Sunday, February 28, 2010

Words - And Their Power


"Everything becomes a little different
as soon as it is spoken out loud."
- Hermann Hesse

There are two ways in which we can manifest our Thoughts. One
way is through our Actions and the other way is through our spoken
Words. In both instances we take our Thoughts, concepts and ideas
out of the mental realm and place them in the physical realm...the
realm of the senses.

To turn a Thought into something sentient, something recognized
by the senses, is an act of Creation. Therefore, it is important for us
to remember that each time we speak, each time we utter a Word,
we create. And these creations of ours, our Words, can manifest
either good or ill. The Choice of our verbal creation is entirely up
to us.

When a Thought enters our mind there are three things we can do
with it: we can dismiss it, we can allow it to linger, or we can act
on it. Once we act upon a Thought by verbalizing it, the Words we
speak Become a living entity which can develop into either our best
friend or our worst enemy. Our spoken Words can create Karmic
rewards or Karmic debts. Our Words can bring people closer to us
or they can force people further from us. Our Words can turn into
either a Blessing, or a curse.

Let us look at some examples of how our spoken Words can have
an effect on ourselves and on others:

We may dislike another person, and that person may think and
feel that we dislike them, but until we actually tell the other person
that we dislike them no real harm has been done. However, once
we use Words to tell this other person how we feel about them we
create a living specter which will always stand between the two
of us.

We may care for, or appreciate, someone but until we actually
speak our Words of appreciation to this individual they will never
truly know how we feel. However, once we use Words to reveal
our feelings to this person an invisible and permanent bond forms
between the two of us and a new Relationship is created.

We may respect the efforts, behaviors and personality traits of
another individual, but until we compliment this individual with our
Words, they cannot ever fully realize that we appreciate them for
who they are and for what they do. However, once we use Words
to communicate our respect for this other person the Relationship
we currently have with this individual becomes elevated to an
entirely new level.

Words are powerful. We use Words to express ideas, bind
friendships, and make Promises. "His Word is his bond", or, "Her
Word is her bond" is the highest compliment one person can bestow
upon another; it firmly implies that the person being referred to is
trustworthy and honorable.

Words can be used to disarm a hostile adversary, comfort someone
in need, enter into commitments, or tell a lie. We can also use Words
to create emotions. Words are so powerful that they can produce
tears of sorrow and tears of joy.

Our Choice of Words not only creates the world around us but also
the world within us. Words define who we are and how we are
perceived by others. Our Words can make other people appreciate
us and enjoy our company or our Words can make us "distasteful"
to others and cause them to avoid our company.

Therefore, before we speak, we should be very careful of the Words
we Choose. For our Words determine who we are, who we will
Become, how we affect the world around us, and how we will
experience our Current Incarnation.

Comments and Emails: I welcome comments and emails from
people with similar thoughts and feelings. My email address is
located in the upper-left area of this page. Comments can be
posted by using the "Comment" link located below each article.
Also: If you found value in this article please feel free to forward
it to other like-minded individuals, organizations and sites.

Disclaimer: None of my articles should be considered to be
either advice or expertise. They are simply personal opinions
and no more. Everyone is encouraged to seek competent
advice from a licensed, registered, or certified professional
should such advice or service be required.

© copyright Joseph Panek 2010
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Sunday, February 21, 2010

Relationships


"For every thing there is a season,
and a time for every purpose under heaven."

-Ecclesiastes

Relationships are Cycles in our lives. And just like any other Cycle,
they serve a purpose for a specific duration of Time.

Good Relationships are gifts; they are Blessings. We should be
thankful for experiencing a good Relationship when it enters our life
and be prepared to let it go when its Cycle comes to an end.

Relationships, like Cycles, can be extremely short, extremely long,
or fall somewhere in-between.

An example of an extremely short Relationship is a stranger who
provides us with directions when we are lost. We are thankful to the
stranger and leave this Relationship with a warm feeling of kindness
toward this individual for entering our life at the appropriate Time
and giving us guidance.

An example of an extremely long Relationship would be a childhood
friendship which remains with us for the duration of our Incarnation.

Marriages and romantic intimacies are also Relationships which
can last for varying degrees of Time. Some marriages last a lifetime
for both partners. However, a large number of marriages last for
only a finite amount of Time before their Cycles come to an end by
either divorce or through the physical death of one of the partners.

Physical death of one of the partners is Divine termination of a
Relationship once its purpose - its Cycle - has been completed.
And although we may feel as if a gift has been taken from us when
such an Event occurs, we eventually come to realize that Divinity,
in Its Infinite Wisdom, has provided us with a golden, untarnished
Memory which will accompany us, and guide us, throughout the
remainder of our Incarnation.

When we think back on our Past and current Relationships we
come to realize that none of these Relationships started out as
"bad". They all began with excitement, expectation, Hopes, and
dreams. And although they may have eventually deteriorated into
a "bad" Relationship, they did not start out that way.

