Comments on: The Virtues: Be Mindful http://www.daylightatheism.org/2007/01/be-mindful.html NIGHTTIME IS FOR DREAMING. DAYLIGHT IS FOR ACTION. Wed, 7 Jan 2009 05:14:29 +0000 By: Pedro Timóteo http://www.daylightatheism.org/2007/01/be-mindful.html#comment-16952 Pedro Timóteo Fri, 23 Feb 2007 13:46:16 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2007/01/the-virtues-be-mindful.html#comment-16952 Very nice. :) However, I think you have a small mistake here: <blockquote>Without forgetting the pleasant memories and good lessons of our past, and <b>without</b> planning appropriately for the future,</blockquote> I think you meant "and planning appropriately for the future". Very nice. :)

However, I think you have a small mistake here:

Without forgetting the pleasant memories and good lessons of our past, and without planning appropriately for the future,

I think you meant "and planning appropriately for the future".

]]> By: standing http://www.daylightatheism.org/2007/01/be-mindful.html#comment-12601 standing Sun, 21 Jan 2007 13:47:10 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2007/01/the-virtues-be-mindful.html#comment-12601 The composition of a new set of Ten Commandments is an interesting but mistaken exercise. All rules must be based on prior ethical values, and it is the logical employment of those values that has priority. Elementary ethical values are qualities like Freedom and Equality that are irreducible. No such value can be employed meaningfully other than in conjunction with another value, and such a compound value is a end value for society and the individual. The logical opposite of an elementary value is an end value, such as "Tyranny" in opposition to Freedom.. Rights per se is a value, as is Pragmatism - a right that is impossible is nonsense. Rights must be paired with Duties to create the end value of Altruism - other pairs of values also contribute to that same end value. The correct pairing of Rights and Duties is necessary. A duty that is merely the reflection of a Right is of no purpose. Example. [Within the limits of the practical ability and wealth of the poltical state concerned] All citizens have a right to be educated to the full extent of their personal abilities.........! All citizens have the duty to employ their education to the benefit of their [country] and all its citizens ......! The composition of a new set of Ten Commandments is an interesting but mistaken exercise. All rules must be based on prior ethical values, and it is the logical employment of those values that has priority.

Elementary ethical values are qualities like Freedom and Equality that are irreducible. No such value can be employed meaningfully other than in conjunction with another value, and such a compound value is a end value for society and the individual. The logical opposite of an elementary value is an end value, such as "Tyranny" in opposition to Freedom.. Rights per se is a value, as is Pragmatism - a right that is impossible is nonsense.

Rights must be paired with Duties to create the end value of Altruism - other pairs of values also contribute to that same end value.

The correct pairing of Rights and Duties is necessary. A duty that is merely the reflection of a Right is of no purpose.

Example. [Within the limits of the practical ability and wealth of the poltical state concerned]
All citizens have a right to be educated to the full extent of their personal abilities.........!
All citizens have the duty to employ their education to the benefit of their [country] and all its citizens ......!

]]> By: javaman http://www.daylightatheism.org/2007/01/be-mindful.html#comment-12549 javaman Thu, 18 Jan 2007 21:02:01 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2007/01/the-virtues-be-mindful.html#comment-12549 Several random thoughts, in no particular order. Humans, as a race, are very, very young. We only migrated out of Africa 40,000 years ago. We're still only hairless apes that use language to represent what's going on in our consciousness. This cultivation of mindfulness is perhaps our next evolutionary step up from the cognitive perspective in psychology. Mindfulness is one of the foundations of Zen Buddhism, which is much closer to psychotherapy than it is to religion. This mindfulness state is called the "still point" in meditation, clutching the engine into neutral. (My reference to Buddhism is not an endorsement of religion.) I believe the way our consumer society is structured, consciousness is not seen as a virtue and cultivated in our society and taught to our children. They are programmed out of mindfulness at a very early age. Several random thoughts, in no particular order. Humans, as a race, are very, very young. We only migrated out of Africa 40,000 years ago. We're still only hairless apes that use language to represent what's going on in our consciousness. This cultivation of mindfulness is perhaps our next evolutionary step up from the cognitive perspective in psychology. Mindfulness is one of the foundations of Zen Buddhism, which is much closer to psychotherapy than it is to religion. This mindfulness state is called the "still point" in meditation, clutching the engine into neutral. (My reference to Buddhism is not an endorsement of religion.) I believe the way our consumer society is structured, consciousness is not seen as a virtue and cultivated in our society and taught to our children. They are programmed out of mindfulness at a very early age.

