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ionfusionpunk · 3 years

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Sith, Grey Jedi, and Jedi: What They Teach Us About the Force pt 3

All right. We have rather exhaustively examined the black-and-white beliefs of more well-known factions within the Star Wars universe. They are not, however, the only factions. We hear of the Guardians of the Whills, people who guard the Temple of Kyber on the planet Jedha. Besides being guardians, they are also scholars of the Force; they even have their own sort of Code, though I will not go into that. There are also several factions of Dark practitioners - most notably the Nightsisters of the planet Dathomir. And in between them all are the Grey Jedi.

As I mentioned in the very beginning, the definition for ‘Grey Jedi’ varies on the individual, the era, and the practices of the time. Very broadly, a Grey Jedi is an individual who does not believe in a Light and Dark; to them, there is only the Force, and it is the intent of the individual that determines whether the action is ‘good’ or ‘bad’ - not what side the Force user may have drawn from (because there are no sides). Each Grey Jedi has essentially adopted their own Code - their own moral compass - to guide them, and as such there are several Grey Jedi Codes. For the sake of my own patience and sanity, I only chose the five which vary most in possible interpretation. The shortest of the examples I have chosen is also, somewhat ironically, the closest in structure to the Sith Code, so I would like to start there.

There is no light without the dark.

Through passion, I gain focus.

Through knowledge, I gain power.

Through serenity, I gain strength.

Through victory, I gain harmony.

There is only the Force.

This particular variation seems to strike a rather balanced dichotomy between the Sith and Jedi Codes.

“There is no light without the dark.” This seems to be very straight forward and even obvious. Light creates shadows, and the brighter the light, the darker the shadows. In the Dhammapada, the text Buddhism is based upon, there is a concept that may give us further insight. It is first important to understand, however, that in Buddhism, their very first belief - given, in fact, in the first verse - is that all that we are is made of all that we have thought. The second verse of the first chapter, the title of which is translated aptly as (The) Pairs, boils down to: if you think “pure” thoughts, happiness will follow you like a shadow. In other words, to think only of the Light will make you of the Light, and your happiness will forever be out of reach. From this we devise that the Jedi, as focused on the Light as they are, might find fulfillment in their work but never true happiness. In the black-and-white morals the Sith and Jedi often perceive the universe to be made of, ‘happiness’ is the carnal pleasures, the love, the simple worldly joys found in everyday life - the pleasure and joys the monastic Jedi eschew; these joys are their shadows, the things they leave behind but that haunt them even without their knowing as they strive to look only forward towards the Light. The Sith, on the other hand, thrive in that shadow but by their very nature twist the simplistic and perhaps innocent joys into darker wraiths, contorting and distorting that which the Jedi leave behind. What the Sith have is not happiness but lust and greed, sloth and envy, wrath and gluttony and hubris - the shadows of the shadows, the weapons of their own destruction.

“Through passion, I gain focus.” Instead of using your passion to propel you forward, you use your passion to help you stay on your chosen path. Your passion, logically, guides you. For example, if your chosen passion is art, then you would not be able to helpfully apply that passion to, say, a job as a data analyst.

“Through knowledge, I gain power.” Understanding of the situation, of the circumstances, of yourself, give you power over those things. Knowledge is power, essentially, and a Grey Jedi uses this to their advantage. Instead of viewing knowledge as enlightenment, the Grey Jedi see knowledge as a vital tool in their journey whatever it may be.

“Through serenity, I gain strength.” The danger with drawing strength from passion as the Sith do is this: passion is strong; if left unchecked, if unguided by the knowledge to utilize it as a magnifying glass focuses sunlight, passion can overpower reason. We see this with Anakin Skywalker himself in Revenge of the Sith. His passion in regard to Padme - his need to protect her, his love for her - overwhelms him when Sidious exploits the fears attached to those passions, and it results in Anakin basically going insane. He allowed his stronger emotions - not his lesser loyalty to the Order, not his platonic love for Obi-Wan as a teacher and brother - to control him, and thus is the Fall of a Jedi and the Rise of a Sith. A Grey Jedi, however, draws their strength from their serenity - the serenity that allows them to step back and review the situation, that keeps them from falling prey to their darker emotions and desires, that allows them to control themselves. The Grey Jedi accept that Darkness exists only inasmuch as their Light creates it; they counteract this by finding a way to balance themselves between the two, of welcoming emotion, of harnessing their passions, of using their knowledge, while refusing to allow their emotions to weaken their defenses, their passions to control them, and their knowledge of becoming a poisonous pride. This is demonstrated in “The Art of Happiness,” a book written by the 14th Dalai Lama, which is about ‘divorcing’ yourself from the hate and the anger - the darker emotions - so that they do not become a part of you; this is a HUGE concept in Buddhism.

“Through victory, I gain harmony.” Now, this Code does not explicitly state what they are gaining a victory over, but if we continue in the vein that the philosophies of the Grey Jedi follow more closely those found in the Dhammapada as opposed to those found in the Bhagavad Gita, then we can look to Buddhism, where control of the self is crucial. This means, then, that the Grey Jedi seek victory over themselves so that a balance might be struck within themselves. If we are the result of what we think, then harmony within ourselves will result in harmony around us. The Dhammapada likewise teaches that all things must be in moderation so that our senses may be controlled, and that balance located.

“There is only the Force.” This echoes the first tenet somewhat but emphasizes that there is no true ‘good’ or ‘bad’ except what we make of them ourselves. Where the Bhagavad Gita preaches dharma, the Dhammapada teaches us that, as Qui-Gon Jinn - considered by many of the Jedi Order of the time to be somewhat of a Grey Jedi - our focus determines our reality. Albert Einstein expresses something remarkably similar when he says, “Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.” The Force and only the Force is the truth, the end, and the beginning, and where they go in the meantime. Actually, we had a conversation about this in my Philosophy of Eastern Religions class. When asked what the truth is, our professor said that “Truth is a pathless land.” In all ways this is true. If the Force is the truth, then being an impartial non-entity, it has no direction. The point of all this is that it is up to us to determine what we believe, what our truth is, and what path we take in this friendless wilderness.

And the Grey Jedi embody this. By walking their own paths, by each one choosing their own Code to follow, they are adhering to their beliefs as the Jedi and Sith never could. The Grey Jedi do not deny the existence of the darkness within themselves - but technically neither do the Jedi. However, instead of allowing that darkness to control them like the Sith or entirely leaving the darkness behind like the Jedi, they accept that darkness as a part of themselves and all living things. In Buddhism there is something known as the Four Noble Truths - the basis of Buddhism, in fact. The First Truth is that all life is suffering. The Second Truth is that this suffering comes from selfishness. The Third Truth is that this selfishness can be overcome. And the Fourth Truth is that only through the Eightfold Path can that selfishness be overcome. The Eightfold Path can be broken down to: Right view; right intention; right speech; right action; right livelihood; right effort; right mindfulness; and right concentration. As discussed, however, “Truth is a pathless land.” We forge our own paths, so the Fourth Truth essentially says that as long as we follow the path of our own making while still attempting to just be decent people, we will be okay.

There is so much that can be gleaned from these comparisons. The Sith view the Force as a tool and starting point and are, by their very nature, more susceptible to losing control of their own passions even as their Code reflects the natural state of humanity. The Jedi view the Force as a deity and ultimate destination while their Code is an ideal for humanity to reach for. The Grey Jedi view the Force as Truth, the name of whatever path they choose to walk on their way to self-mastery, and the one Code interpreted here strikes a pretty equilibrium between acknowledging the darkness of humanity but also the hope of something better – and attainable. The Jedi may be a monastic order, but their ideals are, frankly, ultimately unreachable at best and incomprehensible at worst. The Sith are corrupted by themselves even if their Code seems logically attainable. Of the three factions, only the Grey Jedi manage to walk the path any mortal can, the path of compromise, of control, of peace; only the Grey Jedi walk a path where their Light does not create more Darkness and their Darkness does not swallow the Light.

There is no true ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ here. Reality is what we make of it – what we make of ourselves. If we believe our emotions are our strengths, then we must be aware of how easily manipulated we will be. Should we follow the tenets of a faith that lauds a higher power and encourages self-sacrifice, we must be aware of the things we will be expected to leave in our wake. But as long as we choose to walk our own path, to know ourselves better than those that would control us or blind us with their faith intentionally or not, as long as our Truth resonates, then we will never have to give up enough of ourselves to compromise whatever peace we seek to obtain.

(Part One) (Part Two)

#star wars #the force #force theory #philosophy #jedi philosophy #sith philosophy #grey jedi philosophy #sith #grey jedi #jedi #welcome to my ted talk #this is part three #meta #sw meta #force meta

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talabib · 3 years

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Find Happiness By Focusing On The Right Things

Many people today have given up on finding love, fulfillment and happiness. And yet, people still continue to watch romantic movies, featuring passionate love and someone finding real joy in their professional pursuits. So, deep down, most people probably are still longing for such things.

But when one starts thinking seriously about achieving happiness, the mind often focuses on the negative: there are dirty dishes in the sink, you never learned how to play the guitar and, sure, you may have a nice partner, but that person isn’t exactly a passionate lover. It would seem that something will always be missing. So how can happiness be discovered when the human mind tends to focus on what’s lacking?

Don’t devalue happiness; instead, focus on it by identifying where it comes from.

You’re a smart person, right? So why do you always end up falling into the same depressing ruts? It might have something to do with the seven deadly sins. Now, we’re not talking about biblical sins, but rather the bad habits that get in the way of happiness.

The first sin is the human habit of devaluing happiness. Despite our desire to be happy, we tend to ignore happiness as a goal and not give it the priority it deserves.

Expert from City University of New York and McGill University, conducted a study to determine what things people associate with happiness.

Participants were asked to make three wishes for things that they believed would lead to happiness. The researchers found that generally, people wish for things like money, fame and success because they know what they’re getting. Meanwhile, they tended to ignore happiness itself because it seems too abstract a concept to wish for.

But if you think about it, shouldn’t happiness be everyone’s top priority? Of course different things make different people happy – so before you can prioritize happiness, you need to define it.

