Lessons Learned from Life

I was digging around the old posts and realized how very different I am now from who I was.  I can honestly say that I'm grateful for that.  It isn't that the old person was bad, I just appreciate what my experiences have given me a little better.  

 

'Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.', ~Rumi

I'm a lot more tranquil now, and when I'm not tranquil, I will quietly wrestle with myself internally until I find a way to unburden my mind... without ruffling too many feathers if possible. I think I have learned the value of being kind over being right and I save myself a lot of personal and ethical battles that way.  I can honestly say that I've learned to trust more; although it helps that I have more experience under my belt to learn what to trust and how to approach risk methodically when I am unsure.

'Let yourself be silently drawn by the strange pull of what you really love. It will not lead you astray,' ~Rumi

I allow people to own their own problems.  I also have grown more comfortable with the feeling of being emptied; whether that's of bias, preconceived notions, or even of hanging onto attitudes that really just don't serve me, no matter how noble they may seem at the time. 

I've also learned how to recognize the people who value others as much as they value their dreams.  One of the benefits of getting older, although you may find yourself occasionally grieving the loss of someone you hoped to build a relationship, is that you become more adept and valuing those who go out of their way to be more supportive and encouraging.  These are the people who nourish your souls and building those connections can provide you an incredible sense of belonging and a place for you to pour out your affections, when you use your gifts to help build this community.  Surround yourself with people who inspire you, who bring out the best in you and believe in you, even when you are unable to see your own beauty.  It's the best way to un-complicate your life and bring more joy to it simultaneously.

'What you seek, is seeking you,' ~Rumi

If you don't already have these things, live your life presently, and VERY, VERY fully.  You will learn what you value and who values you, so that you can move forward with much more depth and elegant simplicity.

I wasn't a huge fan of this video, I think mainly because I used to relate a lot to this character.  It took a strong will and a lot of behavioral conditioning to make myself more agreeable, but the biggest lesson that I learned from all of this is that no matter how much effort you pour into trying to make others like you, you can never be at peace with others until you learn to make peace with yourself.  Thank goodness the internet has provided me access to many ideas for how to find ways to do that.  

Btw, Does anyone else find it ironic that we've become so reliant upon technology these days to teach us to be more acceptable to other humans?  A friend of mine shared a really great article from the Atlantic regarding the over-reliance of online platforms like Facebook and how they have impacted our ability to feel truly connected to one another. The Good news is that it just so happens that my new friends, make the old people that I felt as if I had to chase suck it.  No seriously, one of the best skills you can ever do for your mental health is this: Learn to recognize the people who value others; esp. the ones who can teach you how to truly value yourself. 

Social media—from Facebook to Twitter—have made us more densely networked than ever. Yet for all this connectivity, new research suggests that we have never been lonelier (or more narcissistic)—and that this loneliness is making us mentally and physically ill. A report on what the epidemic of loneliness is doing to our souls and our society. 

Click here to read more...

See Zen's Greetings & Stress Management Tips

I really appreciated the idea of shifting the attention toward the practice of creating safe space in stressful situations (esp. during the Thanksgiving holiday). I suppose there's no better time to practice this skill than this period leading up to finals. So here are a few helpful tidbits from my FB feed that helped me to hone my super stealthy ninja stress management skills. 

❦~ Wisdom of Thich Nhat Hanh ~❦
We can learn to build safety with our in-breath and our out-breath, with our steps, with the way we act or react, with a smile or a word, with our effort to restore communication.
You cannot feel safe with the person who lives with you if you cannot communicate with him or her. You cannot feel safe when the other person does not look at you with sympathy, when you are not capable of looking at him or her with compassion. Safety can be built with your way of looking, your way of smiling, with your way of walking. It can build confidence. Show the other person that you are truly not harmful, that he is safe in your presence, in the way you think, the way you breathe, smile, and walk. Everything you do is peaceful. So by expressing your peace, your compassion, the other person feels very safe. And when the other person feels safe, you are safe. Safety is not an individual matter.

