Shut up!-Part 5, really??…YEP!-lol:) For current context check out: Boyle, Sagan: Scientific & Spiritual “Understanding” of Life Interdependency: Part 1 Tweeting Bird: Say What? aka Boyle, Sagan: Scientific and Spiritual “Understanding” of Life Interdependency Part 2 Boyle, Sagan: Scientific and Spiritual “Understanding” of Life Interdependency Part 3 Boyle, Sagan: Scientific & Spiritual “Understanding” of Life Interdependency: Part 4

Warning: IF your individual digestive needs (as in brain/mind/perception/scientific/spiritual food digestive needs) do not require any green leafy vegetables or you are averse to eating/sampling any food that is different (i.e. hot or spicy, gooey or sour and not necessarily sweet and texturally what you are comfortably accustomed to regularly consuming or If You have any brain/mind allergies)…PLEASE, don’t read on!:)

IF you eat only what you like: Read at your own risk, okay? OKAY-lol:) Are you an advertuous mind-food sampler/eater?? Curiosity can be deadly…but, you’re not a cat..so, i’m sure you’ll be fine! -lol:)

Ah, this post intro reminds me of when my kids were babies and feeding them different veggies to sample for the first time…you know, the song singing, the whirling of the spoon up and down and all around, trying to get them to open up and eat: You’re not gonna spit this post back at me…are YOU?!-lol:)

From: joanie

To: my blog Readers:
i care about Your Wellness or i wouldn’t write!
i’m telling ya, this post series covers a variety of  ingredients/topic(s) of science and spirituality…compassion calls for vegetable soup; Yummy. My last post on this topic series: Boyle, Sagan: Scientific & Spiritual “Understanding” of Life Interdependency: Part 4 spot lighted Sagan….this one will focus on Boyle. …

Being transformed…Many exercise/diet frequently spending a good portion of their time on their bodies. Some care a lot about: size, shape, health.

Why can’t people transform…their minds?…change your eating habits–change/transform your mind. People sculpt their bodies…why not mold/sculpt your brain?? Some go to great lengths to protect their health, their life. Why not protect your brain/mind?! What are you choosing to feed your mind? Junk food?! i hope NOT.
Eat Well. Live Well.
Read this interesting article (highlighted points): The Amazing World of Insects –METAMORPHOSIS—A New Look, a New Life-Style:

“Some insects totally revamp their appearance through a process called metamorphosis—literally, “change in form.” The changes can be quite dramatic. Maggots change into flies, caterpillars into butterflies, and aquatic larvae into airborne dragonflies. Hundreds of thousands of insects undergo metamorphosis. To produce such a transformation—comparable to converting a train into an airplane—huge modifications must take place inside the insect’s body. Consider the butterfly, for example. While the caterpillar is dormant in the chrysalis, most of its previous tissues and body organs break down and a whole set of new adult organs—such as wings, eyes, and antennas—develop. Often, the transformation involves taking on a new life-style. For example, while in the larval stage, the dragonfly captures small fish or tadpoles; but when it becomes a free-flying adult, it changes its diet to insects. This is the equivalent of a man spending his first 20 years swimming in the sea and the rest of his life flying around like a bird.”

“Could evolution orchestrate these incredible transformations? How could a caterpillar simply appear on the scene, programmed to transform itself into a butterfly? For that matter, which came first—the caterpillar or the butterfly? One cannot exist without the other, for only the butterfly breeds and lays eggs….Surely, the process of metamorphosis gives convincing evidence of a Master Designer.”
Points for Pondering:
IF there is a Master Designer: why not draw close to this Designer? Talk about neurons, intelligence-way-beyond-genius and then some. Couldn’t the Master Designer of the Brain…know how to transform the brain/mind/body? (Who wouldn’t want …

THANK YOU for joining me in this on-going writing/discussion/work of Scientific & Spiritual “Understanding” of Life Interdependency…Part 4. Boyle and Sagan bring a lot to the table of this topic. (For context purposes, please check out the previous posts 1-3): Boyle, Sagan: Scientific and Spiritual “Understanding” of Life Interdependency Part 3 Tweeting Bird: Say What?  Boyle, Sagan: Scientific & Spiritual “Understanding” of Life Interdependency: Part 1

Not sure “exactly” what i will bring to this table myself today/tonight/tomorrow: a salmagundi mix…i’m sure, some of which you may not like…hey, IF we only eat what we like i.e. sweets and not any broccoli or spinach …green leafy vegetables…our health can be negatively affected; for sure. You’re adult enough to eat some veggies, right -lol:) Good Health to You!:)
Eat Your Veggies!…Please!:)

Sagan believed and/or wanted to believe in “other” life in our Universe…other intelligent life that is.

“Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof.” ~ Sagan.

He needed proof. What do you need to believe? or accept? or put faith in?…how do you personally build your belief system? Do you blindly believe information? Does the majority rule/popular opinion must be right/correct? Do you investigate facts? Are you an Awake Accepter? or an asleep-zombie-follower? WAKE-UP -lol  NOW!:) before you hurt yourself or somebody else…sleep-walking/sleep-living/sleep-uninformed-choosing/can be really dangerous!

To act, decide, live without being totally awake or attune/conscious of what you are doing and the immediate and long-term consequences or your choices (both big and small)…leads to disaster and/or death!

It’s like falling asleep at the wheel or…

Would You drive without any brakes?? Not IF You want to live! Driving too fast without any brakes is DANGEROUS LIVING or fast maiming/dieing!  Brakes offer …

Hi!:) How are You, my Reader?? Ca Va? How was Your February? How is Your personal journey/race of compassion going? THANKS for living compassion!:)

My February ended on a Super-Nice note! i hope Yours did as well!:) (Not sure IF you’ve read my previous post referring to my Brother?) i’m loving skype right now -lol:) You guessed it…got to skype with Him and his Wife! It’s been way tooo long since an opportunity for us to communicate came along…circumstances.  (i’m tough to reach…so is he.) i have this really goofy smile stuck on my face and hopefully: it won’t go away!-lol:) A comforting word at just the right time is oh how good!!…good for the weary warriors of compassion. Don’t tire out in your personal race/battle….for compassionate living!:) Hoping You hear some comforting words!:)

It’s always a great wake-up to reality to hear of his compassion adventures in Haiti. The life there and life here…what contrasts. We have so much materially/opportunities here in the States…many in our International Family of Beautiful-Breathing-Fragile-Life will never experience what some view as entitlements of luxuries. Some of our Local & International Family of Beautiful-Breathing-Fragile-Life will struggle their whole existence just to subsist on little food, little comfort, little help, little love. Little is better than nothing, eh?

What can i give You today? What can i share…a little food, a little comfort, a little help, a little love?:) What comfort can You bring to those in Your care?! What comfort can You share/bring to anyone/anything crossing Your path today? You have a gift, Please share it!:)

“In Reading there is sort of a half and half mixture. The book must be good, but the reader must also be active.”~Ralph Waldo Emerson

A new month, new work, new goals, new learning…new friends? Here’s some “new” ? thoughts for You to think:

3 Proverbs & Act on?

(Proverbs 29:11) “All his spirit is what a stupid one lets out, but he that is wise keeps it calm to the last.”

Are You calm? Do You exercise self-restraint? Are You easily provoked? Learning to exercise self-control can lead to more compassionate choices …

What is holding your mind? What is holding your heart? Love? Fear? Accurate Knowledge? Superstition? Impartiality? Partiality? Nationalism? Universal Hospitality?

Sadly, we live in a divided world, country(s), region(s), neighborhood(s). A world/globe divided by mind-made/man-made/fear-made/prejudice-made borders, boundaries, divisions, differences, discriminations and fears.

Are you personally able to promote peace by embracing the concept of an International Brotherhood of Breathing-Fragile-Life encompassing our globe? Of course, how can one embrace an International Brotherhood if one cannot embrace their local neighbor? How can one embrace their local Neighbor if one cannot embrace their Mother, Father, Sister, Brother under the same roof?

Human Race = Fragile Family! Family = Gift! Do You Cherish Your Family?  Do You Appreciate Your Gift? i do!:) (Who doesn’t like getting a gift?:)

The human condition is flawed…on varying levels so, at times, family doesn’t get along like it should!:( How can we all: “better” get along?

We all need to get better, get well: mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually…one way is by cultivating love and compassion and empathy and forgiveness!:) It takes education and patience. It takes work and effort. It takes practice and application…in the home, in the neighborhood, at school, at work, etc.

i like/prefer simple, practical solutions to challenges: tweaking. So, i like “practical,” ancient wisdom:

“Continue putting up with one another and forgiving one another freely, if anyone has a cause for complaint against another…Clothe yourselves with love, for it is the perfect bond of union.” (Colossians 3:13, 14)

All of us have a cause for complaint!…i’m sure some of my Readers have a cause of complaint toward me that i may not be aware of…SORRY!:(…THANKS for putting up with me! SORRY to offend & THANKS for Reading/Supporting my blog!:)…when i’m trying to put up with someone who’s irritating me or worse…i try to think of the situation like this:  As a Mom…babies are so cute, adorable and loveable…yet, they do seemingly offensive/gross stuff..i.e. spit up on you, poop on you, etc. You LOVE the baby sooo much…you don’t hold it against …

“Je pense, donc Je suis!” or “Cogito ergo sum!” ~ Rene Descartes…how about:  “what” i think  is “how” i exist…or how i choose to live is governed/controlled by what i think. For example, if i think i’m “free”– i must be free?!..is that real/true??
What do you think?!:)
You do Think?…for Yourself?
Are you superstitious? You may resolutely reply: NO! because you “think” that you’re not superstitious. (You live free from superstitious fears or so, you think!:) Would you not agree, our actions tell the real deal. Simply put: i “think” i’m not superstitious…so, how i choose to live should reflect that thinking. A person who is not superstitious should/would be living a life free from superstitious practice, right?! or a person who claims not to be superstitious should/would be living a life full of non-superstitious choices, right?! Are highly-educated individuals superstitious? or are highly-educated individuals leading superstitious lives?

Quick-Questions for self-consideration:

Do I celebrate my birthday?

Do I wear black at funerals?

Do I read my daily horoscope?

Do I consult a psychic reader or fortune-teller?

Do I kiss under mistletoe?

Would I walk under a ladder?

Would I own a black cat?

“A person who lets superstition affect his decisions and daily routine is allowing himself to be dominated by something he does not really understand. Is this wise? Should we submit ourselves to such a nebulous and possibly sinister influence? Is superstition an inconsequential foible or an ominous threat?” ~Life Under the Control of Superstition

It is my belief:  An aspect of attaining “True” Enlightenment is progressively breaking-free from enslaving rituals/traditions steeped in superstition and falsehood. True Enlightenment is a freedom walk of deep understanding…a walk in life whereby one humbly abandons “false” thinking that produces practices/habits/rituals/traditions that are false and enslaving/harmful. This walk involves action/abandonment of false/superstitious practices/habits/rituals/traditions…change of thinking, change of action.

It’s a personal journey involving personal choices. It’s a journey of superlative education. It’s a journey that leads to wellness. It’s a journey that leads to better choices. It’s a journey that leads to a fuller expression of compassionate living on a daily basis. It’s a journey that involves True …

All work and no-play makes any partner, care-giver, friend, family…
dull!:( Wellness must include some play-time, too. Recreation in just the right amount is just what the doctor ordered.

Ahh, peace at the beach!:) Spontaneity is refreshing…sometimes. Do you enjoy nature? Do you spend enough time outdoors?! It will do you some good!

i’m an “awake accepter”…of the importance of daily exercise! Just like variety is good for a healthy, nutritious diet. Same with exercise…mixing it up keeps it fun, fresh and good for you, too. Of course, check with your doctor first before you start any new regimen. Just like i eat more than once a day…staying active, exercising in measured amounts throughout the day works well for me (usually). Having 4 hyper kids to keep up with and major housework helps. (For context of term “awake accepter” see my last post: Go to the…Source!  Hubby decided to do some kayaking Saturday…too cold and windy for me to swim…there’s always reading, chasing the kids, birds, taking photos and writings in the sand…

Think, Read Books-66…how many books make your favorites list?…i would start w/66.

Windy/Cool day… 

 Son on pier…Hubby under pier.

The birds were so beautiful and the beach too…too bad my photos uploaded too dark…gotta get Hubby to adjust them.

 …i tend to…work, work, work, work, work…and work some more. Do i escape through work?? or do i just try hard to live up to my responsibilities/word as care-giver, wife, mother, friend, fragile-life-member of global-family? Escapism…comes in many forms…it could be a religion.

Seriously, writing this post forces me to sit and relax my body while …

February 14th. What does that date mean to you? A day of love, flowers, chocolates and cupid??

“Cupid (Lat[in] cupido, desire, love). The Roman god of love, identified with the Greek Eros. He is usually represented as a beautiful winged boy, blindfolded, and carrying a bow and arrows.” ~Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable.

The World Book Encyclopedia: “Valentine’s Day comes on the feast day of two different Christian martyrs named Valentine. But the customs connected with the day . . . probably come from an ancient Roman festival called Lupercalia which took place every February 15. The festival honored Juno, the Roman goddess of women and marriage, and Pan, the god of nature.”—(1973), Vol. 20, p. 204.

Don’t get yourself in a “panic” IF you don’t get any flowers, chocolates or arrows today…

“The roots of what is now called Valentine Day can be traced back to ancient Greece, where worship of Pan flourished. This mythical half-man-half-goat fertility god had a wild, unpredictable nature that struck terror into humans. Aptly the English word “panic” literally means “of Pan.”

“Pan was supposed to watch the flocks while playing his pipes. However, he was easily distracted. Pan had many love affairs with nymphs and goddesses. One sculpture shows Pan making advances to Aphrodite, the goddess of love. Eros, the god of love, hovers above them flapping his wings—much like the Cupid found on valentines today.”

“In Rome many worshiped a similar god named Faunus. He too was depicted as half man and half goat. Worship of Faunus was prominent at Lupercalia, an orgiastic festival that was observed each year on February 15. During this festival scantily clad men raced around a hill, brandishing goatskin whips. Women who wanted to bear children stood near the path of these runners. Striking a woman with a whip, the Romans believed, would ensure her fertility.“

No thanks, I don’t worship Faunus…and i’d rather NOT be struck by any whip -lol:) As a married mother of 4, i can honestly attest to the fact that Juno, Pan (and/or a goatskin whip) had nothing whatsoever to do with my fertility! …

Listen! It’s beautiful! Don’t You want to hear? Share?…You care…enough to know.

Do You tolerate people with a different point of view?! (Well, as long as i “remain” right or come off “correct!”-lol…some “may” feel deep down!:)

F~l~e~x~i~b~i~l~i~t~y is a sign of physical health as well as emotional, mental…i’ll throw in spiritual health, too. Our range of muscle motion is indicative of our wellness. When it comes to your compassion, what is your personal range of motion?! Are you flexible? or ridgid? Can you bend and stretch a little or are you too stiff?…stiff in your thinking and actions?!

Can you o-p-e-n-y-o-u-r-m-i-n-d and s   t   r   e   t   c   h further by “trying” to “understand” others and their beliefs? Whether you’re into science or spirituality or not…many among our global-family of beatiful-breathing-fragile-life…are! Just because something doesn’t matter to you or me doesn’t mean it isn’t important to someone somewhere!:) What matters to you? Don’t you appreciate when others take your feelings/thoughts into consideration…like you matter!:)

“As far as scholars have discovered, there has never existed any people, anywhere, at any time, who were not in some sense religious.” ~The New England Britannica

“To study different religions need not imply infidelity to one’s own faith, but rather it may be enlarged by seeing how other people have sought for reality and have been enriched by their search.”~World Religions–From Ancient History to the Present.”

For me, i may not personally (adhere to) “believe” in your particular religion/belief system, but i RESPECT your right of choice. I may not totally agree with your take on reality, but i RESPECT it’s your take and you have the right to reality! We all make choices. We live with the results of those choices. Will i exhibit compassion toward my Fellow-Breathing-Fragile-Life by trying to understand/comprehend you better and “your reality” in which you choose to live…SURE!..i will!:) My personal quest for truth behoves me. My personal quest to live love/compassion/truth behoves me. What behoves You?!

“If I as a geologist were called upon to …

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