Cooking Lentils, Social Movements, and Leadership

I've recently made lentils a major staple of my diet.  I eat them daily, along with rice, in something like a salad.  They are cheap, highly nutritious, tasty, and most importantly, easy to make

The lentil production/cooking process is rather simple.  First, you get an idea of just how much you want to make (usually about 2 cups worth lasts me the week).  Second, you sort out the lentils, making sure there are no rocks or seriously decayed pieces.  Then, you add about 3-4 times the water of the amount of lentils, and apply heat until a boil.  From there, you allow a slow simmer for 20 minutes or so, turn off heat, let sit for about 10 minutes, and you are done!

I did it yesterday with an open top, mostly because my pot is small and the lentils+water pretty much fill the whole thing.  In contrast to the previous times I've cooked, I observed intently this time.  I watched through the whole boiling process

What I could see could be observed with beans and the cooking of other legumes, but as I began to move beyond just seeing and actually began reading, I found insight.  As a student and desired leader in social movements

Slowly but surely, as the heat increases, lentil by lentil will rise to the top.  I thought about this in the context of movement:  as oppression increases, as injustices begin to accelerate, there will always be leaders that first come to the top, that first speak out amidst the intense, sweltering heat

As things get hotter, we see more and more lentils rising.  The crackling boil is something they can take no more.  They begin rising faster and faster, with greater quantity each passing moment.  At this
point, the social ill has become so intense and become ubiquitous to so many that they've no choice but to join in

Lentils coming to a boil.  Where do they go from here?

Eventually, as the heat reaches its apex, the lentils will begin to fall out of the pot.  The water will also explode out, temporarily fighting the flame.  However, the flame is still at the same capacity; it has been injured but not crippled; it has lost a battle but not a war

The flame comes back and maintains.  Meanwhile, the lentils have suffered great attrition, falling out of the pot to be burnt by the flame or left at the side of the road to ruin

What was once a harmonious dancing of lentils at the top of the pot, a certain kind of kinetic power and unity, is now gone.  The grand expectations that the lentils had when they rose has now receded or will soon die out when they "fall out".  The lentils still left in the pot literally get burnt:  they are completely sapped of energy or just anesthetized to their suffering, barely able to move

I have seen this in my own experience with movement building and organizing.  I'll take police brutality work in Cleveland, for example (this is not a definitive analysis but just a working one, and I am not immune from any of this critique):

• Black Lives Matter and the work in Ferguson expose what had been festering to decades to a much larger audience.  In Cleveland, this meant many marches and solidarity efforts during the Summer of 2014.  The boil is about halfway there
• Tamir Rice and Tenisha Anderson are both killed in a very short span.  This follows the 137 shots and a number of other cases of brutality.   It is the last straw.  We are nearly at full boil
• A number of groups mobilize almost immediately and swiftly, beginning to demonstrate.  They are what we could call those first lentils.  As others begin to see just how exigent the situation is and how necessary there action will be, they join in.  There is serious harmony, with some groups working around the clock as a loving community.  They are the following lentils
• There are city hall protests, a shutdown of streets and highways, and some shifts in discourse from public officials.  The Justice Department drops a scathing critique of the Cleveland Police Department and the City of Cleveland enters into Consent Decree.  The water begins being pushed out of the pot and hitting the flame
• At the same time, group dissension, burnout, and lack of strategic focus prevail and are major inhibiting factors.  City Council goes home for the winter break.  A number of concerns outside of initial demands also begin entering the debate.  Many lentils begin falling out or being pushed to the side of the pot
• The City enters a Consent Decree that leave many bitter, disappointed, and unsatisfied.  It lacks many crucial accountability measures.  Many either take time away from activism as a whole or find their solace in other issues i.e. the 2016 Presidential election (Presidential elections often being the ultimate lentil pot!)

