Category Archives: Perspectives

Illucidations, Perspectives

It’s Just Too Easy To Think You’re Right

“I could be totally wrong, but I’m a… dancin’ fool”.
-Frank Zappa

Last night, a friend and I were texting on the subject of differing viewpoints.  I suggested that it’s just too easy to think you’re right. This morning, cogitating on “It’s just too easy to think you’re right”, I concluded that a corollary is “It’s too easy to be fooled.”, whether you’re interpreting reality yourself, or someone is intentionally fooling you or they actually believe something contrary to reality, and you take their word for it.  Now this, of course, depends on the belief that there is a non-relative definition of reality, which, due to human nature, and the constancy of change in the universe, seems not to be in the cards.  As soon as it’s clear that something is true, either science or someone who tells a good story, presents an interpretation of “what is” that seems to make sense to a large number of people; and “making sense” can depend on who will give you food or shelter or something that you think will make you feel better than you feel now.  Also, science is dependent on the availability of current statistics, for the most part, and their interpretation, i.e. another story, and the acceptance of an authority.  What a twisted web!

Some factions of “Christians” believe that The Bible is that port in the storm, something you can depend on for a reference to the truth or viability. There are both literal interpretations and looser guidebook interpretations. I guess you could call them “conservative” and “liberal.”

Then again, other religions have their own book with it’s own literal and guidebook interpretations, and The Books when compared may have some agreement but also fundamental differences due to what was evident to the writers at the time of the writing.

So everyone has a detailed definition of what they think reality is, based upon their pain vs. pleasure choices since birth and their interpretation of their experience up to the current moment. I call it their “personal dictionary”. 

For the same reason that, per science, no two people have the same fingerprint (creation’s constant production of variety), no two people have the same interpretation of an experience, because interpretation is based upon one’s continuously morphing personal dictionary, which determines viable choices based upon categories (labels) self-assigned to experiences.

“Can’t we all just get along?” -Rodney King

So let’s see if it’s possible that the universe and all people in it can agree on a small set of principles.
If such a set of principles could exist, it would have to have an accepted morphing component allowing it to be in harmony with the morphing functionality inherent in the universe on all levels, a “Morphable Good Book”, so-to-speak.  Here we go again…

Good luck with that.  It’s not a solution. It doesn’t remove the interpretation relativity factor whereby two people sitting next to each other in the same room can have very different experiences if a third person walks through the room — the total of physical and mental reaction experiences.

What if there were some experience/happening that made all the illusions disappear, for everyone simultaneously?  Consider this scenario:
Suppose that all of a sudden, by natural progression of the cosmos, a fundamental frequency shifts and a level of awareness of a broader spectrum is reached, a “veil is lifted” and everyone “tunes into the same channel”, and a consistent reality and value system is evident to all.  In such an environment, there would be no deception.   No one could lie because the truth is obvious to all.  The change would be more dramatic than from black and white to color photography. Not that there wouldn’t be creativity, but the primary interpretation for all things would be clear. In short, it’s what is called the “Age of Aquarius”.  I’m rooting for that.  It could be that the transition is gradual — maybe a critical mass thing, but we may be closer to that than we think. How definite is that!

Some people think that in order for this condition to be experienced that one needs to have left their relative earth body. Not necessarily. One does need to move one’s focus from earth 3D time-space relativity to actual unbounded possibility in the now. One’s mind is unlimited. A body need not slow you down. Mentally, you make choices in a multidimensional creative environment, an on-the-fly “Holo-deck”. Purposeful “dreaming” if you will. This dreaming is on-the-fly creation of the next moment by defining direction and choosing to go in that direction.
Ah, there’s the rub. Choosing to morph for the better vs. choosing to not change.

Let’s all choose to morph for the better individually. I guess you have to think about what “better” means for you, long-term and short-term, allowing unexpected possibilities to present themselves.

Let others know you appreciate them, and act accordingly. Feel appreciative of your chance to better your life and the lives of others.
I appreciate you because we’re the same, choosing moment to moment, relying on what we’ve experienced to make our choice.
But if we’re going to agree on something, perhaps we can prioritize appreciation, and expressing appreciation.

