Optimism is so important to happiness, success and well being! When I embarked on my journey of redesigning my life, that is the first attribute I wished to gain, and for good reason! Solving problems is easier when we are optimistic and can see various options, so I decided to begin at the beginning, so that everything that followed would flow with less resistence to good fortune and solutions.

Interesting to note that my Webster�s Dictionary describes optimism as, �the doctrine or belief that good ultimately prevails over evil.� That phrase takes me back to the simple moral stories of my childhood: Robin Hood, La Belle et La B�te, Ivanhoe, Star Wars... did I not always wish to be on the side of good? Did not the stories always leave me feeling good inside? Is that partly what, deep inside, these stories are trying to teach us? And is it possible, that it is easier to be good and receive good in our lives, when we have the belief that good ultimately prevails? I think so.

But how do we cross over? We may have been raised in a family that did not expect good fortune, or we may have experienced hardships that colored our view of life and made it seem like a world where good does not always prevail and some of us are just not lucky.

I ceased being less interested in whether or not my beliefs were true, long ago. Does that sound crazy? Here was my reasoning: I discovered (partly from my philosophical, logic, and mathematical studies), that we can�t really prove, definitely, any belief... because any argument has to be built on the building blocks of some assumptions. We choose our assumptions, or initially gain them through our family or experiences, or perhaps disposition, but I think not the latter. Whether we view the world pessimistically or optimistically, is usually one of those building block assumptions in each person�s life.

After learning that we can�t prove our beliefs, I sought to reconsider what beliefs I had, based on how effective they were in my life... whether they made me feel happy, secure, confident, and their effect on my actions. I evaluated them based on how well they served me and society. And in some cases I found beliefs that did not serve, so I chose new beliefs and simply reminded myself that I was now of the new beliefs and not the old ones.

This worked surprisingly well. Some disadvantageous beliefs were more stubborn than others to replace, but I kept in mind why I was choosing the new belief and watched for moments when that belief or the old one would determine my action, statement, or view. I set a dog to guard the door, so to speak.

Optimism is one of those beliefs I chose. A scant three years ago, I sought to change my belief and habits from pessimistic to optimistic. Would those of you who have read my posts these past weeks say I have been largely successful? I think I have.

I was raised in a family which did not display optimism, one where my parents were depressed and critical. Seeing how detrimental negativity was in their own lives, I departed from their beliefs by choice, but found later, when tragedies struck my own life, that I was again looking at the world and my future through a pessimistic eye. I knew by then how detrimental pessimism could be in my own life, so I sought to change my belief, not based on what I felt was true, but based on what I felt would serve best, for the companions of Optimism are Happiness, Accomplishment, and Good Luck.

So here is how I advise myself whenever I wish to improve my optimism:

First: Affirm the commitment that you wish to become more optimistic. Like anything else we try to change, it is the strength of our desire and commitment that allows us to do it. If you feel only half-convinced at present that optimism is a good thing, take more time to consider the advantages and disadvantages of these different beliefs.

Second: Set a dog to guard the door. Look for occurrences in the day where pessimism or optimism come into play. You actually do not have to look far! In the next hour it will come into play several times. You will have thoughts about the future, thoughts about people, thoughts about your abilities, thoughts about your advantages or disadvantages at present, including how what you possess in material things is either lacking or an asset and you will make choices about where you place your focus. When you discover a matter when you can choose to be optimistic, rewrite your old view as a new, more positive one, or shift your focus onto a more positive subject. As you catch yourself noting that a glass is half-empty, note that it is also half-full, and that is a good thing. With each fork in the road, allow good to prevail over evil.

Third: Start asking yourself as a matter of habit, �How would an optimistic person act in this situation?� Allow yourself to experiment with acting in accordance with optimistic beliefs for a while, and start noting the advantages that flow towards you with these actions. A person who does not believe they will be hired, will not apply for better jobs. A person who does not believe they can have a wonderful relationship, may not seek to know new people. A person who does not believe in their own abilities, ...for example, the ability to write and publish a good book (hahaha)... will not bother to sit down to write! So play with this new belief by allowing your actions to reflect optimism.

Fourth: Seek to find advantages even in disadvantages and adversity. Every single event in our lives, even the most difficult ones, bear advantages if we use our minds to find them. And I don�t mean just lessons like, �Well, I learned never to do that again!� There are other advantages than just lessons, so look for them. You might have taken a new direction and met new people. You might have lost one partner, but were then free to find a far better one, or expand your personal completeness. You may have experienced a tragedy, but gained strength and abilities because of it, so make the most of these new abilities and find ways to put them into play more often.

Fifth: Practice shifting your focus from dwelling on negative musings to dwelling on positive musings. Past events we can�t change. We can, however, cease to give them as much importance and instead dwell longer on good things.

Sixth: Allow optimism to guide you to a sense of humor about life�s events and your self. Seek to relax into the cradling arms of life, with the belief that you will rise to the top, like cream comes to the surface.

So these are a few of the ways I�ve learned to welcome optimism into my life. The list is by no means complete, so I hope you will contribute your own to this thread, as well as share your own experiences between pessimism and optimism.

I optimistically believe, that together we can make this one of the biggest, most positive and lively threads in this section!

Wow, Holly! Great idea for a new thread and one I choose to stand in optimism with you on! You have some great wisdom and advice...Hmmm...do I hear whispers of a book coming on?

