Chapter 18 Self-Evolution... Time after time the painful price has been Ours... an American burden of a sort, paid for in Life and Treasure. But a funny thing happened along the Way to doing what is right... just because it is right, the reward became Ours... also paid in Life and Treasure, only when it was returned- it had expanded. Until recently that is, instead of Life and Treasure growing it is now creeping out of US causing everyone to wonder if the unspoken promise has been broken. This is our American Covenant the burden and the reward given to those who selflessly protect the manifest power of The Beacon of Hope. The American Way conceived by a Continental Congress in 1776 forever altered The Whole of Human Destiny. A Destiny which was never really a question of if but instead only a matter of when... when would the soul of the common man finally shed itself of the demigods, rulers and class structures that insisted the thinking was to be done by those ordained, appointed or born as chosen ones. Its no coincidence the biggest health, science and economic breakthroughs have occurred in the past thirty years or so. Just at the exact same time women and minorities broke through many of the barriers that blocked their participation. As more and more individual dreams came true... Modernity as we know it finally came about as The World finally began to reflect the expansive brainpower and imagination released into the marketplace by inclusive laws and institutions but most importantly by new individual expectations and courage. Prior to 1776 the pervading wisdom of the ages was easily summed up by these words Go on about your business and leave the big thinking to us. Well for thousands of years the big thinking never got done, as The Ruling Elite mostly thought about ways for sustaining their power or simply enjoying it. Does this sound familiar? It should. But even in a post 1776 America relatively little big thinking really got done until recent times. Too much of the pervading old way of thinking dominated our institutions and culture until slowly and with much pain we came to realize it was not only morally right to include women and minorities but it was also necessary for Americas progress to rely on the needed contributions of Everyone. Born in time to witness this new way of thinking, Im filled with unrelenting faith and optimism for what good will come Our Way, but at the exact same time I am equally burdened with a great unease over a spreading contradiction of conscience. Its obvious the old ways of The Ruling Elite just wont go away. They have made a shift in tactics, only this time they have gained our permission to leave the big thinking to them and once again not nearly enough big thinking or Work is being done. In recent years the ranks of The Ruling Elite have swelled with the advancement of The Money Driven Ideology. A new type of elite membership depending solely on the means... without concern for the means to the money. And this Money Driven Ideology has sickened a part of US and overridden many of the core values that have kept US Prosperous and Safe. What is W.A.Y. really all about? Its an Inspired vision and philosophy and most importantly a way for America to finally bring The Great Leadership Crisis to a crashing end... one American Dream at a time. We all know there is something more to see and do in our lifetime, a missed step or a path not taken. Without knowing how to define and find what we feel and know is there, we seek guidance and leadership from others who we think might hold the answers. What if I told you I was a Doctor, Lawyer, Priest or I was your Mother, Friend, Sister or Brother or I Liked you, Hated you, Loved you, Was better than you, Stronger than you, Weaker than you, Richer than you, Smarter than you, Prettier than you… Do you/should you… respect my opinion over yours? If I tell you it is a good idea will you do it? If I tell you it is dumb… will you avoid it? If I tell you are dumb… will you believe me? Would you give your power of judgment away to others? Do you seek support for your ideas and inspirations from people who are unqualified, negative and ill-informed? Do you await their judgment because you have lost faith in your own? Are you looking for someone to become your “savior”? Parents as well as more successful and more powerful beings (most frequently managers and supervisors or people with financial means greater than ourselves) become the “leaders” we depend upon to facilitate our growth. Unfortunately, most people misunderstand what it is that a person with ‘power’ is capable of. While they may posses knowledge, experience, access and educated opinions they should never be allowed to hold your hope in their hands. Your hope always resides with you. Some of what they know can be helpful to your personal development, but they will never be capable of doing for you what you are capable of doing for yourself. In fact, most of what they can give you is readily available from thousands of other sources. You are not at anyones mercy even if you may have been misled to feel this way. Yet many if not most, are willing to surrender their dreams, ideas and inspirations to people intent on the manipulation of their energies. They use your energy to fulfill their dreams and expectations not your own. What they give you in return is only a mere fraction of what is really available to you and yet you willingly accept it. Surrendering trust in you has devastating consequences that are at the root of all discontent. Never accept at face value the determination of others (regardless of who they are) that they know better than you what you are capable of doing. They have no idea… in fact, neither do you! Do your family, friends and co-workers become the sounding boards for your well intentioned but poorly developed ideas? Do you hope and wish that others will provide the support or the means to transition an idea into reality? Instead of support, you experience criticism and negativity for voicing the idea. In most cases… death to your idea, your self-confidence and your creative energy. Ideas require development before they should be shared with others for feedback. In fact, it is best not to share the full idea with anyone in the early stages. Inevitably people will be negative, have questions and concerns that you have not yet thought through or do not have the answers for. As a result you should expect to be criticized. This criticism may come in different forms and degrees of doubt, but all of it will lead to the same conclusion… Don’t do it. The more action you take, the more research you do to provide a case for your plan... and you will find that you can replace doubt in yourself with optimism. Few successful ventures meet instant approval and most face a barrage of ongoing criticism, doubt and detractors. In the early days I thought my success would come from