The Block

I personally find it very comforting that people are encouraged to think for themselves here. I find it much more alarming when religious groups, websites etc. claim that they have straight answers to existential questions.

Taking care of yourself

This day in age , in the real world - “ off the line” We can experience that we don’t talk about. One of those things is fatigue. Physical and mental fatigue is real. With modern day Jeddist, it seems a lot at what we look at or hear or surf - or the places we go or visit or sit - what we see and experience can mount up. It’s part of the gig I think. We care in our own ways. Each heart represented here has a special way we care. Each “tank” in our life’s of care can be emptied by some times just - TIME. Some moments spent can be due to situations but some times we can be out of care or out of kindness. Character can be spent. I’ll say that so we can read it again and it’s said again. Character can be spent.
Soooo....
Sometimes, taking care of yourself can mean admitting you’re out of “care gas” or as my wife so kindly and eloquently puts it “she’s out of -cares- to give.”

Spiritual fatigue is real. So is mental and physical fatigue. We can be aware and even —- —- —- adjust - combat- help - create - a new breath of fresh air.
When I get salty or run out of “ stuff “to give - I need a refill. My tanks go empty.
As Pastor I encourage every one to check your tanks often. Check em on Monday’s - hint hint! Smiley face.

Figure out what fills your love tanks and your care tanks and your any tank that has gone empty when ya find it. It’s easy to eat a bag of chips and some food to juice ya up when your hungry - how about other parts? What do you REALLY do to fill your empty tanks ?

Post here if you like or in your journal’s.

All my heart - refilling the tanks , Pastor Carlos.

Totally agree, this is one of very important point nowadays.
Self-care to recharge our energy and love, because of modern age.

I noticed few things related with modern age and technology.
1) people becomes impatient.
2) people loses interest.
Both caused by technology, because just when you look at the social media what people do, you will see many people just swiping short posts, and when is happen that the post is much longer then ordinary , they refuse to read because it requires patience and attention - which is diffused by many "same valuable posts."

This is just one thing the second is that the social media posts everything from large amount of different areas and force you to interest about everything, what goes hand in hand with lack of deep interest in anything.
Remember, If everything is important, then nothing really is.

Self-care is need to practise everytime, for me it is drawing with music, because it bringing me focus, patient happiness because my mind get dissapeare into activity I am doing.
Which reminds me that I didn't do that long time.

The right song some days can set things.


Impatience is key variance at our home. I pride our family on being smart... only problem is we have to teach patience ALONG side good character.
Good points of “return” or reset can help. When interest is lost or forgotten or just ... ran out - a good personal reminder can help us - like words from ourself for ourself.

music has immense power, more for some than for others.
what tips what techniques can be used? so many, but how to know? all come with a disclaimer....
often, chocolate can do it for me! but alas, temporary joy....
so, what about this idea to help muddy the waters.
NOT my original idea, but i feel it has great promised when mixed with meditation.
write a note to yourself on a calendar.
it can be weeks, or months, or years even.
or all of the above...days you could do also, there are no real rules..but it takes time for rules to manifest themselves.
so im sure someone will get all legal rather than metaphysical and point out that i said there are no rules, yet wait for them to manifest.
if this is you - stop typing! you clearly dont get my point. and im not going to rephrase it!
so, write a note to yourself. its time travel in a way...
here you are today...where do you see yourself in 2 months?
new challenges? fears conquered? new fears to fight?
but this trick only works if you can THEN at your future self write back to you...
"well, yes, i am fine. you see you had very little to worry about, but it looked insurmountable to you then! it went fine...im here to let you know its all going to be ok."
stuff like that. run with it. or dont....