]]> By: John Kavelin http://www.daylightatheism.org/2007/01/be-mindful.html#comment-12547 John Kavelin Thu, 18 Jan 2007 18:43:51 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2007/01/the-virtues-be-mindful.html#comment-12547 I love your definition of mindfulness. It is uplifitng and inspiring. I especially like the focus on awe and wonder, two of the many virtues we are capable of practicing. MINDFULNESS is one of the 100 Virtues in a set of Reflection Cards recently published by The Virtues Project, a grass roots initiative sparking a revolution of kindness, integrity, and understanding in more than 85 countries. Our mission is to inspire the practice of virtues in everyday life by helping people of all cultures discover the transformative power of the universal gifts of character. Virtues are the content of our character -- the very purpose of our lives. The virtues help us to remember who we really are and to live our best lives. The Five Strategies found in all our books, materials and programs bring the virtues to life in personal development, parenting, family life, character education, and the workplace. They are guidelines for building safe and caring communities. We are not affiliated with any organizaton, faith group or political ideology. Here is our definiton of Mindfulness: Mindfulness is living reflectively, with conscious awareness of our actions, words and thoughts. Awake to the world around us, we fully experience our senses. We are attentive to others' needs. We refuse to rush. Living mindfully lightens our lives by helping us to detach from our emotions. We transform anger to justice. We seek joy instead of mere desire. We cultivate our inner visioin, aware of life's lessons as they unfold. Mindfulness brings us serenity. I look forward to your future posts. John Kavelin, Co-Founder Virtues Project International Salt Spring Island, B.C. Canada www.virtuesproject.com I love your definition of mindfulness. It is uplifitng and inspiring. I especially like the focus on awe and wonder, two of the many virtues we are capable of practicing.

MINDFULNESS is one of the 100 Virtues in a set of Reflection Cards recently published by The Virtues Project, a grass roots initiative sparking a revolution of kindness, integrity, and understanding in more than 85 countries. Our mission is to inspire the practice of virtues in everyday life by helping people of all cultures discover the transformative power of the universal gifts of character. Virtues are the content of our character -- the very purpose of our lives. The virtues help us to remember who we really are and to live our best lives.

The Five Strategies found in all our books, materials and programs bring the virtues to life in personal development, parenting, family life, character education, and the workplace. They are guidelines for building safe and caring communities. We are not affiliated with any organizaton, faith group or political ideology.

Here is our definiton of Mindfulness: Mindfulness is living reflectively, with conscious awareness of our actions, words and thoughts. Awake to the world around us, we fully experience our senses. We are attentive to others' needs. We refuse to rush. Living mindfully lightens our lives by helping us to detach from our emotions. We transform anger to justice. We seek joy instead of mere desire. We cultivate our inner visioin, aware of life's lessons as they unfold. Mindfulness brings us serenity.

I look forward to your future posts.

John Kavelin, Co-Founder
Virtues Project International
Salt Spring Island, B.C. Canada
http://www.virtuesproject.com

]]> By: Alex Weaver http://www.daylightatheism.org/2007/01/be-mindful.html#comment-12530 Alex Weaver Thu, 18 Jan 2007 03:15:00 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2007/01/the-virtues-be-mindful.html#comment-12530 While I generally agree with these sentiments, depending on what you mean by "multitasking" I may or may not disagree on that count. I often find it difficult, but not impossible, to pay attention to multiple things at once--being spoken to while I'm in the middle of reading something, in particular, tends to result in a mental event analogous to "shifting without a clutch"--but have easily passed several classes where I spent a significant amount of the lectures doing personal writing in my notebook, yet managed to absorb as well the information the teacher was attempting to communicate. At work, too, I find that interspersing blogs, IMs, and such with my actual tasks helps me to stay focused and complete even the mind-numbingly dull or gruelling tasks; I would compare it to a "pressure release valve." While I generally agree with these sentiments, depending on what you mean by "multitasking" I may or may not disagree on that count. I often find it difficult, but not impossible, to pay attention to multiple things at once--being spoken to while I'm in the middle of reading something, in particular, tends to result in a mental event analogous to "shifting without a clutch"--but have easily passed several classes where I spent a significant amount of the lectures doing personal writing in my notebook, yet managed to absorb as well the information the teacher was attempting to communicate. At work, too, I find that interspersing blogs, IMs, and such with my actual tasks helps me to stay focused and complete even the mind-numbingly dull or gruelling tasks; I would compare it to a "pressure release valve."

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