Resisting Existing

what will be will always be

regardless of how we feel about it

our only options are to accept it or oppose it

if we oppose what is, we will do nothing more than trouble ourselves

if we accept what is, we will always be at Peace

lesson: take the path of least resistance.

I appreciate you Kara (man you're on a roll!)

Decision's Decisions

there is really no such thing as a mistake

there are only choices

and every choice leads to unique opportunities to make more choices

every decision we make contributes to bringing us closer to all of the beautiful things we experience in life, even if we have to go through painful things to get there

we often make choices that have immediate unpleasant consequences, and we tend to be unable to have the foresight to see what wonderful things are in store down the line, that wouldn't have been possible had we not made the seemingly "wrong" choices we did

if nothing else, adopting the belief that mistakes don't exist reminds us of our control of our own Destiny and gives us comfort in even the difficult times in our lives

lesson: you have all the choice in the World.

I appreciate you Kara :) again!

Self Medicating

healing requires active passivity

you have to consciously declare it as an intent and claim it as an inevitability

and then just let it happen

lesson: if you always know that everything will be ok, then everything will always be ok.

I appreciate you Kara soooooooo much!

Circular Logic

we tend to consider Karma as essentially a cosmic punitive system

we think of it as this ineluctable force that rights wrongs and ensures that everyone gets a taste of their own medicine

as an extension of that what our Karma grants us is the necessary opportunity to understand ourselves through empathy for others we have affected

it's no coincidence that we recurrently find ourselves on different sides of situations we've previously experienced

both enjoyable and trying

for example, there may have been a time that a friend counted on you, and you let that person down

and then later on you find yourself let down by a friend

we tend to just think that our Karma has presented to punish us for our previous shortcoming

the point, however, isn't just to hurt you because you hurt someone else

that would be vengeance, which the Universe doesn't support

the point is for us to have the opportunity to truly understand how our actions made someone else feel, so that we may learn more agreeable methods of operating

when you find yourself revisiting an experience from a different perspective, be grateful for the more comprehensive view

lesson: things come full circle so that we can see all sides.

I appreciate you Phil

Lose for the Win

when we ask the Universe for assistance, it will always deliver

however, we don't always know how to receive these gifts when it's time

sometimes it seems that although we've asked for more, we somehow end up with less

we ask and make ourselves open and available, hoping to gain, and we somehow begin to lose

it's at this point that we often become disappointed and disillusioned and lose our faith

and that's when we block our blessings

the thing to keep in mind is that there must always be space made for the addition of anything new, which means the removal of anything old

we get so attached to things in our sphere that are useless, and even detrimental, that we get stressed out when the Universe clears them away for us, in preparation for greater things to come

we have to remember that when we ask, we must be patient and faithful in order to receive

if you find that things are strangely disappearing from your existence, you're actually likely being rewarded and not punished, so stop wondering what you're doing wrong!

if we allow ourselves to become caught up in the disappointment of losses, we'll never allow ourselves the opportunity to feel the joy of gaining

lesson: every loss is a gain.

I appreciate you Marianna

Guilty Pleasure

often we use other people as motivation for our own success

we cling to the belief that we "owe" our prosperity to perhaps our parents or other people whose compassion and generosity have contributed to our progress and achievement

while keeping these people in mind is certainly a wonderful way to honor those we appreciate throughout our journey, it's easy to fall into working toward our goals out of some obligatory compulsion to appease others, as opposed to being driven by our own intrinsic impulse

with satisfying other people as our focus, we sometimes lose sight of our personal connection to our ambitions and ultimately our drive to move forward on them

we get so caught up in how we represent ourselves to others that we forget who we are and what is important to us

though the people in our lives are meant to assist and encourage us along our path, we are not meant to be spiritually indebted to them for their service

the only way we can be truly fulfilled in life is by living for ourselves

lesson: do it for you.

