The Block

The more time I take to learn and study the more I realize there are things already present in ways of thinking in me. Some may call it The Human condition and others may call it a example of "natural selection" and the "natural mind." Ill give you an easy example. GET MONEY This phrase has been in my mind since I can first recall a very old man tell me and I quote" mijo, make money, make it right but if you cant make money." That old man was my very own blood. From when I was little till now the drive for my family has been making money. I grew up in San Antonio tx on the wrong side of town and the wrong street and went to the wrong schools. Seemed we were being bred for streetfighting and "hustling" as it was called back in the day. We did not and it never seemed we would ever break that dusty old habits of "MAKE MONEY" in our minds. Every where I turned it was there. As I leave attachment behind I notice that , as a young man, I wasn't the only one. Further meditation allows me to notice that that thought process is very common. In some ways its even idolized in art, music and theatre.
Woah... take some time to think about that, that mentality of selfishness is available wide spread and very well accepted as ok and normal.
It was thru study I found this

ill cite the version im using after

Tao The Ching
44
As fro your name and your body, which is the dearer?
As for your body and your wealth, which is the more to be praised?
As for gain and loss, which is the more painful?
Thus, an excessive love for anything will cost you dear in the end.
The storing up of to much goods will entail a heavy loss.
to know when you have enough is to be immune from disgrace.
To know when to stop is to be preserved from perils.
Only thus can you endure long.
Now...
I've heard old timers say, and I put my name in that hat, "money only makes a good man great or a bad man worse" silly old farmers, but they are right. So one day I got to thinking, These values, these ways, regardless of who or where I got them were to me worthless. I began to read the Tao, the Bible, the dictionary, anything to find some thing other than what I had. What I found was the exact opposite. In my younger days, head strong and foolish ida laughed and made fun of these things I was never introduced to and didn't understand. Now as my fire grows and as I myself grow I find comfort and wisdom in these words. This idea of selfish greed was passed and engraved into my mind. I wasn't the only one. To be, or to find what verse 44 speaks of is something very attainable. People all around the world experience the free will of everything present in their life....they are happy, grateful and content. You don't have to be a monk and own little or a traveling spirit with a back pack and a bank card to feel that connection. Oh no friends, we can be happy right now, we can be content right now, we can be grateful, right now. Need a reason, look into yourself and notice... notice all around you. My wife and my self do a little practice. When we get overwhelmed, and we do often we stop, look around the house and say, that picture is....of us, im glad we could have pictures, and windows and a roof and walls and then we begin to praise the things we have now which usually ends with , an embrace and "im glad I have you " for every body present. I was always taught never to think of future or ever actually think on the lines of that in my finances. If your like me and find this place to be a very helpful place, please by all means walk this path with me. My hope it that as iron sharpens iron we al can grow together. I wish I had a me growing up. I can honestly say that. But since I am here I will be the me that I wanted and needed to the other me s here lol
We are not alone in our search some times friend, may we share what we learn with one another.

Carlos

Cite Smiley Face

Thank you for sharing Master , i am reading the Art of Peace now and this verse goes well with what you wrote

2 One does not need buildings, money, power, or status to practice the Art of Peace. Heaven is right where you are standing, and that is the place to train.

We all to easy forget what we really need, May the Force shine on you

Heaven can be right where your standing and THAT IS the place to train.
I love it. Great stuff. Iron and iron stays sharp. ! Thank u! I'm glad the Temple has u in it. Maybe he Living Force continue to find toy every where u r Marta!

It surly is a Monday. HI FRIENDS AND FELLOW JEDI this week seems to been the same for all of us. I noticed that things are happening here in the Temple. As we, as a whole receive new apprentice and new members a new wave or group of hearts and minds join our paths. Some of us are prone to a lot of self help type of learning or training in a way that's self paced. Nothing wrong with that. I myself can maximize some outcomes with a fairly organized manner when there are fewer individuals. In life this is rarely the case. As we learn ourselves and grow things begin to happen. I want to warn most readers if you haven't figured it out, this is a place for a bit of spiritual ideas as well. As we grow in all things there can be times when as some describe, " I just feel like crying or screaming for no reason" or the ever popular, "I don't know why im sad all of a sudden." out of no where. Now, things don't just happen for no reason. If you are a thinker like I am there is always some cause for effects, that much I have learned. So what causes this bout of emotional rushes or uncontrollable needs to surge emotion for apparently no reason. ?
I offer this idea
Any sportsman can tell you and any athlete can tell you that during the time of training there are pains. During the sprints the pushups the ups downs and the moving and shuffling there will be pains. Why? The process seems to generate pain and agony. Some focus on that aspect and in turn receive very little from the time taken to train. Others, who know and are willing will endure the agony and the stretch and even for some new growth of new possibilities. Oh no friends we don't just hurt and cry for no reason. All that time and effort we place into the process is evident. Some times in form of pain.
I give you and leave you with this simple idea. Got pains and woes and agony in your life still and wonder, but im studying and learning, why?
Some times in life we experience Mental growing pains, spiritual growing Pains, heart growing pains, family growing pains, sibling growing pains. That is normal. That should be expected, its the foolish one who thinks otherwise that growth can not be felt ever. We continue to grow. As we continue to live and die and live and die we continue to share and learn and continue to grow. Jedi, EXPECT for the pains to be there, expect for there to be a sore part or two in your own personal lifes. If you are growing then you will experience this one way or another. When you do Jedi , keep in mind this may be the gain pains you thought or didn't think possible....hu? your not alone. We are never alone in this Temple
May the Force be with you Every where you are my Friends
Carlos

Very well stated Carlos! Growth, real substantial growth seldom occurs in a comfortable scenereo, as it is often, in one form or another, accompanied with some degree of pain. If it weren't the case, growth would lose all value and meaning. You make Mondays here worth while buddy, thank you...

Thank you so very much friend. As we learn we grow. There s no doubt our Temple continues to grow, and the best part is.... tah dahh... it grows by us!

Thank you Master , we have talked about pain a lot and how it seems nescessary for growth , we might not like it but how we conduct during this pain or loneliness defines us in the end

Thank you Master, that puts some perspective on a few things. I study, train, and meditate, but sometimes I feel like I am not making progress. Then I look at my life and realize that my life is completely different that it was before I joined the Temple. I have met some amazing people here to be sure. One day, I hope to pass on what I learn and what I think.

That's the idea, one of many. ! The idea is to not fret if u do have pain either, its natural. WE Are never alone especially in this Temple. As iron sharpens iron.