Reflection#3: Being Altruistic.

There is no greater hypocrisy than being "altruistic".

Altruism is egoism devoid of cosciousness.

When you are being "altruistic" you are just doing so because that will make you feel happier, because you think that way you will be granted a better life after death, or just because you have been forcibly educated that way.

In any case, you are a slave.

Advice #17: Troubles/Opportunities

It is said that the "man of success" can turn a serious issue in an unexpected opportunity.

I believe this is true, to an extent.

But it is also true that sometimes we think about problems as opportunities because we are like kids scared by the unknown.

There is nothing wrong about being scared from the unknown, for sure.

We are just human.

Just remember to breath the right way, and the opportunity will suddenly appear right in front of you.


ps: luck is always welcome, mind you.

pps: what is a "man of success", anyway?

Advice #16: Learning.

When you decide there's nothing worthy to be learned anymore, you become old, decrepit and boring.

Even if you are twenty.

Reflection #3: Evolution, Technology, Extinction

Our evolutive path is a technologic one.

Some million years ago, some apes learned to use tools and became men.

We kept evolving, and survived through the centuries.

We used technology to extend our knowledge, to amuse ourselves, to peek into the infinity.

At the same time, we learned new and terrible ways to destroy our enemies.

Too bad our enemies were also members of our same species.

And also at the same time, we began eroding our resources and our environment.

The irony: technology can destroy our cradle, and yet, it can restore it, or help us to find another one.

The choice is ours, between extinction or another leap towards a new transformation.

Words of the Sage #4: Epicurus

It is impossible for someone to dispel his fears about the most important matters if he doesn't know the nature of the universe but still gives some credence to myths. So without the study of nature there is no enjoyment of pure pleasure.

Epicurus, 2300 Years Ago.

Love Instructions #4: Surprise Gifts.

Making a present at an absolutely unpredictable moment is a nice and concise way to say:

"I love you and I just love to see this wonderful expression of joy, amazement, confusion, childlike excitement, tenderness and delight on your lovely face, and I'd like to see it everyday, if only I could. Your Joy is my Joy, and I'm not ashamed to say that I did it also because, in a really egoistic way, it's terribly fun. Did I mention that I love you?"

And, by the way:

Chocolate is always right.

Advice #15: Wishful Thinking.

Wishful thinking is the poison of the foreseeing.

Think how many times things went just right, but not the way you expected!

Wishful thinking is the easiest way to make the wrong decision,

Openness of mind is the only way to foresee the insanely right.

Advice #14: Expect the Unexpected

It's easy to be overwhelmed by the infinite unknown ahead of your life.

Just breath the right way, and be peacefully ready for anything.

Have you ever noticed that -years after-

You sometimes remember the most painful events with a smile?

Advice #13: Taking Care of Yourself

There's nothing wrong in taking care of yourself,

as long as you do it to please the ones that love you.

Then, one day

You could find out, with a quiet smile,

that there's no such thing as yourself.

Surprise!

Reflection #2: Crying.

People that pride themselves of never crying would have much happier lives if at least sometimes would let their long-witheld tears finally flow.

Words of the Sage #3: Watts

We could say that meditation doesn't have a reason or doesn't have a purpose.
In this respect it's unlike almost all other things we do except perhaps making music and dancing.
When we make music we don't do it in order to reach a certain point, such as the end of the composition.
If that were the purpose of music then obviously the fastest players would be the best.
Also, when we are dancing we are not aiming to arrive at a particular place on the floor as in a journey.
When we dance, the journey itself is the point, as when we play music the playing itself is the point.
And exactly the same thing is true in meditation.
Meditation is the discovery that the point of life is always arrived at in the immediate moment.

Alan W. Watts

advice #12: Dreams.

Dreams will shape you and your life just as your everyday experiences do.

Dreams will haunt you, inspire you, motivate you.

Dreams will follow you, even when you don't remember them.

Dreams speak to you.

If You shut them out, it's like cutting off one of your hands.

Love Instructions #3: Always Like Day One.

Sometimes it's hard.

But you should always, always behave like it's the real first day you were together.

