Matters of Flesh & Spirit

 I recently spent a week back in Europe; and as usual, when back in an environment where I was raised, it provokes much realization about direction, life and the world. Since it’s been warm and bright very early in Hong Kong, I had found myself getting up earlier and going for a walk along with some meditation by the mountains. This kind of reflection time allows one to get away from the hustle, even though most of the day may be full of it. It will let us get away from the hustle if we really try to let ourselves get away. If we don’t want to get away, we can stay in hustle wherever we might be. The hustle, and everything, is ultimately in our mind. That’s where we let it affect us. Following from the early starts in Hong Kong, I found myself within very little time doing the same in London. Getting up and getting the bus in the dawn, with the sun breaking through was enlivening. It felt like the only thing to do. I recently came across a quote by Kobe Bryant. He said “I can’t relate to lazy people. We don’t speak the same language. I don’t understand you. I don’t want to understand you.” There is certainly something to be said for being active, whether it be physically and/or mentally. Being at peace is also an activity; it takes a level of alertness and awareness. Peace is not the same as being lazy. To be mentally free is also active, it is certainly not passive. Passive means to be controlled, active means to take control. Active also should not be mistaken to be some kind of alpha-male, oppressive mentality; it means to be alert and engaged.

On getting up early, I would get the bus and walk to the Temple, the same Temple I would go to when I was at university. Temples can be institutions in many senses. The spiritual dynamic vs the religious dynamic is constantly one that such an institution has to grapple with. Institution is defined by people, positions, rigidity, and rules – these things relate to the “flesh.” Spirituality is defined by thoughtfulness, meditative growth, inner peace; these are things of the “spirit.” As I walked in to the room where there was a form of mantra meditation happening, where mantras are chanted for about two hours, I noticed of around 15 people in the room, I didn’t know a single one. When I was younger, everything evolved around people; who introduced you to it, who is who, etc. Years later, I didn’t see any of the old faces. On my last day I saw the first person I ever met at that temple and he was still exactly the same; extremely peaceful and content. It made me think about the importance of deeply understanding why we do something, rather than the externals which includes the more institutional side of whatever it might be, whether it’s going to the Temple, or studying something. Of course a deep appreciation of who is teaching you is important, but the defining factor really is why you are doing it. This matters, and in the long term it will matter even more. Old people will leave and new people will come, it’s the nature of everything; the more we are attached to the institutional side, the more superficial our commitments will be. The more spiritually we are grounded in what we are doing and why, the more reason and satisfaction we will find in what we are doing.

The problem with youth, and the benefit of youth are that we are naïve and often unable to attribute cause and effect. We listen to everything, we absorb everything, but are often unable to connect effectively what is happening. I guess this is what “experience” means. I noticed in my jiu jitsu training from an early stage that there were a significant number of more senior belts who were really very nice people. They were friendly, humble and generally very nice. I remember thinking they are far better people than I am because of how nice their character is, and how helpful they are. After getting to know them more for a longer amount of time, I can confirm they are genuinely nice people. On reflection, it’s been a very valuable lesson that if we believe that the people who are advanced in our respective fields are genuinely nice people, and better than us in character, then it is worth continuing on that path for we will grow in the right way. If however, people are bad characters, even though very advanced in their fields in their abilities, then it is better to re-evaluate how you are going about your goals and your path. Life isn’t about picking up lots of skills and abilities, it’s about being able to be more content with who you are becoming and what you are doing in this world; we should do what we can to aid an organic and healthy journey for the soul through whatever activities bring balance to our path.

Fake Plastic Teeth

Growing up in the 1980’s and 90’s there were a number of Bollywood films that even a person without much inclination in new age Bollywood, would not be able to get away from. Bollywood especially then, was quite “in-your-face”. However, one of the actors with a slightly more “tucked away” demeanor was Amir Khan. I don’t recall too much about him, other than the songs! And that films with him in them would appeal more than the likes of Salman Khan and Co. There are always back-stories and controversies that people will entertain about famous people, and I’ve also heard some about Amir Khan and how despite what he shows in the public eye, that his integrity is compromised due to scandals etc. I would prefer to either i) Give him the benefit of doubt, going with the “nobody is perfect” mentality, and/or ii) Try to see the good in what he does. One teacher mentioned that if you wanted to criticize the moon which shines so brightly in the sky, one can also say it has so many marks and craters, ignoring the fact it illuminates the night sky so beautifully. So with that context about Amir Khan set, my wife and I one evening rushed to the cinema thinking we would be in time for the showing of a Hollywood film we had planned to see, and instead found ourselves late and needing to choose whether to go home, wait for the next show in an hour, or to watch another film. My wife has a tiny bit more inclination to watch Bollywood films than I do so she suggested we watch a film that happened to be starring Amir Khan. Half-heartedly I agreed, and to my shock we found ourselves in the screen in a room full of only local Hong Kong and Chinese people from what I could see. My initial reaction was, maybe like us there was a mishap and they somehow think that this might be a good film. A few minutes in I could see that they were quite captured and following the story well despite of it being in Hindi with Chinese subtitles. They were also following the humour with great enthusiasm. I then thought maybe they actually like Bollywood films, but was kind of confused given there isn’t the greatest amount of cultural diversity in many Asian countries as compared to the West at least. Later I learnt that Amir Khan has a huge following in China and Hong Kong. It made sense, Asian culture tends, compared to Western culture at least, in general, to be a little less in-your-face “rah rah”. And Amir Khan has tended to be an actor that “could” appeal to such an audience. He’s generally been into films that highlight social issues, injustice, etc and this could resonate here. The Vedas talk about the principle of svajati, or likeness – this means we will tend to resonate with things that are like us, emotions that we relate to, behaviours we display ourselves, and so on. The principle of likeness however doesn’t mean things have to be exactly the same. It also considers how well behaviours complement each other even if they are not the same. If we study this, we will understand relationships around us; how commonality in certain aspect will lead to more “stickiness” and group dynamics that may otherwise confuse us. As much as we like to think we are in a progressive era where there is equality etc, we aren’t. Human beings are certainly a form of animal; and no number of robots or artificial intelligence will change this.

