Tag: human

The mind reacts (based on old “files”) … the heart responds in the now.

On By jimmytstIn Healing, Love4 Comments

As pointed out by Michael Brown, God is Love and everything is God, so everything is love which is a vibration, and how we experience or perceive that vibration is determined by the condition of our emotional body. So if our emotional body is in a state of distortion and the vibration moves through our emotional body and comes out as angry stories, for example, in reaction to circumstances in the world, that anger is still love – it is simply love that is distorted into different (expression/frequency).  So according to him, the way to realise what love is is to integrate the blockages in the emotional body and be the everything that we are, and we can experience self-love (I have rephrased it a little in my own words).

I think it’s important to realise or remember that everything is love because some definitions of love given by some segments of society or religion tend to exclude the less desirable qualities such as fear and anger and present only a one-sided picture of love that is pretty to look at but not much real substance. But love is so much more – love is both strong and weak, love is both courageous and fearful, love is both calm and angry, and love is both happy and sad. It is what like the message below says.

being beautifully human
(Source: Celtic Clairvoyance)

Yes, love encompasses everything and includes all the qualities of our humanness. To be human is to be our authentic self and embrace the totality of our humanity.

“To be beautiful means to be yourself.” –

Thich Nhat Hanh

And yes, the mind may think about the past sometimes (reacts to old files) but the heart can appreciate the present (responds to the now) as the heart is the seat of love, for “the love of God has been shed upon our heart by the Holy Spirit”, and love is in the present moment because love is the I Am. All else is an illusion, only love is real and love is a very present reality.

“Love/God is our very present help in times of need

…

Be still and know I Am (we are) God/Love.”

Psalm 46

“Tripping through time” by Doug Sandlin

Tripping through time like some kind of archetype
Lost in the layers of the lies of mind
Holding out hope for heavenly happiness
Drowning in the drama by dreams defined
Feeding the fears that are fueling the fantasies
Building the barriers to block the real
Wanting to wake up from worry and wanting
Hiding from wholeness with what we feel

Step out of the circle of Time
Into the circle of Love
Letting go is living the truth that it’s forgiving
That frees us from the fears we dreamed up

Step out of the circle of Death
Into the circle of Life
Letting go is living the truth that it’s by living
The love we are that makes us alive

Transcending time as artists and architects
Living and loving with lives of light
Holding out healing wholeness and happiness
Dissolving all the dramas by dreams defined
Fueling the freedom of fun and fulfillment
Being the beacons of all that’s real
Willing to wake up the worrying and wanting
Creating wholeness with love we heal

Step out of the circle of Time
Into the circle of Love
Letting go is living the truth that it’s forgiving
That frees us from the fears we dreamed up

Step out of the circle of Death
Into the circle of Life
Letting go is living the truth that it’s by giving
The love we are that makes us alive

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“A friend who cares” ~ Henri Nouwen

On By jimmytstIn Love6 Comments
When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives mean the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand. The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares.
~Henri Nouwen

I agree with his quote that deep friendship goes beyond being able to give advice in times of hardship or suffering because sometimes words get in the way, and silence in fellowship/communion is better and more appropriate. Sharing the pain and powerlessness is what connects us as being human, as he put it.

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“The Earth does not belong to man; Man belongs to the Earth”

On By jimmytstIn Environmental awareness, Unity and harmony4 Comments

“The Earth does not belong to man; Man belongs to the Earth. This we know. All things are connected like the blood which unites one family. Whatever befalls the Earth befalls the sons of the Earth. Man did not weave the web of life, he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself.” — Chief Seattle

These words of wisdom by Chief Seattle constitute one of my favourite Native American Indian quotes. It reminds me of some thoughts I posted in my blog recently, such as:

  • Humans need to remember that they do not create or sustain Mother Earth. Mother Earth creates and sustains us.
  • Instead of seeking to dominate and control Earth, we need to respect and cooperate with Earth and our fellow inhabitants (including animals and plants).

The monetary system and political system have created artificial value and boundaries respectively that discriminate and divide humanity and the environment. Yet in actuality, no one is more important or valuable than another because everyone is created equal. Similarly, no one is an island and no “country” stands alone. What affects a person in one place affects another person elsewhere, and what affects the environment affects us human beings too and vice versa.

So, when we do our part to protect the environment, we are helping ourselves because we will enjoy clean air and water. Similarly, when we help our brothers and sisters in need, we are helping ourselves because we are all one.

