No hay mejor descubrimiento que darte cuenta que tienes control de tu estado de ánimo. Tal vez no sea tan fácil como se lee, pero la llave está en tus manos. Cuando estés dentro de una nube de negatividad, puedes cuestionar tus pensamientos... claro, si te interesa llegar a la paz más que nadar en la oscuridad pesada de tus emociones negativas. Tenemos control y eso es indudable. Cada vez que te sientas hundido bajo una tonelada de pensamientos negativos, familiares y pesados utiliza la espada de la razón y la conciencia y alíneate con la realidad.
Lo cierto es que somos muy dichosos de estar vivos y todo lo que tenemos es de sobra. Recuerda que la vida no es para siempre y pudieses nunca haber nacido o haber estado muerto. Cuando vez las cosas desde este ángulo y si te aprendes el truquito de salir de todo tipo de pesimismo y pesadez verás que cada cosa es suspiro en el bizcocho de la vida.
La vida es un regalo, un milagro divino que está lleno de sorpresas y experiencias enriquecedoras y maravillosas. El simple hecho de poder ver, de poder hablar, de poder pensar, de poder caminar, de poder relacionarte, de poder vestir, de poder reir, de poder llorar, de poder sentir, de poder respirar, de poder elegir, de poder vibrar hace que el viaje valga la pena. ¿Por qué no?
Al parecer la mayoría de nosotros entramos en una etapa de addición a la negatividad y a la pesadez porque eso es lo que vemos al nuestro alrededor, y como buenos imitadores que somos vivimos toda una vida en lo mismo de siempre... quejarnos por lo que nos falta. Tenemos un banco de quejas supuestamente legítimas que utilizamos en cada oportunidad que tenemos. Pero también podemos aprender a ser agradecidos y a darnos permiso para brillar.
Piénsalo, eres único o única... nadie es como tú... nadie tiene tu historia. Eres sumamente especial y fantástico o fantástica. El hecho de que hayas venido de donde viniste con los detalles originales que tiene tu historia y con las particularidades de tu mente, tu cuerpo, tu personalidad y tu vida te hace la única persona como tú. Nadie es idéntico o idéntica a ti... eres una ESTRELLA ÚNICA!
No importa quien seas o de donde vengas o como seas, eres sumamente interesante, al menos para mi porque no te conozco a fondo. Eres un astro de luz que nació para irradiar las maravillas que sólo a ti te pertenecen. No escondas tus regalos, no imites a nadie... eres como eres porque así es que tienes que ser. Ejerce tus pasiones y expresa tu corazón y tu verdad... no tienes que caber en una cajita preestablecida por la sociedad. Practica lo que te gusta practicar, cree en lo que te gusta creer, ejerce lo que te gusta ejercer y confía en tu propio corazón que tiene todas las respuestas perfectas para ti.
Mira lo chulo que es dejar que tu autenticidad y singularidad se exprese! O me vas a negar que este escrito no es verídico y chulo? Me sale porque he aprendido a ser yo sin importar las consecuencias y al igual que tú soy un ser magnífico!
Gracias Daddy por pintarme y gracias Mami por darme a luz... al igual que ustedes soy una obra de arte iluminada! Los amo sin condición!
Un beso al mundo! Mucho amor!!!
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Ways I Take Care Of Myself
Who's the most important person to take care of? Whatever your answer is, you can't argue with the fact that if the caretaker isn't at his or her best, then the care he or she will give won't be the best. If you don't take good care of yourself you can't take good care of others. The healthier and happier you are, the better you will be able to care for yourself and for others.
Imagine yourself sick and in bed, how are you going to take care of anyone? Until you get better you can't. Imagine yourself tired and angry, how are you going to take care of anyone? Imagine yourself fat and depressed, how are you going to take care of anyone? Imagine yourself ignorant and confused, how are you going to take care of anyone? The bottom line is this: the most important person to care for is yourself.
That said, I came up with the idea of writing out ways in which I like to care for myself so that I can take good care of others... here's a list (I'm sure I'll forget stuff)...
