Be-Coming

Be or do? 

Be. Do to Be. 

What to be? 

Be Your God. 

Don't like your God? - change your ideas about God. 

Define God as you prefer, with all of the right attributes. 

Then Be those attributes. 

Know truth - what do we know? "
   Law of ONE" - We are One.
   The Breath is the movement/manifestation of the ONE.

Life is a metaphor - various expressions are just expressions of the ONE's variety. We can use the same ideas, processes - maybe in reverse, to make the world, life we want.

Find out what you are working with.
You are your first project. - like a living sculpture.
  What are you working with?
  How do you work? - like how God made you.
What is your purpose? - You decide, but it may be to make the most beautiful sculpture.
How do you find out who and what you are?
Study - like in school. What to study? - books, I do have some suggestions, but it's up to you.
- watch for information overload though -

How to Think.
   What are you made of?
   How does energy, thought create?
   What are you thinking?
   What are your senses for?
   What are your feelings for?
   What are emotions?

   How do you get things done now?
   Do you assess context, or not?
   What are you going to do?
   Make a decision to do something.
   Do you need tools?
   Do you need skills?
   Choice is one of your tools.
   Choose the steps you are going to take.
   Take action - if you make a wrong choice, or action, reassess - change direction.

I could give any number of metaphors, analogies or similes - sailing a boat, landscaping, writing a letter. In order to do anything, we make provisions, plans.

We use these tools, processes, skill-sets in the tasks throughout our day but very few people apply them to the greater context of our life, (e.g. health, happiness, contentment) to our family, to our community, to society, our job.

Processing is learning from our mistakes - stopping insanity - defined as: "doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results".

Whether you know it or not there is no chance - no random occurrences - the ONE is very deliberate - and You are One.

When life presents you an opportunity - take it. One way or another, then deal with the results, repercussions.

Most people live their lives without a real central purpose, or mission. They may not have really thought about it.

We have not been taught this in school or church - explicitly - maybe cryptically.
I don't think most people understand.

If Jesus is your God - Be Jesus - or if that scares you - Be LIKE Jesus. But here's a tricky thing - if you are afraid of being Jesus - why are you afraid?

Fear is not really truth - unless you decide you want that as your God - your life, your experience. If Love is your God - Be Love. Love and fear are not compatible. They can't exist in the same space without a problem arising.

Love is Truth.

Decide the course that the ship of your life is going to take. Imagine looking back at the end of your journey, your life, asking the question "what have I created?" "Am I happy with what I am looking at?"

Have I been the captain of my ship or just a coal shoveler? Do I know everything about my ship? - how it works? - what it can do? Can I fix it if it breaks?
Do you have a map to help you? A compass?, etc.
I think you get the point.
But You and Your life are much more spectacular than being a captain of a ship. You can sail a ship, drive a bus, fly an airplane, write a poem, paint a picture, play with your kids, cook dinner and make love -
- All this in just one day!

Each Now moment is another opportunity.

Do you know who and what you are?
Do you have the right skill-sets?
Do you have the tools to do what you want to do?
Do you have a plan? Is it written down - and you can always make adjustments - just like you do when you walk somewhere.

Life is about experiences. No one can judge your experiences (except you if you choose). God doesn't judge your experiences IT is experiencing them. That is your purpose - at some level, to experience stuff for God. What do you want to Share with God? What do you want to do to God? What do you want to give to God? What do you want to Be for God?

If you really aspire those things to happen then stop "wanting" and Be those things, in your mind (in actuality you already ARE those things you just don't re-member, yet) and after you Believe you can Be that then you will begin to do those things. And the great thing is, if you don't get it right, then you can try again, and again, and again, and again ad infinitum.

And another great thing is that during that process you can be learning and experiencing a whole lot of stuff. Which will grow your character which is another purpose of life.
Then as you continue to Be like the God you believe your God to Be you will continue on this fantastic journey, moment by moment, experience by experience to Be that God that you believe your God to Be. In truth you already are that God - even though you might not know or believe. 

 So, how are you gonna Be You today?
_____________________________________

Ancillary quotes:

"To Be or not to Be, that is the question" Shakespeare

"God is either everything or he is nothing" Alcoholics Anonymous - my answer - both, and neither.

