Remember Alfred E. Neuman from Mad Magazine? His famous words seem to have ingrained themselves into our collective psyches. In session 1393 Elias had this to say about worry:
ELIAS: Yes. Your attention is not present. And you project in association with the largest word, which is one of the smallest words, the “if.” What if, what if, what if. Once you begin to move into what if, what if, what if, your attention is occupied very much in the future, attempting to solve dilemmas that have not occurred, in anticipation of dilemmas which are not present and have not occurred.
Now; what are you creating and DOING in that action? In that projection, you are actually reinforcing an expression of energy outwardly to CREATE the dilemmas that you anticipate.I think Alfred E. Neuman had an insight that we might consider incorporating ourselves, for as Elias has pointed out, worry throws us right out of the NOW and lands us on our collective asses in the future. And where is the future created? In the NOW. How can we create in the now if our attention is focused in the future? We can’t!
I’ve noticed, and you have also, that our news programs actually begin some of their segments with, “Should We Be Worried?” This morning (9/22/06) on the CBS morning show they had a bit on the “dangers” of not washing your hands often enough and then proceeded to demonstrate how to do it in a public place. First you get the paper towels and tuck them under your arm. By doing this you don’t have to touch the 'filth infested' dispenser with your clean hands after washing them. Of course they didn’t mention cleaning your dirty armpit before stuffing the paper towels there. Then you
wash your hands vigorously for twenty seconds under hot water and avoid anti-bacterial soap. Anti-bacterial soap, we are told, can create drug resistant strains of bacteria. OK, you’re done washing your hands, but you don’t want to turn off the filth infested faucet with them because that would also defeat the purpose of washing in the first place. You bend over and somehow use your elbow to turn it off, or, grab the paper towel under your arm and use that.
Come on! As the Kit Kat candy commercial says, “Gimme a Break!” All of this gloom and doom reporting seems to be dividing us all into two camps. The first is the camp
of the fearful; those who live their lives in defense mode all the time. The second camp is comprised of those who have been so bombarded by all this victimization reporting that they have chosen not to believe any of it. I remember seeing a report on the harmful effects of milk. Eureka!!!! Milk?
The first camp has been slowly withdrawing from life, while the second camp, tired of feeling the victim of everything in their environment, has finally begun to engage life. The first camp has become the collective “Bubble Boy” of Seinfeld fame, while the second camp dances freely around the first camp. The first camp, of course, thinks the members of the second camp are all foolhardy, but wonder why they’re not all getting sick. They look out in amazement as camp 2 ride their bikes without helmets, drink milk, and (oh my God) touch public faucets with their bare hands. Strangely enough, camp one members keep getting sick even while wearing latex gloves and face masks, while those healthy camp 2 members cough and sneeze and then hug each other.
Now, this is not to say that camp two members are going around picking up dog turds with their bare hands. No, this they will not do. It’s just too gross. Nor will they .
romp through a hospital ward filled with patients suffering from ebola hemorrhagic fever. Camp two understands this is a belief driven reality, but that they are in the beginning throes of the Remembered Self and so they take small steps so as not to overwhelm themselves and fall back into camp one of the Forgotten Self. So, my suggestion is this: if you’ve noticed that the world you live in is becoming increasingly dangerous; if you’ve installed high-end alarm systems in your homes; if you festoon your children with helmets, shin guards, knee guards, elbow guards and mouth guards before you send them out the door, it is to your beliefs you must turn. Your beliefs form your reality. You can create in fear or you can create in freedom. The choice has always been ours.
Bill Marshall