My analysis has two things at its heart — the perception of patterns, and the perception of meaning. Seeing how two or more things or events are alike creates meaning. Patterns create meaning. But meaning can also be inherent in an object or event, as an isolate. 

The interesting thing is that I’ve been developing this skill over my lifetime, but mostly without recognizing that I was doing it, or that it was even a skill. It’s the recent realization of all this that’s been so significant because instead of using it more or less automatically without fully understanding it, I can put it to use in any way that I choose. 

You can develop and use a skill without understanding it. If you’ve ever done something and then had somebody ask “How in the world did you do that?” you’ve seen an example. One of the long-standing questions about gifted children is how they manage to do some of the things they do. If they’re asked, they have no idea of the steps they use to perform some intellectual operation. It looks as if they skip steps that are considered normal and essential for that kind of operation, but they’re just doing it all at an unconscious level. And they’re also doing it much faster than someone who has been taught a process and then has to go through it step by step. It’s probably the speed of unconscious operations that makes observers think that steps are being skipped.

This challenge was posed to me recently, and I'll have to say, as a guy who always has such big dreams, I was frozen.  Yes, frozen.  As Jack Trout said in his book Differentiate or Die, there is a tyranny associated with having too many choices.  In the face of that tyranny--an actual sensory overload--we shut down.

So, I ask you, take five minutes and decide what you would do.  Where would you go?  What would you buy (let's be honest...that's the most noble thing most of us can possibly think of first, right)?  Who would you help?  What would you give?

As I faced this challenge, it occurred to me that I have this power within me NOW.  Life is completely about choices.  MY life is completely up to me.  I don't have $1 million, but God gave me the power to conciously CHOOSE my life.  I have 100% responsibility for my life, my attitude, my emotions, and even my destiny.  True, things will happen that appear outside of our control, but we can still CHOOSE.  Go look up Dr. Viktor Frankl (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man%27s_Search_for_Meaning) and then tell me you have no ability to choose.

One of the most astounding statistics I've heard recently is about the overwhelming majority of lottery winners that end up "broke" within a few years.  In fact, for many of us that encounter material wealth before we are ready for it, it breaks us apart.  We are not prepared to handle the weight of wealth's enormity. 

James Ray, a modern day philosopher and student of many ancient world religions, challenges his readers to become millionaires, not for the sake of having the money, but in order to become a person big enough to contain such abundance.  So, as you contemplate my challenge above, think about the person you would need to become to handle unlimited wealth (without becoming someone you don't want to be).

Picture yourself--vividly--and your surroundings.  Develop an intense image of the habits, the physique, the emotional balance, and mental strength you would possess.  Hear yourself talking to those around you.  Feel the warmth of the friendships and relationships you would develop.

Now, with that intense imagery drilled into your mind, develop your plan for becoming a person BIG ENOUGH to be a good steward of God's abundant riches.  Truth is, He wants nothing more for you to have all that you can handle.  Of course, this doesn't necessarily mean money or belongings.  But, as God created all things, nothing is inherintly bad, is it?  The LOVE of money is the root of all evil....And, according to Viktor Frankl, the meaning of life is in each moment.

The Holy Fathers of the Church said, "If you want to make a man truly happy, limit his desires."  With that in mind, I would say that learning to be truly grateful for everything we have already, living completely in THIS MOMENT, will make us capable of handling abundance we never thought possible.

How good can you stand it?  Start now.  Decide who you want to be and start becoming that person.

[vodpod id=Groupvideo.1668298&w=425&h=350&fv=]

TV, Mind, Blitzkrieg, 1of2, 911, Fake, PHYSOP, Coup, Israel, Free Mason, King Solomon, Iraq, War, America, Nasa, Ames, Google, Web 2.0

Not Me: your peace? or piece?
Me: I thought the phrase was "say your peace"
holy cow
is it piece?
Not Me: I've never heard that
maybe it is!
Me: you know, the phrase, say your peace (ie?)
wait...you've never heard "say your peace"?
Not Me: no never
this is a new one for me
Me: well...like, if something is bothering you and you need to get it off your chest, you get it all out...you talk about it...you say your peace
Not Me: ok i understand

Anyway, I've always understood it to be "peace" because it brings a "peace of mind." Now I realize this makes much less sense than it being "piece" and that I'm an idiot. It's probably "piece" because you're giving someone a "piece of your mind" or perhaps a "piece of advice."

