Knowing Yourself is the Beginning of All Wisdom

Knowing Yourself is the Beginning of All Wisdom (Aristotle Quote)

“Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.” Aristotle

For much of the first 40 years of my life I struggled.

I lived in an almost constant state of anxiety and various levels of unhappiness, unease, and disease.

For most of that time I had allowed others tell me who I was and how I should show up in the world.  My family and teachers and the culture I lived in choose the schools I attended, the clothes I wore, the career I entered.

In the first years of my live I “ventured out” every once in awhile with a unique thought or desire that fell outside of what was expected but each time I was told, in one way or another, that I was “wrong”, and being young and impressionable I believed it.

So I conformed

Sound familiar?

Fortunately for me the anxiety grew into full blown panic disorder to a degree that there was no choice but to respond.

Also, fortunately, I would not (don’t ask me why now) medicate the symptoms away.  Somehow the idea felt like a death sentence.

So instead I embarked on the greatest journey of my life.  The journey of self discovery.

Everyone is a genius.  But if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree it will spend its life believing it is stupid. – Einstein

The Aristotle quote that titles this post tells us to know yourself.  Einstein implies that when we do we will unlock a genius.

Pretty cool, right 

So, do you know who you are?  Are you making the world a better place by sharing your genius?

I can tell you, for certainty, that if…..

• You have to drag yourself out of bed in the morning
• You are going to work everyday for the paycheck, benefits, and vacation time
• You are dealing with anxiety, depression, unease,  or a general sense that you are “missing something”

Then you are living someone else’s idea of what your life should be.

and I can also tell you that, with a simple choice, you can change that beginning, well, Now 

The following are some ideas to help you tap into the wisdom promised in the Aristotle quote.  Play with just one, or play with them all.  Just choose to take these first steps on what I promise you will be a journey that far exceeds your wildest imaginations….

1) Take a few minutes everyday to “write a letter” to that aspect of you buried deep that already knows who and what you are.  Write about your concerns, ask your questions, discuss possibilities.

2) After writing the letter consider sitting quietly for some period of time (5 minutes is long enough to start) to give that wise part of you a chance to answer.

3) If you are a meditator (or you want to be) spend time in daily meditative contemplation on the question “Who Am I?”

4) Make a list of the things you love to do or dream of doing.  Commit to spending more time on one or more of those things each week.

5) Take more chances, follow hunches, commit to simply putting more fun in your life.

 Let this simple Aristotle quote jump start the greatest journey of your life, to know yourself 

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Psychology Finally Reveals One Potential Answer To Finding Your Soulmate

By Luis Valadez

Love doesn’t make the world go round; love is what makes the ride worthwhile. ~Shannon L. Alder

We all as social creatures, have a deep and underlying desire to find that one perfect person to spend the rest of our days with. That one person when we meet, you feel an uncontrollable desire and an illogical sense of familiarity with. As if you’ve known that person for a lifetime, or perhaps lifetimes. Whatever you want to call it, films and TV series alike have romanticized the phenomenon known as the soulmate. But what do we really know about the perfect mate or the ideal partner? Psychology is finally shedding light on the mystery that encapsulates so many hearts and minds around the world in an effort to understand what truly makes two people compatible for a relationship.

The Issue With Compatibility

Dating sites like OkCupid.com or chemistry.com boast about their in-depth personality tests and about finding someone with similar answers to the questions you answer on their tests, can result in finding the perfect mate.

Now this sounds very appealing for many different reasons. First, naturally you want to be with someone who shares the same values as you and perhaps even someone who enjoys similar activities like rock climbing. Secondly, it only seems logical to search for another person that also wants to raise children and begin a family someday. Lastly, we have such a yearning for love as social creatures, that we will convince ourselves of just about anything in order to fill the empty spots in our hearts.

All of these reasons, create quite the compelling case for compatibility sites —but how well and how long do the relationships that have similar interests and quirks truly last?

Dr. Ted Hudson of the University of Texas, ran a longitudinal study of couples that had been married for years and in his research he found out something quite surprising. Dr. Ted Hudson’s explains,

“My research shows that there is no difference in the objective compatibility between those couples who are unhappy and those who are happy”.

Dr. Ted Hudson went on to say that couples that are feeling content and warmth in their relationships said that compatibility wasn’t an issue for them. In fact, they were perfectly ok saying that it was them who made the relationship work, not the compatibility of their personalities. But when the unhappy couples were asked what they thought about compatibility, they all answered by saying that compatibility is extremely important to a marriage. And sadly, that they didn’t think they were compatible with their significant other. Which Dr. Ted Hudson explained that when the unhappy couples said, “We’re incompatible” they were truly meaning, “We don’t get along very well”.

