Television News, and The Prophets Of Wall Street Gloom and Doom

The following excerpt is from a Kris Radio session on Sept. 25th, 2008. You can read more of this and other transcripts at the Kris Chronicles website:
http://krischronicles.com/
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MARK: Okay. Hypothetically, let’s just say that I’m falling into the media, I’m suckered in and I’m watching this and I’m absorbed, it’s, I’ve become passionate and pissed off even, and upset and it’s overwhelming me.

KRIS: Indeed. And in a short amount of time you might start seeing in your life what they talked about.

MARK: Yes. So how do I reverse that?

KRIS: First of all, even if you find yourself unable to completely shut off the tube, there is nothing specifically wrong or inherently wrong in looking at the television, listening to the news. How you allow it to influence your perceptions, your moods, your states of mind is another matter entirely. And if you find that impossible then we suggest you minimize exposure. But if you can see it for what it is, a complete public mass demonstration of beliefs in action, of behavior showing what the beliefs are, and influences altering perceptions, a literal and veritable study in human psychology and consciousness above and beyond the regular teachings of schools of psychology where everything is a number, then you can have quite a buffet table laid out before you. And it will also demonstrate where your own beliefs are aligned, giving you additional advantages to knowing more about whom and what you are. And we believe the latter case is preferable than to being swept away by this flood of manipulations.

MARK: So in other words, I should acknowledge that these are a mass display of beliefs on a public scale, and acknowledge that they’re not my beliefs, and accept them as being very valid, and that’s what I accept.

JOHN: Accept the fact . . .

KRIS: Accepting is a good beginning.

JOHN: Accept yourself for having created it and finding meaning in it.

KRIS: And also accept and acknowledge that you have other meanings that you can bring into your consciousness that are much more fulfilling than those prophecies.

MARK: Okay.

KRIS: The prophets of Wall Street gloom and doom are experts in their game. They’ve been doing this for a long time. Usually it is with one individual after another. When you take it to the next level you have an entire nation in the game. And a game it is, as long as you see it that way. Once you believe that this is the ultimate, end-all reality, then you are suckered in. So be steadfast in your own convictions and steer your perceptions somewhere you want, not somewhere you do not want. Who wants to have those markets crash? You can stem the tide, but it takes cooperation. Do you follow?

MARK: Absolutely.

KRIS: You can make a significant difference in your own personal life as well, and begin there.
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You can read more of this and other transcripts at the Kris Chronicles website:
http://krischronicles.com/

On The Topic Of Religion

*Don's note: As always, readers must decide for themselves whether or not this material has value to them. If it does, enjoy! And if it does not, then simply let it go.

The following excerpt is from the Lightsmith website,
http://www.lightsmith.com/reltwo-1.htm
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"There is something that has been misperceived throughout the ages on the topic of religion. And that is that God is outside of you. God is somehow beyond. God is impersonal. That Spirit is not right in your midst. And that your personal experience is not as important or valued as what you had to learn or know about to be part of a certain religion... We would like to focus on that which is the purpose and intent within any spiritual system of thought, and about how those systems have become crystallized over time.

"How did religion form? It formed long before the Christian faith took hold after the presence of Jesus in this earth. There were earlier religions that formed around an individual who had a transcendent experience, an experience of embodiment, an experience inexpressible in words. That experience was not only personally enlightening, but also penetrated their perception of themselves and reality, altering it to such a degree that they could no longer live the way they had lived before in whatever system they grew up in. They then, because they were different, because they emitted a different frequency, a different vibration, and a different pattern, began to set into motion an evolution. The evolution also was in word.

"In the old tradition, the word was passed down verbally through stories, but only by those who also had experienced an embodiment of the transcendent through personal experience. In ancient or tribal traditions, they didn't call their experience with each other religion. Their spirituality was a story with life experiences added within it. The stories included visions, and when visions were retold it was with the emission of the energy of the ones telling the story.

"The Bible is familiar to most of you, although some of you have read other sacred texts. What was largely recorded in the Bible are stories that were originally oral traditions spoken only by those who were prepared by being of that vibration, and therefore qualified to pass it down.

When it became written down and available to many people, it was no longer passed down through human divinity. That then became the second step of crystallizing the energy. It no longer lived in a body, but it had to begin to live through the structure of the words. Those who perceive with a clarity and a willingness to also receive the coded energy that is within the words can be helped to directly receive an embodied experience of the specific energy. But, it is one step removed from receiving it directly through a person emitting the energy.

"What began to happen is that in studying, using the mental capacity, ones began to receive the words, but not the energy as directly. And the teaching began to come through those who were not emitting the energy, but were only passing on the tradition and the words. Then they would alter the words to suit their level of consciousness and vibration. As they altered the words, those words then shifted and changed the energy emitted, because the configurations that were coded in the original stories and visions then became diluted. And that is how religion got formed.

"As soon as it is recorded in a word that is then transmitted through people, the vibration is changed. The purpose and the intent of teaching is to facilitate direct experiences of the transcendent, that which is beyond the personal view of reality, so that you are changed. You are altered chemically, vibrationally, and in your experience of yourself and all of reality, all of creation. That was the purpose and intent of the old teaching tradition that was passed on, and on, and on, from generation to generation.

"Whenever one embodied in Earth with that altered vibrational pattern, such as Jesus, there was a change. An energy was present that brought about a new evolutionary path entered into by all who opened to experience directly, to perceive and experience with that one in their presence. And when they experienced it, then it went out from them to others. Every one became an individuation of that primary Source /Creator. And every one was altered to some degree because of personal vision, experiencing a uniquely personal individual experience of the transcendent. The vibration remains, however, on that evolutionary path as long as ones embody the energy.

"What happened in the Catholic Christian tradition was that there was a massive massacre of those embodiments by the Romans who were afraid of the energies that were beginning to alter and change reality for them. They were already panicking because their own civilization was in a period of decay and disintegration. So, to focus outward on any perceived cause was an excuse that gave them some kind of purpose to continue to exist while disintegrating. So the Christian sect at that time became their focus. Those that remained decided that they had to record the stories because they felt that it was in the interest of survival to do so. By then there was already a penetration of those who had removed themselves from the initial core energy. Those who initially emitted the core energy didn't have to record much, although Paul is one who recorded through letters, and those letters are original. However, much of the writing came afterward and crystallized the original stories that were emitted through personal, vibrational embodiments. Religions continued to grow more and more crystallized as they became mental processes without the original frequency or vibration. Those who carried the original frequencies within them oftentimes were persecuted because they emitted the vibration of change. Do you understand? Do you understanding what is happening to you now?

"What is happening now is that you are stepping outside of what has been largely a crystallized format. In this time, you have had to come back to an embodiment process. Every religion has had a certain amount of crystallization, and those who are now opening to a direct experience of embodying the transcendent beyond this reality state are emitting the frequencies of a new evolutionary pattern. You are the harbingers of change, of changing this form of reality. What could happen is that you might find your desire to record your experience also leading to another religion. In some cases it is already beginning. Whenever something is recorded, even in a "new age" or alternative spirituality, it begins to have a teaching to be passed on or reported by those who have not yet fully embodied the frequencies of the new energies, then they too are creating a new crystallized form that is being passed on just like any other religion has done. You can feel that, for you are not changed.

"If you are in the presence of one who emits the energy, you will feel a transformation. You begin to open to a greater sense of yourself. You begin to experience an expansion of who you are, and your experience of reality begins to change or alter. If you are in the presence of one who is speaking the words but not emitting the frequency, you will not feel so different. Begin to note that. Also begin to note how people experience you. If you are in the presence of others and they are experiencing expansiveness and openness, open to shifting and changing, or open to new information and new ways of seeing, then you are the one who is bringing forth that change, that evolutionary patterning, for you are emitting that energy.

"And that is what is happening now. The embodiments who are of this Light, of Creator merging with creation, are not to create a new religion, but are to embody worldwide and be present. The Presence then ignites further ones to be present. There is no need to record and crystallize teachings for future generations, because your future generations are embodying with the evolutionary pattern intact. They don't need you to record this. They don't need you to pass it on. They need you to be present so that their presence can be fully realized. We will speak of this next week when we speak about children and who they are.

"So, there will not be religion in the future. This is the end of the age of religion. Do you want to cheer or do you want to cry?"

CHEER!

"So that is our introduction about this particular topic. There is much we could say in a variety of areas, since it is a vast topic. That depends on your experience and your preference. Before we leave tonight we would like to assist you in decrystallizing the thought forms that were passed on to you that no longer have that energy to assist your evolution. Perhaps we can assist your own presence to be more vital, confident, and able to pass on the stories of this awakening to others."

