Mental Traps. What are mental traps?

Are you currently locked in a mental trap? I will be exploring these States of Being or Modes of Thinking using Andre Kukla's "Mental Traps - The Overthinker's Guide to a happier life." The podcast to accompany this blog is available at http://smahoo.mypodcast.com/. You can also get a copy of this interesting book via www.randomhouse.ca.

Each of us deal with Mental traps as a part of our every day life experience. Some of us can find ourselves trapped in one or more of these mental states of Being or Modes of thinking for periods that can be brief or prolonged, depending on our dependence on them to cope with our life situations.

Regardless of their seeming effectiveness in helping us deal with our life issues it is a fact that in reality they are injurious to us and usually is responsible for many of the things we would like to change about our life.

The Change we call death; Rice and Peas for the Soul - By Shirvington Hannays

Around the end of January of 2001, I walked into a bookstore in downtown Toronto, Canada and stood in front of a bookshelf of books on Death as if lead by some force outside my rational mind. If you knew me at that time, that was out of my character. I tried not to use the word death and tried as hard as I could to not think about it, certainly never using the word in the same sentence with my name.

Thanks to Elisabeth Kübler Ross, M.D., and her book “On Death and Dying” I was somewhat prepared me for May 6th later that year and certainly September 11th that same year. The book explores in plain and simple language a subject that to many is anything but plain and simple.

It skillfully highlights the author's seminal "stages of dying" or "stages of grief" model which is still widely quoted. According to the Kübler-Ross mode, there are five stages that a dying person goes through when they are told that they have a terminal illness. The five stages go in progression through denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. This model has been widely adopted by other authors and applied to many other situations where someone suffers a loss or change in social identity. The model is often used in bereavement work. Not all workers in the field agree with th Kübler-Ross model, and some critics feel the stages are too rigid.

Be cautioned that reading the book would not make you a superhuman or numb to the emotions or human reactions to the pains of death, as I found out four months after reading the book or on September 11th later that year. However since then I have had to deal with two more deaths of love ones. To which I can say I move from denial to acceptance very quickly. So in that that sense, yes, I can say I have truly grown to embrace death now more readily. However I am still ready to be open when it would be my time to confront my own death or that of another through the five stages, Ms. Kübler-Ross put forward. -- Shirvington Hannays (www.smahoo.com)


"Soon someone will say or do something the world will come to love and benefit from that you are too afraid to do or say NOW." - Shirvington Hannays - 05-03-2009

Soon someone will say or do something the world will come to love and benefit from that you are too afraid to do or say NOW. - Shirvington Hannays - 05-03-2009

You too can become a Buddha; Rice and Peas for the Soul - Shirivington Hannays (click here to listen to the audio podcast for this entry)

I have come to realize there is no final destination to arrive at when you consciously choose to embark on the road less traveled. However there is a state of mind and Being that can be realized and maintained in the constant changing Now moment.

Enlightenment is available to everyone. Therefore anyone with a desire to be in oneness with the present moment regardless of what might be appearing in the now moment as a person, situation, event or experience. Buddhism with it's practical approach to living and co-existing with everything in the Universal lends itself easily to this. But life would have to be view and embraced with a different mindset and state of Being than the average human mind set.

Buddhism speaks readily to ways to bring about the shift in your consciousness and mindset to do so. But you first need to accept and embrace the four noble truths, the noble eightfold path and undertake to live by the five precepts. I consciously explore Buddhism’s principles in my daily life because of it’s practical approach to living and its emphasis on everyone taking responsibility for their intentions, choices – conscious and unconscious, actions and reactions.

It may not always be easy to maintain and sometimes I am caught off-guard and have a little “pity party” or re-activate my membership in the “poor me club” for a few hours, days but now at most a week. However, I have come a long way because I was once a board member of the “poor me club”. - - Shirvington Hannays (www.smahoo.com)

The PROCESS or CHANGE we call Death is a natural part of Living or BEING alive. Which is really or simply a CHANGE of the Energy of who you are. Being afraid of it wouldn't change its reality about this Experience we call LIFE. - Shirvington Hannays - 27-03-2009

I will say NO until....

