The Power Of Conversation
What changes the position & course of one’s societal life is one: developing the being to initiate new conversations with self through imagination & with others through articulation. & two: taking the moment's action to bring the intention into reality. Repetition of this at greater levels of skill is the key to greater levels of access within civilized nations.
To con-verse is to share a pattern of sounds & symbols with another. It is where two minds become one though attending to the meta-structure of the discourse which both parties add to moment by moment. This is opposed to a lecture where a single voice dictates the thoughts of an audience in a one sided force of influence. Lecturing is effective for a group to know the mind of the speaker, but the speaker knows nothing of the audience. Its social function is to create a hierarchy. Whereas the conversation’s social function is to create rapport. To balance the playing field. To share each other's humanity without resistance. This is the only route to sensible coexistence because everyone’s intelligence is free to play & welcomed to engage. & those who present unsolicited lectures automatically get talked about behind their backs because they leave no room for the con-verse. They slowly believe only in their own uni-verse, & fall into narcissism. The people will tolerate their expressions to maintain the benefits of their dynamic, but they will despise him & have no desire to coexist to share their humanity.
This is a foolish way to behave: to be on a self created pedestal that simultaneously ostracizes oneself from those who he or she could learn from & care for with sincerity. So if you desire connection, initiate conversations. If you want neurotic isolation, lecture to people who didn’t ask for it. Of course, if your tongue generates words of wisdom from your heart that intends to uplift others who yearn for your message, then by all means take the stage to articulate with passion! But if you have the common sense to see the situation at hand is a mutual dance of expression & discovery; & not an opening to dump your “insight” upon an unwilling other, then please, have the humanity to con-verse. If you handle these two methods of communication sensibly, the world will open to you in ways you couldn’t have possibly imagined because there will be outcomes manifested by collaboration: life’s magical production.
The Case For Entrepreneurship
The only hurdle that gets in the way of a human being moving from mediocre to monumental is mastering his or her survival process. To become efficient enough in this arena to create the space & time to attend to what life has to offer beyond the obstacle. If you pay close attention to the blockades of yourself & others close to you, you will see everyone’s being interrupted by some aspect of attending to survival. Otherwise, we would be attending to what resonates with our higher faculties such as searching for truth, connection, & fulfillment without breaks in focus. Most people become so occupied with their process of survival, arranging their lives to where it takes up the majority, that the thought of even planning for a life where it takes up the minority doesn’t occur.
The massive pursuit of survival that consumes the schedule of 9-5 players is truly only the foundation of life that provides the opportunity to live as a naturally intelligent human with the means to experience larger aspects of life. The building of this foundation is hard work, yes, but it shouldn’t take 60-70 years to complete. I feel 5-10 years is reasonable once one has the skills to actively play in the economy. But this can only happen if one trusts their creativity enough to pursue entrepreneurship to receive their full worth & receive money at their own rate through their own offers to the world. The income is inconsistent yes, but such is the flow of life. Naturally we reap what we sow, & then hibernate with the earnings we acquired in bountiful seasons; not work for the same rate all year round regardless of effort or environmental factors. The salary keeps survival steady, but it also prolongs the process of completing the foundation. It’s a construction that takes an unnecessarily long time to complete & includes many who never finish. These people are compelled to work on another's idea until they reach the age where they physically cannot. An incredibly limiting model. It's far more sensible to exchange unique offers for money that uncap the risk taker’s income which allows him or her to finish the build in a reasonable amount of time so they can get on with their real lives.
One of the greatest opportunities capitalism has to offer is the ability to create wealth through one’s own operation at their own prices that places oneself in the position to influence their level of income & survival process with greater precision than if one were to work a job whose money faucet is turned on & off by his or her employer. It is the wisest way to participate in a free market economy. To become monetarily wealthy, income must be flexible which aligns with the elastic structure of life. Anything which isn’t malleable cannot grow hence the ignorant structure of salaries.
