“Lessons From Two Components of Mothering”

 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.

Around the world today is Mother's Day. No matter who you are if you are on this planet then you have a mother. This is one of the consistent practice of life that transcend race, color, creed and ideologies. And hopefully, no matter what you see in others, your mother remains and will be the best and brightest light in your life.

A mother is a very interesting individual for the fact that they are able to carry us through to birth and then nurture and teach us nurturing is a miracle in itself. If one wants to reflect on a true Higher Spirit, looking at the miracle of becoming a mother is proof in my mind of a Divine intervention. In the true concepts of motherhood, there is the delivery after carrying a new life across nine months. During this time, a woman is a medical miracle in the point that she has two beating hearts, four legs, four arms, four eyes, and two completely different sets of DNA that coexist within the same body. As stated, that is a medical miracle on so many levels.

To carry this to the next level, this is only one component of motherhood. Even individuals who have not been a mother in the sense of having given birth to a child are mothers in so many other ways and rights. These mothers as well we must hold up today on this very special moment. That is because a mother as well [Mommy) gives of herself in perhaps the most all true mystical and altruistic components.  

Of note, men can have mothering traits in the sense of giving and inspirations but there is the delineation that exists right from Biblical times of man and woman, which we shall support here.

Historically across time, there is the nurture component that augments and complements the nature component. These altruistic gifts of time and love are not often appropriately appreciated or captured. These often are related to moments of teaching and kind thoughts to be able to help leverage an individual, animal , plant or mineral (all forms of nature) ahead. I believe that true mothering is a combination of an intelligent love and concern for others when coupled with a strong root belief system in stewardship and respect of how everything interfaces together. It is accepting without judgement the days of good and bad and using these learnings to leverage to the next day so the one that is learning (and as well the mother) both benefit from this symbiotic relationship. A gift…the present.

And with this not be an incredible thing to teach? And even more so, an incredible thing to learn. We tend to call this “Mother Earth” or "Mother Nature” in part because of the stewardship and appreciation of the fine lines and shadows that cross every living creature on this planet. In fact, some mothers have an appreciation of how this planet interfaces with the world of metaphysics beyond. To step back to the here and now, perhaps we can learn from true mothering as we progress through our days. We can learn to have a soft kiss and embrace on everything that we do. Intriguingly, capital or corporal punishment is rarely effective beyond creation of walls of fear.

Maybe we as a human race can learn from the teachers of motherhood [nature and nurture components) who are the leaders in the field, and who we are celebrating today to practice in a more gentle way. A way not of harsh words or judgment, but the way of gentle embrace. Perhaps then as a race we would not be so surprised when we ourselves (with no one to blame) make judgments of folly and see negative outcomes come into our path, wondering why we always get the negative end of the stick and then demand a recount, a better mark. This is a problem of pathology if the person repeats this over and over (we all know these toxic souls and mercy to them) and to expect a different outcome is well….insanity coupled with a lamentable lack of insight they can overcome. For if we are approaching up front without judgment, malice and respect the insights of these higher powers (like a true mother), then perhaps (likely) our end results will become better and brighter.

I can only hope that humankind will consider these ideas because as we are progressing, this is antithetical to true motherhood. We are experiencing and going through a de facto insanity as a society currently. Expecting everything, giving nothing, anonymously judging and wrapped in conspiracies and when we get nothing that we had hoped for and then becoming disappointed. This makes us angry.  Who ever told us we were so darn entitled?  Not those very wise persons as we define mothering, that soul who gives and gives to the person she brought life to (metaphysically or physically or spiritually). Motherhood is perfect awareness and translation of talents to achieve stronger outcomes in their young, always striving for better in mankind. I have been very lucky if I use this definition. <3

We have the ability to be as Christ in image but actions sadly detract from the wonderful creatures of light that we are. It is a sad dichotomy because we sanitize our hands and sanitize our lives and are not able to embrace the fact life has a beautiful balance of dichotomies. Play and work, light and dark. We can be and do so much more through the kindness given in altruistic ways…mothering.

