Bienvenidos Chicas y Chicos,
Well my focus is definitely improving, as the posts are arriving like buses at present… you wait ages for one then 2 or 3 come along at once. Although I have made an effort to leave a day or so between them, so 2 of them don’t pass you by! Take heed of that simple concept BORIS! I decided to split this post into three smaller chunks in recognition of the chaos you the reader will be living in (oh the irony). The chance of anyone having the time to read all three in a day in today’s world of pure noise is zero! Following on from my brief foray into the ‘journey’ aspect of my thoughts, I would now like to focus on the possibility of signs that may be given to use as we progress through life. You choose to interpret the world before you in your own way and there is a possibility messages present themselves to you, as you progress down life’s path. It is whether or not you are in the right frame of mind at specific junctures, which will enable you to firstly; see them for what they are and secondly; choose to acknowledge them as such and take action! “With our thoughts we create our world” (The Buddha) Sign Language I have often thought about the concept of contentment, that moment where you have no cares in the world; no insecurities; no thoughts about anything that causes you past regression or future tenseness; where for whatever or whoever the reason you are content with yourself. For many of us these can be fleeting moments but often in these states you may notice that ‘random things happen’ (hence the comment about things happening when you least expect it… as in this frame of mind you are not expecting or wanting anything). You will bump into a friend you haven’t seen in 10 years walking down the street, a unexpected job opportunity will emerge etc. Or as has happened to me on a few occasions; individual words, randomly seen on the street, are linked and resonate with you (anyone else had this? Names on a postcard please). A journalist friend writing an article for a well known men’s magazine questioned me the other day and we had a long discussion on whether ‘love for someone else’ actually exists, or whether as a well known author once commented, it is actually at this moment that you are in love with yourself! As knowing someone cares for you and is attracted to you, allows you to reach that self state of contentment without having to achieve it on your own. An interesting concept and not one I am going to dwell on here. When you are at one with yourself and the world around you, or as some people might say… your ‘chi’ is inline with the world’s energy, things are drawn to you. I like to think of it more as following your true path in that moment and because of this you attract good from around you (perhaps what some people have termed karma). The Alchemist touches on this subject as the quotes below illustrate and this is why the book made such a connection with me: “…whoever you are, or whatever you do, when you really want something, it’s because that desire originated in the soul of the universe. It’s your mission on earth” (The Alchemist) You may or may not agree with this concept but I also think ‘luck’ is another word that has developed for this. The old saying about ‘you make your own luck’ might well be true! By this I mean, you make it through being content with whatever life has thrown at you, may be you help others in need, may be you are following your passion, may be you are old couple in Scotland enjoying your later years (I am speculating here, it is true) and the big spongy Lotto finger smacks you in the face!! ‘The Men that stare at Goats’ is all about being at one with the energy of the universe! The basic concept that put a lot of people off watching the film was the power to stop a goat’s heart beat with your mind. The central theme is Jeff Bridges character exploring hippie beliefs and forming a specialised unit of jedi mind warriors – bare with me here!! The premise is that these warriors are able to combat weapons with the power of control over the mind and through manipulation of the universes energy. For me the film is a lot deeper than this and nothing sums this up better than the scene where Jeff Bridges is reciting the following prose, while doing yoga with Ewan McGregor on top of a jeep in the army compound at daybreak: Mother Earth you are my life support system; As a soldier I must drink your blue water, live inside your red clay, eat your green skin; Help me to balance myself as you hold in balance the earth, sea and space environments; Help me to open my heart knowing that the universe will feed me; I pray my boots will always kiss your face and my footsteps match your heart beat; Carry my body through space and time; You are my connection to the universe and all that comes after; I am yours and you are mine; I salute you !!! I immediately felt compelled to write it down and annoyed my fellow viewers by rewinding it to do so! Just reading it seems to sum up how insignificant all our worries are. We are such a small part of the overall universe, yet we seem to have created a huge bubble of superiority over all other species and even the natural environment. Everyone living in their own selfish small worlds and being subconsciously manipulated by media, advertising and government (anyone heard about the Chem-trails??). Having an unseen structure unwittingly forced upon us all, surrounded by a chaotic spiralling poisonous unyielding cloud of psychological warfare = how we should all look and live in social stereotypes, cosmetics that change their names every week promising the holy grail and clothing labels making you feel special… and the frickin London text dating game WTF? (We don’t have that rubbish up north… it’s … a pie & pint, check her banter & cooking skills and bob is your uncle; fanny is your ant!). Pythagoras Edge went off on yet another tangent there, so lets get back to the concept of omens/signs. In all the autobiographical prison break novels there are specific moments when fate or chance decides to intervene to change the outcome of a dangerous situation. There are countless examples in ‘Papillon’, ‘Banco’, ‘The long Walk’, and ‘Shantaram’ when the main characters are incarcerated and toiling with the dangers of escape and fellow inmates. Henri Charrier eventually escapes from French Guyana in Papillon after 14 failed attempts; he had visions in his dreams of returning to France, for vengeance and to proving his innocence. He was able to swim across shark-infested waters while others lost their life’s. In the Long Walk they endured starvation but on finding a lonely girl in the mountains and allowing her to join them they succeeded in finding food at the next village. In A Million Little Pieces James Frey was given a book called ‘Tao Te Ching’ by his brother that was to be his talisman throughout his recovery; a girl in the rehab centre also entered his life as did Leonard a mafia boss, who was to become a close friend. The Alchemist is littered with omens to challenge and guide Santiago. What is apparent through the novels’ is that all the main characters while hitting rock bottom, all show compassion for others; Santiago to the shop owner, Henri Charrier and Slavomir to weaker inmates who wouldn’t have made it; James Frey eventually to fellow addicts. Is this why they succeeded in their journeys?
“At some point in their lives, everything is clear and everything is possible. They are not afraid to dream, and yearn for everything they would like to see happen. But as time passes, a mysterious force begins to convince them that it is impossible for them to realise their destiny” (The Alchemist) “And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.” (The Alchemist) Some direction is required, as without it we will be tumbling through the chaos, in order to embrace it you need to be following your true destiny and then the universe will applaud you! [End of part 2]… |
AuthorThe cathartic musings of a CRE8IV mind, living at the EDGE of chaos. Categories
All
Archives
May 2017
|