- I meditate
- I go out for walks
- I take naps and get comfortable
- I read good books and consume good information
- I sing for fun
- I eat good food
- I take long showers
- I go to the gym
- I go in the sauna and steam room
- I get pedicures
- I call a good friend
- I talk nicely to myself in my head
- I go to the park and enjoy nature
- I brush and floss my teeth daily
- I light natural scented candles
- I caress myself and tell myself nice things
- I keep in touch with supportive, positive and successful people
- I go to therapy and/or therapeutic gatherings
- I take voice lessons
- I write
- I dance
- I practice my social skills with strangers that seem inviting and gentle
- I stay away from negative, sensationalized information
- I stretch
- I establish boundaries in all of my relationships
- I say no and don't feel ashamed of it
- I keep my thoughts balanced, I avoid sensationalizing, exaggerating or dramatizing things
- I practice spiritual rituals and I keep this very private in order to avoid being criticized
- I practice deep breathing
- I listen to healthy, smart and supportive and loving talks
- I relax
- I trust my instincts
- I nurture my passions
- I avoid working too much
- I avoid overeating and oversleeping
- I tell the truth to myself and others
- I trust myself
- I get massages
- I go swimming
- I go to the beach
- I hangout with good friends
- I work to make my relationship healthy and strong
- I encourage myself and empower myself inside
- I take it easy
- I do not place great expectations on myself, and if I catch myself doing it, I stop
- I keep giving myself the love and support that is my birthright
- I go on vacation
- I save money
This is a pretty short list, there are many more practical and concrete things that I do. Mostly, I think what is most important is to seek BALANCE. Setting boundaries is very important, not overdoing anything is a great one for me since I tend to be an overachiever and since I tend to try and overcompensate for everything due to insecurities that are deep within. I know this because I study myself closely and I seek to provide myself with what I need in order to heal and recover myself. I have noticed that most people do not take good care of themselves, including me at times, for example when I smoke cigarettes in an attempt to avoid my emotions. I also tell myself mean things in my head sometimes because that is what I was taught to do. But these things can be kept in check if one has the intention of caring for oneself. I notice that when I care for myself successfully I am more productive, more creative and more at peace. I also notice that I am more efficient and that I can accomplish a lot more with a lot less work.
One important thing is staying out of denial and not making excuses for why one doesn't care for oneself. We have a million reasons to neglect ourselves and treat ourselves like garbage and we can even justify our crappy lifestyles and pretend like they are actually great when they are not. We do this because we fear exposing our truth. Hiding though, is not a healthy way to live and is very destructive and negligent. We have a responsibility to care for ourselves and love ourselves because that is the only way that we are going to accomplish what we were put on earth for. We don't have to love ourselves but this just makes life a lot more unpleasant and is a lot harsher on ourselves and on others. Living to love oneself and others is the best way of self-care... and if you think this is corny or bullshit then that's a perfect indication that you are filled with self-loathing and self-rejection probably because that's a lot of what you got as a child. Call that child and tell him or her that it's time for a new perspective and time for a new attitude. Without self-love there is no fulfillment. Care for yourself and the life that you want will unfold right before your eyes... SLOWLY. That's a huge key, patience. Growth and healing happen SLOWLY. There is no magic solution. Believing in fast progress or in magic is a form of self-abuse, because it is a fantasy that does not exist.
All the best!
Imagine yourself sick and in bed, how are you going to take care of anyone? Until you get better you can't. Imagine yourself tired and angry, how are you going to take care of anyone? Imagine yourself fat and depressed, how are you going to take care of anyone? Imagine yourself ignorant and confused, how are you going to take care of anyone? The bottom line is this: the most important person to care for is yourself.
That said, I came up with the idea of writing out ways in which I like to care for myself so that I can take good care of others... here's a list (I'm sure I'll forget stuff)...
- I meditate
- I go out for walks
- I take naps and get comfortable
- I read good books and consume good information
- I sing for fun
- I eat good food
- I take long showers
- I go to the gym
- I go in the sauna and steam room
- I get pedicures
- I call a good friend
- I talk nicely to myself in my head
- I go to the park and enjoy nature
- I brush and floss my teeth daily
- I light natural scented candles
- I caress myself and tell myself nice things
- I keep in touch with supportive, positive and successful people
- I go to therapy and/or therapeutic gatherings
- I take voice lessons
- I write
- I dance
- I practice my social skills with strangers that seem inviting and gentle
- I stay away from negative, sensationalized information
- I stretch
- I establish boundaries in all of my relationships
- I say no and don't feel ashamed of it
- I keep my thoughts balanced, I avoid sensationalizing, exaggerating or dramatizing things
- I practice spiritual rituals and I keep this very private in order to avoid being criticized
- I practice deep breathing
- I listen to healthy, smart and supportive and loving talks
- I relax
- I trust my instincts
- I nurture my passions
- I avoid working too much
- I avoid overeating and oversleeping
- I tell the truth to myself and others
- I trust myself
- I get massages
- I go swimming
- I go to the beach
- I hangout with good friends
- I work to make my relationship healthy and strong
- I encourage myself and empower myself inside
- I take it easy
- I do not place great expectations on myself, and if I catch myself doing it, I stop
- I keep giving myself the love and support that is my birthright
- I go on vacation
- I save money
This is a pretty short list, there are many more practical and concrete things that I do. Mostly, I think what is most important is to seek BALANCE. Setting boundaries is very important, not overdoing anything is a great one for me since I tend to be an overachiever and since I tend to try and overcompensate for everything due to insecurities that are deep within. I know this because I study myself closely and I seek to provide myself with what I need in order to heal and recover myself. I have noticed that most people do not take good care of themselves, including me at times, for example when I smoke cigarettes in an attempt to avoid my emotions. I also tell myself mean things in my head sometimes because that is what I was taught to do. But these things can be kept in check if one has the intention of caring for oneself. I notice that when I care for myself successfully I am more productive, more creative and more at peace. I also notice that I am more efficient and that I can accomplish a lot more with a lot less work.