That’s where the issue arises with compatibility, everyone who is unhappy naturally blames it on the facade of compatibility. They fail to realize and comprehend that a successful relationship does not hinge its posterity on how alike you are —instead it hangs on by the sheer will power and want to stay in a relationship.

As observed in arranged marriages, where they tend to last longer and tend to be happier in their relationships, according to international happiness surveys. Do these arranged marriages last longer because they don’t have the option of divorce like we do in the United States? Of course not, it’s because they choose to stay committed and aren’t looking for “the next best thing” or someone that’s more suitable in their eyes.

Professor of Sociology at Stanford University, Michael J. Rosenfeld explains that arranged marriages aren’t that different from the love relationships we have in the Western world. The greatest difference is in culture, Americans value autonomy more than anything, they want the freedom to choose who they want to be with. More often than not, however we get stuck in the perpetual loop of consciously and unconsciously considering someone else when things aren’t going perfectly in your own relationship. And this is where the illusion of compatibility comes into play.

Finding A Mate To Spend A Lifetime With

So we know that building a relationship with another person is dependent on you and the other person. It has more or less nothing to do with compatibility. But if you can’t depend on compatibility exams or some standard form of testing to find your ideal mate, then how do we do it?

John Gottman, the founder and director of the Relationship Research Institute in Seattle said that measures of personality are incapable of truly predicting the length or success of a relationship. John Gottman’s Relationship Research Institute discovered that couples who focus their energy on building something meaningful together in their life (e.g., starting a business together like a magazine,) tend to last the longest. How a couple interacts is the single most fundamental aspect to creating a successful relationship. Meaning, it’s not who you are or what you do that will prolong or help you find the perfect mate. It’s how you speak to each other, how well you get along, how much dreams you can envision together.

John Gottman went on to say, if your relationship or interest supports your life dreams. Your ideal partner will look up to you, admire you and view you through rose-colored lenses. Now this sounds ideal, but when you truly reflect on how you’ve always wanted to be treated —having someone who genuinely believes in your greatness, is paramount.

Don’t think it’s all just how we view one another however, a lot of the connection you feel with another person is emotional. Therefore you must be capable of responding to each other when you need something. Or as John Gottman said,

“Does your partner turn toward you with equal enthusiasm? You need to ask questions and constantly update your knowledge of one another.”

Final Thoughts On The Soulmate

If you truly are looking for love and want to find that person that you can spend the rest of your life with —then remember, that it is YOU who creates compatibility. There is no magic formula or perfect algorithm for making a fruitful relationship with another human being. Yes, you need to find the other person attractive, look up to them and feel a strong sense of familiarity with, but those are but one small slice of the pie that constitutes a healthy and long relationship.

So next time, you spot someone who catches your attention and makes your pupils dilate with interest and enthusiasm, pay attention to whether or not they can see the dream you envisioned for your life. If they can share in your delight and can accept you for who you are today, not for who you can be tomorrow —then you have found your “soulmate”.

About the Author:

As an American Author and Research Psychologist, the two aspects in life I value most are: humanity and self-improvement. I make it my goal and life’s work to illuminate the secrets of the mind and our potential to every thirsty man and woman. For when given water to grow, we humans prosper. Aside from my love of moving the human spirit — I also research and rejoice in the fields of neuroscience, historical arts, and quantum mechanics.

This article was originally published on Learning Mind. 

Read more at http://expandedconsciousness.com/2014/09/02/psychology-finally-reveals-one-potential-answer-to-finding-your-soulmate/#frseE8UXFlt1Cymx.99

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Friends

Hope you're enjoying the weekend.

You've probably realized that friends come and go. In some cases, your interests change as you get older. In other cases, something happens that forces you to part ways with those you once considered friends. At the end of the day, however, you can identify the friendships that have a real foundation.

Identify these truths in your relationships to determine which ones represent true friendship:

1. Friendship withstands disagreements. Anybody you consider a true friend can attest to the fact that disagreements undoubtedly happen. But that person can also confirm that your bond withstands those disagreements.

• True friends know that regardless of the differences or disagreements, the foundation of the relationship still exists.

• A sign of true friendship is when two people continue to live well with each other after a disagreement.

2. Friends keep it real. The beauty about friendship is that there is rarely any pretense. Friends share their vulnerabilities with each other. They trust that their quirks are accepted by each other.

• Your true friends hardly worry about what you think of their actions or behaviors. They know that if there's one person in the world who understands them, it's you!

• It's also safe to say that your real friends avoid sugar-coating anything they're saying to you. Expect to get their opinion as real as it comes!

3. Confidentiality is respected. When the matter of confidentiality comes up, you can tell a friend by whether your request for confidentiality is respected. True friends acknowledge the importance of maintaining your trust.

• With true friends in your life, you can feel comfortable sharing your deepest secrets. Your secrets will be just as safe with friends as they are when you keep them to yourself.

