Sunday, November 23, 2014

Painted Longing


Amber neon scarlet sunset
Smokey plum streaked clouds chasing the sun
Cerulean blue fades to smoky gray
As the stars reach out to the last rays of light
Random sea breeze blowing fall crispy night
Faceless strangers traversing silvery pavements
Plans and dreams of the days to come
Full harvest and thanks for all they embrace
A gracious time nearly upon us all
Would that it could be this every day or every night
This sense of peace here in the darkness
Slow and haunting beautiful tune
Captivated a part of my unconscious
Reaching for something to resonate ever more with
As if the light display I had casually witnessed
Were not enough
One taste of such beauty always leaves me wanting
Just a little more, linger just a little longer
Sweet beauty moves my soul in ways, just ways
And the night, oh the night and her lights
The sky filled with stars above
The dark streets filled with bright lights below
Distracted contracted and extracting my senses
Beyond the space and time in which I now obviously inhabit
The sea breeze whispers once more
And this time I hear it
A tune meant for me
A lone soothing and mesmerizing tone so distant
Bringing back a flood of days and years
Watching water color painted skies
Contemplating dreams alive and hope taking flight
Not worried a bit with my wings now unfurled
Time to soar and perhaps yet dream
And slumber befalls me until mornings pale orange
Reaches into my heart
While the little birds singing me gently awake

© 2014 Jaie Hart


Monday, November 17, 2014

Experiential Reality

What precisely is the basis of your experiential reality?  Do you know? As I consider my own experiential reality, I have to consider what comprises its component parts:

The 5 Physical Senses:  What I see, hear, smell, touch and taste.

    The 6th Partially Physical Sense:  What I instinctively know (auto-biological, genetic and intuition).

    The 7th Sense:  This is really a refined aspect of 1. And 2. Above but it comprises the less tangible but no less important concepts of sensing energy and vibration.

The 8th Sense:  This is a further refinement of all of the above but can be compartmentalized in alternate states of consciousness and is more dimensionally oriented and not necessarily just in the physical.  I consider this sense more in tune with the level of the Spirit which is closer to the One Consciousness or Cosmic Consciousness (or 9th Sense and there are more).

So, all of the above “senses” are part of my experiential reality but based on how I perceive what my senses are taking in and then further how I objectively or subjectively label or judge what I perceive what my senses are taking in, I have established my Experiential Reality.  Is everyone’s experiential reality the same, you might wonder?  Well, the way we humans sometimes act, it seems at some level we must believe that everyone’s experiential reality is in fact the same because we are very quick to attack someone who slights us in some way for not acting or behaving as kindly or thoughtfully as we do.  But, as you can begin to see (or will see shortly), the truth is we don’t all perceive everything exactly the same way because we can’t.  We can share some perceptions and observations but part of the way we experience the world comes from our senses and how we filter and store the data.  We sense or open to receiving data and then the mind runs its processes to look throughout our experience here in this lifetime (or even others) to find something similar with which it may come to know what it is sensing.  Based on a person’s very individualized experience, the sensory data that comes in will be compared to data taken in at some point in our past.  Simulations of the mind are then run as a result of the comparison processes in order to determine what something is that we have sensed in our experience.  This means that we can have the same inputs but our resulting findings based on our experience won’t always be the same.

I find this an interesting series of thought particularly in light of the conflict of human interactions.  We assume because hubby didn’t take out the trash that hubby doesn’t think very much of us.  We also might assume based on our mind’s findings post-simulation and analysis of data, memories, etc. that when Suzie doesn’t call us when we want her too, she doesn’t like us any more.  Okay, you get the basic idea here, right?  Not everyone comes to the same conclusion after taking in the same data sets.  What further complicates the comparison process from one human being to another is that our senses are different at various levels.  If you just take the first sense, sight.  Not everyone can see 20/20 or see with color.  So, how do you determine the same data taken in but different outputs in thought results?

