Syl Sabastian's Blog, page 25

31 Ask Biella: - "Why do we have negative and positive sides?"

Podcast: https://anchor.fm/nobelia/episodes/As...
"Why do we have negative and positive sides?"
The Power of RealismDear Chris, Quick thoughts - to provide perspective - contrast - full range of experience from which to choose - options - ability to choose, especially ethically. Helps develop Discernment, important for understanding others, necessary for Awareness.



The problem for me lies in the habit of thinking in opposites. The tendency to classify according to the extremes of those opposites. For instance the classic example of positive and negative perspective, or optimist and pessimist, when it comes to how we see the glass with liquid in it.

To the positive optimist it's half full, to the negative pessimist it's half empty.  But to the Realist, it's not glass partially full or partially empty, it's glass always full. Full of liquid and air, full of possibility, full of opportunity, full of choice. A key fact the Realist also remembers is that no matter what's in the glass, we still have the glass itself.
Possibilities and ChoicesConsider the matter if we only had one side. Would that lead to a distorted perspective of reality? Even worse, would that not lead to a forced perspective of life? If we only have one side we don't get to choose how we see matters. Without free choice, are we not in effect robots?

There's More... we tend to assume that positive and negative are fixed, are the same for everyone. But this is most absolutely not so. For some the rain is negative, for some it's positive. Perhaps rain is a poor example, but we can easily find many examples of the exact same thing viewed from different ends by people. Politics is a particularly good example.

However, usually our perceptions are not polarised at the extremes. Typically it's some mixture, with positive or negative predominating. Having the range of perspective allows us to fit matters into how we personally wish to choose to relate.

Not only does this spectrum of possibility allow for individuality and some measure of freedom of choice, there's More. We like to think in dualities, it makes things simpler. In the case of Positive and negative, there's Realism also, a third perspective. Going back to my rain example, maybe why it came up, when we consider rain, and I believe this applies to most people, if we ask for a bit more, our question usually leads to Realism bringing in additional perspectives. Such as if the person had responded that rain to them is a negative, they will almost always agree that despite their dislike of rain, they also believe it to be Good, which is a Realism Perspective

As to why we have these sides, a simple answer would be those sides lead us to choose. Through choosing we become Aware that we can choose. Realising we have this option leads us to be aware of the possibilities contained within choice, eventually causing us to Choose our Path, to Choose Awareness, as that can only come from personal inner decision, and thus, we come to the ultimate consequence of having those apparently opposing sides, we get to be able to choose true Freedom in full Awareness and consciousness.

Real ChoiceIt's only because of free choice that we can be truly free. We have to choose that freedom with a free Awareness. If it's simply given to us, how can we be sure we are truly free? Won't we always be dependent to whoever gave it to us? Or at least have the suspicion that it's not truly free. Not to mention the problem of having freedom without true Awareness. All of this is dependent on the ability to choose, which started with choosing between positive and negative, choosing how much to combine them, choosing alternatives such as Goodness and Realism. it all starts and begins with choice, with the necessity of Choice.
BiellaNobelia.org - Ask BiellaAsk Biella - Gateway Gazette

#AskBiella #Awareness #Positivity #Realism #FreeChoice #RealChoice

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30 Ask Biella: - "Do our opinions shape our perspective or do our perspectives shape our opinions?"

Podcast: https://Anchor.fm/NobeliaSelective Emphasis"Do our opinions shape our perspective or do our perspectives shape our opinions?"

Dear Doug, most decidedly it is both. Confirmation bias is an excellent example of opinions shaping, and distorting, perspectives. Strongly held opinions can so shape, affect, and skew perceptions, individuals can end up in psychological realities remarkably different to those commonly perceived. As well as being internally contradicting.


There's actually a biological reason for this. The brain, the literal brain, is affected by emphasis. When anything is emphasised, in other words, when something is deemed to be important, significant, meaningful etc, the brain enlarges the node associated with that emphasis. Enlarged nodes connect more easily to other nodes, especially other similar notes, leading to even more connectivity and subsequent inadvertent emphasis.

It's why when we drive home from the dealership in our new red car, it suddenly seems as if every second car is red. We notice way more red cars than we did before, all because of that emphasis which has reshaped our brains to notice and observe more of what we have focused on.
Perspective ShiftingPerhaps the question in part comes from the fact that few deliberately engage in perspective shifting. It's usually inadvertent and often not noticed. Because most people tend to be overly enamoured by their opinions, they tend to believe everything follows from those opinions. But this is not so.

How often doesn't someone go to a movie with a certain set of opinions, but comes away with those opinions affected in some way. Movies typically don't make arguments for or against opinions specifically, but what they do is provide different perspectives on opinions or beliefs.

