Guided into the Light out of Solitary Confinement

Greetings my gentle readers to this weeks’ “Be Yourself, Often” blog. Yes, that quiet reflective time that we all need and value within the chaos of the week and day, existing within that busy walled city that we tend to call society. Full and fraught with challenges and demands and expectations and where at the end of the day, there runs the risk of being very little you in there.

The past 2 weeks and in my new weekly radio show “Prescribing Spiritual H.O.P.E.” on every Tuesday at 9pm Eastern Time URL: http://www.spreaker.com/show/tuesday_prescribing_spiritual_hope ,

I have talked about barriers and the identification, awareness and impact of what these mean to you. You really are a walled city within a walled city that can withstand almost any attack that you have been told might happen, by selling you the soul of FEAR, but is that really what there is on the other side of that wall? Are you going to end up on Channel 5 news as a statistic on a government chart and have been attacked by some unknown machete-wielding cannibal wearing a panda suit? Omg…lets get the locks, put 2 batteries in the Taser and screw the stun setting! Lovely purple paranoid people eaters unite.

Interestingly, we can (and often do without calling it such) fear ourselves and hurt inside so bad and that can dampen the Light that we emanate so much easily that the external forces.

In regards to that internal strife, Coldplay recently reminded me of an excellent set of lyrics from the song “Fix You”.

“When you try your best, but you don't succeed

When you get what you want, but not what you need

When you feel so tired, but you can't sleep

Stuck in reverse

And the tears come streaming down your face

When you lose something you can't replace

When you love someone, but it goes to waste

Could it be worse?

Lights will guide you home

And ignite your bones

And I will try to fix you

And high up above or down below

When you're too in love to let it go

But if you never try you'll never know

Just what you're worth

Lights will guide you home

And ignite your bones

And I will try to fix you

Tears stream down on your face

When you lose something you cannot replace

Tears stream down on your face

And I...

Tears stream down on your face

I promise you I will learn from my mistakes

Tears stream down on your face

And I...

Lights will guide you home

And ignite your bones

And I will try to fix you"                                        K.Batchelor/Coldplay

The point is, bad stuff does happen and happens to good people. We ourselves can be the architect of our OWN walls and even if there isn’t that “prison” around us, we still place ourselves in solitary confinement. Bad stuff happens more often than winning the lottery for sure, but will and do you let it control your life? Does the societal dictates themselves and selling of media actually confine you?

Awareness is key here as there is no right answer for any particular person or family. We live on a world that is robust with miracles and sin, all in one homogenized package. Cant separate the fat from the milk. Again, as we discussed last week, this is the awareness, valuation and what does it mean to me piece. How stifling are the wall and rules and dictates and challenges on us and what are we prepared to do about it?

We are and cannot be expected to do anything more initially than be aware of ourselves. What we do, say, feel and think and how they translate through to others. That is the first and most critical step to tunneling under the wall and approaching the real Light that burns brightly within us. That light is the true spiritual essence of who and what and why we are. It is peace and the light feels like a mothers embrace.

That Light is the true core of the humanities and miracles that define who we are and reflects a state of being, and that is being at peace and at ease. It is in touch with all and being at ease with all. It just is, and it is Good.

I don’t believe we can touch that spiritual light in our walled cities and walled obligations and false idolatry that is rooted in BMW (Biatchy, Meany, Whiny) philosophies. To tunnel under the walls and at the same time within and yet outside of ourselves is to be at ease. At ease prevents and is the opposite of the dis-ease that exists all around us. Perhaps we can use these skills to also take us our of solitary confinement as only we can fix ourselves, with a little help from our Friends. 

Perhaps my friends, these steps may help arrest, decrease or make less critical the disease that inherently afflicts or minds and bodies. That we can live and learn, even in times of challenge. For we can only know ourselves, but to know us is to radiate ease, which inherently will help others, quest their own journey. All because you choose and chose to find and be yourself, often.

