Today it is exactly 10 years ago that I woke up early in the morning with the idea to write a book. In the following months the Gamma symbol came into being. Since that time I celebrate this day with sunflower seeds while I try to set some good resolutions for the New Year.

A new cycle begins…

It is not a joke. April 1 is the main day to celebrate the Gamma Tao and always a perfect occasion for me to go on a pilgrimage to places that have some historical relevance to its philosophy.

In previous years on this day I have visited Delphi and Rome. Now Europe is open for travel again, I am on a trip through Andalusia in Spain. I am particularly interested in the period Andalusia was an important intellectual centre where Islamic, Jewish and Christian thinkers shared their knowledge of ancient philosophy next to the wisdom of their own traditions.

This year, however, the celebration of Gamma Day is overshadowed by the war in Ukraine. The brutal invasion of the Russian army has shocked people around the world.

The Gamma Tao is only a philosophical compass for a personal way of life. It is not organized and will never become an institution. Therefore this website is not a platform for political statements. Until now I did my best not to include my own worldly opinions in this personal blogging section.

The whole idea of the Gamma Tao is that with the help of its principles everyone of good will be able to determine his or her own course of life.

Still, if we apply the principles of the Gamma Tao to the war in the Ukraine it is clear to which side the sympathy should go. The present behavior of Russian regime is totally out of proportion and showing a complete lack of compassion for the lives of a brother people.

And finally there is also the sunflower, a beautiful symbol that both the Ukraine and the Gamma Tao share.

The Russian attempt to conquer Ukrainian territory seems to be inspired by an outdated imperialist interpretation of history. Ideas of past greatness are potentially dangerous and anachronistic myths.

During my pilgrimage through Andalusia I will explore the historical myth of the Convivencia, the idea that Islamic Andalusia marked a tolerant age of diversity and cultural flourishing.

Historical myths are always simplifications. They do not take into account that human history is complex and multifaceted. The reality of Andalusia was certainly not so harmonious as the idea of Convivencia suggests.

On the other hand, as a grand idea for our modern interconnected world Convivencia seems to me a much more useful myth than romantic nineteenth century-style imperialism.

Let’s hope that peaceful coexistence (or the Soviet term: Мирное сосуществование) will soon prevail.

Happy Gamma Day!

Today is the time for planting seeds of good intentions.

Next month I plan to visit the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Toronto. The Parliament is a huge forum for interfaith dialogue with a history that goes back to 1893. I am looking forward to find inspiration and meet people from as many different wisdom traditions as possible.

To be clear, I will be there as a private visitor. Even though the main objectives of the Parliament of the World’s Religions coincide perfectly with the spirit of the Gamma Tao, I will not participate actively in one of its many interesting sessions.

I will represent the Gamma Tao in a humble, very discrete manner and with deep respect towards all the other major traditions that are present at the Parliament, hoping to learn even more from them than I already have.

The Gamma Tao will probably be one of the newest religious paths present at the Parliament. It will certainly be the smallest, because to my knowledge I am still the only person in the world who actually follows the Gamma Tao.

Even though it is open for everyone, the Gamma Tao can be considered as my personal religion.

The fact that the Gamma Tao is a personal religion does does not mean that I can do what I please and bend its rules at will. In fact, it is the other way around. Ever since it originated in my mind, it is the Gamma Tao that leads me. The Gamma Tao gives me direction. Its objective of personal and universal flourishing does not come without obligations.

Surely I am not the only one with a personal religion.

As Mahatma Ghandi famously said:

“In reality, there are as many religions as there are individuals”

I believe this is true. How perfect or orthodox your religion may be, your own understanding of it is always determined by personal conditions.

Many people nowadays practice personal forms of religion and consider themselves “spiritual, but not religious”. They use this formula to distance themselves from organized religion.

I understand why religion has become so controversial, but I do not mind calling the Gamma Tao a religion.

The Gamma Tao will never be part of organised religion. That’s almost a contradiction in terms. Why would a personal religion be organised?

On the other hand, the Gamma Tao could one day become a platform for people that share the same basic ideas about what is important in religions and philosophies of life. The whole idea behind the Gamma is that it offers only a basic foundation. It would be a platform that promotes diversity and stimulates people to become active in their own communities, because without any form of organisation you cannot have much impact.

