BELIEF There is a kind of "death" that happens to one who subscribes to a belief system that is narrow and excludes other viewpoints or information. Some of these belief systems, "...isms" are known by their names as: Islamism, Judaism, Christianism, Communism, Catholicism, Sunnism, Shiitism, Baptism, Capitalism, Socialism, Hedonism, Consumerism, Fascism, Buddhism, Hinduism and others. Much of the misery of the past and present and sadly most probably the future happen because individuals hold rigid belief systems absolutely. It is a trap to adhere to any external belief system, even one that pro-ports to have no belief system as their belief system. There are humans who will use their intellect to use belief systems to control other humans. Their control over others are enhanced by coupling to the external belief system fear, poverty, ignorance, superstition, tradition, myths and ritual. Annie, seek a belief system that is compatible with your past, your experience, your nature and potential, a belief system that is uniquely yours. Know that it will evolve and never close off the views of others allowing them to enhance your belief when appropriate.Good is that which produces harmony between you and your external world, evil that which does not.
CHANGE Change is the essence of all physical being. Time is the substrate through which matter changes. Space is the place in which matter changes. Energy is the force driving change. There can be no physical change unless matter, space, time and energy (MaEnTiSpa) are all involved simultaneously. "Learn to embrace Change since you cannot control change- it happens. You must learn from it and know that ultimately, it is good for you. Think of change as a journey without which you would not have been able to visit new places, experience new ideas and meet new people. Your ability to accept change will determine how flexible you are. Being flexible is a virtue that will be well appreciated by your family, significant other, co-workers and friends. It will bring you open-mindedness and allow you to see things differently than others who are narrow minded, stuck in their ways and not willing to change." (source:Pam)
AN ATTITUDE TOWARD CONSERVATION It would be helpful for you to improve and conserve MaEnTiSpa and maintain an ongoing attitude toward the process. Conserve the stuff in your life by caring for selectively acquiring it; conserve your energy by exerting force rationally; conserve your time and space by effectively managing them. Set up a scale of levels to evaluate your effectiveness in managing MaEnTiSpa, say a level from 0 to 10.0. For example, at this writing (07March2009) your Bada's levels are Ma:7.8, En:6.4, Ti:7.2 and Spa:8.6. Revaluate your levels periodically knowing that they are dynamic both increasing and decreasing in time. Develop an attitude of constantly improving your management skills no matter how small an each improvement may be. Know that you will never reach the extremes of 0 and 10.0, the absolute absence and perfection respectively. And while you are at it, practice recycling and the conservation of earth's natural resources: water, soil, energy, plants, air... .
CONTROL Absolute control is not possible. There are events over which humans have no control: earthquakes, weather, sunspots, etc. Some control is possible. The degree of control is between absolute and none. Control over others is not advisable. Self-control is most desirable. An objective perspective increases the degree of control whereas a subjective perspective decreases it. The most difficult aspect of change to control is time. The easiest is matter. Space and energy are in between. The more information one has relative to a desired change, the more control one will have in effecting the change. It is easier to control change that is gradual. Those individuals or groups who wish to control others use the following strategies: Instill fear, create guilt, maintain poverty and ignorance, provide ritual/symbols and teach myth.
STAGES TO CREATING 1st Stage - IDEA - If Ramona could experience the sum total of human creation and consider just one of them, for example the beginnings of the light bulb, she would realize that it first had to exist as an IDEA in the mind of some other human, say Alvin Edison. In fact, all human-made objects had to exist first as an IDEA. 2nd Stage - PLAN - Edison over a period of time with success and failures finally creates a "blueprint" for his IDEA of a light bulb. 3rd Stage - CREATE - Alvin makes his light bulb from the "blueprint."
