Mouth? Ear?

Words, concepts and ideas need a suitable means for both the expression and the reception. When you are playing the role of the “mouth”, try to express yourself in the best way, clearly and convincingly. When you are the “ear”, listen with attention and endeavor to get as much benefit as you can from any positive input you are presented with. What matters is to be aware of when you have to be one or the other.

"See" Your Dreams

As long as you keep on believing that you cannot do it, that fantasizing is a useless exercise of the mind – that can only give you brief, mindless joy – you shall remain at the bottom of a deep well: the well of sloth, of spiritual laziness, weighed down by all your "I can't"s. Entertaining your dreams, accepting your wishes, welcoming your hopes are the best freeing actions, are the affirmation of independence, of individuality, of capacity. Your dreams affirm – in front of your very eyes – your potential as a human being. Every action, either small or big, every idea, invention, discovery, had its starting point in a "dream". 

From Mind To Heart

Some people are all in the mind (reasoning), others are all in the heart (spirit). The former believe that the mind is the only guide that can help you lead a purposeful life, the latter think that only following what your heart tells you can you find true peace. What about a middle way? As everything starts from a specific state of perception and then moves to a different (in this case higher) one, it's possible that the mind is the 'beginner' of spiritual evolution by simply allowing a human being to become truly aware of their actual (usually emotional) situation. Only when someone can see and assess such situation clearly, can they move on, and start listening to higher suggestions.

Directing Your Mind

Now let’s spend a few words talking about “thoughts”. Thinking – all the time – is a characteristic of the mind and no-one is able to “not” think (unless you are an exceptional meditator who is capable of reaching superior states of mental silence). A normal mind is continuously active, it never stops. Thoughts are things that are born, exist, develop and often digress, in a never-ending flow of  unspoken, but absolutely real words. Here a question arises, that you should ask yourself, “Am I in control of my thoughts?”. Analyze how your mind works, because such work does not develop in the same way for everybody. Try and see if you are able to lead your thoughts in the direction you want, or if you are unable to eliminate or just minimize nagging, annoying, tormenting thoughts. It's a useful exercise. 

Reason

An extremely challenging thought is suggested by 18th century German philosopher Immanuel Kant. At the beginning of his "Critique of Pure Reason" he states that reason's main feature is the compelling need to ask questions which - nevertheless - it cannot answer. As upsetting as this suggestion might be, its truth can't be denied. Ask yourself what are the things that you are certain of, that you can fully understand, and what are the things that you not only are not certain of, but that you cannot understand because there is no answer to the question concerning their existence, their 'functioning', or even their meaning. You might be tempted to believe that there is an answer to every question or, even if the answer is not available now, it will be - one day or another. But...can you be certain of this?

Stop!

You have often apologized, after an argument that degenerated into a verbal fight: “I didn’t mean what I said.” So, why did you say it? The fact that you were upset is no excuse. Words are important and – along with  your consequent behavior – define how your fellow human beings see, perceive and judge you. What can be done? Simple. Try to be aware of what you are going to say "before" you say it. Acting instinctively can be useful at times, but not always. It helps you if you feel in danger and take action to protect yourself without even thinking about it. But when you are faced with a normal, every-day situation, you have the choice to stop yourself and 'think'.

Hair & Life

A parallel could be made between hair-care and Life. At times life becomes dull, exactly like your air when it needs color and trim. You don't like the way things are going, as you don't like the way your hair makes you look. There is no "shape", everything appears mediocre and zest-less. Then you make an appointment with your hairdresser and, in a couple of hours, you come out as a new person. You look well-groomed, beautiful, just "right". Similarly, when you decide to do something about your mood, and remind yourself about your worth, about what life can still offer, about all your assets, Life starts to feel "right" again. Cool!

The Power of Words

At times, words rise to become symbols of something that only exists in the mind of the individual. Terms such as “love” “honor”, “country”, for example, can be quoted to give life to erudite disquisitions. Even when you just say “I love you” to a dear one, are you aware of the implications that such sentence has (or should have)? Do you realize that, by saying it, you take on certain responsibilities that you should feel obliged to fulfill now and forever? Therefore, ask yourself what you truly mean when you tell someone that you care for them, when you mention words such as “honesty”, “loyalty”, “faithfulness”, “duty” etc. If you catch yourself using one of these terms, stop for a second and make a quick exam of the significance of what you are saying. And, most of all, do you really mean it?

Dissatisfaction

Yes, Life can be difficult. There are times when everything seems to be going smoothly. You are satisfied with what you have, with what you are, with the people you deal with, with the circumstances you are living in. Unfortunately, there are plenty of times when you are not satisfied at all. On the contrary. Most things seem to be going wrong and you are not happy. You are not satisfied with what you have because you feel you don’t have enough; you are not satisfied with what you are because you feel you are not behaving in the right way (but you don’t know otherwise). The people around you seem unpleasant, situations difficult to face, problems impossible to solve. Imagine yourself facing a difficult situation, now, and ask yourself, “How do I face a predicament?” (With courage or with fear? With resentment or hopelessness? With rejection or with the expectation that others solve it for me?)

A Puzzling Word

The word "devotion" is rather puzzling. It can have several meanings. One is faithfulness to a cause, another could be worship of a deity,  a political idea, or dedication to someone's well-being. But some people who have devotion often fall into the trap of identifying it with fanaticism and end up blinded by the 'rules', obligations and prohibitions imposed upon them. In so doing, they stop leading a healthy, 'normal' life. Others may believe that following the prescriptions to the letter is enough to make them 'perfect'. At times, blind faith in an ideal (originally good) turns its followers into extremists whose goals justify the means, as 16th century Italian politician Machiavelli wrote. But... is all this true, fair, ethical?