Beginning Again
Rely not on the teacher/person, but on the teaching. Rely not on the words of the teaching, but on the spirit of the words. Rely not on theory, but on experience.Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. Do not believe anything because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything because it is written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and the benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.This according to the Buddha (sorry no link, you’ll have to find your own!) and more recently by ChrisCorrigan who sent it along to me in the middle of last night. Funny how it seems to fit with this article about personal ads in the NYRB and LRB and this other, Michael Crichton, article about how extraterrestrials have caused global warming. Both from ArtsAndLettersDaily. Funny, too, that I find myself saying this over and over again about OpenSpaceTech. “Test it for yourself. Really try it, and see what your experience is.” I only know it works for me.
So, here we go again. It’s a whole new year! Wishing you all good things. In practice.