Resistance and other thoughts

My thoughts on things.


The first of my thoughts for the day came randomly to me at work as I was observing human behavior, as usual. Something about me- I love realizing what it is that makes people act the way they do. But, anyway, I was realizing the effect criticism has on people. The insight was odd. It was as though I saw the long term effect of the words I wanted to say, but did not. I saw the negativity implanted in the brain of the one I said the words to. I saw them eat away at his unconscious mind, until they’d consumed it. And, eventually instead of seeing her words as cute and endearing, because I had made him think negatively about her- instead she was being obnoxious or retarded. It was almost like an out of body experience. Not that I’ve ever had one before, but the feeling was so strange. I knew what was going to happen.

It actually ties back to a theme I’ve been considering on and off for years. Our words have power. We have the ability to help or hinder people in becoming who they’re supposed to be. We tend to not consider the effect our words have on people.

So I just finished reading this book called “The War of Art”, (not to be confused with the famous “The Art of War”), this book is by Steven Pressfield and in the simplest of terms it can be described as a book whose focus is helping you realize what is preventing you from becoming who you are supposed to be. We all seem to have 2 lives, one is the life we live, and the other is our unlived life, the life we were created to live, but have welshed on because of fear or lack of power against the thing he terms in the book as “Resistance”. Resistance is the enemy within. Almost a tangible energy field, whose aim is to distract and prevent us from doing the work we’re supposed to do.

I can't really share more because I love his words and would hate to paraphrase them. Besides the things that really stuck out to me and apply to my life won't necessarily be the same as the things that would apply to yours and would make you read the book.
Read  it. The chapter on Resistance vs Fundamentalism is my favorite. :-)
 
I've realized lately that I've been growing more and more cynical towards all things traditional christian. A distinct lack of patience. If anyone mentions making disciples, I cringe. If anyone talks about "The Word" as the only way to know the Father. If they say that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life and the is no other way... I cringe.
I can't limit God to our perceived version of what christianity is. Why can't God be bigger? Why can't God attribute righteousness to himself no matter what name it is in?  I mean even if you go back to the old testament with Abraham, there was no such thing as Jesus at that point, but still he found favor with God according to the story.
 
If you ask me what this road is I'm headed down, the answer is obscured. I haven't the slightest idea. Am I going off the deep end? Probably. Is this the road I want to go down? Yes and no. Yes, because my soul won't settle for less. No, because I fear the road will be a lonely one, one that not too many can relate to.
 
I kind of feel like I'm becoming more and more awake to the realities of life. I will not feel guilty about things in the past, because they are what made me today. The only thing I can change is the future. The decisions I make now must harm no one. I will choose to do what is right. I will not fear. I will love.  I will BE. Be in the moment, be aware, be ALIVE.
 
That's all for now.