Unveiling the Unexpected: Reader Choices for "Melissa" Part II

 

A closer look reveals hidden depths

As my beta readers delved into the first ten chapters of "Melissa," a fascinating question emerged: which minor character captured their imaginations and deserved further development in Part II?

While I anticipated familiar favorites, I received a vibrant tapestry of choices, reminding me of the surprising power well-crafted supporting characters hold.

The usual suspects were passed over in favor of unassuming figures like Gera, the lab assistant. Her unique blend of scientific discipline and artistic spirit, coupled with her dedication to environmental causes, resonated deeply with some readers. Their eagerness to uncover her motivations and hidden depths highlights the enduring impact even seemingly minor figures can leave.

Gera

Meanwhile, the enigmatic Monica captivated others with her captivating personality and intriguing history of multiple marriages. Her veiled intentions and ambiguous role within the story fueled speculation and anticipation, making her a popular choice for further exploration. This underscores the effectiveness of crafting characters shrouded in mystery who pique the reader's curiosity.

Monica

Beyond these, the diverse perspectives of my readers shone through. Some championed Mark Brown, the protagonist's grounded friend, appreciating his unwavering loyalty and contrasting outlook on life. This choice exemplifies the beauty of diverse perspectives and how different readers connect with characters in unique ways.

Mark Brown

The sheer variety of responses has been incredibly enriching. It demonstrates the true power of minor characters to enrich a narrative, adding depth and dimension to the fictional world and offering endless possibilities for exploration. As I embark on writing Part II, I carry this invaluable feedback close to my heart, knowing that even the most seemingly minor player can hold the key to unlocking a reader's imagination.

What memorable minor characters have you encountered in other books? Share your thoughts and predictions for "Melissa" Part II in the comments below! It will be beneficial for "Melissa" Part II.

Why Pride, Part II: When the Carrot Becomes Poison 🥕⚠️

False Pride

The Two Faces of Pride

In our pursuit of goals and achievements, pride plays a significant role. However, not all pride is created equal. This part delves into the crucial distinction between True pride, a healthy sense of accomplishment, and false pride, which can lead to arrogance and self-absorption. Understanding this is essential for navigating success with humility and fostering positive self-growth.

One of the most important aspects of the concept of pride is understanding the difference between True pride and false pride.

False Pride vs. True Pride

Take, for example, an entrepreneur who, out of healthy pride, works hard, constantly learns new things, takes risks, and finally achieves monetary success. The pride is his carrot and there is nothing wrong with that. In this case, pride is natural and plays a positive motivating role.

However, if this pride spills over into arrogance, the entrepreneur might focus solely on dominating and expanding without considering the impact on others. This insatiable desire for superiority, fueled by an inflated ego, exemplifies the pitfalls of False Pride.

True Pride

False Pride isn't logical. It's a psychological compulsion, a hunger to feel better than everyone else, regardless of merit. It becomes an obsession, a delusion of superiority that consumes the individual and blinds them to reality, i.e. False Pride pushes a person into insatiable. From that moment he doesn't merely rest on his laurels; he seeks to expand without caring for others, to dominate, and finally, to establish a monopoly. This form of pride isn't propelled by any deep-rooted rationale; it is simply a relentless desire for greater triumph.

True Pride, in contrast, fosters a growth mindset and helps in the development of consciousness. True Pride acknowledges achievements while recognizing success often stems from a combination of hard work, constant learning, timing, luck, and support from others.

True Pride emphasizes self-awareness, humility, and a willingness to learn and grow. It motivates us to celebrate both our own and others' accomplishments and inspires collaboration. By cultivating True Pride, we can navigate success with a grounded sense of self-worth and contribute positively to the world around us.

In our pursuit of goals, pride plays a significant role. But not all pride is equal. This part explores the key difference between True Pride (healthy accomplishment) and False Pride (arrogance, self-absorption). Understanding this is essential for navigating success with humility and fostering growth.

Characteristics of True Pride

True Pride

True Pride is more than just feeling good about ourselves. It encompasses several key characteristics:

• Self-Awareness

• Humility

• Compassion

• Openness to Feedback

• Limiting Comparisons

• Accountability

• Constant Re-evaluation

• Seeking Balance

Building True Pride: A Lifelong Journey

True Pride transcends a fleeting sense of accomplishment. It fosters a growth mindset, embraces partnerships and collaboration, and celebrates the achievements of others. 

