In Search of Yourself: Vision Quest

Have you ever gone in search of yourself, a vision quest wondering what your purpose is in this life? You have had expectations placed on you by your family, your friends, even yourself and yet you are unsure… Perhaps you have considered a vision quest to better connect with your purpose. A successful vision quest often comes full circle and leads you to the answer you have somehow already known, deep inside.

Some people will look outside themselves for their answers and ask the questions regarding their purpose and their future. They consult an oracle like a “psychic” or the “cards” (ie Tarot cards,) or the palm reader or tea leaves or other forms of mysticism. Some people use hypnosis or a pendulum to explore the subconscious mind’s wisdom. And, when you use any of these methods your egoic mind may ask if you “trust” the information which you are given in this phase of your vision quest. The problem with the “egoic mind” is that it thinks it knows stuff which it can not possibly know. The mind has limitations and can only see in three dimensions. This does not account for vision which can go beyond these three dimensions and may include Divine Guidance.

Have you ever had that “unexplainable feeling” deep in your gut that warns you of danger or attracts you to a special person or incredible experience. Perhaps there is no “rational” reason but when you follow this “guidance” you find the amazing awakening or protection or experience of love. Your vision quest comes from this unconscious realm and seeks to find the light of consciousness you can most benefit from experiencing. In my life, I have come to the crossroads many times and wound up following the most beneficial path. (Not always the easiest or least challenging, but the best path for me to travel.)

Deep within YOU dwells the answers you seek. Most of the people you may bump into seem to keep their heads down not looking to the horizon and so missing out on the experiences they most need to have. You must prepare yourself and quiet the fears of the egoic mind so you can “Feel” and then “Know” the answers. Your vision quest comes from the gift of spiritual guidance and your connection to the collective wisdom of the divine. You must become quiet and allow this wisdom to bubble up in the most respectful way. Your meditation will allow you to connect with the seemingly subtle source of your divinity. When you do awaken, you will feel that the answer is familiar and a sensation of “remembering” this wisdom will enter your consciousness (because deep inside you already know…)

I was given a book by my dear friends, Curt and Mary, which speaks very clearly regarding the Native American tradition of the Vision Quest. “Quest: A Guide for Creating Your Own Vision Quest,” by Denise and Meadow Linn (and published by Hay House,) offers you many ways to best prepare yourself and then to create a special experience which will allow you to access the information you seek. There are other books on this topic or which touch on this topic but this recent gift is in the very front of my consciousness. (Amazon link to this book: https://www.amazon.com/Quest-Guide-Creating-Your-Vision/dp/1401938779/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1525460557&sr=8-1&keywords=quest+a+guide+for+creating+your+own+vision+quest

One of your main challenges in this life is to become the most conscious soul you can be and then to share the wisdom of your journey to assist fellow pilgrims.

If you are READY and looking for a supportive community where you can share your story, your wisdom, and grow spiritually in a non-religious environment, consider Masters of the Journey.
You are a Blessing! You are a Master! Your wisdom from your life experience can have great value to other pilgrims on the path toward awakening and enlightenment.

The Masters of the Journey has events which are updated on our Facebook page which is found at: www.facebook.com/mastersofthejourney Please comment on this blog and share, if appropriate. More of our blogs are based on spiritual consciousness and can be found at www.dstress.com/blog

Consciousness: What is the Point?

Why bother to strive for consciousness? Who cares if you are conscious or unconscious or even alive? Is your purpose in life to develop your consciousness to the point where you “remember” who you are and the Divine Spirit from which you came?

