About a year ago, I went to a weekend seminar called "The Forum" as part of the Landmark Education Series. I really enjoyed the seminar and left with many interesting insights into the workings of the mind, defined by the context of the Forum as the bio-chemical brain, I define this as the part that acts as a signal processor from the physical world to the Spiritual one, a communications interface between the Physical and Astral bodies.
One of the areas the went into is the idea of "Authenticity" and how most people are inauthentic in their day-to-day lives. I understand this perspective, it is the same one that makes people like Bill Maher feel that all Religion is sheer foolishness and dangerous. When you judge something by the external representations given by men, it is amazingly obvious that many people would feel this way.
I think though, that Landmark and many others are looking in the wrong place for their perspective. The question is not if people are authentic, but WHAT they are authentic to? Simply put, EVERYONE is always authentic to something, but are they aware and/or honest about what it is they are being authentic to?
From the day-to-day perspective of people giving their word to something and then following through, most of us have become so bad at this that we come off as being quite in-authentic, hence the perspective of Landmark et al.
I had a discussion with someone a while back that was the most direct statement of authenticity that I can remember hearing, not only for the direct honesty, but because I truly doubt the person giving the statement had any clue just how honest they were being about the subject.
The details of the conversation are unimportant, but it had to do with the possible drastic measures that could be put into effect if people were not willing and/or capable of following through on their word. The received response was that if that happened that they would quit. The simple and direct statement was not only just a statement of pure authenticity, but showed that they were willing to put themselves through all sorts of extra efforts rather that follow through on the subject.
So what we need to do is not judge ourselves and others as being inauthentic, but to determine what it is that we are being authentic to. I will give you an example from my experience at the "Forum."
I wanted to take Spiritgeek.com from a side project and turn it into the central focus of my life, thus putting myself into the targeting sights of my Forum leader. At the time, I thought she was being really tough on me and not really listening to what it was that I was saying, but the issue was not hers, but mine. I was so listening to the justifications and reasons for what was happening that I had lost focus on what I was being authentic to.
In this particular case and time, I was being authentic to keeping a paycheck coming in, the stability of having my basic needs met by a job that was really beginning to cause me problems. I was becoming more and more unhappy with the current arrangements, but I was willing to pay for my stability, in a mundane sense, with the added stress of the work situation and the lack of peace that I was having in my day-to-day existence.
So the issue was not that I was being in-authentic, but what it was I was being authentic to. What areas are you authentic to that you are not necessarily aware of? Find them, decide if that is where you wish to be authentic in your existence and if not, change it.
December 19, 2010
October 27, 2010
Rocky Horror Memories
I am so amazed with Ryan Murphy's show "Glee." Every time I think he has done something that is going to be impossible to surpass, he surprises me. My first amazement was his "The Power of Madonna" show and then he blew me away with his Lady Gaga "Theatricality" episode. I was watching this weeks episode from last night and good luck topping tonight's.Now I will admit freely that part of the difficulty Ryan's going to have is he hit a topic close to my heart and just completely full of memories; The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
The first time I went to see Rocky Horror, I didn't care for it; the audience was constantly screaming, I couldn't hear half the story or the numbers, people were throwing stuff and what I could make out of it did not make ANY sense to me, I never expected to go back.
(Mom and Dad, you may not want to read this as you are going to learn some things you probably did not know and ignorance may just be bliss...)Sometime around late 1979 to early 1980 I was hanging out with a group of friends and they decided that they wanted to go and I was not very enthusiastic about it.
At this time in my life I was coming to grasp with just what my differences meant in my world of the time, social outcast (or pariah), what was left of my home life falling apart and my beginning to become aware that "I" had no say in any aspect of my home life and I had tended to start spending as little time at home as possible.
I went to the Varsity Theater at 6610 Delmar Blvd in University City and stood in line with a collection of punks, glams and costumed characters waiting around smoking everything from Marlboros to Jakarta Cloves and a few things that are still not legal in most towns. What should I have expected for a movie that only runs on Friday and Saturday nights starting at midnight?
At the Varsity, Rocky Horror always started with a cartoon I cannot remember, the video intro to Meatloaf's "You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth" followed by "Paradise by the Dashboard Light" and finally Tim Curry's "I Do the Rock." The room would go dark and a giant set of lips would begin to appear on the screen while a cast of live characters would do the "Science Fiction/Double Feature" line dance, kinda a Bob Fosse on a lazy day (I still remember all the steps and motions -- frightening).
Needless to say, by the end of the evening I was hooked. I really got into what was going on and made a collection of new friends and acquaintances that did something no one else in my life had until that time, like and accept me for me, not what they wanted me to be.
As I said, things at home were not going well and the Psychiatrist my family had me going to creeped me out completely so I was not getting any "therapy" there. Rocky Horror became my new therapy. I could go every Friday and Saturday night, let my hair down, be myself, enjoy everything and release the last week's frustration and anxiety.
Very quickly I became friends with and later joined the "cast" as Riff Raff, the Butler/Handyman. I spent time and what little money I had at the time to buy a tailcoat and made a hunchback out of an old military backpack I had which also came in handy for the additional props one takes to Rocky Horror; rice, newspaper, water pistol, lighter, rubber gloves, noise-maker, toilet paper, toast, party hat, bell, cards and hot dogs.
I made such an effort to go EVERY week, I rode my bike about 10 miles each way on many occasions, I even "borrowed" my parents car once in a while to get there. I remember fighting with my parents about going to that "cult" film and trying, in vain, to explain that this was not the Moonies but a regular group of people who return week after week.
I will never forget one night on the way home with a group of friends when I made the fateful decision to be the last person dropped off and we got pulled over for having a headlight out. I had the pleasure of being carted off to the local police station, in full costume and makeup, then transported to Juvenile Detention for being out after curfew and I enjoyed sitting in a holding cell till around 9 or 10 the next morning before my step-mom came to pick me up.
As the years went on, I would continue going to Rocky in cities all over the country and recently decided to finish the last 12 theater viewings to make 1000 shows (I don't count video and DVD viewings, not nearly as much fun). Likely I will finish this off at the Nuart Theatre in West Los Angeles.
For me, "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" has been one of those threads that has joined all the periods of my life through the years. I have met people that have amazed me in their variety and joy, all brought together by a film about a cross-dressing mad scientist, his creation and the innocent young couple who stumbles across an intergalactic party, set to fun music that has kept it's joy for 35 years.
So Ryan, I salute you for your comment about why Rocky Horror spoke to me and all those like me:
“It [Rocky Horror] was for outcasts, people on the fringes who had no place left to go but were searching for someplace, anyplace, where they felt like they belonged.”Will Schuester
October 23, 2010
Sparing the Rod
I was reading a personal ad earlier by a young man looking for a partner in life and he wants to have children. He comes from a more traditional background and spent part of his ad discussing his beliefs in child-rearing and specifically mentioned the following;
There seems to be an assumption in today's world that this, and other similar verses, are a justification for spanking, hitting or beating children, it is not.
One of the things we forget about in trying to understand the scriptures of the world is often to put them into cultural context so that we can make heads-or-tails of the metaphors that are used. In the case of the Hebrews the predominate metaphor is that of a shepherd and his flock.
When a shepherd uses his rod to guide the flock, it is not about beating the livestock, but about putting a barrier in front of, prodding and maybe an occasional tapping at most. When my cats attempt to get into what I am eating, I often take my hand and put it between them and their object of interest. They are not particularly fond of it, one occasionally hisses at me for a moment, but it supplies guidance to where they may or may not be.
Children need guidance from their parents, it is how they are kept safe and taught what is and is not acceptable behavior. I find that more than spanking a child one can talk with, not at, them and the child learns.
The biggest place that I find most parents losing the game is through a failure of consistency. I so often hear parents set a barrier for their children and then not follow through, children are a lot brighter than we often assume. I hate to say it, but children learn how to manipulate their parents very early, it is part of the early stages of learning to communicate so it is not as bad as it sounds.
So when we talk about "sparing the rod or spoiling the child" we are talking about what all parents have to do, supply guidance for their children. Discipline is a way of supplying guidance, but physical abuse and beatings are not, remember that!
He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him.Proverbs 13:24 (NIV)
There seems to be an assumption in today's world that this, and other similar verses, are a justification for spanking, hitting or beating children, it is not.
One of the things we forget about in trying to understand the scriptures of the world is often to put them into cultural context so that we can make heads-or-tails of the metaphors that are used. In the case of the Hebrews the predominate metaphor is that of a shepherd and his flock.
When a shepherd uses his rod to guide the flock, it is not about beating the livestock, but about putting a barrier in front of, prodding and maybe an occasional tapping at most. When my cats attempt to get into what I am eating, I often take my hand and put it between them and their object of interest. They are not particularly fond of it, one occasionally hisses at me for a moment, but it supplies guidance to where they may or may not be.
Children need guidance from their parents, it is how they are kept safe and taught what is and is not acceptable behavior. I find that more than spanking a child one can talk with, not at, them and the child learns.
