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1. Welcome to Issue #136 (May 17, 2004) of MIND CHATTER
Mind Chatter is published once a month, on or about the 16th of each month.
Please send Mind Chatter to a friend, and please send us your questions, comments, and suggestions.
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2. If you would like to unsubscribe, you can manage your account via the links at the beginning and end of the newsletter. (But please don't. We like you and we want you to stay.)
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3. In This Issue
* MindQuotes (scroll to #5)
* The Pendulum Swings
by Bill Harris, Director
* Glowing Testimonial of the Month (scroll to #8)
* BOOK REVIEW (scroll to #9)
The Myth of Freedom
By Chogyam Trungpa
Reviewed by Marc Gilson
* Important Announcements (scroll to #10)
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4. MIND CHATTER contains articles about:
*How you create your life--and how you can stop unconsciously creating experiences and outcomes you do not want, and instead begin to create exactly what you do want
*Personal and spiritual growth in general
*Meditation (high and low-tech)
*Recovery from emotional trauma
*Pretty much any other subject I get excited about and want to write about. After all, it's my company and my newsletter, and I can do whatever I want with it. So there.
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5. Mind Quotes
Charity should begin at home, but should not stay there.
- Philip Brooks
That which a man willingly shares, he keeps. That which he selfishly keeps, he loses.
- unknown
Every man goes down to his death bearing in his hands only that which he has given away.
- Persian Proverb
Even in darkness, light dawns for the upright,
for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man.
Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely,
who conducts his affairs with justice.
He will have no fear of bad news;
his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord.
His heart is secure; he will have no fear;
in the end he will see his desire on his adversaries.
He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor,
his righteousness endures forever;
his horn [dignity] will be lifted high in honor.
- Psalm 112: 4-5, 7-9
One man gives freely, yet gains even more;
another withholds unduly, but ends up impoverished.
-Proverbs 11:24
Quarrels wouldn't last as long, if the fault was only on one side.
- unknown
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6. Something important for everyone who wants a close, loving, conscious relationship...
In January I invited you to participate in a relationship tele-seminar by internationally known relationship experts Gay and Kathlyn Hendricks--at absolutely no charge. The response was (literally) overwhelming.
Over 7,000 people signed up! People were disappointedly turned away when the call became full, and though we scrambled to add more telephone lines, some people could not listen to the seminar that night.
So everyone could hear what turned out to be an amazing seminar, we repeated it (twice) the next evening, and twice on the following Saturday.
If you didn't hear this free relationship seminar, I've arranged for it to be repeated again. Here, then, is the original announcement. At the bottom, click on the link to register for the free teleseminar...
To thank you for being a member of the Centerpointe family, I've arranged for you to participate--at no charge--in a fantastic telephone seminar with internationally known relationship experts Gay and Kathlyn Hendricks.
This telephone seminar does not cost anything.
Gay and Kathlyn and I have become very good friends over the last year, and because their new book, Lasting Love (Rodale Publishers), is hitting the bookstores this month, I convinced Gay to do a free tele-seminar for Mind Chatter
subscribers about the new information they've discovered about how to create close, loving relationships that really work. (Yes, it is possible.)
You get first crack at hearing this new material before they appear on all the major talk shows in the coming months. And, of course, in this seminar, they'll go into much more detail than they ever could on any talk show.
Two kinds of people will greatly benefit from this free seminar:
1) Those who want to make their current relationship into a GREAT relationship...
2) Those who aren't in a relationship right now--or even those who may have "given up" on relationships--but really would like to to find Mr. or Ms. Right and create a relationship that really does have all the love, intimacy, and
companionship you've always wanted.
This is NOT the same old "Men are from Mars" stuff. This is practical, cutting edge information that the Hendricks have successfully taught to thousands of singles and couples who wanted to stop the merry-go-round of conflict, fighting,
and lack of closeness, and create relationships the way you really want them to be.
Gay and Kathlyn Hendricks have appeared on Oprah twice, they've been on Good Morning America, Larry King, and many other television and radio programs, and they've published many best-selling books, including the classic, Conscious
Loving.
Gay and Kathlyn are super teachers, and in this seminar they will explain some key concepts that really will make a huge difference in your current relationship (even if you're the only one in the relationship who uses them).
