cognoscente: a person with special knowledge.

What does it take to become a cognoscente, an expert, a true master?

There are numerous books written about this topic, but still it normally boils down to a few central skills. I have specifically identified four of them:

• Determination
• Perseverance
• Focus
• Purpose

Determination

Determination is – in essence – a mind-set that includes the belief that the goal you want to achieve can actually be reached. With determination you bring yourself in vibrational match with the person you will be when you have reached that goal finally. Determination is like the dynamite that blasts away the possible walls and hindrances between you and your goal.

Perseverance

If you never give up and never give in, you will eventually reach your goal. Except for death, nothing can stop you from succeeding if you try hard enough.

Remember this quote by Randy Pausch well:

The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want it badly enough. They’re there to stop the other people.

Focus

If you are centered on your goal, you can channel all your powers and abilities towards it. Otherwise, you will be occupied with things that are of little importance to the central (higher) goal.

Purpose

Without a sense of purpose, a goal is lifeless and has no soul. Find a purpose in becoming the master you want to become. Think of the meaning you can have to the world by being this person. Find a reason greater than your wish to be this person and you will be dragged by this strong purpose.

Why these four?

These four skills work together synergistic and block each other if a lack of any of them occurs.

• A lack of determination will lead to self-doubt and therefore the inability to achieve the goal
• A lack of perseverance will let your efforts come to a halt upon every hindrance
• A lack of focus will see your powers scattered by the multitude of your thoughts and lesser wishes
• A lack of purpose will leave you with the nagging question of why you are doing this and thereby dropping the goal

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In addition to the virtues of a true master, it is important to know the way you have to go in order to become the person you want to be – regardless of what it may be. The way is always the same in its structure – the only thing that differs is how the path unfolds for you. Becoming a persuasive speaker follows the same path as becoming a nurturing mother – but both perspectives unfold a different scenario.

In a step-by-step outline, becoming a master works like this:

• Define your area of expertise
• Gather experience
• Learn from your experiences
• Gather more experience
• …

Attaining mastery is much like a role-playing game. You are the avatar in your game and the real world is your game environment. You start off with little experience and at a low level. By gathering experience you level up and have skill points to distribute (the learning and reflection of experience). With new skills, you are able to gather new experiences and level up again. These are the first few iterations of a never-ending cycle of experiencing and understanding matters in a ever deeper sense.

The Deming Wheel pictures this cycle of continuous improvement very well: PLAN – DO – CHECK – ACT

Plan

Lay out what you are about to do and organize it. Good goals should obey the SMART principle:

• S: Specific – Always be concrete about what to achieve
• M: Measurable – Without measure you cannot evaluate goal achievement
• A: Attractive – Attraction makes you want to achieve the goal
• R: Realistic – Unrealistic goals are deemed to frustrate you
• T: Time – Set deadlines to avoid dragging goals out

Do

This is the most important part. Shut off the analytic mind and just do what you planned on doing. This is where you gather the experience that makes your character level up!

It is of critical importance that you really do what you planned on doing. Without the experience you will gather, your path to mastery stops at this very point!

Check

Check your achievements against your plans. Were you successful in achieving your goals? If so, why were you successful. If not, what went wrong? Document it.

Act

Implement the experiences you have made into the changes for future goals. Learn from what you have experienced and become better the next iteration! Start again with planning it.

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Do you know, what the difference between knowledge and wisdom is? Wisdom is doing it!

These are the words of Socrates, the second main character in the inspiring movie “Peaceful Warrior”. They truly have struck me. If you want to become a master or even anything, there is no way around doing things. Most people like to talk and read about things as well as watching other people’s efforts and commenting them – it is an easy thing to do. But really getting out there and doing what you love to do really lets you stand out of the crowd.

From one of the many people that talk all day long you will gradually become a person that actually walks its way towards success – inevitably

The transition is a hard one and I am working on it myself. This posting should be an indicator that I will – from now on – stop writing so much about things I haven’t achieved myself personally and get out there actually living my life. I will soon report back with thoughts that echo the true voice of human experience.

Follow me on my way to become someone special – like you were intended to be

In love for life
Simon

equivocate: to be deliberately ambiguous or unclear.

