Human Technology: A Toolkit for Authentic Living

Chapter Excerpt

"We carry a deep wish to create a healthier, happier, and more peaceful society. I believe in the power of this wish. I believe that the people who nurture this wish by the choices and actions that stem from their courageous insights make history.

The most valuable heritage that we can pass on to future generations is the recovery of our humanity so that they can experience a deeper and more meaningful existence. We may not be able to create or control all of the events that impact our lives but we can create and control our responses to everything that we experience. Institutions or specialists cannot answer life�'s most important questions. This is solely the responsibility of the individual, the only being that can be held accountable for one�'s life. The first principle we must understand is our innate healing power. Our role as masters of our bodies is to facilitate and enhance this process. I believe we should try to maximize the natural healing mechanism of the human body when we feel unwell.

Life need not occur as an experience that is happening TO us. It can be an experience that is happening through us. We can place ourselves in charge. In face, we always are in charge. When people are absolutely satisfied with what they have done through their lives, when they are totally sure of the continuity of their existence, then I think they will be more likely to exhale at the moment of death.

The most precious gift we can give our children is to let questions of the purpose of their existence grow naturally in them, and respond to their questions with the wisdom we have gained from our life experiences.

Peace must not be left to government leaders or gurus. It must spring from the brains, hands, and minds of the people."

12 Human Technology Maxims for Authentic Living

1. There is no expert for human experience. Each of us is the specialist of our own lives.
2. Return to your breath and body as tools for your health.
3. Breathe slowly, deeply and lightly, especially when you are upset.
4. Keep a fire in the belly and a cool head.
5. Celebrate your sexuality with purpose and responsibility.
6. Listen for the voice of your soul until you find your passionate life purpose.
7. Embrace suffering and emptiness as the foundation of enlightenment.
8. Live as your soul directs with honesty, integrity, and diligence.
9. Train your body so that change feels better than habit.
10. Smile and be at peace for no reason.
11. Recognize you are what you choose and what you act.
12. When you need an answer, ask your brain.
13. Remember to exhale at the moment of death.