Your Neighbor is Your Other Self

YOUR NEIGHBOR IS YOUR OTHER
SELF DWELLING BEHIND A WALL.
IN UNDERSTANDING,
ALL WALLS SHALL FALL DOWN.

WHO KNOWS BUT THAT YOUR
NEIGHBOR IS YOUR BETTER SELF
WEARING ANOTHER BODY?

SEE THAT YOU WOULD LOVE HIM
AS YOU WOULD LOVE YOURSELF.

~ Kahlil Gibran

Of Note: The Arab Spring has taken its time in Syria, but yesterday the Syrian Vice-president called for a transition to democracy after four decades of power by the ruling family. At long last, the demonstrators are having an impact. In the process 1,600 civilians and 350 members of the security forces have been killed. The VP al-Sharaa said during the televised two-day conference in Damascus: "I hope that we will reach transition to a pluralistic democratic state that enjoys equality for all citizens who participate in forming their own shining future." At the same time he warned that future demonstrations should cease. Senior opposition leaders and others boycotted the meeting saying that the overture was insincere while other opposition members joined the discussion, which surprisingly included a series of intellectuals slamming the government for using such a heavy hand with protesters. It was a rare step in a country which does not tolerate dissent and potentially a move in the right direction. Even with the threats by the vice-president, the demonstrators have vowed to carry on, and their energy will eventually carry the day. As mentioned in a previous blog when the Arab Spring began, the Assads might consider packing their bags.

(The quote above was taken from Jesus, The Son of Man: His Words and His Deeds as Told and Recorded by Those Who Knew Him.)

No One Lands Where They Aim

NO ONE LANDS
WHERE THEY AIM,
NOT EVEN GOD.

~ Mark Nepo

Of Note: Our god is an imperfect Being. We know that by looking at His creations. He is evolving just as we are but at a much higher turn of the spiral. Because of Him, we know that all things are possible and can thus aspire to greater and greater thoughts. Onward and upward always . . . at nearly 100 degrees today, that is all there is to say.

The Source in Africa

THROUGHOUT THE TEN
REGIONS OF THE UNIVERSE,
THERE IS NO PLACE WHERE
THE SOURCE IS NOT.

~ Hakuin

Of Note: We know that one place the Source has arrived for an extended visit is Africa. This blog has long touted the growth of that long-sleeping continent. But it is sleeping no more. Six of the ten fastest growing economies in the last decade were in sub-Saharan Africa. It is predicted that in the next five years, Africa will outpace its Asian counterparts. That is good news for the rest of the world. For one, 60% of the world's arable yet uncultivated land is in Africa. Thus, it could be a future breadbasket not only for itself but the world. Vision coupled with action is taking the place of handouts. Some entrenched aid bureaucracies may not like a developed Africa because it bursts their bubble. But Africans themselves like it, many of whom are upwardly mobile and are excited about their new-found ability to create. All eyes will be on Africa in the next decade as it emerges like a Phoenix from the ashes. International corporations and others are taking note. For example, Campbell Soup is leaving Russia and heading to Africa for its next wave of expansion. Those who don't pay attention will most likely be left in the dust.

Service is the Rent We Pay

SERVICE IS THE RENT WE PAY FOR
THE PRIVILEGE OF LIVING ON THIS EARTH.
IT IS THE VERY PURPOSE OF LIFE,
AND NOT SOMETHING WE
DO IN OUR SPARE TIME.

~ Shirley Chisholm

Of Note: Ever heard of Rinderpest? No? That is not surprising because most people in the developed world haven't either. Rinderpest is an animal disease, whose name means "cattle plague" in German. It has been blamed for speeding the fall of the Roman Empire, aiding the conquests of the mighty Genghis Khan while hindering those of Charlemagne, and opened the way for the French and Russian revolutions while at the same time keeping Africa from flourishing. The good news this week is that the United Nations has declared it eradicated. It is only the second disease in history next to smallpox to claim that distinction. The New York Times said: "The long but little-known campaign to conquer Rinderpest is a tribute to the skill and bravery of big animal veterinarians, who fought the disease in remote and sometimes war-torn areas across stretches of Africa bigger than Europe, in the Arabian desert and on the Mongolian steppes." This tale of conquest and service begun in the late 1940's is so incredible it will undoubtedly be a movie someday. Until then, we can just thank the heroes of this story in a little prayer of gratitude as they move on to other scourges facing men and beasts.

As We Act, So We Become

AS A PERSON ACTS,
SO SHE BECOMES IN LIFE.
THOSE WHO DO GOOD
BECOME GOOD . . .

SO WE ARE SAID TO BE
WHAT OUR DESIRE IS.
AS OUR DESIRE IS,
SO IS OUR WILL.
AS OUR WILL IS,
SO ARE OUR ACTS.

AS WE ACT,
SO WE BECOME.

~ The Upanishads

Of Note: Along with the esteemed Nobel Prize goes authority to the recipient. We Americans often yawn at the influence of the prize, but in Peru it most likely swayed an election. There many believe that the left-leaning Ollanta Humala, a former army officer, beat out Keiko Fujimori because of the endorsement of Mario Vargas, Peru's Nobel Prize winning writer. Fujimori is the child of former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori, who is currently imprisoned for human rights violations. It took years to get him there, so Peruvians may not have wanted to try another Fujimori any time soon. Former leftist Mr. Humala for his part had to distance himself from Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. Thus, while neither was a primo pick, it may be true that the Vargas voice tipped the scales. Wonder if future political influence is a qualifying category when selecting a Nobel Prize winner?