Or we watch a court case TV show. Before the trial begins we are often presented with the facts, we form our opinion. But, as the lawyers present their case, they provide different perspectives on those facts, and we find our opinion changing. Sometimes many times, back and forth, each new perspective causing us to change our mind. This of course does not always happen, and some stubbornly refuse to change their opinion out of fear of being shown to be "wrong." But certainly there are many examples of perspectives changing opinion.
Choosing Reality

More importantly, to me, is how we use this understanding of opinion and perspective, how they affect each other. There's a significant difference when it comes to which one we prioritise. Emphasising opinion tends to lead to entrenching and confirming the opinion, leading to more of the same. Since it's opinion and not fact this can be dangerous, as opinions can come to be mistaken for fact. This is the basis for bias and prejudice. 

However, when we understand that perspective can lead to opinion, we also understand that different perspectives can lead to different opinions, making it difficult for anyone honest to hold to any one opinion with anything more than a temporary attachment. Once we develop the ability to shift perspectives, we learn to see matters from many angles, we see how there could be many opinions involved and we become cautious with opinions. Which to me seems wise. 

There's More... Could we possibly use this Understanding of opinion and perspective positively, especially in the case of for instance leveraging confirmation bias to Positive effect? Positive Goodness BiasI am reminded here of a conversation on this by the Young Man and his Heart, which provides a useful perspective:


YM: - "Can we use confirmation bias to positive effect? I believe so, if done with appropriate awareness. The benefits are potentially incalculable."

H: - "Yes! Indeed. To confirm another's reality and then extrapolate and/or interpolate provides more information."

YM: - "Your comment makes me think..."

"If we are to learn from others, by confirming another's reality, and then extrapolating or interpolating, do our own attitudes towards them, and/or our attitudes towards life in general, come into play? Do our life perspectives influence the learning? I would say a resounding Yes! It is vitally necessary, I believe, for us to be supremely positive in this regard. Without the positivity it is too easy to get sidetracked by stress. Our perspectives can easily become skewed by negativity. This of course can also happen with injudicious positivity."

"The key is to be positive about the overall long-term perspective. To maintain the focus on the understanding that it's all Good in the Overall, allowing us to see the immediate and particular circumstance according to its merits relative to the larger context. Whether the person is behaving positively or negatively doesn't matter to us, we are focused on the good that will come from our observation, interaction, and perspective. Whatever is happening in the immediate is there for us to learn from. It's all vitally necessary for our understanding of the Human condition."


"As long as we maintain our chosen bias of insisting that it is all Good in the Overall, in terms of Awareness Enhancement, then we will see what we need to see, and we will be able to learn what we need to learn, without the corrupting influences of petty prejudices or personal feelings, reactions, ego-responses etc."

"The key here is that the Goodness Bias allows as to maintain perspective, it helps us not to become sucked in by the trivia and the temporary details. By maintaining a long-term Universal Perspective we get to see things for what they truly are, Lessons and Gifts.""

"Lessons and Gifts specifically for us, for what we personally need and want to learn. By Insisting on Goodness, we actualise the confirmation bias mechanism, and we get more and more Goodness."Biella

P.S. - As long as we maintain a constant Awareness that we are deliberately employing bias, even if it is to connect to more goodness, we don't lose touch with reality and the very real negativity which does exist and which would be dangerous to become completely unaware of. If we knowingly use bias in this way, with the Appropriate Awareness, what we are doing is shifting emphasis between Goodness, Positivity, and the rest. We are deliberately immersing in a particular Perspective, allowing it to influence and affect us, but without losing touch with the fundamental reality. We do this because we have mastered using Perspective to affect our ability to choose how we wish to relate to reality, not changing what we believe reality to be. A big difference. It's all in the Selective Emphasis, with Awareness of course.

Nobelia.org - Ask BiellaAsk Biella - Gateway Gazette

#AskBiella #Awareness #Positivity #Perspectives #ConfirmationBias #GoodnessBias #PerspectiveShifting #Opinions #BiellaNoble

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29 Ask Biella: - "How correct is the statement that happiness always comes from within?" comes from within? If so, why citizens of some countries consider themselves happier than citizens of others?"

Podcast: https://anchor.fm/nobelia/episodes/As... and Effect"How correct is the statement that happiness always comes from within? If so, why do citizens of some countries consider themselves happier than citizens of others?"

Dear Rūta, happiness has to come from within. If it comes from without, it's not our happiness, but someone else's. To become our happiness we have to make it so. Can only be that way. The problem isn't where happiness comes from, but where it's perceived to come from.