The biggest place that I find most parents losing the game is through a failure of consistency. I so often hear parents set a barrier for their children and then not follow through, children are a lot brighter than we often assume. I hate to say it, but children learn how to manipulate their parents very early, it is part of the early stages of learning to communicate so it is not as bad as it sounds.
So when we talk about "sparing the rod or spoiling the child" we are talking about what all parents have to do, supply guidance for their children. Discipline is a way of supplying guidance, but physical abuse and beatings are not, remember that!
October 11, 2010
The Meaning of Life
Introduction
Religion and Philosophy in truth have the same purpose, to try to answer the question of the meaning of life.
In philosophy the question is addressed through the “general and fundamental problems concerning matters such as existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language.”[1]
In religion there is usually the discussion of deity or deities and the ways to appease them. Sadly, these ideas are not actually what religion is about when you read most of the founders. They usually refer to the idea of finding deity within ourselves and bringing it into manifestation.
In this context, religion takes on the Latin origin of re-ligare[2] which means to relink or rejoin. I have always found it interesting that this definition for religion is nearly the same as the word "yoga" (Sanskrit, Pāli: योग yóga) which means to rejoin.[3]
To relink or rejoin what?
I have mentioned on many occasions the amazement that I felt when I realized that every Religion agrees on the idea that we are eternal Spiritual or Energy beings that only inhabit these bodies and then continue after wards in some other existence.
Many would call this a return to the Source or, some would call, God (oh no, he used the "G" word). Call this whatever you may.
The Buddha talks about reaching the state of Nirvāna (Sanskrit: निर्वाण) which literally means “blowing out.” It is a state where the metaphorical “fires” of desire, hatred and delusion are blown out or cease to be the controlling forces in life.
In Hinduism the idea is expressed in many ways ranging from the Vedantist's “neti neti” (Sanskrit: नेति नेति) which is used to separate the real from the illusion and since everything the senses can recognize is illusion the idea is the translation of “Not this, not that.” Many other sects refer to it as rejoining their view of the ultimate aspect of God which can only happen through “Self-Realization” in one form or another.
The Abrahamic traditions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam, have an often overlooked expression of this in the first book of Moses, Genesis (Greek: Γένεσις, "birth", "origin," from Hebrew: בְּרֵאשִׁית, B'reishit, "in the beginning").
At the end of the second chapter we have a statement “And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed” (Gen 2:25). Immediately after this is the famous temptation and fall. The very first thing that happens is that they become aware of their nakedness and were so ashamed they covered themselves and hid from the presence of God when he came to visit. I cannot help giggling at the first question out of God's mouth after hearing of their awareness of their nakedness; “Who told thee that thou wast naked?” (Gen 3:11)[4]
The Meaning of Life
The underlying idea in all these traditions are the same, restore knowledge of our true selves. This is the Meaning of Life; to reclaim our rightful existences as Spirit, energy beings and place the focus of our Life there.
This is my personal favorite quote about this:
“You are not a human being in search of a spiritual experience. You are a spiritual being immersed in a human experience.”Teilhard de Chardin
When we stop looking for happiness in those things we find around us and reacquaint ourselves with this higher nature, my personal experience is that all things become a joy and sadness and hopelessness vanish.
So I place a challenge before you, start to look at your life from the perspective of that Spirit or Energy being and see what it does to your perspectives on Life. If you are anything like I am, in a surprisingly short time you will find those things that were SO important yesterday will make you wonder and laugh at their silliness today.
Try it and tell me what happens, I dare you!
Footnotes:
1 Wikipedia.org Article on Philosophy
2 Wikipedia.org Article on Religion, Section: Etymology
3 Wikipedia.org Article on Yoga
4 The complete example from the King James Bible
September 28, 2010
Power through revealing "evil"
I get asked about evil a lot, I guess it is one of the hazards of the job since I do not believe in evil.
Before you start to give me all the reasons and examples (please no references to Adolph Hitler or Jeffrey Dahmer please) take a moment to ponder the idea that I do not believe in evil since that makes evil an actual thing.
Evil is the lack of compassion and the ultimate of egoistic selfishness. Evil is not something unto itself, but the lack of what we "judge" to be the opposite. So, evil is not a thing unto itself, but a name that we give to avoid something we as humans tend to avoid.
By taking a judgment and treating it as something "real" unto itself, we not only live within an illusion of our own making, but we deny ourselves the opportunity of the power that comes from seeing evil for what it is.
Somewhere in our history, personal or cultural, we have become convinced that we are without power and that makes us believe we are victims. Victimhood comes across as if it empowers us, no blame or responsibility, but in the end it does nothing but rob us.
So instead of being the victims of the mistaken idea of evil, empower yourself by removing the ability of evil to exist, find something to love in everything and see the power that is all around.
This simple process allows us to increase our personal power and removes a debilitating illusion, making it a win-win.
Before you start to give me all the reasons and examples (please no references to Adolph Hitler or Jeffrey Dahmer please) take a moment to ponder the idea that I do not believe in evil since that makes evil an actual thing.
Evil is the lack of compassion and the ultimate of egoistic selfishness. Evil is not something unto itself, but the lack of what we "judge" to be the opposite. So, evil is not a thing unto itself, but a name that we give to avoid something we as humans tend to avoid.
By taking a judgment and treating it as something "real" unto itself, we not only live within an illusion of our own making, but we deny ourselves the opportunity of the power that comes from seeing evil for what it is.
Somewhere in our history, personal or cultural, we have become convinced that we are without power and that makes us believe we are victims. Victimhood comes across as if it empowers us, no blame or responsibility, but in the end it does nothing but rob us.
So instead of being the victims of the mistaken idea of evil, empower yourself by removing the ability of evil to exist, find something to love in everything and see the power that is all around.
This simple process allows us to increase our personal power and removes a debilitating illusion, making it a win-win.
September 16, 2010
Quick Update
Sorry I haven't been around for a while. The Spiritgeek.com site is getting a complete reworking and should be finished in the next few days.
I've also been finishing up the manuscript for "10 Secrets to the Secret" which should be ready to go to the publisher shortly.
Also, here's a little something to wrap your minds around: XMD39ET3CXUM if you can guess drop me a note!
I've also been finishing up the manuscript for "10 Secrets to the Secret" which should be ready to go to the publisher shortly.
Also, here's a little something to wrap your minds around: XMD39ET3CXUM if you can guess drop me a note!
August 24, 2010
History Repeats Itself... again
I am often amused by watching the statement from George Santayana, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it" happen again and again.
We are getting ready for mid-term elections in the US and the same old tricks are coming out, I sometimes wonder what it says about a country that falls for the same trickery every two years?
One REALLY obvious example is in California with Prop 19, an initiative to legalize marijuana and tax it along the same lines as alcohol and tobacco.
Most people are unaware that pot was criminalized in the 1930s at the behest of the cotton industry that did not want the competition from hemp. Sadly, the hemp plant is both hardier and less detrimental to the fields unto which it is grown and can yield several crops per year where cotton tends to leach the soil of its nutrients and being notoriously difficult to grow and process. The other use was an excuse.
I often think of George Carlin's famous discussion of pot use in one of his acts where he posed the question, "What's the worst crime a pot-head is going to commit? Steal a Twinkie?" The crime attributed to drugs is most often either victimless, use or possession, or due to the unavailability by criminalization and that raising the cost.
We have apparently not learned the lesson of 1919 with the prohibition of alcohol with the 18th Amendment to the Constitution and the subsequent 1933 repeal with the 21st Amendment. As a nation, the US should have learned a lesson that you cannot prohibit anything as long as there is a demand for the product. Apparently not.
We spend millions and billions pursuing the illegal drug trade in this country and the D.E.A. admits that illegal drugs are more available now then at any time, in other words, it has been not only a complete failure but a waste of resources that could just as easily been put to much better use.
On top of that, we have made many people excruciatingly wealthy as the suppliers and overloaded our jails with non-violent offenders that did nothing more then be in possession of a substance that as adults should be their choice.
I am neither for nor against drugs from a moralistic point of view, people will do what they want no matter what I or society says, history has shown this to us repeatedly.
Know what the largest killer of illegal drugs is? Overdose. This is most often caused by the lack of regulation and quality/quantity control. People are used to getting some drug at some level of potency and then they get something much more potent and die.
If people want it so badly, let them do it, or take away their alcohol and nicotine as well. Maybe Canada has a good idea with tobacco. They tax the hell out of it to pay for the additional costs of dealing with the later health effects caused by its use, maybe some variation could be used here.
For me it breaks down as follows, why can we always come up with the money to do something that history has repeatedly shown does not work. Since we are so busy spending money on these wastes, we cannot fund education and public programs that could benefit all society. I get so tired of hearing how children and the ill are constantly getting funding cuts when we throw away this money.
I am waiting for someone to explain the logic of this to me as I just do not get it.
The site for the Proposition
We are getting ready for mid-term elections in the US and the same old tricks are coming out, I sometimes wonder what it says about a country that falls for the same trickery every two years?
One REALLY obvious example is in California with Prop 19, an initiative to legalize marijuana and tax it along the same lines as alcohol and tobacco.
