You are Powerful

Macau

In one single moment, emotions can either rage or settle. Ideas can either race or dissipate. Desire can be absolved or turn into destruction. Throughout one's life there are so many pathways that one can choose, but there are even more that one can encounter when it comes to emotions and sentiments.

In a single second, the dark feelings of depression can fall into one's heart, and a feeling of a heavy shadow can rest in place. You look around the room almost wondering if something in your environment caused it, but you know in both your heart and mind that it was the work of a sad memory that entered in an unwanted manner.

Where does one go from here? How does one take the darkness out? How does one absolve any element which can lead to destruction?

There are those who say that you are supposed to smile when you feel down...that is not enough. Soon this simple child's trick will lose its value, for the forces of depression are strong and all-encompassing. There are those who say that you are supposed to write down your feelings in a notebook. That is also not enough, for it can often force a person to dwell on the unwanted memories.

No process or method can remove feelings of sadness, anger, unhappiness, or dissatisfaction, yet the end result is not hopeless.

Be futuristic. Find something in the world that comes to mind. An accomplishment you would like to obtain. A goal you would like to achieve. A new field of study you would like to enter. A new food you would like to try. A new instrument you would like to try playing for the first time. Even in three or four lifetimes there is more to do than one person can manage.

Be passionate. Passion is not only limited to someone's creative choices, their career, their educational decisions, or favorite sports teams. Be passionate in every single moment of your life. For each interaction with the Earth is beautiful, whether it is the changes in the colors of the leaves due to the seasons or the flowing waters in the nearby brook. The world is beautiful, and it is capable of caring for you.

Be careful. When it comes to life, there are many difficult moments that one will face. It will be so much easier for you to face your demons if you have a strong network of individuals who will stand by you and support you in every aspect of your day. There are also those who do not care for your well-being, but only for their own interests, yet they remained connected to your circle. Find those who show true compassion for you, true interest in helping you when you are in need, those who listen to you when you need to speak, and those will not ask you to talk when you need to remain silent. Friendship and kindness take many forms. Be careful who enters your circle.

Be optimistic. Success is the only option for you.

There is so much in the world that will allow a person to achieve all the goals they set before them, but the first and foremost step for all of us human beings is to conquer our own demons and accept all of the challenges of life with an open heart.

Stand tall in the face of sadness and unhappiness and laugh, for those attributes are weak, and you are strong. No matter who you are, you are strong. You hold the most powerful brain of any species to ever walk the Earth. You hold the gateway to creativity inside of you. You hold the keys of achieving any goal of success known to man.

Decide what  you choose to seek and find a way to accomplish your goal. All the tools you require are resting inside of you. Now it's time for you to accept the challenges of the world. With the powers of optimism, loving the Earth, and seeking those who also want to bring peace to the world, you will find all the successes life could ever have to offer.

Prosperity. Honor. Progress.

Revising the Way We Think

Zhuhai, Guangdong China 

Have you ever made a terrible mistake and the hard rains started to fall? It is almost as if the forces of nature wanted to add an insult to injury. Unless you're a person that loves getting drenched in the hard rainfall.

Have you ever thought of something with passion and near certainty, but when you started saying your idea out loud you noticed a critical error? That might lead some people to humiliation. Unless you are the kind of person who talks to yourself. Then, perhaps you made your discovery in private.

We all have a need for revision. There is nothing wrong with that. We also have a responsibility and a duty to be accurate with facts and information. It is very easy to find things that we would like to be true and find facts that only support that argument. This is the basis of confirmation bias. We can overcome it...and we can enjoy it in the process.

All people hold onto something that they believe it is true. For some it is a belief in their long-lasting relationship or friendship. They force themselves to believe that the relationship is good for them, or that it can get better...or sometimes they know that it won't get better, and they don't have any feeling for the other person at all...the only reason they stay is because they believe it will bring too much conflict into their lives if they try to leave.

The same principle of revision can be applied to relationships and friendships. While we may not be able to predict the motivations, actions, and thoughts of other people, we can predict them and control them for ourselves. You can know when your relationship is getting into trouble, and sometimes you might even have to make that vital choice to leave someone. An honest decision can bring less destruction to the world than one that is not sincere.

One can share ideas and views on belief and get challenged. However, one of the most beneficial ways to go about this is to find a forum which welcomes the exchange of thought. So many insist that they have the right to share views on politics and religion whenever they want...it is their freedom....and they are right to believe so.

However, if we want to convey a message to someone...if the intention is genuine and pure...then, why not choose a forum where people are actually listening and making an effort to comprehend the message you are choosing to share? And in return, you can listen to what someone else has to say and make an effort to at least hear their words and exchange ideas and even criticisms with fairness, politeness, and of course honor.

During our lifetime, we will make mistakes. This is certain, for we, as humans, are all imperfect. As beings of imperfection, we do not have the luxury of a faultless lifestyle. We will make mistakes in both facts and in the relationships that we choose...friendship or romantic....However, the only way to move forward is simple:

Believe in your principles. Always keep a strong heart. Love yourself, but accept responsibility for your mistakes. Be honest and sincere with your friendships and relations. Challenge yourself, but only in the honest attempt of getting stronger and helping others to get stronger. Know that at some point you might have errors in your judgment and in  your words...but so does every other single person that can speak.

Errors are not the end of life, nor are they any meaning of importance. The only thing that is important is that you try to succeed, master your own thought, and try to help others do the same. Strength is only of importance if it is applied both to the body and to the mind. A strong body without integrity is a villain. It is time for you to become the hero.

Learn. Study. Practice. Revise. Challenge. Love.

Prosperity. Honor. Progress.

Earth-Love: Gaze Upon the Clouds

Zhuhai, China. Bus to Doumen

Watch the rain fall down. Watch the trees in the wind, but always in this collage of life, let us also watch the clouds. The clouds and sky share much, and their very nature will allow for us to learn more about ourselves.