One important thing is staying out of denial and not making excuses for why one doesn't care for oneself. We have a million reasons to neglect ourselves and treat ourselves like garbage and we can even justify our crappy lifestyles and pretend like they are actually great when they are not. We do this because we fear exposing our truth. Hiding though, is not a healthy way to live and is very destructive and negligent. We have a responsibility to care for ourselves and love ourselves because that is the only way that we are going to accomplish what we were put on earth for. We don't have to love ourselves but this just makes life a lot more unpleasant and is a lot harsher on ourselves and on others. Living to love oneself and others is the best way of self-care... and if you think this is corny or bullshit then that's a perfect indication that you are filled with self-loathing and self-rejection probably because that's a lot of what you got as a child. Call that child and tell him or her that it's time for a new perspective and time for a new attitude. Without self-love there is no fulfillment. Care for yourself and the life that you want will unfold right before your eyes... SLOWLY. That's a huge key, patience. Growth and healing happen SLOWLY. There is no magic solution. Believing in fast progress or in magic is a form of self-abuse, because it is a fantasy that does not exist.
All the best!
Our Obsession With Power, Fame, Recognition and The Media
I cannot tell you the amount of times I have sang for a person or a group of people whether it's at work, on the street, for a friend or a family member and I've heard the question "Why don't you audition for American Idol?"
I cannot tell you the amount of times I've had people who have read what I've written whether it's an article, a blog entry, a poem, an essay or something else and have heard "Why don't you write a book?" or "Why don't you write for the newspaper?"
I cannot tell you the amount of times I've done an acting skit or something and people tell me "Why don't you move to California and make movies?"
I cannot tell you the amount of times people have seen professional pictures of me and ask me "Why don't you become a model?"
All of these questions are very nice and flattering and I love to hear them because they are indicative that people see something in me that has potential to shine on a large scale. That's very nice and very sweet. What people don't usually know is that I've auditioned for American Idol three times already, I've tried to write many books, I've tried to come up with something to submit to newspapers, I used to dream and years ago made a plan to move to California to make movies and I when I was in the greatest shape of my life I had thought about becoming a model.
No offense to anyone but I had already thought of all those things. None of those thoughts, ideas or questions were or are original.
The truth is that these thoughts, ideas, suggestions, questions and beliefs have been injected into our veins by our culture and the media. Well-spoken people should be on TV, good singers should be famous, good-looking tall men or women should be models, good writers should have books or articles, good actors should make movies and on and on the list goes. Beautiful kids should do commercials, good-looking and talented people should be famous, good dancers should be behind Madonna, people who know three languages should be traveling, people with good taste for clothes should be in the fashion world... well, you get the point. It's so cliché by now that at least for me it verges on nauseating.
These ideas come from so many distorted perceptions we get... it's funny because we have been indoctrinated to associate power, fame and recognition with happiness and success. In fact in our culture, there is no other model for success that does not involve large scale recognition. The manager is successful, the owner is successful, the famous actor is successful, the CEO is successful, the president is successful, the entrepreneur is successful, the host is successful. People like secretaries, clerks, janitors, mail-men, barbers, etc are only successful IF they work for someone highly successful or IF they are making a lot of money.
So there you have it, success = recognition.
The more people that click "Like" on this note on Facebook, the more "successful" I am. Success is a matter of numbers.
Can we wake up from this long induced and deeply embedded dream? Can we release this obsession? Can we see how untrue it is? Can we get past this craving for the spotlight that makes us feel bored and miserable everyday? Can we be our own heroes and our own stars? Can we let go of the fantasy?
I sure as hell have! It's enough. : )
I cannot tell you the amount of times I've had people who have read what I've written whether it's an article, a blog entry, a poem, an essay or something else and have heard "Why don't you write a book?" or "Why don't you write for the newspaper?"
I cannot tell you the amount of times I've done an acting skit or something and people tell me "Why don't you move to California and make movies?"
I cannot tell you the amount of times people have seen professional pictures of me and ask me "Why don't you become a model?"