As you probably know by now, I'm not interested in fluff. What I teach is real rubber-meets-the-road practical information that really works and really creates fundamental positive change.
Gay and Kathlyn teach in the same way I do--their stuff isn't just a lot of "feel-good" material, but rather real-life, kitchen-tested principles and techniques that really will make a difference in your life. And, the way they teach is a
lot of fun, too, so I know you'll enjoy yourself.
Again, this seminar is 100% "no charge" to you, so there's no reason to not participate if you're even remotely interested in creating a close, loving relationship.
Here's how to participate:
1. Go to http://www.therelationshipsolution.com/teleseminar
2. Type in your name and email address.
3. Click "submit."
You'll then receive the telephone number to call, along with the passcode to key in once you're connected to the call, by email.
Then, all you have to do is call in about 2 minutes before the seminar and enjoy listening to two of the world's top relationship experts in a private, no-cost seminar I've arrange for them to teach, especially for you.
The phone bridge they're using does limit the number of people who can participate, so please register right away to avoid missing this free relationship seminar.
Here's the link again to sign up: http://www.therelationshipsolution.com/teleseminar
Remember, this great seminar by Gay and Kathlyn Hendricks doesn't cost you anything--it's my gift to you. Enjoy! And please feel free to send the link to all your friends.
**
Another shameless promotion directed at those who want to learn how to create exactly what they want in life:
I assume that's you...
Unless you're new to Mind Chatter, you know that close to a year ago I started a series of teleconference lessons--three courses, of 12 calls each--collectively called The Life Principles Integration Process. Now over 2000 people are
participating in these courses, and people in these courses are experiencing huge positive changes.
These courses are now available in a very easy to use on-line form.
Here's the idea: You are creating your internal and external reality, though you're probably doing it, for the most part, unconsciously and automatically. This means that part of the time you will get what you want, and part of the time
you won't, but it's not always clear why that happens.
If, however, you can learn to operate the creative part of you consciously and intentionally, you really can create whatever you want.
No one is more amazed than I am that after years of struggle, I figured out how to do this for myself. Not only that, I can teach you how you can do it, too. In fact, I GUARANTEE that I can teach you how to do it, if you're willing to
learn.
This is NOT the same old stuff you've read about in all those books about "manifesting your dreams" and so on and so forth. I promise that if you take these courses, you will have a huge "ah-ha" about your life and how to create what you
want, both inside and out.
You can take the courses on your computer, either by listening via audio-streaming, or by downloading the calls to listen to later or to burn them onto a CD. As in the live calls, I am making myself personally available, by email, to
answer any questions you have about anything during the course.
And, you do not need to already be a participant in The Holosync Solution to take these courses, by the way.
And, I've made these course really inexpensive. If I had to teach this in person, in a seminar or retreat, it would cost a few thousand dollars. Instead, it's a small fraction of that--and I've created a free preview lesson, so you can
find out what it's about with no risk.
Here are a few emails I've received from people in the course:
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!!!!!! The first lesson was worth the price of this course, and more. I have heard and read similar material before, but somehow you manage to present it so that it gets through in a
powerful way. I simply can't tell you how grateful I am to you-and you're plenty funny!
--Jean M.
*
Wow, you are not kidding when you say you really want to help. I knew that already though. Thank you so much. You, your program, and your teachings have changed my life completely-much needed.
--Lee
*
You really know your stuff! Razor sharp.
--Andrew
*
Wow! I'm impressed by all the time and energy you are putting into this course. Thank you!
--Ellen
*
I absolutely love your impeccable program. You've summed up just about everything that I've heard from many other tapes and books, but they did not hand you the formula for the answers the way in which you did. I feel that there are many
thousands of beings who are truly grateful for all that you have gone through to bring about such change for so many. May we all find the joy and blessings that you have come to live. Bright Blessings,
--Janet G.
*
So please go listen to the FREE preview lesson, which is available now for you to listen to online. This free lesson contains some great stuff, so please go listen to it.
For more information about the course and to actually listen to a FREE preview lesson, click here:
http://www.centerpointe.com/life/preview
I'd love to get an email from you in a few weeks telling me how much YOU have benefited!
Be well.