By cultivating compassion, openness to feedback, limiting comparisons, accountability, celebrating others, and constant re-evaluation, we can navigate success with humility and contribute positively to the world. 

In the next part (Part III), we'll delve deeper into how to cultivate these characteristics in your daily life, with real-life examples.

In My Novel, "Melissa"

 Arrogance of Nathan

A brilliant scientist named Nathan grapples with the consequences of succumbing to False Pride. Witness his terrifying spiral and its impact on him, those around him, and even humanity. 

Will Nathan's ambition for scientific discovery lead to his downfall, or can he learn the valuable lesson of True Pride before it's too late? Curious to see how it unfolds? Sign up for your FREE ebook of "Melissa" on launch day and discover Nathan's fate! Click on the link 

Why War? Part II

To move on to further analysis of why humanity experiences wars, let's take a look at the hierarchy of human consciousness.

Fig. 1

consciousness of mankind 

Let's take a scale for measuring people's consciousness from zero to one hundred.

0-25 levels of consciousness

Then at levels 0 to 25, we will get young souls who have recently entered the world of humans from the animal kingdom (illustration  1).

As a rule, young souls have a limited vocabulary and disabilities in learning, and as a result, they do mostly only physical work. 

energy quality from young souls

The energy the young souls produce for the High Ones is crude and of low quality. 

Their salaries are relatively low, which does not give them the opportunity to travel and visit theaters or museums.  And this again does give another portion of low-quality energy.

25-50 levels of consciousness 

It is conditionally possible to call the souls between 25-50 levels "techies". 

techies

The techies reincarnated many hundreds of times and accumulated great knowledge about human life. Their ability to learn gives them the opportunity to get a bachelor's degree and become a programmer, accountant, teacher, or nurse.

Because of higher wages, they can have more sophisticated holidays, such as trips abroad, and richer cultural and social life than young souls.

Consequently, techies produce a higher (but average) level of energy than young souls.

50-75  levels of consciousness 

Souls between 50 and 75 levels can be called "high professionals".

high professionals

It is not a problem for the "high professionals" to learn earthly things, and they may have a doctorate or a couple of master's degrees.  Some of them are high-level intellectuals, linguists who speak a dozen languages, high-profile multi-entrepreneurs, and so on.

The number of these people on the Earth is smaller than techies. These are the highest-paid people, and they can afford to live in the best conditions with exquisite hobbies and recreation.

Consequently, "high professionals" produce a higher (but average) quality of energy than techies.

75-100  levels of consciousness 

The smallest group of people that we can call the "Treasury Fund" has the highest level of consciousness.

the highest quality of energy

This treasury fund has nothing to do with money, but with the highest quality of energy, they are able to produce on a daily basis. 

creativity

This group consists of artists, musicians, spiritual preachers, writers, healers, etc., as well as any person who is able to generate IDEAS and be CREATIVE. 

spiritual choice

Some of these highly conscious souls came from other galaxies, from less dense planets than our Earth, but some of them developed these wonderful qualities, reincarnating here on Earth, making multiple Spiritual Choices towards Light.

are we good?

Someone will say: "Great! We have guys who are able to give the highest daily energies to the Highest Ones! What else?"

However, let's take a closer look at this group.

money

Most people in this group are active in their youth. The subtlest vibrations of their souls push them to realize their creative projects. But where to get the money?

Governmental or private grant support for artists applying for funding for their projects is only 10% of all applications, i.е. only one artist out of ten will receive some financial support. This support is given for a few months and coverers only basic needs - food and dwelling.

general attitude

With the exception of eminent artists, which are just a few, the general attitude towards artists is more dismissive than respectful.

For example, some wealthy people in Great Britain prefer to send their servants to meet an artist who has come with his paintings to decorate their house than to go out to see him in person.

healers

Because public education only provides human anatomy, most people have a largely materialistic view of themselves.

Most people do not aware of the seven-bodies structure of a human, and knowledge of chakras and energetic channels in the Western world is existing only in esoteric literature.

