So here we are… on the event horizon of a new year. So, I have to be honest; there was much to dread and loathe January 1st 2011. There were financial woes, concerns about wellness and a host of other uncertainties that made the outlook for 2011 not so exciting. I had just turned 40 and still had unanswered questions. There were mistakes made and regrets actualized.
So what recourse was there? What kind of resolutions would bring happiness? It was all so confusing and overwhelming. My ego and false self wanted to simply chug along like business as usual. Yet, deep down there was another voice. It was feeble and meek at first but once I took notice and connected to this quality of True Nature within, I discovered a new energy and empowerment: Not from Jesus or church. Not from self-help books or antidepressants; but from a powerful and healing dynamism inside: A place somewhere between heart and mind where space and clarity resides. Through energy and self-discovery I began connecting to this vast and amazing Responsive Universe.
I did away with credit cards and began severing my attachments to money and material devices. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with making money and being successful. But when we attach our well-being and confidence to something so fleeting as currency, we are bound to suffer. With plummeting stocks, soaring credit card debt and foreclosures becoming a daily occurrence, walking away from material and financial attachments was the best decisions ever.
I began bike riding on average 20 miles a week. Bike riding in our local natural preserves was meditative and therapeutic. I have never been in better shape. I also changed my diet: I have cut my meat intake by 50% and dairy by 75%. I have been juicing daily since last summer – kale, spinach, beets; all vegetables I would never eat – yuck! ….Guess what, now I crave veggies!
I have been meditating religiously: Daily sessions of mindfulness from deep meditation to daily affirmations. My meditation regiment has been an amazing facet to my evolution. By letting go of ego and false perceptions, I have allowed the Responsive Universe to take over – to nudge me in directions and areas never imagined. For example, I did not find Reiki and self-healing – Reiki and self-healing found me. By taking heed to the synchronicities and signs that surround me – by finding clarity and awareness for the moment, my entire life over the course of 2011 has transformed into something sublime.
Now, when challenges arise, I no longer get stressed out. There is space and energy for everything that drifts my way. I have fresh perspectives and blossoming creativity that flows from the well of self-evolution. So, as 2012 nears, I have incredible anticipation and excitement for the new year. I see a world of possibilities in 2012 and beyond.
This quality of self-evolution is something we all have within. There is no need to journey to Mecca or worship deities in the form of man. Everything we need is found within. It requires us to open up and settle into the spacious vision of life and love. To be aware of our surroundings with our minds rooted in the present. Believe and love yourself and soon new doors will open. Listen to your heart wish and inner voice. Take power away from ego and false perceptions and take control of your own destiny. Once you understand that the Universe is responsive and what we give will eventually return to the source, there is an unmistakable empowerment actualized. Enlightenment will slowly filter its white light upon you. Just give it a chance…
Be kind to yourself…
Hug your love ones…
Have compassion for your enemies…
Be open to new possibilities…
… and have a Happy New Year!
John C. Bader
www.responsiveuniverse.com
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Foolishness can sometimes look you straight in the eye
Foolishness can sometimes look you straight in the eye – the ironic thing is I am looking at my own reflection. I will try to explain. Hard wired behaviors and control patterns can be unseen governing forces as we carry ourselves in life. Sure I am a product of my own upbringing and sometimes being a parent and Father has its challenges. Sometimes I do not even know what I am doing in regard to child rearing. The whole process of life can be a blur of work, paying bills and raising children. Yet, somehow, we all move on with smiles on our faces –most of the time.
Sometimes I am tough on my 10-year-old son. Tough in ways that I think are proactive to his wellbeing and development. Am I a professional at this thing called parenting? I guess so; I have been at it for 10+ years. Still, today, I realized when I look into my son’s eyes; I am looking at myself 31 year ago – a mirror image of a child and existence that seems so far gone. Maybe that is why I do not relate to my sons frustrations and challenges as well as I could or should. Well, not anymore… Today, while on the beach in Kauai, I had an epiphany. In the reflection of my son’s eyes, I saw myself as a child: meek, soft-spoken and awkward in many ways. Though most of my thoughts do not turn to actions, I still feel bad and remorseful. Could I be a better parent? Actions speak louder than words, right?
Enough of the negativity… I turned and praised my kid for all his good attributes and gave him a big hug and a kiss. And then I gave him another big hug and kiss. No one is perfect, but we can improve – even as parents of wonderful children.