You see, the data we take in is first filtered by our senses and then further filtered by our memories, perceptions, judgments and beliefs and then we determine the outcome of the data set, (e.g., because of “x” in my memory banks, this is what “this” is).  Now, to further my point lets take Vera, Chuck and Dave.  Vera’s hearing isn’t perfect  but her vision is 20/20.  Chuck is color blind but has exceptional hearing.  Dave is neither color blind nor hard of hearing.  All 3 are standing on the sidewalk at a parade.  Marching directly in front of them a brightly costumed float followed by a band is playing some kind of song loud enough for the crowd to hear.  Later, all 3 of my imaginary friends get together and compare notes on the marching band and parade.  An argument ensues about how loud the music was, how drab the costumes seemed, etc.  Each asserts his or her perception is right.  But, consider, who is really right and who is wrong?  Each can argue from their perspective just on the first physical sense alone.  But what if each also has another trigger-filter inside.  The last parade Vera attended, the man next to her had a heart-attack and died leaving her her a bit apprehensive of parades.  The last parade Dave was at, he was with his friends having the time of his life.  The last parade Chuck was at, someone launched a bag of popcorn that landed squarely on his head leaving him a bit annoyed.  How might these experiences further shape their perceptions of the parade and marching band?  Again, who would be right and who would be wrong in their experience?

Now, take this concept and look at life.  Through the first 5 senses and the mind’s operating processes, we’ve already run data through multiple filters, first physical and then mental.  We can argue on the labels that result from these filters but who is right and who is wrong?  How can you tell?  Well, the 6th and 7th senses can help if you are attuned to them but what if you are not?  How could you tell who is right and who is wrong?  What if the 8th sense kicks in for one of the three and leaves one of them with a knowing that the whole event, parade, music, costumes, being there together watching it and then arguing it afterwards was just a way in which folks might better learn to understand how we take in information and experience this world? What if the 8th sense, residing more at the level of the Spirit is very in tune with all that is and sees things not in terms of right and wrong but rather in what is beneficial and what is not to a particular person’s life path?

The more you dig into this and analyze it, the more questions arise for the careful and open observer.  When you dig in you start to realize the common conflicts humanity suffers is all based on the same data taken in but sensed and then filtered differently forming individuals aspects of experiential reality.  But, if our experiential reality is not the whole truth then what is the truth?  THAT is THE Million Dollar question and one worth asking, not others, but of the self and only the self.  For only in the still and quiet moments of reflection and understanding can we ever hope to comprehend that there exists a truth of reality beyond the limits of our Experiential Reality.  Arguing for the rightness of our Experiential Reality and, therefore, negating someone else’s Experiential Reality comes down to a choice of how much energy one is willing to expend on something potentially irrelevant and illusory.  On the other hand, through the sharing of the various Experiential Realities with the understanding of the various filters and perceptions, we could stand to gain much knowledge rather than belief based on perception alone.  This theme is key to awareness of our larger conscious existence.  It takes effort but is by far more worthy of our efforts to seek understanding that to fight to be right.

From the Journal of Metaphysics and Connected Consciousness:
© 2014 J.L. Harter

Friday, November 14, 2014

Did You Know You Have A Choice?

One of life’s most challenging lessons is to learn to not take someone else's malware personally.  By malware, I mean the abrasive or unfeeling seeming behaviors born of false beliefs infecting the mental operating systems of a host.  Let me break it down for those of you who have a very hard time with being hurt by other people.  You’ve heard that “hurt people, hurt people,” right?  So, that doesn’t mean that hurt people are bad and that you should stay away from them.  What it means is that you must strive harder to understand that sometimes the behavior of others isn’t controllable just because you can control yourself and act civilly, thoughtfully and conscientiously.  If you can act in these ways it just means that you know how.  Not everyone does and that doesn’t make them lesser humans than you.  To expect people to behave in a way beyond their capability is really your problem and not theirs.

