The world is very simple. So simple it seems to be hard for us to understand. Every physical science has as its bottom line patterns of action and rest. Any physical phenomenon works like this, and so do we. There is no such thing as a place without energy, or a time without energy for that matter, but there is potential energy or “rest”, and kinetic energy or “action.” We tend to keep a very poor balance between these two states of energy, between our potential and our actual life, and in the middle of this is “stress.”

Stress is the energy we expend to overcome inertia, and we aren’t taught good ways to deal with the inertia of life are we? We are shown a life that works on its own, and we’re often told “this is all your fault”, and therefore we make a lot of effort to control that life that is all our fault, but is it really? If someone is cranky and speaks negatively to you is that really your fault? Are we not taught, even if it’s only implied, that it is?

I may be a trigger, but they are still the one who said it. I do not own their reactions to me, and if they are at their wits end and cranky, is that their fault?  You don’t own their reactions, and yes they do.  They are behaving like they were taught. Because supposedly they have big problems, and big responsibilities, and everyone for the most part tells them how big their problems and responsibilities are. Does anyone have a big problem or responsibility they want to share?

My huge responsibility is how I react to others. Ah, and it’s huge? Can you really think ahead and take responsibility for your every reaction? Mindfulness is really the smallest thing we do.

I have, and in a sense had, a big responsibility. I have a son and I have a response ability to him, but in each moment I never could know exactly what would be up. So it was very much a response ability, and I was in it, but I can’t for the life of me see a “BIG” responsibility because no big plan would work. If I did hold to a big plan, would I be responsive to him as his father?

But, but, but… raising a child is BIG responsibility. We are all told that. BIG. Oh yes, and we have to plan everything we are going to teach, and pretty much plan their whole lives, and does this work?  Sure, in a day there are things you can be confident can and should happen, but even then that can be mistaken. I was called over to my fathers house once.  My Mom was sitting for my then toddler son, and he seemed to have a cold. I didn’t think I would be gone long, so was no big deal right? I talked to my Dad about what he wanted to talk about, then came home. It didn’t take long. I saw my apartment door open, and heard my son had been taken away in an ambulance, and someone had tried to give him cpr. When I got to the hospital I heard he had been life flighted to a large metropolis, because our hospital couldn’t help save his life. The big thing is a lie. Our lives are very real, and immediate, and everything happens while you think you know what’s going on. My son was saved, and he didn’t understand why Dad was ever gone. On the day we were released from the hospital it was 9-11, and I did not care. My son lived, and we were going to go home, and I was grateful to have him. Should I have cared more about the big picture? About the nation?  I do relate, and as things come up that I can help with, I often do.

Focus on the picture you can do something about? Yes. People get caught in loops of “I’m not doing anything important”, or “I can’t change this or I can’t do that.” All of these are lies, distractions, and unnecessary stress and pain.

Well, I can’t stop smoking. Ah maybe so, but what can you do?

How do you clear your mind of the unimportant things? The same applies to clearing your mind. Right now, what can you do? We have a lot of concerns, but we put aside our immediate concerns for “bigger ones”. How big are we anyway, and why must we do big things? They just stress me out.  In Taoism, they say the Sage does no great thing, and yet nothing is left undone.

Food, shelter, sex, money, then wealth, power, and knowledge. Then ultimately spirituality, since all others don’t matter? When you find now, you already found spirituality.

Your thoughts are welcome. Be well friends.

Travis Saunders
Dragon Intuitive
~science,mysticism,spirituality~