STILL HERE AND DETERMINED!

It's been a long while but I am back in 2012 and busy as a one armed paper hanger!

Poetry book, Sensual Woman is in the making. On the Path to Understanding website is back up and running. On the Path to Understanding Newsletter first issue has left the building and so much more for 2012. Please head over to the OTPTU website for your free MP3 relaxation recording and sign up for the newsletter. Looking forward to seeing you there.

Much love and appreciation,
Tracey

THE POWER OF KNOWLEDGE: The Key to Victory

Can you begin to calculate the amount of knowledge you have gained since you transitioned into this time and place? From the moment of conception, we have been in a learning mode. But what is the purpose of all this knowledge? Why have we had to learn so much in so many different ways? As we look around us we see such slogans as: Knowledge is Power or Knowledge is Key. But have you ever asked yourself, “The power and the key to what?”

We learn in many different ways. Primarily, learning is the acquisition of knowledge and the ability to recall that knowledge at will, either consciously or unconsciously, to aid our abilities during a multitude of daily interactions with ourselves and our environments. Everything that you can begin to imagine and more, is all a part of the many learning experiences we have had. Basic knowledge, how to eat, how to dress, when to sleep and awaken, have all been acquired to satisfy our specific physical, mental and spiritual needs as we transition through life.

Some are more adapt at specific things than others, due to perception, physical and mental makeup. We see this in the noted individuals who accomplish things beyond the norm; the famous dancers, scientist, spiritual leaders, politicians, etc. Yet, we all have the same potential depending upon those physical, mental and spiritual abilities. So why is it that there are so few of the famous and infamous persons in the world? Motivation!

When we are motivated to accomplish a thing, we work harder to acquire the necessary knowledge to accomplish this thing. The variables involved, however, still may prevent us from accomplishing that which we desire.

There have been many theories written regarding the inability for geniuses to be successful due to such things as emotional intelligent quotient (IQ) and sociability. Those persons who are more charismatic are more likely to be successful than those who do not have that ability. Therefore, the desire to be pleasing to others creates a situation whereby one is more likely to succeed. In a like way, a person who is considerably more emotionally mature and therefore more evenly balanced psychologically has a greater chance of success as well.

Desire is the greatest of motivators because when we want something we are more likely to pursue the knowledge and develop the necessary skills in order to have what we desire. Often, however, although we have the desire for a specific thing, we don't always have the knowledge to pursue it, nor the ability to develop the means of accomplishing it. Or so we think.

I have learned that when we truly desire something, the doors to knowledge open before me. There is nothing that I have truly desired that opportunities for the knowledge have not presented themselves. Everything from my grandmother paying for me to go to elite private schools to talking to taxi drivers that give me information about a new town I have lived in. The information is always there, I only have to be open and aware to grasp it.

One of the things that I do, is in my daily determination I set my purpose to acquire clarity of my situations and acquire the knowledge to handle each event that takes place. Granted sometimes the motivation to acquire clarity and knowledge is preceded by a situation that has disturbed me since I didn't have the knowledge or clarity to handle it. Regardless of the process, ultimately, the motivation to acquire knowledge is awakened in me and I eventually acquire that knowledge and clarity in order to do what it is I am determined to accomplish. The difference lies in whether or not I am aware of the opportunity and take advantage of it. With the appropriate knowledge there is nothing that can not be accomplished. This brings us to the purpose of knowledge.

As I perceive it, the purpose of knowledge is to aid us in maximizing our potential in any given situation. The importance of the situation is determined by each individual. What is important to one, may not necessarily be important to another. This can be seen in the slang response of, “Whatever!”

When we are involved in a situation whereby we really don't care about the outcome of the situation, many of us use the whatever response. This is indicative that we don't care about what is happening in the moment. We don't care about the outcome. When we do care about the outcome, we become tenacious in our efforts. We respond as though it was a matter of life and death. The varying degrees between whatever and life and death responses allow us to realize how important the outcome of a situation is to us.

