Higher Consciousness: A Study in Fiction By Scott Shaw

By Scott Shaw

Since the dawning of advancing consciousness, people have put forth the idea that you can advance your consciousness, you can become more, superior, and/or enlightened. At the core of all of these teachings is separation. By seeking higher consciousness, you are becoming more than the person next to you. They are of a lower mind because all they think about is their desires, their car, their house, their family, their whatever… But you, the seeker, you are more! You are something different—someone more holy because you are on the path to higher consciousness.

         This trend, this definition, has been taught a thousand different way throughout the various religious traditions and spiritual schools across the centuries. There have been a few teachers who have stepped to the forefront of the pack and have expounded new and somewhat different teachings. And, for whatever karmic reasoning, they have been remembered throughout history. Schools and religions have been created around their name. Siddhartha Guataman, the Sakyamuni Buddha, Jesus, Mohammed, Sri Shankaracharya, and the list goes on. Then, there have been the teachers who reference these individuals as supreme beings. Many of these teachers devote their entire lives to, The Becoming, of what these teachers propagated and the higher consciousness they were believed to have possessed.

         But. Let’s step back for a moment. “What is higher consciousness?” What do you define it as?  What do your teachers tell you it is?

         The first step in understanding higher consciousness is defining what it is to you. Because what it is to you, may not be what it is to me.

         The next question you must ask yourself is, does pursuing higher consciousness actually make you something more, something better as has been laid down throughout time.

         No one can tell you the answer to those questions. I can say, that if we look at the masses of humanity, we can see that most people pursue nothing more than the fulfillment of their own momentary desires. They want what they want. But, I want what I want to. You want what you want to. And, the person seeking higher consciousness wants what they want; namely, higher consciousness.

         Ask yourself, “Is the pursuit of higher consciousness any different from wanting a new car, a new girlfriend, a new boyfriend, a new watch, or a new whatever?”

         Certainly, there is the belief that a person on the Spiritual Path is not so much seeking things only for themselves but are more set upon a course which is designed to aid in the betterment of all of humanity. For example, there is the, Bodhisattve Vow, where a person makes a vow to gain enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings and once they have achieved enlightenment they will continue to reincarnating, (continue to come back to this place we call life), until all of humanity is fully enlightenment. That sounds selfless. But, is it?

If we take a more refined look at this concept, it brings us back to the primary point, “What is the key concept in the Bodhisattve Vow?”  It is that one person will do one thing. They have heard of it. They desire it. So, they pursuit it. Thus, it is nothing more than a desire.

Though the spiritual practitioner may make it sound like they are doing something for the good of humanity, we still come back to the central focal point of, “I.” “I will do this. I will get that. Then, I will do this for you to make all things better.” Me, me, me…

Can there be any concept of, “Me,” and, “I,” in true higher consciousness?

Some spiritual traditions teach that their techniques cause a person to loose all sense of, “I.” But, this is also one of the main selling points that has been used in the propagation of the use of hallucinogenic drugs, “You will lose yourself. You will become one with all” But, this is all mumbo-jumbo. It is simply a means and a method of convincing people that there is some strange and illusive cosmic thing out there that they cannot encounter naturally.

To the matter of fact; yes, some hallucinogenic drugs will cause you to lose your sense of self. But, then the drug wears off and you are back where you started. The only problem is, the drug has altered the chemistry of your brain forever and you are never the same. And, that, “Never the same,” is not a good thing. Or, the drug has altered your brain to the degree that you become mentally ill. In this modern time they have developed some pharmacological drugs that can help reverse this pattern. But, nonetheless, you will be left with, “Never the same.”

If we look at this ideology a bit deeper, “What do you become if you have no sense of self?”

Again, here we are taken into the rhetoric of higher consciousness. It is often stated that, “This person’s consciousness is so high that they are completely removed from self and are completely removed from this world.” Well, so is a person who is insane. Are they enlightened? Have the achieved higher consciousness? Immediately the argument will be made that they did not choose their condition but a holy man did.

Choice is a condition of life. We all choose what we choose. And, for the most part, people who want to be something, oftentimes pretend that they are just that; whether they are or not. They fake it till they make it.

“Oh no, my guru isn’t like that!” How do you know?

Most people never have the opportunity to spend enough one-on-one time with their teacher to truly see that they have human flaws. They are simply allowed to see a presented image. Moreover, if one follows a, “Supreme teachers,” who has passed away then all ability to see who they truly were is long lost, as they died a long-long time ago.

All if this is not to say that there is not true spirituality. And, this is not to say that there are not those who truly possess higher consciousness. But, how many times have you found yourself thinking, “Oh that teacher is a fraud. He or she is not truly holy.” How many people have said that about your teacher or about you?

