Beginning with the End in Mind

In the last post, I recounted what largely occupied my mind after spending most of Saturday with my dear friend K. That post about The Fullness of Time did not capture the full extent of our insightful and thought provoking discourse throughout the day.

As is often the practice, I saved the best for last and today, I am pleased to present part 2 of my ruminations.
In a nutshell, this post comprises thoughts on why we wake up every morning, why we even plan or get anything done at all... essentially, the very qualification of hope.

It should be noted that in this post, I'll liberally use some happenings in my own life to illustrate some of the salient points.

Destiny: Purpose or Fate?

When I resigned from formal employment back in December 2005, I was determined to never return to what I invariably refer to as a rat race where consumerism is unnecessarily glorified. I had and still hold the firm belief that there is more to life than just making money and then spending it all. True, there are different strokes for different folk, and I also appreciate that it is "to each his/her own" in most things in life. As such, what has worked for me may not necessarily work for others.

Looking back, I'm proud that I've been and continue to realize my goals first as a freelancer and now as a creative entrepreneur. All thanks to self employment.

The reason I bring this up is that when I quit my job, I knew that my destiny would be shaped by that very decision. I was however keen to do all the needful to ensure that it'd be a function of purpose, and not fate from then on. I've in the past written about destiny, purpose and fate here.

It is in setting up the goals (some lofty) that I perpetually aspire to achieve that I've find my purpose in life. When I began, I knew where I wanted to end up. I am not there yet and often times are in repair, but knowing where I'm headed makes all the difference. Sometimes, it takes a strong will, a stronger won't or simply knowing what you don't want to become.

All Things are Created Twice

At the aforementioned times, I hadn't come across Steven Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

For example, my modest den is scheduled for some modifications, comprising enlarging my living room and adding an extra floor. Even before I start sourcing for construction materials, I have already seen the resulting structure in my mind time and again. This is well explained in the 2nd Habit: Beginning with the End in Mind together with the following points:

• All things are created twice. There is a mental (first) creation, and a physical (second) creation. The physical creation follows the mental, just as a building follows a blueprint.
• Begin with the End in Mind means to begin each day, task, or project with a clear vision of your desired direction and destination, and then continue by flexing your proactive muscles to make things happen.
• If your ladder is not leaning against the right wall, every step you take gets you to the wrong place faster.

Hope Doesn't Disappoint

With K, we long agonized in trying to draw the line between blatantly assuming that things will definitely go a certain way in line with our desires, or blindingly hoping even when it is clear that the outcome will most likely be different.

In matters of hope, I never fail to quote the following:

Hope is the bridge that connects you to where you want to go,
Faith assures you that the bridge will hold,
Love gives you a reason to cross it.

Thing is, I see no need to hope for obvious things that are in the process of happening, inasmuch as there's many a slip twixt the cup and the lip.
For me, Hope and Faith often work in concert, as outlined in the Bible:

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."
- Hebrews 11:1 (KJV)

"And hope does not disappoint us..."
- Romans 5:5 (NIV)

To echo Barack Obama's words on hope:

Hope is that thing inside us that insists, despite all evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us if we have the courage to reach for it, and to work for it, and to fight for it.
Hope is the belief that destiny will not be written for us, but by us, by the men and women who are not content to settle for the world as it is, who have the courage to remake the world as it should be.

In my mind, beginning with the end in mind is what makes one go beyond freshman year in college, graduation with honors being the ultimate goal. It's what makes parents spend huge amounts educating their kids, with no assurance that the kids will not drop out or otherwise not work hard in school.
Beginning with the end in mind is why businesses are started, with the goal of breaking even, returning a profit and ultimately increasing the owner or shareholders' worth. It is what lets an expectant mother love her unborn child, with no way of knowing if the baby will be born at all or even once delivered, end up vexing her a la Kevin.

In sum, life offers no guarantees. There are no assurances that loving people will make them love us back. Only the knowledge that such love is not in vain no matter how it goes is what keeps the love going. By extension, nobody knows what tomorrow holds. The mere hope that the day will be much better if we do something to make it so, is all that matters. After all, of what use would life be if we all knew what is in store for us? Methinks that is the same reason immortality isn't exactly that much appealing.

Not knowing what will happen next is in my mind the best incentive to change things and thereby shape our destiny.

Finally, another photo of the amazingly beautiful place K and I visited as we discussed the above.