But if anyone could direct my either way - "say your peace" or "say your piece" - it would be much appreciated.

Almost 15 months later after his physical arrival to this place, this constancy has remained, sort of like an axis on which my life as a mother spins steadily, however, fast or slow.

Some constants: my overwhelming determination to preserve, protect, educate, enjoy the Black male I've bore. The feeling which benefits from, but gains no essential value from knowledge/the mind, can only be described as fierce.

Fiercely, I love him. Fiercely, I protect him. Fiercely, there are no conditions.

I know the day will come where protector will no longer be my role. Many things, he will have to learn on his own. Some things are not in my power to teach him. However, I am empowered by Audre Lorde 's essay, Man Child: A Black Lesbian Feminist's Response in Sister Outsider :

"I wish to raise a Black man who will not be destroyed by, nor settle for those corruptions called power by the white fathers who mean his destruction as surely as they mean mine. I wish to raise a Black man who will rcognize that the legitimate objects of his hostility are not women, but the particulars of a structure that programs him to fear and despise women as well as his own Black self. For me (Audre Lorde), this task begins with teaching my son that I do not exist to do his feeling for him."

I do not exist to do his feeling for him. First I think of course not. But then I think how not? An immediate conflict of feelings. A feeling to embrace, a feeling to develop until his manhood, a feeling to let diminish for his benefit.

This journey, the practice of diminishing in tandem with large ties, bonds, care, is just beginning for my son and I. This life comes through us (mothers) and has nothing to do with the mind.
So much we teach them. But how much more they teach us. How joyful and painstaking is this road.

Lord, Lorde , have mercy. Give me the strength to bear his smiles.

“Stress is not happening because your job is difficult. It is happening because you are incapable of handling your own systems. You don’t know how to manage your body or your mind or your emotions or your energies. If you know that, then nothing is stressful because you are no longer hijacked by external situations” ~ Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev

STRESS! It’s gripped the world. It’s gripped many of us! It’s become so natural that we don’t know what life is like without stress.

If they don’t have a crisis, they’ll make one.

The truth is, and though we don’t like to admit it, we’re pretty much all like that. We’ve gotten so use to feeling the stress in our bodies that when it’s not there we feel odd or “not quite right”. We will unconsciously go on the hunt for something to stress about so or bodies can go back to feeling “normal”.

Stress Management courses are offered by our employers. They are written about in magazines. Stress Management is discussed on TV and all over the internet.

The truth is you don’t have to be stressed. It is not your natural state.

Peace is YOUR natural state.

You’ve been out of this place of peace for so long now that you’ve forgotten.

What if you could get back to Peace, even when things don’t seem to be working the way you think they should be working?

What if you could feel good ALWAYS despite appearances?

It’s time to put the REAL Manager in charge of your life. It’s time to put YOU in charge of your life.

Your body isn’t the manager. Your mind isn’t the manager. Your emotions and Energy are not the managers either.

These are each equally important parts of you, however they are all intended to be managed by Your Spirit. They are the team Your Spirit leads through this experience we call Life!

How would your life change if Your Spirit managed your life experience?

Would Your Spirit choose to sit on the couch in front of the TV half-sleeping through life? Who do you think is managing that choice?

Would Your Spirit choose the same job, the same friends, the same recreational activities, the same distractions?

What activities would Your Spirit give your body? What direction would Your Spirit guide your mind? How would Your Spirit use your Energy? What different emotions would you experience if your Spirit guided your Body, Mind and Energy?

These are all important questions to ask yourself, especially if you feel your life is being managed by anyone or anything other than You.

Your Spirit will ALWAYS choose that which serves you. Your Spirit will ALWAYS love you and keep you safe.

Give Your Spirit the Keys to Your City. Leave stress at the gate, and begin living in your natural state of Peace once again.

*~*~*

Has Stress taken over your City? Are you ready to take the keys back?

http://www.joymadeeasy.com

Learn how to Manage all aspects of you and your experience, and give YOUR Spirit the Management Position.

