ZERO
BRIAN ROCHE
Meditations on Nothing in Particular
For Marjorie,
Who cares, listens and understands
But also knows better!
Contents
0 Zero
1 One
2 Two
3 Nothing is
Special
4 Be a Dog
5 Good News
6 What is Mu?
7 Just Sit!
8 Silence
9 Listen
10 Stop
11 Eat
12 Garbage
13 Chess Yoga
14 Improvisation
15 Read
0
Zero
“You’ll never sell a book that says
the universe is a meaningless void.”
(my ex-agent, 2007)
The universe is a meaningless
void.
It is not an empty void, but
rather one that holds all things.
Among all things there is no
value, no meaning.
Rather than rushing to fill the
void of meaninglessness
Why not just relax?
The weight of meaning on your
shoulders is unbearable.
Why carry it?
Let your mind flutter like a
butterfly,
Not landing anywhere for more than
a moment
Some things seem important to you.
So what?!
Life is for living, and it’s
really short.
How many full moons will you see?
Work could be a low priority, a
necessary evil…
Not your prime identity!
Have a cup of tea!
Play a leisurely game of chess, play
some music.
Tend your garden, do your laundry.
IMPROVISE!
Eat and drink, get drunk.
Meditate…SLEEP!
Read a good book.
Read a bad book.
Stop fussing!!
1
One
“Existentialism actually makes me feel optimistic!”
(Alan Alda, 2007)
EVERYTHING is an illusion.
Countless religious and spiritual
movements start with this premise.
It’s been said in many different
ways, some very poetic, some not.
Everything is a dream
All is produced by the mind
Nothing exists
All things just appear and
disappear
The universe is an illusion
All things are appearances
Etc.
To some, the idea is meaningless, to others it is everything.
It adds up to nothing in any case.
The concept includes everything, so nothing is left out!
You don’t have to list everything you can think of; just think of
“everything” and apply the idea.
(Meditation)
Sit and think of “everything” for a while (take your time).
Then, forget about “everything” and think about “nothing.”
2
Two
“It takes two to tango”
(some lonely Argentinean, 20th century)
Apparently, few, if any spiritual
doctrines stop at “Everything is an illusion.”
Instead, they go on to say that
“behind” this illusory dream lies an unfathomable “IT.” IT can be called God,
Presence, Here and Now, Awareness, Pure Consciousness, Oneness, Eternal Love,
Infinity, The Source, The Light, etc. ad nauseum.
Every name for “This” starts with
a capital letter, as if to lend it some sort of gravity or legitimacy. They can
use all the capitals they want; it won’t change the fact that “IT” doesn’t
exist. IT is also a figment of your imagination.
Spiritual writers also love to
say, “IT cannot be spoken of or named.” Then they go on to give it hundreds of
names and they “speak” for 500 pages!
(Meditation)
The
next time you’re sitting quietly and you experience that feeling of oneness
with the universe, KEEP GOING!!
Love,
Oneness, God etc.. are merely sensations registering in your mind, like scenes
in a movie. They don’t actually exist. They appear to us just like fear,
security, helplessness, kindness, compassion, hate… even hunger and pain. You
can react to them or not. Who cares? Well, maybe we do care. We’ll get to that
later.
All
of these ideas are also illusions!! So, we must (apparently) use the words
“apparent” and “apparently” every now and then. The previous paragraph should
read…
Apparently,
Love, Oneness, God etc. are merely sensations that appear to be occuring in
your mind, like scenes in a movie. They don’t actually exist, apparently.They
appear to us just like fear, security, helplessness, kindness, compassion,
hate… even hunger and pain. You can react to them or not (apparently). Who
cares? Well, apparently WE care. We’ll get to that later (apparently)
I
know, it’s really cumbersome but it serves to remind us of the (apparent) idea that
everything is apparent (apparently)
A fairly recent spiritual
development is called Advaita, or rather Neo-Advaita (Advaita is ancient).
Advaita means literally, “Not-Two.” Proponents of this doctrine also start
with, “Everything is an illusion.” Although it’s not half as bad as
Christianity or Islam, Advaita also falls into the trap of “Oneness.” In fact,
John Greven wrote a whole book called, “Oneness.”
Neo-Advaitists stress that there
is only “Here and Now.” Eckhart Tolle based a whole book on “Here and Now.” The
problem is, there is no “Here” and there is no “Now”!!
They also like to say things like,
“Who are you?” and “You are That.” “That” of course is the same infinite IT
that was referred to earlier as “This.” (still with me?).
As soon as you say, “This” and
“That”, you have two!
Advaitists also stress that you
are not your ego, your body or your mind… you just “are.”
I’d concur with most of that but,
as Sailor Bob Adamson points out, “There is NO separate”, so you might as well
throw your body into the mix. Hell, you might as well throw your body into the
river if it’s not you!
Imagine visiting an Advaidist
doctor…
You: I have a terrible pain in my
stomach.
A.D.: Who is it that is
experiencing pain?
You: I don’t know. It just hurts
like hell!
A.D.: You are that.
You: I think it might be my
appendix.
A.D.: You are not your appendix… etc.
etc.
John Greven says you were not born
and you don’t die. Sounds awfully Christian to me. When’s your birthday, John?
Greven “proves” you are not your
body by saying, “If your feet were removed, would you still be?” He continues
this process until he gets to the head and then says, “Now, you have reached
your head. That is a tough one isn’t it? We’ll come back to it.” When he does
get back to it, he says, lamely, “When the brain is at rest, do you cease to
be?”
