Bliss

 Live the proof.

We can create our circumstance.

Live the proof.

Nothing is ever left to chance.

It's no dream, we can begin the world anew,

Here and now.

Live the proof

Live The Proof ~ Jim Boggia

Most of the photos you have seen in Amazed and Amused have been taken by me. I've only dived into the "royalty free" photo category when my own work hasn't fit the thought or emotion I was reaching for. Today's photo is one that is both a cherished and bittersweet memory and captures the subject perfectly.

Jeri and I both love music and in years past, we went to many concerts in and around the greater Philadelphia area. Our favorite venue was an intimate space in Bryn Mawr, PA called The Point. Frequently I would go into this club with an envelope filled with cash and a list of the dates, artists and numbers of tickets we wanted written on the front. It would draw acts on both a local and national scale such as Norah Jones, Five For Fighting and Vienna Teng among others.

Sadly, this beloved club lost their lease and closed on June 26, 2005. It is hard to believe that six years have gone by already! We actually purchased the table that we sat at for the final shows and still have it today.
The artist chosen to close The Point was a Philadelphia legend, singer/songwriter and creative madman, Jim Boggia. Jim has released three CD's over the years (Fidelity Is The Enemy; Safe In Sound; Misadventures In Stereo) and has become popular enough to tour the east and west coasts of the USA, Europe and Japan each year.

This night, Jim was "locked and loaded," giving his all and calling in many friends to appear with him on this small stage one final time. I was allowed to video the two shows and they still crackle with energy and emotion whenever I watch them. It was a fine and fitting send-off for The Point.

The picture above captures a glimpse into "the zone." Magic is flying in the space; the artist, his music and the instrument are one. The audience is in awe, witnessing a rare moment of perfect symmetry.

This is bliss. This is what we all strive for regardless of time, place, activity.

And I was fortunate enough to be there; even more fortunate to freeze one perfect moment, preserved in digital glory. Looking at this transports me "there" in a flash.

If you have a "touchstone" of your own such as this, treasure it and tap its magic often.

Whatever "It" Is, It Is Happening Now

Words are but the vague shadows of the volumes we mean.  Little audible links, they are, chaining together great inaudible feelings and purposes.  ~Theodore Dreiser, 1900

Whatever words we utter should be chosen with care for people will hear them and be influenced by them for good or ill.  ~Buddha

Words are but symbols for the relations of things to one another and to us; nowhere do they touch upon absolute truth. ~Friedrich Nietzsche

We all attempt to convey ideas to each other. The most common way of doing so is with words. It is what I am doing here and now as you read this.

Words are also one of the least effective ways of communicating. They can mean different things to different people, sometimes almost opposite of the original intent. Once you have unleashed an idea, it will never be taken in its pure form again for it is open to interpretation. Indeed, anyone who considers your idea must put their own spin on it for they can only understand it in the context of their experience, their meaning, their point of view.

None of this means that we should stop expressing ourselves. It only means that when we do so, we ought to take great pleasure and satisfaction in placing our creation into the world. If one values their peace of mind, their happiness, then the moment of birth, delivering our "child" to the world must be the pinnacle of joy. After that, we necessarily cede some or all control over what occurs to said creation, our "baby."

A much truer language is that of feelings. No matter what descriptors we layer upon them, there are really only two emotions; one feels good and the other bad. There may be "degrees" to the depths of those feelings; Regardless, they still fall on one side of the line or the other. Like waves on the oceans, they swell, crash, retreat and form again in endless cycles. They accurately let us know where we stand in the now and what direction we are moving towards.

I believe that something unmistakable is happening in our world(s) today. I feel it. Participating in this blogging experience and meeting so many other people from disparate locations, I can sense notes of commonality. I feel the "light," the increasing glimmer despite all darkness.

I recently discovered  a site with some stunning videos, ones that speak in great depth of feeling. They can be found here: http://www.livebeyondtheedge.com/watch-films

It matters not whether you agree or disagree with the wording, the content or the person/people behind it. All that I am noting here is that a great light is shining and it's calling to many. I see it in the discussions and sharing in these blog entries. I feel it through videos such as these and numerous others. I witness it via incredible acts of darkness that are being "back-flushed" onto the world stage by those feeling deep, wordless terror from this vibration of light; they are fighting it to the end.

It is important for each individual who is being pulled towards this shift to be in touch with their feelings. As I wrote in the last blog, this isn't always easy for it will bring up our own internal opposition (and we all have degrees of dark opposition within; in a world of relativity, of duality, it is a given. It creates a choice.)

Some might say "Fear not." I think that when I am told to "not do" anything, it just makes it more attractive. So I will feel whatever is coming to my attention, understand it to be a feeling, and do my best to let it go.

Feelings are a wonderful guidepost. I am not my feelings. I use my feelings to assist me in making choices. (Hopefully, ones that feel better.)

We have chosen to be here/now and the stakes are high. There is no danger because we can never be anything other than we are. I believe that to be divine, eternal.

This is the show we signed up for and it is on the Main Stage.

We asked for and received the best seats in the house. 

Play big, stay aware and enjoy the ride.

Selfishness Despite All

No matter what has happened, always behave as if nothing had happened. - Arnold Bennett

When things go wrong, don't go with them. - Anon.

Do not lose your inward peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset. - Saint Francis de Sales

Selfishness is hard. It is the best possible choice for an individual but it takes resolve, focus, and a desire to feel good above all else.