Amir Khan along with his co-stars for the wrestling film Dangal based on real-life story about a girl who medaled at the Sydney Olympic games, had to go through a grueling training regime to fit the various characters they played. Amir Khan who directed the film, had to play a young character and then the older version in the film. As a national level Indian wrestler this required him to gain and shed a staggering 22kg. So after this news, India and the Bollywood followers all over the world were going crazy about this weight fluctuation and the heavier and/or unhealthier people were using this as motivation to ask how long it took him to gain and lose 22kg. 9 times out of 10 when people ask this kind of question they ask it with a mentality to compare it to how hard they would find it. After seeing the videos of his training, the discipline it took etc, an American fitness expert broke it down. He explained how Amir Khan was extremely fit before gaining the weight, he gained it in a structured way, and lost it in a structured way. For most people who read the numbers, they are not at the level of fitness of Amir Khan. The other cast who were his daughters in the film had an even great amount to do in terms of making themselves look like professional world class wrestlers in the film. They had various national coaches, as well as Olympian Sushil Kumar help them train. Indeed the lead actress broke her bones during training for the film. Training to look good and training for combat are two different things. There are many world class fighters who don’t look particularly muscular or attractive in the terms of being super well-defined etc, which the media and society try to advocate. Having a beach body vs having a combat body may well have some overlaps but there is a clear difference in focus. Many animals who are kept in captivity away from their natural wild habitat, cannot survive when released since they do not work with the natural ecosystem that leads to sharpening of skills they are born to develop. The tigers in the zoo look ferocious on the outside, but when released into the wild they are far less likely to survive than those who have been hunting, defending and surviving their entire lives. A human being is made not only for fighting, but cultivation of meaningful intellect. When the mind and body is actively channeled then we can argue that we are robust human beings who are in touch with their ecosystem. Otherwise like the tiger in the zoo, the look and feel will resemble “the real thing” like the beach bodies, but reality itself is able to tell that all that glitters is not gold.

Amir Khan’s ability to dip in and out of “fat” or weight is a testament to a mental strength that comes from practice and experience, and his inclination to highlight social issues to do with injustice show his desire to expand his intellect and use his abilities to try to make a change for the better. Georges St Pierre, of the best mixed martial artists, and a true gentleman said that what comes out under pressure will be what you practice – not something else. One who likes only to enjoy, misses out on the liberating detachment that comes from finding joy in the process and not being so anxious over results; which is a mentality that in its irony attracts the best results.

Working the Invisible

Trips back to the UK can often be the source of reflection. Nelson Mandela once said one of the most intriguing phenomena is how one can return to a place and see how much they have changed, and the place may not have. The irony would be the opposite. To be conscious of our mental evolution and journey. Why is this important? Many feel the world is moving fast with so many technological evolutions and so many people also being lifted out of poverty. The question of evolution must be linked to who we are. Seeing things for what they are, seeing people for who they are, and seeing places for what they are – and working with these in the appropriate state of mind being conscious of who we are and working out our role in relation to these things. Whatever we do, whatever we have, the meta-physical, or invisible journey is key.

The Grit is Where its At

Most of the wealth of the wealthiest people in the world is inherited. With the house price increases over a decades in areas of London there are people who are sitting on a lot of cash. What they initially put in is not near the value now. As a result many people close to retirement sell-off and purchase in more economical areas outside of London where they may get more for their money. This has resulted in accelerated wealth for the sellers. There are often cases of wealthy parents and grandparents gifting fancy cars to the grandchildren, Lamborghini’s and Ferrari’s. Occasionally you will see very young people driving these. One naturally wonders how such an expensive car, is in the hands of someone who looks like a teen. There may be two levels to this situation. One is the belief that the laws of karma always operate based on what goes around comes around, and that there is always justice and action/reward balance. This means that the teenager would have had to have done something in a previous life to deserve the Lamborghini. On the other hand, factoring out previous life efforts counting in this life, this is simply a case of no effort and pure inheritance of fortune. The parents who would have put in the hard work, and the recipients who are benefitting from it without the work. Who really benefits? Those who evolved mentally through the hard work, or those who simply enjoyed the result? In our martial arts dojo, I recall a time where one of our senior-most brown belt teammates forgot to bring their belt, and was practicing with a white belt on. When everyone saw him, they smiled because they knew the situation in reality which is that he has years and years of quality experience, and technically and physically is head and shoulders above the rest. The mental journey involved in progressing so much is far more significant than whether he wears a brown belt, a white belt or a stripy Mr Blobby belt, or no belt. The external doesn’t matter, the internal experience and evolution does, and would out-fight any other opponent who hasn’t mentally evolved as much. Driving the Ferrari is like wearing the brown belt when the mentality is that of a complete beginner. They may be cashing in on their previous good karma, but if the mind isn’t evolved over time the value in such cashing in experiences will not benefit one in the long term as the grit is where the real fortune is at.