the help or assistance of someone successful. What I found instead was the value of Self-Reliance. Few people take the time to plan, research and develop an idea prior to telling someone close to them. These ideas are in a weak form and will be criticized. If approval is what you seek you must strengthen the idea through action or it will surely be criticized. Very few of us have ready access to “experts” in the area we propose to endeavor, so we often seek opinions from grossly under qualified on lookers and end up with bad advice and unimportant opinions. Too many people (even those meaning well) evaluate scenarios beginning with the reasons why something isn’t possible. They dwell on what is missing instead of what is there. Often by reflex... most people point to the negatives of a proposition and are blind to the opportunities. Do not let their lack of vision deter yours. Most people are biased by their own experiences, past failures or ill-informed subject knowledge. Expect those who give you advice to reveal that they possess these flaws in one way or another. If you have not proven yourself capable in the past, they will wrongfully miss the potential of your abilities. They may use terms such as “I only tell you this because I love you” or “I’m only looking out for your best interests”. Statements such as these can be pure manipulation in some of its strongest forms… reject it, as it is NOT ALWAYS in your best interest that they speak! So-called “Experts”... Do you seek the approval of others who have demonstrated qualification in one area, to pass judgment on your ideas and actions? Many great ideas have failed to materialize because the holder of the inspiration sought the advice of one person who they held in high esteem. When that esteemed person found fault in the idea or the ability of the person to carry it through that was the end of it. It should never be approval that you seek…only information. Their experiences are important if they help you. By gathering information you will decide a course of action, shape a plan and move beyond your present state. But remember, much of what they know will not help you because it isn’t relative, timely or even correct. Use what you can and disregard the rest. Smart, capable men and women disagree all the time on the merits of ideas. Opinions from one individual or a small group of people (even if highly qualified) will not render all that you will need to determine the validity of your idea. So don’t allow them to. Take their opinions and perspectives at face value and use them as a part of your analysis. I have sought the council of many successful people through my endeavors and have identified several truths: 1. Success in one area does NOT translate into expertise in all areas. You will find that most people have limits to what they are good at and what they understand. While they may demonstrate an understanding of your proposition that is beyond your friends and family, do not accept this for an expert opinion. 2. Their success typically comes from experience and focus on their own work. They have learned to maximize their personal advantages and supplement their weaknesses within a specific environment. Therefore most of their knowledge is useless to you as they do not possess the same perspectives that you will require for sound decision making. 3. Having money does NOT mean a person is of good judgment or character. 4. True value comes from seeds of knowledge that grow over time and NOT by the so called “wisdom of a successful person”. Look for these seeds or “fertilizer” in what successful people tell you, but don’t expect them to sew or harvest. 5. Learn to recognize bias, whether intentional or not, in the words of all people. Bias may come from certain experiences or from the conscious or unconscious “shaping” of thoughts. A person driven by ego may tell you something can’t be done simply because they themselves have already failed trying it. 6. Do not allow anyone to talk you out of believing in Inspiration. 7. Never wait for others to get going. If they are slow to engage it is because they are not committed. Waiting for these people will cause anxiety, fear and delays. Find others if you need to. 8. The simple truth is that most people giving you advice have not thought enough about you or your situation to give an answer that you should use as a basis of fact. The direction you chose is yours, not to be approved of or discouraged from. It is for you to show to the world not for the world to show to you. 9. Resist the desire to seek approval. Look to yourself for reassurance and others for information. 10. Support from others comes as you take action and prove your ideas, rarely before. Remember This: You are the only expert in your life! Self-doubt is devastating to inspiration. So what would you need to believe in yourself and to trust your thoughts and feelings above the criticisms and opinions of the “so-called experts” in your life? Every detail of your life including your thoughts, emotions, strengths and weaknesses are available to only you. And most importantly you have complete power over your decisions. Because of this it isn’t possible that anyone else could ever give to you what you are capable of giving to yourself. Your impulses and ideas hold a great deal of promise, yet you will never realize how much promise until you learn to trust yourself enough to proceed. It is your responsibility to overcome your negative and self-defeating actions and thoughts. Don’t expect that others will or should provide what is missing. Even if they wanted to most don’t have the ability to do for you what you can do for yourself. Lifetimes are wasted by people who are constantly on the lookout for a rich spouse or someone to champion their cause. You don’t need either. And it isn’t necessary to give in return what you must for their limited value. In you resides all that you need and it doesn’t require your submission. Yet most people will never find their inner strength simply because they have never looked for it. Make a commitment right now to find yours. It is there awaiting your recognition. Attainment of anything worthwhile is about you… not others. It is about what you decide to think about. It is about what actions you take. It is about how you decide to respond to adversity. It is about preventing others from manipulating your thoughts and your actions. Most of all it is about your decision to become self-determining. Being self-determining does not allow you to blame others for what is wrong in your world. There is no place for it as you are in control of all that is important to your purpose. What you can control you do. What you cannot control you move beyond. Truly understanding the importance of personal accountability will require you to open your mind and heart to this truth: Your inner strength will be unavailable to you if you