The DPO Project

Character, by Vindesh and Master Zi

We've all had that moment after a conversation with someone who we just met, or have known for quite sometime, and thought, "what a character!" On this podcast, Vindesh and Master Zi discuss the elements of character building. When building our own character, we can find clarity in our relationships with friends, family, and coworkers.  Like a chef in the kitchen, we can look at traits the same way as ingredients in a dish. Each piece fits with another piece to make the whole.

 

 

Revisiting: Invest in Loss

Hello Everyone,

We are back with new episodes of the Dispassionate Observer Podcast.  While on hiatus, we worked on our new project called Dharma Media.  Some of you know that Zi Malonga has been in the health and wellness industry for over 30 years, so we started producing online classes, instructional work out programs, and documentaries showcasing Zi’s students and their journey to better health and wellbeing.  For more information and to find our podcasts, visit dharmamedia.com.

On this episode, we dive deeper into the topic of investing in loss.  What is investing in loss? We are generally taught to think more is better, but in pursuing more we become clouded in thought, acquire clutter, and lose our self-identity. Investing in loss is cultivating a level of awareness and clarity. When we can change the algorithm of thought towards simplifying rather than addition, we promote flow which benefits our overall wellbeing. 

Dignity, By VinDesh and Master Zi

Dignity starts with honoring yourself. When we pursue our passions, express our ideas, and cultivate close relationships...when we fully embrace our humanity...life becomes joyful and free flowing. Our spirit shines like the stars we see in the dark night sky. Each day we hold an opportunity to leave our mark on the divine. Being true to ourselves not only increases our own life force, but allows others to do the same.  

 

If we abandon that which holds power and meaning...if we sacrifice our passions, or try to fit in, or compromise our values...then life loses its luster. We become anxious and depressed. We lose our vitality. We surrender our will. So embrace your dreams, follow your passions, speak your truth. Remember the many reasons to live.

Affiliations, By VinDesh and Master Zi

Our affiliations with organizations, groups, and our personal narratives can lead to certain limitations.  They can limit our progress with our health and the way we connect with those around us.  In an effort to feel like we belong, we face the possibility of losing ourselves in group think.  Our health works the same way.  When we ask ourselves what we are willing to give up, we find freedom to explore our individuality. 

 

Affiliation sounds a lot like affliction.  It becomes our reality, defines us, and creates a sense of morality.  Many of us have deep attachments to our affiliations.  Self-governance and awareness brings us back to ourselves.  By exercising our brain, we maintain fluidity and healthy boundaries.

Check Yourself, By VinDesh

Checklists can be extremely useful. We use checklists to figure out why a baby cries. To make sure that a surgeon operates on the right patient. To prevent planes from falling out of the sky. But we rarely use checklists on ourselves.

 

And we miss a huge opportunity. Oftentimes, our physical maladies and mental anguish stem from a few simple causes. We feel depressed because we drink too much, or forget to exercise, or spend time with people who always complain. We suffer back pain because of poor posture, or stress, or obesity. 

 

A checklist begins with awareness. Sensitivity to our moods and our physical health. Observation of the conditions that promote our well-being. This awareness helps us self-diagnose and quickly take steps to heal. 

 

So check yourself frequently. Check yourself systematically. And ensure that you function at your highest potential. 

 

 

Fabric of Reality - Chapter 1, w/ VinDesh and Master Zi

Our minds struggle with complexity and uncertainty. We simply cannot process all of the information and possibilities that the world presents. So we create our own reality. We reduce the world to labels and simple narratives. She is “shy” and “introverted.” He is such a “jerk!” We then weave these strands together into a mental fabric: the fabric of our reality. And we do our best to hold this fabric together. We ignore conflicting evidence. And we relegate people to certain categories that fit within this broader tapestry.