Burnout amidst all the stress and heat

Speaking of Presidential elections, another example of this would be the Obama campaign(s).  In 2008, President Obama was the leader lentil, responding to the heat of 2 wars, massive deficits, growing inequality, and the prevalent notion that something different was needed in Washington.  He was charismatic, attractive, and resonant like few candidates have ever been

Obama generated volunteers and small donors like few had ever done before.  Obama for America had a massive canvassing team, massive data, and the energy to making things happen.  However, after the election, much of that was tempered and that reserve of people was not utilized to continue making changed.  We foisted our hopes with a leader and not completely in ourselves.  The lentils came crashing out after they thought the election heat was over

I often leave with questions.  Part of my journey and struggle is becoming a more loving, empathetic, and adaptive leader.  The reality is that the harmony of the lentils is often short-lived because we put too much emphasis on a few leaders, because we don't realize how strong the flame is and properly analyze how it's been able to maintain heat since time immemorial, because we tend to begin rising with great passion that we just don't know how to sustain or passion that inhibits collected vision and strategy

Given this,  how do we

1. Sustain passions at the initial level or crescendo them as time goes on?  
2. Build organizations that are dependent on leadership but not necessarily leaders?
3. Best understand what the "powers that be" do that makes them so strong for so long?
4. Keep lentils from crashing and burning?
5. Get people to think as visionaries and as long-term as possible?

Try to be as practical as possible.  I'd love to see your answers.  It will be immensely important to my learning!

Onwards, 

D

The Exigence of Journey and Why We So Often Fall Short

Hey everyone!

I hope you enjoyed my last post.  I know that it was a repeat from something I had shared before but I felt it was necessary to really establish the rationale for what I am doing with this blog.   I promise that this will almost exclusively be new content (I won't even be able to draw from Facebook now that it will be deactivated :)).  Given that, I make a somewhat nebulous reference to this "Ashram" that I will be heading to at the end of March (March 29th flight date, to be exact)

In many conversations I've had with people asking about what I'm doing, I've had eyes roll.  I've had people respond with the perfunctory "yea", "mhmms" , and "sounds cool."  The problem, I've come to realize, is that most don't even know what an ashram is!

What is this dude even talking about?!

Let me take this post to explain exactly what an ashram is, why I have decided to do it, and how it fits in with the greater journey towards self-optimization.  Maybe you'll want to do just the same yourself sometime soon!

On March 29th at 9 a.m., my flight will leave to Nassau, Bahamas for the Sivanada Ashram.  This will come after months of planning, setbacks and struggles.  My initial plan was to leave at the end of December 2015 but financial setbacks, lack of capacity at the ashram, and injuries prevented me from doing so.  Now, everything is in place smoothly!

Once that flight lands, I'll take a taxi to the Sivanada boat dock and will take a ferry to Paradise Island!  The name is no misnomer:  Paradise Island is a wonderfully beautiful, majestic place, one perfect for an intense spiritual journey.  A number of legendary films have used Paradise to shoot, including 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, The Beatles' film Help!, Flipper, The Silence of the Lambs, 2 Pirates of the Caribbean Films, and 4 Bond Films (Thunderball, The Spy Who Love Me, Never Say Never Again, and Casino Royale)!

I could hold a headstand for years in a place like this!

The waters are so pristine and blue that they can be seen from outer space! Water temperatures average around 80 degrees year round and the weather is similarly warm.   Visitors also get to see the March of the Flamingos 3 times a day.  Numerous restaurants serving traditional Bahamian cuisine (Conch, anyone?) are also to be found

Who could get jet lag or homesickness coming to a place like this?

