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Monthly Archives: October 2020

Daily Ramblings – Spiritual Saturday – The Law of Spiritual Revolution

31 Saturday Oct 2020

Posted by Dave Gardner in Spiritual Saturday

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Learning, Past lives, Reincarnation, self-improvement, Spiritual Saturday, spirituality, The censor

“No matter what we were in the past during any other life, we are spiritually greater today.” – Sri Harold Klemp – The Loving Heart

Do you believe in reincarnation? If so, this statement will make some sense. My religion, ECKANKAR, and it is one of the key tenets of the path. The reason is simple: Your body is not the real you. What is the real you, you ask? Soul.

You do not possess Soul, you (Soul) possess a body. It uses this body to experience and learn. Since Soul, a spark of God, is infinite in nature, these finite bodies come and go, but Soul remains. To give you an idea of what this is, think about your own thinking. The part of you that is thinking about what you are thinking is Soul.

With each life you live in this physical realm, Soul learns. Unlike the mind, which is nothing more than an automaton, the Soul remembers everything it experiences. So, even if the mind cannot understand that it existed in many forms, places and times, Soul understands.

Why don’t we remember our past lives? The mind of a newborn has to start this life like it has every other. If it could remember every single past life it ever had, it would be so overwhelmed that it could not function. Some young children remember many of their past lives in youth. But the mind, slowly develops what we call the censor. The censor blocks out things that the mind could not handle. For example, if you experienced a traumatic death in a previous life, the mind will tend to censor out those experiences because they would be too shocking to the person’s psyche. Since the censor is developed along with the child’s brain, younger children tend to have nightmares, particularly during the time the censor is developing. During this young age, the censor is undeveloped and those nasty nightmares make their way into the dream state of the young child.

As the censor develops, the nightmares disappear. Some nightmares continue into puberty and adult life, but these are part of this life, not a past life in most circumstances. Nightmares can be sourced from violent books, movies, or even video games. I remember as a child watching horror movies on the weekends with my Dad. They were nothing compared to the movies of today. I’m talking about the old black and whites like The Wolfman, The Mummy, and Frankenstein’s Monster, played by the likes of Lon Chaney and Bela Lugosi.

Soul works with the mind by giving it impressions. These impressions are like feelings or prompts. These come from Soul’s huge amount of knowledge and experience—experience it gained over the many past lives you have had on this Earth plane. With each life, Soul learns. When it occupies a new body for another life here, it applies these learnings to the new life, hopefully avoiding the mistakes of past lives that may have even resulted in your untimely death. Subsequently, you are better in this life, than you were in previous lives, merely because you know more than you did before. You have more wisdom to draw on.

Does this learning ever end? Fortunately, no. I say fortunately, because if there was a true state of all-knowingness, what would be left? Nothing. When considering that Soul is infinite, it would be an absolute hell, knowing there was nothing else to learn, nothing else to experience, nothing to improve, right? This is where The Plus Factor comes in.

“The law of spiritual revolution presupposes inequality in all things and beings and their continued effort for self-improvement in life” (Klemp, 2010, p. 537). This continuous improvement occurs infinitely for Soul, as it strives for self- and God-realization. There are always new worlds to explore, new things to learn.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Thankful Thursday – The Simple Things

29 Thursday Oct 2020

Posted by Dave Gardner in Thankful Thursdays

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comfortable chairs, Creature comforts, Grateful, hot meals, hot showers, Simple Things, Thankful, warm beds

Today, I’m grateful for the simple things. A comfortable bed. A hot shower. A nice reclining rocker.

One benefit of military service is the ability to enjoy these creature comforts because when you’re in the field, sleep, warm food, a comfortable bed, even a shower, is rare. I have something to compare these simple comforts with.

I’ve been out of the Army for 15 years, but still remember waking up in sub-zero temperatures, dreading the moment I had to get out of my warm sleeping bag, put on my boots, get my layered clothing on, and waiting for my butane burner to warm my first cup of coffee.

When I was in the field, particularly at night when I laid down, I thought of my girlfriends. After I was married, I thought about my wife. I remembered how soft she was, how warm it she was when we were together in bed, and how she smelled. I reminisced about her laugh, her smile, and the things we would do together when I returned.