Perhaps if we were two learn from the true concepts of mothering and stewardship of the nature and nurture components then we can advance ourselves and ultimately through osmosis impact positively on all. You can truly be yourself, often.

~~~ Rev. Dr. Joel Lamoure  May 2013  (Mothers Day)

“All-Seeing I” OR “All-Seeking I”?

Greetings my gentle readers to another week's installment of the "Be Yourself, Often" blog at www.joelwlamoure.com . This is the time where we can sit back with the silence of our own mind and step back from the milieu of the week that was. Too often, we do not take the appropriate steps and moments of peacefulness and tranquility and rush through each thing in order to get to the next. Is really that not insanity?

Along the concepts of hope we appreciate that there are at least four dimensions that we need to explore in order to achieve optimal hope. The first is holistic health, second is outcome driven objectives, third is the fact that everything we do is personalized and the final aspect is that of empowerment.

I read once upon a time (for really, mustn't all stories, fairy tales and blogs start with that line?) that mankind is the creator of the straight line. Where my friends do straight lines exist in abundance in nature? Certainly at a more molecular level one might agree in the bonds between atoms, but really what we call a tree, a blade of grass etc. is NOT straight. Non-straight lines hurt our linear mind unless like a willow, we are willing to bend, adapt, adjust and do so without judgement. What do we strive for and what our objectives. For we know that Saul wandered until the scales were lifted from his eyes and then was enlightened in sight, spirit and soul.

Nothing is said about the commercialism or components of stuff infusing or suffusing him with the insight, but rather a flash of divinity and inspiration. Too often though that radar dish that is in our mind is shorted out and dulled by the promiscuity and curves of the seductress of life and stuff. We are lulled into a false fullness and complacency which curbs our enthusiasms and abilities to truly make a difference. Even worse, it makes it hard to see beyond the “All-Seeing I”. Even worse is that it becomes the “All-Seeking I” and there is nary a moment from friend or neighbor, friend or learnings but rather stuff, negativity and vitriol.

Too often we try to put the square peg into the round hole and try to make the darn thing fit and conform. Uh-uh, no way and ain't gunna happen. Cant we realize that we are equipped to aid, listen and share? To have all seeing and all-seeking but as and with the gifts and presents the world has to offer in the Present? Really, the miracles that abound?

The only way that we can make this equation work if we morph the peg to fit, either by accident or design. I have said it before that we are Model T Fords in a Ferrari society. Per wit, we have been transmogrified to "fit" the society allowance, rules, expectations and accountabilities. Remember the square peg? Thats got to hurt once you start cutting off the chunks that dont just conform beautifully (and I use that word in a very deliberate way) to the level of expectation. "Do this, do that, can't you read the signs" as the Five-Man Electrical Band would state in their song from the period of the age of Aquarius. Why can individuals not just respect the premises of intelligent concern and kindness for others and practice that? Resonate with the crystals that they are and feel the beauty and be able to express that inner joy? That would make some of the conformities more acceptable and shave off a little less of the peg... thus making life more rewarding and fulfilling. What is important, respecting others, caring, a few true friendships, a soft word and the scents of ambrosia. 

These are the things of the amorphic. Sorry people, we are so much more than a job, title, position and user of oxygen on this earth. We need to go beyond the tangible and look to the special, secret moments and quiet voice that exists within all of us. To express ourselves as a flower expresses itself in what we do, how we function and how we dress. To judge these freedoms of expression that do no harm to others is well, narcissistic and egocentric. Sorry... you are selfish. "Judge not, lest ye be judged". Dog eat dog baby.

Does it have to be this way? Nope. Does everything have to be rationalized to death? Nope. Does everything have a rational answer? Nope. And by looking at the irrational and the spur of the moment, the winds of war... the greatest insights, opportunities, gifts and flames alight. Keep your eye open for those Doors of Fate that arise in the midst of the darkness, not focusing on the fact your life sucks that you are in a period of darkness and that you DESERVE (darn it) the light and gifts. 

You know my friends, you might... just might find a square hole. How? Express yourself with gratitude, humility and with hope, faith and belief and Be yourself, often.

~~~ Rev. Dr. Joel Lamoure  April 2013

Emotional Based Living: All the RAGE!

