:lol:
Phil's Phollies
- Thread starter SifuPhil
- Start date
:lol:
SifuPhil
R.I.P. With Us In Spirit Only
- Location
- Pennsylvania, USA
That was cruel of me, I know - sorry, Yaya.
We're doing our best to save one cat at a time.
SifuPhil
R.I.P. With Us In Spirit Only
- Location
- Pennsylvania, USA
The Dangers of Cannabis: A Forced Essay
I had written this some time back, and it's a long one - over 2,500 words - so I'll understand if you pass on this, but I wanted to place it here for posterity.
It seems that a marijuana dealer in the U.K. was arrested and given a choice -
Convicted UK pot dealer Terry Bennett, 32, was just sentenced to the grown-up version of writing “I will not chew gum in class” on the chalkboard 100 times. He must pen a 5,000-word essay about the dangers of cannabis by April 4—or spend a year in jail.
source
Beside the considerations of whether or not this is brainwashing or a curtailing of free speech, I think this presents a fantastic opportunity for writing a satirical piece.
Here's what I would write if I were in Terry's shoes …
'''The Dangers of Cannabis''' - A Forced Essay by Johnny Joint
Cannabis, or Cannabis sativa, aka “marijuana”, “Mary Jane”, “Pot”, “Weed” “Muggles”, “Dope”, “Ganja” and a hundred other names, is a fast-growing plant with commercial, medical and recreational uses that has been utilized without incident for thousands of years, but only since it was outlawed by a handful of powerful politicians and corporate shills has it acquired a bad reputation.
No matter how upstanding you are, you are likely to have encounters with police that can result in arrest. Here’s why:
Every day, at the courts, in attorneys’ offices, and in probation departments, one sees a stream of women clutching money orders funded by mortgaging their homes and liquidating their savings. Often it’s more than one woman. It’s mom, sister, aunt, and cousin who have cleaned themselves out to get their man out of jail. Money that would have funded a new home or car, an education, or a retirement is swallowed up in an instant by the financial black hole that is the criminal justice system.
The system devours the investment capital of poor Americans and is one of the major reasons the poor stay poor. Elected officials love to describe how much money they pour into poor neighborhoods and community services. They never, ever, discuss how much is drained out by the criminal justice system. Ladies, the best way to keep your savings in the bank and your folding money in your purse is to keep your men away from cops and out of jail.
The First Danger
Therefore, the first danger of cannabis is that you'll lose your money, your car, your home, your family and your future – all because of a plant that has been repeatedly proven to have far more benefit than drawback, and a broken political and legal system.
Your fees, fines etc. will go in part to pay for your incarceration, but you won't necessarily be staying in a government-run institution. More likely you'll be doing your time in a privately-run prison that has won the concession for operating the correctional institutions in your town.
These private companies make fortunes off of your arrest, and make no mistake – so do the cops. The more arrests they have the greater their chances for promotions and for increased government funding in the “war against drugs”. Your freedom and your future are sacrificed in order to make a profit for these groups.
The Second Danger
So we find the second danger of cannabis – you will enrich others as you suffer.
Even though marijuana has infused through every level of society, from poor to rich, the stereotypical user is seen as either an aging hippie or a rap-talking gangsta. You either wear a head-band with flowers printed on it or a black do-rag. There's nothing allowed between these two extremes.
Yet every single day doctors, lawyers, judges, policemen, housewives, corporate executives, students, professional and amateur sportsmen – they all partake of cannabis. You could be talking to your local Avon dealer and never suspect that in reality she is a drug-crazed demon ready to devour you and your entire family, including the dog, the cat and the three goldfish that Junior has in his room.
The Third Danger
This is the third danger of cannabis – that you're going to be unfairly judged and categorized.
The great majority of pot smokers are recreational users, and as such they usually have a few years of experience beneath their hemp belts in regulating their ganja intake. It is only the total newcomer to toking that may commit the cardinal sin of over-smoking. The result? They'll get a bad case of the munchies, devour anything edible in the house, then fall fast asleep with a half-eaten Twinkie sticking out of their mouth.
And that's the worst that can happen.
But to hear the brainwashed opponents of marijuana tell it, you will become ADDICTED to the demon weed. They all KNOW that pot is merely the gateway drug to stronger drugs such as methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin. Of course this is all bullshit, but it's the fairy story that has been drilled into the heads of the public for years, ever since Harry Anslinger started his bid to become the Emperor of the Anti-Drug Empire. Weed does not lead to stronger drug use, any more than smoking cigarettes leads to smoking those DeNoble guinea-stinker cigars or drinking a few beers leads to scarfing down all the perfume in your neighbor's medicine cabinet.
The Fourth Danger
So the fourth evil of cannabis is that you're going to have to explain, over and over again, exactly WHY weed is not evil.
Alcohol often leads to driving like an idiot, fighting, pissing your pants in public and many other embarrassing events. Cigarette smoking leads to throat, lung, mouth and various other cancers, makes you smell like an ashtray, turns your fingernails yellow and makes you an outlaw in today's health-conscious society.
Cannabis makes you horny, hungry and sleepy, hopefully in that order. You don't feel like starting fights; you don't really want to go out driving; if you're smart enough to consume your ganja by either eating it or using a vaporizer then your health risks are minimized.
But you'll still be seen as an outlaw. While some younger folk might enjoy developing such a “rep”, we older folks just want to be left alone to toke in peace, get a piece, eat a slice and sleep real nice.
Again, long-term studies – double-blind, peer-reviewed – have PROVEN that marijuana, i.e. cannabis, is no more dangerous than eating flash-frozen broccoli with your chemically-enhanced steak.
And we ALL do that, now don't we?
The Fifth Danger
The fifth evil of cannabis – you'll be perceived, and treated, as a criminal, just because the political and legal systems don't want to give up their profit-making rackets.
