I’m Aaron, and we’re Junto. I came into this not knowing what would come, what Junto would make me, or what I would help make Junto. I know this: It needs us all. We all have a special spice to add to the soup and without any one spice, it’s not quite the same. I try to bring my whole self to this thing, and I can feel it when I don’t. A group of men, helping each other and themselves become better men. It’s an honor and privilege to be a part of this growing, evolving thing.

I am an individual, yes. I’m also a part of the Junto. Interdependency at its finest. Last week’s Junto at D-Rock’s was honest and heartfelt and heartbreaking and true. May it continue to be all that, and may we all be so blessed.

I never used to have much respect for or interest in Eastern gurus. What they offered always seemed to me too simplistic, too obvious. They acted as if they had all the answers to life’s complicated questions; and, yet their answers were contrived, and fantastic—they seemed intended to amaze and/or mystify, rather than truly assist. So, it was a surprise to those who know me to find out I was listening to a book on tape featuring the Dalai Lama.

I’d decided to listen to the tape precisely because I knew I had a judgment of Eastern gurus, and yet I’d never really listened to one. What I knew of them was derived from sound bytes, snippets, and quotes taken out of context. I wanted to get into the grit of it. I wanted to know.

Having listened to the Dalai Lama, my opinion hasn’t changed drastically. I still think there are a lot of hucksters out there in white robes selling snake oil in exchange for souls. But, I don’t think the Dalai Lama is one of them. Yes, his exhortations, observations, and insights, all seemed common place—more folk wisdom than life wisdom. Too, and not surprisingly, much of what he had to say was just a reiteration of orthodox Mahayana Buddhism. Yet, there were times when he admitted he didn’t have an answer. And while his answers were almost always simple, obvious, common, they were not esoteric, or fantastical. He never promised the moon, the stars, and the unseen depths of eternity. He never promised anything. And, there were a few moments, when he seemed to draw upon his life experience, that I must admit he was profound. And, this helped me to trust more what he had to say, and that helped me to listen.

Saying all of this, I think there is an important place in the world for people who can exhort us effectively to do the obvious good. Some of the most profound wisdom is the simplest, the most obvious: Be kind, be patient, be compassionate and empathetic. Because this is so trite, so simple, I don’t often think about it; and when it’s not on my mind, it is easy for me to miss. It is in this consciousness raising that the value of being reminded lies.

As I’m writing this, I keep thinking about musicians practicing their scales. I’ve known several very good musicians, and all of them practiced their scales—the simplest exercises you can learn on an instrument—for hours each day. I keep thinking about this, because I see a distinct similarity between the musician who practices his scales to maintain his musical mastery, and someone who practices simple goodness to maintain their mastery of being human.

In closing, there have been several things I have been thinking about that the Dalai Lama said. One in particular has been sitting in my consciousness today. He mentioned that people in the West often mistake pleasure for happiness. Pleasure can bring happiness, it is true; but the sensation of pleasure is one kind of happiness, and it is fleeting. It is kind of like confusing cocker spaniels with dogs. A cocker spaniel is a dog, but not all dogs are cocker spaniels. So, people who confuse pleasure with happiness a) are missing out on other forms of happiness that are more substantial and long lasting, b) are constantly having to seek out new pleasures in order to fulfill their need for happiness—and not only is this not effective, it requires a lot of energy for a small amount of return—which, then, in turn, creates more unhappiness, in relation, than happiness obtained, and c) they lose out on the synergy of experiencing pleasure when it is augmented by other forms of happiness. Thoughts..?

Joe

Peace happens in quiet moments, one person at a time.