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Thursday, December 31, 2015

Blessed be to be

Blessed be to be, 
I'm beginning to see, 
That the life force inside of me, 
May hold the key, 
To existence, 
To contentment, 
To uncertainty, 
To impermanence, 

Blessed be to be, 
Is what I say unto thee, 
It is what I say unto me, 
To undo the inner frantic spree, 

How blissful it is to sit, 
Without thinking about it, 
To close the eyes and breathe, 
Is truly what you need. 

They say that you should do, 
And be busy through and through, 
To occupy the mind, 
To leave the past behind, 
To keep the cup always full, 
To make yourself a tool, 
And look past what's inside of you, 
Which can make you a fool. 

What's missing is your being, 
Which you aren't quite seeing, 
The thoughts that you are fleeing, 
Will make you hit the ceiling, 

Instead of running like the wind, 
You can invite those demons in your skin, 
And hear them out with what they have to say, 
As you simply and sit and let go, 
They will surely let you know,
They are all just inside of your head.

Blessed be to be, 
And what a blessing it can BE, 
What a miracle it is to see, 
What's infront of you and me, 
What's inside of you and me, 
What's living with pure glee, 

Every waking moment is a prize, 
Void of opinions and lies, 
When you let go and be present, 
You'll see an amazing surprise. 

DG


Thursday, December 24, 2015

Be the Sponge, bro.

I want you to relax. 
Relax everything in your body and sit yo self down. Let yourself breathe naturally. 
Inhale. 
Exhale. 

Be
The 
Sponge.

Forget bout your opinions. Turn on some music and let is flow through you. Stare at the wall. The wall is your friend. Well the wall is just a wall, but it surrounds you without judgment. Soak up the vibes. 

Soak up the frequencies. 
Who cares if you don't like it. 
Let it grow on you. 
Waiting for the next part? 
Well you're not really listening....
Are you? 

Are you thinking about what you need to do today? Stop that. 
What you need to do right now is to see right now. To be right now. 
To do right now. 

That is what matters. Right now matters. 
What matters right now is that you don't think about right now. You must be the sponge. Soak it all in. Watch it. Don't resist and don't purge. See the positive and negative move through like water. 

Do it. Or don't. Don't just Do it. You don't need to do anything. It's about being really. Being and sitting or standing or walking. If you're walking, walk. 

If you're sitting, sit. 
If you're dreaming, dream.

There is nowhere you have to be except right now. No final destination. 

See those trees? 
Those tress over there are just there being trees. They're not time traveling in their mind or worried that they may have said something stupid at the party last night. 

I like trees because trees don't have opinions. Like the wall, there is no judgment. They have no compassion either. That's your choice. 

Hug that tree. Feel the aliveness in both of your bodies. The fractal branching out of life force. Two carbon based life forms only truly being. 

It's not about focusing on being. The sponge has no need to focus. The sponge does not divert its attention away from its thoughts. Well the sponge has no thoughts. You do. Stop trying so hard, but don't resist. It's not about "sharpening focus". You're missing the point. Well there really isn't any point. 

The point of being is to be. 
Can't you see? 
Let the world flow through you. 
Vibe with it. 
Let your spongy nature manifest itself and let go. Relax. Things of necessity can wait. The main necessity is your spongy being. 

Simply, 
Be, 
The,
Sponge, 

Brothers and sisters of multicellular divinity. 

DG

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Transforming F*ck you to Thank you

There you are again. 
Beating yourself up. 
Over the little things. The trivial things. 

You use your blame thrower in the most perverse fashion. Surely it is someone else's fault and not your own. Right?  
You want to tell the people off. You are through with people's sh*t. Your tolerance for drama and bs has reached an all time high. Nothing is right. Things are falling apart. 

It's easy to shift blame from yourself. Some of us have been conditioned to blame outside circumstances for the quality of our lifestyle. We leave heaps of laundry sitting on the living room in our heads. Instead of taking our time to fold and put up our head laundry, we curse at their very existence. 

F*ck those socks. 
F*ck those shirts. 
F*ck those wrinkly towels. 

Screw that dick that cut you off in traffic or that date that stood you up. 

It may feel good to be short and cruel and push off the problems that manifest in our lives, but it conditions us to do the same. It distracts us from growing and developing value tools in our emotional toolbox. 

Imagine this. Instead of stimulating that little negativity buzzed and making rash assumptions and judgments about peoples' behaviors, breathe in imagine a light switch. It's no ordinary light switch. 
The light switch is a switch between gratitude and disdain. Between thankfulness and negativity. 

When faced with a bad thought or negative interaction with a person, imagine the lightswitch switching up to gratitude. Take a deep breath. Don't try to rationalize your feelings. Say thank you out loud or in your head.

Flip that switch! 

 By doing this you are reconfiguring your neural circuitry. You have the potential to train your brain to relax and be thankful in every situation. Every situation offers an opportunity to recenter, reevaluate and realign yourself with the present so that growth may take place. 

When an unpleasant arises, say thank you. 

Thank you for cutting me off in traffic. 
Thank you for showing your emotions with me.
Thank you for your anger.
Thank you for your neglect.
Thank you for your unconsciousness. 

With each trivial thing that may upset you, you have a choice to deal with it with gratitude. Blame knows no end. 
Gratitude offers endless growth.

It's time to transform that f*ck you into a thank you. 

Although sometimes saying "F*ck you" feels so good. 

We can be f*cking thankful and look inward with ease.

DG

Monday, December 21, 2015

Success is a distraction ?


It's 2016 now.
I'm sure there are a bunch of things you want to accomplish and or succeed in. 
Understandable. 
The last year let you reflect on the growth or lack thereof in all aspects of your life.
You get the idea. 

You want to be more successful. You want to fill up the upcoming year with things to do and to accomplish. Your renewed vigor at the moment is driven by passion and hopefulness for the future. 
This may change down the line, but you have every right to bask in the momentous thrill of unbridled motivation.  

Here are some pertinent questions to ask yourself as you move through the baby stages of the new year. 

How much is "success" the dominating factor of your life and the new year? 

Where does the idea of growth come into place for the new year?

Where does the idea of developing meaningful relationships fit in with your goals? 

Success can be broadly defined. 
Monetary success is something that is dominate with the western meritocracy we live in today. Success in business and a career is also a dominant factor in this fluid market economy. One person's perspective of success is just as unique as anyone else's. A conflict comes into play when someone's definition of success makes another think that that is the most sound and concrete model of success. 

Success is subjective. 

It is a construct made for person to seek reward and meaning. Some of it could be seen as illusory and a distraction from personal growth. When a person goes out and seeks success without looking inward and acquiring self knowledge, he or she is trapping themselves in an illusion. When success becomes a means to an end, one gets lost in achieving and inflating the ego. 

Can success exist on a micro level? 
Can success involve being present? 

When you are present, you can see success for what it is. You can question it. Questioning the validity of what success leads to personal growth. 

Success becomes a junk word. Success becomes a biproduct of being present. When success becomes the main motivator, the floodgates for disappointment, discontent and suffering swing wide open. 

Does the community benefit from your idea of success? 
Does the world need more successful people? 
Are you trying to be successful because it will you happiness or contentment? 

The essence of success lies in the ability to be present. Recognizing compulsive thinking and letting it flow through you can be "successful". When the purpose of achieving supersedes your ability to be present, you have lost sight of who you are. 