Of course, if one has no ideas, connections, or skills to enter into entrepreneurship, they must begin with a salary to sustain their lifestyle as I have. But this person, if they’re awake & aware of their own mortality, will do everything he or she can to mature into relying on pliable natural processes to thrive instead of rigid mechanical ones. Not only do these remove the limit from one’s financial growth, they improve the wellbeing of every aspect of a person's life because they are required to live & abide by understanding as opposed to automations. The entrepreneur places his or herself into a setting where they either learn how to build something of unique value for others, or starve. They must dig deep within themselves, past the immature tendencies of narcissism to perceive the holistic network in which they exist. Building rapport with entire communities, as opposed to just a single boss is not only advantageous for the entrepreneur, but a requirement to succeed. One must have a sense of aliveness & vigor to fulfill this role; unlike the employee who can afford to be half on to repeat habitual tasks & receive a full paycheck. There comes a certain point in a human being’s evolution where he or she must admit that salary is ultimately sedation, commissions require consciousness, & useful creativity is only one way to liberate their rates of income from their God given limited time.
Salaries, frivolous entertainment, mundane administrative work, processed foods, loans, sex, drugs & alcohol, etc. these kinds of shallow things people depend upon for their emotional stability are what one must divorce themselves from, at least for a period of time, if they desire to consolidate their energy enough to wake up. To see the caged game they’re in, & have the determination to proactively study the real game board of free markets to use the markets to become free.
Capitalism is inspired & fueled by self actualization. The one who seeks the true self through introspection or meditation to uncover its unique wisdom, & shares it with their inclined markets will be rewarded by those yearning for substance like most of us are. Capitalism was created by rebels intelligent enough to see their open prison, driven to use their available energy to break free. It was not found by those who found comfort in their distractions; entertained by the limitations of their circumstance.
But in the meantime on your road to freedom, if you have temporarily chosen to play the 9-5 game, like where I find myself now in crossroads between it and entrepreneurship, use its tasks to develop the ability of self governance & concentration to transcend the temptation of supplementing the mundane atmosphere with entertaining multitasking. You will need this coherence to one day govern your own operation to earn your freedom. With patience & the will to succeed, all possible things can be done.
Peak Or Platform
Would you rather climax with excitement & fall back towards the bottom, or gradually rise to new heights without ever hitting the ground? Your answer for this question, & search for either choice, has a profound effect on the quality of your life. One begets instability & addiction, while the other slowly enhances your being. & the primary difference in outputs between the two is the timeline of gratification. If you simply learn how to wait between the time you begin a process & the experience of its payoff when it’s complete, without removing attention, you will see the greatness of your potential unfold into reality. The key to this is building not for the pursuit of pleasure, but from the seat of joy. So, if you are to realize any blueprint of value, its operation must be a flow you appreciate. Otherwise the power of focus to break through barriers & reach the next platform will be unattainable. Everything reverberates & is made up of parts which have space between them. Even if you can’t see it. Therefore, there is always room to weave through an obstacle. But only for the action that is consolidated enough to fit amongst its cracks. If it is too broad, it will not pass. Just as the tip of a pin can pierce your skin, but the blunter handle on its opposite side cannot. & if you carry your attention along the stimulating, turbulent path towards an imminent peak, you will not have the steadiness to hold your pin of attention with a grip which can penetrate towards a higher state. Your life will be defined by a continuous cycle of summits & valleys. It will have the sensation of change, but you will get nowhere.
In 1970, there was an experiment conducted by Stanford University which studied the ability of a child to delay gratification against the sugary temptation of marshmallows. Scientists placed a kid in a room alone with this treat, but told them if they wait 15 minutes, they would be awarded a second one. An intriguing offer to a young mind. There were some children who couldn’t wait for a larger experience of deliciousness, & gobbled the one marshmallow before they were eligible for another. Then there were some who had the wisdom to consider that with patience, they will receive double the goodies. They tracked these people throughout the course of their lives & noticed differences in their destinies. Those who could not wait, ended up achieving less than those who exercised their will power as a child.