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Navigating the Coming Chaos: Carolyn Baker Vermont Tour 2011

On By jimmytstIn Environmental awareness, SurvivalLeave a comment

I agree with the gist of Carolyn Baker’s message about the need to prepare for the coming collapse of the current world system and it helps to about making preparations now. There is nothing wrong with talking about so-called “negative” things because we are only facing reality by taking the necessary practical measures to adapt to a new, more conscious world that will be less dependent on modern day conveniences and pollutive oil-run technologies, and more focused on building communities and learning survival skills, such as growing foods, gardening, making things with our hands, and building communication networks (logistical skills). The idea of supporting one another and seeing one another as necessary for our collective survival and evolution resonates with me because I believe in collaborative living too, instead of competitive living that is propagated by the current system.

“Wake Up! Our World Is Dying, And We’re All In Denial”

I have also checked out Carolyn Baker’s website, and the following parts of this article “Wake Up! Our World is Dying and We’re All in Denial” by Mary Pipher resonate with me.

“We experience our own pain, but also the pain of the earth and of people and animals suffering all over the world. Environmentalist Joanna Macy calls this pain “planetary anguish.” We want to help, but we all feel that we have enough on our plates without taking on the melting polar ice caps or the dying oceans.”

I believe this is what some of us are experiencing even as we are increasing our awareness of our interconectedness with one another, and we experience not only our own pain but also the pain of the earth and of others suffering all over the world. I can understand that some of us feel that our hands are tied even though we want to help because of our current enslavement to the monetary system. I think only when we face the hard truths about the failing system can we begin a process of transformation, as described below.

“Once we face the hard truths about our environmental collapse, we can begin a process of transformation that I call the “alchemy of healing.” Despair is often a crucible for growth. As we expand ourselves to deal with our new normal, we can feel more vibrant and engaged with the world as it is.

We can be intentional when we’re shopping, planning a trip, or working in our communities. We can be citizens of the world, rather than consumers, and we can vote every time we hand over our debit card.”

Yes, I always believe we are citizens of the world, rather than patriots of individual nations because in reality there are no boundaries (which is illusory and man-made). By making changes in our individual lifestyles and our personal outlooks, we can make very real changes in us and around us. Though the changes may seem small and insignificant, we have the power to make a difference through the ripple effect. I think this practical and spiritual preparation goes beyond the superficiality of mere positive thinking as it makes way for empowerment of every human being, because everyone can realise it is within their ability to make the world better in their own ways instead of depending on someone or some organisation to lead the way. I also agree with the concluding part of her article:

“We who are alive today share what Martin Luther King, Jr., called “the inescapable network of mutuality.” We aren’t without resources. We have our intelligence, humor, and compassion, our families and friends, and our ancestry of resilient hominid survivors. We can be restored.”

Yes, with our intelligence, humor and compassion, as well as the growing community of resilient and willing fellow survivors, we can be restored through living and growing in our network of mutuality.

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A Very Condensed Case for Revolution

On By jimmytstIn Environmental awareness, Equality, Freedom5 Comments

I am coming to see more and more that money itself devalues, degrades, dehumanises and desensitises people to the intrinsic value and dignity of everything, including humans, animals and plants. Inequality, injustice, greed and fear arise because of money, or the dependence of money to rule or define people’s lives. For example, I learnt from this forum that in the name of profits, some cows are being killed carelessly and thoughtlessly for the meat industry without regard for their suffering, which is cruel and inhumane. Yet, cows deserve respect and kindness as much as any other sentient being. I think each of us may only realise this by returning to the heart, when we take time to reflect on our innate oneness and interconnectedness, which goes beyond the artificial confines of the monetary socioeconomic system.

According to this article “The Infomocracy Dilemma: Revolution or Disengagement?“:

“A very small yet conscious minority has come to the realization that the current world regime is one giant corporate infomocracy that needs to be terminated with “extreme prejudice”, disengagement being the weapon of choice.  The next revolution will not be carried out by mobs of angry people, guerrillas, terrorists or, god forbid, politicians.  It will be accomplished by a small (10%) militant minority that will simply unplug the matrix.”

(From “The Infomocracy Dilemma: Revolution or Disengagement?” by Robert Bonomo)

This part of the above-mentioned article resonates with me:

“Many look at the twentieth century as a time of great economic and technical advance, but history, while recognizing the the technical innovation, will condemn this century as the most vile in man’s history.  The miracle that began in Greece, expanded in Rome, flourished in the Renaissance & Enlightenment and finally found its  modern form in the western liberal democracy has been been gutted by a century of materialism, enslavement, slaughter and greed.”

