'What's Our Story?' is one of the most important questions we could ever ask ourselves. And more importantly is understanding that we are the authors of the story. This is Gnosis ... coming to the realization that we are powerful, divine beings that are having a human experience. Co-creators that have at our disposal the ability to manifest whatever reality we do so desire.
Heavy
During one of my hot yoga classes last year, my instructor Carrie made an extremely important point while my legs were burning while holding the 'power chair' position. She said, " Pain is only a sensation. A story that our body is telling us. Instead of running from or avoiding this sensation, simply acknowledge it, experience it. Let it know that we appreciate the information and let it go.... it's just a story." Pretty profound to say the least.
This leads me to the question of anxiety, depression and other extreme states of mood. Are we creating these experiences? Are we dictating the story which is leading to uncontrollable states of mind? In a word, yes.
We Are What We Think
The more I study/experience the art of co-creation, the more I feel that we've been mislead to beLIEve that life is something that 'happens to us'. In my humble opine, nothing could be further from the truth. We've been blessed with free will and the power of intention. So basically whatever we experience is in direct correlation to what version of reality we are choosing to project. We don't have anxiety, we are anxiety-ing. We don't have depression, we are depress-ing.
This epiphany, when totally understood and embraced, is the Philosopher's Stone. The key that unlocks the prison of victim-hood and opens the mind to co-creation .... the I AM.
Whenever we are not enjoying the story that we are experiencing, change it ... you are the author. Do we have to grit and bear this excruciatingly boring, novel version of life or can we put our foot down and take a stand? Can we make the transition from programmed reader/hostage to eloquent writer/creator? I say yes.
"I'm sick and tired and I'm not going to take it anymore". This quote from the movie 'Network' serves as a roll call to all those that want to reinvent themselves ... knowing that if we 'Imagine It, then It Will Be'. The power of imagination and conscious intention is only recently starting to gain momentum. Thanks to Deepak Chopra, Wayne Dyer, Eckhart Tolle, Bruce Lipton, Gregg Braden and Paul Levy, we are constantly reminded to 'Awaken in the Dream' of life and start co-creating.
Google 'Dispelling Wetiko'. Google 'Spiritual Alchemy'. Google 'Hermes Trismegistus'. Google 'Gnosis'..... the clues are All there.
I truly feel it's time to wake up from our slumber. Personally, I've found it imperative do a thorough self evaluation and rid myself of destructive behavioral patterns as well as my egocentric self-defense mechanisms that no longer serve me.
We are powerful. We have the ability to harness the energy that animates the Universe. Because we are the Universe. And it is our God given right to author a story that is the epitome of unconditional love and passionate joy.
So again, I ask ...... What's Your Story?
UG
as a reminder
Friday
You're Not Alone
The power of peer to peer communication is immense. Online support networks such as No Stigmas (http://nostigmas.org/) are providing the much needed compassion for those that are going through anxiety, depression and/or extreme states of consciousness.
There is definitely a gap that needs to be filled with more non-profit organizations that promote unity, compassion and wellness. Empowering those in need with unconditional love and support can help them overcome the symptoms that are experienced when we are out of balance. We're all in this together. We're all part of ONE consciousness. And the quicker we realize this unity consciousness, we can then make the transition from fault-finding and judgement to identifying similarities in order to assist others when they need us most.
During my journey, I've found that during the course of sharing my story and helping others, I've actually benefited the most. Practicing acceptance, forgiveness, and showing empathy is a way of bringing people closer together. We are all part of ONE universal consciousness. Finding ways to connect with others that need support and encouragement not only empowers the receiver, but the giver as well.
Peer to peer communication is all about talking with someone that has experienced the highs and lows that accompany extreme states of mind/mood. Working with someone that has traveled this path can give the perspective, strength and hope that is needed to move through this troubling experience and lead productive lives.
The 'power of believing' we can overcome adversity raises our vibration from the low frequency of fear to a higher frequency of love. Peer to peer support systems provide the connection that serves to energize the human spirit and break down the walls that that stand in the way recovery and growth. The positive energy a peer to peer specialist provides comes from the heart. The desire to help others through their 'Dark Night of the Soul' strengthens the bond of humanity. Simply being there to listen and help people through this transitional period of their lives is the true definition of beauty. The beauty of unity consciousness and the much needed compassion to heal our wounds.
Moving through my inner fears and coming to terms with my past has given me strength. Discarding the many destructive behaviors and defense mechanisms has brought me closer to my friends and family. Surrendering to the moment and accepting myself for I AM..... my true, higher Self that resides deep within this temporary vessel called the body. These are some examples of the messages that we can share.
Moving Forward
When it comes to recovery, I'd like everyone to consider the power of metaphysics and the proposal that we are co-creators in this 3 dimensional experience. We must acknowledge that our thoughts are things. And once we understand that what we think about throws off a vibration that in turn creates our reality, we can take an active role in our recovery. Making a conscious effort to work from the heart, we can create harmony not only in the mental health community, but in society as a whole.
I'd like to propose a new idea. That those that experience extreme states of consciousness are not 'sick', but master manifestors...... meta-physicians, if you will, that are unknowingly creating chaos and depression. If we embrace the fact that we can change our experience in this dimension, we can then step out of the victim mindset and take a active role in our growth and recovery.
Dr Wayne Dyer promotes this mindset in his book, 'Change your Thoughts, Change your Life'. Understanding how the Law of Attraction works, we can can change our vibration and in turn change our experience in this dimension. It's all about how we react to situations we find ourselves in on a daily basis. We must make a conscious effort to use our imagination productively and focus on what we want in our lives vs. what we don't want in our lives. It might sound difficult at first, but with practice it becomes a reality.
Learning the tools to let go and project positive and fulfilling vibrations into the universe will give us the ability to co-create the paradise that we desire. We simply need to disconnect from the Ego and connect with our sixth sense of intuition and work from the heart.
Meditation, prayer, proper nutrition, exercise, consistent sleep patterns and maintaining healthy relationships all contribute to creating harmony during our short stay on this planet. Going deep into the heart and finding our true Self can be liberating and enlightening.
Sharing our experience can give others the ability to see their experience with a new set of eyes.This new perspective can empower us with the courage needed to move through our fears and carry on. Peer to peer communication provides the much needed forum.
Reach out, stay strong and make your dreams become reality.
"The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure that you seek" - Joseph Campbell
There is definitely a gap that needs to be filled with more non-profit organizations that promote unity, compassion and wellness. Empowering those in need with unconditional love and support can help them overcome the symptoms that are experienced when we are out of balance. We're all in this together. We're all part of ONE consciousness. And the quicker we realize this unity consciousness, we can then make the transition from fault-finding and judgement to identifying similarities in order to assist others when they need us most.
During my journey, I've found that during the course of sharing my story and helping others, I've actually benefited the most. Practicing acceptance, forgiveness, and showing empathy is a way of bringing people closer together. We are all part of ONE universal consciousness. Finding ways to connect with others that need support and encouragement not only empowers the receiver, but the giver as well.
Peer to peer communication is all about talking with someone that has experienced the highs and lows that accompany extreme states of mind/mood. Working with someone that has traveled this path can give the perspective, strength and hope that is needed to move through this troubling experience and lead productive lives.
The 'power of believing' we can overcome adversity raises our vibration from the low frequency of fear to a higher frequency of love. Peer to peer support systems provide the connection that serves to energize the human spirit and break down the walls that that stand in the way recovery and growth. The positive energy a peer to peer specialist provides comes from the heart. The desire to help others through their 'Dark Night of the Soul' strengthens the bond of humanity. Simply being there to listen and help people through this transitional period of their lives is the true definition of beauty. The beauty of unity consciousness and the much needed compassion to heal our wounds.
Moving through my inner fears and coming to terms with my past has given me strength. Discarding the many destructive behaviors and defense mechanisms has brought me closer to my friends and family. Surrendering to the moment and accepting myself for I AM..... my true, higher Self that resides deep within this temporary vessel called the body. These are some examples of the messages that we can share.
Moving Forward
When it comes to recovery, I'd like everyone to consider the power of metaphysics and the proposal that we are co-creators in this 3 dimensional experience. We must acknowledge that our thoughts are things. And once we understand that what we think about throws off a vibration that in turn creates our reality, we can take an active role in our recovery. Making a conscious effort to work from the heart, we can create harmony not only in the mental health community, but in society as a whole.
I'd like to propose a new idea. That those that experience extreme states of consciousness are not 'sick', but master manifestors...... meta-physicians, if you will, that are unknowingly creating chaos and depression. If we embrace the fact that we can change our experience in this dimension, we can then step out of the victim mindset and take a active role in our growth and recovery.
Dr Wayne Dyer promotes this mindset in his book, 'Change your Thoughts, Change your Life'. Understanding how the Law of Attraction works, we can can change our vibration and in turn change our experience in this dimension. It's all about how we react to situations we find ourselves in on a daily basis. We must make a conscious effort to use our imagination productively and focus on what we want in our lives vs. what we don't want in our lives. It might sound difficult at first, but with practice it becomes a reality.
Learning the tools to let go and project positive and fulfilling vibrations into the universe will give us the ability to co-create the paradise that we desire. We simply need to disconnect from the Ego and connect with our sixth sense of intuition and work from the heart.
Meditation, prayer, proper nutrition, exercise, consistent sleep patterns and maintaining healthy relationships all contribute to creating harmony during our short stay on this planet. Going deep into the heart and finding our true Self can be liberating and enlightening.
Sharing our experience can give others the ability to see their experience with a new set of eyes.This new perspective can empower us with the courage needed to move through our fears and carry on. Peer to peer communication provides the much needed forum.
Reach out, stay strong and make your dreams become reality.
"The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure that you seek" - Joseph Campbell
Saturday
Surrender Is My Prize
There's no going back to that place. This person, this stranger, is all you are now. Get to know him, for this is your true self. No more looking over your shoulder. No more wondering what could have been ... wishing for a better past. You, right now, are the culmination of your defeats. This is your victory. Surrender is your prize. Waking up from the fog of your search, you are now found.
Pray to your Creator and thank him/her/it every time you want to regress into self pity and regret. You have arrived. This is your path. You are now fully conscious. Your eyes are wide open in comparison to the eyes wide shut of yesterday. You are a survivor. Spread the word of hope. Scream from the rooftops that people can wake from their slumber.
