Was the Prisoner Really Freed? Or was he free all along? It was an advertising gimmick and an expensive one. There were full page ads in magazines and newspapers that proclaimed the prisoner would be freed by force. There were television commercials that invited viewers to come and watch …
The Strange Disappearance of the Wedding Guest
The Strange Disappearance of the Wedding Guest Would you like all your problems to vanish? I mentioned in a previous blog that great teachers frequently taught through parables. One such parable is that of the wedding guest who disappeared. It was actually a wedding crasher who …
Is he really such a jerk? (A tip for dealing with difficult people …)
Is he really such a jerk? A tip for dealing with difficult people Are there persons in your life who inflame you and leave you a quivering jelly of frustration and indignation? You can develop ulcers. Or you can reframe the situation. Here is a story that illustrates it beautifully. It is …
You Are Not the King (Neither are you the fugitive …)
You Are Not The King Neither are you the fugitive! In my last blog, I narrated the tale of King Janaka and what became an existential question for him. A question that nagged him constantly and would not let him be. Which was ‘real’? Was it ‘real’ that he was a king who ruled a …
Did the Sage Dream He Was a Butterfly?
Did the Sage Dream He Was a Butterfly? Or did the butterfly dream it was the sage? As I mentioned in my last blog, great teachers frequently use parables to explain profound truths in a manner that really sinks into the minds of their followers. The Chinese philosopher, Chuang Tzu, …
This is the Truth (And the truth will set you free …)
The great teachers always taught through parables. The best ones have survived through the ages and taken countless seekers to higher levels of consciousness. There is one tale that is particularly powerful and there are many versions of this in various Wisdom Traditions. Here is my version of …
You Are Not *There* (And That Is The Problem!)
You Are *Not* There (And That Is The Problem!) Forget work-life balance. Try being there. Have you thought about work-life balance and do you feel that your life is out of whack on this dimension? I get calls about this all the time. Entrepreneurs, professionals, senior executives – they …
What Gives You Deep Joy?
What Gives You Deep Joy? Have you let others put you in a prison? Father Anthony DeMello in one of his exquisite meditations invites you to consider two scenarios. In the first, you have done something that is difficult and considered by many to be a great accomplishment. Perhaps you …
An Extraordinarily Difficult Exercise
An Extraordinarily Difficult Exercise (It is simple, but you will fail. Don't let that stop you from trying.) When I was teaching Creativity and Personal Mastery at top business schools, I had students perform a simple exercise. I invite you to do that same exercise now. Sit in a comfortable …