The brain is NEVER at rest. When
you “think” the brain is at rest, it’s actually quite busy taking care of the
rest of the body (all without “you” I’ll admit).
Chop your head off (don’t try this
at home!) and you can kiss your ass goodbye.
Oddly enough, when you lose your
head, “awareness” becomes a moot point (or maybe a mute point). When you die
the dream is over.
Body, mind and dream all come to an
end.
You die and “nothing” lives on.
You die BECAUSE nothing lives on. Get it?!
Where Advaidists really slide into
religious nonsense is when they say that Everything is One, no exceptions… THEN
they immediately go on to describe the “false” (versus the “true”?!), the real,
the Real and the REALLY REAL!! THE ULTIMATE, LOVING, EVERLASTING PRESENCE. (You
are that!). The idea that humans are at all involved in something infinite is,
well, wishful at best; superstitious and dangerous at worst.
Not-Two (Advaita) does not
necessarily point to “One.” For example, the number 9 (my personal favourite) is definitely “not two.” Come to think of it, every other
number BUT two is not two.
Hence zero, I think, is a better
pointer. It points at nothing.
“0” just smacks of nothingness.
Zero, starting, as it does, with the last letter of our alphabet, also implies
a certain humility, which is (apparently) a good thing.
Row, Row, Row Your Boat
(English nursery rhyme)
As a round, Row, Row, Row Your
Boat can be seen as perpetual but the singers will all die at some point and
when humanity finally goes extinct, I don’t think the cockroaches will sing it.
They don’t like water!
3
Nothing is Special
Earth, stone, and gold are equal.
The cows, horses, dogs, and eaters of dogs are all equal.
As are friends, foes, the wicked, and those who judge them.
The world sustains all creatures.
(Bhagavad Gita, 500 B.C.)
Common
to virtually every spiritual and religious doctrine is the idea that humans are
something special. By extension, therefore, we must have been created by
someone REALLY SPECIAL! It may be the one human trait that we can truly call
“universal.” We fight wars over every other issue, but that’s one point most
people could probably agree on. Unfortunately there is no evidence to support
it.
We have
created a complete biological hierarchy that doesn’t actually exist in nature.
Humans that are brain dead are referred to as “vegetables.” All other humans
are at the top of the heap (except certain minorities etc.). Most religious leaders
and teachers just love to blather on about how humans are here to fulfill a
special mission, a divine destiny etc. This
belief in “something special” now runs from the ridiculous (God loves me) to
the sublime (I AM God).
Few would
hesitate to stamp on an earwig or slap a mosquito, yet whales and dolphins are
approaching “sacred”!
Most
monkeys, our closest relatives, are in prison.
The
entire world of insects is divided into good and bad, harmful and helpful,
friendly and unfriendly.
Traps
are laid inside and outside of homes to kill a myriad of “pests.”
Viruses
and bacteria are also labeled innocuous or harmful (to whom?).
There
are actually people that put up bird feeders, and then shoot at the squirrels
that feed from them!!
When
most people gaze up at the stars, instead of feeling like meaningless little
zits, they proclaim the “Wonder of God.” In the same breath they say, “God must
really love us, to have given us such a view.” Then in the next breath… “God
must love me so much that if I asked him for a new car, he’d give me one.”
Then, when their kid gets killed in that car, they proclaim, “The Lord works in
mysterious ways.” Similarly, most “proofs” for the existence of God include,
“There must be something bigger than us”… as if we’re big!!
Although
most religions profess that humanity is something special, ironically, these
same doctrines seem to ignore humanity altogether. Many of the esoteric
teachings completely ignore “matters of the heart.” People (apparently) have
emotional reactions. Many people are driven and tormented by those reactions.
It’s not enough to say to someone suffering from inner turmoil, “It’s all an
illusion”!
Try a
little compassion!
(Meditation)
Sit
quietly and see yourself as an animal. Let yourself just BE the animal that you
are.
4
Be a Dog
A Dog Retreat
Have you ever tried living like a
dog? I mean really living like a dog. It’s worth a try. If you have a dog, you
probably already understand what I’m getting at. If not, borrow someone else’s
dog for a weekend and do a “Dog Retreat”
The concept is really quite
simple. Find a nice quiet place. Bring enough food for yourself and the dog.
Leave everything else (books, music, TV etc.) at home.
Make the dog your Guru. Take every
cue from the dog. Don’t do anything that he/she doesn’t do. It’s exactly like
“Simon Says” In fact, let’s call the dog Simon so I can stop saying “the dog.”
When Simon lies on the couch, you
lie on the couch. Simon lies on the floor, you lie on the floor. Simon meditates,
you meditate. Simon wants to go pee, you go pee (outside). Simon walks, you
walk. Simon runs, you run. Simon starts humping a tree, you start humping a
tree.
At mealtimes, prepare your food
first, then Simon’s. Put Simon’s food on the floor, put your food on the floor.
If he eats fast, you eat fast. Slow, slow. Drink when he drinks and as much as
he drinks. Go for a poo, scratch the ground, role in the dirt, chase a
squirrel, sniff EVERYTHING, bite the mailman, chase cars, lick your own bum
(yoga), groom yourself, have a long nap. Yell at someone outside (imaginary or
otherwise). Two or three days of this and you’ll be a completely new person
with a refreshing new perspective.