Modern society has become one big competition. From the time we enter Kindergarten we are urged, nay, taught to be better than everyone else. We have to score the highest on tests in order to enter the college of our choice, so that we can compete with others like us to graduate with the highest GPA, so that we can compete equally for that high-status, high-paying corporate job, so that we can afford to buy that huge house and expensive luxury car so that we can compete with our neighbors …
McDonald's competes with Burger King; Ford with GM; America with just about every single friggin' Third-World country. The U.K. competes with itself, in the process falling to the lowest levels of employment, satisfaction and pride since Cromwell stomped around the Blessed Isle. The mighty Brits with their stiff upper-lips compensate by sentencing blokes with a couple of pounds of happy herb to writing ludicrous essays about the evils of something that they KNOW, through years of experience, is a blessing from Nature, but once again because of the short-sightedness of the societies we live in is seen as a horrible aberration from the norm.
Competition breeds ego and violence; competition means there is a winner AND a loser. But all that pales when you're driving the newest-model FartMaster 3000-E Luxury Coupe, doesn't it? It's almost worth all the pain, suffering and loss you've inflicted on your “enemy”, isn't it?
Buddha forbid we kick back, do up a few righteous joints of Haze and decide to play Stoner Monopoly for a few hours, laughing, hugging and smiling all the while.
Yeah, that would just be criminal, wouldn't it?
The Sixth Danger
Cannabis Evil #6: You might become less competitive, and the world economy will come crashing down around your sandal-shod feet.
To be totally honest here (since I REALLY don't want to spend the next 365 days avoiding “Bubba”), cannabis usage DOES have a couple of peccadillos – you become forgetful, you aren't nearly as motivated as the guy doing coke or meth, and you start to think that the cartoons on the telly are the inventions of geniuses who should be elected world leaders. You might stare at the palm of your hand for a couple of hours, marveling at the intricacy of the lines contained therein. You might get on the floor with your cat and play “Tom and Jerry”, or you might go out for a walk and marvel at the clouds.
In a word, you won't be PRODUCTIVE, and THAT is the driving force of our world today. If you don't PRODUCE something, be it an object or a service, you are seen as a waste of human life. You are referred to by such terms as “gadfly”, “layabout” and “ne'er-do-well” or, in the modern world, as “that ****ing lazy bum”.
The Seventh Danger
This is the seventh evil of cannabis – you aren't as maniacally productive as the next guy. You might actually find time to play with your kids, make love to your wife or girlfriend or just commune with your God (or Goddess, or His Noodly Appendages, or Xenu, or whatever floats your boat).
The Eighth Danger
The eighth evil of cannabis is that many tokers will develop an interest in growing their own supply of herb, in order to assure quality and quantity. They will read up on growing techniques, probably spending a couple of bucks on how-to manuals from Amazon or Tokin' Toys, then when they are ready to take the plunge they'll go ahead and order a starter kit consisting of a few trays, cubes of rockwool, fertilizer, lamps and so on, in the process stimulating the world economy just that little bit.
Statistics tell us that only about 50% of these first-time farmers will end up with a viable crop, but they won't all give up at that point. They'll read a bit more, buy some fancier equipment (enriching the economy further still) and will likely be victorious in their efforts. They will be rewarded with a bumper crop of sticky, glowing herb that will help them to become one with the Tao, or at least get them ready for a marathon viewing session of the Naughty Night Nurse trilogy.
But in doing all of this home growing our intrepid farmer is short-cutting the accepted economic model, growing HIS OWN by HIS OWN HANDS. He isn't paying inflated prices to middlemen who wouldn't know a spliff from a queef. He isn't participating in the Master Plan, as set forth by The Powers That Be.
He isn't playing cricket, by gum!
The Ninth Danger
The ninth cannabis evil is concerned with the generation of envy in non-toking observers. If you should be outed as a pot smoker you will instantly become the envy of those who, for whatever reasons – financial, religious, moral or legal – do not partake. They will become fired up with the Word of the Lord or the Word of the Judges or the Word of Aunt Tilly, all of whom have clearly cited smoking weed as the ultimate evil act.
But they are also envious of your freedom, your experimental outlook, your smiling, laughing countenance.
They will HATE you for being happy.
The Tenth Danger
The tenth and (for now) last evil of cannabis - by smoking and toking, you are joining the ranks of some heavy-hitters throughout history, men and women who are renowned for their genius, whether it be in the field of fine arts, business, science or a thousand other pursuits. Entire industries – the rap business, for example – would not even exist, making it's masters tons of money, were it not for cannabis.
And this fact will bring forth jealousy in those who do not smoke. They will question why you are putting yourself so far above them, walking around with that smug look of self-righteousness on your face and in general acting like your defecation is not odoriferous.
Congratulations, stoner – you have invoked the green-eyed beast!
In Conclusion
Well, now … that's 2,500 words in a little over an hour and a half. I'm sure Terry can pull this off to everyone's satisfaction.
Good luck, Brother! If you need a hand with the edits and such, ring me up.
I had written this some time back, and it's a long one - over 2,500 words - so I'll understand if you pass on this, but I wanted to place it here for posterity.
It seems that a marijuana dealer in the U.K. was arrested and given a choice -
Convicted UK pot dealer Terry Bennett, 32, was just sentenced to the grown-up version of writing “I will not chew gum in class” on the chalkboard 100 times. He must pen a 5,000-word essay about the dangers of cannabis by April 4—or spend a year in jail.
source
Beside the considerations of whether or not this is brainwashing or a curtailing of free speech, I think this presents a fantastic opportunity for writing a satirical piece.
Here's what I would write if I were in Terry's shoes …
'''The Dangers of Cannabis''' - A Forced Essay by Johnny Joint
Cannabis, or Cannabis sativa, aka “marijuana”, “Mary Jane”, “Pot”, “Weed” “Muggles”, “Dope”, “Ganja” and a hundred other names, is a fast-growing plant with commercial, medical and recreational uses that has been utilized without incident for thousands of years, but only since it was outlawed by a handful of powerful politicians and corporate shills has it acquired a bad reputation.
No matter how upstanding you are, you are likely to have encounters with police that can result in arrest. Here’s why:
- » Improved technology and training enable police to arrest people for petty crimes that in the past were ignored due to lack of manpower and resources.
