CHANGES OF LATITUDE

CHANGES OF LATITUDE ----

----CHANGES OF ATTITUDE

Changes of Latitude and Attitude are Constants in our Life

The above image depicts one who steps beyond personal time trod boundaries and dares to reach into the unknowable world to experience entertainment, pastimes, practices and new ways of thinking that are beyond the same old tired path of seeing the same kind of movies, theatre, music, art and books and, thinking the same old tired way.

Are you open enough to venture forth to seek and experience the unknowable?

What is ‘latitude’?  A dictionary or thesaurus may define or provide clarity on ‘latitude’ as being related to freedom, on the same line, i.e. parallel, or a longitude location either vertical or horizontal. 

As you know, geographically, maps or diagrams of Earth are lined with latitude and longitude which when interacting, are able to provide global locations.

Latitude is horizontal and longitude is vertical.

For example, Nice in Italy shares the same latitude of 39° North with Toronto Canada.

The location of the Mason Dixon line in the USA is 39.7167°N by 75.7833°W.

This was determined following a dispute to determine the official geographic/geometric location of the Pennsylvania, Maryland border.

The tropic of Capricorn is located at approx 23.26’14.0°”N and the Tropic of Cancer is approx 23.26’14.0°”S and the Equator is 90°N.

As mentioned above, latitude is also related to freedoms and those freedoms are not limited to the freedom of people physically moving around from place to place, from various latitude and longitudes and making their own decisions in life.

We all know that our lives can be transient.  We may be born in once house, the family moving to another house, city, state or country.  Many of us are not able to count on one hand where we have lived.

However, the mind is the same.  Our minds are able to change our latitudes and longitudes in the way we think about things such as holding the same faith, religions, political or life opinions from the beginning of our life to the end. 

I believe that people tend to favour the same thoughts and practices continually through life whilst not moving very far from their standard latitude or longitudes of the mind.  In other words, they often fail to change their experiences or the way they think.

Consider the following:

Below is a pictured example of our mind's latitude.  Following the same lines, we live, eat, dress and follow sports and recreational activities according to our experiences which are used after being garnered through years of adaptation from cultural and childhood practices.

As you can see, the latitudes are wavy as we remain on the same path but holding slight variation.  

The things that affect our latitudes are the various events and elements that cause us to alter our mindset and attitudes, these are the round elements that appear to be blobs.  Notice one prominent factor; the lines and round elements are fuzzy.  Why are they fuzzy?  The fuzziness represents the confusion, disillusion or unsurity of our minds at the time.

This is the representation of our subconscious lateral thoughts driven or being influenced by external stimulus.  The external stimulus may be others opinion, things we read and see and experience in our normal sphere.  This is a display of the lateral mind in action, degrees of latitude. 

Degrees of latitude all in the same place, going on and on…rarely diverting from our mental self or cultural programmed route.  

This is demonstrated by the lyrics from the song ‘Windmills of Your Mind’. from the film 'The Thomas Crown Affair.

Lyrics by Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman, music by Michel Legrand and sung perfectly by Noel Harrison. 

Noel Harrison

WINDMILLS OF YOUR MIND

Video - Noel Harrison

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEhS9Y9HYjU

Albeit the forgoing may have been a lengthy introduction to Changes of Latitude however it was necessary to make these highlights to emphasise the importance of Changes of Attitude.

As discussed, our minds tend to follow a continual and never-ending latitudinal path only altering to the external stimulus of others thoughts, opinions and of course, our experiences.  This can be limiting.  Consider what happens when we step away from the ‘…never-ending spinning wheel’ and adventure into the realms of a 3D ‘esque’ mind picture or journey through our mind as a sphere. 

Allow your mind to step away from the flat plane latitude and take a different tangent and cut through the centre of the sphere to the other side and make varying curves, circles, twisting and turning, drive or drill deeper to the core and emerge elsewhere with a vastly more experienced and knowledgeable viewpoint of the world.

