Become all you can become by raising yourself higher on the Tree of Life

Weeping looking back at the path — republished

I wrote this article in 2015. I am republishing it… because it is important to read now… given the next article I just wrote… It will make it easier to get.

Here I am this cool Saturday morning, weeping.

I observe. What is there? Pain, definitely. Sense of loss, yes. Sadness, no. Regret, no. Resentment, no.

I have had a hard life. The hardest part is the last 30 years. Maybe 33… Since I left Hungary.

In Hungary I had friends. I had people who would want me around, who would walk with me, who would vouch for me.
Continue reading “Weeping looking back at the path — republished”

The bumbling idiot’s guide to a life worth writing about

“The only thing worth writing about is the human heart in conflict with itself” said William Faulkner. I agree, even though the language, the vocabulary is imprecise.

The “heart” is one self, and the other self is the precious I, the delusional I, the lower self.

The conflict, the struggle to make those two selves align, as William Faulkner says, is worth writing about… because it is like a hero’s journey.

I call it “soul correction” because I am firmly rooted in Kabbalah’s view of life. But it is the same thing: bringing the two selves in harmony so they cause synergy that allows living a life worth writing about.

This pretty much the context for the next quote: “Either write something worth reading (about) or do something worth writing (about).” – Benjamin Franklin. I added the word “about” in brackets for clarity. Continue reading “The bumbling idiot’s guide to a life worth writing about”

The path to self-love… a totally different take… a valid one.

Some 35 years ago I read Rav Hillel’s few lines, If I am not for myself, who will be for me?

If I am not for me, who will be for me? And when I am for myself alone, what am I? And if not now, then when?

it flew in the face of the culture I was raised in, Socialism… I cried, and started to attempt to integrate it.

It took me 35 years.

It’s the hardest of any journey to self-love, self care.

It was for me, and it may be for you… It is easier when you have a teacher.

The main job of a teacher is to hold the dirt while you are digging for gold. The gold is there, but unless someone is there to hold the dirt, the dirt falls back into the hole and covers the gold.

I just listened to a TED talk, and it lays out an amazing and simple way to take care of yourself…
Continue reading “The path to self-love… a totally different take… a valid one.”

What is reality? Is this real? Is this happening or…

What is reality? Is this real? Is this happening or is this just my mind playing with me?

This is a severely truncated article from “Vox”… I am only interested in giving you Bayes’ Method, that will help you go to reality with more certainty than you have now, and spend less time, a whole lot less wondering about your feelings… Whatever they may be. ¹ Continue reading “What is reality? Is this real? Is this happening or…”

You never feel bad about what you think you feel bad about

Homo Sapiens, as a species, is pretty messed up. Everything sets its emotions off, and the specimen gets all emotional, angry, afraid, violent, or sad and depressed.

This emotional reactivity makes getting things done near impossible, learning, or having people together pretty hopeless.

Almost all diseases are a consequence of this phenomenon… people eat to soothe themselves. People eat to eat another out of their fortune. People eat to feel superior. People eat to get some enjoyment out of life.

And they eat to fix the damage that overeating caused, and do all kinds of unnecessary things to reduce the damage. Continue reading “You never feel bad about what you think you feel bad about”

The Michelangelo Method of becoming you

As I said it before, I have a strong affinity to the dramatic… in every area of life. This may be part of my bipolar personality… taking things to the extreme.

I do that with food… I call them experiments, but largely these are experiments taken just too far or too long…

And, of course, I pay the price. With my health, mainly.

But… as in everything, there is a silver lining, a benefit, that I would be amiss not to appreciate.

I have discovered almost everything in the area of health this way. Or in the area of training, self or others… or in anything else.

So my latest “fad” thing has been sorghum. I cooked up a huge vat of sorghum seeds with sauteed (fried?) onions and butter… delicious. Continue reading “The Michelangelo Method of becoming you”

Awakening your inner motive power, ambition

Although I use this iconic picture from the French protest… this is not a political article… Something, deep inside the French was activated by the new tax on fuel… and moved them to action…

In this article I want to talk about how to awaken that inner, deeply buried energy that could set you free. The caged desire. A suppressed desire. Continue reading “Awakening your inner motive power, ambition”

Vision, Values, Mission… are there any pre-requisites?

If you have lived a lifestyle that left you with no foundation for self-growth is answering the question… what comes first: the chicken or the egg.

You, people in this predicament have one characteristic in common: you don’t want to do anything that you cannot see the immediate usefulness of it.

Usefulness can also be enjoyment… enjoyment is useful. Enjoyment is an extrinsic value. Continue reading “Vision, Values, Mission… are there any pre-requisites?”

You have to have vision… what does it even mean?!

You have to have vision… you read it in memes, in articles, but you don’t know what vision is, so how can you have it, right?

I have students, friends, who think they have vision for themselves, but what they have is the desire trap syndrome: they see pieces of the future that they want. They can walk around in it, enjoy it, embellish it, feel it, dream about it. Fly the private jet to have breakfast in Bombay, or drink margaritas on the pristine white sands of some private island. Continue reading “You have to have vision… what does it even mean?!”

What is frustration really? Is it an emotion? An attitude?

Frustration has two causes:

1. wanting

2. expecting.

Unfulfilled desires, unfulfilled expectations. Horrid.

You want more, better, different… Or you expect more better or different.

Either way, you are acting consistent with what society, what civilization wants you to be… not with Life.

More, more, more is the battle cry of consumerism. Industry, business wants to make more and sell more. So YOU cry for more, because you are told the secret to happiness is more. More this and more that. Continue reading “What is frustration really? Is it an emotion? An attitude?”