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The form of leaf is only a tiny part of me. I am the whole tree

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One autumn day, I was in a park, absorbed in the contemplation of a very small but beautiful leaf, in the shape of a heart. Its colour was almost red, and it was barely hanging on the branch, nearly ready to fall down. I spent a long time with it, and I asked the leaf a lot of questions …

I asked the leaf whether it was scared because it was autumn and the other leaves were falling.

I asked the leaf whether it was scared because it was autumn and the other leaves were falling. The leaf told me, “No. During the whole spring and summer I was very alive. I worked hard and helped nourish the tree, and much of me is in the tree. Please do not say that I am just this form, because the form of leaf is only a tiny part of me. I am the whole tree. I know that I am already inside the tree, and when I go back to the soil, I will continue to nourish the tree. That’s why I do not worry. As I leave this branch and float to the ground, I will wave to the tree and tell her, ‘I will see you again very soon.’”Suddenly I saw a kind of wisdom very much like the wisdom contained in the Heart Sutra.

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Book Recommendation: Leadership and the New Science by Margaret Wheatley

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IN HER PIONEERING BESTSELLER

Leadership and the New Science: Discovering Order in a Chaotic World (Revised Edition)

Margaret Wheatley showed how the “New Science”—revolutionary discoveries in quantum physics, chaos theory, and biology that are overturning centuries-old images of the universe—provides powerful insights into the design, leadership, and management of organizations.

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We effect change by engaging in robust conversations with ourselves, our colleagues, our customers, our family, the world

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We must answer the big questions. What are the questions that need posing? Philosophers, theologians, scientists, and great teachers have debated this for ages:

  • What is real?
  • What is honest?
  • What is quality?
  • What has value?

Whether you are governing a country, running an organization, or participating in a committed personal relationship, your ability to effect change will increase as you become more responsive to your world and to the individuals who are central to your happiness and success.”

– Fierce conversations by Susan Scott Continue reading →

Learning to fight without the Ego

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There is a Sufi story: It happened in the life of Omar, a great Mohammedan Caliph. He was fighting with an enemy for thirty years. The enemy was very strong and the fight continued – a lifetime of war. In the end, it happened one day that the opportunity came. The enemy fell off his horse and Omar jumped on him with his spear. In just one second the spear would have pierced the heart of the man and everything would have been finished. But in that small gap the enemy did one thing: he spat on Omar’s face – and the spear stopped. Omar touched his face, got up and told the enemy, ‘Tomorrow we start again.’ The enemy was puzzled. He said, ‘What is the matter? I have been waiting for this for thirty years, and you have been waiting for this for thirty years.

I have been waiting, hoping that someday or other I would be on your chest with my spear and the thing would be finished. That opportunity never came to me, but it came your way. You could have finished me in a single moment. What is the matter with you?’

In the eyes of the ego, self-esteem and humility are contradictory. In truth, they are one and the same Picture Quote #1 Continue reading →

Insights rather than Principles

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The real master never gives you principles he only gives insights. He gives you understanding, not commandments. He simply makes you more aware so that whatsoever the situation is you can always respond to it on your own; you do not need to follow a certain fixed principle. He makes you more fluid , more flexible because life goes on changing and if you’re very very inflexible you will suffer.

Osho