jimwdollar

November 4th Week, 2022

We live to be who we are by living to exhibit our essential nature and our innate virtues/character in the things we do– so that our life becomes the canvas upon which we paint our masterpiece one day at a time. One situation at a time. It isn’t about gaining anything. It is about beingContinue reading “November 4th Week, 2022”

November 21-A, 2022

The missing element in all 12-Step programs is a solid answer to “After sobriety what?” The missing component in all forms of spirituality is “After enlightenment/salvation what?” It is as though once we are sober and/or saved, magic happens and everything falls into place and we live a life of meaning and purpose until weContinue reading “November 21-A, 2022”

November 20-B, 2022

Wanting/Having/Going/Doing must be balanced with Seeing/Hearing/Knowing/Being, allowing Doing to flow naturally in response to what is called for in each situation as it arises. This means No Agendas/Plans/Schemes/Plots, No Contriving/Arranging/Engineering/Orchestrating No Imposing/Forcing/Compelling/Coercing… You see how this turns upside down, inside out, the foundational assumptions of the culture, of the world. And you see how theContinue reading “November 20-B, 2022”

November 20-A, 2022

Happiness is a function of freedom, but, freedom is not freedom to do whatever we want. It is the freedom to do whatever needs to be done with our original nature and our innate character. Knowing and doing what needs to be done with the gifts we have to work with is the key toContinue reading “November 20-A, 2022”

November 19-A, 2022

Adjustment and compromise, Kid. Adjustment and compromise. It is the way. Noise, complexity, drama are always right there disturbing the flow, disrupting the groove, interfering with our ability to see, hear, know, do what needs to be done here/now. Doing what needs to be done here/now is the only thing that needs to be done.Continue reading “November 19-A, 2022”

November 18-B, 2022

Ease of functioning is what I want. Just give me that, and get out of my way. I don’t know why it is so hard. Everything about it is hard. It is hard being me. You know what I’m talking about as it pertains to you. It is not easy being you. Why not? WhyContinue reading “November 18-B, 2022”

November 18-A, 2022

All roads/paths lead to the light. What does thinking about what you think about keep you from thinking about? What are you afraid to think about? What do you hate to think about? What do you refuse to think about? Our thinking is a barrier to our experiencing. A restriction to our development. Locking usContinue reading “November 18-A, 2022”

November 17-C, 2022

It is traditionally held that Confucius died in 479 BCE. Some years after he retired from government service, he said, “Nowadays, no one is interested in hearing about virtue and harmony. In our society, people place more importance on business advantage than on friendship. Relationships have become shallow, and everyone is bending to social andContinue reading “November 17-C, 2022”

November 17-B, 2022

I’m looking to see what happens, and what I do about it, and what I can find to do that either needs to be done or is meaningful. In this, I feel like I am pretty much within the normal distribution curve of human beings on the planet from the beginning, and probably of allContinue reading “November 17-B, 2022”

November 17-A, 2022

We are not free to will what we want. Or to will what we will. Or to will what we ought to will. So much for freedom of the will. We will the things we have no business wanting, much less willing, much less having. And we are bound to will those things. We can’tContinue reading “November 17-A, 2022”

November 16-A, 2022

We are not here to get anything out of being here. The profit motive is the original sin. Getting, having, amassing, owning, possessing, fencing in, locking up, storing away get in the way. In the way of The Way. The Way is all there is. Babies have it, toddlers know it, then comes wanting, getting,Continue reading “November 16-A, 2022”

November 15-B, 2022

Spontaneity is an astounding guide. Who/what is responsible for our spontaneous responses to our circumstances? We find ourselves saying/doing things we do not think about saying/doing. Where does that come from? I say from the heart, or from the source of knowing, the Tao itself. But, what do we mean by “heart”? Or “the Tao”?Continue reading “November 15-B, 2022”