As there is no one definition, there can be no one higher consciousness. Since there is no one higher consciousness, like all things it life, its pursuit is left to the definition and the belief system of the individual mind. What you believe may be completely disavowed by the person sitting next to you. And, in fact, a few years down the road, you too may completely believe something different than you do today.

Belief is only that; belief. It is a perception individually held by each person. It is not universal. As it is not universal, there is no one way to attainment. There is only YOU and what YOU believe.

What do you believe and why?

Copyright © 2012—All Rights Reserved

 

Higher Consciousness: A Study in Fiction @ Scott Shaw.com

Scott Shaw Writings on Zen, Yoga, and Human Consciousness  

Life is Defined by Availability By Scott Shaw

By Scott Shaw

         I have long discussed the fact that life is defined by availability. What this means is that your life is defined by what you have available to you. Whether this is people, money, culture, language, beauty, size, learning opportunities, friends, family, or whatever, that is what ultimate makes you who and what you are and leads to who and what you will become.

         Some people are very good at pushing their opportunities of availability to the maximum limit. You see this in people who come from literally nothing and rise to the top of their profession. Many times, these are the people who are revered and even commonly referenced in the statement, “If they can do it, so can I.” But, in reality, this is not necessarily the case. Whatever it was that gave them that ability to rise to the top was also set in motion by their set of availability. Meaning, it was a combination of their personality, desire, drive; plus who and what they knew. Plus, what they have or had is not what you have or had.

         This is not to say that taking advantage of your particular set of availabilities is a bad thing. But, you cannot define yourself by what others have achieved. Moreover, you should not judge yourself or be hard on yourself due to what others have achieved and you have not—because if you are behaving in this manner, what you have set up is a mindset of self-deprecation, which only leads to a low opinion of self.  From this, all kinds of negative life events are given birth to.

         This being said, lack of life availability can also be seen as the one factors that holds each of us back from achieving our dreams. Lack of life availability is the ultimate demon of actualization.

         This is because of the fact, we are each a creature that embraces desire. Through our culture, through the time period in which we live, and through all the desires that we are told we are suppose to have, in combination with all of those we develop, desire is the common point for all of human existence.

         Our families tell us what they hope we will become. Our friends guide and share our desires as per our specific socioeconomic and cultural environment. And, we, in the quiet of our minds, focus on the dreams we hope to achieve and hold.

         Now, in terms of spirituality, it is commonly taught to, “Let go of desire.” And, this isn’t a bad ideology. But, it is much harder that the words proclaim.

         Desire is the defining factor of life. With this as a basis, you can either choose to live a life defined by desires—attempting to get everything that you want, which will make you live a life continually defined by gain and loss—leading to a constant state of un-peace. Or, you can choose to desire no desire. Each time a desire arises in your mind, you can beat it down. In both cases, though they arise from differing sides of the spectrum, you are defined by desire.

         Life is lived by availability. You are born, you are educated, and you are surrounded by a specific culture—all framed by a specific point in history. Within that framework you are provided with a very unique and specific set of circumstances. From this, you decide which desires you allow to rise. You can decide what you want to desire. Once you have decided what you want, defined by your family, your friends, and your culture, you will then decide to either pursuit it or decided that you can never have it. So, what is ultimately the point of its pursuit? In either case, what you do next will set the next group of availabilities in motion in your life.

         Most people do nothing. They do not try. They give up before they begin. Or, they try for a moment, decide it is too hard, and quit. This is not bad or good; it is simply a defining factor and a condition of the life of most people.

         Others, try and try. But, the sad truth is, they try for something that is unhavebable. For example, many go after relationships with people who do not want to be in a relationship with them. An, this is just bad. It haunts both of the lives and no good ever comes from it. Ask, receive a, “Yes,” or a “No,” and move on. In other cases, people go after careers that they were just not meant to possess. Many want stardom. They want to be on the silver screen. Or, want to have their music heard across the globe. And, these are just two examples that are common here in the twenties-first century. A few generations ago, these careers would not be a source of desire at all. And, in a few generations forward, they will probably fall by the wayside. These are just a couple of examples but they may provide you with the foundational idea of what is taking place.

         But, people don’t want small things. They want it, “All.” They go to all these lengths to get that, “All.” But, what does that, “All,” mean? You don’t know, because you’re not there. You only think that you know.

         Every life situation is completely different than expected. Every life situation you live, changes you forever.

