我常常提醒自己，這個世界由我自己創造，假使我想活在正向意念的生活，我可以；假使我想活在沮喪失敗中，我也可以：我將隨意的支配。話雖如此，我總是對我奇特的想像力有興趣。近來歐洲的暴力事件呈現，讓我納悶它就像活在他們晚期的19世紀，有比較好嗎？乍看之下，它呈現一個更和平的地方，全球文化及優點的頂峰。當然，許多視為理所當然的裝置才剛開始存在，包括現代的汽車(1886年被卡爾‧賓士創造)、電話(1876年亞歷山大‧格拉漢姆‧貝爾取得專利權)以及飛機(1903萊特兄弟第一次成功飛行)。從一個歷史的觀點，這個時期有如實地被描繪嗎？它優於我們當今的時代嗎？對於高階的事物，無疑地是好太多了。首先，你的學校教育是極優於一般人。第二，你的晉升機會，在軍隊及政府官僚都是優秀的，高等教育的男士(總是男士)被派駐到世界各地，它是一次極大的冒險。

然而，戰爭沒有帶他們回家，其中一個敘述是1842年在阿富汗毀滅一整個英國軍隊。這個帝國(在它的傲慢自大下)雖然不是一個帝國(發生在1857年印度叛變後創建英屬印度)，相信它藉由行軍和佔領喀布爾能平定那些未開化的人。在1839年執行，沒有任何主要的事件，儘管在1841年末完成，被分離的部隊是疲憊且沮喪的：士氣非常的低。當地居民懷有敵意且不歡迎，然而在1842年1月1日，少將埃爾芬斯通與阿富汗當地元老達成一個從阿富汗安全通過的協議，五天後開始撤退，離開的英國與印度的軍事力量，皆為軍人與百姓，成員大約16500人。在冬天，荒蕪且被雪困住的山口有危險及不祥的預感；不久，他們被不認同協定的普什圖人襲擊。當他們朝險惡的峽谷往下走50公里且渡過喀布爾河(介於喀布爾和甘大麥間)，逃走的一群人在沒有成員增加的情況下被成批的殺死，這個撤退瞬間變成完全的潰敗。地面冰凍，男士們沒有避難所，只剩一些食物及武器，威廉‧布賴登醫生是隊伍唯一到達賈拉拉巴德的士兵，少將埃爾芬斯通被俘後死亡。英國感到震驚：假如現在我們返回到我們的世紀，我們領悟到我們從歷史學到一些教訓。轉回到西方國家到阿富汗再到伊拉克，沒有做什麼事但卻激起了謀殺和蓄意的破壞。記錄片〝黑金血淚〞和〝敵人的敵人：ISIL的崛起〞清楚的顯示出苔刑的責任必須被拋到支配世界力量的腳下。這些人要求對伊斯蘭國忠誠，他們顯然地不是精神病患者，如同美國國務卿約翰‧凱瑞聲明的：在他們看來，他們是極度地宗教保護者。我也許非常不贊同他們的方法，但是他們藉由殘忍暴力的思想將永不被刪去或改變。我們有責任去改變他們佔領的事實，這只能透過對話和社會媒體，我確信有些主要的狂熱者有參與任何團體或活動，這只能透過真正的演講而使其柔弱，這可能被覺得像是一個天真的看法，但是我相信人類本質是和藹及充滿愛的生物。儘管如此，他們是容易動怒及害怕，最害怕他們擁有必死性，對死有非常少的了解以及它的轉變，例如：它是如此容易採納觀點，這些觀點是提供過分單純化及永恆的解釋—不朽的自我。每個人類渴望尊嚴及價值，我們每個人如何回應，擁有〝一的力量〞將口述世界家庭的價值。導演、劇作家及作者亞歷山卓‧尤杜洛斯基(西元1929年)留給我們一個思想：讓內心的神與每一個我們對話，神殿是你的身體，而神又是你的心臟：每個體認必須從這裡開始。

笑話一則：一對雙胞胎姐妹參加一個初級班，老師要求學生寫一篇關於他們寵物的文章。這對姐妹有一隻貓，接著她們寫了一個活潑且栩栩如生的部分，當她們的老師詢問她們為什麼沒有各寫一篇作文，她們回答：可是我們只有一隻貓。

這星期，請深思你的行動如何貢獻世界和平。

每天試著尋找迷人、美麗的事物。

引語：心智控制每個進入我們意識的觀點。關於觀點，它的過濾器必須被重新調整，生活的檢視如同一個正向且誘人的經驗。

 