Songs of Hope and Belief

Today, I'll let the following songs deliver whatever message I had in mind. It's all about hope good people, and the things that coupled with it, make a whole that's greater than the sum of its parts.

First, some nice words:

Hope is the bridge that connects you to where you want to go,
Faith assures you that the bridge will hold,
Love gives you a reason to cross it.

Now let's enjoy the music and be edified:

Dionne Farris - Hopeless



Faith Evans - Again



Daniel Powter - Bad Day



Twista feat Faith Evans - Hope



Commissioned - Believe



Cheers :)

 

* * * 

God's Mysterious Ways and Miracles

Earlier today, I went to say hello to my neighbor. She is an elderly lady, in her seventies. Her octogenarian husband recently passed on. Her name is Lucia, or Mama Kimani. The thing about her, besides being good-natured, is that she is remarkably hardworking.

As we talked on opposite sides of our farms' hedges, we both recalled how her right leg, that had grounded her for six months earlier this year, was recently miraculously cured. At the height of her pain, she could not leave her homestead, and had to painfully take a minimum of two breaks to cover a distance of just 100 metres.
Today, she walks for miles and moves around without a cane or any discomfort at all.

She remains eternally grateful to God, who miraculous healed her and cured that which doctors who handled the case often referred to as a mysterious disease with an elusive cause.

Mysterious Ways

Back in January 31, 2009, I wrote a Facebook Note titled "God Works in Mysterious Ways. And Miracles Do Happen."
It was singularly based on one of the tracks in the 'Prince of Peace' compilation gospel album featuring various celebrated artists. To date, it is my favorite gospel album.

'Prince of Peace' features great music by these accomplished artists: 4 Him, Carmen, Kim Hill, Kathy Troccoli, Carolyn Arends, Larnelle Harris, Michael W. Smith, Clay Crosse, Brent Bourgeois, Dallas Holm, Gary Chapman, Michael Card, Twila Paris, Glad, Kim Boyce, Wayne Watson and Wes King.

God Works in mysterious ways, no doubt. The song 'Mysterious Ways' by Kim Hill is an inspired and conscious reminder of that undeniable fact.
And a very relevant one, in view of what we keep witnessing in our lives.

Following are the lyrics to the song 'Mysterious Ways'.

Living in this game of chance

Driven by the wheels of circumstance

while at the hand of mercy

Balanced on a changing scale

How can life be strong and yet so frail

what is the deeper meaning?

In my feeble mind I try to find the reason

who knows why it's hard to say

God works in mysterious ways

Never show just what lies waiting round the corner

Feeling through this haunting maze

God works in mysterious ways

God works in mysterious ways

Knowing there's a greater plan

Believing still is hard to understand (I don't understand)

Uncertain things before me (I dont understand)

Dealing with the less I know

Learning that His ways are not my own

But still I keep believing

Making sense of consequences hard to fathom

Looking through this holy haze

God works in mysterious ways

Black and white could surely clear this clouded vision

But I live in a world of grace

God works in mysterious ways

God works in mysterious ways

Questions fall like showers of endless rain

Into oceans of the unexplained

Someday it all will be made known...

Freak Accident

A week ago, I was joined by my dear friend in a courtesy call for a most lovely, mutual friend, who is at home recuperating from injuries sustained during an accident that happened in early August, that saw her spend three months in a hospital bed.
:(

Now at home, Lauryn Njoroge is still trying to understand how she survived such an accident, why it happened to her, and most important, acknowledging that it all happened for a reason.

She has emerged stronger at the broken places, and is now a changed person. A totally new person, to put it in her own words. Her story has already been documented in the current edition of Parents magazine. She is also currently putting into writing, all her experiences for the world to learn, be inspired and realize just how mysterious God's ways are. That miracles continue to happen each and every day.

This post is dedicated to Lauryn.
My dear, you continue to show remarkable strength and will power all through your recovery. Your best days are ahead of you.

I continue to wish you a speedy recovery, in the firm belief that you are headed for great things. It is in our weakness that we become strong. You are now almost ready for the awesome plans that God has for you and all those your life will continue to touch.

Cheers L.
:)

Finally, should anyone reading this ever go through an immensely difficult time where you can only ask "Why?", just praise His Name. Thanks to the wonderful gift of time, you'll eventually find out the reason why.



The thing is, God works in mysterious ways. And miracles do happen. Period.
That is my story, and I'm sticking to it!