"We thus have the Mandukya Upanishad that explains the paradox that Brahman is all and Brahman is nothing or no-thing" (1)

"But the nearest conception of Brahman we can have is to say that it is a state of consciousness beyond time when SAT, CIT and ANANDA, Being and Consciousness and Joy are ONE. (2)

"As Atman, the Self in each one of us and in all is Brahman, God the Highest in us and in all we might say that the problem of the moral law in the Upanishads is solved by fulfilling the words of Shakespeare in Hamlet. For 'self', however, we should understand 'Self'.
   "This above all - to thine own self be true. And it must follow, as the night the day. Thou canst then be false false to anyone". (3)

"It will be seen that the lofty doctrines of the Upanishads are doctrines for the few: the Himalayas of the Soul are not for all. Men want a simple concrete God, or even a graven image of a god. They want a rule of life, and above all they want love. The later seers of the Upanishads saw this and in the Isa Upanishad we have ideas that we also find in the Bhagavad Gita Because of its importance it should be quoted in full:

  Behold the Universe in the glory of God: and in all that lives and moves on earth. Leaving the transient, find joy in the External: set not your heart on another's possession.
  Working thus, a man may wish for a life of a hundred years. Only actions done in God bind not the soul of man.
  There are demon-haunted worlds, regions of utter darkness. Whoever in life rejects the Spirit goes to that darkness after death.
  The Spirit, without moving, is swifter than the mind; the senses cannot reach Him: He is ever beyond them. Standing still, He overtakes those who run. To the ocean of His being the spirit of life leads the streams of action.
  He moves, and He moves not. He is far, and He is near. He is within all, and He is outside all.
  Who sees all beings in his own Self, and his own Self in all beings, loses all fear.
  When a sage sees this great Unity and his Self has become all beings, what delusion and what sorrow can ever be near him?
  The Spirit filled all with His radiance. He is incorporeal and invulnerable, pure and untouched by evil. He is the supreme seer and thinker, immanent and transcendent. He placed all things in the path of Eternity.
  Into deep darkness fall those who follow action. Into deeper darkness fall those who follow knowledge.
  One is the outcome of knowledge, and another is the outcome of action. Thus have we heard from the ancient sages who explained this truth to us.
  He who knows both knowledge and action, with action overcomes death and with knowledge reaches immortality.
  Into deep darkness fall those who follow the immanent. Into deeper darkness fall those who follow the transcendent.
  One is the outcome of the transcendent and another is the outcome of the immanent. Thus have we heard from the ancient sages who explained this truth to us.
  He who knows both the transcendent and the immanent, with the immanent overcome death and with the transcendent reaches immortality.
  The face of truth remains hidden behind a circle of gold. Unveil it, O god of light, that I who love the true may see!
  O life-giving sun, offspring of the Lord of creation, solitary seer of heaven I Spread thy light and withdraw thy blinding splendor that I may behold thy radiant form: that Spirit far away within thee is my own inmost Spirit.
  May life go to immortal life, and the body go to ashes. O.M. O my soul, remember past strivings, remember! O my soul, remember past strivings, remember!
  By the path of good lead us to final bliss, O fire divine, thou god who knowest all ways. Deliver us from wandering evil. Prayers and adoration we offer unto thee. (4)

Breathe Your Truth.

The Bhagavad Gita, translated by Juan Mascaro 1) p15, 2) p15, 3) p16, 4) p17. 

My Vision in a Nutshell

I made a decision to "change the world" in 2005, (for my children, when I knew much less than I do now, about vibrational energy and such) and revalidated it in 2007 - something like how Gandhi must have made a decision to free India or Norman Borlaug made a decision to feed everyone.

My understanding is that if we allow our connection to Gaia, to our Divine Mother to be made, we will find ourselves ushered into a more balanced way of being. I have been given insights that this process is really so simple - to relax and become re-aquainted, to be conscious of our breath, and know that each of us are the creators of our world.

So the process is quite simple, not complicated, because when we tap into our own breath and begin to treat ourselves with kindness and respect, and learn how our divine guidance program works, our feelings, we will be perfectly guided and then that re-creation will be guided like a Divine symphony to a realization of Peace and Harmony.

My aim, is to usher in this Peace, one person at a time. To empower each individual to know that truth of Love, and that they are that love, and they are motivated by that Love. There is nothing to fear, as all is in perfect order. I don't fear whether the sun will shine, or my molecules or the galaxies will hold together, why would I fear about the tiny systems that we, I guess a bunch of errant children, could somehow be outside of the Divine orchestration. So my Vision, is that we "re-create" the world into the paradise that we all know in our hearts can be. We can each create the world of our dreams that we have been afraid to state boldly, because there has been a lot of discouragement of such things. And by the way, there has been a purpose for that too - it is just difficult to grasp. All I know, that even all of the things I haven't liked have taught me a lot about Love, Service, Patience, Vision and a desire to be even a better Andy, each day. I continue to believe in "ever expanding possibilities" and as I do that I am happier and happier each day because I realize that what I was afraid of is not real, and that when I go through my fears I always find wonder and joy and mystery, and on and on it will go until I return to the One, complete.