Ohana means family in Hawaiian. As New Years looms, I am very thankful for my family. We all make mistakes time to time, but the important thing is to learn from our errors and makes sure our kids know they are loved.
Tomorrow is New Years Eve in the Hawaiian Islands – more to come!
John C. Bader
www.responsiveuniverse.com
Sometimes I am tough on my 10-year-old son. Tough in ways that I think are proactive to his wellbeing and development. Am I a professional at this thing called parenting? I guess so; I have been at it for 10+ years. Still, today, I realized when I look into my son’s eyes; I am looking at myself 31 year ago – a mirror image of a child and existence that seems so far gone. Maybe that is why I do not relate to my sons frustrations and challenges as well as I could or should. Well, not anymore… Today, while on the beach in Kauai, I had an epiphany. In the reflection of my son’s eyes, I saw myself as a child: meek, soft-spoken and awkward in many ways. Though most of my thoughts do not turn to actions, I still feel bad and remorseful. Could I be a better parent? Actions speak louder than words, right?
Enough of the negativity… I turned and praised my kid for all his good attributes and gave him a big hug and a kiss. And then I gave him another big hug and kiss. No one is perfect, but we can improve – even as parents of wonderful children.
Ohana means family in Hawaiian. As New Years looms, I am very thankful for my family. We all make mistakes time to time, but the important thing is to learn from our errors and makes sure our kids know they are loved.
Tomorrow is New Years Eve in the Hawaiian Islands – more to come!
John C. Bader
www.responsiveuniverse.com
Friday, December 30, 2011
Being mindful of the present is an amazing gift
Being mindful of the present is an amazing gift. It sits on a metaphorical island paradise all by itself. Yet there is nothing desolate or negative about being rooted in the present – With thoughts connected to what is simply NOW, one can find a surprisingly simple and unfettered gift. To be connected to the present, sans of fear and the past and future and fantasy; to be rooted in the present moment of life and your surroundings… Wow, what a feeling of clarity and reverence as I sit, simply soaking up sounds, sights and the thoughts driven by my mindfulness.
Aloha
John C. Bader
www.responsiveuniverse.com
Grounding yourself to Simplicity
My ego says I should be embarrassed by my lodging here on the west side of Kauai. It is a stark difference from the aesthetic home I keep in the northwest suburbs of Chicago or the resorts on the other side of the island. There is still this urge born out of my distant middle school years that says I should care what other people think. Truthfully, it is a great lesson in life: To force yourself to swallow shallow pride and face your internal insecurities and doubts. This is a valuable message learned: To dig deep down and ground yourself to simplicity and True Nature. To see the beauty even among discarded junk and debris dotting a down trodden local neighborhood.
An old tire with a tropical flower growing out of its inner reaches, a gecko races along the rotted beam of a partially collapsed garage across the way. Blue sky above accented by a rainbow to the east as rain contemplates its journey across the island’s spine. Once grounded and centered, beauty is born from most things tangible. Here on this meditative retreat from the normal, I feel relaxed and aware – spacious and driven – my thoughts of the future, are the paying currency of wellness as I watch 2011 wane and disappear – only to remain as memories of the past.
Aloha,
John C. Bader
www.responsiveuniverse.com
10 steps to living a Positive Existence in 2012
My office in Kauai
New Years is just around the corner and it is never too late to begin planning for a more positive
existence in 2012. Please check out my latest article at MindBodyGreen.com titled
Aloha
John C. Bader
Website: responsiveuniverse.com
Twitter: @JohnCBader
Facebook: The ResponsiveUniverse
Patience…
Patience…
Patience is the quality of endurance one can take before reaching a level of negativity.
I suppose patience is trying to sit in one place on an airplane for 10 hours to reach the western outer reaches of Hawaii. 15 hours of airports and travel can wear on anyone I suppose.
Patience is trying to get a wireless internet signal in Hanapepe, Kauai. I had to walk down the rock strewn driveway, navigating chickens and thorns to post this blog.
Patience is also used to refer to the character trait of being steadfast. I think this part of the definition is important. It is one thing when my son is asking a myriad of questions as I try to concentrate and write. No, steadfast patience refers to our ability to complete a process of development and evolution: To exercise and eat well even though it is easier to meddle in mediocrity. To meditate for 2 hours this morning under the pressures and rigors of roosters cawing in surround sound outside my window – that is steadfast resolve! To make lasting decisions and changes in our lives that will bring betterment to 2012 – this is my focus as I countdown to New Years.
