Post No. 1,208 - Some Thoughts on Living

This is not prescriptive, comprehensive or authoritative (and definitely not the basis for a religion ☺ *), but I'd thought I'd put down some thoughts on living. This is being written on a lovely spring morning before the Sun rises, after nearly a week of sinus problems that have been severe enough to keep me in bed and away from work some days (spring does have its downside ... sigh), a few weeks after having to have one of our cats put down (a chronic kidney problem became acute: at least the staff at the vet were supportive, and I was able to hold him while he passed ... and since then, he has been back a few times - being a medium has its upside ☺), and in anticipation of my partner returning from a three month trip overseas to attend to family matters (yay! 💜 ).

I've been outside to look at the stars (here in the Southern Hemisphere, and 4-30 AM, Orion is high in the night sky - which was clear) and do some CE 5 contact work (which is very similar to projecting BPM energy (aka "spiritual love" / "clear light" [which can be black]) along a link until one feels the same energy being sent back).

I'm also doing this in reaction to re-reading a random part of Jon Ronson's book "Men Who Stare at Goats" about the Heavens Gate cult's mass suicide, which was - in part - triggered by a "prank" and a weird radio show.

So ... what am I thinking today (and my priorities and assessment will change as I grow over time)?

Well, first, aim to be a "good" person, as this (a) helps you, (b) helps your significant others (which means the people you care about, whether or not they are related to you - I have often said our friends are our family of choice), and (c) contributes ACTIVELY to the world being a better place.

So what does "good" mean? Well, some random thoughts are:

• the mantra I have used longest (since my early teens) is "I am kind, gentle and generous". Being kind to oneself and others is, in my view, one of the things that this hyper-competitive, hyper-materialistic world needs;
• non-violence is also something that is important, but, as shown by Gandhi's campaign to free India from the UK's economically disastrous rule, "ahimsa"requires courage, and it is not passive - and I always advocate defending oneself, but not in a way that is going to more harm than good. Learning the skill of assertiveness is something that has benefitted me, and I recommend considering doing so to others; 
• accept those responsibilities one genuinely has - not the ones others think one should have, which I'll come back to in a moment; 
• be as BPM as one can.

Next, "the life unexamined is a life unlived" - or something to that effect. Learn to think clearly and deeply - better yet, learn to do proper meditation (i.e., don't stop at having learned the preliminary relaxation techniques that most people think is meditation). On thinking, I quite like Brendan  Myers' course “Clear and Present Thinking”.

Now, I consider it desirable to change life circumstances that are unpleasant or harmful, but there has to be an element of realism here - one cannot, for example, plan to win the lottery and become rich. Also, one's responsibilities are an issue. I am in the job I have so I can fulfill my family obligations around income - which is less pressing now that the (step) kids have grown up and moved out, but there are some obligations I still have. If I was single, I would be working in a less stressful job in a regional town or city.

I thought the film "The Pursuit of Happyess" showed considerable irresponsibility: circumstances worked out for the person the film is based, but I've met a few - before I saw the film - where it didn't, and the consequences for them AND THEIR FAMILY were severe. I consider the "hard work will get you whatever you want" notion utterly stupid - in the economic fields of life, there are many influences not under one's control - for instance, the possibly occurrence of a global recession. Ignoring psychic influences for the moment, how many people could control the occurrence of the last GFC? (And if one looks at psychic influences, there are plenty of people who misuse psychic gifts for selfish reasons: strong attempts to do good necessarily involve dealing with uncooperatives [if one has the skill and strength].)

However, there are things one can do in the physical world, and my biggest criticism of self-help, New Age and many religious movements is that tend to be focused on coping with how the world is - which, though necessary, MUST be balanced by actively making the world a better place.

Not doing so is a little like living on an unkempt farm and focusing on learning how to cope with being hungry, rather than turning the farm into something that could sustain oneself, one's family, and others: it robs all involved of their potential to grow and achieve more.

So, this is not a life philosophy: it's just a few random thoughts of mine. What are - and you don't need to share them with me, but you should share them with people who know and love you (i.e., your friends) - your thoughts?

 * having just found that I can insert symbols ☆ and emoticons, I am likely to have some fun with that over the next few posts - the novelty will wear off eventually, and I apologise in advance until then 😀