The time has come to end the projection your delusional thoughts onto the silver screen of reality. Constantly bombarded with falsehoods, you've lived within this illusion for many lifetimes. Discovering that the Matrix is a master deceiver, you can now comfortably take off the blinders and experience life for the very first time.
Welcome home.
UG
I am Spirit
I am Truth
I am Love Divine
This Body, this Mind is only a dream of mine
Master Yogiraj Gurunath
"Change your Thoughts - Change your Life"
- Wayne Dyer
Thursday
Choose Life
Starting over is never easy. 2012 served to be a very interesting year for yours truly. It has been a period of transformation, pain and growth. I was forced to deal with many issues that have been haunting me since childhood. When we choose to depress troubling emotions into the dark corners of our subconscious mind, they're bound to eventually surface. And surface they did.
I have to be totally honest; making the transition from NFL player to Citizen Q has been very difficult for me. I've tried to find my niche' in society in a multitude of avenues over the years. I’ve searched for success in a construction company, a record label, a cigar bar, a stint in the mortgage business, mental health advocacy in addition to coaching high school, college and NFL punters. The most satisfaction has been helping young punters develop and helping people navigate through the gauntlet of life. Sharing, helping others ... most satisfaction. Go figure. There are no coincidences.
I have to be totally honest; making the transition from NFL player to Citizen Q has been very difficult for me. I've tried to find my niche' in society in a multitude of avenues over the years. I’ve searched for success in a construction company, a record label, a cigar bar, a stint in the mortgage business, mental health advocacy in addition to coaching high school, college and NFL punters. The most satisfaction has been helping young punters develop and helping people navigate through the gauntlet of life. Sharing, helping others ... most satisfaction. Go figure. There are no coincidences.
Over the last 16 years, I've learned that I have a propensity for the extreme. According to the theory of reincarnation and karma, my excessive lifestyle in previous lives is continuing to play out. The dramas I'm living out in this lifetime are simply a continuation of the evolution of my soul. Point being that I have some karma I still need to work through. Personally, I had enough of this cosmic tough love. It’s time to move on from this shit.
Manic enthusiasm has
been a blessing as well as my lifelong Achilles Heel. Moderation has never been
one of my stronger skills. All or nothing. Go for broke. Be the best or nothing
at all. This attitude served me well while playing professional sports. Well,
kind of. The desire to be the best gave me the ability to excel at a very high
level on the playing field. But with such high expectations, the pressure to
perform led to very high levels of stress and performance anxiety. Not to
mention having to play through injuries most of my career. One of my coping
mechanisms was drugs and alcohol. And we all know where that path leads.
The last year has
presented many opportunities for my spiritual growth. To finally understanding
what is important in life has been a painful blessing. I’ve been trapped in the
material world. My levels of happiness and self worth were totally determined
by my conquests. I had no idea who I was as a person. I had no idea what true
friendship was. And I definitely had no idea of the concept of ‘unconditional
love’.
The niceties of The Matrix can be very
alluring. The land of make believe that wants you to think that enough money, power
and prestige will lead to happiness. Nothing could be further from the truth.
The material world is a trap; an endless lie.
To this day I struggle with ‘staying present’.
I often catch myself thinking about the life I had, the opportunities I’ve
failed to take advantage of and the fact my unborn children would be in college
if I had married when I graduated from Michigan State. This is my unquiet mind.
I’ve been known to constantly replay mistakes and engage in ‘what ifs’ as if I
could wave a magic wand and change my history. Dwelling on the dead past and/or
imagined future is not only unproductive, it’s insane. All we have is the
present moment. The quicker we realize this, the easier it is to move on and
start living life.
It’s been over a year of recovery since my
last break. I’ve been forced to face my demons and adjust my lifestyle accordingly.
A steady diet of acceptance, compassion for others, selflessness, humility and forgiveness
(including myself) have been my recipe for success. Growth hurts, man. Realizing
you’ve been doing it wrong for over 47 years is not an easy pill to swallow.
The pain that I’ve endured has given me a profound reference point in the
evolution of my soul.
I’ve been blessed with a very supportive and
loyal family. It is during these times that you find out who your allies are.
The true friends that are willing to accept you for who you are. I’ve mentioned
in earlier posts that the clean-up after a crisis is difficult. But after the
smoke clears, the cream rises to the top. New friendships are born. Old ones
are rekindled. The rest just fade away.
I think the message here is that it’s never
too late to make a comeback. Knowing life is transient, the trick is to never
lose faith in our ability to overcome adversity. Nietzsche said, “What does not
kill us, only serves to make us stronger”. That being said, life is always
going to present challenges. It’s on the darkest days that we learn the most
about ourselves. If we look at ‘life as teacher’, we can break the chains of
the blame game and finally realize that everything happens for a reason. There
are no coincidences.
I’m thankful for my newfound connection
with my creator and thank him/her/it for the opportunity to uncover my true self.
I’ve found that avoiding the trappings of materialism and finding a way to get
outside of ourselves is the path to enlightenment. Extending unconditional love
to all human beings and helping the less fortunate is the special sauce. It’s
taken me over 47 years to finally get this … and I thank God every day for the
wisdom gained from my journey.
Anyone who’s experienced crisis,
anxiety and/or depression has been given a window to see what is really
important. We can finally see the trees for the forest. This is why I share my
experiences on this blog. First and foremost, it’s a tool for my recovery.
Second, and most importantly, I hope that it gives others the strength to carry
on.
We all have a choice…. Choose Life.
GM
Monday
Friends, Family and Lydia
Last night I received the sweetest phone call from an old
friend of mine. I attended Shrewsbury Boro Grammar School with Barbara McNeal
(Speece) in the late 70’s. After a few interactions on Facebook, she called to
tell me how much she appreciated our friendship. Barb, who lives in Michigan, is
also my female Rottweiler Lydia’s Vet … always quick to give much needed advice and loving
care to my beloved canine. During the call, we reminisced about growing up in New
Jersey and all the fond memories we had in our adolescent years. I can’t tell
you how much it moved me that she took the time to drop me a line. The timing
was perfect.
Over the holidays, I've received many kind texts and emails
from those that are truly concerned about my journey. Many mentioned how I've touched their lives in one way or another. These are the times I cherish. Once again realizing that
my I'm making a difference. It would be easy to throw in the towel. But
the restructuring of my life is starting to pay dividends. I’m so thankful for
those that have stuck by my side.
I’m coming up on one (1) year of recovery since my last
manic episode. I've been battling depression and anxiety since January of last
year. Sobriety, active recovery, meditation, working out and a good diet have
all contributed to my spiritual growth over the last 12 months. I’m reading a
lot and have been actively blogging again…which is a good sign. But the work is
never done. Recovery will always be a constant in my life.
Probably the most satisfying aspect to this chapter of my
life has been the new relationships as well as rekindled old ones. My new
friends I've made through recovery groups, my family’s love that never wanes
and my true friends that never stopped believing in me.
When we go through tough times, it’s easy for people to
put us in a box and write us off. It is these times that we really find out who
our true friends are. I’ll be the first to admit that those of up from both
poles need to avoid giving Bipolar and depression a bad name. If we slip into
our old ways and fade into darkness, we usually have had a hand in the drama. Our
Ego takes over; self-pity and righteousness run rampant.
When manic, we can become frustrated when friends and family
can’t ‘keep up’. Usually we have some valid points that we incessantly want to
get across. But the tact, or lack thereof, could have been adjusted in one way or
another. Even though we think we’re telling the truth, we must remember that the ‘truth without Love is just mean’.
Most people with ‘unquiet minds’ can’t seem to turn off the ‘ass-kickin’
machine. When manic, the assault is on others. When depressed, the assault is
on us. And as I've said before, the subsequent clean up is never pretty.
Why do we find it necessary to dig up the past and figure
out ‘what happened’ to us? And when our mania subsides, why do we find it
necessary to beat ourselves up to the brink of suicide? Why do we always have
the urge to dole out unsolicited advice; pointing out the faults in others when
in reality when should be cherishing our many similarities?
These are questions that are answered when we come back down
to earth. When we realize we’re all doing the best we can on our quest for
happiness. Granted, some people are a little further along their path to
enlightenment. And others show us signs that they have some things to work on or
work out. But I now know that it’s not my job to play God and push them along
their path. God has his/her plan for all and it’s up to me to let people evolve
at their own pace. Acceptance, support and the showing of unconditional Love
will not only contribute to my sanity, but to the harmony of all those I come
in contact with on this planet.
The moral to the story is that the human interaction that we experience with our friends and family is indispensable.
The support and Love we share will not only change our lives, but all those
that we coexist with in the universe. We’re all in this together. And the sooner
we take the necessary steps to unite and experience unity-consciousness, the
more fulfilling our lives will be.
Thank God for Friends, Family and Lydia.
GM
Wednesday
I AM Enough
The ringing in of 2013 had a special meaning for me this year. For GHM Jr., 2012 was a very painful, yet enlightening year. I have to admit, while counting down the days to 12-21-12, I was really focused on spiritual growth. I can credit my always developing consciousness for that.
The last couple months living in Colorado had given me time to reflect. Spending time with quality people and lots of animals(2 Llamas,1 horse, 32 Alpacas, 3 cats and 5 dogs to be exact) has been a blessing. I can feel my tether to Mother Earth growing stronger daily.
It's not easy talking about failure. Having to spend 3 months in a rehabilitation facility for severe depression can be observed as a sign of weakness. I can't look at it that way. I'm growing. After 48 years on this earth, I continue to learn. Similar to waking from a bad dream, I've been forced to re-think how I conduct my life. Mind, Body, and Spirit. I'm learning that 'we win some and we lose some'. I get on my knees every day and thank God for the lessons that are paving my way to a higher state of consciousness. Man ... too many damn lessons .... and painful ones at that. Anger. Judgement. Resentment. Jealousy. Conditional Love. The list goes on. However, I'm now wide awake.
So this is where I'm at ... the proverbial crossroads. It's up to me to choose the right path. It's never easy coming to the conclusion that I've been doing it all wrong in this game of life. Stuck for so many years. Trapped in the pattern of chasing external people, places and things for internal happiness.
In my previous blogs, I've written about finding 'it' and never wanting to let 'it' go again. Easier said than done. For me, happiness and joy are some slippery suckers. When not careful, happiness and joy can slip out of our hands at a moments notice. And this slippage usually occurs when I lose my connection with the Tao, Source, God or whatever you want to call it.