The reality is that I will get to spend little time around Paradise.  I'm not worried about this because that is what studying at an Ashram entails.  Being at Sivanada will mean a massive investment of my time and energy but that is what I currently need.  Before we get to what the takeaways and exigence of something like an ashram is, let's talk a little bit more about Sivanada

The Sivanada Ashram Yoga Retreat Bahamas is part of the worldwide collection Sivanada Yoga Vedanta Centres, founded for their namesake, Swami Sivanada, one of the 20th century's greatest Yoga masters.  Sivanada authored more than 200 books on Yoga and in 1957 sent his great disciple Swami Vishnudevananda to the West.  There are now more than 20 Yoga Centres and 9 ashrams worldwide.  The practice of Sivanada Yoga emphasizes pranayama (proper breathing), asana (yogic movement and exercise), savanna (relaxation), a vegetarian diet, and positive thinking and meditation (vedanta and dhyana) 

Two lacto-vegetarian buffet meals are served daily at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., in line with the Yogic philosophy, along with a selection of brewed herbal tea.   For people in the 3 month Karma Yoga Immersion Program like myself, these meals are free of charge.  From the end of October until the beginning of July, residents pitch an 8x8 tent on the beach, where they make residence; during the rest of the year, dorms are provided

The daily schedule, as mentioned above, is rigorous.  It looks something like this and is followed 7 days a week:

6:00 am	Satsang: meditation, chanting, and lecture or Silent Walk
8:00 am	Yoga Class (asana,  pranayama, and relaxation)
10:00 am	Brunch (10-11) and Selfless Service (5 hours of work around the Ashram)
4:00 pm	Yoga Class (asana, pranayama, and relaxation)
6:00 pm	Dinner (6-approximately 7) and personal time (approximately 7-8)
8:00 pm	Satsang: meditation, chanting, and a talk or performance Bedtime/lights out is at approximately 10 p.m. and residents are to wake up at approximately 5:30 a.m.  Work at the ashram includes marketing/promotion, maintenance, gardening, kitchen help, reception/reservations, and many more.  Residents are placed based upon interest and needs of the Ashram. This is all free of charge, provided I stay for three months and follow the rules of the Ashram!  All I needed to buy was a plane ticket, medical travel insurance, and the usual toiletries! The reality is that much of the day is given to learning yoga and finding self.  This is not a "vacation" in the traditional sense.  It is even more worthwhile because the skills, qualities, and true yearning for self-knowledge is something that could not be accomplished on a traditional vacation Why the Ashram? You may wonder why someone would be so anxious to go to something like an ashram.  Why not just head back to graduate school/law school, as I was a successful student?  Why not just look for a better job or enroll in a couple of professional development courses to advance requisite skills in the job market?  Why not just wait?  What's wrong with where I was at? The whole initiative for this journey actually came from a good friend of mine.  For quite some time, we had been meeting up and discussing life over Hookah.  Both of us being recent college graduates still struggling to find enriching employment and meaningful living, the conversations would typically focus on both what we lacked (endogenous) and how Cleveland (exogenous) was inhibiting us I could see patterns developing that were very startling.  I am every bit the "self-starter" that employers look for, teeming with ideas and ways to synthesize them.  However, once started, many of these ideas and projects would find themselves laid empty on the table and never cooked.  I would quickly lose focus, discipline, and drive to turn these ideas into fruition At the same time, I was developing in many important ways.  My creative abilities really crystallized--- I found myself with an endless supply of creative ideas, thoughts, writings, etc.  This was very much embodied in my personal style--- often what seemed ostentatious but really the presentation of someone with a lot of moving parts People have told me they've never met someone so passionate, so full of energy.  I've met relative strangers who have said they believe in me.  I found people appreciating my poetry and often heard things like "Hey, that sounds like our next mayor."  Jokes aside, the creative process really began to liberate me as an individual.  The next step was to optimize as an individual The other, exogenous, part of the spark was Cleveland.  My friend and I both established that this was largely not a place where we could currently grow to our peaks.  We established that while Cleveland and Northeast Ohio may be great place to raise a family or settle down, they are not as conducive to young people seeking to do great things Despite what is often trumpeted as a comeback city--- a Republican National Convention, return of LeBron James, new casino and medical mart, and growth of downtown--- we could both see that much of this was empty.  The reality was that poverty was manifest, institutions of higher education left much to be desired, crime and despair prevalent, and the social/night life mostly nonexistent and dead.  I could ride down my street any given day of the week at any given time and not expect to see much.  While I love where I live, the reality is that it is a food desert with high rates of poverty, a paucity of food (call it a food dessert, if you will), the reality is that this is much more the norm for Cleveland than Downtown I traveled to New York City and Philadelphia.  I could see what cities stewing with energy and wonder would look like and how I could impact them.  They are ultimately much more up to my speed than Cleveland is.  But if I could find some contentment in Cleveland, why not continue moving on the road to happiness? My friend and I first established that we wanted to attend the Zen Mountain Monastery in the Catskill Mountains, New York.  After a bit more research, we would find Sivanada Bahamas and realize that Zen was too costly, too short, and not involving enough Yogic movement.  Sivanada was where it had to happen I expect this trip to be difficult at times.  I expect to experience ineffable joy and amazement.  I expect to come away a completely changed and more realized person; I was also encouraged by the fact that the recently deceased David Bowie and Steve Jobs, two people I admire, spent long stays at ashrams, along with a litany of others What might that change and realization look like?  Specifically, I'd like to come away with the following: Intense focus and concentration.  As described above, this is a very necessary ingredient to match with my passion and intellect A certain otherworldly expression of love and loving.  In many ways, I am a product of a lot of trauma and stress.  A significant amount of my (close) family are drug addicts or have had serious drug problems.  I am the product of a single-parent household.  Sometimes I haven't loved myself as much as I ought to.  And I've always thought that if someone would have shown more love to those folks in my family like my mother and sister to me, things just may have been different.  As I've studied movements of non-violence in the last year, I know it has the ability to transcend and take the world A calmness and tranquility.  This goes hand-in-hand with the last one but it's an ability to be deeply immersed in the moment without being tethered to it.  To not let momentary stresses and struggles drag on for hours and days.  It's a certain fluidity! Resolution.  I tend to have many passions, many different interests.  And while this gives me a certain contextual way to see things, it often prevents me from narrowing to where I can be most affective.  As I cast a line and peer into myself, I'll have a much better idea of what I ultimately will be Discipline.  You can see the schedule above.  I can be very frenetic in my goals and activities.  No more of that.  When I leave this ashram, my discipline will be much closer to concrete than the glass it is now Hopefully, that conveys a strong idea of why I am going and what I need it for. There will be more expository information in the time that follows us.  Now it is time for me to question you! Why Don't We Journey? The Hajj:  An Islamic pilgrimage and one of religion's greatest spiritual journeys Given all that we know about journeys like the one I just describe; that, while imperfect and not always leading to greatness, are often catalysts to great change, why don't more people make them?  We know the greats who have done them.  We know they reduce stress, they expand creativity, they are often great for physical health, and they form permanent memories.  We know they often leave us in earth-shattering states of joy, providing us with the tools and means to better love the world.  We know they make our work more meaningful and purposeful What I don't know is why so many say no.  Are they so invested in their overloaded lives, often dead-end and underpaid jobs, and rote environments?  Do they not desire to be more holistic people? I understand that there are many obstacles to journeys like these and I speak from a point of privilege:  I'm young and in good physical condition.  I have no children and no obligations to ill parents.  I don't have careers or employers exactly chasing me down.  I'm an educated person and hence my chances of even knowing about something like this are far greater than someone who was never able to attend college.  I'm lucky to have had family and friends that have been surprisingly supportive in this decision.  I do have a job and the capacity to make enough income to finance this, no matter how minor the costs  I'm grateful for all of that.  Just to have that is much more than a substantial amount of the world.  But when faced with these things, so many people will just stare blindly and say "no".  They don't care about the low cost or the immense benefits.  They would rather do the traditional vacation of getting drunk, laying at a beach, seeing a few landmarks (but not truly seeing or reading them), rinsing and repeating.  The would rather be in their insular worlds (and I refuse to say comfortable because where they are at right now is causing them exponentially more discomfort than something like an ashram would) and never venture out too far or with too much uncertainty.  They put it off until they get older, when their brains will already be ossified and the yearning for a growth that can touch a long life that much more diminished When confronted with uncertainty, the best way to move forward is to leave questions.  I ask all of you, How do we, as leaders, inspire people to journeys like these?  How do we show the most beaten to be the most brazen?  How do we lovingly encourage the most confused of us to understand that there are other possibilities, other dimensions, not within our daily dichotomies? And how do we, collectively, bring our journeys to others who can not go so far and infuse it within their own spirit?