In reality, optimism is one of the first choices we make in order to change our lives. For how can we look at a new world of possibility if we do not first see it through optimistic glasses?

I too, began my journey with a spirit of optimism. The joke in my household is that I see the glass half full when my husband says it's half empty!

For me optimism and gratitude have gone hand in hand. For when I see the truly wonderful life I live, I must acknowledge it somehow. The momentum builds because as I'm optimistic and thankful, more seems to come my way to be optimistic and thankful about!

When I was very ill, a turning point for me was when I looked at what I could do instead of what I couldn't do. As I focused on what I could do, my world began to get bigger and more exciting. I know it sounds funny, but this happened even when I was bound to bed.

As I was optimistic and thankful, hope began to build. Yes, "HOPE"! I had the hope to move forward and began to gain ground. Soon I began to dream of things I wanted to do. Some were small things, others were big things. I have experienced the power of dreaming something and then the joy of seeing it come to pass.

Now, optimism is simply a part of my being. It has become one with me in a certain sense. Still, it all started with the decision to be positive. Yes, one simple decision and my life was changed.

Well actually, ;D the glass is 100% FULL... it's half filled with water, and half filled with air!

Tami -- In reality, optimism is one of the first choices we make in order to change our lives. For how can we look at a new world of possibility if we do not first see it through optimistic glasses?

I never saw it that way but you're absolutely right! We don't act on anything unless we think it's possible. Thinking we "can't lose weight" or "can't start our own business" or whatever it is... we won't be able to change if we don't believe our efforts will work because if we don't BELIEVE it can work, we won't try.

I loved your story about how when you were sick you learned to shift your perspective from what you couldn't do to what you could! I've been lucky to know a lot of people with "handicaps" in my life, and the stuff they've accomplished puts me to shame, i tell ya! Someone with 2 masters, others who run their own companies, leaders, etc... and it's just like you said, they don't focus on what they can't do, they focus on what they CAN do!

Holly and tami, both of you are great commentators.

Holly, I absolutely loved your post! thanks so much for sharing that.

I believe too that optimism is a choice. I did the same thing you did about looking at my life to see what was working and how I wanted my life to be and deliberately set out to choose better, more positive feelings.

I used to see things that happened as lessons too but now I think that there are no problems-only opportunities. Opportunities for us to choose a better way as we go along. Opportunities for us to find solutions or dig deeper into ourselves.

Optimism is a great healer. You have to believe that being healthier is a possibility and create your thoughts and your life around that idea. I am very interested in helping people overcome health challenges by optimistic, positive thoughts which make feeling better a possibility in their lives. These kind of thoughts give the body a chance to heal itself.

Thanks again for the uplifting posts.

Yes. Holly is a gifted person.

Holly, I laughed at what you said about the glass being 100% full. You got me!

Actually, I really do see my glass as being full. One of my desires is to keep the glass full and overflowing. Every day I make the choice to do things that fill me up inside. I usually do this in the morning so I can face the day prepared.

When I go about my day feeling filled up, I feel there is so much more that spills over to others. When I feel drained, that's a good indication it's time to fill up!

Since I really do want to make a difference in this world, I choose to see it through my "optimistic" glasses and believe there is enough for me to fill up on. The overflow will just naturally happen.

das, thanks for your encouragement about our writing. When Holly and I write our books you can proudly remind yourself that you played a part in it all. Forgive me Holly for speaking for both of us, but it's obvious you have an inspired message to share with the world too! das is right

I'm "optimistically" looking forward to the day when we can say, "I did it!"

Hi Joan,

I agree with what you said about optimism being a healer.

One of the reasons I experienced healing is because I chose to believe in the possibility that I COULD heal. I also believe the positive thoughts I had really did provide a better environment for my recovery.

Thank you for carrying that message to others who are ready for healing too.

Yes, thank you for speaking for both of us, and thank you das!

Honestly i got so choked up by what you said das, that i didn't know what to say. Sometimes i just don't know what to do with a good compliment.

Holly, perhaps a good compliment is meant to inspire you to simply WRITE MORE

Holly,

I used to feel same with compliments.
Then I read in a book- accept the compliments.
So I changed myself.
Now if anybody compliments me, I accept it.
I honor the other person by doing that.

You can also accept my compliments and honor me.
You are a very gifted person. Like a diamond that never recognizes its worth, you do not recognize your true worth.

I may be a lunatic but I used to be a genius in my field and I never compliment people easily.
I compliment with heart if I find somebody worthy of that.

You are a very worthy person. So is tami.

And yes, Holly, you are a rare kind. Please recognize your worth and get ahead in life. You will reach the stars one day.

US is a leader because it has citizens like you.

And thank you Tami, holly, kerryanne and also Alexandra, for showering so much love on me.

Holly,

Your post about optimism.

You speak of beliefs.

I have a belief that I can never be a healthy person(physically)
I have been keeping bad health for last about 20 years and this idea has now got fixed in my mind.

How do I change that belief?

I have some wonderful recorded tapes by Deepak Chopra, M.D. titled, "Magical Mind, Magical Body." He is so smart and explains things so well, that the atoms in our bodies are constantly replacing themselves... that the body we have six months from now is a new body. I don't think i can explain it well. He includes lots of practical advice on health as well... such as how to breathe, improve eyesight, and talks about cancer, too. I think you would like his approach. Can you get a hold of the tapes?

I can try. Yes as our cells renew themselves our body gets replaced. But because of genetic control the new cells behave same as old cells. Our whole body renews itself continuously.

