What is Freedom? What is Liberty? What is the difference?

Freedom versus Liberty, those who thrive, survivors, or those fallen by the wayside

When I ask people what they want, many say they want freedom. When we poke into it: they want a sense of freedom, but think the way to get to freedom is through liberty… Let me explain.

Just like with all words we use, here is huge confusion, a collapse of two distinctions: freedom and liberty. They are not connected. They don’t even overlap!
Continue reading “What is Freedom? What is Liberty? What is the difference?”

Arrogance, appreciation, Sherlock, myself and your pebble

Arrogance, appreciation, Sherlock, myself and your pebble

If you have attended one of my Pebble webinars, you know that your pebble is your dominant desire that the world at large frowns at.

I have seen, on the calls, the desire to be significant, the desire to be different, the desire to belong, to be accepted, the desire to be untied, unburdened, allowed to be yourself, the desire to live on Easy Street, and the desire to do something that really matters.

There are more, but these are the desires that have been represented on the calls already. We have a lot more calls scheduled, so there is a chance that we’ll see a lot more.

The desire, when you look at it, is legitimate. You may have the same desire. Unfortunately to you, your dominant desire was not honored as valid, not honored as legitimate by your parents, your siblings, your teachers, your church, your peers.
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You cannot catch what you don’t see or how to face the tiger

face the tigerFace the tiger? what tiger?!

You can’t catch what you don’t see; do you keep them sacred like a great white tiger?

I was wondering what I should write about today.

I have half a dozen half written posts, but what should I write about today?

Then, as I was doing some energy work on myself, it came to me.

I have a young friend, he is about 4. He is my chiropractor’s son, he lives in Baltimore with his mother, but for about a week every month he is in Syracuse, and I always make it a point to spend a few hours with him.

Today was the day, and we were playing, and singing, and laughing. He goes to school, and he had learned a lot of new songs, so he was singing a lot today. One of the songs was “You can’t catch what you don’t see”

That is what I want to talk to you about today. That you want to see what you don’t see. Continue reading “You cannot catch what you don’t see or how to face the tiger”

What’s the opposite of fear? The opposite of stinginess?

raucous-laughterWhen you ask someone: what is the opposite of fear, they say “courage”. But they are mistaken. Courage will never take you to the other side of fear… fear won’t disappear with courage.

The opposite of fear is neither fear nor courage, it is abundance.

Fear is like a flower closing its petals. Courage is still trembling, still closed, still fearful. Continue reading “What’s the opposite of fear? The opposite of stinginess?”

Why can’t you change? What’s keeping you the same?

You don’t seem to be able to change…

You have been unsuccessful getting their guidance, getting your information from outside of the mind.

This manifests, among others, in your inability to muscletest correctly.

The question is why?

The phenomenon, what actually seems to happen is this: you understand where to look, how to look, and you nod rapidly. You bring great examples to show how you just succeeded in using the new capacity… but I can smell the mischief… you are trying to throw me off my tracking.

Now, I say “you” but who is this “you”? What aspect of a person am I talking about?

In this case, the dominant aspect, the ego your delusional self, who you fancy yourself to be, your “precious I” you defend at all cost.
Continue reading “Why can’t you change? What’s keeping you the same?”

What is it that you can’t see that if you saw it you could, finally, become happy?

distinction: this is not thatI am republishing this article, because distinguishing is the most missing thing for humans at this day and age.

When I test people in the starting point measurement, the number that relates to this is the clarity score: how many words they can use accurately. I won’t explain why they are connected… just know that when you can’t hear and can’t see, your clarity is about the same as a blind person’s… with an ear muff…

It’s a rare opportunity to go from innocent infant to all-seeing adult, being able to observe it at the same time.

When I first did the Landmark Education Forum, 1 the koan of the session was: for you everything is the same as everything else, except that not always.

When you are an infant, for you everything is the same as everything else… no distinctions. No distinction between your body and the environment. You are just as ready to suck on your feet as you are ready to suck on someone else’s finger.

From time to time you’ll see something strange, like you reach out, as always, and your hands remain empty: the object you reach for is out of reach…

You learn the world, your world, slowly, and experientially. Through seeing, hearing, touching, tasting… like a baby.
Continue reading “What is it that you can’t see that if you saw it you could, finally, become happy?”

Benefit from the teachings of the “Law of Attraction”?

What can you do, what must you do to benefit from the teachings of the “Law of Attraction”, of “The Power of your Mind”, and Natalie Ledwell’s Mind Movies?

If you read yesterday’s article on coherence, my 21 hour (so far) experiment of playing the Coherence Generator… (new name old audio) I can promise you that it is nothing short of miraculous.

Creativity, innovation, growth, learning, takes a lot of coherent energy. When your energies are incoherent, you are troubled, are in a hurry, or are afraid, creativity is impossible.

Just imagine yourself a juggler… because that is what creativity is: being able to keep and move around multiple objects ‘in the air’ at the same time, so you can see new connections. Really… Continue reading “Benefit from the teachings of the “Law of Attraction”?”

The Integrated Good Life & The Four Pillars Of Eudaimonia

Plants are integratedThe Integrated Good Life & The Four Pillars Of Eudaimonia

Eudamonia: the fulfilled life. The satisfying life. It’s a how… It’s about how much life you have in your years. Fulfilling the potential that you are.

It’s impossible to have “the Good Life” without Integration… but… 1

One of the hardest steps for students to complete in the 67 step coaching is the step about creating an integrated life.

Why? Because on the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil, there is no such a thing as integration.

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It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble, It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so

It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble, It's what you know for sure that just ain't so“It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble, It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so”.
~ from the movie “The Big Short”

Why is it that people don’t like this quote? Can you guess?

I see it all the time. People are quite certain that what they know is true, and are puzzled by the fact that they don’t feel good about themselves, about their place in the world, about their lives.

This includes smart people, and this includes people who are not that sophisticated.

We, as a species, are full of knowledge that just isn’t so. And when we build theories, actions, futures, arguments on those untruths, then things don’t work. Continue reading “It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble, It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so”

How a collage is a diagnostic tool

 

the field of admirer-admired collage“What does it matter how many lovers you have if none of them gives you the universe?” French psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan posed that question. I invite you to put it at the top of your list of hot topics to meditate on. In doing so, I trust you won’t use it as an excuse to disparage your companions for their inadequacies. Rather, I hope it will mobilize you to supercharge your intimate alliances; to deepen your awareness of the synergistic beauty you could create together; to heighten your ability to be given the universe by those whose fates are interwoven with yours.

In the current live course, from Upset to Communication we have come to the last of the four non-elevated fields of communication, Admirer-admired. My horoscope, above, for the coming week reflects that.

One of my students has already sent me her collage. It has given me a glimpse into her internal conversations that is deeper than I have ever seen… and I have known her for almost six years now.

Collages, where you go through pictures in magazines, or memes on the internet, are the best way to reveal to yourself your relationship, opinion, attitude about the world, about others, about yourself, about effort, ambition, etc.

Making collages has two parts:
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