Farewellcome!

Family, Friends, Interested Readers,

Welcome!  Or should I say Farewell?  Most of you have found yourselves migrating here from Facebook, and this is where we can now engage.  I want to take this first post to say thank you for caring, for loving, for seeing potential even when the light may have been dim.  You bequeath me immense gratitude, and this is here for me to share in growth with you

Since this is the intro piece, I'd like to share my recent Facebook post detailing why I'd be deactivating my page, so that you can get an idea of why I'm launching this blog and the growth I've undergone to get here

After the jump, I'll outline what I expect this blog to look like, things you call can expect to look out for, and ways that we can stay consistently engaged.  But first, the why:

"I've grown and made a lot of major changes these last few months. I've realized that time only slips away and that I got too much to offer to sit around and atrophy. I get up at 5 every morning, meditate, usually workout, read extensively, have enrolled in a few MOOCS, am readying to head to an ashram for at least 3 months, and just generally looking to build up skills and set goals high while developing a fastidious discipline

I feel great! I have more energy, I'm more productive, I'm in much better shape and adding muscle/weight, I'm calmer and more relaxed. Attachments mean a lot less to me now; I'm not chasing women anymore. I've said that my ambitions are to be POTUS one day and that means very hard work every day.  There is no waiting

With that said, the next logical step for me is to step off of here (Facebook) for a while. It engulfs a massive amount of my time. I'm largely not happy or inspired by what I see and the information quality is pretty low. I spend endless time in often silly conversations

I've come to the realization that social media is at best a way to AMPLIFY an audience/network you've already built up. I've failed to do that on a genuine level, hence the fact that my posts get little reaction no matter how original the content, how strong the writing quality, or even the shock value. You can be the greatest speaker in the world, but Obama didn't become President just because he was a genius behind the mic. He knew how to get people invested in him and then once he got them in, he inspired

I hope my posts and writing have been inspiring. I hope you have been nudged to think a bit differently than what would have been typical. I hope i've made you smile, cry, and laugh at many points. I hope there have been times where we've shared experiences, no matter the age or how different we may be. I sincerely thank all of you who have provided words of encouragement when I thought I was in my own world

I almost came to use Facebook as a sort of unvarnished stream-of-consciousness; a Twitter with teeth and fleshed out ideas. This is STILL the power of Facebook--- it is the first PERSONAL history book, and I hope more people will truly see that magical element and run with it, rather than the detritus we currently see

This "social" deactivation will also apply to my real social life. At the end of the month, I commit to not going out, not kicking with friends, etc. I'm only out for work, a workout, or opportunities to make legitimate money. I had just stretched myself for a while while circling aimlessly; this is my time to develop focus, purpose, and study like a demon. Time will be spent on physical, spiritual, artistic, and intellectual development. Please no texts or calls unless it is urgent or you just miss me that much!

A number of greats have rhapsodized about the need for productive solitude and monotony. This will be a time to sit with myself and face myself until I know I am once again ready.  Until I know I'm Derek and not Derelict

I'll document my time at this Ashram to the best of my ability (with the whole hour I have free every day). I'll get an HQ camera and use pictures that I can write to. I'm a good raconteur to begin with and I will be meeting some of the most fascinating characters the world has to offer. There will be ample to share!

This is truly an "it's not you, it's me" moment. It's an act of love: I love how much how many of you have loved me. I've matured enough to admit I've failed all of you in many ways: lack of patience, an often callous indifference to other's problems, my own work ethic and misguided focus, too much focus on me, myself and I (probably too much of that in this letter). I promise I can do more and that I will do more and that I won't waste what y'all have invested in so many times!