Bill
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7. Feature Article
The Pendulum Swings
by Bill Harris, Director
This may be the most important article I've ever written for Mind Chatter. I'm going to write about something I've been thinking about sharing with you for some time now, but have been waiting for "the right moment" to do so. This seems
like the right moment, and when I saw Marc Gilson's review of Chogyam Trunpa's "The Myth of Freedom" I knew I was right about this. Please do read this book review, as it also speaks about the ability of the conscious person to realize
that the negative side of things is not to be resisted, but at the same time, you don't have to get sucked into it, either.
You'll see what I mean by this in a moment.
The reason I've waited to share this is that it may be sensitive or controversial information for some people. If that is true for you, I urge you to read very carefully and be sure to get my point, since I can see a possibility for
misunderstanding.
You may have noticed that the world seems to be becoming more and more polarized lately, and I'd like to give you my view on this--a very different view than you have heard anywhere else, I'll bet--and give you a little advice on how to
handle what I see coming in the future.
In the second of my online courses, The Accelerated Change Maximizer, one of the the things we've been talking about is how the entire universe is a vibration. This means that everything goes on/off, on/off, on/off, over and over and over.
We see this with things we commonly think of as vibrating, as when light or sound waves have a crest ("on") and then a trough ("off"), but this vibration also happens with everything else in the universe, from the smallest sub-nuclear
particles to the largest collections of galaxies.
The coming and going of the seasons is also a type of vibration. So is the change of day to night. Feeling good, then feeling bad, is a vibration. Waking and sleep is a vibration. And, the big one for most people is the vibration of life
and death.
Things vibrate between their polar opposites. Things come into being and pass away, endlessly, and this on and off and on and off rhythm, which is reflected in everything, is the most fundamental characteristic of the universe.
I'd like to give you my thoughts today on one of these on and off rhythms and how it affects the world situation.
Few people have looked at this from a big picture perspective, but one of the things that goes on and off in its own vibratory pattern is social mood. Social mood swings from positive to negative and then back to positive again, over and
over. We don't have the space to go into a full description of these changes in social mood, from one extreme to the other, over and over, but this swing back and forth is fractal in nature. This means that when the main trend in social
mood is going up, for instance, it improves a certain amount, then backs off a bit--but not as much as it went up--then advances even more, then backs off a bit again--but again not as much as it went up--then advances again. When the main
trend then changes direction and the overall trend is down, toward the negative, social mood first becomes more negative, then improves a bit--but again not as much as it went down--then goes down again even more, then improves a little
bit, then goes down again, and so on.
When social mood is at its most positive, everyone is so positive that they think things will improve forever, always getting better and better. It's at this point, however, that "it's as good as it can get"--or at least as good as it's
going to get, and that's when social mood turns down and trends toward becoming more negative, until it has reached the maximum amount of negativity. Then, when social mood is at it's most negative, everyone thinks the world is pretty much
coming to an end, and things will never improve. This is, of course, when social mood, always vibrating, changes its trend and moves up, becoming more positive.
Over and over, social mood moves from extreme optimism to extreme pessimism, and then back again to extreme optimism, over and over.
A recent example of such a change in trend was right after the Twin Towers terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. The stock market was already severely down from its high in early 2000 (social mood was already trending down after it's
high in 2000), and social mood was becoming more negative. When 9/11 happened, the stock market really tanked, and the social mood in the US plummeted as Americans envisioned being under attack from people who hated them and wanted to
indiscriminately kill them.
But this dark moment was the bottom, at least of that particular move in social mood, and from that point social mood improved. The stock market began to improve about a month after 9/11, and Americans came together in response to the
terrorist attacks in a very dramatic and united way that no one had seen in this country in quite a while. Just when things looked blackest, social mood changed direction and improved.
The last time social mood was extremely low as in the 1970s. This manifested in a number of ways. Bobby Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Medger Evers, and Malcolm X were all assassinated. There was a huge polarization about the Vietnam war,
with marches in the streets, and even riots--including a riot in the streets of Chicago during the Democratic National Convention. There were many race riots all across the US. There was increased labor strife. Richard Nixon was forced to
resign as President, the first time this had ever happened in US history. The stock market tanked. The Cold War became more intense. Terrorists killed Israeli athletes at the Olympics. Iranian fundamentalists took US citizens in the
Iranian Embassy hostage and created a world-wide crisis.