Note: might work with a cat just
as well.
5
Good News
I’ve always enjoyed doing my laundry at a Laundromat. There’s something
about the clothes tumbling around in the dryer that I can watch for hours. It’s
not unlike watching a fire in a woodstove or standing beside a waterfall.
The thing I don’t like about Laundromats, however, is the inevitable pile
of Christian pamphlets and magazines professing “Good News” and “Jesus Saves”
and “The End is Nigh” etc. I decided to write my own pamphlet to try and strike
a bit of a balance. Call it a pamphlet for an Atheist Laundromat.
I placed it in all the Laundromats I could find, as well as several
churches. Note: it is purposefully written in the same in-your-face style as
other Good News pamphlets.
GOOD NEWS
There is
no God. There never has been and there never will be. This is a fact,
not a belief, opinion, or the word of Satan (who doesn't exist either). All
references to God/Satan in all languages are erroneous lies. Our
tongues must be cleansed of The Word. God the father, the devil,
son of God, Satan, mother of God, demons, Lucifer, gods in general, God-damn,
-knows,
-willing,
-bless, -awful, etc..
Several thousand years ago a few
poet/dreamers said the name “God” and the legend was born. To this day, the
legend continues to flourish. Even God worship is still quite wide spread.
This bad fairy tale cum deadly nightmare has dominated human affairs for longer
than we can remember. Isn't that embarrassing?
What has kept this mad rage
continuing for so long?
In ancient times, perhaps it was
clan stubbornness, a few convincing rhetoricians, the ruling class, etc... More
than anything, it was fear. Fear of death and sheer stupidity have carried the
myth right into the 21st century. In modern times, “feast days” such
as Christmas have really helped tow the barge (not to mention all of the
non-Christian “holidays”).
Could billions of people
be dreadfully wrong for thousands of years? Absolutely! The God/Satan story
isn't the only rigmarole floating around.
Do you remember when you first
heard the truth about Santa Claus? Didn't you feel like an idiot for swallowing
the whole story for as long as you did? Then why would you believe in a God
that doesn't exist? Why would you want to be an idiot for
your entire life? One reason is that kids will swallow anything. Kids grow up
to become adults that will swallow anything. Adults grow old and die, still
holding on to their inane beliefs. Some even believe that their hare-brained
delusions will continue (with them) after they die! Can human beings
simply live as human beings rather than as “subjects of God” or even worse,
“children of God”? Yes!
Start spreading the good news that God
doesn't exist. Remember to explain that Satan, Heaven, Hell, the
“afterlife” and other ludicrous notions don't exist either. Be persistent!
If telling the truth isn't your
style, try eliminating some of your own bad habits such as: praying (especially
kneeling or prostrate), blessing or being blessed, hoping you go somewhere “nice”
after you die, giving God credit for “good” and blaming Satan for “evil”,
attending cult gatherings for worshipping God or Satan, forcing your children
to swallow bullshit, promoting Christmas or any other religious “holiday”, and
so on.
Any
progress towards dismantling the colossal fabrications about God and Satan
would benefit humanity a hundredfold.
The task of dispelling the
countless lies (contained in the Bible, Torah, Koran and other brainless
tomes) is still ahead of us.
The most
obvious truths seem to be the most difficult to believe. So be firm and
be honest!
6
What is Mu?
HH
(“Mu”:
Japanese word for “nothing”)
7
Just Sit!
(Meditation)
Just
sit down and shut up!
8
Silence
“Silence is death”
(Edgard Varese)
There
is no such thing as silence!!
If
“silence” means the absence of sound or vibration, it cannot exist. It cannot
be perceived.
I
don’t mean it cannot exist because nothing exists; nor do I mean that it cannot
be grasped by the mind.
I
mean, simply, that you can look (listen) for silence all you want and you won’t
get past all the noise!
Let’s
asume that you are in a very quiet place and you are experiencing no thoughts
or feelings.
Let’s
even go further and put ourselves in an anachoic (soundproof ) chamber.
Before
you even get the door closed, you’ll hear (at least) three very distinct sounds
come to the fore.
They
are: the high frequency pitch of the nervous system, the low pitched rumble of
the circulatory system and the steady beating of the heart.
These
sounds can be “heard” even when you are stone deaf!!
As we
don’t want to stop any of these, even for a second, we don’t want silence!
Silence
is death.
(Meditation)
Sit
for a while and listen to all the noise.
9
Listen
In this piece, Rimpoche
uses a brilliant literary technique. He labels it as advice to himself, so he
is not telling YOU what to do. Nevertheless, I would listen very carefully to
what he has to say… then forget about it!
Advice from Me to Myself Patrul
Rinpoche (1808-1887)
Listen up, old bad-karma Patrul,
You dweller-in-distraction.
For ages now you've been
Beguiled, entranced, and fooled by appearances.
Are you aware of that? Are you?
Right this very instant, when you're
Under the spell of mistaken perception
You've got to watch out.
Don't let yourself get carried away by this fake and empty life.
Your mind is spinning around
About carrying out a lot of useless projects:
It's a waste! Give it up!
Thinking about the hundred plans you want to accomplish,
With never enough time to finish them,
Just weighs down your mind.
You're completely distracted
By all these projects, which never come to an end,
But keep spreading out more, like ripples in water.
Don't be a fool: for once, just sit tight.
Listening to the teachings—you've already heard hundreds of teachings,
But when you haven't grasped the meaning of even one teaching,
What's the point of more listening?
