Mindmap-Book: Practice of Freedom

Mindmap-Book: Practice of Freedom

• Contents/12
• Foreword/20
• Acknowledgments/22
• Introduction/24
• Part 1-Initial Stages/32
• Chapter 1-ANARCHY/34 -3
  • AN EARLY SENSE OF ANARCHY/34 346
  • PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES/35 116
  • SEPARATION FROM UNCONDITIONAL LOVE/36 273
  • TRAPPED AND IMPRISONED/37 -113
  • STAYING POSITIVE IN THE FACE OF DIFFICULTIES/38 123
  • EXPERIENCING RESISTANCE/39 164
  • PAIN/40 -28
  • ACCEPTANCE OF LIMITATIONS/40 515
  • pain that arisesfrom anticipation/41 -25
  • fear of being abandoned/41 -25
  • fear ofbeing intruded/41 -25
  • EMOTIONAL PAIN/41 324
  • Pain can bring people together/41 596
  • PHYSICAL PAIN/42 -62
  • how vulnerable I am/42 -23
  • mental and emotional pain arise from past or future/42 56
  • physical pain is often about the present/42 56
  • CHRONIC PAIN/42 443
  • angst or dissatisfaction/43 -369
  • “kill for peace”/43 -253
  • Chronic pain, pain that cannot be killed/43 -253
  • search for liberation:/43 -253
  • modern drugs don’t usually hold the answers/43 -59
  • Wheredoes the pain come from?/43 -59
  • PAIN OF SEPARATION AND ISOLATION/43 336
  • Isolation implies the even more frightening/43 336
  • Envy, which springsfrom the notion that others/43 497
  • FACING AND ACCEPTING OUR PAIN/44 8
  • self-cultivationthat focuses on openness and stability/44 8
  • Pain, for better or worse, is part of our lives/44 8
  • to know our personal pain/44 162
  • IMPOVERISHMENT VERSUS THE LARGER VIEW/44 551
  • To reduce to poverty/44 551
  • fame, fortune, and good looks/45 105
  • missingthing is usually sought in the external world/45 168
  • woman named Peace Pilgrim/45 758
  • ACHIEVEMENT AS A SABOTAGE PATTERN/46 -8
  • material gain and achievement/46 -8
  • Credentials are also in the category/46 -8
  • Extreme highs are followed by extreme lows/46 -8
  • MOVEMENT TOWARD ETIQUETTE/47 -162
  • Impoverishment breeds resentment/47 -162
  • Resentment grows because/47 -162
• Chapter 2-ETIQUETTE/48 -3
  • ETIQUETTE AS FORM/48 188
  • MAAI/49 -198
  • SOCIAL ETIQUETTE/49 502
  • SAMURAI ETIQUETTE/50 620
  • When forms are cultivated/51 157
  • EVOLUTION/52 -82
  • LEARNING TO FALL/52 577
  • Because we fall willingly/53 -313
  • Instead of the fear of falling/53 -313
  • HISTORICAL ETIQUETTE/53 350
  • CONTEMPORARY ETIQUETTE/55 -148
  • AIKIDO AS ETIQUETTE/56 -69
  • ETIQUETTE AS A CODEPENDENT WEB/56 474
  • THE BEGINNING OF MORALITY/57 372
• Chapter 3-MORALITY/58 -14
  • CENTERING AND OPENINGTO A DEEPER TRUTH/60 -231

    “giving life to allbeings/60 2

    people whoare abusive are in pain/60 2

    freedom of unconditional love/60 235

    People who attack others/60 235

    THE GAP BETWEEN BELIEF AND ACTION/61 -35

    to understand the circumstancesof the “attack.”/61 315

    CHOOSING THE GOOD/61 392

    DISCIPLINE LEADS TO FULFILLMENT/62

    who studied a martial art tended to be less/63 -185

    Under duress, we don’t rise to ourexpectations/63 -185

    RIGHT LIVELIHOOD/63 164

    By paying close attention toour actions,/63 630

    decrease our personal animosity/64 -299

    PAYING ATTENTION TO OUR THOUGHTS/64 90

    SAINTS AND MYSTICS AS HINTS/64 554

    The person must take thehint/65 -373

    OUR MORAL COMPASS/65 418

    RESPECT/66 49

    EXPLORING OUR FEAR/68 145

    Fear is triggered by loss of control/68 224

    find ways to distract myself/68 224

    possibilities are to resist or to collapse/68 611

    expose the fear, accept it, andground it/69 -318

    best way to deal with an attack/69 -318

    to center and opento or face the situation,/69 -318

    mindfulness approachencourages us to stop, settle down, and look at our fear/69 -162

