PURPOSE-FUTURE

Posted on August 20, 2023

If one is mission [purpose] and vision [future] driven, to evolve sparkling, energized stars in the quantum universe offers infinite challenges and opportunities. And each sparkling, energized partnership can move America closer to the overwhelming task of being united for generations to come.

America is at a crossroads between a democratic republic—freedom, and autocracy—control. As American partners we need to decide what type of country, individually and collectively, we desire; and what each of us can do to facilitate the strategic, competitive, commonsense battle with our global competitors. Some folks will pitch-in and make things happen; some folks will watch what happened; and some folks will wonder what happened.

There are a bunch of strategies and stuff that need to get done: non-political voting rights management, technology building, environmental leadership and management, infrastructure maintenance and improvement, jobs creation, healthcare, childcare, immigration reform, countering systemic racism, LGBTQ+ rights, minimum wage, climate control, confronting home grown, white supremacy, terrorism, fair share tax reform, COVID-19 vaccinations and preparing for future pandemics, education funding, leading and managing web3, the metaverse, and blockchains, sane gun control, policing in communities, foreign policy, et al. As the two Japanese characters for crisis offer on the tattoo, with danger comes opportunity. The danger is continued and expanded division and autocracy; and the opportunity is to dig deep and work on our unhealthy personal and collective issues, participate in interactive dialogue and coalitions, and get done what is good for all Americans and America.

An opinion is that cultic-tribal addiction—political party sorting—is simply unresolved discomfort within the emotional body, the unhealthy deep stuff, or as offered in Integral Life Practice: A 21^st 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…

In Never Finished, David Goggins offers an eye-opening comment, “…one day, you wake up owned by the person who is destroying you.” (103)

Digging deep, uncovering, balancing, and reintegrating this repressed and denied unconscious to improve our psychological health is process and is not easy; however, the work can free energy that has been spent shadowboxing with the self, making excuses, spinning, blaming, and telling stories. An initial step is simply passionate intent, a sense of openness and a commitment to 100% responsibility (Life happens because of me, not to me.), a willingness to face everything and fear nothing, and taking time out to just sit in the flames of the unresolved discomfort and give birth to penetrating insight, self-restraint, and skillful means. Deep dialogue chats with partners and friends can uncover deep scars and offer learning and reflecting experiences, challenges, and opportunities.

This is simply the evolution of our human condition, and with patience, persistence, education, compassion, learning, common good, loving kindness, virtue, and spirituality, we can move, individually and collectively, forward together. The alternative is further division, closer to autocracy, more lying, zero leadership, orchestrated overthrow of elections, bypass of constitutional order, accelerated division and violence, racism, and direction of a violent insurrections. Individually and collectively, we can grow common good, compassion, virtue, mindfulness, awareness, and self-restraint, and quiet the insatiable, unhealthy ego; and the dampening of anger, egotistical pride, jealousy, envy, doubt, ignorance, attachment, and fear can begin to free energy to nurture peace-of-mind, a sense of happiness and joy, and purpose and relationships created on a solid foundation of compassion. Let us get this job done for all Americans, not just a select few. Casts, conflicting political messages, and deliberate, negative words that separate, attack, and divide are simply wrong.

If open to the challenge, ready for the opportunity, and in need of a boost to get started: 1) In her Mindfulness Journal, Catherine Price recommends, Buy a pack of small stickers—any kind will do—and place a dozen or so around your home and office in noticeable places, such as your bathroom mirror, your computer, the back of your phone, the wall behind your kitchen sink, your alarm clock, or the cover of (your) journal. Every time you see one of these stickers, STOP WHAT YOU ARE DOING, BREATHE, AND BE. 2) Locate a credible meditation instructor and learn to meditate. 3) Questions for reflection and journaling: What unlocks compassion? What manifests happiness, joy, and peace-of-mind? What are the personal, predictable behaviors that show up daily? Do I have a thinking-feeling loop that has been showing up for a few years?

The individual and collective mission is to evolve sparkling, energized stars and sparkling, energized partnerships in the quantum universe. And each sparkling, energized star and partnership can move America closer to the overwhelming task of being united for generations to come.