Look at what just happened over the past few days in Norway. Look at what is going on in Washington D.C. It would be incredibly easy to emotionally slide down the rabbit hole with the flood of human emotion, doing what is almost automatic and expeditious. The mass expects it. We expect it.

Can one do what is unexpected? Can one choose to stay conscious and choose to focus elsewhere when the entire society is pointing fingers, sobbing tears, taking sides, screaming etc.?

The answer is "Yes." But...

Is it easy?

The answer is "No."

At times, it is the hardest thing to do. This happens especially when you are concerned with the "good opinion of other people." The quotes that I chose to open this short piece with jumped out at me and highlighted what I am feeling from within, from my heart.

I am a passionate person. I care deeply about many things. The biggest question that I have to both ask and answer honestly is, do I care enough about myself to make the choices that feel right for me? These are the choices that at first, do not come easy.

These decisions matter... literally. They manifest into the substance and story of one's life. The wisest among us have said life is basically a "feedback loop." It shows us where we are vibrating. It is absolutely true, no deviation.

To look where one stands now takes courage because it is one's responsibility. All of it.

The good news is that in this fresh, new moment, one is able to respond anew, choosing to choose again. It doesn't end until the cover closes on this particular life story.

Am I selfish enough to choose what feels best, not give away my inner peace? I ask this now to tilt my life, my choice, in that direction. This is the best that I can now do. It is enough.

Passing the Torch

"As soon as somebody demonstrates the art of flying, settlers from our species of man will not be lacking [on the moon and Jupiter]... Given ships or sails adapted to the breezes of heaven, there will be those who will not shrink from even that vast expanse."- Johannes Kepler, letter to Galileo, 1610

"In spite of the opinions of certain narrow-minded people, who would shut up the human race upon this globe, as within some magic circle which it must never outstep, we shall one day travel to the moon, the planets, and the stars, with the same facility, rapidity, and certainty as we now make the voyage from Liverpool to New York.- Jules Verne, From the Earth to the Moon, 1865

  

With the safe completion of the final Space Shuttle mission, an era has concluded. In my fifty-five years, I have known nothing but this era; manned space flight conducted under the auspices of NASA on behalf of the United States. And now, it is over.

There is so much history and change that this encompasses, it will definitely fill several books. The picture of the now-completed International Space Station (those words still give me chills) is remarkable for someone who grew up with "assured mutual mass destruction" by means of nuclear attacks between the USA and USSR. Now, we cohabit with Russia and other nations aboard this incredible structure, orbiting the earth and doing valuable research.

If you weren't alive in 1969, you simply cannot appreciate that the entire world stopped to witness an incredible achievement by the human race. I can recall what it was like sitting in my living room to this day and I still have black and white photographs of our TV set, showing the astronauts first stepping on the face of the moon.

We have also had our share of great sorrows as people have lost their lives aboard space crafts. This includes a woman from New Hampshire who was to be the first teacher in space, lecturing school children around the globe about science from an "orbiting classroom."

We have thrilled to the remarkable beauty of the universe as photographed by the Hubble space telescope. It's been a twice-repeated marvel that our skilled astronauts and engineers have actually extended the life of this magnificent machine by fixing it in orbit.

So much of the high technology of past decades and the wonders and toys of today have their roots in the gains made in the conquest of space. Man has also left his mark by leaving a huge amount of "space junk" in orbit that endangers satellites, critical to everyday functions on earth such as GPS, communication, weather forecasting and much more.

Now we turn to an era where it is to be given off to the venture of private enterprise. Being consistent, there will be both good and not-so-good that will come of this. Profit will drive the boat, as it must. In retrospect, it wasn't much different under NASA; just the terminology is altered.

This much I do believe; we, as a creative race, must continue to be more. It is the nature of the divine, the infinite and by extension, our nature as well. Look at the eras that the quotes above come from. It has always been this way and thus it shall continue.

Rather than letting my mind dwell on the drama and daily tragedies of everyday life, I choose to see what we have achieved, what we have become in the best sense of our spirit. I glory at the wonders of flight, of expansion, of indomitable spirit. I see the next generation continuing to take us to places that are scarcely imaginable today, places that will better us as the human race.

To all that have been involved in the great adventure, thank you. My life has been much the better because of your efforts.

Appreciation on the Road

As there was no Trust30 prompt forthcoming today, I simply wish to share a good moment that happened earlier.

After wrapping up today's training assignment in Syracuse, NY, I hit the road in my rental, a Kia Sorento, a "crossover" SUV. It was about a two-and-a-half hour drive to get to Albany, NY, the state capital where I will wrap up my training and this road trip on Thursday.

This drive is through some very pretty, rolling hillside, overlooking the valleys of the Adirondack mountains. I was sitting very comfortably in the vehicle, admiring the lush green scenes laid out before me. I brought with me an MP3 player and a cable to hook it up to the stereo in the car, so I was cranking out my own selection of music and enjoying it immensely.

It was then that I just broke out in an enormous smile, a beautiful "now" moment of appreciation. Life was as good as it could possibly be right now, no waiting, or dreaming, or wishing, or hoping. It was here / now.

I was totally within the moment and loving it. Only one thing could have possibly made it better, and that was my love, Jeri, sitting by my side and sharing in the beauty and wonder.

Why not make it happen? Why not make the moment more?

I grabbed my headset and through the joy and wonder of technology, tapped a button and said into it, "Call Jeri cell." The mechanical female spirit said back, "Call Jeri mobile" and I replied, "Yes."