Michael Jordan, perhaps the greatest basketball player of all time, was cut from his high school team. J.K. Rowling, the literary genius & founder of Harry Potter, was rejected by 12 publishers on her way to distribute the now ubiquitous story to people across the world. Sir James Dyson, creator of the Dyson vacuum, a billion dollar venture, created over 5000 prototypes over the course of 15 years until he discovered the correct model. Walt Disney, was told by his first newspaper editor that he lacked imagination & had no good ideas. Theodor Suess Gisel, creator of Dr. Suess, was on his way home to burn his manuscripts after being rejected by 27 publishers before a friend found someone who could print them.
What do all of these monumental people have in common besides the fact that they refused to quit? Each & every one of them went through an arduous process which did not give them immediate satisfaction. In fact, they all must have gone through incredible pain with the knowledge that their calling had been rejected by their peers. That reality had placed a barrier delaying their dream’s fruition. The person who's searching for a peak experience just around the corner could not fathom continuing after such defeat. If the goal was simply to have quick fun, not to transform their own lives & those around them, they would have dropped their ideas at the first sign of resistance. None of these profound inventions & feats which have given large amounts of humanity a platform to stand upon would have seen the light of day.
It seems we are given ideas & levels to reach through our execution of those ideas not simply for selfish reasons. We receive missions supported by our natural & specific inclinations which have the power to uplift humanity as a whole. Obstructions are simply a test of resolve. “Do you trust me”? The universe asks as it simultaneously gives you a path while creating obstacles along the way. It’s a mysteriously intelligent game of developing our character into one that cannot be copied. Truly, the only reason we look for the climax is because of a false, conscious or unconscious belief that we are unable to withstand the discomfort of a meaningful journey. This, of course, is far from the truth. But if you’ve handicapped yourself through consuming snacks & rendered yourself unfit to travel up a mountain, you’ll choose a mound instead because you can see its top from where you sit. It’s approachable yet degenerative pursuit does you no good because it does not support the universal program of evolution. How much effort does it require you to reach into your pocket, open your phone, & watch a tik tok. It probably takes less than 1% of your power to do so. If you repeatedly pull these slot machines across our society, of which there are many, the “muscle of greatness” within you will atrophy because of the time old truth: if you don’t use it you will lose it.
So although you may see the desire to climax to be a natural & common destination, I implore you to look deeper into the implications of seeking these parabolic joy rides which marketing departments conveniently leave out of their campaigns. As a human being, you are designed to dream, to build, & to endure. Use these divine gifts to patiently bring your valuable expression from your mind to the Earth. The world will thank you!
The Utility Of Change & Silence
Once you are able to fully see there is both the light of knowledge & the darkness of ignorance in your mind, you will have access to a profoundly useful flow of information. If you have convinced yourself that the data you have within your limited thought process is enough to navigate this ever changing world, the enrichment of your life will be over. It is the reception of dynamics which brings fulfillment, not the acquisitions that truly only add up to stagnation. The wind that passes through your hair on a hot day. The mystical aroma of your favorite dish amongst the laughter of friends. The gradual transition of orange to purple hues during a spectacular sunset morphing into twilight. The influx of emotion from gazing into the eyes of a lover. All of these in common, cannot be brought to a halt & contained for safe keeping. They are the seemingly immaterial magic of living that comes & goes like a whisper. It is this hide & seek act of life, this impeccably subtle game of existential novelty, that keeps us engaged. An experience of perpetual refreshment is open to the one who knows he or she does not know. Imagine how our nomadic ancestors, before the time of settlements, must have lived. What adventures they embarked on & sublime events they encountered along their travels. Irregular patterns, the ones we crave from entertainment due to our largely sedentary society, is what we all desire to know; so much to the point where I suspect it is a need of human wellbeing to be intune with continuous novelty that is a never ending happening within the natural world. Many of us have taken our longings for real a journey, & suppressed it into desiring to observe simulations. & in this pursuit to engage with curated environments, the ability to even want, let alone be involved with the authentic planet, is lost. Forgotten & replaced by man made replicas.
