Enlightenment Warriors

Today, unlike some other time periods, we seem to worry more. Some of us have become so enamored by all the new technology that we just cannot do anything for ourselves. It seems the more we search for inner peace and tranquility, the more we're exposed to all kinds of new technology. Some of it is a natural outgrowth of the times. While some is just downright crazy.

Those of us who are searching for enlightenment find all of this somewhat distracting. And unfortunately, in many ways, some of us are not working very well  with the new technology. We're finding it difficult to keep up with the changes.

 For some of us, it might be better to post "No Trespassing" signs on our brows. This psychological, symbolic gesture will remind us to become more vigilant of the information we allow into our minds. It will also remind us to stop worrying so much about  technology taking over our lives. And, hopefully, we can assuage our fears of being victimized by technology.

Those of us who feel victimized by technology and its effects on our behavior are become increasingly more apathetic to what's happening in the world. Somewhere along the way, we've lost our passion for living fully engaged lives. Perhaps it's the media saturation of news about war, unemployment, the stock market, home foreclosures, and the widening chasm of social and political changes threatening our emotional and psychological security.

Nevertheless, it's the overwhelming nature of our problems with the world  that's creating a viral strain of apathy within us. It's acting as a paralysis of consciousness. We cannot seem to get going like we used to when things were simpler. And now we're paralyzed by worry. Some of us can only hope and pray that things (technology) will slow down enough for us to feel meaningful again.

Similarly, some of us prefer the care-free, cavalier environment. We like the personal feel good approach where we can feel good about ourselves and others. It makes us feel less worrisome or overcome by worldly problems. In this environment, we can remain aloof and segregate ourselves from the deluge of information swirling around us. We can join with those who stand idly by and observe the world through the prism of  judgment, fear, and worry. We can, in effect, become apathy-warriors in the army of naysayers.

Whenever we succumb to apathy, we immediately become victims. And the more we become blinded by apathy, the more we devalue ourselves with less power. After awhile, and unbeknown to us, we become victimized by the information we are allowing into our minds. We are unaware of the moment-to-moment struggles we are having with taking action to solve our own problems.

As apathy-warriors, the victims of misinformation, we cling to the doubts and fears, which are the weapons we use to fight against action. We use them to wail mercilessly about the pernicious effects of powerlessness, and to reward ourselves with inglorious contentment with victimization.

Those of us who have lived with the stench of victimization permeating our nostrils are proud apathy-warriors. Everything in our behavior confirms inaction. We are the talkers -- the caretakers of private conversations -- seeking solutions with diseased minds infected by cultural beliefs of victimization. This is who we are and what we do. We are the advocates responsible for teaching, without realizing what we're teaching,  generations of  individuals how to become victims of information that devalue them as powerless.

The victimization process is quite simple. We begin teaching children to interpret information based on the racial, gender, religious, social, and economic categories  that define them. If we are uneducated -- academically, socially, politically and economically -- we can only teach our children what we know. And, unfortunately, in many cases it's not much.

If we are obese, with unhealthy lifestyles -- overeating and little or no physical exercise -- we teach our children how to become obese with unhealthy lifestyles. If we are addicted to alcohol, drugs, and so forth, then we teach, by example, our children how to become victimized by our addictive behavior. We can continue ad nausem with the examples, however, the point has been made.

Conversely, those of us who are educated, we teach our children how to assimilate and transform themselves into acceptability. We teach them the importance of having to be twice as good as others in order for them to achieve success. We victimize them by confirming our own victimization. We teach them to seek confirmation of their work from others.

Meanwhile, the victimization of us, and its corollary effects of apathy are illusory. They merely represent the beliefs that we have been taught by others. The entire concept of apathy-warriors is nothing more than another way to say victim. It's an opportunity to overcome, to change our thoughts and value our worthiness to be alive and successful.

The greatest power we have is our mind. When we allow information to enter into minds and become lifelong beliefs, we must ensure that this information is enlightenment. If not, we will remain inextricably tied to the victimization process that's causing us to doubt our abilities to take actions to solve our own problems.

The moment we decide to wake-up from our victim nightmare and seek enlightenment is the moment we free ourselves from the shackles of apathy. We stop fighting to be powerless. We free our minds of its self-imposed restrictions. We devote our time and energy to enlightening our minds to perceive limitless possibilities in our lives. We are aware that enlightenment is more than a word, it's a philosophy; a way of life.

We become enlightenment-warriors.