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	<title>TupeloKenyon.com &#187; Awareness</title>
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	<pubDate>Fri, 27 Jun 2008 12:00:14 +0000</pubDate>
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		<title>Beyond the Brands of Truth</title>
		<link>http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2008/06/27/beyond-the-brands-of-truth/</link>
		<comments>http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2008/06/27/beyond-the-brands-of-truth/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 27 Jun 2008 12:00:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tupelo</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Awareness]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Belief Systems]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Inner Guidance]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Integrity]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Self-Image]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Thinking]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[belief]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[truth]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.tupelokenyon.com/?p=117</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[For instrumental music while reading, choose: hi-fi (broadband) or low-fi.
Truth is one. Opinions are many. Or does the following sound more like the truth?
Truth is relative, depending upon the opinion of the beholder. Or how about this . . .
Truth depends upon your belief. If you believe something is true, that makes it true . [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>For instrumental music while reading, choose: <a href="http://www.somemusicmatters.com/AudioM3U/Celestial-2M3U/Cresting_Tide_of_Light-128.m3u">hi-fi</a> (broadband) or <a title="Link to song - Cresting Tide of Light (low-fi)" href="http://www.somemusicmatters.com/AudioM3U/Celestial-2M3U/Cresting_Tide_of_Light-48.m3u" target="_blank">low-fi.</a></em></p>
<p>Truth is one. Opinions are many. Or does the following sound more like the truth?</p>
<p>Truth is relative, depending upon the opinion of the beholder. Or how about this . . .</p>
<p>Truth depends upon your belief. If you believe something is true, that makes it true . . . true for you. Of course, if you don&#8217;t believe that statement, never mind, because your belief defines your truth in another direction.<br />
<strong></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Truth is Many</strong></p>
<p>Obviously, there are many versions of truth . . . or at least, perceived truth. A quick glance around the planet reveals a dizzying array of diverse &#8220;truths.&#8221;</p>
<p>These truths are a reflection of the culture and century they are born into. Only a thousand years ago, the truths of the day included such gems as these:</p>
<p>•    Bathing is hazardous to health.</p>
<p>•    Women interested in learning about herbs and potions are witches and should be burned alive.</p>
<p>•    The earth is flat and is the center of the universe.</p>
<p>•    God demands that everyone subscribes to only one version of truth. All others are heretics and should be killed. (In the name of God, of course . . . yes, that&#8217;s the same God who decreed &#8220;Thou shalt not kill,&#8221; but this is an exception to that rule – a divine loophole in this particular brand of &#8220;truth.&#8221;)</p>
<blockquote>
<p style="text-align: left;">&#8220;The belief that there is only one truth and that oneself is in possession of it seems to me the deepest root of all evil that is in the world.&#8221; - Max Born (1882-1970) - German physicist</p>
</blockquote>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>The Birth of a Brand of Truth</strong></p>
<p>When temporal truths become sanctioned policies of some official organization, they become brands. This is the truth about truth, and it has been this way for millenia. For many, the idea of truth is merely a brand that has been effectively marketed until it becomes a belief. A belief is simply a thought that is repeated over and over again. It is repeated because it&#8217;s in the interest of some brand of truth to have as many people as possible supporting their particular &#8220;take&#8221; on truth.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>What&#8217;s Behind the Smoke and Mirrors?</strong></p>
<p>An objective look at this phenomenon reveals that the various brands of truth have an agenda. Usually, the agenda is obvious – they want their brand to grow and prosper in order to increase the power base and affluence of those who are founders or stewards for each particular brand of truth.</p>
<p>Sometimes the agenda for a particular brand of truth is not so apparent. How do you get to the bottom of their motivation for spreading their particular brand? There&#8217;s one reliable method, proven effective through the millennia: Follow the money trail.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Lighthouses Through the Ages</strong></p>
<p>Sure, there are altruistic individuals in every discipline, sincere and passionate about their personal insights and eager to share what they&#8217;ve learned. There have always been inspiring stories of discovery and wisdom in every culture, and people with a message worthy of being heard. This caliber of sincerity burns brightly through the centuries and helps to inspire us all to greater understanding.</p>
<p>Fortunately, every age has highly functioning individuals who serve as shining beacons, able to inspire others from within the culture of the times. They are able to use the language and thought forms of the day to help people take the next step toward new ideas, expanded beliefs and new truths.</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;I call that mind free which jealously guards its intellectual rights and powers, which calls no man master, which does not content itself with a passive or hereditary faith, [and] receives new truth as an angel from Heaven.&#8221; - Woody Allen (b. 1935)</p></blockquote>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Dear God, Please Save Me from Your Followers</strong></p>
<p>Historically, the problems begin whenever someone&#8217;s personal understanding of truth begins to congeal into a brand. The visionary may have no interest in creating anything resembling a brand, but life-enhancing ideas have a way of taking on a life of their own. Friends and associates become interested, then converted, then fervent, then passionate. They become disciples, then missionaries, then soldiers for &#8220;truth.&#8221;</p>
<p>They take it upon themselves to spread their particular adopted brand of truth far and wide, regardless of the intent of the founder. They make it their personal life mission to assure everyone knows about their brand. If they meet resistance, it must be overcome, because their crusade is true and just, and their brand must be spread, at all costs, even if deadly force is required. Whenever someone claims to have a monopoly on truth, history reminds us of the wisdom of walking (no, running!) in the opposite direction.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Adopted Truth</strong></p>
<p>Some of these endorsees of &#8220;truth&#8221; are sincere and honestly believe they are devoting their lives to the mightiest of missions. Others are swept up in the frenzy of someone else&#8217;s truth, someone else&#8217;s belief, someone else&#8217;s habit of thought. They readily adopt someone else&#8217;s brand of truth because they don&#8217;t have one of their own</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;Don&#8217;t let your special character and values, the secret that you know and no one else does, the truth &#8212; don&#8217;t let that get swallowed up by the great chewing complacency.&#8221; - Aesop (620-560 BC)</p></blockquote>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Is Truth Too Difficult?</strong></p>
<p>Why are some so eager to adopt the truth of another? Perhaps they never realized the possibility of discovering their own personal truths. Maybe they are gullible and easily influenced by those who talk a good game. Maybe they are simply lazy and found it too much trouble to discover their own truth. They&#8217;d rather fit in, and go along with the crowd. It&#8217;s much easier to subscribe to some pre-packaged, ready-to-consume, bite-sized brand of truth – custom marketed to fit nicely into their busy lifestyle.</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;It is proof of a base and low mind for one to wish to think with the masses or majority, merely because the majority is the majority. Truth does not change because it is, or is not, believed by a majority of the people.&#8221; - Giordano Bruno</p>
<p>&#8220;The high minded man must care more for the truth than for what people think.&#8221; - Aristotle (384-322 BC)</p></blockquote>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Truth Through the Ages</strong></p>
<p>We can learn much from history and our race&#8217;s relationship with truth. By looking back with objectivity, we can look forward with more intelligence, keener insight and a sharper discernment for identifying personally appropriate truths.</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;A lively, disinterested, persistent looking for truth is extraordinarily rare. Action and faith enslave thought, both of them in order not to be troubled or inconvenienced by reflection, criticism or doubt.&#8221; - Henri-Frédéric Amiel (1821-81)</p></blockquote>
<p>We are living in a different world than the world of our ancestors. Our world is round, and like any other circle, there are no beginning or end points. We can thrive in an endless sea of ideas, and find our own place in the continuum of truths. We can pick and choose what fits best from this buffet of truth and marvel at our own potential of reaching for understandings we have yet to imagine.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Can You Imagine Truth a Thousand Years from Now</strong></p>
<p>Just as our ancestors of a thousand years ago could never have imagined today&#8217;s recognized truths of stellar nurseries, black holes in the center of countless galaxies, and the vast space and unfathomable energy inside tiny atoms, there are truths still unknown to us that will continue to redefine who we are and how we fit into this mysterious universe we call home. There are many ways to understand bits and pieces of it and other ways to appreciate the mysteries, and they are all valid.</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;No human being is constituted to know the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth; and even the best of men must be content with fragment, with partial glimpses, never the full fruition.&#8221; - Alan Marshall Beck (b, 1942)</p></blockquote>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>All Things Change – Even Truth</strong></p>
<p>Truth is a moving target. Our idea of truth grows as our capacity to understand unfolds. We do a serious disservice to ourselves and our fellow man and the entire universe whenever we get stuck on any one particular brand of truth . . . any one particular habit of thought.</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;If what you seek is Truth, there is one thing you must have above all else…an unremitting readiness to admit you may be wrong.&#8221; - Anthony de Mello</p></blockquote>
<p>We have an amazing brain, so powerful, we are just beginning to fathom its awesome potential. It&#8217;s a built-in tool to help us compare and analyze &#8220;truth.&#8221;</p>
<p>We have a heart to help us feel what is in alignment with who we really are.</p>
<p>And, we are soul with the capacity to know from direct personal experience what is truth for us, right here and right now.</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;To make the right choices in life, you have to get in touch with your soul. To do this, you need to experience solitude, which most people are afraid of, because in the silence you hear the truth and know the solutions.&#8221; - Deepak K. Chopra (b. 1946)</p></blockquote>
<p>If our personal truth morphs over time, that&#8217;s okay. Everything else in nature changes, so why should we be surprised when our understanding of truth grows? It is only natural for our personal truth to grow wider and deeper as our consciousness expands.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>The New Age of Truth</strong></p>
<p>The idea of warring brands of truth is part of our ancestor&#8217;s world and has no place in the reality of those of us interested in personal development and ongoing inspiration. We recognize the greatest gift is the gift of freedom – freedom to choose, explore and try out different brands of truth until the dawning of our own personal truth. This is our birthright and we demonstrate divine understanding best when we offer the same to our fellow man. Many paths can lead to the same destination.</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;The opposite of a correct statement is a false statement. The opposite of a profound truth may well be another profound truth.&#8221; - Niels Henrik David Bohr (1885-1962) - Danish physicist, chemist</p></blockquote>
<p>As a race, we no longer need an intermediary to tell us what we are allowed to believe, how to feel, how to think, and what to embrace as truth. We have everything we need to find our own truth . . . truth for us . . . in this present moment.</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;What has not been examined impartially has not been well examined. Skepticism is therefore the first step toward truth.&#8221; - Denis Diderot (1713-84)</p></blockquote>
<p>This understanding of personal truth has the power of transforming our world. Look at history for examples of all the wars waged and people killed because someone felt the need for their particular brand of truth to be validated. This idea is barbaric. We are better than that, and it&#8217;s time we start acting like it!</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Let it Be</strong></p>
