New Year's Reservations: Table for 2...011

Perhaps it's just me whose feeling strange about writing those numbers: 2011. It began with '2000' and it felt like the world needed to be seen flying in cars, and rotating rooms, and escalators in high-rise buildings. That's my Jetson cartooned imagination working itself overtime as I prepare myself for a new year and another journey of challenges. I don't do predictions and as for resolutions? Well, that's being resolved.

So what's left to say about 2010? It was a probable year. And by probable, I mean it didn't have to happen, but it did because I chose it. But I could have made other choices as well. Anyway.... It was a year of many ups & downs, highs & lows, hits & misses. It was the year I celebrated a Thankgivings birthday with a lot of wishes. It was the Year of the Tiger that added 7 cats to the household. It was the year that I was accepted into graduate school. It was the year of healing and dealing with changes in a world. It was the year I left my full-time job working with youth only to return as a contractor in the fall. That was one of the best feelings in the world. It was a year of more and more Facebooking and adding friends. It was a year of seeing & speaking to family & friends. It was a year of financial worries and meeting daily ends. It was a year of crop circle music dreams, lavender oils and fragrant creams. It was a year of leaks & spills, geeks & freaks, droids & pads, multiple births, and cheating dads.

It was a year of changing the channels in my life, creating my own network of dreams. Yeah, 2010 was a different kind of dish I ordered on the menu. It was difficult to swallow in the beginning but in the end it was the perfect meal.

And so I have reservations again for 2..011. But this time, can we have the sturdy table or a noiseless booth? Clean silverware with knives sharp as a razortooth? Can we get the section with soft earthly colors of browns, vanillas, and blues? And surround sound with wordless music like jazz or the blues? And the smells of homemade recipes, and exotic teas? Can we have the lights turned down a bit while I stare into her eyes as I sit? Can we also get the service this time with no hurry and pay our bill without the worry? Oh! Can we please get a peace of mind and enjoy our time?

Perhaps you will join me this year with trust and good cheer? I have prepared a wonderful occasion for us all. What will you order? Oh, what will it be? A different kind of meal, gourmet, elegant, a culinary fantasy? Or will it be the usual, your favorite, or the daily special? They have the 'create-your-own' entrees, and the best appetizers, but no superdeals or supersizers.

But you asked for something different? I know, I know but not toooo strange. Something that's magical & charming, yet a tiny bit re-arranged. Okay this may sound deranged and even insane. That's why I'm asking you to join me for a change.

Everything is paid for and everything you need is there. Are you ready to go? And do you even care? Maybe you do and maybe you don't. I will go regardless even if you won't. You have a whole new year to choose, and live as you please. I told the waiter you will be coming soon, but in the meantime, I will order a bottle of champagne and cheese!

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2011!!!!

The American Fistbump : Thoughts On Living In Absurd Times

I don't who was the first person I did it with. I know it was with a guy not a woman. The fistbump. You know what it is. Its become an American way of communicating with everyone and everything. And it happened overnight. Even Obama and Michelle did it during the elections. But lately I've been growing weary and suspicious of my own conditioning and how I arrived at this place of 'fistbumping.' And thus, my feeling that I live in absurd times but that's only the surface.

"Reality." That word that has been exploited so easily by media entities and used to attract our attention these days. And 'they' have done an almost perfect job. Sort of. Is it me? Is it the aging? I don't think so. Even though I consider myself observant, there is much that I miss. And for good reason. There is a part of me that doesn't care. Or a lot of this stuff in our culture has nothing to do with me. And yet I can't seem to escape from it like the American Fistbump.

Call me boring. Call me too serious. Call me lame. But there is more to 'reality' than a TV show. I just think what's happening 'inside' of me is more interesting than what's out there but you won't see any cameras in my home. Too much peace, too much awareness, too much knowing here, and too many cats. Sorry.

And no, I'm not a hermit. I live around people. I don't live in the mountains. I work with kids. I enjoy going out to eat. I enjoy shopping. I enjoy hanging out. I go to the casino, and occasionally, that ominous place called 'the club.' And I enjoy having an occasional drink. My friends know me better. They know me as a thinker, a reader, a healer, a counselor, a writer, a coach, an actor, but above all else someone who revels and explores the unknown reality. That's just my nature. So I do love learning from others, hearing their ideas, and even supporting people in working through their life challenges. So I do get out and 'shop' for experiences, collecting psychic artifacts for my later reflections, and depositing my adventures into the bank of memory. I'm hip to the script, but slow to flow, and sink to think inside an ocean of silent dreamy.

It's how I survive these days-and maybe have always. I felt the absurdity of reality as a kid but I went along with it as children are taught. But adults can be scary to children and so kids learn to keep silent and hide their impulses, desires, and feelings until they get older, and remember their own authority. Well, at least I did. And now as an adult, I see the times have become even more absurd. And by absurd, I mean irrational, ridiculous, realities that can come from the human imagination.

What happened? How did our world become so absurd? And how can we survive these times? Maybe you are someone who lives a quiet life, free of drama, free of this absurd, yet you are a neighbor to others whose lives are chaotic, cluttered and filled with ridiculous excursions into self-aggrandizements and petty disturbances. Maybe you work with people and groups whom you perceive as engaged in the ridiculous cartoon of daily life and you are easy to flow with those kind of realities. Or maybe your life is a roller coast ride of exciting adventures, and explorations. Only you know...

For instance, in the schools, things are becoming crazy for our kids who are acting out anyway they can. I am witness to the things say to kids and my heart drops every time, these teacher police the children. I heard a male teacher threatened a female student, probably in 2nd or 3rd grade, and I was struck by the injustice. It was ridiculous. And part of me silently wished this teacher would get a taste of his own medicine. But I'm not too quick to interfere for I'm a visitor and not a staff member. And I don't want you to wait for superman. You know the fire drill.

But its not just the schools. It's the crap you see on TV and the Hollywood movies that I have realized have nothing to do with my daily world, here in small town Santa Fe. I saw a preview for a new romantic comedy with Ashton Kutcher and Natalie Portman and then it hit me: the stories of a lot of these movies have nothing to do with me. And then I got it. It wasn't just the movies that are out there and their subjects, I began to realize so much that's been shoved in my face have nothing to do with me: sports, religion, music, TV, movies, etc. And that brought an empty feeling. I was faced with my shadow: a reality of the absurd.

So where does that leave someone like me? How can I survive this kind of reality? Let me share with you what works for me...

1. Accept your reality as valid. Your life is valid as much as Kim Kardashian, Oprah Winfrey, and Will Smith. Even if you are waiting tables, sweeping poop off the floor, or sitting at home like a bum, your life is important.

2. Don't let yourself get stuck with labels. Even though I call it 'absurd' I know it has a purpose. It has been put in front of me for a reason. It's a part of my belief system and beliefs are not facts. I can change my ideas tomorrow. And that's refreshing.

3. Turn it off.-for now. I'm not advocating any resistance to the absurd as much as noticing it. What's important is your world AND the world of co-creation. The greatest invention is the Remote Control and that includes my own mind, the original RC. Changing our thoughts is changing the channel in our minds. You can always make a nostalgic return.

4. Your life is its own reality show. Being hip doesn't mean just knowing the latest news/fads/gossip times but being hip to your inner self is just as cool as being hip to what's 'out there.' Your inner world of dreams, thoughts, and desire has as much value as the news, knowledge, and information of AOL, CNN, and all the news networks combined.

5. Use the absurdity of our times as focal points of heightened awareness. What this means is this: an absurd world is meant to be a reference point for learning about ourselves but it is not the end of times as much as an awakening to the times. It's a peculiar way for mankind to shift into another gear of spiritual growth & development. It's the quickening where billions of people have the greatest opportunity for accelerated growth and development through witnessing multiple life experiences and challenges.