When we did return, the reunions were awesome. Even when I was gone for a few weeks, it felt like I was gone for a year. That first hot shower was pure ecstasy. That first kiss was absolute bliss. The first warm meal at a restaurant or at home was heaven.

I’ve lost those feelings somewhat now that I’m out of the military, but from time-to-time, I remember how great it was to sleep in a warm bed after sleeping on the cold ground. I remember that first great meal, after eating cold MREs (Meals Ready to Eat). I remember that first embrace when I returned. So today, I’m grateful for the simple things.

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Wisdom Wednesday – 5 Quotes

28 Wednesday Oct 2020

Posted by Dave Gardner in Wisdom Wednesday

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5 Quotes, Dreams, failure, Goals, Influence, Napoleon Hill, Think and Grow Rich, wisdom, Wisdom Wednesday

Think twice before you speak, because your words and influence will plant the seed of either success or failure in the mind of another.

Napoleon Hill

Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit.

Napoleon Hill

If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way.

Napoleon Hill

Cherish your visions and your dreams as they are the children of your soul, the blueprints of your ultimate achievements.

Napoleon Hill

A goal is a dream with a deadline.

Napoleon Hill

Napoleon Hill was an American author best known for his Think and Grow Rich book. His book, among others, had a huge impact on the self-help genre.

Have a great Wednesday, folks!

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Ted Talk Tuesday – Rorschach Inkblot Tests

27 Tuesday Oct 2020

Posted by Dave Gardner in Ted Talk, Uncategorized

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inkblot tests, mental disorders, Personality, psychology, Rorschach, Ted Talk, Tuesday

Here’s some trivia about one of the most famous psychological tests. It’s short, but quite informative. Enjoy!

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Workout Routine – Week of October 26, 2020

26 Monday Oct 2020

Posted by Dave Gardner in Workout Routine

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Cardio, Cardio Respiratory, Consistency, Dedication, Discipline, motivation, Running, Treadmill, Walking

This week, folks, it’s cardio, cardio, cardio. I’ve been feeling a little winded during my weight routines and going to tackle getting my cardio fitness built back up. This week, I’m going to do solid cardio for the entire week.

Mon-Saturday: Cardio 30 minutes (Treadmill)

That’s all I got.

See you at the finish line!

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Motivation Monday – Week of October 26, 2020

26 Monday Oct 2020

Posted by Dave Gardner in Motivation Monday

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Arthur Ashe, Dedication, Discipline, Do, Drive, Executing, motivation, Planning, Resilience, Start, Use

Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.

Arthur Ashe

I used to use so many excuses. Why I couldn’t do this or that. Have you ever felt that? If so, use this quote for motivation.

Start where you are. We are all some place. Think about what you want to do this week. Think about how you will accomplish these things. Plan then out, get them on your calendar and execute. Just assume you’ll get them done. If something appears to be too complicated, plan it out, break it down. Maybe you only do one step this week. Next week, you’ll tackle the next step(s).

If you’re a creative and stuck, don’t worry. There are no rules surrounding creativity. Some days you’ll be on fire, other days, you’ll be thinking how to move forward. Just keep thinking and working as best you can. You’ll get there.

This week, I’ll be doing my homework, exercising, doing my spiritual exercises, doing some chores around the house, reading, writing, learning. I’ll do some socializing, now that Michigan is predominantly opened back up. The libraries and coffee shops are open again–Thank God!

Sometimes, when I feel like I’m in a rut, I’ll head out to the library or one of my local coffee shops and work there. This year was tough getting out, but now that things are opening again, I’ll be back at it on a weekly basis.

Mondays for some folks are absolute torture. This used to be the way I felt too, especially when I was still working. How did I turn that around? I began doing the same things every day of the week, other than my “Do Nothing Day.” When I did this, Monday was just another day.

Well, that’s all I got for this week, folks. I hope all of you have a terrific week! Get out there and get at it. You’re the only one that can.

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Spread Your Wings Sunday – Weekly Challenge: Week of October 25, 2020

25 Sunday Oct 2020

Posted by Dave Gardner in Spread Your Wings

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

accomplishments, finish strong, Goals, missed opportunities, Purposeful life, refocusing, write it down

This week’s challenge: Go over all the goals you set for yourself at the beginning of the year and determine which ones you missed, the ones you hit, and the ones you are still capable of completing before year end.

