Aug 31

The Magic of Space Science

by Chris Billows in Mental Mischief 0 comments tags: Human Condition, Quotations
Fascinating news this week. We have intercepted an alien signal and the speculation is that it is so strong and intentional it is thought to come from a civilization that is more advanced than our own. Not a Drill: SETI Is Investigating a Possible Extraterrestrial Signal From Deep Space “The signal’s strength indicates that if it in fact came from a isotropic beacon, the power source would have to be built by a Kardashev Type II civilization. (The Kardashev scale is used to determine the progress of a civilization’s technological development by measuring how much energy was used to transmit an interstellar message.) An ‘Isotropic’ beacon means a communication source emitting a signal with equal power in all directions while promoting signal strength throughout travel.” The news is remarkable, but just as remarkable is that somebody has created a civilization scale that borders on the absolute fantastic. The Kardashev Scale says that we are possibly receiving the signal from a civilization that has encased its sun with some kind of material so that no energy escapes the solar system! That is so amazing it sounds like magic, but what is just as astounding is that this level of civilization is […]

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Apr 11

The Logic of Passion

by Chris Billows in Spirit Speculations 0 comments tags: Defining Life, New Types of Intelligence, Quotations
I stumbled across a highly recommended website that deals with emotional intelligence, but defines it instead as Emotional Competency. My own experience in working with people and with meditation is that emotions are essential components of our being. Those who advocate sterile logic and academic intelligence fall into the trap of ignoring emotions and thus disabling their understanding of what makes people human. I would say it is like Oscar Wilde’s quote that the cynic knows the cost of everything and the value of nothing. Replace the term ‘cost’ with ‘measurement’ and we can see why emotions are ignored since they impossible to measure. But because emotions are not measurable we should not ignore them. Doing so is at our own peril. Check it out… www.EmotionalCompetency.com

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Oct 22

Having Bad Teeth Doesn’t Make You Qualified to be a Dentist

by Chris Billows in Mental Mischief 0 comments tags: Foolishness, Human Condition, Quotations
Because of political correctness and democratic absolutism, we are afflicted with a ridiculous conviction that because somebody has experienced something, they somehow are fully qualified to be an expert. This is particularly rampant in the Social Work and self-help industries. The theory goes that the best therapy is administered by somebody who has suffered the same disease, problem, etc. It is a lazy assumption that I sum up as “Having Bad Teeth Doesn’t Make You Qualified to be a Dentist”. Would you consider a dentist to be qualified to do his job if he had bad teeth? No? Yet that is exactly what some people advocate when they believe that experiencing life’s difficulties gives them authority. Would a person who is having a mental health problem be qualified to help other sufferers by the virtue of their shared illness? No. There is something more to it. Experiencing something does not mean that it has been correctly understood. What is even more twisted is when the sense of victimization becomes a badge of pride and exclusivity. I remember being told by at least three different women that because of their terrible experience at the hand of male spouses, their suffering made […]
Jul 11

Parenting is a Two Winged Bird of Love and Respect

by Chris Billows in Spirit Speculations 0 comments tags: Quotations
I have had disagreements with a few of my friends about parenting styles. It appears that amongst most North Americans there is a practice of friendship development with children. One friend told me that he does not believe in giving an allowance because his kids can come to him anytime for money. Also, he does not want them to work when they are in university because that is time of study and he have time to relax and have fun. He wants to be friends with his kids and wants their lives to be as easy as possible. Another friend I was speaking with has adult children living at home with her and they make her frustrated because of their poor work ethic, their laziness in keeping the house clean, etc. She was reluctant to say something because she was worried about upsetting them. I could not understand this. It appeared she confused respect with love. She could always love them as a parent, but she also should expect them to work to earn her respect. I explained to her that her children as they currently were behaving were not worthy of respect. They must instead learn to respect her, […]
Jul 01

Care About What People Feel, Not About What They Think

by Chris Billows in Spirit Speculations 0 comments tags: Defining Life, Quotations
One of the things I remember from my deceased father was his advice to not worry if people do not like you. He emphasized that if somebody should not like you, that was their problem. There was little you could do to make somebody like you if they did not want to. I took this advice to heart. During my school years and even to today, I really don’t concern myself whether people like me or not. I know that it is impossible to control somebody else’s thoughts, so I don’t bother worrying about them. I don’t worry about my reputation and don’t worry about my social standing. It is very liberating. But that does not mean I don’t care about other people. In my job as a Social Worker and in my spiritual life, I believe very strongly that it is important to care about others. The question is what is it we are to care for in others. I would say that we need to care about how they feel, not what they think. I value feeling over thinking, because feeling is much more primal and is better remembered. I have experienced this in both business and in […]
Jun 13

Personal Responsibility is the Crux of Everything

by Chris Billows in Spirit Speculations 0 comments tags: Defining Life, Human Condition, Meaning of Life, Quotations
I am convinced that personal responsibility is the single most important decision facing humanity. I see evidence of this in humanity’s relationship with the great spiritual masters such as Buddha and Jesus. Assuming that we accept the premise that these masters were also great teachers, we must ask if it is the teacher’s fault if the student does not practice what is taught. Buddha taught for about fifty years and was highly revered as a teacher. Yet despite all his efforts there has been, and will continue to be, people who cannot or will not take his teachings to heart. This proves to me that students have the birthright of personal responsibility. Taking personal responsibility is the basis of every sound business, every helpful psychological system, and the every mystical tradition that the world has ever seen. It is simply the crux of everything.
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