All of these questions are very nice and flattering and I love to hear them because they are indicative that people see something in me that has potential to shine on a large scale. That's very nice and very sweet. What people don't usually know is that I've auditioned for American Idol three times already, I've tried to write many books, I've tried to come up with something to submit to newspapers, I used to dream and years ago made a plan to move to California to make movies and I when I was in the greatest shape of my life I had thought about becoming a model.
No offense to anyone but I had already thought of all those things. None of those thoughts, ideas or questions were or are original.
The truth is that these thoughts, ideas, suggestions, questions and beliefs have been injected into our veins by our culture and the media. Well-spoken people should be on TV, good singers should be famous, good-looking tall men or women should be models, good writers should have books or articles, good actors should make movies and on and on the list goes. Beautiful kids should do commercials, good-looking and talented people should be famous, good dancers should be behind Madonna, people who know three languages should be traveling, people with good taste for clothes should be in the fashion world... well, you get the point. It's so cliché by now that at least for me it verges on nauseating.
These ideas come from so many distorted perceptions we get... it's funny because we have been indoctrinated to associate power, fame and recognition with happiness and success. In fact in our culture, there is no other model for success that does not involve large scale recognition. The manager is successful, the owner is successful, the famous actor is successful, the CEO is successful, the president is successful, the entrepreneur is successful, the host is successful. People like secretaries, clerks, janitors, mail-men, barbers, etc are only successful IF they work for someone highly successful or IF they are making a lot of money.
So there you have it, success = recognition.
The more people that click "Like" on this note on Facebook, the more "successful" I am. Success is a matter of numbers.
Can we wake up from this long induced and deeply embedded dream? Can we release this obsession? Can we see how untrue it is? Can we get past this craving for the spotlight that makes us feel bored and miserable everyday? Can we be our own heroes and our own stars? Can we let go of the fantasy?
I sure as hell have! It's enough. : )
Thursday, May 19, 2011
I Found A Breath of Reality
I remember how lost in wanting to be "amazing" I was. I didn't realize that I was being amazing the whole time! It's sad how we drive ourselves crazy chasing what we already have. "Amazing" was an illusion in my mind that I could see almost anywhere outside of me... well, not anywhere, I was pretty picky! It had to be Ricky Martin, Adam Lambert, Mark Baxter, Adyashanti, Eckhart Tolle, Deepak Chopra, I don't know... all these "amazing" people who did "amazing" things.
I feel so grateful for the men who have inspired me. All they've done is show me who I am and who I have always been! This AMAZING manifestation of the diversity and divinity of life.
With a big head, with the tip of a pinky missing, with a loud voice, with a brassy personality, with a sweet smile, with bushy dark eyebrows, with a little belly that splits in two, with a scar on my stomach, with a funny posture, with a strange view. I'm a freak! And I love it!
Thank you men who unknowingly fooled me into thinking that there was such a thing other than amazing and that that was me and the rest of the world. It all started with my mom and dad, to me they were gods of perfection, then it went to Ricky, then it went to college professors, to Broadway actors and actresses, then it went to Mark, then it went to Adya, then it went to God and now it's back to me.
I am an amazing being of light and nobody can convince me otherwise! I love myself COMPLETELY and I believe in myself one hundred percent! The sky is the limit and self-love is all I got for me... I don't need anyone else to do it for me... and I don't need to pretend like I am less than anybody else anymore!
I am BEAUTIFUL!
I feel so grateful for the men who have inspired me. All they've done is show me who I am and who I have always been! This AMAZING manifestation of the diversity and divinity of life.
With a big head, with the tip of a pinky missing, with a loud voice, with a brassy personality, with a sweet smile, with bushy dark eyebrows, with a little belly that splits in two, with a scar on my stomach, with a funny posture, with a strange view. I'm a freak! And I love it!
Thank you men who unknowingly fooled me into thinking that there was such a thing other than amazing and that that was me and the rest of the world. It all started with my mom and dad, to me they were gods of perfection, then it went to Ricky, then it went to college professors, to Broadway actors and actresses, then it went to Mark, then it went to Adya, then it went to God and now it's back to me.
I am an amazing being of light and nobody can convince me otherwise! I love myself COMPLETELY and I believe in myself one hundred percent! The sky is the limit and self-love is all I got for me... I don't need anyone else to do it for me... and I don't need to pretend like I am less than anybody else anymore!
I am BEAUTIFUL!
