Get Loose!

It cannot be denied that human beings live in a state of  great conditioning, which is the way behavioral habits are maintained on all levels of the individual living. People find themselves in a sort of cell and are so well accustomed to such state of being that they don't even think about the possibility of becoming the free masters of their own choices. At a certain point someone may wake up - maybe it's "you" who realize you are entangled in a sort of cobweb. So you start thinking about getting loose, you suffer for all the constrictions you are undergoing and you try to find the strength to free yourself from the bars of your imaginary prison. The good news is that such bars are not real, they are just a psychological and intellectual creation which can continue to exist only as long as your acceptance gives them life. The moment you realize that they are imaginary, they disappear.

A Cunning Snare

Many people seem to believe that human beings, when they are born, are empty containers which need to be gradually filled up. You, too, have probably been taught such idea. Therefore you often act without using your power of rational thinking. Such teaching has been carried out by education and by all the conditionings you have continuously endured by society and environment. Many are the injunctions given you to do specific things only because the current fashion, politeness or the accepted customs require such behavior. You are caged, imprisoned in a snare of do and don’t. Such trap was created by other human beings who gave themselves the right to decide, to establish certain rules and who were then smart enough to make others believe and obey them. As usual, “control” is the word!

Times Have Changed

A tiny poem of mine.

   

                                                                          You say that times have changed

  in order to j                                                         to justify dangerous fashions

                                                                    and behaviors, in order to find an excuse       

                                                                          for some of your own attitudes

                                                                             that  you are not proud of.

                                                                    But it’s the people who decide to change.

                                                                        It’s you who accept to be changed.

                                                                              For better and for worse. 

A Wrong Idea About Love

The idea you have of love is an obstacle to your happiness. How can this be? Simply because you believe that “love” means either a total donation of oneself to the beloved or being the object of someone else’s devotion – preferably both. Is this possible? Absolutely…. Provided you don’t stop here! Love is certainly a mutual donation of affection, a communion of souls. The problem arises when you are convinced that without “this” kind of love you cannot be happy. Romantic love is wonderful, but totally insufficient to provide you with eternal bliss. Why? Because it is transient. How many people are able to keep that wonderful feeling of mutual devotion, without judgment nor resentment, throughout their entire lives? Love should be above all considerations, because it reflects the awareness of our being “one”. No “you and me”, no “me and the others”, no “I am right and you are wrong”, no “You did this to me” etc… In true love there can only be total acceptance of the other as a part, an aspect of one’s self.

First Cry, Then Laugh

 You believe you are a compassionate person and you probably are. When you hear about a sad happening, you wish you could help. Every now and then you feel really “good” and would like to succor every needy person. You see the misery, the suffering, the wars that are afflicting the world and feel a flow of love and compassion spring out of your heart. You want to run out there and give your help, your love to all. But, after watching the news for a while, you change the channel and everything is forgotten. It exists neither in your mind nor in your heart any more. What made you sad disappeared and now you are enjoying the latest pop song or laughing at your favorite comedian’s jokes. Your view of the world has changed in a whim. This is how fickle the human nature is. Nothing wrong with it. It just is. But, maybe, it could be worth thinking about it, every now and then.

Like A Turtle

If you look at a turtle, you see it moving away, slowly, according to its nature, without worrying about other, faster creatures. The turtle “knows” it is a turtle and behaves as such. It trusts its own nature and acts accordingly. What about you? When you have a goal, do you always move toward it without allowing doubts to creep in? Do you believe in your capability to cut the arrival line? Trust and Awareness are cardinal points in the pursuit of success. You must trust who you are, believe in your skills and abilities and feel deep within you that what you already have and who you are is good enough for you to proceed successfully on your chosen path. If the turtle ever worried about the speed of others and didn’t trust its own, it wouldn’t arrive at destination. If you believe that you are not “good (i.e. smart, young, rich, thin, beautiful, handsome, educated etc…) enough” you will probably fail, even if you try hard. When the conditioning is too strong, it cannot be overcome by  a simple wish. Real commitment is necessary.

No Discrimination, Here

Aesop (7th-6th century B.C.) was a Greek fabulist or story teller who said, “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” You certainly already know the importance of being patient, understanding, kind and emotionally generous toward others. But you should be so towards everybody, with no distinctions or discrimination. As the sun shines over each individual -  no matter the religion, race, sex, character, behavior, relationship etc..- you, too, must ignore all prejudices that might induce you to see non-existent differences (and judge accordingly!). Every individual is a human being just like yourself. Do you want to get along with everybody else? See him or her as you see yourself. Don’t focus so much on the differences. Rather lead your attention to the similitudes. There are more than you expect. And every act of kindness will not be wasted because, beside pleasing another, it it will make you "feel" better about yourself. And the world will come nearer to being "one" (see John Lennon's song "Imagine").

