Gains and Losses

We have all dealt with losses in our lives.  It can be the loss of a belonging, a first pet, a relationship or even your loved ones.  With such losses we might be greeted with a myriad of emotions along the way.  There might be sadness, fear, guilt, anger, blame or some other emotions that we might encounter but so complex that we are unable to label.  It is also quite natural for us to lose the bigger picture as we are so consumed with the intensity of such feelings and become engrossed in them.

In times of loss, it is challenging to move out of emotional captivity.  Yet this is a world of duality after all, and behind every loss there is always a gain.  And of course, whether you wish or not, the opposite is true.  This gain might not be material or be at a level that we can experience with a narrow viewpoint that we adopt habitually.  It can only be said that the gain is always a promise that will make you more appreciative, authentic and whole as a person.  Whilst busy rejoicing your gains and lamenting your losses, it is up to you to identify their counterparts and turn them into something empowering with an open mind and an open heart.

Intention

To say we have the awareness of the self is to say that we have consciousness of our five senses, body and mind.  While senses and body are physiological, the mind or mental consciousness is the interpretation of our material world through contact with the physical component.  It can cognise and perceive and has the ability to discern, analyse, organise and store.  At an even deeper level of our consciousness lies a "databank" containing the imprints of past experiences and associations from which our beliefs are formed, you may call it supraconsciouness.  If you can relate to the saying "what you sow is what you reap", then this is literally where the karmic seeds are laid.  What you can eventually grow out of the seeds depends on how the conditions are played out.

But the tenet of our spiritual practice rests on our mental consciousness.  The mental consciousness requires an anchor for it to develop, or put it differently, a resting place.  This anchor is our intentions.  Without intentions, there is no room for the mental and physical components to function and there will be no action and speech to follow.  And it goes without saying that there will no medium for our sense organs and mind to interact with external objects and people.

Perhaps it is worth us making the pause and bring more awareness to our own intentions before we become the puppets of our own action and speech.

Individuality vs Relationship

For some people who have deep respect for individuality, self-expression and independence are keys to their fulfilment in life.  They are keen on self-development and thrive to be authentic and unique beings.  They appreciate differences in human potential and character traits but may despise mobs who are constantly conditioned by the collective.  That said, be forewarn of a dangerous negligence here: relationships.  Inevitably, relationship issues involve compromise and adjustment.  These can create challenging situations that are considered barriers to living an authentic life by such, and may present them with dilemmas when they are trying to balance interdependence and genuineness.

But at the end of the day, true individuality involves seeing from another person what is happening within you.  For without a screen, what is the use of a projector?