CUMULATIVE EFFECT Meaningful change takes place in small increments consistently applied. Bit by bit you can build your knowledge or financial resources. The secret is to be consistent. For example, if you chose to independently learn calculus, begin without much fanfare. Find a source, perhaps a book or a web site. Set aside time periodically to study the subject and stick to your schedule. Do not expect to learn it overnight. Do not move forward until you have fully internalized each days lesson since this subject builds on what was previously learned. It will not take you long to determine whether or not you need to continue either for a lack in ability or loss of interest. No matter. Perhaps algebra will work better or a language or an art. The same process applies to hobbies except there will be a physical application of the knowledge learned. For example, an interest in the visual arts. Learn color theory first and then apply it to oil painting. Learn perspective and then apply it to a drawing. Learn composition and then apply it to a still life. Learn the about light and then apply it to a drawing with emphasis on light and shadow. The thing is to learn a little something periodically allowing the knowledge to accumulate. Begin small and built. Start with pencil line drawings, then black and white shadow exercises, then composition, then perspective, then color, then 3D design and then sculpture in some medium. This is the general idea.The same can be said of generating financial resources. Get into the habit of saving on a periodic bases no matter how small the amount. Live your life frugally. Begin by saving $5 per month and increase this amount as your income increases. As the saying goes, "Pay yourself first." If you do this, you will have accumulated a great deal by time you reach an age for retirement. There are other financial instruments for saving that you would do well to learn of (stocks, bonds, annuities, etc).
DECISIONS You will need to make decisions throughout your life mostly to solve problems to achieve desired results. The more information you have about the situation, the greater will be the number of reasonable solutions to a given problem you can generate. The sum of your experiences will enhance your chances of generating solutions that will work better. Seek also the input of those who have dealt with a similar siuation. Always consider the consequences of of a particular solutiion. Very important that you do this. Keep in mind that there is no one single magical solution. There are only solutiions. When making rational decisions, do not allow the subjective (emotional) cloud the objective (intellectual). Make relatively quick decisions on small stuff as it occurs. Let decisions on the big stuff germinate until action becomes inevitable. Mentally review a project's solution before beginning it. For a given problem/challenge/project no matter what solution is implemented, there will always be one that works better. View the applied solution as pending, adjusting its specifics as time tests it. Refine as needed. It may be that the chosen solution will not work; therefore, begin the process again. It is as important to know what does not work as it is to know what does. It is an evolutionary process.
DUALITY Annie, I started accumulating these "dualities" 27 Jul 1974 up to the present, 28 Feb 2009. For what it is worth to you, it just seems interesting to me that many aspects of Existence have a dual nature some of which you may not be aware but about which hopefully you will learn.
(01)Newton's 3rd Law (action/reaction), (02)two types of electric charge (+/-), (03 nature of light (particle/wave), (04)duality of dualities-two electrons per atomic orbital:positive spin/negative spin, (05)sex (male/female), (06)inertial mass/gravitational mass, (07)Einstein's Special and General Theories of Relativity, (08)only two particles can collide simultaneously, (09)only two numbers can be added at one time, (10)DNA/RNA, (11)entropy/enthalpy, (12)yes/no, (13)zero/infinity, (14)magnetic poles (north/south), (15)Yin/Yang, (16)sides of brain (left/right), (17)duality of dualities-mass:energy/space:time, (18)DNA's double helix, (19)convergent/divergent, (20)enantiomers (left/right), (21)matter/antimatter, (22)linear/cyclical, (23)chloroplast/mitochondria (24)sexual/asexual reproduction, (25)quantum entanglement, (26)chemical reactions (endothermic/exothermic), (27)bilateral symmetry, (28)past/future, (29)discover/invent, (30)equilibrium/steady state, (31)objective/subjective, (32)polarization of light (left/right), (33)true/false, (34)binary (0/1), (35)egg/sperm, (36)4ness/5ness nature of Archimedean and Platonic geometric solids, (37)needs/wants, (38)individual/Existence
Can the reader think of any others?
