TrueLife - The sound of one hand clapping

Episode Date: April 23, 2022

One on One Video Call W/George https://tidycal.com/georgepmonty/60-minute-meetingSupport the show:https://www.paypal.me/Truelifepodcast?locale.x=en_US🚨🚨Curious about the future of psychedelics? Imagine if Alan Watts started a secret society with Ram Dass and Hunter S. Thompson… now open the door. Use Promocode TRUELIFE for Get 25% off monthly or 30% off the annual plan For the first yearhttps://www.district216.com/https://linktr.ee/TrueLifepodcastI heard a story about a former Under Secretary of Defense who gave a speech at a large conference. He took his place on the stage and began talking, sharing his prepared remarks with the audience. He paused to take a sip of coffee from the Styrofoam cup he’d brought on stage with him. He took another sip, looked down at the cup and smiled.“You know,” he said, interrupting his own speech, “I spoke here last year. I presented at this same conference on this same stage. But last year, I was still an Under Secretary,” he said.“I flew here in business class and when I landed, there was someone waiting for me at the airport to take me to my hotel. Upon arriving at my hotel,” he continued, “there was someone else waiting for me. They had already checked me into the hotel, so they handed me my key and escorted me up to my room. The next morning, when I came down, again there was someone waiting for me in the lobby to drive me to this same venue that we are in today. I was taken through a back entrance, shown to the greenroom and handed a cup of coffee in a beautiful ceramic cup.”“But this year, as I stand here to speak to you, I am no longer the Under Secretary,” he continued. “I flew here coach class and when I arrived at the airport yesterday there was no one there to meet me. I took a taxi to the hotel, and when I got there, I checked myself in and went by myself to my room. This morning, I came down to the lobby and caught another taxi to come here. I came in the front door and found my way backstage. Once there, I asked one of the techs if there was any coffee. He pointed to a coffee machine on a table against the wall. So I walked over and poured myself a cup of coffee into this here Styrofoam cup,” he said as he raised the cup to show the audience.“It occurs to me,” he continued, “the ceramic cup they gave me last year . . . it was never meant for me at all. It was meant for the position I held. I deserve a Styrofoam cup.”“This is the most important lesson I can impart to all of you,” he offered.“All the perks, all the benefits and advantages you may get for the rank or position you hold, they aren’t meant for you. They are meant for the role you fill. And when you leave your role, which eventually you will, they will give the ceramic cup to the person who replaces you. Because you only ever deserved a Styrofoam cup.” One on One Video call W/George https://tidycal.com/georgepmonty/60-minute-meetingSupport the show:https://www.paypal.me/Truelifepodcast?locale.x=en_USCheck out our YouTube:https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPzfOaFtA1hF8UhnuvOQnTgKcIYPI9Ni9&si=Jgg9ATGwzhzdmjkg

Darkness struck, a gut-punched theft, Sun ripped away, her health bereft. I roar at the void. This ain't just fate, a cosmic scam I spit my hate. The games rigged tight, shadows deal, blood on their hands, I'll never kneel. Yet in the rage, a crack ignites, occulted sparks cut through the nights. The scars my key, hermetic and stark. To see, to rise, I hunt in the dark, fumbling, fear. Fearers through ruins maze lights my war cry born from the blaze.

The poem is Angels with Rifles. The track, I Am Sorrow, I Am Lust by Codex Serafini. Check out the entire song at the end of the cast. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the True Life podcast. I hope that this day is treating you like a champion. I hope that you have looked in the mirror and told yourself how, Beautiful. How smart. How handsome. How gorgeous. How lucky you are today. Today is what I call three story Friday. Because I am going to give you three stories for you to think about.

I believe these stories will be stories that you can carry with you. You can think about them. they will bring about ideas. Perhaps they will poke the bear of possibility, getting you to think about the world in a different way. At least that's the goal. At least that's what I hope they do. That's what they did for me. That being said, the first story is more of speech.

It's a speech that was given by under Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. and it's this idea about leadership. It's an idea about positions, titles, and labels. And what they mean to you may not be what they mean to everybody else. Let me set the stage for you. A former Undersecretary of Defense

is giving a speech at a large conference. He takes his place on stage and begins talking, sharing his prepared remarks with the audience. audience. He pauses to take a sip of coffee from a styrofoam cup that he had brought on stage with him. He takes another sip. He looks down at his styrofoam cup and smiles. You know, he said, interrupting his own speech, I spoke here last year. I presented at the same conference on this same stage. But last year, I was still an undersecretary, he said. I flew here

in business class, and when I landed, there was someone waiting for me at the airport to take me and my bags to the hotel. Upon arriving at my five-star hotel, he continued, there was someone else waiting for me there. They had already checked me in. They and my security detail team took me into the elevator. They walked me up to my room. They handed me my key and escorted me to the door. The next morning when I awoke, I came downstairs. And again, there was someone waiting for me in the lobby within an executive car. They drove me to the same venue that we're in

today. I was taken through the back entrance, shown to the green room. And then I was taken. I was was handed a cup of coffee in a beautiful ceramic cup. But this year, as I stand here and speak to you, I am no longer the undersecretary, he continued. I flew here, coach. And when I arrived at the airport yesterday, there was no one there to meet me. I called for a taxi. I asked the taxi to take me to a hotel. And when I got to the hotel, I checked myself.

