Reacting and acting: how circumstances shape our lives.

I decided to check with an AI platform, what it would say about action and reaction, and the circumstances, which are the unseen hands behind everything. Here you are, with a few modifications:

 

The Soul's Journey: Navigating Reactivity and Conscious Action

In the labyrinth of existence, our lives unfold through a delicate interplay of reacting and acting, all orchestrated by the unseen hands of circumstance. As spiritual beings on a human journey, we are invited to contemplate the profound wisdom embedded within this dance.

Reacting, often an unconscious reflex, emerges from the depths of our conditioning and past experiences. It's the instinctual response triggered by external stimuli, woven with the threads of fear, desire and ego. In the struggle of reaction, we find ourselves made to advance by the currents of emotion, sometimes losing sight of our true essence.

Yet, amidst the chaos of reaction, there lies a sacred pause – a moment of choice, full of possibilities. Here, in the stillness of our being, we have the power to awaken to our innate wisdom and act from a place of conscious awareness.

Acting consciously is the art of responding to life's unfolding with grace and intention. It's the practice of aligning our actions with the whispers of our own self, the soul, guided by the compass of love and truth. Through conscious action, we become co-creators of our destiny, creating the tapestry of our lives with threads of authenticity and purpose.

However, it's essential to recognize the role of circumstance in shaping our journey. Circumstances, both benevolent and challenging, serve as the crossroad through which we may evolve and expand. They are the hindsight mirrors showing the lessons we are here to learn, inviting us to dance with them.

In the alchemy of life, our reactions and actions become the brushstrokes painting the canvas of the soul's journey. Each experience, whether joyful or sorrowful, offers us an opportunity for growth and transformation. It is through embracing the full spectrum of our human experience that we come to know the depth of our being.

As we navigate the ever-changing landscape of existence, let us remember that we are not mere passengers, but divine orchestrators of our destiny. Let us embrace each moment as a sacred gift, infused with the wisdom of the cosmos. And in the tapestry of our lives, may we find beauty in the interplay of reacting and acting, knowing that every twist and turn serves to lead us back home to the essence of our true selves.

 

It is interesting that the AI is making us reflect… Yes, a little too dramatic for my taste, almost Shakespearean, but let us remember whatever is in the AI comes from us.

So, I invite you and myself to do exactly that and by thinking, change something in your life, in my life.

If you do envy someone, what to do?

I don’t like the topic of envy or jealousy, but it happens to all of us. I would like to explore envy in the context of personal success, and what to do to rectify or to prevent its negative effects.

 

All of us want to be successful. It is natural and it doesn’t matter our way of life, just like nature, we will look for success. However, there are different types of success, as you know, and I would like to talk about 3 categories which can create some negative feelings within the self.

One type of success is quite superficial: a person reaches a goal and objective. Most of the times, success means going BEYOND those aims. However, it may not be possible and yet, the neighbor/cousin/former boss got that!! It can create a feeling of disappointment or disheartenment. The solution is to go back to school, that is, to understand what is the lesson to be learnt, learn and move on.

Another type of success is to get it through other people. It happens to parents, children, siblings and even bosses: others are successful and the person feels they are successful. It is a very special and pure sensation, something close to selflessness and it enables the individual to move forward. The only problem is the sense of an empty nest, particularly when the effect of that success by proxy fades off. Create a good life along with others’ success and there will be a personal feeling of achievement.

The last category of success may be called a holistic success, which means to be successful in all ways possible: spiritually, in terms of work and family, as a personal fulfillment and more. It is the sense of success of having done a wonderful job in life and nothing else remains to be done, it is pure satisfaction. There is nothing lacking in that type of success, but it is possible others are not so satisfied. I have seen people renouncing their dreams because of others’ feelings. The solution is to talk more with others and share some of the success with those people, reassuring them about their importance.

Heaven or hell? It all starts in your mind

OK, let’s imagine this scenario:

You got up very late.

You forgot to iron your clothes, so you have to get an old one.

You are about to leave home, when you remember today is a very important day!

You go back and when you iron the shirt, it burns a bit.