Monday, May 16, 2011
Yes, I get it
Yes society, world, culture, people... I get it. Being good looking is better than being ugly, being tall is better than being short, being smart is better than being dumb, having a college degree is better than not having a college degree, being heterosexual is better than being gay, being rich is better than being poor, having a BMW is better than having a Toyota, being famous is better than being unknown, being skinny is better than being fat, living in a prestigious neighborhood is better than living in the ghetto, being well-spoken is better than not being well-spoken, being charismatic is better than being boring.
Yes, I get it, following the norms and rules is better than not. Behaving according to what is expected by all is better than breaking out of the box.
I get it world, you have set standards that when not lived up to them then that means one has a lot of work to do. I get it, life is all about impressing the world and having people admire one. Yes world, I know that according to you this life is all about getting your acceptance and approval - that those who make it to the cover of a magazine are better than those who don't. I get that life is all about who has more, who looks better, who does more, who sells more. I get that success is all about numbers. I get it.
I get how the whole thing goes, I know what competition and comparison is. It's actually quite simple. If I'm taller and better looking then I must be better, if my house is nicer then I must be better, if I have a special talent then I must be better, if I have a bigger muscles then I must be better, if I have nicer clothes then I must be better, if I have a higher position then I must be better, if I can type faster then I must be better. It's all about comparison and who's the best. If I run faster then I'm better, if I make it to 1st place then I'm better than the rest. I get it... it's about popularity, the most popular is the best. If I have a Master's then I'm better than whoever has a Bachelor's - it's hysterical.
One's worth and value is determined by what the world says, by what others say. That's how this whole thing works! Whoever can sing the highest note is the better singer. Whoever can work more hours is the better citizen. This culture is a hoot. It's so nice to not be playing that game and feeling like a true success. Drop out of the madness and follow your heart and your love and passion -- not the world... you'll go crazy! Believe me, I already did... thank God I lived to tell the story!
Yes, I get it, following the norms and rules is better than not. Behaving according to what is expected by all is better than breaking out of the box.
I get it world, you have set standards that when not lived up to them then that means one has a lot of work to do. I get it, life is all about impressing the world and having people admire one. Yes world, I know that according to you this life is all about getting your acceptance and approval - that those who make it to the cover of a magazine are better than those who don't. I get that life is all about who has more, who looks better, who does more, who sells more. I get that success is all about numbers. I get it.
I get how the whole thing goes, I know what competition and comparison is. It's actually quite simple. If I'm taller and better looking then I must be better, if my house is nicer then I must be better, if I have a special talent then I must be better, if I have a bigger muscles then I must be better, if I have nicer clothes then I must be better, if I have a higher position then I must be better, if I can type faster then I must be better. It's all about comparison and who's the best. If I run faster then I'm better, if I make it to 1st place then I'm better than the rest. I get it... it's about popularity, the most popular is the best. If I have a Master's then I'm better than whoever has a Bachelor's - it's hysterical.
One's worth and value is determined by what the world says, by what others say. That's how this whole thing works! Whoever can sing the highest note is the better singer. Whoever can work more hours is the better citizen. This culture is a hoot. It's so nice to not be playing that game and feeling like a true success. Drop out of the madness and follow your heart and your love and passion -- not the world... you'll go crazy! Believe me, I already did... thank God I lived to tell the story!
Saturday, May 14, 2011
The "Everything Should Be Easy" Syndrome
Ah, America! I write that as if I knew much more about other cultures, which to be honest, I really know close to nothing about anything outside of the way we Americans live. I mean, sure I grew up in the Dominican Republic but that's still Latin America and it seems like contemporary Dominicans are highly influenced by the North American way.
No long ago I was teaching a class to kids in a private school that was about building wooden airplanes. The process required some sanding, gluing, coloring and adjusting. The reaction of many of my students was "Why do we have to sand them?" or "Why do we have to build them ourselves, why can't we just buy them at the store?"
It's amazing, at first it happened in a private school where the kids where obviously (financially) wealthy, but then it started happening in public schools too. We are so spoiled as a nation that we don't want to work for anything. We don't want to learn how to cook, how to drive a standard transmission vehicle, we don't even want to have to use our bodies anymore.
Forget just not wanting to do any physical work, we avoid going to college because it takes too long and it's too much work. We look to do a three-month course in photography or a two week bar-tending class so that we can get a license and make quick money. We don't want to use our brains. We want the car to automatically shut the headlights for us and we want our food to be ready in less than five minutes. No wonder why the fast food industry is owning the world.
In any kind of relationship we feel that if it's not easy to get along, then we should just discard them and move on. We don't want to do any kind of work. In our personal development we want to go see a psychologist once or twice (if even that) and if we didn't get results then the whole thing is bullshit. In spirituality if we don't get to know God within the first few months of seeking, we discard our devotion and convert to more worldly ways. If it's not EASY, we scrap it.