So how has something this important brought fear to many minds across time & space? Why has the utility & enjoyment of change been accepted in certain situations while in others it is rejected. It seems to be a result of perspective. Of preference derived from personal interest which can never align with how things are. Generally, we want things we like to stay, & things we don’t to go away. & because the modern attitude is of competition with nature, not of cooperation, many millions of people have shrunk every aspect of their life down to avoid this competition that cannot be won. We cut instead of cultivate. Our hair. Our imaginations. Our idiosyncrasies. Our wildlife. We even cut off our friends & family’s speech when they are going too far “outside the box”. But if you look into the abundance of the natural ecosystem which has been thriving far longer than human civilizations, you will see there are things being trimmed to facilitate further growth. Not cut. Even forests have the intelligence to create fires, not to destroy themselves, but to clean the accumulated decay which lies at its floor in preparation of a new flowering. The snake sheds its skin. The crab replaces its shell. Butterflies break their cocoon. The fundamental desire of life is expansion & this relentless happening necessitates change.
We all have the visceral craving to observe transformation. There needs to be regular first hand experiences of life’s magic to live well. But the effort required in discovering or creating a genuine metamorphosis in overstimulated metropolis environments where many of us dwell, becomes out of reach. The feat of keeping our emotions intact in atmosphere’s where the nervous system remains on edge is an accomplishment in itself. So existing with chronically low energy, but still wanting novelty, we grab for the addicting & instantly gratifying sources of dopamine. & simultaneously, we move ourselves out of alignment with our inclinations to deal with the dualistic outcomes of change. Refusing to embrace the dance, we put our heads deep into the sand of ignorance causing anxiety.
So what’s the solution to turning these burnt pots into malleable clay once again as they were when we were children? The answer I’ve come up with is rest. Have you noticed how flexible you are in all aspects when your mind & body is fully rested? When was the last time you’ve felt truly at ease? It’s probably been quite some time. Too long ago for you to remember. But I’m sure you’ve had moments where you’ve awakened feeling at least refreshed on a rare morning & were ready to take on the world. To bend, but not break with the flow of change. & your natural creativity seems to be an unending force to surmount every obstacle, & enjoy even the smallest moments. It’s a graceful, quiet superpower that’s been overshadowed by our modern lifestyles. Amongst all the noise we invite into our lives, not even realizing that sound is perhaps the greatest stimulant, we lose sight of the signal. A way of being that is attuned to the stability & ingenuity of the cosmos. Silence, I believe, is the way to internal prosperity that inevitably reflects into outer wealth overtime. We may not think of quietness as a resource, but it's as valuable, if not more, than silver & gold. & it is truly in short supply. But for those who are determined to remove themselves from noise, towards pockets of serenity, greatness in their life is ensured. The very foundation of creation, of change, is silence. If this immovable & boundless resource of which we all have access too is relied upon instead of instantly gratifying snacks of all kinds, I guarantee you will move from a mediocre, addicted & constrained life, to one that is profoundly explorative & filled with strength. You will be able to voyage through the waves of life & no longer be afraid to set sail because silence gives you the integrity to release your anchor. To detach from the checkpoints you hold dear. To let go of stagnation caused by chains you have placed upon a pedestal & embellished with gold. If you decide to look for less stimulation, as opposed to more, your moment by moment experience will become a conscious vessel for change itself. Its rolling tides will include a familiar sense of an inviting dynamic zeal as opposed to a reluctant, chilling fear.
Try as hard as you might to transform through constant noise, it will not work. Human life, just as an oak tree, takes a great deal of undisturbed time to develop properly. If you find yourself pushing without making progress, it’s time to submit to how things work. Create a quiet temple for your mind, & patiently observe what life’s bounty will deliver to you. Best of luck along your journey towards the riches within.
