fear not, my children

 

"Beware, for I am fearless and therefore powerful."
Mary Shelley "Frankenstein" (1818)

Early in the summer of 1817, Mary Shelley finished Frankenstein, which was published anonymously in January 1818. Learn more at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Shelley

The political doctors have created a monster. Fear not.

Consider watching Gandhi. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gandhi_(film)

Educate yourself about cults, recognizing cult behavior, ways to speak to members of cults that could help, how to keep your mind free. Wisdom shared freely by a former Moonie:   https://freedomofmind.com/

If fear takes hold, make time to calm your mind. Breathe. Bring yourself to the present. Quiet those thoughts by observing them like clouds blowing across the sky. Practice mindfulness. The future is unknown. Be here now. The past is gone. Be here now. Not knowing the future. (You never did anyway.) Bring yourself to the present.

Be fierce in guarding your heart and mind. Be joyful. Be hopeful. Be the change you want to see in the world. Do not give in to fear. Do not give in to hate. Do not give in to despair. Arm yourself with knowledge and wisdom. 

"Wisdom will guard your heart; discretion will preserve you." -ancient proverb

Wisdom is everything. Keep calm and keep laughing. Laughter is the best medicine, that is also an ancient saying for a reason. Ponder these gems.

Recommended reading: The Wisdom of Insecurity and The Way of Zen by Alan Watts.

Be Zenyan

Educate yourself about zen. 

Zen requires no temple, no ritual, no incantation. Practicing the way of zen will free you from the angst of ego. When you know that you are not your molecules, you are more than molecules; when you know that you are not your personality, you are more than personality; when you know that you are not your thoughts, you have thoughts; when you know that you are not your feelings, you experience feelings much like cloud watching... when you know this, you are free to live in the present, to be human one day at a time, moment upon moment, with wonder, and not clinging. The way of zen is to be a raindrop in the river of life.

Be zen and do good. Be zen and do no harm.

Be the change you want to see in the world.

Be the love you want to see blossom around you.

Be the joy. Be the light.

Be the way.

No one can make you do anything. No one can eat your soul. Nothing can change what you are: you are the universe in ecstatic motion. Be here now. Be joyful. Mindful. Calm. Knowing.

Hate is not the way to joy.

Anger is not the way to peace.

Fear is like weather. Watch it come and go.

Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.

Go in peace. Make the bed. Wash the dishes. Pull weeds. Trim plants. Enjoy flavors and textures. Be here now. Brush teeth. Smile often. Listen to music. Observe and be amused by lizards, ants, humans, weather. Enjoy the body you occupy, take care of it, but do not obsess about keeping it intact. All things decay in this dimension. Go with it. 

Stay present. Be in your body, aware of breathing, aware of surroundings, aware of simplicity.

Simply be. For one moment. Be still. Conscious. Breathing. Here. In this moment. 

Turn off the television. Put down the phone. Go for a walk and look at everything and observe thoughts come and go. Notice that you cannot hold onto thoughts. You cannot stop thoughts. You cannot control thoughts any more than you can control weather. Watch them come and go, like big puffy clouds that change shape and then evaporate, or pour water on our heads. 

Live in wonder. Be here now. Unknowing. You never knew the future anyway. Future is a thought. Past is a thought. Illusions. 

Go in peace. Do the laundry. Read a book. Meditate. Take a shower. Eat an apple. Watch a spider crawl. Get the mail. Buy some groceries. Prepare a meal. Watch something that makes you laugh out loud a lot. Like Everything Everywhere All At Once. Or Beetlejuice. Or Get Out. Or Nope.

For those who are presently parents of young children, teach by example. 

For those who are presently parents of young adults, teach by example.