• Your private space is important to you, and a genuine friend understands that. They understand when to step aside and give you the time you need. And they do this without feeling offended.

4. Support is unconditional. It's true that friends sometimes have different interests and beliefs. But even when viewpoints are different, true friends still offer support to each other.

• Friends usually offer advice to each other. And even when the advice you get is different from what you want to hear, you know it's coming from a genuine sentiment.

• If you need someone to lean on when you're going through a rough spot, your real friends instinctively know. They'll show up when you least expect it and bring loads of hugs with them!

5. Achievements are celebrated. It's unlikely that you'll find a true friend who doesn’t celebrate your achievements. The questionable friends may feel envious of your success. But true friends get just as excited as you do about your victories.

• You'll likely even find a true friend helping you prepare for an upcoming job interview. Even if it's a success they want for themselves, they're happy just knowing you stand a good chance of being the victor.

• Sincere friends take the time to congratulate each other. They give gifts, treat each other to dinner, and make other special gestures. They like to show that they care.

Have you identified anybody who embodies a true friend after looking at these indicators? If you have, latch on to that person as long as you can! A genuine friend can be difficult to find. You’ll find great joy when you nurture your friendships.

Commit to being the kind of friend to others as you want them to be to you. Friendship works both ways!

Until next time.

Pray For What You Need, Not What You Want

January 22, 2015 By admin

By: Jennifur / Source: Psychics Universe

Prayer Is All Around

There are some people that pray everyday, some that only pray on Sundays at church, or the occasional prayer when it’s convenient for those in need of something, like making it to work on time after they missed their alarm go off.

Even people that don’t believe in prayer do it more times than they are aware, like Meister Eckhart say’s “if the only prayer you say in your whole life is” thank you” that will suffice.

Prayer is a much bigger part of our daily lives than most of us are aware, and the signs are all around us.

Be Patient With Prayer

When you plant the seed of a prayer, you must be patient and have faith that your prayer has been heard. Your prayer may not always be answered in the way that you expected, or the time you were hoping but there is always intended purpose for your needs to be met.

Living in a society that moves so quickly with cell phones, social media, internet and so on, instant gratification has become common place.

It’s a no wonder people lose faith at times when they don’t get the instant response they are used to getting.

It’s hard to put your prayer out to the universe and sit back patiently and wait for it to be answered when you turn on your phone or computer and see others posting your hopes wishes and dreams.

Pray For Character

Prayer gives us the chance to connect with ourselves on a deeper level and understand what we do want, and ultimately in the end finding out what doesn’t serve us.

That is why it is important to pray for the things that will make your life happier like building your character as a person, as opposed to praying for material things that eventually lose their value in more ways than one.

Forgiveness, patience, empathy for others etc, when you pray for these things that begin to make you a better person, you will feel a shift take place in your life where prayers start coming your way without you even asking.

Filed Under: Mind Body Spirit

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Creative Manifesto

“The world without spirit is a wasteland. People have the notion of saving the world by shifting things around, changing the rules, and who’s on top, and so forth. No, no! Any world is a valid world if it’s alive. The thing to do is to bring life to it, and the only way to do that is to find in your own case where the life is and become alive yourself.” ~ Joseph Campbell  

1. We are editors of life. We cut and paste its daily beauty and pain with the sharp scissors of our minds on the canvas of humanity.

As human beings we can only assimilate the world through selective perception. The more we train our perception, the more aware we become of the world around us, in its light and darkness.

We turn into what we digest on a daily basis. Due to our spongy nature, we must absorb carefully.

***

2. We regard Art as a dynamic matter of Now. Art is not just a museum affair. Objects are less than people and no work of art is ever finished. We are our own living collage of images, memories, experiences, relationships, thoughts and feelings.

As such, we must constantly make Art that is synonymous with Life, in order for it (for us) to keep on being art. By existing to our fullest potential we become our own greatest works of art. Whatever comes out of us is secondary to what’s already in us.

***

3. Life is short and it’s running through our fingers. Our hour won’t come in some kind of imagined, distant or near future, our hour is happening this very moment. Wherever we are – or are at, we’d like to make it count.

Be here now. And now. And now. And now. And now…

***

4. The only censorship we apply to ourselves is the kind that will censor other people’s genuine right to be whole.

Love the way you want to be loved and recognize a piece of you in every piece of life.

There are no strangers in this room. It’s just a bunch of Us. There are no tribes or constellations. Only lonely stars with a light of their own.

***

5. Life is homemade, painful, intelligent and beautiful. We avoid nothing, we want it all.

As creators, healers and journalists it is our duty to curate reality and communicate it in our own, unique words. We don’t want the shortcut, we want to walk on water and walk on burning ashes.

