Vanity, your favorite sin

If you scour the pages of most of the social networking websites, you will see your friends, family, and acquaintances all doing something great, looking their best, going somewhere exciting.The plethora of everything fantastic is all you see. If you examine this idea with any of the hot selling magazines ( for men and women) you will note the same. Models looking fabulous, with an unrealistic image of what their employers are portraying with photoshopped make up and modified bodies. It leaves the readers in awe  but at some level wanting for more, craving for a better life in comparison, and a feeling of a life unfulfilled. Why can I not goto those places? Why can I not look like that person? Why can  I not do that? Will I be able to afford those items? All these questions torment us at the subconscious level. What is this obsession with perfection? Vanity. 

There are multiple different kinds of "sins" in various religious texts leading to a hierarchy of bad consequences for the soul. Some are classified as the cardinal sins, some as the 7 deadly sins, but regardless of the categories, I think they all stem from some aspect of us. From the deepest recesses of our subconscious, where the true You is hidden under layers of shadows, disappointments,  rejections, and failures comes our reaction to the outside world. The only part that we allow the world to see, is the part that is not even us. It is our image of us, that is a fake and encased in pride it comes out, vanity, our favorite sin. 

This vanity keeps us from progressing forward as it slithers from person to person making us remain in fear, and in envy of others. You do not see something ugly in a fashion magazine, or some bad posting on a social network website, as why would we want any one to have a different image of who we are. Why would we want anyone, let alone ourselves get to know our true selves? So we disguise it in clothing, make up, and tell glamorous  stories of our exploits to make others like us, and the bragging continues burning furiously like the sun until its own fuel runs out, and the truth is known. This truth is usually known by you, when you get dejected, unmotivated, and realize that your life you are living is not what you had intended, and at the high school reunion you awaken to the fact that many of your dreams and aspirations you had in school are far from being accomplished. But instead your life has taken twists and turns to penultimately lead you to your present day. Few are those who live their life in true freedom and do what they set out to do, probably because they have seen who they are and accept themselves for who they are and then are not bogged down with spending their lives to gloss up their self image, but spend their time acting out their chosen realities. 

Comparing yourself constantly with another only sets you back from your true purpose. It generates inferiority, jealousy and envy that then is outbalanced by a surge of vanity to over compensate, or it simply demoralizes you to the point of no hope of reprieve.  My personal view on social networking is more along the lines of keeping in touch with friends, and being pleased that they are happy   or happy that they feel pleased to share something about their lives with everyone, pretense or not. Everyone has a dark corner where they keep what they do not want known hidden, behind the curtain of vanity. But if you draw back that curtain you might just find a gem of a being waiting to shine with effulgence of greatness. Letting go of vanity is hard, since we live in a world that revolves round the supporting the vanity of others. We are pressured to be someone we are not.  Do you dare to look yourself in the mirror, and stare in to your own eyes, your own window to your soul, and ask yourself  " Who are you? and What do you want to do with this life?"

Vanity, it is yours to do with as you please. Keep it up and it will shroud your world in darkness. Shed it, and reveal your true magic to the world. 

Waiting to die?

It is inevitable. Death is the end of this life and a beginning in many cultures to another. We are so concerned about our own mortality that we forget that we are hurtling towards it with great speed, without awakening to the life that we have here and now. Someone once said that life is what you do while you wait to die. That is true, but I think it is what you do in this life to make it count when you die. Try a little exercise for yourself. If you are ever told  that you have either one week, one month or 6 months or 1 year to live. You would still have your mental and physical accuities, what would you do? Make your own bucket list for each timelines. Now I am not referring to the madness of maxing out your credit cards and blow all your money in Vegas ! ( but if that is what you wish to do it is to be respected.)

 

Are we waiting to die, or learning to live? We live our lives in fear. We are afraid of losing the tangible, be it possessions, career, or persons, but ever think about the fact that the fear inside you is in fact afraid of YOU? It needs you to survive. Our lives are bombarded with sensations that only drive us to fear. Since we are all lead to believe that the universe needs to be perceived by only our eyes, and since we cannot grasp  the enormity of it, we believe that we are all alone and so we must try to control our own life and its future, and most of the controlling is done in fear. This obsession of control and fear drives us through the madness of a perishable reality to an end without really living or making a life. If you take the above lists that you have made for yourself, and honestly see what you can incorporate into your daily lives, from moment to moment you might just find that your life is not as bad as you think it is. The true living comes from living moment to moment, and being at one with the rest of the universe. The Source, the universe, the positivity is actually ever present to support you, and not destroy you, thereby making your life a better experience. These culminate to the end when death is only a transformation from one energy to another and the journey continues.

 

With the realization that death will occur in one of those timelines mentioned above, you immediately prioritize to the things in your life that you are actually passionate about, as there is a sense of loss if those things are not completed. Certainly household chores or working longer at the office will not fit that list !! So why not do the same thinking as if you are going to die tomorrow or the next day. By this you refocus what is important to you, and then bring forth your purpose, you bring forth your calling. With this also comes a deeper understanding of how to live a healthier, a more productive and peaceful existance when a timeline is given. You will probably forgive your debtors, let go of your anger towards a former friend, or ex-lover, appreciate someone else for there ignorance, and tolerate pain a lot better with a greater sense of calm as you are forced to dump all the extraneous noise in your life. What makes humanity sustainable is its ability to be compassionate, loving, peaceful, adapt, forgive. What makes humanity great is its mortality. Knowing that an end will come but not knowing when, allows creativity to flow freely.

 

Through meditation, and visualization of the moment, allows the perspective of the future to materialize and then your own mortality becomes a friend. Embrace your fear of death, and your life becomes worth living, as you have taken out your stop gaps. Life is a journey, and so death becomes just another milestone. Peace, happiness and gratitude bring about the harmony that enstills a more awakened and powerful life experience. Practiced with patience, you gain greater  focus by letting go of your control of your daily grind. Your fear of death evaporates and your life opens up with the exhilaration just as it did with the first day when you began this adventure.

 

Waiting to die or waiting to live? The choice is yours, choose wisely.

A Fathers Day

June 16, 2013. Fathers Day is here again. It comes every year with great pomp and celebration with advertisements for dads gifts with special discounts and incentives for dad with competetive must haves like handy power  tools, executive desk toys, macho gardening implements and stylish clothing, all to cherish the fathers we have. Greeting cards galore that illustrate the father who sits in his big dad lazy boy chair drinking beer and doing nothing are in every store for the picking. But is that really the image that comes to mind when we think about our fathers. When we imagine our fathers when we are young little children, we can envision a man big and strong with unlimited intelligence, bravado, and ability to perform any feat. A man you can respect, a shoulder to lean on ( or leg depending on your size!), a confidante, a friend at times, a role model at others. Somewhere in the process as we grow older and independant we realize the fallacy and know that our fathers are not the "Man of Steel" and cannot really leap tall buildings in a single bound, ( not so sure about the look that could kill though !). We second guess their advices, brush aside the suggestions, dismiss their ideas as quick as dejavue, as we merge into adulthood.

A father's compassion and love for his child never dies. Being a first time father myself of a soon to be 2 year old, gives me pause at times as I can vividly remember his birth, his first few days and months, the first year, and every moment in between. The compassion and love is self perpetuating as are the lessons taught by generations of fathers. The wisdom accumulated over a lifetime of experience imparted to the child to help not hinder is one of the goals of an involved father. No father intentionally wishes to harm or hurt their offspring. I wonder what I am trying to teach my son, will it be remembered ? will it bear fruit later? I think it will as it shows each day as my son builds on the knowledge from the day before and integrates it with his daily activities.

