Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Instrument for change is not enough

Last post I mentioned “being an instrument for change”. It’s a nice thought but it doesn’t really help a person. For example, suppose the blogs “spiritualhebrewtoo” and “virtualrambling” suddenly become best selling books that change the face of humanity. People start putting people above money and material. Many are affected and the world becomes a better place. Peace and harmony reign for a thousand years. All because of these two blogs! How does this affect Jim and Rambler? Do they all of a sudden become “better” people who souls have achieved progression? Have their souls achieved greatness? Have they obtained spiritual growth or harmony? I think not because…

In a spiritual sense, our goals are of a self fulfillment nature: the realization of our soul’s goals (growth) coming into our current life. Creating a world changing book (or blog) is nice and can have a lasting effect on mankind; however, it doesn’t help the writer’s soul achieve its goal. Achieving self realization should be our one and only “goal” in this life. It’s not selfishness but the truth and realization of the purpose of our soul. If we create this ultimate book but have not achieved growth then we have achieved nothing at all for our own soul. It might even slow down or prevent our growth due to the distractions etc. that come with writing such a superb book (blog). We might get a couple of “brownie points” and some possible good karma down the road, but we will still be at the same level of growth that we were at coming into this world.

The goal of our soul is not to further mankind but rather to achieve growth. Personal growth. Writing can help in this respect by forcing us to think and to be creative: To have creative thoughts. These creative thoughts can help us write an amazing blog AND it can also help us achieve growth. Writing, when kept in a proper perspective can be a useful tool in achieving personal growth, but writing, of itself, should not be the ultimate goal Just as meditation and prayer are also tools that may be used for growth but the actual act of meditating or praying is not the reason for doing it: growth of our soul is the reason behind these acts. All these tools are but compliments to our quest. We just have to keep our priorities in order.

I think that deep inside of us all, we want to become instruments of change. We all want to change the world into a better place (consciously or subconsciously). And it is a great desire. Nothing wrong with it. However, it should not be our only goal; our main goal.

Our priority should be on improving ourselves, our souls. Self realization and the evolution of our souls should be at the top of our “to do” list during our journey here on earth. That, is the best instument of change we could accomplish for ours and all the other souls we encounter on our journey.

Friday, October 26, 2007

I want to be...

I wrote this last year....


News Year's celebrations are cancelled in Bangkok and Thailand's second largest city, Chiang Mai, after a string of explosions in the capital killed ...... The US military recently announced its 3,000th fatality in the Iraq war .... Friend kills Friend over ... brother kills sister ... sister kills brother ... police kill youth with toy gun ... crime is down ... crime is up ....

The list just goes on and on and on....

Under Bush, the Republicans and the moral? right, we have become a country, not of Peace, not of Democracy and not of Tolerance but rather, we have become (the government, not the people-overall) a country of War, a country of intolerance, a country of hate and a country that distains different views, different opinions...any opinion that varies from our narrow view of life....we have become an ignorant country... a country that wants to imprison the mind...

I am tired of this.
I want to be...

I want to be Martin Luther King...I want to be JFK...I want to be Gandhi...I want to be the Dahlia Lama...I want to be Bob Marley...I want to be that Chinese guy who stood up to the Tanks in Tiananmen Square...

I want to be....

The new year does not bring me joy, it brings a tear from my heart. It saddens me to see, to read, to feel these heart wrenching stories of 2006. Will 2007 be any better? I do not have optimism ... I do not have faith that it will change for the better soon enough. Soon enough for me. Soon enough for our health. Soon enough for mankind...

From the mother who kills her baby... From the father who kills his mother.... From the cities that arrest those who peacefully protest for peace and compassion... from the states that ban foreign flags to the polititians and preachers who preach FEAR ..... I fear for these, I feel sorrow for these, I feel shame for these... This is not life, no, this is a slow death. A slow death of life.

I want to be....
I want to be the sea,

I want to be the sea of love....

I want to feel the wind of change, the wind of love, the wind of life. I want my son, I want everybody's son, I want everybody's daughter, I want everybody to feel the love of life... the love that life has to offer. The rainbow of a happy life. Life is awesome. Feel it. See it. Open your mind and close your eyes. Enjoy it. Be IT.

