health

Eternal Thought vs. Short Term Thinking (V3 P2)

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As you may know from reading previous issues/posts, I am a firm believer that we are spiritual beings in a physical package; that this material life is finite; that any past or subsequent physical life was or will be finite; and that only the soul or spirit is eternal.  

Yet so much investment in time, effort and money goes towards the physical finite portion of our whole being. And by contrast, so little investment goes towards our eternal spiritual fulfillment and perpetual improvement or advancement of that spiritual self. 

That is truly short term thinking. Not only can it be selfish, materialistic and spiritually ignorant; it can be detrimental to progress down the path of spiritual development and enlightenment. Surely, some forms of physical priority are essential and allow for a better platform from which to pursue spiritual growth. Mind, body, spirit; the body is a temple; etc. Physical health and an economic foundation from which to take responsibility for yourself and your family are very important to living the finite physical existence in which we are in at this time, but they are also integral in providing a solid healthy body and mind-set with which to prioritize and pursue perpetual spiritual development. They should not be priority one, however, but rather part of a foundation that places the soul and spirit at the forefront of our life – our eternal spiritual life. 

Much like a cocoon that will be temporary, this physical package will be shed and the spirit will journey onward. 

This may sound extremely generalized and narrow minded, but dare I say that all good things come from prioritizing the soul and spirit and many bad things come from prioritizing the finite physical body or package that envelopes each of us in this life. Prayer, sacrifice, meditation, being kind spirited, being a gentle soul – these are all good things and they bring about changes to both the finite physical world in which we currently exist as well as changes to the perpetual spiritual developmental path that we are on at this point of our eternal, spiritual existence. And the changes that they bring about are good, for the good, to the good, etc. Greed, self-centered thoughts and actions, lust, physical pleasure as a result of sinful acts, deceit, being mean spirited, being cold hearted, etc. – these are all bad things that bring about negative changes to both the finite physical world of others (even if they satisfy one’s own selfish physical desires) and to the spiritual development of oneself. 

As we move further and further into a world of instant gratification, physical desire fulfillment at the cost of others, taking advantage of situations and of others, pettiness, mean girl mentality, bullying mentality, and other negative actions become the norm; we surely, as a whole of humanity, are spiraling to a place of spiritual diminishment and destruction. If we could harness the goodness within ourselves and each other and progress in tandem down a spiritual path towards enlightenment, oh what wonders of the soul would await us all. Towards a brighter and more advanced state of soul development each of us, and all of us collectively, would be moving. 

The pace of the movement is not as important as the direction of the movement. This holds true not only for the spirit and soul of one being but for all of humanity. To stem the tide of the swing towards spiritual decay and to swing it back, even if gently, towards that of enlightenment would result in a tremendous positive vibration from which we would all gain momentum in our individual journeys of the soul. 

Meditate on this. Pray on this. Make a concerted effort to align yourself towards these positive priorities in your own life. It will make a difference instantly. It may stem the tide in some small way and it may put us all back on the path that we were meant to meander down for eternity. It starts with one and it is exponential in its impact with a collective concert of souls working together. 

God is for all of us, as one and as all. 

KGM

 

Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda (V3 P1)

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Inherently, within each and every one of us, is a template from which our lives will unfold. The base template is filled with human characteristics and includes a sprinkling of “extras” from the universal field. It is the proverbial clean slate. It is ours to change, edit, transform, progress from, regress from, beautify, desecrate, etc. Our free will allows us to mold that template into something beautiful and everlasting or terrible and decaying.

If we think about all of the alternative paths and meandering routes that we have in life, it is pretty eye opening. Spending some time before making those pathway decisions is crucial, for then and only then can we alter the template for better or for worse. Stagnation has no effect other than to maintain the present state of the template. Moving forward with perpetual molding of the template is the only way to change oneself. The question is, will the change be for the betterment or the worsening of the template.

Should we think of our lives deeply and consider not only what we would have done differently, but plan to take action to change for the better from here forward, we can really take command of our future and of ourselves.

The decision process from here forward, however, is clouded by two very distinct alternatives. One being what we could do – because of our freedom to act, speak and live; and one being what we should do – because of what we know deep down to be right, and just, and impactful for our souls and for the world.

We could use our time in pursuit of leisure, materiality, the finer things, making our social status envious to others, trying to fit in, trying to stand out, etc. These are the “coulda” items that so many of us are bogged down in for both the short term and the long haul. Life passes, memories and material accumulations are gained and enjoyed, but has anything really fruitful taken place?

