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What about love?

Before he spoke the words 'let there be light' he thought 'let there be love'. by Michael Corthell The standard definition of love is an unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another. And there is the highest form of love. Interestingly, that kind of love is also defined as Charity which is defined as the type of love God has for mankind. It is also the love we are to show for our neighbor. It embraces a universal, unconditional love that transcends, and serves regardless of circumstances or consequences. When we become enlightened we come to understand that love does indeed heal all wounds, but more importantly, we understand that love is the true reason for our existence. King Solomon further describes love this way: Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous, it does not brag, and it is not proud. Love is not rude, it is not selfish, and it cannot be made angry easily. Love does not remember wrongs done ag

What Does Having a Spiritual and Personal Relationship with God Really Mean?

The Law of Devine Oness is the first of the universal laws, in that it's the one upon which all the others build. This law states that we are all connected through creation. Every single bit of matter that makes you, is connected to the entirety of the Universe, making each individual a form and function of it, or one with the All.   by Michael Corthell Religion is a cultural system of behaviors and practices. Usually with a worldview, a sacred book, or books, it may have holy places, its own ethics, and/or its own societal organizations. Religion will often relate humanity to what one anthropologist has called "an order of existence" or a reason to exist.  ''The purpose of religion is not building grand temples, but cultivating positive human qualities like tolerance, generosity and love .'' —Dalai Lama That is a description for a textbook. What is its purpose? What is the purpose of all belief systems? I am going to describe what I

Abused and Bullied as a Child Lizzie Velasquez Chose to be HAPPY!

Lizzie is not a complainer. Follow her on You Tube . by Michael Corthell We all choose to complain from time to time. We sometimes don't even know that we're complaining. Sometimes a common complaint can help bond two people, but too much complaining may just break down the relationship. Some people say, "Why do I complain, no one listens anyway.'' (I wonder why??) I like to tell people, ''The complaint department is on the 99th floor and there are no elevators.''   ''Instead of complaining that the rose bush is full of thorns,  be happy the thorn bush has roses.'' —Abraham Lincoln We've all known people who complain long and loud, they are the ones who constantly gripe about their health, their family, their relationships, their job, and the list goes on and on. They are never happy with anything. (because they are not happy with themselves) And every time you hang out with them you are left feeling drained.

How Does a Resource-Based Economy Work?

The most important difference between a Resource-Based Economy and a Capitalist or Socialist Economy is sustainability and because there is no means of servitude or money used in this system, there is no corruption, no crime, no war, and no poverty . by Michael Corthell The quality of life for all people on Earth will be raised and enhanced immeasurably when all Earth's citizens have access to the  best  products and services, education, healthcare, transportation, housing, and energy systems that our civilization can provide.  This commitment must come sooner, rather than later to save our environment, our race, and other species. We have the technology to begin implementing this new economy immediately. We only need the will to do it...    Resourceism is the belief that all the Earth's resources are the common inheritance of all the Earth's inhabitants. Global problems faced by mankind today are impacting individuals and nations rapidly. Climate change, famine, war, epid

Life Lessons Taught in The Wizard of Oz

I love this story and watch the movie every year right around my birthday which is in December. It kicks off the Christmas movie marathon for me. (Including, A Christmas Carol, It's a Wonderful Life, and about a dozen more) To commemorate the 60th year I've viewed this film (I started watching it when I was ten years old!) I've written a brief summary analysis of it. It's my opinion of course, but I think you'll find when thinking about it, especially while watching the movie that you'll agree with me. We're off... by Michael Corthell ''Oz never did give nothing to the Tin Man. That he didn't, didn't already have. And Cause never was the reason for the evening. Or the tropic of Sir Galahad.'' -  Dewey Bunnell, Tin Man   Many of us think by running away from negative situations, we will be free of them, but in reality, the very same situations confront us over and over wherever we go. Let's take a look at The Wizard of Oz story kee

How Do We Overcome Hate and Racism?