Look for that magic, again, and the magic will be there, again.

Love doesn't ask for repetitions, it craves eternity.

Advice #11: Hope.

Even deep in the pitch black of despair,

There is the almost invisible spark of a tiny opportunity.

You must never surrender to the feeling of inevitability.

There's no such thing as doom,

and there is always

a new Hope.

The Meaning of Life

Note by the Manual's Keeper: I have been browsing the hundreds pages of the manual in search for something related to the Holiday Season, but I couldn't find anything. At the same time, I found this very interesting consideration, that I believe can warm the hearts of those of you that will be -accidentally or not- reading tHBUM during these days.

To all of You, I Wish a Merry, Merry Christmas.




The Meaning of Life is finding each day your own way to be happy.

There are many ways you can be happy, and only you know them.

I could number a thousand ways to be happy, but there is one, above them all.

The best way to be happy, is finding the way to make someone else happy.

Egoism and Altruism are two faces on the same coin.

You just have too choose how to spend it.

advice #10: Money.

They call it Credit Card,

But it will only get you in Debt.

Words of the Sage #2: Pratchett

Guilt is the grease in which the wheels of the authority turn.


[Terry Pratchett]

Reflection #1: Different Attitudes.

The engine of the car suddenly stops:

You Curse.

The engine of the airplane suddenly stops:

You Pray.

advice #9: Strength of Will

The man with great Strength of Will

Is someone who can look a girl in topless

straight in the eyes.

But

Back home,

He will curse himself a lot

for having been so strong.

Love Instructions #2: Phone Calls.

Call Her more than once a Day.
She will Love You more.

Call Him no more than once a Day.
He will be so crazy for You, he will disconcert you with shitloads of chocolate.

Words of the Sage #1: Luttazzi

The World is not Perfect. In a Perfect World,
Mark Chapman would have killed Yoko Ono.

[Daniele Luttazzi]

advice #8: Food.

Eating because you are hungry is Right.

Eating because you are sad is Wrong.

Do not eat when your mind asks.

Eat when you body asks.

When your mind asks for food, you need Soul Food.

Have a Book, a Song, a Movie.

There is Food and Soul Food.

and then there is Chocolate.

Chocolate is the food of the Gods, because it feeds both your body AND you soul.

Hey, I'm Serious!

advice #7: Music.

Listening new, unknown music will restart your brain.

Listening the same old tunes will just make you a grumpy old listener.

Love Instructions #1: Basics.

Love is Giving.

Mind You, giving is a Choice.

If you don't do it spontaneously, it's just leasing.

What are You, some kind of greedy businessman?

advice #6: Grudge.

Keeping a Grudge is the best way to keep humiliating yourself.

Smile at your enemy, and see the effect.

If he draws a gun, well...

...The bullet that hits you won't be less effective if you frown.

advice #5: Body and Mind.

When your Body asks You to stop, just do it, no matter what your mind says.

Your mind is a fairly illustrious liar and takes a good amount of fun in deceiving You.

On the other hand, your body is a honest simpleton who never, NEVER lies.

advice #4: Sneezing.

When someone close to you sneezes, smile at him/her and say "Bless You".

It's not a matter of being polite.

It's a matter of making YOURSELF happy.

As a side-effect, also the sneezing being will be happy.

advice #3: Spread the Joy.

When you have mastered advice #2 (i.e.: the third time you have done it) teach the ones that are close to you to do the same.

They will feel urged to offer YOU expensive dinners.

advice #2: Breath.

Everytime you feel uncomfortable, scared or in pain do this:

a) Slowly push out of your mouth all the air you have in your lungs.

b) inspire from your nostrils all the air that you can take in.

c) repeat a), this time even more slowly.

Repeat the sequence at least ten times.

If you will repeat the sequence for at least fifteen minutes, you will be so good that you will feel urged to offer me a very expensive dinner.

advice #1: Superstition, Religion, Politics.

You are a Human Being.

As such, You are subject to Fear.

Therefore, when you are scared you are subject to superstition, religion and politics.

Don't be scared: it will just make things far worse.