I had some books by Dr. Chopra. I may get these tapes in Mumbai. Thanks for suggesting.

Holly,
I am focusing on belief. How to change the belief about ill health?

das, I don't agree that because of genetic control our new cells are the same as our old cells. I believe in the body's ability to regenerate healthy cells in place of diseased or ill cells if we focus on that. I read someplace that when a person is sick or has a disease, they focus on that instead of the 99% of their body which is not sick or diseased, the 99% which is healthy. This causes it to grow and become larger in our lives.

How to change your belief about ill health? Here is a great ebook that would help you, I know. It's free to download. It's called The Science of Being Well by Wallace Wattles. His book the Science of being Rich was that basis for the Secret and it is also available other places for free download.

The Science of being well explains how to use our mind to achieve good health, no matter what condition we are starting out in.

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Joan, what you are speaking is about positive thinking and power of mind. I was speaking purely of science.
But you make sense.

Hi das,

Quantum physics is now discovering that at the base of every molecule is energy, not "matter" like they once believed. They are now beginning to prove that we can impact this energy by using our minds. It actually IS science that we can impact molecules and therefore cells, just by how we think. We can no longer separate science and mind.

There's a great movie that demonstrates this called, "What The Bleep Do We Know?" I'm not sure where you can get it, but a search on the internet may turn up something.

The key is in "choosing" what we believe. I too, have had health issues, but I choose not to let the past determine my future any longer. We cannot change our past physical selves, but we can give our bodies what they need to heal. We can feed our body nourishing food. We can provide a loving and reduced stress environment so that our bodies can do what they are programmed to do: HEAL! With our minds, we can think health and wholeness and invite healing to happen.

Finding this out (and choosing to believe it) has had a tremedous difference in my life. I am a personal testimony of this being true.

When you get a cut, does it actually heal? If so, your body knows how to heal. The question is, "Will you choose to believe it?"

Tami I am so glad you posted this. I had heard the same, but wqas reluctant to post because I actually had doubts as to whether Das would believe it or not!
HH the Dalai Lama has worked extensively with Scientific Bodies who research the power of the Mind and its effect on the body, and has also assisted with research in exactly the sphere of science you mention. healing through positive attitude. He has always said that if Science came up with indisputable evidence to discredit or alter the teachings of Buddhism, then of course he would have to change his views.
so far, nothing has ever suggested that meditation and Buddhist teachings are at fault, with regard to permitting the Mind to cohesively support the Body as you outline....

Thank you for your post.

Tami, thanks for bringing up What the Bleep! I saw that movie about a year ago and it really changed the way I think about things.

I found it at Blockbuster so it's commonly available.

Another wonderful book, Das, is Louise Hay's You Can Heal Your Life.

I will have a look at that Barbara.Thanks.

Hi,

I am a student of quantum physics.
But I do not know how sub atomic particles can be impacted by thoughts? Subatomic particles are pure energy when you keep breaking them. That is the blue light.

Any link of research?

What does Buddhism say about positive thoughts and healing?

Buddhism quite frankly states that the only way to achieve lasting permanent inner peace and freedom from suffering is to first of all acknolwledge, then understand, then accept that the source of all your own suffering is your mind.
The world comes to us and we decipher its messages and decide and appraise what we see, so our opinion is coloured by our conceptions of things. Things are as they are, and are what they are, simply because they are. They may be perceived as Good, Bad or Neutral.
But how we evaluate everything which we see, feel and experience, is up to us. And what we then do with that information - how we permit it to influence us and our 'SELVES' - if at all - is our choice.


I am not talking about a mental clinically diagnosed affliction here. However, it is worth bearing in mind that there is no word in Tibetan for 'Depression' and mental health is an issue which has only become relevant in this specific culture since the displacement of Tibetans from their home land. Before he left Tibet, the Dalai lama had never known, come across or experienced the concept of mental afflictions. neither had any other Tibetan.
He has of course known sadness, distress, anger, but also Joy, elation and mirth. he never has a smile off his face - which when you consider the position he occupies and the responsibilities he carries, is no mean feat.
ordinary standard emotions are part and parcel of being a Human. But their effect is entirely of our own choosing and manipulation.
If you want to develop a positive attitude and good thoughts - then think them. Know that everything is temporary, transitory and illusory.
Stay grounded in the Present, and know the utter bliss and joy of inner stillness.
Your Mind is your worst enemy, constrantly fuelled, affected and fed by the three poisons of Greed, Hatred and Passion.
Recognise them for the traitors they are, and vow to not permit yourswelf to fall under their domination.

This is what Buddhism says about Positive Thoughts and healing.

This is the first book I ever read that truly made me understand that everything I experience is down to me. The buck stops here, but it is so compassionate and kind, that it's a pleasure to be told that!!

Barbara,

Is Louis hay the lady who conquered her caner with subliminal talk?
I had some cassettes by her if I remember correctly.

Tami, did you get this information from the movie? I don't quite understand... the two ideas you mention here are not at all new, unless there is something more to it. Both of these ideas were pre-atomic bomb research, and absolutely necessary for it's development.

Heisenberg was a German physicist who was the premier scientist to develop the bomb project for Hitler. After the war he claimed to have deliberately sabotaged the project... i don't know if that's true or not. But he's most famous for "The Heisenberg Principle" which talks about observing sub-atomic particles, and being able to know the location or velocity... or being able to observe time or energy. The idea being that the closer you can identify one aspect of each pair, the less you know of the other. This theory became known as "the Uncertainty Principle" and is frequently used to imply that our act of observation affects the outcome.

