On Healing

As an an aside, I should mention that I am not a licensed healthcare provider, nor life-coach. Also, I am not some type of psychic, nor spiritual councelor of any type. That said, the process of healing is of personal interest because I have a chronic condition.

I am diabetic, so healing is a daily concern. However, diabetes is not the main subject of today’s short blog post. Because I am not a nurse nor a doctor, I do not offer advice beyond recommending we should regularly consult legitimate healthcare providers. Your physician is a better source of advice regarding physical healing.

As I’ve grown older, the subject of healing has been more frequently on my mind. There are old physical and emotional injuries not unlike most people have had in life. I’ve lived a somewhat charmed existance in that I’ve never had to spend time in a hospital aside from a sleep study many years ago. I’ve never suffered serious injury nor been a victim of a life-threatening accident. Except for the diabetes and typical bouts with influenza, I’m rather healthy. For this, I am grateful.

Part of my healing journey has been composing short daily entries for this blog. I do not write for “likes” nor to acquire high subscription numbers. I do not write for search engine optimization nor to market myself. I am on this platform because it is a convenient way to share my thoughts and reflections with like-minded people regardless of where they live. I have no desire to monetize this blog because I wish to keep it as a hobby. Having hobbies is part of my “healing” journey.

This healing journey is a manifestation of exploring mind and body through observing the world and my reflections upon it. Like millions of other folks, I am curious about many things and wish to understand them. Exploration of curious topics is deeply satisfying and worthwhile for its own sake. I like to get to the bottom of things. I’m not satisfied with superficial explanations, superstition, and feel-good pretentiousness.

I don’t label myself as a “spiritual person”, however, I do like to surround myself in the natural world as a way of remembering my place on Earth. Living in a part of the world where there are numerous farms, groves of trees, and the majesty of the plains has been subjectively beneficial to me. Where I now live, the pace of life is slower and more conducive to mindfulness than in bustling cityscapes.

On the other hand, I do enjoy visiting large cities from time to time out of a deep curiosity and fascination about them. There is something emotionally expansive about visiting a huge city and mingling with the locals. Massive metropolitan areas briefly satisfy my need for integration with society. Then upon returning to small town Nebraska, the slower pace of living here feels refreshing again.

My own healing journey has been dynamic. I’ve learned that many issues are cured from the inside out and that it can take more time than expected to achieve wellness. There are some instances when physical healing occurs more quickly than anticipated. Some psychological trauma is addressed and mitigated to a great degree, but can remain in the background for a lifetime.

It’s comforting to understand that our minds and bodies are complex. The way to maintain wellness is individual; there is no one-size-fits-all method of healing. The process of healing is fascinating. I have great admiration for people who have put in the long, arduous years of preparation for careers in medicine and psychological counseling. They make life on Earth better through their continued work.

Namaste

The Blue Jay of Happiness quotes American singer-songwriter, Linda Ronstadt. “Art is for healing ourselves, and everybody needs their own personal art to heal up their problems.”

From The Darkness …Floral Friday

Daylight was dim for project day. The darkness included heavy overcast with light rainshowers. I decided to lean into the dreary day with low-key ambient music. I slid Lightwave’s “Mundus Subterraneus” compact disc from 1995 onto the player tray and pressed “Play”. The tracks have somber undertones of deep bass synthesizer. If the day will be dark, why not go all the way?

Heavy darkness calls for the solid marble vase. Moss roses and a dried rose fit the bill. A vintage alarm clock with sketchy radium numbers adds a touch of danger.

The day is not about gloom and doom. The grey day triggered the desire for celebration. A contemporary vase shows off obviously fake floral elements. Who can feel bummed out when glittery artificials sparkle up the room?

The grey rectangular vase reflects the sky as it displays outrageous orange tones. This is all about balancing the moods.

Ciao

The Blue Jay of Happiness quotes Leonardo da Vinci. “A grey day provides the best light.”

On Selflessness

In recent years, much has been said about loving oneself and taking care of oneself so as to have enough emotional cushion to be able to help others. This is fine advice that I have found beneficial to my life. However, it is wise to set limits or a boundary on this practice so as to avoid becoming overly self-indulgent and self-centered. A healthy balance between self-concern and selflessness is worth maintaining.

If we step back for a broader view of life, there is individual and social benefit in letting go of biological urges towards dominance. By choosing to periodically examine our lives from a compassionate perspective, we remember that the love of life arises from fulfillment of basic needs, experiencing joy, and having peace of mind. The compassionate perspective allows that everyone else also wishes to experience a happier life.