So it could be a platform of γHumanists, γTaoists, γChristians, γBuddhists, γMuslims, γJews, γHindus, γPagans, γAtheists or any combination of these and other wisdom traditions, a platform of people that beside their own main paths observe the minimal principles of this basic “interfaith philosophy”.

It might never happen. If the Gamma Tao does not become such a platform, that is perfectly fine with me. It will remain my basic philosophy of life or personal religion.

I do not feel any aversion towards the word “religion” anymore. Actually, I like it more and more. I like it in the same way as the word “philosophy”. For me these words have become broad and open concepts available for every human being, not limited to an institutional context, whether that is a church, a temple or a university.

While philosophy is literally love of wisdom (philo-sophia), I now see religion as a way to “re-connect” (re-ligare) to our universal origin.

Since this broad concept of religion encompasses our whole being in the universe, it is not only “spiritual”. It is also “material” and in this world. So it includes ethics and certainly does not exclude reason. It is the art of being in the universe and living a good life. I call it an art because living a good life requires skills and creativity.

The values of the Gamma Tao combine all these elements for me. The Gamma Tao may be a personal religion in its forms and practices, its scope, principles and objectives are universal, just like all “real” religions.

A personal religion like this is certainly not a non-binding ego trip, it is a personal way to re-connect with the universals.

Since the Parliament of the World’s Religions is a gathering of all religions, it should also be open to personal religions. I am excited that by simply being there I can represent the Gamma Tao.

I plan to write more about my experiences in Toronto here in this blog.

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When there is talk about a moral compass, someone has probably lost his or her way. People wonder whether this person has a moral compass. But what exactly do they mean by that?

It is hard to find descriptions of a moral compass that is doing its job. What should the specs be? A moral compass is often described as an internalized set of ethical values that guide a person through life, quite similar to a person’s conscience. Such a description is still not very concrete.

The Gamma Tao seems to be an exception. It is one of only a few concrete examples I know of a working moral compass.

Religions and philosophies of life can feed a moral compass, but in general their scope goes far beyond concrete situations. It can be difficult to apply their teachings in real life situations. We may still need some practical guidance or a way to proceed. That is what a moral compass is supposed to do.

Conscience and moral compass

It is useful to make a distinction between our conscience and a moral compass. Our conscience is like a set of ethical emotions. Our conscience tells us how we feel about our actions. It is active in the present but also very much related to our past. We can have a good or bad conscience about our actions in the past.

A moral compass is something different. At least that is the way I see it. A moral compass is not a natural faculty of our mind. It seems to stand for a set of ethical values that we have acquired in our life.

Gamma Tao as moral compass

A compass shows our position in the present moment and indicates the best way to go from there. A moral compass should also be something we can use when we need to find our way

In the last five years the Gamma Tao has become my personal moral compass. It actually helps to guide my thoughts and actions. I am not a kind of person who spontaneously and by nature feels and does everything right. At times I need some correction in a better direction.

A compass with three poles

How does it work? The Gamma Tao has not two but three poles: a spiritual, an emotional and a rational pole. All these three poles attract me towards essential values and practices, indicating the need to use my spiritual, emotional and rational intelligence.

Blue spiritual pole

The blue spiritual pole above is the space for our intuition and creative talents. In many cases we may experience intuitions about the best way to go. Some people say that they always follow their intuition. This could very well be the right way to go, but this moral compass tells you to check the other poles as well.

Ethical decisions are seldom routine. Every situation is unique. We cannot take the same route every time. Often we also need our Golden Gift of creativity to find creative solutions to our problems.

The basic spiritual value of the Gamma Tao is gratitude. A basic value attracts our behavior in the right direction. We know that in many circumstances it is important to count our blessings first. In difficult situations gratitude can take the neutral value of acceptance. We have to accept what comes on our path with an open mind.

Red emotional pole

The red emotional pole to the right is the space for our feelings and emotions. Our emotions are important drivers of ethical values and behavior. We have to listen to our heart and try to do what feels good.

As the Golden Rule teaches us, we can use our own feelings to develop empathy and take into account the feelings of others. The basic emotional value of the Gamma Tao is compassion. Compassion can lead to positive action towards others. When this is difficult or unnecessary, we should at least avoid to do harm to others.

