“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

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

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

Living the Dream or Dream to Live? (Part 2]

Greetings my gentle readers to another week's installment of the "be yourself, often" blog. As usual, this is the time when we can step back and reflect on the moments that were, the moments that are in the moments that will be if we make the conscious decision to make the right decisions in the here and now. Too often, we don't make the right decisions as they are influenced by external sources that aren't necessarily the best for us.

Last week we took a look at living the dream and this week we will take a look at dreaming to live. Too often many of us merely dream to live and don't actually get to live the dream. That is because we are so tied up in all the challenges, chaos and frivolities of the day. If we ask ourselves the question move this matter in 100 years, most of us will have to say no. However, even worse, if we ask ourselves with this matter in six months than often most of us will have to say no with the situation that is stressing us out and shortening our life.

That means that most of us are dreaming to live. We don't see ourselves as instrument is rather loudly. That is very sad my gentle readers for that means we are not embracing life is a fully can be embraced. With respect are karmic batteries, it means that we are dead in the moment and not able to recharge or offer ourselves or our resources or our gifts to ourselves or others.

Why do we dream to live? It is because that we are often sucked into the challenges and chaos of the moment. It means that within the moment there is very little us and very little me in the situation. If we stop and take a look at the events that have transpired, we see that we have influenced very little or not at all. And what a sad place that is to be. At the end of the day, do you go to sleep tired with a good tired or a bad tired? Harry Chapin once said that to go to sleep with a good tired although you may have lost each and every battle in the day, they were a year hopes your goals your dreams and your objectives and they were your battles that you fought. They were not other people's.

As such, sometimes a day that you lost may be a day that you actually won. For you’re the chance to translate some of these challenges occurred within the course of the day and realize that there was a lot of you with in the day. And each and every day is a new opportunity, a present, and a gift. We can take with these gifts than these presents what we decide to do. And truly to have all of these presents is to be present in the moment and be aware of our gifts, talents and what we mean to the moment.

Dreaming to live means that you don't know beyond what man makes, constructs and dictates that thou must do. It is a sad place to be. As we stated last week, you can truly lived a dream. And to live that dream is to love the moment. And to love the moment is to be yourself, often.

~~~Rev. Dr Joel Lamoure   February 2013

All the Blessings of Positivity

“As long as enthusiasm holds out, so will new opportunities.”
Dr. Norman Vincent Peale

“If there is no fun in it, something is wrong…”
Dr. Norman Vincent Peale 

Greetings my gentle readers to this weeks installment of the “Be Yourself, Often” Blog. This is a time where we can sit back and share with each other some of the common themes and opportunities and challenges that have occurred through the week and see how it dovetails into us and our basic intelligent concern for ourselves and others, also known as love Have we infused the week with the spirit of us, or have we been mindlessly trucking along dead to the opportunities? 

We are responsible for our own choices, beliefs and actions that we take and make. I am positive of that. Sometimes, they are negative and this is only a big problem if we allow mistakes and negatives to stay negatives. Per wit, one does not Learn from them. That makes one lost, and potentially a fool, in the true medieval sense of the word.

If this discussion stings, there is the chance to leverage, discuss and advance in positivity. The past is history. The new day that emerges is extciting, and a mystery. Today is the day to do with which, as you wish. This is what is is the Present. 

All the blessings of positivity is a wonderful quote that came in the passing through a discussion with a valued friend. This statement really can make one stop and take stock of the inventory within the store as what one says and what one does can be totally different. As well, there may be prismic facets that reflect and refract back different things to different people. Some examples of those may be person, gender, race, religion, culture etc.

What is important here is that the concept of positivity holds a great degree of commonality across all of those facets and religions? It is a state of Being, rather than a truly human quality. If it were a truly human quality, people in North America overall would be the happiest and most positive people on the planet. Why? Their GDP and annual income is some of the highest in the world and unlimited access to gifts of nature, health, wealth and all the shiny spoons and 2-car garages that one can conceptualize. Yet, these people are often negative and being positive is held by very few. The incidence of mental health disorders in this dynamic is about 25 times that of the population in the Southern Sahara.

Why is that? Well…it means that stuff is not a sole root of happiness long term. While it may provide a transient feel good release of hormones and neurotransmitters, it truly is just stuff. And that begets the concepts of hoarding and attachment to said stuff and that begets fear of loss and theft and that leads to bigger fence and walls and the concepts that revolve around “commercial happiness”. My friends, you will never ever be like that person selling whatever on the television or Internet. Why? Because its NOT you and please stop transposing and imagining that you are entitled to be that. You’ve been sold a harsh bill of sale.

All the power of positivity lies within you already and the life and miracles that abound around you if you stop and reflect. To step away from every level of stuff and fluff and exercise basic human kindness with you is a critical first step. One needs to be aware of strong emotions that impact this may have on others and yourself. Transference and counter transference are very very large issues that can suck away positivity faster than a black hole. People that have strong behavioural disorders rooted in Cluster B within Axis 2 are often unable to sustain long periods of positivity. Why is that? Because they are constantly on the attack and fighting the next person that they perceive will “screw them over”, yet not knowing they themselves are the reason their life is so empty. They are devoid of pleasure by virtue of their defense mechanisms. 

Let us be more understanding to each other and a gentle word to ourselves. Small and gentle steps will help us evolve, in the form of mental weight training to build up to be more positive. Why, how and where do we act and react in situations? How could we have done it better? Being in a safe environment with gentle friends who help you see that, vs denigrate or attack you will help you develop through learning. 

At a certain point, the student becomes the teacher and the positivity shine through as the Hand of God and the miracles of the moment may be seen in every small, intricate moment that happens in life. That there is a moment, where even in the darkest hours that will hit and horrid news, periods where one sees that they can move ahead and live. And not only live, but positive this situation will help them help others. 

At that point, surrounded by miracles, you become a hero and inspiration to others and then may just have become and truly be yourself, often.

                        ~~ Rev. Dr. Joel Lamoure   August 2012