So, I guess the first lesson actualized here on the Island of Kauai is patience.
This sunset photo is a great example of patience…
Patience is the quality of endurance one can take before reaching a level of negativity.
I suppose patience is trying to sit in one place on an airplane for 10 hours to reach the western outer reaches of Hawaii. 15 hours of airports and travel can wear on anyone I suppose.
Patience is trying to get a wireless internet signal in Hanapepe, Kauai. I had to walk down the rock strewn driveway, navigating chickens and thorns to post this blog.
Patience is also used to refer to the character trait of being steadfast. I think this part of the definition is important. It is one thing when my son is asking a myriad of questions as I try to concentrate and write. No, steadfast patience refers to our ability to complete a process of development and evolution: To exercise and eat well even though it is easier to meddle in mediocrity. To meditate for 2 hours this morning under the pressures and rigors of roosters cawing in surround sound outside my window – that is steadfast resolve! To make lasting decisions and changes in our lives that will bring betterment to 2012 – this is my focus as I countdown to New Years.
So, I guess the first lesson actualized here on the Island of Kauai is patience.
This sunset photo is a great example of patience…
…and so it seems the gift of patience is capturing the rarity of the “green flash” on film…
John C. Bader
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Holiday musings and random thoughts
Okay, okay… where am I?
Oh yeah, here we go… toothbrush, check!
Extra contact lenses; check!
Paid the monthly bills and actually have money left over for my trip; check!
Curious… I think I am in a Holiday whirlwind of festival lights and controlled chaos… With Christmas knocking yet again on the door of life, I am prepared to buck tradition and do something completely different this year:
Bodyboard and fins packed? Check!
Lap top to blog from afar… Check!
Right now I am wearing an Aloha shirt with penguins barbecuing under palms trees adorned with Christmas lights. Who says I am not in the Xmas spirit? Spiked eggnog? Check!
Camera with extra batteries; check!
This is where I am traveling to on Christmas Day… The western most reaches of the United States:
Tis the season isn’t it?. My Birthday is actually the day after Christmas. It’s hard to compete with Jesus; yes you can feel sorry for me and yes I was screwed out of presents.
I have found that people are nicer on Christmas…
People are normally tired and hung over on my Birthday.
I think my favorite Holiday is New Years… I like that concept of “out with the old and in with the new”. You kind of get a clean slate to start over. Last year I was a “Pirate looks at looking Forty” (I love that song by Jimmy Buffett). 2012 is going to be the year “That anything is Possible”. I like adding a theme to my New Years expectations. Granted it is a little narcissistic, but it sets a bench mark that allows me the entire year in which to fulfill my destiny. This year I will be ringing in the New Year in simplistic tropical desolation. My 2012 expectations are left in the optimistic hands of the Universe. All I am going to do is be a little more patient, be more compassionate and hopefully karma will do the rest…
I hope your Christmas Holidays are wonderful and you find yourself in the arms with someone you love.
As for me? Well, back to packing…
Sunblock? Check!
Hiking shoes? Check!
John C. Bader
Website: responsiveuniverse.com
Twitter: @JohnCBader
Facebook: The ResponsiveUniverse
Oh yeah, here we go… toothbrush, check!
Extra contact lenses; check!
Paid the monthly bills and actually have money left over for my trip; check!
Curious… I think I am in a Holiday whirlwind of festival lights and controlled chaos… With Christmas knocking yet again on the door of life, I am prepared to buck tradition and do something completely different this year:
Bodyboard and fins packed? Check!
Lap top to blog from afar… Check!
Right now I am wearing an Aloha shirt with penguins barbecuing under palms trees adorned with Christmas lights. Who says I am not in the Xmas spirit? Spiked eggnog? Check!
Camera with extra batteries; check!
This is where I am traveling to on Christmas Day… The western most reaches of the United States:
I have found that people are nicer on Christmas…
People are normally tired and hung over on my Birthday.