This showed up in the mass culture of the 1970s, too. Movies became more violent, and the themes in other art forms became darker. Overall, there was an increased polarization between all kinds of groups, whether political, economic,
national/international, gender-based, religious, racial--and every other "us versus them" distinction you could make.
Before that, you could look to the 1930s and 1940s for an even lower low in social mood. During this time, the economy fell apart all over the world, resulting in a world-wide depression. War enveloped nearly every country in the world,
and millions of people died. During this time Hitler and Stalin murdered millions of people who weren't even war combatants.
In both of these cases, periods of positive social mood followed. After the end of World War II, the world experienced the greatest increase in prosperity and awakened social consciousness the world has ever seen.
After the 1970s, the world experienced the biggest boom ever, culminating in the 1990s, with the highest standard of living, even in the poorest countries, the world has ever seen. The Soviet Union and world communism pretty much ended,
the Berlin Wall came down, peace treaties and weapons treaties were signed, and Middle East peace talks took place.
What, you might ask, does this have to do with personal and spiritual growth?
Bear with me, and I will explain.
Once you see how social mood moves from extremely positive to extremely negative, over and over, in a vibratory cycle, it may occur to you that we are once again entering a period of increasingly negative social mood. As in the 1970s,
nearly every social group is polarizing itself, whether it's Republicans and Democrats, Liberals and Conservatives, pro-life and anti-abortion, pro-Gay marriage and anti-Gay marriage, pro-war and anti-war, the US and the radical
Islamicists, rich and poor, white and black--and every other possibility. Even the negativity toward people like Martha Stewart and the CEOs of various corporations is a sign of deepening negative social mood (these people were heros just
a few years ago when social mood was at its highest).
In my opinion, we are at the beginning of an era which will result in an incredibly intense polarization of every possible group. The war in Iraq may be just the beginning of a series of wars that may turn out to be very intense and
destructive. The latest drop in the stock market may be the beginning of much greater economic problems. The darker and more violent movies you see all around you may be just the beginning of a much darker tone in popular art. The attacks
of one group on another (Liberal and Conservative, pro- and anti-Gay, pro-war and anti-war, and all the rest) are increasing and become more intense and more cruel. The treatment of Iraqi prisoners by US service people, and the beheading
of a US citizen by radical Islamicists is just another symptom of darkening social mood.
And so on.
Here's why I'm telling you this. I'm not doing this to take sides in any of this. I have my opinions, but mostly I'm sitting back and watching. I'm also not doing this to scare you. In fact, just the opposite. When social mood turns up or
down, herd instinct take over. It is very easy to be caught up in the tidal flow of events and feelings. Social mood is contagious, and it's easy to get caught up in it.
If you want to get caught up in it, that's your choice. I believe social mood is going to become incredibly negative in the coming years. The most prevalent feelings will be anger, hatred, negativity, and fear. Do you really want to follow
the crowd into these emotions, and the behaviors that go along with them? I know I don't.
I'm seeing what is happening (and what I think is going to happen) as the natural "on" and "off" of humanity, the natural vibration of positive to negative and back again. I wish it wasn't coming, but I think it is. When this happens, the
unconscious, unaware person, the person who is allowing their internal state be determined by what goes on in their environment, is swept along with the crowd, and with the tide of social mood.
On the other hand, the conscious, aware, awake person sees the vibration of social mood as part of the going on of it all--neither positive nor negative, but just what is. When social mood turns negative, those who are aware have a choice
as to how they feel and behave. If you're unconscious, you don't (or at least it seems as if you don't) have a choice. So I'm alerting you to what I see happening because I want you to know that you don't need to get sucked into the fear
and negativity I believe we're going to see in the world in the coming years.
It will not be easy to stand aside and watch without getting pulled into the extreme feelings you'll see and feel in the rest of society. I find myself having to guard against it every day. I care about the people in our Centerpointe
family, and I want all of you to remain happy and peaceful regardless of what happens around you in the coming years. The world will need people who are conscious and compassionate and who are not swept into the intense emotions I believe
are going to swamp the world. Your use of Holosync is going to help you to be more aware and to be more able to create happiness and inner peace regardless of what is happening around you.