Like a Jedi

Visiting the UK where everyone is generally more conversant in English means I can understand what is happening all the time; at least on the surface of things. Recalling the Star Wars Return of the Jedi, there is a time where effectively an illusory version of the Jedi is fighting, not the real Jedi, who is meditating on the mountains somewhere. This is a similar feeling to being on a train where you don’t understand the conversation around you. You can therefore be less distracted by it even though you’re in the thick of it. If you pick up the local language, you will be able to understand what’s happening. When you understand what’s happening, you will subconsciously digest it, and those conversations will affect your thoughts. Being a tourist in a foreign land who doesn’t understand the language completely means you can 100% focus on your own thoughts since what you hear cannot be processed. You therefore preserve your mental energy for what you want to focus it on. This can indeed be done in an atmosphere where you understand the language and culture, but it takes an additional layer of processing to not let it filter. It’s similar to a pair of siblings and the elder kid may be disturbed by the younger one and the mother may say “Just ignore him or her.” The information is in, but it should be discarded is the mothers request. It takes work, and it takes energy and we need to be smart in how we use our energy. 

Without mental evolution, where the values of hard work with detachment from results, the imbibing of humility and compassion towards others and the Earth, all of the big-bang extreme material progress that many people are striving for, including those who are trying to come out of poverty – will not bode well. Many previous generations have tried to rise in similar ways through big bang ideas and have risen, at the expense of so many things; and we now see a world which is suffering the reactions of some of these innovations which at one time were so novel, whether it be through polluted oceans of plastic, or hordes of people whose health is suffering as a result of air pollution. Working towards a more conscious and more holistic form of success will be more fulfilling and better for everyone and everything.

Reconciling the Irreconcilable

Convenient thoughtlessness

With the world at an interesting juncture in many respects politically and technologically, people often find themselves with many irreconcilables. We decided to move out of the inner city area where I lived for over 5 years, to a less populated area on another island in Hong Kong called Lantau. This has bought a certain level of peace, which comes from many things including the thousands of trees on dozens of hill peaks that surround us, and a large body of water that the place overlooks. One of my colleagues I met recently, who is an author mentioned that "in places we work and live that are centered around convenience, I need some inconvenience as it forces me to think." On reflection, it is also that fact which makes this move all the better. Thinking time, subconsciously is often something people want to get away from. Convenience can take away spontaneity of thought in situation; to that extent we become conveniently thoughtless. Some of the most beautiful things human civilization is responsible for; great art works, music, are all instigated by thought in experiences and situations. We do not see museums built in memory of how hard someone slogged to make a bit of money; well we might see a few exceptional cases, but all in all, great memories and legacies of mankind are associated with quality and innovation in thought.

Reconciling the irreconcilable

Irreconcilables are situations or changes that we cannot bring ourselves to a position of comfort in relation to. Tropical locations are often characterized by the noise of insects in the background. Often times on holiday, I know I am somewhere very natural and tropical if I can hear the sound of nature in the background such as crickets or birds, rather than the sounds of man-made interventions like cars and building works. Many parts of Asia, Hong Kong included has insects called Cicadas. These insects are quite sizeable, around 2-3 inches long, of black, orange and sometimes yellow colour. They are also big enough that they are part of Chinese Shandong cuisine. They make an extremely loud sound as a mating call and also to fend off predators. The sound of a cicada insect can be over 120 decibels loud, which is as loud as a chain saw, or a jet take-off at 300 meters distance. The journey back to the apartment involves a small walk through an area that is occupied with hundreds of cicada insects, which emerge at certain stretches of the year. Normally, one would only every hear the bugs, and never see them since they mostly stay on trees, however on an overhead bridge, they sometimes get lost and end up on there. On one walkway, at a certain time of year, there is  very good chance you will come across one. One day casually walking past, I saw a bug, and thought not much of it and just walked past. I didn't even know what a Cicada was at the time. As I walked past it, it suddenly made the extremely loud noise and buzzed about in a frenzy; leaving us both in utter shock! I had no idea of the extent of their sound at the distance I was at! I knew that if I see them again, I would have to be careful; maybe it was a one-off. Coming back one evening, it happened again. I was in a similar level of shock. I then reasoned; it’s an insect so much smaller than me, I am coming back from a martial arts class where I have to fend off people far bigger. Why am I so apprehensive? It’s not logical. Knowing there was an alternative route to walk home avoiding the insects all together, I thought I will walk on the bridge and through logical understanding, I will not freak out. Seeing the insect from a distance, I prepared myself mentally for the loud outburst and frenzy. I was more shocked and disturbed than the first time. Conclusion; better not to take the bridge next time.

