All your life... you were only waiting for this moment to arise.
In my life, the shared experiences with loved ones and friends has been the most influential and most valuable aspect of life that I'll take with me. Once you leave your home, and your family, and move out on your own, you'll discover something... the most obvious thing, yet the most important as well. That the shared experiences, the shared reality that you once existed within are now a memory. Now all of a sudden, to continue with the relationships, and to engage in further experiences of love, friendship, and family, you must make those relationships a priority.
Often times we underestimate what happens when we visit our roots, when we visit the personalities that created and shaped us into the people that we are today. When we view the bahaviours, the personalities, the problems and strife... the love and the laughter... it forces us to reflect on ourselves and the progression of our lives. What will come of us now? Now that the behaviours of our parents are so subtle and ingrained within ourselves. Where do we go? What is life all about?
Is it about finding a mate, and having kids. Providing a better life than I was provided? In my case, that's a tall order, because I couldn't have asked for anything more than this. Is life about death and taxes? Is life about supporting the hierarchy that we all exist within, getting a menial job... finding a mate to rub our pennies together and scrimp and save, in the hopes that we may be able to retire without eating cat food? Is this all there is?
I had a conversation with someone today who was down... yet another example of someone whose happiness is attached to some external event. And the event that he choose... of all things... is the rise and fall of the stock market. Because lately, the stock market has been going down, his happiness and mood has gone down. In hopes to snap him back into a more stable reality, I simply pointed out the absurdity of being happy only when stocks are up and on the rise... and if his happiness is tied to the rise and fall of stocks, and given the current trend, I remarked that he's in trouble. His response was... "money buys you options." My response was that no... your inner world is what provides you with options. You can be a pauper and have more options than the richest of men, it is all in how you look at it... it's all in how you construct your reality. This particular friend is someone who has stepped away from the transcendental as of late, and has fallen back into the illusion of material possessions and the supposed happiness they bring. I know that eventually, once he's dissatisfied with the lack of happiness, he may go back and walk the path again, but that is his choice, as it is everyone's. Unfortunately, the less people that are even aware of the path, the less chance we have to stablize our collective realities.
Imagine a world where everyone's happiness was tied to the stock market. Or the bonds market, or even more drastic, the rise and fall of commodities like gas or gold. Imagine how unstable our entire world would be. We would all be psychotic, simply because our emotions would control us all the time. We would be at the mercy of the external environment, with absolutely no control over how we feel. We would cause wars, commit crimes, cause misery, and pain for everyone around us. Sounds absurd doesn't it? Well perhaps it's a good time to realize that this is exactly what all of us do. All of our emotions are closely attached and linked to external events, circumstances, or objects. Some of us choose more stable things to be happy about, some of us don't. Some of us are just content to be with their families. Some of us are content that they have a nice collection of toys... electronics... music... etc. Some of us are content and happy when they are dating the "right" person.
None of us actually realize the absurdity of giving away our power and control of our emotions, but we do it constantly... and worse yet we don't even see the problem. Most don't even think it's a problem to begin with... it's simply the way they were raised... because the behaviour of their parents was similar, they too are only able to perceive happiness if external events magically line up and allow us the *blessing* of being happy. I say that is absurd, and as such I suggest that people begin to see and reclaim the power that they have over their internal world... and decouple that from our external world and the events that unfold around us. Then perhaps we will all stabilize around a more positive attitude bit by bit... one person at a time. Then perhaps peace will finally be upon us.
All realities are constructed from within, and that construct is what allows us to perceive the external world the way that we do. The good news is that our constructs of reality can change at anytime. But only if we want to... only if we first of all perceive that we actually *can* change or affect something... that we have some measure of control. Once that is realized, internally we make the decision that we have the power to change the event or circumstance or even object in question. We may even act at this point... perhaps the event irritates us and we desire change, or perhaps we see the opportunity for improvement and actually have the internal fortitude and gumption to change. Perhaps... maybe once in a life time... people may realize that the external world only changed because of the change within.