Becoming Alive!

DON'T ASK WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS.
ASK WHAT MAKES YOU COME ALIVE
AND GO OUT AND DO IT.
BECAUSE WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS
IS PEOPLE WHO HAVE COME ALIVE.

~ Howard Thurman

Of Note: Being alive is very important for our health. Without it, we slog along aimlessly in a dance of doing, doing without being, being. We are not talking happiness here--rather ALIVENESS. Most everyone has had the experience at some point. All we have to do is go back to that instance and recreate it again. This time, though, let's immortalize it in our hearts so that the spark of ALIVENESS shines forth on a daily basis. It might take 28 days for the habit of ALIVENESS to set in but the whole universe will be grateful for our efforts.

They are Their Own Leaders

FREEDOM, BY DEFINITION,
IS PEOPLE REALIZING THAT
THEY ARE THERE OWN LEADERS.

~ Diane Nash

Of Note: The founding fathers could never have imagined a United States of America that stretched from sea to shining sea and included 50 states. Neither would they have considered it possible for the President to sign a piece of legislation from across the ocean, which was then enacted into law. But that's how far we've come in 235 years. Recently, President Obama auto-signed an extension of the Patriot Act from a French resort town. Literally, he wrote a document authorizing a phone call from his hotel to the White House, where an auto-pen signed his name to the official legislation. Not many citizens even knew an auto-pen existed for such eventualities but it was recently disclosed that the contraption has been around since Dwight D. Eisenhower. Thing is, John Q. Public has been kept in the dark all these years. Seems nothing can be kept secret any longer. In the coming New Age when we can all communicate telepathically, there will be no secrets. That will definitely shine a light in all the dark corners of the planet.

Let Your Soul Be Stirred

DIVE DEEPLY INTO
THE MIRACLE OF LIFE
AND LET THE TIPS
OF YOUR WINGS
BE BURNT BY THE FLAME,
LET YOUR FEET BE
LACERATED BY THE THORNS,
LET YOUR HEART BE
STIRRED BY HUMAN EMOTION,
AND LET YOUR SOUL BE
LIFTED BEYOND THE EARTH.

~ Pir Vilayat Inayat Khan

Of Note: Lebanon and Israel have been at war more than once. A few times with bullets and bombs but more recently with hummus, a popular Middle Eastern chickpea-based dip. Israel originally held the world record with 900 pound bowl of the stuff, but Lebanon retaliated in 2009 with a whopping 4532 hummus plate. Not to be outdone, Israeli chef's responded in 2010 with a gargantuan 8993 pound dish. Lebanon considers hummus a national food and accused Israel of appropriating the treasure. So, its chefs came back with an untouchable 23,042 pound batch, enough to cover a piece of pita the size of the Dead Sea. So far this record has stood; though, Lebanese hummus producers are considering charging Israel with copyright violations just to be sure. This dust-up follows the earlier tabbouleh wars, which ended in a draw. Better food than bullets, though. Hummus anyone?

I'm Not Worried About Anything

I HAVE SEEN THE PROMISED LAND.
I MAY NOT GET THERE WITH YOU.
BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW TONIGHT,
THAT WE, AS A PEOPLE WILL GET
TO THE PROMISED LAND.
AND I'M HAPPY TONIGHT.
I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT ANYTHING.

~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

Of Note: What Dr. King knew is that the Promised Land is within us and that eventually each of us will find that out. It is no secret. But for most of our lifetimes, we search for the Promised Land outside ourselves until we get frustrated and exhausted. That is the very nature of the endeavor at the School of Earth. Eventually, we learn the Truth of the inner Light, Love and Power, and we are never the same. Thing is, we can only find it in our own way and in our own time. Once we understand then we too will have no worries, and the world will be a better place. One person at a time.

Living Forward

LIFE CAN ONLY BE
UNDERSTOOD BACKWARD,
BUT IT MUST BE LIVED FORWARD.

~ Soren Kierkegaard

Of Note: The Masters do not have this time problem of understanding backward and living forward. They live in the state of Eternal Now where all can be seen at once. Humans have a hard time getting their brains around that concept because we are embedded in linear, forward-moving time and cannot escape. There is one way, however. Through meditation we link with our Souls and then beyond. It is the "beyond" state that takes us to Eternal Now, which is not a place as it sounds, but a state of Being guarded by the high vibration of Love. Once we Become Love, the doors of Eternal Now open in ourselves to reveal the connectivity of all with All. At that exalted point, we will wonder for a brief moment how we ever lived any other way before moving onward and upward on our evolutionary path.

Revealed to the Eyes of the Soul

THOSE THINGS THAT NATURE
DENIED TO HUMAN SIGHT
SHE REVEALED TO THE
EYES OF THE SOUL.