So, what does this mean to us when we are wincing at someone’s latest hurtful insult, condescending or sociopathic seeming behavior or other unsavory actions?  It means we need to step back and think about what is going on.  What are we doing to contribute to the situation and I’m not talking about blaming self?  I’m actually thinking more along the lines of "we made a choice to expect someone incapable to behave with common decency as we define it."  But what if the other person’s idea of common decency is different from yours?  Who is wrong and who is right?  Well, you could take the approach of telling the story to ten people and finding out if all or some of them agree with you but that still doesn’t prove the person who hurt you was wrong or right or that you were wrong or right in your expectation.  We put too much pressure on ourselves in our expectations concerning the behavior of others.  Learn about those with whom you spend time.  Understand what they are capable of and what they are not capable of and then make decisions accordingly about what you do (and not about how to make someone else behave).  You can chose not to interact with toxic and vexatious people and you can learn not to take their behavior personally in such a way that it is hurtful to you for longer than the few minutes (okay, maybe days) to seek understanding of the true reason for the interaction.

You can’t know another until you’ve seen the world through their eyes.  If you’ve not yet  successfully learned to leave your body and enter the body of another and view the whole of their lives in minute detail, there is just absolutely no way that you can accurately or fairly justify imposing your beliefs or ideals upon them.  That is a path to pain and I’ll tell you something harsh, it can be pain self-inflicted.  I know how hard that may be to hear but stick with me a moment and consider what it is I’m trying to teach you.  You are no victim and by standing in your own light and taking accountability for your thoughts, your actions, what you allow, what you expect and what you think, you take away the ability of another to hurt you.  How does that sound?  Doesn’t it sound better than continuing to stand in arm’s reach and earshot of someone who cannot control themselves and then crying loudly how hurt you are?  I don’t mean to sound callous.   What I’m intending to do is show you the way out of the mess you can sometimes find yourself in with other people.  You are beautifully unique as is every single person on the planet and no one sees things exactly the way you do, no one has the psychological aptitude that you do, no one has wounds alive and those healed the way you do.  We’re all unique and different in regards to these things.
So, what I suggest is that you step back, take breath, strive to understand you, strive to understand others, set boundaries where you think it’s appropriate, speak up gently and lovingly regardless of how others speak to you and spend your days with a greater sense of peace and gratitude while you live your life.  Did you know that was possible?  Did you know you had a choice?  You do.  So, what’s it going to be?  Remain mired in pain, misery, victim-hood and drama of powerlessness or rise above it through self-love, understanding and compassion?  It’s all you baby.  The world is your oyster.  Choose.

© Jaie Hart Photo and Words

Saturday, November 8, 2014

Destroy the Ego? Why?

If you’ve wandered through any spiritual or new age works either recent or reportedly ancient, you may have encountered the concept of ego destruction. As with many other ancient concepts or ideas, I cannot help but wonder if this is yet another epic misinterpretation. Forgive me, as I mean no disrespect to any person, faith or practice as I write. I merely wish to paint the picture of an alternative perspective and one that I think is sorely needed for much greater understanding. In my book, Exploring the Conscious Self for Growth and Understanding, I explored the ego and consciousness and came to the beginnings of some conclusions as follows:



In another of my works, So It’s Over, Now What, I explored another concept I wish to share with you, Malware:

Part of the brain’s simulation process is taking in data from the outside and bumping it up against the various memories we have stored within our minds. By comparing the data the mind makes assumptions about the data it has perceived, runs its simulations, comes up with assessments or conclusions, which then trigger various biological processes which can help keep us safe. Without memory and the ability to recall it, we might forget about that time fire burned our fingers and reach blindly into a flame without any caution. One of the challenges with memories is that they are not always exact and we sometimes store the memories of our resulting judgments from our mind’s simulation processes negatively. If we emotionally charge events such as those that are painful to us, those memories will be a bit easier to find during our mind’s simulation processes. The problem with the mind’s simulation processes it that the mind automatically assumes the data it takes in is correct, especially if within the memory it finds a similar painful outcome to a process. A painful memory may be distorted over time. Such memories may cause us to become triggered over an emotional landmine (read, unhealed psychological wound) that was based on an assumption not validated.

