Dreaming

Dreaming is faith or hope; it is, within the mind, queen of the night, supreme ruler of any life's reality.  Living a dream can enhance, imbue, lend magic and sparkle to the waking brain -- or quickly become tarnished, crumbling away before the eyes.

Crafting or forming dreams seems random, scattered among the winking, blinking dendrites behind various masks shown to the world outside.  An endless well of possibilities, a playground perfectly formed.

Imagery enhances, playing up beauty wherever it can be found; it is useful at those inevitable points of seemingly complete darkness.  A ready supplier of new ideas, an endless, soothing pool ready to cure and repair, dreaming remains that indomitable, versatile secret weapon, undiscoverable and powerfully prepared to assist in any human endeavor.

Essence of Need

Sit in total quiet with the fall season beginning . . . air cooler, earth settling into gradual rest.  Most people have temperature alignments, acknowledged or not; artificial manipulation of outside temps affects physiological function in ways which frequently are not noticed.  Humans seem programmed at a cellular level for optimal adaptation to certain climates.  Our bodies need comfortable environments in order to thrive.

Similarly, frequent/constant necessity to suppress our own needs in order to responsibly meet those of others can morph into a deadly game when it comes to one's health and well-being.  Employing techniques including transference or projection; using lots of labels, temporary ‘fixes’ and little awareness of a real problem while it is happening; stumbling along through life, reacting to 'markers' acquired along the stony, littered, wild and wooly way, we just . . . do whatever it takes. And yet, there's a (sometimes, maybe often) subtle voice around, always, saying truth, often going unnoticed, unheard.

And so it goes.  The minute by minute, day to day propping, shoring, nurturing, aligning, upholding, trying process we must fuel ourselves to continue. But wherever we’ve landed, what we know, how it was for us, each day, along our way, determines to a great extent what we continue to do.

So, sit down and dream . . . of beauty, serenity, peace . . . of an ocean, the tides, universal natural laws.  Imagine absolute quiet, absence of urgency, drama, all that. Simply peace . . . the steady drumbeat of others' angst and flailing about forever absent from ears and mind. Drive, motivation and forward motion become severely damaged/tattered/dormant after years of frustration, need/necessities and/or crisis control. Leave everything except that which comes easily, smoothly, and be certain to welcome these with clear understanding, happy acceptance, and gratitude.  Tolerate no exceptions cloaked as guilt, blame, or demands . . . expect rightness.  That which comes around in the life space often openly assaults the senses, causing immediate, stressful launch into fabricated coping mechanisms – exhausting the soul, numbing the mind . . . generating reactions designed to exhaust and kill -- softly.

Real Time

Distinguishing reality from fantasy seems simple to most of us . . . 'reality' being our personal view of the world.  We align ourselves with the well-being of others in our societal framework by using familiar 'markers' such as habit, fitting into the ebb and flow of life while interacting with others as effectively as we can.

Aberrant behavior on the part of another person is more common than may be believed.  Oppositional, argumentive, combative attitudes or actions happen frequently with many of our colleagues, relatives, or community members.  We use social cues and skills to counter these conditions.  Learning to de-fuse another's angst is fairly familiar to most of us.

A deranged 'loner' who enters a world contained only in his/her mind can wreak havoc, playing out a  violent, predatory need born of a thought pattern alien to anyone else.  Weapons of destruction are many and always obtainable; thoughtful observance of those around us seems to be prudent, as we move through life.  Become aware of others . . . take nothing for granted.  If a situation seems sinister or explosive, observe carefully and remain alert.  Intuitive function is a must in these ever-changing, sometimes confusing times.

Lightening Up

It seems impossible that changing habitual thought patterns we have unknowingly entertained as real can uplift the heart, change the mood, and improve any outlook.  Circular thinking - going around and around the same tired subject with identical words and ideas - will ensure that the same old action will be taken, and after awhile, despair and depression can result.

It is somewhat like playing an old tape that is now boring and outdated.  At some point some new music will be in order - it's progress, moving on.  Choose a new idea, one which intrigues and interests you.  Find out as much as you can about it, really get into learning about everything concerning the reasons you like it.  If the old thought routines occur to you, simply reject them and think about your new interest.

Try this a time or two, practice it; enhance the way you think, become aware of that so that it can be modified.  Tolerate no interruption from unpleasant or pointless intrusions -- you can control the process that tricks your mind into believing otherwise.  Go ahead, acquire REAL power.

Assisting Others

It often seems that we spend most of our lives helping others live theirs.  Family, community, and even the culture in which we reside seem to relentlessly absorb our time, effort, energy and money.  Most of us believe this is simply the way of it; that is, our expectations will naturally begin and end within an infrastructure which exists because another entity or entities constructed it.

A few adventurous souls widen their horizons by moving in and out of a few of these loosely defined frameworks - living in other countries, studying different languages, broadening abilities to communicate on many levels, traveling frequently, always learning and experiencing.

Charities, government agencies designed to assist others less fortunate, organizations which attempt to provide necessities of life and some luxuries where there is little comfort, or safety in life are numerous.  Unselfish giving is socially acceptable, much admired.  Altruistic behavior always seems beneficially placed.  Losing touch with one simple fact, however, will interrupt and/or end an individual's ability to extend benevolent care anywhere else:  that is, the health and well-being of the giver.

Concentrate on being healthy and strong.  With givers who love to and must assist others, maintaining the ability to remain in that role provides assurance -- to the giver AND to recipients.  Attention to the state of one's health and energy must come first.

Taking Stock

Widely considered a useful tool in effective function, 'taking stock' of a situation or series of events often clears the mind, providing new perceptions along with possible solutions.  Persistence is an admirable trait -- dogged mindlessness is not.

While rushing headlong toward any goal, set aside a bit of quiet time to reflect on original ideas, being thoughtful about whether the present attainment methods remain current, beneficial, or even retain their value.  It is somewhat like 'enjoying the trip' rather than obsessing about the destination.

In other words, just occasionally 'take a chill pill' and relax.  The world will go on.  Rest assured, no one has appointed you Manager of the Universe lately, so try going with the flow . . . the state of your health will radically improve, while the people in your life space will be relieved and grateful . . . believe it.

Unfamiliar Realms

Occasionally a life event occurs which alters forever a favored, familiar state of reality.  Providence offers many opportunites for growth while moving through what we believe to be 'our lives' . . . and not all of these are welcome, or pleasant.

Setting up 'who we are' is more complicated, and less autonomous, than might be noticed.  Adapting to surroundings, meshing with other people who closely share our life space, providing and receiving support -- all these seemingly effortless actions are subject to nuance, to unacknowledged input.

Fate may plunge us into a state of change -- one from which any perception of control is absent . . . or hope for regaining conditions we thought were unassailable is effectively gone for good.  In such times, moving through this unplanned phase of existence with dignity and grace, maintaining a demeanor of calm acceptance and willingness to love first and judge not, is preferable, if not essential.

Loving requires an open heart, a quiet mind.  Endeavor to entertain pure and happy thoughts, preserve honor, and believe that this too -- no matter how dire the circumstances -- is a lesson in what it truly means to be human.