On Breaking Conformity
Where there is an attempt to manipulate another, there is also the compulsion of envy that cannot tolerate the freedom it observes. The constant reminder of its own self generated prison. Instead of using one’s energy to transcend, the one possessed by envy uses it to destroy the other to its own level of awareness, to feel once again like an insider: emotionally safe from unfamiliarity that sparks their mind to question about the nature of their life beyond the uniform they conform to. So the one who is committed to finding their full expression, even amongst a land where most are not, one must have the emotional stability gifted by the skill of introspection to continue the journey; because there will be attempts for their freedom to be brought to halt. The conformist will preach to you with their sound logic only relevant to supporting the existence of their tribe, with bargains of safety & advancement up their totem pole. This is of course without the consideration that there are other poles to climb that are far different from theirs. These messages will be emotionally charged & pervasive across the setting which suggests there is no other way to prosper in life. That the worlds which exist outside of their limited sphere are impossible to navigate, & are characterized only by treacherous waters that lead to a gruesome death. They will repeat tales of distant stories of those who met their doom; & will have no rapport with those who succeeded in those same waters. These logical & convincing monologues are expressed not for the wellbeing of the aspiring adventurer, but for the validation of the tribe’s beliefs & code of conduct which suffocates the chief’s mind into thoughtless submission to the dogma. To climb the ranks requires greater & greater levels of embodying not one’s authentic values, but whatever values the fearful tribe has decided keep their unit intact & inflexible. So the chief scoffs at the fledglings who still remember their natural expressions who bide their time at the ground; waiting patiently for an opening to appear to leave the circus for good. “Why wouldn't you want to climb the ladder I have? You must be confused or incompetent,” the leaders will say to the ones whose eyes are still bright with ambitions for their inevitable departure. & upon their leave which they have diligently prepared for, will come the loudest emotions of rebuttals from credentialled members with their most intricate logic as a final effort to save themselves from introspection. To buffer themselves from the truth serum that begins to flow of “Maybe I was wrong. Maybe there is more out there beyond these walls.” But because this would ensure their hypocrisy would be exposed to themselves & their audience, they suppress it in the form of rebuking change.
At this final push for transformation, the individual must remain as inwardly focused as those who are shouting outwardly. For if their line of focus with their inner guidance is broken, it will create the opening for the elaborate distraction to work as intended. To seep into the emotions of the intended receptor to control him or her from within. The one who resists this will be considered the largest fool of the tribe. People you used to know & communicate with frequently will give you expressions of fear. But this is only because you have found yourself in an arena of the lost. So continue the discovery. Meet others along the way who went through the same, lonely right of passage to attain their newfound freedom. Share stories of your courage to become the tipping point for those whose minds are half awake half captured. Be the solution which dissolves the conditioned barriers of minds who desire to remember the real path of evolution; undistracted by the entertaining open prisons of the world.
The Trap Of Vicarious Living
Disembodied & entertained, vicarious living allows one to indulge in simulations while the nonrenewable resource of time fades with every breath. Our system has the profound ability to conjure sensations of all kinds through sheer observation, a magical attribute which serves as an incredible tool for compassionate learning, dually functioning as a psychic snare which demotivates one into action. Perhaps the greatest inspiration in life is a sense of longing to be involved with whatever one is inclined for. An inner calling which influences one's entire nervous system into an organized series of movements producing idyllic waves of joy. The initial exposure to a phenomena is all a human being needs to stay focused on an authentic desire: to dream about a course of action & imagine what it may feel like to accomplish such a grand subjective feat.