By stepping away from the confines of longitude and latitudinal paths of thinking, the making changes of attitude to one’s mind will allow one to mentally and spiritually grow much fuller and faster than sticking to the norm, you will grow, become more worldly and appreciate what alternatives of enjoyment are on offer in this world.

For example, when thinking about planet Earth, try seeing not only the shape and the continents as a whole, try and focus your mind on what is below the soil, what makes the soil, what are the clouds doing, trees, grass, cats, dogs, buildings, cars, traffic, people i.e. wherever and, whatever.  

Try going to a different cinema, perhaps an Art House cinema, or attend a pop concert, attend an amateur play, go somewhere different on your holiday, eat food you have never tried.

Imagine what it would be like living on another planet in which case, how would you decorate the living room?

Go the ballet, opera or go and see a crappy B grade movie it does not matter, just step from limiting confines that deter you from growth.

Life is not only about excellence, because for excellence to exist there must be the opposite i.e. in-excellence or sub-standard.  These are examples of thinking differently and freeing up the mind to other opportunities. 

Changes of Latitude – Changes of Attitude leads to deeper thinking, understanding, knowledge and, widening of mind.

Cheers,

VERDE

RAJAH AND THE SNAKE

Young Rajah and his journey of wisdom. 

Once upon a time, long ago in a far away kingdom, a very wise old Rajah lived in his palace with his family.

As the old Rajah knew his life in this time was drawing to a close. 
He summoned his son who would become the next Rajah of the Kingdom.

When the son, the future Rajah was summoned, the young man knew it was time for his father to ensure safe passage and pass his kindness, compassion and understanding but most of all, his wisdom gained over many years, to his son, the future head of the Kingdom. 

Young Rajah looked forward to gaining the deeper wisdom of age and sharing compassion.

Time passed and young Rajah had learned much from his father.  The old man shared his life lessons and stated that in order to learn wisdom, it is of great benefit if it is experienced, it must be lived.

The old Rajah asserted that it was time for young Rajah to journey into the larger and wilder areas of his kingdom, from the coast to mountains all consisting of villages and forests populated with people, animals and nature.  Young Rajah had to learn by listening, observing and to offer assistance to those in need.  However, to ensure he heard the true and honest messages being offered, the young Rajah had to go in disguise as a poor man of little means.

Young Rajah journeyed north from the city, through villages, farms, lowlands, mountains, plains and jungle forests.  It took him a very long time, months in fact and although he was learning how people live, their struggles, achievements, worries, fears and things that made them happy, Young Rajah felt he was missing something.  He pondered to the extent that he was not only agitated by not knowing what was missing but he was worried that time was wasting as he felt in his bones that his father’s strength and health was fading. 

Young Rajah did not want to go home until he had learnt the most important lesson  but, what is it?

§

Early one evening in the forest as the sun was about to set, Young Rajah was settling down into his blanket for the night.  His thoughts on the unknown lesson through each day and night, constantly plagued him.  Certainly, he had learnt much from people from all walks of life in the Kingdom yet he still knew the most important lesson was missing.  He still did not understand or even begin to understand what the lesson was, but he knew it was missing.  He could not return home until he discovered and learnt the extremely important lesson.

As he rolled over to rest before he welcomed sleep he heard, and saw something move across leaf litter. Normally Young Rajah would remain very still and quiet waiting for the threat to pass but this time he was not fearful.

‘Are you a snake?’ he asked.

‘Yessss... I am,’ hissed the snake as it continued on towards Rajah.

‘Snake... what am I missing... what it is my father wants me to learn?’

‘I don’t know... why learn things anyways?’ the snake asked.

Rajah replied; ‘Because in learning things we can understand and improve our lives.’

The snake stopped moving, looked at Rajah and asked;
 ‘And if I know how I can improve my life, what good will it do me if I can’t change things?'

‘Well snake, how do you think your life can be improved?’

‘Legs would be good.’ Snake quickly and hiss-pissedly, crossly, replied.

Rajah was surprised, a snake wanting legs... this is a new one.

Snake continued... 