Reflecting on the teachings—even though you've listened,
If the teachings aren't coming to mind when needed,
What's the point of more reflection? None.
Meditating according to the teachings—
If your meditation practice still isn't curing
The obscuring states of mind—forget about it!
You've added up just how many mantras you've done—
But you aren't accomplishing the kyerim visualization.
You may get the forms of deities nice and clear—
But you're not putting an end to subject and object.
You may tame what appear to be evil spirits and ghosts,
But you're not training the stream of your own mind.
Your four fine sessions of sadhana practice,
So meticulously arranged—
Forget about them.
When you're in a good mood,
Your practice seems to have lots of clarity—
But you just can't relax into it.
When you're depressed,
Your practice is stable enough
But there's no brilliance to it.
As for awareness,
You try to force yourself into a rigpa-like state,
As if stabbing a stake into a target!
When those yogic positions and gazes keep your mind stable
Only by keeping mind tethered—
Forget about them!
Giving high-sounding lectures
Doesn't do your mind-stream any good.
The path of analytical reasoning is precise and acute—
But it's just more delusion, good for nothing goat-shit.
The oral instructions are very profound
But not if you don't put them into practice.
Reading over and over those dharma texts
That just occupy your mind and make your eyes sore—
Forget about it!
You beat your little damaru drum—ting, ting—
And your audience thinks it's charming to hear.
You're reciting words about offering up your body,
But you still haven't stopped holding it dear.
You're making your little cymbals go cling, cling—
Without keeping the ultimate purpose in mind.
All this dharma-practice equipment
That seems so attractive—
Forget about it!
Right now, those students are all studying so very hard,
But in the end, they can't keep it up.
Today, they seem to get the idea,
But later on, there's not a trace left.
Even if one of them manages to learn a little,
He rarely applies his "learning" to his own conduct.
Those elegant dharma disciplines—
Forget about them!
This year, he really cares about you,
Next year, it's not like that.
At first, he seems modest,
Then he grows exalted and pompous.
The more you nurture and cherish him,
The more distant he grows.
These dear friends
Who show such smiling faces to begin with—
Forget about them!
Her smile seems so full of joy—
But who knows if that's really the case?
One time, it's pure pleasure,
Then it's nine months of mental pain.
It might be fine for a month,
But sooner or later, there's trouble.
People teasing; your mind embroiled—
Your lady-friend—
Forget about her!
These endless rounds of conversation
Are just attachment and aversion—
It's just more goat-shit, good for nothing at all.
At the time it seems marvelously entertaining,
But really, you're just spreading around stories about other people's mistakes.
Your audience seems to be listening politely,
But then they grow embarrassed for you.
Useless talk that just makes you thirsty—
Forget about it!
Giving teachings on meditation texts
Without yourself having
Gained actual experience through practice,
Is like reciting a dance-manual out loud
And thinking that's the same as actually dancing.
People may be listening to you with devotion,
But it just isn't the real thing.
Sooner or later, when your own actions
Contradict the teachings, you'll feel ashamed.
Just mouthing the words,
Giving dharma explanations that sound so eloquent—
Forget about it!
When you don't have a text, you long for it;
Then when you've finally gotten it, you hardly look at it.
The number of pages seems few enough,
But it's a bit hard to find time to copy them all.
Even if you copied down all the dharma texts on earth,
You wouldn't be satisfied.
Copying down texts is a waste of time
(Unless you get paid)
So forget about it!
Today, they're happy as clams
Tomorrow, they're furious.
With all their black moods and white moods,
People are never satisfied.
Or even if they're nice enough,
They may not come through when you really need them,
Disappointing you even more.
All this politeness, keeping up a
Courteous demeanor—
Forget about it!
Worldly and religious work
Is the province of gentlemen.
Patrul, old boy—that's not for you.
Haven't you noticed what always happens?
An old bull, once you've gone to the trouble of borrowing him for his services,
Seems to have absolutely no desire left in him at all—
(Except to go back to sleep).
Be like that—desireless.
Just sleep, eat, piss and shit.
There's nothing else in life that has to be done.
Don't get involved with other things:
They're not the point.
Keep a low profile,
Sleep.
In the triple universe
When you're lower than your company
You should take the low seat.
Should you happen to be the superior one,
Don't get arrogant.
There's no absolute need to have close friends;
You're better off just keeping to yourself.
When you're without any worldly or religious obligations,
Don't keep on longing to acquire some!
If you let go of everything
Everything, everything
That's the real point!
10
Stop
Nature can and does manage and
control herself.
Humans are the only ones she cannot
control.
We must control ourselves.
(Farley Mowat, “People of the
Deer”)
Back
in the Ilustrious 80s, a group of well-minded citizens (including myself) sat
down to try and solve some of the world’s problems. When we came to the issue
of waste, we were totally bogged down in relativity. Who were we to say what
was extravagent, what was “enough” etc..? Following the meeting I went home and
wrote this STOP manifesto. I felt I had to draw some lines, and they are hard
lines. In any case, the manifesto could at least define a starting point for
action (or non-action).
STOP is an
international organization formed as a response to the many failing activist
strategies of the past century. STOP sees capitalism and gross
consumerism as the two most crippling factors in the present decay of
civilization and of this planet. This is quite obvious and does not need any
further study. While we have tried re-cycling and other environmental
strategies, we are way off the mark and are racing ahead towards a concrete
wall. Consumerism and global capitalism are a united front against any hope of
saving the environment, protecting any semblance of a future for our children
or providing liberty, equality and even the most meager standard of living for
all of humanity.