I'm reading a very insightful book right now called The Handbook to Higher Consciousness by Ken Keyes, Jr. It speaks of many addictive behaviors that we all have been programmed to do at a very early age. Breaking these habits are essential to spiritual growth. Unity is also a common theme. Having a subject-object mindset of 'them' vs 'us' keeps us trapped in the lower Three(there are 7 total) Centers of Consciousness that focus on Security, Sensation and Power. When we're constantly focused on satisfying the ego, never thinking we are enough, we set ourselves up for a ride on the Pleasure-Pain roller-coaster. When I finally figured out(again) that I AM enough, my life has become more fulfilling and much less stressful.
The Fourth Center of Consciousness is that of Love. Having the ability to accept whatever anyone says or does and love them unconditionally is a very challenging task. But once mastered, we realize that life unfolds naturally.When we accept life on life's terms and look at all people as Beings of Light, we control our own destiny. I've said it before, 'Our pain is self-chosen'. Meaning ... we are what we think. Throw in the Law of Attraction and I've found the only person I can blame is the man in the mirror. Instead of blame myself, I choose to thank God for the opportunity to continue to grow.
Obviously I'm a slow learner. I made some serious mistakes in 2012. And the clean up has been difficult. Losing friends, opportunities and my girlfriend of 6 years are some of the things I regret. But I must keep moving forward with my newly gained wisdom of 2012. I've been blessed with a rekindled relationship with my father. Totally accepting him for who he is .... warts and all. I'm talking regularly with my brother and sister. And my mother is always a breath of fresh air for me.Thank God for family.
My path to enlightenment has had some undesirable side tracks. With a close connection to my creator and a true desire to love all humans unconditionally, I'm starting to see The Light again. Life is as much a test as it is a journey. We will always have our personal lessons to learn and Karma to work off, however I've discovered that it's how we react to adversity that shapes our lives.
Let life happen. Avoid meddling with the Divine Order that will guide us once we 'let go'. Our purpose on this earth is to spiritually evolve. I've been blind to this for a very long time. Evolution is painful.... Thank God for pain.
GM
The last couple months living in Colorado had given me time to reflect. Spending time with quality people and lots of animals(2 Llamas,1 horse, 32 Alpacas, 3 cats and 5 dogs to be exact) has been a blessing. I can feel my tether to Mother Earth growing stronger daily.
It's not easy talking about failure. Having to spend 3 months in a rehabilitation facility for severe depression can be observed as a sign of weakness. I can't look at it that way. I'm growing. After 48 years on this earth, I continue to learn. Similar to waking from a bad dream, I've been forced to re-think how I conduct my life. Mind, Body, and Spirit. I'm learning that 'we win some and we lose some'. I get on my knees every day and thank God for the lessons that are paving my way to a higher state of consciousness. Man ... too many damn lessons .... and painful ones at that. Anger. Judgement. Resentment. Jealousy. Conditional Love. The list goes on. However, I'm now wide awake.
So this is where I'm at ... the proverbial crossroads. It's up to me to choose the right path. It's never easy coming to the conclusion that I've been doing it all wrong in this game of life. Stuck for so many years. Trapped in the pattern of chasing external people, places and things for internal happiness.
In my previous blogs, I've written about finding 'it' and never wanting to let 'it' go again. Easier said than done. For me, happiness and joy are some slippery suckers. When not careful, happiness and joy can slip out of our hands at a moments notice. And this slippage usually occurs when I lose my connection with the Tao, Source, God or whatever you want to call it.
I'm reading a very insightful book right now called The Handbook to Higher Consciousness by Ken Keyes, Jr. It speaks of many addictive behaviors that we all have been programmed to do at a very early age. Breaking these habits are essential to spiritual growth. Unity is also a common theme. Having a subject-object mindset of 'them' vs 'us' keeps us trapped in the lower Three(there are 7 total) Centers of Consciousness that focus on Security, Sensation and Power. When we're constantly focused on satisfying the ego, never thinking we are enough, we set ourselves up for a ride on the Pleasure-Pain roller-coaster. When I finally figured out(again) that I AM enough, my life has become more fulfilling and much less stressful.
The Fourth Center of Consciousness is that of Love. Having the ability to accept whatever anyone says or does and love them unconditionally is a very challenging task. But once mastered, we realize that life unfolds naturally.When we accept life on life's terms and look at all people as Beings of Light, we control our own destiny. I've said it before, 'Our pain is self-chosen'. Meaning ... we are what we think. Throw in the Law of Attraction and I've found the only person I can blame is the man in the mirror. Instead of blame myself, I choose to thank God for the opportunity to continue to grow.
Obviously I'm a slow learner. I made some serious mistakes in 2012. And the clean up has been difficult. Losing friends, opportunities and my girlfriend of 6 years are some of the things I regret. But I must keep moving forward with my newly gained wisdom of 2012. I've been blessed with a rekindled relationship with my father. Totally accepting him for who he is .... warts and all. I'm talking regularly with my brother and sister. And my mother is always a breath of fresh air for me.Thank God for family.
My path to enlightenment has had some undesirable side tracks. With a close connection to my creator and a true desire to love all humans unconditionally, I'm starting to see The Light again. Life is as much a test as it is a journey. We will always have our personal lessons to learn and Karma to work off, however I've discovered that it's how we react to adversity that shapes our lives.
Let life happen. Avoid meddling with the Divine Order that will guide us once we 'let go'. Our purpose on this earth is to spiritually evolve. I've been blind to this for a very long time. Evolution is painful.... Thank God for pain.
GM
Tuesday
Spiritual Growth and Recovery are Painful
I've always had the desire to contribute to the growth of
others. Time, energy and lots of money were thrown to the wayside in order to
make other people happy. In retrospect, this was my way of not dealing with my
own issues … taking on the role of ‘the helper’.
It’s been almost 10 months since I entered a treatment
facility to deal with the aftermath of a manic episode that lasted the good
part of the last 3 years. I now know that I wasn't in as good space, even
though at the time I thought I was being ‘productive’.
By making a conscious decision to discontinue coping with
drugs and alcohol, I've begun to see life in a new light. And this light
continues to illuminate many issues I've been depressing for years.
The fog has lifted. And I've only begun to deal with the
many emotional issues that date back to my early childhood. But I have to
accept them, accelerate through them and conquer them. Period.
Q – What’s the best thing about recovery?
A -We get our emotions back.
Q –What’s the worst thing about recovery?
A -Yup, we get our emotions back.
My desire to truly know what love is and having the ability
to give it unconditionally is very high on my ‘growth list’. My past relationships
have been more like possessions; taking prisoners if you will. ‘Do as I say and
I’ll be happy’.’ Don’t cross me and everything will be fine.’ They were the
epitome of superficial relationships based in fear, convenience and
self-centeredness. Not having the ability to appreciate people for who they
are….Looking at people as objects vs. loving human beings. I would unknowingly
judge them on their potential. While at the same time always hoping they would ‘come
around’ …. Develop into who I wanted or needed them to be. Not cool.
Looking outside of my ‘self’ for happiness has also been a
thorn in my side. Trying to fill the ‘God hole’ with possessions, success,
acknowledgements and money is a recipe for disaster. And I’m dealing with the
consequences as I write this. Money and success have been major motivational
factors for as long as I can remember. I now know I was programmed to think
this way and by the grace God I’ve been given the opportunity to adjust my game
plan and remove this illusion from my consciousness.
The Remedy is Love
The only way we can be ‘whole’ is to look within vs. without.
Nothing external is going to fulfill our desire to be loved. We must love
ourselves first. This takes compassion, acceptance and humility … traits that
I’ve never considered important until recently. I’ve always had a ‘kind heart’,
a trait I can trace back to my mother (and father). But unfortunately this
‘kind heart’ frequently had conditions.
Conditional love is the work of Darkness. Constantly
reminding us to take all we can get without thinking of others. When selfishness
is inadvertently instilled in us at a very young age, it’s a difficult habit to
break. But once broken, we finally have
the ability to think of others first. Give of ourselves and not look for
anything in return. This is the true essence of Love. In the book, ‘The Road
Less Traveled’, M Scott Peck defines Love
as “the extending of one’s self for the purpose of nurturing one’s own or
another’s spiritual growth”. Wow.
Not taking the opportunity to face my demons would be a
tragedy. A tragedy because of what would be lost. I need to take advantage of
the opportunity to assist others in working through the same emotional issues
that have plagued me for years. When it comes right down to it, I've had to
snap out of the ‘blame game’ and use my new found knowledge to access the
infinite wisdom that is embedded in my DNA. There are no shortcuts. We can’t
wait on others to save us. We have to ‘attack the day’ and endure the pain that
comes with spiritual growth.
Looking at pain as a ‘price of admission’, we ultimately
realize that spiritual growth is a gift. Spiritual growth is luxury that
requires us to accept the necessary pain that will lead us to the joy of
recovering from our past. Accepting this path to enlightenment, we will
ultimately feel gratitude for the wisdom that we've attained.
Change Hurts
It’s difficult to embrace change. Change is hard. Change is
scary. But change is the only thing in this world we can count on. Nothing
stays the same…ever. We can reminisce about what we had or where we've been,
but always knowing that it’s the journey we need to focus on. Change and growth
are painful. And to take a quote from the movie, ‘Prometheus’, “The trick is to
not mind the pain”.
Wayne Dyer often speaks about ‘enjoying the mystery’ of
life. Once we realize that life is both mysterious and painful, we open
ourselves to all the joy that life provides. So many of us are scared of growth
and the pain that comes with it. To finally take the first step towards healing
the past, enjoying the present and being optimistic about the future …. This is
the true meaning of liberation.
Courage is being scared to do something and making the
choice to do it anyway. So do it scared. It gives us the opportunity to smash
our Ego and break the chains that have been holding us back from fulfilling our
destiny. We must embrace the pain, move through it and look forward to the joy
that awaits us on the other side.
GM
Wednesday
Love and Tolerance
Kierkegaard wrote, "... to love human beings is still the only worth living for -- without that love, you really do not live."
And within love, there is tolerance.
How many times can we recall letting other people's actions serve to ruin our mood? What is it going to take to understand globally that the only person we can control is ourselves. Both how we 'act' and how we ' re-act' to external stimuli is entirely up to us.
