The mind is like a video camera

This is one of the most important characteristics of the mind. When you understand this about the tool which is the mind, you will be able to use this tool ― the mind ― more effectively. This is important because the mind is the primary tool you use to create your life; to build the life you want; to be happier, healthier, and wealthier. Here it is … One of the most important characteristics of the mind is that … the mind is like video mode on your cellphone’s camera This is a well-documented psychological fact about the mind:  The mind records everything, then plays it back. So what do you want the mind playing back?  Horror movies? Music with horrible lyrics?  Gluttony? Greed? Wrath? Envy? Pride?  Unskillful sexuality? That to which you expose the mind is that which you become. Said another way, The willingness to learn (to expose the mind to skillful material) will transform your life. I am not preaching this from some high pulpit.  I have learned this not only from psychological research, but also from direct experience. Suffered much, have I, from that to which I have exposed the mind. Happiness much, have I realized, from that to which I have exposed the mind. Upon what do you focus?  To what do you expose the mind? The mind is a tool which you use to build your life. How are you using this tool? To use the tool which is the mind skillfully you must consciously direct it and focus it on material which is in your long term best interest. This is how you use the mind more skillfully: Focus on the positive. (principle #2: find goodness) Give less credence to the negative. (as we’ve learned, the mind has a negativity bias) Dismiss unskillful comparison. (there is no way to accurately compare) I used to be a skeptic of positive thinking. Not only was I skeptic of positive thinking, I was a critic. I thought positive thinking was for imbeciles. I pictured these people like in a Saturday Night Live skit saying positive affirmations to themselves in the mirror, "I am good enough, I am smart enough, and doggone it, people like me!" What I have learned since then, since those unskillful sardonic days, is that I was wrong. To my own detriment, to the extent of years of unnecessary suffering, I was wrong. The research and the data prove it. My own direct experiences have proven it.   The mind is like a video camera. What you put in is what you get out. The mind records everything, then plays it back. So what are you recording? To what are you exposing the mind? To illustrate this, here is a quick story: One night, back in the day, I played a video game with my brother-in-law from about 8:00 PM until 2:00 AM. Grand Theft Auto. An antihero game where you’re a gangster who gets money by mugging people and beating them up. The next day I was at the airport, tired, waiting for a flight. At the check-in counter, a woman with a screechy voice was complaining loudly. I pictured getting up, walking over, punching this woman until she fell to the ground, then stomping on her head ― just like in the game; just like in the psychological "Bobo Doll"experiments. What you put in is what you get out. The mind is a video camera. It is always recording. Expose the mind to the skillful, and this is what it will play back: Focus on the positive. (principle #2: find goodness) Give less credence to the negative. (as we’ve learned, the mind has a negativity bias) Discount all unskillful comparison. (there is no way to accurately compare) Share with me something skillful upon which you focus the mind. Even if the only example you can think of are these emails, let me know! While there is not always time to reply to every email, I read every single one.  Coming in the next step on The Journey, we are going to learn how to tell the future. The Journey is already amazing, and it is about to become even more amazing! Sincerely, Daiya ― Here is the video for this step on The Journey: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k__LwQpK3Ls ― This is interesting: go to YouTube and search for "Bobo Doll experiment" ― There is an allure to games like Grand Theft Auto and movies like Us by Jordan Peele. Joseph Conrad, author of The Heart of Darkness, called this allure the fascination with abomination. There is also an allure for chocolate cake and ice cream. Self-moderation is key. Each individual must determine how much is healthy for their life. You must figure this out for your life. It is your responsibility to determine this. ― The mind is vigilant, guarded, defended, sensitive to slights, looking for what is wrong and what could go wrong. That’s the default nature of the mind. Must. Always. Survive. Might there be a tiger in that cave? Could rocks tumble down on us? Is that person no longer liking me? Might I be kicked out of the tribe? Will we have enough shelter and food for winter? The mind doesn’t say, "Look at this nice hut! Look at this stockpile of food!" The mind says, "Jimmy had this much food, but then his roof collapsed and a bear ate him." So first (1) take heart knowing that the mind you have is not broken, flawed, or wrong if it seems to have a predilection for the negative. This is the way the mind was designed to work. Second (2) use negativity bias compensation. When negative thoughts arise, give them less credence. 100 people liked and 1 gave a thumbs down - wonderful!

