Comments on: Blue or Red? You decide. http://www.paullesterphoto.com/wordpress/2007/07/09/blue-or-red-you-decide/ Living through the lens Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:18:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Sebastian http://www.paullesterphoto.com/wordpress/2007/07/09/blue-or-red-you-decide/comment-page-1/#comment-1919 Sebastian Tue, 10 Jul 2007 19:07:29 +0000 http://www.paullesterphoto.com/wordpress/?p=720#comment-1919 Thanks for sharing your stories. I find the hectic life of IT to be very demanding as well. My trips up to the mountains to photograph serve as my silent retreat and I treasure each one. I'm glad you and your family have found a good path. Thanks for sharing your stories. I find the hectic life of IT to be very demanding as well. My trips up to the mountains to photograph serve as my silent retreat and I treasure each one. I’m glad you and your family have found a good path.

]]> By: Paul http://www.paullesterphoto.com/wordpress/2007/07/09/blue-or-red-you-decide/comment-page-1/#comment-1905 Paul Tue, 10 Jul 2007 02:32:21 +0000 http://www.paullesterphoto.com/wordpress/?p=720#comment-1905 Sebastian: I asked my wife if I could share her story. She obliged, so I'll share the very abridged version. Last year, both of us were working very hard at our jobs. We both worked in the I.T. departments under the investment bank divisions of our respective banks, I for Bank of America, she for Wachovia. The IB is a very stressful place to work. So much so for me that, after a 2 year stint, I had to take 5 months off to rediscover who I was. I was exhausted. There were other things in our lives that we were allowing to affect us. My wife, Vera, had a feeling, much like Neo: She felt that something was missing. She heard a very small voice from within, and wanted to listen to that voice. She figured that a silent retreat would be just the thing that she needed to get in touch with what she felt. This was about the time when I started my reading, as well. She was the catalyst. She attended a silent retreat that started on Thursday at 6:00 PM and concluded on Sunday at 1:00 PM. There was walking meditation, working meditation, and sitting meditation. The silence was not total, but punctuated by spiritual talks of the leaders. They had to keep their egos in check and were not allowed to look at each other. The theory being that when you stare at someone, you are making comparisons, sizing them up so to speak. Anyway, she returned on Sunday and was quite at peace. From there, she began reading voraciously most any book that she could get her hands on. She's found some authors that she really likes and pretty much sticks with them. She's also now into Yoga and meditation. It's been quite a transformation for her and for us, as a family. The kids didn't know what to expect and were quite confused, at first, but decided that the kinder, gentler Vera was going to be just fine! :-) Sebastian: I asked my wife if I could share her story. She obliged, so I’ll share the very abridged version. Last year, both of us were working very hard at our jobs. We both worked in the I.T. departments under the investment bank divisions of our respective banks, I for Bank of America, she for Wachovia. The IB is a very stressful place to work. So much so for me that, after a 2 year stint, I had to take 5 months off to rediscover who I was. I was exhausted. There were other things in our lives that we were allowing to affect us.

My wife, Vera, had a feeling, much like Neo: She felt that something was missing. She heard a very small voice from within, and wanted to listen to that voice. She figured that a silent retreat would be just the thing that she needed to get in touch with what she felt. This was about the time when I started my reading, as well. She was the catalyst.

She attended a silent retreat that started on Thursday at 6:00 PM and concluded on Sunday at 1:00 PM. There was walking meditation, working meditation, and sitting meditation. The silence was not total, but punctuated by spiritual talks of the leaders. They had to keep their egos in check and were not allowed to look at each other. The theory being that when you stare at someone, you are making comparisons, sizing them up so to speak.

Anyway, she returned on Sunday and was quite at peace. From there, she began reading voraciously most any book that she could get her hands on. She’s found some authors that she really likes and pretty much sticks with them. She’s also now into Yoga and meditation. It’s been quite a transformation for her and for us, as a family.

The kids didn’t know what to expect and were quite confused, at first, but decided that the kinder, gentler Vera was going to be just fine! :-)

]]> By: Laurie http://www.paullesterphoto.com/wordpress/2007/07/09/blue-or-red-you-decide/comment-page-1/#comment-1899 Laurie Mon, 09 Jul 2007 22:37:46 +0000 http://www.paullesterphoto.com/wordpress/?p=720#comment-1899 A very insightful look into your journey. Thanks for sharing this with us. A very insightful look into your journey. Thanks for sharing this with us.

]]> By: Sebastian http://www.paullesterphoto.com/wordpress/2007/07/09/blue-or-red-you-decide/comment-page-1/#comment-1898 Sebastian Mon, 09 Jul 2007 19:02:15 +0000 http://www.paullesterphoto.com/wordpress/?p=720#comment-1898 Paul, Thank you for taking the time to write this... not post but insight I think. The power of now has been on my reading list for some time. You and your wife are on the path that a lot of us want to be on. What was it that prompted your wife's change and silent retreat? (if its too personal don't answer) Besides being always curious about how people get along creatively, I'm also always curious about how people get along with themselves! Thanks so much for sharing. Paul,

Thank you for taking the time to write this… not post but insight I think. The power of now has been on my reading list for some time. You and your wife are on the path that a lot of us want to be on. What was it that prompted your wife’s change and silent retreat? (if its too personal don’t answer) Besides being always curious about how people get along creatively, I’m also always curious about how people get along with themselves! Thanks so much for sharing.

