Excerpts from Book October 11 – Beware the Fragile Ego Of all the human emotions, none is uglier or more elusive than envy, the sensation that others have more of what we want— possessions, attention, respect. We deserve to have as much as they do yet feel somewhat helpless to get such things. But paradoxically, envy entails the admission to ourselves that we are inferior to another person in something we value. Not only is it painful to admit this inferiority, but it is even worse for others to see that we are feeling this. And so almost as soon as we feel the initial pangs of envy, we are motivated to disguise it to ourselves—it is not envy we feel but unfairness at the distribution of goods or attention, resentment at this unfairness, even anger. The underlying sense of inferiority is too strong, leading to hostility that cannot be vented by a comment or put-down. Sitting with one’s envy over a long period of time can be painful and frustrating. Feeling righteous indignation against the envied person, however, can be invigorating. Acting on envy, doing something to harm the other person, brings satisfaction, although the satisfaction is short lived because enviers always find something new to envy. Daily Law: Envy is perhaps the ugliest human emotion. Destroy it before it destroys you. Develop your sense of self- worth from internal standards and not incessant comparisons. (The Laws of Human Nature, 10: Beware the Fragile Ego—The Law of Envy) December 1st – The Infinite and the Awesome “Whereas all the other animals have their heads low, eyes fixed upon the ground, the gods desired to give to man a sublime face, a face that could raise its eyes to the heavens above, contemplating the very stars in the sky.” --Ovid We can define the Cosmic Sublime in the following way: it is an encounter with any physical object that embodies or implies a sense of the infinite, in space or time. In the ancient world, our ancestors understood this deep human need. In cultures all around the world, they created rituals, often rites of initiation, that triggered an awareness of the magnificent forces that transcend the human. Shamans or wise elders often served as guides. In our culture we do not easily find such guides or accepted means for encountering the Cosmic Sublime. In fact, we find the opposite: the media that dominates our minds gluts us on trivia and the exaggerated dramas of the moment. If we seek the expansion that will pull us out of our mental ruts, we are largely on our own. Fortunately, however, this is not as difficult as we might imagine: we are surrounded by embodiments of the infinite and the awesome. The infinite comes in many forms—silence, seemingly endless horizons, blank spaces, et cetera. What matters is our level of attunement to these places—our desire to expand and transcend our usual limits, and our willingness to let go of any distractions and open ourselves to the elements. We are after an experience—not more talk. Daily Law: Pull your mind away from the dramas of the moment and seek the expansion. (Law of the Sublime, 1: Expand the Mind to Its Furthest Reaches—The Cosmic Sublime)