PACE of PLAY

Posted on December 5, 2021

Slow play is a challenge and an opportunity in golf! A slow player can ruin the day for players behind him-her; and in the interest of other golfers, players need to make a commitment to play at a reasonable pace. As an added variable in the pace-of-play equation, the number one revenue producer on golf courses is greens fees. Course management has an obligation to respective boards or management teams to fill as many tee times with foursomes as are available. From this perspective, pace-of-play becomes a total team effort between golfers and course management. Some pace-of-play concepts to learn and practice are as follows:

PLAY “READY GOLF”

  • When ready to make a shot, and it is safe, shoot.

COURTESY

  • Watch the shots of playing partners to facilitate locating golf balls for next shots.

ON-THE-TEE

  • To facilitate ball identification, let other players know the name of the ball and the ball’s markings you are playing.
  • Be ready to play when the fairway or green is clear.
  • Choose the set of tees that fits your game.
  • Shorter hitters should hit first.
  • Carry an extra ball, a ball marker, a divot tool, and a few tees in your pocket.
  • If it appears that your original ball may be difficult to find, it is a good idea to play a provisional ball.

IN THE FAIRWAY or ROUGH

  • Hit when ready and safe.
  • Drop your cart partner off for their shot and drive to yours.
  • If another player is walking to their ball and you are ahead of them, make your shot.
  • Take multiple clubs to your ball and hit without delay.
  • Before reaching the green and having double par, pick up, place ball on the green and putt to hole out.

ON-THE-GREEN

  • Before going to the green with your putter, golf cars, pull carts, and golf clubs need to be parked or placed between the green on which you are going to putt and the next teeing ground.
  • The first person on the green tends the flag and watches for and retrieves clubs left on the green when leaving the green. When putting is complete, be ready to pick up and replace the flag. To prevent lost golf clubs, a good practice is to place the short game clubs you have used on the green between the flag and your golf car, golf cart, or golf bag.
  • Study and line up your putt while others are putting.
  • When practical and acceptable with playing partners, continue putting until holed out.
  • If a partner has a sand shot, be prepared to help with raking.
  • Leave the green immediately after holing out and proceed to the next tee.
  • Bag your clubs and complete your scorecard at the next teeing ground.

ON PAR 3 GREENS

  • Upon reaching the green, if the group behind you is waiting on the tee to hit, stand in a safe area and have the group hit.

WATER BALLS

  • If your ball goes into a water hazard and is accessible, take the time to retrieve only your ball.

LOST BALL

  • Limit search for lost balls to three minutes. If pressed for time and the next hole is open, wave the group behind through.

Be your own best pace-of-play coach by identifying the ways you can pick up the pace-of-play. Rules of Golf, Rule 5.6b, tells us, “When it is the player’s turn to play:

  • It is recommended that the player make the stroke in no more than 40 seconds after he or she is (or should be) able to play without interference or distraction, and
  • The player should usually be able to play more quickly than that and is encouraged to do so.”

Go to www.usga.com to learn about USGA pace-of-play programs, insights, and suggestions.

CULTURE and 100% RESPONSIBILITY

Posted on November 27, 2021

Ruth Bader Ginsberg offered, “Fight for the things you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.” (https://www.huffpost.com/entry/ruth-bader-ginsburg-fight-for-things-you-care-about_n_7492630) Folks will not remember what you did or what you said. They will remember how you made them feel.

During Corporate America years at Coors a lasting experience was the opportunity to work with Hyler Bracey, President, the Atlanta Consulting Group. The Coors family had hired Hyler and his associates to facilitate transition of Adolph Coors Company from vertically organized, dependent companies into horizontally organized, independent companies.

At the age of 28, Hyler was in a stock car racing accident and burned over 60% of his body. His face was severely disfigured, and his fingers were like burned twigs one notices in a campfire. However, his character, personality, and mentality, manifested through his blue eyes and subconscious mind, were magnetizing and drew you to his heart. Hyler modeled scars that offer a story of the past and did not dictate where he was or intended to go. He walked the talk of one of the key concepts he and his associates shared with the Coors leadership team: life happens because of me and not to me, or the concept of 100% responsibility.

Daily we are witnesses to scurrying about to avoid being identified as the culprit. In our culture there is intense desire to be off the hook; and clever and devious actions taken to get off the hook are known as cover your posterior, CYA. Quite simply, desired results do not equal excuses coupled with no desired results; and blaming, justifying, spinning, lying, and choosing not to accept responsibility when something goes wrong is a negative life and leadership strategy. Being right is a booby prize! The real prize is the desired result which has not been realized. Blaming and justifying put us at the mercy of other people and events and do not make things happen. A better strategy is not to give away power and influence by blaming and justifying. Take charge: 100% responsibility, I am 100% responsible and others are 0% responsible.

