Comments on: Live Now – Part II http://www.ratracetrap.com/the-rat-race-trap/live-now-%e2%80%93-part-ii.html Tools to improve your mind and escape the trap Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:47:23 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: How to be Content — The Rat Race Trap http://www.ratracetrap.com/the-rat-race-trap/live-now-%e2%80%93-part-ii.html/comment-page-1#comment-4847 How to be Content — The Rat Race Trap Sun, 05 Jul 2009 13:41:47 +0000 http://www.ratracetrap.com/?p=1281#comment-4847 [...] Now – Part I Living Now – Part II Live Now – Part III More About Living in the Now Are You Addicted to [...] [...] Now – Part I Living Now – Part II Live Now – Part III More About Living in the Now Are You Addicted to [...]

]]> By: Tobin Hunt http://www.ratracetrap.com/the-rat-race-trap/live-now-%e2%80%93-part-ii.html/comment-page-1#comment-4462 Tobin Hunt Thu, 25 Jun 2009 10:44:20 +0000 http://www.ratracetrap.com/?p=1281#comment-4462 Although I wholeheartedly agree that being an observer of your own processes and not getting too attached to passing feelings is an essential approach, I think there can also be a danger that we come to desire certain 'tranquil' states, and want them to happen more often, or even all the time. Don't forget that desire is the root of all suffering - I think somebody may have based a religion on that at some point ;) This tendency has also been referred to as 'spiritual materialism', meaning - the desire to achieve certain states of mind, or ways of being, and believing that if I can be like 'this', then I will be content. As "Dragos Roua" commented just above, self acceptance is important here - you get frustrated, and that's who you are, maybe just observe yourself getting annoyed, 'there I go, doing it again', and let it go, without thinking 'I wish I wasn't like that', 'how unenlightened of me' etc. Great article though, of all the things that annoy me, it does seem to be inanimate objects doing things I wasn't expecting them to (like the nuts). Although I wholeheartedly agree that being an observer of your own processes and not getting too attached to passing feelings is an essential approach, I think there can also be a danger that we come to desire certain ‘tranquil’ states, and want them to happen more often, or even all the time. Don’t forget that desire is the root of all suffering – I think somebody may have based a religion on that at some point ;)

This tendency has also been referred to as ‘spiritual materialism’, meaning – the desire to achieve certain states of mind, or ways of being, and believing that if I can be like ‘this’, then I will be content.

As “Dragos Roua” commented just above, self acceptance is important here – you get frustrated, and that’s who you are, maybe just observe yourself getting annoyed, ‘there I go, doing it again’, and let it go, without thinking ‘I wish I wasn’t like that’, ‘how unenlightened of me’ etc.

Great article though, of all the things that annoy me, it does seem to be inanimate objects doing things I wasn’t expecting them to (like the nuts).

]]> By: Well-Being is Better Than Happiness — The Rat Race Trap http://www.ratracetrap.com/the-rat-race-trap/live-now-%e2%80%93-part-ii.html/comment-page-1#comment-4386 Well-Being is Better Than Happiness — The Rat Race Trap Tue, 23 Jun 2009 16:05:42 +0000 http://www.ratracetrap.com/?p=1281#comment-4386 [...] In my mind well-being is more a state of contentment and a sense of serenity and peacefulness that comes from knowing you are doing things and living in a way that is right for you.  Well-being requires positive action on your part.  You are choosing to live according your values.  I would also add that in order to achieve this you have to mostly Live Now. [...] [...] In my mind well-being is more a state of contentment and a sense of serenity and peacefulness that comes from knowing you are doing things and living in a way that is right for you.  Well-being requires positive action on your part.  You are choosing to live according your values.  I would also add that in order to achieve this you have to mostly Live Now. [...]

]]> By: Felicity http://www.ratracetrap.com/the-rat-race-trap/live-now-%e2%80%93-part-ii.html/comment-page-1#comment-4044 Felicity Sun, 14 Jun 2009 16:02:39 +0000 http://www.ratracetrap.com/?p=1281#comment-4044 Boredom has fled far after reading this. It's really perplexing to quibble over usual 'stuff'... that i have done earlier too. I've dropped things strangely, e.g. plastic bottles, kits, papers etc. from my bare hands and have come into a groggy mood. It puts one out of ease (it is applicable to me). Breaking this habit have phased my positive response by accepting the fall. In a cool, calm and collected mind, i've been able to control the frivolous items from meeting the floor. Not only my state of mind has been flexible but my physical flexes as well. I did not mount on a elixiharating understanding to change my attitude. More achievements would have been missed if i didn't pull the effort to control my actions. I had to abate the nasty blunders. Our daily work performances are deeply influenced by our posture and capacity in each moment we live. Wonderful reading going on here! =) Boredom has fled far after reading this. It’s really perplexing to quibble over usual ‘stuff’… that i have done earlier too. I’ve dropped things strangely, e.g. plastic bottles, kits, papers etc. from my bare hands and have come into a groggy mood. It puts one out of ease (it is applicable to me). Breaking this habit have phased my positive response by accepting the fall. In a cool, calm and collected mind, i’ve been able to control the frivolous items from meeting the floor. Not only my state of mind has been flexible but my physical flexes as well. I did not mount on a elixiharating understanding to change my attitude. More achievements would have been missed if i didn’t pull the effort to control my actions. I had to abate the nasty blunders. Our daily work performances are deeply influenced by our posture and capacity in each moment we live. Wonderful reading going on here! =)

