American Dreamin'

I was a smart kid. Even in my late teens I knew the math. In fact, I could even derive the formulas. I knew if I put money into a savings account—and back then, a savings account could earn on the order of 5% annually—it would build, due to the magic of compound interest, and double in about fourteen years. Put that money into a CD at 10%—again, the typical rate at the time—and you get double your money in just 7 years. Feed that account on a weekly or even monthly basis and it grows even faster. I knew, even at the tender age of 18 that I could be a millionaire long before retirement age.

For instance, if I started with $1000 and invested it in a mutual fund, and if every month I put another $500 into that mutual fund and if that mutual fund netted 10% over a period of 29 years [not unreasonable], at the end of that 29 years I would have over one million dollars! If I could manage to up that monthly amount to $1000, I would have my million in 23 years!! So, before the age of fifty (or, even, by the age of 41), I could have been a millionaire, were I a bit more frugal with my money.

But, even with all that keen mathematical acuity, I wasn't smart enough to avoid the pitfall of debt. The luster of “things” melted my resolve and vaporized all my visions of future prosperity. As soon as that first savings account reached a few hundred dollars I did another kind of math—the math of consumerism. Suddenly I could actually have all those things I had pined for. Suddenly I could afford to buy that computer and all that “science nerd” stuff I had longed for since I was a teenybopper pouring over an Edmond Scientific Catalog while sitting on the can [I was a weird kid].

Then, a few years later, I discovered the Credit Card. “You mean I can buy even more stuff, now, and only have to pay a tiny little amount each month? Sign me up!!”

Thus began my tumble into debtor's hell. With my first card maxed out at around $6000, I applied for another, and got it, and maxed it out. Before I was finished I was in for around $15000, with a minimum monthly payment of over $300. Add to that, rent, groceries, and a car payment, car insurance, utilities, and a penchant for dining out, and you have a life of living paycheck-to-paycheck with no savings going on.

But, even then, it wasn't so hellish. Reality hadn't quite set in. At that point, my only “hardship” was the lack of the kind of purchasing power that made me so happy back in the days of fresh credit. My stuff was getting old, and I had a new list of “wanna-buys”.

It wasn't until my first layoff that the severity of my “condition” came crashing down on me. Life suddenly became nightmarish. Unemployment insurance helped, but didn't cover all my expenses. The crush of desperation colored, in dark shades, my scramble to find another job. Searing worry about how I was going to pay my bills and keep food on the table, and the chilling specter of homelessness, all skewed my composure and sullied my demeanor during one interview after another.

My comprehensive knowledge of electronics placed me above most candidates during my early career as an electronic technician but the world of electronics changed, and I needed to change with it, but with no savings, and a debt load the size of Detroit, school would have to parallel the job which seemed impossible. I did take a night class, and once again, by some lovely grace, I launched a software career, leveraged off that one class, and managed to make a living for another couple of decades. During that time, I was “downsized” out of a job several times and each time it was just as nightmarish.

I'm coming up on my 60th birthday and when I look back on my life, I see how the whole thing could have been so much easier, so much more joyful and full of adventure and light. Grace saved me from the deepest of pits, which suggests that God helped me despite my inability to help myself. But, had I taken that “Road less traveled” and delayed gratification just enough to get ahead of the game, it would have been a far happier and far more rewarding youth. If I had put aside some money for emergencies, then each of those layoffs could have been a door opening into new adventure, rather than a scramble for survival. With enough money set aside to cover my living costs for, say, six months, I could have taken a more leisurely pace in my job hunts and not settled for pay below my worth. And with higher paying jobs I could have more rapidly built that nest egg and, perhaps, by my mid thirties, begin to actually think about “retiring”.

Imagine being able to throw caution to the wind and do the things that you actually would rather be doing—those things you avoided because it “won't make you a living”. Artists don't really have to starve, if they, first, establish a financial foundation. Wouldn't that be worth a little sacrifice up front?

Tighten your belt early in life so you can live on your own terms later in life. And, if you take it far enough, you get to do one of the most satisfying of things in life: help others. Imagine being able to give to others. What if you could just hand someone $100 without trepidation. What if, while standing in line at the grocery store, you could just pay for someone's groceries if they forgot their wallet? What if you could walk up to someone panhandling by the side of the road, and restart their life? Wouldn't that just be the bee's knees?!?

