Mind

A meditation:
Death may keep me from changing my mind.
Learning means changing my mind.
Changing my mind means learning.
My learning is changing my mind.
My mind is changing my learning.
Learning changes mind.
Mind changes learning.
As I live, so I learn.
Live and learn!
Learn and live?
I learn as I live.
I live as I learn.
There are way to live.
There are ways to learn.
This isn't the whole story.
Sit with it a bit.

Twitter

I have not discovered how Twitter might be useful to me.
So far, I have not found it useful for teaching, learning, or developing a satisfying relationship. How are relating, learning, and teaching accomplished on Twitter?

"To Know"

"To know" is a verb.
As our 6th grade teacher said, "A verb is an action word."
Knowing is a activity we engage in.
Knowing is a process that we learn.
Knowledge or knowing is not a thing to have, it is a doing, it is a purposeful stirring of your energies.
To know is a learning process.
To know is an experiencing of reality.
Where there is no action, knowledge is not.

Learning!

Education is the efficient, effective defence of a people.

Let's make it safe, satisfying, ongoing, and a bit of fun.

It's a vital matter of national security and cheaper than bombs.

It empowers child, youth, woman, and man.

The Hyperborean

He was compediously taught even though his teacher communicated only that part of wisdom which was appropriate to him.
There were psychological requirements. One was a natural gentleness called culture.
There was a daily program that began with a solitary walk to an appropriately quiet place. The most sacred place available was considered the best choice.
Friendship was practiced. The removal of strife from relationships was advised and taught. The younger were taught to subdue their anger when with their elders. Elders were taught to correct or admonish the younger softly and cautiously.
Symbols were used in instruction. Their significance and arcane intentions, mostly aimed toward morality and reality, were freed of their enigmatic form.
Dietary suggestions were made. For example millet was recommended for its nutritious qualities. This disciple was urged to avoid foods counter to illumination, purity, and chastity of the soul or which got in the way of temperance or virtue.
Music and poetry were taught. Music was taught as a medicine and an instrument of purification. Dancing to string instruments was included. Homer and Hesiod were included among the poets taught. Music was used to help develop and support mental states of readiness, fitness and contact.
Theoretical music which led to number and computation was taught as coming from mariners, merchants, and astronomers.
Cooperative political assistance was taught.
Divinity was taught. Nothing real need be hopeless. God first and then my promised word. An oath should be taken religiously. Things divine can be learned even from Celt and Iberian.
Short sayings of the teacher are fine seeds for meditation.
Philosophy is not only a desire for and love of wisdom, but also the science of objectified truth.

Wonderul Site

Take some time to check out http://www.allconsidering
It's about life, spiritual growth, complimented by the ponderings of
a lovely lady and here teachers. Her posts treat morality,
comparative religion, consciousness, and better.

All Considering seems to be almost completely the creation of Katinka Hesselink. Don't let her competence, learning, and intelligence put you off.

She loves your thoughtful comments and I bet she will give a kind straight forward answer to your courteous question. If you want to improve your grades in a Comparative Religions class you will need but check out appropriate posts on the site.

Good Old Blue Eyes

Wasn't it Frank Sinatra who said, "do be, do be, do?" I'm thinking he had it right. I've sometimes thought that I should throw out "be" as too big to handle. Frank apparently suggests keeping the "be," but placing the emphasis on "do." Being sometimes seems pretty hard to me. Being good, being human, being happy, being joyous, being free, being an man all seem pretty difficult much of the time. Just "being" a husband, son, brother, or just a friend can seem overwhelming.

However, when I look at doing words, things look a bit less difficult. There are a lot of them. Even some 'being words' can become 'doing words.' Doing words, verbs, can be difficult too. 'To exist' may seem a difficult to know how to do. "Relax and enjoy it." is advice given about may doings; not always easy advice to take. Still many verbs seem more congenial to me than nouns. For example, if I am told to dance, I feel more capable of doing so than if I am told to be dance.

I heard a man say that his object in life was to be happy, joyous, and free. I believe that he tried to reach that goal. I don't know whether he succeeded or not. If he did, I bet it wasn't easy.

If someone tells me to be happy, it seems liked a good idea. But then when I consider how; how to put it into practice seems a bit of a problem. However, when I consider doing happy, or how happy is done, or doing something happy, I feel more capable. How can I tell if a person is happy? Isn't a smile an indication of happiness? I can smile. I can do happy. I can do something happy. I can do a happy act. I can smile.

If I am told to be good, it seems a big deal. It seems to be more that just "sit down and shut up." If I am told to do good, possibilities begin to open. If I decide to do something good, I think that it is probably possible to do so. I think I am capable of a good act. I think I can make a good move.

If I tell myself to be human, it seems that I have to do it all, and it seems difficult to me. However, when I try doing human, when I try to human, when I try one human act at a time, I can do it. I can walk. I can talk. I can crawl on my belly like a reptile(that's an act).

Being joyous seems easier than being joy. Doing a joyous act or making a joyous move seems easier yet. I can ask myself, "How does a joyous man look?" Well, if I see a man singing and dancing, and throwing his arms open to the universe I could call him mad, or I might call him joyous. I could do one of those joy acts.

Sounds a bit like the "fake it until you make it" suggestion, doesn't it. Well, is being a 'copy cat' all bad? Does "monkey see, monkey do" necessarily lead to mortal sin?

If I must be free, how do I do that. Well, 'to free' is a 'doing word.' I can do something to free myself from these tight shoes. by loosening these laces. I can free myself to spend more time in my garden by rearranging my time.

If I must be a man I may run into difficulties. Still, I usually feel capable of putting my pants on one leg at a time. That's a man thing. That is an act of a man. That is a way "to man."

I feel capable of doing a friendly act, or a brotherly thing even when I may not be sure of how to be a friend, or how to be a brother.

Thanks Frank. I have high hopes.