Am I right? 🙂

Illucidations, Perspectives

2020 Vision

Everyone knows that 20-20 means perfect vision. If you have 20-20 vision, an object at 20 feet appears to be 20 feet away. Metaphorically, however, 20-20 can mean seeing things as they truly are, clarity of understanding. That’s my vision for the year 2020, that everyone, everywhere sees things as they are, that people are also clear about what they mean, that transparency is universal. Expect clarity, and be clear yourself. Examine yourself, know why you do what you do. Take time to understand yourself and others. That’s 2020 Vision. Join me in the vision.

Illucidations, Perspectives

Opening Your Third Eye

The other day a friend of mine was told by a psychic that she should open her “third eye” to assist her in her being a healer, in the larger sense. My thoughts turned to what I’ve read and heard about opening the third eye and I was moved to share that information and whatever relevant thoughts that came to me as I was transcribing it. Coincidently, or not, I’m using my “third eye” to write this information, right now. Here it is:

The “Third Eye” is a nickname for a perceptive faculty we have as humans. In the Hindu system it is the ajna chakra, guru chakra, brow chakra or “third eye” chakra. Those who can psychically see the ajna chakra see it’s physical touchpoint to be the pineal gland, residing inside the cranium behind the center of the forehead. Google says it is “the center of perception and command. It directs our sight and everyday awareness of the world.” So, the name is derived from its placement and functionality. But look again at that quote. It directs our everyday awareness of the world. That brings me to my first point:

1) Your “third eye” doesn’t need to be open, it is fully open and functioning in your life and always has been!

But, you may not recognize that functioning because of misconceptions you might have and some esoteric information you may not have heard before. Maybe this is that information.

2) It’s not just an “eye”.

Calling it the “Third Eye” leads one to believe the perception is “visual”. It’s way more than that. Bottom line, the function of the ajna chakra is to deliver ideas or information from our inner source, and that information can be experienced in multiple ways. Let’s explore that a bit.

Suppose you are a predominantly visually-oriented person, perhaps a painter, a photographer, a graphic artist. Or suppose you have vivid dreams, or just love to look at nature, shape and color. If your inner self wants to send you a message, its best option is through a channel (concepts) with which you are relatively familiar and have a strong significance. Rather than use the word “imagination” which has an “unreal” context, I use the word “imager” which describes the function of that faculty we all have. It takes the information from the inner self and, like a TV set, turns the signal from the cable into a visual image, which, hopefully, we will interpret as was intended.

Now suppose you are a predominantly auditorily-oriented person, perhaps a musician, a translator, a writer. Or maybe you have a keen sense of hearing and hear not only sound, but can distinguish tones and notes, whether you can carry a tune or not. There can be a sense of dimension, and multiple auditory aspects. If your inner self wants to send you a message, its best channel is through words and sounds. So where do you think those words in your head come from. What is that “still small voice”?

So am I telling you that every thought that comes into your head is your inner self trying to get a message to you? In the sense that one could see every experience as a divine teaching moment with infinite creative potential, yes. But on a day-to-day, present-day, practical world sense, no. I’m not talking about mundane thoughts. I’m talking about thoughts that just seem to pop into your head that answer a question you might have, or might suggest you do something differently, or give you an alternate interpretation of something you experienced.

Someone once asked The Evergreens (a group like the Temple Teachers) how to distinguish between mundane thoughts and inner self guidance. They explained that the default mental voice we are “given” is the voice we recognize most, i.e. our own voice. However, our conscious mind can command our subconscious mind to deliver a message (like an email, in a sense) to our inner self to use a special voice for guidance messages. [Per Huna, the subconscious mind is the go-between for the conscious mind and the all-knowing inner self.] The Evergreens suggested that you choose the voice of someone you can “hear in your head”, and whose advice you trust. Once the reprogramming is complete you will hear that someone’s voice speaking to you, perhaps greeting you in a special way particular to you and that person.