Feeling One

The One had to forget. If we came into this form knowing all, having experienced all, being infinite, there would only be continued knowing.

Somehow source effectively created an experiential shroud, a seemingly thick veil which previously human perception found challenging to pierce or dissolve. And yet the process of this life, or the purpose it seems is to be just that. By consciously, patiently attending to one´s thoughts and experiences to pass through to this greater knowing.

Duality "appears" to create an inner and outer challenge - the individual separated from the rest. Then, to go up to the next scales (e.g. family, community, etc.) we seem to imagine there are more blockages to who and what we are. But the challenges at each scale seem to be of the same nature. Just different, apparently, but only really as a result of perception. If I can clear and deal with my perceptive challenges - if I can accomplish my "remembering", then will that ripple out across the world? The word "re-membering" is quite interesting: to be put back together.

I have stated before that Socrates didn´t believe that we learned - such as putting information from outside in, but discovered more from the inside - like my son Joshua said "we already know everything, we just don´t know it". Maybe it is a combination of both. Balancing. However, the "balance" for the majority of people seems to be on the external experience. And the "collective" almost exclusively focusing on this. But isn´t this somewhat its nature? Unless we internalize what we share together, to make it part of our "collective body" - and everything between our human form, like the earth, air fire, water, and ether, we will never understand the nature of the All That Is - which first must be expressed and experienced here on Earth. We really all are in this together.

Socrates asked questions. Others suggest meditation, going within.

I have this sense that this process is not so much mental, as of something less cognitive, more of feeling. Rectifying another of dilemmas, is rectifying the male and female idea. The female can remember its connection to Source through feeling. Thus a remembering throughout the whole can be caused. Stepping out of mental constructs, and in an experiential way, finding within - that spark of creation, from whence all forms begin. The "big bang" is not only one of a physical nature but one that emerges from the experience which is, at its core, of feeling. To be able to go to, and sort of identify the Source within our being, and really feel it to leave an imprint of knowing on the molecular or cellular level, could cascade that effect through that first "human" body. Then, that effect, like a cataclysmic event, would continue through our collective body, affecting each molecule, no matter what form. At an exponential rate the transformation, or re-creation, would not take long at all.

Is it possible the remembering is about feeling and not thinking?

And how would one accomplish this? Maybe it is as simple as to say "Eye am ready, to experience and feel the love that created me.? No muss, no fuss. No mental gyrations. No elaborate discourses or activities. Just the invitation to access that "feeling" which has to be imprinted upon every particle in the cosmos. Then, just let it go. Allow the process, which must be totally natural for the One love to have its way with us.

Hmmm, could it be so simple? We´ll see.

Dark Places

Thank you for your confidence in me.
Every day I get stronger.
Knowing more what really is real.
It´s been a long journey.
In a very short span of time.
The conditioned luggage I carried along.
Has been a burden I seem to have needed.
But the seeming paradox is.
Those unseen relics cast shadows on my whole being,
coloring and affecting all that I saw, heard and felt.
The person that I presented to others,
quickly introducing all my ills.
But these issues, problems and pains,
when discovered and revealed,
become a tool, a gift, a treasure,
with which we all can share.
These frailties and weaknesses become,
what we all can bear.
In truth these problems and negatives,
have taken us here and there.
To discover new realms of experience,
where none had trod before.
But the blessing has always been,
while we have trudged this shadow-world,
the light of day´s within.
Our greatest fear, transpires and then becomes,
something that we knew all along.
The truth of love, and of the One,
who placed us on the path.
Invited us to take a jaunt,
into a nether world that hadn´t become.
A place where "scary monsters" loomed,
and horrors imagined were real.
But the purpose of all this was,
to discover what we could find.
That in the furthest reaches of the dark,
there is only one thing - sublime.
In all the corners dark and dreary,
where our worst fears reside.
It is only us, you, me and them
which really is only One.
That one is Love and we always knew,
but we had to try to find.
If there was something else.
Thank goodness that we were wrong.

One on One

From my two books "I Am Sharing: Thoughts, Experiences and Learning About Love and Service", and "Poetry and Essays About Life, Love and One."

Life is really about us working out our relationship with ourselves. Is she the One? (the ultimate question from the movie the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy), or (Am I the One). A part of us knows that everything is the one but this world seems to be a testing ground for how far will love go and still love.

