The Alchemist in Search of the Philosopher's Stone, 1771, by Joseph Wright. Public domain image courtesy of Wikimedia.
The Alchemist in Search of the Philosopher’s Stone, 1771, by Joseph Wright. Public domain image courtesy of Wikimedia.

Both of these Attitude Adjusters brought to you by Rob Brezsny’s Pronoia is the Antidote for Paranoia: How the Whole World is Conspiring to Shower You with Blessings.

I’ve been enjoying yet another (re)visit with this perception-shifting gem — it’s one of my various attitude- (and energy-) adjusting resources that I pull out of my Magic Backpack as needed.

These are also like antidotes to the norms of Bully Culture … ways of alchemizing ‘poison’ into remedy.

“Treat everyone you meet as if he or she were going to be dead by midnight. Extend to them all the care, kindness, and understanding you can muster, and do so with no thought of reward. Your life will never be the same.” ~ Og Mandino, The Greatest Salesman in the World

Hermes and Venus gazing into a Mirror, 1885, by Walter Crane. Public domain image.
Hermes and Venus gazing into a Mirror, 1885, by Walter Crane. Public domain image.

And here’s a wild notion, where the Believing Mirror is the remedy (rather than punitive approaches more familiar to us):

“In the Babemba tribe of South Africa, when a person ate irresponsibly or unjustly

, he is placed in the center of the village, alone and unfettered. All work ceases, and everyone in the village gathers in a large circle around the accused.”

“Then each person in the tribe speaks to the accused, one oat a time, recalling the good things the person has done in his life. Every experience that can be recalled with detail and accuracy is recounted. all his positive attributes, good deeds, strengths, and kindnesses are recited carefully. This ceremony often lasts for several days. At the end, a joyous celebration takes place, and the person is symbolically and literally welcomed back into the tribe.” — Jack Kornfield, The Art of Forgiveness, Lovingkindness, and Peace.

"Main pieuse", papier et aquarelle, XVIIIème siècle. Musée du Coeur, by Vassil, 2011. Image courtesy of Vassil via Creative Commons, WikiMedia.
“Main pieuse”, papier et aquarelle, XVIIIème siècle. Musée du Coeur, by Vassil, 2011. Image courtesy of Vassil via Creative Commons, WikiMedia.

That’d be an example of “power with mercy” rather than the punitive “power over others, sans mercy” … mercy meaning the inclusion of empathy, kindness, heart-centeredness, compassion (vs. the absence of it).

Engaged Spirituality in practice (emphasis on the word practice, cuz it sure is that!).

But really just reminding someone of who they really, truly are … when they (or we) have forgotten.

Quite inspiring, don’t you think?

Big Love and Happy Attitude Adjusting,

Jamie