I refer to this as malware or a virus being introduced into our mental processing system. With malware or a virus in place in our mental processes, we may jump to conclusions without accurate data and decide that vengeance or revenge is the appropriate course of action given the data the mind has taken in, simulated, judged through the filters of all kinds of psychologically tainted experiences and then resulting in illusory emotion that seem real making someone feel a dire urge to strike out to preserve the ego or the body.

If your operating system is not in perfect health, you’ve let your emotional landmine blow somebody up but primarily, it’s you also that is hurt the worst by the blast because you were unaware of the psychological virus or malware unconsciously installed somewhere in your memory or emotions attached to a memory in your thought processing system. (47)

So, in two separate explorations shared, I’ve outlined a concept of the ego as that part of our Consciousness (Big “C” – Cosmic Consciousness) that has pointed its focus in this physical reality. I’ve also introduced the concept of malware in regard to the mental operating systems via beliefs and psychology in two of my separate works quoted above. Now think for just a moment. If we were to destroy the ego in an effort to spiritually advance, would we still be here in this third-dimensional reality? I don’t know the answer to that and I don’t know how we get to the answer of that. If you were to take a person and destroy their ego in quite literal terms, where would the “I” of them go? They’d still be here which means their individuation still exists and then, so would their ego. What I put forth is the idea that it is not bad to have an ego, it is not wrong to think in terms of “I” and it is not wrong to be an “I” in this frame. You can still progress in this frame spiritually by maintaining the “I” or the “Ego” or any of its component parts or aspects of consciousness. My explorations have led me to a path of consideration that it is actually not "the ego that must be destroyed in order for humanity to be awakened" but that it is the malware that must be discovered, rooted out or otherwise healed in order for an individual here in this frame with an “I” focus (what other focus can individuated consciousness have here in this frame?) to grow into greater awareness and improve health and well-being.

It is not the ego that must be destroyed or any part of your being that you should dislike or seek to destroy. In fact, it is the opposite. The “I” that is you is perfect in design. What is imperfect (or really, rather the challenge) is what you have within the concept of “I” that isn’t necessarily what you came here with, “Malware” in your mental operating processes. Now, I think in some cases that there is past-life residue that can permeate the “I” but even that is separate from the “I” that is you or the Ego. Even with malware operating in your consciousness, you can still step outside of it and observe it in action and experience the vast peaceful connectedness of the Cosmic Consciousness as Eckhart Tolle outlines in his work, The Power of Now. I think that we exist exactly as we are meant to. Our consciousness is never not connected (forgive me the double negative) to the Cosmic Consciousness but that we just have an individuated focus for the purpose of gaining experience. To me, this logically explains the variations of perception and belief from human to human. To me this logically unites many theories in a way that I can understand and that build a logical and necessary framework for me of complete compassion for every individuated aspect of consciousness here existing in the physical at this time.

So, the Ego is a part of you. To want to destroy a part of yourself, I think, is one of the most harmful concepts in existence. To understand any virus or malware existing within your mental operating system so that you can heal it and unite fragmented aspects of your consciousness into a loving, accepting, understanding and compassionate wholeness makes much more sense to me than destroying or surrendering the ego. You cannot be other than who you are. The true self is always there no matter what mental virus or malware has seeped into your consciousness. The true self can always observe, experience, understand, learn and grow even with the malware. Discovering the psychological wounds that are the "malware" and striving to transcend them brings greater understanding and a deeper sense of connectedness and awareness. You don’t have to destroy any part of you for that. You need only be open to understanding the framework within which you operate. Trust in your truest nature it is there right along with the “I” and the “We” of individuated as well as united Consciousness.

Article from: