BenjiCast! with Ben Vizy

勉志キャスト「６」 

先キャスト「１」

Another week-in review! Looking at my discipline for following my system with regards to Japanese, Creative Projects, Social Relationships, and Night-Time and Morning Routines.

勉志キャスト「４７」

良いニュース「６」

Quarantine

Even if I don’t agree with legally forcing people to stay in their homes, there is a lot to appreciate and be thankful for in this time of Quarantine. That’s the topic of today’s Good News—I hope it brightens your isolation!

勉志キャスト「４６」

勉志話「８」

Doing Nature

For today’s bedtime story, enjoy a tale of sea-faring voyagers, hotel check-ins, red-rock hikes, and lost luggage!

勉志キャスト「４５」

勉志大「８」

It's Lit! 「３４」

Meditations 1: The Nature of the Universe According to Marcus

Though he likely never expected his notebooks to be read by the public, these notes are now what the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius is most known for. This week marks the first discussion of Marcus’ Meditations. These first couple weeks we will be speaking on Marcus’ views on the Universe, and how accepting these truths can bring comfort. See a breakdown of the quotations used below!

SOURCE：Aurelius, Marcus.  Meditations.  Translated by Martin Hammond, Penguin RH, 2006.

“the Whole contains nothing which is not to its benefit.  All organic natures have this in common, but the nature of the universe has this additional attribute, that no external cause can force it to create anything harmful to itself” (95)

“Nothing is so conducive to greatness of mind as the ability to subject each element of our experience in life to methodical and truthful examination, always at the same time using this scrutiny as a means to reflect on the nature of the universe, the contribution any given action or event makes to that nature, the value this has for the Whole, and the value it has for man — and man is an inhabitant of this highest City, of which all other cities are mere households” (21)

“Universe, your harmony is my harmony:  nothing in your good time is too early or too late for me.  Nature, all that your seasons bring is fruit to me:  all that comes from you, exists in you, returns to you.  The poet says, ‘Dear city of Cecrops’: will you not say, ‘Dear city of Zeus’?” (28)

“I have now what // universal nature wishes me to have now, and I do what my own nature wishes me to do now” (42-3)

“to resent anything that happens is to separate oneself in revolt from Nature, which holds in collective // embrace the particular natures of all other things” (14, 15)

“The sun appears to pour itself down, and indeed its light pours in all directions, but the stream does not run out…something similar will be true of the flow and diffusion of the universal mind — not an exhaustible stream but rather a constant radiation” (82)

“it is open to you to rejoin that unity” (77)

“what is dearer or closer to the nature of the Whole than change?” (61)

“All that you see will in a moment be changed by the nature which governs the Whole:  it will create other things out of this material, and then again others out of that, sot hat the world is always young” (62)

“Loss is nothing more than change.  Universal nature delights in change, and all that flows from nature happens for the good” (90)

“The termination of an activity, the pause when an impulse or judgement is finished — this is a sort of death, but no harm in it” (87)

“Man, god, and the universe all bear fruit, each in its own due season” (86)

“make yourself a gift of this present time” (79)

“No obstacle, though, to justices, self-control, and reason” (76)

“All is as thinking makes it so” (14)

“souls are dyed by thoughts” (41)

“First, that things cannot touch the mind:  they are external and inert; anxieties can only come from your internal judgement.  Second, that all these things you see will change almost as you look t them, and then will be no more.  Constantly bring to mind all that you yourself have already seen changed.  The universe is change: life is judgment” (24)

“You have seen that:  now look at this.  Do not trouble yourself, keep yourself simple.  Someone does wrong?  He does wrong to himself.  Has something happened to you? Fine.  All that happens has been fated by the Whole from the beginning and spun for your own destiny.  In sum, life is short:  make your gain from the present moment with right reason and justice.  Keep sober and relaxed” (28)

勉志キャスト「４４」

 計画キャスト「８」

Design 160

It’s another Monday, and that means another ProdCast, where I go over my productivity visualization method for the week. This week contains some new methods as I try to lighten up my own parameters and simply focus on getting as much done as I can while “letting the spirit guide”. This will certainly be a challenge for me, but I’m excited to share my new tactics for keeping myself accountable with a slightly looser system!

勉志キャスト　「４３」

気キャスト　「８」

中孚

It’s the beginning of another week, and in fact, another DECADE in my personal calendar! We’ll be using this time to talk a bit about lesson 61 from the I Ching—中孚, or Inner Truth. In many ways, this is the lesson at the root of all that I’m looking to accomplish—follow your inner truth, and it will lead you to where you are meant to be.

勉志キャスト「６」

先キャスト「１」

It's the end of the week, and the end of a "decade," and what a cliffhanger this week has turned out to be! I look forward to wrapping this week up with you all, and I look forward to see what adventures the 160s bring!

勉志キャスト「４１」

良いニュース「５」

Social Distance

Few people are happy that we get to spend all this time apart, but we ought to be grateful for the current state of the world, where connection, even amidst distance, is more possible than ever!

勉志キャスト「４」

勉志話「１」

You know those days when everyone is told to work from home? What happens when two people show up to the office? Well, in most cases, I think it turns out like this. Enjoy today's Bedtime Story!

勉志キャスト「３９」

勉志大「７」

It's Lit! 「３３」

五輪書 pt. 4

Today at the BenjiDai, we finish our discussion of Miyamoto Musashi’s samurai classic, The Book of Five Rings. Specifically, we will be going over the last three of Musashi’s 9 Rules of the Way: Perceive and know what cannot be seen with the eyes; Pay attention even to trifles; and Do not engage in superfluous activities. As much as I tend to forsake the way in my daily life, I must say, I believe there is deep truth in all these rules, and as we go through them one by one, I’ll give my perspective and do my best to give Musashi’s perspective.