    Most fear is the result of memory/69 110

    disengage from the past bybringing our attention to the present moment/69 110

    Nonresistance—looking andaccepting/69 110

    ORDEALS: TESTING THE PERIMETERSOF OUR DEVELOPMENT/69 574

    Facing our fear is an ordeal/70 -238

    fear increases, welose mobility, confidence, and a sense of freedom/70 -82

    choose toundergo an ordeal/70 500

    rite of passage/70 500

    black belt test, or a vision quest,/71 -80

    READJUSTING TO INCREASED ABILITIES/71 463

    RESPONSIBILITY/72 -157

    instinctive, intuitive, and cognitive/72 270

    responsible as “implies trustworthy performance/73 40

    “Fixed duties”/73 40

    RESPONSIBILITY TO SELF/73 117

    being present toourselves/73 117

    Conscious Embodiment/73 117

    four focus points/73 117

    the breath/73 117

    the balance of the surrounding energy field or presence/73 117

    the sensation of gravity/73 117

    quality/73 117

    acceptance/73 117

    compassion/73 117

    patience/73 117

    softness/73 117

    appreciation/73 117

    practice of seeingwith precision the situation at every moment/73 117

    RESPONSIBILITY TO OTHERS/74 80

    open attention/74 80

    we are not responsible for the people themselves/74 80

    wetake responsibility for the environment that they have entered/74 80

    we acceptothers as they are/74 80

    we do not try to change them/74 80

    we providethem with a stable, calm environment and unconditional acceptance/74 80

    We set an example for them by cultivating an environment of calmnessand kindness/74 80

    Being responsible for someone or something means that we willinglyincrease the size of our territory/74 198

    we have entered the territory of compassion/74 198

• Chapter 4-COMPASSION/76 86
  • NURTURING THE SEED OF COMPASSION/76 164

    “Don’t look at the opponent’s eyes, or your mind will be drawninto his eyes.”1/76 281

    Feel your feet, legs, and hips/76 281

    Open yourself.Let this person in, include him/76 281

    CULTIVATING OPENNESS UNDER PRESSURE/77 128

    KINDNESS/77 710,-4,1.25

    May I be happy, may I bepeaceful, may I be filled with love./78 285,-4,1.25

    BUILDING A RESERVOIR OF POSITIVE FEELINGS/79 56,-4,1.25

    May I behappy so that I can spread happiness./79 133,-4,1.25

    Compassion (“the deep feeling of sharing the suffering of another/79 366,-4,1.25

    when Iaccept a situation fully, I experience less suffering/81 -133,-4,1.25

    “A mind to serve for the peace of all human beings in the world isneeded in Aikido./81 293,-4,1.25

    THE QUALITIES OF COMPASSION/82 63,-4,1.25

    By conditioning our bodies, we bring outthe strength;/82 63,-4,1.25

    by opening our hearts, we bring out the love/82 63,-4,1.25

    Compassiondoes not reject: it accepts./82 218,-4,1.25

    COMPASSIONATE LEADERSHIP/82 684,-4,1.25

    Agood leader tends to be positive, confident, and considerate in situations/83 -207,-4,1.25

    confidence has a magnetic quality that inspires/83 -207,-4,1.25

    to seek revenge would puthim at the same level as his jailers/83 26,-34,1.25

    leadership will be followed willingly, for it is supportive, notdemanding/83 336,-34,1.25

    RESPONSIBILITY AND AMBITION/83 608,-34,1.25

    What is the source of this ambition?/84 29,-34,1.25

    Weare in this thing together, rather than Me first!/84 29,-34,1.25

    Ambition that has impoverishment as itsfoundation willingly sacrifices the individual to the goal. It is based onthe notion of separation rather than unity/84 340,-34,1.25

    MINDFULNESS/85 302,-34,1.25

    begins to observe the thoughts andfeelings that arise in the mind/85 302,-34,1.25

    we need discipline in order to be still, notjust in our bodies but in our attention/85 302,-34,1.25

    Where does this thought come from?From memory? From intuition? From the collective unconscious?/85 497,-34,1.25

    Leadership is best exemplifiedand most satisfying when the leader’s motivation arises from adesire to serve rather than to gratify the self./86 -43,-34,1.25