ENERGY Currently (06March2009) there is an energy crisis. Energy is the ability to do work and work must involve motion; so, let us speak of motion as energy. Keep in mind too that "force" (read the pearl, force.html) involves energy since force can produce motion. Recall also that when force produces motion, work is accomplished. First, out of respect for Newton, we must by necessity consider His Three Laws of Motion: First Law proclaims that the state of motion of a body is maintained until a force acts on it, Second Law that the acceleration (changing velocity where velocity is speed with direction) of a body is directly proportional to the force applied and inversely proportional to the mass of the body (F=ma or a=F/m) and Third Law that if you push or pull something, it will push or pull with a force equal and opposite yours. Study and internalize these Laws. Your source of energy is food and drink. Choose wisely. It is worth noting that most energy expended on earth has as its source the light of the sun: petroleum from plants laid down millions of years ago, plants currently existing, wind, hydroelectric (via rain evaporated by solar energy), solar-thermal and solar-voltaic. Other forms, nuclear, geothermal and chemical (batteries) are not directly linked to sunlight. Anyhow, it will take energy to propel your mind from place to place whether you walk, run, fly, boat or drive. And you will need to take your mind to various places to learn what these places can teach you; so, move safely and with purpose under the power of energy (By the way, power is work divided by time.)
THE APPLICATION OF FORCE A force is a push or pull tending to change the state of motion of an object. (Note: An object at rest has a state of motion equal to zero.) Behind all force is energy. This Pearl deals with the management of force for a desired result. Think before applying the force. What is to be its intensity and will this intensity vary over time? At what physical point on the object will the force be optimally applied? When should the force be applied and for how long? Envision the result occurring over time. Be aware of the surroundings of the object to which the force is applied and anticipate the effect on this surrounding. In what direction is the force to be applied and will it be advantageous to change the direction during its application? Could the force be applied variably perhaps with some repetition or frequency? Are there factors that could be integrated along with the force to make it more effective? Apply the force within the context of natural law, like balance and equilibrium. A diamond cutter does not randomly apply the force of his cutting tool without thought.
DEGREES OF FREEDOM Freedom is defined as the opportunity to do what one wants (needs): whenever, wherever, and however. If one can do anything one wants, at any time, in any place, and in any manner, he has 100 degrees of freedom. If one cannot do anything one wants, has no choice of when, where, or how, then he has no degrees of freedom. Generally, the degrees of freedom increases with age. The better one becomes at doing something, the greater his degrees of freedom. Having to be somewhere at some time to do something or being responsible for plants or pets, decreases it.
FROM DARYL I highly believe the attributes of play and humor are essential to the spirit and support many other aspects but certainly spirituality and creativity. It is my opinion these are foundational attributes to a successful and happy life!
FROM PAM Respect - for self, elders, family, environment, boss etc ...
Work Ethics - why it is important to work hard...
Accountability- seize it and live up to it...
Taking Responsibility seriously - as a teen, adult, parent etc at various phases of your life...
IF
KNOWLEDGE If you are not making mistakes, you are not learning. Each new experience is built from the successes and failures of past experience serving as fodder for the experiences to follow. Everything you do should have a touch of what you have done before. Learning and applying this knowledge to change our Existence both internally and externally is what humans do best. All knowledge is of value and you cannot have too much. Knowledge is power and the ones with it have the greatest control. Self knowledge is essential and not to know yourself is to live life in a blind stupor. Seek the knowledge of your elders. Freely give others the best of your knowledge when appropriate. You are both learner and teacher for the duration of your life. Your great grandfather would tell me often that money is like water. Put in in your hand and it will run through your fingers, but what you have in your mind, you will always have. Learn to be a self learner. If you do not know what to do with your life, go to the University and sit in a class room.
