“Just The Facts Ma’am”

Greetings my very gentle readers to anther weeks installment of the “Be Yourself, Often” blog found here at: http://www.joelwlamoure.com/id43.html . Ah, that time when we can sit back and appreciate the calm and soothing sense of nature and the chaos theory that abounds within Her.

This week we will take a look at one of my favourite movies, which is Dragnet. The modified one (of course) with Dan Aykroyd as the uber straightlaced, yet prone to impulsive decisions and actions Sgt. Joe Friday and Tom Hanks as his partner with a list of merits ad citations yet a flagrant disregard for the status quo. The dynamic and yet unusual duo that end up together through some cosmic mis-association in the LAPD. We all know the movie!

The Facts present us well and define us when they are filtered through the chaos of nature vs the amorphic and sometime ambiguous definitive lines that exist in a set culture, society or where there is a rigid pecking order. Quite intriguingly in my observations->  it seems across over 20 years of practice (11 in psychiatry), 140 journal articles, unknown OTN lectures and discussions, over 500 lectures, 3 continents and 60,000 hits to this website alone (plus 6000 on Academia.edu: www. http://uwo.academia.edu/JoelLamoure ) that the opposite is true.

Home is where the heart is. Not a place of straight lines, but one of amorphic curves. Per wit, embracing nature vs the man made entities that have their manipulation and unpredictabilities. Sometimes, one has to make a set stand in their Belief Systems and in their Creator to see that. These decisions are not easy, but do reflect how expectations can drive one insane. Totally, truly, clinically insane.

A wise person told me yesterday about anger, uncertainty and stress being like a balloon and how every event is like a puff into that balloon. And ways to distress and decompress that balloon…especially where there are factors that cause inherent impacts on the balloon to start with: like abuse, harassment, PTSD, anxiety, loss, grief to name a few. Interesting as I love writing and using metaphors in my sermons and writings.

“Just The Facts Ma’am” and knowing all the facts before making hasty decisions helps prevent inflation of the balloon and wiser minds to prevail. Step back and analyze what are the root causes and cause/effect and epidemiology and taxonomy of the situation Step back and analyze what are the root causes and cause/effect and epidemiology and taxonomy of the situation and prevent unneeded provocation and escalation. These are the facts of life to live. Peace, patience, silence, humility and serenity as I have stated many times (with varying success). I too fail, often.

Touching nature as it is meant to be in all its glorious, unrefined chaos is an appealing idea. To return to the roots and the Earth is to be yourself, often.

___ Rev. Dr Joel Lamoure    July 2013

“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

Living the Dream or Dream to Live? (Pt1)

Greetings to another week's installment of the "be yourself, often" blog at www.joelwlamoure.com . This is a time of the week we connect you stop and step back and reflect on the moments that were in the moments that will be. This is a point in time that we will never get back again and so it is important that we look with mindfulness and reflection at the valuable increments that are sands through an hourglass.

This is the first of a two-part series. Although I have written about this before, I think given some of the discussions that have happened and transpired of late, it is important that we stop and look at what we do. Are we for sure getting our absolute all to the moments that are or are we deflecting for a future time that may or may not come? Are we stopping and being at one with the moment, or are we adversaries with the moment?

For the first week we will take a look at the living the dream question. I believe if we take a look at ourselves from a spiritual entity having a human existence than that becomes very clear. However, if we look at it from the converse, and we are merely humans than we may not feel the excitement, love and joy that transcends each and every moment.

First Peter chapter 3 verse four states, "rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight. My gentle friends, we have the opportunity to be a gentle and quiet spirit, as opposed of and within the chaos that exists in the here and now.

We have the opportunity to assist us in a pool of isolation within the sea and tsunami that exists around us. This is our choice. We can truly live the dream, drink the margaritas and enjoy the surf, sea, sun and sand that a balance about us. That is truly living in the moment, living the dream.

So how do we do this in the busy life that we exist in? Does it have to be such? This is a choice that we have my friends taking a look at the free will covenant that exists within each and every one of us. We have the choice to embrace the insanity society or step back and truly be ourselves, at one with the moment.

As we find and become ourselves, we can realize that we are not alone. And our island of isolation is full of people similar like us. It is not about the commercials, magazines, celebrity worship that we have been sold. It does not have to be like this. Indeed, we can have the best life ever. It is about stepping back and looking at the healing parameters at each and every one of us has within us. So how do we unlock it?

