Saturday, April 17, 2010

Savor each moment




Making life faster does not make it better. Enjoy the opportunity to savor each moment, each encounter, each experience. Having too much of something does not add any real value to your life. Choose to enjoy freedom from the excesses that would weigh you down. Pretending to be someone you're not will gain you nothing. Live authentically, and put the power of truth on your side. Worrying, fretting, fighting and resenting will never help to move you forward. Keep peace in your heart, in your thoughts, in your actions, and you'll add real value to your world. Your life is a unique and most precious thing. Choose to live it with quality in every moment. This is your day to fill with richness and meaning. Do what is right, what is real, what is true and what is you.

Ralph Marston



Quality of life that brings a balance of peace, love and happiness is what it is all about for me.

Love this quote :)


read more

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Worry, paranoia and intuition



Difficult times have helped me to understand better than before how infinitely rich and beautiful life is in every way and that so many things that one goes worrying about are of no importance whatsoever. (Isak Dinesen)


Worry is one of those emotions I could do without. It has been brought to my attention that worry is nothing but waiting for something bad to happen in the midst of good times.

Ironically, sometimes the self-fulfilling prophecy leads to not being happy unless the thing I worry about happens. Otherwise what I perceive as "intuition" is wrong. In my world, there is a fine line between worry and intuition.
It is a lose/lose concept of thinking.

I'm starting to realize the concept of the above quote . . . life is way too short to worry about something that may not even be an issue to worry about . . . so why worry about it?


There is also a fine line between worry and paranoia . . .




read more

Desire is the cause of suffering?



The cause of suffering is desire. So taught the Buddha 2500 years ago. This was his second Noble Truth called samudaya, meaning arising. It is desire and associated feelings that arise within us as a response or reaction to our affliction, challenges or suffering. As long as we are alive we will always respond to what we experience. The initial responses are automatic reactions. These reactions need to be acknowledged, accepted and understood before any conscious decisions can be made regarding action.

Everyone has needs and feelings. An enlightened person too has needs and feelings. So don’t think that if you eliminate needs and feelings you will be enlightened. You, in fact, would be deluded.

Desire is necessary to help us grasp life in order to experience it more fully. The purpose of desire is to take us to the need, but usually our desire is a longing for things to be other than what they are. When desire is not used as an indicator to reveal and fulfill need, it will cause suffering, because we are using it for something other than what its purpose is.

Desires are of two types: cravings and aversions, both of which lead to suffering. It is through these opposite attachments that we lose ourselves and lose the reality we are experiencing. We thus end up with inauthentic and superficial living. The suffering that results is to get us to live more deeply and to become more authentic.

Living authentically means, in this application, to attend to what arises within us in a welcoming way, seeing that what arises is the need we have. To attend to the need is not the means to enlightenment. Attending to the need is enlightenment. Denial, shame, escapism, manipulation in relation to what arises is anti-enlightenment.

The path to enlightenment involves the complete acceptance that suffering (dukkha) in the form of being born, working, handling relationships, growing old, and so on is an essential part of what makes us human. Desiring to escape from this reality, rather than embracing it as part of our journey inhibits our learning and blocks our expansion of consciousness.

There is a solution to the suffering we experience, which is to let go of desire and to practice detachment so that compassion may flow and the Divine Presence be contacted.

All Soul Perspectives are authored by Andrew Schneider.
(C)Reproductions on Soul Perspectives Permitted: http://www.thesouljourney.com
QUESTIONS/COMMENTS: support@thesouljourney.com





Although much of the above article makes sense to me, it is my opinion that letting go of desire and practicing detachment is not being true to yourself. How does letting go of desire allow compassion to flow? If our desires are realistic, how can they end up hurting us? Can't anything in life have the potential to hurt us?

Be true to yourself . . . be realistic . . . never let go of desire. Desire is part of what makes us alive!


read more

Time is eternity



"Time is too slow for those who wait, too swift for those who fear, too long for those who grieve, too short for those who rejoice, but for those who love, time is eternity."

Henry Van Dyke



In the race of life, I have experienced all the
above phases,
although I prefer "time is eternity."


The phase of waiting made me feel as though I was
going through life standing in front of a pot of cold
water ponderously watching it take forever to boil.

Fearing life itself does not make time pass swiftly
for me, although the time that passes is painfully
agonizing as fear gripped every moment of my life.

Too much of my life has been spent grieving those
I have loved and lost . . . the phase seems to never
want to go away once it rears its ugly head.

The joyous times have been way too far
and few between and zipped by way too fast.

My times of learning how to be grateful for little
things, having faith that "tomorrow will be a better
day" and the belief that fairy tale love does exist
has made all the frustrating phases of life worth
the bad times. My belief that love is eternal . . .






read more

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Happiness and success






Success is not the key to happiness.
Happiness is the key to success.