                           --- Rev. Dr. Joel Lamoure   July 2012

Escaping the Barriers that Bind Us

Greeting my gentle readers yet again to another week of the “Be Yourself, Often” blog. A time to step back and appreciate the steps that you have taken through the week, identify them and recognize the fingerprint that is yours embossed all over the week. For some people that may sound very scary and others it is a joy and triumph. So what defines and delineates the two?

Last week we talked about identifying the barriers that exist within us and more often than not are made and owned by us. We love and hate our walls that we have created, all in one felled swoop. They channel our existence and work and at the same time seem to hamper us from the activities that we long and desire.

So how can and could we break and address these challenges? Is it even within our scope and mandate, or are we to be mindless sheeple that do as old and all we be looked after by the Great Political and Societal Father? Interesting concept I believe. Foe we do have, as I have alluded to many times the ability to go beyond the obvious and to exercise and stretch our Inspirational and Spiritual wings that we all have. We are far more as human beings than the sum of our parts and there are the unknown aspects of virtues, deadly sins, humanities and more that configure into the Spiritus that is us.

To identify the barriers and challenges and the frustrations of the day that you experience is an excellent first step to manage them. To address and validate or diminish the perspective by changing the vantage point is often critical. Challenging our belief systems through communications with others that are trusted and have the “stuff” we value is often a good step. The walls may still be very real. This is the opportunity then to take it or leave it, cut bait or fish and just piss or get off the pot. YOU have that choice.

There are several questions that will subsequently extend from this scouting and reconnaissance of the wall. How important is that wall? What does it mean to me? Is it hurtful or protective? Can I live with that wall? Do I need to find a way to get around? This is where our peace, patience, silence, humility and serenity come in. Where we acknowledge, accept and do not fight the challenge, but to take it as a learning opportunity, and where we can make the next choice as how to evolve and think outside the box. Anyone who has ever seen a prison movie knows there are thousands of ways to make a prison break. Lets collaborate and build a ladder, or fly out, or tunnel out. Major point here is passivity and giving in and rolling over is NOT mandatory, unless you want it.

The end objective is that which we strive for. Spirituality, comfort and the positive virtues, which help, dissipate like acid the walls that spring up in our human world. That we can actually be at ease with the moment, even when it appears a challenge. That we observe, learn, appreciate and evolve our thought process.

To evolve and know yourself and be yourself is to see the Light that is within us and grow the wings of flight and freedom from the chaos that exists around us. That light is precious and all around us and as you tunnel through under the walls that you have identified, it shines bright with the promise that you can be yourself, often.

--- Rev. Dr. Joel Lamoure July 2012

Hurdling the Delusional Barriers

Greetings my gentle readers to this weeks installment of the “Be Yourself, Often” blog. Yes, that time when you can just sit back and make the determination and go through the thought process from the week asking the critical question. Did I let my light shine this week or was it damped and did I have to be someone else? Did I live the dream or awaken from a nightmare?

Last week we took a look at the virtue of happiness that remains embedded in uniqueness. That special shine that we all have, but gets tarnished by the crudola of the days and moments that tend to wear us down and make us feel like a pair of old underwear. Yuck. Why do we let that shine get diminished and allow the subtleties of the insignificant to dampen our light?

In the concepts of the Free Will Covenant, we have the opportunity to make choices, even if we think we don’t. Sometimes the constraints that we find are really artificial. That darn wall that is in your way that is 30ft high made out of metal and barbed wire? Here’s a thought… that fence and barrier may only be in your mind, and driven by your goals, expectations, experiences and fears.

Now that’s an odd that isn’t it my friends? That the jail we consider ourselves to be in may actually be a delusion, and without testing the validity of the situation, the delusional wall bears reality. Perception defines Illusion defines Reality. Hmmm. What do these walls look like? Often they are ego driven or anti-self or punitive for something or installed through environment or such that is very real and very scary.