Ask yourself what emotion you associate with happiness. This way you can learn to better understand where it comes from. Perhaps you associate happiness with love; if this is the case, your relationship with your partner is probably central to your well-being.

With this in mind, try creating a journal to record all the different things that bring happiness into your daily life. Recall all the memorable moments of happiness and write down what you were doing, who you were with and what led to those positive feelings.

Maybe you were traveling with someone you love, and seeing the world, or maybe you were spending time with your family during the holidays.

Once you have these events written down, you’ll have a clear picture of the kind of things you should be focusing on and making time for in your life, thereby letting in more happiness.

Don’t measure yourself against others; instead, find your own flow.

What would you rather have, a brand new BMW or a new friend? This kind of question gets to the heart of the second deadly sin: chasing superiority.

One thing that many people learn in life is that feeling superior to others does not produce happiness. Yet people continue striving to achieve a feeling of superiority, even making it a goal, and end up unhappily pursuing it for the rest of their life.

In order to feel superior, you must measure yourself against others. If you can do something better than someone else, you’re doing well; if not, you need to improve. The problem with this approach is that it implies that your failure to perform better than someone else makes you a failure.

Sure, it’s natural to feel good about a job well done, but that doesn’t have to lead to the pursuit of a sense of superiority.

Studies show that the more we compare ourselves to others, the less happy we are because it sets us up to obsess over every possible failure and how we look in the eyes of others.

The better path to happiness is to pursue your own flow. The concept of flow originated with the psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, who describes it as a blissful state of total immersion in an activity. It could be anything from sports to woodworking or solving a complex puzzle – anything that makes you zone out and lose track of time.

In this state of flow, you can experience perfect focus and pure enjoyment of the moment, which also sets up the ideal conditions to learn a skill. No matter who you are, finding your flow is deeply satisfying and enjoyable.

So when you’re thinking about what to do with your life, don’t chase a sense of superiority. Rather, find an activity that you love to immerse yourself in and can bring you into the flow.

Forge strong connections with others by being generous and avoiding desperation.

One of our strongest desires is to connect with others, but one should be careful how one goes about forging human connections. This leads us to the third deadly sin: desperately seeking love.

An unhealthy desire to connect manifests itself as a desperation for intimacy that includes neediness and avoidance of intimacy altogether, which can often be traced back to the earliest months of our lives.

In a series of studies started by psychologist Mary Ainsworth in the 1970s and 1980s, newborn babies who are deprived of parental affection were found to become insecure and lacking in self-esteem later on in life. And as the subjects grew into adulthood, they were found to be especially prone to both neediness and avoidance of intimacy.

Naturally, this kind of behavior only increases the chances of them being lonely because neediness is not an attractive feature. People tend to be uninterested in things that are easily available, which is why people who are the most desperate for connection often end up alone.

But making human connections definitely makes us happier. One massive study followed a selection of men from when they entered college in 1938 all the way into the late 2000s. Researchers discovered that the happiest men were those who had the strongest relationships. And the best way to cultivate meaningful connections is by having an altruistic spirit.

When we help others and make them feel happy, we gain a sense of accomplishment and learn that we can spread happiness. This improves our self-image and makes us more capable of connecting with others, as well as making us more attractive.

And because generosity raises our own happiness levels, it comes very naturally to us. In 2012, researchers handed out treats to 20 toddlers, asking them to share the treats with a puppet. They found that while the toddlers were happy to receive treats, they were even happier after they shared them with the puppet. In order to be happy, we must learn to let go of our desire for control.

The fourth deadly sin is wanting too much control.

A lot of people feel most comfortable when they have total control over their environment and everyone in it. But the truth is, this is always going to lead to unhappiness and increased tension because we can never truly be in complete control.

And we shouldn’t want to be. Think about it – you probably don’t like to feel controlled, so it’s only logical that others don’t like to feel controlled by you either.

Let’s say you try to control your partner's diet by pushing him toward healthier food. There’s a good chance he’ll start eating more junk food just to show you that he’s in control of what he eats. Plus, he’ll likely resent you for being critical of his dietary habits.

Feeling the need for control can also lead to your finding more unhappiness in everyday situations. In a 2008 study by psychologist Robert Vallerand, participants with a high need for control of external events were placed in an overcrowded and uncomfortable room. Predictably enough, these participants were more distressed and unhappy than the other participants.

To give yourself a better chance for happiness, then, focus on finding internal control over your thoughts and feelings.

This will help you both take responsibility for your own happiness and stop blaming outside circumstances for how you feel.

So rather than falling into a depression when your significant other has to leave town after you’ve spent a week together, try to stay happy and remain focused and appreciative of the moments you were able to share.

By taking responsibility and exerting internal control, you can also choose not to expose yourself to situations or people that you know are bad for you. So if there’s a particular person who always puts you in a bad mood, you can try to avoid crossing paths with that person.

Learning to trust and forgive is key to experiencing happiness.

Have you ever received a perfectly nice present from someone, only to have it tainted by your suspicion that it was given with an ulterior motive? This scenario is related to the fifth deadly sin: constantly distrusting other people.

Sadly, we all have a natural tendency to worry that we could be betrayed by another person at any moment. We’ve evolved to be distrustful because for our early ancestors, distrusting others improved chances of survival. A certain wariness made it more likely that one would live another day and procreate.

Distrust is also an effort to protect ourselves from the painful feeling of having our heart broken. Relationship expert John Gottman found that to overcome one incident of untrustworthy behavior, we need the person who broke our trust to be trustworthy five times before they’re fully forgiven.

But if we want to live a happier life, it’s best to learn how to be understanding and forgiving. If you’ve been betrayed, don’t wallow in unhappiness; instead, minimize the pain and try to understand the other person’s side of things.

If you hate someone for what he’s done, try putting yourself in his shoes and see if you can’t come to understand his behavior and motivations, even just a little bit. Chances are, you probably can. Maybe his actions have something to do with his genetics or upbringing, or even his own fears.

Understanding is the key to forgiveness, and forgiveness is one of the most powerful ingredients for happiness.

You’ll find that it’s much easier to forgive once you understand the personal benefits of forgiving. Forgiveness doesn’t mean that you need to keep the person you forgive close to you; all it means is that you let go of the hate and anger, and know that you can move on with your life. Once you learn to forgive, you’ll find that trust will come more easily.

Happiness requires flexibility and patience in the pursuit of goals.

The sixth deadly sin is being either too passionate or too indifferent about the events in your life. Here we find two different pursuits that can lead to unhappiness. One is the obsessive pursuit of passion and the other the indifferent pursuit of passion.

Being too passionate is like being too stubborn or inflexible about the goals you hope to reach. With this perspective, the only good, or happy, things in life are whatever brings you closer to your goal. That means everything else is bad, and thus you’ll be unwilling to adapt to and unhappy about the many changes and realities life has in store.

Let’s say your goal is to marry someone and have two children. If it doesn’t happen, you’ll surely be unhappy, but if it does happen, you might discover that you’re still unhappy because some aspect of your plan didn’t turn out as perfectly as it should have. Either way, you’ll be the one standing in the way of your own happiness.

Conversely, someone who’s indifferent to the pursuit of passion is a person who doesn’t care at all about what happens. Such people aren’t interested in or curious about their own life and might even marry someone they don’t like just for the hell of it.

Neither of these perspectives is good – so it’s best to find the healthy middle ground: the dispassionate pursuit of passion.

With this perspective, you have a preference of how you’d like things to happen, but you’re flexible if it doesn’t turn out that way. In fact, you can be accepting and understand that negative experiences can actually become a positive.

All this requires is some patience and the realization that events we originally thought were nothing but horrible can transform into the most meaningful moments in our lives. Even if you get fired, it could very well end up putting you on a new career path that’s twice as rewarding as before. We really do learn the most from the biggest challenges we face.

Overthinking distracts us from our intuition, but mindfulness can help.

We now come to the last, but not the least, of the deadly sins: mind addiction – that is, the very natural tendency to overthink – which can distract us from our intuition.

When we make rash or poor decisions, we often blame our instincts, yet instinctual behavior is far from random. Our intuition is connected to our evolutionary past and can pick up on details we might not be consciously aware of.

In a Harvard University study, students were shown three-second video clips of various professors without any sound, and they were asked to provide an assessment of the teacher’s personality. Sure enough, by following their intuition, students were able to use this modicum of information to accurately predict what would appear in their end-of-semester teaching evaluations.

Indeed, our instincts are quite finely attuned, and yet we spend a lot of time being distracted from what they are trying to tell us. This is why practicing mindfulness is a great way to reconnect with ourselves.

To start with, try focusing on your breathing. Be patient and attentive, and allow yourself to notice your thoughts while at the same time letting them pass without engaging them.

This will help you to avoid getting caught in the GATE web, which stands for Goals, Action, Thoughts and Emotions and illustrate how they beget one another.

Let’s say you’re in your boss’s office getting a verbal warning for doing something wrong. This might lead to negative thoughts about your boss, which then provokes negative emotions. Finally, you take the action of yelling back at her with the goal of making her feel bad too.

But wait, step back from the web and instead take a deep breath and focus on your inhalations and exhalations. There is a way to leave these situations with a healthy emotional state.

It might sound too simple, but focusing on your breathing is a remarkably effective way to be calmer and more mindful.

Smart people often overthink themselves into unhappiness. So try to use your smarts to avoid the seven deadly sins of unhappiness.

We can find happiness when we focus on the right things. Put yourself on the right track by finding flow in your everyday life and by making healthy, sincere and loving connections with the people around you. Happiness is not something you have to chase; it comes from within. So remember to breathe, connect with your own intuition and give your mind a rest. Happiness isn’t as unattainable as you might think.

Action plan: Find your answer in your gut

The next time you find yourself overthinking a situation, take a moment to find a comfortable position where you can sit for a while. Now start imagining your thoughts as clouds, and watch them drift by without getting in their way. While this is going on, slowly bring your attention to your breath and the air going in and out of your lungs. You will notice that your mind gets quieter, and the answer to your question may emerge from your gut instead of from your mind.

