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Called Paths to Power, it emphasizes the importance of neutrality: The world is not fair or unfair. It simply is. The more you can suspend judgment, the more yo

Called Paths to Power, it emphasizes the importance of neutrality: The world is not fair or unfair. It simply is. The more you can suspend judgment, the more you can learn and grow your power. Not to be cynical about this approach, but having studied some of these concepts from a Mahayana Buddhist perspective, the idea of utilizing the perspective of Beginner's Mind to "grow your power" is a gross misappropriation and misunderstanding of the entire framework. In fact, within the traditions that originally conceived of these approaches, attachment to power, fame, and/or wealth is seen as the root cause of suffering and mental disenfranchisement and the very conceptualization that is to be let go [0]. Perhaps I need to look into this course a bit more to understand their approach but it seems that this is right in line with what many Buddhist scholars have worried - i.e., that these ancient traditions will be misunderstood and reformed in a way that may have wholly unhealthy effects on those who practice it. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths#Second_truth:_arising_or_origin_of_dukkha https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths#Second_truth...

mbrock 11y ago
What if you use that power to help other beings, though?
- jdimov9 11y ago
  Then you're an idiot.
  - mbrock 11y ago
    Why?
    - andrewflnr 10y ago
      Humility is required to "enter the kingdom of heaven", and it's pretty difficult to maintain it when you have a fat wallet.
- swombat 11y ago
  Using your power, whatever it may be, to help others is one thing. Deliberately, actively, perhaps even desperately seeking more power to help more people is another. The first is a form of compassion. The other is a form of pride. Why do these others need your help? Have they asked for it? Are you seeking that power to help or because you like power? Lots of questions that muddy the water there. There are certain things, like enlightenment, which naturally slip out of your grasp the moment you try to deliberately reach out for them.
  - maxerickson 11y ago
    What if there are easy paths to enlightenment and we just don't understand them yet? This is one reason that very well established traditions make me nervous.
    - chris_wot 11y ago
      If you find it, please let us know before you reach the state of Nirvana.
      - bpchaps 11y ago
        Here's another path - a mixture of pride and compassion. One nirvana please.
  - bpchaps 11y ago
    Eh, I think there's a bit more to that dichotomous statement than you think. In the context of the end result, the motivation doesn't necessarily matter, just so long as the end result is good and is also done without Feel Good approaches. Mind you, I'm not talking about the end goal, just the results. I spend a lot of time trying to help others and it's definitely an almost equal mixture of pride and compassion, so what you're saying sounds pretty redonk.
  - deleted 11y ago
    [deleted]
- llamataboot 11y ago
  "Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God."
pcmaffey 11y ago
Attachments to fame, money, and power inherently limit your power. This is why you always see cult leader types who use "real" spiritual tactics eventually fall into an ego-trap. If you are truly "on the path", you will eventually be challenged to drop your ego. It matters not how you got onto the path, but how you respond to each challenge.
- allisthemoist 11y ago
  Very much agreed. The very beautiful potential consequence of this kind of teaching is that it will get more and more people onto the path regardless. And once you are on the path you will recognize the suffering inherent in the pursuit of wealth, fame, and power.
alanwatts 11y ago
All that depends on how you define "power". Judging by the chart under the Self Mastery section, it seems the author defines it as growing your physical, emotional, and mental energy. Such a result could be argued to be in correlation with the Buddhist proposition of letting go of attachment and desire. By letting go of preconceived notions, concepts, opinions, or the desire to have power (dominance) over others, we then have all of that energy available to us for creative means which would have otherwise been wasted in anxiety, or saṃsāra.
- allisthemoist 10y ago
  Want something incredible to read that will fundamentally alter your conception of power? Look up Foucault's work [0]. [0] https://www.cla.purdue.edu/english/theory/newhistoricism/modules/foucaultpower.html https://www.cla.purdue.edu/english/theory/newhistoricism/mod...
visarga 10y ago
Same tool and intent, different problem level. Both Buddhism and Abundance Philosophy have the purpose of lowering contraction and pain, but while Buddhism does that on a general level, related to life/society, AP solely focuses on being creative and not missing opportunities. On the other hand, there are parallels between the two: "noticing" and "neutrality" are mindfulness - open non judgemental attention. "Priming" is concentration meditation. "Self-compassion", "generosity" and "gratitude" are metta. They took Buddhist ideas and reused them in a corporate setting.
- allisthemoist 10y ago
  This is precisely why many Buddhist scholars have worried about the integration of Buddhist thought into Western culture: the divorce of these concepts from their underlying meaning can render them ineffective, or worse, harmful. Without an understanding of the foundational concepts of impermanence, nonself, and nirvana (the three jewels), activities like meditation lose much of their transformative power and much of their effects on creativity and mindfulness. This is important as these effects appear to mirror the very aptitudes that "Abundance Philosophy" is attempting to target.

