Tag: Thoughts

The Power of Choice

“We are disturbed not by things, but by the views which we take of things.” ~ Epictetus

An old Cherokee chief is teaching his grandchild about life. “A fight is going on inside me,” he said to the child. “It is a fight between two wolves. One is evil—it is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.”

He continued, “The other is good—it is joy, peace, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and loving awareness. The same fight is going on inside you—and inside every other person in the world.”

The grandchild thought about it for a minute and then asked the grandfather, “Which wolf will win?”

To which the old man simply replied, “The one you feed.”

The Cherokee parable and Epictetus’ teaching serve as a reminder that our inner world is shaped by choice, not chance. The two wolves represent real emotions, impulses, and habits that show up in our lives. We don’t choose whether these feelings exist; we only choose which ones we nurture.

Our reactions are often more influential than the events themselves. And this is essential, because what bothers us isn’t simply what happens, but the meaning we give those moments. And more often than not, that meaning is important because of the nature of our work or our lives, as well as our lived experiences and shared expectations. Often, this stirs up the wolf of anger, frustration, and resentment. But instead of feeding into those feelings, it’s much more helpful to see the difficult moments as opportunities to grow and to nourish the wolf of resilience, empathy, and compassion.

Remember that character is built choice by choice. Feeding the “good wolf” isn’t about being perfect—it’s about returning to the values we want to embody again and again. It’s about noticing when negativity pulls at us and gently choosing a different response. And over time, those small decisions shape who we become.

Ultimately, the power of choice comes down to this: we can’t always control our circumstances, but we can always decide which inner voice we allow to guide us. And sometimes it’s probably easier and feels better to let the evil voice reign and triumph. I always picture the angel and the devil on the shoulders – listening to the better angel of our nature is the way to go!

Consciousness and the Nature of Reality

“No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.” – Albert Einstein.

I’ve been thinking and wanting to write about Consciousness for some time now – what is it, where does it come from, and how does it shape our reality, if at all? Few questions are as mysterious or fascinating. Scientists, philosophers, psychologists, and spiritual traditions all describe it in different ways. Are our thoughts, feelings, emotions, awareness, and sense of self created entirely within our brains? Or is the brain more like a receiver that “tunes into” a consciousness that exists outside the body? One aspect of this puzzle that most agree on is that objective reality exists independent of our subjective experiences, which are dependent on our minds.

So, what is consciousness? Researchers describe it in several layers. There’s phenomenal consciousness, which is our raw subjective experience through the five senses – what it feels like to see color or taste food. There’s access consciousness, which refers to the parts of experience that we can reflect on, describe, and use in decision-making by focusing on cognitive utility. There’s self-awareness, which is the sense of being “me.” Last but not least, there are the unconscious and subconscious layers – deeper layers of the human mind beneath conscious awareness – such as memories, urges, muscle memory, and automatic responses that constantly influence behavior. These varied definitions highlight the complexity of consciousness that is deeply tied to the brain, yet not fully explained by biological processes alone.

The strongest evidence for biological processes is that physical damage to the brain and chemical substances can alter consciousness. For instance, prefrontal cortex injuries can alter personality and decision-making. LSD and other drugs can induce psychological effects that alter perception, mood, and thought. There are also instances where, after someone suffers a brain injury, they can do amazing things that they couldn’t before – music, math, languages. In a way, they were able to access other dimensions of consciousness because of the result of physical injury, which precisely changes experience. Moreover, modern tools like the EEG and fMRI observe neural activity patterns that correspond to thoughts, perceptions, and emotions. In some cases, intentions can even sometimes be predicted milliseconds before a person becomes aware of them. Finally, we have all heard stories of near-death and out-of-body experiences in which the person sees a tunnel, bright light, euphoria, and a sense of separation, which could be explained by hypoxia, surges of brain activity, and REM intrusion, like sleep paralysis. However, science still cannot fully account for experiences in which someone who’s supposedly under anesthesia and not actively conscious could describe in accurate detail what happened while they were under. This leads to the possibility of the non-local model that views consciousness as fundamental, with different dimensions that our minds could theoretically access and perhaps tap into, like a collective consciousness.

