Learning, unlearning and relearning

Learning is a key piece in our adaptation to new environments. That is how we could survive jungles, live in communities and later, in cities.

However, 20th century has somehow affected it. Until the 19th century, learning was not needed all the time... a normal person could learn as much as they wanted until a certain age; after that, the need for learning would happen from time to time - for instance, learning how to be a father or how to deal with retirement. And even the last two examples were easier as there was always the presence of someone in the family who has gone through a similar situation and whom would act as a mentor to them.

As years passed by, the need for learning started to happen much faster and with more frequency. It is not only they would need to learn how to be a father; they would also learn how to be an infant's father, then a teenager's father and finally an adult's father.

Nowadays, you need to learn more and more things, and much more often than before: every time you buy a new smartphone or tablet, or you try a new airline or a new ice-cream shop... Therefore, the old ways of learning don't work in this case.

We had time for theory, ideas to be understood and assimilated, creating a powerful foundation for a further step in the process, the practice. Nowadays, practice may even come before theory...

There is a 3-step model you can use that can be helpful when you are struggling with this fast-pace world:

1. Learn. If it is something you are learning for the first time, understand your own ways of learning; for instance, for some people READING is easier than BE TAUGHT something. In this way, you can choose your right method.
2. Unlearn. Some things you have learned have changed so dramatically that you need to erase that form your memory, so that you can learn about it again. This is more attitude than reality, and it is based on humility and a realization that whatever I have learned about this or that matter, is not working anymore, so I let go of the past and embrace new ways.
3. Relearn. After unlearning something, it is important to use a different methodology to learn something you already knew before. Pick the manual, browse your web or talk to other people about it. Dare to challenge your own assumptions and enjoy the novelty.

Hope that works for you, take care.

Spirituality and life

One of the evolution steps, if that is an evolution, was to separate the religious and non-religious side of people: government, school, hospitals, all that used to be tied to some religion and now they are as far as possible from that. There have been many reasons for it, of course, but in general that has created a particular consequence.

You see, religion is basically two things: tradition and rituals, and spirituality. In fact, what people seem to get distant is from traditions, as they don't accommodate to modern times for easily. What they don't notice is that they lose also access to their own spirituality...

Spirituality cannot be taught, only experienced. It is in every one of us, as we are spiritual beings. By getting in touch with matter, and other people, we created society and, in its beginning and for a long time, spirituality helped society to keep certain aspects of us, spiritual beings, such as values. The way to do that was to create religion where spirituality is present, encased in a way that is understandable to others.

By losing our religion, we are losing also our spirituality and the access to an identity you can't see in a mirror. Worse than that, our values, which used to show in our actions, are also getting lost in the process.

As a reaction to this situation, humans created other ways. Spiritual groups, like the Brahma Kumaris, to which I am part, emerged in an attempt to give people back what they lost: access to their own spirituality. In this way, our values would come back gradually to our lives and our society eventually will turn into that wonderful experience that surely was in the beginning.

Spirituality cannot be lived only inside four walls. Yes, you can practice it in a particular place, but you need to live it at every second of your life, just like you are a man or woman twenty-four hours a day. And that is the big challenge, to make spirituality part of day-to-day life.

Just try it, and see the consequences:

• Go back to your religion and live it as an experience, instead of a tradition; feel it.
• Find a religion you like or you feel you may like it, and live it as an experience, beyond all rituals.
• There are many spiritual groups with their doors open; find one where you "tune" into the vibration, teachings and practices.

And see your values coming back to life, among other changes... See your life changing...

Should I care about others?

In a world of 24 hours media, where you have access to 7 days week information about anyone you want, from anywhere, should you really care about others?

At any moment, there is a conflict or tragedy going on, so I was just remembering a story a friend of mine once told me. He was a very Catholic person and as a good Catholic, he used to like to give alms to the poor. However, one day he was without much money and there were many beggars waiting for their alms - he shared his inner struggle with me as he contemplated and tried to decide to whom he should give his few coins...

Is that happening now, in a massive scale? Should we cry for the victims of Iraq or USA? Should we send money for the refugees in Africa or to the people affected by the last natural tragedy? Or shouldn't we bother at all?

Many years ago, a huge earthquake affected Gujarat, near a place I go every year in India. People from the whole world started to pour money into that state, but I remember someone saying that all was a question of consciousness...

Am I helping because they are poor and helpless, and I have the money? Perhaps, there is another way to see that situation...

In a traditional family, there is always something going on: Frank is jobless again, Mary has problems with her husband or grandpa is not well and someone has to go with him to hospital. Families share responsibilities, in a natural way. Yes, some will complain, but at the end, there is a kind of balance in a normal family.

If we see the whole world as a big family, then it we are looking at a person who is going through a bad moment in their lives. They are not poor, in a bad sense... they are worthy, and if we see them like that, our help won't be a debt for them. We will really be caring about them, in our hearts, not only externally, not only because television is showing us that, but because they are our brothers and sisters.

Not only we will help them at the moment, we will try our best to create conditions so that won't happen again, ever.

Then, it is worthy to care about others. Otherwise, it is better to change the channel...

What will happen in the next 10 years?

The world is full of predictions; some are fulfilled, others are not. And yet, people are always waiting for that...

So, what will happen in the next 10 years in your life, your family and friends' lives, your community, country and the world in general? Can you tell me that?

I guess you would say something, or just say it is not possible to predict... but, let's do a different exercise.

Look at yourself now, in all the dimensions we mentioned before: you, family/friends, community and country. Go back 10 years... Check some newspaper in internet or just see your agenda for that time. Do you remember what you were wearing or the fashion? Can you tell me the place you were working, how much money you were spending and earning?

Now, compare that time to the present situation, and draw some conclusions...

If you do this exercise, you will be able to notice some trends. After that, try to visualize the future 10 years, working with the trends you have found.

The last phase is the most important: it starts with the question what can you do to prepare yourself for the future you are going to live? After responding it, implement it. And live it.

It is a wonderful work for the self as it makes you to keep the future present in your mind and at the same time, improving your present moment.

Our perspective counts

Watching the Colombia versus Brazil game would be difficult for me. As a Brazilian, I would obviously be in their favor, however as a Colombian 20-year-long resident... And sum to that the fact Brazilian team was not that good and the Colombian one was great, and you probably can figure that out.

In life, all depends on our point of view. After Brazil defeated Colombia, I could hear screams from both countries as from their perspective, the other did something very bad.

In fact, this means you can chose ALWAYS whatever you want to be or feel. If you have the right point of view, all will be alright, no matter what happens to you, check this video for that...

How to do it? Because this can be the key to stop complaining and wailing about your own destiny; it is the key to embrace whatever situation you are living and enjoy it from the heart.

Here are some tips that can be helpful:

• Everything that happens to you is always good. If you don't feel like it, change your mind set by meditating, talking to someone positive or reading/watching positive materials.
• Don't deny bad things, take care of them properly. Just chose a different focus than complaining... Do something, help other people with similar problems or go on a tour to some very different place.
• Love the life you have as much as possible. Don't compare with others or other places' lifestyle. Take the maximum benefit, feel blessed and be happy with someone else's smile.
• Self-dialogue works. When things don't work, as you would like or need, talk to yourself and look for the light behind the darkness and the reason behind the circumstances.
• Someone else's smile... Sometimes, as much as you do, things DON'T work. Just make someone smile and enjoy their happiness as if it was yours own, like this video here...

Remember: changing perspective does not change reality, but it changes your perception and how much you are affected by it.