(From “The Infomocracy Dilemma: Revolution or Disengagement?” by Robert Bonomo)

Yes, I was reflecting earlier today that we are living in an upside down world. Like what the article says, contrary to the popular belief that humankind is progressing with the advance of technology and economic development, we are actually regressing because it has resulted in “materialism, enslavement, slaughter and greed”.

The following points summarise my train of thought along this line:

  • The more material wealth a person accumulates, the poorer he becomes spiritually, if the wealth is meant to mask his inner poverty, or rather the amnesia of his own richness.
  • The more armoury and weapons a country amasses and displays (to try to look impressive or intimidating), the greater the inward insecurity they are reflecting to the rest of the world.
  • The further we move away from Nature, the less “evolved” we become.
  • We live in an upside down world. The more we depend on technology for our daily lives, the less we are able to be in touch with Nature, with one another, with our own soul.
  • People say we are evolving or progressing with the advancement of technology. I daresay we are devolving if we are distancing ourselves from Nature (because most of us city dwellers can hardly survive if we were to let go of all the gadgets and tools that we depend on daily and live in the natural surroundings).
  • Humans need to remember that they do not create or sustain Mother Earth. Mother Earth creates and sustains us.
  • Instead of seeking to dominate and control Earth, we need to respect and cooperate with Earth and our fellow inhabitants (including animals and plants).

I agree with the gist of the message of the above-mentioned article that the best way to counter or overcome the self-serving regime controlled by mega corporations in the long run is “enlightened disengagement”. While protests and occupy movements have their place in creating awareness, the longer term and more permanent solution is within reach of each of us individuals – by consciously and actively making decisions in our daily life to disengage ourselves from the consumerist culture and propaganda and the like as much as we can, and to participate in collaborative and environment-friendly activities, such as reusing, reducing and recycling materials, buying locally produced organic food, spending within our means,  seeking our own spiritual paths, and so on.

This part of the article on being free from religious control resonates with me:

“Mainstream and not so mainstream religion generally tries to sell people on a hodgepodge of fear and fantasy, with a big pay-off for the self righteous who drink most from the sacred well of Kool-Aid.  What must never be attempted is to actually have an authentic spiritual experience, for this would cause the subject to run from the dogma and quite possibly bring most of the remaining parishioners with him.  Real consciousness is as much an anathema to religion as critical thinking is to academia.”

(From “The Infomocracy Dilemma: Revolution or Disengagement?” by Robert Bonomo)

Yes, it appears that mainstream religions tend to discourage people from having an authentic spiritual experience in their own private lives. This is especially so in the case of institutional churches that try to tell people to go to “church” in order to “hear god” from their pulpits, thereby sowing doubts in people’s hearts that they can hear and experience God/Divine elsewhere.

I also agree especially with this part of the article:

“The enlightened conscious man needs no school to raise his children, no church to know his God, no banker to validate his work and no government to choose his enemies.  He is free to do as he pleases, when he pleases and how he pleases.  His liberty allows him to need almost nothing, which is how the great evil matrix becomes undone: in a great fire of awareness.”

(From “The Infomocracy Dilemma: Revolution or Disengagement?” by Robert Bonomo)

Indeed, freedom is our birthright, and each of us has the freedom and the inner wisdom or guidance to make decisions on how to raise our children, how to know or commune with God (or our highest self), how to validate our work, and so on. We do not need outside institutions such as schools or church organisations or banks or governments to rule over us or run our lives. When we live in conscious freedom, we empower ourselves and disempower the ruling authorities, so to speak.

I find that the results of this recent study encouraging:

“We don’t need to convince the whole village, we only need 10% of them. A recent study has confirmed that once an idea reaches the 10% threshold and that 10% is demonstrably fixed to the idea, the majority will quickly follow.”