]]> By: Dragos Roua http://www.ratracetrap.com/the-rat-race-trap/live-now-%e2%80%93-part-ii.html/comment-page-1#comment-3898 Dragos Roua Wed, 10 Jun 2009 13:55:34 +0000 http://www.ratracetrap.com/?p=1281#comment-3898 I've been there too. I mean, I had those moments and I can tell you they can be replicated or maintained. But why are you struggling for peace so hard? Ok, you have an irritable personality, you swear at the drivers, etc. So? Is this who you are? Then be it! Maybe you are trying to make peace with others? To get a little more acceptance from them? Doesn't work, I tell you. Or at least it doesn't work for me. You are who you are. And you can be loved and accepted for who you are. If peace is coming from your irritable and swearing personality, that's fantastic, that's an epiphany. If peace is just a way to get along better with other people, it won't last. Please, be irritated about this comment. Pretty please? :-) P.S. Great, great reading. Thanks! <abbr><em>Dragos Roua´s last blog post..<a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Edragonu-TheChoiceOfAPersonalPath/~3/c7dVLx5ybv0/" rel="nofollow">ADD stages - Assess</a></abbr></em> I’ve been there too. I mean, I had those moments and I can tell you they can be replicated or maintained.

But why are you struggling for peace so hard? Ok, you have an irritable personality, you swear at the drivers, etc. So? Is this who you are? Then be it! Maybe you are trying to make peace with others? To get a little more acceptance from them? Doesn’t work, I tell you. Or at least it doesn’t work for me.

You are who you are. And you can be loved and accepted for who you are. If peace is coming from your irritable and swearing personality, that’s fantastic, that’s an epiphany. If peace is just a way to get along better with other people, it won’t last.

Please, be irritated about this comment. Pretty please? :-)

P.S. Great, great reading. Thanks!

Dragos Roua´s last blog post..ADD stages – Assess

]]> By: Robin Easton http://www.ratracetrap.com/the-rat-race-trap/live-now-%e2%80%93-part-ii.html/comment-page-1#comment-3841 Robin Easton Mon, 08 Jun 2009 17:54:03 +0000 http://www.ratracetrap.com/?p=1281#comment-3841 This story just makes me think of what I wrote in PART 1 of this series about staying-in-the-moment becoming a way of life. Of COURSE you can do this. I have NO doubt at all. I think initially to strengthen it to where it becomes second nature...I agree with Jonathan's advice....get out into nature...even 15 minutes to watch a sunrise or sit under a tree, listen to a creek or river or birds, whatever, but get out of the city or even to park, and be >>>ALONE<<< with nature and it will ground you immediately and bring your right back to calm. You need to do this so that you have the BODY memory/imprint of calm. Eventually the imprinting will take hold and replace old habits, much quicker than you might think. AND as hard as it may be grasp: it WILL heal you. Also Stephen, and I want you to REALLY listen to this. You strike me as VERY sensitive. Something maybe few people have ever told you or reaffirmed for you. Or if they have "sensitive" has been put in a negative context. It is NOT a negative thing. It is a guide that will warn us and tell us when we need to destress, time alone, time to align ourselves with calm peace. When we listen to this guide and honor it we have the power to shape out lives and responses. Living in the city may totally overload your system. I can relate to this. But you may need to live in the city right now, which I also relate to. BUT the fact that you responded so quickly to being in nature is a BIG sign that you have an affinity with it and NEED more of it, much more of it. Eventually you can literally realign your whole system with Nature's calm, to where it can let down more. For the moment I live in a small city but I spent so much time in the wild that I am able to stay in the moment no matter where I am, BUT, that said. I will ALWAYS choose, like Jonathan said, to be in the mountains, in nature. Please honor your sensitivity as a real thing. Your body is trying to tell you something, begging with you to give it peace and quiet. And make sure that when you go into nature that you, at least some of the time, do it without bikes, boats, and any of the other stuff, just you and the Earth. Slow, observant, feeling, seeing, --- you and the Planet Earth. Sometimes the way we heal ourselves is NOT through trying to control what we feel but through honoring it and using those feelings as a guide, listening to them and working out what they are telling us. I have learned that life is MUCH simpler than we humans realize. I'm stressed: so what do I like doing that makes me feel calm and joyous? As opposed to: I'm stressed and I better get this under control. I shouldn't be so sensitive. I'm over reacting and I have to stop this. And what is the matter with me? I am bad, blah, blah, blah. It's a lot easier to simply do what your "beautifully sensitive body" is begging you do. It's a lot easier to honor and take joy in the fact that you ARE a wonderfully sensitive being who needs a calm space and time alone with nature. You are not alone. There are many of us. :D Thank you my friend. PS Maybe I'll do a post about this at some point. Running behind due to work. <abbr><em>Robin Easton´s last blog post..<a href="http://nakedineden.com/nakedinedenblog/?p=1912" rel="nofollow">Are You Still in Survival Mode?</a></abbr></em> This story just makes me think of what I wrote in PART 1 of this series about staying-in-the-moment becoming a way of life. Of COURSE you can do this. I have NO doubt at all. I think initially to strengthen it to where it becomes second nature…I agree with Jonathan’s advice….get out into nature…even 15 minutes to watch a sunrise or sit under a tree, listen to a creek or river or birds, whatever, but get out of the city or even to park, and be >>>ALONE<<< with nature and it will ground you immediately and bring your right back to calm. You need to do this so that you have the BODY memory/imprint of calm. Eventually the imprinting will take hold and replace old habits, much quicker than you might think. AND as hard as it may be grasp: it WILL heal you.