There will always be the tug to join in the factionalism, to choose sides and see the "other" as the enemy, to see the world as good versus evil, and to join in the fight on whatever side seems to be "good" to you. Don't do it. There is no
benefit to you to do so, and there is no benefit to the world. As events unfold, be the watcher of what happens, noticing the polarization without getting swept up in it. Your ability to do this will be a stabilizing effect in a world
going sideways. If you stand aside from the tide of feelings, you do not contribute to the increasingly negative social mood, and you can do much more to help those who are suffering. You will be an example of what it's like when you don't
allow outside events control your mood, and that will be a good thing for the world. This will also be a very good thing for you and for your family and loved ones.
I want to be very clear that I'm not writing this to be negative. I don't feel negative about this at all. I think it is unfortunate, since many people will suffer, but you don't have to be one of them. I'm writing it to give you a
perspective. Negative times are coming, but you don't have to participate. It's when you play the game of Black and White, with the added rule that "White Must Win" that you make what happens into something negative.
Please do let us know in the coming months and years how Centerpointe can support you in being happy and peaceful regardless of what happens in the world. I plan to do whatever I can to help as many people as possible to remain happy,
peaceful, centered, calm, and compassionate, regardless of what the coming years may bring. Please help me do that.
And know that after this period of negative social mood, the pendulum will swing the other way, and social mood will turn positive again. I'm guessing that those who use Holosync will be among those who lead this upward swing when it
happens. Be one of them.
Be well.
Bill Harris, Director
[If you found this article helpful, please send a copy of this issue to a friend!]
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8. Glowing Testimonials and Letters
I'm currently in the process of re-reading "Management of Evolutionary Change" [available to everyone with their first custom level of The Holosync Solution program --Ed.] and it is blowing me away. The depth of what you discuss in there
is unbelievable, and is very accurate for exactly what I'm going through. It is rare to meet folks in either the business or therapy world who walk their talk as much as you do. You have truly actualized what you teach, and you have
busted your chops for years to ensure that your clients also have every opportunity for success.
I'm a urologist in practice in the Los Angeles area with a big emphasis on the effect that our emotions play on our health. In particular, I use hypnosis and EFT in my practice on a daily basis and these are definitely helpful in clearing
specific issues, past traumas, and limiting beliefs. But, none deal with the global/primal anxiety that most folks have, and people's internal resistance to feeling this anxiety is what blocks the flow of healing energy and makes them
sick; i.e. this IS THE DISEASE!!! I don't care how many acupuncture sessions a person has, or how many herbs they take, or how much organic brocolli they eat, the bottom line is that if they do not access and address their underlying
anxiety, they will usually not get a long-term healing. And, I am unaware of anything or any product in the world that addresses this global anxiety and clears it at a body/energetic/unconscious level better than holosync.
In my own case, I co-authored a book on energy healing and am sure that part of my motivation was that I was dealing with chronic fatigue my entire life. The principles of Pranic Healing helped greatly, but what finally cured my fatigue
at its source is when I began clearing deep-seated emotional issues using holosync.
Prior to this, even though I worked very diligently with world-class therapists, it was challenging to access the deeply hidden unconscious material that needed to be dealt with in order to unblock my energy. Holosync began to bring this
material to the surface right from the start, and that has been the report of many of my friends who are also using it. Also, many folks when they are in therapy gain very valuable insights, but they may not necessarily "feel" any better
in their body. Holosync is one of those rare gems that allows one to feel better in their body, which should be the gold standard of any therapeutic or personal growth intervention.
As you know Bill, as folks get older, the amount of "psychic energy" that we have diminishes. When we are young, we have lots of psychic energy and we can use this to hold our emotional issues and anxieties underneath the surface of our
awareness with plenty left over for other bodily functions. As we age and this energy lessens, it requires a larger percentage of our overall energy to hold these issues under the surface.
In fact, I believe that a mid-life crisis represents our primal anxiety breaking through to the surface once we hit middle age. For many folks, this anxiety is projected onto other people----it appears that our spouses or children or
co-workers are the source of our angst. Or, alternatively, what I see is middle-aged folks coming into the office with a large number of functional medical problems. Functional problems refer to situations where patients come in with
real symptoms and real complaints, yet on a physical exam and labs and x-rays we are unable to find an anatomic or organic abnormality.
