Tried to silence my brain for 80 seconds; low success.
LLL - BHL
Love. Laugh. Live.
Bless. Heal. Love.
AFFIRMATIONS
I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
Also said aloud for 80 seconds.
I, Ken Taylor, already have everything I need.
I, Ken Taylor, already have everything I need.
I, Ken Taylor, already have everything I need.
I, Ken Taylor, already have everything I need.
I, Ken Taylor, already have everything I need.
Also said aloud for 80 seconds.
I, Ken Taylor, am a confident human being.
I, Ken Taylor, am a confident human being.
I, Ken Taylor, am a confident human being.
I, Ken Taylor, am a confident human being.
I, Ken Taylor, am a confident human being.
Also said aloud for 80 seconds.
VISUALIZATION
204.4 Today's weight
203.2 Yesterday's weight
+1.2
I visualize weighing less tomorrow.
EXERCISE
ankle/wrist circles 80
toe/finger stretches 80
bicycle crunches 80
(MADE BED, PIANO)
shoulder rolls 80
flamingo L40, R40
ball/wall 15
angel/wall 15
counter stretch 15
squats 40
push-ups 31 (floor) + 9 (wall) = 40
READING, WRITING
RUMI
Read for 80 seconds in SAPIENS by Yuval Noah Harari. He says that we live today in the age of consumerism, and t we're doing very well at it. His undertone suggests that it's unhealthy. And that we're addicted to it, to the point that we've allowed to taint the solemn holidays (e.g., Memorial Day) with going shopping for deals.
Tried to silence brain for 80 seconds; sleepy, so mild success.
LLL - BHL
Live. Laugh. Love.
Bless. Heal. Love.
AFFIRMATIONS
I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
Also said aloud for 80 seconds.
I, Ken Taylor, already have everything I need.
I, Ken Taylor, already have everything I need.
I, Ken Taylor, already have everything I need.
I, Ken Taylor, already have everything I need.
I, Ken Taylor, already have everything I need.
Also said aloud for 80 seconds.
I, Ken Taylor, am a confident human being.
I, Ken Taylor, am a confident human being.
I, Ken Taylor, am a confident human being.
I, Ken Taylor, am a confident human being.
I, Ken Taylor, am a confident human being.
Also said aloud for 80 seconds.
VISUALIZATION
202.8 Today's weight.
202.8 Yesterday's weight.
-0-
I visualize weighing less tomorrow.
EXERCISE
Did my full base-80 routine for Monday, January 8, 2024:
ankle/wrist circles 80
toe/finger stretches 80
bicycle crunches 80
(MADE BED; PIANO)
shoulder rolls 80
flamingo L 30 + 5 + 5 + 5, R 45
ball/wall 15
angel/wall 15
counter stretch 15
squats 40
push-ups 34 (floor) + 6 (wall) = 40
READING, WRITING
RUMI
Read for 80 seconds in SAPIENS by Yuval Noah Harari. He says with the industrial & agricultural industrial revolutions, the economies of Sapiens began to shift to where SUPPLY outstripped DEMAND. Who was going to buy all the extra stuff? People were used to being frugal, so they had to change their mindset: they were now CONSUMERS, and they would buy new rather than repair old.
Read for 80 seconds in A PROMISED LAND by Barack Obama. He recalls his first 3 months in office, during which time people's financial plights were worse than when BO took office; job loss & housing issues were the main two crises BO faced; he read the 10K letters (per day!) that came into the WH, as best he could, and even answered them when he could. The Recovery Act (signed on February 17) would not be enough to get the US out of trouble.
Read for 80 seconds in THE RIGHTEOUS MIND by Jonathan Haidt. He says Shweder's 3rd ethic (general group), DIVINITY, took their codes from the idea that humans are children of God, and as such, should act according to religious dictates, and not merely their individual or collective ethics. Haidt studied Penn students (who leaned heavily toward individual ethics), and blue-collar workers (who leaned heavily toward community and divinity ethics).
NOTE: interesting.......
Read for 80 seconds in MAN'S SEARCH FOR MEANING by Viktor Frankl. He recalls the transition to freedom, during which the former prisoners began to absorb the message that they were free; local farmers & others treated them to unlimited food. Frankl describes how the former prisoners had difficulty discerning the truth, since they had dreamed of being liberated many times, only to wake up to the reality of still being prisoners. Frankl says the human BODY has fewer inhibitions than the human MIND: they ate ravenously, but still had doubts that they were actually free. They'd ask each other if they had experienced being pleased with anything that day..... and some said "no" for quite a while.
Read for fun in THE COMFORT CRISIS by Michael Easter.
