I have decided not to Ayhuasca. For now.
It came after I had a spiritual experience watching an all-day marathon of Cesar Millan, Dog Whisperer.
I’m sure by now you’re thinking that all I do is watch T.V. but I assure you that is not the case. It goes completely against any advice given by Ferris on reducing television intake to a maximum one hour a day as a means to unwind and I have no intention of contravening any of his recommendations (after all, he’s the one with the four-hour work week, not me). And he further recommends never, ever to make that hour of idiot box entertainment, the news. And FYI, Jack is of the same opinion. As a matter of fact a lot of happy, successful people are. (Notice how I didn’t just say ‘successful’)?
I don’t want to be a miserable, overworked success. I want to be a happy one with lots of free time.
So while it is commendable to remain abreast of what’s happening in the world around us (lest people think us callous, uniformed and barbarous human beings), subjecting ourselves to negative, depressing, chaotic, fear-inducing news, is not. If the news carried with it an objective view of world events, balancing good news with the bad, I might tune in once a week. But sadly, that is not the case because drama sells. And the more shocking the delivery, the better. Negativity in any form depletes your emotional resources and taxes your ability to remain focused. The solution?
Don’t watch it.
Ferris says if you want to know what’s going on in the world, just ask someone anywhere - a newsstand, by the office cooler, in the coffee shop - you’ll get an update of all the most important events in less than five minutes. People love to share how informed they are. In exchange, you’ll get the Coles Notes version of world events faster than you can sing the National Anthem. Think of how much time you’ll free up.
But watching an inordinate amount of television was never a problem for me as my standard M.O. is to watch less than an hour per day, if at all.
So where does the Cesar Millan marathon come in you ask?
Extenuating circumstances dictate there will always be occasion when rules are broken. Having a post-surgery house-guest with whom you sometimes ‘just want to hang out with while also being entertained’ is one of them. Let it go.
As luck would have it, in six hours, Cesar Millan and his dog-reforming, owner-training ways, reminded me of everything I needed to know to live my life fruitfully.
1. Leave the past behind. Animals do with each other. They don’t care if the dog next door or the one they share space with was a victim of abuse. As far as they’re concerned it’s just another dog. So they never, ever suffer from a symptom that people often do - enabling others (and therefore disempowering them) because they feel sorry for them. Animals don’t feel sorry for each other. They just react to the energy the other animal projects. If it projects a victim mentality, then that’s how they treat it. The past does not exist. Don’t be a victim of it. And don’t keep the story alive that helps others to remain a victim either.
2. Live in the moment. Whatever happened five minutes ago is OVER. Let it go. RIGHT NOW is a new beginning. Just because you failed to do something 5 minutes ago, 5 days ago, 5 months ago, or for the last 5 years, doesn’t mean you’re going to fail at it now. A dog who has been misbehaving for years can behave differently now because he doesn’t carry baggage with him, owners do. Live each day as if you’ve never failed in the past. And never believe rumors. An old dog really can learn new tricks.
3. Be calm and confident. Conduct yourself with dignity at all times. Dogs feel everything you feel about yourself and respond in kind. People will too.
4. To be fulfilled, every dog must be what it was born to be and every owner must support its true nature. If it’s a shepherd, it must expend energy in a manner that satisfies those genetic instincts. If it’s a guard dog, it must be calm enough to discern real danger from people just passing by. Discover what you were born to do, pursue it, and surround yourself with people who support and understand you.
5. Be the Alpha dog. (‘Nuf said).
While trying Ayuhuasca may prove to be an amazing experience, it is not a necessary step to fully embrace my Six Month Experiment.
But Cesar’s Millan’s wisdom is.
Repeat after me:
I am an Alpha dog that lives in the moment. I display a calm and confident demeanor, leaving old patterns behind. I am pursuing what I was born to do with no reservations from past failures because the past does not exist. I surround myself with people who love, understand, and support me in my quest to be fulfilled.
And if they don’t, frak ‘em.
Thing accomplished today:
1. I worked on chapter six (finally - wahoo!)
2. I cleared a space for daily meditation (doing it regularly however, will prove to be another challenge but it’s a start).
3. I got rid of everything in my place that might even remotely reflect poverty mentality (more on that later).
4. I got a new mantra. (See above).
All in all, it was a fab day.