~ Ovid

Of Note: Ever heard of a free floating planet not attached to a star? No? Neither had most people. This week NASA announced to the surprise of many that these solitary orbs do exist and may twice outnumber stars in the universe. Turns out that planets are exceedingly hard to find and cannot be seen at all if less than the size of Jupiter. One NASA official explained: "Although free-floating planets have been predicted, they finally have been detected. This has major implications for models of planetary formation and evolution." Some researchers postulate that the bodies are stars called Brown Dwarfs that simply did not "turn on." Others believe that the loaners have been ejected from solar systems by the gravitational pull of other stars or planets. Could be a little of each. A few scientists believe that our own solar system is populated with planets from outer space since the planets encircling our sun really don't match. We have the inner solid planets, an asteroid belt, then the large outer gaseous planets. Pluto, though not officially a planet any longer, is the real outlier. Ancient astrology even postulates that a few more invisible planets have yet to be discovered. Thus, just when we think there is little to learn about such a mundane topic as planets, along comes a new wave of discoveries. Many believe in the coming Age of Aquarius, this is just the beginning.

Be Awake

RUB YOUR EYES AND BE AWAKE.

~ William Barrett

Of Note: The space station planners and engineers had prepared for every contingency imaginable over the years. Or so they thought. When it came time for the first Muslim astronaut to launch into space in 2007, however, a method had to be devised for daily prayer that was in line with the teachings of the Koran. So, the Malaysian Space Agency asked a panel of 150 Muslim scholars for suggestions. It was not as easy as it sounded. Even such things as the direction to Mecca were complicated. Finally, after much discussion, the agency produced "A Guideline of Performing Ibadha [Worship] at the International Space Station." Included were rules to pray only five times during a 24-hour period instead of five times every time the space station orbited the planet. In the end, the direction to Mecca was left to the astronaut's discretion.

Two Roads Diverge

We stand now where
two roads diverge.
But unlike the roads in
Robert Frost's familiar poem,
they are not equally fair.
The road we have long been
traveling is deceptively easy,
a smooth superhighway
on which we progress
with great speed,
but at its end lies disaster.

The other fork of the road--
the one "less traveled by"--
offers our last, our only chance
to reach a destination that assures
the preservation of our earth.

~ Rachel Carson, Silent Spring

Of Note: With gas prices going up again, people might start to rethink their SUVs and consider an alternative fuel vehicle seriously. Change is hard, that's a fact. Therefore, we often require a little pain in order to spur us to do what we need to do. Pain in the pocketbook seems to be particularly effective, and gas prices at upward of $4 per gallon makes most of us say OUCH! A recent advertisement for the Nissan LEAF, the 100% electric car, explained that when we begin to make the change to alternative fuels such as electricity, the old Mile Per Gallon comparison will not stand up. After all, the LEAF doesn't even have a gas tank. What was suggested was a comparison based on how far a driver went on a single dollar. Of course, the reader could guess that the Nissan LEAF outshone all the other competitors at 25 miles traveled on a buck. The worst was the Chevrolet Corvette at 6 miles which is hardly a reasonable comparison. But other vehicles mentioned include the Ford Taurus at 7 miles, the Honda Accord at 9 miles, the Chevrolet Volt at 16.5 miles and finally the Toyota Prius Hybrid at 18 miles per dollar. None come close to the LEAF. In very teeny, tiny print, the formula for deriving the figures was stated and was Greek to this blogger. Rachel Carson might be pleased that the discussion has started in earnest about alternative fuels with the backing of the big oil and auto companies. The cynics may sniff that this is nothing and has happened before. However, the energy of real change is in the air, and nothing can arrest its progress. We only have to have faith in humanity that it will carry out its charge as world savior. Don't think we will be disappointed.

PS This photo was taken by my sister, Marie, at the Trinity Audubon Center in Dallas, Texas, a place that is teaching city folk the pleasures of nature.

A Revolution of the Heart

THE GREATEST CHALLENGE
OF THE DAY IS THIS:
HOW TO BRING ABOUT A
REVOLUTION OF THE HEART,
A REVOLUTION WHICH HAS TO
START WITH EACH ONE OF US.

~ Dorothy Day

Of Note: Today, let us resolve to bring about a revolution of our hearts. Ms. Day asks how to do this. Certainly, giving instead of taking is a good start. Giving always opens the heart, which then has the opportunity to fill with Love and Light. That is the real reason to give--it brings more Love and Light into a needy world. Another way to open the heart is through meditation, which creates another channel for Love and Light to enter the planet. Of course, meditation as service is a form of giving. To learn more about meditation as service, check out www.lucistrust.org. This Website is full of excellent ways to give for those interested.

The Present State of Theoretical Physics

The present state of theoretical physics
implies that empty space has all this energy
and that matter is a slight increase of the energy.
And therefore, matter is like a small ripple on
the tremendous ocean of energy,
having some relative stability and being manifest.

My suggestion is that the implicate order implies
a reality immensely beyond what we call matter.
Matter itself is merely a ripple in this background.

~ David Bohm

Of Note: Black holes fall into the realm of theoretical. We might be surprised at that because articles about them routinely state their existence as if proven. That is not true. The lay press conveniently drops the word hypothesis and leads the layman to believe that black holes are IN FACT sucking up light vociferously letting none out, rendering them invisible. Everyone knows that invisible is very hard to prove. The theoretical physicist will respond that mathematics has taken them to the event horizon of a black hole. That is well and good but they should be honest that a black hole is purely mathematical conjecture. Believe it or not, other theories about the cosmos exist that do not include black holes. However, alternative theoretical physicists are shut down financially because academic institutions only pay scientists, who study whatever is currently in vogue. Unless these men and women are independently wealthy or have a patron, their alternative theories languish. What's worse, the innovators are often black balled academically. Slowly, this situation is changing. We can thank the legions of alternative researchers, who have carried on with little funding. It is a good bet that many of their future discoveries will benefit humanity and save the planet while the theoretical physicists are still lost in their mathematical dreams about black holes.