Greetings my gentle readers to another week's installment of the "Be Yourself, Often" blog… that time in the week which hopefully you look forward to in order to try to filter through and make some sense of the week that was. Even more so, perhaps the impact and components of YOU in the week filtered through healing and HOPE. Hopefully, you bring with you some questions that are left un-answered through simply living the week. Not enduring the week, but rather embracing it! For really, are we not students in this life? Are we not always eager to advance our learnings?

As we discussed last week, the evidence informed life is one that we have an understanding of our built in thoughts and biases. There is an appreciation of the subtleties of the moment and the impact that we have in these events having transpired as well as what we subsequently do with these events moving forward. We now also realize this concept can advance our spiritual karmic battery charges and leverage us even better for our future through active involvement. Sorry folks, passivity or entitlement will not work here. It is an active process.

Indeed, it is not about simply living this life but since we are spiritual beings having a human existence, then it stands as a logical extension of this concept that we will impact future lives as this spirit returns in whatever form.

That is belief. It is a factor based in hope, faith and belief that as individuals we have this opportunity to live in this sort of way. However, how many people truly believe that they have this opportunity in the future. Our individuals truly squandering the moment in life in order to achieve short-term outcomes question per wit, are our earthly hormones and desires driving us.

An emotional-based life is one where despite all evidence an individual will progress down a maladaptive pattern of use. In fact, we can go one step further and say it is a maladaptive pattern of miss use of a normal resource available to us, which is life. We KNOW value and we know what the artifically ascribed associations mean to us, which are susequently sold in marketing ploys (Platinum card, King-sized bed etc). SO sad.

I do believe it is possible to become addicted to the excesses of a Western driven culture. Much I can to an addict, and individual rooted in emotions [including negative emotions such as the demise Asian] loves the effect of the neurotransmitter dopamine. Dopamine in the brain the keyless acumen's is associated with drive and pleasure. This is the root cause of addiction. As stated, addiction is basically a maladaptive pattern of use. I mean really, how is the way some people live their life really any different?

How much in the way of excesses does a person actually need? Gandhi stated there is enough for everyone on this earth in need, but not in greed. Thus if we take a look at individuals who are in the top 5% of earnings and can buy whatever they want those 5% of individuals own 90% of all the stuff.

There is a reason that Dante identified the seven deadly sins, of which one is. Really, and emotional-based life has a strong degree of interplay between these seven deadly sins. They include, but are not limited to: last, greed, sloth and gluttony to name a few.

If you want to embrace a emotional taste life then you sadly may have been sold a false bill of sale. For these emotions have been biased and altered through changes in brain chemistry. This opens up the concept that there are different stages of emotional-based living. Perhaps, we can integrate our positive emotions into our evidence-based and evidence informed living.

If we take the converse of gluttony, then we are looking/ and need to look at the individuals who are and have stripped away the excesses in order to really understand who they are and the impact of what they do in their lives. These are individuals who are at ease with the moment through mindfulness, meditation, prayer and positive play. The shackles of consumerism do not bind them

.

It is okay to ground, be a kid, not have everything designer, and not have 20 pairs of shoes, 30 skirts or 40 shirts or 60 pairs of socks. Can we express and share or why do we covet these things? Can we not ground and connect and love and live life? Perhaps, we can take a look at some of the humility that was identified by Buddha or Jesus Christ.  Individuals who looked to collect members and Disciples who were average individuals and laborers. But mindful people. 

Maybe, just maybe we can live in peace, patience, silence, humility and serenity. Perhaps, all of this plays in together through positive discourses.

What is the cost of this venture? How hard is it? What are the outcomes.

