“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

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

Enlightened Beings, Really?

Greetings my gentle readers to another week's installment of the "be yourself, often" blog and happy new month, welcome to March 2013. Hopefully, this is the time of the week when we can step back and appreciate exactly what we contributed to the components that added up to be the week that was. And when we stop and appreciate our involvement with people, places, things and all forms of nature hopefully the balance sheet of our contributions are on the side of the positive. This week's blog will go on a little longer then normal as it addresses several psychopathologies that present within the concept of “enlightenment” as we are seeing it develop in the Western world by and large.

As we know and have stated multiple times, prescribing spiritual hope operates under the premise that in some way we have not yet been able to achieve our full goals and objectives. But really, we cannot achieve these hopes and dreams if we do not know what we are even striving for. As such, knowledge of our goal of hope is essential. One cannot help but wonder as we evolve whether or not as stated by Monty Python whether or not the gods are truly crazy. Let us explore this concept through the lens and filter of H.O.P.E.

H stands for holistic health, where we are able to look at all aspects of our being and realize exactly what requires healing, without judgment. It is only at that point when an individual becomes an active participant in their healing through identification that appropriate steps and forms of treatment may be engaged. Per wit, this is the period of diagnostics. Once an accurate diagnosis has been made, only then can the appropriate methodology and treatment interventions be brought to bear. Really, it is along the theory and approach of knowing our enemy.

While there are many potential interventions that can be used, often they are ineffective or actually may worsen the individual’s clinical or psychiatric status if utilized in the wrong way. I believe we are seeing examples over and over of this in our "spiritual awakening". Without having a root understanding of spirituality there are so many that profess to being experts in this field. Often, it is an extension of the hunger and dissatisfaction that progresses in a society where so many are left feeling helpless. Given challenges and "fattening up", as well as having blinders affixed to the eyes through this Industrial age, we have been left spiritually bereft for so, so very long.

Now, add in a society and culture where individuals are used to, and in fact demand having everything handed to them or available at their fingertips. Sadly, we have been created a culture of sheeple, but ones that still have expectations and demands. I believe we can call these "first world whines". In true Freudian terminology, we have suppressed our most basic intellects at the cost of massive hyperinflation of our superego. Basically, we can get any color at any size at anywhere at the best cost, and have been more than assured that we [or rather our superego, which is affixed to our pocketbook] our first and foremost.

Once we look at the interface of vectors of these hyper-inflated egos, entitlement, narcissism, point of access to information and add in a hint of delusion regarding grandiosity, one can see there is not much room for true spirituality. True spirituality would mean that an individual is able to connect with their God [however they see their God [example Christianity]], while at the same time being able to embrace the differences and opinions of others and then use their God given gifts and talents to help advance other people.

Now it is not about helping advance other people while at the same time advancing your ego. It's not about sharing information and not learning it yourself. Those are the blinders coming back to bear on you. So really, are we truly becoming more enlightened? Or is there a generation of hypocrites that are developing? Is there truly an angry and confused generation evolving?

These are very interesting times looking at these last three questions. Certainly, the methodology that has been utilized over the past 100 years is no longer sustainable. New approaches, concepts and strategies must be employed. This is a time for peace, not war. As such, if we indeed are spiritual entities having a human existence then we should act as such. This is a critical time in our evolution to stop and reflect and learn. That learning is in the form of a diagnosis of the human race, but also a determination through spiritual social work of what are the goals of therapy.

Basically, if you want to be an enlightened soul, act like one. Believe like one. Study like one. Avoid the temptations of playing victim or engaging in hypocrisy. There was a wonderful expression I was told years ago, when I thought I knew everything that stated “Take the cotton from your ears and stick it in your mouth.” Once we do that, we can see the insanity that is evolving all around us. Wiser minds who look a all of the prevailing opinions as well as all of the evidence does not always prevail and in the sense of true entitlement sometimes the loudest entities in the interests of crusading get the most attention as well as the foot soldiers. This is a recipe for disaster and even potentially anarchy at a spiritual level, destruction of all, as we know.

This peace and enlightenment is not a hard object to strive for my gentle friends. It starts from within ourselves and an examination of what we believe in, our gifts and their talents, and the knowledge of what we are prepared to do. It is accepting the negatives and seeing how we can translate those into potential positives it is not boastful, nor being a victim. It is not taking up of arms nor justice of a vigilante approach. If we truly want that enlightenment, we need to look at that quiet and serene core that exists within us. That place where we are able to truly see that there are miracles that abound all about costs, and take them as the signs that they are, not any different than Noah was promised with the rainbow. This is a place where we can totally be at ease and thus avoid the dis-ease that exists within the disease that presents through the veil of society. It is a place for we can look with wide-eyed wonderment and the willingness to play us if a child again, including the wonderment of realizing the gifts that we have and the potential for positive outcomes. You don't need to be anyone else, or impress anyone else. Simply realizing that “I am as meant to be” is a very powerful message for us to learn and embrace.