Lo and behold, I could then bring her voice into my ear, describing the beauty and have her "there" in the now, as close as I could.

Hundreds of miles away, in the middle of "nowhere."

She was "now here," with me.

I'm still smiling simply by sharing this here with you. It is timeless and it is now.

Cherish all that you can in your life, dear friends. Milk everything, appreciate it for all the joy you can mine. It's "instant gratification," how wonderful you'll feel now. It's also a deposit into your "future now" as you'll start to attract more.

Isn't that fantastic to know?

Trust30: Fire Up

“Books are the best of things, well used. What is the right use? What is the one end, which all means go to effect? They are for nothing but to inspire.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

As a writer, your only duty is to be original, to inspire, to put something new on paper. Don’t be reasonable – your job is to to fire up people’s imaginations, to give them permission to dream, and to lift their heads up to the incredible sight of the stars. They may forget what you wrote about – but they won’t forget how you made them feel.

It’s your turn now. Dream, be unreasonable and write what comes to you for 15 minutes.

What would you do if you could not fail?

This question is neither new nor original but it demands both to be fleshed out and then rightly considered. If "failure was not an option," literally, what would you do? Let's think about what that means, what it would look like.

My opinion is that timidity, most feeble (or zero) attempts at something is for one big reason; lack.

Lack can also be seen as "less than," judgement, fear, defeatism, "not enough"-ness and  many more awful descriptors. These are all shades of the same color, variations on the uniform theme.

Let's look at it this way instead. It will put a different spin on why the "monster" that I just described looms so large, looks so scary.

What if you were infinite?

What if you were absolute power?

What if you were the word we call God? (Use a big G, a little g, or any of the thousand names of the deity. T'is all the same.)

It's like the black cat at midnight in the coal mine eating licorice; how would you know? There's got to be something to make it relative, to "know thyself/thySelf."

The fear factor is our power turned against us. Intentionally. Look at it this way; when you know the surprise party is coming, how hard is it to act surprised?

You've got to believe it, make it "real" in order to know. This way, when you "overcome" it, you have become the one thing that everything aspires to become:

More.

Without growth, no freedom. Without freedom, no joy. That IS an impossibility.

So how about "death?"

What would it be like if you knew that death was like hitting the "reset" button? That with a fresh lifetime of experience exploring the contrast of the created (and growing,) "fear", you have a new perspective on all and are ready for another round of creation.

As a human being, you are not your hands, yet your hands are you as part of your body.

What if each life lived is another "hands-on" creative expression of it all, for all, by all?

You then could not, EVER, fail.

Fifteen minutes up, on the button.

Consider the pot stirred.

Trust30: Change Your Thinking

“If you can’t change your fate, change your attitude.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson


At any given point in time, you’re only one thought away from changing your thinking. What thought can you change today?

I will take advantage of today's prompt to share my motto with you, one that really captures the spirit of this subject. To me, this is about being able and aware of capturing the energy of any given moment and choosing to pivot on the spot towards something that feels better.

Everything always works out.

If you want to use the "turbo" version; everything always works out and usually even better than I can imagine.

What does this do? It assumes the best. It sets the stage to expect the best.

It gives you breathing room in the now. Relax, take a breath. It always works out.

Do it often enough and it starts to build a chain. This chain is good quality and strings together what turns out to be good moments. In the case where the timing of everything takes longer to work out, it brings a big smile when distance brings perspective and that, "Well, I'll be..." moment when you see that it worked out almost magically.

Change your thinking, change your life. This is not new.

Do it enough and you start to feel the power behind it.

That's when the smile becomes automatic.

Trust30: Original Thought

“The arts and inventions of each period are only its costume, and do not invigorate men.”

Think of the last time that you thought, said, or did something that was original. What inspired or invigorated this?

Well, now, I believe. Right now.

And then again, tomorrow.

I can honestly say this quite easily.

I'm fairly certain that most people have heard the old adage, "You can't step into the same river twice." The first time that motto came to my attention, I actually sat and pondered it.

Water is in endless motion; the only varying factor is the speed it travels. Even the most fetid pond is subject to evaporation by sources of light and heat. Thus it is easy to note that it is in a constant state of refreshment, change, carrying new minerals, nutrients and life in its flow.

Are we any different from water? (Ironically, it is that fluid which comprises the majority of our physical being.)

Life, of which we are part, is in constant motion. As we consider and reconsider, attracting and moving away from new ideas, events, people, those choices are the result of the energy of thought.

Energy. Always in motion by definition.

Thought... energy... in motion. Not "same old, same old," even if you try and make it so.

So by looking at life in this way, every individual day is a unique work of (performance) art and absolutely an original.

Thanks for the inspiration. I turned it into something uniquely mine!

Trust30: Ordinary Things

“Every artist was first an amateur.”

To be an artist one has to find beauty in ordinary things. Find 10 things of great beauty in the landscape that surrounds you. For example, crumple sheets on your bed in the morning, the smell of coffee making its way around a busy office.

The above picture is part of a large treeline overlooking a glen. It sits above and behind the apartment complex where I live. One of the things that I love about these trees is how they are tellers of fortune, nature whisperers.

When storms are coming, these tall trees sway to an incredible beat, sometimes bending at extreme angles for their size. The animals they house swoop and fly, disappearing into them. And when the seasons change, Autumn is my favorite. They take on so many red, gold and amber shades that they appear to be on fire in the sunlight.

...and there is no charge for this daily show other than the cost of my attention; Everyday beauty that surrounds me when I am at home, and much appreciated.