Acting equivocate has increasingly become a major problem in modern society. Every day I can’t help witnessing people who are either unable to express themselves in a clear way or deliberately avoid doing so, out of whatever reason. Communication, by its very meaning, has always had to do with passing something to another entity. Communicating equivocate takes the essence out of the communication: The information shared. Instead, misunderstandings are aroused. And misunderstandings are often the source of conflicts.

I have experienced one major reason why people opt to deliberately blur information clarity: fear.

Probably the most common type of fear associated with unclear communication is the fear of rejection. The probability that your counterpart will disagree with or get hurt by the information you are about to transmit is sufficient to drive people to withhold information in most cases.

The level of information transmitted is directly related to the level of self-acceptance and self-love. The more the person is in touch with itself, the less the damage an undesired answer can deal. A person with a high level of self-worth is hard to hurt – in any case, this person will have realized that any level of interpersonal incongruence has no impact his or her worth and the level of validity of his or her perspective. A person with little self-worth that is out of touch with itself however is easy to hurt. Even small levels of incongruence in interpersonal communication will directly translate in a diminished self-worth and a devastated validity of the person’s perspective.

Translated to real life experiences, the brink of an conflict sparked by incongruence in communication will be experienced much different. Here are a few examples:

A person that is very much in touch with itself will most probably reply: “Okay. We’re out of congruence in this point. I have reasons to believe that my perspective holds true as much as you will have. Could you therefore help me understand why your perspective is correct?” The dominating mind-set here is acceptance of the own perspective and understanding for the other’s perspective. This mind-set is growth-oriented and enables the person to experience new insights. The possibility that he or she might be wrong is none of a threat – cooperation and learning better is the goal of communication.

A person, whose ego is really blown-up, will most probably reply: “I don’t see why your point makes any sense. My perspective has to be closer to truth than yours, because so and so.” Forcing the opponent into congruence is the dominating mind-set for the ego-driven person. In reality, this person also experiences fear – fear of not being right. In order to avoid being wrong, the person is very keen on its own perspective and would never allow the opponent’s perspective to hold true (which would mean defeat). This way, the person keeps itself from learning new insights and while he or she may be able to convince his or her opponent by force, the discussion is ended with a mind-set of conflict and concurrence instead of a mind-set of cooperation. Ego-driven people often become hugely successful in life, from a perspective of monetary or other mundane riches, but often lack true friends and a loving relationship and hence are far from being happy or satisfied.

A person with a lack of self-worth but a pile of knowledge will most probably reply: “But see, my perspective has a point because so and so. Please understand.” The underlying phrase this person communicates is to beg for acceptance and praise. While generally open for other perspectives, this person experiences just too much fear to be able to give in – in the belief that they would lose themselves by doing so. Occasionally, such a person can be confused for a arrogant one because of the persistence of their arguments, even if proved wrong. The opponent to this person is like a life-threatening danger. This type of person is normally very well-educated and intelligent but has a hard time being respected and finding real friends. The pseudo-arrogant outside blocks the revelation of a lovable inside.

A person with a lack of self-worth and mediocre knowledge will most probably reply: “I see, I am wrong here. Sorry for being wrong. Thanks for clarification.” He or she will never defend his or her perspective and willingly give in to whatever criticism comes along. Due to the lack of self-worth, this person will have no faith in the correctness of its own opinion – others always know better is the dominating mind-set. Even if right, these people will have no faith in what they do unless they are encouraged by others – thereby making them dependent on their consent. This person is the archetype of the follower – a person without own opinion that accepts whatever opinion the currently chosen leader has. For this kind of person it is normal to regularly change the leader in search for protection from the former leader as these individuals are easily abused when straying from their former leader’s opinion.

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It only is the first example that has the ability to communicate information just as it is: Acceptance of the own perspective and openness for the other’s. All the others have problems either to accept the other’s opinion, the own opinion or both and therefore are driven to conflict-laden communication and therefore problematic relationships.

From my own experience, the problem with unclear communication has become an epidemic one. I personally see myself as either Type III or Type IV – as a human being that has problems with acceptance of the own opinion and is easily influenced by criticism from others. I know that I am not alone – many people share this problems in an age that is infested with so much information that conflict is almost pre-programmed, regardless of what we do or say. The probability that our own behavior is against someone else’s norm is steadily approaching one with a rising number of people around.

In order to become a human being that is able to safely navigate through these rough times, it is important to achieve a level of self-worth and self-acceptance that enables you to accept your opinion, even when faced with harsh opposition. Interestingly, your opposition can easily transform to an alliance from the moment you at least try to understand their perspective.

