Look at Life Emerge

The dreams that made me sweat in the night were not at sea.

My visions in the light of day were very different, in form as well as bandwidth.

Power

One thing follows another

And u

How large is the transition you are willing to make?

Bubbles

This blog began within  the heart of an explorer. The bubble in which the illusion of my existence played out, burst. There was a full and successful life of service and sufficiency. Gone...

I have seen many bubbles come and go. Childhood; gone. Wrestling star; gone. College; gone. My babies; grown. My father; passed on. Contract after contract with a destination and a mission; come, fulfilled and done. 

Once was "Now" and "Now" is gone. Yet here is "Now."

As I blow the next bubble, I seek to allow the tools and gifts collected on this journey to help me manifest a fearless environment in which to serve. In the continuum of my next joyful bubble; a loving passion for the standards that define the Art of the Act of "Now." This will be respected; transitive respect.    (See Post 12-25-2011~ Gift of a Superpower)

I look for clues in nature to help me find such a destination, holding a mission for me. I see boundless water undulating in its ebb and flow. The water dances as a seamless reflection of the entire universe in motion, existing "Now" and "Now" and yet "Now" again. The same sum of the parts, yet arranged slightly different. What force drives the flow of all the parts together as one? What drives the relationship of each of the parts as individual pieces of that greater whole?

I would like to speak to that driver.

I've studied the fish zipping about the ocean beneath. As they rush to and fro, do the fish know or choose where they go; or, are fish no more than a bubble with scales?  Life brings must needs to the continuum that is "fish," with which the bubble is not burdened.

A soap bubble begins its life with precious little matter. The magic wand enters the substance that gives its existence in form. The wand is removed from the slurry into the environment of its birth. All but one element of the bubble's physical existence is present, yet no bubble. 

The breath of life directed through the slurry covered business end of the magic wand and the potential life span of a bubble begins.

As soon as the slurry membrane springs from the orifice of its birth, gravity latches onto the mass and begins to take its toll. The surface tension of the membrane balances.

 The inside pushing out and the outside pushing in. The oscillations in the bubbles form, calm, and the membrane settles into its natural shape of a near perfect sphere. You can see the excess slurry running to the bottom of the bubble, leaving only what matter is necessary for the structure of the bubble to continue.

The fragility of a bubble's existence is difficult to calculate, but easy to see.
Bubbles have a solitary existence, as do humans. Bubbles can, as an act of nature, join with other bubbles to coexist in time through space.

See how the joined bubbles share exactly the same surface area in their common wall. The volume of area is a result of the nature of each bubble balancing together with its partner. They share more than area. That shared wall is a single flat wall equal to both bubbles.

Note the reflection from the surface of the bubble. Each bubble reflects the same image off its face; different only in scale, relative to the size of the bubble. The image seen through the translucent bubble of the environment on its other side, is predicated on the line of sight of the observer. The scale of that part of the bubble's image, is not altered by the size of the bubble. It is what ever is on the other side of that bubble.

There is a natural flow to the potential of any bubble in space through time.

As a bubble settles to the ground, the flight of its existence nears its natural end. It soars on the wind until gravity finally wins. It settles down to the earth and waits for its natural passing.

I wonder about the atoms of matter that create the material bubble. Where are the boundaries of the bubble's existence? What does the curious mind include in the sum total of the bubble's parts?
So immortal is that bubble in the static oneness of "Now"; so fragile is its material existence when "Now" unfolds into continuum.

All the parts of the bubble still exist in the universe. The atmosphere on the inside escapes, as the membrane collapses in a cascade of failure.

The outside rushes in. The inside rushes out. Its collective material essence explodes into droplets, cascading around the sphere, from the point the membrane is breeched. The parts disperse and decay back into equilibrium and become ready to enter the service of substance yet again.

 A bubble has no defense against the continuums of destruction; natural or with malice aforethought. The perpetrator of the violent death of a bubble acts out a story of his or her own writing. The end result is the same. The memories are very different.

What of the bubble? Does one bubble feel the loss of its neighbor?

I sense I live in bubbles from time to time. I sense, I myself, am no more than a community of up to 75 trillion bubbles called cells. These bubbles possess the quality of life which resist their own destruction with the tool of memory serving as the primary defense.

What memories Earth? Don't know.

What memories Sun? Don't know.

What memories "Now?" None.

Be "Now." 

