WHAT ON EARTH HAS GONE WRONG?
“It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World!” 1963 ‧ Comedy/Adventure ‧ 3h 22m
It’s a sad, sad, sad world!
In the 1960s there was a comedy (above) that became very popular “It’s a mad, mad world!” Half a century later, they haven’t yet made a movie entitled, “It’s a sad, sad world!” Tragedies don’t sell. The former was indicative of that period. The latter, although indicative of our period will be condemned for being so direct. No one wants to face our complex realities and the responsibilities they entail.
If indeed there were extraterrestrial beings visiting our planet then, they sure will be disappointed returning today. Undoubtedly wondering, “What went wrong with Planet Earth?” Worse than that, we should be ashamed of ourselves. Just imagine after so much technological progress, we are regressing so rapidly on a personal level.
Currently, some of the major causes of death and ill health are stress, sadness, and suicide. I coin them as the 3 S’s, but I did not come out with the warning that they have reached pandemic proportions today. The WHO of the UN has done so, and they are usually behind on their statistics. This is a warning we should take very seriously.
Through my Oriental background and discipline, I believe that in as much as man has been the root cause of this escalation, man shall be the path to its solution. But we have to start somewhere, and the best way is to start with ourselves through inward introspection.
How well do you know yourself?
Much better than you think you do. In responding, your first impulse may be an external reference because you have not spent enough time alone with yourself. The easiest assessment of the basics is knowing what goes against your grain. The next step is assessing what you appreciate or admire, and desire for your life. This should cover every aspect from the intimate, to the social, and professional spheres. I would suggest that you start jotting your ideas down.
Almost everyone ignores the power within, their sole authority and exclusive responsibility over their lives. They underestimate their value and seek validation elsewhere. Their self is a private space where they alone determine who and what enters and exits. Like a computer, what goes in, comes out. So be mindful of what goes in. From the food you ingest, the information you accept of the negativity you absorb from those around you. If you do not assume authority responsibly, then you are accumulating unnecessary layers creating a hard outer crust, while concealing a fragile inner core. This leads to either an explosion ending in rejection, or an implosion leading to depression, addiction, isolation, or suicide.
However, seeking happiness requires harmony. Harmony requires balance. This should be your objective to balance your life. There are certain things we can control while others are beyond our control. We soon learn that we have to manage the latter with what comes our way, while we seek to improve our conditions or circumstances. Our Will represents our desire and our Intellect guides our method in achieving it. This requires a practical example: if a woman loves a man, yet he is very difficult to live with, her Intellect should tell her that she cannot change him, but she can rather change her approach towards him in order to achieve her Will, by bringing the best out in him through tact, firmness at times, and spiced with diplomacy.
We are living in a state of polarized duality, and opposite extremes. Expressing ourselves openly is demonized while repressing our feelings is destroying us. As if this were insufficient, we are physically subjected to the worst human routine and environment in our history. We are now mentally and neurologically connected through imposition, and no longer autonomous decision. For example, I refuse to watch television bombarded with constant tragic news and unnecessary replays of favorite programs, etc. I abandoned a lethargically bad habit that was in endless replay mode and discarded a negative mantle that dampened my spirit instead of elevating it.
Cause and Effect
Although technology is marvelous, we have turned it into a bad habit from the moment we connect our not-so-smartphones from sunrise until we disconnect them at bedtime (if we do). I will be happy if you disagree because if you do, you shall be entrapped in the conclusion that we are the fundamental cause. Eventually, I shall suggest some remedies which have worked perfectly well for me, and which I hope will work for you also. I am of the conviction that a 2-week trial will work wonders to persuade you.
Do you realize how we are incessantly bombarded with images everywhere we look? Our brains are so overloaded with them that they drown the written words. Consequently, our eyes move at superhuman speed that we only observe keywords and today no one any longer reads attentively. We probably no longer dream in images anymore and simply collapse into a dreamlike condition. We also no longer dialogue with tones, expressions, vibrations, or eye contact, we rather monologue through texts –deteriorating our language structure and spelling. We no longer interact naturally/organically, and some are fearful of doing so. We are gradually becoming bio-robots (another word I am coining).
We are physically shattered by the end of the day, badly nourished, lacking sleep, and with little or no emotional connection. We have become dysfunctional human beings. Although we are complex wholesome creatures of body, mind, will, emotion, heart, and soul. With our minds and bodies in overdrive, programmed and zapped, the rest has become obsolete. Our hearts are disposable, and our souls are lifeless. Similar to life-like quasi-humans coming out of a torture chamber, without a single spark in their being, preferring death to remain alive, without motivation or hope. It is already obvious where this is sadly heading. After all, what are we without a mind, emotions, and a soul?