Suppose you are predominantly a feeling- or sensing-oriented person, who has found it successful to go by your “gut”. If your inner self wants to send you a message, its best channel is through your “gut”. Maybe you get queasy feelings or chills that direct you to stay away from certain people or places, or maybe you recognize when you feel positively drawn to someone or some place. Your conscious mind can command your subconscious mind to deliver a message to your inner self to send the smell of a rose whenever it wants you to pay special attention to what’s going on around you.

However it may be that you’re oriented, the information is coming to you all the time, you just need to watch for it, listen for it, check you feelings. And you can tailor an inner signal to pay attention. Declare to yourself that you are watching, listening, and aware of feelings and sensations.

Also, know you have many loving friends and helpers in non-physical realms who want to talk with you, answer your questions, guide you on your path. Do be selective, though. Gloria recommended “Thank you, Source, for your continued guidance and protection”, as a regular affirmation. I printed a copy in a nice script and posted it on the inside of my bedroom door as a daily reminder. Talk with your guides, either individually, if you know their name, or as “Source”. But remember, their names may be temporary and symbolic — a tool, if you will, to pass a message, like “Silverthistle”.

So, “opening the third eye” is 1) knowing that there is a constant source of information from our inner self or inner associates and 2) trusting that that information will be passed through a familiar “channel” and 3) being aware of watching, listening and feeling what you experience, moment by moment. If you don’t look or listen for a message, you won’t see or hear it.

Illucidations, Perspectives, Steps, Tools for Evolution

Creation and Interpretation

Creation and Interpretation. These are two primary functionalities of what is called “the mind”. For the purpose of this article we examine only those two functionalities.

The Temple Teachers called them the “Twin Minds: The Creative Mind and The Perceiving Mind”.

The Teachers also talked about Consciousness and Volition, which, interestingly, come down to about the same thing: Consciousness relating to the Perceiving Mind, and Volition, the ability to use what you know to change/enhance your environment, relating to the Creative Mind.

So there is a constant Yin/Yang of

1) perceiving something and interpreting it and,

2) to the extent you have the interest, opportunity and ability to act, you make a change by creating something. For one thing, a focus is created, an interpretation of value to the focus, and you give this creation a supply of significance and sustainability. It may be simpler to say that you interpret it good or bad, give it a degree of good/bad, name it, focus on it, define it, then do what you have to do to manifest it. If it suits enough of your fancy, the creation reaches significance sufficient to be visible (in physical) to self and others.

“OK…”, you may say, “what does this mean to me right now?” Does seeing this motivate me to focus any energy somewhere and enhance life as I know it?”

As humans, we have a relatively high ratio of volition to consciousness, i.e. the ability to use the knowledge we have to do something to enhance life. The Teachers talk about creation being “conduction” of life force, creating the present moment by moment in the direction of our choice, almost like spraying a hose of life force, if you will.

Illucidations, Perspectives, Tools for Evolution

A Wise Choice

What is a wise choice? Simple question, simple answer. A wise choice is one that is profitable and the wisest choice is one that is most profitable. So what do I mean by profitable? A Taoist teacher I was privileged to study with said that the Chinese saying “Wei Wu Wei” translates to “Do nothing, yet nothing is left undone.” What it means is, “Take the shortest or most efficient path where everything intended is accomplished with minimum effort/resistance.” So what is that most efficient path and how do you get there?

That takes a little overview and examination of the possible paths, but surely, regardless of the path, if you want to get from A to B, it would be preferable to have green lights all the way.

What gives you green lights? Qualification, protocol and timing. It helps to be qualified so that you get through the guarded doors along the way. To pass smoothly and quickly, you have to be in harmony with the conditions and people at each door and follow protocol. Though a cat could qualify for a cat show, it does not qualify for “The Voice” or “American Idol”, nor does a person who cannot sing. The winners of those shows are able to distinguish between notes and, generally, have been singing for years, and they conduct themselves in a manner that meets protocol. They have put their focus on their hearing and their voice sufficiently to have control and to create specific sounds at will, and to evoke feelings. This is their qualification. Secondly, they went to the right place (the audition) at the right time and, thirdly, they acted appropriately. You need both a viable seed and the right environmental conditions for the seed to sprout and bear fruit.