Ask yourself this: In what ways are some of the things in your life absurd? Your community? Workplace? Relationships? How can use the energy of the absurd to align yourself in rapid changing times?

The fistbump is here today. Gone tomorrow. So what's absurd in many ways has become a way of life. Then on to the 'next best thing'.

Maybe tomorrow we will greet each other with "The Knuckle Pop." Who knows? You decide...

Life Is Not A Game, And I'm Not In A Race!: Making Peace With Your Shadow

"To honor and accept one's own shadow is a profound spiritual discipline."-Robert A. Johnson, author of Owning Your Own Shadow. "Life is a game." I don't buy that. Life is not a game. Because life is not a game to me I am not in a race. I don't have to 'pull the race card' to get what I want or to be seen. We used to live in a world where people felt obligated to live according to what they were taught by well-to-do family & community members. And what they were taught was fighting against others, racing against others, and this is all based in a belief in survival of the fittest which is alive and well today-just look at your reality shows. And in this belief of 'them vs. me' there is born a shadow, our projection of our fears. And a belief that life is a game. But I beg to differ. For me that led to a life of inner chaos where I went along with the sheep mentality of my community. I got the college degree. I worked hard and made decent money. I partied until I passed out. Then a break-off point occured. Then one day I jumped off the sheep train and woke up like Neo in the Matrix. I don't want to rewind those moments or years but they particularly involved my beliefs about race & culture-overall, my sense of identity. Who am I? What am I? What does it mean to be a man of color? all that stuff which is important to examine. I don't want to fill up this space with my somber racial experiences, and neither do I want to make angry with you. But I have realized that I am more than what the world says I am even though the world may not ever see me as I really am and so continue to use its beliefs of perception to see me as they have been taught to see me.(What a mouthful!!) In other words, I am more than just a black man, but you won't see me trying to convince you that I am! We live in a world that we can focus on a new purpose, a new reason to live, beyond racial, cultural, and even religious obligations. We don't have to burden others with our stories of pain & sorrow. We all have one. But you have to go past your story, and create a new one. You have to go past your need to be right and special if you want to be free in this world. And that is what I have learned. Now it doesn't mean that I live in denial. It means living according to what matters to you, beyond racial, cultural obligations. It means knowing that you are not limited to the circumstances of your past, present, community or racial group as I've learned over many years. There is a grace of life that comes when you let go of your stored pain and see that you have been sold a bill of goods and perhaps may even continue to use those goods, i.e the belief in victimization, the belief in Us vs. Them, etc. But first you must learn to let it go: let go of projecting your chaos and pain upon others. Let go of making others the devil, the monster in your dreams. What I speak of your ability as an individual to reach an oasis of peace as you move through this world. Yes, people die. Yes, people get murdered. Yes, people get sick.Yes, people lose their jobs. But this is not about being 'realistic' as much as taking responsibility for your own pain, being honest with yourself, and then as you remember what matters and the circumstances are not the dominant force but YOU ARE, then you create a life that reflects your intentions, desires, and purpose. That's the power of pulling the grace card. The power of making peace with your shadow. You are more than what you think & believe and we have been told THIS IS ALL THERE IS. And so we have bought into the old beliefs & limitations passed down to us. Now we are faced with an incredible choice of confronting everything we have believed that is not true or live in denial or arrogance of what we think we believe is true. To live in grace is to live according to your inner nature, as you continue to learn and develop yourself as a soul. It is stepping outside of your own box, that which you have imposed upon yourself, the limitations you have agreed to in this lifetime. Its making peace with yourself, the light and shadow within. If you need to be out there fighting the world, then charge forth you mighty soldier of the Light Brigade. There is no rush. This is not a race for eternity. What I am speaking of requires a different kind of honesty: one that means stepping back from the world and seeing how you project your thoughts and feelings upon it, how it all comes back to you in some form, and more how you can stop running away. 1. Tell yourself this: 'Everything I believe about myself and the world is not true." This statement can produce the greatest magic in your thinking and feeling. It unleashes you from the tyranny of what you have believed about yourself and the world. 2. Then try this: Remove anything that has to do with 'time' from your view for 6 days. Newspapers, cellphones, clocks, etc. Let yourself sense the timelessness. This moving towards grace. 3. Get out a sheet of paper. Draw a line in the middle. On one side write at the top, 'The Best Thoughts about Myself' and other side 'The Worst Thoughts about Myself.' Be as honest with yourself as much as you can. If you think, 'I'm angel' write it down. If you think, 'I hate my stomach' or 'I'm so mean to my co-workers' write it down. Now after you do this, go back to #1. 4. If that doesn't work, then just sit with those thoughts and feelings, and watch them as they pass through. Notice how they feel. Why do you believe that about yourself and others? How do you know its true? Is it true about all reality? If it not true, then you must accept that it is a belief and not fact. 5. Have fun with this! I know that this may sound like a bunch of new age hooey, and I'm not here to convince you of anything as much as share with you the fruit I've picked off the tree of my life travels. And I want you to know that the grace of life is alive, breathing within you as you read these words, and this grace serves as its own indoctrination, its own ritual, and way of being. We are living in a both an amazing, wonderful time and strange one as well. Either way, we are on the brink of blossoming as a new species through all the events happening today and beyond. Out of these events will come a new consciousness that allows for personal peace, fulfillment, and understanding. Happy travels my friend!

The Relationship Race: Ending The Competition for Love

Are you in a relationship race? Are you 'competing' against family, lovers, co-workers to be at the top? How important is it to you to pause & reflect upon how you are being, thinking, and acting? How important is it to 'check yourself' as you work to check out others? For so many years, I know I was one of those guys who believed I wanted to be in a good relationship but I was not really healthy myself.

Developing new relationships these days can be difficult if we are carrying around our baggage, having the need to be right, making others feel inadequate, or walking around as if we have it all together, or even better than others. And yet, they can be the easiest thing in the world if we begin to become more aware of the unhealthy habits and behaviors we are in.

One of the things I've noticed these days is this yearning for independence in a lot of people while also yearning for real intimacy. However, having intimacy doesn't mean you have to exclude independence. We live in an co-dependent universe, or inter-dependent world. So you can have your intimacy and independence too.

This need for intimacy-that is really natural, and effortless-can lead to competition. But its the kind of competition where you are racing against time, or competiting against someone whom you see as a threat, or you are racing to show others how strong, powerful, & talented you are. It's a survival of the prettiest, survival of the smartest, survival of the wealthiest, etc. And when you are set out on the quest to consciously to create happiness and intimacy, no competition is required.

But how do you take a break from the Relationship Race where you are silently racing against others or ourselves in a relationship? How do you get out of it? Here's 3 easy steps:

1. Get clear about what you really want. You may say this is what you want BUT you may also have contradictory beliefs that get in the way of attracting what you want. Or you may just be lazy. And if you are mentally lazy, there is no hope for you! Sorry...

2. Focusing upon what's right with ourselves can do tremendous wonders for your health. Too often you hear people demonizing others. It's hard to rise above the tide when you are stuck below the waters. And I meet a lot of people who want to be in healthy relationships BUT they don't have the right mind-set. They point the fingers at others so much they become blind to their own fingers! Or they are just looking for someone to dump on, looking for someone to fight with, looking for someone to abuse. What's right about you? What's right about that person who irritates you?

3. Working on your beliefs & emotions can free your agony & pain. If you really examine what you believe about yourself, then you will see why there you have relationship issues. Healing the joy & pain works both ways!

