Life:We're Not Here for the Weather

By Geoff Wilson

Life: We're Not Here for the Weather is a treasure chest of practical wisdom designed to guide you safely through life's great challenges including nurturing your soul. Unfortunately, few of us are able to maintain an approach to daily life that is either liberating or developmental and suffer the frustrations of not aligning with our purpose. And that's what it's really about.

So sit back and get the ultimate inside scoop on how to prevent potential issues, correct mistakes that block your progress, and establish a new way of dealing with life's problems. In effect, put an end to unfinished business once and for all.

Now you can get on with it! We're not here for the weather!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Geoff Wilson
• Release date: May 20, 2011
• ISBN: 9781458019509

Book preview

life:

we’re not here for the weather

BY

GEOFFREY WILSON

copyright 2010

Art of Health Australia Publications

PO Box 125 Annandale NSW Australia 2038

Life: We're Not Here for the Weather

Copyright 2010 Geoffrey Wilson

Edited by Jaime Wilcox

All rights reserved. No part of this ebook may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted in any form by any means, whether, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior written permission of the copyright holder.

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

If

Wilson, Geoffrey, 1957 -

Life: We're Not Here for the Weather

Smashwords Edition

ISBN 978-0-9752357-7-5

1. Taoism. 2. Buddhism. 3. Spirituality.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1: Awareness

The Law of Cause and Effect

5 Basic Building Blocks

The Spiritual Bank

Covetousness & Confucius

The Spiritual Reconciliation

Karma & Desire

Flip Side of Desire

Chapter 2: Unity

The Law of the Unity of Opposites

7 Cycles of Life

All Opposites are Complementary

Whatever has a Front, also has a Back

The Bigger the Front, the Bigger the Back

Whatever has a Beginning, also has an End

Chapter 3: Responsibility

The Law of Accountability

Nature of Soul

Autonomy

Selfless or Selfish

Expectations & Evolution

Final Thought

~~~~

Introduction

The current economic crisis sweeping across the globe has caused quite a stir to say the least. Many are still struggling to come to terms with their intense feelings of uncertainty and doubt generated by the spiralling downward trend. You will know better than anyone else that absolutely everyone is affected, not just the unemployed or the cash starved, but the wealthy and socially privileged as well. In fact, when times are tough, the division between rich and poor almost seems to become blurred. When the panic button is pushed, it doesn’t seem to matter who you are or where you come from. Fight or flight now takes on a new meaning. Are you like the zebra aware that a lion is ready for the kill? Are you in panic mode?

These radically changing times demand a very different response from all of us. Nobody is afforded the luxury of ignoring what is happening or indeed turning a blind eye as if the problem will miraculously vanish of its own accord. It is therefore absolutely necessary for each and every one of us to connect with a hidden but nonetheless substantial core energy that resides within called ‘inner strength’. It is located somewhere deep within the psyche and can provide anyone with the antidote for fear. This powerful energy called ‘inner strength’ acts as a sanctuary in times of chaos and also functions as a practical tool for responding creatively to change.

If you are prone to being negatively influenced by the media, it should come as no surprise to find that fearful thoughts and emotions might naturally begin to take over and quite possibly obscure your relationship to the bigger picture. Under these circumstances, it might also be quite easy for you to forget about the special connection you have to various people, as well as to the environment. To make matters worse, because of your forgetfulness, you almost expect trouble to find you and the challenge of living in the present moment becomes an on-going nightmare.

Now the issues loom large on your internal antennae. Physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, you are inundated by troubles and problems that yesterday didn’t seem quite so urgent. So you start to freak out and wonder where any kind of relief is going to come from. And because the cycle of negativity has cast a spell on you, your mind is stuck in rigid patterns of thinking. You are caught between a rock and a hard place!

The good news is that the cycle can be stopped. The spectre of fear can be put in its place once and for all. And you don’t have to remain the defence-less victim here! There is light at the end of the proverbial tunnel. The only bad news (if you could call it that) is that you have to make room for change and allow change to take place in your life. In so doing, you will free up space for positive action. For the record, the good and the bad go together anyway, just like night and day, hot and cold, summer and winter, male and female. They are consummate bedfellows and one can’t exist without the other. Indeed, they rely upon one another.