mbrock 11y ago

What if you use that power to help other beings, though?

jdimov9 11y ago
Then you're an idiot.
- mbrock 11y ago
  Why?
  - andrewflnr 10y ago
    Humility is required to "enter the kingdom of heaven", and it's pretty difficult to maintain it when you have a fat wallet.
swombat 11y ago
Using your power, whatever it may be, to help others is one thing. Deliberately, actively, perhaps even desperately seeking more power to help more people is another. The first is a form of compassion. The other is a form of pride. Why do these others need your help? Have they asked for it? Are you seeking that power to help or because you like power? Lots of questions that muddy the water there. There are certain things, like enlightenment, which naturally slip out of your grasp the moment you try to deliberately reach out for them.
- maxerickson 11y ago
  What if there are easy paths to enlightenment and we just don't understand them yet? This is one reason that very well established traditions make me nervous.
  - chris_wot 11y ago
    If you find it, please let us know before you reach the state of Nirvana.
    - bpchaps 11y ago
      Here's another path - a mixture of pride and compassion. One nirvana please.
- bpchaps 11y ago
  Eh, I think there's a bit more to that dichotomous statement than you think. In the context of the end result, the motivation doesn't necessarily matter, just so long as the end result is good and is also done without Feel Good approaches. Mind you, I'm not talking about the end goal, just the results. I spend a lot of time trying to help others and it's definitely an almost equal mixture of pride and compassion, so what you're saying sounds pretty redonk.
- deleted 11y ago
  [deleted]
llamataboot 11y ago
"Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God."

pcmaffey 11y ago

Attachments to fame, money, and power inherently limit your power. This is why you always see cult leader types who use "real" spiritual tactics eventually fall into an ego-trap. If you are truly "on the path", you will eventually be challenged to drop your ego. It matters not how you got onto the path, but how you respond to each challenge.

allisthemoist 11y ago
Very much agreed. The very beautiful potential consequence of this kind of teaching is that it will get more and more people onto the path regardless. And once you are on the path you will recognize the suffering inherent in the pursuit of wealth, fame, and power.

alanwatts 11y ago

All that depends on how you define "power". Judging by the chart under the Self Mastery section, it seems the author defines it as growing your physical, emotional, and mental energy. Such a result could be argued to be in correlation with the Buddhist proposition of letting go of attachment and desire. By letting go of preconceived notions, concepts, opinions, or the desire to have power (dominance) over others, we then have all of that energy available to us for creative means which would have otherwise been wasted in anxiety, or saṃsāra.

allisthemoist 10y ago
Want something incredible to read that will fundamentally alter your conception of power? Look up Foucault's work [0]. [0] https://www.cla.purdue.edu/english/theory/newhistoricism/modules/foucaultpower.html https://www.cla.purdue.edu/english/theory/newhistoricism/mod...

visarga 10y ago

Same tool and intent, different problem level. Both Buddhism and Abundance Philosophy have the purpose of lowering contraction and pain, but while Buddhism does that on a general level, related to life/society, AP solely focuses on being creative and not missing opportunities. On the other hand, there are parallels between the two: "noticing" and "neutrality" are mindfulness - open non judgemental attention. "Priming" is concentration meditation. "Self-compassion", "generosity" and "gratitude" are metta. They took Buddhist ideas and reused them in a corporate setting.

allisthemoist 10y ago
This is precisely why many Buddhist scholars have worried about the integration of Buddhist thought into Western culture: the divorce of these concepts from their underlying meaning can render them ineffective, or worse, harmful. Without an understanding of the foundational concepts of impermanence, nonself, and nirvana (the three jewels), activities like meditation lose much of their transformative power and much of their effects on creativity and mindfulness. This is important as these effects appear to mirror the very aptitudes that "Abundance Philosophy" is attempting to target.