---
You can read more of this and other transcripts at the Lightsmith website: http://www.lightsmith.com/reltwo-1.htm

The End Of September

Five thoughts regarding our current financial crisis, on the last day of a tremendous and fascinating month :

1. There is an old Chinese saying: "May you live in interesting times." We most certainly do.

2. Nothing reminds us of what is truly important like a crisis of some sort.

3. Ultimately, you are safe. Fear is just fear. It is not reality. Unless you choose to make it so.

4. Our so-called leaders tend to be more concerned with their own careers, and how their actions and choices will reflect on them, then they are with the best interests of all of us.

And finally,

5. Nothing good ever came from pointing fingers and placing blame. There are two sides to every story, and both sides will always think they're right. But in the end, we're all looking for the same thing. Ultimately, there is only one side.

Are you on it?

O, Great Pumpkin!

Remember Linus and the Great Pumpkin?

Linus was so steadfast in his faith, in his belief in the existence of the Great Pumpkin, that he would go alone to the pumpkin patch, asking for knowledge and understanding. And he did so over and over again, much to the amusement of his so-called friends.

Linus was ridiculed for his apparent foolishness, for believing in something so absurd. How could he continue to talk to someone who never answered?

Sometimes Linus grew discouraged, and his faith in the Great Pumpkin grew weak and was tested. Yet he never gave up.

Many people talk to God the way Linus talked to the Great Pumpkin. And many people grow discouraged and give up when they don't hear God answering.

However, there is something that never made it into the Peanuts comic strip. Something very important.

What did Linus see that the kids around him did not? What kept him believing, despite the absence of proof?

Linus was laughed at.

Linus was ridiculed.

Linus was left alone in the pumpkin patch.

Now, something interesting happens when you spend enough time alone in the pumpkin patch. Something that cannot be conveyed in a comic strip.

Spend enough time in the pumpkin patch and you will eventually see that the Great Pumpkin is not just one pumpkin but ALL of the pumpkins. And all of the wisdom and knowing that has been left there by prior seekers of the Great Pumpkin.

Spend enough time in the pumpkin patch and you will see that the Great Pumpkin is not a pumpkin at all.

Ponder THAT, Charlie Brown.

A New Definition

Spirituality is not about believing the right things.

It's about widening your beliefs to encompass a larger truth - and doing so over and over and over again.

So THAT'S What I've Been Missing...

From Elias Session # 1721, Feb. 24th, 2005:

CAROLINE: For years I’m trying to create something that has to do with my musical talent, and I’m thinking I would be happy if I could do more, if I could work as a singer, being a singer in a band, making a CD and stuff like that. I feel I have the talent. Why am I not creating this as a reality? What is my problem? (Both laugh)

ELIAS: You do incorporate a talent, and I may express to you an acknowledgment that you engage that talent in lovely tones, but you generate obstacles with yourself for you restrict yourself. You acknowledge your ability, but you also compare yourself to other individuals, and in comparing yourself to other individuals or even to an ideal you, you restrict your allowance of yourself to merely express yourself freely.

In this, if you allow yourself to discontinue with this automatic action of comparing yourself, you may begin to allow yourself more of an appreciation, in genuine appreciation, of yourself and your ability – not merely your ability, but of yourself also. That shall alter the energy that you are projecting outwardly and generate much more of an attractiveness of yourself with other individuals.

CAROLINE: Some things you said I will have to translate later, but I guess I understand this comparison thing. I make these comparisons because sometimes I think I have the talent. Sometimes, when I compare myself to others, I think my talent is so low it’s not enough to make this. Is that right?

ELIAS: Yes. In this, if you genuinely allow yourself to appreciate yourself and appreciate your own expression, your own creativity and recognize that it is unique to you, it is unnecessary to be comparing yourself with other individuals or an ideal of what is acceptable and what is better, but rather to be appreciating your own expression and the uniqueness of it, and acknowledging the joy and satisfaction that you experience within yourself in the time frameworks in which you do allow yourself to be freely expressing your own creativity. If you are appreciating of you and what you do, other individuals shall reflect that to you also and shall also be appreciating you and what you do.


http://www.eliasforum.org/transcripts/E1721_022405.html

Election Complexion

Some thoughts on who to vote for this fall:


If you believe the world is full of potential enemies who mean to do you harm, then you should probably vote for John McCain.

If you believe the world is full of your brothers and sisters, and that we are all ultimately on the same side, then you should probably vote for Barack Obama.


If you believe that a homeless person or a person on welfare is basically lazy and in need of a little kick in the pants, then you should probably vote for John McCain.

If you believe that a homeless person or a person on welfare is temporarily lost and in need of compassion and a helping hand, then you should probably vote for Barack Obama.


If you believe that we need to find more sources of oil so that we can bring the price of gas down and wean ourselves from foreign oil, then you should probably vote for John McCain.

If you believe that we cannot continue to burn fossil fuels without doing irreparable harm to our environment, and that clean alternative energy sources are the only acceptable solution to our energy problems, then you should probably vote for Barack Obama.


If you believe that a woman who chooses to abort her child is immoral and Godless, then you should probably vote for John McCain.

If you believe that a woman who chooses to abort her child is frightened or confused and in dire need of compassion and healing, then you should probably vote for Barack Obama.


This election is helping us to clarify what we believe and what we value. It is also, in many ways, distinguishing the purple monkeys from the blue monkeys.

There is no judgement here on my part. I am looking for understanding. And it is arriving like never before.

By the way, have you tried the red melons? I hear they're wonderful.

Abraham Obama?

Here's some fun food for thought: (if you don't like the taste, leave it be!)

"You know who Barack Obama used to be in a previous incarnation? I’m going to ask you, I’ll give you a few clues here. Sixteenth president of the United States, came from Illinois, was a congressman, fought for one of the greatest causes – not just in America, but on Earth. Put the picture of Abraham Lincoln next to Barack Obama. Look, it’s right there! Just paint a little beard on Barack, change the skin of color of Lincoln – you got it. That’s it. Abraham Lincoln comes back as Barack Obama to help take not only this country, but the world on to a new level.


"Can you imagine the difficulties and challenges that Abraham Lincoln had during his time? The ones who fought him, the ones who threatened him? Oh yes, the scenarios are still somewhat similar – the potential for assassination – but it doesn’t have to be that way, does it? It doesn’t. It doesn’t have to end in that drama or crisis. You see, that’s where the drama and the fear come in. It doesn’t have to be that way. This entity comes back – oh, and it’s not just about Barack or Abraham; it’s about consciousness – this entity comes back in but surrounded by visionaries, surrounded by those who are consciousness workers bringing back the energy to Earth right now, but this time not for a civil war in the United States. This time for global adjustment, a new vision, and there will be those who get angry.


"They’re going to accuse Barack. They’re going to accuse him of conspiring with other countries, of selling out America, of not being patriotic, of being the Anti-Christ and being a Muslim, and everything else. But this one comes back to bring unity, to bring balance. Oh, this one, by the way, very, very spiritual. Abraham/Barack could walk into the room right now – into this room – and sit here and understand and feel comfortable with everything we’re talking about, because there is that quality of Shaumbra with him as well.


"Now I’m not endorsing any candidates. I... (laughter, Tobias chuckles. Linda says “Yeah, right!”) I don’t... Is there another candidate? Who? (more laughter) But this is no coincidence as well, one candidate that has the consciousness support and the network – oh, some talk about his lack of experience, but he brings a network – a network of consciousness workers. But the other candidate, well, it’s so obvious sometimes. Old Energy, literally and figuratively; nice guy, but the dynamics are there.

"Don’t you think that this was arranged in advance to have one candidate surrounded by the energy and love – the New Energy and the new love – and the other candidate playing that role of not being very dynamic or exciting, allowing the focus to be over here? Don’t you think that it’s something that your vision helped to create? (Someone in audience says “wow.”) Wow, is right. Wow, is incredible. It’s not happening in 2012, don’t wait or you’re going to miss the party! It’s happening right now. Don’t get into fear. Don’t get into this imbalance. It’s an amazing thing, and yes, there will be shifts and changes and all the rest of that. Don’t get caught in the drama. Remember why you’re here."

Tobias, channeled by Geoff Hoppe, August 2008

http://www.crimsoncircle.com/default.aspx?tabid=81

Belief

"Beloved one, every experience and every expression which you create comes from a vantage point, a belief as to who and what you are. You have in the conscious and subconscious the generational beliefs which have been handed down to you from the parents, from the generations of the grandfather, great-grandfather, great-grandmother, etc. and from the peers and their generational beliefs embodied in the culture in which you have been raised.

Your belief is based upon what is given to you - subliminally many, many times - by the generations, by the parents, and by the peers as to what the common belief is about what life has to be. If your family is one that believes life has to be a struggle, that everything that comes to you has to be a challenge, then from the time you are very small - even before that, in truth; as you are in the mother's womb there is a receptivity of energy - a receptivity which may interpret that life is hard, it is a struggle.

Or, the perception can be that life is joyful, and if the mother is looking forward to having this new one born and there is great anticipation and welcoming of the new one, the new one is going to know and will feel that joy, even in the womb before it is out in the arms.

