Many people say that they cannot meditate, because when they sit down to practice, their mind is full of all kinds of worldly things - their job, their house, their mortgage. In fact, this means that they are indeed meditating - in some sense of the word. All of the things that they think about in their daily life, are now coming to their minds in a more conscious way. This is a positive sign. Eventually those worldly thoughts might pass, and they will have a very different experience. It is also a reflection of how their minds operate in regular life. The more our minds return to focusing on pure things in normal life, the more those things will come to mind during meditation. Read the transcript and find important links on the site: [A Beautiful Thought - Whatever Comes to Mind: Episode 386](https://beautifulpodcast.com/whatever-comes-to-mind-episode-386/)

David Rodriguez is the host of the Freedom Lovers Show on YouTube, the leader of the GATTO Project, and founder of the Education Options Expo in San José California. Of course, David didn’t always know how to bring ideas like these to fruition. In this interview he tells his story about returning to church and being offered to become a church leader, to bring people the fine lessons contained within the Bible. However, at some point he decided to pause and ask himself “Do I really believe all of this?” including the ideas of eternal hellfire that are often taught as part of Christianity. Searching himself, he found that he didn’t buy it completely, and upon leaving the church he discovered a different way of being. Instead of looking for reasons that people might be condemned, he accepted them as they were, and as a result he was happier. Seeking a new direction, he enrolled in a leadership development program which encouraged the participants to begin a project - following their dreams and putting them into practice. He considered being practical, starting a profitable enterprise. However, his leaders advised him to pursue his passion. So he did. Learning from great educators such as John Taylor Gatto, he saw grand and fundamental problems with the schooling system of those United States. So he embarked on his journey to educate people about education, forming the Education Options Expo. Listen to the interview to hear the full story, and find out what David learnt. Read the transcript and find important links on the site: [A Beautiful Thought - Free to Learn with David Rodriguez: Episode 387](https://beautifulpodcast.com/free-to-learn-with-david-rodriguez-episode-387/)

Coronavirus is a worldwide obsession, and some might even say hysteria. Put into a difficult situation, perhaps even unable to leave our homes. Many times when we look back on hard times, we find that they enabled us to grow in some way that wouldn't have been possible otherwise. Using that foresight or "present hindsight", what can we discover about our predicament? It's likely people will become more introspective, and thereby gain self-knowledge. People might realise how nice the fresh air is, and start to make that a goal in the future. People will be forced to deal with problems more consciously, as their old habits do not serve them in this situation. And people will realise that they were deceived... A vital lesson in discernment.

We can get caught up in our routines, facing our everyday lives - the same activities with the same attitudes. We might have a fantasy, believing that one day things will be different. At the same time, we might be afraid to think about where this path is leading us, because we already have a concept of where it does lead. Allowing ourselves to bring those questions clearly into consciousness, we can begin to see what landmarks lie along that path. If we are not taking care of our health, we can see that it might get worse. Likewise, if we are changing our thoughts and taking action in the area of health, we can see it might get better - even though the effects are not yet apparent. Gently, we ask ourselves these questions, and we begin to see the future, and alter our destiny. Where is this belief leading me? How is this mode of being going to affect my future? What will happen if I choose to be something else? [Read the transcript and find important links on the site: A Beautiful Thought – Consequences Of Our Actions: Episode 451](https://beautifulpodcast.com/consequences-of-our-actions-episode-451/)