Negativity bias compensation

I thought "negativity bias" would be its own principle. It became clear, however, that this is part of Principle #2: Find goodness. Knowing the negativity bias of the mind can help you find more goodness in your life. Here’s a story that illustrates this: Warm day. Mountain lake. Cold water. Blue sky. Warm granite in the sun. Nothing’s better than napping in the warm sun after swimming in a cold lake.  People worry. Why worry? They were missing out. Sure, a tiger had been eating animals around the lake, but tigers are afraid of humans. There wasn’t enough meat on our bones, anyhow. Sheep, pigs, cows, yes, they had meat on their bones. But humans? Not worth the effort. The last thing this man felt, perhaps, was the tickle of the tiger’s whiskers; the sharpness of the tiger’s claws. As with all good stories, this one has some lessons. The first lesson is don’t sleep where a tiger has been feeding! The second lesson is not as obvious, though more important: Evolution favors the vigilant.  Our ancestors were the ones that survived: the vigilant ones, the anxious ones, the worried ones. We are the descendants of those who looked for what was wrong or what could go wrong. In varying degrees, this is a trait we have all inherited. Negativity Bias is what psychologists call the mind’s predisposition for the negative: to be vigilant; to look for what is wrong or what could go wrong. Here’s an example: I recently posted a YouTube video. 690 people watched it. 89 people liked it. One person gave it the thumbs down. What does the mind say? Who could not like this video? Somebody didn’t like this video!?! Why would someone not like this video? Notice the mind did not say, Awesome! 89 people liked this video! How does knowing about the negativity bias help us? When the mind focuses on what is wrong and what could go wrong, when the mind is vigilant, you can now recognize this helpful and protective characteristic of the mind, evaluate the information it is giving you, then make an informed decision as to whether or not it is valid. Only one person didn’t like the video? Wonderful! My hips are too fat? At least my legs work! Not everyone is so lucky. And I am alive! Plus I am walking each day! Good is happening! I’m an idiot and no one likes me? That’s not quite true. We’re all dealt cards in life. I’m playing mine as well as I can. I’m listening to Audible talks while driving and learning amazing things. I’m learning the guitar because research shows learning music strengthens the brain. I’ve always struggled socially, yes, but I am a good person. I am kind. I am generous. I am working on being patient and listening and really giving people my attention and asking about them andlistening when they respond. I’m playing the cards I was dealt well. Plus, my partner loves me. I know that. I might not be for everybody, but then again, everybody is not for me. And I know that, with certainty, I am for some people. As some people are for me. Life is good.   I’m terrified of public speaking! Is talking in front of others going to literally kill me? Why is this fear here? Back in the day, social rejection could lead to death. Without the tribe, you were all alone in the wilderness with tigers and bears. Today, however, if a group of people rejects me, that’s okay. I’m not going to die. Thank you for the warning, Vigilant Mind, but your input is no longer valid to this situation. Knowing the negativity bias of the mind … … you can identify when the mind is being negative; being vigilant; looking for what is wrong and for what could go wrong. You can evaluate whether the negative perspective has merit, and you can compensate for it ― focus on the positive; find goodness. If you have negativity in the mind, this is natural; part of our birthright; what we’ve inherited from our ancestors; a trait which has kept our species alive.  It is not a bad thing. Now that the world is so different from when we lived in a single tribe in the bushes with wolves, snakes, bears, and tigers ― we can give less credence to the mind’s vigilant negativity. We can compensate for the negativity. We can evaluate and dismiss negativity. We can focus on the positive.  We can find goodness. Sincerely, Daiya ― Here’s the video for this email https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldwuAQHHW0E  ― Do we see the glass as half-full or half-empty? Half-empty, baby! That’s our nature. The human mind is vigilant, guarded, defended, sensitive to slights, looking for what is wrong and what could go wrong. That’s the default nature of the mind. Must. Always. Survive. Must not be rejected and get kicked out of the tribe. That aspect of the mind helps keep us alive, but left unquestioned, it can forge a dank and dreary life making us discouraged, anxious, and depressed. Keep the negativity bias in check. Think of the negativity bias like a crazy relative. They’re always talking doom and gloom; conspiracy theories; whispering about who is out to get them. Mostly this relative can be ignored. When they tell you to check for traffic before crossing the street, however, it’s good to listen! ― You may notice that the negativity bias is so pervasive it can even become negative about being positive. That’s Pollyannish. Don’t be annoying. Positive people aren’t in touch with reality. As we’ve learned, data actually shows that positive people are more in touch with reality. The world is wealthier, healthier, and safer than ever before. Plus, you will be happier if you focus on what is good.

