The Block

I often think and hope for one day a physical place to sit and meet others and chat about things in a plaza rock quarry setting. I'm just wishing and letting out a bit of my heart out. Sadly, that may never come to pass but, I can pop my soap box on this place here. The idea is every Monday to post something worth ministering. I am a minister and my ministry is this wonderful place, so with out further ado... here we go.
Posts will be given on Monday mornings, lol my Monday mornings. Pm if any questions or comments gripes or concerns. The purpose is to sharpen iron with iron. See u on Monday.

Monday thought

No one ever looks forward to Mondays. I think my own personal reason was it was the beginning of the week and the re start of things and new connections to make or burn, you know life, but I wasn't ready for it. Later in life I learned the art of preparation. That's not the subject here, this weeks idea for meditation comes from a thought I received while at Kitty Hawk. The actual place of the "first flight". Its very modern in a sense now that the small 3 foot gates of concrete were colored and the parking area was labeled and it was obvious where the souvenir stands were. There was a lot of people there and the park closed early, it was July 3rd. North Carolina was filled with tourist galore. I wanted to take some time to take the family to see this place, since birth its been a dream of mine to see this place. Well, I was with the in laws and kid sister and the grandparents and the Times just didn't line up and the park closed, and it was us with out a car, we were in a rental and it wasn't available, all seemed lost. Then I remembered, I have backpacked from city to cities, a few miles wasn't gunna hurt me...and so daddy said hey guys, lets leave every one here and have a walk-about. The wife, what a woman, said im down and I packed my 3 year old on my shoulders and we began our trip on foot. Now , the park is an open air type of park, it doesn't really close, no real gates and locks, but after the last tour the "official ness" leaves and every one goes with them. The reason for this is the park has a monument, Huge and spectacular in itself, a salute to the spark of man. Dude its cool! You should go! lol So now its late and the streets are crowded and me and the wife and the boy are playing real life Frogger near Kitty Hawk to reach this place. Remember we are on foot. We reach the park. Its a Field. Not a park a empty lot. A Huge empty space of land. So we break and re adjust. Now its 9 pm night time. And weve been on foot with the boy and have been crossing live traffic. We realized why no one was here at night. This place got dark, so dark at night. me and my family began the walk from the front gate to the hill. For those who don't know the Hill at Kitty Hawk is where Mr Orville and Mr Wilbur drug their flying contraption to be the first humans to take flight. This to me was THE HILL. Once I reached the stupid thing, just kidding, I was out of breath and now it was well into the night. Some of the complaints we had that night were as followed, We were sweaty, uncomfortably and so was the boy. We were tired. We didn't have anything to drink, so we were thirsty. The boy was obviously tired and frustrated. Not to mention im not that same gunny SGT. trudging in my combat boots, oh no, I was wearing simple sneakers and no thought to preparation for this treck. We wanted to see the top there was no stopping now, even if a native brown bear came out of the bushes, Very possible I later realized too. The Hike to the top was the best burn in my calves and quads I can honestly say I had felt on a very long time. I knew I was going to be sore. I was down. We reached the top. ... all 3 of us late on the 3rd of July. The walk back and out of the park and all the way home was totally different than the walk to. When we stopped and saw what we saw, there was no explanation. I personally think a dragon vein lives there near the area if not right on top of that small chunky hill. My family felt it, I did, my wife did and my son I hope did as well. The sight of the place where we Flew... some say that the spot was where impossible died. Wow. We were standing on the same hill, out of breath and sore, I admit it now, but so worth seeing the Fireworks go off on Kitty Hawk. Sitting on a place know for Breaking thoughts and ideas, anything is possible. There my wife and I decided a few things and the path that has us now is the path we choose after experiencing ourselves at this place.
Growing up I always had an active imagination. Some of my childhood stories still dwarf what came from the depths of the earth created by Morgoth in the first age. Name drop!lol My boys 3 years old. Ive heard a plenty of the terrible 3 s or the terrible 2 s. I am fortunate to be directly involved in the development of my sons physical mental and spiritual development. Yet, my son IS hard headed. Just like his Pappy! In our home we have an entirely different approach to things which gives us different outcomes. Normally, this would cause conflict.
Stubbornness can be a virtue. It is necessary, if advances are made in : science, govnmt, medicine, spirituality and in humanity it self. Regardless of the attachment of "side" Mr Chrstopher Columbus was stubborn. He acted and discovered the "new world." The Wright Brothers were out schooled, out sourced, out classed and out everything and yet, They are the ones who flew, not the other team. The stubbornness of the Bike shop brothers and the Determination, both present, took us past the idea that we will never fly.
Stubbornness that is firmness and not obstinate bullheadedness is a priceless quality in character. Those who achieve greatness commonly possess this quality. Without it some may not be able to overcome constant obstacles some call impossible. Stubbornness lives ever present. Some times I myself do it automatically. Where our focus and balance lies can very well effect whether stubbornness is a asset or a weight. Something to think and meditate about this week Jedi. The goal is to build up my Temple, each and every one. Please feel free to comment if you like. pm if you need. The goal is to build. Lets Build our Temple one heart at a time. May the Living Force be with you all , right where you go and when you return home! Be Well.
Carlos