Depth is the only answer

We live in a world with increasing freedom of expression and thought. This is a wonderful development, and guards against oppression, which has been misused through the course of history in so many ways. Whilst such freedom of thought and expression can be very progressive, it can also lead to more disagreement on various levels. The reason why the polls didn’t capture the right wing votes in the major elections we had, is that people who believe in values that will generally be acceptable to the public, will more readily broadcast these, whilst those who don’t believe in values that are acceptable, may have reservation in sharing so loud and clear their beliefs. It is very simple. I was discussing with one friend whose original roots and heritage go back to Eastern Europe, the political landscape in Europe in light of numerous developments post-Brexit. He shared that a right-wing mentality has always featured strongly in the regimes of many dictators in Europe of the not so distant past. How that can be purged in one generation is difficult to accept, and this resurgence of a right-wing mentality, is one of the telling signs in that direction. Just as for a vegetarian who takes care of animals all day long and has relationship with them, it may be irreconcilably difficult to understand eating animals; for someone who loves to eat meat, it is irreconcilably difficult to understand how one cannot eat meat. The world is full of such irreconcilables; this has been the case since time immemorial. At it’s tamest there may be a ill-feeling towards anothers’ views, a disagreement, an argument, a scuffle, a riot, a war. Irreconcilables and how we deal with them, is therefore critical to stability and peace in our lives. Different human beings will have different level of tolerance of mental conflict in their lives. For some, they live in conflict mode all day and are more than happy to argue, and continue to grow amidst it. Whereas for others, arguing is rare, it is disturbing, and hinders their growth. This has some relation to our personality type and how extrovert vs introvert we are; however, there is a factor common to all personality types that will determine the extent to which we are able to handle conflict in our lives; this is depth of thought. If we have finished a long hike; and really need a drink, we go to Starbucks. My friend may get a coffee, whereas I might want a shake. We may not be on the same page regarding which drink, but we do feel the same that we are thirsty and tired. In a similar way, we may not agree with anything that a person believes, stands for, how they are as a person, etc. However, we do acknowledge that they are a human being, they also had a mother and a father. If we agree that there is something beyond their body which comprises their being, like the existence of a spirit, then we broaden this vision of equality to all living entities. At that level we are perfectly reconciled. We can then zoom back out to the choice of drink, and view it in perspective. The more in tune with the depth of vision that this brings, the more easily we will be able to reconcile the world in our minds.

The Hidden Whisper

Entitlement

For the first time, I’ve found myself living at the very end of a train line. Naturally one of the attractions is that there’s a good probability you will be able to get a seat, even in the rush hour. Indeed some people will even miss a train if it means they can be in the front of the queue for the next one where they will guaranteed be able to get a seat. Observing peoples behaviour on trains is always fascinating. Levels of irritability, entitlement, lack of consideration for others, and management of personal space are amongst the most common issues. In the train we often experience greater levels of physical proximity than is normal throughout the day. On the train the rush hour, you are physically much closer to people you don’t even know, than you probably have ever been with your work boss or colleagues who you spend all day with. It therefore makes for a very interesting set of psychological dynamics. A lot of this article is based on assumptions which may or may not be true, but it is how I see the situation. “Entitlement” is responsible for most of the conflicts in the world. Land ownership, entitlement to bigger bonuses, access to more rights, etc are at the crux of most tension in the world. So back to the train scenario, is it natural for people who get on the train first to feel a sense of entitlement and right to a seat more so than someone getting on the train for just a couple of stops?  If someone has waited for 3 trains in order for them to get a seat, do they then feel a greater sense of entitlement? If a person who works for the MTR and is a train driver gets on the train, should they feel a greater sense of entitlement? Should locals over tourists or foreigners feel a greater sense of entitlement to the things in their country? Whatever the case may be, this sense of entitlement is probably the most common cause of serious conflicts in the world. The challenges of the world are more often than not up-scaled versions of micro-challenges that we all face every day. The feeling of entitlement to a seat is the same feeling in essence as the cause of most wars. In Britain, there was recently a documentary about how migrants are 10 times more hard working than locals. This is leading to their being more successful, and over time I believe will have a bearing in the countries distribution of wealth like it has done for decades. This creates more challenges around entitlement. Is something yours through birth-right, or through hard work? All very controversial questions that will trigger sentiment in a lot of people. It is indeed the same sentiment that is responsible for much of the political flavour in the past years, and there’s no reason to believe why it won’t be going forward either. On the other hand, times are changing at the top and in successful people in their empathy and outlooks on the world. There are some strong and positive role models who are following a more open manner of leadership with humility, as we can see from some of the UK’s royal family.

Beauty of Humility

The problem with powerful positions is that they fuel the entitlement complex. Hard work whilst also an essential ingredient in building substance, can also give rise to entitlement. It is unfortunate that those ingredients required for greatness can also so easily give rise to this damaging complex. How this entitlement-complex is managed is down to character. If a person is humble and empathetic by nature then they will not like the entitlement-complex, and will continue to be humble even in external success. However, if a person starts to believe their own hype, then it can easily give rise to the entitlement-complex and more so as they become more successful externally. The internal vs external success factors are therefore different. There is a story that Alexander the Great appointed an advisor who would whisper to him constantly throughout the day “You are Mortal. You are just a Man. You are Mortal. You are just a Man.” This was to help Alexander the Great manage his entitlement-complex. Unfortunately most people aspiring to be great don’t want this whisper, however if we live in reality then the whisper will be most welcome. The reality is that if we don’t play back this whisper, then the laws of nature will. In a world of so many differences, the greatest undisputed commonality is that of our human mortality. Therefore, instead of focusing on our greatness as a goal for ourselves, we can indeed pursue greatness for the betterment of others, in a spirit of giving whilst knowing the reality that our existence in this world is far more futile than we care to accept. This is indeed why children are the most inspiring people in terms of internal attitude; their absorption in the moment rather than the result of greatness for themselves, is commonly the focus. Before schooling etc, this is their natural mindset. To pursue results in a spirit of living in the moment is far more conducive to a healthy mental state that contributes positively to society and those around us, than to continually hanker for that which we do not have or own.  

Humility is therefore the most beautiful jewel in any Throne of Success.