I feel there is a dire need for recovery on many different levels when it comes to today's society. Due to our programming, we have been and are currently being taught to react to life's many challenges by pushing ourselves deeper and deeper into a separate-self consciousness. An 'us vs them' mentality that only serves to keep us in turmoil. My position is that this is by design, but we'll save that thought for another day. Let's focus on a remedy.
I believe that every human's true essence is good. I've always sought to see the good in people. This approach has serves me with mixed results. But I refuse to take the bait .... to think that people actually are 'aware' of their 'unawareness'. They simple need to wake up.
Due to the vast array of experiences, trials and tribulations, people have been tricked/programmed to think that we need to be selfish. That in order to get what we want, we need to ignore other people's feelings altogether.... taking all we can for ourselves. This continues to separate our society, leaving no room for growth towards a unity consciousness.
If we could could only take the time to look for similarities in our fellow man. To find a way to ignore the superficial differences, stereotypes and stigmata. We're constantly being bombarded by the media reminding us how we are different. This leads to judgement. And when we judge, we put labels on people, setting them apart from ourselves. This protocol is very dangerous.
When we have an ' us vs them' mentality, most of our actions/thoughts lead to a state of mind that divides us. That being said, we are at a crucial point in the evolution of spirit on this planet. The cosmos are realigning, opening us to a whole new paradigm. The more we continue to compete, stereotype and put other people in categories/groups other than our own, anger/hatred/jealousy spread like cancer throughout the universe.
You see, we're all connected. We are one heartbeat within the Divine Matrix of the universe. A collective consciousness. All of our actions, thoughts and emotions effect everyone else on the planet whether we know it of not.
This is where the case for love and tolerance comes in. Once we realize we need to change our thought patterns and send loving energy into the universe, the collective consciousness will be fed and will grow towards the tipping point. We all have an infinite source of wisdom that is at our finger tips. And the key to accessing this knowledge is love.
It's imperative that we stop judging others, always thinking we know what's best for them. If we take a good hard look at ourselves, we'll notice that we have a wonderful opportunity to grow spiritually and emotionally.We're been tricked, folks. Thinking that in order to love someone, we need to love everything they say and do. People's actions and thoughts are not necessarily who they are.... their true essence.
We are all in this game called 'life' together. And the sooner we realize our similarities vs our differences, we'll be able to take a quantum leap towards a loving, tolerant unity consciousness....where there's no room for anger and hatred. Focusing on our similarities, we can grow towards an environment of communication, acceptance and unconditional love. Taking the time to to really listen to the heartbeat of the universe. Think about it. Separateness is rampant in society today. Black, white, Republican, Democrat, tall, short, fat, thin. WTF? Anything or anybody we don't understand, we basically want to destroy with judgement, senseless gossip or full on hatred. And the funny thing is we're not even aware of it. It's been programmed into our subconscious mind from a very early age. Divide and conquer anyone?
Change has to happen. And it has to happen now. The more we live in a separate-self consciousness, the more conflict, violence and turmoil will continue to plaque the world. We have to wake up to a new awareness. Make the effort to contribute to the growth of unity consciousness through tolerance and understanding that all human beings want the same thing: LOVE.
Our capacity to love, our ability to take the time to understand that all humans are on similar paths to spiritual growth will knock down the barriers that keep us separate. No more biting, scratching and climbing up on each others backs in order to achieve superficial acknowledgement, fortune and fame.
Mass media teaches us that we need more 'things' in order to be happy. What if the truth was known that we have all we need internally. Infinite wisdom and the capacity to love one another unconditionally. Tolerance for our differences and finally understanding that each one of us is at his/her own point of spiritual development. Some of us farther along than others. But by showing patience and sharing our love and wisdom with others will only serve to help them along their journey.
Prayer, meditation and actively sending love out to the Divine Matrix that connects us all will push forward the process of unity consciousness ..... And it will make love 'tip'.
One - GM
And within love, there is tolerance.
How many times can we recall letting other people's actions serve to ruin our mood? What is it going to take to understand globally that the only person we can control is ourselves. Both how we 'act' and how we ' re-act' to external stimuli is entirely up to us.
I feel there is a dire need for recovery on many different levels when it comes to today's society. Due to our programming, we have been and are currently being taught to react to life's many challenges by pushing ourselves deeper and deeper into a separate-self consciousness. An 'us vs them' mentality that only serves to keep us in turmoil. My position is that this is by design, but we'll save that thought for another day. Let's focus on a remedy.
I believe that every human's true essence is good. I've always sought to see the good in people. This approach has serves me with mixed results. But I refuse to take the bait .... to think that people actually are 'aware' of their 'unawareness'. They simple need to wake up.
Due to the vast array of experiences, trials and tribulations, people have been tricked/programmed to think that we need to be selfish. That in order to get what we want, we need to ignore other people's feelings altogether.... taking all we can for ourselves. This continues to separate our society, leaving no room for growth towards a unity consciousness.
If we could could only take the time to look for similarities in our fellow man. To find a way to ignore the superficial differences, stereotypes and stigmata. We're constantly being bombarded by the media reminding us how we are different. This leads to judgement. And when we judge, we put labels on people, setting them apart from ourselves. This protocol is very dangerous.
When we have an ' us vs them' mentality, most of our actions/thoughts lead to a state of mind that divides us. That being said, we are at a crucial point in the evolution of spirit on this planet. The cosmos are realigning, opening us to a whole new paradigm. The more we continue to compete, stereotype and put other people in categories/groups other than our own, anger/hatred/jealousy spread like cancer throughout the universe.
You see, we're all connected. We are one heartbeat within the Divine Matrix of the universe. A collective consciousness. All of our actions, thoughts and emotions effect everyone else on the planet whether we know it of not.
This is where the case for love and tolerance comes in. Once we realize we need to change our thought patterns and send loving energy into the universe, the collective consciousness will be fed and will grow towards the tipping point. We all have an infinite source of wisdom that is at our finger tips. And the key to accessing this knowledge is love.
It's imperative that we stop judging others, always thinking we know what's best for them. If we take a good hard look at ourselves, we'll notice that we have a wonderful opportunity to grow spiritually and emotionally.We're been tricked, folks. Thinking that in order to love someone, we need to love everything they say and do. People's actions and thoughts are not necessarily who they are.... their true essence.
We are all in this game called 'life' together. And the sooner we realize our similarities vs our differences, we'll be able to take a quantum leap towards a loving, tolerant unity consciousness....where there's no room for anger and hatred. Focusing on our similarities, we can grow towards an environment of communication, acceptance and unconditional love. Taking the time to to really listen to the heartbeat of the universe. Think about it. Separateness is rampant in society today. Black, white, Republican, Democrat, tall, short, fat, thin. WTF? Anything or anybody we don't understand, we basically want to destroy with judgement, senseless gossip or full on hatred. And the funny thing is we're not even aware of it. It's been programmed into our subconscious mind from a very early age. Divide and conquer anyone?
Change has to happen. And it has to happen now. The more we live in a separate-self consciousness, the more conflict, violence and turmoil will continue to plaque the world. We have to wake up to a new awareness. Make the effort to contribute to the growth of unity consciousness through tolerance and understanding that all human beings want the same thing: LOVE.
Our capacity to love, our ability to take the time to understand that all humans are on similar paths to spiritual growth will knock down the barriers that keep us separate. No more biting, scratching and climbing up on each others backs in order to achieve superficial acknowledgement, fortune and fame.
Mass media teaches us that we need more 'things' in order to be happy. What if the truth was known that we have all we need internally. Infinite wisdom and the capacity to love one another unconditionally. Tolerance for our differences and finally understanding that each one of us is at his/her own point of spiritual development. Some of us farther along than others. But by showing patience and sharing our love and wisdom with others will only serve to help them along their journey.
Prayer, meditation and actively sending love out to the Divine Matrix that connects us all will push forward the process of unity consciousness ..... And it will make love 'tip'.
One - GM
Thursday
Growth and the Power of Forgiveness
In light of my most recent manic episode, I've really found
a new appreciation for acceptance, forgiveness and gratitude.
When in the middle of a tumultuous manic episode, it’s very
easy to fall into the trap of the ‘blame game’. We point the finger at others
when in reality we should be looking in the mirror; engaging in some some
serious soul searching and restructuring the way we conduct our lives.
How many times do we make the fatal error of lashing out at
the ones that love us the most? …. simply because they don’t think the way we
do. Instead of moving forward and accepting everyone for whom they are (including
ourselves), we tend to rehash the past and try to figure out what ‘went wrong’.
I've found that forgiveness is the key. Not only for all
those that have wronged us, but most importantly, we must forgive ourselves and
accept ourselves for who we are as
well.
In my personal case, I've had a tough time letting go of my
childhood and the many speed bumps that have been a direct result of my
actions. The propensity to form excuses for the many trials and tribulations that
simply need to be chalked up as ‘life’ …… and sometimes life sucks.
I've spent the greater part of the last 9 months learning
about myself and engaging in intense internal growth; sharing my experiences with
others in order to shed some light on this thing we call bipolar disorder. Or for
lack of a better word …. ‘waking up’.
My constant stream of thoughts and scenarios are not only
false, but will never come to fruition. The ego is a liar. And it will do
anything to stay alive; outside of the present moment. Prayer and meditation are
ways to look within ourselves and forge the pathway that is needed to find our ‘true
being’.
The ego can only survive when we think we need ‘things’ in
order to be happy. Whether its food, sex, drugs or alcohol, we must be very
wary not to look outside ourselves and overindulge in order to find happiness. Finding
our soul mate, making a certain amount of money, getting the perfect job or
achieving a certain status in society are all examples of this delusion.
All we really have is The Now. Guilt, anxiety and worry all become obsolete
when we move into the present moment …. The Now. The ego cannot survive if we focus on living
in the present moment. Our ego would want us to believe that we need to have
regrets about the past or look to the future for our happiness. However when we
are present, living in The Now, time fades away; giving us the ability to be joyous
and free…… to accept the people for who they are.
We must look at the tough
times as opportunities to grow. Our creator never presents us with situations
we can’t handle. All we need to do is take a deep breath, take the first step
and thank our creator for the opportunity to feel the many emotions that
accompany us on our journey.
I've learned that it’s not always the goal we should be
fixated on (future). Taking the time to enjoy every step of the journey (now)
is how we can stay the moment and grow.