 

 

 

SPARKLING ENERGIZED STAR

Posted on August 12, 2023

Today it feels like we humans are stuck chin deep in the past, nurtured by a mental-emotional loop that offers more of the same predictable outcomes. A frequent judgement is that cultic-tribal addiction—political party sorting—is simply unresolved discomfort within the emotional body, or as offered in Integral Life Practice: A 21^st 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 our psychological health is process, is not easy, and can be painful and scary; however, the work can free energy that has been spent shadowboxing with the self, most often since we were kids. An initial step is simply passionate intent and a sense of openness and a commitment to face everything and fear nothing. Just sit in the flames of unresolved discomfort and evolve with sparkling, energized presence in a quantum universe. And because we harbor emotional junk does not make us bad folks, it simply shows up as stress, sucks our energy, harms our relationships with others, and the body keeps the score.

Dr. Joe Dispenza, in Becoming Supernatural, offers,

Integral to this process is not squandering our energy by emotionally reacting to leaders or people in power. When they capture our emotions, they capture our attention, and thus they have captured our energy. This is how people gain power over us. Instead, we must make a stand for principles, values, and moral imperatives like freedom, justice, truth, and equality. When we achieve this through the power of the collective, we will unite behind the energy of oneness rather than be controlled by the idea of separation. This is when standing up for truth is no longer personal, but through unifying and building community, becomes personal. (Pages 321, 322)

Quality, common good, compassion, and virtue can indeed become our partners. Recent digging deep with a quantum healing coach has been quite challenging. Learning to coach perfectionist Little John has orchestrated the reflection juices, the sitting turbulence, the mental gymnastics, and the emotional canoe in the ocean absent a paddle. At times it has been difficult to simply take a time out, listen to pineal activation music, and just be present. Recent curiosities have been what “happy” feels like and whether the current path is just another adventure on the awareness journey. Dispenza contends, “To stand up for justice and peace, then, you must first find peace within yourself. You must then demonstrate peace to others, which means you can’t make a stand for peace or be peace while you’re warring with your neighbor, hating your co-worker, or judging your boss.” (Page 321) Choose peace starting with peace-of-mind! It might just offer a sparking, energized star in a quantum universe.

 

 

 

QUANTUM COACHING

Posted on August 5, 2023

Through work with a quantum energy coach the author has realized that John would have been a better child, teenager, student, parent, partner, subordinate, soldier, and leader if the 50-year self-awareness and self-development commitment had included coaching for “digging deep” into inner, buried, repressed subconscious aspects of the self. Selected literature would refer to these subconscious aspects as shadow,

… the 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. In the language of psychotherapy, the shadow is referred to as the ‘repressed unconscious’-repressed because we’ve pushed or ‘pressed’ it out of our awareness, and unconscious because we’re not aware of it! [Integral Life Practice: A 21^st Century Blueprint for Physical Health, Emotional Balance, Mental Clarity, and Spiritual Awakening, Wilber, Patten, Leonard, and Morelli. 2008. Boston: Integral, 41]

The “dig deeper” quantum coaching for authentic John and little John has led to a wish that this challenge, opportunity, and learning to “dig deeper” had begun 60 + years ago! Moreover, it offers that young adults who are considering partnership, becoming parents, having kids, and raising kids may benefit from quantum energy coaching mentally, physically, spiritually, and emotionally. The vison is that the world is exponentially, positively evolving for generations to come because our parenting is improving.

Steve McIntosh contends,

Although America is plagued with abundant problems and challenges, most of these problems have pragmatic solutions that are within our power to implement. Almost none of these solutions, however, can be realized within our current political environment. Our frustrated, stymied, stalemated, and hyperpolarized political process is stuck in its tracks, and this gridlocked condition is now beginning to cause our social regression. Hyperpolarization is really the mother of all our problems because very few of the serious challenges we face can be adequately addressed until we ameliorate the fractious and frozen state of our body politic. [Developmental Politics: How America Can Grow into a Better Version of Itself. 2020. St. Paul, Minnesota: Paragon House, xiii]

The only way to effectively solve this ugly problem is to evolve our collective human condition. A judgement is that polarization can be traced back to programmed subconscious issues with our parents, our parents’ issues with their parents, their ancestors, etc., etc. Folks who are considering parenting need to resolve personal issues and relationship issues before they choose partners, opt to have children, and become parents. Choosing otherwise, the mental-emotional loop will continue, and the predictable result will be more polarization.

