What does it all mean?

Three great friends . . .

Five years ago, I lost a great friend in December . . . He was 57, and appeared to be in great shape . . . Heart attack . . . A year later, I lost a great friend in December . . . He was 52, and appeared to be in great shape . . . Heart attack . . . Two years ago, I lost a great friend in December . . . He was 62, and appeared to be in great shape . . . Heart attack . . .

What can we learn from this? I look in the mirror, and I see someone who appears to be in great shape . . . I feel as well as I ever have physically, emotionally, and spiritually, despite the challenges we all experience . . . Despite what we believe, or WANT to believe, there are no absolutes, no guarantees beyond death, taxes, and constant change . . . EVERYTHING changes . . . And the greatest source of change is death, the passing of souls to another realm . . . Is that bad? Is it negative? Of course, we don't wish for death, unless someone might be enduring intolerable suffering . . . But death always comes . . . For others, and eventually, for us . . .

This is NOT meant to be black or sad or melancholy . . . It's simply a statement of that which we ALL know intellectually, that we are all mortal, and will pass . . .

What's my point? There are a few points that can be made, but let's focus on one . . . It's a cliche to say that we need to focus on the moment, but every cliche has a cornel of truth, and this cliche's cornel is VERY big . . . The moment, the moment, the MOMENT!

MINDFULNESS!

As we head into 2010, we can all make MANY worthwhile resolutions, but perhaps one as much as any other will impact our lives in an overwhelmingly positive way . . . BE HERE NOW . . .

Any questions? I can think of one . . .

Until next time . . . Ciao Baby!!

Reflecting . . .

In truth, I had no intention of writing anything today . . . Suppose we could say the spirit moved me a couple of minutes ago, as dinner cooks and the BB King Christmas Collection plays . . .

It's been a terrific year, and a difficult year in some ways . . . But then, who DOESN'T have some kind of cross to bear?

Ahhh . . . the Spiritual Journey . . . I wouldn't trade it for the world . . . As a Pisces, it's where all fish end up . . . I look forward to another year of that . . . Perhaps that's not right . . . Perhaps I should say I look forward to another day, because, that's all we have . . . It's ALL day to day, and most of us don't get that at ALL . . . Or, we could even break it down minute to minute, second to second, but the human brain doesn't work well with small segments of time . . . It's just how we're wired . . .

We ARE, without doubt, the co-creators of our lives . . . And, we help to create the lives of others, if only for a few minutes here and there . . . We never know how profoundly we might affect another human being by our presence, our words, our vibe . . .

There are more reflections coming, but that's all for now!

Until next time . . . Ciao Baby!

When Bad Stuff Happens . . .

What's that thing we often hear about death and taxes? Well, we could include unpleasant events as well among the things that are inevitable in life . . . Yes, bad stuff DOES happen in all of our lives from time to time!

We have no control over many things . . . Unfortunately, this can leave us with a feeling of helplessness when faced with these events that we don't control . . . However, we do have some control when it comes to how we deal with these events, and life in general!

Our inner sense of joy and peace need not be controlled by external events, but can be a constant within our reality, an immovable rock at our core . . . When unpleasantness occurs, we can rely on this to carry us though the storm! It can help us to rise above what's happening in our lives, as this is the REAL us . . . The events in our lives are temporary, and always pass eventually . . .

It is important not to let our circumstances define us, and who we are . . . Which comes back to the thoughts we think and the beliefs we carry with us from moment to moment . . . Those thoughts and beliefs allow us to rise above the problems and travails which life imposes upon us all occasionally!

Until next time . . . Ciao

Kids . . .

I've been out of town for most of the summer . . . Not much time to write . . .

Many ideas, but not opportunity . . .

Being a father . . .

Being a parent is NOT an easy thing, even when it looks easy . . . Much to think about . . .

Raising children, providing for children, being there for children, loving children . . .

My feeling is, I was put on this Earth in this lifetime to be a father . . .

Until next time . . . Ciao!!

Laugh!

What's the worst thing we can do? Well, maybe not the worst thing, but a shitty thing? We start to take ourselves too seriously . . . We think we're God's gift to mankind . . . Truth is, we aren't!!

So have a little fun . . . Do some crazy stuff, and live life . . . See the humour in life's events . . . It isn't sacrilege to laugh at things others don't laugh at . . . Whatever we find funny, laugh at it . . .

Who cares if we're a little out of character every so often? It's good for the soul, good for the heart, and good for the brain . . . As a matter of fact, do it MORE than every so often!!

Be irreverent . . . be provocative . . . Maybe shock a few people . . .

In the end, our last words just might be . . . WTF!!! I did it MY way!!!

Until next time . . . Ciao!!

Strength II

There are many misconceptions about strength, and many ways to view it . . . Of course there's the physical aspect, which might be somewhat related to health . . . Psychological and emotional strength are also important . . . But, if we were to consider one type of strength that comprehends the whole, it would be SPIRITUAL strength . . .

Developing spiritual strength has such an overriding effect upon everything else . . . It changes our vibration, our thinking, our actions, our relationships, our ability to see through the BS, our health, our peace of mind . . . Literally, if affects EVERYTHING!!

In order to develop true spiritual strength, a disciplined approach is necessary . . . Daily effort is needed to make progress . . . Establishing a meditation practice can be trying for some, as it takes time and the benefits aren't always immediately obvious (but they will be over time, if we give it enough time!) . . . Giving up those things that influence us negatively, and work against our progress, may be difficult, because they've beome so habituated within us . . . Recognizing negative thinking patterns and replacing them with positive, life enhancing beliefs can seem like a constant battle at first . . .

