Chapter 45
The old ways.
We honor the old ways We resist the new ways We need to remember There was a time when The old ways were the new ways What is to be done? How do we know Which of the new ways to embrace? Embrace those with the efficacy and veracity To become old ways Commentary As humans, we tend to adhere to established patterns of behavior. In general, this is a good thing. By doing what worked in the past, we can provide ourselves with a bit of safety and stability. But if we overdo it, it may retard progress or even lead to stasis. In extreme cases it can become a pathology that leads one to take up a reactionary position vis-à-vis one’s peers. This reactionary positioning can be seen in many areas. Think of religions where dogma trumps all logic. Or in martial arts where the teachings on one master are regarded as a finality, not subject to modification or improvement. Even science can be locked into outdated paradigms. I am sure the reader can think of many other examples. We must remember that there was a time when the old ways were the new ways. The solution is to approach innovation, whether your own or that of others, as a blank slate; the proverbial empty cup of Zen. Meet it on its own terms. Explore and test. Is this new way effective? Does it seem to lead to a true path? Does it seem like something that, in time, may supplant the old way and itself become the old way? Experimentation and innovation are key to progress in all facets of life. We must respect the past but also build upon it. To do less would dishonor our forebears. Thus, one must be eclectic in their learning but syncretic in their practice.