I Affirm

~ I am ready, willing, and able to learn to aim to eat here and now only when I am in a state of peace and good appetite
~ I propose to better know what it means to feed my spirit here and now.
~ I choose to earn a bit more income this week.
~ I propose to benefit a bit more by scheduling my time a bit better here.
~ I choose good doings here and now.
~ I propose to consider the pertinent facts right now.
~ I propose to allow myself good cheer and enthusiasm today.
~ I am willing to be where I feel energized today.
~ I am ready, willing, and able to to learn to treat myself with love and respect this day.
~ I am ready, willing and able to acknowledge that I prefer active, face to face dialogue this week.
~ I nurture useful and productive conversation right here.
~ I propose to progress to better understanding here and now.
~ I am ready, willing, and able to learn to consider now what it means to progress to better understanding.
~ I am ready, willing, and able to learn to eat plenty of fresh vegetables now.
~ I propose to benefit today by by taking a step beyond the step beyond this day.
~ I am willing to observe myself taking a step beyond the step beyond.
~ I am ready to learn to consider how I am creative here.

Prefect and Progress

To progress and perfect we act.

Is it wrong to do less and less until all is done?

My Posts

Hello kind reader,

You may have noticed that I have been posting less than usual.

I Intend to post more and better in the future.

For now, however, I'll be posting even less.

I am preparing to travel again and expect to be our if the country for several months. I may head for Southeast Asia first. Wonder how long it will take to learn Burmese and Vietnamese. Probably not much linger that it will take to learn Malay and Cambodian.

As I remember it took me about 30 years to learn to defend myself in Spanish. Well, back to posting.

Once I get somewhere, I intend to tell you where I am and then begin to post on topics which interest me and I think might interest you. When you tell me in "comments' below what interests you I find it easier to post on that which interests you.

Visitors to These Posts

The largest numbers of recent viewers of Exoteric posts have come from the following countries: 
Germany,
France,
Russia,
Ukraine,
Latvia!

What happened to the Canadians and the Irish? 

"Word"

Years ago A number of good people took classes with me using email. A popular class was called "Word."  You may be old enough to remember the "It Pays to Increase Your Word Power" feature in the magazine Readers Digest. "Word" was a just a bit like that feature. "Word" was about definition, meaning, mind, understanding, power, and the like.

The sixty or so students interested in "Word" were of a variety of backgrounds and ages. Ages ranged from the early twenties to the  late seventies with a couple of outliers.

'Love' was a popular word among nearly all of  students. Those email lessons were not love letters, but they were sent with the aim of respectfully nurturing their readers.

Recently while thinning my archives I looked at a transcript of a "Word" lesson that was largely my response to  student responses to an earlier 'love' "Word."

I had been please by enthusiastic student response. Nearly every response mentioned feelings, but nit one mentioned emotions! There was a wide variety of takes on those feelings and their relevance. Most students agreed that there were two or more kinds of love. Words used often were: I, ego, personal, help, action, and sex. No one mentioned drugs or rock and roll. Neither did anyone mention dominance, submission, nurturence, lust, fear, God, mother, child, wife, husband, or country! Go figure. They did mention pleasure and pleasant, but not joy. I remember that nearly every one noted kinds of love without being specific, Some mentioned parts of love with out being specifying any one part. No one mentioned Christ, Jesus or the Bible. All this may say more about student attitude toward email and me than anything else.

I mention these happenings with the thought that I may post on words in the future. 'Agape' may be among those words. Any other suggestions.

Ancient Teachings on Work

There are ancient teachings about work which suggest the following:

Restraint from making monetary gain the principle aim of work has long been considered good for one and those near one.Seeking work that is right for non is the better principle aim. The one practicing such restraint is to be considered a wise and knowing lover of creation. "Right" is right to your best understanding of the day. "Creation" includes the creativity you practice in your rightful work. 

Your practice of rightful work is part of the worshiping and loving in your life. Your rightful work is done by and for you. By making a work rightfully yours, you engage in the good practice of responsible self rule.

The whole self that you cultivate by right work moves you toward the good of loving all. 

Practices which can move you toward rightful work include:
~ aim to recogniz that whih pleases and satisfies you,
~ take time to sit in a quiet and pleasant spot, there let the unity of all enter,
~ be moderate, be moderate in eating, resting, action, and sleep,
~ rest in that which comes up in meditation,
~ be grateful to curb your more compelling desires again.  

'Reality'

The words 'acceptance,' "accepting,' 'accept' are words I closely associate with the word 'reality.'

Discernment

Few look for truth. Call it reality and fewer find it.

Words like earth, water, flame, air, mind, and individuality may point a way to truth. Words like solid, liquid, plasma, substance, me, and energy may help one to better imagine reality. Still words are imperfect tools.

It can help to consider laws of creation and fecundity.

Observing our observing and the operation of our senses helps.

Those who come closest to reality and truth have been said to be of four sorts: he who weeps, the man who yearns to know, he who toils to help, he who sits certain of enlightenment. (sitting in active meditation)

Others are misled by language. Pairs of opposites such as 'like' and 'dislike' lead them astray. They are bewildered by pairs of opposites. 

Love and faith can help one through the days in contentment. 
 .