So true it can be said with your Source. A Divine father wishing only the best for you so that you may rise to your greatest potential, yet our image of Him changes with our moods, our unfulfilled desires or fears. We discard Him when we are dissatisfied with the way things manifest in our lives, blaming him for our misery, yet plead for His mercy when the situations are dire. We did the same when we were children, always going to dad for help, but as we are older believe we are above it all and pride gets in the way of open dialogue, but when things are bad blame it on our childhood.

 I think that we should never forget this sacred bond and the relationship with our father (divine or mortal) since we live such short lives full of distractions. The time may come and go when you can communicate effectively all that you have always wished to say and feel but never had the opportunity to do so, leading to guilt and regret in the future.  So this fathers day if you have the chance, just sit by his side and enjoy the moment, whether you say a little or say a lot. Whether he says a little or says nothing at all, volumes are spoken just being there, being present, being together. 

To all fathers, fathers to be, a very Happy Fathers Day. It is an honor and a privilege to be one.  

Trading your happiness

We make decisions on a regular basis from moment to moment that affects us quite radically if we are not careful. We understand the concept of trading. You exchange one thing for another. But what you are trading must be of equal if not greater value. In our lifetimes, there are numerous examples of this and some transactions lead to a less than worthy exchange.This leads to stress, and unravelling of the mind, with a downward spiral of malcontent, frustrations, disappointment and eventual anger. Why was that trade not a good one, and what did we lose in the process. Sometimes we do not even realize the transaction until it is too late. When you swap one thing for another, and unwittingly realize that the trade was not fair, these emotions arise that will take you down the wrong road. Whatever you trade has to be fair, or you lose your happiness. What is the price of losing your happiness?

 

Imagine a dollar bill that is brand new in mint condition, and it now is launched into circulation. It changes owners innumerable times, changing hands,wallets, purses, cash drawers, and sometimes even goes through the washer  in a pocket of your jeans. But as worn as it might be, fraying at the edges, almost faded, it still holds its value. A dollar bill is a dollar bill till you give it away. And so is the case with your happiness. It is a very important commodity but we do not respect it and it leads to our eventual destruction and lack of value when we give it away. We succumb to the decisions of others either at home or at work or literally anywhere to shape our future, our happiness, our purpose and our lives. Is this a fair trade?

 

Living in the moment and enjoying the moment without fear or prejudice enables us to retain the integrity of that happiness. We can shape the way it looks, feels, and augment its power to unlimited potential all by a slight change and tweek of attitude. Close your eyes and imagine everything  that makes you happy. Whether it is a beautiful sunny day, a colorful flower, a child's smile, an unexpected call from a dear friend, a tasty treat. Anything that fills you up with light heartedness and joy and happiness. Now list everything that gives you unhappiness and makes you frown. Whether it is arguing with a coworker, fighting with a loved one over trivial matters, scolding a child for an irrelevant issue, panic over the economy or your job. Anything that resembles your fear, anxiety, or stress. Now do a tally. Are any items in the happy category worth giving up and being traded for the unhappy items? Like baseball cards are you willing to trade them for a lesser item? I think not.

 

Similarly we are in such a negative habit pattern that we automatically trade our joy, our happiness so quickly we do not even realize that the transaction has been made. Slow down, do less, and be more present and aware of your trading habits. Do not break the bank with so much of loss that you go broke with nothing left to trade because that is when your mental destruction is not far from you. Your lack of peace is never worth giving up for anyone else's happiness or for anything. This is not a selfish statement, since if you are happy and at peace, all you have to give freely is more of the same and when you are in that frame of mind, you are giving it unconditionally, and then the trade is like compound interest with no loss, and it grows and returns in leaps and bounds.  

 

Make your dollar bill value into a hundred dollars to make it worth trading. Your happiness is worth more than you know.

Are you normal?

We hear it all the time, and we question it about ourselves as often. What exactly is normal? Why is it so important to be normal or not deviate from the norm in society? What does it mean when some one says he or she is not normal?  Normal is a term describing conforming to a standard. Who sets this "standard" Is it the law to be normal, or is it society with generations of influences and expectations that set us rigid in our ways to then conform to this standard and be relieved when we are told by our peers that we are normal, or rather someone else other than us is abnormal.

If everyone was this "normal" person then life would probably be not only quite boring but also quite stagnant. There would be no interest in deviating from the norm and be somebody different. Imagine an entire civilization of drones, would we still be individuals then. Each person behaving exactly in the same way, doing the same sort of thing, talking, acting, performing if you will to the societal expectations. Unfortunately, with pressures from regulations either through government or those that we pose upon our selves we have become quite normalized, and standardized. Our daily drudgery of work, home, chores, and monotone lives leave us all feeling worn out, beaten down, and tired. Check your own level of energy and you will realize the same. You are not deviating from the standard norm. So therefore you are now normal ! Congratulations. 

It starts from school, and in the home. Behaviors that encourage free thinking, or behaving are considered abnormal and so are squashed by teachers, parents, and peers. You are molded into the society's idea of what a person should be, and does not encourage the person to truly be an individual with creativity, spontaneity, vision,  to explore all opportunities. An example  is  in school let us say a child is drawing a picture of a tree. You and I know that a tree has green leaves, brown trunk etc, but to a child drawing a tree can be an expression of freedom and creativity. They can draw it in any color, and shape.  But to only be then told that they are wrong and "do it this way" is quite common place, thereby suppressing individuality for the sake of joining mainstream education. 

Life is like being on the highway. There are fast, medium and slow drivers, yet we are all meant to follow the speed limit. Some follow the sign, and get to their destination at the appointed time, some speed faster and get to their destination faster, and some drive at the pace of a snail and never get anywhere on time. I am not advocating violating traffic law, just that use your own judgement of normalcy. We are always comparing ourselves to each other, which further restricts our performance in being unique. Unfortunately constant comparison, leads to constant judgement, which leads to most of our problems of dissatisfaction, mistrust, resentment which then leads to breakdown of communication, anger and hatred and deviation from the norm. But yet these behaviors go unchecked, so then this becomes the new norm. 

We may have been cut from the same divine cloth, but once born are unique in every way. We should allow our light within to flourish each day and blow out of the Bell curve. So next time you see a person with blue hair, or tattooed from head to toe, or someone  not wearing the latest fashion trends, do not judge them, instead smile and know that being unique and expressing your own individual uniqueness is the new normal. 

We spend so much time and effort trying to be "normal" no one really even knows what that means anymore, and then you spend hours on the couch of your therapist trying  to figure out why you are not normal. And then more hours trying to change yourself to becoming normal, and then the remaining lifetime miserable that you are normal. 

Take a good look at yourself in the mirror, are you happy in the skin that you are in? Are you feeling normal? or are you feeling like the radiant beautiful uniqueness that you were born with and meant to be?

A Victimless crime?

A Victimless Crime

A crime by definition is a conduct through either action, omission or neglect that breaks the rule or laws set by society. A victim is someone who is harmed by a crime. A victimless crime is defined by act that is deemed illegal but does not directly harm or violate the rights of another individual. But what if the other individual is you, and you are the criminal and the victim, is it still victimless?