Today, I am staying in a hotel in Syracuse, NY. This is as utterly different from the nature scene described above as it gets. I have come at the unique time of the Syracuse Nationals, a large automobile lovers show especially catering to classic cars. I have taken some pictures on my phone which I won't be able to download until I return home, but this link will give you an idea: http://www.9wsyr.com/news/local/story/Syracuse-Nationals-descending-on-CNY/xBwgSs7ZaUeGWLekQZyP1A.cspx

So ten items of beauty can be found anywhere you extend your attention. Even working in a "dingy office" setting today as a trainer, I can share some beauty:

A display of telephone equipment dating from the early 1900's until about the 1980's. This included classic telephone booths;

An "ocean" of cubicles containing customer service workers, chatting away with people and attempting to help them solve problems or upgrade service. The truly engaged reps were standing on their feet, attached by a headset to their customers, and moving and speaking in a highly energetic, animated fashion. It was like watching theater.

From the Syracuse Nationals I described above, the event itself is intoxicating, even for a non-classic car person like myself. These vehicles are their pride and joy and they love displaying them. As I drove to dinner, there were people sitting on lawn chairs in the grassy strips facing the road in front of their hotels, simply to admire the variety of meticulously maintained antique chariots passing on the road. It made me smile and appreciate their energy.

Dinner was at an incredibly kitschy place called "Quaker State and Lube." It's like eating in a converted old gas station. Cars hang from the walls and ceilings, old gas pumps, advertising fuel at .17 cents per gallon, stand all around. It is so magnificently garish, so over the top that it's gorgeous in achieving exactly what it set out to be.

Simple and overlooked beauty like a housekeeper leaving your person items "just so" after straightening up your room and making you bed with fresh, clean linens. Simply wonderful.

When I get the opportunity, I will post pictures of some of these things out of the simple joy of having observed and appreciated them for the joys that they are, whether large or small. This, to me, is what makes life a movable feast.

The table is always set for us, the invitation always extended. We simply have to notice that it's there.

Trust 30: Deep In Your Soul

“I hate quotations. Tell me what you know.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

What message is yearning inside you? What is something you know deep in your soul? Don’t look for someone else to describe it. You do it. Write it down. Write it as a poem, a sentence or even just a string of words. Just make sure you get it to paper.

The ocean always wins.

The hard black rock looks so formidable, standing valiantly against the wind and tide.

I am strong, I am steady, you cannot beat me down, it cries at the waves.

The ocean always wins.

I am young, bubbling up from the center of the earth.

My sheer heat turns you into steam, it laughs.

The ocean always wins.

I gain character, I age and crack but stand ready to house aquatic life and destroy unwary ships.

Nothing that you can do will erase me.

The ocean always wins.

I am fine black sand, still the bed for waves. You erode me but I am still here.

The ocean always wins.

A shell, a trace, nothing more... and fiery orange magma hisses, pops,

Breaking the surface after a climb of thousands and thousands, feet and years.

The ocean awaits.

Trust30: Legacy

“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

One definition of legacy is what someone feels, thinks and says when they hear your name. What are you doing today to build the legacy you want?

I have written, and continue to write, that we define and create our world by the choices we make. I appreciate the endless variety of choices because they give me things to consider and contrast to choose from.

I appreciate the contrast that this prompt offers in the above definition of legacy. It is neither an easy nor simple definition.

Why? Because I have zero power over what my fellow beings feel, think and say about any subject, including their good (or not-so-good) opinions about me.

My choice having to do with my legacy is far more simple; Not necessarily easy but certainly simpler.

How do I feel about myself?

What do I think when I consider my life?

What do I say about myself? What is my "self-talk"?

That is setting my own vibration and here, I am powerful. I believe that in setting my tone, I am fully engaged with who I really am, the Self that I was speaking with in yesterday's post.

I try and cut myself every break possible. It isn't always easy but it's moving in that direction. The world will not give me what I will not give myself and that is perfect, the way that it is.

Thus my legacy is how often I am kind to myself. How often I smile, especially for "no reason." How much I appreciate everything that I can about my self and my life story. How often I can find myself in the ease and flow of connection and see life reflect that back to me.

This is a legacy that I cherish and work on as often as I can remember. That's a "building" that is in my power to construct. Living it is paradise.

Trust30: Mirror, Mirror

“Truth is beautiful, without doubt; but so are lies.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Mirror, mirror on the wall… find the nearest mirror. Look. Keep looking for 3 minutes. Write about what you see.

Hey, I recognize you. It's been too long!

Hello, dear friend.

Right there, behind your eyes, here I am. Amidst the toys in the attic, clambering for your attention, I'm right here, where I've always been. Where I always shall be. Nearer to you than your skin, as intimate as your breath.

I know. I would say that I've missed you, but sometimes I've gotten myself too busy or out of sorts to even feel that. When I allow myself to get quiet, I always know that you are there. I feel your love.

And you always will. That is all that there is here for you. I remember the truth when you don't. I hold it for you.

I see you in my eyes. I feel you now so much inside my heart.

You have a wonderful smile. When you smile like this, we smile. There is nothing between us. You know this.

I do. I could look at you like this forever. Time is non-existent now.

That is the truth, always. Your timer is about to go off. Come back anytime as we are always here, with you. We love you.

Three minutes already? It can't be...

Unreal Estate: A co-created work by The Writ

Unreal Estate

The moon was shining fiercely, more intense than any full moon he could ever recall. It was almost blindingly bright. Of course, he had never taken in the moon from his back, lying on the ground in a pool of his own blood.