Feel that you need a certain lifestyle, certain expectations and obligations etc. etc. and have all the material trappings? Dress to the nines and have a BMW is the goal? Well then, be prepared to work, focus on money and enjoy the prison walls that will channel you like a lab rat to try to achieve those outcomes. Not smart enough, not enough “ability” to achieve the position or goal you want? That is likely just negative self-talk.

Lets try motivational interviewing on us to help that light shine and remove the barriers. What drives you and what is important to you? Are you doing it? Why or why not? How can the dream be made to happen? Can I be content with the here and now and maybe leverage to a middle ground?

The opportunities are endless and next week will talk about the Light more. But for now, to focus on the questions and identification of the actualities and barriers vs delusions will set the stage well. The goal? To be yourself, often.

                           --- Rev. Dr. Joel Lamoure   July 2012

Polishing the Brass Ring of Uniqueness

Greeting my gentle readers to another installment of the “Be Yourself, Often” blog. A time when can step back. Reflect and mindfully meditate and appreciate on the miracles that existed in the moments of the week. Where we can look and embrace and acknowledge and accept not only the positives in the week, but also the challenges and what we are and were able to learn from the scorecard of the week.

Last week, my radio show “Prescribing Spiritual HOPE” on the ULC BTR Radio Network talked about patience as a virtue, which ties into the fact that we can, and should be not rushing through each thing to get to the next. All that in and of itself tends to do is foster frustrations and feelings of emptiness or disappointment when we realize that the proverbial brass ring that we have been aiming for comes with a healthy tarnish attached to it! I mean seriously, after this time and effort and resources, you expect me to polish the darn thing? Seriously. What a bummer, man. And herein lie the opportunities and “teachable moments”. That new car will rust, the promotion aint attached to sunshine and roses and the grass is only greener on the other side secondary to healthy “organic fertilizer”.

So, what should and can we do to ensure our expectations do not become resentments? I’m still learning at this one my friends, but frankly… would rather be learning and seeing it with an open and child’s eyes than become a bitter spiky bear. This is the wonderful gift that we have which is capturing the myriad of gifts along the path, the nuts and berries instead of looking to the final endpoint. Rarely do things exceed our expectations in this big, busy, chaos driven life. So why DO we expect that perfection? Because we pay for it? Because we have been coddled and if anyone tells us we are NOT perfect, they can be slapped with 1000 lawsuits? Seriously my friend, that is setting us up for disaster. It was recently identified and made international news about a principal at commencement that told the students that they are not special, but through effort could become so.

Needless to say, all the mainstream press quoted was the first have and in fine print at the end of the article stated the second piece of the commencement exercise. But it is very true… we do have the ability to be special, are already unique, but the end goals and hopes (brass ring) will not be handed to you. Just as ordination is not for everyone, like medicine or law… it requires the extra effort to make that ring polished and stand out! Expectations often will drive disappointments, which will bring resentments and dis-ease which will ultimately drive and foster disease. Count me out. A title or position does not denote or define refinement, contentment or happiness. Nope. Its is what you DO with it that drives the DDQ, which is an extension of IQ. That being the Dream and Dedication Quotient and is independent, yet augmented by intelligence. Thus true intelligence does NOT derive happiness and there needs to be that high DDQ, couple with drive and work that determines happiness. It is the people that are not afraid to touch their dreams that see miracles in the moment.

Happiness or not, drive or not, disease or not. Interesting that we have some choice and Free Will Covenant over this, isn’t it? Fascinating.

Point is, if you want happiness… its already there and waiting for you at the nearest flower, person, pet, piece of sky, raindrop or blade of grass. If you expect more and go for societally perceived wins, that are ok as well. Just be real in the moment, be prepared to work and appreciate the small moments along the way. For to really shine and derive and define yourself is to polish that unique specialness that you DO have, and let it shine! And to show that Light to others in a ray of inspiration on a cloudy day is potentially to find and be yourself, often.

                        ~~~ Rev. Dr. Joel Lamoure   July 1, 2012 (CANADA DAY)