THE HONEST PROBLEM OF GUN CONTROL

Tin soldiers and Nixon's comin'

We're finally on our own

This summer I hear the drummin'

Four dead in Ohio

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GI7-m919ynU

 

Those of us of a certain age might know these lyrics to the song "Ohio" by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young written in 1970.  It was a very emotional time for some of us, myself included.  Why?  This was the first time, at least in our view of current history, that American soldiers actually killed innocent, peaceful protesters who were American citizens on American soil.  A shocking revelation about the potential of our government that has only sharpened as we have aged.
 

Now our country is polarized and paralyzed by the debate of the ownership of guns.  But this great viciousness is focusing on the minutia and not the true, honest reason.  We argue freedom of ownership versus safety of children.  We argue banning everything versus arming everyone. 

 

All of that is smoke.  We are not being honest - with each other if not ourselves.  The issue is the need to keep guns in our homes to protect us from our own government.  Not sport or protection from burglars, for compromise could be found to protect those issues.  The anger and vitriol is a true guttural fear of the exact people who are supposed to protect us.  If we do not address this issue, we will constantly live in the smoky diversion that the gun argument has become.

 

I get the question!  Sadly, I believe it is true!  Four dead in Ohio taught us that it is very, very possible to be at war with your own government.  We don't see it in the mainstream media, but the internet, even discounting the crackpots, gives enough plausible information to show us the question is valid.  Google the words "Building 7" if you doubt this.
 

Or go ahead and doubt it, but know that there is a large segment of our population that won't voice the words in favor of the smoke mentioned above.  They don't want to be called "wingnuts", knowing the derision that creates.  Look at the poll percentages and try to tell me it is a small segment of our population that is suspicious.

 

Of course, the other side of the barricade isn't without self-deception either.  Is looking at the trees of specific shootings, regardless of motive, ignoring the forest of legitimate fear of a police state? 

 
 

Here I am, the anti-gun pacifist.  It is idiotic to have all the guns flying around for random, opportunistic, troubled people.  But there are a lot of people on the other side.  A LOT.  Let's get past the smoke, and address the real issue.  Are they right?  I fear, yes.  Personally, I cannot see myself taking to the streets in camouflage with gun to protest the latest crazy addition to the Patriot Act.  That crazy addition hasn't been enacted yet, but I can see it from here.

Where do we go from here?  Both sides are right.  Neither side is wrong.  Both sides appear incompatible with the other.  Us or them. 
 

Where do we go from here?
 

All I can think of is to fix the distrust of the government.  All of it: legislative, executive, judicial; except that the third would certainly take some time.  And the changes would require a mini-revolution in itself against the "Powers That Were".
 

1. No re-election for any office holders and no pay for service.  For example, one 4-year term for the House, 8 years for Senate, and 6 for the President.  It is an honor to SERVE our country and then go back home.  So each term many have to learn the system for the first time.  Good.  Then they can fix traditions that don't work.

 

2.  No appointed positions, such as Treasury, may be filled by people from the industry being policed, and once out of office, may not enter that industry for 5 years.

 

3.  Here's a novel thought: no political parties.  Have national and state office-holders simply be people from the community, consciously representing their constituents.  Just the way cities make it work now.
 

4.  Break up the giant corporations ,who have too much power, and who actively state that their goal is not the betterment of society, but the accumulation of profits.  They are not people; they are not accountable.  No new corporation may be created unless it can justify its existence is for the betterment of society.
 

Yup, all of these are pipe dreams, which leads me to the only thing I personally can do: visualize the world I want.  Back in the 1930's, Napoleon Hill wrote a book called Think and Grow Rich.  His advice was to visualize the business or job that you want and it will come about if you do it right.  Currently, there are many, many other, modern books in the business section of bookstores that give the same philosophy, so it must be working.
 

In the metaphysical/spiritual world, this is called the Law of Attraction.  "That which is like unto itself is drawn".  What you think about, you will experience. 
 

You can even find adult education classes which teach the principles of this.  Everything in the Universe is energy and a thought is merely focused energy.  Sufficient focused energy actually results in physical changes in the world.
 

I believe this works.  It has for me, when I don't sabotage myself with negative or contrary thoughts. When we learn to focus, we change the Universe.  Sometimes it is only our own lives that change, but common thought affects all of society.  Common thought of fighting against the other side of the gun argument will only bring more fighting to you.
 

I hereby quit that battle.  Pollyanna-fruitcake that I am, I will visualize the peaceful, cooperative world that I want with governance we can trust, right next to the world you want for yourself, for we don't have to have the same thing.  I wish you joy and happiness, if that is what you want.  I choose joy.

The Thinning Veil

Good Morning, Dearest Committee. I would like to add something to Heaven Speaks today if you have any topic you wish to address. The floor is yours.


Good Morning, Dearest Stephen. There is always much to say, whether to share with only you for your personal questions or development, or for your friends who are also searching for a comfortable wisdom, but yet lack the connection to hear words from this side of the veil. That veil, by the way, is thinning faster and faster every day. Your experience of this will be like when you lose weight. You don’t notice it daily until some event happens that clearly shows you what is true at the moment wasn’t so previously. Slowly, your vibration increases and you will begin to see shadows out of the corner of your eye and hear some sound you weren’t listening for and can’t identify. Also, things that used to annoy you, won’t create the buzz in you that it used to. Foods you used to enjoy aren’t so appetizing any more and, surprisingly, you’ll crave broccoli or something else that had always been foreign to you.

That is how you’ll do it. You won’t need to make a mental decision that you are now a vegetarian, you will simply have a preference for foods that fall into that category. So you, Stephen, when you joke about having to quickly drink up your supply of vodka, you are a bit correct. For soon, it won’t be a preference to you and will gather dust in the basement. These changes won’t be hard. On the contrary, you will slowly change in the direction of the higher vibrations. Now, if you make choices out of habit – actively denying the nudges within yourself, then you will probably create issues for yourself. Those issues could be anything – health-wise, emotionally, relationships…. You are very creative – all of you – and what you choose within yourself will be also creative in its efforts to get you to wake up. You will wake up, most assuredly. It will just vary as to how much effort you need to figure yourself out and to quiet the screaming of your guides and angels. That is a joke, for you are truly, truly Loved and Admired by all on our side of that veil. This is a great and exciting time to be in your world and we hope you can recognize this very special time for the great opportunity we all have to participate here. What Fun!! Love and Blessings to you all. We are so impressed!

