Ask Kokoro

Essential Questions

Personal Questions

How to find dynamic balance in a world that appears so out of balance?

How to stay in continuous dialogue with my Divine Intelligence and apply its wise insights in daily life?

How to create time?

How long do I have to live?

Where will I go after I die?

What will tomorrow bring?

What is the meaning of my life?

Why am I living this life?

For what am I here?

How optimally to align my Mind—i.e. professional experience (specifically intellectual knowledge and expertise based on 40 years of experience treating patients as a psychiatrist with Heart and Hand of effective action)?

How long can I continue to practice (as a physician) and still enjoy what I do?

How to make a meaningful difference to a world that seems caught by lethal dangers and forces beyond our making and control—the Middle East and the release of the Anti-Semitism, Climate Collapse, Nuclear War, AI, US political situation, to name a few—what can each of us usefully do, in our own way, to fend off this looming ineluctable catastrophe that we collectively sense for our planet?

What can I do in the remaining years I have left in this life to leave the world a kinder , more peaceful , happier and healthier place for my children, their children, and future generations?

Political Leader Questions

What legacy do I want to leave behind as a leader, and how can I ensure that my impact is positive and lasting?

How can I measure and amplify the impact of my leadership on the communities, industries, and ecosystems I touch?

What is the long-term vision that guides my leadership, and how does it align with the greater good of humanity and the planet?

How do I balance short-term gains with long-term ethical considerations, ensuring that my decisions uphold integrity and justice?

In what ways can I challenge and overcome the systemic injustices within my sphere of influence?

How can I cultivate resilience within myself and my team to navigate the uncertainties and disruptions of the 21st century?

How to find peaceful compassionate solutions in seemingly intractable urgent problems such as the present war in Gaza, and the volatile Middle East that might rapidly escalate into a larger Regional if not WWIII?

Business Leader Questions

How can I hold myself and others accountable to the highest standards of transparency and ethical behaviour?

What mechanisms can I put in place to ensure that my organization operates with honesty and openness, both internally and externally?

How can I and my organization become more attuned to Risk and handle more effectively and imaginatively in order to avoid fatal and irreversible decisions?

Fatal Decisions. Is this a true “Tragic” (irreconcilable) Choice I am facing here, or a False Choice Masquerading as a Tragic Choice?

Where is the “Innovator's Gold”, the “intertidal area between established areas of my organization's expertise and experience?

How can I inspire and nurture innovation within my organization while staying grounded in ethical principles?

In what ways can I integrate cutting-edge technology and wisdom to address the complex challenges facing my community or industry?

How to hold employees accountable without impairing the relationship?

How to manage the loneliness of being on top?

How can I lead in a way that encourages collaboration across diverse teams, cultures, and sectors?

What strategies can I use to build bridges between different stakeholders, ensuring that all voices are heard and respected?

How can I embed sustainability into the core of my leadership practice, ensuring that my actions support environmental and social well-being?

What role can I play in transforming my organization or community into a model of responsible stewardship?

How can I ensure that my leadership is inclusive, valuing diversity and empowering marginalized voices within my organization and beyond?

What steps can I take to create an environment where each person feels valued and has an opportunity to contribute to collective success?

How can I lead with compassion, understanding the needs and perspectives of those I serve and work with?

Philanthropic Leader Questions

As a community philanthropic foundation what are 10 essential questions we must be asking to advance our goal of delivering measurable breakthroughs in social, environmental, and financial impacts that strongly advance our philanthropic and charitable mission for our community, especially its most vulnerable populations?

What are the most pressing needs of our community, especially among the most vulnerable populations?

Where are the intractable problems where we as a foundation have made little progress and what are the bottlenecks that are crying for innovation?

How can we align our funding priorities with both short-term relief and long-term systemic change?

Where are we not listening or recognizing important opportunities or proposals, because of institutional rigidity, bias, or blindness?

How can we build partnerships with local organizations, government agencies, and businesses to amplify our impact?

What innovative approaches can we adopt to address social, environmental, and financial challenges in our community?

How do we ensure that our initiatives are inclusive and equitable, particularly for marginalized and underserved groups?

What mechanisms do we have in place to gather feedback from the community, and how are we using that feedback to inform our strategies?

How can we leverage data and evidence-based practices to guide our decision-making and improve our impact?