<p>We can&#8217;t change those who are stuck pushing someone else&#8217;s brand of truth. They will continue to indulge in their drama and eventually die off (or be killed by someone flying the flag of some other brand). We can offer them kindness, tolerance and grant them the freedom to discover their own truth in their own way and in their own time.</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;Today I bent the truth to be kind, and I have no regret, for I am far surer of what is kind than I am of what is true.&#8221; - Robert Brault</p></blockquote>
<p>Meanwhile, we can commit to finding our own personal truth. We can hope our example will inspire others to look inside for their own truth rather than looking outside at the tumultuous world of competing brands of &#8220;truth.&#8221;</p>
<p><em>While reading, did you choose to hear the relaxing instrumental music linked at the beginning of this article? To learn more about it, <a title="Link to CD - Celestial Sounds of Harmony and Light, Vol. 2" href="http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescCel2.html" target="_blank">click here</a>.</em></p>
<p><em>Did you get something good from this article? You can also enjoy the feeling of giving. Click here to <a href="http://www.tupelokenyon.com/donate">leave a donation</a> for Tupelo. Thank you.</em></p>
<p><em>Listen FREE to the songs below . . . chosen to enhance the ideas in this article.</em></p>
<table width="345" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" cool gridx="16" gridy="16" height="3778" showgridx showgridy usegridx usegridy>
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<td width="336" height="80" colspan="3" valign="top" align="left" xpos="4"><img src="http://www.tupelokenyon.com/wp-content/themes/pool/images/headerbeach-Related_Songs.jpg" alt="Related Songs" height="63" width="336" border="0"></td>
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						<a href="http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescX.html#Anchor1" target="_blank"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><u>Way of the World</u></b><br />
							</font></a><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">Life is so huge . . . so diverse . . . the possibilities are literally infinite. What&#8217;s the best way to sort it all out and carve out a little niche of our own?<br />
						</font><font size="1" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><sup>http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescX.html#Anchor1</sup></font></p>
<p><a href="http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescX.html#Anchor2" target="_blank"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><u>Trash Our Treasures</u></b><br />
								</font></a><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">People seem to have a history of awarding seemingly insignificant details with places of prominence in our lives, while ignoring or even destroying the most important aspects.<br />
							</font><font size="1" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><sup>http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescX.html#Anchor2</sup></font></p>
<p><font size="2" color="blue" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><a href="http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHere.html#Anchor4" target="_blank"><u>Soul in the Stars</u></a></b></font><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><br />
								It feels good to try to see the bigger picture once in awhile,and to focus on gratitude for what we have, rather than the frustration of what we are lacking.<br />
							</font><font size="1" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><sup>http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHere.html#Anchor4</sup></font></p>
<p><font size="2" color="blue" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><a href="http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor6" target="_blank"><u>Within Without</u></a></b></font><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><br />
								An atom and a solar system is virtually the same thing - mostly empty space! Even quantum physics is still wondering, &quot;Is the universe a great big thing, or a great big thought?&quot;<br />
							</font><font size="1" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><sup>http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor6</sup></font></p>
<p><a href="http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor7" target="_blank"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><u>Same Olde Time</u></b><br />
								</font></a><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">Time - it&#8217;s so relative. &quot;What if distant starlight shining in the endless sky is just the same, by a different name, as the twinkle in your eye?&quot;<br />
							</font><font size="1" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><sup>http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor7</sup></font></p>
<p><a href="http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor9" target="_blank"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><u>Be Kind</u></b><br />
								</font></a><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">Your example and the kindness shown to others can have a rippling affect that goes on and on.<br />
							</font><font size="1" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><sup>http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor9</sup></font></p>
<p><a href="http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor12" target="_blank"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><u>Just One Step</u></b><br />
								</font></a><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">Just begin. If you will just get underway, the project itself gains momentum and carries you along to its completion.<br />
							</font><font size="1" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><sup>http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor12</sup></font></p>
<p><a href="http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescAnth.html#Anchor16" target="_blank"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><u>Hell or a Whole Lotta Fun</u></b><br />
								</font></a><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">Nothing to do? How about too much to do? Our attitude seems to make the difference.<br />
							</font><font size="1" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><sup>http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescAnth.html#Anchor16</sup></font></p>
<p><a href="http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescAnth.html#Anchor20" target="_blank"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><u>You Gotta Have Fun</u></b><br />
								</font></a><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">Our moments are fleeting . . . and finite. Too few to squander on &quot;bad news&quot;. We must steer our attention deliberately in order to attract the kind of life we were born to live.<br />
							</font><font size="1" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><sup>http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescAnth.html#Anchor20</sup></font></p>
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<p><font size="2" color="blue" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><u><a href="http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2008/03/21/know-thyself-%e2%80%93-ignore-comparisons-and-be-yourself/" target="_blank">Know Thyself - Ignore Comparisons and Be Yourself</a></u></b></font><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><br />
								The average person is content to base self-knowledge on comparisons to other people. If this is the measure of self-knowledge, it is based on someone else&#8217;s standards. This practice misses the point of &#8220;Know Thyself.&#8221; Instead, it&#8217;s all about how to fit in. We are all unique individuals with our own strengths, talents and nudges leading us to embrace our own best life. True knowledge of self is attained from personal insights of looking inwardly rather than outwardly towards others.</font></p>
<p><font size="2" color="blue" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><a href="http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2008/02/01/six-killers-of-individuality-and-personal-independence/" target="_blank"><b><u>Six Killers of Individuality and Personal Independence</u></b></a></font><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><br />
								Is the course of your life determined by your own internal road map or by a map made by someone else? Each of us can choose our direction deliberately and live a life custom sculpted. Each life can be as individually unique as the person living it. If you pattern your life after someone else, exactly what is it you have to offer? </font></p>
<p><font size="2" color="blue" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><a href="http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2007/12/21/life-drama-as-blockage-to-personal-development/" target="_blank"><b><u>Life Drama as Blockage to Personal Development</u></b></a></font><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><br />
								Some people seem to relish drama in their lives. They go from one catastrophe to another. They thrive on it as if drama is what makes them feel alive. You may be able to see that they are attracting these experiences by their daily thoughts and feelings. But, they don&#8217;t recognize it from within the narrow confines of their personal drama. To someone immersed in drama, the idea that they are creating it is completely foreign. With intent, practice and mindfulness, what was once considered drama that snowballed out of control becomes simply examples of the contrasts of life to help you sharpen your preferences and shape your desires.</font></p>
<p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><a href="http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2007/12/14/how-to-live-the-life-of-your-dreams-through-intuition/" target="_blank"><u>How to Live the Life of Your Dreams Through Intuition</u></a></b><br />
								Intuition feels good. That should be enough of a clue it&#8217;s something that can be trusted. But, our culture has done a thorough job of instilling doubt about the wisdom of following our instincts. Instead, we are taught to think things through and be logical. These mental tools are important, but they were never intended to be used instead of intuition. They work better when used in conjunction with intuition. If we are open to it, we get nudges and insights to move us in the direction of our greatest joys, our most valuable contributions, and our most satisfying life. Those quiet whispers and gentle taps on the shoulder are examples of inner guidance in action - intuition. </font></p>
<p><font size="2" color="blue" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><a href="http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2007/11/09/inspire-yourself-on-purpose-%e2%80%93-inspiration-from-inside-out/" target="_blank"><u>Inspire Yourself on Purpose - Inspiration from Inside Out</u></a></b></font><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><br />
								Here are twelve common sense reminders on how to inspire yourself. The word &#8220;inspire&#8221; derives from root words that mean &#8220;in spirit&#8221; or &#8220;spirit within.&#8221; Although there&#8217;s always another step to take, these points are a natural result of recognizing and identifying with this realization of who we really are.</font></p>
<p><font size="2" color="blue" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><u><a href="http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2007/09/21/methods-as-temporary-tools/" target="_blank">Methods as Temporary Tools Instead of Lifetime Crutches</a></u></b></font><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><br />
								We are obsessed with our methods. We become attached to our particular way of doing things. The trouble comes when we cling to an old method that we have outgrown. We feel bogged down and then stuck when our personal development potential is being limited by an outdated method. If your method feels more like a crutch than a tool, it&#8217;s time to take an objective look at it. Is the method in question bringing you peace and joy? Is it helping your personal growth, or is it just a familiar and comfortable habit of thought?</font> <font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><br />
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<p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><a href="http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2007/08/17/integrity-through-self-reliance/" target="_blank"><font color="blue"><b><u>Integrity Through Self-Reliance</u></b></font></a><br />
								When you live your life as if the whisperings from your soul really matter, you are living life in your own way, on your own terms, based on your own realizations on what is right . . . what is good . . . and what is true for you. You are tuned into your own station. The signal you are receiving and the message you are broadcasting with the story of your life are both on the same frequency. You are joyfully and gratefully choosing your favorites from the buffet of life.</font></p>
<p><font size="2" color="blue" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><a title="Link to article - Belief Systems vs. Knowing" href="http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2007/06/08/belief-systems-vs-knowing/"><u>Belief Systems vs. Knowing</u></a></b></font><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><br />
								How do you discern between something known and a habitual thought - a belief? The first step is to recognize that the vast majority of our beliefs are based not upon our own personal experiences and revelations but upon anecdotal evidence and the recommendations of other people, past and present.<br />
