Life Cycles (A chapter from a book I'm writing)

Greetings ATS! I haven't posted in a while but I still read a lot. This is a place I truly enjoy coming to in order to see others who think outside the traditional box. Anyway, I wanted to share a chapter from a book I have recently began writing. If we use labels, you could call it a "self-help" book. The book is about the life journey I have been on and the chapters are written after some of the meditations I've done. The main message in the book's entirety is what fear really is and how to face it. I am aware this chapter may or may not resonate with some of you, but I enjoy the freedom of open discussion about such topics. Thank you, and here is the excerpt:

Cycles


The Moon revolves around the Earth

The Earth revolves around the Sun

The Sun revolves around the Galaxy

The Galaxy revolves around the Local Group

Thoughts create feelings

Feelings create behaviors

Behaviors create patterns

Patterns create routines

To change the moon

Is to change the Local Group

To change thoughts

Are to change routines

What, then, exists outside the cycle?

Awareness


Life as we know it is full of cycles. Many times we find ourselves stuck in a rut of the same patterns and routines and are looking outward for some major change. “If I only had a better job, things would get better.” “If I find my dream house, things will get better.” “If I fall in love with someone, things will get better.” Western society often teaches us that material items will provide happiness but forget that it is happiness that provides material items.


If someone is looking for that special someone yet they have negative thought patterns regarding relationships, then they will continue to fail at finding that special someone as long as they continue to hold onto those negative thought patterns. When one understands that external environments are created by internal thought processes from within, one can begin to see how patterns and routines develop.


Using the example of finding true love, how does someone who struggles to find a meaningful relationship actually find it? A good way is by looking at past relationships. Are there identifiable patterns with previous partners? If so, how did these patterns develop? Patterns and routines are directly related to thoughts, feelings, and behaviors within one’s self and cannot be considered separate. To fully love someone else, one must fully love themselves. Loving one’s self comes from loving thoughts, feelings, and behaviors which in turn create loving situations in one’s external world. Identify the thoughts and feelings that led to the negative behaviors, patterns, and routines . Understand where they truly originate from, accept them, forgive yourself, and then let them go.

Continuing with this example, it needs to be said that even finding that special someone does not create everlasting happiness. For example, one could find their lover but still have negative thought patterns that switch their focus to something else one is unhappy with; one may even lose their loved one to illness or unforeseen circumstances. The external environment is ever changing. There is only one consistency that never changes in life, and that is awareness. There is a part of you underneath all thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that observes all. Awareness is unconditional love and recognizing that everything is connected. Awareness is life experiencing itself through different perspectives in the same way that a body of water is the combination of several individual raindrops. When one becomes fully aware , one has all the happiness and abundance in the world they will ever need.

edit on 14-10-2014 by Subconsciously Correct because: Typo

I'd like to point out that there's a mountainbike film also titled "Life Cycles"

Just a heads-up in case you should run into any name-related difficulties.

originally posted by: Ericthedoubter
I'd like to point out that there's a mountainbike film also titled "Life Cycles"

Just a heads-up in case you should run into any name-related difficulties.

Thanks. Luckily it's just the title of one chapter. I don't have a book title yet. I'm just allowing the book to write itself and then I'll figure out a title.

..........and there is a writing forum -- possibly more appropriate as this is writing.

originally posted by: Chamberf=6
..........and there is a writing forum -- possibly more appropriate as this is writing.

I appreciate the info, but I've posted on this forum for years and the topic appears to be of similar nature as some of the stuff discussed on here. It used to be called "Psychology, Philosophy, and Metaphysics."

If someone wishes to move it though I won't have a problem with it.