When we are victorious, be it against a person or a situation, we become confident in our knowledge and our ability is sharpened. When we fail in our efforts, it allows us to know that we have to return to the proverbial drawing board to acquire more knowledge. Our level of determination will decide whether we maximize our efforts to acquire knowledge or think whatever, thereby setting us up for future failures. It is in our pursuit of knowledge that we become more victorious in our lives. It is in this pursuit of knowledge that we determine our future victories.

The purpose of knowledge then, is to guarantee as many victories in our lives as possible. Materially, physically, mentally or spiritually, the key to victory is the same: The power of knowledge.

THE PERFECT LIFE

Each day we awaken, striving for some form of perfection in our life. The perfect cup of coffee or tea, the perfect workout, the perfect day on the job, the perfect mate, etc. Yet, we don't put forth our maximum best effort in each day. Basically we create a humdrum existence for ourselves, fall into our perfect rut and stay there. The moment that anything our of our daily norm pulls us out of our rut, we panic. Rarely do we perceive this break in our monotony as part of the perfect lives that we lead.

It appears to be that most of us perceive perfection as that state whereby everything in our lives is only defined by the positive things that happen in our lives. Therefore, when anything negative happens we perceive it as a lack of perfection. Yet, when we study the workings of the universe, everything has a positive and negative charge. However, for some strange reason, we think we live outside of these laws of duality within the universe. Why than do we believe that our lives should be a lopsided reflection of these universal truths? The perfect harmony we seek lies not in this lopsided viewpoint, but in harnessing both the negative and positive forces of our lives to work for us and never against us.

The social judgments of good and evil are the reason for this off balanced perception. Good is to be nurtured, while evil is to be thwarted. Yet, as we look around us we find more “evil” in the world than ever before. I believe this to be the result of our flawed perception as when we struggle to find perfection outside of our lives, we fail to understand how the forces of positive and negative work within our lives and the balance it creates externally when we do. These social perceptions are an antithesis to creating the perfect good which we believe we are to adhere to in order to find perfection.

We all are aware how hard it is to be good all the time. Many have given up and do as they please as they have witnessed that being “good” is often a sacrificial stance and not many want to be the sacrificial lamb of their lives. It creates confusion within us as we look around and become aware that it is mostly the “evil” who seem to thrive in their negative attainment of wealth and fortune of varying sorts. We spend our lives striving to catch up in ways that we deem “good”, only to find that we are not making the progress that we would like.

We have been convinced that the things we need for our happiness are all external. We believe that material gain, perfect relationships and fulfilling our hearts' desires from an external viewpoint are the only ways to become happy. Even as we strive for these things and attain them, we find that this happiness we chase so fervently, is still elusive. Regardless of the wealth, fortune and good relationships we acquire, we're still plagued with the same types of problems to one degree or another.
Sometimes the mere striving results in physical malfunctions that rob us of our health over time. So what is the key to attaining this state we desire without the side effects of doing so? I believe it to be a rather simple one, yet one that is very difficult to put into play. The key is a change in perception.

The first step is to realize that there is no such thing as good and evil. The ability to realize that these are merely socially implemented ideas about phenomena and not based on an objective reality is the first and most difficult step to take.

The reason that this is difficult, yet absolutely necessary is that each culture or society has its own rules about what is “good” or “evil”. The example I like to use is that of cannibalism. In most societies, cannibalism is frowned upon. It is a simple a rule against what has been deemed social and religious atrocities that we do not ingest the flesh of fellow humans. Yet, in other cultures of the past and present, cannibalism is part of their life rituals. There is documentation that cannibalism is still practiced in the world. You can find out more about cannibalistic behavior at this website. (http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/criminal_mind/psychology/cannibalism/index.html )

Often “good” or “evil” social, cultural and religious judgment is passed regarding the marriage age of minors, abortion or the practice of homosexuality. In the United States of America, most states require parental consent if a person is under the age of 18 with a minimum age of 16. Arkansas, however, allows any person of any age to be married with parental consent and judicial order.

