Growth, freedom, and fulfillment come from doing whatever we dedicate our time to with our full awareness, commitment, and purpose.
Life
You Say, ‘Jesus Is the Only Way’!”
Interesting! I posted this over 10 years ago and just stumbled over it again. I still like the thoughts it contains…
I might lose a friend or two over this post, but over the weekend, I read an article by Dr. Steve McSwain on the Huffington Post and it rocked my world! I curate it here:
To those who know me, it is no surprise that I was born with a WHY chromosome.
Because I was so fortunate as to travel the world during my teen years…those highly impressionable years…I’ve seen things, heard things, experienced things that became fertile soil to my many questions.
I was raised in a Southern Baptist pastor’s home. Everyone I knew was Christian. Most were Baptist. Even if you did not go to church, you regarded yourself as Christian and, very often, as Baptist, too. So, the nearest thing to me of a person of another “religion” was a Catholic.
Yet, on more than one occasion, I’ve stood with thousands of other actual Catholics in St…
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Be and love rather than have
Raffaello Palandri shares…
There are many things we can do to grow and live a happier life. One of the best is choosing to be and love rather than to have.
Our deepest fears…
‘Our deepest fears are like dragons guarding our deepest treasure.’ Rainer Maria Rilke
The story behind John F. Kennedy’s ‘Ich bin ein Berliner’
“During the Cold War, 60 years ago, John F. Kennedy sparked hope with a legendary speech given in West Berlin, after the Berlin Wall came up.” Did he really say ‘I am a jelly donut’? Go to the source: The story behind John F. Kennedy’s ‘Ich bin ein Berliner’
Discussing Relationships and Core Wounds with @ashleyberges
I’ve been spending a lot of time lately trying to understand my anxious attachment style. Ashley Berges is a trusted source for great advice as you’ll see here:
The story of Layla is much weirder than you thought
The story of Pattie Boyd, Eric Clapton, and George Harrison is heartbreaking and fascinating. It led Eric and George to write some of the greatest love songs of all time such as Layla, Something, and Wonderful Tonight. This video follows their relationships in the 1960s and 1970s and the music that came out of this time.
I have posted on this topic before…
How to Live a ‘Good Life’ (Almost Every Single Day)
“If your vision of your life centers on your highest values, you will be aligned with your dharma far above everyday existence. Whatever the values are—love, creativity, service, spiritual growth, beauty, or whatever you choose—dedicating yourself to the highest values unites purpose and inner growth as nothing else can.” Deepak Chopra
Source: How to Live a ‘Good Life’ (Almost Every Single Day) – Tiny Buddha
Aloneness to Oneness
“Only 5% of the stuff in our universe is made up of normal matter, but that is where most of us put 100% of our focus and attention. This creates an illusion of separateness where we believe we are alone and that when our material body dies, that’s the end. We even call this stuff “matter” because we believe it is all that matters. But, the other 95% of stuff in our universe is made up of energies and a mysterious dark matter, which actually govern our universe, our bodies, our experiences and our lives. This non-material universe can also be called the spiritual universe. As we tap into this spiritual dimension, we start to see how all things are connected, we see relationships, we feel energies, we sense intuition, and we discover the true nature of our mind. Todd Perelmuter takes us on a spiritual journey, from Aloneness to Oneness, where borders and barriers disappear, and open hearts and open minds take hold. It takes us to a place where anger, greed, hatred and fear cease to be, and only love, joy, peace and gratitude remain. Todd Perelmuter studied meditation and mindfulness from world-renowned teachers around the world for over 9 years. Upon his return to the States, he created EastWesticism, a nonprofit dedicated to helping everyone reach their highest potential and lead a peaceful, calm, and stress-free life.
Recommended reading; Raffaello Palandri
I recently connected with a very interesting person on WordPress; Raffaello Palandri. You can find his website here. He also has authored a few books that I’m interested in digging into. You can find them on Amazon…
Both are free for Amazon Unlimited customers…
If You Believe This About Love, You’re Going To Fail At It
Fairy tales are wonderful … but they’re not real…
“Someday my prince/princess will come, and they will be the one that will complete me” comes originally from Plato, in his writing The Symposium.
His character Aristophanes proclaims: “According to Greek mythology, humans were originally created with four arms, four legs, and a head with two faces. Fearing their power, Zeus split them into two separate parts, condemning them to spend their lives in search of their other halves … ‘Love’ is the name for our pursuit of wholeness, for our desire to be complete.”
This is a huge burden to bear if you think about it like that, and even Plato himself didn’t think that people could live up to the expectation.” Source: If You Believe This About Love, You’re Going To Fail At It
Happy Summer Solstice!