STOP is a program of volunteer radical frugalism. We simply
cannot go on living the high standard that we consider normal. The party is
over! The consequences of not stopping are quite evident and totally
devastating. 30,000 children under the age of five are dying of starvation and
hunger related diseases EVERY day. Millions more live another day,
simply to face hopeless poverty and horrendous living conditions. Millions
more, the “lucky” ones, work every day in conditions that our cows wouldn't
tolerate. Is there one single person who hasn't heard this all a hundred times
before? What can be done? Why has nothing worked so far? First, we are directly
supporting capitalism with our consumer mentality and second, we still think
that our standard of living is feasible ‑‑ indeed most of us think
we should have more ‑‑ and that eventually all of the six billion
people worldwide will be able to enjoy this standard. Most likely, by that
time, there will be twenty billion people!
The party's over.
STOP has a simple solution to the problem which is, simply,
STOP! No amount of stopping, no matter how destructive, will ever compare
to the devastation of not stopping. The present world economy is doomed
and must be dismantled peacefully before it falls and crushes all but the
super-wealthy. The economic collapse will probably arrive even before the
equally inevitable ecological collapse.
20% of the world's population control 84% of the
world's wealth. All of that control, however, is in OUR hands!! Stop
buying ‑‑ BOYCOTT! If WE stop supporting capitalism,
it WILL collapse!
The average global income is about
$4,000.00
1. Air: It is beyond the realm of
the imagination how careless we are with the one element we can only live
seconds without. Air pollution is growing at an alarming rate worldwide. Major
industrialists and motor vehicles are the main culprits. Pollution control and
un‑leaded gasoline are not the solution.
2. Water: For drinking, almost any
amount of fresh water use is justified. For bathing, cooking, washing and
watering (food crops only) use should be strictly limited. Use of water for
toilets is ridiculous!
3. Food: All food should be
self‑produced or bartered directly from a grower. All meat and
fish are totally unnecessary -‑ even for growing children or pregnant
women.
The amount of energy, feed and
land wasted on producing meat is unfathomable. Re‑cycling is a joke! Stop
buying anything in cans or plastic containers and stop buying packaging of any
kind. There should be no garbage that is not compostable. Almost everything in
your kitchen that you think is necessary is actually a total waste of space and
energy. Fridges, freezers, large stoves, microwave ovens, food processors,
bread machines, bar‑b‑ques etc.. are all unnecessary and are
unknown to most people worldwide. Very few dishes and utensils are needed to
maintain a kitchen.
4. Shelter: At the very most
a family should own a small house and a small property. A second residence or
cottage is absolutely extravagant! Individuals without a family should
rent a room or share a house. 90% of all
furniture is superfluous. Cushions to sit on and larger cushions to sleep on.
Small tables for working and eating. That's it! In the bathroom: towels, soap,
ammonia or vinegar for cleaning and maybe shampoo and a razor...that's it! No,
we didn't forget toilet paper, tissues, tampons, tooth‑paste, deodorant
and the myriad of creams and goops, but we wish YOU would! Again, these
are unknown to most people in the world.
5. Clothing: Clothing is almost
superfluous. Fashionable clothing is out of the question! Throw out any clothes
that require dry‑cleaning. Dress warm in winter and cool in summer. Treat
your entire wardrobe as if you had to carry it with you.
Beyond these five it's hard to
justify the rest of our consumer habits. These five are the only things that a
person could say they really NEED. Most people in the world don't have these five basic needs met sufficiently.
Since stopping is voluntary and no
one can tell anyone what they should and should not have, STOP suggests
you make a list of the things, over and above the five basics, that you think
you MUST have. Check it over a few times after you've read this. When
you've finished you should have a short list of absolute "gems" and a
garbage pile the size of
Two particularly vile and
bourgeois multi‑billion dollar industries are the entertainment industry
and the tourism industry. Many extravagant habits of modern
"developed" countries fit into
these two categories and often the two overlap. Again, the solution is simple.
Find a home and STAY home! Invite your friends over and cultivate your
own "entertainment.” Throw out the T.V. and the computer. Play music, read
(get all your reading, including newspapers, from the library), draw, dance,
tell stories and work on the garden. Trash the stereo, the VCR, the video
games, the cell phone, the video camera and anything that uses batteries.
Ignore movies, large‑scale productions, over‑blown concerts, gala
events etc....and they WILL go away! Stop using electricity. It is not
a "clean" or renewable resource.
Flying, boating (motorized) and
driving -- especially private vehicles -- should be absolutely restricted. Not
to mention RVs, ATVs, dirt bikes, trailers, snowmobiles, jet‑skis... PLEASE!!
Only the most urgent situations justify going anywhere by any means other than
walking, paddling, sailing or riding a bicycle. Quit traveling altogether!
Flying and driving all over the planet just to "get away" is the most
opulent activity imaginable.
Hot on the heels of entertainment
and tourism is the so‑called fitness industry! The combination of eating
properly and everyday activities (like walking) completely does away with the
"need" for exercise machines, weights and all the insane fads that
have developed into this wasteful industry.