It's a rat race. Comparing achievements to others and letting that define your success is an unconscious affair. 

Are you using success to fill a void in your life? Are you using success as a way to achieve status or stability in your life? 
Are you trying to be successful so that people can think highly of you? 
Are you trying to impress your parents? 

Success must be questioned. 
Success must be disassembled and stripped of its parts that have little to no value. 

Success is a mask. 
A mask that covers insecurities and inflates the self. Success can divide and conquer. Success can blind you. 

Success is a distraction. 
Distracting you from authentic self. 
Distracting you from exploring spontaneous potential. 
Distracting you from being present and developing close and meaningful relationships.

Success must be redefined for the sake of inner growth. When one sees success for the illusion that it is, he or she can truly develop inwardly. From the inward development, comes a reflection of outward authenticity. From that authenticity, success only becomes a word and progress gives birth. 

DG 

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

You can have your "isms"

You can have "isms" and your "ists"

Let us look at this lists...

Existentialism 
Imperialism 
Cynicism 
Mysticism 
Materialism 
Anarchism 
Nativism 
Communism
Socialism 

Let's forgo these listed words beneath to divorce them from my illustrated point. 

Schism ( yea I can see the irony here ) 
Prism 
---------

Etc....etc... 

"Isms" are identifiers to mark a certain ideology or a way of thinking. Ideologies are driven by conceptual constructs derived from cyclical thought in the mind. Ideologies are designed to group a set of ideas and classify and discern from other conceptual constructs. 

It is important to understand ideological constructs. Ideological constructs are constructs of the mind. They do not actually exist in the material world. They emerge from the imagination and cyclical thought. Thoughts float into the human mind like clouds in a sky. They are impermanent and perpetuate more thought. Thought shows value when questioned and not immediately identified with. The complete identification with thought is the departure from presence. The ego perpetuates itself through the distraction of thought and emotion. Ideological constructs observed through passive awareness in the mind, will help facilitate in the growth of self knowledge and humanity. 

What good do isms do for the evolution of human consciousness or progress? 

It is good to see that all ideologies have some sort of "ideal" attached to it or are designed to make you "think" in a certain way. Do isms promote the idea of a fixed mind set? Since isms are constrained to a certain set of rules and regulations, they have limited flexibility in ideological change. 

The key thing to look at is the concept of isms itself. What makes narcissism different than cynicism? What makes anarchism different from communism? 
Obviously, these words all share "ism" in their structural nomenclature. The difference lies in the meaning of the words themselves. Of course, this goes for saying for all words. The word dog has a completely different meaning than the word fire hydrant. 

The effect of isms are the important issue to look at. The problem of isms comes into place when a person or a group of people attach themselves to a certain ideology associated with isms. The identification with isms can let a person relate to another persons method of thinking. From that, people can do things that fit in alignment with the ism without really questioning its legitimacy. The legitimacy of an ism depends on it's success rate when put into an action. 

When a person blindly adheres to an ism, they are subscribing to a fixed mind set that can deteriorate critical thinking, rationality and the ability to reason. The communist identifies with the idea of communism. From there, a communist can seek out other communists based only upon the adherence to communism ( an ideological construct ). 

" I am a communist! "
" Why? " 
" I feel like it is the right thing to do and I agree with the idea of communism." 
" Have you questioned the legitimacy of communism based on facts of reality?" 
" Communism works becaus it is built on good ideas that will benefit everyone!" 

The moment someone identifies with an ism they are separating themself from their authentic self and the humanity of others. The person that classifies another as a socialist or communist, is choosing to label a person as a mythical construct stripped of his or hers humanity. In reality, the person in front of you is a reflection of your contentment or insecurities. Labeling helps to strengthen the ego and illusory separateness. 

Isms are not stupid because calling them stupid serves no value in understanding the legitimacy of isms. Calling anything stupid is a forfeit of argument and plunge into unconsciousness. 

As soon as we start to identify with an ism, we must question its very nature. We must ask these questions: 

Does this ism serve me?
In what way does this ism help me or add value to my life?
In what way do isms hurt me and others? 
Am I subscribing to an ism out of the need to fill a void or combat insecurities? 
Does an ism constrain my ability to think? 
Does an ism create conflict in the way I interact with others? 

An anarchist may not agree with a communist. An anarchist who calls a communist a communist has chosen to adhere to a fixed mind set and seperate from the humanity of the other person. The identification with labels strengthens the self to divide and conquer. 

Progress lies in the questioning of all ideologies. Progress lies in seeing past the illusory conceptual fog that divides people into unconscious and sometimes violent groups. 

Progress lies in the courage and presence you bring to the interaction with others. When you can see past the ideological identifiers, you can be compassionate and dissolve conflict. The rejection of isms is not the key. Bringing awareness to why we identify with isms will shine a light on our unconscious manifestations both on the inside of us and in the real world. 

DG 

Sunday, December 13, 2015

Thursday, December 10, 2015

Wednesday, December 9, 2015

TreBek

Stop trying to find yourself ?

Steve: Hey, what have you been up to? 

Julie: Not Much, just trying to find myself. 

Steve: Excellent! 

----------------------------------------------

It is part of the human experience of growing up. We rise from our youth into adulthood with interest, intrigue and seldom enthusiasm. We are seekers. Seekers of desire, adventure, love and truth. 

When we are freed from childhood, we go forth into higher education, the work force or introspective pondering. Some of us know what we want. Some of us consistently ponder within a haze of uncertainty and insecurity. The river of life carries us when we can surrender to the present moment and go outside of our comfort zones. 

We might take long breaks from employment and schooling to figure out what we want. We put things into terms of desire and marketability. We ask questions that we are begged to ask from society. 

What am I going to do for a living?
How am I going to make money? 
Where do I see myself in 5 to 10 years? 

Are these inquisitive introspective questions important to us? 
Do we often sacrifice our "passions" for more "realistic" and pragmatic paths of certainty? 

We often approach these questions with an intention of desire or "progress". We identify with our passions and goals and incorporate them in with the illusory aspect of finding ourselves. We treat our psyches as if they hold fossilized answers to all of our questions. Simply our passions become distractions from our true being. When you identify with what makes you happy or content in the external world, you may miss the mark on what matters on the inside. 

This being said, it doesn't necessarily mean that you should forgo anything that makes you passionate or happy, but it is important to see them as parts of you. When you identify yourself with an abstract label, you are devoting yourself to a role that isn't all of you. Your passions are a part of you and serve as excellent signs and markers for decisions you could make for the present and future. You can see them as pieces of a puzzle that are not inherently dependent on who you are deep down. 

What is to find yourself? 

To say you are finding yourself is to imply that yourself is not complete or entirely intact. When you rely on an outer factor to determine your well being, you are fooling yourself into false completeness. Your self is always there. It is the life force that does not judge nor criticize. Your self is a product of time and experience. In each moment, you have a complete self that is never godown and therefore does not need to be "found". The self is impermanent and can grow and change when awareness and presence are the shining beams of consciousness. 

Eckhart Tolle posits that you must first "lose yourself to find yourself". This is an inherently true statement because it requires introspection, surrender and awareness to break away the false identifiers and masks in our consciousness. It raises us to question our values, principles and judgments we have been conditioned to from our upbringing. Shining awareness onto the ego dissipates the compulsory need to think that there is more that needs to be found within the mirage of the egotistic self. 