Love, Love, Always Love,

Q, et.al.

The Devil You Don't Know

Good Morning, Dearest Advisors - Angels, Guides, and God. Have you anything to share with our friends through Heaven Speaks today?

Good Morning, Dearest Stephen. Yes, there is a great deal to discuss - so very much that we must choose for our limited time and your energy. Your world is changing so very rapidly that we are carefully observant to your responses to what you see. Earth entities are known to be cautious, even fearful, at changes observed. This is very understandable, for a civilization steeped in negativity and decreasing vibration creates changes that, in the past, have indeed, been worse than previously. So much so that you created a belief that "the devil you know is better than the devil you don't." That is a sorry philosophy that energetically creates the downward spiral.


But it truly is a new and different world now and you will very readily observe that an attitude of fear/anger will produce that for the individual presenting that energetic core. However, also, you will observe those focusing on Love/compassion will create that experience for themselves. Your attitude and emotions will create the world you experience, and here we are not speaking collectively. Each of you will experience what each of you will create - by your beliefs, emotions, and choices of experience.


We are very excited for the changes occurring. You have heard so many metaphors about clearing out old before new, that we will not repeat those. But we will remind you that these clichés have basis to become a cliché. Your government, your economy, your religions cannot proceed in a slowed, measured pace into the new wisdom-world/economy/governance within the time frame left to us. It is a whirlwind and a dismantling of the old to bring the new. If you fear the "new devil", that you will experience. If you anticipate a Loving, compassionate sharing, that you will experience.


We recommend you remain centered and in the moment. Quiet your mind in favor of your heart. Make decisions that bring you joy. Not an escapist, adolescent joy, but a mature knowing that the Universe and Creator are most benevolent and most Loving, wanting the very best of what you wish for yourself. Blessings to you All, today, and all days. We are so very proud of you and all you have accomplished, even when you do not recognize it.


Love, Love, Always Love,


Archangels, Q, et. al.

The Most Important Advice Right Now

Good Morning, Dearest Advisors. Fun discussion last Thursday about disclosure and the related items toward Ascension. Good comments and we found a great diversity of experience, focus, and opinions. Regardless, have you anything you would like to share today?

Good Morning, Dearest Stephen. We have so very much to share it is difficult to find where to begin, particularly with the limited time and attention span of most of you incarnated. We will say that the most important advice we could share at this moment is for each of you to pause and listen to your guides and angels who are shouting at you this very minute. You will not hear them completely and clearly at first. It does take a bit of practice. First you truly must stop your mind, which is easily distracted. Reduce the opportunity for it to babble. Walk a bike trail or in the woods or by a stream or lake. By all means, ask for help of your guides, angels, and God. Quiet the mind, then “listen” for what the mind does tell you. Does it sound like typical mind chatter or something different? At the same time, note your other senses – touch, smell, hearing, and also emotions. Something unusual with the senses can mark a thought that is special and not your normal musings.

Then, test the thought with your emotions. Does it feel true? Not fearful? Note also that something you might mentally consider bad news can correctly come to you as truth without an element of fear. Your advisors would never bring you fear. NEVER. If your thought is fearful, it is either yourself or some entity addressing you with other motives.

We are beginning trying times and your discernment of what is best for you personally is the best path to take. No other person’s experience can match yours and accepting another’s advice or opinion should never be done without your own discernment test. Of course, you’ll make it either way. We are simply sharing the easier path. Bless you for your life now and the marvelous accomplishment you are creating.

Love, Love, Always Love

Q, et. al.

Our First Post for the Public

8/1/11 Good Morning, Dearest Committee! I’d like to go in a new direction today. Common Thread is beginning a new blog for local people who channel or have pithy comments to share. We have been communicating for so many years now, but it has almost exclusively been for my own personal growth. You have been wonderfully supportive when I’ve needed it most as well as chiding when I needed that most – always with Love and just the right words. So …… Is this transferable to other people to share? Do you have anything that you would like me to put in the blog for you? Should we do this regularly?

Good Morning, Dearest Stephen. What a wonderful new step you are taking. By all means, we would love to share our perspective with your friends and fellow CT people, and others, of course, who may be drawn to the energy of our words and presence. We have, in fact, added “specialists” to assist in the broader focus that you are now requesting. This, then, leads us to the first comment we wish to share: We, as you, are One! A trite phrase that is used often, but occasionally has a point. For each entity is complete in itself, but in combination with others and the “All” becomes so much more than the sum of the parts. So you have a committee that has been advising you – Stephen – for answers to your questions and subtle guidance when appropriate. But, bluntly, we don’t know everything. So like you, we call in experts. Like your requests for help in creating reports or marketing material, there are those who are better focused in that area. Then they are drawn to you. We do the same, drawing to us those who find the phrasing and topics that are most appropriate at the time for those receiving. Likewise, each of you can draw help to you for every single aspect of your life. If this were the only opportunity we would have to speak with you it would be to say that you do not request our assistance nearly enough. NOT NEARLY ENOUGH! We so wish to help, for giving to others is the greatest gift to receive and the closest way possible to approach Creator. But assistance cannot and must not be assumed. We cannot help you even scratch an itch by an assumption you would want it scratched – for you may not want it scratched. That may sound irrational to some, but all actions and situations are chosen. The interpretations of another entity’s creation is never, never, never considered. Your request for assistance, however, is a creation with which we are permitted to participate, and do so with such Love and enthusiasm that if you knew, you would remember to ask more often. We will say now that we have often called our Dearest Stephen “Dumb Ass” for his forgetfulness in requesting our help. Enough times now, that he is beginning to remember us sooner in times of angst. Not as often as he should, but remember, he is a dumb ass.