Another wasteful endeavour is advertising. How can any sane person justify spending
billions of dollars annually on advertising. Corporations make billions in
profit from your purchases. They then take the profits (your money) and spend
it on inane, insulting little vignettes, designed to make you feel like you
need their product (which you’ve already bought!). STOP recommends boycotting all advertising (in
print, radio, TV, billboards etc.). Every time you see an ad, stop supporting
that company. They obviously don’t know how to spend your money wisely.
The single most important day in
the capitalist calendar is Christmas. STOP has no sympathy for any
sentiment over this birthday party cum evil spending frenzy. Finding something
good about Christmas is like trying to find the positive in a rape/murder case.
It just isn't there! Christmas must be completely eliminated NOW!!
Stop using money and banks
altogether. Stop using credit of any kind. Stop gambling. Sell all of your
stocks, bonds, mutual funds, RRSPs etc.. and invest in your home and family.
This is all you will have when the economy collapses. If you have extra money,
give it to someone who needs it. When capitalism crashes, stocks, bonds
and even the dollar won't be worth a cent! "Financial security" is an
oxymoron!
It would take a hundred pages to
list everything that we should stop doing! STOP hopes this summary at
least gets the process in motion.
START looking sideways at everything you own and all of your
activities. START thinking about it NOW!!
The party IS over!
11
Eat
“You gotta eat”
(anon. 20th century)
Starvation results from the inadequate intake of
nutrients or the inability to metabolize or absorb nutrients. It can have a
number of causes such as prolonged fasting, anorexia, deprivation, or disease.
No matter what the cause, starvation takes about the same course and consists
of three phases. The events of the first two phases occur even during
relatively short periods of fasting or dieting, but the third phase occurs only
in prolonged starvation and can end in death.
During the first phase of starvation, blood
glucose levels are maintained through the production of glucose from glycogen,
proteins, and fats. At first glycogen is broken down into glucose. However,
only enough glycogen is stored in the liver to last a few hours. Thereafter,
blood glucose levels are maintained by the breakdown of proteins and fats. Fats
are decomposed into fatty acids and glycerol. Fatty acids can be used as a
source of energy, especially by skeletal muscle, thus decreasing the use of
glucose by tissues other than the brain. Glycerol can be used to make a small
amount of glucose, but most of the glucose is formed from the amino acids of
proteins. In addition, some amino acids can be used directly for energy.
In the second stage, which can last for several
weeks, fats are the primary energy source. The liver metabolizes fatty acids
into ketone bodies that can be used as a source of energy. After about a week
of fasting, the brain begins to use ketone bodies, as well as glucose, for
energy. This usage decrease the demand for glucose, and the rate of protein
breakdown diminishes but does not stop. In addition, the proteins not essential
for survival are used first.
The third stage of starvation begins when the fat
reserves are depleted and there is a switch to proteins as the major energy
source. Muscles, the largest source of protein in the body, are rapidly
depleted. At the end of this stage, proteins, essential for cellular functions
are broken down, and cell function degenerates.
In addition to weigh loss, symptoms of starvation
include apathy, listlessness, withdrawal, and increased susceptibility to
infectious disease. Few people die directly from starvation because they
usually die of some infectious disease first. Other signs of starvation can
include changes in hair color, flaky skin, and massive edema in the abdomen and
lower limbs, causing the abdomen to appear bloated.
During the process of starvation, the ability of
the body to consume normal volumes of food also decreases.
Foods high in bulk but low in protein content
often cannot reverse the process of starvation. Intervention involves feeding
the starving person low-bulk food that provides ample proteins and
kilo-calories and is fortified with vitamins and minerals. The process of
starvation also results in dehydration, and dehydration is an important part of
intervention. Even with intervention, a victim may be so affected by disease or
weakness that he cannot recover.
(Meditation)
Sit for 24 hours without eating. Give the money
you would have spent on food that day to someone who is hungry.
12
Garbage
If I ever had any money, I mean if
I ever had a sizeable amount of “disposable income” with which I could make an
“investment”, I would put it all in garbage futures.
No other stock or bond has the
guaranteed return of garbage. Despite numerous initiatives to curb the amount
of garbage being produced, more garbage is being produced today than ever
before. The future of garbage is more certain than death or taxes.
A Chinese philosopher once said,
“If you want to know the future, simply look at the past.” We can see the past
in the smoldering heaps at the end of driveways across the country… especially
on so-called “special” garbage days. Previously loved barbecues, bed springs,
stoves, washers, toys, furniture etc. ad nauseum. We can see the future in the
hordes of people lining up at box stores to buy new versions of the same stuff.
The day to day garbage being
produced is no less impressive. The packaging that surrounds all of the stuff
we buy everyday and indeed, the stuff itself, is garbage. And, that’s just the
small stuff. How about the big ticket items… cars, trucks, machinery… even the
houses we live in. Where will they end up? For that matter, how about pianos,
submarines, airplanes, spaceships, super-tankers, skyscrapers, stadiums… the
Hubble Telescope?!
With the exception of products
made solely from organic material, every single thing produced by humans is
garbage. Even great works of art like the Mona Lisa will eventually become
landfill. Works of stone like the great pyramids and the thousands of
cathedrals will at least be a nuisance; we can’t take them back to the quarry.
Human beings themselves are loaded with chemicals after they die, then
elaborately packaged before they too become landfill.
Garbage is the fastest growing
business in the world. Cautious investors need not worry about disincentives such
as recycling. Most recyclable items can only be recycled once. Therefore, items
made from recycled materials are now garbage. And, recyclable items make up
only two percent of the total waste stream.