GM
Saturday
Living the Tao ..... Again
Sometimes when we're lost, we need to loop back around and reintroduce ourselves to the Light ....The Tao ... 'The Way'.
The 17th verse of the Tao Te Ching reads as follows:
" With the greatest leader above them, people barely know one exists.
Next comes one whom they love and praise.
Next comes one whom they fear.
Next comes one whom they despise and defy."
"When a leader trusts no one, no one trusts him."
"The great leader speaks little.
He never speaks carelessly.
He works without self-interest and leaves no trace.
When all is finished, the people say, "We did it ourselves""
Dr. Wayne W. Dyer's thoughts from his book, Change Your Thoughts--Change Your Life;
You can personalize it by substituting the words parent or teacher for leader. 1st you must stay in the background and become an astute observer of what's taking place; then ask yourself how, without interfering, you can create an environment that will help everyone act responsibly.Whatever your decision, you'll be well aware of the need to create an environment where everyone will be able to say,"We fixed it ourselves without the need for any interference from anyone--we really don't need a supervisor."
This approach involves suspending your desire to be seen as a strong authority figure.Truly inspiring leaders get results by their own example: encourage others to be responsible and do the right thing, but not by proclaiming and bragging about their impeachable management. They create space for others to be inspired and to achieve their own greatness. When the time comes for receiving accolades, they dissolve in the background, wanting everyone else to feel that their accomplishments arose from their own leadership qualities.
The supreme Taoist leader always leaves people to choose and pursue their own way of life, their own conception of the good. The view of a self-styled authoritarian is not the way enlightened leaders see themselves; rather, they raise the energy of an environment through a viewpoint that elevates lower inclinations.
In this verse, the Tao offers 3 other ways of choosing to be a leader.
1. To make a difference in the lives of others, resolving conflicts through love. By being an instrument of love and making an effort to praise others, this leader stays in harmony w the Tao. The draw back is that using the approval and affection of a leader for motivation means turning control of one's life over to that leader.
2. The ineffectiveness of fear as a leadership style: if I can get you to do as I desire by using a weapon, then you'll only behave in these ways as long as I have the power to threaten you. When I leave, my influence over you departs as well.
Studies have shown that students in the setting of teachers who were considered strict disciplinarians, they were well behaved when the feared individual was in the room, yet when she or he departed, the classroom turned chaotic. The opposite was true of instructors who viewed education as an opportunity to praise and encourage students: their presence or absence had almost no noticeable impact. This is a great thing to keep in mind if you're a mother or father!
3. Least effective means for managing others is to use tactics that will encourage them to despise you, for the moment they leave your sight, they'll defy all that you say and stand for. Children who despise a parent tend to emulate the hateful tactics to which they were subjected, or they detach themselves completely from that dictatorial parent and spend years attempting to heal the scars from the terrible treatment.
Instead of believing that you know what's best for others, trust that they know what's best for themselves. Allow others to share their thoughts about the path they see for themselves. Let your position be known, but also convey that you trust them to make the right choice. Then step back and peacefully believe that the way you look at this situation will change. Offer praise when those if your charge are making their own decisions, even when their behavior may conflict with yours. Trust yourself to give the best response by not seeing yourself as knowing what's right. "When a leader trusts no one, no one trusts him."
Very powerful..........
UG
The 17th verse of the Tao Te Ching reads as follows:
" With the greatest leader above them, people barely know one exists.
Next comes one whom they love and praise.
Next comes one whom they fear.
Next comes one whom they despise and defy."
"When a leader trusts no one, no one trusts him."
"The great leader speaks little.
He never speaks carelessly.
He works without self-interest and leaves no trace.
When all is finished, the people say, "We did it ourselves""
Dr. Wayne W. Dyer's thoughts from his book, Change Your Thoughts--Change Your Life;
You can personalize it by substituting the words parent or teacher for leader. 1st you must stay in the background and become an astute observer of what's taking place; then ask yourself how, without interfering, you can create an environment that will help everyone act responsibly.Whatever your decision, you'll be well aware of the need to create an environment where everyone will be able to say,"We fixed it ourselves without the need for any interference from anyone--we really don't need a supervisor."
This approach involves suspending your desire to be seen as a strong authority figure.Truly inspiring leaders get results by their own example: encourage others to be responsible and do the right thing, but not by proclaiming and bragging about their impeachable management. They create space for others to be inspired and to achieve their own greatness. When the time comes for receiving accolades, they dissolve in the background, wanting everyone else to feel that their accomplishments arose from their own leadership qualities.
The supreme Taoist leader always leaves people to choose and pursue their own way of life, their own conception of the good. The view of a self-styled authoritarian is not the way enlightened leaders see themselves; rather, they raise the energy of an environment through a viewpoint that elevates lower inclinations.
In this verse, the Tao offers 3 other ways of choosing to be a leader.
1. To make a difference in the lives of others, resolving conflicts through love. By being an instrument of love and making an effort to praise others, this leader stays in harmony w the Tao. The draw back is that using the approval and affection of a leader for motivation means turning control of one's life over to that leader.
2. The ineffectiveness of fear as a leadership style: if I can get you to do as I desire by using a weapon, then you'll only behave in these ways as long as I have the power to threaten you. When I leave, my influence over you departs as well.
Studies have shown that students in the setting of teachers who were considered strict disciplinarians, they were well behaved when the feared individual was in the room, yet when she or he departed, the classroom turned chaotic. The opposite was true of instructors who viewed education as an opportunity to praise and encourage students: their presence or absence had almost no noticeable impact. This is a great thing to keep in mind if you're a mother or father!
3. Least effective means for managing others is to use tactics that will encourage them to despise you, for the moment they leave your sight, they'll defy all that you say and stand for. Children who despise a parent tend to emulate the hateful tactics to which they were subjected, or they detach themselves completely from that dictatorial parent and spend years attempting to heal the scars from the terrible treatment.
Instead of believing that you know what's best for others, trust that they know what's best for themselves. Allow others to share their thoughts about the path they see for themselves. Let your position be known, but also convey that you trust them to make the right choice. Then step back and peacefully believe that the way you look at this situation will change. Offer praise when those if your charge are making their own decisions, even when their behavior may conflict with yours. Trust yourself to give the best response by not seeing yourself as knowing what's right. "When a leader trusts no one, no one trusts him."
Very powerful..........
UG
Friday
Prisoners of Our Past
I rented a very powerful movie a couple nights ago. The backdrop for this documentary is disturbing and definitely not for everyone. Unfathomable as it sounds, 'Forgiving Dr Mengele' is about Holocaust survivor Eva Kor's courageous mission to tell her story and forgive the Nazis( and eventually Dr Joseph Mengele) for all of their wrongdoings at Auschwitz before/ during World War II.
Known as Dr Death, Joseph Mengele was the most twisted of Hitler's SS death squad. Under the guise of 'research', Joseph Mengele separated all the identical twins and conducted series of intrusive and unforgivable tests that lasted for months at a time. Most didn't survive. Eva Kor, the ultimate survivor, and a select few of the 'Mengele Twins' lived to tell the tale. Living on no more than crumbs and contaminated water, Eva said her prayers daily and 'scolded others for dieing' as she to refusing to give up. The rest is history.
"We might not live in the past, but the past lives in us"
- Samual Pisal
Holocaust Survivor
I was so moved by Eva Kor's drive and inner strength. Number one, to actually live through that harrowing experience is mind blowing. But to have to guts(and wisdom) to actually know that the path to inner peace is to accept and move on from life's trials and tribulations. To not allow our enemies to live 'rent free' in our minds.......to forgive(but not forget) and 'let go' of our past is daunting. She was quoted as saying "revenge has never been known to heal anyone". All I can say is "Wow".
As she walks us through the history of her experience at Auschwitz, Eva's method of recovery stemmed from her desire to 'not be a prisoner ever again'. Forgiving those who've harmed her most, Eva took this thought to a whole new level and killed all her demons with kindness. This story has made me re-think my position on recovery( Full recovery is only achieved when family members show true remorse).
I still believe that true remorse will undoubtedly assist those in the process of recovery. But if those that hurt us are gone and/or not reachable, we have to find a way to slience our 'unquiet minds' and refuse to be prisoners of our past. Forgiveness is the answer. And I'd like to thank Eva Kor for reminding me of this.
Known as Dr Death, Joseph Mengele was the most twisted of Hitler's SS death squad. Under the guise of 'research', Joseph Mengele separated all the identical twins and conducted series of intrusive and unforgivable tests that lasted for months at a time. Most didn't survive. Eva Kor, the ultimate survivor, and a select few of the 'Mengele Twins' lived to tell the tale. Living on no more than crumbs and contaminated water, Eva said her prayers daily and 'scolded others for dieing' as she to refusing to give up. The rest is history.
"We might not live in the past, but the past lives in us"
- Samual Pisal
Holocaust Survivor
I was so moved by Eva Kor's drive and inner strength. Number one, to actually live through that harrowing experience is mind blowing. But to have to guts(and wisdom) to actually know that the path to inner peace is to accept and move on from life's trials and tribulations. To not allow our enemies to live 'rent free' in our minds.......to forgive(but not forget) and 'let go' of our past is daunting. She was quoted as saying "revenge has never been known to heal anyone". All I can say is "Wow".
As she walks us through the history of her experience at Auschwitz, Eva's method of recovery stemmed from her desire to 'not be a prisoner ever again'. Forgiving those who've harmed her most, Eva took this thought to a whole new level and killed all her demons with kindness. This story has made me re-think my position on recovery( Full recovery is only achieved when family members show true remorse).
I still believe that true remorse will undoubtedly assist those in the process of recovery. But if those that hurt us are gone and/or not reachable, we have to find a way to slience our 'unquiet minds' and refuse to be prisoners of our past. Forgiveness is the answer. And I'd like to thank Eva Kor for reminding me of this.
Saturday
Indigo Children, Mental Health and our Quest for Light
The following is an email I received recently from a dear friend of mine. She really sheds some light on my journey. I've been spinning my wheels for years. Trying to find myself. Always searching.......for The Light.
"I still ......haven't found ....what I'm looking for" - Bono
Well, I finally found it. And it turns out I had it the whole time.
I've rediscovered my passion and I know my purpose is to make a difference.
All I can say is 'Wow'
Gregory,
Are you aware of Indigo people? I think that this is something I should bring to your attention, just in case you aren’t aware. It's time.
