Michael A. Michail

Spirituality * Culture * Self-Expression

Month: October 2021

Meditation

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On October 31, 2021

In Spirituality

A whole person, someone at one with himself – as opposed to someone who is inwardly divided – meditates everyday, without effort and without the need for any stylistic preparation. However, most people are not at one with themselves and most people would greatly benefit from achieving this state. And, interestingly enough, the most widely used way of becoming a whole person is to practice meditation.

Most people who want to learn about meditation seem to think that they have to read a lot of books or take classes. Books and classes are wonderful tools for getting second hand knowledge, but this has little to do with the act of meditating itself. Meditation is a natural process, part of the mechanism of being a human, we can all do it intuitively – at least we should be able to if we weren’t programed to resist it by our current materialistic culture.

Assume a comfortable position and then let yourself concentrate and connect with your inner self, letting the outer, messed up world fade away. A few moments of this a day, in time, will make a big impact on your life. Get into the habit of doing this. Once you start to understand and appreciate what is happening for you, some review of known, established meditation techniques will be helpful.

Look around.  Find one technique you think you will like and work with that for a time. You can change your mind and try something else, later. Some simple, early-stage techniques will involve adopting a good posture and effective breathing methods. A minute of reflection will tell you what these could be. Once you’ve had some regular practice, books and classes will then serve to REFINE and ENHANCE your own natural experiences. After using different techniques and finding something that feels good for you, the knowledge, experience and sensations that come to you automatically will inspire you to continue the practice.

Start now. Start from where you are. Start with whatever fear, pain or doubt you have. Start with your uncertainty – but start. Start and don’t stop. Start right from where you are now and with whatever insight and knowledge you have and go from there.

Later, you can do other things, refine your technique, explore more sophisticated or complex methods to see what they are about. First, however, you will want to get some direct experiences that can only come from practice.

Many people believe that to be a regular meditator or a spiritual person means that you must immediately stop living the way you do now: stop eating, drinking, playing and having a normal life.

Nope.

You can meditate and still keep living your regular life.

However, if done sincerely, meditation will expand your consciousness – it will expand your understanding of life and fill you with more clarity. Once your mind becomes calm and you get an overview of your own life patterns, you might begin to act differently. You might have the desire to live differently. But this will be a natural, unforced experience – something you will choose to happen. What that will look like is anybody’s guess. It will simply be something that is right for you alone, something that you, yourself, will choose.

Your choices in life will begin to be based on a calm, self-reliance and inner contentment. Your personal choices will NOT be based on indifference or some form of imposed, frightened attitude regarding what is allowed and what is forbidden. Instead, you will choose with an alert, involved attitude toward whatever you face in your own life.

Meditation won’t change or remake you – it will simply bring out your own true, natural, inner self. It will help you be the person you really are.

Stay Awake

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On October 24, 2021

In Enlightenment

I saw this post on social media, recently. It’s a bit upsetting. Have people really given up on waking up the world?

I know things look bad. Frightening things are happening all around the world. It’s so much easier to ignore them. So much easier to stay asleep and avoid the fears. Many people have chosen to take this route. And, it seems, many people on the path to wakefulness are choosing to let the others sleep. This is not the way to go. As long as we are able to do it, let’s strive to carry with us to Enlightenment as many other people as we can.

OK. Many people who have seen the reality of Wakefulness have decided to go back to sleep and live in a zombie-like dream state. Fine, that’s their choice and maybe we don’t have the right to force them to take part in our journey.

But there still are, oh so many, people stuck in the zombie-sleep state who have not had the chance to make the choice. They don’t even know that there is a choice to be made. Part of our Path, I think, is to show them the option even if they refuse it.

At the same time, there are others who have seen reality and simply don’t know how to deal with it. Perhaps they believe themselves to be alone, surrounded as they are with zombies. They make the false choice to fake the zombie-state just to get along – just to avoid confronting the truth. They need us to show them that they are not alone. Worse, some of these people who have seen the Light and turned from it, deliberately work to keep other people asleep – to keep them from experiencing Wakefulness. Perhaps that is the purpose of the post above, to supress the chance for Enlightenment in others. Very nasty.

We could make the effort to wake up the first group, the ones who have never seen the Light, no matter how impossible that task might be. Part of walking the Path includes helping others when we can. The sleepers deserve the chance to make the choice. If they choose, as many do, to go back to sleep – well, that is their choice.

The others, the ones who woke up already but are afraid to commit – the ones faking the zombie-state and living in quite despair – need to know they are not alone. They could benefit from the knowledge that Wakefulness is not something to be feared or pushed away.  Somehow, we could signal to them that all is not lost- not yet – there is still hope – there is still a chance for salvation.

Now, to be very clear, when I say Wake Up, I don’t mean “woke.” Woke is stupid and possibly worse than the outright zombie-state. By Wakefulness I mean Illumination, Enlightenment, Cosmic Consciousness and being imbued with Divine Spirit. People who are “woke” are living a false dream.

This is the time to Wake Up anyway we can – wake ourselves up, if necessary, or accept the call to wakefulness made by others. Wake up and shout out to everyone the good news that there is another way of living, a way of truly living, a greater reality that is available, freely, to anyone who wants it.