Read for fun in THE BODY KEEPS THE SCORE by Bessel Von Der Kolk
Tried to silence mind for 80 seconds; a bit better this morning.
LLL - BHL
Live. Laugh. Love.
Bless. Heal. Love.
AFFIRMATIONS
I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
Also said aloud for 80 seconds.
I, Ken Taylor, already have everything I need.
I, Ken Taylor, already have everything I need.
I, Ken Taylor, already have everything I need.
I, Ken Taylor, already have everything I need.
I, Ken Taylor, already have everything I need.
Also said aloud for 80 seconds.
I, Ken Taylor, am a confident human being.
I, Ken Taylor, am a confident human being.
I, Ken Taylor, am a confident human being.
I, Ken Taylor, am a confident human being.
I, Ken Taylor, am a confident human being.
Also said aloud for 80 seconds.
VISUALIZATION
202.8 Today's weight
203.8 Yesterday's weight
-1.0
I visualize weighing less tomorrow.
EXERCISE
Did my full base-80 routine for Sunday, January 7, 2024:
ankle/wrist circles 80
toe/finger stretches 80
bicycle crunches 80
(MADE BED; PIANO)
shoulder rolls 80
flamingo L45, R45
ball/wall 15
angel/wall 15
counter stretch 15
squats 40
push-ups 33 (floor) + 7 (wall) = 40
READING, WRITING
RUMI
Read for 80 seconds in SAPIENS by Yuval Noah Harari. He says the AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION has led us to ignoring the psychological needs of animals, and being able to feed the entire US population AND to export excess to other parts of the globe, and all this by only 2% of the "hands & brains" of the human population.
Harari also cites the Harry Harlow monkey studies in which baby monkeys were separated from their bio mothers, and kept in a cage in which they were fed by a metal nursing monkey, but were also exposed to a cloth but barren "mother" who provided cloth comfort. The infant monkeys preferred the cloth mothers, and only left them when they were hungry for milk.
NOTE: I'm leaning more and more towards at least vegetarianism.
Read for 80 seconds in A PROMISED LAND by Barack Obama. He recalls sitting at his home office desk (not the Oval, apparently), and reading letter after letter from US Citizens who expressed their hopelessness about the future for their children. In part, they attribute this situation to a failed government: the middle class was disappearing.
Read for 80 seconds in THE RIGHTEOUS MIND by Jonathan Haidt. He says that Shweder (univ of Chicago) earlier collected 600 interviews of people who exhibited distinct morality opinions & awareness; he was able to identify 3 major groups: 1) individuality, 2) community and 3) divinity.
The first group was largely in the US, and valued their personal freedoms above anything else. The second group was found mostly OUTside the US, and they valued their place in a heirarchy of social constructs (family, neighborhood, city, state, country).
NOTE: OK
Read for 80 seconds in MAN'S SEARCH FOR MEANING by Viktor Frankl. He recalls the day when the prisoners were greeted with a white flag, which meant that they were now free men. They could hardly comprehend the meaning of it, after so many long years of brutality and confinement. They tried to walk out of the gates, but could hardly walk at all.
Read for fun in THE COMFORT CRISIS by Michael Easter.
Read for fun in THE BODY KEEPS THE SCORE by Bessel Van Der Kolk.
Tried to silence brain for 80 seconds; mild success.
LLL - BHL
Love. Live. Laugh.
Bless. Heal. Love.
AFFIRMATIONS
I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
Also said aloud for 80 seconds.
I, Ken Taylor, already have everything I need.
I, Ken Taylor, already have everything I need.
I, Ken Taylor, already have everything I need.
I, Ken Taylor, already have everything I need.
I, Ken Taylor, already have everything I need.
Also said aloud for 80 seconds.
I, Ken Taylor, am a confident human being.
I, Ken Taylor, am a confident human being.
I, Ken Taylor, am a confident human being.
I, Ken Taylor, am a confident human being.
I, Ken Taylor, am a confident human being.
Also said aloud for 80 seconds.
VISUALIZATION
203.8 Today's weight.
203.8 Yesterday's weight.
-0-
I visualize weighing less tomorrow.
EXERCISE
Did my full base-80 routine for Saturday, January 6, 2024:
ankle/wrist circles 80
toe/finger stretches 80
bicycle crunches 80
(MADE BED; PIANO)
shoulder rolls 80
flamingo L45, R45
ball/wall 15
angel/wall 15
counter stretch 15
squats 40
push-ups 32 (floor) + 8 (wall)
READING, WRITING
RUMI
Read for 80 seconds in SAPIENS by Yuval Noah Harari. He says that we consumers of animals (chicken, beef) and/or what they produce (e.g. eggs, milk) generally take no thought about the emotional and physical stress we are putting on the animals (while alive). (Vegans/vegetarians generally DO take such thoughts.) Harari discusses the evolutionary process of farm animals; when "wild" they necessarily developed close relationships with their parents (mothers, mostly) so they would survive (nursing, protection).