What value does looking inward hold in your life?

Where does presence fit in for living your life? 


When you accept yourself unconditionally at every moment, you will see the beautiful impermance of your being that needs no journey or falsified destination to eventually "get to". 

DG


Thursday, December 3, 2015

Zmubi

Questioning Solutions

A: We need to do something about this gun issue? 
B: why? 
A: This heartless violence needs to stop! 
B: I understand, but what's your solution? 
A: Well, we need stricter laws. 
B: Sure, you think that will take care of the issue? 
A: It's a step ! 
----------------------------------------------

Many of us are driven to solve certain problems by immediately looking for a quick solution. Solutions are a means to an end and a distraction from understanding. Immediately gravitating to a one size fits all solution stems from an insecurity with deeper issues. The answer in clear sight is a deceptive one.

The need to be right stems from ego. When we devote ourselves to an agenda, we put our selves in a false dichotomy of us. Vs them and right vs wrong. What good does this serve us? What good is trying to reason with the unreasonable? 

We seek conclusions as if we are trying to seek some closure. The discomfort of what is stimulate us to gravitate towards change that is for the most part based on ideological thought. The conceptual mind wants us to figure things out that will immediately solve our problems. In issues involving government, politics or immediate life choices, we want to create solutions to give us a sense of hope and drive for our well being. In a practical sense, there are only choices that can be made that will have inherent costs and benefits. 

Solutions in the form of logical responses to scientific or mathematical problems are of course a necessity. Those are not the specific solutions I am talking about. The solutions we project as individuals or in large groups are ways of the brain trying to come to ultimate logical conclusions. Some of these supposed logical conclusions are informed from past experience and cognitive biases we have developed in our minds. When an immediate solution has come to mind, we tend to gravitate based on factors we think we cannot control. It allows us to put a theoretical period at the end of a sentence so the mind can move onto another compulsive thought or an illusory problem to "solve". 

How often do we actual question our solutions?
How many of our solutions are informed by collectivist ideologies and agendas? 
How many times do we face conflict with multiple solutions swimming in our heads? 

It is important to realize that many solutions are often derived from a fixed mindset. A fixed mindset is a static sense of what should be done without considering alternatives or the fluidity of processed thinking. When someone declares that there is only one abstract way to so something, they are putting blinders on to other possible paths. The fixed mindset individual can only see what is within their self interest or the self interest of a group or party. When a person refuses to ask more questions and accept uncertainties of decision making, they are departing from the rational and critical mind. Solutions derived from ignorance hold no value. 

Where should we stand on making accurate and rational solutions? 

See a solution as an abstract that is something that is impermanent and may change due to the data and circumstances. A solution is a good concept to build a back bone in solving a problem. Asking constant questions are the key to getting to the root of all problems. When we see the illusory nature of a solution, we can truly see the broad scope of what needs to be done. True action is birthed from awareness and the ability to separate your authentic self from compulsive thought and cognitive bias. 

DG


Saturday, November 28, 2015

Friday, November 27, 2015

Just hurry up !

Hurry Up! 
Don't delay! 
Don't let this deal pass you by! 
Take heed and seize the day. 
You wouldn't want to miss this. 
Think about how you would feel if you did miss it! 
This door of opportunity only stays open for so long. 
You'll regret not taking advantage of this offer! 

You wouldn't want to feel regret would you? You wouldn't want to pine over the past if you missed this excellent and fruitful opportunity! 

Just think about how much better your life would be with this type of offer. Think of how much more content you will be knowing that you seized the opportunity while it lasted. So why not choose happiness in the future? It's a lot better than feeling regret, isn't it? 

Think of how all your friends may have this offer! Think of how you might be left out! 

Shoulda
Woulda
Coulda

Opportunities come but once a lifetime. You wouldn't want to miss your chance. You wouldn't to live the rest of your life trying to recreate this missed opportunity, would you? 

Too costly? 
Just don't worry about it. You can figure it out later. It will be worth it even if it means a little more debt. You can work that off. You have a job. You have good support. Don't let this offer pass you by! 

Limited time means a limited time. 

So why wait?! 

Take advantage of this deal today!! 

Hurry! 
Before 
This 
Offer 
Passes you
By.........

DG

Saturday, November 21, 2015

You caught me in a good mood.

Hey you, 
You caught me in a good mood. 
It's a nice day in my head and outside.
It is a great moment right now. I would hate if you would see me in a bad mood. It is night and day. So many moods and so many problems... 

( end sarcasm ) 

What are moods? 

- Moods are emotional states that we go through in out life. Moods lie on a wide spectrum. Everything from anger to joy to tired and energized. We tend to fix ourselves in our own moods. We unconsciously lock ourselves into these learned patterns of emotional turmoil. Rarely do we just sit and let the mood pass through. The attachment to a mood is a distraction from our true and authentic selves. 

Mood based behavior is common amongst fellow bipedal hominids. Moods are easy to use an excuse. Moods are easy to latch on to based upon the severity and context of the moment. When we choose to attach ourselves to moods, we are choosing to remain unconscious and not reflect upon our inner turmoil or joy. 

You have to reflect before you project. 

Joy arises when you are present. Joy is a byproduct of being aware and grateful. Anger and discomfort are teachers in disguise. One can simply analyze his or hers internal storm and simply breathe through it and relax. When you relax through conflicting emotions, you let it flow through you. If you resist, the bad mood tends to take over because of your added struggle. 

Emotions and moods are great sign posts to look inward. It is a perfect time to ask yourself questions. It is a perfect time to recenter. It is not a perfect time to point a finger at yourself or others. 

Are you in a bad mood? 
Are you intent on staying in that bad mood? 
Are you using your bad mood as a way to escape from the present? 
Are you letting moods pass and teach you? 
Are you taking responsibility for your moods? 

Suffering arises from the attachment to a mood. It is defining yourself through a fleeting set of chemical reactions. There is great growth when noticing changing moods. Moods are the clouds of your indestructible sky. The illusion becomes apparent when we identify the clouds as ourselves. 

DG


Friday, November 20, 2015

Thursday, November 19, 2015

FutraZ

Why are you so offended ?

So...
Why are you so offended? 
What makes you "feel" offended? 
Is being offended an inaccurate and irrational reaction to the context of the situation? 

Surely most of us have been offended at least a few times in our lives. It's a gritting surge of negativity and adrenaline that takes over us much like rage or anxiety. We keep close ties to emotional subjects that have impacted us or loved ones in the past. We adopt ideological biases that veer us to certain mindsets whether they are rational or not. 

When someone gets offended, their brain and consciousness gets hijacked by fear and wavering emotions. A person can choose to react based on understanding where their offended feelings are coming from. When a person over reacts in a rude and emotional way, they are projecting past wounds and separateness onto the offender. The offended in this case has triggered something deep within the offendee that has not been analyzed or understood. The person offended may try to lash back in an order to preserve his or her moral autonomy and thrust the authoritative mindset onto the offender. 

The offender and the person offended are both at fault for lacking self knowledge and awareness. It is important to know what is good and how we see morality, but when it is conveyed in a violent manner it becomes moot and destructive.

The best thing to do if you feel yourself being offended is to ask yourself this. 

Why am I so offended? 

