Feelings
Having faith sometimes requires stepping into the unknown
When you come to the end of all the light you know, and it’s time to step into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing that one of two things shall happen: Either you will be given something solid to stand on or you will be taught to fly. —Edward Teller Belief is an…
Read MoreSpiritual practices can “brain wash” us.
I was once warned to be careful, that religion or spiritual people could “brain wash” me. This proved to be true but in a surprising way. My mind desperately needed cleaning. The filth of misery—resentment, anger, worry, fear, jealousy, envy, low-self-worth, and a myriad of others—stained and soiled most of my thoughts; this mental muck…
Read MoreWe can only see what is in front of our eyes; we cannot see the history.
We see anger but not the earlier years of abuse or fear We see selfishness but not the previous poverty of love We see self-centeredness and self-righteousness but not the low self-esteem or the despair of self-loathing. We see the inability to engage in healthy relationships but not the absence of spiritual core with lack…
Read MoreThe only fights I truly win are the ones I walk away from.
How important is it to prove we are right? We must not react while controlled by anger, guilt, self-pity, fear or other symptoms of misery. If we cannot respond with dignity, poise and love, we must walk away. This doesn’t mean that we allow other people to trample our dignity or diminish our self-respect, but…
Read MoreMeasure progress by how far you’ve come—not how far you’ve got to go
We are human; our daily performance sometimes falls short of our expectations. We may revert back to our old ways, making choices and taking actions based self-driven will. When this occurs, we may compare our performance to where we believe we should be and become disappointed, thinking that we know better and should do better.…
Read MoreThe “Big I” causes most of our misery.
Infection from the “Big I” disease occurs when my thoughts, words, and actions focus on my desires and needs. My only concern for other people is how they affect what I want. It’s all about I, I, I, me, me, me. Media, marketing, and entertainment spearhead this self-deification, continually shouting “Do this” or “Buy this”…
Read MoreOur mind can be our best friend or our worst enemy.
Our mind can be our best friend or our worst enemy. The power and influence of our mind has been long recognized. Over 2500 years ago, The Dhammapada noted: Hard it is to train the mind which goes where it likes and does as it wants; but a trained mind brings health and happiness. Our…
Read MoreIf our day is dark, we can we can curse the darkness or we can seek illumination. One focuses on the problem; the other, the solution.
Adversity, grief, and challenges will darken every life. They may range from a shadow to the obliteration of all light, the terrible dark night of the soul from which relief seems impossible. But we always have a choice—do we stay in the darkness or do we move toward the light? Do we depend solely on…
Read MoreAt any moment, life can throw a mud ball at me.
Life happens. We can be enjoying life or just getting by; then, something unexpected hits us. We get bad news; someone rejects us or something totally unfair or unreasonable happens. Do we give situations, events, or other people the power to determine the quality of our day? Of our week? Of our life? If we…
Read MoreBuild a memory of love today; use these to rise out of future darkness
I have experienced the great advantage of almost dying, of being pretty certain that I would not live to see another day. Near death, I had no thoughts of my work, of my money or the possessions I was leaving behind. My reflections centered on the relationships and experiences in my life. I have loved…
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