         Relationships go bad. Then you don’t want them anymore. You’re sorry you ever got involved. Jobs and careers each take their toll on your body, your mind and your spirit—no matter how seemingly great they once appeared from the distance. You never, ever know until you know…

         The problem is, if you spend your life in purist, all you are left with is that pursuit.  If you do not achieve it, you will be sad and unfulfilled. If you do achieve it, and it is not what you thought it was going to be, you will be sad and unfulfilled. But, the reality is, in either case, this is life, what you do is what you do. What you live is ultimately what you lived. Your life is here for only a moment. Then it is gone.

         You are given a specific set of life availabilities. Maybe it is karma, a gift of god, a blessing, or a cure. But, the availabilities you are given are what you are given. Each step you take in life provides you with a new set of availabilities. Within the definition of those availabilities you must choose who you are and what you will do with them.

         You are given availabilities. Your life is lived by availability. What do you choose to do with them?

Copyright © 2012—All Rights Reserved

 

Life is Defined by Availability @ Scott Shaw.com

Scott Shaw Writings on Zen, Yoga, and Human Consciousness

Consciousness By Scott Shaw

By Scott Shaw

Zen is a pathway of consciousness. The more consciously your live your life, the more direct your path towards spiritual realization.

Defining Consciousness

            People on the Spiritual Path commonly talk about consciousness. But, what is consciousness?  Many believe it to be some mystical state that can only be achieved by an ancient sage after years of meditation. This type of definition removes consciousness from the realms of the here and now. It makes it something distant and unobtainable and provides the framework for all kinds of justifications why you cannot become conscious, Right Here, Right Now.

As human beings, schooled by this modern world, we have, in fact, been guided away from consciousness. There are an untold number of distractions, self-orientated philosophies, and teachers who guide us towards selfishness, but not consciousness.

Consciousness must, therefore, be redeveloped by each of us.  This is accomplished by transcending the limitations of learned physical existence and evolving to a new level of universal awareness and understanding.

The Bathroom Detail

            When I was sixteen or seventeen I was asked to accompany a fellow disciple and professional electrician, whose spiritual name was Bhagwan, to the Montecito home of our guru, Swami Satchidananda. I was to assist in the installation of our Guru’s jacuzzi. Though I had spent a lot of time in the presence of my Guru, I had not been invited to his home. So, I was obviously filled with an untold amount of youthful exuberance.

Bhagwan and I arrived early in the morning and spent the day working on the jacuzzi. Occasionally Swamiji would come out, check on our progress, correct the logistical mistakes he thought Bhagwan had made, and occasionally make joke with me or pat me on the head. He was obviously amused that I was much younger than the majority of his disciple. I was still in High School...

This personalized interaction was, of course, a higher honor than I could ever have hoped for at that point in my life.

As the day concluded, we were scheduled to travel a few miles up the coast to Yogaville West, were Swamiji was to give a talk to his disciples. As we were a bit dirty, our Guru invited us to use his personal bathroom to clean up. This was a blessing of an unparalleled degree. When I later related this fact to the other disciples, their jaws all dropped in disbelief that we were allowed to use the Guru’s bathroom.

Bhagwan was the first in. He took seemingly forever. I sat on Gurudev’s bed, anxiously waiting, knowing that Bhagwan was taking way too long. When I finally was allowed in, the bathroom was a mess. Bhagwan had left dirty water all over the sink, the dirty towels he had whipped his hands with were thrown haphazardly on the ground. I couldn’t believe it! I immediately got to work cleaning up his mess. Approximately two minutes into the job, a knock came upon the door and Swamji’s secretary said I really needed to hurry up, as Gurudev needed to get ready. So, I had only a moment or two to finish my clean up of Bhagwan’s mess and to wash my own hands.

I exited none too happy with my spiritual brother. I mean, how could he do that?  Make a mess and leave it for me to clean up. And, he made me look I was the one taking way too long...

I was very young and naive so I keep my opinions to myself, as he was in his early thirties with a family and a job. But even then, I understood conscious verse unconscious actions.

Not to be critical of any individual, but we all possess our own set of foundations. Me, I was taught that you should not make a mess in someone else’s house. Bhagwan, even though he possessed the outward appearance of walking the Spiritual Path, obviously had not learned the same lesson—nor had he opened himself up to the level of consciousness where you take other people into consideration.

The First Step to Consciousness

            You must begin at the beginning. The first step on your path of consciousness begins with your foundations—with what you already know.

You must study yourself and detail how you have learned to act and react to situations. For example, what would you have done if you found yourself in the aforementioned situation? How would you have naturally reacted?

Once you have defined these areas of your personality, you must consciously decide if they are right or if they are wrong.

Each of us will find areas that appear to be fine and other areas where we know we need to change. This is the point where you make your first conscious decision to make the person you are into the more universally conscious person you hope to become.