Although these practices are frowned upon by most cultures, there are still cultures which actively practice cannibalism, the marriages of minors to adults and homosexuality. It is a social-cultural and religious judgment whether these behaviors are “good” or “evil”

It is not my point to take a political, social, cultural, religious or moral stance on any of these subjects therefore, I need not reiterate upon the legality and morality of these as there has been and is ongoing, enough of an uproar regarding these subjects in the news media. The focus is on the ramifications of the concepts of “good” and “evil and how our thought processes are conditioned by these.

In science we learn about the positive, negative and neutral forces at work in the form of atoms. When we begin to understand that these principles are at work in everything and learn to apply them to ourselves as well, we begin to realize that “good” and “evil” are merely misconstrued concepts regarding the positive and negative forces. We have always perceived “good” as positive and “evil” as negative. However, the concepts of positive and negative fade in the light of social judgment and become separated from the actual understanding of “good” and “evil” as energy and creates a perception of behavior, to which we apply judgment.

In order to change our perception we have to take a diametric position to the one currently held.
In other words, we have to change our perception from one of judging behavior to one of recognizing the energy of the concepts of “good” and “evil”. By doing so, we can develop a state of mind that is more tolerant of others as well as relieve ourselves of the stressful reactions that take place within us when we see something that we dislike or disagree with. When we recognize, positive, negative and neutral energy, we can form a position that is more accurate in dealing with the situation and thereby develop theories more apropos to the situation and use it as a medium to develop positive energy.

Imagine yourself, much as anything that runs off of electrical energy. Both the positive and negative current is necessary to manifest action. A lamp or car for example, must have both negative and positive energy in order to fulfill the purpose which they were intended. If one or the other is missing, the lamp will not light, nor will the car start. In a like way, all things in the universe work identically; including human beings.

Although it is our desire to have things moving positively all the time, it is an antithesis to using our personal power to manifest the energy for the actions we desire. Instead of harnessing the power of each situation, we deflate and become limp with exertion as we try to move against the forces involved. This deflated attitude is a failure to recognize our personal power to manifest change toward the positive by forcing us to become negative in the forms of anger, frustration, defeatism, sadness, depression and other forms of frustration. When we inflate and rise to the challenge that the opportunity presents, we become elated, self directed, and develop a sense of our personal power. This is the purpose of all things. To prove who we are to ourselves: To prove that we are spiritual beings who are in this world to maximize our spiritual potential and that all that we encounter is for that purpose alone.

So how do we use these impetuses for our spiritual growth to harness and develop our spiritual power? First off, we must see the truth of this theory. Secondly, through trial and error, we learn to perceive each phenomenon as an opportunity. This is not to say that you force yourself to not feel whatever you are feeling regarding the event, but that once you resolve those feelings, you take a stance and reach inside yourself for the energy to accept the opportunity and challenge it and yourself.

When an event takes place, as an example, a job is lost; after feeling whatever you need to feel about it, you state to yourself, this is my opportunity to get a better job. I will be confident; I will find the best possible job for me, which includes: here you make a list of all the things that are necessary in your perfect job. If it is a failed relationship, you make a list of all the things that you deem necessary for that perfect relationship. No matter what the circumstance, you follow the same pattern until it becomes automatic. Then you take action!

If you don’t have the skills for the job, you develop those skills. If you want a perfect relationship, than you develop yourself into becoming the kind of person you want to have in your life. In this way, you keep moving forward toward your goals at all times. This will take as long as it will take. It is akin to baking a cake. You must amass all the ingredients. You must mix the ingredients as necessary to make the cake batter. You must bring the oven to the right temperature. You must use the appropriate pans. You must go through every step as prescribed in the recipe until your cake is baked. The same applies to your life.