MATTER:ENERGY::SPACE:TIME (MaEnTiSpa) The four physical attributes of Existence (matter, energy, time, and space) can be controlled to some degree, for example, traveling from point A to Point B by car. There is no absolute guarantee that the trip will be a success, but the probability of success will be increased by giving careful attention to MaEnTiSpa. Matter - the car is in good shape as well as the driver, no snow on the road; energy - gasoline, driver fed, sober; time - Sunday morning when traffic is at a minimum; space - interstate highway instead of surface streets. The extent of your freedom is measured by the control you have over change. Since there are no absolutes, then all you can do to control change is to effect the probability that a desired change will occur (or an undesired one will not). You can manipulate MaEnTiSpa to effect probability. This is an ongoing process, for no matter what you do, it can be done "better". You must constantly reexamine all that you do, and in the light of knowledge and experience, redefine your existence on a daily basis. You must guard against those who would profess to "know". Knowledge is a personal endeavor and it is essential that you define your personal reality. Those who would profess absolutes do so in an effort to control others: Hitler, the Pope, Stalin, and others of like character who through the ages have inflicted humankind with their debilitating doctrines and caused them to behave less than optimal. For me, science with its attitude of no absolutes, has been most illuminating. Through science I have learned to take responsibility for my own belief system and personal existence based on it. Along the way there have been the greats who have helped on this journey: Galileo, Kepler, Newton, Einstein, Planck, Heisenberg, Schrödinger, and so many others. I am so grateful for the technology that produced the Hubble telescope and computers and video recorders and TV and modern medicine and the automobile and on and on: all the work of humans who have altered probability through the control of MaEnTiSpa.
MATTER Of MaEnTiSpa, matter with little thought is among the easiest to control. Matter is the stuff of life, all that which takes up space and has mass. There is a tendency to accumulate matter as one ages. Matter can often become a burden when there is too much of it serving no useful purpose. Too much matter can make space more difficult to manage. There will come a day, Annie, when all those plastic toys will need to go somewhere (burden). Matter should serve a personal need, especially if you are a ceramist: clay, tools, kilns, work bench, etc. Some forms of matter, like TV, iPODs or cell phones, can become a burden when they distract you from that which you need to do. Matter that saves time is nice to have, such as a car, computer, washing machine, stove, etc. Tools are great. Better to have a hammer around than have to drive nails with your fist. Refrigerators are great. Food is the best of all matter, and let us not forget water and orange juice. Some books are great to have, but there is always the libraries and the internet. There is matter that you may want but not need and cannot afford, but believe me, there is enough affordable stuff around that you will want and need. One of the neatest activities is to take matter and modify it (art). I would recommend clay which is "dirt" cheap and with a kiln you can have years of creative experience. There is drawing which is simple and cheap: paper and pencil. Try not to use matter to define who you are. There are those who think they are "making a statement" by the matter they own. Very sad. My hope is that you will be defined by what you think and do and not by what kind and how much stuff you have. Anyhow, matter can be a curse or a blessing; so, acquire and use it with intelligence along with energy, time and space.
MEDITATION, PRAYER AND THE INTELLECT There are earthly humans and probably other conscientious beings elsewhere who pray to a god that it intervene on their behalf and make good things happen to them. God give me this, make me this, make this happen, give us peace, make the crops grow, protect us from global warming, cure the diseases, turn away the storms, make us victorious in battle, etc. It just so happens that it is a very busy being. It has the multi-universes to manage in all states of evolution (collapsing, expanding, bouncing), billions of other planets with living systems, the motions and interactions of the countless atoms and subatomic particles, the motion of all of the Universe's objects as they interact physically and chemically, the implications of space:time::matter:energy, new mathematical algorithms to develop, chaos, Laws of Thermodynamics, quantum physics, relativity, etc. About 4,000 years ago it got tired of listening to the prayers of humans; so, it gave us a brain to do things for ourselves and stop bothering it so that it might better manage those that have no control over themselves. Also, it prefers not to be worshipped or praised since it is in no need of it. Meditation is a wonderful and more beneficial substitute for prayer. Anyhow, to be in touch with God all you need do is think. Yes, Annie, thought is the process of communicating with God and actually prayer is thought and therefore communication with God. But don't bother Him with your needs and wants since He has given all you need to acquire them yourself. Do you remember saying as a two year old, "My do it."?
