"Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes."

"Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes."

Carl Jung

Swiss psychologist Carl Jung is best known for his theories concerning the unconscious — our personalities, dreams, and intuitions. He believed that to develop a “true self,” each person had to distinguish the ego (individual identity) from the collective unconscious (shared symbols and patterns over human history). In that vein, Jung helped establish psychotherapy for people who felt their lives had lost meaning, guiding them to examine their individuality. His studies are a testament to the power of looking inward: When we understand ourselves and our place in the world, it gives us the clarity and insight we need to live with purpose.

A List of Gratitudes - a Thanksgiving

Jonathan Lockwood Huie

Making a list of gratitudes is an exercise that holds renewed power each time it is repeated. One can never be too conscious of everything there is for which to be grateful. So make a gratitude list today... and make another one next month, or maybe next week, or maybe tomorrow. Don't take ANYTHING for granted... start the list with "being alive," and "being ME." List EVERYTHING there is to be grateful for... NO Assumptions! NO Expectations!

While you're working on your list, let me share mine: I'm grateful to be alive and ME in this instant. I'm grateful for everything that has ever occurred to bring me to this moment of being exactly who I am today. I'm grateful to my distant ancestors who survived eons of sameness punctuated by moments of terror... who fought saber tooth tigers and barely survived each winter in order to pass down the genes that make me who I am today. I am grateful to my father's father who sailed from China alone as a young boy in the hold of a sailing ship, bringing my genes from desperate hunger to the opportunity of America. I am grateful to my father's mother and her ancestors who brought their part of my biological inheritance from Holland to "New Amsterdam." I am grateful to my mother's parents who brought their share of my genes from an unhappy Germany to a new beginning in Connecticut. I am grateful to my parents for choosing to bring me into the world - 17 years after my only sibling, and at an age when most couples of their generation had completed their childbearing. Just genetically, my chances of being ME are infinitesimally small.

I am grateful for everything my parents did and didn't do. I am grateful for the unconditional love I received from each of them. I am grateful for the lessons of my father's heavy drinking, and my mother's fear of strangers. I am grateful both for the joy of my mother's generous readings and other attentions to me, and for the pain my isolated early childhood later caused me. I am grateful even for the bullying and other painful experiences of my youth, as each one made me the person I am today. I am grateful for every success and every failure I have ever had... every new love and every divorce... every promotion and every firing... every smile and every tear.

There is simply nothing NOT to be grateful for.

Importance of Friendship

The importance of friendship is hard to overstate. Having a circle of friends can provide a feeling of inclusion and acceptance, and offer emotional support during difficult times. Whether we're dealing with a breakup, the loss of a loved one, or another life challenge, having supportive friends to confide in can help alleviate stress and provide a different perspective on the situation.

Friendships can also help boost our self-esteem and confidence. When surrounded by supportive friends who offer encouragement and positive feedback, we feel more self-assured and capable of achieving our goals. Friends are often a source of motivation and accountability, too, and can inspire us to pursue personal growth and development.

Making new friends can be challenging, however — particularly for those of us who are shy or introverted, or as we get older. But the effort is entirely worth it. We can try attending events or social gatherings that interest us, joining groups that align with our hobbies, or volunteering for a cause that we’re passionate about. As we spend more time with new people, our common interests will lead to deeper discussions and connections. With a little patience, we can see new friendships bloom like flowers in springtime, enriching our life in wonderful ways.

Rock On!

Marlene

Rock on Dave Grohl, musician and the legendary founder of the rock band Foo Fighters! I love your music, enthusiasm, and individuality. Some may think you're out there, but you embrace your individuality and encourage others to do the same.

Each of us has something so wonderful about us that not sharing it makes it seem less significant. Will everyone understand or like it? Probably not. But this is your life; you don't need anyone's permission to be who you are.

Have a great day, and remember: You are unique, valuable, and important. Live your life out loud and rock on!

All Power Is Within You

Marlene

I have always loved learning about different societies, ways of life, religions, and people who have impacted the world. One of these people is Swami Vivekananda. His short biography starts this way:

"Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902) was the foremost disciple of Sri Ramakrishna and a world spokesperson for Vedanta. His lectures, letters and poems are published as The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda. Swamiji, as Vivekananda is affectionately known, believed it was best to teach universal principles rather than personalities. Therefore, his teaching and writing focus on Vedanta philosophy and not Sri Ramakrishna.

Vivekananda represented Hinduism at the 1893 World's Parliament of Religions convened during the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. With his opening words, 'Sisters and brothers of America', Swamiji brought the crowd to its feet. Subsequently, he was invited to speak all over America and Europe. Most Vedanta Societies founded in America and Europe up through the 1930s can trace their origins directly to Vivekananda or the people who heard him speak from 1893 through 1900.

Be curious about others and their ways of life. Most of the time we can find more similarities than differences. Take care today, and open your heart!