Accepting Feelings

You are told that any feeling you experience depends only on yourself, i.e. on your reaction towards what happened. When something pleasant takes place, you are happy - so you experience a positive feeling. On the other hand, when something hurtful materializes in your life, you can't help feeling unhappy because your instinctive reaction is one of non-acceptance or resentment. The best attitude would be to understand the reason why it happened, and accept it willingly. But when someone hurt you, or disappointed you, in spite of your willingness to accept it, you can't help wondering about the position of the person who hurt or disappointed you. You have to be lenient all right, but... will the other ever realize that what they said or did had such an impact on your feelings? Of course, this is 'their' problem, still....

Trust vs. Fear

You may be acquainted with the well-known affirmation, "Love is letting go of fear". I certainly don't deny it. But, reflecting upon it, I feel that the word "love" is correctly used for a situation where you are interacting with the world outside, with other human beings. When you can love them, your fear disappears. But when you are dealing with your own 'self', I would replace the word 'love' with the word 'trust'. If you are afraid of disease, of the future, of loss, even of death, trust can help you analyze your feeling from a different perspective. It can help you realize that you have the ability to face challenges, that you will know how to deal with difficulties when they present themselves, it rekindles the hope that everything will be well. To trust means to believe in your capability to cope with any struggle you encounter on your life path. It's the conviction that "You Can"!

Knowing & Feeling

Is there a gap between 'knowing' and 'feeling'? As counter-intuitive as it sounds, such gap might not be actually real. These two functions of your body coexist but they also seem to be clearly separated. 'Knowing' is of the mind, "feeling' is of the heart. Knowing means to have a clear knowledge that something is the way it is (or has been). You know that it is daytime  when the sun shines because you see and perceive such physical fact. You know that Julius Caesar was a Roman leader because you studied it in history books. But may also believe you 'know' that a spiritual wold exists because you 'feel' it. So, knowing can be connected with feeling. These two seemingly different facets of your 'being' are not so different, after all. It depends on what you are taking into consideration. In the physical world, to know means to experience it with your physical senses, in the spiritual world it means to experience it in the deepest part of your "self".

Uncertainty

A Renaissance leader, art patron and poet - Florentine Lorenzo de' Medici (called "The Magnificent") wrote in one of his most famous poems, "If you want to be happy, be (now), as there is no certainty about tomorrow". How true! One of the greatest challenges that mankind faces on a daily basis is exactly this: uncertainty. You can only know for sure what you are - and what is - in this very instant, but no more. You cannot "know" what will happen. You can only "guess" or "forecast". Therefore, it's advisable to learn how to live in the present moment, without counting on what might happen. Is this a negative attitude? I don't think so. It's rather a realistic one. It encourages you to live as well as you can "now",  appreciate what you have and what you are. As to tomorrow, you can only do your best and then...trust.

Sharing

Sharing is a good thing. To a certain extent. Not indiscriminately.  They say it's a synonym for caring. Not always. When you have something to offer, it's better for you to know more about the person you would like to offer it to. If you are not careful, you might be bitterly disappointed. If you like a piece of jewelry, for example, not necessarily does your friend like it, too. Let's say you are planning to give a pair of vintage ear-rings you own and love to your friend as a special gift. Before you do, check out if she likes vintage jewelry as much as you do. When you hear about a new spiritual insight - that you consider highly valuable - don't share it with "everybody". Your intent is good, but they might not be interested in hearing what you have to say. People are different, and what looks charming or sounds interesting to you, may appear even the opposite to someone else. 

Forgetting

Aren't you fully satisfied with the way your life is going? Do you believe that you deserve something better? Are you resentful for not feeling happier? Finally, are you looking for "the Answer" outside yourself? The truth is that you already know how to lead a more serene and fulfilling life because your intuition (the deepest part of your Self that knows best) can give you the answer you need to any of your problems and worry. What you lack is simply a greater awareness. On a general level, you know what it would be better for you to think, say and do in every moment of your day, but you do not realize it because such awareness has been covered up by several layers of conditionings – both external and internal – that seem to have erased some truths from your mind. It is as if you knew a certain thing but, having forgotten it, you are now convinced that you have never known it.

Like the Romans

A well-known saying advises that, when you are in Rome, you should do as the Romans do. Beside the superficial meaning, i.e. while visiting a foreign land, you should respect its customs and adapt to them as long as you stay there, such a phrase has a deeper meaning. Human beings in general tend to be a little self-righteous, they can't help believing that their way is the best, if not the only, way. It is not so. Everybody's "way" is the best...for them. It's neither right not wise to judge others because they think, act and behave differently from you. Therefore, when you have to deal with "Romans", try to understand them and endeavor to accomodate your behavior accordingly. Does this mean that, in doing so, you give up who you are? Absolutely not. You remain who you are, while showing flexibility of mind as well as appreciation for another's beliefs and habits. Is this just kindness? You can say so.