Human Chakras

As a result, prana-, energy- and spiritual healers, along with alternative medicine, for example, traditional Chinese medicine or Indian Ayurveda, receive little or no government support.

spiritual preachers 

Spiritual preachers who are raising a spiritual awareness of people contribute to their organizations exclusively for free. As a rule, they work part-time somewhere else for a small salary.

film industry

The film industry is one of the worst for a creative soul to survive because film production is very expensive.

To get into the film industry, writers try to hone their writing skills. At best, they are hired by a major movie studio to write a remake or sequel to a burgeoning television series, and they waste their precious time on other people's projects, abandoning their own ideas.

value of an idea

Since most people do not understand what an idea is and what is required for its occurrence, the value of an idea in the modern world is very low.

Struggling for materialistic survival, artists often lose their creativity by working for wages. With age, they lose the ability to generate their own ideas and engage in creativity, as before.

conclusion on part II

The highest quality energy requested by the Highest Ones comes from the "Treasury Fund". However, today's societies do not recognize the true value of artists, musicians, healers, preachers, etc., who are able to give this energy.

In Part III, we will look at how the souls of the Artists are trying to survive in the material world, and also assess the chances of replenishing the "Treasury Fund".

Why Pride, Part I: The Universal Carrot 🥕

The article "Why Pride" will delve into key aspects of pride's significance, self-improvement's transformative power, and the evolution of consciousness.

We will explore the intricate interplay of pride in our personal and collective narratives, shedding light on how it can both inspire and hinder our growth.

The conclusion will emphasize the importance of discerning between authentic pride born of purpose and the pitfalls of false pride.

This is the first part of the article.

A complex mix of emotions and attitudes

Pride, often considered a complex mix of emotions and attitudes, plays a profound role in our lives. Just as a doctor treating a patient must first make a diagnosis, so too must humanity find the root cause of its suffering.

We must acknowledge and ultimately accept the proposition that the pride we hold dear may be a vestige better discarded.

Pride has a double-edged nature. On one hand, a certain amount of pride can motivate us, give us confidence, and drive self-improvement. But excessive or misplaced pride can also hold us back from growth and enlightenment.

The Eternal Carrot

A donkey trudges along, captivated by a carrot dangling just inches from its nose. This simple vegetable acts as a powerful motivator, spurring the creature onward.

The Universal Nudge

Human pride plays a similar role in our lives as the donkey's carrot. Woven into the very fabric of our being, it serves as a psychological catalyst, nudging us to follow the narrative arc of our lives.

Pride can manifest on both individual and group levels, encompassing countries, nations, continents, and even entire planets.

Lower Consciousness, Higher Pride

The lower the level of consciousness, the greater the tendency towards pride. Let's consider humanity's pride as an example.

Humanity's Cosmic Pride

In ancient times, our collective pride, coupled with limited understanding, led us to believe that Earth was the center of the universe, around which everything revolved.

Expanding Horizons

As our collective consciousness evolved, so did our understanding of our place in the cosmos. First, we accepted that Earth orbits the Sun. 

Then, we realized our solar system is but a tiny fragment in the vast tapestry of the universe.

Towards a New Enlightenment

Today, with an ever-expanding consciousness, we begin to grasp that our planet is just one of countless material worlds, akin to a single grain of sand on an immeasurable beach.

Further Enlightenment

Should our spiritual understanding extend beyond the material world, we may approach a time when we perceive ethereal worlds.

Why Pride?

Whether the burden of pride we carry originated in the Garden of Eden is a secondary concern.

The primary question is whether we dare to face the challenge of discarding our "bad habit" – false pride.

The end of Part I. 

Part II will explore strategies for nurturing justified pride while steering clear of false, destructive arrogance.

In My Fictional Novel, "Melissa"

In my novel, "Melissa," the talented biophysicist Nathan, consumed by ambition, competes with God and crosses a forbidden line. 

Guided by the philosophy that "ethics are subjective" and viewing scientific interference as a means of accelerating evolution, Nathan, truly believing his advancements would benefit humanity, faced the regrettable consequences of his experiments.