Once there was a way... to get back home. Where peace of mind is actualized and easily obtained... so peaceful is the mind that for the first time, we may realize the real intelligence beyond the illusion and chatter within consciousness. To be free of the cultures, the religions, the dogma, the judgments, the societal constructs that limit and condition us so well, so subtly that we're oblivious to it. But for now... sleep as you will... but know within you... that there will be a path... and we all will walk it.
All your life... you were only waiting for this moment to be free.
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
Life is what happens to you...
When you're busy makin' other plans! Ok so let's try this again, as I wrote a huge article updating everyone on what's been happening with me lately, and what's new and exciting, but this wonderful blogging tool deleted my entire post, and left nothing behind save my own tears. And as irony would have it... life did happen to me while I was writing the article, which is why I couldn't save it in time, so here we go again!
Last night I had a great training session for NLP and Hypnosis, which are extremely valuable tools for motivating, and empowering others to peak performance levels. I myself underwent hypnosis yesterday, and I'll just answer the first question that everyone seems to have... right off the bat. Yes I am in control while under hypnosis, as all hypnosis is self induced. You can pull yourself out of it at anytime.
Some people ask, well why do people do crazy stuff while on stage if a hypnosis is performing? Well psychologically those individuals have already made an internal agreement that they'll be going onstage to make a fool of themselves, and so they do. That isn't what my training is about however, as I train to access the subconscious and unconscious mental processes, to suggest powerful thoughts at that level, which act as the catalyst to change within a persons life. The exercise I went through was a direct response to a question I had regarding the ripple effect that bad associations to life circumstances can have over time. The visualization that I went through was extremely focused, detailed, and revealed some interesting visual representations of my thoughts about myself and about my current life conditions.
In an amateur fashion, I have guided others through visualization over the years, so this training only serves to strengthen and enhance my skills and techniques. That way I can better serve the populace, and better integrate motivational concepts in my work. I've always said that for my stories to evolve, I must evolve, therefore I've placed myself into situations where intense training is required, and deeper thought must be given to fully comprehend what is being taught.
As I train NLP and Hypnosis, I've learned several motivational techniques, many ways to access the conscious, subconscious, and unconscious mind, all in an attempt to evolve my understanding of the inner workings of the human intellect. All hypnosis is self hypnosis... as I went under yesterday, I had full awareness and control over what was happening to me, and simply allowed my subconscious to populate my visual world, while being guided by the practitioner. This reveals very interesting aspects of yourself, especially as the experience I had was walking through a museum of my own life, with various pieces of art work, sculptures, and other objects which represented times in my life, aspects of my consciousness, and life circumstances I am faced with. This allowed me to quickly and easily see visual representation of the "problems", and to also visualize the solution as well. NLP + Hypnosis is based on Gestalt therapy, Family therapy, and Hypnosis, and serves to take the best models of what works, vs. what doesn't work.
What works vs. what doesn't work, seems to be a model of life which yields the highest results. Truth and Falsehood are far too subjective, as they require a personal point of view for real validation. What is true for you, may not be true for all people, in all times and places. So truth, very quickly, becomes a subjective reality. What works, vs what doesn't work seems to be far more objective, as it's results based. Does this work? Does this have a result that is quantifiable? Can I repeat this process, and obtain the same result? Notice how truth is an unnecessary judgment in that process.
In addition to this training, I continue with my Kung Fu, which serves to enhance my daily life in more ways that I can even articulate. From the reading of body language, to the understanding of memory and intellectual processes, to confidence, to the deeper comprehension of combat in general. Highly rewarding learning process, which has aided in my evolution, and the evolution of my books in many ways.
My nights are busy these days... with guitar training tonight, and kung fu tomorrow... and a dinner on Thursday and Friday... my weeks are fairly packed. While all this is going on, my editor is working diligently and is moving at a fantastic pace. She's been editing 2 chapters per week, and at this rate, Part I of the story should be complete by next Monday. There are 21 chapters in the book, with an epilogue and prologue that also require editing, so we're well underway. Once the editing process is complete, I'll go back and accept or reject changes, and integrate portions of the various feedback I've received, and work towards polishing the book as much as possible. Then of course, I'll be working with my Marketing Guru associate, who is helping me prepare a proper Book proposal, which I will then send to various publishers. Very exciting times these days... and I'm extremely busy! But in the end... it'll all be worth it. Thanks for reading.
