The Monday Essay...so what´s left?

So…what’s Left?

Surviving tough times with

a “what’s left” curiosity search spirit

Almost everyone would agree we are living very tough times. The economy, climate change, oil prices, Middle East Arab countries, relationships are all very critical. Everyone knows this, so there is no need to argue, or defend any point of view. Extreme reactions to these events are, to become hopeless or depressed and skeptic; or angry and very anxious.

But does anybody care for you? Do you know of anyone who will look after you if you are sick? Anyone who can support you in case you are unemployed? If you do, you are indeed a very lucky person ; we could even say you are a fortunate person.  .


In this case we could say there is a lot left for you?. If you don’t  have this "luck" then we can consider other options, for instance to change your outlook altogether. In this case you can look for and try to find some deep meaning in life, to bear suffering and pain.

Some time ago, a South American professional married an Indian girl in her home town in India. The wedding lasted for some three days, quite an “ordeal” by western standards. He had been living in India for two years, and before the wedding he planted two trees. He then said casually to some Indians bystanders: “I will go back to South American and unfortunately I will not see these trees grow.”

To his astonishment, the Indians were quite shocked, rather upset and said:  “Of course you won’t seem them grow, trees are not for one”. Now it was the turn of the South American professional, who was quite shocked also at these words. Although he rationally knew this is so, he believed firmly that in a way, trees planted by someone are “his or hers”. Indians believe otherwise, trees are part of the environment of the community.

So here we see a “clash of outlook,” and different visions for a given issue. Time scales in India, are quite different from western ones. Because of their roots based in tradition and culture, that dates some 5,000 years ago,    a lifetime o some three generations, are ok. In the west we rush, 5 years is time to change employment or town.  Tradition and family kinships –in India--are very important; ancestor reverence—or worship of the deceased--are crucial for everything one does. Although there is individuality, it is very toned down and it’s different to western time scales, time scales, we take for granted.

But the major transformations of the world today are not personal issues only; whole countries, communities and institutions are involved, like the World Bank, the IMF, The UN, European Economies, and so forth.  When the Wall Street bank called: “Lehman Brothers Bank” collapsed in 2008) --after more than a century of successful operations-- , it set off, almost in chain reaction, a  world recession. Well, this was also due to the internet and globalization --in some 60 days time. Everyone was surprised and very worried.

In circumstances like these most people—an institutions-- become frantic and erratic: work harder, speed up, and think they have no time, are full of hassles, become irritable, and are beset by problems and start blaming everything and everyone, even themselves. It doesn’t help. People involved in these extremes states of mind,  may blame their parents, their education, their country, pollution and on and on.  This seems the ideal formula to wall-in oneself into a tunnel, where there seems no way out. It’s a kind a sure "ticket" towards misery, oblivion, shame, guilt  or  depression.

There is light, so let us look for a little wisdom, perhaps solution. An ancient saint called Augustine’s 1,500 years ago; --he lived in today’s Tunis--. His times where when the mighty Roman Empire was collapsing,   Can you can imagine the chaos of a civilization that last 1,000 years (-500 BCE to 500 CE)? Well, Augustine   used to say something like this: “We are the times, when times are bad, we feel bad, but when times are good, we feel well.  What the sages mean and say is that “WE –each one of us-- are the times.”  We don’t have to look somewhere else. Or perhaps we should look into ourselves much deeper and closer.

In modern terms the sages are pointing to that we—each one of us—can change its perception or outlook or vision. If we feel miserable and pessimistic, we—the projector of our own reality—will feel miserable. Facts and several studies in management, psychology clearly indicate  that it is possible. According to modern neuroscience and to wisdom traditions it is so. It’s no “hocus pocus” craft. But it seems it might require a long term effort. Are we willing?

Modern time’s advices us for  “quick-fixes” and push-button solutions for most problems:  a pill, a simple medicine,  or a click of a mouse, or  maybe self-help book. Those are great for tiny and simple problems. They totally fail in complex issues and where meaning is sought for and desired. The Dalai Lama, Nobel Laureate, teaches that learning beyond hearing requires: conviction, determination, action and effort. So hearing is just the first step of most learning,

Modern education mainly stops in the listening stage of learning, using a computer and doing a few clicks or book reading seems to be an easy fad. Few students or learning are willing to put hard effort in achieving outcomes in learning. Chinese, Singaporean, Asian and Finish people do. Strong and protracted effort—the will—has almost vanished form all educational setting and specialized talk. No wonder most High School students in modern school do much.

Listening is only the first step of learning, not even one third of the whole process. But it is possible to change vision, or our perception. When it does, all life and issues change, almost amazingly. Unfortunately for education—it seems is it purely a technical issue. It isn’t so in many countries, because of this, instruction might increase—blending and e-learning. But real education seems going backwards. Education—I believe—is manly an affective and social complex issue. It is not so much about the curriculum—which now is rather easy to build up—but about people, people skills, students loving and liking what they learn, teachers loving studding in many ways. And of course this is lacking in many places. 

Aside that at the High school level, the classroom learning setting is a wasted and unproductive format, compare with all that is cool, and fun: computers, social networks, mobile phones. I am not proclaiming, nor do I believe that all learning must be fun, at all. But it should be engaging for students and teachers. And at the High school level it isn’t. So this is a “tragedy” that “turns off” many students.

According to some statistics there is a High School dropout every 9 seconds  in the US. And they have usually the highest rate of computers per class or lab. and internet accessalso.  It is also true, that by some accounts  USA school students,  use some  7 hours of  diverse digital "medias" a day: social networks, games, video consoles and the rest. So there is no time to study. Families in the USA are very damaged and unstable. 