What was missing from my youthful calculus was the kind of couching that occurs in Dave Ramsey's book “The Total Money Makeover”. What was missing was the clear hammer of insight into the true value of delaying gratification and the inspiration of accounts from people that actually did it. Most people take the road I took, the road that is considered “normal” and “proper”. A life in debt is the American way, and by most accounts, the only way. WRONG!! Stay out of debt, live below your means, save money until you can invest it, so it works for you – oh, and forget about the Joneses, it ain't worth it!

Do this until “below your means” is above most peoples “above their means”. That's the path to a [mostly] worry free life! That's how you become rich. Not quick riches. Earned riches, solid riches, DOABLE riches! This is how to live a life stress free and full of joy.

The metaphysical crowd talks of manifestation and how thoughts are things. If you fret about money and maintain a mind full of lack and despair, the Universe registers those feelings and manifests situations that assist you in maintaining “lack” and “despair”. If you want to manifest prosperity, it's necessary to generate that feeling. Fake it until you make it. It's really hard to do that if you're under the load of debt and living paycheck-to-paycheck. Getting free of debt makes opening a prosperity consciousness far easier.

Along with Dave Ramsey's book [or instead of it], there is another book called “How to Get Out of Debt, Stay Out of Debt, and Live Prosperously” by David Mundis that is quite effective. Also, on the subject of delaying gratification and living in a way more conducive to prosperity, I recommend “The Road Less Traveled” by M. Scott Peck.

Effective Prayer [and why prayers go unanswered]

To The Creator [some call it “God”], the Big Bang never ended. From The Creator's point of view it is still happening and we are merely sparks flying around in the maelstrom. To The Creator there is no concept of linear time. This is why The Creator needed to enter It's creation—where time segments reality in to an infinity of moments. That's who we are—The Creator's eyes and ears. In order for The Creator to experience the wonder of It's own creation, The Creator become life.

Most prayers are uttered from the mind-set of a God as some entity living in an “above,” who, upon hearing the prayer, hopefully, will listen and summon up Godly powers to manifest the intent of this feeble plea. But, in reality, this individual, on bent knees, being an aspect of The Creator, is merely acting as a person praying—a person praying to something that doesn't exist. Like an actor playing the role of someone praying. The prayer will only be answered if the playwright wrote it that way. Thus the “prayer” is nothing more than words spoken to entertain a passive observer—an observer that puts it into the same context as a prayer scene in a Waltons episode.

Prayer that is done from the knowing that the one praying is also the power behind the prayer, has a chance of actually manifesting something. Prayer that is uttered from the Mind of The Creator via the human mind, is more like a command. It is more like The Creator willing something into being.

Another way to characterize the difference, is to notice the begging nature of the former style of prayer. Like a child supplicating favors from a parent. In the latter style, it's more like a declaration. To use the theater metaphor, it's an actual rewrite strait from the author.

Here are some examples of effective prayer:

I recognize myself as co-creator with all the power of The Creator, and from that knowing, I manifest so-and-so!

or

I know myself as co-creator, and through the oneness of all things, I know this for <person's name> that is in need of <whatever it is they need> and through this mutual knowing I see them as <being in a state of having whatever they need> and it is so because I will it so!

Sounds impertinent doesn't it? And a bit egocentric. But that's merely because of how we were raised. Because of the cultural meme that would have us humble ourselves and “know our place”. Well, this is knowing our place. This is being humble. Let me explain. Being humble doesn't mean being mediocre or constrained. It doesn't mean denying who you are, or what you are capable of. Humility comes after the deed. The humble person doesn't crow about their accomplishment or use it to induce admiration. It's not about the ego for a humble person. To put it succinctly: Humility is the lack of the desire to impress, not the lack of being impressive.

What you were told is misinformation. A falsehood perpetuated through generations by members of society too afraid to question or that didn't even know such a question existed. The truth is, you are a divine being. A co-creator. Whether you realize it or not, you are, right now, co-creating your reality. Why is it co-creation and not creation? Because, the Universe, as a whole, is being created by the The Creator. And you are co-creating your personal reality. The trick is to come into command of that personal reality. There is unconscious co-creation, driven by history and carnal concerns, and there is conscious co-creation, engaged in from the mind of Love and Joyful Expression.

And, truly, for this to really work, you must be connected to the moment—authentically ensconced in the energy of the desire. Full of the buzz and hum of the need. In short you must be connected to the pulse of life. This is what it means to be in the now. Every moment pulses with wonder. Live in this state and you will be a walking prayer! Live with your heart and mind wide open and all will be joyful and complete. From this state, you have merely to speak your truth, and you have said your prayers. From this state, desire becomes empathy and need becomes expression. You no longer desire, you serve. You no longer need, you share your passion!