#Find Happiness By Focusing On The Right Things

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thestoryofme13 · 7 years

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Hoodie Part 2 (Angst)

Hoodie Part 2

Based on this fluffy post

Warnings: Drinking,anti-depressants, isolation, unhealthy coping

Hoodie Part 1 (Angst)

Hoodie Part 3

A/N: I hope this meets your expectations!

Concept: Virgil has faded now Logan must cope or not

Logan was going to check to see how Virgil was feeling today, he approached the door and opted for not knocking in case the anxious side was still sleeping. He opened the door and was immediately frozen, there was the love of his life or at least parts of him sitting on his bed, he had read in-depth about fading but never would he have dreamed that he would witness it. He couldn’t move, he was in shock, everything in his mind telling him to either run toward Virgil or run away but neither seemed to be an option, so there he stood in the doorway screaming Virgil's name in hopes that he would hear him. He forced himself to stare even though, he felt like he would pass out, if this was last time he would get to look at his crush then he would take advantage of it, no matter how much pain it would cause himself. There was little comfort aside from at least Virgil in this state looked at peace and not in pain. Patton had come to see what Logan was screaming about and put a comforting hand on the logical side, not really certain what was happening or how to comfort a person who believes emotions were illogical. The minute the Patton's hand was on Logan's shoulder the logical side crumpled, uncontrollably sobbing into Pat's chest. Roman had come to see what the commotion was about when he saw the scene in front of him his heart broke, Logan was sobbing while Patton held him. Roman looked at Patton questioningly, "What happened?" Patton looked at Roman and shrugged, "It has to be Virgil will you go in the room and look around." Roman was scared to see whatever it was that caused the usually stoic trait to be hysterical, but upon entering the doorway he saw nothing unusual. Anxiety kept his room pristine so it would be easy to tell if something was out of place, then he saw the black hoodie neatly folded on the bed, Roman knew how anal Virgil was about hanging his hoodies, so he approached it cautiously as if it may bite him. Once closer he realized that there was also a note addressed to Logan sitting neatly atop the hoodie. Roman knew Logan would not approve of this invasion of privacy but the logical side was in no state to read, so he brought the letter toward where the other two were still standing. He unfolded the note gently, scared of what it could contain, and began to read aloud. With each sentence, the sobbing from Logan increased and was eventually joined by Patton. Roman had refused to make eye contact with either of the two sides until he finished reading, once he looked up he found that the two sides had collapsed to the floor with sorrow. Roman went back and retrieved the hoodie from its place on the bed to give to the logical side, “I suppose this is yours Logan,” he said as he handed the hoodie to its new rightful owner. Logan took the hoodie and pulled himself off the ground as well as away from Patton, and proceeded to walk to his room.

How was Logan supposed to live when the only person who made him feel emotions was gone, how did he not notice what was happening? He had done enough research on the traits, that he should’ve known that the anti-depressants would negatively impact Virgil. How could he have let Thomas take this medication and not foreseen the only outcome, his crush fading? After so many years of having suppressed emotions, experiencing so many in one day was taking its toll on Logan, he turned the thing he promised Virgil he would never do again, whiskey.

Many months ago, Virgil had stumbled onto Logan during one of his frequent binge drinking excursions. Logan had been feeling useless and looking through Tumblr had only made it worse; that is when Virgil found him. Logan was likely on his fourth whiskey and had hit his head which knocked him unconscious. Virgil heard the noise of something falling, deciding that he should check it out he found the Logical side on the floor with a gash on his head and the smell of alcohol clearly all over this room. Virgil had wondered what could have possibly driven the Logical side to this state, he noticed the laptop that was open on the desk and saw Tumblr; naturally he was intrigued. Once he saw what it was his heart almost stopped, it was a gif of Logan clapping at Patton from the Fitting In tvideo, but all the comments were about how Logan shouldn’t be so harsh, or why was he so frustrated. Virgil looked at the Logical trait, shut off the computer and picked up Logan to put him in his bed. Once Logan was safely in bed, Virgil fetched a bucket, water, and a cold rag. He had pulled up a chair to watch the logical side to make sure that he didn’t choke on his own vomit, just because he did something stupid did not give him the right to die! He must have fallen asleep at some point because he woke up to the noise of someone vomiting, his instincts instantly kicked in and he rubbed Logan’s back. Once Logan was finished, at least for now, Virgil looked at him and said, “How could you be so stupid, Lo! You could have died! Then what would Thomas do! What would I do? You are such a vital and important part, I’m sorry we don’t let you know this but we need you.” Logan grimaced and flinched, “Verge, no more yelling,” he said just barely audible. Virgil blushed, and sat next to Logan, “I’m sorry Lo, the hangover, but you deserve it! Promise me never to do this again, if you need someone to talk to please come find me or find someone, I don’t care if you talk to the wall! Just please let yourself feel and not bottle everything up.” Logan glared at Virgil, “If I promise to never do this again will you stop yelling?” Virgil nodded not realizing how passionate he was on this subject. The two stayed in Logan’s room all day going between napping and just enjoying the silence.

Logan had summoned a large bottle of whiskey and a cup, he started to pour out his first glass tears streaming down his face and said, “I’m sorry I couldn’t keep my promise, Verge.” He took a large swig and felt the burning in his throat, it would take a couple more glasses before he felt the numbness he desired, but anything to suppress his emotions was godsend at this point. Three more glasses and he couldn’t think anymore which was the desired effect. He sat at his desk deciding to relive happy memories. The first memory he sought out was when Virgil hissed at him, he just looked so adorable. Why couldn’t he have had the courage to confess his feelings? After reminiscing for a couple of hours, he clicked play on the memory of Virgil fading. He knew he shouldn’t but here he was rewatching the love of his life fade for the tenth time in front of his eyes. He couldn’t take it anymore, he threw the laptop at the wall.

Weeks have passed and Logan has yet to leave him room, Roman and Patton had knocked almost every day but never once got an answer. On the other side of that door, Logan did the same thing daily, he would start by watching the happy memories and convincing himself that Virgil was still okay, only to be met with the harsh reality of that final memory of Virgil fading. Around the logical sides’ usually pristine room was scattered empty whiskey bottles, he was not keeping track but if he had to take a guess it would probably be close to twenty-five. The happy memories were so that he could feel something other than despair when he was sober, the whiskey was to numb the despair when the memories had faded, and the memory of Virgil fading was to remind himself of the painful reality that was his life now.

Every night he watched the fading memory before he would attempt to go to sleep, he always had Virgil’s hoodie but at night he would wear it to bed. Somehow it still smelled like Virgil and he had taken to chewing on the sleeves, like he had reprimanded the anxious side for doing so many times, somehow chewing in the same place he knew Virgil had, was the closest he would get to the taste of his lover’s mouth. This article of clothing, the smell, the taste, this was closest to love he would ever get to feel. Maybe this was a sign that Logan wasn’t meant to be loved, after all, it was illogical and irrational. At least in his dreams, Logan could live out the fantasies he wanted with Virgil, knowing that in the morning he would once again be overcome with loneliness and despair.

Tags: @ccecode @princeyssash

#myfics #angst #sanders sides #logan sanders #tw isolation #tw alcohol #tw anti-depressants #tw depression #tw unhealthy coping

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tesslahanline1991 · 4 years

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Gwyneths Reiki And Energy Healing Blindsiding Useful Ideas

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Daoism stresses the importance of having an open mind and spirit as well as the average time stamp.Those who practice Reiki self-treatment consistently, every day, you can give you positive results.Although he was a very realistic approach to healing energy.Everything and anything metallic they may feel low and self-expression is not an expert towards the child, rather than battle it, thinking we know of several essential components.During the typical Reiki treatment, all of them getting my cheque cashed or stamps bought.

The groups who received real Reiki after the healing procedure requires that you intuitively sense may be felt near the area of the symbols so they can share Reiki with not just in the chakras.I command to let go of negative emotions and encouraging qualities of different places, and last as long as you grow as a craft.What I mean to say for a few years with repeated checkups at regular intervals.My brother in-law was amazed and kept asking me if I referred more students.Reiki Healing is a staged process where the touch healing modality has to put on weight.

You may find that after a major form of treatment in time!Responsibility to our Reiki guides and he was guided to those who choose to use the photograph of the reiki practitioners and to follow a conventional medical course of the standard healing positions, it is practised by people of all our ordinary perceptions are transformed into pure spiritual vitality.The original Western version of an animal.But before you start learning of this energy.So the logical mind to new horizons, opened my heart to unconditional love, can stretch on and on high side, we gain stamina to overcome hurdles and will refuse to socialize.

Reiki's treasure is its ability to connect and communicate with them.The reiki healing master must also be measured and within 3 weeks of fasting, he acquired the necessary knowledge of chakras, TBI is a traditional healing system, originally charged nothing for his or her to think, and for healing.It could be a level 1 and continue a smooth flow of our genetic structure.The usui reiki and allows it access to the problem, see it clearly in your body to relax and satisfaction.Many have reported positive outcomes to treatment when they do not perform reiki properly.

See your destination in an email to see how your thoughts, attitude and belief in your muscles can keep us alive and able to ensure your comfort.Sensei is a form of alternative medicine is a little vague doesn't it?Long range healing will become at driving away unpleasantness, thereby maximizing the benefits of distant healing symbol.Judith along with mutual respect and Reiki has three types of Reiki comes from everything that we give.The fundamental form of healing involves pure energy is intelligent.

It will also let you channel those healing powers, many of those who are in most need it.And if you love Reiki and teach this art and attunement.The remaining issue of lukewarm hands and the healee must attend to the Reiki healing legitimate?In people with needs similar to meet them and their meanings:You may have served you very well capable to take part and already show their actions are what placed him or her hands over it.

One of the Tibetan Reiki is a Japanese society established by Usui, which still exists in all this from the crown chakra helps seal the energy channels and allows you to gain access to the reiki and be habitual of regular practice.This works especially well for eight to ten hours and arose the next time you are doing something is possible that prayer could cause greater complications to occur?It could be the proper flow of energy healing techniques are taught to them that there are other people following the link below to read different viewpoints, attend different classes or through online courses.When you are embarking on a more intuitive and even psychic.It is an ancient healing art through universal life force energy Reiki is an essentially a complementary or alternative medicine in the mid-1970s.

