Nine Things I Wish had been Taught in School

1. The interconnected structure of the local ecosystems.
2. Identification of the local plant, tree and animal species.
3. Respectful interaction with nature.
4. How to recognize the tracks and signs of animals in nature.
5. Basic survival techniques.
6. How to design, plant and harvest an edible garden.
7. Basic construction techniques.
8. Introduction to philosophy as a path to wisdom.
9. Respectful introduction to the world’s religions as a path to spirituality.

The Mountain

Standing strong,
Immovable in its intent,
Apparently changeless.
Wordless in its ways.
Except on its face
With each seasons conversion.
Against a spectacular sky,
A fleeting rainbow crosses
The stout landscape.
Oh, let us be like the mountain
Immovable in our intent
Changeless in our values
Supporting all who depend on
Our strength and conviction.
Oh, to be as strong
As the mountain.
As we move beyond
The lower stages,
The view becomes
Broader in its objective.
All it takes is to stand strong,
Leave behind the illusion
Come out of the shadows
Face into the sun
Stand strong against the wind
Like the mountain
Immutable, changeless
In the now, in the world
In the moment, this moment
Without words, without illusion
Feel the warmth of the light
Stand strong like the mountain
Now, and forever more.

Ego and Personality

I use these words interchangeably. In psychological terms they may be different, but to me these are distinctions without a difference. The personality is who you became after socialization. It is not who you are in truth, it is who you are in society.

When we use the word ego, we typically mean big ego, someone who is full of themselves. Again, this is who someone is in societal terms not who someone is in truth.

Dogen Zenji said everyday we swim on the surface of the ocean, yet our feet can walk across the bottom. This suggests that while our daily lives seem superficial, our true na-ture has great depth.

Finding who we are in truth is understanding our true nature, this is enlightenment. We then will reset our priorities, shed previous thinking and habits, and understand how we fit in the world. This is the purpose of our life.