“At least I can still see it there,” he thought, breathing heavily. “That means that I’m still alive.” But the swirl of the night’s events was overtaking his mind like an out of control carousel. The party, the jokes… who was insulted? Who started screaming accusations? “Why did I run?” he muttered. Nothing made sense.

He needed to be clear, clearer than he had ever been in his entire life… the life that now hung in the balance.

Rich (7/11/11)

Magdis: You have the next three paragraphs. Continue the story, post it in entirety on your blog and put the link on the Facebook page of The Writ.

Then choose who goes next:

• Tiffany

• Nico

• Melinda

• Amber

Experientially Yours...

"Judgement can be acquired only by acute observation, by actual experience in the school of life, by ceaseless alertness to learn from others, by study of the activities of men who have made notable marks, by striving to analyze the everyday play of causes and effects, by constant study of human nature." -B.C. Forbes

A phrase I oft use and genuinely mean is "It's your world. I'm just visiting." By this, I am being neither witty nor sarcastic. I offer these words at face value.

Not one single person who has ever roamed the earth has been anything other than unique. Could I have written that sentence more straightforward? Certainly, but then it would lose the meaning that I am trying to impart.

Wait, wait... run that by me again.

Supposedly, all snowflakes are unique. We must take that for what it is worth because as far as I can tell, the amount of snowflakes that have fallen on the earth, over the entire history of the planet, is an "unreal" number. This, to me, is a number that essentially is real but can never be known.

Such is the way of human snowflakes; No two the same nor even inhabiting the same world.

Think about your parental units and siblings. These are the people who are closer to you than any others in the world in terms of genetics, background, upbringing and many other factors. You may have tremendous similarities to them. You may even have been born as one in a pair of identical twins.

Are you the same person? Are you cloned and identical to your twin, your parents, anyone else? Are you seeing the same world as they do?

No. It is your world, entirely unto you and of your observation and making.

We all pick and choose what we want to experience, to take in from this infinite bounty of life. Sometimes we choose things that don't seem to be good for us. Maybe other people are telling us that what we're doing is wrong, inadequate, off base etc. It could also go in the opposite direction and meet with tremendous approval and praise.

Stimuli and response, cause and effect, good and bad. It really comes down to how you define it.

How you choose to mold, shape, define, see it. Breathe life and meaning into it as it becomes part of your world, all by your beck and call.

We have all had our episodes with judgement, either on the giving or receiving end. I always remind myself... re-mind my-self, that when I judge something, I have made it part of my world, magnetized the essence of it to me. In the overwhelming majority of cases, I consider that thought before wandering into the "judging fields" and then make a sharp turn to avoid them.

I'll ask myself, "Do I want to play with you?" I look at the energy of their game in light of who I am in the moment, and then wish them well and let them pass.

I don't understand their world, at least the glimpse that I saw of it from my perception. Why would I want to venture in and open Pandora's box? (More on this aspect in another post.)

I'll simply visit and be thankful for the gift, that being of the experience. One can travel thousands of miles away (as I did when I went to Tibet and Nepal) to gain experience and thus broaden the scope of their world. It can also be done in your backyard by seeing things in a new way, thus gaining a different perspective and the opportunity to re-create, to define differently and thus alter your world.

To me, it is awesome to be conscious and actively engage the process. It never ceases to amaze me how "everything old is new again" once this is chosen and embraced. How can things reorient themselves so quickly after being seemingly "stuck" for so long?

Thus is our power, our personal gravity, each in molding, shaping and creating our own unique, individual world.

It is my world, and I choose to make it a place that I like to visit.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1pLCruKc8c

A Day of Rest and Joy

So, no prompt was forthcoming today from Trust30 HQ. The world did not end, there were no sinister repercussions and as far as I can tell, the world is still spinning in the correct orientation on its axis.

I have some fun with this because I get to choose if I want to write today or not. If I do write, I get to totally choose the subject, point of view and the words to express the mood I wish to convey.

...that "choice" thing again, you know?

So here's to a day of rest. I am richer for today, another "everything always works out" experience that made me smile in our drive to the wine and food pairing class as well as a delightful "attractive" story that came out of New York surrounding the Yankee captain, Derek Jeter, getting his 3,000th hit.

If you want to read a great story about appreciating the moment, asking for nothing and receiving more than you could have ever dreamed, here is a link:

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/Derek-Jeter-3000-hits-fan-who-caught-ball-gets-sweet-ticket-deal-070911

It made me smile all day long. Ain't life grand?

Trust30: Nothing To Lose

“Self-censorship is not just self-betrayal and self-abandonment (which would be bad enough), but soul-betrayal and betrayal of our Muse, out inner voice, our highest self.”

Too often we censor ourselves, our actions, and our work in hope or fear of what might happen if we otherwise don’t. What words would you write today, and what actions would you take, if you had nothing to fear, nothing to lose?

For most of the Trust30 challenge having to do with Emerson's "Self Reliance," I've made the choice to express, to the best of my allowance and ability, the authentic Self that I am. This is the capital "S"-e-l-f; The small "s"-e-l-f is the fearful, censoring, living in the dark, concerned about things that cannot be controlled, part of the persona. I have danced with this partner for as long as I've been alive.

In the earliest of days, it was a very minor bit in the life of a minor. The conversations we have when no adult understands, thinking we're merely rapidly growing blobs of gurgling flesh, is actually high level stuff. The things that can't be seen that babies stare at are, in fact, really there.