You burn your finger when you complain about the burning in the shirt.

You have probably burnt the carpet too!

Now you are TOO LATE.

You go out, looking for a taxi; no luck!

You try your favorite app for a ride, but no luck again!

You have to get into a transport somehow, when a car comes nearby you and splash your recently ironed-burnt shirt with water from the street…

 

Well, you are probably anxious just by reading this… This is like living in hell, or a quite hellish moment.

These are the small tragedies we tend to go through, things that are really not catastrophic, but they can give some headache or even a heart problem.

Now, what about a change of perception? Instead of living in hell, you are living in heaven…

You got up very late. The first thing you do is to meditate and express your gratitude.

You forgot to iron your clothes, so you have to get an old one. That was the first thought; in fact, you are so capable and full of energy, that you go and iron it right now; and here the narrative changes…

You are about to leave home, when you remember today is a very important day! Again, you meditate before leaving and you feel more than grateful.

You go back and when you iron the shirt, it burns a bit. Well, you have ironed it already, with no accidents; you are already on your way to work.

You burn your finger when you complain about the burning in the shirt. That does not happen! You are almost there…

You have probably burnt the carpet too! You are watching others while you go to work, you feel so good.

Now you are TOO LATE. You are going to arrive on time, that’s great.

You go out, looking for a taxi; no luck! You saved money with a taxi…

You try your favorite app for a ride, but no luck again! You also saved money with that ride app…

You have to get into a transport somehow, when a car comes nearby you and splash your recently ironed-burnt shirt with water from the street… You arrive safe and on time.

 

As you can see, by changing your perception, by thanking and being a reflective person instead of a reactive one, you are able to change the narrative of your life.

And the small tragedies become small moments of wonder.

Your thoughts are the bricks for your reality

Some people don’t like their reality, maybe you are one of them, but I will tell you something that I hope it will help.

 

You create your own reality!

 

I have noticed that whenever I start to think in a negative way, things get so dark in my life! And the opposite is true too; I think well and very good things take place.

OK, it doesn’t happen all the time, but most of the time. The reason: I AM CREATING MY OWN REALITY.

It can be magical: I think about travelling and everything gets fixed for that.

Or, it can be because you and I are thinking in a positive way, it is easier to find solutions and to solve problems. In a negative way, recently I had some doubts about a trip I had to do and voilà, I couldn’t get the visa… Looking back, because of the lack of motivation, I tried the visa late and I misunderstood some instructions (it does not happen to me so often), and so on.

So, if you don’t like your reality, don’t worry, don’t overthink and don’t get disheartened. Start from the level of your thoughts and build up your new reality, brick by brick, thought by thought. One day, you will be living in a palace made by your best thoughts.

How to REALLY get success?

Success is a slippery thing, but it is attainable and there are plenty of people out there to help you getting it.

Here are four things that will definitely make you reach a high point in your life, a definition of success:

• Preparation. Many years ago, I listened to this question, which has helped me for many years: if everything you have gone through has been a training, what have you trained for? Success is the fruit, it is the result of all we have done and by recognizing what we really have done, we would understand the depth of our own success. Yes, right now, you and I are preparing ourselves for a big event in our lives, the moment in which success turns into reality.
• Perseverance. Many things I am doing right now are not successful, but I don’t consider them as failure; for me, they are part of a process and there is always some benefit for me and others. Success is like a fruit, but it has to be taken care until it is ready for ripening; most of the things a normal person does are normal and success is the final result, the extraordinary fruit that comes from a very regular ordinary seed. Instead of giving up after failing, to get success try take one more step or change the way you do things.
• Strategy and tactics. We often realize the need to change something when there is no force and no energy to do it. Then they come; by thinking in a strategic way, like a chess player, an individual can foresee future threats and empower themselves to face them, or future opportunities for which they need training. A good strategist will be humble enough to accept their mistakes and weaknesses, while keeping a good self-esteem, by acknowledging their strengthens and powers. But, be careful, because too much strategy can take you into a state of paralysis. Implement the decisions, by design tactics and methods. The victory is just ahead!
• Keep swimming. A very wise yogi told a group of us that to get success, just keep moving ahead. Don’t stop, just walk forward… It seems a little simplistic, but many times, that is the best tactic. Success will come to those who never stop trying. Try, do it, don’t stop, just keep swimming in the ocean of possibilities the world is.

