But then one day near the end of Valjean’s life, the evil Innkeeper Thenardier -- who once raised Cosette in squalor and did many appalling things along the way -- reveals to Marius that Valjean was in fact the one who saved his life. Stunned by Thenardier revelations, Marius and Cosette rush to Valjean’s deathbed and console him, thanking him for a lifetime of self-givingness.  In essence, a very bad person has come forward and unwittingly helped resolve a knot between two good people, -- enabling reconciliation between Marius and Valjean, and the return of Cosette’s deep love and affection for Valjean, something he so desperately longed for.  And so after a lifetime of kindness and generosity, Jean Valjean dies a very happy man.

Additional: Life Response

July 12, 2009

From the Liberty of Ego to the Infinite Power of Self-Restraint

One of life’s blessings is that we are endowed with full freedom to act. Thus, Human Choice, not fate, nor karma can ultimately determine events. Yet if we were to look closely, we would see that three quarters of our actions are based on ego movements; on initiatives that are wholly self-serving. Sri Karmayogi calls this the “Liberty of ego.” We have the freedom of choice to determine the outcomes of life, but we abuse it through self-absorbed initiatives based on urge, compulsion, or other willful action that are self-aggrandizing. These in turn do not garner life’s cooperation, but their opposite, attracting negative conditions back to us. Yet if in these instances we simply restrained ourselves and held back our action, life would constantly conspire in our favor.

In Jane Austin’s Pride and Prejudice, like most great literature, we see several examples of this phenomenon. One is Mrs. Gardner’s restraint in speaking to Eliza about Darcy at a particularly sensitive moment. Rather than raise the issue, she shows sensitivity and refrains from expressing her thoughts in deference to Eliza’s difficult relationship with Darcy. She in essence avoids an ego movement, moving outward to embrace the concerns and interests of another person. As a result, life supports her non-initiative when soon after Darcy and Eliza come to an understanding, fall in love and marry -- bringing great happiness to the couple, while energizing both families to no end. Life has responded to Mrs. Gardener’s non-egoistic restraint.

On the other hand, Eliza’s mother Mrs. Bennet has no personal control; is constantly acting from self-interest and self-concern. Because she lacks restraint, her unflagging initiating and meddling continually backfires on her and her family. If only she stood back, looked outward from within, and restrained herself, life would have quickly brought her everything she hoped for -- including the marriage of her daughters to prosperous young bachelors, and without the travail and pain the family was forced to suffer through. Instead, her ego-oriented initiatives almost lead to its ruination.

It turns out that she is just an exaggerated version of every one of us. We too subconsciously engage in acts that serve our ego. If we could catch ourselves and suspend such actions, we would conserve energy, which would in turn attract positive conditions.

Practically speaking, each time we feel the urge to send a note, or forward a picture, or speak to a friend or colleague, we should ask ourselves whether this is a wholesome, fully positive activity, or is it being undertaken to tickle our ego; for the purpose of self-aggrandizement? E.g., are we tacitly seeking the approval of others? Are we hastily reacting and trying to assert our opinion? Are we looking to express our contempt for another in a backhanded way? Are we selfishly trying to gain benefit? And so forth, ad infinitum. If ego, self-aggrandizement, and selfishness is in any way behind our intention, we should refrain from acting. We will avoid the negative, while attracting the very best of conditions.  

When we restrain ourselves this way, we build up positive energies that align with the very best corresponding conditions in the world. We essentially move from the local, ego plane to the universal, where our hopes and dreams are fulfilled. Considering that three quarters of our actions consciously or unconsciously issue from the ego motive, it would be well worth examining every action we take to determine whether or not our intent is wholesome. If we avoid initiating when ego is present, we can avoid difficulties, while attracting startling positive results.

Ultimately, we can move toward the elimination of ego itself. That takes resolve, usually reserved for those who are on willing to follow a path of conscious evolution -- i.e. yoga in the East. To dissolve ego, one begins by moving away from the surface of life, where our consciousness is seperative, and find a still and silent soul space within. From there our intentions tend to be in harmony with the world outside ourselves. From there, there is little need to initiate or take action, as what we aspire for tends to rapidly come to fruition.

July 8, 2009

Three Levels of Problem Solving: Rationality, Life, and Spirit

We observe the forms of life around us and wonder where their origin and source of power lies. It comes from energy. Moreover, there is a fascinating relationship between the forms and the energy behind it.

Energy is the source and basis of all forms, whether physical forms of rocks or humans, or mental forms such as concepts and ideas. Forms however tend to break down. However, the energy behind them does not go away. Rather it formulates into new forms. For example, when a form of government, such as monarchy, breaks down, the energy behind it does not wither, but reformulates itself into a new form, such as democracy.

When things die -- whether anachronistic forms of social influence like aristocracy, or the physical human body -- that form is unable to hold its energy. It thus seeks corresponding new forms to inhabit, such as a new social order or a new form of life; even a new human body. In the 1960s the global Hippy movement was born in the San Francisco area. It sparkled like a comet across the sky changing the world, and just as suddenly died out. But then the energy behind morphed a new form with the rise of Silicon Valley, the personal computer, the Internet, and the Smartphone, all in that very same area. Their influence is untold, approaching infinity.