Instead, can we not think about what we should be doing. Soul searching, praying, lending a hand, giving to others instead of receiving a perceived entitlement, building a base of hope for ourselves and those that we love, being a good example in all ways that we know really mean something, smiling and acknowledging others in our lives and others that cross our paths in life, trying to analyze world events by asking what is right for mankind and what is horrifically wrong, etc. We should be evolving in a positive manner, each and every day, and in doing so helping the world and mankind evolve in a positive manner as well.

We cannot do this by thinking of ourselves and living under the spell of surface things, but rather only by being selfless and living under the infinite glory of substance and righteousness. By doing so, we do not really sacrifice anything that we should be truly missing in our lives. By doing so, we will have everything that we truly want, need, and desire in our paths to spiritual evolution and true happiness.

Think about this. Because we can does not mean that we should. Because we should does not mean that in doing so, we will be missing out. In fact, we will inherit the earth.

KGM

 

From the Material World to the Spiritual World (V2 P2)

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backlit clouds dawn dusk

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Mankind -> Spiritual Beings -> Material Beings -> Spiritual Beings

The lust and longing for material/earthly possessions has decayed the innate spirituality of mankind and resulted in a world in which the goal and ambition of the vast majority is to accumulate brag worthy post-able moments and gluttonous portions of meaningless material possessions. There has been an altering of the moral compass to the point at which it no longer exists nor is monitored for balance in life. I fear that we are at or near a potential point of no return from which we will never regain our spiritual connection to the universe and to the All Powerful Creator (whatever name you assign to God). 

From all indications and historical perspectives, ancient mankind was a spiritual being whose purpose in life was mainly dictated by his or her belief system. Certain material possessions were necessary and sought after for survival sake. Leisure time, if any, was mainly committed to tribal or family bonding/training, communal rituals and worship, and spiritual reflection. The pursuit of knowledge and new skills was of the utmost importance and priority. The pursuit of happiness was normally a by-product of this and not a separate and exclusive act. A spiritual being’s pursuit of further evolution and of perpetual improvement was noble, respected and self-satisfying. 

Only when one becomes obsessed outside of the realm of spiritual fulfillment and evolution and covets material possessions and gratification does one begin to self-destruct. This is not a self-contained problem as it leads to negative influence over others. We are, after all, imperfect and subject to temptation and poor judgment. First one human at a time and then whole communities, kingdoms, nations, etc. 

One covets another’s goods and nothing positive can come of that as it only leads to jealousy, theft, destruction, and other escalated crimes. One covets another’s spouse or a non-willing potential partner who does not reciprocate with the same feelings. This can only lead to jealousy, depression, feelings of emotional deprivation, and more serious crimes of passion such as adultery, rape, incest, abuse, etc. I think you get my drift here. 

When the world, in general, seeks instant gratification and material happiness it can only lead to bad things as some will seek and find (if only temporarily) and others will aspire and come up empty. The class system and its inherent division of humans into groups based upon various man-made scales glares upon those within and those without. Nothing that should be important, respected and attained is sought after in mass and the spiritual growth of man-kind is stunted and even reversed over the course of years, decades and centuries. 

I, me, mine – give me, get me, look at me – look at this person or that house, oh how I want it, how I have to have it… 

How close to the edge have we as a human race ventured. All that is great is within us and is provided to us. Everything else, outside of true necessities, is mindless and wasteful clutter that takes our focus, attention, time and robs our spiritual being of its true purpose in this life – evolution and further development.

How can we all save ourselves from what seems to be in store for man-kind? We have to turn within and forge ahead with “collective spiritualism”. Individual purpose must be restored and then as a collective group we must strive to turn our attention (thoughts, prayers, actions) towards the greater good. And that must be redefined for us as a race of fellow humans. 

Take a deep breath. Understand that all can be as it should be. Dedicate yourself to making an individual choice to move towards spiritual development and evolution and away from lust, greed and a state of coveting all that is not ours. Self-control over self-gratification at any and all costs. It all starts with a prayer and it starts with you.

 

Summers End – Day at the Beach (V1 P20)

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The gentle pulsating and relentless sound of the surf. Wave after wave. It is one of the most relaxing and hypnotic of nature’s portfolio of beautiful and meaningful sound.

I long for it rarely, but once under its spell I vow to myself to not let the separation between this beach visit to the next be more than minimal. Sometimes life works out and other times not so much, but it is always worth the wait.