I think my favorite Holiday is New Years… I like that concept of “out with the old and in with the new”. You kind of get a clean slate to start over. Last year I was a “Pirate looks at looking Forty” (I love that song by Jimmy Buffett). 2012 is going to be the year “That anything is Possible”. I like adding a theme to my New Years expectations. Granted it is a little narcissistic, but it sets a bench mark that allows me the entire year in which to fulfill my destiny. This year I will be ringing in the New Year in simplistic tropical desolation. My 2012 expectations are left in the optimistic hands of the Universe. All I am going to do is be a little more patient, be more compassionate and hopefully karma will do the rest…
I hope your Christmas Holidays are wonderful and you find yourself in the arms with someone you love.
As for me? Well, back to packing…
Sunblock? Check!
Hiking shoes? Check!
John C. Bader
Website: responsiveuniverse.com
Twitter: @JohnCBader
Facebook: The ResponsiveUniverse
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Holiday Season Radical Sabbatical
What is it in life that everyone searches for, especially during the Holidays? I mean, are we put on this Earth to simply procreate and die? Where is the festive holiday spirit in that? Sorry if I am being too deep and philosophical days before Christmas – Truth be told, I resonate more with Buddhism than any other prescribed faith, yet the trappings of Christianity surround me. Still my thoughts transgress; the odds that conscious life evolved here on Earth is incredibly rare. There lies the true Christmas miracle. We should consider ourselves a magnificent anomaly. And knowing there is a bigger vision out there – this connection to the Universe and all that exists, begs the question: What is my purpose here on Earth? Is there a purpose? It is no wonder religion was invented.
I must confess, I am being a little dramatic. I have had a bad cold and fever the last couple days and I feel my energy levels are low. I actually know the answer to this question and I explain it in detail in my upcoming 2012 book release, The Responsive Universe. Still, even after a spiritual awakening I experienced several years ago, and my constant thirst to know and understand, I still feel I am far from evolving to where humans are intended to advance – we all are missing the mark as a collective species. I find it exasperating that we are given this gift of conscious life and yet on a global scale we fight over our differences instead of celebrating our commonality. Even during the days leading up to Christmas, people are exploiting those final dollars in their bank accounts to buy presents – money they really do not have. What is this social pressure that sends us shopping, especially here in America? There is not much I agree with when it comes to Christianity. Except this: I also wish they would put the CHRIST back in Christmas and get us away from all this commercialism. Sure, I loved it as a child, but as an adult, it is a little like indentured servitude. don’t get me wrong, I do enjoy the Xmas lights!
It is difficult to contemplate our place in the Universe when we are buried in the feverish pace of the Holidays. For many it is too much to ever contemplate. I know many people who are simply comfortable with reality TV, paying down Christmas credit card debt and adhering to blind faith. Ignorance is bliss, right? I am not one of those people. For this reason, I am bucking social tradition and sweeping my wife and son off the North American continent for two and half weeks of tropical relaxation. To the shock of many in my family, we are catching a 9am flight on Christmas morning and traveling 5000 miles west of Chicago to a lush island paradise. It is sort of a “ holiday season radical sabbatical”. Truthfully, I need a break from the holidays.
For my wife and I, we are both going in search of answers or at least hints to where the next steps in life reside. With job, family and the static of life muddling clarity, it is difficult to stop everything and simply listen to yourself breathe – and from deep within take heed to your inner voice. For me, I am looking forward to turning off the cell phone and settling into the simplicity of my own meditative thoughts – who knows what creativity and insight will arise from within. I know my wife is looking for her own clues to what comes next in her existence. Annamarie is at a transition in career and life and is hoping that inspiration and empowerment will arise from desolation and simplicity. For my ten year old son, simplicity could be his biggest enemy – or maybe his best friend? 16 days without cable TV and Xbox? The kid is going to go into shock! No hotels, no fancy dinners, laundry pinned on a clothes line, unimaginable stars and the painted stoke of the Milkyway at night.
We leave in 4 fours days – Happy Holidays!
John C. Bader
Website: responsiveuniverse.com
Twitter: @JohnCBader
Facebook: The ResponsiveUniverse
I must confess, I am being a little dramatic. I have had a bad cold and fever the last couple days and I feel my energy levels are low. I actually know the answer to this question and I explain it in detail in my upcoming 2012 book release, The Responsive Universe. Still, even after a spiritual awakening I experienced several years ago, and my constant thirst to know and understand, I still feel I am far from evolving to where humans are intended to advance – we all are missing the mark as a collective species. I find it exasperating that we are given this gift of conscious life and yet on a global scale we fight over our differences instead of celebrating our commonality. Even during the days leading up to Christmas, people are exploiting those final dollars in their bank accounts to buy presents – money they really do not have. What is this social pressure that sends us shopping, especially here in America? There is not much I agree with when it comes to Christianity. Except this: I also wish they would put the CHRIST back in Christmas and get us away from all this commercialism. Sure, I loved it as a child, but as an adult, it is a little like indentured servitude. don’t get me wrong, I do enjoy the Xmas lights!
