Living Within Samsara

What people think of me is none of my business. I want to, in tandem with episodes from my life, show how this philosophy gets reconciled with truth, peace, spiritual growth and integrity. And furthermore, how anyone can achieve this impeccable ideal. Learn how to avoid the pitfalls of crazy-makers, gossip-mongerers, chaos junkies, and provocateurs of drama triangles. Learn to quit being a victim of other peoples’ words. [Hints and specific instructions included.]

There are other ways to stop drinking besides Alcoholics Anonymous. Alcoholics Anonymous has no monopoly on sobriety, even though the [outside issue of] Courts sentencing people to A.A. meetings is becoming more and more common. Alcoholics Anonymous, through the 12 Traditons, neither endorses nor opposes any cause and that includes other ways to get or stay sober as well as Court mandated meetings. Along this same vein, belies the idea that A.A. is the only path to sobriety. This is not true. And every A.A. member who is “practicing these principles in all their affairs” will tell you the same thing. This article will address some fundamental questions and hopefully dispel some misconceptions, as well as offer my own experience, strength, and hope along with other resources for different avenues to sobriety. So yes. A person can stop drinking without Alcoholics Anonymous; it is but one path.

Do you have a loved one or relative who drinks? This is a memoir of what I went through.

Because of my own battles with alcoholism, I was finally able to love my relative completely and wholly without expecting her to stop drinking. Because I found a solution for my problem, it also helped me to find a solution for “life’s problem.” I am so grateful I did have a second chance at life because it got me to a place of accepting my beloved’s illness along with accepting her. I credit this acceptance with my Codependent recovery after I got sober - that I never could have understood UNTIL I got sober.

If you don’t have a drinking problem, I can still offer you some resources - for YOU - if you have a relative or loved one who drinks.

Alcoholics Anonymous meetings are for alcoholics. Increasingly, though, more and more addicts-only as well as the dual-addicted person is showing up to meetings.

How does A.A. address this? Does A.A. address this? Are “addicts only” welcome? Is it conducive to the group purpose to introduce yourself as an addict or alcoholic/addict? How about if you have no problem with alcohol? Can A.A. still help you? And who enforces the Traditions anyway? These are questions I hope to answer with extensive clarity.

Do you or have you spent a large portion of your life insuring that people like you? Have you bent over backwards for people you may not even know, only to try to get them to like you? Do you or have you ever extensively worried whether someone likes you or not? If you seem to find yourself in a never-ending circle of not feeling good [or not liking yourself due to] caring too much about other peoples’ opinions or you seem to be the walking low self-esteemer then read this article that focuses on the 2nd Agreement: “Do not Take Anything Personally” from Don Miguel Ruiz’s Four Agreements. You can escape this cycle. If I could then anyone can.

Hopefully this article can delve a little into how we can make some perception shifts and small changes so that our *insensitive* world either does not seem so insensitive or, even better, that we begin to not notice the insensitivity! When we truly do honor who we are, the opinions of other people do not matter! So getting to this self-acceptance seems to be the key doesn’t it? How do we that? Hopefully this article will give us that solution. This article is especially geared for the HSP’s or multisensories but can help anyone who feels *more different or odd* than the *normals* of the world.

How often I was at the whim of the world, constantly waiting for permission to take care of myself…But now today, after having developed my voice and after readjusting my priorities to putting my spiritual growth as a priority over societal expectations, I notice just how many people are seemingly comfortable with the dis-ease that says, “We do have power over other people.” Is it any wonder why alcoholism, codependency, emotional and mental illness is growing now increasingly more common? (How many pills can big pharma really invent before we begin to notice the larger picture? it’s not us! it’s *societal dis-ease*!) From shaming and blaming techniques to manipulation and steamrolling tactics with “shoulding you* over what you *shoulda* done. Who are the few chosen to stand up in the face of this worldly dis-ease? If you choose to be one, I will stand with you as I share *my* stories and *my* experience, strength and hope. You are not alone. So take care of yourself. You ARE the most important person. [This is one of my longer articles but I hope it brings something of value to you.]

What do rumors and gossip have to do with the truth? What if the rumor or the gossip is based in truth? What if the rumor is true altogether? Is it then okay to continue gossiping or relaying the rumor?