Green rational pole

The green rational pole is our thinking space. Our ratio is the essential regulator. We simply cannot allow ourselves to be carried away by emotions, even if we feel we are right. The intensity of our feelings can be either too strong or too weak. Emotions know no boundaries. Our ratio needs to regulate our emotions to some extent. This is also a constant theme in classical philosophy.

In this rational space we can take a step back and put all our intuitions and feelings into perspective. At the same time we can consider opinions of others, the norms and values of our communities and, last but not least, the possible consequences of our actions. We all know that what goes around comes around.

The Golden Mean or Golden Ratio leads to the basic rational value of the Gamma Tao: the just proportion. “Nothing in excess” (μηδὲν ἄγαν), as a famous inscription on temple of Apollo in Delphi teaches us.

The value of the just proportion should also be applied when we confront ourselves with bad habits or we face the natural environment.

Find the upward direction

According to the Gamma Tao the use of our ratio is the last step in the ethical decision making process, even though we may take various rounds of spiritual, emotional and rational intelligence before we make this final step.

From this point we need to try create a positive upward turn for the situation in which we find ourselves. The upward direction is always the right direction. That is direction indicated by the Gamma Tao.

Be aware that in many cases we have to overcome a bit of our ego to achieve this, as is also clearly indicated by the upward stroke of the γ breaking through the circle of our own mind into the world around us.

Benevolence

Unfortunately a compass like the Gamma Tao is not like a modern route planner. It will almost never get us exactly where we want to go. Life is not geography. It is much more complicated and dynamic. There are no guarantees in life.

If we use a moral compass in our life it shows that at least we have the intention to do what is best. It is an indication of our benevolence.

If we use our moral compass often enough we will eventually internalize its principals and practices. We will become better and better. We may even say: wiser and wiser.

A moral compass like the Gamma Tao can help you grow the seeds of your potential.

The more you practice, the more you will flourish.

It may seem that the Gamma Tao is inspired only by Western and Eastern traditions. The two main visible elements γ (gamma) and 道 (tao/dao) also contribute to this misconception. Instead the whole idea behind the Gamma is to create an inclusive, universal way of life. Just like there are categories for “world music” and “world cinema”, the Gamma Tao is a fusion of “world philosophy”.

Its mission is to pick the best from all wisdom traditions and leave local customs where they are. Local customs are often confused with the key ideas of wisdom traditions themselves. Local customs are part of cultural identity. As such they have limited universal value. In fact, they may even damage the universal appeal of a wisdom tradition. Local customs are often backward looking. The Gamma project lives in the present moment and is directed towards the future.

An important source of inspiration for the Gamma Tao that is neither from the East nor the West, is Ubuntu.

A central concept within Ubuntu and African philosophy in general is complementarity. As human beings we all need each other. Alone we are practically nobodies.

This is a key message of Ubuntu:

Umuntu Ngumuntu Ngabantu (A person is a person through other persons).

Complementarity also means that individual qualities are appreciated, but always seen as part of a greater whole.

Nelson Mandela formulated it like this:

In Africa there is a concept known as ‘ubuntu’ – the profound sense that we are human only through the humanity of others; that if we are to accomplish anything in this world it will in equal measure be due to the work and achievement of others.

Recently, I was lucky to attend a public talk of Mogobe Ramose. He has written one of the most influential books on Ubuntu: African philosophy through Ubuntu.

There are not many books on Ubuntu. It is a living, oral tradition. Ubuntu is not based on ancient written texts and therefore often not taken very seriously by philosophers or theologians used to scriptural traditions.

Ubuntu is a practical, spiritual approach to life. The word Ubuntu consists of two parts: the prefix ubu- and the stem ntu. Ubu refers to an “enveloped” potential in the universe and –ntu to its continuously developing, concrete manifestations.

Ramose talks of a stream of existence, similar to the ancient Greek concept of Panta Rhei (“everything moves”). This stream of life is like music, a dance of being that invites us all to participate. In North-Sotho, a Bantu language, there is also a saying Kosa ga e theeletswe o e duletse (You do not listen to music sitting down).

