Anthropic Principle

When looking at systems we need (imho) to keep in mind they are, hopefully, designed to serve people in life-friendly if not life-enriching ways. We are experiencing the results of the ignorance of conscientiousness. Suffering is a reality in the lives of many, but how does it reflect on the rest of us?

I think the best place to start is by asking what people need, maybe confirming what we believe we know...or not. Then take what we (think) we know and ask or discover the better questions necessary to lead us to what we need to know. Lao Tzu said it best, "To lead the people walk behind them." From this perspective we can learn much and guide our evolution as a society with greater efficacy.

Too often we rely on what we believe and know, but forget that neither nor both cover the extent of possibilities. I think there was a gentleman who once said that fixing things with the same tools that built them is folly, or something like that. Taking a fresh look, which may mean including others without the belief or knowledge, may serve the process better.

Understanding the significance of suffering is one thing, but to grasp even a fraction of what a greater intelligence might want us to understand about 'longsuffering' could take us to a leading edge vantage point. What else might we need to know that is beyond our belief or knowledge? Every question has an answer. Are we asking the right ones that lead us toward harmony and understanding?

©2009 Zen Benefiel, ma, mba; http://www.BeTheDream-LifeCoach.com

Labels: change management, economics, education, institutions, library, new world order, operations, organization, politics, religion, society, spirituality, technology

Spring has sprung and the subject of renewal brings to mind a plethora of possibilities coagulating in the hearts and minds of many. I personally have enjoyed a fresh effort in stepping up my activities to renew my spirit and the dreams I hope to manifest. The era of change we are in gives us all the opportunity to see things in a new light, a refreshed attitude of gratitude for the opportunity to assist in the process of change for the better.

I’ve spent countless hours reading and studying the methodologies of personal change, both to assist my clients and to grow in my own capability to actualize passion and purpose in a new way. I observe many others on the Net, off the Net and in my circles of contacts and friendships who feel this is an opportune time to get involved with collaborative efforts across a wide range of personal and professional areas. I’m particularly persuaded to renew my faith and trust in the capacity for synergizing spiritual and material outcomes, possibility coagulating if you will.

We face a challenging time ahead in order to weather the storms of past decisions and failed (or at least less than desired) systems that are plaguing education, environmental concerns, health care and social services just to name a few. This challenge is rallying the people to a renewal of personal values, ethics and morals in the face of issues brought to light by poor decision-making and fiscal management on local, state and national levels. I hope this renewal of collaboration of purposeful passion applied toward pressing needs will demonstrate the resilience and willingness of people to not only survive, but to thrive with new vision and outcomes in personal and professional arenas. I’ve engaged and witnessed what partnering principles do for multi-million dollar projects and am encouraged by it.

We’ve needed a renewal of hope for the human spirit to ascend the trials and tribulations of our current educational, environmental and socio-economic condition to say the least. I propose that instead of the anger and resentment most feel initially, we begin to point less fingers and accept our potential opportunity as our own renewal process. This process of renewal crosses cultural and religious boundaries to bring refreshingly new attitudes beyond the focus on differences we’ve seen so blatantly abusive in the past. We have common needs emotionally, physically and even spiritually present in our lifetime now. A renewed vision engages the innate spirit of goodness in humans and empowers constructive change to new levels of productivity and results in systems meant to serve the public.

Now I’m only a single person in this wheel of change, buy my own spirit is renewed with the activities I engage and am engaged by in these times of challenge. I know of the personal sacrifices many make to promote a spirit of cooperation in a renewed effort to align their personal passions with purposeful action, even when challenged by professional positions that may not necessarily align with their core beliefs. I encourage those very same to engage their faith and trust in their spiritual path and purpose to set forth on a renewed path of clearer communication and confrontation of those elements within their influence that deter or inhibit their natural desires for transparency and truth. I, too, am testing my ability to engage a life-long spiritual path in a renewal of passion and sharing of ideas and concepts for developing an organization based on common passions to serve our community and the world.

I wish that I could provide a solid reference for encouraging others to follow their passions in life. I can only say that I am in the process of renewal myself, having shifted from a supportive role in past endeavors to facilitation and leadership of a dream I’ve had for decades. Only now in this perfect timing of challenge to change old habits and patterns have I felt a deep sense of renewed confidence and the ability to act in congruence with a detailed laundry list, cleaning up previous feigned attempts to actualize the dream. Over two decades ago I began the trek, applying for the business name – Be The Dream. Now in my 50s, I feel the renewal of my inner child’s playfulness and excitement in the movement of my life, a confidence missing for some years now. I can only say that if you have a dream to achieve, give it your full attention and work to make it real. You’ll be surprised at how the universe aligns with your commitment, providing serendipitous synchronistic opportunities to further your efforts and results.

I have many quotes strewn about the house, my desk and reverberating in my head as affirmations and support along the way. I’d like to close with one that has been the most powerful in its encouragement. You may even recognize it. “Whatever you believe or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.” ~ Johann von Goethe

©2009 Zen Benefiel, ma, mba; http://www.BeTheDream-LifeCoach.com

Labels: change, dreams, faith, inner child, leadership, renewal, spiritual, spring

In my search for truth I have learned that asking the right questions leads to clearer answers, whether inquiring of personal clarity or structural integrity. Often, the questions came from far wiser people as I inquired of those who had made the journey in the area of my focus. My intent: to inquire of how to better serve and thus, be better served. There seems to be some recurring questions throughout those whom most would perceive as self-made success stories in their respective areas.

I’m an eduholic, so by nature I’m curious about the nature and structure of the big picture as well as the person to person details of relationships that contribute to harmony among people and planet, planetary citizens if you will. They are often quiet folk, humble yet powerful voices in their business and personal worlds. Some even become well-recognized for their contributions to the community or world at large. Most are the unsung heroes of social architecture, planting seeds of love through their devotion to serving the needs of their chosen path. This leads to the basic questions that are so simple, they are often missed.

The goal is always to achieve a result through the orchestration and use of people, places and/or things. The specific goals are vastly varied, though these questions seem to be ubiquitous in content. That being stated, questions most recurring are: Are my intentions aligned with the goal? Sometimes personal agendas get in the way. What needs to be done? What is my purpose? What is my role? How do I best play it? What are the needs and wants of those I’m creating relationships with to achieve my goal? What may I offer to the process to facilitate greater flow and mutual benefit? How do I best serve it through my actions? The proactive included one more: What’s next? The humanitarian: Who needs help and how may I serve them?

This type of questioning one would expect in the best practices manual for human behavior. It almost smacks of a new millennium paradigm to address an apparent need for better relations in the global community, applied in thorough detail at local levels. Best practices include treating the process as an organic ‘learning organization,’ a holistic anthropic system, in order to maximize the return on investment. The dynamics of organizational management apply on business and personal creations, requiring wise choices in the face of challenge.

I suppose the hopes of many hinge on the effectiveness of how this new paradigm is proliferated throughout the mechanisms that manage our human, material, planetary and spiritual resources. One might conclude that this new paradigm would create a new world order, one of accountability and responsiveness to the rapid change of our behavior toward each other and the environment, establishing some kind of harmonic convergence of the fearful and fearless. The fearful exhibit unconscionable behavior in the destruction of life while the fearless live with conscience and consideration of life and all their relations.

Labels: harmonic convergence, new world order, organic systems, organizational management, paradigm shift, planetary resources, spiritual living