After several messages of friends online asking “How do I help an alcoholic friend stop drinking?” I knew, then, I needed to do something. Therefore I am going to offer some easy points. But before you take off with these points, I am sure to have some Al-Anons or Codependents who’ve arrived at this page and their mouths may be agape with the thought, “I knew it! I knew it was possible! I knew I could get him to stop drinking! They never told me this in Al-Anon!” Well. There is a little more to it than that. :)

Manifesting into Physical Existence. Four Basic Metaphysical Lessons in Learning how to Manifest your Life. Manifesting items into physical existence as a topic for an article is easier to swallow for practitioners and students of metaphysical spirituality or metaphysical and gnostic christianity. For others, this article will be a waste of time. I implore those who may have found this article by “accident” or to answer some questions, approach this with an open mind. Your life will change 180* [I swear on everything holy] if you simply apply these four principles. Even if you’re spiritually evolving at this moment, take any challenging situation, apply these principles in tandem with your prayer [or petition or spiritual treatment] and you WILL get results. I dare you to begin applying them.

I think we associate ‘No’ with negative as in negative feelings and negative consequences. I know I used to. As a child, being told ‘No” was usually accompanied by a look or a tone. As a result, I think I grew up thinking No was just ‘bad.’ As a further extension of this, I avoided saying it - ever. I would go so far as to end relationships in secrecy so I wouldn’t have to say No. I don’t know what I thought would happen - that the world would end?

This is the month of Leo. Enjoy browsing facts, images, painting, and art on things having to do with the August Leo. Learn what the element of Leo is as well as the planet of Leo and the ruler of Leo! Learn a little history or myth of how the constellation got to be where it is and what the glyph could possibly be! Explore Samsara’s adapted art and animations and feel free to take anything you like! This is the month for Leo and in this spirit of my birthday being August 09th, I wish YOU a wonderful month of August! Happy birthday to me and all Leo’s!

‘Controlling codependent bitch’ was a term that showed up in my internet logs last night as a search. I feel the person’s pain who made that search. Sick of being controlled and manipulated by people in our lives until we’re overwraught ourselves to the breaking point. This article is an example of me being put to the test.

“So on March 05 2007 when I surprised my beloved in telling him I was hitting the sack at 9:30 pm due to exhaustion I knew there was something to it. In bed I recounted where I would be at 9:30pm on March 05 2005.” Whether you believe in cellular memory, refeeling of past events, or consider yourself HSP, I wonder if this is Universal Karmic law at work, or reserved soley for those of us who are of the empathic or higher crown chakra temperament.

I’m done with Alcoholics Anonymous groups as a whole. I still go to private meetings who observe the Traditions and make it a point to do so but the last few public meetings I have been to haven’t felt okay with me. I’ve decided I am tired of constantly fighting for something I believe in while holding out my empty bucket waiting for it to get filled. I’ve left the sickness behind and my bucket is practically overflowing.

This is a true account of a “sleep experience” I had with entities I call demons a little over ten years ago. At the time I didn’t know much of anything about Astral realms, parallel dimensions or out of body experiences. Regardless of whether it was simply a vivid dream or a real merging with an unfamiliar realm, today it is still the scariest sleep experience I have ever had.

Do you know what it means to be an HSP? Have you ever had vivid dreams, foretold the future, or experienced any sort of paranormal activity on a regular basis? Are you highly empathic and are certain people drawn to you? Have you always sought to find a higher spiritual meaning, even sometimes fighting the calling simultaneously? You may be chosen. Would you listen if you were?

An astral experience a few nights ago had a dark presence looming about my bed. I don’t know where it came from, how it got there or why. Maybe it was my imagination but I am interested in others’ experiences. I have sensed these dark presences before in the astral plane and have even read about them. Have you had any or studied anything about them? Please share it with me.

I want to reprint my thoughts on the difference between spirituality and religion. Here’s one way I’ve heard the difference phrased: “Religion is for people scared of going to hell. Spirituality is had by those who have been there.” I’d never been scared of going to hell so when I found myself there and escaped again, spirituality became my daily driving force. Not out of fear of going back to hell but out of love for what little heaven my life had started becoming.

