Thoughts: Fooling Around

As we age and live life with all it has to offer, whether we like it or not, to experience different sensations that compels one to grow, and thereafter becomes an act of impelling oneself through what has been learnt. We build our own set of beliefs by learning from our own history and mostly through the history of others and life.

Very so often, we are inspired by another who has lived through life in their own right. We connect with their thoughts, their ideas, their beliefs. And we as interconnected beings, continue to spread this light in the world of darkness.

One of the many things I belief is being true to oneself.
It’s a form of self-respect ~ with it, it helps us to keep check of our own actions, because what we do affects another entity. We should be true to oneself and in that, it ripples out with how you act, think, and behave. But at the same time, we should not be callous with our words and actions.

I find the following words spoken by 1Rabbi Shalom DovBer of Lubavitch who told his son before his 2bar mitzvah one of life’s fundamentals of being a responsible adult in a nutshell.

“Three things you must know to be an adult:
1. Don’t fool yourself
2. Don’t fool others
3. Don’t let others fool you
– and do it all without trying to impress anybody.”

Have yourselves a wonderful and fulfilling weekend with your loved ones!
XO JR ❤

Footnotes
1 – Rabbi Sholom DovBer of Lubavitch, fifth leader of Chabad-Lubavitch;1860-1920; founder of the Tomchei Temimim yeshivah in Lubavitch in 1897, famed for his profound analytical treatment of Chabad chassidism
2 – A Jewish boy who reaches the age of thirteen, the age of adulthood in Jewish life, thus becoming religiously responsible for his own conduct; also refers to the event marking this milestone 

Thoughts: Seeding Change

We all hope that the world would change to become a better place to live in.
What does the word ‘world’ mean to you?
I always think that nature is perfect and there is nothing of it that needs change.
It is the inhabitants that make what the world is today.
Thus, should we not start from ourselves, the world within us, to make those changes?
Let’s start seeding goodness, just as how the sages have long advised…

“Just as a tiny seed awakens the infinite power of life hidden within the earth, so an act of caring and giving buried quietly in the ground can ignite an explosion of infinite light. Charged with that power, all the world is changed.”
Based on letters and talks of the Rebbe, Rabbi M. M. Schneerson

And some very intriguing interpretations of self-portraits by the very talented Yann, a professional photographer from france.

Enjoy ~ XO JR

The Strawberry Sticker from the Small Trades self-portrait series by Yann, Photography Dream, art print for $15


The Seed Gatherer from the Small Trades self-portrait series by Yann, Photography Dream, art print for $15

Intentions כונה

In today’s society where emailing, texting, messaging, iChat, Facebook, blogging, et al of all things digital communication, we seem to be lost in a world of virtual emotions where we use these social network tools and emoticons to represent our words and emotions.

Most of the time, we would read them and unconsciously believe in them and fall into the virtual world where not everything is what it seems. We tend to use these social network masks to hide our true emotions. We can be screaming and cussing under our breath while typing our polite replies to the person on the other side of the “screen”. And that person receiving your “polite” reply would then perceive that this person is really nice.

Hmmm.

So what’s the point here? Intentions.
What is intention? According to the Webster dictionary, it states:
(1) a determination to act in a certain way;
(2) what one intends to do or bring about;
(3) the object for which a prayer, mass, or pious act is offered;
(4) a process or manner of healing of incised wounds

In hebrew; כונה pronounced as kavanah.

But how does one ever be able to read or tell a person’s intentions? Even when you are face-to-face? Well, through experience and discernment developed from your own life’s experiences. So be smart, open your eye within you and comprehend from within and not with just your external orifices. Understand with your soul.

With that said, one of our favorite phrases by Baal HaSulam, one of the most prominent and revered kabbalist has said:

“The end of an act is in the preliminary thought.”

A simple statement but goes a long way of profound thought, action, sensory perception and experience.

Journeys

The Baal Shem Tov taught that each of our lives is comprised of 42 journeys, corresponding to the 42 journeys of the Children of Israel in the wilderness.

Some of those journeys have pleasant names. Others don’t sound so nice. But none are inherently bad. It is only that you may have to dig deeper and deeper to find the purpose and the good within them.

Based on letters and talks of the Rebbe, Rabbi M. M. Schneerson
From the wisdom of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, of righteous memory; words and condensation by Rabbi Tzvi Freeman.