Post-Thanksgiving wake-up call

One of the big mysteries of consciousness is that we ordinarily attribute our internal states to the external world. If someone drives by yelling obscenities at us, we might feel angry, flip the middle finger, and hurl obscenities back at them - "Hey, they deserve it!" But all of this is illusion. Consciousness moves, and our states "fall into line" prior to what seems to be occurring  from our point of view (inside and outside)... not the other way around. 

We are already, from the moment we acquired language, and some time before that in fact, primed for responding to events instinctively, emotionally, and mentally, and it is only when there is a "Master in Control", that one even has the possibility to transform the flow of energy from "out there" (including the entire physical body you are renting these days) to the point of consciousness that becomes aware of something (first this, then that, then the other thing, ad infinitum, or your physical death, whichever comes first), into something higher and finer than was apparently "served up."

All of this should be so obvious, but it is not - just Look Around. Everyone takes everything personally, and negatively, and the typical response is to complain and criticize**. This has become automatic in the thinking center, and usually does not allow one to receive "the entire impression" before cutting off the flow. This is a primary reason why the "Master" never Matures, and adults remain children - intellectually- and emotionally-speaking.

There is an unseen, though suspected, connection between thoughts in our head - as well as, feelings and sensations - and the events occurring all around us. The world arrives first, and THEN a person shows up in the scene, reacting to appearances, because there is no "Master", who remains conscious before, during, and after. Such a "Master in Control" requires more and finer energies to remain in control,  because otherwise, one inevitably reverts to the **mean (in both senses of that word.)

This is Work, and it is never easy, but once learned, new and interesting methods and techniques can be discovered which add an element of Excitement, Enjoyment, and Entertainment to the Effort that is always going to be required. Always and Everywhere.