Imagine the power in this country where folks assume 100% responsibility for its success; and folks are held accountable for producing results and not justifying, defending and blaming. Visualize how refreshing it would be for the President, Senators and Representatives to be examining what they did and what they could do for America rather than expending energy plotting how to get off the hook, spinning, defending and justifying why nothing is being accomplished. Perhaps the greatest value of the 100%-0% concept is that it focuses energy on creating desired results rather than finding ways of avoiding responsibility. Because it encourages folks to develop new options to produce desired results, it is a deeply empowering concept.

Thank you Hyler for pointing the way to 100% responsibility, a leader’s tool to make things happen and generate positive differences in every area of American lives. The negative option is wasting time and money blaming, defending, justifying, spinning, meeting, lying, cheating, creating division and chaos, making excuses and not getting the job done for Americans.

POLICIES and PROGRAMS

Posted on November 20, 2021

Let us take a few more minutes and begin to figure out who should receive our votes. Vision and leadership, to include values and guiding principles, have been explored. The intent of this blog is to offer an initial list of possible policies and programs.

As campaigning for 2022 mid-term elections and the 2024 Presidential race unfolds, and as the media frenzies swarm, it should come as no surprise that the strategy for political parties is “strategic extremism” based on identity politics: we-they, us-them, simply feeding a culture created on dualism.  This is nothing more than two wolves destroying a beautiful country from within. As campaigning moves forward, note that there is limited discussion about policies, programs, and issues that make a difference; and notice the inflammatory nonsense in a deliberate effort to manipulate, mobilize, and separate voters. Culturally liberal mainstream media will happily take the bait—it boosts ratings—and makes cultural “illiberalism” a big issue. Because morality is relative and voters like it, it is an easy tool with which to MANIPULATE voters. Every time we are emotionally upset, angry, irritated, impatient, condescending, we are deliberately being set up, and we may not want to acknowledge it at the time. Lies, deception, conspiracies, half-truths, valueless, virtue less, vision less, leaderless, and dualism are simply a way of life for political campaigns.

American citizens are better than this! We can remain in our seats and watch the show and realize that what is unfolding in front of us is part of a play and that the actors are only emotionally triggering us—manipulating us—and offering messages. This beckons challenge and opportunity to take time out and reflect on key issues in the form of a vision, mission, leaders and leadership, values, virtues, and guiding principles to live, and what policies and programs make sense for the country. We have a great deal to heal and get done in the battle for democracy and the Nation. Let us be open to the infinite potential and possibilities and build cohesive teams and partnerships in our great country. A strength is our differences! We are all Americans, and we can each choose to transcend and include others. Two weeks ago, a working vision and mission were offered and last week a perspective of leadership, to include values and guiding principles, was offered. The sharing this week is possible policies and programs. Chew on them and perhaps create lists of your own to guide productive discussion and decision making.

  • Leadership, management, and control of pandemics through the Centers for Disease Control, coupled with state public health entities and active support and interface with the World Health Organization.
  • Voting integrity with a viable and well led United States Postal Service.
  • Affordable healthcare and viable public health outreach (integral physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health, wellness, and well-being) coupled with honored per-existing conditions, decreasing drug prices, and necessary integral psychological health processes, including resolution of opioid addiction. Top ten measurable dimensions: history, coverage, financing, payment, delivery of care, prescription drug regulation, human resources, and future challenges. Considerations: consumer friendliness, choices for providers, innovation, generosity of coverage, and equality of care.
  • An economy for working, middle-class families that is teeming with jobs, union solidarity, small businesses, agriculture programs and processes, essential childcare, corporate sanity, sound trade relationships, and social security system.
  • A globally envied education system: facilities, teachers, schools of choice, and curriculum that unsettles minds and coaches students to think straight.
  • Racial and social justice, diversity, and anti-racism policies and programs that evolve dismantling the conscious and unconscious pillars of racism and dualism in the country: prison reform; human dignity and respect, all colors, all genders, all religions-integral spirituality. Civil rights are a must.
  • Communities are safe and teeming with peaceful activities, including protests; citizens and police are mutually respected, masters of the Self, and model the way as persons, in relationships, socially, institutionally, culturally, and by caring for and helping others. Violence on streets is not tolerated and is dealt with sanely.
  • Leading-edge military and space force, visits to military deployment areas, exceptional veteran and veteran spouse-family-children benefits, outreach, integral psychological health, and combat veteran re-entry-transition program.
  • Global climate change and environment
  • Intelligence and technology
  • National security and foreign policy with inspired State Department and allies: underwater, space, and military; and coalition building facilitated by trust, respect, and mutual goals.
  • An infrastructure re-building program: maintenance, re-building, and evolution.
  • Sensible gun laws.
  • Immigration reform and sanity.
  • Programs for the empowerment, advancement, and placement of women.
  • Abortion legislation recognizes women’s rights to choose.
  • Tax equity and sanity; and long-term care and financial security programs for seniors.
  • Freedom of religion and spiritual path.
  • Media are objective, tell the truth, and are respected.

