Principles
There are certain principles, that if we choose to live by them, will support us and those around us in being at our very best. The reason that these principles work is because they are aligned with reality. This is actually one of our biggest challenges. When we accept, acknowledge and behave in accordance with reality, we're able to do amazing things like launch a rocket ships into space. We're able to create seemingly "miraculous" healing in the body.
Similarly there are principles that allow us to be at our best in working together as a team. Most people would agree that it would be very challenging to truly survive on our own. We choose to live in society, work together, distribute the effort required to survive and establish agreements so that we can live a better life. Decisions big and small all have some sort of effect on the whole. And so, in order to live in harmony with each other, we establish certain rules, principles and agreements.
As we study and apply such principles, it's important to recognize that the natural state of the world is disharmony (or "entropy" or "chaos"). This is true for all of us. And there are also many ways of being that might seem good on the surface, but actually end up creating more distortion and illusion. We must learn to recognize these behaviors, so that we don't unintentionally corrupt our the good things we are trying to create. To create harmony, we work to gain clarity around the correct behaviors and embody them with discipline and consistency. We establish principles to guide our behaviors to help us to be at our best and work together to create high performance teams and organizations.
At Grounded Wisdom, we strive for clarity around the principles that create greatness in individuals, teams and organizations... and what it takes to embody them so they become "second nature". Below I offer some questions, principles and teachings from high level teachers so that you can contemplate the potential for you to step into even more of your greatness.
You Are Not Perfect the Way You Are - Dave Lanyon
Growth is not our natural state
You cannot share what you do not have
You cannot leave the world if you want to change it
Healing comes from stillness
Practice gratitude
The thing you want is on the other side of sacrifice
Discernment: Are the choices that you are making serving you to grow?
Do you challenge your own beliefs? What if I am wrong? What's a different perspective that I haven't considered?
Essential Principles for the Warrior of Light - Dave Lanyon
Do not choose suffering unless suffering is necessary
Make decisions and take action only on things that bring virtue and esteem. Do nothing that you are ashamed of, for you will weaken you.
Carry your responsibilities to completion and carry no one else's for them. Teach them to carry their own if you must but never do it for them.
Our greatest enemy is within the Self, and it gains its power through our ignorance
Be grateful in all things and most especially for the struggle, for without the struggle there is no growth or wisdom gained, and no battle won.
Meditate everyday so one can stay above the mundane, know the universe, and grow your discernment to know who and what the enemy is to fight. Without discernment we choose the wrong fight in life.
The path of the highest Good makes demands that are greater than what the ego is willing to give. This is the way.
Always wield your attack and defense from love and never from hate.
Protect only those who cannot protect themselves. Do not fight for those who will not stand up for themselves.
Laughter is often the medicine we need to heal our wounds from battle so laugh out loud and often.
You cannot defeat evil using tools of evil, for you are only creating more of that which you seek to rid the world of.
Self control should be the great of all control that a Warrior desires.
Remember that both the masculine and feminine energies have their place and are needed to overcome the obstacles in life. One cannot succeed long-term on one energy alone.
It is essential for the Warrior to know their capabilities both in strength and weakness so one may choose the most effective actions within their means.
A Warrior must surrender to the Light, for only then can the battles that matter be won.
Seek to succeed always, but if one is defeated, how we rise defines our strength and Warrior's spirit.
Seek Joy. Know Joy. Share Joy.
Do not waste thoughts, emotions, words or action on that which has no purpose or does not make the situation better.
Without Courage the Warrior does not exist for the Self or anyone.
Show the Way by embodying the Way in all things.
A Selection of Lama Dondrup Dorje Rinpoche's Teachings as used by His Students for Daily Meditation
“Compassion is not an expression of ordinary love tainted by the attachment to emotion. It is the energy of loving kindness that comes about as one’s mind awakens to the recognition that life we deemed as normal is impermanent and the lack of our recognition of its true nature is the cause of suffering.”
“Action that arises from the motivation of awakening mind can always be counted upon to deliver the right kind of fruition.”
“The only reality that matters in the timelessness of being is the measure of pure love and compassion we confer upon the caring for other entities, without the attachment of the self-centered agenda.”
“Love is the motive, the will, and the power source that propels every single human desire into fruition. So be mindful to maintain pure intent in all things we undertake.”
“True compassion comes about as the result of the awakening of our true nature that is accompanied by the lucidity of pure consciousness and the direct experiences of emptiness as the nature of reality."
“To extend loving kindness and compassion without condition is the definitive action of benevolence.”
“One’s compassion for others is feeble until one has mastered compassion through the discipline of harmonising one’s body, speech and mind.”
“We could not begin to love another person unless we are capable of loving ourselves.”
“Without the true interaction of sincerity and loving kindness, no relationship can be deemed authentic.”
“Openness attracts openness. Sincerity and truthfulness are the foundations of authentic relationship; whereas fear, the sign of obscuration, is its biggest foe.”
“It is not because relationships are trying that we do not dare to love; it is because we do not dare to love with an open heart and pure intent that relationships are trying.”