The "issue" in process is just me rectifying the issues between my prior perceptions that there are things other than me, my coming out of this program which has been emotionally ingrained, habituated. If I accept that there is only one thing here, then why do I have all of these issues with myself? At first I cannot discover this by watching others, but after I come to realize the issues are really in me, then the evidence is incontrovertible - it's in my face. All I have to do is realize that each time I find myself emotionally charged (typically negative) I am confronting an old program that is attached to my old perceptions of things being outside (separate) of me. It boils down to me rectifying my perceptions of my relationship to the One.

Why would One punish Oneself? Love doesn't punish, so at those places that I discover conflict or experience pain it is actually a "learning point". When I discover a learning point what happens, or how I deal with it, demonstrates going to the Truth or some other reality, some segmented part of the One. The Kingdom of God is Within Me comes from becoming absolutely clear intellectually and emotionally with all the other parts of the One - to love it. It is either the way I want it, or it has a lesson for me for my growth. If I am experiencing negative emotions it is either contradictory to my greater good or it is triggering a dysfunctional part of my prior programming.

All evidence points to the truth. All evidence points to the truth there is only One. However, it has divided itself into many aspects/parts. Why would One thing punish itself? To experience something other than One-ness. It wouldn't really punish itself because it really serves no purpose because it already knows.

So the purpose is to create many different parts, let them forget, and then discover, or go back to that knowing. The thing about earth is the density, the intensity of the experience and the number of possible divergences, dead-ends, or detours is innumerable.

However the choice really comes down to a simple one - am I choosing the true path or something else? And the true path is illumined by Love. Why would I abuse myself if I knew the Truth? I wouldn't. So why do I abuse myself and others? Because I don't understand. I don't realize the truth. I should not punish myself, the pain and suffering is Love guiding me toward it. It is my job to determine at any moment whether I am making the right choice or not. It comes down to a very simple "either, or" choice.

The truth (love), or not. And if I am clear about my emotional conditioning, if I have done the work to examine the familial and cultural programming that choice will become simpler and simpler over time. The challenge is not to fall into another "program" that creates another intellectual or emotional cul-de-sac.

Who Questions?

I ask myself
And what of this life?
Where are we going?
How can this be?
This knowing. This experience.
This presence
That places me in the center
of this great cosmos
revealing secrets
one by one
Who asks you, who you are?
no one does anything for us,
except all is done
by the One, which is inseparable
consistent, flowing
living, growing
where this all leads it knows
duality creates the space
for ultimate expression
testing possibilities
examining results
leading perpetually to -
One understanding.

Your Dreams

August 13, 2010

Embrace Your Dreams
Be Your Dreams
know Your Dreams
their creation
their giving
their passion
are what you were intended to create
These experiences, these visions
Are the Dreams of the Love on the One
Invited to be expressed, shared, manifested
Through the Love placed in Your heart
Directly from Source as the Divine repository
Only there can that immensely, fantabulously unique
Spark be represented and presented in the pure form
in which it was created
it is Yours, only Yours
but only experienced, cherished, created
by your discovery, nourishment, beholding
the journey of your life
Your primary task
is to find this Spark, this Star
of my Love
and present it back to me
through your world
through your sharing
through your peace
as a gift to All That Is

One´s Silence

I happened to go back in my journal and came across an entry that I forgot. This was a week I spent communing with the river near my wife´s home town. It has been many years since I spent this kind of quality time in nature.

I believe it is a mystical, powerful place. Called Cajamarca, it sits on a table next to the Anaime river, which I layed, prayed and meditated on a rock in the river during the week of April 1. I think for 4 days of the week.

The town now is the center of a controversy. They have discovered a gold mine, purportedly the second largest in human history. They started exploration but the operation has been shut down because of political controversy.

Cajamarca is a poor, agricultural Colombian town. Myth says it sits on four pillars of Gold. The area is expected to have an earthquake - imminently. In the last quarter year there has been 300 tremors. Some say that the fate of the world is connected to the mountain. My wife had a very distinct dream with a message. I don´t know. I just report what is coming to my heart, and what words I try to share about the Wonder and Love I have for God, creation, Gaia and humanity.

Here were the words that came to me from the river.

April 1, 2010

The One is silent and still but all sound and movement are sourced from the One.

God does not talk but has many messengers.

How do I reach that quiet pure potential of God within me? How do I reach that pool of still "Being" where all this manifests from? How can I get past "thought" which is the curtain I must pull aside to view the sea of the One? Where all love and All That Is utilizes to take form. Patience. Quiet. Stillness. Breathing. Listen with your heart and being not just your head, but it might come in that way. Listen to the light, the birds, your own sounds. Listen to others. Wait.