Substance vs Peripherals

Recently we went to watch a theatrical production called the Monkey King, a story from China based on a fairy monkey who gains immense powers, and tussles with using them for the right causes vs aggrandisement. Going through lessons of correct use and misuse of power, the fairy monkey eventually wins many supporters, and also through trial and tribulation develops an attitude of bravery and simultaneous humility. He therefore rightly becomes a celebrated character and hero. In the production as you can imagine, there was a lot of jumping and bouncing, and coordination between the various actors; from jumping on trampolines in a synchronized manner between four or five people, to in some parts more than 10 people coordinating beautiful dances. The concept of control and coordination are typically part of any successful execution. Anything from medical procedures, to military coordination, to building work; everything hinges on some degree of command and control. The Monkey King showed the importance of competence in his determination to obtain the treasures, but also the importance of character in ensuring proper treatment and sensitivity to others around him. We may have experienced that leadership and even life without meaning or purpose doesn’t lead to satisfaction at a deep level. It may lead to superficial satisfaction and impacts, but lacks depth and longevity. There are so many paths one can take. Will Smith recently said he read the Bhagavad Gita, and how amazed he was with it. Should our choices of what to believe hinge on such endorsements? If they do, then I would hope there is accompanying good reason. Unfortunately, too often there isn’t – it’s more sentiment and factors on what we refer to in this blog as the "periphery". The way we view things is critical. How should we view, or conceptualise our path, our mental state and finally our actions? The issue with many "religious" paths for people is often the human factor. Indeed many have tried to re-brand religion as "spirituality" to essentially de-couple the substance from the politics. There have been countless stories of treatment of children in Churches, people in positions of influence being imprisoned for activities, indeed with even President Obama abandoning Chicago’s Trinity United Church of Christ after a string of controversies. We argue here that one should logically and rationally consider the "substance" as well as the "periphery" of one’s path in life.

Separate the Two

After practicing martial arts in a few disciplines and in various martial arts in different contexts, with different teachers; over time it has become easy to separate the substance from the people, who may form the periphery. I have met some bad people, and I have met good people. I have met those who are incredible with technique, but disastrous in character, and vice versa. Ultimately, the substance which consists of the practice and the techniques, is separate from the people involved. If we have a terrible boss, we will likely create an association between our work and the boss, and we will hate both. This is because we are human and can be more sentimental than we are rational. If we have never trained martial arts and in our first attempt we experience someone who treats us in a rough way and injures us, it is likely we will carry that association for a long time. Given it is a first try for these people, who is to blame them? I know people who have had extremely serious injuries early in their martial arts careers and continued. And conversely have also seen the opposite where people have quit after a first attempt or few tries. The difference can come down to how much the person wants to learn AND how easily they are able to separate the substance and the peripherals. If we are not able to do this, we will always limit our experiences to the quality of people we are around; which we are not able to guarantee at all. If a beggar on the street offers me an authentic Rolex watch on the street whilst am on a busy lunch time hustle to get to the shops, it is still very unlikely I will stop, give attention and take the watch. Because we are programmed to associate things together based on repeated experiences to the extent that we may miss the substance due to the peripherals. The only means of separating the substance from the peripherals - is to be conscious, to be aware and rational in our choices concerned with our journey and path.

Be Conscious

The nature of this tendency to attribute the quality of our experiences with the peripherals comes from lack of objectivity. If we are objective in the extent to which we apply our judgments about things or people, this will help us to be objective about the reality, thereby leading to a more accurate view of the world and understanding who we are in relation to it. What do we believe in, and why do we believe in it? What do we gain from it? What are the fixed aspects, and what is variable? What do those variables depend on? Assessing these kinds of things is to be aware. Intuition is a huge topic; it comes even when we don’t want it to - sometimes when we most don’t want it to.  What is the source of intuition? Intuition is a complex mesh of feelings, experiences, sentiment, and sometimes also a sixth sense. It is defined as "the ability to understand something immediately without the need for conscious reasoning". This indeed sounds dangerous, and sure it can be, but sometimes it can be spot on, because it is immediately in tune with who we are. By all means we can let intuition play a role in our beliefs since our beliefs need to be close to our heart and intuition can come from the heart. But there must be rational, logical thinking that also is applied to this. If I feel intuitively that I like to break peoples cars, and that becomes my life goal; it is not in line with good cultural norms with a rational justification. The alignment of intuition and rationale are therefore essential in understanding and discovering our beliefs over time. One quality  of "religious cults" is that they tend to discard rational thinking on the basis of sentiment and order. If my teacher taught me something happened 50 years ago because “that’s what it says in the book”, and 25 years later I am explaining to people “this happened 50 years ago”, then I am objectively 25 years off. A humble and open mind understanding our shortcomings, a desire to discover the truth and it's application in our lives in a thoughtful way lay the foundations of a journey of fulfillment.

A more conscientious sense of spirituality means that we are balanced between objectivity and intuition  in the understanding the effects of applying and refining techniques, means and practices of thought processes in our own lives whatever they might be; and not in being purely ears for the movement of others.