So, for the wisest, most profitable choices,
1) know where you intend to go,
2) focus enough to learn what you need to learn to pass through all the doors,
3) including what it’s like to live in harmony beyond each door, so all your transitions are smooth.
4) And be at the door when it is open.

This will minimize the time it takes to reach your goal, because the obstacles are minimized.

So, did you profit from this article? Must have been a wise choice.

Light, Love & Joy,

Jnana Sivananda

Perspectives, Tools for Evolution

In Process…

I started to create a “To-Do” list file today.  As I  quizzed myself for an appropriate file name, I realized that naming a list “To Do” or “To Be Done” is putting their completion into the future. You may say, “That’s reasonable. They aren’t done yet.”

However, the guidance of the Evergreens toward “Profitable Thinking”, indicates that there is a more profitable way, a way to reduce the time of manifestation of a desired state, all the while allowing that state be an evolving target, always being enhanced.

What we’re talking about is a change in perspective. You can put things in a box called “The Future” and never quite get there, or you can accomplish more, sooner, by declaring an evolving creation within an evolving box called “Now”.

Suppose “Now” was a file cabinet with three drawers, labelled: “Things Beginning”, “Things Evolving”, and “Things Completing”.  Notice the 3 words: “Beginning”, “Evolving” and “Completing”.  They all describe a current process. That’s a key message to the subconscious that it’s OK to have this situation manifest in the present. You may have been putting it off to the future, but now you’re giving yourself the go-ahead. When you and your subconscious support each other, you super-charge your work.

So… Want to get something going? Create three files: Things_Beginning, Things_Evolving, and Things_Completing, and document your projects in them.  See how quickly things take shape.

-Seymour Lovejoy

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Illucidations, Perspectives

The Purpose of Life

This morning I was reading snippets from The Gentle Book of Practical Living, compiled from readings from the Evergreens.  I came upon this entry “On the Purpose of Life”:

***

The purpose of life is to learn, and share learning with others. The purpose of life when you are thirsty is to drink; when you are hungry, to eat; when you are tired, to sleep. Whenever there is one who has fallen, to raise, that when you are fallen, to lift your hand so that another may extend theirs and lift you.
The purpose of life is to work so that there is manipulation of the world, not the world that it would manipulate you. The purpose of life is to experience the experiencing of experience.

***

One could take the perspective that “The Purpose of Life” is pretty close to what is called “God’s will”.  By simple observation we see the present, and the future resulting from it, as a result of our choices based upon our beliefs.  It is of the nature of life to radiate and morph, and for us to create our individual and group presents and futures.   My favorite definition of “Gods Will” is that All That Is be enhanced, that things get better. The world is enhanced when we enhance ourselves, learn more, become more skilled, become more imaginative, more creative, more joyful, more helpful, more appreciative, more loving.  Every moment can be enhanced in multiple ways, even a smile, or an inner chortle.

Practice/Focus:

Ask yourself, “What can I enhance now? How can I improve my life and the lives of others?” You’ll find that the answer is always presented to you, sometimes instantly.  Then take action, plant and nurture the seed to its fruition in its optimal environment.  Then do it again and again and again into the future. Small enhancements are as important and part of human success as large enhancements, because the intention is to enhance without regard to size.

Go for it!

Seymour Lovejoy

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Illucidations, Perspectives

What? Me Worry?

Worry is a fearful focus on an idea or situation.  The other day, someone was wondering whether we should be worried about the Fukushima disaster damaging our fish food chain.

The Teachers would say “No, unless you want to attract the problem”. If you are worried, you are telling your subconscious mind that you need the experience to teach you not to worry.

Your purpose is to become a master. A master does not worry because he/she knows that they are divine, existence is eternal, and we can create the world we want by focusing on what we want, versus what we don’t want.

Since you are a creator, what you think is what you get moment by moment. The Teachers suggest saying “I deny that thought life” when you happen to accidentally use the law of “I am” by thinking of an unwanted condition, whether you use the words “I am” or not.

Even Jesus said, “It’s not what goes into one’s mouth that defiles a man, but what comes out of his mouth”.