The time for me here is fleeting, as I write this. My family dreads but embraces the final last few hours before our departure back to our home – 6 1/2 hours away by drive. We try to finish with a flourish, but the knowing of the impending end of our trip is somber. But the memories seep out and stories in stories on the way back home and they become lasting and impactful. Our daughter has grown up from a kindergartener to a 7th grader with stops each summer along the way at this Michigan respite. She has the alluring call of the small lakeside town in her veins now and perhaps will until she has children and can share this place with her family.

There is a time and a place for all of the things that comprise our lives. And the times for get away family time, vacation from the work and school life, a respite for body and spirit, are all probably chosen with care and planning. As they are precious and make up a minority of all the time on our schedules. We have and will continue to choose this place. For all of the wants, needs and desires that it fulfills with flying colors. We come, we savor, we depart and we yearn for the next time(s).

I, of course, love my family. I love the down time that we can share together. I know that they also enjoy these moments. It is one of the ties that binds us together as a family.

In a few weeks, I will be taking my oldest son on a different kind of trip to a vastly different place. We will celebrate his 30th birthday. I hope our love for each other grows as we share this time together. I hope that he will take part of me with him as I share my time and fatherly wisdom, as best I can, with him at this milestone of his young life to date.

All is good at the tail end of summer.

KGM

Note to Self – Be On Time (V1 P14)

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time-lost-cannot-be-regained-text-remember-antique-pocket-watch-64486583Some words to live by: Be on time.

Respect your time as well as the time of all others. Do what you must in order to always be on time. If you must get up earlier, leave sooner, add buffer time to your planning – whatever you must do and whatever works for you, you must do it. Force yourself to always be prompt and ready when the time has arrived to be, do, or say somewhere or something.

By not doing this, you are making a statement to yourself and to others that you do not care enough about the person or event, or both, to do what is necessary to be there on time. This is truly a toxic statement and will only result in hurt feelings, negative energy, and a loss of respect in you and what you represent to the world.

Embrace your responsibility to be on time. Be confident that it is beneficial and will be a positive element for you to participate and be present. Accept the small sacrifices that you may have to make as character building and TAKE PRIDE IN BEING ON TIME.

Just a light thought to end on. Yesterday was Ringo Starr’s 77th birthday. Ringo, as steady a drummer as there ever was, is referred to by Joe Walsh as “a human metronome”. Truly, one who took pride in being “on time”. Happy Birthday Ringo! Peace and love, as he always says.

KGM

 

Precious (First Thing in the) Morning (V1 P13)

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foggy-sunset-tree-landscape-early-morning-fog-nature-trees-grassy-hills-91988378Embrace the day. Seize the day. Awaken with passion. All of these may seem like meaningless sayings – but they hold truth and powerful sentiment towards how you face not only the coming day but life itself.

Think about your daily routine. The hours that you may spend getting ready to go somewhere (work perhaps), commuting to and from somewhere, taking part in activities that you are responsible for (as a parent, student, co-worker, interested party), etc. There are hours spent refueling your body through food and drink. There are hours that sleep requires each day to rejuvenate you and provide you with proper rest. There is not a whole lot left in a day when you factor in all of the items within your fixed and variable daily routine.

The first hours of the day provide the best opportunity for you to actually “own” a portion of your day. It is yours. It is the BEST time for quiet reflection, meditation, private thought, and prayer. It allows for an endorphin boosting walk, run, stretch or swim. There is not much, if anything, going on around you in the way of distraction and interference.

What is going on? Sunrise, sounds of nature around you beginning to buzz as animals greet the day and plants glisten in the dew, the beautiful chimes of a nearby church clock signaling the early hours of the morning. All things to take in, to be thankful for, and to admire in their morning habitat.

I like to rise now at about 5:00 AM. This may seem late for some and too early for others, but it works for me. I get outside and take a 20 minute walk or run. Prayer, dreams remembered, and other reflective thoughts run through my mind between short bursts of pure silence and observation of the beauty around me. The world seems like a different place at this hour as traffic is scarce and the pressures of yesterday and/or today are not really at the forefront of my mind. This is my time. It is all about what I choose to make of it and it seems to provide me with a mega boost of energy and positivity.

I follow this up with about 15 minutes of stretching, a shower, and then off to the office. I am now usually heading out earlier than before I began this routine, in a much better mood to embrace the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead of me, and feeling physically, mentally and spiritually recharged.

There is something magical about the morning. All of its secrets are there for you to partake in – it unmasks itself before you and lies quietly at your feet. It has no choice.

Embrace the day by enjoying the early hours of the morning. It will be a positive change in your life and you will truly enjoy these precious hours that belong only to you.