As a Man Thinketh

AS A MAN THINKETH
IN HIS HEART,
SO IS HE.

~ Sacred Scripture

Of Note: The young in repressed nations are learning a new lesson of non-violent dissent. They have seen up close and personal that violence only begets more violence and creates a never ending cycle of dysfunction. Many of these young adults have known nothing else but chaos. For example, in Kashmir, two thirds of the population is below the age of 30, which means they have never known anything but the police state imposed by India to quell Pakistani and Kashmiri militants. But the Arab Spring has awakened an enlightened group of young Kashmiris, who have taken note of the non-violent methods used elsewhere. Here social networking has been shut down by India; so, a group of them have composed songs to carry the message. Last summer they threw stones, and 117 of them were killed with many more imprisoned. This summer they will sing instead. The rest of us will be listening to the new tune with hope of a non-violent ending to decade's old repression. Is that a fanciful dream? Maybe. But if we put our energy of Love behind them, the universe may respond with a miracle.

Free to Meditate

OUTWARDLY, ONE'S LIFE MAY

SUFFER EVERY KIND OF LIMITATION,
FROM BODILY PARALYSIS
TO MISERABLE SURROUNDINGS,
BUT INWARDLY, IT IS FREE
TO MEDITATE TO REACH OUT
TO A SPHERE OF LIGHT, BEAUTY,
TRUTH, LOVE AND POWER.

~Paul Brunton,
Meditations for People in Crisis

Of Note: The most important part of this quote is the word FREE. Meditation is free, meaning it costs nothing. Meditation also frees us from our physical surroundings in order to create a channel of love, light and power so needed by the planet. It is service to all of creation when we know FREEDOM as a state of being through meditation. As a matter of fact, according to ageless wisdom, freedom is a divine attribute of which we know little. That is because true freedom relieves us from material plane existence altogether, and those who have done so aren't talking. Because we have no local guides to that state, we can get a sense of FREE through meditation. The Buddha was our guide for that, and He assured us that joy and bliss are the inevitable result. Given a daily meditative practice, we will get there as well--crisis or not.

Indistinguishable From Magicf

ANY SUFFICIENTLY ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY
IS INDISTINGUISHABLE FROM MAGIC.

~ Arthur C. Clarke, Futurist

Of Note: We humans use our brain for any number of wonderful inventions. By tinkering with the physical world, scientists, engineers and others turn out more gidgets and gadgets than we know what to do with. Often these technological miracles get ahead of the civilization and, as Mr. Clarke commented, are indistinguishable from magic. But let's put this in perspective.....we can send a man to the moon but have yet to figure out how to feed those that are earth-bound. Nor have we figured out how to get along on a daily basis or create a sustainable living situation using our resources. Mahatma Gandhi had it right when he said: "As human being, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world--the is the myth of the atomic age--as in being able to remake ourselves." If each and every one of us made it a point to remake ourselves based on spiritual values including sharing, cooperation, social and personal responsibility and the sacrifice of selfishness, the physical plane matters would fall nicely into place. Being Love. That is the key. Meditation as service is the tool. It's sustainable, free and uses no resources but our minds, which we carry with us at all times. For more information on meditation as service check out www. lucistrust.org. The Website is not only a beautiful presentation it is also highly informative and inspirational.

The Heart Wide Open

AS AN INLET CANNOT
CLOSE ITSELF TO THE
SEA THAT SHAPES IT,
THE HEART CAN ONLY
WEAR ITSELF OPEN.

~ Mark Nepo

Of Note: This is my step-granddaughter, Samantha, a couple years ago. We had been out painting and sharing a hot afternoon while at the same time discussing how the school year went, how things were with her siblings and stuff like that. Parenting comes with no How-To Manual. But, if it did, the first rule would be to wear the heart open at all times, no matter what happens or how tough it gets. Children may be in our lives to remind us of this valuable lesson. To all those who know or are in the process of learning this, Happy Mother's Day!

Three Divine Qualities

THE FRIEND OF GOD HAS THESE THREE QUALITIES:
A GENEROSITY LIKE THAT OF AN OCEAN,
A COMPASSION LIKE THAT OF THE SUN,
AND A HUMILITY LIKE THAT OF THE EARTH.

~ Bayazid

Of Note: I understand where Mr. Bayazid is coming from when he defined the divine qualities required of God's friends. What he doesn't say, however, is that these three are the result of soul fusion attained through meditation. We can try and try to attain generosity, compassion and humility on a daily basis but we will find it difficult because our Earth-bound personalities block higher attunement. Only through the practice of meditation do the Higher Self and the personality get in touch and then stay in touch. Eventually, when meditation becomes a daily habit of Being, generosity, compassion and humility flow readily and easily without trying. Because most of us don't meditate, we have a way to go yet. But we can thank Mr. Bayazid for bringing to our attention the ultimate goals. Even if we don't begin the practice of meditation in this lifetime, we will in a future one. That is guaranteed.