Compassion asks the question: shouldn’t we want others to feel joy and lessening of suffering? As we care for ourselves, we do not forget caring for others in ways that do not hamper the compassion we have for ourselves. Generosity is a beautiful quality to discover within ourselves. This is the desire to share the gifts of life we have discovered with others. There is also the positive selfishness of having warm feelings that arise from the act of sharing. Up to a point, this means that sharing can also be self-caring. The sensation of “warm fuzzies” often occurs when we share something valuable.

Generosity is a matter of symmetry of feelings. Generosity flows naturally from feeling the wonder of life and the wish that others are deserving of wonder, too. It is generous when we find opportunities to shed our selfishness and power imbalances. We do this in ways that do not extend into “people-pleasing” behavior. Being selfless does not equate with being a doormat. Selflessness includes self-respect and honoring oneself while being helpful to others. A person can only bend backwards so far before one falls to the floor.

“Recognizing truth requires selflessness. You have to leave yourself out of it so you can find out the way things are in themselves, not the way they look to you or how you feel about them or how you would like them to be.”–American philosopher, the late Harry Frankfurt

The old “my way or the highway” type of mindset is ultimately self-destructive and harmful to society at large. Realizing that people have differing opinions that have been formed due to various life conditions, beliefs, and experiences is valuable. We do not live cookie-cutter lives. What we prioritize might not be what others prioritize. This is a matter of overall respectfulness coupled with dignity.

There is also a type of selflessness that is present in the minds of people who serve society in jobs such as emergency medical technicians, firefighters, nurses, doctors, certain ranks of the military, and the citizen bystander who risks life and limb to rescue a fellow human from danger. Many of them put their own wellbeing and lives at risk in the process of protecting and defending others. Heroism and selflessness are partners in the preservation of society. They feel the fear but perform regardless of personal consequences.

Authentic selflessness is not showy, self-righteous, nor virtue signaling. Conspicuous generosity is more about self-promotion than concern for others. One must also be careful not to help people who do not desire our help. Respect for their dignity is another form of generosity. Cultural values and other people’s need to feel self-worth are key. The offering of help should not be a demonstration of social hierarchical imbalance. The most profound generosity affirms basic human equality and value.

At its heart, selflessness is an affirmation of our interconnectedness with others and the Universe. It is a fine quality that strengthens bonds with everyone and everything.

Namaste

The Blue Jay of Happiness quotes American author, businessman, and philanthropist, Daniel Lubetzky. “Relying on the power of kindness is a sensitive undertaking. The challenge is to inspire people to be kind more often without tainting the selflessness that comes from doing something nice with no ulterior motive.”

Pondering Noise

“Boomf is the noise a marshmallow makes when it falls through your letterbox.”–brother of Catherine, Princess of Wales, James William Middleton

Middleton’s statement raises some questions: What circumstances led to the hearing of a marshmallow falling through a letterbox? Was he the object of a silly prank? When did he hear the marshmallow drop through the letterbox? Did he perform this act himself? Does Middleton perform experiments out of curiosity about certain noises?

I wonder if Middleton has an especially keen sense of hearing. If so, I fully understand that he is able to hear marshmallows falling through letterboxes. In fact, I wish I had a letterbox. Then I’d buy a bag of marshmallows and try the experiment myself.

I like sounds and certain noises up to a certain decibel level. When the background ambient sound level is low at bedtime, the buzzing of a flying insect is cause for alarm. Yet the same set of ears listening to music in a concert hall is unconcerned about the volume of the orchestra. In fact, the listener may desire loudness. Our preferences are subjective and situational. I enjoy listening to various genres of music at home; however, I do not like nightclub atmosphere when the band plays so loud I cannot easily converse. I do not want hearing damage as a result of a night on the town.

As I tap these words into my laptop, the time is 3:38 AM. I hear the tick tock of the antique kitchen clock. The refrigerator emits a low hum. Moments ago, a semi-truck engine-braked upon its approach into town. There is also the whine of tinnitus which today is quieter than usual. Except for the tinnitus, I enjoy this level of noise.

“Kids and adults alike are having their curiosity drained away by boredom in class or the workplace, and by the unremitting background noise of a dumbed-down pop culture.”–American educator and the founder of Khan Academy, Sal Khan

Noise is not only the physical soundwaves that our eardrums detect. There is the noise of the voice of one’s mind. We pick up mental noise as a result of reading or watching. The noise might be the product of overthinking while one quarrels with oneself without verbally speaking. The noise might cause a person to dither when decisive action is most appropriate.

