Monday 26 July 2021

730 things — Day 127 of 365

I just found a new video by Jon Jandai. 



I think this man is so wise. I loved his TED talk, Life is easy

Please permit me to ask something of you. If you watch the video above, and a script starts up in your head, along the lines of: 
"That's all very well, but in our country you can't just go and build a house, you have to have money to buy the land and then you need planning permission which you have to pay for, and they won't let you live in any old shelter, you need proper building materials to create something compliant with building regulations, and besides that in our country it gets cold and rains a lot so a shelter made of branches wouldn't cut it, you'd need central heating, and building codes mean you have to be hooked up to mains sewage and pay water charges, and some of us live in high rise flats and aren't lucky enough to have a garden. It's all very well for him — " 
— would you indulge me? Could I be so bold as to ask you to put that script on pause?

Nothing proceeds fuelled by objections. Arguments just keep people trapped where they are. "It's all right for you lot . . ." was never a recipe for achievement.

If you watch the video, I respectfully request of you that you listen to him and learn from him. Don't argue with him, allow him to reframe your outlook. At the very least, be open to considering what he's saying. Better still, apply it in at least one small area of your life, your day, your approach. 

What he's proposing is a kind of magic. I recommend it. By all means pronounce it useless, but only after you've tried it for a decade or two.




Leaving my house today (I know this is not very impressive, but still), two packets of everything you need to attach the bookcase you are making to a wall so it won't fall over. If that's what you want to do. Clearly we didn't. My guess is we contented ourselves with our usual solution of wedging little wads of cardboard under the two front corners, and then discouraging our children from attempting to scale bookcases as if they were the north face of the Eiger.




4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow, thanks Pen. He is so wise and it’s been great discovering that he’s created more talks and videos lately. On the back of this, I also watched him talking about Noah’s ark and how it’s message is just as applicable today as it’s ever been. Build an ark - build your home and gather - this will save you from the flood of greed and consumerism he says. Do what you can to be self sufficient. His talks often apply metaphorically I think, and while we can’t do everything anyone suggests at any given time, we can act on some of them and his suggestions seem so wholesome and wise. Love it, thank you.
Deb x

Pen Wilcock said...

Yes! For ages he had just a couple of things, now he's done so many, which I really appreciate.

I agree with what you say — "while we can’t do everything anyone suggests at any given time, we can act on some of them". For me, the great value in attending to the life and thinking of so wise a man is that it sends my own thinking down an inspired and constructive track. Unlike the political thinking of our time, which feels like a constant haemorrhage of blame and complaint and discontent, he encourages us with practical spirituality that will make a difference.

Anonymous said...

Yes, and isn’t it ironic how such a benevolent and intelligent man would never ride rough-shod over anyone else to gain political power. Such a shame that to be heard you have to shout the loudest. I’ve so enjoyed the green renaissance talks too - such gentle and inspiring folk who allow such different thinking to the mainstream culture we’re constantly subjected to - very comforting and refreshing I would say x

Pen Wilcock said...

Yes — I am so grateful the internet has brought us these comforting and inspiring things — rays of sun. x