~ Thich Nhat Hanh ~
❧~❦~❧~❦~❧~❦~❧~❦~❧~❦~❧~❦
{{{{~The Mindfulness Bell Has Sounded~}}}}
Please pause and breathe joyfully three times

c/o Soulful Nature

❈✶❈✶❈✶❈✶❈✶     ❄*✶*❄*✶*❄*✶*❄*✶*❄*✶*❄*✶      ❈✶❈✶❈✶❈✶❈✶❈
❈✶❈✶❈✶❈✶❈✶     ❄*✶*❄*✶*❄*✶*❄*✶*❄*✶*❄*✶      ❈✶❈✶❈✶❈✶❈✶❈
 ❈✶❈✶❈✶❈✶❈✶     ❄*✶*❄*✶*❄*✶*❄*✶*❄*✶*❄*✶      ❈✶❈✶❈✶❈✶❈✶❈
  ❄*✶*❄*✶*❄*✶*❄*✶*❄      ❈✶❈✶❈✶❈✶❈✶❈     ❄*✶*❄*✶*❄*✶*❄*✶*❄
  ❄*✶*❄*✶*❄*✶*❄*✶*❄      ❈✶❈✶❈✶❈✶❈✶❈     ❄*✶*❄*✶*❄*✶*❄*✶*❄
  ❄*✶*❄*✶*❄*✶*❄*✶*❄      ❈✶❈✶❈✶❈✶❈✶❈     ❄*✶*❄*✶*❄*✶*❄*✶*❄
❈✶❈✶❈✶❈✶❈✶     ❄*✶*❄*✶*❄*✶*❄*✶*❄*✶*❄*✶      ❈✶❈✶❈✶❈✶❈✶❈
❈✶❈✶❈✶❈✶❈✶     ❄*✶*❄*✶*❄*✶*❄*✶*❄*✶*❄*✶      ❈✶❈✶❈✶❈✶❈✶❈



Stress Management Tip #1: Value your own sense of self worth and surround yourself with those who bring out the best in you. Seriously, when you're not feeling your best, it can be extremely beneficial to keep the company of those who can act as excellent role models for you. 

 You were meant to sparkle. Let your spirit shine!
~ Christine, The Brighter Side of Life

 c/o The Brighter Side of Life

Stress Management Tip #2: Remember those who have supported you even when you didn't feel like your best self. Rather than vent to those people, find a creative way to express to that person, how much you value their support. Pouring you energy into love and appreciation for someone you may have neglected is a great way to spread good karma, boost serotonin levels, and build an effective support group.

 

"One is loved because one is loved. No reason is needed for loving."
- Paulo Coelho.

c/o Lessons Learned in Life 

Stress Management Tip #3: before, even when the current option seems unfamiliar or unsettling to you. As long as you're willing to learn from your mistakes and to commit to a path that you believe will provide growth for you, you can always find the guidance you need that will inevitably lead you down the path that's best for you... even when things don't always work out as planned. Have Faith enough to trust the process so that you can be open to receive any good that CAN come to you. Have faith and trust that the answers you need that will eventually come to you. By remaining present and being aware of the abundance of possibilties that exist before you, you can discover or create opportunities you may not have noticed

 

 Stress Management Tip #4: Be Mindful of how you manage your time, as chance tends to favor the prepared mind. ; )

c/o Obligations (1950): Coronet Instructional Videos

 Stress Management Tip #5: Don't forget to mind your manners. Remember: "A bad attitude is like a flat tire; you can't go anywhere until you fix it."

c/o Improve your Personality (1950): Coronet Instructional Videos 

  

Begin each moment well and so serenely that you can't be too dragged down by your old nonsense

 c/o Positivity Toolbox

Stress Management Tip #6: You can create this kind of connection with others, simply by remembering to be thoughtful. : )

c/o Exceptional Living

 Stress Management Tip #7: Listen to Marvin Gaye 

#heavensent : )

 

"If you cannot find peace within yourself, you will never find it anywhere else." -Marvin Gaye

  c/o Gossip Gone Good

Stress Management Tip #8: pray, meditate, go for a run, sing, or do anything that allows you to bring tranquility to your mind. once you can quiet your mind, you can bring your attention back toward something constructive, creative or anything else that will bring you cheer

 

 Every single thing you experience,
Every bump you encounter, every joy, and
every sorrow ~has been placed upon your
path to aid your consciousness into evolution.
~ Sheila M. Burke/ Zen-Sational Living ~

Stress Management Tip #9: The secret to building a strong faith (albeit, in a higher power, or in yourself) is this: Learn how to ask for what you need and who to ask for help that can help you find what you need... but don't expect them to do everything for you... but if you look in the right places you will inevitably find anything you could ever need ; )