- This question allows you to open yourself up to the present and relax. It allow you to go in deep to see why you feel such disdain and stress. Surely, you are responsible  for your own actions and reactions. Blaming the offender is an escape from understanding of the self and your authentic being. Taking responsibility is the righteous way to escape the unconscious cycle of blaming.

Once we take responsibility and let negative energy move through us, we can move forward without aggression. When we are present with our feelings, we let them dissolve and transmute into calmness. Being offended holds no value. When we see the inherent destructiveness that perpetuates itself in our lives and society, we can truly make an effort to change and move forward. 

DG 

I'm just sick of your opinions!

Look I have to be real with you. 
I am just so sick of your opinions. Yea you heard me right. I'm constantly bombarded with personal opinions on a daily basis. 

I think this.
You think that. 

I mean it's great. We're all human beings with emotions and all that, but where does this end? What is the value of constantly expressing your opinions on different things? Is there a common ground we can all agree on? 

I think it's time we really evaluate what the value of opinions actually hold. That's just my opinion! 

Most of us operate under some sort if cognitive bias that is influenced by past experiences and what we comsume. We sometimes fall victim to easy persuasion and media manipulation. We gravitate to people with similar opinions and often see ourselves preaching in an echo chamber. How many of us look at opinions in an objective light? How many of us step away from our own biases and analyse them as if they were colorful rocks? 

Are opinions a means to an end? Are your opinions offering a different perspective that might widen the perception and critical thinking of others?
By seeing what value our opinions can offer, we can see how we can grow and spread helpful perspectives among varying mindsets. 

Understanding opinions is a big step in understanding the self and the concept of "I". When you make an opinion and voice it, you are speaking from a place of identity. You are projecting your identity through words and actions. Can an opinion be an expression of an authentic self or can it only be an expression of self interest? 

 "I think this and I am this so I think you should hear what I have to say. " 

When being aware of your opinionated process, you can filter through what has the most weight and value. Is your opinion of the utmost necessity to prove a point or to leave your mark on a conversation or social media post? Why make an opinion in the first place if it may not express any rationality or truth in the first place? 

Opinions mostly derive from the mind. Although an opinion can be derived from past experience, it is filtered through the lense of one individual. This does not mean that opinions cannot be helpful at times. Opinions in the form of advice can aid in more constructive critical thinking for the person asking for advice. A person can accurately assess a person's advice and dissect it in order to fit their needs. In this case, advice exists as an educated opinion filtered through a cognitive bias. 

The subjective spectrum of opinions allow for a great deal of uncertainty and speculation for the real world. Opinions are catalysts for conflict. One person can be so identified with their opinion that they see it as an objective reality. The severe attachment to an opinion is an act of unconsciousness. The identification with an opinion with a delusional attachment to an illusory sense of self. When rationality and common sense wither from a conversation and opinions dominate, there can be no end or resolution. When both parties realize the errors and biases of their own opinions, they can start to make common ground and a path towards reason and truth. 

Opinions are inherently human. Animals and trees do not have any need for opinions. Opinions create the illusion of separateness fueled by the ego. Natural systems are in flow with what is. 

Opinions are part of compulsive thought. They are a never ending cycle that perpetuate itself through experiences and thought itself. Can progress come from this cyclical opinionated madness? An answer to this question would be part of the cyclicl compulsory opinion universe. If you were to analyze this question without immediately trying to find an answer, you would allow yourself to break free from the bind of opinions. You could relax and surrender to the present and dive deeper into your consciousness. What would happen if you didn't have an opinion on this matter? What would happen if you just didn't mind not having an opinion? 

Seeing the opinion process is important in expanding your awareness. The act of trying to completely eliminate opinions would be a resistance to what you are. Being mindful of an opinion will show you the light that your previous opinions have been blocking. The compulsory need to share your opinion will absolve and only be present when you are truly present. 

After all this I ask myself, why am I writing about this? Am I just writing because I have an opinion about opinions? Am I biased in my own opinion of opinions? Could my sense of reality be completely dominated by opinions? I need not seek direct answers on any of these questions. Questioning your own opinions without looking for answers will open you up to the inner connectivity of the universe. How I feel about your opinions is my opinion. When I see your opinion as only an opinion, I can open myself to compassion and understanding. I can divert myself to listening more than trying to just get my point across. I can relax knowing that my opinion of opinions is just an opinion. 

DG


Friday, November 13, 2015

Thursday, November 12, 2015

MeatStack

MeatScape

GlitchNGlitchyMeat

The Inquisitive Questioning of Questions

What are you doing? 

Yes.. Right now.

Are you wishing you were somewhere else? 
Are you enjoying what you are doing? 
Are you present in this moment or focusing on a past or future thought? 

Is that thought more important than what you are doing at this moment? 
Is thinking about what you were thinking about in a past moment a conducive use of your time? 
Does it make a difference if you figure out what you were thinking or feeling in a past moment? 
Does it make you feel guilty or sad when a thought from a past event or action emerges in your consciousness?

Do you try to resist it? 
Why? 
Do you let the thought pass as if it were a storm cloud or do you try so hard to get rid off it and it gets louder? 

Are you meeting all your expectations? 
Right Now? As a whole? 
In the totality of your life? 
Are these expectations derived from goals that have definitive ends? 
Do these goals give you the idea that you will be more "complete" if you accomplish them? 
Do you feel less adequate if you are not aligning yourself with your goals?
Do you feel incomplete at this very moment or even most of the time? 

Do you strive for the approval of others? 
Are you constantly trying to be seen or be approachable? 
Are you kind? 
To yourself?
Does this kindness influence your daily decisions? 
Are you being kind to yourself at this very moment? 

Are you doing what you want to do? 
Yea. Right now? 
Are you doing what you want to do with your life? 
Not sure?
That's ok too. 

Are you motivated by the act of asking questions? 
Do you think asking questions about your intentions and modes of thinking are useful to you? 
Does asking questions open up your mind and awareness?
Does questioning everything in your life organically open the space in your head and the doors of opportunity in your life? 
When you aren't immediately reaching for a solution, does questioning widen your perception? 
Does the idea of uncertainty excite you or turn you off? 
Does the consistent questioning of your inquisitive nature make you question why you are questioning yourself in the first place? 

When you question yourself questioning questions, do you tend to question the questioning of questioning yourself asking questions?

Do questions beget questions?
Do questions never end? 
Will there ever be an answer to the consistent questioning of questions? 
Will questions solve anything?
Does it need to? 

Can questioning truly question the purpose of questioning?

Can I ask you a question?
How are you? 
What are you doing? 
And it it worth answering right now? 

If we stop asking questions and start blindly living, 
Will we ever know the who, what, where and how? 

DG

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Oh no my stuff !

Well would you look at that little trinket there! It's so sparkly and nice. It pairs well with that ceramic cat and old looking scientific books. I can see that you have a very nice living area. 
May I see your closet? 

I'm interested in what you have tucked away. Maybe a few forgotten Christmas presents that you never cared for? Maybe some things that you have can relate you to the past, but you are too afraid or attached to get rid of. 

Where does the stuff play a meaningful part in your life? Do you miss the stuff when you're gone? Do you see the meaning in the mountain of stuff? Is it tucked away inside only to relate to at a later time? 

The new things replace the old things. We can all agree that this is true. We can all agree that our closets are filled to the brim from things of the past we may have bought on a whim. Some of these things hold fond memories. When the things trigger past like warm relapses, the object becomes a rememberance marker. We get emotionally attached to the object and chose to hold onto to it since it has given us some meaning to our life journey. 