However, for those who decide to go down the road to true strength, and make it a lifelong journey, there really is nothing more worthwhile! It's a path for which there is no substitute . . . Nothing else like it exists . . . It is TRUTH, and it enriches every aspect of life!

More on this later . . .

Until next time . . . Ciao!

Strength

Yes Dear Reader, there is a way to cultivate personal strength, and it has nothing whatsoever to do with going to the gym and pumping iron, or running a marathon, or taking an assertiveness class . . .

Strength is what we develop as we become more spiritual in nature, as we make contact with what we truly are, that being a spiritual entity first and foremost . . . It all begins with a sincere desire to make the leap to this level of awareness, and then the efforts we put into the discipline in order to make it happen . . .

First, a meditative practice is necessary to learn to still the mind, and quiet the thinking process which seems to sabotage our best efforts at times . . . And it isn't so much the thinking, but WHAT we are thinking! If we have negative thoughts about ourselves and others, we are promoting our own weakness . . .

By quieting the mind in meditation, we are free to feel what we truly are . . . spiritual energy! This is the energy of STRENGTH! Our ability to feel and be this energy consciously becomes easier over time . . . it is a gift from the Gods! We can be conscious of it at all times, and use it to simply stop and centre ourselves in the true reality of our spiritual being . . . This is STRENGTH!

It isn't complicated, but it does require discipline to stay on this path, especially if we've struggled with negative self-talk, or if we are easily swayed by the negative influences and messages we are bombarded with everyday in society . . . But no matter what our situation, we can use that as our starting point and make progress everyday! It isn't so much where we start, but where we finish that really counts . . . As Lao-Tsu very wisely said, the ten thousand mile journey starts as a single step! It is so true and applies to anything we understake . . .

Learn to develop true strength . . . begin with meditation and being the spiritual energy we all ARE! We only have to learn to access it . . .

More on this later . . .

Until next time . . . Ciao!!

What is JOY? III

In the past few days, it has been pointed out to me through events that it is sometimes VERY difficult to remain connected to the JOY which is intrinsic to all of us . . . But, what I see once again is that, as difficult as it may be at times, it IS possible to not completely lose that JOY, and in fact, to re-establish one's feeling of "JOY is me" quickly . . .

NOTHING CAN STEAL MY JOY!!

Let's back up, shall we? No one said this would be easy . . . It requires discipline, and emotional balance, and a meditation practice . . . Without doubt, a meditation practice! And, it's a day to day, moment to moment striving to stay in a place of peace and contentment . . . But, it can be done and is done by many, and they are no different than the rest of us, except perhaps . . .

NOTHING CAN STEAL MY JOY!!

They realize that THOUGHTS control the individual, and belief systems are merely extensions of thoughts . . . And more to the point, the individual should control the thoughts . . . To let thoughts take us away and control us is to flirt with disaster, because many of our thoughts are anything but positive and life enhancing . . .

NOTHING CAN STEAL MY JOY!!

The enemy is always lurking, ready to confront us with thoughts or events or people that might steal our joy in a second . . . And if we let them, they WILL! However, we as human beings have the ability to be aware of the dangers, and then when they drop into our path, we are ready with the proper thoughts, and affirmations, to REMIND ourselves that we are, first of all, spiritual beings, and as an extension of that, we can and should exist in a state of JOY, which we control through our thoughts . . . Eventually, these thoughts and affirmations become imprinted on our consciousness at a profoundly deep level . . .

NOTHING CAN STEAL MY JOY!!

And don't forget the meditation practice!

Until next time . . . Ciao!!

What is JOY? II

In the previous blog, I mentioned having a regular meditation practice which allows us to contact our spiritual being, which is our true reality . . . And then, through this spiritual reality, we can access the JOY which is an integral part of that reality . . . It will grow and grow, and over time we'll begin to notice that on a moment to moment basis, we're beginning to feel differently, but definitely in a good way!

At this point, we must say . . . The spiritual path is not for the faint of heart, because it isn't easy . . . We're pushed, pulled and dragged this way and that by life circumstances and let's face it, the messages society bombards us with aren't necessarily the best . . . and we also might experience our own inner enemy (you know . . . the one that creates all that negative, destructive self-talk some of us deal with) . . . No, it isn't an easy path, but it IS the path with the greatest benefits for those with the Warrior mentality, and who are willing to be disciplined and struggle and get up and get back on the path when we're pushed off it . . . And pushed off we WILL be at times . . . Resiliense is necessary!

Which brings us to the the crux of this message . . . Do we allow our JOY to be stolen by people, by events, or both? Life is a constant challenge, filled with constant choices . . . And our choices are so much about how we decide to meet the challenges . . .

It might be a great challenge to maintain our JOY, but it CAN be done . . . When we're faced with an event, or a person, that seems to suck the positive energy out of us, we can have a mindset which screams . . . THIS WILL NOT STEAL MY JOY!!! . . . Because, our JOY becomes the anchor which is one of the best manifestations of our spiritual core . . .

Once we're on the spiritual path, with a meditation practice, doing good things, being generous and grateful, we'll begin to feel our JOY, and become the JOY, and then it is our own responsibility to protect and nurture it . . . One of the best ways to do that is to regularly repeat the phrase, NOTHING CAN STEAL MY JOY!!, as a reminder to ourselves . . . Affirmations are tremendously powerful when said and felt at our core . . .