...until we are taught, by example, that they aren't. This is socialization at its finest, when the "self" starts to truly take root.

And it is all OK. In fact, it is necessary.

In the days that this community of writers has come together via extraordinary means, many stories have been shared. I don't think that I'm going out on a limb in saying that there has been some growth, expressions of freedom and joyous "a-ha" moments shared in the context of "Trust30."

You don't have those moments if there is nothing to compare to, contrast with, choose otherwise. My opinion is that this is what life is, the building blocks for the creators that we all are.

If the world was all sunshine, sweetness and light, what would vanilla ice cream taste like?

Think about it...

One other item to consider; What if in the eternity of the game, knowing that there is no risk involved, you chose to take on a role of "darkness" this time around? It is necessary, you know. There are no heroes without villains, no saints without sinners.

Life is choice.

If there is nothing to choose from, there exists no choice... no creation... no life.

And as infinite beings, dancing and creating in a universe of infinite choice, this can, and will, never be.

Trust30: Worthwhile Day

“Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you
could.”

What is one thing you can do that would make today worthwhile? What’s stopping you from getting started right now?

First off, no more "days" in the title. This is going to roll on; we choose to roll with it.

"Sticking" point on this prompt; every single day, we can find something to make it worthwhile just by setting our POV correctly. If I can truly appreciate even one thing about a day, that is a worthwhile day.

Speaking just for myself, I can and normally do this each and every day.

Now the thing that I did today that claims high ground in the ebb and flow of the tidal pond of fear was that I stepped up and committed into new technology.

I am the proud owner of a brand spanking new HTC Thunderbolt smartphone on the Verizon 4G LTE network. This replaces a "perfectly good" LG flip phone that I purchased back in 2006!

To say that I went from a tricycle to a rocket ship about sums it up.

I was waiting, always waiting. When Verizon gets the iPhone... when the iPhone 5 comes out... maybe the dual core Droid Bionic, coming soon... etc .

When you have to make the change, you'll be aware of some clue that will reveal itself to you. In this case, the Verizon Wireless unlimited data plan ended yesterday and if I purchased a phone, I would have that plan follow me as long as I stay with Verizon. Considering everything that is being done with these "phones" today, knowing what's on the horizon, that was the tipping point. Yesterday, faith overcame fear.

Do I have a learning curve? ....Of course.

Am I willing to expand and grow in this opportunity? ....Yes.

Will I make mistakes and false starts? ....Already have.

Do I understand that the "world will not end" from these errors and that I can actually learn from them? ....Indeed!

That seems to me to be a representation of a perfectly wonderful, worthwhile day.

Trust30; day 37: Be You

In one sentence, who are you?

I am a conscious creator of my life story, walking my way through the world in joy.

Trust 30; day 36: Number 1 Passion

What is your #1 passion in life? Now, imagine what would happen if you incorporated that passion into your life daily. Write down your passion and keep it close to you. Remind yourself of it daily, just like brushing your teeth.

Above is a picture of a white board in my bedroom. The colored marker has been written on this for so long that it is now permanent, no longer "wipe-off." It describes the #1 passion in my life for as long as I can remember.

I want to know.

I have to know and it must be experiential.

"I am a professional manifestor and vibratory manager. I love what I do. I am very good at it!
...and I just want to feel good!"

That's it, what this life story, human version, has entirely been about.

When I look at all that I have already experienced, as I consider what is happening now with this blog and the varied but like-minded "spirits in the material world" that I have attracted here, I see that the writing on my board is here/now. I celebrate what I am seeing, what I am feeling. I appreciate all that I now understand.

...and I love and appreciate that I am no longer shielding this from my world. It is time to put it out there in joy and I have.

Fear evaporates under these conditions. As it raises its head, it immediately ducks for cover.

This is a good place, a much better place to be.

I anticipate that I will find more levels, more depth to this passion of mine going forward. I understand that I will never understand it all from this perspective and that is OK. I am willing to take it as far as I can without forcing the issue.

Finally, I celebrate just how far I've come. This is an important and wonderful part of the process.

...and it feels great!

Trust30; day 35: Energy

“The world belongs to the energetic.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

It’s easy to blame our failure to meet our goals or to live our dream lives on a lack of energy, and we don’t always stop to think about the quality of energy in our lives. Yet we can choose to create and manage our own energy flow.

Think of an instance when you’ve been so involved in an activity that you’ve lost track of time, and then identity the passions and energies you were feeding. Who was there with you? What were you doing? What will you do to make time for moments like that one more often?

Ah, "the Zone."

No, not the diet plan...

The magical place where one can learn firsthand the relativity of time and space, that's the zone of which I speak. Where you are so engrossed in something, so utterly absorbed that you and the experience become one. When you "come to" and glance at a clock, you feel disbelief that numerous hours have flown as mere seconds.

You are, of course, painfully aware that the reverse effect exists as well (as every school child glancing at a clock, waiting for recess, lunch or final bell can easily attest to.) Yes, we won't go there but it does serve as the "necessary evil."

By the way, isn't it ironic that "evil" spelled backwards is "live"? Anyway...

For me, that rendezvous with the zone happens often when I am totally enthralled by a great film or play. Music does it for me more often than any other vehicle.

Let me share with you one particularly powerful night where as far as I was concerned, time and space blended into one glorious "now" and all else simply ceased to be.