NOTE: As I see it right now, there are 4 options available to me: 1) Do nothing and take little or no thought about the suffering of farm animals, 2) Only consume farm products that do not stress or kill the animals, 3) Be a vegetarian, and 4) Be a Vegan.
Read for 80 seconds in A PROMISED LAND by Barack Obama. He says that after he and his team had passed (GOTTEN passed the Recovery Act, he realized that he had 4-5 more huge moves to make in order to get the economy moving again (ObamaCare loomed on the horizon. He was reminded of the Yeats poem "The Second Coming" - he says his supporters lacked all conviction while his opponents showed passionate intensity. "Keep running" he told himself.
Troubles my sight: somewhere in sands of the desert
A shape with lion body and the head of a man,
A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun,
Is moving its slow thighs, while all about it
Reel shadows of the indignant desert birds.
The darkness drops again; but now I know
That twenty centuries of stony sleep
Were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle,
And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,
Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?
(Hmmmm. Well, Obama saw his situation as similar to Yeats' first stanza. But what of the rest of the poem? That will take some time to evaluate. The 2nd READING of the Second Coming yields more applicable images to our day, along with the next level (MY next level) of understanding.)
Read for 80 seconds in THE RIGHTEOUS MIND by Jonathan Haidt. He says "3 ethics are more effective than 1" and then proceeds to describe the life & culture at the University of Chicago: Playboy called it the "worst party school in the country." It's cold and miserable there, and Haidt describes it as "Shweder's culture" because he led a new thinking trend in cultural psychology:
".....combines the anthropologist's love of CONTEXT and VARIABILITY
with the psychologist's interest in MENTAL PROCESSES."
DICTUM: "culture and psyche make each other up."
IOW:
".... you can't study the mind while ignoring culture (as psychologists usually do) because minds function only once they've been filled out by a particular culture."
AND
".... you can't study culture while ignoring psychology (as anthropologists usually do) because social practices and institutions (such as initiation rites, witchcraft, and religion) are to some extent shaped by concepts and desires rooted deep within the human mind. AND this explains why they often take similar forms on different continents.
NOTE: OK
Read for 80 seconds in MAN'S SEARCH FOR MEANING by Viktor Frankl. He remembers observing how kindness existed in guards AND prisoners, and how indecent behavior was found in guards AND in prisoners: Frankl concludes that there are only 2 races: decent, and indecent. And they can both be found in ALL cultures.
Read for fun in THE COMFORT CRISIS by Michael Easter.
Read for fun in THE BODY KEEPS THE SCORE by Bessel Van Der KIolk.
Tried to silence brain for 80 seconds; mild success.
LLL - BHL
Live. Laugh. Love.
Bless. Heal. Love.
AFFIRMATIONS
I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
Also said aloud for 80 seconds.
I, Ken Taylor, already have everything I need.
I, Ken Taylor, already have everything I need.
I, Ken Taylor, already have everything I need.
I, Ken Taylor, already have everything I need.
I, Ken Taylor, already have everything I need.
Also said aloud for 80 seconds.
I, Ken Taylor, am a confident human being.
I, Ken Taylor, am a confident human being.
I, Ken Taylor, am a confident human being.
I, Ken Taylor, am a confident human being.
I, Ken Taylor, am a confident human being.
Also said aloud for 80 seconds.
VISUALIZATION
203.8 Today's weight
204.2 Yesterday's weight
-0.4
I visualize weighing less tomorrow.
EXERCISE
Did my full base-80 routine for Friday, January 5, 2024:
ankle/wrist circles 80
toe/finger stretches 80
bicycle crunches 80
(MADE BED; PIANO)
shoulder rolls 80
flamingo L45, R35+10
ball/wall 15
angel/wall 15
counter stretch 15
squats 40
push-ups 31 (floor) + 9 (wall)
READING, WRITING
RUMI
Read for 80 seconds in SAPIENS by Yuval Noah Harari. He says our agricultural economy relies heavily on mass processing of animals and animal products.
NOTE: If animals can feel anything similar to human beings, then it's a travesty. I just don't know if they can. I'm conflicted about animal misuse and abuse when it comes to HOW we grow & process these foods. But emotionally, I'm ready to become vegan.