Sri Aurobindo in his metaphysical opus ‘The Life Divine’ tells us that energy is the source of all things, all life seen and unseen in the universe. He says that there is a constant, dynamic energy in the cosmos that takes subtle or gross form -- whether a physical body or object, a plant or animal, or an idea or insight. This common energy flowing subtly and invisibly through the universe has as its source a spiritual Conscious-Force of the one Infinite Consciousness.

Though we are a product of that universal force, energy is not a static entity. For example, we humans can increase it at any time -- whether it is physical, vital/emotional, mental, or spiritual energy. Increasing any of these will give us not only a greater power to accomplish, but a greater zest for life. If this is so, then what can we do to increase our energy? There are a number of practical approaches.

One is to increase our level of aspiration in life. The more intense our aspiration to achieve a goal, the more our will is engaged, and thus the greater energy released. Another way to maintain and build our energies is to maintain a positive attitude. Whereas negative attitudes tend or deplete our energies, even evoking instances of sudden ill fortune, positive ones -- whether towards others, one’s self, one’s work, or life -- tend to have the opposite effect.

Thus, the more we increase our energy, the more likely the forms that relate to our being will maintain themselves and avoid breaking down. If we lose physical, vital, or mental energy, those corresponding forms tend to whither. E.g. out body decays, our will depletes, and our understanding diminishes.

In the end, energy is the source of all accomplishment. It is energy that created, is creating the universe from a divine, Infinite consciousness. Likewise it is energy that also enables us create and achieve in life. The greater the consciousness, the greater the energy – physical, vital, mental, and spiritual, and thus the greater sustainability of the forms of our being and our capacity to thrive.

Additional: Energy in the Universe, Energy for the Individual

June 30, 2009

The Infinite Power of Harmony

There are a number of expressions of the Spirit in life. Silence, Being-ness, Truth, Wisdom, Timelessness, Infinity, Goodness, Love, Beauty, and Delight are several. Perhaps the most essential and basic is Harmony, whose higher expression is Oneness and Unity of being. For the Infinite consciousness, every and all things are interlocked in an essential Harmony and Oneness. And yet out of that essential Unity, a universe of infinitely diverse forms was created, including we humans. It is the same in our own individual and collective lives. When we bring greater harmony to bear through our relationship with others and the world, we generate a vast creative power for accomplishment for ourselves and others.

Take modern day Europe, where the Euro has suddenly become the world’s strongest currency. That’s the case because several nations came together to forge a financial alliance: in essence, a collaborative movement of harmony. That harmonic effort has produced a financial instrument that has garnered the greatest respect and purchasing power in the world. It is the power that harmony generates that has propelled the Euro to its lofty position.

On the other hand, across the channel, the British have been unwilling to participate in the Euro, putting its own purchasing power at risk. Even the mighty US currency has fallen behind the Euro. Subconsciously perceiving the power of collaboration and cooperation (two practical expressions of harmony) now the Asian financial community is considering a currency of its own. If they adopt it, it will likely generate a (further) boon for that region as well. This suggests that a global currency would create infinite-like financial and economic well-being for the world, since it would issue from a higher harmony that integrates all nations.

Wherever harmony is created, energy and power is released. When the colonies of the US came together over 200 years ago, it resulted in the greatest economic, political, and military power in world history. But it is not only nations that gain power when disparate elements come together. So do other collectives -- including institutions, businesses, communities, down to the individual family. The more harmony created among their parts and people, the greater the power and results generated.

Harmony intensifies the positive bonds between people and things, focusing energy and releasing power for accomplishment. We can see this in macro events like nations forming, but also in micro events such as our daily work experiences. For example, we have all participated in meetings over the course of our careers. When most successful, it is often because a deeper connection and bond was created among the staff – e.g. through mutual respect, by genuinely focusing on the contributions of others, and via collaborative decisions for future action. When we come out of these meetings, our energy skyrockets and our work efforts produce impressive results. In essence, the harmonic movement has created a new burst of collective energy now shared by each participant -- enabling individual and collective achievement. Interestingly that success often comes about through instances of sudden good fortune.

Similarly, any two individuals are capable of creating this sort a harmonic bond. For example, greater harmony in romantic relationships can produce the deepest form of love between partners. Each lover’s willingness to forget him or herself, adoring the other for its own sake can generate a tidal wave of romantic energy resulting in an intense bond and affection that can last a lifetime.

The opposite of harmony is each party moving in its own direction, focusing on its own interests at the expense of the needs of the “Other,” attracting negative conditions. For example, when the fascist juggernaut began to move across Europe at the outset of WWII, the “good” nations were unable to collaborate in any coherent way. That lack of harmony strengthened the enemy, who were then able to run roughshod across the continent. It was only the extreme collaboration and bravery of the British people, and the cooperative effort of the US and Europe that saved the world from that greatest of all evils.

