You CAN Paint it Black…or White! (Or Fuchsia!!)

Greetings my gentle readers to another week and another installment of the “Be Yourself, Often” blog at www.joelwlamoure.com . This represents perhaps a checkpoint in the week when we can step back and reflect of the moments and sands of time that have traversed the hourglass and gave themselves to help us reach the point and state that we are today. And that the moment and present that is the now can be translated into the dreams of tomorrow.

There are so many potential subjects that can be addressed from a spiritual nature filtering through the concepts and parameters of H.O.P.E., which we are striving towards.  This is a worthy spiritual agenda that advances our holistic health and ways that we can capture and encapsulate it, outcome driven objectives, personalized perspective and the end goals and challenges associated with empowerment.

If we agree that we are spiritual beings having a human existence and proceeding through the school of life, with all of its classes, challenges, dynamics and trials/ tribulations then we can consider each step begets the next. Ther are the challenges and roadblocks that exist and demonstrate themselves in the course of our life and how we perceive and deal with these define outcomes. Certainly, there are freak accidents and events that we cannot even begin to conceptualize as to the why of them occurring. Far too often, bad things happen to good people and where we translate the learnings defines our “mark” in this particular class.

Do we focus on the learnings in the moment or dream towards the future? Remain firmly rooted in the past perhaps? There are certainly pros and cons to all of these and perhaps as opposed to having to pick one, in this class of life perhaps we may be able to approach it more as a smorgasbord or buffet of life. There are the various courses that we are fully able to mix and mingle and intersperse with other components. Nothing saying that we cannot take the past learnings and nostalgia of times go by, be aware of those moments and enjoy a quiet reflective moment and a tranquil smile. Knowing that YOU have been given that gift to experience such a wonderful thing and that it can persist across the quantum dimension of time… and time past is equidistantly dead and are unable to touch or change that past. So our filter of perspective should be one of positives, for want of otherwise living in regrets.

To capture that moment in the smorgasbord is an intense blend of utilization of our 5 senses in the here and now and encapsulated/imprinted on the psyche in the moment. These imprintations will trigger future memories based on sight, sound, touch, taste, or smells are the root of the event and stimulate our wits, which senses used to be termed in Shakespeare’s time.

But perhaps my friend we are even more than that from a spiritual existence and the senses impart a feeling which we can link and be aware through the gift and inspiration of cognition. So many other senses then are drilled down such as pain, nociception, kinesthetic sensory input and so much more. That we are able to balance and assign a “feeling” to an event that files the event in the sensorium in the filing cabinets of good or bad also will translate through across time.

So then, what we absorb, intuit and feel will become the picture that we will carry around in our mental wallets forever, and through the premises of HOPE can assign the degree of robustness and richness the picture will have. Personally, I feel the truest way of remembering an event in true vivid high definition (HD) imprinted in our mental wallet is to have the event resonate on all senses, embracing it with the gifts and talents and being that we are. My father used to call it being “in country”, which means that we fully immerse ourselves in the surrounding environment and learn by being part of it. That is a wonderful way to collect facts and understand the why of the event as opposed of standing by passively and casting stones and Judgement.

Moments that are very dichotomous in nature as well tend to be filmed in the very best HD film as well. These moments can be easily created by the observer and often creates a smile and pleasurable associations if they are planned to be. They are the adult at play, Light within a period of dark, Water element touching earth and a kind smile on a gloomy day. Captured in fact by the Rolling Stones on their album “Aftermath” and the song “Paint it Black”.  We can be light even in dark.

That is the root of spiritual living is to be the beacon of light and provide a positive lesson to others in the moments of darkness. To help others in an altruistic way see and be the positive side of the dichotomy. There is a choice and that is to be the negative…if you wish. But by seeing the light and positives, then we can help others see it and then me and you can be yourself, often.

     ~~~~ Rev. Dr. Joel Lamoure    April 2013

Seeing a Person as a Whole

Greetings my gentle readers to this weeks installment of the “Be Yourself, Often” blog found at www.joelwlamoure.com. Sort of prep for out Tuesday at 9pm EST radio show on WULC entitled “Prescribing Spiritual H.O.P.E” which is on Spreaker (http://www.spreaker.com/show/tuesday_prescribing_spiritual_hope). These are the moments that we can really address the moments and the actions, both positive and negative that contribute to the week that was.  How did we impact based on the decisions and Belief structure that we have? Notice I didn’t say to do nothing, for that is an option that may be either positive or negative. It is a choice; still rooted in the person we are and ultimately will determine outcomes.

Last week we took a look at structural soundness and being able to an architect of what we do and how we deal with events that transpire.  This week I have had the wonderful opportunity through both clinical practice and teaching to have this theory looked at and challenged. The ultimate root cause analysis that I often speak of is so very different for everyone and not unlike the rockets blowing away from the shuttle when it exploded, once a vector starts, it often will Y away from the center of the event.

In order to truly help someone and working to make their structure more sound, we must ensure that there is buy in and collaboration. There is a bunch of insight and awareness, dialogue and listening that SHOULD take place, but sadly doesn’t. Far too often, people are so rooted on what they want or what they think should be the end point, but never stopping to realize that they are making the situation worse.

As we stop and address a situation, there may be a hesitation to engage, fear or other past or current events and ultimately end up “doing their job”, but never ever getting the true wins and satisfactions that elude them. And sadly, they become bitterer across time for that extra step is never taken and the opportunities are not handed to them. This is a disequilibrium centering on delusion, different belief structures, different values, and lack of communications and really seems so unfair! I mean, after all, they are focusing what is important from the general perspective. C’mon coach…let me in and give me a chance!

But either the player (and many times too the coach) end up in a stalemate. One of the two parties has forgotten what is important in this equation. In the differentials of assessing a patient, these are the small things, NOT the big general perspectives. That is merely the accepted level of average that too many people take and accept.

We often forget that we are the sum of our parts and that is what drives the diagnosis and the end general perspective.

A wise person told me this week that it only takes one smart detective to crack a case, but along the way a bunch of people that aren’t looking at details can trample all over your crime scene.  The detective is where they are because they have and are able to look at the small details.

So I believe in order to look at a person as a whole, we need to look at all their parts and ensure those parts are well oiled and dovetail well and all the cogs and teeth in place. THAT is what makes and generates wins and positive outcomes… for BOTH parties and not just one. It takes two to tango and an appreciation of the other person and what are their wishes, goals and what is ultimately important to them. At this point we can step back and see the psychosocial quantitative analysis that needs to be done. It isnt about the numbers at the end of the day, but it is about the person and THEIR goals and outcomes. Its not the dollars and cents, but the psychosocial rehabilitation and quality adjusted life years that we are able to optimize. This is what gains traction and derives satisfaction for the person and the giver.

But in order to do that, we need to listen and look at the structure, belief, spirit and gifts that both parties have. Maybe, just maybe we will be able to leverage that for a better outcome, which will define a better society. Not one based in money and stuff and commodities, but on based in mutual understanding and psych-social balance.

That my gentle friends are a time of healing and a time that they and you can be yourself, often.

                                    ~~~ Rev. Dr Joel Lamoure     January 2013