Do I have to say anything more – if you are looking for personal freedom, Self-Sovereignty. You are going to have to learn to get your emotions in check.

This is not an easy thing to do. As we just happen to be emotional beings, but it doesn’t have to control us. Or let me put it another way. We don’t have to let our emotions be controlled or influenced by other people, because they are looking for particular outcome or reaction.

And it is ok, to be sad, happy, love, and everything in between. I am not saying be this emotionless unfeeling being. Just be aware of your actions and thoughts when you are in these states.

It becomes more important to be able to see when your emotions are being played with to give the advantage to somebody else.

A warning sign is lack of time to properly make an informed decision. They want you to make a decision, usually in their favor right away.

It will take the form of “Act NOW!” “Limited Time…” etc and other high pressure tactics. It will manifest itself as a feeling of urgency inside. Other feelings that will get tacked on is the feeling of missing out, social guilt, and so on.

They, will make you feel like it has to be done now. If you want this.. You need to pull out your wallet or what ever and buy it. The larger the item, the more they will pressure you into (by making it easy.. 3 payments, etc..) to make it happen.

The goal – for them, is to make you not think. They don’t want you to ask yourself – do I really need this.. Can I afford this?

And if you say, I need time to think about it – the reply back is usually, well it might not be here.

I am here to tell you – it is ok to think about it. In a world of abundance, and commodities – it or something like it will still be there.

Don’t let somebody pressure you into something you don’t want to do. It is ok to say.. NO.

This same thought can be applied to non-physical goods. As you may know – there are people who get off on controlling others.. Who get off on arguing and getting a rise out of people. They want you to engage with them. In a nonconstructive fashion. Suck your engery.

This can take the form of anger – and also on the other end of the spectrum feeling sorry for them.

The best is to recognize and not engage. Of course in some situations, this will cause them to try more.

Let me give you a situation – my ex-wife and I. First, I don’t want to make her out to be this bad, evil, person – or anything like that. And I don’t want it to sound like I am better than her. I have compassion for her, however she is where she is in life, on her journey. I am some where else.

I like to look at using emotions like a tool. If you desire, somebody to act a certain way (for whatever reason)- you learn patterns that will generate that outcome. However, the pattern takes two to complete the circuit.

In this case.. I consumed about 2mg of psilocybin before getting a text from her. I was looking for a nice relaxing journey exploring some ideas I had. And this was the typical text, By the way I go several – several months without any communication with her. And we have been split for over 11 years now. The text was the typical long… long text that fills up two screens. So, there was effort in her part to put it together. The text was basically how, I need to give her money.. Mind you she has been remarried for a while now..

When I received the text – the psilocybin was kicking in.. Anybody who has done mushrooms know – they have some amazing ability to show you – what you need to see. You become the observer, of your own life.

In this case, reading the text, I could feel my back, shoulders tighten. The tightness moved up into my neck. To the point, it really hurt. I could feel the anger in me, building up like a pressure cooker. I wanted to respond to the text so bad.. And in not a nice way. I felt I need to do it right then and there..

But this pain in my neck, was now so intense. I had to stop.. Put the phone down and walk away. I don’t think I could have typed anything even if I wanted to.

I went and did some mediation, I could feel my body loosening back up. The pain went away. The take away, was I didn’t have to respond at all. There was no reason to. The outcome would be, my ego, going against her ego.

Instead, I didn’t respond. I sat there and forgave her. And the heaviness lifted. The thought of – forgiven them for they know not what they do.. Came into my mind.

Forgive them, for they know not what they do. You can say to yourself.. But yes they do.. But that is just the ego talking, which will keep you where you are. I believe that many people don’t know what they do.. And I am not even sure if I know what I do.

Accept others for where they are on the journey. But that doesn’t mean you have to play into their game.

Break out of the auto-pilot.. Break out of the patterns.