Perhaps you can think of your life as a big interactive video game. We have our goals in mind; we try, we err and learn from the feedback mechanism we receive. Along the way we probably bang our head into a wall a few times just because we think the way to advance is forward despite all the obstacles. We also find it hard to retrain what we have been doing all our life even though it may no longer work for us. Yet sooner or later everyone learns that there must be a better way, so we practice our skill to readjust and to jump out of the hole that we dug for ourselves.
In the olden days energy was scarce, and our brain capacity was limited, so evolution crafted us as habitual machines. Habitual behavior is something you do over and over again until it finally forms an energy cycle. Once the cycle is established you outsource the activities into the subconscious and the robot inside of you takes over, while you can use your precious conscious energy for new tasks. The downside of course is that the robot runs by itself even when you have changed your mind about where you want to go. But once the robot bangs your head into a wall a few times you may want to consciously decide to override that energy cycle. It is initially hard to do but it can be done. Change can be painful but if you truly set your mind on it, the reinforcing positive change can also release enormous energy in you. And very much like you created your old habit before, once your subconscious has been overridden, the new direction will be as natural for you as the old routine once was before.
Buddha left his kingdom and Eckhart Tolle left his academic career. There are many stories of people who experienced spiritual renaissance sometime in their middle age. We experienced this transformation as well and one may be in store for you. We change directions when the old path has become meaningless for us. But once you are on a lookout for something new, we claim that you can suddenly perceive a red threat that connects everything: a right job, the right family, meaningful friends and colleagues and limitless opportunities for creative outlets. You have the right to experience fun, love and meaning all at the same time. Let the Tao assist you in your change of plan.
If you find resistance in what you do currently, honor that constraint. Life has a habit of pushing you in the direction that works for you. Embrace change, don't fight it. Every habit can be overridden; start with a vision of your personal success and happiness and let the Tao implement it for you step by step. Our whole life is nothing but a big game, but the outcome is hardly random. You decide on where you want to go and the Tao will propel you in the right direction. So put on your game face and have fun along the Way.
By Christian and Su Zhen
Showing posts with label game. Show all posts
Showing posts with label game. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Enjoy the Game of Life
When children play basketball you have probably
observed for yourself that the attitude of some kids pretty much determines the
outcome. If you just wander around and worry about the mistakes you might make,
you will lose the precious opportunities to make the winning shot. If you are
not 100 percent committed to the game, if you don't participate in the flow of
the game, you won’t feel the excitement, the strength, joy, or the pain. Your
mind is holding you back and you end up feeling bored and annoyed in the
end.
Life is like a never-ending game. The way you feel about it depends largely on how much you participate in the games. The nice thing is that you can always change your mind about it. So for example, you can just choose not to cater to the worries that plaque your mind and take the winning shot no matter what. Your mind holds you back from enjoying life, but you can do something about it.
Women tend to worry, men tend to go out and hunt the game. Worries are the one end of the spectrum, aggressiveness is the other. Think of Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods how they went out out and defeated their opponents with lots of skill but even more will-power. Sure, you can play a game that way too and it is a lot of fun when you hold the trophy in your hand and are admired by others, but is it also fun when you experience your off-hours, or when you have to torture your body to have that little physical edge over the fellow next door? All-star pro players are the mirror image of the timid basketball player from the beginning. The ego can worry or it can go out to grab limited resources from others. The game of life can be played that way, but there is a much nicer version for you to embrace.
Along the Tao resources are abundant. The fear of losing is non-sensical because all you ever can do is to create. The idea of grabbing stuff from others is as meaningless because in our game of life the interaction with your soul siblings creates the abundance. "Economics", the discipline of distributing limited resources doesn't exist where we play our game. You have everything always - and so have your soul siblings - so there is nothing to distribute. Heaven on earth exist but to live there you have to leave your ego behind. You may ask, so how exactly do I do that? Well, there is only one way and that is to always, always go for the winning shot no matter how much the worry worm in your head disagrees. Meanwhile you let the Tao demonstrate to you that you and your soul siblings live in an abundant world. If you always show up rain or shine, sooner or later it dawns on you that you are just participating in a fun, creative and loving world.