]]> By: Mark http://www.paullesterphoto.com/wordpress/2007/07/09/blue-or-red-you-decide/comment-page-1/#comment-1895 Mark Mon, 09 Jul 2007 16:35:28 +0000 http://www.paullesterphoto.com/wordpress/?p=720#comment-1895 Interesting post Paul, and good choice of movie scene. I think everyone has a couple bottles of red and blue pills in their cabinet for different aspects of their lives. It is interesting that you note how it affects your view of others and your relationships with them - I think that is very true. Taking one pill over the other can possibly affect a lot of people other than yourself. I do wonder what color pill applies to religion though. Interesting post Paul, and good choice of movie scene. I think everyone has a couple bottles of red and blue pills in their cabinet for different aspects of their lives. It is interesting that you note how it affects your view of others and your relationships with them – I think that is very true. Taking one pill over the other can possibly affect a lot of people other than yourself. I do wonder what color pill applies to religion though.

]]> By: Will http://www.paullesterphoto.com/wordpress/2007/07/09/blue-or-red-you-decide/comment-page-1/#comment-1894 Will Mon, 09 Jul 2007 16:25:13 +0000 http://www.paullesterphoto.com/wordpress/?p=720#comment-1894 I saw the Peaceful Warrior this weekend also. Great, insightful movie. And yes, aside from being a very cool movie, the Matrix has come to be a true movie of "awakening." I saw the Peaceful Warrior this weekend also. Great, insightful movie. And yes, aside from being a very cool movie, the Matrix has come to be a true movie of “awakening.”

]]> By: John http://www.paullesterphoto.com/wordpress/2007/07/09/blue-or-red-you-decide/comment-page-1/#comment-1893 John Mon, 09 Jul 2007 14:26:12 +0000 http://www.paullesterphoto.com/wordpress/?p=720#comment-1893 Paul, I think you'd like "Still the Mind" by Alan Watts, one of the leaders in Buddhism, Taoism and meditation writing back in the 60's. His "This Is It" was required reading for a humanities class I took in college back in '67; his writings didn't really strike a cord with me then, but they sure do today! "Still the Mind" really put things in perspective for me as to where my place is in the universe; today, before I was born, and after I die. Paul, I think you’d like “Still the Mind” by Alan Watts, one of the leaders in Buddhism, Taoism and meditation writing back in the 60′s. His “This Is It” was required reading for a humanities class I took in college back in ’67; his writings didn’t really strike a cord with me then, but they sure do today! “Still the Mind” really put things in perspective for me as to where my place is in the universe; today, before I was born, and after I die.

]]> By: Rob http://www.paullesterphoto.com/wordpress/2007/07/09/blue-or-red-you-decide/comment-page-1/#comment-1892 Rob Mon, 09 Jul 2007 14:01:52 +0000 http://www.paullesterphoto.com/wordpress/?p=720#comment-1892 Well said. And I've add the movie to my Netflix que. Well said. And I’ve add the movie to my Netflix que.

]]> By: Photo Buffet http://www.paullesterphoto.com/wordpress/2007/07/09/blue-or-red-you-decide/comment-page-1/#comment-1890 Photo Buffet Mon, 09 Jul 2007 13:04:01 +0000 http://www.paullesterphoto.com/wordpress/?p=720#comment-1890 Paul, this was a beautiful post. One of my favorite authors writes in a way that peels away layers of habit and really gets at the meat of life. Ken Gire (http://www.reflectiveliving.com/) has written many books, but the one that touched me most is <i>Seeing What is Sacred: Becoming More Spiritually Sensitive to the Everyday Moments of Life</I>. It reminded me to take those "freeze frames" at certain moments...to slow down and really taste each day. I think you'd enjoy his writing. Paul, this was a beautiful post. One of my favorite authors writes in a way that peels away layers of habit and really gets at the meat of life. Ken Gire
(http://www.reflectiveliving.com/) has written many books, but the one that touched me most is Seeing What is Sacred: Becoming More Spiritually Sensitive to the Everyday Moments of Life. It reminded me to take those “freeze frames” at certain moments…to slow down and really taste each day. I think you’d enjoy his writing.

]]> By: Bob http://www.paullesterphoto.com/wordpress/2007/07/09/blue-or-red-you-decide/comment-page-1/#comment-1889 Bob Mon, 09 Jul 2007 11:04:38 +0000 http://www.paullesterphoto.com/wordpress/?p=720#comment-1889 Thanks for this insightful message. A few years ago I hit a very low place in my life and was able to extract myself from it and to "forge ahead" (thus the name of my blog) by coming to a similar awareness about the truth of "serenity." I had lots of time on my hands in those days...time to contemplate my life and my place in the world and the universe. In the past few years, that self-time has been stripped away by the demands of work and a suddenly much busier life. I truly appreciate your subtle "wake up call." Time to make the time I need to get myself re-centered. Thanks for this insightful message. A few years ago I hit a very low place in my life and was able to extract myself from it and to “forge ahead” (thus the name of my blog) by coming to a similar awareness about the truth of “serenity.” I had lots of time on my hands in those days…time to contemplate my life and my place in the world and the universe. In the past few years, that self-time has been stripped away by the demands of work and a suddenly much busier life. I truly appreciate your subtle “wake up call.” Time to make the time I need to get myself re-centered.

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