‘Yes, legs!  Do you know how it feels to slide along on your belly all the time?  Look at it from my lowly point of view. Us snakes spend all our time on our bellies, eating slow moving stuff on the ground, sneaking around for a feed, sometimes down holes in the ground.  To see any distance we have to slowly slither up trees.  The worse thing is that we look creepy.  A lot of us are safe creatures yet, humans and other animals are terrified of us.  We need legs.  If we had legs we could walk and get places faster.  Besides we could walk over the tops of rocks and twigs and things.  I reckon it would be a vast improvement and make life much easier if us snakes had very long legs.  Besides, it would make us look less sneaky’.  Snake had obviously thought it through.

Both Young Rajah and Snake said nothing else as the snake slithered away.

‘This could be it,’ thought Young Rajah.  ‘My lesson could be to learn the difficulties that animals and plants experience, and understand how I may help them.’

Dear reader, what is unknown to others, is that both the old and Young Rajah have supernatural powers.  Before Young Rajah went to sleep that night, he performed his magical powerful deed and gave the snake long legs.

§

In the morning, Young Rajah packed up his meagre belongings and continued his journey through the jungle and up into the mountains far beyond the tree line until the only thing that was present was snow, rock and moss.

Young Rajah spent much time in the mountains sitting in the open at the top, the pinnacle, enjoying the solitude and contemplation. 

The seasons changed from winter to spring and Young Rajah knew that with the passing of seasons our lives shorten and some lives pass.  He knew the time for the passing of his father was closer and it was imperative he return to the palace as quickly as possible.

Young Rajah moved very quickly on the most direct southerly route and did not waste any time.  It was only a matter of days when he reached the place where he met the snake that wanted long legs.

On the way back, Rajah placed his pack at the base of a rock and sat down.  ‘Snake, snake... you here?  Hey snake... are you here?’

The response came very quickly with anger.

‘Yes.. I’m bloody here... did you do this to me?’ Snake was continually pissedly, hissedly and sissedly as he revealed himself from behind a tree.

Rajah laughed and laughed and laughed so hard he fell off the rock.

‘Well... did you do this to me?’ as Snake angrily hissed asking in a very threatening manner.

‘Look at these... things...’ He hissed and sissed with disgust indicating his legs as he struggled and kept falling off and over logs and rocks.

Young Rajah was trying to be serious.  It was difficult because snake had four of the longest legs he had ever seen on a forest creature.  Hilarious, a snake four feet long had six feet long articulated legs.  No wonder he was angry!

Snake tried to calm himself down and explained the situation to Young Rajah.

‘I don’t know who you are but I reckon you are the one who gave me legs!' Snake began.

'I know I said having legs would help us snakes but you have no idea of the difficulty!  No longer can I slither up trees, go down animal holes, slide through logs or even sneak up on prey.  I can no longer slither!’

Snake continued.

‘To make matters worse, as people see me they attack me with sticks because I can’t slide or run away... because legs are impossible to use!  
I have no shoulders or hips and no muscles to support them.  
All I seem to do is wobble around and fall over all the time! 
I thought having legs would be good, but I can’t hunt and have been starving all winter!  
Do you have any idea how hard it is to back out of a rabbit hole with these darned long things?' He said indicating the long skinny ungainly legs.

'Can you please return me to how I was, long and skinny... with NO legs please.’

It was at that moment that young Rajah realised he was on the path of his father’s wisdom.

§

It was only a matter of days when young Rajah returned to the palace and was holding his frail father’s hand at his bedside.

‘So my son, before I go, what wisdom have you learnt about people, nature and the kingdom?’ Old Rajah asked.

Young Rajah shared his experiences with the wise old Rajah.

‘Father, thank you for encouraging me to tour our kingdom and learn.  I journeyed much, saw many people and experienced many things.

To answer your question, there is much to wisdom; the first is there is never a limit to becoming wise, it takes many lifetimes and experiences.

The second is that regardless of who people are or their status they all have opinions on what would improve things, but improvements need to be tested.