An opinion is that student curricula need to include the opportunity and challenge to begin to resolve personal parental relationship issues with quantum energy coaching. Quantum energy coaching can help an individual begin to identify, perk, and experience personal parental issues and coach the person through resolving the issues by uncovering and being present with the issues while at the same time learning self-restraint and “how to” tactfully coach others. The result will be better leaders and parents, if the choice is to have children.

Long-term, while training future leaders for America, institutions can also be leaders in beginning to solve the polarization issue and support evolution of our collective human condition. It simply must begin with how our leaders are trained and kids are raised. The goal is authenticity and expressing love, gratitude, hope, trust, common good, and compassion felt in the heart as well as speaking truth and personally empowering reality through verbal and non-verbal language and energy. Lots of warm fuzzies, compassion, common good, virtue, and loving cold pricklies!

If you are anxious to get started, find a meditation instructor, and learn to meditate. If you are ready to “dig deep” into that shadow, look for a quantum energy coach who is a good fit, while at the same time passionately committing to a balance of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health, wellness, and wellbeing. Some literature that may be of interest: Developmental Politics: How America Can Grow into a Better Version of Itself. 2020. St. Paul, Minnesota: Paragon House; Integral Life Practice: A 21^st Century Blueprint for Physical Health, Emotional Balance, Mental Clarity, and Spiritual Awakening, Wilber, Patten, Leonard, and Morelli. 2008. Boston: Integral; and Dr. Joe Dispenza, You Are the Placebo; Evolve Your Brain; Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself; and Becoming Supernatural. In closing, a “make new stuff stick” process that really works for the author is allowing the new learning to perk [write about it, reflect on it, think about it, chat with others about it, sleep with it, etc.], and “simply sit” with it to experience it. It has been routine for the author to be open to receive new material and quickly move on having the new learning not stick. Along the way it is important to remember to take good care of yourself because one cannot love others absent love of self.

 

 

 

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP

Posted on July 29, 2023

As the 2024 Presidential election unfolds; and as we witness the dark divide becoming wider, deeper, nastier, and darker, contrasting potential candidates for President is interesting. It appears the critical decision is to vote for the candidate who has a quality profile, i.e., 1) is objective and not self-serving and decides based on what is in the best interests of America; 2) is committed to common good, compassion, virtue, and integrity; and 3) can best transcend and include others and consciously evolve a sane American culture.

How one chooses to “show-up” in the world can be critiqued by researching, examining, and witnessing talents, skills, and experiences; making observations; and scrutinizing character, personality, mentality, and interests. Let us take-a-look at Former President Donald J. Trump.

Talents, Skills, and Experiences

A narcissistic drama-seeker who covers a fragile ego with a bullying impulse and has taken democracy to the brink. (Maggie Haberman, Confidence Man, 506) Life’s goal has been to gain and maintain position power, at any cost. Witness a track record of business and government failures, investigations and numerous lawsuits and absolute chaotic disasters: most consequential president in history; puppet of Vladimir Putin; foreign policy bullying, badgering, and destroying; abandoned allies; personal business endeavors with several bankruptcies; North Korean nuclear weapons stockpile doubled; pandemic management and leadership was non-existent, dereliction of duty, passed buck off to governors who became blame targets; enlisted foreign interference in elections (Russia and China); several obstruction of justice charges; impeachment proceedings; insurrection; multiple legal cases lost and pending; accepts payoffs for positions; and has numerous Trump party cronies who are lost souls in search of a tribe and chief. No decisions are made based on strategic plans, strategies, goals, and objectives; makes decisions on how he feels at the time; can handle small projects and sign executive orders; not able to lead projects large in scope; selection of judges, environmental deregulations and deconstruction of institutions may be legacy; and immigration policy is inhumane. Is a master at using neuroses [The dark side of the psyche: denied, repressed, disowned and projected subconscious aspects of the Self.] to create stories (“fake news”) that strategically move the “lightning rod” from the Trump Party to others in order to trigger the psyche of perceived “enemies” and his base. Others become the personification of the wrongs and inexcusable of the Trump Party: Russian interference, Ukraine, racism, nativism, gloating, tax cuts for the rich, Supreme Court justices, bullying, outrages, fake news, etc., etc.  As Bernie Sanders has eloquently noted, “Nero fiddled while Rome burned. Trump golfs.” Accepting responsibility for anything is not his cup of tea. Blaming others is his ballgame. Just take him Diet Coke and wash his dirty laundry.

