Author’s note: If you are new to my blog and are interested in reading the 23.xx series, please first read the 23.01 through 23.09 in order to best get the idea of what I am attempting to communicate. They are built like chapters in a book, one building on the previous one. Consider the points made in each article to help you understand where I am coming from in hopes I can make a connection with you on your spiritual journey.
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A quest that has plagued me through most of my life has been “seeking a worthy master”.
That inspired phrase came to me through English subtitles when I watched the epic “Romance of the Three Kingdoms”, a set of famous stories about a period of ancient Chinese history circa 160-220 A.D. The production was composed in a 60 DVD set which my wife and I binged on late nights when we were a young married couple without children.
In the legendary stories was a recurring theme of warriors, courageous and valored men of war, seeking leadership from those who they deemed virtuous enough to be called “Lord”, a leader who was worthy of their loyalty in the martial life and death struggles common in those violent years among the warring kingdoms.
It is from these historical accounts that some of the most respected characters from ancient Chinese history and folklore emerged, the likes of Guan Gung, the fierce, courageous, principled, and red-faced general whose use the heavy long poled “yanyuedao” (reclining moon blade) popularized the adoption of the name “Guan Dao” (Guan blade) for the ancient weapon. Especially renown is the legendary prime minister Kongming aka ZhuGe Liang, the masterful statesman and military strategist who excelled in application of the art of war, Bagua feng-shui, public discourse, understanding of human nature, and servant-leadership.
Whether leadership models were from this crash course in ancient culture from my Chinese heritage, my native American or Western Culture, my military service, industry/business leaders, managers and coaches, or professional colleagues, one of the underlying sufferings of my life has been to find those leaders who inspired devoted service through work or study. I’ve tended to be a bit of an idealist, since I was a youth, and without knowing, tended to place many of those I looked up to on a pedestal.
There’s a problem with placing a leader, even successful, popular, and legendary ones, on a pedestal – one tends to expect more out of a leader than he is humanly capable of which ultimately leads to some form of disappointment, no fault of their own.
This is not to mean that many of the people I looked up to as leaders were bad people, on the contrary. Some of them were or are excellent leaders or teachers by professional metrics, few I have the privilege to refer to as a friend or an acquaintance; nevertheless, something inside me caused me to long for something that was unattainable, leaving for me to rediscover an undeniable emptiness within me.
What I have discovered to be crucial? I came to realize I’ve neglected the one who deserved my devoted service and could fulfill the position of a worthy master, with whom, every relationship is re-established in clearer perspective.
I will write next week on my Ignorance, veils of which accompany periods of life until the occurrence of enlightening experiences.
CKY
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