Right livelihood follows in the wake. 

Wait Just One Minute, Mr.

At "Now," we are a single, indivisible one; not separate, lonely, infinitesimal fleeting specs of dust and water, that gathers ever so briefly and then disappears, as the environmental continuum allows.

Allow... allows... allowance...

At "Now"

I am myself.

 I am also the earth, the moon, the sun

and all else that holds the advanced degree of "ISNESS."

So are you.

National Geographic conceptual rendering of shortly after the Big Bang

That being said; the Supreme Commander, away for weeks, came to visit me at sea. The good craft "USS Allowance" was polished and welcomed her with open arms.

After a time she asks, "So, what have you allowed to happen while I was away? ...  If you only allow, how do you get anything done? ... Do you intend to do anything?"

Sensing the stress, I gently go over the science one more time. We debate the ethos, pathos and logos of "allowance." We reviewed the challenges presented by "Allowance" in real time & space. The timing surrounding the few seconds before and a few seconds after "Now." The timing of "Allowance" is as natural an event as the flight of a drop of rain, from its formation to its return to the sea.

"Ma & Pa Kettle" circa 1930's USA - Pa explaining how this "Allowance " theory works

She poses a second question, "Can't you just write a book to express these ideas? Is it necessary or even safe for you to try such a thing as this allowance venture? You know what happens to researchers that test their own theories on themselves? Remember what happen to Jeff Goldblum in The Fly, "Don't test it on yourself Doctor, PLEASE!""

She points out many of the same  fears that plagued me at night, when it was quiet. Jeff's character believed his story so very much. He believed ing his percieved limitations and believed he could force his intention to prove some outcome; however, we are not aware of what we are not aware. A fly in the soup assured unintended consequences. The interesting thing about this story, the researcher was correct and his theories worked; albeit to this  unintended outcome.

I instantly reply, "First things first; I am wearing pants and Jeff is not. Secondly, I am not trying to alter the natural progression of the Universe. I'm trying to get my sorry stories out of the way, shut up and allow myself to be the natural progression. I would like to witness my dreams, words and stories follow from "Now." "

It's clear she is contemplating her next move. She does, from time to time demonstrate certain control issues.

Speaking quietly now, she appeals to my logical side, "Have you considered that you're just you? There are whole colleges and universities working on these issues. What can you do? You're older now and look at how much time you have left. You know what I mean, useful time. What do you think, five or maybe 10 years before... well just imagine. "

My head fell and I closed my eyes for a moment; " Friend, the point is to not imagine fears that come from stories. Not your pre-recorded stories or mine. If I experience fear, it must follow from a "Now" event. I am through being afraid of shit I make up myself."

"Now" fear is when you come to consciousness and realize you've been terrified for at least 1/2 second. "Story" fear is illusion and you can believe illusions or not. Remember, "Willing suspension of disbelief." There is nothing one can do about "Now" fear, beyond allowing your best solutions express as life flows.

After many years as a design artist of both objects and environments, I do consider the scale and proportion of all that challenges me, including this current venture. Learning how to use allowance as a tool.

This relative size characterizes the relationship between myself and other than myself. This is the kind of relationship that the Supreme Commander's fearful stories begin and bloom. At "Now" there is no separation. The Earth, the Sun and all else are the singular expression of the universal morphogenic field occurring at "Now".

I offer this question, "Would you rather be awake or asleep when you pass on to the next level; you know, die. See I think, if you want to be asleep, that is surrender. If you want to be awake, clear, present and conscious on every level, that is allowance. It's in the doing. I cannot just "story-tell." The whole essence of this concept is to allow the best of yourself to be, "Now.""

Pa Kettle explains the 1/2 second delay process to Ma

From the act of unencumbered being comes such continuums as right livelihood and sustainable sufficiency. Words represent experience; they are not the experience itself. Remember "The Gift of a Superpower"? (See post 12-25-2011) That gift is mutual respect, where respect is a  transitive verb. The being of respect, not the doing. If you are respect, the doing of respect naturally follows. It's in the doing that you witness the refection of "Now."

Pa Kettle shows Ma & Jr.
how to allow the "Angel of Joy" to flow through the feet

So, she makes another attempt at it, being the quintessential rhetorician she is,"What if this is all just an arrant story full of bullshit. What if this has no more chance of being right than "HELL" freezing over. These ideas might not even be safe. Have you considered that, Mister?"