    REPETITION OF PRACTICE/86 190,-34,1.25

    RELATIONSHIP WITH OURSELVES/86 577,-34,1.25

    In order tolearn more about ourselves, we need to pause, to take a break fromour external activities, and to begin the process of self-examination/86 654,-34,1.25

    Everything we doaffects everything else/87 -3,-34,1.25

    When Iam not so busy judging and comparing, I feel more free./88 -116,-34,1.25

    Themore that compassion is practiced, the stronger it grows/88 -116,-34,1.25

    create itself spontaneously, without any mental intentionclarifying the direction/89 -191,-34,1.25

    PRACTICING LOVING KINDNESS/90 508,-34,1.25

    May I be happy sothat I can spread happiness/91 -110,-34,1.25

    may I be peaceful so that I can spread peace/91 -110,-34,1.25

    may I be filled with love so that I can spread love/91 -110,-34,1.25

    REDUCING THE POWER OF OUR FEARS/93 502,-34,1.25

    When we are very young, a tree or a roomcan seem so huge./94 -79,-34,1.25

    When we see it years later, after we have grown up,the tree or room seems normal size, even a bit on the small side/94 -79,-34,1.25

    our fears can seem to shrink if we can mature emotionally andface what it is that keeps us from opening our hearts to ourselves andthe world/94 -79,-34,1.25

    The more I focus on what is happening and the more I practiceopenness, the less afraid I feel./89 390,-34,1.25

    We can stay focused in the present, attending to the tasksthat are in front of us, or we can take a mental journey/90 5,-34,1.25

    Discipline is thebackbone of practice/90 82,-34,1.25

    practice is repetition, doing somethingagain and again, until we have a familiarity with, a confidence about,and an ease with the situation./90 82,-34,1.25

• Part 2-Refinement/96 523,-34,1.25
• Chapter 5-CULTIVATING VIRTUE:INNER STILLNESS/98 -3,-34,1.25
  • “selfcultivation,/99 -40,-34,1.25

    “self-development,” or “training.”/99 -40,-34,1.25

    It implies that trainingin any kind of practice includes the totality of a person’s being: thebody, the mind, and the spirit/99 -40,-34,1.25

    THE FOUNDATION OF VIRTUE/99 310,-34,1.25

    Virtue cannot be cultivated directly. Rather, it is the result of growth/99 426,-34,1.25

    refinementof etiquette/99 426,-34,1.25

    morality/99 426,-34,1.25

    compassion/99 426,-34,1.25

    RELAXING UNDER PRESSURE/100 389,-34,1.25

    relax under pressure.What a magnificent idea! The questionis, How can I actually do this simple but very difficult practice?/100 429,-34,1.25

    TRAINING/101 353,-34,1.25

    It is important that a person not takeanyone’s word for it, but that a person find out for himself or herself./103 272,-34,1.25

    BREATH/103 427,-34,1.25

    the most accessible reference points/103 622,-34,1.25

    present moment is the breath/104 -230,-34,1.25

    Breath is the essence of physical life/104 -230,-34,1.25

    STILLNESS/106 474,-34,1.25

    SEEING FROM ANOTHER POINT OF VIEW/107 398,-34,1.25

    True stillness means that a persontolerates feelings of frustration, sadness, or joy without being sweptaway or allowing the feelings to bias his or her reactions/107 475,-34,1.25

    irimi/108 168,-34,1.25

    LEARNING TO BE EFFECTIVE/108 323,-34,1.25

    CULTIVATING STILLNESS/109 287,-34,1.25

    key to advancement along the mysticalpath is detachment, being able to withdraw all of the faculties into thecore of the being, which disengages a person from external events/109 403,-34,1.25

    To be still without becoming distracted is a deep and powerfulpractice. The virtue lies in the depth of cultivation/110 329,-34,1.25

    MOMENTS OF STILLNESS/110 560,-34,1.25

    “An action cannot be right unless a meditation has gonebefore it, and coexists with it. Only then can there be true freedom.”/111 215,-34,1.25

    THREE LEVELS OF PRACTICE/111 369,-34,1.25

    ritual/111 369,-34,1.25

    weave practice moments into ourdaily lives/112 255,-34,1.25

    spontaneous practice/113 -168,-34,1.25

    CIRCULATION/114 182,-34,1.25

    how to keep someone from invading hisspace./114 455,-34,1.25

    invite him or her into your space/114 455,-34,1.25

    develop our capacity to respond instead ofreact/115 431,-34,1.25

    wecan be more open and sensitive to whatever we encounter andrespond with full hearts./116 6,-34,1.25