In Dan Brown’s new novel, “The Secret of Secrets,” he introduces the field of Noetic science, which posits that our brain is like a receiver that can tune to different dimensions of consciousness, similar to how our eyes can only see, process, and interpret a limited part of the electromagnetic spectrum. This theory could account for the geniuses of human beings like Newton and Einstein – they were somehow able to access and see those other dimensions that are fundamental and universal. Another notable perspective is that throughout history, meditation traditions such as those from Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism, and Vedanta, among others, describe consciousness as almost a pure capacity of awareness – independent of thoughts, emotions, and sensory input. People who practice yoga, prayer, and spiritual traditions will tell you that they are able to attain a higher level of clarity in consciousness and can create a sense of connection to others, the universe, or even a divine deity. Whether or not God exists, people’s spiritual experience contributes to a richer sense of conscious awareness.

So, where does this leave us? While some models see consciousness as created by our brain, others see it as something our brain filters. What we can agree on is that consciousness is still a central mystery and probably more complex than any model can explain, but it is something to explore through both scientific and introspective methods.

“The key to growth is the introduction of higher dimensions of consciousness into our awareness.” – Lao Tzu.

Finding Peace in the Present Moment

In a world that constantly urges us to chase, hustle, and fix ourselves, we often forget one of life’s simplest truths: peace isn’t something we find—it’s something we allow.

There’s a quiet beauty in realizing that nothing more needs to happen for you to feel whole. Not tomorrow, not next year. It doesn’t require a perfect life, a solved problem, or a shiny future. Peace can meet you right here, in the stillness between breaths and in the quiet acceptance of this very moment. Right now, there is peace available—if you allow yourself to feel it.

The Power of Acceptance
Peace begins the moment we stop resisting what is. That doesn’t mean we give up on our dreams or settle for less than we deserve. It simply means we stop fighting the current of life and learn to flow with it.

Acceptance doesn’t mean passive resignation. It means honoring where you are, how you feel, and who you are in this moment, without judgment. From that place of clarity, we can move forward with more kindness, purpose, and ease.

Letting Go of the Illusion of Control
So much of our inner turmoil stems from trying to control things that are beyond our grasp—other people’s actions, the future, the past. But peace arrives the moment we release that tight grip and trust that, even when things don’t go according to our plans, they unfold as they should.

Life is never perfect, but it is always sacred. The chaos, the stillness, the joy, the grief—all of it belongs. And all of it can teach us something about who we are and what we value.

Embracing the Ordinary
Sometimes we think peace will come once everything is in place—when we get the promotion, meet the right person, or heal every wound. But peace is often found in the ordinary: the quiet of the early morning, the warmth of sunlight on your skin, the sound of laughter, the gentle rhythm of your breath.

You don’t need to wait for a perfect moment. This moment is enough. You are enough.

A Gentle Invitation
So, if you’re feeling overwhelmed, uncertain, or lost, pause. Breathe. Place your hand on your heart and remind yourself: I am present. I am here. I am alive.
There is nothing to prove. Nothing to fix. Nothing to chase.
You don’t need to be healed. You don’t need to have all the answers.
You are allowed to feel at peace with your life, even if it’s not perfect. Especially then. Because peace isn’t found in perfection. It’s found in presence.

Peace Lives In Presence
You are allowed to rest.
You are allowed to soften.
You are allowed to be at peace, right now.

And in that peace, you’ll find not only calm… but clarity, strength, and a deeper connection to the wonder of simply being alive.

