“Freedom is Not Free"

Greetings my gentle readers to another week's installment of the "Be Yourself, Often" blog at www.joelwlamoure.com . Hopefully, this is a point of time in the week where we can sit back and appreciate the privilege of being here in the sanctity of the moment. For indeed, if we do not believe that each moment in itself is sacred, and I do not believe it is possible to anybody else will be able to convince us otherwise. Reflecting on this statement, it comes to show exactly the weight of the moments of the days before, the decisions of the been made, the beliefs that have been translated into actions that allow us the opportunity to be exactly where we are. A time indeed of remembrance.

And indeed, where we are is exactly where we are meant to be. It is by virtue of our  beliefs that drive our thoughts, which drive our thought processes, which trigger neurochemical changes in our brain in order to stimulate bodily transmitters that allow us to translate thought into action. It is you the gifts and actions of spirituality and karmic energies that will translate our actions into outcomes. As we stop and think about these conceptualizations, we realize that absolutely everything that we do as a spiritual route with in it. I do not believe that we are able to have positive outcomes if we only put negatives into the equation. While this may occur for a short length of time, across the months and years inherently this will catch up with an individual. Unhappy with your job? Complaining about everything not going your way? Why then, are you surprised when your job is lost, your friends leave because they have heard this same complaint over and over again, and you are left alone. Sadly, this becomes the self-driven prophecy.

Going down this theory, in order to achieve freedom, we must be willing to make a stand for what we believe in. Freedom, as it is well stated, is not free. It is an end result of making a stand for what we believe in, rooted in thoughts and spirituality, which ultimately define and drive our actions. Freedom is not about merely speaking, but about being willing to stand with conviction for what you believe in. Ideally, freedom would be interspersed and as human beings we would be willing and able to understand each other's perceptions and as such could achieve freedom at a larger scale.

Indeed, do you not think that is possible? Even though we as human beings are different and have different thought processes, it is possible that some of the thoughts may overlap and be able to enrich in others lives if we were willing to take off blinders. For wit, to allow the scales to drop from our eyes. However, it is very difficult to be able to be willing to understand, much less accept, another person's point of view in the face of hostility. In true human nature, and in order to achieve and strive for freedom, sometimes stand needs to be taken. But what a better world this could be if we were able purely to be able to understand and appreciate each other's differences and dovetail it into our own.

This is where we see that we are different. If all individuals were full of love, light, peace and the desire to advance humankind then we would not have the negative outcomes that we see. Positive outcomes usually appear in the form of the structuring of a cultural identity, way of life or meaningful representation of  Spirit in an earthly form. This is where the dark side of humanity eclipses the positive radiance that is able [and should] be emanating like a beacon from each and every one of us. From a scientific, educational, cultural organizational perspective when each and every one of us are at our brightest it advances a culture and from a heritage conceptualization defines our history. It is most unfortunate that hatred, darkness, warmongering often denigrates humankind and produces the negative outcomes that we observe.

Our history and our past is defined by individuals and their root belief systems that have translated across the decades, centuries, and indeed millennium to bring forth the ideally creature of light that is reading this currently.

How free are you? It is better to aim for the stars, and be allowed and able to do so, and to miss then to never try. We have that ability to advance ourselves through this experimentation that we call life. Never trying, or facing repression is like having the wings bound. We never get the chance to try the fly. And that, my gentle readers is a horrible place to be, meaning that we are missing out on the gifts and sacrifices of the days and years past, indeed our own efforts. For in this journey of flight we want you to be yourself, often.

~~~ Rev. Dr. Joel Lamoure  May 2013

Fruits of synergy... construction vs. deconstruction

Fruits of synergy... construction vs. deconstruction

"And on the seventh day, He rested". Genesis 1

This week an amazing opportunity arose to compare those two different items, technology vs spirit and religion. Putting faith in religion, family and spirituality compared to that of technology and the subsequent impacts from both. I was going to call them opposites but since they may result in similar outcomes like creating certain ideas (if handled correctly) but also can be totally different, lets call them fruits of synergy and advancing outcomes. And indeed there are fruits of both of these items, if mutual co-operation can be brokered. The fruits of co-operation are a more harmonious, open minded and able to listen society.

 It appeals to the ethics and bioethics and belief structure vs a utilitarian approach where the human and family, despite all statements may be rather hypocritical once the veneer has been shaved off the particle covered chipboard. Competition (even when one party is not looking for competition, but making a sttement of beliefs) are what I would propose are often negative in nature. Need for superego and ego, wars, theft, crime and revving up society to the point where we need more now and engines blow. Sad isnt it as there is much that we can learn through the positive fruits of each other? Basical human kindness and tolerance is too often overshadowed by a malicious word, action or something that impacts and collecting of power and stuff.

I would actually conjecture and state that the opposite is true and that by a collaborative, communal and co-operative approach that all parties can learn and advance. This is an era of construction vs destruction.
So my gentle reader, what are we looking at if we were to consider these two items in balance and where are we at right now in a First world country as we know them? Certainly it filters down even more, but let us speak of the first world, where as I have alluded to before that we are Model T Fords in a Ferrari society? Lets keep this high level, ok? We are no doubt in a competitive state. There are some in a co-operative mode and we each have pieces of the 2 poles and each of us are at a different percentage of the balance. However, I believe there is also a social balance as well, and tipped well into the bananas world of competition, probably at least 80%. Everything has to be all about me (call me princess). I need the best car, house, clothes, food and need to shine and glow and stop. Basically, my ego needs an image and the Emperor is walking around in the buff because someone sold him a line. Why can this culture and society Just Stop This. Who does not receive if I am getting? Do I win the battle and lose the war? Who has to collect the coffee, make the clothes and the rare elements for the electronics, cars etc?

That compares different classes in the world and different countries. Thats easier for most people as they dont see, ergo they dont exist. Whatever, sucks to be them. See ya, dont write mentality.
BUT, what of the competition in a smaller microcosm like a town, city or workplace? Cultures and religions and families vs corporations and workplaces? Who gets hurt? I won so who cares is the concepts and constructs. Well someone does and I can assure you from the work that I do that people hurt so bad it can kill them, flare up sickness or dampen some beautiful spirits. Sad state of affairs. Want to be right and controlling, be a micro-manager. Thats competition, class attitude and destructive on so many levels. Thats not valuing others or respect.  Doesnt have to be at work but this also translates to family, home and social interactions.

To co-operate is to appreciate and respect the contributions and gifts of others. To give them a say and chance in as balanced of a forum as you are able. To active versus passively listen. To take only what you need and pass the plate along. To be open and receptive and wanting to manifest using what you have so as to actively thrive.That you can express yourself, be open versus absorbing the toxicities having a desire goal and endpoint in mind that is a summation of mainly the small gifts and miracles hat exist in the day to day moments and actively offer to share them not just with yourself, but with others and those ideas are respected. To play nicely in the sandbox and be a kid and laugh. All these are in part recipes for better mental health which I might go into more in depth in later weeks. Suffice to say.. To give openly, expecting nothing in return but to thrive.

For co-opertion is living and thriving, competition is going through the motions of life. What do you chose? And if you chose it, dont just tell me as thats useless... go out there and demonstrate it by actions! Only then can you be yourself, often.

  --- Rev Dr.  Joel Lamoure September 2012