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Thursday, March 31, 2016

It's that pure clean cut energy

It's that pure clean cut energy,
The kind your find around you,
Inside you, 
Infinite power giving, 
Cycling and recycling, 
The kind you can reconnect with at every breath and every second. 
The kind that transforms you and engages you,
The kind that invigorates and amazes you, 
That white light inside of you.

Not resistance, but it's persistence, 
The ability to turn and change, 
The ability to accept and rearrange, 
It's the centering ghost,
That lives and strives, 
With ease,
With the gratitude of being alive, 

The great alignment, 
Aligns you with the present, 
Aligns you with your being, 
Locking you in place to see under the veil, 
To meet with compassion, 
To greet with kindness, 
To speak with oneness, 

That life force that keeps you going, 
That life force that helps with knowing, 
The seeds that go on sowing, 

That feeling under the muck, 
Away from Amok, 
Not stuck, 

It's that constant push and pull, 
That release you need, 
That effortless speed, 
It's here, 
It's ready, 
It's always there when the heart is steady, 
Through the madness it thrives, 
Untouched, 

It lives, 
It gives, 

Through every breath
You consciously take. 

DG

Deliberate Posting

Social media runs rampant in our modern society. We keep connections with people far away and within our close circles. We use it to post our thoughts, jokes, news and enlightening memes.

Through my experience, I have found that some people use it as a tool of expression. It turns into a thought and feeling transmitter to the internet universe.They take the pleasure in posting as if the whole world is their audience. What is really going on? 

Are they using statuses as a type of therapy so they don't have to hold in all their frustrations? Are they posting to vent? Are they posting to show gratitude? Are they posting to just feel some type of connection? 

Some people post with the subconscious intention of trying to get affirmation or likes so their dopamine receptors buzz like tiny massage elves. It becomes a habit. As if the rat is constantly pushing that button for "more drugs", " more pleasure." We give ourselves the illusion that some people care about what we are thinking. We tend to post before we think. It becomes an immediate action that comes from the unchecked insecurities in all of us. Maybe some people are, but why involve yourself in what other people think? What's the return on that investment? 

It would be possible to critique the negligence and unconsciousness of what people post, but it is important to be proactive in how we can mindfully use social media. Social media is a tool that can be used for good and teach us how we can improve our lives with technology.
 
We can change the compulsory nature of consistent posting and place it towards intentional action. We can make a space in ourselves to deliberately look at why and what we are posting. Think of it as a filter that allows you to analyze and be critical of your thought processes. Not condemning. Not judging. It involves being more of a witness to your thoughts. It involves being present and aware. 

Some questions to ask: 
Does this post serve in bringing about growth or awareness in myself or others?

Does this post have the potential enrich ones life with humor or compassion? 

Does this status allow for better connection among other people on social media? 

Does this post polarize, judge or condemn the actions of another human being?

Does this post give me a false sense of self? 

Am I posting just to see how many likes I can get? 

Am I posting because I give myself the impression that I am witty or clever?

Does this post do more harm than good?

Will this post act as a teacher or further in growth of my inner awareness? 

Am I posting to cover up an insecurity or escape a bad thought or memory? 

Am I posting my private matters and what is the benefit to yourself or others?

Are you posting for a plea for help? 

Are you posting because you feel a lack of affection, connection or loneliness?

Is this post made out of compulsion or is it intentional? 

Is this post a representation of my authentic self? 

You could keep asking yourself these questions. You could just keep posting without thinking about it. You could post because you think it gives you temporary relief from your stresses. You could keep posting because it allows you to cope with the "real world". 

The important thing is to start with yourself. Set your intention. If that intention aligns with your presence and authentic being, a post of gratitude would be of great benefit. 

You get what you GIVE. 

DG

Saturday, March 26, 2016

March Madness

January Jammed 
February Ferver 
March Madness 
April Apathy 
May Malaise 
June Jeer 
July Jest 
August Agony 
September Stagnation 
October Okayness
November Nostalgia 
December Drudgery 

Let's try that again...

January Joy 
February Folly 
March Marvelous 
April Amazement 
May Magnificence 
June Jamboree 
July Jiving 
August Awesomness 
September Stilness 
October Om
November Niceness 
December Depth 

All in the tude', dude! 