							</font></p>
<p><font size="2" color="blue" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><a title="Link to article - How Do You Feel About Inner Guidance?" href="http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2007/03/30/how-do-you-feel-about-inner-guidance/"><u>How Do You Feel - About Inner Guidance?</u></a></b></font><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><br />
								Is it a hunch? Is it a voice in your head? Is it something you feel? Don&#8217;t confuse what you feel with who you are. Once you are able to access this awareness of pure being and identify yourself with it, you won&#8217;t get carried away by whatever emotional cloud happens to be passing by. Celebrate life through one of the more subtle forms of communication available to us - inner guidance.<br />
							</font></p>
<p><u><font size="2" color="blue" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><a title="Link to article - Beyond Science, Philosophy and Religion" href="http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2007/01/29/beyond-science-philosophy-and-religion/">Beyond Science, Philosophy and Religion</a></b></font></u><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><br />
								Is truth absolute or relative? Is there anything beyond science, philosophy and religion? Many of the world&#8217;s top quantum physicists think there is. Celebrate life by stretching you imagination.<br />
							</font></p>
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						<font size="3" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b>Why wait for inspiration to strike?</b></font></div>
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<p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">Better yet, this newsletter brings it to you. </font></p>
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<p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">&quot;Inspired on Purpose&quot; newsletter by <!-- google_ad_section_start(weight=ignore) -->Tupelo Kenyon<!-- google_ad_section_end --> contains articles, reviews and resources to supercharge your personal development, inspiration, productivity, abundance and joy. </font></p>
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		<title>Inspiration from a Stroke of Insight by Jill Bolte Taylor</title>
		<link>http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2008/05/16/inspiration-from-a-stroke-of-insight-by-jill-bolte-taylor/</link>
		<comments>http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2008/05/16/inspiration-from-a-stroke-of-insight-by-jill-bolte-taylor/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 17 May 2008 04:47:25 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tupelo</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Awareness]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Courage]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Health and Fitness]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Thinking]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[consciousness]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Jill Bolte Taylor]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[left brain]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[right brain]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[stroke]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.tupelokenyon.com/?p=113</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[For instrumental music while reading, choose: hi-fi (broadband) or low-fi.
You&#8217;ve heard about the &#8220;right brain&#8221; and the &#8220;left brain,&#8221; right? The left brain is all about logic and sequential thinking and the right brain is all about the abstract flow of consciousness and how it relates to &#8220;the big picture.&#8221;
Even though I&#8217;ve been aware of [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: left;"><em>For instrumental music while reading, choose: <a title="Link to song - Full Moon Sunset (hi-fi)" href="http://www.somemusicmatters.com/AudioM3U/WoodenM3U/Full_Moon_Sunset-128.m3u" target="_blank">hi-fi</a> (broadband) or <a title="Link to song - Full Moon Sunset (low-fi)" href="http://www.somemusicmatters.com/AudioM3U/WoodenM3U/Full_Moon_Sunset-48.m3u" target="_blank">low-fi.</a></em></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">You&#8217;ve heard about the &#8220;right brain&#8221; and the &#8220;left brain,&#8221; right? The left brain is all about logic and sequential thinking and the right brain is all about the abstract flow of consciousness and how it relates to &#8220;the big picture.&#8221;</p>
<p>Even though I&#8217;ve been aware of these concepts for thirty years or so, they were always a little fuzzy. Interesting, but I never totally grasped the implications until I saw an amazing video.</p>
<p>The video is one of the TED talks. If you haven&#8217;t heard of that yet, these are some of the most amazing, interesting and inspiring videos on the internet. They are ideas worth spreading . . . &#8220;inspired talks by some of the world&#8217;s greatest thinkers and doers.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Sometimes It&#8217;s Better to Learn from the Experience of Another</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong></strong><br />
The talk I&#8217;m recommending now is from Jill Bolte Taylor, who is a neuroanatomist – a brain scientist. The video is about a rare opportunity few scientists would wish for:</p>
<p>One morning, a blood vessel in Jill Bolte Taylor&#8217;s brain exploded. As a brain scientist, she realized she had a ringside seat to her own stroke. She watched as her brain functions shut down one by one: motion, speech, memory, self-awareness . . .</p>
<p>Amazed to find herself alive, Taylor spent eight years recovering her ability to think, walk and talk. She has become a spokesperson for stroke recovery and for the possibility of coming back from brain injury stronger than before. In her case, although the stroke damaged the left side of her brain, her recovery unleashed a torrent of creative energy from her right. From her home base in Indiana, she now travels the country on behalf of the Harvard Brain Bank as the &#8220;Singin&#8217; Scientist.&#8221;</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;How many brain scientists have been able to study the brain from the inside out? I&#8217;ve gotten as much out of this experience of losing my left mind as I have in my entire academic career.&#8221; - Jill Bolte Taylor</p></blockquote>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>See It . . . Hear It . . . Feel It!</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">This video will makes a powerful impression. Have you ever seen an actual brain with the two hemispheres clearly separate from one another? On this video, you will.</p>
<p>Have you ever heard a description about watching from a peaceful, detached viewpoint as the cognitive brain functions slowly quit functioning? Have you ever heard anyone talk about what it feels like when the inner chatter finally quits and all that&#8217;s left is awareness? On this video, you will.</p>
<p>Prepare to be amazed, moved, inspired and thrilled with this intelligent look at something that is rarely seen . . . and the fact that you&#8217;re hearing about all this from a brain scientist makes it even more fascinating.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Tissues Optional</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Oh yeah, the end may tug at your heart strings a bit. Some of us may want to have a box of Kleenex handy.</p>
<p>This will probably be the most inspiring 12 minutes of your day. (It could easily be the most inspiring 12 minutes of your year!)</p>
<p>Here&#8217;s the link . . .</p>
<p><a title="Link to TED Talks - Jill Bolte Taylor" href="http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/229" target="_blank">http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/229</a></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><em>While reading, did you choose to hear the relaxing instrumental music linked at the beginning of this article? To learn more about it, <a title="Link to CD - Wooden Voices" href="http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescWood.html" target="_blank">click here</a>.</em></p>
<p><em>Did you get something good from this article? You can also enjoy the feeling of giving. <a title="Link to " href="http://www.tupelokenyon.com/donate" target="_blank">Click here to leave a donation</a> for Tupelo. Thank you.</em></p>
<p><em>Listen FREE to the songs below . . . chosen to enhance the ideas in this article.</em></p>
<table width="341" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" cool gridx="16" gridy="16" height="2016" showgridx showgridy usegridx usegridy>
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						<a href="http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescX.html#Anchor11" target="_blank"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><u>Miracle in Disguise</u></b><br />
							</font></a><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">Synchronicity is such a positive and hopeful idea, it begs the question, &quot;Why not actively look for it and even expect it, as long as it feels good?&quot;<br />
						</font><font size="1" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><sup>http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescX.html#Anchor11</sup></font></p>
<p><a href="http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescX.html#Anchor-14" target="_blank"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><u>Who is the Watcher</u></b><br />
								</font></a><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">Explores the silent witness within and the idea that life occurs in this present moment. Always.<br />
							</font><font size="1" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><sup>http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescX.html#Anchor-14</sup></font></p>
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<p><u><font size="2" color="blue" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><a title="Link to article - Beyond Science, Philosophy and Religion" href="http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2007/01/29/beyond-science-philosophy-and-religion/">Beyond Science, Philosophy and Religion</a></b></font></u><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><br />
								Is truth absolute or relative? Is there anything beyond science, philosophy and religion? Many of the world&#8217;s top quantum physicists think there is. Celebrate life by stretching you imagination.<br />
							</font></p>
<p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><a href="http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2007/11/23/ego-or-soul-whos-driving/" target="_blank">Ego or Soul? Who&#8217;s Driving</a></b><br />
								Even though I identify my sense of self with soul, there seems to be another &#8220;something&#8221; inside forever jockeying for position and making its presence known. This is the ego. What&#8217;s the difference? How can you know which one is in charge? What are their characteristics? Since I prefer peace to mayhem and contentment to perpetual, blind striving, my goal is to keep soul in the driver&#8217;s seat as often as possible. Instead of an either/or situation, I like the idea of soul and ego peacefully coexisting in a manner that best serves the greater good.</font></p>
<p><font size="2" color="blue" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><u><a href="http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2008/03/07/appreciate-here-and-now/" target="_blank">Appreciate Here and Now</a></u></b></font><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><br />
								No matter what&#8217;s going on in your life right now, there&#8217;s something to appreciate about it. The act of appreciation rivets our consciousness to this present moment. With our attention focused on the here and now, we are living life fully, since right now is the only time there ever is.</font></p>
<p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><a href="http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2008/04/04/get-a-broader-perspective-%e2%80%93-do-it-different-and-work-smarter/" target="_blank"><font color="blue"><u><b>Get a Broader Perspective - Do It Different and Work Smarter</b></u></font></a><br />
								When I think of the view from our broader perspective, to me, it means the viewpoint of our inner self . . . who we really are. Without the filters of our ego, the world looks quite different. The problem is . . . this lofty viewpoint seems illusive. People occasionally identify with broader perspective with no apparent effort or intent, but it&#8217;s rare to arrive at such a viewpoint accidentally. More commonly, brief glimpses are caught deliberately by intent, and repeated by personal discipline and the use of clever techniques. </font></p>
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		<title>Refocus on Your True Passions</title>
		<link>http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2008/05/09/refocus-on-your-true-passions/</link>
		<comments>http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2008/05/09/refocus-on-your-true-passions/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 09 May 2008 12:00:34 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tupelo</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Awareness]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Discipline]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Inner Guidance]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Integrity]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Passion]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Purpose]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.tupelokenyon.com/?p=112</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[For instrumental music while reading, choose: hi-fi (broadband) or low-fi.