*~*~*

Velma Gallant, “The Queen of JOY!”, is an author, international speaker and Lazer Clarity Coach. She hosts her highly acclaimed internet radio show, Welcome Changes Radio where she interviews exciting and dynamic guests such as New York Times best selling author, Neale Donald Walsch, Mike Dooley from "The Secret", and many more. Velma coaches Executives and Entrepreneurs to lazer in on what’s vital to create and experience Joy-Filled Balance in their life and work. Velma can be contacted through her website, http://www.WelcomeChangesRadio.com.

“Stress is not happening because your job is difficult. It is happening because you are incapable of handling your own systems. You don’t know how to manage your body or your mind or your emotions or your energies. If you know that, then nothing is stressful because you are no longer hijacked by external situations” ~ Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev

STRESS! It’s gripped the world. It’s gripped many of us! It’s become so natural that we don’t know what life is like without stress.

If they don’t have a crisis, they’ll make one.

The truth is, and though we don’t like to admit it, we’re pretty much all like that. We’ve gotten so use to feeling the stress in our bodies that when it’s not there we feel odd or “not quite right”. We will unconsciously go on the hunt for something to stress about so or bodies can go back to feeling “normal”.

Stress Management courses are offered by our employers. They are written about in magazines. Stress Management is discussed on TV and all over the internet.

The truth is you don’t have to be stressed. It is not your natural state.

Peace is YOUR natural state.

You’ve been out of this place of peace for so long now that you’ve forgotten.

What if you could get back to Peace, even when things don’t seem to be working the way you think they should be working?

What if you could feel good ALWAYS despite appearances?

It’s time to put the REAL Manager in charge of your life. It’s time to put YOU in charge of your life.

Your body isn’t the manager. Your mind isn’t the manager. Your emotions and Energy are not the managers either.

These are each equally important parts of you, however they are all intended to be managed by Your Spirit. They are the team Your Spirit leads through this experience we call Life!

How would your life change if Your Spirit managed your life experience?

Would Your Spirit choose to sit on the couch in front of the TV half-sleeping through life? Who do you think is managing that choice?

Would Your Spirit choose the same job, the same friends, the same recreational activities, the same distractions?

What activities would Your Spirit give your body? What direction would Your Spirit guide your mind? How would Your Spirit use your Energy? What different emotions would you experience if your Spirit guided your Body, Mind and Energy?

These are all important questions to ask yourself, especially if you feel your life is being managed by anyone or anything other than You.

Your Spirit will ALWAYS choose that which serves you. Your Spirit will ALWAYS love you and keep you safe.

Give Your Spirit the Keys to Your City. Leave stress at the gate, and begin living in your natural state of Peace once again.

*~*~*

Has Stress taken over your City? Are you ready to take the keys back?

http://www.joymadeeasy.com

Learn how to Manage all aspects of you and your experience, and give YOUR Spirit the Management Position.

*~*~*

Velma Gallant, “The Queen of JOY!”, is an author, international speaker and Lazer Clarity Coach. She hosts her highly acclaimed internet radio show, Welcome Changes Radio where she interviews exciting and dynamic guests such as New York Times best selling author, Neale Donald Walsch, Mike Dooley from "The Secret", and many more. Velma coaches Executives and Entrepreneurs to lazer in on what’s vital to create and experience Joy-Filled Balance in their life and work. Velma can be contacted through her website, http://www.WelcomeChangesRadio.com.

Fue dificil llegar esa mañana a un mundo nuevo donde nadie me era conocido y todos me veian como un animal de circo esperando mi gran acto o lo que es peor que ese acto fallara para poder burlarse y re afirmar su superioridad frente a los demás. Efectivamente fallé y todos se rieron, quizas por ser diferente, quizas por que simplemente no les agradaba. Y ahi me encontraba solo encerrado en una jaula mientras que este mundo nuevo arrojaba su basura sobre mi ... contaminandome y llenando mis pensamientos con ansias de escapar de huir de esa jaula de barrotes invisibles.