Never Outside

In one moment, instant, or not
a dream appeared, a thought, an idea
a cosmic creative moment in the mind
of the One
an instantaneous spark of inspiration
Ah Ha! - an exhalation, a breath, an expression
Life, light, energy
something and nothing
in and out
an incredible idea
a word spoken, or not
something seen, or not
thus began our great adventure
an expansion out of one of thought
causal, astral, physical
consciousness imbibed with Spirit
into form, knowing, experience
catapulted, interpenetrated, manifested
myriad uncountable forms
thinking, feeling, creating, wondering
what, why, where, when, how, who
individuated expression ejaculated
into a grand cosmic dance
sometimes forgetting, fearing, killing
suffering, hating, torturing
disease, loneliness, separation
all ideas
experiences
expressed as an elaborate experiment
of the one source
but nothing, absolutely nothing
can exist, express, create, breathe
outside of the one substance, matrix, field
not one quark, atom, molecule, god, universe
can exist outside
for even one nanosecond
allways, moment to moment
All That Is sustained
loved, fed, nurtured, guided
for eternity
Why are we afraid?

Experience - a Poem

Experience

The gift of the Divine

a diversity of faces

The collection of places

All feelings, combined

Memories, impressions

Reactions, expressions

The laugh of a babe

The pungency of a glade

Seeing, feeling, noticing, pining

The rapture of love´s embrace

Crying, aching, dancing, singing

Itching, hurting, missing, learning

growing, farting, touching, bleeding

moment to moment each now

is like a symphony, a masterpiece

a treasure combined in perfection, sublime

where my attention goes, appreciation goes

in the gathering, the collection of those

woven notes, threads, joys, breaths

all these events, repercussions, orchestrations

are mine alone

experienced in the solitude of my Being

never once shared in complete

with any other

except One

Waking up the World - Osho, & Golden Law

I saw this message and it triggered a certain knowing ever since I had an experience 30 years ago, where I realized all humanity is really just ONE - one collective being that lives in synergistic harmony with this beautiful spirit named Gaia. Here you can read the blog relating my experience from 1979 - Thirty Years to Tell this Story.

I shared this with Tom, and a short dialog began. He had shared with me this idea that the basis of our being we are animals. Here is what he sent me, as a summary of this discussion we have been having over the last few weeks: "We have been given the ability to know and contemplate upon ourselves, and do we see the world through the eyes of the animal or God. Hence, Be still and know I am GOD".

But today I was contemplating this idea, the simplicity of Osho´s message. How do we move from the distractions, the complicatedness of the world. It is so easy to get distracted and pulled away from moving in the direction that Osho suggests.

Here was what I came across today that I sent to Tom.

Hi Tom,

Osho´s message has been in the back of my mind. It is really very simple. We are animals that have an opportunity to awake, and the end goal is to live as one global community.

The interesting thing for me is that in 2008 when I traveled to the U.S. and had to go through Mexico, it really struck me the boundaries that we have created. The security check points are really kind of bizaare. I wondered why light would have to go through check points (science proves that everything is light energy by the way).

I got the book 1984 (never read it before) from the Colombian national library yesterday (Apr. 13, 2010). It´s funny, the first sentence of the book is "I was a bright cold day in April and the clocks were striking thirteen." hehe

But really the quote I wanted to share with you I read this morning:

"The girl with the dark hair was coming toward him across the field. With what seemed a single movement she tore off her clothes and flung them disdainfully aside. Her body was white and smooth, but it aroused not desire in him; indeed, he barely loooked at it. What overwhelmed him in that instant was admiration for the gesture with which she had thrown her clothes aside. With its grace and carelessness it seemed to annihilate a whole culture, a whole system of thoughts as though Big Brother and the Party and the Thought Police could all be swept into nothingness by a single splendid movement of the arm. That too was a gesture belonging to the ancient time. Winston woke up with the word "Shakespeare" on his lips.!

Could it be so simple to shrug off all of the "trauma", drama, pain and suffering?

I don´t know why I felt compelled to share this you, maybe I will find out. In any case, as the king in the movie Amadeus always said "Well, there you have it.

End of my message to Tom . . .

As I was writing this message I had an insight that I might have touched on this previously in a couple of blogs that I wrote.

As a possible solution, the way to move in the direction we need to go I think is really wrapped up in the Golden Rule. Fairly recently I wrote two blogs on this How do we simplify this model? and How to Live

Blessings to All!
Andy

How to Live

Ok let’s face it all forms of government have failed to perform. All organized religions have failed. Economics, the money system works bass-ackwards. The idea of survival of the fittest is not how the universe operates. The forms of organized religion and governments have damaged the planet and allowed the majority of the population to live in squalor and misery. The rich have been miserable too, because living prosperously when others are suffering will not ultimately lead to a fulfilled life.