The third is that it is folly to improve on nature, snakes are happier and exist better without legs.'

The old Rajah's laughing eyes lit up.

Young Rajah continued; 
'The fourth is to recognise that just because we have power it can be used unwisely with poor results.

The sixth and biggest lesson of all father, is to accept yourself as the being you are... oh... and be careful what you wish for.’

The old Rajah smiled, chuckled and kissed his son’s hand.

Verde

© Val Verde (2015)

Note:  All works and intellectual property in this blog are under copyright.

THE 8 BALL

CAUSE AND EFFECT - BILLIARDS

The aim in the game of billiards...pool is to be the first person to pocket the 8 Ball after sinking all your other balls first.

This is like life, we know what we are trying to achieve and set about doing just that.

Like pool, there are rules that must be followed in order to achieve our life goals.

However, in achieving pocketing the 8 Ball, or being what we individually think of as being successful, it is not always straight forward.

This article draws an analogy between billiards and life.

Billiards, snooker and pool is a game of cause and effect.

Life is also dominated by cause and effect.

We cause things to happen and it has an effect.

I demonstrate:

In Billiard games, because we want to win the game we have to follow the process and rules of play. 

As mentioned above, in order to win one must be the first to pot the 8 Ball after all your other balls.  However, in doing this one has to avoid accidentally sinking the white ball (cue ball) and/or the 8 Ball as well as your opponent’s balls.  This in itself is a challenge.

However, during the game it is a matter of course that other balls are hit and ricochet off others.  The balls roll around the table and may or may not roll into difficult positions.  Such as touching other players balls or end up against the table cushions.  Therefore, you can be placed in a difficult position which may not be easy to recover.  Following, you have to adjust your game strategy and use differing techniques to accommodate the new ball layout.  That is, with each shot both you and your opponent make, the game alters.

Billiards is a game of cause and effect. Because balls move around the table, either intentionally or otherwise this has an effect on the game.  Cause and effect.

This is like all life challenges...nothing stays regular and constant and one is constantly adjusting to get the advantage and win the game. Meaning, to sink the metaphorical 8 Ball of life.

As you may have gathered, I have recently taken up the sport of Billiards...pool, so much so that I have bought my own cue etc.  I am very lucky that I have ready access to a billiard table.

Being rather new to the game I am still very much a novice at technique and strategy but I am learning.

I enjoy thinking about billiards and pool, what is involved and strategies one may use in order to be the first in the game to pot the 8 ball and win.  

During the quiet hours between midnight and dawn I think a lot about billiards.  This is when I came to realise that the game of billiards is a graphic metaphor for life and all the challenges and obstacles we encounter in order to overcome challenges.

So to explain it better, below are the corresponding elements that are needed for Billiards and Life

BILLIARDS =	LIFE
Billiard Table =	One’s Life
Long skinny stick (Cue) =	Intention
Billiard...Pool Balls =	Skills
Table Pockets =	Target
Potting the 8 Ball =	Goal (Achievement)

The game of billiards, pool is an analogy for life and the above table shows the parallels.

It does not matter if one is playing against another person or against oneself, is not the potting of balls into pockets the same as achieving things in life?

I see this wonderful sport of billiards, pool or snooker that involves no running, jumping, pulling, pushing or lifting heavy weights to be a wonderful visual and physical exercise in understanding the process of living.  

Life, as billiards...pool, does not have to be struggle, both are a game in which we all are trying to achieve a happy and positive outcome.

We make life what it is.  

Everyone can play pool.  Everyone has a different physical stature, mental attitude, health and experience.  Take the cue from me.

A player with a positive attitude regardless of their inexperience can win a game over a very good player.  As a beginner I learnt this lesson the other night when I beat a very experienced and excellent player.  

During my life I have only played pool about five or six times and that was over a period of 15-40 years ago.  Yet, there I was the other night playing about the fourth game since that time. I have never had lessons, I was mis-hitting balls, had one or two air shots but at least the way I was playing, I won the game.