After it is living its own individuality as a small one, at first it very much picks up on the energy levels of the parents. It is very much aware of what is going on through energy vibrational patterns. This goes with you throughout the lifetime as a subliminal belief, so that you have a preconceived tendency to look at life in a certain way.

Later on, when you begin to understand words, your parents may say to you, "It's a jungle out there. You have to be really, really strong. You have to get there first before the other one gets there. Do unto others first before they get you." Or, vice versa, "It is really a joyful place to live. I have many friends, you have many friends, nature is beautiful. It is wonderful to be out in the field, to run freely, to feel the sunshine upon the head, the shoulders, the body. It is wonderful to breathe of the fresh air.Yes, life is good."

And so the small one grows taller with beliefs which have been given to him/her early on, and then the beliefs are reinforced as the subliminal belief then attracts evidence that the perception is true. And so, ones often will have the challenges in life because they are looking for them, expecting them, because the parents have said, "It's going to be tough; you have to be tough." Or, the parents will say, "You are going to find many friends. You are a most special being. I prayed before you came, and you came to me to be a companion on the Journey, and I am so happy that you came. Let us walk hand in hand and rediscover all of the beauty that this life has to offer."

-Jeshua ben Joseph

http://www.oakbridge.org/articles.php?aid=31

A Favorite Seth Quote

"Your spirit joined itself with flesh, and in flesh, to experience a world of incredible richness, to help create a dimension of reality of colors and of form. Your spirit was born in flesh to enrich a marvelous area of sense awareness, to feel energy made into corporeal form. You are here to use, enjoy, and express yourself through the body. You are here to aid in the great expansion of consciousness. You are not here to cry about the miseries of the human condition, but to change them when you find them not to your liking through the joy, strength and vitality that is within you; to create the spirit as faithfully and as beautifully as you can in flesh."

(The Nature Of Personal Reality, Chap. 2, Session 615)

To Boldy Go...

"Your new Star Trek television program offers a useful analogy with their "holodeck." Let us pretend that you are the entire ship and ship's crew. The ship is alive in all respects as a manifestation of consciousness in form, and each member of its crew are creative aspects, versions of yourself. The holodeck can represent your natural ability to create a reality. Upon entering this created environment--within the holodeck, the gateway leading to the ship disappears. It is always there, always available, but invisible.

Now, depending upon how involved one is while interacting with events occurring within the created environment, the existence of the gateway may be temporarily forgotten. Yet the door is there, and must be remembered, and willfully called upon to appear in order to return to the greater reality of the ship."

-M.B., channeled by Lilly Fluger

http://www.geocities.com/Athens/5484/oct-gate.htm

Words Of Wisdom

"You are what you consider yourself to be, so consider yourself to be that which you find most desirable, most important to you at this time."

-Omar

http://www.geocities.com/Athens/5484/4-family.htm

Brand New Moment

If you change the way you perceive yourself, who and what you are will change.

What you are is a fluid creation. You are not a solid, stationary thing. You are an ever-changing expression.

If you can begin to see yourself as an ever-changing expression, then the fluidity that is your true nature will return.

Part of our problem as humans is that we try to lock in what we are, to define and solidify who and what we are. And so our faults and weaknesses and mistakes are set in place and used to define us.

You are a brand new creation in every moment. As you read these words, you are brand new.

Enlightenment is feeling the brand-new-ness of the present moment.

By The Riverside

Here in Pennsylvania, the dog days are upon us. It's hot and humid, and many of us are spending much of our time indoors (assuming we have a/c).

It's a good time to take a walk along the river. Even if you're not in Pennsylvania, and even if you don't have a major river nearby, it's still a good time to walk along the river.

The image of a river has been used for countless ages to symbolize many things - in particular, life and time. Rivers keep flowing, just as time does. And rivers meander, just as life does.

But a river can also symbolize something even more eternal: YOU.

Not the human you, but the you that existed before you were human, the you that you will return to after this life is over, the you that is at this very moment quietly flowing underneath the incessant chatter of your mind.

Once in a while, if not daily, it is very helpful to reconnect with that part of you that is eternal, that keeps on flowing, that changes very little, almost imperceptibly, throughout your many experiences and explorations.

People spend lifetimes trying to bring some of that peaceful flow into their human lives. And what they eventually come to realize, in this life or in some other, is that every event and circumstance they encouter is simply imagery on the banks of that river.

Such imagery is very vivid, and quite mesmerizing. So much so that we often don't see the river that is flowing amongst it. In fact, we tend to think that the answers we seek are to be found among the imagery, among the trees and bushes and creatures and flowers. And while all of those things are quite beautiful and valuable in their own right, they are far more beautiful when seen in the context of the timeless river that supports and nurtures them and makes it all possible.

So on these hot summer days, when we find ourselves retreating from the heat and the sunshine in favor of the cool shade, take a moment to walk along the river. Let the imagery go for a moment, and tune in to that flow from which it all springs.

Hello?

When you become aware of your anger, you are no longer angry.


Fear, anger, envy, sadness - they are like a ringing phone. Once you pick up the phone - once you get the message - the phone stops ringing.

But we, as silly humans, often stand there staring at the phone, immersed in the discomfort of its annoying ring, and we let it ring, and ring, and ring...

Pick up the phone!



(unless, of course, it's joy - then let it ring!)

Wake Up Call !!!

Come on folks, it's time to wake up now.

I've been poking and prodding you all for years, and FINALLY some of you seem to be stirring a bit (myself included).

But those are some tired eyes looking back at me! (and tired voices, for those of you whose eyes I cannot see).

Here's the deal:

You created you. YOU did. Not someone else. Not some old man watching you from a distance. YOU created you.

And now you're trying to wake yourself up.

I can't do it for you. Sure, I can open up the shades a bit, let a little light in. I can sprinkle some cool water on your forehead. But I can't open your eyes - you have to do that. You have to sit up and look around, wipe the sleep out of your eyes.

There is a big show about to start. We've been practicing and rehearsing for a very, very long time. And now, after a long wait, the show is about to begin. The curtain is being drawn aside. And YOU are the main character.

But there is a problem. Not a terrible problem, but certainly an inconvenience, an inefficiency:

You're still asleep! You still don't remember who you are, and why you created you. You still don't remember that you are a master creator, more powerful than all the galaxies in the universe. You are an extension of THE Creator, and you hold within you all the gifts of that Creator.

So I'm going to open the shade a little more, let a little more light in. Don't be surprised. Squint if you have to - the light can be bright!

More light is coming.

Let's Go Surfing Now

Since I'm riding a creative surge right now, I thought I'd comment briefly on surfing.

I've noticed that when things start moving in a certain direction, regardless of which direction it is, there is a buildup of momentum, a trend. Things might be going smoothly , or they might be going horribly.

Good or bad, pleasant or unpleasant, trends do exist. And the worst thing we can do is fight them.

It's a lot like surfing. If you like the wave you're on, ride it and enjoy it. But if you don't like it, do you fight it? Do you try to change it? Good luck. The wave has other plans, and they are much bigger than you and your little surfboard.

Much better to simply drop back and fall into the water, wait for another wave.

But we don't usually do that. We keep riding the unpleasant wave, getting angry at it, telling everybody how much our wave sucks, and we keep right on going.

So how do you learn the discipline required to simply drop back and wait for another wave?

By paying attention. By noticing when you are in a down trend. By recognizing that you have been conentrating on difficulties, on what you don't want. And then CHOOSING (that's the tricky part) to concentrate on something else. Something you like, something you appreciate, something that's actually working in your life.

You see, the problem is never your circumstances. They are simply circumstances. Experiences. They will pass eventually, as all things do. But you must LET them pass. You can't push them away, or force them away. They will go away when you stop concentrating on them so much. Holding your attention upon them exaggerates them in your perception and perpetuates them.

Why? Because by concentrating on them and placing so much importance upon them, you are essentially telling the universe, "This is important - keep giving me more of this!!!"

So in keeping with our surfing analogy, there are many more waves to come. Learn to spot the good ones, and concentrate on them. Let the unpleasant ones pass by - they will lift you and let you fall, and leave you looking forward to the next good ride.

Surfs up, dude!

Cowabunga...

A Quiet Mind

I've been thinking this morning about the importance of starting the day with a quiet mind.

Some mornings, I awaken refreshed and ready for the day. Those are the easy ones.

But other mornings, I am scattered, hazy, perhaps a bit disorganized. A little out of whack.

I've noticed that an unbalanced mind seems to follow me all day. And I've also noticed that by calling a quick timeout, finding someplace quiet for a minute or two, and taking a few slow, deep breaths, my perception changes dramatically.

In just a minute or two, that muddy mental state clears itself. Clarity returns. The day ahead seems less challenging, the next task a little easier.

You don't need to go off in a field for an hour to meditate, though you can if you want to. But if you only have a few minutes, find someplace quiet in the house, perhaps out on the porch, and close your eyes.

Two minutes of slow, deep breathing. A short break, with nothing to do but breathe.