• Track record of complicating the story narrative, throwing sand in the eyes of the onlooker, claiming that transparently implausible stories were true unless proven otherwise, and denying the obvious truth.

Observations

Donald J. Trump is a genius at networking and using the media to recruit, retain, and fire, at will, addicted surrogates, circles of friends, admirers, celebrity hangers-on, and wannabes who savor and long for safety and security sought by bonding together and identifying with a tribe in order to persevere and protect against outsiders. Allegiance and admiration are given to the chief and clan. Mystical signs, conspiracy, and desires of powerful spirit beings must be followed for the continued safety and well-being of the tribe. Years of behaviors reveal the following:

• Does not understand duty, honor, and country.
• A cheat, a liar, a fraud, a bully, a predator, a con man.
• Racist, incendiary, toxic, casts hate, disruptive, name caller, and divisive, unfit for political office.
• Repeatedly has disparaged the intelligence of service members: Americans who die in war are “losers” and “suckers.”
• Deny, deny, deny; accuse, accuse, and accuse. The magic formula: D cubed—disease, disaster, division; and he continues to escape responsibility and being held accountable for anything by anybody.
• Tax cuts were a corporate “boondoggle.”
• Vision for country is merely to fix what his administration undermined, agitated, deconstructed, or destroyed during his time in office. Examples: intelligence, FBI, CIA, U.S. Postal Service, voting integrity, Supreme Court, and CDC.
• Stokes fear, celebrity, and brand building; and show-photo opportunity is the foundation for his rhetoric. Is a stand-up comic.
• Staff selection of addicted surrogates has been a disaster and revolving door; and demands loyalty even if unethical, yes sir, no sir, no excuse sir; or you are fired.
• Surrounded by fixers and “yes men;” encourages rivalries and thrives on personal attacks.
• Protected by political party sorted, partisan, power worldview associates of the Federal government institution he and his cronies choose to deconstruct and destroy.
• Conspiracist (example QAnon) and guilty of political cowardice, blaming, passing the buck, and dereliction of duty; shirked constitutionally mandated duty and rewards misconduct.
• Sexist and multiple lawsuits and misconduct behaviors.
• Racist: a person who shows or feels discrimination or prejudice against people of other races, or who believes that a particular race is superior to another.
• Dishonest, arrogant, and narcissist; uses position and financial power for personal gain.
• Creates martyr complex, irrelevance, and distractions; misleads, boasts and is egotistical, promotes blamelessness of self, never wrong, and anxious to criticize.
• People mistakes and poor interpersonal relations skills.
• Lies, denies, blames, and spins; egotistical and self-serving; unqualified for the position.
• Having been President and playing golf reveal the real person: you cannot hide. Read Commander-in-Cheat.

Character, Personality, Mentality, and Interests.

• Low-functioning includes persons who “… do not exhibit polished and polite behaviors as a mask for their manipulations…may lack the education or interpersonal skills to control and deceive. Instead they might use threats, coercion, or intimidation to achieve their desired outcome.” (Source: Dr. Timothy J. Legg, “What Is a High-Functioning Sociopath?”, 5-28-2019, https://www.healthline.com, 1-3.)
• Narcissistic sociopath: one form of antisocial personality disorder and is the result of environmental factors such as a child or teen’s upbringing in a negative household that resulted in physical abuse, emotional abuse, or childhood trauma. (Sources: Mary L. Trump, Too Much and Never Enough, 2020, Simon & Schuster; https://psychcentral.com, Dr. John M. Grohol, “Differences Between a Psychopath vs Sociopath,” 5-20-2020, 1-5; Dr. Tarra Bates-Duford, “Psychopath vs Sociopath: 16 Key Differences,” 9-7-2018, 1-3; https://www.health.com, Rosie McCall, “9 Ways to Spot a Sociopath,” 10-4-2019, 1-7.
• Gangster, corrupt, and behaves as if above the law.
• A stale, nasty breath of death, hate, narcissism, chaos, fear, conspiracy, norm erosion, “dark,” institutional deconstruction, and neo-facism.