MISCELLANEOUS Matters not what you do; what you do matters. What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger.
Eight Chinese Powers (unknown source): (1) rich imagination, (2) rigorous thinking, (3) bold expression, 940 deep understanding, (5) steady control, (6) memory skill, (7) harmony, (8 outstanding organization
Eight Powers of the Soul (http://www.geocities.com/broken/ 22EightPowersofthesoulmp.html)
Everything in its place and a place for everything.
MODERATION, THE MEAN, THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD Go not to extremes in whatever you do or think. Do not eat too much or drink too much. Do not run too fast or walk too slowly. On the interstates use the middle lane traveling not too slow nor too fast. Do not take an extreme view for there are always many sides to all issues. Extremists blinded by their view never see the other side. Certain life experiences may not be possible for the extremist. The extreme view or act sets up barriers to broad based learning and living. Extremists never see how one issue is connected to another. An extremist rarely sees consequences to his view or lifestyle. The extreme view or lifestyle is limiting and reduces the number of possibilities available. The Middle East is a land of extremes and look at where it has lead. The US is a land of compromise and look where it has lead. Major religions have extreme views and look at how they work against one another to the detriment of the world community. The extremist sees in terms of absolutes which in reality do not exist. The proud extremist has a difficult time changing and admitting fault thereby limiting growth. One can change from the middle easier than from an extreme position and change is the essence of all being.
NEEDS AND WANTS There is a difference between a need and a want. Needs are generally essential for survival, like food, water, shelter and learning. Wants fall into two categories: those that enhance the quality of ones life and those that do not. Once your needs are provided for, only then consider your wants.
NUTRITION There is one main guideline for what one should eat or drink. One eats and drinks only what occurs naturally. One does not eat, ingest anything that has been processed by man. The food as it is produced by nature is as perfect as it can be. The more processed it becomes, the less perfect it becomes as food. Stay away especially from refined sugar and white flour.
OTHER PEOPLE Since others operate from their own personal perspective within the context of their personally defined reality, understand their behavior and not take it personally. You canot be responsible for how others feel. Carefully observe those individuals under stress and you will get a better idea of who they truly are. You will never know another individual if you continually attack their ideas. Simply listen and learn what you can and silently discard that which does not fit into your personal reality. We are, each one of us, both observer and an interface between ourselves and other humans, a kind of network like the internet. Try to operate within this context. Each one of us will believe differently no matter how much we attempt to cultivate the same beliefs as others; therefore, respect the beliefs of others. You can accept their beliefs, but not necessarily believe in them. Often the inability of some to change is based on the comfort that comes from familiarity.
THE ROLE OF THE PAST The past is the palette from which you paint your vision of the future, and the mind and body are the instruments that makes this image a physical reality. Think carefully before you act. Most lasting of what we have are our memories; therefore, do that which you will want to remember with joy. Do not do that which gives you pain to remember. Live a life such that your past is rich with many, many experiences and endeavors. To make manifest your vision into the material world, you must exert as much rational control over
Matter:Energy::Time:Space (MaEnTiSpa)
in concert with a vast reservoir of knowledge and experience that reside in the past which become a palette of many colors from which you paint your future. Develop the skills required to paint your masterpiece. Become the reality that others will fondly remember.