That is about being comfortable with the moment. It is being at one, mindful with the tastes, touches, smells, sights and embrace them fully. It is about not caring what others think and about embracing our individual inner child. It does not have to be about worshiping others, but about finding and being ourselves.

And in order my gentle friends to live the dream we need to identify what is the outcome that we are looking for. What are our hopes, goals, dreams, and aspirations and how do you think that we can make them happen? Embracing the child within, not having a worry about being judged. Judge not, lest you judge thyself. And in order to realize what is important to us, we need to stop and reflect with mindful awareness of exactly what we are able to do. These gifts and transitions that we have, what we do for ourselves and for others, will truly ultimately identify and become and be yourself, often.

~~~Rev. Dr Joel Lamoure   February 2013

Groundhog Day and Karmic Batteries

Greetings my gentle readers to another week's installment of the "be yourself, often" blog. This is the time of the week when we can sit back and reflect on the moments that were, the moments that will be, in the days that we have to look forward to.

As we progress through time, it's a matter of taking a look at what inspires us what has inspired us, and what will inspire us. Today in North America is February 2, 2012. As we well know here, this is Groundhog Day. Groundhog Day is a day when we tend to look forward to spring, or determine number of weeks [8] that winter will continue upon us. In the famous movie,  “Groundhog Day", Bill Murray lives/exists experiencing Groundhog Day over and over again until he can actually get it right. What he is striving for is positivity, energy and love.

These are the days that we are living. It is a matter of us being able to ensure, that what we do, it's ultimately the best for what is. There are no second takes my friends, we have one chance in order to ensure that what we do in this moment that is and was in this life is done correctly. There are so many doubts and questions that we reflect upon in the course of our day. Often, we are left quivering and unsure as to whether or not our decisions that we make are indeed timely, sensitive, reflective, and accurate for the situation and situations that have transpired.

My gentle friends, it is ultimately our beliefs which drive our thoughts, and our thoughts which drive our actions, and at the end of the day our actions to drive our endpoints and results. If we want to ensure that are endpoints are positive, robust and directly proportionately positive for ourselves and those around us, we will ensure that our beliefs and our thoughts are positive in nature in pure.

It would be horrible if our thoughts and our actions were primarily or mainly negative in nature and as such we have to live these moments over and over again.  But if that happened? That is truly what we see born out in karmic energy. Karmic energy and the resultant batteries are a way that our negative thoughts and negative actions will come back and bite us in the arse over and over again across this lifetime and not surprisingly across the next life spans.

In order to ensure a positive now in the healthy energy supply, and a positive next life, we must derive a life that is positive in belief, positive interactions, rooted in Scripture, and rooted in healing positive.

As we progress forward, we exist within the free will covenant, as such our choices; our beliefs and their actions are centered in the ability to make a decision, rooted often in our beliefs. Groundhog Day does not have to be a day that we merely exist within over and over in order until we get it right, but an opportunity wherein we can make decisions accurately the first time, which are rooted in all critical factors: hope, faith and belief and all filtered through our actions which optimize this current life that we have. Indeed, we only have one life, one chance, and it is a matter of making this time matter. And this is a life and a gift, a present, truly a spiritual entity manifests as a human existence.

My gentle readers and friends, we truly do have a life altering choice. This choice is to wallow in what we have if it is negative, or we can make a decision, a conscious choice, in order to the optimize the NOW. That now is about paying it forward, translating small successes and leveraging them into bigger and more positive wins. This helps in now and helps the future.

Quite intriguingly, the best way in order to achieve and leverage these biggest and wins, is to intensely focus on the smallest miracles of the moment. The smallest miracle of the moments manifests themselves robustly and we seethe healthy selfishness of being a child.  Those terms are counterintuitive in a Western culture "healthy selfishness”. It basically means, that we need to look after ourselves first and foremost before we are able to help others.  It is a matter of not considering what others think, how you dress, what you do, how you play, or how you act. It is a matter of being right for you in the moment. It is being willing to be lighthearted, open-minded and willing to play.

It truly is about being at one with the moment, appreciating the smallest miracles of the moment. The smallest miracles of the moment can manifest themselves in sight, smell, sound, touch, and taste.  At the end of the day the smallest miracle ultimately reflect themselves along the paradigm that "man is the maker of straight lines". It is about being able and willing to color outside the lines, look at the contraries and shapes of the leaf, or appreciate the smell, belt witness, or curvature of a simple flower petal. This is a miracle my friends,  considering potentially exactly how much we can optimally translate, yet we don't, and yet how much that we could absorb, through simple play.

So in order to build the mindfulness of the moment and recharge your batteries, ensuring also our karmic batteries are charged to their fullest then lightheartedness, inspiration and play must seriously be considered and implemented. Sometimes my gentle friends, this is a matter of stepping back from the demands and challenges of society and truly finding and at full charge be yourself, often.

~~Rev. Dr. Joel Lamoure    February 2013

Rites of Passage

Greetings my gentle readers to another weeks installment of the “Be Yourself, Often” blog found at www.joelwlamoure.com. That time when we can step back on reflect on the moments that have been in the week that was and filter it through the learnings and goals for tomorrow. We do have the ability through our beliefs, which drive our thoughts and actions to make that tomorrow a better place. It is entirely a conscious decision.

In keeping with that thought process, we must consider that each day is a passage and indeed even more a rite of passage. There is so much more in the day than to simply wake up, survive and then go to bed. In a world where we have so much technology and things that are supposed to make our life easier and be more environmentally friendly, why then are we actually more stressed, have less time, making more copies and indeed…surviving?