The Indigo life is no bed of roses. If you have read some of the particular traits of Indigo people, you have learned that we have quite a bit stacked against us in our early lives. In fact, we are classic late bloomers, and because of this, Indigo youth have a very high amount of difficulty assimilating into the mainstream. This is mostly because the mainstream caters to the average mind and intellect, and most Indigos are far from average. This can result in the flaring of depression, and also the abuse of alcohol and drugs. Sometimes it leads to suicide. Misdiagnosis of ADD/ADHD and other ‘new age’ illnesses such as Bipolar Disorder add to the confusion, and the youngster is often drugged into submission at a point of life where they need to develop their minds the most.
Adults often don’t have it much better. Because of a lack of adult mentors and guidance, the adult Indigo person often finds themselves adrift, alienated, and at odds with their lives and desires. Their particular Gifts can manifest themselves in very frightening ways, and the great physical and mental changes that their prime begins to bring to them can frighten them into paralyzing panic attacks.
The Indigo passages are particularly rough and difficult for a reason. They burn away the dross and lassitude and inner ignorance and fear and temper us for strength in our true work here. The personal victory over our problems in our personal lives and our discovery and use of the unique Indigo gifts we have gives us the depth of experience to weather the difficulties the entire world faces. With our own rough passages behind us, our job is to assume a role of mentor and quiet leadership for those who also seek Light. All the pain and suffering is our ‘been there, done that, here’s what I did to get past it’ card. And it teaches us perseverance and gives us a depth of inner reserve that will be needed in the difficult days to come.
The current war is one obvious symptom of the great spiritual rot that has been growing in the world for the last half century. In spite of incredible technological advances and breakthroughs, people have sunk into incredible depths of helplessness, physical and spiritual poverty, ignorance, fear, and religious fanaticism. Others have taken the opportunity of the general indifference to their governments and communities to seize and consolidate power, squashing all competition and dissent. The gap between the rich and poor – in both material and spiritual matters- has become enormous. Miscommunication and disinformation is rife, and Truth is a rare and fleeting thing. Everything has its particular ‘spin’, and the absurd is now normal. We have great technological tools and incredible scientific advances, but they are being put to horrible use. Good ideas are being buried under piles of litigation. A great cloud of fear-filled darkness is enveloping our world. A tiny number of power- addled people is steering the great mass of humanity and its world into darkness and spiritual slavery.
What is the Indigo purpose? Our purpose is to anchor small, but growing points of Light, Life, and Love into these growing spots of darkness- to provide a place and means of hope, awakening, and insight which will begin to dissipate the darkness. This is done in a natural and subtly quiet way, not by forceful preaching or screaming in the streets. Indigos must use our natural Gifts and our particular places in our communities to establish and anchor the Light, and do it in such a way that the community we serve believes that they did it on their own. (They may eventually discover the Lightworker in their midst, but they will have to look carefully!) Our strength will give strength to those who feel hopeless, and Awaken them, permitting them to shine their own Light into the darkness. Person by person, soul by soul, light by light, the vast majority of people will outstrip the spiritual darkness and turn this world around. Fear will be replaced by love and tolerance. Ignorance will be replaced by knowledge. Lassitude will be replaced by action. Dogma will be replaced by direct understanding. Balance will be restored to both humanity and the planet. We will become true spiritual peers, not the ‘us’ and ‘them’ of the old ways. When a critical turnover point is reached in the relighting of our world, our awareness of this planet as a living, conscious being will become more commonplace. People calling themselves Earth Talkers will appear, speaking for the local areas, directing the inhabitants to utilize the land in an optimal way. As people Awaken, they will become more attuned to the Greater World- our local Cosmos- the sun, moon and planets, and learn to work with their cycles of energy to heal both themselves and the planet.
We will continue to evolve. Some Indigo people are undergoing another passage into the next octave of awareness- what the New Agers call "Crystal", but also known as Octarine. These people will have the ability to see the vast array of thoughts, dreams, wishes and needs of humanity, and to pop in and out of various dimensions at will to help work on these needs. They have highly developed and directed minds- and are capable of sensing more than one universe or dimension at a time. This enables them to be in more than one place at once, and help to direct Light to places most badly in need of it. They use dreams of hope and love as well as serendipitous solutions to help anchor the Light, and give positive visions to those whose word would propagate the Light thus established. They help to sow and establish hope and catalyze the ability to overcome difficulty. They tighten the light bulb in its socket.
This breakover to Light will begin slowly, but as it propagates into the world, will pick up speed and flash into reality, overturning the darkness in a dramatic manner. The old oppressors will try to keep their stranglehold on the planet, but in turn will also realize the Light will heal them as well. In letting go of the old way of imbalance, they help to return the world to stability, peace, and balance.
This is our purpose. This is our mission. This is why we have been run through the grinder. Now that you have an idea of the Big Picture, you can begin to see a way to make it happen. It is a change of mind, a change of heart, and an opening to our greater potential as human beings. It can be done without the weapons, terror, death, and suffering of the Darkness. It is happening now, and you are part of it.
Stay strong - AP
For those interested in more information on Indigo Children, I highly suggest .........
And And ......... http://www.indigopeople.org/
One - UG
"I still ......haven't found ....what I'm looking for" - Bono
Well, I finally found it. And it turns out I had it the whole time.
I've rediscovered my passion and I know my purpose is to make a difference.
All I can say is 'Wow'
Gregory,
Are you aware of Indigo people? I think that this is something I should bring to your attention, just in case you aren’t aware. It's time.
The Indigo life is no bed of roses. If you have read some of the particular traits of Indigo people, you have learned that we have quite a bit stacked against us in our early lives. In fact, we are classic late bloomers, and because of this, Indigo youth have a very high amount of difficulty assimilating into the mainstream. This is mostly because the mainstream caters to the average mind and intellect, and most Indigos are far from average. This can result in the flaring of depression, and also the abuse of alcohol and drugs. Sometimes it leads to suicide. Misdiagnosis of ADD/ADHD and other ‘new age’ illnesses such as Bipolar Disorder add to the confusion, and the youngster is often drugged into submission at a point of life where they need to develop their minds the most.
Adults often don’t have it much better. Because of a lack of adult mentors and guidance, the adult Indigo person often finds themselves adrift, alienated, and at odds with their lives and desires. Their particular Gifts can manifest themselves in very frightening ways, and the great physical and mental changes that their prime begins to bring to them can frighten them into paralyzing panic attacks.
The Indigo passages are particularly rough and difficult for a reason. They burn away the dross and lassitude and inner ignorance and fear and temper us for strength in our true work here. The personal victory over our problems in our personal lives and our discovery and use of the unique Indigo gifts we have gives us the depth of experience to weather the difficulties the entire world faces. With our own rough passages behind us, our job is to assume a role of mentor and quiet leadership for those who also seek Light. All the pain and suffering is our ‘been there, done that, here’s what I did to get past it’ card. And it teaches us perseverance and gives us a depth of inner reserve that will be needed in the difficult days to come.
The current war is one obvious symptom of the great spiritual rot that has been growing in the world for the last half century. In spite of incredible technological advances and breakthroughs, people have sunk into incredible depths of helplessness, physical and spiritual poverty, ignorance, fear, and religious fanaticism. Others have taken the opportunity of the general indifference to their governments and communities to seize and consolidate power, squashing all competition and dissent. The gap between the rich and poor – in both material and spiritual matters- has become enormous. Miscommunication and disinformation is rife, and Truth is a rare and fleeting thing. Everything has its particular ‘spin’, and the absurd is now normal. We have great technological tools and incredible scientific advances, but they are being put to horrible use. Good ideas are being buried under piles of litigation. A great cloud of fear-filled darkness is enveloping our world. A tiny number of power- addled people is steering the great mass of humanity and its world into darkness and spiritual slavery.
What is the Indigo purpose? Our purpose is to anchor small, but growing points of Light, Life, and Love into these growing spots of darkness- to provide a place and means of hope, awakening, and insight which will begin to dissipate the darkness. This is done in a natural and subtly quiet way, not by forceful preaching or screaming in the streets. Indigos must use our natural Gifts and our particular places in our communities to establish and anchor the Light, and do it in such a way that the community we serve believes that they did it on their own. (They may eventually discover the Lightworker in their midst, but they will have to look carefully!) Our strength will give strength to those who feel hopeless, and Awaken them, permitting them to shine their own Light into the darkness. Person by person, soul by soul, light by light, the vast majority of people will outstrip the spiritual darkness and turn this world around. Fear will be replaced by love and tolerance. Ignorance will be replaced by knowledge. Lassitude will be replaced by action. Dogma will be replaced by direct understanding. Balance will be restored to both humanity and the planet. We will become true spiritual peers, not the ‘us’ and ‘them’ of the old ways. When a critical turnover point is reached in the relighting of our world, our awareness of this planet as a living, conscious being will become more commonplace. People calling themselves Earth Talkers will appear, speaking for the local areas, directing the inhabitants to utilize the land in an optimal way. As people Awaken, they will become more attuned to the Greater World- our local Cosmos- the sun, moon and planets, and learn to work with their cycles of energy to heal both themselves and the planet.
We will continue to evolve. Some Indigo people are undergoing another passage into the next octave of awareness- what the New Agers call "Crystal", but also known as Octarine. These people will have the ability to see the vast array of thoughts, dreams, wishes and needs of humanity, and to pop in and out of various dimensions at will to help work on these needs. They have highly developed and directed minds- and are capable of sensing more than one universe or dimension at a time. This enables them to be in more than one place at once, and help to direct Light to places most badly in need of it. They use dreams of hope and love as well as serendipitous solutions to help anchor the Light, and give positive visions to those whose word would propagate the Light thus established. They help to sow and establish hope and catalyze the ability to overcome difficulty. They tighten the light bulb in its socket.
This breakover to Light will begin slowly, but as it propagates into the world, will pick up speed and flash into reality, overturning the darkness in a dramatic manner. The old oppressors will try to keep their stranglehold on the planet, but in turn will also realize the Light will heal them as well. In letting go of the old way of imbalance, they help to return the world to stability, peace, and balance.
This is our purpose. This is our mission. This is why we have been run through the grinder. Now that you have an idea of the Big Picture, you can begin to see a way to make it happen. It is a change of mind, a change of heart, and an opening to our greater potential as human beings. It can be done without the weapons, terror, death, and suffering of the Darkness. It is happening now, and you are part of it.