Mark Your Calendar! Don't miss out! Grab your FREE e-book of "Melissa" on launch day: https://rbjal.com/melissa-sign-up

#pride #selfimprovement #personalgrowth #consciousness #motivation #confidence #selfworth #driven #achievement

Grigory Rasputin - Light or Dark? Part I of III

 Working on my screenplay "The Tsar's Choice" I went through lots of materials regarding such a controversial figure as Grigory Rasputin.

Colonel D. Loman, G. Rasputin, Major General, Prince M. S. Putyatin, 1904-1905

Although I had and have my personal opinion regarding who was that man, I would like to enlighten my readers about him by analyzing a set of his personal values and qualities.

So, who was Grigory Rasputin - a spiritual entity moving towards Darkness¹ or Lightness²?

Since any analysis is based on assumptions, let's assume that Grigory Rasputin was a representative of the Darks, and make a list of evidence for this.

For this purpose, we shall write down the values of Darks on the left side of the table and as a comparison the qualities and values of Grigory on the right.

¹ Darkness, is a spiritual realm carrying such values as slavery, hatred, cowardice, war, corruption, cruelty, etc. Dark characters including the CEO of Darkness Satan are represented in my screenplay Redemption and screenplay Heaven.

² Lightness is a spiritual realm carrying such values as freedom, love, courage, peace, justice, humanity, etc. These values are well described in my novel Redemption, available on Amazon ( printed) and Smashwords ( e-book).

Let's go through each quality and value of Darks.

1.  Craving for war

The thirst for war is the main "symptom" that a spiritual being is moving into Darkness. But Grigory was a pacifist even in the most unfavorable times for this.

He dissuaded Tsar Nikolai II from entering the Balkan war in 1912 and was strongly opposed to Russia's entry into the Serbia-Austro-Hungarian war in 1914: 

"By this war, you won't save but destroy the empire... Don't let the fools triumph, don't let them push themselves and all of us into the abyss! Don't let them do it! Do not join this war, not invented by you!"

Unfortunately, at the time Nikolai made the decision to mobilize the Russian troops, Grigory was in a serious condition after the assassination attempt on him by K. Guseva and could not personally discuss it with the tsar. sending him warning telegrams daily.

G. Rasputin in the Tyumen hospital, 1914

However, with the outbreak of WWI Grigory still continued to talk about peace, putting himself at great risk.

Since Grigory was a true pacifist, he does not fit into the pool of Darks.

2.  Hatred

The brutal energies of Dark Souls do not allow them either to love, nor talk about love, but Grigory loved and enjoyed talking about love.  

He was capable to experience Unconditional love, which is almost impossible to meet whether 100 years ago or nowadays in the dense reality of the Earth. 

Grigory spoke of love as the highest Christian virtue: “Love is light, and there is no end to it, but the light will not go out and the love of the Gospel will not get tired.” and"Prophecy will cease and knowledge will be silenced, but love never!" ³ Any person who is able to express himself in this way can not be DARK.

³The Grigory Rasputin's book "The Life of an Experienced Wanderer" (1907)

3. Indifference to people

Guided by dry calculation and resentment towards others, the Dark Ones develop in their souls such qualities as indifference and selfishness.

Unlike them, Grigory sympathized with people and expressed this sympathy, not for his own benefit, but because he felt that all people were brothers.

Grigory sought to help everyone who came to him, whether in St. Petersburg or in his native village of Pokrovskoye: "Everyone who comes to me is dear to me...  People should live hand in hand, helping each other."

And he helped people, especially those with low social status, both in words and deeds: “Dear generals, you are used to being received first. But there are also disenfranchised Jews - first I have to help them."⁴

He sympathized with all people, and especially those who are in despair, for example, prisoners: "Everyone, even the evilest, experiences moments when his soul is lifted up and cleansed by terrible torments - in moments we must stretch out a hand to save him before he dies for us in grief and despair..."

In other words, Grigory was able to feel compassion. Such a person cannot be Dark.

⁴ Aron Simanovich, the book Rasputin and the Jews.

4. IIndifference to nature 

From his childhood, Grigory adored animals, especially, especially horses, and healed them. ⁵

He felt the creativity of mother nature and preferred flowers from the forest to those from the greenhouse.

He describes his synergy with nature in his book  Life of an experienced wanderer: "Nature taught me to love God and talk with Him." 