KGM

 

One Step at a Time (V1 P12)

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612014766The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. Baby steps. Slow and steady wins the race. Dip your toe in the water. All of these are meant to show the importance of just beginning and not being overwhelmed by the sometimes overwhelming enormity of the task at hand or of reaching your goal. Just get started – one step at a time.

I have been discussing with some of my readers their past challenges of becoming locked up because they have looked at the final destination as so far away and potentially so difficult to navigate that they fail to make steady progress. It is vital to remember that the journey is sometimes never ending and that successful spiritual evolution is not reaching the final destination but rather making steady and perpetual progress as a human.

Start slowly and focus on your core beliefs – that which is most important to you. Work slowly outward from this inner circle and act upon your inner thoughts that guide you and walk you from A to B. If it is physical manifestation that makes up part of your life’s journey at this point in time – realize that doing something, anything, no matter how small will take you to a place a bit closer to point B. Any progress in the space between builds upon itself and will make it easier to take the next step(s). Progress will produce results that will be noticed and that will propel your mind, body and spirit into the positive acknowledgement that you are making inroads towards achieving your goals.

Similar to the placebo effect – you, having witnessed progress no matter to what extent, will be feeling positive about the progression from Point A to Point B and will exponentially build upon that progress. Your belief that you will get there will parlay the real results to date into exponentially greater results tomorrow. Faith, belief, positive thought, prayer – all powerful stuff, to be sure.

Always move towards your goal. Be in a state of perpetual improvement. Shoot for the stars and even if unattainable you will have made inroads on a path between yourself and the stars and the space between will be noticeably and forever changed.

KGM

 

Manifest Your Destiny V1P7

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forest-pathway-beautiful-brown-path-rain-89658974 From the Merriam-Webster dictionary: Manifest Destiny – a future event accepted as inevitable; in the mid 19th century expansion to the Pacific was regarded as the manifest destiny of the United States; broadly an ostensibly benevolent or necessary policy of imperialistic expansion;  a future event that is sure to happen; a destiny that can be clearly seen and that cannot be changed.

You have the power, we all have the power, to shape our future into some inevitable outcome for the good. You have the ways and means to walk down a desired path that will unfold into future events that will be sure to happen. Prayer, positive thinking, meditation – all can lead to a destiny that one chooses, one that is clearly seen and that cannot be changed.

It all begins with a recurring thought pattern within which you have a desired outcome and focus on that outcome. You have a desire, you “meditate on it” and do so over and over until it is engrained into your mindset. You have a passion for it and a knowing that it will occur. And then you release the attachment to this desired outcome and let God/Higher Power/Universe take over.

Your daily mantra – whether consistent or changing along your path over time – will play a huge part in your manifestation of your destiny. The desired outcome that you wish to have unfolded for you by that Higher Power can be started and finely tuned through use of one or many mantras that you use in your prayer/meditation/quiet reflective thought.

Consider the power and impact of the following. I have used all of these over the last several years and I am sure that many of your thoughts specific to your desires and wishes for your life and the lives of those that you love may have included some or all of these throughout the years.

  • I release all negative thoughts
  • Open me up to the infinite and abundant health of the universe
  • Show me the way
  • Guide me
  • All is good, all is well
  • Today is the start of my better life
  • Make me open to prosperity and happiness
  • Surround me with the warmth and comfort of your love and protection
  • I place my trust in you, I leave it in your hands
  • Take my hand and show me the way to where you wish that I go, to what you wish that I become
  • Plant the seed in me, nurture me

Daily, recurring positive thoughts and prayers are so powerful and yet so misunderstood by the vast majority of humans who share the stage with you on your journey. Do some research on the power of words and music specific to healing and therapy. Take a moment each day to reflect on your life, on what it is that you want, on how you can be a better person and make a true difference in the lives of others. Take a positive approach to each and every day with a goal of some small step in the direction through which you will need to go in order to get to your desired outcome.

Look for signs in your life that the universe is listening to you. Think of the truth that lies within these timeless statements that most of us take for granted. *The meek shall inherit the earth. *Good things come to those that wait. *Ask and you shall receive.

There are countless other examples. Re-emphasize the power of your daily mantra in your life. Start today if you have not tried this approach in the past. Believe, embark, continue/stay the course, and watch great wonders unfold within your life.

Goodbye for now.

KGM

 

 

 

Be Positive (V1 P6)

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green-sprouts-rain-seedling-agriculture-new-life-concept-little-plant-grow-over-back-soil-sunlight-water-drop-92715844

You are what you eat, feel, manifest, project…insert one of many words here and they will be partially, if not wholly, accurate. The most impactful feeling and projection to your physical, mental and spiritual life is this: If you are positive, you will be positive in your projections of outward energy to others as well as in your attractions of energy towards you.

