How To Fight The Good Fight

It’s true…

As we age, and as we align our experiences with our soul’s growth, we DO in fact take on DIFFERENT levels of tolerance.

And, I’m using the very much misunderstood word (tolerance) loosely here.

So often in the arena of “spiritual growth”, there’s this attitude of you’re IN (and playing nicely) or you’re OUT (and playing not so nicely).

As in, “hey, Bucko… you can’t be stirring up conflict, or acting so emotionally hard-hitting, around me. Look, I watched The Secret and it tells me that negativity is nonspiritual.”

Well, even though that’s not what the movie said literally (maybe implied), nor is the above quote exactly “right on” with the kind of responses we get, from time to time, around our blog posts and commentary, let me just put it to you this way:

It’s pretty damn close!

Now, I am not going to start ranting against the woo-woo thinkers in the world who find it unbearable to flip up their rose-colored glasses occasionally, or any such thing like that, so take a deep breath and keep reading.

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Rather, I’ll just ask you one KEY question… and, maybe, if I’m in the mood, rant or “lash out” about something else that’s related.

QUESTION: At what point does not being calm, cool, and collected, about something you don’t like or want to change, become nonspiritual?

And, to add to that: who’s to say a person isn’t calm, cool and collected just because they’re confronting (whether in writing or verbally) an unpleasant, erroneous, or even asinine issue, idea, person, or institution, etc?

Recently, because of my want to get our MastersofTheSecret.com community to BE AWARE of just how far “Big Brother / Protectionism Thinking” has evolved into our psyche, I instigated an audio post about the creator of SelfHelpFraud.org.

While the majority of our 30+ commenters on that post understood why I did that, and heard my PASSION (and plea) for self-accountability about the results we do or don’t get while being a so-called “manifestation practitioner”, a few felt that I just wasn’t… well... being “tolerant” enough toward good ol’ John Curtis.

Yep, even though he’s the one who spouted off in a very overly-dramatic, over-generalized fashion (by stating, “many victims, blinded to the value of their own life experiences, are attracted to the latest secret in self-help, in an attempt to find out what they should think, feel and how they should act…”), and even though Heather and I are known as the team around here who defends this industry (especially the teachers in it who are teaching for all the right reasons), we (or maybe just I) was, once again, the one who apparently shouldn’t have given FOCUS on such stuff.

What I find interesting is that there’s a LARGE percentage of spiritually-minded / manifesting enthusiasts who still feel it’s juvenile, or needless, to SEE and face up to their negative states or issues that, if they could shine some light on (and I’m not talking about just beaming positive energy towards somebody either), might have an impact (a positive one too) on their lives.

And, these same people even find it hypocritical for somebody, like us, to be a champion and advocate for consistent self-improvement while at the same time engaging in any subject that is less than “feel good” or “uplifting.”

Somewhere along the way, some folks (maybe you know a few) have lost sight of just being themselves and not trying to fit some “spiritual / enlightened mold” that makes them “whole” (in their minds).

To me, the things that make a person REAL and WHOLE are things like:

>> having a belief in something whole-heartedly and not feeling “unevolved” if you stand up for it, get angry, or rant about something or someone who opposes, disagrees, or tries removing it from you.

>> keeping your view of life in full-color mode, always questioning what and why things are, and exploring how life can be received and given. And, to not feel you’re burning or selling out just because you may not be “beaming healing light” towards (or just ignoring) something you don’t like or oppose.

>> acting upon your inward courage, and natural inclination, to be an iconoclastic thinker – to challenge value systems, controlled processes, and anything or anybody that you KNOW (from a gut level) prevents you from expressing your opinions and your own unique ability to reason.

I could go on and on about the ways you can feel comfortable in your own spiritual skin and STILL “fight the good fight” in an attempt to make this world a better place for yourself and the people in your immediate circle of friendship and influence.