Families are the first educational “nest” for children and young up to 18 years, when in the average they finish High School. Those families that aren’t so damaged,  provide a “safe heaven” for their children and they usually succeed in school as well as school in Finland, Singapore o Shanghai, China..

The “trick” here is that our vision, perspective can change if we do change. Mahatma Gandhi said something similar that runs like this: “If you want to change the world, fort change yourself” He did it, the price way high, but succeeded. He was a very spiritual person; he fasted, prayed, lives in a small Ashram, (community) for many years and deepened his study of tolerance and good heart in all religions.  He even overcame any kind of hatred falsely in the name of God.

So, what’s left? All that we take for granted: life, health, the planet, sunshine, the air, communities. Even if there is chaos, and many things seem “upside down” all the basic that we take for granted are here. They are even free. Certainly life is a gift, but supporting it –working and education and health—is challenges we have to take.

In modern world today,  we seem driven by fast-pace ideas and wishes. So we seldom appreciate anything, --so we get into trouble more often than not--we like more and more, we even demand more and more. We at least expect more and more. This is a perfect formula for misery, loneliness, frustration and self-induced sadness. But what about most people are doing the same? You might say. Same thing…number is not a good or valid reason, at all. Two thousand years ago more than 99% of people believed that earth was flat. It doesn’t change the predicament of all are right or wrong.

What is the “price” for this transformation? There isn’t a price for this –because we cannot buy it anywhere--but there is a cost: we have to build it day by day, over a long period of time

Seth Goding a clever and insightful management consultant describes this very well in his book called “The Dip” [Subtitle: A little book that teaches you when to quit, and when to stick].  Among many things,   he points out what most CEO who –at the top of a major corporation-- live like princes and enjoy all comforts you might imagine, have one thing in common: their CVs show unequivocally that they’ve done hard work for over 25 years as simple managers.

If we consider how long it takes to build a “nest egg” of savings or pension fund for retirement it is the same. To pay for a house and the mortgage takes some 25 years. So why changing one’s “perception· (“the way we look at things”) should be different? Americans like to say “there’s no free lunch” Indeed.  It may sound disappointing, but “crash courses” or self-improvement seminars are fine: but they are just a glimpse of a long task ahead. Yes we can! No one ever becomes an accomplished piano master or violinist, or top-ten sports star overnight. This is the same thing.

Why is this as difficult as it seems? The changes that are required to change ones perception or “vision” are in certain respects monumental.  To change one’s thought patterns is an arduous task; one has to change also emotions, and moods.  This is extremely difficult, but possible. All means to speed up or quick-fixes will not work; or may have disastrous consequences. In a world were everything has become fast or we rely on gadgets for almost anything, memory has been strongly devalued and almost mocked at.


 But  for this process of having a new perception of life events, we may combine the old recipe of “do it yourself” craft type approach to the wisdom of generations, which in analogy is high -tech of body and mind, which is called ancient wisdom,

We have to change one’s basic conditioning at a very deep level, and change our habits also; it is easily said than done. The US Declaration of Independence said this in a  very different but clear way some 230 years ago:   “all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed”.

But –this attachment to habits-- is still valid and “stubbornly” true as a fact. We love our habit and usually resist changing. This is proven in catastrophes the world over: whether earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, mud slide, heavy rains, tornadoes, or other catastrophe, that wipe out or endanger houses and towns. People very reluctantly leave their places; and as soon as –the main danger is over--they try to return to their places. This has been happening again and again. So habits are like the earth, the walls and the roof of ones personality, they do not fade away.

To take a modern stance a more scientific approach, In neurophysiologic terms -- habit wise and perception-.-  we might say one’s need to change the biochemistry of all the body is to feel anew, see anew, think anew and digest in new ways.  We cannot “fool” the body, or “fool” the mind neither fool life. Step by step and proper guidance do work. We are not smarter than our bodies, or our mind. They are not “ours” anyway, although we do believe they are.

In spite of the difficulties, to change ones perception or outlook –of live events and everything that happens to us--, is possible. But its hard work, day in and day out. It requires total a commitment for years.

The issue is the same: what’s left. The good news is that there is a way out. Good news.

As Dr. Wayne Dyer the author and speaker says again and again: “If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” Sound like a word puzzle. It isn’t. That is the way it goes.  The deep wisdom of Christian tradition, Buddhist tradition, Hindu tradition, Muslim tradition  and others, say the same: “change your perception” (the way we look at things) you vision or “paradigm”—to use  a fancy word--. This is not mental gymnastics. It works. Certainly it requires a total, committed and life-long effort. But it works.

I am not advertising any product, or service. As far as I see, I am selling nothing. In the book “The Little Prince” (Saint Exupery´s, famous book) used to say: “the most important things, are invisible to the eye, you must look with the heart.” So try it.

Look for yourself; these are four tips, or sources.

“The Power of Intention”, book and Video

“A Course in Miracles” by the Inner peace Foundation

Gratefulness organization : the heart of prayer

Mathiue  Ricard, Buddhist monk,  French Ph. D., former biochemist, known sometimes as “The happiest man in the world”

You could watch the videos, buy the books, but the transformation of the outlook to “discover” a new vision or perception, is a process you have to do yourself, daily. There are other ways; but they all lead to the same place: to the wisdom of living a life full with gratitude.

You can do it, and you will need lots of help and inspiration. Your confidence will change, you may achieve the impossible: miracles do happen.

Gustavo Jimenez-Lagos

Creative Commons Share alike 3.0 License

March 2011