Current literature suggests that 85% of cases walking into a primary care doctor's office are functional in nature--- things like migraine headaches, hypertension, irritable bowel syndrome, musculo-skeletal pain, chronic pelvic pain,
insomnia, fatigue, reactive airway diease, constipation, and urinary urgency.
In these cases, there just isn't enough energy to support normal bodily functions AND hold down the anxiety, so the body breaks down and begins to age. It sounds great to tell patients that they have to learn to handle their stress
better, but rarely is the mechanism of this stress explained. In my opinion the model you use, Bill, is the most accurate description of what is actually happening, it represents the highest level of truth.
The challenge with stress management is not to change what is happening "out there" (as is advocated in most stress reduction classes), but to raise the individual's stress threshold so much that nothing is able to bother them. To my
knowledge, holosync is the only technology in the world that does this.
Just today I met the brother of a physician who is specializing in anti-aging medicine, and who uses a lot of hormone replacement in his practice. This is good, but falls way short of the potential for anti-aging that occurs when one
releases deeply held emotional issues and stress from their body and their life. Additionally, studies have shown that regular holosync sessions lower cortisol (the stress hormone) by up to 50%, and raise DHEA and melatonin (the good
hormones) by 50%, so the body can replace it's own hormones the way our Creator intended.
In my own practice, I got tired of prescribing medications that would treat the symptoms but not address the underlying cause. I began to focus on methods and techniques that would address the emotional issues and stress underlying
disease. Holosync is the best self-help product I have ever found. It is not an overnight miracle cure, but over time it is miraculous, and the effects can be felt and seen in the body. It saved my life and if I was king, I would
prescibe holosync to every one of my patients.
Sincerely,
Eric B. Robins, MD
Board Certified Urologist
Co-author, Your Hands Can Heal You
Contributing author, Heart of the New Healer (due out Fall 2004)
**
I had listened to the [Holosync] demo at least three times, each time noticing little differences in my life. Nothing big, but little things. Things seemed somehow clearer, and I seemed to be more alert. After realizing that there were
changes, and I wasn't just imagining this, I quickly ordered the set.
I received the Awakening Prologue package on May 7th. I could hardly wait until that evening to begin my journey. The evening of May 7th I listened to the Dive for the first time. There was nothing earth shattering, or really moving at the
time. The next morning I had an appointment to get my hair cut. While there, I began to notice I was communicating with everyone on a more open level. Again, I thought I was imagining things. I became very aware of the day, the events, my
being. It didn't take long for me to know I wasn't imagining. Things were really happening.
I decided to start journaling my changes. The second day, I noticed I was more relaxed in handling situations. At work I was more focused. Things didn't bother me that normally would have.
Last night would have been my third night to listen to the Dive. I was totally exhausted after a long enduring day. I decided to wait until morning. When I awoke this morning, the first thing I did was listen to the dive. I have been
meditating for 4-5 years, and do get visions, what happened this morning was interesting. After listening to the Holosync CD and meditating I know that what you say about the Holosync System is really true.
You stated something to the effect that it would break away or melt away dysfunctional thoughts. As I was in meditation, I actually had a vision of things breaking away and falling. It was like they then went to the light for
transmutation. There were little circle's of light. As they left my vision they got bigger and dissipated into the air. The best way to describe it would be like someone blowing smoke rings.
Needless to say, I am quite excited about the Holosync System, and wanted to thank you and your family for sharing this. I have only had them for three days, and have totally enjoyed them and look forward to each new change, however small
it may be.
A friend of mine and I were discussing the CD's. She had seen them advertised. I gave her the demo CD. She sent me an e-mail yesterday saying she ordered the set also.
You have presented the world with something that will, indeed, change their lives.
Thank you again.
Namaste
Jackie G.
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9. BOOK REVIEW
By Marc Gilson
The Myth of Freedom
By Chogyam Trungpa
1976, 2002 Shambala Press
***If you would like to read more about or order this book click here:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1570629331/centerpointer-20
What if all the dysfunctional, addictive, fearful, obsessive energies in your life were not things you had to let go of or escape from? What if, instead, you could free yourself by transforming the way you used these energies into
something healthy and productive? In the Myth of Freedom, Chogyam Trungpa reminds us that if we think of freedom as a process of running away from those aspects of ourselves we find difficult or ugly we're not truly going to succeed.