How did I win?

In all honesty I think it was because I was taking my time and properly lining up my shots, covered (blocked) two pockets...not really deliberately...but almost and most importantly, I made sure that I took my time approaching the table and was careful that my stance and bridge (hand aiming the cue) was correct.  (I have lots more to learn about and practice this). But the thing is, this is what we do in life.

Life, as a game of billiards, have obstacles such as rules, penalties and challenges, that is the way things are.

As you can see, achieving goals or becoming successful is not necessarily determined by who or what one is up against.  It is more about our personal attitudes and other attributes in which we play the game of life and living.

Well...that is what I have learnt about the game of Billiards.

Cheers,

Verde

THE TABLE

Dear People,

I am writing this letter to tell you about myself.

I am a table, not just any table...I am ‘the’ table.

Well, in my home I am commonly known as ‘the table’.  I don’t understand why all tables are called ‘table’.  It is like my friends around me, there are generally six and they all have the same name too, ‘chair’.  They are all called the same.  The people in my home have different names and they all look different, but not the chairs around me.  Maybe I am special because I am the only one with the name ‘table’.

I live in a house, not too big, not too small.  I am the exact size to match the family that surround me often throughout the day, the evening and sometimes; through the night (this all depends on events in my home).  I see, experience and feel lots of things happening in the kitchen. Oh yes, that is where I live, in the kitchen, with my mates chair, chair, chair, chair, chair and of course, chair.

I am pretty normal and an ordinary looking kitchen table.  Being of timber construction with my top of four planks stained a sandy-greenish-gray hew I think I look good. I have modestly strong shapely legs that manage to support not only my weight but also the weight of much food.  There are times when I feel other weight of the emotional kind upon me.  Humans have weighty problems and issues sometimes.

It is lucky that I am also able to support the limbs and heads of many people when their life becomes tough.  I have felt human tears upon me, so I hope the smell of my wood helps them as their head is resting on me.  My owners describe me as being timbered, rustic, knobbly legs and of a rectangular shape.  It sounds ok to me.

People seem to talk a lot, especially when they are happy, sad or angry.  Don’t misunderstand me, I have no way of hearing things other than though vibration echoing through the room and through my timber but I know what is going on though, from my perspective that is.

Tables and other wooden things are often seen as objects that are made from dead trees but the reality is that although the tree that forms my presence has gone, the timber remains alive.  It is cellular and still alive. 

Perhaps you have seen timber that has been bumped, dented and damaged.  Over time the dents and damage seems to recover to a degree...well, this is why.  Mind you, I still have chips out of my leg that will be there forever, that is until my leg falls of and I am thrown away I suppose.  Perhaps I will be recycled and live a renewed life as something else.  Or even become a part of the earth like fertiliser and help flowers grow.

As I become older and relive my past experiences I become more grateful for being a table.  I have seen many things and, I have been of service.

There is honour of having lived a life of service.  Although I am an old wooden table, in my own way I have helped to support people and this is my way of being of service.

People, the family in my house, have sat around me many thousands of times and I have enjoyed their company whether it was for good times or not so good times.  I can’t talk for the chairs, they don’t express themselves but that is possibly good because that means that the chairs can’t complain.

Back to the family, they were two big and two small people and then there were another two small ones.  When these two very small people arrived the big people were very happy.  There was music, dancing, singing and lots and lots of food.  I think it is called a ‘party’.

Then two others that were really, really old came and lived in our home.

One day a small one was not around anymore and later one of the old ones went...somewhere.  When these people went, the others, the two big ones and the last little one, who had become bigger, were very sad.  They ate lots of food then and I could feel great sadness. There was no music and dancing. 

I don’t understand, what happened to the one old one and the young one, perhaps they went and became fertiliser like I might one day and help flowers grow.

There was sometimes a lot of thinking, writing and discussion upon me, the table.  At times there were really loud vibrations accompanied by thumping on me, shouting even.  I later heard that these were called homework, the boyfriend and ‘why on earth did I let her have the car keys.’  I don’t understand though.

