FREE E-BOOK: ‘SIDDHARTHA’ (1922), written by Hermann Hesse

‘SIDDHARTHA’
Written by Hermann Hesse, originally in German.
Published in 1922.

‘Siddhartha’ is a simple story of a boy’s struggle and spiritual journey as he finds his way through a life of contemplation and contradiction. This boy, Siddhartha, lived in the time of the Buddha, Gautama himself, and at one point in the story, along Siddhartha’s journey, the two characters meet for a brief moment, and they exchange some words in conversation. Given his first chance to speak, Siddhartha makes sure that Gautama understands that, although he respects his teachings as a venerable master who has personally practiced what he preaches and experienced the ecstasy of enlightenment, he simply cannot be limited by following in any one man’s teaching, for true wisdom cannot be imparted in words, it absolutely must be experienced firsthand rather than expressed by a teacher and understood by a student. This Siddhartha knew without a doubt, and for this reason, he regretted to inform with all due respect that he could not follow in the Buddha’s footsteps along with the other disciples and monks, along with his long-time childhood friend Govinda, his best friend, who had now left him to pursue the monastic lifestyle. Throughout the novel, Siddhartha maintains this idea that it is a must for him to find truth in his own experience rather than in the scriptures and sermons of sages (a fundamental teaching of the Buddha), and this leads him through many experiences, each containing its own lesson for him.

Siddhartha started his life out as the son of a Brahmin, the highest caste in Hindu society, then left that life to wander in the desert with the samanas as an ascetic, alien to the world, trying to achieve complete abolishment of attachment. He eventually reached his goal, but as time passed however, he finally came to embrace the world instead, and somehow found himself immersed in the suffering of sansara. He gradually reached a breaking point which humbled him as he reflected on his whole journey through good and evil, now coming back around to repay him for every wrong and every right. In the end, Siddhartha comes to the realization that the Oneness of God is behind every physical form, and it shines through in absolutely everything, in any and every way imaginable, in every teacher and every teaching. As I read this book I wondered if Siddhartha and Gautama could be separate characters extracted from the Buddha’s identity because the writer intended to showcase a certain trait of the Buddha’s character, or a tenet of his teaching, or perhaps a specific side of human behavior in general, in each of these two characters. Perhaps they were meant to represent the yin and the yang, the light and the darkness, or maybe the passion and the logic, the magic and the monotony, the apparent contradictions which are present within one being – just a few of the many ideas this brilliant book made me think about during the course of reading it.

‘Siddhartha’ was written by German-born author and Nobel laureate in literature Hermann Hesse and published in 1922. A creative soul from the beginning of his life, Hesse was encouraged to read as much as possible by his maternal grandfather Hermann Gundert, a missionary, linguist and doctor of philosophy. His grandfather’s love of reading seems to have been a profound influence for young Hermann, whose focus growing up as a writer was on topics dealing with spirituality and the individual’s search for sanctity. Apart from working in a bookshop which allowed him access to a specialized collection on theology, Hesse’s grandfather also allowed him use of his personal library which contained a vast amount of world literature. Herman Hesse began to feel that he was a citizen of the world, fascinated with world culture, and he wrote and published Siddhartha after a long trip through Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Sumatra, Borneo, and Burma, which provided inspiration for the novel according to Hesse. He was very interested in both Hinduism and Buddhism, as well as other philosophical and spiritual systems, and spent most of his time with books rather than friends.

There’s not a lot of action or too much adventure in this book, as is expected, seeing as it is more of a philosophical and thought-provoking novel, and at times it incites a surprisingly serene and peaceful mood with its poetically structured phrases and paragraphs. Everything is so thoroughly and delicately described as the author is a master at painting crystal-clear visions in one’s head. I enjoyed this book very much for the way it is able to blend various ideas from Buddhism and Hinduism into a simple but inspiring story of unity. Siddhartha realizes, after much suffering and grief, much joy and much pain, that there is no need to keep searching, as everything we will ever need is already present within us – the key to every locked door, the solution to every problem, the map to every maze we move through during our material existence. Definitely worth a read if you enjoy philosophical and thought-provoking literature. Siddhartha’s adventures conjure up many important ideas to consider about life and our purpose in it.

The original was published in German in 1922, and the English translation I read is by Gunther Olesch, Anke Dreher, Amy Coulter, Stefan Langer, and Semyon Chaichenets. I also read the book in Spanish with my wife, and thoroughly enjoyed it and understood it on a deeper level the second time. Comment if you’ve read it, and read it if you haven’t!

~ REBEL SPIRIT ~

“Wisdom cannot be imparted. Wisdom that a wise man attempts to impart always sounds like foolishness to someone else … Knowledge can be communicated, but not wisdom. One can find it, live it, do wonders through it, but one cannot communicate and teach it.”

~ ‘Siddhartha‘ by Hermann Hesse.

* FREE EBOOK DOWNLOAD HERE: HERMANN HESSE – SIDDHARTHA (1922) – WWW.OFFICIALREBELSPIRIT.COM

This Ebook forms part of Project Gutenberg and is in the public domain.

“The Division Bell” (1994) by Pink Floyd.

Album: The Division Bell
Artist: Pink Floyd
Released: March 28, 1994
Length: 66:23

The Division Bell is Pink Floyd’s fourteenth album, an underrated and overlooked masterpiece hidden in plain sight – or sound, to be technically correct. One of my favorite albums of any genre, this album is quite simply masterfully crafted, bringing together the chill, transcendental, psychedelic sound Pink Floyd is best known for, and the intense excitement of David Gilmour’s soulful guitar riffs, which give me goosebumps to this day to be honest, even after listening to the album countless times from beginning to end over many years. This classic was released on March 28^th, 1994, almost exactly eight months before my birth. I think of this album as a comforting friend, providing a chill and relaxed atmosphere to zone into whenever I need a minute to breathe or think, or to simply be. It sure reminds me of many memories, mostly relaxed and peaceful, reflective ones.

I remember I would often lay down in bed, face up, hands behind my head, after a tired day’s work, The Division Bell slowly beginning to play on the speakers, starting with the soft, soothing piano sounds of the intro track ‘Cluster One’, easing my mind into an almost hypnotic, half awake, half asleep state, a sensation so similar to the beginning of a vivid lucid dream. The guitar which emerges so gracefully from the background creates a chill as I begin to drift. I concentrate on the music until I wake up, not knowing the exact point I fully fell asleep. I usually wake up some hours later feeling delightfully and surprisingly refreshed. Talk about therapeutic music. ‘The Division Bell’ as a title is a reference to the bell which is rung in the British parliament when a vote is announced, and this symbolizes that the album has to do with the choices we make and the decisions which dictate the rest our lives.

After ‘Cluster One’, the introductory track, the album seems to abruptly change into a menacing, fiery tone on ‘What Do You Want from Me?’, the most upbeat and hard track on the album – lively, exciting, energetic, electric. ‘Poles Apart’ brings about a trippy, nostalgic feeling, as it should have, considering that it is written in reference to former bandmates Syd Barrett and Roger Waters. ‘Marooned’ is simply breathtakingly beautiful, and it must be listened to without any distractions around in order to fully appreciate the calmness it creates, especially being fully instrumental and melodic. ‘A Great Day for Freedom’ is great as well, ‘Wearing the Inside Out’ even greater, extremely euphoric is how I would explain it. ‘Take It Back’ and ‘Coming Back to Life’ are lively, catchy tracks, the latter starting out calmly with a sharp electric guitar cry, piercing through the serene silence. Then it progresses into something extraordinary, a truly pleasant experience.

‘Keep Talking’ is just epic, and carries a deep, meaningful message within its lyrics, while ‘Lost for Words’ is also a deep, progressive track but with a different feel, also really great. ‘High Hopes’ is the longest track on the album, the most progressive, gradually building up to perfection, beginning with the little tinkle of bells which echo in a melodic, mysterious tone. The album ends as an epic ensemble of instruments truly fit to be the finishing track for this fantastic album. In conclusion, The Division Bell is an overall masterpiece of classic rock, and a definite must-listen for any Pink Floyd fan, and for anyone who appreciates great music in general for that matter.

Enjoy this great album, let me know if take you listen!

~ REBEL SPIRIT ~

BE YOURSELF. TAKE THE RISK!

Train your mind, shape it and show it the way to perform.

Preoccupy yourself with integrity of spirit, not with vanity of physical form.

Train your brain so it won’t have to strain to perceive hidden treasures.

Be an archeologist, able to acknowledge the hidden gems created under life’s pragmatic pressure.

Train your train of thought to be here, not on a distant plane.

Begin by breathing, feeling every blessing fall like refreshing rain.

Just be present in perception, guarded by divine protection.

Appreciate the awesomeness of life and its interconnection.

Be present in the moment; don’t be far away, lost in thought.

Too many of us aren’t living life because we just forgot.

How to live, love and learn: Just trust – to really live you must!

Trust in God, everything of the flesh is fated to dissolve to dust.

Sacrifice the mind’s vice, you know you can do without.

You must demolish ALL doubt. That’s what faith is all about.

Once again, learn to trust, realize you’re on the right route.

Lost and found, found by fate, driving all your demons out.

Everything is in divine order, even when you see a mess.

We are blessed but still insist on drowning in a sea of stress.

Heed my words, Breathe a breath. Life is what you make it, listen:

Everything will be alright, let me quote some words of wisdom.

Suffering is something simple since it happens to us all.

All that’s up to us is whether we get up after we fall.

Act courageously, speak, let your voice be heard.

Shine your light, through art, through verbal or written words.

“The lips of wisdom are closed, except to the ears of understanding”

Speak but don’t be daunted by the mass misunderstanding.

Fools feed on folly, you just play your part, do your thing.

And live every day enveloped in magic that this moment brings.

Mold your raw material, the substance making up your soul.

Let it go, let it shine upon your mind, the Spirit takes control.

Let your false ideas and corrupt mental conceptions burn

Leave no doubt undefeated, leave no stone unturned.

Be yourself, to the fullest extent, accept whatever consequences.

The shining soul of a soldier, sharpening your spiritual senses.

Learn to see the present as a present, a delightfully divine gift

Cherish it and share it, find a soul you can uplift.

You will find that you won’t even have to try to find the opportunity.

You’ll get plenty of chances if you walk through your community.

See, everybody’s wrong, we’re all trying to survive.

But we can heal, we can guide towards what’s real and alive.

Any chance not taken is a chance completely missed.

A life that could have been forever changed. Take that risk.

Don’t just do the right thing when it seems convenient.

We’re all under control because we’re way too lenient.

We distract ourselves to ignore any uncomfortable fact.

Wouldn’t you rather face your fears, and feel the triumph of coming out intact?

Your vision of perfection lies past your petty personality.

It’s something past prestige, reputation, title, salary.

Just dwell in your integrity, learn to be completely free.

A Rebel to the devil’s tricks, suspended in eternity.

Believing every breath is a gift from above,

Never fazed, haters hate, but lovers are bound to love.

Be open to the universe, even if you feel repressed,

Ridiculed, persecuted and stressed; nevertheless, being yourself is best.

~ REBEL SPIRIT ~

The Magic.

There is a magic behind it all. It is an underlying power that radiates throughout creation.
This magic – so marvelous, so meaningful, so mesmerizing – this magic is the root of our existence.
I speak about the magic which is the essence of all that is, of all that moves and breathes and lives.
We can all feel or sense it in one way or another.

The magic of love, the magic of helping one another, of mutual cooperation.

The beautiful bond between brother and brother, brother and sister, sister and sister.

The faith of a friend.

The intimate union between male and female, the creation of human life as a soul is summoned from the heavenly realms into its physical duty.

This is the same magic that accompanies a serene walk at the beach, as we contemplate and give thanks for the blessings of life, the nostalgic wave of colors currently painted across the afternoon sky.

These blessings are magic: the blessing of air, the blessing of space, the blessing of peace.

I feel the magic animating my moving body as I dodge obstacles on the street.

moving on a mission, swiftly and steadily, feeling every step, being every step, I am blessed to be able to move about. The world I respect. I walk and observe and I watch and inspect.

I walk in the city, I walk in the woods. Through trails of wooden steps, and roots and branches.

Through rivers and dirt, rocks and mountainous peaks. Life’s constant rhythm got me moving my feet.

At one with nature, the sweet smell of the forest. The magic is here, the trees inhale it.

The oxygen flows, the soul is soothed, the leaves are green, and the rocks are smooth,

The magic is here, in the peace of this place. This magic is the smile that’s portrayed on every face,
Without this magic, there would be no such things as art, poetry, mysticism, philosophy.
I wonder at times, without this magic, would there still be love, would there be romance?
This magic is untouchable, indescribable by words.

This magic leads the way to things we never imagined or heard.
This magic is our guide towards the doors of our dreams, it is the voice of intuition.
It is what unites a family, what unites brothers, sisters, true friends, lovers.

This magic is what makes a person suffer for another.
This magic keeps a nation together, it allows the worst of criminals to perform a good deed at some point in their lives, once in a while maybe, or cooperate with others to achieve their goals.
Many people have forgotten about the magic, yet they have not lost it. It can’t be lost.
The magic can never be disposed of, it can never disappear. It is everywhere, it is you.
This magic is Spirit, it is consciousness, it is goodness, it is Oneness.
This magic is the unconditional love of a mother, the purest of existing things.
The intermingling and giving way to one another of the two poles of duality, shaping reality. Pure magic.
This magic is what was, even before duality came to be. But in fact, this magic never was, it only is.
This is the magic of the moment, the magic that wipes away past pain, and fades the future from view.
The magic forces us to concentrate, to really be. It is confident and assertive. “I AM.”

How can I not be? How can we not simply be? In joy, in peace. Pure magic is what we are.
This magic is so haunting, we cannot avert our eyes. This magic is blinding, it is enchanting.
This magic is invisible, yet inexplicably real to all.

Indescribable, the feeling or thought that lingers in the back of millions of minds, minute after minute.

Moment by moment, the moment is always the present moment.
If one meditates in the moment, one clearly feels the presence of this magic within.. and without.
One can be carried away by the feeling of the breath that keeps one alive, or the pulse of the heart which shares the same duty as the breath.
One can be carried away by the breeze on a fresh summer day, becoming one with the wind.
As one loses track of time, and awareness of one’s body, one feels it. There it is.
The Magic.

~ REBEL SPIRIT ~

PRAYER FOR PEACE.

Here’s a little poem I wrote about the power of prayer and peace.

All support and feedback is appreciated! One love.

PRAY FOR PEACE

Please pray for peace and pray for serenity.

Pray for the strength to keep your soul heavenly.

Pray to be the person who can truly love an enemy.

Pray to be a real friend, Right until the very end.

Pray past petitioning for private concerns,

Stop praying for petty passions as you watch the world burn.

We are here for a reason, every one of us, to learn.

In the great web of life, we’re all meant to take a turn.

A turn at talking, a turn at walking, a turn at laughing, a turn at crying.

A turn at birth, and as if we’re cursed, we must also all take a turn at dying.

So breathe the blessings, learn the lessons, life is too short to spend it sighing.

Become at one with the cause of all, the effect will be there’s no need for trying.

We already are the oneness behind the veil.

For that reason, anyone who knows the truth can’t fail.

Never be afraid, you know you were made to set sail

On this grand voyage, past the mirage of treacherous trail.

Don’t pray for the pressure to cease, because you need it.

Don’t pray that the problems of life will be deleted.

Just live life right, pray to be never be defeated

By temptation, an abomination, growing if you feed it.

All energy is ever-flowing, it’s the power of connection.

Pray for power to discern the different levels of perception.

In this world every fact is simultaneously deception.

Obstacles must be faced by us all, with no exceptions.

We must face the reality of living in duality.

Pray for understanding to tolerate humanity.

Shine a bright light in the middle of normality.

People pushing people down, sinning for a salary.

Please pray for courage, pray for pure self-control.

Pray the devilish forces never get a hold.

Pray for prosperity of body, spirit, soul.

Pray the world can keep the love alive instead of growing cold.

Too many people pray for supernatural abilities.

We seldom are concerned with true spiritual stability.

Approach the Great Spirit with a heart full of humility.

And see the world change before your eyes, tranquility, and peace arise.

To provide the mental and emotional endurance to survive.

And not only to survive, but to prosper, to thrive.

Too many people live a lie, never really live alive.

Insecurities to hide, cut inside of them like sharp knives.

If you seek you shall find, so seek what you really need.

Be a philosopher, a lover of wisdom and not of greed.

The law of cause and effect is in effect indeed.

But don’t let that be the only reason why you do a good deed.

Seek what you sincerely seek, as secondary desires then begin to fall away.

Greed, hate, pride, lust, you must throw them all away!

Pray for peace, pray for wisdom, God is just a call away,

Close your eyes, visualize, on an inner holiday

To galaxies so close to heart, you have known it from the start.

Life is deep as any ocean. And the universe is art.

There’s no need for the commotion. All is motion like the beating heart.

Constant motion, feeling, emotion, virtue, passion, love, thought.

Everything is everything, it’s all interconnected.

Bow before the beauty of divine destiny, respect it.

Learn to see the good in all, really be selective.

Pain can never perish until peace is elected.

Life will tear itself apart a million times again.

Take comfort in the knowledge we will never really die, my friend.

Life will destroy and rebuild itself but it’ll never end.

Pray with gratitude for such a teaching. Om, Amen.

Stand victorious above the bodies of your past desires,

Devilish desires would have lead you towards the fire.

The fire that consumes within, the flames of hell, a dirty conscience.

A life wasted on nonsense, the lectures of a liar.

Yet you rise above the challenges; the malice is disowned.

Victorious and vulnerable you stand at God’s throne.

Desires now subdued to the point that one would think them dead,

Clear your head, death is dead. Life is good. You are home.

Home, where you need to be; home, where you belong.

Lend a helping hand, take a stand, learn to get along.

Exercise your inner strength to do no wrong.

Let the beauty of life move your spirit like a soothing song.

~ REBEL SPIRIT ~

“Let my soul smile through my heart and my heart smile through my eyes, that I may scatter rich smiles in sad hearts.”
~ Paramahansa Yogananda (1893-1952)

COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS!

Every day is a good day. Every life is a good life. Every moment is goodness itself! Every day, life’s blessings are present from the moment we open our eyes in the morning until the moment we open them again the next day. There is simply no moment of our lives when we are not being blessed. As long as we are here then we are here for a purpose, and that is a major blessing and responsibility in itself. The freedom to think, to grow, to be aware, to love, to be loved, to create, to relate, to just be. We must learn to appreciate these wonders of life constantly, to remind ourselves of our blessings. Feel the blessings of life all around you, but most importantly recognize those blessings which are within you. What natural talents do you have? Are you a skilled athlete, a writer with a natural knack for words, a musician whose soul can vibe to any rhythm? These are only a few blessings we might receive, and they are tools meant to aid us in our specific life purpose, but we don’t need to be naturally talented at certain activities either in order to be blessed from birth. Do you feel kindness in your heart? Do you feel a desire to help others, do you feel joy when your friends achieve their goals, do you feel respect for humanity, for the innocence of childhood, for the intense sense of peace provided by pure positivity? Do you strive every day to become better, wiser, to make the world a better place? If we don’t, then we need to connect deeper with our spirit, because these blessings are definitely there, within us all. We just need to bring them to light. These are all blessings that, although invisible to our eyes, are completely real. In fact, they are much realer than any physical blessing we can possibly experience, be it an object, a pleasurable event, or the privilege of possessing a special skill. These inner blessings, such as love and compassion, respect and humility, are the ones that make up the core of our being, not as individuals, but as a whole collective consciousness. They show us that we are all intrinsically good in nature, and the same, naturally, goes for nature and life as a whole. Not only are we blessed with such a life, but we also have the power within ourselves to bless everyone and everything around us with our inner light.

There simply is no greater blessing than being a blessing to others. It is our main purpose as beings who share a common home, especially as human beings who share many other common factors as well. Spirituality is a conscious process which we engage in throughout our lives, a process of bringing the divine spirit within us to manifest outwardly into the world. We do this with the spirit itself, by tuning into its strength, allowing that strength to manifest itself in us, and using it to take hold of the mind in order to empty it of the trash we have filled it with. This allows us to tune into the strength of the spirit more easily and freely in the future. The spirit must train the mind to see the magic in the unfoldment of life, to appreciate even the greatest obstacles in its way, knowing they provide the greatest lessons if appreciated. Once this attitude towards life becomes the norm, then the mind can develop a pure personality, perfect for inspiring and uplifting others, blessing the world and ourselves in the process. Unfortunately, often times our mental attitudes are totally opposite to this. We complain about life’s challenges and we take pleasure and joy for granted until the fun stops abruptly and we find ourselves reminiscing, cursing at God, asking where the good days went. We refuse to acknowledge all the wonderful blessings we receive daily, choosing instead to focus and linger on one small event, or on various events or circumstances, which we have judged and termed as “bad”. Complaining, feeling sorry for oneself, the avoidance of all responsibility or effort then becomes a habit, it becomes our constant state of mind. We become worriers, complainers, completely miserable. If we wish to be happy, if we want the world to be happier, it is essential to train our minds to react in a much better way to the events of life. Whoever has mastered his or her mind allows life to flow, to teach what it needs to teach, using his or her own mistakes as the lesson material, as clear examples of behavior not to follow in the future. The wise student is grateful for the lesson learned, and never complains about the method used in teaching it, for truth is a tough but trusted friend to such a person.

When we are no longer afraid of truth, but instead we proactively seek truth, we can begin to feel and experience what it means to connect with the divine spirit within, the reflection of God in man. We can see Godliness, and goodness by extension, in everything we contemplate. Even if an event is not good in itself, perhaps its consequences will lead many people to deep reflection, which will place them on the path of righteousness. Everything is interconnected, and all of our mistakes are meant to mold us, they are part of the web of life, a part of the cosmic order, and are used for our own good as a species. We only need to see this, to realize the truth of this reality, and to allow our inner intuition to guide us. Even a person who is so immersed in the life of sense gratification can take a second to acknowledge the purely physical pleasure they feel from their sense perceptions during the moment of indulgence in a vicious vice. Even they can appreciate feeling good, doing something they enjoy, even though what they judge as good usually brings about much they will judge as bad, but it is only natural. Then, the bad that will come might lead a person to reflect and change, bringing them back to the good. Everything has a consequence, every cause an effect, everything has its time, everything changes perpetually. Although the example used is that of an addict of whatever it may be, if we investigate deeper into life and its meaning, and we use our intelligence, we will realize that God’s blessings for us inhabitants of this world are much bigger than petty pleasures or euphoric experiences of sense gratification. Take a moment to disconnect from your social life, from your busy routine. Breathe. Breathe consciously, feel the air fill up your lungs and acknowledge this invisible substance that provides you with life on this physical plane of existence. Let every breath flow, just meditate upon it, let it immerse you in being. Isn’t it crazy to think that if the air would suddenly disappear our bodies would die in a matter of seconds? We breathe unconsciously most of the time, without thinking about inhaling and exhaling each time, without being thankful for each individual breath, or each individual heartbeat. Such processes simply happen naturally, effortlessly, automatically, allowing us to keep on performing our daily tasks while we breathe calmly underneath it all.

But do we really breathe, if breathing is not a process brought about by our mind? If we are not consciously thinking about breathing, then can we say any of us are really engaged in the action of breathing? Wouldn’t it be interesting to think that maybe it is actually the universe which is breathing us, or at least making us breathe? Isn’t some background process going on at all times, ensuring that all humans receive air without us having to think about breathing? Does the source of the breathing process also cause all of our hearts to beat, without our command, non-stop for the total duration of our lives on Earth? These automatic processes are actually brought about by the common spirit which inhabits us all, which clothes itself in earthly garments of all forms, human and otherwise, as well as manifesting itself gloriously in the stars, in the planets and in any other life forms in the universe, in order to carry out its own blessings onto all other parts of itself, or its creation. Could we not say that we are only parts of the process of life, of the world, of the universe, of history? We truly are at God’s mercy, which is felt in every blessing, whether we are ready to label it a blessing or not. Realizing this truth, we will automatically begin to feel what it’s like to live driven by the voice of intuition within, by the laws of morality, by what we all know to be right, although some pretend not to know. We find that living in such a way allows us to be of use to others in the most efficient way we can, and this fills us with true joy. We must not allow distractions to lead us astray. Distractions will twist our vision and ideas on life. They do not allow you to see the blessing lying dormant in every obstacle, in every life experience. Be decisive, don’t spend countless hours going back and forth between one choice or the other. Don’t worry about it. Make the choice your intuition tells you is right, and trust that blessings will be the outcome, as nothing else can come of anything. Learn to truly appreciate life!

~ REBEL SPIRIT ~

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.”

~ Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

DO WHAT’S RIGHT FOR OUR PLANET.

Serenity and peace of mind are things which are so sacred and much needed in our sick society. The song “Such a Rush” by Coldplay always reminds me of the sad yet comical way in which we all rush to our respective work places and meetings and appointments, all trying to get ahead, rushing to the bus, driving aggressively to make sure we don’t get cut off, trying to make a dollar or two more every hour. Deep inside, do we not all realize that there is something much more important and real and worthy of our attention than all this?

The stressful, ambitious, greedy lifestyle which the majority of us are living today is harming not only us physically and psychologically, but our materialism and mass consumerism is also affecting peaceful creatures who have nothing to do and have never participated, and never would participate if they were able to, with our current system of life. Our current system of life endangers these creatures by polluting their environments. By creating a ruin of their home. By killing many of them with toxic chemicals and other contaminants which are dumped into the ocean on a daily basis.

We take great pride in ourselves for being the most advanced, the most intellectual, the most active and innovative and civilized species on planet Earth; and yet, we let our corruption eat us alive inside, because at the end of the day, we can never be truly satisfied with our gains, knowing we have caused others much suffering and torment in the process of accumulating said wealth. Oh, if we only knew how rich we truly are within. If we could only remember, our innermost purity, the divine spark which began it all, if we could only remember before our birth, before the beginning of time, we could experience what now we can only faintly feel within ourselves: the bright light of intuition.

If we strive to always do the right thing, then our conscience cannot haunt us, and we shall have peace of mind. We must always seek to learn from all creatures. Many animals can be examples to us. Animals are not so ambitious as humans, and they are for the most part content with just being, and of course, fulfilling their basic needs for survival and reproduction. Animals do not complicate life for themselves with drama and hatred, with grudges and scorn. In conclusion, I guess my message is: Stop to think while you are at work, while on the bus, while at home, wherever you are. Always do what is right. Never sacrifice your integrity for anything, because not only yours, but the well-being of the entire planet depends on it.

Forget your stress and look at life through the eyes of consciousness, through the mind of God. Realize that while you stress, someone else smiles, and feels some relief at last. As you stress about a million things, remember to keep it cool and keep control of yourself, so as not to harm other beautiful sentient beings who are just living their lives, playing their part in the cosmic unfolding of the universe.

~ REBEL SPIRIT ~

“What I dream of is an art of balance, of purity and serenity devoid of troubling or depressing subject matter – a soothing, calming influence on the mind, rather like a good armchair which provides relaxation from physical fatigue.”
~ Henri Matisse (1869-1954)

SPIRIT & BODY

The body is a tool which we use to experience life on this physical plane. As many of us become immersed in the happenings of everyday life, the years take their toll, and we are left with amnesia, we cannot remember why we came here, to be in this body, in the first place. This is the cause of much human confusion. We believe we are our bodies, and it is hard for us to think of any scenario in which we are separated from our bodies, it just seems like an overwhelming concept to comprehend.

The fact is that we always leave our bodies in much the same way we remove our clothes at the end of the day. It is believed that we leave our bodies during sleep. This could also be going on during meditation, or during intense psychedelic experiences. We definitely leave our bodies as we are astral projecting. Apart from all this, we are actually not even exclusively in our bodies. We are at the same time taking part in the happenings of the spiritual realm. Just because we do not see what is going on, does not mean that there is nothing going on.

If we begin to pay closer attention to what is going on behind the scenes of our lives, we can start to realize that there is a vast space of awareness, a magnificent field of wonder yet to be explored by us. It is within us and without us, it is invisible to the naked eye and yet it is realer than any physical object. It is to this magical substance that we owe our breath, our consciousness, our whole awareness of life, our will-power, our self-control. This is a divine gift from God, one without which we could not exist in the first place. All that we are is energy, manifesting itself because God is unstoppable, and must create life.

What we must do, what our main task should be, is that of connecting with our spirit on a deeper level, so as not to be affected so strongly by the circumstances of the physical body, and so that we may live our lives according to the divine spirit. This way, we will feel prepared to stand up for justice, to speak our minds, to revolutionize the world with our noble ideas, without fear of physical harm, of persecution or death. How can we fear such things if they are the natural consequences of doing what we know is right? Not even physical death can stop the progress we make in spirit. Don’t give up the fight!

~ REBEL SPIRIT ~

SHINE YOUR LIGHT!

Don’t follow negative trends, instead spread positive new ideas. You never know the amazing ways in which life can unfold when you take action. I believe there is an underlying magic behind all seemingly commonplace events of life. Every sunrise and sunset brings about such tremendous beauty, and when there are no clouds in sight we can see and feel the magnificent sunshine pouring over all that exists, illuminating the green leaves, transforming them into a radiant, bright shade of yellow. The magic is all around us, in nature and also in the genius of human invention, wisdom and innovation.

There have been many throughout history, as there are today, who have tried to capture the essence of this divine magic which permeates all creation. There is hardly any magic more captivating than that of love, of poetry, of music, of feeling free, true freedom, of breaking free of the chains of monotonous existence. We walk around bored, at home, in the streets, at work, complaining about our jobs like our coworkers just because it’s what everyone else loves to talk about casually in order to feel better and help the time pass by. I guess we feel better if others feel miserable too, just as long as we’re not alone in our misery. The liberating truth is that we don’t need to feel like this at all! Every moment, every event, the smallest, most random event has its significance, its purpose for being, just as we all do.

We don’t even know why we exist, we don’t know who created us, we believe in religions and ideologies but we don’t really know the truth, and yet we never bother to investigate! We aren’t the least bit interested in learning about our roots, learning about history and about life, about the world and the universe and all that is. The most terrible tragedy of all is that we never bother to learn about ourselves, the real Self, the spirit within, and the amazing Power which it emanates from, God, the source of all life. We neglect the infinite power within ourselves, the power to promote positive change, which is our purpose on this planet. We were not born simply to selfishly fulfill our desires without a care one time after another as we slowly decay and eventually die.

No, we were born, each person in his or her specific life and family, in order to live, to learn lessons, to teach lessons, through our words and actions, to learn of the goodness within us, to extend that goodness throughout our life journey, to all we encounter. To lend a helping hand, a word of encouragement, a word of wise advice, to be an attentive friend who can listen to another’s concerns with empathy, to care for our brothers and sisters and fathers and mothers, to care for ourselves and our neighbors as well. Deep inside, even the most hardened criminal among us knows that these are noble values, and are the things that should be pursued. If he does not acknowledge this, at least he knows that these are values which the human race needs in order to progress, and to avoid extinction. The more we ignore our fellow brothers and sisters, the more we follow negative trends, the more we divide ourselves into little groups and we treat outsiders with contempt, the more we refuse to think for ourselves and act based on what is right and true, the more problems we will all experience, and becoming more and more problematic on a daily basis, life and the world in which we live will slowly decay and will eventually die, perhaps in the time of our not-so-distant descendants, just as the human body slowly completes the dying process, decaying sooner or later depending on the circumstances inflicted upon it by he or she who inhabits it.

With that being said, let us take care of ourselves in a healthy manner, making sure the bodies we have been entrusted with are well fed and are provided with the necessary energy to aid us in our adventure here on Earth. Let us also take care of our families and friends, and of any who need taking care of and who we are in a position to help. Let us analyze our lifestyle and the things we do on a daily basis, let us constantly observe for routines which can be altered in order to improve ourselves, let us be constantly alert for new projects we can undertake, for new ways to grasp the magic within and express it outwardly, for new ways to contribute to the healing and the building up of society and the world, even the universe. If we can cultivate the necessary discipline to apply this extreme mindfulness to each moment of our lives, and if we can develop the strength of character needed to always do the right thing when we realize it, then we can move our lives in a direction which will fill us with positivity and peace, and we will be overtaken by a deep sense of love and care for all that is.

~ REBEL SPIRIT ~

NO MAN CAN SERVE TWO MASTERS

Unfortunately, too many people become accustomed to making decisions purely based on financial gain, failing to realize that what matters most when they pass away won’t be how much money they left in the bank, but the legacy they left, the way they influenced those around them as well as their environment, family and friends. Definitely keep on getting paid, but put some thought into the deeper things in life. After all, it is man who has the power to make money.. but money can never make you a man. Money can never make you a satisfied woman either, so don’t fall for society’s trap of marginalizing women and forcing them to feel dependent on men for financial stability and a comfortable life. Each individual has inside the divine spark of infinite spirit, and this spirit suffers when we reduce our life purpose to a competition, a misguided ambition to accumulate wealth and possessions.

I love the story of the Buddha, the prince who, without hesitating, left his palace and all the benefits the royal life included, in order to travel the land, to be amongst the people, to share in their lives in an attempt to understand and alleviate their suffering, all human suffering. Such a decision could only be driven by the purest sense of compassion, which we are all able to achieve. Although I’m not suggesting we go to such an extreme as to leave our home and all our material possessions behind, the fact is that currently most of the population of planet Earth is living on the opposite pole, on the other extreme. We pass by homeless people in the streets, in developed nations such as Canada and the United States, and we don’t dare to look in their eyes. The shame would consume us, we would have to bear another person’s pain for one mere moment, and that in itself would be so undesirable to us that we glance away, or walk with our look fixed straight ahead, or we look at the floor.

We know there is much to change in this world, but we don’t know how it can change. We expect others to change it, and decide to ignore the uncomfortable truths of life, until we become desensitized to them. Many people have been emotionally hurt, and being unable to forgive, they decide, consciously or unconsciously, to shut themselves down emotionally, at least to other people. They don’t want to be taken advantage of ever again, so they don’t show any emotion, in order not to seem vulnerable, like easy prey. If forgiveness and love cannot be applied to such a situation, a very hostile and negative attitude will eventually develop towards other people. Once this attitude becomes habit, the affected person will be willing to do anything harmful to another being, if it leads to his or her own gain and satisfaction. As they affect others who feel betrayed and unfairly treated by life, many of their victims choose to take the same path of selfishness and emotional non-availability. The cycle continues forever, creating a worldwide web of insensitivity, violence and chaos. It is evident to us that things should not be this way at all.

Caring about others’ emotions and suffering is a natural part of the divine spark of God’s light which shines with integrity from us when we choose to follow it. However, when we choose to ignore our better judgement, declining life’s invitations to partake in charity, or in a simple act of kindness because it slightly intervenes with out planned routine or with our financial gain, we slowly lose our ability to hear the pure voice of intuition within us. This also happens whenever we choose material gain over acting with integrity, committing actions which will devastate others such as financial fraud or robbery, or murder in the hitman’s case. This voice is dumbed down by greedy and hostile thoughts of power, power which is needed due to a lack of life purpose, and perhaps low self-esteem. How can this power be achieved? The natural inclination of the human being is to turn to money in an attempt to reach the much desired power.

Sometimes wealth is gained honestly but in an unbalanced fashion. In such a case, the individual commits all his time, perhaps all his mental energy and life focus, and projects it onto his work, in order to make as much money as possible, to earn the highest commission, to rejoice at the next promotion, to shine bright above all his coworkers. This will eventually lead to a more luxurious, expensive lifestyle which will, in the person’s mind, grant them the happiness and joy they so hopelessly long for for so long. Others resort to illegal and immortal activities to achieve their goal of generating mass amounts of wealth. Hitmen happily accept high amounts of money for their service, which is actually a form of playing God and deciding they have the right to take another human life, since money is involved, and that is more important. Thieves steal from empty homes, or mug solitary people on the street, sometimes shooting or stabbing them for the sake of taking their wallet or phone. Politicians launder insane amounts of money to ensure they remain in power, to watch out for their interests, easily ignoring the crying and shouting voices of the dissatisfied, disappointed, angry and often times hungry nation which has been placed under their control.

This issue sadly affects much of the third world, having been a problem various times in my native country of Honduras, and currently devastating Venezuela. We scream and shout and rage and protest, but yet we choose these politicians to rule over us. We fight amongst ourselves and nurture vicious hatred in our hearts, for others who share different opinions than us or support different political parties. We act as if God has come to reign, and we must support him, we absolutely need our preferred candidate to come into power since they will work their magic and fix all the problems of an impoverished country, or further advance a developed nation generating more jobs and money for its citizens. If this is not accomplished during the duration of their term, we protest because nothing has changed. The problem is us, and we must realize it. We must initiate change in the way we act, instead of waiting for other to do so. We are basically funding the campaigns of these people who don’t give a damn about anything but their own financial and political affairs. We are promised tax cuts, benefits, higher wages, and time and time again we believe one fool after another, as if some magical man will step onto the scene and have all the solutions to our problems. We hold on to hope only to find we have been deceived once again.

That being said, we simply cannot blame politicians for their corruption, we must look at ourselves. If you would find a wallet on the street with an ID or a phone number to call, and you decide to keep it rather than return it because there is money inside, perhaps a quite enticing amount of money, then you must face the fact that you are just as corrupt as any politician you hate, since you decided to make the wrong decision at the expense of someone else’s well-being in a moment when you were not being watched. If we act in such a way, how can we blame politicians from stealing much greater amounts of money from us after we deliberately put them in a position in which they can easily steal and scam without being supervised and investigated.

We must stop putting people in power to rule over us, or allowing money to rule over us; we must realize that God is the sole authority of the universe, and God’s goodness, his greatness, is written in our spirit, a direct emanation of God’s divinity. All we need to do is listen to the voice of the spirit within us, to pray, to meditate, to feel what we know is right, and to act in a right manner. We can only eliminate poverty and corruption in this world when all of us decide to practice righteous living, in every aspect of life, including financially, since all our acts of corruption, however small, amount up and eventually corrupt the collective consciousness of our planet, something which obviously affects all of its inhabitants in a very negative way.
~ REBEL SPIRIT

“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”

~ Matthew 6:24

* FREE EBOOK DOWNLOAD HERE: HERMANN HESSE – SIDDHARTHA (1922) – WWW.OFFICIALREBELSPIRIT.COM

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