Be the Sun

Be the Sun.

A friend had recently confided in me an issue he had.
Friend: "I need you advice. I have a close friend who had cultivated some bad habits. I tried to save him from destroying himself but its difficult. Any way I can save him?"
Simple Bear: "Don't save him."
Friend: "And leave him to walk towards his own demise? I can't do it."
Simple Bear: "I mean don't have the mentality of being a savior. We are the only ones who can save ourselves; no one else can. He is the only one who can save himself. We can only facilitate the process of him saving himself through support."
Friend: "But I can't just ignore him."
Simple Bear: "Do your best. Be there for him. If he doesn't develop any self awareness or insight into his own problems, there is a limit to what others can do for him. It is like a person lost in an underground maze but doesn't realize that he is lost. Be like the sun in the sky at the end of the maze to guide him into the sunlight. Till then, if he doesn't realize that he is lost, telling him that he is lost may not work."
Friend: "Just be the sun."
Simple Bear: "Yes. You need to be self-illuminating."
Friend: -_-!

To light up the worlds of others, we must first light up our own worlds by ourselves, to be our own Suns.

May all be well and happy.

With Loving-Kindness
Simple Bear 27.08.2016.

Pokemon Go (A Life Perspective from a Bear's Perspective)

Pokemon Go (A Life Perspective from a Bear's Perspective)

Yes. The craze is here. Everyone is out in the streets, in the parks, in the malls looking for the cute pokemons.

The eccentric bear in me was thinking about how the augumented reality Pokemon Go game relates to our reality.

Disclaimer: the following perspectives is from a non-player's limited understanding of the game.
Pokemons

The cute creatures are like the positive values e.g. empathy and compassion in our lives. We need to go around to find opportunities such as doing volunteering work to 'catch them all' The values (pokemons) may arise (appear) anywhere, anytime; we need to be aware to 'catch them within'

Pokemon Gyms
The gyms are like our daily interactions with everyone especially in difficult situations and people (strong pokemon gym leaders) in which we can have an opportunity to train ourselves and 'grown the values (pokemons) within'

Pokemon Stops
The stops are like opportunities in which we can learn skills e.g. meditation, mindfulness techniques (pokeballs) to help us in 'catching more values (pokemons)' in our daily lives. We need to have self-awareness to 'catch and grow the positive values within'

The pokemon eggs are like concepts e.g. compassion and empathetic joy, values that we can learn theoretically and grow within (the hatching and growing of pokemons).

Pokemon Go Incense
The incense is like generating positivity within. I believe adopting positivity (utilizing incense items) will attracts positivity (pokemons). When we are positive (utilizing incense items), we are more likely to be aware and notice the positivity (pokemons) around us.

Of course there is the risk of injuries in the craze of catching pokemons. Likewise in the cultivation of values (training of pokemons), we need to take care of ourselves. In the 'craze' to cultivate (train), we may just do the opposite and hurt ourselves and others in the process.

While everyone is catching pokemons outside

I think I will get myself busy in finding my opportunities. Have a safe and good time everyone. Be well and happy.

With Loving-Kindness
Simple Bear 07.08.2016.