[people who make excuses] "would be a criminal under any laws, in any circumstances".
This "not-zen" "koan"/story remains a favourite.
www.notzen.net/2013/01/not-...
#excuses #zen #notzen #mice #story #koan #responsibility
Wisdom may have humble origins. And lessons in your life may apply differently than you at first assume.
Ranch Hand:
www.notzen.net/2025/08/not-...
#notzen #cowboy #ranch #buddhism #daoism #stoicism #patinissagga
There may not be enough time in your life to give everyone the attention they deserve. But there is always enough love to give them.
www.notzen.net/2025/07/not-...
#notzen #family #love #buddhism #daoism
Some people work harder in response to criticism but find it hard to do the same with compliments.
#notzen #zen #buddhism #flattery #praise
www.notzen.net/2014/03/not-...
The Resilient Crow: Perseverance is natural for those who never think of giving up.
www.notzen.net/2025/07/not-...
#notzen #resilience #nature #daoism #stoicism #buddhism #crow
Here's a new, short novel: The Mood War. I'm getting close to the ten percent that Amazon allows as a preview to it.
www.notzen.net/2025/05/not-...
#notzen #moodwar #novel #sf
Games have been part of humanity since our pre-history. That does make them important. When you are in the midst of a game or sport, though, you are in the moment, and there is something about that.
www.notzen.net/2015/03/not-...
#notzen #sports #health #games #de #community #taoism #zensunday
The freedom of your soul is not achieved by fulfillment of your desires. It takes the cessation of desire to be free.
www.notzen.net/2015/01/not-...
#notzen #stoicism #taoism #buddhism #ambition #desire #zensunday
How did we get here? When a culture tolerates small amounts of corruption and accepts bribery as normal deal-making, we get there gradually, even if it appears sudden.
www.notzen.net/2025/03/not-...
#notzen #buddhism #stoicism #corruption #bribery #culture
Sometimes for an artist, gaining appreciation matters less than quality. Doing the job well can be enough. At the least, it may be enough to make the artist keep creating great works.
www.notzen.net/2014/03/not-...
#notzen #zen #taoism #nature #isolation #mywork #zensunday
Property is not a universal concept. It grows from place to place and time to time. So we have grown to understand the concept of ownership must include responsibility for the consequences of it.
www.notzen.net/2014/06/not-...
#notzen #nature #property #ownership #environment #dao #taoism
What you find on your journey depends on what you bring with you.
www.notzen.net/2012/08/not-...
#notzen #zen #buddhism #taoism
Are good intentions without actions still good?
Our true intents may be revealed by actions. If the action looks the same from the outside, it might next be revealed by results.
www.notzen.net/2025/02/not-...
#notzen #zen #buddhism #mercy #release #fish #fishing #native #ceremony
No matter how noble the goal, you can't stand in awe of it. You've got to treat it irreverently enough to know intuitively it is achieveable.
www.notzen.net/2013/01/not-...
#zen #notzen #buddhism #taoism #teaching #learning
There is a brilliance beyond the bounds of human competence - which is good, because as a group we so often exceed our bounds.
www.notzen.net/2014/10/not-...
#notzen #dao #taoism #organization #priority #focus
Our minds fill in the gaps of our senses. Our brains create reality and reveal our biases. We must pay careful attention, sometimes, to how we pay attention.
www.notzen.net/2016/01/not-...
#notzen #buddhism #psychology #philosophy #meditation #attentionbias
What we say about ourselves does more than reveal our opinions. It determines our behavior. Tell yourself a good story about you.
www.notzen.net/2015/01/not-...
#notzen #taoism #buddhism #narrative #visualization
You perceive what a dog is thinking. You understand a bee, a crab, or a raccoon. And they know you.
We are connected.
www.notzen.net/2014/12/not-...
#notzen #taoism #stoicism #nature #mywork #empathy #zensunday
We may be loving and merciful out of the kindness of our spirits. But it is practical, too. Kind deeds may return to us. They can fill the whole world, even in bitter times.
www.notzen.net/2012/01/not-...
#notzen #mercy #dao #taoism #love #nature
The Dao and Zen capture a fundamental truth, each in their way. Does is make any difference if you feel your accomplishments are transitory? If your good deeds are an illusion? You do them anyway, even though there is no 'you.'
www.notzen.net/2013/04/not-...
#notzen #taoism #buddhism #zensunday
Maybe you showed someone the way, once. But that's not all the guidance needed. Your job isn't done.
www.notzen.net/2012/12/not-...
#taoism #teaching #notzen #parenting #guidance
Do good deeds, imperfect deeds. Forgive yourself the well-intentioned mistakes and learn your limits. Maybe you can run a marathon in two hours but that doesn't mean you can run twelve per day.
www.notzen.net/2012/12/not-...
#notzen #zen #buddhism #charity #giving
The world nurtured you as a child. And what do you give back in return?
www.notzen.net/2014/04/not-...
#notzen #daoism #community #cooperation #selfishness #buddhism
When you haven't lived in the present moment, when you've looked ahead and caused yourself fear, don't fight it. Breathe deep. Enjoy the moment.
www.notzen.net/2015/09/not-...
#notzen #taoism #stoicism #buddhism #anxiety #panic #fear #anticipation #meditation
Something that always applies:
Desires lead people to deceive not only themselves but others of a like mind.
Bridge of Promise:
www.notzen.net/2014/01/not-...
#notzen #observation #stoicism #buddhism #taoism
There is no virtue in arguing to prove one's cleverness but there's no virtue in ignorance, either.
www.notzen.net/2015/02/not-...
#notzen #taoism #nature #disease #immunity #vaccination #laotze #zensunday
Kindness can be a skill to hone - like any other skill.
www.notzen.net/2015/06/not-...
#skill #kindness #buddhism #charity #notzen
If you want to practice gratitude, try gratitude while paying taxes.
www.notzen.net/2015/03/not-...
#buddhism #taxes #giving #grateful #gratitude #government #notzen
