Managing Resources

[shezmear]

When I was a teenager I played guitar quite well for my age, so my mother, god bless her, bought me a beautiful 12 string guitar, she worked like 2 weeks doing back breaking work roustabouting and shearing sheep to buy me this guitar, when I played it for her, she liked the sound of it and I think it made her a little happy, , later in my teens I became very serious about music and I think in retrospection, I was too serious, anyway I lost the plot and gave music up all together, what instruments I did not give away I smashed, including the 12 string guitar,

Looking back a clear mismanagement of my own psychic forces and demonstration of immaturity of what was at my disposal and what I had been given.

After this my father always badgered me about my playing, and I refused to play, he would even go to the trouble of trying to be sneaky by coming over to my flat and saying , this guitar needs fixing can you fix it?, then once I had gone to the trouble of fixing it , he would not take it back and leave it with me, and I would get stuck with this guitar, this period was a real tough time in my life, I remember having this conversation with my father and he said that I was in denial about who I was, and this had a ring of truth to it.

Anyway 15 years latter and a few more trips around the block, I have almost subconsciously gone out and bought all the same instruments again, including getting back one of my favorite instruments from a friend of mine, I even went out an bought another 12 string guitar, and when I mean went out and bought one, I mean , I was really determined to, I was sweating and all energetic like a child, I had to just go and buy one, there was no question, I found one about half the price of my original one, and I have started playing it again, the funny thing is I’m doing what I was 15 years ago, except this time I play a lot better and playing has helped me explore my own psyche and given me a reason to feel like living again , strangely enough.

When I think about this cycle, it’s like being given a life, an opportunity, and if you mismanage it, you get to go home and have a rest, and when you are ready, when you have mustered your courage and strength you come back and do it again, one way or the other, but by doing it again and hopefully better, you finally graduate, and fulfill your purpose,

And we all get given stuff but we don’t always known the value of it, take for example, a good physical body, how many people do you know that abuse their body? They eat *** food; take drugs, smoke, and squander there youth, or a beautiful planet? And we throw it away, and yet in the right hands, the right consciousness, the instrument can create the most beautiful music, inspire the most beautiful sensations,

The management of the resources both conscious and material is an indication of spiritual maturity; for example, earth could almost be as comfortable as thiaoouba, if we just managed our resources a lot better.

[Alisima]

...for example, earth could almost be as comfortable as thiaoouba...

And how comfortable is that??

[shezmear]

I new someone would jump on that, what I mean is, we have the ability to generate happiness, we have the same ingredients, such as food,water,shelter, and each other, this is what I mean by comfortable, we have all the necessary indigents to be able to live comfortably such as they live on thiaoouba.

O one more thing, I accidentally read your signature, ..sorry…

[Robanan]

Thank you for sharing your experience shezmear, I value what you say a lot since I myself had a pretty much similar experience, my problem was that I used to be way too emotional -I smashed my computer simply because it couldn't do what I wanted it to do, and I smashed my electronic keyboard since the people around me at that time, loved me because I played beautiful music. The next day I understood that with all the bad I also destroyed all the good. I realized that in order to get everything of what I needed for my comfort I'll have to learn how to manage small and very limited resources, so in four years I got myself a notebook computer and a midi controller. What I'm currently learning is how to manage time.

I new someone would jump on that, what I mean is, we have the ability to generate happiness, we have the same ingredients, such as food,water,shelter, and each other, this is what I mean by comfortable, we have all the necessary indigents to be able to live comfortably such as they live on thiaoouba.

, I totally agree with you when you say:"The management of the resources both conscious and material is an indication of spiritual maturity". As you say, we are still to learn how to manage our conscious resources, plus to this we are to learn how to manage the amount of comfort we allow for ourselves since comfort is an inner state in itself. I mean pay attention that comfort is not a car is not a computer is not a bed it's that specific inners state of which you are conscious and aware. If not managed, consequences can be lazyness and even depression.

[Aisin]

Thanks for sharing your personal experience shezmear & Robanan!

Somehow your stories remind me of the story in 'The Alchemist' by Paulo Coelho. Sometimes we run around trying to discover the treasures elsewhere, only to realize the treasure had been under our feet where we first stood.