This is not necessarily easy. For we have all learned how to react certain ways—encounter specific situations with a particular attitude and interact with people in a prescribed manner. For the most part, this education never took place in a formal manner. We, as children and young adults, learn how to treat people and encounter situations from those around us. In many cases, we learned from people whose lifestyles were in complete contrast to consciousness. Thus, you must focus and motivate your own change.

Change does not occur overnight. It must be practiced.

This is where your first formalized steps into consciousness take place. You must decide to alter an area of your own personality and then do it.

If you slip and retreat to your old patterns of behavior, don’t beat yourself up about it. Simply realize that you are on the Spiritual Path. The Spiritual Path is a step-by-step road to realization. You are now taking the initial steps you need to becoming the more conscious individual you know will emerge.

Keep in mind, that this preliminary step to consciousness is essentially important. For without a complete internal assessment, you can never hope to truly know yourself. You will simply pass through life reacting unconsciously to whatever situation you may encounter. This is the most animalistic level of human evolution.

Without knowing self, you can never transcend self. Transcendence requires that you know what you are ascending from and where you are ascending to. Thus, knowing you, is the first step of refined consciousness.

           

R. Buckminster Fuller

            When I was an undergraduate at California State University, Northridge, I observed another interesting occurrence, which delineated varying levels of consciousness. R. Buckminster Fuller, one of the greatest analytical minds of the twentieth century, came to speak at my campus. The hall was stuffed beyond capacity and they were not allowing anyone else to enter. I was not willing to be turned away, however, so I eventually found my way up to the second level mezzanine where the spotlights found their source. From there, I could see and hear him fine.

He began his talk at about 12:30. A little before 1:00, half of the audience began to get up and leave. He asked, “Where are you going?” “To class,” was the answer, which rang from the mobile audience. “Why are you going to class,” Bucky exclaimed. “They have nothing to teach you.  But, I do!”  Unfazed, the exodus continued.

I was standing there in disbelief—nobody even knew what Bucky was about. He was just a name and a lecture to attend during lunch.

For me, this optimized the perfect example of unfocused consciousness. You do something for the doing, with no mental content.

The lecture proceeded with half of the auditorium empty.

The Second Step to Consciousness

            The second step to consciousness is to consciously perform all actions.

To focus your consciousness you must make all of your actions as precise as possible. This is how all of the great spiritual teachers have truly given something to this world.

As long as you do not think or do not care, your acts will forever remain simply unconscious actions. Unconscious actions only cause reactions.

If you wish your acts to transcend the limitations of this material world, you must do whatever it is you do from a perspective of pure one pointed consciousness.

Doing things conscious is not as easy as it may sound. For example, think about the brown rice you prepare. When you wash your rice before you cook it, do you ever allow a few grains to fall into the sink and be swept away?  If so, think about this next time you are hungry. How many of those grains of rice, that you have unconsciously let slip away, would it take to fill your stomach?

This is obviously simply an example. But, if you wish to enter the realms of true consciousness you must do everything you do in a very refined manner.

There will always be mental justifications to forgive yourself for the unconscious actions you take if you allow yourself to accept them. If, on the other hand, you choose to live a life of consciousness, those justifications can never be embraced.

The Third Step to Consciousness

            The next step in ascending consciousness is you must ask yourself, “What are you doing with your life?” If you cannot answer that question, you are not walking the path of consciousness. Thus, you must take the time to sit down and define what is going on around you. Formally designate what has taken place in your life and what has led you to where you are today.

The best way to do this is to actually write it down so it is in front of you in black and white and can be studied. From this, you will gain perspective. From perspective you can conclude how you have ended up where you have ended up.  Thus, you can chart the next step in your life from a place of consciousness.

Once the first question is answered, you must then ask yourself, “Why you are doing what you are doing?” Because without formulated reasoning, what you are doing is simple what you are doing. It is not performed consciously.

Nobody can tell you why you are doing what you are doing. Not religion, not astrology, not your loved ones.  You are you.  Each person is based in a secular consciousness. You have lived what you have live. These factors have defined the person you have become. Before you can transcend the limitations of self, you must know who self is.

So, at this point, acutely detail why you are doing what you are doing. You may like what you find. If so, then nothing needs changing. If not, then you must be the one to consciously make that change.

The biggest mistake that people commonly make at this stage of life analysis is that they decide they hate their job, hate their mate, hate their life and they throw it all to the wind.  This is not consciousness.

From a perspective of consciousness you make changes to your life consciously. You chart out your actions, how they will affect others, and then you move towards a desired end in a slow controlled manner. From this, you do not damage the lives of others, nor do you leave yourself destitute.

