Category Archives: Life Wheel

FROM a BETTER PARADIGM to BETTER LEADERSHIP & a BETTER FUTURE 

Two radically different voices came to my attention today, in combination heralding the hope that perhaps the times — just maybe – are finally ready for a paradigm shift which could ensure human survival. 

The Quantum Paradigm of which I speak is, of course, the subject of Rethinking Survival. It’s the Unified Field Theory which Einstein intuited and actually had, but, sadly, for lack of yoga background, missed. Embodied in the archetypal Life Wheel which spontaneously appears throughout time, throughout all civilizations, it looks like this: 

This Unified Field Theory pictures a reality where all parts of creation are interwoven and interdependent. As such, this inclusive reality map is one which everyone everywhere can relate to and agree upon. It is equally compatible with scriptures and science, bridging the gap between them. 

This elegantly simple yet complete reality map meets the Occam’s Razor standard: maximum inclusiveness with greatest brevity. 

Working with the Quantum Paradigm empowers the “substantially new manner of thinking,” which, Einstein said, is necessary “if mankind is to survive.” 

As I wrote earlier: 

Those who succeed in linking the levels of experience are genius-leaders in whatever fields they choose to engage. They’re the fortunate ones who’ve acquired the inner wealth necessary to both hear the inner voice of conscience and act on the guidance they receive. 

Ultimately, survivors who prevail in dangerous times aren’t those with the most material wealth, possessions or political power. They’re the ones who’ve successfully navigated the middle realm, reached the far shore of enlightenment and returned to the surface with their new information intact. 

This complete and accurate paradigm will replace the fractured, materialistic paradigm of empirical science which rules out the existence of everything but the outer, m=mass level of human experience.  

Empirical science, with disastrous consequences, banned the inner levels of e=energy (emotion) and c=light (intuition) from conscious awareness. In the extreme, it cut humanity off from awareness of the common core which all share in common, call it God, Source, Creator, Tao, or Conscience, as you will.  

Earlier, I wrote: 

I’ve become certain that the worldwide leadership deficit (and related budget deficits) is explained by an underlying knowledge deficit. For lack of a complete and correct life map – paradigm, if you will — people everywhere remain bewildered as to how and why, even with the best of intentions, so much continues to go so horribly wrong. 

To the extent that the inner levels of energy, intuition and conscience are blind spots in the way people think, leaders are left powerless to move beyond the surface level of experience. The realms of light and conscience which rest on the far side of the dynamic energy level, remain inaccessible. 

Just as the Titanic’s designers failed to recognize the ship’s fatal flaw, today’s religious and political leaders, acting on misinformation, are steering the planet ever closer to the brink of destruction. The Quantum Paradigm offers a way to rethink our collective future, shift away from the current collision course towards disaster and ensure human survival. 

Now, today’s first voice of hope for a better future is that of man of Japanese American descent. Robert Kiyosaki is author of the popular Rich Dad, Poor Dad, and more recently, Capitalist Manifesto.  In an interview where he Makes Bold Predictions about the Economy, Kiyosaki connects the dots between useless “education,” dangerously weak leadership, and increasingly hard times. We need better leaders, he insists. 

On the premise that better education is key to reversing the current downward cycle, he’s written books on how the economy really works. [Keep the pristine definition of the word in mind. “To educate” means to “lead from darkness to light.” Note that “LEAD,” the essence of leadership, is inherent in that definition.] I would add, we also need to restore the wisdom of the I Ching, the Book of Change to the curriculum, as the compendium of Natural Law — the way the world really works.

The blessing in disguise, according to Kiyosaki, is that danger creates opportunity. To survive, people must stretch and improve to meet the challenges they face. He gives the example of being a war zone pilot. His life expectancy was thirty days. “The more dangerous the mission, the better you’ve got to be.” [I would add, and the more accurate and complete the map you’re flying from.] 

Today’s second voice of hope for a better future is that of a woman of French descent. Elana Danaan is author of A Gift from the Stars, and more recently The Seeders. She underscores the importance of actively taking personal self-responsibility, rather than passively waiting to be rescued by saviors. She writes: 

Humanity must take responsibility for itself or Humanity can never grow. . . Humanity must not miss the opportunity to rise up and loudly proclaim, “I do not consent [to tyranny].” 

She continues: 

The time to kneel is over. It is time to stand up, humans of Earth. It is time to embrace who you truly are. And you are quite exceptional! 

To which I would concur. In fact, the Life Wheel — the quantum paradigm of a better future — gives credence to the biblical vision of humans as made in the image of God, whole and complete. It is time to remember who, in potential, we truly are. It is our responsibility – by command – to be perfect, like the Father. 

Advertisement

Re-member Who You ARE

I’ll keep this message short and sweet. 

The most important things always are, don’t ya know. 

Two very different messengers recently gave pretty much the same advice. What I’m adding today is a method — one to help you implement what they recommend – make it real in your every day life. 

In a recent interview, David Icke summarizes his prescient 30+ years of writing, leading up to his recent book, one that takes his ideas to the next level. 

In brief, The Trap describes the mess humanity is in – how we got here and why. Most importantly, he gives us the key to release. Springing out of the trap is marvelously simple – in theory. “Remember who you are.” As he describes it, focus on this awareness: “I am all that is, ever was, and ever can be having a human experience.” 

That’s the short story. The long version is well worth a careful listen. Or two. Or three. 

This conclusion repeats, coming from a different angle and very different source. The message is essentially the same. “Know who are. Own your magnificence.” According to the Kryon — an interdimensional being channeled by Lee Carroll — it’s the way out of madness. Echoing biblical wisdom, he echos, “You are made in the image of God,” whole and complete, nothing less. 

For those who’d prefer a more upbeat version of this timeless truth, think back to the story of Lambert, the sheepish lion. He was raised believing he was a helpless sheep, likely prey to wolves – especially those in wolf’s clothing. Fortunately, under attack, just in time to save the day, he suddenly remembers who he truly is: A fierce lion, courageous protector of the flock. 

Now here’s what I have to contribute to this message. A method. Re-member who you are. Put the fragmented pieces of your life puzzle back together. Align and link them.

Every one, everywhere is born inherently perfect and complete, in the image of God. The quantum Life Wheel pictures the archetypal pattern of potential, repeating on every scale of magnitude, smallest to largest, atoms to solar systems. It images the truth of inner integrity, the unity of humanity, and the divine union of the individual with Creative Source. 

Sadly, for many reasons, alternatively explained by Icke, Kryon and biblical sources, we’ve forgotten who we truly are. We’ve become horrifically fragmented, to which current events give tragic testimony. 

But here’s the good news. With the vision of wholeness kept firmly in mind, reinforced by the commitment and intention to take those fragments and re-member them, it is possible to release ignorance, illusion, dross and restore pristine wholeness — one person at a time.  

It’s a simple breathing method, what some call chi kung (qigong, or breath work).  

Visualize yourself with all the levels of your energetic being (chakras) centered and aligned within the archetypal Life Wheel. 

Then focus on deep, even breathing. On the out-breath, release everything invasive, toxic or diseased, all fears, worries and distress. On the in-breath, breathe in peace, love and light. 

Add a sound, riding on the breath. On the out-breath, hear or say the name Jeshuah. Surrender of who all you are, returning to Source. This is the simple yet profound path to enlightenment recommended by Dr. David R. Hawkins in Letting Go: The Pathway of Surrender.

On the in-breath, chant or think the name Ha Mashia. Receive and be anointed by blessed light entering in through the top of the head at the crown center, flowing like warm liquid honey, like radiant chi descending through each chakra, one at a time, then flowing through the nervous system, eventually filling every cell and atom of the body. 

Repeat. Embed this experience deep into your psyche.

Let this be your meditation. Re-member who you are. 

Amen. 

Why This, Why Me, and Why NOW? 

Much to my surprise, The Way of the Sage went its own way.  

Much of what I originally intended to say was left unsaid.  

For example, I planned to follow through on my earlier invitation to Sage Robbins.  

In an Open Letter to Tony Robbins, I observed that the not-coincidental pun on his wife’s name nominates her as the logical and ideal person to try out and report back to him on the validity and benefits associated with this ancient, tried and true, universal method of decision-making – the book accurately described The Ultimate Personal Survival Guide. 

I intended to tell her that the Common Sense Book of Change is intentionally free of the usual elitist and gender assumptions (“the superior man”). No one is excluded from the opportunity to be truly noble, genuinely wise. 

I wanted to tell her that this small book makes timeless wisdom available to truth seekers — whomever, wherever — free of distortions. There’s no overlay of cultural bias. For this ancient wisdom treasure is, in its essence, timeless. Universal.  

I intended to appeal to her natural, maternal instinct to educate and protect our children, now and into the future. I would have invited her to join me in giving this small book to the world as living proof that women too have the potential to become peaceful warriors as well as sages. 

But, as I said, The Way of the Sage took a detour. Immediately after publishing it, however, I became aware that it was just the first installment.  

Overnight, I received the content of a second installment. Again, it didn’t include the originally outlined facts and details. Instead, something else, equally unexpected, emerged.  

This time, I was called to explain these Three Whys.  

  • Why this subject?  
  • Why me? Why am I the right person to address it? And  
  • Why this subject and me NOW?  

The Three Why’s aren’t necessarily separate. They seem to blend and interact. I’ll do my best, as briefly as possible, to sort it out for you. 

——————————————————— 

WHY THIS? 

As stated earlier: 

What I’ve been given in trust to share with the world is a re-vision of timeless wisdom, clear and simple in form, suited to the needs of the times.  

The form is two-part, consisting of a mutually reinforcing map and a manual. One is an overview, a snapshot of quantum reality. The other, with good reason, has been called The Ultimate Personal Survival Guide.   

For many reasons, some explained below, the future ahead is going to be majorly unfamiliar. However positive pending changes will ultimately prove to be, at the onset they’ll be perceived by most to be fearful and threatening.  

In that context, the Sage’s Way of Wisdom – embodied in the combo of the quantum Life Wheel and the Book of Change, are going to be the resources we can turn to and depend upon. They’ll guide those open to change, helping them travel safely through the challenges of a global shift, one day and one situation at a time, so they don’t crash and burn, don’t fall victim to cultural shock.  

These wisdom tools offer the option to see changing times as the rare and precious opportunity they are to practice the Phoenix Response to change: to die to the old in order to be reborn into something new and better in the same lifetime. 

In combination, this map and manual hold the answers to humanity’s collective prayers for: 

  • Truth.  
  • Freedom, first within, then without.  
  • Peace, first within, then without.   
  • Harmony and health.   
  • Loving, supportive relationships at home, in the community, and in the world.   
  • An end to confusion, conflict and corruption.  
  • An understanding of how the world really works.  
  • A return to simplicity and goodness.   

And there’s more. So much more. Even the legendary Confucius, accomplished as he was, wished for an additional 75 years of life in order to study and increase his understanding of this endlessly profound science. 

Among many other things, the I Ching works like a cosmic clock. It forewarns of danger and nurtures the inner strength to cope with and outlast inevitable shocks and adversity. 