For all those who haven’t yet achieved this goal (like myself), the way towards it is the key. There are numerous ways to increase your level of self-acceptance. The easiest to implement in daily life to me is choosing situations where you show self-acceptance in spite of the fact that they require a little bit more than you normally have. This way, you can gradually grow to become more self-confident.

A lot of small steps form a long way. I believe that you can do it If you are already there: Congratulations. You are amongst the souls that this planet is in high need of

Be yourself and trust yourself.

In love for life
Simon

farrago: an assortment; a medley.

Imagine a medieval oriental city. Every day, the bazaar opens up in the morning hours and goods are traded lively. Countless merchants praise their products and try to make the best sales. Countless consumers stroll through the narrow streets in a lookout for a good bargain.

Imagine being one of these merchants. You sell very special goods, in a unique farrago: Your own abilities and qualities. What would it be the staples at your stand consist of? How will you appraise it in order to make the best sale? How are they of quality for the world around you?

Now go out into the real world and be a good merchant and do not sell your goods below their value. Explain your goods to your consumers. Present them in an attractive way. They are highly valuable, after all.

I sure look forward shopping at your market stand

In love for life

alacrity: a cheerful readiness, willingness, or promptness.

Derived from the Latin word for lively, alacrity is something worth attaining throughout the course of your life. It is the attitude you should have towards your life’s mission, your purpose, your reason to live from day to day.

You should awaken every day with the sparkling motivation to create something great in your life – that surpasses your own imagination. In Japan, the word KAIZEN is colloquially used. It simply means to continually improve yourself – from day to day become a better you. This is synonymous to permanent personal growth – this is why you are here on this planet, after all.

If you haven’t already entered a state wherein you awaken every day with the urge to create the reality of your liking, you have to take certain steps in this direction. They are the following

• Learn how to motivate yourself
• Find out your deepest core values
• Translate your core values into a life mission
• Translate your mission into specific goals
• Use the power of your motivation to get going this instant – and never stop until you perish

Motivation

Motivation is optional. You will probably never need motivation due to your burning urge to fulfill your life mission anyhow, but for every moment of doubt that overshadows your determination to live your mission, knowing ways to motivate yourself to get going anyway is an enormously empowering insurance. This way, you will always be able to take action towards your the fulfillment of your life mission.

Core Values

Your core values are the values that mean most to you. You have three options to find out, what your core values are

• Analyze situations that emotionally hurt you. These situations reveal your core values, as they have become hurt therein.
• Imagine situations that truly empower you. These situations also reveal your core values, as they have been empowered therein.
• Be silent and introspect. Search for a solitary place and undergo meditation. Tap your core and find our the values that matter most to you

When you have found out all your core values, think about why they are so important to you. This will further reveal the values that stand behind these core values – these are the truly important ones. Write them down.

Your Mission

For every set and combination of core values, there are missions that represent these values in a perfect way. If your core values are excellence, communion, sharing and compassion, you might opt for becoming professor or teacher or you become a therapist representing the same values. Possibilities are endless – your creativity is the limit.

Thoroughly assess the possible missions and for every mission, go into a meditative state and imagine living this mission already. Evaluate the feelings you go through during this imagination and let it be the emphasis for your judgment which mission will be the right one for you.

Remember: Even if your mission is a huge commitment, you are not entitled to follow it for a lifetime. Humans are entities that undergo change, sometimes radically. Our missions have to adapt to these changes. So if you – at any time – feel out of sync with what you do, re-assess your core values and your mission statement thereafter.

Milestones

For every mission, there are milestones you have to achieve what you have dreamed of. Lay out a rough milestone landscape and break down every piece of the way into smaller milestones. The bigger goals have sub-goals and every sub-goal has specific action steps.

While planning out your goals, never lose touch to the greater context. Always keep in mind, why you are doing this and why this is of true importance for you. Cut out everything that is useless in context of your mission.

Get Going

The main reason, why most people fail is that they never got going. It is problematic to perpetuate the planning phase of a mission ad infinitum – rather than planning it out to perfection (which is impossible, with you undergoing constant change), start following your missions and make adjustments on the planning on the fly. Take your time to assess your plans every week but never get hung up planning – proceed working. Without working on your goals, you will never be able to figure out possible problems anyhow.