This blog is not about getting the right partner or spouse. This is about ending the competition for love and one that has been distorted by reality TV. You can do it if you want to. If you don't want to, not ready, fine. If you are, try it out. Worked for me!!!

And if you are happy & you know it clap your hands, snap your fingers!

Now move on, you love demon!

"I Know A Woman"(A Poem)

I know a woman
Crazy for love,
She lives in a
A temple of wishes
High above,
She dreams at night,
About her whence charming
Her night on a white horse,
But she knows life is short,
As she dreams of a course,
Of a different life,
Beyond her own,
Filled with joy
And freedom
And miracles grown
From her sensuous beauty,
Her enigmatic grace,
I know a woman
Who lives in silent power
Yet shines her heavenly face
Before the world
She smiles and knows,
Destiny is her purpose
A family she grows
Through ages and ages
Her stories never cease
Her pain is a legacy
Her strength is peace,
What man can know her story,
What poem can sing her song,
I know a woman
You may know too
Waiting for heaven to come along.

The American Reaction: Getting a Grip on Awakening In Times of Rapid Changes

It's become almost a way of life as much as the technologies we buy and use. And now that I notice it, I feel I want to say something about it. I call it The American Reaction. It's so common in almost everywhere you go: workplace, media, home, schools, but mostly media-that omnipresent entity that has now become US and not THEM. But what do I mean by The American Reaction? I began to notice something in my conversations with people that struck me as both disappointing and frustrating. At first, I thought I was having candid discussions about life matters in the teacher staff rooms, on the phones with friends long distance, and strangers in public. I didn't see it at first but now I do and perhaps you do too. It's this kind of commentary that reflects people's true feelings about what's happening in the world. Most of their words express thoughts and ideas about changes and even youth today. You know what I'm saying: "Young folks today" conversations abound. Political dissent over coffee and bagel. Religious criticisms at a local bar with a strange patron. And the most popular topic: CELEBRITIES. No matter where you go, Celebrity confessions pops up at some point and time. Once I began to notice I was having that kind of discussion-this reaction to world events and changes-I began to feel a sort of emptiness and helplessness as though I had lost a friend or something precious. I saw that most people now were living with the American Reaction in their hearts. I heard deep from within that they know what to do and yet their lives was filled a lot of 'doing.' They watch the TV, read the papers, listen to the radio, and neighbors, church members, co-workers, teachers, and friends for the information, or news. And then it happens as natural as breathing: "No way!" "Are you serious?" "I don't know what's going on these days" and here's my favorite "The children of today..." That is one of the most common talks and gets a lot of reactions. And this American Reaction I speak of is only our awakening. And our new awakening is simply a manifestation of our rapid growth & development of an identity on levels unseen in this human history. Could our reaction be an aspect of this new awakening we are experiencing on mass levels? Could it be just our wake-up call in a dream of our making? Could it be a transitory phase of mass ignorance? Let's be honest: There is SO MUCH happening in our world, it is very difficult to keep up with a lot it, so naturally a lot will be missed and a lot we just don't know. But do we really need to know a lot of that stuff? Because we don't know about it, you can see how our reactive behavior becomes a part of our lifestyle, and how it is becoming 'food for action.' And as I began to see it more and more, I walked away feeling this 'gap' inside as though I was stuck in a human-made tornado in a bottle. 'Okay that was great! Now what do we do now?,' I would ask myself walking away from such conversational highs. I didn't know what to do. I had to tend to business as usual. I had my own challenges. What could I say? What can I say? And that is what this American Reaction thing is about: after you have gotten pissed off at the world, the Presidents, your boss, the new restricive laws, the politics, the religions, the wars, the conspiracies, THEN WHAT? What do you do? And that is why I'm writing this blog. Are you stuck in the American Reaction? Are you tired of hearing about this and that and feeling emptiness and hopelessness? Are you feeling depressed, angry, or anxious about things in your life? other people's lives? Maybe there is another of looking at it. Maybe I don't see it right now. How do you feel about this? What do you think about that? It's not that difficult to get people to become street commentators about what's going on in the world. Just get a camera and a microphone. Media does it all the time. Oh, and YouTube. Robert Fritz in his bestselling book, The Path of Least Resistance: "Most people think that if you move from reacting against the circumstances you are in to responding to the circumstances you are in, you have made progress. Society itself has the goal of people responding appropriately to norms, manners, rules, ideals, common wisdom, and so on. While reacting seems different from responding, the causal power is exactly the same: the circumstances." Fritz believes when we are reacting to circumstances we are not creating. We believe circumstances dominate our lives. So we never truly create what matters because we are reacting to what is rather create what we want. And in America, there is a dominant cultural paradoxical belief: we create our own destinies & we don't create our lives-certain powers that be are in control, and so we have no choice but to go along and yet if we work hard enough we can create the 'best life.' Our reaction represents no choices, no freedom, and so we become ignorant of our power, and helpless members of a godless race. But I don't buy it. I am not going to live in the American Reaction even though its becoming more commonplace. I am not going to sit by and simply comment on world events or celebrity-talk any longer. If people want to do that, and it makes them feel good, then fine. There is a whole market for commentatorism. I'm watching fragments of events each day now but more importantly, I'm noticing my body as I listen and watch those events. How does my body feel as I hear the latest news? What happens inside my mind? What emotions are present? Unplugging from a lot of stuff 'out there' and plugging more to what's 'in here' is part of the awakening. That's promising. And refreshing to know!

Live Free And Silly!

I am free to be me. I am free to be me.
I live free. And feel silly.
I am free to choose my life.
I think free.
I create my own history.
I create my own life.
I am not a husband,
And I don't own a wife.
I define my own universe.
Here I am. Living, breathing,
Knowing, going, creating,
Flowing.
I am what I choose to be.
Free. I like me.
I am a different history.
I am free to be me.
I am free to be me.
I am free to be me.
Nothing defines me:
Religion, medicine, education, race,
Politics, and all those human things.
I am what I choose to be.
I am that I am.
I am soul living as flesh.
But I am soul more than flesh.
Can you find me? I have no history.
Not in books, tv, movies, magizines,
I am not a mystery. Simply breathe
And you will see. I am. Feel. I am. Real.
A silly self you see.
I am many things, many worlds, many places,
Living among boys and girls.
Beautiful creation. An imperfect perfect design.
In my time I live with an open mind
In this world, as body, my soul evolves,
Expanding, knowing, showing, growing, flowing,
Unto the further reaches of humanity,
Rising I am not a mystery.
I am the river. I am the mountains.
I am the sky. I am the sun. I am the light.
I am the earth. I am you.
I am me. I am that I am.
I am what I choose to be.
I am feeling the silly
Just breathe and fly with me.
And live free!

Messages from The Goatheads: How Small Things Can Make A Big Difference

How can something so small teach you something so BIG? Well, it can. It happened to me starting years ago when I began riding a bike around the city of Santa Fe. I didn't drive a car so I rode a bike for 12 years. During that time, I had a problem that was very difficult to solve: Goatheads. You probably know them and seen them and even stepped on them yourself. They are these tiny seeds that grow from weeds. I didn't know anything about them until they began showing up in my bicycle tires. Yup. When goathead season arrived I would get a flat tire. And it was annoying. Frustrating. Especially if I had to go work and when I got there I had a flat tire. Sometimes I was near a bicycle shop and take it for a fixing. Other times I had to fix it myself with patches, glue, and all.

But there was something I began to learn each time this goathead thing happened. Awareness. After many flat tires, I began to see that the goatheads were teaching me to be aware of not just where I was going but mostly where I am. Rather than settling for the angry part about the goatheads which is usually the case, I began to watch where I was riding as much as where I was going. And it was difficult for a very long time to maintain such awareness.