Stay strong - AP
For those interested in more information on Indigo Children, I highly suggest .........
And (regarding Indigo Behavioral Disorders) ......... http://indigoconnection.atlantean.us/behavioral_disorders.htm
And And ......... http://www.indigopeople.org/
One - UG
Friday
Our Pain is Self-Chosen
"Our Pain ...........is Self-Chosen "
- Layne Staley
Lead singer of Alice in Chains/Mad Season
Layne was a graduate of my unit at Hazelden right before he completed the Mad Season self titled album. The autographed CD was framed on the wall for all of us to see. Already in my collection, I listened to it daily and learned to embrace the fact that I'm not in this battle alone. That was 2000. Layne lost his battle 4.20.2002.
We have a choice. We have to fight. Make that choice to get better. In order to survive, we need to keep moving. Make that effort to keep going. Because in the end, our pain IS self-chosen.
Sunday
The Price of Admission
Forgive them, UG
For they know not what they do ................
If we truly care about those we want to remain in our inner circle .......and have the desire to recover from our past.....We must share our feelings(gently), so we(they) can reach the ultimate goal of letting it all go.
Most traditional/eastern spiritual teachings are simply a collection of words.
These words(poems if you will) are filled with signs that point us back to the source. ... Google 'Tao Te Ching' and 'Lao Tzu'
And the source(our 'being'), in my opinion, is attained by recognizing our past. Embracing it. ...... because 'IT" is the Price of Admission.
When we acknowledge the source of our pain........ Discuss it openly w/out letting the EGO enter the room...... Totally void of emotion................we GROW.
As an Native American chief once said about the caucasion settlers - "The 'white eye' all have tense faces, staring eyes and a cruel demeanor. Always looking as if they always 'need' something".
That being said, we NEED to disconnect ....... Let Go.
In order to achieve enlightenment, we must recognize the(my) L.A.W. of Active Recovery.......
Some people Watch life happen (LOOK)......
Some people Make life happen (ALLOW)
and the rest say "What happened?(WHAT?!)
Happy Trails - UG
Talking to you Robyn
For they know not what they do ................
If we truly care about those we want to remain in our inner circle .......and have the desire to recover from our past.....We must share our feelings(gently), so we(they) can reach the ultimate goal of letting it all go.
Most traditional/eastern spiritual teachings are simply a collection of words.
These words(poems if you will) are filled with signs that point us back to the source. ... Google 'Tao Te Ching' and 'Lao Tzu'
And the source(our 'being'), in my opinion, is attained by recognizing our past. Embracing it. ...... because 'IT" is the Price of Admission.
When we acknowledge the source of our pain........ Discuss it openly w/out letting the EGO enter the room...... Totally void of emotion................we GROW.
As an Native American chief once said about the caucasion settlers - "The 'white eye' all have tense faces, staring eyes and a cruel demeanor. Always looking as if they always 'need' something".
That being said, we NEED to disconnect ....... Let Go.
In order to achieve enlightenment, we must recognize the(my) L.A.W. of Active Recovery.......
Some people Watch life happen (LOOK)......
Some people Make life happen (ALLOW)
and the rest say "What happened?(WHAT?!)
Happy Trails - UG
Talking to you Robyn
Monday
Meds vs Mania
As we wake from our 3 hours of sleep, we pop out of bed with excitement. Can't wait to get to work. We quickly wash off our face and run out the door. As we're starting up the car we think......"Did I brush my teeth?........fuck it". We smack the dice and cruise.
Whether it be on a football field, in a recording studio, the custom car shop or Wal-Mart, we work tirelessly, endlessly . We check the time. The days fly by. We're busy brainstorming. Working out. Writing lyrics. Performing. Fine tuning our engines. We're fucking special, man. "God Damn, I(we) feel good!" Our passion is alive. Ideas are plentiful. Energy is running at a surplus. Many of us experience life for the first time.........What time is it, again?
Danger Will Robinson
Bipolar Disorder is like old luggage, herpes and your old varsity jacket. You can't get rid of it. No cure. None. End of story. It's a terminal disease (that is treatable) and must be taken very seriously(over 30% decide to take their own life)............we have to surround ourselves w/ good support and respect bipolar disorder.
But of course, not before we kick the tires of this "illness". That's what we do.
I was watching PBS the other night and Charlie Rose was interviewing Dr James Watson. A Nobel laureate who discovered DNA and the testing models that go with it. A huge advocate of cancer research, he noted that mental illness is next in line. He said the number one thing that mental illness needs is more research. Dr Watson said more research is needed to find the specific genome, the rogue gene that causes Bipolar Disorder(or any other mental illness for that matter). Hence my motivation to raise awareness. We need to do something. However the job might be a little bigger than we think. As Chief Martin Brody said in Jaws - "I think we're gonna need a bigger boat". Hold on to your seats.
We can't watch more tha 5 minutes of television before we see some kind of advertisement pushing the next wonder drug for bipolar disorder and/or depression. Who isn't depressed these daze? The Economy, the housing market, Iraq. Afganistan, global warming, Pat Tillman, Swine Flu, Fox News...........what the fuck is going on?! There's an answer. Big Pharm has been using a "shotgun effect"(pun intended) to find the best Band-Aid for our illness(es)........And we wonder, why?
"The Tipping Point is the biography of an idea, and the idea is very simple. It is that the best way to understand the emergence of fashion trends, the ebb and flow of crime waves, or, for that matter, the transformation of unknown books into bestsellers, or the rise of teenage smoking, or the phenomena of word of mouth, or any number of the other mysterious changes that mark everyday life is to think of them as epidemics. Ideas and products and messages and behaviors spread just like viruses do."
- From Malcolm Gladwell's NY Times bestseller "The Tipping Point"
Remember I said I was dignosed in 1997
" It had the makings of an epidemic. From 1994-2003 the number of children diagnosed with bipolar disorder --- a condition characterized by cycles of devastating hopelessness and despair followed by times of ecstatic excitement--- had skyrocketed. In 1994 only twenty-five(25) of every one hundred thousand(100,000) American kids under the age of nineteen were diagnosed as bipolar. But by 2003 the number of cases had shot up by a staggering forty times. A doubling of this rare but serious condition would have been newsworthy in it's own right, but a fortyfold increase made it clear something was going on. The question was what."
- From Ori and Rom Brafman's NY Times bestseller "SWAY"
Let's really think about this for a minute. The more people that are "mentally ill", the more drugs need to be prescribed........and the more drugs that are prescribed.......it's a vicious cycle. When it comes to money and control, it's ironic how some things simply happen to get a little extra "push" in order to tip.
All of us know that when we're first diagnosed, the drugs we're prescribed are a stone in our shoe. Melancholy days turn into weeks. The fog. We check our guns, sharpen our knives and pick out our favorite Oak tree on the way to/from work. Our loved ones are terrified. They tell us "You're just not yourself" ..." We care about you"..... "The meds are only to keep you safe". Safe? Safe? If this is safe I'd like to see what fucking dangerous is. These peeps have no idea what we're capable of. We can't stop thinking about the gun, the rope, the tree. Then we finally(hopefully) snap out of it because we're fighters. We're fucking survivors. This has to get better, right? But how the hell am I gonna get anything done?
I got an idea...........
We look into the mirror. We just stare. Who is this MF? We look down at the pill containers. Depakote, Prozac, Nuerontin, Wellbutrin, Zoloft, Celexa, Lexapro, Paxil, Symbalta, Effexor. Are you fucking kidding me? What is this shit? I'm not sick......We look back into the mirror. And back down to the pills as we throw them in the toilet. Fuck these meds. I can't function. So my family doesn't want me to 'off myself', huh? ............ fuck these pills!!!!"
Danger Part Deux
After a few days, if we're lucky, we feel "alive" again......flipped the switch......broke the code. "Finally I can think again.......let's rock and roll!
This is where I take the time to tell you this is the REAL danger zone. Even though we think meds suck, there IS a time and a place for them. Trust me. Been there, done that. All conspiracy theories aside, we all need to take the time to educate ourselves on the ins and outs of bipolar disorder. Yes, it can be a gift. We are all creative and intelligent people. Strong-willed visionaries that want to do it "our way". We tend to be a little hard-headed(wink wink) and don't want to believe we're "sick". The fact is, our "gift", our illness, is real. We need to monitor it. It's like a sacred garden that needs to be kept. Nourished. If your meds are not working for you, stay in touch with you doctor(s). Demand to feel better!
The rest is up to you.
GM
Thursday
Mount Union Lecture
My experience at Mount Union was awesome. Dr. Tamara Daily was a great host and I look forward to our next event. GM
"On October 12, 2011, retired NFL punter Greg Montgomery Jr. presented the Annual Mental
Health Awareness Lecture at the University of Mount Union in Alliance, Ohio. Mr. Montgomery
shared the story of his diagnosis with Bipolar II Disorder and the challenges he has faced in
creating his own path toward recovery. Mr. Montgomery challenged the audience to think about
Bipolar Disorder in particular and mental illness more generally in the broader context of life
experiences, family relationships, and individual responsibility. Using candid personal
reflections, Mr. Montgomery shared his belief that living well with Bipolar involves both
respecting the illness and learning to use it to one’s advantage. The evening’s most potent
message was that people experiencing depression and anxiety have the power within
themselves to choose more productive and fulfilling paths and limit the negative impacts of toxic
emotions."
- Dr Tamara Daily - Dept of Psychology - Univ of Mount Union
"On October 12, 2011, retired NFL punter Greg Montgomery Jr. presented the Annual Mental
Health Awareness Lecture at the University of Mount Union in Alliance, Ohio. Mr. Montgomery
shared the story of his diagnosis with Bipolar II Disorder and the challenges he has faced in
creating his own path toward recovery. Mr. Montgomery challenged the audience to think about
Bipolar Disorder in particular and mental illness more generally in the broader context of life
experiences, family relationships, and individual responsibility. Using candid personal
reflections, Mr. Montgomery shared his belief that living well with Bipolar involves both
respecting the illness and learning to use it to one’s advantage. The evening’s most potent
message was that people experiencing depression and anxiety have the power within
themselves to choose more productive and fulfilling paths and limit the negative impacts of toxic
emotions."