Last night I had a great training session for NLP and Hypnosis, which are extremely valuable tools for motivating, and empowering others to peak performance levels. I myself underwent hypnosis yesterday, and I'll just answer the first question that everyone seems to have... right off the bat. Yes I am in control while under hypnosis, as all hypnosis is self induced. You can pull yourself out of it at anytime.
Some people ask, well why do people do crazy stuff while on stage if a hypnosis is performing? Well psychologically those individuals have already made an internal agreement that they'll be going onstage to make a fool of themselves, and so they do. That isn't what my training is about however, as I train to access the subconscious and unconscious mental processes, to suggest powerful thoughts at that level, which act as the catalyst to change within a persons life. The exercise I went through was a direct response to a question I had regarding the ripple effect that bad associations to life circumstances can have over time. The visualization that I went through was extremely focused, detailed, and revealed some interesting visual representations of my thoughts about myself and about my current life conditions.
In an amateur fashion, I have guided others through visualization over the years, so this training only serves to strengthen and enhance my skills and techniques. That way I can better serve the populace, and better integrate motivational concepts in my work. I've always said that for my stories to evolve, I must evolve, therefore I've placed myself into situations where intense training is required, and deeper thought must be given to fully comprehend what is being taught.
As I train NLP and Hypnosis, I've learned several motivational techniques, many ways to access the conscious, subconscious, and unconscious mind, all in an attempt to evolve my understanding of the inner workings of the human intellect. All hypnosis is self hypnosis... as I went under yesterday, I had full awareness and control over what was happening to me, and simply allowed my subconscious to populate my visual world, while being guided by the practitioner. This reveals very interesting aspects of yourself, especially as the experience I had was walking through a museum of my own life, with various pieces of art work, sculptures, and other objects which represented times in my life, aspects of my consciousness, and life circumstances I am faced with. This allowed me to quickly and easily see visual representation of the "problems", and to also visualize the solution as well. NLP + Hypnosis is based on Gestalt therapy, Family therapy, and Hypnosis, and serves to take the best models of what works, vs. what doesn't work.
What works vs. what doesn't work, seems to be a model of life which yields the highest results. Truth and Falsehood are far too subjective, as they require a personal point of view for real validation. What is true for you, may not be true for all people, in all times and places. So truth, very quickly, becomes a subjective reality. What works, vs what doesn't work seems to be far more objective, as it's results based. Does this work? Does this have a result that is quantifiable? Can I repeat this process, and obtain the same result? Notice how truth is an unnecessary judgment in that process.
In addition to this training, I continue with my Kung Fu, which serves to enhance my daily life in more ways that I can even articulate. From the reading of body language, to the understanding of memory and intellectual processes, to confidence, to the deeper comprehension of combat in general. Highly rewarding learning process, which has aided in my evolution, and the evolution of my books in many ways.
My nights are busy these days... with guitar training tonight, and kung fu tomorrow... and a dinner on Thursday and Friday... my weeks are fairly packed. While all this is going on, my editor is working diligently and is moving at a fantastic pace. She's been editing 2 chapters per week, and at this rate, Part I of the story should be complete by next Monday. There are 21 chapters in the book, with an epilogue and prologue that also require editing, so we're well underway. Once the editing process is complete, I'll go back and accept or reject changes, and integrate portions of the various feedback I've received, and work towards polishing the book as much as possible. Then of course, I'll be working with my Marketing Guru associate, who is helping me prepare a proper Book proposal, which I will then send to various publishers. Very exciting times these days... and I'm extremely busy! But in the end... it'll all be worth it. Thanks for reading.
Thursday, May 04, 2006
May - Book 1 update
Ok Ok Ok... so it's not published yet... but give me a break! This isn't easy! Luckily things have continued to progress nicely for me however, as I now have 2 (possibly 3) reviews and edits happening right now.