Merriam-Webster’s
Definition of consciousness

1 a: the quality or state of being aware especially of something within oneself
b: the state or fact of being conscious of an external object, state, or fact
c: awareness; especially: concern for some social or political cause The organization aims to raise the political consciousness of teenagers.
2: the state of being characterized by sensation, emotion, volition, and thought : mind
3: the totality of conscious states of an individual
4: the normal state of conscious life regained consciousness
5: the upper level of mental life of which the person is aware as contrasted with unconscious processes

Let’s focus on being more conscious from the #1 definition since this blog is written to create greater awareness of spiritual consciousness. Self-awareness and the learned ability to remember who we are and where we came from seems to be a goal to pursue in this life, for all of us. Eventually, we strive to remember that we are an essential piece of a much larger Universe. We are a hologram of an all encompassing spiritual lifeform. The Mind of God can not exist without us nor we without all living things (perhaps just, all things…)

Most of us spend our time in isolation, separated from other souls by the limited, 3 dimensional view that our mind has projected regarding our lives. We tend to survive and work to protect ourselves by judging other people. We do not easily tend to remember that WE are all in this together. We tend to forget that every other person is “perfect” in their own way and going about the process of learning their lessons from the imperfections we have come into this world possessing. Our flaws are the beautiful challenges we learn from. We can move forward by being consciously aware of these seeming imperfections and ultimately remember that we are here to support every soul we bump into. Why? Because we can not move into the highest realms of consciousness until we all go together. The thought that Heaven is only for the people who believe as we believe makes no sense, unless you are selling fear and separation in the name of religion.

Over physical survival is protected by fear. And, 100% of us will die. Our mortality is not preventable nor can we side step it. We have died many times and keep coming back because we are not done learning (and remembering) what we are supposed to learn. Death is not the enemy. A lack of consciousness is the enemy or, more correctly state, our challenge. Sooner or later we will remember. Lets make this happen sooner… I am judgmental and impatient! This is my challenge to change this into acceptance and gratitude. I have a long way to travel… But, YOU are a blessing!

YOU are not alone. We are ALL one and in this soup of life, together!
(Consider my video regarding the River of Life experience at: https://youtu.be/frEBqz7VMrY

Your soul moves on forever. No death eliminates the soul. Your body, mind, and ego do fight to survive and are not everlasting, no matter what. Letting go of your attachment to physical survival can be a helpful lesson, at some point. Remembering where we came from and then knowing our oneness and connection to the Divine Spirit is a definition of “Enlightenment.”

If you are READY and looking for a supportive community where you can share your story, your wisdom, and grow spiritually in a non-religious environment, consider Masters of the Journey.
You are a Blessing! You are a Master! Your wisdom from your life experience can have great value to other pilgrims on the path toward awakening and enlightenment.

The Masters of the Journey has events which are updated on our Facebook page which is found at: www.facebook.com/mastersofthejourney Please comment on this blog and share, if appropriate. More of our blogs are based on spiritual consciousness and can be found at www.dstress.com/blog

Guidance, Where Does it Come From?

The Next Tough Question Regarding Guidance

Where does Your Guidance come from? Does it come from “Guides” like angels, spirits, alien entities? Or, does Guidance actually come from within, deep inside your Divine Spirit? Wow, difficult to answer and impossible to prove, no matter where your belief might be. And, does it matter whether it comes from an external source or from within your soul? To complicate this even more, are we discussing the sub-conscious mind or a newly referred to “Heart-Mind?” Is this a Brain issue or a Heart issue?

Perhaps, it truly does not matter. But, inquiring minds need to know, says my friend, “J.H.”. No matter what your opinion we will not prove, without any doubt, the answer.

There have been stories from history and current beliefs that Guidance comes to people who are connected to a “Higher Source” and this Higher Source may range from alien lifeforms living amongst us, on UFO’s, or perhaps from “Heavenly Sources” like angels, guides from beyond the Veil, or perhaps from our ancestors. It is wonderful to consider that we are not alone in this world or even in this Universe and that there are external lifeforms who can protect us and offer their wisdom to us. In my experience, there have been people (trained in the Divine) or “Earth Angels” who have been sent to guide and protect me so that I might be led to my Divine Purpose. My Late-wife, Barbara, has been around guiding and protecting me since her transition from the Earth life we lived together so I could move to Bellingham, WA and start the Masters of the Journey. Or, is this just a belief I have regarding an external guide which actually is just a part of my Divine Spirit, from deep within my soul, which has surfaced to give me the support I can use in decision making and movement toward my new goal?