DG

Sorry, but you say sorry too much

You ever catch yourself saying sorry to small flubs or mistakes you make that involve other people? 

Sometimes you might deliver some misinformation or have a misunderstanding with someone's point of conversation. Your reaction to your mistakes may be followed with a quick apology without thinking about it. It almost becomes automatic because you use apologies as a way to escape the insecurity of the moment. It becomes an unconscious/ involuntary knee jerk reaction that may not hold much value. 

Surely there are times that apologies are necessary. We may have hurt someone in the heat of the moment or acted under some unconscious and unchecked state of mind. Real apologies allow us to acknowledge our reactions and actions and allow us to take responsibility and grow. 

When we use sorry too much, it becomes an unconscious habit that prohibits us from encountering our insecurity. We use it as a defense mechanism. We use it as a way to comfort ourselves and the other person. We cannot control the reactions of other people especially when our actions are not intentionally manipulative or malicious. When we use "sorry" too many times for too many small fumbles, we water down the necessary sorries in our lifetime. 

It is important to really catch ourselves on our "automatic sorries" so we can grow from it and really become more aware of our surroundings. When we bring presence to our situations, we can truly see how we act when we aren't "looking". 

Apologizing can allow us to let go and to move on and connect with the present and our innate human nature. It is an amazing tool, but unchecked can make is into groveling unconscious automotons motivated through guilt and shame. Accept those small flubs. Accept those small mistakes and bad jokes. If someone gets hurt by something you did unintentionally. Show compassion. Investigate. Ask them how you can improve in future interactions. 

Turn that little sorry into a big lesson.

DG

It's all about discovery !

Take a moment to sit and realize that everything in front of you that was man made in someway, was manifested by discovery. That's right! This world around you has arisen from imagination.
Those buildings, those cars, those finely packaged candy bars, those outdoor sculptures, that bench, that playscape etc.

These "objects" are merely reflections of the inner through action. It emerged as an idea. The seed grew with great intention. It succeeded in being built and realized in the real world. It went through many stages, changing, evolving and improving until it got to be the way it is today. Where was that initial spark? The amazing catalyst that allowed for a person to create directly from their imagination. 

Some ideas simply come out of nowhere or hit you like a ton of bricks. Some ideas simply take time for it to seed and subtly holds your attention when you become ready. It is fascinating the wide range of ideas that spring forth from different levels of consciousness. All sprouting from the depths of the human mind. Is all this a product of evolution and the evolution of consciousness? 

Sometimes people execute ideas for the sole intention of making money. This doesn't make an idea any less remarkable, but sometimes the execution  of the idea could create some harmful or unintended circumstances. This is however, necessary for future discovery. We must uncover the unseen of all ideas to progress forth to the proliferation of new and better ideas. 

Just like music, each idea emerges from the stillness of the human consciousness. The improvisation of an idea allows for the gears to produce unforeseen ideas and circumstances. It is all connected. The thought of a bad or unsuccessful idea is directly connected to the proliferation of a new and better idea. Understanding the process of discovery allows the unconscious to become conscious. The subconscious subtly gives us clues to what is coming next. It foreshadows that trial and error are necessary for refining new thought processes and awareness. 

Each intentional idea and action arises from the unknown and the unplanned. This is why you get good ideas when you aren't thinking to hard about it. You go for a walk or take a shower and an "Aha" type of moment arises. By not focusing so much attention on your intention, you allow your brain to discover the unforeseen. When we allow open space for ideas, we allow ourselves to accept and listen to them with clarity and awareness. 

Think of all the undiscovered ideas that have yet to come into being. Think of the infinite potential that our consciousness holds. Think about committing yourself to being open. To being a sponge. To listening. To taking different paths. To being an antenna for new and profound opportunities and ideas. To being flexible. To challenging rigidity and routine. 

When we can learn to "let go", we can learn to accept the now and allow internal and external growth to flourish. 

Accept yourself unconditionally at this very moment. Every moment. See where you flow when you can let the judgment go and the acceptance to flow. 

DG

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Some of my favorite platitudes

Here are some of my favorite platitudes! 

It is what it is. 
You win some, you lose some. 
Take it or leave it. 
Been there, done that. 
You can't win them all.
We all make mistakes. 
Better luck next time! 
He got what he deserved! 
When in Rome...