As mentioned, make good use of your motivational skills to push you further. A good quote to get you through difficult times was done by Calvin Coolidge – it is easily the single best thing I have ever read on the topic of success

Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan ‘Press On’ has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.

Press on and you cannot ever fail. Live alacrity. Be a shining role model for your environment and the whole planet.

You can do it. I believe in you

In love for life
Simon

efficacious: producing, or capable of producing, a desired effect.

Whenever you pursuit a goal in your life, you have to take steps towards your goal – into the right direction. To take this steps, you will need specific tools that enable you to do so. Not always you are able to walk the way through green grass under bright sunshine – those are the low-level goals, the low-hanging fruits, goals that you will achieve anyhow and that show few opportunities to grow.

To chase high-level goals that require a tremendous amount of growth, the question of how you will make your way is of vital importance. Will you go barefooted or ride the bike? Will you have to cross a river using a boat? How to cross the rapids without getting crushed into the rocks that endanger your life amid the river’s width? While these are metaphors, they easily translate into real-life situations where you have to decide well how you are going to proceed.

Doing a brainstorm on the possible options is highly recommended but this is the easy part – finding out what is possible. The hard part is to evaluate, which way is the one best suited to the situation. To judge the options, ask yourself the following questions:

• Is this way congruent with what I truly am?
• What will be the long-term ramifications of taking this option?
• How much will it cost me financially, physically and mentally to do so?
• Imagine being the best you can be, the perfect you: Would you still opt for this solution?

These questions empower you to get into touch with your inner self. They guide you to act authentic and train your vision – thinking about how your choices impact your life and the life of others is of tremendous power when pondering about possible solutions. Sure, murder can clean the way sometimes and it looks like a decent solution from a very short-term perspective but from a long-term perspective, the ramifications of this deed are far too grave to actually consider choosing it

Thinking about what you have to invest includes some risk-management as well. The more you put on the line, the more you can win – and the more you can lose. Still, sometimes a safer bet is still far more rewarding than a risky choice. It all depends on the situation and you have to judge it anew from case to case. Not only the finances are of importance. What good is a tool, if it empowers you financially but devours your physical energy and mental well-being? There are too many financially successful businessmen out there that suffer from burn-out syndrome – do yourself a favor and do not join them.

Finally, the imagination of your perfect self is a vision that enables you to look at problem and solution from an elevated perspective. It strengthens your internal congruence because with every choice congruent with the one of your perfect self you do one step further becoming this person. A promising outlook

Start tomorrow to judge your tools using these questions. Proceed to live a life in congruence with who you really are and want to be.

In love for life
Simon

logorrhea: excessive talkativeness.

What comes to mind when pondering about a word like logorrhea (which sounds a lot like diarrhea, as it shares the same Greek word root: ‘rhein’ – to flow – in one case, the words flow, in others… well, you know ) is the excessive flow of words society is confronted with on a daily basis these times. With the invention of interactive media, the amount of information produced (and likewise consumed) has topped every peak known until then – everyone is now broadcasting his or her opinion and the sheer amount of information has already reached an epidemic state. My blog is no exception from the rule – I, too, am merely a single soul broadcasting its message out to the world.

Interactive Media – Gift or Curse?

It would be wrong to label interactive media as a plain bad thing. Prior to interactive media (published by internet services), classical media like television and print media was the only source of information a person could get – and these sources of information always represent an underlying opinion which render them subjective instead of the objective information most individuals are in search for when looking up a topic. While internet content is also far from being objective, the range of information sources and thereby perspectives represented is significantly broader. There is much more information that could potentially be true and overheard voices too have their share in the broadcast – an advantage that is too relevant to be omitted.

Still, the masses of information are a challenge for the consumer. Even if the internet offers the possibility to look for information on-demand, the average internet user has a hard time avoiding push content (meaning content that is offered deliberately, like a host of articles on a webmail page) and limit the consumption to pull content (meaning content that is offered only by demand). By this logic, surfing the web confronts the individual with so much information that it is hard to choose what to read – nearly everyone will have found themselves reading something they weren’t looking for initially by chance – and got hung up in the process.