This music also leads to the desire for harmony that exists within communities inspired by Ubuntu. This harmony can only be achieved through the interplay of the emotional and rational intelligence of all participants.

In a kgotla, a community meeting or council, the search for consensus can be quite a lengthy process. Ramose quotes the saying Le leke la mo tlhakola pele a fetsa go nyela (Somebody’s anus should not be cleaned before he is done). It means that everyone should be heard, because even from nonsense something useful can be learned.

This practice of consensus may be easier in a village somewhere in Botswana than in our modern global village full of political bullshit. But the lesson remains. If we want to solve the problems of the world, we should start to really listen to each other. It all starts with an open mind.

Ubuntu can also teach us an holistic way to connect to the world. Its spirit of complementarity stretches out from the natural world, the land, the plants and animals to the generations before and after us. Within Ubuntu we have obligations to all.

So even though the focus of the Gamma Tao is on personal development, based on the idea that we can actually develop a wisdom mindset, the outcome should always transcend ourselves and our ego.

Ubuntu teaches us that we can only flourish together.

Happy New Year!

This is a picture I made last year at the Snow Light Path Festival in Otaru, a small city on the island of Hokkaido in the north of Japan.

The festival is an exhibition of beautiful lights and decorations made of ice. Most of the lights are placed along a long path thus creating a walk of almost magical beauty.

I like this particular decoration very much. It has the form of a heart and contains many small lighted hearts inside, just like our own hearts contain many different passions.

The light in the foreground is like a guardian. Made out of ice and autumn leaves this light seems to protect our inner passions.

Keep your passions alive in 2018!

It is a special day today. 

Exactly two years ago this website went live. I still remember how excited I was (maybe even a bit overexcited…). Starting your first website is certainly a life event. Since many things came together for me that day, it was even a emotional moment. 

Then, a year later, also on this very day, I started with the subsidiary website gammaway.space. On this site I collect interesting and inspiring references or “starters”. It is like a digital library for the gamma way.

Today I have no new project to launch. In fact, in the last months I did not add much content to either website. I still have many plans to develop the gamma way further – it is in a way my life project – but I am not in a hurry anymore. I do not need more deadlines or KPI’s. This is part of my life, not my job.

Sharing the first basic ideas and concepts was an important step. But words are only words. They are not written in stone. Certainly not on this website. Life philosophies should be lived and tested. Paths to wisdom should be explored in reality. 

Sometimes it is good to take a break. A break can give you new perspectives and lead to new insights. 

I do not know whether the gamma will ever inspire many others. The inner goal to become wise(r) myself precedes the outer goal of making the world wiser. 

So, first of all, I am living my life now. 
As long as I have confidence that the gamma is the best compass available, I continue to live it in the gamma way. 

Or at least, I am trying to do this, first of all, with an open mind, following my own uniquely curved path, trying to connect to the principles of the universe, grateful, ready to learn from everything and everybody, continuously correcting my views, embracing the colours of cultural diversity, inspired by all wisdom traditions, following the Golden Rule to develop compassion, changing perspectives many times to determine the Golden Mean or just proportion in everything. 

In this way I hope to develop the seeds of my potentials or gifts to flourish like a sun flower, stimulating other beings to flourish too. 

A new circle has just begun.

Happy Summer Solstice!

The Pantheon in Rome is one of my favourite places in the world. The name of the temple stems from the Greek word Πάνθειον, “[temple] of all the Gods”.

The Panheon remained intact through the centuries because in the Middle Ages it was consecrated into a Christian church.

Next to the tombs of two Italian kings, Vittorio Emanuele II and Umberto I, it contains the remains of the Renaissance artist Raffaele Sanzio who painted among many other masterpieces the famous fresco The School of Athens in Vatican palace.

The inscription on his sarcophagus reads: “Ille hic est Raffael, timuit quo sospite vinci, rerum magna parens et moriente mori”, meaning: “Here lies that famous Raphael by whom Nature feared to be conquered while he lived, and when he was dying, feared herself to die.”

These words make me reflect on the present relation between mankind and nature.

The cupola of the Pantheon was the biggest in the world for more than thousand years. 
The Pantheon has a hole in the top, the oculus to the sky, that lets both the sunshine and the rain in. 

For me this building is a monument for open mindedness.