See Double You

The battle rages on between the yin and yang of the self…

The dark side longs for something more, with a restlessness and longing to do more in this life, because the current life-state and situation is insufficient.  Its awakened nature sees the overwhelming suffering all around, and its perception is that it should be able to do more to help, but it also believes it cannot where we are today.  There’s a painful desire to escape from the toxic pollution that is this overwhelming misery and negativity, away from what seems to be the uphill battle to remain positive and happy in life.

The light side chimes in, reminding it that where we’re at in this very moment is the absolute perfect time to do exactly what we want with our life.  Every individual and situation we encounter, lost in a blinded and self-inflicted nightmare of victimization and tribulations, simply needs to be awakened from their ignorance.  The ideal path is the one we’re on now, not the path we envision and perceive to having the greener grass.  The only challenge is how to inspire this awakening to simply paying attention.

Teachers remind us to be the change we want to see in others, to find the joy in each moment, to be here and now, non-attached to dreams and delusions that have no concrete existence in the present.  Simple in concept, but also simply the most difficult in practice, especially since western culture and human nature makes it so easy to lapse into the groove so many find themselves stuck within.  The challenge remains, and it is that to which I dedicate my self.

deep breath

Continuing on the topic of accepting and embracing the challenges that life throws our way, the last couple weeks have been, if anything, consistent.  Another death of a friend, an unwelcome rodent in the kitchen, and significant changes in the daily rhythm and routine of life has provided us with plenty of opportunities to grow and strengthen as individuals.

Various recent social situations have reminded me of one particular aspect of human life that once again I feel the need to question.

Why is it that we find it necessary to paste labels?

Especially when referring to fellow human beings, but also with pretty much anything, it has become common human behavior to sneak our judgment of something into our description of that subject.  Granted, adjectives are a necessary part of describing what sets apart one noun from another, whether it be a mouse, a car, a man, a woman, a child, or a dog.  Unfortunately, all too often I hear humans finding the most judgmental or even worse the most negative part of that noun, and using that identifier to describe it to another human.  Like a virus, this negative judgment is passed on to that person and implants it into their mind without giving them the opportunity to form one of their own.  Only by mindfully working to remove negative labels from our daily conversations and thoughts do we free ourselves from placing harsh judgments, which then frees us from the ability for gossip, slander and negative emotions.  Next time an opportunity arises in passing judgment or providing a simple description, use it instead to pass on an objective or even positive opinion rather than one that degrades and slanders.

With prejudice and bigotry remaining a significant problem in society due to ignorance in politics, religion and how we are raised, human beings must learn to “create the change we want to be.”  We must stop looking to the person next to us, on the television, or at the podium running for office to make this change.  Only by changing our own behavior and using the same method to spread the cure as is used to spread the disease, we can gradually eradicate the problem and begin to see the world around us change for the better.  By “changing poison to medicine” and seizing these opportunites to grow and learn with our sons, daughters, friends and family, we can find the happiness in life everyone wants.