Blame implies the existence of a conscious intent.
Responsibility implies involvement.
Blame is assigned to someone/thing else. Even when I declare "I blame myself", there is a Blamer and a Blamed -- probably "I" and "Me". It is a weapon of punishment and control.
Blame is an attempt to avoid responsibility.
Responsibility is something you accept and creatively engage with.
Blame is a one-way, dead-end cul-de-sac to anger and depression.
Responsibility is an open freeway to freedom.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Sunday, November 18, 2007
BELIEFS
Beliefs are bridges over what you don't know.
Every belief is based on no direct experience.
When you know something from direct experience, belief is no longer necessary.
Living according to beliefs (P.S. they're not even yours, you know --- you adopted them Nth-hand from others) is like going to a lavish restaurant and eating the menu instead of the meal.
Every belief is based on no direct experience.
When you know something from direct experience, belief is no longer necessary.
Living according to beliefs (P.S. they're not even yours, you know --- you adopted them Nth-hand from others) is like going to a lavish restaurant and eating the menu instead of the meal.
Thursday, November 01, 2007
39 THINGS I'VE LEARNT THE HARD WAY (and still counting)
* There is no free lunch.
* It's all an illusion; we pretend it's real until we get carried away by our own pretense.
* Whatever we resist persists.
* My resentments cost me my freedom. I can't have both.
* A fool and my money are soon elected.
* We can choose our friends, but not our rellies. There is a reason for that.
* Good communication isn't hard: there are only 3 rules:-
* Never lick either a steak knife or the lid of a can you've just opened.
* Anyone who is nice to you, but rude to a waiter cannot be trusted. Pay attention.
* God has a sense of humour.
* God has no sense of humour. She takes you very literally at your word.
* When people say "I was only joking", they were telling you their truth: they just don't want to own up to it.
* It's all an illusion; we pretend it's real until we get carried away by our own pretense.
* Whatever we resist persists.
* My resentments cost me my freedom. I can't have both.
* A fool and my money are soon elected.
* We can choose our friends, but not our rellies. There is a reason for that.
* Good communication isn't hard: there are only 3 rules:-
- Say what is.
- Put it where it is (ie. in a context)
- Engage the listener.
* Never lick either a steak knife or the lid of a can you've just opened.
* Anyone who is nice to you, but rude to a waiter cannot be trusted. Pay attention.
* God has a sense of humour.
* God has no sense of humour. She takes you very literally at your word.
* When people say "I was only joking", they were telling you their truth: they just don't want to own up to it.
* Existence is an infinity of "This and that......and...." No possibility is excluded. Nothing is judged.
"Either this.........or that......." is an artifice created by the human mind that just wants to be right about its concepts, beliefs, opinions and conclusions.
* The purpose of life is life itself, just as it is.
* Your face and body after age 20 are all your own work.
* Keep trying new things. The Ark was built by a lone amateur. The Titanic was built by a bunch of highly qualified pros.
* There is no meaning -- we make that up. And it doesn't mean anything that it doesn't mean anything.
* A victim's life doesn't work, but most people take it up as a lifetime occupation.
* The purpose of life is life itself, just as it is.
* Your face and body after age 20 are all your own work.
* Keep trying new things. The Ark was built by a lone amateur. The Titanic was built by a bunch of highly qualified pros.
* There is no meaning -- we make that up. And it doesn't mean anything that it doesn't mean anything.
* A victim's life doesn't work, but most people take it up as a lifetime occupation.
* What is -- is. What ain't -- ain't. Everything else is just so much blah-blah-blah. Most people think the blah-blah-blah is somehow important.
* When "what-is" becomes more important than "what-ain't", suffering ceases.
* The only cause of suffering is addiction.
* This, too, will pass.
* There are no limits to the human capacity for stupidity.
* Given enough time and space, everything comes back to now/here.
* Never take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.
* What your life is about is up to you. Quit looking elsewhere for "the answer".
* "The answer" is you, and your experience right now. You just forgot what the question was.
* Never, ever, ever, say anything to a woman that even remotely hints that she might be pregnant, unless you can actually see a baby emerging from her at that moment.
* It's all about Balance. Nature balances itself.
* There are consequences to everything, including every attempt to manipulate the consequences.
* The more things change, the more they stay the same.
* When something changes, it's component elements remain the same; the same shit just got moved around a bit, that's all. We don't need change; we need transformation.
* Women are mean and men are stupid.
* Boys.....never, ever hit a girl. No matter how painfully they taunt you, girls have universal moral immunity, and they know it.
* There is a universe of difference between Knowledge and Wisdom, Sympathy and Empathy, Quitting and Surrender, Believing and Knowing.
* A judge called Pilate asked one of his prisoners "You talk about Truth; what is Truth?" The other bloke just looked at him, without a flicker of attitude. Pilate was left carrying his own baggage. He couldn't handle it.
* When "what-is" becomes more important than "what-ain't", suffering ceases.
* The only cause of suffering is addiction.
* This, too, will pass.
* There are no limits to the human capacity for stupidity.
* Given enough time and space, everything comes back to now/here.
* Never take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.
* What your life is about is up to you. Quit looking elsewhere for "the answer".
* "The answer" is you, and your experience right now. You just forgot what the question was.
* Never, ever, ever, say anything to a woman that even remotely hints that she might be pregnant, unless you can actually see a baby emerging from her at that moment.
* It's all about Balance. Nature balances itself.
* There are consequences to everything, including every attempt to manipulate the consequences.
* The more things change, the more they stay the same.
* When something changes, it's component elements remain the same; the same shit just got moved around a bit, that's all. We don't need change; we need transformation.
* Women are mean and men are stupid.
* Boys.....never, ever hit a girl. No matter how painfully they taunt you, girls have universal moral immunity, and they know it.
* There is a universe of difference between Knowledge and Wisdom, Sympathy and Empathy, Quitting and Surrender, Believing and Knowing.
* A judge called Pilate asked one of his prisoners "You talk about Truth; what is Truth?" The other bloke just looked at him, without a flicker of attitude. Pilate was left carrying his own baggage. He couldn't handle it.
* The longer the explanation, the bigger the lie.
* My emotions are my responsibility, no-one else's. Your feelings are yours; share them by all means, but don't dump them on anyone else.
* What others think of me is none of my business.
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