REDOING TOWARD PERFECTION The first time you do something is probably the worse it will ever be done. Afterwards, each time that it is done, it should become better. You should not do it again unless you can do it better; so, to get better at something, you have to do it over and over. The first porcelain flowerpot will be the worse. The next one will be better. (My painting teacher told me to throw away the first hundred paintings.) You will never be an excellent maker of flowerpots until you have many. You will never make the perfect flowerpot no matter how many you make. The perfect flowerpot exists only in the mind, and the ones made are a shadow of it. You can only get better. You will never be perfect. There is no certain flowerpot that is the absolute perfect one. Each person has his own idea of what a perfect flowerpot is, and this idea changes as the perceiver changes through experience in time. Each flowerpot made sheds the sort of light on the ideal that gives it a different image, that is, doing changes the image of what is perceived a perfect. Yes, perfection changes. At a given instant, there is that perfect flowerpot, but in time there will be another to take its place.
PRIORITIES One of the most difficult challenges you will face is setting your priorities. Be realistic in doing so. “Know thyself.” Suit the task to your nature, i.e., create a harmony between what you are and how you interface with your external world. Ask yourself these questions, “Can I? Will I? Do I?” If you can answer "Yes!" to these three questions, you are moving in a good direction toward implementing your priorities. Follow the Three Step Plan: (1) set near and distant future objectives after rational assessment of past experiences, ability, needs and potential, (2) set up a tentative, flexible plan to be achieved within a time frame, and (3) execute the plan with revaluation and modification as needed.
THE PROBABILITY GAME Nothing is guaranteed. If one needs something to happen, he does all that he can to increase the probability that it will. If one wants to become a master sculptor of porcelain, he learns all he can about porcelain, its physical and chemical properties. He pushes the substance to its limits. He studies the many different kinds of porcelain. He seeks out or invents tools that will extend his ability to shape it. He seeks out the knowledge of those who have worked with porcelain. He studies works in porcelain by the masters. He interacts with porcelain over and over again through his created works. He does not do the things that will decrease the probability of becoming a master of porcelain sculpture. Doing all this will not guarantee that he becomes the master of porcelain, but it will increase the probability that it will happen. In spite of all his efforts, he will never become a master sculptor of porcelain. He will only approach it as a limit.
THE SELF Seek not the approval of others, but rather seek self approval. With self approval, the approval of others will follow in a natural way. Of great importance are honest self evaluations. Seek experiences for self validation. Develop a positive self image. Make yourself into the person you like and want to be with. Define your personal reality in terms of your own experience, past and nature. Suit the task to your nature, i.e., create a harmony between what you are and how you interface with your external world. Think of yourself as a device through which the life force plays and tune yourself as you would a radio to play the best of music. Take advantage of the "good times"- learn, build, practice, refine; during the "bad times" focus on survival. Develop a direct personal relationship with Existence with no inter-mediators, just you and Existence, a kind of working duality. Let your strengths compliment the weaknesses of others and allow their strengths to compliment your weaknesses keeping in mind that in truth we are each one of us an extension of the other. "You scratch my back, I will scratch yours." Do not allow the subjective (emotional) cloud the objective (intellectual).
MANY SOLUTIONS FOR A GIVEN PROBLEM There are many solutions for a given problem and not one of them is the perfect solution. After thinking about solutions for a rational period of time, eliminate some, retain some, modify some and pick one to act on. If it turns out to not work as well as another might, try another one. Don’t worry about making mistakes. If you are not making mistakes, you are not learning effectively. Just try not to make the same mistake twice.
SPACE Space is not nothing. It is real and is defined by matter according to Einstein's relativity. Your mind, dear Annie, will propel your body through space in some manner. Space offers some challenge in managing. Worst is wasting space. In your home when short in space, use it vertically since most of the available space in a room is above the floor. A place for everything; everything in its place. Think of all the space available in our universe and contemplate the fact that you occupy a space from which you can move driven by the fuel of your mind. A planet cannot do this, nor a star. They are bound by immutable laws. Think of the freedom you have to change your space. We are all in different spaces. You cannot occupy the space I am in nor I yours. Even an electron has its own personal space. What a wonderful gift to be given your own space no matter where you are; therefore, use your space wisely and do not take it for granted and move through space with grace, confidence, with joy, strength of character, focused in knowing where you have been and where you are going.
