Spiritualism and truths in life

I imagine those of you who read this often get those precious Powerpoint presentations (you can read them legally and for free with [Open Office], but thats meat for another entry) full of those secrets of life and beautiful images.

The problem is that however good the intentios are, they often visit common sins such as self-complacency and traditionalisms and they lead to a thought path that guarantees depression, which is the opposite of what they want to accomplis.

So, yesterday I was thinking about spiritualism and how people see it and I decided to share some truths I've found about reality. But before I list them, today, a conversation with [Oshita] took me to something that's been on my mind for some time and it is how people often confuse spiritualism with religion, often negating the former in the process.

They entrust themselves to God to ask him and demand explanations and help. They charge him with the responsability of catastrophies, with what they don't understand and what they can't see how to change. They often say "God willing" without a thought of the spiritual and religious calling that is, asking of the spiritual what is lacking in the terrenal.

It seems that now a days, being conscious of the inherent part of reality that belongs to the spiritual terrein instantly tags you as a hippie and being a little "like that". But it's not necessary to be surrounded by incense, candles and images of Buda or the godess of the fall solstice in order to be in touch with your spiritual side.

"Funny, I was just thinking of you just before you called"; "My life is so unlucky"; "You seem to have an angel guarding you" and thousands of other similar phrases and thoughts are often relegated to chance and anecdote weakening our ever thinner contact with the spiritual. How often can you feel the feelings of a person close to you "just by looking into his/her eyes"? How much of that analisys of the facial expression is something much deeper? How many "chances" are the product of a friendly spirit that "protects us" or simply walks with us?

I could go on, but I'd rather "open the mikes" and let you think aloud for a while. These are the truths I've found so far:

- You cannot reach happiness. You can only see it when it's there and you have to enjoy it while it lasts. (Derived from the wise thought "Be happy knowing when you are").

- Pain is never forgotten, you just stop thinking about it.

- There is nothing you can't do if you set your mind to it... with all the consequences.

- That God exists or not is irrelevant to understand what is Good and what is Evil.

- The person you love will be as close to you as much as your doors are open.

- And, relating the last one with the next one, don't be so stupid as to think you are the only person he/she loves. The sooner you accept that, the easier you'll make it to be loved. Do you love just one person?

- There is always someone smarter, more intelligent, more successful, wiser, ritcher, more powerful, stroger, sexier, etc. but that doesn't make you any less unless you deny it.

- There is always a point in any negotiation in which you have all the power. Be watchful.

- You will never understand politics (nor politicians) by what is said about them in the news. Didn't you know there is a whole career dedicated to Politics?

- Whenever the best idea (melody, verse, concept, project, invention, etc.) comes to mind, there will be nothing around to write it down.

- Everybody at some stage will forget something of critical importance. Take that moment to think of those of us with memory problems and how we feel every day.

I have many others, but I'll leave them for another entry.

... The day I see any of these in a presentation I get by email, I'll crack up...