It is difficult to contemplate our place in the Universe when we are buried in the feverish pace of the Holidays. For many it is too much to ever contemplate. I know many people who are simply comfortable with reality TV, paying down Christmas credit card debt and adhering to blind faith. Ignorance is bliss, right? I am not one of those people. For this reason, I am bucking social tradition and sweeping my wife and son off the North American continent for two and half weeks of tropical relaxation. To the shock of many in my family, we are catching a 9am flight on Christmas morning and traveling 5000 miles west of Chicago to a lush island paradise. It is sort of a “ holiday season radical sabbatical”. Truthfully, I need a break from the holidays.
For my wife and I, we are both going in search of answers or at least hints to where the next steps in life reside. With job, family and the static of life muddling clarity, it is difficult to stop everything and simply listen to yourself breathe – and from deep within take heed to your inner voice. For me, I am looking forward to turning off the cell phone and settling into the simplicity of my own meditative thoughts – who knows what creativity and insight will arise from within. I know my wife is looking for her own clues to what comes next in her existence. Annamarie is at a transition in career and life and is hoping that inspiration and empowerment will arise from desolation and simplicity. For my ten year old son, simplicity could be his biggest enemy – or maybe his best friend? 16 days without cable TV and Xbox? The kid is going to go into shock! No hotels, no fancy dinners, laundry pinned on a clothes line, unimaginable stars and the painted stoke of the Milkyway at night.
We leave in 4 fours days – Happy Holidays!
John C. Bader
Website: responsiveuniverse.com
Twitter: @JohnCBader
Facebook: The ResponsiveUniverse
Sunday, December 18, 2011
New Years Meditative Retreat
After two weeks and 4830 miles, I came to a theorized conclusion: So, it seems the concept of God as it relates to the Universe and the concept of energy as it relates to Cosmos is already found within us. Places of beauty like the Maroon Bells and Sedona only help us connect to this dynamism with more vigor and intensity. Still, I want to take this experiment a step further. The rigors of travel, though exciting and memorable, took a physical and emotional toll on me. Driving thousands of miles in search of natural beauty and energy was enriching but exhausting. The next step was easy enough: I wanted to pick one amazing place of beauty and simply settle into the energy and simplicity of the experience. No hotels, no fancy dinners; just basic lodging, simple subsistence, unadulterated beauty and serenity; a relaxing meditative retreat that would ring in the New Year: Intense self-reflection, reiki, meditation and hopefully profound awareness and clarity. Who knows what might arise from within? Much needed relaxation? A stronger connection with nature all things tangible and intangible? Perhaps a higher level of responsiveness? Maybe a new awakening?
I leave on Christmas Day….
Next week I will reveal my intended destination and also how to follow me as I hike mountainous canyons, explore desolate beaches and settle into a much anticipated meditative retreat.
John C. Bader
www.responsiveuniverse.com
Thursday, December 15, 2011
The wounds of child abuse can heal
The investigation into childhood memories can be both good and bad—both a retrospect of anger, fear and frustration. Hopefully you also have fond memories which include well being and love. All experiences, whether good or bad, shape us into the person we were in the past, who we are in the present, and who we will become in the future. I love the game of poker and surprisingly there is a metaphor to be drawn here. Poker is a challenging game because it requires skill, luck and some psychology. It reminds me of life in many ways. Even with all the skills to navigate this ever changing world, still there is the element of luck and probability. Some things we just can’t control. The game of “Draw Poker” can be frustrating when round after round you keep getting dealt bad cards. Our childhood and distant past are poker cards in the game of life. Many times, our history deals cards that do not help our proverbial chip stack, but in keeping with this playing card metaphor, we always have the opportunity to discard the bad and draw new cards. We can also fold our hand completely if we do not like what has been presented to us. We can reject what has been dealt to us but still have faith that better luck will come.