A closing point we would like to make is a reminder for each reader to remember that all information in channel lings come through a filter, which is the being at the keyboard or with the pen and paper. So the words and even topics take the flavor of that person. You will here Stevie in us, because he speaks to you for us. In our relationship and practice we know his thoughts and style well, so we speak that way so we don’t need to worry about his translating too far off. As an example, he understands the meaning and more importantly the humor of “dumb ass”, so we use it. “Spiritually challenged” might be our thought, but we admit he has more fun with the other. And fun leads to joy which leads to Love which leads to Creator. Bless you, each of you, today and all days.

Love, Love, Always Love

Q, et. al.

8/1/11 Ok, Gang, that was tough and it felt like a lot of me more than my usual writing what you say. It felt like I was pausing and picking words I liked. That’s not how we’ve done it. So is the last page all bull shit? What is happening?

Cool, Stevie-boy. We’re on track ok and you can publish what was written this morning. Yes, it felt different and definitely awkward but no concepts were compromised. Interestingly, the very filter we discussed kicked in. You wanted this to be good and pithy since you have some reputation to protect. So add a little angst and the words didn’t flow like they do right now. So relax a bit, Bucko. This is confidence in yourself – and very much confidence in us. So let both you and us be you and us. It will flow and if it doesn’t ring for a single soul out there, so what? For it will ring for you and we can bet you that you’ll get better reception than you think. Simply the process of this is educational and think of the wonderful success if just one more person shuts off the TV and sits down in silence with a pen or at a keyboard. They may do a dip-shit job like you did in the beginning, but you got better – a lot better. They can, too. So chill. I love you so! Suzie

My Scribing regarding Spiritual Rant

In my last post (see just below) I mentioned a web site and a well written open letter to the Galactic Federation and my reactions to it. Well, I do channel, but always for my own growth and clarification.  I have not done it for others, as a general rule. My method is to scribe, meaning I meditate and protect to get a clear communication.  Then I write what I think and then scribe what comes to me. You may think it is all my overactive imagination; that's fine. As I often say, your opinion of me is none of my business.  Nonetheless, here is my scribing shortly after the open letter was published.

Me: Good Morning Dearest Committee. I have a topic today which I hope (and suspect) you have discussed among yourselves. An open letter was written to the Galactic Federation requesting intervention in Gaia issues with Illuminati activity. It was a strongly worded, heart-felt letter which I completely understand. My first thought is to support this letter in every way I can. To bring more and more people to the energy of disclosure and their assistance. We feel the timetable is slower than expected and desired, so I am doubly frustrated by the delays. On the other hand, I know their perspective is broader than mine. Can you share your thoughts with me?

Good Morning, Dearest Stephen. Please believe that we fully understand your emotions as well as the rational reasons you would request an immediate intervention from the Galactic Council. We do hesitate, however, to ask support of any entity or group who is actively doing what they can within their perception of their self-approval of their self actions. Of course, their intent is certainly to support you and Gaia as much as they are able to do. Within the Universe and the governing Principles (and effect of those Principles) they must operate within their own integrity for their actions. Having already agreed to assist as they can, they most certainly are assisting, as their intent, to the degree that they have selected within the parameters they have set. Or, bluntly in your style: They said they would help and they are to the best that they can/choose/ethically complete within their self awareness. So a request to change their actions, which could be considered to be saying “not good enough” or “change your priorities” is a step we would recommend not to take. The arguments presented for a shift in policy are well presented and we are confident their impact is being considered. The energy of the request is conflicted, however. Clearly, Love of earth and its humans is strong, but elements of fighting and deposition of others, even if judged evil, can be counter-productive, as well as anything perceived as a demand. A complicating factor is your invention and concept of time, which, of course, does not exist in reality. So your request is one of time or timing which really is a superfluous issue. We are certain you can build an argument for a timing consideration, but please let us say that there are elements involved that are far beyond your 3rd density understanding. Factors surrounding the “time”question, as well as timing. All these the GF do understand and weigh within their expansive understanding, experience, and wisdom.

Please consider to rework (reword) your thoughts to consider only energy that is Loving with humility and with respect. Of course, even this advice is moot, because your attention, focus, and purpose are already understood by all who focus to your intent or who you call. Additionally, the Great Loving Source of the GC understand the perspective from which you create your energy. They know your source and they know your limitations in understanding Universal Laws. A metaphor is a parent hearing the lament of a child who considers himself being treated unfairly. That does not say the concern is invalid because it is from a child. Rather the concern is weighed along with many, many other factors beyond the child’s understanding. A pretty good metaphor, we think.

So calm, Dearest, and do know that all is unfolding with Love for the betterment of all of Gaia and its inhabitants and for all of the Universe. You certainly will not be disappointed. This we are most certain.

Love, Love, always Love,
Q, Archangels, et.al.

Thank you for reading. Consider it as you wish. You are greatly Loved, regardless.
The Old Monk

A Good Rant in the Spiritual Community

There is a web site that I log into quite regularly called http://www.galacticchannelings.com/.  This web site is a collection of channelings from other sites, making it easier to review.  Five regular channelers are
1) Matthew, who I have followed for quite a few years.  He is generally specific on what is happening in the world and I like his style a lot.
2) Blossom Goodchild, who came to prominence by announcing a Star People disclosure back on 10/15/09 (I think that was the date).  Well, they didn't show, obviously, and she took a lot of heat from that.  Nonetheless, she channels the Federation of Light regularly and I like the energy and information she passes along.
3) Mike Quinsey who channels SaLuSa from the Galactic Federation (I think it is the same outfit as Blossoms, but not sure).  SaLuSa is very good, 3 times a week.  I consider him a cheerleader to keep us focused and hopeful for ascension.
4) Sheldon Nidle channeling someone also from the Star People.  He is a little more direct.
5) Kris-won channeling Commander Sohin from the Galactic Federation - a soldier who is pretty direct about the struggle against the "dark cabal".

