis to keep yourself centered and at peace?

Take some time to reflect:

What is the tradition you are attracted to?

Find your favorite tools offered by the wisdom of the ages.

How do they become effective and purposeful for the way you want to live your life?

Remember, there is no way to serenity–serenity is the only way.

Namaste,

Juan

 

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Take a Mindful Moment

Posted on July 30, 2016 by writeherewritenow

I learned to drive on a stick shift. At first, the task seemed daunting, coordinating my two feet with three pedals: clutch, brake, and gas. Yet in time, driving became second nature. When we do something long enough, our brains grow new neural pathways and a task becomes automatic, embedded within our procedural memory.

 

wikimedia commons Milkmandan~commonswiki

wikimedia commons Milkmandan~commonswiki

Now I drive an automatic and the car does the shifting for me. If I wanted, I could even use cruise control, letting the car maintain a consistent speed on the highway. But I prefer to keep my foot on the gas. Last week I saw one of Google’s “self-driving cars,” controlled by a computer program. In the future, the driver could become a passenger, ferried around by an automatic program. But self-driving cars are far from perfect. One was recently involved in a major accident.

Sometimes I wonder if my body has become like a self-driving car, mindlessly driven around without my awareness. Too often I move through my days programmed by habit or other peoples’ expectations, out of touch with my own feelings and needs.

If you do this too, the next time you catch yourself moving from mindless habit instead of choice, stop for a mindful moment:

  • Take a deep breath and ask yourself,
  • “How do I feel?”
  • “What do I need?”

Then take another deep breath and look around you, returning to your activities more mindful, focused, and serene.

Diane

 

 

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