Thank You Eve!

In the beginning ...

I often think that some things are symbolic meanings, as opposed to actuality. Like the apple in the Garden of Eden. I think it's a symbolic fruit, not a real one. The meaning behind this "apple" symbology was in people being more aware. After all, it was from the tree of knowledge. Eve had her eyes opened, with this knowledge, and only wanted to share what she knew. Who else could she tell but Adam? Sharing is caring. Right?

Also, I feel the snake is only a symbology of Adam's first wife, Lilith, who was banished for not loving Adam as God wanted her too. She did not want to be subservient to him. So God made Eve instead and all was well. That is, until Lilith showed back up and told Eve about this great truth she wasn't being allowed to know (knowledge/apple). Maybe Lilith didn't think women should be denied education. That snake!

There is also this reality, that we still see today, that some people want us to be dummies. They may even get angry when we find out more then they want us to know. This could be represented in God's anger for disobeying and by throwing us out of his home. 

But, did that stop us? Nope! We women have been a handful ever since, because we chose to be aware instead of ignorant. We are the symbol for enlightenment. So ... we have to "carry" the new generations for disobeying? No problem. Here, have an apple. It keeps the doctor away. 

And so it continues ...

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Picture: Eva holding the apple, detail from "Adam and Eva" by Lucas Cranach The Elder, 1528.

Blocking Negative Thoughts and Emotions

I did a blog earlier about questioning everything, including our thoughts. 

Question Everything - http://atomaraneadvice.blogspot.com/2016/03/question-everything.html?m=1

This made me think of something more I can add to that. People have often told me that my videos have been very helpful, especially in being more aware that not all one thinks or feels, mostly negativity, is from themselves. We need to be aware of this so we can question that too. 

Something that may help question or block any negative thoughts or emotions is what I've taught my students, which is: anything negative isn't me. Even if you feel it is, tell yourself it isn't. Meaning those particular thoughts or emotions that are design to be mean or hateful to you or another. It's easy to "cancel them out" by mentally denying it. For instance, similar to when a child says something negative to another child and that child replies - So! Similar to saying - talk to the hand! Especially, if you're sensing it's meant to undermine you or another. That's a big clue. 

Yes, blocking negativity can be that simple. Of course, it might be difficult, in the beginning, but persistence pays. Think about it this way, how would you feel if those feelings that you should commit a crime or commit suicide, etc., were coming from another that's unseen? Would you still go along with it? Would you be angry? Would you say "so" or "talk to the hand"? Would you be sad and agree? Either way, whatever your decision, whether it comes from you or another, you still allow it. Wouldn't it be better to allow something positive for you? 

In addition, if a thought is received that you're too thin or too fat, for instance, it's up to you to decide if it true or how you react to it. It's up to you to use it in a negative or positive manner. After you become more aware of these thoughts, the emotions behind them will guide you. This will let you know if they're helping you or not.

Lastly, here's a video I made about blocking thoughts. It was a challenge I put out about understanding where thoughts can come from and why. And why some thoughts, understandably, may not have your best interest at heart. 

Blocking Thoughts & Emotions - A Challenge - https://youtu.be/m8JssU8aA9o

Question Everything

When I was a teen, my dad taught me an important lesson that I still use over 50 years later. He said that I should question everything and don't believe everything I read or hear and only half of what I see. Another thing he would discourage is hearsay. He would ask me if I heard it from that person's mouth or another's.

It's a great philosophy, especially in today's times with all the deceitful memes and websites. We should research to the best of our abilities and never assume. I'm seeing people jump on the proverbial bandwagon because it's catering to their wants, regardless of it being factual. I've caught myself doing the same and have to really push at myself not to get caught up in that flow.

Lastly, it took my "awakening" to teach me another valuable lesson: Don't believe everything you think. Yes, we have a right to question our thoughts and feelings too. Why do I feel this way about this person? Why am I belittling or berating myself? Is any of this logical?

Remember, we have been shown, thoughout history, that even people in authority can be wrong at times. Question everything.

America: Don't Put All Your Eggs in One Basket!

With operations in more than 40 countries, Disney has approximately 166,000 employees and cast members around the world. It would be a extreme, economical hardship on the employees and families if they closed their business. The domino effect would also be felt by all their vendors, leading to an economical impact on those employees and families too. In time, they would eventually, and hopefully, recover by utilizing other sources.