If you love what you are doing,
you will be successful.
Herman Cain


Learn how to be happy with what you
have
while you pursue all that you want.
Jim Rohn


Happiness is a mindset tied into expectations and attitudes. There have been days when I wake up expecting a bad day . . . and that is what I get. On other days, I expect to be happy and content . . . even bad circumstances don't get me down resulting in a fabulously happy day.

The difference is expectations and attitudes.



Success is not a destination, it’s a journey.
Zig Ziglar
 


Choice, not circumstances, determines your success.
Anonymous



Isn't happiness a choice that leads to success?


Although I believe in luck, fate and all of that, I also believe we make our own success and failures.


Isn't our perception of success and failure a mindset?


In my opinion, success comes from satisfaction and there is no greater satisfaction than loving what you do. Some choose a career merely for the money, others for the job satisfaction. Those doing what they love will perceive a greater success due to the joy associated with what they are doing.
read more

Labels

1960's 1970's 9-11 abuse abusive behavior acceptance accomplishment accomplishments acquaintances addiction adoration adversity affair affection afraid agoraphobia alive ambitions anger anticipation anxiety appreciation approval aspirations attitude attraction authenticity awareness bad behavior bad days bad times balance balance of life beginning behavior being alone beliefs believe in yourself Betsy bitterness blahs blame blessing blessings bliss boredom buddy burnout Buster calm challenges challenging times chances change changes cheating cheech and chong chemistry choices christmas cigarettes comfort zone commitment commitments communication companion compassion competitive drive confidence conflict confrontation confusion consequences consideration contemplation contentment control controversy coping coping with grief Corinthians13 courage creativity crossroads cujo cupid curse dad dating dealing with grief death deceit deception decision making defense mode denial depression desire desires destiny determination diet difficulties direction disagreements disappointment discipline dissappointment dogs doubt drama queen dream dreams eBay economy ego emotional abuse emotional baggage emotional boundaries emotional commitment emotional state emotional support emotions employment empowerment encouragement endurance escape expectations facing problems failure failures faith falling down family fantasy fate Fear fears feelings Florida flower children focus forbidden love forgiveness freaky feelings free love free will freedom friends friendship frustration frying pan moments fulfillment fun future gardening glass half full/half empty goals God good times grateful gratitude gried grief grief phases growth guidance guilt habits happiness happy hard headed harmony hate healing health helpless hermit hippie culture hippies holidays home homeless honesty hope hopeless hopes hugs humiliation hurt identity imagination impatience improvement inner strength inner struggle innovation insecurity insensitivity inspiration intense love intentions intimacy intuition irritation isolation job job satisfaction John Lennon joy jr judgment Kiki kindness laughter lessons letting go lies life life balance life challenges life change life changes life circumstances life experiences life lessons life partner life retrospect life situations life struggles lifestyle living alone loneliness lonely long distance relationship loss loss of a pet loss of control lost love lovers luck lust magic managing anxiety Mark Nepo marriage medication Memorial Day memories mental health Mimi miracles mistakes moderation moments money motivation moving on natural disasters needs negative thoughts negativity new year Nolan normal nurturing obstacles office politics online dating online love online romance opinions opportunity optimism options overwhelm pace pain pandemic paranoia passion passionate past path patience peace peace of mind perception perfection perserverance persistence personal growth personal power perspective Petey pets physical abuse pity party planning plans plants pleasure politics positive attitude positive energy positive thinking positivity possibilities prayer pride priorities problems procrastination progress prosperity purpose quality of life quit smoking reaction reactions reality reasons regrets rejection relationship relationships relax relaxation resentment resolutions respect responsibility rest restlessness retirement retreat revenge risk risks Robin Williams romance romantic love routine run away running away sacrifice sadness safe sanctuary satisfaction scared searching self-acceptance self-awareness self-confidence self-control self-defeating behavior self-esteem self-help self-improvement self-loathing self-love self-pity self-sabotage self-talk self-worth separation serendipity serenity setting goals settle sex sexual revolution simple abundance smoking social media society solitude sorrow soul soulmates stability standards state of mind strength stress strict rules strong struggle struggles stubborn subconscious feelings success suffering suicide support suppressed emotions survival surviving grief temper terrorism tests thankful Thanksgiving The Wedding Singer thinking thoughts time time travel tolerance toxic love toxic people toxic relationship tragedy transitions trigger day triggers trouble true calling trust truth unbalanced uncertainty unconditional love understanding unemployment unhappiness unresolved feelings valentines day value values valuing moments veterans day victim mentality victims vision vulnerability wants war Wayne Dyer weakness weather wedding anniversary what if widow Willie wisdom wishes withdrawal work work achievements work standards workaholic worries worry