Most people are unaware that pot was criminalized in the 1930s at the behest of the cotton industry that did not want the competition from hemp. Sadly, the hemp plant is both hardier and less detrimental to the fields unto which it is grown and can yield several crops per year where cotton tends to leach the soil of its nutrients and being notoriously difficult to grow and process. The other use was an excuse.
I often think of George Carlin's famous discussion of pot use in one of his acts where he posed the question, "What's the worst crime a pot-head is going to commit? Steal a Twinkie?" The crime attributed to drugs is most often either victimless, use or possession, or due to the unavailability by criminalization and that raising the cost.
We have apparently not learned the lesson of 1919 with the prohibition of alcohol with the 18th Amendment to the Constitution and the subsequent 1933 repeal with the 21st Amendment. As a nation, the US should have learned a lesson that you cannot prohibit anything as long as there is a demand for the product. Apparently not.
We spend millions and billions pursuing the illegal drug trade in this country and the D.E.A. admits that illegal drugs are more available now then at any time, in other words, it has been not only a complete failure but a waste of resources that could just as easily been put to much better use.
On top of that, we have made many people excruciatingly wealthy as the suppliers and overloaded our jails with non-violent offenders that did nothing more then be in possession of a substance that as adults should be their choice.
I am neither for nor against drugs from a moralistic point of view, people will do what they want no matter what I or society says, history has shown this to us repeatedly.
Know what the largest killer of illegal drugs is? Overdose. This is most often caused by the lack of regulation and quality/quantity control. People are used to getting some drug at some level of potency and then they get something much more potent and die.
If people want it so badly, let them do it, or take away their alcohol and nicotine as well. Maybe Canada has a good idea with tobacco. They tax the hell out of it to pay for the additional costs of dealing with the later health effects caused by its use, maybe some variation could be used here.
For me it breaks down as follows, why can we always come up with the money to do something that history has repeatedly shown does not work. Since we are so busy spending money on these wastes, we cannot fund education and public programs that could benefit all society. I get so tired of hearing how children and the ill are constantly getting funding cuts when we throw away this money.
I am waiting for someone to explain the logic of this to me as I just do not get it.
The site for the Proposition
August 20, 2010
Some Geek Beauty
OK, I am earning geek points tonight. Friday night and I'm finding beautiful videos to watch. Sometimes inspiration will take you to places you would never expect.
So here are the best of the vids! They are all beautiful and I stumbled across them looking at a random tweeter who followed me. There is still so much beauty in the world and it now comes in interesting and varied forms.
Enjoy!
An Inspirational Video 1 - The Law Of Attraction
http://leadoutloud.ca/
Inspirational Quotes & Quotations
http://selfimprovementsguide.com/
So here are the best of the vids! They are all beautiful and I stumbled across them looking at a random tweeter who followed me. There is still so much beauty in the world and it now comes in interesting and varied forms.
Enjoy!
An Inspirational Video 1 - The Law Of Attraction
http://leadoutloud.ca/
Inspirational Quotes & Quotations
http://selfimprovementsguide.com/
July 20, 2010
Loving an Opposing Inspiration
Earlier today, I ran into someone on Facebook that I had not heard from in ages, Joni Eareckson Tada. Now it turns out that it is really more of a fan-page as she does not actively participate from the look of it.When I was a kid, I ran across the book "Joni" which touched me in a way that few books ever have. It is the story of a young woman, Joni Eareckson, with everything ahead of her that has a diving accident one summer and ends up a quadriplegic and her coming to grips with that and the skills she found after-wards. I was so impressed with her artwork that I used to own a piece many years ago.
I had the pleasure of meeting her in 1981 during my great Southern California adventure that I have written about in the past.
One of the things that surprised me was the near immediate response that I received from several friends that were shocked that I would "Like" her since she is a signer on the Manhattan Declaration, a call for assorted Christian members to not comply with laws against their religious beliefs in areas like abortion and same-sex marriage. I believe that I had heard about it on the news, but I did not pay it any heed, why should I?
One of the areas that the Christian Right has never understood is that a law saying such things may happen do not require you to partake in them. I have always found it somewhat laughable to listen to people who act as if legalizing same-sex marriage means straight men are going to be required to do so or that Roe v. Wade is going to force women to have abortions.
We seem to have developed a culture in this country where if someone disagrees on any one subject, especially a hot button topic, that we are supposed to shun them and disavow any knowledge, friendship or support. I will not do it.
I have found Joni to be a shining star in my life who made me rethink many things in my life over the years and a pillar of strength when I have had tough times, no matter how bad, I still have functional arms and legs.
One of the pieces of the book I have always remembered was a place where Joni's power-wheelchair tipped over in a parking lot and she scraped her face quite badly. Her reply was something like; "why my face, the only place I can feel?" I have had days like that where it was like why this one thing when it was so important, at least in that moment.
I may not agree with everything she thinks and may even be diametrically opposed in some, but that will never take away from the respect I have for her in so many other areas of her life.
Many of the friends that responded badly felt that I had betrayed them, I would say that I have proven my worthiness as a friend in that I will stand by them when they do something I disagree with, it will take more than one thing to get rid of me.
I would say that it is more Christian to show love and compassion for someone against you on some issue than many self-proclaimed Christians offer to those who differ from them. It is easy to love someone who is always with you, but it takes a bit of work to get beyond some disagreement and still be there for them. I believe Jesus commented on this when he talked about loving ones enemies.
To Joni,
My heartfelt appreciation for your story, your beautiful artwork and for making a young man feel welcome when the opportunity presented itself nearly 30 years ago.
My prayers and hopes, along with Reiki healing energy, to help you get through this troubling time with your recent diagnosis.
Robert
July 6, 2010
To be willing...
There is an old Indian story that I have heard told many ways, but I tell it like this:
As with many of the lessons in life, we often do not necessarily have to through all the experiences, it is often just enough to truly be willing to do so.
On many occasions in my life, I will see a path before me that is not where I want to go and would not choose it for whatever reasons. When I have have stopped fighting what appeared to be unavoidable and accepted that this may be a path I may have to walk and truly been willing, suddenly alternatives have availed themselves and the unwanted path has fallen away.
When you are presented with areas of your life you wish to avoid, remember that old saying that "what you resist, persists." On some occasions you may have to go through the experiences, but often it may be enough to just be willing and not fight it.
The sage Narada was walking through the forest when he came across a yogi who was sitting under a tree deep in meditation. From the look of things, he had been there for quite some time as his hair was matted and the birds had also made their nests in it and there was much growth around him.
As Narada approached, the sage recognized him and asked, "Oh great sage, what are doing this beautiful day in the forest?"
"I am on my way to visit Lord Sri Krishna in his abode of Krishna-loka" he replied.
The yogi became hopeful and asked, "Oh sage, when you see Lord Krishna, would you be kind enough to ask him how many lives I must complete until I reach enlightenment and am freed from this world of illusion?"
Narada replied, "It would be my pleasure" and then he continued on his way down the road.
Several miles further along, Narada came across a young neophyte who was having some difficulties getting accustomed to his meditations but he was trying and beginning to have some successes.
The neophyte monk also recognized Narada and also asked him for the favor of asking Lord Krishna the number of lives before reaching enlightenment and of course Narada agreed.
Several years passed and once again Narada was on the road when he came across the yogi. When the yogi saw Narada he was overjoyed and asked, "Oh great Sage, per chance did you make it to see Lord Krishna and did you get the moment to ask my question?"
Narada looked at the sage and informed the yogi, "Lord Sri Krishna sends his blessings and asked me to inform you that after the completion of only three more lives, you will join him forever in his home of Krishna-loka."
The yogi was taken aback and began to rage, "Three more? Does Lord Krishna have any idea how many lives I have dedicated to meditation upon his lotus feet and I still have three more lives?"
As the yogi went on, Narada slipped away and continued his way down the road.
When he made it to the neophyte monk, it was apparent that he had begun to have some success in his efforts to go beyond the discomforts of his body. Upon his arrival the young man asked, "Oh great sage, May the blessings of Lord Krishna be upon you! Did you have success in your earlier journey to visit the great Lord?"
Narada, knowing what was coming addressed the young monk, "His Greatness gave me the following instructions for you. Do you see this great tree that you are sitting under? Each leaf represents a life that you must complete before you will acquire perfection through your meditations."
The young monk glanced up into the tree above him assessing the leaves and what Narada had said and replied, "That is not so many, I thank you Narada for your message."
At this, there was a flash and Lord Krishna appeared next to Narada, holding his hand out to the young monk inviting him to join him in his chariot.
The young monk was amazed and asked, "Oh great Lord, I thought I had many lives to fulfill before I would find enlightenment."
Lord Krishna smiled at the young monk and said, "Yes, many lives were before you, but you were willing to perform them in love and faith."
As with many of the lessons in life, we often do not necessarily have to through all the experiences, it is often just enough to truly be willing to do so.
