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

It Just Is...

Greetings my gentle readers and listeners to another week’s installment of the “Be Yourself, Often” blog.  Welcome to December 2012!!That time in the week when can look to the days that were with love and nostalgia, fear and apprehension and realize that we made it through the whole crazy thing whole. As usual, the reflections on this blog will be provided in my Tuesday night’s radio show on WULC entitled “Prescribing Spiritual H.O.P.E.”, which is live at 9pm Eastern Time and radio archived at http://www.spreaker.com/show/tuesday_prescribing_spiritual_hope

Through the course of the week as illustrated above there have been moments that were dichotomous in nature for all of us. From the thrill of victory to the agony of defeat, it just is. Those are three very powerful words that encapsulate so very much. When I heard the expression earlier, it resonated so intensely with myself as transcending far more than the simple planes that we know and in fact cross multiple theories and axis. So much in fact, there will be a three part series on this, with Christmas falling on a Tuesday, so the 4^th and 11^th will be on the trilogy and the 18^th will be my Christmas message. There will also be a special message I am hoping on December 21^st here and on the air simultaneously, just to help validate the fact we are all still alive on that date and now lets move ahead and help ourselves help each other and provide and ensure safe travels, which the message of unity will tie into the Christmas message. It Just Is.

It Just Is demonstrates the essential ideal perfection of everything. It helps and empowers an individual (if they can embrace this simple concept) that all situations that present themselves, are exactly that. The chance to do something, feel something or be something is exactly right for the situation. The individuals and situations that are on their own vectors inherently cross our vectors all of the time. If one stops and reflects in a mindful and meditative way through a filter and prism of positivity… that is absolutely mind blowing and liberating, all in the same time. As mentioned before however, there are too many “isms” out there and sadly, especially in December where people are so fixated on other aspects that this wonderful gift of healing and love and light may be missed.

My friends, this is truly root cause analysis embedded within the exercise of mindfulness. Why are things here and why did they cross my path and why do I need these learnings and why have I been chosen and what can I give to this situation and scenario? As with most things that are truly opening to the mind and heart and Spirit, this generates more questions than answers. Embrace that.

It Just Is will allow us to have quite a bit of freedom when embraced as it allows us to believe that through the topographical map of life, there will be hills and valleys, dryness and watershed, desert and lakes. Even that simple statement allows us to embrace the fact of our uniqueness. That uniqueness is also embedded in our genetic codes and the opportunities afforded to us. That uniqueness means we all have a very special gift and the next wonderful outcome driven goal is to find and embrace it and then share that gift to the betterment of others. For once a person engages in the embrace of giving away their gifts of the moment with the altruistic desire to educate and advance others… in the long run they themselves advance. Incredible isnt it? It Just Is.

To step away, embrace the moment and beginning to feel these insights means one may have to step away from the toxicity of the “isms”, of which narcissism and consumerism  are 2 powerful detractors. Express and find the whole person that you are, which often can be done by stepping back to be the wonderment of a child and being alive and having fun in the moment. Basically, to give yourself permission finally to 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

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

Fruits of synergy... construction vs. deconstruction

Fruits of synergy... construction vs. deconstruction

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  --- Rev Dr.  Joel Lamoure September 2012