Genuine Openness: Perception & Selectiveness

Perception

Life is a funny process. Another year ends, and another begins. The only thing we have guaranteed to take with us is more experience. What is the quality of our experiences? What have they bought to us? It's important we are clear on what biases shape our psyche so that we are genuinely receptive to the arrangements in the world and our lives in a manner that is independent-minded and true to who we are. With more knowledge doesn’t necessarily come happiness. Yesterday morning I went to a bar to watch a mixed martial arts event, UFC 219. Being New Years Eve, there was practically no one there, but there was a festive atmosphere. I asked the bar lady whether they were showing the event. She asked for detail and I explained. She said in her mid-western accent, “Sure we can play it, but there’s gonna be no sound cos there’s gonna be kiddies comin' soon.” A few hours in, and a lady came in dressed as a clown, red lipstick covering almost the entire width of her face, a multi-coloured skirt and a baggy top. It was just me and her at the bar. Having forgotten about the kids party, I was initially thinking it could be someone with an odd taste, perhaps not all quite up there in the head. I then realised the kids might be having a party, and that it’s probably the clown for the party. We had some odd exchanges; I initially gave her a concerned look, and she gave me quite a straight look in return. In the facial exchange it was almost an exchange being responded to with a confirmation that she was there for a job. She spent a good half hour blowing up and tying balloons into different shapes. As it approached noon, many parents began to come in with their kids. After sitting down and ordering their food, some of the kids would individually approach the clown and she would give them a small gift. The way they approached was a stark contrast to how they behaved at their table with their parents. On the table they made noise, and were comfortable and familiar. When they approached the clown, they were shy, a little hesitant, but had an air of excited nervousness, which created a sense of anticipation on how the clown would react to them. Feeling very happy, they went back to their table and with great excitement and explained to their parents what they had received. My observing the clown before any kids were present; she understood I was there to watch the event on the big screen, and I knew she was there doing her job as a clown. Both as human beings getting on with activities which we both understood, there was a level of transparency. This comes about as we grow up and learn about things one tends to do in life i.e. work to sustain oneself.  For the kids however, the equation was totally different. They have a concept of a clown, not that it’s a human being who puts some face paint on, some different dress, and presents themselves as a clown. They just see a clown, and this is what they saw. There was a huge difference in my reaction, interaction, and what I got out of the clown verses what the children got from the clown. For them, it made almost a magical experience, for me the clown was just a distraction.

Selectiveness

As a kid in the UK, pre-Christmas holidays were some of the best times. I recall waiting for the TV guide when newspapers and magazines would publish what would be on TV, and the Christmas Eve, Day and New Years Eve and Day would have amazing films on, which coupled with food, family and games would make for an incredible time. The anticipation factor in this was huge. Seeing which films were on, following the football games over the period, and finally the anti-climax of going back to school. Films are now on tab online, as is almost any commodity. The interactional element cannot be commoditised, but our mentalities can drift that way. Getting a football shirt when at school as a gift, then showing it to everyone at school was a big deal. When we are older we can have all of those things, however the bliss perhaps isn’t the same as a kid receiving them. Faith and knowledge have an interesting relationship. The magic of Christmas, takes faith to believe in it. In the same way I dissected the clown in my head, if we dissect Christmas using logic, according to the way we celebrate, there isn’t much of a link. Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Christ, who was effectively from the Middle-East, and by no stretch of our imagination anything to do with the West. In fact, Jesus was geographically closer to Africa and India than he is to the West. So why not represent Jesus in this way as a clearly having Middle Eastern origin? Why the Santa Clause? Reindeer, and so many other things? This is selectiveness. I enjoy the Christmas spirit as much as the next person does, but it’s things we create in our heads and put faith in, and therefore feel a certain way about Christmas. A few weeks ago, there was a documentary about a baby elephant stuck in a hole in India. The person taking the video went very close to the elephant to the point you would very clearly see the elephants eyes, mouth, tongue and trunk in great detail. We are typically used to seeing elephants from afar, however seeing it from close gives much more realisation of how real a creature it is. The sound of an elephant is over 100 decibels, which is as loud as a jet flying 1,000 feet in the sky and they weigh up to 7 tonnes.  I guess this is what the term “up close and personal” also relates to. The elephant was so real, but yet so unbelievable as a species. If we had no idea that such a thing as an elephant exists, and someone purely gave a description, I have little doubt many people would easily dismiss it. 

Though technology and society are moving with pace, even to the extent they are fast changing human psychology, habits and motivations, there is a “naturalness” to connecting with existence and embracing that there are many things we simply cannot understand through our limited perceptions and misplaced faith in things. There is a sense of open mindedness that comes with mentally being aligned with natures many manifestations and learning to live our lives in a way that has a greater sense of harmony with these. This way we will experience the bliss of a child rather than distraction of an adult.

The mind is the instrument for feeling different material experiences, but intelligence is deliberative and can change everything for the better. The intelligent person therefore can attain salvation from the illusion of material existence by proper use of intelligence. The Vedas

What is your Reality?

On the ferry back from work, I overheard some people saying “it’s going to smash into the dock!” and so I had a quick glance to where the ferry was going. Usually the ferry goes a little far away from the parallel dock, and then with a hovering like motion, moves closer to the docking station. This time, it seemed for whatever reason the captain went for a close docking without needing the hovering to get closer. As a consequence, there was more of a risk it could smash head on with the docking station, which obviously caught the passengers’ attention. Once these people announced that the ferry could smash into the dock, people became rapt in attention on the path of the ferry. At the same time, I saw a hawk hovering above the surface of the water eyeing its prey. It made two or three rounds, with an attempted dive talons first also. Two simultaneous realities. For the hawk, it had the least concern about the ferry docking, and for the ferry docking, the passengers had the least concern about the hawk.

