Sunday, October 30, 2011

Emotional Decisions


"Never make a decision while the reckless
steeds of emotion are thundering in all directions."
- Joseph Panek

There are times in our lives when we experience stressful, chaotic,
or fearful situations; times when we feel completely out of control
in our environment; times when we feel compelled to make an
immediate decision, promise, commitment, or compromise; times
when we are tempted to cast blame for our discomforting
situation upon someone else.

And although we may Think that immediate and quick decisions
are necessary to calm our racing minds at these times, the
opposite is most often True.

At times like these, when we are still under the Stress of the
moment, our emotions are disturbed and our thinking is clouded
due to the anxiety of whatever it is that is upsetting us. These
are the worst times for us to make a quick decision, promise,
commitment, or compromise. It is also the most inappropriate
time for us to "point fingers" and place blame.

When faced with any emotionally distressing or confusing situation,
the safest action we can normally take is to calm our minds and let
the situation play itself out. This enables us to put a little distance
between the us and the event that is upsetting us; thereby allowing
more information to come forth while, at the same time, allowing
our mind to become more settled.

This combination of distance and additional information is what
enables us to properly analyze the traumatic Event and make the
most appropriate and rational decision. For it is impossible to
clearly understand a stressful or chaotic situation clearly while we
are still under its spell. By allowing a certain period of Time to pass,
our emotions calm down, we are able to evaluate the situation with
clarity, and we prevent ourselves from saying or doing something
which we may later regret

In addition, we may also experience instances in our lives when we
have a severe emotional disagreement with another person and our
first impulse is to "rush in" and "make things right" with this
individual. This kind of emotional volatility falls into the same
category as any other emotionally stressful situation. For these are
the times when all individuals involved are emotionally distraught
and least able to make sound, rational, beneficial, and sincere
decisions.

When we find ourselves involved in stressful situations such as
these, it is very important to let an appropriate amount of time pass
before Words are spoken. Otherwise, every person who is involved
in this process may very well regret the words spoken, the Actions
taken, and the injuries inflicted which can never be healed or
reversed.

To take Action while under stress, or in a state of high-emotion,
causes us to make Decisions, statements, Promises, and
Compromises that we may not only regret but cannot be taken back.

Once an Action is done, it cannot be undone. Once we say
something hurtful to another person, we cannot take these words
back. Although we can apologize, an apology does not cure the
harm which has been inflicted. For the pain of our words will
always remain and our Relationship with that person will never be
the same.

The same goes for making commitments, compromises, and
promises while still under the influence of emotional stress.

Because our emotions are clouded and confused when we find
ourselves in emotionally stressful situations, anything we either
say or commit to while under the influences of these conditions
generally ends up being either broken, rescinded, or ignored;
resulting in behaviors that neither we, nor any of the other persons
who are involved, will ever be able to forget or fully Forgive.

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 2011
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Sunday, October 23, 2011

The Theater Of Life


"All the world's a stage,
and all the men and women merely players..."

- William Shakespeare

The world is one huge Theater. Within this Theater there are a
limitless number of Stages. Upon these Stages exist a vast
multitude of Actors involved in an infinite number of Plays.

We see these Actors performing on their personally chosen
Stages each and every day.

The student's stage is a classroom. The doctors stage is a
hospital. The authors stage is a place of quiet solitude. The
criminal's stage is a prison. A judge's stage is the courtroom.

So it goes, on and on, all these actors involved in all these plays
on all these stages.  And on one of these Stages, in one of these
Plays, each one of us is acting out our own individual part.

Are we happy with the Stage we are on, the Role we are playing,
and the Script we are reciting? Some people are, but many people
are not!

When we view our lives from this point-of-view we get an entirely
different outlook on the jobs, professions, and activities in which
we involve ourselves.

How many of us have Become very good at an occupation that we
are dissatisfied with? How many of us are involved in activities that
have been chosen for us by someone else?  How many of us are
acting out Roles that are not in Harmony with Our Divine Nature?

We are all Professional Actors who are very capable of Award
Winning performances in a Role, and on a Stage, that is
Harmonious with our True Nature. If we don't like the particular
Role we are currently involved in we can simply Choose to move
to another Play on another Stage and assume a Role which
provides us with the comfort, contentment, and Adventure we feel
that we deserve.

There are numerous Stages and uncountable Roles from which
we can Choose. The fact that we have plenty of past experience
performing a certain Role we are unhappy with does not Obligate
us to continue on with that Role. We can Change Stages, Roles,
and Scripts any Time we Choose.

Our Incarnation is a Gift that is meant to be experienced and
enjoyed.  The best way for us to enjoy our Gift is to Choose only
those experiences which are Harmonious with Our Divine Nature.
This is one of the Lessons handed down to us through the art
and practice of Alchemy.

If this is selfish, then let us exercise our Divine Right to be Selfish.
Selfishness is far superior to misery; for we become unhappy,
frustrated, and unfulfilled when we participate in any experience
that is not Harmonious with our True Self.