Well my gentle readers, the end outcome is to bind with the amorphic side of nature and beauty and be yourself, often

~~~ Rev. Dr. Joel Lamoure   March 2013

Living the Evidence-Informed Self: Those Silent Moments (Part 2)

Greetings my gentle readers to another week’s installment of the “Be Yourself, Often” blog. As always this is a time when we can sit and in quiet meditative mindful reflection look at the week that was and realize the impact of the decisions that we have made. As we touched on in our blog last week, too often people will assign blame to other people, and embrace as was stated by Eckhart Tolle as our “pain-body” and the role of victim, vs active participant in our life.

Unfortunately, this is often falsely convicting another party, which inherently will have to establish changes in boundaries, changes in verbal, as well as changes in non-verbal responses to that individual and similar situations in the future. This is your altar that is changing. You hurt, they hurt…everyone hurts.

Too often have you looked at somebody and made a preconceived notion or judgment about them? They look like a bum because they are not clean? They look smart because they wear glasses? They look like they have money or credible because they have clean designer clothes? Indeed, way too often this is done. Our evidence is filtered through an improper lens which causes not evidence informed decisions but rather emotional-based decisions. We will discuss evidence-based emotions next week.

However, going back to evidence informed that living. In being able to ground and connect with higher spirits through prayer, healthy diet, exercise and play then we can understand what is important to our spiritual connection. When we do not fill ourselves with the detritus of society and societal dictates or the man’s, we are more able to be free and make an appropriately informed decision. Per wet, we are not mere puppets of a Western culture.

Other clouds and filters that may impact on your ability to make a decision include unhealthy living or filling your life full of stuff that are not relevant to positive long-term objectives. They may be items, tangibles, ideas, beliefs or constructs. This may even include sacrificing your inner self and existing belief structures in order to be someone else, or by someone else’s objectives for you. At the end of the day, there is very little you in there. Across time, the whole organism that is YOU is bound to, in fact has to change with the constant onslaught of challenges. Welcome to the jaded world! SO emotionally driven and hormone mediated, while at the same time often not believing how much control you really HAD in the situation.

So in order to make an evidence informed decision, which will drive, a more positive, evidence informed life then we need to be at one with our spirit. We need to know our biases. We need to live a purpose driven life. There needs to be an awareness of our gifts and how they can translate into helping ourselves help ourselves help others. At this point, we can read the evidence and the impact as it occurs and understand how our subconscious has made the decisions that it has.

This is not a hard thing to do. It is about prayer, diet, healthy living, and play. There is indeed a balance rooted in a strong Spiritual foundation to build upon. It is about not assigning bias, nor blame and indeed assigning a healthy role to the moment. Life is not always a paranoid individual’s constant dream of conspiracies! There are players and victims, heroes and villains and a more open-minded approach and embracing the gestalt of the situation helps so much. It means, even when it is hard, that you might be not correct. Notice that the word “wrong” was not used.

How can this life be wrong or when there are so many miracles and gifts that exist within it? If we embrace our life as a gift in the present, rooted in mindfulness, then we should be able to truly be yourself, often.

~~~ Rev. Dr. Joel Lamoure March 2013

Living the Evidence-Informed Self: Those Silent Moments (Part 1)

Greetings my gentle readers to another week's installment of the "Be Yourself, Often" blog. As always this is a time when we can sit and in quiet meditative mindful reflection look at the week that was and realize the impact of the decisions that we have made. For in order to achieve prescribing and dispensing of Spiritual HOPE, then we need to know our root belief systems. We need to be informed of the evidence that presents itself to us, and how we interpret that information through our five senses, but also our sixth sense, which is our very accurate extra sensory perception. As we know HOPE is an acronym that stands for holistic health, outcome driven objectives, personalized care and empowerment.

This week we will extend our thoughts from the root cause analysis discussion of last week and add in the filter of what we see and how we see it. This is a time of empowerment when we can actually in collaboration with our higher power and meditative moments; influence in a positive way our future. In the same way as individuals will go to school for 20 years to achieve an objective, why do we not have the ability, desire, passion and drive to take even a half hour from our day and achieve positive outcomes question how hard is it to enroll in the school of the spirit?

My gentle readers, you are already a student in the School of the Spirit, whether or not you realized this fact. This is potentially a very inspiring and liberating opportunity, or may be extremely scary depending on your perspective. What this means is you are able to achieve an open dialogue with your teacher, who is your higher power.

Unlike school, this Higher Power has the ability to create miracles. All of the colors, sounds, tastes, life and living you have the ability to link to this master. Having that realization will positively influence your ability to filter the evidence in front of you.

Although I have used the term “evidence” multiple times in this blog, what does it mean? Inherently, one is driven to thoughts of police drama television shows. Really, it is not much different than that. Evidence is everything that is all about you and around you. An open and inquiring mind then filters this information through the lens of their belief system.

Your belief system is how you determine if something [such as evidence] is relevant to this particular case. And really, is this case not your life? And to add even further thoughts regarding karmic energies, are these not implications on life and lives yet unlived? Always having a bad day? What is your role in it? How bad is it really? Do you could task your files?