When we harm another there are many ways we can do it. Physical, verbal, mental, and  emotional are just some of the ways. But in each of these modalities, I wonder who is really the victim. He or she that is abused or the abuser. Societal laws and cultural norms would probably favor the abused, however let us not forget the abuser. When you either hit, speak out with bad words, play ill-mind games, or demonstrate emotional blackmail, I think it first hurts you before anything even materializes. You have to have that thought in your mind of performing one of these bad efforts. The moment that thought even arises within you, you have already hurt yourself. And not just at the intellectual level, but at the spirit level. If everything that arises from you starts from a thought, then the source of this too has to be the creator of the thought, your Self. 

You have to generate tremendous ill will, hatred and anger from this thought to be able to thrust it into the present through physical, verbal, mental or emotional manifestations. The torture you are putting your own soul to co-create these ideas are not even worth it. A series of chemical responses occur instantly at the cellular level when you begin on this troublesome journey, eventually causing deleterious effects on your vessels, your organs and your body. So if the same creator within can generate so much badness it only stands to reason that you can generate the opposite with even better effects. If  your soul decides that it will refrain from ill thoughts, ill speaking, ill doing, ill acting and replace them with the spark of creativity, positivity, happiness, joy and harmony then only these shall arise from within, and come out of your very being, from the very pores of your body. A clear creative mind that manifests trust, connection, understanding, can only then do the same through the physical, verbal, mental and emotional.

 You feel better and your cells will thank you ! Do you not feel better when you have physically helped someone even if it is simply holding the door open, you always get a thank you. You feel better when you speak kindly to someone, you always get a smile back or diffuse a tense situation. You offer love to someone you will always get that love back. You avoid mind games and are clear with your intentions, you get more receptive people to work with you to help fulfill a common goal.  

No one except for yourself can police your thoughts, and your feelings that come from your Self. Don't hurt yourself first. Be your own neighborhood watch. 

Let them eat cake !!

I am sure you are familiar with the phrase by Marie Antoinette, Queen of France who during the French Revolution said "Let them eat cake" when informed that the peasants could not afford to eat bread. Unknowingly she probably had a point, if you do not like the horrible circumstances that you are in then change it to the reality you wish to live in. It is easy. With faith, dedication, and clear focus of thought and choice you can achieve anything. But then why does it not happen for most people, living in poverty, miserable conditions, or working at jobs where they are unhappy, in relationships that are full of hurt and pain? The answer is because at some level they choose to be in that situation. Their spirit is here to experience something, unconscious to their outward mind and body, but once the experience is complete things change. 

Look at the argument the other way. Why are some people always appear to get everything the way they want. Are they lucky, do they live charmed lives? No they simply know what they want and are telling that subconsciously to the universe and living it automatically. They choose to eat the cake and not the bread. It is the fundamental thought of how you wish to live, and allow it to come into existence. 

Now baking your cake and eating is another interesting phrase. Apparently you cannot do this. I think this is quite ridiculous. What is the point of taking the time to getting and then putting the  ingredients together, spending time to bake it into a cake and then not being able to eat it. You can precisely bake it, eat it, love it, bake some more!! To me this old adage was misinterpreted and what it really means is that you put the effort in and you enjoy it afterwards. Cakes are sweet, delicious and tasty, so is the reward when doing the right thing. You receive peace, tranquility and satisfaction, with each good deed, good word and good thought like with each morsel of cake. Putting the right ingredients is the key. Patience, understanding, hope, good effort, presence of mind, all mixed in, baked with love at the right temperature ( temperament), result in a fruitful cake of YOUR choice. The more you bake, the more cakes come forth. The more you work at it, the more goodness will come forth. The more gratitude you mix into the cake, the sweeter it ends up.

Can you taste your yummy cake yet? Don't forget to share it. 

A Mother's Day

A delightful day of joyeous celebration. An interesting day with a great history celebrated all over the world at slightly different days than when we celebrate it here in the USA. Nevertheless a much loved day when children make breakfast for their mothers, and shower them with lovable hugs and memorable kisses. Fine breakfast buffets in wonderful restaurants, special gifts and humorous warm greeting cards are exchanged to make the whole affair a day to remember. Mothers as a rule are devoted to their offspring. I am sure all mothers appreciate the sentiments and gratitude offered to them, as they remember the fond times of fun while bringing up their young. I am sure the unfond memories of late nights, cranky children and exhausted mothers easily melt away into oblivion. Stories are told, songs are written, and the love flows, and sometimes tears flow too ! No coincidence that Mothers day also occurs in spring time when all of Mother nature blooms as she unleashes her love upon all life around. Let us not forget this day as giving thanks and simple quiet reflection unto the mother earth that began all life, and continues to nourish infinitely diverse life on this planet, creatures and plant life alike. Everyone and everything born has a mother. We remember her in the perfect way. Kind, gentle, protective, compassionate, loving and patient. A mother's spit is always able to clean anything, and mothers always had the solution for all your problems. Magically, nothing was ever impossible, and no task too great for a mother not to be able to do. Regardless of age of mother or child, a mother will always be a mother, and that relationship is sacred and cannot change. Such is also the relationship to our Mother Earth with her gentle winds, life giving rains, protective shadowing clouds, and strong earth. Natures powerful energy all around us easily reminds us of our place as we are still in our infancy, as a child having a tantrum, our behavior is quickly curtailed. I would urge you to spend time with your mother on this day, make her feel special, let her know of your love. Anger, bad memories or disagreements be gone. Allow forgiveness, love, gratitude fill both your hearts. Close or far, pick up the phone and make the call. Then go out into a garden, sit on the grass, and close your eyes and take in the moment. A simple heartfelt thanks can be effortlessly projected out to Mother Earth for all that she is, all that she has done and continues to do so. A gesture of kindness can be performed like picking up a piece of garbage, planting a flower or a tree, turning over garden soil, watering a plant, all help reduce your carbon footprint, and also demonstrates your gratitude to nature. A simple prayer, To all mothers, and mothers to be and Mother Earth, thank you for who you are and all you have done, are doing and will do in the future. Your loving child....... Happy Mothers Day

Talking to trees

Ever walked into a forest, sun light streaming through the high branches illuminating the dusty ground. If you are still and just be in the moment, you can actually hear the trees talk to each other. Just because the voices are very soft and not in your tongue does not mean that the trees cannot speak. Now I am not referring to the trees in the movie Lord of the Rings, but close enough. All of creation talks to each other. The animals, birds, insects and all botanical life  communicate with each other. The divinity within all life communicate. Misery occurs if there is a breakdown of this fundamental process. 

Seeds carried by the wind and insects or birds help pollinate and germinate the plant life from far distant lands. Trees talk to their distant cousin trees in other forests planning out natures schedule. The creatures of the air and land do the same, and in unison entire ecosystems are formed with simple communication. Then why do we still have a problem. We are humans supposedly the most intelligent and highly conscious yet we have issues of communication with our fellow man regardless if we are in families, or not. I am having second thoughts as to how evolved we really are, despite our apparent advances. 

If we slow down, do less and open our selves with true patience, and bring forth our divinity, we can interact with the divinity within all of nature, and feel our connection to everything and everyone all around us. Being part of something bigger than our tiny selves is the first part of realizing our true nature, and then surrendering to a universal source, to a higher plan we can communicate humbly with all concerned. We are just as much a part and parcel of nature as anything else occurring in nature. Knowledge can only be transmitted and progressed through communication. Wisdom is applied knowledge. There is much wisdom in nature, and it is trying to communicate with you, but are you willing to listen and talk even if it is to a tree. These great apparent silent souls will listen, and by talking you will hear your own answers to your problems. 

Sit under a tree for a while and eves drop on the conversation, you may be surprised on what you will learn.