High Temperature in Hell today... -28 F

It is clear to me that this venture presses the limits of any conventional life path. Experience isn't what happens to you, its what you do with what happens, constantly without interruption, as long as your living systems and the environment allow.

I currently believe allowance to be a valid path to right livelihood,  sustainable sufficiency and even the potential to allow joy to be "Now." It also helps to have friends in high and low places.

I am that that I am and that's all that I am; no more and no less.

The original intent of this blog was and still is: to find words to share the fresh new experiences that constituted my path over the last couple of years. Experiential continuums for which I had no words. My conscious mind, at 50 bits/sec must do some tricky processing to replace all the programing that would incumber the moment with fear and expectation. (See post 11-17-2011, "Play/Record")  I seek words to share. 

Not many words; after all, I am just a man... or am I a butterfly. Am I a butterfly dreaming I'm a man? Am I a man dreaming I'm a butterfly? And what does allowance and the Chinese have to do with each other or this blog?

This and more about the Supreme Commander's plight in the next post.

Atop the Half Second Perch

The metaphor ending the last post was an apt one: setting sail.  A lot of work needs to be done before one can actually set sail.

My family began the process of setting sail, beginning our transition just after Easter. The word "Challenging" doesn't begin to do justice to the obstacles that needed to be overcome in order to cut free and find open water.  That is a story onto itself, for another day.

To set sail one must have a ship. Captain Kirk had his "Enterprise." The Supreme Commander and I  needed a vessel equal to our own needs for our transitions and exploration. We needed a modest land-craft we can tote around, from place to place, as needed by the environment. Our family has always tried to have such a "safety net"; but, never to use like this. Believing in the Angel of Joy, we've always named such craft. Our last such vehicle was dubbed the "USS Homer." Our family of five made a couple of transition aboard the good craft "Homer" totaling some two years.

Our mission to obtain such a resource was no less daunting than the challenges Columbus faced, honestly. We tried like hell to make this "stepping stone" happen, to no avail. Everything that could go wrong, did go wrong in spectacular ways. Everyone said no.... Hell no!

Well, ok.  When I was a kid, my dad alway told me " Son, there is more than one way to skin a cat." I've never had to skin a cat; however, I knew what he meant. Repaginate; start over with a clear vision of the fulfilled need and then imagine all the ways to get there. We adapted our "need" concept by adding the "less is more" component to the mix. We found the least expensive fixer-upper craft, that when fixed up, would fulfill our needs.

After several months of research, shopping and defining our resources, we pulled it off. With a little help from our friends, the required craft manifested. We were able to make it road safe and water tight by our departure date. Multiple and significant miracles litter the path of that continuum. A heart felt thank you to all that stepped up and helped. If this venture comes to good, it will be thanks to your help and kindness.  She was christened on June 15th, the year of our lord 2012. She is the good craft "USS Allowance." She's a bit of a fixer upper. The picture below is just another metaphor.

Am I willing to put my own continuum on the line to confirm this blog's theory? The name we chose for this craft illuminates the mission. I am challenging myself to put this theory of "Allowance " to the test. What will happen if I allowed the "Now" environment in which I place myself to articulate how I serve that environment with my presence?

It's not surrender. This blog asserts that in the construction of the "Now," experience can only be effected by vetoing alone. Intention has very little if anything to do with it. Surrender implies, in my mind, that one has some awareness that they magnanimously acquiesce. My research seems to indicate this awareness never exists in "Now."

The challenge of "Allowance" is being patient enough to embrace the "Now" environment in stillness. To be still and listen in every way. Allowing the environment inside and out, acting as one, to become the stimuli to breath in. With air under our wings, humans can then speak or dance in any number of ways.  This challenge is to allow the environment to fill my being with movement and sound; instead of trying to impose my story driven continuums on the environment. Both strength and courage are required to simply breath and let go. Let go...... Set sail... and set sail we did.

Surrender is exciting like a roller coster. Its path is predetermined and you pretty well know the ride is going to end somewhere soon. No compass required. Allowance is exciting like going out sailing in the Pacific Ocean in your little 23' craft so far out to sea that you cannot see land and the fog sets in.

The first step ended up being three months, wilderness living in the forests of Southern Oregon. This time seemed to desensitize and ground. Coming to town once or twice a week for supplies and CrossFit workout. The Supreme Commander and I took the CrossFit at a pace and it was very helpful in each of our individual journeys on our own path toward wellness.