The possibilities to transform the impossible

Several times in life a person reaches a situation or circumstance that comes with the tag IMPOSSIBLE: it is something unattainable and unreachable, difficult and hard to make it, something that many try to avoid at all costs.

And yet, there are millions of IMPOSSIBLE things surrounding you and me right now… at least, they were IMPOSSIBLE at some moment in history. So, we can conclude IMPOSSIBLE things can take place; they can become POSSIBLE.

By exploring that possibility, there are basically 3 ways to turn the IMPOSSIBLE, POSSIBLE:

Magic is the first thing you could think, but of course, magic does not exist. Right? Well… we can use the word Magic when something really unexpected happens. I remember the first time I travelled to India; I was earning monthly around US$ 300 while the ticket was about US$ 2,000, I didn’t even have passport, and yet, I’VE GOT IT! It was magical… Magic happens when there is faith on the IMPOSSIBLE becoming POSSIBLE and clarity on the results to be obtained. Try it!

 

The second possibility is simply called a Wonder, and that is the moment when the IMPOSSIBLE melts away and the POSSIBLE emerges from it. I live in the result of a wonder, a house belonging to an organization that does not charge any fees for their services. More than 15 years ago, we started having the aim for this house and eventually, it came up as a fruit of everyone’s effort. Wonders take place when there is a clear goal and others’ cooperation.

 

And, yes, we have Miracles. I had a few experiences in that area, but I am not talking here about the religious miracle; I am talking about miracle as that thing which is REALLY IMPOSSIBLE, UNATTAINABLE, but it happens. For so many years I used to have asthma attacks during winter, which was bad for me and my mother, whose sleep was deeply disturbed and she was full of worry about me. Then, at the age of 21, I went to India, DURING WINTER… but I didn’t have an asthma attack. In fact, it never came back! I am almost 60 and although my lungs are not excellent, asthma left my life at that point. The reason, according to my reflection: 1) of course, years of treatment helped; 2) I was more aware of my health and the environment I was living was much better than before, and 3) I was doing meditation and for me that was key for this Miracle. If you want a miracle, do your homework (treatment, dialogues, education, training, etc.), improve your life environment and have a spiritual practice.

 

Next time you face an IMPOSSIBLE situation, check about these possibilities and see how the IMPOSSIBLE changes into POSSIBLE. Good luck!

What are the real effects of forgiving?

 

Forgiveness is more than being saintly, it is a healing tool, a way to repair broken bridges with other people and a wonderful way to experience constructive emotions. I would like to invite you to read this article about forgiveness, from the point of view of neuroscience: The Neurobiology of Forgiveness.

In my case, would like to share my own experience as I am in a spiritual path for more than 40 years, which I hope will motivate you to forgive. And be forgiven.

• Forgiveness is healing for the one who forgives. In fact, I believe when I forgive, I am forgiving myself to have allowed that sorrow entering in my life or losing my own self-respect due to that.
• Forgiving cannot be compulsory, it must flow. A very wise yoga teacher shared when she could not forgive; she decided to connect the person with someone who could provide whatever they need… She took her time, until she was able to at least talk to the person again, an important step.
• Forgiveness is a way to others’ hearts. When you forgive someone, whether they know or not, a powerful energy links you both again… It may take time, but the relationship can resume.
• Forgiveness does not necessarily mean that all changes because of it. It is a process of acknowledgment and, from this, you can change whatever is needed.
• Forgiveness works best with best wishes, detachment and unconditional love.
• Forgiveness works worse with expectations, grudging and blaming.
• Forgiveness opens wounds, make sure you are prepared for it.
• Forgiveness improves by meditating, praying and other spiritual practices.
• Forgiving does not mean to talk to the other person. Do it when you are both ready.