And now the goatheads have returned. I don't ride my bike anymore because I drive now. But lately they have been showing up on my front porch and in the house. Because they stick to my shoes, and I walk through the house, the goatheads have returned. Lately, I have been pricked by a goathead and it hurts! There is no blood. There is only a small pain like a needle at a doctor's visit. It is painful. So I told myself, or rather I knew intuitively, that the goatheads had a new message for me again. Be aware. And that's what they are teaching me. To be aware of the ground beneath but not afraid. Pay attention to its beauty.

How can something so small teach me something so BIG? It can. It will. Just pay attention to the little things. They have a lot to teach you, and share with you. I didn't get this at first because I believed I was being punished, or that I was having a bad day, but it was nothing personal towards me. That was the first thing I needed to learn. And the second thing: the gift of Nature.

The smallest things in Nature can make a big difference. Goatheads, bugs, flowers, plants, leaves, snowflakes, raindrops, stones, and every small creature can bring a great shift in our awareness of self.

The message from the goatheads is that "We are small, yet we are important just as much as the house you live in, the water you drink, the clothes you wear, the pets you play with, and the stones you love."

Knowing this makes a huge difference in how I see goatheads now, and in a larger sense, LIFE. I see that small things can make a big difference. They can make us see things we don't usually see, feel things we may not like to feel, and do things even that we may not prefer to do.

I notice them now. I sense them outside and inside. Sometimes they surprise me. But I'm not angry like I used to be.

Eating In My Dreams & Waking Up Full: The Power Of Dream Recall

"Dreaming is the vehicle that brings dreamers to this world."-Carlos Castaneda

When my grandmother passed away many years ago, I was in perhaps the first biggest grief stages in my life. I never liked the idea of seeing people alive I know and love, and then seeing them in a casket. I know its a part of life but something didn’t click with me on that. And I cared for her dearly even though I regret waiting until she left this world to show her how much I appreciated. But months later I had a dream. In the dream, I saw her face and the same dress she was buried in: a pink one. She was smiling and surrounded in great white light. She didn’t say a word. And that was last time I saw her.

I woke up feeling a sense of relief, a fullness within, and knowing that we live beyond this world. That was a really great dream.

I study dreams now more than ever. I keep a dream journal and I travel back into my journal and I study them more. I don't read dream symbol books, or join dream recall clubs, or chat online about dreams but that's not to say there is no value in them. I just find it helpful that I study them privately and see what my dreams to me rather than what someone else says they me. And I have been interested in dream mastery for many years now. I want to know more about life, reality, God, the universe, and myself. Perhaps you are someone like me who wants to get more in touch with the shaman within.

For example, I had a dream a few weeks ago where I was being chased by a dinosaur-like creature around a cage. It was a big reptile and we were running around the cage. I never caught it. It never caught me. That's all I remember. What does it mean? Okay I'm running away from this big creature Godzilla monster-of-a-kind and I saw the dream as a deeper statement about my own feelings about the American system. I grew up on Godzilla films and I subconsciously have stored and identified that image as a symbol of the system as a monster that wants to eat me for lunch and the cage is the prison. Pretty simple to understand huh? At least for me!

Then there is a dream I had after I made a suggestion about past life information. I was standing in this dark alley like space surrounded by large eggs-yeah, the kind you see in those creepy sci-fi movies. Well, I was standing among them when there was this eery noise coming from the eggs and I sensed these creatures were going to eat me for lunch. Again! YIKES!! I don't know what it means in relation to past lives but I know it was creepy. I woke up really fast from that one.

But all is not hopeless in my world of dreaming. Once I had a dream where I was in a cafe crowded with people. I was waiting to meet a man and woman. We were seated at the last table available & reserved in a tight corner of the cafe. I asked them, "Who are you?" And they responded, "We are Together." They decoded the familar word as 'We are to-get-her." I woke up thinking WOW! I've never heard that before: TO GET HER. And I understood it to mean I am here to get the Goddess and remember her ways. To get her, to receive the feminine, and to express the beauty and power of Her. It was a beautiful response to thoughts I was having at the time.

So like I was saying, I am constantly experimenting and view dreams as opportunties for me to develop and explore my soul beyond the physical realms. Whether I am being chased by strange creatures, running around nude on colledge campus, flying through skies, falling into infinity, sitting in a cafe with a couple of strangers, or boarding supertravel machines, dreams are celestial meals for the soul. They offer us a filling that we cannot get in this world and that is why they are important. And even if you don't study your dreams, then you can learn. There are many books and tapes that can teach you.

See, I like knowing that dreams can be a useful tool as they were in ancient cultures & times. I like knowing that I can contact someone that is either dead or haven't seen in a while, or they contact me in dreams. I like knowing that I can do things that are impossible in our world like walking through walls, receive an answer to my burning questions, or confront my darkest thoughts & feelings-and still WAKE UP. I like knowing that I am guided and can remember so much about things I'd forgotten.

Dreams are an excellent vehicle to travel across space-time and beyond: I can go back to old neighborhoods even though I’m no longer there. I can meet people I’ve never met before. I can put pieces of my soul puzzle together. I can let that problem that I worried about so much act itself out in my dreams and I will wake up with an understanding I never had before. I find dreams as more than just brain chemicals acting up or hallucinations or psychological ramblings. They are access to to inner worlds that helps create our world. They are the juice of the soul’s fruit.

We spend 1/3rd of our lives sleeping they say. That’s a whole lot of dreaming and information that can be used to make conscious decisions in our world. Dreams can be a magical wand that helps us create the 'dream life.' They can be portals to ancient mysteries and questions we seek to answer & understand. Dreams can become once again the inner technology for exploration and adventure.

In my dreams I am enjoying a nocturnal gourmet meal that is well-prepared. And when I wake up, breakfast is simply my dessert…and then who knows what’s next? A dream lunch?Viva Los Suenos! Viva Los Suenos! Long live the dreams! Long live the dreams!

Light A Candle!: How To Change The World From Your Couch

Don't wait until 'it' happens. Someone is sick. Or someone you know is dying or has died. Or you hear the latest tragic news report. Don't wait until things get bad in the world. Please, don't wait! Yes, You. I'm writing this to you 'out there' whom I don't know. Yes, you: that brave, hard-working, sensitive caring soul who wants to learn, grow, develop, and master yourself as you support and help others in the world. How do you change the world from your couch?

First let me say this: It's just an IDEA. You don't have to DO anything really. So this is just an IDEA. Nothing religious. Or spiritual...and perhaps you may say "MAURICE I'M ALREADY DOING IT!" or "I DON'T REALLY CARE, IT'S NONE OF MY BUSINESS!" and I would agree with you: what you believe about what works for you, works for you. Now on with the story:

I won't bore you with all the details. But it began after a healing session I gave a client. It just came to me. It was something about 'Lighting a candle at home' for her family & friends. But I didn't take it literally. So I thought about it as I went home. 'Light a candle' 'Light a candle' 'Light a candle'. I thought about it. And thought about it. And I thought about it.

Then it happened. I decided I would take a small sheet of paper. And write down the names of people I know(including myself) who I felt could use healing energies: friends, family, strangers-didn't really matter. Now 3 weeks have passed since I have been lighting a candle in my house-for healing purpose. I don't have to wait for people to die, or something awful to happen in order for me to change, and 'be grateful for life' as I so often hear. I don't have to wait for the blessings from a god, neither approval from a medical board, or certification to change the world from my couch! I can make things happen just from the intention. So I light a candle every day now. I write the names of people who are struggling with many challenges. And not just people: people with variousn challenges, animals, Nature, cities, nations, and businesses.

