Business and wisdom

Today business is the greatest power on earth. The churches and temples are small compared to the world's office towers. Business ethics is now reduced to mere survival tactics. Too many business leaders never stop accumulating wealth and power -- without any hope of true satisfaction or happiness. There's an addiction to constant accumulation for its own sake. This corrupts free markets, governments, media, culture and the human soul. The Halls of Congress are filled with hungry business representatives from corporate boardrooms. Can anything be done? I say "settle down" and meditate. Businesspeople at all levels need to spend time looking within -- to see who they really are. This does more than all the ethics rules and government regulations people come up with. With clear insights, true ethics is spontaneousness -- as we begin to see that we are not in survival, but actually have enough to look beyond self-interest. It's about love; saying "Yes!" to doing business as love and service.

Businessman or Employee

In the 1970's enlightenment was in the air. India, Tibet, and Japan exported many spiritual teachers to the U.S.A. Demand was high for insights from the Buddhist and Hindu traditions. I attended a workshop with one such a teacher fresh from India. He said: "You are either a businessman or employee!" It was an unforgettable comment. A businessperson does not assume there will be a "next" paycheck. To succeed, businesspersons must generate "confidence" (a word based in Latin, meaning "with faith"). A business' source of supply depends on the ebb and flow of clients, the cycles of the seasons, and the economic climate. Nothing is taken for granted. An employee believes that paychecks will keep coming -- hardly thinking the businessperson, the employer, is mortgaging their house to finance the next month's paychecks. The spiritual teacher from India, was a businessman. He scheduled talks, got the word out, collected money and planned for future workshops. He was not an employee. When I saw him, I did not appreciate that businesslike quality. Now, I see it as spiritual, and close to the Buddhist ideal of living with knowledge of impermanence. Employees pay a price for security -- akin to surrender of the ego. Come to think of it: that's Buddhist, too.

PEET'S LEARNS TO SPEAKS GERMAN for $1 BILLION BUCKS

One of my warmest memories of going to UC Berkeley, was my wonderful times at Peet's Coffee. There was something about Peet's that screamed "perfect". I don't know if it was that dark roasted coffee had a taste I couldn't find anywhere else in the world. Maybe it was the ambiance of standing in line, the mulling around outside on the concrete on Walnut &Vine discussing the most grave philosophical issues of the day, knowing that what was determined over that cup of French Roast would shape the world into a better place. It might be the early school mornings when the smell of Peet's would ramble through the air as Vivaldi's Four Seasons's played in the background. We would all rush around gathering our daily dose of Peet's coffee heavily dosed with sugar and cream. 

I never lost my love of Peet's, even though I knew I was witnessing an industry bitten by the same franchise sprawling so familiar to our modern, fast-food age. First it was Starbucks, then coffee itself was stamped with a veneer of "social cool" that had nothing to do with the dark roasted taste (unless you only read the labels). It reminded me or the suburban sprawl occurring, never ceasing, always leaping into meadows, cherry orchards and open fields. 

Yes, it happened. Peet's sold out ... BIG. It was sold for $1 billion to the German conglomerate Joh. A. Benckiser with a happy group of newly minted millionaire unanimously approving the deal. 

Am I sad? Well, I think I'm now resigned. If Peet's is gone, it seems time has moved on, memories are in fact merely memories, albeit good ones, and a new era creeps into humanities fold ...

... ring! ring! 

... Oh! Excuse me. I have to answer a text message on my iPhone ... 

…  AAR8 / ADAD / BBL / B4N / MTFBWU … W/E            

Joy of art

Children naturally do art. Put paper and drawing materials in front of them and they start drawing with complete abandon. For a whole summer I met with a group of friends at a community cafe to support it from going out of business. Our group did art together. We had so much fun. People passing by saw us with our art supplies and colorful drawings. More customers came in! Now-a-days, the cafe is doing well. But equally important was the wonderful experience of drawing together -- talking freely about our lives while we drew all kinds of images in a rainbow of colors.

Business Wisdom

Business wisdom is simply living life - here on earth - in the best possible way.

The nature of wisdom is to be all inclusive.

The nature of business is to provide for the essentials of survival - and even prosperity if conditions permit.

He that does good

to another does also

good to himself.

- Seneca