It happened January 23, 1981 at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. For both the description of the event as well as the history, I am going to "borrow" from Wikipedia:

"Napoléon (1927) is an epic silent French film directed by Abel Gance that tells the story of the rise of Napoleon I of France.

It begins from his youth in school where he managed a snowball fight like a military campaign, to his victory in invading Italy in 1797. Planned to be the first of six movies about Napoleon Bonaparte, it was realised after the completion of the film that the costs involved would make this impossible.

Ahead of its time in its use of handheld cameras and editing, many scenes were hand tinted or toned. Gance had intended the final reel of the film to be screened as a triptych via triple projection, or Polyvision.

It was first released in a gala premiere at the Paris Opéra in April 1927. Napoléon had been screened in only 8 European cities when Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer bought the rights to the film, but after screening it intact in London, it was cut drastically in length, and only the central panel of the widescreen sequences retained before it was put on limited release in the United States, where it was indifferently received at a time when talkies were just starting to appear.

The film historian Kevin Brownlow conducted the reconstruction of the film in the years leading up to 1980, including the Polyvision scenes. As a boy, Brownlow had purchased two 9.5mm reels of the film from a street market. He was captivated by the cinematic boldness of short clips, and his research led to a lifelong fascination with the film and a quest to reconstruct it. At 9:00PM MT, Friday, Aug 31, 1979 Napoleon was shown to a crowd of hundreds at the Telluride Film Festival, in Telluride, CO. The film was presented in full Polyvision at the specially constructed Abel Gance Open Air Cinema, which is still in use today. Gance was in attendance and watched from the window of the New Sheridan Hotel. Kevin Brownlow was also in attendance and presented M. Gance with his Silver Medallion. His 1980 reconstruction was re-edited and released in the United States by American Zoetrope (through Universal Pictures) with a score by Carmine Coppola performed live at the screenings. The restoration premiered in the United States at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on January 23-25, 1981. Gance could not attend because of his health. At the end of the January 24 screening, a telephone was brought onstage and the audience was told that Gance was listening on the other end and wished to know what they had thought of his film. The audience erupted in an ovation of applause and cheers that lasted several minutes. The acclaim surrounding the film's revival brought Gance much-belated recognition as a master director before his death only 11 months later, in November 1981."

That night in New York, watching a 300 minute long silent film that was eons ahead of its time, accompanied by a full symphony performing a score (and conducted) by Carmine Coppola, the father of Francis Ford Coppola, was almost indescribably magnificent and I felt joyous and privileged to be a part of it.

When the gigantic stage of Radio City was filled with three enormous screens joined as one; when the final reel projected as a triptych, three different scenes of war, each individually bathed in blue, white and red of the French flag; as the score played by the orchestra swelled to an enormous scale yet maintained triumph and reverence... this is where time vanished.

Swept up in the moment?

No, soaring into the cosmos. I shiver with delight even now as I write of it.

This is the feeling, the joy, that I aspire to create so that others may experience a fraction of what I felt that night. What a joy and honor that would be.

Trust30; day 34: What Would You Be

If a year from now you weren’t in the profession you’re currently in, what would you be in your wildest dreams?

"Wildest dreams" time, right?

For a long time, I have had an amazing Broadway musical experience dancing around my brain. It falls into the category of a "jukebox musical" because all of the songs are already published and performed by singer/songwriters from the very well known to the totally unknown.

I had put together two Cd's for the music, each lending themselves perfectly to one act. I have a title for this venture called "The Light Show" with the tag line "See The Light Show, Be The Light Show."

There is a sketched out basic treatment that I have yet to put dialogue to. I have seen many of the singers whose music would be part of this in concert venues around the NYC and Philly area and actually spoken with some of them about this long ago (in excess of five years) so I doubt that they would remember.

In my heart's wildest dreams, I see this show in production one year from now. I thrill at the excitement of it all and the passion of the performers, dancers and musical artists. This is something special, something that captures the highest in each of us and puts it on stage, inspiring and delighting audiences in the US and eventually, all around the world.

I have never committed this to any world outside of my internal version before so putting this out here is a wild and crazy gesture.

OK, so be it. Let the world explode into love all around me.

When you eventually see the show, you'll understand...

Trust30; day 33: #Trust30 Carries On!

Congrats on completing 30 days of writing reflections! The feedback on #trust30 has been so great that Amber has volunteered to continue the prompts as a personal project. The hope is that these daily emails will guide you on your writing journey, and help you to look within and get to know yourself.

To kick off this new leg, here’s a prompt from Seth Godin:

Find something that happened on the day and date you were born. Write about it.

Direct from the pages of elvispresleypedia.com, which literally documents every single day of Elvis Presley's life, here is what "The King" was doing on the Sunday that I entered the world:

"Elvis flies from Houston, Texas to Las Vegas, Nevada.

Elvis performs at the Venus Room, New Frontier Hotel, Las Vegas at 8 p.m. and midnight. Elvis starts a two-week engagement in front of an older audience. Later Elvis recalled: 'After the first night I went outside and just walked around in the dark. It was awful. I wasn't getting across to the audience.' But nevertheless, Elvis fell in love with this city and he was thrilled to meet some many show business legends."

I want to clarify that I am not and have never been an Elvis Presley fan. I like some of his songs and I recognize his huge influence on much of the music that followed him including The Beatles. The reason that I am highlighting this is simple.

I found this website while I was searching for something to write about that happened on April 22, 1956. When I looked at this site documenting all of the frenetic activity that was the life of Elvis Presley, I was amazed. He literally did not stop moving at any time during this period. Concerts from coast to coast, usually two a day; recording sessions; travel; branching out to new audiences such as Las Vegas for the first time as documented above and much more.