So today I'm lighting a candle for You. I'm lighting a candle for Us. I'm lighting a candle for this world. I'm lighting a candle for the joy, pain, sorrow, abused, the enslaved, the restless, the enlightened, the rich, the poor, the miserable, the homeless, the sick, the animals, plants, food, Mother Nature, and the entire planet. We can change the world from our couch. As we are sitting there with a bowl of ice cream in our hands, having a nice gourmet meal, a pint of beer, or a glass of wine, we can simultaneously change the world. We can do miracles. We can heal ourselves in a new way. Doesn't take 'bad' things to happen in order for to appreciate the 'good.' We can make a difference in the world, consciously, and enjoy life. Change can happen in creative happens. That's the joy that comes from real change.

Do you need a couch? NO...but we will talk about that later...remember we are talking ideas...and ideas are ideas!

So go ahead...light a candle now....for the ones you love, your neighbors, your community, your state, your country...for the animals, Nature, deceased, the newborns, the planets...the universes...and yes, for yourself...light one for yourself and have fun...and let your whole being be filled with this Light! Thank you!!!

Outrageous Moment: A Literary Portrait

Defining life without words
Knowing yourself without thinking
Living courageously without a thought
Loving with both mind and heart
Feeling without expecting
Thinking without guessing
Being as you are becoming
Leaving as you are going
Standing as you are being still
Thinking only from what you feel
Outrageous moment without a past
Having a future that does not last
Inside a present that holds true
Your outrageous self, the outrageous You!

Prayertude: A Song Of Freedom For All Time

Let there be Love today. Let there be Joy.
Let there be Blessings for girl and boy.
Let there be Light. Let there be Peace.
Let there be Freedom. Let there be Release.
Let there be Silence. Let there be Allowance.
Let there be Song. Let there be Dance.
Let Faith leads us into a world beyond chance.
Let there be Power. Let there be Strength.
Let there be Awareness. Let there be Present.
Let there be Redemption. Let there be Harmony.
Let there be You & all of Me,
Standing in the presence of Love’s amazing grace,
Living in the light of Joy’s face
As an Infinite being
Living in our power
Eternal in our seeing.

We are One.
Living. Learning. Loving
As we explore many dimensions of
Our souls.
We are One.
We are One.
We are the prayer of our souls.
We are Explorers through time-space.
We are One.
We are a magnificent species,
We are the human race.
We are learning about ourselves.
We are growing with Grace.

Let us speak our truth & always hear
Let us stand besides each other
Let us hold each other dear.
No matter what life & world we choose
Let us learn from All around
The many selves, many lives
In our hearts with love
We found.

And remember our hearts and minds
Is guided by a Law of Trust
Forgotten so long time ago,
It fill our hearts with Courage
On a destiny we pursue to know.

So be thankful for life!
Be thankful for love!
Thank you! Thank you!
For all there is
Below & above.

The End of The Age of Conspiracy...At Least For Me!

I'm thinking of joining ConspirAnon, or Conspiracy Anonymous. I've heard they rehabilitate recovering conspiracy addicts. Have you heard of them? Ok. You probably haven't. Why? They don't exist...But its a nice idea don't you think? Or I'm going cold turkey. Either way its time for the letting go.

Maybe you are one of them. You've read the books & articles, watched the movies, videos, providing with you the most 'enlightening' 'thought-provoking' information in our world today. Maybe you heard of or read David Icke, Alex Jones, Jim Marrs, Jordan Maxwell, "The Father of Conspiracy Research," and all the green-bloods out there. The whistleblowers. Or maybe you haven't. Doesn't matter. They have compiled thousands and thousands of pages of research information, DVDs, tapes, and videos about what they have come to perceive as a history filled with the greatest lies, disinformation, and deceptions in the world. Check them out. Yes, their messages are important. Yes, the information is valuable and liberating. Decide for yourself.

I'm not against that kind of information. Its just I've reached a breaking point. For many years I've been a sort of conspiracy traveler buying almost every enlightening conspiracy book I could buy, and watching the movies they won't show you on TV or at the movies. I was that in-the closet conspiracy info guy who whispered in cafes the familiar vocabulary of ConspiraSpeak:

'Manipulation'...'Illuminati'...'Freemasons,'...'the truth'...'Reptilian' and that word we hear the most 'THE MEDIA'(spoken in baritone). Perhaps you know what I'm saying.

And to me that means this is where I break off. I'm not against it or for it. Its there if you want to learn about how we have created this mess we're in. Its 'out there'(and I say that in a baritone). But I've realized that we are co-creating this world and so that means we have all agreed to participate in creating every event in our lives, world, and histories. WE not just them. WE agreed to it. Even the terror, horrific stuff. Unconscious agreements are the most painful. Conscious agreements give us hope. We can consciously choose how we want to experience this world.

So, I know it is the end of the age of conspiracy-at least for me. I've been fooling myself. I agreed to this game. This illusion. I bought into it. It was time to wake up. But waking up doesn't mean blaming anybody. Yes, there are people that must be accountable for their actions. But so must we WHO POINT THE FINGERS. And one day 'they' will if not now. But I can't blame anybody else. Long, long time ago I chose to be here and experience the illusion. But here is what's interesting: ILLUSIONS CAN CHANGE. And so I consciously choose to change the illusion. I am switching gears. And I'm going to stop blaming God, the priest, the ex-girlfriend, teachers, presidents, businessman, and bankers. I'm going to stop blaming you.

See I created this conspiracy against myself long long time ago. I signed up for it. I forgot myself. I forgot the truth of Myself. I became hypnotized by the razzmatazz, body, the sex, the money, the drugs, the lights, camera, and action. And for good reason. I won't indulge you with my Life Story which is only a part of the story.

Is this the end of the age of conspiracy? Yes. For me. There is no "Us vs. Them." There is no "Me against the The World." Its the end of my conspiracy against myself. I'm not going to fight Myself. Them. Maybe you will disagree. Maybe you will say "Keep on fighting Maurice" No. I surrender. I'm letting go. Its the end of dualism. Takes practice. Takes time to realize: The habit of letting go.

I'd rather take a walk up a hill, sit there and watch the wind pass as I gaze into the eyes of the great big blue sky that never ends like the light of the suns and moons that stretches miles and miles across the infinite heavens of my soul.

And over that hill I see a new beginning, new worlds, undiscovered by the eye, as ancient as Time, and in those worlds, dreams come alive, visions are born, heavens are made...with chuckles, giggles, & silly wiggles. :)

No Gurus Allowed!: Thoughts Of A Spiritual Dissident In Time

I don't go to church. I don't go to a temple. I don't go anywhere to pray or meditate with others. I don't read ancient sacred texts. I don't have a preacher, priest, psychologist, psychiatrist, psychic, counselor, that I share my deepest thoughts and feelings with-at least not anymore. And I don't have a guru. I don't have a teacher I sit on the floor and listen to like the children do in elementary schools. I don't. I just don't. Maybe you are one of them too. You have people's teachings, ideas, or wisdom that you enjoy. And that's different. So together we don't.

NO GURUS ALLOWED!

I don't listen to self-help tapes anymore. I don't go to self-help seminars, conferences, workshops anymore. Years ago I worked as a volunteer for this popular company that holds these big consciousness conferences every year. I was able to get an inside look into the hidden world of these kinds of productions. And that's what they are: productions. Like a movie. But before the presenters and particpants arrive, there is a lot of office complaints about work, backstabbing, and money-worrying going on. Those conferences can be expensive for the layman and creating them is a lot of headache. Some workshops I attended were nothing excitng just the usual ga-ga goo-goo aspect of it all, and people with lots of questions about life and the well-known teacher, author, I-GOT-A-JOB-with-a-special-degree or special-hat-on my-head person. Or somebody most people have never heard of. I did it. Been there, done that, wrote the book, seen the movie!