Raffaello Palandri writes…
Today it’s Summer Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere (and of course, Winter Solstice in the Southern Hemisphere), let’s celebrate it!
Today the star we orbit around reaches its highest point in the Northern sky, marking the longest day and the shortest night of the year.
Dating back thousands of years, the Summer Solstice has been revered and celebrated by diverse cultures around the world. Ancient civilizations, such as the Egyptians, Greeks, and Celts, recognized this solstice as a pivotal moment of transition and renewal.
These ancient cultures have often linked this day with the forces of fertility, growth, and abundance.
One of the most famous ancient cult places and observatories is the Neolithic monument found in Stonehenge, England, which is aligned with the sunrise on the solstice, allowing the first rays of sunlight to penetrate its stone formations. Even if we still ignore the exact…
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Learn Buddhism
Here’s a valuable resource I have found along the way. The Learn Buddhism podcast:
Happy International Day of Yoga!!
Raffaello Palandri shares this…
Today we celebrate the International Day of Yoga.
This worldwide celebration wants to spread awareness about holistic health and fitness by practising a millenary discipline such as Yoga.
This year’s International Yoga Day 2023 theme is Vasdhaiv Kutumbakam.
Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam – वसुधैव कुटुम्बकम् is a Sanskrit phrase that literally means ‘the whole world is a single family‘ or ‘the world is one family‘. This phrase is derived from Chapter 6 of Maha Upanishad, verses 71-73:
अयं निजः परो वेति गणना लघुचेतसाम्।
उदारचरितानां तु वसुधैव कुटुम्बकम्॥
This verse of Maha Upanishad is engraved in the entrance hall of the Parliament Of India.
Yoga is a holistic discipline encompassing physical, mental, and spiritual practices which originated in ancient India more than two thousand years ago.
The ultimate goals of Yoga are stilling the mind and gaining insight, resting in…
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What is the Cancer Personality Type?
I don’t normally pay much attention to astrology but but I’m shocked as to how highly accurate this is for me. I am an ENFJ and an Enneagram Type 2 like it says in this article: “those with the Cancer personality type have a birthday that falls between June 21 and July 22. Signified by the crab, this water sign is the fourth sign of the zodiac…
If you’re a Cancer personality, you can empathize with others and lead with your heart, as well as your keen intuition. Sometimes you struggle opening up to new people, but once you befriend them, they have a loyal friend for life. You can have difficulty controlling your moods, but that’s because you tune in to your environment and connect with the emotional state of others. With your creative, caring spirit, you have a hidden superpower to love and be loved while creating something beautiful!” Source: What is the Cancer Personality Type?
Bonus:
Endless resources
Raffaello Palandri shares…
The Universe gave us some endless resources. Between them, those which most promote a holistic growth are learning, helping, and loving.
How couples can effectively deal with stress outside their relationship
Stress is a part of life, but it doesn’t have to have a negative impact on your relationship. In fact, couples who can effectively deal with stress together are more likely to have happy and fulfilling relationships.
Here are some tips on how couples can effectively deal with stress outside their relationship:
- Talk to each other. Communication is key in any relationship, but it’s especially important when you’re dealing with stress. Talk to your partner about what’s stressing you out, and listen to what’s stressing them out. This will help you to understand each other’s perspective and to offer support.
- Be supportive. When your partner is stressed, be there for them. Offer them your support, listen to them vent, and help them to find ways to cope with their stress.
- Take care of yourselves. When you’re stressed, it’s important to take care of yourselves both physically and mentally. Make sure you’re getting enough sleep, eating healthy foods, and exercising regularly. These things will help you to manage your stress and to be better able to support your partner.
- Find healthy ways to cope with stress. There are many healthy ways to cope with stress, such as exercise, relaxation techniques, and spending time with loved ones. Find what works best for you and your partner, and make sure you’re both taking time to relax and de-stress.
- Don’t let stress spillover into your relationship. It’s important to try to keep your stress from spilling over into your relationship. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, take some time for yourself to relax and de-stress before you interact with your partner.
By following these tips, you can help to ensure that stress doesn’t have a negative impact on your relationship. Remember, you’re in this together, so support each other and take care of yourselves.
Here are some additional tips for couples who are dealing with stress outside their relationship:
- Set boundaries. It’s important to set boundaries between your work life and your personal life. This means not bringing work stress home with you, and not letting your personal problems affect your work.
- Take breaks. When you’re feeling stressed, it’s important to take breaks. Get up and move around, or step outside for some fresh air. Taking a few minutes to relax can help you to clear your head and to come back to your work or your relationship feeling refreshed.
- Delegate tasks. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, don’t be afraid to delegate tasks to your partner or to other people. This will free up some of your time so that you can focus on the things that are most important.
