If there is one illusion that is most commonly sought after, it is a life full of happiness. No one can be permanently happy. This goes against the very laws of nature. A better word to replace it is contentment. Being content in your life situation is much more feasible than always being happy. Now, before the cynics throw the first stone let me explain. All emotions are fleeting. Sadness, happiness, anger, they only arise due to your perception of an external events. Yet, there is a common trend in our culture for people to chase after the dream of happiness. The satisfaction, however, will only be a fleeting moment, leaving you wanting more and feeling empty. To be content, however, is to search deep within and accept who you are and where you are for what it is.

Right now I can hear a million voices saying "No, I will not accept my present situation for what it is! If I do that I will be stuck here forever." Sadly, this very voice is the perpetuator of the situation. It's like being stuck in the middle of the water screaming and kicking because you cannot swim properly. To accept your life and your situation is simply to acknowledge where and who you are and not fight it. Also, by accepting this you give space to contemplate and create a new path. Strangely, when we do this, something far more potent than happiness arises. This new sensation may be considered joy, and its presence can exist regardless of the outside world.

It's interesting what we as a culture consider success. A man can stress himself out for years, forego the well being of others and cause untold amounts of pain and suffering, but as long as he has made money he will get a pat on the back and be held in high regard. The same is true for a country as a whole. A nation is no longer "Third World" (a useless and arrogant term) once it has acquired a certain number of shopping malls. It's no wonder America (as those with similar outlooks) are the most destructive forces on the planet. Are we that blind and stupid to our own perceptions? Can we not see that our conditioned outlook is to work against the flow of life? Any person who travels down a different road is considered a black sheep; an oddity that is best coupled with the prawns of society. And strangely, even those at the bottom of this sad pool continue to suck off the power rod, as if one day, if they tug hard enough, they too may share a part of the dream.

Perhaps these are just the foolish words of a hopeless dreamer, but true success is not gauged by how much a person has made. True success doesn't require a plague or Porsche. Success is an inner phenomenon that shines forth from the core of your being. It drives an individual to create manifestations that not only better the individual but also those he or she shares his grounds with. Success improves lives, not at the expense of the less fortunate, but with the inclusion of those who cannot see the surface of a murky ocean. Perhaps this is why names like Einstein and Salk continue to serve as beacons of light while Rockefeller will always be shrouded in controversy.

Negativity can spread like an airborne virus seeping into the open pores of the skin. It comes easy to the mind. It gives the mind much to chew on, constantly renewing the food it so desperately needs to survive and spread. Negativity will even defend itself like an autonomous being seeking to survive. It's almost funny. Walk around with a smile on your face and enjoy your life and people will actually attempt to tear you down. Some will even accuse you of wearing a fake smile. However, the majority of humans are in a state of insanity, and this is something to be recognized. To acknowledge the level of insanity that circulates within the average human mind is to understand that there is nothing personal about the negativity that seeks to spread. If you wish to remain above this state of being you must learn to see beyond; you must rise beyond it. The first step is to detect your reaction to the negativity. If someone says something to destroy your character do not defend. Furthermore, when the situation has ended, watch your mind, as it is this time that your mind will spend the most time trying to repair itself. You must learn to let go. You must allow the negativity to pass through.

We are very used to interacting with people on a very superficial level. We pass by countless numbers of individuals throughout our daily lives. Yet how many of those beings do we truly take the time to observe. I don't just mean looking at another person and thinking about who they are, what they are wearing or where they came from. I mean to observe without thought; to see another and feel that being as a reflection of yourself. It is a wonderful experience. One of the best ways of doing this is by sitting down with another (close in relation or not) and look each other in the eyes for five minutes. Do not talk. Do not look away. You can smile and you can laugh, but do not make any other noises. If you can drop your shield you will feel a strength within, a strength that lets you know you no longer need to run for cover. You may also witness (either within or in the other) a release. When looking someone in the eyes for this long it is not uncommon for people to let go of the pressure of baggage and unleash a wave of emotion.

Try this. You may discover much about yourself.

We are born into this world with our ears open and then come our eyes followed by the nose then mouth. Senses dominate our experience. They also help to create our perception. But there are other dimensions to life. One of those dimensions is the world of other people, and they too come with their own set of senses and perceptions. Sadly, most human interactions consist only of two perceptions bumping into each other. Rarely do people take the time to stop and observe. Usually, a preconceived notion is already formed when people congregate preventing any real communication.

In order to communicate with another person, let alone get to know them, we must stop forcing ourselves onto them. We must allow that person to have the space they need to be who they are. Anything else is an attempt to control and manipulate others, never seeing or feeling the individuals we come into contact with. It is totally possible, in fact common, for people to spend their entire lives like this.

How do you care to live?

Morality is a funny concept. The very notion of it is so… arbitrary. Where does it come from? Are we born with a sense of morals or are our morals taught to us? Perhaps it is a combination of the two. As with most of these sorts of discussions, the later is the case. However, one hears so much about the arguments between both sides. I personally love to find the silver lining from all points of view, but on this one the case definitely leans towards a single direction. Books and words do not create morality. A review of history shows that heinous acts are committed by religious and non-religious people alike. The notion that non-religious folk are devoid of moral judgment because of their lack of faith (or reading) is asinine. An understanding of the law requires books and learned knowledge. But, a sense of morality is indeed embedded within. This is why we don't come out of the womb attacking our mothers; we have enough ingrained sense to understand and appreciate those who take care of us. Of course there are those who seem barren in terms of compassion or remorse. But the world of humans is a twisted place. Our ways of living strip us of our instincts and intuitions. Though, if there was one thing my intuition has caught on to it's that if I wanted to gather a group of followers to support my cause I'd tell them I had not only the answers and keys to salvation, but also the very thing that reminds us of our humanity: our morality.