One of the largest challenges in the world is to find beauty in that which others have dismissed. When someone says the words beauty or beautiful, it is rare for one to conjure an image of a dark gray rain cloud. Yet anyone who has sat on the porch and felt the cool air at that perfect temperature, the gentle breeze blowing on by, and the dark thunderheads approaching knows that there is a certain beauty in all parts of nature. The frozen waterfall might have its own kind of beauty in the reflecting sunlight, but the dark rain cloud allows the air to feel so nice.

During the sunsets when the clouds block the sun's glowing rays, the outline of the powerful cumulus clouds looks french vanilla ice cream, a more conventional form of beauty. The light of the setting sun spreads across the landscape, and the colors of all it touches become so vivid. Gazing upon the lands one might think they are living in a painting or a high resolution photograph, but no matter how strong the editing software is, it does not compare to the power of nature.

When the snowstorm barrels across the continent dropping heaps of white powder, the clouds form together into a strong and tenacious force. As the clouds unify, they combine into a mass of gray across the entire snowscape. Not a single separation can be seen, and the flakes of snow and ice fall from what appears to be an endless span of strength. Beauty is found in many shades.

Of course on a clear day when the sky is blue, the clouds can find a way to form into a beautiful pose, yet most people might imagine a glowing yellow sun and a few white puffs,but instead, one can also think of a cirrus cloud like the stroke of a paintbrush across the blue daylight sky, a poem by nature.

As the sun sets once again, the clouds also form together. After the setting sun is almost in its resting place, the clouds capture a glow across the entire evening sky. It almost appears as if the sky is swarmed with a lakes of fire and molten lava. The orange and red light up the clouds like the celebrations for Chinese New Year.

Let us look upon the clouds with fascination, no matter what color we see in the sky, we should know that there is a way to find beauty in nature. Each moment in the clouds has the possibility for a new poem or song. Learn from the clouds, and let us love the Earth.

Political Energy: Value of Humanity, Haven for Ideas, Excellence of Character

Jack of Zhuhai, China 

A small ray of sunshine poured in today. It had been many days since we had our last day of what other people would call a pleasant Summer. When William Shakespeare wrote "Shall I compare these to a Summer's day?" I doubt he was referring to the rainstorms at the end of July.

The energy filled the room, and the scent of black coffee filled the kitchen. Perhaps the two best forms of energy combined. At that moment, the ideas for getting political were racing, but they were not racing in the most productive way.

Do you ever feel as if there is so much to say, but when the words come out, they are not as you imagined? Do you ever feel as if the political world seems so easy to predict and understand, and anyone could do the job of a politician if you could only lie without feelings or remorse?

That kind of energy is destructive and has brought havoc upon our world for the longest of times. We trust those who claim to be experts on leadership, as opposed to those who are experts on ideas. We trust those who are excellent speakers, as opposed to those who are excellent in character and honesty.

The same only situations have turned into a giant mess, and there seems to be only sign for a cure. To begin, we must first call for the creation of a new political climate. One that is not forged in sensationalism and eye-catching wordplay, but one that is founded in ideas that benefit those in all walks of life. Quality of life is not something that should be reserved for a single social group. Every single human deserves the highest quality of life possible.

The energy of humanity should come together and at least find agreement upon that one point. As the ideas that support the benefit of humanity come together, we will form a new way of thought. You will find a new platform and forum in which you can share your voice, and those who have a message of peace and hope will be taken seriously.

Let us not accept this energy of destruction that has been given to us by the darkness, the liars, the cheats, and the intolerable. Let us envision a world where the voices of those in need are the clearest, and the voices of those with plenty are the most generous. Not by any governmental law. Not by any ordinance. Not by any mandate. People sharing only because they want to help. People offering because they want to improve the situations for the world around them. Proffering of not only wealth, but also kindness and good deeds.

Let this become the energy that we must seek out. All the old spiritual books tell us that the energy to make massive social change lives within you. Whether you refer to your body as a temple or your being as a pathway to paradise on Earth.

The sunlight and the grains of coffee make comfort in the morning, but we must never forget all of those on the planet Earth who do not have such wonders. All humans who have not been entranced by the smokescreens of political deception should come together at once and watch the dawn rise upon a new era in which there is love for humanity and solutions replace broken systems.

On Charity and Generosity

Seoul, South Korea

The hand is coming out to help. There are multiple stories and parables about biting the hand that feeds, but where is the story about biting the hand that helps?

There are also those who say that when their life is in danger, they do not care who is coming to help them, regardless of race, color, religion, orientation, gender, or anything in between. Yet for a brief moment when the helping hand comes near, there is a brief hesitation.

The person with the outstretched arm offering guidance, advice, or counsel retracts their hand. They ponder the meaning of it all. They question if there is any real benefit. Will the person waiting for their assistance use it for something productive, or will they use it to continue their own destructive behaviors and make poor usage of others' time and energy?

This is a question that can only be answered by trying. Once we turn pessimistic about aid and assistance, we lose track of the ideal and the goal that we set out to achieve from the beginning. Our goal is not only to give one person a hand out. Our goal is to live in a world where handouts will be unnecessary, but before we achieve the ideal we must confront the situations of daily reality. 

There comes a moment when we must combine compassion with cleverness and wisdom. We must use our intelligence and our sense of human decency to bring aid and comfort to those around us. Giving money to someone who begs can often lead to catastrophic consequences. Aiding someone's destructive habits are by no means part of the ideal.

Giving kind words to someone who is not seeking them can often lead to someone becoming uncomfortable and irritated with what was meant to be a gesture of warmth and divine love.

There comes a point in life when the person with the outstretched arm must realize that their intentions might not always come with open and welcome arms. Even if someone is in need of something they will not always accept it or even know they are in need of it.

Let us use our intelligence to determine who will value our actions the most, and who will ignore our kindness? Who will use an act of gratitude as a tool to achieve something greater and more productive for the Earth, and who will use it to only enhance their own selfishness or troll-like behavior.

Let our charity become a combination of the mind and the heart. Try our best to make the strongest decisions possible. For if both the mind and the heart are not strong, they cannot achieve their mission. They cannot contribute to the removal of destruction and the promotion of peace in the world.

