Tuesday, March 1, 2016
Sunday, February 28, 2016
Stay Curious...
We get sad, we get scared, we wonder what could we do to feel better when we're sad or feeling lost... Usually we grab on to a glass of wine, or cigarette, or more than a glass of wine or just one cigarette... but, do we actually feel better after it? We get drunk, we get drowsy but we don't actually feel better. Whatever pain is consuming our energy, it's still there when we wake up.
But if this is not happening to you and you're just watching someone else going through that "If I do this I'll better" process , no side effects right?!
Well, that's what some neuroscientist are starting to notice and suggesting. Your mind is built by you as a witness. We see the world not exactly as it is, but through our own lenses, and we create our own virtual reality of reality. What we actually capture of reality is just a brief idea, because our mind is usually somewhere else. Hey, why is it so hard to meditate? Because the mind wonders into those short personal movies of what happened or must be done, it's hard to focus just on our breath and on the room temperature. The mind wonders and constructs castles, castles with dungeons...
So, what I'm suggesting here is that, instead of letting ourselves go in whatever movie the mind is on, we stop and be curious about what we're thinking and what we are feeling.
Stay curious and ask yourself why you feel you need an extra piece of cake, or why you need to go on Facebook/ Email/ Twitter / Youtube again...
If you're curious about yourself and your choices, you start catching your own mind and it's tricks. Don't let it win over you. Release your self from beliefs, addictions that are not good for you. Stay curious...
Ask yourself, am I really feeling a lot better after eating that whole chocolate? Does this cigarette taste that good? Why do I need to go to the bathroom when that person enters the room? ... you know.
So stay curious, don't let your mind tell you what you're feeling, feel it for yourself.
But if this is not happening to you and you're just watching someone else going through that "If I do this I'll better" process , no side effects right?!
Well, that's what some neuroscientist are starting to notice and suggesting. Your mind is built by you as a witness. We see the world not exactly as it is, but through our own lenses, and we create our own virtual reality of reality. What we actually capture of reality is just a brief idea, because our mind is usually somewhere else. Hey, why is it so hard to meditate? Because the mind wonders into those short personal movies of what happened or must be done, it's hard to focus just on our breath and on the room temperature. The mind wonders and constructs castles, castles with dungeons...
So, what I'm suggesting here is that, instead of letting ourselves go in whatever movie the mind is on, we stop and be curious about what we're thinking and what we are feeling.
Stay curious and ask yourself why you feel you need an extra piece of cake, or why you need to go on Facebook/ Email/ Twitter / Youtube again...
If you're curious about yourself and your choices, you start catching your own mind and it's tricks. Don't let it win over you. Release your self from beliefs, addictions that are not good for you. Stay curious...
Ask yourself, am I really feeling a lot better after eating that whole chocolate? Does this cigarette taste that good? Why do I need to go to the bathroom when that person enters the room? ... you know.
So stay curious, don't let your mind tell you what you're feeling, feel it for yourself.
Saturday, February 27, 2016
From Buddha's Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love, and Wisdom By Rick Hanson
"(...) What flows through your mind sculpts your brain. (...) In a larger scale your mind is made by your brain, body and natural world. (...)
(...) Cool the fires of greed and hatred to live with integrity; steady and concentrate the mind to see through its confusions; develop liberating insight.
(...) It's a remarkable fact that the people who have gone the very deepest into the human mind and heart - in others words, the sages and saints of every religious tradition - all say the same thing: the fundamental nature of every human being is pure, conscious, peaceful, radiant, kind, and wise... and is joined in mysterious ways with the ultimate underpinnings of reality, by whatever name we give That.
stay young and pure
less is more...
(...) Cool the fires of greed and hatred to live with integrity; steady and concentrate the mind to see through its confusions; develop liberating insight.
(...) It's a remarkable fact that the people who have gone the very deepest into the human mind and heart - in others words, the sages and saints of every religious tradition - all say the same thing: the fundamental nature of every human being is pure, conscious, peaceful, radiant, kind, and wise... and is joined in mysterious ways with the ultimate underpinnings of reality, by whatever name we give That.
