" Awaken ... "

“ start of lyrics Stripped of life, alone

In the midst of something that I ...

wanting, letting go, of what never could be again

Lost and alone

Imprisoned now inside your mind

With the way you tried ...

You were waiting and living for no one

With the way you tried

To completely refuse all your life

Feed on your nothing

You'll never live up to me

Awaken you “

~ Disturbed ~ Awaken ~

***

What happens when a fully aware person is in a room full of asleep people? ... Awesome stories!! ... and honestly, an opportunity to practice what you’ve learned thus far.  And thankfully, the Universe has a Divine ability to present just that.  

Picture a room full of the following behaviours ... obnoxious, rude, arrogant, egotistical, drunk, righteous.  So it is s simply easier to be frustrated, angry, pissed off, livid, aggressive ... and join the movement!!  And yeah, some of those feelings do arise, yet honestly speaking, but rather than acting out on it, I just sat with it ... yeah, I sat with it.  

Drunk desperate people, triggering every last ounce of patience you may have.  Acting cool, but not being cool.  Acting righteous but oh so off the mark, it’s comical.  

Serenity now, serenity now ...

And that is exactly what it is.  An opportunity to either be an asshole or be a kind.  Most pick the asshole, not even knowing it, subconsciously, their conditioning kicks in.  And really it is easier.  It is easier to be a jerk than to put in the EFFORT to be kind, for some.  Why, because they don’t hear what they want, they don’t get what they want, they don’t get it fast enough ... so yeah, it pretty much ALL sucks.  Add to this a healthy dose of insecurity, we react.  We WANT to tell them that they cannot treat us like that.  We give our EGO a voice.  Period. 

I sat with IT and I had so many realizations.  And then it happened.  The vulnerability present in the situation was so apparent.  I could feel it, it was thick in the room, hanging in the air like the smoke in the non-smoking establishment.  Humans looking to prove something, looking for affirmation, looking for respect, looking for SOMETHING ... and there it was.  The frustration, anger, pissed off, livid and aggressive nature showed its colors.  Will they satisfy their cravings, their hunger?  Yes, but it will be short lived, looking for the next quick fix ... sex, alcohol, drugs.

I write about how the masks fall off when people truly reveal who they are, not their reputation, not what they can do, not what they have.  You see, when you get an opportunity to observe rather than participate ... grab it because the learning curve is infinite.  Begin by making sure you caution yourself from being righteous, looking for something wrong, all smugged up.  It’s not about judging others ... it is about understanding and praying for others.  Yup, praying.

Praying because they can end their suffering simply by looking for affirmation, respect, love ... that SOMETHING ... WITHIN.  Even the crusty ones that seem to have “endure” life.  You know the one, in the dark corner of the seedy pub, been there-done that.  Because an open mind starts with an open heart.  Digging deep to find grace, compassion, kindness and empathy for them.  They are a prisoner to they own emotions, imagine what hell they must go through daily in their own minds.  And maybe praying is a lit-tle TOO religious for some ... possibly send them well wishes and blessings to end their suffering.  Because IT is not about you.

Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart.  

Who looks outside, dreams.  Who looks inside, awakens.

Carl Gustav Jung

" I Love Myself Today ... "

I’ll stand right up

Spit shine my soul

I’m gonna be proud

And loud and outta control

I love myself today

Not like yesterday

I’m cool, I’m calm

I’m gonna be ok, uh huh

~ Bif Naked ~ I Love Myself Today ~

***

I have always loved this song and artist, very cool lyrics and vibe.  And I thought it was appropriate for this blog ... Narcissists ... (triggered after witnessing an interaction at our community coffee shop this am) ...

So what is a narcissist?  Well the term “narcissism” comes from the Greek mytology character called “Narcissus” who fell in love with his own reflection while gazing into a pool of water.  Narcissists are people who have an obsessive interest in well, themselves ... consumed with their physical appearance and have a very grandiose opinion of their own abilities, craving attention and admiration as highly self-centered people ... 
* Le sigh, yes we all have known someone ...

And dealing with people who have narcissist personalities is challenging as they may appear charming, they make other be dependent on their approval.  If boundaries are not set and reinforced, a narcissist can be extremely draining.

But a person can be selfish or argumentative, but that doesn’t make them a narcissist.  To have a narcissistic-personality disorder means a person has a chronic pattern of irregular thinking and behaviours in various situations.

So how can you tell the difference?  Well narcissists lack empathy for others.  They have an exaggerated sense of entitlement and expect people to do favours for them rather than them being concerned about others.  Also, envy is a common sign ... they are jealous of the achievements of others, dominate conversations and exaggerate their own accomplishments and importance.  To a narcissist, appearance is more important than inner qualities such as integrity.  Plus bragging about power and wealth helps to boost their low self-esteem, regardless of whether the narcissist is actually wealthy or is lying about their economic status. 

So where does all this come from?  In reality, narcissists feel inferior so they develop a superiority complex to combat feeling less than others. This usually involves an exaggeration of the narcissist’s own accomplishments, while putting down others viewed as threats.  Narcissism occurs as a result of a gap between one’s ideal self and real self ... leading to a person developing defense devices for defending their ego.

So how do you deal with a narcissists?  

• Set boundaries and decide the amount of approval to give a narcissist ... for example, how long to listen to them talk about themselves.  If it goes on too long, politely change the subject or make an excuse to leave the conversation.

• Avoid arguments. Forget trying to win an argument with a narcissist. Instead, steer a conversation in an peaceful direction.

• End the relationship. When involved in a relationship with a narcissist, it’s important to know when to leave. It is vital to care of yourself, realizing the narcissistic has a mental illness and what they say should not be taken personally.

“When science finally locates the center of the universe, 

some people will be surprised to learn they’re not it” ~ B. Bailey