And we all get given stuff but we don’t always known the value of it, take for example, a good physical body, how many people do you know that abuse their body? They eat *** food; take drugs, smoke, and squander there youth, or a beautiful planet? And we throw it away, and yet in the right hands, the right consciousness, the instrument can create the most beautiful music, inspire the most beautiful sensations,

And this is very very true. Maybe you should have asked how many people are not consciously or unconsciously abusing their body, that would have made it easier to answer. And those doing it unconsciously, we can't totally blame them, in our conventional education, we're not really taught to value our health and our built-in healing capabilities, let alone the 'how-to's.

Glad that you've both re-discovered your respective talents.

[shezmear]

Robanan and aisin, I`m glad we could relate to each other on this...

[Alisima]

we have the ability to generate happiness, we have the same ingredients, such as food,water,shelter, and each other, this is what I mean by comfortable, we have all the necessary indigents to be able to live comfortably such as they live on thiaoouba.

Generate happiness?? Tell me, how do you generate happiness?? My god, what is happiness?? Do a little experiment: tomorrow, the whole day, you generate happiness.

As they live on thiaoouba?? Please understand, there is a difference between what is described in books and what actually is. In other words: you don't exactly know how they live there. And all the bits and pieces you are not sure about are complemented by your imagination, depending ofcourse on how imaginative you are. So what happens next? You start comparing this world with a world only described in a book complemented with some imagination, not to mention all the degrees of interpretations the book has. Does this sound familiar?? Isn't this what always happens?? The birth of a religion...

My point is: you should not compare, because you cannot compare. Even while comparing you fall in the trap, the mind trap. You can't compare because both idea's you compare are yours. If you could compare your idea with mine, or with anyone else, that would be very valuable, but you can't. The moment I tell you mine idea, for comparing, your mind already 'twists' the facts, and brings in new associations, ergo, it is not my idea anymore. So, when comparing, you compare an idea you have with another idea you have, and then you say: "this idea is better." But, since both of your idea's do not correspond with 'reality' anymore, your conclusion is false.

It may seem insignificant, specially against "managing resources", but I tell you: this is what has happened throughout history. All religions are born like this, all wars are fought because of this: because I think you thought something. Or, to put it into context, you compare your idea about the world with the idea you have about thiaoouba. This is doomed for failure. First of all, the idea you have about the world is incorrect, and secondly, the idea you have about thiaoouba is way worse. You never been there!!

Hmm, perhapse I have been a bit enthusiastic in my response. Nevermind, just understand.

[Robanan]

Generate happiness?? Tell me, how do you generate happiness?? My god, what is happiness?? Do a little experiment: tomorrow, the whole day, you generate happiness.

Oops, thank you for reminding Alisima I think he just misused a word.

As they live on thiaoouba?? Please understand, there is a difference between what is described in books and what actually is. In other words: you don't exactly know how they live there. And all the bits and pieces you are not sure about are complemented by your imagination, depending ofcourse on how imaginative you are. So what happens next? You start comparing this world with a world only described in a book complemented with some imagination, not to mention all the degrees of interpretations the book has. Does this sound familiar?? Isn't this what always happens?? The birth of a religion...

I can only agree with Alisima guys. I can add that this must be the reason why michel wrote just about a few very well chosen examples to make his points clear about the people of Thiaoouba and just that. Notice that everything about the people of Thiaoouba is not told in the book.

My point is: you should not compare, because you cannot compare. Even while comparing you fall in the trap, the mind trap. You can't compare because both idea's you compare are yours. If you could compare your idea with mine, or with anyone else, that would be very valuable, but you can't. The moment I tell you mine idea, for comparing, your mind already 'twists' the facts, and brings in new associations, ergo, it is not my idea anymore. So, when comparing, you compare an idea you have with another idea you have, and then you say: "this idea is better." But, since both of your idea's do not correspond with 'reality' anymore, your conclusion is false.

Intresting point of view Alisima, but people can compare since they do this relatively to their level of understanding. What you have observed as a mind trap is true but it's not really a mind trap the mind just does what it is supposed to do; The trap, can be as simple as a misunderstanding to be wrongly taken as an understanding (hehe ). It turns out to be outmost essential that a person should develop his/her awareness, consciousness and the ability to understand. When you say: "So, when comparing, you compare an idea you have with another idea you have," you are outstandingly correct (I personally admire your level of awareness), I whish to add that the reason for it to be like this seems to be because the intellect is designed to be able to develop only by itself and from within itself.

Let's imagine that a person wants to avoid making the same mistake again. You see that having an educated mind which can make valuable comparisons within itself is an excellent thing to have

Hmm, perhapse I have been a bit enthusiastic in my response. Nevermind, just understand.

naaaah, nevermind as I explained above those who thrive for developing their understanding do take care about understanding by themselves.