I often remind myself that the world I create is of my own doing. If I want to live a life of positive consciousness, I can; if I want to live one of dispirited failure, I also can: I possess free will. That being said, I am always tempted by my fanciful imagination. The violent events that have unfolded recently in Europe have made me wonder what it was like to live in their late 19th century reality, was it better? It appears, at first blush, to have been a more peaceful place, the pinnacle of worldwide culture and excellence. Many of the devices that we take for granted, of course, had just begun to exist. These include the modern car (credited to Karl Benz in 1886), the telephone (patented by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876) and the airplane (the 1903 flight by the Wright Brothers is considered the first successful aerial trip). From an historical perspective has this epoch been honestly represented? Was it superior to our modern era? Certainly for the upper classes things were much, much better. Firstly, your schooling was vastly superior to the average person’s. Secondly, your chances for advancement, in both the military and in the government bureaucracy were outstanding. Highly educated men (always men) were posted all over the world. It was a time of great adventure.

However, though wars were “not brought home,” they were fought. One of the most telling was the destruction of an entire British army in Afghanistan in 1842. The empire, in its hubris, though not yet an empire (the creation of the British Raj after the Indian Mutiny only occurred in 1857), believed that it could pacify the “savages” by simply marching out and occupying Kabul. This it did in 1839 without any major incidence. In spite of these accomplishments, by the end of 1841, the isolated troops were tired and dispirited: morale was extremely low. The local population was hostile and unwelcoming. “Thus, on January 1st 1842, Major-General Elphinstone reached an agreement of ‘safe passage from Afghanistan’ with local Afghan elders. Five days later, the withdrawal began. The departing British and Indian forces, both military and civilian, numbered around 16,500. In the very heart of winter, the wild, snowbound passes were treacherous and foreboding; soon they were attacked by marauding Pashtuns (1) that did not recognize the concord. The fleeing cohorts were decimated in ever increasing numbers as they made their way down the 50 kilometers of treacherous gorges and passes lying along the Kabul River between Kabul and Gandamak, The retreat soon turned into a “full blown” rout. The ground was frozen; the men had no shelter and little food or weapons. They were virtually killed to
a man. The only soldier to initially reach Jalalabad was Dr. William Brydon. (2) Major-General Elphinstone died in captivity.” The “civilized world” was stunned: if we now return to our century, we see that we have learned few lessons from history. The return of the West to Afghanistan and then to Iraq has done nothing but ignite a “witches brew” of murder and mayhem. The documentaries “Blood and Oil” and “Enemy of Enemies: The Rise of ISIL” (3) clearly show that the gauntlet of responsibility must be thrown at the feet of the dominant world powers. These people that claim loyalty to the Islamic State (IS) are clearly not “psychopaths” as American Secretary of State, John Kerry, has stated: they are profoundly religious protectors of their faith, as they see it. I may vehemently disagree with their methods, which I do, but their “idea” will never be expunged or altered by brute force. It is incumbent on us to change the reality that they occupy. This can only be done through dialogue and social media. I am sure that there are some “hard core” fanatics as there are with any group or movement. These can only be emasculated through real discourse. (4) It may be perceived as a naïve view but I believe that human beings are intrinsically kind and loving beings. They are, in spite of this, easily offended and frightened. Most fear their own mortality having very little understanding of death and its transition: it is thus easy to adopt views that offer simplistic and permanent solutions – immortality of the ego, for instance. Every human being desires dignity and value. How each of us responds, possessing the “Power of One,” (5) will dictate the values of our world family. Director, playwright and author Alejandro Jodorowsky (b. 1929) leave us with a thought: Let the inner god that is in each one of us speak. The temple is your body, and the priest is your heart: it is from here that every awareness must begin.

A small joke: Two twin sisters attended an elementary class. There teacher asked the students to write an essay on their pet. The sisters had a cat: They subsequently composed a lively and animated piece. When their teacher queried why they had not each written a composition, they replied, “but we have only got one cat.”

This week, please reflect on how your actions contribute to the peace of the world.

Every day look for something magical and beautiful.
Quote: The mind controls every view that enters our consciousness. Its filters must be so realigned as to view the prism of life as a positive and inviting experience.
Footnotes:
1) The Pashtuns are an Eastern-Iranian ethnic group with populations in Afghanistan and Pakistan
2) William Brydon
3) www.topdocumentaryfilms.com
4) Mindless terrorists? The truth about Isis is much worse
5) The Power of One refers to the inner strength that each person possesses. It is also the title of a book by Bryce Courtenay