I walked myself up to my room. I carried my own bags. And when I woke up in the morning, I came downstairs, called another taxi, and had them take me to the venue here. Once I arrived here, I walked in through the front door. I found myself to the back green room. Once I got back to the green room, I looked around for someone who, upon making my way to the back green room, I found a tech and asked him if there was any cup, if there was any coffee. Upon making my way to the back, I found where the green room, upon making my way to the back, I found the green room. I looked around and I saw a young man working. I asked the young man, is there any coffee back here? He looked at me, smiled and pointed to a coffee machine,

and next to the coffee machine sat a styrofoam cup, of which I had. poured myself a cup of coffee. At this point, the speaker raises the styrofoam coffee cup, shows it to the crowd, and smiles. And then he continues, it occurs to me, the ceramic cup they gave me last year. It was never meant for me at all. It was meant for the position that I held. I, as an individual, deserve.

of a styrofoam cup. This is the most important lesson I can import to all of you, he offered. All the perks, all the benefits and advantages you may get for the rank of your position you hold. They are not meant for you as the individual. They are meant for the role for the position that you fill. And when you leave your role, when you leave your position, which you eventually will, they will give the ceramic cup to the person who replaces you

because you only ever deserved a styrofoam cup what does that make you think of what does that make you think about labels what does that make you think about the position you play in life this idea that you are better than someone this idea that you have control over other people It's a toxic idea. There are positions of authority

and these positions are given special benefits. But too many people in positions of authority believe that they are the reason that they have power over people. And it's this concept that he or she who sits in a position of authority deserves that position. No. It's the position that commands respect. And too many people in positions of authority abuse it. They don't deserve respect. They think people should bow down to them. They think

that they're more important. They think that they know more than everyone else. And some of them may. But I would argue that the majority of people in positions of authority no longer are the first ones there and the last ones to leave. In today's world, the people in positions of authority no longer work the hardest. In today, people in positions of authority no longer encompass the ideals that the role, that the position was meant for. They have mistaken their personal importance for the importance of the position. Authority, leadership, are positions of authority of authority, that are meant for people who care more about doing the right thing than doing things right. Which cup do you deserve? Do you deserve the styrofoam cup or do you deserve the ceramic cup?

Let's move on to our second story of the day. This one's called the subjugation of a ghost. A young wife fell sick and was about to die. I love you so much, she told her husband. I do not want to leave you. Do not go from me to any other woman. If you do, I will return as a ghost and cause you endless trouble. Soon the wife passed away. The husband respected her last wish for the first three months.

But then he met another woman and fell in love with her. they became engaged and got married. Immediately after the engagement, a ghost appeared every night to the man, blaming him for not keeping his promise. The ghost was clever, too. She told him exactly what had transpired between himself and his new sweetheart.

Whenever he gave his fiancé a present, the ghost would describe it in detail. She would even repeat conversations, and it so annoyed the man. that he could no longer sleep. Someone advised him to take his problem to a Zen master who lived close to the village. At length, in despair, the poor man went to him for help.

Your former wife became a ghost and knows everything you do, commented the master. Whatever you do or say, whatever you give your beloved, she knows. She must be a very wise ghost. Really, you should admire such a ghost. The next time she appears, bargain with her. Tell her that she knows so much. You can hide nothing from her,

and that if she will answer you, one question you promise to break your engagement and remain single forever. The man replied, What is the question I must ask her? The master replied, take a large handful of soybeans and ask her exactly how many beans you hold in your hand. If she cannot tell you, you will know she is only a figment of your imagination

and will trouble you no longer. The next night, when the ghost appeared, the man flattened her, flattered her and told her that she knew everything. indeed replied the ghost and I know you went to see the Zen master today and since you know so much demanded the man tell me how many beans

I hold in this hand there was no longer any ghost to answer the question what does that make you think let's move on to our final story the thief who became a disciple late one evening A Buddhist monk was reciting some sutras and meditating.

In through the window came a sharp sword, a thief demanding that the monk pay with his life or give up all his money. Do not disturb me, the monk said. You can find the money in that drawer on the right-hand side. And then he resumed his meditation. A little while afterwards he stopped and yelled, Do not take all the money. I need something to pay my taxes tomorrow. The intruder gathered up most of the money and started to leave.

The monk again. Thank a person when you receive a gift, yelled out. The man thanked him and then made off with the money. A few days afterwards, the thief was caught and confessed. among other offenses that he also confessed to. When the monk was called as a witness to the court, he said this man is no thief, at least as far as I am concerned,

I gave him the money, and he thanked me for it. After he had finished his prison turn, the thief went to the monk and became his disciple. This one is called the Coconut Monkey Trap. The trap consists of a hollowed-out coconut, chained to a steak. The coconut has some sweet rice inside, which can be grabbed through a small hole. The monkey's hand fits through the hole. However, once his fist is clenched, he can no longer fit his hand back out of the hole.

The monkey is suddenly trapped. but not by anything physical. He's trapped by an idea, unable to see that a principle that served him well, when you see rice, hold on tight. So all the monkey has to do to be free is to let go. The monkey is 100% in charge of freeing himself or remaining there stuck.

He doesn't even have to do anything to be free. It's actually his undoing, his releasing of the fist that frees him. He doesn't earn his freedom. He accepts it by letting go. How many times have you been caught in a trap by your own undoing? How many times have you been caught by not letting go? The choice is yours.

That's what we got for today. Hope you enjoyed it. Let's get up and get at them. Aloha. Thank you.