Enjoying eternity within a moment

Have you woken up in the morning and run through a long list of things that need to be done for that day even before getting out of bed? You get out of bed, brush your teeth, use the bathroom, have a shower, quickly down a cup of coffee and you are off to the races. What appears as a barrage of continuous activities is actually a collection of moments. You try to control all the activities but not always with success. Someone is late to an appointment, the clothes are not fully dry when emptied from the drier, the toast got burnt, the kids are not ready for the school bus, the list goes on. It gets you aggravated as in your scheduled day a hiccup has occurred and upsets the smooth running of the train of planned activities. Why get upset and ruin your day. If you change the way you look at your day you might not be so disrupt able !

 

The way I look at it is simple. Imagine everything that has to be done sits in a bubble. One bubble or 100 bubbles it does not make a difference. What just transpired is also in a bubble of its own. You are in your own bubble at this very moment. All bubbles are floating as time is passing. So let us pretend you are going from bubble to bubble, moment to moment. I cannot hurry any future bubble to come quicker, so I let it sit in its own place for me to meet it at the right time. For example if you have a lunch time meeting at noon, and it is 8 am now, you cannot bring that time bubble to this present time. So do not fret, let that bubble for the meeting exist in the future. Similarly your daily ablutions ( showering, brushing etc.) that just finished are in their bubbles, and since they were in the past you cannot connect to them either. So all you really have is this moment. The moment of now. When the right time, right place connect to your bubble you enter that moment or bubble. And so you continue your day, weeks, months years, without worry as you cannot reach the future events now, nor can you bring back the past events in to this moment that you are in. So being comfortable in your bubble of this moment is all you can do.

 

Life is truly a series of moments, and you keep moving from moment to moment. If you slow down and pay attention you will realize that this is true. When you see a lit candle you may think that this is the same candle light burning continuously. But alas not. Each time you look at the flame it is a new flame. Just it happens too quickly on an atomic level from moment to moment that you miss it. Similarly having a light bulb on. If you think you are getting continuous light you would be mistaken. After you flip the switch and the light turns on, electricity flows, with ions constantly arising and then vanishing as they turn into light. So again it changes so fast that the moment to moment light changes but you cannot tell the difference. Physicists will verify this by being able to slow down particles in elaborate experiments. If you are still in disbelief of the moment to moment concept of the light bulb, ask your electric company for the bill ! They are billing you for the moment to moment dissipation of electrons !!

 

We are all subject to natures time. But living in the moment is very important as you recognize the idea of change. If you know that nothing is permanent since everything is subject to change moment to moment, even our bodies are aging as you think and speak, then hopefully your mind will be more at ease to let things go and not be so caught up in all the moments, just the moment you are in right here and right now. It is a matter of training your mind to the vibrations of your present bubble. Like the daily chores of daily ablutions, eating, sleeping, dressing, using the bathroom, showering etc that you really do not even thinking about them, but just do, because they are unconsciously things that you just do, this can be used for anything and everything. You know that certain events and schedules have to be kept and you have to do various things, so just do them with out thinking or obsessing about them ahead of time. Let your present bubble moment collide with that future bubble moment at the right time, and then "there you are" where ever and whenever you go. 

 

Be well, I hope I have not burst your bubble yet !  

Easter is here, Hooray !!

Ah yes, spring is here at last, the freshness in the air, the sunshine, the returning of the birds, the emerging green grass, little animals running around in the back lawn, the shaking off the winter blues. Shedding the previous years ills and welcoming the time for renewal, is essentially how I imagine springtime. The little bunnies and squirrels are born, the fledgling birds are chirping, and children are getting ready for easter egg painting and egg hunts. The traditions of Easter maybe somewhat rooted in Christianity with the symbolism of the rebirth of Christ in the resurrection, however spring time festivities have long time been part of numerous cultures in different parts of the world. Connecting nature and man as life begins anew is part of the life cycle, with this time of the year bringing you your own personal resurrection and rejuvenation. 

Letting go of the past is as important as embracing the future, and existing in the present. Nature does this very efficiently, as it clears away the winter mess, and lays out the scene for spring and life to flourish. Similarly we should do the same just like when we do the cathartic spring cleaning, we should mentally, physically and spiritually let go of the past biases, hates, bad habits, and disappointments that occurred last year, or previous years or prior lifetimes. Give way to the splendor of the  good experiences, the wholesome foods, the energetic exercises, and the peace of meditation that is about to come your way. This can only happen by letting go. What a crazy state of chaos it would be if nature held on to the winter and mixed it into the spring season. Animals would be confused, plant life would not be able to grow, water in snow, ice and liquid forms all at once, nature would be run amok. You cannot hold on to the past troubles and have any hope of a bright future if you are not with a clean conscience and consciousness. You would be riddled with anxiety and fear, as is much of the cause of the ailments in this modern world right here, right now. 

 Easter has its own charm with the egg hunts, festivities, the colored decorations and the celebrations regardless of religion. But one day in the year does not have to be the only day when you can enjoy the season. Every day is another opportunity to start afresh, with clear vision, renewed hope and a bold expression of your inner self. Let not the winter gone past hold you down from being in tune with the present moment. Let not the cold of the winter leave you with no chance of warming your heart with inspiration for a better future. 

As little children run around on their easter egg hunts, following clues, following trails, you can see they are very focussed and persistent with their endeavors while in their shell of  innocence. We too can take a page out of their books and follow suit and be focussed on the tasks that we choose to do with diligence and not sweat the small stuff. Looking for happiness, and peace are lofty goals, but the hunt is the real fun. When you find your bliss it may take you by surprise just as it may a child finding an egg. So let the flood gates of goodness, compassion and happiness be wide open and overflow your mind and soul. Let the excitement of a brighter future quicken your heart and temper and steady your spirit with gratitude for the present. 

This season put a spring in your step, vigor in your goals, and enthusiasm on your face, and joy in your heart, and leap forth like the easter bunnies into your glorious life with conviction and purpose. 

An Experience of a lifetime

How many times have you wished that you did something outrageous? Skydiving, learning kungfu, learning a foreign language, riding in a hot air balloon. The feeling of being alive fills your entire body. SO why not do it? What is holding you back? 

Let us explore the concept of an experience.This can best be done through examples. Whatever I can conceive in my mind and think about there usually springs forth 3 possibilities. One is the idea of the ability to see it into reality. The second is the ability to comprehend at the intellectual level and the third is the experience itself. So for example, you go to a restaurant and you sit at your table, and the waiter gives you a menu. You examine the menu, you make your choice and await your meal. You can at that point see the food or beverage item on the menu you have  chosen and be satiated with it. Second possibility, is that you look  around the room and see other people eating the same meal and you note the joy on their faces as they consume their meal, and accept that as what you are going to eat and be satisfied. So intellectually you have understood the food.  The third is the meal that you get and you taste it for yourself. It is not until you eat this meal that you can say you have experienced it fully. 

Another example is that of when a doctor gives you a prescription for a medication for an illness. Firstly you can see the paper that has scribble on it intended for a cure. You can feel that you are being cured by the very nature of a paper being given to you. Secondly you can pray that you are being cured as you have the cure in your hand, you can see it after all, and then you have faith in this prescription and the doctor and so on a devotional level you feel the healing.But not until you actually fill the prescription and you consume the medication that illness is eradicated, and therefore you have experienced the cure. 