Achieving, and then maintaining this state can be difficult. It requires going beyond fear—which typically means, rising above one's history. The body, with it's network of pain sensors, compels what I call, the ambient cringe. Most of us have a brain wired for leeriness. Once injured, the painful experience is cached in the brain and moment by moment, compared to sensory data in anticipation of the next bump or scrape. This part of the brain compels us to always be on the ready. Because of this, we hold our bodies in a perpetual cringe state as we walk around in life.

This can, and usually does, become so common that it feels normal. Even when one thinks they're relaxed, one probably is't fully relaxed.

If you are not feeling intense bliss in every inch of your body—if there isn't a roar of energy surging through your being—if you're not responding to every moment with joy and wonder—you're not fully relaxed.

In this state there's a clarity and sparkle in the mind and a lightness in the spirit. I often experience this during meditation. Occasionally I've carried it into daily life. One morning, after a powerful spiritual retreat, I was on a fairy, crossing the Strait of Georgia on my way to Vancouver, Canada. It was late winter and the sun was rising behind an icy sheet. The forty degree breeze had no effect on my mood or my body temperature as I gleefully, in nothing but khakis and shirt sleeves, pointed my camera at the stunning scenery.

In this state, one's demeanor is enough to charm creation to one's bidding. And, because this state is Love's wellspring, that bidding is nothing but the wiles of Joy and Sweetness.

Like they say, be careful what you ask for, you might get it. And, in fact, if you do get it, it was you doing the giving! So, no worries—if you don't like it, change it! And change it again. And, with practice, you will, without a hitch, get what you really want in life—for you—for your loved ones—and eventually for the other loved ones—all of humanity—all of life—throughout the Universe!

Love's Edict

Nature is driven by the following three genetic edicts:

• Survive
• Procreate [indirectly linked to survival but still a separate mandate – just consider how the drive to procreate can, and often does, trump the will to survive]
• Improve the species

And generally the three interact in the following dynamic: survive long enough to procreate or die before the genetic pool is polluted by your inadequacies.

But, there is a 'new' edict—new in the sense that awareness of it is only a few thousand years old vs. the hundreds of millions of years life has teamed on the planet. And this edict is not a natural response to life. In fact, it's hard to imagine any life form, evolving from the muck, against the harsh elements of the Universe, arriving at this way of being merely from carnal logic. Perceiving the content of this new edict seems to require vision beyond the senses—which, is why, in most courts, it's an edict considered anything but sensible.

I like to call it “Love's Edict”. Love is central to all. Why? Because, all is really one. Love thy neighbor as thy self, because thy neighbor is thy self! Love's Edict trumps survival. It even trumps procreation. And, in Love's eyes, there is nothing to improve. All is as it is, to be delighted in as one delights in a smash-hit Broadway show. A sort of Broadway reality game show.

If survival is cherished, it is done so as part of the game, with no more earnest than provoked by friendly competition. If procreation is pursued [and I'm making a distinction between sex and procreation], it is to preserve the game for future players [or theater goers]. And any improvements are done in the joy of artful creation.

This higher perspective is grounded in the knowledge that life is an illusion, time and space really don't exist, and all of this is merely a joyful exploration of the possibilities melted from the density of matter. An electromagnetic production of history created from the many forms of light. As such, it is meant to be engaged in with glee, delight and joy! Fascination is the ambient emotion of one so engaged!

Nature's edicts are a component of the play. They are written in the rule book. And they're followed by one ensconced in the game. But, humanity has the ability to lift a head above the fray. Humanity has the unique opportunity to choose. We can play the game, but we can do it consciously! We can choose, in the moment, to be uncompromising about survival, and in the next moment, look up and squeal, “Did you see that?! This is so much fun!!”

But, even more profound, we can question the veracity of Nature's edicts. We can choose to place the survival of someone else over our own survival. We can choose not to procreate. We can question God's mandate to be “fruitful and multiply”. We have the cognitive capability to calculate the pending world population and say, “God, I'm guessing you meant, until the world is pleasantly populated.” And, we can choose love, above all else. We can refuse to do harm—no matter what. We can choose to die, rather than harm a hair on any living being. We have that power. And in nature, that is a super power.