Random thoughts at night…

May it be the moon, the stars, the darkness or that mysterious atmosphere deep in the night, thoughts and feelings always surge at this time of day, well, night. Haven’t written in a while because life has been pretty ordinary. I’ve been reading up on a lot of things that I want to learn on my own because I don’t have nor wish to spend the time or money to take classes and study. That desire isn’t strong enough. I’ve also been having doubts about wanting to travel and see the world mainly because even though I’ve been self-sufficient in teaching English and traveling, I feel like I should be looking for a long-term well-paying job to support my parents. My Dad’s work schedule has been cut in half (due to the economic recession of course) and it’s pretty much impossible for him to change jobs because his English isn’t that good. They sacrificed so much for my sister and I moving to the US. I know that we’re still pretty well off and they want me to see the world and I will. I just need to find a high-paying job that allows me to travel…right…shouldn’t be that hard…*roll eyes* *scoff*

NBA Playoffs have been sweeeeet, 8 games in 2 days. I love Family Guy, it was on earlier on Adultswim. Had a glass of milk and I’ve been eating spicy food…so damn good. The clock is ticking, I wish I was at the beach. The Fifth Element is on right now, Chris Tucker is funny…haha…ok, done rambling. Later gator.

2 weeks in

Haven’t eaten beans for 2 weeks…I miss casados…even though I’ve been eating SO WELL maaaaan. It’s great being back home, feels like I’ve never left. Siento extraño en que estoy rodeado de la gente quien habla solo ingles. Y también las programas que están en ingles pero no hay subtítulos. Y que no se atardece hasta mas tarde en la noche. Y que hace muchísimo frío! Es posible que voy a quedar aquí por 2 meses mas…y ya quiero viajar y ir a un nuevo lugar. Sip, algunos de mis mejores amigos están aquí y sip, mi familia también y la extraño, sin embargo, mi deseo de viajar y ver el mundo esta mucho mas fuerte que los demás. Bueno, cambia de tema…

…El desempleo aquí en California es muy grave. Todavía estoy buscando un trabajo a medio tiempo. La verdad es que siento malo porque mucho trabajo requiere que queda por lo menos 3 meses o mas y solo quedo 2 meses, no quiero mentir que voy a trabajar mas y después sale. Bueno, no importa…Cheers!

Letting go isn’t the end of the world…

It’s the beginning of a new life. 2 more days left until leaving Costa Rica behind for good. Bittersweet is really the only word to describe this feeling. Still don’t know what to do yet once I get home…I’ll figure it out when I get back…never the one who plans.

—> Just got back from buying some gifts downtown. It’s weird because it was probably the last time taking the Carmiol bus to downtown San Jose and walking down Avenida Central…which brought back many memories. San Jose has been my home for a long while and every time getting back to San Jose from the beach it feels like home, it’s comfortable and familiar and I know exactly where I am. Definitely immersed in the culture and everything now and like every other experience it has to end sometime. Even though I didn’t take any Spanish classes here and I’ve been teaching English almost every day, my Spanish still improved a lot. There’s only so much to learn in class. I also thought of more things that I’ve learned about Costa Rica:

34. You’re not supposed to throw toilet paper into the toilet, use the garbage bin.
35. Cover your mouth with your left hand and finger smack with the right hand while you laugh or something funny happens.
36. Ticos love checking out girls, and I don’t mean just looking top to bottom, their heads follow the girl left to right and right to left and their heads move in sync…it’s amazing really.
37. No army here.
38. Nightclub here doesn’t mean a bar/club/disco, it means a strip club.
39. Red light doesn’t mean shit here when there aren’t many cars.
40. Always support local businesses, even an extra dollar for tips means a lot here.
41. “Costa Rica Named First BioGem Country by NRDC”
42. Huge differences between the Caribbean Coast and the Pacific Coast.
43. They play soccer on basketball courts…
44. Honking is a warning to other drivers that you’re crossing an intersection so they don’t crash into you, it’s a signal, and they converse with it, especially cab drivers.
45. Pura Vida!

That’s about it really…this kinda marks the end of my journey here in Costa Rica…and so, here I am, packing up and getting ready to leave otra vez…

1:25 am, 3/9 ——-> Estoy disfrutando mis últimos momentos en Casa Luna y Costa Rica. En unas horas voy a salir para el aeropuerto, otra vez. Estoy triste y no voy a esconderlo. Este me ha pasado muchas veces y estoy acostumbrado. El fin nunca es el fin, es el comienzo de algo nuevo. Bueno ya, tengo que tomar una siesta porque estoy muy cansado de anoche.