    FINDING BALANCE/116 199,-34,1.25

    How can I have a prosperous life inthe material world and be connected with total integrity to a spiritualway of being?/116 409,-34,1.25

    Is it possible to relate with the world so that I do notmake it my enemy or seduce it into being my lover?/116 409,-34,1.25

    people who withdraw to a more contemplativeway of life are considered eccentric/117 451,-275,1.25

    If a poor person has a family, then the entire family has limited accessto higher education, travel, and artistic and cultural experiences.When this kind of limitation is imposed rather than chosen, it can createa desire for fulfillment in the world of material things/118 65,-275,1.25

    What is needed is more awareness and conscious choice in the areaof material acquisition. How can we develop a certain disciplineregarding how much we think that we need?/118 65,-275,1.25

    Finding balance means that we need to focus our attention in theopposite direction, to cultivate a reduction of our need for things/118 65,-275,1.25

    The less we have, the less we have to protect. The antidote to complexityis simplicity/118 65,-275,1.25

    When I want something, I ask myself,Do I really need it?Will I be able to use it to enrich my life or will it use meto create more neediness?/118 219,-275,1.25

    remember that happinessand freedom come from within/118 336,-275,1.25

    to assist me in living a life of integrity and not let them drag meinto a world of desire./118 608,-275,1.25

    encouraging dignity, simplicity, andgenerosity/118 608,-275,1.25

• Chapter 6-CULTIVATING THE WAY:SURRENDER/120 31,-275,1.25
  • SURRENDER/120 31,-275,1.25

    The basic act of surrender does not involve the worship of an externalpower. Rather it means working together with inspiration, so thatone becomes an open vessel into which knowledge can be poured/120 31,-275,1.25

    surrender as “to relinquish possession or control of to another becauseof demand or compulsion; to give up in favor of another; to give upor abandon./120 147,-275,1.25

    DIFFERING VIEWS OF EGO AND SPIRIT/121 148,-275,1.25

    desire to completelysurrender and at the same time felt a fear of surrendering/121 148,-275,1.25

    Iwish to lose myself, and at the same time I am afraid of losing myself./121 148,-275,1.25

    When I feel resistance to change arise, I can understand that it ismy ego’s fear of losing its identity: change can be the equivalent of anidentity crisis./121 148,-275,1.25

    THE EGO’S VIEW OF SURRENDER/122 40,-275,1.25

    What is it that my ego wantsto surrender to a lover or protect from some potential thief? Is it myheart or my mind or my body?/122 40,-275,1.25

    When someone is rude to me, my ego feels as though that personhas invaded or attacked my territory. When someone complimentsme, approving of or admiring me and my territory, my ego feels moreat ease./122 233,-275,1.25

    SURRENDER AS EMPOWERMENT/122 427,-275,1.25

    It is possible to surrender and yet retain a sense of individual identity/122 427,-275,1.25

    Surrender meansnot resisting the energy of the moment/122 427,-275,1.25

    How do we stop fightingthe other person and protecting ourselves?/123 -191,-275,1.25

    The process of self-cultivation shows us ways in which surrenderenhances our ability to be strong and open. The ability to surrenderto the line of our own moral compass resolves confusion and allowsus to move toward our goals unimpeded/123 -191,-275,1.25

    Self-cultivation lets us examine the nature of our personal territory.As we clarify what it is that we are protecting, we can begin towork directly with releasing our attachment to parts of ourselves thatare not useful./123 -191,-275,1.25

    I can’t let go of this—yet/123 42,-275,1.25

    SURRENDERING TO A DIFFERENT WAY OF LIFE/123 431,-275,1.25

    In traditional Christian monasteries, where nuns and monks trainin order to surrender their lives to the service of God through thechurch, some of the people who adopt this way of life are able to genuinelygive up their attachment to their previous way of life and surrenderto the traditional way of life of a devotee/124 -265,-275,1.25

    SURRENDERING TO ETIQUETTE,MORALITY, AND COMPASSION/124 316,-275,1.25

    The most beautifuland profound emotion we can experience is the sensation of the mystical.It is the sower of all true science. He to whom this emotion is astranger, who can no longer wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as goodas dead/125 -147,-275,1.25

    We are able to respond rather than defend, and if ourability to respond is nurtured, then it will grow into virtue. When wehave virtue, we no longer need to make an effort to surrender: itoccurs naturally, spontaneously./125 279,-275,1.25