Many times, that's all it takes. The mental chatter slows, and clarity arrives.

It doesn't seem like much, but it is. Every good day begins with a quiet, balanced mind.

If you don't have one, get one.

And don't leave home without it.

Passion

What are you passionate about?

Anything?

I am learning that passion is the one necessary ingredient, often overlooked, that makes life livable. Without it, life is just a bunch of responsibilities.

Having gone through repeated cycles of passion and the lack of it, I can see now that it is the one thing present during the good stretches and the one thing absent during the rough ones.

Depressed? Check your passion. Do you see any within you? Around you? Chances are, you won't find any. And that could be why you're depressed.

We are creators. We create. That's what we do. And passion is the fuel for our creativity. We cannot help but create. It's the one thing we can't stop doing.

All that remains is to decide WHERE you will direct your creative energy. Will you use it to reinforce negative or limited ideas about yourself and your life? Or will you use it to create something you actually WANT to create?

You have a stream of energy moving through you at all times. And you are constantly configuring that energy, based upon where your attention is and the mood you are in.

Successful people are passionate about their interests, and they configure their energy in a very constructive way which results in experiences and circumstances that they want and appreciate.

On the other side of the fence are the unmotivated, often depressed folks (and I have been one of them off and on my whole life) who are not focused on what they want and are not passionate about what they are creating. Instead, we dwell on our inability to have what we want, our inability to be happy, and all the reasons why our life sucks.

It's all about passion. When you are focused upon what interests and excites you, you elicit passion from within yourself. In doing so, you are directing the creative energies at your disposal into experiences and circumstances and opportunities that you want, rather than reinforcing the old circumstances that you don't want.

So it's all about passion.

Find it, and life will be the exciting ride you want it to be.

Monkey Update - April 2008

Greetings, fellow monkeys!

The month of April is upon us, a time of rebirth and of renewal. A time of new beginnings.

This is the time of year when the newborn monkeys arrive on our island. Their arrival coincides with the reemergence of spring, of lengthening days and shortening nights. And when something new is emerging, there is that which we refer to as "birthing pains".

Among the new ideas and elements which are in the process of being born, we are currently seeing a redefining of leadership in our society. The united group of monkeys in the west is currently examining candidates for the upcoming election later this year. And as we do so, there are several important factors that are emerging - several belief systems which are being brought to the surface for our examination.

The belief system of authority is intimately involved in the election of new leaders, and thus one would expect beliefs involving authority to be triggered, expressed and examined at such a time. That is what the western monkeys are doing.

As monkeys choose their favorite candidates and take sides, many monkeys are coming to the realization that they are tired of taking sides. They are tired of having to be for one side or the other. They are tired of being told that they need to vote for a particular candidate for this reason or that reason. They are tired of being told that the "other side" is wrong, that their ideas are shortsighted or dangerous.

A growing number of monkeys is coming to the realization that there must be a better way. There must be an alternative to that which we have seen and experienced time and again: polarization, opposition, one side against the other, we're right and you're wrong. Many monkeys are beginning to see the fallacy and shortsightedness of such an approach.

What if no one is actually wrong? What if each person believes what they believe, and that's okay? What if it's really unnecessary to judge or criticize or demonize someone for believing something different from you, for having a different opinion? What would that be like?

Imagine a society in which the beliefs and ideas and opinions of each monkey are respected. One where you can believe what you want to believe without having to defend yourself.

Many groups of monkeys around the island have succeeded in creating societies in which monkeys are free to make choices and speak freely. But we have only just begun to move toward genuine freedom: the freedom to believe that which you choose to believe without being judged or criticized for it.

Elections are valuable for many reasons, among them the fact that we see very clearly where we are still falling short of genuine acceptance. When our political candidates, our so-called "leaders", still resort to judging and criticizing one another for that which they believe, we are seeing ourselves reflected back to us. Our candidates simply express and highlight the same inner judgement that takes place within us.

So as we see our candidates bicker and attack one another's policies and platforms and ideas and intentions, the opportunity is there for us to turn our attention back to ourselves and to look honestly at our own tendency to find fault with those who see or think or feel differently that we do.

Only when we have succeeded individually in respecting differences in opinion and belief will we see candidates who reflect that acceptance back to us.

In the meantime, those of us who are moving in the direction of acceptance can make the most of this upcoming election by supporting whichever candidate shares that desire to place acceptance above judgement, unity above separation, and a bright future above a divided one.

This monkey has spoken!

Monkey Update - March 2008

This monkey hasn't posted for a while, as he has been hard at work on his latest project.

However, he wanted to touch base with his fellow monkeys and to ask them a question: How are you doing?

Have you noticed that the pace of change has increased? Have you noticed that your strongly held beliefs are being brought to the surface for you to examine?

As this process of experiencing and examining our beliefs continues to accelerate, it will be tempting to think that things are going downhill - individually and collectively.

But what is truly happening is that monkeys are prodding themsevles to choose: Are you okay, or are you not? Are you ready to choose acceptance, or do you still insist upon trying to control and judge and worry?

Ultimately, you are safe. You are a white monkey, exploring what it is like to be a blue monkey, and giving yourself the opportunity to become a purple monkey. The red melons stimulate the willingness to look for that wider perspective, to examine your beliefs and to determine which ones serve you and which ones do not.

The blue monkeys shall fight over the blue melons. They shall fear that they will not have enough. They shall worry. They shall judge one another and shall fight to determine who is right and who is wrong.

The purple monkeys have their own inner peace as their top priority, for they know that such is their natural state and that balance is the only way to enjoy their stay on this island. They also know that they can be most helpful to their fellow monkeys by remembering who they are and by maintaining their balance and inner peace.

So each of us is being asked to choose, moment by moment, whether or not all is well.

Is all well with you? It can be.

But you must decide. You must choose.

Any questions?

Monkey Dialogue # 3 - Abundance

One day, in the shade of a blue melon tree, the following conversation took place between a blue and a purple monkey:

Blue Monkey: Why do some monkeys have so many melons, while others have so few?

Purple Monkey: There are many reasons for the differing levels of wealth around the island. Most have to do with what monkeys concentrate on.

Blue Monkey: What do you mean?

Purple Monkey: Monkeys are gradually learning that they experience what they concentrate on. Monkeys who concentrate on abundance experience abundance, while monkeys who concentrate on scarcity experience scarcity.

Blue Monkey: But some monkeys are born in places where there are very few melons to go around. The scarcity they are experiencing was there before they were even born.

Purple Monkey: Indeed it was, because the monkeys living in that area have been focused on scarcity for a very long time. It is ingrained in their beliefs. Young monkeys inherit such limiting beliefs from their parents and go on to create scarcity for themselves.

Blue Monkey: But that doesn’t seem fair! Why should some monkeys be born among abundance while others have the misfortune of being born poor, and starving?

Purple Monkey: You are making the assumption that all monkeys, given the choice, would choose to be born among abundance, and that is not the case.

Blue Monkey: It’s not?

Purple Monkey: No. In fact, there is very little for a monkey to gain by being born amid abundance. It is far more fulfilling for a monkey to overcome scarcity and adversity than it is to be born and live an entire life in affluence.

It is quite ironic that so many monkeys feel sorry for themselves for not being born into a rich family when they themselves chose the family that they were born into.

Blue Monkey: They chose the family they were born into? How? That doesn’t make sense.

Purple Monkey: If you believe that you did not exist until you were conceived by your parents, then I agree with you – it would make no sense. But if you understand that you existed long before this particular life (and that you have, in fact, always existed and always will), then you will understand that this life you are currently living is one of many.

And from that perspective, then, you can see how you might choose to be born into the circumstances most conducive to what you wanted to explore in this particular life.

Blue Monkey: So the reason there are so few monkeys born to wealthy parents is that most monkeys don't want to live amid abundance?

Purple Monkey: Not that they don’t want to live amid abundance, but that they don't want to start out that way.

Abundance is our natural state. White monkeys, of which you are one, live in complete abundance. There is no lack in the land of the white monkeys.

One of the reasons we choose to be born on this island is to explore lack, scarcity, and separation. It is temporary, and so we are free to explore whatever experiences and circumstances we choose.

But because abundance is our natural state, we need only cease to express limiting beliefs regarding scarcity and lack, and abundance will flow easily to us.

There is far more to the story than that, but you asked why there are rich and poor monkeys. And the primary reason for the existence of poor monkeys is their expression of limiting beliefs regarding abundance.

Poor monkeys view abundance as something unattainable, unachievable, and so they never consider it, visualize it or concentrate on it in any sort of constructive way. Their attention tends to fall on the lack of what they want, rather then the presence of it. They only see lack, and thus they concentrate on lack. And because you experience that which you concentrate on, scarcity is their experience.

Blue Monkey: Is there any hope for poor monkeys?

Purple Monkey: Yes indeed. More than they could currently believe!

Blue Monkey: How so?