With an approximate U.S. population of 323,390,785, and counting, it would not be an extreme economical impact if our country failed. It would be a huge, horrendous disaster. Not just by the people who live here, but the domino effect that other countries would suffer because of world trade.Today's world trade would make the impact stronger than felt in earlier history. This is what can happen when you have a government in complete control - where they slowly and insidiously take over - and then fail.

This is why we have the proverb: don't put all your eggs in one basket. This is why people who invest in the stock market are advised to diversify. This is why big corporations do business in other countries. It's something to consider when anyone thinks that having their country run or control everything, their hand in every area, is a smart idea. It's not.

It's one thing when large corporations fail. It's another when large countries fail.

Belligerent: A Means to Another's End

Belligerent (adj.) 1.Inclined or eager to fight; hostile or aggressive. 2.Of, pertaining to, or engaged in warfare.

I, jokingly, told a friend once that God must have made a plan, many years ago, to make most of our teens belligerent in order to keep them from living at home forever. That's so we, as parents, would want them to leave our home, so they can start their own, and help them become adults. However, lately it seems more kids are staying at home longer (or coming back home), possibly due to economic reasons.

So, I decided to ask God, one day, if He could please consider lightening up, somewhat, on the "hormones" that creates this "teen" attitude; give parents a break - even if we were hellions as children ourselves. Maybe He could teach us how to forgive our past transgressions, and transgressors, so we can improve and move on.

I hope He listens. Maybe He has, as I have seen "some" teens being very nice to their parents and their parents being really nice to them. Sadly, it also looks like we still have a long way to go. History has shown us that we are still repeating this lesson. Why aren't we getting it? Because we're not listening? Arrogance? Or, is this belligerence being used as a means to another's end?

Positive Mental Attitude

I know it's difficult to have a positive mental attitude, especially with those that feel they live in a swamp with alligators constantly nipping at their rump.

However, any journey out of the swamp takes your decision to make the first step toward dry land.

Sure, there may be extenuating circumstances, but you must keep moving in the direction you want.

Most importantly, don’t sit in the muck looking for an invisible hand to pull you out, because it may never happen.

Mature Love

I've often been asked questions about relationships and love throughout my adult life but especially since making videos on You Tube. So I wanted to share something I've learned, which took me some time to discover.

My husband and I are still recovering from a cold. Just as we think we're getting better, we seem to relapse a little. Ugh. A cough can come on out of the blue. Yesterday, while eating breakfast, he suddenly started coughing and spewed his cereal across the table. Poor thing felt so bad but we cleaned it up and carried on. This morning, I noticed he had put a paper towel sheet at each of our places. I asked him why, since we've never done this, if we're only eating cereal. He said, it's in case we cough, we have something to cough into.

He often acts like Mr. Macho, his "it's a sign of weakness" thing, but it's little things like this that tells me how much he does care about things. Yes, he can be a frustrating pain in the butt at times, but so can I. Yet, I notice the little caring things too, as I'm sure he notices the things I do.

That's what relationships are all about. Not just the laughter, the loving, and the caring but the frustrations, the arguments, and even the disappointments. Also, its about earning respect and trust. To me this defines mature love as opposed to young love. In other words, love can be instant but love is always a work in progress.

Like a job, if you want to keep it, you have to work at it. You don't curse or steal from your employer expecting to stay employed. You can't expect an employer to be any less in order to keep employees. It's always a two way street. If you're giving and another is taking, it's not mature love.

Political Dissenters or Whiners?

I was watching the news earlier today and decided to vent. Lately, I've been watching the political rallies and listening to the "woe is me - I've been mistreated" mentality of political dissenters. Those who get escorted out of the rallies as if they honestly thought they wouldn't or that there wouldn't be a possiblity of getting hurt. Seriously?

The worse part is the news or social media who enables this whining mentality, as if these people have any rights when they disrupt peaceful assembly or that they've been persecuted because of it. Really?

Have they lost their minds? What about common sense in all this? What about choices? What did they think would happen by going into "enemy territory." Maybe the real reason is big egos, an excuse to sue for money, or both.

