Throughout the 2000s, you’d find me regularly riding the Big Apple’s subways during the very early morning hours — specifically from Queens into Manhattan — to work with personal training clients in gyms.
A wholly untroubled conscience is a bad sign. It's healthy to have profound concerns and be able to spot intimate, highly personal contradictions. I had a great discussion on this with an aikido practitioner. He was devoted to a concept of self-defence that attempted to minimize harm to an opponent. But if you know fighting, you know that's not always possible—or even wise, in some circumstances. His view was that progress towards an ideal is the best we can manage at the moment, and that this progress matters even in small amounts. I think your writing and honesty and the way you leave room for good faith debate encourages a healthy progression.
It seems like the aikido practitioner forgot that reality doesn't give you points for kindness during a violent encounter.
It's wise to minimize harm, but sometimes there is no time to be gentle.
Save the ideal for sparring... Good practice and habits.
The little martial arts I did as a teen helped me learn basics on how to fall, twist, etc. The complicated moves are easy to forget when they require precision in a dirty environment.
Thank you! I'm so glad you're using homeopathy and herbs.
Arnica tends to be the gateway drug of homeopathy. I slipped some to my marathon running colleague and she was astonished at what a difference a tiny sugar pill made to her agonisingly tight calves.
I love homeopathy and medicinal herbs (Chinese, Ayurvedic, "Western"). I use herbs daily -since my late teens- and feel super healthy. Just started taking White Willow Bark and Meadowsweet for occasional minor aches (also use Arnica, of course;)! Love what you're up to, Mrs S!!
Ooo!🌱💫I have not!! Thank you for the link!🦋I often nudge people to homeopathy, esp for acute symptoms (when they’re open to anything for relief), ie a poison oak rash, a bruise that lingers, colds/flus, & have even sprinkled in the one for stage fright, lol! I use flower essences as well, & often recommend rescue remedy for overwhelming emotions & fear. It is so helpful for calming the waters. So appreciate the Joette rec, will check her out asap! Thanks again, Mrs S!!✨
I do not see this as a double life. One picks and chooses appropriate settings for speaking up. There are many situations where there is NO POINT in saying anything, and much of the time one learns something by being silent. I did political work when I lived in Boston, conventional work when I lived in NYC, and there would have been no point in talking politics in NY though it was fun to snort to oneself -- sometimes even out loud -- when a coworker said something particularly outlandish.
You make me wonder about Emma Goldman. A doctor knew she needed paying work, so she worked as a masseuse -- I'm sure you know all this stuff -- and I'm sure her clients were generally at least middle-class, and I'm also sure she generally did not talk politics with them.
Double lives are wise in a society that still has taboos.
These days, less so.
But it helps to have discernment when to say the whole shebang or not.
When it comes to my coworkers, I know who are following the jabs issue, even having got the jab. Others are afraid to go there.
One big thing that helped me is that my girlfriend is open to talking about anything. At the start it was rough because she had her own beliefs that were challenged , especially since her brother is a doctor.
Beliefs are what keep us subscribed to streams of altered reality.
These days, beliefs are being melted, shattered, challenged...
“Belief is the death of intelligence. As soon as one believes a doctrine of any sort, or assumes certitude, one stops thinking about that aspect of existence.” - Robert Anton Wilson
I've lost count of how many lives I've led in this alienating system of social abuse, where power over others up and down the chains of command lead us to lie in hiding from Big Brother. Step out of line, and the Man come and take you away.
Or you lose your job. I can't recall how many stints in private tyranny of the free market I've lost because I was out of line. And it only has gone from bad to worse. In the 60s, when I was fired for (Wobbly) labor organizing, there were still some willing to defend my case in court unintimidated by red scare. A generation later, I was getting locked out of my college classroom for crimes of communism because I was using a text by Michael Parenti. By the next generation, I was called on the carpet for termination, with no one left to defend me, by administrators for daring to make some incidental remarks about capitalism and the medical industry.
Shit, no wonder the new abnormal comes as no surprise; only sustained shock that people will settle for something like this:
I'm not sure how to respond, Zack, except to say thank you for such kind sentiments.
A wholly untroubled conscience is a bad sign. It's healthy to have profound concerns and be able to spot intimate, highly personal contradictions. I had a great discussion on this with an aikido practitioner. He was devoted to a concept of self-defence that attempted to minimize harm to an opponent. But if you know fighting, you know that's not always possible—or even wise, in some circumstances. His view was that progress towards an ideal is the best we can manage at the moment, and that this progress matters even in small amounts. I think your writing and honesty and the way you leave room for good faith debate encourages a healthy progression.