This time has been restorative and allowed time and space to sort on every level. I not only sorted my trade tools, but also the tools enumerated in a small way by this blog effort.

Batteries, oil hurricane lanterns and propane fulfilled all our power needs. A sweet Cascade mountain spring, flowing with nothing nature didn't give it served our water needs. The bands of the Milky Way filled the moonless night sky. In the light of day, one question: how do I best serve "Now."


The Supreme Commander returned to her base of operations. It's conveniently on the coast where she serves a fresh batch of students. They are very lucky to have her. The next leg of this journey, by must needs requires me operate our craft solo. This grows the challenge on many levels. Separate but together, alone but not: I hear the song of her voice in the symphony of night sounds. Together with the Supreme Commander for some thirty plus years and we were never more than a stones through apart. This is a very different time. Her mission was clear and her journey provided her a destination and specific mission unique to her. My journey has not yet allowed me a destination. I am not yet tasked with a mission beyond allowing my best to serve the "Now" I occupy.
 
At sea alone on the "USS Allowance," I find it my job to occupy the crow's nest much of the time. Up here you can see more; more of the same thing. The radius is larger; however, it is the horizon nonetheless. Adrift now for months, familiar patterns of behavior begin to melt away. Good choices are clear and bad choices are glaring. Fears overcome my "story mind" in the quiet and lonely times. A powerful fear, fed by the expectations overflowing from my belief systems. (See post 3-7-12) The stories that once were predicate to my every painful step have steadily and utterly changed. What "must needs" should guide my path forward?

Alone at sea for a while "Now," the word filled story storms of my mind are beginning to subside. From shapeless fears, patterns begin to form. When my stories let go of my "Now," knowing gave ways to the stillness. The stillness to perceive what was there all along. That is the power of allowance. We are not conscious of what we are not conscious of. The stars are indeed on the other side of the storms clouds, hidden from our eyes; yet ever present in the "Now," whether we know it or not.

When one charts a course, the destination is a convenient piece of information. Without this set of coordinates, navigation becomes driven by environmental forces that have nothing to do with where you are going.

There are objectives found in travel beyond getting from point -A- to point -B-. The creative art of allowance indicates the path and the outcome best serving the "Now" environment. "Now" seems to be the intersection of all the potential universes. All outcomes seem to be present in the "Now" and all potential pathways begin in the "Now."

The gift given by the journey of allowance is this, the universe brings the destinations to you.

The very core of my being is challenged by this venture of "Allowance." One thing is clear, whether I choose, intend, surrender or allow; my experience is what I do with what happens. This has to do with the nature of my being at "Now." Present at "Now" are all of the non-conscious programs that defines my character. This study seems to indicate that, the only influence I have over the initiation of any continuum in time/space is to veto. The initiation temporally occurs before we are aware of its existence. All of the elements that are predicate to my veto power are present at "Now." I am present at "Now." The one component not present at "Now" is consciousness. (See post Oct 27, 2011) The initiation of any intention or action temporally occurs before we are aware of its existence.

I allow the flow of the environment to integrate with the true nature of my "Now" being.

Does imposing on "Now" even work or does "Now" express us?  No matter how our stories, belief systems and fears alter our perceptions, just beyond the veil of this self-imposed illusion, life is found.

Tools from this leg of the journey:

                                                        Be...
                                           Let go of being Offended,
                                              Let go of Win & Lose
                                                  Let go of Right & Wrong
                                                     Let go of Superiority
                                                         Let go of More
                                                            Let go of Achievement
                                                                Let go of Reputation
                                                                   Let go of Fear
                                   Conserve your veto with all your courage and strength    
                                                                           Allow Now to be...
                                                                                     Be.

BLASPHEMY !

Boy howdy, am I in a pickle.  Many of my Christian and spiritual friends have expressed difficulty with how this blogs collective message is somehow fatalist, mechanical and/or even blasphemy. 

Two Gods. That’s right, two. I have inadvertently and undeniably found two Gods over the course of this investigation. I have also discovered, for myself, the purpose faith is required by all conscious beings. 

Oh my ***, (OMG)! Into what then, should conscious beings put their faith? Reasonable question?