But, following Love's Edict is not easy. One must swim against Natures current. Appearances, more often than not, will scream fowl! And the general consensus among the “unawake” will be that you are a foolish idiot, or worse, that you are down-right dangerous. And you probably are foolish and stupid and even dangerous—to the status quo. But, there is a higher vision and from that perspective all is logical and sensible. Sometimes, time will tell—in fact, probably all the time, but sometimes the time involved surpasses lifetimes, thus the illusion of discontinuity.

In general, Right-Wing politics follows the edicts of Nature. Their logic sees none of the “airy-fairy” reasoning of those who see beyond the five senses. It's all Survival and Preservation of the Species and Blood Is Thicker Than Water. And when these same people ascribe their stance to the teachings of “Christ”, the irony is sublime.

Love's Grand Exchange

Love's Grand Exchange

I am a unique expression in the Universe. From that Unique Expression, I send out my Energy and it provides for the needs of others. The Universe Lovingly guides that Energy to those who need it, because the Intent of Love is that everyone's needs be met. In return, to fulfill my needs, the Universe guides, to me, the Energy of the Unique Expression of others. I accept my role in this grand Exchange of Energy in the Marvelous, Miraculous Material play that is Life. I Willingly and Lovingly give my good as I Willingly and Lovingly accept my good in return. Thus my life is filled with Joy, Love, and Abundance!

I just finished reading Chapter 7, in the book titled The Law of Divine Compensation by Marianne Williamson. The Chapter is titled Facing Our Prejudice and it brought me face-to-face with my own difficulties accepting the Capitalist within me. That word has developed a negative connotation with me over the years as I transform from a sub-radical Republican into a peace loving Liberal. What I realized I needed to do was fully embrace three things:

1. That I have worth and value and from that worth and value I have valuable and worthwhile gifts to share. And, in fact, those gifts are one-of-a-kind and are, indeed, priceless and in demand.
2. That it is fully OK for me to receive compensation for those gifts.
3. That it is all, really, an exchange of Energy, fully sanctioned by the Universe and in perfect alignment with Love's Intent.

Just like Communism and Socialism, Capitalism acquires it's bad name from the application, and not from the definition. Communism, in it's purest form, is merely a practice of sharing the wealth so everyone is cared for. Socialism, in it's purest form, is merely a practice of caring for everyone's well being. Capitalism, in it's purest form, is merely a practice of allowing everyone to share their gifts in a free exchange of commerce.
It's when greed influences the practice, that it gets ugly. Out of a fear consciousness, comes the kind of behavior that taints the process and sours the concept. It's from that souring that I formed my perceptions about Capitalism. But, when I see it in it's pure from, I realize it's in harmony with Love's Intent – that of a sharing of our unique gifts.
In the '80s I participated a weekly Movement Expression course in Santa Monica, CA. During one of the classes, the teacher had us all roam around the dance floor—just move however we were moved to move, not worrying about running into others, but just surrendering to spontaneity.
At first, we did run into each other, and stepped on each other, and generally participated in chaos. But, not long into the exercise, we began to sync-up. We began to move in a way that had our paths, and our movements, mesh with the paths and movements of everyone else. We became one harmonious dance organism.
I believe, in a perfect world, there would be no need for Communism or Socialism or Capitalism. In a perfect world, everyone would share their gifts 100% of the time, fully in the mind of Love's Intent. That kind of sharing would harmonize the world and all needs would be met in a grand synchronicity where people and things would show up right when they are needed.
But, as of yet, Earth does not host Heaven. A direct exchange of services is not, yet, practical. Money is required to fill the gaps. A service rendered here, nets cash which is applied for a service over there. But, it can still be a loving exchange, full of the integrity of divine intent—full of the heart of a sharing of spirit—full of the energy and passionate exhilaration of following one's true purpose.
The prayer at the beginning of this article came out of this. It came out of a realization that I desired to change my thinking. It helps me focus on the intent I would rather hold. It steers me in the direction I would rather go. It is my gift to you from the unique expression that I am.

--InJoy!

Instead of Supply and Demand, how about Manifest and Share

Don Novello, a favorite comedian of mine, did a hilarious comedy routine in the persona of Father Guido Sarduchi, called the “5 Minute University” where, in five minutes, he teaches the few things the average college student will remember 5 years after receiving their degree. On the final exam, along with the one Foreign Language question: “¿cómo estás”, there is one Economics question, the answer to which is: “supply and demand”.