I'll try to write more later about this, but i need to run to classes!

Hi Holly,

It took me a minute, but now I understand what you are asking. Please know that I'm no scientist (I did take upper sciences in highschool and some in college though).

Yes, this is beyond all the stuff we learned in Chemistry and other sciences. This relates to our bodies specifically and how it impacts our minds and bodies. It is the latest research on our brain and our belief systems.

You mentioned that Heisenberg found sub-atomic particles. What I've heard is they only recently discovered is that underneath everything is nothing; no particles and only energy. I'm not talking about the universe outside. I'm talking about INSIDE our bodies.

I was speaking directly in reference to what das had said about changing a belief system about our body.

My first true introduction of this concept wasn't even called "Quantum Physics". I later realized it was called that by watching the two movies, "What the bleep do we know?" and "The Secret". "What the bleep" carefully explains it. Have you seen it?

By watching the movies, I understood them to say that it is only recently that science has proved there is actually nothing solid to us at the base level of our molecules. They were surprised to find out there was no substance, but actually only energy that remains.

What I'm referring to that's new is from a Coaching course I took. The instructor (Dr. David Krueger) was teaching on some new research about how our thoughts specifically impact our brain and the way we think. Our belief systems actually block or allow thoughts.

In one recent study, they hooked people up to brain scanners (I can't remember which type). If people had already made a decision about what they believed, they would not allow their brain to even process the information. The "processing" area of the brain would not even light up. They were not even open to considering the "possibility" of changing their thoughts.

In another study, they showed that even though our thoughts run along certain pathways, we can change those pathways of thinking just by decision and repetition. In fact, the brain was not even able to tell the difference between open-eyed fact and visualization. The new pathway was created regardless. Through visualization, we can actually choose a new belief system and program it into our minds. After this new pathway is created, we have a new way of thinking. Thus, we have the control to choose a belief system about ourselves.

I'm understanding that Quantum physics is the link which explains how our desire or will gets translated into something our physical bodies understand. I don't want to say more in case I explain it wrong.

Now I want to watch the movie again so I can explain this better Holly. Have you watched "What the bleep?" If so, what was your understanding of how they explained it?

das was mentioning ill health. Science has now proven that we can reprogram our minds. I've been doing this specifically with my health and it is working! Others are documented in the book, "The Secret".

Anyhow, I'd be interested to know more of Heisenberg's theory.

By the way, what class are you taking or is this the knitting class you teach?

Have a great day!

Tami

That is very interesting Tami, and thank you for explaining!!!

I'm trying to figure out what might be meant by "translating desire into something our physical bodies understand." It sounds intriguing, but i'm wondering what "desire" would be in quantum physics terms, which to my knowlege is going either have to be either energy or matter.

In medicine they would explain the relationship of mind and body in terms of electrical charge and chemistry. "Thoughts" have chemical signatures... it's an area not fully understood yet but a lot of research is being done to try to understand it better. There is even research being done near here in Cleveland where they are trying to develop computers based on chemistry instead of electronics, to better model the human brain and it's capacity. In existing computers, information is still stored in "bits" which is basically binary information, each "bit" being able to say only either "yes" or "no" so you need a lot of bits to get anywhere. But if they can develop a chemistry based computer, then each unit can have any of a number of meanings, and computers could be much more complex and more similar to the human mind. One of their hurdles in developing this technology is actually keeping conditions clean enough, so that the chemistry (and therefore information) is not compromised.

Okay, back to the Heisenberg principle, for anyone interested (don't feel you have to be)... So, a lot of times people think that the Heisenberg principle tells us that our OBSERVATION changes the actual outcome of the experiment... that our observation changes, in fact, the subatomic particles. Well, i have not read the actual Heisenberg principle... most people will not have, because it's technical and boring unless you have a lot of scientific understanding to follow it. Most people in science classes will learn about it through some abstract which tries to explain it in accessible terms. But the actual Heisenberg Principle is VERY SPECIFIC to trying to calculate direction and velocity, or time and energy. And i thought of an analogy... those of you who've done any algebra or pre-algebra... you know how when you get a formula with more than one variable (like x and y, with neither being defined), but you can only solve for ONE variable at a time and you have to explain it in a formula which contains other variables on the other side of the equation? You can solve for x, OR you can solve for y, but you CAN'T solve for both simultaneously... and if i'm not mistaken, that's what i think the Heisenberg Principle is like. You can solve for velocity OR you can solve for location, but not both simultaneously... i think. So anyway, the Heisenberg principle DOES NOT really say that we influence outcome through observation... at least that's what i hear from scientists. BUT ---! ...it doesn't rule it out either! We might! So it launched a huge debate in the scientific world as to whether we do influence reality or not!!!

So then the next thing happened. Lots of scientists were VERY interested in Heisenberg in particular, because at the time we had WWII and Heisenberg was trying to develop the atomic bomb for Nazi Germany and scientists were scared to death what might happen if he could do it. So they looked at ALL his writings with a fine tooth comb. Anyway, along came a guy named Schrodinger... another physicist. We've all been affected by him!!!... because HE won the nobel prize for discovering double helix DNA! (good job!) But i think this was much earlier in his career... that he was fascinated by what people were reading into the Heisenberg Principle, and he started wondering if we do INDEED influence reality, so he started theorizing about it, and his theory became known as SCHRODINGER'S CAT.