The second hurdle to take – after selecting the information itself – is to evaluate the quality of content. Since everyone is entitled to publish content without anyone checking validity, the recipient himself is responsible for checking it. In the internet age, it has become vitally important to have a good sense of differentiation. Authors always have an intention when writing an article – they always transport their views with their writing, this is normal human behavior. Consuming media, one always has to think about what intention it follows and have to think over statements that are presented as facts constantly. This requires a log of energy but is the only possible solution not to become lulled in by tricky writers.

As a rule of thumb, always double-check statements that sound too good to be true and watch out for relativity, when it comes to figures, statistics and comparisons.

I will take this Twitter tweet from Steve Pavlina as an example, because I feel that it is representative:

An average American eats as much meat in one day as an average Indian eats in about a month.

This is a statement and it is true by itself. Still it does not take a few things into consideration

• India is amongst the poorest countries of the world. Meat is an expensive food. Most Indians struggle to survive on cheap foods like grains and legumes – meat is just out of consideration.
• According to Wikipedia, up to 40% of all Indians are vegetarians – in the US, only 2.8% of the population are.
• Considering daily caloric intake, no nation consumes more calories daily than Americans do.

Conclusion: After taking these variables into consideration, the figure would still show that Americans eat more meat than Indians, but the extreme margin would be cut down in magnitude.

This is only one example how figures can be altered to cause a specific effect (in this case, Steve Pavlina, who is a strong raw vegan proponent, wanted to point out the meat consumption madness of the United States) – watch out for figures in future information you absorb!

Is Constant Talking a Sign of Wisdom?

An ancient saying goes like this:

Those who know much talk little. Those who talk all the time know nothing.

In modern society, this holds true oh so much. You will find these people everywhere that simply do not seem to stop talking. They may not notice it, but all they do is constantly boasting their ego in public – by talking to a broad audience about what they have achieved and how they did it without a pause. Most people have done this at some point in their life, but it normally is an acute state, not a chronic one.

People who act like this are normally poor listeners. They are too occupied with themselves and their thoughts to fully perceive what they are told. By this reason, conversations with this kind of person often are unidirectional – as opposed to what conversations should be like: bidirectional, with equal shares in giving and receiving. These people often have the tendency to gather weaker minds than themselves around them – and constantly make them applaud or at least approve what they have to tell. They have little interest in real growth-oriented contacts – too deep is the fog of delusion they are caught in.

At the other end of the scales you will find the people that are widely regarded as wise men or saints. These are the people that rarely talk a lot. Sure, they will tell you about their past experiences in length when asked to do so, but they will never do so deliberately. They will rather listen to what you have to tell them and answer in short but right words – never will you see them using more words than necessary. It is the determination to fully understand the other part of a conversation that drives them to be a excellent company – better listeners are found nowhere. Normally, people tend to grow in this direction when becoming older and slow their pace for effort, but there are numerous young spirits, bursting with energy, that have proven to have this skill as well. Be on the lookout for these individuals – meeting them will probably a life-changing even for you.

Final Thoughts

As a final note, I want to suggest to you that you wield the power of your mind consciously. Choose only information that is of use for you and never take a word for granted. Always investigate on your own before accepting conventional wisdom. If necessary, experiment to discover truth. Be careful with your words. Stop the talk for once and try to listen as openly as possible. Be of excellent service to others. Discover for yourself – the wisdom of silence.

In love for life
Simon

crapulous: sick from, or marked by, excessive drinking.

Excessive drinking is not a problem I have to cope with as I am abstinent of alcohol consumption since new year’s day 2007. I occasionally consume alcohol as a byproduct of what I eat but never explicitly consume alcohol for the sense of enjoyment.

While I can understand that there are alcoholic beverages that have good taste, I have yet to understand all the people that find enjoyment in drinking them into a delirious state of mind, where they lose control over their body and mind. I experience this state as shameful, being an outside on virtually every party I attend.

As a student, drinking is something I am confronted with regularly. My fellow students tend to celebrate their efforts with the consumption of beer (or other alcoholic beverages), especially so when the semester is over. I rarely attend these celebrations but every time I do I experience some distinct patterns:

• I start to lose grip to the community from the point I declare not to drink alcohol this evening. While they accept my decision, I am pushed outwards the community informally.
• The individual rarely is keen on consuming more than is good for him but in groups, people tend to exceed this limit. They push each other farther and continue drinking even if they already feel horrendous.
• The state of total drunkenness is socially accepted while staying sober is perceived critically.