Comparison is the road to suffering

We’ve learned two principles so far: Principle #1: The willingness to learn will transform your life Principle #2: Find goodness In the last email and video, we explored the negativity bias. Knowing about the negativity bias can help us (1) understand where negativity comes from and why we have it in our life (our ancestors were the ones who survived, the vigilant ones, the ones who looked for what was wrong or what could go wrong ― Yay for our ancestors! They stayed alive!) and (2) knowing about the negativity bias can help us compensate for it. We can choose to give less credence to the negative and more emphasis to the positive. This makes us happier. This is important:  Knowing that the mind has a predisposition for the negative, we can give less credence to the negative and more emphasis to the positive. This helps us find goodness. This helps us emphasize goodness. This helps has see reality as it is. This helps us be happier.  Now we’re going to look at a special case of the negativity bias: Comparison is the road to suffering Comparison warrants its own consideration because it is widespread and causes much suffering. Often we suffer because we compare. We look at someone else and think, Well, they’re doing better than me. They’re healthier. They’re wealthier. They’re happier. They’re more beautiful. They have a better car. They have a better job. They have a better relationship. They’re having better sex. You see?  Suffering. The problem with comparison is that there is no equal comparison. None. Zero.  Equal comparison is impossible. When we compare with someone, we are comparing one item, or a few items, out of many. Yes, maybe one person has an amazing car, and maybe when we see them behind the wheel, they look amazing and beautiful, but maybe they are also addicted to heroine, and in an abusive relationship, or totally lonely, or self-absorbed, or who knows what. Maybe they just lost the love of their life. There is no way we can have the whole picture.  There is no way we can know where they were born, who they were born to, the suffering they have gone through, and the struggles they are still experiencing.  Maybe they were born with some great inheritance. Owning an expensive car, having a personal trainer, having a personal chef who cooks healthy well-balanced meals designed to build muscle, having a personal shopper and fashion consultant, having a hairstylist coif their hair each morning ― no problem; money is not an issue; they are rich. "Yes, but," the mind might say, "their life actually is better than mine." Is it? How can you know? And even if it is ... Life is not fair (and this should be a principle in and of itself) Their life is not your life Comparing your life to their life is (1) not going to be a complete comparison because such a comparison is impossible and (2) is only going to cause you suffering. Focus on your life. The only life you have is your life. Notice when comparison is occuring, then remember … There is no way to have a complete comparison with someone; you can always and only compare on a few criteria; you have no idea what their life was like and is currently like. Here are two stories to illustrate how comparison is the road to suffering. Story #1 At one point on my journey, I went to this place called Esalen. There was a Gestalt psychology workshop I was going to attend. As other participants were arriving, a man pulled up in a red Ferrari. He had a beautiful wife; two beautiful daughters. They all looked very wealthy and very beautiful. Before the workshop started, this man was on the grass with his shirt off, relaxing in the sun and playing with his family. He’s got it all, I thought. What a lucky guy. He had a fit body; like a model’s body. Even his sunglasses looked expensive. Then he did a handstand, walked on his hands for a distance, and sprang to his feet. I wanted his life. My life sucked. When the workshop began, we all shared why we had come. I was there because I had been raised hard and was looking for peace. The beautiful man with the beautiful family and the beautiful sunglasses and the beautiful car was there because he had leukemia, a terminal diagnosis. Boom. Instantly. I no longer wanted his life. You just don’t know, you never know, someone’s complete story. Comparison is always partial and, as such, incomplete and inaccurate. Story #2 Bohemian woman. Adventurer. Free spirit who traveled and camped and went rock climbing and surfed and traveled (did I already say that?) and never had to work. What was her secret? She was the heiress to one of America’s largest fortunes. Her house in Monterey, California, was several stories with many rooms. She had a maid that came every day to clean and cook and do her laundry. She also had other houses, all around the world, and she travelled between them. That is, until, she invested all of her money with Bernie Maddof.  