It will be ok. 
It's all downhill from here.
Never say never. 
We all hurt sometimes. 
It will be over soon. 
Well, bananas be yellow. 
Boys will be boys. 
You just never know. 
Everyone is doing yoga! 
Well so the river goes..
Some of us never change.

The tapioca pudding always seems luke cold. 
Did you try the tomato bisque? 
Things will always be things.
Stuff be Stuff.
Do you have a chance to talk about our lord and savior, Samsonite? 
Well, Trees have several limbs..
Heat rises
Let the wind blow
Blackjack ain't my pappy's game
Well, Pluto was once a planet.

Aim high and shoot for the dwarf nebulas!


Saturday, March 19, 2016

Name Calling: No more emotional manipulators

A: He is saying a lot of things and he only talks about himself. 
B: That is because he is an idiot. 

Why do we still call people names?
Haven't we learned to engage in healthy conversations as adults? Haven't we learned to back away and no simply insult our fellow human beings? 

Calling people names has become more and more rampant as social media has permeated the hours of people's lives. We like to use them against people we have resentment and disdain for. We unconsciously call people names to separate us from others while creating the illusion that we may be better people because of it. In reality, name calling is a reflection of our insecurities. 

Calling someone an idiot or a dummy is an unintelligent and empty word. It holds no concrete meaning and is used to emotionally manipulate people into conflict or used to make people submit to a state of shame and belittlement. 

What value does name calling give us? 

Name calling perpetuates name calling. It allows us to conveniently and unconsciously label people. It is judging people by certain actions and behaviors and creating a hurtful and unproductive categorical name slot.

Is labeling someone with a hurtful title proactive? 

No. It is unchecked emotional rhetoric. It is the antithesis of understanding and compassion. It is destructive to immediately call someone a dummy and enhances the potential for conflict. 

It is much easier to write someone off without taking a the time to check in with your cognition and assess how your action will affect the other person. Self awareness takes a great deal of patience and the ability to see past someone elses unconscious actions.

Name calling is Ad Hominem. 
Personally attacking someone with a hurtful and empty unconscious analysis is extremely fallacious in nature. 
It does nothing to prove your argument. 

Like said above,
Name calling acts a mirror for YOUR insecurities. 

Check in with yourself. 

- Does calling someone a name or labeling their statement of rhetoric help to advance understanding amongst both parties? 

- Are you simply appealing to emotion in order to get emotionally manipulate the other person? 

- Do you feel the same when you breathe and wait for your nerves to dissipate instead of acting in the moment with aggression? 

-When someone calls you names, how do you feel? 

Let mindfulness be the main motivator in trying to educate people on unconscious things. Strip away the need to guilt trip or shame people in order to "prove your point."

If you cannot get information across without labeling or name calling, it is a great time to reevaluate your motives. 

Let your inner bully be a great teacher. 

DG 


Thursday, March 17, 2016

Monday, March 14, 2016

Don't "Agree to Disagree"

I'm sorry to say that I won't agree to disagree. Why do people use this? What is the purpose of saying this? Do people use this to try to shut down argument and get the other party to submit to their will? It may seem like an empty statement, but it is riddled with emotional manipulation. 

Agreeing to disagree is like trying to forcibly close a book. A book that can provide some deep answers and avenues to each shared argument. Saying this term is a method of escapism. It is showing that you do not want to investigate further into the discussion because it may make you feel uncomfortable and caught off guard. But this is where conversation and communion can blossom into uncharted territories. 

When you go towards the uncomfortable zone, you are allowing yourself to surrender to what is and the potential of discussion. Instead of adhering to a fixed mind set, you can choose to step back, breathe and truly engage in what the problem or perspective may be. It takes a great deal of patience, awareness and compassion to try to truly understand the essence and root of someone's perspective. Simply Agreeing to disagree is like chopping down a young tree that has the potential to produce some miraculous fruit. 

If you ever see yourself getting to the "Agree to disagree" danger zone, take a moment to truly listen and ask questions. 

Questions like:

Why would you want to agree to disagree? 
Do you want to investigate further into where our perspectives differ?
Do you have an interest in arriving towards a consensus? 
Do you have interest in exploring more of your values, principles and virtues?
Do you have an interest in being flexible with your mindset? 

The beauty is that people have so many differing perspectives and principles they live by and think by. By challenging and honestly investigating these mental processes, we can dig deeper into the massive shared spectrum of humanity. 

