An End to War…World Peace is Possible!

Posted on October 2, 2012 by Chris

I want to fix the world, it’s really messed up. Sometimes I think I can. A lot of people do. A special class of people who think they can fix everybody’s problems pretty much all the time, are the politicians. They think that they can make the world a better place by compelling others to fit their view of the perfect world. I suppose there will always be those who think that not only do they know better, but they can force people to accept their view. These people are annoying when I meet them, but they are dangerous when they have power (like those in the government).

You will agree with me, I will make you!

But that’s not me. I DO know better (just ask me), but I reject the notion that I can force any individual to think the way I think. In fact, this is a fundamental belief that I have: that I have no right to compel any person to think, do, or not do anything, as long as they are not interfering with another person’s life, liberty, or property.

A few days ago, I posted a short quote from a Buddhist monk, Thich Nhat Hahn, about how the roots of war are within us each individually. You can read it here. I’ll admit, I purposely posted it to foreshadow this post. I already had a general idea of what I wanted to share about how the individual mind is where the “seeds” of peace are planted. Just like Thich Nhat Hahn, I feel that peace is best won by changing the individual, not the masses. Moreover, that change is a result of persuasion and then introspection, not coercion. That’s the way I share here. I throw some seeds out to you, and if you can see the logic, then the seeds germinate into an idea or some enlightenment.

So here’s the seed I’m throwing today. If an individual can be at peace with herself, then she has peace in her own world. You see, peace is in your own thought, in your view of life. If more and more people find tranquility for themselves, less conflict will occur among groups of people.

World Peace…One Post at a Time (Get it?)

So, I guess that’s my goal; lead one person at a time to tranquility one post at a time, one page view at a time. The Stoic hero accepts what is around him. He has a tranquil mind because he recognizes that nothing is permanent, but still has a duty to himself to maintain his integrity. The Stoic hero I envision also recognizes that each individual has a right to choose their path, even if it means misfortune for that person. As I try to be like this hero, I can try to help as much as I can, but in the end each individual is responsible for their own destiny.

I will never forget the power of individual liberty–this is from my personal creed.

World peace, one mind at a time. Go internet!

Soon you will be ashes, while justice and truth are fled..

Quote

Posted on October 1, 2012 by Chris

“Soon, very soon, thou wilt be ashes, or a skeleton, and either a name or not even a name; but name is sound and echo. And the things which are much valued in life are empty and rotten and trifling, and like little dogs biting one another, and little children quarrelling, laughing, and then straightway weeping. But fidelity and modesty and justice and truth are fled.” Marcus Aurelius in his Meditations

More Stoic Fitness and a Tour of My Gym

Posted on September 28, 2012 by Chris

I worked out this morning. It took me 16 minutes. It should have taken shorter, but it was a little warm and muggy. Before I get into the workout, I have to take you on a short tour of my gym.

Yes, my gym is in my garage. Besides the bicycles, scooters, and storage tubs are a squat rack, with a cable assembly, and some dip bars (they are removable). My club membership fees are zero, and my commute to the gym is very nice. But what about all that equipment cost? Well, did I luck out or what…I found all of it for $450 on Craigslist, except for two extra 45 lb plates that I bought for, I think, $10 at a yard sale. The plates were rusty so I had to wire brush them and spray paint them black with Rustoleum. Continue reading →

To fix ourselves, not the world…a little Zen

Aside

“We may think of peace as the absence of war, that if the great powers would reduce their weapons arsenals, we could have peace. But if we look deeply into the weapons, we will see our own minds – our own prejudices, fears, and ignorance.”–Thich Nhat Hahn

You are completely in control of your life…and no one else’s!

Posted on September 22, 2012 by Chris

In my frantic preparations to produce content this morning I was frenetically reading through some of my favorite writings of philosophy and inspiration. Finally, I came upon Dale Carnegie’s How To Win Friends and Influence People.

I just want you all to know that I LOVE this book. In dealing with people, I have found no better guide. I have read it twice fully and have reviewed the principles so many times, I could not even begin to guess the number. Chapter 1, “Don’t Kick Over the Beehive,” tells us how ineffective criticism and condemnation is. Essentially, we don’t respond well to it. So, that got me thinking.

Why is criticism so ineffective? I will say that my answer is that I don’t respond to it, because I am unwilling to change simply because someone else wants me to. For me to change the way I think about things, it must be my idea. “Nobody’s gonna tell me what to do!” Nobody’s gonna tell me what I should do! That decision is up to me. If it’s not my idea, I don’t respond very well.

Don’t tell me what to do! Don’t tell ME I’m wrong!

So, try and ask yourself this question (even if someone else may have brought it to your attention): If this is the way I should live, why am I not living this way?

For example, I’ve realized that I don’t spend enough quality time with my kids. I’ve examined why this is so: I work, I am tired, they are boring, I don’t like what they like, they are busy, etc. In the end, however, my values tell me that I should spend time with my kids as a father, teaching them what I know, playing with them more, etc. Somebody can tell me, “You work too much, and your kids need you,” but I am the only one who can change the situation. So in order to change this I must commit: from now on, I will spend more time with my kids. Even better, I can be more specific:

I will spend 45 minutes every day learning Spanish with my kids (which, in fact I now do).
When my children are speaking to me, I will stop what I am doing and listen, or I will politely tell them, “come back to me in XX minutes when I finish this, OK?” (this one is definitely a challenge for me).

My point today, is not that we should avoid criticizing others (which we probably should), or that we should increase the time we spend teaching our children (which we definitely should). My point is this (repeat it to yourself if you wish):