Before i tell you what his theory is, please know that NO CATS were actually used or killed! This was NOT an experiment, this was a theory! You can't prove this by experimenting! (If you think it through you'll see why). But please ALSO note, that Schrodinger's Cat, too, does not actually say we influence OUTCOMES... though frequently it is misinterpretted to think that we do... so anyway, if you get curious and start looking at the internet for it, just be cautious you're using sites that have a good reputation in this field. The Schrodinger's Cat theory is kind of like the zen koan: "If a tree falls in a forest with no one to hear, does it make a sound?" Only in this case it's "If you seal a cat in a box and give it a 50/50 chance of being killed, is the cat NEITHER alive nor dead until you open the box?" or something like that. This blog actually explains it the best i've ever seen it explained, and very responsibly, bravo to the author!!!

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Holly,
you have written this post like a Nobel laureate.
I will read it again to understand.

Oh heavens, no i haven't!!!

That was a compliment Holly.

thank you.

Tami, I'm no scientist, either, and have about the same education as yourself, so please don't discredit yourself on my account.

When you say "it was only recently discovered that underneath everything is nothing" it makes me think of a couple of things... first, i was always taught that there is more "nothing" in the universe than matter... even in our own bodies because of the vast distances between the minute particles (my teacher once described it as a particle of matter being like a grain of sand in an empty football field, next to another football field), but come to think of it, when atoms are described as relationships of energy (formerly "shells"... i don't remember what they were revised to called at present) ...i always saw the energy as being the building blocks of matter but i don't think that was ever really explained in highschool. (?????) Other than... you remember seeing the atomic chart somewhere? Chemistry class, maybe? Every chemical element is defined in terms of it's atomic energy... it's protons, etc... energy. Doesn't that imply all matter is constructed of energy? But that is not new... the atomic chart has been around for...!!! longer than me, anyway!!!

But the other thing that came to mind was a vague memory of learning about "particle-wave duality"... this stuff was a little thick for me, but basically ...and again these were old experiments, maybe around the 1920's... anyway, they learned through experiments with light that it sometimes behaves like particles (matter), and sometimes behaves like waves (energy)!

It kinda sounds to me like what you saw had something to do with that (particle-wave duality), even though as you said it was in the context of the human body... i dont' see as it matters whether it's in the body or in the universe, it would all be the same laws of physics.... anyway, sometimes i've seen the duality mentioned with matter in general, and that sounds like what you are describing. If more has been discovered about the nature of this, that would be really fascinating!

I did a little sleuthing around on the 'net... i didn't find much new stuff about particle-wave theory, but i did find this website which explains it, or tries to, in simple terms (maybe this is why they call it "relativity" - joke!):BellaOnline ALERT: For anti-spam reasons, we restrict the number of URLs allowed in a given post. You have exceeded our maximum number of URLs.

Tami,

You are giving two theroies.

One about all being energy.
that is pure physics.

Second about pathways in the mind.
that is not physics.

I do not know how can we connect the two.
Any legible explanation?

Tami and Holly,

Science has many explanations about the world.
I have asked this to few scientists but got no answer.
Science has no answer.

Our dead body is also made up of atoms that have energy.
If you cut a cell from a dead body and watch it under electronic microscope you will find the electrons moving around .
That is true about every dead particle in the universe.
Every atom has this energy.

But what about life?
How is a live body different than a dead body according to quantum physics?
No answer.

Sometimes the unanswered questions are more fascinating than what we've learned.

It would be kinda disappointing if we knew everything, don't you think? What would be left to learn tomorrow? Or just wonder about?

Maybe not knowing the answer to the difference between a live body and a dead body... serves to remind us of how precious life is.

I "learned" once about conception. I could probably roughly describe it in terms of sexuality, sperm, ovum, DNA, genetics, cell division, etc. But none of that explains how it feels, when you hear there will be a new life in your family, or when a little one grabs your finger.

lovely post Holly.

Hi Holly,

Don't worry, I wasn't discrediting myself. I'm just getting in a little over my head with the complexities of it all because... I'm not a scientist! I think it's time I did a little more research - thanks for the links and your informative posts. They will be very helpful when I make the time to explore more.

The information I share is stuff I learned through classes, books, and articles I read before I watched the movies. Where I made "the leap" is when "What the Bleep" called it Quantum Physics. Obviously, I took their word for granted and need to study more.

However, I have read about studies which show the energy field we have on some kind of special X-ray. When we die, this specific energy field leaves the body even when the actual cells of the body are not physically dead yet. The study didn't follow where it goes, only that it is there when alive and not after death. I wish I could remember where I read about it, but it was about 10 years ago when I was living in Vancouver.

In "What the Bleep", they linked this energy field to being our "human spirit". I believe them because that was what the previous study was also suggesting it finally explained. (Note that I also believe in the human spirit anyhow.)

I've also heard that this energy comes into play when our "spiritual self" makes a decision to translate that energy into a message the brain can understand. I heard that Quantum Physics now provides the "missing link" in the form of energy transfer somehow. If we decide to move our arm, our split second decision comes even before we tell the brain to make the body do so.

I think it's time I understand Quantum Physics for what it really is though. If I've led you down the garden path, I'm sorry. There were definitely well known scientists in the "What the Bleep movie". Perhaps if someone watches before I get a chance to, they could write down the names of the scientists? We could check them out.