- Dr Tamara Daily - Dept of Psychology - Univ of Mount Union
Denial
I received this note from a close friend who's in 'the program'. In my humble opine, there are many parallels between the triggers of both abuse/addiction and mental illness. My point of "unilateral remorse is needed in order to achieve true recovery"....'The Why'.....must be uncovered and dealt with. Denial is a large hinderance which is conveniently(and often) overlooked...........
Monty,
I think thats a larger part of the overall denial as part of the process. The whole family is in denial. Those who dont understand might not initially have access to understanding because they dont have the disease. Its hard to understand your part in something when you don't understand WHY its happened in the first place. Thats a tough hill... See More to climb when all you want is for the person you love to "be better"....its the "fixer" which lives in all of us. But to get down in the trenches and have to "put in work" for that loved one when the perception and problematic thinking is "that is their problem and I am just here to support them" is a different concept altogether. Thats where we separate the talkers from the do-ers. Agreed.
Monty,
I think thats a larger part of the overall denial as part of the process. The whole family is in denial. Those who dont understand might not initially have access to understanding because they dont have the disease. Its hard to understand your part in something when you don't understand WHY its happened in the first place. Thats a tough hill... See More to climb when all you want is for the person you love to "be better"....its the "fixer" which lives in all of us. But to get down in the trenches and have to "put in work" for that loved one when the perception and problematic thinking is "that is their problem and I am just here to support them" is a different concept altogether. Thats where we separate the talkers from the do-ers. Agreed.
Tuesday
Living Bipolar (and Enlightened)
For the last couple months, my girlfriend and I have been reading 'Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life' by Dr. Wayne Dyer. In this book, Dr Dyer examines the 81 verses of the Tao Te Ching (The Way of Life) written by philosopher Lao-tzu over 2000 years ago. Within each verse, as in any spiritual text, there is a powerful message that can be examined, discussed and applied to our lives. In the 17th verse, coined by Dr Dyer as 'Living as an Enlightened Leader, gives us a nice point of reference. Not only does it advise us on how to lead, but also to figure out our past (the Why). I feel to acknowledge the roots our pain, deal with them, let go and move on is a very brave act. Choosing to change our minds(our ways of thinking), take action and mentor others that are suffering, even braver."
- GHM, Jr
"With the greatest leader above them, people barely know one exists.
Next comes one whom they love and praise.
Next comes one whom they fear.
Next comes one whom they despise and defy.
When a leader trusts no one, no one trusts him.
The great leader speaks little.
He never speaks carelessly.
He works without self-interest and leaves no trace.
When all is finished, the people say, "We did it ourselves" "
- Lao-tzu from Tao Te Ching
Here are a couple thoughts by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer's from his book, Change Your Thoughts--Change Your Life;
"You can personalize it by substituting the words parent or teacher for leader. 1st you must stay in the background and become an astute observer of what's taking place; then ask yourself how, without interfering, you can create an environment that will help everyone act responsibly
. Whatever your decision, you'll be well aware of the need to create an environment where everyone will be able to say, "We fixed it ourselves without the need for any interference from anyone--we really don't need a supervisor."
This approach involves suspending your desire (ego) to be seen as a strong authority figure.
Truly inspiring leaders get results by their own example: encourage others to be responsible and do the right thing, but not by proclaiming and bragging about their impeachable management. They create space for others to be inspired and to achieve their own greatness. When the time comes for receiving accolades, they dissolve in the background, wanting everyone else to feel that their accomplishments arose from their own leadership qualities. The supreme Taoist leader always leaves people to choose and pursue their own way of life, their own conception of the good. The view of a self-styled authoritarian is not the way enlightened leaders see themselves; rather, they raise the energy of an environment through a viewpoint that elevates lower inclinations.
In the 17th verse, the Tao offers 3 other ways of choosing to be a leader.
1. To make a difference in the lives of others, resolving conflicts through love. By being an instrument of love and making an effort to praise others, this leader stays in harmony with the Tao. The draw back is that using the approval and affection of a leader for motivation means turning control of one's life over to that leader.
2. The ineffectiveness of fear as a leadership style: if I can get you to do as I desire by using a weapon, then you'll only behave in these ways as long as I have the power to threaten you. When I leave, my influence over you departs as well.
Studies have shown that students in the setting of teachers who were considered strict disciplinarians, they were well behaved when the feared individual was in the room, yet when she or he departed, the classroom turned chaotic.
The opposite was true of instructors who viewed education as an opportunity to praise and encourage students: their presence or absence had almost no noticeable impact. This is a great thing to keep in mind if you're a mother or father!
3. Least effective means for managing others is to use tactics that will encourage them to despise you, for the moment they leave your sight, they'll defy all that you say and stand for. Children who despise a parent tend to emulate the hateful tactics to which they were subjected, or they detach themselves completely from that doctorial adult and spend years attempting to heal the scars from the terrible treatment.
Instead of believing that you know what's best for others, trust that they know what's best for them. Allow others to share their thoughts about the path they see for themselves. Let your position be known, but also convey that you trust them to make the right choice. Then step back and peacefully believe that the way you look at this situation will change. Offer praise when those if your charge are making their own decisions, even when their behavior may conflict with yours. Trust yourself to give the best response by not seeing yourself as knowing what's right. "When a leader trusts no one, no one trusts him."
- Dr Wayne Dyer
After reading this a couple times, you will start reflect and see where you were inspired and/or discouraged in your life. Take note of when you felt the desire to perform for your parents, teachers, coaches and bosses. In contrast, take note of when you were turned off and despised those in power. The reason I'm asking you to do this is that I truly believe we need to "go back in order to move forward". Once we discover which 'hot buttons' were pushed in our lives and take the time to 'go there' once again, we'll know again how its feels and then choose to make a conscious effort to never do the same to others. Wisdom is the product of experience, pain and growth. A mistake is only a mistake if we don't learn from it.
Many specialists in the field of mental health and addiction/abuse want us to simply 'move on'. To somewhat allow our inner circle to sit on the sidelines and give us 'support'. When in reality, we need everyone to 'go back' with us and join us in our recovery. This doesn't mean we constantly harp on the reasons of our pain and use them as a crutch. But those who we feel had an impact on our lives (good and bad) should be made aware of their actions. I feel, through true remorse from those that pained us (and we them), the recovery (discovery) process has a much better chance of being completed. JMHO
- GHM, Jr
"With the greatest leader above them, people barely know one exists.
Next comes one whom they love and praise.
Next comes one whom they fear.
Next comes one whom they despise and defy.
When a leader trusts no one, no one trusts him.
The great leader speaks little.
He never speaks carelessly.
He works without self-interest and leaves no trace.
When all is finished, the people say, "We did it ourselves" "
- Lao-tzu from Tao Te Ching
Here are a couple thoughts by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer's from his book, Change Your Thoughts--Change Your Life;
"You can personalize it by substituting the words parent or teacher for leader. 1st you must stay in the background and become an astute observer of what's taking place; then ask yourself how, without interfering, you can create an environment that will help everyone act responsibly
. Whatever your decision, you'll be well aware of the need to create an environment where everyone will be able to say, "We fixed it ourselves without the need for any interference from anyone--we really don't need a supervisor."
This approach involves suspending your desire (ego) to be seen as a strong authority figure.
Truly inspiring leaders get results by their own example: encourage others to be responsible and do the right thing, but not by proclaiming and bragging about their impeachable management. They create space for others to be inspired and to achieve their own greatness. When the time comes for receiving accolades, they dissolve in the background, wanting everyone else to feel that their accomplishments arose from their own leadership qualities. The supreme Taoist leader always leaves people to choose and pursue their own way of life, their own conception of the good. The view of a self-styled authoritarian is not the way enlightened leaders see themselves; rather, they raise the energy of an environment through a viewpoint that elevates lower inclinations.
In the 17th verse, the Tao offers 3 other ways of choosing to be a leader.
1. To make a difference in the lives of others, resolving conflicts through love. By being an instrument of love and making an effort to praise others, this leader stays in harmony with the Tao. The draw back is that using the approval and affection of a leader for motivation means turning control of one's life over to that leader.
2. The ineffectiveness of fear as a leadership style: if I can get you to do as I desire by using a weapon, then you'll only behave in these ways as long as I have the power to threaten you. When I leave, my influence over you departs as well.
Studies have shown that students in the setting of teachers who were considered strict disciplinarians, they were well behaved when the feared individual was in the room, yet when she or he departed, the classroom turned chaotic.
The opposite was true of instructors who viewed education as an opportunity to praise and encourage students: their presence or absence had almost no noticeable impact. This is a great thing to keep in mind if you're a mother or father!
3. Least effective means for managing others is to use tactics that will encourage them to despise you, for the moment they leave your sight, they'll defy all that you say and stand for. Children who despise a parent tend to emulate the hateful tactics to which they were subjected, or they detach themselves completely from that doctorial adult and spend years attempting to heal the scars from the terrible treatment.
Instead of believing that you know what's best for others, trust that they know what's best for them. Allow others to share their thoughts about the path they see for themselves. Let your position be known, but also convey that you trust them to make the right choice. Then step back and peacefully believe that the way you look at this situation will change. Offer praise when those if your charge are making their own decisions, even when their behavior may conflict with yours. Trust yourself to give the best response by not seeing yourself as knowing what's right. "When a leader trusts no one, no one trusts him."
- Dr Wayne Dyer
After reading this a couple times, you will start reflect and see where you were inspired and/or discouraged in your life. Take note of when you felt the desire to perform for your parents, teachers, coaches and bosses. In contrast, take note of when you were turned off and despised those in power. The reason I'm asking you to do this is that I truly believe we need to "go back in order to move forward". Once we discover which 'hot buttons' were pushed in our lives and take the time to 'go there' once again, we'll know again how its feels and then choose to make a conscious effort to never do the same to others. Wisdom is the product of experience, pain and growth. A mistake is only a mistake if we don't learn from it.
Many specialists in the field of mental health and addiction/abuse want us to simply 'move on'. To somewhat allow our inner circle to sit on the sidelines and give us 'support'. When in reality, we need everyone to 'go back' with us and join us in our recovery. This doesn't mean we constantly harp on the reasons of our pain and use them as a crutch. But those who we feel had an impact on our lives (good and bad) should be made aware of their actions. I feel, through true remorse from those that pained us (and we them), the recovery (discovery) process has a much better chance of being completed. JMHO
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