Is trying to keep a positive mind even worth it anymore?

[Jacques]

Put this way it reminds me of V torturing Evey to set her free from her fears

Would you please tell me more about V and Evey, that I may understand your statement ?

Since it seems that you don't know V, Esote, I would recommend to take the time to watch that great movie, "V for Vendetta" .

See here for more info.

 

[Zadius Sky]

Put this way it reminds me of V torturing Evey to set her free from her fears

Would you please tell me more about V and Evey, that I may understand your statement ?

There's a thread about it to which we would watch the film every year on the 5th of November:

http://cassiopaea.org/forum/index.php/topic,10588.0.html

The film was directed by The Wachowskis, who also directed the Matrix films.

 

[williamsj]

By a positive mind I mean like having a confidence for a better future, that things will turn for the best and truly keeping that feeling strong.
I just don't feel like I can believe in positivity anymore.

I have sometimes when I felt like that, found that thinking the thought to the end helps, like:

"OK I'm never going to experience happiness, and then it only gets worse, and then I probably get sick on top, and then I die, alone, and in shame, and probably incarnate as something vile and sad, or not at all, and the whole word probably dies as well, and all was for nothing, and it's very depressing"

Then it seems that I'm slightly better at enjoying the small rays of sunlight shining through the rain now and then, concentrate better on what I can do, more than what I can't, and also to enjoy that I'm at least not dead yet today.

I guess I'm using reversed psychology on myself, to get to acceptance stage.

It might be useful or not...

I can empathize here. "Things" come at us all, both emotional and financial; can't think of anything outside of those two at the moment, and we can either ride them or react to them. If we anticipate what is coming at us, then we tend to react badly. If we just allow what is coming at us to arrive and then asses how to deal with it, things generally work out for the better. I will say that some stuff I can handle well in this way myself; other stuff I have a habit (as my wife will attest to) of throwing a Donald (as in Duck); never does any good, and does not make you feel better in the long run. But to answer the original question, Yes I do think there is a point in keeping a positive mind, as the other alternative is a negative and therefore usually destructive mind.. Does not help you nor anyone else.

John

 

[Esote]

Thanks for the links. I didn't know the story...

Well, I guess I just forgot something in my post : humor, so essential !
:)

 

[Ca.]

Positive, negative--I'd just suggest trying to remain functional in whatever capacity you're able to at any given moment. At the very least, I'd suggest not letting negativity bog you down into depression. Remember the predators and that they are defeatable with great effort. Remember what motivated you to start your inquiry, wherever that's led you currently.

They do say the night is darkest right before dawn, though I think dawn is still a ways away from our perspective, and depending upon your perspective.

Take care!

Fozxx makes a good point. If the Lizzie's find a week link in the chain of faith, then they will go to work to make every effort to try to break that chain of faith, you have worked so hard in maintaining its integrity. So by practicing some form of mental blocking, (a bearer) to their efforts, brings strength to the faith, and your desire in attaining the balance for your struggle for freedom to 4D STO.

The Wave is approaching, and their working over time, to hold us in this prison, by promoting feeling's of what is the use. So like others have said, it's going to take an effort on your part to work up the courage to fight the impending dome, and gloom, that is being promoted by the dark force's. As chaos, and confusion are the alias in the fight of light and darkness.

So it's up to you to be warrior against the mental degradation or a soldier in their army of self defeat.

Hang in there, this is just the begging with so much more to come. So it is a great time to hone the skills that could make you victorious the fight yet to come.

We are all behind you in your support, as we have all been there as well.

 

[whitecoast]

By a positive mind I mean like having a confidence for a better future, that things will turn for the best and truly keeping that feeling strong.
I just don't feel like I can believe in positivity anymore.

A mind cannot function on the premise of its own impotence for making the world better.

A stoic philosopher (I can't remember his name) once said that we must divide a the world into things we can control, and things we cannot. Things we cannot control must be greeted with indifference or equanimity; since it cannot be otherwise, why let it inhibit you in the ways you can make things better? If there are things we can control, we must greet these situations with gratefulness, and do our best to honor the opportunities we have to serve others and make the world a better place.

It's not always easy, lord knows. But your attitude is one of the very few things you have absolute control over. The evil forces in the world do their best to fill us with cynicism, with confusion and disgust. But deep down it is a hysterical bluff. A sott article talking about V for Vendetta spoke of the "last inch" of that which is our own- our integrity. If we are intransigent in its defense, we can wedge ourselves in and force open ever wider

 

[ana]

A stoic philosopher (I can't remember his name) once said that we must divide a the world into things we can control, and things we cannot. Things we cannot control must be greeted with indifference or equanimity; since it cannot be otherwise, why let it inhibit you in the ways you can make things better? If there are things we can control, we must greet these situations with gratefulness, and do our best to honor the opportunities we have to serve others and make the world a better place.

Maybe it's not about being able to control or not but about being aware or not, and to help or not, based on this awareness. And in any case acceptance and not indifference seems to be the key, osit.

 

[williamsj]

A stoic philosopher (I can't remember his name) once said that we must divide a the world into things we can control, and things we cannot. Things we cannot control must be greeted with indifference or equanimity; since it cannot be otherwise, why let it inhibit you in the ways you can make things better? If there are things we can control, we must greet these situations with gratefulness, and do our best to honor the opportunities we have to serve others and make the world a better place.

Maybe it's not about being able to control or not but about being aware or not, and to help or not, based on this awareness. And in any case acceptance and not indifference seems to be the key, osit.

I think it is simple, we CAN'T control before the "event" ( Whatever it may be ) only once it has occurred (awareness), anything else is simply pure anticipation. Live, let live and ride the wave! Have faith that the universe has SOME intelligence..

 

[whitecoast]

Maybe it's not about being able to control or not but about being aware or not, and to help or not, based on this awareness. And in any case acceptance and not indifference seems to be the key, osit.

I tend to equate indifference/equanimity with acceptance without identification... sorry if I didn't make this properly understood. Thinking in terms of awareness instead of control, then yes, acceptance is universally necessary for STO. Thanks for helping to clarify, Ana.

I think it is simple, we CAN' T control before the
"event" ( Whatever it may be ) only once it has
occurred (awareness), anything else is simply
pure anticipation. Live, let live and ride the
wave! Have faith that the universe has SOME
intelligence..

Well yeah you can't have control without awareness. That should be obvious. But anticipation isn't an unconditional vice, as long as there's no identification and it's not a manifestation of some buffer or other, because it is a part of awareness. OSIT.

 

[Ðekel]

all of the answers here by members are wonderful.

i would like to add that anti-anticipation and anti-attachment to anticipated outcomes is very important in my opinion.

perhaps the direction for maintained emotional / mental balance would be to pursue not being negative OR positive, but BEing more.
like others have said here; we do not know what the future may bring, and anticipation is a selection of only a narrow set of possibilities for the future.

true positivity to me, means being unattached to specific outcomes. not unaware, but unattached.
unattachment doesn't mean non-doing.

it is more akin to having less of a preference for specific outcomes, and dealing more with what is going on around you in your environment at the moment.

hope this line of thought helps in some way.