Have fun creating your own lists to facilitate voting choices and sane, objective discussion of options. A nice read is Kirsten Powers Saving Grace: Speak Your Truth, Stay Centered, and Learn to Coexist with People Who Drive You Nuts.

 

LEADERS and LEADERSHIP

Posted on November 13, 2021

Let us take time out and figure out who should receive our votes. As campaigning for 2022 mid-term elections and the 2024 Presidential race unfolds, and as the media frenzies begin to swarm, it should come as no surprise that the strategy for political parties is “strategic extremism” based on identity politics: we-they, us-them itus. This is nothing more than two wolves destroying a beautiful country from within. As campaigning moves forward, note that there is limited discussion about policies and issues that make a difference; and notice the inflammatory nonsense in a deliberate effort to manipulate, mobilize, and separate voters. Culturally liberal mainstream media will happily take the bait—it boosts ratings—and makes Trump’s cultural “illiberalism” a big issue. Because morality is relative and voters like it, it is an easy tool with which to MANIPULATE voters. Every time we are emotionally upset, angry, irritated, impatient, condescending, we are deliberately being set up, and we may not want to acknowledge it at the time. Lies, deception, conspiracies, half-truths, valueless, virtue less, vision less, leaderless, and cowardice are simply a way of life for political campaigns.

American citizens are better than this! We can remain in our seats and watch the show and realize that what is unfolding in front of us is part of a play and that the actors are only emotionally triggering us—manipulating us—and offering messages. This beckons challenge and opportunity to take time out and reflect on key issues in the form of a vision and mission for America; leaders and leadership; some critical values, virtues, and guiding principles to live; and what policies and programs make sense for the country. We have a great deal to heal and get done in the battle for the soul of the Nation. Our opponents are not our enemies; and we are not “Red States” and “Blue States.” Let us be open to the infinite potential and possibilities and build cohesive teams and partnerships in our great country. A strength is our differences! We are all Americans, and we can each choose to transcend and include others. Last week, a working vision was offered. The sharing this week is about leaders and leadership. Chew on it and perhaps create lists of your own to guide decision making.

 Core Values and Guiding Principles

  • The Constitution is sacredly obligatory upon all.
  • Our core values are truth to power, honesty, integrity, hope, love, and morality; and we put quality, compassion, and common good in all we are and all we do.
  • We do not lie, cheat, or steal, nor tolerate those amongst us who do.
  • We respect law and order.
  • We are committed to “walk the talk,” to action, and to the concept of 100% responsibility.
  • We are objective, not self-serving, and make decisions in the best interests of The United States of America.

Leaders

  • Have a track record of success and are trusted.
  • Have a history of compassion, loving-kindness, and building coalitions.
  • Understand that great leaders have been good followers and that leadership is an influence relationship that energizes earned power and willingness to achieve mutually defined goals.
  • Are master of the self, mind”full”ness, awareness, and integral life practice and model the way as persons, in relationships, socially, institutionally, and by helping others and caring about others.
  • Have high standards with respect to morals, ethics, guiding principles, and core values that are plainly manifested in personality, character, mentality, and magnetism.
  • Have learned self-restraint and 100% responsibility.
  • Are visibly committed to health, wellness, and well-being personally and for all Americans.
  • Are well-qualified, listen, inspire hope, have faith, and are empathetic.
  • Know where the country is and what it needs.
  • Will be surrounded by exceptionally well-qualified associates.
  • Will diligently work to create and maintain a compelling worldview vision and action strategies and plans for the country.
  • Will lead the development of policies and programs to evolve the country for all Americans.

Leadership

LEADERSHIP is an attribute of an individual’s brand; and is an earned, trust based, influence relationship between the respective leader, other leaders and followers who intend ethical and moral change that mirror common purpose. Some key qualities are as follows:

  • INTEGRAL ETHICS: The concept of integral connotes comprehensive, whole, balanced and “best of the best” and the concept of ethics is sincere private commitment to doing what it takes to grow into a life of full integrity: “walk the talk” in every area of life and “model the way” as individuals; in relationships; and when skillfully helping and supporting others. It is an opportunity for happiness and freedom and embraces 100% ethical responsibility for cultivation of care, compassion and awareness in the world and the globe: the range and depth of ethical choices that includes conscience, intra-psychic ethics—health, wellness and wellbeing, behavior, cultural relationships and systems and the environment. Ethics includes the full spectrum of morals, values and principles and is the art of being a good person and practicing goodness in everyday life. It includes all ways of being truthful, intelligent, authentic, and courageous that constitutes integrity: coupling intentions, promises and commitments with actions and behavior. The fruit of everyday ethics is humility and deep self-respect, a meaningful and lasting integrity that frees the person from living in denial, self-division, and self-contempt. Good leaders provide clarity about institutional ethics, morals, values, and guiding principles and behave consistently with these organizational beliefs. Ethics can also be the common values of a specific group.
  • MORALS: Judgments made by an individual and concerned with the principles of right and wrong behavior and the goodness and badness of human character.
  • VALUES: Determine what a person pays attention to and how the person acts. Examples: trust and trusted; integrity; direct; open; honesty; caring; compassionate; moral; health, wellness, and wellbeing; financial viability; leadership; hope; and peace-of-mind.
  • GUIDING PRINCIPLES: Core values that are articulated. Examples: Do not lie, cheat, or steal, nor tolerate those who do. Objective, not self-serving and acts in the best interests of the people and organization being served. Committed to the concept of 100% responsibility: life happens because of me and not to me. Does not blame others, learns from one’s own experiences in an intentional and self-directed manner and applies that learning to new challenges. Sets a good example for physical health, emotional balance, mental clarity, spiritual awakening, ethical behavior, and integration of hidden, denied, and repressed reflections manifested in the world. I am a student of life. I am silent self alone. I do everything with love. No matter what I am experiencing, it is arising in the awareness I am-the Universal Self.
  • PURPOSE: Reason for existence. Examples: Exemplary student of life. In the service of global health, wellness, and wellbeing, to embody, celebrate and study the ever-greater depth of awareness, humanity, and life.
  • FOLLOWERSHIP: The actions of someone in a subordinate role. The intentional practice on the part of the subordinate to enhance the synergistic interchange between the follower and the leader. Team play.
  • INTEGRAL VISION: Comprehensive, compelling picture of a desired future state. Leaders create and communicate a world centric vision, strategies and direction for the organization and persons led. Articulate a worldview for the Nation and the globe and possesses an integral understanding that allows the leader to be aware and understand other persons thus opening greater mutual understanding and openness to innovative, harmonious resolution; and more intelligent and appropriate responses to conflicts faced.
  • MISSION DRIVEN: Peace-of-mind with purpose and connections built on a foundation of compassion. Has a bias for action, for trying new things and for getting things done. Aggressively pursues objectives and sets high standards for self and others. Takes calculated risks and makes personal sacrifices to get things done.
  • EXECUTIVE MATURITY: Acts appropriately in business, social and political situations. Displays control in complex, ambiguous or stressful situations. Identifies with persons, shares their values and beliefs and is comfortable with them. Works toward mutually carved-out, worldview goals.
  • HUMAN NEEDS SATISFACTION: Is “in-tune” with mental and emotional needs of others, cares about people and puts action plans in-place to create an environment to improve the quality of life and personal productivity that is beneficial for persons. Links recognition to accomplishment and shows appreciation and expresses pride in the team’s accomplishments.
  • INTEGRAL THEORY and PRACTICE: Student of integral theory and integral life practice—physical health, emotional balance, mental clarity, and spiritual awakening—that includes a pluralistic and multicultural composite map of the human territory and ways to include the important dimensions of being to enable growth, awakening and development to fullest capacities. Integral theory does not dictate how to practice or how to live. It offers new perspectives on practice and life, new possibilities, and new horizons; and it opens minds, thus hearts, to a more inclusive and compassionate embrace of the Cosmos and all its inhabitants. Leaders who push the edges of their discipline do so by taking perspectives with more depth and more span than most others.
  • INTEGRAL COMMUNICATIONS, TECHNOLOGY and ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE MASTER: Integral communications translates the way an individual speaks to others’ perspectives while still being an authentic self. Simply keeps persons informed and creates communication forums and diverse coalitions to give and receive information and ethically manage perceptions. The spectrum of communication expertise: intrapersonal, interpersonal, person-to-persons, mass media, social media and associated technologies that optimize communication needs and strategies.

Artificial Intelligence: The theory and development of computer systems able to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence-visual perception, speech recognition, decision making and translation between languages.

