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

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

The Stone Suitcase: A Time of Reflective Thanks

Greetings my gentle readers to this week’s installment  (albeit a wee bit late) of the “Be Yourself, Often” blog. That wonderful point in the week and a chance to start the week fresh and when we can sit back with the weeds in the wheat and look to the shafts reaching up the sky that we are becoming. A time to reflect on the days done and the road of days that stretch ahead and never will be exactly the same again. The time of laughter, tears, miracles in the moments and challenges and successes intertwined in the tapestry of a life.

These are days of reflective thanks. Although the US has recently completed their Thanksgiving Day and the subsequent chaos that was Black Friday and today is Cyber Monday, there is still a chance to give thanks. In fact, let us go one step backwards and forwards, all in one felled swoop and give thanks today. For indeed, isnt any day potentially Thanksgiving Day? I alluded to this back in October, but why wait?

I believe the American model is one that allows us the reflective filter between two dichotomies to ascertain the insanity of the world even clearer. Seeing some of the news clips (while recognizing the inherent bias of the media) of the DAY OF SALES and the pushing and shoving makes one ponder. Also, the Native community has a plaque in Plymouth that states Thanksgiving in the USA to be a Day of Mourning. Again, such a dichotomous outcome within a 24hr stretch and span of time. Interesting and factual, with a hint of pathology thrown in, all in one.

But although it is easy to be an armchair clinician and look at the snippets of semi-factualism, there is truth of this dichotomy everywhere, in each and every day. In fact, allow me to go one step further and identify the insanity and challenges regarding the “all about me and my deals that were made for ME” is more common place than lying back in the grass and raising our hands to the golden shafts, feeling the wonderful crisp air and looking to the hues of blue in the sky, interspersed with the white fluffiness we call clouds. And we know from past blogs indeed that a good explanation doesn’t explain everything.

So how to capture the moments. Oh, for the ability to be able to take pictures with our eyes that we can readily retrieve. But in a way, we can… those are called memories and the film that we use is lodged in our brain and there are many ways that film gets clouded and fuzzy sadly. The most common ways are not being at one with the moment. There are many clinical ways and diseases that fog the film, but if our lens is flawed and the reflective mirror doesn’t portray a crisp picture onto the film, then the picture we take with our eyes does not resonate. And the “isms” of life tend to cloud that vision…. Mainly narcissism and consumerism… a deadly combination for clear and crisp pictures when combined together. We saw the impact on Friday and in fact, see it every day.

If you want a clear and crisp picture, one needs to polish the lens and be at one with the situation to capture a clean shot that is logged away in the picture album of our mind. That produces memories that will stay long term and may be retrieved with a smile whenever one wishes. The laughter, stories, events, sights, sounds, scents and tastes are all collected on this wonderful film of the mind.

So sad that we cant collect that, isnt it? Yet we can through mindfulness, reflection and gentle exercises that allow one to be more proficient at being here in the now. Realizing that exactly what we have and possess is exactly what we are meant to be and even better that this situation is a class and chance to evolve. For really, that is our choice. To remain static, evolve or devolve.

Doing more with less and being at one with the moment and the senses, perhaps in a way that is counter to the “norm” will titillate the senses and sharpen the hues of the picture. Sort of like being a healing child again. And to be that, touch that, smell that and embrace that is to be yourself, often.

~~~ Rev. Dr. Joel Lamoure    November 2012