It's strange, the life of a human. You're born out of a womb by a woman who's screaming at the top of her lungs, and then, zip, someone swings a knife across your bellybutton. Life is chaotic. However, there are plenty of moments that give us the taste of the opposite, plenty. In fact, it is this constant fluctuation that develops our minds into the splendorous contraptions they are. But, for those looking to avoid a few unnecessary bumps along the way, I've come up with a quick list of things to be on the lookout for:

1. Those quick to blame are taking pressure off of themselves
   
2. Nothing is permanent. Be wary of institutions that claim "infinity"
   
3. Truth is truth without the need to convince others
   
4. If you feel the desire to uplift you are strong
   
5. If you feel the need to tear someone down you are weak
   
6. It is ok to be both strong and weak, so long as it isn't in disregard of others
   
7. Love is a word that often describes twenty different feelings
   
8. People will let you down, do not hold expectations
   
9. Often ask the question: "Is it worth it?"
   
10. If it is worth it, ask: "Why the f^#% not?"
    
11. If you are mad at a celebrity for cheating on his or her spouse, you are avoiding a personal issue in your own life
    
12. Light and dark create each other, trying to eliminate the other is self defeating
    
13. Realize how many aspects of life #12 actually fits in (politics, religion, arguments… too many to list)
    
14. If you're at the top, chances are you will fall, if you're at the bottom you've got nowhere to go but to the top
    
15. Life will always give you problems to solve, so as often as possible put a smile on your face and enjoy your f*c%!n day

Not too long ago, there was nary a man in America that spoke ill of his government. The grass was always greener on US soil. Every war was justified. And, the president spoke nothing but the God-honest truth. So, what happened? When did Shaitan himself waltz onto the land of the brave and home of the free? It must have happened when the darn Obama got elected. He ain't even American. My daddy said so.

However, like all fairy tales, it was all just an illusion designed to impregnate you and your younglings with ideals of unilateral support. This is because, while the core message of a "once perfect reality" seems to hold this great nation in honorific form, the truth is not so sugar coated. The truth is: people in power want to stay in power. Rarely, if ever, do they lead with standards of morality, fairness or balanced judgment in general. Simply look at every war that's ever been entered. From the invasion of the land already inhabited by Native Americans to the Iraq Invasion, America has primarily fought for land and resources (occasionally acting on defense).

However, this is not a bashing session, though it is very easy to bash blind patriotism, due to its blind ignorance. This is a message. Of course politicians lie and manipulate to get what they want; it's required by their career. The problem isn't the politicians and their corrupt ways. The problem is that "we the people" do not investigate the truth on our own. "We the people" prefer Disney coated truths rather than hard facts because, let's face it, Disney makes us feel good. But, life is a balance. We need the rainstorms of pain as much as we need the sunny days of bliss. Both are required for balanced living.

So, instead of getting angry at some politician for their "evil way", or worse, getting angry because he's not "your" politician, do a little internal and external investigation. You may find that blaming others for the condition of the world is a dead end and, worse, a contributing factor to the current state of insanity.

There is a common tendency these days for people to grow extremely attached not only to other people but also inanimate objects. And while there is indeed a healthy dose of attachment to anything, the all too common trend is to become grossly attached, to the point, even, of severe emotional breakdown when we lose what we held dear in our minds (nothing is "in" the heart… except blood). First, we must take a look at attachment itself. What is it? Where does it come from? And when is it unhealthy for us?

Firstly, attachment is the mind's desire to possess a holographic construction of something or someone it identifies with. The mind wishes to soak it up and make it a part of its world. Attachment comes from the notion that we need this something or someone to be more whole or more secure. Without it, the mind says, we are less of person. The unhealthy period is noticeable when "sad to see it go" turns into "What am I going to do without it" or worse "I cannot live without it". Cesar Millan, The Dog Whisper, called this the point when an admire turns into a stalker.

The truth is that all of us have the potential to latch on to something and feel as if we are powerless to control the emotional hold. Some are addicted to their attachments (some may consider them one and the same). No matter the case, we need to grasp hold of our minds, realize we are in control and see the reality behind what we are attached to. Separation anxiety can be one of the worst experiences ever and not only for the individual who bears the emotion. We all love admiration, but we all detest obsession.

Beliefs can be very comforting at times. They can encourage, empower and entertain. However, there is a rather hilarious double standard that often accompanies beliefs, especially religious ones. You see it on the news. You hear it from people you know.

"It was the will of (fill in the blank)."

I've got no problem with this saying. The world is a divine place. I can see and even feel the presence of divine power within and outside of myself. However, the problem comes when the will shifts. You see, it's always some holy being's will when the situation is dire, the people are helpless and all must surrender. However, this changes when some a$$#0!e cuts another person off on the highway or say when the devil "possesses" someone's mind. What happened to divine power then? If everything is the will of God, why do we complain about anything? If there is evil in the world, it too must be the work of the holy one. Therefore, everything that happens is part of the "master" plan, including the school massacre and genocide.

I'm not one to tear down another person's ideas, but this notion unintentionally borders cruelty, at best it's just rude. Furthermore, it removes responsibility from the individual, especially when we say "the devil did it" or "it was the work of God". It cannot go both ways. Either the holier than holy is in control or "he" isn't. Either way, it makes people lazy, creates passivity and easily allows and invites manipulation.