If you don’t have a recipe, find one that works for you. Find a means and method to have all that you desire. When you reach out to the universe for the answers that you need, all the information you must have to accomplish your goal will be placed before you. You only have to recognize each opportunity as it appears in order to manifest your desire into reality.

By changing your perception from “good” and “evil” to positive and negative, you gain control over every situation and in this way accomplish all you desire.

THE POWER WITHIN

It seems that every where I turn, people are going through so much. Health, Economics, Family issues and more coming at them from all directions and they are afraid! When I talk to them my heart goes out to them because they have no clue how much power for change resides within them. They tremble with the anticipation of things getting worse, instead of rejoicing at the opportunity to make things better.

We all have this power, this ability to bring about the changes we desire. It's all a matter of realizing that we have the power to do so. Instead we shake in our boots, so to speak, at every little thing that veers from the direction we want things to go.

In reality, what is happening is that we're being presented with opportunity. The things we name trials, tribulations, disaster, are only opportunities to prove our power to ourselves. When we face our opportunities with the belief that we are in a position to strengthen ourselves, reveal our power to ourselves, than and only than do they become an impetus for change. This is no easy feat.

We have been conditioned to perceive things as we do. We see these opportunities as trials and places of suffering because we have been taught to do so by all those who have come before us and those who stand with us. When we face a change that appears negative to us, we receive pity and perhaps religious support from those around us as we are told that these are trials that we must overcome. We are looked upon with sympathetic eyes which reinforce the belief that these things are negative things that we have to get through. In reality, as I will continue to say, these are opportunities.

Many years ago I had a job that I really loved; so much so that I worked 70 hours a week while only being paid for 35 hours. My coworkers were resentful of my circumstances because of the level of freedom I had in the position. To make a long story short, others in authority decided that checks and balances were needed and made changes that I determined would undermine my effectiveness. I quit the position.

I was devastated and ran home to my husband grief stricken and suffering due to the circumstances. He looked at me with a big smile on his face and said, “Congratulations baby, this is wonderful! Let's go out and celebrate!” While out for dinner and drinks, he asked me, “So what great thing are you planning to do next?”

His attitude left me incapable of feeling sorry for myself and needless to say, I found reason to keep moving forward in my life as opposed to becoming mired down in self pity. In this instant, he was more than a spouse, he was a good friend.

Since than, although it is difficult sometimes, I try to remember to apply his attitude from an internal perspective. After I go through whatever I want to feel about the situation, I stand back and say to myself, “Okay, what am I going to do with this opportunity? What great thing am I going to do next?” In this way, I continue moving forward and quickly change the negative perception to a positive one and therefore change the entire scenario to one of positivity. This is the power that we all have.

This is also the reason we should have at least one person in our lives who perceives things differently than we do. In this way we can have reinforcement to shore up our positive selves when we become disillusioned and confused about the limits of our power. Our power for change is unlimited, it's totally a matter of how we look at things. It is a matter of what thoughts, words and actions we use to deal with things.

The moment we begin to feel ourselves falling apart, we should put on the brakes, come to a full stop and look at what we are thinking, saying and doing about the event. The truth of the matter is that an event has no power, no polarity. We give it power and polarity based on how we perceive it.
If we are viewing it from a negative stance, than it becomes negative. In a like way, if we are viewing it from a positive viewpoint, than it becomes positive. This is true no matter how dastardly it appears on the surface of things.

So next time you lose a job, a lover, a friend, your children become unruly, you wreck the car or any of the other opportunities that present themselves, put on the brakes, come to a dead stop and do a deep introspection of how your perception. The power to change things for the better lives within.

A GIFT OF JOY

This morning I decided to find Haitian music videos as a gift to a friend of mind. I planned to post them on their profile page at one of the many websites I go to. In the process of searching I ran across the most upbeat happy song of the decade: I'm Loving My Life by Michael Benjamin aka Mika Ben. I became so enthused with the magic of this song that I've spent my entire morning, much like the boy Snow Mountains when he heard the Buddhist teaching, writing it on every rock and tree I can find.

