01
Being healthy is an end in itself. Being healthy in the service of ends worthy of us is the best we can hope for in terms of fulfillment and satisfaction, although we may have nothing "to show for it." Having something "to show for it," in terms of wealth, power, prestige, standing, admiration of others, etc., is our idea of what life is about. We want to be a Lord. A King. A Queen. And flaunt "us" about the town, or, better, the world. The catch is that having something "to show for it," imposes restrictions and obligations on us which interfere with a healthy lifestyle. The end interferes with the means, and we shoot ourselves in the foot trying to have what we want and what we also want, which are mutually exclusive, but we do not recognize that, understand it, and give up the end of "having something to show for it," in favor of the means, living a healthy lifestyle. Being healthy in the service of health is optimal, ideal, peak, perfection, the purpose and the end of existence. This is Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. And we throw it away in striving to have people think we are something. We want to be wealthy and have them know we are wealthy. What is the point of wealth that is hidden away? That nobody knows about? That we can't use for esteem and glory? Buying politicians and serving ends that are worthless, mean, stressful, evil and unhealthy for all people, us included? Being healthy and living/serving a health producing life is the best there is. And we (Adam and Eve) think we can make it better. And here we are. Awash in better. Living a healthy life requires us to simply be here now, in doing what needs to be done here now. With no fringe benefits whatsoever. We think it's about the fringe benefits. It's about being healthy, living healthfully. In the service of the true good of all. Health in the service of health, with nothing beyond health to have or want or desire or attain. Living to be alive. Is all there is to it. Why isn't that enough? Milk your cow. Sell your eggs. Dance at your children's and grandchildren's weddings. The life of Tevya and Golda before the world of want/desire/attain closed in. The life of Adam and Eve before their Big Idea. Why isn't that enough? Particularly when we understand that the fringe benefits destroy health, and something has to go?
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02
How often in a day, okay, in a week. Okay, in a year. Do you do something that is completely spontaneous, straight from the heart, that resonates with you and brings forth an automatic response from you in the service of what needs to be done? That kind of action is completely uncontrived. Totally sincere. Entirely honest. It is "the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth." Why isn't the majority of our life that way? It is a serious question. Why? Why isn't our life directed by our heart? Why do we live in the service of what we take to be our best interest (As though we know what that is!)? Why do we live to gain the advantage, to reap the benefits, to enjoy the privileges inherent in and flowing from being smart, and savvy, and calculating, and crafty, and sly...? Why do we think wanting knows what it is doing? That if we want something we must have it or all is empty, void, meaningless? What does wanting know? We can want what we have no business having! How do we know what's worth having? Listen to our heart! Listen to our body (our bones--what we know in our bones) (our stomach--that gut feeling). Listen to our nighttime dreams. Live spontaneously. It isn't difficult. It is just unheard of.
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03
"When the flower opens, the bees appear." "When the student is ready, the teacher appears." Readiness cannot be hurried. The teacher cannot teach someone not ready for the lesson. We cannot get nectar from a flower that isn't open. Patience with the process of our life is waiting until the time is right-- waiting for the mud to settle and the water to clear-- waiting for the shift to happen and the Way to open before us. Waiting for clarity and direction. Watching, waiting. Looking, listening. For the time to be at hand. In the meantime, while we watch and wait, we do what needs to be done, when it needs to be done, the way it needs to be done. So that all is well even as we wait, watching.