Whoops. Gone.  Her money was suddenly gone. She sold all of her homes, except the Monterey house.  She had to let her maid go. She had to take in roommates. The last time I checked, this was still her life ― her one house filled with roommates. Still a pretty good life! But when she compared her new life to the life she once had, compared her current life to some other life, it caused her suffering.  She grieved a lot, suffered a lot, to let go of the life she once had; to find happiness with the life she now had. Still a great life! She still got to travel. She still didn’t have to work. She still had a home. Now, she just had roommates and no maid. Yet it took her awhile to find happiness with what was still a wonderful life.  Comparison is the road to suffering.  It is good to know that comparison is the road to suffering because, knowing this, we can avoid comparison. Why would we want to do it? It causes us suffering. Much better it is to find goodness in the life we’ve got.  When we find ourselves comparing, we can ... remember that comparison is the road to suffering. remember that there is never complete comparison; that comparison is always partial. remember to look to our own life and find goodness it. That is our task, to find goodness in our own life. One last thing to say about comparison: there is skillful comparison.  When we are inspired by the positive example of others as to what we can achieve in our own life, this is skillful. Summary:  Use the mind as the tool which it is. Be vigilant with the mind. Discount the negative. As the mind already has negativity bias, give less credence to the negative. Give more emphasis to the positive. Find goodness. Avoid unskillful comparison. Comparison is the road to suffering. There is never a complete comparison. Comparison is always partial. Your task is to find goodness in the life you’ve got. In the next email and video, we will look at one more aspect of the mind to help us maximize the benefit that we receive when we find goodness. In particular, we’re going to see how the mind is like video mode on your cellphone’s camera I will write this now, make a video, and send it to you in the next day or two. In the interim, email me one good thing about your life. Right now. Email me. Hit reply. Sincerely, Daiya ― Let’s go to the movies! Here’s this lesson’s video! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IY9T4owc3o ― If you have a friend or loved one who might benefit from The Journey, invite them to join the next cohort. Everyone benefits from The Journey. Share this: https://greatercommons.com/dm/the-journey

May 3, 2019 – Seeing God Face to Face

Feast of Saint Philip and Saint James, Apostles

Father John Bullock, LC

John 14: 6-14

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.

Introductory Prayer: Christ, I thank you for the gift of faith. You know that I believe, but I want my faith to grow. In knowing you I find meaning, rest and strength. I need you, Lord. I trust in your loving mercy. You know what I need the most today. All I ask is that you remain at my side throughout this day. That is enough for me. I want to spend this day making you happy, pleasing you with my every thought, word and action.

Petition: Christ, help me to know you and love you more each day.

1. I Am the Way, the Truth and the Life: “I am the way, the truth and the life.” Christ is the answer to our problems. Since he is fully God and fully man, his very reality unites humanity to God in a way never before hoped. It is in following Christ that we find our way. It is in believing in Christ that we discover truth. It is in accepting Christ that we gain life. Christians don’t simply follow a set of rules or believe in some doctrines; we follow a person: Christ. As Archbishop Fulton Sheen wrote, Christ’s “doctrine was himself” (Life of Christ, p. 153).