The Forth Step to Consciousness

            This is the stage where you begin to formalize your spiritual pathway. Though you have no doubt been walking the Spiritual Path throughout each of the previous stages, at this point you formally make it the defining element to your life.

Many people believe to do this that they must leave the material world behind and move to an Ashram or go to India, Nepal, Thailand, or Japan. This is incorrect.

Going is only going. Though you may have new experiences, you may even have fun, going is not the pathway to consciousness, as going is based in desire.

In Zen we understand that everything you need to find spiritual enlightenment is Right Here, Right Now. Going only takes you away from the here and the now.  Thus, going never leads to Nirvana.

To become consciously spiritual, is to accept.

Life is life and there will be trials and tribulations. Many people falsely believe that they should not happen to a spiritual person. Yet, they do.

Embracing truly conscious spirituality is about accepting the perfection. Knowing that all is as it should be. If you want things to be different you are only embracing a mindset bound by desire.

The consciously spiritual person understands that by letting go of desires, they will be joyous at any life occurrence, as they will see it as a pathway to further refinement of consciousness.

Consciousness Unconsciousness

            There are some people who walk the path of spirituality and place reasoning behind their unconsciousness. They provided seemingly poetic statement to justify their unconscious actions. “I am just doing what I am doing—simply a leave which has enter the stream of life and am flowing as nature guides me.”

Yes, you can place a leave in the stream and, yes, it will flow until it reaches the ocean or is stopped by some obstacle.  But, does it care that it is flowing in the stream? No, it does not. It is simply flowing the path that was laid out before it, with lack of consciousness.

To consciously enter the stream of life is very different from unconsciously ending up in the stream of life and ending up wherever it is you end up. This is why you must take control and refine your consciousness.

The refinement of consciousness can only begin with you. Ultimately, consciousness is how you interact with this place we call life. Consciousness is the thoughts you think, leading to the actions you take. Consciousness is what you do and how your do it. Consciousness is your choice.

           Choose to live consciously and Nirvana becomes obvious.

This article can also be found on Scott Shaw.com at: Consciousness

Scott Shaw Writings on Zen, Yoga, and Human Consciousness 

Second Hand Fame By Scott Shaw

By Scott Shaw

            It has always stuck me as curious how certain people climb on the coattails of the creative and find their way to fame via using the name, production, and/or the method created by someone else. In some cases, I believe this is a very conscious decision to bask in the glory, (whatever that glory may be), of what some other person has created. In other cases, it is actually to hurt a specific person by saying negative, untrue, self-serving, or straight out bad things. But, whatever the motivation may be, whether it be conscious or not, what occurs is that someone becomes noted for their association with a person or with a craft that they had nothing to do with creating simply by talking about it.

            This has happened to me more than once. And, from a personal perspective, I cannot understand why the other person(s) would let something like that happen to themselves in the first place. For all they have done is to tie themselves to me throughout eternity. Sure, maybe they became a bit more famous because of it, but at what cost? All they have done is hitch themselves to my bandwagon and they have taken the ride for free. Do people not think that there is a karma associated with that? Not to be cruel but how young was Gene Siskel when he died and did you see what happened to Roger Ebert’s face?

            Now, I certainly understand that I am a small player in the grand scheme of things, so I find it very strange that this would happen to someone like me at all. But, I guess that is the cost one pays when you create something. People want a part of it—a part of it for free. They want it for free when they paid none of the life-dues that I had to pay to get to where I could create something in the first place.

            Since I was a kid I have witnessed this—ever since the trash magazines were attached to the cash registers at all the supermarkets, they would say this and they would say that about whatever celebrity was a celebrity at the time. And, I guess they still create those mags, though more of the focus has shifted to the internet. Programs like TMZ have created an empire by doing this—making all of the talkers on the show famous in the own right—famous for talking about someone else and what someone else has created.

            Certainly, there have been a few reviewers who have become very famous with their own newspaper review columns, radio and TV shows; simply for loving or hating what someone else created. But, what does loving or hating what someone else created actually mean? The reviewers didn’t do anything—they went through none of the trials and the tribulations to get the project actualized, all they did was to love it or hate it. What does that even mean?

            Some people are good at this. I guess they are highly motivated. They set out on a course and they make a name for themselves by talking about the creation(s) of others. But, who are these people, what are these people? And mostly, why do they get to be famous simply because they attach themselves to someone else? Why do they get to take a free ride on the fame, the notoriety, and the creative blood, sweat, and tears of another person? What have they personally conceived and created?