Ya pasaban los días y era como antes, me encontraba  solo sentado en mi pequeña jaula mirando como los demás podían conversar,reir y donde me alimentaban solamente con sobras de desprecio y lastima. La ira en mi no crecia, porque probablemente si hubiese otra persona en esta jaula y yo me encontrara afuera ... haría exactamente lo mismo y poco me importaria.

Pero dentro de esa jaula no todo era tan malo, avece se acercaban personas que con un dejo de lastima y un poco de cariño me acariciaban y trataban de cortar los barrotes invisibles. y en ese momento me di cuenta de lo especial que era una persona, que lo unico que intentaba era liberarme, sacarme de ahí para que dejara de sufrir, pero le era imposible... yo había creado esa jaula ... y no desapareceria hasta que yo la sacara de mi mente.

Pero tu amistad fue mucho más fuerte ... lograste entrar en mi cambiar ciertos pensamientos de orden y estaba todo bien, ya me encontraba afuera disfrutando de tu amistad.

Pero todo no terminaba aquí... solo era el comienzo del desastre más hermoso que algun día pueda llegar a existir ...

What do you think?

I want to scream and cry and throw stuff.  For real.

Happy freakin' birthday, right? (it's tomorrow)

Relaxed vision is also necessary since they usually move too fast and unpredictably to actually track with the eye against the often cluttered and matching coloured backgrounds they move in. At least where I find them, in the coastal wetland forest of Billinudgel NR.

There are a few locations I know now where the Dragonfly favours hunting and basking in the sun. At different times of the day they can be found at one place or another. It’s not entirely predictable when they have so many suitable places to be. The time of day also seems to determine how active or relaxed they are, not unlike people.

At one of these places I was quietly and slowly approaching a perched Dragon when off into the darkness of the bush he went. It helps that they have a habit of favouring a perch but when there are many suitable perches they are just unpredictable.They do that. Land, sit a few minutes – as long as it takes for me to get in position, then off to another spot, near or far. It tests for any wanting, trying or disappointment.

As soon as the Dragon took off though, a robust looking butterfly landed in almost the exact same spot – in the forest. You couldn’t ask for it. I got a few good shots of it before it too took flight, but before it did another bigger butterfly landed just a few inches in front of it.

It stopped just long enough for me to focus and shoot twice. And both shots came out ok. As I said, you couldn’t ask for it.

*

Back to Dragons. None of these creatures stand still for long when the sun is high, that’s feeding time and they seem to spend it high in the air – as high as twenty feet that I’ve seen – about as high as the treetops – feeding height? It’s also mating time. And basking time. But when isn’t? Night time?

Seemingly they only stop to rest and sense what’s around them, or be.

Somehow I just can’t see them thinking; ‘Jeez, that bird nearly got me that time, gotta be more careful crossing that creek in future.’ – or – ‘Damn, missed it, what am I going to eat now, if I’m hungry I’ll be weak and distracted and might fly into a tree or something – could be fatal – I don’t want to die!’ Or thinking anything at all!

I’d say experience is directly imprinted on their psyche, no conscious evaluation, no reflection – spontaneous absorption and integration according to an unknowable – to the thinker – intelligence. Certainly no complicating emotional or mental consideration – no suffering. In my observation.

*

Sometimes the small creatures just don’t mind me, an increasingly large and strange object in their view, getting closer – as close as five inches a lot of the time due to the lenses I use.

The impact of my appearance is minimised by me lowering myself closer to the ground the closer I get to the creature, so I don’t loom over them and so perhaps threaten them. Bowing to them you could say, bowing to their sensibilities.

I have often observed the Dragon preening itself with the two most forward legs/arms which it has tucked up most of the time against the back of its huge eyes. Have you ever seen how clean a Dragon keeps the back of its head? Pristine clean behind the ears! Almost. And the robotically rapid turn of the head as potential prey passes by just too fast to do anything about. Fascinating creatures.

They often glide after a quick flutter of the wings, especially if there is a breeze to support them, conserving energy. And they are quick to chase one another, the bigger ones have their own territory which they guard very effectively. The smaller ones have to tussle over it, but briefly – no harm done.

*

Photographing small creatures can be a real effort at times. Once they have been tracked to their favoured places, which isn’t always possible, the real work begins. They just don’t pose that often in the wild, where I mostly shoot. So it is necessary to get in position for the angle of shot and stealthily – with minimum noise and discernible movement or presence – approach them, sometimes directly, sometimes not.

