How do you cope in the age of anxiety? | |
canislatrans User ID: 239608 ![]() 08/14/2008 11:32 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Separate yourself from it. Slow down your life, remove all excess baggage, make sure of your priorities, set straight problems in your life, don't let them stagnate. TAKE ACTION. And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music. |
Frigg Stuyvesant User ID: 398933 ![]() 08/14/2008 11:33 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
gooderboy User ID: 70143 ![]() 08/14/2008 11:34 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | 'A dissertation on the nature of man, for your edification.' "You realize that a tiger, following its nature is not evil. Looking at your own species you are less kindly, less compassionate, less understanding. It is easy to condemn your own kind. It may be difficult for you to understand, but your species means well. You understand that the tiger exists in a certain environment and reacts according to his nature. So does man. Even his atrocities are committed in a distorted attempt to reach what he considers good goals. He fails often to achieve the goals, or even to understand how his very methods prevent their attainment. He is indeed as blessed as the animals,. however, and his failures are the result of his lack of understanding. He is faced with a far more complex conscious world than the animals are, dealing particularly with symbols and ideas that are then projected outward into reality, 'where they are to be tested'. If they could be tested mentally in your context, there would be no need for physical existence. Too many complicated issues are connected here, so that I must at best simplify. It was as if man said: "Now what about 'this' idea? What can we do with it? What will happen if we toss out into reality, physically? How far can we go with 'any' of the great social, scientific, religious ideas that are so peculiarly the offshoots of man's mind. If such issues could be worked out on some non-physical drawing board, again, the great challenge of physical existence would be neither necessary or meaningful. How far, say, can nationalism be carried? To what extent can the world be treated as if it were external to man, as an object? What can man learn by treating the body as if it were a machine? As if it were a mirage? As if it were driven by blind instinct? As if it were possessed by a soul? To some extent, these are all unique and creative ponderings that on the most part of the animals alone would be considered the most curious and enlightening intellectual achievements. The animals must relate to the earth, and so must man. As the animal must play, mate, hunt his prey or eat his berries within the physical context of sun, ground, trees, snow, hail, and wind, so in a different way man must pursue his ideas by clothing them in the elemental realities of earth, by perceiving them as events. When he is destructive, man does not seek to be destructive per se; but in a desire to achieve that which he thinks of as a particular goal that to him is good, he forgets to examine the goodness of his methods. One animal chasing and killing its prey serves the greater purpose of preserving the balance of nature, whether or not the animal is aware of this - and again, the animal's intent is not evil. Man consumes ideas. In so doing he contributes to a different kind of balance, of which he is usually unaware. But no man truly acts out of the pure intent to do wrong, or to be vicious. Storms rend the summer sky, sending forth thunder and lightning. Earthquakes may ravage the countryside. You may deeply regret the havoc worked, knowing that neither the storm nor the earthquake is evil. Not only did they have no wrong intent, but the overall condition corrected the earth's balance. This requires some unique understanding. I am aware of that - and yet the destructive storms worked by mankind ultimately cannot be said to be any more evil than the earthquake. While man's works may often appear destructive, you must not blame man's 'intent', nor must you ever make the error of confusing man with his works. For many well-intentioned artists, with the best of intentions, produce at times shoddy works of art, all the more disappointing and deplorable to them because of the initial goodness of their intent. Their lack of knowledge and techniques and methods then become quite plain. By concentrating too deeply upon the world of newspapers and the negative reports of man's actions, it is truly easy to lose sight of what I tell you "is each man's and woman's basic good intent". That intent may be confused, poorly executed, tangled amid conflicts of beliefs, strangled by the bloody hands of murders and wars - and yet no man or woman ever loses it. That intent represents the hope of the species, and it has ever remained lit, like a bright light within each member of the species; and that good intent is handed down through the generations. It is far more potent, that illumination, than any hates or national grudges that may also be passed along. "It is imperative, for any peace of mind, that you believe in that existence of man's innate good intent." It is shared by all other animals. Each animal knows