The question is then how can we be in that state of consciousness that would allow us to be more connected and One with life around use. The answer is that the more we live in the deeper parts of our being, rather than the surface of life, the greater will be our affinity, connection, and harmony with our surroundings, including the people we interact with.

But how do we move to that silent state, that witness consciousness that would enable to us feel more connected with the world and others? We can begin to build that new inner status by constantly opening ourselves to the spiritual Force. When we offer and consecrate upcoming activities in our lives, offering that act to the Higher Power, not only are the conditions of life quickly set right, but we develop an ever-wider opening to our deeper Self. As we come to know those profound Silent and Still parts within, we experience an ever-increasing bond with things outside ourselves, including the situations we encounter and the people we interact with. As a result of these harmonic experiences, we not only generate a vast power for success, but deep inner joy and fulfillment.

This being the case, why not ask yourself this: In what areas of my life can I create greater harmony? If you determine what that is and then make a sincere effort to bring it about, you will not only generate a vast power for accomplishment, but you will experience deep, inner fulfillment, as the separation between yourself and life will melt away into a blissful Oneness.

Additional: Harmony, Oneness, Unity, Money and Harmony

June 21, 2009

Time’s Arrow

One of the interesting discoveries I made in analyzing hundreds of cases of Life Response -- i.e. instances of sudden good fortune -- is that Time works quite differently than our normal conception. For example, let's say that I change my attitude towards someone from hostility to goodwill. When I then open my mailbox, I discover a check for thousands of dollars from a customer who owed me that sum for years. It is simply life responding to my change in consciousness, which put me in alignment with that individual’s remittance. It turns out that long ago I had a similar experience, and when I asked my spiritual teacher Sri Karmayogi if the check would have been mailed days before in the past had I not changed my attitude here in the present, he replied that it would not have. This indicated that the present is indeed affecting the past!

Our normal view is that there are three divisions of Time -- past, present, and future. But from the spiritual position, there is only one Time that is undivided. If this is so, then events today may be affecting circumstance in the past, just as events in the future are determining the present. For example, if someone decides not to shift his attitude to the positive in the future, it might cause me, who was about to pay, to suddenly not pay in the present. Again, it is the future effecting the present, just as the present can affect the past. In fact, any period can affect any other.

Interestingly, it is only when we rise in consciousness beyond Mind proper, to intuition, and higher still to a “Truth Consciousness” that we can discern these true movements of Time. From these planes beyond the ordinary functionings and logic of mind, we can begin to see the arrow of time moving in any and all directions. If this is true, if time has these astonishing qualities, then the very foundation of our belief system must come into question, including views of history and science, not to mention Reality itself.

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this vastly expanded view of time is that we have the power to become its Master. Not by travelling in a Time Machine or using other forms of technology as presented in science fiction, but through shifts in consciousness within. In fact, science itself has begun to understand the extraordinary ancient Indian principle that Time depends on the consciousness of the observer. For example, most of us have noticed how fast time seems to pass when we have a stimulating conversation. Similarly, science tells us that if one approaches the speed of light, time will slow down or speed up depending on the relative position of the observer. And yet the ancient Indian insight is far more profound, as it suggests that if we elevate our consciousness in a given moment or circumstance, any and all limitations of time can be overcome. If e.g. I change a wanting attitude to the positive, and, as a result, attract an opportunity of a lifetime, then I have drawn a future possibility and made it real in the present. What would have taken years to accomplish has instead occurred in an instant. Or to put it another way, the burden of time has been completely eliminated.

It turns out that this inner power to attract something to us thereby cancelling time has also been verified by recent discoveries of science. Its theory of Non-local Connections indicates that if one particle of an atom moves, it can affect another particle of the same atom, even if it is on the other side of the universe. Non-local connection not only overcomes the normally perceived limitations of cause and effect, but allows for instantaneousness between objects no matter the distance. Yet another discovery of science -- proven by the latest mathematical calculations measuring and defining the cosmos -- is that the outcome of any event is dependent on the person observing it! Thus, my observation of an event can affect a different outcome for it than if another person observes it, indicating that consciousness determines reality. This is a startling scientific discovery that confounds every individual who contemplates its meaning.

Sri Aurobindo takes this several steps further and says that we can discover an inner dimension within our being, a soul space, from which we are able to overcome every aspect of time in the outer world. At the point that we touch our evolving soul within, we move into a realm where past, present, and future become one single, undifferentiated point. Thus, when we act from that space, life immediately reacts to our intentions. Moving to this Psychic Being within is a step beyond a change in consciousness, such as a shift in attitude. Rather it is a movement into the center of consciousness. There we come in touch with universal and transcendent powers, where gives us access to the greatest time controlling and affecting power in the outer world. From these deepest depths, I am able to change the conditions of life -- past, present and future -- in an instant.

Time’s Arrow thus moves in every and all dimensions to the degree we express our consciousness. It reaches its apex and greatest capacity when we discover our evolving Soul within. From there we become masters of the outer life, as any intention originating there is instantly fulfilled.

