William Martin's Blog, page 3
March 14, 2020
How About That?
In the midst of the Coronavirus fears, something is rising to my consciousness that I hadn’t expected. Amid the understandable confusion, I see a very hopeful sign. We have it in us, as a culture, to take drastic action if we feel a pressing need. The mass cancellations of events in the face of economic…
March 7, 2020
Gifts
The “Gift Economy” idea is growing in its appeal to my inner self. I have always struggled with the culturally embedded idea that we must make our living (which means earning money) by certain trade-offs; that we must sell our hours, our skills, and our creativity in the marketplace where we compete with all others … Continue reading "Gifts"
February 29, 2020
Leap
Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020 What do you know? Today is “Leap Day.” What an appropriate day for celebrating the needed “Leap” in human consciousness. Evolution progresses slowly and follows a winding path full of dead ends and backtracks. But on rare occasions all the factors come together and a species makes a “leap” in its … Continue reading "Leap"
February 23, 2020
Our Children
I have been asked by the publisher to write a new Afterword for an anniversary edition of my book, The Parent’s Tao Te Ching. It is strange to consider that that book has been around for twenty years now. They would like the new Afterword to present my evolving understandings of parenting from the perspective … Continue reading "Our Children"
February 15, 2020
Wabi-Sabi
I’ve been enjoying the simple treats of life lately and this has sent me back to the Taoist/Zen concept of wabi-sabi. It is a hard to define term, yet one that permeates Taoist philosophy and art. It is perhaps best described as a celebration of the simple, the transient, the humble, the asymmetric, and the … Continue reading "Wabi-Sabi"
February 8, 2020
Just My Hands…
“Back in the day,” I earned coffee and beer money playing in a bluegrass/folk group, singing occasionally at coffee houses in Berkeley. Nancy and I were talking this evening when an old tune from those times popped into my mind from where it has been hiding for decades. Pete Seeger wrote it and his voice … Continue reading "Just My Hands…"
January 31, 2020
Mixed Memories
I have been reflecting on my life, something that 75 year olds tend to do. I am delighted to find that self-punishment is no longer playing much part in my memories. Early events previously labeled as embarrassing mistakes or grievous offenses are now seen as simply the best I knew how to do given my … Continue reading "Mixed Memories"
January 25, 2020
Council of Elders
Human life seems to have evolved into a life and death confrontation between the reptilian brain, located at the back of the brain stem, and the empathetic brain, located in the frontal cortex. The reptilian brain is concerned only with personal survival, power, and pleasure. It is the vestigial brain that once served an evolutionary … Continue reading "Council of Elders"
January 11, 2020
Resist and Refuse
I have been immersed in Thoreau for the past week. I re-read Walden for the umpteenth time and once again found new inspiration and insight. He is one of my “Archetypes of Simplicity” but his Walden experiment is perhaps not the most important element of his legacy. The two years at Walden blends with his … Continue reading "Resist and Refuse"
January 1, 2020
The Moment Has Arrived!
I woke this New Year’s Day with a strange and curious sensation, something I have not experienced before. I have an uncanny feeling that the preparation is over and that the moment has arisen. It is as if the past seventy-five years of life have been an extended period of education geared for this moment, … Continue reading "The Moment Has Arrived!"