STARTING Starting is half the battle. There are difficult things that need doing. In our mind we know what we must do. We carry this knowledge in our head; yet, oftentimes it just stays there in our thoughts, hounding us, keeping us from enjoying other things. Perhaps it is fear of failure that keeps us from acting, or perhaps we fear getting hurt or that we might have to give up some comfort. So we may do nothing. The need to act does not go away. It is still in our head, this idea that cries for birth. What does one do? They begin. A little step is taken at first. We sense that there is progress, and it gives us cause to take the next step. We gain some strength and direction from each step. Soon our steps grow surer and quicken. The journey is set. With each step we draw nearer our goal. The first step toward a particular objective has to be taken. It is the most difficult one, but each step that follows will be easier. From time to time we move backward, but the overall direction is toward the goal. We fall. We get up and are less likely to fall again. We learn from our mistakes and are thus more prepared for the next step. The very act of doing gives us greater strength, more knowledge; we are better able to see the path. The very act of doing changes us in a way that we are better able to meet our objective in knowing what works and what does not. We become shapers of our environment, molding it in a way that will increase our chances of success. This can only happen through action, and every action must have a beginning. Soon the objective is reached, and we are the better for having taken the journey. As a matter of fact, the important thing was the journey and not having reached the objective, for the journey has changed us so that the next trip toward some other objective will be easier. It is the act of living that matters, not reaching objectives. We learn. We grow. We become better prepared to deal with life. We gain a clearer vision of what life is all about. So let each step build on the one before and set the stage for the next step in the ongoing journey of your life, each step giving birth to the next.
LITTLE STEPS TOWARD BIG STEPS Do not expect to reach your destination in the moment you begin your journey. At one time the landmass of England was connected to that of the United States. Over a period of several hundred million years, the two drifted apart at the rate of a few inches per year. Can you say that one of those inches was less important than the other? Every point in the game of life is important, not just the last ones or the first ones. You must build your house one brick at a time and every brick is important. Don't expect your house to appear overnight. Chip away at life one day at a time. Be persistent. Be patient. Look for ''ways to do it better." Learn and accept your limitations and work within them. Learn and use your strengths. Develop your weaknesses.
SYMBOLS Symbols are crude representations of that which exists perfectly in the mind, that is, an idea. Oftentimes the symbol becomes the thing and is taken to be more than it is or taken without thought and as such drifts toward imperfection. There are those who place high stock in an imperfect symbol. Symbols for the most part mean different things to different people, thereby hindering communication. Some symbols evoke negative responses. Some symbols are worshipped. The justification for a symbol is the extent to which it communicates the perfection of the mind's idea. The symbol "H" means the same to everyone who uses it ( i.e., "hydrogen") and all that "hydrogen" as an element represents. The symbol "2" means the same to all who use it. Generally science and math have symbols that communicate to a high degree. Religious and national symbols do not communicate very well and often evoke negative responses from many and are often used to solicit behavior that may be detrimental to some, like wars. The symbols of the Catholic church are really funny. The costumes that the priests wear and the various ornaments that decorate the pulpit really get in the way of any chance for an intellectual journey toward the spiritual. They are distractions from rational thinking. The chantings and the rituals are poor substitutes for the thinking that takes the searcher toward his rendezvous with "God".
THERMODYNAMICS, MOST BRIEFLY Annie, I do not want to overburden you with scientific jargon, but I cannot imagine a human living out their natural life without being exposed at the least to the Four Laws of Thermodynamics.
The Zeroth Law in its simplicity makes a definition of temperature possible.
The First and Second Laws are the ones closer to being absolute. The First most simply stated says that the amount of matter:energy in the universe is constant and therefore conserved. One can be converted into another, but the sum will always be constant. The First Law commonly stated is that matter and energy can be converted from one to the other. Actually matter is a form of energy.