Put your worries behind because you are well taken care off and understand that competition and aggressiveness is meaningless. Take the cues from life and join because wherever the Daughter of God is walking, people are connected, they create and they care for each other. Be playful, be yourself and enjoy the game. See for yourself the beauty of the game of life.
By Christian and Su Zhen
Life is like a never-ending game. The way you feel about it depends largely on how much you participate in the games. The nice thing is that you can always change your mind about it. So for example, you can just choose not to cater to the worries that plaque your mind and take the winning shot no matter what. Your mind holds you back from enjoying life, but you can do something about it.
Women tend to worry, men tend to go out and hunt the game. Worries are the one end of the spectrum, aggressiveness is the other. Think of Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods how they went out out and defeated their opponents with lots of skill but even more will-power. Sure, you can play a game that way too and it is a lot of fun when you hold the trophy in your hand and are admired by others, but is it also fun when you experience your off-hours, or when you have to torture your body to have that little physical edge over the fellow next door? All-star pro players are the mirror image of the timid basketball player from the beginning. The ego can worry or it can go out to grab limited resources from others. The game of life can be played that way, but there is a much nicer version for you to embrace.
Along the Tao resources are abundant. The fear of losing is non-sensical because all you ever can do is to create. The idea of grabbing stuff from others is as meaningless because in our game of life the interaction with your soul siblings creates the abundance. "Economics", the discipline of distributing limited resources doesn't exist where we play our game. You have everything always - and so have your soul siblings - so there is nothing to distribute. Heaven on earth exist but to live there you have to leave your ego behind. You may ask, so how exactly do I do that? Well, there is only one way and that is to always, always go for the winning shot no matter how much the worry worm in your head disagrees. Meanwhile you let the Tao demonstrate to you that you and your soul siblings live in an abundant world. If you always show up rain or shine, sooner or later it dawns on you that you are just participating in a fun, creative and loving world.
Put your worries behind because you are well taken care off and understand that competition and aggressiveness is meaningless. Take the cues from life and join because wherever the Daughter of God is walking, people are connected, they create and they care for each other. Be playful, be yourself and enjoy the game. See for yourself the beauty of the game of life.
By Christian and Su Zhen
Sunday, February 19, 2012
The Game of Life
When I was a young analyst I was approached by our fixed income manger who asked me for a historic case study. When I told her that the data wasn't available, she responded "Can't you just fudge something?" I responded "We don't fudge data, we splice it". At that moment I was poking a little fun at a colleague who was standing next to her and who always used this terminology. The fixed income manager laughed and said "I like Christian. He understands this is all just a game".
She was right, yet, her conclusion was even more powerful than she realized. Life is a game. We are simple actors in it and once you truly come to this realization, you are pretty much all-set. People come and they go, and all the sets change in accordance to your mind. Change your mind and you will change the world you experience. The best of all, this is something you can experiment with. Believe in the people you interact with and they will shower you with care and affection. Mentally trash them and they will point their daggers at you. This is your movie so be a creative actor. As the Course in Miracles states "Nothing real can be threatened and nothing unreal exists. Herein lies the Peace of God". Everything is just a game, and a Devine one for those who are ready to participate.
She was right, yet, her conclusion was even more powerful than she realized. Life is a game. We are simple actors in it and once you truly come to this realization, you are pretty much all-set. People come and they go, and all the sets change in accordance to your mind. Change your mind and you will change the world you experience. The best of all, this is something you can experiment with. Believe in the people you interact with and they will shower you with care and affection. Mentally trash them and they will point their daggers at you. This is your movie so be a creative actor. As the Course in Miracles states "Nothing real can be threatened and nothing unreal exists. Herein lies the Peace of God". Everything is just a game, and a Devine one for those who are ready to participate.
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