Benevolence
Confucism or Taoism?
Confucism or Taoism?
This week I thought I would ponder the word and concept of Benevolence. Little did I realize just how much thought could be spent on self analysis on this one word. It is such and important word and philosophy that Silent River has it in it's charitable name, Silent River Benevolent Foundation. Why? What makes this word that important?
Let's start with the word itself.
Benevolence, simply put, is one's responsibility to others. Sounds simple right? Not until you try to apply it to yourself and your daily action and thoughts. What are your responsibilities to others? The more you think about that, the deeper your understanding of yourself will be. Even trying to write this Blog has sent my mind all over the place just trying to put this into words, so to simplify it for me, I am going to list some of my personal responsibilities to others in my life.
Family
By far the most emotional one for me. I love my family and I try everyday to express that love through my actions and deeds. I feel it is my responsibility to provide for their health and safety, to be supportive of their choices, but to also voice my opinion if I think these might have negative effects on them. To encourage without pressure, to love without condition, to be a good dad, husband, son, uncle, grandfather etc.This one could go on and on but you get the idea.
Work
Fairly simple, right? Show up on time, put in a full days work, do my best to do my job to the fullest of my abilities. Use my decades of knowledge in my field to do my work as efficiently as possible. Pretty basic right, or so I thought. So much more I could be doing, now that I think of it, but I'll cut this on short.
Myself
I didn't realize that my responsibility to others must also include a certain level of responsibility to myself. If I am not kind to myself, how can I be kind to others? If I am not responsible for my own actions, ideas and thoughts, how can I expect to have responsibility to other peoples actions, ideas or thoughts? This is one that I think I really need to dig deeper on, a work in progress. Time to explore "Me" a little deeper.
Kung Fu
I kind of hope I am opening a can of worms here. I hope this will cause at least one person to explore the idea of Benevolence a little deeper. Master Brinker and the Benevolent Foundation have laid out an amazing path for us to follow, a "Foundation" if you will ( maybe that is why it is in the name?). Our charities are there for a reason. As martial artists, we must think beyond ourselves. We must give to those who need, because it is necessary, not for self gratification, not to make you feel better about yourself. So fellow students of Silent River, I will endeavor to do the right thing for the right reason from this point forward, will you?
Let's start with the word itself.
Benevolence, simply put, is one's responsibility to others. Sounds simple right? Not until you try to apply it to yourself and your daily action and thoughts. What are your responsibilities to others? The more you think about that, the deeper your understanding of yourself will be. Even trying to write this Blog has sent my mind all over the place just trying to put this into words, so to simplify it for me, I am going to list some of my personal responsibilities to others in my life.
Family
By far the most emotional one for me. I love my family and I try everyday to express that love through my actions and deeds. I feel it is my responsibility to provide for their health and safety, to be supportive of their choices, but to also voice my opinion if I think these might have negative effects on them. To encourage without pressure, to love without condition, to be a good dad, husband, son, uncle, grandfather etc.This one could go on and on but you get the idea.
Work
Fairly simple, right? Show up on time, put in a full days work, do my best to do my job to the fullest of my abilities. Use my decades of knowledge in my field to do my work as efficiently as possible. Pretty basic right, or so I thought. So much more I could be doing, now that I think of it, but I'll cut this on short.
Myself
I didn't realize that my responsibility to others must also include a certain level of responsibility to myself. If I am not kind to myself, how can I be kind to others? If I am not responsible for my own actions, ideas and thoughts, how can I expect to have responsibility to other peoples actions, ideas or thoughts? This is one that I think I really need to dig deeper on, a work in progress. Time to explore "Me" a little deeper.
Kung Fu
I kind of hope I am opening a can of worms here. I hope this will cause at least one person to explore the idea of Benevolence a little deeper. Master Brinker and the Benevolent Foundation have laid out an amazing path for us to follow, a "Foundation" if you will ( maybe that is why it is in the name?). Our charities are there for a reason. As martial artists, we must think beyond ourselves. We must give to those who need, because it is necessary, not for self gratification, not to make you feel better about yourself. So fellow students of Silent River, I will endeavor to do the right thing for the right reason from this point forward, will you?
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