Supporting commentary could easily be supplied, but this short post isn’t the place. For now, Trust me. It’s true. It’s all true.   

As for the complimentary quantum Life Wheel, although apparently simple, it satisfies the inclusive standard of Occam’s Razor. Its implications are universal. Its applications are endless. Here’s just one suggestive example: 

————————————————————— 

WHY ME? 

Long story short, my life has been a wandering path that has, over time, seeming miraculously, as if all were preordained, given me access to the broad range of information that had to be integrated. I’ve been uniquely called to collect the mosaic pieces of various wisdom traditions and intuitively known how they fit together, forming the unified picture presented here.  

Again, this isn’t the place to go into scholarly detail. For now, please trust me.  

But why the physical me? So many reasons, it couldn’t have been anyone else. It’s not just my name which, like Sage’s, nominates me for the role. It had to be West. I’ve been cautioned not to lose myself in eastern traditions, but rather to serve as a bridge, to integrate them into western civilization.  

And it had to be my gender. Women are the ones for whom the system works least. They’re the ones most qualified to address its blind spots and serve as change agents — of necessity, to be “the early adaptive.” More importantly, my gentle yin nature — my persona – speaks to the crying need to restore respect for the receptive, nurturing yin qualities of human nature, lacking which our civilization has degenerated into its current condition of critical mass. 

As for scholarly qualifications, I spoke to this in The Qualification That Matters. 

On the one hand, does it really matter who the messenger is? It’s the message that counts. If the truth of what I say resonates and the results work for you, the message speaks for itself. It stands on its own merit.  

On the other hand, if you really believe that the messenger matters, then truth be told, the best of what I know comes from personal experience.  

Which isn’t to say I haven’t paid my dues. I’ve earned the traditional academic credentials to string behind my name. (B.A. in history and philosophy from Oberlin College. M.A. in English and Ph.D.in Educational Administration from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.)   

But in this light, they don’t much matter. In fact, most of what I learned in schools later had to be unlearned. 

The qualification that genuinely matters here is that I have a good teacher. A really, really good teacher. And that we have your best interests at heart. 

The one we called Old Avatar was a uniquely advanced soul. Lao Tze best describes his vast, but subtle influence. “The presence of true masters is only suspected.” His Universal Mind permeates the quantum field. Those open to his magic respond and all is done. Truth seekers automatically tune in to him, broadcasting from the far side — Tony Robbins included. 

Tony Robbins and I are connected through OA.  It works both ways. I was attracted to Tony’s Awaken the Giant Within. This website was, in fact, inspired by his challenge. Conversely, much of what Tony teaches reflects how well he’s tuned into OA. For example, OA’s MPI standard permeates his work.  

—————————————- 

WHY NOW? 

Long story short, astrologically, the times are ripe and ready. Without going into technical detail, suffice it to say that planet Earth is approaching a time of massive change. Where before, things weren’t possible, they’re quickly becoming inevitable. 

As described in Wheels Within Wheels, we’re in the midst of an extraordinarily rare triple conjunction that last occurred 2,300 years ago. It was marked by the massive economic and cultural shifts that followed from the conquests of Alexander the Great. It’s that huge. 

We’re at critical mass. I, along with others born for such a time as this (including General Michael Flynn and Patrick Byrne), are doing our best to avert a destructive civil war intentionally being provoked by dark side minions. Were they to prevail, it would take civilization back to the dark ages.  

We’ve long been forewarned. Astrologically, the ongoing Saturn-Uranus square [exacerbated by the conflict-creating Pluto-Eris square] culminates in the weeks approaching U.S. mid-term elections. This escalating tension is scheduled to be topped off by a kinetic full moon lunar eclipse that occurs – I kid you not — exactly on that date – November 8, 2022.  

Using this foresight in combination with wisdom tools, we can steer our planning and behavior. We have the ability, potential, opportunity — actually a divine calling — to collectively tip the balance in favor of world peace.  

Let’s choose life. Let’s choose the Way of the Sage: respecting all of life and practicing peace, first within, then without.  

So much to say. So little time. So little space.  

But for now, until the next time, be well. All best.  

Patricia West is author of The Common Sense Book of Change and Two Sides of a Coin: Lao Tze’s Common Sense Way of Change. She’s currently working on The Phoenix Response: Dying To Be Reborn – in the Same Lifetime. 

Looking in the Wrong Place for Answers

 

A poetic I Ching warning advises:  

Don’t hunt for deer in a forest in which none dwell. 

In plain English, it translates as, Don’t look for right answers where they’re not to be found. 

Let’s start with the most basic, universal question, “Who Am I?”  

If we look to the paradigm of empirical science for answers, they’re, at best, incomplete. Often misleading. And they change over a lifetime. 

I am so and so’s child. At times, I’m so and so’s friend, brother, sister, wife, or husband. Other times, I’m orphaned, abandoned, isolated and alone in the world. 

I’m born rich or poor, or somewhere in-between.  

I’m a farmer, plumber, doctor, lawyer or Indian chief; a housewife, salesman, cook or cleaner. 

I’m a skeptic or believer; an atheist, agnostic, humanitarian, pagan, shaman, sage, Jew, Muslim, Christian, or whatever. 

I’m a democrat, republican, libertarian, communist, iconoclast, rebel without a cause, or whatever.  

And these identities continuously shift over a lifetime. 

For most, biological identity is less mutable. I inhabit a male or female body which gradually ages over time. For all but the most imaginative, sexual preferences remain fairly fixed. 

But these identities are all restricted to the ever-changing surface of the quantum Life Wheel.  

Hidden within these answers is an implicit assumption. My things, my status and others — parents, teachers, community, church, state, or whatever — define Who I AM. Do they? Really? ?  

Is it possible that I have the right – ultimately, a responsibility — to define myself? 

In any case, in the long run, none of the usual answers are satisfying or fulfilling.  

The cabaret singer wails, “Is that all there is?”  

And the soul knows, “No.” What we see is the tiniest tip of an infinite iceberg. There’s so much more to life! None of these ephemeral, physical expressions of the True Self define the Me who I truly AM. 

Attempting to change things for the better inside the trap of the materialistic paradigm is an exercise in futility. To exchange one lifestyle for another, one gender expression for another, a new hairstyle, political affiliation, profession . . . whatever . . . is to look for answers to universal discontent in the wrong place. 

Fulfillment and satisfaction aren’t be found anywhere on the surface of the Life Wheel. Not really. Not in the long-term. 

The deer we desperately seek – our deepest longings, our true heart’s desire – dwell deep within the energy, light and Source levels of the Life Wheel which, in its arrogance, empirical science has ruled out. 

The more spacious, complete Quantum Paradigm is the right place to look for answers to our questions. 

For example, over a lifetime, I’ve struggled with understanding how to define myself as a woman. It was agonizing. I won’t bore you with the pages of details confided into journals over the years. Suffice it to say, going back for generations, the war between the sexes left causalities on all sides. 

Only by redefining myself in quantum perspective have I been able to put old demons to rest, saving the baby of feminine essence from the bathwater of unnatural stereotypes. 

Great compassion for my father and brother, who suffered as much from the oppression of limiting stereotypes as did I, compels me to wish for others what my family lacked. Namely, the awareness that each of us is, in essence, an immortal soul.  

Further, within each of us are the innate potentials to express both yin and yang qualities, balanced according to time, place and situation.  

In comparison, the biological bodies we chose for this particular incarnation are but a tiny percent of the vastness of who we each truly are. 

Even further, empirical science measures IQ. But it has no language for expressing the unique evolutionary path upon which each of us traveling.  I’ve left you some hints in Psychology’s Blind Spot. It’s worth a look. 

From another angle, I spoke to gender confusions in a comment to a locals website. The host was advocating civil unions as a way to keep all sides “happy,” avoiding religious conflicts. I responded:  

“Okay. My pesky muse insists I engage in your marriage discussion. How to do this briefly, clearly & usefully is quite the challenge. But will give it my best shot. 

“Restoring clarity and correctness to human relationships can only be achieved by starting with the basic understanding that everyone, everywhere shares in common the existence of a central, eternal core of divinity. From this point of view, genuine self-respect arises and from it, reverence for all life follows. 

“Secondarily, there’s an energetic substratum which all share in common, the e=energy level of the Quantum Paradigm. Though suppressed by cultural conditioning with grotesque consequences, by nature we all have the capacity to blend and alternate between different combinations of yin and yang: being submissive or assertive, gentle or firm, yielding or solid, nurturing or protective, etc. etc. 

“It’s only at the m=mass level of material tangible expression that souls separate into sexes, presumably for purpose of reproduction (though as Margaret Mead eloquently established in her research, the roles and attitudes assigned and assumed to these differences are not fixed. They vary greatly in different cultures).   

“These basic differences are matter of fact, and can’t be altered surgically/chemically. For example, at a seminar I once attended, Michio Kushi randomly called a man and woman up from the audience to prove this point. He held a pendulum over the head of each. It circled in one direction over the man, in the opposite direction over the woman. 

“Now, both men and women get bent out of shape because limiting either/or gender stereotypes are stifling across the board. The solution, however, is NOT any of the liberal BS which compounds problems rather than solving them. It is to link the levels, allowing for the natural and divine to filter through to and illumine human relationships in the infinitely variable ways they can express. 

“It would be an understatement to say that the radical, extreme separation and conflict generated by misunderstanding and disrespect for feminine essence (on the part of both men and women) is at the root of current dysfunctions . . . from personal relationships up to and including cultural breakdowns.  

“Legalities one way or the other don’t address the real issues, nor can they change what needs to be changed. 

“Amen. 

“PS. The problem with an exclusively rational approach is that, while it may be better than a reactive, emotional approach, it’s still half-assed. It’s divorced from the levels where problems begin and levels deeper still where genuine solutions are found.” 

Once one escapes from the trap of the materialistic paradigm, the field opens wide to infinite possibilities. So I dearly wish every one of you the best in your quest for better answers.  

As a matter of fact, it seems that events are conspiring to push the collective in the direction of quantum solutions. Everything we thought we knew and could take for granted in the material world is relentlessly being swept out from underneath us.

There’s no guarantee that the future will be easy. But it’ll be grand! Because you ain’t seen nothing yet!

Why do I say this? Tune in for the next installment: The Grand Finale. 

 

Patricia West is author of The Common Sense Book of Change and Two Sides of a Coin: Lao Tze’s Common Sense Way of Change. She’s currently working on The Phoenix Response: Dying To Be Reborn – in the Same Lifetime. 

My Dream – 020421

Late Saturday night, the final day of January, I woke up from a vivid dream that asked to be remembered. I picked up the mini-recorder at my bedside to capture the memory, still fresh.

The original dream triggered a flow of thoughts. I kept recording.

The following day, I transcribed the entire flow. There was enough for several posts, even a little book along the lines of What Is the Freedom You Want? or Be Careful What You Dream Of.

For today, I’ll just tell you about that late night dream and my conclusion. I get back to the steps leading from point A to Z later.