We get more than sufficient information via the Web. Although technology is useful and I support utilizing it, the Web can also be harmful. The Web is an information gusher. We receive so much information that it takes more time out of each day simply to digest and analyze it. There is also the dangerous problem of fallacies being constantly promulgated by questionable sources and people with ulterior motives. With the advent of artificial intelligence, the noise level is already increasing. It is becoming increasingly difficult to sort synthetic from authentic.

I’m not against the use of AI; however, I am deeply concerned about misuse of the technology. As of today, I am unaware of any effective guardrails regarding its deployment. At what point does AI generated material morph from being helpful to becoming harmful? When does AI cease being musical to becoming a roaring noise?

For many of us, it is important to tone done the various noises so that we may be given the option of living in peace and quiet. There must always be recourse against the seemingly endless noise that exists around and within us. There are certain times when it is completely appropriate and desireable to be able to hear marshmallows drop into letterboxes.

I’ll be quiet with my words now. I hope you enjoy a peacefully quiet day if that is your way.

Ciao

The Blue Jay of Happiness quotes 20th century French fashion designer, Yves Saint Laurent. “I live in solitude. I have need of solitude to do the next day’s work. I can’t be to parties where the noise tires me. I can’t speak on the telephone. I must have complete calm.”

On Books

While rereading Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse, I paused to relieve some mild eyestrain. Blinking the eyes, I focused upon three library books parked on the sofa. I had read two of them–Simon Baron-Cohen’s The Science of Evil and Jay Shetty’s Think Like a Monk. The third book, Peter Wohlleben’s The Hidden Life of Trees has been untouched since bringing it home from the library. I need to renew Wohllenben’s tome because I want to delve into it.

As I pondered the books, I wondered how many books I’ve read throughout my life. The patron database at the library could reveal how many I’ve checked out from the Norfolk Public Library. Yet, that would be an incomplete sum. I’d need to find out how many were checked out from other libraries, including the college library during my youth. How about the books that were loaned to me by friends? How many did I buy and read? What about the ebooks?

Then I became curious about how many words make up Hesses’ book. How many words are in all the books I’ve read? It boggles the mind to remember that all the books written in the English language consist of words. The words are combinations of 26 letters. The letters remain the same but are arranged in different orders. The words form phrases; the phrases form sentences; the sentences form paragraphs; the paragraphs form chapters; and the chapters form books. Then one must consider these things apply to books I’ve read that were written in other languages–I’ve only read a few.

“It is is better to know one book intimately than a hundred superficially.–essayist and novelist, Donna Tartt

Then I remembered that I’ve reread several books, so those words must be multiplied by how many times those books have been reread. I’ve reread Siddhartha maybe twice or three times–perhaps more because I love that book. It is one of the stories I want to read over and over again. Siddhartha does not have a tricky ending nor is it thrilling in an adrenaline-secreting way. It has become as familiar as a favorite pair of blue jeans. Yet, there is a magical mystery that has already been solved between Hesse and myself.

I was given “Golden Books” as a small child. I read and reread them countless times. I read most of the books in the house. I loved the map atlas and the old medical first aid book that mom read more frequently than her Bible. I was introduced to the public library at a young age and have been addicted to libraries ever since then.

During a five or six year stretch, I was obsessed with self-help books. I read them voraciously until I realized that many of them were boiler-plate formulae and said pretty much the same thing. Then I resumed reading new non-fiction books because they are my favorite genre.

You might say that I’m a lifelong lover of books. I enjoy everything about ink and paper books. There is the sensation of the pages on my fingertips. There is a special aroma about them. The stories and explanations are compelling. I’m doing my best to try to love electronic books. I love the magical communication between the minds of the writers and my own. I’m glad I have a few favorite books that I can read over and over again.

Ciao

The Blue Jay of Happiness quotes 20th-21st century Spanish novelist, Carlos Ruiz Zafón . “Books are mirrors: you only see in them what you already have inside you.”

On Earth Day 2024

I was taught that each generation inherits our planet from previous generations. We are to leave this planet in the same or better condition as we received it. Each generation must bequeath to posterity the environment we have maintained and enhanced to offset the resources we have consumed.

Our species has adapted to a uniquely amazing planet. We orbit a fairly stable star. We walk about within a sustaining, vibrant atmosphere. There are plants, animals, and fellow humans galore. The land beneath our feet supports all of this. The Earth is a marvel to behold. Our gratitude should be boundless.

The power and glory of humanity is miniscule in relation to that of the Earth. Our planet’s energy is more grand and forceful than our own. However, in a few categories, humans impact the world in profoundly harmful ways. We continue along largely in denial of the destruction we cause to the ecosystem that supports life.