Instead, as he says, "Like manure, we do not throw our neuroses away, but we spread them on our garden; they become part of our richness." A vivid analogy!
"The Myth of Freedom" is taken from a series of talks given in the US between 1971 and 73. Widely considered one of the most dynamic teachers of Buddhism of the last century, Trungpa Rinpoche's ability to convey ancient Buddhist
principles to younger western minds is legendary. Although Trungpa's "The Myth of Freedom" (along with "Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism") has become a "classic" in modern Buddhist literature, it would be a mistake to isolate the
value of the book within the confines of Buddhist thought alone. In fact, Buddhism itself might be said to serve as a vehicle for the broader truths and principles Trungpa discusses.
Some books seem to deeply resonate with people regardless their background, spiritual beliefs, or life circumstances. They have a simple kind of universal appeal and manage to "strike a nerve" for everyone who reads it. They're the kind of
books you read while continually nodding your head in agreement as the words trigger memories of truths you intuitively know to be at work in your life. I would put "The Myth of Freedom" in that category. But while the book is indeed
accessible and broadly applicable, it is also demanding in its own unique way. Trungpa does not "sugar coat" the process of self-discovery through meditation. Instead, he draws us into an understanding that freedom comes not from ridding
ourselves of that which seems to make us unhappy, but rather by acknowledging and accepting all that "is" within us. Liberation is not a process of escaping, but of embracing.
That may seem obvious to some of us, yet Trungpa asks us to go further than just intellectual acceptance. He reminds us that meditation is not always about bliss and relaxation, but about allowing ourselves contact with the very aspects of
ourselves we've often fought to avoid. We need not fear this scenario of self-discovery. Sometimes, in the Centerpointe program, a Participant encounters a difficult situation whereby they find that the path of change is not always
smoothly paved, but is rocky, and filled with challenges. A healthy understanding of the dynamics of change can allow us to embrace the challenges rather than run from them. Trungpa alluded to this when he spoke of "the lion's roar:"
"The 'lion's roar' is the fearless proclamation that any state of mind, including emotions, is a workable situation, a reminder in the practice of meditation. We realize that chaotic situations must not be rejected. Nor must we regard them
as regressive, as a return to confusion. Chaos should be regarded as extremely good news."
Anyone who has spent time using Holosync will attest that, indeed, chaos is good news because it's the avenue to change. Nothing ever got better by staying the same, of course, and as we watch our thoughts and feelings in action through
meditation, we can learn to appreciate this apparently chaotic energy, rather than resist it.
Trungpa emphasizes meditation as a tool for transcending the ego (Trungpa is considered enough of an authority on the ego to have his definition referenced by the Oxford English Dictionary), and as a means of releasing ourselves from the
myth of freedom--not that freedom is a myth; the real myth is that we ought to be spending time looking for ways of escaping from ourselves. Trungpa teaches that liberation actually comes by developing a genuine relationship between the
inner and outer worlds of our lives.
Some meditation experts seem to demand other-worldly levels of devotion and practice. Not Trungpa, who realizes that the key is in connecting with the reality in our lives, not nursing the ego on ideas of self-actualized fantasy:
"We must be willing to be completely ordinary people, which means accepting ourselves as we are without trying to become greater, purer, more spiritual, more insightful. If we can accept our imperfections as they are, quite ordinarily,
then we can use them as part of the path. But if we try to get rid of our imperfections then they will become enemies, obstacles on the road to our 'self-improvement."'
Trungpa also dispels one of the more common misconceptions about what meditation is "supposed to be:"
"Meditation practice is not a matter of trying to produce a hypnotic state of mind or create a sense of restfulness. Trying to achieve a restful state of mind reflects a mentality of poverty. Seeking a restful state of mind, one is on
guard against restlessness. There is a constant sense of paranoia and limitation. We feel the need to be on guard against the sudden fits of passion or aggression which might take us over, make us lose control. This guarding process limits
the scope of the mind by not accepting whatever comes."
Trungpa is a true "realist" about the process of personal transformation through meditation. This book does not sensationalize or modify the popular image of Buddhism or meditation to make it more appetizing to the masses. It is a genuine,
fair, and thorough reflection of the personal growth path.