For to recognize those positive outcomes and achieve peace and enlightenment, to be an enlightened individual is to truly be yourself, often.

~~~Rev. Dr. Joel Lamoure   March 2013

We Do Reap What We Sow

Greetings my gentle readers to the "be yourself, often" blog at www.joelwlamoure.com. This is a time of the week when we can sit back and quietly reflect, meditate and was deliberate mindful thought see the week that was. Last week, we took a look at karmic batteries and how to determine whether the battery was charged, under charged or dead.

As we were able to conclude with last Tuesday’s night radio show,  “Prescribing Spiritual HOPE” http://www.spreaker.com/show/tuesday_prescribing_spiritual_hope “, sadly there are too many people that are existing with a dead battery. How can it be, that they consider this to be living? Perhaps my friends it is because what they are living is what is encouraged by our societal and item driven society. There are very few opportunities that last across time, person and space that allow for an internal validation and continuous win. To use a comparison, it is not unlike a person with diabetes getting a high sugar meal and the resultant microvascular and macro vascular complaints and problems that occur long-term. Even a person without the complications of diabetes if given a high sugar meal will have a corresponding drop with fatigue, feeling down and lack of energy.

Why then is any difference from a spiritual perspective? If we tend to reap what we sow, then all we are achieving inner item driven world is small term successes that will cause an increase in dopamine, which is our pleasure reward neurological hormone. We well know from a clinical perspective, the increases in dopamine in the corresponding reductions afterwords are linked to a dependent state. Therefore, with constant reinforcement based marketing, advertising, idolizing of celebrities we reinforce this psychopathology. What is the cost? It means that not dissimilar to an addiction, which is a real medical condition rooted in brain circuitry changes, we too can become addicted in this market driven life.

That my gentle readers is what we have sown. Why then should we be surprised when we have karmic energy and karmic batteries that are dying? We go from high to low, victory to failure, never appreciating the true balance of life and always striving for the next rush. Basically, in a first world society we are nothing more than rats in a Skinner maze. Now that may seem a little blunt, but the general constructs of control of human society are exactly that.

If we want to achieve a more positive spiritual driven life, we need to take a look at what are our outcomes that we are looking to achieve. If we take a look back over 2000 years from a purely Biblical perspective, this is clearly identified in Galatians chapter 6, verses seven through eight. This piece of Scripture states "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man so with, that shall he also reap. For he that so with to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that so with to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reaps life everlasting."

In my mind, and from my clinical and ministers perspective this means that we need to go beyond that of flash. We need to engage ourselves into beyond what our eyes are able to capture. It is the mindfulness and miracles of the moment that we should embrace. These moments of mindfulness and embracing sure you are writing about a level of positive influences and sister entering our thought stream. And as we well know, our thoughts will define our actions, and our actions will define our outcomes. As such, when we step outside of ourselves we are able to take a look at the world that exists beyond the here and now. Although not quantified by science, this is an area that is addressed in the world of metaphysics.

Metaphysics it allows us the opportunity to conceptualize a spiritual driven life. That driven life goes beyond the world of the highs and the lows, the world of the celebrity idolization and certainly beyond the world of a root dopamine surge system. It is a world where we can talk to each other, dialogue with each other and engage in healthy appreciation for one another. And truly that is the definition of love, which is an intelligent concern for others.

Who could have imagined that sowing the seeds would have such a positive outcome? For it seems far easier to approach this world of spirituality as opposed of killing ourselves in the process of achieving items that won't matter at the end of our days.

This is about learning in a healthy way the concept of mindfulness with regard to color, taste, senses, sound, sight, smell and touch. In mindfulness, we are able to become a beacon of light that radiates out and inspires others. We start to see, how what we reap is what we have sown. We start to see, how we can become a positive influence simply by one person being more attuned with the metaphysical parameters that exist in every cell, and every atom, and every quark around us. It is an opportunity to be able to realize exactly what is happening is exactly what is meant to be.

Perhaps as we learn what is meant to be and appreciate that what is meant to be is exactly right for this particular moment, and we have contributed to what this moment is, then perhaps you can truly 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

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

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