On many occasions in my life, I will see a path before me that is not where I want to go and would not choose it for whatever reasons. When I have have stopped fighting what appeared to be unavoidable and accepted that this may be a path I may have to walk and truly been willing, suddenly alternatives have availed themselves and the unwanted path has fallen away.
When you are presented with areas of your life you wish to avoid, remember that old saying that "what you resist, persists." On some occasions you may have to go through the experiences, but often it may be enough to just be willing and not fight it.
July 1, 2010
June 30, 2010
One Idea for a Revolution
As a Life Coach, I get asked about all areas of life, but on many cases, I get asked REALLY difficult questions about the world around us more from the perspective of a Spiritual Teacher. Some times the answers I have to give are more difficult to express than just about anything I address in Coaching.
What makes the answers difficult is most often not the subject, but that they tend to fall back into the laps of those asking, both individually and as a group.
It is human nature to want to pass the responsibility for things somewhere else, on God, on them (whoever they might be, this week) and my personal favorite; the government.
In a few days it is the 4th of July and in the United States we celebrate our independence and the freedoms that are supposedly guaranteed, but we see being given away on a daily basis. How do we do this and why?
One common way is through manipulation of public perception and that is becoming easier and easier. In my opinion, it began largely when some bean-counter figured out that if his newscast could acquire higher ratings they could charge more for the advertising space, hence the evening news stopped being about informing the public and became about profit.
Many people disagree, but look at how your news has changed, how much REAL information of value do you get? Rupert Murdoch is estimated to be worth some $6.3 Billion and one of his largest holdings is News Corp, better known as Fox, so I do not really think you can deny that there is money to be made in "news".
That takes us to the next level, corporate control of information. Back in the old days, like 50 years or so ago, corporations were very limited and could only be involved in a single industry and could not purchase other corporations without serious overview. Today, with surprisingly few oversights, a corporation can buy most anyone else, has little if any ethos unless it is financially prudent.
How unfettered do you think your information is when it is filtered for its affect on the bottom line, by the parent company of the station/network or a large buyer of advertising space that can threaten to withhold its advertising revenue for failure to submit to their wishes? (BTW, did you know that the Florida State Supreme Court has ruled that it is not illegal to misrepresent the news intentionally?)
I saw a Michael Moore interview where he was talking about the irony of his being carried and distributed by the very companies he denounces in his programs. I think he was right on target when he said that he takes advantage of the lack of corporate morals in that they may not like his message, but there is money to be made by distributing it.
Now do not get me wrong, I am not a fan of modern corporate culture with its lack of conscience in search of profit, they are just taking advantage of what "WE" the people have allowed to become with our apparent attitude of "do whatever you wish, just leave me alone to watch my favorite TV."
Americans seem to live on soundbites, more than 15-20 words and they lose interest, and most sad of all is that the rest of the world seems to be falling in right behind.
I am not anti-TV or anything else, but it is the responsibility of the public to take the time and effort to become informed of the facts, and no, your favorite mouthpieces of ideology or political affiliation rare count as information, more opinion (OK LOUD opinion).
The world is changing around us and if people think it is too much work to fix it now, what makes you think it is going to get any easier in time?
Thomas Jefferson, the principal drafter of the Declaration of Independence, once said that for this country to function properly that "Every generation needs a new revolution" he also warned, "If once the people become inattentive to the public affairs, you and I, and Congress and Assemblies, Judges and Governors, shall all become wolves. It seems to be the law of our general nature, in spite of individual exceptions."
People have begun to fear their governments when it should be the other way around.
If you wish freedom and independence it must be earned by the work of your mind and action. So the next time you are overwhelmed by the idea of something "wrong" in the world around you, look at your part in it and begin your personal revolution of thought and knowledge.
Oh, and one last thought, be very aware of the dog and pony show that you will find in front of the facts, those who can will do anything they can to get you off focus and off on a tangent.
What makes the answers difficult is most often not the subject, but that they tend to fall back into the laps of those asking, both individually and as a group.
It is human nature to want to pass the responsibility for things somewhere else, on God, on them (whoever they might be, this week) and my personal favorite; the government.
In a few days it is the 4th of July and in the United States we celebrate our independence and the freedoms that are supposedly guaranteed, but we see being given away on a daily basis. How do we do this and why?
One common way is through manipulation of public perception and that is becoming easier and easier. In my opinion, it began largely when some bean-counter figured out that if his newscast could acquire higher ratings they could charge more for the advertising space, hence the evening news stopped being about informing the public and became about profit.
Many people disagree, but look at how your news has changed, how much REAL information of value do you get? Rupert Murdoch is estimated to be worth some $6.3 Billion and one of his largest holdings is News Corp, better known as Fox, so I do not really think you can deny that there is money to be made in "news".
That takes us to the next level, corporate control of information. Back in the old days, like 50 years or so ago, corporations were very limited and could only be involved in a single industry and could not purchase other corporations without serious overview. Today, with surprisingly few oversights, a corporation can buy most anyone else, has little if any ethos unless it is financially prudent.
How unfettered do you think your information is when it is filtered for its affect on the bottom line, by the parent company of the station/network or a large buyer of advertising space that can threaten to withhold its advertising revenue for failure to submit to their wishes? (BTW, did you know that the Florida State Supreme Court has ruled that it is not illegal to misrepresent the news intentionally?)
I saw a Michael Moore interview where he was talking about the irony of his being carried and distributed by the very companies he denounces in his programs. I think he was right on target when he said that he takes advantage of the lack of corporate morals in that they may not like his message, but there is money to be made by distributing it.
Now do not get me wrong, I am not a fan of modern corporate culture with its lack of conscience in search of profit, they are just taking advantage of what "WE" the people have allowed to become with our apparent attitude of "do whatever you wish, just leave me alone to watch my favorite TV."
Americans seem to live on soundbites, more than 15-20 words and they lose interest, and most sad of all is that the rest of the world seems to be falling in right behind.
I am not anti-TV or anything else, but it is the responsibility of the public to take the time and effort to become informed of the facts, and no, your favorite mouthpieces of ideology or political affiliation rare count as information, more opinion (OK LOUD opinion).
The world is changing around us and if people think it is too much work to fix it now, what makes you think it is going to get any easier in time?
Thomas Jefferson, the principal drafter of the Declaration of Independence, once said that for this country to function properly that "Every generation needs a new revolution" he also warned, "If once the people become inattentive to the public affairs, you and I, and Congress and Assemblies, Judges and Governors, shall all become wolves. It seems to be the law of our general nature, in spite of individual exceptions."
People have begun to fear their governments when it should be the other way around.
If you wish freedom and independence it must be earned by the work of your mind and action. So the next time you are overwhelmed by the idea of something "wrong" in the world around you, look at your part in it and begin your personal revolution of thought and knowledge.
Oh, and one last thought, be very aware of the dog and pony show that you will find in front of the facts, those who can will do anything they can to get you off focus and off on a tangent.
June 22, 2010
An Update to the Spiritgeek Calender
Dear Reader,
I just wanted to drop you a quick note to let you know a few quick things between newsletters. Definitely take a look at tomorrow as I am REALLY looking forward to it!
Sorry for the late notice for tomorrow, but I have been really busy with the interviews as well as working on the book "10 Secrets to the Secret"™ due out this Summer.
Also, you might be interested in knowing that I have finally gotten around to writing the FAQ on the site. It is not completed, but quite a lot has been entered. Feel free to read through it and if you have any suggestions, drop me a line.
Joy and Peace,
Not sure what Blogger's issue is about tables in posts, but the calendar updates are below here a bit.
Note: All times listed are for Los Angeles, CA — Pacific Daylight Time (GMT -7)
I just wanted to drop you a quick note to let you know a few quick things between newsletters. Definitely take a look at tomorrow as I am REALLY looking forward to it!
Sorry for the late notice for tomorrow, but I have been really busy with the interviews as well as working on the book "10 Secrets to the Secret"™ due out this Summer.
Also, you might be interested in knowing that I have finally gotten around to writing the FAQ on the site. It is not completed, but quite a lot has been entered. Feel free to read through it and if you have any suggestions, drop me a line.