We are all the same. Allah. God. Buddha. Mohammad. All the same. Christian, Buddhist, Islamist, Conservative, Liberal ... deep inside, all the same. The difference is only in the mind. We are all brothers. We are all sisters. We are all one. We are all THE "GOD"...The spirit is in every one of us. Inside all of us. To deny it is to deny the spirit. The spirit is the soul and the SOUL is LIFE. It is the soul in all of us that becomes the "God". God IS, the soul, spirit and life in us. All of us.

I WANT TO BE...


I want to be me an instrument of change...


Thursday, October 25, 2007

Soul

(Emptiness... surrounds... the ...Soul)



SOUL!



(Think about it:)


The...

(the emptiness around me)
(surrounds the life force within)

and the Life Force within is called the...


.
.





Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Surrounds ...

(the emptiness around me)
Surrounds the life force within....


.


Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Emptyness ...

the Emptiness around me...






Friday, October 19, 2007

My water bowl

A man and his dog...

... were walking along a road the man was enjoying the scenery, when it suddenly occurred to him that he was dead. He remembered dying, and that the dog walking beside him had been dead for years. He wondered where the road was leading them.

After a while, they came to a high, white stone wall along one side of the road. It looked like fine marble. At the top of a long hill, it was broken by a tall arch that glowed in the sunlight. When he was standing before it he saw a magnificent gate in the arch that looked like mother-of-pearl, and the street that led to the gate looked like pure gold. He and the dog walked toward the gate, and as he got closer, he saw a man at a desk reading "Virtual Ramblings" on his laptop, to one side.

When he was close enough, he called out, 'Excuse me, where are we?' 'This is Heaven, sir,' the man answered. 'Wow! Would you happen to have some water?' the man asked. 'Of course, sir. Come right in, and I'll have some ice water brought right up.' The man gestured, and the gate began to open. 'Can my friend,' gesturing toward his dog, 'come in, too?' the traveler asked.

'I'm sorry, sir, but we don't accept pets.'

The man thought a moment and then turned back toward the road and continued the way he had been going with his dog. After another long walk, and at the top of another long hill, he came to a dirt road leading through a farm gate that looked as if it had never been closed. There was no fence. As he approached the gate, he saw a man inside, leaning against a tree, with a laptop, and smiling while reading the blog "BeWitching-Dehlia "...

'Excuse me!' he called to the man. 'Do you have any water?' 'Yeah, sure, there's a pump over there, come on in.' 'How about my friend here?' the traveler gestured to the dog. 'There should be a bowl by the pump.' They went through the gate, and sure enough, there was an old-fashioned hand pump with a bowl beside it. The traveler filled the water bowl and took a long drink himself, and then he gave some to the dog. When they were full, he and the dog walked back toward the man who was standing by the tree.

'What do you call this place?' the traveler asked.'This is Heaven,' he answered. 'Well, that's confusing,' the traveler said. 'The man down the road said that was Heaven, too.'

'Oh, you mean that place with the gold street and pearly gates? Nope. That's Hell.'

'Doesn't it make you mad for them to use your name like that?'

'No, we're just happy that they screen out the folks who would leave their best friends behind.'

But YOU and your BEST FRIEND are welcome @ my water bowl anytime…..

anonymous



Thursday, October 18, 2007

...how you say it...

Many times I've had to tell people:

IT’S NOT WHAT YOU SAY

IT’S HOW YOU SAY IT

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

No Time....

I saw a show on TV the other day and of course, it got me thinking...

It was about this couple and how they have "no time" for life and their 2 kids. That is...

Their day starts at 6am, make breakfast, wake up the kids, get dressed, drop the kids off at day center, go to work, grocery shop at lunchtime, pick up the kids in the pm, get food at McDonald's, be home at 730pm. Kids take bath, go to bed at 830pm. Repeat next day. Does this sound familiar to you?

What's rong with this picture about their daily life? Are they really happy? To me, many things are "rong" but I will only mention 2 important aspects.