  • QUALITY RELATIONSHIPS and INFLUENCE: Develops, uses and sustains strong, cooperative relationships with persons. Uses effective listening and interpersonal skills to achieve mutual trust and respect. Accomplishes tasks and objectives by resolving conflicts and influencing the actions of others. Is seen as a change agent; and makes a difference when involved.
  • STAFFING and STAFF DEVELOPMENT: Attracts and selects people with innate talents and learned skills. Assesses the short and long-term needs of the institution and develops plans to improve the overall structure and talent and skills strength of the institution.
  • TEAM LEADERSHIP: Achieves results by motivating and inspiring a unified, winning team. Builds commitment to common goals by communicating a sense of mission and by energizing the team. Creates an environment where differences are valued, where systems work equally well for all and wherein persons can retain uniqueness and contribute at their full potential.
  • BUSINESS and FINANCIAL SAVY: Has a worldview perspective and is aware and understands the implications of changes in the globe. Has “street smarts,” sizes-up situations quickly, is practical, and knows the right things to do and when to do them. Plans, communicates, monitors and controls, establishes risks, solves problems and makes sound decisions concerning economic and financial performance.
  • HANDLING COMPLEXITY: Analyzes and solves complex problems. Deals effectively with large amounts of data, changing conditions, incomplete data, or uncertainty. Understands how seemingly unrelated issues interact and affect one another. Gets to the essence of complex issues quickly, generates a variety of alternative courses of action and makes effective decisions.
  • IDEA LEADERSHIP: Open to input, change and new ideas. Implements breakthrough and innovative ideas, programs and processes that make a genuine difference.
  • INTEGRAL POLITICS: is aware and understands the inadequacies of political parties because of limited and partial views that do not address the complex issues facing the world today.

Individuals matter, leaders matter and leadership matters. If democracy is to prevail, we must select good leaders and hold them accountable for high quality leadership!! The evolution imperative of wholeness and inspired, growing awareness of the human condition, coupled with helping others, can change the daily headlines from an underlying sense of fear, chaos, and domination to love and freedom. Leaders can be grown who create a vibrant civil society where people continue to be free, to live as they choose, to speak their minds, to organize peacefully, and to have a say in how they are governed.

 

VISION and MISSION

Posted on November 6, 2021

Let us take time out and figure out who should receive our votes. As campaigning for 2022 mid-term elections and the 2024 Presidential race unfolds, and as the media frenzies begin to swarm, it should come as no surprise that the strategy for political parties is “strategic extremism” based on identity politics: we-they, us-them itus. This is nothing more than two wolves destroying a beautiful country from within. As campaigning moves forward, note that there is limited discussion about policies and issues that make a difference; and notice the inflammatory nonsense in a deliberate effort to manipulate, mobilize, and separate voters. Culturally liberal mainstream media will happily take the bait—it boosts ratings—and makes Trump’s cultural “illiberalism” a big issue. Because morality is relative and voters like it, it is an easy tool with which to MANIPULATE voters. Every time we are emotionally upset, angry, irritated, impatient, condescending, we are deliberately being set up, and we may not want to acknowledge it at the time. Lies, deception, conspiracies, half-truths, valueless, virtue less, vision less, leaderless, and cowardice are simply a way of life for political campaigns.

American citizens are better than this! We can remain in our seats and watch the show and realize that what is unfolding in front of us is part of a play and that the actors are only emotionally triggering us—manipulating us—and offering messages. This beckons challenge and opportunity to take time out and reflect on key issues in the form of a vision and mission for America; some critical values, virtues, and guiding principles to live; and what policies and programs make sense for the country. We have a great deal to heal and get done in the battle for the soul of the Nation. Our opponents are not our enemies; and we are not “Red States” and “Blue States.” Let us be open to the infinite potential and possibilities and unify our great country. We are all Americans, and we can each choose to transcend and include others. As a starting point for your vision and mission of our “mighty task,” a working draft might look something like this…

VISION

Quality, compassion, and common good in all we are and all we do.

Strategies

  • Evolve with solid core values, virtues, and guiding principles.
  • Limited government for citizens.
  • Fiscal responsibility; economic stability and equity; and long-term financial security.
  • Public safety for all Americans, respect for law and order, and no one is above the law.
  • Top ten healthcare system and pandemic preparedness.
  • Programs, processes, and coalitions to dismantle systemic racism.
  • Controlled business ethical and moral issues.
  • Avoid war with strong military and space forces, global allies and networks, and dialogue.
  • Professional State Department and alliances coupled with reasoned foreign policy.
  • Helping others, caring about others, and common good processes: churches, individuals, groups, institutions, and the government.
  • Judges: objective, uphold the Constitution and guiding principles; and satisfy evolving cultural needs.
  • Respect for democracy and decentralized culture, empowered citizens, citizen’s choices, level of culture’s evolution, and science.
  • Environmental awareness, control, and self-restraint.
  • Strength in diversity and sane immigration laws and regulations.

MISSION

To close with, enable, and facilitate, for individuals and collectives, integral health, presence, wellness, and wellbeing.

There is a great deal to do! Stay tuned, more to come in reflections about core values, virtues, guiding principles, policies, and programs. Let us get this ship turned around and moving in a positive direction. Citizens make votes count for America.