There are other posts occasionally, and one on March 15th really drew me in:  http://www.galacticchannelings.com/english/open-letter.html.  This was an open letter to the Galactic Federation in essence saying please make your presence known NOW.  We are frustrated here on earth.  The dark has held us hostage for too long. We have lost a lot of time we could have spent building our ascension skills so more people could advance together when Gaia makes her big move.  Then, with the earthquake in Japan and the horrendous  nuclear issue, all caused by HAARP, we need them now to prevent even more destruction. It was a great letter and I found myself jumping up and down in agreement.  Yes, yes, yes, let's get on with it!!!

But I also had something gnawing on me in my heart about my attitude, which I knew was a calling to do my own scribing for my personal take on the issue.  It was very interesting. I'll share it in my next post.
But always with Love and excitement for our new world,
The Old Monk

Oneness

Within the spiritual community there is a great deal of discussion about Oneness.  My most favorite book is titled that. I notice that everyone I hear or read, human or channeled, has the same description with very little variation. The only explanation is that we are all connected together in Oneness. blah, blah, blah. Nice words and everyone nicely nod their heads in agreement. Then there is the analogy of the drop of water in the ocean. An individual is that drop, that part of the ocean, a part of all in the oneness.


That's all nice. But something about it always bugged me. I felt it was simplistic and everyone says the same thing in explanation, which still feels incomplete. Of course, one factor is that some people can easily get the idea that they will lose their identity of self and, furthermore, that is a good thing to do so. I don't think people want to go there. I certainly don't. I suppose when you get very close to Creator, that urge for merging into the ultimate Oneness might be desirable and preferable, but we are so far from that concept it isn't worth considering, let alone choosing.

I've mentioned this dilemma often in groups, but I seem to be alone in my quandary. Most say nothing, but those that do, want me to give up my fight and surrender to the concept. I have it backward they say; we are all connected and my problem isn't oneness, it is the separation I feel.

I think they confuse my passion for a question to be a personal angst. My issue is not in the concept and the connection with all, it is the inadequacy of our language and it appears no one wishes to make the concept better. In my gut I feel the explanation is incomplete!!!

EUREKA! I found it!! In meditation early this morning a simple little change fixes everything. The metaphor of the drop in the ocean is incomplete. We are not simply a drop in the ocean, just like every other drop and part of the whole in Oneness. Oh, we are, indeed that, but so much more. Don't look at ourselves as part of the whole, but rather the whole is within us! All of the strength and power and wisdom of the whole ocean is, indeed, within our drop. We are that powerful. We are God. We are Creator. All of that strength is indeed within each one of us.
Our society has minimized each of our lives so that we consider ourselves to be insignificant - nothing more than a drop of water in the ocean. So the spiritual effort is to say "We are not alone. We are all connected together in Oneness. Isn't that nice, our sense of separation is wrong, for we, and all of nature, are connected.". That has made my gut say it is incomplete. While that says each person is not shit, I will say NO. FAR FROM IT. YOU ARE GOD. YOU ARE SO POWERFUL YOU CAN CREATE A UNIVERSE. YOU CREAT EVERYTHING YOU WANT TO EXPERIENCE, REGARDLESS OF WHAT IT MIGHT BE IN THE ENTIRE MULTIVERSE. THAT IS AMAZING. STAND UP AND RECOGNIZE HOW POWERFUL YOU ARE. YOU CREATE. YOU CREATE ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING YOU MIGHT DESIRE.

Whew. So Oneness isn't wrong. But from where we are in our 3rd density existence it points us in the right direction but doesn't go far enough. Oh, I'm sure many will say that they know all of this, but my experience of the Oneness discussions does not reveal the fantastic, most important elements of the concept. Don't just think that we are part of o whole, but that the whole is in us. A small rearrangement in words, but a fantastic rearrangement in thinking. Oneness! We are Oneness! All together. We are God. We are Creator. We are One.
And I Love You.
The Old Monk

Enlightenment and The Illusion

At our Common Thread meeting last evening, we had a delightful speaker, Charlie Day, who spoke to us of Buddhaism, meditation, and enlightenment.  Charlie had a wonderful presence about him and a great joy for his topic. One thing I notice about the spiritual path is that a great many people treat it as very serious. Either that or they are naturally very serious people. But I suspect people have a preconceived idea that an enlightened person has no personality or that if they are void of judgments (which is a goal), then they must also be void of personality or joy. If that is the case, then I have no interest in enlightenment, nor will I emulate what people think to be enlightened and lose my humor. My intent is to be Zorba The Buddha and to have a delightful time destroying stereotypes. But Charlie didn't lose his joy or humor at all, and I find that very, very refreshing. He also coined the phrase "Buddha Babble" is priceless and one I intend to use quite often from now on.

He spent a fair amount of time discussing the illusion of life that the ego uses to run rampant.  My paraphrasing may be off, but one point he made was that the ego cannot comprehend that which created it (which is, of course, the illusion itself).  That sound cute; I like it, even though it sound a bit like Buddha Babble.

Also recently, at a Saturday morning bullshit discussion, a friend, Tom Porter, also brought up the illusion concept........ Everything is an illusion that we create, so nothing really matters as a consequence..... I hear that a lot and read it even more, but I'll tell you, it sure feels real.  And as I play the game within the illusion, I have to write my mortgage check every month and watch my bank balance tumble to the point I have to scramble occasionally, while at the same time intending not to give it too much energy to attract more of the same, which doesn't matter, because everything is perfect as it is, and if any distress is brought to your attention, it is that you created it and need to release it within the illusion which doesn't matter anyway so chill out. Blah, blah, fucking blah!  I've not gotten too many comments from people on this blog. Probably, because I write arrogantly with no room for discent. Not my intent, though.  And I would like to think I can consider other opinions. So call out bullshit if you see it. And help me resolve the illusion/reality issue. Regardless, I love you.

The Old Monk 

ps: I've added Charlie's web site to my links at the left.  And if you don't know The Common Thread, their link is there also.

November, 2010 Election Results

I'm Back!!
A good friend, Barbara, asked me recently why I wasn't blogging and my answer was weak. So with some self-analysis, along with her suggestion to branch out on my topics (spiritual or otherwise), I have some fresh energy.