Life is a series of rooms…

…and who we get stuck in the rooms with adds up to what our lives are (If you know where this is from you are my new best friend). It’s always the hardest to leave people behind. We hold the key to unlocking the door leading to other rooms. The door is there and ultimately we have to walk through it, can’t stay forever. Rooms can change and furniture can be rearranged, but the person living there stays the same. His or her appearance might change with time and might be deceiving but deep down inside, they’re still the same. People don’t change. They want to change. They want to believe that they can change but they don’t. Personality stays forever. It’s the decisions they make that give the illusion of change. Those decisions are what make us different.

Having said that, not sure where to go from here. The point is, my life has been very fortunate and blessed to be stuck with so many good people. Things I can take with me. Places I can revisit. It’s the people that I miss and will always miss. Live and treasure the moments of each day, especially today because it’s a gift, that’s why it’s called the present.

A special entry / Una entrada especial

I figured I’d write this entry in both English and Spanish since I’m starting to have so many friends who only speak Spanish.

Tears are the blood of the soul as San Agustín said, and eyes are the windows to the soul. I don’t shed tears anymore. As I’ve said many times before, I’ll never stay and I understand that. I am and will always leave people, places, and things I’ve got to know behind. Tears will not stop that from happening. It’s interesting because some of my students asked me about my plans for the future and after I told them, the first advice that I got was that it’s pretty much impossible for me to sustain a relationship because of my constant desire to travel and move from place to place. People say it’s better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all…I say it’s best to just not love at all. Pain and damage to the heart will never heal. It really hurts. I don’t mean to be sentimental but it is how it is. I learned to live with it. I would love more than anything in the world to leave it to fate except the thought of not having control over my life I really cannot stand. The point is, I try to move on. I try to not let my heart be involved. I tried and failed. Feelings past. It’s always hard but I’ll heal. Though it won’t be the same ever again.

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Supuse que escribiría esta entrada en ambos ingles y español puesto que empiece tener mas amigos quien hablan solo español.

Las lágrimas son la sangre del alma como dijo San Agustín, y los ojos son el espejo del alma. Ya no derramé ningunas lágrimas. Como he dicho antes muchas veces, nunca voy a quedarme y eso me entiendo. Siempre voy a dejar atrás la gente, los lugares y las cosas que me había familiarizado. Las lágrimas no pueden evitarlo de eso. Me fascina porque unos de mis estudiantes me preguntaron sobre mis planes en el futuro y después de les conté, el primero consejo que me dijeron era que es casi imposible mantener una relación por mi deseo constante de viajar y cambiar a otros lugares. Dice que es mejor ha amado y ha sufrido un desamor que no ha amado nunca…bueno, digo que es lo mejor no ama nunca. El dolor y el daño a la corazon nunca curarán y le duele mucho. Eso es lo que sea. Aprendido vivir con eso. Me encantaría dejarlo al destino más que todo el mundo menos que no puedo creer en que no tengo control sobre mi vida. El hecho es que trato continuar con la vida. Trato de no deja mi corazón involucrada. Traté y fracasé. Sentimientos pasan. Siempre es difícil pero voy a curar. Aunque no vaya a ser lo mismo nunca.

Well…it’s 2:42 am…it’s late (or early)…I’m going to bed.

Bueno…ya es 2:42…muy tarde (o temprano)…voy a dormirme.

Out of sight, out of mind

Not really.

Too tired right now…I’ll expand on it later.

—–> 4 days later…

Solo cuando no hay aun un secundo para pensar. Algunos pueden ahuyentar todos los pensamientos pero no lo puedo. Es difícil porque me cuesta mucho tiempo dormirme, aunque sea cansado. Dice que si no lo soñarle se vuelve loco, quizás, porque todos lo que obtiene el mente subconsciencia durante el día están en el mente pero la consciencia no los trata entonces, la subconsciencia los trata cuando la consciencia está descansado en la noche. Y esos pensamientos se forman los sueños. A veces las cosas que pensó todo el día se forman los sueños también. Hay un dicho en Chino que dice “lo que piensa en el día, lo piensa en sueño”. Bueno.

Seis días…porque solo es ella. Aunque sea por un minuto.