NOTHING CAN STEAL MY JOY!!!

More on this later . . .

Until next time . . . Ciao!!

What is JOY?

Happiness, joy, contentment, spiritual peace . . . We all want it, we think we should have it, and in fact, we all CAN have it . . . But, how many of us DO have it?

If we ask 100 people about happiness, we might get as many different answers . . . But in fact, happiness/joy is something that we won't find without . . . It isn't a Mercedes or a house on the beach in Maui or receiving a letter saying we've just been accepted into med school at Harvard . . . No, JOY is found deep in our soul . . . JOY comes from the basis of our being, which is our spiritual being . . . The problem is, we tend to lose that JOY after our first few years on the planet . . .

So, in order to find our JOY, we must find our spiritual core . . . But, HOW?

First, we MUST develop a meditation practice, which does NOT mean going into a cave in the Himalayas wearing a safron robe and sitting for hours each day . . . It means sitting down for a few minutes a day, perhaps more than once each day, and simply BEING . . .

There's more . . . It also means good works, such as volunteering one's time and resources . . . It means cultivating loving kindness, exhibiting gratitude, passion, patience, and a willingness to sit and truly listen to others . . . In all of that, JOY begins to grow and thrive in our hearts . . .

JOY must be constantly nurtured and cultivated, encouraged, and defended against those who would steal it . . . More on that later . . .

Please think about it . . .

Until next time . . . Ciao!!

Existing is not EXPERIENCING!! III

Human beings have choices in life . . . One of the most profound choices we can make literally every second of our existence is, WHAT SHOULD WE DO WITH THIS MOMENT? Shall we fully EXPERIENCE the moment . . . or shall we make the moment mundane and be distracted by thoughts of past or future?

There is a best answer to that question, and it's rather obvious . . . However, another question can be asked, and that is, How can we train ourselves to fully experience the moment within our ability to perceive through the five senses?

This is a terrific centering exercise, and it's great practice for being AWARE and ALIVE in the moment . . .

Suppose we allot five minutes to this exercise, one minute dedicated to each of the five senses . . .

Let's start by closing the eyes and focusing entirely upon what we hear . . . There are no thoughts, there is only awareness . . . no judgements . . . There is no good or bad . . . Do this for one minute . . .

Eyes closed, and focus on taste . . . What are we tasting in this moment? No thoughts or judgements . . . One minute . . .

Eyes closed, and focus on smell . . . One minute . . .

Eyes closed, and focus on touch/sensation . . . This one is VERY interesting, as it can be external ie.skin, or it can be internal . . . Touch/sensation is our most important sense, as it keeps us in touch with the physical body, but can sometimes take us beyond that . . . One minute . . .

Finally, open the eyes and for one minute, simply look around the surroundings, and make no judgements . . . Simply see what IS . . .

This exercise is about BEING and mindful centering . . . no thoughts or judgements . . . Just slide into it, and EXPERIENCE and BE . . .

Of course, we can shorten the times . . . It doesn't have to be one minute per sense! It can be ten seconds if we wish . . .

I hope you'll try it, and practice it a few times daily . . . This exercise has remarkable spin off effects, which we'll discuss later . . .

Until nest time . . . Ciao!!

Existing is not EXPERIENCING!! II

Yes, well . . . If we want to fully experience the moment, and all those other moments which follow, how exactly can we make that happen? How do we move away from the monkey mind of endless, unproductive thoughts that swirl around in our consciousness and perhaps drag us into negative mindsets?

We are given five senses . . . touch, taste, smell, hearing, sight . . . Those are the doors to our consciousness that connect us to the physical world around us . . . We can focus on and make use of those senses to experience the moment . . . This is mindfulness . . .

Simply try this . . . For one minute, stop all thinking and simply become aware of your physical surroundings with the five senses, and make no judgements about what you feel, smell, taste, hear, and see . . . Just experience your surroundings through your senses . . . If we do that a few times a day, for one minute only each time, we will begin to get into the habit of just BEING, and it's a way of connecting with our center, our core, our true self . . . JUST BE!!

We can take it a step further . . . Let's face it, chores can be tedious, but we also can turn them into exercises in mindfulness . . . For example, if I'm washing dishes, I can turn off my thoughts and use my five senses to truly experience the moment . . . How does the water feel on my hands? How have the soap bubbles formed on the water? Is there an odour to the soap? What sounds am I hearing? If we just stop thinking and become aware and mindful, a whole new vista of experiencing becomes available to us, and we can can make ourselves available to a higher existence of being completely present in the moment in which we live, which is all we have . . .

In the next blog, we'll look at a simple but very effective mindfulness exercise that can really make a difference . . .

Until next time . . . Ciao!!

Existing is not EXPERIENCING!!

We wake up . . . we do stuff . . . we think . . . we converse . . . we EXIST . . .

It takes no wisdom, no intelligence, no special qualities to simply exist . . .

In fact, existing is the lowest form of being . . .

So let's discuss EXPERIENCING . . . that stuff of life we ALL need to be reminded of occasionally . . .

To EXPERIENCE the moment . . . Truly, what else is there? Thinking back to that which was . . . thinking ahead to a future that doesn't exist . . . It's pointless . . .

We live in a series of present moments . . . As we become mindful of that experience, we begin to see that there is NOTHING beyond the RIGHT NOW . . .