Perhaps the most difficult thing for us to understand, and accept,
in a Relationship is when its Cycle is coming to and end. Upon
recognizing that a Relationship is coming to an end we should be
prepared to end the Relationship with the same tenderness and
kindness with which it began. We should bow out gracefully and
take nothing but fond experiences and Memories with us. Ending
a Relationship in this fashion is a sign of respect, class, and Wisdom
which has a positive effect and leaves both partners with warm
and kind Lessons and memories as they continue down the Path
of their future.

Failing to understand when a Relationship is over, and failing to
close a Relationship with class, respect, and Wisdom turns a once
wonderful experience sour and creates ill-will and negative Karma
for the concerned individuals throughout the remainder of their
physical Incarnations.

Relationships are special gifts and Blessings bestowed upon
us by Divinity and should be experienced and respected as such.
However, should it become necessary to close a Relationship, we
should invoke, and employ, Wisdom in the closure process.
For Wisdom, by its very own perfect nature, will allow both
individuals to move on while maintaining warm Memories of a
Relationship that was once wonderful, exciting, and young.

Comments and Emails: I welcome comments and emails from
people with similar thoughts and feelings. My email address is
located in the upper-left area of this page. Comments can be
posted by using the "Comment" link located below each article.
Also: If you found value in this article please feel free to forward
it to other like-minded individuals, organizations and sites.

Disclaimer: None of my articles should be considered to be
either advice or expertise. They are simply personal opinions
and no more. Everyone is encouraged to seek competent
advice from a licensed, registered, or certified professional
should such advice or service be required.

© copyright Joseph Panek 2010
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Sunday, February 14, 2010

Love


"What is Love?"
-Age Old Question

"Whenever we place a condition on what
we perceive to be love, it is not love."
- Joseph Panek

Perhaps the most talked-about, fantasized, and misunderstood issue
confronting us in our current Incarnation is the concept of feeling
and sharing Love with another person.

Love...it is a Word that is so haphazardly tossed around that its true
meaning has become diluted and confused. Is it any wonder, there-
fore, that we are so bewildered when we attempt to understand the
true meaning of that Divine Essence which we call Love?

Numerous books and articles have been written about Love. Yet,
it seems the more we read about "Love" the less we are able to
understand this Divine and mystical concept.

We ache to receive Love. We long to share Love. We fantasize about
a perfect "other" to be in Love with. But how can we possibly find
Love, give Love, and receive Love if we do not honestly understand
what true Love is?

Perhaps the simplest way to resolve this age old dilemma of what
Love is is to first determine what Love is not.

Love is not to be confused with infatuation, lust, passion, or
possessiveness. It is not a fleeting interest, a momentary desire,
a tempting flirtation, or a temporary excitement.

Love is not obtained, or given, under any form of duress, guilt, or
force. It is not a contract with rules, regulations, expectations, and
Consequences spelled out. It is not demands imposed upon one
another, nor is it an agreement, treaty, or Compromise.

Love is not an empty Oath given, or taken, under the guise of force,
duress, guilt, loneliness, lust, jealousy, possessiveness, platonic
motives, group acceptance, mutual benefits, or carnal expectation.

And finally, Love is not expressed by way of a far-off, dreamy, and
deluded smile of false ecstasy which some adopt into their behavior
to both convince themselves, and impress others, that they are
"in love".

Simply put, Love makes no demands; nor does it burden itself
with expectations. In addition, Love makes no attempt to "live up
to the expectations of others".

WHEW! Now that we have all of that out of the way, let's take a
look at what Love IS.

Love is any Action we perform for the benefit of someone, or
something, else for which we expect nothing in return. Love is
expressed by way of a Selfless Act, Unattached Caring, and the
voluntary Sacrifice of oneself to a Higher Cause. In short, if we
were to define Love with just one Word, that one Word would be
"Kindness".

With this in mind, let us examine the different ways in which Love
manifests itself through us by Acts of Kindness.

The Selfless Act and Unattached Caring are very closely related
to each other. They are the simple Kindnesses which we
unconsciously bestow upon someone, or something, else. Some
examples are: placing a divider on the conveyor at the checkout
stand for the benefit of the person behind us; providing a bowl of
milk for a hungry, lost, and frightened kitten; healing an injured
bird's wing and nursing it back to health so we may set it free; and,
comforting someone when they are emotionally distressed.

The Higher Cause is a much rarer form of Love which we may
experience perhaps only once or twice in our lifetime. It is when
we voluntarily forego personal safety, personal gain, and
egotistical theatrics for either the betterment of humanity or the
well-being of another person.

Those who find themselves participating in A Higher Cause are the
unsung heroes of the Spiritual human condition who experience the
highest form of both Self-Sacrifice and Love. (See: The Higher Cause)

Love, therefore, may best be described as a warm, inner glow; a
state of oneness, contentment, and Harmony in which the purity,
or Kindness, of our Action Becomes our Unexpected Reward.

