Marc Lesser's Blog, page 35
August 18, 2010
The Practice of Right Speech
There is a Zen story about two groups of monks arguing over a cat. The teacher, in response to the conflict, picks up the cat in one hand and a knife in the other. He says to the group of monks, "Say something of the truth of Zen, or I will cut the cat in half." No one said anything, and the cat was killed. (Remember, this is a story — I've always imagined that the teacher pretended to kill the cat.) Later, the teacher was describing...
August 12, 2010
Shift Your Relationship With Time
No time. Not enough time. Too busy. I hear this problem nearly every day, from my executive coaching clients, friends, family.
Many years ago, when I was a student living at Zen Center's Green Gulch Farm, it was my welding teacher, Harry Roberts, who taught that the secret of welding is to see that the natural state of metal is actually liquid. By applying heat, we soften it to its original condition, and make it flexible, allowing...
July 26, 2010
Take A Break For A Breakthrough
Mark Jung-Beeman is a cognitive neuroscientist at Northwestern University, and he has studied what happens inside the brain when people have an insight. He was quoted in a recent New Yorker article, saying: "If you want to encourage insights, then you've got to also encourage people to relax." The article notes that "Jung-Beeman's latest paper investigates why people who are in a good mood are so much better at solving insight...
July 5, 2010
Time Is On My Side
"In essence, all things in the entire world are linked with one another as moments. Because all moments are the time-being, they are your time-being." Zen teacher Dogen, from a talk in the year 1240, Japan
Many years ago, when I was a student living at Zen Center's Green Gulch Farm, it was my welding teacher, Harry Roberts, who taught that the secret of welding is to see that the natural state of metal is actually liquid. By applying ...
June 18, 2010
Paradox: Less Stress: More Happiness
A paradox is something that appears to be contradictory, unbelievable, or absurd but may in fact be true. Do less. Accomplish more. These statements present a paradox. Acknowledging, owning, and embracing the paradoxical nature of our lives, the lives of others, and the world can lessen our resistance to change and increase our effectiveness. At its most basic it makes us less tense and more open to happiness.
When I look at my own...
June 2, 2010
Success, Failure, and the Impostor Syndrome
"I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed."
- Michael Jordan
The "inner critic" seems to be the human condition. Perhaps it serves a positive role of keeping us out of danger by being on guard and suspect, or helping us strive to greater accomplishments....
The Imposter Syndrome
"I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed."
- Michael Jordan
The The Imposter Syndrome refers to a condition in which people are unable to internalize their accomplishments, and carry fear about being discovered as not deserving of their role or position....
May 28, 2010
Cultivate Peace Through Mindfulness
Mindfulness is a practice and a way of being. Mindfulness is the practice of being present for what is – in your body, your emotions, the emotions of others, your surroundings, for life. Benefits to the practice of mindfulness include increased peace and greater happiness. When someone asked the historical Buddha, How can I be more peaceful?, he responded, "When breathing a short breath, know that you are breathing a short breath. ...
May 13, 2010
The Courage To Do Less
The art of doing less isn't merely about becoming more productive employees or businesspeople. The true benefit of focusing on and taking a break from busyness is that it brings more kindness and love into our lives. With less busyness and unnecessary effort, more kindness and love can rise to the surface, leading to more effectiveness, energy, and focus. When we feel depleted, love is the best replenesher — which includes the love we f...
May 6, 2010
Mindfulness: Appreciating Impermanence
I saw a cartoon in a recent New Yorker magazine in which two people were finishing their dinners at a Chinese restaurant and had just opened their fortune cookies. One fortune read, "You are going to die."
If you let this fact sink in — that life is short, and we all die — it can actually act as a powerful motivating force to help maintain focus and priorities. Everything changes and is impermanent, so are we fully present and making...
