When I was a kid, there was a feature on the comic pages of our local paper titled There Oughta’ Be a Law and one of the common themes used was someone “unclear on the concept.” It influenced me lifelong to notice when human behavior doesn’t match the prevailing understanding of an idea.
Those were the words that came to mind this morning as I read a Wall Street Journal article on retiring Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, and his plans to take a private space trip. Then he will give his attention to his Bezos Earth Fund, described as “one of the world’s largest climate-focused initiatives.” https://www.wsj.com/articles/what-post-ceo-life-looks-like-if-youre-jeff-bezos-11625218231
What part of fossil fuel use and global climate change doesn’t he understand? Or is this one of the modern forms (there are many) of guilt-mitigating indulgences such as those paid to the Catholic Church in 11th and 12th century Europe so that bad behavior could continue.
Before I get too high and mighty, I need to acknowledge that there are plenty of times that my own actions (or lack of them) are mismatched with what I profess to be important. But I notice. A part of me is watching and taking note. I don’t have to beat myself up, yet my observation may ultimately lead to making a different action/decision in the future.
I study this practice. I teach this practice. It’s one of the topics covered in the Nia White Belt Training sessions that I lead. The training content offers a whole bunch of ways to upgrade your life. One is to clarify your own values. Someone else’s values are not spoon-fed to you, you do some searching and find out “what is real and true for you about the world.” From there, you can begin to chart a way to live that is in alignment with your chosen values. It’s not a brand new idea. It certainly does have an amazing effect on how your life proceeds.
Nia Trainings are offered by a world wide Training Faculty. My unique emphasis is to apply the content to the latter third of life. Many people in peri-retirement (pre or post) may say that they have already figured out their values by that time. Great. However, just like documents such as a living will, a medical directive or a financial plan need to be updated from time to time, so it may be important to take stock now and see if there are any desired changes in how you define yourself and you’re your reason for being here. Even little shifts have helped me feel more self-assured and satisfied about the day to day choices I make.
My next training series begins this Friday afternoon July 9 (Pacific Time). We meet online for 2 hours each week for a combination of lecture and practice – trying on the concepts to see how they apply to your personal body and life. Training continues for 16 weeks. You get to plug in any tools you acquire during the week between sessions, supported by a group call, social media, podcasts, readings, journaling, and Nia classes. You may enjoy all this at whatever level of intensity and involvement you choose.
You may have heard that Nia is an exercise program. Correct. It grew out of a combination of many fitness traditions. Physical activity is a key component of health. And….. Nia is a wellness and lifestyle program that invites you to search for your own path.
Join me.
