I ask it frequently, and have others ask it of me.  Recently, I received an inquiry as to my plans for the future.  You can read about it here.  The blog will tell you about my plans.  

If this interests you, let me know.  I can tell you this — it will be a wild, rewarding ride.  If you want to participate in the training, it will be intense, demanding, and immensely satisfying and empowering.

I have seen this work in other areas of my life and others. I am excited about this opportunity. There are no costs and it is not a marketing ploy. Take a look at it, you might want to participate, too. Just imagine what your life would feel like if you went for it. Can you hear the sounds of delight? Join me….

Would you take this short survey? It is anonymous (although you can leave comments and your email if you want), and very short.

Here’s the link: http://shamansweb.com/survey/index.php?sid=1

Thanks!

When I was in college, I was a 3,000 mile plane trip from home. I usually only went home for Christmas and for the summer. Most of the time I was invited to a friend’s home or a faculty member’s home for the other holidays.

One Thanksgiving, though, I was without an invitation. All my friends had gone home and I was alone in my apartment. It would have been very easy to feel lonely, but I chose a different path.

I decided this was an ideal opportunity to truly have a day of giving thanks. Being very committed to religious practice at the time, I made this a day of fasting and prayer. Instead of gorging myself on food, as I usually did, I chose to do without food or drink. This day was to be devoted to activities that allowed me to focus on my spiritual connectedness, and to express gratitude for my blessings.

At one point I got on my bicycle and rode all over campus. I do not recall seeing another person there that day. I was truly alone… but, I was not lonely. I felt very connected to my Source of truth. And, I felt very grateful.

Thanksgiving Day has been different for me ever since. That one event allowed me to step away from the cultural norm and to go back to the roots of the day. There are other reasons to celebrate Thanksgiving — being with family and friends is a significant one — but, they all focus upon gratitude.

What can you gain from this? Three things:
1) We can choose our reality. You may not yet believe that we can truly change our physical circumstances. That’s ok. For now, just allow yourself to understand that we can choose how we respond to our context. In choosing our response, we can deeply change the experience. In NLP this is called “reframing.”

2) Our choices have impacts long into the future. Two paths may diverge with only a slight separation. Over time that slight separation becomes a huge difference.

3) Consciously or not, we are always choosing our response and, thus, choosing our paths. Most people are “stumbling” onto their path by automatic reactions. Those who are “awake”, choose their responses deliberately. Choose your paths wisely, because you are truly choosing your future reality.

May today, and every day, be a day of thanksgiving for you so that your chosen path may lead to the future you desire.

Science and, thus, society may not comprehend the foundations of the myth until a “discovery” is made to remind us of its ancient foundations. Without this understanding, we can dismiss myths as part of an unenlightened cosmology of ancient people. This not only denigrates our forbears, it also deprives us of a richness in our understanding of Creation. Our inability to understand the basis of something does not make it less true…. And, when we ridicule myths, or their followers, we are really revealing our own pious ignorance.

Occasionally, science identifies some of these foundations. This happened recently with the discovery of a fossil of a strange dinosaur. It was named Dracorex hogwartsia in honor of the popular Harry Potter books. The name means basically “Dragon King of Hogwarts”. It has much of the appearance of mythical dragons.

I do not believe that this is the full explanation of the dragon myths, but it does give insights into its possible origins that are acceptable to society and science. The full explanation will go much deeper, and cover terrain that most are not prepared to cross. This story does serve the purpose, though, of reminding us that all myths have a basis in reality.

Knowing the basis of a myth yields understanding about the myth; understanding leverages power. So, the important question for today is:

What is the basis of your personal and cultural mythology?