Something happens, we perceive that something, and it results in us being happy. Because of this, we assume the outside source made us happy. But, how often do the same things make us happy and unhappy, at different times, depending on our mood, how we are feeling and other internal factors. Most of us have experienced this as children. Sometimes we are just doing what we always do and we irritate or annoy our parents or teachers. Sometimes asking them a question makes them happy, sometimes it angers them. Or take something more neutral, like the rain. Sometimes it brings us joy, sometimes misery. Same rain, different us.
Beliefs and PerceptionsWhat determines what makes us happy, is based on our beliefs, and those beliefs influence and affect our perceptions. Moods and feelings are often the results of temporary beliefs and perceptions. Bottom line, our beliefs are ours. We're in control of them. We cannot be forced to actually believe something. We might be forced to pretend we do, but internally, that's up to us. It's those self-chosen beliefs which determine how we react.

Once we realise we are always reacting, then we realise how it is that happiness has to come from within. We are actually in charge of our happiness, but through mis-belief we have largely given up that power of choice.

Citizen SensibilitiesUsually when we see citizens of a country being labelled as the "happiest" or happier than other countries, that's based on a comparative study conducted from the outside. I have never seen citizens describing themselves as happier than citizens of another country. It may occur with some individuals, but I would question the validity of such statements. How would they know?

Even the studies have to be taken with some measure of leeway. The results may be affected by factors such as the willingness of citizens to respond to questions asked by outsiders. A general cultural humility may affect not only how they perceive their happiness, but how they communicate. A more self-deprecating culture may feel awkward or even boastful or egotistical saying they are extremely happy.

Citizens may consider themselves to be happy in a country because they are happy with the quality of life and their general circumstances. But I doubt if that perception of their happiness is comparative. That would have to be done from the outside. The average citizen is not in a position to know what the happiness levels of another country are, so that cannot honestly make such a claim. Unless they are infected with arrogance, which generally doesn't make for happiness.

I'd like to answer your questions more precisely, as I believe there is likely a link between the two, but I can't figure out what it is. Hopefully my responses shed some light on the matter.
BiellaNobelia.org - Ask BiellaAsk Biella - Gateway Gazette

#AskBiella #Happiness #Beliefs #Perceptions #PersonalChoice #BiellaNoble

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28 Ask Biella: - "What’s the most positive thing you can say to a person?"

Podcast: https://anchor.fm/nobeliaMeaningful Positivity"What’s the most positive thing you can say to a person?"

Dear Saksham, what immediately springs to mind is what might seem obviously the most Positive, but which is not necessarily so. I'd guess many would say "I love you" is the most Positive thing we could say to a person. It might be, but not necessarily so. I would even say likely it isn't.


We tend, unfortunately, to equate saying something Positive to another, with compliments, which usually involves ego and thus not really Positive in the overall. Compliments go to self-esteem, to niceness, and usually to superficiality. If we have Independence-of-Being, compliments, while we appreciate the sentiment, don't ultimately mean much. Far more valuable and useful, and thus much more Positive, is something that actually makes a lasting Positive difference in our lives.
Enabling EmpowermentWhen we look at Positivity in terms of Value and Usefulness, what we say changes considerably. If we add Awareness into the mix, we now arrive at a very different perspective on Positivity. Gone is temporary niceness and compliments. What would be most Positive is that which would enable and empower another.

Awareness here is crucial. In this context of enablement and empowerment, giving someone the answers is not really Positive. Far more Positive is providing the means and mechanisms for finding the answer themselves. Providing the path, the opportunity, to acquire lasting abilities for finding solutions is the most Positive to me. Particularly if that path to self-fulfilment involves connection to Meaning and Purpose.
Layered ConnectivityIf we wish to say the most Positive thing we can to another person, we thus want to say something which is not only valuable and useful, but also meaningful and purposeful. We want to provide the means, not the answer. We wish to facilitate self-enablement and self-empowerment. Something only the individual can do for themselves, thus our most Positive contribution can only be putting them on the Path, we cannot get them there, only they can do that.

Now that we are clear as to what is needed, what might that Path be, what would that path be? How do we determine the path for another, we cannot. Again, this only they can do. What prevents them from being on their path, from choosing their path, from knowing what their path is? Lack of Awareness is the issue.

To solve the problem we need Awareness, they need Awareness. Awareness is the root layer. Without Awareness they won't even be able to recognise value and usefulness, or meaning and purpose. The crux of the situation.

Overview PositivityTaking all this into account, to me the most Positive thing we can say to another person is to make them Aware of the importance of Awareness itself. Once that is seen to be the Path to value and usefulness, this leads to meaning and purpose. When on a Path of Developing and Enhancing Awareness we have put ourselves on a Path to enabling ourselves, to empowering ourselves. With Awareness we can figure out, we can connect, we can ask, we can access solutions. If we are Aware, we have options, and that's all we need.