2. Show Us the Father: “Seeing is believing”, the saying goes. Yet this seems to go contrary to the faith. Didn’t Christ tell “doubting” Thomas, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe” (John 20:29)? Here again, Christ seems to be chiding Philip for wanting to see. However, Christ isn’t correcting Philip for wanting to see; rather, he didn’t see in Christ what he was supposed to: “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” At the core of the doctrine of the Incarnation is that now the “face” of God is made visible in the person of Christ. Answering the man born blind whom he had just healed when asked who the Son of Man is, Christ said, “You have seen him” (John 9:37). The Second Council of Nicaea, in the year 787, reaffirmed against the iconoclasts the validity of using sacred images, linking religious pictures and art to the Incarnation (cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 476). Man has a need to see God, and the Incarnation was God’s response.

3. Believe Because of the Works: Christ helps Philip’s faith by pointing to the works he has done. The faith cannot be proven in an empirical sense, but there can be many signs which assist our reason in that act of faith. Christ’s miracles, his moral stature, his words and ultimately his resurrection are strong arguments in favor of the faith. Nevertheless, we must still decide to believe. Once we decide, then even greater works than Christ performed in his earthly life can be worked through us. Don’t wait to understand everything to believe, rather believe and you will begin to understand.

Conversation with Christ: Lord, let me see your face in prayer, in the Eucharist and in my neighbor. Be my way, my truth and my life. Be my model, my point of reference and my strength. Without you I can do nothing; with you I can do all things.

Resolution: I will do a conscious act of charity for my neighbor, making an effort to see Christ in others.

What are the benefits of aloe vera?

By Joe Leech 

Contains healthful compounds Antioxidant and antibacterial properties Accelerates healing   Reduces dental plaque Helps treat canker sores  Reduces constipation  Improves the skin  Lowers blood sugar

Aloe vera is a popular medicinal plant that has been used for thousands of years.

It is best known for treating skin injuries, but also has several other beneficial effects on health.

This is a list of the benefits of aloe vera:

1. Contains healthful plant compounds

Aloe vera is a thick, short-stemmed plant that stores water in its leaves.

It is widely used in the cosmetic, pharmaceutical and food industries, and has an estimated annual market value of $13 billion globally (1).

Aloe vera is well recognized by its thick, pointed and fleshy green leaves, which can grow to about 12-19 inches (30-50 cm) in length.

Each leaf is full of a slimy tissue that stores water, which makes the leaves thick. This slimy, water-filled tissue is the "gel" we associate with Aloe vera products.

The gel contains most of the bioactive compounds in the plant, including vitamins, minerals, amino acids and antioxidants.

Summary: Aloe vera is a popular medicinal plant that is used in the cosmetic, pharmaceutical and food industries. Its leaves are full of a gel-like substance that contains numerous beneficial compounds.

2. Antioxidant and antibacterial properties

Antioxidants are important for health.

Aloe vera gel contains powerful antioxidants, which belong to a large family of substances known as polyphenols (2).

These polyphenols, along with several other compounds in Aloe vera, can help inhibit the growth of certain bacteria that can cause infections in humans (2).

Summary: Aloe vera contains various powerful antioxidant compounds. Some of these compounds can help inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria.

3. Accelerates the healing of burns



Aloe vera is most commonly used as a topical medication, rubbed onto the skin rather than eaten.

It has long been known as a treatment for sores, particularly burns, including sunburns.

In fact, the FDA first approved Aloe vera ointment as an over-the-counter medication for skin burns back in 1959.

Studies suggest that it is an effective topical treatment for first- and second-degree burns.

A review of 4 experimental studies found that Aloe vera could reduce the healing time of burns by around 9 days compared to conventional medication (3).

The evidence for Aloe vera helping to heal other types of wounds is inconclusive (4).

