The 5000 Year Leap

I recently finished reading one of my first brushes with politics.  I've read a few things by Bastiat and had many conversations with Jonathan, but have mostly avoided this area.  I finally buckled down and read The 5000 Year Leap by Cleon Skousen.  My knowledge of politics and the founding father's has grown a little, but I'm a long way from becoming well-read. 

The book lists 28 of the Founders' principles that changed the world; 28 ideas that made our nation.  I struggled to understand all the principles, but I hope with more exposure and study I can gain a better understanding of these ideas.  For now I'd like to list a few things that stood out to me. 

• Natural Law is universal and eternal.  According to Skousen natural law "cannot altered.  It cannot be repealed.  It cannot be abandoned by legislators or the people themselves."  All laws must be measured by God's law.  Our unalienable rights are examples of natural law, as is no taxation without representation and the right to bear arms.  We should be governed by law, not by the whims of men. 
• We will only remain free if we are virtuous and morally strong and elect virtuous and moral leaders.  Benjamin Franklin says "only a virtuous people are capable of freedom.  As nations become corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters."  Virtue must be continually taught in the home and in the church.  The founders also believed that public office should be a position of honor not of high pay in order to attract people of virtue.
• God is important.  "All things were created by God, therefore upon Him all mankind are equally dependent, and to Him they are equally responsible."  
• All men are created equal and the job of the government is to protect equal rights not provide equal things.  We had a great discussion on this principle today while listening to A Little Princess.  After learning that her father had died leaving Sara with no money the school mistress removed Sara from the school and had her earn her board and act as a servant.  She treated her poorly.  After 2  years Sara and her school mates learn that Sara is still rich and that it was all a mistake.  One little girl expresses her dismay at how poorly Sara was treated even though she was really rich.  I asked if it was OK to treat people different just because of how much money they have or how they look.  I said I thought it was right for Sara to work for her board now that she could no longer pay for it, but it wasn't right for the people at the school to treat her any different just because she was now a servant.  Everyone has the right to be treated fairly and kindly, but that doesn't mean that we all should get the same things. 
• We have the unalienable, natural right to life, liberty and property.  Bastiat says "Life, liberty, and property do not exist because men have made laws.  On the contrary, it was the fact that life, liberty, and property existed beforehand that caused me to make laws [for the protection of them] in the first place."  The right to life and liberty is secure only if the right to property is secure. 
• "The right to rule is actually in the people and therefore no person can rightfully rule the people with out their consent."  That was said by Algernon Sidney in 1663 before he was beheaded by King Charles II. 
• The United States should be a republic not a democracy.
• Freedom to try, freedom to buy, freedom to sell, freedom to fail. 
• "To the greatest possible extent, problems should be solved on the local level." 
• Thomas Jefferson said in his inaugural address that he wanted "friendship with all. . .alliances with none." 
• The government should protect the role of the family.  I recently listened to a speech by Oliver Demille.  At the beginning he talked about how people have a focus.  In the past it has been the belief that kings have to divine right to rule.  I can't remember what he said our focus is now, but he talked about the current debate for out next focus: individualism vs families.  I believe in the importance of the role of families and want to fight on that side. 

There was so much more information and I hope that the more I get exposed to these ideas, the more I'll be able to understand them. 

8 Minute Meditation--Weeks 5 and 6

Week 5--Gracious Declining
This week's technique gave me more practice in "refraining from engaging unwanted, frivolous, and negative thoughts."  I pretended that each thought was a door-to-door salesman that kept trying to get my attention.  My job was to first focus on my breath, then open the door, look at each thought, and then decline to let it in. 

7/23  For the past 3 weeks I have been wanting to focus on my breath again and now that I am, I don't like it.  I'm just not "getting" it.  I know he was that the only bad meditation is no mediation.  I'm not sure that is true.  I started out doing this because it was part of the class with a slight hope that it would do something, but now I'm just doing it because I said I would do it for 8 weeks.  I grudgingly set my alarm and get into position.  I thought that my attitude would change over time.  I am trying and I will keep trying and hoping for 4 more weeks.