Inevitable Change: Renewed Strength, Focus and Hope

The first episode of the fourth season of Grey's Anatomy is titled 'A Change is Gonna Come'. Following is an excerpt of the episode transcript:

"In the practice of medicine, change is inevitable. New surgical techniques are created, procedures are updated, levels of expertise increase.
Innovation is everything. Nothing remains the same for long. We either adapt to change...or we get left behind........"

CHANGE IS EVERYTHING



The above words got me thinking.
Yeah, it's true that we get inspired and hopeful whenever we envision change. We even get motivated when we encounter new people and situations that effect change and thereby enhance our lives.

But what about that transition period? That period of waiting as change happens? What keeps us going at the time?

I found my answer in a song I first listened to ten years ago - 'Until My Change Comes' by Commissioned. It's from the album 'Times and Seasons', which was released in the year 2000.

Consider the following:

UNTIL MY CHANGE COMES
By Commissioned

It's been a long time coming
But a change is gonna come
When the dark clouds pass away
Feel the warmness of the sun
I know that You love me, oh yeah,
I know that you care
I can't wait to be by Your side
In the middle of the air.

CHORUS
Until my change comes
Here's what I'll do
Renew my strength
Keep holding on
I'll wait on You.

(REPEAT)

It ain't gonna be easy
But I'll be strong. Some say if You
Really cared um,
It's wouldn't take so long for You to
Return for me
If with You is where I ought to be
But I'm gonna believe until that day
I will.... until...

CHORUS

BRIDGE

Gotta wait gotta wait on you
That's what I'm gonna do
I'm gonna stand still
I just wanna be in your will
Just like David and Goliath
I gotta encourage my soul, yeah
Said I'm gonna stand still
Until um...

CHORUS * CHORUS * CHORUS

So back to the Grey's Anatomy transcript...

"Change. we don't like it, we fear it.
But we can't stop it from coming.
We either adapt to change, or we get left behind.
It hurts to grow. Anybody who tells you it doesn't is lying.
But here's the truth. sometimes the more things change, the more they stay the same.
And sometimes...oh, sometimes change is good.
Sometimes change is...everything."

Have a lovely, fruitful and blessed week ahead!

Blind with your Eyes Wide Open? Then it's time for a Revival.

Dire Straits

Every now and then, we get to a point in life where a complete turnaround is all that can work.

Such a dire situation is often characterized by suffering, loss of faith, hopelessness and enduring guilt.

Grey's Anatomy

The following song by The Soulsavers was featured in an episode of Grey's Anatomy, where Dr Miranda Bailley had to operate on a racist patient who insisted on being attended to by a white doctor.



Revival

Following are the song lyrics. Be edified:

Said gonna be a revival tonight ooh
I wanna see a revival yeah
Gonna be a revival tonight
Lord, let there be a revival yeah

Forgive what I have done
It means my soul's survival, oohh
I need you so,it's sin
Put an end to my suffering oh

Why am I so blind with my eyes wide open? ooh
Trying to get my hands clean in dirty water

I wanna see a revival tonight
Lord, let there be a revival yeah
I need to see a revival tonight oh
Wanna see a revival oohh

Why am I so blind with my eyes wide open? yeah
Now I need someone
Let this dark night be done oh

I need you so,it's sin
Put an end to my suffering
I wanna see a revival tonight
Lord, there needs to be a revival

The above lyrics and artist names are copyrighted to Soulsavers. They appear  here for educational and personal use only.

No need trying to clean your hands in dirty water. It's time for a revival.

All is Not Lost... It's Gonna Be Alright

"The only thing worth trying when all else fails is again."

Sweet words, but I dare admit, very hard to implement.

We all find ourselves in situations that look hopeless, where we feel damned and exploring our options, we find ourselves, much against our will, in 'Catch 22' situations.

The good news is that a way out ultimately exists. Only that we either cannot see it, are unwilling to go the extra mile and try, or are just overwhelmed by the gravity of whatever predicament we find ourselves in.

This post is dedicated to that close friend who shared with me their recent distress and anguish yesternight. I hope this post will be of help to my friend, and the rest of you in seemingly insurmountable and dire situations.

Following are lyrics to a very deep song (I think it's by Tramaine Hawkings). If you can, be sure to listen to it and you will surely be both uplifted and inspired.