First of all, this has got to wear down the parents health. All this running around causes undue mental stress that will eventually wear you down. Might even cause you to snap and hit your spouse/kids or worse. How sharp will you be to deal with your kids? Can you really handle it when the kids ask all the q's that kids do or will the daily grind cause you to unnecessarily snap at the kids for some innocent remark or action? How does it affect your relationship with your spouse when you are both worn out mentally and physically? All negative aspects.

Another thing, look at the schedule. How much time is there for the kids? Their kids are only with them for about, what, 2 hours a day? How much of this limited exposure is actually quality time? Or is it just "hurry up kids" time also? What effect does this have on the kids long term?

I don't know about you, but I want to spend quality time with my son. Even if its just being next to him doing nothing. I want to raise him, teach him about the world, be there to share in his curious mind and not have some, well intentioned as they may be, stranger raising them. Also, to deal with and give your children the due proper respect that they deserve, you have to have a clear mind. Daily stress causes a lot of issues between parents and kids and this shows up later in the children's' lives. (Look at your own relationship with your parents) You can read in the paper or see it on the nightly news, on a daily basis, about how it's causing a lot of kids to "act up" and/or lose it. Kids NEED time with their parents (and I need time with my son!) Think long term, people!

Are we here to work or to live? Yea, I know we have to work in order to pay our bills and buy things but where is the balance? What is the limit? To me, most people put too much priority on obtaining "material goods". (I'm not talking about the poor souls who have to work 2 or 3 jobs just to survive) It seems like, for these people, their priority is in "buying things" to feel good about themselves, to look good on the outside or to keep the kids happy. I think this is a major problem in society as a whole, but even more so in the states than anywhere else on earth and its spreading like a disease!.

Myself, I only work enough as I have to in order to pay the bills and have some left over to "splurge" once in a while. I prefer spending my time being with my wife and son. THEY are my priority along with my nuclear family and my friends. Material things like new cars, new and bigger TV's, the latest toys, nice furniture etc...are secondary to TIME with family and friends. I have many friends in the states who do not have time to spend with their family or friends because they are too busy working. They do not have time to visit other "friends" nor do they have time to be visited. Hurry, hurry hurry! They work more and more to make even more money to buy more "goods" to make themselves feel good. Unfortunately, this does not help the situation: stress, stress, stress. Sorry, but your family and friends, your "real friends", don't care whether you have the latest fashions or "junk". No, they care about you, the real you not the one behind the shiny mask.

Materialism over all! I don't have anything against "things", but it's the priority that is messed up. Our body, mind and soul do not need an over abundance of material goods. Our children do not always need the latest or biggest ... whatever. To be really happy and healthy, we need more time with our family, with our kids and with our friends. Slow down and MAKE THE TIME!

I sometimes ask people, "when you are on your death bed and reflect back on your life, will you remember the material stuff or will you remember, or regret, the time spent with family and friends?" I believe most people will reflect on their family and friends.

Look at the "big picture".

Work to live not live to work.

right or rong?

Sunday, October 14, 2007

New Bush Stamp

The new Bush stamp

The United States Postal Service created a 43-cent first-class stamp with a picture of President Bush. The stamp was not sticking to envelopes, which enraged the President, who demanded a full investigation.

After a month of testing, a special presidential commission presented the following findings about why the stamps were not sticking:

1) The stamp is in perfect order.
2) There is nothing wrong with the adhesive.
3) People are spitting on the wrong side.


:)

Be the Change...by MahatmaGandhi

I read the other day about something that happened 101 years ago (before I was born) that got me thinking abouth writing this post....

September 11th, 2006 marked 100 years to the day that Mahatma Gandhi :) launched the modern non-violent resistance movement.

Satyagraha (suht-yuh-gruh-huh – Hindi: Skt satya truth + āgraha strong attachment, persistence) began in South Africa, in 1906, when Gandhi lead a peaceful resistance against the imposition of new laws against people from India.

Gandhi's greatest influences at the time were the teachings of Jesus, Leo Tolstoy, and Henry David Thoreau, especially Thoreau's famous essay "Civil Disobedience." Gandhi considered Thoreau’s terms passive resistance and civil disobedience inadequate for his purposes, however, and coined another term, Satyagraha.

Even though Satyagraha is actually the pursuit of truth and NOT the call for non-violent resistance, Gandhi used this “pursuit of truth” as a springboard to developing his non-violent movement. And as everyone knows, Gandhi used it in India to win independence from the British.