    SURRENDERING TO A TEACHER/126 -66,-275,1.25

    We can surrender to a teacher on any number of levels. At the mostbasic level, we agree that this person can make certain decisions aboutour behavior and our actions. If we have personal contact with himor her, then we trust that this person has enough perspective and wisdomto know what is helpful to, and what is problematic in, ourdevelopment. Even/126 113

    When we surrender to a teacher, there are usually certain practicesor techniques involved. The teacher wants us to do things a certainway for a certain amount of time. There are usually specific requirementsthat we are willing to attempt to fulfill, even if we do not completelyagree with them/126 230

    Resistance to the teacher implies that the exchange of energy isbeing impeded/127 -156

    TEACHERS AS CATALYSTS/127 231

    Teachers are catalysts. They instigate a process that can allow us toopen, grow, and change if we will surrender/127 426

    if the teacherlacks moral integrity, then the situation can become dangerous andresult in a cult./128 -114

    THE RESPONSIBILITY OF TEACHER AND STUDENT/128 545

    EXPERIENCING THE PRESENCE OF A LIVING TEACHER/129 120

    SURRENDERING TO A TEACHING/130 316

    SURRENDERING TO INTERNAL CONFLICT/132 167

    A classic example of internal conflict is when the mind thinks onething and the heart feels another/132 321

    three centers/132 321

    The head center deals with perception/132 321

    the heart centerwith containing and expressing emotion/132 321

    the belly center witha deeply felt sense of purpose/132 321

    The human tendencyis to acknowledge conflict on an intellectual level and then tryto smooth it over or ignore the deeper, less articulated parts it. I oftenfind that I want to move away from these conflicted feelings./132 400

    TRUTH BRINGS STRENGTH AND ENERGY/133 363

    VOLUNTARY SURRENDER/134 210

    balance between doing and being, action and stillness,needs to be achieved, but it would seem that, on the whole, cultivatingan interest in and a capacity for surrender would be helpful tothose who yearn for freedom and happiness./135 -97

• Chapter 7-THE OPEN DOORTO FREEDOM: NONRESISTANCE/136 -19
  • A FEELING OF LIQUID FLOW/136 230

    INTERNAL PRACTICES/137 -117

    Nonresistance is cultivated through the internal arts or practices/137 231

    When we try to change someone or something, weresist what is. When we can open, however, and accept the situationwithout any resistance, it changes itself automatically without anyeffort on our part/137 231

    “[Aikido] is not for correcting others, it is for correcting your ownmind.”/138 -114

    nonresistance as “the practice or principle of refusing to resort to forceeven in defense against violence/138 2

    REDIRECTING ENERGY/138 273

    The ability to redirect energy is one of the essential qualities of leadership./138 468

    LEVELS OF NONRESISTANCE/139 392

    THE POWER OF THE CIRCLE AND THE TRIANGLE/140 316

    circle and the triangle/140

    The circle is more of a feminine shape and implies a sense of territory,a boundary/140

    The triangle is more of a masculine shape and can penetrate withoutresistance/140

    “Cutting Up anOx,/141 -301

    WORKING WITH SHAPES/143 324

    WORKING WITH TEXTURES/146 -134

    FAITH AND DOUBT/149 181

    “Every creature is born with faith ofsome kind . . . Human nature is made of faith/149 181

    Doubt is shadow, faith is light/149 181

    FAITH AND MEANING/150 48

    FAITH IN A HIGHER POWER/151 -20

    FAITH AND SELFISHNESS/151 367

    FAITH AND PRACTICE/152 137

    Our experiences can lead to insights, and our insights to understanding,but it is only through practice, through discipline, througheffort that the understanding can work its way into our cellular selves/152 202

    A garden doesn’t grow vegetables on its own. It needs cultivation./152 397

    When properly attended to, it produces lovely, nourishing food.When left uncultivated, it produces weeds. To cultivate or not:/152 397

• Chapter 8-TIME, SPACE, AND ENERGY/154 66
  • BALANCING TIME, SPACE, AND ENERGY/154 390

    we can associate timewith etiquette, space with morality, energy with compassion, andvirtue with all three working together in perfect balance/154 423

    Timing, for instance, can become an issue of speed. One of thethings that impedes our ability to accept any incoming force is thefeeling that it has too much speed/154 551

    When things feel as if they aremoving too quickly, our sense of space is affected as well. This createsa feeling of too much energy./154 551

    TIME: ETIQUETTE/155 323

    Time has an elastic quality: a minute can be a long time and an houra short time. Speed needs to be appropriate/155 323

    go slowly withawareness is as important as being able to go quickly safely/155 323

