Dear Friends,
The first line of the Dhammapada, the sayings of the Buddha, can be translated many ways, but it speaks to how the world is created by our thoughts.
Trump has managed to use this as a strategy:
Trump thinks that if he keeps saying something over and over again, even if it is false, people will eventually believe it.
He knows something quite important: our energy matters.
If he says a lie with complete confidence, and actually believes it himself, people will “feel” it to be true. The energy is one of truth, even if the details are a lie.
Of course, Trump is not the first politician to do this, but he has mastered this ability. If you watched the first US presidential debate, it was less a battle of policies and more a battle of energy — and to most people Trump won, hands down.
Now, the Dhammapada goes on to say that if you act with a kind mind and heart, happiness follows, and if you speak and act from a cruel heart, unhappiness follows.
What we need now are leaders who speak and act with a kind heart, and do so with an energy and a passion that people feel.
Regardless of how the US presidential race unfolds, I think there is a lesson here for us all: We need thoughtful, clear strategies and approaches, yet there is this other silent, largely invisible dimension: our energy.
Energy is not about youthful vigor or yelling loudly to get a point across, it is about a presence, a way of showing up that says, “I’m here.”
I was recently with a friend who built and ran billion dollar companies, and he said, “You know, in all the interviews I have done on business, I have never talked about the most important thing.”
“And what is that?” I asked.
“It is all energy,” he replied, “100% energy.”
So the question for us is, Where is our energy drawn? How do we live and embody what matters most to us?
Blessings,
SOREN
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I'm really surprised with your essay, as it is not aligned with Buddhism, aka the middle way, and more importantly the understanding of cause and effect. Furthermore, rather than focus on characteristics that are superficial at best, if you really want to go into it, why not look at public policy and history prior to making your comments?
Let's start with the international stage/World view. US is has currently been in the worse international standing, that we are considered vulnerable and a cash grab. De-dollarization is now a theme. Iran was practically bankrupt until the Biden administration funded billons for hostages. Do you honestly think given their history (cause and effect) that they will no longer be a terrorist state and stop the mantra "death to America"? Shall we go into exiting Afghanistan, one of the most embarrassing and deadly exits for Americans in recent history? Let's go to Ukraine war - it was a NATO membership issue and we embolden Putin (which under the Obama admin he conquered Chechnya) knowing he would go after Ukraine. Also, let is not forget about illegal immigration - where illegals stay in 4 star hotels with vouchers for a phone, meals are offered, encroaching public schools, our medical systems at the expense of our own citizens for sanctuary cities such as NYC? Whereas those who can contribute and willing to undergo the legal process are punished?
Since we're in California, are you pleased with public schools focused on the Oppressor/Oppressed ideology that among other things have created dangerous precedents enabling puberty blockers to children without parents consent, racialized school communities, and a focus on sexuality more so that basic academic standards such as literacy and math? If you knew your history this is the same playbook used by Mao, the Nazis, they infiltrated K-12 to expand their power. As for the oppressor/oppressed ideology, all I can say is this is a great setup for communism / socialism utopias. You can be communist in a free country but never free in a communist country. Consider looking at Katharine Birbalsingh to understand how to create a successful multi-cultural community.
Soren, rather than spew superficial character flaws, focus on the real challenges and return to the teaching of Buddha - the middle way, showing how certain ideas when tested among real lives can create destructive or constructive outcomes regardless of characters. Furthermore, focus of cause and effect. I would hope the wisdom community is wise enough to see that it is not focusing on therapeutics to feel better but to understand how things occur and come to be, become purposeful with their own agency to make lasting constructive choices and decisions.
I completely agree. I've written about the relationship between energy, power and political language here: https://thebreakoutroom.substack.com/p/energy-power-and-political-language