Additional: The Nature of Time for the Spiritual Individual, Time and Life Response, Science and New View of Space and Time

June 1, 2009

From Material View of Science to Involution/Evolution of the Infinite

We worship the God of Science, trusting in its laws and rules, bowing before its child, Technology. After all, we are dazzled by the material benefit it has given us, including unprecedented security and infinite-like physical comforts.

And yet science’s foundation rests on a material view of the world. All of its principles and insights derive from physical matter it can measure. Its view of evolution is a mere progression from matter forward -- i.e. as mere ever-more complex forms of atoms, molecules, chemical reactions, and micro and macro elements. This narrow, materialistic, mechanistic view of existence is what we have subconsciously embraced as the foundation of existence, particularly in the West.

But what if there were a decidedly different view? What if all that we are becoming and evolving towards was already involved, inherent in matter? What if embedded in material existence is a seed of all that has evolved from it -- from animated life and life forms to the  mentality of Man? What if in the hidden, subtle recesses of matter, there was the consciousness of future life and mind, lying dormant, holding out for the right time and conditions before coming out?

Science of course does not embrace such an involved consciousness latent in matter, for it cannot see it or measure it -- its prime means of determining the existence of anything. How can the seed of a life and mind be contained in material rock or stone or ice or water or fire when there are no signs of that possibility when examined under a microscope or analyzed with the latest, state-of-the-art measuring devices? And yet everything that has evolved from matter was and is there in consciousness, involved in it, secretly hidden from view, waiting to come out. Embedded in matter is not just the possibility and seeds of animated, energized life and the forms that move and interact; not just the splendors of mentality that emerged through those life forms, including us, but the possibility of Spirit itself emerging through we mental beings. Thus, all of life in the universe is a flowering from that seed; a constant unfolding of higher substance and consciousness from that involved, hidden Essence embedded in matter.

But who or what planted this life-mind-spirit seed in the recesses of matter? The answer is that only an Infinite consciousness, a Divine entity could have imagined, conceived, and planted the hidden fountain of life in the very core and being of matter. Only a Higher Power could have imagined and planted the “DNA” of conscious life in the heart of a material existence; that on the surface appears completely unconscious and inert.

But why would a Divine entity usher in a universe with the dense, gross substance and unconsciousness of matter? Why not begin with those higher formations -- of matter, life, and mentality; or better yet their full integration. Surely, an Infinite consciousness could have devised anything It chose. The answer to this conundrum – which incidentally also explains why there is suffering, difficulty, and evil in the world -- is quite simple: It did so to enable the greatest possibility and multiplicity in life. By starting with the unconsciousness of matter, an infinite array of possibilities could emerge above it; from positive to negative, light to dark, easy to problematic, etc. across all dualities and contradictions of existence.  That would enable Its own Divine attributes -- peace, harmony, wisdom, creativity, beauty, love, delight, etc. -- to express through an infinite variety of forces, energies, forms, and circumstance; across an infinitely varied spectrum of existence, providing ultimate diversity and richness to life.

Implicit in a seed of future planes embedded matter is not only an Infinite source, but the fact that these planes existed in some form before creation! In fact, we can only understand the evolution of planes from seeds of matter if we perceive the involutionary process that embedded those potentialities in first place. Whereas evolution is a self-unfolding from Matter to Life to Mind and Spirit, Involution is a previous and inverse process of self-manifestation of the Infinite consciousness into the planes Mind, Life/Energy, and Matter. Or looking at it chronologically, first there was the Infinite Divine, which manifest the plane of Supermind or Truth consciousness, and then Mind, out of which derived the plane of energy (Vital), out of which emerged the plane of Matter. As each plane emerged, it lost the higher consciousness, but embedded or involved itself as future potential. This is the involutionary process from spirit to matter. The evolutionary process then occurs, which is the unfolding from matter of involved Life/Energy and life forms, and then mentality from Life in those life forms, and then Spirit from Mind. Ultimately, conscious mental individuals in the evolution open and connecting back to the highest, Infinite consciousness that was the source of All in the involution.

The dual involutionary/evolutionary process is thus very different process than the mere, dumb, unconscious material evolution presented by Science. Involution indicates an Infinite consciousness and a Divine process behind the material one. Interestingly, recent scientific/mathematical formulas are starting to point in this direction. E.g., Dark Energy may be one significant step in that direction, indicating energy previous to matter.

Scientists ever-increasingly stand agape as they see their material, mechanistic views of existence ironically torn down through their own scientific investigations. When they come to see that all other planes -- back to cosmic Mind and Spirit -- were/are there before creation, and that life, mind, and spirit are buried in matter waiting to come out, they will begin to perceive the right relation of things, including the ultimate meaning and purpose of life in the cosmos.

May 16, 2009

Aligning with Money’s Social Power
We know a variety of ways to bring money to us through sudden good fortune. Greater circulation (i.e. not hording it), paying off one's debts, collecting every penny owed,  being generous, overcoming selfishness, focusing on another's needs, and being calm in the face of a difficult financial matter are but a few ways to attract money out of nowhere.