that under certain conditions the other may fight or posture aggressively, or defend its nest. Each animal knows that in time of hunger it might be hunted by another. Except for those situations, however, the animals are not afraid of each other. They know that each other animal is of good intent. "Grant your own species the same." Now: Make a distinction in your mind between man and man's works. Argue all you want against his works, as you read in your newspapers or errors, stupidities, treachery or war. Collect pages and reams of such material if it suits your fancy - and I am speaking not only to you who are reading this, but to anyone who hopes to find a hint of truth, peace of mind, or creativity. Collect books of man's failures, although I do not personally know why anyone would collect the worst works of any artist, and get pleasure in ripping them apart. Man has produced some fine works: The high level; of verbal communication, the multitudinous varieties of emotional interactions and of cultural exchange, the facility with exteriorization of ideas and concepts, the reaches of the imagination - all of these, and many others, are unique in the universe. To identify man with his poorest works is to purposefully seek out the mars, the mistakes, of a fine artist, and then to condemn him. To do this is to condemn yourselves personally. If a scientist says consciousness is the result of chance, or Darwin's theories say that basically man is a triumphant son of murderers, many people object. If you say, however, that men are idiots, or that they are not worth the ground they walk upon, you are saying the same thing. For you must be concerned with this reality as you know it; in those terms, to condemn man is to condemn the species as you know it, and the practical terms of your world. In your terms, while you live, and in the most pertinent terms of intimate sensation, your reality must be what you perceive in the framework of your time, and what you create within that framework as it is experienced. Therefore, I entreat you not to behave as if man will destroy himself in some future - not to behave as if man is an imbecile, doomed to extinction, a dimwitted, half-crazy animal with a brain gone amuck. None of the prophesied destruction man so fears is a reality in your time; nor, for all the critical prophets through the ages, and the forerunners of doom, has the creativity of man destroyed itself in those terms. Man is in the process of becoming. His works are flawed - but they are the flawed apprentice works of a genius artist in the making, whose failures are indeed momentous and grotesque 'only' in the light of his sensed genius, which ever leads him and directs him onward. When you are considering the future in your terms, constructive achievements are as 'realistic' as destructive ones. In those terms, each year of man's existence in fact justifies a more optimistic rather than pessimistic view. You cannot place man's good intent 'outside' of the physical context, for outside of that context you do not have the creature that you know. You cannot say that nature is good, but spawned man, which is a cancer upon it, for nature would have better sense. You cannot say, either, that Nature - with a capital 'N' - will destroy man if he offends her, or that Nature - with a capital 'N' - has little use for its own species, but only wants to promote Life - with a capital 'L' - for Nature is within each member of each species; and with-out each member of each species, Nature - with a capital 'N' - would be nonexistent. Because you are natural creatures, within you there is a natural state of being. That state can be an ever-present reservoir of peace, vitality, and understanding. The natural creature-validity of your senses must remain clear, and only then can you take full advantage of those intuition and visions that must come through you own private intersection with space and time. In those terms, the ever-actual integrity of nature everywhere surrounds you. It represents your direct experience." (thanks ever S&J) w/luv, ![]() just me |
malu User ID: 476687 ![]() 08/15/2008 12:09 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | holy crap gooderboy, that got me all wound up! lol just kiddin i have definitely gone through some spells of horrible anxiety, to the point that i felt i was having a heart attack, it started interfering with my life in a big way, i had lost touch with my roots, and myself once i stopped medicating myself with alcohol and pot, it got a LOT better, started to focus on what was really in front of me, i can only change what i can touch, and even then its a gamble focus on doing the most simple things in your life with purpose, cleaning, cooking, LISTENING, my god people are horrible listeners in general, we all think we are the center of the f*cking universe, get over it who ever said "take time to smell the roses" knew what the hell they were talking about, do it, remember it, thank your higher power for it at the end of the day tv,radio, and internet all add stress, of course the ads that want you to buy it tell you something else, get away from it and use it in moderation (from a glp junkie), how many people actually sit and do nothing? it is OK "By way