Alone & Together
Alone
Self-discovery in isolation:
- can be lonely and challenging
- is mostly undesirable
- is rarely necessary (fortunately).
Yes, THERE IS work on your self
that can only be done by you.
Together
On the other hand, there is a lot of self-work . . .
. . . you can and should do . . .
. . . within a context of support and encouragement from others.
(See Build Support for Right Livelihood)
Through the . . .
. . . support of friends and fans and
learning together with others,
you can:
- Overcome isolation
- Ease the challenge
- Make personal mastery and self-discovery immensely rewarding
"We Belong to a Mutual Admiration Society!"
These days there are many kinds of encouragement available, including mutual support for:
- Overcoming obstacles
- (the inner and outer barriers that hold you back)
- Identifying the right resources
- (to lead you to more meaningful work choices)
- Surviving and thriving
- (through the infancy of a new job or business)
To make the most of these, though, it helps to explore them from within the context of mindfulness or present moment awareness.
Self & Other
It's just you and me, baby!
We two are one self/other duo.
I am my “self.” You are my “other.”
You are your “self.” I am your “other.”
Without the “self” what is the “other?”
Without the “other” there can be no “self.”
"I've got your back!"
Have you ever asked, “I wonder where that saying came from?”
If I think about it a moment, it seems obvious.
Since I can’t see my own back, I need someone (an “other”) to tell me what’s going on back there.
(Even if I use a mirror, I’m not actually seeing my back but a reflection. The image is all turned around and there’s a limit to how close up I can get.)
Whether it’s friendship, politics, warfighting, or love, I know that to be a friend, team player, or lover means I must be willing to “have” your back while you “have” mine.
I can't do it alone!
So it is with personal mastery and self discovery.
- I can’t do it alone.
- Neither can you.
We each have:
- Blind spots
- Intrinsic biases
- Unexamined assumptions
- Bad habits
Only a trusted “other” can help us to see them.
We need each other both figuratively and literally (We especially need true friends).
Begin your journey today by creating your own personal environment conducive to learning.
Create Your Own Life-Long Learning Environment
Learn from and within your self – for example, your inner work can help you:
-
overcome inner obstacles
-
expand awareness
-
engage in self-discovery
-
aspire to personal mastery
-
examine mental models
-
connect with intuition
Learn from and with others – for example, your outer work can help you:
-
experience support and encouragement for your “self-learning”
-
learn from shared experiences with others
-
build a shared vision
-
engage in team learning
-
community building
Learning is the focus here, but mindfulness is the context.
Mindfulness practice done right creates awareness of the present moment.
Present moment awareness gives you access to a state of consciousness conducive to learning and growth.
In this present moment learning environment you can more easily engage with the power derived from “self” and “other”:
A Deeper Understanding of "Self Power" and "Other Power"
With a Little Help from Our Friends (in Japan)
To better understand the nature of self-power and other-power, it may be helpful to take advantage of a little wisdom from Japanese culture. The Japanese language has two words that stand for mindfulness-driven support from self or other: jiriki and tariki.
Jiriki (自力)
Jiriki means “one’s own strength” or the power that comes from your own inner resources—the equivalent of “self-power.”
Tariki (他力)
Tariki means “outside help” or the power you gather by working with others—the equivalent of “other-power.”
Jiriki + Tariki = A balanced, effective support system
Combining these two will lead you to purpose-driven changes in mental and physical behavior (what might be thought of as programming and meta-programming the human biocomputer).
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If you want to learn how to better call on your own deep wisdom . . .
-
If you want to feel more at home with those close to you or with whom you spend a lot of time . . .
-
If you’re willing to learn how to both give and accept help and encouragement . . .
-
If you’re willing to build your own mutual-support system with friends and loved ones . . .
. . . all on behalf of building support for your own “right livelihood,” then there are plenty of resources to aid your efforts.
I invite you to explore this website to learn more about meaningful work and read my blog for my recommendations of the best of the best out there and to see the information I share and the courses, coaching, consulting, and other resources that I offer.
Break Through and Build Support
For the Path to Meaningful Work
If you aren’t getting what you want out of your life or work, maybe you don’t have the support you need from your self or others. But you don’t have to settle for that.
Working together, mindfully and compassionately, we can create a community in which all of our livelihoods are more meaningful.
— Commit to the work.
— Commit to the relationships.
You will reap greater harvests than you can imagine.