CREATIVE MANIPULATION

Posted on October 30, 2021

As campaigning for 2022 mid-term elections and the 2024 Presidential race unfolds, it should come as no surprise that the strategy for political parties is “strategic extremism” based on identity politics: we-they, us-them itus. This is nothing more than two wolves destroying a beautiful country from within. As campaigning moves forward, note that there is limited discussion about policies and issues that make a difference; and notice the inflammatory nonsense in a deliberate effort to manipulate, mobilize and separate right-wing voters. Culturally liberal mainstream media will happily take the bait—it boosts ratings—and make Trump’s cultural “illiberalism” a big issue. Because morality is relative and voters like it, it is an easy tool with which to manipulate voters. Every time we are emotionally upset, angry, irritated, impatient, condescending, we are deliberately being set up, and we may not want to acknowledge it at the time.

Lies, deception, conspiracies, half-truths, valueless, virtue less, vision less, leaderless, and cowardice, simply a way of life for Republicans. As Stuart Stevens offers in It Was All a Lie (108),

Republicans have built a political ecosphere that thrives on deceit and lies. It is an industrialized sort of deceit that is unique to the Republican Party. Over the last decades, Republicans have been conducting an experiment to determine how many control rods of truth could be taken out of a civil society’s core reactor of truth without creating a meltdown. It didn’t start with Trump, but Trump may prove to be the meltdown. What few people grasp-because they are outside the system and have normal lives to lead-is just how huge the machinery of deception is that the Republicans have erected and how long it has been in the making. Fox News is unique in American media history as serving more like the in-house propaganda arm of a strong-man dictator than operating by the accepted norms of professional journalism…For decades a certain percentage of those who call themselves conservatives had been cultivating a country within a country, a sort of virtual secession from the United States of America. Like Donald Trump’s election, Fox News was both an inevitable conclusion and an accelerant.

Americans are better than this! We can remain in our seats and watch the show and realize that what is unfolding in front of us is part of a play and that the actors are only emotionally triggering us—deliberately manipulating us—and offering messages. This beckons challenge and opportunity to learn and practice self-restraint, a skill with the reward that we can learn to laugh at how well and how often we get set up and how we react unconsciously to these experiences. A reward: access to endless messages and endless laughter.

  • What specific emotional reaction did this person, place, or event trigger?

Any occurrence in our life that emotionally triggers us in a negative way is always a message from the past being communicated to us in the present. The triggering event is a messenger.

  • When last did I experience the exact same emotional reaction?
  • And when before this incident did I experience the exact same emotional reaction?
  • What does this remind me of?
  • Who used to behave like this around or towards me?

Have fun laughing about the set-ups and manipulations. The Presence Process, Michael Brown, is a nice resource for learning more about how we most likely spend our lives getting set-up or manipulated. Self-restraint is a practical, learned skill and can create access to endless messages-“set-ups”, reduced stress, and endless laughter.

As elections near, reality offers that the choice of citizens is either democracy or autocracy. We need to select and elect democratic leaders who understand and have a track record of leadership, offer vision, virtues, values, and sane policy, and have pride in citizens who acknowledge and face reality and consciously respond to experiences. We can all learn to watch the play in front of us and make good choices about our futures and futures of generations to follow. Political “messengers” manipulate with lies, deception, and conspiracies and the better one becomes at watching the show, the triggers that offer emotional messages are received and better decisions are made by citizens when voting. Watch the show that offers tons of laughter while at the same time grasping the emotional messages deliberately created to manipulate our thinking and pollute our sanity.

SIMPLICITY

Posted on October 23, 2021

Ever since teeing up that first golf ball with Mom and Dad at the age of seven, golf has been a patient life coach; and as the years have sped by, the sport continues to coach and counsel. Recent experiences have offered that if open and psychologically ready for the infinite messages, “simple” in golf and life can be discovered beyond sport and life’s complexities.

Christian Larson’s (The Great Within) message is clear: we are reflections—thinking, personality and character—of the language we live-in.  As Abel Leighton Allen contends, “Our todays are the result of our past thinking, our tomorrows the result of our present thinking. We have been our mental parents, and we shall be our own mental children.” How would Woody and Birdy Ball, Golf as Guru, use this taste of philosophy on every shot or putting stroke on the golf course? “Too complicated for us: Just learn to program and trust the subconscious to hit the golf ball to an intended target.”

Step One: Create a clear, conscious vision of the ball at the desired target; and feel what is required to place the ball at the target: body mechanics, club mechanics, swing motion and ball position.

-Club required.

-Immaculate set-up: grip, aim, stance and posture.

-One piece take-away.

-No hurry to transition for full torque turn.

-Smooth transition.

-Accelerating forward swing and release.

-Club face square to ball-target line at impact.

-Extension of club to target.

-Complete finish.