Yet this fabric is distorted and incomplete. When we fail to recognize its limits we develop false expectations. We feel disappointed. We never really get to know other people. And we limit our growth, our understanding of the world. Approach the world, and others, with humility. Recognize that we only see a small portion of a larger picture. Drop the expectation that others will play a certain role, or act a certain way. Anxiety will dissipate. And life will become easier to manage.

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Mind Games, by VinDesh

We tend to blame others for our problems. My boss is ruining my career...my partner makes unreasonable demands...other people are just so freakin' annoying! Similarly, we regret our past decisions. If I had married my college sweetheart, my life would have been perfect. And we hang our hopes on the future. Once I retire, my life will be great!

Yet even if others have hurt us, or our past decisions limit us, or some future event holds the key to our happiness, so what? We cannot change others, we cannot change the past, and who knows what the future will bring. To move forward, we need to take action! So why do we play these mind games?

 

Because they create the illusion of control. If our boss is ruining our life, we can comfort ourselves by imagining his death. If we should have invested in Amazon twenty years ago, we can envision the money we would have made. We can spin a thousand scenarios, each of which feels better than our present situation. And because we never try, we can avoid failure and disappointment. We simply live in our minds. 

 

But if we play these games, our situation will never improve. We will never evolve. We will simply stagnate and rot from the inside. So stop the mind games! Instead of blaming, instead of waiting, address your problems head on. Resolve to act, right now, not in some distant future. As we begin to move forward we become stronger. We develop confidence in ourselves. We learn to build the life we desire and to enjoy each step of the process.

 

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Strengthen The Core, By VinDesh

Strength starts with the core. In sports, a strong midsection can improve balance, stability, and explosiveness. Movement and coordination originate within the core and project outwards.

The same principle holds true in life. Our success, and our happiness, depend on a strong sense of self. Confidence in our abilities. Clarity of purpose. Contentment with who we are. Absent a strong sense of self, we will always feel anxious, insecure, and internally conflicted.

Too often we blame external conditions for problems that originate inside. We seek a partner who can validate us, even though we don’t feel good about ourselves. We hope to escape the monotony of our lives, even though we have stifled our passion and creativity.

So strengthen the core. Work on your health; feed your intellect; unleash your fire. A strong core will improve all aspects of your life.

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Take A Deep Breath, By Master Zi and VinDesh

OH GOD...I can't find my KEYS! 

NO, NO, NO! The waiter SCREWED UP MY ORDER!

OH LORD, Amazon delivered the WRONG PACKAGE!

 

Collectively, we have become addicted to panic. We have normalized urgency. Minor inconveniences cause us to break down in tears and frustration. We sense this frenzy in the tone of someone's voice, or the crazed look in their eyes. Most of the time, we are safe and secure, yet we act as though our world is crumbling.

 

This mania comes from our need to control. Our desire to bend the world to our wishes. Our belief that we should experience no pain or disappointment. We have lost our tolerance for discomfort and have learned to equate small aggravations with disaster. We constantly cry wolf when no real threat exist.

 

This behavior costs us dearly. As we spoke about in Primalism, a constant state of panic means that we never feel safe, we can never relax and enjoy life. Our bodies release cortisol, which elevates blood pressure, weakens immunity, and causes a host of health problems. And we drive others away. If we always cry wolf, others stop listening. Even our intimate partners.

 

So take a deep breath! Learn to pause, to slow down, to discriminate between actual threats and daily frustrations. Break the addiction to panic and restore a healthier state of being. 

 

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Is It Worth It? Part II - By Master Zi and VinDesh

Part II - We talked about what matters, and defining what matters to us... but is it worth it? Are our lifestyle choices WORTH our time? Our energy? The demands they place on our health?

To answer this question, we need to know the value of what we sacrifice. Are WE worth it? What is the value of our health? Our peace of mind? The pleasure of our company?

Examine your life. Develop conviction in your self-worth. And make sure that whatever you direct your energy towards provides something equally valuable in exchange.

 

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