Ahhhh, Somik. You have hit both nails on the head! You wrote:
"The passage seemed to be highlighting for us two opposites: receiving (Thoreau's story) and trusteeship (Mencius' story). Swami Vivekananda, Gandhi, Vinoba, all encourage the rich to think of themselves as trustees of the poor. This attitude did not require giving up one's riches, but it did involve expanding the circle of well-being to more than one's narrow context."
I was definitely talking about "stewardship." That is easy for me to believe in and to do, in more ways than just "the poor." I try to be a steward of the earth, in all shapes and forms.
I'm going to read all of your reflection again, and think about it. How exactly do you "meditate" about this, and how does this differ from my "thinking" about this?
Or are you referring to regular meditation while "clearing your mind?"
On Dec 16, 2010 Catherine Todd wrote :
Ahhhh, Somik. You have hit both nails on the head! You wrote:
"The passage seemed to be highlighting for us two opposites: receiving (Thoreau's story) and trusteeship (Mencius' story). Swami Vivekananda, Gandhi, Vinoba, all encourage the rich to think of themselves as trustees of the poor. This attitude did not require giving up one's riches, but it did involve expanding the circle of well-being to more than one's narrow context."
I was definitely talking about "stewardship." That is easy for me to believe in and to do, in more ways than just "the poor." I try to be a steward of the earth, in all shapes and forms.
I'm going to read all of your reflection again, and think about it. How exactly do you "meditate" about this, and how does this differ from my "thinking" about this?
Or are you referring to regular meditation while "clearing your mind?"