Partisan politics is a dangerous duel of limited and partial truths; and binds party sorted folks to fixed, literal or otherwise limiting beliefs and frames of minds. Political party sorted, addicted surrogates make obvious excuses for candidates and excuse the inexcusable with respect to virtue, morality, judgment, intent, behavior, actions, ethics, and laws. W. Edwards Deming remarked, “If a person is not performing as expected, it is probably because they are miscast for the job.” Michael Cohen offers, “No one ever tells Trump the truth about his behavior and beliefs, or the consequences of his conduct and ignorance and arrogance, in business or in his personal life and now in politics. Trump is the boy in the bubble, impervious to the thoughts and feelings or others, entirely and utterly focused on his own desires and ambitions.”

Donald J. Trump is a power-hungry gangster who is unfit to occupy the Office of the President of the United States of America. Examine and deeply reflect on his profile. As a country, we need a President who will lead the country, improve the country, and set the stage for future generations, not one who will continue to deconstruct the many institutions that are the foundation and pillars of the America Americans desire.

HEADY GOLFER

Posted on July 23, 2023

In 1999 the self-awareness journey took this golfer to downtown Denver and the Tattered Cover bookstore, near Coors Field, home of the Colorado Rockies. The search was to uncover a connection between the body and the mind. Having recently read Sacred Hoops by Phil Jackson, Way of the Peaceful Warrior by Dan Millman and The Warrior Within by Bruce Lee, the mystery of the Tattered Cover bookshelves seemed to have awaited literature that would gallantly reveal the secrets of the mind-body connection. Secret: 24 years later the secrets of the mind-body connection are still time-space away, simply evolution-in-process.

Wandering to the Buddhist literature offered The Art Happiness by His Holiness The Dalai Lama. This book was to unfold a fruitful journey to Naropa University, three years of Tibetan Buddhist meditation training, study of the five Wisdom Traditions, Study Abroad in Sikkim India and, thanks to son Doug and wife Cindy, a renewed connection to the game of golf with a necessary learned skill of self-restraint. As this perfectionist-reformer golfer came to realize, two shanks into a lake on the right of a fairway can quickly mess with the golfer’s monkey mind and put it on the verge of insanity with a fit of anger and a dose of fear.

In Beyond Religion: Ethics for a Whole New World (2011, NY, NY: Houghton, Mifflin, Harcourt, 130-34), the Dalai Lama offers,

…it is helpful to consider the onset of destructive emotion as a kind of causal chain, which starts with an external stimulus and ends with our behavioral response. The aim of emotional awareness is to bring our attention or mindfulness into this split-second process, and thereby to gain control over it.

This split-second process—a series of actions or steps taken to achieve a particular end—is like a speeding train with five cars:

1) A trigger-stimulus: a shanked golf ball goes into the lake on the right of the fairway.

2) Perception of the stimulus: we see the golf ball flying toward the lake; and we see and hear the ball plopping into the water leaving a nice circular ripple.

3) Interpretation: less than a millisecond later, arising in the mind is the exaggerated judgment that the golfer stupidly shanked the shot into the lake.

4) Emotional response: quickly followed by anger, annoyance, or irritation, the inner cauldron is beginning to bubble.

5) Behavioral response: very quickly, we say something, or do something in retaliation…nasty words, a club slammed into the ground, a thrown club.

Once the golfer understands this causal chain, the challenge is to interrupt its flow, catch the self, and bring awareness to the process evolving the skill of self-restraint. The Dalai Lama offers,

…it is easiest to start near the end-between the emotional reaction and its behavioral expression. Then, as we become more familiar with the process and our emotional awareness develops over time, we can work our way back along the causal chain, with the ultimate goal of quelling or eliminating the afflictive emotion altogether. (132)

Give it a try! It is such a thrill to catch oneself before the irritation ruins the hole, a relationship, or the round. Self-restraint can be like a 15^th club in the golf bag. Stop what you are doing. Breathe. Be. Acknowledge the reflection-trigger-stimulus; and respond instead of reacting. It just feels better! And the next shot is much easier and more fun. Self-restraint is a wonderful, learned skill. The nice thing about a golf ball, even though it may occasionally hide, is that it is always honest and offers honest, authentic feedback. A nice question: When was the last time you received authentic feedback from your best golf buddy? Was it golf ball like feedback? The mind-body connection is still time-space away and evolution-in-process. Perhaps they are simply connected and quantum, and this golfer just chose to separate them.

