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Learning from the Wisdom of our past #75
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A weekly look at Wisdom from the past applied to today.
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If you received this from a friend please sign up at BobBarnardnm.com
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Please share this with your friends so we can encourage others to consider wisdom.
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Thoughts on the intersection of Society/Culture, Productivity/You, and Wisdom/Knowledge.
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Without freedom of thought, there can be no such thing as wisdom – and no such thing as public liberty without freedom of speech. Benjamin Franklin
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My apologies for the extended downtime. I turned 80, had a month-long visit from with my daughter from New Zealand, and as it turned out, was being overmedicated with blood pressure medicine, which resulted in several falls, physical therapy (very disruptive), and general mind fog. But I am back.
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The wisdom quotes for this week are:
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"You have power over your mind, not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.” Marcus Aurelius
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Many of us are amazed daily by the unbelievable actions of the President and the Supreme Court. How do you think we should respond to this situation? We can complain and vent about the erosion of our democracy, the rule of law, our human rights, and the checks and balances established in the Constitution, among other concerns. Marcus Aurelius would argue that these are outside events that we can't control. We can only control our minds and how we react to these events. He would also say these events mainly affect you if you let them into your mind.
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So, how do we deal with this? Well, here are five things I would recommend:
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Remember that your mind controls your reality.
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Don't assume the worst; another election is soon to come.
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Please be sure to vote in the next election. This is the only way to rebuild our Democracy.
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Don't let your mind dwell on those things that are outside your control.
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Please consider your reality. It is not in Washington, it is what is happening where you are each moment.
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I try to ignore most of the press about what's going on in Washington, because, other than voting, there's little I can do about it. When my mind goes off on a tangent and starts telling me the world as I know it is coming to an end. I tell myself. Wait a minute, relax; you've done what you can. I continue to reflect through meditation and mindfulness practices to better control my mind.
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The challenge for each of us is to live in our own reality, rather than in the reality of others. Sure bad things are happening elsewhere, but it is not my reality yet. As a christian, I care and offer prayers for a better world and try to help those in need, but my reality is that other than voting and writing about what is right and what is wrong there is little else I can do. So, i have to put it out of my mind because it an outside event I cannot control.
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What are your biggest fears about our current situation?
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Are they real or just worries in your mind?
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How can my voice be heard?.
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Whose reality is driving your life, yours or that of the politicians in Washington?
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Consider your mind. Why is it worried?
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Could you develop a plan to calm your mind?
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Consider how you can cultivate a more peaceful mind without harboring fear
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