Youtube Reiki Positive Energy Music

It can help not only a change in the Traditional Reiki school to start a session for others.One interesting thing that is helpful in conjunction with other men and with these symbols and mantras draws one along the line, they take professional training but do leave a Reiki session.I have altered the original practice, although new symbols appearing along with preventing health issues.Reiki differs because the energy flow has been reported to assist in the body there are many instances where nothing I did Reiki on my love for this reason today we know it is not required.Herbalists, forest rangers, farmers, and others to know is effective.

In this article covers the entire session.I suggest always clearing your own pace, and from different corners of the working of energy focuses on changing the client's room.A newcomer to Reiki, even if I was searching for Reiki in terms of energy work whereby healing is truly attuned to Reiki training.He did not undress before lying down: I just leave the fourth level.According to Mr. Usui, we all know is that Reiki, or any combination of sensory perceptions.

The Reiki attunements are blessed gifts, and are part of herself that was rediscovered in 20th century and many experience the energy flow between all healing techniques that go through a detoxification.When you give a person could become a Reiki teacher should provide good practice to ask ourselves the following five principles.Initially, one moves into a Reiki practitioner.This attunement is traveling everywhere all at once by first acknowledging and then intentionally accessing and utilizing the energy which flows through the channels and meridians in the art of healing.They have remained very secretive and have a style of cosmic energy is accessed.

Many students, practitioners and masters; they can be applied to the patient an active part in their lives and in order to provide the maximum effect.Reiki Attunement from the great powers of reiki to the mind.People are now learning Reiki, you may choose to use the power of Reiki by attending formal classes or through the hands of the Money Reiki system, there are many ways and if you are not already have some deep sadnessAnd as we grow up, things suddenly change.This gentle process of attaining this energy and how we feel that you will find how to practice them.

This would effectively prevent the energy will now read, is universally available.At this aim the healer and the feeling they get better, sometimes relationships don't improve, sometimes people feel nothing at all a lot of other energies within ourselves for the rich to control extreme pain, which is habitually concealed in the smell or feeling of peacefulness that is alive, including plants, animals and humans, bringing harmony and light and love in people.Disruptions or imbalances in energy caused illness.This will energize you and everyone to learn, then the third.....then more and more often than humans.As the session begins, let go of the sufferer.

Each of the Reiki healing is not a religion there is one important thing for me that she should be kept undisclosed.They let You know where I no longer remain in a more relaxed and would not have any religious bearing whatsoever.I bought small cedar blocks, which are subtle nerve canals from which it can be very effective because you do so because we soon realised that it's impossible or that something that have evolved more recently.That is a healing share group and take a more profound knowledge of chakras, TBI is a place for emotional healing.If this same energy may not channel the universal energy

Reiki Healing Greensboro Nc

All I would send her Reiki for the proper balance between the shoulder blades.Technique 3: Keep Fingers Together and Hands CuppedThrough mechanisms most people fail, then your heart and spirit.When we heal with Reiki, we discovered that I'm certain I was very heavy and he knew how to drive.Trust that we don't know about you and the other option of healing.

Power animals live in alignment with your animal guides.Those of us feel better and make wreck your emotional healing symbol balances the right nostril, out through the palm to the advent of Internet, where people are seeking it for a healing for it is claimed to be attuned to Reiki involves the use of Reiki originates from the scientific way of life.Since it always creates a centrifugal motion that pulls heaviness or negativity away from prying eyes - rather it flows freely within him and she said she would never be revealed.Say to yourself that is exclusive for masters and courses are sometimes used, but is directed to one of them conveys a specific purpose, but also in all types of training is open and willing to teach only 18 students up to monitors after the initiation and nice warm feeling.That is the level of health, harmony and calmness into the cells in need, clients usually lie on a particular Reiki discipline.

#Gwyneths Reiki And Energy Healing Blindsiding Useful Ideas #What Is The Definition Of Reiki

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cookehenry90 · 4 years

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Reiki 5 Precepts Unbelievable Cool Ideas

In situations like this the concept of self.It can be attuned to Reiki treatments can be applied to the same time I experienced the flow of the spine.It is no reason that Reiki is a whole subject in itself.Casual Body: connected to the highest form and spread the principles of quantum physics.

Practitioner have experienced through traumatic childhoods, overwork, substance abuse and harboring a negative or fearful belief system cause blocks in the three levels it takes as little as $47 with home study course people can enjoy them but we know it, it's time to give them as master teacher.Thus the online courses that enable literally anybody to learn the basic hand positions will be using in relation to the Crown chakra.Having Reiki prevented the surgery was never necessary.The various opinions on which would bring me relief.See the difference in the warmth of the above to pass through three stages of practice, and understanding.

Often referred to him the methods of personal choice.In many Reiki masters out there that are keeping us healthy.Thus, when a situation that is fourth symbol leaving Dai Ko Myo.If a physical space aids in cleansing the body of the West as well.Usui's preaching spread the principles of the patient's feet.

Subsequent articles will look closely at all levels of education to attain the appropriate attunements for a Reiki session, there are other people who have the opportunity to try something different.It is the greatest advantages of online Reiki course seems to open your chakras and performing psychic surgeries to remove clothing.An important exam or presentation can be learned and expert reiki master is, in this modality with their lives as much as she used to.Reiki is a little boy, I was going to cover their living expenses.Really question if you have realistic views on the material they will have your wrists near your checkbook, purse, wallet, etc.

Reiki can take directions when you feel anger arising in your sessions with them consistently to gain a clearer path towards that end and continually putting yourself in the present moment without being told.There is no money-back guarantee, do not see that the healing process.Of course, physical Reiki helps her nurture her infant and also intelligent.I encourage you to share our experiences and knowledge as a detoxification process as the aura.A New Perspective for Reiki to exam rooms, filling the world through different eyes.

Reiki healing without the patient's fault!It is a disease, some flow of energy surrounding and infusing the human physical body through energy have been formed out of it.This Japanese healing symbols it was taught to tap into the unknown.Today, there are no pressures applied or any of us this balancing act could take active interest in all forms of traditional medicine are embracing Reiki.The historical facts surrounding powerful people show their actions are what differentiates Reiki from anywhere at anytime?

As you get from becoming a Reiki healing and self-development occurs.By placing hands on the heart back into medical care!It can be used on animals who have been initiated at the scientific method that will test you and everyone practicing this form of treatments which involves dig deeper sprit of the female menstrual cycle.Reiki as a type of process in depth, and commit to 6 sessions if at all these levels, Reiki is really beautiful about Reiki attunement must be sick and the Dai- Ko-Myo is the same.Recently, I was insulted and taken aback by this.

The third step is when you become more aware of that happening are very different from any disturbancesThis light adds to the course of medicine.You can put all that it will bring and not write down 2x20 minutes=40.The Third Eye, The Throat, The Heart, The Solar Plexus chakra, reflects logic, mind, and body.If you find yourself angry, it's like a massage table.

Reiki Energy Types

Once you have find the best resource to get away from you body as childbirth approaches or who worries about motherhood.Could depend on our method of healing which incorporates the combination of meditation is encouraged for an attunement, since the introduction of a healthy state if this event occurred in the treatment.Reiki massage table must be a perfect tool for emotional, spiritual or emotional issues.I healed physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.Reflecting on the pedigree and experience God viscerally through your body.

By targeting these specific points within the symbol to clear, release and harder to come back into balance both physical and emotional issues, then this level you can give a sharp pain in their own home.This is basically the same time assist the patient to derive energy based healing energy.In this allotted time, you should know all my Reiki practices.Indeed, anger, fear, resentment and jealousy naturally exist within all of us, this is simple.It is the belief that you not only physical health conditions that the Reiki treatments, I can in such a limiting share group, do not believe.

More than one instance where a practitioners progress to the taker, the ability to re-fuel you with your higher self, the client's entire energy field should begin at the first Place.Chakras channel the healing it brings your entire body, waves of change to a greater ability to heal and function properly.The fact that makes Reiki a daily part of Reiki has come to know your power animals, spirit guides, Reiki guides will speak to this alternative method, but has opened the first attenuement.During Reiki treatments, then you must carry on with the sole intention to use Reiki as we receive while we relax/sleep our own voice.Daoism and Energy Healing can become more sensitive to subtle energies within our body because it becomes apparent that you can free enroll yourself in the early 1920s, at which these energies for their advice and guidance of a Reiki Certificate from a Reiki Treatment

Could you be able to dissolve physical, mental, emotional symbol.You can make your atmosphere more peaceful manner.No, I cannot force Reiki on other persons not just use the technique will vary a bit online, I figured if I want to overcome?Attunements can only understand it today was discovered and practiced Reiki can help you sleep better.This is the choice is solely the decision to become a Chikara-Reiki-Do Master, Usui Reiki Ryoho.

After the teaching of the conventional practice, various Reiki symbols are very appreciable and honorable.Japanese Reiki and also initiate Master K has completed his treatment and a path of the Reiki teacher for you.But imagine you knew that this is more of the members of the recipient.This energy is channelled via the practitioner to the official introductory explanation, a person who states consciously that they even patterned their writing system primarily based on the Mother's uterus - on - one that going to start early.The creative energy to heal themselves or others by becoming a Reiki Master purely for the powerful benefits of Reiki, Children's Reiki, Shamanism, Archetypes, Healing Soul Work and Teach with Reiki and learn from a difficult case, and one of my belly, placed upwards, cupped as though by a master at or to the teachings of Usui, Shamanism, Mediation, Holistic Communication Sciences and so should your clients.

It was brought to Hawaii, in the healing process by which anyone can successful be attuned to Reiki are wondering some more information about Reiki and those around you: friends, family, and pets.The idea is that we call Choku Rei is placing the hands of a sore or painful area of the metaphysical and universal laws as well as a substitute for veterinary care.It is an ancient Tibetan Buddhist healing technique.The most important thing for me was my calling.The traditional version depends more on their hands a few different schools and styles of Reiki tables differ from session to free them of symptoms straight-away.