The power of prayer, the power of positive thinking, the power of confidence in oneself, etc. All of these are based on two things – faith and the belief that one can manifest something better by visualizing it and “making it happen”.

When you are positive you will be more clear in your thoughts, you will be more focused on being a caring and generous person, you will project to yourself and to others that you are one to be admired, followed, and listened to. On the contrary, a negative person drags themselves and others down and projects skepticism, avoidance and a dark cloud of energy.

A positive person and outlook provide for a more focused and self less path. A negative person and outlook provide for a less focused and more self-centered or selfish path.

Hope is the offspring of positivity. Without hope, we are indeed hopeless. Live to be positive and you will truly live.

Goodbye for now.

KGM

The Whole World Seems Out of Frequency With You…And That’s OK. V1P5

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burning-lantern-snow-christmas-background-92742259

To carry forth from the last posting (V1P4) which focused on moving from Point A to Point B and the space between, it is important to emphasize the need to clearly define where you are (Point A) and where you want to be (Point B). In order to manifest that change from point to point; whether it is a physical, mental, spiritual or some other change; there must be a clarity within you about your present state and your desired state.

Clear your mind of distraction in order to achieve this clarity. The bulk of this distraction comes from the world around you, as it is imposed upon you through various medium, and is altering your mindset on what should be important to you in your life. There are signs all around us that impart wisdom to us throughout our lives. Many of this wisdom is lost in the shuffle of the world around us. Focus, meditate, pray, and find quiet moments of reflection as the keys to filtering away the clutter of the world around you and to finding clarity within yourself about Point A and Point B.

The Beatles channel just started last week on satellite radio. The mega success and impact of the four lads from Liverpool was greatly enhanced due to their musical and creative genius. But I believe it was also much more than that – they were messengers at the right place and at the right time with so much love and artistic output to share with the world. A quick synopsis of each of the Beatles, from my vantage point (and based upon my grasp of a certain point in each of their lives that they remain in my memory the strongest), would be as follows: Ringo – funny, happy-go-lucky, steady and joyful; George – quiet, reflective, spiritual; Paul – love; John – rebellious and metaphysical.

Consider this from “Watching the Wheels” (Lennon) in regards to filtering away the clutter of the world around you and finding clarity within yourself.

People say I’m crazy doin’ what I’m doin’
Well they give me all kinds of warnings to save me from ruin
When I say that I’m OK, well they look at me kind of strange
Surely you’re not happy now, you no longer play the game

People say I’m lazy dreamin’ my life away
Well they give me all kinds of advice designed to enlighten me
When I tell them I’m doing fine watching shadows on the wall
Don’t you miss the big time boy you’re no longer on the ball

I’m just sitting here watching the wheels go round and round
I really love to watch them roll
No longer riding on that merry-go-round
I just had to let it go

People asking questions, lost in confusion
Well I tell them there’s no problem, only solutions
Well they shake their heads and they look at me as if I’ve lost my mind
I tell them there’s no hurry
I’m just sitting here doing time

I’m just sitting here watching the wheels go round and round
I really love to watch them roll
No longer riding on that merry-go-round
I just had to let it go
I just had to let it go
I just had to let it go
I just had to let it go

I think these lyrics say a lot specific to this topic. They “speak” to me.

Define the points (A and B), envision a path to navigate through the space between, pray/meditate/quietly focus, and then release the attachment to this desire and let the universe/God/the all-powerful handle the details.

Free will and will power will come into play to be sure in the space between and you will have to make choices that better allow for Point B being the destination at some point in the future. It will most certainly not be a straight line and quick path to navigate but your part in it through how you live your life and what choices and decisions you make will alter the course.

Gain clarity and do your best to get to where you want to be. Doing your best should always include being kind, being respectful (to yourself and others), listening and learning to and from your instincts, the signs around you, others who are strewn about your life’s path while also filtering out that which does not row in the same direction. Clutter, nonsense, evil, disrespect, mean spiritedness, etc. – are all to be filtered out and avoided when possible.

You can and will change your life in an instant – it can happen within a prayer, a moment of stunning clarity within quiet introspection, through an act of kindness to others that furthers you to a life of perpetual kindness, etc.

The next several posts will include paths/rules/suggestions to aid you in your life’s quest – such as manifestation, positivity, being kind to others (specific acts/gestures), etc.

Goodbye for now.

KGM