So invest with confidence in a
truly bottomless resource that will give the best rate of return, even in a
sluggish economy. The future of garbage is guaranteed.
13
Chess Yoga
“Chess is too serious to enjoy, and too
frivolous to take seriously.”
(Anon.)
Why Chess?
Chess is an exercise of infinite possibilities
for the mind, one which develops mental abilities used throughout life:
concentration, critical thinking, abstract reasoning, problem solving, pattern
recognition, strategic planning, creativity, analysis, synthesis, and
evaluation, to name a few. It’s been called both a mental martial art and a
form of Yoga.
Chess can be used very effectively
as a tool to teach problem solving and abstract reasoning. Learning how to
solve a problem is more important than learning the solution to any particular
problem. Through chess, we learn how to analyze a situation by focusing on
important factors and by eliminating distractions. We learn to devise creative
solutions and put a plan into action. The challenge inspires us to dig deep
into our mental reserves.
Many educators, parents and chess
experts maintain that chess education improves a host of mental abilities. Some
argue that “the game of chess makes one of the most important contributions to
the field of education.” Proponents
believe that “chess belongs in schools… interest in chess can be generated in
all groups of students regardless of cultural or economic background.”
To the players, the game is like
an unfolding drama... The players live through the emotions of an exciting
story... Chess has a powerful aesthetic appeal. The best chess games are works
of art. They are the products of original and creative thinking. The beauty of
chess is as compelling and pleasure giving as any other art form.
Several benefits accrue from the
teaching and promoting of chess in schools:
1. Chess limits the element of
luck; it teaches the importance of planning.
2. Chess requires that reason be
coordinated with instinct [intuition]; it is an effective decision teaching
activity.
3. Chess is an endless source of
satisfaction; the better one plays, the more rewarding it becomes.
4. Chess is a highly organized
recreation.
5. Chess is an international language.
It can be a lifelong source of interest, amusement, and satisfaction.
Chess dramatically improves a child's
ability to think rationally.
Chess increases cognitive skills.
Chess improves children's
communication skills and aptitude in recognizing patterns, therefore:
Chess results in higher grades,
especially in English and Math studies.
Chess builds a sense of team
spirit while emphasizing the ability of the individual.
Chess teaches the value of hard
work, concentration and commitment.
Chess instills in young players a
sense of self-confidence and self-worth.
Chess makes a child realize that
he or she is responsible for his or her own actions and must accept their
consequences.
Chess teaches children to try
their best to win, while accepting defeat with grace.
Chess provides an intellectual,
competitive forum through which children can assert hostility, i.e. "let
off steam," in an acceptable way.
Chess can become a child's most
eagerly awaited school activity, dramatically improving attendance.
Chess allows girls to compete with
boys on a non-threatening, socially acceptable plane.
Chess helps children make friends
more easily because it provides an easy, safe forum for gathering and
discussion.
Chess allows students and teachers
to view each other in a more sympathetic way.
Chess, through competition, gives
kids a palpable sign of their accomplishments.
Chess provides children with a
concrete, inexpensive and compelling way to rise above the deprivation and
self-doubt which are so much a part of their lives.
Playing
chess would be an obvious alternative to war. With that in mind, I translated
The Art of War by Sun Tzu into a chess manual. The strategies of war and chess
are strikingly similar but the consequences are polar opposites!
Strategies for Chessplayers and Other Warriors
(From “The Art of War” by Sun Tzu,
500 B.C.)
Assessment
Each new position should be
assessed quickly in terms of:
1. Development
2. Mobility
3. Material superiority
4. Tempo
5. Space.
Strategy consists of shaping some
advantage in terms of these five points. Whichever side wins more “points” in
these areas will probably win the game.
The Art of Deceit
When able, seem to be unable.
When close, seem to be far off.
If opponent is seeking an
advantage, entice them toward it.
If opponent is in disorder,
attack.
If opponent is strong, prepare
your defense.
Attack undefended, unprepared
areas.
Never attack fortresses.
Develop in unexpected ways (i.e.
change move order)
Time
Make moves as quickly as possible.
“I have heard of foolish haste, but I have yet to see a case of cleverly
dragging on hostilities.”
Learn to assess positions quickly
and use clock time only when you need it
Planning
“It is best to keep one’s own side
intact; to crush the opponent’s position is only second best. The highest
excellence is to subdue the attacker without fighting at all.”
Types of Attack
- Attacking
opponent’s strategy
- Attacking
a menacing combination
- Attacking
individual pieces
- Attacking
a strong point
Of these four, the first is the
most effective, the fourth is the least. Resort to attacking a strong point
only when there is no other choice. Do not attack until pieces are aligned
(supporting each other) and ready (developed). Similarly, do not retreat from a
good position. Always ask what each piece (on both sides) is “doing.”
Strategic Positions
Make your own position invincible
then look for opponent’s vulnerable spots. You can always fortify your
position; you cannot guarantee an opponent’s vulnerability. “The battle of the
expert is seldom an exceptional victory. The expert only enters battles that
are already won!.”
Practice playing with and without
an advantage. Understand both perspectives. Practice offensive and
defensive play, according to circumstances.
Use surprise and
straightforward operations. “When used in combination, they provide
inexhaustible possibilities.”
One must always adapt to changing
circumstances, “There are no fixed strategic advantages or invariable
positions.”
Strong and Weak Points
Attack areas where the opponent
must hasten to defend.