Another question arises, are we all just different, but separate, parts of a much large whole, the Divine Spirit. So, no external entity is external at all. We are all just souls and spirits connected for the greater purpose of playing out our roles in this life as we experience the challenges and lessons we came into this current life to experience?

Getting Deep! Are we going to take full responsibility or do we want to blame an external force? Do we want to be “victims” or take control and responsibility for our actions and choices? Do we want to hide behind fear and claim that we did not agree to the weird and challenging lives we have found are way into? Or, do we acknowledge that there was an agreement with our spirit team between lives which created the drama of the incarnation that we are living within? More simply, did we choose to come back to “Earth School” to work on skills and to support fellow students by tripping them in the hallway as we scurry around to our classes? (Think middle school prank.)

Today, as I write, I think that we have to be very sensitive to the Guidance that is provided to us which manifests to support our learnings on this Earthly plane AND this Guidance is not really external. It comes from deep within our souls. It comes from the Divine Sources that we are all a part of, fully connected to, as one Divine Spirit! (An Eternally, ever-present, all encompassing, all-seeing, all-knowing, perfect entity which is MUCH GREATER than we allow ourselves to believe.) We work to “Remember” that we are part of a greater presence and not the separate, petty lives our “minds” adopt with the limitations of fear and judgement. This is so difficult for our three dimensional consciousness to grasp because it is so far beyond the limitations of time, and space, and the intention of the ego’s separation… To live in this life with a consciousness of inclusion that goes beyond the Veil is what our “Enlightenment” is all about. And, whether we know it or not, we are all headed for “enlightenment.”

Consider Guidance, whether you believe it to be internal or external, to be well worth your attention. Learning to better connect with your Guidance will create the experiences that allow consciousness to develop and find the form that will be most useful for ALL the Universal learning that must occur. SO, the next “Gut Feeling” you get, do not dismiss it. Consider it a fork in the road (your path) and make your best choice from openness not Fear! Wow, the risk of change may be important for you to act upon or at least, consider.

If you are READY and looking for a supportive community where you can share your story, your wisdom, and grow spiritually in a non-religious environment, consider Masters of the Journey.
You are a Blessing! You are a Master!

The Masters of the Journey has events which are updated on our Facebook page which is found at: www.facebook.com/mastersofthejourney Please comment on this blog and share, if appropriate. More of our blogs are based on spiritual consciousness and can be found at www.dstress.com/blog

Share the Light!

Our theme for 2018 is to Share the Light! You have experienced the “Light” in your meditations or from experiences. The “Light” shines in those moments of your life experience when you are “present” and feel the unconditional love & acceptance of the Divine. If you have difficulty remembering your moments in the “Light,” consider the memory you have of a radiant Sunset/Sunrise, or the beauty of an embrace with mother and child, or the heartfelt joy when you are lost in music or work of art! For me an obvious example was one moment when I was 25 years old and viewed the grandeur of Evolution Meadow in the High Sierra and knew in my heart that this should be celebrated as “God’s Cathedral.” (My soul felt the awe and the joy of witnessing this perfection where steep cliffs and white glaciers met the brilliant blue sky.)

Now is the time to Share the Light! As a Master, you learn by sharing. Your “purpose” in this life is to reach out and to serve your fellow travelers. Sharing your story and your wisdom is of great service. Wait, you may not fully believe that YOU are a Master with Wisdom to share. Whether you know it or not, YOU are so much greater (and more powerful) than your mind and ego allow you to believe. You are an important part of the Divine Spirit in all its perfection! You have this perfection and divine wisdom within you AND you are working to “Remember” this perfection! That IS what Your “Enlightenment” is all about!