The threat to your security is a smokescreen for a problem that lies deeper within. You see folks, security that depends on artificial measures for sustenance such as the appearance of a hefty bank account or a portfolio of shares, is not real. It isn’t real because it can be taken away from you at any time. What can’t be taken away from you at any time is a thing called your core or ‘inner strength’ – as long as this quality has been cultivated of course and strengthened consistently over time.

So when the world is literally running down or crumbling all around you and people are falling off the perch left, right, and centre, this curious and mysterious thing called your core energy, your own true ‘inner strength’, can be there for you to lean on – just like a reliable friend that you can trust and put faith in.

If you have cultivated this ‘inner strength’ consistently and diligently, and you have actually done the hard work, nobody can take it away from you either. It is something that grows gradually day-by-day, emerging finally as a presence within you that is quite unmistakable – especially to those who have already experienced its power.

In terms of your own personal development, one of the major aims of this book is to show you how to do it in a way that suits your needs. By following along step-by-step, you will eventually come to know how these principles work and what it really feels like to apply them, why they function as effectively as they do and when to use them. This tried and proven formula that the ancient Masters used to guide them in perilous times is also a set of universal teachings that anyone can apply regardless of age, creed, race, gender, or status.

The only requirement that you need before accessing this gift, in order to correctly identify the principles and apply them is sincerity. Genuineness is a quality that will serve you well and someone who uses it will be able to go to places others cannot reach.

The principles behind successful living in times of turmoil will be discussed at great length over the course of the book, but if you’re too curious to wait, they basically explore the relationship between cause and effect, the balance and harmony of the opposites, as well as the law of personal accountability culminating in the discovery of personal freedom.

Before we take the leap of faith and discuss them at length, it might be nice for you to get in the mood somewhat or find your own groove in terms of preparing yourself for taking in a bunch of new material. What follows briefly is a crash course in dealing purposefully with the crisis of our times in a positive, nourishing and demonstrative way.

Begin at the Beginning

A crisis such as the current economic predicament will probably place you in the position of questioning your life goals as far as they stand right now as well as your deeper core values (spiritual) - if you stop long enough to catch your breath. Despite the temptation you may have to cave in to the pressure of feeling everybody else’s pinch, the crisis does present as an opportunity to re-assess your own position in the grand scheme of things. Perhaps you began your working life with dreams to become rich and famous. Or maybe you put off getting involved with someone special because your career took top priority. Alternatively, you may well have reached the point where you’ve had enough of everything and merely want to find a little bit of peace and happiness. Rather than put it off till tomorrow, you can do something about it now. Without the crisis, you may never have bothered to find out the answers to your questions!

Commence Your Practice

The whole point of Tai Chi practice, in a manner of speaking, is to learn how to stop running around in circles and be quiet and still. A minor hiccup (let alone a crisis) will seriously challenge those who find it difficult to stop, who find it impossible to sit quietly or who cannot be still even for a moment. This is because in order to deal with a crisis of either minor or major significance, you have to be inwardly quiet. When still on the inside, you can calmly respond to the situation at hand without reacting emotionally to it. In short, reactions are emotional impulses whereas appropriate responses are free of emotional overtones.

You don’t have to take up Tai Chi in order to learn how to be quiet on the inside, but it will help if you take up some kind of spiritual discipline that fosters inner strength. Yoga is very popular because people can relate to the way it opens up possible avenues of communication on a deeper level. Having said that, even making a commitment to go to the gym on a regular basis or to take an energetic walk, is the perfect solution for the person who has simply gotten stuck in a rut and is looking for a way out of it.

Don’t Get Bullied

You also have to keep in mind that your attitude might be in dire need of revision. Physical exercise is one thing. Mental training is another. So avoid getting slammed by fear tactics initiated by those who are merely projecting their own insecurities onto you – especially those propagated by the media or those with vested interests of one kind or another. Vaccination is an interesting case in point. There are other ways to build up effective immunity against outbreaks of virulent exogenous pathogens. So the appearance of influenza doesn’t necessarily mean you have to lock up your children and fill the cupboards with rations of food supplies. Nor does it mean that vaccinations are the only way to seek protection.