It&#8217;s easy to get sidetracked. Our busy lives pull us in a thousand different directions. How can we stay on track?
Can we balance all the things that must be done, and should be done, with the things that mean the most to us?
Is there a way [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>For instrumental music while reading, choose: <a title="Link to song - Sailing (hi-fi)" href="http://www.somemusicmatters.com/AudioM3U/WoodenM3U/Sailing-128.m3u" target="_blank">hi-fi</a> (broadband) or <a title="Link to song - Sailing (low-fi)" href="http://www.somemusicmatters.com/AudioM3U/WoodenM3U/Sailing-48.m3u" target="_blank">low-fi</a>.</em></p>
<p>It&#8217;s easy to get sidetracked. Our busy lives pull us in a thousand different directions. How can we stay on track?</p>
<p>Can we balance all the things that must be done, and should be done, with the things that mean the most to us?</p>
<p>Is there a way to make sure our true passions are not forever relegated to the bottom of our &#8220;to do&#8221; list?</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Be with Your Passions</strong></p>
<p>Passions have a way of shriveling up and blowing away when ignored. It&#8217;s the principle of &#8220;out of mind and out of sight.&#8221; This is what happens when your passions are put on the back burner, day after day and year after year.</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;Absence abates a moderate passion and intensifies a great one- as the wind blows out a candle but fans fire into flame.&#8221; - François Duc de La Rochefoucauld (1613-80)</p></blockquote>
<p>When the trivial details of daily life are consistently given preferential treatment, that becomes the primary focus of your life – a life built around trivial details. Do you get them all done? Maybe. Do you feel satisfied and inspired by prioritizing them? Probably not.</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;&#8216;Know thyself,&#8217; said the old philosopher, &#8216;improve thyself,&#8217; saith the new. Our great object in time is not to waste our passions and gifts on the things external that we must leave behind, but that we cultivate within us all that we can carry into the eternal progress beyond.&#8221; - Edward Bulwer-Lytton (1803 - 1873)</p></blockquote>
<p>It&#8217;s possible to attend to the details of life, and still make room for your passions. It&#8217;s a matter of attention. Allow room in your consciousness for the things stirring deep within you – your passions.</p>
<p>In your quiet moments, dwell upon them. Be with them mentally and emotionally. When they are deliberately included in the fabric of your life, opportunities present themselves that allow you to integrate your passions into your daily life. With practice, you will recognize these opportunities and serendipities because of your habit of regularly including your passions in your deep mental and emotional reality.</p>
<p>On the other hand, if your habit is to think about your passions only occasionally and briefly, before putting them back in your mental &#8220;later&#8221; file, the same opportunities and serendipities can easily go unnoticed.</p>
<p>Before your outer life can be a reflection of your true passions, your inner life has to be in alignment with them. If you ignore the true calling of soul, reflected by your passions, your life can turn out to be an exercise in &#8220;if only&#8221; and &#8220;what if.&#8221; The way to avoid a life of regret is to first recognize whether or not you have developed the habit of ignoring your true passions. If you have, this usually leads to an unfulfilled life.</p>
<p>So pay attention to your passions now, and continually incorporate them into your day-to-day life by energizing them with your attention, thoughts and emotions.</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;As life is action and passion, it is required of a man that he should share the passion and action of his time, at peril of being judged not to have lived.&#8221; - Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. (1841-1935)</p></blockquote>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Go Deeper</strong></p>
<p>What if you go through this process of externalizing a passion and integrating it into your life, only to discover that it does not satisfy you? Your interaction may leave you feeling flat and unfulfilled. How can that be?</p>
<p>The problem may be you need to dig a little deeper.</p>
<p>What you had identified as a passion may not be a true passion bubbling up from the depths of your being. It could be any number of things, but most likely, it&#8217;s born of ego, and may be ego driven. It could be the product of the &#8220;little me&#8221; in your head, rather than the irresistible impulse of the universe itself seeking expression through the unique combination of skills, talents and interests you bring to the recipe of co-creation.</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s the soul&#8217;s duty to be loyal to its own desires. It must abandon itself to its master passion.&#8221; - Rebecca West (1892 - 1983)</p></blockquote>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Embracing Change</strong></p>
<p>When drive is mistaken for passion and situations change, it&#8217;s easy to throw up your hands in resignation and give up. When you are inspired from the inside out by true passions, your outer activities bend gracefully with the winds of change. The outer manifestations of your true passions morph, as needed, to best reflect the inevitable changing circumstances. New circumstances require new approaches, and when you are in alignment with your passions, it will become apparent how to best maximize the potential of each new circumstance.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Your Passions Make You Unique</strong></p>
<p>Fundamental passions come from the core of your being. As you become accustomed to living your life in alignment with them, you become less and less like everyone else and more and more who you really are. As your outer life becomes in closer alignment with your true passions, you grow into the unique individual that you are.</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else&#8217;s opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation.&#8221; - Oscar Wilde (1854 - 1900)</p></blockquote>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>The Ego-Driven Give Up Fast<br />
Passion-Driven People Last</strong></p>
<p>A passion-driven life does not come to an abrupt halt by a roadblock. Instead, from the inner place of stillness where you have invited passion to reside, an idea for the perfect detour springs forth. The detour itself could very well turn out to be a serendipity, bearing gifts and benefits that would otherwise never have manifested. It&#8217;s all a matter of attitude. The determined, yet gentle resolve that comes when you&#8217;re committed to living in alignment with true purpose, is fueled by your deepest passions.</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;There is no chance, no destiny, no fate, that can circumvent or hinder or control the firm resolve of a determined soul.&#8221; - Ella Wheeler Wilcox (1850-1919)</p></blockquote>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Let Go of Resistance</strong></p>
<p>Situations change. Perhaps the only constant in the universe is change. Change happens. It makes no sense to resist it. It does make sense to learn to roll with it gracefully and delight in new experiences and opportunities made possible by our ever-changing circumstances.</p>
<p>When situations change, we have a choice. We can become upset and resist the change. This approach wastes precious energy in complaining and blaming. Or, we can accept it as it is, settle our attention deeply inside, and become receptive to the next appropriate action based upon the new situation.</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;Life isn&#8217;t about waiting for the storm to pass. It&#8217;s about learning to dance in the rain.&#8221; – Unknown</p></blockquote>
<p>When we focus our attention on this present moment and allow our true passions to be on-going companions, outer changes are not the enemy. Whatever happens, regardless of the mental labels of &#8220;good&#8221; or &#8220;bad&#8221; we give it . . . this too shall pass.</p>
<p>From the depth of stillness will come the impulse for the appropriate course of action now. This new urge for a specific action takes into consideration the most recent outer changes and your commitment to the deepest nudges from your inner reality. These nudges, rooted in true passions, represent your north star . . . you can trust them, and you can steer your life by them. (To help clearly define exactly what your passions are, see previous articles, &#8220;<a title="Link to article - Your Passion as Your Compass" href="http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2007/01/08/your-passion-as-your-compass/" target="_blank">Your Passion as Your Compass</a>&#8221; and &#8220;<a title="Link to article - 10 Steps to Discovering Your Life's Purpose" href="http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2007/02/05/10-steps-to-discovering-your-lifes-purpose/" target="_blank">10 Steps to Discovering Your Life&#8217;s Purpose</a>.&#8221;)</p>
<p>When your outer activities are in the flow and inspired by your passions, your life becomes a work of art – an original expression of the teamwork between you and the universe itself.</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;Nothing great in the world has been accomplished without passion.&#8221; - Georg Wilhelm</p>
<p>&#8220;The worst sin - perhaps the only sin - passion can commit, is to be joyless.&#8221; - Dorothy L. Sayers (1893 - 1957)</p>
<p>&#8220;The more passions and desires one has, the more ways one has of being happy.&#8221; - Charlotte-Catherine</p></blockquote>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>The Grandest You and Your Deepest Passions</strong></p>
<p>In the stillness of your personal quiet times, re-connect with your passions. Revisit the stirrings of soul and refocus on what is genuinely important to you . . . not the &#8220;little you&#8221; – the ego, but the grand, bright and shining YOU – the one-of-a-kind embodiment of all-that-is, born into this world with a unique set of talents and tools to enable you to do what nobody else can in the entire world.</p>
<p>What is that? That is your true passion.</p>
<p><em>While reading, did you choose to hear the relaxing instrumental music linked at the beginning of this article? To learn more about it, <a title="Link to CD - Wooden Voices" href="http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescWood.html" target="_blank">click here</a>.</em></p>
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<p><em>Listen FREE to the songs below . . . chosen to enhance the ideas in this article.</em></p>
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						<a href="http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescX.html#Anchor11" target="_blank"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><u>Miracle in Disguise</u></b><br />
							</font></a><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">Synchronicity is such a positive and hopeful idea, it begs the question, &quot;Why not actively look for it and even expect it, as long as it feels good?&quot;<br />
						</font><font size="1" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><sup>http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescX.html#Anchor11</sup></font></p>