When we look back on a shadowed past, you and I need to realize that these past childhood issues can be affecting us as individuals on many unseen levels. Everyone has witnessed a myriad of positive and negative experiences that have shaped us to some degree. You must realize, however, that the shadows of the past may be concealing an enigma that is influencing your future and perhaps even the futures of others around you. For me, I noticed that anger and frustration began to surface as an adult and later as a parent. This frustration born from ego and control patterns was directly related to how I was raised as a child. Still, I acknowledged a trigger of awareness. This awareness came when I felt frustrated and angry. I used this as a trigger of mindfulness to stop and not react blindly. I directed my attention to the vastness of my True Nature; a place within us all that is constant and dependable. Now, I have learned to make space for such control patterns that facilitate anger and frustration. When I realized I was heading down a path of dysfunction, I made a positive change in my actions. Instead of reacting blindly and reinforcing old patterns of behavior, I changed my actions for the better. I broke the chain of dysfunction by connecting to a higher level of awareness. Lets face it, there are some things in the past we just can not change. Still, all our future actions are the key to self-evolution and wellness.
If your feelings and memories feel a little abrasive; if this process feels uncomfortable, then you are heading down the right path. Feeling raw emotions is a level of mindfulness and it is an integral part of the overall process. Think about it, we need to know pain and suffering in order to know the difference between that and pleasure and bliss. Otherwise, how would you differentiate the two? Feeling an abrasive quality as you toy and catalog your past emotions is healthy. Still, please attempt to tie it all into a positive completion of the process. Feel the negative emotions of the past, but then relish in the notion that things will get better. Surrender into your spacious vision that the Universe is not evil – only humans exhibit evil. Find confidence that though the stars at night may be obscured by the clouds, this is only temporary – that clear skies will prevail. Find positive awareness in these emotions and feelings from the past. Understand the past and then move on with only positive will and compassion. A shadowed past does not need to be a disability. Let it be a lesson in the school of life. Learn, love and create new positive energy.
John C. Bader
www.responsiveuniverse.com
When we look back on a shadowed past, you and I need to realize that these past childhood issues can be affecting us as individuals on many unseen levels. Everyone has witnessed a myriad of positive and negative experiences that have shaped us to some degree. You must realize, however, that the shadows of the past may be concealing an enigma that is influencing your future and perhaps even the futures of others around you. For me, I noticed that anger and frustration began to surface as an adult and later as a parent. This frustration born from ego and control patterns was directly related to how I was raised as a child. Still, I acknowledged a trigger of awareness. This awareness came when I felt frustrated and angry. I used this as a trigger of mindfulness to stop and not react blindly. I directed my attention to the vastness of my True Nature; a place within us all that is constant and dependable. Now, I have learned to make space for such control patterns that facilitate anger and frustration. When I realized I was heading down a path of dysfunction, I made a positive change in my actions. Instead of reacting blindly and reinforcing old patterns of behavior, I changed my actions for the better. I broke the chain of dysfunction by connecting to a higher level of awareness. Lets face it, there are some things in the past we just can not change. Still, all our future actions are the key to self-evolution and wellness.
If your feelings and memories feel a little abrasive; if this process feels uncomfortable, then you are heading down the right path. Feeling raw emotions is a level of mindfulness and it is an integral part of the overall process. Think about it, we need to know pain and suffering in order to know the difference between that and pleasure and bliss. Otherwise, how would you differentiate the two? Feeling an abrasive quality as you toy and catalog your past emotions is healthy. Still, please attempt to tie it all into a positive completion of the process. Feel the negative emotions of the past, but then relish in the notion that things will get better. Surrender into your spacious vision that the Universe is not evil – only humans exhibit evil. Find confidence that though the stars at night may be obscured by the clouds, this is only temporary – that clear skies will prevail. Find positive awareness in these emotions and feelings from the past. Understand the past and then move on with only positive will and compassion. A shadowed past does not need to be a disability. Let it be a lesson in the school of life. Learn, love and create new positive energy.
John C. Bader
www.responsiveuniverse.com
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
A Poem – Positive Energy
Positive energy…. A dynamism from within
Brought forth by action, a veering path from ego
Born from the present where mindfulness brings space
Such space acquires clarity and it is such awareness that
Creates positive energy; a birth of responsiveness
that permeates even the coldest skies
An energy that transcends all earthy trappings
An energy based on love and compassion
that feeds the essence of our soul and True Nature
A step forward in evolution
Eyes wide open
Visualizing self-actualization
Brought forth by action, a veering path from ego
Born from the present where mindfulness brings space
Such space acquires clarity and it is such awareness that
Creates positive energy; a birth of responsiveness
that permeates even the coldest skies
An energy that transcends all earthy trappings
An energy based on love and compassion
that feeds the essence of our soul and True Nature
A step forward in evolution
Eyes wide open
Visualizing self-actualization
A special thanks to my friends at MindBodyGreen for posting my blog on
Positive Energy. Check it out at MindBodyGreen.com
John C. Bader
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Is a Soul dependable?