Rebirth

If you think of winter, you see a “naked” nature, with no flowers, bare tree branches, very little green – if any – all around. Later, you realize that trees and bushes  are coming back to life. A transformation, hardly believable, takes place in what often appears a very short time.  But the preparation for such miracle has taken several months. Thinking about your personal life, can you remember a time when you found yourself totally drained, almost lifeless, with neither spirit nor enthusiasm for anything? Then, if you were able to “let it be”, i.e. no resisting, no rejecting, no judging, just “being”, didn’t you experience a rebirth of creativity, of zest for life? Yes, life can be wonderful indeed, provided you follow one of its most important golden rules, “allow”. But to do this you need a necessary, although nowadays almost forgotten virtue, “patience”.

Webs and Life

Have you ever watched a spider weave its web? If you have, you might have noticed how hard it keeps working for some time, then it takes a rest, then it starts to work again. You might believe that this small insect has found the recipe for wisdom: do what you have to do, take it easy, and give it time. Everything can be achieved when the right moment comes, not before. That’s why… no need to get over worried, panicky or simply impatient. Spiders seem to know how to do their job well – in the right way and with the least effort. But…isn’t this the way animals in general behave? Human beings should pay more attention to their own way of proceeding and possibly learn from more simple, less sophisticated, yet “wiser” inhabitants of this world.

Einstein Said...

Einstein said that wisdom is not the product of schooling, but of the life long attempt to acquire it. Here is a list of well-known quotes that might help:

Life isn’t fair but it’s still good. 

When in doubt, just take the next small step. 

Life is too short to waste time hating or blaming anyone. 

You don’t have to win every argument: agree to disagree. 

Make peace with the past, so it won’t screw up the present. 

Don’t compare your life to others’ lives: you have no idea what their journey is all about. 

If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn’t be in it. 

Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful. 

Whatever doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger. 

When it comes to going after what you want in life, don’t take no for an answer. 

No one is in charge of your happiness but you. 

Forgive everyone everything.

Shall we all try to remember them more often and apply them into our lives?

The Cost of "Proving Your Point"

A big problem in this world of ours is the fact that it’s not easy to overcome misunderstandings and disagreements. Why? Because it is only human to always try to  show that you are right, to have it your way, to be “the winner”.  You feel you have to prove your point at all costs. When this does not happen, a splitting takes place between you and another (your partner, a friend, a colleague, a sibling, a neighbor...). Only true love (= understanding and compassion) can heal the situation, can bring peace where there seems to be war. When you succeed in realizing that “no-thing” is as important as your serenity of mind, you will find peace in your heart as well.

Enjoy The Journey

You believe you are fully aware of your life, of how you are living it, but most times you are not.You are so busy in pursuing your goals that sometimes you lose contact with what really is. While focusing on your point of arrival you might miss enjoying the journey. You forget to live moment by moment because you are prone to look back towards the past or stare ahead towards  the future. Do you ever stop to think that neither the past  nor the future “actually” exist? The past is a memory of something long gone and done with, the future is a speculation about something that might occur. What about NOW? Do you pay attention to what is happening this very moment? Are you aware of your feelings, emotions, motivations in this very instant? Try “silence” for a little while. Silence means being “here” now, enjoying the sound of laughter, a shady tree, the noise of the ocean, without thinking of anything else… Just being. And in just “being”, you are living your life to the fullest. In so doing, you acquire the awareness that all is within yourself. The outside world is merely a mirror of your spirit - the only creator or reality.

Look Ahead!

When you are driving your car, do you look more through the windshield or the rear mirror?  Every now and then you might throw a quick glance back, but your eyes are definitely fixed in front of you, aren’t they? In your own life, if from time to time you think of your past years, it is okay. Ad it is also natural for you to find some things that you don’t like, that you regret, that you would like to wipe away, to erase from your life. But, as this is not possible, it’s better for you to choose to accept willingly what has happened and who you have been. But don’t keep remembering, let it be only a fleeting memory, because the past does not exist anymore, only the present is “real”. If you keep thinking of the past, it will only make your life heavier with a useless burden and your proceeding forward will be greatly impaired.

Higher And Higher

Every human being feels the need to do more, to walk further, to achieve higher goals. It is only natural for you to wish to improve your  family and/or work situation, to become a better person. This is because there is an inner push that encourages you to create a goal for yourself, something to do with your life that is really meaningful. You need to express you capabilities and you should go ahead and boldly move forward. But be careful not to lose yourself in your dreams and forget to live your present life to the fullest. Each moment – yes, even this very one – is okay: you already are in the right place, at the right time, doing the right thing. In order to climb higher you must first start with your feet well set on the ground, whence you’ll eventually start going up, higher and higher, towards your desired goal.