Last week, Hong Kong, Macau, and parts of mainland China were hit by Typhoon Hato, the highest level typhoon in the last 10 years to hit Hong Kong. In the midst of this typhoon, more attention was turned to this, by more of the population, be it man, bird or animal. It had a more all-pervasive affect. Taking precedence over all of the physical realities, all docking stopped – ferries were all firmly at their docking stations, not being allowed to move either by rules or the sheer physical impossibility of a ferry functioning in the water. I didn’t see many birds hovering in the water during the peaks of the typhoon.

This weekend is the big fight between Conor McGregor, one of the best mixed martial artists in the world, against Floyd Mayweather, who has dominated boxing for the last decade with an undefeated record after fighting a host of powerful opponents. For McGregor, his reality has been to deal with a plethora of attacks. In his last interview, he emphasised that there are many ways to attack the human body, and how in mixed martial arts we respect all of these styles. For Floyd Mayweather, attack using the fists, with a certain rule set not allowing clinches or use of other limbs has been his reality for decades. Joe Rogan, the famous martial arts commentator and standup comedian once made an interesting comparison, saying that martial arts trumps all sports. This is because if during a basketball match if things heat up or there’s a dispute, people come to blows; which acknowledges the reality that physical defeat is more of a reality than playing a sport.

In this way we see that in so many fields there are so many realities that consume the minds of those involved in them. False ego in one sense means to believe that our reality and what we do and how we are is the absolute reality and that the lives of others are less significant or important. The reality is that there are all of these realities co-existing, and more than we can ever imagine. Some may be more pervasive than others at different stages of our lives. The Srimad Bhagawatam, the ancient Indian teachings say that “In the relative world the knower is different from the known, but in the Absolute Truth both the knower and the known are one and the same thing.” This view is extremely broad and views the oneness or commonness in all. If we can keep even this point in mind, then our sense of perspective will always be better, whether in the workplace or at home. When we aim to encompass in our understanding all of these truths, we will have a more comprehensive and less ego and self-centred perspective of reality.

Life’s desires should never be directed toward sense gratification. One should desire only a healthy life, or self-preservation, since a human being is meant for inquiry about the Absolute Truth. Nothing else should be the goal of one’s works. Srimad Bhagwatam 1.2.10

The conception of God and the conception of Absolute Truth are not on the same level. The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam hits on the target of the Absolute Truth. The conception of God indicates the controller, whereas the conception of the Absolute Truth indicates the summum bonum or the ultimate source of all energies. Opening words of Srimad Bhagwatam Introduction, AC Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada

Wars on Terror: The Debated Battlegrounds

As we offered a minutes silence to the victims of the Manchester terror attack this week in the Hong Kong Stadium, I couldn’t help but reflect on the dynamics and continual societal tussles in the world and the kinds of things that drive them.

Manipulation

 If you have ever experienced someone or groups of people try to manipulate you, whether it is in terms of your activities, your personal use of time, and most importantly your emotional focus, you will know it is something that can cause damage. The most unfortunate thing is that it originates with an individual’s insecurity and desire to see their stocks rise in the world whether that be in terms of social standing, financially, or even in a physical sense. It is sometimes said that ‘religion’ was conjured up and instituted to control masses of people. Manipulation tends to be conducted by individuals; we see it with so many examples of dictators. As the number of people one controls increases, the reward gets bigger since it gets noticed more.

 

The Middle East

Most people in the West have never been to the Middle Eastern countries where there is regular turmoil; not many would dare. They’re not the most prosperous; they’ve been subject to many underground militia regimes that are extremely dangerous, with agendas we cannot imagine. Their concept and lack of value of life is one that an average person in the West cannot imagine.  I once recall a conversation with a Japanese neighbour, who told me that most average people just want to have a family, have children and live a happy life. This is non-different in the Middle-East. So we always have those who want power through various means, and those who just want a peaceful life. Imagine a swimming pool with a shark who is hungry, and throw in some fish who just want to raise a family and be happy. Even one shark, will cause turmoil for the fish at certain times. This is nature also. The difference, according to certain religion is that humans have the capacity to think deeper before acting on our instinct to eat, kill, etc. The less primitive the civilisation or society, the less thought they give to consequences or morality of action including the value of life, before acting; and hence the closer they are to reflecting animal tendencies.

Polished interventionism

With the red carpets and accumulated formalisms of western politics, there are people with motives that may not be so considerate of the wellbeing of everyone, although it may appear that this is their concern. Motives can arise from personal ambition to leave a mark on hordes of people, to make a difference, that can be attributed ultimately to themselves. When the desire for this supersedes compassion for ordinary people, it can be destructive. The difference between this and the Middle Eastern behaviours is  the polish and glamour. Trails of destruction are hidden because of the sophistication and ability to manoeuvre, a veil is lifted and put down by choice on masses of people. Self-preservation and benefit is the name of the game.

Confluence

When the two above meet, the value of life, is far lower than the desire to win, exact revenge, and the plethora of other ego-driven motivations driven by ignorance on both sides. The result is death, and lots of it. It is like a stampede ruining so much effort, loving experiences and exchanges of individuals, dreams of betterment and happiness of the common people. The scary thing is, these impure desires such as anger, desire to control, and greed leading to such devastating actions, exist in most of us; it’s just that we act on them to varying levels at different times in our lives. In this way, the battlefields are really our hearts, and this is where the work needs to be done. 

 

Following such conclusions, the demoniac, who are lost to themselves and who have no intelligence, engage in unbeneficial, horrible works meant to destroy the world.