<p><a href="http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHere.html#Anchor7" target="_blank"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><u>Time of Our Lives</u></b><br />
								</font></a><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">Time is so fleeting, so elusive, it&#8217;s good to remember the importance and power of living right now.<br />
							</font><font size="1" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><sup>http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHere.html#Anchor7</sup></font></p>
<p><a href="http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHere.html#Anchor11" target="_blank"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><u>Take the Plunge</u></b><br />
								</font></a><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">Their advice is &quot;for your own good&quot;, but the last thing you need to hear is their worst-case scenario.<br />
							</font><font size="1" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><sup>http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHere.html#Anchor11</sup></font></p>
<p><a href="http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor2" target="_blank"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><u>Celebrate Life</u></b><br />
								</font></a><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">Create your own personal celebration of life by your choices, rather than allowing life to be something that merely happens to you, or around you.<br />
							</font><font size="1" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><sup>http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor2</sup></font></p>
<p><a href="http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor10" target="_blank"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><u>Do What You Love</u></b><br />
								</font></a><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">Discovering what we have a true passion for, and then figuring out a way to build a life around that passion is one of life&#8217;s greatest feelings of accomplishment.<br />
							</font><font size="1" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><sup>http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor10</sup></font></p>
<p><font size="2" color="blue" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><a href="http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor13" target="_blank"><u>Live From Your Heart</u></a></b></font><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><br />
								We all come from a long, long, long line of love. And our lives are enhanced exponentially when we interact with one another as if that mattered.<br />
							</font><font size="1"><sup>http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor13</sup></font></p>
<p><a href="http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescAnth.html#Anchor20" target="_blank"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><u>You Gotta Have Fun</u></b><br />
								</font></a><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">Our moments are fleeting . . . and finite. Too few to squander on &quot;bad news&quot;. We must steer our attention deliberately in order to attract the kind of life we were born to live.<br />
							</font><font size="1" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><sup>http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescAnth.html#Anchor20</sup></font></p>
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<p><font size="2" color="blue" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><a title="Link to article - Your Passion as Your Compass" href="http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2007/01/08/your-passion-as-your-compass/"><u>Your Passion as Your Compass</u></a></b></font><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><br />
								Allow your passions to stretch their wings and the direction of your life could surprise you - in a good way. Celebrate life with passion!<br />
							</font></p>
<p><u><font size="2" color="blue" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><a title="Link to article - 10 Steps to Discovering Your Life&#8217;s Purpose" href="http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2007/02/05/10-steps-to-discovering-your-lifes-purpose/">10 Steps to Discovering Your Life&#8217;s Purpose</a></b></font></u><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><br />
								Of all the self-help ideas I&#8217;ve come across through the years, this one has been the most helpful. For me, it&#8217;s been the Rosetta Stone of personal development techniques. After getting a handle on the idea of &#8220;purpose&#8221;, other areas of my life fell into place more easily.<br />
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<p><font size="2" color="blue" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><a title="Link to article - How Do You Feel About Inner Guidance?" href="http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2007/03/30/how-do-you-feel-about-inner-guidance/"><u>How Do You Feel - About Inner Guidance?</u></a></b></font><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><br />
								Is it a hunch? Is it a voice in your head? Is it something you feel? Don&#8217;t confuse what you feel with who you are. Once you are able to access this awareness of pure being and identify yourself with it, you won&#8217;t get carried away by whatever emotional cloud happens to be passing by. Celebrate life through one of the more subtle forms of communication available to us - inner guidance.<br />
							</font></p>
<p><font size="2" color="blue" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><a href="http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2007/11/02/persistence-and-perseverance-for-winners-%e2%80%93-losers-just-quit/" target="_blank">Persistence and Perseverance for Winners - Losers Just Quit</a></b></font><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><br />
								Giving up is easy. Most people make a habit of giving up. In fact, they make a life of it Persistence through a solution-oriented attitude is for visionaries, dreamers and other winners who refuse to take &#8220;no&#8221; for a final answer. </font></p>
<p><font size="2" color="blue" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><a href="http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2007/11/09/inspire-yourself-on-purpose-%e2%80%93-inspiration-from-inside-out/" target="_blank"><u>Inspire Yourself on Purpose - Inspiration from Inside Out</u></a></b></font><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><br />
								Here are twelve common sense reminders on how to inspire yourself. The word &#8220;inspire&#8221; derives from root words that mean &#8220;in spirit&#8221; or &#8220;spirit within.&#8221; Although there&#8217;s always another step to take, these points are a natural result of recognizing and identifying with this realization of who we really are.</font></p>
<p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><a href="http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2007/11/23/ego-or-soul-whos-driving/" target="_blank">Ego or Soul? Who&#8217;s Driving</a></b><br />
								Even though I identify my sense of self with soul, there seems to be another &#8220;something&#8221; inside forever jockeying for position and making its presence known. This is the ego. What&#8217;s the difference? How can you know which one is in charge? What are their characteristics? Since I prefer peace to mayhem and contentment to perpetual, blind striving, my goal is to keep soul in the driver&#8217;s seat as often as possible. Instead of an either/or situation, I like the idea of soul and ego peacefully coexisting in a manner that best serves the greater good.</font></p>
<p><font size="2" color="blue" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><a href="http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2007/11/09/inspire-yourself-on-purpose-%e2%80%93-inspiration-from-inside-out/" target="_blank"><b>Enhance Your Self-Image on Purpose</b></a></font><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><br />
								Here are twelve common sense reminders on how to inspire yourself. The word &#8220;inspire&#8221; derives from root words that mean &#8220;in spirit&#8221; or &#8220;spirit within.&#8221; Although there&#8217;s always another step to take, these points are a natural result of recognizing and identifying with this realization of who we really are. </font></p>
<p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><a href="http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2007/12/14/how-to-live-the-life-of-your-dreams-through-intuition/" target="_blank"><u>How to Live the Life of Your Dreams Through Intuition</u></a></b><br />
								Intuition feels good. That should be enough of a clue it&#8217;s something that can be trusted. But, our culture has done a thorough job of instilling doubt about the wisdom of following our instincts. Instead, we are taught to think things through and be logical. These mental tools are important, but they were never intended to be used instead of intuition. They work better when used in conjunction with intuition. If we are open to it, we get nudges and insights to move us in the direction of our greatest joys, our most valuable contributions, and our most satisfying life. Those quiet whispers and gentle taps on the shoulder are examples of inner guidance in action - intuition. </font></p>
<p><font size="2" color="blue" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><u><a href="http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2008/03/21/know-thyself-%e2%80%93-ignore-comparisons-and-be-yourself/" target="_blank">Know Thyself - Ignore Comparisons and Be Yourself</a></u></b></font><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><br />
								The average person is content to base self-knowledge on comparisons to other people. If this is the measure of self-knowledge, it is based on someone else&#8217;s standards. This practice misses the point of &#8220;Know Thyself.&#8221; Instead, it&#8217;s all about how to fit in. We are all unique individuals with our own strengths, talents and nudges leading us to embrace our own best life. True knowledge of self is attained from personal insights of looking inwardly rather than outwardly towards others.</font></p>
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		<title>17 Bad Mood Remedies</title>
		<link>http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2008/05/02/17-bad-mood-remedies/</link>
		<comments>http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2008/05/02/17-bad-mood-remedies/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 02 May 2008 12:00:47 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tupelo</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Awareness]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Discipline]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Inner Guidance]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Meditation]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Productivity]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Self-Image]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Bad Mood]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Emotional]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Good Mood]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Mood]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Moody]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.tupelokenyon.com/?p=111</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[For instrumental music while reading, choose: hi-fi (broadband) or low-fi.