ALL IS NOT LOST

"All is not lost when you lose a friend
All is not lost when it isn't your will
All is not lost when you can begin
to start all over again
All is not lost when you look around
All is not lost when God can be found
All is not lost when faith abounds
you can reach above the clouds
to Heaven's ground

It's gonna be alright
We walk by faith and not by sight
Receive the power of His might
For God is on your side
It's gonna be alright...
(mmmhhh yes it will)

All is not lost when you try to do good
All is not lost when you've done all you could
when He said that He would fight your battle
Trust Him, yes you should
All is not lost for Jesus is there
All is not lost He knows what went on
No no no one can compare
To the mercy and grace that He shares
(Oh yes) He knows He knows how much we can bear

It's gonna be alright
We walk by faith and not by sight
Receive the power of His might
For God is on your side
It's gonna be alright...
(mmmhh yes it will)

Thank you Lord
Yes it will, I know it will
Alright, alright, alright, alright
All is not lost with God on your side
Alright, alright, alright, alright
All is not lost with God on your side
Don't you worry no more, alright
It's gonna be alright, alright
Yeah, all is not lost, trust God in your life
Wipe all tears from your eyes, alright
Alright, alright, it's gonna be alright
All is not lost, I got faith by my side
Lift your hands, alright
It's gonna be alright, alright
All is not lost, trust God in your life
Just give it to Jesus
Alright, I know He's gonna work it out
Alright, All is not lost, with God by your side."

Never give up. It ain't over till it's truly over.

Learn, share and purpose to believe that it'll be alright eventually.

You've got to Work Hard for it Sometimes

Life has a way of presenting situations that often seem impossible.

Such situations are usually appropriate for us to go the extra mile, try one more time, gauge our limits or even realize our potential.

And this only happens if we take the initiative. . .

The following song by Amerie is quite relevant during those times when you feel you have reached your tether's end.

Gotta Work
by Amerie

Sometimes it's gonna be days like this
Sometimes it's gonna be rain like this
Sometimes you're gonna feel pain like this
Sometimes you gotta work hard for it

Because when u feeling low
And u cant get no lower
That's when u know your close
Sometimes u gotta work hard for it

Woke up in the morning
It's another cloudy day
But that never mattered too much to me
'Cause it's still a new beginning
And I know I got it in me
Had my share of ups and downs
But now I know I can do anything

Some people think I'm aggressive
'Cause I know what I want
But that never mattered too much to me

Show me some body with no goal
Show me some body with no control
'Cause life is for living
So go and get it
When times get rough remember

[chorus]
Sometimes it's gonna be days like this
Sometimes it's gonna be rain like this
Sometimes you're gonna feel pain like this
Sometimes you gotta work hard for it

Because when u feeling low
And u can't get no lower
That's when u know your close
Sometimes u gotta work hard for it

Ohh gotta get it
Hey hey hey
Sometimes the road may seem too far
You never really know for sure
If you're ever gonna make it
Sometimes the end may seem so far
You never really know for sure
If u got the strength to make it

But u gotta remember

[chorus]
Sometimes it's gonna be days like this
Sometimes it's gonna be rain like this
Sometimes you're gonna feel pain like this
Sometimes you gotta work hard for it

Because when u feeling low
And u can't get no lower
That's when u know your close
Sometimes u gotta work hard for it

Days like this
Rain like this

Do it cause I love it
Feel like this
Gotta work hard for it

The above lyrics and artist names are copyrighted to Amerie. They appear  here for educational and personal use only.

Let us learn, share and believe in ourselves. That we can do anything. If only we try hard enough.

Some Birds Aren't Meant to be Caged... The Shawshank Redemption

HOPE is the bridge that connects you to where you want to go.
FAITH assures you that the bridge will hold.
LOVE gives you a reason to cross it.

The Shawshank Redemption is my all time favorite movie. Morgan Freeman's narration is very convincing and captivating, the plot is both compelling and inspiring and much more...

This movie is based on the Stephen King novella, Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption.
I have watched it time and again, but it never bores me.

Following is one of the deep thoughts you are to find in this movie:

"Some birds aren't meant to be caged
Their feathers are just too bright
And when they fly away
The part of you that knows
It was a sin to lock them up does rejoice
But still
The place you live in is that much more drab and empty
That they are gone."
- Ellis Boyd Redding (Morgan Freeman) in 'The Shawshank Redemption'.

Watching it, you get to realize that while "Fear Can Hold You Prisoner, Hope Can Set You Free".

To date, it is still listed as number 1 on the IMDb (Internet Movie Database) list of 250 most highly rated films.

