Don't Lose It!

Calasanz on Forgiveness and Redemption:

Master Calasanz

I hate to give up on anyone in this world.  I believe that if somebody does something wrong and tries to make it up, that is enough to be forgiven.  There are cases that make it impossible for 99% of the population to forgive, but when confronted with a person who repeatedly acts against their nature, who has time and time again acted impulsively, seemingly unawares that their acting out is transgression in its basest form, then there is more to think about.

  

It is like depression, you cannot blame a person that is depressed for anything they do, why? Depression is the worst illness on the face of earth, but because mostly the entire world is ill people don't take it seriously; the public, their Doctors and even their families.

In my life there was a problem which, without a fraction of doubt was the most devastating problem to myself and my business, ever.  Let me tell you the truth, the only reason I remain in business today is because those around me know me very well, plus, there is one thing I do right, and that is that, the more pressure and adversity I face, the more I focus on staying healthy.

You find people that try so very hard not to do something that they just wait and wait to see if something will change.  This is not far from the Zen Buddhist concept of action through inaction.  In the world you will encounter people that do not listen to anybody, and despite their unwillingness to concentrate and consider perspectives to achieve a broader sense of things they insist that their knowledge is already complete and perfect.  And through their subjectively complete and perfect knowledge they insist that still, they can help best.  (Logically one with a broader more informed knowledge base would be able to make a more helpful decision than a more narrowly informed individual.)  

Today I ask myself many questions.  

Calasanz with student John Recor

Are we doing the right thing?  

Or rather, are we being too patient or passive?  

Are we just waiting for the worst?  

And we have indeed waited, in the past and into the present, meaning I was wrong to let all of this happen.  I personally do not belong with those who believe in the worst.  Those pessimistic attitudes, negativity, anger and hate.   The worst is when you "lose it", when you lose your patience and are genuinely unruly.  Later on, once those moments have passed, and as you reflect on those times, you remember what occurred and you begin to question your mental attitude and your intelligence.  

"How could I have done that?"  

"What was I thinking?"  

You might ask yourself these questions but there are no answers; for it was not really you who did it, and there was no conscious thought in the moment.  Passion and emotion had taken complete control.

Allowing anger, or any emotion for that matter, to arise to such a degree that you are no longer present in the world, no longer aware of your actions despite how radical they may be, is a quick way towards a self-guilt laden future of continued masochistic introspection and a yearning desire to "undo" those actions as they are remembered and come to mind again and again.  

This is why patience is king.  To be able to consistently remain calm, to learn to suppress the seeds of rage before they blossom fully so as to remain conscious, aware, functional, and deliberate.  To remain focused enough to have the foresight necessary to avoid taking unnecessary radical action.  To maintain composure even in the face of adversity and opposition.  Remember, the view to the bottom of the pond is clearest when it is devoid of agitation. (again I also remind you that breath control and awareness of breath are the proper tools of this suppression, discipline and control of self)

Patience Will Win the World, That is the Fact of Life.





Written by Calasanz

Editing / Concept Development by Alan Wedell