His attitude to the fact that “everything around us is alive” and worship for nature is a direct sign of the Light, therefore, according to this quality, Grigory does not belong to the Dark.

5  Matryona Rasputina, the book  "Rasputin. Why?".

*****

The end of the first part "Grigory Rasputin - Light or Dark?"

Find more dialogues between G. Rasputin and Tsar Nicholas II as well an alternative future of the Russian Empire in "The Tsar's Choice" screenplay.

Part II is coming soon.

Grigory Rasputin - Light or Dark? Part II of III

Elder Macarius, Bishop Feofan, Grigory Rasputin

In this part, we shall cover the rest of the values/qualities of the Dark Ones and will compare them with those that Grigory Rasputin had.

5.  Atheism (godlessness)

Grigory not only had Faith but also knew that God exists. His prayers were distinguished by sincerity and lack of copying.

He spoke to God without servility, in his own words, as with a close friend: 

“In You, Lord, I trust and I will never be ashamed of it! I praise You, Lord, and I say in my soul: be my Creator and Intercessor!”

A person with a truly deep faith in God cannot be Dark.

6. Lack of interest in spirituality

Grigory had a deep passion for spirituality and took every opportunity to share his feelings and spiritual revelations with others. He had fans who regularly gathered to listen to him and record his stories. 

In 1907 he wrote his notes The Life of an Experienced Wanderer: “Spring means a great celebration for a spiritual person. As a decorated bright May happens, so the soul of the one who watches the Lord blooms and May arises.”

And in 1915  My Thoughts and Reflections: “They can deprive of everything - even a 

dwelling, but never a soul. The loss of earthly things is a great feat; you need to ask God to give you patience. For the loss of the earthly and the reward is great.”

Passion for the spiritual cannot belong to the Dark, therefore Grigory was Light.

Photo: Grigory with admirers

7. Inability to heal

Grigory was a healer. He recognized this ability as a teenager, treating horses in his native village, alter he started to treat people. In some cases, he used healing Siberian herbs, but mostly he healed with his prayers, i.e. God willing. 

Repeatedly Grigory helped the sick, even those who are considered incurable. Once, in a Ural monastery, he healed a demon-possessed - a woman who had suffered from seizures.

Among the others, his patients were Tsar Nicholas II and the heir to the Russian throne, Tsarevich Alexei.

A healer can’t be Dark, therefore by this criteria, Grigory belongs to Light.

8. No skills to see future

From adolescence, Grigory had the ability to make predictions.

For example, he “saw” when and how a person would die, and told his fellow villagers about it.

His daughter Matryona describes a case when, thanks to Grigory's foresight, a horse thief was found.

Grigory's predictions came true regarding the royal family, the fate of St. Petersburg, the then capital of Russia, the fate of his homeland, and much more.

He predicted: “Darkness will fall on Petersburg. When its name changes, the empire will end". In August 1914 St. Petersburg was renamed Petrograd. March 15, 1917, Nicholas II abdicated; this marked the end of the Russian Empire.

And another one: “If my murder is committed by nobles - relatives of the tsar, then the future of Russia and the royal family will be terrible. The nobles will flee the country, and the tsar's relatives will not be left alive; in two years the brothers will rise up against the brothers and kill each other.” 

The royal family, together with the emperor, were brutally murdered by the Bolsheviks, and at the end of 1917 Russia entered the Civil War.

As Darks do not have the ability to see the future, but Grigory does, he is representative of Lights.

9. Chauvinism

Grigory promoted mutually beneficial cooperation between people of different nationalities and countries.

In private conversations with the tsar, he calls him for friendship with the United States and economic cooperation with Germany.

In his own country, he points out the advantages of international marriages and helps Russian Jews through his personal secretary Aron Simonovich*.

Grigory does not fit into the goals of the Dark Ones - incitement of chauvinism, but represents the opposite - therefore he is a Light One.

*Aron Simonovich, Rasputin and the Jews. Memoirs of the personal personality of Grigory Rasputin ( in Russian).

10. Slavery and dependency

Grigory was freedom-loving and this is evident from his travels - within the country and abroad to Palestine and Jerusalem. The presence of a wise wife gave him the opportunity to make long pilgrimages. The pleasure of freedom is felt in his notes "The Life" and " My thoughts".