(The Satyagraha movement was also studied and applied by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in leading the civil rights movement in the United States and Nelson Mandela used it in South Africa to end apartheid.)

As stated earlier, Satyagraha is the pursuit of truth. Gandhi believed that truth should be the cornerstone of his life and that everyone should dedicate their lives to pursuing the truth; the truth in their lives. And so his entire philosophy was the philosophy of life, the pursuit of truth. He believed that it was a pursuit that we should have embedded in our life and that we should live it all the time so that we can improve and become better human beings.

And so, from this philosophy, which originated over 100 years ago, came one of Gandhi’s most famous quotes: “Be the change that you want to see in the world”. In other words, if we want to live in a peaceful world we must “Be” peaceful people.



(Now I get it, McCartney actually meant, "let ME be" and not "let IT be"... :)

Friday, October 12, 2007

Drumming for my health

I was thinking my thoughts the other day and
that got me thinking about….

…drumming and its positive effects on your body, mind and soul. Yep, that’s right, drumming. Now, I don’t mean just any drumming, no, I’m talking about hand drumming; whether it be in a circle with others or by your self. I’m a hand drummer and use a Djemba Drum that was hand made in Ghana, Africa. It’s a nice little ole drum with a brown tone, about 33cm across the head and about 2 ½ ft high. I’ve used it in drum circles at, among other places, Safety Harbor, Fl and at the Dunedin Beach Causeway. It’s such an awesome feeling to be drumming on the beach with another 10 people or so and having the sun set in the background/ foreground. It helps you get more in tune with nature and yourself. On a larger scale and for a really cool, almost surrealistic experience, though, you have to check out the drum circles that are held every Friday, on the beach, in Treasure Island, Florida. These “events” draw upwards of 50-100 or more drummers, dancers and spectators. (and that doesn’t include the police who have decided that we need to be “protected”!!) It is a site to see!! With the great weather year round in Florida, it’s possible to be outside, drumming almost every day for your health: Body, Mind and Soul!

When drumming, I believe that the vibrations from the drum reverberate throughout my body. These vibrations help stimulate the cells and microorganism etc., etc., etc. When stimulated, these “cells” help revitalize my organs: from the heart, to the lungs, to the muscles and beyond, thus keeping my body healthy and strong. (Maybe even young?) And, although I am physically drained after drumming for just a few hours, the next day I feel better, more fit and happy. Plus, as an added bonus, I sleep better after a session! Furthermore, as everyone knows, the better you feel physically, the more fit you are, to a degree, then clearer and easier to understand thoughts will arise in your mind.

I also know that after drumming, I have a calmer, more peaceful state of mind. The drumming seems to have a holistic healing effect on me. I have a better, clearer mind with more positive thoughts about the environment around me, about myself and my friends. Remember, the mind is most powerful. We are and we see according to the thoughts that come through our mind. If drumming helps these thoughts to be more positive, more peaceful, then my environment and my view of life will also be affected accordingly. And, with a clearer mind set, also comes the ability to better “hear” and be in tune with my soul.

To some, the vibrations from drumming are comparable to many forms of meditation or prayer. When you meditate and repeat the “Ohm” mantra over and over, it’s the vibrations from that chanting that reverberate throughout your body and awaken the soul. Also, when you say prayers for an hour, it’s the vibrations from this act that reach the soul. Vibration is energy. Vibration is life. This is a proven fact. Not proven, though, is that the soul responds to this energy of life. It awakens and calls on us when stimulated by these vibrations of energy. There are different types of energy and the vibrations from drumming are but one of them. Call ‘em “positive vibes” if you will!

Not really sure if I actually explained it that well, so hopefully you got the message anyway. The point is that there are many ways for us to increase our health and drumming is but one exercise in which we can stimulate our body, mind and soul. So remember, the next time you come across a drum circle, jump in, help yourself and drum for your health!


What do you think?

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Stress related or Depression?

We’ve all heard that saying, “It’s not what happens to you in life that counts, It’s how you deal with it that counts.” Right? Well that got me thinking….