One of my fellows once told me that while it is not remotely a problem that I stay sober during these parties, that alcohol is considered a social drug and it melts the ice between people. They somehow create a connection between themselves by means of alcohol consumption. While connecting to other people is a good thing to do, I have yet to understand why a medium like alcohol (that alters sensory perception) is needed to accomplish this goal. I guess that alcohol lowers the barrier to talk to each other and thereby loosens the individual’s tongue – so that connections can be formed at last. Still, this is more a social epidemic that needs treatment on a behavioral level than a valid reason to (mis)use alcohol.

Alcohol consumption in moderation is not a problem. Small amounts of alcohol even increase the rate of resorption of nutrients from food so it is safe to say that alcohol is not always a bad thing. It gives you a warm feeling in cold times – northern tribes knew this all along and made use of it. The dosage is the key – whether it is a gift or a poison.

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Another meaning of crapulous is extremity in food consumption (drinking and eating) and therefore extends beyond the realm of alcohol consumption alone in terms of meaning. There are some interesting thoughts on this, I want to elaborate on.

In David Wolfe’s book “The Sunfood Diet Success System” he wrote about the ‘elementary principle’ (in my German version of the book: “Elementargesetz”): The less you eat, the less you will need. The more you eat, the more your body will crave for food.

This is interesting and probably the reason why fasting can work out. During fasting people experience sensations of starvation only during the first few days, with decreasing intensity. Thereafter their body already has adapted to the circumstance that he is fed no food and the whole biological chemistry within the body is starting to recycle what the body storages have to offer (fatty acids and amino acids, vitamins and minerals in essence) and to excrete what is superfluous – a process of cleansing.

While there are little claims that life is possible without the consumption of food in any form (even water) (which would be the domain of people living off light and love), it somehow is reasonable that digestive stress (a byproduct of food consumption) is a key element in the aging of our body. This would extend the equation to: The less you eat, the less you need to sustain your physical form the longer you live. The more you eat, the more you need to sustain your physical form the shorter you live. In conclusion, it would work out in a ‘fixed amount’ of food-based energy the body is able to metabolize within its lifespan and the faster you approach this amount, the shorter you will live. However, there are no scientific trials testing this hypothesis.

Spiritual masters have been known for millennia to have the ability to sustain their physical appearance without being dependent on food consumption. Jesus meditated in the desert and stayed abstinent from food and numerous Indian saints have demonstrated similar behavior. It somehow is an attribute of spiritually enlightened people to abstain from food and rest – the higher your level of consciousness, the less the taste for physical food and the less the need for physical rest. Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder of the Hare Krsna movement, was known only to rest in a meditative state for a few hours during night – from which he could be awakened anytime without depriving him from rest.

This leads me to the conclusion that food and drinking is something that determines the thickness of the bond that connects us with our physical world. Eating in extremity limits the spiritual development we undergo and vice versa. But still, every athlete has to eat to sustain his performance. Athletics too are an immensely physical endeavor, devoid of spiritual content. It is a step into the right direction to start eating the right things and the right amounts and abstain from gluttony.

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While eating less is highly spiritual, eating much can be very enjoyable in terms of physical senses. I am well-known for eating an awful lot but eating in a low frequency – normally only one big meal per day, loosely following the principles of the Warrior Diet, which gives the opportunity to experience both the state of satiety and hunger. Both states are interesting experiences – and consuming food becomes somehow ritualistic after a prolonged fasting period.

In addition, I normally do a prayer prior to eating a meal. It heightens my senses and makes me aware that this meal is – too – a part of divine creation. I thereafter consume it with greater respect of what had to perish to nourish me now, may it be a plant or an animal. Eating consciously is a great experience that I highly recommend. Food has never tasted better – in the Hare Krsna movement, this food is called Prasadam – Krsna’s mercy – they say that it is like nectar that cleanses the human soul. While you might find this description exaggerated, I can understand their words and share their opinion in this respect.

For experimentation I recommend the following:

• Try out a fasting-feasting meal cycle like the Warrior Diet prescribes and consciously experience hunger and satiety
• Try out serving yourself smaller dishes and eat as slowly and conscious as you can
• Do a prayer to a higher entity that you feel connected to prior to eating. Show gratefulness that you are allowed to consume this meal.

Do this trials and record your experiences. Probably you want to post them in comments – I would love to read them

Have fun doing this!

