Changing deja vu.

Changing deja vu.

A lot of us may experienced what we describe as an illusory feeling of familiarity of what may happen in the next few moments or throughout the day, we sometimes name the illusion of the re-emergence of the 'past experiences', deja vu.

Had a deja vu moment a few minutes ago while on my journey to my meeting. The feeling was unpleasant, I looked at it for a while, letting it stabilised and this thought came to my mind, now is the chance to make it better.

If the feeling of the deja vu 'future' is unpleasant, I wish to make it better; if I 'know' I am going to react with negativity, then I wish to react now in the future with kindness and compassion.

There is no need to go on the old path again and allowing yourself to be trapped in this merry-go-round. There, in the midst of the moment in awareness, is an opportunity to make it better. We may not be able to change the things from happening 'again' but we can change our reactions to it.

There is hope in awareness.

May all be well and happy.

Seeing beyond oneself

Seeing beyond oneself

Found myself having thoughts of irritation recently, for apathetic individuals who can't seem to see beyond themselves.

Experienced the once-familiar feelings of negativity, the tightening of the skin, the muscles and the increase in blood pressure.

In the midst of the physiological chaos that is churning within, it suddenly dawned on me that I was the one who had not see beyond myself.

I had judged them. I was the apathetic individual whom I was irritated at.

I was the foolish one.

And yes that mean I had a lot to work on.

Time to chip away at that old block of marble me.

Getting to like you

Getting to like you

Friend: "I feel like nobody likes me. I feel so lonely. I feel so unhappy. How do I get people to like me?"

Simple Bear: "Just be happy."

Friend: "I am trying to be happy and I am not now. If I am happy, I won't be asking you this question and you are telling me to be happy to get people to like me!"
 
Simple Bear: "Imagine if you are me right now, turn around and look at yourself, would you like yourself in this unhappy state or happy state?"
 
Friend: -_-!
 
Simple Bear::)

A Theory of Everything

Agonising.

This was how I felt during the entire movie. Not because the plot, the time or the acting weren't' good. In fact I think the acting and overall, the movie was pretty good.

So good that it causes me agony.

I empathise with Professor Hawking.

I empathise with his initial depressive resignation to fate when he was given the prediction of two years when he was diagnosed with the disease.

I empathise with his despair and paradoxically, his fiery determination not to be a burden to his family when his condition worsens after he got his doctorate, struggling on the stairs in his apartment.

I empathise with him and at the same time, with his wife, Jane who was struggling and almost at her limits to be a caregiver after years as a dutiful wife and falling in love with another man.

It was trial in the day and judgement, in the night. The struggles of Professor Hawking and Jane had nearly made me want to walk out of the cinema. The mind understands but the heart is in denial. It was just too much pain to bear. The pain of losing each other and also, oneself.

No matter how much pain it is, no matter how much tears it cost, we need to let it go out of love for each other and also, for oneself.

At the end of the day, it was what was left in Pandora's box which saves him from dying before death.

"However bad life may seem, there is always something you can do, and succeed at. While there's life, there is hope."
Dr Stephen Hawking

And I totally concur with him on this.

A painful yet inspirational movie.

Compassionate? Really?

Compassionate? Really?

Months ago, I wrote a post about my reflection about being hit on the shoulders by a lady who seems to be mentally disturbed and I had experienced what we may think of, normatively as verbal abuse from her.

I met the lady and her mother again this morning, at the bus stop.

The moment I saw her, this thought arises in me, was there any 'residues' of the past incident left in my mind?

A lot of times, we may claim to be compassionate and hold no grudges against others whom others think, wronged us. And we truly (mentally) believe in ourselves being compassionate and being able to let the incident go but is that really the case?

Was there any 'residues' of anger, of fear, of insecurity which lie dormant in us? Waiting for the right conditions for it to take over us? I turned my attention within in search of it.

I was lucky. There was no anger towards and no fear of the lady. Assured of my little 'victory' over myself, I turned my attention towards the lady.

And we both smiled.

Grateful for the conditions for this reflection.

May she and her mother be well and happy.

Moral Goodness

"Moral goodness is the result of habit."
Aristotle

The philosopher posits that happiness is the goal of all man and that virtuous activities are the determinants of our happiness. Therefore, in order to experience happiness, there is a need to cultivate good habits.

May all have a good happy weekend ahead. For those who have not start with cultivation of good habits, now is a good time to start meeting the goal (as postulated by Aristotle) of all.

May all be well and happy.

Being Wronged and Doing Wrong

"One must not do wrong even when one is wronged."
Socrates

A great philosopher left his disciples with these words as he faced with what others perceived as an unjust death, with gratitude and acceptance.