    Reflexes are our ability to respond to a situation. Experience canhelp us develop reflexes that respond in a calm, relaxed way to a situation./155 451

    The real test is always when we are feeling pressured or whenthere is danger. How well do our systems respond in these times? Canwe have good timing and be appropriate in the circumstances?/155 451

    Timing seems to be enhanced through relaxation and nonresistance/155 451

    Yet etiquette, precise movement, and proper speed by themselvesare not enough for me to a feel totally satisfied. I also need to have aninner motivation, a reason to pursue the situation more deeply/156 448

    timing needs direction and a deeper meaning within that direction.When I am relaxed and calm, I have access to the still point, which/156 577

    SPACE: MORALITY/157 122

    practice slowing down our movements whenwe are pressured/157 153

    slowing down and remaining calm while feelingpressured becomes a genuine possibility. This allows us to be moreflexible and responsive in stressful situations/157 282

    When we are less reactiveand more responsive, we can gain access to a deeper level of rightaction for the moment and our morality is awakened/157 347

    Our culture cultivates in us a tendency to fill up the space aroundus. We sometimes identify with a need for entertainment and areuncomfortable if there is no CD, book, or TV to absorb our attention./157 477

    Psychologically, we find it difficult to allow a sense of space inour thought processes/157 477

    have found that by concentrating on the space, relating withopenness and with the qualities of energy and color in my mental/158 -205

    resting in spaciousness is an experienceof profound being, and I find great beauty and satisfaction inthese moments./158 11

    think of the mind as being like the sky andthe heart like the ocean./158 11

    Compassion refines our sense of right and wrong byexpanding our perimeters of consideration/158 205

    On ascale of 1 to 100, how much energy does this situation represent?/158 431

    If we can equalize the amount of energy comingtoward us with the same amount of energy coming from us, then thesituation will be balanced rather than overwhelming/158 528

    On ascale of 1 to 100, how much energy does this situation represent?/158 528

    When a person behaves in a way that makes usuncomfortable, energy begins building inside of us/159 -57

    emotional and psychological situationsin which defensiveness impedes the ability to really listen andtry to understand another person’s behavior/159 73

    be able to tolerate a person’s energy before I can really openmyself to hear the content of what he or she is expressing/159 137

    Tolerance is what allows us to listen in an open-hearted way towhat is being said./159 137

    The ability to allow feelings ofintensity and energy is the basis of genuine compassion. Anyone canbe compassionate if the situation is kind and supportive. The real testof our capacity for compassionate action comes when the situation isintense, energetic, or even aggressive./159 201

    Understanding the direction or shape of the energy helps us to orientourselves. The next step is to cultivate the ability to accept andwork with energy./159 363

    ENERGY, EXPRESSION, AND CONTAINMENT/159 654

    Expression is an expansive, outward flowing of energy/160 -60

    Containment is an inward movement that builds or stores up energy/160 -60

    Expression is an expansive, outward flowing of energy/160 -60

    Expression implies the ability to allow energy to flow out unimpededthrough my system/160 -3

    expression needs a balancing factor/160 94

    Overexpressionleads to instability/160 159

    If more energy comes through and outof me than I can ground, then I will begin to exhibit inappropriatebehavior. Overexpression usually has a hysterical or aggressive qualityabout it. The antidote to this problem is containment/160 289

    Listening to criticism islike being grabbed or punched. Both are incoming energy. Practicingdealing with incoming energy will result in my being able to toleratethe building up of energy inside myself. This capacity for containingenergy can help me learn to tolerate even the difficult and unpleasantparts of myself/160 418

    containing is differentfrom repressing, blocking, or fighting energy within myself/160 418

    We can refine and balance our energy through practice and disciplineby focusing our attention in particular ways/161 59

    Awareness allows us to directour attention, which affects our sense of time, space, and energy/161 188

• Chapter 9-UNDERSTANDINGTHE VERTICAL/162 153
  • VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL ENERGY FLOWS/165 14

    BALANCING THE HORIZONTAL WITH THE VERTICAL/167 233

    Much of the socialization process in our Western culture has to dowith the acquisition of things and credentials that win approval fromothers/167 298

    This emphasis on material goods and achievements draws usoutward toward people and things, rather than inward toward thatwhich relates to the spirit or the divine/167 298

    We learn that manipulatingpeople and controlling situations is the road to power and happiness/167 298

    It may take a personal crisis for us to turn inward, upward, ordownward/167 298

    Everything in the physical world is subject to change/168 -93

    Nothing iscompletely stable. Yet we keep searching in the physical world for astable reference point/168 -93