Similarly while growing up you are taught as a child  through religious studies and parents about religious principles, and the various cultures tell you what you should and should not do. You have faith and so at the devotional level you follow blindly. Now you grow up and perhaps you read the religious scriptures for yourself and then again at the intellectual level you understand and acknowledge about life and death and the ideas that you are not this body, but a soul. Until you finally reach the experiential level through meditation and slowing down and feeling each moment passing, that you truly experience the impermanence and grasp the concept of change. Everything has to be experienced, and it is not sufficient to simply understand through reading or seeing at the intellectual or devotional levels. Faith is very much a corner stone in getting you to this level as the other levels are easy enough to reach, but this requires discipline, and dedication. 

Awareness and enlightenment is a state of being. It can be achieved through meditation, and  being awake in each moment. Listening to yourself is the first part of self  healing as is following your heart. Your mind, spirit and consciousness all experiencing your life, creating your realities, your future, your dreams. 

Are you simply living or living simply through your experiences?

Controlling your Joystick

You remember what it felt like playing games on your Atari, Nintendo, PS3, or the Wii when you are holding onto a joystick literally a stick of joy, and holding onto it tightly while fully engaged in your interaction with fictional characters playing out roles of fantasy. The excitement, the intense power of focus, the fleeting emotions of daring, and sometimes the crossing the fine line of loss and a win, all streamlined through a little stick or console with buttons and your hands linking your humanity and your wild mind to a piece of technology. 

The wild mind is so erratic, so "uncontrollable", so shapeless leading to flighty thoughts and then aimless wills. The wild mind is like a wild animal such as a bull or a horse, but amazingly once tamed, once controlled, the animal performs such significant feats that are of service to the community. Now expand this idea to our wild minds. Tamed, controlled, focussed and calmed by OURSELVES, not by others, you can see what great accomplishments we perform. From art, medicine, agriculture, technology, transportation, exploration and imagination, we can provide such great service to humanity as a whole. 

Why do we get agitated when others do not do the tasks that we wish for them to do? My answer is a different question. Why do you think you can control others to do anything? Why  can I not change the outcome of my future? My answer is a different question. Why do you think that you cannot control and change the outcome of your future?

It is very interesting that we think we can control so many things in our lives, but in fact most of these things we can absolutely not control, yet what we believe inherently we have no control over, are the only things that we can really control. We are so ingrained that things such as fate, destiny are not in  our control, but in fact we make our own fate and destiny. We have absolute control, through free will and choice. We can stop unhealthy habits, we can change the way we think, speak and do. We can choose to help a needy hungry person, we can choose to provide medical service to the sick, we can choose to speak kindly to others, and in doing so control our thoughts, words and actions and therefore our destiny towards our fellow man. You can choose to lose weight, stop smoking, get an education, begin meditating, and in doing so control your personal interaction with yourself. 

 Yet what we cannot really do is force anyone to bend to our will. Those that do, chose to see your point of view ( an art well known to politicians !) by making it appear that their view point is in your best interests and is in fact yours ( rarely so !) when in fact it is in their own self serving interest. Try telling a child to do anything without a threat, and have it done, impossible unless you let them come to terms with their own reality of choice.  Ideas, ideals, beliefs, philosophies can all be shared but controlling others is a different matter all together. On the other hand it is the perception of control that we entertain as we continue to DO things, such as household or office chores in an effort to maintain a control level of our lives. A foolish endeavor. 

But is it so important to have this control? Why not let everything be as it is and do what needs to be done without exerting this unnecessary force. This control sense comes from the "I", the "Me" the "Ego" with its survival instinct, but if a focussed letting go occurs, a serenity of peace overtakes us, letting you and the universe to link up and you can then control that what you can effect, namely your reality. 

It is time for you to let go of the joystick of control, and let your mind open to the freedom of no  control. How tightly are you holding on?

Oh dear not another birthday !

 It came around again so quickly this time, not like all the  earlier years, when they took their time. I remember the variety of elaborate birthday cakes, the decorations, the list of friends being invited, the games being played. Was it not just yesterday that I was being wished "a Happy Birthday" by friends and family ? As the years roll by, the parties, the gifts and the friends change but the essence of remembrance does not. On the positive side, you get delicious cake to eat, bountiful presents to open, tight hugs and firm hand shakes from friends and most of all tremendous smiles from everyone with the customary  melodious monotone song of " We wish you a Happy birthday.....la la la" 

What are you thinking on the inside? Another year gone by. What did I accomplish in this year? What will I wish to accomplish this year? Will all my troubles be gone for this season? The party dies down and all the guests leave and you clean up and all the while these thoughts start setting roots and festering, awaiting an answer on your minds reflections. We celebrate everyones birthdays young or old with jubilation. The younger or older you are the more the enjoyment in the celebration. Do we realize that we may be marking the persons day of birth, but it is another year closer to their death. Wonder if that is what is pestering the "birthday  boy or girl." We all came to this world for a purpose and as these anniversary days zip by we awaken to the fact that we are on a timeline, with lessons to learn, dreams to fulfill and missions to complete.  These days serve as reminders of taking stock of where you are and where you have been and what more is there to do.

The deadline ( no pun intended) is coming, and there is no time to waste with complacency or ignorance. The days, the weeks, the months and years pass by quickly enough but when decades go by and your true nature has not surfaced, it can be quite frustrating. In my opinion, the birth-day should still be remembered as a happy one. You survived the birthing process, and came in to the world for a great experience, and a wonderful purpose that only you can achieve. It is a reminder of your uniqueness as you heralded forth into life with ambition and substance. It is the day of joy as you joined the human race to bring your consciousness into the collective to make a difference. A time to remember with pomp and grace that you and only you can offer yourself to the world, that has been waiting patiently for your presence. 

The older you are the more you have learned in your lifetime and to offer others  and future generations freely of your experiences. What can be more joyeous and celebratory as you  check off another year? Do not take this day with regret. Partake in the festivities and give yourself the best present of all, a launch into this year with openness, and  love. When you blow out the candles, blow with full force each and every one of them, and close your eyes with gratitude to the universe for everything that has been, is happening, and all that is about to happen in your marvelous year ahead. 

Happy Birthday, your birth was truly a happy day !!

Vision 20/20

We keep running through our lives making choices, decisions, and sometimes if we look back, we see that perhaps that decision was the right or wrong one. We judge the past and blow through the present as we try to chance it into the future. They say "hindsight is 20/20". Looking back at the past we can easily reevaluate all the decisions and pass approval or disapproval over them. But unfortunately rarely do we learn from the past and change the future with a vision. Sometimes we hope and pray that we can divine of what to do in the future? Wish that someone  would tell us just what to do, so we do not make the same mistakes. I would submit that each "mistake" helps us to change our vision, our future automatically. We need to make our vision  of the future 20/20. 

I believe we all have that vision inside us, waiting to come out. We know exactly what we need, want and know but how do we get that vision out? Simply, by letting go of the past, and staying in the present. Easier said or read than done. But lets think about this. By allowing yourself to stay in the present, we awaken more than the moment, but ourselves in the moment. We become focussed allowing our Self to coming in tune with a vibrational harmony that sets into motion a future.  Do you remember how irritating it is when your glasses are foggy and dirty with smudges and dust? Just like when you  clean your spectacles or sunglasses with a clean cloth and then can see clearer afterwards and are in some small degree happier,  you can do the same thing by cleaning up your vision by cleaning up and letting go of all the burdens of the past that weigh you down in the present holding you back from a brighter vision of the future. Worries, stresses, regrets, failures and doubts all fall into this bag of burden.  