And, fighting the good fight, to me, means not being afraid you’ll come across as a “spiritual hypocrite” for SAYING what’s on your mind. It means being “okay” with coming out from behind your veil of perceived perfection and showing the world the “good, bad, and ugly” side of your experiences, relationships, and entangled webs you weave.

Yes, go for it — talk about what’s on your mind, even if there’s no rhyme or reason for the message. Pick up the mic, my friend, and show your true colors.

Maybe you, or someone you know, has this belief that you can ONLY inspire, enliven, awaken, or make a difference in the world if you don’t pay attention to “depressing”, “negative”, or “insidious” things.

I once felt that way.

I remember reading a very funny (sad, but true) article title that Dave Barry wrote about 15 years ago.

It said:

“Country is shocked, saddened by… whatever TV tells us.”

Yes, at the time that headline hit me smack upside the head… hard.

Not only was I allowing the “soap opera syndrome” to rule my experience, I knew other people (loved ones) who were allowing somebody else’s life, or some event, to dictate how they felt or thought at the moment, for the day, or even for longer periods of time.

But, it wasn’t until many years later, when a well-spoken and wise sales manager / friend of mine asked me one day, after work, how I felt about a particular issue that was permeating the news.

It had something to do with the United States’ involvement in trying to be, again, the savior of the world, and not ACTING on certain very important domestic issues.

I just flat out told him, “I don’t care about it, don’t know about it, ’cause I don’t watch the news.”

Yep, that was the head in the sand stance I took back then. It was a place of feeling that there’s nothing I can do about stuff like that, and being 100% focused, and concerned, about my own happiness and growth.

After all, based off my immersion into the laws of the universe, manifestation research, and inner-awareness, I thought to myself:

“I know that I should curb my exposure to world events, the news, and the affairs of government. It’s all just a bunch of negative stuff that won’t help me evolve, and will keep me from being a brighter, cheerier, more buoyant, more accepting, more agreeable person.”

But, I was wrong… really wrong!

Kirk, the friend I mentioned above, put egg on my face when he told me:

“Look, you’re a good-natured, self-aware, passionate guy. A little understanding, and exposure, to what’s going around you, still considered your universe, isn’t going to make you a hardened, unfriendly, unhappy guy. You might think you’ve found a way to be bounce conflict and negativity off you, by putting on blinders and wearing rose-colored glasses, but have you? Sure, those glasses look nice on the face, but will they help you SEE your real reality? You can’t see beyond yourself, if you’re always absorbed in your own little inner world.”

Yeah, that was the mental “tough love” kinda punch that I needed and deserved at that point in my life.

Kirk spoke his truth, made his point, and gave constructive criticism, not because he came from a place of righteousness, but because he CARED. And, guess what… sometimes, caring does indeed mean you have to call out somebody on their way of BEING.

Sometimes, the only way you can “get through” to PEOPLE — whether that be a friend, loved one, or your worshippers (gawd, I hate guru-followers) — is to verbally smack them around a little.

Yes, I said it — that’s what it takes sometimes.

But, unfortunately, in New Age teaching, it’s passed on that “What you resist, persists”. And it often goes unspoken, in the minds of literal-thinkers who hear this from a perceived guru, that the resist part is synonymous with “challenge” or “confront” or “focus on”.

The result?

We have a bunch of spiritual-seeking lemmings walking this earth, truly feeling they are never supposed to be confrontational or adversarial. That would be perpetuating an unevolved “us-them” dualism, right?

I often want to ask those who blithely repeat it: “What’s your evidence? When it’s so blatantly obvious that what you don’t resist, or confront, persists like crazy anyway?”

So, if you’ve made it this far in this post, hopefully, you now have some foundational reasons to feel good about going through life with all 6 senses on HIGH ALERT.

Meaning, be AWARE of everything in your existence, not just the cheery ol’ good stuff.

And, in regards to expressing yourself…

Be bold. Be meek.

Be confident. Be unsure.

Be strong. Be weak.

Be a hard-ass. Be forgiving.