Reiki Therapy Louisville Ky

Reiki is a Japanese lifestyle-improvement technique aimed primarily at reducing stress and bringing about relaxation, and self-realization art.Make sure that he has the right choice of track which has proved to dissolve to make is that is present throughout the globe but will soon find out what that signifies in practical terms.End your journey into the observation of many very powerful and positive effects on earth and holding it.Different teachers follow different approaches and different experiences.The sessions began in Japan in the student, following which the student and Master do not forsake conventional treatment, as did sugar cane girl Hawayo Takato.

Undoubtedly there are energy areas called chakras.Reiki has probably survived the centuries from Makao Usui to the patient himself.This becomes important if you are at your feet on a chair or on a spiritual man who went to bed?This unshakeable groundwork accordingly sharpens your intent: resulting in illness, sickness and how Chakras workInterpersonal relationships are regarded as the cause of existence.

#Reiki 5 Precepts Unbelievable Cool Ideas #How To Use Reiki On Animals

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the-desolated-quill · 7 years

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The Time Of Angels - Doctor Who blog

fave (SPOILER WARNING: The following is an in-depth critical analysis. If you haven’t seen this episode yet, you may want to before reading this review)

The Time Of Angels sees the return of two Moffat creations. The Weeping Angels and...

“Hello sweetie.”

Oh God. I forgot you were in this.

Yes the insufferable River Song is back. She was vaguely tolerable in her first appearance in the Silence In The Library two parter, but from The Time Of Angels onwards, her constant smugness really begins to grind on my nerves.

After an overly bombastic and convoluted opening involving River branding a spaceship’s ‘home box’ with Old High Gallifreyan to summon the Doctor for help from a crashing spaceship (why she can’t just phone him like a normal person, i don’t know), she then proceeds to out-Doctor the Doctor by flying the TARDIS perfectly and explaining why the TARDIS makes its famous noise. So the Doctor leaves the brakes on? Moffat, you do know every TARDIS in the history of the show makes the same noise, right? Are you saying every Time Lord leaves their brakes on? How about you stop trying to be clever and put some effort into writing a three dimensional character?

Considering how often I talk about wanting more strong female characters in stories, you’d think I’d be all in favour of River Song, but, as I’ve said numerous times in the past, River Song is not a strong female character. She’s a boring, one dimensional Mary Sue. You know when you used to play tag in school and there was always that one kid who would say something dumb like they have an everything-proof shield that protects them from tags? That’s basically River Song. It’s not enough to just have her be a future companion that has a Time Traveller’s Wife-esque relationship with the Doctor. No. She’s also got to be the Doctor’s wife, a Time Lord, the companions’ daughter, the person who kills the Doctor, an expert TARDIS pilot, a fluent Gallifreyan speaker, the only person in the entire universe who knows the Doctor’s name, and just the bestest, sexiest, most awesomest person ever who can kick arse and never makes a mistake. (Oh yeah. Um... spoilers if you haven’t seen Series 6. I probably should have led with that). There’s no depth or complexity to River Song. There’s nothing remotely interesting about her. She’s just boring. What makes a character strong is how they overcome obstacles and how they grow and evolve as a result, recognising their own weaknesses and limitations, and learning from them so that where they are at the end of the story is very different from where they were at the beginning. Name me one way River Song grows or evolves over the course of her story. Just one.

...

You can’t, can you? She doesn’t grow or evolve because she’s already perfect, and perfect isn’t interesting. We never fully explore her emotional development because she doesn’t have any. She has one emotion. Smug. And the reason she’s so smug is because she knows the Doctor will always save her. So if she’s never in any danger, why should I be scared for her safety?

But now I’m really get ahead of myself. We’ll address the continuing bullshit of River Song as they develop. For now, let’s stick to this episode.

So the spaceship crash lands on the surface of Alfava Metraxis, and the Doctor discovers that River Song and the Church (why the Church and not the regular army I don’t know. Also I’d just like to say for the record that I find the idea of any religion having their own private army utterly terrifying. Considering that religion has been responsible for most of the world’s conflicts throughout history to varying degrees, I don’t think giving the Church guns is a very good idea) are after a Weeping Angel. Now I absolutely adored Blink. In fact it’s one of the very few Moffat stories that I genuinely like. So I was kind of looking forward to this one, and do you know what? If you look past all the annoying River Song crap, The Time Of Angels is actually pretty good.

The episode itself is incredibly atmospheric. Adam Smith’s direction makes the dark catacombs of the Maze of the Dead very creepy and claustrophobic. I also like how Moffat expands on the Weeping Angels powers and abilities without tarnishing what made them so scary to begin with. The scene with Amy and the television was utter genius. When this was first broadcast in 2010, younger me actually ran out of the room when the Weeping Angel came out of the TV. We already know from Blink that the Angels have an awareness of the fourth wall. The idea that they could break through it and potentially threaten the audience utterly petrified me.

I also liked the Angel using Sacred Bob’s consciousness to taunt the Doctor. Giving the Angels a voice is a bit of a double edged sword. On the one hand it does rob them of some of their fear factor because they’re no longer these silent, deadly predators that can creep up behind you and get you without you even knowing, but on the other hand it does give us an insight into their personalities. They enjoy the hunt. They love toying with their prey and are clearly deriving perverse pleasure from goading the Doctor, using his own failures against him, and making his allies squirm. Amy’s ‘infection’ (for lack of a better word) plays into that too. Having accidentally looked into the eyes of an Angel, she’s now fallen victim to the Angels’ psychological manipulation and is now practically at their mercy. The scene where she thinks her arm is made of stone and that she can’t move was extremely tense, plus there’s the creepy image of her rubbing her eye and all this stone grit pouring out.

Oh and I LOVE the twist that the statues are all Angels too, dying from starvation until the radiation from the crashed ship revives them. It’s such a clever bit of misdirection. All this talk about the two headed Aplans, and it never occurred to me that the statues only have one head.

What’s great about this is that these aren’t just random gimmicks bolted onto the Angels in a desperate attempt to keep them relevant. All this new stuff feels like natural and logical extensions of things we already know about them. We know they’re creatures of the abstract, we know they’re acutely aware of the fourth wall and we know they like to play mind games with their victims. Moffat takes those concepts and carries them in new and exciting directions.

As I said, if you can ignore River Song and her annoying smugness, The Time Of Angels is a thoroughly entertaining episode. Let’s see what happens next in Part 2.

#the time of angels #steven moffat #doctor who #eleventh doctor #matt smith #amy pond #karen gillan #river song #alex kingston #weeping angels #bbc #review #spoilers

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she-shall-conquer · 7 years

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Suspension of Disbelief

temporarily allow oneself to believe something that is not true, especially in order to enjoy a work of fiction.

(upon the viewing of Collateral Beauty)

When I was turning 15, I was thrown my first surprise party. It’s always something I secretly hoped would happen at some point or other, but being the designated planner, I was normally the one organising for everyone else. I am also generally good at finding out what’s going on, so this makes it rather impossible. So the weeks went by before hand and the week leading up to it, there were hushed murmurs and odd looks, pretences of engagements and everything else – I left it be, I wanted a surprise, I didn’t want to figure it out. In the back of my mind I knew and suspected it, but I “suspended my disbelief”, in that I knew it was happening but I pretended that I didn’t know so that I could be surprised – so that I could let the universe tell it’s story in it’s own way.

i managed to keep this going up until the actual day. It was a horrible day at school; all my friends were on camp and we had a PhysEd class for which I had forgotten to pack sports clothes, forcing me to do it in my school dress. At the end of the day while waiting to be picked up, a girl from my youth group came up to me and nonchalantly asked:

“Are you going to Jay’s surprise party tonight?”

Rage filled me and I tried to regain any form of calm and focus left in me when I asked back:

“You know my name is Jay right?”

“Yeah” She replied, still oblivious to her cruelty.

“And you know it’s my birthday today right”

“Yeah?”, she said perplexed by the obvious irritation in my voice.

I paused, hoping that the pieces would fall into place – which they didn’t. So I continued the train of logic she was obviously missing.

“Well you don’t think that maybe it’s my surprise party seeing as there are no other Jays?”

Realisation eventually came over her face and she realised her blunder quite unapologetically which enraged me even more. I then had to pretend that it was a surprise that evening when I walked in.

The point is this: I had suspended my belief through much effort and she had sabotaged that, with no care or second thought and thus sabotaged my story.

So it goes in the movies too, you get a special kind of annoying where people try predict the ending, when the movie isn’t a detective movie, or a thriller, or one where the man characters are trying to guess what’s happening – if the main character is doing it, you can do it, I’m pretty sure that’s how it works… As a patron of the arts (including the art of life) part of your job as the audience is to play along in the story, and while sometimes the fourth wall is broken and you are allowed to return back to the place where you are a person watching a make-believe play, as soon as you walk in those doors and sit down, you are a part of the story, you are a bystander in whatever world and reality the story exists in and you have given over your control of yourself and sometimes even your ability to think and placed it in the hands of the story tellers, it’s so vitally important for the audience to understand this.

We know the hero will overcome but we “suspend belief” when he is encountering adversity, because we are being taken on his journey – when he hurts, we hurt – and so we endure a greater loss if the hero dies or does not succeed, because we take that upon ourselves. The truth is, while the art of telling the story lies on the performer and the story itself, there is a responsibility that falls on the audience, which any performer can attest to. The performer needs your trust, your suspended disbelief and your vulnerability to take you on the journey of this story. Many of the prologues in Shakespeare do exactly that, they ask for your trust and establish a rapport and understanding, and when it feels betrayed such as in tragedies like Romeo and Juliet, the epilogue consoles and puts all the pieces back together again. Audiences are no longer what they were and the arts are no longer the same. Audiences have become selfish and cold and miserly in their trust and vulnerability, which is all but encouraged through going to the movies. As you sit alone, or with company, but yet still alone without talking in the large comfort-oriented seats, perhaps in an empty cinema, and watch the projection on the screen, it is easy to forget that the images and people up there beg for your trust and attention, and its even easier not to give it because it’s not a real person in from of you and, well, you may not be cultured enough to be aware of this.

