Tag Archives: Sovereignty

goals, self awareness, Self-Dicipline, Self-Reflection, work on the self, FIRST

Attention to intention

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“The road to hell is paved with good intentions” Saint Bernard of Clairvaux

The last blog post contained the lesson “before goals, work on the self first”. This post continues with this context. With New Years right around the corner, many of us are contemplating resolutions for the new year. We are making promises to ourselves and setting goals to improve our lives. But before we make that selection and promise, it is wise to contemplate the motivating intention. This too is working on the self first.

As mentioned before, self-management (sovereignty) is ego management. Ego intentions can lead to an unexpected and undesired destiny. Self-reflection is a good meditation to explore the why and what of the intention being considered. Its good to step back and pay attention to the emotions that may be driving those intentions. It’s good to acknowledge and remember that the ego is mostly self-serving and narcissistic. And it is always wise to remember take a moderated approach.

Ask your self these questions and give honest answers. They will reveal what is behind your intentions. Your intentions should be grounded in wisdom and virtue.  Look to see if the ego intentions such as vanity, greed,  or envy.

Why do I really want to achieve this goal? 

If you are intending on aquiring something, is it “want” or a “need”. 

What am I trying to accomplish?

What will it take to achieve this? What level of commitment are you willing to give?

What role is the ego playing in this desired goal?

Will this cause harm to others?

What future and destiny am I creating for myself?

Goal achievement takes a measure of discipline to continue when you face obstacles along the way.

What is your strategy for staying on the path when you have the inevitable setback?

How will you maintain willpower and not give in to distraction and desire?

Finding answers to these questions is working on the self. Sovereignty is the ability of the true-self to manage the ego self from hijacking good intentions and getting lost on the side paths.

For more strategies on working on the self, please see my book.

Available in Paper Back, Sovereignty; The Tao Principle of Self Management

 

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detached action - non striving, detachment, Presence, self awareness, Sovereignty, Virtue

Simplicity

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…If you look at a list of antonyms for virtue you will see words like dishonesty, evil, and, imperfection. Practicing these traits will end in ruin. All virtue has inherent power. You can see the inherent power in simplicity.[1]

The root of the word simplicity is simple. The term “simple” can be defined as easy, clear, uncluttered, and, natural.

Simplicity is a virtue because of its altruistic nature (selfless action). Those who are aware of the ego’s desire for details and complexity know how it can hide cunning and trickery. If you look up the antonyms for simplicity you will see complexity, difficulty, and complication.

End sagacity; abandon knowledge

The people benefit a hundred times

End benevolence; abandon righteousness

The people return to piety and charity

End cunning; discard profit

Bandits and thieves no longer exist

These three things are superficial and insufficient

Thus this teaching has its place;

Show plainness; [hold to simplicity]

Reduce selfishness; decrease desires.

Chapter 19 of the Tao Te Ching

The complement to simplicity is honesty. Those who are honest with themselves and others feel no need to make things anything other than easy, clear, straightforward or natural. Telling the truth keeps things simple. Lying is complicated because of the difficulty in keeping the details straight. The more the lie is defended, the more complex it becomes. Often it will evolve into something indefensible, and it will become painfully apparent that the truth would have been much simpler.

Another complement of simplicity would be conservation. The vanity of ego can be the source of non-useful expenditures of resources. Complexity leads to difficulty and complication, which ultimately leads to stress and worry. Stress and worry generate a need to cope which drains your energy and resources…” Excerpt from Chapter 21, Simplicity (Section Two – A study of Virtue)

[1] See chapter 16, True Courage, subsection Inherent Power

About the photo: What better symbol for simplicity than a moment watching the sunrise? Just simply be present with the moment as the natural beauty unfolds. Just observe, witness, and appreciate being alive.

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Sovereignty, Virtue

Humility

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The third is called not getting ahead in the world”

from verse 11, Chapter 67, Tao Te Ching

The verse above stating “not getting ahead in the world”, is stating the virtue of humility. This virtue, humility, is a complementary of compassion and conservation. In conserving spirit, you have transcended the self-important perspective of ego. Compassion is having loving kindness and caring for the suffering and well-being of others. The joining of compassion and conservation opens the door to a state of not striving to get ahead in the world or non-self importance. This state of being is humility. Humility or selflessness is the antithesis of ego.

