Hello,
What's On My Mind is a weekly newsletter where I share a variety of subjects in order to create awareness. Inspiring myself, and others towards an open mind, self-discovery, individual responsibility, and personal growth.
" Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity " - Martin Luther King, Jr.
I hope you find them of any use.
Better conversations
Imagine a world where the only true experience we ever have, which is being ‘aware’, is assumed not to be real. Well, welcome to the insanity of today’s materialist dogma where they believe that awareness is an illusion that needs to be reduced to matter. They presuppose that the body-brain is a ‘creator’ of consciousness, but really it is a ‘point’ of consciousness. Just like a black hole attracts and projects waves of information from the universe, the body-brain attracts and projects waves of information from consciousness. That’s why if we tamper with the body-brain, it doesn’t tamper with how awareness is created, but how it is experienced.
This believe system has created a lot of problems. Examples include the epidemics of mental illness, addiction (to not just legal and illegal drugs, but also TV, emotions, sex etc.), violence, poverty, homelessness, existential crises, suicide, spiritual disconnection, family and community breakdown, a lack of inner peace, obesity and ill health. There’s nowhere to hide from this either; it’s everyone’s job to help transcend this pain together.
Whilst the majority of people in the Western world discuss celebrities, fashion, technology, crime, terrorism and an array of other superficial manifestations of mainstream ‘programs’, there is a growing community of people who are engaged in a dialogue about the core of what it means to be human, facing the real issues and how we can overcome them together. Let's identify some of these issues.
8 examples of systemic and social issues that we currently face:
1. Mainstream (corporate) media programs society with lies and propaganda, which restricts and condenses the awareness of any person who is servant to it;
2. Education is designed to harvest productive economic citizens with little focus on the vitalities of life, such as philosophical, social, physical, emotional, psychological and behavioural health;
3. Capitalism keeps the populace enslaved to scarcity which results with unhealthy levels of competition, greed and selfishness, as well as guarantees both winners and losers;
4. Economic models ensure that poverty, homelessness and other socio-economic disadvantages aren’t resolved and that abundance isn’t achieved for the people of earth; the global central banking system, which is privately owned and operated, is another important focal point.
5. Globalisation is killing local economies, small business, democratic functionality, national sovereignty, natural systems, community spirit and healthy food production;
6. Consumerism imprisons the ‘focus of the masses’ and distracts them with an ego-based and image-driven narrative of existence;
7. The War-on-Drugs has been a massive policy failure which has amplified many social issues instead of resolving them, such as crime, addiction and imprisonment; and
8. Monopolised medicine has suppressed effective natural remedies and has ensured that most manifestations of poor health are treated prescriptively and temporarily, with little preventative measures and holistic treatment strategies.
Once the majority of humanity wakes up to their entangled, symbolic and sentient reality, the value systems for how we interact with each other and our planet will change dramatically for the common good. The expansion of our collective consciousness will reach an extraordinary and revolutionary stage of its evolution because for the first time this wisdom will be embraced on a planetary scale.
In order to have better conversations that matter, we need to teach and show people how to think for themselves again with a critical, open mind, how they can transcend their ego, and speak from a place of truth and love.
Meditation
When my mind wanders to the edge of the abyss, I like to check pictures that bring back memories of joy. I then meditate on them by bringing forth the memories untill I have absorbed all the joyfull feelings. I then go back the edge, and tell myself; not today. I sit down with my feet over the edge, with a big smile, enjoying the view, and continue meditating by focusing on my breath.
This picture brings back joyful memories of my roadtrip in Norway in 2019. 
Book I have read & recommend
Letters from a Stoic - Seneca
Loved reading the humanity within his stoic thoughts. A great addition (or start) if you want to know more about the stoic philosophy. At any time you can just pick up the book and start reading one of the letters.
Video I want to share
Another great documentary made by Marijn Poels. The road to hell is paved with good intentions; we need to stay vigilant, especially when money plays a part. A great documentary adding towards the rising awareness that not a sollutions are real, long term sollutions. A sane mind and creative people like Marijn will clear the fog surrounding these topics.
Quote to contemplate
" Speak only if it improves upon the silence" - M. Gandhi
Weekly Highlight - Breath
The breath is the bridge linking our mind and body. The practice of deep breathing helps to stimulate our parashympathetic nervous system, bringing us to a calm state.
Diaphragmatic breathing stimulates the Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS) which allows the body to rest and digest, slowing the heart rate, lowering blood pressure and respiratory rate and diverting blood supply towards the digestive and reproductive systems.
When the Parasympthetic Nervous System is active, the Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS) becomes less active – they counteract each other. The SNS raises the heart rate, blood pressure and respiratory rate, diverting blood to the brain and skeletal muscle in readiness for fight or flight.
By deactivating or overriding the SNS, we can interrupt the vicious cycle of adrenaline and cortisol which contribute to chronic stress levels and predispose us to panic attacks and anxiety.
It’s possible therefore by voluntarily changing the rate, depth and pattern of breathing to change the messages being sent from the body’s respiratory system to the brain. Breathing techniques may provide a portal to the autonomic communication network enabling us to make a change in our breathing patterns. This suggests we can send specific messages to the brain using the language of the body, a language the brain understands and responds to.
Taking 30 deep breaths (belly expanding) with the 2-to-1 ratio, where you inhale for 3 seconds, and exhale for 6 seconds, is a good start to control your breath.
Podcast that made me think
https://open.spotify.com/episode/1LTx2rolWVQoSg8YzFzFRq?si=ougM6oT9CfHJODIlNrw&utmsource=copy-link&dl_branch=1
Did you know...
It takes 500-600 burpees to burn off 1 large fries.
Burpees suck (for most people :P), so choose wisely ;)!
Thank you for your interest, time and attention.
Your support is much appreciated.
Joey van Tilburg