Happy Monday folks,

“The greatest problem in the world today is intolerance. Everyone is so intolerant of each other.”

- Princess Diana

Having said that…

“If each man or woman could understand that every other human life is as full of sorrows, or joys, or base temptations, of heartaches and of remorse as his own… how much kinder, how much gentler he would be.”

- William Allen White

I came across the above quotes earlier this week and sat with them a bit. I sat with them to really take in what they mean to me; my interpretations according to my understandings, which is one of my points today. Quotes mean what I want or need them to mean to justify or expand my reality, respectively. According to my definition, this intolerance that Princess Di speaks of exists because people do not have a reason nor an understanding for tolerance to have a place in their lives. Said people are quaint in their reality of self-righteousness and existence, not co-existing. I suggest that intolerance is not really the issue at play. The language that we use when approaching such universal subjects is what gets lost in the definition shuffle.

Don’t get me wrong, I do enjoy the late Princess’ approach to raise an awareness that we are so unaccepting, or perhaps impatient, and it is that which brings suffering to the masses. But, what struck a nerve for me is her use of the words, problem and intolerance. They produce such a negative connotation to such an inspiring perspective. What that quote says to me is that we need to be more tolerant. We need to be more able to put up with people’s shit. No where does it say how to do such a thing. No where does it offer an opposing approach. Not only do I read negativity, but I also read subjectivity because I do not believe that everyone can relate to intolerance. To relate to intolerance we all have to experience intolerance on the same level and I’m not so sure if that fits into everyone’s reality. Ya understand? This brings me to the second quote by Mr. William Allen White. I believe, with the help of White’s words, that the greatest reality (not problem) we face is what we do not understand nor care to understand, and not intolerance. It is from that foundation that breeds tolerance or intolerance. It is from that foundation that we accept or dismiss. It is from that foundation that can lead to joy or suffering for one or many. “How much kinder, how much gentler he would be” if we took the time to understand a reality that was not our own by using such relatable life experiences (sorrow, joy, temptations, remorse) that we all share to give oneself a glimpse into another’s journey. Sure, we don’t all have to live such cliche morbid lives, but the reality is that life can be tough if we don’t make an effort to understand nor give consideration to ourselves and others. 

What quotes say is one thing for us to understand. What they don’t say and imply is a-whole-nother ballpark that’s rarely sees the limelight. 

“Silence is the language of god, all else is poor translation.”

- Rumi

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To try to change outward attitudes and behaviors does very little good in the long run if we fail to examine the basic paradigms from which those attitudes and behaviors flow. (p28)

Suppose you wanted to arrive at a specific location in central Chicago. A street map of the city would be a great help to you in reaching your destination. But suppose you were given the wrong map. Through a printing error, the map labeled “Chicago” was actually a map of Detroit. Can you imagine the frustration, the ineffectiveness of trying to reach your destination?

You might work on your behavior - you could try harder, be more diligent, double your speed. But your efforts would only succeed in getting you to the wrong place faster.

You might work on your attitude - you could think more positively. You still wouldn’t get to the right place, but perhaps you wouldn’t care. Your attitude would be so positive, you’d be happy where ever you were.

The point is, you’d still be lost. The fundamental problem has nothing to do with your behavior or your attitude. It has everything to do with having a wrong map.

If you have the right map of Chicago, then diligence becomes important, and when you encounter frustrating obstacles along the way, then attitude can make a real difference. But the first and most important requirement is the accuracy of a map.

Each of us has many, many maps in our head, which can be divided into two main categories: maps of the way things are, or realities, and maps of the way things should be, or values. We interpret everything we experience through these mental maps. We seldom question their accuracy; we’re usually even unaware that we have them. We simply assume that the way we see things is the way they really are or the way they should be. 

And our attitudes and behaviors grow out of those assumptions. The way we see things in the source of the way we think and the way we act. (p 23, 24)

Excerpts from Steven R. Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

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“You have asked for my Ten Commandments. It’s a difficult matter, because I am gainst any kind of commandment. Yet, just for the fun of it, I write:”

1. Never obey anyone’s command unless it is coming from within you also.
2. There is no God other than life itself.
3. Truth is within you, do not search for it elsewhere.
4. Love is a prayer.
5. To become a nothingness is the door to truth. Nothingness itself is the means, the goal and attainment.
6. Life is now and here.
7. Live wakefully.
8. Do not swim - float.
9. Die each moment so that you can be new each moment.
10. Do not search. That which is, is. Stop and see.

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The original question was “What are your Religious Beliefs?” and, at first, I was taken back by this because I thought, “Hey, this is a health blog!” But after some personal reflection, I soon realized how health-related Religion or Beliefs truly are…

Religion is one of the most taboo subjects to discuss objectively, yet it is one of the most prominent to be objected from group to group. I like to think of myself as having Spiritual Beliefs because the world “Religion” or “Religious” provides too many barriers, restrictions, rights or wrongs, guilt, or shame. I grew up in a Roman Catholic home and went to Catholic School from 1st to 8th grade. While I yield many of the morals and values which were instilled in me at an early age, I began to develop my own belief system in high school as I was exposed to other religions and ideas. Over my years of exploring, I experienced a much larger picture than what had been previously painted for me: There are so many Religions in this world and so many who vow that they are “right” in their beliefs, who’s to say they’re wrong? When I looked outside of myself for answers I ran into many limits and boundaries, and over time I slowly turned inward to find a place that did yield obstacles, but they were merely illusions of what I perceived to be real (meaning, I built those obstacles in my mind compared to other platforms that built them for me).

I believe in myself. 

I believe that I am a part of something greater; a higher purpose. 

I believe that I am as much of a part of this earth and this universe as any other living organism that has lived, is living, or will live upon, above, or within the soil.

I believe that I am a spirit living in this body to carry out my greater purpose.

I believe that I am on a non-phsyical path in a physical reality.

God, by my definition, is life. We are all living, breathing, perfectly crafted organisms that have come to be through the miracle of life. “Life finds a way” and that concept absolutely fascinates me. 

I believe that arrogance towards or a neediness in “God” can be transformed into responsibility through a consciousness and awareness of self.

I believe that we are all “God.”

I believe that “God” is a part of everything and that everything is a part of  ”God.”

I believe that in order to “find God,” that I need to find myself as “God” is within me.

These are my beliefs as I have developed over time and as I see fit for the current moments of my life. What are your beliefs?

jd perry’s (whole)istic health

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Karma will always come back to bite you in the ass if you give the opportunity to do so. That opportunity presents itself in a state of unawareness. 

Awareness is the ability to be completely conscious, awake, present, responsible, and confident in your current decisions, trusting in whatever the future may bring. 

Unawareness, such as irresponsibility, unconsciousness, carelessness, or an emotional blockage, may lead to consequences that bring a change, fear, anxiety, depression, or “unpredictable” experiences.

I believe that predictions are decided the moment we are either aware or unaware of our present decisions and their future consequences (good or bad). The choice is purely up to us whether Karma exists in a good or bad state within our lives. Although some decisions/outcomes are out of our control (serving a greater purpose), the majority are well within our choice, our reasoning, our reaction, our responsibility to ourselves and others, our wants vs. our needs, our intuition vs. our ego, our past selves vs. our present selves.

Allow your decisions to predict your Karma by being aware, responsible, and confident in your present moment. Make every decision count now so that you don’t have to make up for them in the future. Subtle positive changes develop bigger positive results.