7/24  better. . .for a little in the middle. . .gotta remember to return to the anchor point

7/26  how am I supposed to "get" anything out of meditation if I keep turning away my thoughts?  I can't have an "a-ha" moment.  I think I need to go back and read the beginning about the benefits and reason for meditation. 

Week 6 Private Screening
During this week, I brought my attention to my "mind screen"--the place in my thoughts where my visual images seem to be projected.  When thoughts arose, I would notice them and then return to my "mind screen". 

7/30  Oooh!  I might like this one.  :)  But almost every image provoked a thought and vise-versa.

8/1  No images today--only thoughts.  I kept trying to go back to the screen, but was blank. 

8/4  I changed my mind--I don't like this one--thoughts and images are too closely related.  Plus I saw a scary image tonight.  It caused me to stop, open my eyes, pray and hum a hymn. 

8 Minute Meditation--Weeks 3 and 4

Week 3--Noting Body Sensations
The anchor point for this week was the constant motion throughout my body.  I didn't need to find or name the exact location of the main body sensation, just note it and direct my awareness to it. 

7/9 I "ping-ponged" to different aches and pains in my body.

7/10 At lease with breathing I had something "solid" to anchor to.  I'm not sure if I'm noting my body right--I bounce from one ache to another.  Nothing "lights" up.  Maybe I'm just noticing the different sensations and focusing too early and not giving anything a chance to "light up".

7/13  I tried something different t for a few  minutes--I tried to "find" each body part.  It was the best part of my 8 minutes but it didn't last very long and doing it twice didn't work.  I'll have to try slower next time. 

7/14 Noting body sensations has made me aware of how achy and stiff my bod is--this isn't a favorite.  :)

(Side note--In the next chapter I learned about a monk who had the inability to accept his discomforts.  That was my problem during week 3--I made judgement about my sensations.)

Week 4--This Magic Moment
This week's technique was about being present in the moment.  It was about being here now instead of elsewhere or elsewhen.  I was supposed to label my thoughts "past" or "future", release it and notice the space around it.  That space is the present. 

7/16 My type 2 nature wants more details, but I hear my husband say "don't make it harder."  I want to know how to surrender, how not to resist thoughts, how to allow things.

7/18  There are about 2 minutes when I might be feeling "present".  I am able to release my thought and I feel like I'm swinging in the space between past and future.  I have to label the thought--think "past" or "future", then think "release" then say to myself "enjoy the space left behind".  That helps.

The Bronze Bow

"--God is my strong refuge,

and has made my way safe.

He made my feet like hinds' feet,

and set me secure on the heights.

He trains my hands for war,

so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze."

The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare is a story of revenge, of fear, of forgiveness, of love.  It's a story of overcoming.  Daniel and his sister Leah live in Roman-ruled Jerusalem at the time when Jesus lived and taught there.  They witness the crucifixion of their father and subsequent death of their mother.  The story is their reaction to this terrible event and how they grow and change because of the people they meet afterward.

Daniel's reaction is to hate and seek revenge.  He joins a rebel group in hopes of overthrowing the Roman soldiers, but eventually learns from Jesus that hate isn't the way.  During one teaching moment, Jesus tells about a rich man who came and wanted to follow him.  When Jesus told the man to give up his wealth the man went away.  Daniel replies that he would give away everything he has, to which Jesus responds, "Riches are not keep you from the kingdom. . .You must give up your hate." 

Leah responds with fear and avoidance.  She hides in her house and doesn't come out or see anyone.  Toward the beginning of the story Daniel is forced to return home and care for Leah.  The only person, besides Daniel, she allows in her home is Thacia, the sister of Daniel's rebel friend.  Thacia's kindness is one of the things that helps Leah change.  After Thacia's first visit Daniel notices the change in his sister's face.  She is smiling.

Daniel and Leah are the main characters in the book, but there are others who change and grow.  My favorite change is found in the last chapter, but I'd like to leave that for you to discover in your own reading of the book.  

8 Minute Meditation--Weeks 1 and 2

So, I started meditating.  It's part of a class I'm taking.  I've never meditated before.  In fact, I've kind of avoided it.  When I do yoga, I skip the meditation section.  Any time it comes up in a cool down from a work out video, I fast forward.  I've never understood it.  I still don't understand it, but I'm giving it a try.