I appreciate you misguided dreamers

Making A Wise Investment

before embarking on any new endeavor, we typically conduct some form of research in order to make the most informed decisions

in building relationships with people, this process is especially important

while we may be able to perceive some of a person's qualities immediately upon initial interaction, there are some traits and behaviors that will only be exposed under particular circumstances

if we don't have the opportunity to experience those situations, we may not be privy to certain elements of a person's character

we can spare ourselves a lot of frustration and upset by taking the time to thoroughly examine the nature of people with whom we feel inclined to forge bonds before we allow those people access into our sphere

once we have emotionally invested ourselves in another person, a lot of pain can come with realizing that we may not have known the person as well as we thought

as with making any investment, it's wise to fully understand exactly what you're dealing with, including the potential risks

lesson: know what you're getting into.

I appreciate you hindsight

Not A Peep-All Person

we tend to evaluate people based on their outward representations of who they seem to be

what "education" or degrees they may have, what objects they own, how adept they are at some esoteric skill

we equate material "accomplishment" with human worth, often neglecting to appreciate the underlying qualities that are admirable

while it is our acts that most explicitly reveal our nature to others, it is not our acts that define our nature

appreciating people for who they are, and not what they do, allows us to experience the true spirit of others and to see every person as valuable and remarkable

lesson: there's much more than what's seen.

I appreciate you Devan and Alex

Do I Make Myself Clear?

the cell membrane is a semi-permeable structure that selectively regulates the intake and release of materials into and out of the cell

it uses sensory systems to determine when deficiencies and excesses are present and receptors to ensure that proper transport occurs and equilibrium is maintained

if any part of the system is compromised, inaccurate messages are sent regarding the needs within the cell

the spirit operates according to a similar network

our emotions and intuition notify our spirit about what needs to be attracted or repelled from our being in order to maintain its health

however, when our sensory systems are weakened--by negative thoughts, desperation, poor health--we may incorrectly perceive our needs

we may invite toxins into our spirit that we believe at the time will satisfy our condition

it is important, especially in our weakened states, to work toward Clarity in order to be very careful about what we attract into our sphere

lesson: be selective.

I appreciate you Marianna

Whole Note-Half Rest

in music, "playing the rests" is as important as playing the notes

it is the silence between the sound which gives it shape and definition

in life, it is the gaps between the action that define it

it is only once action has ceased that it is complete

we can benefit greatly from taking the time to experience the silence between the sound of the action of our lives

sound on top of sound, without clear space in between, results in nonsensical discord

lesson: take a break.

I appreciate you silent pauses

Critical Condition

tough love is one thing

but it can lead down a slippery slope to abusiveness

when we love someone very strongly, we want to see that person perform at his highest

and we become very passionately driven to make that happen

when we want something so badly, and we don't see it happen, we often become very frustrated and impatient and push harder, not from a place of love, but from a place of contempt

and rather than motivating our loved one, we begin to break that person down

judgment and condemnation create an environment of shame and insecurity, which impedes one's ability to advance himself

an atmosphere of patience and unconditional loving support is conducive to the development of the confidence and drive necessary to achieve

lesson: push forward, not downward.

I appreciate you foolish mistakes

Conversion Therapy

emotional forces are the most compelling motivators of humankind

they are a powerful energy, which can't be blocked or destroyed

what we can do is redirect them

we do it all the time

though, quite often to the disadvantage of ourselves and our community

it takes you an hour to make a typically-fifteen-minute trip home

naturally, you're frustrated

someone greets you at home completely innocently and you respond aggressively, directing frustration from an uncontrollable situation toward an uninvolved bystander, likely offending that person

in the same way, we can redirect the extreme passion behind our frustrations and pain toward a positive, creative outlet

engaging in an activity that requires problem solving and critical thinking is more than just a distraction

it is an opportunity to channel seemingly senseless feelings and impulses into constructive exploration and discovery, leading to a feeling of accomplishment and control

some of the most beautiful music was inspired by the most unbearable heartbreak

it is when we are most aware of our emotions that we are able to thoroughly tap into a source of passion of which we may typically be unaware

and it is passion that translates a good idea into a brilliant product

lesson: let the unfavorable work in your favor.