Let us use our generosity for the productivity of human society and the protection of the Earth. Let us use our resources to help those in need without bringing a single unwanted emotion to another. Let us find ways to solve conflicts in the most peaceful means possible and not trample a single living thing if we can do so.

Whether one shares a token of fortune or a token of wisdom with someone, they are sharing productivity all the same. They are sharing kindness, but in different forms. They are attempting to contribute to a greater form of goodness for the planet Earth, and it can be done by every single human being.

Ask yourself, where is your charity going? Ask yourself, who is going to benefit the most from this action? Ask yourself, before sending this message, how will the other person react?

Let us use our creativity, social understanding, and passion for helping humanity to spread the most pure messages of charity and generosity the human mind can conjure. Let us begin now.

Where is Right and Wrong?

Seoul, South Korea,

Where is the line between right and wrong? Should we listen to those who tell us that it doesn't exist at all? or should we walk forward and try to find the answers that are much more satisfying than a simple No or an easy I don't want to think about that?

There comes a time in everyone's life when they will have to answer for their fundamentals. You will be challenged, and sometimes you will lose. Furthermore, your illusions will shatter. The ideas and the abstractions that once gave you comfort will be nothing more than a toy you used to play with, but can't currently remember where it rests your closet.

There is no debate over right or wrong, for there exists a fundamental boundary. The world knows it. The world understands it, and that understanding is manifested in you. One might say that ethical truths are acceptable without scientific proof, and another might say that certain actions are destructive to humanity, living things, and the entirety of the Earth and are a hindrance to all life as we know it. These two statements are identical. 

We do not want the Earth to die. We want the Earth to live. We do not want the Cosmos to shatter. We find the unbreakable aspect of nature and come as close as we can during this lifetime, for the closer we get to the unbreakable the less destruction. If it cannot be broken, it cannot be destroyed. This is the foundation of the movement for world peace. 

As the debates lead to the rage and the comments lead to confusion and cantankerous ramblings that are fueled by drivel with an occasional supporting fact, how do we convey the message that right and wrong exist? 

They exist in the fundamental. They exist as an understanding. The same way when a child chooses to avoid stepping on a worm or a human quickly puts out a fire before it can spread. Their existence is beyond that of any words. 

Let us not ask what is right and what is wrong, for it will only allow the debate to compound. Let us ask ourselves, where is the construction, and where is the destruction? Which actions allow for production, constructive behavior, kindness, generosity, love, optimism, glory, excellence, sharing, unity, and magnificence...and which actions lead to destruction?

If Einstein can gaze upon the cosmos with a spiritual sense of awe, we can gaze upon a blade of grass with the same brilliance,  for if we were to gaze upon the night sky, the far off glare of the starlight is no larger than the flower petal under the moon. 

Each step we take is on a single Earth in a single universe, and each action we take is a choice. It can lead to construction and productivity, or it can lead to the bitterness of evil. The way we shall achieve peace in this world is to first begin by showing love to that single blade of grass, and when that grass has turned dark brown and died, know that it is still under the same sky as the stars above. 

The unity and connection of all humans and all things within the cosmos, including ideas is the magnificence we should honor. The love and kindness that exist from the stars and the moon all the way to the deep roots of the Earth is one that can only be expressed in the actions of human beings, and the debate about right and wrong will be forgotten. 

Earth-Love: Where are the Signs of Progress?

Zhuhai, Guangdong, China

How does one measure progress? You do the same actions every day, and you wait to see if there are any improvements in the results...how do you know if you are improving or just staying in the same old constant flat-lined barely even admissible level?

This can affect us in many parts of life, whether it comes to exercise and reaching our plateau, or when it comes to exploring new ideas and always reiterating the same old points and repeating them in our minds over and over. The thirst for improvement must continue.

There is a possibility that our lives need adventure and excitement. They bring much joy, and they can also allow us to share great moments with other people here on Earth. However, what limits does one need to employ in our quest for adventure?

It can come to the point where the thrill of your own quest can drown out every single other motivation in life...yet if one reaches that level of excitement on this adventure, one will lose awareness of consciousness. At that point in time, one will no longer able to be aware of whether or not they are causing harm to any living thing. Harm or prosperity will turn into a giant blur.

Therefore, as we continue onward each day through the changing of the sun and stars, we must remember that we can find contentment in the even the simplest moments in life. Adventure is one thing, but it is fueled by the trampling of untamed lands. This can lead to destruction. Excitement is one thing, but it is fueled by losing awareness of how other people feel. As someone once said, there is nothing wrong with being excited as long as you don't hurt anyone. Once again, the end goal is the same...remove the destruction.

Yet if one is to continue every day, how will we see progress? How will one know if all the choices in life are making a beneficial difference to humanity and the Earth or not? Some say that one must put all of their power into faith. They must believe that their pathway and plan for peace and prosperity is the only one and to never stray from the path.

There is a certain degree of value in this, and it needs to be partnered with an empirical understanding. One must not perceive any form of destruction with the five senses. One must also believe that this plan will bring less destruction in the future, and one must have faith the pathway that rids the world of destruction and replaces it with peace is good, ethical, moral, and pure.

All of human thought must converge upon this point. The combination of ideas and the journey to peace on Earth is the most profound adventure of all. The elimination of material desires is greater than any form of excitement, for it leads to a life of calm nerves, clear neurological processes, and a lack of lust for things which only bring conflict into your life and those around you.

Try your best to share this message of peace with the world. Look for the signs of progress not only in your daily life, but also within you as well. Await the challenges of the day-to-day struggles and respond with purity. Expect a reduction in conflict, but also an increase in kindness.

These are the signs of progress we must use in our daily life.

Prosperity. Honor. Progress.

Respond to Challenges: Strength and Education

Fangcao Lu, Shanghai, China

Each day often begins with the opening of your eyes. Unless you've gone 24 hours without sleep, and let's hope you enjoyed those 24 hours. The beginning of the morning can lead to a day filled with challenges, problems, and there is always a possibility that each day could be your last.