How as a foundation are we ensuring the sustainability of our initiatives, both in terms of financial resources and community engagement?

Community Leader Questions

How can we foster inclusive and diverse participation in our community efforts?

What are the emerging challenges and opportunities that our community faces, and how can we proactively address them?

How can we build and maintain trust within our community, especially in an era of increased polarization and misinformation?

What role does technology play in our community, and how can we harness it to enhance communication, mobilization, and advocacy?

How can we create sustainable and scalable initiatives that address the root causes of social, economic, and environmental issues?

What partnerships and collaborations can we build with other organizations, businesses, and government agencies to amplify our efforts?

How do we measure the success and impact of our initiatives, and how do we use this data to improve our work?

What practical means exist to incorporate wisdom, beauty, and compassion as measurable criteria in our decision making processes?

How can we ensure that our leadership and organizational structures are adaptable and resilient in the face of change?

What strategies can we employ to engage and empower younger generations to take an active role in community leadership?

How can we balance immediate needs with long-term goals in our community planning and actions?

Universal Questions

How can we mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change to ensure a sustainable future for all?

What steps can we take to reduce global inequality and ensure that everyone has access to basic human rights such as food, water, education, and healthcare?

How can we balance technological advancement with ethical considerations, particularly in areas like artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and data privacy?

What can we do to foster global peace and cooperation in an increasingly interconnected yet divided world?

How can we preserve and protect the Earth's biodiversity and ecosystems, which are crucial for life on our planet?

What role does education play in preparing future generations to address global challenges, and how can we ensure that it is accessible to all?

How do we build resilient, inclusive, and sustainable economies that can withstand shocks and serve the needs of all people?

What is our responsibility to future generations, and how can we act today to leave a positive legacy for them?

How can we strengthen global health systems to better prevent, prepare for, and respond to pandemics and other health crises?

How can we cultivate a sense of shared humanity and global citizenship, recognizing that our futures are interconnected?

CHALLENGE ISSUE

RESILIENCE FACTOR

WISDOM SOURCE

Philosophers

Religious and Spiritual Leaders

Literary Figures

Political Leaders

Scientific Figures

Wisdom Literature

Nature and Environment

Modern Thinkers and Business Leaders

  

 


Wisdom Practices

Challenging Separation Practices

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This practice is so easy it is often undervalued. But give it a chance.

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Wisdom flows from a Serene and Quiet Mind. But how can you quiet your Mind?

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A simple practice. It may change your life. It has mine. It is possible. Try this.

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Paying forward actually involves three related forms of connecting. A spiritual and energetic practice.

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A simple practice conceived by Brother David Steindl-Rast, a Benedictine monk

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Creative Reverie is a bridge between ordinary consciousness, the sub- conscious, and our higher consciousness.

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Events that coincide in time and appear meaningfully related, yet lack a discoverable causal connection.

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The simplest of practices: Discover 5 points of Beauty in each day. It is a testament and an expression of gratitude for the gift of life.

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All this requires is to go out into Nature and observe not only with your eyes, but with all your senses; especially with your Heart.

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This is a powerful practice that you can have fun validating for yourself. A basic practice with a variation.

Clearing the Mind Practices

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There are different kinds of listening and attending. In a busy world we tend to listen, partially, casually, with our ears and a mind diverted by many things.

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It is a wonderful balm to step aside from the noise of the world, even for a few moments each day, and allow ourselves the gift of silence.

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Wabi Sabi contrasts with the minimalist approach, defining its unique perspective on objects with an embrace of their imperfections and innate qualities

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To cultivate an active curiosity to doubt when we see that we are obviously suffering in a prison possibly of our own making.

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I find it a useful daily practice not to take myself too seriously.

Physical Resilience Practices

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Whenever possible, even in most improbable conditions, I try to relax completely. How do I let go?

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I have discovered that 5 Short Daily Walks are a powerful wisdom practice that interrupts the habit of long term sitting.

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The Confucian-inspired adage before beginning the meal--hara hachi bu — is a reminder to stop eating when our stomachs are 80 percent full.

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The Resilience ball requires us to focus on this moment, then the next, like slides in a slow motion movie.

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Learning how to self-regulate and enhance Heart Rate Variability can be an enjoyable and fascinating practice.