Meditation; contemplation; prayer; study and research; physical training and discipline; commitment to family, friends, culture and traditional spirituality; fearless conversation with others; and even, sometimes, blindly leaping into the Light with Faith that Enlightenment exists – all these and many more ways are available to help you Wake Up.

Make the choice – the first choice – that you actually WANT to wake up. Choose to reject the zombie-like, sleep state – I know that being asleep is an easy and safe way of life, but it is not REAL life. The real life is free and light and airy and fun and exciting and wonderous. The real life is struggle and motion and discovery. The real life embodies the PURSUIT of happiness – a kind of happiness that only exists with full wakefulness and Enlightenment.

Don’t give up – Wake Up and become an alarm clock to wake up others.

Euro-Christian Culture

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On October 18, 2021

In Culture

I’m not saying Judeo-Christian tradition anymore. There’s no point. Whatever good is attributable to “Judeo” culture within the framework of Western Civilization has already been filtered through Christianity. The 10 Commandments, the Psalms, Proverbs, Prophesy – it’s all part of Christian tradition now and has been for two thousand years. What is distinct from Christianity, that combined with it to form the Western world, is the monolithic European ideology that existed before the rise of Church doctrines. Thus, I refer to it now, exclusively as Euro-Christian culture and tradition.

Western Civilization, my civilization, the civilization that allows me, among other things, to write blog posts is built on 5 pillars: Greek art, philosophy and speculation; Roman engineering and organization; Germanic industry; Norse adventurism; and of course, most importantly, Christian idealism and faith. The first four are solid European elements, the fifth, incorporates a lot of non-western beliefs, but since 313 A.D. is a solid Western construct, a Universal religion that promotes progress, growth and achievement on Earth.

No other culture, despite their well-deserved praise, can boast the accomplishments of Euro-Christian tradition – art, music, literature, science, philosophy and humanitarian endeavours are unmatched.

Yes, other nations have come up with original and influential ideas, but it is only by being distilled through Western principles that these ideas have reached universal appeal. For example, the movable type, printing press was developed in Asia hundreds of years before Gutenberg, but the idea failed to get general acceptance In the East and, in many cases, was reserved only for the ruling class. Gutenberg’s conception, fueled by Euro-Christian ideology, was to promote literacy throughout Europe and make it possible for anyone, of any economic class, to afford a personal copy of the Bible and other significant works. Up till then, books had to be copied out by hand and were extremely expensive. Gutenberg made it possible for information to be transmitted to the masses – a concept peculiar to Western culture.

Western culture is responsible for technological achievements ranging from the telephone to space travel. The West developed symphony orchestras, opera, ballet, even Jazz and rock & roll and, significantly, the means of bringing all this music into the lives of anyone who wants it through radio, television, and recording devices. Sociologically, the spiritual ideologies of the West have given the world innumerable charitable organizations, food and resource distribution networks, universities, public orphanages and elder care facilities, the Red Cross and other emergency care systems, as well as the concept of a United Nations where leaders from around the world can gather peacefully to discuss ways to benefit humanity.

Some think that it is the climate and landscape of Europe that led to the development of these wonders. However, many countries have far more environmental advantages, but have not accomplished nearly as much. No, it is the ideological spirit of bringing forth societal betterment through individual as well as group effort that is far more responsible. The desire to make beauty, safety, progress and freedom available to everyone, not just the elite, and the will to accomplish these aims, seems to be a peculiarly Euro-Christian construct.

Michelangelo, Da Vinci, Bach, Beethoven, Shakespeare, Dostoyevsky, and other geniuses could have been born anywhere, but it is unlikely that they could have achieved their level of greatness and universal impact anywhere outside the spiritual framework of the West. The value of self-expression; the ability to move through social classes; the possibility of transforming ideas into wealth; the public election of leaders at all levels of government; the concern for humanity for its own sake; the concern for non-human life, the environment and the planet as a whole; the belief that suffering of the masses can be alleviated and that it should be; the belief that all people are created equal before God and that no group is chosen above the rest;  the belief that, in spite of personal sinfulness, all people have value, can be forgiven and can free themselves from the past; and the possibility of individual greatness – are all Euro-Christian conceptions that have shaped the world.

To be sure, many Euro-Christian doctrines are not always practiced, and they are often opposed by people who should, in fact, know better. There has been a struggle both spiritually and materially throughout the centuries to make Euro-Christian culture mainstream, even in Europe. However, the core beliefs of our culture are what makes it possible for all those of good will to gather together and work for peace, security and the enhancement of all people who choose to embrace what we know of as Western Civilization.

The Fall

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On October 11, 2021

In Culture, Social Commentary

Fall is another word for Autumn, the season before Winter. But that’s not what I’m talking about in this post – unless we count the Fall as the time leading up to the bleak, cold, brutal days before the end of a cycle.

The Fall I’m talking about is the fall of civilization – a time that could very well be upon us.

