It's a weird poem about parenthood, I know.

https://www.notzen.net/2015/06/not-even-not-zen-7-secret-society.html

#notzen #taoism #family #parenting #poetry

Sometimes for an artist, gaining appreciation matters less than quality. Doing the job well can be enough. At the least, it may be enough to make the artist keep creating great works.

http://www.notzen.net/2014/03/not-zen-103-job-well-done.html

#notzen #zen #taoism #nature #isolation #mywork #zensunday

Property is not a universal concept. It must grow from place to place and from time to time. So we have grown to understand the concept of ownership must include responsibility for the consequences of it.

http://www.notzen.net/2014/06/not-zen-114-property.html

#notzen #nature #property #selfishness #samsara #ownership #land #environment #buddhism #dao #taoism

What you find on your journey depends on what you bring with you.

http://www.notzen.net/2012/08/not-zen-18-heavy-staff.html

#notzen #zen #buddhism #taoism #zensunday

No matter how noble the goal, you can't stand in awe of it. You've got to treat it irreverently enough to know intuitively it is achieveable.

http://www.notzen.net/2013/01/not-zen-43-contempt-needed.html

#zen #notzen #buddhism #taoism #teaching #learning

There is a brilliance beyond the bounds of human competence - which is good, because as a group we so often exceed our bounds.

http://www.notzen.net/2014/10/not-zen-130-incompetence.html

#notzen #mywork #dao #taoism #organization #priority #focus #zensunday

What we say about ourselves does more than reveal our opinions. It determines our behavior. Tell yourself a good story about you.

http://www.notzen.net/2015/01/not-zen-144-self-narrative.html

#notzen #taoism #buddhism #narrative #mywork #visualization #zensunday

When someone can't imagine another viewpoint well, they won't empathize with it. We don't have to agree with other views. But pretending to be other people, reading about the world as seen by other people, acting on stage and other tools of empathy are vital. The world needs empathy.

https://www.notzen.net/2015/02/not-zen-150-pretense.html

#empathy #pretending #taoism #awareness #meditation #understanding

You perceive what a dog is thinking. You understand a bee, a crab, or a raccoon. And they know you.

We are connected.

http://www.notzen.net/2014/12/not-zen-141-logos.html

#notzen #taoism #stoicism #nature #mywork #empathy #zensunday

We may be loving and merciful out of the kindness of our spirits. But it is practical, too. Kind deeds may return to us. They can fill the whole world, even in bitter times.

https://www.notzen.net/2012/01/not-zen-2-mercy-in-summer-when-land-was.html

#notzen #mercy #dao #taoism #love #nature

The Dao and Zen capture a fundamental truth, each in their way. Does is make any difference if you feel your accomplishments are transitory? If your good deeds are an illusion? You do them anyway, even though there is no 'you.' This is your path, even if there is no coming or going.

http://www.notzen.net/2013/04/not-zen-53-on-way.html

#notzen #taoism #buddhism #zensunday

Maybe you showed someone the way, once. But that's not all the guidance needed. Your job isn't done.

http://www.notzen.net/2012/12/not-zen-36-nature-of-job.html

#taoism #teaching #notzen #parenting #guidance

When you haven't lived in the present moment, when you've looked ahead and caused yourself fear, don't fight it. Breathe deep. Enjoy the moment.

http://www.notzen.net/2015/09/not-zen-173-anxiety.html

#notzen #taoism #stoicism #buddhism #anxiety #panic #fear #anticipation #meditation

There is no virtue in arguing to prove one's cleverness but there's no virtue in ignorance, either.

http://www.notzen.net/2015/02/not-zen-148-immunity.html

#notzen #taoism #nature #disease #immunity #vaccination #laotze #zensunday