These meaningful objects become out environment reminding us the importance of surrounding ourselves with material. This may seem fine and unobtrusive, but how many of us question why we choose to attach ourselves to such objects? Do they become part of ourselves? Are they essential in widening our consciousness and helping us grow? Or do they simply make us feel comfortable and complacent molding us into habitual creatures? 

No matter the historical relevance to your life, stuff is stuff and things are things. When we truly see through the attachment of material, we can learn let go of things that no longer serve us. We can observe these memory containers and detach ourselves from the past and place us in the present. When one or a few of things break, what is our reaction? Do we get sad, hurt and angry? Do we immediately fill ourselves with regret? 

When an object of emotional significance breaks, we have the potential to express gratitude for it and let it go. We can thank the binding attachment of memory itself for allowing us to be more present. For to look inward and see that the past is gone, is to accept the present for what it actually is. You will see the objects as mere aesthetic automotons that we choose to decorate our journey. We can gratefully give away and remove these objects with the gleeful intention of giving us more space for what counts, the space within ourselves. When our inner space is at peace, the outer will reflect it. The objects and stuff of necessity will orgnically manifest itself when your inner stuff is dealt with. 

Your Stuff or my stuff, 
It's all an illusion, 
These material things have lead us to confusion, 
It's the barrier we create and the ego we inflate, 
When we latch on to all these objects,
But consider in fact, 
You will always be intact, 
Even when an object tends to break. 

DG

Sunday, November 8, 2015

ButterFace

Go out of your way

Where do you stand on comfort in your life? 
Do you gravitate towards comfortable places, situations and people? 
Do you seek comfort in material and warm thoughts?

In our industrialized society, we search for  things that make our lives more convenient. We tickle our pleasure sensors with instant gratification, molding our lives around ease and expediency.  If some of us are approached with a situation that includes more creative thought and effort, we freeze up or tend to go down a negative spiral. We have been socially conditioned to expect things to go the way they were expected. Easy. On Time. Transient. Thoughtless. Unconscious. 

How do we deal with discomfort? 
Do we see discomfort as a signal to immediately escape the situation or feeling or do we see discomfort as a way to learn to grow? 
When we let go of resistance and flow with the uncomfortable moment at hand, we allow ourselves to relax and be attentive to what needs to happen. 

When step out of our own way, the way of habit and routine, we allow ourselves to be present with the unseen. We get out of our own way and go out of our way to explore and discover new territories. Consciously going out of our own way allows spontaneity and creativity to blossom and come into a hearty and vulnerable fruition. 

It has been shown that taking different routes while driving or walking has a fundamental impact on our neurological wiring. When we stray from predictability and routine, we can open our lives new fresh and new perspectives.

You have to go out of your way to go out of your way. Shake it up. Let obstacles and worldly challenges be teachers for your growth in consciousness. Let the discomfort of the situation to inform and guide you. This is much like much of the teachings of Marcus Aurelius. He said that the obstacle is the way. Non resistance and recognition of what is will surely add spice into your consciousness soup. 

Take a moment to get a friend flowers or a piece of fresh fruit. Go out of your way to show a close one you care by the thoughtful action and discourse from your banal life routines. Let yourself walk with no direction and breathe with conviction. Going out of your way is a valuable intention.

DG

Friday, November 6, 2015

Thursday, November 5, 2015

The Trend Wave

There it is!
You see it?!
Look! look! 

Wait... 

You missed it!
What did you miss you say? 

Well it was the Trend Wave?
What is the Trend Wave you ask? 
I'll tell you....

The Trend Wave is the vacant and transient permeation of what is popular and what is forced upon us in our society. It comes and goes with peaks and valleys. It begs you to stare at it with its flashy colors and mystical seductive charm. It gives the illusion that by participating in a vapid consumerist cycle, you have the potential to be liked and to fit in with all the snooty cool kids. It gives you the idea that by simply acquiring material, one can better his or herself and earn the accolades of their peers. 

Each trend wave is even more bombastic and short as the one before it. It strikes like a snake and fades quickly like an ice cube on a hot plate. It tries its best to cater and appeal to your sub conscious and hidden inner demons. I mean who doesn't want to fit in? Who doesn't want to confirm? I mean why not enjoy it while it lasts? 

You have to stay on point with what is happening. If you miss the latest trend wave you will certainly fall behind and risk being uncool. You'll embarrass yourself in front of your most hip of friends and colleagues. It takes great vigor and investment to be able to afford to be part of the mass consumerist pop culture. It takes a special sense of worry to discipline your mind in dulling itself in order to support the money machine. Just think how hip and fresh you could be at the coolest of cocktail parties. Think of how many opportunities for compliments and reassurance you will get from your friends! 

The Trend Wave is coming,
Coming our way, 
We must certainly not let ourselves stray, 
What's trendy may mend me, 
It may certainly send me, 
Into a state of content,

I'm fully aware, 
That my like is a share, 
Of a bigger material complex, 
I must support this regime, 
And feed this machine,
So that I can free myself from worry. 

I'm a slave to what's cool, 
I most certainly don't drool, 
And all my devices are updated currently, 

Just as long as I know what's new, 
My life won't go askew, 
I'll get the newest gadget, 

I'll let the old things decay, 
And you best stay away, 
From my latest and greatest purchases, 

I'll surround my life with the trends and that's how I'll make my friends, 
And I'll stay with this tingly sensation, 

What's that you say? 
There's a new way to pray? 
It involves spending most of my money? 

Well sign me up for the best thing, 
It sounds interesting, 
Ill take you up on your product, 

I'm riding this wave and looking to stay,
For the next big glittering distraction, 

My blind complacency and desires will soon conspire and take over my human reaction. 

DG

Don'TKnow

Wake Up, Slow Down

You wake up ready to go!
Ready to execute the tasks that will fill up your day! 
With determination and vigor you go through your morning routine. You follow past patterns and go through the motions. Out the door you go! 

Time is money ain't it? 
It's your imperative to successfully complete tasks in a given 24 period is it not?
Maximum efficiency. 
Maximum productivity.
Maximize multitasking. 

Go. Go. Go. 
Keep moving. 

Where has the time gone? 
Where has your day gone? 

It seemed to have vanished before your eyes. You were meaningfully preoccupied. At least that is what you think. But who am I to decide? 

You were too busy or slow down.
Too busy to reevaluate your decisions. Surely you were just operating under learned habits and the drive to complete menial tasks. 

They say that time flies by when you are having fun. Why is that? Why do we see time as a means of completing errands and floating from one thing to the next? Why have we not explored the elasticity of time itself? We fight against the clock to accomplish things that we think will sustain us or even just temporarily reward our monkey mind in the moment at day's entirety. 

Let's explore the elasticity of time shall we? How can we escape a regimented schedule and really let time flow organically with the way we do things? 

Where does stopping( and sitting or standing) factor in our days?
Where does concentrating on our breathing and watching our thoughts fit into our daily routine? 
You must be aware of the concept of time itself. You must be conscious of your own perspective and rat race. 

When you slow time......
You can....
GROW time! 

When you are aware of what you are doing and align it with the present moment, you are experiencing the totality, fullness and potential of time. Time doesn't turn into a race from one location to another. It doesn't focus on the menial means to an end completions you are use to in the modern rat race of society. 