Meticulously Created

CREATION IS NOT A STUDY,
A ROUGHED IN SKETCH;
IT IS SUPREMELY,
METICULOUSLY CREATED . . .

EVEN ON THE PERFECTLY
ORDINARY AND CLEARLY
VISIBLE LEVEL,
CREATION CARRIES ON WITH
AN INTRICACY UNFATHOMABLE
AND APPARENTLY UNCALLED FOR.

~ Annie Dillard

Of Note: One of the predictions of the coming age is the creation of the "New World Religion." Many will say we have no need for yet one more religion. However, the work of the Christ is not done. He will institute this new world religion, which will be based upon six essential Truths representing our divine heritage:

1. The fact of God
2. Man's relationship with God
3. The fact of immortality and eternal persistence
4. The continuity of revelations and the divine approaches
5. The fact of our relationship to each other
6. The fact of the path to God

No churches will be necessary since these truths will be recognized by each person in his and her heart and mind. Once these recognitions are universal, humanity's natural response will be based on spiritual values of brotherhood including the love of truth, the recognition of the needs and rights of all, a spirit of cooperation and sharing, a sense of personal responsibility as well as sacrifice of selfishness for the common good. This heritage is already encoded in our DNA but requires lighted thought to "turn it on." Education will be the key. Meditation is the method that is being and will continue to be taught to bring in the light. For those with the aspiration to meditate, proceed with due speed as each person, who begins the practice in earnest, adds to the growing pool of lighted energy that will one day change the world. The Christ is waiting.

We are the Stage and the Players

WE ARE THE STAGE AND ALL THE PLAYERS.

~ Mark Nepo

Of Note: American Seals killed Osama bin Laden yesterday. President Obama announced the #1 terrorist's assassination with proper decorum and took full responsibility for the decision to kill not capture. NYC firefighters cheered. Survivors of the 9/11 attacks had mixed feelings, almost to a person, saying the killing would not bring their loved ones back. Some were happy, many were not. Most every morning for the last 10 years, I have turned on the morning news to see if bin Laden was still alive. During that time, however, a realization came to me that God was the only judge, and with or without this man, terrorism would continue. His followers might be more emboldened. with his death. Time will tell, of course, if this killing was the right move or not. Until then, we will just have to watch as the next chapter of the story unfolds. Stay tuned.

Silence: a New Perspective

THE TREES, THE FLOWERS,
THE PLANTS GROW IN SILENCE.
THE STARS, THE SUN,
THE MOON MOVE IN SILENCE.

SILENCE GIVES US A
NEW PERSPECTIVE.

~ Blessed Mother Teresa

Of Note: Silence is little used these days as a tool of psychological discovery. We are so caught up in the noise emanating from the planet that silence can actually be scary. Spirit presents as silence so to know Spirit is to know silence. If we have not found silence in ourselves, we will not know when Spirit knocks. What needs to be silent exactly? Certainly, the dense physical plane is not going to go silent at our commands. It is the emotional plane that needs silencing until it is like a clear glass that does not impede energy from the higher planes to the lower. Currently, a dense fog of astral matter created by mankind over the ages shrouds the Earth. Through meditation, humanity is responsible for dissipating the fog to let the sun shine in. Many are pursuing this line of service. To join them, click on www.lucistrust.org to find out more about meditation as service. It is a simple and FREE way to help, and the universe will say thank you.

Doing the Hard Thing

YOU MUST DO THE THINGS
YOU THINK YOU CANNOT DO.

~ Eleanor Roosevelt

Of Note: Change is all around us. Without constant change and reconfiguration, the universe would cease to BE. Why is it that we humans find change so difficult and often fight it tooth and nail? There are many reasons, of course, but one is the belief that happiness is the end result of action. When we find happiness or its equivalent, we want to stay in that spot. Or unable to find happiness, a malaise sets in where we smolder, neither alive nor dead. What to do? This cycle of happiness vs. unhappiness can be broken by committing to make one change a day if small or one large change over a period of time if large. Pretty soon one is caught up in making change rather than the unrealistic expectation of happiness. For those who have trouble making change, www.stickK.com has one answer based on the use of a pre-commitment device, a "technique that people use to bind themselves to their preferred choices." The pre-commitment device of this site is real money. For example, if a Democrat wanted to lose 50 pounds, she might commit $1000 to a Republican cause if the promise is not kept. Two behavioral economists came up with this scheme based on well-known principles that people don't always do what they say they are going to do and incentives get people to do things. It's the whole carrot and stick routine. As a matter of fact, one of the economists, Ian Ayres, wrote a book called precisely that--Carrots and Sticks. The idea is the promotion of healthier lifestyle by creating commitment contracts that binds a person to achieve a personal goal. So far $7,118,733 have been put on the line by almost 80,000 people bent on making real change. Some of these people are very serious. The Website creators put half their yearly salaries toward the contract--and one had to make good on the deal to the tune of $15,000. That gives new meaning to Eleanor Roosevelt's words, doesn't it?

We are the Convergence

WE ARE THE CONVERGENCE
OF THE WHOLE UNIVERSE.
WE ALL HAVE A GREAT
NEED FOR IMMENSITY.