There are certainly monumental tasks and moments in our lives that transition us along the game of life and advancing through the levels. They may include spiritual, religious or community/societal based transitions such as marriage, confirmation or a spiritual awakening. The ultimate bookends of this of course are the life and death of a person as a physical entity, but certainly not from a spiritual perspective.

If we consider that each moment and each day indeed are fraught with miracles in the moment, then in order to pass through levels and ultimately succeed (at a gaming perspective) at the next level we need items. What are those items and what shall we carry to the next level? These tools, trades and inspirations and insights will drive or success, or failure. Win or game over.

Happiness cannot be measured in stuff. Yes, it may make life easier but often comes at a non-tangible or related cost such as working. The rites of passage and successful completion of the days that are done include comfort and competence with the material that we have been tasked with at that particular level. So sad isnt it really that we aim FOR the next level, all the while forgetting the miracles in the moment that do define and make the level that we are in so intricate, indeed beautiful?

That beauty I feel is what drives happiness and is not rooted in religion, but rather being at-ease which is interfaced with spirituality to be able to see the invisible lines and shadows, and appreciate the learnings of the Fates that transcend our days. Aristotle stated that happiness is “The meaning and purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence”. That really means that the physical and the spiritual are in congruency, in perfect balance looking and balance the physical and the metaphysical.

Dr Wayne Dyer stated that “simply put, you believe that things or people make you unhappy, but this is not accurate. YOU make yourself unhappy”. And this is the crux of the matter and the rite of passage of maturity. This is the being at-ease that keeps away the dis-ease and per wit the disease that extends.

THAT comes from being at one with the moment and balancing play, peace, patience, silence, reflection, synchronicity and a willingness to learn and leverage the moments that are to advance to a better tomorrow. For really only then are we able to help others, once we have helped ourselves. It is ok to do or reflect or play.

To deny that connection with the inner child and spirit is to create conflict and prevent you from being yourself, often.

            ~~~ Rev. Dr. Joel Lamoure   January 2013                      

Is it Just?

Is It Just?

Greetings my gentle readers to another week and another time of reflections with the “Be Yourself, Often” blog at www.joelwlamoure.com . Frankly, a time when we can step back and give us allowance to truly be ourselves. To know that it is ok to be the persons and people that we are and reflect on the moments of the day and week that was in a mindful and meditative reflection.

Last week we started the “It Just Is” series and this week a question that we tend to ask ourselves and often causes a great degree of angst for so many people. Wondering if the events and situations that transpired were just and fair. Is it Just? No.

Interesting question as there is so much inequity and unfairness in the world. As a wise colleague brought up to me, how can one have the largest tower in the Western world and at the same time have the cries of loss and poverty all around? Those that are thin and starving in the very backyard and behind the gated communities of those that DO have it? Those that have it want it and keep it, no matter what is hurt and those that do want it try against the stream of the structure to advance and achieve. Also, does the ends satisfy the means and what is the actual endgame and even more intriguingly as to what is the root cause analysis behind the equation?

There are so many situations where there may not seem to be reciprocity, equity or fairness whether it be at work, family, friends or home.  Perhaps that may not be as we rarely if ever know the whole story or the whole storyline and tend to jump to and make very unfortunate decisions that are based in emotions rather than fact and foresight. After that, the plowshares turn to rattling of sabers and we all know where that goes. There is a “war on whatever”. And anytime there is a declared or undeclared act of war, there are losers and many of them. Often the same unfortunates that were in the backyard in the first place. Resentment grows.  Is it Just? No.

And with resentment comes the risk of not being at ease with the self which inherently will beget even more unease until eventually the poor soul wastes away in mind and body with the disease that came from dis-ease which came from un-ease. Is it Just? No.

Is it Just is a question only we can ask ourselves and only we can answer. It involves being aware and at ease with the situation that is. It is being aware that sometimes we leave “good enough” for something better only to realize that good enough exactly fit who we were and that the “better” was only an optical illusion. It is an act of self-deception and smoke and mirrors on the rolling blue marble that we call earth.

To ensure it is just, there are steps that we should exercise and that is not to make quick assumptions without all the fact and accept the expressions of love and gratitude there is. One can always find something that is not just if they look hard enough that validates thought process. That is a state akin to trying not to be at ease, and always arguing your point (correct or not) at any cost and ultimately actively striving for the dis-ease based on other belief systems outside the scope of the blog. For those, it never is just and my heart goes out to those as I (as have we all) have been there… not in pity, but the desire to push the human race forward. It is not a pleasant place to be and always the perception of being in a toxic situation, only leading to further toxicities and illness.

To ensure it is just, we need to come to the concept that it just is. That we are one and comfortable with the situations and the miracles that express themselves to us in the moment. That means that we need to look ahead to be here and in the here and now in a way that is mindful and reflective. Not to jump or make a hasty decision before all the facts are in. To learn and advance humanity through gentle play and discourse and healing. To be a kid at mind and heart and be open and receptive of all there is and not be a broken doll in the sandbox, but alive, healing, playing and bright eyed.

“Is it Just” not to be yourself? No. But expressing life in the moment by taking an active role allows it to BE Just and then it just is. And then there is ease; absence of disease and then you can be yourself, often.