Here is something to think about this week as you live this week with a modern day Jeddist glow..
This is taken from one of my favorites called... "Wabi Sabi Simple" by Richard R. Powell - worth a look lol

There's no denying most of my basics were from, what people call, a witch doctor. Can't claim what's not true. My great grandmother was it, my love and my teaching Witch. My family religion was Catholic. When, years later, I got saved in a non-denominational church. I went to Bible school in Pensacola, Florida USA- then met my first wife and became a spirit filled Pentecostal. After a very bad break up and years of wandering, I wonder no more. After so much time and much self-reflecting, I realized I've been a modern day Jeddist this entire time...
Everything has led me here. Every path, every thing I would call "mistake," led me here to where I am sitting today. Makes me smile. Growing up, you could catch me fighting or mowing yards or even cooking BB! somewhere but what you could also find me doing was walking with my Great Grandma. One day, she had me sit in a -" monte'" which is pronounced -mon- th- e- like month just exaggerated... any how its a field where it wasn't large like maybe 2 or three plots left abandon and run down. After a while they become holes with no one living in 'em and eventually even the squatters let it fall. She sat down and begin to sing about the sky - mmmmmm that lady could sing and hum at the same time- and I asked her one day... "Nat, how do you do that"... she knew what i was asking and instructed me to lay down this way... the song she sang lost me in between her words and melody and what exactly she was saying. (I didn't grow up speaking Spanish and I still don't well but I could tell what she was saying from the inside.) Then, I was reading this book to my 6 year old boy and wife and low and behold...here's what I wanna share with my Temple this MONDAY!!!

How to lie in a field ( I am paraphrasing )

Pick the right clothes
Look around the ground and make a space.
Find East and West- point yourself as a needle- choose your direction and position accordingly as well as arm and leg positions.
If you sleep - that's okay, rest.
Breathe the air near you
Physically feel the ground under you, you are a passenger like everything else.
Feel your weight and presence on the ground. Be with the vegetation and landscape equally.
Think about how still you can be and how you are still moving through space as equally as everything else around you.
Think of the dirt and rocks. All of what ya know...
Listen...what is currently present- acknowledge it with you by sound.
Understand your not standing and feel the freedom of that. You are at the rest position

This is taken from Richard R. Powell's "Wabi Sabi Simple" and from my very own life. Funny how years later I found what we were doing in the field so many years ago...

Hi Temple

The use of the word “I.”

When I am doing some reflection - a Jedi teaching comes to mind.
#4

The word “I” has often helped me personally when dealing in communication and in learning. Today I -publicly as a member in the Temple and clergy -I have a question- in a self reflective setting isn’t the use of the “I “ word needed ? More often ? Less often? Where’s the line of balance you Jedi got? Chat with me a bit?

Is it fair to use words like- us- and -them -and -we - when discerning things we personally find out? Why can’t we say “I” or “I did “more often than “ well, we all live in a place where ...” some of just ... don’t. Can our “sword” or “saber” shine just as bright as a actual light when we use our words? Looking forward to what this brings

Please post recommendations definitions anything as far as resources you got - my tables round - have a seat and share !!

https://www.templeofthejediorder.org/forum/open-discussions/123524-the-use-of-the-i-statement#349313

Share !

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PY_kd46RfVE&feature=youtu.be


Not mine nor the Temples and link may be broken later but I saw this the other day. Worth sharing. Hit me hard- hope it helps.
Pastor Carlos

Our lines

As a Jeddist I’m always looking for connections. Real ones. Some days it’s not an easy task. Seeking out that connection isn’t the same as knowing what and where it is. Two different birds. I often wonder sometimes and tell myself “is my Jediism making me a jerk - does it help me get closer to my own personal and spiritual goals?” As humans , we can evaluate our self’s as often as we like. As modern day Jediist- it’s our privilege to add the Force to things but are we better or even more free with all the labels we add on? I’ve seen some lines drawn in the sand I could never cross. That’s ok too but what happens when ya start noticing that your lines are keeping more than freeing? It can and will happen. Be smart and think about some identifications and some labels for ourselfs - do they keep or free ya? I know the day may come when my modern day Jediism MAY grow to be something I don’t want anymore or that begins to harm me or others ... that’s a possibility too so today - Monday - I encourage you Jeddist to examine yourself and our own lines - what are they making ? Something to think about this week my Temple.
Pastor Carlos

really liked this one.