Happy New Year 2007! Do you have new resolutions? I do. Never have before. So what if I fall short? I’m going to, as long as I reside a human body on earth, expect to fall short. This won’t mean I’ll stop striving. A la A.A. Big Book, “We are not saints. The point is we are willing to grow…” With that said: My New Year’s Resolutions are…

Given that I seem to offer plenty of book reviews I imagine it feels like it would make sense to compile it into a bookstore. Spirituality, Metaphysical spirituality, Law of Attraction, metaphysical concepts, codependent recovery, Highly Sensitive Person books, relationship health, INFP personality type books, Jesus of Nazareth teachings as well as Gnostic Christianity.

Catchy title isn’t it? Abraham Cherrix, a teenager of Virginia, had to go to court in order to defend his right to bypass more unsuccessful chemotherapy and radiation for his Hodgkins Disease. He opted for unconventional treatment and his parents were accused of neglect. I think the United States government has gotten too far-reaching into the lives of its citizens. Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. What does this mean to our government?

August 09th is my birthday and it was a great birthday this year 2006. So fabulous as I shared it with those I love and ate the food I like the best - Mexican! Got gifts and gift cards and people sang to me. Oh I do love to celebrtate my birthday. Click the title and look at me wearing the fabulous sombrero. This is a plug for La Bamba! The best Mexican restaurant in the world - where I live. Javier will have the snapshot of me on the wall soon I am quite confident.

Or what about when I see someone trying to control me by punishing me. What if they really are trying to teach me a lesson or make me suffer? What about that? Is there such a thing as righteously thinking or really knowing someone is trying to punish, hurt, shame, blame me?

I’m south of the Mason Dixon line and for the past 24 hours it’s been one long drive. Nothing makes me feel grimier than travel and finally. After morning showers, and as my beloved sleeps here in our comfy bed in our comfy hotel room I couldn’t help but create an entry for a memory. […]

I’m kind of bloggingly anti-social I know. I have been trying to reach out more into the blogosphere so if you’d be so kind as to comment [to this post] just to say “Hi” I’d appreciate it. It’s not that I’m a snob, or grossly intellectual, I just don’t have a lot to say except when I’m moved by a post.

Oh this is going to be a philosophical one, isn’t it? I can tell from the title this is going to be a philosophical one. Thinking aloud. Who shall my audience be for this article? Shall it be the realist or pragmatist who would believe in only one reality? Or shall it be my HSP […]

I’ve manifested illness. Last year I suffered terribly and extensively up until 2006 from one thing or the other. I had never been this sick before. But, yet, I’d also never gone through a divorce or had a job in the outside world before.

I am a Highly Sensitive Person. As a result of knowing this to be an integral make-up of who I am, I have now designated a category all to its own making as I imagine I shall have many things to say on this matter of HSP.

Don Miguel Ruiz’ book, The Four Agreements, started me on a spiritual journey that would lead me into renouncing the rules that kept me sick and suffering. These four agreements have transformed my life and I believe that when approached by anyone with an open mind - usually only those who have been mangled quite well - can transform their entire life’s approach.

Where “Living Within Samsara” is more universal as it relates to dis-ease and recovery in its various themes, “Samsara’s Shakti” will be more like my stomping ground! Visit it at samsara2005.blogspot.com.

Quentin Tarantino has nothing to do with Blog$hares that I am aware of. But that won’t stop me. He presented the movie Hostel and that was terrible. Blog$hares, however, the fantasy blog stock market is wonderful.

I define a codependent relationship to simply be any relationship in which one or both partner/s turn over their own autonomy for well-being into the hands of the other. The question then becomes: How can you heal from it after you recognize it?

God speaks to us. It’s no mystery or puzzle. God is not the enigma. We are. We ignore, avoid, run. God makes it quite plain no matter your path. You may justify it, deny it, cover it up, or hope so bad it to be different you let it go unnoticed but the signs are there.

Some people in A.A. would say that if you can get sober without A.A. then you are not a real alcoholic. These same people would say that unless you join A.A., and you are a real alcoholic, then you will not get sober. This article is going to prove how the program of Alcoholics Anonymous, itself, refutes that idea.