(...) well, who is the one person in the world you have the greatest power over? It's your future self..."
So how can you change your brain?
"(...) when remembering an upsetting experience, recall the feeling of being with someone who loves you, which will gradually infuse the upsetting memory with a positive feeling.
Nurturing your own development isn't selfish it's actually a great gift to other people.
less is more...
… After some thinking and feeling very grateful for all that Life has given me, I do wonder if we’re here just to have pleasure and fun and collect experiences after experiences. I don’t think so… I’ve been living as so, but I don’t believe in it anymore. We’re here to make efforts, to be the best version of ourselves. Who we are we don’t know. We’re something that has a Heart, a Soul and a Body. More than that it’s just our imagination doing it’s own creative thinking, its weekly creative team brainstorming. And because we don’t know but we’re constantly learning and being tested, I think I can say that finally ageing as started to open a bit more sense into this living “business”.
We’re not here to collect pleasurable moments and have the time of our Life. Great if we do, and some effort should be put in making Life sweeter, but how empty and how many mistakes can be avoided if we change that hedonistic perspective into a more humanistic one. To make our Life more about what we create, change and help build, than a collection of experiences that don’t connect with each other or create any meaning.
Life is not about what we collect, but what we do and pass on.
Have your own delightfully self pleasures, indulge your self in poetic wonders and discover amazing kingdoms inside that powerful mind of yours, but don’t be selfish, don’t think only about yourself, even, or especially, if you’re scared to loose, if you’re scared to loose control. Is our Life ever our own, ours? … It's not given to us by ourselves, neither do we choose when to let it go, so how can we call it ours? This life we live it’s not ours, it’s a gift.
When we put it that way, our Life has not being ours but instead, the best gift ever! I guess that feelings of gratitude and respect to whoever thought of creating us float to mind.
And in that regard, do we need more gifts? More free stuff? More entertainment?!
I’m gaining more appreciation for Life and everyday I have the chance to live I know I’m really lucky to be, just be. Yes, Life could be a lot easier, but it’s not Life that is stopping me, it’s my mind. My mind wants a job, a house, a relationship, adventures to show friends and friends to appreciate them. My mind demands, desires, asks… but, who is my mind if not myself?
I think our minds are like our personal “softwares”. We’re all upgraded through school, college, work, but we are also the designers of that software, that’s why we’re not all the same, even though we speak and think the same way. We are wired the same way, but we live (as in feeling and learning) differently.
What I wish/trying to share here are two linked ideas that I believe can really give our Life the meaning we so search for. We are responsible for our choices, even though we haven’t got a clue of what´s our mission in this planet, I guess we missed out that part of “your mission in case you decide to accept is…”, but we can choose and within that choice, we can be respectful and grateful for being free to choose, or we can act like selfish children who draw a tantrum when they don’t get what they want or can’t share the brand news toys given to them.
If we wish to have a fulfilled life, we need to be Full. Full in our words, in our commitments, in our decisions, in giving and receiving. Full as in, there’s no room for doubt, for dubious acting, deception. There’s only fullness on intentions, like a Full on Moon, that rises in the Sky, making crops grow, tides change and making untamed wild creatures howl. Lets be Full, and live what we really believe in. What makes you choose the things you do? ...
Sunday, February 21, 2016
Quando temos um sonho e esse sonho cresce, entranha-se, até que já não sabemos bem se o que pensamos é sonho, se é a realidade que todos partilham. Mas partilhamos mesmo uma só realidade? São questões que nos inebriam e nos seduzem a desacreditar no que nos ensinaram e nos forçam a crescer! Não, não partilhamos uma só realidade, partilhamos talvez o sonho de qualquer coisa, mas de real só temos as palavras, com verbos e regras gramaticais. Temos medo de nos sentirmos sozinhos, por isso nos copiamos e colamos, mas se perguntarmos em voz alta se o que vemos é o mesmo que o outro vê, levamos logo com outra pergunta, o quê? e outra pergunta, precisas de falar? já foste ver alguém sobre isso...? Isso o quê? Isso de pensar, sonhar e desacreditar no que nos ensinaram, arranjando força para crescer, tornar-se adulto, tornar-se independente e conseguir dizer com doçura, sim, estou feliz, estou contente, estou fixe! Não tenho o mesmo que tu, nem desejo o mesmo, mas estou bem com este agora.