Read for 80 seconds in A PROMISED LAND by Barack Obama. He remembers that despite the facts showing he'd achieved a herculean task (bi-partisan passage of a huge bill that was desperately needed (the Recovery and R______ Act) in only ONE MONTH, the Dems were complaining already that it wasn't enough, and the GOP were complaining that it was too much. *sigh*
Read for 80 seconds in THE RIGHTEOUS MIND by Jonathan Haidt. He says, in many, many OTHER words, that WEIRD (western, educated, industrialized, rich, democratic) people (on ONE SIDE), are focused on morality that addresses whether something is "FAIR" and/or "HARMFUL," while the ELEPHANTS (on the OTHER SIDE) are focused on morality that addresses the group/social/common good issues. He's going to address (and judge) "other moralities later in the book, but in Part 2, he'll address and try to understand MORAL DIVERSITY. And he thinks we need to "calm down the elephant" (i.e., overcome excessive emotions) before we do so.
NOTE: seems logical, but it's also VERY DEEP!!!
Read for 80 seconds in MAN'S SEARCH FOR MEANING by Viktor Frankl. He notes that as they neared the liberation days/processes, one of the prisoner guards (a Jew) was MORE brutal to the prisoners than the German guards had been. When the Americans arrived, they sought some of the prisoner guards, but one in particular was hidden in the woods by 3 Jewish Hungarian prisoners; they made the American liberator supervisor promise NOT TO HARM the prisoner guard, and then they told him where he could find the prisoner guard.
Read for fun in THE COMFORT CRISIS by Michael Easter.
Read for curiosity in THE BODY KEEPS THE SCORE by Bessel Van Der Kolk.
Woke up a bit later, and tried to silence my brain for 80 seconds; not very successful.
LLL - BHL
Live. Love. Laugh.
Bless. Heal. Love.
AFFIRMATIONS
I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
Also said aloud for 80 seconds.
I, Ken Taylor, already have everything I need.
I, Ken Taylor, already have everything I need.
I, Ken Taylor, already have everything I need.
I, Ken Taylor, already have everything I need.
I, Ken Taylor, already have everything I need.
Also said aloud for 80 seconds.
I, Ken Taylor, am a confident human being.
I, Ken Taylor, am a confident human being.
I, Ken Taylor, am a confident human being.
I, Ken Taylor, am a confident human being.
I, Ken Taylor, am a confident human being.
Also said aloud for 80 seconds.
VISUALIZATION
204.2 Today's weight
I visualize weighing less tomorrow. (YES!)
EXERCISE
Did my full base-80 routine for Thursday, January 4, 2024:
ankle/wrist circles 80
toe/finger stretches 80
bicycle crunches 80
(MADE BED; PIANO)
shoulder rolls 80
flamingo L45, R45
ball/wall 15
angel/wall 15
counter stretch 15
squats 40
push-ups 30 (floor) + 10 (wall) = 40
READING, WRITING
RUMI (to GG, Fam)
Read for 80 seconds in SAPIENS by Yuval Noah Harari. He says that the "INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION" was actually a "SECOND AGRICULTURAL REVOLUTION" as far as impact goes: the machines developed transformed agriculture into a global effort, from planting & harvesting, to keeping foods longer & transporting them globally. ALSO........ animals became cogs in the wheel of business people's enterprises.
Read for 80 seconds in A PROMISED LAND by Barack Obama. He recalls that he, along with Rahm and Biden, negotiated with Congress to develop and pass the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, within 1 month of taking office. It was on a par with FDR's New Deal in scope and nature. Since the Dems held a majority in H & S, it passed along party lines. BO was right proud!
Read for 80 seconds in THE RIGHTEOUS MIND by Jonathan Haidt. He says WEIRD (Western, educated, industrialized, rich, democratic) tend to be individualistic, while East Asians tend to be relationship-oriented. This extends to the way the groups think: WEIRD people think in absolute terms, while East Asians think in relative terms.
NOTE: Hmmmm. is this as true today as it was 40 years ago?
Read for 80 seconds in MAN'S SEARCH FOR MEANING by Viktor Frankl. He says the prisoners were subject to the psychological torture of simply being in the camp; further, one might ask how it was possible that human beings made of flesh & blood could bring themselves to treat other human beings so inhumanely; he will soon address the psychology of the liberated prisoners, but first points out that the guards were sometimes (often?) comprised of sadists who took delight in torturing the prisoners.
NOTE: This is so wrenching to me; I don't understand how people could live lives without ANY compassion.
Read for fun in THE COMFORT CRISIS by Michael Easter.