Give us the whole package, even if it takes longer and it demands more. If we’re going to jump anyway off of life’s inevitable cliffs, we might as well pick the highest one and use our own heart as the only parachute.

***

6. We long and steer toward the light but we don’t hide or get rid of the darkness. It’s only by accepting, integrating and finally reusing every bit of ourselves that we are able to meet and face life for what it is, in all its brightness and all the shadows it casts.

Fear is biodegradable fuel. We will never get rid of it, but we can recycle it into a more human-friendly version.

***

7. There is no time for apathy or mindless distraction. We’re natural, organic, living tissue. We are the skin of a broken world and as living metaphors, we must reflect it in both its greatness and its desperation.

There’s so much good to do, much to be mended and healed. One lifetime isn’t enough and less than our everything is too little.

 ***

8. We regard the human experience as an indivisible whole that includes all aspects of the human experience: physical, intellectual, relational, emotional and spiritual. We also recognize beauty and pain as the two common threads running through all of our life scripts.

For most of history, our different human elements have been divided, segregated, hidden, punished, misunderstood and ultimately, separated from the whole.

We want brains and beauty to make peace with each other, we want heart and mind to be friends, we want body and spirit to be a home to each other.

All our parts are created equal.

***

9. Our virtuality is just the tip of our iceberg-humanity. We are so much more than our words and the speed of our fingers.

The internet is, perhaps, the only truly democratic medium left, which allows us to reach freely across countries and oceans, intolerance and preconceptions and dive straight into each other’s hearts.

Thanks to our online connection, we’re now reuniting with each other and, in a strange way, with ourselves. We’re just one click away, so close we almost hear each other breathing.

Beyond this screen we’re also flesh and bones, with broken hearts and sweaty hands. We must never mistake our frames for the whole picture, but use this virtual frame to better understand our real pictures: the real, complex, breathing You and Me and everyone we know.

***

10.  Hey Frodo, it’s a lonely battle, and we need help taking the ring to Mordor. In this lifehouse, we collaborate, we share and e-hug daily. We can’t do this (or anything) alone. We need each other badly.

The only possible form of existence is co-existence. Beyond our own, unscripted individual stories, we’re part of a bigger, universal story to which we add every day with our thoughts and actions. We are responsible for the course of events and desperate status of our world.

When it comes to technology and communication, we’re at a place of synergy and synchronicity like never before. It is imperative that we make a mindful, heartfelt use of it.

Please hold my pixel hand, I promise you, the skin is there, even if you can’t touch it.

11. We know enough, we have enough, we are enough and we care enough to make it wonderful.

Now.

www.rebellesociety.com

*****

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7 Ways to Attract Positive Energy

Steven Aitchison

How much negative or positive energy we attract is something that is completely in the hands of every individual. While this is an extremely empowering bit of knowledge, it is also a tremendous responsibility that requires us to be careful about all our thoughts, actions and words. The following seven methods will help you lead a life that attracts more positive energy which in turn will lead to  more good things happening in your life.

1. Clean and Organize Everything

Everything from you car to your bedroom has an impact on how you feel through-out the day. When everything is in a state of disarray it impacts the flow of our day in a negative way, whether it just visually bothers us or we have to literally spend energy searching fro something in our messy. Treat your space as if it is sacred to show that you value and appreciate having it, because chances are that many people in the world would love to  live in the luxury that you do. By introducing order and a good flow into places you spend time, it will give you a safe place for wonderful things to enter into your life.

2. See the Positive Energy that is Already Present

A common mistake is to overlook all of the wonderful things that are already present in life. Always look for the good in every situation, so that you can come into the experience with an open mind ready to receive the wondrous grace that is in every moment.

3.  Visualize a Life of Contentment and Peace

Spend the time to visualize a life where you are satisfied and happy. Only when we open up ourselves to the potential for good and positive things will they begin to come our way.

4. Do NOT Worry about the Future

Part of breaking away from negative energy is learning to stop assuming the worst will happen. Learn to anticipate positive things coming your way rather than constantly worrying about imaginary scenarios. Focus your attention on all the great things that are coming your way.

5. Love Yourself- Mistakes and All

Many people hold resentment towards themselves for making mistakes in the past. No one can take the clock back to undo mistakes. Just know that every bad experience is a chance to learn, and the only place you can work on improving things is in the present.

6. Follow the Three Folds Law

The three fold law states that everything you put out in the world will come back to you three-folds. Know deep within that all of the positive energy you put out into the world will eventually come back to you. Whenever making a decision, assess what the consequences in the future may be.

7. Do NOT Speak Negatively

Words are powerful tools that can take life in many different directions. Everything you say can have huge consequences. Learn to think more before you speak. When you are thinking about what you are saying determine whether it is negative or positive. If it is the latter avoid keep your lips sealed and dismiss the thought as something to negative to welcome in your life.

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