When you find yourself caught up in an emotional or mental "firestorm" not to your liking, there is a beneficial way of counteracting it. BREATHE. Lock in on your breathing. Concentrate on the rhythm and depth of your breath. Really focus! Try and slow it down. In through your nose and out through your mouth. Slower--deeper. To the exclusion of all other stimulus. Slower still--deeper yet. Feel the expansion of your lungs when you inhale, the compression when you exhale. If you are in a position to do so, allow your eyelids to close for a short time. When your mind grasps at the thought that upset you, ignore it and refocus on your breath. Stay with the rhythm; ride it in, ride it out. Peace in...distress out.
http://www.ideafit.com/fitness-library/breathe-slowly-better-health-and-well-being
As you re-engage the situation that upset you, realize you have choices. There is a wide range of ways to react. If the provocation has been overt or even deliberate, it stills does not limit the number of options you have in which to respond. If the adjectives versatile and flexible are appealing to you, perhaps now is the time to demonstrate them. (see the post "Anchors Aweigh" 1-5-13) Whatever you decide to do (as long as you are ready to accept the consequences of your actions) is exactly the right course of action. The gift is in the experience and you are ready for it.
Friday, May 10, 2013
Thursday, May 9, 2013
A Partial Portrait
When we speak of God, I am of the opinion context matters. To understand context I think it is important to take a look at the world around us. Because we claim God has certain attributes (Creator for one) I feel it revealing to see what, exactly, we are talking about. I am linking to a site (Khan Academy) which provides some detail to the relative size of everything. I ask that you spend 24 minutes (13 for the Scale of the Small and 11 for the Scale of the Large) getting a grasp of the "physical" aspects of God. (I am fascinated by the subject and recommend exploring "The Scale of the Universe"---upper left hand box---as well, but realize you may not share my interest)
http://www.khanacademy.org/science/cosmology-and-astronomy/universe-scale-topic/scale-small-large-tutorial/v/scale-of-the-small
If you were to meet a person on the street, I think it fair to say their physical aspects would be much easier to generalize about than their mental capabilities. You could, in a glance, see their gender, height, weight, et cetera. Their intellect would be a more involved process. My point is we cannot comprehend the physical aspects of God. Yet Religion would have you believe that they have revealed the "mind" of God, in its entirety! This may be so, but it strikes me as absurd. From the depths of my being, genuinely, honestly, absurd.
Despite that, I just as honestly feel God needs to, has to, interact with His creation. That the interaction is the very POINT of creation. But it is only a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of God revealed in THAT interaction. It would be like trying to force two gallons into a closed vessel with a one gallon capacity. It would burst. But in this case it would be like trying to fit all the oceans of the world into a one ounce container. You would be able to tell what elements make up sea water. You might even see some krill. But to think for a minute you understand the immensity, complexity and diversity of the oceans is laughable. This, though, is the current position of most religions. From their one ounce sample they claim to have been empowered to tell you all about the ocean. If you don't accept their conclusions the worst possible fate awaits you. Eternal damnation.
It is time for a religious, spiritual, paradigm shift. An understanding of "personal revelation" being a conduit to comprehending We instead of Me. That self-realization leads to group consciousness. And that group consciousness is the next step in a better (though in no way complete) understanding of the Mind of God. It is thus; Life abhors a vacuum. Life is anything but static. (all Life vibrates) And Life must be seen as a synonym for God. (otherwise you have removed any and all context for an actual experience of God) Therefore God is evolving. Growing. Expanding. So must we if we wish to glimpse even a partial portrait of this mystery called God.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fW6JFKgbAF4
http://www.khanacademy.org/science/cosmology-and-astronomy/universe-scale-topic/scale-small-large-tutorial/v/scale-of-the-small
If you were to meet a person on the street, I think it fair to say their physical aspects would be much easier to generalize about than their mental capabilities. You could, in a glance, see their gender, height, weight, et cetera. Their intellect would be a more involved process. My point is we cannot comprehend the physical aspects of God. Yet Religion would have you believe that they have revealed the "mind" of God, in its entirety! This may be so, but it strikes me as absurd. From the depths of my being, genuinely, honestly, absurd.
Despite that, I just as honestly feel God needs to, has to, interact with His creation. That the interaction is the very POINT of creation. But it is only a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of God revealed in THAT interaction. It would be like trying to force two gallons into a closed vessel with a one gallon capacity. It would burst. But in this case it would be like trying to fit all the oceans of the world into a one ounce container. You would be able to tell what elements make up sea water. You might even see some krill. But to think for a minute you understand the immensity, complexity and diversity of the oceans is laughable. This, though, is the current position of most religions. From their one ounce sample they claim to have been empowered to tell you all about the ocean. If you don't accept their conclusions the worst possible fate awaits you. Eternal damnation.