There is so much research on the mind. I loved the class I took with Dr. Krueger because he is a well-respected psychiatrist turned coach and shared such great scientific studies on how we can change our minds and "write a new life story" for ourselves.
He actually has a great explanatory article called, The Secrets behind The Secret on his website http://www.mentorpath.com

He has a history of writing articles for medical journals. He's not a quack. Perhaps if you read his article, we can discuss it more without me getting lost in the scientific terms. (You are really good at sharing them though, Holly Thanks!)

Hey Holly, guess what? I clicked on your link to "What The Bleep?" and discovered that your Dr. Wolf is one of the main speakers in the movie. (Yes, this is the same man who wrote "Taking the Quantum Leap"). I had just forgotten his name. I really liked what he had to say in the movie.

If you want to check out the scientists, they have them listed on the site. Here's the link: http://www.whatthebleep.com/scientists/

I've gotta run now, I've got deadlines to meet and here I am still on the forum!

okay... NOW that kinda explains it!!!

Well now looking at the list i'm really fascinated. I will try to check it out sometime Tami. I may not be able to watch "What the Bleep?" soon... i have a lot of priorities at the moment, but i am very curious about it now.

We were talking about optimism?

YES!!!

i've beeen struggling with my own the last few days. Or rather warring with pessimism. Sometimes it seems to help to just snap out of it for a while and put my shoulders back and down rather than hunched, breathe deep, and make some wild claim...

You remember when you were a kid how you used to play? We were undefeatable! We were going to climb tall mountains and fly to the moon! I think it helps to regain that playful spirit no matter how old we are.

I was thinking on my walk tonight... what if i were to put even HALF the energy i put into thinking about things into doing things? Some of my thinking is great, but there is plenty of dead weight in my thinking, too. I think, "why isn't ____ my friend anymore? (no answer) or, "why is it so hard for me to ____?" This kind of thinking is not fruitful! It's usually damaging. You know, if every time i felt out of shape rather than thinking about it and feeling bad i just went and did 5 minutes of exercise... my life would gradually get better and i'd feel like a burden was lifted off of me to get rid of even some of those negative thoughts... replacing them with action... and maybe a little "yes, i'm going to do it!"

You are doing lot of dangerous self analysis.
Why this criticism of your thinking?
It is unwarranted.

Sometimes, we need to think of things that give us no results.
That is healthy in a way.

I'm talking about thinking that gives me negative results... that immobilizes me with little fears or sadness. I think it better to do things that pull my thoughts away from that negative thinking and self criticism and into good activities. The activities in turn, will probably help me feel better.

I agree with you. But negative thoughts are part of our life.
we are human. Not robots.

Yes, but we have some room for change. Why suffer more or longer than we need to? Why compound our problems? Why be completely passive and expect negative thoughts to just go away?

Helping myself move away from negative thoughts is a way of showing love for myself, just as it is when i try to comfort or cheer a friend.

I have suffered enough. I want to be happy.

Happiness is like a warm blanket with love in it. It's like walking on the beach and feeling wet sand between your toes. It's like doing a hard day's work and being pleased with what you've gotten done. It's like enjoying a good cup of Darjeeling... with only pleasant thoughts.

You have cheered me up by calling me brilliant.

You can make your own book of quotations.

Is loneliness part of the problem?

Yes. And loss of loved ones.

I am glad you are feeling cheery.

How can I help you?
Can you take me as a friend/
somebody you can rely upon?
Anytime you wish , send me a mail on cdmohatta@gmail.com if you think we can be friends.

Loss of loved ones means grief?

I enjoy reading your words of self awareness and how you have decided you have suffered enough, Holly. Your description of happiness is lovely. I'd love to hear your plans for getting what you want What do they look like through optimistic glasses?

Interesting....

Would you please clarify this for me, and explain to me why in your view this is 'healthy'?
Thank you.

What do they look like through optimistic glasses? hmmmm. *thinking*

It's easier to answer the first part... my plans for getting what i want. Some of what i'm trying to do, i think might help others. Some of it is specific to my own issues.

I found that in trying to become happier, some very simple changes worked surprisingly well.

As many of you know, i have trouble with night terrors and nightmares. I usually wake in struggle to leave those feelings behind, and in the first hour or so of my day, may feel depressed until i can do what i call "shaking it off." Something i found recently that helps me tremendously to greet my day with happy expectation is simply to ask myself as soon as i can, "What am i looking forward to today?" I try to think of at least three things. Often things repeat.. for instance, i love teaching my classes and the company of the women who come to them, so i often think of that on days i teach.

This technique of asking what i'm looking forward to today, and other questions i have found, help me to orient my focus towards happiness and good things that are happening now, as opposed to the past and things that make me sad or insecure. One of the beauties of it, is it is so immediate. It's not about working at something so i can have what i want some time in the future, rather it is about noticing things "i want," things i enjoy, that are right here for the having. Before changing my focus those things were still here, but it was as if i was blind. The questions help me see. Some days i am more blind than others, and have to work harder to answer the question, but that just makes it more worth it. I have learned to be very careful what kind of questions i ask myself! I try now to ask questions that lead to happy thoughts, self esteem, problem solving, and not questions like, "why did this happen to me?" or, "why can't i do this?" Questions like that lead our mind to hopelessness. I may not be happy the first time i ask the questions. As yet, i don't always ask the right ones. It's like building a muscle... it gets better with practice. So i ask, and ask, and ask, every day... questions to bring my mind to things that give me joy and peace and strength.