We exist on a planet that is under constant change. Even Nebraska is not the Nebraska of 20-years ago. This is due to changes on the geophysical scale and ecological shifts due to human activity. In some ways the ecology and human life are interdependent. That is, one factor affects the other factor and vice versa.

When we feel uncomfortably hot, we crank up an air conditioner if we have one available. The operation of the air conditioner consumes electricity which was generated either by fossil fuels or the contemporary energy of solar cells, wind turbines or hydropower. Any means of creating electricity for our use requires consuming resources. By all accounts all forms of electrical generation require real estate to locate the technology. Solar requires swaths of land. Turbines require land and vertical space. Hydropower requires damming up rivers and streams.

All of the presently available forms of energy generation require the use of stored resources from the Earth. Obviously fossil fuels are taken from the land. Solar requires minerals for the panels and minerals for the storage batteries. Turbines require steel and plastics plus minerals for the storage batteries. Hydropower requires massive amounts of concrete plus metals and other elements in the form of turbine generators.

The optimum use of resources considers the least harmful technology and the ability to reuse the resources that are used in the creation of energy. Also, efficient machinery and appliances ensure more effective utilization of electricity by the end users.

The energy sector of society is only one vital way we humans affect the ecosystem. There are also the agricultural sector, the industrial sector, the housing sector, the sewage/garbage sector, and the transportation sector to consider. How effectively we utilize these sectors has a lot to do with the wellbeing of the environment.

Today is Earth Day all around the globe. Today is a time to recognize how we affect the planetary environment individually and as a species. It is a time to honor the natural world and recommit to the preservation and betterment of the environment that allows us to live and thrive on planet Earth.

Namaste

The Blue Jay of Happiness quotes American novelist, short story writer, poet, and social activist, Alice Walker. “Life is abundant, and life is beautiful. And it’s a good place that we’re all in, you know, on this Earth, if we take care of it.”

On Beauty

The sky was blue-grey dark except for the fringe of peachy orange on the eastern horizon. The contrast between the threat of storms and the promise of a new day mesmerized me. I battled the urge to go into the house to retrieve a camera. Such actions in the past had ruined the beauty of such moments. I let go of the urge to capture the scene. I allowed the mind to lose itself in the fleeting beauty.

I’m glad I let the gorgeousness cleanse the mind for those few precious seconds. Although I have a twinge of regret for not carrying a camera outdoors that early morning, the communion of the atmosphere with those of us who witnessed the stunning event cannot be replicated. It was a perfect demonstration of the importance of living in the moment.

“If in my youth I had realized that the sustaining splendour of beauty of with which I was in love would one day flood back into my heart, there to ignite a flame that would torture me without end, how gladly would I have put out the light in my eyes.”–Michelangelo

The concept of beauty is manifested in the works of Renaissance composer Giovanni Gabrieli, the architecture of Filippo Brunelleschi, and the discoveries of Galileo. The masterful efforts of these contemporaries of Michelangelo are reference points of the human desire to capture and recreate beauty.

One need not have lived during the Renaissance to appreciate or create beauty. This quality lives within each of us and manifests in individual ways. Beauty is about subjective perception. The root of beauty lives and germinates within us. We cannot hear a beautiful song or fully appreciate a wholesome meal without feeling the beauty and love within ourselves. It’s improbable to fully experience the joy of the moment if one is doing it from the mental attitude of perfectionism.

Natural and moral beauty is felt and perceived. It’s difficult to pigeonhole and precisely define it; however we recognize beauty in an instant. Beauty is an ingredient of seduction. The lover’s presence and nature’s splendor entice us to remember that we are integral members of all that exists. When we are fully in love with life, we will protect what we adore.

Beauty is not only found in the objects and beings themselves, but in the patterns of light and shadow that appear on the surfaces of the things and beings. The tones vibrate in pure form and reverberate with the surfaces on their way to our ears. The scent of the flower wafts through the air to entice our attention.

“The artist forges himself to the others, midway between the beauty he cannot do without and the community he cannot tear himself away from. That is why true artists scorn nothing: they are obliged to understand rather than to judge.”–Albert Camus

Like many people, I have an obsession with beauty. I strive for hamony and order. In this ever-changing world, this is a never-ending task. This is why I must sometimes pause to allow the beauty that is already present to wash over me.

Namaste

The Blue Jay of Happiness quotes Edgar Allan Poe. “Beauty of whatever kind, in its supreme development, invariably excites the sensitive soul to tears.”