While some non-Buddhist readers may find parts of the book too doctrinal, most, regardless of their relationship with Buddhism, will find Trungpa's words to be clear, illuminating, and thought-provoking. A beautiful read.
***If you would like to read more about or order this book click here:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1570629331/centerpointer-20
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10. Announcements
A. We'd like to welcome three new Centerpointe Support Team Members to our growing family: Pam Laulainen, Jeff Brown, and Rory Lee. All bring a wealth of knowledge, insight, and compassion to their work here at Centerpointe, and we're very
happy to have them as part of the team.
B. The Spring Centerpointe Retreat at Glen Ivy Hot Springs, in Corona, California, is over. It was a fantastic retreat, where a lot of very deep change took place.
Here are a few comments I received by email:
I really appreciate your dedication to helping others (including me) achieve personal growth in their life's. You do so out of a passion and true interest in helping others; it is your calling. Having met you, I experienced a truly
multifaceted (point of consciousness) - music, flying, intellectual, fun & love. It is my pleasure and benefit to meet you personally. I hope that we connect again soon. Many Thanks,
John
**
Yes I did find the seminar a peak experience, saw many things in a new and different way and have started to make some noticeable changes. Thanks again for the work that you do and the lives that you touch.
Ethel
**
Since the retreat, my life has been filled with moments of deep joy I had not previously experienced. These moments happen frequently and leave me with an outward smile and a profound peace. I feel as if I am glowing and radiant inside
with joy.
I'm not sure exactly what happened to me at the retreat, but I know my life is different. Something is healed and life is joyful. Thank you for providing the environment, the people and the teachings for this to take place. And thank you
for taking me on this wonderful journey of a life of delicious surprises.
Take care-
Anne
**
I did have a very positive experience at the retreat and plan to return next year, hopefully with my husband. As I mentioned in the closing remarks, I laughed a lot, and I felt joy and a real connection to others despite only knowing them
a little or not at all. I was able to drop the separateness (being different, better, or worst, or just separate) that I usually identify with/carry around. How liberating!
I really appreciate, as I dive more deeply into the Life Principles Integration Process how much you've integrated and explained in these lessons with such clarity and depth. It's taken me years of practice (~18 years) and a lifetime of
dharma talks to have a basic understanding of some of these principles. You clarified so much in just a few lessons.
Colette
**
Thank you from my heart for your words of wisdom and mostly for your kindness and love.Thanks for the chance to open my heart wider and feel love flowing from almost 60 hearts during our retreat! We call this retreat "Circle of LOVE"!
I was in blessing condition after the Retreat, than in chaos state (with pleasure!), now I am feeling growing process and enjoying that! Thanks for my jump!
You are doing amazing job, Bill! I am sure this is REAL help for people! I am ready to send information about Centropoint to everyone in my mailing list. It will be nice to get from you idea how to do it the best.
I would like to send my daughter to next retreat! It will be my birthday gift for her!
Love-
Alla (from Russia)
**
I will just say that I appreciate you VERY much and that the fact that I have access to one such as you and your work and staff is the best indicator of where my life is and is going. I cannot wait to see what happens next! Thank you very
much Bill.
Dave
**
If you have a big issue you'd like to resolve, if you're in a transition period in your life and you just can't seem to complete it, or if you just want to takes things to a higher level--one where you understand more completely how you're
creating your life--please, do yourself a favor and come to our next retreat at The Inn At Spanish Head, beginning September 27, 2004.
I promise that you'll have an incredible experience you'll never forget.
I tell people they'll receive six months of growth in just 5 days at these retreats, but they keep improving every time, and people now tell me they're received much more than that.
And, this time, I'll be sharing some new information I've never shared at any retreat.
This is your chance to make a big change, and to work with me personally.
So click on this link for more information, and then sign up. If you sign up now, you save $100.00!
http://www.centerpointe.com/retreats
And, I guarantee results! Attend the entire retreat. If by the end of the retreat you don't think it was the most incredible growth experience you've ever had, just see me before you leave, and I'll refund your tuition.
You do not need to be a program participant to attend (though most people who attend are). (And if you're not a program participant, why the heck aren't you? Quit procrastinating and join.)
Click here for more information
Or, call us between 9:30 and 5:00 Pacific time, M-F, at 1-800-945-2741 or 503-672-7117.
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