One of the tragedies of communication in this country is the substitution of the word "literal" for "true," or even for "real." A woman called me on the phone all excited about a speaker and said he "was literally on fire." I was so tempted to ask about 3rd degree burns.
I suffered a symbolic tragedy last week. My beloved KU basketball team lost. Really. They did. The whole country went into shock and the tires went flat on my life for a while. All because a group of tall young men couldn't put a ball through a hoop one more time.
How did they do this to me? Sacred space (96 X 48 lovely hardwood), sacred time (exactly 40 minutes of playing time), high priests wearing striped shirts, commandments (no fouling!) congregation forming one body (all wearing the same color). As a priest I recognize great liturgy when I see it.
So, boys and girls, here's what we learn from this. Symbols are not only real, they are more real than real real. So if you would like to change anything about your life, the first place to look for leverage is in your symbol world. Changing the way you dress, talk, eat, drive, etc in any small way will bring about changes far more powerful than any kind of grim resolution.
And I'm glad Kentucky lost, too.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Reform
Dennis Kucinich is being compared to Ralph Nadar because he won't compromise on what many consider an idealistic position.
There is good enneagram reason to compare them. Both are style Ones. When not quite on their game, Ones cannot compromise because they have strict inner rules. DK not only has inner rules, he carries the constitution with him. He carries his rules inside and out.
What Nadar and Kucinich do, they do in the name of virtue. What harm they do, they do because of rigidity. Obama, Clinton and McCain are all Ones, too. They were sure they were right and were intent on changing the world to fit their vision. That's what social subtype Ones are all about. Nadar and Kucinich have the same agenda, only with stricter principles.
Healthy Ones have to make a distinction between standards and expectations. They have a keen sense of standards but the ability of others or themselves to live up their standards has to be taken into consideration.
Ones like Nadar and Kucinich and all ones take a deep consolation is being right. But they have to ask themselves if being right is as important as being effective. They will answer that it doesn't do any good to be effective doing the wrong thing. The problem comes with the word "wrong." Few things are totally right or wrong (including my opinions!) but Ones are often guilty of black/white, right/wrong thinking that leads to polarization.
There is good enneagram reason to compare them. Both are style Ones. When not quite on their game, Ones cannot compromise because they have strict inner rules. DK not only has inner rules, he carries the constitution with him. He carries his rules inside and out.
What Nadar and Kucinich do, they do in the name of virtue. What harm they do, they do because of rigidity. Obama, Clinton and McCain are all Ones, too. They were sure they were right and were intent on changing the world to fit their vision. That's what social subtype Ones are all about. Nadar and Kucinich have the same agenda, only with stricter principles.
Healthy Ones have to make a distinction between standards and expectations. They have a keen sense of standards but the ability of others or themselves to live up their standards has to be taken into consideration.
Ones like Nadar and Kucinich and all ones take a deep consolation is being right. But they have to ask themselves if being right is as important as being effective. They will answer that it doesn't do any good to be effective doing the wrong thing. The problem comes with the word "wrong." Few things are totally right or wrong (including my opinions!) but Ones are often guilty of black/white, right/wrong thinking that leads to polarization.
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