Reality is What You Make of It

This statement should not be new to you. In fact, with the prevalence of self-help books, the secrecy being lifted by most ceremonial magick fraternal orders and new revelations in religious documents from some of the oldest religions, the shift of how the world works has already happened. Children who came to age in the Age of Aquarius, and those born after (ie. Gen Xers, Millenials, etc), they have all been raised where the collective consciousness has been changing. As old traditional ways of seeing the world were overturned by a more liberal and active approach, with individuals being required to take on more responsibilities, yet still with the same amount of time available to them as generations before, there is the creation of a new kind of cognitive dissonance in the world.

When I was younger, I always thought it was neat to see the world upside down when I looked through rain or dewdrops. It was fascinating in a way that I didn't understand. My parents told me I was weird. My mother, especially, told me that I always looked at things the hard way. I did things the hard way. I did things the way that made sense to me, so in that rationale, was it really the hard way? I mean, it was just the way things were. As I grew older, I got the feeling that other people had it easier and I still never put two and two together. Instead of trying to do things more easily, I tried to rationalize why my life was harder. Indeed, I rarely am able to find people with similar backgrounds. Moreso, I rarely find people with difficulties in their past like my own that are doing okay.

Homeless, on drugs, in abusive relationships... these are the people that I most often identify with. When I talk to them about their history and their stories, these are the people that I often find something in common with. Then I look at them and I look at my life and I am doing okay. For a long while, I wondered why...

Fate, Luck or Something Else?

As a religious person, I have my own superstitions... but I find that even those who lack belief do things to improve their odds as we speed along through the universe. Whether it is a lucky item that you carry with you, the belief that by doing something that you will increase luck in your life or simply through having faith that something positive is possible... you invariably increase your chances of something good happening. This is the one thing that I have noticed is those that think positive get better results.

With the gaining popularity of positive thought, the law of attraction and all of that, there is an influx of this knowledge and more people seem to take advantage of this school of thought. At the same time, it isn't like there is a lack of people with a "woe is me" thought process. Hell, I tend to think this way in my own right often. That being said, with effort, it does get easier. Personally, I find that, with a method of some kind that has been tried and tested, it is even easier. Faith is helpful as well, though I am sure that there are atheists that have their own practices with a scienced based language rather than a religious one.

Negative Seems Easier

The perception that the negative easier still prevails. While we can look up statistical facts that when it rains it pours, especially when that downpour is a result of your own mind... people still tend to think in terms of "what if?" and "why me?" rather than the alternatives.

My theory on this is that the brain doesn't tell the difference between positive and negative. Rather, it seems to react to the vibrations of emotions and the reverberations of thought. While the brain processes thought so that our meat suit can rationalize, sort and logically assert itself into understanding the environment, what the brain seems to process is the vibrations themselves. Good and bad, they don't mean shit to a brain that sees intense and calm. There is little difference between extasy and depravity, depression and jubilance both vibrate at a similar level. Think about a time when you have been super mad. During this time, think about your body, how your pulse may have raced, breath increased or you were tingling.

Let's Put It Into Perspective

Think about a time when you have been happy at this level. Chances are, it is easier to think of a sad or angry time versus a positive one. This is not because we have more pain in our lives, it is because we register that kind of feeling first. When you come from the womb, it is uncomfortable and in all senses of the word, traumatic. This is your first state, at least it is for more people. From there, the body is set. Happiness, that comes later. Laughter comes months after we are born. Wonder though, once you get over the fear of the new world and this shocking weight that is the mundane reality, there is a silent wonder. Unfortunately, most of us, myself included, can't remember this. When we look at infants, taking in the world though, we can all probably imagine this time in our own lives.

Because pain is memorable and more frequent, it is often easier to replicate. It takes more effort to bring about happiness when you don't really understand it. That in there lies the rub. How can you experience happiness without actually being happy

Think about a friend and they are just engaged. Or they got a new car. They are receiving something that you want. How do you feel for your friend?

Do you feel happy?

Do you feel envious?

Often in these cases, we don't really feel truly good or content for our friends. Even though we may smile, deep down there is a seed of jealousy. When we feel this, the feeling itself is not bad. It can act as a reminder to work harder. It can also be a seed of contempt. If you use this to propel yourself while truly feeling good for your friend, then you're already on the right track. If you re honest with yourself and you find that you do feel deep down, jealous, envious or anything other than happy for a friend that has a blessing in their life, you need to stop and check yourself. Meditate on the why... how can you call a person your friend and not well-wish them for something that they have wished for that has been granted?

I would love to hear responses, but I can understand why you may be shy to share. No judgement here!

Pain though. Pain prevails. We learn and grow from pain, it is inherent and integral to our very being. It is what pushes s and what motivates growth and change. It isn't fun though. Believe it or not, when you push through that pain, when you begin to use the brain that you were given to actively change your surroundings then you are able to also experience joy this same level. It isn't just given to us. It is something that we must reach out and grab.

Jump Towards Joy

Whether spiritual, physical or metaphysical, all the teachings that I have found about joy are that it is something that is present in our lives but we have to be willing to accept it. In my teachings, I usually will tell people that they need to manifest that they need to coordinate their own lives and talk about making the world happen. When you look at the scholarly resources, you start to see the same things being taught in a different language.

You are expected to not fall victim to predators that exist in a world that is just as feral and potentially cruel as the one that has always existed. These days, you have the technology, technically an unfair advantage. That being said, it is a world with new possibilities. You can learn just about anything that you put your mind to on the internet. Unfortunately, the world is still tough. It hasn't made it easier, but then again - do you really want it easier? Without the pain and struggle that comes with a sometimes difficult existence, you wouldn't likely get the growth and change that is needed to develop you into a strong and healthy human. Strength comes from adaptation and momentum of the movement.
Find your strength through your passion. Take a chance and try to make a difference. You may feel weird at first, it may even be painful. Once you get through though, you start to see the changes along with the similarities. In any case, what have you got to lose?

Thanks for Reading!

References:

All artwork and photography is my own work. RumDancer 2017 - 2018
The Science of Luck
Richard Wiseman's 4 Principes of Luck