More Things Over the Back Yard

As the previous post indicated, there are some curious things at the ground level in the back yard.  My wife has become quite expert in corraling the slimy intruders (below, earlier post.)  She's also getting nimble with her camera - all twelve props are visible in this action shot of a vintage B-17 participating in the 2010 Air Show at Barksdale AFB.  Always nice to have the war birds fly over the house.

It's True!

A few years ago my wife and I heard about people unlocking their locked cars via cell phone with someone on the other end punching the "unlock" on the key pad.  We couldn't resist and checked it out.  It worked! 

So, when many of her cherished Pansies began to wilt lately, the investigation began and the culprit identified - garden variety slugs and snails.  The "green" way to eradicate the slimy critters is to lure them into a pool of beer where they guzzle and drown.  Well, it certainly sounds like the way to go, if one must.  So the other evening she put out an ashtray full of beer (light, of course) and the next morning were several deceased snails and slugs.  Such things must be verified with replication, of course.  So, another evening, another ashtray filled with beer was placed among the pansies (in an appropriate depression allowing the slithering ones to slip directly into the golden pond.)  The pictures tell it all.

Why does it take so long?

That's a common question, either thought or spoken, by most of us at some point. It’s a lamentation, grief, of the time or duration (endure) that prevents something desired to manifest or show up in our experience. A likely second thought will run something like “these things take time,” or, “have patience,” or “good things are worth waiting for.” We/you want something and have probably worked for it, yet feel uneasy when “it” doesn’t show up. We’ve been taught, of course, that patience is a virtue. Well, I don’t know about that.

If patience means “put up with” or “endure” some undesirable condition in the hope that, at some point, all will be well, then where’s the attention? What are we focusing on? The attention is on the absence, or lack, of the desired situation. Emphasize the lack, absence, and what happens? You get more lack (of the desired thing.)

Let’s analyze the sentence “Why does it take so long?” and see what it means.

Why. That’s the question. The instinctive feeling behind the word is “this should be otherwise.” On a deep level we know that our Good can and should be immediate.

Does. A variant of DO, meaning to bring to completion, finish, carry out, and fulfill. The why ponders the absence of the fulfillment of the desire. This is aggravating because we know otherwise.

It. The thing or condition desired. It can be anything, the possession of which would “cause” you to feel/experience a greater joy. Inherently we know that we are to feel good and joyful.

Take. Grasp, catch, affect, hold, and so on. You want to hold/experience your desire. But you don’t see it and thus lament its absence. Yet you know it should be with you.

So. This is the degree expressed, the way or manner shown. We use this word to describe the measure of the delay (absence/lack) of what is desired. We know that our Good should be instantaneous.

Long. In this sense, the duration of time. By clock or calendar, we’re keeping score of the passage of time (delay) we are without the desired condition/situation/experience. We know otherwise.

The answer to “why does it take so long?” is that vibrationally, we’re not a match. What is desired vibrates on one frequency, but the expectation vibrates on another. Until the two vibrations come together (sync) the desired condition can’t manifest. It exists, but can only appear when we/you allow it - which means releasing the resistance blocking its appearance. Releasing resistance is achieved by adjusting the consciousness to the desired condition or similar situations rather than observing the absence of the situation or similar instances of discord, etc.

We’re used to looking at, discussing, and pondering the barriers/reasons “why” “it” isn’t a part of our life right now. That’s resistance. What you resist, persists. Think about it. And get in sync.

The Pink Moon

Driving along the Teague Parkway at dawn the other day I beheld the huge, full, pink moon setting in the western sky. It was one of those “wow, great to be alive” moments. Which is why, I suppose, this time of year is so wonderful. Spring - birth and renewal; Vernal Equinox – balance; Passover - freedom; Easter - triumph of spirit. If ever there is a cycling demonstration of Life, it’s the period beginning with the last full moon of winter (heralded by the worms moving and Robin’s feasting!) It’s a matter for perspective.

It’s easy to see, and appreciate, the marvelous world we inhabit this time of year. In fact, you’d have to make an effort not to see such a vibrant expression of Life all around. And some of us do just that - work very hard to keep our gaze on what we interpret as wrong with someone/something/everything. The price of such focus is a skewed perspective. Why on Earth would anyone, surrounded by such wonder and beauty, give their attention and energy to disagreeable situations? Well, because inherently we know that discord, disharmony, pain and suffering, are not normal states. Such conditions and experiences are out sync and thus draw attention. On a very local level, we wouldn’t last long if our bodies were bereft of “pain” to alert us to maintain ourselves. We pay attention because we want to fix or correct the errant situation and bring it into the natural, harmonious, whole. However, too much attention may be counterproductive.

A confounding premise of quantum theory is that the mere action of observing (measuring, or watching) sub-atomic somethings affects the observed something. In essence, the action/state of the particle/wave/vibration conforms to the observation. On a philosophic level this begs the question - do we view the universe because it is there? Or, is the universe there because we view it? The universe is a really big space/time and it would necessitate a really “big” observer to bring it into “reality.” That’s the element that gives a lot of  folks the willies - the prospect of Consciousness as the determining force. It’s much easier to speak of Mother Nature, evolution, natural law, or whatever. In any case, it’s a marvelous reality.

Yet this curious premise helps explain how our attention influences our experience. Which is to say, whatever we give our attention, we see/experience more of. This is self-evident. What’s on your mind is what you’re seeing and dealing with. It’s the chicken or the egg conundrum. How often have you heard (or had the experience) of thinking/saying “I knew that was going to happen,” usually – but not always - about something dreaded or unwanted? Or something to the effect “Well, yes, I’d like _____ (fill in the blank) but...” (then assert a contrary expectation!)

The question is what do we want? To feel good and enjoy Life, now? Or, something else? It does look more and more like a natural law that what we want (give attention to, think about, have strong emotions about) is what we experience. For years I’ve made it a point to hand-signal “time out” when someone makes a statement to the effect “Life is too short to ...” Whoa! Why cut short Life? Rephrase, state what is desired, which results in something like “Life is too important to ...”

Spring provides us so many sensory experiences to help direct our attention to what we want - which is generally considered a good and happy life. It is easy to appreciate spring - the warm sun, the rain, the budding trees and plants, the myriad of birds, (and at our house, the appearance of the rabbit and non-appearance but evidence of the resident armadillo), sights, sounds, smells - all the essence of Life. The Pareto Principle applies - 80% of your life is likely pretty good and only 20% “needs improvement.” Which gets the most attention? Of course, the 20%. Why does the 20% never seem to go away? Observing the problem increases awareness and thus experiences of the problem, and visa versa.

Be radical in 2010. Give attention - appreciation - to the 80% and experience more of the good Life. Who knows, maybe at some point you’ll be on a “rampage of appreciation*” and oblivious to aches, pains, misery, resentment, jealousy - all of those unpleasant experiences. Other folks might want to grow their unhappy 20% but that doesn’t mean you must. And, your increased appreciation and delight can not diminish another’s potential for good.

Pink moon. Wow. That’s something to appreciate.

*Jerry and Esther Hicks