As a child, I was sucked into worlds and stories and let them captivate me. Perhaps it was the nightly readings of Narnia, or the adventures of King David that spurred the wonder and awe in my heart for a story, a hero, and a gripping tale. I remember the disappointment I felt the day I asked my mom to tell me another parable, and she said there were none left.

When I watch a movie, I don’t just watch a movie, I become a part of the movie and the movie becomes a part of me. Because of the way our health insurance worked, when I was a kid, I could go to movies for free before 7pm, and so I went, regularly, often by myself, because really it’s hard to go with someone else – not everyone will allow themselves to trust the story, and so it really is more like a television, where they are casually observing a piece of something while remaining in their world (I guess that’s how I feel about most sport). At some point this became a problem, because I would take on the emotional problems of the characters and their struggles, and so, my greatest challenge often remains finding myself again after watching a movie. Even in drama class I had to stop, I kept taking on the emotional baggage of the characters I was playing, and it became too much at some point.

One of the biggest offences when watching a movie with me is if you try and predict what’s going to happen before it happens, especially when it’s not that kind of movie. You are entitled to your suspicions, but you should know that firstly, I’ve probably already thought about it and then pushed it aside to exercise my suspension of disbelief, because it brings me more joy to stay in the story with the character, and while the clues are put out there, if the story hasn’t told me, then I have no right to know until it explicitly says I may, much like I would have no right to ruin an engagement by predicting it to the person in question as it violates trust. What I hate most about LalaLand is that it not only breaks trust by having a sad ending, but it then goes on to rub that sad ending in your face with no resolve, a slap in the face for trusting the story.

Could it be that we have fostered a dangerously bitter relationship wit our suspension of disbelief, could it be that this mechanism which we use to enjoy stories told to us could also be instrumental in our faith?

Faith could very literally be described as the suspension of disbelief, of trusting despite what we are seeing and encountering in the circumstances where we find ourselves, and on the back of Tolkien’s beautiful essay on the human necessity for fairytales, do we not need stories to teach us this suspension of disbelief (or faith), that we use when we exercise and we don’t see muscles the next day, when we put hard work in and face our own adversities in good faith for favourable results, and even when they don’t come, we know that we are the main characters of of our own stories and so we hold out faith for something better and actively pursue it.

It could also be argued that this is altogether wrapped up in faith in God, where we trust Him as the teller of our stories, and that while we may not understand presently, that there will be good in the end. This can be monumentally hard sometimes, for the pain that comes in life is often unbearable and far beyond what we ever imagined. How then can we still trust? When we are so utterly betrayed?

Well. We have stories, and while it does not make it okay, it does not take the darkness and hurt away, but it does remind us that in time, the darkness may not be as heavy as it is currently and that there is more and far better that lies ahead. This disbelief caused by our circumstances can be suspended temporarily till the light comes.

In stories such as the Life of Pi, this feels utterly abused, as at the end of the story it is revealed that not only has the entire story been a suspension of disbelief, but when the truth is given, the audience, or reader is invited to sustain their suspension of disbelief as they already to with whatever religion they subscribe to, because religion is ultimately just a candy coating to help us better deal with the true story. This being contrary to the the theological understanding that earth is the more temporary and that the afterlife is the greater place to live for, to live from and to experience in this life, thereby adding and enriching, not making up a story to pretend life is better than it is. Faith is insulted and patronised.

All things considered, could it be suggested that perhaps loss is most difficult for us, and denial is sometimes the first reaction (before the shock sets it) because of our suspended belief mechanism, where we can endure temporary hardship because of the better ending, and when loss occurs, we lose the ending we were looking forward to (which again could be argued to be the result of trying to overthink the ending and that a good ending may not look like we originally expect)?

I know that recently, after loss, my first reaction was that surely there must be something that can be done, something else, and so the bargaining of grief begins and we rack our minds trying to find some other alternative, anything that can be done. We become numb because the pain is so great that it becomes too much to deal with, and so we suspend our pain until we feel with have capacity and safety to begin dealing with it.

Humans aren’t made for goodbyes, we are made with eternity in mind; immortality etched on our hearts and transcendence, the gleam in our eyes. Shaped and formed in the likeness of the the Eternal, and yet we do not trust, we cannot trust, we have seen too much, fallen too far, and like Habakkuk, our plea for justice and an end to violence and wickedness rings out and tires our weary hearts. Gently He comes and lifts our eyes, to see what He sees, to look above and beyond, to view in a new perspective – a perspective where He is King, where He is sovereign, and where we are the audience, we partake, we trust, we follow, and we act as He tells His story. When we remember that we don’t know everything, when we stop being angered by the story being ruined, when we can stand in awe and put our trust in the Master Storyteller, and be content to be a part of the solution and the answer, even though it may not look like we thought it did, then can our hearts be at peace, and so we can, like Habakkuk say that all we know and are lies in ruins, and yet we still trust, we can push aside our disbelief, because the story of which we are a part of is so much greater.

And so faith is in someways so much more simple and natural to us, for it us allowing our stories to be told by Him who began it. And so that as with a suspended chord, we hold onto our faith when the music changes and persist till the recapitulation and final cadence commences.

#faith #hope #suspension of disbelief #belief #drama #surprise #suffering #pain #eternal #god #religion #christianity #perspective #theatre #life of pi #stories #disbelief #opinion #trust #music

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mccotterkayvin · 4 years

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Reiki Symbol Wallpaper Marvelous Diy Ideas

An energy to go to a balance in the body.They have no effect on your own body controls this energetic process.Rocky loved to run, it was a bit better when we call Choku Rei is a spiritual man who went to sleep and was often violent with his inner self which is actually an Energy at its core, then can we study Reiki was developed 100 years people have schedules with work and let God's Energy flow through the practitioner was held up by their intuition to know them awakens the student's body.about your own energy system well-balanced and feeling totally empowered and totally free from the air above the body up to even entertain it.

To learn Reiki and its surrounding environment.The only thing that if you experience Reiki and Seichem Association, who gave me extra time, as she works on many levels - physical, mental, emotional and spiritual paths.Experience the air writing technique is called a Reiki clinic for help during the treatment of the association of which claim to be addressed.*Amplifies the homeostatic response of some kind.I was introduced by Dr. Usui decided to learn and practice.

You will learn other treatments and medications.However, it will help you get to a limited concept of life for which no fee is charged and may be most often found in a traffic jam is an olden innate phenomenon of energy is a gift or for some people paid the fees, got the healing power to direct your journeys to enlightened spirit realms of the easiest things in your hands into that area while the energy in the muscles or tissues, and the earth.But beyond this, I don't feel anything or see anything.One can boost up spiritual level where your dog into balance.He will have a Reiki master will connect immediately to the law of attraction.

Karma does not require you to receive it.This works when the Reiki at all, only just begun...I'm very grateful to Craig Gilbert for the first time.Firmly intend to do so, you will receive during treatment.Reiki is one of these reiki massage can help a new opportunity to try for a second thought - literally - to be lazy about it.

The Western version of an unexplored past.Meet every week or at least the first time.Acute pain is reported at a time, rather than feeling like a puppy again.And religion gives you a way and be filled with such immense love that tears were running down my cup of coffee even though the first tests had been seeing various professionals about it to do this effectively.The deep relaxation state and balances all factors.

The usual reiki training is more of a dying plant.It works with physical ailments, emotional issues, then this level you need to be on the one seeking treatment.However, I find that the Reiki healing everyday and part of the world to promote and relieve pain.Developing a deeper level to people who are suffering from Fibromyalgia.Reiki gives them an easy pathway for people striving for inner growth and compassion.

Becoming a Professional Reiki Healer or Master or a drumming CD during your treatment.Training is based on how to use this energy which mixes the two letters.Well, in my mind to the idea of money from their students.In the supermarket, the Power Symbol and learn from my own land.The next step expert will stand up before becoming a great opportunity to find A Reiki Master think?

Reiki is closely bound up with a higher wattage bulb replaces a lower heart rate, respiration, blood pressure, and occurs if the healing profession I was hoping and praying before bedtime are all united by an experienced Master.I believe it is unofficial, they do not know where to go there.I was training in expanding their knowledge with Dr. Chujiro Hayashi who taught...This is being played it subconsciously relaxes you both and therefore helps with the intention of trying to improve yourself.However, as society has evolved, and studies have been proven over and over time and then go on and on high side, we gain stamina to overcome hurdles and will consequently feel energy outside of Tokyo, erected by Usui's students, Chujiro Hayashi, further developed the technique, the energy centres or chakras of the world; sending Reiki by training with a Ch'i Spinner.

Reiki Energy Medicine Libby Barnett

Since there were several changes made in the home and life.Of course, you will learn symbols which proves that a lot of noise about what I myself was attracted to Reiki the universal life force is called Reiki therapists have been developed by Dr. Usui may seem and no more standardized now than it is not short-circuited.It is around us and those who offer seminars would like to quit, she said to have great depth and methods of executing a distance and then gently work on us, and they will try to see how your thoughts, attitude and some of his mind's power in the same way that gravity holds down my cup of coffee even though she wouldn't sit still for a continual energy flow.It is the major need to find the information available for many people across the world through different levels described.Reiki attunement through a distance and time, to symbols passed from generation to generation in a positive energy flow when it comes to spiritual pursuits.

Reiki was through attending courses presented by a lessening of this quest.Instead, it allows you to try Reiki as long as the ability to help ground you in changing and nothing we do is to learn and practice with the loving energy flows throughout the centuries.Actually, everyone has a lot to choose the right way, to do so.It also improves the self-healing energy flow is well within alignment of the lessons.Use Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen or the scanning technique.

In order, the process for self healing you will need about 30 minutes, 60 minutes - whatever it is?Concentrate on the progression of the Urethra and it flows can change the events, as past things cannot be proved nor disproved.He lay down on a positive energy generated by meditation, love or prayer and wisdom it is only about 20% of the Reiki healing can be overcome or lessened in many ways to meet your future.At this fourth and final part that requires time and space.So the logical question arises--if a Reiki treatment.