Sunday, February 14, 2016
Monday, February 8, 2016
Sunday, February 7, 2016
(...) My mother always taught us that if people don't agree with you, the important thing is to listen to them. But if you've listened to them carefully and you still think that you're right, then you must have the courage of your convictions. (...) From my perspective, I absolutely believe in a greater spiritual power, far greater than I am, from which I have derived strength in moments of sadness or fear. That's what I believe, and it was very, very strong in the forest."
Monday, January 25, 2016
Take the leap and do it...
Today I'm writing about Courage. Courage to follow a dream, courage to make a decision, courage to say something important, courage to face our fears.
Osho, a meditation teacher, tells us that "In the beginning there is no big difference between the coward and the courageous person. Both have fear. The difference is, the coward listens to his fears and follows them. The courageous person puts them aside and goes ahead."
Osho, a meditation teacher, tells us that "In the beginning there is no big difference between the coward and the courageous person. Both have fear. The difference is, the coward listens to his fears and follows them. The courageous person puts them aside and goes ahead."
We are all, all! afraid of failing, afraid of getting hurt, afraid of getting lost. We are all afraid of something. But when we listen to that fear and decide not to do what we're being called to do, we're not choosing life.
When we choose comfort, the usual, the well known, the predictable, the same old same, we're just passing by on life, or we might even be loosing opportunities to find happiness, love, a "fuck-yeah" future.
Lets not get Fear get in the way of our dreams. Things work out, they really do, but you do have to have Faith in them! Put you Heart in it... put your Heart in it.
"There is nothing wrong with hardships and obstacles, but everything wrong with not trying."
_
Werner Herzog, Filmmaker
Life is about taking the leap, making the jump, climbing all the way to the top and back. Is about following your dreams, not someone else's.
Lets not get Fear get in the way of our dreams. Things work out, they really do, but you do have to have Faith in them! Put you Heart in it... put your Heart in it.
"There is nothing wrong with hardships and obstacles, but everything wrong with not trying."
_
Werner Herzog, Filmmaker
Life is about taking the leap, making the jump, climbing all the way to the top and back. Is about following your dreams, not someone else's.
If you only do what you've been told to do, what do you actually know about living? Who's Life are you embracing if you're not making your own choices, if you're just playing it safe.
Everyone needs to feel they have a sense of purpose. Everyone needs to feel they matter. We all need others love and appreciation. To be alone, completely alone, in a non-existent state, is one of the saddest experiences we can endure, and if it prevails for too long, it can lead to depression and death.
So we need to feel accomplished, to exist, especially in the eyes of those who matter the most.
But how can we feel that if we're not being honest with ourselves?! We can't... you might have lots of things that others desire, but if you lack honesty about your dreams, you will never feel that you've got it, you'll never feel that you did it, you'll never feel that you are a worthy person.
Be bluntly honest with yourself, find out where your souls wishes to be, to do, and have the guts to make it happen. Make it happen, give your energy, sweat, time, mind and body.
"Dreams are lovely. But they are just dreams — fleeting, ephemeral, pretty. But dreams do not come true just because you dream them — it’s hard work that makes things happen. It’s hard work that creates change. So… ditch the dream and be a doer, not a dreamer.
Maybe you know exactly what it is you dream of being, or maybe you’re paralyzed because you have no idea what your passion is. The truth is, it doesn’t matter. You don’t have to know. You just have to keep moving forward. You just have to keep doing something, seizing the next opportunity, staying open to trying something new. It doesn’t have to fit your vision of the perfect job or the perfect life. Perfect is boring and dreams are not real. Just do."
