Ida Lawrence, Contributor
Waking Times

I remember seeing a cartoon, years ago, where there were layers of people on their hands and knees and some fat men standing on the backs of the top layer. You can imagine the message of the illustrator being something like, “Look up, people!” The accompanying article asked why we see the enemy as the one beneath us, rather than the one standing on our backs.

We know the fat controllers are doing a job on the people, and we have known. It has to be at least 20 years since I read that article and saw the cartoon. And yet, still today, if I read the comments on a video or article where race is discussed, it’ll ‘make me wanna holler’: is the problem really that ‘other’ person next to you? The weary one that the fat man is standing...

Living on Earth helps you to be flexible. Change in weather helps you to be flexible. People help you to be flexible. What is the opposite of flexible? Adamant.

Of course, remember that everything in the relative world is relative. Whatever your natural proclivity, you learn determination, and you learn flexibility.

It certainly seems that life is hit or miss, yet there is a thread that runs through life that knows what it is doing. Flexibility can be described in many ways. It can be said that flexibility is living life without judgment.

“How, in the relative world,” you ask yourself, "How do I live without judgment? Am I to be only hit or miss? It would seem so. Even my judgment is hit or miss. It would seem that I float in life, landing here or landing there or not landing. I can only conclude that I am a will-o-the-wisp. Maybe I never touch ground. And, yet, God says that there is purpose in my life. Maybe I am meant to soar, yet it seems to me that I am holding on for dear life. I say that even as I don't really know what I’m talking about.

"Is this the famous life without boundaries? Is there really nothing to hold onto? No wonder I have convictions. As little as I may consciously know anything, I seem to hold on to tightly even that which, on occasion, I can admit that I know nothing about at all.

"Sometimes I feel like a ball thrown up into the air, and I haven't landed yet. God, I have to ask You: Is there a landing place? Do I ever land?"

A Surefire Method to Experience Joy in Your Life

By Srikumar Rao, Ph.D. | Psychology Today | Srikumar S Rao

–

Galileo got it wrong.

The earth does not revolve around the sun. It revolves around you and has been doing so for decades. At least, this is the model you are using.

You live in a “me-centered” world in which you interpret everything that happens in terms of “What is its impact on me.” Your spouse gets a great job offer and you wonder what effect this will have on your relationship. Your daughter drops out of high school to begin an in-depth exploration of controlled substances and you wonder what your friends will think about your parenting. Your boss leaves the company and you wonder whether you wi...

Support your wellness and balance, and your wellness and balance will support you. ~Archangel Gabriel

Mae Chan, Prevent Disease
Waking Times

It’s no secret that laughter is good for you and, even when indulged in liberally, is gloriously free of side effects. Laughter is a simple stress reducer, a kind of natural Valium, but is also allows us to connect to other people in such unique ways, that it cannot be duplicated through any other method. A body of evidence shows that laughing not only works better than medication, but stimulates hormonal levels in ways similar to exercise.

One pioneer in laughter research, William Fry, claimed it ...

PROS AND CONS Some view polarity as dark vs. light, one being higher, better or positive, yet both are equal in importance. Both the “shadow” and the “light” have a purpose; it is only the human perspective that makes one judge them as having a different value. Choose one project, “problem” or insight to look deeper into this day and simply ponder all sides of the issue. You may find parts that are distasteful, perhaps it is a problem you wish would go away, maybe the project is too large and feels overwhelming. Look at all aspects in such a way as to see the blessing in each. By developing this skill, you will quickly begin to see that there is value in all polarity. Note the “pros” (positives) and “cons” (negatives) of this event, perhaps listing them on paper. For most people, the parts labeled as “positive” are easy, so we will not spend much time there. What is more challenging is to appreciate and feel gratitude for the “negative” side of events. Look at some of the items on your “cons” list. Then look at how you can approach each in such a way that they can be placed on your “pro” list. Look closely at the “cons” to determine how many are simply excuses. Perhaps some are fear-based, in which case they could become wonderful exercises to help move you beyond your fear and open horizons to new belief codes. When you get past the “negative” issues on your “cons” list, you will find that you look forward to your tasks at hand.