So what principles can we establish by which to create an ever expanding life? How can we turn things around? If we were to “go back to the drawing board” and start over, what could we do?

This idea came to me many years ago when I thought about personal responsibility inside of corporations. Ultimately, there is no “passing the buck” in life, even though “chain of command” has created this preposterous idea: that if someone is my master or boss, and they tell me what to do, I have no responsibility for my actions. This is worse than a lemming mentality. For example: my boss gets an idea that it is a good idea to jump off a cliff, so he tests the idea by telling me to jump off the cliff. He’s my boss, so I have to do it. What happens, I die, or am severely crippled for the rest of my life. Now in truth both of these possibilities are not as bad as we think. In fact, at least in this world, they can lead to great demonstration. However, the point of argument here is, just because my boss made the decision, am I not responsible for the action?

What happens to my boss, maybe he doesn’t die, but in a way, hasn’t he suffered a worse consequence? Isn’t that how it really works? That if I benefit at the expense of another, whether it be another person, another life form, or the planet, I ultimately lose out much more – because like the law of giving is multiplicative, so is the Golden Law, the retributions for ignorance, especially intentional, will come back around, multiplied. Cosmically, or some would say karmically, I will pay a price, some day. But this too is “bass-ackwards”, for the reason “not” to do something is not about saving my own hide.

However, beyond the potential benefits gained from passing from this life, or the powerful demonstrations that can come from people who overcome physical and mental challenges, the question remains did we come here to Live or to Die?, at least in this physical form. If we could learn the lessons of Love, truly, I believe that we would have to answer that we are born to Live, period. This conclusion is what Albert Schwietzer referred to as “will to live”. His simple but profound realization, that all life forms are born and have the creative source’s inherent aim “to survive”, to live a full life, then led him to realize the fact that, to live in absolute harmony with other beings, and ultimately with himself, he needed to establish a foundation, or “ethic” for his existence. His epiphany he called “reverence for life” – and that means all life – including insects and plants.

"So what is the point here?", you ask - "I don't see the 'How to Live"'in this" and "where is this all coming from?" I don't know, but it feels like inspiration. I woke up this morning, after a wonderful Facebook chat last night with a high school friend Tom Dooley who has been on a similar life trek as I. It’s as if he and I ventured out walking from Ames, Iowa, as high school acquaintances, to experience the world and life in all its trials and tribulations, and through some set of serendipitous circumstances found that our wandering, weaving paths, ended meeting squarely head-on again after 30 years.

I found myself all last night dreaming, but also half-dreaming, about some of Tom’s experiences and insights that he has come to. That Everything is only One! Everything is a mirror! But also as I was dreaming, and half-dreaming, I was scripting a message to Tom about my admiration for his journey. Acknowledging his accomplishments and dedication in pursuit of “the Truth”. And I’m not talking about the Christian truth, or the Buddhist truth, or the American Indian truth, or the United States truth, etc. – I’m talking about the One Truth – the One Truth that I think Christ realized, that Siddhartha realized, and that Tom Dooley realizes. There is only One thing here.

I also told him at one point that I have now realized that I had profound epiphanies when I was young. He said "Like what?" And on the spot I didn't remember this one about "personal responsibility", but this morning I did, and I became inspired to write this.

But what does this mean - the idea that there is "only One thing here"? How can this Truth, which many call love, which isn’t what it really is, because love is only a word, that has been tremendously misunderstood, but it comes as close as any word, be realized. How does one go about day to day, to make decisions in a backwards world, to move toward a world that reflects the Love of the One? How do we move from the world of wars, of suffering, of disease, of disharmony and pain to the world of love and harmony and peace and understanding? How do we move away from the “status quo” where people are searching for the truth outside only, instead of inside and then reflecting the beauty that they discover to the outside and then have it reflected back? How do we move out of the existing world we live each day where the economic system seems to be designed to destroy the very thing where the bounty comes from? “Modern” economics kills the geese that lay the golden eggs. And we blame it all on “greed”. The basic premise of Adam Smith’s economic model of scarcity, is the catalyst for greed which feeds “fear of lack”, that puts us in the modality of “get what you can for yourself and your loved ones”, but damn the rest of them. Who is responsible for all this stuff – these ideas, these theories, these beliefs, these excuses? We are! Each one of us. As individuals, we collectively contribute to the continuation of all the things we say or believe are bad. So that is where the solutions to these “apparent dilemmas” must begin. At the individual level. One person at a time. And the amazing thing is, that if I change my mind about these things that something magical happens: I will see the world differently, and subsequently the world will change!