From another perspective, we attract money by developing a different orientation toward the meaning and purpose of Money itself. Money exists not for mere human consumption or to serve our seperative, individual needs, but for wider social purpose -- including greater social development and progress in the world. At the point where we change our perspective about Money from being a mere means to an end or just a transaction of exchange at the physical level, to it serving a great social purpose and utility at the vital level, we move into harmony with its intent in the world. As a result, we open ourselves to it coming in floods from corresponding points in space and time.

Money is a social power. Its purpose is to serve the wider aspirations and values of the collective life. They in turn serve to fulfill the Higher Purpose of the Infinite consciousness on earth. Each time we tap into Money power through our higher consciousness efforts -- i.e. by making inner, psychological shifts toward the positive -- we become instruments for the Infinite and its purposes. By aligning with Money’s Social Power, we not only draw more of it to us, but we fulfill the Divine intention for ever-greater social progress and evolution on earth.

May 16, 2009

Detachment that Overcomes Delay

One of my favorite strategies to take when things appear to be in limbo -- such as when an order is pending, or an important shipment is on its way, or an invoice is not yet paid -- is to shift my attention away from it and bury myself in something else, particularly when it involves hard work. Invariably, when I do, the thing delayed or held in suspension is suddenly unleashed. In fact, not only does it manifest as a sudden positive response, but just before it happened, it had all but been forgotten!

That is precisely what occurred the other day when I was waiting on a payment so I could send a link to a client to start using our web-based software application. Rather than worry about the matter, I simply lost myself in an important research project. When I had tried several times to find out the status of the payment, there was no tracking information available. But after I buried myself in the research work, and then later casually checked the status again, I learned that it was moving to fruition.

Now I saw that as a result of my inattention to the problem, by focusing on another matter, I was able to attract the payment that previously had been in limbo. Then there was a further development. Though the payment was now clearly in transit, would it actually arrive? After all, there was reason to be skeptical since it had been delayed several times, and anything could still happen. However, once again, rather than worry about the important payment, I buried myself in another work. This time it wasn’t the research work, but the cleaning of my bathroom floor! And so I cleared out the room, gathered together the best cleaning utensils and materials, and scraped and scrubbed in ways I had not done in that room in years. Specifically, my goal was to clean out the accumulated grit that had gathered in the recesses of the bathroom tiles, requiring considerable physical effort on my part.

After completing the strenuous task, I collapsed back onto my couch, feeling both exhaustion and a sense of accomplishment. Then a few moments later, I heard a knock at the door. I knew just who it was. It was the FedEx delivery person with the longed for, often delayed payment. And yet when I examined the time, I realized that it had came an hour earlier than expected, indicating that the physical effort of cleaning the bathroom not only attracted the payments’ arrival, but caused it to come earlier than what was indicated on the online tracking system. That struck me as a further indicator of luck.

When we shift our focus away from worrying about an issue or matter, and instead put our energies elsewhere -- e.g. by making a full, even exhaustive effort in another direction -- positive conditions quickly move in our direction. More often than not, the thing we had hoped for but then put aside is suddenly realized.

Just as focusing on an illness can intensify it, so too worrying about a matter tends to delay it. Yet focusing on something very much the opposite, such as hard work in an entirely different domain not only overcome our negative emotions, but attract positive conditions.  For years, I have used this approach to overcome anxiety, worry, and delay about a matter; and in nearly every instance, it has worked its magic!

May 7, 2009

Beyond Science Fiction to the Truths of Higher Consciousness

Spurred on by America’s scientific and technological obsessions, the world experiences films, TV, and novels that include fantastic twists and turns that defy normal views of reality. This artistic media form is collectively known as “science fiction.” It expresses as experiences of time travel, multi-dimensions, parallel universes, and other startling shifts and unfoldings that entice the viewer. Though loosely based on true principles of physics and actual mathematical calculations about the workings of the universe, most of what is presented is wholly without fact, as virtually no one has such experiences in real life.

And yet, we can experience such dramatic shifts in space-time and inter-dimensionality, but not in the way we normally think of it. There is a power that we can access that can overcome barriers of space, time, causality, and reality. It is the power of higher consciousness, and includes our ability to access the Spirit.

For example, before engaging in an act, an individual quiets his mind and opens to the spiritual Force. As a result, a four-year problem that had been dogging him suddenly disappears. Another individual opens to that Higher Power, and as a result, three new projects suddenly spring into action, when just before they were moribund and not expected to begin for years.  In this way, limits of time and space are overcome, as the future moves into the present, and what was not there before in space is suddenly created. The fact is that many have had such experiences; as opposed to what science fiction portrays.

We can also experience sudden good fortune through other shifts in consciousness. For example, one man decides to overcome his hostile feelings towards another, and out of nowhere is suddenly promoted to the job of his dreams -- something he was unable to accomplish in a decade of trying. By shifting from his lower nature to a higher one, he has transcended the local domain of finite possibility and opened to the universal plane where our infinite potential is realized. It is in essence the experience of a “life response,” -- i.e. the onset of sudden good fortune, where normal views of space, time, causality, and reality are overcome. It is an experience that each of us can have as often as we want, when we want. This is no science fiction captured in celluloid or paper, but a living truth known and realized by many.

