Some dreams stay dreams, Some dreams come true!

Thanks to NaS and Kanye West for that title.

A few weeks ago I was thinking about why sleep is so important and why R.E.M. (rapid eye movement) sleep is so crucial to us being able to reset our minds (not brains). For those who don't know, R.E.M. sleep is the time that we dream (and sometimes remember the events taking place). I was prompted by some discussion in an infomercial of all places! But the underlying question was: why is sleep so important?

Here is my theory:

As I have mentioned before, people who follow the Buddhist religion believe that there is just one consciousness. This is God. Brahman is the term they use. It means one, or oneness. They suggest meditation to connect or plug into this consciousness. And they claim that the better you become at accessing Brahman, the more you become a part of the world and lose your individual hang ups, related to socialized culture. The further claim is that this is the only true consciousness, and the only reason we aren't always connected is that our physical bodies and brains are too busy with other stimuli to notice the power and energy flow that they create and are ultimately a part of.

So, I believe that dreams are our minds accessing this ultimate consciousness. This is why we may have friends, family etc in dreams. They have been thinking about us at the same time we were thinking about them and, if we link in at the same times, are likely to find each other on this "higher" (other) plane. I mean, how many times have you had a dream and some time later the EXACT SAME scenario plays out in real life? If you think it, it will come. Ok, that's an oversimplification, but we DO attract the things we think about. So if you have a boss who annoys the shit out of you, and you constantly keep them in your thoughts - they will continue to do so. If you keep thoughts of achieving goals and helping people in your head - eventually you will come to do those things as well.

Basically, when you dream, it is your body's natural way of finding that other plane to make sense of all the other stimuli observed that day and prior to sleep. This is why things from your normal day leak into the part of the brain responsible for dreams. All the neuronal cells network, so sometimes the ones responsible for memory flash and mix with other signals that are more important to your mental recovery from all the outside stimuli.

What do you think?

Graduation

Good morning!

How are you today? It's a beautiful day here in the Lou. A good one for a holiday. Early May is just filled with graduations, holidays and late spring fun.

As the next class of students leaves the ranks of high school, college or professional/graduate school, I think back on the way my education started. It actually happened this morning with my breakfast toast, etc.

The thought stemmed from an inner dialogue I was having with myself about accepting not being "a good Christian" anymore. That led to my contemplating the main themes in Christianity versus my understanding of what is right and "true". What I know to be best is: develop the self; be a steward to all others, in the collective "self". This is known as Brahman in the Hindu religious belief system. I concluded that the overarching themes in institutional Christianity are or are variations of: obey now; reward later.

That blind faith and discouraging of challenges to authority reminded me of the classroom setting. And I'm not sure that its true or not, but I believe the first real "schools" were all religious. So, if that's true, then religion is the institution from which we derive our modern philosophy of classroom teaching. Prior to that, there were many teaching styles such as those used in Ancient Kemet, Greece and Rome.

What really struck me is our Pledge of Allegiance.

It's a statement that I never really thought about until I was in college. That was when I dissected what we were saying. When you do that, you see something more than simply something I couldn't bare to stand and say (especially after we learned about slavery). It is a mind shaping tool - brainwashing - if you will, carried about through rote learning, repetition. Every time that I think of something similar - from the pledge to the arbitrary subjects we learned that we will never use - I get angry! If you don't, then you just don't see it like I do...

Not that there's anything wrong with that :)

However, if you like to see things for the outcomes that they produce, then you see that the things we "learned", more like we were inculcated or indoctrinated with as children, were tools of a government or governments ensuring their power into perpetuity. Like my friend B. Jones says "they found a way to drown it all out... with cobless corn... techno porn". What they're drowning out is not your votes. They're drowning out your independent thought with gobs and gobs of stimuli - from sports and entertainment to prescription and "illegal" drugs. Don't get it twisted, the government brings it here in large quantities. Do you really think Rico from downtown has the cash to fund a large carrier from Mexcio or Columbia, have it hidden from the U.S. military and get it to you for the price that we get it? NO! But I digress...

My disclaimer: I love this country! I love the people in it (for the most part). I just have a problem with the way we let someone else control us, and do whatever they want around the world, when we wouldn't let a friend do anything close to that! So why should we let our government? Especially since we pay them to do their jobs right and with integrity. It's not as simple as that, but I think we could easily take everything back if we just stop feeding into it. Cut off your cable. Get rid of your T.V.! You don't need it! Talk to your family! Read a book. Catch some rays. Grow a garden! Anything but wasting your life watching a tube and working like a drone! Maybe I just have more of a zest for life than most, but I think it may be contagious...