A person walking down the street could be hit by a car. A person who reaches down to pick something up might touch an electrical wire by mistake, and those in the office buildings on September 11th, 2001 went to work on a normal day only to become famous participants in the worst terror attack and mass murder on American soil in history.

Danger can arise at any moment, and there are challenges waiting for your in each day. Some big and some small. Some physical and some in the mind. As an ordinary citizen, one cannot predict changes such as a terrorist attack or a car crash, but you can prepare yourself for the mental challenges in life.

The way is to begin with strength of education. There is a famous saying that people only believe what they hear. If a person hears the same thing over and over again, they will start to believe it eventually. You must anticipate that this is always a possibility, so the need to verify facts and information is paramount.

Mental clarity can only come when deception has been eliminated, the same way illumination can only come when the light has been brought to the dark. Even on the darkest of nights,  you must become the moonlight. Then, you must always remember the moon produces no light of its own. Moonlight is a just a reflection of light from the sun. You must become the moonlight and the sunlight.

Then, remember that the sun is a star itself, and the sunlight is actually starlight. You are the moonlight, the sunlight, and the starlight all in one.

Education has many layers and many interlocking features. You must study them as much as possible, but factoids alone are idle without precise self-reflection and evaluation.

Argumentation and debate cannot take place if one side is not being factual or using deception and misleading information. Therefore, there is a large necessity on the strength of education.

Challenges will take many shapes and forms during your days. The only way to know to find a true acceptance for the challenge is to know your material and believe in a pathway toward goodness.

For Love of Determination

Great Wall, Huairou, Beijing China 

The feeling of warm sheets against a human body is close to the divine. That moment in between opening your eyes and getting out of bed contains ecstasy. Whether there is sunlight beaming through the frosted glass on your windowpane or the clouds have created overcast and the day is gray, your warmth is wrapped all around you.

Yet at moments like that...moments in the glory of your own warm bed sheets...one must rise. One must get pry oneself from the bed on the dark gloomy morning. For if possible, it is time to exercise. For if favorable, it is time to the pour the coffee. For if ready, it is time to walk out of the bedroom door and help someone else.

One can learn only so much from sitting inside all day, and one can learn even less from staying in bed. The feeling of warm bed sheets might force you to come back, but the power of your own determination is stronger.

Somewhere inside of you, inside of your mind is an idea that is life-changing. Perhaps some people are more creative than others, and perhaps some people are better natural born leaders than others, but if you had the neuro-cognitive functions able to read these words here, you have the potential to create the solution to any problem you must face.

The powers to achieve are all vested in you. There is not always a single answer on how to build personal relationships, how to impress people, how to persuade, how to conquer. With all the billions of people in the world, there are so many ways for someone to look at your brilliantly-crafted persuasion tactics and walk away without a second thought.

It is not about studying any method to achieve a problem. Solutions are not only obtained from methods. The solution you need to solve the problem in front of you is found in your ideas. Someway somehow, you have the ability and the thought process to compose the answer, to balance the equation, to remove the destructive element. The possibilities are waiting for you.

The power begins with your determination.

A New Definition of Trust

Arlington, VA, USA

Where do our ideas go when we cast them into the world? You can share your idea with someone, as if you were tossing a stone into the pond and hoping for a splash, but you might be disappointed that you threw your stone too far, and it landed only on the other side of the pond's marshy soil. Just like sharing an idea with someone else, where does it all end?

Trust has become a pillar and a cornerstone for so many in their building of life. People live in a world where trust is treated like a spectrum. Some trust too easily, and others like Dave Navarro tell us to Trust No One. Where do you find your place in all of this? Can you trust a stranger? Can you trust someone you've known for one year or ten years?

To begin, why don't we look at the way trust is presented in the world. Some view trust as feeling comfortable around someone. Others view trust as someone upholding their agreements and always being able to protect someone. Perhaps there are those who view trust as someone whom they can confide in and their secrets will be protected, the essence of feeling safe.

The words, "I trust you," can be viewed as someone telling another person, "I believe you will make choices in the name of peace," and with this mindset, we can learn when we can share our ideas and whom can become a cornerstone in our lives.

We all must face the truth that not every person is trustworthy in their present form. Perhaps at the moment of birth everyone is born with a sense of innocence, and there is the possibility of being able to help someone find a pathway toward trustworthiness...however, many humans will fall of this path, and many more will waver to and fro from the pathway and into the untamed chaos for a short time here and there.

When you want to share your secrets with someone, do they have a message of peace in their mind? Do they have a message of love in their hearts? Or are they only concerned with their own material selfishness and the dopamine surges that come from chemicals in their daily neurological activities?
To survive in life, especially in the early phases of adulthood, one must surround oneself with those who want to bring peace.

Those who laugh at you for trying do not want this of you. Those who condemn you for your outward differences do you want this for you. Those who criticize you for having dreams do not want this for you. Let us use trust to find the hearts of those who want peace for their own friendships, relationships, and the for the entire world, and let us unite into a stronger force that can share this influence everywhere.

Remember the stone in the marshy soil near the pond. Instead of walking over, picking it up, and throwing it again into the water, let it remain where it landed. Ask another human to come and join you by the side of the pond, and gaze into the water. Share stories. Share ideas. Let the daylight change into night, and try to see the stars reflecting in the pond's water.

Someone who will listen to you without conflict. Engage with you in the sharing of thought, and watch the stars begin to the night sky together is the beginning of trust.

Earth Love and Using Ideas for Change

New Haven, CT, USA

There is an age-old statement: is the glass half full or half empty? It is meant to be a challenge for optimism and pessimism. If  the person sees the glass as half full they are promoting a worldview of positivism and hopeful thinking. If the glass is half empty, the person's worldview must be the opposite, yes?

Challenges like this are nothing than old sayings. Did anyone ever wonder why some philosopher a hundred and so many years ago spent all that time looking at glass with its contents?
What is a more appropriate response to this age-old challenge?
"I don't have time for that. I am working on something."

Let us not give all of our mental energy into small sayings that are not proof or convincing evidence of anything, nor are they even axiomatic. Old sayings from years ago might appear to contain thoughtful ideas and revealing brilliance, but they often lead to superficial thinking.