Brought up Catholic, the concept of faith was drummed into me. I felt resistance to this flavor of faith. Faith was used like a weapon in the Christian circles I witnessed in my youth. No one I had the opportunity to interact with could define why I should invest my faith or “willing suspension of disbelief,” for what was being sold. No one ever got much past using the word faith, to define the word faith; as well as, God. “Patrick, you just need to have faith.” Much can hide under the skirts of faith.

The dictionary says faith is a confident belief in the truth, value, or trustworthiness of a person, idea, or thing. Faith is a belief that does not rest on logical proof or material evidence. Faith can represent as loyalty to a person or thing; allegiance: keeping faith with one's supporters.

Faith Christianity. The theological virtue defined as secure belief in God and a trusting acceptance of God's will. The body of dogma of a religion: the Muslim faith. Faith is constructed of a set of principles or beliefs. These definitions are from the American Heritage Dictionary.

As the Constitution is fundamental to the essence of the United States, so are the Ten Commandments the corner stone of Christian belief systems. I praise and honor all other belief systems. I use this one as an example, because I lived this one.

If you’ve read much of this blog, you know I am attempting to illuminate the “play script” of our ½ second delayed conscious self, with the understanding that our perception of “Now” is a streaming simulation. 

As a theatre artist, actor, teacher, communicator; the tools of my trade and craft intend to express predetermined continuums.

Performing takes place in the realm of the “Now” God. Performing takes place “Now.”

This from the Roman Catholic Ten Commandments: 

      Exodus Chapter 20:

“Then God delivered all these commandments:”

"I, the LORD, am your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that place of slavery. You shall not have other gods besides me.”

Below is how other christian theologians tend to derive the Ten Commandments, taken from one of the best Bible versions available, the Lamsa Bible - English Version. Again from: 

      Exodus Chapter 20:

“AND God spoke all these words, saying,”

“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods except me.”

All monotheist belief systems assert one God.

First of the TEN COMMANDMENTS proclaims in short, “One.” “Now.” I tested this rhetorical math in a very interesting way. The poem attributed to Marianne Williamson “Our Deepest Fear.” She uses the word “God” a couple of times to lend context to her assertion. Read for yourself.

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant,
gorgeous, handsome, talented and fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.

Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking
so that other people won't feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine, as children do.

We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us.
It is not just in some; it is in everyone.

And, as we let our own light shine, we consciously give
other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our fear,
our presence automatically liberates others.”

Our middle school was opening a “Family Resource Center.” As an artist, I printed this on museum grade, acid free vellum with a watermark photo of waves, wind and trees. Then I matted and framed the print in 18” by 24”under glass. The principle said the word “God” might be offensive or alienating to someone. In shock, I took it back from her.

After a few days it dawned on me. I looked at the passage and substituted the word “Now” for the word ”God.” I printed and replaced the offensive text with this revised edition. This was acceptable. Look back at those lines and insert "Now" where you find "God." And here you have it. Two Gods. “Now” God and the ”God” that lives in words. Two Gods. BLASPHEMY!!!

“Now” god is safe, non-threatening and unavoidably present. The word "God," as a story, must be learned and may or may not be true. That is totally dependent on the encoder. All stories take time in continuum to convey a message. This is the purview of the conscious, 50 bit/sec self. A streaming life like production, constructed from information no less than ½ second old and most of the information you construct your now to be is much older.

"Now" God and "½ Second" God: two Gods. One smoke and mirrors and one of which we can never be conscious. This is where faith comes in. Each needs the other. One is conscious and one is not. We become aware of “Now” ½ second after now happens and what we become aware of is a simulated supposition perceived as “Now.” That would be the “½ second” God.  

This Easter Holiday, think on this statement by Andre Gide, “One does not discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of shore for a very long time.”

So, my family and I set sail; with mutual respect as our rudder and virtue guiding our actions. I cannot know how the wind will carve, with us, a path  in the water. There are no roads in the open sea, only where the wind will take you. The universe that manifests as one in the split instance of “Now,” is an all-encompassing still sculpture. Absent is time; present is all. I wonder how fast the speed of “Now” is? I may never know; however, I have faith it will be fast enough.

The Creative Art of Being Persuaded

The persuasive act is a two sided affair. There is the persuader and the persuaded, right?