My focus from now on will be topics that excite my emotions and new thinking. So we'll see if I can be interesting. Topic #1: The mid-term election last week. I could have been miffed by the republicans winning, but I am not. I just see all of it as just more of the same ol', same ol'. They are becoming more and more polarized, which we should expect leading up to 2011 and 2012. One channelling I read recently said that it doesn't matter because all will be replaced by spiritually advanced souls with our new higher vibration world. Until then, of course, absolutely nothing will get done politically because both sides are more and more entrenched. The republicans by thinking they have a mandate and the democrats by being reactionary to the republican arrogance. Sigh.

But one item was tougher for me to release. Probably because I suspect I had been a gay monk many times in previous lives, or maybe a current life issue to release. But the vote on the Supreme Court retention was so disheartening. I can argue both sides of almost any political or philosophical issue - abortion, welfare, war, etc. But the argument against gay rights has absolutely no rational other than simply fear. I will discuss this in length in a future post.

A dear, dear friend of mine is a lesbian and I knew she would be heartsick with the result. In fact, she did stay home from work the next day, because of the issue. So, since I knew how she felt and also to help me deal with the disappointment, I wrote her an email which I copied to all my spiritual contacts in my email address book. Apparently, some friends liked it, so I am printing it below. Enjoy.

Hi Love,

A couple comments.

#1 every day more and more of the older people transition. The people who cannot embrace change and, therefore, fight for the care-free life their imagination had when they were children. Of course, not all older people are like this, but it is a common characteristic of age and fatigue.

#2 every day young people are waking up and looking at the world beyond their own personal life issues. The young people may very well grow old and intransigent, but their world is far broader that the one of 2-3 generations older.

So we have change continuously through our years and every now and then we get a marker to see how far we have come. We had some of those over the last few years, principally the Obama vote and the Iowa Supreme Court decision. What happened yesterday was not a marker, because broad society did not answer the question. People under 30 don’t understand this as a question while the old can’t stretch their thinking. This will change daily, daily, daily. In a short time (even without the immense vibrational changes) this will be a non-issue. You and I just need patience.

Which brings me to the next point. The universe always gives us the right answer if we are simply listening. I am, once again, reading my book, “oneness” and this morning I read the attached 3 pages. You are most likely more evolved than I, but I was shown what I can look forward to in my growth. Once I can transcend the automatic knee jerk response to the people and situations that I created for me. And recognize it is not forgiveness but a transcendence to my attachment to the outcome. Easy to think – tougher to say to you now – and still tougher to do. Well, we’re works in progress, right?

I love you. We’ll get there.
Love, Stevie

Peace and Love are getting stronger and stronger every single day. I feel it as are most spiritual people I talk to. As I said above, we'll get there.

Love and blessings to all, always.
The Old Monk

The Tree of Life

SOMETIMES I THINK AS I WRITE AND IT'S NOT ALWAYS WELL BAKED. THAT'S WHAT I THING OF THIS FOLLOWING POST - IT'S A LITTLE HALF-BAKED. THE IDEA IS GOOD, BUT THE METAPHOR GOES A LITTLE TOO FAR. I DON'T LIKE IT VERY MUCH ANYMORE, BUT I'M NOT DELETING IT - PROBABLY FOR DISCUSSION FODDER AS TO WHICH PARTS ARE WEAK. THANKS, ALL. LOVE, ALWAYS. The Old Monk, 11/12/10.

It seems most if not all civilizations on earth have held a metaphor of “The Tree of Life”. Here is my version:

All of us on earth live beneath a Tree of Life. It is huge, covering all of us easily and completely. Its branches are beautiful and overflowing with all the nourishment we would ever want. To make our story easy, it is an apple tree with perfect fruit easily within an arm’s reach to pick whenever we wish. It is always full and ripe; there is no season without perfect tasty apples ready for us. We all live together under this magnificent Tree of Life, and there are many types of people:

Some people enjoy their days doing whatever interests them. When they are hungry, they reach up, grab an apple, and eat it right there. They know the Tree will always be there and the fruit will always be available and their lives are complete.

Some people don’t know the tree is there (maybe this is most people). Their heads are constantly down and they eat the fruit they find on the ground. Sometimes they get a perfect ripe apple. Sometimes it may be more rotten.

Some people have crafted a basket and pick apples to put into the basket. They don’t need all of the apples now, but they accumulate them anyway for a variety of reasons:

• They may be afraid that a season of drought will occur, or
• They wish to share with their friends, or
• They see people who are crippled in one way or another and cannot reach a branch or don’t know how to reach one. These people share from their basket.
  

Some people go to great effort to create large canvas bags in which they can put many, many apples. Some of these bags are so large they are too heavy to be moved, so the person sits and guards the bag so it is not stolen by anyone else. These people are often like those with baskets sharing a small portion with friends or those who cannot reach the branches. Usually these bags have apples that are so old in the bottom of the bag that they are rotten and putrid, but the bag owner doesn’t notice this.

Some people, as we have mentioned above, may be crippled physically or mentally and are unable to reach the fruit. Some of these see the fruit, some don’t. Some rail at their situation, sitting and screaming demanding help that they sometimes get and sometimes not. So often they eat the rotten fruit on the ground. Some see the problem and build ramps and towers for them and others like them to be able to reach the branches. Of course, both types of people do get help from the basket people and the bag people and others.

Some people see the branches and can reach them, but choose not to. They go to the basket people and bag people and sometimes the crippled ramp people trying to get apples from them. Sometimes that works and when it doesn’t, they pick fruit that may be under-ripe or over-ripe from the branches that are closest to where they are at the moment. Or they eat the rotten fruit on the ground.

Some people see the fruit and want it, but they don’t believe they are smart enough to pick the fruit or think they are not worthy to have something a luscious as a fresh apple off the tree. So they eat the rotten fruit on the ground.

Some people are clever and talk to those who consider themselves unworthy or not smart. The clever people say, “I will take care of you and I will make you worthy, so I give you permission to pick the apples if you give me one apple for every two that you pick. Just put it into my canvas bag. But if you don’t pick enough apples fast enough, I will demand that you give me two apples for every three you pick.”