Interestingly science has begun to track this phenomenon at the material/physical level, which it calls “non-local connection.” Principles of physics now tell us that two electrons of the same atom can change each other’s spin even if they are tens of thousands or even billions of miles apart. This extraordinary association at the subtle material level is but a frontal understanding of something much deeper: that it can occur at the vital, emotional, mental, and spiritual planes as well. That every moment our thoughts, feelings, attitudes, and beliefs move out across the field of life, and align with and attract related condition from the world around us.

Space is extension. Time is movement in extension. When we open to the Force or otherwise raise our consciousness, we overcome extension and its movement. We bring timelessness into time, and spacelessness into space. In that way, we serve as a bridge between the Infinite consciousness and life in the cosmos. We become not only joyful experiencers of the miraculous; not only space-time navigators in the cosmos; but pioneers of the next stage of human evolution.

May 1, 2009

From Reluctance to Acceptance to the Pinnacles of Success

Reluctance is indicative of a wanting attitude, rooted deep in our physical nature which does not want to change. It also has a mental component that does not want to embrace a new idea or possibility, even if it is true. In that way, our reluctance to do, act, or embrace keeps us in stasis -- often sending us reeling backwards. However, if we catch ourselves and overcome a recalcitrant attitude, embracing in full the matter or possibility at hand, life tends to quickly move in our favor, as the following episode demonstrates.

One day recently, I was preparing to do some work for a client of mine in the Sacramento area. The representative of the firm requested that I perform several functions in the upcoming class that were not part of the normal curriculum. I agreed to do them in principle, but when it came to prepare for the class, I was just a tad hesitant to take those extra prepatory steps. The main issue was that I wasn’t sure if in the class itself I would have the time to do those extras and still cover the standards course topics.

Just after waking the next morning, I thought about the issue, and decided on two courses of action. First, I resolved that I wouldn’t worry myself sick about the matter since it was not really a big deal. Second, I took a step into the light and concluded that I would simply do what the client asked for, no matter what the demands on my time were, taking it as a kind of “adventure into the unknown.” With that more enlightened attitude, I took up the day’s activities.

When I got around to the prepatory work for the client, I simply did it, even enjoying it somewhat. Then after a few moments, at an unusual hour in the morning, I received a most unexpected call. It was from a potential new client overseas who was eager to pay for one of our online software applications, but was unable to do so through our standard payment procedures. I then made arrangements for a different method of payment for them. When I then hung up the phone, it dawned on me what really happened.

I realized the first “demanding” client would pay me $1000 for a day’s worth of work, which involved a considerable amount of time and energy in conducting the class, including the extra features requested. The second client, who contacted me by phone out of the blue after doing the preparation for the other, also would pay me $1000 -- only it required virtually no effort of my part, as all they needed was the URL address to our online service.

In other words, because I shifted from reluctance and embraced the details required for a more difficult, time-consuming physical work, I instantly evoked another client for the very same $1000 amount, but which required hardly any work at all! I was reminded once again that when we give up our truculent attitude and embrace the givens before us, no matter how difficult or challenging, life immediately returns the favor. The result comes from out of nowhere in the form of more money, better paying work, an unexpected large sale, a new opportunity, ease of effort, and so forth. Or, as in this case above, in various combinations of these.

If we were to step back and observe what goes on in the course of our day, we would discover several instances where we were reluctant to embrace the current needs and conditions of life. Sometimes our hesitancy is justified, but too often, it is simply the result of the resistance of our vital/emotional nature that does not want to change or embrace the demands of the Now. The interesting thing, however, is that if we make that extra effort and go beyond our restricted attitude, life will quickly bring us luck. Sometimes what comes can literally change the course of our lives -- such as a sudden boost in our career, a golden opportunity appearing out of nowhere, or even the beginnings of a life-long romance.

When we shift from hesitancy to acceptance, we open the portals of possibility -- quickly aligning with the most positive of conditions. Moreover, each time you make that attitudinal transition, you build up a new level of strength that compels you to practice it more often.  As a result, your existence becomes a never-ending unfolding of the miraculous, as you continually attract the infinite potentials of life to the here and now.

April 26, 2009

Imagining Spiritual Light Descending on Others

One of the most powerful spiritual techniques is to open to the Spirit before engaging in an act, such as an upcoming business meeting. That inner opening to the Higher Power is guaranteed to attract positive results soon after. Personally, it is an act of consecrating an activity by opening to the spiritual force and power of the Divine Mother. For others, it takes shape somewhat differently -- e.g. simply as a trust and faith in something greater than one's self.

Whatever the object of spirit, consecration is virtually unfailing in its ability to attract and align with the very best of conditions. It is especially effective for those who have deep faith in the spiritual Object, and do not make emphatic demands on what is to come.

