What an interesting discussion around the word "wrong", above. I also love words and react viscerally when a perfectly good word like wrong get a bad rep (or even gets turfed out of the language as some words do) because it has become politically incorrect (as it's often called).
Lily Rose said "There really aren't any 'wrong' choices, just consequences for the choices we make."
That's just brilliant.
I have been cruising around the Internet for a long, long time and have never come across such an amazing group of people as can be found here. I absolutely love you all. I don't care if you have warts (real or psychological). You are a completely lovely bunch.
A perfectly good word getting a bad reputation ...
Yes! Here is a word with a negative impression:
Selfish. Yet it is critically important that we
be selfish. This is one of the things I teach in Yoga ....
You must be selfish in order to be more self-LESS. The better we take care of ourselves, the more energy we have to expend in our care of others. As with all things, moderation. Extremes have their place, but our daily lives gain with moderation. A fun example: I absolutely drool over Espresso Madness ice cream cones. I could eat them every day. However, if I did, my pleasure would diminish dramatically, and it would becomes just another habit. In this case, my definition of 'moderation' is set at every 3 or 4 weeks.
And, there is a ritual around it. I only will get this ice cream from a small burger stand in town. Parking has to be directly in front of the retro-building. If parking is not available, I drive right on by. If parking IS there, all the signs align and I hand over $2 for a single (which is more like a double or triple). When the owner sees me, he knows exactly what I want. I will only have this treat when I am on my way home. No other time. I then drive the country roads with my delicious ice cream in hand. I am an expert ice cream cone consumer ...
never does a single drop spill.
Moderation can come in many forms. It is flexible. When things become thoughtless, it is time to adjust so that we remain aware of our choices. But I am digressing ....
A necessary word ....
Selfish. In moderation.
nJoy, the concept of: no wrong choices, only consequences ... this isn't mine. I learned to shift my thinking in this by another teacher. I do not recall if it was Ekhart Tolle, or Pema Chodron. Both are wonderful teachers. You are right, though ... it
is brilliant.
Walt - massaging my grandmother's feet is something I never ever in my wildest imagination could have believed possible. One of the greatest lessons I am learning from this is: People aren't necessarily evil. Their actions can result in devastating consequences, but it doesn't stem from evilness. It can stem from complete unawareness and absolutely zero empathy.
It is our empathy that allows us to understand and feel compassion for other people. We project how
we would feel, and we act accordingly. If that ability is lacking, there can be no point of reference in our behavior. My grandmother has emotions, but they are utterly self oriented. She has no concept that her behavior and actions caused injury. Years ago, her 2nd husband and her adopted son physically abused her, but she doesn't register it as abuse. She shrugs it off as normal. While it hurt, physically ... emotionally it simply didn't leave any impression on her. How, then, can she be held accountable for her own actions, when she doesn't perceive any of her actions as wrong?
I am not saying I agree with my own words ... I am questing, exploring, considering. If your eyes lack the ability to see the color purple, how can I tell you about it? How can I make you
feel and
experience the world of purple? These are just more questions I muse upon.
nJoy ... again I agree with you. This forum has drawn in an amazing group of people. Perhaps because we all are seeking true healing. To accept TMS, one has to subdue the Ego, and see into our own depths.
with grace and gratitude,
^_^