In each moment you have the potential to calmly respond and react to what needs to get done. Your awareness can guide you into making decisions in concert with the rest of your day. You can pick up the metaphysical paddle and flow with the river of life. The tasks and unseen problems that manifest in your day are like the waves against your invisible kayak. You have the choice to peacefully and artfully react with those waves or panic like an animal and stress out. It is the small moments that allow for opportunity and growth that will shed light and ease us through time. 

These small moments to recenter ourselves are the most important in really appreciating and experiencing time. It is not a necessity to see time as a competitor when you are flowing with it. Of course, this takes practice. Let time be a teacher and let time be a catalyst for meditation. You are a part of time. When you allow yourself to surrender to the construct of time, you allow yourself the freedom to experience more of the unknown. The unknown has the best discoveries and lessons. Who wouldn't want to experience such treasures? 

When you can slow down you can see the true value of time. You can see through the fog and see the importance of what is. Executing tasks will come with ease. 

So what do you do when you wake up?

Breathe 
Focus on that breathing and slow yourself down. 
Do this until you feel a calmness rush through you. 
When you feel the sense of ease, evaluate what you need to do for the day. 

It truly helps to write things out. 
What is of most priority will stand out to you.

Do.
Not.
Rush.

Let things unfold. Sometimes a decision is not meant to be forced.
Feel your intuition. 
Knowing is feeling.

Recenter when you feel the need to rush. 
Calm.

Reassess.

Wake up! 
Slllloowwwwww Dddooowwwwnn

DG


Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Just trying to live my life over here

Hey don't mind me. 
I'm just living my life over here!

Sure it may seem strange. I like to do jumping jacks while whistling home on the range. 

Sure I may seem "weird" while I collect some leaves and make a fake beard. I can assure you I'm sane even when I get excited and dance in the rain. 

I can assure you that everything is ok. I prioritize things that make me want to play. 

Feel free and come up and talk to me. I can assure you that I may or may not mention broccoli. It's one of my favorite vegetables and it can go a long way. I sometimes prepare it with beans at the end of the day. 

When's the last time you danced? 
In a shopping mall or in a park? 
Maybe in daylight or in the dark? 
Was there music going on or did you dance to your own song? 

When's the last time you talked to a tree? 
Did it make your conscience feel a lot more free? Did the tree's nature make you believe that all things in the universe have the potential to make you see? Possibly see through the things that were originally unseen? Did you see through the things that were making you mean?

Sure I may stand out from a bunch of people, but my spirit is free and my dance is the steeple. I like to take deep breaths and recite the alphabet. I like to pretend like I'm swimming on a pool in an imaginary jet. Like the Innocence of a child I can never forget, how important it is to learn from regret. 

Have you looked at the person across the aisle, 
As you look for cereal in a uniform style? 
Have you locked eyes with a stranger,
Knowing that there is no immediate danger? 

Don't mind me I'm just living my life over here. I have no interest in interrupting yours. I may throw a right jab of unpredictability into your world, but I can assure you that I won't get you boiled. 

Spontaneity is my name, 
Unpredictability is my game, 

You can watch me all you want, but don't take it for granted. You can inspire others after I have ranted. You don't have to listen, but I hope your day is enlightened. I hope you can breathe deeply and your perspective is less tightened. After all your life is not much of my concern, but I can assure you that I don't want you to crash and burn. 

Just be present like I do and you just might see, 
That every problem in your life, 
Is just a creation,
From an illusory,

ME!!

DG

Friday, October 30, 2015

Thursday, October 29, 2015

It has taken control

It has taken control, 
You're mesmerized by media,
It has taken control, 
The constant unconscious scrolling, 
It has taken control, 
Conversations are interrupted, 
You are losing control, 
You're driven by compulsion, 
You think they might care,
So you take a pic or video,
And quickly hit share, 
Compiling together a long string of imagery, 
That feeds the mind and keeps your from misery, 
The mystery of the moment is immediately lost, 
And your presence has created a pretty big cost, 

Sure you would like to stay connected, 
But you fail to see how your life might be affected, 
Boredom is our enemy,
Thank god for your phone,
To deliver you from evil of an unsettling tone,
Just sitting and relaxing has become so obscured,
We would much rather prefer an useless cure,
For the escape of self knowledge and inner discovery, 
We stay on the surface with increasing drudgery, 

Compulsion drives the horse that runs in circles, 
It makes us believe that we need to be whirled, 
A like has the right to please our dopamine sensors,
And we love to connect at any measure, 
But we have lost with what we need most? 
A community of helpful individuals either to grow? 
Where short interactions are in no need of demand and meaningful conversations make us take a stand, 
For the things that mean most have been lost in a web, 
And technology has tricked us to stay in our head, 
It may seem like a struggle to change, 
But the obstacle ahead is merely the way,
It takes small steps, but each of them are huge, 
Going against the status quo, 
Will ring to be quite true, 

So has it taken control after reading this piece, 
Or are you starting to realize this imaginary disease, 
Humanity is right here whenever you need it, 
It just all depends on what you choose to feed it. 

DG

Halt

Nomad inktober


I think I know what's best for you

Hey you!
Yes, you ! 
I think I know what's best for you! 
I think it's true, but do you?
Do you even think you know what is best for yourself? I doubt it. You're trapped in your own head. Sure you have personal responsibility, but do you have the drive and the vigor to better yourself? Do you have the self awareness to analyze and learn in order to progress as a smarter ad healthier human being ? 

Why do I think I know what is best for you? 

Well certainly I know what is best for myself. Don't I? Do you think that you know what is best for me? I mean if I simply think that I know what is best for you, isn't that enough to validate my own view? In fact I think that you should listen to me as I lay out what is best for you. I can assure you that what is best for you will be best for me as well. 

Why even take the time to convince you that I know what is best for you? 

I am convinced through my logical and rational thinking that my experiences and compound knowledge sees a bigger picture that you see. I mean you can only see yourself in a mirror and judge your actions from the viewpoint of your own mindset, correct? I have a different perspective that might enlighten you in how you could improve yourself. Certainly you could ignore me. Certainly you could ostracize yourself from me and not listen to what I have to say. What would that do exactly? Wouldn't you be walking away from the potential of improving yourself? Who would want to ignorantly walk away from betterment? Certainly not I! 

I can assure you that what I think is best is for the "greater good". Not only will my thoughts influence your thoughts, but my it will change the way you think and live life. It will open you up in ways that you would have never have dreamt. How can I prove to you that I know what is best for you? 

Well I cannot right now, but I can promise you with reward and wisdom. I can convince you that the sacrifices I think you should take will override your personal sovereignty and be better for the entire world. I can tell you how I will do things for you such as give you free gifts and promise you entitlements. I will offer you happiness in the future. Forget about the illusory concept of happiness now! Happiness is on the other side of what I have to say and what I think you should do. You hear me? 

I think I can lead you. You could be a great follower. My benefit will be your benefit. We shall share benefits. I shall grant you benefits. I can mold you into a leader that can create more leaders. I will teach you the importance of obedience and discipline. I will promise you the eventual reward of competency and equality. Stay with me. Walk with me. Eat from the bowl that I cook. 