It is time for a religious, spiritual, paradigm shift. An understanding of "personal revelation" being a conduit to comprehending We instead of Me. That self-realization leads to group consciousness. And that group consciousness is the next step in a better (though in no way complete) understanding of the Mind of God. It is thus; Life abhors a vacuum. Life is anything but static. (all Life vibrates) And Life must be seen as a synonym for God. (otherwise you have removed any and all context for an actual experience of God) Therefore God is evolving. Growing. Expanding. So must we if we wish to glimpse even a partial portrait of this mystery called God.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fW6JFKgbAF4
Monday, May 6, 2013
Odds and Ends
Try as I might to avoid this subject, Life won't seem to let me. I fear it will be viewed as ego run amok, but Life keeps shutting down other avenues I wish to post about. So I relaxed into the flow of things and let it carry me here (Odds and Ends). I will leave it to you to determine what to make of it.
On 2-18-13 I posted Flatline. Since then, the visitors to this site has increased dramatically. In fact Germany, Russia and Romania (who'd have believed Romania?!) often have more "hits" than the United States on a daily and even weekly basis. So Danke, Spasibo and Multumesc! To other visitors from the UK, South Korea, China and newcomers like France and Venezuela, as well as many others, thank you all. I am humbled and grateful.
I realize that recent posts have galvanized around events happening in my life. As careful with details as I try to be, allowing just the briefest of details central to the story, I still am wary of this blog being about me. I very much want it to be about you. Your interaction with and experiences of Life. So post a comment! The comment box is set up where you have to work hard to post as anything other than "anonymous." Start out by sharing your city and country. What I didn't know about Romania is embarrassing...and it would be a delight to get first hand accounts of the history of your country. If we never progress beyond that, so be it. It would still be an honor to meet you. (even anonymously)
It has become clear to me that this site is very "mystical." It wasn't intended to be and I wouldn't have thought as much until coming across this: "Mysticism means a direct, immediate sense of God's Presence." (from the book, "The Story of Judaism" by Bernard J. Bamberger) That is the hope I have for you. That you develop an intimate relationship with God. What God is I will leave to you. It could be a Presence, a Power, an Intelligence...or all of the above. What I am sure of is that whatever God is will be revealed to you, if you will just allow it to.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0DJ8hWgNes
May this be the start of a wonderful week for all of you.
Later that same day: (3:20 PM) I just "Updated" the 2-26-13 post. If you are so inclined, you could drop in and view it. Might be the true reason Life kept shutting down other avenues. Something more important needed to be expressed, albeit this post opened the channels.
On 2-18-13 I posted Flatline. Since then, the visitors to this site has increased dramatically. In fact Germany, Russia and Romania (who'd have believed Romania?!) often have more "hits" than the United States on a daily and even weekly basis. So Danke, Spasibo and Multumesc! To other visitors from the UK, South Korea, China and newcomers like France and Venezuela, as well as many others, thank you all. I am humbled and grateful.
I realize that recent posts have galvanized around events happening in my life. As careful with details as I try to be, allowing just the briefest of details central to the story, I still am wary of this blog being about me. I very much want it to be about you. Your interaction with and experiences of Life. So post a comment! The comment box is set up where you have to work hard to post as anything other than "anonymous." Start out by sharing your city and country. What I didn't know about Romania is embarrassing...and it would be a delight to get first hand accounts of the history of your country. If we never progress beyond that, so be it. It would still be an honor to meet you. (even anonymously)
It has become clear to me that this site is very "mystical." It wasn't intended to be and I wouldn't have thought as much until coming across this: "Mysticism means a direct, immediate sense of God's Presence." (from the book, "The Story of Judaism" by Bernard J. Bamberger) That is the hope I have for you. That you develop an intimate relationship with God. What God is I will leave to you. It could be a Presence, a Power, an Intelligence...or all of the above. What I am sure of is that whatever God is will be revealed to you, if you will just allow it to.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0DJ8hWgNes
May this be the start of a wonderful week for all of you.
Later that same day: (3:20 PM) I just "Updated" the 2-26-13 post. If you are so inclined, you could drop in and view it. Might be the true reason Life kept shutting down other avenues. Something more important needed to be expressed, albeit this post opened the channels.
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