Also Stephen, and I want you to REALLY listen to this. You strike me as VERY sensitive. Something maybe few people have ever told you or reaffirmed for you. Or if they have “sensitive” has been put in a negative context. It is NOT a negative thing. It is a guide that will warn us and tell us when we need to destress, time alone, time to align ourselves with calm peace. When we listen to this guide and honor it we have the power to shape out lives and responses. Living in the city may totally overload your system. I can relate to this. But you may need to live in the city right now, which I also relate to. BUT the fact that you responded so quickly to being in nature is a BIG sign that you have an affinity with it and NEED more of it, much more of it. Eventually you can literally realign your whole system with Nature’s calm, to where it can let down more. For the moment I live in a small city but I spent so much time in the wild that I am able to stay in the moment no matter where I am, BUT, that said. I will
ALWAYS choose, like Jonathan said, to be in the mountains, in nature.

Please honor your sensitivity as a real thing. Your body is trying to tell you something, begging with you to give it peace and quiet. And make sure that when you go into nature that you, at least some of the time, do it without bikes, boats, and any of the other stuff, just you and the Earth. Slow, observant, feeling, seeing, — you and the Planet Earth.

Sometimes the way we heal ourselves is NOT through trying to control what we feel but through honoring it and using those feelings as a guide, listening to them and working out what they are telling us. I have learned that life is MUCH simpler than we humans realize. I’m stressed: so what do I like doing that makes me feel calm and joyous? As opposed to: I’m stressed and I better get this under control. I shouldn’t be so sensitive. I’m over reacting and I have to stop this. And what is the matter with me? I am bad, blah, blah, blah. It’s a lot easier to simply do what your “beautifully sensitive body” is begging you do. It’s a lot easier to honor and take joy in the fact that you ARE a wonderfully sensitive being who needs a calm space and time alone with nature.

You are not alone. There are many of us. :D
Thank you my friend.

PS Maybe I’ll do a post about this at some point. Running behind due to work.

Robin Easton´s last blog post..Are You Still in Survival Mode?

