The “no you” idea always sets me off a bit. We are so programmed to be self negating that it seems to be reverse arrogance, false humility. It’s like saying we can’t be involved, or it’s beneath us because there is no us. We are still here. I see you.

Who is still here? The buddha, aka the observer. The inner light by which all is seen clearly, if it’s known and given place.

I like Zen, if you seem to forget yourself they whack you with a stick. If you are participating with their session you remain seated. It isn’t abusive. It’s just a reminder that the fingers pointing at the moon aren’t the moon.  I‘m not singing the praises of Zen necessarily. To espouse one practice as more than it is, is its own form of hubris. When you have pride in your practice you like to praise the good in others. You won’t have to fault Zen. Your choice to not do a group Zen meditation is just your choice. Pride finds no fault, hubris finds no right.

We have had people attend talks who couldn’t allow a session to go forward. They couldn’t allow the right parts of what was said to stand. They had to make certain their truth was understood. One promised that we were all going to hell. I’m fine with that then, I was otherwise in good company. For me, when people accuse me of arrogance in a group it’s always a red flag.

Pride and prejudice are also connected points? Ah, hubris and prejudice? Prejudice requires an over reaching, protecting their flaws. I know people who criticize food they never have and never will eat, to what end? I know people who criticize cultures that they never have been and never will, what is gained?

Prejudice is inherently violent, if only psychologically, and violence begets violence. How many whose minds are filled with prejudice know peace? I don’t know the former President Bush, but I do know his actions, so I can say that of his actions I do not approve. They did impact me, and the world I live in. This is not prejudice, but insert name of random Imam here (an Imam is a Muslim religious leader, usually directly over a congregation), do we know them all? Can we judge them all? I have heard and seen evidence that many are very far from approving of jihad, the concept is not in the Koran.

Those with prejudice love to generalize their hate so then they avoid any real discussion on facts. They want to objectify people. Muslims become the enemy, and Islam the doctrine of evil. It doesn’t have to be looked at then. It just justifies their action supposedly. From what I have seen and heard of Obama’s reasoning I approve, he gave I believe his first press interview with Al-Arabiya, the Iranian public news. He was very plain spoken, and said very clearly, “Americans are not your enemy”. I bet it didn’t go over well with the religious right.

As a world we are not fully at the realization of this truth; There is no enemy anywhere. It can’t be philosophically thought about. We do have to realize it, and in that sense we could say as one of the more enlightened war leaders in history said, “We shall fight no more, forever“. That was a statement of true humility and pride. I would be proud to say that, wouldn’t you?  He spoke truth, but truth is not often the actual. It’s real, but only in potential. What we actualize is based on our free will.

Our constitution is a potential, and right now it isn’t actual. It should be actualized more. It was by those principles that we became great as a nation. It’s by the principles of syndocracy that we have fallen. We have become a plutocracy, and it isn’t even the greatest business minds. I don’t think Bill Gates would bother with this war we are in, do you?  He seems to be more of a long term thinker. It’s the oil men like Bush, who are ‘get it now’ types. You can’t build anything on demand, but you can burn it. Burn it, and it’s gone. Where is the wisdom in this? He who dies with the most toys is still dead. The only value to that is if you can leave a legacy somehow. I would want to do more.

Hubris isn’t freedom, it’s just ignorance. I am ok with stepping back. If running my car becomes illegal I’ll live. I would prefer an alternative honestly. Hubris becomes grim necessity when the arrogant ones run the herd. I really don’t want to be trampled.

Your thoughts are welcome. Be well friends.

Travis Saunders
Dragon Intuitive
~science,mysticism,spirituality~