Gaining your vision is akin to watching a lotus flower open. It may take long time to see it open fully, with great satisfaction, but in the end the vision may very well be the flower itself and the watching being the journey. I am inferring that perhaps the journey you take and the longing you seek for " a vision" may very well be the vision itself and you are living it right here and now. You recognize it only by being in the moment.  By slowing down and letting go and vibrating to a slower frequency, you clean up your thoughts, feelings, and knowing. Then your vision takes shape from thoughts, then into spoken word and then in action leading to a better experience of life. 

Here is a little exercise, close your eyes and envision the following:  

You are in a boat in the middle of a large river. You are stagnant, non moving. You look around and see that there are hooks all around the edges of the boat, and attached to the hooks are long ropes that are holding onto anchors. These are all around you, at all hands of the clock if you will. Now imagine you systematically cutting these ropes starting at 4 and 8 o'clock, then 5 and 7 o'clock. The further you head towards the 6 o'clock the harder it gets but you can do it. The ropes are all various burdens of the past that have been holding you back, they may be your disappointments, your regrets, your troubles and failures. 6 o'clock is your fear generated from your cumulative past. Can you feel your boat rocking and moving now? Now start cutting the ropes at 1, 2, and  10 ,11 o'clock positions. These are all your hopes, wishes and wants. No need for these if you just launch into the future and make them happen versus keeping them in them in the imaginary state of wanting field.  But if you notice the boats rocking but still not moving forward. You have yet to sever the 3 and 9 o'clock ropes. These are keeping you from moving. These are your doubts. Cut them yet?  Now your boat launches forward on the river of life at the 12 o'clock position in to the future, with thrust and pull into a vision that has no bounds. Not bonded you are free. 

Now open your eyes and watch your boat cruise with great speed with the clear vision that you always knew you had.

Where is my Umbrella?

There is one household item that seems to always be in shortage and in abundance. The umbrella. It comes in almost infinite types, sizes, colors, patterns, styles and in some cases unique shapes. In any case I always seem to be losing mine, but yet it always shows up in the most unusual places, when I least expect it. I am organized and I think I routinely put it back in the same spot once used, but it is never there, and then refound at the office, or in the car or in a friends place. Sometimes I end up with several umbrellas ! Is it the same umbrella or are there just a few around in the world that we keep picking up some one elses umbrella and so recycle the same few everywhere. 

This umbrella is just an example of other facets of our lives that we keep losing and refinding. I am referring to the emotions of happiness, satisfaction, and kindness. We like to "pigeon box" these emotions like the umbrella in one place but when you want it, it may not be there, but when you need it, it will come back to you in some shape, size, or form from somewhere you least expect it, and perhaps from someone you least expect it. But as I am discovering, my umbrella like these emotions are for all to share. You cannot hold on to things, people or situations when you cannot even hold on to your emotions ! If you free them from your ego bondage of " must haves" then you will be light hearted enough to receive them when you need them at the right time and place. 

Usually an umbrella will do its job and keep you relatively dry. Windy and gusty weather, can unfold your umbrella and twist it to the point of no use, but why should these outside influences worry you. Why let it twist and unfold you. Your strength, conviction, and resolve should sustain you till you find or purchase another umbrella. In other words, despite the apparent turmoil of the world or the turmoil of your mind and soul ( ergo the harsh weather), if you keep yourself in the moment and not react especially to the loss of the emotions of happiness and be dissatisfied, your umbrella ( your joy) will return to you. Bad weather never lasts. If you are at peace from within then you never really lose your umbrella, and the stronger and more at peace you are, the less likely your strengthened umbrella will succumb to the weather or the outside chaos.

Trying to hold on to the umbrella tightly will also not help you. Not even in the face of a torrential storm. But knowing that the umbrella will fulfill its purpose and keep you as dry as possible, you will be less inclined to discard it at the first sign of trouble. The rest is up to you, so perhaps you need to get out of the wake of the storm ! The umbrella can only do so much, as can your emotions, that is when you need to be a little more proactive and know what to avoid and when to venture out. By no means am I encouraging you to be a shut in and never go out so as to not even experience the weather  ( rainy or otherwise), because then if you never get the divine opportunity to use your umbrella you will never really experience the joy of happiness, kindness or satisfaction. 

I do not think that there are only a few umbrellas in the world that are recycled, but I do believe that there is an abundance of happiness, kindness, satisfaction in the world and the universe, pervading us all and flowing through everyone. So go today and get yourself a very colorful, nicely shaped umbrella, that will cheer you up, and do not worry if you misplace it or lose it, because if everyone does the same and has a colorful umbrella what difference does it make. Then one day you may get an umbrella back from the universe that looks just like yours, full of happiness, kindness and satisfaction. 

So bundle up and reach out for your umbrella and take a walk out on a rainy day and enjoy the moment. Now if you want to go singing in the rain ( like the 1952 movie with Gene Kelly) go for it :)

Can you please listen to Me?

Shout, scream, rant and rave all you want. Do you get the feeling that no one is hearing or listening to you? You can tell your office co workers the same thing over and over again. You can tell your spouse, family, your children all day long about endless topics and yet no one hears you about getting anything done. No one is listening. The same can be said about yourself by all these other individuals, that you are not listening to them. But is it really an issue of miscommunication or are we not hearing or listening to ourselves.

 

This "miscommunication" occurs all the time, leading to rivalry, break up of marriages, relationships, families and job changes. So often we go through this anguish, and try to understand what is or what went wrong. What if there was nothing really wrong in the first place.  It is not miscommunication but more misconnection. An example of this is in my typical day at night time. Let me elaborate. Envision the following: I try to at first calmly inform my son that it is time to go to sleep. I take him to the bedroom, we say goodnight to everything in the house, and then the moment the bedroom door closes while I am still in there in the room, the hysterics begin. The running to the door, trying to push me aside to open the door to escape, the screaming, the crying, the drama continues for an hour at times. My voice gets gruffer, and louder and sterner eventually trying to "command" him to get back in bed and go to sleep. Like that has ever worked with an 18 month old toddler  !! I laugh inside everytime I even say it. The picture of the father standing tall trying to order the little crying child to do anything authoratatively has probably been the funniest scene in history, next to licking a frosted lampost and getting stuck!

 

Like a bolt from the blue, it struck me, he is not listening to me, no one is but I am not listening to myself either. The reason I was getting more irritable during these encounters is that I was not getting the desired result, namely for him to stop crying and go to sleep so I could go on and do other things. I was reacting. I am not a child psychologist so I do not pretend even for a moment that I have the foggiest of what is going on in my son's head during these encounters, but here is how I changed the interaction and got a different outcome. I stopped getting angry. I stopped the commanding. I got to his level and sat down. I told him I was here for him and I was not going anywhere and asked him to tell me what was the matter. Thats it. The crying went on for a few more seconds ( I probably caught him by surprise), and then he gave me a hug, sobbed, and then proceeded to goto his bed ! 

 

What happened, did I just strike gold? No, all I did was listen, and stopped reacting. Most of our problems I believe occurs from constant reactions. So I changed the equation. I realized that the reason why I was getting more emotionally charged was because I was not listening to him, but actually because he was not listening to me, but in reality I was not listening to myself. I was actually trying to bring forth the statement " I need control  of this situation so i can go do something else more important and not be here". Once you realize what YOU are trying to voice, and listen to YOURSELF, the answers come naturally. By immediately then telling myself, that the other activites have no urgency at this moment, and that I am going to be present, my ego shut off, since all it wanted was to be heard. I then focussed on "listening" to my son who probably was in the same predicament as I was namely that no one was listening to him ! 