We owe it to ourselves to be the best person we can be and to
experience the best life (Incarnation) possible.

We were granted our current Incarnation in order to evolve,
Become, experience, and enjoy our life in the most positive and
expansive way Imaginable.  If we are unhappy and unfulfilled with
how our current Incarnation is progressing, we have the Sovereign
right to turn in our script, take off our costume, exit the Stage, and
Become the most enthusiastic and Sincere Actor playing our favorite
Role upon the Stage-of-our-Choosing in this great Theater of Life.

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 2011
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Sunday, October 16, 2011

The Unattached Observer
(The Beholder Of Cycles, Events, and Destiny)


"The iron chain and the silken cord
are both equally bonds."

- Friedrich von Schiller

There is a very insightful statement which appears on page 61 of
"The Fire From Within" by Carlos Castaneda which bears further
attention and comment:

"...Seers aim to be free, to be unbiased witnesses incapable of
passing judgment; otherwise they would have to assume the
responsibility for bringing about a more adjusted cycle. No one
can do that. The new cycle, if it is to come, must come of itself."


As this paragraph is an excellent description of an Unattached
Observer, let us look further into this statement and attempt to
analyze its insights and Instruction.

As Events create Cycles, they therefore share a similar bond.
Cycles can be cosmic, planetary, societal, and personal. And
although cosmic and planetary Cycles are unalterable, and
generally beyond our control, we still have the ability and
responsibility to be Aware of them.

Societal and personal Cycles and Events are a completely different
matter. They can either present us with those golden opportunities
which appear to us perhaps only a handful of times during our
lifetimes, or, they can be the trap-doors that constantly get us into
an awful lot of trouble.

Societal and personal Events are brought about by Actions. Actions
can be in the form of Words, personal behavior, or massive group
(mob) undertakings. Once an Action is performed a Cycle is created;
and This Cycle will have Consequences. Furthermore, this Cycle
must experience its own completion; nothing can stop it once it is
set into motion.

Seers, and Seekers, understand that whenever we create an Event,
or Share Energy with with a person, place, thing, or Event, we
become bound to, and responsible for, the Consequences of the
Event we either participate in or create. The responsibilities and
Karmic burdens we may incur from the resulting Consequences of
these Events can often limit our personal freedom and clear thinking
long after these Events complete their normal Cycles.

Therefore, Seers and Seekers are very cautious of who and what
they Choose to share and invest their energies with. This is why
Seers and Seekers very rarely involve themselves in societal
and inter-personal Events and simply maintain the role of an
Unattached Observer.

So, with this Thought in mind, the question we should be asking
ourselves is simply this: Do we want to be swept away by personal,
inter-personal, societal, and perhaps even cosmic Events which are
such a large part of Human Behavior and our Human experience, or
do we simply prefer to be an Unattached Observer who is immune to
these Cycles and Events and the Consequences which they create?

As every Action (whether by word or deed) creates an Event, and
every Event has a Cycle, and every Cycle has a duration and
Consequences, each one of us possesses the Free Will to Choose
whether or not we will participate in, and therefore bind ourselves to,
an Event, its duration, and its Consequences.

We Learn by way of two different processes: observation and
experience. Furthermore, experience can be gained by either of
two  ways: personal experience or the experiences of others. As
personal experience can often be expensive and brutal, it is Wise
to learn as much as we can from the experiences of history and
the experience of others.

Seers and Seekers who maintain the role of the Unattached
Observer understand this important principle. They are the
Lone Wolfs who realize that Non-Interference allows us to be
free, unbiased, unattached, and observing. Whereas Interference
restricts our freedom, causes us to form and defend Opinions,
attaches us to Events and their Consequences, and prevents us
from being Aware of what is truly happening.

The Unattached Observer has cultivated the ability to properly
observe and understand an Action or Event along with the
Consequences it will bring forth. This Awareness enables the
Unattached Observer to Wisely Choose whether to participate
in, or distance themself from, any particular Event.

Finally, Unattached Observers, being fully Aware of the Cycles
which are created by Actions and Events, understand that once a
Cycle is created it cannot be stopped; it must completely exhaust
itself. This "pearl of Wisdom" prevents them from interfering in any
Cycles which individuals, crowds, or societies have put into motion.

They completely understand that any attempt to interfere with any
Cycle already in motion disturbs its natural rhythm, binds them to
the Cycle, and creates responsibilities and obligations which can
limit their freedom, disturb their peace of mind, and draw them from
the Path of their personal Destiny.

Although there are Cycles, Events, and Destinies which constantly
befall mankind, The Unattached Observer is fully Aware that he, or
she, is not required to participate in these issues. The Unattached
Observer simply observes these issues from a distance, sidesteps
the follies and intrigues of the masses, and takes pleasure in the
peace and contentment of their own personal Journey.

See also: "The Prime Directive"

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 2011
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