of deception, thou shalt do war." Israel's Mossad "The truth shall set you free." U.S. Central Intelligence Agency Motto |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 470432 ![]() 08/15/2008 12:10 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 485036 ![]() 08/15/2008 12:14 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | No matter where we turn, you have something to worry about. Not only do we have to worry about feeding, clothing, and providing shelter for ourselves, we have to worry about people across the globe that are suffering. We have to worry about the environment. We have to worry about the global economy. We have to worry about solar flares, meteor strikes, tidal waves, our extended families, our friends, and the friends of our friends. Wars, famines, aliens, college tuition, debt, illegal immigration, hodgkins disease, and oil changes. Quoting: Anonymous Coward 484420No, we don't *have* to. Turn off your goddamed television. |
Elias User ID: 454918 ![]() 08/15/2008 12:14 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
Jos User ID: 412210 ![]() 08/15/2008 12:15 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
canislatrans User ID: 239608 ![]() 08/15/2008 12:18 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
malu User ID: 476687 ![]() 08/15/2008 12:19 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | It is only going to get worse. Quoting: Eliasnah, at the heart of madness is my inner peace, some of most insane moments have been my calmest "By way of deception, thou shalt do war." Israel's Mossad "The truth shall set you free." U.S. Central Intelligence Agency Motto |
coolhandluke74 User ID: 467538 ![]() 08/15/2008 12:23 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 485033 ![]() 08/15/2008 12:23 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 458358 ![]() 08/15/2008 12:23 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | You, yes you, are the center of the universe. Quoting: Jos 412210That's what has them all wrapped up in themselves. Me, poor me. Fuck, bunch of whiners. Imagine the dark ages, up to your knees in mud and servitude. The crusades, the 100 years war, WWI and II. Imagine our own civil war, 600,000 dead sons and fathers, in our own backyard. |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 481372 ![]() 08/15/2008 12:23 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | For starters stay away from people that make you anxious.. the other stuff you have no control over.. Say the serenity prayer... most of all HALT... Don't let yourself get too hungry, angry, lonely or tired... breathe thru your mouth deeply and exhale !!! keep up with traffic and smile! |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 418035 ![]() 08/15/2008 12:24 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
Kanigo2 User ID: 442313 ![]() 08/15/2008 12:24 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 483995 ![]() 08/15/2008 12:25 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
malu User ID: 476687 ![]() 08/15/2008 12:27 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | For starters stay away from people that make you Quoting: Anonymous Coward 481372anxious.. the other stuff you have no control over.. Say the serenity prayer... most of all HALT... Don't let yourself get too hungry, angry, lonely or tired... breathe thru your mouth deeply and exhale !!! keep up with traffic and smile! you have to give it away to keep it? "By way of deception, thou shalt do war." Israel's Mossad "The truth shall set you free." U.S. Central Intelligence Agency Motto |
methodistgirl User ID: 485034 ![]() 08/15/2008 12:31 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
~Ajax~ User ID: 471060 ![]() 08/15/2008 12:36 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 462545 ![]() 08/15/2008 12:38 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | You may not think being aware of all these events, people, places, and things matters that much to your life overall, but just the fact that you are aware of them causes stress. Before the information age, before the internet, radio, and tv, man wasn't even aware of anything outside his community or, more likely, his family unit. He had to be concerned with feeding only his family and that was basically it. Quoting: Anonymous Coward 484420Turn off the TV, and stop reading all the propaganda. You only see where your conciousness is focused. Everything is all happening at once. Simultaniously. YOU ARE CHOOSING TO EXPERIENCE ONE SLICE OF THE PIE. |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 462545 ![]() 08/15/2008 12:43 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Worry is a useless emotion. Quoting: Anonymous Coward 418035worry isn't an emotion, it's continous thought on something you don't want or want to happen, continous negative thinking. That's worry. ok, i just double checked the dictionary now . . . " to torment oneself with or suffer from disturbing thoughts; fret. " There you go, it's THOUGHT! not EMOTION |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 480242 ![]() 08/15/2008 12:49 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | It is only going to get worse. Quoting: malunah, at the heart of madness is my inner peace, some