“Against the expert of attack, the
opponent does not know where to defend. Against the expert of defense, the
opponent doesn’t know where to attack.”
“To be prepared everywhere is to
be weak everywhere. One is weak while making preparations; strong while forcing
the opponent to prepare.”
General Strategies
Strive for a “formless” position.
A winning position more often arises from “no-form” than from an obvious
strategy.
Out and out attack is always
difficult and dangerous. Try luring your opponent into easy gains (gambits),
thereby anticipating the position.
It is a great advantage to secure
and fortify squares that are precisely important points in your opponent’s
strategy.
“Do not depend on your opponent
not attacking; depend rather on having a position that can’t be attacked.”
It is when your opponent is not
attacking or changing position that you must be cautious.
Material inferiority is not
necessarily a disadvantage. Advance carefully, consolidate pieces and
anticipate attacks.
Always look at the advantage and
disadvantages of every move (on both sides).
Try to use opponent’s pieces and
position to your advantage.
“Command of a position involves
wisdom, integrity, humanity, courage and discipline.”
14
Improvisation
“Teach your children well”
(
When
I wrote this article, some thirty years ago, there seemed to be a real chance
that educators would see the value of improvisation in the classroom.
Unfortunately music itself has been taken out of the curriculum in schools
across Canada. Oh well, here’s to what might have been…
The practice of improvisation in
music, or the spontaneous creation of sound, is as old as music itself. Surely
the first music created was a simple, spontaneous creation and indeed, much
non-western music is, to this day, based on improvisation. Most western music
at least began with the creation of a melody, followed by extemporization (a
structured improvisation based on a theme or chord progression; as in jazz and
most folk music).
Can improvisation be taught? Of
course! It can even be self-taught. The spirit of spontaneous creation exists
in every person. It merely needs to be allowed and encouraged (preferably at an
early age). If a young child is allowed to create spontaneously, he/she will
learn and experience many valuable lessons:
-the
experience of creating something of and on their own
-the
strength and knowledge to face the unexpected and the unknown
-the
feeling of confidence and control over learned skills
-the
experience of non-western concepts of music
-the
ability to make split-second decisions
-the
satisfaction of using all musical capabilities at once
-the
practice of focus and discipline along with great freedom and fun
-the
necessity of listening and anticipation
-the
experience of music theory as real and necessary, rather than dry and abstract
Improvisation is a suitable
teaching and learning exercise for all ages and levels of playing. As an
introduction to music to very young children, it is an obvious starting point
(as can be seen in the successful methods of Orff, Kodaly and others). At the
same time, improvisation can be seen as the highest level of musical
achievement (Bach at the organ, jazz, Indian classical music etc.)
For the teaching of composition,
improvisation can be seen as analogous to sketching in visual art. It enables
the student to look at general concepts such as direction, form and substance,
without the finishing touches. It allows the composer a wider spectrum of
choices during the initial stages of writing.
In the classroom improvisation can
be used to teach basic concepts such as pitch, dynamics, tempo and texture
without other distractions (difficulties with reading, technical skills etc.).
To more experienced singers and players, it can be seen as an important adjunct
to their studies.
Improvisation is sadly missing
from mainstream education and would greatly enhance not only music education,
but learning in all disciplines. Teaching classes in improvisation would
encourage the free spirit; not only in students but in teachers and parents as
well.
In closing…
Improvisation is certainly not
limited to music (or spontaneous comedy). It can be applied to anything you do.
Improvise your spirituality and
religion. Improvise your job.
If you can’t improvise at work,
quit your job and find one that enables improvisation.
Quit your routines and your
“methods”. Just make it up as you go!
Improvise your relationships, your
sex life, your leisure time…
Make up your own games with your
own rules.
Improvise Tai Chi and Yoga.
Lose the cookbooks and just cook!
Improvise writing, painting,
drawing, sculpture, dancing… even sports.
Improvise!!
15
Read
Words are the traps of images
When the images are grasped, the words
are not needed
Images are the traps of meaning
When the meaning is grasped, the
images are not needed
(Chuang Tzu)
Here
are some books and websites listed by relevence to chapters in this book….
Just
watch for the traps and go for the meaning.
(chapter)
0 “Abolition of Work”, Bob Black
“How to be Idle”, Tom
Hodgkinson
1 “Sutra of Wei Neng”, Wei Neng, Sixth Patriarch of China
2 “What Is”, Sailor Bob Adamson
“Spirituality Without God”, Moller de la Rouviere
3 http://empathy.com/
4 http://www.spca.com/
http://vetmedicine.about.com/b/a/176373.htm
5 “The God Delusion”, Richard Dawkins
“God is Not Great”, Christopher
Hitchens
6 http://www.zenguide.com/
7 “Mindfulness in Plain English”,
Henepola Gunaratana
8 “Silence”, John Cage
9 “The Words of my Perfect Teacher”,
Patrul Rimpoche
10 http://www.rprogress.org/ecological_footprint/about_ecological_footprint.htm
11 http://www.humane.net/
12 http://pbil.univ-lyon1.fr/Ecology/Ecology-WWW.html
13 http://www.uschess.org/beginners/letsplay.php
“My System”, Aaron Nimzowich
http://personal.wofford.edu/~kaycd/CHESS-GO/bf-moral.htm
14 “Theory of Harmony”, Arnold Schoenberg
“Ear Cleaning”, R. Murray Schafer
“Improvisastion and Performance Techniques”, Ralph Towner