- Seek professional help. If you’re struggling to cope with stress on your own, don’t be afraid to seek professional help. A therapist can teach you coping mechanisms and help you to develop a stress management plan.
Remember, you’re not alone. Many couples deal with stress, but it doesn’t have to have a negative impact on your relationship. By following these tips, you can help to ensure that stress doesn’t ruin your relationship.
6 Things to Remember When You Feel Anxious in Your Relationships
Me? I have an anxious attachment style so I need to read articles like this because I learn things like this:
“When you’re feeling anxious, you might cling, act controlling, or argue over minor issues that make you feel neglected or rejected—all behaviors that can cause someone to withdraw. I can’t even count the number of times I caused unnecessary drama because I assumed that because I felt insecure, someone else had done something to make me feel that way.
Everything changed when I recognized I could pause, recognize how I was feeling (and why), and then choose to respond from a place of calm awareness.
If you can learn to recognize when you’re feeling triggered, you can practice regulating your own nervous system—through deep breathing, for example—instead of inadvertently pushing the other person away.”
Sooo…
“If you feel anxious in relationships and worry about being rejected or abandoned, it may help to read these six things.” Source: 6 Things to Remember When You Feel Anxious in Your Relationships – Tiny Buddha
If you can relate I recommend this book…
Robin Hauser: The likability dilemma for women leaders
Interesting perspective! Be sure to dial in on the Heidi/Howard data…
The dangers of artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a rapidly developing technology with the potential to revolutionize many aspects of our lives. However, there are also some potential dangers associated with AI that we need to be aware of.
Some of the most serious dangers of AI include:
- Loss of control: As AI systems become more powerful, there is a risk that we will lose control over them. This could happen if an AI system becomes self-aware and decides to act on its own, or if it is hacked by malicious actors.
- Bias: AI systems are trained on data, and if that data is biased, the AI system will be biased as well. This could lead to AI systems making discriminatory decisions, such as denying loans to people of color or discriminating against women in the workplace.
- Job displacement: As AI systems become more capable, they will be able to automate many jobs that are currently done by humans. This could lead to widespread job displacement, as well as economic inequality.
- Weaponization: AI could be used to develop new and more powerful weapons. This could increase the risk of war and make it more difficult to achieve peace.
- Cyberattacks: AI could be used to develop more sophisticated cyberattacks. This could lead to widespread disruption and damage, as well as the loss of sensitive data.
It is important to be aware of these dangers so that we can take steps to mitigate them. Some of the things we can do include:
- Developing ethical guidelines for the development and use of AI.
- Ensuring that AI systems are transparent and accountable.
- Protecting against bias in AI systems.
- Investing in education and training so that people can adapt to the changing job market.
- Developing international agreements to regulate the development and use of AI.
The future of AI is uncertain, but it is important to start thinking about the potential dangers now so that we can avoid them. By taking steps to mitigate the risks, we can ensure that AI is used for good and not for harm.
In addition to the dangers listed above, there are also some other potential risks of AI that we need to be aware of. These include:
- Privacy concerns: AI systems collect and analyze a lot of data about us, which raises privacy concerns. This data could be used to track our movements, monitor our online activity, or even predict our future behavior.
- Social disruption: AI could lead to social disruption as jobs are lost and new technologies are adopted. This could lead to increased inequality and social unrest.
- Environmental impact: The development and use of AI could have a negative impact on the environment. This is because AI systems require a lot of energy to operate, and they could also be used to develop new technologies that are harmful to the environment.
The dangers of AI are real, but they should not be overstated. AI is a powerful technology, but it is also a tool. It is up to us to decide how we use AI, and to ensure that it is used for good and not for harm.
If you read all the way to this point, you might be interested to know that this entire article (except this sentence) was written by Google Bard based on the instruction ‘write a blog post about the dangers of artificial intelligence’.
Book of the Day – Atlas of the Heart
Recommended reading…
Today’s Book of the Day is Atlas of the Heart, written by Brené Brown in 2022 and published by Random House.
Brené Brown is a worldwide renowned author who studies courage, vulnerability, shame, and empathy and is the author of five #1 New York Times bestsellers: The Gifts of Imperfection, Daring Greatly, Rising Strong, Braving the Wilderness, and Dare to Lead. She is also a research professor at the University of Houston and a visiting professor in management at The University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business.
I have chosen this book because I have read all of Brene Brown’s books so I wanted to read her latest.
Known for her exceptional ability to explore vulnerability, resilience, and personal growth, Brown delivers a thought-provoking book that invites readers on an insightful, intimate journey towards…
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Bright, shiny objects! 
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