All of this really comes down to the basic concept that if you believe something is or will be bad then it will be so. You are evaluating the evidence as it relates to the case of your life. Having the mental and spiritual fortitude to examine the evidence is a wonderful place to start! Live and love life in the way it is and has been designed, which is full of moments and miracles!

How can this life be wrong or when there are so many miracles and gifts that exist within it? If we embrace our life as a gift in the present, rooted in mindfulness, then we should be able to truly be yourself, often.


~~~ Rev. Dr. Joel Lamoure   March 2013

Who Is Driving on this Trip?

Greetings my gentle readers to another week's installment of the "Be Yourself, Often" blog. This is the time of the week where we can step back, and curl up with a favorite warm beverage and/or or a loved one/animal (or both!)  and breathe a sigh of gratitude. A time when we can stop and look at the fingerprint that we imparted on the world, not often realizing the chaos theory and the subsequent ripples outward that our actions will have.

What we do, how we do it in the intent with which it is done often extend far beyond the act itself. Too often, we think about things as throwaway gestures, if we even think about them. However, even worse, we don't even spare a thought about what we do, what we say or the intent at that point in time. To me, that would indicate that what we do is either running on our subconscious or we do not even think regarding our actions. Ouch. I prefer to believe it is the former.

However, if our subconscious is driving our decisions in a direct linkage with Higher powers, it would serve us well to occasionally take stock of what we are doing and the outcomes it is having on our self and others. Albert Einstein stated, "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result". It is the squeaky wheel that gets the grease, and as such the only actions that normally track our valuable time are those that are negative in nature. But how often, does the person or party that is causing the negative outcome your self?

To illustrate this further, how often in a discussion will somebody make a comment about dealing with a jerk? That individual who is "the jerk “ is never the person standing in front of you telling their sad and tragic story. They are never, EVER the ones telling the story. Funny, eh?

Too often, we hear the first world wines of people that portray themselves as tragic victims, and often they do not know or have a clue regarding true victimization, truly being second- or third-class citizens. They do not have the ability, or insight to realize exactly the amount the impact, pathos (root of pathetic) and tragedy that they have imparted into the situation. Because everything has run on subconscious, and it has been a throwaway gesture, then it is not their fault. It is an unfortunate and scary state of affairs in today's society to realize how few people take responsibility for their own actions. It is always "the jerk" that has caused the problem.

Too often in life, it is not about absolutes. In fact, that is a positive fact that we are so intertwined that together adds there is neither good nor evil, black or white existing in isolation on earth. Almost 100% of everything is a shade of gray. Certainly, there are exceptions at the opposite spectrums, but these are more usually associated with "beyond the earth" concepts. There is God, the embodiment of good, and Satan who represents the embodiment of negative from a biblical perspective. And if we were to consider this from a perspective of light, black is thought to be the absence of any light and white is thought to be radiant and positive light. Small changes in semiotics however change that outlook when we think about it from a perspective of colors.

Dark is color to its highest degree of intensity. It is all the colors scribbled together and dark. White is pure and absence of color, yet we KNOW not devoid of color as we assign the arbitrary word "white" to this color.

As we look at all of these factors from the perspective of the impact of what we do, then we must understand what drives our subconscious. In the same sort of way as we assign a word to a color, that word does not describe every aspect of a color. There are associations that we have assigned as a society to a color, right? White is pure and black is evil. It is all black and white. Seriously?

Does our subconscious do the same? I believe so. If we are not aware of the associations that we hold then we are not able to make a true evidence-informed decision. And to touch the concepts of evidence for living is to be able to understand ourselves and others and our role in the acts and actions that are performed in such a casual, indeed throwaway gesture driven society. Would you not rather know what sort of associations you carry? Are they positive or negative? Only you know. And is a combination of your past, history, genetics and experiences And to know your subconscious is to then be able to touch your belief structure, as well as understand the decisions that you make. At this point, you are able to know the root energy that is placed into the actions that you conduct.

At this point you will start to understand karmic energies moving ahead and truly be able to touch and be yourself, often.

~~~ Rev. Dr. Joel Lamoure   March 2013