The last word stays with shezmear thanks to my father for having been a living example of this in my life:
"The management of the resources both conscious and material is an indication of spiritual maturity".

[shezmear]

Alisima, I was just trying to make a simple point that i thought would be helpful, that is all

[Lena]

later in my teens I became very serious about music and I think in retrospection, I was too serious, anyway I lost the plot and gave music up all together, what instruments I did not give away I smashed, including the 12 string guitar,

what do you mean by "plot"? did you mean to write "point"?
specifically, what made you so upset that you destroyed your instruments and stopped playing music? im curious because your story sounds similar to my own relationship with art, but I think maybe our motives were/are different.

[shezmear]

Hi Lena

Plot in Australia is a way of saying, lost my mission, my plan, my vision, and in some cases can even mean, lost my mind, I lost the plot…

When I first started to play guitar as a child, I did it because I just liked doing it, that was it, I was inspired by other players at the time, and it was just fun, I never really judged what I did, as good or bad, and just worked at it as I became older, I began to hang more and more on it and embellish my ego through my instrument, I put more and more pressure on my self to perform, until there was so much hanging on it, it became really hard work, I became fanatical, it was all about music, till I strangled everything else in my life including it seems my own creativity, then when the music did not deliver, and I for example, would have to go with out food, or be forced to live on potatoes and peppermint tea for weeks at a time, , true story, then I said, you know this is not good for me, and I threw in the towel, almost as revenge on my music because in my mind I had given so much of my self, for nothing, for years latter I could not even pick up a guitar, my father who at the time was negotiating with Record companies, would occasionally get a call from one of there agents to ask, was I doing anything new, to which I was not and could not really play, all I could associate to playing was struggle as a pose to enjoyment.

I was not mature enough to balance my own psychic state, so I went all or nothing, as a pos to going, maybe I can find a middle path here, like, get a day job, and play a coupled of hours a day, as appose to playing 6 hours a day every day and isolating my self.

Now when I play, I just do it when I like and run with the creative moment, till it’s all gone then I rest for a couple of days, then I get the jitters again and I go write some more, till it’s all gone, and it seems to happen naturally, I still have to set dead lines but no were near as intense as I used to be and I can hold down my day job and still live out my creative ideas as well as live in the world.

What was your medium as an artist?

[Yothu]

Generate happiness?? Tell me, how do you generate happiness??

By experience, I can say: You generate happiness by thinking about it.

I propose an experiment you can use to prove it to yourself:

Find some people that are capable to fantasize and think about happiness. Maybe your friends - or, let's say: - likely your friends.

Good, sit around and think focused about (the) happiness ([you had] in your own life). Maybe memories, maybe you'll want to use your imagination.

Imagine happiness and you will generate it.

If "mere thinking" is not effective for you, talk about happy moments, happy episodes, happy memories in each your lifes. The fun will come naturally.

That is what happiness is to me.

[Lena]

What was your medium as an artist?

mostly computer art and drawing. A lot of the time I would force myself to finish something so I could show it off for attention and an ego boost. then after reading TP I thought it would be better for me to be less materialistic, so I channeled all my creative energy into spirituality instead of art. I don't feel the need to make 2D art anymore. but who knows, maybe some day I'll pick it up again without trying to impress anyone, like you did with guitar.

[shezmear]

edited by Robanan: fixed a quote on the post.

By experience, I can say: You generate happiness by thinking about it.

I propose an experiment you can use to prove it to yourself:

Find some people that are capable to fantasize and think about happiness. Maybe your friends - or, let's say: - likely your friends.

Good, sit around and think focused about (the) happiness ([you had] in your own life). Maybe memories, maybe you'll want to use your imagination.

Imagine happiness and you will generate it.

If "mere thinking" is not effective for you, talk about happy moments, happy episodes, happy memories in each your lifes. The fun will come naturally.

This is exactly what I mean…

mostly computer art and drawing. A lot of the time I would force myself to finish something so I could show it off for attention and an ego boost. then after reading TP I thought it would be better for me to be less materialistic, so I channeled all my creative energy into spirituality instead of art. I don't feel the need to make 2D art anymore. but who knows, maybe some day I'll pick it up again without trying to impress anyone, like you did with guitar.

Yes, i understand..

[shezmear]

sorry I can't quite make sense of the whole Quote operation.