We all get in a funk occasionally. It&#8217;s part of living here in this playground of duality – light and dark, hot and cold, up and down. Without occasional bad moods, how would we recognize a good mood? Without feeling despondent occasionally, how would we recognize [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: left;"><em>For instrumental music while reading, choose: <a title="Link to song - Warm in the Winter (hi-fi)" href="http://www.somemusicmatters.com/AudioM3U/WoodenM3U/Warm_in_the_Winter-128.m3u" target="_blank">hi-fi</a> (broadband) or <a title="Link to song - Warm in the Winter (low0fi)" href="http://www.somemusicmatters.com/AudioM3U/WoodenM3U/Warm_in_the_Winter-48.m3u" target="_blank">low-fi.</a></em></p>
<p>We all get in a funk occasionally. It&#8217;s part of living here in this playground of duality – light and dark, hot and cold, up and down. Without occasional bad moods, how would we recognize a good mood? Without feeling despondent occasionally, how would we recognize euphoria?</p>
<p>Recognizing the fact that you are experiencing a bad mood is the first step to getting out of it. Once you realize your spirits could use a lift, here are some tips to help make it as quick and painless as possible.<br />
<strong></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Find the Cause and Make Inner Adjustments</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong></strong><br />
Negative emotions of any kind, regardless of what you call them, are there to bring you a message from your deepest inner self. The message is something like this: &#8220;Your current train of thought is out of sync with the personal direction held most dear by the best possible version of yourself.&#8221;</p>
<p>When your thoughts are in alignment with your sense of purpose, you infuse your life with happiness, enthusiasm and joy.</p>
<p>So step back from the mind and settle into the objective viewpoint. From this perspective of pure awareness, take a good look at the thoughts you have been thinking lately. (It&#8217;s likely more accurate to say, &#8220;your thoughts have been thinking you,&#8221; before you brought the light of pure awareness to the table.) Your funky mood is telling you those thoughts are not serving you well. They are not bringing you happiness, enthusiasm or joy . . . so make a decision right now, in this present moment, to change the color of your thoughts.</p>
<p>Do a 180-degree mental pivot, and deliberately point your thoughts in the opposite direction.</p>
<p>Replace despair with hope.<br />
Replace worry with confidence.<br />
Replace fear with love.</p>
<p>This kind of deliberate, directed thinking is a choice. It&#8217;s a personal decision based on understanding what you want and how to get it. If you&#8217;re tired of seeing your life through the dark lens of a funky mood . . . and are serious about letting the light in, change your thoughts.</p>
<p>Nobody can do it for you. Nobody else has to change in order for you to feel better. Nobody has to behave differently. All that needs to change is your attitude . . . the way you react to the events in your life makes the difference. Once you get a handle on that, you can maintain mental and emotional equanimity, regardless of outer circumstances.</p>
<blockquote>
<p style="text-align: left;">&#8220;. . . the way that you choose to take it into view,<br />
Makes it hell or a whole lotta fun.&#8221;<br />
- from the song, &#8220;<a title="Link to song - Hell or a Whole Lotta Fun" href="http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescAnth.html#Anchor16" target="_blank">Hell or a Whole Lotta Fun</a><!-- google_ad_section_start(weight=ignore) --><!-- google_ad_section_end -->&#8221; by Tupelo Kenyon (written in 1976)</p>
</blockquote>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>3 Steps to Busting Bad Moods</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">* Notice how you feel.<br />
* Examine your predominant thoughts.<br />
* Redirect your thoughts, as needed, in sync with your highest ideals and your sense of purpose.<br />
* Repeat as needed.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Accelerate the Process with Outer Adjustments</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Once you&#8217;ve addressed the inner causes, here&#8217;s a list of 17 funk fixers:</p>
<p><strong>1. Meditate</strong> – If your stinkin&#8217; thinkin&#8217; is responsible for your funk, and if it&#8217;s a challenge keeping your thoughts in a better place, try placing your attention elsewhere. Take a few deep breaths and relax deeper and deeper every time you exhale. Become still, and focus your attention on your breathing. Notice that you aren&#8217;t controlling it – just notice how the breath seems to be breathing you, without any help on your part. Allow stress to melt away as you become deeply relaxed. Look for the stillness between the breaths and between the thoughts. Be here, in the stillness, as you simply witness everything – your breath, your thoughts, sounds and other physical sensations. (See previous articles, &#8220;<a title="Link to article - Simple Toning Meditation" href="http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2007/02/09/simple-toning-meditation/" target="_blank">Simple Toning Meditation</a>&#8221; and &#8220;<a title="Link to article - Guided Meditation for Self-Healing and Personal Development" href="http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2007/03/02/guided-meditation-for-self-healing-and-personal-development/" target="_blank">Guided Meditation for Self-Healing and Personal Development</a>.&#8221;)</p>
<p><strong>2. Change Your Environment</strong> – Get out of the house. Go for a walk. A radically different environment can expedite a radical shift in the color of your thoughts. (This can help you get a fresh perspective on things, but going somewhere else is never the entire solution because . . . wherever you go, there you are.)</p>
<p><strong>3. Exercise</strong> – Get your blood pumping. Increased heart rate and respiration sends more oxygen and endorphins to your brain, and that feels good.<br />
<strong><br />
4. Use Your Imagination</strong> – Relive happy moments. Pull out an old photo album (or photo folder on your computer) and look for photos that feel good. Spend some time with them, wrap your thoughts around them, and allow the positive emotions to wash over you.</p>
<p><strong>5. Gratitude</strong> – Have a personal gratitude party. You can do this alone or it&#8217;s fun to share it with someone you love. Notice (and feel deeply) all the things you are grateful for. To take this to another level, express your gratitude whenever you can. Look for opportunities to do that.</p>
<p><strong>6. Be Here Now</strong> – Bad moods are often the result of worrying about the future or regretting something in the past. Refocus your attention on this present moment, and notice that, right now, all is well. The secret is to keep your attention sharply focused in this micro-moment. At this precise instant, I&#8217;m alive, I&#8217;m breathing, I&#8217;m not starving, and there are no wild animals gnawing on my leg. It&#8217;s good to be alive – it&#8217;s a priceless gift, and life is now.</p>
<p><strong>7. Listen to Uplifting Music</strong> - Music touches us and transports us emotionally like nothing else. Pick your music deliberately to produce the desired result – happiness, enthusiasm and joy. (See previous article, &#8220;<a title="Link to article - Benefits of Music for Personal Development" href="http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2007/02/23/benefits-of-music-for-personal-development/" target="_blank">Benefits of Music for Personal Development</a>.&#8221;)</p>
<p><strong>8. Watch a Good Movie</strong> – Choose something that will give you a lift. Pixar and Disney animations are good for a change of emotional scenery. Some fantasy and science fiction movies work well, as do romantic comedies. Anything funny breaks up the brittle edges of a bad mood and lets in a little fresh air and sunshine.</p>
<blockquote>
<p style="text-align: left;">&#8220;What was significant about the laughter . . . was not just the fact that it provides internal exercise for a person . . . a form of jogging for the innards, but that it creates a mood in which the other positive emotions can be put to work, too.&#8221; - Norman Cousins (1915-90)</p>
</blockquote>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>9. Play with Pets</strong> – Puppies and kittens are fun. Better yet, try to find a litter, and just hang out with them for a while. If you can find some youngsters, six to eight weeks old, that&#8217;s ideal for a good laugh and an emotional facelift.</p>
<p><strong>10. Indulge Yourself</strong> – You deserve it. Take some time for you, and do whatever makes you feel good – a hot bath, massage, nice meal, etc. (See previous article, &#8220;<a title="Link to article - Take Time for You" href="http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2007/07/20/take-time-for-you/" target="_blank">Take Time for You</a>.&#8221;)<br />
<strong><br />
11. Help Someone</strong> – When we slide down into a funk, often it&#8217;s because we think, &#8220;It&#8217;s all about me,&#8221; or worse yet, &#8220;Poor me.&#8221; Be useful to someone else and get some perspective. Notice all the people in the world who, compared to you, have serious problems. Feel empathy and compassion, and do whatever you are inspired to do about it, but mostly . . . pause and be grateful for the blessings in your own life, as you help others. Get some perspective and blast yourself out of myopia by asking yourself, &#8220;Okay, really . . . how bad is it?&#8221;</p>
<p><strong>12. Smile</strong> – Just the firing of those facial muscles can help lift your mood. It&#8217;s a psychological and physiological way to reverse engineer happiness. There have been impressive studies done demonstrating how this works. A smile activates the pressure points on both sides of the mouth, which triggers good feelings. So even a fake smile helps. Try it now. Paste a big, wide, cheesy grin on your face, and just hold it there for a few seconds. (You might want to do this while nobody&#8217;s looking . . . otherwise, they might give you something real to smile about.) As you feel the smile muscles exercised in your face, can you feel the subtle changes in your brain? Interesting, eh?</p>
<p><strong>13. Enjoy Alone Time</strong> – If your life is full of juggling your schedule with lots of other people, get away for a day . . . or a week, and just be your own best friend. Remember who you are – not who everyone else thinks you are or who everyone else wants you to be. Get re-grounded and centered. Then you have more of yourself to offer others.</p>
<p><strong>14. Be Inspired on Purpose</strong> – Whatever makes you feel good and enthusiastic is good medicine for the soul and poison to bad moods. Ask yourself what inspires you, and deliberately focus your attention on that.</p>
<p><strong>15. Sing</strong> – Even if you don&#8217;t sing or haven&#8217;t sung for years, try it. Put on a favorite song or an album you are very familiar with, and sing along. When you don&#8217;t know the words, hum. Allow the magic to work on you. It&#8217;s almost impossible to remain bummed out while singing. Like the fake smile (tip #12), complex psychological and physiological factors come into play when your body is generating tones. (That&#8217;s why Tibetan monks chant.) Harmony, melody and breath are powerful. They revitalize your psyche and nourish the soul.</p>
<p><strong>16. Visualize</strong> – Imagine how you want to feel. See it clearly in your mind&#8217;s eye. Once it&#8217;s identified and clearly defined in your brain, move it to your heart. Feel it. Imagination can apply to feelings too, so explore how you want to feel in great detail – mentally and emotionally. Once that&#8217;s done, guess what? You&#8217;re already there. Now just sustain it with the three steps offered earlier:</p>
<p>* Notice how you feel.<br />
* Examine your predominant thoughts.<br />
* Redirect your thoughts, as needed, in sync with your highest ideals and your sense of purpose.<br />
* Repeat as needed.</p>
<p><strong>17. Decide to Change Moods</strong> – Mean it. If you&#8217;re fed up with bad moods, make a conscious decision to do something about it. Personal resolve and commitment make it happen.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Banishing Bad Moods</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Bad moods are unhealthy. They are stressful and take their toll on you. They also affect those around you who you love most. With practice, attention and deliberate action, inspired by your personal decision, you can make bad moods a thing of the past. You&#8217;re going to love how that feels. (So will your family and friends!)</p>
<p><em>While reading, did you choose to hear the relaxing instrumental music linked at the beginning of this article? To learn more about it, <a title="Link to CD - Wooden Voices" href="http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescWood.html" target="_blank">click here</a>.</em></p>
<p><em>Did you get something good from this article? You can also enjoy the feeling of giving. <a title="Link to " href="http://www.tupelokenyon.com/donate/" target="_blank">Click here to leave a donation</a> for Tupelo. Thank you.</em></p>
<p><em>Listen FREE to the songs below . . . chosen to enhance the ideas in this article.</em></p>
<table width="345" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" cool gridx="16" gridy="16" height="3764" showgridx showgridy usegridx usegridy>
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<td width="336" height="80" colspan="3" valign="top" align="left" xpos="4"><img src="http://www.tupelokenyon.com/wp-content/themes/pool/images/headerbeach-Related_Songs.jpg" alt="Related Songs" height="63" width="336" border="0"></td>
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						<a href="http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescX.html#Anchor2" target="_blank"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><u>Trash Our Treasures</u></b><br />
							</font></a><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">People seem to have a history of awarding seemingly insignificant details with places of prominence in our lives, while ignoring or even destroying the most important aspects.<br />