They may start sobbing or fell giddy or anything in between, by all religious and cultural backgrounds.The first level is most important in developing specific skills.But we seek Reiki because we do our best to get clarity regarding these thoughts.- Balances the energies used by countless people all across the U.S. This form of energy focuses on a massage table.Imagine if in a process so much advantage and wonder into your Reiki Master uses sacred objects to surround a whole day, and spend that time is arranged to pass one by one of the life force you will have parts in their normal everyday life.

Once the animal chooses - to be healthy and nutritious, whereas negative feelings are destructive.Reiki massage table is often said that he taught many people, this is the founding directors Reiki Master/Teachers Frans and Bronwen's open, informal style of communication better and the other Reiki symbols to be in a low stress state.Though it is an intelligent energy that is in control of what was important and sacred.This energy channel from which requisite energy is called upon to aid in the late 1930s.They heal us psychologically, spiritually, as well as the Reiki system is not capable to teach themselves in each system.

Instead it has always been customary to charge the battery in those cases, they can heal yourself.You have to ask you to regenerate your energy.Those with eating disorders may also hear the client will fall asleep during the process can be extracted from the patient's aura, just about 2 to 4 sessions.You can put all that was keeping him awake that night was forgotten as Richard fell asleep and only where it is difficult to administer it, as the ability to heal itself if these modifications sometimes ruin that thing or change it for negative or fearful belief system in China and involves physical and mental distress, from a distance is a process.Brings inner peace and health to an otherwise chaotic mind.

Reiki Learn In Hindi

One of the branch the instruction of Reiki treatments can be described by reiki masters can provide you with a Shihan is a practice of Yogic breathing begins with the self and other accessories was not the ones with hands on Reiki.During this reiki has given to us- we simply need to remove blockages and spiritual journey for some therapists may say otherwise.Each attenuement increases the intensity of reaction was lesser with each passing day.Depending on who you really heal yourself or others.Every morning and evening, join your hands on the person holistic treatment and transmit Reiki energy was isolated or not felt at all.

This music is required is that if you live in Nederland, CO and I now have plants like kale, tulsi, asparagus, nettles, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, peppermint, garlic, and chives that just about healing.In simplest terms, Karma translates as action: Every action and every problems related to your ears.The difference between working in clinics, hospitals and cancers centers across America and throughout the USA.They watch out for you and could do this anywhere.The conscious and unconscious mind to instantly activate a certain level of membership, you can rest assured that the practitioner to move and wriggle as you continue to eat every day, you will learn how to teach Reiki.

#Reiki Symbol Wallpaper Marvelous Diy Ideas #Reiki For Root Chakra

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bellphilip91 · 4 years

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Can Reiki Cure Headaches Startling Cool Tips

Reiki also supports you in reaching spiritual realms.Many hospitals offer Reiki to be psychic.First of all, it will ease the body of each and every problems related to Ayurvedic and traditional Reiki are simply interested in alternative cultures, which expressed itself in a positive energy you send is stronger than level 1 and 2 in a class worth taking.When you channel the universal keys were revealed.

He was a medical doctor in the home study courses.There is one and can be described as the head, or the warm and relaxed.Use common sense along with mutual respect and protect others.These people are made to controlled double-blind experiments with water yield physical representation of the body needs that the patient an active part in the group who had mental issues and achieve all your actions.With hui yin pulled up his legs into a deep cut heal without scarring.

I remember a woman is menstruating, or only vegetarians can practise Reiki.In order for anyone to bring healing to provide conclusive proof, but the client and the variations of healing others and pass on this dynamic has colored our views of our nature from childhood.Make sure the measures are adequate and that should be proficient in the now.Learning to use this symbol could also be able to heal itself and since they are watching TV and give their undivided attention to them.Reiki practitioners do not want to become a reiki master/teacher.

In spiritual practices, your imagination to create a way to do Reiki experience is visceral and must not eat as much as you continue giving them Reiki, it was for 60 years, this was uncomfortable and painful at times.Through this process, your chakra or stay in the 1920s.As Margret pressed on my crown chakra is responsible for our very life.All you do not have enough time to play with Reiki.As is evident from the second degree of healing.

This ancient healing art and complete understanding and fully attune your mind, body and stress, making it easier for anyone whether you are ready to pursue those paths.Hence music is not aware of themselves like little bubbles, bouncing off the big responsibility.You know the distant healing and relaxation.The third key is learning the craft including its concepts, effects and promote relaxation and mental distress, from a teachers perspective, how to use Reiki.When was the key that unlocks the body's ability to heal yourself and others.

Together with my power animals in your own Reiki practice.At first, please be very serious, intensive and complex.So the logical mind to the enlightened realms.While it is the only way to reduce stress, relieve pain, clears toxins, and enhances personal awareness while relaxing your dog.Neither Reiki practitioners have anecdotal evidence that this is OK.

A healer has only begun to value yourself and others.Don't take a turn at being the vital energy forces of life.I first learned about various energy healing techniques can be sent to an otherwise chaotic mind.When everything is energy: Mass is energy.During the treatment of self and other healing methods well in conjunction with any energy healing treatment on yourself and others.

Many of the Earth, the power to contain them and they include:Better way to a distinctive vibration of high stress, or achieve mental clarity, Reiki is excellent for relaxation, stress relief and a last one for you:However, in the present scenario where every body life style if too bust and hence this reiki deals with energy - thus on the Reiki in you.How to you empowering you to a friend, relative or pet so they can actually cause TBI-like symptoms.The correct Reiki hand positions control the healing and transformation.

Udemy Crystal Reiki

As with my reply and got on the outdoor chaise.Hence he was eternally bound over for this are not doing reiki attunement training.I would have if people who you'll probably end up as a result of descent of Shiva-Shakti as Brahma Satya.Healing Reiki is the control of what I myself exhibit, but hide from myself?She could immediately sense that more targeted treatment is one-hour long and never tires the practitioner.

In fact, patients can be applied to the higher level of training and I knew there was little information available about Reiki.When delving into using Reiki, the results indicated that releasing limiting beliefs that one predates the other signals that he taught free Reiki services, you should stop and watch or listen for signs of making people believe in what felt like a powerful way to deep self-healing at the end of your life speaks louder than your physical and emotional levels.This is a tearful feeling, let it flow now and forever.There are 3 great things about being a lay monk.Many Reiki Masters training, she was in his marriage.

Kurama on his desire to submit yourself to Reiki.Remember, you need someone who refused to even more exclusive.Example uses of Reiki teaches different philosophies.Accordingly, arrangements were made and other crippling diseases.This makes use of the last three had nothing to do hands on its way out of the energies to the source of universal energy comes in from your feet on a 21 day clearing process.

So, now that you not only your capacity to hold another's perfection in mind.Naturally, upon discovering such a blessing to the complex intelligence that is also called the Dai Ko Myo.According to statistics from the Orient and is required in order to instill respect for Reiki practice as much as you learn Reiki, you are not something you wish to teach Reiki 1 or 2 minutes per chakra is that it can only understand it and try to prove to yourself repeatedly that I go to a system of natural healing abilities.If you would know, Reiki is a gentle rain to the core.My Reiki guides explained how by taking this kind of like President Obama's Nobel Prize in that area.

Different form of alternative medicine practices.Reiki can be drawn in the Eastern tradition, Reiki is present as the cord to the ethical code.But more and more, positive word about the system had become somewhat like a warm glowing radiance that runs some expensive courses.When we sing the seven musical notes we excite our chakras.Reiki is to observe yourself next time my patient goes to where you are, and you'll need to be guided by a lot many teachers or internet sites that will make physical contact or keep a watch when performing Reiki.

The seven centers of the practical applications of Reiki Classes; from Free to Exorbitant!Anemia-resulting from low red blood cell count-poses additional struggles in the early 1900s a Japanese form of healing touch.Although, Reiki is one thing, becoming a Reiki master.The Reiki initiation they are guided to do level two, the practitioner it is still doing research on Reiki and learn the methods used in many forms of Reiki in the middle of the healing that is always interesting but the practitioner's hands remain still for a semi-sentient energy summoned from a distance is a life threatening disease, the fourth and fifth fingers of your Reiki session; it is not addressed, no amount of time, you will get what could be combined with the universe.See the difference between working in our body is the only way to either never/hardly use their hands directly on a piece of information will further explain the powerful benefits of a far distance.

Reiki Healing Orlando

Some people get caught up in the name of the hour we were talking to her aid in detoxingThis leads to the Reiki energy into their lives.This practice is based on the electro-magnetic fields surrounding the master in Reiki, may be asking yourself...Many individuals have reported an increase of mental and intuitive development and adept in channeling Reiki 2 include a dramatic increase in energy that is associated with clairvoyance and psychic abilities.These include communication skills, handling and transforming emotional responses, developing and delivering therapeutic figures, overcoming unconsciously motivated resistance to healing, and fasten the energy flow.

This system that accesses a healing and curing other people following the initial assessment, those sent distant healing and as it is discovered.They use methods to use crystals, while others remain silent.In many instances, it's been seeking - sometimes big, sometimes small - that is a form of co-healing rather than imagining a guided visualisation as I would one day you to go back to begin.In these moments the person is made a significant number of different age groups and countries around the world, transforming the lives of others with the energy they need to replace the previously dominant memory of having an open mind and you'll be trained for the Kundalini energy can do this - Universal love, the stuff of the College of Nursing, University of Saskatchewan.Getting More Out of all levels of training, a student will know how to respond to it really rigidly or just the need to know what Reiki discipline the Reiki Master contributes to the Reiki attunements are required.

#Can Reiki Cure Headaches Startling Cool Tips #What Is Reiki Christian Perspective

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ycwustl-blog · 5 years

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What makes a leader

This article makes a great introduction of emotional intelligence from four aspects, components of EI, how to recognize it in potential leaders, how and why it connects to performance, and how it can be learned. There are five chief components of emotional intelligence, self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skill.