Catch the FEVER! LOL

Anyway... This is more of a rant than a writing of purpose. But like I said. I was angry. Happy Cinco De Mayo! (don't get me started on the irony of us celebrating that one! lol)

Comment if you get the notion!

Natural Selections

There has been a lot of talk lately about the theory of evolution and Charles Darwin's theories of natural selection. It seems that we are being made to choose between believing that it is human/animal nature to dominate vs. human/animal nature being more cooperative and niche-filling. I just want to drop my two cents on it.

First: Natural Selection states three things. 1. Organisms (bacteria, plant, animal, etc) must compete for resources in any given environment. 2. Only the most fit will receive enough of those resources to have their genes survive in their particular population. The less fit are eventually eliminated from the population through genetic drift (the tendency for the survivors to survive and procreate, dominating that population's gene pool) 3. Mutations in the genetic code aid natural selection in the elimination or the augmented fitness of an individual.

I don't believe that one organism benefits only at the loss of another. I hypothesize that the better we work together (WITHIN OUR MEANS), the more likely we are to survive.

Take, for example, the fish that swim under the shark's belly and feed off of the flesh that falls by the wayside. These fish are clearly not the most adept at attaining their own food by killing it. So, how did they come to fit this niche and not become shark food? Well, at some point the type of sharks they follow had to decide that they do more good than harm. Now, I do not know the ultimate premise behind their current role. However, it is these types of relationships that suggest that our nature is more cooperative than previously thought. I mean, why should one individual win, while others lose? Over time that organism would become very lonely if that were the case. Besides, team sports are more fun than individual ones anyway... just ask Tiger Woods. (yeah, I said it!)

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

Until the next one...

Peace.

Imperial Hangover

It's Christmas time... that wonderful time of year when we go home or have people into our own, to share in each others presence -- and give lots of presents -- to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. It has always been a time I enjoyed and from which I received much fulfillment. Now that I am an adult and have discovered the topics that I discuss in previous posts, I have come into some feelings of regret, or maybe it's remorse.

You see, I see now that the presents we give are just things. They really don't bring much fulfillment, if any. It was always the people that were around me that gave me the most joy. I am finding that out in earnest these days. I took a leave of absence from the social scene for a while to focus on music, but now that that is progressing at a satisfactory pace I have made an effort to get out and be more social. I am finding that I am much more happy, generally, because of those efforts. I really do love people, and that is why I write these posts so that my words may help us save ourselves from the perils of an Imperial society.

I know I speak in a pretty utopian manner about how people should live. But the truth is, even if the efforts to move toward a REAL democratic society catch fire, I will never see the fruition of what I start now. And that is fine.

Now, we have to realize that there will not be a smooth, quick transition to the Earth Community that David Korten speaks of. There will be many people who either drag their feet because they fear change, or merely have not been exposed to the truth about many things because the almighty television has been dictating their culture for so long. I call this the "Imperial hangover".

I describe this as the leftover feelings of loss or tendencies to fall back on the immature mindset and consumer-based activity that is a hallmark of every imperial society. Just today, I was reading about how Pericles (a great Athenian emperor) would make people work to justify their share of the governments conquests. They had no interest in the governments usurping of natural resources, but since they benefited from it, they were caught in the trap. After a while (and this happened many times in the beginning of our own country), there were worker and slave revolts, so Pericles set up and funded a theater of actors, poets, etc. as well as carnival-type events to entertain the masses of workers. Sound familiar?

I admit, that I still have imperial tendencies, I suffer from this "imperial hangover": like wanting a new car (which I will probably get) when I should just ride my bike everywhere... that would be a good contribution to the bettering of the environment. I also enjoy watching sports and movies on TV from time to time, but that gets less and less the more I get in the studio. I was thinking that I should buy lots of presents for my family and friends for Christmas, but I was able to take a stand there and get one gift each for my parents and my sister. I also talked to them about volunteering at a soup kitchen or other operation that would aid the people who really could use some charity. I guess I'm slowly sobering up :)

The moral here, is that we have to start the process now, by joining with people of like mind around the world and eventually reject the rule of people who have been corrupted by the power they were given to protect ordinary citizens. Who could blame them, they're only human. Although, we elevate them to positions they don't deserve (like gods) and when they fail or falter, we drag them through the mud as if we could have done any better (who are WE to judge THEM), but I digress. Even though we are drunk on imperialism now, doesn't mean we can't start the next day, slowly but surely until we recover completely.

Science v. Religion

What is the science of religion?