(From “The Infomocracy Dilemma: Revolution or Disengagement?” by Robert Bonomo)

Yes, it is encouraging to know this because we need not be disappointed that we are still among the minority, because when the number of us reaches the 10% threshold, the majority will catch on the awareness and quickly follow. I have seen this happening in my own country last year during the general election – The Online Citizen as well as other entities that are not affiliated to the government helped spread the awareness about inequality issues, and the majority quickly followed and challenged the government system. As a result, the ruling party received one of the lowest percentages of voting in history, and only won the election by a small margin. After that, the government decided to take steps to address the issues raised by the people, such as agreeing to lower the high salaries of the ministers, including the salaries of the president and prime minister. Since then, the majority of people are more actively and closely monitoring and questioning the policies made by the government, in order to address inequality and other related issues pertaining to humanity and the environment.

That means, we are making headway in spreading awareness even though much of the world seems asleep for the time being and the future may look bleak for now. But slowly and surely, we are gaining ground, through sharing in our blogs, talking about it with other people, and so on.

I also agree with the conclusion of the article:

“The real revolution needs no leaders, banners, or platforms.  Each awakened man’s consciousness is his own guide.  Those looking for a place to sign up are simply looking for more enslavement.  The controllers are well aware of the danger to their pyramid and will surely toss out some interesting schemes to hold on to power.  The enemy of awareness is distraction, but the antidote is simple:  close out, turn off, unplug and ignore.”

(From “The Infomocracy Dilemma: Revolution or Disengagement?” by Robert Bonomo)

Yes, the real revolution needs no leaders, banners or platforms. The real revolution begins and continues with each of us – we are the empowered beings with the ability to co-create a better world. We have the power to disengage ourselves from propaganda, religion, politics, etc, and to immerse ourselves in things that bring healing and peace to ourselves as well as others.

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Beyond the fear of living without money

On By jimmytstIn Peace6 Comments

I agree with the inspirational and practical message that it is possible to live in a world without money without fear when “we all can work together for the benefit of humankind (and the environment) without the need for money and the slavery it creates”. While many people are still conditioned by the modern society and governments to think money is indispensable for living or making a living, more and more people can awake to the fact that we have the power to co-create a new or different kind of world in which we do things for ourselves and others out of love and compassion within us. The Zeitgeist Movement orientation presentation video also gave some examples of people who did great service to humankind without seeking monetary rewards, including the Wright brothers and Albert Einstein, and the rest of us can too be our own shining lights. It all starts with the power of one, and the ripple effect continues.

I have checked out the website of the narrator of the above video “An open letter to all mankind“. I agree with what he shared here:

“Nature provides everything we need to live a good and natural life. We just need to reconnect with it.”- thommo

Yes, if the banks and governments are ousted one day, or we decide to be less dependent on their systems, we can still live a good and natural life by adapting and reconnecting to Nature. Even in the spiritual or metaphysical realm, we are living in a state of abundance, as the Universe always wants to shower us with blessings.

I also agree with the conclusion of the video – that by the power of imagination (when we take some time each day to imagine a peaceful, collaborative and sustainable world) and our individual actions to change the world for the better, we can make a positive difference.

There is always a possibility that the world today would experience significant changes in future for the better, as we are all in a constant state of change. It is only a matter of time, and it is also up to each of us individuals to co-create a better and more humane reality in our own ways. History has shown that there have been revolutionary changes in spite of the odds, such as the civil rights movements spearheaded by Martin Luther King Jr, and the independence of India by Mahatma Gandhi. Besides, I subscribe a bit to the Age of the Aquarius theory too, which describes our transition into a world that is less dominated by power structures, greed and fear, and more marked by empowered humans, love and peace.

“I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality… I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word” ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

Being Peace

Some of us may feel ashamed at times that our fellow human beings are dying while we have plenty of food. I think this feeling is understandable because we are all interconnected in the universe, and when one part of the body (of humanity) suffers, the rest suffer too. The more we are conscious of our connectedness, the more we can empathise with one another’s sufferings as well as joys, regardless of distance and time. Another example of this interconnectedness is how people responded in empathy and kindness towards Darin Hufford‘s recent illness, from both near and far.

I suppose the least we can do is to hold our brothers and sisters in loving and peaceful thoughts, as well as do what we can to be of help in our own ways. Besides, despite the fact that there are many incidences of sufferings around the world, there are also many incidences of help and relief being provided for the people who are suffering around the world. I believe there are many (relatively) quiet and low-profile revolutions going on in other countries, that set people free from starvation and oppression, in small but significant ways, except that these cases are not reported by mainstream media usually.

I like Thich Nhat Hanh’s sensitive take on the state of the world in his book “Being Peace“, as it has grains of truths that are simple, compassionate and empowering.

