Fearless at Work<\/em> is an astute and confrontive guide to practice off the cushion, organized around and inspired by the slogan practice exemplified by Atisha. As I read, the thought came up repeatedly that I was going to post this or that slogan on the wall in my office at work.<\/p>\nCarroll begins with \u201cFace the Fierce Facts of Life,\u201d including<\/p>\n
\u2013 to be human hurts \u2013 at times unbearably so<\/p>\n
\u2013 anything can and does happen<\/p>\n
\u2013 each of us is alone: we are born alone and we die alone<\/p>\n
\u2013 no one and nothing can save us from our lives<\/p>\n
\u2013 we are going to die \u2013 very soon<\/p>\n
\u2013 and when we die, 99.99 percent of the world won\u2019t notice<\/p>\n
\u2013 and those who do notice will forget \u2026 often<\/p>\n
No silly dharma pablum there.<\/p>\n
In \u201cAsk, Who\u2019s Kidding Whom?\u201d Caroll writes,<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen we are willing to forgo the cowardly games of emotional one-upsmanship, we discover that human communication is a profound bond in which we touch one another, and how we choose to touch is how we choose to be touched. If we choose to smack someone with our hand, our hand is smacked as well. If we choose to kiss someone with our lips, our lips are kissed as well. If we choose to turn our back on someone, our back is exposed. If we choose to use gentle words, our voice is at ease.\u201d<\/p>\n
Now that\u2019s one cold zen flip!<\/p>\n
In \u201cTake a Straight Dose,\u201d Carroll writes, \u201cClearly discerning how we betray our humanity in our addiction to modern-day conveniences sets the stage for actually taking a straight dose, where we fearlessly experience life on its terms, not ours.\u201d<\/p>\n
Martin Luther said, \u201cGod writes the Gospel not in the Bible alone, but also on trees, and in the flowers and clouds and stars.\u201d<\/p>\n
And in the hot house of daily life with all its frustrations and disappointments, joys and letting goes.<\/p>\n
Taking a straight dose is to realize the simple straight-up truth that all the great traditions celebrate.<\/p>\n
For example, in Transmitting the Light<\/em>, we have this subtle and obvious koan:<\/p>\nThe Tenth Ancestor, Parshva, attended upon Buddhamitra for three years. During that time, he did not once lie down to sleep. One day, Buddhamitra recited sutras and preached about no birth. Upon hearing this, Parshva realized the Way.<\/em><\/p>\nPoem:<\/em>
\n Rolling out, rolling back,<\/em>
\n how many scrolls of sutras does it recite?<\/em>
\n It dies here; it is born there;<\/em>
\n it has several kinds of chapters and verses.<\/em><\/p>\nMy thanks goes to Michael Carroll for his rolling out and rolling back! Fearless at Work<\/em> is an inspiration to make work our place of authentic practice.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\u201cTake a straight dose\u201d is one of the slogans in Michael Carroll\u2019s\u00a0 Fearless at Work: Timeless Teachings for Awakening Confidence, Resilience, and Creativity in the Face of Life\u2019s Demands. I don\u2019t do much reading of dharma books of the Tibetan persuasion but the Shambala folks sent this one my way and I\u2019m glad they did. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":182,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1330","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n
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<\/a>\u201cTake a straight dose\u201d is one of the slogans in Michael Carroll\u2019s\u00a0 Fearless at Work: Timeless Teachings for Awakening Confidence, Resilience, and Creativity in the Face of Life\u2019s Demands.<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n