The Day After...

Today was supposed to be a “free” day… You know, being my birthday and all, but no such thing. I sit here and the itch to put something on this blank screen becomes too strong. Since no plans were made, no idea as to what to write about… But then, nothing new there…

Several reader friends have either called or written, just to share with me (or at me, in some occasions) their own views regarding the topic of “free choice” on which we touched a couple of times in these past few days. After listening to their comments as to why we “do” always have a free choice, my response is very simple: I do not disagree on the fact that we, as individuals, have the ability to make choices; in fact, we do exercise this privilege on a regular basis every day. Where I do firmly believe we must agree to disagree is that these choices are not so totally “free”. Every time we exercise a choice, while living within a nuclear structure (society or family), we have to ascertain whether or not this choice will impact others, and how far will it do so. That is all… Is it free? Yes; is it totally free? Not while living within that nuclear structure, unless you are willing to become an outcast.

Note from Editor (yeah, yeah… that’s me… I also clean windows!!) Did start this post last night, but as soon as “not much to do” was expressed, a call came in from friends inviting us over for coffee and cake… so, out we went. It was fun…

Started to read once again the book called “The Secret” by Rhonda Byrne; every time I read it a new phrase or concept jumps at me. It is actually a compilation of ideas, thoughts and writings from a number of people, past and present. There really is no specific direction as such, no step structured method by which the reader can achieve a defined success. Rather, there are indications and indicators as to what should be done and how the mind should be directed, because it is this last the one which will determine what will happen. This is a concept which is very difficult to grasp and perhaps, more difficult still to put into practice; we are taught from a very early time to look only through the eyes and to hear only through our ears, “what you see is what you get” probably sums up our general training. And here, we are being told that we should learn to see and listen with our heart and mind, rather than through our senses; that we should learn to direct our lives and circumstances through our thought pattern.

The Brain Rules...

Once I began to read this the first time and made some comments around, there were several friends who told me they had also read the book. My question was: “Did you read with your heart and mind or with your eyes and brain?” If the answer was a startled “Huh??”, then I knew the book had not really made a dent in their psyche.

I cannot say, in all honesty, that everything that is expounded in the book is totally clear to me. Then, I am not a philosopher but a simple, aspiring thinker. I love to think and to look at most issues, even those that do not make much sense, from different perspectives. Why? I’m not sure, but in general, this is the way I was taught from an early beginning. There were times when a simple question put to my grandfather or to one of his friends, would elicit a long retort, often more than what I could actually chew at the time. The offshoot was that I would have to come back and ask some more. The answers always came with much patience; this was a commitment that when I began to understand it and what it meant, my heart and eyes (or the eyes of the heart?) were opened to just how much love was involved in the process. Of course, this realization came several years later, when I had children of my own and the real message in the teaching was finally understood: be patient with those who need to learn, for they will be the ones to teach others in turn.

Go beyond your immediate senses

This has also helped me in opening my heart and mind to what is felt, though it may be unseen with the eyes. Yes, we live in a world where the senses are often overwhelmed and where many day to day decisions are made in the simplest way, so as not to bother too much with the thinking process. This is wrong; and yes, before you say it, not every decision merits a long process; if we were to hold true to this for every little issue, we would turn into insufferable bores. However, when we become accustomed to functioning in this “off-the-cuff” way, then every decision eventually taken, whether big or small, will be done in the same manner. The potential repercussions may be at one time or another very negative, taking us by surprise and having us question… “What did we do wrong?” I am sure we have all been there at one time or another. I know I have.

The one message which seems to come to me from almost every individual quoted in this book I am again reading, is that it is our mind which will determine our future and our wellbeing. From very early teachings, we are constantly bombarded with the idea that we should be “selfless” and not expect too much or not want too much. We are driven into a somewhat mediocre mind state, where every day we basically subsist, where we have a job which pays for the basic needs (sometimes we have a surplus, more often we do not) and this is OK. We spend and work to pay what we have spent. Little by little we fall into the cycle of having to live mainly to work.

You can fly...

 There are several quotes from the book which I have highlighted along the several readings. Please understand that I do not profess to “master’ this concept; there is a lifetime of learning which goes against it, and this cannot be undone in a few readings. In fact, I am not sure that it will not take the rest of my life to work on this, but… By Golly!!!  Work on it I shall!! My primary aids in this quest are the teachings and actions of my late grandfather, whom I thank every day.

In several posts you will find me arguing on behalf of the mind… and its regular use. Every day there is evidence showing that our society is shunning this, becoming a society where the use of our inner senses is more and more ignored. Actually, in most cases, this concept is not even understood. Too bad; I see in the future a world where mechanics and electronics rule, where the human mind, within the vast majority of people, will fall more and more in disuse and be dependent on computers to think for us, and in our behalf.

Not just the posed problem,
but the solution as well.

Create your own universe. Our mind has the power to do so and to determine who will share this world with you. We have the power to change anything, for we are the ones who choose our thoughts and feel our feelings. This is the immediate universe in which we function; the universe where we can determine what is good and what is not good for us; the universe where those choices we have discussed so much, come to be made.  Winston Churchill said “You create your own universe as you go along”…

Imagine your life as you want it and then make it happen. Dr. Fred A. Wolf, an award winning author, tells us that our minds are actually shaping the world around us; we cannot have a universe without our minds entering into it, and our minds are actually shaping that which we perceive at any given time. Think about this and you will see it as such.

Would you argue with success?

The following quote will help me close this entry: “Imagination is everything; it is the preview of life’s coming attractions”. Who said this? Someone who imagined many things which had not existed before, and then set about to prove them… Dr. Albert Einstein.

                                Be Well… Be Back!!!