How do we do that? How do we become aware of our MOMENT?

Until next time . . . Ciao

Doesn't Seem Possible!

Is it really almost a month since I've posted anything? It truly is . . . and I didn't envision going this long without writing something . . .

Truth is, I've been spending most of my June time out of town, and haven't had the access necessary to write anything meaningful . . . In fact, I'm still out of town and will be back in town for the weekend, but will be very busy . . . Life continues to be beautiful however, and the Universe continues to do a pretty good job of looking after me . . .

Don't be afraid to leave a comment on a blog if something jumps out at you, or even just to say Hello . . . Peace and love to all!

Until next time . . . Ciao!!

Sympathetic Joy

We all know the feeling of joy we experience when we've done something well, or when we've received accolades for an accomplishment, and so on . . . This joy can be almost blissful, and it's a very healthy thing!

However, our lives can be so much more joyful if we also feel that same joy for the accomplishments of others . . . We congratulate and acknowledge others, but do we truly experience THEIR joy as our own? Sometimes we do . . . Unfortunately, there are also times when we might begrudge someone their success, or feel twinges (or outright pangs) of jealousy or envy . . .

Feeling genuine sympathetic joy for others is not something trivial . . . It's a very positive vibration sent out into the Universe with benefits for all, especially the person experiencing that sympathetic joy! The Universe will always answer back in a correspondingly positive way . . .

Sympathetic joy is one aspect of a generous nature, and gets back to the importance of thinking beautiful thoughts, and then carrying those thoughts through to emotions and actions!

Until next time . . . Ciao!!

I'm Ready II

I DO realize that speaking of our death is not something we normally do, given a choice of many other topics which may be more "pleasant" . . .

However, I'm one of those people for whom death is not an unpleasant/unhappy topic . . . I don't fear death, and don't shy away from the topic because of fear. I do understand though that in Western culture especially, death is something many people wish to avoid at all costs, and put off as long as possible, even when we might be in seriously declining health . . . I suppose in a way it's human nature to react that way, but I also believe it's a cultural thing to a great extent.

I love my life, and I have no complaints . . . My physical, emotional, and spiritual health are all just fine, and I'm very comfortable with things as they are! But, that doesn't mean I can't be ready to move on or accept that inevitably, someday I WILL move on . . . Loving one's life and being fine with the idea of one's eventual passing are quite compatible concepts! It's quite possible I'll be on this planet in this form for a few more decades . . . or I could be gone tomorrow . . . Either way, I'm fine with it . . . There is no death wish, and neither is there the specific desire to go on and on . . . I very much understand that many won't be able to relate to that thinking, but at the same time, some will know EXACTLY what I'm saying . . .

In the end, we all should attempt to come to terms with our mortality emotionally as well as intellectually . . . People universally know they'll pass on, but the emotional acceptance of that passing is perhaps non-existent, mainly because of the fear of the event . . . People generally try to avoid topics they fear, so the subject of death is blocked from the psyche, until perhaps a health condition forces us to deal with it . . . Are we doing ourselves a disservice, however, if we bury our heads in the sand and deny our mortality emotionally? Perhaps the answer to that is YES . . . Pehaps we open ourselves up to greater freedom as we live this life if we emotionally accept our eventual death, whenever it comes, and lose the fear we may be feeling . . . Something to consider, isn't it?

Until next time . . . Ciao!!

I'm ready . . .

Life is a theme park . . . There are roller coasters . . . and attractions that raise the adrenalin level, much like the incredibly attractive but VERY crazy Sherri from a couple of decades ago . . . and of course, those very neutral things which we find comfortably appealing, and that's where we tend to gravitate just before leaving the park . . .

I was at the gym today during the late afternoon and it was going really well . . . The plan was to go hard today, and that's exactly what was happening . . .

A while into it all, I was between sets two and three of bench presses and realized . . . I'm ready . . . As in, ready to leave this life, and get onto the next . . .

It wasn't morbid or sad or negative . . . In fact, it was very comforting . . . I'm ready to go spiritually, but not hoping it happens . . . There's a HUGE difference, as I know you'll understand . . .

Coming to terms with one's own mortality is SO important in life . . . The reconciliation with one's own demise is the door to ultimate freedom! If we stop worrying, and respect and look forward to our leaving this life, it gives us tremendous freedom to carry on with joy and compassion!

Our passing is NOT the end . . . It represents a new beginning! Think about it . . .

All the more reason to think beautiful thoughts . . .

Until next time . . . Ciao!!

Karma, baby!

Is there any topic which is "understood" in so many different ways by so many different people? My goodness, there are endless versions of just what this thing we call karma must be! And some of them are just plain whacky . . .

If I kill an insect, I might return as an insect . . . Karma or not karma? Not karma . . .

If I cheat on my partner, I will be cheated on by a partner at some point . . . Not karma . . .

If I do good works, bad things will never happen to me . . . Not karma . . .

The list of what karma ISN'T could go on and on . . . but we don't usually define something by what it isn't . . .

What then, is karma? How might we explain the concept in simple terms? Well, to begin, we need to say that all the aspects of karma that impact any one of our lives are probably unknowable, given the complexity of karma. However, we CAN take something complex and reduce it to understandable terms . . .

Karma is about what grows in our lives as a result of the seeds we plant . . . And the seeds we plant are those of our thoughts, words, actions, and intentions! That's it in a nutshell . . .