The book for the class is 8 Minute Meditation by Victor Davich.  His idea is to slowly introduce you to meditation.  He says everyone should be able to find 8 minutes a day to meditate.  He helps prepare you for the process and gives all the right instructions.  Too bad his writing style is a little choppy.  He teaches a different technique every week for eight weeks and by the end you should be ready to pick the one that works best for you and move on to longer, deeper meditations. 

I've been journal-ing my experience.

Week 1--Just 1 Breath
During this week my anchor point was my breathing.  Any time I had a thought I noticed it and returned to my anchor point--at least that was supposed to happen. 

Ignore my messy meditating space.  I try to find someplace
quiet.  While on vacation I meditated in the bathroom.

6/25 First time.  Funny--I felt like I was still watching my breathing while my thoughts wondered--two thoughts at once.  My thoughts didn't wander as much as I thought, but that catch and release was great--I was able to quickly return to my breathing.  I did have several thoughts about when it would be over and I wasn't very comfortable--stiff.

6/29  I feel like I'm getting worse--but that's not really fair--roving mind will always be there, but I've been forgetting to release the thought.  One of the hardest things is that I can be aware of my breathing and a thought at the same time. I'm probably equally aware, but as soon as I try to focus on just breathing I get another thought--usually about breathing.  Today I wasn't even wanting to meditate, but I committed to do it every day for 8 minutes for 8 weeks.

Week 2--Naked Sound
My anchor point for this week was sounds, but just hearing the sound--not identifying or judging the sound.

7/2 Camping provides a lot of sounds.  It is hard for me to not identify the sounds--what Pooh character is that?  I found it easier to control my thoughts--focusing on sounds is easier than focusing on breath, but is it calmer?

7/4  It's hard when the only sound is the hum of my ceiling fan and an occasional ac  blowing.   There is no rise, fall with a constant sound.  I like when new sounds come, but I also like to identify them.

7/7 Not all sounds have a rise and fall!  There's got to be another way to focus on the sounds.  I also find it hard not to name the sounds--they are all so familiar that it is automatic.  I thought I would like this one better because I liked the "result" of it.  I can't wait until the next type!

My Winnie-the-Pooh Experience

I've never liked Winnie-the-Pooh.  I always thought he was boring and dumb.  But a new book caused me to see him in a different light.  In The Tao of Pooh, Benjamin Hoff compares characters from  AA Milne's books to explain Taoism.  Here are some things I learned. . .

Simple-minded does not equal stupid. 
The Tao principle of the Uncarved Block means that things in their original simplicity contain natural power, natural beauty, and natural function.  Pooh is the uncarved block.   He is simple-minded (not stupid), he enjoys the simple things in life and he can do things spontaneously.  The concept of the uncarved block brings me back to my questions about peace. Pooh seems to be at peace. Enjoying the simple things and doing things impulsively are what make him that way.

Everything has its own place and function.
Understanding your Inner Nature helps you know where you belong, what you are good at, and your limitations.  It starts with "recognizing who we are, what we've got to work with, and what works best for us."  Pooh shares a rhyme to help explain the principle.

How can you get very far,

If you don't know Who You Are?

How can you do what you ought,

If you don't know What You've Got?

And if you don't know Which To Do

Of all the things in front of you,

Then what you'll have when you are through

Is just a mess without a clue

Of all the best that can come true

If you know What and Which and Who.

Understanding my Inner Nature is difficult for me.  I usually rely on others to tell me who I am.  I've recently had some opportunities that have forced me to do my own looking and I'm learning a lot.  I know who I am, a little about what I've got to work with, and more about what works best for me. 

Not only do I have my Inner Nature, but so does everything else.  "When we learn to work with our own Inner Nature, and with the natural laws operating around us. . .we work with the natural order of things and operate on the principle of minimal effort. . .Tao doesn't force or interfere with things, but lets them work in their own way, to produce results naturally.  Then whatever needs to be done is done."  Sometimes I can do this and sometimes I can't.  I know that there are certain things around the house that need to be done and if I don't do them they don't get done.  But, there are things that I can let "happen."  Like letting the kids fix meals or not stressing about other's responsibilities.  I think there is a fine line, but understanding what things can "happen" can bring peace. 