As with all communication, there is the encoder and the decoder.  In a persuasive act intended
to facilitate healing in another, the “healer” is the encoder and the “healie” is the decoder. If the encoded message from the “healer” is successful, the decoding of that message will result in the intended outcome, wellbeing for the healie.” The healer’s communication methodology could include drugs to reach out through the chemical environment in which the cells live. Surgery mechanically alters the variables. Energy-work communicates the intended message of wellbeing, in the broadest bandwidth possible, to the cell community that is the “healie.”

That 50 bit/sec. consciousness needs to be attended to as well. All levels of conscious persuasion must be prosecuted; ethos, pathos and logos successfully applied to bring this 50 bit/sec. creature to peace. In the greater scheme of things, this little guy can really mess up everything. This consciousness “character” has control issues, a superiority complex and thinks it knows what’s right all the time. This guy has a veto over every action potential. (See Post 10-31-2011)

“As you perceive it, so it is for you.” What your conscious self believes is the basis for allowing an action to be fulfilled in movement or cut off by veto prior to initiating said action.

Dr. Bruce Lipton is a world renowned cellular biologist. In the link below he shares his findings on how perceptions have power over the paths we allow ourselves to follow. The radio interviewer has a new age tilt. It makes this an interesting exchange. Take a listen. It's about 10 minutes. 

 

In my last post (3-23-2012), Allan Fletcher and I entered into a continuum of actions, that over several months, resulted in higher wellbeing. Not just for Allan, but for me as well. The principles and tools I was sharing with Allan, I was also applying to my own work that summer as an actor. A line from an ancient text applies:"the more you give, so the more you are given, for such is the one law that governs all." I did not then, nor do I now interpret all this as mysterious or religious. The person that wrote that a couple thousand years ago was expressing high end physics. Their "one law" was the unified field lived and expressed in the life and languages of their day. The same unified field that modern physics continually try to quantify to this day. The search for the mathematical expression of such vexed Uncle Albert to the end of his days. 

Any healing that took place within Allan, was the result of Allan’s hard work and not any power of mine. My gift to him that summer was helping to direct his focus within himself, on the path he defined by his responses to my lead, so he could (if possible) build wellness for himself. The honor for me; he let me walk that path with him. I’ve worked with thousands of folks in this way over the past 40 years. Each dance was different and though I was leading the form step by step, the pathway to the next step was defined by my dance partner's response, each step of the way.

The relationship between the healer and “healie” is very similar to that of a couple dancing. One leads and the other follows. Lead equals stimulus and follow equals response. 

There are many levels humans can dance together. Dances crafted with acts of virtuous mutual respect (See Post 12-25-2011) change the dancers as well as the universe. Now, if you know quantum theory, this is not just the turn of a phrase. The effect is both qualitative, quantitative, instant and universal. Remember, experience is not what happens to you, it’s what you do with what happens to you. In life, shit happens. What you do about it is your experience. 

I was leading Allan one step at a time. I’d make a move and he would respond. The dance was the “Touch for Health” system. The dance could have been “Salsa” and it might work if Allan sufficiently believed it would. In any creative act: there's what doesn’t work, what works and what works better.

Remember what Dr. Lipton shows (with scientific methods) the cell is governed by the environment. Einstein asserting (with math proof) that the field governs the particle. In David S. Goodsell's book, "The Machinery of Life," he shows in detail Dr. Lipton's point. The molecules that comprise the living cell's structures and functions are mechanical in nature. There's nobody in there.

Dennis Bray's text entitled "Wetware - A computer in Every Living Cell," flat out says the cell is a lively machine with a really cool cpu system. That is in every living cell. Without life, entropy ensues.

The environment, field and/or context is where the life exists. I wonder how important this makes environmental issues on every level and scale?  

Two years ago I had to remember what Allan and I had shared. I have worked with thousands of people over the years. I know how to be the lead in this dance of wellness. I did not know how to follow very well. Women have this problem with men that only dance when forced. If these girls are forced to lead all the time then, following can become a challenge. One cannot lead and follow at the same time.  Here/now affords us only one expression at a time. Lead or follow, live and thrive or guard and defend. One or the other: not both.

The path my life took was, from time to time, course and deeply challenging to my 50 bits/sec. consciousness. I believed my own story, playing my noble leading character part. I too forgot the path to wellbeing. The character of my nobility demanded self-sacrifice before bowing to what ever injustice focused my outrage at the time. I let the story of my life overwhelm the "Now" of my life.