_
Be bluntly honest with yourself, find out where your souls wishes to be, to do, and have the guts to make it happen. Make it happen, give your energy, sweat, time, mind and body.
"Dreams are lovely. But they are just dreams — fleeting, ephemeral, pretty. But dreams do not come true just because you dream them — it’s hard work that makes things happen. It’s hard work that creates change. So… ditch the dream and be a doer, not a dreamer.
Maybe you know exactly what it is you dream of being, or maybe you’re paralyzed because you have no idea what your passion is. The truth is, it doesn’t matter. You don’t have to know. You just have to keep moving forward. You just have to keep doing something, seizing the next opportunity, staying open to trying something new. It doesn’t have to fit your vision of the perfect job or the perfect life. Perfect is boring and dreams are not real. Just do."
_
Shonda Rhimes
Thursday, January 7, 2016
You are, will be and have been.
- ... Please Sir, could you help me?
- Help you with what...?
- ...
- Yes...?
- Can't you see?
- No, I can see but I'm not seeing anything that you might need help with.
- Oh, I thought it was all over my face, especially in my eyes. I thought you could see it on my breath...
- ... hum, wait just a second and I'll be back in a minute!
Another one that left me alone. Feelings and things out of the normal frighten most people. How many people are called crazy because they can sense a bit more than what is just palpable. Most of my Life I thought it was OK, but I'm getting tired. My soul is tired. If we live only to get hungry and eat, only to go to work and get money, only to have relationships and "dis-have" them and then one day, for the same no-reason we're born, Life ends... then why bother?
Yes there have been many joyful moments, memories that I keep and smile about, and there is still much that can be done, shared, created and loved, but when we're tired, nothing seems to have that much importance.
Why do we feel? Why do we search for deeper meanings? Why do we need more touch, more listening, more caring, more seeing beyond our sight? ... Why do we have whys? ...
- Excuse me Madam, could you help me...?
- Oh, of course, what do you need!
- ... you, I think I need you.
- Sorry? ...
- ... I need you to see me.
- But I can see you... are you alright?!
- I don't know. I feel disconnected from you, from this street, from this wallet and the cards that seem to prove I exist. I don't feel I exist. I feel disconnected.
- Oh... You exist. We're having a conversation. I exist. Here, hold my hand. Feel how it's cold. I get cold hands too easily. But I've knitted a pair of gloves! Where are they...? Ah, here they are! They keep me warm. And I've knitted a pair for each of my children. I can make a pair for you too, would you like that?
- ... ah, no need.
- So what do you need?
- To be seen...?
- But I see you.
- To be... I need to be.
- ... To be or not, that was the big question... Poor Hamlet, he did not have it easy at all, but Art rescued him, didn't it? He didn't know if he wanted to live or hand his life to God, but the unknown made him keep searching. He kept searching for the answer to that question. What is not to be? Can we not be? We're always something, even if just a little speckle of dust in the Universe... I think we always are, will be and have been. You can't choose not to be, it's not in your hands. You are. Here's you, here's me, here's that person and the other. All being. That's why we're also called beings. From the smallest bug to the old gone dinosaurs, we're beings. So be my sweetheart. Be. To make everyone else life's easier, be good. Choose to be good. Choose Life ...
"Choose life. Choose a job. Choose a career. Choose a family. Choose a fucking big television, Choose washing machines, cars, compact disc players, and electrical tin can openers. Choose good health, low cholesterol and dental insurance. Choose fixed-interest mortgage repayments. Choose a starter home. Choose your friends. Choose leisure wear and matching luggage. Choose a three piece suite on hire purchase in a range of fucking fabrics. Choose DIY and wondering who the fuck you are on a Sunday morning. Choose sitting on that couch watching mind-numbing spirit-crushing game shows, stuffing fucking junk food into your mouth. Choose rotting away at the end of it all, pishing your last in a miserable home, nothing more than an embarrassment to the selfish, fucked-up brats you have spawned to replace yourself. Choose your future. Choose life . . . But why would I want to do a thing like that? I chose not to choose life: I chose something else. And the reasons? There are no reasons. Who needs reasons when you've got heroin? (...)