Another thing that i want very much... is for my confidence and self esteem to be restored to what it was when it was at its best. I cannot adequately describe the joy, freedom, and ... productiveness i had during that time. Productiveness isn't the right word, but i don't know if the right word exists... it is so much more... but when i was free of fear and self confident, my gifts were able to come out from hiding and i was able to be at my best in art, work, personal growth, relationships, decision making, and so on, i blossomed and i had a high level of energy and effectiveness. I don't have it worked out yet how to become more confident and feel better about myself... i have a few ideas. Need more. Need time to flush it out. But i know how important confidence is to "getting what i want" (as you put it, Tami). Confidence is needed for success, so it's well worth the effort.

I have learned that spending too much time on "healing" will not lead me to being healed. You can't become happy doing the things unhappy people do... like endless hours dwelling on "fixing" ourselves or examining our past tragedies or spending time with people who, perhaps through no fault of their own, make us feel disheartened. I have learned that to become happier, i need to replace the activities that i am doing and thoughts i am thinking when i feel unhappy, with things i think i'd like to be doing and thoughts of joy.

Sometimes i do something i call "the matching game." First, you need to start getting a good idea of where and who you would like to be..."if the sky is the limit," what you would like in your life, and what you would like to be doing. I started by making a collage out of magazine pictures... you wouldn't have to do this part, but i did. I like the visual inspiration, but you could also simply write a list. I looked in magazines for pictures of things i wanted in my future life. When i started it seemed "pie in the sky"... things i didn't think i'd get. In mine i cut out pictures of gorgeous gardens... vegetable and flowers. I cut out a car (at the time i first did this i was working on getting my driver's license), i cut out from a book catalog a book titled, "Damn, I Wish I'd Written That!"... that represented my desire to write books. I cut out a picture of friends sitting around a table in their yard sharing a good meal and laughing. I cut out a picture of a place where i wanted to travel. A livingroom i liked that was uncluttered and pleasant. I cut out a picture of a couple holding hands. I taped a dollar bill to the board. There were many more pictures... basically it was "happy thoughts"... you get the idea. For some of wants that are "intagibles" -- like love -- you have to find a creative representation. That's why i picked the couple holding hands. I pasted the pictures on a stiff board and kept the collage in my bedroom so i could see it as soon as i wake up, to remind me of where i am heading and who i am about... and then sometimes i play "the matching game,".... i pick something in my vision to do. My yard doesn't look like the picture on the board, but i can work in my garden just the same and make it more tidy. My body doesn't look like the gorgeous woman on the board working out, but i can exercise. I can write. I can invite friends over for a meal. This is how you do the matching game. First... you think of what you want... then, you do what you can to bring yourself closer. It works. One little step at a time. And it's the journey, anyway, that is life.

Most of our self talk leads us no where. But that is good to keep our mind busy.
Why did you ask?
you knew the answer.

Holly, did you try white light?

hahha. no. i forgot!

Whenever you get nightmare, give reiki to the lower chakras and cover yourself with white light.

did you see the post on page 6 ?

Actually i wrote it last night, but the forum was not available when i went to post it.

You refer to this?

I have learned that spending too much time on "healing" will not lead me to being healed.

Yes, i guess it was in that post. I wasn't refering to white light, however, when i wrote that.

anyway, thank you for reading it.

White light takes half a minute.
But how about calling me a genius?

Holly, jokes apart, would you believe that some people call me genius?

Holly,

When I read your writing I find a very sharp mind behind that.
Why this insecurity?
You know that you have no reason to feel insecure.
Can not you come out of that and feel happy?

yes

See, I got my way. : D

no. I only agreed some people call you genius.

Only those people have brains!

hahahhahaha!

well, everyone has their delusions!!!

In today's world, only few people can see the truth.
Some people saw the truth about my genius.
Others are all deluded!

Holly,

Thanks for your openness and honesty as you write. You have a way of writing that makes me think I'm sitting down for coffee with my girlfriend and hearing her share from her heart.

I really like your question, "What am I looking forward to today?" In a way, that IS looking at things from an optimistic perspective because it implies there are things to look forward to.

Your "matching game" is a great reminder for me to go ahead and do my "dream board". It is pretty much the same thing as you explained, except I love how you've added pictures that portray an emotion or experience. I've had the pictures in my head for a long time and I practice visualization, but this would be good for me to do. I have a cork board in my office just waiting for its pictures.

Thanks for the inspiration

Hi Tami,

I need your vote.
Holly has agreed that I am a genius.
How about you?
I believe that you also agree with what Holly says?
Please make my day.
Thank you soooooooooooooooooooo much!!!!!

Thank you, Tami.

I feel like we're sitting in a little coffee shop, too... though some are drinking tea, and some are drinking white mochas with whipped cream!

I want to play with my collage, too... i like to keep it fresh and changing, and this got me thinking of it again.

Now perhaps we need a name for our cafe... ?

Holly,

with your post you may interfere with Tami's thought process.
She was about to call me genius!

hahhaa. You can try.

I have a better idea...

Let's just call this the "Genius Cafe"!

What a BRILLIANT idea, Tami!

So long as... well... we must not descriminate those who are not geniuses.