~ Pir Vilayat Inayat Khan

Of Note: Let's say that humanity is the eyes and ears of the Solar System, an unconscious Entity, which does not know Itself. That could mean that the international space programs and their various space probes provide our Solar System with a view of Itself through our eyes. That thought could give new meaning to the importance of exploration in the outer reaches of space. Take, for example, the twin Voyager probes that are very close to reaching the edge of the solar system. They have been speeding through space for 30 years and are still sending back data that continues to surprise the engineers and scientists at NASA. Dr Tony Philips said: "The adventure began in the late 1970's when the probes took advantage of a rare alignment of the outer planets for an unprecedented Grand Tour. Voyager 1 visited Jupiter and Saturn while Voyager 2 flew past Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Voyager 2 is still the only probe to visit Uranus and Neptune." The twins are powered by the radioactive decay of Plutonium 238 and should keep the systems running until at least 2020. By then, they will have popped through the solar system's heliosphere and into outer space-- a place that has never been explored by humans. Even now, the space on the edge is called "frothy" by scientists and shows a zero solar wind velocity. From that distance, the sun is just a teeny dot in the sky. On board each probe is a Golden Record disc that carries information about Earth, including 118 photos of the planet; 90 minutes of music; an audio essay containing sounds from the planet; and greetings in 55 languages and one whale language. One awestruck researcher said: "Voyager 1 and 2 will become our silent ambassadors to the stars." Could be that the space probes are also the eyes and ears of the Solar System getting to know Itself and its neighbors for the first time.

The Love of Thousands

WALKING, I AM LISTENING
TO A DEEPER WAY.
SUDDENLY, ALL MY
ANCESTORS ARE BEHIND ME.
BE STILL, THEY SAY.
WATCH AND LISTEN.

YOUR ARE THE RESULT OF
THE LOVE OF THOUSANDS.

~ Linda Hogan

Of Note: Sometimes if I really want to feel the wonder of Life, I contemplate the thought that my life is connected to all life back to the beginning of time. The very first moment. Years ago, I had a dream about what it was like before time began. My consciousness experienced a complete void where nothing existed at all. It was petrifying. In short order with a heart beating wildly, I was delivered safe and sound back to my bed. I did not realize until then what NO-THING meant and how connections with matter grounded me and us to the physical plane. Since then, I have yearned for another experience of that void. After years of meditation, I recognize the place and know that it was not a blank space at all, but pregnant with invisible, undifferentiated Life waiting to explode into a myriad of beings for a Purpose that can best be described as Love. More than that we do not know.

Today's Weather Report: It is snowing to beat the band. Highly unusual weather for the end of April. Actually, it has snowed off and on the whole month but nothing like this.

I am Very Large and Contain Multitudes

DO I CONTRADICT MYSELF?
VERY WELL THEN I
CONTRADICT MYSELF.
(I AM VERY LARGE,
I CONTAIN MULTITUDES.)

~ Walt Whitman

Of Note: It was obvious to me when helping my daughter with the interpretation of Song of Myself by Master Whitman that he was speaking of the Soul. Her high school honors class teacher had something else in mind but she courageously wrote her essay with this in mind and got a good grade if I remember correctly. The idea of the Soul being large and containing multitudes describes unity at its most fundamental level. That would mean, of course, that everyone is the same in God's eyes no matter what religion they espoused. Even atheists would be covered by this all-inclusive concept. Pastor Bob Bell has taken this viewpoint in his recently published and highly controversial book Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived, in which he contends everyone has a chance at heaven and salvation. Everyone. That bold idea has taken the Evangelical community from whence he came by surprise and many have responded swiftly and unequivocally against him. Seems Rev. Bell is taking it all in stride and said: "I have long wondered if there is a massive shift coming in what it means to be a Christian. Something new is in the air." Acceptance of all into heaven would be something new in several religions, many of which believe they have the only key to the pearly gates. Bell contends that he doesn't know anything for sure but is merely raising the question, which is healthy. Jesus the Christ taught a simple lesson to Love thy neighbor as thyself. He didn't put any restrictions on the command. Believing in Him was not a prerequisite. Pastor Bell seems to have heard this message loud and clear and should be commended for writing an invocative book on the subject.

All of Them Together

ALL THE VOICES,
ALL THE GOALS,
ALL THE YEARNINGS,
ALL THE SORROWS,
ALL THE PLEASURES,
ALL THE GOOD AND EVIL,
ALL OF THEM TOGETHER
WAS THE WORLD.

~ Hermann Hesse

Of Note: Vasudeva asked Siddhartha, who was seeking enlightenment, to sit and listen to the river. Not only to listen but to LISTEN. He finally asked, "Do you hear?" When Siddhartha nodded, the wizened man whispered, "Listen better!" The enquirer found that everyone was part of the river: "It was the goal of all of them, yearning, desiring, suffering; and the river's voice was full of longing, full of smarting woe, full of insatiable desire." Even past this discovery was complete absorption, taking in everything yet quite empty until the separate voices were no longer heard. They all belonged to each other. Siddhartha's revelation will be ours someday as well. We will most likely not be sitting by a river with a wise, old man as a guide. But the illumination is guaranteed and is part of our divine destiny as a human being. Buddha and the Christ made sure of that. Happy Easter!

