Author: Ken Thompson

The Fragile Ego

Posted on by in Lifestyle, Philosophy and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , .

“The ego is always on guard against any kind of perceived diminishment. Automatic ego-repair mechanisms come into effect to restore the mental form of “me.” When someone blames or criticizes me, that to the ego is a diminishment of self, and it will immediately attempt to repair its diminished sense of self through self-justification, defense, or blaming.”

— Tolle

The ego can be fragile – easily offended, easily angered, feeling threatened easily, quick to blame others…

Is there anything beyond the human ego?

Obviously, yes, but most of us grow up in environments that enforce & reinforce individual egos – in both inferior & superior ways; artificial identities.

We learn to identify with our race & country – & to feel threatened by other races & countries… We are taught to identify with where we were born & to imagine that our country & race is superior to other countries.

Is anyone’s country or race superior to another? No, but people are not taught this. People learn egoic identities from an early age & egos are reinforced time & time again until people genuinely start believing in lies: that their race & country are superior to other races & countries .. politicians especially reinforce theirs & others egos by preaching supremacy, & then pastors in churches reinforce politics by preaching supremacy by supporting racism, sexism, egoic ways of thinking…

the blind flow of the ego has led us all here… will we continue with the fragile & easily threatened egoic ways that cause wars, hatred, violence?

… or will something new emerge?

Something beyond the ego? …

Fight For Your Mental Freedom

Posted on by in Book Reviews!, Dream, Lifestyle, Philosophy and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , .

“If the words ‘life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness’ don’t include the right to experiment with your own consciousness, then the Declaration of Independence isn’t worth the hemp it was written on.”

— Terence McKenna

Experimenting with your consciousness is not for everyone, and it’s sometime seen as taboo, but it should always remain open to experiment with. Clearly. Even if it brings clouds & smoke your way at times, it can also bring clarity and love.

I don’t encourage anyone to experiment with their consciousness. I encourage people to do what works for them.

I, though, once or twice a year, use a high dosage of a psychedelic, and it takes me to often heavenly and sometimes hellish places … it’s worth it to me every time, since I rarely do it, and since the experience is so alien & cosmic & beautiful, for me at least.

The integrations before during & after are important, but sometimes the purpose is about the experience itself; nothing more & nothing less. There & then. Here & now.

It’s not for everyone, but if you’re interested in the psychedelic experience, here is a guide containing preparations & activities before during & after your experience.

Trip well 🙂

Discard Emphatic Trifles

Posted on by in Lifestyle, Philosophy and tagged , , , , , , , , , , .

“At times the whole world seems to be in conspiracy to importune you with emphatic trifles. Friend, client, child, sickness, fear, want, charity, all knock at once at thy closet door, and say,–‘Come out unto us.’ But keep thy state; come not into their confusion… 

…The power men possess to annoy me, I give them by a weak curiosity. No man can come near me but through my act. What we love that we have, but by desire we bereave ourselves of the love.”

—Emerson

Conspiracy.

Was Emerson right?

Do people actually go out of their way to bother others? – To try & bring emphatic trifles into another’s life?

I can’t imagine any decent person doing that to someone, but this world is filled with a whole range of people.

It’s filled with people seeking power, liars, manipulators, greed, ego .. all for what?

People don’t even know…

Some light would be nice. Some truth.

& some encouragement even maybe – rather than discouragement & bothering others… but if you want to be encouraged, begin by encouraging yourself.

Don’t enter the confusion of the masses & of the criminal “leaders” of today…beware of their greed & their shallow ways, and just go your own way.

Love yourself, & don’t ever expect love from a lying politician or any of the criminals in the “upper” class.

In Pursuit of Your Dreams

Posted on by in Dream, Lifestyle, Philosophy and tagged , , , , , .

“The closer he got to the realization of his dream, the more difficult things became…In his pursuit of the dream, he was being constantly subjected to tests of his persistence and courage. So he could not be hasty, not impatient. If he pushed forward impulsively, he would fail to see the signs and omens left by God along his path.”

— Paulo Coelho

In pursuit of your dreams, you will be tested.

& if you choose to pursue your dreams – & the journey of your dreams – you will reach a point where sirens will screech into your ears.

You may encounter a cyclops, & perhaps witches who try casting spells upon you…

As you pursue your dreams you may even feel at one point the entire world calling out to you – to go to them & to stop following your dreams.

