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‘Lao Tzu was the most important spiritual Chinese sage. His name, which is also often called Laozi, literally means “Old Master” and is generally considered an honorific.
‘He lived in the 6th century BC, at the same time as Confucius, who was born a generation after Lao Tzu. He once sought out Lao Tzu who told him “Strip yourself of your proud airs and numerous desires, your complacent demeanour and excessive ambitions. They won’t do you any good. This is all I have to say you.”
‘Lao Tzu is the father of the Chinese spiritual tradition Taoism, mainly because of his text called Tao te Ching (Tao: the way of all life, te: the fit use of life by men, ching: text or classic).
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Dr. Steve Szeghi, Professor of Economics, Wilmington College, Ohio, USA; GCGI Senior Ambassador, GCGI Board of Advisers, Co-Editor GCGI Journal (GCGIJ)
KAMRAN MOFID’s GUEST BLOG: Here on The Guest Blog you’ll find commentary, analysis, insight and at times provocation from some of the world’s influential and spiritual thought leaders as they weigh in on critical questions about the state of the world, the emerging societal issues, the dominant economic logic, globalisation, money, markets, sustainability, environment, media, the youth, the purpose of business and economic life, the crucial role of leadership, and the challenges facing economic, business and management education, and much more.
The Value of Wilderness: Ecological protections and Public Lands for the Sake of Spiritual Values, Social and Ecological Justice; from Altai to Yellowstone*
Human Beings derive tremendous benefits from Wilderness, from a sound and healthy ecological balance, and from Public Lands. The range and type of benefits of these three and, why human beings essentially need all is vast and complex. In addition there are relationships that exist between Wilderness, Ecological Protections, and PublicLands.
Altai is a deeply spiritual and special place in Siberia, in Russia, where much of the natural eco-systems enjoy significant protection. In the United States Yellowstone is a similar place. I have now at this point in my life been quite fortunate to have journeyed to both. In so doing I deeply appreciated more fully my personal connection to nature and my enhanced ability to bond with other human beings, other species of animals, and all the elements of nature in both places.
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“Remember, no matter where you go, there you are.” – Confucius
Today, in the world gone mad with gadgets and the so-called “Social Media”, people everywhere, it seems have no time left for themselves. No time for solitude, contemplation, reflection, thinking and meditation…
Today, everybody, young and old, is constantly Facebooking, tweeting, texting, Iphoning, IPadding, emailing, surfing the net, Goggling, Amazoning, and watching TV. Supposedly busy or indeed pretending to be!
All this, supposedly, to making us feel as if we are connected. But, connected to what, to whom and for what purpose? We do not know!
A pertinent question surely should be "What happens when constant communication replaces thoughtful reflection?" I'm not saying that the immediacy of the Internet is harmful, but rather how we tend to thrive on it. Instead of engaging with each other or just ourselves, it seems we are seeking something "out there" while ignoring real sustenance for thought…’
All in all, in the wise words of William Henry Davies:
What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows.
No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.
No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night.
No time to turn at Beauty's glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance.
No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began.
A poor life this is if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
Photo: lifesanswers.org
‘The sea has been pounding the rocks mercilessly since dawn. How much lies beneath that deceptively simple word: the sea? In truth, a continuous, roiling, evolving drama of a billion waves – each one of individual character and rhythm. Up in the cliffs is a cross-section through the earth’s autobiography. Bands of sandstone, siltstone and shale dating back to the Upper Carboniferous period some three hundred million years ago’
Meditation at the Shore – a short Film
Watch the film:
Read more:
In Praise of Swami Vivekananda: The man who brought Eastern philosophy to the West
The Art of Living a Happier life: Solitude- The Most Important Skill Nobody Taught You
- My Guest Blogger Anthony Werner: Principles for a New World Order
- The Climate Challenge: Hollywood Speaks out for Nature
- What did great philosophers Mill, Bentham, Locke and Berkeley have in common?
- The UN Climate Change Summit: A View from the Ecology Panel 2012 Rhodes Forum
- GCGI supports the International Student Initiative for Pluralism in Economics