Instead of asking, is the glass half full or half empty, Where is the plan to eradicate world poverty and provide the necessities of life to every single human on the face of the loving Green Earth?

These are the challenges that we face every day, and for some there is no half full or half empty, for they live in drought and dehydration. Let us not spend the entirety of our days chalking up lines from the philosophers and viewing that a lifelong accomplishment, for if we are to continue to advance in this world, we will need more.

We need to use our mental energy to compose methods of action that can be used to make changes in the world. During the course of these actions, we must always be aware of how our behavior, attitude, choices, words, and decisions can affect the Planet Earth and everything in it.

Let us not throw our energy into some long philosophical realm where the icon of our life is composing ideas that are obsolete in action and circular in thought. One of the oldest tricks in the world is talk about nothing as long as you can before someone silences you. If there are still any brick and mortar bookstores left, one can walk through the philosophy section and see titles that promote "The Meaning of Nothingness," "Being and Nothingness," "Nothingness Therapy."

So many pages of writing devoted to talk of nothing, and they charge money for it. Let us create our methods of action, and share them willingly with the world. Examine whatever problem we choose to conquer first, and formulate an idea on how to remove that problem from the world and absolve all of its destructive consequences.

Poverty, child labor, abuses, and injustice can all be cured, but first it will take the courage and ingenuity of a brilliant mind such as yourself to plant the first seed in the fertile Earth. It is time for us to use our mental energy to stand up to the titans of the world who exploit the Earth and all of its people for profit and selfishness.

Let us not forget the philosophers of the past, for their work still has value...but we must also not turn the discussion of ideas into the end game. Philosophy can teach us much, but we cannot allow it to take the place of comprehensive plans of action. It is time for us to use the powers of our minds to bring the change in the world. Full or empty. Glass or no glass at all. Let humanity experience a new dawn rise with the coming of your next idea.

Home in the 21st Century

Guomao, Beijing, China

Home is a place where someone either feels safe or where they were raised. What about those who have no home? There are true nomads still among us. Some walk the literal streets of different places of different locations, moving from one settlement to another. Others are only nomads in the mind.

No home to remember, only to look back and see an index of different places they had once been.
For those who have no home, where do they turn?
When the hard rains fall and when the dark clouds cover, what memory does the nomad of the mind turn to?

At this point it must be one of futurism, kindness, gentleness, but always in strength. The nomad of the mind must find an optimistic way to persevere into the future. They must share kindness with humanity the world. They must treat the Earth and living things with gentleness.

Through the sharing of kindness and gentle treatment, the nomad of the mind can find a way to bring home to oneself. The only way to improve one's life is to go out and share kindness with another human being or living creature.

When it comes to the concept of home, I am always reminded of the Epic of Gilgamesh. Home does not come from a piece of land or property, nor does it come from exerting power of a particular entity. Home comes from having those around you that support you, and those whom you want to support in return.

In this day of futurism and onward anticipation, one can look to the new world that is unfolding before us. Even a voice from the television or the radio can sometimes seem more homely than one from our own bloodline. The powers of technology can allow us to find someone in any corner of the world that might not have the same experiences, might not have the exact same personality, but someone who just might be able to share a moment's comfort to you.

In the 21st Century, our home has no walls, nor does it have limitations. Our home exists in ideas. Ideas we wish to share and connect with other humans, whether it is a personal experience or enjoying the same favorite song or even watching a dark wolf in the snow. The nomad of the mind seeks to connect with the mind of another.

Anger Management = Optimistic Kindness

Seoul, South Korea

Sometimes words can flow faster than one can think. Adrenaline can change the mind. Adrenaline is one of the most powerful tools in the world. Whether it is done physically such as a boxer or mixed martial artist in the arena, or emotionally a coach giving a football team a pep talk at half time. There is part of our brain and chemicals in our system that can lead us to aggression, violence, negativity, and the most dreaded of all destruction.

The Buddhists and the Jains put forth a plan to conquer this conundrum. They propose eliminating desires, and they both have their pathways on how to do so, yet in a world so evolving and so material, is that possible in the 21st Century?

What great thinkers and composers over the last two thousand years have battled upon (battling in the mind of course) is whether or not we can control our own destiny, fortune, and the end results. All the minds from Niccolo Machiavelli to Kim Il Sung have discussed this.

How do we put an end to anger, rage, and surges of adrenaline that lead us to destructive behavior?
To begin, we must choose a path of optimism. Anger can be alleviated, and the calmness of the mind can prevail. Next, we must choose a path of intelligence, for the ideas that are necessary to accomplish this must come from learning material and understanding humanity.

Optimism. Education. Understanding. These are ways to begin the process of eliminating anger and absolving destruction from the world. The last and most vital parts are ones that the material world has forgotten so much. Love, Kindness, Compassion, and Care.

Showing care for the the Earth, the Plants, the Animals, and other humans can all be done and is a foundation to absolving anger. It has been said before from many across different periods in time, if you want to bring happiness into your life, go out and do kind deeds for someone else. Before you can obtain the ideal emotional state you need, you must also go out into the world and help others who are less fortunate than you. No matter who you are if you are reading this, there are many who have less than what you do now, and need what you have to give them.

The solution always exists.
Optimism. Education. Understanding.
Let the journey to the elimination of anger and destruction emotions begin.

Powers of the Heart and Mind: Find Your True Strength

Seoul, South Korea

Strength. It is time for you to find ways to make yourself stronger. Persevere through the challenges that life throws at you, and not only never give up, but also stand tall as the victor. As it was once said, by someone not so long ago, when we enter into the adult world, many do not care how hard we tried, they care about the success that we have to show.

However, how hard you try is of importance to you alone.

Try your best. Put your heart and energy into all each task that is given to you, and compose a strategy for success. There is a parable: the man from the East met the man from the West. The man from the East asked, "How do you learn the truth?" The man from the West replied, "I open my eyes. How do you learn the truth?" The man from the East replied, "I close my eyes."