I believe we are seeing the generation of the perfect storm.  Here are the factors:
* The value of the US dollar is rapidly declining.  We are now on par with the Canadian dollar.  Only a few years ago we were running about CD$ .67 to US$ 1.00.  We have declined relative to other world currencies as well.
* Our gold reserves are being depleted.  Some countries are turning in their US dollars and asking for gold.  Other countries (Egypt being one) have asked for their aid payments to be made in Euros, rather than US dollars.
* Grain reserves are collapsing.  The last I read, we were down to 56 days of stocks in the US, approximately 1/3 of what it was a few years ago.
* Pressure on crops and grain supplies are increasing tremendously.  Europe is seeking more of our grain.  One-half of the Canadian wheat did not mature this year, because of exceptional summer heat.  We import about the same quantity that was lost, and Canada is one of our major sources of grain.  Prices are escalating.  Some grains have doubled since last year.  Because of the scare over Chinese flour, there is more demand for North American grain here in the U. S.
* Oil prices are climbing.  They are hovering near $90/barrel now.  While retreats are quick possible, the predictions are for continued increases.  Analysts are predicting $100 soon.  These prices are four times what they were five years ago, and are pushing 50% higher than they were 11 months ago.  Our administration has declared they are “very concerned” about the increase in prices and it’s impact on our economy.  Our reserves are down 5.3 million barrels.  The US is currently the largest consumer of world oil production, but China is rapidly overtaking us.  Their demand is rising by 15% per year.  Considering that oil drives economies, it should be no surprise that access to oil is a strategic (ie., military) consideration.

Where is all this headed?
Our economy is already starting to show signs of slowing.  Increases in fuel costs will affect all aspects of our economy.  When you put all these factors together, we may well be headed for the “perfect storm” economically.  And, we have not even factored in the declining housing market, the looming mortgage disaster, global warming impacts, the destruction of thousands of buildings in California fires ($2.5 billion at last count) and the displacement of nearly 1,000,000 people from a major economic center for this country, peak oil, the diversion of crops into biofuels, nor the economic strain of a protracted war.

What I pay for gas has risen nearly 50% this year.  Natural gas went up 30% at the beginning of the year and supplies are short.  A local fertilizer plant is closing because they can no longer obtain natural gas.  Food costs are up, and will continue to rise as the impact of rising oil and grain shortage moves into the market.

Combine all these factors together and we may well see a powerful economic crisis.

What does that have to do with this website?
Everything.  This website is about moving gracefully through life.  It is about being in positions of personal power (that does not necessarily mean power over others), where you can adapt readily to changes in the external world.  It is about being “ahead of the power curve.”

To do that you must be aware of what is going on around you.  Once you are aware, you must take action.  Your action must not be reaction.  Rather, it should be thoughtful and conscious, graceful and honest, and respectful of others and the earth.

You may feel that for the reasons discussed here, and for others, that we are headed for some difficult times.  If that is the case, you would be wise to prepare as best you can.  There are many things to consider: food supplies, medical supplies, evacuation plans (including where and how you will meet with loved ones), gardening plans, cash reserves (how many Americans have a savings account?), etc.

If you are serious about being prepared for possible future events, you should consider joining me for an intensive training program.  It will teach you to be self-sufficient by learning to access your inner resources in powerful ways.  This is not a survivalist head-for-the-hills training.  It is pragmatic and spiritual, giving you the tools to manage your life in whatever circumstances you find yourself.  Further, it gives you the tools to create and manage those circumstances.  It is intense, personal and expensive, because it demands a strong commitment from both of us.  I do not, at present, promote it.  So, if you are interested, contact me and we will discuss it.

Until next time…. be conscious of your world…. be conscious of yourself…. be a force for positive…. BE!

Adults have fun as well. Many find joy being amidst the costumed children and seeing that they have a safe, exciting time. Others go to their own activities to engage in more grown-up versions of costumed partying.

For the adults in costume, and perhaps to some degree for the children, Halloween is a time to release one of their alter egos. Or, it can be a time to try out a potential new one. This is a time when it is socially acceptable to express ourselves in a way that is very different and “out of character”. It is an opportunity to be bold, to experiment.

We do this naturally as children. It is part of establishing our identity that we will present to ourselves and to the world. In our young years it appears as role-playing. In our teen years, it manifests as rebellion. It parts the curtain slightly again as a “mid-life crisis”. This is when we realize that the identity that we clutched so fervently as a young adult may not have actually represented all we are, and we feel the angst.

For some, another major opportunity comes in the fall and winter of life. Our career has ended, the children are grown and we are alone or with our partner. At last, we seem to have finally reached the point where we can ask “what do I really want to do?”. If we are fortunate, the question is no longer bounded by economic needs, and social requirements are diminishing. We can now look at what is in our hearts.

The shaman, the warrior, takes a different approach. He or she will adopt different “costumes” to accomplish a purpose. This may sound insincere, but it is the opposite. It is being totally true to your heart, perhaps more so than the average person who zealously adheres to a particular philosophy or creed. But, that is a comparison you must resolve.

