Hi Everyone,
Sometimes, when I believe passionately in something, I have the tendency to start arguing for it, to put on my old lawyer's hat, get on my soapbox in a debater's pose, and try to WIN WIN WIN the argument. It is my bad habit. I should listen more, and be sweeter, not trying to score debating points. I should not do that, no matter how strongly I believe in something. I want to apologize for being like that.
And I also need to be more careful in how I say some things. Sometimes, due to my own clumsiness, I am misunderstood, not what I meant, and it is my own fault. For example, I recently wanted to say that "all good Buddhist practices, ancient, modern or to come tomorrow, are good practices, wonderful practices, if they help someone," but I said it in a way that could sound like I was putting down others. I did not mean that. All good ways are good ways.
Or, for example, I wanted to say, about EcoDharma, that sorting plastics and scrubbing oiled birds on a beach is a precious thing, truly Buddhist practice, to be honored and celebrated ... but at the same time, I also wanted to say that, on the other side, it does not solve the bigger problem of our seas filled with plastic and the unending spills. I wanted to say that scrubbing birds and sorting our home trash is good and to be celebrated, not to be stopped, but also something of a "fool's errand" in solving the wider problem. So, I said foolishly that "people are fools if they think it will solve the wider problem." That was a stupid way to put it. That is not what I meant. I never meant to say that scrubbing birds and sorting bottles is for fools. I'm the fool.
So, I will try to be sweeter, listen more, even as I continue to be passionate about some things. I will continue to celebrate and honor ALL good practices that help someone, that do good.
Gassho, Jundo
stlah
Sometimes, when I believe passionately in something, I have the tendency to start arguing for it, to put on my old lawyer's hat, get on my soapbox in a debater's pose, and try to WIN WIN WIN the argument. It is my bad habit. I should listen more, and be sweeter, not trying to score debating points. I should not do that, no matter how strongly I believe in something. I want to apologize for being like that.
And I also need to be more careful in how I say some things. Sometimes, due to my own clumsiness, I am misunderstood, not what I meant, and it is my own fault. For example, I recently wanted to say that "all good Buddhist practices, ancient, modern or to come tomorrow, are good practices, wonderful practices, if they help someone," but I said it in a way that could sound like I was putting down others. I did not mean that. All good ways are good ways.
Or, for example, I wanted to say, about EcoDharma, that sorting plastics and scrubbing oiled birds on a beach is a precious thing, truly Buddhist practice, to be honored and celebrated ... but at the same time, I also wanted to say that, on the other side, it does not solve the bigger problem of our seas filled with plastic and the unending spills. I wanted to say that scrubbing birds and sorting our home trash is good and to be celebrated, not to be stopped, but also something of a "fool's errand" in solving the wider problem. So, I said foolishly that "people are fools if they think it will solve the wider problem." That was a stupid way to put it. That is not what I meant. I never meant to say that scrubbing birds and sorting bottles is for fools. I'm the fool.
So, I will try to be sweeter, listen more, even as I continue to be passionate about some things. I will continue to celebrate and honor ALL good practices that help someone, that do good.
Gassho, Jundo
stlah
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