In the dream, I had an urgent message for multi-talented, multi-millionaire Patrick Byrne. His well-known mentors include Warren Buffet and Milton Friedman, proponent of school choice — close cousin to the alternative school I credentialed myself to create.

In contrast, we knew my hidden but vastly more attained teacher as, simply, “Old Avatar.”

In the dream, I was sent to warn Patrick of things OA taught me probably outside his teachers’ range of experience. I urged him to understand that good intentions, a steel-trap mind and even a martial arts black belt aren’t enough. Bad guys are broadcasting from the invisible e=energy level of the Life Wheel (called the bardo, dream field, or subconscious) – affecting the masses at an unconscious level. Accordingly, psychic shielding is essential to spiritual warfare.

Unfortunately, schools don’t teach from a paradigm that includes energy dynamics, much less their abuse. Bad guys exploit this blind spot. To prevail, good guys must become more aware and skillful in the full-spectrum of quantum potentials.

My conclusion: 21st century institutional resets across the board all depend upon first restoring the complete, accurate Quantum Paradigm to common public knowledge. All else follows.

Today I’ll ask the Book of Change for feedback on this preliminary paradigm shift. Supporting details will follow in future posts.

PERMANENCE is the original, dynamic answer to today’s basic question, “What is the I Ching’s view of building future institutions consistent with the Quantum Paradigm?”

First I thought, I’ve seen this answer before. Recently. When I checked my notes, all the variables appear in the last two readings, repeating yet again from earlier 2020 posts. But their placements are different, making the immediate answer unique to this question.

In fact, at first the question was more detailed. “Institutions” was qualified to include governments, military, media, schools and healthcare, as well as legal and economic systems. The paradigm was qualified as one which balances reason and compassion with faith.

The starting point of the reading is:

Search for PERMANENCE in the timeless wisdom of all ages. Human events repeat themselves in well-ordered patterns over many generations. Although the actors change, the values they pass on through their examples endure. Nothing of permanent value is ever lost. Live worthy of your heritage. Avoid disrespect for traditions.

My first thought: at the start this shift, we need to recognize there’s no necessary conflict between the Quantum Paradigm and traditional teachings. It’s not an either/or choice. To the extent that Truth is eternal and unchanging, by definition its expressions old and new will confirm and reinforce each other. Only to the extent that they aren’t consistent are choices required.

Here’s an example. The Shema is a three-part Torah command intoned by Jews in synagogue: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

It’s echoed in the triad of the Lord’s Prayer taught by Christ. As I repeat every night, Thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory forever.

The same triad repeats as energy centers in Chinese and Sanskrit yogas. In turn, they’re compatible with the variables of Einstein’s formula and with the levels of the archetypal Life Wheel. (Later on, I’ll give you a simple picture to help visualize this unifying theme.)

* * *

Advice of the fourth line reads, “To find what you seek, look in the right place.” This is the converse of poetic I Ching wisdom, “Don’t hunt for deer in a forest where none dwell”

In my dream, I warned Patrick that tangible results on the material 3D surface of the Life Wheel cannot be not changed at the same level. Surface events flow from and are effectively improved upon only from deeper levels of 4D and 5D quantum reality.

As Einstein put it, problems cannot be solved on the same level at which they occur. To expect they could be is a form of insanity.

Put another way, corrupt political/economic practices on the surface, material plane of the Life Wheel are symptoms. The root cause and cure cannot be found except by going deeper. The paradigm which economists like Buffet and Friedman represent does not speak to 1) the e=energy, subconscious level where corruption festers; or 2) still deeper, the c=light, superconscious level from which creative innovations arise.

When advice is heeded and a complete, correct approach to creating institutional structures is accepted, the line changes to Promotion, which reads:

Promotion will come from steady, positive improvement over time. Rising to meet new challenges results in emotional maturity. Advancing on the job puts one in the position to serve those who are in need. Quiet, persistent self-discipline wins the confidence of others. Make the most of opportunities. Avoid hesitation.

Forward motion toward a positive shift will not succeed over night, but is well-worth our consistent, positive action towards this goal.

* * *

Advice of the fifth line reads, “Choose methods by purpose. Visionary projects require creativity and courage.” Quantum theory is not enough. We also need awareness methods and tools for invoking direct experience. Meditation and working with the I Ching are premier practices to this end.

When advice is heeded and balance achieved, the line changes to Inner Strength, which reads:

When difficult situations come to a head, rely on INNER STRENGTH to endure. If it becomes necessary to retreat, do so with courage and self-confidence. Make sure your inner and outer resources are secure. If you must begin a new life, you will have to depend on them. Avoid helplessness.

In geometry, a triangle is the most stable form. This strength is compounded by the intersection of opposite, complimentary strengths.

In the short term, however beneficial the outcome of simplification, it won’t happen quickly or easily. Resistance to the new by entrenched power holders will predictably be fierce and merciless. The courage and strength of solar system, “hara,” lower tan tien . . “true grit”. . . is required in full measure to see us through to the positive results of this blessed paradigm shift.

* * *

When the advice of the changing lines is heeded, Origin is their combined outcome. It reads:

All people thirst to know the roots their ORIGIN. At one level, learning about family and cultural traditions fills this need. At another level, this quest is satisfied by seeking for deeper knowledge. The vitality of all races flows from a single source which never runs dry. Avoid narrow-mindedness.

Right now, the majority are stuck on the narrow-minded surface of the Life Wheel. The prevailing false paradigm prevents humanity from accessing the deepest level for which we all thirst.

It’s like the patient’s picture in Jung’s Alchemical Studies. A bird stands before a closed door in the trunk of a large tree and weeps. The tree is the Tree of Life. The bird is the human spirit. Its soul weeps because it cannot enter.

The quest for fulfillment at deeper levels of the Life Wheel is stuff of the archetypal hero’s journey. Odysseus adventures to find his way home. The prodigal son returns to the father.

As we each repeat the pattern, one person at a time, the larger civilization as a whole will begin to reflect the sum of our individual achievements.

Choose LOVE – 011621

We have a shared vision, Patrick Byrne and I. Who is he? Why do I say this? What is the vision? And what does the Chinese Book of Change have to say to the world about this vision?

I’ll let Patrick, widely recognized as a modern day renaissance man, tell you in his own words. Here’s a quote from an interview with Dave Rubin:

I’m a great admirer of the Chinese. Yeah. I’ve loved China. I’m an old China hand. I grew up loving China. If I had a historical role in the world, it was going to be to somehow to build . . (here he made his point with a hand gesture):

I think the best thing that could happen for the world is some sort of merger of the U.S. and Chinese principles that actually could create healthy perpetual peace for the world. . . We have a lot to learn from the Chinese. They do some things very well.

What is merger Patrick has in mind?

Their family, their traditions, their focus on education and on building human capital. All kinds of things I saw in China and I thought, “Boy. This is what we need to see more of here.”

But what I love about our system is freedom. And there needs to be some sort of merger of those interests.

Perpetual peace? Though I personally can’t see that far and wide, it’s certainly a noble ideal. For starters, I’d be quite content if a merger served to support the goal of human survival, which Einstein warned us, can no longer be taken for granted.

What I have to contribute to Patrick’s version of the vision is the reality map of the Life Wheel, the embodiment of Einstein’s intuited Unified Field Theory. It serves as the foundation of genuine UNITY – not of just of the States of America, but humanity as a whole. It embodies the underlying wisdom of the timeless (not merely “ancient”) Book of Change. It supports, not as philosophic theory, but as scientific fact the quantum reality which en-compass humans everywhere throughout all time:

The archetypal Life Wheel is easily adapted to show freedom and individuality on the surface, compatible with enduring commitments to family and country at a deeper level, both sustained by fidelity to Conscience at the eternal, unchanging Center (alternatively called Source, Creator, God, or simply nothing at all).

I really wanted to know what the I Ching – China’s enduring heritage (though currently censored by the anti-life CCP) — has to say to the world about this shared vision. So that’s what I asked in the reading which follows.

We’re not taught to look to the Book of Change for answers to our deepest questions. That’s why I’m bringing the book to you.

DECLINE is the original but dynamic answer to the question, “What does the Book of Change want to tell the world about the vision of merging U.S. and Chinese values to create healthy, perpetual peace for the world?” It reads:

Economy of means is required by DECLINE. The cycle of time is entering a period of decreasing resources. Make necessary adjustments with patience and strength. Be ready to accept changes of lifestyle cheerfully. A return to simple living is for the best. Resistance would only make things worse. Avoid bitterness.

The initial reading describes our immediate starting point. Unavoidably, things are going to get even rougher before they get better. But just as there were opportunities hidden within 2020’s COVID crisis, the hidden blessing of 2021 may well be the (necessary) return to simplicity and grace (not coincidentally, the subject of Paul Selig’s next series.) To quote Patrick:

Really, the way to handle [pressures on large organizations] is just keep everything simple. Keep the Truth the Truth and keep the rules simple. Simple rules for a complex world.

* * *

Advice of the bottom line reads, “Be balanced in giving and receiving. Think through your priorities.”

Each culture has much to offer the other. Each fills in a blind spot in the other. These compliments have the potential to make both whole. A balanced, respectful exchange of values and ideas, neither side claiming superiority, would be immensely beneficial across the board. The priority? Human survival may well be at stake.

When the advice is heeded, it changes to Immaturity, which reads:

Problems experienced now may stem from IMMATURITY rather than from any basic fault. Decide what you need to learn and seek out unselfish people who can help you gain experience. If your mind is open, you will not be denied. If you are a teacher, look for sincerity. Avoid arrogance.

Immaturity here may be one of ignorance, best repaired by education. To quote Patrick, who was chosen by Milton Friedman as his successor:

Milton thought that the way you save the nation was with school choice. He used to say that our current government school system – our socialist school system — is gonna teach socialist values. A free market system would teach freedom. He saw that’s how we save the country in the long-term.

This is another, related vision Patrick and I share in common. I endured the painful process of earning a Ph.D. in Educational Administration for the sake of the credential required to build an alternative “School Without Walls.”

* * *

Advice of the second line reads, “Effective relationships depend on knowing how to time your actions.” When the advice is heeded, when we choose to grow up, outgrowing immature beliefs and ways, it changes to Growth, which reads:

People seek help according to what they need for their own growth. Unless hunger is fed with the right food, no amount of input will satisfy. To understand others, watch how they nourish themselves. Nature provides for all. Leaders promote those who have the ability to serve many. Avoid greed.

Above all, people everywhere crave love and acceptance within human family. In balance, they also hunger for truth, freedom, independence and self-respect. These values must be merged and harmonized. Making them an either/or choice is a death-trap.

* * *

Advice of the third line reads, “Single people attract companions while groups of three break down.” Being alone, as if the only star in the sky, is isolating and invites the complement which completes it. When the advice is heeded, it changes to Restraint which reads:

Exercise RESTRAINT in your actions. Seek the company of people who can advise on the best way to use your resources. The skills you have learned earlier can now be used to benefit others. Multiply the benefit of what has already been done by sharing results. Avoid careless waste.