Step Two: Go to the breath and program the subconscious with the vision of the what and the how—breathe it, think it, deeply feel it, see it, taste it, smell it, and touch it.

Step three: Proceed with the pre-shot routine and ritual for the desired shot or stroke.

Step four: Celebrate!

As Birdy offers, “Yes! We are thinking, personality and character reflections of the language we live in. Let’s live in the language we desire! Not the swing thoughts and whims of the monkey mind that keep us mired two shots from insanity.”

 

TWO WOLVES

Posted on October 16, 2021

As campaigning for 2022 mid-term elections and the 2024 Presidential race unfolds, it should come as no surprise that the strategy for political parties is “strategic extremism” based on identity politics: we-they, us-them itus. This is nothing more than two wolves destroying a beautiful country from within. As campaigning moves forward, note that there is limited discussion about policies and issues that make a difference; and notice the inflammatory nonsense in a deliberate effort to manipulate and mobilize right-wing voters. Culturally liberal mainstream media will happily take the bait—it boosts ratings—and make Trump’s cultural “illiberalism” a big issue. Because morality is relative and voters like it, it is an easy tool with which to manipulate voters. Every time we are emotionally upset, we are deliberately being set up, and we may not want to acknowledge it at the time.

Americans are better than this! We can remain in our seats and watch the show and realize that what is unfolding in front of us is part of a play and that the actors are only emotionally triggering us because they know how to manipulate us. As Michael Brown contends, “…life is a complete setup…When we learn to laugh at how well and how often we get set up and how we react unconsciously to these experiences, we will then have access to endless laughter.” (The Presence Process, 152)

DUEL OF WOLVES

Posted on October 9, 2021

Nathanael Blake offers a pearl of insight,

Self-righteousness infects all sides of our politics, and makes us ridiculous. For many, politics is a way of showing oneself to be smarter, more enlightened, more compassionate, and more attuned to injustice than others. If correct politics confers moral superiority, then the wrong political views confer wickedness, and the wicked deserve to be punished. This view allows people to find in politics a socially acceptable, even applauded, outlet for cruelty and malice, as well as absolution and indulgence for that cruelty. (Mending America’s Political Divide: What Science Tells Us About Solving the Political Hatred Between the Left and the Right, Dr. Rene’ H. Levy, 105)

American identity and empathy have simply disappeared from the political arena, and the country has two wolves fighting an internal civil war. One wolf is right wing tribalism that is tearing the country apart; and one wolf is left wing tribalism that is tearing the country apart. And with continued nourishment of tribalism the associated political hatred, division, loathing, aversion, and rancor will continue; and deepened loss of empathy and absence of American identity will follow. Eventually, one of the wolves will win!

Yes! Political party sorting has divided the country, is dividing the country, and will continue to divide and deconstruct this country unless “we the people” make a definitive course correction. We the people are the problem! We need to move forward and begin to deliberately select and elect genuine leaders who are objective, not self-serving and make decisions that are in the best interests of Americans; are aware, understand, and confront the perils of partisanship; and who have a track record of leading, healing, transcending, and including, and uniting diverse groups of folks…teams and coalitions unify. We are all humans and have needs and wants and together we can make those needs and wants become reality. Each of us needs to stand in the face of power and tell the truth. Let us elect politicians who are masters of the self—healthy, unhealthy, true, and authentic—and who model the way as persons, in relationships, institutionally, socially, and by helping others and caring about others. We need values and virtue. Let us not re-elect or elect deranged idiots who manipulate followers to grow personal income, to retain power, and to deepen divisions and hate.

An opinion is that cultic-tribal addiction—political party sorting—is simply unresolved discomfort within the emotional body, or as offered in Integral Life Practice: A 21st Century Blueprint for Physical Health, Emotional Balance, Mental Clarity, and Spiritual Awakening (Wilber, Patten, Leonard, and Morelli, 2008, Boston, MA: Integral, page 41, 92-93),

…the shadow or dark side of the psyche, those aspects of ourselves that we’ve split off, rejected, denied, hidden from ourselves, projected onto others, or otherwise disowned…repressed unconscious…because we’ve pushed or pressed it out of our awareness, and unconscious because we are not aware of it…But the fact that we are not conscious or aware of the shadow does not mean that it has no effect: it just expresses itself through distorted and unhealthy means-or what is typically called neuroses…safety and security are sought by bonding together and identifying (fusing) with a tribe in order to persevere and protect against outsiders. Allegiance and admiration are given to the chief…emergence of a sense of self (ego) distinct from the tribe, although it often acts impulsively on behalf of its favored group.