I appreciate you Art

Karmakaze

it is each of our personal responsibility to ensure the well being of our brothers and sisters

this doesn't mean, though, that it is our responsibility to hold our neighbors to their end of that bargain

although reciprocity and mutualism are the natural inclinations of the Universe, it doesn't mean that anything is owed to anyone

things balance themselves without our force or input

and, actually, attempting to tilt the table of fortune in your direction, disrupts the positive flow of generosity, polluting our spiritual ecosystem with the toxins of selfishness

if we stay focused on our responsibility to each other, the Universe will ensure that our needs are in turn met

lesson: Karma doesn't need to be enforced.

I appreciate you "overlooked" lady lovers

The Gift That Keeps on Giving

while it's generous to make your neighbor a meal,

it's a far greater service to teach him to cook

the best way to help an impoverished community is to develop and implement strategies that will allow it to maintain autonomous economic stability

while social service is a universal responsibility, self-sufficiency is the key to success

lesson: give something that'll last a lifetime.

I appreciate you foreign "aid"

A New Direction

"people are so caught up in tradition that they're going to mess up the future being stuck in the past"

this is applicable on a personal, communal, and global level

history doesn't repeat itself

we repeat ourselves throughout history

trauma and dysfunction are passed along generational lines

we learn what we observe

therefore we have to find examples of what we want to be, which is often not what we come from

if we find ourselves exercising the unfavorable behaviors that we grew up watching and hating,

then we have to put ourselves in the position to be reconditioned, following a new model

lesson: start a new trend.

I appreciate you Alexis and Godgrandma

Ex Fear Factor

fear is not a motivator

the energy that is blocked by it, though, can be channeled into motivation

fear, itself, is an immobilizer and a deterrent

it is the courage that we muster, in the face of fear, that we crave

but we get fooled into thinking that we need fear in order to have courage

we get addicted to the fear

when if we focused all of our energies on just building courage, we could be far more powerful than ever imagined

lesson: don't be afraid.

I appreciate you fearmonger media

Higher Than Desire

our attachment is to our Creator, our Source

when we find ourselves drawn to people, objects, activities, what we are actually being drawn to is the Life Force within them or that they energize within us

we are attracted to things that makes us feel happy and lively

essentially, we are constantly trying to find our way back to to our Source

...through people, objects, activities, etc.

what we should try to do is acknowledge our connections to these things as sacred and special

it is their representation of this connection, our connection to Divinity, that gives them power

lesson: connect to something deeper.

I appreciate you Passion

Inside Influences

spiritual maturing has to radiate from inside out

changing things about yourself externally, thinking they'll alter you at your core, will set you up for failure

if you force yourself to become vegetarian or practice spiritually, for example, without being intrinsically compelled, the new exercise won't last long

if you walk in light and focus on righteousness internally, the outward indications will begin to manifest naturally and effortlessly

lesson: bring your attention inward.

I appreciate you fad culture

Get Well Sooner

being angry is kind of like having the flu

it's really uncomfortable and painful, but you just have to accept it and let it run its course

if you try to act like it's not there, and carry on business-as-usual, you'll crash much harder later and prolong the unhealthy condition

you have to acknowledge that you're angry so that you can actively work on healing yourself

it won't just go away

lesson: get it out of your system for real.

I appreciate you volatility

Every Man for Himself

it's human nature to think in comparisons and categories

when we come across something new, automatically our mind works to attach it to the memory of something to which we are accustomed

that way, we are able to categorize the experience and determine how to deal with it

when dealing with other people, though, we have to do our best to counter this involuntary response

because every single soul on this Earth is unique

and trying to deal with someone according to preconceived and predetermined analyses, based on past dealings with other people, will never work

lesson: always start with a blank slate.

I appreciate you...all.