It is almost to much to Know, Remember, and believe, but it is true! It is so difficult to know this because if you took full responsibility for the perfect divinity within you, you would then have to be responsible for all your beliefs and your actions. YOU would have to acknowledge that YOU are the Master! No more excuses or shoulder shrugging. You are the epitome of “Perfection” and the Divine Spirit kindles the Light of unconditional Love within your soul. You were born, “In Spirit,” to share the Light! The Darkness of ignorance, self-doubt, and fear are the experiences which you came to learn from and then to disappear (eliminate) through your enlightenment! This is your purpose and you share this purpose with every other pilgrim you bump into in the “rock polisher” called Life. (This rock polisher makes you more smooth and beautiful as you tumble around ridding yourself of your rough edges. Be the gem you are!)

Your incredible light shines brightly. You are a beacon to lead the way for others searching souls to bask within. Please, Share the Light which is your perfect spirit. Perhaps, you can remember your role as the lightworker you came here to be.

If you are READY and looking for a supportive community where you can share your story, your wisdom, and grow spiritually in a non-religious environment, consider Masters of the Journey.
You are a Blessing! You are a Master!

The Masters of the Journey has events which are updated on our Facebook page which is found at: www.facebook.com/mastersofthejourney Please comment on this blog and share, if appropriate. More of our blogs are based on spiritual consciousness and can be found at www.dstress.com/blog

Play it Small OR Play it Big!

Do you play it Small or play it BIG!
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

Quote by Marianne Williamson

Love this quote, thanks Liz Gracia for reminding me of these words.

We often find it difficult to live as the Big Perfect beings we are. We are Masters trapped in an ego driven life which tells us that we are not as great as we really are. We are a Hologram of the Divine Spirit and so have Perfection as our core. We retreat from living up to this lofty life because we may feel that we may have further to fall when we make the inevitable errors as we work through our lessons in this incarnation. We must remember our Divinity and keep our Ego in check when it attempts to rule us with fear and its desire to control us through our inferiority complex. Fear gets our attention but you can choose to live Big in a positive state of consciousness as you act out your role in this play called life.

It is our lesson in this life to Remember than we are all the perfect “child of God” which we so often deny. We have power. We fight taking responsibility for the power we have and being fully responsible for the choices we make. Our purpose is to realize our full consciousness and reach around to support every other person/pilgrim we encounter. We need to learn to Play it Big!

Find Your Joy! Live Big!

If you want positive support to honor and live in your innate perfection, you can consider a non-religious community like Masters of the Journey so you can share YOUR story and witness the Bigness of fellow members. Find the support and the community that supports you best. You are a blessing!

Marianne Williamson is an author and speaker who is eloquent in her communication of A Course in Miracles. Look her up and perhaps you can benefit from the experience of the Course in Miracles or another channelled book, “The Way of Mastery.” As I study from both of these books, I find that I can remember the truth of where I came from, where I am going, and what my purpose is in this life. Enjoy your journey!

The Masters of the Journey has events which are updated on our Facebook page which is found at: www.facebook.com/mastersofthejourney Please comment on this blog and share, if appropriate. More of our blogs are based on spiritual consciousness and can be found at www.dstress.com/blog

You Are An Enlightened Being – An Avatar

Whether you know it or not, your lesson is to remember your Divinity and Your Perfection. You are an Avatar, an enlightened and highly developed spiritual being!

Sure your mind does not fully comprehend or understand this concept. Give this 5 minutes to consider.

The Great Spirit – God – The Divine, has created you in its image as a Hologram of the Perfect Divine Spirit. Your job is to Remember your Divinity and bring this into your consciousness. This is a belief of spiritual seekers who believe in re-incarnation. We return, in their belief, to learn or relearn challenging lessons which make us, and the people around us, more conscious and higher evolved. It is difficult for the 3 dimensional mind and the ego to fully understand that we are NOT separate but an integral part of the “whole” of the Divine.

If I am God, as you are, and walking around the Earthly plane, how do I serve and be the guiding light which I AM? An Avatar’s purpose is to walk the Earth and share wisdom and the path toward enlightenment. But ask yourself these question regarding How do You act as an Avatar.