We are experiencing crazy ideologies sweeping the planet, twisting people’s minds and spirits; wars and civil unrest breaking out in every developed and undeveloped country; strange diseases and environmental catastrophes bringing on death and economic upheaval – and all manner of attacks on the time-honored beliefs, traditions and institutions that have advanced human society. What is the cause? What dark forces want the world to end? The world we grew up in? These can’t be readily named, but their representatives seem to have been active for a very long time and their efforts are achieving their end – the end of decency, hope and individual achievement and happiness.

Here’s a graphic example of the devastation of morality that’s befallen the West. In 1965, before the degrading influence of Globalization was championed by almost every world leader and celebrity, pornography for the average teenager consisted of underwear ads in the Sears Catalogue. Today, gay, cannibalistic pedophile porn is an option for just about anyone of any age with access to the Internet. This isn’t some accident or unforeseen side effect of technology – the obliteration of social normality, self-esteem and a basic view of morals is the clear objective of the dark forces working for cultural dominance.

This degradation isn’t being brought on by the traditional enemies of the West, by anti-capitalist nations – countries that advocate communism, fascism, totalitarianism, etc. strongly oppose this degeneracy and mock the West for tolerating it. It is also condemned by both Orthodox Christianity and Islam: two opposing religions that now find themselves facing a common enemy – demon inspired Globalism.

It is the ungodly billionaire class that is bringing on the degradation and fall of the West from right within our own society.

For 500 years, those who sought personal prosperity were responsible for building the civilized world we know – Technology, medicine, industry, security were all advanced by those seeking individual wealth and power. The benefits generated by the achievements of the prosperous included the freedom, security and opportunity enjoyed by the average person living in a Western nation. No more. Now, it seems that most of those who have made it to the top and enjoy extraordinary financial success, the ones who advocate for Globalism, are pulling the ladders up after them so no one else can make the climb and are pouring hot, liquid degeneracy down upon the rest of us – the way feudal lords would pour burning oil down on enemies trying to breach the walls of their castle. The old billionaire class at least pretended to be godly to preserve the social order – the new billionaires are blatantly anti-religious and if they secretly worship a spirit its something like Moloch and Abaddon. They have nothing but contempt for the middle-class and all euro-Christian values and traditions. Thus, for them, it has become a pleasure to corrupt the masses.

Look, there is nothing wrong with wanting to improve your lot in life – to advance your position in society. There’s nothing wrong with seeking prosperity and wealth. But, as we say, what benefit do you get from gaining the whole world if in the process you lose your soul?

We have to wake up. Although it is true that foreign powers are actively seeking our destruction, the real threat to our way of life and the most likely cause of the Fall of Western civilization is from the people who are supposed to be our leaders. These degenerate forces are the cancer cells destroying our body from within. To stop the spread of this malignancy we must strengthen our immune system by bathing in the radiance of the Love of Divine Spirit and resist the temptations offered by the New World Order.

Japanese Inventions

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On October 2, 2021

In Culture

Something a bit different.

I am primarily concerned with spirituality and mysticism and when I talk about society it is usually from the perspective of Euro-Christian, Western traditional culture and civilization. Still, I am interested in the world in general and I have a lot of respect and admiration for the Japanese nation. Outside of European and North American countries, Japan is the place with which I have the closest affinity.

So, when someone boldly asserts to me that Japan has never created anything of value and merely copies the ideas and inventions of other people, I get a bit perturbed.

Japan has a long history of achievement. Throughout the centuries, Japan has contributed original thoughts, innovations and practical discoveries of all kinds that have greatly impacted civilization. I would recommend that people do some research before disparaging any country or culture, since pretty much every group of people on Earth has added something of value to humanity. And Japan has contributed more than most.

An easy place to start an investigation is with Wikipedia (I know, not always the best source – but good as a quick reference). Go to the page on Japanese inventions which describes just a few of the many innovative and original accomplishments Japan has made. The fields of contribution include Art, Atmospheric Science, Sports, Video Games, Philosophy, Biology, Chemistry, Biomedical Science, Finance, Food and Food Science, Mathematics, Physics, Technology and more.

Just in the past 100 years or so, Japanese inventions have changed the world for the better.

Here is a short list of some of their more impressive achievements:

  • The Fujit scale for measuring the intensity of tornadoes
  • The discovery of the Jet Stream
  • The production and use of General Anesthesia
  • The portable electrocardiograph
  • The creation of Statin drugs
  • The first comic book (Yes!)
  • Blue LED technology
  • The camera phone
  • The TV watch
  • VHS, CD, DVD and Blu-Ray technology
  • The portable CD player etc.
  • Lithium-Ion batteries
  • Dry Cell batteries
  • The pocket calculator
  • The digital camera
  • Fiber optic communication
  • The lap top computer
  • The microcomputer
  • 3D printing
  • The first full scale android
  • Interplanetary solar sail spacecraft
  • Electronic television
  • The automatic quartz watch
  • Self-driving cars
  • The aircraft carrier
  • Canned coffee
  • And so very much more.

Along with cultural, spiritual and societal attainments – family values, integrity, manners, social rituals, perseverance, work ethic and an indomitable spirit – the Japanese prove themselves an exceptional people.

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