- » A law enforcement doctrine called proactive policing has spread across the land. It calls for zero tolerance of petty offenses, including such things as jaywalking, loitering, and drinking a beer on the street. Proactive policing has reduced crime—no question—but to do so it requires huge numbers of arrests of petty offenders who in years past would never have seen the inside of a jail.
- » The volume of arrests has caused a boom in jail and court construction and the creation of a criminal justice system that employs hundreds of thousands and requires ever more arrests to justify its existence.
- » The near universal installation of computers in police cruisers, and their ability to access law enforcement databases instantly, allows police to make more arrests for what I call administrative crimes. These are failure to maintain tags, licenses, and car insurance; outstanding arrest warrants; driving with suspended licenses; failure to appear at court hearings; and violation of probation and parole. None of these crimes involves theft, violence, or injury. They are not offenses against people but against the state. In the past, paper records made arrests for these crimes difficult, especially when the offender moved to another state. With the advent of computers, the jails are stuffed with people guilty of not paying fees, not doing paperwork, not showing up in court, and in general thumbing their noses at the system.
- » People are shocked to discover that they can be arrested for things they didn’t even know were illegal. For example, millions of parents chauffeuring the kids in the van or SUV don’t realize that the stimulants and antidepressants prescribed for hyperactive children are scheduled narcotics. Kids carry these pills around in their pockets and book bags. The pills scatter inside the vehicle and can get Mom busted if she cannot produce a written prescription during a routine traffic stop.
- » Dope, my friends, let’s talk about dope. The magic herb is everywhere, as are the powders and crystals that bliss out millions every day. The world may be becoming more tolerant of drugs, but cops, courts, and legislatures are not. Almost any quantity of a controlled substance can get you arrested in most places. Most people have no idea how serious drug possession is.
- » People have worse manners than in the past. Whether this is due to less effective parenting, a decline in church attendance, increased use of drugs, disorder at public schools, or the pervasive influence of TV shows where everyone is “in your face” is a topic best left to the talk shows. All I know for a fact is that people don’t know how to behave. They act out in front of cops and get busted for being obnoxious.
Every day, at the courts, in attorneys’ offices, and in probation departments, one sees a stream of women clutching money orders funded by mortgaging their homes and liquidating their savings. Often it’s more than one woman. It’s mom, sister, aunt, and cousin who have cleaned themselves out to get their man out of jail. Money that would have funded a new home or car, an education, or a retirement is swallowed up in an instant by the financial black hole that is the criminal justice system.
The system devours the investment capital of poor Americans and is one of the major reasons the poor stay poor. Elected officials love to describe how much money they pour into poor neighborhoods and community services. They never, ever, discuss how much is drained out by the criminal justice system. Ladies, the best way to keep your savings in the bank and your folding money in your purse is to keep your men away from cops and out of jail.
The First Danger
Therefore, the first danger of cannabis is that you'll lose your money, your car, your home, your family and your future – all because of a plant that has been repeatedly proven to have far more benefit than drawback, and a broken political and legal system.
Your fees, fines etc. will go in part to pay for your incarceration, but you won't necessarily be staying in a government-run institution. More likely you'll be doing your time in a privately-run prison that has won the concession for operating the correctional institutions in your town.
These private companies make fortunes off of your arrest, and make no mistake – so do the cops. The more arrests they have the greater their chances for promotions and for increased government funding in the “war against drugs”. Your freedom and your future are sacrificed in order to make a profit for these groups.
The Second Danger
So we find the second danger of cannabis – you will enrich others as you suffer.
Even though marijuana has infused through every level of society, from poor to rich, the stereotypical user is seen as either an aging hippie or a rap-talking gangsta. You either wear a head-band with flowers printed on it or a black do-rag. There's nothing allowed between these two extremes.
Yet every single day doctors, lawyers, judges, policemen, housewives, corporate executives, students, professional and amateur sportsmen – they all partake of cannabis. You could be talking to your local Avon dealer and never suspect that in reality she is a drug-crazed demon ready to devour you and your entire family, including the dog, the cat and the three goldfish that Junior has in his room.
The Third Danger
This is the third danger of cannabis – that you're going to be unfairly judged and categorized.
The great majority of pot smokers are recreational users, and as such they usually have a few years of experience beneath their hemp belts in regulating their ganja intake. It is only the total newcomer to toking that may commit the cardinal sin of over-smoking. The result? They'll get a bad case of the munchies, devour anything edible in the house, then fall fast asleep with a half-eaten Twinkie sticking out of their mouth.
And that's the worst that can happen.
But to hear the brainwashed opponents of marijuana tell it, you will become ADDICTED to the demon weed. They all KNOW that pot is merely the gateway drug to stronger drugs such as methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin. Of course this is all bullshit, but it's the fairy story that has been drilled into the heads of the public for years, ever since Harry Anslinger started his bid to become the Emperor of the Anti-Drug Empire. Weed does not lead to stronger drug use, any more than smoking cigarettes leads to smoking those DeNoble guinea-stinker cigars or drinking a few beers leads to scarfing down all the perfume in your neighbor's medicine cabinet.
The Fourth Danger
So the fourth evil of cannabis is that you're going to have to explain, over and over again, exactly WHY weed is not evil.
Alcohol often leads to driving like an idiot, fighting, pissing your pants in public and many other embarrassing events. Cigarette smoking leads to throat, lung, mouth and various other cancers, makes you smell like an ashtray, turns your fingernails yellow and makes you an outlaw in today's health-conscious society.
Cannabis makes you horny, hungry and sleepy, hopefully in that order. You don't feel like starting fights; you don't really want to go out driving; if you're smart enough to consume your ganja by either eating it or using a vaporizer then your health risks are minimized.
But you'll still be seen as an outlaw. While some younger folk might enjoy developing such a “rep”, we older folks just want to be left alone to toke in peace, get a piece, eat a slice and sleep real nice.
Again, long-term studies – double-blind, peer-reviewed – have PROVEN that marijuana, i.e. cannabis, is no more dangerous than eating flash-frozen broccoli with your chemically-enhanced steak.