Joy and Peace,| Interview on Wake Up! | June 23rd 11:00-12:00 PDT |
 Ryan Ray and Fuz are the hosts of Wake Up! and have asked me to do a segment on their webcast this week. From the Wake Up! site: Wake UP! Explore your Passion is a TV talk show that changes the way people think about work. Through guest success stories and audience participation, host Ryan Ray inspires and motivates those who live only for the weekend to break the cycle and begin exploring their passion every day. After the live show, you can view it on the Wake Up! site at your convenience. | |
| Club Inspire U | July 24, 2010 |
 Club Inspire U has changed the date of the event from June 10th to June 24th. In addition to the always exceptional event of inspiring artists, there will be the addition of Inspire U Records founder Kris Searle's birthday and the release party for Kris' new single, "Warning Signs" featuring Darnell Swallow. There may be another release going on at the event, but that is not definite as of yet. From the Club Inspire U site: I wanted to create a place where people feel like it's a 'home from home' where you refresh and vitalize and you leave inspired. A place you can come and not be judged. You are accepted for who you are and for what you do. They aren't enough places like this so this is going to be a place where ideas will thrive and natural talent rules. Whatever it is. | |
| "10 Secrets to the Secret"™ Discussion Group | Every Monday† |
The ongoing series of discussions on Robert/Spiritgeek's upcoming book, "10 Secrets to the Secret"™ due out this summer. Learn the 10 insights that have made the Law of Attraction come alive for so many and helped many more discover where they were unintentionally sabotaging themselves. From 3:00PM till about 5:00 at The Spot, 4455 Overland Ave, Culver City, in the back room. Come enjoy good coffee, excellent food and be part of the completion of the book. | |
| Reputation Label's "NerveCast Friday" | Every Friday |
 Reputation Label's "NerveCast Friday" show with Johnny, Kris, the gang and Monkey on the internet live from 1:00PM-3:00PM PDT (4:00-6:00 EDT) from London. Music, conversation, some general mayhem and just a bit of Life Coaching from yours truly. Join us in the chat room during the show for another dimension of interactive radio. From the Reputation Label site: We promote the great music through many media outlets and none better than Reverbnation.com. Come and join our site there if you are a band so that we can get you promoted and seen world wide..do it now !! | |
Note: All times listed are for Los Angeles, CA — Pacific Daylight Time (GMT -7)
June 11, 2010
I'm currently online, listening to Reputation Label's "Frantic Friday" show and we started around 200,000 listeners in the first half-hour and at 90 minutes we are at 367,000 listeners! At 15:30 PDT 389,000 listeners!
If you have never been to the show, Fridays 13:00-15:00 (Pacific) 21:00-23:00 (London) you really are missing a lot of fun.Between our main hosts Johnny and Kris Searle, along with Ringmaster Pete, Karen, Mizzy and Monkey, we have a really fun time.
I really enjoy doing the show, the people on it are such fun as well as our audience. It is THE place to spend a couple of hours to start the weekend with.
The Los Angeles/West Hollywood Gay Pride festivities start today and run through the weekend. I am not sure what I'm going to do about it, I will likely go to the parade on Sunday but I doubt I will go to the festival, never been particularly comfortable reliving lives as a sardine which is how the crowd makes me feel...
We will see on Sunday, just in case.
The newsletter went out yesterday and I really think it is the best one I have written to date. If you would like to subscribe to the newsletter, click the button bellow:
If you have never been to the show, Fridays 13:00-15:00 (Pacific) 21:00-23:00 (London) you really are missing a lot of fun.Between our main hosts Johnny and Kris Searle, along with Ringmaster Pete, Karen, Mizzy and Monkey, we have a really fun time.
I really enjoy doing the show, the people on it are such fun as well as our audience. It is THE place to spend a couple of hours to start the weekend with.
The Los Angeles/West Hollywood Gay Pride festivities start today and run through the weekend. I am not sure what I'm going to do about it, I will likely go to the parade on Sunday but I doubt I will go to the festival, never been particularly comfortable reliving lives as a sardine which is how the crowd makes me feel...
We will see on Sunday, just in case.
The newsletter went out yesterday and I really think it is the best one I have written to date. If you would like to subscribe to the newsletter, click the button bellow:
May 25, 2010
Only 2 Questions from Freedom
William Shakespeare wrote "This above all: to thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man." What an amazing idea and such a shame that most of us cannot or will not.
In my practice as a Life Coach one of the first things we delve into usually is "what do YOU want?" I am very often amazed with just how much of what I get back is negative wants, no debt, not my current job, to lose ten pounds.
When I restate the question and ask for what they want, I keep getting the same types of responses. It seems that we, as humans, have become quite adept at defining our world by what is wrong with it, what we want to change about it.
To truly know yourself, little less to use the Law of Attraction (LoA), you have to know what it is you actually want, even if only in generalities to start with. As sad as that might sound, the other half of this query is probably THE most important question in all creation: "Who are YOU?"
As a Life Coach (and often as a Spiritual Teacher) this becomes a place to start working with my clients since they usually want to make change, but without knowing what one actually wants what do you change and into what?
I suspect a lot of the difficulty comes from our ingrained human need to be accepted and we have been acclimated to the idea that anything out of the "norm" will make us into an outcast. We have a natural want to be liked and wanted and most of the decisions we make in this life is about "looking good."
The largest part of my practice truly comes down to helping people become happy in and with their lives. So we have to start with figuring out who and/or what we are and then what it is we want. To know these alone will put you ahead of the vast majority of your fellow residents on this planet.
As much as we want to be liked and accepted, I find that the VAST majority of people, in the long run, are much more attracted to the real you versus the you that you have become to appease others. Those who do not are most often threatened by your strength to be real and their fear of following your example.
It reminds me of something that happened to me several years ago. I had been on General Relief and out of work for a bit. I had a collection of friends and acquaintances that I had been hanging out with pretty regularly. When I found a job and was no longer always available, most of those people parted company and some were extremely nasty about how they went about it.
The issue was not something I had done, I later found out, but the fact that they viewed me as trying to be better than them, not something I had even considered.
Once you get to know who you are and what you want, presuming it means something to you, you are going to want to pursue that person and as that person brings joy into your life you are not going to be willing to create falsehoods to pretend to be something else.
So to finish off the quote we started from, once you are true to who and what you are, you cannot help but be the true with all those in your life. Imagine the simple freedom you can attain by just being who you already are, if you will just let yourself!
In my practice as a Life Coach one of the first things we delve into usually is "what do YOU want?" I am very often amazed with just how much of what I get back is negative wants, no debt, not my current job, to lose ten pounds.
When I restate the question and ask for what they want, I keep getting the same types of responses. It seems that we, as humans, have become quite adept at defining our world by what is wrong with it, what we want to change about it.
To truly know yourself, little less to use the Law of Attraction (LoA), you have to know what it is you actually want, even if only in generalities to start with. As sad as that might sound, the other half of this query is probably THE most important question in all creation: "Who are YOU?"
As a Life Coach (and often as a Spiritual Teacher) this becomes a place to start working with my clients since they usually want to make change, but without knowing what one actually wants what do you change and into what?
I suspect a lot of the difficulty comes from our ingrained human need to be accepted and we have been acclimated to the idea that anything out of the "norm" will make us into an outcast. We have a natural want to be liked and wanted and most of the decisions we make in this life is about "looking good."
The largest part of my practice truly comes down to helping people become happy in and with their lives. So we have to start with figuring out who and/or what we are and then what it is we want. To know these alone will put you ahead of the vast majority of your fellow residents on this planet.
As much as we want to be liked and accepted, I find that the VAST majority of people, in the long run, are much more attracted to the real you versus the you that you have become to appease others. Those who do not are most often threatened by your strength to be real and their fear of following your example.
It reminds me of something that happened to me several years ago. I had been on General Relief and out of work for a bit. I had a collection of friends and acquaintances that I had been hanging out with pretty regularly. When I found a job and was no longer always available, most of those people parted company and some were extremely nasty about how they went about it.
The issue was not something I had done, I later found out, but the fact that they viewed me as trying to be better than them, not something I had even considered.
Once you get to know who you are and what you want, presuming it means something to you, you are going to want to pursue that person and as that person brings joy into your life you are not going to be willing to create falsehoods to pretend to be something else.
So to finish off the quote we started from, once you are true to who and what you are, you cannot help but be the true with all those in your life. Imagine the simple freedom you can attain by just being who you already are, if you will just let yourself!
May 11, 2010
A tough answer to Why?
When I talk to many people that either do not believe in God, in any form, or are doubting their faith, I often get the questions of why the world is the $#@*-hole that it appears to be and why would a loving God allow it to happen?
The part of these questions that always strikes me as a touch funny is that they presume a responsibility of God and a complete lack of our own. God gives us freedom of choice and where we take it is our responsibility and our problem.
If you look through the history of the Spiritgeek blog, you will find an entry called "Judeo/Christian Paradigms: Karma vs Salvation" where I explain the idea that "original sin" is the forgetting of our spiritual nature and the illusion that we are our bodies. Reminiscent of the quote, "We are not physical beings having a spiritual experience, but spiritual beings having a physical experience."
Things in this world happen by OUR will and action.
If original sin is actually forgetting our true identity and relation to the Source, then that Source would not be concerned with the actions that occur within the delusion as it has no REAL reality from the ultimate perception.
So the name we call that which lives in this space is often God. From that perspective it is a given that all things will eventually return from where it originated and the in-between is just the show, a Saturday Matinee.
Now I know this sounds a bit harsh, but if we are going to blame a deity for a lack of action, maybe we need to switch our perspective and in the process start to regain the awareness that the world can become a #@*-hole only if we let it. It truly is up to us and God will just wait at the other end of the process.
Unless you wish to give up freedom of choice and self-determination, but I would not suggest holding your breath... But, it is your choice!
The part of these questions that always strikes me as a touch funny is that they presume a responsibility of God and a complete lack of our own. God gives us freedom of choice and where we take it is our responsibility and our problem.