I'm Late! I'm Late!

I'M LATE! I'M LATE.
FOR A VERY IMPORTANT DATE!
NO TIME TO SAY HELLO! GOOD-BYE!
I'M LATE! I'M LATE! I'M LATE!

~The Mad Hatter
from Alice in Wonderland

Of Note: We live such hustle and bustle lives. We stuff our mouths with unhealthy food, work too many hours, have no time for sex, watch too much TV. The list could go on and on. In the process we don't pay attention to the importance of simply BEING. Most people think that the phenomenal world with its constant search for happiness is all there is. That is not the Truth. We know this because happiness is never really found. The circular search is never-ending. The only way out of the morass is meditation. Through meditation we contact our Soul, which is ever willing to help us discover the nature of Reality, with a capital R. It is not what we think and has no malls to keep us enthralled. Eventually, however, through the meditation process we find Joy and then Bliss. That was Buddha's discovery and can be ours as well. Can't meditate? Our divine discontent fueled by disillusionment will inevitably fuel the aspirational fire. Once the fire is lit, the time comes when sitting becomes the most important activity of the day. In the meantime, know that happiness is a seductive illusion, Service is the key and Bliss beckons.

Don't Go Back to Sleep

THE BREEZES AT DAWN
HAVE A SECRET TO TELL US.
DON'T GO BACK TO SLEEP.

~ Jalaluddin Rumi

Of Note: It's always darkest before the dawn is the main theme of this blog. But what happens when the dawn arrives? Will we be so filled with glamour and illusion that we will not recognize what is in front of us? Many believe that when the New Age arrives, all the struggles will cease. My sense is that the struggles might actually increase as our Souls demand, yes demand, that each of us steps up to the spiritual plate of Right Human Relations. Thing is, the more we sense that truth while in the dark, the quicker will be our assimilation into the Light. Service is the key. There is no better time to start than the present. Want to learn Qigong? Go for it. How about astrology? No better time than now. Feel a need to start meditating? Many teachers and methods are available. With the motive of service to humanity, each of these could lead us into the Light. But we need to get going, time is awasting.

Open Wide Our Hearts

THERE IS NO NEED
TO GO SEARCHING FOR
THE REMEDY FOR THE
EVILS OF OUR TIME.

THE REMEDY ALREADY EXISTS--
IT IS THE GIFT OF ONE'S SELF TO
THOSE WHO HAVE FALLEN SO LOW
THAT EVEN HOPE FAILS THEM.

OPEN WIDE OUR HEARTS.

~ Rene Bazin

Of Note: Giving of ourselves by opening our heart wide is the essence of simplicity. We fail to do this in our hustle and bustle world where we may not take the time to acknowledge those who are hurting. Fact is, we are ALL suffering as a part of Humanity, which is in the throes of upheaval and chaos during this time of cosmic transition. Thus, opening our hearts wide to everyone we meet would be a good strategic policy to further a peaceful world. We could start tomorrow. Even better, it doesn't cost a dime, and no travel is necessary. Couldn't get much more simple than that.

Writing the History of our Generation

EACH OF US CAN WORK TO
CHANGE A SMALL PORTION
OF EVENTS AND IN THE TOTAL
OF ALL THOSE ACTS WILL
BE WRITTEN THE HISTORY
OF OUR GENERATION.

~ Robert Kennedy

Of Note: The Millennium Development Goals formulated through the United Nations set out a blueprint for humanity to improve its record of Right Human Relations. This is mankind's test to improve the lot of its brothers and sisters because of a growing understanding of the whole. It may come as a surprise that several small Caribbean islands are leading the world in meeting those goals. Barbados leads the way. 40% of its citizens live in cities and "have life expectancies in the mid-70's, all births are attended by skilled practitioners, 100% of the population has safe water and sanitation, and the infant mortality rate is 11 per 1,000 birth." What's more, the number of births per family is 1.68, well below the replacement level of 2.0. This progressive country has received the highest UN rating as "very high human development." Barbados is joined by other Caribbean countries such as Antigua, Dominica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and the Grenadines. Work still needs to be done, of course, but with government safety nets in place, these tiny nations rank with such wealthy powerhouses as Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. One scholar noted the reason for success in attaining the Millennium Development Goals: "In the small countries of the Caribbean, the whole nation plays the role of the community. Government is close-up and personal and much more likely to be responsive to citizens needs." Communities at work are the key, which is just another way of saying Love-in-action. Barbados and others are leading the way to Right Human Relations, and their collective actions are an example to the rest of the planet.

The Spirit as Life

WE WILL KNOW WHAT BOTH THE FULLNESS
AND THE FULFILLMENT OF LIFE MEAN
ONLY WHEN THE CONSCIOUSNESS THAT
THE SPIRIT IS OUR OWN VERY SELF
COMES TO LIFE WITHIN US.

~ Paul Brunton

Of Note: The Spirit is Life. Most of us don't know that yet because we are concerned with learning to Love. Eventually, however, the Light of the Soul--the Higher Self--connects us through Love to the Spirit--its Higher Self--and the Unity of Life is no longer a theory but Reality. Thus, the Self is not two but rather three layers deep: the lower self/personality, the Higher Self/Soul and the Monad. The Monad is the true Self, the spark of the Divine, the Father. It is fusion with It to which we ultimately aspire.