So we both eventually got what we wanted. I heard and listened to myself, I then heard and listened to him, and vice versa, he felt his voice was heard and peace reigned. I got to my activities in a timely fashion. Remember there is no reason to shout unless the house is on fire. 

 

Once we simply listen, we can truly hear. The Divine source is speaking, we just do not shut up long enough to hear above the din of our egos, rattling minds, and misguided voices. A moment a day of listening to yourself will go a long way for you to listen to others, and then others to listen to you. Listening is the first step to the path of reconnecting to the Divine. If you listen you will be heard.

 

In the quiet of silence volumes are spoken, can you hear them?

 

 

Going for the SuperBowl

The Superbowl 2013 was here. A team won, victory was declared. Onto another year for all the teams in the league to start practising again, and getting ready for the next event. I find the whole football game quite fascinating. You practice, practice, practice. Then with great strategies to defeat the opponent teams you start the systematic playoffs, till you reach semi finals and then the finals. As I understand the game the object is to get a touchdown with the most number of points, but to get from one end to the other you have to defeat the opponents largely built players as they try to wrestle you to the ground in a tackle. Is this not much like life itself?

The victory is the purpose why we choose to play the game of life representing final glory, the touch down goal represents the joy of satisfaction of the journey, the ball may represent our inner peace that we hold onto tightly. Sometimes it is unfortunately in the hands of someone else ( the opposing team) and sometimes in the hands of a trusted team player. When in the game we take the ball from yard to yard, advancing it a little at a time, but in some instances, with the right strategy advance it from one end to the other in one amazing swoop. When stuck, kicking it helps, to get it jump started, and your peace can achieve tremendous lift and ground all the way to the end field goal. The opposing team players are lifes obstacles that hinder the progress of your peace, but nothing is insurmountable. The purpose of the obstacles ( players) is to take you down in a tackle but also give you the opportunity to dodge them or get stronger. You pick yourself up out of the pile and retake your peace ball and start again, but always you start from where you left off. The field is the entire span of life. You have struggles from the beginning till the end. Your huddles are your strategy sessions when you stop and rethink your plan of action of how to face the "enemy" or lifes hurdles. Despite the best play and doing everything right you may still be defeated, but even this is temporary, This is not failure, this is life.

Your teachers and parents are your coaches, your team players are your friends and family who are always with you in this game. Your body armor and outfit with helmet is your body. The bright lights are the illumination on your field to lead you to victory, and the fans are just that, spectators in life, some like you, some hate you, some do not care, but they are just other people like yourself judging but really have no impact on you. The cheerleaders, well I leave that up to your discretion. Perhaps they are the part of you that needs cheering up or the part of you that needs that last "hurray" to get you to the end.

Have you ever been to a stadium when it is empty? The silence is deafening. It is a life waiting to be filled with spectators, teams, coaches, their entourages. The pomp, the fanfare, the vendors, the smells and the sounds  are all part of the joy of the event. The field is awaiting the game to be played, else it serves no purpose. You have to play the game to experience it,otherwise what is the point. You can watch it on TV, but life is not about re-runs and playbacks, and only those who have been in the game, winning or losing know the true nature of victory or defeat. You have to live your life and play YOUR game to experience it, no one can do that for you.  

Holding on to your peace is important, keep it close and never lose sight of it. This is one ball you do not want to drop or give away to anyone. Kick it high and straight towards your field goal and make it count. Send your peace soaring. Do not despair if you fall short, because in the end you will make it to the goal, even it means getting piled on at many yard intervals in the process, because that is what life is all about, picking yourself up and moving on with your peace.

Can you feel yourself holding the victory cup at your super bowl?

It's past 10 o'clock

It is past ten o'clock.

 Cant sleep. Tossing and turning, Thoughts of the day constantly racing through the mind. Tired yet unable to welcome any restorative sleep. Looking up at the ceiling and looking at the shadows.The answer is not like in the advertisements in buying a Sleep number bed, or a Tempur Pedic Bed. The change of the bed will not improve your sleep. Been there done that !!

 

Sometimes it is hard to connect to our subconscious and allow the body and mind to relax and rest so that the soul is free to explore and choose. The soul, the subconscious or the spirit never sleeps, it does not need to. It is always awake and trying to guide us, talk to us, but the mind gets in the way, and then rules the thoughts, feelings, and keeps the engine of the  body to be in a constant state of idle function, sometimes in acceleration mode all the time. We keep processing and processing all the events of the day, what people have said or not said, done or not done, the lives of our family members and friends, activities planned for the following day, days  or week. This then usually leads to either a visit with your doctor who may give you sleeping medications or you could always try home remedies like a warm glass of milk. You could even try walking around the house, reading a book or playing soft music, or listening  to white noise or the sound of the surf. In any case these solutions rarely bring true restorative sleep, temporary fixes for a deeper problem.

 

The solution is simpler than you think, and it does not require counting sheep, Meditation. Following each breath in and out, and with each breath out let go. Let go of the stresses, let go of your fears, let go of your burdens you have been carrying around. You are not going to solve all the worlds problems this night so avoid trying to do so. Let go of it. Let go of your anger, hate, and troubles with each breath out. With each breath in take in the solace that goodness is coming your way. Take in the gratitude of being able to breath free clean air and the thankfulness for your life as it is. Take in the understanding of the knowledge of peace. Take in the moment. Live in it, Be the moment, and then feel the warmth of sleep over power you. Let it sink into every muscle, tendon, ligament, bone. Then into every cell. Like a wave let it flood your mind, body,heart and spirit allowing your healing to begin. The soul gets freed from the conscious bondage and connects with the universe, the past, present and the future, connecting with the divine.

Letting go is important in the conscious and unconscious states alike. If we let go when we  are awake, then it is easier to fall asleep and then let go automatically in the unconscious. Sleep is necessary, we cannot live on 2 hours of sleep a night. At least cannot keep it up for long. The mattress, the blanket, the pillow are all just there. It is the mind that needs to sleep and not be in a state of reaction, but your soul needs to awaken to creation. The universe is talking to you through your feelings, but you need to listen. Your feelings need to be heard through your thoughts, and your thoughts need to be be clear. This can be achieved through your sleep or peaceful tranquil meditation.

 

You rarely will remember your dreams, but in the dream state your soul lightens and is free to travel anywhere, everywhere and to any time and meet anyone. Hence in life when we are running around spending our time reacting to everything with little time  creating, when we come across someone, or something or somewhere, it may feel like deja vu. It is your soul reminding you of an experience you already have had with someone, somewhere at sometime. Spend sometime with yourself and ask youself if this is all true, your answer will be surprisingly a positive one.

 

Heal yourself from within, Nite nite !!

Certifications and Credentials

The world holds us to a higher standard in every aspect and walk of life. Whether you are in the health care field, the auto industry, the legal profession, work in a supermarket, or even a landscaper or work in the swimming pool business, you are required to have a certification, which usually requires an examination, then a fee is paid for a framed plaque. Whatever service you wish to purchase, for example you want to go to a mechanic and get your car fixed. You pretty much always check out the numerous credentials on the walls informing you that the service manager or the service technician got an award for either knowing what they were doing or for just being a customer satisfying person ( someone who listens to you vent !) The same holds true if you go into the offices of professionals such as dentists, doctors, lawyers or CPAs. The certifications on the wall from variety of money making organizations verifying that an expensive examination was passed and the person is credentialed to provide their service. 

Now most will say, well of course we want someone to be certified ! I agree too, for is that not  the reason why one goes to the school for that occupation or profession? However, just because an examination is performed, does not mean anything to verify that someone can really do their job or provide excellent quality of service. It is the false sense  of security we get from seeing a calligraphed signed paper in a nice frame hanging on the wall  that lures us in. Perhaps there are more important qualities that need certification and credentialing and then celebrated for all to see and appreciate.