Anything which touches our attention immediately enters our minds as a memory of which we have access to at all times through the power of reflection. Do you remember the first time the love of your life was revealed to you? Wasn't this enough for the fire of your desire to orchestrate a second & third interaction? Yes, this initial touch you lived through was sufficient to manifest a lifestyle, career, or person in your life again for the long term. So why then is our culture filled with opportunities to dilute the lucidity of events facilitated by presence in replace of moments brought to us by screens? Like Plato's allegory of the cave, many human beings have become satisfied with "shadows on the wall", with figures on the screen, ignoring the dimension of life that can truly inspire one into living a historical life. But when we travel further away from what truly matters to us for the sake of safety, & our minds become consumed by regular logistics of day to day living, & our bodies become fatigued from the seemingly infinite rat race of survival, we may opt for the easiest, cheapest route of watching another live our ideal moments instead of planning for those times of magic to become our normal.
When we are distant & tired, those are moments especially when we must remember what creates that spark of life within our hearts. If we do not, & revert to the societal constructed simulations of pleasure, we will be no further along our journey because we put the pursuit of truth on temporary hold. A hold as long as one forgets what they truly desire; & there are a plethora of ways to do so: to become ignorant of one's own calling in this culture of mass vicarious living we call home today. A world where we value the characters living within the two dimensional projections within our pockets & living room screen more than the people who are living in our room.
Many fantasize of interacting with people they have only seen through a fabricated peephole where this ideal person's best qualities are on display at all times through a camera's lens by design. We do not see the shadow of a media personality's light, but many want to have their lives, all the while leaving a blind eye to their own existence. This would be obvious to you if you were forced to sit & watch this grand experiment of siphoning power to strangers. An incredibly unnatural behavior for human beings who value what is familiar. What we can touch & feel holds magic, but many voluntarily use their nonrenewable resource of time to champion those who appear to be the embodiment of greatness. The more fragments of media one distributes into the world, the more one can convey an illusory whole picture to a potential audience member who begins to feel they truly understand their two dimensional role model. We even have the phrase in our culture that "we grow up with" those we vicariously live through, but the reality is you've grown up with bits & pieces of not only these critically acclaimed personalities, but everyone around you.
You truly can only know yourself inside & out because of the design of this human experience. Even I, who believes I have a keen sense of attention, am still learning aspects of my twin brother who I literally have been close with since before we were born. This is not to ignite melancholy in your mind, but to reignite the sense of wonder you should have as a human being who cannot & could never know everything about anyone. & this wonder is the very engine which propelled innumerable human beings into action living the most incredible lives documented. They were all driven to be active players in the world motivated by the gap in their knowledge, not afraid by it. What would these characters have done if they simply watched over & over again, for example, movies of others sailing through the ocean instead of getting on the boat to do it themselves? Their subconscious mind would have convinced them the feat has already been accomplished & there is no journey to voyage. This effectively robs one of the very experiences they claim to want. Those great individuals of the past saw a sailor once & thought, "This is it. This is what I shall do with my life", & had no chance to observe a flood of videos on the topic to allow them to second guess the decision. & those great beings of the present do the same, having the willpower to abstain from excessive simulations.
If you omit this ubiquitous, strange behavior of simulated living, you will automatically become a pioneer because life never repeats itself. Its infinite creativity makes this so. Meaning as you sit here & read this text, you are a uniquely designed being with your own inner compass which you can choose to waste on what is synthetic, as opposed to applying it to what is real. Allow enough space in your mind to dwell upon what truly matters. The temptation to fill your psyche with degrading shadows is strong, but the fate of your life is at stake.
Simplicity of mind allows one to enjoy the complexity of existence. & this simplicity is shrouded when you attempt to accumulate the experiences of another. If you wish to clarify your own perspective, which is the most valuable thing you can contribute to the world, you will refuse to vicariously live through the views of another, which slowly you become capable of once you simply stop the detrimental habit; naturally, just as trees grow towards the sun if they are left to their own blueprints. Stillness is the source of creation so the more you align yourself with this indestructible balance, the more creative you will become, filled with the vitality of pure energy, not by the memories you accumulate watching another self actualize. Either you self actualize, or you watch another do so. Flying a plane is far more invigorating than watching it fly from the ground, I assure you.
The Importance Of Integrity
It all begins with an idea.