            Again, from a personal perspective, those people who did this in association with me, did nothing for me. In fact, they hurt me way more than they helped. They never reached out a hand of friendship, they never asked if I needed any help on a movie, with a book, with anything… None of them have even met me. Yet, they believe they know me well enough to judge my work, my thoughts, my actions, or me. And, what do they get for doing it? Free fame.

            Now, I am not talking about the people who get out there and actually do something with their life; whether that is making a movie, writing a poem or a book, playing some music, painting a painting, taking a photograph, kicking a kick, whatever... If anything I have said or done helps, GREAT, take full advantage of it! Adapt it and make it your own. And/or, if you want to say something nice about me, “Thank you!” But, to latch yourself onto someone just to take a free ride, that is just wrong.

            Now, I have referenced myself a lot here but that is really not the focus of this piece nor is it what I meant to do. But, you know, free-form thinking and all… It just kind of happened.

            The point I am trying to make is, do what YOU do. Make your own art form. Or, as they used to say in the 60s and the 70s, “Do your own thing.” Don’t jump on someone else’s bandwagon just to make yourself look like some kind of something. Do something/anything from your own source of inspiration and creativity. Do it yourself! Create it yourself! Talk about what you have created, not about what someone else has created. From this, the new/next art form may be given birth to. Don't tie yourself to and ride someone else's bandwagon to fame. That just makes you look like you have no personal inspiration to create something uniquely your own. Create YOU. I've already created me. Get off the bus and stop taking a free ride.

Copyright © 2016 – All Rights Reserved

 

Originally from the Scott Shaw Zen Blog

Scott Shaw Writings on Zen, Yoga, and Human Consciousness

Part of the Conversation By Scott Shaw

By Scott Shaw

            In the past few days, since the conclusion of the most recently United States Presidential Election, there has been a lot of protesting going on in the streets of urban centers around the country fueled by people who are unhappy with the outcome of the election. One of the main things that has been noted, even by the main-stream media, is that the majority of the people who are protesting did not even vote.  They did not vote due to the fact that they are either living in the United States illegally, they did not care enough to vote, or they are not citizens. In fact, a few of my friends on Facebook even stated as much. “I couldn’t vote because I’m not a citizen, but I want my voice to be heard.” Here’s the fact… If you are not a citizen, you are not part of the conversation and you should shut the fuck up. Care enough to become a citizen first, then you have a voice.

            Everyone has an opinion. I get that. Me too…  The fact is, more of the candidates I have believed in and have voted for over the years have lost than have won in presidential elections. That is simply the nature of the U.S. political system. But, that does not send me to the streets in a destructive rage. Then, there have been politicians I believed in like Barack Obama who did win and then really let me down by keeping virtually none of his campaign promises. (Albeit he did enter office with many of the cards stacked against him). But, that is another story altogether.

            We as Americans are a functional part of a system of checks and balances. We as Americans have the right to free speech. But, we as Americans are part of a legally functioning system and that is what allows this system its functionality.

            Throughout time our system has grown and evolved. Yes, this did happen through evolution and revolution but it was all accomplished at the hands of we, the American people. We who were born here or those who came here legally, just like my grandparents did when they immigrated here from Scotland and became legal, functioning citizens. We are all committed parts of this functioning whole. Many of the people who are protesting are not. They are just young people looking for a reason to rage. But, the fact is, if you do not like an elected candidate, then vote them out. Protesting on the streets equals nothing if you are not a person who actually has a voice that can be counted. If you are not a citizen than your voice cannot and should not be heard; especially when it equals damage and destruction.

            I was watching the news and a reporter here in L.A. asked one of the protestors, if he was protesting because he was in the country illegally. He exclaimed I am not but I am afraid they are going to send members of my family back to Guam. This show some of the stupidity of some of the protestors. Just like Puerto Rico, and a few other places, people from Guam are U.S. citizens. This was an ideal example of someone who just wanted to take part in the chaos of the protest. And, the fact is, people who are here illegally should not be protesting at all. Most of these people want the laws to protect them but they have broken the law to get here and are reaping the benefits of this country. If you are not a legal functioning part of the Untied States, you are part of the problem not part of the solution.  

            I think back to a time in the 1980s when I was living in Shanghai. The local government gave my friend some serious grief. She was Chinese, I was not. They could not touch me. But they did touch her. At one point I saw the secret police that instigated the incident. Me, being an arrogant American, I went up to them and demanded an apology. I was young, angry, ready and willing to fight. One of the people with them spoke very good English and told me an apology would not happen. …This was China. It was not the United States. Thus, I had no rights. The man was correct. I had none. There was nothing I could do. Soon after that I Ieft the country. I understood. It was their country. Not mine.