Asking for permission to go further in a discussion with patience, calmness and compassion will truly open up the other person. It may catch them off guard if they are use to escaping the discussion or getting "their" way in the first place. Let them know that you are more interested in honest dialogue than a wrong vs. right false dichotomy "argument". 

When you let go the need to "win" or be "right", you allow yourself to become more vulnerable and learn so many things you would normally avoid. Stop to
Analyze the self. Do not criticize the other person. Keep asking questions, but check in to make sure that both of you are all along for the ride with hidden hostility or resentment. 

We can all agree that agreeing to disagree is an unnecessary punctuation to a sentence or paragraph of massive creative potential. 

DG

Thursday, March 10, 2016

Wednesday, March 9, 2016

10 things to do OFFLINE

Here are 10 things to do OFFLINE! 
( This means no access to internet ) 

1. Go read a book! 
- They are these things with pages. Sit down. Set a timer for at least 20 minutes. Watch the magic of imagination unfold before your eyes! 

2. Go look at some plants or flowers! 
- I also advise hugging a tree for more than 20 seconds. The connection with nature will make you feel good and content with yourself. 

3. Make a sandwich 
- Go put some effort in making a killer Sammie with all the fixings you can imagine. Get creative! 
Think about mixing meats with different condiments. Peanut butter and mustard anyone? 

4. Make up a song with your mouth!
- Think of a catchy hook and work around that. If you can, record it with your phone and send it to a friend. It will make their day. 

5. Draw what you feel. 
- Use a pencil, pen or even some lipstick. Look for a piece of scratch paper or even a piece of cardboard. If you feel anger, draw what yuk think that looks like. It's therapeutic. Let it flow, man. 

6. Go out and say "Hi" to random people.
- Take a stroll downtown or in a relatively crowded area and kindly acknowledge people with your face and words. Get creative! Don't do anything too commanding, but just give a smile and let them know that they are cool cupcakes. 

7. Lay in the grass 
- Don't worry about getting dirty. Look up at the sky. Don't worry about trying to accomplish anything. Just simply exist and look like you passed out on your lawn or in a public space. When someone asks if you are okay, give them a big ol' thumbs up. 

8. Analyze some insects 
- Look for different types of bugs and follow what they are doing. Don't interupt, but simply see how they live their life and interact with other plants and creatures. You may learn a lot about yourself and the universe. Your problems may later seem insignificant. 

9. Make faces in the mirror
- Experiment with different facial formations while looking at your reflection. Think about making up characters for each face. How would this face talk? What kind of personality would a scrunched up face have? 

10. Pretend you are an alien visiting earth for the first time.
- Be in awe of what is around you. Explore your surroundings with an expression of amazement and wonder. Stick your hands on the ground. Feel the ground. Breathe in the air. Do some skipping. Dance while you cross the street. Flap your wings like a bird. Jump like a rabbit. 

DG

Sunday, March 6, 2016

Probably Maybe

Q: Are you going to go to the gym later?

A: Yea, probably....

Probably.
Maybe.
I may, I might. 
We are ignoring our behaviors and plain sight! 

Some of us structure our days around things we want to accomplish or tasks that we think we need to do. Whether it be going to the grocery, the gym or the store for a new pair of speedos, we see our days as checking of to do lists. 

How many of us step back and actually analyze our language and the things we value in a day and in our life?

Some of us casually use indecisive language in our lexicon without being conscious of it. We throw around maybe and probably to avoid responsibility in making direct decisions. We indirectly say ambivalent things because we lack intention and conviction. We simply throw confident decision making to the wind. 

Why are we so indecisive? 

Maybe it is the "risk" in making direct decisions. Maybe it is the constant proliferation of learned habits that has molded us into routine automotons. The trudgery of modern life weighs on us and we tend to choose the easiest or most convenient choice.

We act like deer in the headlights when a hair decision must be made. Whether it be choosing a place to eat, hanging out with friends, or trying to decide on what to do to fill a block of time, we hit the hazy wall of blocked decision making.

So how do we change? 

We must be conscious of our vernacular. We must breathe and make the effort to break our habits. 
We must make the uncomfortable decision of being assertive! 

What is the first thing that comes to mind? 
Listen to it.
Feel the feeling in your body. 
How does indecision make you feel?
Don't try to change it. 
Don't try to force it. 