Stress Management Tip #10: Don't Chase people, esp. when you're feeling down. Those who want to be in your life will make an effort to stay, and those who don't may have genuinely given you all that they were capable of giving. So forgive yourself, love others with an open hand and do the best you can with what you have. Appreciate those who can afford to stick around and for heaven's sake; lighten up. There's no better way to empower those around you than to cherish those who take time out of their day to spend time with you by giving them someone positive to be around (or to think about)

Sometimes when the wrong ones leave it hurts, there's just no getting around it. ~the mess

c/o A Beautiful Mess Inside

AND FINALLY:

I leave you with quite frankly, the only life skill you will ever need; the skill for which all other stress management tips are but preparation: Cherish your relationships. The one you have with yourself must be healthy if you plan to extend yourself well to others. And the health of this relationship is really best sustained with how you learn to repair your most important relationships and maintain your relationship to your values and God (or however you define your higher power; the source that brings out the best in you).

 

 c/o Precious Family Forever

Uggghhhh.... too tired to move

That's pretty bad when people ask you how your classes are doing and all you can do is make "the face." I was looking for a pic to use to represent that but this is MUCH funnier...

man, i didn't even finish my poem... i started it yesterday and forgot all about it... let's see if I can finish it now

"yeah, I totally used a screen bean..."

A Deep Breath
stopping for a moment
Really taking time to breathe
getting all of it together
just to set my mind at ease

but it's only for a moment
cause there's so much to get done
every choice and actio matters
and their merit counts a ton

from the planning, from the worry
it feels good to take a break
and pretend i'm sipping lattes
or i'm lounging by a lake

as i play death cab for cutie
from my laptop and relax
and i veg out and i mellow
and survive this heart attack

i've been having, just to keep up
trying to keep my head afloat
no time for crying, or realizing
there's no more time for the remote

but as i sit here contemplating
all the work piled on the shelf
i am happy, appreciative
that i made time for myself

stopping for a moment
Really taking time to breath
getting all of it together
just to set my mind at ease

but it's only for a moment
cause there's so much to get done
i am honored still to do it
cause i've earned it; i'll take one [i suppose...]

yeah, that's how my week has been. hectic, but in a good way.... i think i'm going to take a nap.... i'm not quite sure what the objection would be... i don't have anything to f*ckin prove...

"i don't have to f*ckin impress you..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Aww, man. evidently I needed some sort of rest. I just woke up [12:48 am]. I was supposed to go to this campus party and had called myself taking a nap, but at some point, when my alarm woke me up I determined that it was not morning and therefore I could lie around for a few minutes and lo and behold.....

that's pretty interesting that i chose to honor my body's needs rather than socialize because i really wanted to do both [that was my attempt to try and engage in both activities], but i'd kind of felt this morning that it was going to be very soon before i eventually crashed. i'm old and not used to this level of activity...

No, but seriously... The need to rejuvenate is really important. I've been needing to do a post about this and even have the beginning parts of posts set up, but we often fail to realize what an impact it has on our ability to function when we just take the time out for ourselves to get some rest, let our minds rest and our bodies heal so that we can build the strength we need to fully maximize our potential and capacity to work.

Ironically, we were talking about maintenance in tech today, and i never even thought to make the correlation until this evening. Preventative maintenance, routine maintenance, diagnostics, calibration and so on or crucial procedures in making sure that any piece of machinery works well. Similarly, diet [preventative], studying [routine], checkups, both mental and physical[diagnostics], and exercise [calibration] and all sorts of rudimentary testing is absolutely necessary to ensure that we will be able to do all or a good portion of what we have set out to do.

Many people wait until there is a problem in one of those areas; particularly once they've been unleashed from home from the first time, before they ever look to attend to these areas, and I am no exception. I'd been making myself go to bed on time, due to medical reasons, but even still, my mind kept me in that mode of having to only get 6 hours of sleep a night. Which could be cool, but my diet isn't calibrated as well as it had been and I cram a lot of activities into a single day. In the past 72 hours my schedule has been like this, and this hasn't included coordinating office hours, downloading software, studying, panicking, library time, meals and so on.... I've had to get up every morning and set aside time, unless I can squeeze it in to coordinate my schedule [electronically... and then transfer to my calendar, since the software won't send reminders to my phone like i tried to program it to] so that I can just fit all of the hours into the day. Here is what the past few days have looked like:

Wednesday
9:30am math 115
1pm chinese 101
3pm tech 110
5:30pm private percussion lessons

• 8:30pm afro latin percussio ensemble
• 
  

• Thursday
• 8am pick up add form for afro latin percussio
• 9am breakfast
  10am gstr 110
  12pm turn in private lesson form/ add drop
  1pm middle eastern festival
  2pm counseling services
  4:30pm labor assignment
  8pm study chinese
  8:30pm residence hall meeting
  
  Friday
  
  9:30am mth 115
  1pm ch1 101
  3pm tec 110
  5:15pm grocery shopping
  7pm suite meeting
  10pm the underground

To my surprise, the only thing that didn't get done is the shopping and the underground thing and that was more or less due to scheduling conflicts and the fact that i crashed than anything else. I got everything else done despite the interruptions and did some amazing things to make sure that it got that way. Who else but me would have been like OMG I totally can't remember these chinese phrases.... since the dvd and the flash cards aren't working, let me download a few programs so that i can convert the files to mp3 files and upload them to my player and that way i can just walk around and recite them...? I'm just saying, that takes freakin ingenuity and dedication.

I am also struggling to figure out what to do about the voice recorder for my math class. Hopefull if I get an assignment or two ahead I won't miss anything else, but you never know. I rented one today for $8 and uploaded the lesson on my computer using audacity. I had never used it before, but it really helped me kill two birds with one stone. It's like 2:20 am and I've got a pilates core workout in the morning [well later]. the problem is, i'm not sleepy. i let one of my books to my classmates so i guess i could do one of the other assignments, after i make some tea. i'd rather do my math homework in the open air and sunday will be spent cramming. i tried to do my tech assignment right after class today, so that i wouldn't have to think about it this weekend, but i ended up having to email the professor for further clarification...

Does a turbine count as a turbine engine? Is there some other terminology for reciprocating pumps? The only resources in the library insert them as blurbs when talking about rotary pumps or microturbines [and even the larger ones] but i'm not entirely sure if that's the same thing [because it has fans], or if he actually wants me to write about an engine with pistons. then i read something about compressors, so i got a little mixed up. maybe it's in the book.... this is why it's always good to read ahead. it's not due until monday, but they scheduled me to work a double in food services on sunday [which is bullsh*t cause i had planned on using it as primarily a study day to give me the opportunity to take care of some logistical stuff today].

Anyway, there's this concert they're throwing from some group called "the sickest kids you know" or something. clearly i don't know who they are and am cool about skipping it. i think i'm gonna go check out the local coffee shop and hangout and try to get some work done. word on the street is that they do quite a bit of indie stuff there, so that could be fun to check out... i guess i'll tackle this writing assignment and see if i can find some material on power and mechanical systems for an hour or two. it'll be a few less things to worry about trying to cram into my weekend...

Quotes that could have gone with that picture: Which one would you have preferred?

• “I try to live what I consider a "poetic existence." That means I take responsibility for the air I breathe and the space I take up. I try to be immediate, to be totally present for all my work.”
  Maya Angelou

• “We are alone, with no excuses. That is the idea I shall try to convey when I say that man is condemned to be free. Condemned, because he did not create himself, yet, in other respects is free; because, once thrown into the world, he is responsible for everything he does.”
  Jean-Paul Sartre

• "With great power comes great responsibility"
  Uncle Ben from Spiderman

Hit me back and let me know which one you like best....

Inner Healing through Extra Curricular Activities

This image was taken from http://www.shaiya.com/images/guide/holy_43.gif

So I'm looking to restore a little bit of balance within my life as I embark back upon the next phase of my life. While I plan on dedicating over 24 hours per week to my studies in addition to my classes, I've decided that if I develop a schedule for some extra curriculars that are in attunement with the forces with which I want to connect, I can eliminate distraction and get the spiritual rejuvenation and creative outlet to keep my mind focused and disciplined to really do a good job in school. I decided that if I am going to have enough balance in the classical areas of my life in addition to my work/studies then I should pick one thing from each area; earth, wind, fire, water, and for the sake of good ole Captain Planet I added heart as well. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classical_element I'll explain this in a moment. These are the extra curriculars that I will be looking to pursue over the next few years:

Afrikan Yoga
"Earth"

What is Afrikan yoga? To find out check out this site: http://www.afrikanyoga.com/page2.htm

It is sooooo important to stay grounded and physically active. Plus there's nothing that keeps you more centered and connected to your roots than to take the time to build physical strength and healing and mental calmness that comes from doing a little bit of yoga. My ancestors practiced it, so this will be a wonderful way to reconnect.