I faced a life threatening infection and protracted recovery. I was in the hands of medical mechanics. Out of the entirety of the two hospitals and dozen or so doctors who dealt with me over the course of four months, only one little nurse was a healer. I mean no disrespect to the rest of the medical professionals. They were, for the most part, mechanically proficient. They saved my life and for that skill I am grateful; however, they did little to heal me or turn me into a "healie." With the reminder from that little nurse, I remembered... let go. I remembered the real stuff happens "Now," before I'm even aware. Then when I become aware, what is that awareness of? The entire awareness perception is only 50 bits/sec and only occurs 1/2 second after the fact.  50 million bit/sec of information is coursing  through non-conscious self constantly. (See Post 10-207-2011)  Awake or asleep, rain or shine; if there is human life present, the human machine is operating all the time. 

I've been remembering. There are two Gods. "1/2 Second" God and "Now" God. A youth full of Catholic taught me, we may not serve two Gods. 

I will explain my blasphemy next post. 

The Creative Art of Persuasion

How does one persuade another to get up out of the wheelchair, after all the kings doctors and all the kings men told that one, his days were numbered and he won’t be back this way again? I had this very experience the same summer I met Mr. Troy. (See post 2-13-2012) Healing is one of the creative arts of persuasion. 

The director of “Hamlet” that summer was the venerable theatre artist, Allan Fletcher. It was a repertory company and I was part of the “cast of thousands.” I first saw Allan being wheeled into first cast call He was riding  aboard a wheelchair chariot with his aptly named stage manager Ms. Rapier driving, followed by a colorful entourage. This man who would become a friend and mentor was slumped over to one side, a lap blanket and his ever present fleece collared jeans jacket for cover. From this frail stick of a man came the thunderous voice of the old master. The vitality of his resonance was betrayed by the brittle form. He spun the story he would have us collectively tell of a noble prince undone. He himself was to play the ghost of Hamlet’s father. 

At one point during the first few days, I had the chance to meet him face to face. When I took his hand in greeting, it was freezing cold. I instinctively took his other hand and warmed both for a moment. I did not know enough to keep my mouth shut and said, ”I can help you.” Stage manager Rapier’s razor sharp glare guided me back to the chorus; but Allan remembered my four words and after several days, asked what I meant.

In those days, the lexicon of my knowing was limited. I didn’t have words to share. I had deeds. So I showed him. I had collected a wide variety of deeds I came to call tools. “Touch for Health” was one of those systems of tools. The study of rhetoric makes it clear, the art of persuasion extends far beyond words alone. Aristotle insisted that the most effective means of persuasion is the application of all the available means of persuasion. Words represent experience, they are not the experience itself. (See post 12-16-2011) He needed help with what to do, not what to say. 

We met three times a week at first, up to two hours per session. Shorter visits and then fewer visits. By the end of the summer, the breath of life had returned to his limbs. He had gone from a wheelchair to a bicycle and long walks in the course of a couple months. 

The last time I saw Allan was several years later at PCPA Theatrefest in Solvang, CA. We were to see “MacBeth.” Again in the title role, Danny Davis and directed by Allan. Dear Allan met me at the front of the theatre with a heart felt hug. He was still up and walking; however, he was falling ill again and he knew it. I could see it in his face and it was also in his voice. I could see he wanted to allow health and wellbeing to fill him once again. It seemed he had forgotten the pathways to wellness we had traveled years earlier. His rare blood disease had him on the ropes again.

It was a cold night and the coastal fog was hovering over the open air theatre. Just as MacBeth is screaming at God for his fate, a blue/white flash filled the night sky, flashing from behind the audience. Then sounds of an explosion in the same breath as a scream. Black and silence followed, but for a faint glow in the fog overhead. 

Later the power and lights returned and the show went on to its conclusion. The Scottish lord is undone yet again. 

As you perceive it, so it is, to you.

An electrical worker passed over to the other side that night atop an electrical pole, just a block away from the theatre. Due to the excitement of the evening, I was not able to connect with Allan after the show. As it turns out, I never again saw my friend after that night. Allan deeply honored me that summer, by allowing me to persuade him to choose life and wellness. The gifts I received from our time together are treasured. He will live on in my memory as long as I have one.

Our 50 bits/sec of conscious flow can so easily be overwhelmed by our perceptions. The greatest tool in any healing tradition is the creative art of persuasion.