“Life is filled with suffering, but it is also filled with many wonders, like the blue sky, the sunshine, the eyes of a baby. To suffer is not enough. We must also be in touch with the wonders of life. They are within us all around us, everywhere, any time.

If we are not happy, if we are not peaceful, we cannot share peace and happiness with others, even those we love, those who live under the same roof. If we are peaceful, if we are happy, we can smile and blossom like a flower, and everyone in our family, our entire society, will benefit from our peace.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

Yes, even as we acknowledge the sufferings in the world, we can also acknowledge the wonders in the world too. Maybe our inner peace can impact not only those around us, but also those who are suffering in other countries. This is a reminder for me as well.

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A Shift in Global Consciousness

On By jimmytstIn Philosophy, Unity and harmony3 Comments

Earlier on, I was googling about the evolution of human consciousness, and I came across this website that resonates with me.

“There is an evolution of the global consciousness of humanity occurring as this is being written. Those things that bring us closer to realizing the intrinsically deep connection between all manifestations of Consciousness within reality are consequently the same things that nudge us forward, as a collective consciousness, towards a supramental transformation unlike any ever seen in human history. A heart-based life with the projection and expression of positive emotions such as compassion, love, and empathy is a way of life that not only brings about more coherence within one’s life, but also one that brings humanity as a whole that farther down the road of a positively progressive evolution of consciousness. With the conscious and intentional evolution of human consciousness that comes about with a shift towards such a way of life, everybody wins. All benefit. We are in this together and whatever one of us does, affects the other.”

(From “The Conscious and Intentional Evolution of Human Consciousness“)

I do believe we are in the midst of a shift in global consciousness, in which more and more people are coming out of separatist organised religions and questioning fear-based dogmas, and are progressing towards a higher consciousness of our oneness and interrelatedness. While I haven’t been able to find a metaphysical interpretation of 2 Corinthians 5:17 online so far, my take on this verse is that we no longer see one another in a worldly or carnal way (based on the illusion of separation), but we see one another as new creations or new creatures in Christ (that is, in our true divine identity).

I also like what this article says about a new consciousness that the author believes is taking place around the world, which he calls “quantum consciousness” (or QC for short):

“QC is a consciousness of directly intuited, felt connection to the world. It inspires empathy with people and with nature; it brings an experience of oneness and belonging. Quantum consciousness makes us realize that, being one with others and with nature, what we do to them we do to ourselves.”

(From “Quantum Consciousness: Our Evolution, Our Salvation” by Ervin Laszlo)

Perhaps this consciousness is new only in the sense that when people leave behind the old religious archaic and fundamentalist mindset, the revelation about our oneness in humanity and divinity appears to be new. Actually, I think this is an ancient truth that is re-emerging in the modern world, because all along, the truth (at least to me) has always been that we are all one, and we are interrelated, and somewhere along the way in the past many centuries, this truth has been obscured by organised religions, such as (mainstream) Judaism, Christianity and Islam, and with the advent of the internet and so on, the mystical aspects of spirituality are being restored into human consciousness individually and collectively.

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Rob Bell – Death by Paper Cuts – Poets/Prophets/Preachers #5

On By jimmytstIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

 

I have listened to Rob Bell’s message for the first half hour so far. I suppose he was sharing about his experience as a leader when he would hear/receive all kinds of feedback and comments and rumours about himself from various people, and being human, he would understandably have had moments when he felt bothered by these accumulated comments (which he described as “paper cuts”), even though he knew he was bigger than that and could choose to brush off untrue comments about him. He shared that he didn’t like to be analysed by people (though having a high public profile, it is quite inevitable).

I agree with the wisdom he shared about having/drawing an appropriate boundary between oneself and those people who are toxic, for his own well-being’s sake. It is, after all, one thing to forgive and recognise that some people are living in a different paradigm from himself as we are all on different journeys, and another thing to allow himself to be hurt by untrue/toxic comments from other people, and so he needs to distance himself from these people. So that’s my understanding of his message so far.

Update

I have finished listening to the rest of the video on Rob Bell’s message. I think it is a balanced and sensitive approach to the subject on forgiveness, as in acknowledging and embracing the pain and suffering involved in forgiving others, as a way to transform the feeling of death to resurrection life, and at the same time, to not allowing ourselves to be hurt further by the toxic and divisive behaviour of other people, who “know not what they were doing”.