Summary: Applying Aloe vera to burn wounds appears to accelerate the healing process. The evidence is inconclusive for other wound types.

4. Reduces dental plaque



Tooth decay and diseases of the gum are very common health problems.

One of the best ways to prevent this from happening is to reduce the buildup of plaque (bacterial biofilms) on the teeth.

In a mouth rinse study of 300 healthy people, 100% pure Aloe vera juice was compared to the standard mouthwash ingredient chlorhexidine.

After 4 days of use, the Aloe vera mouth rinse was found to be just as effective as chlorhexidine in reducing dental plaque (5).

Another study found similar benefits of Aloe vera mouth rinse when used over a 15- to 30-day period (6).

Aloe vera does this by killing the plaque-producing bacterium Streptococcus mutans in the mouth, as well as the yeast Candida albicans (7).

Summary: When used as a mouth rinse, pure Aloe vera juice is just as effective at reducing dental plaque buildup as regular mouthwash.

5. Helps treat canker sores



Many people have experienced mouth ulcers, or canker sores, at some point in their lives.

They usually form underneath the lip, inside the mouth, and last for about 7-10 days.

Studies have convincingly shown that Aloe vera treatment can accelerate the healing of mouth ulcers.

In a 7-day study of 180 people with recurrent mouth ulcers, an Aloe vera patch applied to the area was effective in reducing the size of the ulcers (8).

However, it did not outperform the conventional ulcer treatment, which is corticosteroids.

In another study, Aloe vera gel not only accelerated the healing of mouth ulcers, it also reduced the pain associated with them (9).

Summary: Application of Aloe vera, either as a patch or gel, has been shown to aid in the recovery of mouth ulcers (canker sores).

6. Reduces constipation



Aloe vera has often be used to treat constipation.

This time it is not the gel, but the latex, that provides the benefits.

The latex is a sticky yellow residue found just under the skin of the leaf.

The key compound responsible for this effect is called aloin, or barbaloin, which has well-established laxative effects (10, 11, 12).

However, some concerns have been raised about safety issues with frequent use. For this reason, Aloe latex has not been available in the US as an over-the-counter medication since 2002.

Contrary to popular belief, Aloe vera does not appear to be effective against other digestive disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) (13, 14, 15).

Summary: Aloe vera latex has strong laxative effects, making it useful to treat constipation. It does not appear to be beneficial for other diseases of the digestive tract.

7. May improve skin and prevent wrinkles

There is some preliminary evidence that topical Aloe vera gel can slow aging of the skin.

In one study of 30 women over the age of 45, topical application of the gel was shown to increase collagen production and improve skin elasticity over a 90-day period (16).

Another study found that Aloe vera reduced erythema (redness of the skin), but was also found to dehydrate skin cells (17).

There is very little evidence that Aloe vera can treat skin conditions like psoriasis and radiation dermatitis (18).

Summary: Early evidence suggests that Aloe vera may have anti-aging effects on the skin, but more research is needed.

8. Lowers blood sugar levels



Aloe vera has sometimes been used as a traditional diabetes remedy (19, 20).

It is said to enhance insulin sensitivity and help improve blood sugar management.

Several animal and human studies in type 2 diabetics have actually found promising results from consuming Aloe vera extract (21, 22, 23).

However, the quality of these studies was fairly poor, so it is definitely premature to recommend Aloe vera for this purpose.

Additionally, there have been some cases of liver damage reported with long-term ingestion of Aloe vera supplements (24).

Summary: Early evidence suggests that Aloe vera may help with blood sugar management, but more research is needed. Ingesting Aloe vera supplements in the long term could also be hazardous.

The bottom line

Aloe vera definitely has some unique therapeutic properties, especially when applied as an ointment for the skin and gums.

Various aloe vera products are available to purchase in health food stores or online, including aloe vera gel, juice, supplements, oil, and powder. Speak to a doctor before using aloe products to treat a condition.

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/318591.php