I've posted this video on all my friends profiles, gave them all the link for it on all of my instant messengers and than finding it at amazon.com, I purchased it and uploaded it to my blog for all of you to share with me. This means that anyone who comes here to visit me can partake of this wonderful, magical music that has everyone smiling and dancing in front of their p.c.'s on this marvelous day. Don't forget to go to amazon.com and purchase it as well.

It's absolutely amazing that when, with our whole hearts we want to do something beautiful for someone else, it always becomes a gift to ourselves. In this world of so many not so bright and sunshiny things, in that moment when I am granted a boon of beauty as the clouds part and allow the most brilliant rays of sun to shine into my life, I obsessively run around pointing at it and in a loud and excited voice screaming, “Can you see it? Do you see it? You must see it!” This is one of those times.

I have decided that this song is my personal morning anthem to be played as many days of my life as possible to remind me that I 'm Loving My Life. Thanks Mika Ben, Great Work!

THE HARDEST PART OF RAISING CHILDREN

ARt by www.lanreburaimohart.com


Following a year with the grandchildren, visits from brothers and capped off by a summer of three of my younger grandchildren, I realize that the hardest part of parenting is placing yourself between them and the erroneous viewpoints of those that whom they will come in contact with on a day to day basis in the world.

We work so hard to give our families a solid foundation in basic knowledge that we hope and pray will assist them in generating the necessary wisdom to live their lives with the least amount of bruising. In some ways we are successful; but in others, we fail miserably.

When, out of care and concern, we point to their flawed perceptions in an effort to assist them in correcting them, they become quiet violent in their feelings toward us. This is not to say that they physically attack us, but that their feeling of being attacked by us brings out behaviors and responses that we did not think they could possibly harbor as we remember the sweet, wonderful persons we nurtured. Yet, without fail, they rebel against our interference in their process.

Of late I have been bombarded with negativity so immense, and if I had been a weaker person, so all consuming, that I was left flabbergasted and in shock at the responses I received. Although I have been trying to grow in the area of relinquishing protection to the protective forces in the universe, I have resorted to my time worn trait of pushing those who attack me as far away as I can. This is how I protect myself and release me from feelings of responsibility towards these persons. I basically leave them to their own devices on their journey. In other words, I love them from a distance.

As parents and/or siblings, who sometimes take on the roll of parents, we don't want to see our loved ones suffer. We want their journey to be as free of distress as possible. The fact is, it is in distress that we learn our greatest lessons, if we open ourselves to those lessons.

As we watch them writhing in the pain of their lives we want to “fix” them, to “make” the pain stop. In reality, we have no control over their lives. They are the only ones who can “fix” themselves or alleviate their pain. Yet, being surrounded by persons and things to blame for their condition, they fail to do so. Sadly, the more we tell them of their power and control in their lives, the more they dislike us for it.

I have been perceived as controlling, mean spirited (my use of verbal abuse as shock treatment), self absorbed, bitter, negative, selfish, mentally ill and other tags of criticism in my pursuit in helping them to become happier. I am tough on everyone, but tougher on myself. My life has been filled with so much suffering that I have learned a massive amount about perceptions and their effect upon me and as an extension, everyone else. Yet, as I have been told, due to the levels of frustration I reach in trying to teach others what I have learned ( I want them to hurry up and get it so I don't have to hurt for them) and must learn to be more patient. After all, everything and everyone blooms in their own time.

I erroneously, perhaps, perceive everyone as my children, and I as their teacher. Since I usually “get it” rather quickly, it is my false expectation that they “get it quickly also. Sadly, it does not work this way. Therefore, I remove myself emotionally and watch their continued torture with remorse that I could not reach them.

I am aware that it is not my journey that they take. I am aware that I can't reach everyone. I am too aware that they will suffer until they learn what their lives are trying to teach them. Yet, there is nothing I can do except, love them from a distance and continuously send positive energy for their self healing their way. The hardest part of raising children is not being able to help them to be happy.