Belief System

Belief System

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

“A belief system is a set of mutually supportive beliefs. The beliefs may be religious, philosophical, ideological or a combination of these. Philosopher Jonathan Glover says that beliefs are always a part of a belief system, and that belief systems are difficult to completely revise.[1]”

Belief Systems are the tools we use in making assumptions in our composition of "Now." Bit by bit, we make peace with the universe we live within, both inside and out.

One of the largest productions I’ve ever had the honor to direct was also my first Gilbert & Sullivan, “Gondoliers”. It was huge. Plush production values surrounded and adorned a cast of 60+, supported by a full orchestra conducted by the director of the UC Symphony. I was a year or so past graduate school and working in the greater Sacramento area trying to make a living at theatre. 

After four plus years of study in the healing art modality called "Touch for Health.", I acquired a shiny new “Touch for Health” instructor’s certificate. For those that do not know about TFH, it is a system of healing arts. TFH takes a general systems perspective of the human condition, collect information about a subject and facilitate appropriate change. The subject by asking questions of their body. Applied kinesiology or muscle testing is the tool used. This tool, properly applied, usurps conscious influence by means of the 1/2 delay. (See Post 10-20-2011) The way a muscle test elicits a response, the test is over prior to the subject becoming conscious of the test taking place. That is why it is such an effective test. The subject is not conscious of the test until the test is over. Knowing this is also the trick of performing the test effectively.

These two elements collided in a beautiful way in the person of Dr. Susan Whitehead. Every women I ever dated left me with at least one gift. This was no joke when Dr. Susan Whitehead crossed my path at exactly the right time. She was the footnotes and bibliography I needed to understand and defend applied kinesiology. She was a Welsh post doctoral researcher in muscle behavior. Her special interest was protein facilitation in muscle behavior.

Every morning she would come to work, suited up and as she put it, ”snuff  bunnies.” A pith tool penetrates at the base of the lab rabbit’s skull. She would then take a larger skeletal muscle from said same live non-conscious bunny and insert said muscle into a device that could stimulate the muscle and explore protein behavior on both the stimuli and response side of the behavior in question. This demonstrated in no uncertain terms what was going on in the muscle tissue from stimulus throughout the muscles contraction response.

How did a post-graduate theatre artist get access to this incredible cutting edge muscle research? Dr. Whitehead loved “Gilbert and Sullivan” and she loved Irish theatre directors of “Gilbert & Sullivan.” Susan could not believe the big director noticed the little chorus girl. I could not believe that in all the world, in that setting, I would find proof positive that muscle testing and applied kinesiology was fact and real in 1979. 


Exactly how and why it worked was not yet clear in that day; however, this work made the fact of muscle testing irrefutable. It was not a matter of conscious or non-conscious perception. The neurons and the sarcomeres present in the muscle tissue were installed in the measuring device. One would think this disembodied, brainless muscle tissue would no longer be able to respond to any stimulus. With an artificial startle reflex signal provided by the device, the muscle would contract. She would alter the chemical environment of the muscles fluid suspension. This effected how the muscle worked, but not whether or not it worked.  If the muscle recognized the signal as a startle reflex, contract followed. It was fascinating to see what effected that signal and how the muscle behavior was disrupted.

So what does this have to do with belief systems. Belief systems are an artificial construct of consciousness. Think of this like the analogy of communication trees in a forest of information. (See Post 01/03/12) 

The information held in a belief systems, translated into bits, is a massive volume. The lessons shown in this blog tell us we can only be conscious of 50 bits/sec. 

The stagecraft of the play you write and perform as "Now," consists of the contents within your own personal belief system.

Out of the 10 million bits/sec of information collected by the retina of the human eye, only 20% of that information collected and sent to the thalamus is sent to the visual cortex to determining what said eye is seeing. That 20 percent is just the raw information. The human interpretive processes, over the course of the ½ second delay, may disregard all the information sent by the eye in any given moment. The outside world becomes totally composed of assumptions at that point. This frees 50 bit/sec consciousness for higher priority perceptions; oh like, survival or to close your eyes, be still and listen.

One’s belief system has the ability to believe things that are not true. All storytelling depends on this fact. In theatre this is called, “The Willing Suspension of Disbelief.” This is such a common occurrence in todays world, with constant artificial low bandwidth signals substituting for high bandwidth real life interaction. 

The distance between what one believes and what the universe holds as true can be vastly different. I have known people to believe themselves to death. As you perceive it, so it is; for you. 

There are tools here, I think.