NO GURUS ALLOWED!

Well, for years I was one of those kind persons who stepped into many worlds of relgiion and spirituality. But I kept the gurus out of the door. I just didn't buy into it. And I've always been someone who had questions about it all. Whether it was Jesus-on-the-cross story, myths of heaven & hell, Buddha's nirvana, I'd always felt a bit removed from it all. Sure I checked it out, stepped into the room, sat with nice folks, but always kept my eye on the EXIT sign afterwards!

NO GURUS ALLOWED!

I realized something important that I sense some people like myself are realizing: THE TRUTH IS NOT OUT THERE. I'm not gonna bore you such a familar tale: Search for truth. Believed it was out there. Met the teachers. Spent money on them. Felt something. Got a little something. Still unhappy. Tried it again. Still unhappy. What is wrong with me? I would think. Answer: Maurice it is not out there. But still I kept on looking like an idiot.


Here's another one: NOBODY HAS EVER TOLD THE TRUTH. So what about the greatest teachers, spiritual, known, and unknown who spent their lives devoted to exploring and speaking the truth? Though they may quote ancient texts, given birth to them, have millions of followers, no teacher has ever spoken to share. At most they have provided self-realizations, which we perceive as the truth, which have become the basis for greatest spiritual teachings in the world. But the truth is beyond words. Hard to grasp when you are hypnotized by the teachers and the passion behind their words.

And this one: THE TRUTH IS NOT IN A BOOK. I love books. I love books with the most deepest wisdom, knowledge, and information known to man. But at most what books offer are ideas about reality, experiences, stories, and they so they become like roadmaps in a way. Not the truth. They are just a part of the journey. Not the destination. Perhaps you are someone who knows this already.

NO GURUS ALLOWED!

See, here's what I am saying: THE TRUTH CAN ONLY BE EXPERIENCED. If you believe somebody is telling you the truth, then you are mistaken. The truth is within you, and not outside of you. The preacher is interpreting his or her ideas from the Bible. The guru is translating his or her experiences with Self-Realization. Again, it is not The Truth. It is more closer to being something like a weather report, news, a lecture, a speech, but not the Truth.

So then 'What is the TRUTH?' If I told you the truth, I wouldn't be telling the truth, right? I would but I wouldn't. I know its a paradox. You may also ask: What is wrong with people adoring someone who is filled with light, love, compassion, for humanity? What is wrong with going to someone for help? Absolutely nothing. We all could use some help along the way. We all look to someone who represents a bigger part of us like celebrities do. It's the elitist & shadow part that is a bit off. These teachers, gurus, spiritual leaders who are involved in shadowy stuff that the public doesn't know about unless it is exposed.

For instance, In 2005, Eli Jaxson-Bear, spiritual teacher and husband of Gangaji, a famous spiritual teacher in Ashland, Oregon confessed to having a 3-year affair with his assistant. It was the Tiger Woods sex scandal of the spiritual community. It didn't make front page of major newspapers, CNN, BBC, or anything but it rocked the hearts of devotees and people who were part of Gangaji-Eli community. They felt betrayed and some even more after learning that Gangaji stayed with Eli. But hey, nobody's perfect, right?

NO GURUS ALLOWED!

I've heard something people say 'You are your own guru' and that is probably the closest to the truth. You are your own Teacher as you share in the grand wisdom of others. You are your own Master. You are your own Comforter. Decider. You are neither above others or below others. You just simply are. And now is the time for this teaching to be heard more than ever. To remember: Just Be. Free. And See. To be continued...maybe.


"Whoever wants truth and light will find it for themselves."-Richard Bach

The Wunderful Lizard of Oz: Remembering Unconditional Truth in A World of Deception

ONCE UPON A TIME a little boy had a dream. He dreamed of speaking to people and sharing with them his thoughts, feelings, and ideas. But he learned early on in life that when he spoke, some people listened, some ignored him, while a lot of them preferred that he do what he was told or remain silent. So he waited & remained silent for many many years until he was old enough, wise enough, and strong enough to speak again.

During those silent years he did as he was told, spoke as he was told, wrote what he was told, and receieved a bit of success with every task followed. Though he enjoyed what treasures he found, he remembered always his desire to speaking to people in a way that revealed his true thoughts, feelings, and ideas.

But what would happen if he took that road in search of expressing himself in a way that was different from what others expected and wanted? What would happend if he did not share in the same thoughts and feelings of his fellows? How would his life be different if he chose that road? He wondered and wondered and wondered day and night. He worried and worried for quite some time about his future.

And so one day he decided to leave the old world behind-a world that did not want him to share his truth. A world that wanted to him to serve their truth which he learned was simply a lie. Leaving that old world behind granted him a freedom he dreamed about as a kid and along the way he made new friends, was met with new experiences, and even learned new ideas. But even though he was living in a new world, his new life was still standing in an Old World that was filled with deception.

When he decided to take his new life back into the Old world, it was met with doubt and resistance by those who never left. Excited he was about everything he'd learned, he tried sharing with them his adventures but they did not understand. There were a few people that explored and discovered that New World as well but they were hiding. Those brave enough to step out & share were condemned and ridiculed for what they found.

"You are not what we thought you were. You are not what we expected. You can no longer remain here. Please leave. And don't ever come back...unless you do what we say!" And so the little boy, who was now a grown man, aged, left again that Old World he so imagined would be a place brand new because of his adventures and others like him. How can he live in a world of deception with his unconditional truth?

He chose to live free. He chose to leave it all behind...once again. He chose to let that world of lies, deception, and manipulation exist as it always had for whatever reasons that suited it purposes. And in letting go, he remembered the power of truth, the joy of freedom, and the beauty of choice. He remembered that it was not necessary for others to agree with him, listen to him, and follow his actions and words.

He remembered to enjoy the love for his own.

Obama Is Not My President (Warning: Rated M)

He's the dream of ancestors. He's powerful. He's charismatic. He's the hope of nations. He's the ace. He's the bullseye. And he believes. In The 'American Dream.' And all that it can offer and more. But he's naive and I just don't see why I need him. As my president, of course.

I can read. I can write. I can think. I can dream. I can learn. I don't need Obama The President to tell me. I don't need him to inspire me. I can do that myself. Am I helpless? Hopeless? Lost? Am I lacking in confidence? I don't see why I need a leader. I can be my own. I want to be my own. I want to be my leader. That's why I have an ego. It makes decisions according to my ideas and beliefs. I don't need Obama to make promises to me. I just don't. I'm intuitive enough to make my own decisions.

But people tell me I should vote. I never voted in my life. So naturally I didn't vote for Obama. I didn't vote for anybody. I remember on that day of voting, I was speaking to kids in class. I stayed away from the booths. And I didn't complain about it all. I just accepted that he was going to be President. Somebody was going to be a puppet in Office. I knew it would happen. And I don't know all about politics. It's celebrityism. Another form of power and rallying the masses for the purpose of benefitting those in positions of power and then they make the decision of giving just a little bit to voters. And not even that. But I'm not a pessimist. I'm an optimist. That's why Obama is not my President. He's not my president because I am happy to call myself a leader of my own reality. I'm just an observer to the things Obama is doing and will do. And all the other ones for that matter.

I don't want to write that much about him, or his politician buddies, Congress. It's feel a bit tedious, boring, and I sense I may tread into 'conspiracy' talks. Or Anti-American. Terroristspeak. But that's not the case. Not even close. I'm not for America or against America. I'm not pro-this or anti-that. It's just before Obama won I told my friends things would be the same just in new clothing. They said I needed to lighten up. It's a brand new day. I agree it's a brand new day. But not a brand new idea. Soldiers are still being killed in war. Unemployment rates are up. Need I go on?