It turns out that in the past year or two, I have been experimenting with a closely related technique -- one that can have an even more concentrated effect on ensuing events. It is to connect with the spiritual Power, and then imagine Its Light and Force descending and radiating down on the participants in the upcoming meeting. It turns out that every time I have practiced this technique, the results have been staggering. For example, right after the activity begins I learn that--

• dramatic new developments have arisen lately that I would never have imagined.

• creative, new approaches to problems are revealed in ways I never would have believed, putting the activity or project on a dramatic new path.

• things I expected to take months or even years to begin have suddenly moved onto the fast track.

• people are suddenly in full agreement on future direction of an undertaking when previously there was no consensus in which direction to move.

Each time I experienced one of these events, I felt a profound miracle had taken place. It seemed that way because something so radically different had occurred. And yet I was still able to recognize that an Infinite consciousness and power was responsible for these startling outcomes.

When we summon that Light and Force, imagining it descending and radiating down on the targeted party, we engage in an unparalleled act of the spirit. We evoke an infinite Power with the capacity to release infinite possibilities for the targeted recipients as well as ourselves. That being the case, why not give it a try?

April 21, 2009

The Life Response Power of Restraint

April 13, 2009

Breaking the Habit 

It is said that we are creatures of habit -- i.e. we like to persist in doing that which is routine and familiar, rather than what is different, fresh, and new. Sri Aurobindo tells us that this is due to our material, body consciousness, which tends to remain the same, rather than progress: to repeat the same things, rather than take fresh, new initiative.

And yet we can learn to be more open to change in our moment-to-moment lives. In any given circumstance, we can become aware of our fixidity, our reluctance, our unchanging habit, and instead take a fresh, new tact. And when we break that routine and pattern, not only do we experience the joy of a fresh moment, but we open the portals of possibility, enabling sudden good fortune to come our way. Let me illustrate with a recent experience.

For several years, I have been self-publishing my books through Lulu Press, a wonderful online system that is an alternative to traditional book production. An author goes to their website, supplies the manuscript file, selects a look for the covers, and Lulu produces a book template available to the public. The consumer can then purchase a volume to order, 1 or 100, and have it shipped within a few days. It is a major revolution in the book-publishing field.

For several years, I have had little problems using the service. I would simply follow the steps and voila! new iterations of my books would be made available to the public. Recently, however, I have been trying to publish a new book, ‘Higher Consciousness, Infinite Success’, a compendium of the dozen or so major articles I have written at the Growth Online site, and have run into several problems. The main one is that when I send my Microsoft Word file to the site, the Lulu wizard would not accept it. I figured that it might be an error in their system, or that there is too much traffic at their site, or some other factor. For a month, I struggled to get a version of the file uploaded to Lulu so I could complete the book publishing cycle. Recently I simply resigned myself to the plight, hoping it would self-correct down the line.

Then I recalled that several associates of mine were using the Mozilla Firefox web browser instead of Microsoft’s Internet Explorer. It was something I had never tried before, nor did I see a reason to. I sometimes even wondered why my friends were using it. I heard it was a little faster, but that did not seem enough to take me away from Internet Explorer. In any case, one morning, frustrated with my lack of success in uploading my latest book, and not having gotten a credible response from Lulu, I decided to download the Firefox browser.

When I loaded it up, it did indeed seem to be somewhat faster, though that still seemed only a relatively minor benefit for continuing with its use. Then I went to the Lulu site and tried uploading my manuscript through Firefox instead of the normal Internet Explorer. A moment later, I was shocked to see that not only did my manuscript file take the first time around, but I was able to get through all the publishing steps in record time! Later in the week, I made further changes to the manuscript, and was very quickly able to create a revision at Lulu. For me, it was a marvel to behold, as weeks if not months of frustration had now suddenly ended.

Even as I was having the experience, I saw the great life response benefit of embracing change in the details of life: of taking a different path, rather than following old habits and routines. When we perform an act in a fresh, new way, rather than in the tired old way, life immediately opens before us. When we get off the dime, and move away from our physical consciousness that is fixed and wants to repeat, we open the portals of possibility. It was another wonderful reminder that every moment we are offered the opportunity to break old habits and quickly attract the infinite to our doorstep.

Additional: Habituality, Fixidity, Rigidity

April 6, 2009

Breaking a Money Backlog through Self-Givingness

Self-givingness can express in a number of ways. Generosity, whether through one’s inner intention or in a physical gesture in life, is an important one. It not only brings positive results to the recipient, including a relationship partner, but to yourself as well. In fact, I had that very experience the other day.

For over a month, money had been piling up for me. Not in what was owed, but in what was due to me. One unpaid amount was for $13k+, another for 5k+, a third for 1k. With every passing day, the receivables were accumulating, while my bank balance was dropping rapidly toward zero. During that time, I hoped and prayed that money would come, but nothing came of it. In fact, each time things seemed to move forward, circumstance would intervene and payments would got delayed. It almost seemed insidious!