Do you intervene in the Interactions you experience?
Do you rant, postalize or lecture regarding the path to enlightenment?
Do you just observe and allow the struggling people you see to find their own way?
Do you scare and intimidate others into becoming more than they thought they could be?
Do you beam love outwardly?
Do you heal and release the pain people are perceiving or let them stew in it?
Do you play it “small” and be invisible?
Do you Judge?
Do you connect and accept all who you meet?
Do you role model Love and Joy and Wisdom and Oneness?
Do you express emotion and feelings and know fear and anger and Joy and Love?
Do you let all thoughts flow through you but only grasp and hold the ones which work for the greater good?
Do you take the hands of your fellow pilgrims and assist them through love/support to move forward in consciousness toward Love and Light?
Do you give openly and freely in whatever way you can? Be in Service: in small ways, in big ways and do this not for the ego but for the true purpose, to enhance consciousness? We are ALL in this together! We are all one! We can not cross the veil to our highest consciousness without all the other souls…
(All these questions pose ways of behaving which change and shift based on the specific circumstances you may encounter. These questions of actions and behaviors are worth your consideration…)

This is my Challenge. This is YOUR challenge. You are a Master. You are an Avatar! Walk a mile in the sandals of the Enlightened Avatar which YOU are! Find YOUR way to serve! Find YOUR way to create Miracles!

You can argue. You can disagree. You can challenge this notion of taking responsibility of who you are, BUT this will still catch up with you. You may as well quit wasting Earth time and honor your Divinity! Do it gently and with respect but share the purest form of unconditional love with your fellow travelers!

With this responsibility you may crave support and resources. Consider joining the Masters of the Journey community as one possible way to assist you in your purpose and at the same time help others moving consciously down this path.

The Masters of the Journey has events which are updated on our Facebook page which is found at: www.facebook.com/mastersofthejourney Please comment on this blog and share, if appropriate. More of our blogs are based on spiritual consciousness and can be found at www.dstress.com/blog

Your Thoughts Can Get in the Way

Allow your thoughts to pass through you without a negative judgement or holding on too tightly. These thoughts passing through are just concepts that you are just “trying on.”
Release your attachment! And, release your self-hatred or self negative self-judgement!

Do NOT beat yourself up for your perception and judgements of your thoughts.

With the emotions and thoughts that bubble up, like: anger, hostility, grief, fear, anxiety, self-loathing, remember, this “Game” is never over! You will continue to have judgements and thoughts bubbling through your consciousness. Attempt to not take these too seriously and get attached to the notions and ideas that may be based out of separation and defense of the ego. When my consciousness is in a stronger, spiritual mind-set, I will smile or even laugh at myself as I view the world through this judgement. For sure, this is NOT always possible especially when I have a strong emotional attachment or feel “attacked.” But, when I can get some distance and have a broader outlook, I can find my reactions to my thoughts entertaining and realize that these are exercises and “tests” for my growing consciousness.

It would help to be honest with your self-awareness even when you can remember that You need not be humble in all thoughts and situations. Sometimes honesty includes the realization and acknowledgement that you are actually good, or even superior, at doing some thing…

In writing about this, I have another thought pop up. When we struggle with the deepest remembering regarding are real, and much larger than this life, selves, we can get scared as we realize that we are fully responsible for the choices which are made… (my friend, Don, when he “returned” from his Near Death Experience (NDE) a few years ago, he awoke giggling. He giggled for three months. He giggled because he realized “how petty” our self-perceptions are, realizing that “we are so much Bigger than we realize.” See his video interview in full on YouTube at https://youtu.be/Kj_Jjsfpn-g?list=PLsWsoFPYKTDCboCGQo1Bf0TmpheRH6stb

Face your Fear!

We are often too overwhelmed and afraid of our own perfection. It is too much responsibility to NOT have any excuses…

So, Face Your Fear!

You are Divine! – Deal with it!

You are Perfect! – Live with it!

You are a Blessing! – Know it!

You are God! – Remember it!

You have a purpose… – Do it!

If you do not know your purpose or you do not remember your purpose or you are in denial about your purpose…

You are here to serve! Take the hand of your fellow pilgrim and assist them in remembering their Divinity!