I'm not a Buddhist . . . I'm more of a non-Buddhist Buddhist! What I mean is, I'm not labelling myself as anything, because that can be limiting and I don't want to limit myself. However, I do very much like the practicality of Buddhism, as it provides a beautiful roadmap as to how to lead a simpler, happier life in which suffering is minimized . . . In this sense, suffering is anything that stands in the way of true happiness, as happiness is related to ONENESS with all things . . . Anything that retards my progress toward ONENESS creates suffering.

Back to those seeds that we plant . . . All of our thoughts, words, actions and intentions create circumstances which won't exist if we don't have those thoughts, words, actions and intentions! For example, if I am distrustful of people generally, I will behave in different ways toward others than I would if I was more trusting . . . Because of my behaviour, I am automatically setting myself up to be perceived in a certain way, and the perception of others toward me will play a large part in how THEY behave toward me . . . And quite likely, their behaviour toward me is going to increase my suffering, just as my mistrust creates suffering . . . If however, I behave in a compassionate, generous way, and think compassionate, generous thoughts, my behaviour and thoughts will engender similar behaviours in others, which will tend to reduce my suffering, and their's as well . . . We plant seeds, and those seeds grow into circumstances . . .

Will we be rewarded or punished in future lifetimes for our good deeds or misdeeds? Not directly in the way that many believe . . . For example, will Adolf Hitler come back in his next life and be killed in war, or die of typhus in a concentration camp? Probably not, but the flaws in his consciousness that he carried out of this life in 1945 will still be there as he enters his next, as will the associated suffering . . . He created great suffering for himself and for others because of his thoughts and beliefs, which drove his behaviours. He planted seeds which grew in a certain way, and will continue to do so . . . As much as we might like to see an AH suffer endlessly, there is always the chance that he will work though the negative aspects of his consciousness and arrive at a more enlightened state of being! It is no less possible for him than anyone else, but it may take him a few more lifetimes to reach this higher state, being closer to ONENESS . . . Who knows . . . AH may already be among us, living as a sixteen year old Jewish school girl in Hebron . . . Anything is possible!

And if we are loving and compassionate and on a path to ONENESS, then we will carry that aspect of our consciousness into the next lifetime, where we will learn more lessons which will take us closer to the goal . . . The seeds we've planted of love and compassion will grow, and reduce our suffering and the suffering of others . . .

So that, Dear Reader, is the basis of karma . . . The seeds we plant with our thoughts, words, actions, and intentions will grow into circumstances which will affect us and others! And then eventually, we reap what we sow . . . Or what we put out to the Universe comes back to us threefold . . . Those expressions we hear over and over are offshoots of the concept of karma, expressed in simple terms that anyone can understand . . .

It all comes back to our thoughts, and the beliefs chiseled into our consciousness! So, if we are what we think, lets think BEAUTIFUL thoughts . . . Our karma will thank us!!

Until next time . . . Ciao!!

The Mystical Merkabah . . .

The Drama II

It should come as no surprise to any of us that a drama-free life is a life with much less stress and strain . . . and it's a life which should include a sense of ease as we live it . . .

Question . . . How do we get to the point of living such a life? There are some very common sense things we can accomplish which make life so much easier . . .

Minding our own business . . .

Identifying those people who pull us in with their negative influence, and then minimizing contact with them as much as possible . . .

Not getting involved in gossip . . .

Keeping things in confidence which are meant to be kept in confidence . . .

Being circumspect in what we say . . . If we ask three questions before we speak, the answers to those questions will guide us . . . Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?

Acting with compassion and non-harm . . .

Thinking beautiful thoughts, such as wishing only the best for ALL beings . . .

Being aware of self-defeating self-talk, and then working to eliminate it by substituting life enhancing affirmations . . .

Being optimistic and hopeful, and not imagining worst case scenarios . . .

Being grateful . . .


The list could go on and on . . . But, if we see ourselves in any of those areas listed, we can begin immediately to change it for the better! It may take a little time to eliminate a bad habit or two, but it's well worth it . . .

Cheers to all who are living a drama-free life!!

Until next time . . . Ciao!!

The Drama . . .

I woke this morning once again with the sense of peace and serenity I've become accustomed to experiencing . . . How good it feels, and at times life seems so easy! I'm reminded of a conversation I had with a cancer patient I was driving to his treatment in October '08, and then a similar conversation with a woman who is a part of a group I belong to which meets every couple of weeks . . .

The topic was drama . . . the drama which we sometimes experience in our lives, be it imposed upon us by others, or perhaps self-generated . . . But whatever the source of the drama, drama is drama, and the less of it we have, the better . . .

Drama sucks us in like a vortex, and once we begin spinning in the vortex, it can be difficult to extricate ourselves . . . We can become so caught up in the drama of others, and it becomes like a drug, creating endless events which stimulate our emotions and alter our body chemistry . . . Drama becomes addictive, and we can't WAIT to see what will happen next as the drama plays out . . . What could possibly be the problem with this drama-filled existence? In short . . . PLENTY!!