    We have been socialized to relate in this wayto the world/168 -93

    Growth, then, demands detachment; and both growth anddetachment are difficult for man/168 133

    CULTIVATING OUR VERTICAL CORE/169 582

    When I am balanced, energy flows up through my body and thenout toward the world of relationships/170 -100

    Life grows up, but in order tosustain itself, it must be stabilized in the Earth. If I lose my balanceand become overinvolved with a person or task, then the sustainingpower that comes from the vertical flow of heaven and Earth diminishesand my world begins to narrow./170 -3

    the principles of kindness, respect, and generosity continueto be timeless motivators in drawing an ethical line. The key tocultivating these principles is to bring our attention to them againand again/170 321

    A religious service, once a week, is not enough to balancesix days of resentment and desire/170 321

    Daily discipline builds andstrengthens a strong vertical core of integrity./170 321

    Insome traditions, a physical representation of love, such as Christ/170 676

    Prayers arean auditory manifestation of positive energy flowing through the body/170 676

    Christ also was tempted and chose the vertical. What isimportant to remember is that they did it without regret, without feelingconflicted./171 156

    Their virtue was able to withstand the pressure oftemptation./171 156

    Discipline is the key. Discipline cultivates anability to see deeply, to see things as they are, not just as they appearon the surface./172 -74

    LEVELS OF EXCELLENCE/173 20

    Mother Teresa’s loving heartare the exception rather than the rule. Yet those people who are ableto tap into a kind of freedom from limitation say that there is nothingextraordinary about what they do, that others with an equal levelof commitment could do the same./173 20

• Chapter 10-FREEDOM/178 35
  • DIFFERING VIEWS OF FREEDOM/178 198

    What is freedom?/178 327

    Children tend to respond thatfreedom is the ability to do certain things: come and go when andwhere they please, eat what they please, say what they please, and soon/178 327

    Many adults remark that freedom means to be free from emotionalhang-ups, such as anger, jealousy, longing, and confusion/178 327

    FREEDOM AS DISCIPLINE/180 384

    It takes discipline to stay on the path of self-cultivation/181 511

    FREEDOM AS SPACE/183 213

    “If you are too close, you see only the various separate branches.So to see the whole of anything there must be—not the space thatthe word creates—but the space of freedom. Only in freedom canyou see the whole.”/183 213

    randori, inwhich a person is attacked by two or more people./183 343

    if the person who is being attacked can relax and movetoward the spaces in the room instead of toward the people, an interestingphenomenon takes place/183 343

    The attackers begin to become lessfocused and, at times, seem to collide with or confuse one another. Ifthe person being attacked focuses solely on the attackers, then theattackers become focused on the person.When there are a number ofattackers who are fast and strong, the situation can begin to feel tight/183 343

    However, if the person’s focus is on the spaces in between and at theback of the attackers instead of their bodies, then the feeling tone ofthe event changes completely./184 -211

    One important factor is the ability to relax and open all the channelsso that there is more room and the flow of energy entering us isnot impeded. This means that the breath, the blood flow, and the energyalong the spine are not constricted in any way.When we tighten up,we constrict the flow of aliveness/185 45

    Our ability to turn stress and pressure into compassion and productivityis the result of the fact that we cultivate and maintain spacein our minds, our thought processes, so that our awareness can movefreely without getting hung up on a fear or a desire/185 335

    Freedom can be the experience of space within the container ofour lived experience. When our minds, hearts, and psyches are spacious,there is room to function. Functioning out of the space of stillnessis a virtue of freedom: it is a creative act./187 -318

    I am now seventy-eight, and the other night, I was asked thequestion, “Do you still feel useful?” I feel that I am as useful asI have always been. True, I can’t do certain things any longer.That’s fine. As one ages, one has to learn to gracefully surrenderto one’s body. But that has nothing to do with my total, innerfocus and readiness and just being. To be able to listen and todo whatever I can do. And not to judge at all or compare thisand that. We are so imprisoned by what other people think.There is no freedom in that sense. The most wonderful thing isto laugh at myself. Each moment of time is a totality. I feel thatso strongly.9/187 -26

    Comparing and judging take up a tremendous amount of room inmy being. When I am involved in that kind of mental experience,there is no room for appreciation. When I can suspend criticism andjudgment, there is all the room I need in order to see and be/187 167