						</font><font size="1" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><sup>http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescX.html#Anchor2</sup></font></p>
<p><a href="http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescX.html#anchor12" target="_blank"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><u>May You Have Joy</u></b><br />
								</font></a><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">Have you ever felt a warm appreciation for someone in your life, and just wanted to wish them well?<br />
							</font><font size="1" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><sup>http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescX.html#anchor12</sup></font></p>
<p><a href="http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescX.html#Anchor-14" target="_blank"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><u>Who is the Watcher</u></b><br />
								</font></a><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">Explores the silent witness within and the idea that life occurs in this present moment. Always.<br />
							</font><font size="1" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><sup>http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescX.html#Anchor-14</sup></font></p>
<p><a href="http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescX.html#Anchor15" target="_blank"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><u>Seriously</u></b><br />
								</font></a><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">A reminder of the importance of making it a point to deliberately live life in joy, reverance, and with a light-hearted spirit.<br />
							</font><font size="1" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><sup>http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescX.html#Anchor15</sup></font></p>
<p><a href="http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHere.html#Anchor6" target="_blank"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><u>Blue Water</u></b><br />
								</font></a><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">Water and the sea are such perfect metaphors for the larger reality we are all immersed in.<br />
							</font><font size="1" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><sup>http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHere.html#Anchor6</sup></font></p>
<p><a href="http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor2" target="_blank"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><u>Celebrate Life</u></b><br />
								</font></a><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">Create your own personal celebration of life by your choices, rather than allowing life to be something that merely happens to you, or around you.<br />
							</font><font size="1" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><sup>http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor2</sup></font></p>
<p><a href="http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor10" target="_blank"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><u>Do What You Love</u></b><br />
								</font></a><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">Discovering what we have a true passion for, and then figuring out a way to build a life around that passion is one of life&#8217;s greatest feelings of accomplishment.<br />
							</font><font size="1" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><sup>http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor10</sup></font></p>
<p><a href="http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor12" target="_blank"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><u>Just One Step</u></b><br />
								</font></a><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">Just begin. If you will just get underway, the project itself gains momentum and carries you along to its completion.<br />
							</font><font size="1" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><sup>http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor12</sup></font></p>
<p><a href="http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescAnth.html#Anchor16" target="_blank"><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><u>Hell or a Whole Lotta Fun</u></b><br />
								</font></a><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">Nothing to do? How about too much to do? Our attitude seems to make the difference.<br />
							</font><font size="1" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><sup>http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescAnth.html#Anchor16</sup></font></p>
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<p><font size="2" color="blue" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><a title="Link to article - Simple Toning Meditation" href="http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2007/02/09/simple-toning-meditation/"><u>Simple Toning Meditation</u></a></b></font><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><br />
								When it comes to meditation and contemplation, all we really need is a simple technique that produces obvious results. Celebrate life through this easy method of calming the mind and getting in closer touch with your inner being.<br />
							</font></p>
<p><font size="2" color="blue" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><a title="Link to article - Guided Meditation for Self-Healing and Personal Development" href="http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2007/03/02/guided-meditation-for-self-healing-and-personal-development/"><u>Guided Meditation for Self-Healing and Personal Development</u></a></b></font><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><br />
								It&#8217;s helpful to have a helping hand once in awhile. I was fortunate to have friends show me how to meditate. It was just friends showing friends something cool . . . because they could. Or maybe it was some kind of big brother / big sister program for the spiritually ripe. It was easy. It was casual. It was a life-changing experience.<br />
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<p><font size="2" color="blue" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><a title="Link to article - Benefits of Music for Personal Development" href="http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2007/02/23/benefits-of-music-for-personal-development/"><u>Benefits of Music for Personal Development</u></a></b></font><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><br />
								All music is not created equally. This article takes a look behind the scenes to catch a glimpse of how the intent of the composer translates to the feeling evoked in the listeners. Many links are included to streaming mp3s. Celebrate life through music!<br />
							</font></p>
<p><font size="2" color="blue" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><a title="Link to article - Take Time for You" href="http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2007/07/20/take-time-for-you/"><u>Take Time for You</u></a></b></font><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><br />
								Don&#8217;t put yourself at the end of the list. You deserve to be first, at least some of the time. Don&#8217;t let your entire life slip by with everything else (and everyone else) getting preferential treatment over your most important priorities. Their needs are important, but yours are important too. Celebrate life by taking time for YOU!<br />
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<p><font size="2" color="blue" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><a title="Link to article - How Do You Feel About Inner Guidance?" href="http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2007/03/30/how-do-you-feel-about-inner-guidance/"><u>How Do You Feel - About Inner Guidance?</u></a></b></font><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><br />
								Is it a hunch? Is it a voice in your head? Is it something you feel? Don&#8217;t confuse what you feel with who you are. Once you are able to access this awareness of pure being and identify yourself with it, you won&#8217;t get carried away by whatever emotional cloud happens to be passing by. Celebrate life through one of the more subtle forms of communication available to us - inner guidance.<br />
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<p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><a href="http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2007/08/17/integrity-through-self-reliance/" target="_blank"><font color="blue"><b><u>Integrity Through Self-Reliance</u></b></font></a><br />
								When you live your life as if the whisperings from your soul really matter, you are living life in your own way, on your own terms, based on your own realizations on what is right . . . what is good . . . and what is true for you. You are tuned into your own station. The signal you are receiving and the message you are broadcasting with the story of your life are both on the same frequency. You are joyfully and gratefully choosing your favorites from the buffet of life.</font></p>
<p><font size="2" color="blue" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><a href="http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2007/12/21/life-drama-as-blockage-to-personal-development/" target="_blank"><b><u>Life Drama as Blockage to Personal Development</u></b></a></font><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><br />
								Some people seem to relish drama in their lives. They go from one catastrophe to another. They thrive on it as if drama is what makes them feel alive. You may be able to see that they are attracting these experiences by their daily thoughts and feelings. But, they don&#8217;t recognize it from within the narrow confines of their personal drama. To someone immersed in drama, the idea that they are creating it is completely foreign. With intent, practice and mindfulness, what was once considered drama that snowballed out of control becomes simply examples of the contrasts of life to help you sharpen your preferences and shape your desires.</font></p>
<p><font size="2" color="blue" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><a href="http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2008/02/01/six-killers-of-individuality-and-personal-independence/" target="_blank"><b><u>Six Killers of Individuality and Personal Independence</u></b></a></font><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><br />
								Is the course of your life determined by your own internal road map or by a map made by someone else? Each of us can choose our direction deliberately and live a life custom sculpted. Each life can be as individually unique as the person living it. If you pattern your life after someone else, exactly what is it you have to offer? </font></p>
<p><font size="2" color="blue" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><a href="http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2008/02/10/self-discipline-in-3-easy-steps/" target="_blank"><b><u>Self-Discipline in 3 Easy Steps</u></b></a></font><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><br />
								Why is it so difficult to follow through and accomplish what you set out to do? Usually, there is one important missing ingredient: personal discipline. For most of us, the idea of discipline is an external force - it&#8217;s something that comes from the outside. For instance, we discipline our children. Most of us are familiar with discipline as a verb (something we do to someone else), but we&#8217;re not so familiar with the concept as a noun - something we cultivate from within and apply to ourselves.</font></p>
<p><font size="2" color="blue" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><u><a href="http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2008/02/29/relax-and-rejuvenate-for-balance-and-productivity/" target="_blank">Relax and Rejuvenate for Balance and Productivity</a></u></b></font><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><br />
								Whatever you do, taking time to relax and regenerate helps you to do it better. If you don&#8217;t pause occasionally, shift your mind into neutral and recharge your batteries, your productivity plummets and you may not even realize it. You need time to let your mind wander - time to imagine new possibilities - time to enjoy the simple pleasures of life - time to nurture soul. Life is more than an endless to-do list, and many of its most important gifts come when you allow yourself to put the daily details on pause and just experience the simplicity of life in the moment with nothing in particular on your mind that needs to be done. </font></p>
<p><font size="2" color="blue" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><u><a href="http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2008/03/07/appreciate-here-and-now/" target="_blank">Appreciate Here and Now</a></u></b></font><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><br />
								No matter what&#8217;s going on in your life right now, there&#8217;s something to appreciate about it. The act of appreciation rivets our consciousness to this present moment. With our attention focused on the here and now, we are living life fully, since right now is the only time there ever is.</font></p>
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		<title>Directed Thinking vs. Compulsive Thinking</title>
		<link>http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2008/04/18/directed-thinking-vs-compulsive-thinking/</link>
		<comments>http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2008/04/18/directed-thinking-vs-compulsive-thinking/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 19 Apr 2008 02:56:50 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tupelo</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Awareness]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Discipline]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Inner Guidance]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Integrity]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Law of Attraction]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Manifestation]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Self-Image]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Thinking]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2008/04/18/directed-thinking-vs-compulsive-thinking/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[For instrumental music while reading, choose: hi-fi (broadband) or low-fi. 