One is about education, knowledge, rational thinking, logic, and lessons from life.
The other is about self-reflection, intrapersonal understanding, and being aware of more than the material world.

To find strength in life, you can use both. To achieve success, learn as much as you can. Study your subject of choice at an intense rate. Use knowledge and facts as tools for you to build a strategy for achievement.

At the same time, always be aware of how your actions can affect other humans and the Earth on which we live. Be honest with yourself, and you will find reasons to be honest with everyone. For it through the honesty of self-reflection that allows us to recognize the origin of problems that have held us back from achieving success.

One must always use the heart, and one must always use the mind at the same time. These two should never be separated, for if they are, the heart will become nothing more than an organ that is used to pump blood, and the mind will be forgotten, and only the brain shall remain.

Use your cleverness for achievement. Use your knowledge to create a foundation. Use your ideas to find creative ways to make positive change in the world, for when the heart and the mind are working together, one will want to help one another. One will recognize that true strength does not come from physicality or from cleverness and manipulation, but from a united humanity all working together for the same cause of loving and protecting the planet Earth and the life among us.

From our Ancestors: Eliminating Desires

Beijing, China 

Desire: the force that so many wish to either control or repress, the characteristic of humans that religions, politicians, oligarchs, and even your parents have all tried to eradicate from your state of mind.

The fact of the matter is that desire can lead to power, but power is not always a controlled and calculated attempt to rise to the top of dominance hierarchy. Power can also lead to taking something, or sadly someone, by force. Desire can lead to destruction.

With each single breath is there the possibility to remove desire from your life. Is it possible to put the mind toward something much greater than human material desires.

A breath of fresh air. The colors of the sunset. Focusing on the wind rustling the leaves. Closing one's eyes and seeing the mountain ranges. Remembering the scent of walking by the lakeside.

These are not desires, for the love of nature has already been obtained, and this love goes beyond any corner of the green and brown Earth. For what color does one give to the entirety of the cosmos?

For one small moment, recognize that the stars are not so far away and perceive the far side of the universe as much closer. Let every fiber and molecule of the human mind remember that the burning fires of the stars and the united clusters of galaxies share the same experience of existence as every thought you have ever had.

This love is more powerful than any material desire, for our desires can lead to destruction. This thought is more honest than any material accomplishment, for dishonesty can lead internal calamity, and for one brief moment, gaze upon the night sky looking toward the dark spaces in between the stars and contemplate.

Once the universe reaches its final ending place, the human mind can still imagine beyond it. There is a great power in both your mind, and in your heart. Let us become one with the Earth, and the universe, but let us never forget that ideas can move us to the infinite, the absolute, and the eternal.

One does not desire what one has already obtained.
Breathe the air. Look to the Sunset. Listen to the Wind.
There is no desire. There is only an idea that connects every mind that every existed to the idea that extends beyond the cosmos and beyond the material world. This love will never be broken.

World Peace: Do Not Avoid Conflict, Avoid Destruction

Newport, RI, USA

As long as humans walk the streets conflict will happen. Just as a marble rolls across the floor, it is bound to collide with another object or lose momentum. Gandhi promoted the idea that the removal of conflict does not equal peace, for peace has to exist in not only the external world, but also in the mind. This plan was incorporated into the thinking of Martin Luther King Jr. and the heart of the American Civil Rights Era. 

If we are to walk the streets, will we not feel the looming tower as it begins to fall? Will we not have to run from danger? Will we not become the danger ourselves? Perhaps there are many humans or creatures that would want to avoid the sight of you. Are they right to do so? Or are they wrong? 

The answer to that question resides in the deeds that you do and the emotions that you show. 

Let us love all, but let us walk forward without letting anyone hold us back. Let us look upward without letting anyone hold us down. Stand up for our rights, but do no harm in the ideal. Share kindness, but also share fairness. When someone tries to bring injustice upon you, stand tall and do not back down.

The wars will rage, both from the fire of a tank and from the bone-chilling call of harsh words. Each sound creates an impact on the life of someone. 

It is our responsibility to know the power that our abilities can achieve. Let us harness this power for greatness and for kindness and prosperity. 

Let us not scorn those who walk a different path in life, for remember, in their eyes we are the ones who are out of step. Let us not look downward on those with different aims, ambitions, and intentions, as long as the ultimate goal is to do no harm. 

At the same time, let us confront those who are unaware of how their actions make an impact on the lives of others. Let us confront them..but not out of anger...out of love. 

The truest forms of education are those that allow someone to love in a different way. What is in the meaning of the word love? 

Peace is a pathway to love, for love is all there is. Peace is the end goal of human civilization, for it will leave the Earth in a state of maximum excellence, where the minds of humanity are in complete connection with the great state of love, where the cosmos, the Earth, and all ideas are united by a single bond of excellence. 

Let us stand tall against those who wish to do us harm. Let us not accept their destruction. Let us deny them, but only so we can open the door, shine the light on the pathway to Peace, and let us promote a world and civilization of the Supreme.

Peace. Love. Kindness. Fairness. 

The first step on the pathway is yours.

Earth-Loving Ramblings: Ways to Achieve Success, Plan for World Peace, and Growing the Activist in Us All

Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA

What time did you wake up today? What was your goal that you wanted to accomplish? Did you succeed?

The time for action is now, and the time for excuses was yesterday. Each second there is a possibility for you to form your next idea, which will lead you to greatness.

What comes to mind when you hear the word "greatness?" Money...houses....cars...power..sexual partners...maybe even food?

As our eyes open in the morning, and the sunlight is wide, let us all set a goal of trying to bring peace to the world, in whatever small way we can contribute. The beginning of such a plan is how one formulates the goals they wish to achieve.

One can think of all the wonderful things that they would like to have, wonderful material things. They can dream of having more so that life will be easier, even excessive, yet the true achievements of humanity will come when a person such as yourself forms a goal that will benefit the entirety of the human race. That person, just like you, must then work toward this goal for the rest of their life.