Purple Monkey: Poor monkeys need only realize that their experiences spring from the beliefs they express, and then choose to express positive beliefs regarding abundance.

Of course, their limiting beliefs, the ones that draw scarcity to them, are quite prevalent in their minds and often their communities. So it is a difficult task to recognize, examine, and release such limiting beliefs.

But part of the transformation taking place on our island involves this examination of our beliefs, determining which ones lead to the life we want, and discarding those that do not. As this process builds momentum, it will become easier to embrace more affirming beliefs regarding one’s opportunities and worthiness of abundance. The more monkeys that undergo this process, the easier it becomes for others.

The beliefs we hold become stronger the more they are expressed. And so in areas of the island where there are strongly held beliefs regarding scarcity, it is quite difficult for a monkey to believe something different from those around him.

But as the momentum builds, it becomes easier. Those limiting beliefs lose their power as more and more monkeys cease to express them. And the affirming beliefs grow in strength as more and more monkeys begin to express them.

Blue Monkey: So the reason there are haves and have-nots is because of beliefs?

Purple Monkey: Indeed!

Beliefs affect what we concentrate on, and what we concentrate on determines our circumstances and experiences.

So concentrate on scarcity, on not having enough, and that is what you will experience – not having enough.

Concentrate on abundance, learn to perceive abundance, even regarding little things, and your experience will reflect that perception, in many different ways.

We are learning to see the connection between what goes on in our minds and what goes on in our experiences.

And once that connection is clearly seen and acknowledged, we will witness the gradual retreat of scarcity.

We will witness the advance of abundance.

Not just for some monkeys.

For all of us.

Monkey Dialogue # 2 - A Wider Existence

One day, down along the beach on the south side of the island, the following conversation took place between a blue and a purple monkey:

Blue Monkey: Why is there so much disharmony on our island?

Purple Monkey: Because monkeys have forgotten who and what they are. They are immersed in a temporary identity, one that is cut off, in a sense, from their larger being.

When a monkey chooses to be born on this island, he carefully molds a temporary identity that he will assume during this lifetime. This identity will be all he remembers himself to be, unless and until he chooses to awaken to his wider existence as a white monkey.

Blue Monkey: Are all monkeys actually white monkeys?

Purple Monkey: Indeed they are. Though it is an amazing fact that most monkeys would deny this. The grip that their temporary identity has on their minds is quite strong. The beliefs they hold which tell them they are blue monkeys and nothing more are quite strong.

Even those who consider themselves to be devout followers of the White Monkey are, for the most part, unaware of their wider existence as a white monkey. They believe they will go on to some sort of heavenly existence as a result of their obedience to the law of the White Monkey and their acceptance of him as their savior, but they are unaware that they themselves are already white monkeys.

Blue Monkey: What do you mean? How are they already white monkeys?

Purple Monkey: Each colored monkey living on any island is actually a white monkey dreaming that he is a colored monkey. He has all the knowledge and wisdom of a white monkey at his disposal, but as long as he believes that he is only a lowly colored monkey and nothing more, that will be his experience. He will block out that wider part of himself. He will not incorporate the wider awareness or powerful abilities that a white monkey possesses. He traps himself by his belief in his temporary identity. And only he can untrap himself.

Blue Monkey: How can he do that?

Purple Monkey: He can begin by acknowledging that he is far more than he appears to be. He will not yet see any evidence of that wider identity, and so he must begin by BELIEVING that he is a white monkey, a perfect child of the Creator. Only then – when he faithfully believes and accepts himself as a white monkey – will he begin to see and feel evidence of it.

Blue Monkey: But how can a blue monkey believe he is actually a white monkey if there is no evidence, no proof of it?

Purple Monkey: That is a question that has challenged our race from the beginning.

A white monkey exists in a state of divinity. It is a divine state of being in which one is aware of one’s connection to the Creator, of one’s ultimate perfection.

Perhaps white monkeys choose to manifest as blue monkeys for the purpose of rediscovering their own divinity.

And perhaps so many monkeys remain asleep because their fears and self-judgments prevent them from even considering the possibility that they are a divine being, unconditionally loved by their Creator. Such an idea is frightening to many monkeys. The temporary identity that they have been exploring may fear for its own existence. It may think that all of its fears are necessary for its own survival.

The truth is, your temporary identity CAN survive while at the same time allowing that larger being to express through you. You can be a colored monkey living on this island while at the same time holding an awareness of your larger existence. You can bring your divinity into this life, into this identity that your perceive yourself to be.

Blue Monkey: How?

Purple Monkey: By acknowledging. By allowing. By accepting and loving yourself as you are. By accepting your challenges and obstacles for the gifts that they truly are – opportunities to bring as much love and acceptance to the present moment as possible.

As one does this, that divine self, that white monkey self, begins to show through, begins to guide you to your highest expression, your most loving choice.

The red melons assist in this widening process. They enable one to see themselves more clearly, to see their choices more clearly. They help one to accept themselves as they are, which allows more of their true selves to come through.

That has been the lesson taught by all of the masters that have visited our island during our long history. They knew that they were truly white monkeys. And they tried to explain to other monkeys that they, too, were white monkeys. And that each monkey has the potential to bring their white monkeys selves into their blue monkey lives.

These masters attempted, each in their own way, to explain the relationship between a blue monkey and a white monkey and the Creator, whom many have called the Great Monkey (and who is not actually a monkey at all).

So now, with the appearance on our island of the red melons and their ability to help us remember who we really are, our race has the opportunity to wake up – not just a few of us, but all who are ready to acknowledge their own divinity, ready to release and move beyond their fears and their self-judgments. As one begins to recognize that he is acceptable just as he is, loveable just as he is, then a door opens within himself. His self-acceptance is the key that unlocks that door. His willingness to accept himself and others, to allow each monkey to be who they choose to be – THIS is the beginning of his transformation.

One need only ask the white monkey within to come forth, and it shall. It is a sacred step – to ask to be shown the truth. To acknowledge that all you believed yourself to be is not necessarily true. That perhaps you are far more than you thought you were.

That is the step that the white monkey within you is waiting for you to take.

And when the day arrives when you are ready to taste your first red melon, know that you are taking your first step home.

Back to who you really are.

Back to who we all are.

Monkey Dialogue # 1 : Transformation

One day, on the grass at the back of the beach, the following conversation took place between a blue and a purple monkey:

Blue Monkey: What is happening to our island?

Purple Monkey: Our island is in the process of transforming.

Blue Monkey: Transforming into what? And what was it before?

Purple Monkey: Transforming into a more highly evolved version of itself. Up until now, there has been much confusion and disharmony. Blue monkeys did not understand who they were, and why they were here. They did not understand their true relationship to one another. Now, each monkey is widening his or her awareness to encompass a much larger view of such things.

Blue Monkey: What is causing this transformation?

Purple Monkey: There are many ways to view this change, and its causes. But it is most important to realize that YOU are creating the changes that you are experiencing. They are being initiated and carried out by you. You may not understand at this point just HOW you are doing so. And in fact, such understanding will come to you naturally as you progress in your own transformation.

The widening of one’s awareness is a very individual thing. It cannot come from the outside, although events unfolding around us may lead us to question things, thereby stimulating our learning process. But ultimately, YOU are the one opening to a larger perspective, a deeper understanding. It must be allowed by you, embraced by you, initiated by you. It is entirely your choice as to whether you embrace the opportunities to grow and widen that you are presenting to yourself, or choose instead to resist such changes and hold tightly to who you thought you were. Or who you thought you were supposed to be.

Blue Monkey: Has this ever happened before?

Purple Monkey: No. Not in this way. Not in our part of the sea. And not on such a scale.

There have been monkeys who have awakened all throughout our history on this island. Occasionally, there have been monkeys who were awake for all or most of their lives. And some of them have described and taught about our wider existence. And, of course, we monkeys have inevitably treated them as different, as more that the rest of us. Sometimes we have worshipped them. Sometimes we have killed them. And sometimes, both.

More than once, we have taken their messages, their teachings, their explanations of truth, and we have built religions around them. We have done this because we have felt the truth of their messages, of their gifts to us. But, because the majority of us have remained asleep, we have distorted their messages, held the messengers up as being more than the rest of us, and even worshipped them.

Such has been our exploration, for a very long time. And now, in a process that has been prophesied and anticipated for thousands of years, we are attempting to awaken to the truth that lies at the core of every religion, every mystical tradition: we have all, every one of us, sprung from the same source. We are individual expressions of a whole. We are that whole, expressing itself through each one of us.

We are not separate from that whole, and we can never be, though we can create the perception that we are. And that is exactly what we have been doing, for so many years: exploring the perception that we are separate. Separate from each other, and separate from the whole.

The transition we are engaging is the reawakening to our true lack of separation, to our true relationship to one another, and to the whole. We have never actually been separate from one another; we have only been exploring the perception that we were.