My YES can be empowered and the intention for saying yes is not attached to a hidden motive that is self serving, intended to "people please" manipulate or control another in any way. - Shirvington Hannays.

Most prayers SEEM to go unanswered when there is attached to a specific outcome missing the possibilities of the NOW moment. - Shirvington Hannays - 21-12-2008

The Poor Me Mentality.

Playing the victim may feel right but it is an excuse that prevents self growth and inner strength realization. - Shirvington Hannays - 01-09-2009

Before you pray - Become - Shirvington Hannays

I have discovered and come to realize that effective prayer requires a State of Mind and Being filled with the PEACE that passeth Human understanding.

My quest for a better understanding of what life was all about started when as I child, I felt that my entire family and I, were all going to hell because God didn’t like us. This conclusion at that time was arrived at because it was clear he didn’t answer any of our many prayers we offered to him daily on our knees, eyes closed and face upward to heaven.

Praying and the need to pray was drilled into my head daily to be done before I went to sleep at night, when I woke in the morning, before I ate anything, before leaving the house and yes even at school before classes started for the day. More than twenty years later, I can safely say after more than ten years of conscious and consistent exploration, I have extended my concept of prayers and praying or acts of worship.

I now no longer pray for anything with words but continuously try to maintain a state of Mind and Being of gratitude for every experience or event I experience. This is in no way always easy or the ready response in every situation as I go about my daily practical living or when my ego and intellect demand a excess dose of attention.

This way of living and state of Being is becoming easier because of the conscious awareness and alertness that continuously fill me with renew gratitude. Which results in longer periods of complete acceptance of whatever maybe happening in my life. This also makes me more at peace with the concept now than when it was first introduced to me some twelve years ago.

I am now totally at peace with the notion that there is never ANYTHING to pray for hence I do not offer up any prayer to something or someone outside my Being. I may say THANKS or THANK YOU from time to time when the sense and feeling of gratitude is so intense that I may automatically verbalise my gratitude as a reminder to my self to consciously look around and observe more of the present moment. This continues to strengthen me to be more consistent in my willingness to be open and receptive to give up any previously held concept in place of new response in any given moment. Which then usually fosters harmony with whatever IS in the NOW moment.

This is what I now understand and know to be "be still and know...." and it is truly “the Peace that passeth Human understanding...” - Shirvington Hannays (http://www.smahoo.com/)

As we embrace Podcast and Vodcast.

Monthly audio podcasts are now available at http://smahoo.mypodcast.com to be followed shortly with the launch of an on-demand online motivational WebTV via www.smahotv.com.

Regards to you in your continued exploration of your INNER Self for a more wholesome understanding of yourself in relation to everything else in the physical and invisible realms of the Universe.

"If you can dare yourself to dream big, infact VERY big and not be afraid to be seen as different, the seemingly impossible becomes possible." – Shirvington Hannays (11-05-2008)

CHOICE for CHANGE

The United States of America has elected a new President on 11-04-2008.  His mixed racial identity makes the occasion historic, as he is refered to as African American.  He has done himself, family and supporters proud.  History will show that it was his willingness to embrace all of who he is without seeing himself as a victim of his heritage that enable him to make history.  It is now up to those who prayed for a moment like this, to embrace it and do something with it INDIVIDUALLY.  Since in the fullness of WHAT is REAL, SPIRITUALLY, "this too shall soon pass."  -- Shirvington Hannays

Modern day mental slavery

Many theories and belief about our relation to the invisible and physical realms of the Universe, continue to hold many, in mental bondage. If consciously explored, many may discover that a large part of their Belief system is based on theories that were arrived at based on very limited evidences and assumptions.

For example, there are many, whom still hold the belief, that NIGHT and DAY were created, even in light of evidences which show that day and night are the effects of the earth spinning on its axis.