*LOL*

But of course we will not descriminate

Yes, yes, we call it genius cafe and yes, I am the first member of it for you know why.

To turn on the lights?

The name of the cafe must match the great qualities of the first member.
I like darkness. So I will sit in the darkness till another genius comes forward to put on the lights.

And yes, you are very cheerful today.

uh-oh.

But what if none of us are genius enough to find the light switch?

Then you are out of cafe!

ooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooh!!!

i seeeee what you're doing!

Holly,

Most of the genius people have a quality.
They do not know how to do small chores.
So you will be in cafe.
happy?

i will turn on the light.

Hey, that is wrong.
Remember Newton.

Holly,

i forget about all this when I feel sad and depressed. What to do?

What about Newton?

Yes, I do, too.

We can help each other. I'm certain others here at Bella will help us, also.

But as for this moment... I have been to sleep and gotten a little rest. In the mean time, so far as i can tell, you've been ruminating on the past. This is too much past. Can you set it aside now until tomorrow? I know that isn't always easy to do that. But i look at emotional recovery to be like getting fit physically. When i'm out of shape, i can't lift much at first or walk far. So i should not expect to bench press more than half my weight! But nor does it mean i should give up!!!! It means, i must practice every day with commitment, and with regular exercise and increasing challenges, improvement is guaranteed.

I've been rereading some threads tonight, and this post of Joan's is just so wonderful!! All three of her points... about deliberately choosing... about opportunities existing in problems... and about believing that greater health is a possibility... are great points. Anyone care to resume any of these points for discussion?

Newton was a genius.
But he had made two holes in his home for tow cats or rats, I do not recollect.
One small and one large.
Now guess.

Will you begin?

She says it so beautifully. I wish Joan were here at this moment to elaborate and teach us.

I know that opportunities do exist in problems. People find advantages in problems all the time. Take Post-Its for example. I understand that the inventor was trying to develop a super strong glue, but the glue he came up with was as you have seen on the restickable notes. I heard somewhere that when it didn't work for what he wanted, that he started using it around the office.

I would like, one day, to take each wound i feel i still have, and find ways to transform them into good and advantage. I really believe this is possible, in theory, anyway. I just don't understand yet how people do it. Any suggestions?

Perhaps i need to offer more specific examples...

How might i find advantage in having nightmares and having irregular sleep?

How might i find advantage in being on my own? (without family)

...those might be tough. Perhaps i can find easier ones...

How might i find advantage in growing older?

How might i find advantage in ... in... anything?

Penicillin was also found that way. But these are accidental opportunities. I think Joan is saying something different.

Such as- After my abuse, I learned that all human beings are not good. Before that I never thought about that.

And yet, she mentioned opportunities.

Perhaps i need to offer more specific examples...

How might i find advantage in having nightmares and having irregular sleep?

No advantage in nightmares. But they are indications of your insecurity. They tell you that please begin feeling secure.

How might i find advantage in being on my own? (without family)

You become independent. You learn to be happy alone. You also realize the value of companionship.

...those might be tough. Perhaps i can find easier ones...

How might i find advantage in growing older?
You are becoming wiser.

How might i find advantage in ... in... anything?

Thank you for coming back to clarify, CDM, and no, I didn't know the answer, but I needed clarification, because I did not wish to jump to assumptions or conclusions.

Keeping your mind busy with self-talk can be constructive at times, providing the thoughts are deliberate, positive and focussed.
However, permitting thoughts to come and go at random, without any attention or control, is not constructive and does not always generate a positive result.
The more you let your mind wander, the more it is apt to become uncontrollable.
I know from experience that those coming to Meditation sessions I conduct, who have themselves experienced - or are experiencing - periods of acute, chronic or clinical depression, have actually benefitted enormously from meditation, and studiously making efforts to not only control their personal thought patterns, but in some cases, to eliminate them altogether, by stilling the mind.
One man who was diagnosed with a bi-polar condition in his teens (they called it manic depression then) has managed to reduce his medication to such an extent that he expects to be fully free of it within a year. He is 44, and has taken medication since he was 17.
He puts this down entirely to the disciplines of mediation and Tai Chi.

I would add most emphatically that I have had absolutely nothing to do with this aspect of his treatment, and have had no influence or opinion on his medication. This process has been entirely directed and governed by him and his doctor. I would never under any circumstances advise anyone on any medication they are being prescribed.

Just to make that quite clear!!

Meditation is the greatest boon we have. I agree.

Whilst I have been a follower of Buddhism for 16 years or so, and have devoted myself to studying and to learning more and more about it, I would say, unquestionably and irrefutably that for me, the single greatest path to permitting me insight into my Mind, my emotions, my attachments and my own suffering, has been the one I have walked on in meditation.
In fact, I would go so far as to say that without Meditation, much of my learning would be futile.
It wpuld be like being given a prescription by a doctor, but then only reading the instructions on the packet.

Well,

I'm reviving this old post for a couple of reasons. We were having some good discussion here, and, i haven't been feeling optimistic lately and i want to improve my attitudes. Perhaps some others are feeling this way, too.

Where do you start when you find yourself feeling discouraged?

Visualize that you are achieving your goals.

i'm not sure i can do that right now. What would be an in-between step?

The best step would be to take anti depressants for some time.

Try to find something good in every situation. It becomes habit after a while to think "well, I can deal with this, because it is not as bad as it could have been". Works most of the time for me.

thank you.

Hollyelise,

Are you taking any medicines?