Sniffing Out Snakes

BREATHE!

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I got a comment I really, really liked:

“I follow your writings with interest because, using your own language, you are either a particularly good man, or an exceptionally skilled snake. Either way I learn from watching your moves.”

That really made me smile.

A fine question would be: how would one determine which it is? I cannot tell you how you would convince yourself. I can say how I would figure that out in alignment with my values.

1) Does the person commit to the Three Gates? They won’t always get it right, or be as nice as they can be, or even always be efficient and effective. But do they care? Does it MATTER? Do they defend their right to be dishonest, cruel or impractical? Are their heroes positive or negative in these senses? The notion is that most of what we call “good” in a human being is in alignment with these three things, even though we recognize that perfection in them may well be out of our reach.

2) Do their words match their actions? While we cannot know what people are thinking or feeling precisely, we can hear their words, and see their actions. By being honest with ourselves about our actions, values, and beliefs in the three Centers (body, emotions, mind), we begin to understand how human beings motivate themselves to action, and the relationship between thoughts, emotions, perceptions, actions, and results. As soon as we stop needing to lie to ourselves, it becomes easier to see the…