You may have developed an interest in and reliance on homeopathy for example, or some other alternative approach to health care management that works in accordance with your own unique set of philosophical and spiritual values. Don’t get bullied just because someone says that you’re ‘mad as a hatter’ for placing your faith and understanding in homeopathy or Chinese medicine.

In the 60s and 70s most of today’s pioneers in natural medicine and new age philosophy were learning to develop their skills. A significant number of them experienced ridicule and criticism from those who didn’t appreciate or understand what they were doing. Yet, without their unique and purposeful contributions, we would be so much the poorer. Their success was due to the fact that they didn’t fall prey to the bully and instead learned how to stand up and be counted.

The most profound and beneficial way to not get bullied is to develop your inner strength. Without going into the nitty gritty of it now, in the very least set aside a brief period of time every day for quiet contemplation. It clears the head and empties the mind of unnecessary guff that otherwise serves only to scramble thoughts and distract you from your purpose. You can do it!

Rejuvenate

Regardless of crisis, you need to be efficient with your resources. Everybody needs proper rest, everybody needs proper food, everybody needs a little bit of space to unwind in, and everybody needs to empty the mind of unnecessary rubbish. In the same way that you come into the world with nothing and leave empty-handed as well, the beginning and end of each day should reflect this principle in a very practical way.

Begin with a clear head unconcerned about anything. Avoid unnecessary rumination. Stand on the balcony or face an open window and cast your eye on the bigger view. Even better, go to the park to practice. Do your stretches there and listen to the birds as they welcome the new day. And after the day has been completed and you face the night, close your eyes and listen to your breath. Be present. Just listen.

Open Your Heart

Connecting with others in a meaningful way also keeps you healthy and happy in the most trying of times. In fact, the key to happiness lies in what you can give to others rather than what you can get from others. When times are tough, this principle takes on an even greater significance. Find out what happens when you transcend your own concerns and begin to think about the welfare of others. This doesn’t mean that you act sentimentally, but rather that you inspire compassion for your fellow journeyers. You will find that your experience of life will be very different when you grace others with your presence in this frame of mind.

Vivere Parvo

When you begin to live life more simply, life doesn’t seem as complex as it once did. This is probably a good thing because complexity often comes with distractions of one kind or another. ‘Vivere Parvo’ - to live the life of simplicity - is the benchmark of successful living and an approach to life characterized by freedom from worry about anything, including the consequences of previous actions. History is, after all, the documentation of the relationship that exists between actions and consequences. And everybody has a history! For each and every action there is a corresponding consequence. So in the very least, you must learn how to develop your awareness.

Awareness

The most fundamental aspect of awareness is your perception of things. Nobody enjoys enduring moments or periods of clouded perception but unless the basics are covered and mastered, that’s what happens. To prevent this from happening, you must put your thinking cap on and consider very carefully that all emotionally based actions produce painful consequences. This is because emotion is not an accurate gauge of reality. It clouds your vision. And with clouded vision you cannot respond to challenges that require clarity, understanding, love, compassion, benevolence and wisdom.

In other words, awareness is your best friend. When aware, you will effortlessly see that the craving for the satisfaction of a desire will have its consequences. The price to pay for the satisfaction will always be entanglement in one mess or another. And a mess is a block to progress. It may show up in personal relationship as readily as it shows up in a bank statement.

In fact, one could say that success in daily life depends on the development of an ability to prevent danger. This is achieved through awareness. Danger can mean seductions and their consequences. But it also relies on accurately seeing the relationship between cause and effect before it unfolds. This is also known as the anatomy of events.

The Sage

The Lord of Huainan was a famous patron of learning as well as the cultural and martial arts. The Chinese Masters that advised him once said:

‘Sages overcome mind; ordinary people overcome greed. Ideal people act sanely; petty people act insanely. Sanity means inward comfort with nature, outward accord with duty, reasonable action, and non-entanglement. Insanity means addiction to sensuality and emotional impulsiveness heedless of subsequent problems.’

By this definition, most of us are insane! We don’t even realise how or why we do what we do. Nothing is therefore more urgent than self-knowledge. In order to cultivate personal freedom it is essential for you to understand who you are. You need to be intimately aware of your motives, pursuits, intentions, cravings,