The Buddha repeatedly taught that we should regard ourselves and others by the consequences of our actions (including our speech) and not by our appearances. And yet, most of us evaluate and compare ourselves by our appearances all of the time. Why is that? In this podcast, we will talk about the association of power and appearance, and especially how the nature of being human, of being homo sapiens, involves us relentlessly comparing ourselves to others, typically finding ourselves lacking, and then feeling resentful. As Leonard Cohen famously said in his hymn “If It Be Your Will”:
Draw us near, and bind us tight, all your children here, in their rags of light. In our rags of light, all dressed to kill, and end this night, if it be your will.
In this podcast we will talk about both our “rags of light” and the power of appearance in human relationships.
Humiliation is the experience of being exposed in our weaknesses and losing our social status in a couple or group. Being humiliated naturally evokes...
(Part 1) Why are even simple topics often difficult to discuss, especially if people have different viewpoints? Underlying many confusions and animosities in human...
Human emotions are complex and widely called “feelings” when much of what we call our “feelings” are actually our opinions, our preferences, our ideals,...