I've hired a new editor who has already proven to be extremely valuable, and seems to have latched onto the story in the way I was hoping. It's difficult finding the right editor, simply because they may not be in the same zone in terms of your writing, which would then cause you to have conflicts and could spark an entire rewrite, or at the very least discourage the author unnecessarily. So far so good with this editor, and I'm very pleased with the responses I've received, and I feel this will be an incredible value add to the story, as she is doing a rough line / copy edit, along with the manuscript evaluation. This will be extremely valuable... simply because the main simple corrections will be done, and all that will remain is to properly integrate the feedback I've obtained from my various sources. This is all in an effort to get the best work possible before I put my heart out there and approach various publishing houses.
Initially I will approach the 6 major Sci-Fi / Fantasy publishing houses in the United States, and failing that, I will broaden my view and genre and approach various Fiction houses. If that doesn't work, then self publishing is the way to go. Regardless of how long it takes to get this project off the ground, it will get there. One way, or another. Of course, having a well known publishing house distribute your work is much better option for the casual, or transitioning author (meaning transitioning from a 9 - 5 job, to authorship).
Of course that is the goal, that authorship will be the final destination for me in terms of a career, which can branch off into teaching, coaching, or training others going forward. That comment will make much more sense after I've created book 4, which is a book based on the experiences of the main character, as he trains with several masters on various topics. That will be a detailed account of his journey and discovery as he fully realizes his abilities, and what he must do to defeat his opponents.
Timeline for this round of edits is roughly 8 - 10 weeks, but I feel that it will be finished sooner than that, as my goal for publishing this year is still going strong, and if I'm a month or two off, that's still pretty damn good... still more efficient than some of the Projects I've worked on during my day job! But we're getting there, so thank you to all who have shown interest, and have supported me with your thoughts and feedback, you've been invaluable in this process.
So what am I up to while the edits are going on? Well, for the books to evolve, I too must evolve, so I continue to train my art, research further topics of interest, and develop new methodologies to communicate our latent abilities to those who may be unaware of them, and to formulate new and more exciting plots and stories for future work. Is there anything better than creation?
I've hired a new editor who has already proven to be extremely valuable, and seems to have latched onto the story in the way I was hoping. It's difficult finding the right editor, simply because they may not be in the same zone in terms of your writing, which would then cause you to have conflicts and could spark an entire rewrite, or at the very least discourage the author unnecessarily. So far so good with this editor, and I'm very pleased with the responses I've received, and I feel this will be an incredible value add to the story, as she is doing a rough line / copy edit, along with the manuscript evaluation. This will be extremely valuable... simply because the main simple corrections will be done, and all that will remain is to properly integrate the feedback I've obtained from my various sources. This is all in an effort to get the best work possible before I put my heart out there and approach various publishing houses.
Initially I will approach the 6 major Sci-Fi / Fantasy publishing houses in the United States, and failing that, I will broaden my view and genre and approach various Fiction houses. If that doesn't work, then self publishing is the way to go. Regardless of how long it takes to get this project off the ground, it will get there. One way, or another. Of course, having a well known publishing house distribute your work is much better option for the casual, or transitioning author (meaning transitioning from a 9 - 5 job, to authorship).
Of course that is the goal, that authorship will be the final destination for me in terms of a career, which can branch off into teaching, coaching, or training others going forward. That comment will make much more sense after I've created book 4, which is a book based on the experiences of the main character, as he trains with several masters on various topics. That will be a detailed account of his journey and discovery as he fully realizes his abilities, and what he must do to defeat his opponents.
Timeline for this round of edits is roughly 8 - 10 weeks, but I feel that it will be finished sooner than that, as my goal for publishing this year is still going strong, and if I'm a month or two off, that's still pretty damn good... still more efficient than some of the Projects I've worked on during my day job! But we're getting there, so thank you to all who have shown interest, and have supported me with your thoughts and feedback, you've been invaluable in this process.
So what am I up to while the edits are going on? Well, for the books to evolve, I too must evolve, so I continue to train my art, research further topics of interest, and develop new methodologies to communicate our latent abilities to those who may be unaware of them, and to formulate new and more exciting plots and stories for future work. Is there anything better than creation?
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