Afro-Latin Percussion Ensemble
"Fire"

http://westafricanroots.com/african_yoga.htm
I'm always aware of when I go to black lib events how powerful it is to have Afro-percussionists present. A lot of the time the duty falls upon the same people and I wish that I were proficient to lend a hand because it really adds and enriches the experience to have people there who are attuned to the sacred rhythms. Now that I have the opportunity to tap into that I'm ready to take full advantage and participate, since I seem to not have that same depth of excitement about my acoustic guitar.

The E^3 sustainablility and liberation movements
"Wind"
http://tekgurl.blogspot.com/2008/07/conception.html
Of course E^3 is my baby and I am so serious about the movement. Human lib is very important to me, but I find that in order to sustain people and cultures and preserve the best parts of ourselves that we must also take the earth into consideration, and what we put in it/ or take from it [not to mention what we put into our bodies]. Unfortunately that means that there is going to be an economic cost as well and without some sort of balance in helping more people to achieve prosperity and abundance, there will be much dissonance in this world surrounding the issue of money. I'm not a big fan of the existing economic systems, so I'm wondering what kind of John Nash based economic philosophies will emerge that take into consideration the best interest of those involved.

Kirigami & Mandalas
"Water"

http://www.tutztutz.com/2008/02/origamic-architecture-stunning-sculptures-cut-out-of-paper/
http://www.videobornholm.dk/thokiyenn/tyindex.html

I love kirigami and have yet to do kirigami. It started one Holiday season when I saw these kirigami Christmas trees at my favorite art gallery over on Fairlie Poplar street on exhibition. The gallery is amazing because you would never know that all of the pieces featured are created by people with disabilities. Anyway, I've wanted to learn it ever since I discovered its realm for endless potential and I can't wait to spend a couple times a month working on intricate projects.

Mandalas have been quite dear to me ever since "the breakdown of 05" when I had a hallucination from one of medications I was put on and I didn't know what it was. It kind of freaked me out and I was reintroduced to them a year and a half later. Of course I was mesmerized to know that my mystical psychotropic experience had some sort of greater significance, and I have started my very primitive geometrical representations of these things, but I would love to learn more about the intricacy and develop the precision that it would take to create more inspired pieces of this art.
http://www.mahasiddha.org/mandala/
http://blog.beliefnet.com/flowermandalas/2008/03/painting-mandalas-ofira-oriel.html

Myself, MyFamily, and My Future

"Heart "

I will be spending quite a bit of time focusing upon inner healing as well as strengthening the bonds that I have with family members who have taken an interest in being connected with me. Since they are few and far between, my "real" family must consist of those kindred spirits who have evolved to kind of recognize and appreciate one another and I look forward to basking in their glow [their luminescence can be spotted from afar] because it isn't easy living in a world that operates so contradictory to the lifestyle you've chosen to readopt and it's nice to have people who are like you to recognize this and provide you with the affirmative and restorative love and support that we all need. I really am going to make more of an effort to accept authentic love in my life and settle for nothing less, from myself or from others.

Kinetic Art

I don't intend on taking this on my first semester, but after I've sort of established a routine and taken a few tech classes ultimately I want to get to the level of proficiency to really start doing some beautiful and crazy kinetic art.  Ever since I saw the movie Fracture I have been in love with rolling ball sculptures and kinetic water fountains and such.  I saw this artist, who neglected to give me his info that does this amazing wire-form work at the Martial Arts Temple over on metropolitan, and would have loved to feature his stuff, but I'm beginning to learn not to rely on other people in that way.  I'm connected to this kind of art and design because it speaks to a part of me and what it is I would like to be doing.  I just haven't taken the time to get there professionally yet, but be looking for me in the next 5 years or so.  This is the hobby to take all other hobbies to school.

Here are some other kinetic art links.  I'll do a post on it really soon.  I promise: 

http://www.waterworksgardenart.com/ 

http://www.chatsworth.org/whattodo/revelation.htm