Expect a message similar to this with ways to contact me, my address at the Ashram, etc. etc. I'll probably shut this down in 1-2 weeks and may not return until the end of July. By then, I can change back to Derek

With Love,

D"

Heartfelt, I know.  If that doesn't explain the rationale for my change enough, we can talk about that more, or perhaps it can be an evolving writing topic.  Now, beyond the sentimentality!   Why come here and invest your valuable time with me?  Why here instead of elsewhere?  What can you plan on seeing?

To answer that, let's split it into three categories:  Guarantees, You-and-Me's, and Possibilities.  Let's start with the Guarantees

Guarantees

Guarantees are the things that I absolutely commit to upon launching this blog.  They are the indelible qualities, things that are a matter of routine.  They will be here.  I can guarantee, for now:

• There will be a daily post.  It can be something as small as a short quote.  It could be a poem or short story.  It could be a longer form essay.  I'll also have pictures and videos.  In that sense, it will look similar to my Facebook, but more involved
• There will be context.  I'll make sure that I introduce what I'm talking about, which will typically mean a story about whatever incited my post.  That way, you'll get a deeper, fuller glimpse into what I'm perceiving
• If I post a photo, link, video, etc., it will always have accompanying text.  I won't just drop things on you without leading you in!
• I'll keep you updated!  If you know me, you know that I am very vulnerable and self-aware.  There isn't much that I won't share, especially if I think the story can also help elucidate other people's experience
• If you want to know more, just ask!  Which leads to......

You-And-Me's

You-And-Me's are essentially the rules of engagement.  They are what I need from you to make the best of me and to give the most back.  They are how we make this experience good for everyone!

• Constant feedback. Comments are most preferred and welcome!
• Take my requests seriously:  I will ask for many things from y'all.  Some will be very small and simple.  Some may be a bit higher order.  Others may require direct interaction between us.  Here are some examples:
• Words of the day:  I ask you for new words to learn and force myself to either write a piece on them or use them in the piece
• Essay topics:  I may ask you to send me a stimulating news article, picture, story, sensation, etc.  One day, I may ask for your favorite philosophical quote; on others I may simply ask you to share one thing new you saw during the day
• Special day requests:  I.e. on my birthday, sending me a book, or on President's day, informing me about the greatest U.S. speech I've never heard.  These will obviously come with those special days
• Like I said above, it is crucial that you ask me questions!  This could turn into regular posts (Sorry, advice columns leave people more confused), question-and-answers, or the simple 1-1 engagement
• Read my entire posts.  Some may be long, many will undoubtedly be short.  To be fair to one another, we need to make sure we are interfacing with the same content.  If you don't read everything, I probably won't get the best feedback from you, and my writing may stay too long.  Let's not let the vicious cycle happen!
• Encouragement and inspiration.  I wouldn't want you to be reading my blog if I didn't think I could inspire you, and vice-versa!  So please, never be afraid to share with me or even ask me to delve into a topic!

Possibilities

This is what you can expect as I grow.  They are the things I'm aspiring toward but not at just yet.  Keep them in your back pocket, because they may be cashed in one day

• Patents and entrepreneurial insights/business travails
• More pictures:  currently, all I have is a very low megapixel camera.  As said above, I do plan on upgrading and learning the craft, but right now the quality may be rather remedial
• Longer publishing:  things like books, more scholarly essays, speeches, and pieces of art.  This will come as time goes
• Migrating the blog to a bigger, sexier website.  This site is essentially a test run.  I will have limited access in a month and I want to see what traction this can get in a limited amount of time before I go on to purchase mostly web host services.  I'm learning here but expecting to move on to more

Ok, that ain't everything, but it should be a solid image of what I'm looking to do with this.  There is no particular one purpose, and my versatility will ensure that this will be an enriching experience, or at least an eccentric one!

I'm looking forward to reading, writing, exploring, and inspiring with all of you!

Onward,

D