            Here in the States, there have been large protests throughout various parts of our history that have set about change. But, they were instigated by functioning parts of our society—citizens. People who could and did vote. Look to the Vietnam era. For example, my half-brother died in Vietnam when he was only eighteen years old. He could not even vote yet, for back then you could not vote until you were twenty-one years old. Yet, he was drafted and died for his country before he could even vote. Now that is wrong! That is something to protest about! And, people did protest. Laws were changed. We left Vietnam. But, the damage had been done.

            I am sure through time these protests will diminish. But, here is the thing… We all want our voice to be heard. We all want who and what we believe in to be the winner. But, we have to be big enough, intelligent enough, caring enough to understand that our personal desires are not the end-all to the all and the everything. If you want your voice to be heard—if you want your voice to matter than you have to become a legal part of the system. For that is the only way you can change the system.

 

Copyright © 2016 – All Rights Reserved

 

Scott Shaw Writings on Zen, Yoga, and Human Consciousness 

Is Scott Shaw a Nihilist?

By Scott Shaw

            I was cruising down the coast between Santa Barbara and L.A. a couple of weeks ago with this sweet young lady. She was looking at her twitter feed and she noticed that somebody had quoted me.

            It is pretty common that people quote my books, Zen O’clock, About Peace, and Nirvana in a Nutshell on twitter, because they are made up of short spiritual aphorisms.

            Anyway, she noticed that somebody had commented on the original tweet, “That sounds pretty nihilistic.”

            She turned and asked me, “What does nihilistic mean?”

            Her question made me smile due to the fact that she didn’t know what nihilism was.

            I gave her the basic off-the-cuff definition… Someone who is nihilistic believes that life has no absolute meaning and that religions and philosophies hold no absolute truth.

            “Are you nihilistic,” she asked.  Again, I smiled.

            Do I believe that life holds an absolute meaning? No.

            Do I believe that religion possesses an absolute truth? No.

            Do I believe in a specific religion or philosophy? No.

            Does that make me a nihilist? Maybe… But, I think it is a bit more complicated than that.  By nature, I am extremely optimistic. I believe in people. I believe in goodness. I believe that people will make the right choices and do the right things — even though I have been proven wrong time and time again.  But, I still believe!

            So, is Scott Shaw a nihilist? Maybe. But, as a nihilist that would mean that I also don’t believe in absolute definitions.  So, the whole question possesses no merit.

            Ultimately, if Scott Shaw is a nihilist, he is an optimistic one. :-)

This is Life.

This is Zen

This is Scott Shaw Signing Out.

 

Copyright 2010 All Rights Reserved 

 

Scott Shaw Writings on Zen, Yoga, and Human Consciousness

I’m Glad You Know So Much More Than Me. Maybe You Should Be the One Writing the Books By Scott Shaw

Here's a previously published article.

By Scott Shaw

            Every now and then I will receive an email or a letter from someone who has read one of my books and they tell me I am completely wrong and I don’t understand spirituality at all. These messages always make me smile a little bit because if the person who was contacting me truly understood anything about spirituality, mysticism, or enlightenment they would know that there's not only one path. They would see that each person’s path to spirituality and personal enlightenment is unique onto themselves.  It's like my teacher Swami Satchidananda used to say, “Truth is one, paths are many.”

            People love to associate themselves with one religion or one teacher. From this, they are allowed to exist in an environment where there is only one message being propagated.  For them, there is only one truth. ...The truth that is being spelled out in whatever religious text or by whatever teacher they follow.  For them, right is right and everybody else, who follows a different path, is wrong.

            How many wars, throughout history, have been fought over people who hold one religious ideal over another?

            With the answer to that question as a basis, we should all understand that your way might not be my way, just as my way might not be your way.  You may think I am wrong, but that does not make me wrong or you right.

            Do you see the common factor here? One person thinking and believing one way.

         This goes for me too. I believe, “To each their own. Find your own enlightenment and life fulfillment your own way.” That’s just me. But also, I don’t go around telling people they are wrong. I let them live and find out their own truth in their own time.

            Ultimately, we each believe what we believe. Some of us base our beliefs on what we were told. Others of us base on beliefs on what we have experienced. In either case, it is our understandings and our beliefs that make us who we are.