blame others for your troubles. A fundamental secret of success is to turn inward to find answers and solutions to what you need. Blaming others for your troubles is the exact opposite of turning inward and will only lead to the destructive negative feelings such as fear, desire for revenge, and anger. These emotions will consume your thoughts and lead you to make decisions outside the context of your purpose which may result in consequences directly opposed to what you seek. Until you learn to control these emotions they will constantly weaken you. Assuming personal accountability is your way of telling the world that you are ready for more in your life. Blaming others for your troubles (even if you have been wronged) makes it clear that you have more than you can handle. It is the “even if you have been wronged” part that is difficult for some people to reconcile. Anyone moving towards a specific purpose will encounter resistance and regardless of the source they must move past it and learn from it what they can. Recognizing that even in the face of adversity their progress depends entirely on their decisions and actions, as they cannot control all circumstances or the behaviors of others they must learn to develop control over their responses through their thoughts and actions. The result of this thinking is self-determination. Are you waiting for God to answer your prayers? Well, perhaps God has answered your prayers and continues to answer them through thought impulses and inspiration providing you with glimpses at… a Better You. Do you receive inspiration only to respond with reasons why something can’t be done? If you consider yourself to be faithful and wonder why God doesn’t bring into your life what you ask for… Perhaps you should consider demonstrating your faith by trusting your ideas and begin making them work... in the best way that you can. Perhaps then you will see the progress and change that you have been praying for. Make no mistake... an appearance with Oprah, the sale of books and CDs, the filling of stadiums and the selling out of very expensive seminars is not on any level proof that New Age teachings work. No, proof requires results. Proof requires that New Age authors and leaders live by their words and make their money in some manner other than by the selling of their words to millions of people who are all too willing to part with their money for something new. It is not now nor will it ever be my intention to tell you what to believe. So when it comes to Spiritual Beliefs you can be sure that the only thing that matters to me... is that your beliefs work for you. Period. But when it comes to New Age beliefs my advice to you is to be very, very careful what you believe. The term New Age is often just another way of saying new and unproven. Need Proof? Ask the surviving family of the three people who died in New Age Guru James Arthur Rays Sweat Lodge just how they felt when he claimed he was being tested by the death of their loved ones. Sentenced to 6 years in prison on three counts of negligent homicide, James Arthur Ray will have plenty of time to discover for himself... the secret... behind the idea that Its not about You!. -Rick Warren How many people claiming to understand the essence of spirituality are unable to function in this life? From my perspective far too many. They are depressed, anxious and driven to seek actions and activities which are purely selfish. For too many the idea of “turning inward” has created a self-focused, narcissistic and self-gratifying quest for internal peace which is incapable of creating the “real working” external peace which is the necessary component of the ultimate peace that they seek and do little more than stroke the ego by indulging their Self with massages, vacation spas, “personal time” and other trappings of comfort and in doing so lose all sight of their potential courage and inspiration. Remember This: Peace of Mind is unavailable to those who are unable to maintain external progress. Your internal and external worlds are not separate and while change begins within the mind and soul it does not take hold until it resonates outwardly. This inconsistency between what is “inside” and what is “outside” only prohibits a person’s ability to truly believe… as the outward assurances they seek to support their “inner” beliefs are never realized. In many cases they are Unable to receive love, Unable to keep jobs and Unable to say thank you. And they use their understanding of spirituality to provide a basis for their intellectual and moral high ground… yet to others it is perceived as sheer unsubstantiated arrogance and self-centeredness. Their spiritual quest is very much incomplete as they only learn to adjust the prism by which they filter life’s experiences. They use terms of “connecting and reconnecting” yet in reality do little more than disconnect from the outcomes of their life. Yes… as they think it… will come potential manifestation, but without immediate and tangible action progress is never made. So for those who believe that “everything happens for a reason”… and use that belief as an excuse to passively accept the circumstances of their lives, they will never learn that the power to effect and manifest is found only when their thoughts generate action. Through their meditations and prayers comfort and peace can be temporarily found… but it is immediately lost when they open their eyes. And it is within this dichotomy that the symptoms of negative thinking such as indecision, procrastination and self defeatism take hold. Do you know... How and when the Purpose of so many Americans became the Pursuit of Comfort? When this pursuit of comfort reigns as the only normal ideal worth working towards should we be surprised this Nations bodies and minds have become soft and reflective of an endless journey down the path of least resistance. For too many of US the pursuit of comfort and entertainment has replaced the widespread pursuit of Truth and Justice for all. All day long... every day... our senses are under assault as we are distracted from our basic orientations by the merchants of persuasion and titillation, who soullessly enrich themselves by developing new ways to shock and awe our sensibilities. Their one intent and one end is clear; to hold your attention and sell it... All the while keeping you from the inspired thinking and the priceless purposes that can be brought forward to service you and humanity together. Answer me this: What reality does Our Reality TV really reflect? One thing is certain, soon we will all be forced to understand how this Nations ravenous appetite for titillation and comfort has a cause and effect relationship to our common peril and how a spreading Filth ends so many American Dreams. Remember This: Never miss an opportunity to show your Self how good you can be!
Posted on: Fri, 08 Nov 2013 13:12:13 +0000