Consider this in the process: Would you wear the same clothes to work on your car or garden, to play with the kids, to attend a nice dinner with friends, to go to church, and to sleep? For most, the answer is no.

Every great master and spiritual leader that I’m aware of has used different “costumes”. At various times they may be a recluse, a disciplined devotee, a demanding leader, a gentle confident, a compassionate healer, a charismatic speaker, a quiet sufferer of abuse, an aggressive and fearless defender of truth, or any number of other roles.

For the person who is seeking to fulfill their life’s purpose, the requirements are similar. If you wish to be seated in your power, you must learn to step into different roles — to be able to change “costumes” freely and easily.

The keys are:
First, to be able to create and wear the “costume”. Actors learn to do this to some degree. This is an important aspect of shamanic training, and is much more extensive.
Second, to be able to remove it easily. You must create a structure that allows you to stay connected with your heart and truth. This is where most people fail. They adopt a “costume” in their youth because it serves them at the time, but without realizing it’s limitations. At that time they lack the maturity and understanding to be able to create an “exit strategy”, or a way to remove the “costume” when it is no longer viable for them.
Third, they use their “costumes” with integrity and honor, and always in harmony with their heart and truth. This is what separates the shaman, the warrior, the inspired spiritual leader, from the charlatan and the dictatorial tyrant.

Everything we do should be grounded in integrity, honor and truth, and practiced with consciousness.

So, what is your “costume” today?

So, take a look at these three articles and identify what they mean to you. You may, and should, add to your assessment whatever additional information you have. Let your shaman out! Please post your assessment and comments. I will post mine shortly.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7048600.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7061597.stm

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aloipJ1k0qLk&refer=us

Be wise… be Conscious… BE!

Internet marketers would say I made a bad business decision, but being a shaman is not about what the world thinks. It is about following YOUR path, about being true to your core identity. Sometimes that means you must withdraw from public view for a time while you grow. When you return, you are stronger and better able to serve and fulfill your purpose.

We are all on a journey, a sacred journey, we call “life”. The path each of us walks is unique and regardless of what that path is, it is sacred. It is the path we have individually chosen to give us the greatest lessons we can obtain in this life. This path, this journey, has been referred to as “The Hero’s Journey” and “The Warrior’s Quest”. The theme is the same in all mythology: you leave the peace and comfort of “home” to seek out a special “treasure”, meet and overcome extreme obstacles, and then return home with your treasure as a hero. During the process you develop great qualities: compassion, love, courage, strength of character, and others.

Regardless of what the journey is called, it is sacred, because you are connecting with something-higher-than-self. You are being shaped into the image of the Divine (whatever you call it: “God”, “Higher Self”, “Atman”, “archetype”, etc.).

Our sacred quest is often divided into smaller quests. Our family recently completed one of those. However, it was much larger than we realized when we began. It lasted nearly 10 years and took us into realms of experience we would not have imagined at the beginning. Such is the nature of the Warrior’s Quest. The knowledge, understanding, and, especially, the compassion I gained for certain segments of our population, I would not trade for anything. Perhaps, I will write about that at some future time.

This website has always always existed to provide access to tools to assist you on your sacred quest. It is based upon the premise that we are all very powerful and sacred beings. Our power and sacredness is hidden behind a gossamer veil of forgetfulness. As we begin to discover our true identity and power, our life changes. We are able to walk our path in grace and strength, learning what we came here to learn, and giving back to others in appropriate ways.

In order accomplish that, I would like your input. I am now rebuilding this website and have a great deal of information to put on it. The question is, “Where do I start?” Below, I have listed several categories and ideas. Will you share your ideas of what will be most meaningful and important to you at this time? Just leave a comment with your interests. You can pick one, or pick several and prioritize them.

Let the journey begin!

Ideas and offerings:
* Basic and Advanced (master’s level) Martial Arts Training
* Hypnosis and NLP
* Ki (Chi) development and Healing
* Life planning
* Shamanism, Meditation, Spiritual development
* Nature Studies
* Self-management and Self-development
* Energy work (healing, power, radionics)

And, the format:
* Ebooks
* Podcasts
* Video tutorials
* Live seminars
* Webinars
* Coaching
* Courses
* Other….