of most insane moments have been my calmest Hi Malu. You just made one of my new favorite comments on GLP. It is in the most intense moments that the soul comes to the fore to take the wheel. It's funny, I remember your early posts when you first started posting here. It's like I've watched you grow up and become wiser. I see myself in that:) ![]() |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 418035 ![]() 08/15/2008 12:54 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Worry is a useless emotion. Quoting: Anonymous Coward 462545worry isn't an emotion, it's continous thought on something you don't want or want to happen, continous negative thinking. That's worry. ok, i just double checked the dictionary now . . . " to torment oneself with or suffer from disturbing thoughts; fret. " There you go, it's THOUGHT! not EMOTION Check it LOL e·mo·tion noun 1. an affective state of consciousness in which joy, sorrow, fear, hate, or the like, is experienced, as distinguished from cognitive and volitional states of consciousness. 2. any of the feelings of joy, sorrow, fear, hate, love, etc. 3. any strong agitation of the feelings actuated by experiencing love, hate, fear, etc., and usually accompanied by certain physiological changes, as increased heartbeat or respiration, and often overt manifestation, as crying or shaking. |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 480242 ![]() 08/15/2008 01:03 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | The global dramas reflect personal drama and vice versa. It's pretty pervasive and very likely moving toward some type of climax, like most earthly historical cycles do. We are nearing a peak, or climax. When we really understand this there becomes a part of us that does detach and learns how to observe with muted interest, taking pleasure in the plearsures life still has to give, such as children at play or sunsets or splashing at the beach. Each moment is a choice to see the good or focus on the less than good. The beauty of life is that we have that choice! We CAN be content, happy, and at peace. In this very moment, with only a shift in mindset. Breathing helps, for sure... deep open breaths. Aahhhhh..... Love that. Keeping an open heart and nurturing our selves and our peace, even protecting our peace by keeping our lives in balance. Basically it's the choices we make, every moment, that guide our paths. Sorry about the long post... I'm learning how to do this and find the abilities we have amazing so I could discuss it all day. Hope you discover 'it' to, OP. Awakening is spreading like wildfire! ![]() |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 480242 ![]() 08/15/2008 01:05 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Worry is a useless emotion. Quoting: Anonymous Coward 418035worry isn't an emotion, it's continous thought on something you don't want or want to happen, continous negative thinking. That's worry. ok, i just double checked the dictionary now . . . " to torment oneself with or suffer from disturbing thoughts; fret. " There you go, it's THOUGHT! not EMOTION Check it LOL e·mo·tion noun 1. an affective state of consciousness in which joy, sorrow, fear, hate, or the like, is experienced, as distinguished from cognitive and volitional states of consciousness. 2. any of the feelings of joy, sorrow, fear, hate, love, etc. 3. any strong agitation of the feelings actuated by experiencing love, hate, fear, etc., and usually accompanied by certain physiological changes, as increased heartbeat or respiration, and often overt manifestation, as crying or shaking. LOL. It's thought AND emotion. Whoa. Worry is powerful stuff. |
Whiskey Brother User ID: 472513 ![]() 08/15/2008 01:05 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
malu User ID: 476687 ![]() 08/15/2008 01:16 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | It is only going to get worse. Quoting: Anonymous Coward 480242nah, at the heart of madness is my inner peace, some of most insane moments have been my calmest Hi Malu. You just made one of my new favorite comments on GLP. It is in the most intense moments that the soul comes to the fore to take the wheel. It's funny, I remember your early posts when you first started posting here. It's like I've watched you grow up and become wiser. I see myself in that:) ![]() lmao! and thnnk you i was pretty heavily "medicated" back in those days :) "By way of deception, thou shalt do war." Israel's Mossad "The truth shall set you free." U.S. Central Intelligence Agency Motto |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 483120 ![]() 08/15/2008 01:17 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
Hillcrest User ID: 392015 ![]() 08/15/2008 01:47 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | It is only going to get worse. Quoting: EliasI feel better already! ![]() Seriously, I just stay home more now. Being around people is getting more and more difficult... tempers shorter, etc., etc... I am so glad I live alone now. I don't drive much anymore. I'd rather take the shitty city bus or a taxi. That used to really make me nuts = the drivers are getting more furious over little things. No TV for about 6 years now. All of this helps me. Water always wins. :sun: |