Compare And Despair
Recently, I attended a Toastmasters meeting where a gentleman was delivering his first speech to this specific group – an ice breaker to have us get acquainted with him. Instead of the typical short autobiographical introduction this speaker chose to give us an overview of his philosophy of life.
He told his audience that he sees himself entering a new phase of his life right now. He spoke about how important it is to get to know yourself and to take care of yourself first and foremost, and to always live in the moment.
After the speech and applause, the toastmaster reflected briefly on what the talk meant to him as he had listened. He said it reminded him of a mentor who had once, many years ago, said to him, “Compare… and despair”. If in life you are constantly comparing yourself to others, or comparing what you have with what others have, or what you feel you lack, or need to achieve, then all that will do is bring yourself unnecessary despair. Continue reading
The True Meaning Of Bliss
I have been contemplating how often a friend’s photo on social media, a call from a customer, an advertisement, the written word, or an overheard phrase has triggered a really significant memory for me. This was the case again last night, when the word “bliss” featured in a commercial for chocolate on my TV screen. For some reason this prompted a memory from many years ago.
I was working temporarily in a retirement home as a caregiver. Although I didn’t have long-term plans to remain in that job, I loved working with the old people, and used to give them reflexology treatments and healing massages in my free time. The short treatments gave them great relief, and they began asking if I would come back and help them again.
This caused a lot of animosity with the rest of the staff, who were already unfriendly towards me. They made it clear that I was not ‘one of them’. I was the outsider, and not from ‘their village.’ The home’s matron asked me to stop doing any healing or therapeutic work with the residents, because it was not in my job description. Continue reading
False Education Appearing Real
I love the acronym F.E.A.R. (False Education Appearing Real) since we all have people, circumstances, phobias and so forth, that can put us into that space. Fear is an instance of emotion that is triggered by the awareness, or anticipation of danger. It can also become a state of being. Excluding clinical fears, needing professional help, there are many fears we simply impose upon ourselves as a result of life experiences.
One of my fears is acrophobia, the fear of heights. When I get within five feet from the edge of a rooftop, I begin to shake. Climbing 30 foot ladders has me nervous and when I hiked to the pinnacle of the mountain of Macchu Picchu in 2004, I could not take those last six nervous steps onto the plateau pinnacle rock. This was partly being due to a few other tourists already sharing the rock… and I am a little “accident prone.” Continue reading
Cats Are Great Spiritual Teachers
When I think of the word love I think of my two cats. I have two cats and love them dearly. Most of the people I know also own cats, but we all seem to agree that we don’t really own our cats… our cats own us. We also agree that our lives are better, sweeter and more peaceful with our sweet precious cats. I feel a home isn’t truly a home unless there is a cat that dwells in it.
Cats are highly intuitive and very sensitive. They sense energy and can pick up on static electricity, ultrasonic sounds and changes in vibration. The cats I have lived with over the years always informed me in their own unique way of impending earthquakes, or some form of extreme weather that was approaching. Continue reading
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