The days can begin, and the night can fall, and you can spend every moment of every day finding new ways to make yourself rich or to have more possessions, but who is looking out for the starving, the sick, and the uneducated?

When we compose goals to help humanity, we must always remind ourselves that the pathway to this achievement, the start of this idea , must not come by force, must not come by government order, and must not come because of the utterance of a famous person.

It must come from the genuine human devotion to trying to help our fellow humankind, at the animalkind, and the plantkind, and the Earthkind, and the entire universe. So much love to share and give. The only thing our goals need is a way to send the love of one human, one heart and mind, to the rest of the populations and all the living.

It might seem like it will take a lifetime to achieve, and it may seem more difficult than scaling the highest mountain peak on Earth...but always remember, that if you had an idea to help the entirety of humanity, you are strong. You are bold. You are kind, and you have the ability to make your goal a reality, not just for you, but for all.

The choice is yours, and the dawn rises in the next morning, try to create a new way to help those in the smallest way possible. Then, the next day think of way to help more people and more animals. Then, on the third day, think of a way to even more people, animals, and the plant life of Earth. On the fourth day, include the natural wonders of the world, for without any of those, we wouldn't have conscious life at all.

The choice is yours. The idea to bring peace to the world is waiting inside of you to become a reality.

Political Notes: Work in Progress

Prosperity. Honor. Progress.

Rockville, MD, USA

Promote Meritocracy to the Youth :

-This begins with honesty in the the education system. A society based on merit only succeeds when people put honest ideas on the table.

Religious Freedom:

-Freedom of Religion is one of the most neglected and most vital constitutional rights. Promote religious and spiritual freedom for everyone. 

Cameras in the Supreme Court:

-Support C-SPAN decision to have cameras in the supreme court. Transparency of our branches of government is essential.

Smedly Butler Peace Amendment: 

-Use the Butler Amendment put forth by General Smedly Butler in "War is a Racket" as a template for foreign and military policy, not governmental law...but a template to follow and stay in line.

Science Education:

-Create a program with traveling science teachers to visit public schools and teach science as a specialized class. 

Anti-Austerity / Pro Humanity:

-Oppose budget cuts that cause detrimental harm to humanity and natural life. Promote government decisions that benefit society and nature as a whole. Humans need to eat. Humans need education. Nature needs protection.

Animalhood Amendment: 

-Support the Humane Party's Equal Rights Amendment, but promote the concept of Animalhood. Treating domestic animals as family members, and treating farm animals as integral parts of the work system. Animals are living creatures, as opposed to property. 

Mindfulness Classes in Elementary School:

-Teach elementary school students mindfulness and promote mental awareness at an early age. Non-denominational and secular, but teach children how to deal with mental issues from the ground up. 

Green Energy: 

-Coal is popular, Oil is popular, but jobs can be created in solar and electric. Investigate more in the development plans for the clean electric grid. Also create a research bureau to make wind power more affordable. 

Prosperity. Honor. Progress. 

Spirit Talk: The Gifts of Nature, The Short Moments of Life, and the Cosmic Spirituality

Zhuhai, Guangdong, China 

Winds from Summer's distant breeze come pouring in the windows. Soon it will be too hot to even smell the afternoon air without contentment fading. The last chance to feel the cool air of the late Spring is a gift like a mid-season Christmas present. The green sprouts of the plants are now strong and growing tall. There is almost a whither in their leaves, and flower petals have even fallen on the light brown soil, which was once as black as the star-laced sky. 

As Spring ends, the heat rolls toward us like the famous Summer flame. As Spring ends, we have the luxury of hiding indoors in the cool refuge of our air-conditioning and climate controlled apartments and house, yet what for those who do not have the possibility? 

One can wait for the green grass and blue waters of the lakeside as a sign that Summer approaches, but one can also anticipate thousands of deaths in India from the heatwaves, crops destroyed across Sub-Saharan Africa, and the dust storms of China. 

With almost each footstep one takes, someone in the world has lost their life. Soon with each footstep someone takes, two people will die instead of one. 

Yet with all the heaviness of tragedy, and with all the burdens of sorrow. Let us move forward with each step in our journey, for it is the only way to go. Moving backward is only a repetition of what someone else has done, for better or for worse. As we expand toward the future, there will be more Summers to come. Let us ask ourselves each year, if we are bringing progress to the world or only repeating the mistakes of those from the past. 

Each year as we approach mid-Spring, let us compose a plan of action for the following year. The cycle does not have to begin on January 1st. Nor does it have to begin when the snow melts. Let us compose a plan on how we can help other people, make our communities stronger, share kindness with our neighbors, friends, and family, be a supporting voice to those who need you, be a shelter for those who seek comfort in you, and ask for nothing in return. 

Life is about giving. If we are to demand anything from others, we will often find our hands outstretched and empty, waiting for something that will never come. It is up to us to act in kindness to the world, but let them not mistake our kindness for weakness. Do no harm, but do not tolerate injustice for the slightest moment. 

We have so much to offer, so we must learn to find joy in offering. Waiting for others to offer things to us is futile and a destiny of disappointment. Let the mid-Spring emotion be one of optimism, joy, futurism, progression, sharing, nurturing, helping, and of course of love. For it is all we can do to stay away from the low levels of bleakness, and extend our love from the ground all the way to farthest reach of the Cosmos...and perhaps beyond. 

Spiritual Beginnings: Let Our Passion Lead Us to Solutions

Shenzhen, Guangdong, China 

Are there any limitations on what someone can feel for another human being? Are there are any boundaries that must be in place? Does love have a limit? Or are our limits are designated for passion? 

The passion between two human beings can be a gift, a curse, a sensual experience, lightning in a bottle, fire in the eyes, and a reason to gaze at what is beyond the stars, but one of the real messages we can learn in life is that passion can have limits between humans, but there should be no limit of passion between a human being and life itself.

The human connection to all living things is greater than many must perceive. A footstep on a blade of grass has left an imprint that will take ages to heal. When the tree falls, so that a home can be built the force of nature is not broken, but distorted. Let us make an antidote to all of these contradictions and calamities. 