“By extending our love to the nurturing of someone else other than ourselves without any condition of strings, our capacity to love as a human being expands further and elevates us to a higher level of infinite consciousness.”
“In all relationships, avoid the embroilment of power struggle and hidden agenda which involves, either manipulating our partner into submission, or compromising yourself for the sake of sustaining a state of dependency.”
“All healthy relationships reflect the true nature of the universe - mutually supportive, yet entirely co-independent of any energy transgression.”
“True happiness comes from within and has little bearing on the affectation of indifference to external sources.”
“Inner peace does not come about through retreating from the world, but by functioning in the world without being shackled by the confines of self-centred desires.”
“Those who desire happiness by means of wayward abandonment will never find happiness.”
“Peace comes about through the changes of our perspective of the worldview.”
“Keeping an open mind and open heart, replacing all judgment with compassion, and peace will surely follow.”
“Don’t under-estimate the power of cause and effect. We are solely responsible for the direction in which we wish to lead our lives.”
“Without first taking note from the way how we respond to the world around us through repeated listening, repeated contemplation and repeated meditation, there can be no advancement in our spiritual growth, and without spiritual evolution, there can never be true happiness or peace of mind.”
“Peace is the holy communion of Man and Universe.”
“Following the goodness of your inner self will ultimately reward you with more lasting joys and satisfaction than any amount of compensation from external sources through mundane means.”
“Innocence is a state of holiness which comes with the clarity of inner peace. Without the presence of inner peace, there can be no reality. Thus love without innocence is not real. It is just another hybrid fear imbued with the emotional colouring of fantasy.”
“Peace that arises from compassion pacifies fear just as water puts out fire.”
“True happiness comes with the realisation of one’s true nature and identity.”
“Whoever looks upon worldliness as happiness, courts grief and disillusion in this world and beyond.”
“Life’s fortune and misfortune are but a deception of the mind.”
“Self-reflection is more than just the means and the end of self-examination and self-rectification, it is the path which leads to the consecration of self-realisation.”
“Fear not that fame evades you, or that honour fails to come your way; ask only what have you done thus far to deserve recognition?”
“No dividend can be gained through the interference with the natural course of events. Like the climatic changes of the four seasons, every single manner of manifestation on this planet has its own rightful place and moment in the grand design of time.”
“When one lives and breathes by the action of universal compassion, and honours all Eternal Truths with devotion and reverence unreservedly, one will cease to interfere with the natural course of one’s destined path. All actions from then onwards would become meaningful, joyful and unpretentious.”
“Life is a series of unceasing changes. Cease fighting the inevitable and welcome instead, each turn, with the reverence and attentiveness one would grant to a divine blessing, in accord with its unfolding.”
“A humble mind is the foundation of mindfulness. A humble mind heightens one’s attentiveness to all things and save us from pettiness which spawns confrontation and loftiness which disregards.”
“Life is a divine blessing to those who are generous in compassion, tolerant in attitude, principled in the face of injustice, reverent to the truth, and courageous in the defence of righteousness.”
“We all have the potential to be natural born leaders; otherwise how can we begin to take charge of our lives?”
“Our training to become effective leaders begins with attending to the function of our designated roles in the family; the most fundamental unit of a society.”
“A family without the guidance of its leadership is like a ship without its captain.”
“Without first mastering oneself, it is inconceivable how one can instil a state of harmony into one’s family.”
“Those who are incapable of imparting a state of order in their families are equally ill equipped to rectify the wrongs of society.”
“When the virtue of family values is properly preserved and propagated, so will be the stability and harmony of society.”
“When the laws of the absolute truth are upheld, so will be the virtues of the people.”
“Strict discipline with due reward and chastisement is imperative to the well-being of the family, the society, and the nation, irrespective of circumstances.”
“A true leader must never swerve from his commitment of caring for his people. He who serves his people well enjoys their endorsement and fidelity.”
“Those who apply themselves mindfully to learn of the principles of things are leaders of virtue in the making.”
“He who bestows beneficence upon the world, is a champion of this world and beyond.”
“Virtue is the mandate of leadership. Whenever virtue abounds, benevolence and righteousness will naturally be in abundance, resulting in the creation of prosperity for the nation.”
“Leaders of nobility are natural teachers of the supreme. They instruct according to the nature of man through sincerity and correlation. Their actions conform with whatever the situation imposes; serene and content in the impermanence of expectation; and thus are never disappointed.”
“The greatness of a leader can be measured by his humility and willingness to listen to the criticism of his subordinate.”
“The master of one’s emotion is the master of one’s life.”
“Emotion is the infatuation of the mind; the physical manifestation of desire and aversion.”
“The restlessness of emotion is an illness; not continuing with it is the remedy.”
“Desire which deludes one’s sanity with the dualistic significance of gain and loss is the root which gives rise to the actuality of suffering and bitterness in the human condition.”
“Undisciplined desires lead to undependable instinct - the birth of restlessness and anxiety.”
“Undisciplined emotion invades a fallow mind.”
“Indulgence in the object of desire dulls one’s intellect.”
“Take charge of your emotion, and be accountable for yourself.”
“Desires are innate human instincts indispensable to how we function in the world; but are not the prime objective for life itself.”