All I need is your undivided attention. When you listen, I will offer you a path that you cannot refuse. I will persuade you to act out certain things that I think are best for you. Since I know what is best for you, all actions are justified and what you think becomes invalid. Remember, that obedience is an importance virtue. Remember that the betterment of the whole between you, me and the others take precendence over what you want. Think of the children. Think of the future of the world. 

You will realize that the simple thought that arose in my mind that led me to think I know what is best for you, is correct. It is the light and the way. My experience supercedes your experience. My thoughts hold more weight than your thoughts. Your right may be my wrong and that is ok. Your rights shall be granted by me and my concept of wrong will influence your sense of morality. It is not what you think is right in your conscience, it is about what I think is right for you and me. If your sense of right does not match up with mine, you shall shamed and fined. Trust me. It will be a lesson in obedience and overall morality. My sense of morality is the right sense of morality. 

I now shall become your ruler. I think I know what is best for you. The best way for me to show this is to rule you. I grant myself to rule you. Are you ok with this? Have I convinced you otherwise? If you think that I cannot be your ruler, than I must enforce it since my perspective holds more weight than yours. I have been blessed with the ability to rule. It is my responsibility to keep my people in check and in compliance with my demands.

Since I know what is best for you, I will need some money from you. I can assure you that it is a good idea. I will make good use of your money for what I think is best for you. This will free up your mind in not worrying too much about yourself. No reason to really worry about yourself when I have your back right? Just sit down, listen and follow my directions. I will just need some of your time and money. I promise not to take too much. It is for the betterment of how I think your like should operate. 

Don't want to give me money? 
That's fine. I can find a way to get it from you. I mean why won't you trust me? I can give you so many things? I can offer you so much reward. Sure you may have to make some sacrifices, but from the goodness of your heart why can't you see the truth in what I am saying. Follow me and I will forgive you of your past transgressions. 

So are you in or are you out? 
Do I have your consent to take control?
Have I made a case to gain your trust? 

Since I think I know what is best for you I am going to go ahead and just take charge. The people that will follow me will help me get more followers willingly or unwillingly. Don't worry. Just relax and rejoice in the revolution. You can join us or fight back. 

Do you think you know what is best for me? 

Well I don't think so. I think I'll peacefully walk away and have a cup of tea. 

DG

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Presence over productivity

Busy! Busy! Busy! 

We are socially conditioned as young people that we need to be an asset or contribute something worthwhile to society. Our economy and culture influences us to be production machines and focus our hard work and energy on all things productive. That is our modus operandi. 

Not getting enough done? 
Not fulfilling your inner drive to produce more content for people that may or may not take the time to look at it? 

Sure you get up early and hit the grindstone with illuminated motivation, but what are you actually doing? How are you contributing anything important?

Quantity over quality.
In this high speed rat race social media influenced tornado Goliath, our productivity takes the front seat in determining our general well being. It's all about completed a never ending to do list to keep the mind and attention busy. The mind is pleased by all the pleasant and non-pleasant distraction that radiates like a beacon from the exhausted mouse on the wheel in your head. 

When you find a time in your day where there is a lull what do you do? 

Do you reach for your phone? 

Do you immediately try to escape the boredom landscape in your head and try to distract your lack of attention and awareness with something else? 

The mind tries to convince you that it must be continually busy. It perpetuates thought after thought. 

The mind asks: 

What should I being doing right now? 
What do I beed to finish?
Do I need to go to the grocery store? 
Do I have enough supplies for work tomorrow? 
Should I do laundry soon? 

All these questions are some sort of distraction in a sense. It is the lack of awareness and self knowledge that perpetuates the compulsive thought that so drives us and society. We feel like we have an obligation to keep working and to keep producing.

Why can't we sit still? 
Why can't we stand straight and watch the theatrics of humanity unfold before our eyes? 

Most of out consumerist based product economy is based upon tangible objects and transitory distractions. There is an app for that! Here, look at this new gadget! Don't you want it?! I mean look at all the things it can do for you ! 
What does add to our general well being? 

Each day we ( the general population) focus on doing and getting things done. We are trained to compete and complete. We feel we must meet a certain productivity standard in order to fulfill our happiness and sense of contentment. This is a trap! This will only perpetuate itself with more power! 

When compulsive thought is the driving factor in motivating action without awareness, it is of the mind and not directed towards internal growth. This truth will help you realize the legitimacy and value of your so called productivity. Take a deep breath and step back! 

How many projects do you have going on? 
How many are necessary? 
How many are just in place to fulfill your monkey mind and perpetuate more unconscious doings? 
What are the most important things?
What are you the most PASSIONATE about ?!

When you are present, you make the necessary space both internally and externally to accomplish what needs to be done. You flow without hesitation. You use your attention and drive to accomplish things in an orderly fashion without worrying it will get done. The mere concept of productivity becomes a useless construct. When you are pursuing productivity only for the sake of productivity, you are deceiving yourself and depriving yourself from well being and awareness. 

Are you busy for the sake of being busy? 
Are you busy because you think you should? 
Do you feel guilty when you aren't busy? 
Do people criticize you on your work ethic? 
Do you feel like it is never enough? 

These are all questions you must ask yourself. Presence must take priority over productivity. When presence enters consciousness, contentment, conviction, and intention drive what needs to get done. If a pressing deadline needs attention, you must recenter yourself. Breathe in a couple of times and let the answers unfold. Understand that the obstacle is the way and that distraction will happen. Learn from the experience of getting things done. With presence comes efficiency and knowledge. With presence comes the immediacy to accept what is and complete what is not. 

DG

Inku


Friday, October 23, 2015

Morning Meditation

Alright here we go.. 

Breathe 
Gratitude 
Focus on the breathing. 
In and out. 
In and out through the nose. 
Counting to 5 and release. 
Oh yea, smile. 
Can't forget to smile. 
Should I have my eyebrows raised? 
Ok, well, no not important. 
Alright, so breathing yes, back to breathing. 
Where was I? Was I counting? 
Should I keep count or just do this till I am done? 
Wait, when will I know when I'm done? 
I should have set an alarm. 
But wait that could have just messed everything up if I was in some deep meditation. When do I finish? 
Ok yea,
Back to breathing, 
1....2...3....4....5
breathe out. 
Oh crap gotta get some creamer today and maybe some incense and rice. 
Gotta make some food for the next few days since eating out gets so expensive. 
Ok, what else for today?
Oh wait I'm suppose to be breathing. I can think about this later. 
Breathing in, breathing in, 
I haven't checked my bank account in a few days...wonder where it's at. Shoot, do I have enough money for food? 
Aye, I hope so... 
Ok I was breathing out right? 
Or was I breathing in? 
----------/
Ok I'll start over. I'll breathe in for 6 and hold for 5. Then I'll breathe out for 8. That seems reasonable right? 
Ok here goes. 
123456
12345

That wasn't so bad.
Ok here we go again... 
Breathing in, Breathing in, 

( Phone Rings ) 

Oh I wonder who that is? 
I should just let it ring. 
But it's early... Could be important. 
Ok, I should get it. 


END MEDITATION 

Thursday, October 22, 2015

I'm not "We".

There are many logical and appropriate ways to use the word "we" in conversation and speech. It is readily apparent that this word can be conflated and used to manipulate and deceive people. 

"We" is essentially a constructed abstract. It is not something that is tangible or that exists as a solid state. There are only individuals that choose to voluntarily assign themselves to cooperatives and groups. Although cooperation is extremely beneficial and important, the We abstract can distract individuals and hinder the awareness of personal sovereignty and responsibility. 