As you gain skill at sovereignty, you gain more and more control over the ego. This is the point that the need for self-importance begins to reside. Neediness is a core principle of the ego-self. The need to have attention, to be seen as the best, to always win is how the ego spends its life. Seeking ”to get ahead in the world”, rather than being like water and seeking the low places” 1.

Like the hub of a wagon wheel, being empty of ego, humility gives function to so many other principles and virtues of the Tao.

Chapter 8: “The highest goodness resembles water,

Water benefits myriad things without contention

It stays in places that people dislike”

Therefore it is similar to the Tao

Chapter 22: “….be low and become filled

Be worn out and become renewed

Have little and receive

Have much and be confused

therefore the sages hold to the one as an example to the world

Without flaunting themselves, they are seen clearly

Without presuming themselves, and are distinguished

Without praising themselves, and so have merit

With boasting about themselves and so are lasting”..

Chapter 28 “…The eternal virtue does not deviate

Return to the state of the boundless

Know the honor, hold the humility”…

Chapter 39 “The honored uses the lowly as a basis

The higher uses the lower as a foundation…”

Chapter 66 “ Rivers and oceans can be the kings of a hundred valleys

Because of their goodness in staying low

So they can be kings of a hundred valleys

Thus is sage wish to be over people

They must speak humbly to them…”

The inherent power of humility the first two treasures possible. Because you are not trying to get ahead in the world, your spirit resides in compassion. Because of your humility you are free from the greedy desire of ego never caring for conservation. The ego is too hungry with desire, it is ignorant to conserving resources. Through Sovereignty, you can engage the inherent powers of the three treasures and experience a long joyful life.

Humility is the principle and centerpiece for so many insights within the Tao. Humility opens the mystic door to the insight that those who are blinded by ego/desire/self-importance cannot see or comprehend the power of humility. Humility is the gateway to the Tao.

1See the chapter on Softness

Sovereignty

Conservation

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“the second is called conservation

verse 10 from Chapter 67, Tao Te Ching

The second of the three virtues is conservation. Conservation is the virtue of preserving, protecting, not being wasteful and using resources in a wise method. It is used in both material and non-material aspects of life.

Examples:

Material resources: money, home, clothes, car etc.

Non-material resources: friendship, relationships, energy, time etc.

These material and non-material things in life are limited. Since they can be used up, it is important to take care of things that can be hard to replace. Your most important resource is life. Life is limited for everyone, therefore you must learn to conserve your life so that you can endure successfully. Sovereignty is the self-disciplined management of ego so that you don’t waste your life experience. Longevity and endurance depend on skillfully managing your resources so that your biggest resource, life, can be long and full.

Conservation has complementary relationships with other virtues such as moderation, patience, harmony and mystic virtue. When you practice patience, you can use your resources in moderation to keep balance and harmony in your life. Longevity, endurance, prosperity, and harmony are all inherent powers of conservation.

Conservation of Spirit. (constancy)

The foreword section of this book defines life as a sacred journey of experience. You are called to be awake, aware and experiencing life to gain wisdom. Successful realization of sovereignty can only happen when you continually return to self-awareness and unity with the Tao. This constantly returning/awakening is called constancy.1

Conservation of spirit is one of the highest virtue. Conservation of spirit empowers you to manage the ego and desire so that you do not deplete your resources. As always it comes back to conservation of spirit to be mindful of choices. Choosing actions that conserve both intangible and tangible assets is key to longevity and avoiding suffering and death.

Remember, your actions are like ripples in a pond. We are all connected. Your compassion or your indifference can affect so many. When you deplete your spiritual awareness and make selfish choices, the result can affect others. When you stupidly waste your life, others must sacrifice some of their own resources to help you start over. Those with compassion are willing to help. However, it is important to know that compassion from others can have a limit along with patience. If you hit bottom and have a chance to start over, you must use the gifts of compassion from others to help yourself return to harmony. Gratitude for assistance can go a long way.

The penalty for continuing to be the prisoner of ego and self-serving narcissism is dealt out by karma. Karma2 sometimes called “the great executioner” does not play favorites. Any notion of “it can’t happen to me” will be crushed. Karma is the result of your own ignorance choices. You must be honest with yourself and realize your actions. Conservation is a virtue that the Sovereign works at to build wisdom. You must be mindful of your resources and keep harmony in your life.

1See the chapter on Constancy. Section Two Chapter

2See the Chapter on Karma, chapter 10, section one.