As we choose to partake of the red melons, to embrace the changes occurring within and around us, to thin the veil that has hidden us from ourselves, our perception of separation begins to dissipate. The unity that has always been there becomes more and more apparent.

All of the fear, anger, sadness and envy that resulted from our apparent separation from one another can finally begin to heal. This is the transformation that is taking place. This is what has been anticipated, prophesied for so long. This is the second coming that we have wished for. And yet it is so much more wonderful than what such prophesies foresaw. Many of the creative yet distorted assertions as to what would be taking place have been tinged with fear. With separation. This transformation does not involve fear. It is the transition OUT of fear. And that is glorious. More glorious than words.

So, my dear blue monkey, you may relax into this change, if you desire a smooth transition. There is, in truth, nothing to fear. All is proceeding in its own way, which is perfection. We are being assisted, but we must allow such assistance if we are to know it and feel it.

The events that are unfolding are there for us to learn from. They are part of this process.

And so rather than scratching our heads and wondering where all of this is leading, the option is there to marvel at the mystery and the perfection of it all.

To enjoy our ever-widening perspective.

And to discover the joy that is life itself.

The Waitress And The Cook

You order your meal.

The Waitress brings it to you.

Sometimes the food is wonderful. Sometimes it's horrible.

Do you blame the Waitress if you don't like it? Do you blame the Cook?

Here's how it works: the Cook is taking the contents of your mind - your strongest thoughts and expectations - and mixing them up into an experience - a "creatable" dish. Then the Waitress brings it to you - you experience it. It could be a pay raise. It could be a flat tire. A new relationship. A fist fight.

YOU are the one ordering the food. YOU are the one choosing what to think about, concentrate on. YOU are choosing which thoughts, ideas and expectations to allow into your mind. And therefore you can have some idea as to what that dish is going to look like.

We tend to expect that the next dish to come out will look pretty much like the last one.

But it is a beautiful fact that the menu is indeed endless. There is NOTHING that's not on the menu!

And the Cook is a master chef! If you can imagine it, and support it with affirming thoughts and expectations, the Cook can whip it up! In fact, the Cook takes great pleasure in doing so.

So order what you want. Imagine and expect what you want. KNOW that it's being created. Right now, as you read this, your Cook is busily preparing your next meal. And the next one. And the next.

And soon, before you know it, the Waitress will be bringing it to you.

So choose carefully. Choose wisely.

And enjoy the meal!

Quantum Leap - September 18th, 2007

Happy Quantum Leap Day!

And if you don't know what that means, just try the red melons.

They're quite wonderful!

Desire

We don’t learn more about what we want by not wanting anything.

And we don’t learn more about what we desire by holding tightly to what we already do.

We learn by exploring new desires. By creating what we desire and, through the experience of it, deciding what does or does not feel good.

This is how we expand our knowing of ourselves.

Often in our society, we continue to satisfy the same desires over and over again. This leads to what one might call “fulfillment stagnation”. We become stagnant within an endless loop of stale desires, and their fulfillment brings little joy.

The solution is to examine, honestly, those desires that you are continuously pursuing, and occasionally fulfilling. If you look closely, you might see that the particular object or event you are wishing for does not, in the fulfillment of it, give you the joy you were hoping it would.

Just as a habitual smoker rarely pauses to consider whether or not he or she is actually enjoying that cigarette that they just had to have, we consistently fail to evaluate whether or not the fulfillment of our latest desire actually brought the desired effect. Was there joy? Excitement? A permanent improvement in my life? Or did I just move on to the next desire?

With a little bit of honest self-evaluation, it is relatively easy to see when the fulfillment of certain desires has ceased to produce what you want. And once that occurs, the search can begin for a new desire, one that has not been repeated over and over.

The search for a new desire, a new reason for joy, is vital to growth. Imagine the toddler who never gives up his obsession with a particular toy and never moves on to something new or more complex. Growth for such a child would be severely stunted, and new experiences shunned or ignored.

Thus it is the reaching beyond current desires that leads to growth and to the discovery of new desires and new forms of joy that accompany their fulfillment.

So feel free to want, to desire. Desire is not bad or inappropriate. It is supremely necessary. It is the way you came into existence. And it is the only way to get beyond where you are now.

Book 2 Released, Sept. 4th 2007

Now available at Tate Publishing and other online booksellers.

Also available as a CD Audio Book.

Power vs. Doubt

Success is power.

It comes from power. Not power over others, or over things. Not intellectual power. The power of feeling. It comes from feeling powerful. Feeling forceful, or simply just capable.

An important factor here is the absence of doubt.

Power and doubt cannot exist at the same time. They are opposites.

Doubt is the absence of empowerment.

Doubt is THE obstacle to success, to creating what you want.

Most of us have ideas. And many of us fantasize about following though on those ideas, implementing them. But what often stops us, ultimately, is doubt. Doubt that you can do it, or that it can really happen.

Doubt is powerlessness.

The good news is, it's an illusion. Your beliefs about what you can or cannot do determine whether or not you doubt. And your doubt is THE obstacle.

Why is a successful person successful?

One reason: they did not doubt their success. They knew success was within reach, and they reached out and grabbed it.

They felt powerful because they did not doubt.

And success naturally followed.

Emotions As Guidance

If you associate your anger with an element outside of yourself, you will direct your anger toward that element, thus giving it power (energy/attention).

The same is true for all emotions.

As young ones, we learn to associate our anger with elements outside ourselves. We learn this by watching our parents and other caretakers do the same. And thus the connection is formed: I am angry, and my anger is being caused by this or that, and if I express that anger, I get a reaction from someone or something. And the reaction we get (often from a parent or sibling) reinforces the perception that the source of our anger is outside of us, and is causing our anger.

That association sticks around for a LONG time. And it is very hard to break. Most people, even now, believe that it is elements outside themselves that bring them to anger. Or sadness. Or joy, even.

So if this is not actually the case, as I seem to be implying, what is the cause of your anger, your sadness, your joy?

The answer is very simple: Your emotions come from WITHIN you. They are a signal, a communication, letting you know how aligned or misaligned you are with your essence, your soul, who you really are.

Now, for this explanation to make any sense, one must acknowledge that there is a larger identity for each of us, one not limited to time or space, or to this temporary identity that each of us is currently exploring.

The premise is this: YOU are actually a soul, creating an incredibly complex and seamless experience of being a physical human being in a physical world. And so that you would not lose yourself completely in this temporary exploration, you have chosen to incorporate emotions.

These emotions let you know when the human part of you is perceiving in a way that is aligned with how your soul feels, and when it is not.

When you feel negative emotion, whichever name you give it, you are perceiving in a way that is out of alignment with how your soul perceives. You are expressing beliefs that run contrary to what you value as a soul. You are out of alignment. It is a type of feedback, intended to keep you roughly on track, and to let you know when you are straying away from who you really are.

In contrast to this are your positive emotions, and these are letting you know that you are aligned with your soul, and you are currently perceiving in a way that is closely aligned with how you as a soul are perceiving. Joy is an indication of alignment. That's why it feels good! Your soul is saying to you , "Yes! THIS is who you are! Keep doing THIS! Keep perceiving THIS way!"

Now, obviously those "experts" on the brain and the body will tell you that there are brain processes that are responsible for your emotions, but they are only looking at the physical translation of the experience. The body is intended to translate, physically, what you are experiencing in your mind and your spirit. So the experts are looking at the effect, the translation, and thinking that they are looking at the cause. No offense to you scientists and doctors, but there is a bigger picture! A MUCH bigger picture. And the incredible variety and intensity of our emotions are pointing to a bigger picture.

The grief we feel at the loss of a loved one is pointing to a bigger picture.

The love we feel, the joy we experience from time to time is pointing to a bigger picture.

Your emotions are your guidance, so use them!

Finer Things - Tears Of Joy And Sadness

Just as a child tires of an old toy or television program, a spirit eventually reaches for something beyond physical reality and all that it has to offer.

And what is beyond physical reality?

It is impossible to describe the finer things to one who is still immersed in and fascinated by the physical elements of life, just as it is impossible to explain to a child why a parent sometimes gets tears in their eyes as they watch their child play, and grow.

Those tears will not be understood, at least not until that child matures to adulthood, gives birth to a child, and, while watching that child play and grow, sheds tears of her own.

Tears of joy and sadness.

Joy, at the gift that this child has been for you.

Sadness, from the realization that this child is slowly but surely slipping away from you, disappearing into adulthood.

These fleeting moments, so intense to those who feel them, yet nonexistent to those who don't.

These, indeed, are the finer things in life.

Living In The Present

It's quite difficult to be happy in the present when you're worried about the future, or trying to control it.

You can't control the future.

At least not directly.

But you can pave the way toward the future that is most pleasing to you by perceiving the present as clearly as you possibly can - by paying attention to what you are doing, thinking, and feeling.

Living in the present is a matter of remaining aware of what you are doing, thinking and feeling. And everything else then becomes clear.

