Sharpen Your Saw
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Just before I sat down in my kitchen this morning I thought why not do a constructive reflective review of the week that has passed into the oblivion. Do you think it is a good idea? Well I am sure you must be relaxing and gearing for a fun filled weekend. I hope you won’t mind to spare a little time just for ‘You’ the self.
So, this week we will briefly review our achievement in the past week and examine whether we have done anything commendable, which serves as a preparation exercise for our future. It can be anything small, a new skill, or anything you have learned.
Our topic ‘Sharpening your Saw’ simply means constant development of our self. It is important that we have a continuous programme of self-development. And when I say this, I do not mean you have to undertake a formal course or programme all the time. It can be simple, just using our common sense to reflect and improve our performance in all areas. For example, you may look back, and examine the way you have dealt with someone. And then ask yourself, ‘How can I change my approach and deal with it differently?
We must remember that ‘Common sense’ is our greatest teacher. The more we use it the more effective it gets. Now let us do this simple exercise.
Exercise for the Week:
(1) ‘Sharpen your Saw’ work diligently and reflect on your actions during the week that has passed. Identify at least one or more thing you have learnt that will help you to improve your performance or make you a better person in future.
(2) ‘Common sense’ is our greatest teacher, practise, and use it effectively. The more you use, the better it gets.
(3) Visualise and come up with a simple plan for next week by asking yourself this question: What can I learn next week?
(4) Develop a continuous programme for self-development. A simple written plan would be suitable.
God bless you!
So, this week we will briefly review our achievement in the past week and examine whether we have done anything commendable, which serves as a preparation exercise for our future. It can be anything small, a new skill, or anything you have learned.
Our topic ‘Sharpening your Saw’ simply means constant development of our self. It is important that we have a continuous programme of self-development. And when I say this, I do not mean you have to undertake a formal course or programme all the time. It can be simple, just using our common sense to reflect and improve our performance in all areas. For example, you may look back, and examine the way you have dealt with someone. And then ask yourself, ‘How can I change my approach and deal with it differently?
We must remember that ‘Common sense’ is our greatest teacher. The more we use it the more effective it gets. Now let us do this simple exercise.
Exercise for the Week:
(1) ‘Sharpen your Saw’ work diligently and reflect on your actions during the week that has passed. Identify at least one or more thing you have learnt that will help you to improve your performance or make you a better person in future.
(2) ‘Common sense’ is our greatest teacher, practise, and use it effectively. The more you use, the better it gets.
(3) Visualise and come up with a simple plan for next week by asking yourself this question: What can I learn next week?
(4) Develop a continuous programme for self-development. A simple written plan would be suitable.
God bless you!
posted by Debojit Chowdhury @ 4:02 AM,
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Impermanence and the nature of reality
Saturday, June 09, 2007
This week let us think about the real nature of reality, and the easiest way to do that is to examine the events in our life. Our life is comprised of an eternity of events, which includes both pleasurable and painful moments. It is a natural tendency to avoid pain and suffering, and seek joy and happiness. Both these states that is joy as well as suffering are impermanent. Since they are impermanent, there is no way that you can hang on to any of these states forever. It is simply not possible.
So, what should we do? Simple, just examine your life more closely and when you do this you will realise that whatever happened in your life good or bad has passed. You know from your experience that whatever you are experiencing now is also going to pass or end. So, accept it, and search for a way to march forward in the journey of life. Realising and accepting that our life and nature of reality is impermanent will enable you to lift the veil and open your doors to pure wisdom.
Exercise for this week:
(1) Remind yourself this week that both joy and suffering are part of life and they are both impermanent.
(2) Do not waste too much time by wondering and pondering on an event.
(3) Let go and become light-hearted and practise detachment.
(4) Everything that is happening in your life is for a reason. Work diligently to identify the reason and take proper action.
God bless!
So, what should we do? Simple, just examine your life more closely and when you do this you will realise that whatever happened in your life good or bad has passed. You know from your experience that whatever you are experiencing now is also going to pass or end. So, accept it, and search for a way to march forward in the journey of life. Realising and accepting that our life and nature of reality is impermanent will enable you to lift the veil and open your doors to pure wisdom.
Exercise for this week:
(1) Remind yourself this week that both joy and suffering are part of life and they are both impermanent.
(2) Do not waste too much time by wondering and pondering on an event.
(3) Let go and become light-hearted and practise detachment.
(4) Everything that is happening in your life is for a reason. Work diligently to identify the reason and take proper action.
God bless!
posted by Debojit Chowdhury @ 3:54 PM,
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