Some fallacious examples of the word we are as follows. 

We need free healthcare in this country. 
We all need to step up and create change. 
We won that game against your team. 

Sometimes the word we operates under and assumption of what the individual thinks is best for the abstract concept. It creates a false Us vs. Them dichotomy that creates one false abstract working against another false abstract. People that use "We" in the wrong way use it to force their ideologies amongst like minded or non convinced individuals. Can a person really know what is best for a collective or group? Can a person use we to motivate others to follow what they think is "right" for the others? 

We can create a destructive behavior called Group Think. Group Think allows individuals to band and think together with the guise of a common good or motivation. It is common in political parties and sports. It supports the idea that an ideology can drive people to make decisions that can be destructive to people that do not subscribe to their particular ideas or beliefs. Group Think allows for the individual to deny his or hers personal sovereignty and sacrifice it for the benefit of an unquestioned collectivist ideal. 

Do we have the ability to cooperate and understand the uniqueness and value of individuals? Yes. 

Humans are innately social creatures that must cooperate in order to survive. This is a fact of reality. Understanding this without trying to force values or ideologies on a person is important. When we assign ourselves to a group that says it knows what is right, we are escaping out empathic human makeup. 

One can simply think that they know what is best for the benefit of individuals, but if it is not reasonable or backed by violence it becomes nothing of value. Individuals that cooperate voluntarily with certain explicit and understand values will know that "We" evolves out of personal interest, compassion and empathy. 

Using We to persuade others to comply or follow you is fallacious. It operates under assumptions that you know what is best and right for the people you're talking to. Sure some of it can be based in reality. We are all made up of cells. We are all living on earth. This is a fact of reality not an agenda being forced upon you with collectivist notions. When a person uses we to try to make a point in proving their agenda without reason or evidence, it is vacant manipulative behavior. 

An important thing to consider is how and why we use the word "we". Especially word pairings such as "we should" and "we need". What makes us use these word combinations? Is it social conditioning forced upon us in our lives? 
Take in consideration why you are using that word in the first place. How does it add value to the speech and what does it say about your character? 

What is we actually? 

"We" are individuals cooperatively living and sustaining each other emotionally, physically, indirectly and directly. We understand and accept the opinions and beliefs of others and choose how we react to them. We share the equality that none of us aren't inherently equal, but require similar needs for survival. We give and get back in return. We are responsible for our actions. We strive to improve and sustain. We understand that community arises from the growth of self knowledge and inner awareness. The inner reflects the outer. 

We all share consciousness and embrace subjectivity and objectivity. We collectively experience the outside world through various lenses and perspectives. We are a global community that can choose to divide, conquer or commune based on our presence. When we are present, we are truly ourselves and we are truly we. 

DG

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Tuesday, October 13, 2015

No Pain, some gain

We've all heard these sayings.

No pain, No gain 

And 

Pain is weakness leaving the body. 

What value do these sayings give us?
Is is necessary to always go through pain to achieve a certain goal? Is it to be expected that people trying to achieve the same goal need to go through a certain quantified amount of pain to get to a certain level of satisfaction? 

We see people in solid careers spouting on how much stress and pain they have had to go through to get where they are at now. They feel a sense of accomplishment with pulling through the bad times and get a sense of entitlement with their current position. They think that it is necessary for a person to go through the same amount of grueling pain. This certainly an untrue fallacy. It is appealing to antiquity and subscribing to a toxic sense of though that sees everyone as equals with out regard for inherent advantages and disadvantages. 

A comedian may make up a concept in their head that all comics must suck at first and go through constant rejection and discomfort. This is a cookie cutter ideology that assumes a fixed way of doing something. A person could start out at open mic and completely kill with his jokes. He could somehow appear on a night where an established comedian will help him along. Meanwhile, a couple other comedians are bombing and doing constant open mics with little to no reward. The less fortunate comedians may see the naturally funny guy as doing something deceptive or even unfair. They appeal to emotion and fit themselves in an elusive and illusory thought structure. 

There cannot be one path one size fits all solution for everyone. Some will see pain as a necessary growth mechanism to further success. While it is true that pain can lead to growth and strength, simply prescribing people to the fact that they must feel pain is extremely fallacious. 

One can go about by telling people about  their past experiences in order to teach other people what they learned, but they cannot enforce an ideology that says it must be a certain way. A person can take another person's experience and use it to make their similar path more efficient or smarter.

The truth of the matter is is that there will always be inherent and unseen advantages and disadvantages in each persons personal path. Some may start out at 2 and others will start out at zero. Some may have a concept in their head that a certain amount of time or work will get a certain and justified result. Some people will use their suffering to stroke their ego and make them feel more entitled to things than others. Understanding real world situations will help you and others recognize the amazing diversity and uncertainty that exists in the universe. 

Doing the dishes can save your life

There you are. 
Looking at a sink full of dirty dishes. 
When did it come to that point ? 
What does the lack of cleanliness reveal about our internal landscape? 

We have been conditioned to comfort and convenience. We think that putting off things will be fine in the long run. Some of us just never learned to be more aware of how we treat our kitchen, our bedrooms and all the things we live with on a day to day basis. What does the lack of maintenance say about what is going on in our heads?

The striving for convenience has lead to a build up of inconvenient things. For example, when you choose to put off the dishes, you are allowing yourself to more arduous work in the future. Food hardens and is harder to scrub off the more you put it off. Wouldn't the simple act of cleaning as you go or right after you eat be more efficient and beneficial towards your mental health?

It is easy to slip into habits and give ourself comforting excuses that let us off the hook. Maybe you had a bad day or maybe you are too full or exhausted to even think about exercising such a laborious task. When we base all necessary and cleanly things that need to be done off of our moods then it allows us to become stagnant and irresponsible.

A simple act of doing the dishes can be meditative. Bear with me. When you are aware of the fact that doing the dishes in an efficient manner can help you in the long run, you grow. Each time you practice doing the dishes as soon as you eat or as you cook, you are allowing yourself to be more present and improve your health. The outer world is indeed a reflection of your inner space. 

You can take this metaphor of the dirty dishes and apply it to many things in your life. Procrastination is a particularly nasty devil that makes you think that putting off important things are simply "ok". It tricks you and creates anxiety for you when things build up or are pressed for time. You could have had time to do other leisurely things, but the daunting task of dishes stands in your way. You could want to cook, but are turned off since it will take more work to clean up the dishes now than before it got to mess it is now. 

When you see dish washing as an opportunity to be more present, you eliminate the idea that is is suppose to be a laborious and daunting task. You can create a healthy atmosphere both mentally and physically for your future and current self when you choose to keep things clean and tidy. 

It is kinda like that cleanliness is next to godliness phrase. We have all heard that haven't we?

Do the dance of the dishes, 
And clean off your plate, 
You'll indeed see the logic of your fate,
When you let things go neglected,
Your conscience may reject it, 
And put it off to the side, 

When you know what's good for you, 
The right things will ring true, 
And you'll take on the task with courage, 

With time you'll know why, 
Things can go awry, 
By simply choosing to neglect them, 

With such piece of mind, 
You'll breathe just fine, 
Knowing you're taken care of. 

And without strife, 
You'll wash the fork and knife, 
Knowing that the simplest act of dishwashing, 
Could quite possible save your life! 

DG