Exactly. Seek out the company of advisors (including The Book of Change) to assist in this cultural cross-fertilization. Sharing the best of what each has to offer (and sometimes have forgotten) multiplies benefits across the board.

* * *

Advice of the fourth line reads, “Hold yourself to high standards, but be patient with others.” The thoughtful assimilation of and transition to the Quantum Paradigm will not occur over night. Patient forbearance is required. When the advice is heeded, it changes to Opposites which reads:

OPPOSITES attract. When they are skillfully balanced, they unite to form a heart with a common center. When they clash, the conflict is destructive. Blending opposites is not easy. Rely on the unity beneath all diversity to bridge the gap. The result will be a creative flowering. Avoid stubborn resistance.

In immediate context, the apparent opposites with the potential to either merge or fatally clash are the values of the U.S. versus those of China. Parse each book-worthy sentence as if gold. In combination, they offer the way out of current madness.

A famous quote from The Ballad of East and West, a 19th century poem by British author Rudard Kipling, keeps coming back into mind. It speaks to the historic clash but potential transcendence of paradigms, obsolete and future. The message holds true despite sexist assumptions, and even though East and West in this case are China and the U.S., not India and England. It starts:

It continues:

* * *

When the advice of each line is heeded, the combined, final outcome is Travel, which reads:

When you have outgrown a situation, it is time to TRAVEL on. Staying longer would prevent attainment of important goals. Commitments made now probably would not work out. In dealing with strangers exercise careful self-control. Talk little. Listen much. Learn from everyone who has information to share. Avoid dangerous exposure.

In the immediate circumstance, what has been outgrown is false paradigm of fracture, conflict, competition, and fear-driven dominance and control. While turning away from obsolete ways of governance in hopes of a better future, don’t, however, underestimate the vindictive backlash of old paradigm power-holders. They’re dangerously motivated by the fear of their impending extinction. Act accordingly.

In sum, as during the biblical times of Exodus, the Creator is giving humanity a choice with dire consequences. “Choose Life or choose death.” I know what mine is. I choose Love of Life. What is yours?

In conclusion, Dave Rubin commented, “I think you’re gonna help us navigate the freaking nasty, really rough waters we’re about to go through.” He asked Patrick, “Is there something we should be thinking about?”

His answer? The same one I’ve repeatedly offered in past posts. Keep the faith. I do not think we’re gonna lose this. I actually think that we’re gonna win. KEEP THE FAITH.

Look for the map of the next four years in The Lessons of 2020: Using the Wisdom of CHANGE to Build a Better Future, available on amazon at the end of January 2021.

If you’d like a copy of the Common Sense Book of Change, or extras to give others, click here.

To order Two Sides of a Coin: Lao Tze’s Common Sense Way of Change, click here.

Okay, then. That’s all for now. Talk with you again soon. Take care, all.

The Pinnacle of Peace – IC – 122820

In the wake of Christmas 2020, approaching a New Year, with civil war brewing in the midst of an unprecedented constitutional crisis, I listened for a second time to the second part of Jan Jekielek’s Epoch Times interview with Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn. It’s called Will the American Republic Survive?

I urge you to listen to and carefully ponder General Flynn’s comments on the future of this country. He’s a truly honorable man of wisdom, uncommon good sense, and integrity. Here’s a direct quote, transcribed from the beginning:

What we have to understand in this country is, that this country is an experiment. Empires come and go. Nation-states fail. Are we still growing as the beacon of hope for the rest of the world? I still believe that in my heart.

But I know that there is a dimension of our experiment that is sort of in our face right now. . . We the people — the American public — have to decide what is it that they want. Because we will not last forever.

General Flynn elaborated on the degeneration of the three branches of government that each treated him with “brutal” injustice. Here, I couldn’t resist typing in a comment:

Keep perspective, Gen. Flynn. Remember the work of Kuhn on Paradigm Shifts. The dying order sees you [along with our President] — the voices of the future — as an existential threat to their survival. Temporary “power holders” with vested interest in the past historically resist change with all their might. The extent of their brutality towards you is exactly in proportion to the greatness of your light shining to expose their darkness.

Now, why is it called a paradigm shift? Technically it’s not a shift to something new. Actually, it’s a return to the perennial philosophy which wisdom traditions East and West share in common.

The honorable General is in synch with that wisdom. As he says, having read enough history, he recognizes that there are repeating cycles of history. He also recognizes the existence of levels of law and the importance of their being in alignment. The shift he represents is a return from out-of-alignment, secular fragmentation back to one of Unity. It looks like this:

General Flynn also speaks of the danger to the Republic when “so-called leaders” act as if they were above human law. He anticipates a higher accounting for those who aren’t held accountable in human law courts. Lawless officials, driven by ambition and selfish self-interests rather than being motivated by service, act as if the pinnacle of achievement were a matter of ephemeral control and dominance on the surface of the Life Wheel.

Here’s a picture worth of a book of words to show you what I mean:

For lack of space, I offer you a few bullet points. Each qualifies General Flynn’s observations:

  • Asked what might steer us in the direction of preserving the Republic, he emphasizes the importance of upgrading education, especially in civics and history. I would add, of paradigms. I would also restore the pristine definition of education, which means to lead from darkness to light.
  • Across the centuries, limited leaders repeatedly fall into the same mistake: a false paradigm which assumes that the pinnacle of power resides in a human hierarchy with a few leaders at the top, the majority beneath them at the bottom base. To correct this mistake, we need a complete and accurate paradigm, common to all, not reserved exclusively to hermits living in monastaries, caves or mountain tops.
  • The General speaks of the Bible as being foundational to the Constitution and written into America’s very DNA. I would add that 8,000 plus years of I Ching wisdom is written into the DNA of China’s culture. Just as some would rip ancestral wisdom out of America’s DNA, some have sought to rip the wisdom out of China’s DNA. It needs similar restoration. Were each culture to restore its own traditions and honor the underlying, universal truth shared in common, everyone worldwide would benefit.
  • General Flynn says All this town [DC] has done is get us and keep us in wars. He asks, What’s the aberration. Is peace the aberration or is war the aberration? In response, here are two suggestive paragraphs from Rethinking Peace:

In I Ching context, peace is an inward state of calm that manifests as outward poise. External conditions will always be in flux. Therefore, looking for peace in the world is an exercise in futility. Internal states, however, are subject to self-governance. . . .

The sage takes responsibility for attaining inner peace. Inner quiet begets the attitude of confidence, which in turn generates acts of compassion, courage and generosity. World organizations which would impose military peace upon warring nations comprised of individuals each at war internally have no hope of success.

Respecting the constitutional crisis at hand, I defer to The Laws of Change published by Jack Balkin, a Yale professor of constitutional law. Striking relevance to immediate concerns will be self-evident.

BREAKTHROUGH is the initial answer to the question, “What should we be aware of today at the current stage of the ongoing constitutional crisis?”

Balkin calls the hexagram Biting Through. Keywords he lists include: Reform, Acting decisively, Administering punishments, and Doing justice. He comments:

The obstruction represents an obstruction to harmony or unity, and a corresponding need for justice or reform. Faced with obstruction, we must proceed with energy and clarity to remedy the problem immediately.

He continues:

This is not a time to be meek and pliant. Attack the problem with energy and determination. If you do not act quickly and decisively, the problems will not go away, and it may only become worse. Nevertheless, this does not mean that you should be reckless. Prompt and efficient action is necessary, but your action should be based on clear thinking rather than emotion. And it should be the result of careful planning rather than blind instinct. The best approach now is one that is firm but reasonable, fair but resolute.

* * *

After evolving through permutations of the third and fourth lines, the final outcome is SHADOW. Balkin calls this hexagram Darkening of the Light. Key words include Eclipse, Brilliance injured, Censorship, Keeping a low profile, and Hiding your feelings. He comments:

Here an inferior person is in control. An upright minister must keep in the background and hide his brilliance during a time of darkness and adversity.

He continues:

Hostile circumstances require you to accept the situation outwardly for the time being. But you must never surrender. Hold fast to your enduring values and to your ultimate goals. Remember who you are and what you stand for. . .

When the sun descends below the horizon, is does not disappear forever. It merely goes into hiding for a time. Anyone who thinks that the sun will never rise again has lost touch with reality. The same is true in your situation. Things will eventually improve.

Deceptive, censoring, complicit corporate media giants notwithstanding, it’s not over.

Steady Wins the Race That Matters – IC – 121720

It strikes me as a bit odd (not to mention ironic), that as we approach the sacred season of Christ’s mass, we so often hear about Dominion in the news. There was a time when that word was used to point to the Kingdom of Heaven, seat of the Father above as ruler of our world beneath.

Perversely, ancient emperors – in China or Rome, for example –held themselves high above others, believing, like gods, they could exercise dominion over the world.

Now when we hear the word Dominion, it’s the name of a foreign-made software intentionally designed to rig elections. Its use as part of a orchestrated effort to flip votes has triggered a Constitutional crisis. Voter fraud, unchecked, would be death of the American dream.

Dominion has been instrumental in bringing a country weakened by COVID shut-downs to the boiling point of civil war. This potential self-destruction serves the world-domination ends of dark-side rulers.

Is the name Dominion mere coincidence?

On the flip side, yogis, sages and saints, consistent with the perennial philosophy of wisdom traditions, have an opposite approach to power. Rather than seeking to control others, they focus on self-mastery. Eckart Tolle, for example, honors the Center of the Life Wheel as the true source of power. Lao Tze’s famous words sum up it up this way:

Mastering others is strength. Mastering yourself is true power.

Here’s the long version:

Easier said than done. Described throughout as 2020’s foremost challenge, self-mastery starts with the daunting task of cleaning out one’s inner swamp.

The task is much easier when you’re working with a complete and accurate paradigm that maps the levels of energy. Basic to all versions of yoga (union) is the picture of energy anatomy. True masters link the levels by controlling the breath (psyche). In this world view, the more the merrier. Your attainment compliments mine, making the whole world greater.

Here’s a picture worth a book of words:

We’re not taught to look to the Book of Change for answers to our deepest questions. That’s why I’ve been bringing the book to you. Through the end of 2020, bi-weekly posts have served to make what was once unfamiliar now familiar.

None of the four hexagrams in today’s readings are new to 2020. We’ve seen each of them before, some more than once. But the immediate context give them a whole new meaning.

Interestingly, the top and bottom lines of the original answer, GENTLENESS, flip. They trade places to create a new final outcome. The top solid line sinks to the bottom. The broken bottom line rises to the top. It looks like this:

GENTLENESS is the original answer to today’s question, “What should we be aware of NOW?” It reads:

As the wind moves clouds, shapes mountains and stirs the trees, so GENTLENESS has a powerful influence. Quiet, steady gradual actions win respect and cooperation. Find out what concerns the people you work with and speak in those terms. In this way, you can reach their minds. Avoid noisy conflict.

Gentleness is the way of self-mastery, polar opposite of political cleverness and military force. It is the way of enduring success.