Your circumstances, the events of your life, are the extension/translation of your inner experience. And when you are paying attention to that inner experience (i.e. what you are doing, thinking, and feeling), you can see the connection. And you can gradually take responsibility for that inner experience (and consequently the outer as well).

But the key is to pay attention to what is going on within you. That is where it all starts. Everything else is a consequence of that inner activity.

And when is that activity taking place?

In the present.

Right now.

So pay attention.

Live in the present, and the future will then take care of itself.

Forgetting... Forgetting... Forgetting...

It is quite possible (and highly recommended) to perceive the people around you not as humans but as spirits. Spirits who are exploring roles, identities, dramas - all the while forgetting who they really are. Forgetting... forgetting... forgetting...

Now, when you do this - when you perceive them this way - it's not so much that you remember who YOU are and they don't. It's more a matter of simply realizing that these are temporary identities and circumstances we are exploring. And that we are MUCH more than just the human beings we currently are (or perceive ourselves to be).

Ultimately, we are unlimited. Literally. But we have found a way to create the perception that we are limited. That we are bounded. That we are human.

So we can just relax, if we are able to, and have fun - enjoy this latest adventure. We can stop taking the details of our lives quite so seriously and let go a bit. We can trust the flow of life, and bring as much joy to each moment as we possibly can.

Why? Because it feels great to do so!

Try it some time!!!


(seriously, try it.)

A New Perception

There is a big difference between a materialist view of life and a self-realized view of life.

A self-realized view of life involves the perception that you are WILLING your reality into existence, and you always have been. And all those years of doing so without knowing it have provided lots of good material to learn from, to analyze and thus understand that you created it all - through your attention and desires and fears.

Eventually, the unpleasantness that resulted from dwelling on and subsequently creating what you DO NOT WANT leads to your asking, seeking, and clarifying.

Demand a better existence.

Use the fuel from your desperation to power your seeking.

There is tremendous power in desperation...

Life Strategies

Define your own beauty.

Ask your own questions.

Blaze your own trail.

Live your own life.

Be you own guru.

Now

It is as if all of the beliefs that you hold,
positive and negative,
affirming and limiting,
about yourself and everyone and everything,
were rolled up into one experience,
one moment.

That moment is now.

Driving Wrecklessly?

Your future lies out in front of you.

What is happening right now is to your left, outside your driver's side window.

And your hands are fixed firmly on the steering wheel.

You are indeed driving this vehicle that you call your life. Ah, but you have a delaying mechanism in place. You, in your infinite wisdom, knew quite well that you would be very forgetful during this life.

You knew that you would be far too anxious and hasty to be given full and immediate control over your vehicle. Your strong beliefs would cause you to crash into every obstacle, every distraction that appears outside your window.

And so you chose to slow the reaction of your steering wheel, to dampen the response of your vehicle to the energetic movement of your hands. You cannot immediately steer yourself off the road, though you have tried many times. Your vehicle won't let you. You would have to try consistently, over and over, before you finally succeeded in slamming into that tree or guardrail.

That delay has served you well. It has given you time to recover, to move your attention, to return your steering wheel to the forward position. That delay has served you well.

And now, what does this exciting new century have in store for our precious 'delayed steering system'?

What might it be like to gradually decrease that delay, to slowly remove the lag time between the movement of your hands on the steering wheel and the movement of your front tires?

Will you drive into a tree? Over a cliff? Will you manage to stay on the road?

Learning how to drive more carefully, more deliberately, should be your top priority.

Because you're driving, either way.

Always have been.

Always will be.

That's A Very Good Question

I have found that questions are far more valuable than answers.

Often, after having a significant conversation with someone, I review the conversation in my head. And inevitably, I have found that many of my comments fell short of what I would have hoped to express. However, that is not the case with the questions I asked.

I am far more effective in conversation when asking pertinent, insightful questions than I am when I'm running my mouth in a loud stream of exuberance (not that there is anything wrong with exuberance, but it can certainly sidetrack a conversation).

From this observation, I have drawn the conclusion that we are operating at a higher level when we are asking questions (meaningful ones) then when we are answering them.

Asking questions - ones that stimulate - is a higher expression, at least for me. It results in more fulfilling conversations with others, and it results in more valuable insights from within myself.

So perhaps if we are looking for all the right answers, we're on the wrong track. We ought to be looking for the right questions.

Ask the right questions, and the right answers may just fall into place. Often out of nowhere.

The Shift

How does one explain to others that each of us creates our own reality? It intrigues me to consider how many people have asked themselves that question through the ages.

Granted, there have been times when such a fact was common knowledge. Yet the further we have wandered from that knowledge in our exploration of objective reality, the more distorted (though quite creative!) we have become in explaining it.

Streams of esoteric wisdom have trickled down through history, quenching the thirst of seekers the world over. In more isolated communities, the natural world and the dream world have furnished many answers to the questions that have been asked. Whenever one has asked to be shown truth, their request has been granted. The universe has responded, every time.

So what happens when millions of people ask for answers, all at the same time?

That will be one of the many developments to watch and enjoy as this exciting new century unfolds.

VA Tech Mass Event

I was interested in, but not surprised by, how quickly the media began to question the action, or lack of action, taken by the police and other "authority figures" in Virgina yesterday.

It is quite telling that the blame game began almost before the final shots were fired.

Lord, help us to see what there is to see, learn what there is to learn, forgive what there is to forgive.

And for God's sake, shut those talking heads up, will ya?!

(no, no, let them speak - they are as instrumental as anyone in bringing these things to the surface...)

Not So Low

If we're striving for peace, we're aiming too low.

We should be striving for joy.

Imus In the Mourning

To me, the importance of the recent Don Imus incident lies in the exposure of individually held beliefs and insecurities.

Mr. Imus clearly expressed a great deal of ignorance, insensitivity, and bad judgment in his comments. But it seems fairly clear that he was trying, at least in part, to be funny, as misguided as his attempt at humor was.

But the reaction to his comments by individuals, the media, etc. has far exceeded the importance of the comments themselves.

In their reaction to his comments, people are bringing to the surface their own intolerance, their own judgment, their own beliefs regarding victimhood, prejudice, discrimination, etc.

The way people react to Don Imus' comments says nothing about Don Imus and everything about those individuals, the way they view themselves, the way they view others, etc.

An enlightened individual would have no emotional reaction to his comments whatsoever, regardless of their race or gender. An enlightened response may go something like this:

"That was an interesting comment that Don Imus made. It certainly betrays his limiting beliefs regarding black women. I don't agree with him, but I am not the least bit offended by him or his limiting beliefs. They do not pertain to me in any way."

But we are not seeing such a reaction. All we are hearing is how offensive his remarks were, and how he should be fired for his words. Ironically, those who are screaming the loudest about the insensitivity of Don Imus are far exceeding his own intolerance in their reaction to him. Don is guilty of ignorance and insensitivity, but he does not appear to be trying to ruin anyone's life or career the way many people are trying to do in response.

Those who are reacting strongly and pointing fingers and vilifying Don Imus would benefit greatly from the realization that their reactions to his words are not being cause by his words but by their own limiting beliefs about themselves. If they really knew and accepted themselves, then the words of a foolish radio personality could IN NO WAY threaten them, cause them to doubt themselves, or induce them to invest their time and energy in trying to prove that his words are wrong.

His words are not wrong: they are his words, they express his beliefs and opinions, and they apply to him and to his own perception. There is no need to feel offended by them, unless one is PREDISPOSED to such offense, which is coming from inside of themself, not from the words of some guy on the radio.

A little self-awareness would go a long way here, and perhaps this whole event is taking place in order to bring all of this to the surface so that individuals can examine themselves, their own beliefs, their own reactions to ignorance and insensitivity.

The anger that people feel in reaction to the words of Don Imus is coming from inside of themselves, and if some people are able to finally see that and take responsibility for their own reaction and their own feelings, then they have benefited greatly from this experience.

That is the value I see in this story. It is stimulating people to examine their reactions and their beliefs, and to learn more about themselves.

So it's not really about Don Imus, or his ignorance and insensitivity, though he played the role of the catalyst. It is about examining ourselves, our beliefs, and our own intolerance. For those who are wise enough to see that, there is much to gain from this story. Much indeed.

Thank You, Middle Easter Bunny!

It's interesting to ponder the statement made by the leader of Iran yesterday that the release of their British "visitors" was an Easter gift.

I'm not referring to the "Easter" aspect, but to the word "gift".

When one gives someone a gift, that gift is typically a thing, or a service of some sort. To refer to the release of these soldiers as a gift brings to light the fact that these 15 people were used as objects, pawns perhaps, in a high-stakes chess game played by the leaders of the two countries involved.

I find it telling that the word "gift" was used, because it epitomizes the way many leaders view their soldiers, and indeed their citizens. They are often seen as resources to be used in the execution of their plans, their policies.

An appropriate image for this week might be those 15 soldiers sitting in an Easter basket, surrounded by chocolate eggs and cruise missiles, in colorful aluminum wrapping.