 

 

A JOURNEY

Posted on July 15, 2023

Saying “hello” to the authentic self (The deepest core of who one is.) is evolution-in-process. What does it mean to “show up” as the authentic self? When the desired, targeted thoughts, words-language, and actions-behaviors match actual thoughts, words-language, and actions-behaviors as one goes about life and living on a moment-to-moment basis. Moreover, the actual thoughts, words-language, and actions-behaviors must be in sync with each other. The alternative to the authentic self is to show up as the presented self, the “people pleasing” mode, the thoughts, words-language, and actions-behaviors that surface based on what is expected of us or based on social or peer pressure. This is living the actions, words, thoughts, and emotions others have offered— Mom, Dad, Gma, Gpa, teachers, monks, imams, priests, nuns, rabbis, coaches, mentors, ministers, military buddies, Army brass, professors, classmates, neighbors, bosses, spouses, kids, etc. These programs are the result of our past thinking and our tomorrows the result of our present thinking based on what society encourages. Christian Larson’s message is clear: our sickness, disease, illness, health, wellness, and wellbeing are reflections of the language we live in; and since birth the conscious mind (5% of who we are) has been programming the subconscious mind (95% of who we are) to live the actions, words, thoughts, and emotions others have offered.

The challenge and opportunity are to become aware of the gap between the presented self and the authentic self to uncover areas that need to change for the gap to close and put us closer to showing up as the authentic self. In addition, we need to learn how to master the skill to communicate with one another beyond the presented self-ego and bring to life the mysterious collective intelligence that lives between and among us but is not specific to any of us. (Cohen, 13)

Andrew Cohen contends,

One of the remarkable discoveries made in many years of practicing a contemporary spiritual path is that enlightened awareness can not only come alive in the interior of an individual-as a ‘Higher I’-but also in the interior of a collective-as a ‘Higher we.’ When this mysterious new kind of enlightenment emerges, it expresses itself in the space between us-and it effectively becomes the intersubjective experience of the whole group. (Manifest Nirvana: A Sanctuary for 21^st Century Spiritual Explorers, 1)

Christian Larson’s message is clear: our sickness, disease, illness, health, wellness, and wellbeing are reflections of the language we live in; and since birth the conscious mind (5% of who we are) has been programming the subconscious mind (95% of who we are) to live the actions, words, thoughts, and emotions others have offered. These programs are the result of our past thinking and our tomorrows the result of our present thinking. We have been our mental parents, and we shall be our own mental children. All that a person does and brings to pass is the vesture of thought. What one thinks and passionately or lazily passes along to the body as a “must do” or “should do” is what one gets. The challenge is to close the gap between the authentic self, the language of integrity, and the others’ self that we have chosen to create because of what others have offered and we have chosen. The challenge and opportunity are to tell the truth. As a perfectionist-reformer-know it all who fears rejection, has targeted having everything right, and has rejected the imperfect for eight decades, recognizing and admitting reality about the presented self stir inner chaos, tantrums, and stress that is paralyzing and distracting, and generates and reinforces suffering, sickness, disease, and illness. What should one do to close the gap between John’s John (authentic self) and others’ John? Interesting questions:

• What does it feel like when “presenting John”? Controlled, angry or one of its many varieties, irritated, grumpy, condescending, critical, intolerant, impatient, elevated voice, controlling (soft-nice, or hard- nasty).
• Do you notice anything physically or emotionally different? Tight, rigid, not focused, distracted. A-fib occasionally pays a visit when stress endures.
• Do you feel happy or guilty when you are being authentic, or are you tired? Guilty and tired.
• Do your breathing patterns change? Shortness of breath.
• Any change in appetite? Stressed, not hungry, nauseated.
• What are thoughts? Positive. Negative. Self-motivated. Other motivated. Angry: Where have all the years gone? The “shoulds and oughts” are eight decades old.

Yes!! We are reflections—thinking, personality, character, and state of wellness—of the language we live-in: intrapersonal, interpersonal, person-to-persons, social media, and mass media. Larson’s message: have a clear, conscious vision of the desired well state of being (high level of wellness), health, and integral wholeness; and program the subconscious with the vision. A beginning…

-Simple.