And we ALL do that, now don't we?
The Fifth Danger
The fifth evil of cannabis – you'll be perceived, and treated, as a criminal, just because the political and legal systems don't want to give up their profit-making rackets.
Modern society has become one big competition. From the time we enter Kindergarten we are urged, nay, taught to be better than everyone else. We have to score the highest on tests in order to enter the college of our choice, so that we can compete with others like us to graduate with the highest GPA, so that we can compete equally for that high-status, high-paying corporate job, so that we can afford to buy that huge house and expensive luxury car so that we can compete with our neighbors …
McDonald's competes with Burger King; Ford with GM; America with just about every single friggin' Third-World country. The U.K. competes with itself, in the process falling to the lowest levels of employment, satisfaction and pride since Cromwell stomped around the Blessed Isle. The mighty Brits with their stiff upper-lips compensate by sentencing blokes with a couple of pounds of happy herb to writing ludicrous essays about the evils of something that they KNOW, through years of experience, is a blessing from Nature, but once again because of the short-sightedness of the societies we live in is seen as a horrible aberration from the norm.
Competition breeds ego and violence; competition means there is a winner AND a loser. But all that pales when you're driving the newest-model FartMaster 3000-E Luxury Coupe, doesn't it? It's almost worth all the pain, suffering and loss you've inflicted on your “enemy”, isn't it?
Buddha forbid we kick back, do up a few righteous joints of Haze and decide to play Stoner Monopoly for a few hours, laughing, hugging and smiling all the while.
Yeah, that would just be criminal, wouldn't it?
The Sixth Danger
Cannabis Evil #6: You might become less competitive, and the world economy will come crashing down around your sandal-shod feet.
To be totally honest here (since I REALLY don't want to spend the next 365 days avoiding “Bubba”), cannabis usage DOES have a couple of peccadillos – you become forgetful, you aren't nearly as motivated as the guy doing coke or meth, and you start to think that the cartoons on the telly are the inventions of geniuses who should be elected world leaders. You might stare at the palm of your hand for a couple of hours, marveling at the intricacy of the lines contained therein. You might get on the floor with your cat and play “Tom and Jerry”, or you might go out for a walk and marvel at the clouds.
In a word, you won't be PRODUCTIVE, and THAT is the driving force of our world today. If you don't PRODUCE something, be it an object or a service, you are seen as a waste of human life. You are referred to by such terms as “gadfly”, “layabout” and “ne'er-do-well” or, in the modern world, as “that ****ing lazy bum”.
The Seventh Danger
This is the seventh evil of cannabis – you aren't as maniacally productive as the next guy. You might actually find time to play with your kids, make love to your wife or girlfriend or just commune with your God (or Goddess, or His Noodly Appendages, or Xenu, or whatever floats your boat).
The Eighth Danger
The eighth evil of cannabis is that many tokers will develop an interest in growing their own supply of herb, in order to assure quality and quantity. They will read up on growing techniques, probably spending a couple of bucks on how-to manuals from Amazon or Tokin' Toys, then when they are ready to take the plunge they'll go ahead and order a starter kit consisting of a few trays, cubes of rockwool, fertilizer, lamps and so on, in the process stimulating the world economy just that little bit.
Statistics tell us that only about 50% of these first-time farmers will end up with a viable crop, but they won't all give up at that point. They'll read a bit more, buy some fancier equipment (enriching the economy further still) and will likely be victorious in their efforts. They will be rewarded with a bumper crop of sticky, glowing herb that will help them to become one with the Tao, or at least get them ready for a marathon viewing session of the Naughty Night Nurse trilogy.
But in doing all of this home growing our intrepid farmer is short-cutting the accepted economic model, growing HIS OWN by HIS OWN HANDS. He isn't paying inflated prices to middlemen who wouldn't know a spliff from a queef. He isn't participating in the Master Plan, as set forth by The Powers That Be.
He isn't playing cricket, by gum!
The Ninth Danger
The ninth cannabis evil is concerned with the generation of envy in non-toking observers. If you should be outed as a pot smoker you will instantly become the envy of those who, for whatever reasons – financial, religious, moral or legal – do not partake. They will become fired up with the Word of the Lord or the Word of the Judges or the Word of Aunt Tilly, all of whom have clearly cited smoking weed as the ultimate evil act.
But they are also envious of your freedom, your experimental outlook, your smiling, laughing countenance.
They will HATE you for being happy.
The Tenth Danger
The tenth and (for now) last evil of cannabis - by smoking and toking, you are joining the ranks of some heavy-hitters throughout history, men and women who are renowned for their genius, whether it be in the field of fine arts, business, science or a thousand other pursuits. Entire industries – the rap business, for example – would not even exist, making it's masters tons of money, were it not for cannabis.
And this fact will bring forth jealousy in those who do not smoke. They will question why you are putting yourself so far above them, walking around with that smug look of self-righteousness on your face and in general acting like your defecation is not odoriferous.
Congratulations, stoner – you have invoked the green-eyed beast!
In Conclusion
Well, now … that's 2,500 words in a little over an hour and a half. I'm sure Terry can pull this off to everyone's satisfaction.
Good luck, Brother! If you need a hand with the edits and such, ring me up.
Shalimar
SF VIP
- Location
- Vancouver Island Canada
Good, Philly. Now it is time to light up my beautiful blue ceramic cat pipe.
SifuPhil
R.I.P. With Us In Spirit Only
- Location
- Pennsylvania, USA
rider1046
New Member
- Location
- Farmington MO
Not a fan of smoking marijuana or tobacco, though I was addicted to the latter for nearly 25 years before kicking the habit, but did enjoy your views. Smoking Marijuana to me is like motorcycle helmet laws and being able to enjoy a beer in my pickup on the way home from work. I may obey these laws, but it's only to avoid the ticket, not because I believe they are good laws for everyone under all circumstances. I remember the good ole days in Tennessee when I could get in off the road in my big truck, stop at the corner market by my terminal, buy two bottles of Coors and drink them on the 45 minute drive home from work, then have supper, shower and climb in bed and I'd be out like a light! All legal and safe!