* * *

Advice of bottom line reads: “Don’t act without clear purpose. Make a decision. Stick to it.” The element of wind in this case is a matter of breath control, not external weather. It is neither arbitrary nor impulsive. Whatever the outcome of political races, thoughtfulness and steady consistency wins the inner race that matters.

When advice is heeded, the changes to Frustration. This is the fourth time it has appeared, always in mid-stream, never in either the original or final position. It reads:

External factors you may not even be aware of will cause FRUSTRATION. New projects will not work out now. This cannot be avoided. Arguing will not influence those who could help. Your choice is either to wait patiently or to leave the situation. Pay attention to details. Avoid major commitments.

As of today, arguments through the legal system have, for unknown reasons, met with little response. Some are patiently waiting for their day in the court. Frustrated, Texas has other ideas and is ready to part ways with the Union.

* * *

Advice of top line reads: “Do not think so much that timely action is delayed.”

All people thirst to know the roots their ORIGIN. At one level, learning about family and cultural traditions fills this need. At another level, this quest is satisfied by seeking for deeper knowledge. The vitality of all races flows from a single source which never runs dry. Avoid narrow-mindedness.

Seeking deeper knowledge that leads to unity is the path of self-mastery. Forgetting our common origins, seeking to subordinate, exploit and eventually destroy fellow human beings is the path of separation and mutual self-destruction.

* * *

Were the warnings of both changing lines heeded, the composite final outcome is Patience. It advises us to hope that courage, light and truth will prevail, as General Flynn believes it will. Stay the course. Justice on all levels will prevail:

PATIENCE is the best friend of determination. Remain confident that everything will work out in due time and have the courage to wait. Think carefully now. Decide what you want and how to get it. Prepare so that when the time for action comes you will be ready. Avoid confusion.

Patience is not necessarily passive. This week is a time for mental action, preparing for the future ahead.

Collected posts will be published as The Lessons of 2020: Using the Wisdom of CHANGE to Build a Better Future. Look for it on amazon in January of 2021.

If you’d like a copy of the Common Sense Book of Change, or extras to give others, click here.

To order Two Sides of a Coin: Lao Tze’s Common Sense Way of Change, click here.

Okay, then. That’s all for now. Talk with you again soon. Take care, all.

Choose Wisely, My Friend

THE EXISTENTIAL ISSUE

It is widely held that knowledge is power.

It’s also widely known that power corrupts.

This begs the important questions, What is power? Where does it come from?

For example, Eckart Tolle tells us about The Source of True Power. Consistent with the Quantum Paradigm, he speaks of an inner light that dispels the darkness of ignorance and human suffering.

In Life Wheel context, power takes on new meanings at each, increasingly deeper level. Energy, vitality, emotional maturity, self-mastery and spiritual wisdom are all pieces of the larger power puzzle.

However, in the empirical science paradigm, only the m=mass surface of the Life Wheel exists. The inner levels of e=energy and c=light are ruled out. In this world view, power is exclusively a matter of physical strength, ownership and control. All things — including human beings and other life forms — are simply objects to be owned, dominated and controlled.

From this limited perspective, world-domination wannabes continue to make the same mistake. Like the song, Everybody Wants To Rule the World, emperors of ancient China assumed their country was the Center of the world. Outsiders were mere barbarians to be subordinated.

Not to be outdone, in the name of Christianity, Europeans later conquered “natives” in the Americas, India, China and Japan.

Coming back circle, the CCP now seeks revenge, upping the ante of the vicious circle in spades. Trading on general ignorance of Natural Law, human nature and methods of self-mastery, they play on lust, greed, pride and fear to seduce, compromise and control their enemies.

What misguided rulers everywhere overlook is that civilizations are ephemeral. They come and go on the surface of the Life Wheel while the timeless Source of power abides deep within at the Center.

Real Genius, the 1985 science fiction comedy film starring Val Kilmer and Gabriel Jarret captures the contrast. These heroes not only think like a genius. They ACT like geniuses. Set in competition against each other by greedy professors and military leaders, they join forces instead. Rather than creating a nuclear weapon, they organize a hilarious, world-class prank.

True to the Life Wheel, lyrics of the movie’s background music capture the essence of this story. “Nothing lasts for ever. Turning our backs on mother nature backfires. Creating weapons of nuclear war reflects lack of vision.”

* * *

THE ULTIMATE CHOICE

Since knowledge as power has been abused to selfish, destructive ends throughout history, wisdom traditions must be continuously be repaired and re-visioned to overcome distortions.

The age-old power question remains. Which side are you on? Do you operate from the belief that Might Makes Right? Or from the understanding that Right Makes Might?

As end-stage 2020 is at risk of erupting into orchestrated civil war, the following image and pair of verses clarify the choice before us:

CHOOSE WISELY, MY FRIEND!

In fact, it’s okay – not only possible but wise, to make both America AND China great again, each in their own way. Greatness isn’t an either/or choice.

But believing any country could ever be the Center of the world is a different subject. It’s simply stupid. Obsolete. To place any country or person above others is a mistake that cannot stand. Not possible. Depending on the seriousness and size of that false claim, it ranges from silly to deeply dangerous.

One of countless variations on that mistake is saying, “God is great,” meaning “only my religion’s concept of God is great. Death to all who follow any religion other than mine.”

To repeat: God at the Center abides without prejudice within each and every one of us. The Center of the Life Wheel is the Source of greatness for any and all who hear and honor the voice of conscience.

POWER TO THE PEOPLE

Why are truth traditions, including the I Ching, out of fashion? In part, because knowledge is power, a commodity rulers want to hide and hoard to themselves. In pristine form, made widely available, access to Source made possible through wisdom traditions gives power to the people. For example, in the last cycle, Martin Luther’s translation of the Bible, giving it to the people to read for themselves for the first time, was a major leap forward.

At end-stage 2020, truth at every level is being systematically distorted, ridiculed and suppressed to keep ordinary Hobbit deplorables in the dark. Material facts as well as religious freedom are being ruthlessly suppressed.

But two wrongs don’t make a right. Because the venerable I Ching has been forsaken by the Chinese doesn’t mean Westerners should follow suit, imitating disrespect, tit for tat.

Correctly used, the I Ching, serves as a means for reconnecting the ordinary mind with inner guidance and conscience. Too often, people use it to figure out how to get whatever it is they want. Dilutions are endless. For example, The Art of War uses the dynamics of Natural Law to win in conflict. Whether your goal is to protect innocents from harm or to destroy them is irrelevant.

Many corruptions apply I Ching principles to winning in business . . at all costs. For example, Number 10 of The 36 Stratagems is called either Hide a Knife in a Smile, Conceal a Knife Behind a Smile, or Use Kindness to Hide Cruelty. Here’s how it’s done:

Act as if you are harmless or a friend in order to get close. Then suddenly attack.

Give gifts and send formal delegations of friendship. Sign treaties. Host sumptuous parties. Show every sign of respect and concern for them until they trust you completely (or at least enough for you to achieve your goals).

Make friends with their key officials who have important information. Make these more loyal to you (or otherwise bribe or blackmail them) so they will betray their employers.

Plot your moves in deepest secret and unleash them at speed so there is no chance for reprisals, counter-attack or other ways of defending.

Sound familiar?!!!

In such perversions, deceit, back-stabbing and betrayal come highly recommended as “fair game.” In reviewing Strategy 10, it seems the CCP isn’t the only one borrowing from the book to undermine elections. Either Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and media elites have been infiltrated and become weaponized tools of anti-American censorship by communist enemies, or else they’ve voluntarily schooled themselves in the corrupt, business-as-war mentality.

American patriots at end-stage 2020 who have been targeted by exactly this kind of dark-side warfare keep good company with Julius Caesar and even Christ.

How do we protect ourselves and those we care for? Is there a remedy? Of course. Cultivate self-awareness, deeper than deep. Read your Bible. Follow the Ten Commandments. Seek refuge in truth traditions in their pristine form. They trump superficial perversions every time. In the words of General Michael Flynn spoken to the crowd gathered in Washington D.C. on 12-12-20:

We will win the spiritual battle for the heart and soul of the nation. We are in a crucible moment. The Truth will prevail. We fight with faith and courage. We will knock down the Jericho walls of the deep state with light and truth. Truth will always triumph over lies.

Half-Brained Is Half-Assed

Have you ever taken the time to think carefully about Ralph Waldo Emerson’s often quoted words of wisdom? If not, it’s worth doing so now:

A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines. With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do. He may as well concern himself with his shadow on the wall.

Here’s the standing joke. Anyone who’s always consistent is consistently wrong half the time. As archers know, if you’re left of center, aim right. When right of center, adjust by aiming left. Otherwise, you miss the mark.

In any case, inspired by Emerson’s words, Henry David Thoreau chose to live like a sage, in seclusion, simply, close to nature, engaging in carpentry and other manual work to survive. He felt the same powerful need we have today . . . to get free of cultural-conditioning which suppresses awareness and full expression of our true nature.

In the year 2000, I outlined a set of essay sketches. This one, to the point of “No Either-Ors,” is a favorite:

Divisions go wide on the surface of the Life Wheel, but also go deep. A common excuse for bureaucratic incompetence is, “The right hand doesn’t know what the left hand is doing.” On a personal level, the right brain doesn’t talk to left. Head and heart are out of synch.

We also say, “She’s all in the head, out of touch with her (e=energy level) emotions.” Deeper still, we observe, “He acts without conscience.”

Folks in biblical times lived closer to nature than most do today. That’s why their teachings often mirror the same wisdom found in the Book of Change. For example, according to King Solomon:

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.

Ecclesiastes continues:

A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up.

Sages of every time and place observe this dance of duality. The pairs of opposites sometimes balance and blend, other times clash or separate.

With their wisdom, it’s possible to steer nature’s energies. Sailors, for example, harnessed shifting winds to safely reach their destination.

Today, however, lacking natural common sense, political elites have led the world dangerously adrift. Divided between extremes, all sides clash mindlessly against perceived enemies. Partisans defend group members, right or wrong.

We seem hopelessly polarized. Any superficial excuse will do. Gender. Race. Religion. National origin. Class. Political affiliation. The list expands into trivia. Favorite sports teams. Fashion preferences.

I’ve already told you what I think of this suicidal, genocidal madness. The only one who benefits from unnatural warfare is the Evil Emperor. Hidden in the invisible realms which science tells us don’t exist, this dark-side entity manipulates us like powerless pawns to our mutual destruction.

Now don’t get me wrong. As Solomon said, there IS a time for war. There’s also a time for the breakdown of institutions which no longer serve their intended purpose. The year 2020 is such a time.

But let there be some balance, some common sense, even in the midst of orchestrated chaos.

I have a major problem with people who sit passively on the sidelines, as if they were helpless victims, unable to make a difference in political outcomes.

I admit I was once of them. But OA set me straight.

I believed, thanks to Sunday school, that Jesus was sweet and nice, as I should be too. He loved little girls and boys (and probably puppies). He was exclusively kind and gentle . . . well-mannered, you might say.

WRONG. Jesus fully lived all sides of Natural Law. OA reminded me of the best known example: overturning the money-changers’ tables in front of the Temple at Jerusalem. He had harsh words for hypocrites.