It is not really my place to understand.  But it is my place to stand in the kitchen and be supportive, regardless of things placed upon me or simply to be a resting place.

I am proud of being a table.  I have been a good utility and have been of service.

Yours sincerely,

Table.

Verde.

ONE'S OWN COUNSEL

A sheep, alpaca and kangaroo lesson.

I have enjoyed the luxury of being surrounded by open space, peace and tranquillity on a country property for a while now. Living on top of a very large hill with the muted sounds and silence of the bush, I never realised what it really means to be surrounded by wild and domestic animals and how they communicate.

From various distant trees the birds call to each other, the kangaroos tend to communicate more by body language than grunting and the sheep, alpacas, cattle and horses communicate vocally but generally, if they feel uncomfortable, they walk off.   

It is quite normal for wild kangaroos and the domestic sheep and alpacas to hang around peacefully together in the same paddock.  They are different species, at the one time, feeding at the same dinner table or simply resting.  I have never seen any show of disharmony.

The animals live and let live.  They don’t meddle, interfere, argue or attack other animals.  There is room for all at the dinner table.  Besides eating they often follow each other around (especially the sheep and alpacas).  But if feeling uncomfortable they simply wander off or hop away.

Then there is the human animal. 

Some human animals object to others being at the same dinner table, or the same function as those of a different colour such as white, black, yellow, brown etc.

Some humans may object to sharing with those of a different culture, from a different social group or have a different accent. 

People are interesting, we learn from their behaviour.  There are those in our society who ensure they know everybody’s business and meddle where it is not warranted and their efforts are unwanted. Following, they seem to think it is their right to spread everyone’s' business around with anyone who will listen.  Thus, the listener very often has little interest but pays attention to be polite.  I am unsure whether the offender does it to demonstrate their knowledge of others or, to display their willingness to help others or, to make themselves feel good or lastly, they have nothing better to do or talk about.  

There are people who continually use subversive questioning techniques to dig for personal or business information about individuals and then spread the word to numerous others. There are times when they do not realise it is wrong, if not immoral.  It may be considered a component of sharing, however if it is done without permission, it is breach of confidentially, privacy.  They think they are smart and undetected.  But this deluded thinking is erroneous as perhaps others have always known but chose to say nothing.  What happens?  Once it is realised, people who have been transgressed and their personal and/or business information compromised, trust in the offender has been lost and consequently, will not tolerate this behaviour and walk away.

Why can't some people just sit quietly and enjoy being with others and talk normal social things instead of talking about others and trying to subvert and sneakily gain information?  Like, WTFC? (Who The Stuff Cares).

§

Throughout my life, there have only been three or four people close to me who never talk about other people and their business or personal lives.  Those people were my mother, father, sister and my very best friend of over 20 years.  All of these folk are intelligent humans.  For hours we would sit quietly and discuss food, music, philosophy, the arts, politics, travel and cars etc.  It was never boring, was consistently interesting and thought provoking and never crossed others' boundaries.

Sometimes we could also sit together in our own thoughts and never speak at all.  Nearly all of them are gone now and I very much miss them. 

In the animal kingdom, I am sure kangaroos never feel they have to show one-upmanship, (except in breeding season to show the ladies they are the alpha male), nor how much they know about others and gossip.  The same is for the sheep and alpacas. They simply live their life as a farm or wild animal does, with survival and enjoyment of their circumstances.  They do not have to prove anything to anyone.  No point scoring.

Why can’t the human animal have this acceptance and grace for what they have been given and simply live life without having to prove they know more about people than the average Joe and point score.

If it is a matter of point scoring, there is only one score board, one scorer and one competitor.  With only one competitor, the score is null and void and it cancels itself out with the sore of nil and therefore the sole competitor has nothing, zilch, zero.

Does this happen in the non-human animal world? 

Does our human intelligence facilitate this, or are the non-human animals smarter?

Let us all share the same dinner table and respect privacy.

Verde.