Reference no: EM133635164
Assignment:
Suggested Prompts for the "Leadership as Enlightened Presence / Why Life Sucks Reflection Paper 2 pages. Please watch the YouTube Video of Param's four hour long Why Life Sucks talk Fully before attempting this exercise.
You may go to YouTube and type the Search terms "Why Life Sucks Param"
Listen to the story of the Mexican Fisherman also known as the Irony of the Rat Race that Param narrates in his talk. Comment about what you took away from it.
Param explores something called "Robotic Somnambulism" through the pantomime he shows of a day in the life of a successful person, the Irony of the Rat Race and Waiting for Godot. These are some of the ways in which we become robots, being mechanical and automatic, living in some future but missing the beauty of life in the present. The mystics have reminded us that human beings are sleepwalking through life. In what ways do you see yourself sleepwalking through life, being on automatic mode and missing life?
The Chattering Monkey: what did you take away from the chattering monkey metaphor? Whatdoes your chattering monkey keep saying to you? As we discussed, when you were small, yourchattering monkey may have told you some things (like mine told me I suck at Math!) that youcame to believe in and it became a part of your personality. What are some personality dimensionsthat you think have become permanent now that you can look back and see how this may be stuffyou made up about yourself?
Unsobbed Tears. Param's talk discusses how experiences of shame and disappointment in ourlives lead us to wear masks that cover up and compensate for the humiliation (e.g. How I decidedto pursue multiple degrees from the insecurity of being seen as having a mental disability.
Howhave your experiences of your 'break in being', 'break in belonging', 'oh shit I'm on my own'shaped the masks that you wear to get through life? What are some masks you can see yourselfwearing?
One of the themes explored in Param's talk is about how the very things we struggle against and resist shall persist. If I fight my procrastination, I am more likely to keep procrastinating. What are some things about you that you may have been struggling against or condemning yourself for that you could come to greater peace by just accepting in this paradoxical path to transformation?
How do you relate to the idea of "being"? Remember how Param talks about the fact that we live our life like we need to HAVE (for example money), in order to DO what we most want to do (e.g. Vacation in Paris), in order to BE (happy). But you could be miserable in a five start resort in Paris but joyous vacuuming your basement! What doors does this breakthrough open for you? Can you see any way in which you may be trapped in the Have/Do/Be mental model?