    FREEDOM AS RESPONSIBILITY/188 -191

    you must learn yourphysical limitations./190 -5

    the handhas a limited function./190 -5

    Understanding our limitations gives us respect for these limitationsand a clear reference point from which to begin our work/190 190

    be responsible not to create sufferingfor others or for myself/191 -235

• Chapter 11-THE WAY: SELF-CULTIVATION/192 85
  • HAPPINESS/192 312

    Self-cultivation gives a person the possibility of being able to expandhis or her capacity for open and loving behavior under all conditions,including stress and conflict/192 312

    It is the process of refining the awarenessof life in the present moment./192 312

    one of the most destructive phrases in the English languageis “And they lived happily ever after.”/192 312

    this was impossible/192 312

    that not only did love relationships not make me happy, theymade me positively unhappy/192 312

    I felt betrayed and resentful when I realizedthat I had been led to believe that I could be rescued by another/192 312

    The U.S. Declaration of Independence states that a person has theright to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness/193 -79

    How does an individualpursue happiness?/193 -79

    Is it by getting or by giving?/193 -79

    Does freedomimply happiness and happiness imply freedom?/193 -79

    If a person becomesfree from negative feelings, is he or she then free to be happy?/193 49

    Howdoes a person’s relationships and environment affect his or her senseof freedom and happiness?/193 49

    happiness, like wisdom, is alwayspresent for an individual to discover./193 49

    Happiness is sometimes experienced as a sudden awakening, andsometimes it involves stages of growth/194 -148

    moments of happiness are best supported by remembering to returnto the present./194 -148

    OUR INNER TERRAIN/194 273

    DIFFICULTIES AS OPPORTUNITIES/195 108

    Our feelings of unhappiness and discontent are of our own making/195 333

    We have the ability to end our suffering/195 333

    If we can learn to viewdifficulties as opportunities, then whatever appears in our lives is useful.Instead of harshly judging or rejecting our thoughts and feelings,we can recycle them/195 333

    Each situation that arises is an opportunity to practice these abilities./196 -187

    ACCEPTING WHO WE ARE/196 233

    “Winning means winning over the mind of discordin yourself.”1/196 233

    So how is this achieved? It is through self-cultivation,through systematic practice, that a person can discover his or her ownindividual process that will lead that person to the Way./196 233

    INSPIRATION AND COMMITMENT/198 486

    Inspiration and commitment are two important components of personalgrowth/198 519

    Whatever we put our attention on grows. When we grasp thistruth, we can take responsibility for how we live our lives. Our longingfor our true home can be our inspiration./199 -3

    It can help us find, asPaul the Apostle writes in his letter to the Philippians (Phil. 4:7), “thepeace of God, which passeth all understanding.”7 Each moment is awealth of love and of intricate detail, of which we are an intrinsicpart. This is our real home, our freedom, and our birthright of happiness./199 -3

    SERVICE/199 386

    It is hard to talk about service without addressing giving and receiving.To serve is to give. As we give, that which we give moves throughus to the recipient of our giving. If we are taking care of someone andtreat that someone with respect, then we also feel the respect—thesensation of respect—that we are giving, for we cannot give what wedo not have./200 -71

    Furthermore, in order to serve, there has to be something thatreceives that which is given/200 91

    Mother Teresa had many wonderful sayings/201 -42

    The fruit of Silence is PrayerThe fruit of Prayer is FaithThe fruit of Faith is LoveThe fruit of Love is ServiceThe fruit of Service is Peace./201 -42

    LOVE/202 318

    In the world of duality, love has an object or an objective. In theworld of unity, love has no object to which to attach itself. As wemature spiritually, we begin to detach from grasping objects of loveand begin to allow love based on an inner awareness of universalharmony to flow through us unimpeded/202 318

    THE RADIANT ESSENCE/204 -77

    Unity comes from within and without simultaneously, and is expansiveand reflective in its nature. In order to uncover this unity as a referencepoint for our lives, we must trace our experience back andfind the source of the radiance that brings light to the whole universe/204 52

    This happiness is not just an absence of pain. It is inner state ofgrace that radiates no matter how much pain we are in or howdifficult our circumstances are./204 52

    It is a condition beyond the oppositesof pleasure and pain. We can give this to ourselves, but we must bewilling to commit to the path of rediscovering that radiant love thatis at our core./204 52

    Mother Teresa says, “We are called upon not to be successful but tobe faithful.”/205 -15

    She also says,“We do no great things, only small things with great love.”/205 -15

• Part 3/176
• Afterword/206
• Notes/208
• Appreciations/216
• About The Author/220
• From the Publisher/222
• Index/224