We live in a moment when our world is not only asking to survive, but quietly—and sometimes urgently—hoping to flourish. In such times, the subtle play of illusion that moves through our collective life becomes easier to notice. It is not as something “out there.” It does not belong to a particular group of leaders. Rather, it is an expression of the same mind-stream we all share.
Do you like what you are reading? Sign up below for more blog posts.
Illusions are not mistakes. They are movements of mind—projections arising from fear, hope, habit, and the deep longing to feel safe. When these projections meet responsibility, influence, or power, their effects become more visible. But the root is always the same: when we cling to appearances, we lose sight of what is most real.
When Our Narratives Start to Feel Like Identity
As human beings, we all build internal narratives about who we need to be — strong, capable, unshakeable. In leadership roles—whether in families, communities, organizations, or nations—these narratives gain a larger stage. When we feel these narratives are threatened, we cling to them. The illusion can become rigid. It shapes decisions and actions without our conscious awareness.
Do you like what you are reading? Sign up below for more blog posts.
We all know this.
We have all felt the pull to appear certain, in control, and confident.
But these patterns are not flaws—they are human tendencies. Recognizing them allows us to act from clarity rather than habit, from care rather than fear.
The Veil and the Possibility Beneath
What might sincerely touch us, when we pause and look honestly, is that beneath our patterns, fears, and projections, there is the possibility of acting with care, clarity, and presence. Even if the world does not always seem to seek honesty, even if we do not always know the right path, there is space to choose awareness over habit, compassion over reactivity.
Do you like what you are reading? Sign up below for more blog posts.
When we lose connection to the natural clarity of the mind, our actions arise from fragmentation—and fragmentation naturally creates more of itself. Policies, decisions, conversations, and relationships shaped from confusion tend to mirror that confusion. This is not a failure of leadership; it is a reminder that inner conditions shape outer outcomes. We are interdependent all the way down.
What Healthy Leadership Could Look Like
Healthy leadership is not about holding power; it is about holding presence.
Not about being the one who knows, but the one who is willing to see. Leadership in all its forms could become an expression of care rather than defense, clarity rather than confusion.
Do you like what you are reading? Sign up below for more blog posts.
Whether we guide nations, organizations, families, or simply our own days, we can embody qualities that bring clarity into the shared field.
A healthy leader cultivate:
1. The willingness to see their own illusions.
Not with judgment, but with curiosity. Recognizing projections allows us to act from clarity rather than fear.
2. Intention grounded in genuine care.
A steady wish to reduce suffering and to support others. Quiet. Unforced. Reliable.
3. Truthfulness without performance.
Honesty that does not need applause. Words aligned with inner integrity. Actions aligned with the words.
4. Accountability as part of the path.
Not a threat, but a practice—a way of staying awake within responsibility.
5. An embodied understanding of interdependence.
Knowing that nothing we do stands alone. Every decision touches countless lives and conditions.
6. Respect for collective wisdom.
Wise leadership listens. It invites many perspectives, recognizing that no single perception can hold the whole.
A Shared Invitation
The illusions we see in the world are not separate from those that arise within our own hearts. They are invitations—not to blame, but to wake up. Each moment we remember the mind’s natural clarity, a shift happens. The world becomes a little less distorted. Our actions become a little more aligned. Our presence becomes steadier.
Do you like what you are reading? Sign up below for more blog posts.
And with increased clarity, the shared stage of consciousness will transform—from a landscape shaped by unconscious patterns into a mandala shaped by awareness.
Yours in the Dharma,
Lama Chimey
Get Dharma Blog Posts straight to your device
Lama Chimey 