Undoing and reintegrating this repressed and denied unconscious to improve psychological health, individually and collectively, is process and is not easy; however, the work can free energy that has been spent shadowboxing with the self and waging an American civil war. An initial step is simply a sense of openness and a commitment to detect and root out causes, acceptance of 100% responsibility, face everything and fear nothing, and just sit in the flames of the unresolved discomfort, individually and collectively. Yes. Simply, a good dose of mindfulness, awareness, and self-restraint to unleash empathy and compassion. Let us not permit one of these ugly wolves a win.

Some resources:

  • Integral Life Practice: A 21st Century Blueprint for Physical Health, Emotional Balance, Mental Clarity, and Spiritual Awakening, Wilber, Patten, Leonard, and Morelli, 2008.
  • Mending America’s Political Divide: What Science Tells Us About Solving the Political Hatred Between the Left and the Right, Dr. Rene’ H. Levy, 2020.
  • We the People Are the Problem: How Americans Betrayed America, Peter Magistrale, 2020.
  • Peril, Bob Woodward and Robert Costa, 2021.

 

 

 

GOLF as GURU

Posted on October 2, 2021

The mind is a remarkable gift; however, a single, errant golf ball in the pond on the right of the fairway can rapidly orchestrate a disruptive, conscious mind ramble of swing thoughts. As Voltaire reminds, “The perfect is the enemy of the good.” Perhaps trusting the subconscious mind can enable us to avoid two errant shots from insanity. Let’s peek at a recent journey into the subconscious mind and the opening of a new area for awareness: the part of our mind where 90% of life’s experiences reside.

Interest in the subconscious was inspired by a frustrating journey of “rightitus and pullitius.” The trek started with the coach:  we uncovered 32 symptoms that were practiced and taken to the course; and the push right, pull left continued. After reflection and study of literature, a conclusion was that perhaps the root cause was “timing” that was not allowing the clubface to arrive square to the ball-target line at impact. Sounded simple!

Study quickly revealed that timing was a process: synchronous, one piece take-away; back swing to transition (unhurried, 45-degree hip turn; 90-degree shoulder turn; shoulder tilt); smooth transition; accelerating forward swing launched with left hip and knee turn and unwinding upper torso; followed by arms, wrists and hands gripping the golf club arriving with a clubface square to the ball-target line at impact; hands pointing to the intended target. Not an easy fix! Even attempted writing a song to facilitate smoothness, rhythm, timing and tempo.

Enter the concept of trust the subconscious to perform: with passion burning, the captain of the ship squeezes the auto-pilot button and trusts the carefully programmed subconscious to creatively deliver a ball to an intended target. Tiger Woods commented, “I have learned to trust the subconscious, and my instincts have never lied to me.” Joan King offers, “When you are playing at your peak levels, you are trusting your game to your subconscious mind and allowing your swing to happen automatically.”

Perhaps there was nothing wrong with the swing except that the conscious mind “thought” there is something wrong. The “ah-ha:” thinking about mechanics results in jerky, inconsistent, off-balance, out-of-tempo, and off-line shots; and If pieces of the swing are practiced, the on-the course result is pieces of the swing. What pre-shot routine and ritual are working?

  • SMILE!! DEEP BREATHING!! INTEGRATE HEAD, HEART (subconscious) and HARA (center).
  • MASTER of MIND”FULL”NESS MANTRA: inherent in essence is the power-conscious mind, subconscious mind and superconscious mind-to manifest a desired result through the personality, character and mentality.
  • Select club.
  • See and deeply feel ball at target.
  • Feel initial hip turn; width of arc; shoulder tilt on take-away, release from transition; shoulder tilt at impact; and clubface square to ball-target line at impact through release-turn and pull to extension and finish (right heel showing).
  • Deeply feel trust of subconscious to manifest the desired result.
  • Immaculate set-up.
  • Be mindful; relaxed focus; be one with environment, club, ball and target; pull trigger.
  • CELEBRATE! And remember to check Xlibris.com for Golf as Guru: Mindfullness, Awareness and Self-Restraint. You will be pleased to meet Woody and Birdy Ball.

Some subconscious literature sources:

  • Allen, D. (2017). The Secrets, Mysteries and Powers of the Subconscious Mind.
  • Bargh, J. (2017). Before You Know It: The Unconscious Reasons We Do What We Do. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.
  • Fried, K. (2019). Subconscious Power: Use Your Inner Mind to Create the Life You’ve Always Wanted. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.
  • Hill, N. (2019). Think and Grow Rich: The Secret To Wealth For The 21st Century. DeMarque. Amazon Whispernet.
  • King, J. (2017). The Heart of Golf: Access Your Supreme Intelligence for Peak Performances. Amazon Whispernet.
  • Murphy, J. (2019). The Power of Your Subconscious Mind. DeMarque. Amazon Whispernet.
  • Sternberg, E. (2016). NeuroLogic: The Brain’s Hidden Rationale Behind Our Irrational Behavior. New York, NY: Random House.