After all, would you intentionally walk into a lion's den, stir up the lions, and think that their DNA will suddenly change and they won't eat you? Would you?

Stupid is as stupid does. I have no sympathy. If you walk into risky territory, knowing it's risky, be prepared to pay the price. What did they expect, that the lions were going to give them a meal instead?

You Won't Believe the Dream I Had!

In 2011, I was "presented" with a question: "Are sci-fi (fantasy) writers getting ideas from us or are we getting ideas from them?" It was a very interesting question. What if it's both? From someone who's had some pretty outrageous dreams, as well as hearing those of others, this sounded quite plausible.

For instance, it could be our remembered subconscious dreams, being written down by our conscious minds and relayed to others through verbal telling, books or movies. However, what if it's our forgotten subconscious dreams being relayed to another's conscious mind, via universal thoughts, in order to write sci-fi (fantasy) stories? Either way, this, in turn, relays it to a multitude of conscious minds, through books and movies, which may affect their subconscious dreams.

Yet, what if someone didn't see said sci-fi (fantasy) movie and they still dreamed it anyway? Think of Alice in Wonderland and someone in a country with no ability of seeing movies or television, but had a dream about it. Can you imagine the telling of that dream to others unaware of the movie either?

Also, could someone be dreaming another's reality? Maybe in the telling, or writing, this "reality" dream, over time, becomes more farfetched, eventually creating sci-fi (fantasy) thoughts in the universe that would, over time, permeate into other's minds during their dream state thereby becoming the new story tellers when they say: you won't believe the dream I had!

Peacemakers

I have had causes that I've stood for but have done my best to do it in a peaceful and legal manner. This is evident in my blogs and videos. However, I've learned that causes can take time to make the desired changes. Yet, some causes may never change due to numerous reasons. They could, possibly, be irrational or unreasonable causes, based on wisdom of history and not wanting to repeat a painful past. Not everyone is savvy on history and the problems that have occured from our past or we wouldn't still be acting the way we do.

Or, maybe some just don't care. Some people aren't always ready to deal with new or better ideas. It has been known to cause anger due to fear of change. Angry energy that's going on around our planet is perpetuating more angry energy. Everyone seems to be jumping on whatever proverbial bandwagon in order to release any pent up anger. They may not even care what cause is involved, they're angry and want to vent, and it may not have anything to do with why they're angry. This often causes the bullying that is so prevalent today. It's a byproduct of their anger which may be channeled into self-righteous or self-gain platforms in order to feel justified in their actions.

To me, as I watch human nature in action, it appears that many haven't learned squat in handling their emotions, or "fighting for their beliefs" in a civilized manner. They're still provoked, like spoil brats not getting their way, and allowing the sulking to create ideas of blowing up things and people. As if that ever solved anything.

Apparently, I've been told, it seems we also have old souls returning, that still feel like warring, continuing their reincarnation in this manner. If this is true, then they haven't learned squat either. That's pathetic, because it entices young souls to learn from them. Their youthful energy is easily provoked with the turmoil of emotions they encounter in life. They don't have the kind of guidance that shows a more tolerable way of releasing that hormonal turmoil in a more positive manner.

It's not for lack of trying, we've had old souls returning and teaching peaceful ways but often to the detriment of their lives. Is it because we prefer hate and anger over love and peace? Of course, there are exceptions to every rule because I couldn't stand by and watch someone attack another, if I could protect them, just because I have a nonviolent idealogy. Even Jesus preached to turn the other cheek but those he angrily attacked in the temple didn't think he was being non-violent much less non-judgmental. I understand that there are times that we get pushed too far and have a right to defend ourselves or others. The point is, why are we still in this same mentality after all these years? Many people have done their best to show there's a better way to do things. Why do we still feel the need to crucify these peacemakers instead of learning from them?

After all this time, with all these master teachers who've return to guide, has it all been for naught? The often illogical and unreasonable hate continues and the angry and warring people may eventually destroy this planet. The meek may inherit the earth, if there's anything left of it or them. Yet, I pray the peacemakers continue to instruct and, hopefully, one day we'll all be enlightened with this awareness: peace without starts with peace within. Maybe then, we can finally be rid of ancient ideas that the only way to accomplish anything is with anger, fighting and wars.

Today's fantasy begins with one step for tomorrow's reality.