People think it's all about misery and desperation and death and all that shit, which is not to be ignored. But what they forget is the pleasure of it. Otherwise we wouldn't do it. After all, we're not fucking stupid. At least, we're not that fucking stupid. Take the best orgasm you ever had, multiply it by a thousand and you're still nowhere near it."
_
Trainspotting
- So my dear, choose to be, for the pleasure of it.
- Help you with what...?
- ...
- Yes...?
- Can't you see?
- No, I can see but I'm not seeing anything that you might need help with.
- Oh, I thought it was all over my face, especially in my eyes. I thought you could see it on my breath...
- ... hum, wait just a second and I'll be back in a minute!
Another one that left me alone. Feelings and things out of the normal frighten most people. How many people are called crazy because they can sense a bit more than what is just palpable. Most of my Life I thought it was OK, but I'm getting tired. My soul is tired. If we live only to get hungry and eat, only to go to work and get money, only to have relationships and "dis-have" them and then one day, for the same no-reason we're born, Life ends... then why bother?
Yes there have been many joyful moments, memories that I keep and smile about, and there is still much that can be done, shared, created and loved, but when we're tired, nothing seems to have that much importance.
Why do we feel? Why do we search for deeper meanings? Why do we need more touch, more listening, more caring, more seeing beyond our sight? ... Why do we have whys? ...
- Excuse me Madam, could you help me...?
- Oh, of course, what do you need!
- ... you, I think I need you.
- Sorry? ...
- ... I need you to see me.
- But I can see you... are you alright?!
- I don't know. I feel disconnected from you, from this street, from this wallet and the cards that seem to prove I exist. I don't feel I exist. I feel disconnected.
- Oh... You exist. We're having a conversation. I exist. Here, hold my hand. Feel how it's cold. I get cold hands too easily. But I've knitted a pair of gloves! Where are they...? Ah, here they are! They keep me warm. And I've knitted a pair for each of my children. I can make a pair for you too, would you like that?
- ... ah, no need.
- So what do you need?
- To be seen...?
- But I see you.
- To be... I need to be.
- ... To be or not, that was the big question... Poor Hamlet, he did not have it easy at all, but Art rescued him, didn't it? He didn't know if he wanted to live or hand his life to God, but the unknown made him keep searching. He kept searching for the answer to that question. What is not to be? Can we not be? We're always something, even if just a little speckle of dust in the Universe... I think we always are, will be and have been. You can't choose not to be, it's not in your hands. You are. Here's you, here's me, here's that person and the other. All being. That's why we're also called beings. From the smallest bug to the old gone dinosaurs, we're beings. So be my sweetheart. Be. To make everyone else life's easier, be good. Choose to be good. Choose Life ...
"Choose life. Choose a job. Choose a career. Choose a family. Choose a fucking big television, Choose washing machines, cars, compact disc players, and electrical tin can openers. Choose good health, low cholesterol and dental insurance. Choose fixed-interest mortgage repayments. Choose a starter home. Choose your friends. Choose leisure wear and matching luggage. Choose a three piece suite on hire purchase in a range of fucking fabrics. Choose DIY and wondering who the fuck you are on a Sunday morning. Choose sitting on that couch watching mind-numbing spirit-crushing game shows, stuffing fucking junk food into your mouth. Choose rotting away at the end of it all, pishing your last in a miserable home, nothing more than an embarrassment to the selfish, fucked-up brats you have spawned to replace yourself. Choose your future. Choose life . . . But why would I want to do a thing like that? I chose not to choose life: I chose something else. And the reasons? There are no reasons. Who needs reasons when you've got heroin? (...)
People think it's all about misery and desperation and death and all that shit, which is not to be ignored. But what they forget is the pleasure of it. Otherwise we wouldn't do it. After all, we're not fucking stupid. At least, we're not that fucking stupid. Take the best orgasm you ever had, multiply it by a thousand and you're still nowhere near it."
_
Trainspotting
- So my dear, choose to be, for the pleasure of it.
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