If the pill doesn't cause weight loss then we just forget about the whole thing and move on to forgetting all about ever being healthy. If the natural herbal pill doesn't get rid of the cold immediately then we say that the product is a scam. If it's not easy we just say FUCK IT! We become defeated, comfortable people who have settled for cynicism and low-level despair.
I can't tell you how many students I've had that when I tell them that learning to sing takes YEARS, they run for the door, move on and find another teacher that lies to them telling them that they can learn right away and takes their money. All only to later come back to me and tell me I was right the whole time.
The whole "everything should be easy" spoiled brat syndrome is slowly taking people's PASSION for living away from them. It is an immature, absurd and defeatist attitude that stinks like dead rats. NOTHING THAT'S REAL IS EASY! Only fantasies and delusions are! Like credit cards, make-up, instant soup, tights that conceal your fat, beach resorts, computer editing, magic, lies, tricks and bullshit. All those things are easy, but they are not REAL. Phony relationships, phony weddings, phony orange juice, phony laughter. All those things might be easy but they are PHONY.
It is easy to build a house without a foundation because we don't have to get dirty and dig a whole. It is easy to make a house out of cardboard because we don't have to chop wood and carry water. But all the easy stuff goes away as easy as it comes. EASY COMES, EASY GOES!
Wake-up from the silly dream of magic, perfection and ease -- it's a fantasy. Look at Kim Kardashian, she looks like an idiot... is that who you want to be?
I feel very SORRY for people with the "Everything Should Be Easy" Syndrome... they're half brain-dead! I am so HAPPY I got out of it! Anything worthwhile is CHALLENGING!
No long ago I was teaching a class to kids in a private school that was about building wooden airplanes. The process required some sanding, gluing, coloring and adjusting. The reaction of many of my students was "Why do we have to sand them?" or "Why do we have to build them ourselves, why can't we just buy them at the store?"
It's amazing, at first it happened in a private school where the kids where obviously (financially) wealthy, but then it started happening in public schools too. We are so spoiled as a nation that we don't want to work for anything. We don't want to learn how to cook, how to drive a standard transmission vehicle, we don't even want to have to use our bodies anymore.
Forget just not wanting to do any physical work, we avoid going to college because it takes too long and it's too much work. We look to do a three-month course in photography or a two week bar-tending class so that we can get a license and make quick money. We don't want to use our brains. We want the car to automatically shut the headlights for us and we want our food to be ready in less than five minutes. No wonder why the fast food industry is owning the world.
In any kind of relationship we feel that if it's not easy to get along, then we should just discard them and move on. We don't want to do any kind of work. In our personal development we want to go see a psychologist once or twice (if even that) and if we didn't get results then the whole thing is bullshit. In spirituality if we don't get to know God within the first few months of seeking, we discard our devotion and convert to more worldly ways. If it's not EASY, we scrap it.
If the pill doesn't cause weight loss then we just forget about the whole thing and move on to forgetting all about ever being healthy. If the natural herbal pill doesn't get rid of the cold immediately then we say that the product is a scam. If it's not easy we just say FUCK IT! We become defeated, comfortable people who have settled for cynicism and low-level despair.
I can't tell you how many students I've had that when I tell them that learning to sing takes YEARS, they run for the door, move on and find another teacher that lies to them telling them that they can learn right away and takes their money. All only to later come back to me and tell me I was right the whole time.
The whole "everything should be easy" spoiled brat syndrome is slowly taking people's PASSION for living away from them. It is an immature, absurd and defeatist attitude that stinks like dead rats. NOTHING THAT'S REAL IS EASY! Only fantasies and delusions are! Like credit cards, make-up, instant soup, tights that conceal your fat, beach resorts, computer editing, magic, lies, tricks and bullshit. All those things are easy, but they are not REAL. Phony relationships, phony weddings, phony orange juice, phony laughter. All those things might be easy but they are PHONY.
It is easy to build a house without a foundation because we don't have to get dirty and dig a whole. It is easy to make a house out of cardboard because we don't have to chop wood and carry water. But all the easy stuff goes away as easy as it comes. EASY COMES, EASY GOES!
Wake-up from the silly dream of magic, perfection and ease -- it's a fantasy. Look at Kim Kardashian, she looks like an idiot... is that who you want to be?
I feel very SORRY for people with the "Everything Should Be Easy" Syndrome... they're half brain-dead! I am so HAPPY I got out of it! Anything worthwhile is CHALLENGING!
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Declaration Of Spiritual Autonomy
It's pretty obvious that there doesn't seem to be a single human being on the planet who isn't in a search for something beyond the material. Even self-proclaimed atheists and so-called materialists whether in denial or not, have an intrinsic curiosity toward the otherworldly. To me, that's just a fact, why? Because I have never personally met or even read about anyone who hasn't been intrigued by the whole notion of there being something more to life than what we can see.