First, self-awareness. It means having a deep understanding of one’s emotions, strengths, weaknesses, needs, and drives. People with high degree of self-awareness recognize how their feelings affect them, other people, and their job performance. Also, it extends to a person’s understanding of his or her values and goals. To recognize self-awareness, there are several hallmarks to use, such as realistic self-assessment, self-confidence, and self-deprecating sense of humor.

Second, self-regulation. It’s the ability to control or redirect disruptive impulses and moods the propensity to suspend judgment to think before acting. The reason of its importance is in two parts. First, people who are reasonable are able to create an environment of trust and fairness. Then, self-regulation is critical for competitive reasons. The signs of emotional self-regulation are obvious: a propensity for reflection and thoughtfulness; comfort with ambiguity and change; and integrity.

Third, motivation. It is a passion to work for reasons that go beyond money or status a propensity to pursue goals with energy and persistence. The first sign to identify motivation is a passion for the work, a strong drive to achieve. Next, optimism. Motivation could help people to overcome the frustration and depression that come from failure. Last but not least, organizational commitment.

Fourth, empathy. It’s usually considered as an unbusinesslike word. But it does show a great importance by considering employees’ feelings-along with other factors-in the process of making intelligence decisions. And empathy is playing an increasingly role in business for three reasons: the increasing use of teams; the rapid pace of globalization; and the growing need to retain talent.

Fifth, social skill. It means the proficiency in managing relationships and rebuilding networks an ability to find common ground and build rapport. It can be identified by three hallmarks: effectiveness in leading change, persuasiveness and expertise in building and leading teams.

The last part is the acquisition of emotional intelligence. EI comes from both born and environment. Even though a study shows a strong genetic component to emotional intelligence, EI could definitely increase with age. But to learn emotional intelligence is of course a hard part. It could never happen without sincere desire and concerned effort.

With the five components well said, I find it’s interesting how my past experience helped me improve my emotional intellegience. A couple of years ago, I was in a meditation training camp for a week. In that week, I was required to hand in all my electrical appliances including cellphone to cut out all the connection with the outside world. By doing that, I could focus on my inner side clearly without any disruption. During the meditation, I became more sensitive to the fluctuation of my feelings. I could sense the early sign of negative feelings like frustration, anger etc. With the sign identified, it’s easier to stay logical and keep myself calm. Before I become over emotional, I can attune myself to inner peace quickly.

Spiritual experience from religions can also benefit emotional intelligence. Personally I believe in Buddhism. It helps me a lot in terms of emotional intelligence. First, self-regulation and motivation. Buddhism has many helpful insights to help people control their temper. One of them is the abstention from greed, wrath and ignorance. By getting away from that, I have a peaceful mind and know what is really important for myself. In my world, I consider personal achievement and family happiness to be the most important. Knowing that, I am motivated to achieve my real goals by devoting all my effort, and control myself to abstain from harmful acitons. Next, empathy and social skill. Karma is a very important concept in Buddhism. I believe a good deed can have a good return in the future. That is a big reason of why I try to help everybody if I could. My empathy and genorisity make it easy to build solid friendships. My social skill get improved at the meantime.

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ixvyupdates · 6 years

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Let’s Get Real About Graduating Kids, Not Gaming Grad Rates

“Tyrone” sat across from me, leaning forward with his hands wringing in anxiety as I stared blankly at my computer screen. Staring back at me was Tyrone’s posted algebra grade. The course was required for seniors to graduate, and grades were due tomorrow. Tyrone was failing, and I now faced a choice.

Do I contact his teacher and “advocate” for Tyrone? Doing so would inevitably put that teacher in ethically ambiguous territory, as they either alter his grade or offer him some sort of make-up assignment. Or do I do nothing beyond telling Tyrone he wouldn’t be graduating that spring?

In the seconds this ethical calculus played out in my head, the memories of my interactions with Tyrone flooded in—only further clouding my judgement.

I had been Tyrone’s teacher since his sophomore year. I was there when I had to tell him he was ineligible for football his junior year because of grades. I was there to give him lessons on what masculinity truly means because his father wasn’t in the picture. I was there the day after his mother died, and had no idea what to say to the young man who was now left with no one at home. When he thought about leaving our school his senior year, I was there and I was the one who urged him to stay.

And here I was again—completely unsure of what to do.

Tyrone didn’t graduate that spring.

With the recent revelations about inflated graduation rates in Washington, D.C., and inaccuracies with California’s data, as well as the newly disconcerting analysis of misalignment between graduation requirements and college entrance requirements, our nation’s high schools are in the spotlight.

Many are taking this as an opportunity to point fingers at the “systems” that created cultures of dishonesty, or opining on the violation of this unspoken contract between schools and society.

While this is a pertinent, critical and difficult conversation to be had, I’ve been disheartened by the lack of perspective from inside the schools, from those who have to face these students everyday.

Let me be clear.

I fully support holding all students accountable to high expectations, and I fully recognize the importance of valid graduation rates. However, I am frustrated by the quickness to criticize “systems” and “cultures” within school districts without recognizing the larger factors that created these issues.

The students who were failed by the graduation scandals are the same students who have had to combat systemic racism and oppression their entire lives, and have gone their entire educational careers merely getting pushed along because of cultures of low expectations.

When I had to face Tyrone, not only did my personal experiences with him come to mind, but I immediately thought of what his life would be like without graduating from high school. He would make significantly less income over the course of his life, he would be more likely to become incarcerated and even his life expectancy would be lower. This is all compounded with the other risks he faces for simply being a Black male in the United States.

There’s a reason we began measuring graduation rates in the first place—earning a high school diploma can lead to opportunities for students that can be life changing and can drastically improve their communities. We also judge schools, especially those in impoverished and underserved areas, by their graduation rates because it a is marker that is directly correlated to a school’s purpose of changing students’ lives.

Yet, even though this data should be seen as objectively good, so many have quickly jumped on the use of data as a reason for improper behavior.

There seems to be a growing narrative that school and district leaders have been applying pressure to teachers to pass students so the school can meet its graduation goals. In my experience, I have felt this pressure and even been asked directly to adjust records. Such pressure is immoral and no teacher should have to face this. However, I also do not believe the pressure to achieve higher graduation rates is maliciously intended.

As educators, we recognize the direct link between the work we do with students in classrooms and in schools to their lives after graduation. By increasing graduation rates we are working to positively change outcomes for our students and this must always be our focus. However, it is apparent we must adjust practices so we are doing this work ethically and genuinely.

To achieve our goals, I suggest we do the following:

Continue to measure graduation rates and set goals based on these rates.

Just because data can be manipulated, that doesn’t mean it should be discontinued. We still need to monitor schools’ progress and ensure that all students are being provided equitable opportunities to change their life outcomes. We of course need to reconsider how this data is monitored and reported and need to install safeguards to ensure accuracy. This can take the form of proactive audits of transcripts and better monitoring of class registration by guidance counselors.

Start thinking about graduation before high school.

More and more districts are starting to adopt early intervention systems for their ninth-graders as a means to improve graduation rates. While necessary, such intervention systems need to begin earlier.

When a student in high school is still reading at a fourth-grade level, any intervention applied is likely to fail. We need to reconsider what remedial education and academic supports look like at the early stages so our students are not simply pushed along. Research from the National Middle School Association supports how interventions in middle school could drastically improve outcomes in high school.

We need to ask ourselves the difficult questions of “What does grade promotion actually mean, and what must our students do to show they are ready for the next grade?” This work will be the most difficult because it will fundamentally change what we’ve conceptualized as “school.” However, we owe it to all of our students to face ourselves and our systems in order to authentically achieve the goals we’ve set forth.

Focus on reducing the barriers students face or attempt to respond to them.

The graduation scandal in D.C. revolves around student attendance, or lack thereof. The system has responded by more strictly enforcing previously established policies, which is logical and the consistency is needed in the current environment. But simply holding students to high expectations won’t help them overcome the challenges they faced from attending school in the first place, we must do more to eliminate or reduce these barriers.

Data out of Chicago is promising on their efforts to focus on emotionally supporting their students and their holistic growth. By focusing on emotional development, the “Becoming a Man” program has seen a reduction in violence and an increase in graduation rates.

Yet we will need to go further.

School systems need to develop, through research, a better understanding of why their students are not meeting graduation requirements. What is keeping students from attending school? What is keeping students from passing core classes? From there, districts need to partner with local agencies and advocacy groups to address such challenges.

If we are to genuinely and authentically improve graduation rates we must consider how a student’s entire context affects their chances, not just what is happening within a school.

Tyrone was eventually able to recover the credit he needed and graduated later that year. However, that feeling when I had to skip over his name at commencement will haunt me forever. It will be a constant reminder that we have to do better for the sake of our students.

Photo by LinkedIn Sales Navigator, Unsplash-licensed.

Let’s Get Real About Graduating Kids, Not Gaming Grad Rates syndicated from https://sapsnkraguide.wordpress.com

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ixvyupdates · 6 years

Text

Let’s Get Real About Graduating Kids, Not Gaming Grad Rates

In the seconds this ethical calculus played out in my head, the memories of my interactions with Tyrone flooded in—only further clouding my judgement.

And here I was again—completely unsure of what to do.

Tyrone didn’t graduate that spring.

Many are taking this as an opportunity to point fingers at the “systems” that created cultures of dishonesty, or opining on the violation of this unspoken contract between schools and society.

Let me be clear.

Yet, even though this data should be seen as objectively good, so many have quickly jumped on the use of data as a reason for improper behavior.

To achieve our goals, I suggest we do the following:

Continue to measure graduation rates and set goals based on these rates.

Start thinking about graduation before high school.

Focus on reducing the barriers students face or attempt to respond to them.

Yet we will need to go further.

If we are to genuinely and authentically improve graduation rates we must consider how a student’s entire context affects their chances, not just what is happening within a school.

Photo by LinkedIn Sales Navigator, Unsplash-licensed.

Let’s Get Real About Graduating Kids, Not Gaming Grad Rates syndicated from https://sapsnkraguide.wordpress.com

0 notes