"Religion is a practical discipline that teaches us to discover new capacities of mind and heart...It is no use magisterially weighing up the teachings of religion to judge their truth or falsehood before embarking on a religious way of life. You will discover their truth - or lack of it - only if you translate these doctrines into ritual or ethical action...Some people will be better at it than others, some appallingly inept, and some will miss the point entirely. But those who do not apply themselves will get nowhere at all."

     This excerpt comes from a book called The Case For God. Now, anyone who knows me may find it weird that I'm reading a book titled thus as I am a self declared Agnostic. However, anyone who knows me well knows that I am still interested in things of a theological nature.

     All that is really besides the point, it is just a little background information. So back to the quote. This particular passage struck a chord with me (although so far the entire book has impressed me greatly) as it is something that I have thought about before although maybe not so eloquently as this.

     Karen Armstrong (the author) also examines religion from a different point of view. One that I think that I would actually be able to stand behind, and is for me embodied by this quote.

      "In particular, the meaning of the word "belief" has changed, so that a credulous acceptance of creedal doctrines became the prerequisite of faith, so much that today we often speak of religious people as "believers," as though though accepting orthodox dogma "on faith" were their most important activity." 

      She has managed to make me examine myself and my beliefs within the introduction to her book. Maybe it is through the fact that I have wanted to believe but haven't found a Way that suits me or maybe its because I need something more right now.

     And yes I'm 19, but you're always told that University is the place to re-invent yourself. And I know that in my (almost completed) first year at WLU many things have changed about me, from the way I act to how I think. Anyways this book has made me realize that I have some serious thinking to do.

Its never too late to change. RC

Fix You

   Who do you turn to when you feel like your whole life is going to shit, that nothing ever goes your way? When you have things that you want to talk about but you don't have anyone who will listen or, more importantly, actually understand why you feel the way you do?

     Sometimes, a song can describe, to a t, how you feel. In my case that song is  Fix You by Coldplay.    

When you try your best, but you don't succeed
When you get what you want, but not what you need
When you feel so tired, but you can't sleep
Stuck in reverse

And the tears come streaming down your face
When you lose something you can't replace
When you love someone, but it goes to waste
Could it be worse?

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you

And high up above or down below
When you're too in love to let it go
But if you never try you'll never know
Just what you're worth

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you

Tears stream down on your face
When you lose something you cannot replace
Tears stream down on your face
And I...

Tears stream down on your face
I promise you I will learn from my mistakes
Tears stream down on your face
And I...

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you  

     I wish that I had someone like this. Someone that you could go to no matter what. Not a random psychiatrist or anything like that. Someone who you have an intense personal connection with - who you can tell anything to and they still won't judge you.

     Because, lets face it, no matter how strong you pretend to be, you will at some point need to get things off your chest. And they won't be little things like "Oh, I didn't do as well on this quiz as I would have liked". They are going to be serious issues, maybe it will be how you feel about the passing of a loved one or how you feel about yourself as a person. In any case, they will be seriously debilitating to your body and your psyche if you keep them bottled up - like an oxygen tank under to much pressure eventually you will explode. How that happens may differ but the results will not be pretty.

     And so I end this rather depressing post with a quote from Hamlet that, to be honest, has plagued me before. "Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer/The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,/Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,/And by opposing end them?"

RC

Then take a viagra, and slap them with a rock hard misdirection.

     Another Valentine's Day come and gone... I'm just joking. Who really cares? It's a silly 'holiday' that has been commercialized beyond belief. And if you need a specific day to be extra nice to your special someone that should be a hint that the relationship you're in probably isn't going well. Guys, if you actually love your girl you should do things like taking her out to her favourite restaurant/show etc. all the time. If you do it of your own accord it's a lot more special than if you just do it on a day that societal standards say you should.

     Anyways, now that we got that little tidbit out of the way I can continue on to the real point of this post -  expressing yourself artistically. Whether you do this through dance, music, drama, art or even writing blogs, it's something that everyone should not only do, but feel comfortable about doing. Denying yourself one of these methods of self expression is like locking part of yourself away - never a good idea.