“One who transcends the duality of likes and dislikes is a man of worth, free from the bondage of worldliness.”
“None of us are the helpless or the terrible person we imagine. We all have within us, the essence of joy and innocence, the eternal entity of universal love, that cannot be harmed by fear or other afflictive emotion.”
“No one is perfect. Those who are willing to learn from their mistakes are wise.”
“Wisdom is the timeless divine power of grace which brings forth the union of our true nature with the universality of reality.”
“Vanity in the guise of generosity is not virtue.”
“Any relationship that affords us the opportunity of getting to know the true being of our authenticity is an action of reality - the beginning of wisdom.”
“The pitfall of discrimination lies not in the subjugation of others but in how thoroughly one will be willing to effect the conquering of oneself.”
“Be as ready to detach one’s bondage from the trappings of virtue as one would surrender evil.”
“Insight is the self-realisation of what you know, and what you don’t know.”
“A quiet mind probes deep.”
“All things are neither good nor base, precious or useless. One who can transcend the cover of conceptual fixation rises above the folly of worldliness.”
“The truly wise knows when to act and when not to act.”
“Do not subjugate wisdom with knowledge. Knowledge is but a form of fleeting logic, whereas wisdom surpasses knowledge and beyond. Wisdom is the timeless mother lode of all knowledge.”
“One who follows and acts, in accord with the natural course and change of circumstances, will triumph beyond all expectations.”
“He who is ready to learn must first learn how to listen.”
“Real knowledge is not accessible to the proud, it is through humility that true learning begins.”
“True learning is not accessible to those who want to be students, it is only procurable to those who conduct themselves in the functioning mode of being students.”
“To attain a state of oneness with one’s chosen discipline, whereby separation ends and reunion begins, one should adopt the approach of a true pilgrim.”
“Pilgrims in search of authenticity should always approach what is absolute with the receptive mind of an empty cup, and the sacred attentiveness and humility of the apostle who comes before the Master.
“True learning cannot be grasped through logic, nor can it be personified by words.“
“Embrace each moment anew in life as if for the first time.”
“Accept yourself without judgment or prejudice. Take one step at a time in all your undertakings.”
“Always do the best that you are capable of, regardless of what others may or may not do, or whether or not they are in a position to reciprocate in kind.”
“Life is but a series of appointed lessons. Nothing ever happens by accident, everything happens for a reason. Through the acceptance and understanding of the reasons behind the lessons, we can all elevate our spiritual growth to a higher state of consciousness.”
“In learning, if one does not advance, one slides backward.”
“No one can enter the gateway of awakening without the guidance of a qualified master, but the process of actual learning must come from the student.”
“Faith, devotion and diligence in applying oneself that is not separate from the time-honoured method in accordance to a lineage master is both the means and the end to deliverance.”
“The objective of learning is to nurture the well-being of one’s integrity. To study for the sake of learning is to miss the direction of the whole exercise.”
“Deliverance is the result of the attainment of the absolute reality of all things.”
“To affiliate not with the frivolous or the foolhardy in learning, but with the noble and the honourable ones, is a blessing worthy of jubilation.”
“Whenever reverence abounds, supported by sincerity and selflessness, miracles manifest themselves into existence with a singular habit of regularity.”
“Inner harmony comes with the acceptance of one’s rightful place in relation to the world one lives in and one’s willingness to appreciate that everything happens for a reason.”
“If you approach life with both sincerity and consistency, then life itself will always reciprocate by making possible what you really desire to happen.”
“The cultivation of goodness is the power source of the miraculous.”
“Miracles are created out of love, and those who appreciate the creative action of miracles lead a harmonious life.”
“Reverence is the key that leads to the province of divinity.”
“The Divine does not bestow his grace upon his devotee without first being invited. If the Divine does not will it, not even a breath of wind will move.”
“Reverence dispels negligence and gives rise to attentiveness.”
“The manifestations of divine miracles do not solely belong to the realms of heaven and earth. We too, are capable of creating divine miracles from within.”
“The addiction of contending passions and our partiality towards unbridled criticism of others, weaken our resolves of nobility and subjugate the divine power of human spirits.”
“The most profound miracle of the universe is its multi-universal properties, whereby the natural pattern of one universe is concealed within the structural integrity of another universe - mutually supportive of each other and yet totally co-independent.”
“Truth will remain truth, whether one’s ego permits one to recognise it or not.”
“One who transcends the impermanence of human conditions, and welcomes both good and calamity with equal measures of equanimity, is at once virtuous, righteous and insightful.”
“Selflessness is the first step of perceiving truth on the path to the realm of awakened mind.”
“One who imposes against the free will of others is not righteous.”
“Unrighteous encounter gives rise to regret. Only the righteous can ward off evil.”
“Always aim for what is righteous and truthful, not what is seductive yet non-virtuous.”
“The revelation of the absolute truth lies in the self-realization of our real nature. From the first revelation come many insights - all from the one and only truth.”
“The virtuous shine from afar to near, by merit of self-mastery and self-purification.”
“You never live so fully as when you face the truth, and live by the action of virtue.”