SifuPhil
R.I.P. With Us In Spirit Only
- Location
- Pennsylvania, USA
That's a huge problem - that we do what we do out of fear, not out of common sense. So many laws are over-restrictive these days, seeming to be knee-jerk reactions to the voters' whims.
My sister was killed by a drunk driver, but I would never begrudge anyone a beer or two on a hot day. It's all about that common sense I mentioned, not going to extremes and getting blotto drunk or hopelessly stoned, then getting behind the wheel.
My sister was killed by a drunk driver, but I would never begrudge anyone a beer or two on a hot day. It's all about that common sense I mentioned, not going to extremes and getting blotto drunk or hopelessly stoned, then getting behind the wheel.
AprilT
Well-known Member
- Location
- A galaxy far far away
Phil, I thought, but, who else could appreciate this, I just saw it on FB a few minutes ago and remembered this thread. 
SifuPhil
R.I.P. With Us In Spirit Only
- Location
- Pennsylvania, USA
:lofl:
Thank you - that's one of the cleverest things I've heard!
Thank you - that's one of the cleverest things I've heard!
vickyNightowl
Senior Member
- Location
- canada
Shalimar,I liike the way you think
Phil,very nice read. 'Sigh' I remember when...lol
Phil,very nice read. 'Sigh' I remember when...lol
SifuPhil
R.I.P. With Us In Spirit Only
- Location
- Pennsylvania, USA
To Live with Heart
An article I wrote for a magazine a while back ...
To live with heart requires living with feeling. Everybody has sentiments. When we are mindful of how we feel, we are in touch with a fundamental piece of ourselves. Living with heart implies we live with all our emotions, tolerating all, even the tormenting ones. Huge numbers of us decide to acknowledge the cheerful ones and deny those that don't feel so great. Why do we do this? We would rather disregard them than face them. We don't know how to handle them, how to express them or how to mend the torment. As a general rule sentiments are a complex constraint in our lives when we are not mindful of them. This article will help clear up the secret with the goal that emotions of pain could be healed and sentiments of satisfaction and joy can prosper.
Notice
Become mindful of what you're feeling. Watch and tune in, without judgment, to emotions that are a regular part of your life. From first getting up to when you put your head on the bed in the evening you encounter a steady stream of sentiments – changing from moment to moment. We travel through our days not being completely mindful of emotions traveling through us. Give them a chance to float through your mindfulness – only listen as they pass by. For large numbers of us, this is a novel experience.
Noticing is the very first step. In the event that we don't recognize what we're feeling – then whatever remains of these steps is aimless. It's similar to if we are sleep-walking through life – making an insincere effort of living without completely encountering either the delight or the distress of it. Life holds both and that is the thing that makes it so rich.
Noticing is about change. When we are flying through life on the fast track there is little time to stop and assess emotions. For a lot of people, making a significant effort to notice things is something we stay away from in light of the fact that we may discover a feeling that is strong to the point that we can't overlook it. A change could be important - a change of relationship, occupation, area, life style - and we may be hesitant to face such a change.
Assuming that noticing is another experience for you – begin slow and simple, patient and kind – but start to give careful consideration to what you're feeling in your commonplace world.
Feel
Permit yourself to feel. Be honest about any happiness, fatigue, mistrust, trust or type of energy you may feel. Essentially, ask yourself, “How would I feel about this?” This could be a brisk five-second check or, in the event that we have sufficient energy, we can take a couple of minutes to assess. In the event that more time is required, discover a calm place and let the emotions rise to the surface, just to feel them.
When we choose to permit sentiments to surface be mindful that they can come bobbing out when we least expect. It's as though the doors have been opened, sentiments have been stuck in the corral for quite a while and they are at last free - so out they come to play. Play with them, fool around with them, yell with them, be with them – they are a part of you.
When we recognize what we feel, then we can choose how we need to handle those emotions. In the event that we don't have a clue, we are strolling around a blind side in our future – just as there is a blind spot in the side-mirror as we are driving down the highway.
Understand
By sincerely addressing questions of ourselves, we can come to comprehend the source or inspiration driving our sentiments. Compassionate comprehension is an immense step toward healing. As opposed to whipping yourself for being upset or sad, treat yourself like you might your closest companion. Look to address the problem, listen and understand. Get some information about these sentiments. “What am I feeling and why? Have I felt this way in the recent past? Does this feeling repeat itself? What am I anxious about? Why am I escaping with these emotions? Why am I hesitant to be honest about how I feel?” In addressing these inquiries, we start to comprehend ourselves.
Cherish yourself as you might your dearest companion and provide for yourself the same caring attention. When we comprehend the wellspring of emotions, then we have the data to start recuperating and to understand the puzzle of feelings.
Huge numbers of us are bearing emotions that have been submerged for quite a while – from youth, a lost fellowship, or an apparent disappointment. We couldn't or didn't adapt to those sentiments at the time – and the aftermath from those impacts our perspective of the world today. Getting in touch with healing alters us, our perspective of the world, and how we communicate with those around us. It's similar to a heavy weight that has been lifted from our back.
Accept
These are my sentiments. They are not wonderful or terrible, right or wrong – they are a piece of me. Some of them could be serious, some exciting, and some extremely serene. Don't pass judgment on them, yet acknowledge them as data about who you are. By not passing judgment on them, we dispense with the stigma that it is not worthy to have them and they become to a lesser degree an enormous, scary monster to be dreaded.
As a complex individual, we can anticipate that sentiments will change minute by minute, hour by hour, step by step. Accept, without judgment or feedback, this consistent stream of feeling. With this falling and rising of feeling, we take in something new about ourselves and our general surroundings. Sentiments provide for us important and vital data.
Heal
We need to feel it to heal it – so we can discharge it and let it go. There is no profit for us to keep a strong grip on harmful feelings from the past. These sentiments are similar to dragging a pack of rocks, lumps of fear, from the past as we stroll toward what's to come. Rocks weigh us down and keep us from advancing, from exploiting new chances and encounters.