When you are ready to own your Divinity and share your wisdom from your life’s experiences, consider your contribution to our supportive community, Masters of the Journey.

The Masters of the Journey has events which are updated on our Facebook page which is found at: www.facebook.com/mastersofthejourney Please comment on this blog and share, if appropriate. More of our blogs are based on spiritual consciousness and can be found at www.dstress.com/blog

Oneness vs Self

Dilemma: Oneness and 100% connection versus the preservation and requirements of Self-care…

Is there a conflict or not? Does the concept of “Oneness” mean Selfless and complete lack of Separation from all other Divine Souls or can the human incarnation engage in the activity of Self-care?

Some say that there is Not a conflict. A priority of self-care as a priority is a demonstration of Self-love and the Self-awareness adding to the consciousness of the greater Divinity. The act of inward reflection in meditation adds to personal awareness and growth. It is an act of Self-care. It also takes the edge off mental/emotional swings of the Mind and Ego.

Self-care with exercise can allow you to find your way into the “Present” moment and can help to release guilt and the held upset from past remembrances and anxiety for the changes and unknowns of the future.

Personal reflection and insights as you view your life’s lessons and interactions is the purpose of your incarnation. We learn from “Bumping” up against our “Triggers” and testing out our new skill sets and new learnings to see how these fit our “lessons” as we plod along our paths toward greater consciousness. It forces us to accept and to love unconditionally all the people and situations our egos may find annoying, difficult or distracting.

These are our challenges and our laboratory for testing our newly developing consciousness and wisdoms. If we are “triggered,” then we have a lesson to learn more fully.

You are a Divine Soul and perfect. You are here to serve and to assist other pilgrims. Whether you know it or not, You are a Master. If you seek a non-religious community for support and to enhance your conscious development, consider Masters of the Journey and tell Your story!

Keys to Developing Self-confidence

Self-confidence is related to feelings of self-worth and self-regard. It suggests that a person has confidence in their abilities and how they present themselves to the world and that these abilities are born out of oneself. People who project self-confidence often find it easier to attract success and to gain support for their endeavors. If you have it, you use it. If you do not have “it,” you may desire it.

The keys to developing self-confidence can come from the inside through self-awareness and self-acceptance or you can learn to project it outwardly and do so until it soaks in to your emotional fiber.

One of the accepted self-confidence practices is the “fake it until you make it” behavior. This behavioral technique asks that you project yourself as a self-confident person would and as your external self demonstrates this attitude, your internal self will begin to adopt this external portrayal. To do this, consider dressing well and enhance your appearance as best you can. Many people require coaching advice on how to do this because it does not always come naturally, and can be done incorrectly. This does not have to be financially expensive but does require some coordinated efforts. Project yourself as confident by having good posture, standing up as straight and as tall as you can. Smile warmly and easily. Give sincere compliments and look for the “GOOD” in other people to build them up and do not dwell in the negative. Avoid gossip and negativity. Walk faster and with intention. Make eye contact. Speak up, do not mumble. You do not have to speak fast or talk just for the sake of talking. (Unnecessary talking can sound desperate.) Learn to really listen and respectfully reflect back the understanding, or lack of understanding, that you may have of your communication partner. (Let them finish. Be patient.) Use a firm handshake when you greet people. Demonstrate your positive excitement about learning new things and about life in general. Look for what is good and do not dwell, too much, on what is missing.

Internal self-confidence takes more effort and time. Your motivation to be self-confident will be tested. But a deep core of self-confidence can last a lifetime. To accomplish the ability to dwell in internal self-confidence begins with a demonstration of self-love and self-care. To do this you must put time and effort into taking good care of yourself. You will benefit from regular exercise and stress management. In fact, it is difficult to hold on to your self-confidence without regular demonstrations of self-care. Deep relaxation can also lead to a type of self-control that allows you to control your fears, anxiety, anger, and sadness. You can minimize the fears and maximize your solid emotional foundation through regular stress management practices. Even when you become self-aware of a possible weakness or flaw in yourself, you will better able accept these as lessons rather than be a victim to any of your imperfections. We ALL HAVE IMPERFECTIONS and we must learn and adapt new ways of “being” to help us move past any of these discovered flaws. This is sometimes easier said than done and counseling or coaching may help expedite your process of moving through the insight of any imperfections. “We are perfect because of our imperfections.”