~~~ Rev. Dr. Joel Lamoure  December 2012

Reflections About Peeing in Puddles

Greetings my gentle readers to another installment of the “Be Yourself, Often Blog”. A time when we can step back and reflect on the wonderful collection of memories that may have been captured in our net of dreams, or missed by our incessant driven dependency on being busy. This is a point where if we are brave enough, that we can have the fortitude to sing the praises of the moments that were or wonder how we missed the miracles that happened.

It is an interesting reflection that the mesh of the filter that allows us to see the moment is not static, but fluid depending on what we are doing, how busy we are or our degree of interest or passion attached to the subject and event at hand. Truly is we stop and think, there is so much that tends to escape us, isnt there? We may catch the larger items in front of us, such as a big win, but even that is so dependent on our perspectives?

There are many things that in the course of business that happens… appointments get missed and special moments with family that only come around once may be omitted or lost. At that point, one may be left with a feeling of loss and doing an internal reflection of the checks and balances and address the value systems they have. That almost assigns a value to seeing, doing or missing an event and the remuneration attached. Is it really worth it? Even more important, what is the feeling of the other side? Is the absenteeism noticed? Of course. Will a payment or gift cover it? Of course not. Even worse in our busy world where we are all connect is the presenteeism that occurs in dynamics of family and social interactions.

So many other things get lost or waylaid in the day and yet get lost beyond the larger events like birthdays and anniversaries?  These are the small miracles in the moment that demonstrate that we totally and truly exist in a state where there is a Heaven on Earth. And it is our natural state of being, not that of the large mesh where everything goes through the sieve and we miss these miracles of the moments.

Why might that be? Perhaps we sacrifice ourselves and our health at the altar of the great demi-God, consumerism and capitalism. However, no matter what the –ism, they cannot replace the colour of the sky or the smile of a loved one. It is a very, very heavy price to pay.

It is unknown what we collect, have or will walk away with at the end of days, besides death. When that day comes, we cannot predict or know… which offers some reflection that we should live each moment intensely and if they were our last. Does it TRULY matter what others think of how you dress, how you play or why or how you express yourself? Is it not a gift that we are able to express ourselves in a way that places our fingerprint on the moment that we and others remember? That signature style that is our unique claim to life? Who gave someone else the right to bully, invade our privacy, integrate themselves into what and who we are? All I know is that I feel sorry for those lost souls, as their life is so shallow and their puddle so dry that they must live vicariously or try to piss in someone else puddle and pollute the moment with their toxicity.

I would rather appreciate the depth and breadth of the puddle, embrace it and be a kid, loving the mindfulness of the moment. First one needs to realize that life is too busy and chaotic. But after that, one is empowered to step back, embrace and live and love. Basically, to be yourself, often.

                        ~~~ Rev. Dr. Joel Lamoure    November 2012