-Virtues: gratitude, trust-hope, compassion; courage and honesty; and integrity and prudence.

-Master of authentic self and model the way as a person, in relationships, socially, institutionally, culturally, by helping others, and caring about others.

-Quality, common good, compassion, and virtue in all I am and all I do.

-Peace of mind with purpose and connections created on a foundation of compassion.

-Wellness: point where an individual is physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually capable of maintaining his-her highest quality of life (lifestyle and habits) through self-responsibility, self-leadership, and self-management.

-Illness: individual looks for cause and medical professional is partner in resolving the illness rather than as a “fix it” handyperson.

-Quality of life attributes manifested through personality and character are evolutionary, revolutionary, leading edge, and a creative leap forward.

-Authentic happiness is process, an evolving journey, and a reasonable goal.

Let the subconscious mind programming begin through the brain center and conscious mind connection…

-Concentrate on finer mental life that permeates physical brain (organ).

-Directions to subconscious (95% of who one is.) through brain center.

-Physical ailments: concentrated on subconscious mentality that permeates the organ, muscle, or nerve.

-Impress conscious realization on any part of body: think it, feel it, see it, taste it, smell it, and touch it.

-Physical, emotional, spiritual, and mental wellness: integral life practice.

-Harmony of the human organs and eleven human systems.

Yes! We are thinking, personality, character, and wellness reflections of the language we live in. Let’s live in the language of the authentic self! Close the gap between the authentic self and the represented self, the healthy ego, and the unhealthy ego. Simply one step at a time, a journey. Perfectionism creates stress, distractions, and tantrums! The vision offers happiness, a manner of traveling with strategies as follows:

-Tell the truth, do not lie or deceive. Honesty, integrity, and morality.

-Meditate for healthy partnership of the conscious and subconscious minds and for mindfulness, awareness, and self-restraint.

-Guided meditation therapy.

Some First Step Resources

Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself: How to Lose Your Mind and Create a New One, Dr. Joe Dispenza

Evolving Your Brain: The Science of Changing Your Mind, Dr. Joe Dispenza

You Are the Placebo: Making Your Mind Matter, Dr. Joe Dispenza.

Becoming Supernatural: How Common People are Doing the Uncommon, Dr. Joe Dispenza

 

 

 

 

STARRY DAYS, STARRY NIGHT TIMES

Posted on July 8, 2023

Anger, impatience, frustration, resentment, fear, depressing times,

Mired, thinking-feeling loop, past repeating, future predicted. Simply sit.

Quantum mind, starry days, starry night times,

Somebody, something, someone, somewhere, in some time, simply sit.

 

Stress, sickness, pain, illness, disease, body is mind, unhealthy times,

Physical and mental environments alike. Simply sit.

Quantum mind, starry days, starry night times,

Somebody, some thing, someone, somewhere, in some time, simply sit.

 

Bridge, new future ahead, healing in process, heart-mind wedding times.

Wedded clear intention and elevated emotion, abs pumping, songs playing. Simply sit.

Quantum mind, starry days, starry night times,

No body, no one, nothing, nowhere, in no time, simply sit.

 

Common good, compassion, love, virtue, joy, gratitude, heart knows no times.

Pineal busy, brain orgasm, quantum universe, supernatural songs, wow! Simply sit.

Deep breathe, tighten abs, push. Quantum mind, starry days, starry night times.

Everybody, everyone, everything, everywhere, every time, simply sit.

100% RESPONSIBILITY

Posted on July 1, 2023

When was the last time you heard a politician say, “I am the one responsible for this screw-up.”? Clinging to false narratives with blaming, excuses, no desired results, CYA mentality, justifying, lying, denying, spinning, and defending simply produces more of the same. And when the choice is to do more of the same, the country will stay where it is—divided and teetering on the brink of collapse.