You see where I am going with this story. I am sure you can think of many other types of people who also live under the tree. And please don't dissect my examples too critically. I have consciously not labeled each type of activity with a name, for that particular judgment lends itself to harsher judgments. There are many motivations for each activity. We are all learning and experiencing as we go along under this Wonderful Tree.

So what’s my point? It doesn’t have to be hard. If we all picked from the Tree as we need it, we would all get along, we would all be happy, and we can experience what we want to when we want to. Or we could all have baskets and share. Wouldn’t that be wonderful. That option is available to us. The Universe really is like that Tree of Life. Full of abundance. Full of everything you might want to experience without pain or discomfort. We just need to open our eyes, look up, and KNOW that the Tree is there. Well, we’re looking and I love all of us for it.

The Old Monk

The Drawing of Spirit

I'm back. You will certainly notice that the last posting was June of last year. Why?

Well, I wasn't drawn with anything to say. The heart of my Law of Attraction learnings had already been said. I knew that I would quickly begin to repeat myself, which does nothing for anyone. So what now?

The world obviously is being sucked into the Facebook game. People lose hour after hour either rambling themselves or reading other people's ramblings. I admit it is enticing (everyone loves to have other people pay attention to their ramblings - cheaper than a therapist). On the other hand I don't think I want to invade my daughters' lives that closely, so I think I will pass on the Facebook phenomenon.

Look! I'm rambling!! Damn.

But I am back here; hopefully, with fresh insights expanding into the spiritual world beyond just the Law of Attraction. And here, only those interested in the topics will find me, not the daughters' friends or worse, the less-enlightened members of my family.

So I start today with a few questions for you to ponder. Fortunately (or unfortunately to some) there are no answers to the questions other than what you decide. Well,....... you decide:

#1. What am I? Not who you are - your name, race, address, beliefs, but WHAT you are.

#2 What is God to me? Again, not who is God. Not a Christian or Muslim or Hindu definition of God. And note it is a two parter: WHAT is God to YOU?

#3. Where am I now? Not your address and not who. WHERE are you now?

Enough for the moment? I'd love to have a bottle of Pinot Noir with you to discuss the options.

I love you.

The Old Monk

Most Benevolent Outcome

GOD, ANGELS, and GUIDES

Please help me today so that
I will have a

MOST BENEVOLENT OUTCOME

In my work

In my health

In my relationships

In my finances and

In all aspects of my life.

Thank you.

The Old Monk

Law of Attraction for Groups

Hello! I have been on vacation for much of the last two weeks, so that is a partial explanation for my delay in entering any posts here. During our vacation, Beverly and I spent some time on the shore of Delaware with our great friends Bill and Dayna. Bill is a wonderful person except that sometimes (usually) he overserves me wine.

During one of our discussions, Bill told me about the office he shares with 6-7 women. Apparently, they interact a great deal and occasionally that interaction is not conducive to a good environment. So on occasion, Bill has gone into his office, shut the door, then slammed a book down creating a resounding boom. Then he would go back to the common area, empty a big bag of candy or chocolate, and announce, “Candy break!”. Part of their business is education and training, so Bill has used his considerable skill with them to teach cooperation and other characteristics to promote a good work environment, but he admits that he hasn’t had much success.

He has said that when he arises each morning he sets his conscious intent that he will experience joy and success for the day. That is perfect, so I suggested to him that since he cannot change another’s behavior, only his own, that he should add some of the following intentions to his day:
"These women aren’t always bickering."
"Actually, they are good friends and support each other often."
"This really is a wonderful cooperative office where everyone gets along marvelously."

Of course, Bill needs to do this regularly and believe it in spite of what he may see at any moment. If so, I predict that he will see changes in the office and how his people interact. Not immediately, because there has been too much energy going the opposite direction. You can’t get a car to instantly stop on the freeway and turn around at the same speed. But he will notice some change pretty soon and the office will look much different in 60 days. He may be very surprised at some of the changes, too. For example, some may quit saying they just don’t like it there. Actually, what will be happening is that the energy in the office will improve and they are unable or not wanting to cope with the changes. Sadly, calm joy is just very foreign to some people. But don’t worry, because if his intent is a cooperative, efficient office, the perfect new employee will show up at his door.

Plagiarism time! I have often in these posts praised Abraham-Hicks work and stolen their words. I also have a link to their web site below. One of their recent daily inspirations was a perfect fit for Bill’s situation:

You don't have to worry about what their vibration is if your vibration is one of connection. Because if your vibration is one of connection -- you're going to dominate the vibration. This is the way you learn your relationships. The thing that most people do not understand, is that you get to control the way you feel, because you get to choose the thoughts you think. Most people think that they only have the option of responding to the circumstances that surround them. And that's what makes them attempt the impossible, which is to control the circumstances around them, which only feeds their feeling of frustration and vulnerability, because it doesn't take very much life experience to discover you can't control all of those circumstances. But you can control your vibration. And when you control your vibration, you've controlled everything that has anything to do with you.
Excerpted from a workshop in El Paso, TX on Thursday, March 28th, 2002

So, Bill……….. if you read this and if you apply any of these concepts plus related one’s you think of, please let us know how you are getting along. Anyone else as well. It’s easy to leave comments, anonymous or otherwise, to any posts. I would love to hear of others experiences and beliefs because we are all connected. Wonderfully and lovingly so.

The Old Monk

OW, OW, OW - Amendment

In the last post I focused on the difficulty of dealing with pain and the Law of Attraction. I don't take any of that back, but there is another factor that should be discussed as well. Doctors, medical procedures, and prescriptions ( aka potions). My simple answer is to use them as you feel is appropriate for you. I can, and often, give the impression that you don't need doctors or potions because everything is energy, so if you focus on the energy, you can solve your problem. And in a completely theoretical way, that is true. But living in our world today, we are just learning the subtlies of energy and our old training and habits are really hard to drop.

So for the record... in dealing with my pain, I am, indeed, doing the steps I outlined in the previous post. But also, I started taking ibuprofin as soon as any pain started and to reduce the imflamation. Even if I am masking the pain, that is ok with me. Then I am not adding fuel to the proverbial fire. Also, I am seeing my chiropractor regularly - in fact every day this week - to get everything back in alignment. I might be proud about wanting my abilities to use the Law of Attraction effectively, but I'm not that proud. Just for the record.