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Positive Thinking and Authentic Living

On By jimmytstIn Psychology5 Comments

This part of the article “Why Positive Thinking May Be Overrated” sits well with me:

Lyubomirsky, who has not read Ehrenreich’s book, says that while she has “critiqued and parodied” pop positive thinking programs like that of The Secret, there is some merit to adopting a more optimistic outlook on life.

“Positive thinking has a role to play in a good life as long as it’s not empty,” she says. “If you want to apply to medical school and be a doctor, I would speculate that practicing optimism about that goal might motivate you to try harder.”

Yes, when it comes to pop positive thinking programs, I have my own reservations about them. I agree that too much of a good thing can be bad, and that goes the same for “positive thinking”. In fact, when I am with a group of people who are cheerful all the time, cracking silly jokes constantly, I feel out of place, like a fish out of water.

I feel that for positive thinking to become genuine, it must become a part of our personal revelation. Therefore, just mindlessly repeating a positive-sounding statement from a self-professed motivational guru or speaker will not be helpful in the long run.

That is why I haven’t been listening to sermons for a long time. Instead, in my own time of contemplation, whenever some thoughts pop up in my spirit that are encouraging to me, I would record it in my handphone calendar to serve as a personal nugget of encouragement as it means something to me.

This morning, I was reflecting that maybe because those people in the christian religion have been told week after week to praise God at all times, this may indirectly send a message to them to deny or downplay feelings of sadness, disappointments, etc.

So, eventually it becomes a show put forth by most church-goers, to just talk about blessings and how blessed they are or their families are, and how good God is, etc, as if it is a “sin” or weakness to show any signs of doubt, disappointments, etc.

While I acknowledge that there is a place for positive confession of faith, I feel that sometimes this deliberate outward display of “faith” might turn people off, especially those who are not in the christian institutional church circles.

On a similar note, this verse from Ecclesiastes came to mind:

“To every thing there is a season,
and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
..
a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;”

Yes, there is a season to everything, including our emotional states of being. To be constantly cheerful or constantly sad can become boring after a while. As shared in my blog recently, I was reflecting that my default mode is joy, which is a state of inner bliss of the heart or spirit. But I also realise that at the soul level, I can still express emotions of happiness or sadness.

Based on what I learnt from a blog “Mind and Consciousness ~ Written by David Frawley (Pandit Vamadeva)” earlier about the difference between our mind and our consciousness, perhaps I can view it like this:

At the consciousness level, my spiritual bliss is more or less constant, like a buoy that rises up automatically whenever it is made to sink under the water.

At the soul or mind level, my emotional highs and lows, or mountains and valleys, are actually appropriate responses to changing circumstances (for example, I can “rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep”).

In other words, the constant spiritual bliss is what makes me divine, whereas the fluctuating emotions are what make me human.

Both completes my true self because I would be incomplete if I were to be completely divine and devoid of any human emotions, or if I were to be devoid of any spiritual bliss and completely human and ruled by my emotions all the time. Therefore, both the divine serenity and human emotional see-saw are necessary in life, so to speak.

To me, mindfulness is about embracing both divinity and humanity in the present moment, without making judgments on whether the emotions are good or bad, and just being aware. This is an liberating experience – free from being controlled by circumstances all the time.

Motivational speakers often say: “You can decide whether to be happy or sad. It is up to you.”

I would say, Yes and no. Yes I can decide to be happy or sad, but I want to go with the flow too – in some situations, it is more appropriate to be happy than sad, while in other situations, it is more appropriate to be sad than happy. This is something that is spontaneous, and therefore I would not want to try to control or manipulate the feelings that arise from within.

In the past, I like to listen to sad songs that bring tears to my eyes, because for some reasons, I can relate to them better – they evoke my deep emotions and allow me to express them freely in my personal space. At the same time, it doesn’t drive me to a place of utter despair. Instead, I would feel better after a while, like the sun shining after the rain. So yea, there is indeed a time to weep, and a time to laugh – all this is meant to be a complete human experience for us.

To sum it up, there is a balance – too much of sadness can be draining whereas too much (self-manufactured) happiness can be frustrating. There is a time to listen to sad songs, and a time to listen to happy songs. I am addicted to neither, and I can enjoy both kinds of songs at different times. I will just go with the flow, so to speak. I must say though that after I got into christianity since 2002, I have been subconsciously moving away from sad songs. But now, I don’t care because I am free to be human (as well as divine). Like what someone said, it is all about living authentically and being true to ourselves.