  Not long ago in America by Michael Corthell Prejudice, Hate, and Racism. This evil trinity of human behavior will rise and fall depending on the political climate, economy, and spiritual atmosphere of the times.  Hating another human being for who they are or what was done to them is very grave insubordination. It is slapping God in the face. This evil behavior carries with it severe consequences for individuals, as well as nations and societies. ''Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that...The time is always right to do what is right.'' —Martin Luther King, Jr. Prejudice is caused by negative, hateful thoughts and attitudes. These opinions and feelings toward a person or group are formed without adequate knowledge , thought or reason and are based on stereotypes. Prejudice is the result of prejudgment and leads to the discrimination of and even outright hate for an

Compassion, Kindness, Empathy and The Healing Practice of Deep Listening

by Michael Corthell    I think that we can all agree that healing is an act of kindness, as well as an act of love. The very first step in healing is to know what needs to be healed. To do that we have to listen and listen deeply, without distraction or any negativity. Deeply listening with kindness and compassion is undoubtedly the most powerful act of human healing and change. Compassion is a virtue that all good human beings have, and it is this virtue that provides the motivation for wanting to heal. In order to heal others, we must first heal ourselves, especially our emotional minds. Those of us who have been self-criticizing for years, need only to stop and start affirming ourselves. People who make that switch from self-negation to self-affirmation are truly transformed human beings, who then, are well on their way to self-enlightenment. Several research studies have shown that when you practice and feel compassion, your heart rate slows down, you

Forgiveness in the Age of Anger

by Michael Corthell Our lives are short enough and time spent being angry and resentful toward someone is really a waste of time. How to cope? Forgive. ''Those who are free of resentful thoughts surely find peace.'' —Buddha Hanging on to resentments and your angry, hurt feelings toward someone you were once close to will not only keep you from moving on with your life, you may never learn to deal with the emotional wounds. Letting go of your anger, resentment, and jealousy, whether it leads to healing the relationship, or to wholeness and peace within yourself, or both, is essential to healing and maintaining good health—for your mind and your body. ''Resentment is like punching yourself in the face, and expecting the other person to get a bloody nose.'' When you start to resent or hate a person, you become that person's slave. He controls your thoughts and dreams. He takes away good digestion, steals your peace of mind and goodw

Accountability, Justice and Forgiveness

“Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much.” ― Oscar Wilde It is wrong, it is immoral, (and futile) for anyone to seek to escape the consequences of their acts. Trying to wiggle out of it only compounds your negative consequences. Karma is a real thing based on the laws that govern the Universe. See Essay: Compensation by Ralph Waldo Emerson

What is Carnism and What About Love?

Carnism is the invisible belief system, or ideology, that conditions people to eat certain animals and not others. by Michael Corthell It has been said that as long as there are slaughterhouses, there will be battlefields. Let me explain. Carnism is a belief system or ideology. This ideology conditions people to eat certain animals, but not others. It is essentially 'invisible' in all human cultures.  Carnism is the polar opposite of veganism. The 'carn' means flesh or meat and 'ism' refers to a belief system. And because carnism is invisible, people rarely, if ever, realize that eating animals is a choice, rather than a given. In all meat-eating cultures around the world, people really don't think about why they eat some animals and not others, or why they eat meat at all. So then, when eating animals is not a necessity, which is the case for most people worldwide, then it is a choice – and choices always come from belief systems. As long as we

Fatalism: Is Free Will an Illusion?

Fatalism: the belief that all events are predetermined and therefore inevitable. by Michael Corthell The idea of positive fatalism I can best show by example, that is, after I explain a little bit about my view of it. It is a contrary and controversial explanation using the kind of thinking, which is not unlike the logic of one of my mentors, C. S. Lewis. I call this theory, 'apparent free will', which simply means: your will for self determination is seemingly real or true, but not necessarily so .  This is not a Calvinistic theory however and should not be confused with it. ''Whatever will be, will be The future's not ours to see Que será, será What will be, will be...'' — Que Sera, Sera The ageless and classic problem of free will is to fit in an element of freedom with fatalism and faith in a world of causes and effects, a world of events in a great causal chain. That is where  ''apparent free will'' comes in. (related: Calvin

How to Train Your Mind to Produce Positive Internal Dialogue

  ''To be either positive or negative-minded is a choice and the decision to turn on those positive thinking vibes could be the most important choice you ever make in your entire life.'' - Michael Corthell ____________________ The  National Science Foundation  reports our brain produces as many as 50,000 thoughts per day, with a majority being inner dialogue.  In fact, we talk to ourselves most of the time. And our self-talks have become one of the main factors that influenced our overall mindset, our actions, and ultimately, the results we get in life. Below is a brief overview of how to retrain your brain to think positively and limit the negative conversations we have with ourselves. For a more in-depth look see:  ''Self-Talk Creates Reality'' ______________________  ''Positive Self-Talk'' What is positive self-talk? Our internal dialogues, or “self-talk,” can shape our beliefs and influence our emotions and behavior, and provide assur