The key to wisdom, happiness and truth is Nothing.

"An Empty sort of mind is valuable for finding pearls and tails and things because it can see what's in front of it.  An Overstuffed mind is unable to.  While the Clear mind listens to a bird singing, the Stuffed-Full-of-Knowledge-and-Cleverness mind wonders what kind of bird is singing.  The more Stuffed Up it is, the less it can hear through its own ears and see through its own eyes." 

Sometimes I feel like the Stuffed Up one--I hear a bird and wonder what kind; I spout off useless information, but have nothing to back it up with; I need to always be doing.  Instead I should follow the advise of Lao-tse: "To attain knowledge, add things every day.  To attain wisdom, remove things every day."  I was recently complaining about how busy we are, how we always have so much to do.  Maybe I need to remove some things from our schedule. 

Did I learn anything about Taoism from reading this book?  A little.  I think the best explanation came from the forward.  Benjamin Hoff is talking to a colleague trying to convince him that Pooh is one of the "Great Masters of Wisdom" by reading him a section of AA Milne's books.  The unbeliever argues, "That's not about Taoism. . .It's about this dumpy little bear that wanders around asking silly questions, making up songs, and going through all kinds of adventures, without ever accumulating any amount of intellectual knowledge or losing his simpleminded sort of happiness.  That's what it's about."  To which Benjamin Hoff replies, "Same thing."

How Can I Find Peace?

After a recent discussion of Heidi I was given a challenge to apply something that I learned/felt from the book.  A lot of my comments during the discussion were geared toward peace.  Peace is a theme I have been noticing a lot in books lately.  I have been feeling a lack of peace in my home and have been drawn toward the idea of peace.  I enjoyed the peace that Heidi felt on the mountain and wondered how I could feel that same peace in my home.  So for 2 weeks I committed that I would journal peaceful times and non-peaceful times and compare them. 

It was an interesting 2 weeks.  I asked a lot of questions.  I was able to answer some, but am still searching for answers to others. 

How can I find  peace?  Will finding inner peace help me find outer peace?
Part of my plan was to find inner peace in hopes that it would bring about more peaceful situations within my home.  I wondered if I needed to start my day of different.  I downloaded the last General Conference onto my ipod and began listening to talks every morning while getting ready.  I said my prayers differently.  I reviewed some old conference talks about peace and studied peace in the scriptures.  I was reminded that Christ brings peace and that I need to call upon Him in non-peaceful times.

How can I prepare myself to have more peaceful situations?   Does planning equal peace?
I know what types of situations are hard for me and for my kids.  Knowing this helps me prepare them and prepare myself.  When I'm prepared, I'm better able to handle things that come up.  When they are prepared and know what is expected, they are better behaved.  But, what do I do when situations come up that I'm not prepared for?  How can I maintain a calm and peaceful attitude?

Does relaxing equal peace?  Does simplicity equal peace?    
One afternoon the kids and I went to the park.  I brought my book and was able to get a lot of reading done.  The kids played nicely and I enjoyed watching them.  The weather was nice.  I felt at peace.  Some of my favorite times are when we go camping or fishing and we are playing or working or relaxing. 

Another evening I had a very simple dinner with few rules and expectations.  It was a great evening!  The kids were well behaved and had fun.  How can I simplify things to bring more peace? 

How do I find peace when I'm doing something I don't want to be doing? 
There were a few days when I was grumpy because I was doing something I didn't want to be doing or with someone I didn't want to be with.  I tried to make the best of the situation and look for the good in the event or person.  That helped.  I realized that I can't let outside situations control how I am feeling. 

Does enjoying the moment bring peace? 

One afternoon the boys were fishing and the girls were hanging out with me.  We sang songs and talked and looked at things.  It was great.  This was my favorite part of the trip.  I think that enjoying the moment brings peace and being at peace helps you to enjoy more moments. 




Why are there times when I'm not at peace?  Why are some days better than others? 
This was a questions that I asked a lot and I wasn't able to answer.  It probably goes back to that old song "Mama said there'd be days like this, there'd be days like this my mama said."  Life if full of ups and downs, but I can see that when I prepare and try harder and turn to Christ then there are more days that are up.