Drawing Good Out of Harm

LET US LEARN TO SKILLFULLY
DRAW GOOD OUT OF WHAT
OTHERWISE CAUSES US HARM.

~ St. Mary Euphrasia Pellentier

Of Note: Everyone on the planet should have come to the conclusion by now that aggressive violence does not work. A least two generations or more of children in the Middle East have known nothing else. But the nonstop violence in that sector has spawned a new movement among the young, particularly those educated around the world. They are bringing home information, which may turn the tide, particularly in the areas of entrepreneurship and business skills plus nonviolent means of protest through social networking. These young adults know from their travels in developed countries, like the United States and Europe, what the state of extended nonviolent prosperity looks like--and they want it. One Middle East scholar said of the young Palestinians he's been following: "If they'd been led by Gandhi rather than Yasser Arafat, they would have had a state 20 years ago." This time around, though, transformation may come not only through non-violent protests but through business and enterprise. The returning college graduates understand full well that constructive activity is the antithesis of aggressive violence and want to start business that employ others. We have been waiting with great anticipation for this generation of educated, youthful leaders with their iPhones and Blackberries to step forward in the Middle East, and they are starting to arrive. Social networking brought us the Arab Spring but it will take leadership from seasoned statesmen, expats and the young educated to bring it to full flower.

God is Awake

HAVE COURAGE FOR THE
GREAT SORROWS OF LIFE,
AND PATIENCE FOR THE SMALL ONES.
WHEN YOU HAVE LABORIOUSLY
ACCOMPLISHED YOUR DAILY TASKS,
GO TO SLEEP IN PEACE.
GOD IS AWAKE.

~ Victor Hugo

Of Note: Not only is God awake, so is a part of humanity at all times. Waking and sleeping humans create a wave that goes around the Earth once every 24-hours. Thus, because humanity is Divine, it is God awake on the physical plane at all times. Or it will be. Presently, mankind is evolving into consciousness of its Divinity and has a way to go yet. But eventually its true Self will shine forth in all its radiance. When that happens, we will not only go to sleep in peace, we will be peace ourselves. On another note, a new mineral has been "mined" from a 4.5 billion year old meteorite, which has been named Wassonite. The specimen is only one-hundredth as wide as a human hair and composed of sulfur and titanium. It was shed from a primitive meteorite dating back to the earliest planetary building blocks. A NASA co-discoverer said: "Meteorites and the minerals within them are windows into the formation of our solar system. Through these kinds of studies, we can learn about the conditions that existed and the processes that were occurring then." This begs the question, how many other minerals have yet to be discovered in the solar system and what might they contribute to our knowledge base? This tiny mineral sample reveals that we have much to learn.

Those Ripples Build a Current

Each time a man stands up for an ideal,
or acts to improve the lot of others,
or strikes out against injustice,
he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope;
and crossing each other from a million
different centers of energy and daring,
those ripples build a current which
can sweep down the mightiest walls
of oppression and resistance.

~ Robert F. Kennedy, 1966

Of Note: Corruption consumes about $1 trillion dollars a year. That amount of money circulated in legitimate ways could change the world in very short order. Governments are taking note of the amount siphoned off illegally, particularly as their own belts have tightened due to the financial meltdown. The United States through the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act has been going after the bad guys for years but has recently joined forces with other international agencies to get deadly serious about the matter. Corporate corruption through payment of bribery is a current intensified focus. Huge fines are being levied as well as prosecution of executives. In response, corporations have implemented elaborate compliance programs to assure that workers do not bribe foreign officials. On the horizon is the Dodd-Frank whistleblower provision, which will pay for information leading to arrest and conviction of persons involved in corrupt corporate practices. Although they have been reluctant to do this before, it is believed that this will spur companies to come clean about their unsavory past of paying bribes and kickbacks. Next under the spotlight will be the investigation of Sovereign Trust Funds, where lavish spending has a long history, and the investigation of foreign corrupt officials by their own governments. Thankfully, the train is finally moving down the track. In its rail cars will be the trillions now available for the people rather than stolen by kleptocrats and other criminals, including the bankers, accountants and attorneys, who have been complicit in protecting them.

Miracles

THERE IS ONLY TWO
WAYS TO LIVE YOUR LIFE.
ONE IS AS THOUGH
NOTHING IS A MIRACLE.
THE OTHER IS AS IF
EVERYTHING IS.

~ Albert Einstein

Of Note: March 17, 2011 was an historic day for NASA. For the first time, a spacecraft, appropriately called MESSENGER, orbited the innermost planet, Mercury, at a point 96 million miles from Earth. The journey to Mercury took 6.5 years with a total distance traveled of 4.6 billion miles. After a few weeks of tweaking the system, the mission's primary science phase began today. The principle investigator of the project said: "Despite its proximity to Earth, the planet Mercury has for decades been comparatively unexplored. For the first time in history, a scientific observatory is in orbit around our solar systems innermost planet. Mercury's secrets are about to be revealed." With this successful orbit, NASA and other international space agencies have a variety of spacecraft at each end of solar system, which over time will have gathered data on all the visible planets. However, esoteric astrology contends that a few more planets have yet to be discovered. Think of the wonder and surprise those discoveries will bring to scientists, who might think they have seen it all.