     However, the reason a lot of people don't feel comfortable doing this is because of society and it's infamous attitude towards people who are 'different'. Things like everyone making fun of the kids in band/choir/drama in school, maybe because they thought the actual activity was stupid, or because the sex of the person was wrong for what they were doing. I mean, what's with that? Really, just grow up. They're comfortable with who they are you should be too. Wow, I didn't mean for this to turn into a rant but when you can relate it makes it that much more personal.

     For example something that very few people know about me is that I danced when I was younger, I did Jazz. I also did gymnastics and was in my schools choir in middle school. So WHAT?

     Do things that you want to, that have meaning for you and that you love. Why should you let others dictate how you live? Sure, maybe some people will think you're weird, but who cares? Why should it matter what they think of you.

     What I'm trying to say is that [to be super cliched] those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind.

     And I'd like to leave you with a slightly less known quote, but it's one of my favourites: "Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds" - Albert Einstein

Let loose, be yourself, live full tilt. RC

Catharsis

     I wasn't planning on posting again this soon but I was clicking through suggestions  on YouTube when I found a song by a band called Evergreen Terrace. Although not necessarily the genre of music I usually listen too I decided to give it a try and I was pleasantly surprised that I not only liked the song but it was very cathartic for me. Here are the lyrics, it's called Sending Signals.

I'm sending a signal, is anyone there, to receive and believe in my words?
It's hard to believe when you can't even breathe in, breathe out
The pushing and pulling. The weight of the world, the world breaks my spirit... and crushes my hope.
Is anyone out there to help pull me out, out of this hole?

I know it will be hard,
  I know it will be rougher than before, cause life seems to always ask for more and I am giving all I have,
But maybe givings not enough and i just need, need to push through these black holes.

  Separation from the complications, I'm not coming, I'm not coming back.
  Separation from the complications, I'm not coming, I'm not coming back.
  Separation from the complications, I'm not coming, I'm not coming back.
  Separation from the complications, I'm not coming, I'm not coming back.

I'm sending a signal, does anyone care, care to believe in the ways of this world?
It's ready to show you the truth of today. today I stand out from the-
Rest of the dying, rest of the damned, I believed in with both eyes shut.

  I'm sending this signal, does anyone care, care to push on?

So give me a reason to not look away, a reason for trying, a reason to stay.
  I'm sending the signal, is anyone there to give me a reason. a reason to care?

  Separation from the complications, I'm not coming, I'm not coming back.
  Separation from the complications, I'm not coming, I'm not coming back.
  Separation from the complications, I'm not coming, I'm not coming back.
  Separation from the complications, I'm not coming, I'm not coming back.

Link to the music video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQvqOUVSFp8&feature=related

     Some of you might not understand why this type of music helps. In all probability you have your own type of music that you listen to when you are in certain moods. Personally, I find that music like this lets my feelings flow through me harmlessly and in the end leave me feeling much better. 

     Listen to it if you want. Whether or not you like it is ultimately of no consequence to anyone but yourself - so please, no trolls.

I'll leave you with this quote which I think is quite fitting.  "When you clench your fist, no one can put anything in your hand, nor can your hand pick up anything." - ALEX HALEY

Don't bottle it up. RC

Epiphanies

So, this is obviously my first blog ( I really didn't want to say this. It's like saying "I can't come to the phone right now" on your answering machine - but its a good segue so deal with it.) and if you're reading this then you're coming along for what will quite possibly be a bumpy ride. As to the title of my blog, yes it is from the Guide but it's more than just that, and as weird as it may sound I realized that during my shower today. Somewhere in between shampooing my head and trying to crouch to get under the really low shower head (DAMN YOU UNIVERSITY SHOWERS) I had an epiphany. And it was this, that people don't spend enough time just thinking anymore, they are either on their crackberries, have headphones in to block out the world, or are involved in a multitude of other things. Whatever they are doing people don't seem to just let their mind wander (call it day dreaming if you will) anymore. They are too absorbed and too concentrated. They don't let themselves think about themselves and where they are in their life. And it's sad because you can learn a lot about yourself and others by taking some time out of the day to think about Life, the Universe and Everything.

Don't let yourself slip. RC