Bottom line: Jesus wasn’t a wimp. Neither were I Ching-savvy Shaolin monks, who protected their monasteries with Kung Fu.

I’ll also confess, I was brainwashed in university to believe in self-righteous non-violence. Taking up arms to defend myself and protect those I care for would be immoral – not to mention impolite. (That’s someone else’s dirty job.)

Now, I’ve already written half of the story in Gandhi’s Way Out of Madness. Here’s the other half.

Yes, non-violence was a brilliant strategy. It mobilized the masses. Natives succeeded in driving the hated British enemy out.

But then it backfired. Indians brothers and sisters turned that same hatred on each other. Muslims battled Hindus in civil war. They split a unified country in two. Relocation took an unspeakable toll in death, pain and suffering.

WHY?

The yogic principle of non-violence (satyagraha) was a great idea in Gandhi’s head. Weaponized, it was a powerful political tool.

BUT – –

Non-violence was only an idea. An empty, pretty thought. It wasn’t understood by the people. Like pawns, they followed instructions. But commitment wasn’t alive in their hearts. It wasn’t internalized at the deeper, e=energy level of the Life Wheel.

So after Gandhi’s mission to oust an external enemy was accomplished, natives didn’t practice non-violence at home. The country exploded.

The blessing hidden within 2020’s hard lessons is the opportunity to fully recognize the horrific consequences of wide-spread, half-assed behavior, along with the option to heal ourselves. Make ourselves and our country whole again. Unified.

Yes, there are significant wars to be fought. The deep and abiding war between good and evil is the best example. HOWEVER, irrelevant distractions — surface-level differences — aren’t among them.

For the sake of human survival, know the real enemy and pick your battles wisely, guys!

Shifting Gears – IC – 100520

Today’s reading begins where last one ended:

At this crossroads, there’s a choice.

Either we can get sucked into the drama. Play out the anger. Drown in despair.

Or . . . we can use the opportunity of chaotic times to shift gears. Take a deep breath. Go within. Shift our minds to a higher level of consciousness. Change the way we think. Get better results.

The key phrase here is “SHIFT OUR MINDS.” What does that mean? How is it done? If there’s a shift, what are we leaving behind? Where are we headed?

Is a shift – a change in the way we think – really necessary?

Einstein thought so: “You cannot solve a problem from the same level of consciousness that created it.”

This needs unpacking. It’s really important.

***

Q. What problem are we talking about?

A. The problem of human survival. Einstein warned it can no longer be taken for granted. At end-stage 2020, we’re talking about conflict, within and without. Internal fear, anger and hatred is driving explosive external violence, tearing the world apart.

***

Q. At what level of consciousness was this conflict created?

A. On the outer m=mass, material rim of the Life Wheel. Conflict is the result of being cut off from the inner levels, separated from Source.

***

Q. At what level can the problem of conflict be solved?

A. At the innermost levels of intuition (Einstein’s good friend) and Creative Power.

***

Q. How do I get from here to there?

A. It starts with a paradigm shift, first personally, then collectively. Problems can’t be solved without a complete and accurate reality map that shows 1) where problems start and 2) the higher levels of consciousness where the Source of solutions resides.

***

As a matter of human survival, we urgently need to shift the way we think from the exclusively materialistic paradigm of empirical science to the Unified Field paradigm pictured below.

So. Here’s another picture worth 10,000 words. It shows that the called-for shift is one of focus, away from the M=Mass material world of drama and the e=energy level the emotions (fear, anger, and hatred). It’s a shift of attention towards the deeper realms where healing, solace and solutions are found.

So. How do I get from here to there?

Early on, my beloved teacher said it was my choice.“You can make it as easy or hard as you like.”

The easy way is to repent (admit mistakes) and atone (change). Increasing self-awareness with introspective tools, including scriptures and/or the Book of Change, helps. Meditation, especially Joe Dispenza’s dogma-free, science-based approach, is a fast track.

In each case, the purpose is to restore original UNITY to our lives. For this, we need to honor all levels of the Life Wheel. They need to be prioritized, aligned and integrated. Like the gears of a finely tuned mechanical clock designed to tell the correct time, they have to be in synch.

That’s the short story. : )

But then . . . . there’s the hard way. Sadly, it’s the path most often traveled – the fractured one of attachment, denial and resistance.

Another OA story makes the point. It starts with a man who sold a mule, guaranteeing it was a hard worker. But the purchaser returned it, disgusted. Wouldn’t do a thing.

No problem. The seller picked up a 2’x4’ and whacked the mule, hard, right on top of the head. Instantly, it perked up and did whatever it was told.

He chided the purchaser, “All you had to do was get its attention.”

It seems to me that, to get our attention, life is whacking the world with a 2’x4’. . . hard.

Since the vast majority has ignored calls to change that could have been answered the easy way, it’s happening now . . . the hard way.

The I CHING READING

Because we’ve never been taught about The Book of Change, it’s unfamiliar. Along with most of what belongs to the “taboo” inner level of e=energy, its ways remain a mystery, its value forfeit. That’s why I’ve chosen to bring the book to you. Let these bi-weekly readings serve as an opportunity to make what was unfamiliar more familiar.

The answer to today’s question, “What should we be aware of NOW?” is unusual in this way. For the first time in this series, there are no changing lines. OVERCOMING stands unchanged as the consistent, recommended way to Shift Gears:

The harmonizing arts are useful tools for OVERCOMING the forces which block and separate. Inspired music, drama and art express the common light which guides all. Community celebrations remind participants to cooperate in seeking prosperous peace. Rituals celebrating the changes of life affirm the unity of all beings. Avoid isolation.

The vibrations of music evoke and release emotions. Through resonance, inspired art touches and uplifts the soul.

When we immerse ourselves in any kind of creative work, however humble, the inner levels of our personal life wheels open and align.

Music is said to be the easiest, most joyous path to enlightenment. Sufi Inayat Khan (a master musician) wrote:

The art of music has been especially considered divine, because it is the exact miniature of the law working through the whole universe. . .

Exactly. Einstein most certainly experienced this mystery first-hand. He was a violinist, especially attracted to Mozart. When he got stuck, like Sherlock Holmes, he took out his fiddle. Music relaxed him. And inspiration would flow.

Like the I Ching, sacred art that mirrors “the law working through the whole universe” reminds us of our divine origins. It speaks to the universal truths we share in common, but too often forget. Here are variations on the wheels-within-wheels theme of life:

NB. A pattern is forming here. Today’s post builds on earlier ones, systematically, as if it’s all preplanned. Synchronicity at work. I look forward to finding out where it leads next. I hope you do too.

Collected readings will be published as The Lessons of 2020: Using the Wisdom of CHANGE to Build a Better Future. Look for it on amazon in January of 2021.

If you’d like your very own copy of the CSBOC, to answer your unique questions at your own convenience, or want extras to give others, click here.

Two Sides of a Coin: Lao Tze’s Common Sense Way of Change is a yoga-based version of the Tao Te Ching, the ever popular, poetic and practical expression of IC Natural Law.To order a copy, click here.

Okay, then. That’s all for now. Talk with you again soon. Take care, all.

A Taste of Sanity – IC – 092220

Last night, I felt like tearing my hair out.

I threw my hands up in despair.

“What’s the use? Why bother? I quit!”

Why?

Because the gift I have to offer the world could make the difference between life and death, human survival or mass extinction.

Yet no matter how often I post blogs, trying to get through to the public, they’re ignored. Or glossed over. No comments, likes or shares. The content is too far outside the comfort zone of the familiar.

Again. Why?

It’s because we’re brainwashed. We wear the blinders of empirical science.

By education and ingrained prejudice, we habitually filter out awareness of the inner levels of the Life Wheel, including the energy level upon which the Book of Change depends.

They’re “ruled out.”

Taboo.

In the context of the Unified Field Theory, the limited and limiting materialist world view looks like this:

Sadly, we’ve been rendered deaf to the inner levels of consciousness.

This explains why the vast majority is fiercely resistant to the Book of Change and its magical synchronicities.

Sadly, it also explains why so many remain blind to the extraordinary opportunities for positive change hidden, latent with today’s challenges.

Most of us forfeit the blessings in disguise inherent in today’s chaos: the I Ching way out of madness.

A la Einstein, whose formula fits so perfectly within the archetypal Life Wheel, expecting a positive result from repeated attempts to solve today’s problems with empirical science is INSANE.

It rules out exactly the sub- and super-rational levels of awareness where problems begin and where creative solutions are ultimately found.

Fortunately, thanks to the work of a growing army of authors (notably Wayne Dyer, Joe Dispenza and Marisa Peer), we’re becoming increasing aware that our immediate experience is the result of our thoughts and inner atunement.

As strange as it may sound, the way to change ourselves and our world for the better is to improve our thoughts and beliefs.

Our best hope for the future is to make ourselves whole again. It’s possible to integrate the full spectrum of inner light and energy with the tangible, measurable experience of daily life. Meditation has the potential to open us up, like magic, to the experience of UNITY. Wholeness.

Then, inner peace arises. Relationships become harmonious. We become extraordinarily resilient and inventive.

We’re not trained to come to the Book of Change for answers to our deepest questions. That’s why I’ve chosen to bring the book to you in this series of bi-weekly blogs through to the end of 2020. They’ll serve as an introduction, to make the unfamiliar familiar — a first taste of sanity, if you will.

This morning, I queried my departed teacher. (Today would have been his 62nd birthday.) I wrote how much I love him and dearly miss his physical being. Then I asked what I should be aware of NOW.

The answer spoke to the frustration I felt last night. I’m publishing it here because it speaks to all of us whose hopes and dreams are on hold, whether due to social distancing, economic chaos, natural disasters or relationship upheavals.

The original reading was SHADOW:

The reading was dynamic, with three changing lines. In my notebook, it looked like this:v

The bottom line warns, “Only unselfish motives and moderate actions will meet with success.” It changes to BALANCE, the original hexagram of yesterday’s equinox reading. Given that today, the 22nd of September, is the actual equinox date, I’m smiling at this bit of synchronicity. The repeater confirms yesterday’s message. : )

The third line advises, “Build new habits slowly. Remain calm. Develop constant awareness.”

It changes to RETURN, which looks like this:

The top line offers hope. “Problems will fade. New and better times will come soon.” I can live with that. : ) It changes to BEAUTY, which looks like this:

My beloved teacher was telling me not to look back. No matter how beautiful time spent with him was, dwelling on the past isn’t helpful now. Instead, I should focus on building better times ahead – for all of us.

Surely the same applies to anyone focused on regretting what’s passed.

Finally, the combined result of the three changing lines is ADVERSITY, which looks like this:

ADVERSITY can be read in one or many ways at once, as you choose.

For many reasons, I’ve been under a SHADOW for more than a year. It’s due partly to the fact that the Book of Change remains in obscurity, misunderstood and unappreciated.

This fact has resulted in ADVERSITY, not only for me, but for the world at large.