The noise may get so loud that you temporary (or permanently) lose your mind or go crazy…

haha, & it’s all alright – all a part of the marvelous universe dancing, even dancing with you & your dreams.

I encourage you to seek your best dreams & to surround yourself with people who encourage & uplift you.

Patience is not only needed in the beginning, but along every step of your way.

Enjoy 🙂

From The Outside In To The Inside Out 

Posted on by in Lifestyle, Philosophy and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

In the United States & places of the West, people are often, if not always, living from an outside-in perspective. 

They experience life never within themselves, but always outside of themselves – reacting to environments & people rather than experiencing life. Most have literally become a product of their dead political environments, & not a part of the true living nature that is within us & all around us, at all times. 

I have studied & practiced methods & techniques from both the East & the West, & I enjoy learning about all of them. I do prefer living life from the inside-out though – I prefer living empowered within myself – & not being a reactive machine conformist to nothing – to a dead society. 

I choose life & non-conformity every time. 

This doesn’t make me better than anyone – it just is me making a choice to choose what I believe & how I perceive life – rather than taking someone else’s word for it – rather than being manipulated by the criminal oppressors of this world… 

Here’s Alan Watts with a short relative paragraph to this topic:

“Just try and see something from another point of view for a change. I’m not saying that we should do what the Hindus do, but just look at it in from another point of view. And they would smile at us and say, ‘You really think it’s as real as all that?’

‘Have you never experienced what’s on the inside of this game?’

See the trouble with you Westerners is you never experience first. You never got down to the root of reality. You don’t know that state of consciousness. And so you’re frantically trying to patch everything up, and pin it all together – Screw the universe up so that it’s fixed…

You can never do it. All you’ll be doing is wildly rushing around and creating trouble.”
-Alan Watts

My question to you is, are you experiencing life? 

Or merely existing? 

Do you live as a reaction? 

Or do you live alive & active?

Meditations are a great way to begin going within and trying the inside-out perspective — to at least try it for even a short time and see if it’s for you or not for you. It’s perfect either way! 

Begin your meditations here: 

Waves of The Present

Posted on by in Lifestyle, Philosophy and tagged , , , , , , , .

“You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find eternity in each moment.”

— Thoreau

Do oceans wave in the past or future?

Or do you wave your hand in the past or future?

Waves happen now.

Life happens now.

You can spend your life in phantom fears – or living with ghosts & lifeless machine people, or you can break through & experience waves of the present.

Life happens today, here, now.

The Phantom Mind & The Active Present

Posted on by in Book Reviews!, Lifestyle, Motivation, Philosophy, Success and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

“. . Action always happens in the present, because it is an expression of the body, which can only exist in the here and now. But the mind is like a phantom that lives only in the past or future. It’s only power over you is to draw your attention out of the present.”

— Dan Millman

If I were to tell you that there are people & organizations working to manipulate people out of the true present moment, you may or may not believe me.

There are also some who work in love to bring themselves & others into a loving present moment – which is more difficult than living in the past or future, but it’s where everything is truly happening, all the time.

Anyway, Millman talks about the phantom mind & the present moment here. Action happens in the present moment, but even in action many people are living in the past or future & not actually in the present.

The phantom mind is powerful, but the true present moment is more powerful, & usually more beautiful.

Meditation practice is one of the best ways to experience the direct present moment.

Begin here, now 🙂

The Enlightened Fool

Posted on by in Lifestyle, Philosophy and tagged , , , , , .

“The enlightened fool is the one who sees the ego trips of society and can still find joy and laughter in its midst. The fool is often the enlightened one, the one with crazy wisdom, with laughter and jokes as their weapon, they cut through mundane conformity and bring to light the latent child like bliss bubbling just beneath the surface of all seriousness.  The fool possesses a wisdom that is out of reach of the conformist. A playful attitude in touch with enormous amounts of creativity.”

— Alan Watts

I can’t say that I am an enlightened fool, but this quote makes me want to be more like the enlightened fool described here – to see through the ego trip of society and still find joy & laughter in the midst. – to cut through the mundane conformity and bring to light the child like bliss beneath the surface of all seriousness. To possess a wisdom out of reach from the conformist. A playful attitude in touch with enormous amounts of creativity.

I do sometimes see through the ego trip of society, but I don’t always laugh at it… it’s probably all funny from an objective view, but there is a seriousness needed too, to live our best lives.

Balance, perchance?