In love for life
Simon

P.S.: As a conclusion, here are examples of real extremity in food consumption:


Natusko “Gal” Sone really is extreme – unbelievable.

bucolic: rustic; pastoral.

Living (far) off town is a thing you may call bucolic, at least in the sense of the word rustic. It is a well-known circumstance for me, as I have never lived in a town, even a small one. For the most part of my life (21 years to date) I expected to see mainly one color when looking out of my window: Green. Our house is surrounded by green meadows and fields and endless forests mark the horizon. To me, this is heaven on earth.

Why and when is living amid nature better than living amid a town or city?

Speed of Life

The difference in the subjective perception how fast time flows is tremendous between rural and urban areas. While in very rural areas, time seems to have stopped and flows in microscopic magnitude, the heart of every city has a fast pulse that drives along every entity. The sheer choice of occupations in urban centers is enough to over-drive people – the dominating mind-set in cities is hectic – time is scarce, use it! In rural areas, the options of occupation are not as diverse hence people demonstrate a dominating mind-set of softly flowing with the tide of time.

Most people are amid these extremes, still the location you inhabit influences the mind-set tendency.

Air Quality

People that have lived their whole life in cities notice the distinctly better quality of fresh air in bucolic areas. Farmers can’t help noticing the smell of the city upon getting there. There is a margin in air quality and while people can survive in both environments, living amid nature naturally is better for your body, mind and soul.

Infrastructure

Rural areas do not offer many spaces to go out, there are no special shops for unusual goods, the internet connections are slow and you have to drive quite a while to get from one point to another. This is a major drawback of every rural area – a flaw by design. Living on the countryside, I know oh too well that you are done without a car at your disposal.

Urban areas offer everything you could dream of (sometimes even more, sometimes they lack options) within a small spare of space. It is easy to navigate and commute from point to point without the necessity of a car or even a bike – going per pedes is just fine in many occasions.

Community

How people interact is entirely different on the countryside than it is in the cities. Cities grant you anonymity above all – amongst thousands or even millions you are no one – you have no identity. You can do whatever you want and chances that you will be recognized or memorized are low. This is awesome for those who do not want to be disturbed in their privacy by other people. In small villages, everyone knows everyone. You have an identity and are known for what you do and who you are. Privacy is compromised in this environment but chances are that you are helped out if you are in need.

Small villages form strong communities that emphasize on cooperation (ideally) and the ‘we’-consciousness is highly noticeable. Huge cities consist of scattered individuals that share few bonds with each other. Normally, small communities are formed amongst the inhabitation, but no great community can arise from this multitude of individual minds.

In most cases, it is privacy against community.

Ideal Places?

What you consider an ideal place to live your life is dependent on what you value most. Rural life can be very relaxing and comfortable, integrated into a welcoming community. It can be a great benefit to your health, with fresh air, forests to take walks and space to roam free in abundance. But it can also be a hindrance to individuality. Rural communities are known to have a strong tendency to make people conform to their informal rules. The anonymity of a city can be a great asset to let your individual needs and talents flourish, especially if you are in need of a large audience. Cities offer great infrastructure – if you like to go out a lot and meet a lot of different people, city life most probably is for you.

For a large number of people, suburban areas have proven to be the perfect mixture between the accessibility of urban infrastructure and the laid-back relaxedness of rural landscapes. You can count me in to these people – I live in a place that is not too far from city infrastructure but still retains the benefits of rural life – the landscape, the slow speed of life and the traditions that remain here while extinct in urban areas.

Consider what is important to you when choosing where to live. You have to cope with your decision for quite a while, normally

In order to challenge your thinking, you have to work with associations. Take a random word and think of everything you associate with. From there on, articulate what you think about these associations. Which feelings and memories arise from them?

This is the key element of this new section of my blog. After pondering quite a while over possible topics for articles, I will let myself be inspired by random words and the associations they spike.

To do this, I make use of the Dictionary.com “Word of the Day” RSS feed available here. Dictionary.com supplies the feed readers with new words every day – usually words that are outside of the lexicon of colloquial language. This leaves me with two advantages – I explore and widen my knowledge on a myriad of topics and memorize new and unusual words that may better my writing

So watch out for (near-)daily updates in this section. There occasionally will be breaks due to lack of internet access but normally, every day will bring a new splash of thoughts.

Comments are highly appreciated – as usual

In love for life
Simon