]]> By: Robin Easton http://www.ratracetrap.com/the-rat-race-trap/live-now-%e2%80%93-part-ii.html/comment-page-1#comment-3840 Robin Easton Mon, 08 Jun 2009 17:28:21 +0000 http://www.ratracetrap.com/?p=1281#comment-3840 This comment brought tears to my eyes Jonathan. Of course you why knowing my history in the wild. But it was so good to hear you express this. So many completely underrate the soothing abilities of nature. I lived to long like that although I will always choose the wild over the hoards and chaos of "civilization", I have reached a point where I am can let all the chao swirl around me and realize I'm no longer part of it. But I STILL choose to be in the wild. That is dream I work toward now. A move back into the wild places. Also, thank you for having this "knowing-base" in you, you definitely are kindred. Many have lost not only their connection to the truth you state here, but they have lost even the memory of it. Although I do believe it is stored in our cells just waiting to reawaken. <abbr><em>Robin Easton´s last blog post..<a href="http://nakedineden.com/nakedinedenblog/?p=1912" rel="nofollow">Are You Still in Survival Mode?</a></abbr></em> This comment brought tears to my eyes Jonathan. Of course you why knowing my history in the wild. But it was so good to hear you express this. So many completely underrate the soothing abilities of nature. I lived to long like that although I will always choose the wild over the hoards and chaos of “civilization”, I have reached a point where I am can let all the chao swirl around me and realize I’m no longer part of it. But I STILL choose to be in the wild. That is dream I work toward now. A move back into the wild places. Also, thank you for having this “knowing-base” in you, you definitely are kindred. Many have lost not only their connection to the truth you state here, but they have lost even the memory of it. Although I do believe it is stored in our cells just waiting to reawaken.

Robin Easton´s last blog post..Are You Still in Survival Mode?

]]> By: Stephen Mills http://www.ratracetrap.com/the-rat-race-trap/live-now-%e2%80%93-part-ii.html/comment-page-1#comment-3832 Stephen Mills Mon, 08 Jun 2009 11:10:52 +0000 http://www.ratracetrap.com/?p=1281#comment-3832 @Tim, you're probably right. I spent 14 hours in the car yesterday and I passed my test with flying colors! @Matt, thanks for stopping by and commenting. I think you are right and I've got that experience burned into my brain as inspiration. @Jay, thanks! I may naive but I intend to find out what it is going to be like. :-) @Jonathan, before I had ever heard of "being present", I knew nature had an effect on me. My favorites are the forests and the beaches and now the mountains! I need to move to a mountain forest near a beach. :-) @Vin, I'm with you on corporate life! That's one thing that will test you daily :-) I also think you are right on with this: "The more basic our needs and wants are, the easier it is to stay within this threshold,.." @Steven, thank you so much for the anchoring advice. I will definitely try that. @Roger, thanks. I need to try observing rather than just letting it happen. Thanks so much! @Noel, thanks for stopping by and for the support! @Angela, hello! Thank you for sharing that :-) @Tim, you’re probably right. I spent 14 hours in the car yesterday and I passed my test with flying colors!

@Matt, thanks for stopping by and commenting. I think you are right and I’ve got that experience burned into my brain as inspiration.

@Jay, thanks! I may naive but I intend to find out what it is going to be like. :-)

@Jonathan, before I had ever heard of “being present”, I knew nature had an effect on me. My favorites are the forests and the beaches and now the mountains! I need to move to a mountain forest near a beach. :-)

@Vin, I’m with you on corporate life! That’s one thing that will test you daily :-) I also think you are right on with this: “The more basic our needs and wants are, the easier it is to stay within this threshold,..”

@Steven, thank you so much for the anchoring advice. I will definitely try that.

@Roger, thanks. I need to try observing rather than just letting it happen. Thanks so much!

@Noel, thanks for stopping by and for the support!

@Angela, hello! Thank you for sharing that :-)

]]> By: Angela http://www.ratracetrap.com/the-rat-race-trap/live-now-%e2%80%93-part-ii.html/comment-page-1#comment-3825 Angela Mon, 08 Jun 2009 07:02:08 +0000 http://www.ratracetrap.com/?p=1281#comment-3825 Wow this was great to read, considering the 'flashes of irritation' I have had this weekend, just one of those spurts where everything that can go wrong, does...and I am aware of being in the euphoric state you described, for long periods; so I get this, and appreciate I'm not the only one to experience it! Thanks. <abbr><em>Angela´s last blog post..<a href="http://surfingthetao.com/2009/05/18/zombies-food-security-and-little-shifts/" rel="nofollow">Zombies, Food Security and Little Shifts</a></abbr></em> Wow this was great to read, considering the ‘flashes of irritation’ I have had this weekend, just one of those spurts where everything that can go wrong, does…and I am aware of being in the euphoric state you described, for long periods; so I get this, and appreciate I’m not the only one to experience it! Thanks.

Angela´s last blog post..Zombies, Food Security and Little Shifts

]]> By: Noel Sanger http://www.ratracetrap.com/the-rat-race-trap/live-now-%e2%80%93-part-ii.html/comment-page-1#comment-3820 Noel Sanger Mon, 08 Jun 2009 04:19:25 +0000 http://www.ratracetrap.com/?p=1281#comment-3820 Stephen, That's not trivial at all. And it's absolutely inspiring... Respect, Noel Sanger Stephen,

That’s not trivial at all. And it’s absolutely inspiring…

Respect,

Noel Sanger

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