I know this girl. She’s a great person, nice to be around and has a great heart. She really cares about what happens to other people. She has a great sunny personality…when things are going good.

On the other hand, as soon as things start getting tough, as soon as stress is factored into her life, she becomes a totally different person. The “Devil” in her comes out.

Recently, she has been under a lot of stress “again” and this little devil has overtaken her personality. From the nice person she is, to a royal pain in the _ _ _! Nobody wants to be around her. Nobody can talk to her because she will just argue with you no matter what the subject or the reasoning.

I feel sorry for her because I know she can’t help it. She just plain get so overwhelmed by this negative anger (is there positive anger?) that she doesn’t know what to do about it. She is aware of it while it’s happening but can’t control it. Isn’t that one of the worse feelings in the world: being in a situation where you have absolutely no control over it?

No, it’s not PMS as I’m sure some of you are thinking. I can count on it happening every week or two and lasting from a day to five days. Could it be that “chemical imbalance” I was talking about in a previous post? She thinks so. Could it be her diet? She doesn’t think so. (She does eat well) Could it just plain be that she is someone who can’t deal with stress once it reaches a certain level and it takes a while before the pressure resides again? Perhaps she is afraid of something and the stress brings it to the forefront? Or is it something, some long unresolved issue deep inside her that is released time and again when the chemicals within our body change due to? I have talked to her many times about this situation, with suggestions ranging from meditation, positive thinking, quit smoking and other alternative treatments etc... No luck. She has even, in the past, seen “doctors”, from mainstream to holistic, but with the same results. To sum it up, all the various attempts she has tried to curtail these “explosions”, have all failed.

I’ve even suggested that maybe it’s a learning opportunity. Maybe this is a chance for the soul to grow by overcoming this challenge confronting her. Remember, spiritual growth is obtained by overcoming our challenges and fears. And occasionally, on our path to growth, the soul will conjure up opportunities specifically for us to confront and challenge in order to attain that growth.

Or, maybe, it’s actually an opportunity for me to overcome one of my “weaknesses” and she is just the unfortunate messenger? MMMmmm….

What do you think?

Is this stress related or....Clinical Depression....or.....

Monday, October 8, 2007

McCain: America is a Christian Nation

McCain: Christian Nation!

I recently read an article where Sen. John McCain basically said that, “…this country was founded on Christian principles and that we should remain a Christian country.” This got me thinking…..

Gee, that’s funny, I seem to recall the founding fathers (and mothers!) coming to America to escape the religious rule and persecutions of the land that were prevalent at that time in Britain and elsewhere in the world. (Not that I was there, of course!) I also thought that our county was built not on the ways of the Christians but more on the ways of the old Greek teachings of democracy. Basic human rights are not the exclusive domain of the church!

More importantly, though, is that McCain is saying that we are a Christian nation and that we should stay a Christian nation. Now, I have nothing against Christians, having been raised in a Catholic house and all, but I do seem to recall a little thing called “separation of Church and State” somewhere…OH yea, in that neat little thing called the CONSTITUTION!

I believe one thing that what makes the states special is that (supposed) “Separation of Church and State.” It means that no one faith will be established as the law of the land. Nor as the faith of the people. We are free to choose our own. Furthermore, because of this, it’s the melting pot of faiths in the country that enables one to read about, learn about and discuss the various views of life. Maybe even to grow a little? To change for the better? I know that I did. Look at the counties around the world that are of one faith and the mess and havoc they have or have created. The words “freedom of religion” is not in their constitution…

Personally, I could care less what your “beliefs” are. It’s not my job to control your thoughts or to tell you what to believe in and I know that it’s definitely not the government’s job either.

Now I know that John McCain is a politician and that he’s not going to be elected President, so his comment should be taken with a grain of salt; however, his statement is actually a look into the thoughts of many hard core Christians who could influence the election (see GWB) and would change the constitution in a minute - thus, imperiling the basic fundamental rights of many citizens of different faiths – if they could. (Some hard core “robots” even believe that all “non-Christians” should be deported from the country.) I’m not aware of any other faith in this country that wants to change the constitution and make this a Muslim Country or a Jewish Country or an Atheist Country. How would the Christians like to have the shoe on the other foot? All faiths are equal in this country and no one faith should reside above another. We are a multi-faith country. Period!