Admitting all that is good for my soul and that also makes me feel better. Hope you feel better, too. You certainly deserve it. You are blessed, admired, appreciated, but most of all loved.

The Old Monk

OW, OW, OW

Pain isn't fun. How's that for a profound statement! My motto is:"If it's not going to be fun, I'm not going to do it". But yet, somehow, pain enters my life and I have to deal with it. From other postings here, you can probably figure out that I believe that every experience in our lives are created by us, alone. Oh, you may catch the flu from your kid or someone where you work; or, maybe you are injured in a car accident that someone else causes. But I say that you brought those experiences into your life. Most likely not intentionally, but you did it nonetheless.

In February just after the big ice/snow storm, I slipped on icy steps. I caught myself and didn't fall, but in the process I pulled a muscle in my thigh and, apparently, rearranged other joints in my hips and lower back. Of course, I caused this. Not by simply slipping - that was the result. The cause was vibrational. It has to be - it always is. I'm still not sure why I did it, but I have some ideas. That's not my point today. The issue is what to do and be once it has happened. Damage control, as unemotional, detached managers like to say.

That is the tough part. No matter what I may be doing during the day, there is the constant "ow, ow, ow" calling me from my lower back. I have trouble sleeping with this so add to the concert: "Ow, tired, ow, ow, I'm sick of this". Regardless of how and why it happened, this is where I am right not. And I knowl that by my thoughts and emotions I bring my future experience into my life. Well, that sucks when I'm in pain. The pain doesn't let me ignore it, so that just brings more of the same for me, right? Yup. Right. This is where the Law of Attraction gets tough and it is a place where everyone gets sometimes - and some people never leave. Sometimes it gets so an individual so identifies with their pain that it becomes their life. I've got a dear friend who is amazingly creative with the illnesses and injuries she has attracted.

So how to proceed... There is always the miraculous recovery that we read about every now and then, but I don't know anything about that. Never worked for me. Oh, I'm certain they occur and there are excellent reasons for them, but I am not in that loop. What I am doing is this: #1, from Eckhart Tolle's book Power of Now, sit down alone and contemplate. I look at myself and admit that my body is injured and it hurts. My intent is to be the individual in pain, but at the same time, be the watcher. Recognize that I do have this, accept it as it is. Accept myself. ABSOLUTELY, with no judgement, no victimhood. On the contrary, with great self love. I can't describe the next step, it just happens. That meditation in itself lessens the pain. I don't know why. I dont' know how. It just does. The pain doesn't go away, but it does lessen and that is what I am looking for. Because lessened pain is the beginning of turning my thoughts and energy around, so that, first, I stop making it worse, and second, I begin healing.

Then, #2, I do my famous picture painting in my head. I see myself golfing with a full complete turn and a powerful release to a magnificent drive. I see myself taking a long bicycle ride, or even the wonderful tired release of having just completed a good strenuous exercise workout. I also tell myself that it doesn't always hurt as much as I think. It is getting better every day. This won't last forever.

There is another part, too. #3, I have active meditations where I see my body on a healing table and I am flooding it with pure white light. I am telling all the cells of my body to clean themselves and spit out all impurities and anything that shouldn't be there. I tell my arteries to clear out plaque (sorta roto-rooter themselves). I tell my bones to disolve the calcium and buildup that has accumulated. I tell all my organs to operate like a swiss watch ( sometimes I even stamp the word "Rolex" on my forehead). And, most certainly, when I am in pain, I focus particularly on the mechanics of healing that situation. Right now it is having all my vertebrae in alignment and the nerves clean and healthy.

When I am not doing any of the above steps and I am going about my normal life, my intent is to give as little attention to the pain as possible. Ignore it. Don't give it the satisfaction of controlling me. Now, that sounds good on paper, but there is some bullshit in that sentence. Lets face it, "ow, ow, ow" it tough to ignore. But at this point I don't have a magic pill to tell you about. What I need to do is exactly the things I mentioned above. I need to be dilligent and focused. I won't do those things perfectly, but everytime I am attempting them, I am not adding to the pain body. And, with time, it does indeed get better. And better. And better.

So, every day in every way, I am getting better and better. And I love the process, just as I love you.

The Old Monk

It's All Energy

Everything in the Universe is energy. Everything. Secondly, energy vibrates at some level. All energies vibrate at different levels depending on what they are, but all do, indeed, vibrate. What do you get when you take a lot of energy and pack it together (scientific term there)? You get mass. So when you look around you, everything you see is really energy as a base. Trees, rocks, animals, you. And everything vibrates at some level. Even a rock, if you get small enough inside you see vibrational movement. I don't know the scientific words here, but this understanding is a given in the scientific/physics world.

What we want to do is learn how to control energy. Hasn't that always been our goal? And we've been good at it, too. Ever since we controlled fire with flint and then matches, that is controlling a type of energy. A prism separates colors of light which is another form of energy control. Through time we have gradually gotten smarter and found new ways to control energy to make our lives easier or better, and we have gotten pretty good at it with all of the machines we have created to control different types of energy. When we are first learning about a specific energy, usually our successes are blind luck. I can just imagine how early cavemen learned how to transport and then create fire. A lot of trial and error, such as finding out that water doesn't burn.

So where am I going with all of this? We are learning now that each of our thoughts are also energy and therefore each vibrates at a particular level. Previously, our successes were more blind luck in using the Law of Attraction, just like other attempts to control energy. There was always the mantra of "positive thinking", "think it and you can achieve it". And it worked! People would swear by the concept and write all kinds of books, e.g. Napoleon Hill's Think and Grow Rich. It worked for some followers and didn't work for others. They just didn't think hard enough or positive enough was the answer.

Well, now we are getting smarter and figuring all of this out. We are learning to control energy to a level that we never previously thought possible. So why now? It's part of our evolution, like controling any other type of energy except this time we don't need machines or outside tools. This is all done within - choosing those things we wish to experience. It's always been around, we are just now figuring it all out and learning how to use it other than blind luck.
So consider that when you ponder and work with the Law of Attraction. Everything is energy and vibrates. Like energy attracts according to it's vibration. You are learning to control the vibration of your thoughts, that is, manipulating that energy, to get what you want. How you do that is the sum total of our study and all of the posts I have put here. Just remember to make it fun.