It's alright to invest time feeling pitiful, disappointed or mortified. Everybody feels these things. Once in a while we have whispered and spit, kicked and wailed in light of the fact that these sentiments were so powerful. Now and then we have stuffed them and chose to believe that we were even more unlovable. I would encourage you to invest time in hosting a big pity party - a timed compassion party – and when the gathering is over, truly release it! Settle on a choice to heal it, as opposed to stuffing it!
As opposed to discovering a profit in keeping a firm grip on the wounded feeling, discover a profit to release it. The help and freedom that results from discharging old hurts is astounding – a new individual develops. That individual can be you.
Love
I am an individual – not perfect – I'm not supposed to be. I acknowledge all my warts, spot and defects as a major aspect of who I am. Those are extraordinary, distinctive parts of the character that is me. I am the genuine article and an exceptionally adorable, commendable individual.
Ordinarily we are the least wanting to love ourselves. We can provide for others, be patient and kind with them – but are exceptionally unforgiving of ourselves. Our desires are farfetched and when we don't reach them, we thrash ourselves for failing.
How about we stop this, back off once again, and provide ourselves credit for being who we are, at this point in time. Yes, we've committed errors; along these lines so have others. So what? I'm still a worthy, commendable individual with much love to give and much love to get. I'm mending the wounds of fear with the goal that I can open to the healing elegance of love. I'm adoring myself – as I am at this moment!
Fear
Emotions of fear can halt us. We are hesitant to begin another relationship, make a telephone call, or enlist in a class. Something inside us lets us know we can't succeed, something awful will happen, or we will be humiliated. The most personal reasons for alarm are those identified with how we feel about ourselves. We frequently think we are not a commendable, significant, adorable individual. These emotions, from within, impact our activities and decisions on the outside.
As opposed to letting fear stop us, use it – to mend, to be courageous enough to take a stab at something new regardless of the fact that we are fearful. Often we will find that the dread is greater in our mind than it is in actuality. Taking a step – some kind of an activity – breaks up the fear and after that we are allowed to take the next logical step.
We are well-acquainted with the emotion of fear. We have all existed with those feelings. We are presumably more acquainted with the emotion of fear than emotions of affection. Fear could be a companion or an enemy. Make it your companion – use it to grow.
Decide to Change
We can decide to change old patterns of behavior by permitting ourselves to feel the full extent of emotions, from bliss to depression. This decision will change our actions and practices in light of the fact that we are looking into feelings, as opposed to staying away from them.
Our decision to change places us in the position of learning about ourselves. As we travel this way, we should search for how we can change old restricting habits, be mindful of new practices, and listen to what our feelings tell us about the distinctive decisions we are making. How do these new decisions feel? In what manner will this influence my life? What have I found out about myself? These decisions will take us into our futures.
Get Ready for the Ride
When we go to the sea we watch waves collide with the shore, washing over the sandy beach. The waves are constant, ceaseless, once in a while furious and off and on again exceptionally tender. They travel to every part of the tremendous sea carrying different animals and flotsam and jetsam onto the sand. As the waves come in and hit the sandy beach the sand moves and settles back once more, waiting up for the following wave.
It is really the same with feelings. They may set out for our mindfulness from long ago and far away. When the wave of vitality from this feeling hits our mental and emotional beach it moves the sand of our life. Often the waves of feeling come fast and furious, as in a sea tempest. The torrents more than once smash into us and we feel beaten and doused. When the storm passes and the sun comes out the waves are much gentler and calmer.
When we make a promise to mend wounded feelings, be prepared for the ride. Our dedication will bring a chance for both storm-powered winds as well as calm seas. It is important for it to be that way. However, finishing what has been started means we can anticipate fewer tropical storms and more excellent, sunny days at the beach.
Appreciate the Rewards
The vast majority of us function well on the planet we live on. Yet in the event that you truly speak with individuals, everybody is strolling around with knots of feeling about things that have happened in their life. Despite the fact that we are upbeat and fruitful, one needs to ponder what we could do in the event that we ever mended those knots. How are they preventing us from having a life that could bring us significantly more joy and richness?
Freedom hails from getting rid of fear-based emotions and at long last accepting the numerous endowments originating from love. The objective is to love more and fear less. All sentiments – trust, appreciation, empathy, excitement, satisfaction, serenity and dissatisfaction, disarray, doubt, blame and cynicism originate from either love or fear. Sincerely discharging the fear-based ones clears a path to receiving a greater number of the gifts arising from love.
Will you perform these steps to open your heart to feel? Consider it this way – explore different avenues regarding feeling. There is nothing to lose and everything to gain. Open up to a piece of yourself that you have never investigated. This procedure of learning personal trust will make you an new individual. On that voyage you will discover numerous blessings. These blessings will improve your life. You should give these blessings to yourself.
Also at Devtome
An article I wrote for a magazine a while back ...
To live with heart requires living with feeling. Everybody has sentiments. When we are mindful of how we feel, we are in touch with a fundamental piece of ourselves. Living with heart implies we live with all our emotions, tolerating all, even the tormenting ones. Huge numbers of us decide to acknowledge the cheerful ones and deny those that don't feel so great. Why do we do this? We would rather disregard them than face them. We don't know how to handle them, how to express them or how to mend the torment. As a general rule sentiments are a complex constraint in our lives when we are not mindful of them. This article will help clear up the secret with the goal that emotions of pain could be healed and sentiments of satisfaction and joy can prosper.
Notice
Become mindful of what you're feeling. Watch and tune in, without judgment, to emotions that are a regular part of your life. From first getting up to when you put your head on the bed in the evening you encounter a steady stream of sentiments – changing from moment to moment. We travel through our days not being completely mindful of emotions traveling through us. Give them a chance to float through your mindfulness – only listen as they pass by. For large numbers of us, this is a novel experience.
Noticing is the very first step. In the event that we don't recognize what we're feeling – then whatever remains of these steps is aimless. It's similar to if we are sleep-walking through life – making an insincere effort of living without completely encountering either the delight or the distress of it. Life holds both and that is the thing that makes it so rich.