Today I was advised on the best way to adjust. Accept hardship as a test of fortitude. Regard it as an opportunity to strengthen character. It’s incentive to focus on inner strength – an essential survival quality ruled out by empirical science.

Last night I was in despair. This morning, the final warning of ADVERSITY is straight to the point! AVOID DESPAIR.

The same goes for all of us.

The next installment, scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 24, will expand on the connection between the Book of Change and the Life Wheel which embodies the Unified Field Theory.

If you’d like your very own copy of the CSBOC to work with, to answer your own unique questions at your own convenience, or want extras to give others in need of insight, solace and support, it’s available here. : )

Okay, then. That’s all for now. Talk with you again soon. Take care, all.

Easter Blessings – Hidden Opportunities

What follows is the script published on April 12th to my Youtube channel, Rethinking Change.

Smiley Mandala sized

Today we’re picking up where we left off in the last video. There I said, the best way to focus our attention now is to look for the hidden opportunities embedded within the COVID-19 pandemic. Because it’s a Law of Nature that in duality, there are two sides to every coin. Wherever great dangers lurk, we can be certain that within them are hidden, opposite and equal opportunities. Blessings in disguise.

So that’s today’s subject. Coming at Easter, it’s especially timely.

Today, I’m asking five related questions.

  • 1. What is the deeper meaning of Easter? And what blessings does it offer us in the year 2020?
  • 2. What is the archetypal Life Wheel? How does it explain the eternal hope of Easter? And how does the Life Wheel which embodies Einstein’s Unified Field Theory connect quantum physics with the healing work which Dr. Joe Dispenza calls “supernatural?”
  • 3. How have our lives become so fractured? Was the COVID-19 shock-to-our-collective-system the 2’x4’ necessary to finally get our attention and motivate us to heal our inner fractures?
  • 4. What are the similarities between today’s COVID-19 situation and the bio-engineered flu die-off in Stephen King’s story, The Stand?
  • 5. How can we use the timeless Book of Change to adapt most wisely to current changes? What advice does it have to offer at Easter about the opportunities hidden within the global shutdown?

By the end, you’ll have my response to these five questions. Here, I can only touch briefly on key points. But hopefully, it’ll be enough to spark your curiosity and motivate you to look further . . . for your own answers. Please stay with me to the end. I promise it will be worth your time. If you have questions feel free to comment below. I’ll do my best to respond.

So, let’s dive in. FIRST. What is the deeper meaning of Easter time? And what blessings does it offer us in the year 2020?

Easter is a perennial time of hope and renewal. It marks the change of seasons, entering in to new life after the dead of winter. It’s a time of rebirth on many levels. It’s not only a time when our gardens come back to life. It’s also a time for resetting our inner clocks and making a fresh start. It’s a time for remembering our values . . . spring cleaning, inside and out.

In 2020, the pending change of historical season brings with it new ways to rejuvenate and deepen our understanding of traditional teachings. Answers to the questions which follow explain what I mean.

SECOND. What is the archetypal Life Wheel, known to meditators?

It’s not so tough. As I said in the last video, I’ve taken the archetypal Life Wheel and plugged into its increasingly deeper levels the three variables of Einstein’s formula. M=mass on the outer surface. E=energy in the middle level. And C=light deeper still. These levels revolve around a stable, unchanging center – the hub of the Wheel. Call it Source. God. Creator. Tao. Or nothing at all, as you wish. The levels are linked in a two-way loop by the figure-eight infinity sign. The result is the Unified Field Theory –consciousness factor included. Einstein already had it, but for lack of yoga training, missed it. Here’s what it looks like:

Unified Field Theory

How does this Life Wheel explain the eternal hope of Easter? Here’s where it gets really interesting and where science has actually come full circle to support biblical wisdom. Science gives us technical terms for what the apostles described in the poetic language of their time.

Today we have not only quantum physics and but also the Life Wheel to explain the meditator’s experience of infinity, giving us a new way to understand “Christ consciousness.”

The quantum field is beyond three-dimensional time and space. In the same way, Jesus told us he existed outside of time, He existed before and will continue to exist after this cycle of time. This is what Peter meant in comparing Christ to the Matrix.

Further, Christ told us he and the Father – the Source at the Center of the Life Wheel – are One. His consciousness flows outwards in all directions from that Center, permeating the quantum field. Here’s a picture of Christ broadcasting blessings from that Center:

Saving the Best

But what’s important to remember today is that Christ said we each have the potential, in fact a responsibility, to follow his example, to become One with the Father. Which leads to the next part of this section.

How does the Life Wheel which embodies Einstein’s Unified Field Theory connect quantum physics with the healing work which Dr. Joe Dispenza calls “supernatural?” His methods give us a way to follow in the healing tradition of Christ. Dr. Joe teaches the age-old, but now science-based practice of healing ourselves and others. Through meditation, his students systematically travel inwards to reconnect with the Center and then to return outwards, enriched by an awareness of this experience to live daily life more fully.

Dr. Joe’s students testify to the healing of crippling injuries and to the total remission of life-threatening illnesses. From his personal experience, as well as that of others, he reports that it is possible to change in this lifetime. We don’t have to die, as Christ did, to be reborn. And this, my friends, is the eternal hope of Easter.

THIRD. How have our lives become so fractured? It’s the result of rejecting wisdom traditions and replacing them with empirical science. According to that belief system, only what is tangible and quantifiable is real. In effect, it rules out the inner levels of the Life Wheel where emotions and intuition are found. It looks like this: (Card #4)

MaterialistAthest

HOWEVER, saying subtle experiences aren’t real doesn’t make it so. It only fractures the levels of the Life Wheel, pushing feelings, intuition and conscience outside of conscious awareness. The results look like this:

Fragmentation

The consequences of fragmenting the Life Wheel in this way are catastrophic. Divine love spins detached outside of daily experience. On the surface, we project good intentions and protect our self-image. But pride, fear, and aggression, prejudice and insecurity, anger, rage and hostility all fester below the surface, outside of conscious awareness and control, as do feelings of hopelessness, powerlessness and suicidal depression. It looks like this:

Consequences

So. What’s the way out of this destructive madness? Was the COVID-19 shock-to-our-collective-system the necessary 2’x4’ to finally get our attention, serious enough to make us change our ways – heal our fractures and restore inner unity? If yes, that would be a blessing on a scale and magnitude comparable to Christ’s sacrifice more than 2,000 years ago. Here’s what the process of restoring unity would look like:

Restore Unity

Which leads to the next related question. FOURTH. What are the similarities between today’s COVID-19 situation and the bio-engineered flu die-off in Stephen King’s apocalyptic story, The Stand?

I’ll touch only briefly on the blame game, because it leads in the opposite direction from where we need to be going. The point of Christ’s sacrifice was to wipe the slate clean. So even if it were proven that the virus was weaponized in a lab for the sake of world-domination, let it go.

You can trust that evil intentions will backfire, of themselves, returning to the sender. If world leaders have separated from timeless wisdom, they will without a doubt reap the rewards of actions that violate Natural Law – the Law of Karma. Intervention isn’t necessary. So don’t even think about rebellion or revenge. That would ruin this golden opportunity for a positive fresh start.

From my point of view, what’s far more interesting is King’s attention to a Yeats poem, “The Second Coming,” where in despair, an officer commits suicide, leaving behind this quote: “The centre does not hold.”

That’s the real issue. Should we follow that example, give in to despair, regard the horrors of a pandemic as proof that the Center does not exist, cannot hold?

Never! No matter what happens on the ever-changing surface, the eternal Center of the Life Wheel remains still and unchanging. In fact, COVID-19 might be just the shock it takes to wake us up, so that like Lambert the sheepish lion, we finally remember who we truly are. Here’s the Lion Lambert, designated protector of the flock:

Lambert

There’s another important similarity. In The Stand, two communities emerge. They represent a choice between good and evil. One group follows Jesus. The other follows a demon. In a similar way, Joe Dispenza and Gregg Braden both agree that today, we’re living in a time of extremes. One side seeks unity and cooperation, to live in harmony with nature. The other is addicted to conflict and has no respect whatsoever for life.

Which leads into the FIFTH question. Because here’s where working with the Book of Change can make a difference in which side you choose. Like meditation, it’s a self-awareness tool. We can use it to repair the fractures that leave us unaware of feelings and intuition . . . helping us line up with the wisest, life-affirming options available. Acting on its advice, we can adapt, turning whatever is going on to best advantage.

Braden tells us that three converging cycles of change are now upon us: changes in weather, in the economy, and in warfare. That’s all interesting. But how do we relate to these cycles in a personal way? The Book of Change brings global ideas home. It lets us tap in to how each of us as an individual can cope wisely with global events at one specific point in time.

For today’s example, I asked, “ What advice does the Book of Change have to offer at Easter about the opportunities hidden within the global shutdown?”

The first answer, which describes the immediate situation, was #23. ADVERSITY. It had one changing line in the 5th place that results in #20. AWARENESS.

This is totally fascinating to me because, in the Introduction to my version, I asked, “What does the Common Sense Book of Change have to offer its readers?” I got the very same answer to that question then as I did again today. #20. AWARENESS. Which happens to be Dr. Joe’s favorite word. As he repeats, “Be aware that you’re aware.”

Hexagram 23 looks like this:

23 Adversity

It seems to me that the opportunities of the 2020 Easter season include quiet time to reconnect with our “inner resources” – with the inner e=energy and c=light levels of the Life Wheel. And we are specifically warned to avoid despair, the choice of the suicidal general in The Stand, who quotes Yeats out of context, believing “The centre does not hold.”

I’ve seen Youtubers describe what we’re going through collectively in terms of Kubler-Ross’s “Five Stages of Grief.” First comes denial, followed by anger. Next are bargaining, depression and finally acceptance. So here, the advice that “the wisest response is ACCEPTANCE” represents the blessing of healing grief over so many losses – of loved ones, jobs, income, and of the familiar lifestyle we took for granted.

But then comes the opposite and equal blessing in disguise. The advice from Line 5 is: “Help from an unexpected source can reverse a difficult situation.”

The result looks like this: 

20 Awareness

So when unexpected blessings, whether in the form of guidance, inspiration or beneficial synchronicities, truly come from SOURCE, they have the potential to reverse the negative consequences of living an unconscious, fragmented life and restoring the AWARENESS of unity and inner peace which no one and nothing can ever take away.

May that deepest, lasting well-being be yours at this sacred time of hope.

Until next time, do continue to take good care of yourself.

book header bird

If this resonates, please like and share to get this badly needed information out to a world that for lack of it is in such deep trouble. THANK YOU!

Rethinking Change

March 24th marks the launch of my YouTube Channel, RETHINKING CHANGE.

Here, I’m sharing with you the link to the Premier video, as well  as the script which appears below.

Rethinking Change Banner

Hello and Welcome to Rethinking Change. I’m Pat West.

So. Let’s start right in with a riddle. Here’s a list of thought leaders in fields like:

  • Finance – Napoleon Hill. Robert Kiyasaki.
  • Science – Gregg Braden.
  • Healing – Joe Dispenza.
  • Energy Work – Donna Eden, Jeffrey Allen.
  • Hypnosis – Marisa Peer.
  • Martial arts — Bruce Lee
  • . . . . the  list goes on

But here’s the question. What do they have in common? By the end of this video, you’ll have the answer to that question, as well as an appreciation for the value Rethinking Change has to offer you  and those you care for.