Maybe "Maybe" is cutting us off from growing and expanding. All these indecisive words place in a groove of habitual indecision. It trains our minds to make us think that being indecisive is simply ok. It is a limited mindset that kills growth.

If it makes you uncomfortable, good! 
It is an opportunity to make an impulsive decision. To look around you and look within your consciousness to pull out the magic rabbit from the hat of the unseen. 

You can turn apathetic indecision to the act of discovery. 
You can use each indecision as an opportunity to break a comfort zone or a learned habit. 

It takes practice. 
It takes moment to moment awareness and the willingness to listen and improve. 
It takes doing things you don't want to do because you don't feel like doing it. 

It takes courage and the ability to let go.
It takes the ability of non-resistance. 
It takes the effort of non-judgment. 

So you will probably go to the gym? 
Nah. 
You will go to the gym. 
You will bake that pie. 
You will ride that bike.
You will FINISH that painting. 

If you don't, then no need to worry. 

You will be, regardless of what happens. 

At least you probably maybe won't do those things anymore. 

DG

Friday, March 4, 2016

Duh Pledge

"I
submit my will and moral agency to an illusory piece of cloth that represents a false construct based on violence, and to the group of wealthy elites and bankers for which it indoctrinates and uses force, one large geographical land mass under a masked oligarch theocracy, very divisible, with the illusion of freedom and privilege for the ruling elite."

DG

Thursday, March 3, 2016

Why do we complain?

You're complaining again. 
You're complaining again. 

Now, why do we complain? 
Maybe a better question is... 
Why do we ALLOW ourselves to complain? 
We think that complaining helps us. We think that complaining will let us get it out of our heads. Releasing the vicious basketball that bounces in between the walls of our thought gymnasium. 

Does complaining do anything constructive? Does it really help us relieve our stress? 

Maybe we should approach these questions with a different eye. Complaining serves the purpose of allowing our unchecked unconscious to express itself. Maybe that coworker has gone too far with his passive aggression. Maybe our friend, the loud talker, has embarrassed you so much that you think by talking about it to other people will help us feel better. 

Complaining traps you in a vicious thought cycle that feeds on itself. The next complaint will lead to the next complaint which will lead to the next complaint and so on. Realistically, the complaints are unchecked thoughts that exit the lips of unconscious. Complaints are of the mind. They do not serve a purpose in growth. They only serve the purpose of perpetuating more complaints in the future. You condition your thought patterns to make you think that by complaining it will help you. It is the same as trying to resist intrusive thoughts. When you resist them, they persist and get worse. 

So how do we stop ourselves from complaining? 
That might be the wrong question to ask. Trying to get rid of complaints is like trying to permanently get rid of anger or jealousy. If we don't stop to look and understand why we are having these feelings, we will perpetuate the same behaviors. 
Catch yourself!
When you see yourself starting to complain, stop and breathe.
Let them play out on the stage in your pre frontal cortex.

Some of us start to complain when we surround ourselves with people that complain. We pattern our neurons to match to the same level of consciousness they are expressing. It then triggers our complaint mechanisms. We make ourselves "think" that complaining is "ok". 

It is not your job to change the complaining behaviors of your friends or colleagues. Change starts within you. Let your friends complain. Lend a listening ear. Don't accuse them of complaining. That can lead to all types of conflict including feelings of guilt and shame. Accept that they are complaining in the first place. Be constructive with complaining. See it is a starting place for understanding to sprout. 

How does that make you feel? 
What can you do to change the situation? 
Why do hold on to past events so seriously? 

People can get passionate with complaints. It is misplaced energy and passion. We all know that one friend that concocts lavish stories that "enhance" the truth of past conflicts. They turn complaints into theatrics. The mind loves drama, so drama ensues when there lacks a sufficient amount of self knowledge and awareness.

Let people complain. Don't try to control it. Let yourself complain and understand it. When you see if for what it is and accept it, it will not live through you. You can see people's complaints as theatrics of the mind. Illusory expressions of attachment and insecurities. See them as extensions of yourselves. As anthropological subjects that show small scopes and spectrums of humanity. 

Let the complaints inform you. 
They can be some of the best and most underrated teachers for growth and navigating this material world. 

DG

Tuesday, March 1, 2016