The Third Law states that the energy in the universe available to do work is decreasing as the entropy (measure of disorder) in the universe increases. This will eventually lead to the "Heat Death" of the universe when change becomes zero (a very, very, very long time from now). The direction of time is set by the Second Law of Thermodynamics since one cannot "un mix" a cake (high entropy/more disordered - favored by nature) into its ingredients (lower entropy/more ordered: flour, eggs, milk, baking powder, sugar)
The Fourth Law states that the entropy of a perfect crystal at absolute zero or 0 degrees Kelvin is zero. This means that in a perfect crystal, at 0 degrees Kelvin, nearly all molecular motion should ceases. [Note: (from Wikipedia) "A perfect crystal is one in which the internal lattice structure is the same at all times; in other words, it is fixed and non-moving, and does not have rotational or vibrational energy. This means that there is only one way in which this order can be attained: when every particle of the structure is in its proper place."] By the way, Annie, it is impossible to create a perfect crystal just as it is to create anything perfect. Remember that the only place where perfection can exist is in the sanctity of the Mind and that any manifestation of a perfect idea into the physical world will be imperfect. This is why we can always improve.)
TIME Of MaEnTiSpa, time is the most difficult to manage. Sometimes it is better to do the hardest things first that may take longer to do just in case you run out of time. Often times it is necessary to do a number of easy things first if they are related to the hard stuff. During transitions where major personal growth occurs (the most difficult time when major changes are occurring), it will be especially important for you to give great thought to how you will manage your time. Time, being finite, is your most important asset; therefore, spend it wisely. Better to waste your money than your time. When to act and for how long are questions to consider when spending your time. Sometimes during the expenditure of long periods of time on a given project, the returns do not warrant the quantity of time spent; therefore, leave the project allowing germination of your effort and return to the project later refreshed and more focused and more effective. For the mundane tasks develop habits for saving time. When waking, lay in bed for awhile and plan how you will spend your day time-wise. At night, lay there and review how you spent your time during that day. Find and learn the right tools to save your time. When do you optimally function, in the morning or at night? Time spent learning is among the best of investments. Find the best formula to multitask, i. e., do not become overburdened in executing your projects. Always search for ways to save time. While doing one thing, plan the next one. Do not execute the first solution of a problem. Wait. Think of other solutions. Allow one solution to evolve into the other. Your mind operates almost at light speed while your body moves along sluggishly. Eventually a solution seems best. Implement it knowing that a better one will follow if you continue the process of intellectual refinement through time. Meaningful change occurs in small increments over extended time. You can spend a lifetime on a single aspect with infinite possibilities; therefore, know when to quit. My painting teacher told the class to throw away our first 100 paintings.
TOOLS - EXTENDING THE HUMAN The physical body of a human is limited as to what it can do physically and mentally; therefore, tools. A tool is an extension of the human. A human body cannot drive a nail into a piece of wood; therefore, the hammer. A human body cannot travel to the moon; therefore, the rocket. A human mind cannot do one billion calculations per second; therefore, the computer. Tools must be viewed as parts of the human body; therefore sought after, cared for, respected, and valued.
QUESTIONS ON COMMUNICATING TRUTH IN TIME A lot is said about truth. Much verbiage is applied to it. But what is truth and where can it be found? Can it be known? Can it even be communicated in the absolute sense? Is the absolute truth that which has happened existing as a past event in our memory? Can the memories of our personal truth be communicated in the absolute sense into the so-called present? Will communication with the imperfect symbols of written and spoken words or images merely be shadows of the truth? Is there any absolute truth that exists in the future or does it exist as probabilities for occurrence? My perspective on the truth is difficulty to communicate. For me, truth exists only in the past, with as many remembered versions as there are those who remember that it exists in the future as a probability. You will need to develop your own concept of the truth. Beware of those who espouse knowing the truth especially in the absolute sense.