If you look through the history of the Spiritgeek blog, you will find an entry called "Judeo/Christian Paradigms: Karma vs Salvation" where I explain the idea that "original sin" is the forgetting of our spiritual nature and the illusion that we are our bodies. Reminiscent of the quote, "We are not physical beings having a spiritual experience, but spiritual beings having a physical experience."
Things in this world happen by OUR will and action.
If original sin is actually forgetting our true identity and relation to the Source, then that Source would not be concerned with the actions that occur within the delusion as it has no REAL reality from the ultimate perception.
So the name we call that which lives in this space is often God. From that perspective it is a given that all things will eventually return from where it originated and the in-between is just the show, a Saturday Matinee.
Now I know this sounds a bit harsh, but if we are going to blame a deity for a lack of action, maybe we need to switch our perspective and in the process start to regain the awareness that the world can become a #@*-hole only if we let it. It truly is up to us and God will just wait at the other end of the process.
Unless you wish to give up freedom of choice and self-determination, but I would not suggest holding your breath... But, it is your choice!
April 18, 2010
Power of Word
The world is going through so many changes around me, and I have to say I am enjoying the hell out of it.
Spiritgeek.com is now "officially" open for business and the "job" has gone the way of the Dodo and though I am concerned about a few things, the simple fact is that I'm happier now then I have been in YEARS.
I am always teaching my clients that if they are not happy with their lives, there is only one way to make it better, change it. Sounds simple, but that old analogy is pretty true about ruts. Sadly, as I've said before; "the difference between a rut and a grave is only a matter of depth."
When I decided to leave my job, I wanted to do it with integrity, I gave 60 days notice and worked each and every shift and was willing to work any extra that I would have before I gave notice. Nothing changed on that front, except I now had an date of expiration and could see light at the end of the tunnel.
When we talk about the Law of Attraction (LoA) we discuss how simple it is. But, it has a few basic requirements that we have to follow to truly make it work. Honesty, integrity and following through on ones word are SO important as a basis to work from.
I know that it's a bit of a comedy, but the movie "Dogma" gets something completely right. The universe of creation functions on one premise, the word of God is absolute. One of the Hebrew names for God translates as "the Great Amen" basically, one who's word is absolute. It is in this authenticity to word that allows Him/Her/It to utter forth, "Let there be light" and it comes into being.
We give away our power whenever we are less than complete with our word, when we settle for less than we started for, no matter the reasoning and justifications that we give ourselves to make it OK.
When we are not willing to stand for our words, how can we expect to create by them?
My life has been changing because I have created possibility for change and I am standing up to pursue it.
My job made it VERY easy to have stepped back from my word and continue working there for a longer period of time. This might have been a good idea on the surface, but in the two-months that I had given them notice, I achieved depressingly little toward the path I was taking, this had been a major part in why I finally decided I had to cut one path out before the other could begin, I had been trying to make this change even before I took the job to begin with.
What would make me think that I would suddenly begin to accomplish in a few extra weeks what I had not been able to accomplish in over a year? For me the safer and more universally responsible path would have been a dead end for my Spirit.
Where do the choices in your life and the lack of substance in your word and being hamper you? Look into it, see it for what it is but do not judge it; you are human and sadly have been trained in this behavior. You can change it though, the first step is to look and become aware.
Spiritgeek.com is now "officially" open for business and the "job" has gone the way of the Dodo and though I am concerned about a few things, the simple fact is that I'm happier now then I have been in YEARS.
I am always teaching my clients that if they are not happy with their lives, there is only one way to make it better, change it. Sounds simple, but that old analogy is pretty true about ruts. Sadly, as I've said before; "the difference between a rut and a grave is only a matter of depth."
When I decided to leave my job, I wanted to do it with integrity, I gave 60 days notice and worked each and every shift and was willing to work any extra that I would have before I gave notice. Nothing changed on that front, except I now had an date of expiration and could see light at the end of the tunnel.
When we talk about the Law of Attraction (LoA) we discuss how simple it is. But, it has a few basic requirements that we have to follow to truly make it work. Honesty, integrity and following through on ones word are SO important as a basis to work from.
I know that it's a bit of a comedy, but the movie "Dogma" gets something completely right. The universe of creation functions on one premise, the word of God is absolute. One of the Hebrew names for God translates as "the Great Amen" basically, one who's word is absolute. It is in this authenticity to word that allows Him/Her/It to utter forth, "Let there be light" and it comes into being.
We give away our power whenever we are less than complete with our word, when we settle for less than we started for, no matter the reasoning and justifications that we give ourselves to make it OK.
When we are not willing to stand for our words, how can we expect to create by them?
My life has been changing because I have created possibility for change and I am standing up to pursue it.
My job made it VERY easy to have stepped back from my word and continue working there for a longer period of time. This might have been a good idea on the surface, but in the two-months that I had given them notice, I achieved depressingly little toward the path I was taking, this had been a major part in why I finally decided I had to cut one path out before the other could begin, I had been trying to make this change even before I took the job to begin with.
What would make me think that I would suddenly begin to accomplish in a few extra weeks what I had not been able to accomplish in over a year? For me the safer and more universally responsible path would have been a dead end for my Spirit.
Where do the choices in your life and the lack of substance in your word and being hamper you? Look into it, see it for what it is but do not judge it; you are human and sadly have been trained in this behavior. You can change it though, the first step is to look and become aware.
February 16, 2010
The Beginnings of Recovery
11:00
OK, so something is up... The Universe is conspiring something and I find I am looking forward to seeing what.
I woke up and decided to wear my Buddha shirt to my breakfast with K and R. Afterward I had planned to go over to the Grind or Library and do some writing. During breakfast I asked R what he was doing today and what route he was planning to take. On a spur of the moment decision I decided to go to Lake Shrine. I LOVE it here!
SoCal in February and I could actually get away with shorts and a T-shirt but I am dressed a bit more appropriately. Am I slipping into respectability?!?
Something has been weighing on my heart for a while and I have been in such a funk and verging on depression. I think I will spend the day relaxing and meditating to see what it is I am missing.
I have chosen a great spot to start with, I'm on the landing between the windmill and the waterfall (I never noticed it before). One of the swans just scared the daylights out of me... I suddenly had him(?) swim by and start flapping his wings like crazy, really changed the mood suddenly, but he seems to have settled down for now.
Just being here makes me feel better, I am not exactly peaceful within but I can feel the peace without and may be able to take some of it home. I miss peace at hime. Maybe I can find what it is that I am missing there, it has gone from sanctuary to something else but I can still feel its potential to be otherwise.
There is a turtle that keeps swimming by, almost as if he's keeping an eye out for me and making sure I am OK.
Just taking the day here will at least charge my batteries a bit, they are nearly empty. I have been so disconnected and just drifting on the currents of my life. I feel like I have been trying to steer currents to a destination of my choosing but I forgot or lost my rudder... I will remedy that!
17:50 aka 5:50 PM
I took a short break from Lake Shrine at noon to make a Communicator call for my Landmark Series, it was the shortest call I have done so far, but it seemed pretty good. I went back in and walked around the lake and stopped in the chapel to meditate for a while.
While I was meditating, a gentleman who had been meditating in the front of the room got up to leave and I could not help but giggle a bit. He was wearing a leather motorcycle outfit and trying SO hard to be quiet and not disturb others, but the harder he tried the noisier he was.
I took some nice photos of the area and will put them on Facebook when I get home.
I finally left about 2:00 and while grabbing some lunch, had an amazing conversation with my Dad that lasted almost 90 minutes. It was unlike anything we have had in the past, no judgments on either side, just two people having a conversation about whatever came up. Those who read my blog entries are likely aware of the difficulties I have had in the past with my dad, not today.
I stopped of at 212 Pier, probably one of the COOLEST coffee houses I have ever been to, to type up and finish this entry, I am beginning to think I may have picked up a bit of a sunburn today, I have that radient heat feeling you get with an minor burn. Oh well, if that is the cost of such an amazing day, COOL!!!!
I am feeling better than I have in months, I may just be about ready for my meeting at work on Thursday and the repercussions in 60 days. Viva le Spiritgeek!
OK, so something is up... The Universe is conspiring something and I find I am looking forward to seeing what.
I woke up and decided to wear my Buddha shirt to my breakfast with K and R. Afterward I had planned to go over to the Grind or Library and do some writing. During breakfast I asked R what he was doing today and what route he was planning to take. On a spur of the moment decision I decided to go to Lake Shrine. I LOVE it here!
SoCal in February and I could actually get away with shorts and a T-shirt but I am dressed a bit more appropriately. Am I slipping into respectability?!?
Something has been weighing on my heart for a while and I have been in such a funk and verging on depression. I think I will spend the day relaxing and meditating to see what it is I am missing.
I have chosen a great spot to start with, I'm on the landing between the windmill and the waterfall (I never noticed it before). One of the swans just scared the daylights out of me... I suddenly had him(?) swim by and start flapping his wings like crazy, really changed the mood suddenly, but he seems to have settled down for now.