Sure, there are people that go into a denial that is so deep that they use the power of their own beings to suppress and hide their innate curiosity. Perhaps there are even some people who haven't awoken to their latent spiritual curiosity, but the fact to me is that we all have an inner calling towards what most of us like to call God. The way I see it, atheists have it too. Why else would somebody be so adamant in their insistence that something does "not" exist. What is it that they are denying? I always use the example of how I never create a label around not believing in Santa Clause. I just don't believe that Santa is real, period. I don't call myself an "asantaist." To do that would be to be showing an unusual interest in Santa, which would be funny because it would probably have something to do with me actually believing in Santa.
Now, I'm not saying that every atheist believes in God deep down, perhaps some people have come to their own realization that there could not be this singular and distinct entity called God. They may argue that there is no such thing as extremes, that things are not black or white - that those are primitive and simplistic ways of looking at things because it violates the laws of relativity and so on. I'm really just interested in making it a point that we are all called to explore life in a way that goes beyond what we consider possible. That's all.
Where else would all religions come from? Where else would all philosophies and arguments come from? We are curious AND uncertain about many things in life. To me, that's just the plain truth.
The point of proving this is basically explaining and clarifying mostly for myself and hopefully for others where my spiritual quests, journeys and paths have come from. I'm just human, and it's in our nature to inquire and be curious about the unknown. Lucky for me, this was never really shut down totally. I've always been a curious bighead peeking deeper and deeper into everything. With this incessant curiosity and with this relentless personality I have driven a lot of people to the edge of temporary insanity. I have driven my mom, my dad, my brothers, my sister, my lovers, my friends, my teachers and even acquaintances crazy - most of all I have driven myself to actual insanity, leading me to be institutionalized.
Yes, my love for God has driven me crazy. It has created many paths, quests, confusion, angst and every other emotion and non-emotion that I could imagine. I have laughed, cried, sang and remained quiet and everything in between. My thirst for God and my passion for discovering the truth has made me a very awkward and strange individual. Even though on the exterior to some I may seem completely normal, I could assure you that I have been far from it. My dysfunction as an ego in this society according to its standards has been pretty pronounced. I have only managed to get myself in a lot of trouble and have independently accomplished very little so far. At least in my eyes. For others the story might be completely different. I am speaking from within me and being truthful in my feelings.
The truth is that at 27 years-old I still feel like a child that has used the whole world in order to fulfill his needs. At first my needs were spiritual, then my needs became material and egoic and finally they mostly became spiritual again. At this last stage I leaned on various spiritual teachers. The teachers are really too many to mention but my greatest attachment and clinging were on two (in my eyes) wonderful teachers by the names of Mark Baxter and Adyashanti. I have carried what I've been able to collect of their minds and I have depended on the knowledge of these teachers like a kid learning to ride a bike depends on the training wheels. Mark Baxter has been my right wheel and Adyashanti has been my left.
The immense fear of letting go of these training wheels perfectly resembles the fear I had of letting go of my actual training wheels. I was terrified and horrified more than any of my other brothers seemed to be (I have no way of knowing the truth about their situation, but it seemed like it was a lot easier for them.) Yes, I realize that this is all good and well and natural, but the other good and well and natural thing to do is to let go.
And as terrified and horrified of never referring to either of my teachers as I am, I feel naturally inclined to release the grip of dependency today. Yes, today on May 4th, 2011 I declare myself spiritually independent and I abandon myself to myself completely. No more external authorities, no more religion, no more external seeking. I am left alone with myself for I feel sure that I have everything I need directly inside and even though I may not be an expert at accessing my own inner wisdom, I know that true learning can only happen when one lets go of one's crutches.
I have a long way to go in all the different levels of my development, but one thing is for sure: this declaration and this acceptance of myself as my own spiritual teacher will make things a lot easier for me. I will no longer be waiting around to hear what Adyashanti has to say and I will no longer be waiting for Mark Baxter to reply my e-mails. It doesn't mean that Adya and Mark won't be in my life anymore, it means that they have gone from being my teachers to being my friends. Friends who I love and appreciate deeply and find myself deeply interested in, but now I am individuated from them and I will no longer seek their approval.
This is as relieving as it is terrifying yet the time has come for me. My journey has come to a fruition that demands that in order for there to be more growth I step into my heart and become the leader of my own life. Sadly most people never arrive at this point but now I can be here for others in a way that I could never be before, so yes, I accept my duty to be present for those on the path of which today I step off of.
My life is pathless, my steps create the illusion of a journey that even I do not fully comprehend. I declare myself spiritually satisfied. And yes, it is the greatest satisfaction of all!
