Thanks for a very comprehensive blog on the subject of authority a very misunderstood word I feel. Your blogs are always incredibly well thought out and honest.

There was a story about Diogenes told by Osho that I have heard. He was caught by thieves. And then they brought him to a slave market. He was a beautiful man; very few people have been so beautiful and with a very strong body.

And they put him on the slave-block to be sold. He stood there smiling, humming a song, unconcerned with what was happening.

Then he saw a man, a young man, very rich — his clothes were very rich, but he was standing there very absentmindedly, maybe drunk. He was standing there in the crowd, almost asleep, depressed, sad; a deep sorrow surrounded him.

Diogenes said to the thieves who had caught him, and who had brought him to the slave market, “Sell me to that man. He looks as if he needs a master.”

I certainly agree with the spirit of everything you have written perhaps with the exception that,” When others acknowledge your right to lead, by following, they give you authority to lead them.”

On this I think we can all certainly take someone's lead in the social networking sphere but to take someone as our authority before we have tested it and made it our own experience is I am sure not what you meant.

Of course the real authority and not to be confused with what you are talking about is unrelated to social median networking.

The real authority comes with seeing, it comes from within and then comes a belief which is not the belief in the commonly accepted sense of the word. It is more like faith,or trust.

It is not that you believe in some authority or somebody such as the authority of the Bible or Buddha or the authority of Penny,Thomas, you, me or anybody else.

If I say to you, “Believe because I have known,” that will be false for you. There is no need to believe in anyone or in anything. Belief is absolutely unnecessary. All that is needed is existential experience.

With this trust comes integration and this is the fire test. This way we are all free to follow ourselves and of course the lead you talk about in the market place, But this lead is only utilitarian, not foundational.

Cheers
Sam

Cheers
Sam