Summer

Okay! I haven't been writing again, so shoot me, I need the rest! It's summer and I have three of the grandchildren here visiting. I got lucky, I was suppose to have seven and four couldn't make it. I love how the universe protects! The way the three are running me ragged, I can't imagine the levels of insanity I would have reached by now with seven of them.

Did I mention the number of times I've gone to the market to shop for these little ones? It's not that they eat so much, it's that they only eat what they want to eat. I don't understand modern parents. When I was a kid, you ate what was on the table, there was no choice, food is for nutrition, not to satisfy your whims. No one had food allergies so there was no reason to say that we wouldn't eat what was placed before us. These kids won't eat anything good, but say McDonald's or junk food and they're all over it.

I have to keep reminding myself that this is only going to last for the summer. Mid-August and they'll be back home with their mom, living the life that they've become accustomed. I remind myself of this hourly. After all, if I force a temporary fix, it'll only last for as long as it takes me to get the fix into place and the amount of time they'll stay here.

The eldest one, he's ten years old, has something to say every time I give a directive. When did parenting become a democracy? To make matters worse, the younger ones, aged four and six, look to the ten year old for permissions and decisions about what they are suppose to do. My summer anthem is that “there is only one boss in this house and it's ME!” You can't begin to imagine how many times I've said this. Parenting and grand-parenting is a dictatorship, not a democracy! Yet, this ten year old thinks he has the power to run things. THIS IS ONLY FOR THE SUMMER!

I bought them one of those above the ground pools so they could have a cool place to hang outside since these 100 degree temperatures are roasting. The ten year old reads extremely well. He read on the side of the pool, “NO DIVING” than proceeded to dive into the pool. He's been punished by not allowing him to play in the pool for two days. Yes, I'm hard, but when you can read the directions, know the rules, and flaunt them anyway, hard is necessary.

We went to the library as one of our outings. I push the library on all the kids. We got tons of books for them to read and a couple of movies. I allow them one movie a day, no pc and no video games. I'm an ogre. Of course when they return home they have their own pc and will be able to use it as much as they like. Grand-parents are suppose to teach their grandchildren different ways to live. Mine did and I don't regret it. Just wait until they're older than I can really begin to torture them with things like summer jobs and more responsibility.

I remember spending the summer with my grandparents. My grandfather was the demon from grandchildren's hell. Of course we were allowed to play with our cousins who lived a mile away, but we also worked our tails off. We stripped and waxed hardwood floors, which was a big game to us as we dragged each other around on towels in order to polish those floors.

My brothers went to work with my grandfather who was a carpenter and I went to work with my grandmother who worked in a hotel laundry. Back in those days hotels had their own mangles and did their own sheets and this was the monster I learned to handle at fourteen years old. Of course I hated it, it's always been hot during the summer in Louisiana, but because of the paternal and maternal grandparents, we have a strong work ethic. I hated it as a child but as an adult I am deeply appreciative of them.

Back to present day grandchildren: They pout every time I tell them to pick up their mess. They seem to have a belief system that tells them they shouldn't have to do anything that includes their personal maintenance. Now I know my daughter has taught them to take care of their space, maybe they just think vacation means all work ceases. I guess that's why hotels are so popular for adults, we only need to unpack and pack and leave the mess we make for the housekeepers.

I think I need to work on my perspective. I'm suppose to be enjoying the kids and having a good time with them. I had forgotten how much work is involved in having young children around and here in lies the rub. It was my plan to have fun with them, but I've become an eternal housekeeper and cook, referee and guidance counselor and praying for bedtime so I can relax. I think I'm just too damn intense about everything and once again have forgotten to enjoy what there is to enjoy.

Maybe since this is only for the summer, I should reevaluate my position, suspend with all but the absolutely necessary rules, and have fun. After all, isn't that what summer is all about?