Sure, there are people that go into a denial that is so deep that they use the power of their own beings to suppress and hide their innate curiosity. Perhaps there are even some people who haven't awoken to their latent spiritual curiosity, but the fact to me is that we all have an inner calling towards what most of us like to call God. The way I see it, atheists have it too. Why else would somebody be so adamant in their insistence that something does "not" exist. What is it that they are denying? I always use the example of how I never create a label around not believing in Santa Clause. I just don't believe that Santa is real, period. I don't call myself an "asantaist." To do that would be to be showing an unusual interest in Santa, which would be funny because it would probably have something to do with me actually believing in Santa.
Now, I'm not saying that every atheist believes in God deep down, perhaps some people have come to their own realization that there could not be this singular and distinct entity called God. They may argue that there is no such thing as extremes, that things are not black or white - that those are primitive and simplistic ways of looking at things because it violates the laws of relativity and so on. I'm really just interested in making it a point that we are all called to explore life in a way that goes beyond what we consider possible. That's all.
Where else would all religions come from? Where else would all philosophies and arguments come from? We are curious AND uncertain about many things in life. To me, that's just the plain truth.
The point of proving this is basically explaining and clarifying mostly for myself and hopefully for others where my spiritual quests, journeys and paths have come from. I'm just human, and it's in our nature to inquire and be curious about the unknown. Lucky for me, this was never really shut down totally. I've always been a curious bighead peeking deeper and deeper into everything. With this incessant curiosity and with this relentless personality I have driven a lot of people to the edge of temporary insanity. I have driven my mom, my dad, my brothers, my sister, my lovers, my friends, my teachers and even acquaintances crazy - most of all I have driven myself to actual insanity, leading me to be institutionalized.
Yes, my love for God has driven me crazy. It has created many paths, quests, confusion, angst and every other emotion and non-emotion that I could imagine. I have laughed, cried, sang and remained quiet and everything in between. My thirst for God and my passion for discovering the truth has made me a very awkward and strange individual. Even though on the exterior to some I may seem completely normal, I could assure you that I have been far from it. My dysfunction as an ego in this society according to its standards has been pretty pronounced. I have only managed to get myself in a lot of trouble and have independently accomplished very little so far. At least in my eyes. For others the story might be completely different. I am speaking from within me and being truthful in my feelings.
The truth is that at 27 years-old I still feel like a child that has used the whole world in order to fulfill his needs. At first my needs were spiritual, then my needs became material and egoic and finally they mostly became spiritual again. At this last stage I leaned on various spiritual teachers. The teachers are really too many to mention but my greatest attachment and clinging were on two (in my eyes) wonderful teachers by the names of Mark Baxter and Adyashanti. I have carried what I've been able to collect of their minds and I have depended on the knowledge of these teachers like a kid learning to ride a bike depends on the training wheels. Mark Baxter has been my right wheel and Adyashanti has been my left.
The immense fear of letting go of these training wheels perfectly resembles the fear I had of letting go of my actual training wheels. I was terrified and horrified more than any of my other brothers seemed to be (I have no way of knowing the truth about their situation, but it seemed like it was a lot easier for them.) Yes, I realize that this is all good and well and natural, but the other good and well and natural thing to do is to let go.
And as terrified and horrified of never referring to either of my teachers as I am, I feel naturally inclined to release the grip of dependency today. Yes, today on May 4th, 2011 I declare myself spiritually independent and I abandon myself to myself completely. No more external authorities, no more religion, no more external seeking. I am left alone with myself for I feel sure that I have everything I need directly inside and even though I may not be an expert at accessing my own inner wisdom, I know that true learning can only happen when one lets go of one's crutches.
I have a long way to go in all the different levels of my development, but one thing is for sure: this declaration and this acceptance of myself as my own spiritual teacher will make things a lot easier for me. I will no longer be waiting around to hear what Adyashanti has to say and I will no longer be waiting for Mark Baxter to reply my e-mails. It doesn't mean that Adya and Mark won't be in my life anymore, it means that they have gone from being my teachers to being my friends. Friends who I love and appreciate deeply and find myself deeply interested in, but now I am individuated from them and I will no longer seek their approval.
This is as relieving as it is terrifying yet the time has come for me. My journey has come to a fruition that demands that in order for there to be more growth I step into my heart and become the leader of my own life. Sadly most people never arrive at this point but now I can be here for others in a way that I could never be before, so yes, I accept my duty to be present for those on the path of which today I step off of.
My life is pathless, my steps create the illusion of a journey that even I do not fully comprehend. I declare myself spiritually satisfied. And yes, it is the greatest satisfaction of all!
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