As we remain connected, we type more words while resorting to less speech. By typing more, we are writing less, devoid of any creativity. We are no longer in contact with nature to revive our instincts or elevate our natural impulses. The next pandemic shall become the sexlessness of the human race which is closely manifesting itself through the derailed Woke uprising through a gifted new generation in search of meaning for their lives — the anticipated generation, which is expected to save us all, while we age into early Alzheimer and senility.
Whenever we are connected, we are involuntarily and unselectively overloaded with either violent news (anger), tragedy (sadness), sex (titillation and stimulation), or marketing (compulsion). Anything to spike our primitive emotions and arrest our attention — an endless rollercoaster of futility in our lives. Since we know that, why do we remain continuously connected? Who said we have to? After all, interiorizing this poisonous cocktail of emotions will inevitably create a short-circuit breakdown. Either an implosion that leads to the collapse of our entire system or, worse still, an unjustified explosion like mad mass killings in schools, or elsewhere. The primary victims are the volatile youth. Without management and control, we remain the principal cause.
Without our brains what are we?
Nothing. Zombies.
Remedies through example
1. I am living in a country where everyone is jointly OCD and BPD. They cannot detach themselves from their smartphones for a second — OCD, like kids clinging to their toys. Yet not maximizing their usage. They no longer listen attentively, although they never stop speaking over their phones, and they have no concentration to read. I have advised all friends of the following, well in advance:
- To reduce the volume of talk and voicemails, and not to waste my time writing, I’ve set a rule that I receive no calls except during my lunch break and after closing hours. Business and family are my only exceptions.
- For people who are inattentive, I ask them to confirm whatever has been discussed in writing because if they don’t, I will not take their next call. That is because they have no memory and tend to be stubborn or argumentative. They have adjusted very well.
2. My only human capitals are my soul, mind, and emotions (heart):
- Any negative person usurping my window of time unproductively, is gradually phased out of my life, regardless of intimacy or family.
- My morning meditation is religious to my well-being. I intentionally wake up earlier than anyone at home, to practice it for one full and peaceful hour. It charges my batteries for the day and even if hell broke loose, I’ll be perfectly serene and joyful. It is my internal compass.
- I take my lovely dog for a one-hour rigorous walk every morning. That’s my outdoor exercise.
- I only connect my not-so-smart phone when I leave my home every morning — and not before. I switch it off for dinner…until the next morning. I set my example at home.
- I entertain friends every weekend, whether for lunch or for dinner.
- I’ve informed all my interdenominational friends that Sunday is my Sabbath and my phone is off throughout the day. I can attend to all their SMS’ on Monday morning only in writing — unless there is an urgent issue.
- Did you know that our 2nd brain is our stomach? Science has proven that it interacts directly with our brain. This pivot in this whole network is our liver. In fact, in TCM, the liver is the most important organ in the body, taking precedence over the heart. Anger and negativity are bad for the liver.
I ensure that I focus on quality rather than quantity in my diet. I refuse to adhere to the social hours of eating unless I am invited somewhere (to be civil and polite). Otherwise, I only eat when I get hunger pangs. Usually around 11 am, and 5 pm. For dinner, I have an uncooked snack or something light. Fruits, nuts, cereals, seeds, whole grains, organic bread, and dairy products are integral to my diet. I only eat fish or meat when I am invited to friends (I trust them), but not in restaurants.
I have learned through my dog that if I have no appetite, I should fast for 24 hours to permit my body to regulate itself naturally.
The only alcohol I take is in social events. My choice is Campari (plant roots) and tonic, or red wine and champagne (same family). I do not touch the heavily commercialized variety.
- I don’t even know what “recreational”. “hard”, or other drugs look like. As a person who meditates and as I mentioned previously, I will not permit myself to lose control of my mind unless I go to sleep.
I have generously shared my above remedies without suggesting you buy my book or CDs, nor check my links on various platforms with the “don’t forget to Like & Subscribe!” jargon. If they have worked for me, I hope and wish they work for you as well. Alternatively, you can pick and choose what suits you and integrate that into your program.
Discipline is rewarding and balance leads to a wholesome harmony. I wish you all the best!
Sammy RNAJ
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