Calling Fears Bluff

Morbid reflection is a switch hitter. It strikes not only when we rehash past events negatively, but when we project negatively into the future as well. When we ruminate over the state of our health as we grow older, our children's future opportunities, retirement or what have you negatively, we open the door. You know the voice, it chimes in with all the possible negative outcomes, never a silver lining in any cloud, which then leads to anxiety. But what are we really doing? We are time traveling. Traveling to a future that is dystopian, where it is dark, getting darker and we better get that cardboard box now to live in before all the good ones are gone.

To be clear: morbid reflection is a bluffer, just like it's parent, fear. Fear truly is the adversary and morbid reflection is one of the children it employs that work to block us from the Sunlight of the Spirit. Fear never sleeps and is always hunting for an open door in our consciousness to slink through to steal our serenity, crush our spirit and turn us from the light. The good news is that once we stand up to fear through prayer, meditation and service it flees for in truth, fear is a coward and easily cowed by Our Father. God will provide the strength and direction, but we must ask and remain willing to act in whatever manner prescribed, standing firm in faith, that as children of a loving God, He will keep us safe and unharmed spiritually if we are about His business, calling the adversary's bluff.

© Vincent Lee Jones Living In Spirit All Rights Reserved

The Secret, Wayne Dyer, Recovery, Addiction, Zen, Emmet Fox, Opioids, NA, Four Agreements, Chopra, Heroin, Einstein, AA, McRaven, Healing Path

 

The Lion's Den Of Morbid Reflection

The Lion's Den Of Morbid Reflection

A form of morbid reflection is the act of rehashing and/or rehearsing  the “story” of some past negative event or occurrence over and over again. When employed this practice takes us out of the moment and transports us back to a time when either we did or said something objectionable or something objectionable was done or said to us. Often it begins in the most nonchalant manner but quickly morphs into feelings of hurt, fear, loss, anger, resentment then graduating into condemnation of ourselves/them or both, finally leaving us depressed, despondent.

When we engage in morbid reflection it is akin to hanging a big steak around our neck and stepping into a lion’s den. Not really surprising then what happens next, yet unless we are vigilant in our minds eye we will find ourselves staring at that drooling lion regularly. We must not allow morbid reflection to gain even the slightest foothold in our thinking, so when we become aware of the lion, we immediately turn to God and ask Him to guide our thoughts. If the lion has already got a hold, we keep our prayers simple but insistent: Please God, help me to keep my head where my hands are, thy will be done or the simple yet powerful Be still and know that I am God. Depending on how far the lion has progressed with its meal, we may have to repeat the prayer or prayers numerous times, but considering the ultimate outcome of the meal if we don’t, the price is cheap. So when the lion roars, agree quickly that you are in the den, the only way out being swift and consistent application of spiritual principles.

© Vincent Lee Jones Living In Spirit All Rights Reserved

The Secret, Wayne Dyer, Recovery, Addiction, Zen, Emmet Fox, Opioids, NA, Four Agreements, Chopra, Heroin, Einstein, AA, McRaven, Healing Path

Two Graves

Two Graves

When we take offense at every trifling thing in life, becoming angry and outraged at clerks, customer service reps, waiters and waitresses, thoughtless drivers, oblivious sidewalk strollers or any of the other myriad daily annoyances that we come into contact with, we place ourselves in danger. Additionally when a friend, co-worker, loved one or family member fails to live up to “our” expectations and we demonstrate displeasure/anger towards them, we place ourselves at risk.

So the real question is: At what price peace of mind? Is our serenity worth losing over slow service, waiting on hold, a poor lane change, parking ticket, an inconsequential bump, the blocking of a sidewalk, some failed expectation, hurt feeling or news report? Recently a man lost his life leaving a baseball game over a verbal slight on the ramp leading to the exit, a “trifle” in hindsight, a tragedy for all concerned in reality. Revenge, getting even, wishing to punish others, resentment and condemnation under any guise are all dangerous paths leading only to strife and suffering, blocking us from source.

So we must become slow to anger, to ask if the cause is “just” in spiritual light. When we do this, we soon find the just causes of anger are few indeed. Consider law enforcement; over ninety percent of the officers will never remove their weapon from its holster except at the firing range, but if circumstances warrant they can and will employ deadly force, with all the attendant consequences that decision carries. So just as with those charged with enforcing secular law, if presented with “just” cause we must be willing to act, but we must direct our anger at the sin, praying for the sinner and those affected by the act, seeking ways to be of service to all who suffer.

So on those occasions when just cause enters our consciousness we must immediately turn to God seeking guidance and intuition, the correct course of action, for if we chose to take matters into our own hands we place ourselves in danger. If we fail to seek God first, it becomes revenge and when seeking revenge we begin by first digging two graves.

© Vincent Lee Jones Living In Spirit All Rights Reserved

The Secret, Wayne Dyer, Recovery, Addiction, Zen, Emmet Fox, Opioids, NA, Four Agreements, Chopra, Heroin, Einstein, AA, McRaven, Healing Path