But I know people will say: "You, Maurice, may believe you don't need him, but the people do. He's what the world has been waiting for. He's hope for a lot of people. Blacks, minorities, whites, foreigners. What more can you say? Why are you saying these things? Why can't you just be positive, happy, and get over it? Why are you complaining? SSSSSHHHHH...Keep quiet!!!"

He's just not my president...see there is a country inside of me that only I can rule and nobody else. A country I call my own. And I don't need to argue on how to rule that country. The voice I hear is within. It is my own. I don't need to create a puppet, fight, manipulate, and destroy to change that country in me.

Just let it be me...ruling all that is inside of me...leaving islands within islands, countries afar, traveling through skies of worlds, heavens begs nothing but a star, living carefully, creating anew, Obama, a brother, indeed in grand spirit, but not my president, that is true...you are not my president, just a lovely dream, at first, like an exotic honeymoon, but now a political cream who soothes before the bathe, a hope of hopeless, what you know you gave, a smile, a wink, a shake, and a blink...a word of hope, to those who don't think, lies have been told, jobs have been sold, let these words reign through new & old ages & years...Obama, Obama, Obama, you are not my president...no apologies...no tears.

Stumbling Through An Idiot Universe

It happens. You wake up. You look around you. Is it the night? Or the day? You take notice of the world around you. You look in the mirror. You ask yourself, "Where am I? How did I get here? Where am I going?" Things look good. Life is good. Nothing can rain on your parade. Did you remember to check your Twitter message? Did you remember to check your Facebook? "People like this," you tell yourself. I must be doing something right. They like this. I don't want anybody to tell me different. I don't want anybody to disagree with me. Just tell me you like this. Makes me feel good. God, I want to feel so good. Just make me feel good.

And the day moves along. People are smiling. Hearts are open. The grocery clerk notices your walk, your hair, your dress, your smell, your shining car, your style. You have been reading those books on positive thinking & feeling good about yourself. You have been listening to self-help tapes on making money, getting along with others, & working things out with yourself. You have been thinking about your inner child, your parents, keeping a journal, and saying all the wonderful things you want to say to others on your Facebook wall, Twitter messages: "Be positive. Stay strong. Keep your head up. Don't let people get you down."

Still, you cannot forget when you woke up this morning. It was a strange feeling. You don't want others to know. It happened for a split second. You didn't know where you were. You felt there was more to reality than what you had been told by well-meaning teachers, friends, and family. You felt it ring through you. But you don't want others to know you felt uncertain about things even in your positive thinking & affirmation of self. You felt that strangeness in the air. It pressed your faced against the mirror. You looked closer at yourself. Questions began to circulate in your mind. No, no, you're not suppose to be asking questions, you tell yourself.

I'm suppose to have it all together. I'm not supposed to stumble. I'm supposed to be strong. Have it together. Oh, wait! I need to be strong, positive, and have it all together because people expect that of me. No, wait...that's what I expect of myself. I'm strong. I know. Yes, I know. I should know. People expect me to know. I'm special they tell me. I have a better grasp of things than other people. I can do this better than others. I am powerful. Don't you know that? I don't stumble.

Last night I had a dream I was somebody else. But, how can that be? Last night I dreamed I had died, and started a new life. But, how can that be? Last night I dreamed I was a deer alone in the forest, running swiftly, powerfully, masterfully. How can that be? Last night I dreamed I was someone stumbling.

Through an idiot universe made of impulses, trusts, and divine lusts. It is a universe growing, expanding, developing itself through me, and my many identities. A universe that is learning as I am...a universe that trusts more I than I do. A universe that doesn't need the questions as much as the answers that live within. That idiot universe carries me as I stumble through and lifts me when I fall. Though I may stumble through this idiot universe, I am learning to remember that I don't have to be perfect, special, and important. To an idiot universe, all things collapse into a unknown world of new beginnings. And that's okay! :0

Stop Using Your Mind!

Stop using your mind. Let somebody else use it for you. Don't take responsibility for anything. Let others take responsibility. Be lazy. Be as lazy as a stoner on a treadmill. Let people tell you how to think. Let them tell you how to live. Stop reading self-help books. Or those silly tapes. Spend your money on things you don't need. Eat foods that will make you pee 'til you blue, and crap 'til you're green in the face. Pray for celebrities. They are more special than you. They are going to save the world. Not you.

Quit your day job. Do something you really don't like. Give up listening to people who say 'you can have what you want' and 'you can do it.' Don't answer the phone when your best friends call. They always, always want something. And go to sleep @ 3am and wake up @ 5.

Watch lots of TV. Keep flipping channels until you find something you don't like. Watch people talk about themselves and how their products can work for you. Listen to the radio stations with Booty Music all day. Then change the channel and listen to the Quiet Music, aka Wimp Sounds. After you've done that, go to the store and buy something you don't need. Just buy it! Buy things that are useless useful as you don't think of using it forever.

Don't read any books. They are going out of style. Don't think about what you read. Maybe you can tell people to be literate because there are a lot of illiterate people. How do you know? You were told by doctors that you are illiterate. Just get your information from Internet and TV. They are the best sources.

Don't think of dying. Imagine you are going to live forever. You are better than your neighbors. You are more important than them. Even your kids will scratch their heads and wonder why you are still alive! You are a god in the suburbs, in the community, on the job, and in the world. You are immortal.

Believe what the media tells you, and don't go checking up things on the Internet. Cheater. I told you to STOP USING YOUR MIND! Don't ask questions. Don't challenge people, please. Don't do anything that will ROCK THE BOAT! Don't question your parents, your kids, your boss, your friends, your lovers, your schools, your churches, your politicians, your leaders, your god...especially your gods! Dont' ask questions. Cheat the answers. Don't think.

REMINDER: Again, don't take responsibility for anything. Let others do it. Blame it on the white people, the politicians, the terrorists, your parents, the gay people, the liberals, the blacks, the teachers, the military, just BLAME IT ON SOMEBODY ELSE! Don't forgive your parents, your ex-lovers, your family, your friends, and your gods. Don't let it go. Keep holding on to the pain, and anger you feel. The doctors say its good for you.

And don't change. Let other people change. And don't love others. Just move as fast as you can away from people. They are scary. You can't trust people. You know what happens when you tried to love people: you got the door in your face. Don't help others. Let them help themselves. They don't want your help anyway. Don't pay attention to others because if you do you will be distracted. You will be obsessed with them. They will ask for you to sign up and follow them.

Don't trust your intution. There is no such thing. Trust other people's judgment. They know better than you. They are smarter than you. Like your doctors and politicians. And businessmen. Your leaders are more powerful than you. They are so much smarter and powerful. Don't be powerful, be powerless. Don't listen to people who talk about feeling good, and doing what you want, living free, and peace. Especially the peace sign-imagine-let's all love each other-people. Close your eyes to them. Keep driving!!!

Don't listen to your inner voice. Don't be loving, intelligent, real, aware, down to earth, challenging, curious, transcendental, compassionate, open, successful, idealistic, crazy, bizarre, weird, and outrageous. Don't be yourself. Be someone else. Dream of being someone else. Live in their shoes. Do anything except BE YOURSELF!

And finally: A mind is a wonderful thing to waste. What were you thinking? Stop! Don't!

Feeding Animals With Stripes

"You belong in the scheme of the universe. There's nothing to be afraid of. You are Safe."-Deepak Chopra

Fear thy neighbor as thyself is the message we hear so much these days. Whether it's family, friends, co-workers, lovers, foreigners, or spouses. Security is high. Lock your doors. Stock up your fridge. Buy you a gun. "Nobody is safe and secure," we are taught to believe. "Every man for himself." "It's dog-eat-dog world."