I highly recommend that you watch The Shawshank Redemption. It is a story of enduring hope, and good being triumphant in the face of evil and seemingly insurmountable odds.

Let us learn, share and be full of hope. That, will definitely set us free.

Who or What Determines, Shapes and Changes Our Character?

"We are each the authors of our own lives...
there is no way to shift the blame,
and no one else to accept the accolades."
- Paul McGill (in A Woman of Substance)

Pathology

Late last year, I watched the movie Pathology. It is a sick thriller in which a group of residents studying pathology devise a lively game: to see which one of them can commit the perfect square murder.

In the movie, Teddy Grey graduates top of his class and joins one of the nation’s most prestigious Pathology programs. On joining a group of elite pathology interns, he begins to uncover secrets he never expected and finds that he has unknowingly become a pawn in their dangerous and secret after-hours game at the morgue of who can commit the perfect undetectable murder.

This is in line with his earlier assertion that human beings are inherently evil, that people are animals who can kill anyone.

Environmental Effects on Character

A fortnight before this, one of my favorite bloggers had written about change. Savvy's question was,

"Who says campus does not corrupt?"
She wrote, "Last year, I used to be up by five almost every morning. This year, I’d be lucky if I can drag myself out of bed before 7am. Obviously, I barely make it for early morning classes.

"Last year, I would have been shocked if I heard stories of students who (smoke) weed, have unprotected sex, get pregnant, abort, use morning after pills on a daily basis and not give a thought to HIV. This year, it doesn’t surprise me anymore." [read more...]

Lost in Character

My favorite TV show LOST, explores this within its mythology. The character and beliefs of John Locke (English philosopher and thinker) are alluded to both in name and character by John Locke. John Locke believed that the mind was a "blank slate" or "tabula rasa".

Essentially, Locke postulated and maintained that people are born without innate ideas - that human beings are born with no built-in mental content, in a word, "blank", and that their entire resource of knowledge is built up gradually from their experiences and sensory perceptions of the outside world.

The Chicken, The Egg and Responsibility

Looking at another source of insight, Ngishili writes on The Chicken, the Egg, and Responsibility. It so happens that in a typical farm,

"each chicken has a specific character that distinguishes it from all the others in the farm. One of those chicken characteristics has to do with the ability to reproduce successfully. The farmer will tell you that some chicken exhibit much responsibility towards the task of parenting while others are extremely careless." "As you can see, the story of responsibility is as old as the story of the chicken and the egg. Whether at your place of work, in personal relationships, in a family or even in a community, life favors always go to the most responsible person."

In life however, we see that many people seek freedom while trying to avoid responsibility. This is wrong, since freedom is responsibility. When you're free, you're automatically responsible for your own future. And the things your freedom lets you do become a manifestation of your character.

Bottom Line

So who or what determines, shapes and even changes character? Is it those we interact with? Is it fate? Do we get to choose to be good or bad, or are we inherently evil?

Now it the time to take a good look at your friends, circumstances, environment and the company you keep. Carefully consider whatever influences you.
Once you identify who or what shapes your character, do the needful and effect the necessary changes.

Let us learn, share and progress together.

Pray. Deep from your heart, since the world has lost the way

Inspiration comes to us from many places. Nothing however, compares to what happens when we connect with God, in prayer and supplication. The outcome is invariably beyond comprehension.

At a time when countless bad things are happening in our lives, our country and even globally, we need to connect with God in prayer. Now is the time to pray, deep from our hearts.

Following is a very inspiring song by Celine Dion. Be uplifted:

PRAYER
By Celine Dion

Can we touch the soul of heaven
Can we unite a sacred lesson
Every child creates a skylight of beauty
Can you hear cathedrals falling
All the universe is calling
Cry a single cello from your heart
Since the world has lost her way
Loneliness journey endlessly
Yet the promised chance remains
Gifts of what could be

So let the children remember the sun
Let them dance let them soar
For their lives have begun
Let the children engender the rain
As the river runs through fields
Forever subsiding their pain
Prayer

Every voice along the shoreline
Standing still within time
Spinning unresolved the walking
As each season passes
Through wonderland and looking glasses
The secret garden shires beckons you
Gentle flower, don't fade away
Sweet innocent still harbors thee
In the faith of golden dreams
Where one love lives eternally

Let the children remember the sun
Let them dance let them soar
For their lives have begun
Let the children engender the rain
As the river runs through fields
Forever subsiding their pain

Prayer
Prayer
Prayer

Bless the children for they are the light
They are the truth of spirit in flight
Yes the children engender the rain
As the river runs through life
Healing their pain
If you could trust with your heart but for time
Sweet angels, conceive you have
Forever and always believed Prayer

Prayer
Prayer
Prayer

The above lyrics and artist names are copyrighted to Celine Dion. They appear  here for educational and personal use only.

