reality

Getting a handle on that which does not serve us is one of the greatest personal growth challenges that many of us will face in life. Achieving control over such matters often pushes us to take steps we never thought ourselves capable of, a journey that often includes both victories and setbacks on our way to attaining proficiency. One man’s search for that goal is the subject of one of this year’s most anticipated releases, director Paul Thomas Anderson’s “The Master.”

While “Samsara” has been rather loosely characterized as a “documentary,” that label doesn’t do the film justice. It’s more of a cinematic meditation, a reflection on our world and what’s gone into its creation in its present state. It consists of only images, music and occasional nature sounds, with no dialogue, narration or graphics.

What, exactly, makes us who we are? Are we merely an amalgamation of biochemical components randomly thrown together, susceptible to the ravages of time? An arrangement of thought patterns organized around some unidentified driving force? A collection of memories bound together by some unseen unifying element? Or is it some combination of the foregoing? Those are some of the underlying questions raised for consideration in the delightful new comedy, “Robot & Frank.”

We’ve all heard the expression “hope springs eternal,” and that’s certainly true if we leave ourselves open to the possibilities it affords, even under the most seemingly dire circumstances. Kay and Arnold come to discover this for themselves in a town whose name, ironically enough, embodies the essence of that notion. But then that should come as no surprise, because that’s the kind of magic that happens when we make that expression our mantra, when we incorporate it into the belief structure that brings us what we concentrate on, one that breaks the chains of limitation and ultimately makes it possible for us to live more fulfilling lives.

Moreover, shakeups like this can help to make us aware of our inherent multidimensional selves, drawing attention to capabilities that have been lying dormant within us and that we never knew existed. This becomes apparent in the film, for example, when Quaid discovers his previously unknown commando tactics, skills he didn’t know he possessed but that certainly came in handy when circumstances warranted.

If you knew for certain that the world was going to end in three weeks, how would you spend your time? Wrapping up the loose ends of your life? Making amends with those you’ve wronged (and who have wronged you)? Those are all questions raised in the thought-provoking new comedy, “Seeking a Friend for the End of the World.”

One generation’s true and defining story can be proved to be a lie in the next generation. Stories that celebrate freedom and revolution against tyranny can turn on themselves and become stories of reigns of terror.

When I speak about vigilance and responsibility, I am speaking about the capacity to take responsibility for the grace that has appeared within the individual life form called “you.” I am not speaking of a duty or a should. I am not speaking of anything that has weight or punishment attached to it. Vigilance is the capacity to take responsibility for where your attention is in the moment and to take responsibility when it habitually goes into the past and future.

Pain is what happens when your model of the world doesn’t match reality. Imagine you are in love with someone and have all kinds of belief about loyalty, love, and about that person in particular. What happens if they leave you? Pain! Where do you start to rearrange your beliefs about yourself and your concepts?

Metephysics Metaphysics has been used since the dawn of time, it is fundamentally a form of philosophy that investigates certain principles of reality.  It stands outside of traditional science and…