It’s not unlike a game of hide and seek, except insects are much smaller than anything I ever had to find when I played that. Often the only clue to their position is a slight movement in the corner of my eye, rarely a sound. Or it’s a game of patience – absence of impatience really – being easy inside and just seeing what is there. It’s a surrender of anything inside that disturbs or intrudes on the actual purpose, being where I am. Photo’s are secondary, always, that’s the perception.

*

Once I get to know my equipment, and keep it ready and clean – inside and out, then it’s just a matter of being. Being within the fact of things. Like how the camera functions, fast or slow, low light or not, set for the situation or not.

And how the body functions – the body is equipment too – steady hand or not, lie with the ants or strain the back, go into the mud and mozzies after the shot, or not. Not often!

Eventually, the integration of knowing and being becomes intuition. A fluidity of action or observation – action in itself.

*

In the end it really is just a matter of being where I am and seeing what is there – here. The only question is can I do it? Get the shot without disturbance – to body or mind – the creatures and mine.

I tend to focus on the sensation inside as the situation allows. And focus on the sense, the fact of things ‘outside’. When I’m ‘in’ action I’m being that. Then no disturbance arises, or at least doesn’t get ‘in’.

*

‘‘’I’ am not here, this is only another appearance in your sense that will soon pass without incident.” – describes the message being transmitted, if there is one.

Most of the time, now I know more or less where to look, the Dragons present themselves or they don’t – and that’s it – more or less.

And where there is least disturbance, of mind, there is the most pleasing result. With mind-ing out of the way creativity is free to work and stalking is a pleasure.

As long as the body is up to it.
 
Copyright Reserved / Mark Berkery
 

Since the unpleasantness and the harshness,

My world needed to be restored,

I couldn't have gone on this way.

I understood that,

The more I think about you,

The more deeper the pain will reside in my heart,

And more difficult to outgrow it.

So I searched deep and denied the past,

To get back my life and my soul,

There were some tears shed in the struggle that followed,

But to revive my soul again this was a small sacrifice.

I am back with renewed life and spirit,

There s hope thats been rekindled,

Its a new world indeed,

To seek a new light and goals.

"Certainly, I shall arrange for someone to look into the matter immediately. Which electrical appliance would that be??" asked the concierge.

"It's the microwave. I've been trying to warm up some supper for myself but the microwave wouldn't start?", replied the passenger.

"The microwave, Madam??" repeated the bewildered receptionist. "Yes, the microwave. You know, the heating device that is installed in the wardrobe?", replied the passenger sarcastically. "I've been trying for the past hour but my supper is still cold?"

Upon arriving at the suite, the receptionist found the lady passenger standing in front of the wardrobe, pressing vigorously at the control panel of the safe deposit box installed in the wardrobe. "Let me show you how what I have been trying. I key in the number of minutes here, but I don't really know which one is the start button...?"

(By the way, this is original story told by a Captain of a cruise liner.)

From: www.onlyfunnystories.com

"Yes, this is Carl speaking. How may I help you today?"

"I think my diskettes are faulty. I keep getting the error message bad or invalid disk operation"

"I can help you, but I will need a copy of your defective diskettes to help me diagnose the problem. Could you send a copy to our customer care centre?"

A few days later, a package arrived for Carl from the customer. The package contained several photocopied pages, they were copies of the diskettes.

From: www.onlyfunnystories.com

A little more investigative work led the officer to the boy's partner in crime, another boy about 200 meters beyond the speed camera with a sign reading "TIPS" & a bucket at his feet full of coins.

From: www.onlyfunnystories.com

MIND, n. A mysterious form of matter secreted by the brain. Its chief activity consists in the endeavor to ascertain its own nature, the futility of the attempt being due to the fact that it has nothing but itself to know itself with.

- Ambrose Bierce, Devil's Dictionary

(Via)

Where does it seem that this hamster hides his grains?

If it seems to you that you know the answer, do not hesitate to leave a comment. (Note: if to hide them in his cheek seems original to you, you would be grossly mistaken.)