Then in the middle of night, I woke up and thought that instead of focusing on myself, I wanted to secure this money because my relationship partner needed it. I sensed that shifting from my needs for the money to her concerns might help the situation. The next morning I went to my online bank statement and was startled to see that the money backlog had finally been broken! An amount due from my ever-increasing receivables had finally been paid; the first major inflow of money in a month! That sum would turn out to benefit both of us.

In this case, I clearly understood that by moving from ego and self, i.e. my needs, to the concerns and desires of another, in this case my partner, I was able to attract positive circumstances for both of us. It was another indicator how inward-oriented self-givingness has a great power to attract positive conditions from life – giving support, strength, and sustenance to our long-term relationships.

Additional: Self-Givingness Attracts, Generosity Attracts, Attracting Money through Generosity, Self-givingness Attracts Improved Love Relationships

April 1, 2009

The Coming Super-Revolution in Our Ability to Know

The issue of whether a computer can match the current level of thought of a human being is an intriguing one, yet only touches a fraction of our potential to know and secure knowledge in life.

The real question is not whether a computer can match say 100% what humans are now capable of thinking, but whether through elevation of human consciousness we human beings are capable of knowing and cognizing at 10, 100, or even 1000 times greater the level we do now. This is the real Knowledge Revolution that awaits the world.

It may in fact take 50 to 300 years to reach this capacity, as we move from our productive but narrow focused human logic, which is exclusive, partial, and limited, to higher forms of perception through illumination, intuition, and revelation of knowledge; where we garner the truth of any matter from all sides in a flash. This is an example of a new evolution in human functioning that goes far beyond our current capacity to think and know, let alone the very limited capability of a computer/machine, which merely mimics the current limitations of the mind.

Einstein demonstrated this capacity to instantly know the entirety of a matter for a few seconds when the material formula of life -- E=mc2 -- was revealed to him, changing the world forever. Each of us is capable of opening to that universal Mind power not just for a moment, but ongoing throughout our day, creating 10, 100 or 1000 times greater understanding of any object of inquiry. This is the radical revolution of human perception that awaits us. It is a movement beyond the local domain of limited mental reason to the non-local domain of infinite capacity to perceive every and all sides of a matter or issue in an instant. Though it may strike some as science fiction, this capacity is a living reality, particularly for those who have learned to expand their consciousness beyond the limits of human logic, to spiritualized mind and beyond.

Consider these scenarios:

• A research project you are working on that you expect will take a month to complete is finished in two days when you suddenly know the answer to that project’s most compelling problem in a flash.

• An email arrives in your inbox with the complete, multi-sided explanation of an issue that you have been grappling with from one partial angle, reducing your workload from 2 weeks to 2 hours.

• You garner an understanding of a subtle working of life regarding a matter, and as a result, you make the right decision that quickly attracts astonishing results, shortening your effort from months to hours.

These are but a few examples of the future-knowing capacity of humanity; surpassing our current ability by leaps and bounds. It is not merely to use reason to know a thing, but to move into complete identity with its many-sided truth, its totality, and its essence in the blink of an eye. Sounds super-natural? Actually, it is supra-mental, and an indicator of the next stage of human evolution.

Additional: Illuminations, Intuitions, and Supramental Perception; Potentials of Human Evolution

March 16, 2009

The Current Financial Crisis and World Unity

The financial crisis the world is going through is also an indication that greater human coordination, cooperation, and unity amongst the nations is under way. Each major crisis humanity goes through, such as WWII, is followed by a level of greater harmony that wasn't there before. E.g., NATO, UN, WTC, IMF, ASEAN, etc. are all harmony-creating social institutions that came about as a result of the calamity of World War II. Without such crises, it may have taken hundreds of years for such organizations of human cooperation to have emerged -- if ever.

As we now see in 2009, the Europeans are once more going through this dynamic via the current world financial debacle. Sixty years ago after WWII, the European Union began to emerge as an economic and quasi-political unifying organization. However, current circumstance is forcing that institution of greater harmony to forge even closer ties and bonds. As the pundits have pointed out, currently there is no real coordinating system within the EU framework to cope with and resolve the financial crisis, as each county pulls in its own direction (an echo of what those nations did previous to WWII, enabling the rise of the fascist juggernaut). But current events are forcing the EU to forge closer ties to resolve the issues, which will further solidify EU economic, political, social, and cultural bonds longer term.

Thus, we see how life, i.e. Nature, works. She creates difficult situations, such as a great war or a great financial crisis, to enable greater cooperation, coordination, and integration among the members. It is through this process that ever-greater harmony and unity is established in the world -- whether amongst the nations of the EU, the states of the USA, the countries of Asia, or the total collective of the world. It is this slow and difficult method of Nature -- ‘Prakriti’ in Indian parlance -- that we arrive at ever-greater levels of human collaboration and harmony. It is through this process that we arrive at our ultimate collective destiny -- human unity.

Thus, we see that the negatives we perceive -- such as the current financial crisis -- can actually be seen as a positive in disguise: a difficulty that is in reality a vast opportunity for human progress, evolution, and transformation.