Despite what we see everyday in the media, in our communities, and other countries,we are born with a built-in psychic protection system(PPS) that reminds us of a safeness in a seemingly chaotic and evil world. This protection grants us greater personal growth and development that honors the power of spirit. And I use the term for convenience, rather than an absolute, because of our history with such a word.

Your PPS is what anchors you through the tumultous times. It is your science of gravity that pulls grounds you in a world surrounded with noise and psychic pollution. The TV blasts advertisments for Better You and Freedom From Failure commericials that promise us a sort of hedonistic redemption and salvation. To conscious minds, bent on greater awareness, we know otherwise because our PPS is our main source of security and information. But what does this mean?

It means you come into this world with a saftey net that nobody can harm and destroy. Not even those whom you perceive as powerful than you can hurt you. Your soul/consciousness cannot be destroyed by anyone or anything. Unless of course you believe they can & agree to it. We can choose to experience harm or safety. We can choose to believe we are safe or not. No matter anybody else says I KNOW I AM SAFE. I choose to remember there is an inner self that offer its protection and safety in a world that tells me the opposite. What choice will you continue to make in your mind? What beliefs will garner you the protection that you deserve?

Maybe you have blessed yourself with the wisdom of protection from your family, friends, and you so understand my words. You are a receiver of this ancient wisdom and you make others feel safe. Or maybe you want to believe we really are safe, but the world reminds you NOBODY IS SAFE. I understand your feelings but I also know that if you turn down the volume or turn off the voices of fear that agitate your soul, you will hear a different message from beyond-the knowing from your Higher Soul. A message that is clear, loving, trustworthy, and compassionate.

That soul beckons you to listen as you experience your days on Earth. That voice can become the food that feeds the self that lives in the jungle of mind, body, and soul. That voice will once again remind you again to trust yourself no matter what others may tell you. You live in a safe universe. You are born with the inner equipment to know what to be, do, and have. Your Higher Soul can protect you like an animal with stripes.

Do your beliefs make you feel safe? Or do they make you feel afraid? When you think thoughts of fear, how does your body feel? Or thoughts of safety? No matter what the media says about the state of the world, what messages are you entertaining in your thoughts and feelings.

Remember: You deserve to live in a safe universe. May your journey continue to be blessed with saftey and protection! :)

When Lies Become Illusions

Do you feel like everything is a Big Lie? Do you have moments where you know your truth as you continue to support the lies? Stuart Wilde, author, mystic once said, "The only thing that is generally available is the lies." We are all faced with the search for greater truth in a world of official lies.

Is it real? Could our lies be a physical reality built through thousands of years of belief and emotion? Could our physical reality be our lies? Eastern religions speak of 'maya' or illusion. P.D Ouspensky, a disciple of the famous Russian mystic Gurdijieff listed as lying as a barrier to self-development. Maybe this is why a lot of self-help techniques don't work. You can read as many books as you like, listen to all the gurus, and attend all the nice seminars, but if you are lying to yourself nothing will do. You will simply be addicted to the external techniques rather confronting the lies. They feed your illusions.

But back to lies as a physical reality: What do they look like? What do lies sounds like? Taste like? Feel like? Children can sense the lies at an early age and find themselves using it as a survival tool. Then by the time they become teens, they are experts of lying. Body language experts say that you can tell liars by their eye contact; and their body takes up less space. But lying is more than noticing body language. Lying is a way of life in our world. It becomes the fuel for the official reality's engine. Corporations, advertisers, marketers specialize in creating grand realities of lies that ultimately become our illusions.

I am speaking of lying that supports realities of commerce and institutions that seek to justify their lies through philosophies of fear, and ideas of success and failure. Lying becomes a tool for manipulating the masses into particular thoughts & behaviors that feed the corporate ego. On a small scale, lying is used to achieve results that gratify the ego, and helps to reach its own ends. In relationships, cheating is a process for lying, not the result. Its techniques vary. People focus nowadays on the process, rather than the results. What are we trying to achieve as a community? As a society? as an individual? How does lying justify such ideals we hold as a species? The reality is that lying hurts both the individual and the group. People are struggling, hurting each other, and dying because they are lying to themselves and being lied to.

Is this a call to humanity to stop the Big Lie? Ideally, that would be the case, but there are many that are doing that very thing. Noticing both the lies we tell ourselves and each other is an inner journey that is difficult, painful, and downright frightening. There are so many levels to the lie. Noticing the larger structures of lying, on the surface, may appear as suicidal at first, in the death of an old self that lived in such lies, yet liberating in the end. How do you transcend illusions whose source is the lie? How do you free yourself while still getting your piece of the pie, your pot of gold?

Every day we are presented with an opportunity to examine our beliefs and ideas about life. If we are afraid to change, then it means being honest about our fears. Why do you believe that? Why are you afraid to change? How does that belief and way of thinking serve you? If you want don't want to change your beliefs, then it can be as simple as taking an action that reflects your desire for truthful living. The gap between our words and actions can lead to serious disease and suffering that ultimately forces us to accept the truth. Don't be one of those people. Though others may lie to you, it really doesn't matter because in the end, the truth was inside of you all along. :)

Rememberings

For thousands of years, over many lifetimes I had been worshipping gods, praying for their blessings, for their love, as I lived many lives in a physical body. I lived in many worlds.
I wanted the favor of the gods.
I wanted Buddha to love me and bless me with enlightenment.
I fasted, meditated, danced, and worked in the days and nights.
I sought the wisdom of Christ with my brothers as we read the books and paid our tithes. I slept alone dreaming of distant worlds and waking up in another each day.
I feared the power of the sky gods and ran in the night from the darkness. I
gave birth to generations of souls-nameless to the gods, yet divine every star.
I died with fear and hope in my heart.
I died rich. I died poor.
I lived in castles, villages, jungles, and caves.
I learned and studied the cosmos and its planets.
I traveled through worlds and worlds of lights, sounds, and colors.
And I forgot myself through it all.
I forgot the truth of love.
Now I remember…-Maurice

The Highway To Freedom

I've never written much about freedom. I've never written about what it takes to free oneself. Why? Because it's different for everybody. There is no one way. There is only your way. That is The Way. So how can I write about this freedom? The writing itself is a type of freedom that extends itself to every day thoughts, feelings, and choices. So freedom comes to these things: what you think, what you feel, and what you choose. Freedom is that sensation of healing you get when you step into a jacuzzi after a long day of work, the reading of your favorite book, the playing of favorite games, the ability to move forward in one's life without limitations. That's freedom. And more.

The freedom to choose what you want to wear, eat, think, do, which leads to the freedom to be. How do we get there? How do get on the highway to freedom? Part of it is an impulse you feel-that's the core of freedom. The impulse to act in a certain direction and trust yourself as move in that direction. There is freedom in that impulse. We are used to thinking of impulses as bad and evil when they are our liberation. Do you trust your impulse? We are used to think of intuition. And that word has been thrown around for many years now.

Our next phase is the Impulse Age: its beyond intuition. It's like smaller than an atom, yet packed with incredible energy and force. This impulse will lead us to our freedom. Through our impulse do we live according to our higher selves. We are here because we have the impulse to be! That is what our children know. They know impulse. They don't have to learn it. They simply know it. It is Life. It is Love.

If somebody asks you, why do you what you do? Tell 'em it's the impulse to be free. The impulse to be. "To be who?" they may ask. "The impulse to be ME!" That's power. That's life. That's your story. That's the adventure we are all taking in each life. That's the road we travel.