Such qualities to name but a few,  are kindness, compassion , love, gratitude, patience, thoughtfulness or peacefulness. Where are these certifications or plaques that we as a society have chosen to ignore to celebrate and honor or even appreciate that speaks volumes about the individual in comparison to what we have now. I can easily point out individuals with these big titles and glorious fancy reports in several professions who do not  even have one of the qualities described above. But I wont. Our focus is so much on pleasing others that enriching ourselves is forgotten. 

I believe we have to have a larger view of our humanity and not be short sighted into what self appointed bonafide organizations with short and long mnemonics that test our patience and resolve with unnecessary testing and threats, tell us to think. These establishments hold these pieces of paper over the individual's heads like dangling carrots and make them beholden to them for allegiance, else the consumer (us) will look away from them.  We have to believe in ourselves and our fellow man alike, and only once trust  is forged, can we move forward in self advancement and evolution. We need to hold the world to a higher standard by holding ourselves to that same standard.

So go for the credential examination of endurance, strength, love, compassion, listening, understanding, politeness, decency, tolerance and respect and pass it with flying colors. Unfortunately you will not get a framed paper of certification for your sincere efforts, but you just may get a grateful smile or a warm hug. 

Honey where is the list?

Things to do, things to do, there are always more things to do.

 

 I have always been a list person. I make my daily, weekly, monthly lists of things to do, things to get, things to read, things to get or buy, list of people to call. Things to be done by certain time points, goals, targets, chores inside the house, chores outside the house, they all get put onto these lists. I have back ups of the back up lists ( including the copy of the list  I give to my wife to help me with the things to do). It is endless and more over relentess.  To boot I then even can highlight them in multiple colors.  These days lists can be in paper form, or digital ( on the computer, or on your mobile device). I recently found Apps for the smartphone that will remind you of items on the list that are overdue or need to get done. Voice command lists, and commanding voice reminder lists are all available with the new devices. A "post-it note" for the computer screen or for your smart phone  is a frequently used application. All of these reminders, notes, to do lists, can all be color coded, alphabetized, categorized and filed !! The insanity of list making is an obsession that goes on till we decide to stop it. WE drive ourselves to our early graves with many such an obsession, but why do we do it? 

 

Is it our need for control of our environments, our lives and the lives of friends and family or is it the  perceived sense of control that we crave. Until we give up that control, we cannot move on with our lives, and open up the wondrous possibilities that are waiting for us at every turn. Imagine if the focus was not on the lists, but more on the spontaneous moment to moment activities. There is a lot to be said about "living in the moment." We make lists of our New Years resolutions, then when they are not fulfilled we are so distraught that we have not lived up to our expectations, or resolutions but moreover that we  did not live up to our lists !! 

 

The lists eventually drive us in all directions. Endless activities for the kids to do ( dance, gym, swimming, karate, music etc. ), infinite chores at home, horizonless  places to go, and then we are swamped in a sea of "must haves and must dos" that we drown in them, since there is never any time for us to complete all these tasks and just breathe. Fatigued, fed up, frustrated we give up. The lists can be long or they can be filled with arduous tasks which we postpone to other lists. An example is I recently hurt my shoulder and in physical therapy a list of exercises were given to me. Yet I only tackled for the most part the easier of the therapies. For proper healing and stretching I was correctly advised that it was the tougher exercises that had to be attempted, and so I went on my way to do exactly that, the harder items on the list.  Taking care of the important items on the list and letting go of the rest may help declutter mind body and spirit from all the unnecessary that plagues our lives. We eventually are beholden to the list! A life of lists of accomplishments, successes or failures, are how we define ourselves. Jumping from list to list, day to day, year to year, lifetime to lifetime without realizing the beauty of the in-between. 

I sometimes wonder what if I were to replace these lists with more important items and tasks how would I feel. What would my perspective be? Lets try a little exercise if you are in the mood of making lists ! You might as well make it fun. Here goes. 

 

Make a top five item list in each of the following categories:

 

1) Advices you want to teach your child to aide them in their future 

2) Places you must see 

3) Friends you must meet 

4) Good qualities to comment on to your nearest loved one.

5) If the world was ending in a week what do you absolutely want to do before you die?

6) Good qualities about yourself

7) Ways you have changed yourself

8) Ways you would like to change yourself

9) Your definition of peace

10) Your impression of happiness

 

( feel free to expand the list to your discretion !!) 

 

Perhaps lists of kindness, good deeds, ways to help someone, ways to change the world are more important than the mundane paper or digital lists that we make that clutter our desks, phones, computers and clog up our minds. 

 

I often wonder how people without lists function?  Probably just fine. I am going to try that this year. Let go, slow down and enjoy the moment and be list free. Cast your lists and cares to a strong east wind, and explore the unimaginable. Put being list free on your list of things to do, put it at the top of the list !!

 

The concept of Moine

The Concept of "Moine"

I hear this all this time. The little finger points at some random item usually my phone, or some other electronic device and then it comes, the emphatic " moine !" Followed by a cute smile. This is what my little son says to me all the time when I am at home. I know he is saying "mine" with an innocent sense of belonging, but phonetically it sounds like " moi-ne." He says it with conviction and such sweetness, dare I reveal to him the truth that what is his is his, and what is mine will also be his? !!

Where do we get this concept of mine and yours? Is it at school while playing with other children and some other child takes some thing from our hand and says " mine!!" and runs away with it and then we have a sense of loss? Is that when we identify separation of inanimate object with ourselves? Or is it that it is learned  earlier than that when we are still infants? Perhaps as we are learning about our own identity we learn how we relate to all other objects and people around us and in an effort of self preservation we start making connections for the rest of our lives at the deepest levels that remain with us.  This concept of mine and yours, and the separation of the two, holds true at many distinct hierarchies of emotional and  intellectual  development. Right from simple and  complex inanimate household items to emotional attachments in relationships, idealogical fundamentals, religious beliefs, to finances, material wealth and land ownership. 

Unfortunately lawsuits, divorces, fights, murders, and even wars have taken place of many a dispute, and yet continue daily in all walks of life and parts of the world from back alleys to corporations and governments. How do we prevent the devastation that is a bi-product of a concept so simple that if rationalized simpler solutions can be sought. The Ego rears its ugly head all the time in these cases and invariably provides the wrong answer. We come into this world with nothing, we leave with nothing, and all that we choose to keep eventually we give away before we die. It is  interesting that what we choose to hold on to, or give away or even share tells a lot about who we are as an individual and the life that we choose to live. 

Granted my little fledgling is too young to fully grasp these concepts, but one day he will, and I think if I keep making a conscious effort in not taking things away from him like the phone, but instead explain to him that the phone is not a toy and let him explore the device safely  with me next to him, then his insatiable childish desire can be allowed to be ignited and directed. I try this with him frequently and he then happily redirects his interest onto something else ( usually now my wife's phone ) having had his "thrill" with my phone. He will learn and he will explore. We all do it, have done it, and continue to do it, but if we are constantly  being told "NO" or let each others' egos get in the way, we can not allow the concepts of sharing to coexist. Once this flame of sharing is lit, all peaceful possibilities can be entertained. 

Imagine a world if ideals, ideas, beliefs, possessions, food, good health and technology are shared and the concept of "moine" is replaced what a world that would be. I believe it is the world right here, right now, and it is not all "moine !!"