My conversation with Alan wasn't particularly long, but as soon as he stepped into the vehicle that day last October, and he said hello, I knew intuitively he had something to say, and that we'd have a conversation of some import . . . Alan is a very intelligent man, and he began talking about his condition generally, and then he began to talk about how cancer has changed his life and in some ways, for the better . . . Cancer turns a life upside down to be sure, and changes everything . . . Alan spoke of some negatives, but he focused on the positives, which he felt were the biggest changes the cancer had induced in his life . . . He went on at length about the introspection and self-analysis . . . Alan came to the conclusion that he had to make some changes, and one change was to reduce the drama, which in his case was mostly externally imposed . . . So Alan simply severed the relationships with people and "friends" he felt were wearing him down with their drama . . . But, Alan also became aware of those things he was doing which were counterproductive in the drama-sense, and vowed to change them . . . In the end, he changed his THINKING, which changed his emotional state, and then altered some of his behaviours! He made the comment more than once that life began to feel easier, more peaceful, more in the flow of awareness and openness . . .

The conversation I had with Sylvia was a couple of weeks ago . . . Sylvia was married and then divorced six years ago, and by her own assessment, she was living a drama filled life up until two years ago . . . She began to see her life as an endless set of events in which she was being thrown from pillar to post by friends and acquaintances she described as toxic, and was sick and tired of it . . . But Sylvia, like Alan, was able to discern that she herself needed to undergo a transformation of sorts . . . She wisely came to the conclusion that her own habitual thought processes were harming more than helping her . . . A very smart human being!! Over time, she culled the drama and now lives a much happier life . . . And you know, just like Alan, she described her life as now being so much "easier"! There IS a central theme in this . . .

Dear Reader . . . There is so much we can do to simplify our lives, to open up to the flow of awareness, to remove obstacles to happiness, and adjust our THINKING so that we are living our lives with that beautiful sense of ease and grace . . . More about this in another blog!

Until next time . . . Ciao!!

An Endless Stream of Immediate Moments

I've long since come to the conclusion that living in the present moment fully and completely on a consistent basis is one of the most difficult things most human beings encounter . . . We give this "be here now" concept so much lip service and hype, but we don't often get any further than that . . .

The past is gone, and the future doesn't exist . . . We've all heard this cliche, but as with most cliches, there is truth to it, and we just don't seem to do a good job of taking it to heart . . . Regrets about the past, or reliving glories from the past over and over in our minds . . . these things can pull us out of the present moment . . . Or, concerns about the future, or perhaps spending too much of our time over-planning for the future . . . You get the point I know . . .

It IS true that the only moment we have is THIS moment . . . So, I'm going to suggest a subtle shift in thinking about past, present, and future . . . a shift in consciousness that may begin to change and improve our ability to live the moment we're in . . .

The suggestion is this . . . Stop clinging to the concept of past, present, and future, but begin to think of living our lives as a succession of immediate moments . . . We pass from one moment to the next, so that in a subtle sense, time takes on less significance . . . It is about NOW, not yesterday, or tomorrow . . . If tomorrow comes for us, we will still be living in immediate moments . . .

Also, something which allows for more effectively thinking in this way is a regular meditative practice . . . Over time, many subtle shifts in our consciousness occur without our really being aware of them . . . Meditation has the power to take us closer to the Oneness, or the Macrocosm, which is timeless in nature . . . And, as that happens, we can begin to gain a sense of timelessness, which will allow for a greater understanding of the "immediate moment" approach . . .

Until next time . . . Ciao!!

Well then . . .

Dear Reader . . .

We need to come to an understanding . . . but that should be VERY easy . . .

Do we all agree every sane human being has the overriding desire to be HAPPY?

OK then . . . Since most if not all SANE individuals believe that most if not ALL sane individuals want to be happy . . . then what makes YOU happy?

Think about it . . .

Until next time . . . Ciao!!

Speaking of INSPIRATION . . .

We are ALL capable of being inspired . . . After all, what is life without inspiration?! Seriously . . .

Where do we find inspiration? You find it where you find it, as do I . . .

Once a week, I volunteer my time to transport cancer patients from their homes to various hospitals for treatment, and then home again . . .

This isn't to make me appear anything special, but . . . I DO find myself greatly inspired by the people I meet . . .

They truly are an incredibly positive group, very uncomplaining, and very much looking forward to a birthday, a holiday, an anniversary, TOMORROW, and so on . . .

My father died a lingering death from cancer, so I DO know what that's like . . .

However, to spend one's whole day surrounded by cancer is a completely different perspective . . .

It isn't that I do anything much for the cancer victims I drive here and there . . . It's what THEY DO FOR ME . . .

And, I thank them sincerely for their INSPIRATION!!

Until next time . . . Ciao

We ALL Want One Thing II

It would be silly in the extreme to say people want to be miserable . . . Even miserable people are often trying to find happiness through their misery, strange as it may seem . . . We've all known individuals about whom we say, This is someone who is happy being MISERABLE! And then they procede to try to make those around them just as miserable . . . When we encounter human beings of that ilk, we should RUN LIKE HELL as soon as we can! Get away ASAP! Their negative vibes will spill over, and who needs or wants to be infected with that negativity?

We were talking about the EVER PRESENT BIG THING, and striving to achieve it . . . The EPBT is that piece of God, or the Macrocosm, that we truly are . . . In earlier blogs it's been discussed and this is simply an extension of that discussion . . .

When we become acutely aware of the energy body within us, we are well on our way to higher levels of the God experience . . . However, the intention of this entry is not to go back over the same thing already covered . . . No, the point of this blog is to talk about a pattern of thought which can begin to define us as spiritual beings! A thought and belief system that is so powerful, it affects virtually every other aspect of our lives . . . And from which greater happiness, joy, contentment arise! What might this be? What is this thing so powerful, and yet, so simple? It is nothing more and nothing less than sincere, conscious GRATITUDE! Yes Dear Reader, gratitude, gratitude, GRATITUDE!!