Do you have to think, or do you think to have?
Thinking should be optional. Compulsory thinking is all too common. If your thoughts are non-stop, you are not thinking. Instead, your thoughts are having their way with you.
Your life is an effect of the thoughts [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>For instrumental music while reading, choose: <a href="http://www.somemusicmatters.com/AudioM3U/Celestial-2M3U/5th_Circle_of_Spheres-128.m3u" title="Link to song - 5th Circle of the Spheres (hi-fi)" target="_blank">hi-fi</a> (broadband) or <a href="http://www.somemusicmatters.com/AudioM3U/Celestial-2M3U/5th_Circle_of_Spheres-48.m3u" title="Link to song - 5th Circle of the Spheres (low-fi)" target="_blank">low-fi</a>. </em></p>
<p>Do you have to think, or do you think to have?</p>
<p>Thinking should be optional. Compulsory thinking is all too common. If your thoughts are non-stop, <em>you</em> are not thinking. Instead, your thoughts are having their way with you.</p>
<p>Your life is an effect of the thoughts that receive the most attention. If the thought process runs incessantly, willy-nilly, it&#8217;s easy to feel lost in the physical world, and life feels like something that just happens to you.</p>
<p>When you choose thoughts on purpose and concentrate your attention on those, your life is one of your own choosing, deliberately and strategically created, one thought at a time.</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;Strategy is a style of thinking, a conscious and deliberate process, an intensive implementation system, the science of insuring future success.&#8221; - Pete Johnson</p></blockquote>
<p align="center"><strong>Unforeseen Benefits of Disciplined Thinking</strong></p>
<p>Do you remember sitting in those uncomfortable desks at school, bored with what was being taught, and wondering how you&#8217;d ever use it in the real world? I studied mathematics for a couple of years in college. It came easy for me, but I remember marveling at how I was learning an entirely new language comprised of numbers, symbols and other odd characters that only other mathematicians would recognize or understand.</p>
<p>What was I going to do with all that gobbeldy-gook? Become a teacher? I could have taught it to other students who would also wonder about its practical value in their lives. I know calculus is handy for determining space travel trajectories and geometry is handy for carpentry, but beyond that, much of what I was learning left me feeling, &#8220;Cool, so what?&#8221;</p>
<p>To balance my checkbook, I really don&#8217;t access the theorems of calculus or the formulas of analytical geometry - although I was fascinated to learn a little about <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacred_geometry" title="Link to Wikipedia - Sacred Geometry" target="_blank">sacred geometry</a>. (If you are interested in exploring it more, I wrote a  short review of a fascinating book called &#8220;Nothing in the Book is True, But It&#8217;s Exactly How Things Are&#8221; by Bob Frissell. Here&#8217;s a link to my <a href="http://www.tupelokenyon.com/books/" title="Link to " target="_blank">Recommended Books</a> page.)</p>
<p>I was able to use trigonometry once to build a cabin in Alaska. It&#8217;s base was 23&#8242; square, it was 17&#8242; tall, and was built with the exact same angles and ratios as the Great Pyramid of Cheops in Egypt. I used trig tables for sine, cosine and tangent, but that&#8217;s the only time that strange language of advanced mathematics ever intersected my daily life.</p>
<p>Along with a few helpful ideas, I also learned lots of extraneous details in school. Still, the mental training I received and the discipline I learned studying mathematics has helped me every single day in many unforeseen ways.</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;Thoughts are energy. And you can make your world or break your world by thinking.&#8221; - Susan S. Taylor</p></blockquote>
<p align="center"><strong>Directed Thinking</strong></p>
<p>I learned to think deliberately. I learned how to steer my thoughts and follow-through from A to B, B to C, C to D, and so on. It takes focus, concentration and one-pointed awareness sustained over a period of time. It&#8217;s about having an attention span that&#8217;s long enough to accomplish complicated tasks.</p>
<p>I took it for granted and assumed everyone thinks this way. In time, I discovered that many of the people I met simply don&#8217;t have the mental chops. They have the potential, but instead of deliberate mental training and exercise, many are content with the ever-shortening attention span that results from a steady diet of quick sound bites and the overwhelming video barrage so common on TV. Use it or lose it, and it looks like functional attention spans are lost to many.</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is probably the reason so few engage in it.&#8221; - Henry Ford (1863-1947)</p>
<p>&#8220;Rarely do we find men who willingly engage in hard, solid thinking. There is an almost universal quest for easy answers and half-baked solutions. Nothing pains some people more than having to think.&#8221; - Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-68)</p></blockquote>
<p>This skill of directed thinking comes in handy in many of my everyday activities, like writing this article, writing a song, learning to play an instrument, producing a CD or DVD, creating a website, building a house or a studio, or just talking with a friend and logically trouble-shooting a technical problem. In retrospect, I consider this ability of directed thinking to be one of the most valuable skills I have to show for all those years in school. And, it&#8217;s a major contributing factor to the ongoing creation of the life of my dreams.</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;The secret of living a life of excellence is merely a matter of thinking thoughts of excellence. Really, it&#8217;s a matter of programming our minds with the kind of information that will set us free.&#8221; - Charles R. Swindoll</p>
<p>&#8220;Prosperity is a way of living and thinking, and not just money or things. Poverty is a way of living and thinking, and not just a lack of money or things.&#8221; - Eric Butterworth</p></blockquote>
<p align="center"><strong>I Am Thinking – I Am Not the Thoughts</strong></p>
<p>Since I learned early how to pick and choose my thoughts and follow through with a deliberate train of thought, I realized a valuable spiritual principle: Thoughts are transitory – they come and they go. If I am choosing thoughts on purpose, my sense of self, my identity, is beyond the realm of thoughts. &#8220;Who I am&#8221; is the thinker of the thoughts – the watcher.</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;Who is the watcher, who sits in the stillness and knows,<br />
And who is the looker, who notices the king wears no clothes.<br />
Who is the seer, who sees beyond the mind,<br />
And who is the seeker, who’ll find the grand design.&#8221;<br />
(From the song, &#8220;<a href="http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescX.html#Anchor-14" title="Link to song - Who is the Watcher" target="_blank">Who is the Watcher</a>&#8221; by <!-- google_ad_section_start(weight=ignore) -->Tupelo Kenyon<!-- google_ad_section_end -->)</p></blockquote>
<p align="center"><strong>Beyond Thought</strong></p>
<p>Spiritual awareness (aka religious experience) is all about going beyond the mind into the realm of pure being. Disciplines and rituals from all cultures through the ages have been used to help take the practitioner beyond the mental realm of thoughts, words and identification with physical things.</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;Thinking, understanding, reasoning, willing, call not these Soul! They are its actions, but they are not its essence.&#8221; - Akhenaton - Egyptian king (d. c.1354 BC)</p></blockquote>
<p>Meditation helps to identify and then <em>identify with</em> the being behind the thoughts. Prayer beads, mantras, mandalas and zen koans are all used to transcend the chatter of the typical undisciplined mind. Musicians concentrate on melodies or musical passages, a process which stops the internal string of words which are otherwise forever playing in the mind.</p>
<p>Awareness grows only when the internal dialog is slowed and eventually stopped. Even when the parade of thoughts is curtailed only for brief moments, the awareness of &#8220;I am&#8221; has a chance to shine through like the sun breaking through the clouds. (See previous article, &#8220;<a href="http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2007/01/29/beyond-science-philosophy-and-religion/" title="Link to article - Beyond Science, Philosophy and Religion" target="_blank">Beyond Science, Philosophy and Religion</a>.)</p>
<p align="center"><strong>Thinking on Purpose</strong></p>
<p>Once you no longer identify yourself with the stream of thoughts that once dominated