I only have a problem with supply and demand when it escalates to “charge what the market will bear”. In other words, raise the price to the threshold of consumer pain--even when the vender could charge less (and in most cases, much less).  I mean, what is this inane notion that the vender would be a fool to walk away from such easily profit?  Does fortune favor the fool because the fool is a money grubbing miscreant?

How about slipping a little compassion and love for your fellow human into the supply and demand equation. Perhaps, then, consumers will have enough left over to buy other things, thus stimulating healthy commerce. If commerce is vigorous and fair, then, likely, prosperity will abound. The money will be in circulation, rather than languishing in the pockets (and offshore accounts) of the “top-heavy” tier. I mean, do these people really need billions of dollars? And, really, if they are raking in that much, aren't they charging too much?

Take Bill Gates. Kudos for providing a largely accessible solution to human interaction with that newfangled computing contraption. But, once it became an industrial necessity, once Microsoft had the world over a barrel, the price went up—way up. Even after building a 66,000 foot mansion, buying a combined total of 30 Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Porsches, and whatever else he squandered his money on, Mr. Gates has so much money, he's giving it away! In his own words: “I have no need for money”. Then why did you take so much?

I recently watched a show about the creator of the GoPro camera, Nick Woodman. Awesome invention, awesome dude—except that he's currently raking in billions. BILLIONS with a 'B'! That means the camera could be sold at a lower price and still net Mr. Woodman a tidy sum. The Silver Edition (the best everyman compromise between price and features) is currently $300 on GoPro.com (well, $299.99 if you don't ignore the penny). How much of that is the cost of making it? Apparently, not much, judging by the companies soaring bottom line. They don't even, really, have to advertise the thing anymore. There's already scads of free advertising on YouTube and Vimeo, not to mention the word-of-mouth firestorm. Again kudos for inventing a truly ground breaking and exciting product—but, seriously? Billions!?

I have a vision of business in the twenty-first century. A vision of compassion, collaboration and a bottom line that targets the common good. Competition is a grand thing, but not when it sacrifices camaraderie. Compete with yourself. Compete with what you have produced before. And, if you benefit from competition with someone else, honor their contribution by recognizing that your advancement was spurred by their innovations--and perhaps, show your gratitude by cutting them in on the profits.

Compete, yes, but then collaborate. Does it really matter who the star is? Not if the world is your family. Not if everywhere you go, the essence of you is recognized as a unique and equally valuable contribution to society. In fact, if the world had that attitude--the attitude that everyone is of value and every contribution significant--there would be far fewer deadbeats, because if everyone is valued and inspired to be the contribution they are, then, it seems to me, most people would participate and thrive.

So, why isn't the world like that? I've watched a lot of shows where intrepid cameramen (and women) went out into the wilderness to capture natures little moments.  Invariably, the weak, wounded and foolish wind up getting eaten. It's the way of nature, and I think it has been the way of humanity, since the day, so many thousands of years ago, we stood upright and asked the question, “Why not do this differently”.

The concept of corporation exists because we have risen above our ancestral animal mentality. Now it's time to take that an evolutionary step further, and shed the legacy of survival of the fittest. Humanity has already won this game. Proof of that is in how we raise our abnormal/malformed children. Children nature would precipitously dispose of. How we care for and even cure our sick, rather than leave them for predators to cull. Heck, sheltering ourselves from the elements, cultivating our own food, even taking measures to control the environment--in short, no other animal, in the kingdom, can compete with that!

I say we no longer need survival of the fittest. We, with our ability to imagine and invent, have the power to self evolve. We also have the power to project future possible outcomes. We can identify practices that are potentially harmful to us and/or our environment (which will, indirectly, affect us), and actively change those practices. No other animal on the planet can do this—at least, not deliberately.

Why is the world like that? Why is there so much strife and struggle and a glaring divide between haves and have-nots? Because, mentally, the world is still locked in what I believe are archaic notions. Every man for himself. Kill or be killed. An eye for an eye. Charge what the market will bear.

None of that is necessary in an enlightened society. A society that looks out for humanity as a whole. A society that loves its neighbors—all of its neighbors. We live on an orb. Everything, eventually, comes back to us. Doesn't it make more sense to send out love, rather than have hate circle back? If I love all my neighbors to my right, eventually I'm loving my neighbors to the left.
 
We have the power to outsmart our biology. Why not apply that power to creating a more peaceful world where everyone prospers? If everyone feels included and of value—if everyone feels loved like a brother or sister—such a thing as common prosperity is not only possible, it will self-generate.

BTW: the answer to the one Foreign Language question (“¿cómo estás”) is "muy bien".