Noticing is about change. When we are flying through life on the fast track there is little time to stop and assess emotions. For a lot of people, making a significant effort to notice things is something we stay away from in light of the fact that we may discover a feeling that is strong to the point that we can't overlook it. A change could be important - a change of relationship, occupation, area, life style - and we may be hesitant to face such a change.
Assuming that noticing is another experience for you – begin slow and simple, patient and kind – but start to give careful consideration to what you're feeling in your commonplace world.
Feel
Permit yourself to feel. Be honest about any happiness, fatigue, mistrust, trust or type of energy you may feel. Essentially, ask yourself, “How would I feel about this?” This could be a brisk five-second check or, in the event that we have sufficient energy, we can take a couple of minutes to assess. In the event that more time is required, discover a calm place and let the emotions rise to the surface, just to feel them.
When we choose to permit sentiments to surface be mindful that they can come bobbing out when we least expect. It's as though the doors have been opened, sentiments have been stuck in the corral for quite a while and they are at last free - so out they come to play. Play with them, fool around with them, yell with them, be with them – they are a part of you.
When we recognize what we feel, then we can choose how we need to handle those emotions. In the event that we don't have a clue, we are strolling around a blind side in our future – just as there is a blind spot in the side-mirror as we are driving down the highway.
Understand
By sincerely addressing questions of ourselves, we can come to comprehend the source or inspiration driving our sentiments. Compassionate comprehension is an immense step toward healing. As opposed to whipping yourself for being upset or sad, treat yourself like you might your closest companion. Look to address the problem, listen and understand. Get some information about these sentiments. “What am I feeling and why? Have I felt this way in the recent past? Does this feeling repeat itself? What am I anxious about? Why am I escaping with these emotions? Why am I hesitant to be honest about how I feel?” In addressing these inquiries, we start to comprehend ourselves.
Cherish yourself as you might your dearest companion and provide for yourself the same caring attention. When we comprehend the wellspring of emotions, then we have the data to start recuperating and to understand the puzzle of feelings.
Huge numbers of us are bearing emotions that have been submerged for quite a while – from youth, a lost fellowship, or an apparent disappointment. We couldn't or didn't adapt to those sentiments at the time – and the aftermath from those impacts our perspective of the world today. Getting in touch with healing alters us, our perspective of the world, and how we communicate with those around us. It's similar to a heavy weight that has been lifted from our back.
Accept
These are my sentiments. They are not wonderful or terrible, right or wrong – they are a piece of me. Some of them could be serious, some exciting, and some extremely serene. Don't pass judgment on them, yet acknowledge them as data about who you are. By not passing judgment on them, we dispense with the stigma that it is not worthy to have them and they become to a lesser degree an enormous, scary monster to be dreaded.
As a complex individual, we can anticipate that sentiments will change minute by minute, hour by hour, step by step. Accept, without judgment or feedback, this consistent stream of feeling. With this falling and rising of feeling, we take in something new about ourselves and our general surroundings. Sentiments provide for us important and vital data.
Heal
We need to feel it to heal it – so we can discharge it and let it go. There is no profit for us to keep a strong grip on harmful feelings from the past. These sentiments are similar to dragging a pack of rocks, lumps of fear, from the past as we stroll toward what's to come. Rocks weigh us down and keep us from advancing, from exploiting new chances and encounters.
It's alright to invest time feeling pitiful, disappointed or mortified. Everybody feels these things. Once in a while we have whispered and spit, kicked and wailed in light of the fact that these sentiments were so powerful. Now and then we have stuffed them and chose to believe that we were even more unlovable. I would encourage you to invest time in hosting a big pity party - a timed compassion party – and when the gathering is over, truly release it! Settle on a choice to heal it, as opposed to stuffing it!
As opposed to discovering a profit in keeping a firm grip on the wounded feeling, discover a profit to release it. The help and freedom that results from discharging old hurts is astounding – a new individual develops. That individual can be you.
Love
I am an individual – not perfect – I'm not supposed to be. I acknowledge all my warts, spot and defects as a major aspect of who I am. Those are extraordinary, distinctive parts of the character that is me. I am the genuine article and an exceptionally adorable, commendable individual.
Ordinarily we are the least wanting to love ourselves. We can provide for others, be patient and kind with them – but are exceptionally unforgiving of ourselves. Our desires are farfetched and when we don't reach them, we thrash ourselves for failing.
How about we stop this, back off once again, and provide ourselves credit for being who we are, at this point in time. Yes, we've committed errors; along these lines so have others. So what? I'm still a worthy, commendable individual with much love to give and much love to get. I'm mending the wounds of fear with the goal that I can open to the healing elegance of love. I'm adoring myself – as I am at this moment!
Fear
Emotions of fear can halt us. We are hesitant to begin another relationship, make a telephone call, or enlist in a class. Something inside us lets us know we can't succeed, something awful will happen, or we will be humiliated. The most personal reasons for alarm are those identified with how we feel about ourselves. We frequently think we are not a commendable, significant, adorable individual. These emotions, from within, impact our activities and decisions on the outside.
As opposed to letting fear stop us, use it – to mend, to be courageous enough to take a stab at something new regardless of the fact that we are fearful. Often we will find that the dread is greater in our mind than it is in actuality. Taking a step – some kind of an activity – breaks up the fear and after that we are allowed to take the next logical step.
We are well-acquainted with the emotion of fear. We have all existed with those feelings. We are presumably more acquainted with the emotion of fear than emotions of affection. Fear could be a companion or an enemy. Make it your companion – use it to grow.
Decide to Change
We can decide to change old patterns of behavior by permitting ourselves to feel the full extent of emotions, from bliss to depression. This decision will change our actions and practices in light of the fact that we are looking into feelings, as opposed to staying away from them.
Our decision to change places us in the position of learning about ourselves. As we travel this way, we should search for how we can change old restricting habits, be mindful of new practices, and listen to what our feelings tell us about the distinctive decisions we are making. How do these new decisions feel? In what manner will this influence my life? What have I found out about myself? These decisions will take us into our futures.
