Building Strength: Part Two
Barry Lewis Green
I am an Educator, Speaker, Coach, Writer, and Creator ... advancing high functioning Purpose and Unity through elevated conversations, capacities and Character. Let's move forward together, stronger.
Strength of Character. Consider it. The capacity to endure, facing our challenges with the Courage to persevere. And doing it gently and with true Patience. We are transformed by such Strength in practice. It is much less about "biting the bullet" and more about I am stronger than "the bullet". Consider Endurance...
... Perseverance ...
... and Patience ...
... in practice. Read and reflect upon the Cards above. I humbly invite you to do so.
For me, I am beginning a month of exploring KNOWledge and Strength.... and part of that exploration engages these Virtues above and these four books. I will be getting to the three on Stoicism by Ryan Holiday later in the month. For now, I am beginning with Soul Boom by Rainn Wilson.
Two Thoughts on Soul Boom
Two Chapters in and I am already engaging the read... and reflect. Again for now, and given my focus on KNOWledge and Strength this month, I will share a couple of thoughts from the book that deeply resonate for my reasoned Soul.
First... there is the notion of, for lack of a better term, a two-fold Purpose; inner and outer. The inner is to develop ourselves inwardly. Rainn Wilson references the show Kung Fu from the Seventies and the constant messaging around the inward journey. The outer is to be of Service to the world or our own corner of it, and he references the vision of Humanity in Star Trek. I call this dual process WORKship... that Service to others is a path of inner development.
Secondly, he references multiple "Pandemics" of these times in which we live. I have paraphrased and edited on his suggestions for my own Understanding. One can consider the global goals as a source of such information. But they are a bit myriad indeed.
That said, he notes the following...
The inner path is but one of two paths that, when best understood, actually converge and intertwine themselves. This is what I am increasingly seeing tn the value of Stoicism. And Rainn also draws attention to the Wisdom of Faith traditions in exploring oneness versus otherness. He attributes much of the Pandemics we are experiencing as being born of "otherness" and the best solutions needing be grounded in "oneness".
Where I Take It
And this is where I take it today in exploring KNOWledge and Strength. What if the inner and outer are intrinsically linked? What if working on ourselves serves others? What if Love practiced with ourselves advances Love for others? What if our best practice of Strength is to understand these words of Baha’u’llah...
So, Strength, Endurance, Perseverance and Patience... are connected with this dual Purpose. We are all works in progress, best defined by our deeds and conduct. For me, this means sharpening the blades on Congruence.
领英推荐
Congruence
... of words and deeds
... of care and commitments
... of truth within and without
... of Candor and conduct
Congruence is that capacity to BE and DO, in alignment.
I am digging into what that means with respect to my inner development and my outer Service. I am digging into what that means in cutting my teeth on who I best and intend to best serve. I am considering what Purity of Purpose might look like in countenance and gait. The natural world understands this implicitly. BE and DO, and serve the greater good. The Web of Life knows this.
The Second Brick
As noted in Part One, growing up in a family centered around the masonry business, I like the analogy of one brick at a time. That in mind and heart, I humbly suggest the?SECOND BRICK?is the idea of this dual nature of Purpose, within and without.
The carving out of Congruence and the reciprocity of developing inward and serving outward is not unlike the concept of the two wings of a bird, both needed in unison to fly. If the FIRST BRICK is to go within and behind to inventory the strengths we have already practiced and manifested in life, this SECOND BRICK gives us the Understanding that future growth of Strength is inward and outward, congruent and reciprocal.
Summary Thoughts
Beyond the two Bricks so far, KNOWledge and Strength are advanced from a deep Purpose and the Understanding of Just Cause and the Infinite Game. Strength, Endurance, Perseverance and Patience are woven together in a resonant and inherent Purpose. And, that Stoicism plays a beautiful role in same. That said, I wholly recommend reflecting on the Virtues above... and getting clear on what we each do and be best ... and what and who we most desire to soulfully serve. Explore Purpose. Strength grows from same. And that said, what I am learning ever more now is that duality of Purpose and the beautiful Salas Dance it conjures. Aim High.
Justice, Peace and Unity...