During the two weeks he was debuting in Vegas, that wasn't all he was up to. He also signed a three picture deal with Paramount. Just before this, he received a gold record for his song, Heartbreak Hotel. And quoting from the same site, less than two months later, "Accompanied by his cousins Gene and Junior Smith, Elvis goes to Atlanta in his new Cadillac. Elvis Presley and Col. Tom Parker signed with the William Morris Agency and set into motion the series of events that caused the creation of Elvis Presley as an American icon."

At this moment, he is 21 years old.

His life is almost exactly half over. He is gone on August 16, 1977.

As a creation and a creator, he is a dynamo, a supernova. One incredibly brilliant flash that begins to wane in the same breath.

I remember how when I was very young, the older generation (that would be the parents of my parents) viewed this man as scandal, sexual corruption incarnate. When he appeared on the popular Sunday evening variety show hosted by Ed Sullivan, the TV cameras shot him only from the waist up. This was designed to save the morals of young American women everywhere as his pelvis rocked and shook in "obscene, frenzied gyrations."

A generation before him, a similar scene played out with Frank Sinatra.

You don't think any of this is new, do you?

In my 55 years, I have seen how change scares most people. The bigger the change, the more scared they are and the greater the chance that they can be manipulated by those who recognize the shift. It's all energy, period.

Elvis Presley in April of 1956 was the dynamic, hyperactive, sexual crooner of change and it scared the ever-living crap out of most of the country well before he became an "American icon."

I admire him for his passion and drive. It got him where he wanted to be but almost certainly cost him any chance for a long and happy life.

But man, did he burn brightly. And he serves as a great study on so many levels of choice and creation.

Let's close with this set of lyrics from a singer/songwriter who has managed to stick around for a very long time, Neil Young. I feel this is a perfect bookend to the snapshot of Elvis, April 22, 1956:

"My My, Hey Hey (Out Of The Blue)"

My my, hey hey
Rock and roll is here to stay
It's better to burn out
Than to fade away
My my, hey hey.

Out of the blue
and into the black
They give you this,
but you pay for that
And once you're gone,
you can never come back
When you're out of the blue
and into the black.

The king is gone
but he's not forgotten
This is the story
of a Johnny Rotten
It's better to burn out
than it is to rust
The king is gone
but he's not forgotten.

Hey hey, my my
Rock and roll can never die
There's more to the picture
Than meets the eye.
Hey hey, my my.

Trust30; day 32: Fault and Change

I must be myself. I cannot break myself any longer for you, or you. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Think of all the things that are not working in your life. That job you don’t like, that relationship that’s not working, those friends that annoy you. Now turn them all on you. Imagine that everything that’s not working in your life, is your fault. How would you approach it? What would you work on to change your life to the state that you want it to be?

Singer/songwriter Joni Mitchell wrote her first big commercial hit as a performer, "You Turn Me On (I'm a Radio)" in 1972. It's got some interesting lyrics that I'd like to highlight for this post:

"And I'm sending you out this signal here

I hope you can pick it up loud and clear

I know you don't like weak women you get bored so quick

And you don't like strong women 'cause their hip to your tricks

It's been dirty for dirty down the line

But you know I come when you whistle

And you're loving and kind"

With a radio, you dial in a certain frequency and get the station that you desire.

Likewise, as you put out a certain vibe in this world, you get feedback in the form of people, places, events that are all a match to that vibe. Even if you aren't aware of what signals you are sending, trust that the world... your world, will let you know.

This is not new. It has been said in many different ways including the "Golden Rule," the ethics of reciprocity etc. In those cases, it is an "action for action" thing, and all religions and philosophies are attempting to coach mindfulness of that.

What would happen if all your thoughts, beliefs, desires, fears, dreams were all being broadcast like a radio beacon, attracting back a like signal? Given that an animal such as a dog has no ego and would not do anything with deliberate malicious intent, such it is that the one who is scared of a dog finds the dog coming towards him.

I believe that there is no state called "NO" in this world. Rather, your attention, which is always "On" is being directed towards some thought, something(s), someone. The idea is to awaken soon enough to understand if you're starting to feel bad about something, move your attention and adjust your vibe before it manifests in your life.

On the other hand, if it's feeling good, then by all means keep it focused there. It will just get better.

"When you're loving and kind," that's the response coming your way. When you're scared, something scary is approaching. When you grumble about traffic, even before getting into the car, welcome to your latest traffic jam.

I've been told that this is a simplistic view and that life doesn't work that way. I won't argue with anyone who tells me that. Nothing that I say is going to change their minds nor do I wish to argue the point and affect my vibration. I wish them well and allow them their world.

In their world, I'm the visitor, the alien being. And that is exactly the way it should be.

If feedback is showing me what I've been dwelling on has been negative, there are four phrases I say from the Hawaiian healing method called Ho'oponopono (as learned from the Joe Vitale book, Zero Limits):

I love you.

I'm sorry.

Please forgive me.

Thank you.

It is my vibration that brought this to me and these four phrases acknowledge the small thinking (self) and allow the light (Self) to heal this within me. I have found this to work miracles. That has been my experience. This is how I change my life, "dial in the radio," to the state/station I want it to be.

When I started this now extended project, I promised myself that I would no longer hide my authentic self. I wanted to live in the light and be who I really am.

No wonder that this project rolls on...