But, there's More. That More is why saying something to another which puts them on a Path of Awareness is by far the most Positive thing we can say. That More is once we are focused on Awareness, immersed in Developing and Enhancing Awareness, as our Awareness grows, we discover something incredible. This can happen on its own, but if we have been alerted to this possibility, we come to see this wonderfulness sooner.

What happens as we go along focusing on Awareness is that everything seems to be helping us in our Path in some way. We come to realise that everything is about Awareness! We come to see that life itself is geared to assisting in the Development and Enhancement of Awareness!

If I condense all of the above into one sentence I would deem to be the most Positive thing I could say to a person, it would be this:

"The meaning and purpose of Life is to Develop and Enhance Awareness and the Universe is geared to assisting us in fulfilling this profound Path."
BiellaNobelia.org - Ask BiellaAsk Biella - Gateway Gazette

#AskBiella #Awareness #ProfoundPositive #LifeMeaning #LifePurpose #LifePath #MeaningOfLife #BiellaNoble

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Ch5.2 of the New Nobles, Ursula the Aspirant, Reading on FB & Zoom Dec 8 2019

Ch5.2 of the New Nobles, Ursula the Aspirant, Reading on FB & ZoomYouTube: https://youtu.be/wdFkjJNpmZk

Ursula Shares deeper Perspective on her momentous decision. Live reading on Facebook in our SaSI Group, and on Zoom.

#BiellaNoble #TheBiellaSeries #NewNobles #NewNobility #Comelius #UrsulaAspirant #LifeChange #SelfChange #ProfoundChange #PerspectiveShifting #TakeAwayswww.SylSabastian.Blogspot.com https://www.facebook.com/syl.sabastian (For Comments) Enter your email address: [image error] Subscribe in a reader

Ch5 of the New Nobles, Ursula the Aspirant, Reading on FB and Zoom with Beena

Ch5 of the New Nobles, Ursula the Aspirant, Reading on FB and Zoom with Beena Youtube: https://youtu.be/_i_mCWjcbhM
We catch up with Biella and Comelius going over Ursula's momentous decision and the discussion leading up to it. TakeAways come up and are discussed in extra detail in the reading discussion.

Nobelia.org Self-Discovery Project

#BiellaNoble #TheBiellaSeries #NewNobles #NewNobility #Comelius #UrsulaAspirant #LifeChange #SelfChange #ProfoundChange #PerspectiveShifting #TakeAways

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CH4 of the New Nobles, The Delegates: Comelius - Live Reading and Discussion Nov 17 2019

CH4 of the New Nobles - The Delegates: Comelius - Live Reading and Discussion Nov 17 2019YouTube: https://youtu.be/a9nDv5j-J9Q



Comelius Shares his Perspective on the potential manipulation by the New Nobility.

#TheBiellaSeries #BiellaNoble #Comelius #TheDelegates #Manipulation #StrategicEthics #TheNewNobility #TheNewNobles #Extrapolation

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FB Live Reading of Adamance and Diplomacy Post, Nov 7 2019

FB Live Reading of Adamance and Diplomacy Post, Nov 7 2019YouTube: https://youtu.be/fnzw1e_xBkg

#CapitalDDiplomacy #Adamance #Consideration #Implications #Sensibility #Appropriateness #Perspective #Character #AskBiella #BiellaNoble


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CH3 of the New Nobles, Biella and The New Nobility - Live Reading and Discussion - Nov 10 2019

CH3 of the New Nobles, Biella and The New Nobility - Live Reading and Discussion - Nov 10 2019YouTube: https://youtu.be/snttc0hNoBY


#Appropriateness #TheBiellaSeries #TheNewNobility #TheNewNobles #BiellaNoble #TheAgglomeration #CapitalDDiplomacy #Manipulation #Ethics #Integrity #Impeccability #Awareness #Cueing #Ursula #Extrapolation

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CH2 of the New Nobles, The Infernal Machine - Live reading and Discussion - Nov 3 2019

CH2 of the New Nobles, The Infernal Machine - Live reading and Discussion - Nov 3 2019YouTube: https://youtu.be/O5LSaAnFfN4

#Appropriateness #Context #TheInfernalMachine #SchoolOfNobility #TheBiellaSeries #TheNewNobility #BiellaNoble #Anomalies #Attunement #DoubtResolution #DecisionMakingwww.SylSabastian.Blogspot.com https://www.facebook.com/syl.sabastian (For Comments) Enter your email address: [image error] Subscribe in a reader