This is why romantic novels, movies, songs, and poems move us
to tears. They stimulate our deep, inner longing to participate in,
and share, true Love. A longing that can only be fulfilled by
experiencing the results of Unselfish Acts of Kindness on our part
which Harmonize with, and draw out, the highest Spiritual virtues
and rewards available to us in the material realm.

True Love is rare. True Love is pure. True Love is unselfish,
compassionate, and tender. And although our experiences of
True Love can be fleeting and rare, they are certainly worth the
Quest. For our Quest may eventually lead us to a Compatible
partner who shares the same feelings, Beliefs, and dreams as we do.

Then we can experience the kind of Harmonious Romance which
is probably best expressed by our poets and ancient philosophers
through such tender and heart-warming phrases as:
"Love is One Spirit occupying two bodies"
- Aristotle
"Love does not consist of gazing at each other,
but in looking together in the same direction."
-Antoine De Saint-Exupery

Comments and Emails: I welcome comments and emails from
people with similar thoughts and feelings. My email address is
located in the upper-left area of this page. Comments can be
posted by using the "Comment" link located below each article.
Also: If you found value in this article please feel free to forward
it to other like-minded individuals, organizations and sites.

Disclaimer: None of my articles should be considered to be
either advice or expertise. They are simply personal opinions
and no more. Everyone is encouraged to seek competent
advice from a licensed, registered, or certified professional
should such advice or service be required.

© copyright Joseph Panek 2010
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Sunday, February 7, 2010

Compatibility


In the physical realm, opposites attract. In the Spiritual Realm,
similarities attract.

The physical realm is the domain of the ego and the senses. When
something stimulates our senses, our ego urges us to charge forth
with reckless abandon and capture the trophy which is the focal
point of our attention. We notice something that we "must
have" and we pursue it at all costs.

These stimulations can be a status symbol, such as a luxury
automobile, or expensive house, which is beyond our budget. It can
also be someone of the opposite sex whose outer Beauty charms us
into a hypnotic pursuit: an outer beauty which we all too often
discover is all that this person has to offer.

When we pursue something, or someone, simply because it
stimulates our senses we are buying the outer glitter; we are
purchasing a potentially empty package based solely on its outer
gift-wrap. Is it any wonder that so many of us become horribly
disappointed with the people and things we bring into our life
which are not Compatible with our personality.

Physical attraction should not be confused with perfection, for all
physical attributes wane over the course of Time. In addition,
external appearances by themselves, as is all-too-often the case,
are very seldom a representation of Truth, reliability, Wisdom,
and honesty

The Spiritual Realm, on the other hand, is the domain of intuition,
insight, and feelings. In the Spiritual Realm we seek out Harmony,
contentment, and like-mindedness. It is our Spiritual Nature which
seeks out the personalities, circumstances, and "things" which are
Compatible with who we are. In the Spiritual Realm we are more
concerned with Inner Essence than we are with outer features.
In other words, our Spiritual Nature is more concerned with the
contents contained within the package than it is with the gift-wrap.

As Spiritual beings occupying a physical world we are entitled to
enjoy all of the physical and spiritual experiences which are a part
of our Current Incarnation. Yet it seems, at least on the surface,
that our Spiritual Nature is pulling us in one direction while our
physical nature is pulling us in the exact opposite direction.

Is it possible for us to blend the best of both our Spiritual Nature
and physical nature together so that we may experience wonder,
joy, and pleasure in our Current Incarnation? The answer is...Yes!

True Compatibility consists of both physical and Spiritual attraction.
In other words, true Compatibility is Harmony.

Each one of us has a unique personal standard by which we gauge
attractiveness. However, external attractiveness and superfluous
beauty can be found everywhere. It is in our best interest that we
Seek out, identify, and attract only those individuals whose physical
attractiveness also radiates an inner beauty that is in Harmony with
our personality, our philosophy, and our dreams. In other words,
someone who is both physically and Spiritually Harmonious with our
Divine Nature.

When we combine physical and Spiritual Compatibility we attract
like-minded partners and friends into our lives. A Synergy is created
by which we both Become more together than we originally were
individually. We find that we have a warm respect for each other's
Thoughts and feelings and we sincerely enjoy the presence of each
other's company. We discover the Inner Treasure contained within
an attractively wrapped package. We experience Harmony,
Contentment, and Inner Peace. We experience Compatibility!

Comments and Emails: I welcome comments and emails from
people with similar thoughts and feelings. My email address is
located in the upper-left area of this page. Comments can be
posted by using the "Comment" link located below each article.
Also: If you found value in this article please feel free to forward
it to other like-minded individuals, organizations and sites.

Disclaimer: None of my articles should be considered to be
either advice or expertise. They are simply personal opinions
and no more. Everyone is encouraged to seek competent
advice from a licensed, registered, or certified professional
should such advice or service be required.

© copyright Joseph Panek 2010
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