Strive for results. But, be willing to admit a setback.

Share your struggles, if needed, but don’t let the despair run your life.

Be pissed off. Be happy.

Show diplomacy. Show controversy.

Dream a lot. But, truly LIVE this life even more.

Laugh. Cry. Sing.

The point ?

Just Keep Things Real !

We all see right through people who aren’t genuine.

The way to let people SEE your genuineness is to let people hear, see, and feel a “range of emotions” — the experiences of your life that show you’re just like everybody else on the same path to personal freedom and happiness.

Conquests come with challenges. Achievements come with sacrifice. Growth, personal or business, comes with fear, doubt, and anxiety…

And, speaking of FEAR, I was lucky enough to come across a video clip of James Spader’s character, Alan Shore, in the hit T.V. show Boston Legal.

James, of course, was talking to a fictional jury, but he’s really talking to every American.

In his closing arguments he gives a 3+ minute tirade on a topic that is now close to my heart, and should be to yours too: the apathy of the majority of the people in this world in the face of continual loss of liberty.

Now, look, I know the common, unspoken assumption is that spirituality is about calm and peace, and conflict is nonspiritual.

And, of course, I know I’ll get comments saying I can’t (or “shouldn’t”) integrate the spiritual with the political (which is all about conflict), but I want to bring your ATTENTION to this anyway.

Never was the case for democracy so articulately and compellingly — and entertainingly — distilled into an argument that lasts just a few minutes.

You can watch the entire closing argument here

(Note: The video will pop up in your default media player.)

But, here’s my favorite part of Alan Shore’s statement:

“In fact, if the people of this country have spoken, the message is we’re okay with it all. Torture, warrantless search and seizure, illegal wiretappings, prison without a fair trial — or any trial, war on false pretenses. We, as a citizenry, are apparently not offended… At a presidential rally, parade or appearance, if you have on a supportive t-shirt, you can be there. If you are wearing or carrying something in protest, you can be removed. This, in the United States of America.”

He goes on to mention that fear breeds repression.

Read that again: fear breeds repression. Our government and media excel at keeping us in fear. And under the guise of “keeping us safe,” we are losing our freedom.

Some people in our community, as I’ve already predicted, don’t want to hear this. To them, it’s better to think positive and use the LOA to do away with evil or negativity.

If that’s you, then you’ll probably be prone to not watching the video, linked above.

But, regardless, while I have you here, this far in this blog post, if you’re a U.S. Citizen, and care about personal freedom, and want to learn about somebody who tirelessly works for limited constitutional government, low taxes, free markets, and a return to sound monetary policies, then WATCH THIS:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsDlO2Lr_cg[/youtube]

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NOTE: We’re not planning on turning our blog into a forum for political ideology, or views. Rather, we’re in business to share resources, insights, and teachers who can help you experience an uncompromising, ever-prosperous life. One that is unbound from restrictions, not just mental, emotional and spiritual, but, EXTERNAL too.

Sometimes, the world runs by its own rules and, if we’re not AWARE of the puzzle-making behind the scenes, we might fool ourselves into thinking that we really are in charge 100% of the time.

We’ll always hold on to the idea that we can affect our outer through our inner work; however, just because inner is the focus, is doesn’t mean that the outer should be ignored!

Understand?

I hope so !

Your partner in the quest for
living a Life Without Limits,

Barry Goss

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Filed under: Self-Freedom / Emotional Mastery

53 Responses to “How To Fight The Good Fight”

  1. […] >> The person who thinks you’re less evolved than them because you show your emotion, rant about things, incite controversial ideas, or say things that aren’t in 100% harmony with their rose-colored glasses. For a compelling discourse on this, and to read over 50 fascinating comments, read How To Fight The Good Fight. […]

  2. […] even-keeled temper or love n light flair. I talk extensively about that very misconception HERE: How to Fight The Good Fight P.S. By the way, I NEVER said I "teach" it – rather, I research it, report on it, […]

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