Energetic Practices

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The purpose of this practice is to align and integrate the power of Qi (in Japanese “ki’) with Unconditional Love.

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The antidote to getting stuck is Flow. A major source of frustration for me, and no doubt millions of others, is the blockage of creative energies.

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This is one of the most powerful Chinese basic energetic practices. I find it an instant way to create synergy with a giant tree.

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Wisdom, Integral Resilience, and Synergy are emergent phenomena, which means they are non-static and part of a larger process.

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You have an source of inner wisdom that is available to you whenever you seek its counsel. It is a natural guide.

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What if it were possible to “step down” the promethean creative energy of the great composers or other musical geniuses from all traditions directly into our cells?

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Trust in your deep and living Connection with the generative energy that affirms the gift of your life.

Resilient Negotiation Practices

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This tool enables you in a few minutes to gauge your physical, emotional, perceptual, spiritual, and relational resilience.

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Seeing the Big Picture is one of the attributes of Big Heart Intelligence. Seeing the Big Picture involves not only engaging your creative imagination.

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The basic rule is that an effective Mission and Purpose is always in the world of the other party. It is not what you want.

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We cannot navigate wisely in the world today without acknowledging The Shadow Game and the Shadow Players.

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The central presumption of the Separation Hypothesis is that we are alone, separate, fragile, and vulnerable. This premise of Mind shows up in our attitude toward what we truly Need in life?

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The Action Log captures on one page the essentials of the Resilient Negotiation system. I urge that you prepare an Action Log in every negotiation that is important to you.

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Every skillful negotiator seeks to understand the “Pain” of the other party. Pain is a source code of human behavior.

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It is one thing to advise “Few Needs”, quite another to embody this precept. A prime manner in which this happens is how we unthinkingly Assume and Expect things.

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Most people fear getting a “No” and that moves them into greater Need. In reality depending on how you negotiate it, a “No” can be your great friend and teacher.

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Another way Need manifests in the unprepared negotiator is the untimely and unnecessary breach of your Integral Resilience Container.

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Conserve your Resilient Negotiator’s Budget (Time (1) x Effort (2) x $$$ (3) x Creativity (4)). Paying special attention to your Negotiator’s Budget.

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Sun Tzu’s dictum, “Know Yourself, Know the Adversary” (i.e. the “Other”) is fundamental, but the great general philosopher doesn’t tell us how to know ourselves and how to know the other player.

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In Homer’s Odyssey Mentor was a close friend of Odysseus, the wisest of the Greeks, whom Odysseus made the teacher and guardian of his son Telemachus, while Odysseus was waging war at Troy.

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This is the famous advice of the Zen Master Bukko to Hojo Tokimune, the young Japanese shikken or regent to the shogun.

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Field Notes is where your Wisdom Practice meets the road. They enable you to track and to measure errors (“falling off”), wins, and recoveries.

Meditative Practices

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Transience is the central question of Buddhism and most other wisdom traditions.

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The classic error that Zen students make at the beginning is to try to “solve” a koan, as if it were some kind of intellectual puzzle.

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Shikantaza is the simplest, in a way the most elegant Zen practice. It means simply sitting.

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Mu is the Ur-Koan, the foundation. This moment is Mu. Everything is Mu. Your and my essential nature is Mu.

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All our concerns, worries, rivalries, fears, hopes, and all else in this rolling world are phantoms. What will put an end to this suffering?

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This koan points us to our essential nature as the denominator in Yamada-Roshi’s formula. The key is to experience directly your essential nature.

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Dizang asked Fayan, "Where are you going?"…

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A monk asked Haryô, "What is the sharpest sword?"

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The teacher said to the gathering, “If you get it the first time you hear it, you will teach the buddhas and ancestors.

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Lingyun was wandering in the mountains and became lost in his wandering. He rounded a bend and saw peach blossoms on the other side of the valley.

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Tôzan was unwell. A monk asked, “Your Reverence is unwell. Is there anyone who does not become ill?”

Wisdom Multiplier Practices

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The quest for wisdom needn't be a solitary adventure. It is also a social enterprise you can enjoy in groups, teams, and entire communities.

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How many people does I take to turn the tiller of our troubled world toward the light? Might a single act of kindness or generosity alter the course of a human life?