Focus on your strengths, your gifts, your creativity, and your positive contributions. By dwelling on these, you allow the positive light of self-confidence to begin to burn more brightly from your inside, out. And, though difficult, learn to accept and appreciate any sincere compliments that come your way. Build, brick by brick, the feelings of self-worth and self-regard that come from demonstrations of your positive contributions to your family, friends, work, and to the world. Give gifts of yourself freely and without expectations but maintain healthy boundaries (do not emotionally bankrupt yourself.) Find “positive” people to support you. Negative or desperately needy people will drain you if you do set limits, and honor these limits.

Finally, demonstrate gratitude. Self-confident who are healthy will understand that this is a blessing and will find ways to show how grateful they are for feeling their self-confidence.

For coaching support, consider the Stress Education Center at www.dstress.com and please take GOOD care of yourself.

The Unexamined Life is Not Worth Living

This extreme concept has reason for examination, even today…

“I’m sure you’ve read this quote before: “The unexamined life is not worth living.” Socrates said that at his trial for heresy. He was on trial for encouraging his students to challenge the accepted beliefs of the time and think for themselves. The sentence was death but Socrates had the option of suggesting an alternative punishment. He could have chosen life in prison or exile, and would likely have avoided death. But Socrates believed that these alternatives would rob him of the only thing that made life useful: Examining the world around him and discussing how to make the world a better place. Without his “examined life” there was no point in living. So he suggested that Athens reward him for his service to society. The result, of course, is that they had no alternative and were forced to vote for a punishment of death.”
Quote from an article by Karl W. Palachuk

But what does this say about YOUR life?… Do you plod through your existence with your eyes focused only on your work or present task, or do you focus on a larger perspective of examining your place in a large frame of reference? Do you question what you hear on the TV or on the internet or in the newspapers or even from your teachers or ministers? Do you spend time and energy adjusting your life’s direction to create better opportunities to serve? Do you challenge yourself to learn new things, no matter what your age or circumstance? Do you risk the fear and anxiety of discovering the deeper secrets of your own existence? Would you confront a found flaw or weakness within yourself to help to make a better YOU? Do you ask for feedback from counselors who do not let you take the easy path through life? Finally, do you place yourself in new experiences to test yourself so that you can “stretch” and to grow emotionally and intellectually?

Many people just give up. They think that they already know everything that they need to know about themselves and their world. They are lazy. They are too scared to risk change. They may be too frightened to challenge themselves and their beliefs with new perspectives. They risk being bad role models for the next generation by not living on the edge and continuing to self-examine and to grow. It is safer and easier to live with old ways of thinking and long held values, but the world, and consciousness, is changing too fast to tolerate, and reward, this anachronistic way of being/thinking. In fact, if you are not thinking FOR YOURSELF someone else’s thought will guide your life and these may not be a good fit for your lifestyle. It takes courage to find, and develop, your own path. It takes courage to stand out and to speak out for your own personal truth. But it is worth it!

In my opinion, there was a war on education (and thinking) in the United States of America which begin in the early 1980’s. We now suffer from a populace which does not no where to find information and perspective. We trust the “media” and are often too lazy to think for ourselves. Stupidity is not an excuse that our electorate can tolerate without our country becoming a second rate power/country. Believing the “media” without fact checking and really thinking is a recipe for disaster. The self-examination includes the difficult view of ourselves and whether we are too lazy to learn or at least checking the “facts” before forming our decisions.

Keep moving forward or risk dying… Challenge yourself! Never fall into the trap of thinking that you are too old to learn or too old to change.

I would love your thoughts and your feedback. Please contact me through our website at the Stress Education Center at www.dstress.com.