Here is mine so far: x means hit, o means missed, notes following if still possible

Physical –

Missed my physical goals this year due to COVID-19 gym closures

Learning

Complete 10 courses online this year – x
Complete Computer Science Path this year – 55% through the course x

Financial

Missed my savings goals this year, but it is still salvageable

Spiritual

Finish 12 discourses x
Finish HI Leadership Course x
365 Spiritual Exercises x

Reading

Read 60 books this year x

Writing

Finish Rough Draft of my Fiction Book o Still possible
Write at a coffee shop 52 times this year to achieve a change of pace o

Blogging

Build followers to 800 by year’s end x
Finish and Post 365 Blog Posts x
Follow 200 new Blogs this year x

Social

Write 52 letters to my wife x
Send 365 texts to my wife x
Meet someone new each day (Social Media, Blog, or Out and about) o
Take a personal vacation each Quarter by visiting a new town and hanging out o
Visit the Library 52 times this year o

How are you progressing so far? If you have time, leave some notes in the comments section of what you will focus on for the rest of the year.

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Spiritual Saturday – New Year

24 Saturday Oct 2020

Posted by Dave Gardner in Spiritual Saturday

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Eckankar, ECKist, free access, Gratitude, Spiritual New Year, Thanksgiving, worldwide seminar, Year of Thanksgiving

For ECKists like myself, the 22nd of October is our New Year. Each year has a spiritual meaning within a 12-year cycle. This year is the Year of Thanksgiving.

What does the year of Thanksgiving? It is a year-long celebration being thankful for the gifts of spirit. Each year, starting on the 23rd of October, we have our worldwide seminar. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, our worldwide this year is virtual. For those of you who are interested, you can participate in this seminar for free.

Here’s the link: https://www.ecksouladventure.org/

At the bottom of the page, you’ll click on the yellow register button. It’s simple. Once you’ve done that, you’ll be sent a password for the seminar. Then you can return to view talks, workshops, and see Sri Harold Klemp, the spiritual leader of ECKANKAR. My family and I watched some talks today. They were terrific!

You will not be bugged about joining ECKANKAR. No one will keep your email address on file and enter you into any email lists. We offer access to this seminar to the world, but do not proselytize. This is ECKANKAR’s gift to the world.

Have a great Saturday!

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Thankful Thursday – DoorDash

22 Thursday Oct 2020

Posted by Dave Gardner in Thankful Thursdays

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

COVID-19, doordash, Food, food delivery, Grateful, Lockdown, services, Thankful, Thursday

Today, I’m grateful for a food delivery service called DoorDash. I delayed using the service for a few months once the lockdown hit, but when we began using it, I was absolutely blown away. We have a few restaurants that we enjoy and DoorDash works with all of them.

We get food from Cracker Barrel, Red Lobster, Applebees, and Denny’s. Honestly, I’m the only one that likes Denny’s, and ordered a family breakfast one day. It was awesome!

I always enjoy a good pizza too. Hungry Howie’s is the pizza place of choice. So here’s to food delivery. It saves time, isn’t that pricey, and it makes life easy, especially when the restaurants were all closed down. It made making a dinner easy for us and it helped local restaurants keep their heads above water. It was a win-win.

Thanks DoorDash for the great service.

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Wisdom Wednesday – Isaac Asimov – 5 Quotes

21 Wednesday Oct 2020

Posted by Dave Gardner in Wisdom Wednesday

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

5 Quotes, Author, Foundation series, Humor, Isaac Asimov, Robot, Scientist, wisdom

People who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.

Isaac Asimov

Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent.

Isaac Asimov

The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not ‘Eureka!’ but ‘That’s funny…’

Isaac Asimov

Humanity has the stars in its future, and that future is too important to be lost under the burden of juvenile folly and ignorant superstition.

Isaac Asimov

The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom.

Isaac Asimov

Isaac Asimov was a scientist first, and author second. If you’re unfamiliar with his work, try “I, Robot”, starring Will Smith, for starters. You can also see many videos of him being interviewed by Johnny Carson and David Letterman on YouTube. They are terrific!

Have a great Wednesday, folks!

Until next time…

Dave

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