The Evergreens suggest that if you fear something, go through the entire experience in detail in your mind with all of the emotions, and envision yourself approaching it and dealing with it as a master would.  You can then learn from a lucid “daydream” rather than having to learn from an experience physically created by belief and worry. Envision the alternative successful mastery experience.

Seymour Lovejoy

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Perspectives, Tools for Evolution

What is “Spiritual”?

People often think that being spiritual requires some extraordinary activity or some prescribed activity, when it’s not really the activity, it’s more about your consciousness, not just while you’re doing something, but even if you’re “doing nothing”. You can be sitting in your chair in front of the TV set or you can be on a missionary trip in Africa. The secret is your perspective, not just “the way things are”, but the way they can be, the way you use your thought.

Creation expands as things are produced and differentiate. The totality of Creation, including both pure potential and potential manifest, is constantly expanding as things happen. The accumulation of what has happened, what has been created, is growing moment by moment.  Part of that creation is the mental climate/environment of mankind, the combination of all thoughts of mankind.  We contribute to that climate/environment with each thought. With that in mind, the more you love, the more love there is “in the world”, and you don’t need to be in any particular place or be doing do any particular thing to think a loving thought.

Simply, “spiritual” progress is choosing to enhance or make something “better”, to add value to what is.  One of the beauties of Hindu perspectives is seeing or being reminded of God all day long, because every type of thing, culturally, relates to some aspect of God. So there can be a spiritual significance to any experience. This perspective enhances an ordinary experience.

Take, for instance, washing the dishes. Let’s put it in a context.  Are you doing it because it’s a chore and you “have to”, or is it because having clean dishes and a clean kitchen enhances your life and that of your family.  It can be an act of love. You can enhance it further by being joyful, being at peace, and sending blessings.

So to make your life more spiritual, enhance the mental environment. Put the otherwise ordinary things you do in a spiritual context. Look at them in a different way. Do them for love.  Love as you do them.  Laugh. Be joyful. Appreciate those who have helped you. Appreciate what you have learned from each experience. Be aware. Step outside yourself. Observe yourself doing what you’re doing, how you’re doing it, what you’re thinking. Watch for insights.

It enhances your life, doesn’t it?

-Seymour Lovejoy

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Illucidations, Perspectives, Steps, Tools for Evolution

A New Chapter

As always has been, the universe evolves from now to now, presenting new circumstances at an appropriate time. I’ve been easing into being self-employed since November due to a slow-down in business at work, and Friday last week was my last day.  Under the guise of “retirement” I intend to embark on my most creative chapter yet, increase exercise, eat wisely, open some doors and let energy flow though, guided by principles of Huna, my inner promptings and my training thus far.

Of course, if you want to move forward, you get to leave something behind, though our culture loves to keep things beyond the time they’re needed, and, indeed, promotes it.  One of the recurring themes in my study of “what is” and “what could be” is that every cycle naturally ends in release.  Keeping something beyond its appropriateness results in an accumulation of “stuff”, on physical, mental and emotional levels — and that slows you down on your journey.  In fact, it’s been said that our evolution to other realms depends on our being able to move on as soon as you have learned what was to be learned. You wouldn’t want to stay in the 8th grade if you had mastered all the necessary skills to graduate.

I heard a minister once say that when people want to change their life in some manner, she counsels that the first thing to do is to clean your closets, i.e. get rid of the things that are no longer needed, and the things that are not an appropriate part of the new life to be created. Sell or give things away that haven’t been touched in two years, recycle what can be, and junk what can’t.

And here it is, the beginning of Spring. It’s time to choose seeds, cultivate the soil appropriately in a place with the right amount of sun and space for the plant to grow to maturity. Do the same with projects: create/choose the appropriate environment, add the necessary functional components and support systems, and guide their growth with a loose rein.

Choose the destination, but allow the universe to present the vehicle, route and timeline as things progress. Too many expectations can lengthen the process according the beliefs about the steps involved. Things can be complex or can happen in a snap if Huna is used properly. Taoism calls it “Wei Wu Wei”, “Doing Without Doing”, or using minimum effort.

Ready to write a list of things to be done?

-Seymour Lovejoy

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