Let us learn, share and stand in the gap to seek God's grace in overcoming the odds that are stacked against us.

Still in Repair? ...Are you Ready? ...Or are you Getting There?

I have always loved music by John Mayer, since my college days.
The other day, I decided to increase my John Mayer music collection, and added over 50 tracks to the dozen songs I already had.

And boy, some of the tracks are simply mind-blowing.

A clear favorite is 'In Repair', from John Mayer's third album 'Continuum', which won two of the three Grammy awards it was nominated for in 2007.
This is what John Mayer had to say about the Continuum album, "With any trilogy, the third in the series blows it open." And if you listen to the music, you will agree to that.

Following are the lyrics to 'In Repair' by John Mayer.

IN REPAIR

Too many shadows in my room
Too many hours in this midnight
Too many corners in my mind
So much to do to set my heart right

Oh, it’s taken so long
I could be wrong, I could be ready
Oh, but if I take my heart’s advice
I should assume it’s still unsteady
I am in repair
I am in repair

Stood on the corner for a while
To wait for the wind to blow down on me
Hoping it takes with it my old ways
And brings some brand new luck upon me

Oh, it’s taken so long
I could be wrong, I could be ready
Oh, but if I take my heart’s advice
I should assume it’s still unsteady
I am in repair
I am in repair

And now I’m walking in the park
And all of the birds, they dance below me
Maybe when things turn green again
It will be good to say you know me

Oh, it’s taken so long
I could be wrong, I could be ready
Oh, but if I take my heart’s advice
I should assume it’s still unsteady
Oh yeah, I’m never really ready, yeah
Oh yeah, I’m never really ready, yeah
I’m in repair
I’m not together but I’m getting there (x6)

The above lyrics and artist names are copyrighted to John Mayer. They appear  here for educational and personal use only.

So, are you still in repair, or are you ready?
But then again, you may not be together yet, but let's hope you are getting there.

P.S: This post was initially posted on February 27 as a Facebook Note. Read other readers' thoughts and comments here.

Let us learn, share and continue rocking!

Belief System: Challenging Convention, Convictions and stepping out of the moral high-ground

Belief System and Convictions
On Thursday, I read a blog post by Jamaapoa on the Foundation of a Belief System. Jamaapoa is currently on a pilgrimage of rejuvenation, self-motivation and self-improvement.

Jamaapoa writes that a belief system is "what you stand for, what guides you and what forms a basis for your values in life." Something I also believe.

[caption id="attachment_135" align="aligncenter" width="291" caption="Self Discovery"][/caption]

Exit the Comfort Zone
He goes on to write that prior to embarking on a journey of self-improvement, or in my case, a walkabout of insight, inspiration and self discovery, one has to first discard whatever they once believed in, ready for the new. And we all agree this is particularly hard to do. Challenging long-held beliefs and convictions never comes on the cheap. The mind is such a difficult thing to deal with.

That reminded me of what Alan Alda said, that on a self-discovery mission,

"You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. What you'll discover will be wonderful. What you'll discover is yourself."

Stepping outside the Moral Matrix
In his talk at TED Global, Jonathan Haidt outlined openness to experience as a requisite trait for objectivity. At one point, he quoted Sent-ts'an,

"If you want the truth to stand clear before you, never be for or against. The struggle between 'for' and 'against' is the mind's worst disease."

In sum, it helps to sometimes step out of the moral matrix, to step out of the battle of evil and good, and be not for or against anything.

Everybody thinks they are right, however. You may not believe this, but our "righteous minds" were designed to unite us into teams, divide us against other teams and blind us to the truth.
Methinks, this is what prompted some (unknown) author to write,

"If you resist reading what you disagree with, how will you ever acquire deeper insights into what you believe? The things most worth reading are precisely those that challenge our convictions."

Why do you Believe?
Few of us have dared question our faith (here, I deliberately avoid the word religion).
One of my friends keeps saying that the reason he is a christian is because his fore-fathers (somewhere near Mt Kenya) were influenced by the British missionaries to adopt the christian faith. Had he been at the Coast, he continues, he would have ended up being a muslim.