Just being here makes me feel better, I am not exactly peaceful within but I can feel the peace without and may be able to take some of it home. I miss peace at hime. Maybe I can find what it is that I am missing there, it has gone from sanctuary to something else but I can still feel its potential to be otherwise.
There is a turtle that keeps swimming by, almost as if he's keeping an eye out for me and making sure I am OK.
Just taking the day here will at least charge my batteries a bit, they are nearly empty. I have been so disconnected and just drifting on the currents of my life. I feel like I have been trying to steer currents to a destination of my choosing but I forgot or lost my rudder... I will remedy that!
17:50 aka 5:50 PM
I took a short break from Lake Shrine at noon to make a Communicator call for my Landmark Series, it was the shortest call I have done so far, but it seemed pretty good. I went back in and walked around the lake and stopped in the chapel to meditate for a while.
While I was meditating, a gentleman who had been meditating in the front of the room got up to leave and I could not help but giggle a bit. He was wearing a leather motorcycle outfit and trying SO hard to be quiet and not disturb others, but the harder he tried the noisier he was.
I took some nice photos of the area and will put them on Facebook when I get home.
I finally left about 2:00 and while grabbing some lunch, had an amazing conversation with my Dad that lasted almost 90 minutes. It was unlike anything we have had in the past, no judgments on either side, just two people having a conversation about whatever came up. Those who read my blog entries are likely aware of the difficulties I have had in the past with my dad, not today.
I stopped of at 212 Pier, probably one of the COOLEST coffee houses I have ever been to, to type up and finish this entry, I am beginning to think I may have picked up a bit of a sunburn today, I have that radient heat feeling you get with an minor burn. Oh well, if that is the cost of such an amazing day, COOL!!!!
I am feeling better than I have in months, I may just be about ready for my meeting at work on Thursday and the repercussions in 60 days. Viva le Spiritgeek!
Note:
This entry was cross-posted to both the Spiritgeek Blog and the Personal Journal.
January 19, 2010
Living in and out...
There is an expression that is usually used as an insult to "pop" Christianity that goes something like; "If Jesus were to come back and saw what has been done in His name, He would not stop puking"; sometimes I know what this means...
About ten years ago Jeremy Sisto did a television miniseries called "Jesus" that I was extremely impressed with. It opens with assorted scenes from the last 2000 years of soldiers going to war in the name of Jesus, the dying calling out His name and such in a dream that Jesus is having before His mission actually begins.
Later when Lucifer visits Jesus before the crucifixion in an attempt to dissuade him from going through with it, we return to the opening montage scenes with Lucifer going on about how the people will not get it, it will be a waste of time, and what they will do in the name of Jesus.
I sometimes wonder if the Prophet Muhammad makes such an issue that he is only a prophet in an attempt to avoid what Christianity had done to Jesus. At the time of Muhammad, Christianity was coming out of a collection of ecumenical battles over Jesus' nature(s) as both man and God; the process of His deification was pretty well cemented.
Have you ever seen the movie "Monty Python's Life of Brian"? The first time I saw it was at the Tivoli Theatre in St. Louis' University City. There is a scene in it where Brian's followers are bickering over the sacred relics, one group is revering the "Gourd, the Sacred Gourd" and the other group has the "Sandal, the Sacred Sandal".
Some friends came over for a little party the other day and gave me an example of something that is the nightmare of any teacher. We had a conversation that went something like this:
I see it happening to teachers ranging from Wayne Dyer to Deepak Chopra and especially with religious teachers like Paramahansa Yogananda, Swami Prabhupada and Ma Jaya Sati Bhagavati. The students tend to infer and interpret into what is said, even when the teacher is outside their "teaching" and just living as happened with the Prophet Muhammad and is encoded into the Hadith.
I guess the point I am trying to make is that no matter who the teacher is or what the teaching is, there is a point where one has to go from listening and interpreting what the teacher says and implement the teaching into one's life.
As much as I love to teach, know that I and EVERY teacher is also a human and we are not intending to teach at every moment. Remember that a true teacher lives what he teaches, so attempt to overlay their teaching over how and what they live.
I teach that Spirit is the core of my "self" and that this body is the vehicle of that Spirit and should be enjoyed. You may find me out having a drink, dancing (or as close as I get) or any number of activities, some of which you may not find congruent with what I teach, trust me it is and if you wish understanding just ask, I will try to explain it. But PLEASE do not interpret some "holy" message into everything, I will get annoyed and you will miss the point, I can nearly guarantee it.
About ten years ago Jeremy Sisto did a television miniseries called "Jesus" that I was extremely impressed with. It opens with assorted scenes from the last 2000 years of soldiers going to war in the name of Jesus, the dying calling out His name and such in a dream that Jesus is having before His mission actually begins.
Later when Lucifer visits Jesus before the crucifixion in an attempt to dissuade him from going through with it, we return to the opening montage scenes with Lucifer going on about how the people will not get it, it will be a waste of time, and what they will do in the name of Jesus.
I sometimes wonder if the Prophet Muhammad makes such an issue that he is only a prophet in an attempt to avoid what Christianity had done to Jesus. At the time of Muhammad, Christianity was coming out of a collection of ecumenical battles over Jesus' nature(s) as both man and God; the process of His deification was pretty well cemented.
Have you ever seen the movie "Monty Python's Life of Brian"? The first time I saw it was at the Tivoli Theatre in St. Louis' University City. There is a scene in it where Brian's followers are bickering over the sacred relics, one group is revering the "Gourd, the Sacred Gourd" and the other group has the "Sandal, the Sacred Sandal".
Some friends came over for a little party the other day and gave me an example of something that is the nightmare of any teacher. We had a conversation that went something like this:
F: What is the importance of the Spirit in everyday life?Now I know my friends mean it as both a joke and as a way to poke at me. I do not take myself that seriously, but in the directions that I am going, it is likely that in time there will be those who will do this.
S: (pause to gather thoughts)
F: He shows us that meditation and contemplation is important before speaking.
S: The Spirit is our source, so if we try to live without it how can we truly claim honesty in our lives?
F: He shows us that the answer is withing so he answers questions with questions to make us examine our own hearts for the truth.
S: Why are you doing this to me?
F: He points out that our intentions and motivations are important to understand our questions.
S: Oh, God help me!
F: He tells us that we may call upon deity for protection.
ad nauseum
I see it happening to teachers ranging from Wayne Dyer to Deepak Chopra and especially with religious teachers like Paramahansa Yogananda, Swami Prabhupada and Ma Jaya Sati Bhagavati. The students tend to infer and interpret into what is said, even when the teacher is outside their "teaching" and just living as happened with the Prophet Muhammad and is encoded into the Hadith.
I guess the point I am trying to make is that no matter who the teacher is or what the teaching is, there is a point where one has to go from listening and interpreting what the teacher says and implement the teaching into one's life.
As much as I love to teach, know that I and EVERY teacher is also a human and we are not intending to teach at every moment. Remember that a true teacher lives what he teaches, so attempt to overlay their teaching over how and what they live.
I teach that Spirit is the core of my "self" and that this body is the vehicle of that Spirit and should be enjoyed. You may find me out having a drink, dancing (or as close as I get) or any number of activities, some of which you may not find congruent with what I teach, trust me it is and if you wish understanding just ask, I will try to explain it. But PLEASE do not interpret some "holy" message into everything, I will get annoyed and you will miss the point, I can nearly guarantee it.
January 13, 2010
Coincidence and Seeing Miracles
I am a firm believer that those little moments of coincidences that occur in our day to day lives are something we really should keep an eye out for. So often we just ignore them as little curiosities and don't really pay them any mind.
How sad!!!
Reality is SO dependent on perception that to completely disregard the small moments that are around us is to create the mindset that makes seeing the big miracles impossible.
Humans seem to have a nature of becoming "familiar" with some situation and when the strange happens we become incapable of seeing it because it outside our expected parameters. How can we expect to see miracles when we require all things to be defined within the limiting parameters.
I have heard it said that when Columbus first arrived in the new world that the inhabitants were likely unable to see the ships on the horizon since they were completely outside the realm of experience they had had to date.
The shaman may have looked out at the sea and not seen the ships but seeing the wake of bow in the water continued to watch until he could see its cause.
Every day we are given the opportunity to see the new realms and things that are all around us, do we really wish to miss it since we did not expect them? I love seeing new things and finding out just how off the universe really is, what about you?
How sad!!!
Reality is SO dependent on perception that to completely disregard the small moments that are around us is to create the mindset that makes seeing the big miracles impossible.
Humans seem to have a nature of becoming "familiar" with some situation and when the strange happens we become incapable of seeing it because it outside our expected parameters. How can we expect to see miracles when we require all things to be defined within the limiting parameters.
I have heard it said that when Columbus first arrived in the new world that the inhabitants were likely unable to see the ships on the horizon since they were completely outside the realm of experience they had had to date.
The shaman may have looked out at the sea and not seen the ships but seeing the wake of bow in the water continued to watch until he could see its cause.
Every day we are given the opportunity to see the new realms and things that are all around us, do we really wish to miss it since we did not expect them? I love seeing new things and finding out just how off the universe really is, what about you?