Feel free to add to the building of our Temple. All comments and additions are welcome. The idea is to generate ideas, share them.
So yes, you can add anytime! Please do. Pm if u would like as well. Please do

Moved per request of OP

Thank you Master, this is inspiring to me. I am going through some things that I would not wish on anyone. I would love to visit this place one day to stand where inspirational giants have stood, including you! This is a timely message of hope and provokes some thought in me.
Thank You,

May the Living Force wrap you and your family in warmth and protection always!

May the Living Force keep you Jack!

"Dans les yeux de quiconque ayant lu l'histoire est la vertu originale de l'Homme.
Il est par désobéissance et rébellion que Progrès se fit."
~ Oscar Wilde

The stubborn man may not always be wise , but at least he is going places , thank you for your inspiring words Master

Alexandre Orion wrote:

"Dans les yeux de quiconque ayant lu l'histoire est la vertu originale de l'Homme.
Il est par désobéissance et rébellion que Progrès se fit."
~ Oscar Wilde

I wish I could read Spanish lol jk

Very inspiring! Thank you master

The more time I take to learn and study the more I realize there are things already present in ways of thinking in me. Some may call it The Human condition and others may call it a example of "natural selection" and the "natural mind." Ill give you an easy example. GET MONEY This phrase has been in my mind since I can first recall a very old man tell me and I quote" mijo, make money, make it right but if you cant make money." That old man was my very own blood. From when I was little till now the drive for my family has been making money. I grew up in San Antonio tx on the wrong side of town and the wrong street and went to the wrong schools. Seemed we were being bred for streetfighting and "hustling" as it was called back in the day. We did not and it never seemed we would ever break that dusty old habits of "MAKE MONEY" in our minds. Every where I turned it was there. As I leave attachment behind I notice that , as a young man, I wasn't the only one. Further meditation allows me to notice that that thought process is very common. In some ways its even idolized in art, music and theatre.
Woah... take some time to think about that, that mentality of selfishness is available wide spread and very well accepted as ok and normal.
It was thru study I found this

ill cite the version im using after

Tao The Ching
44
As fro your name and your body, which is the dearer?
As for your body and your wealth, which is the more to be praised?
As for gain and loss, which is the more painful?
Thus, an excessive love for anything will cost you dear in the end.
The storing up of to much goods will entail a heavy loss.
to know when you have enough is to be immune from disgrace.
To know when to stop is to be preserved from perils.
Only thus can you endure long.
Now...
I've heard old timers say, and I put my name in that hat, "money only makes a good man great or a bad man worse" silly old farmers, but they are right. So one day I got to thinking, These values, these ways, regardless of who or where I got them were to me worthless. I began to read the Tao, the Bible, the dictionary, anything to find some thing other than what I had. What I found was the exact opposite. In my younger days, head strong and foolish ida laughed and made fun of these things I was never introduced to and didn't understand. Now as my fire grows and as I myself grow I find comfort and wisdom in these words. This idea of selfish greed was passed and engraved into my mind. I wasn't the only one. To be, or to find what verse 44 speaks of is something very attainable. People all around the world experience the free will of everything present in their life....they are happy, grateful and content. You don't have to be a monk and own little or a traveling spirit with a back pack and a bank card to feel that connection. Oh no friends, we can be happy right now, we can be content right now, we can be grateful, right now. Need a reason, look into yourself and notice... notice all around you. My wife and my self do a little practice. When we get overwhelmed, and we do often we stop, look around the house and say, that picture is....of us, im glad we could have pictures, and windows and a roof and walls and then we begin to praise the things we have now which usually ends with , an embrace and "im glad I have you " for every body present. I was always taught never to think of future or ever actually think on the lines of that in my finances. If your like me and find this place to be a very helpful place, please by all means walk this path with me. My hope it that as iron sharpens iron we al can grow together. I wish I had a me growing up. I can honestly say that. But since I am here I will be the me that I wanted and needed to the other me s here lol
We are not alone in our search some times friend, may we share what we learn with one another.

