Open Letter to Tiger Woods # 2

Dear Tiger,

I am not a religious person and I don't think you are religious either.
However, in your latest interviews you mentioned how you lost your way when you stopped meditating and neglected the core values of Buddhism, the religion you were raised with.

If you are a Buddhist, then you must believe in past lives, reincarnation, karma and karmic themes.
Seeing that you want to put the recent past behind you, may I suggest you um, pay off your lovers so that they get something from pleasing you while you move on with your learning and growing.

I'm aware most people don't think much of the women you have been involved with.
But it's true, you know, they are people too.
People with emotions and needs like you.

Perhaps it's true they got involved with you for your money.
It doesn't take millions to make them happy, you know.
Like most people, they just want a bit of security so they don't have to worry about the future and by getting involved with them, you provided them with an easy opportunity to secure this future.

Opportunists they may well be but considering your huge personal wealth and what you are still capable of earning in the future, why not do the spiritual thing and settle your karmic debts with them?
If you don't think you owe them anything, how about just doing the spiritually generous thing?
Then everyone can move on.
It's all good.

Some people are very religious.
They like to say "Put God first and everything will fall into place."
Not being religious myself, I tend to think the Ten Commandments and the Buddhist precepts are guidelines for a healthy life.
All good advice to live by.
It's not God that punishes when the Commandments and precepts are not adhered to.
People punish themselves when they make the wrong choices in life.
It's cause and effect, karma, call it what you will.

Like most people, I am looking forward to how you do in the coming Masters.
You are a lesson in motion.
I am looking forward to how you live out the rest of your life.
Some of us had been severely disadvantaged the first 20 years of our lives.
Not unlike the first 20 years of some of your lovers, I imagine.
We struggle to play well the hand that was dealt us at birth.

Having had to live the disciplined life that you lived the first 20 years of your life is no excuse for your recent "entitled" behaviour.
Its almost like you have used up your lifetime quota of bad behaviour and mistakes and you don't have the luxury of making another.

The whole world is watching you from this point on.
It has been said, a leopard can't change its spots.
No one has said yet (that I'm aware of) that a Tiger can't change its stripes. :)
Perhaps not, but Elin can take comfort from one reality.
That is, now that your "sickness" has been exposed, it would be impossible for you to live that lie again?

One way or another, we all live in cages Tiger.
Cages within cages.
We choose our cages.
Except for the first 20 years when karma from previous lifetimes overwhelmingly control our options, no one puts us anywhere we don't choose to be.
The word "choose" here is used with the widest of latitude.
Life's seen and unseen influences, our beliefs and values, tip the direction of our choices one way or the other.
You have chosen yours.
Enjoy your life choices.

P/S
As your desire is, so is your will.
As your will is, so is your deed.
As your deed is, so is your destiny. - Upanishad 1v 4.5



mEinah