Further evidences support the fact that the Earth is ROUND; not FLAT and have been for over 70 million years. Yes, intellectually, it is now accepted and embraced that the earth is round and goes without saying. It is the roundness of the earth that results in the events we label Day and Night. However as recent as 2000 to 500 years ago most held the view that the earth was FLAT. Therefore the assumption was still upheld that Day and Night had to have been CREATED by that which created everything.

To revisit this belief would REQUIRE that other beliefs central to this belief be revisited. It goes without saying that any revisiting will shake the foundation of what is put forward in direct support of some creation stories or even the flood that destroyed everything except for an ARK.

"This too shall soon pass" - the same image on either sides of the same coin. - Shirvington Hannays

When in the mist of a judged or labeled "bad, difficult, painful or challenging situation or experience", the phase "this too shall soon pass" can be one of the most comforting re-assurances you can receive, reflect on or embrace.

Especially if you allow yourself to acknowledge that, the statement has proven true countless times before. In reality, this statement is also true for those situations or periods in our lives that we may judge or label "good, easy going, painless, peaceful or without challenge."

If and when you embrace this statement fully or even partially, it could be said that, you have become awaken to a very simple but yet one of the most powerful Spiritual principles. A principle that has the potential to return your mind, body and soul to the state of wholeness.

The state you were a nano-second before your soul accepted the invitation from your parents and you were conceived. I am nowhere near being totally at peace with this statement, but I am humbled in the understanding of the principle, an understanding that could truly bring to my Human experience the peace that passeth Human understanding.

As I continue to daily acknowledge and embrace this awareness, I am strenghten to snap out of most states of depression, resentment, anger and the blame game faster when seemingly good and pleasant experiences fade away and "soon pass". - Shirvington Hannays

The road less Traveled. -- SMAHO

Being Human means being willing to daily face all of Life's experiences, knowing that you will continue to experience pain, hurt and emotional bruises in many different ways for as long as you are in this physical universe. Especially emotional bruises even after you have consciously or unconsciously CHOSEN to take the road less traveled to live your life. On the road where you will consciously make the CHOICE to always be authentic to the NOW moment. Always being naked with your TRUTHS, honest with your INTENTION and committed to your CHOICE.

However even as an enligthen person consciously seeking to be authentic in the moment with your every CHOICES, it may come as a surprise to you when you find yourself overcome by deep pain or hurt. Which can then easily give way as usual to anger or resentment toward yourself and the projected source of the pain or hurt. It is usually in these times that you will be called on to BE still and know that the peace that passes all human understanding is readily available to get you to YOUR next fullness in time, in the NOW.

For this understanding and knowledge I give thanks and I am truly THANKFUL. -- Shirvington Hannays

The Power of Choice - SMAHOO

I always have the choice to stay silent or to Voice an opinion. There is significant power in either choice. - Shirvington Hannays

"It is all meant for your next moment in TIME - whether good and Bad" - Shirvington Hannays

"I have always been a firm believer that nothing happens to us by chance, but by the grand design layed out for our lives and at the appointed time or as it were 'the fullness of time'. What we do with these exeperiences shape our destiny and our journey or learning in this life. If we embrace life's experiences good and bad, we can shape our own character and prepare ourself for even greater challenges and ready ourself for even deeper enjoyment of life."  - Justin Hardy (Tue, Sep 2, 2008 at 3:28 PM)

The talk of Peace is LIMITED - SMAHOO

Be that which you seek. That is the ultimate form of PRAYER. - Shirvington Hannays

Time really has no really importance in the realm of the invisible.  -  Shirvington Hannays

Some people have an impact on our lives, even if only for a moment.  And we are not the same anymore.  time has no importance, but certain moments have some forever.  -  Fern Bork

The poetry of Nature - SMAHOO

Even a brief focus on that which is beyond our own limited understanding of that which has cause us to BECOME manifested can lead to a sincere understanding of the poetry of all of Nature in the visible and invisible UNIVERSE. - Shirvington Hannays

The visible is a shadow cast by the invisible. -- PLATO

The truth does not fear questions. -- David Baird