 

Copyright © 2012 – All Rights Reserved

 

Originally from the Scott Shaw Blog

  Scott Shaw Writings on Zen, Yoga, and Human Consciousness

Don’t You Have Anything Better To Do? By Scott Shaw

By Scott Shaw

            Every now and then someone will bring to my attention to the fact that there is discussion going on about me on the internet. Mostly, I’m doing other stuff and I really don’t care so I don’t check it out. Sometimes, however, if I’m just screwing around on-line when they alert me to the fact, I do take a moment and read them. Some are positive dialogues. Thanks! Others… What I always find is that the inception of the conversation was begun by a very articulate individual who is trying to cast shade on my life and me in a very subtle manner. Those make smile. The assumptions are false. The claims are misplaced. But, the writing is good. Some are just the, “This guy is a fucking asshole!” Those make me smile too because the person writing them does not know me at all. Like the old saying goes, “To know me is to love me.” I think I’m a nice guy. :-)
      Spending my life in the world of martial arts this type of attack is not new to me. It seems there is always some insecure practitioner attempting to create doubt about someone else. Sad but true. I have written about this phenomenon in the past…
      But, it forever perplexes me why anyone discuses me at all. Don’t you have anything better to do? I mean, I am just a very basic sort of guy who makes weird movies, writes books, makes music, takes some photographs, teaches a class or a seminar every now and then, and stuff like that.
            …There was a filmmaking team who made a mockumentary about me maybe a decade back at Grand Valley State University in Michigan. I thought that was pretty funny. Zen Filmmaking !!! You can get to it from my YouTube page if you feel like it. I imagine they were doing it for a filmmaking class or something. But, at least they created something and probably earned a grade for it.
            What always boggles my mind is, what does talking about and discussing another person equal? What does trying to make me or any other person look good, look bad, or look like anything equal? What does it prove and what does it do for your life — especially if you are hiding behind a screen name? Though, the truth be told, I have watched a couple of people cause their on-line notoriety to rise by discussing and/or talking trash about me (and other people). But, they never even said, “Thank you.” :-)
            As the joke goes, “You know you can believe everything that is on the internet.” I mean any person who wants to can find a place to get their voice heard on the internet. But, why is your voice wasted talking about other people?
            I remember back a number of years ago, I was watching a Run Run Shaw movie with a group of people and someone commented that his name was the same as mine. I made the joke, “I’m half Chinese.” A couple of weeks later I was alerted to the fact that it was listed on some website that, “Scott Shaw is half Chinese.” I mean, come on people… And, I have seen a few other pretty ridiculous things mentioned about me on the internet. But, the thing is, what can I do? This is the internet, anyone can say anything that they want: positive, negative, or just straight up bullshit. They can say it about anyone or anything.
            Some of these, "Writers," present their thoughts, beliefs, and accusations as though they are the truth. They are not the truth but there is a certain segment of society who believes something simply because they read it. Thus, if someone believes something, in that regard, it somehow does become the truth — at least in the mind of that individual. This is how false accusations and misguided beliefs have the potential to truly damage a person's life. And, what is the karma for that, if you are the one instigating or embellishing falsehood and hurting someone else's life? But, I guess most people who do that kind of stuff don't care.
            And… I always feel thanks for the people who rise to my defense (and the defense of others) when they attempt to countermand the spreading negativity by inserting their positive opinions and/or truth based facts.
            The fact is, who and what I am, what I have or have not accomplished is one hundred percent verifiable. I don't care about accolades so you are not going to find me listing mine. Like Jack Webb's Joe Friday character used to say on Dragnet, "Just the facts…" Other people may put them out there, but not me. I don't think about things like that. All I think about is what I haven't accomplished and what I've yet to accomplish. Yet, some people attempt to embellish or diminish who and what I am; what I have done. Why? I don't know. What does it prove? Some people even try to describe my life and my life motivation. But, they have never even met me, so how do they know anything about me? But, as they used to say on the X-Files, “The truth is out there.” 
            Now, all of this rambling about me brings us to the point of this blog. What are you doing with your life? Are you doing something for you? Doing something for the people you love? Accomplishing something with your life? Doing something for the greater good? Counteracting negativity wherever you find it? Or, are you wasting the very short amount of time that you have in LIFE obsessing about someone or something else? Attempting to either put them on a pedestal or cast them to the depths of hell?
            My advice, if you love someone or something they created, support them. If you hate someone or something they created, support them, as well, because they are giving you a reason to think, study, and question life.
            Ultimately, focus on your own life. Make your own life more. Then, you won’t need to focus on my life or the life of any other person. You won't need to make yourself look right while attempting to make others look wrong. By accomplishing your own accomplishments, your life becomes a creative masterpiece based upon your own vision. From this, you can stop talking about other people and start being alerted to the fact that other people are talking about you. :-)

This is Life.

This is Zen.

This is Scott Shaw Signing Out.

Originally from the Scott Shaw Zen Blog 

  Scott Shaw Writings on Zen, Yoga, and Human Consciousness