Grigory never depended on anyone. Living in his village, he was an independent farmer, fisherman, and cart driver. 

When he moved to St. Petersburg, many wanted to make a puppet out of him, but, guided by his mission, he remained incorruptible, causing irritation among the nobles and open and hidden enmity.

Freedom and independence are values of Light, therefore, Grigory is a representative of Lights.

Photo: Grigory with villagers

11. Vision of the devil and demons 

During his life, Grigory had a vision of the Mother of God who appeared to him when he plowed the field. The vision lasted several seconds and left an indelible impression on Grigory. Later, the vision motivated him to come to St. Petersburg.*

A vision of the Queen of Heaven can’t appear to a person moving towards Darkness, therefore Grigory was a Spiritual entity moving towards Light.

*Matryona Rasputina. "Rasputin Why?" (in Russian)

Conclusion 

The conclusion from these analyzes is unequivocal - none of the qualities and values of the Dark Ones fit Grigory's profile.

Consequently, according to these criteria, Grigory does not belong to the Dark, but to the Light.

However, we will not rush to draw a final conclusion, because Grigory Rasputin was accused of debauchery, drunkenness, greed, etc., and in the third part we will conduct additional analyzes.

Is Vipassana meditation a fast track to liberation?* Part II

Side effects
As anything in this non perfect world, there can be negative side effects of the Vipassana meditation technique too.
During the meditation, a Vipassana student receives fine (pleasant) or rough (disgust) sensations of the body. His/her main task is to stay indifferent to them. Just as a person sitting on the riverbank observes the river’s flow, this is the same way the practitioner of Vipassana should observe the flow of sensations of his body without any reaction to them, whatever they bring with — pleasure or disgust.

To stay indifferent to the body’s sensations is the biggest challenge for students, and, unfortunately, some people are becoming addicted to the sensations. If the sensation of the body is pleasant, they enjoy it. If the sensation is rough, they hate it. Coming back to the Vipassana courses to enjoy those sensations, the students receive extra negative karma, which course a delay of liberation.

Organization of the training

While there may be a lack of organizing and planning skills generally in India, the Vipassana course is organized very well.

There are ten full days in the training. You will come on the first day or “zero day” for registration, introduction lecture, and other practical things. One of those practical things is delivering your valuables and all communication means to storage.

There is a wake-up ring at 4 a.m. with a following ring of a servant at 04:25 a.m. The training starts at 4:30 a.m. sharp in the main meditation hall.

This is the most intensive course that I have ever attended. A training session lasts 12 hours per day. Ten hours is dedicated to meditation and two hours for a lecture. You will have a chance to ask questions from a teacher or an assistant teacher during lunch and before sleep. You will have time for a nap after a breakfast and a lunch break. There are also additional five-minute breaks available after each one-hour meditation. The ring for a sleep is at 9:30 p.m., and lights must be switched off.

Food is provided three times per day. It’s purely vegetarian, and legumes are served at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Animal protein is available only in yogurt and hot milk with butter.

You can get drinking water from the big water tanks installed to the roof, however, the taste of that water is not the same as we are used to. Bottled water is available at your request, and you can pay for that at the end of the course.

Accommodations

The Vipassana retreat territory is separated in two main areas — one part with housing for women, and another part for men. The canteen has the same principle — men and women have meals in separate rooms.

You will be given a private room or a room with a roommate. The room is humble with a little window, two simple beds, and bathroom with toilet and a limited shower. There is no air conditioning, but a mechanical fan provides an air circulation. You have to have your own lock for the door of your room.

Language

The course is available in English and Hindu. However, even if you know English very well, some words of the English vocabulary that are used in the Vipassana session might be unknown to you, and a misunderstanding of a word might lead to the collapse of understanding the concept of the whole lecture.

Many meditation centers offer language translation devices that are easy to use. Ask an administrator of the meditation center where you are planning to attend if they have an audio device in your native language.

  

*Note:  This article is based on my personal experience and thoughts after my first 10-day meditation course of Vipassana, and is not presented to be an absolute truth. – Jacklyn A. Lo, author of Redemption novel.

Next article will tell about terms and conditions on the Vipassana retreat, costs of the training, some constrains and preparation for the meditation.