Get Ready for the Ride
When we go to the sea we watch waves collide with the shore, washing over the sandy beach. The waves are constant, ceaseless, once in a while furious and off and on again exceptionally tender. They travel to every part of the tremendous sea carrying different animals and flotsam and jetsam onto the sand. As the waves come in and hit the sandy beach the sand moves and settles back once more, waiting up for the following wave.
It is really the same with feelings. They may set out for our mindfulness from long ago and far away. When the wave of vitality from this feeling hits our mental and emotional beach it moves the sand of our life. Often the waves of feeling come fast and furious, as in a sea tempest. The torrents more than once smash into us and we feel beaten and doused. When the storm passes and the sun comes out the waves are much gentler and calmer.
When we make a promise to mend wounded feelings, be prepared for the ride. Our dedication will bring a chance for both storm-powered winds as well as calm seas. It is important for it to be that way. However, finishing what has been started means we can anticipate fewer tropical storms and more excellent, sunny days at the beach.
Appreciate the Rewards
The vast majority of us function well on the planet we live on. Yet in the event that you truly speak with individuals, everybody is strolling around with knots of feeling about things that have happened in their life. Despite the fact that we are upbeat and fruitful, one needs to ponder what we could do in the event that we ever mended those knots. How are they preventing us from having a life that could bring us significantly more joy and richness?
Freedom hails from getting rid of fear-based emotions and at long last accepting the numerous endowments originating from love. The objective is to love more and fear less. All sentiments – trust, appreciation, empathy, excitement, satisfaction, serenity and dissatisfaction, disarray, doubt, blame and cynicism originate from either love or fear. Sincerely discharging the fear-based ones clears a path to receiving a greater number of the gifts arising from love.
Will you perform these steps to open your heart to feel? Consider it this way – explore different avenues regarding feeling. There is nothing to lose and everything to gain. Open up to a piece of yourself that you have never investigated. This procedure of learning personal trust will make you an new individual. On that voyage you will discover numerous blessings. These blessings will improve your life. You should give these blessings to yourself.
Also at Devtome
Shalimar
SF VIP
- Location
- Vancouver Island Canada
Well said Philly. Very similar to how I endeavour to live.
SifuPhil
R.I.P. With Us In Spirit Only
- Location
- Pennsylvania, USA
Thank you, m'Lady.
Similar to how I used to live.
Similar to how I used to live.
Shalimar
SF VIP
- Location
- Vancouver Island Canada
Used to? Perhaps we see different images of the same thing. In my world, the line between what is, and what is not, is often blurred.
SifuPhil
R.I.P. With Us In Spirit Only
- Location
- Pennsylvania, USA
Hmmm ... have to cogitate on that one ...
Karen99
Senior Member
- Location
- California
Lots of good advice, Phil. It's a long emotional to-do list..but a worthwhile one. Thank you for sharing this. I'll read it through again later .
.SifuPhil
R.I.P. With Us In Spirit Only
- Location
- Pennsylvania, USA
Lots of good advice, Phil. It's a long emotional to-do list..but a worthwhile one. Thank you for sharing this. I'll read it through again later
Thanks, Karen.
It was written at a time when I was emotional.
SifuPhil
R.I.P. With Us In Spirit Only
- Location
- Pennsylvania, USA
vickyNightowl
Senior Member
- Location
- canada
Phil,this is beautifully written and thought provoking.
We guard ourselves in order not to be hurt,disapointed,unloved etc.
By doing that,we don't allow ourselves to 'feel' and that is the worst part.
We each have a choice for being guarded or allow ourselves to feel,I would pick the latter anytiime.
I'm in a 'quit smoking' group and I realised how easy it is for each one of uss to encourage annd try to help someone else but we don't do it for ourselves.
I try to feel every emotion,even if it means pain,to me it is another emotion ,its better than guardng myself and feeling nothing.
We guard ourselves in order not to be hurt,disapointed,unloved etc.
By doing that,we don't allow ourselves to 'feel' and that is the worst part.
We each have a choice for being guarded or allow ourselves to feel,I would pick the latter anytiime.
I'm in a 'quit smoking' group and I realised how easy it is for each one of uss to encourage annd try to help someone else but we don't do it for ourselves.
I try to feel every emotion,even if it means pain,to me it is another emotion ,its better than guardng myself and feeling nothing.
SifuPhil
R.I.P. With Us In Spirit Only
- Location
- Pennsylvania, USA
Thank you.
Your comments are spot-on. It's funny, but I've changed my mind - or at least, considered other scenarios - since I wrote this.
For example, being open to feelings - yes, it' generally a good thing, but there are times when the mind has to shut down in order to protect itself. It has to throw up the gates to cut off the incessant pain.
vickyNightowl
Senior Member
- Location
- canada
The worst for me is being willing to place myself in a vulnerable state as to go through the motions to forgive and healing wounds but the other party is unwilliing to accept and apologise so I have to go through another emotion myself,to accept that,(not forgive) in order to go on.
SifuPhil
R.I.P. With Us In Spirit Only
- Location
- Pennsylvania, USA
Ahhh ... nothing like a long, hot shower on a 7-degree morning!
rider1046
New Member
- Location
- Farmington MO
A long time ago I learned to shut down when feelings were getting too intense. If I hadn't, I don't believe I would have survived. I learned to filter the feelings and adjust the intensity, to let the good flow in and divert much of the hurting. Many times, I have been accused of having no feelings and I've never learned how to respond to that. I usually found a response not necessary anyway because those who accused were more often than not trying to breach my defenses for less that pure purposes.
Most of my life, it has been much easier to love than to accept love and I'm at a time in my life where that's not likely to change.
Most of my life, it has been much easier to love than to accept love and I'm at a time in my life where that's not likely to change.
Shalimar
SF VIP
- Location
- Vancouver Island Canada
I still find it easier to give love than to accept it. But I can accept it, just requires time for me to trust it.
SifuPhil
R.I.P. With Us In Spirit Only
- Location
- Pennsylvania, USA
I don't give or accept love - too messy.