Carlos

Cite Smiley Face

Thank you for sharing Master , i am reading the Art of Peace now and this verse goes well with what you wrote

2 One does not need buildings, money, power, or status to practice the Art of Peace. Heaven is right where you are standing, and that is the place to train.

We all to easy forget what we really need, May the Force shine on you

Heaven can be right where your standing and THAT IS the place to train.
I love it. Great stuff. Iron and iron stays sharp. ! Thank u! I'm glad the Temple has u in it. Maybe he Living Force continue to find toy every where u r Marta!

It surly is a Monday. HI FRIENDS AND FELLOW JEDI this week seems to been the same for all of us. I noticed that things are happening here in the Temple. As we, as a whole receive new apprentice and new members a new wave or group of hearts and minds join our paths. Some of us are prone to a lot of self help type of learning or training in a way that's self paced. Nothing wrong with that. I myself can maximize some outcomes with a fairly organized manner when there are fewer individuals. In life this is rarely the case. As we learn ourselves and grow things begin to happen. I want to warn most readers if you haven't figured it out, this is a place for a bit of spiritual ideas as well. As we grow in all things there can be times when as some describe, " I just feel like crying or screaming for no reason" or the ever popular, "I don't know why im sad all of a sudden." out of no where. Now, things don't just happen for no reason. If you are a thinker like I am there is always some cause for effects, that much I have learned. So what causes this bout of emotional rushes or uncontrollable needs to surge emotion for apparently no reason. ?
I offer this idea
Any sportsman can tell you and any athlete can tell you that during the time of training there are pains. During the sprints the pushups the ups downs and the moving and shuffling there will be pains. Why? The process seems to generate pain and agony. Some focus on that aspect and in turn receive very little from the time taken to train. Others, who know and are willing will endure the agony and the stretch and even for some new growth of new possibilities. Oh no friends we don't just hurt and cry for no reason. All that time and effort we place into the process is evident. Some times in form of pain.
I give you and leave you with this simple idea. Got pains and woes and agony in your life still and wonder, but im studying and learning, why?
Some times in life we experience Mental growing pains, spiritual growing Pains, heart growing pains, family growing pains, sibling growing pains. That is normal. That should be expected, its the foolish one who thinks otherwise that growth can not be felt ever. We continue to grow. As we continue to live and die and live and die we continue to share and learn and continue to grow. Jedi, EXPECT for the pains to be there, expect for there to be a sore part or two in your own personal lifes. If you are growing then you will experience this one way or another. When you do Jedi , keep in mind this may be the gain pains you thought or didn't think possible....hu? your not alone. We are never alone in this Temple
May the Force be with you Every where you are my Friends
Carlos

Very well stated Carlos! Growth, real substantial growth seldom occurs in a comfortable scenereo, as it is often, in one form or another, accompanied with some degree of pain. If it weren't the case, growth would lose all value and meaning. You make Mondays here worth while buddy, thank you...

Thank you so very much friend. As we learn we grow. There s no doubt our Temple continues to grow, and the best part is.... tah dahh... it grows by us!

Thank you Master , we have talked about pain a lot and how it seems nescessary for growth , we might not like it but how we conduct during this pain or loneliness defines us in the end

Thank you Master, that puts some perspective on a few things. I study, train, and meditate, but sometimes I feel like I am not making progress. Then I look at my life and realize that my life is completely different that it was before I joined the Temple. I have met some amazing people here to be sure. One day, I hope to pass on what I learn and what I think.

That's the idea, one of many. ! The idea is to not fret if u do have pain either, its natural. WE Are never alone especially in this Temple. As iron sharpens iron.