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Confounded

Friday, December 1, 2023

The word "Confounded" can have several meanings but, one way the word is used is as follows:

"Confounded- to cause surprise or confusion in someone, especially by acting against their expectations"

The entertainment industry is a primary source of confusion (and will more than likely, always be that way).  The entertainment industry continually tells us to "love yourself....you're perfect just the way you are....etc.", but in the same breath will be selling you acne cream, anti-wrinkle cream, dietary supplements, hair loss treatments, etc.  It confounds people.

Living in our modern world, with all of the good and bad that come with connectivity and social media and "news", can very easily leave one feeling confused and confounded. 

If one looks to the world, and into one's cell phone for peace, one you will never find it.  However, the world does make one feel that peace can be achieved, and will be elusively "just around the corner if you just do this....buy this....say this...act this way....look this way....etc.".  However, one can do everything the world tells them to to attain peace, and the advice from the world will change within the hour....there one sits with one's newly purchased/obtained items/mantras, etc. and it's all sadly out of date, and out of fashion.....what a foolish person I was to buy/accept all of this stuff.......I'm going to change it all again and get a new set of mantras, items, objects, etc.......it will always change, confuse, confound, and leave one feeling foolish and empty. 

It's 6:13am as I type this, and I haven't practiced in a few weeks due to not feeling so hot (cry me a river).  For whatever reason this morning, when my alarm went off at 4:15am, I did not hit the snooze button, and I felt rested and well enough to get up and start a routine that is normal-ish for me. 

Enough chit-chat....time to begin today's practice. 

Part II:

As always, I write the initial post before I've begun my practice, and the Part II update after I've completed my practice.  

There is always a difference in the two versions of myself; the one that got on the mat before practice, and the one that gets off the mat after practice. 

In regards to the initial post about the entertainment industry, and becoming confused by the ever changing mantras and chants of the world, I'll say that I am as susceptible to it as anyone else.  I can easily get caught up in the nonsense the world flings around, but time spent on my mat has helped me (and can help you) sift through the nonsense and more easily identify what is real from what is fake and, very often, have a laugh at the pathetic and transparent confusion that comes from the world (rather than feel despair at it). 

Time to enter the world.  

Namaste 


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