January 5, 2010
Thinking may be your big mistake - pt 2
Is "wealth" always wealth?
We think wealth is a good thing, no worries (true or not I will leave for you to determine on your own). When we look closer at the word "wealth" often what people are thinking is "an end to my poverty" or "the ability to pay my high bills" or something like this, see the problem?
Exactly, the focus is not really wealth but what wealth will remove, hence the universe tends to create more bills, debt or poverty; it is what was focused on.
Now if you wish to reclaim the word and idea of wealth, first you have to adjust your meanings and hence your intentions. Once you have succeeded in this, then you can use the 4 Evolutionary Stages to Manifestation to work through the rest of the distance.
The universe for all its vastness and power is actually amazingly direct and simple, we over-complicate IT. I tend to think this has to do with the idea that we are taught that it has to be difficult, that our interactions must be tainted by the curse of Adam and Eve on their expulsion from the Garden:
The difficulty here is that the universe does not actually understand the duality in which we believe that we exist, the universe functions upon the premise that if you are willing to put energy into it, you must want it to manifest, hence we tend to manifest a lot of what we do not want by accident and simple carelessness.
This is why people in knowledge a quoted saying things like:
The problem is not what the hope is but the focus, anti or otherwise, is war. So the universe manifests more war because you placed your thoughts and focus on it; for all its massiveness the universe doesn't understand "NO". This is very closely related to the malformation I was referring earlier.
Using the 4 Evolutionary Stages to Manifestation
Unto themselves the first two steps are not the most helpful in the actual act of manifesting, they have valid uses that can be helpful and here's a quick summary of how.
I mentioned that many of my clients and students start off wanting to manifest money or wealth. When their manifesting doesn't seem to be working or in many cases backfires here is something I run into a lot.
Many people find that their level of self-worth is often the issues, they do not deserve to be wealthy for whatever reason. While you can start a process of re-defining what wealth means for you, a good thing actually, you can also implement the 4 Evolutionary Stages to help you while you are doing this.
The vast majority of healers I have spoken to do not worry about how a broken bone is going to mend itself, they visualize the patient running or using the bone as it was intended to be, do likewise in your manifestations.
We think wealth is a good thing, no worries (true or not I will leave for you to determine on your own). When we look closer at the word "wealth" often what people are thinking is "an end to my poverty" or "the ability to pay my high bills" or something like this, see the problem?
Exactly, the focus is not really wealth but what wealth will remove, hence the universe tends to create more bills, debt or poverty; it is what was focused on.
Now if you wish to reclaim the word and idea of wealth, first you have to adjust your meanings and hence your intentions. Once you have succeeded in this, then you can use the 4 Evolutionary Stages to Manifestation to work through the rest of the distance.
The universe for all its vastness and power is actually amazingly direct and simple, we over-complicate IT. I tend to think this has to do with the idea that we are taught that it has to be difficult, that our interactions must be tainted by the curse of Adam and Eve on their expulsion from the Garden:
Genesis 3:17c-19 (KJV)...in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
The difficulty here is that the universe does not actually understand the duality in which we believe that we exist, the universe functions upon the premise that if you are willing to put energy into it, you must want it to manifest, hence we tend to manifest a lot of what we do not want by accident and simple carelessness.
This is why people in knowledge a quoted saying things like:
Mother TheresaI was once asked why I don't participate in anti-war demonstrations. I said that I will never do that, but as soon as you have a pro-peace rally, I'll be there.
The problem is not what the hope is but the focus, anti or otherwise, is war. So the universe manifests more war because you placed your thoughts and focus on it; for all its massiveness the universe doesn't understand "NO". This is very closely related to the malformation I was referring earlier.
The other aspect of this is that words do not always mean to us what we think they do. Many of my clients and students are often asking for wealth early in their practices. Not a bad thing, but what is wealth? (Another topic for another day)
When we try some of the techniques for assessing the personal meaning of words, what we often find is what they really are thinking is removing poverty, their bills or whatever financial issues they may have. They are not really thinking about wealth and of many who are, they have negative feelings toward it from some aspect in their lives.
I think these can all be dealt with in time, but for those who are in more of a hurry, we can find a phraseology that works for them or an idea tailored to their thoughts and mindsets.
Using the 4 Evolutionary Stages to Manifestation
Unto themselves the first two steps are not the most helpful in the actual act of manifesting, they have valid uses that can be helpful and here's a quick summary of how.
I mentioned that many of my clients and students start off wanting to manifest money or wealth. When their manifesting doesn't seem to be working or in many cases backfires here is something I run into a lot.
Many people find that their level of self-worth is often the issues, they do not deserve to be wealthy for whatever reason. While you can start a process of re-defining what wealth means for you, a good thing actually, you can also implement the 4 Evolutionary Stages to help you while you are doing this.
- I want
It is always a good idea to know what it is you want before you start trying to manifest, otherwise no telling what you will actually create. Analyze the terms you are using to see if they truly mean what you are planning to use them for.
If wealth is a word that actually means "avoiding poverty" or something like it, find a different word or phrase to use. If you know you are using the "right" expressions then you cannot help but be headed in the right direction. - I can
This is where you give yourself permission to manifest and have. I am sometimes amazed by the amount of self-loathing that can come up from within when people are trying to manifest a new future for themselves.
As humans we seem to have an over-abundance of self-judgment toward the negative. I have watched so many destroy their attainment of their dreams because on some level they believe themselves to be unworthy. This can show up in many ways such as unintentionally sabotaging yourself at work or relationships to never attempting your heart's desires. - I will
Once we know ourselves to be worthy of attaining our wants, sometimes we need some time to get used to the fact that we ARE headed towards our goal. This is where you get to enjoy the anticipation of your manifestation's arrival and possibly doing what they universe asks of you to bring it to you.
If you are asking for happiness at work, the universe may require you to release some old hurt that you continually bring back. I find in many ways that many of the things we try to manifest are already actually before us, but we cannot see them because we have blinded ourselves due to some "thing" we are fixated on, often unconsciously. - I am/have
This is where you own your creation, it is not a hope for the future but a done deal that you will find shortly. You have to be able truly to perceive this as reality; creation/manifestation is an act of will and anything less than that full force will introduce delays.
Jesus talks about the faith of a mustard seed. If you can muster(d - sorry) that minute amount of true faith and belief the universe will respond in kind.
The vast majority of healers I have spoken to do not worry about how a broken bone is going to mend itself, they visualize the patient running or using the bone as it was intended to be, do likewise in your manifestations.
January 4, 2010
Thinking may be your big mistake - pt 1
Of the many questions that I run into a lot about the Law of Attraction (LoA), the most common has to do with why their thoughts and wishes are not manifesting what people are expecting and often not at all. When this comes up, I first ask what the "thought" they are putting out is. Often I find the answer almost immediately.
I would say that nearly 99% of the time the thought is malformed as well as the phrasing being out of alignment with what they want.
As a general rule, I find that there are four basic ways in which thoughts for manifesting run:
>>> Continue to part 2 <<<
I would say that nearly 99% of the time the thought is malformed as well as the phrasing being out of alignment with what they want.
As a general rule, I find that there are four basic ways in which thoughts for manifesting run:
- Inception/Desire (I want)
This is where the vast majority of people spend their lives, they want, but they never go beyond the "wanting" and into the creating. The funniest part of it is that when you begin to understand how the universe of creation works and what activates manifestation, this becomes a "no duh" idea.
Where "wanting" fails is that there is no action in wanting and no requirement for manifestation, it is a completely manifested state unto itself.
You say: "I want a bicycle" so the universe responds with "OK, he wants, my job is done" hence there is no action to be taken! The action in a "want" is the wanting, it has nothing to do with the bicycle. - Possibility (I can)
We say: "I can have a new bicycle", now what could be wrong with that? Of course nothing, but there is no activating principle to the thought. Nothing in the thought causes action, it is an opening of possibility.
I will address in the next entry where this thought (as well as all of them) can be used to start manifestation, but unto itself you are not likely to manifest from it alone. - Probability/Potentiality (I will)
"I will have a new bicycle!"
Better, but now we have placed it into the future. Not a problem, but I tend to prefer my manifestations to be as close to immediate from my limited linear time perceptions (Robert makes a bad existential joke).
Now this thought can manifest your wishes, the question is just when. The future is one of those things that really doesn't exist, it appears to have substance. It has the same reality as the past, we remember the past, we plan the future but the "NOW" truly is the only substantial thing.
The vast majority of people spend their lives chasing this illusion of "when" or "then" and in the process miss all the now's that could have been used to create the things they are dreaming of. - Manifestation (I am/have)
"I have a new bicycle!"
This is where we truly manifest, as one of the TV Evangelists I heard to used to say, "You cannot have a miracle by wanting one, you have to claim it as your own". There is great truth in this.
If you look at the opening of Genesis, God does not say I want light, can have light or will have light, but owns the concept of light and says "Let there be light" and how does creation respond? There was light so that "...God saw the light, that it was good..." (Genesis 1:4 KJV)
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