These ideas of what is wrong or who is to blame are all based on a cop-out. If we say these things are “reality” we’ve given up: given up some of our greatest attributes and capabilities such as, imagination, agility, and adaptation. It’s not even about corporate greed or government’s incompetence or political corruption. Because in the end corporations, governments and political systems are composed of people, supposedly created and designed to serve the people. I think it comes down, basically, to personal responsibility. That I need to take responsibility, to the best of my ability, for every thought, action and deed. I would say simply that the world would change significantly if we guided our thoughts and actions by Love. At some level that should be enough. The seven "virtues of the heart" (ps): admiration, compassion, forgiveness, humility, gratitude, understanding and valor provide a wonderful “acid test” of our thoughts, actions and behavior. But how does that convert to practical methods? How do we convert the wonderful “ideas” of the seven virtues into a “practical technique” – maybe just by asking ourselves a few questions.

I suggest this list as a starting point:
- am I being asked to do something that I would do if I had to take personal responsibility for the action – or if I were to receive the negative repercussions?
- have I given some thought to how others might or might not benefit? – and this means as comprehensive a list as possible.
- am I keeping secrets?
- am I telling lies?
- do I think I can pull the wool over someone’s eyes and gain personal benefit at their expense?
- of all possible choices of action, is my action the best choice for other people, to nature, the planet, and myself?
- am I constantly challenging myself to do better? This includes helping others raise their awareness of this level of personal responsibility?
- if I were being watched by a sort of “quality overseer” would I feel ashamed of my efforts, or would I feel that I have done my best?
- am I trying to justify my actions or explain with excuses?
- am I expecting someone else to clean up my mess (this means in every aspect of my life)?
- am I willing to consider the application of “Reverence for Life” in my life?
- am I willing to take time to measure my thoughts and actions against the seven virtues of the heart: admiration, compassion, forgiveness, humility, gratitude, understanding and valor

And finally, do I realize that there is One infinite Loving presence that is overseeing all of this? So really there are not big deals. And all that I have written here doesn’t matter much at all, in the whole scheme of things, but at least I did my best.

Of course all of these things roll into the “Golden Rule”, which I believe is really The “Golden Law”, but this short list of questions provides a practical way to evaluate any given action. The fact of the matter is, that inside each one of us, is the mechanism or guidance program that will answer each of these questions – perfectly – that is if we are clear with our feelings. It’s been called “our conscience”, but it speaks to us through feelings – anxious, angry, painful or fearful (bad) feelings mean we’re making a mistake. Smooth calm, happy, comfortable feelings mean it’s a pretty good decision. The program associated with our heart feelings will guide us with absolute clarity, if we take the time to notice what they are saying to us. The questions provided here are intended to establish a means by which to measure the viability of each decision.

(ps) James of the Wingmakers (www.wingmakers.com) six virtues of the heart - I added gratitude to make it seven

Discovering My Purpose

Discovering My Purpose
November 5, 2009

My professional life has been guided by an experience that I had in about 1986. I was an undergraduate student at Iowa State University in the Leisure Studies program. I had a wonderful advisor Steve Simpson, who assisted me in refining my curriculum to focus towards outdoor recreation with an emphasis on protecting the environment.

Leisure Studies was a program of study that I stumbled upon as I was trying to figure out what I was going to do when I grew up (I was 26). I had been floating between a variety of disciplines including business, biology and hadn’t found a niche. In order to fill up a semester course schedule I took an introductory Leisure Studies course. It fit perfectly. I thought ¨what better kind of work than to help people enjoy their leisure – isn’t that why we all work so hard?¨
Steve’s emphasis and teaching methods were very effective and influential. It took us to a place where we studied people like John Muir, Aldo Leopold, Ralph Waldo Emerson and other great thinkers including, still living, Fritoj Capra (Center for Ecoliteracy). Our classes consisted of readings from all of these authors and many more, combined with Steve’s true passion “experiential education”. We did classes where we participated and lead activities like biking, rock climbing, kayaking, windsurfing, and also participated on outdoor excursions.

Even though I was very enthusiastic about outdoor recreation, I was still not clear what exactly I was supposed to do with my career. I had an idea to be a naturalist videographer, but I don’t think I had the patience for that profession. My answer to my “mission” conundrum came to me on canoe trip on the St. Croix river between Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Now, as a little preparatory statement, I have discovered that many of my greatest personal discoveries occurred as a result of personal crises – times of great sorrow, struggle, or even at a juncture where I have had a choice, usually not conscious, between life or death. Those points where I was confronted with opportunities or challenges that relate to my character ,or growth as a person. In many respects this relates to spiritual growth from my life experiences.
What I relate next could be easily avoided, and part of me would rather not reveal the “true story”. However, I believe it is possibly the most important fact, because if it weren’t for the circumstances to be exactly as they were, I likely would have not had the experience that I did.
One of my personal challenges in my life has been my relations to women. I have had struggles, and it likely goes all the way back to my relationship with my own mother. My woman “chooser” usually ends up getting me with women whom I, unconsciously, wanted to save. I have a sort of “hero complex”. So back to the story, in our Leisure Studies courses there was a woman whom I had a crush on. The problem was, I was married.