Bhagavad Gita 16.9

Seeing

 On a Saturday afternoon on Canton Road, Hong Kong, it’s not uncommon to see queues of luxury brand enthusiast outside of the store all day long in order to get exposure to the latest designs. There have been instances of shoppers asking for “one of everything”, in a Louis Vuitton store, such is their wealth. One Saturday, I was on my way back from training with a huge rucksack, scruffy trousers, and a wool hat; I went into a high end boutique hotel wanting to use the gents, as you sometimes do! “Excuse me Sir, what would you like?” Clearly not interested in actually helping me find an item, but rather question what am doing in the hotel. “Just want to use the toilet if that’s ok?” “They are for customers only, sorry.” Another evening, on returning from a client meeting, with a suit and tie, with a pair of brown shoes, freshly shaven, I walk into the same hotel lobby before getting home. “Welcome Sir.” “Can I use the gents please?” “Certainly, right over there Sir.”

 

We were at an evening seminar on technology and regulation, and how the authorities and entrepreneurs in the two fields are working together to move forward. At the end, people crowded around the speakers to talk to them. Most people were in suits and ties, with another large portion in business casual, and one slightly elderly man in a yoga style t-shirt, with an Om on it, wire-like hair. I watched as people were looking at him and dismissing him as not worthy of talking to, he was on his own for a good while, before introducing himself to me proactively. Later, when talking to a person who knew him, he said he was one of the first to be highly successful in the start up scene decades ago and was just here giving advice to people. Once a few people got to know this, he gathered quite an audience.

 

The attendant at the boutique hotel, scanning people who enter, was just working there doing his job, and based on information he has through his and others’ past experience, trust patterns, stereo types, etc; they decide how to act with individuals and groups. This is very much understandable, and it is what we sometimes call “human nature” when people have their roles and needs. In a similar way at the seminar, people want to talk to people who would be of “value” to them, worth their time, and therefore people differentiate between ranks, net worth, success, and find the people that suit their needs. This is again “natural” given the environment and macro-drivers.

Taking time out often gives a different perspective of “value.” What is success? What drives my judgements of what will contribute to my success? What contributes to my behaviour? When a child sees a mother, or a dear one, it is often driven by love. Of course, it may be driven by needs such as wanting something, but often times it is driven by love. Whether the mother is rich, or poor, the child will love the mother naturally. It will happen in the war torn areas of the Middle-East, and in the wealth filled areas of the “upper classes” of the most developed cities. When we are constantly bombarded with definitions of success by the macro-structures, and give ourselves little time to get away; our judgements will use more so-called intelligence, and less heart. The more we get time to contemplate, see different perspectives and people, the more we will lean towards seeing with the heart. Intelligence will be used to understand the macro-structures, interact with them appropriately, but ultimately use heart to govern our interactions. This doesn’t equate to being soft and fluffy with everyone; it means to respect the multitude of qualities in others, the ultimate oneness of us at a deeper level, and be real human beings.

 The humble sage, by virtue of true knowledge, sees with equal vision a learned and gentle brahmana, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater.

Krishna to Arjuna, Bhagavad Gita

 

“I speak to everyone in the same way, whether he is the garbage man or the president of the university.”

Albert Einstein

The Good, The Bad & the Ugly: How Our Motivation Matters

The role of intent

What is the difference between murder and man-slaughter? Intent. Only intent. How we prove intent is one of the biggest topics in court and leads to hundreds of thousands of man/hours worth of work and millions of dollars worth of legal fees. I recall watching the live OJ Simpson trial when he was accused of double murder of his then wife Nicole Brown Simpson, and waiter Ron Goldman. The OJ Simpson documentary OJ: Made In America’ Oscar-Winning Documentary shows how there are often times multiple external facts, multiple actors in the situation, but what the concern is around, is the one single motivation.  

 

We choose our principles, often very early in life

Being asked about corporate values earlier this week, and specifically which ones stood out most and mattered most, it’s not a topic many people spend much time dwelling on earlier in their careers especially, and understandably so since there are many other motivations that may take priority i.e. reward, technical content, nature of work, etc. In terms of values; each individual will have their own values, since almost birth and ways of behaving and operating. If these coincide or overlap with corporate values, it’s just a happy coincidence, but it’s not easy to one day dream up a set of values and force people to change to imbibe these; whatever the company or context may be.

 

Certain "values" are needed for any type of success; these aren't a big deal

The response to which values are most important, can only partially be answered. There are values that are secondary, and values that are primary. Primary values are the most important; do you really care about others? Do you want what is best for others? Are you thinking selfishly or selflessly? Secondary values are things like “teaming”, “thinking innovatively” etc. These, even people who don’t have good motivations, can do. Hitler teamed, Hitler thought innovatively. Never believe that seeing certain values implies a good deeper motive. Secondary values aren’t something to be so proud of, in isolation; they can be calculatingly attained, for manipulative and ulterior purposes. To be "successful", such values are used in execution 9 times out of 10. There can be people who externally may not appear successful, but they have the core values right; this is what matters in the grand scheme, and not how much of a balance a person may have notched up. It's easy to see when this is the case; the emphasis will be on how we can all achieve our potential in our own ways according to our own nature and abilities, rather than how I can be successful at the expense of others.

 

I’ve been fortunate to have had leaders and mentors in various fields, who have set wonderful examples with their values, and also those who really haven’t. As time goes by, and we define what governs the way we choose to operate and the type of people we prefer to surround ourselves with in order to grow, it’s always nice to compare and contrast approaches, and really understand what we value and aspire to imbibe.

 

Whatever our situation, greatness is having a simple heart. Radhanath Swami