Jack Kornfield was my meditation teacher at Spirit Rock early on. A very wise person. I considered "dishonesty" or "depravity" to be the far enemy of integrity and "righteousness" to be the near enemy but when it means conforming to established norms of right and wrong, not when it means faithfulness to one's own moral code derived through discernment. It gets tricky, obviously.
Yes, I think there are subtle distinctions for me between feeling righteous, as in feeling that you are living and acting rightly based on your own discernment, which is an internal sense and, therefore, for yourself alone, and righteousness, which is taking your own personal discernment and foisting it onto other people. Righteousness, for me, lacks both humility and curiosity. Like Kornfield's discussion of pity, righteousness is separative.
I'm so delighted you studied with him. What a treat that must have been!
Wow, I really appreciate this intricate breakdown, and now understand virtue-signalling for what it is. Preaching to the choir helps noone tangibly, although, I would say that it does feel nice to know there are others who care about what you care about? Still, better to know that action is being taken. I have been stuck in the echo-chamber and virtue-signalling class ever since social media came into my life. Now I know the antidote. I am going to stop relying on my expression of horror as a change-maker and to take more steps, to practice DOING more, to take more action, going forward. Thank you for a wonderful piece.
Jack Kornfield was my meditation teacher at Spirit Rock early on. A very wise person. I considered "dishonesty" or "depravity" to be the far enemy of integrity and "righteousness" to be the near enemy but when it means conforming to established norms of right and wrong, not when it means faithfulness to one's own moral code derived through discernment. It gets tricky, obviously.
Yes, I think there are subtle distinctions for me between feeling righteous, as in feeling that you are living and acting rightly based on your own discernment, which is an internal sense and, therefore, for yourself alone, and righteousness, which is taking your own personal discernment and foisting it onto other people. Righteousness, for me, lacks both humility and curiosity. Like Kornfield's discussion of pity, righteousness is separative.
I'm so delighted you studied with him. What a treat that must have been!
Wow, I really appreciate this intricate breakdown, and now understand virtue-signalling for what it is. Preaching to the choir helps noone tangibly, although, I would say that it does feel nice to know there are others who care about what you care about? Still, better to know that action is being taken. I have been stuck in the echo-chamber and virtue-signalling class ever since social media came into my life. Now I know the antidote. I am going to stop relying on my expression of horror as a change-maker and to take more steps, to practice DOING more, to take more action, going forward. Thank you for a wonderful piece.