The Old Monk

Watch out for the Gotcha's

One of the more confusing aspects of the Law of Attraction is the subtle difference between the negative not wanting of something and the positive wanting of the opposite. The most popular example is the attraction of money. Many people think the proper thought is, "I don't want to be poor" or "I want more money". That is a logical way to look at things, but it isn't quite right.

One key is that the Universe operates only in the present. There is no such thing as future or past. Secondly, the Universe loves you unconditionally and therefore gives you exactly what you want (be careful, here, and don't let your thoughts get ahead of me). From the Universe's perspective, nothing is good or bad, simply choices. We choose what we want to experience and on a soul level sometimes we truly wish to experience poverty or illness. And because of that, the Universe does not decide for you if something is right or not. Got that? Very important: The Universe does not discern. That is your job.

So, if the Universe loves you, but can only work in the present, how does it know what you want?... By your thoughts, words, and emotions. If you say "I don't want to be poor", what you are saying is that at the moment you are poor. The emotion of that statement is an unhappiness of lack of wealth. You are wallowing in the lack. The Universe thinks that what you are focusing on is what you want, so it says, "Yes, I love you! You want lack of money? Great, that is wonderful! I will give you what you want! I will give you lack of money!"

And the Universe, being the wonderful creative source that it is, will make your car break down or spring a leak in your water heater. Or if you have a whole lot of energy into the thought, you could lose your job. The Universe is very precise, so watch your phrasing and watch your emotions. It can't read your situation and give you what It considers is best for you. Understand that sentence? The number one Law is Free Will!!! If the universe decided for you and made your life easy, there would be no free will. And that will never happen. So it is your choice what you wish to experience: good or bad, hot or cold, fat or thin, happy or sad. Those are all value judgements and that is what we are here to do. Make those choices to live the lives we choose. So........................ If the Universe will give you what you want to experience, why not choose the easy way? It's much, much nicer. If you think Love and give Love, then you get Love. Try it. It works.

The Old Monk

A Humorous Morality Story

Once upon a time, a man reached that stage in life when he pondered its meaning. Why did he continuously slave for material gain at a job he detested? Why was materialism rampent in society and in his home. Gradually, these questions captivated so much of his attention that all the people and things in his life were ignored and slowly melted away. He lost his job, then his wife. He alienated his children and friends, all in his study of and search for the meaning of life.

And so it was, that when he had lost all but the ragged clothes on his back, he heard of a most learned guru hidden in a mountainous cave in India. He vowed and struggled to get to the guru, and, ultimately, when he was broken, bloody, and near death, he crawled into the entrance of the cave and came upon the meditating presence of the Great Guru.

"Oh, Great Guru," he said, "please share with this humble seeker. What is the meaning of life?"

The Great Guru smiled warmly and gently spoke, "Life is a flower."

"WHAT?" the seeker shouted! "I have lost everything precious to me - wife, family, all posessions. Many times I was near death in my struggle to find you, and you tell me 'Life is a flower'?"

The Great Guru's eyes flew open in astonishment, and he said, "You mean it isn't?"

The Old Monk

WARNING!!! Work to do!

I hate it when I have work to do. I'd much rather have fun, which I don't consider work to be (that's why they call it work, right?). But we also know it is very good for us, particularly when we define the work ourselves for ourselves. Well, that's where I'm going right now. It's good for you, like a vitamin pill or exercise.

I've been talking about Discernment for a few weeks now. I stress how very important it is, but the written word here can't really impress on you how crucial it is to your understanding how you are using the Law of Attraction right now (randomly and reactively) and how you should use the law (creatively and consciously). So I have an exercise for you to do. Total active time around 20 to 30 minutes. Can you spare that alone somewhere? Over coffee some morning or beer in the evening? Consider the drink or food to be the reward for the effort. Here is what you do:

#1: Set a timer for at least 10 minutes. 15 or 20 would be better. Take a full 8 1/2 x 11 pad of paper and start writing down your stream-of-consciousness thoughts. Most likely, the first sentence you write will be something like this: "What the hell am I doing this for I don't know what to write down or what to think and I've got to keep this shit up for another 9 1/2 minutes?" Well, you see where I'm going. Don't censor anything! If your mind goes to how much your butt itches, then put it down. No one other than you are ever going to read this anyway, and ultimately you'll be throwing it away, so say anything. Don't sweat punctuation or spelling - just get the thoughts down as they come, regardless.

#2: Get three markers: a yellow highlighter, another highlight color like pink or blue, and a black. Now, re-read what you have written and for each thought, judge for yourself what style each was. For happy or positive thoughts highlight them with yellow. For thoughts that are pissy or annoyed or in any way negative (I would put the above quote in this category), hit them with the black marker. Anything you really can't put into either category, use the third color. You need to be honest here. If you are trying to judge a particular thought and can't decide if it is negative or not, think what your life would be like if that were the only thing you ever said.

#3: Step back and look at your colors. If you are "normal", meaning like most people, I'll bet at least 75% of your page is blackened out and you wish you had used a paint brush rather than a marker. The more yellow you have and the less black, horray for you, all the better. Do you see? Do you see where your mind goes? And since your thoughts, and particularly your emotion behind the thoughts, create what the Universe brings in front of your face, do you see why you are getting what you are getting? It's going to match. I know for sure that it is going to match. If it is not, then you are not being honest with yourself somehow, which actually magnifies the situation.

#4: Love the result and love yourself for the result you found. Love the pages full of black. You have done that!! You have experienced that and you have put the black down on paper. Otherwise you would never be in the place you are now to recognize the black and to say to yourself, "Now, I know what I didn't know. And I choose yellow-highlighter-thoughts".

I warned you. It's work. But boy is it necessary work. You can't figure out where you want to go if you don't know where you are. And you are the only one who can do this. And don't forget #4, to love your black results and to love yourself. I do.

The Old Monk