Jews, Mormons, Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims, Zoroastrians, Atheists and even Witches are all welcome in my house and will be embraced with open arms. I will offer them all a beer or a glass of wine. I will sit and listen patiently as they tell me their stories for they have all made contributions to the advancement of mankind through their diverse views and writings on humanity and the soul. We should all be thankfull for it. Like the various colors of the rainbow, it’s the various beliefs that make this world a great place.

We are all the same, yet we are all unique and special in our own way. Do not let anyone tell you otherwise. Follow your heart with confidence and you will find your way.


right or rong?

Friday, October 5, 2007

THE little THINGS


the 'L I T T L E' things.

As you might know, the CEO of a company survived 9/11
because his son started kindergarten.

Another fellow was alive because it was
His turn to bring donuts.

One woman was late because her
Alarm clock didn't go off in time.

One was late because of being stuck on the NJ Turnpike
Because of an auto accident.

One of them
Missed his bus.

One spilled food on her clothes and had to
"take time to change".

One's
Car wouldn't start.

One went back to
Answer the telephone.

One had a
Child that dawdled
And didn't get ready as soon as he should have.

One
Couldn't get a taxi.

The one that struck me was the man
Who put on a new pair of shoes that morning,
Took the various means to get to work
But before he got there, he developed
a blister on his foot.
He stopped at a drugstore to buy a Band-Aid.



Now, when I am:
Stuck in traffic,
Miss an elevator,
Turn back to answer a ringing telephone...
All the little things that annoy me.
I think to myself,

This is exactly where
I was meant to be
At this very moment..

Next time your morning seems to be
Going wrong,
The children are slow getting dressed,
You can't seem to find the car keys,
You hit every traffic light,

Don't get mad or frustrated; It
May just be that

Some one is watching over you?



This was sent to me by my "friend", Stu.
Best wishes to all the 9/11 victims, survivors, friends and relatives.

right or rong?

I'm Divine?

Recently read the good life blog, which is about...(drum roll, please) "the good life" (no surprise there!), and it reminded me....

What's that old saying?
To forgive is Human
To forget is Divine.

If that's true, then I must be Divine because I'm always forgetting!!
How can I be "Human" if I've forgotten what to forgive?
So, I must be divine...mmm..... :)

Right or Rong?

Wednesday, October 3, 2007

Negative People

The other day, I came across a friend who was complaining about a friend and this got me thinking....

Negative people. I'm talking about those people who are always negative and critical of other people. You know the type. They are always commenting on others and seem to only have critical comments of other people. They HAVE to put others down. Why is that?

I believe that most of these people really can't help it. They have such a negative view of themselves, that they have to attack others in order to verify their own existence. It makes them feel good. Why? There are many reasons why but I think the majority were probably abused, verbally and/or physically, while growing up or later on as an adult. They might be "ugly", or overweight, or have been in abusive relationships. They might have had verbally abusive parents who were always put them down, always telling them how "wrong" they are or how "bad" they are. Their spouse or partner might have been the domineering type who always kept them under the thumb. There are many possible reasons why they are this way but deep down inside, I think its the same for all of them. They have no positive self worth. They simply believe they are "bad".

The mind is most powerful. Mind over matter. And, if the mind constantly tells you that you are wrong or bad etc... it becomes lodged in your psyche and can become a lifelong burden. Changing it is hard and is sometimes impossible to do. However, it can be done. It's not easy, and could require years of hard work or therapy, but it can be done. The mind is the most powerful. Feed it constantly with positive thoughts and eventually it MIGHT become lodged in the psyche. Hence, a change for the good.

On the other hand, there are also those who have chemical imbalances (that's a whole other post!) that cause them to be negative. It's when the chemicals in our body are so out of whack, it causes one to act and think completely irrational. This chemical imbalance effects our brain and it's thought process. Remember, our body is made up of chemicals and it has to have the correct balance to function properly. The chemical imbalance can be caused by many factors. The above factors could cause it, stress can cause it as well as many others that I haven't mentioned. However, A chemical imbalance can cause some really bad behavior and/or even criminal behavior. It can also cause one to lose their self worth, hence a negative view of themselves and the world around them. Depressive and manic depressive people have a chemical imbalance. It is more prevalent nowadays than is known.