We were having a wonderful experience canoeing on the St. Croix to natural areas that were only accessible from the river. The day before I had my epiphany for what my “mission” was, we had taken a hike in a pine forest. It was incredible. Quiet, the tall, straight trees, and the whispering breeze as we entered, and then the silence of the forest was so memorable. I don’t know why it had such an impact on me this time, but I remember it to set the stage for the events that would follow the next morning. We finished the hike in the forest and returned to camp. We spent some time “processing” the experience and then were prepared to go to sleep in our tents. I don’t remember the details, but I remember I wanted to get into the tent with this lady I had a crush on. But she wouldn’t let me. And the greater part of me knew that I didn’t want to anyway. It was a struggle between my lower and higher nature.

It was going to get cold that night, but I had a good sleeping bag. And maybe I was pouting, or maybe I wanted to punish myself, it could have been any number of reasons. So, I decided to sleep next to the tributary, Bear Creek, of the main branch of the St. Croix. It did get quite cold. In fact, when I awoke at daybreak there was snow on the ground.

When I awoke, I just woke up and for some reason I had this realization about what I was supposed to do in this world – what my mission was. I don’t recall the details of thoughts, or anything. But to this day that experience marks the juncture in my life where I had a clear sense of how I could make a difference. I was supposed to work to help people experience the out-of-doors. To facilitate experiences, like we were having in this class, to where people, especially young people, could have an experience that might re-connect their spirit to the spirit abundant in the natural world. I don’t know exactly how this knowing came to me, but it is as clear today as it must have been then.

Now, this mission, this purpose, or responsibility has taken me on a very winding path in my life. Sometimes my work, or experiences have seemed to be a detour, or dead-end. But I now understand, at this point, that these experiences were part of a twenty year training program. As is described in Appendix B with my Ecotourism Consulting International term paper, my path started with an idea to assist in developing businesses that would assist people’s in developing countries to create alternative economic strategies that would help protect the rainforests.
Here is a short summary of just a few of my more pertinent jobs and schooling which will provide a summary of this winding career path. To improve my credibility, and train me in natural resource management I got a masters degree in Forestry, with a focus on agroforestry and alternative energy systems. After that I spent five years with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, first developing the first “nature tourism” program called Texas Adventures, and then running a mail-order catalog (the TPWD Collection) within the same agency. Following that took me to back to school to become the Assistant Director of the Center for Nature and Heritage Tourism, where I learned the geographical perspective, and became knowledgeable about the Internet and geographic information systems (GIS). My PhD Dissertation is entitled “Nature Tourism in Cyberspace: An Examination of it’s Geography and Character in the Network”.
Finally, I ended up being a professor and research scientist at Texas A&M University where my first responsibilities were to teach farmers and ranchers how to start a nature tourism business, to work with communities interested in nature tourism, to create a Internet based tourism information system (TexBox), to be the founder of a tourism and technology business out of the university (AdventGX) and finally to become an assistant to the Vice President for Research in the areas of new environmental technologies (hyperspectral sensors) and commercialization strategies.

After all of this, and my mentor and boss Dr. Ewing passing, I took another huge risk to get back to my original dream and left academia to come to South America to develop, real, on-the-ground strategies for rural sustainable revitalization and empowerment. Over the years, my perspectives have greatly expanded based on my understanding of political, economic, social, business and bureaucratic realities, while at the same time increasing my passion for the need to stimulate spiritual awakenings in people.

I have experienced vast and numerous experiences with people and places, but one truth that rises up from it all, that we have to help people, and protect the planet. I have also found that almost all people are inherently good, and they just need some help to understand how to better live and relate to each other and Gaia. The means to accomplish this is through a principle I call “people helping people” and through education.

In any case, the core of my ideas in this regard, related to rural revitalization and empowerment, are presented in the “Vision to Transform the World”. This story, of realizing “my mission” is the final contribution to this book “I Am Sharing” – although it very likely is just the beginning of a series of books that will go into detail about the various components and requirements of rural, regional development strategies. I feel I have been honored more than any other person with my experiences in this world. And I will continue on this meandering path, with the hopes to achieve some level of success to make my contribution to helping people to be happy and to have more fun – which is why I think that we came to the beautiful place we call Earth!