Do we really give much thought to those things we should be grateful for? Does it ever cross our minds to any great extent? Sure, from time to time we mention gratitude, give it lip service, but really, that's about all . . .

This doesn't have to be complicated . . . it can be as simple as making a list at the end of each day in a journal, of those things we are grateful for from that day . . . and then waking up eight hours later and entertaining thoughts of gratitude . . . Going to sleep with gratitude, and waking up with gratitude . . . CONSCIOUS GRATITUDE! And then in those times between waking and going to sleep, feeling that same sense of gratitude being with us . . . If we're new to this, we may have to stop and remind ourselves to think grateful thoughts, until it becomes a habit and the thoughts and beliefs related to gratitude begin to permeate our whole being . . . Muslims are called to prayer five times a day, so why not offer up sincere and conscious thoughts of gratutde to the Universe in the same way? It can be done!

If we observe people who function with a high level of gratitude, we're going to see more positivity, more generosity, more compassion, a more loving nature . . . Those are exactly the character traits of people we all like to surround ourselves with! And we can each BE that! Get it? Of course we do! It's so simple it hurts . . . But it isn't necessarily EASY . . . Discipline and motivation are what will determine our success in developing an attitude of conscious gratitude . . . If we want it badly enough, it's ours for the taking!

If we develop a more positive nature, more compassion, more generosity, a more loving demeanor through conscious gratitude, we become more God-like . . . As God or the Macrocosm is infinitely loving, generous, and compassionate, so can we aspire to approach closer and closer to that perfect nature of the Macrocosm . . . And to bring this full circle, that is EXACTLY where true happiness abides! Think about it . . .

Until next time . . . Ciao!!

We ALL Want One Thing

We are constantly bombarded with messages about what we should want, what we need, what would give us satisfaction, and so on . . .

One thing which is universally true of human beings is the desire for happiness . . . We all want to be HAPPY! And in that seeming simplicity is an incredible dilemma . . . Just what on EARTH is it that will create that happiness?

More than anything, in Western society, happiness seems to be something we are taught to attempt to find WITHOUT . . . It's a new car, a bigger house, more money, greater personal physical beauty, and on and on . . . It's something we'll find OUT THERE, and if we can simply find it or have it, happiness will reign . . . Is this actually the case? Dear Reader, have we found that acquiring THINGS from OUT THERE has led to lasting feelings of joy, contentment, or happiness? Or, has the feeling been transitory, and then shortly thereafter we begin our search anew for the NEXT BIG THING?

Imagine an existence where the NEXT BIG THING is a constant never-ending knowlwdge that is always present . . . The NBT is here and now and we can access it moment to moment . . . As a matter of fact, our very EXISTENCE is the NBT!! And the most beautiful aspect of this NBT is that we don`t have to search high and low, behind every bush, or travel to Paris or Sydney or Singapore to find it . . . It is literally right under our very noses, so close we can touch it, so close we have access to it every second of every minute of our lives . . . The NBT is actually the EVER PRESENT BIG THING, and we each have it within our control to access it and make it the overriding focus of our lives . . .

Think about it! More later . . .

Until next time . . . Ciao!!

Reinventing Oneself

I work out regularly, and this past Monday afternoon I was at the gym slugging it out on an elliptical . . . On one of the televisions in front of me was the Dr. Phil show . . . No audio, just video . . . On the screen were the words Reinventing Yourself in large yellow letters, which started me thinking about whether or not it IS possible to reinvent oneself . . .

I have some definite ideas on this subject. First, we must clarify what reinvention means . . . Does it mean we can undergo a physical makeover? If so, yes . . . many have altered their physical appearance markedly. Might it mean we can drop negative habits for positive ones? We could do this too, and with possible far-ranging effects! Can we change some aspects of our behaviour? Yes. Can we alter our basic personality? Perhaps not . . .

However, reinvention might very well mean reinvention through our thoughts and beliefs, and changes taking place therein . . . We are so much what we THINK, and what we BELIEVE . . . Thoughts and beliefs drive our emotions, and then in turn are manifested in behaviours . . .

If we don't like our behaviour, it all traces back to emotions and then further to thoughts/beliefs . . . And if we are unhappy with our emotional reality, that too speaks to thoughts and beliefs . . . For example, Catherine might sabotage relationships once they reach a certain level of emotional intimacy, and it could be a consistent pattern that even she is aware of . . . That behaviour is only the physical manifestation of something happening at a much deeper level in Catherine's psyche . . . Catherine may have been hurt in previous relationships, and her behaviour might be seen as a form of self-protection . . . Or, she may be unable to see her worthiness, or lack self-esteem or self-love, and fear intimacy as a result . . .

If Catherine is able to be aware of her behaviour, and then can be analytical and introspective to the point of being able to identify the thoughts and beliefs at the root of it all, then she stands a chance of substituting more positive, life-enhancing thoughts in place of the self-defeating ones driving her present behaviour . . . Of course, we're talking here about changing something deeply rooted and it may take some time for Catherine to reinvent her thinking processes, but it can be done! It requires discipline, but can be accomplished with enough motivation . . .

Changing one's thinking and beliefs has an all-encompassing reach in one's life . . . and can alter everything in one's existence! It can lead one out of darkness and into light . . . And once we move into light, we move to a point of sending positive vibrations into the Universe, to the benefit of ALL!