Many folks act as if this formula were true: Desired Results = Not Desired Results + Excuses. If the shoe fits, request that you wear it! Stop spinning those wheels and make a conscious choice not to give away power and influence by passing the buck, blaming, and justifying. It is a waste of time! There is a unifying option and better strategy: commitment to the concept of 100% responsibility, life happens because of me not to me. [Hyler Bracey, Jack Rosenblum, Aubrey Sanford & Roy Trueblood, Managing from the Heart, 1990, Atlanta, GA: Heart Enterprises; and training handout, “100% RESPONSIBILITY,” The Atlantic Consulting Group, 1986]

The concept of 100% responsibility is simple: I am 100% responsible for what happens; and other people are not responsible; not 50-50; not 100-100. It is 100-0! There is no one else to blame. Whatever happens, I did it. Whatever the result, I created it. Accepting what happens if you are 100% responsible, and others are 0% responsible, empowers one as opposed to making one dependent on other people and events. Imagine the power of the country if everyone were assuming 100% responsibility for its success. Imagine how refreshing it would be for every American to be examining what they did and what they could do rather than wasting energy getting off the hook. Perhaps the greatest value in 100% responsibility is that the focus moves to producing desired results and not wasting time finding ways to avoid responsibility. [Hyler Bracey, Jack Rosenblum, Aubrey Sanford & Roy Trueblood, Managing from the Heart, 1990, Atlanta, GA: Heart Enterprises; and training handout, “100% RESPONSIBILITY,” The Atlantic Consulting Group, 1986.]

In Beyond Religion (2011, NY, NY: Houghton, Mifflin, Harcourt, 83), the Dalai Lama offers wisdom,

…if we are really interested in tackling our problems at their roots—whether we are talking about human conflict, poverty, or environmental destruction—we must recognize that they are ultimately related to issues of ethics. Our shared problems do not fall from the sky, nor are they created by some higher force. For the most part, they are products of human action and human error. If human action can create these problems in the first place, then surely, we humans must have the capacity as well as the responsibility to find their solutions. The only wat we can put them right is by changing our outlook and our ways, and by taking action.

With a commitment to the mantra, “I am 100% responsible,” important steps will have been made to empower each of us, to heal our great country, and to move forward today for generations to come. It is certainly not catastrophic to accept responsibility, determine what the issue is, determine what needs to be done to fix it, fix it, and move on.

STIMULUS-RESPONSE

Posted on June 24, 2023

Let us take time out and figure out who should receive our votes. As campaigning for 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 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, simply stimulus-response that one can uncover in commercials. 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, common good, and virtue 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, ethical, 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 the collective, integral health, presence, wellness, and wellbeing.

There is a great deal to do! Let’s get busy!

HYPERPOLARIZATION

Posted on June 17, 2023

Hyperpolarization is accompanied by social regression and anger. Steve McIntosh offers,

Although America is plagued with abundant problems and challenges, most of these problems have pragmatic solutions that are within our power to implement. Almost none of these solutions, however, can be realized within our current political environment. Our frustrated, stymied, stalemated, and hyperpolarized political process is stuck in its tracks, and this gridlocked condition is now beginning to cause our social regression. Hyperpolarization is really the mother of all our problems because very few of the serious challenges we face can be adequately addressed until we ameliorate the fractious and frozen state of our body politic. (Developmental Politics: How America Can Grow into a Better Version of Itself. 2020. St. Paul, Minnesota: Paragon House, xiii)

The only way to effectively solve this ugly problem is to evolve our collective human condition. This can commence by selecting politicians who are leaders. As we do homework for elections, leadership qualities can be identified.

Core Values, Virtues and Guiding Principles

• The Constitution is sacredly obligatory upon all.
• Some core values are truth to power, honesty, integrity, hope, love, and morality; and putting quality, compassion, common good, and virtue in all one is and all one does.
• 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, life happens because of me and not to me.
• 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 building coalitions and are trusted.
• Have a history of putting quality, common good, compassion and virtue in all he-she is and all he-she does.
• 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 authentic self, mind”full”ness, awareness, self-restraint and integral life practice; and model the way as persons, in relationships, socially, institutionally, culturally, and by helping others and caring about others.
• Have high standards with respect to morals, ethics, guiding principles, virtues and core values that are plainly manifested in personality, character, mentality, and magnetism.
• Are visibly committed to health, wellness, and well-being personally and for all Americans.
• Are well-qualified, compassionately 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 who are leaders.
• 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 players committed to 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. Steve McIntosh contends, “…the fractured state of American society also has the potential to catalyze a cultural renewal that can lead to a new era of political cooperation and progress. In other words, the difficult work of overcoming hyperpolarization can actually lead to a renaissance in American culture. (xiii)