Yesterday, I discussed how science can actually prove through varying theories that an afterlife is possible. This is refreshing news for those of us that believe we are part of something magnificent, but are tired of all the religious dogma and social trappings associated with modern theology. From the inspiring research of String Theory and Black Holes, there is strong evidence that consciousness can live on after cessation. This got me thinking about the concept of a soul…
The soul is the principle of life, feeling, action, and thought. Yet there is a lacking quality to the theoretical idea of a soul because it is not dependable. The concept of a soul is similar to True Nature – that constant energy, free of ego and suffering that we can open up to and depend on. Like our True Nature, the soul is often regarded as a distinct entity separate from the body, one filled with God and all things positive. The soul and the concept of True Nature parallel each other to a point. From a philosophical point, the idea of a soul does fall short due to the religious trappings associated with it. Souls are an energy source that can be taken from you. As an example, in western religion, the Devil can take your soul and trap you a place call hell. There lies the contradiction with True Nature. True Nature is also an energy force associated with God and Universe but there is no commodity driven element associated to it. Our True Nature is immovable and unaltered by prescribed evil. It has been said that we are actually made up of two beings. One is our mortal shell of flesh and bone. The other is our soul that always exists. The difference is, we feed our souls with positive actions we make daily but that celestial energy can be taken from us. If something as monumental as a soul can be altered, moved or stolen, how are we expected to find solace and peace here in the present and the afterlife? Do we protect and try to defend our souls through blind faith and fear? Fundamentally, we need something more pure and permanent. The edicts and rules that govern organized religion use the quality of a soul as a tool to manipulate people and their belief systems. There is nothing pure about that. In fact it is selling fear to the populace for gain. Something as pure and golden like the concept of a soul should be indestructible and unwavering: True Nature is that force.
Have faith in yourself. Be kind to yourself…Trust in your ability to connect to energy and inspiration that transcends our existence here on Earth. Instead of listening to others, listen to your own inner voice. Settle into the magnificence of all that exists; not just our earthy trappings, but the grand scheme that is the quantum Universe.
John C. Bader
www.responsiveuniverse.com
The soul is the principle of life, feeling, action, and thought. Yet there is a lacking quality to the theoretical idea of a soul because it is not dependable. The concept of a soul is similar to True Nature – that constant energy, free of ego and suffering that we can open up to and depend on. Like our True Nature, the soul is often regarded as a distinct entity separate from the body, one filled with God and all things positive. The soul and the concept of True Nature parallel each other to a point. From a philosophical point, the idea of a soul does fall short due to the religious trappings associated with it. Souls are an energy source that can be taken from you. As an example, in western religion, the Devil can take your soul and trap you a place call hell. There lies the contradiction with True Nature. True Nature is also an energy force associated with God and Universe but there is no commodity driven element associated to it. Our True Nature is immovable and unaltered by prescribed evil. It has been said that we are actually made up of two beings. One is our mortal shell of flesh and bone. The other is our soul that always exists. The difference is, we feed our souls with positive actions we make daily but that celestial energy can be taken from us. If something as monumental as a soul can be altered, moved or stolen, how are we expected to find solace and peace here in the present and the afterlife? Do we protect and try to defend our souls through blind faith and fear? Fundamentally, we need something more pure and permanent. The edicts and rules that govern organized religion use the quality of a soul as a tool to manipulate people and their belief systems. There is nothing pure about that. In fact it is selling fear to the populace for gain. Something as pure and golden like the concept of a soul should be indestructible and unwavering: True Nature is that force.
Have faith in yourself. Be kind to yourself…Trust in your ability to connect to energy and inspiration that transcends our existence here on Earth. Instead of listening to others, listen to your own inner voice. Settle into the magnificence of all that exists; not just our earthy trappings, but the grand scheme that is the quantum Universe.
John C. Bader
www.responsiveuniverse.com
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