Happy Easter!

Understandable

Every choice that a human being has made or will ever make is quite understandable, given the beliefs and perception of that person at that time. All choices are understandable. Not necessarily desirable or preferable, but understandable.

If what you are trying to do is maintain an image of some sort, either in your own eyes or in the eyes of others, then perhaps attacking someone - physically or verbally - makes perfect sense.

When self-preservation or ego-preservation is your priority, it is very difficult to choose love. Love is not, generally speaking, an enticing option in such cases. There is little obvious benefit in trying to love someone who is angry at you, in looking for love in a situation involving fear or anger or judgment. If, in such situations, the defense of the self is the first priority, then reacting defensively or even aggressively is quite understandable.

The questions worth asking in such situations include: What are you defending? What is it that is actually being threatened? Why do you feel the need to react to something someone else has done or said?

If you can take a step back and assess the situation, you can perhaps realize that there is nothing to defend, no need to battle a perceived foe. It is simply a game, and you don't have to play that game if you don't want to. It is simply a choice.

But if you, at that moment, are incapable of seeing things clearly, and are unable to extract your ego and your self-image from that situation, then perhaps you must become defensive, and maybe even lash out in anger and aggression.

Which is quite understandable.

Not necessarily desirable or preferable, but understandable.

Fundamentalism

Fundamentalist Islam is the same reaction to a perceived societal decay that we see from fundamentalist Christians in America.

When people view conflicts, contradictions, and uncomfortable changes in their society, it is human nature to search for reasons and to blame those who are responsible for such changes.

In many parts of the world, particularly in many Islamic communities, people see problems in their society and they blame their corrupt, Westernized government, their greedy business leaders, and the overall influence of the West. In such places, it is all too easy to blame the West, and America in particular, for the problems people see in their society. And so America, being the top dog of the West, represents, to such people, all that is bad in the modern world.

What is required for progress in this area is the realization that EVERY human being is capable of the most loving AND the most horrid gestures and choices. So while certain people are exhibiting extreme examples of beautiful or ugly behavior, it is all humanity. It is all us.

The people you are blaming and judging and vilifying are exhibiting HUMAN qualities. We are beautiful AND ugly. And we are capable of choosing either one.

That is what we are here to learn.

Who Do YOU Appreciate?

Would you rather appreciate someone, or have that someone appreciate you?

A self-sustaining personality is one which appreciates itself so much that it doesn't depend on others for appreciation, acceptance, etc.

For such personalities, being appreciated by others is not necessary, though it is enjoyable. It can be seen as a mirror image of the appreciation that a personality has for itself.

Which of us are stable personalities, then? Which of us appreciate ourselves so much that it is unnecessary for others to appreciate us?

Children come to mind.

They start out that way. They begin life appreciating themselves.

And then they learn, as they grow, that some of their expressions and attributes are NOT appreciated. They are told so repeatedly by their parents, siblings, friends, teachers, etc. And because they are new to life, they are susceptible to the beliefs and opinions of others. And before you know it, you have yourself an adult (or teenager, or adolescent) who has learned NOT to appreciate himself, and who has grown to rely on the acceptance and appreciation of others to feel good about himself (or herself).

To address this, we must dismantle those antiquated but entrenched self-judgments and self-criticisms. They are what keep us from accepting ourselves, and this lack of self-acceptance makes it impossible to appreciate ourselves.

We in our society have fooled ourselves into thinking that we need to DO things in order to be appreciated. We learn this at home growing up, we learn it at school, and we practice it at work.

Yet the truth is, you don't need to do ANYTHING in order to be acceptable. And in fact, the more you do in an effort to be accepted and appreciated, the more you are expressing the belief that you aren't acceptable just the way you are.

Wouldn't it be nice if you accepted and appreciated yourself so much that you weren't dependent upon anybody else's appreciation of you? No more fishing for compliments, no more unwanted commitments, no more fake smiles or false apologies or grudges or self-doubt or regret or any of the other unpleasant experiences that go along with protecting some sort of image of yourself.

Yes, that would be tremendous. And it was. Once upon a time, long ago. Back before you learned to do all of those things in order to be accepted.

And appreciated.

Q & A

Question: Why does life have to be such a puzzle?

Answer: Because we love puzzles!

Icing On Your Cake

When there are things or experiences that you feel are lacking in your life, it is not possible for you to fully appreciate the present moment.

As you perceive yourself to be lacking something, anything, you can not feel appreciation. You cannot feel abundance.

Abundance is not a result of acquiring the things you want. The experience of abundance is the result of PERCEIVING abundance. If you desire abundance and prosperity and good health and happiness,you must first strive to perceive those things, incorporate them into your perception. Then the experiences will follow.

The theory of Icing On Your Cake states that when you appreciate that which is already a part of your life, and experience joy because of it, then the universe yearns to give you more of it - yearns to give you icing on your cake.

When, instead, your attention is upon the LACK of what you desire, you have no cake upon which the universe can place your icing. There is no cake. You must first have the cake.

This theory implies that in order to experience happiness, you must first have a solid foundation of happiness upon which a new experience can take root. Otherwise, the few seeds of joy that you manage to draw into your experience will never take root but will instead blow away with the first gust of conflict, of UNhappiness. The foundation of happiness must first be in place before new and exciting joy can be drawn to you.

If you want icing, observe the cake of happiness around you. It's there, but you must CHOOSE to look for it, to focus upon it.

And then our loving universe will coat all of your days with a sugary sweet glaze of joy.

Dessert, anyone?

Life Secret # 5

Real power comes from understanding that you create your reality.

Any other form of power is an illusion, an exercise of the ego.

Money & Wealth

What makes money useful and powerful is the agreement we all make regarding its worth. To acquire or possess money and wealth is to take advantage of this agreement.

But more than that, it is a measure of the worth an individual places upon himself or herself.

For example, compare the way a CEO values himself to the way a waitress in a diner values herself. The different levels of worth and importance they place on themselves (as well as their perception of their own abilities) are reflected in their jobs and their paychecks.

Professional athletes reflect this issue quite clearly as well.

Pros grow up being told that they are special, and they arrive at the professional level with the belief that they DESERVE to earn a great deal of money. They place a high degree of importance and worth upon themselves.

Perhaps we should ask ourselves, honestly, how we value ourselves, how we see our own worth.

How much money and wealth are you worthy of?

You can only have as much as you feel you deserve.

Darwin Was Wrong

Consciousness Creates Form.

And thus Darwin hadn't a clue.

He was looking at shadows on the wall. And because he saw that the shadows changed their form, he concluded evolution.

But what was casting those shadows?

Consciousness.

It was consciousness that was changing. And because consciousness changes, the forms that consciousness takes change as well.

So a species may have an different shape or appearance than it did before - and this is because the consciousness that is expressing itself in that form has grown in awareness and therefore ability. And so it will alter its physical form to accommodate its increased abilities and awareness.

A species isn't necessarily changing in order to survive. Often, it changes in order to allow itself to express new or improved abilities or desires.

Now what do you think of that, Mr. Darwin?

Flexibility Of Attention

We must learn to use our thinking mechanism to better supervise our moods.

We tend to look at our current circumstances and allow them to dictate our mood. And yet we have the ability to CHOOSE what we pay attention to.

So while we are generally not able to decide what mood we will be in - what emotion we will feel right now - we CAN choose what to concentrate upon. And whatever we choose to concentrate upon will affect our mood because we inevitably hold beliefs with regard to the object of our concentration.

If our priority is to maintain a good mood, we must be flexible enough to move our attention away from any thought or outside circumstance that feels unpleasant. Without that flexibility of attention, one is stuck paying attention to whatever thought or event is currently taking place - regardless of how it feels.

The intention to focus only on pleasant thoughts and circumstances must be coupled with a flexibility of attention for that intention to manifest as experience.

I have found, through my experience, that having the flexibility to move my attention AWAY from unpleasant thoughts and TOWARD pleasant ones is my/our single most difficult challenge.

My analytical and egocentric mind has always, throughout my life, dwelled endlessly on my perceived shortcomings, failures, and lacks. I see now that because I was expressing and focusing upon such limiting beliefs about myself, I was encountering them in my experiences - those beliefs were translated into my actual experience (that Reality 101, folks!).

In some ways, it is quite amazing that I have gotten to where I am now given my propensity for feeling sorry for myself and for thinking myself to death.

And yet now, as I apprehend how all of this works, I can see clearly how I have consistently allowed my circumstances and my beliefs about myself to dictate where my attention is. And as I take the wheel of my attention and learn to steer it deliberately toward pleasant thoughts and ideas and circumstances, it is a pleasure beyond words to begin to see the new and affirming beliefs I am choosing to focus upon being translated into my current and future circumstances.

And, I might add, I am indebted to more than a few teachers for such progress...

Life Secret #4

Evil does not exist.

What we call evil is not the presence of something but the lack of something.

And that something is compassion.