Love oneself. Love one another, but let us not restrict love and devotion only between human beings. Dogs and cats have become ingrained in our societies. We share love and compassion with them at ease, providing, nurturing, and caring. Horses have carried humans for millennia and develop a special bond with many humans. There is love for the animal kingdom, and there is love for the green Earth.

As the strength of the tree grows toward the sky, let it remind us that there is a passionate relationship between humans and the plants as well. Let the tree grow upward. Trample not upon the grass when the path is already worn. Gaze not upon the animals as beasts of burden, but rather of living creatures who can survive among humanity in coexistence, as opposed to working for it. 

All humans are welcome on the Earth. The flora and fauna have evolved to their present state. All boundaries are limited only to creativity. Let us not reserve passion only for ourselves. It is said that even the stars have a life. 

We all share the same Earth, the same Sunlight, the same Moon, and we are all a micro-fragment of the same universal connection, the same conscious experience of existence. Whether it is a dog that is hungry, a horse that is injured, a human in need of medicine, find a way to share something. This can become the ultimate goal for the energy of the passionate. 

Spiritual Words: Prosperity, Humanitarianism, and Going Beyond our Daydreams

Zhuhai, Guangdong, China

Prosperity, what a golden future to seek? The dreams of the present could become a reality, yet how do we achieve that moment of excellence if all we do is live in our constant reveries and not in the physical world? Has anyone ever told you that you are here on Earth, but your mind is somewhere else? The famous humanitarian, Millard Fuller, stated with passion that "faith without works is as dead as a door nail."

This tells that those who only sit there contemplating and preparing for the future of gold will be left with nothing but the ribbon and no medallion. Where is the future of prosperity if the action does not start today? Try paying your rent in daydreams and see what the landlord will say. Try taking care of a family with only expectation.

We live in the world where ideas are valuable, and the power of the mind has no material limit, yet we also live in a time where the need for acting on our constructive ideas is of the greatest importance.

What can you do to help your fellow man? If the answer does not come to you immediately, consult the words of your elders....consult the ways of Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr, Gottfried Leibniz, Plato, and the plans of many other humanitarians such as Millard Fuller.

Leibniz teaches us that if a problem exists, the solution must exist as well. The answer to solve any problem must first begin with an idea, whether it is showing kindness to another human being or eliminating poverty for the entire world. The idea is the starting point.

Let us not only use our ideas to pass the time and drift off into oblivion. Let us use our ideas to bring about change into the world that our ancestors never had. Lead humanity to peace and prosperity and honor the Earth in the process. From the base of the mountains to the grains of sand in the desert, the Earth has many marvelous wonders and many ways to provide for humanity.

If there is poverty in the world ,there is a way for humanity to cure the ailment. Use your ideas and as the years go by let them turn into wisdom. Share each idea as if it were a gift, a trinket, a treasure, and the message of a sage.

If Bruce Lee can tell us "Be Like Water," and Captain America can say "Stand Like a Tree Next to the River of Truth, and say No, You Move," then, we can learn from both. Do no harm, but do not let anyone commit injustice to you, to your loved ones, to innocent animals, to the potential for life, and to the mighty and beautiful Earth itself.

In fact, you are mightier than water. The idea that you just composed while reading this is mightier than the river or the tree trunk. The idea you just composed is our next step to prosperity.

Hindu Ramblings: Noble Intentions, Protecting the Earth, and the Optimistic Future

Guiyang, Guizhou, China

Is trying good enough? The answer is simply no. Is trying your best good enough? Maybe the answer is yes....and in a sad unfortunate amount of times, the answer is still a firm negative. When someone hurts you, and says "sorry it was not intentional", does that do anything to ease the suffering? Usually not. Yet when you are on the other side of the coin, you cannot comprehend why someone would not understand that you did not mean to hurt them. 

It feels that no matter what step we take, there is an imprint left on the Earth, whether it is a footprint in the soil, or an outline made of moisture that after leaving the shower. Sometimes without looking, our footsteps lead to destruction, lead to breaking something we did not see, lead to taking the life of an insect, a slug, or perhaps an even larger creature. Was that an intention? Yet the small amount of broken material or the loss of life is there all the same.

As we walk forward in life, let us always try to use each step as one toward kindness, awareness, and duty. However, sometimes things will break, and others will be hurt. Where does one go from there? It feels the answer is a little more complex. Some people need space and time to heal their emotional wounds. Others are more resilient and demanding, they will recover by removing you from their life all together. It is never easy to embrace rejection from someone, but you do not want the relationship to end. It does make you stronger, but there are ways to get stronger without destruction. 

Let's us try harder not to hurt anyone or anything. Let us walk forward with only the smallest amount of imprint on the Earth, for if our steps are too heavy, the ground, the grass, and the home will break with ease. 

Words are not enough. Actions are more valuable than words. Where is the effort in our words? We can say many things, but at the end of the season, what do we have to show for ourselves? Our works and efforts might not be enough. We do not need to fight. We need to nurture, but we also need education before we can become nurturers. The answers to all our questions seem so much more understandable in retrospect. Hindsight is 20/20, and the rear view mirror is often clearer than the windshield. 

Yet who are we to make mistakes and blame it on the past? Who are we to make mistakes, and say that we should have tried harder? Who are we to do harm and brush it off?  

Let us study the past. Let us plan for the future. Let us live in the present, but thoughts, ideas, and dreams will not be enough. For the medicine of the Earth is often in our actions. If we did wrong in the past, there is a way for us to do greatness next time...not just do better, but to achieve the highest possible form of greatness. 

Education. Kindness. Optimism. Planning and Preparation. The sharing of ideas and knowledge.Learning the way to care for all things. Learning the way to share love for the Earth without trampling a single blade of grass. How to love the oceans without dropping a single contaminant. How to show kindness to the stray animals on your street without any neglect. 

There are many things that one can say. There are many plans that one can make. There are many inspirational things that we can tell ourselves, but through the course of our actions, we will see the true examination of our love. 

Let each day be one of not only dreams, but also education, and show your education to what tomorrow will bring.