How to change it? I would think that by changing the diet, one can cause change in balance to bring it more into the "acceptable" range. This seems simple enough, but it's probably not. Meditation is another possible way to change our chemical make up. Of course, most people don't even know the structure of the chemicals in their body. Why? Most regular doctors don't think about it when dealing with an illness. Most have been trained to prescribe medication rather than having the blood checked. (the band aid approach) Also, I'm not sure this view is even accepted by the "regular" medical community or given its proper respect.

I have compassion for these people. REAL compassion, not that fake "Bush Compassion" garbage. Now, I don't necessarily want to hang around them because I like to surround myself with positive people but I do feel sorry for them. I feel sorry that they are not able to enjoy life. I feel sorry that they are not able to "accept themselves" (see last post) as they truly can be. I feel sorry that life is so hard for them. I wish I could help them.

So, when you come across these "negative" people, try to understand where they are coming from. Show a little compassion even in the face of their negative comments. Just don't tell them you feel sorry for them! Remember, it could happen to anybody: You, me, anyone. I sometimes tell myself how lucky I am.....

We all know people like this.

Negative People.


right or rong?

Monday, October 1, 2007

Let it go....

On Saturday, I was reading a post in Sophia’s “light of the world” blog (I recommend it) about thoughts. In a nutshell, it talked about avoiding negative thoughts and keeping the positive thoughts. Well, that got me thinking….

When I was younger (long time ago!), I went through a phase where I took a good, hard honest look at myself and where I was at, as far as my character/personality was concerned. I said to myself, “OK, here are your strengths and here are your weaknesses. The positive points, I don’t have to worry about because, THEY ARE POSITIVE!” Duh! It seemed like a no brainer to me at the time. Continuing, I thought, “Ok, now these are the negative aspects about me. These are what I will concentrate on. These are what I need to work on. I want to work on changing these negative points into positive ones. If not changing them into positives, I will at least get rid of them.” So, I spent the next couple of months concentrating on the negatives. On an almost daily basis, I was thinking of these negative points and how I could change them.

Can you guess what eventually happened?

No, they did not change as I had hoped. Eventually, thinking “negative” every day finally caught up to me. Mentally (and physically, too) that is. I noticed that I had developed a negative outlook toward life and had become depressed. Why? It finally dawned on me. I was only thinking negative thoughts. Day in and day out, I thought about the negative. In my honest attempt at change, I was only concentrating on the negatives and had put the positive aspects of me in the background. I was not a happy camper!

So, at that point, I made a change. I no longer looked at the negatives about me; No longer thought about my negative aspects. No, I didn’t just think “positive” thoughts either. No, actually, I got rid of both the negative and positive! (Detachment?) I just stopped worry about changing. I LET IT GO!

I decided that I was a good enough person, that inside my heart, I meant well and hey, that was good enough for me. After all, I was a human, and it’s human nature to have some flaws in our personalities. To have some faults. Right? No body is perfect and neither was I. Why then should I spend so much energy in trying to become “perfect?” More important, to me, was that “goodness” in my heart. I knew that I was “good enough” and that I meant well in all my actions.

So, since that day, I no longer worry about it. To this day, I still don’t worry about the minute details of my character/personality etc... Whatever you want to call it. Instead, I prefer to focus on the “Big Picture” (will address that in a future post) because in my heart, I know that I am “OK!”

Do I still want to improve? Of course! Do I want to be perfect? Who doesn’t? But, it comes down to accepting ourselves as we are. Mistakes and all. Another benefit: when we accept ourselves as we are, it’s also much easier to accept others as they are. Then, we can live a less stressful life - a more peaceful life with a serene mind. Furthermore, with that serene feeling inside, it also becomes easier to “hear” the signs coming from our soul as it prompts us for growth and “growth” is the key to the purpose (future post) of our lives.

You have to take a good, hard honest look at yourself in determining ones strengths and weakness’. After all, who knows us better, really, than ourselves? And then …

LET IT GO!

(Sing along…. ”Oh, Let it be…”)

right or rong?

© blogger beta templates | Make Money Online