Thank you for such a thought-provoking and validating response, James. Much appreciated, my friend. 💕
It seems like the aikido practitioner forgot that reality doesn't give you points for kindness during a violent encounter.
It's wise to minimize harm, but sometimes there is no time to be gentle.
Save the ideal for sparring... Good practice and habits.
The little martial arts I did as a teen helped me learn basics on how to fall, twist, etc. The complicated moves are easy to forget when they require precision in a dirty environment.
Livin a double life because.... survival.
Thanks, Marilyn. That's certainly how it felt at the time.
Ha! I have a double life too.
I am a Research Fellow in health sciences in a university. I am also a qualified herbalist and homeopath. Only one of my colleagues knows.
I like to keep my passion separate from my day job.
Thank you! I'm so glad you're using homeopathy and herbs.
Arnica tends to be the gateway drug of homeopathy. I slipped some to my marathon running colleague and she was astonished at what a difference a tiny sugar pill made to her agonisingly tight calves.
I love homeopathy and medicinal herbs (Chinese, Ayurvedic, "Western"). I use herbs daily -since my late teens- and feel super healthy. Just started taking White Willow Bark and Meadowsweet for occasional minor aches (also use Arnica, of course;)! Love what you're up to, Mrs S!!
Thank you Malika. It's wonderful to hear that people are turning towards the real remedies.
By the way have you heard of Joette? Her blog is a gold mine of knowledge about homeopathy. It's invaluable:
https://joettecalabrese.com/blog/catholic-sisters-use-homeopathy/?amp=1
Ooo!🌱💫I have not!! Thank you for the link!🦋I often nudge people to homeopathy, esp for acute symptoms (when they’re open to anything for relief), ie a poison oak rash, a bruise that lingers, colds/flus, & have even sprinkled in the one for stage fright, lol! I use flower essences as well, & often recommend rescue remedy for overwhelming emotions & fear. It is so helpful for calming the waters. So appreciate the Joette rec, will check her out asap! Thanks again, Mrs S!!✨
You're very welcome!
My herbal mentor always swore by flower remedies for emotional problems.
That's my next voyage of discovery....there are so many wonderful things to learn.
The struggle is real.
I do feel like the pandemic has made people less afraid to speak up and out! It has me anyway!
I concur. That might be why I'm imagining myself more vocal in personal settings.
I'm glad to hear that you're de-compartmentalizing yourself. The world of non-radicals needs your perspectives!
Thank you! 🙂 Our conversation the other day was a catalyst for this contemplation.
I do not see this as a double life. One picks and chooses appropriate settings for speaking up. There are many situations where there is NO POINT in saying anything, and much of the time one learns something by being silent. I did political work when I lived in Boston, conventional work when I lived in NYC, and there would have been no point in talking politics in NY though it was fun to snort to oneself -- sometimes even out loud -- when a coworker said something particularly outlandish.
You make me wonder about Emma Goldman. A doctor knew she needed paying work, so she worked as a masseuse -- I'm sure you know all this stuff -- and I'm sure her clients were generally at least middle-class, and I'm also sure she generally did not talk politics with them.
Double lives are wise in a society that still has taboos.
These days, less so.
But it helps to have discernment when to say the whole shebang or not.
When it comes to my coworkers, I know who are following the jabs issue, even having got the jab. Others are afraid to go there.
One big thing that helped me is that my girlfriend is open to talking about anything. At the start it was rough because she had her own beliefs that were challenged , especially since her brother is a doctor.
Beliefs are what keep us subscribed to streams of altered reality.
These days, beliefs are being melted, shattered, challenged...
“Belief is the death of intelligence. As soon as one believes a doctrine of any sort, or assumes certitude, one stops thinking about that aspect of existence.” - Robert Anton Wilson
I've lost count of how many lives I've led in this alienating system of social abuse, where power over others up and down the chains of command lead us to lie in hiding from Big Brother. Step out of line, and the Man come and take you away.
Or you lose your job. I can't recall how many stints in private tyranny of the free market I've lost because I was out of line. And it only has gone from bad to worse. In the 60s, when I was fired for (Wobbly) labor organizing, there were still some willing to defend my case in court unintimidated by red scare. A generation later, I was getting locked out of my college classroom for crimes of communism because I was using a text by Michael Parenti. By the next generation, I was called on the carpet for termination, with no one left to defend me, by administrators for daring to make some incidental remarks about capitalism and the medical industry.
Shit, no wonder the new abnormal comes as no surprise; only sustained shock that people will settle for something like this:
https://www.bitchute.com/video/fdrd89n17yID/.
I can relate to this in different ways and love these stories. Thank you!!
❤