As a special bonus, at the end, I’ll share with you what the Book of Change has to say about the COVID-19 pandemic. As you’ll come to find out, the I Ching is the foundation of energy medicine and Tai Chi. It’s the missing link we need NOW to survive and thrive in this intense time of extremes. I think you’ll find its message . . very interesting.

You’re probably wondering by now, who I am to be saying all of this. Well, there’s a long version, because I have plenty of stranger-than-fiction stories to share with you in good time. But here’s the short version.

I was trained as a musician. I played piano and various string instruments — guitar, a bit of sitar, but primarily violin. I shared this life-saver in common with my man, Einstein, who was also a violinist. It led me to yoga and to the magical, marvelous I Ching, the Book of Change, which maps the laws of nature, the repeating cycles of change which everyone everywhere share in common. For more than 8,000 years, it’s been used as a decision-making tool by leaders in every walk of life, all over the world. It’s used to bypass danger, optimize opportunities and to maintain balance in the midst of change.

Psychologist Carl Jung wrote an introduction to the Wilhelm/Baynes translation. He taught us to use it as a tool for making the unconscious conscious.

In 1975, I wrote my own version. It still works for me. My idea was, it shouldn’t be so tough . . and it should be made available to everyone. You can find it on Amazon. It’s called The Common Sense Book of Change.

I’ve been growing with the book for over 40 years now, taking it with me through every imaginable situation to understand the dynamics that drive human behavior. It’s become a good friend and mentor. More than once, it’s saved my life. If you want to know more, you can check out my website, rethinking survival.com. You’ll find several related posts. One is “The I Ching and Me.” Another is “How the Common Sense Book of Change (CSBOC) Came To Be.”

In the late 1970s, I earned a Ph.D. in Educational Administration. From writing books to fill the shelves that weren’t there when I needed them, I went on to earn the credential to build schools to fill what I call the fatal knowledge gap in what we’re taught in schools.

Basically, though, what you need to know about me is summed up in my latest book, You Are Already Enough: How Would Your Life CHANGE if you really Believed It? There, I give you my personal Why, How and What.

Basically, though, what you need to know about me is summed up in my latest book, You Are Already Enough: How Would Your Life CHANGE if you really Believed It? There, I give you my personal Why, How and What.

My WHY is to pay forward the extraordinary blessings I’ve received over a lifetime. I experience it as a calling. My HOW has been to write books, blog, give an occasional class, and now, to create content for this YouTube channel. My WHAT, the end result I’m aiming for, is to restore sanity to a badly fractured world, one person at a time.

Okay then. The Book of Change is one self-awareness tool. The second is a spin-off. And here things get even more interesting.

I came to it by applying yoga sutras to Einstein. Take the archetypal Life Wheel that repeats through all cultures and all times, well known to meditators. Then take the variables of Einstein’s formula – M = mass, E = energy, C = light – and plug them into the increasingly deeper levels of the Life Wheel. The result is the Unified Field Theory – including the elusive “consciousness factor.” Einstein had already received it, but for lack of yoga training, he missed it.

02a. Unfied Field Theory

Now. . . . just like the Ching’s repetitive cycle of hexagrams, this quantum pattern of creation also repeats throughout nature, on every scale of magnitude . . . smallest to largest, from atoms to solar systems. It repeats in every cell of our bodies. In Already Enough, I give pictures of this pattern repeating throughout nature and world art.

But what’s important to emphasize here is that this isn’t just an interesting, abstract idea. The formula e=m2 has powerful applications, for destruction – the atomic bomb – as well as creation. We can personalize the Life Wheel to make it real in our own lives. We can use it to assess how we’re doing, to identify what’s missing, decide what we intend to change, and then to plan how to get from here to there. It’s a powerful tool. It can bring us back from an incomplete, fractured lifestyle into full alignment with our true complete nature, the original design of creation.

Here’s just one picture of what wheel-work looks like:

happy face

And here’s my Why, How and What prioritized inside the Life Wheel structure.

My Why, How & What

So. The answer to the riddle I asked at the beginning . . is this. What all those thought leaders share in common is an intuitive fidelity to this basic structure, the quantum reality embodied in the Life Wheel. It explains . . for example. . the effectiveness of Napoleon’s Hill Think and Grow Rich formula. And so on. . . In You Are Already Enough!, I show that, just as Einstein’s formula plugs into the Life Wheel, so do the ideas that get the powerful results each of these thought leaders has achieved.

Before moving on to the COVID-19 section, I briefly want to tell you this. When I was brainstorming for future video content, the list got huge . . . because the Life Wheel truly meets the Occam’s Razor standard of greatest simplicity with maximum inclusiveness.

Once you start rethinking change, seeing how the dynamics expand and contract from the inside out, and how the levels of the Life Wheel link up . . the possibilities become infinite. It’s like, anywhere you focus the laser beam, it illumines the field.

Here’s a short list of potential subjects:

  • The MPI standard – motive, purpose, and intent. (Being aware of what you’re doing and why.)
  • Abundance. Magic. Manifestation. Wealth.
  • Change. Change agents. Affirmative action. Positive Action.
  • Unity. The United States.
  • Conflict. Common sense. The law of Karma. Ethics.
  • Creativity. Intuition. Self-awareness. Self-actualization.
  • Relationships. Empaths and narcissists.
  • Interdependence. Cooperation.
  • Communication. Community. Intentional community.
  • Education. Higher Education. Paradigm shifts. And opportunity.
  • Authority. Inner authority. Conscience.
  • Medicine. Healing. Mindfulness. Meditation.
  • Codes. The Emotion Code. The Healing Code.
  • Stress. The suicide epidemic and its prevention.

So, if you have any preferences among those topics or other related questions you’d like me to address, please comment below and I’ll do my best to respond. And please do take the time to like, share and subscribe, so we can get this urgently needed information out to a badly fractured world that – for lack of it – is in SUCH deep trouble.

Now, here’s the COVID-19 bonus I promised you.

There are many ways to approach the Book of Change. It starts with finding a quiet place and settling down the noisy mind. After deciding on a question, there’s a process for arriving at an answer. I’m saving the technical side for later. Today, I’m going straight to the answer I got on March 14th to this written question: “What advice does the Book of Change have to offer the general public about the COVID-19 pandemic?”

The initial outcome was 14, SELF-POSSESSION. It looks like this:

14 Self-Possession

It seems to me that the general public expects leaders to demonstrate calmness, integrity, and fairness. We want them to give us a clear picture of what’s going on. Deep down, we really want leaders who inspire us.

However, the initial answer was dynamic. It had two changing lines that offer warnings or advice. These combined to result in a different outcome.

The advice from line four is “Do not compete with others. Use your skills to build.” It advises restraint and to avoid careless waste. So I would be concerned that precious time is being wasted, that this crisis is being used BY SOME as a political football, and that it’s possible resources being mobilized might to some extent be misdirected.

The advice from line five reads “When you prove yourself responsible, others will trust you.” The shadow side here is that unless leaders prove themselves trustworthy, people won’t trust them.

But even when there’s restraint and responsibility, the second outcome remains FRUSTRATION. This makes good sense. We have expectations that aren’t always being met. It’s related to the leadership issue, but just as importantly . . . we need to be aware that there’s a lot going on – hidden – behind the scenes. Things aren’t exactly what they seem.

Number 9 reads: External factors you may not even be aware of will cause FRUSTRATION. New projects will not work out now. This cannot be avoided. Arguing will not influence those who could help. Your choice is either to wait patiently or to leave the situation. “

So it seems to me that right now we’re in for a waiting game. Getting emotionally caught up in the upheavals that have been set in motion would be counter-productive. To the extent that worry is a waste of time, refocusing attention . . . rethinking the change going on all around us . . . is a better option.

So, the next question that arises is Where should we turn our attention? For one thing, I would look for the opportunities hidden within current dangers, because it’s a rule of Natural Law that in duality, there are two sides to every coin.

It’s quite possible we’ve been looking in the wrong places for IMPORTANT answers. And that the Book itself is welcoming the pandemic as an opportunity to reintroduce itself as an inspirational way to access the deeper energy and light levels of our Life Wheels for a better understanding what’s truly going on – within ourselves . . . as well as in the world around us.

NOW this opens WIDE the door to a whole new world. I will continue this thread in my next video, which I’m calling “Blessings in Disguise.”

So, here’s what you can expect from now on. In each Thursday video, I’ll balance discussion with a hands-on reading from different versions of the Book of Change. The plan is to illumine key issues in terms of the Life Wheel pattern, supported by readings to make the Book of Change increasingly more familiar.

Again. Please comment below. Like, share and subscribe. Hit the bell to be notified each time I publish a new video. And I’ll see you again next time. Until then, do take good care of yourselves.

Hope for the Future

My life quest started with a heart-felt question. A poem, actually.

Because in early teen years, I felt a growing, uneasy sense of danger. I couldn’t put my finger on what was wrong.

But something sure wasn’t right.

So I put ink pen to paper and wrote:

Poem

Since then, bit by bit, the Universe has answered my soul call.

I’m moved to share my story because, as the world becomes increasingly more complicated and dangerous, more and more of us are feeling that angst.

The time is ripe and ready for the answers I was given.

This book is my way of paying forward what gave me help and peace of mind. If what I’ve been given to share does the same for you, my journey will be fulfilled.

Long story short, my searchings led to this answer. The world is suffering from a fatal knowledge deficit. The limited and limiting rules of empirical science cut us off from who we truly are. Public education alienates us from our inborn native power.

No matter how much we feed the illusion of lack with drug, alcohol, food, sex and violence addictions, we’re never satisfied. We can’t be.

Because we’re looking in the wrong place to fill the deepest, universal needs everyone everywhere shares in common.

We’re starving for lack of wholeness. Most of us suffer terribly from the illusion of being cut off from Source.

We’ve been misled into believing that we’re not enough. We’re not smart enough, good enough, rich enough, attractive or lovable enough.

Nothing on the surface of the Life Wheel can satisfy that gnawing sense of emptiness and loneliness. No amount of external input can help.

However, given new and better information, negative beliefs can be changed.

In truth, we’re already okay in a way that can’t be measured or quantified. It’s simply how we were made. We’re inherently whole and complete.

“God don’t make no junk.”

Know Where To Look - sized

When we become aware of who we truly are, always were and always will be, we reconnect with our original, true identity. We come to Really Believe we were born already enough. At our central, unalienable core, we are divinely perfect.

When we truly believe and act on that inner awareness, then no one can ever again sell us on the lie that we’re not okay, not enough. It’s simply not possible. And our lives change dramatically for the better.

* * *

This excerpt comes from the Introduction of You Are Already ENOUGH! How Would Your Life CHANGE If You Really Believed It?

It’s the perfect gift of hope for the new year and decade. Now available on amazon.com.