After meticulously questioning my own faith, I have finally come to settle on the one I subscribe to, with solid reasons to support my claims and my conviction. Have you?
This post is not a discussion of what faiths and religious beliefs are worth  subscribing to. They do however, form the basis of our value system, and are therefore worth getting right. Otherwise, one would continue to live a lie, guided by a firmly held fallacy.

Getting back on track
In his book The Prince, Niccolo Machiavelli writes,

"he that lays not the foundations first, might be able with great difficulty to lay them afterward, however it'll be with great trouble to the architect and danger to the building."

Yet, it is possible to get it right. That is the essence of hope and positivity. You get it right when you first understand who you are. That way, you are able to find your place in this world.

Then, you can make your own life a revelation, realize your potential and and turn your days into a spiritual quest. Learn to make the most of every moment and find the power and peace waiting within this oh-so-wonderful you.

The Challenge
Upon realizing that we think we are always right, it becomes possible to step outside these unquestioningly firmly-held beliefs and watch things play out from without. One then acknowledges and appreciates that everyone has some reasons why they think they are right.

At this point, one gains moral humility. But only when one steps out of the blinding self righteousness, which by default, is the normal human condition.

So, take the bold step and seek to see things for what they really are. Without bias. Without prejudice. With no prior unquestioned beliefs. Without being 'for' or 'against'. Objectively.
Guided by your own intuition and informed by a mind that is open to experience, you will discover something wonderful. What you will discover  is yourself.

The Exorcist: The Mystery of Faith, and Our take on Inexplicable events

"I think that most people, take out of The Exorcist what they bring to it.
If you believe that the world is a dark and evil place, then the Exorcist will reinforce that.
But if you believe that there is a force for good..."- William Friedkin, Director of ‘The Exorcist’.

An Open Mind

In my last post on Movies to Watch, we focused on House of 9, where nine strangers are faced with very tough choices and insurmountable odds, all in a bid to survive. I emphasized the need to approach issues in life with an open mind, a mind ready to learn. If you watch Jonathan Haidt's TED talk about the moral mind, he talks about the same need to leave the moral matrix that usually makes us lose sight of objectivity in life. But I digress.

The Exorcist

The Exorcist is a horror film that was released in 1973. It's about the demonic possession of a young girl, and her mother’s desperate attempts to win back her daughter through an exorcism conducted by two priests.

Both critically and commercially successful, The Exorcist has spawned Exorcist II: The Heretic, The Exorcist III, Exorcist: The Beginning, Possessed and The Ninth Configuration.

According to William Friedkin, the director of The Exorcist:

The Exorcist is a film about the mystery of faith, and I think the fact that it's endured for more than 25 years now, is due in large part, to what it leaves you with, after you've seen the film.

It starts with a brilliant screen play from an equally powerful novel by William Peter Blatty. And it's a story that can perhaps make you question your own value system, even your own sanity, because it strongly and realistically tries to make the case for spiritual forces in the universe - both good and evil.
But what you may not be aware of, is the fact that The Exorcist is based on a true story...

It took place in Silver Spring, Maryland in 1949, and was widely reported by the American press. When I saw the files at George Town University, pertaining to the actual case, I knew that this was going to be, or needed to be something more than just another horror film. This had to be a realistic film, about inexplicable events.

I've always thought that a film should first of all be an emotional experience. It should make you laugh, or cry or be scared. But it should also inspire and provoke you, and make you reflect.

Over the years, I think that most people, take out of The Exorcist what they bring to it. If you believe that the world is a dark and evil place, then The Exorcist will reinforce that. But if you believe that there is a force for good, that combats and eventually triumphs over evil, then you'll be taking out of the film, what we tried to put into it.

In any case, turn down the lights, turn up the sound, and enjoy the digitally remastered version of The Exorcist.

What more can I say? Unless you are really faint-hearted, watching this movie may prove to be an interesting, albeit very unconventional learning experience.
The onus is upon you, should you decide to watch this terrifying film. The ball is now in your court.

Choice: The blue pill, or the red pill?

So, you either take the blue pill, the story ends and we forget all about The Exorcist as you continue to believe whatever you want to believe. Otherwise, you can take the  red pill, and you get a chance to see just how deep this rabbit hole of faith, belief, inexplicable events, and spiritual forces really goes.

Let us all learn, share and get enlightened.