We are what we THINK, so lets think beautiful thoughts . . .

Until next time . . . Ciao!!

What are we neglecting?

I had the good fortune to finally see a good friend today who I hadn't seen since September '08. His name is Dave . . . He's a very busy guy, working in the financial industry . . . Dave had fallen off the map in a sense due to family and business pressures . . .

When Dave walked into the room, I honestly did not know who he was for a few seconds, until he smiled . . . Ol' Dave has lost 40 plus pounds, and looks the picture of good health . . . lean and mean and ready to go a few rounds . . .

Seeing the new, improved physical specimen that is Dave reminded me once again of how much North American society generally neglects the state of its physical health and well-being. Not that the physical is the only thing . . . It certainly isn't, as we can't forget the emotional and spiritual aspects of existence! But, this blog is dedicated foremost to the PHYSICAL, and the sad state of such on this continent . . .

Something put out by the AMA a few months ago stated that among the adult population of the USA, 34% are now obese and 33% are overweight . . . Anyone who has walked through a mall recently with eyes open will have no trouble believing those stats . . . It`s atrocious what`s happening to us, or should we say, what we`re ALLOWING to happen to us . . .

We eat and eat and eat and for what? We pack on excess adipose tissue, and for what? It defies all logic!

Imagine this conversation . . .

Q. Tell me Sir/Madam, what do you aspire to in life?

A. Hmmm . . . I'll have to think! Well, lets see . . . In a few years or decades, I'd really like to be treated for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, adult onset diabetes . . . and if I could have bypass surgery, that would be wonderful! And maybe have a joint or two replaced with some high quality, high tech stuff because of all the extra wear and tear of lugging around far more pounds than I really should. . . THAT would be TOO cool! And the ultimate would be to spend the last ten years of my life feeling incredibly crappy . . . YEAH! That's how I hope it all plays out . . .

Q. Sounds like you know the goals! Great! What's your plan to achieve them?

A. It's easy . . . I'll just continue doing what I'm doing now! Overeat, rarely exercise, sit on my butt as much as I possibly can . . . I have the PERFECT lifestyle to achieve my goals! It's so EASY!!

Of course this is an absurd conversation that would never occur, BUT . . . It seems that if these WERE the goals for the majority of North American adults, they'd be well on their way to achieving them, doing just exactly what they ARE doing everyday . . .

A month ago, I sat in a mall near an entrance, and decided to take a close look at the people leaving and entering . . . The first twenty people I saw were either overweight or obese, and this included children! The first person I saw entering or leaving who was a healthy body weight for the frame was a woman of about 40 who clearly appeared to value her physical being . . . She was #21 . . . I have no doubt she's an active individual who watches what she puts in her body to at least some extent . . .

Warm weather is coming on, and it's the perfect time to think seriously about turning over a new leaf . . . It's amazing how an improvement to our physical health has such tremendous spillover effects on our emotional and spiritual well-being . . . Now is the time to get active and examine our food intake . . . Cut out the crap and see and feel the improvement week by week!

And lets not forget one very important thing . . . Since nobody likes high taxes and medical insurance premiums, an investment in personal health will help reduce those taxes and premiums, since health cares costs are going through the roof at least in part because we've become so fat and lazy as a culture . . . And perhaps down the line, we personally will avoid some expensive prescription drugs, or surgeries, and so on . . . One can only hope!

Thanks Dave!!

Until next time . . . Ciao!!

Macrocosmic

Well then, here we are blogging on Blogger and damn if this isn't just about the coolest thing going . . . You have to love a culture that produces technology that allows a person to throw their thoughts up into cyberspace for every human being who has online capability to read . . . And that's a big chunk of humanity, although it may be that only one individual will stumble upon this blog and actually take time to read it . . .


A little about me . . . Male who meditates, works out, reads, maintains healthy relationships, intensely interested in things spiritual and related to cosmic consciousness, keenly aware of his oneness and connectedness with all that is (hence, Macrocosmic), enjoys being of service, is constantly evolving in a positive direction, is very private, is consciously grateful for all he has, and wants to help change his little piece of the Universe for the betterment of all . . .

Since I'm a very private person, I will be saying very little about my personal situation in terms of relationships and so on . . . You definitely won't be reading about my sex life . . .

As stated, I believe in the connectedness of all that is and am absolutely convinced that the more people we convince of this fact and convince to act accordingly, the better this world will be! Not just a little bit better, but a LOT better . . . Each of us is a Microcosm, but have the ability to recognize our macrocosmic potential and therefore become the Macrocosm. Or perhaps more accurately stated, we can be the Macrocosm we are NOW . . . Because you see, the Macrocosm is US and we are IT.

Some might ask what the Macrocosm is . . . Tell me what it is Macro, and change my life! OK, let's do that . . . Let's open this Pandora's Box and change the direction of civilization as we know it . . . The Macrocosm is . . . GOD! Not the Judaeo-Christian God that fried Sodom and Gomorah, not the Muslim God that thinks every man is worth two women . . . The Macrocosmic God is everything in our Universe and beyond, including that which we can't see, such as dark matter and dark energy, quantum existence, and so on . . . And once we begin to realize that we are the Macrocosm and experience the expansion of our consciousness into it, we begin to think, act, and perceive differently . . . And THAT my dear friends is when we REALLY start to make a difference!!

Until next time . . . Ciao!!