What I mean is, we all know that science could never be taken on from the religious method of discovery. Contrastingly, I consider the religious method to be very similar to the scientific method. I say that because, one forms a hypothesis first in both fields, but only science truly investigates the existence of an answer to the original problem that elicits a hypothesis. So the question is: can we apply the scientific method to religious belief in search of "God" and other paranormal phenomena? Because we all really just want the answer to the age old question: Who are we and why are we here?"

Lately I have been reading The Great Turning by David C. Korten. He suggests that in the future--in order for the "Great Turning" to be successful--science and religion must come together. Now, we all know that science and religion have been bitter rivals little longer than the universities of Missouri and Kansas have (remember: natural science studies didn't really hit their stride until the mid 19th century, Isaac Newton didn't even postulate his theories on gravity and motion until almost 1700 A.D.). However, would people actually want to encounter what (or who) God really is? Or do they just want to leave their teaching open to speculation and misinterpretation forever?

I think that science and religion are so closely related that one day their proximity in nature will inevitably lead to a true "search for God". Also, I know that science can postulate theories that explain the phenomena we see occurring in religious and prayerful people.

Modern quantum physics has discovered a pathway to the reasons that prayer works. You see, they have discovered that the thoughts we have inside our head emit a certain amount of energy that is quantifiable and has a clear signature. This energy is known as a beta wave; the stronger the emotion behind the thought, the more intense the beta wave. Now, others (including myself) have concluded that these beta waves are part of the energy continuum (carbon cycle, water cycle, etc) and that they interact with the world around us. THIS is something that can be formed into an experiment. I'm sure other scientists have studied this much more, well... scientifically. However, I have done my own (non-scientific) exploration into this phenomena - with surprising results.

The story goes that these beta waves attract the things we think of most - through their connection to the real world and eventually bring these thoughts to be visited upon the person having them. It is not as direct as it sounds because energy never returns in exactly the same way it was emitted.

After watching a movie called The Secret (the author I do not know), I did an experiment related to these recent findings in concordance with a contest in which I was entered. The contest was to win a BMW. So, my first step was to visualize myself driving the car. Eventually that led me to the British Motor Works website. I designed my ideal ride and would sit and visualize myself holding the steering wheel, checking the gauges and the like. After a couple weeks of this I attended the contest drawing. Needless to say, I didn't win. The guy standing directly next to me did.

I know for a fact he was the announcer's friend because they were hanging out together (very familiarly) the entire time before the reading of the name. I'm not saying the contest was rigged, but....

Anyway, what I noticed soon after that was that when I drove around town, I was almost surrounded by BMW's everywhere I went (even out of state, weird). I have no proof or data that compels one to believe my account word for word, but I did ride with a couple of people and point it out to them. They were skeptical but did notice the slight increase in BMW appearances as uncanny. The experiment was a success in my mind, because the longer it has been since starting the experiment - I see a less awe-inspiring number of beamers when I ride around. I also did this for Acura not long ago, because I thought that was the car I wanted. And although I didn't focus as long and hard, the fact that I knew how to target my thoughts did warrant a noticeable increase in the number of Acura vehicles I encountered. This gives me cause to believe that prayer works, but it is not the way that a preacher might tell you. Since I consider "God" to be the driving force that animates certain atoms and later others (conservation of mass and energy says we cannot create or destroy mass and energy, only change its form), then I guess technically I am praying to God when I focus on things I want (or don't want). The phenomenon works both ways. Say, for instance, that there is some person or situation you really DON'T want to happen. Your thoughts can also attract it, if you constantly mull it over.

In addition, the religion I was raised to believe says that "God may not be there when you want him, but he's always right on time", meaning that you don't get exactly what you want, but you do get what you deserve. This leads me to the thought that, it IS "God" that brings the fruit of prayer. God, to me, is just not some GUY (males dominate today's religious beliefs) in some far off locale directing the flow of life and everything else on this tiny planet set in some small region of the universe (multiverse?)

So, you can call me crazy, but I am the least likely person to admit to such an outlandish conclusion. And you don't have to believe me, but I suggest you pay closer attention to your thoughts and see where your life leads you. And who knows? Maybe this type of experimentation could eventually lead to "the science of religion". I don't think its necessary to find God, because I don't think we are meant to know everything (like a good friend of mine reminds me), but its the journey of discovery that is the fun and adventure of it all.

So I leave you with a phrase uttered to me by my mother many, many times over the years: Take care and be aware!

Peace.

Media vs. Journalism

There is not much else to explain that I haven't already about how we have come to this disastrous point in our [species'] time on this planet. Now I guess its time to raise some questions that I have in getting us out of this mess.

What I see as the ultimate equalizer is media.

News used to be journalism. They reported the facts in the most objective way possible (remember that impartiality and therefore objectivity is nearly impossible, just because of the way our brains work)... Stories were just that. The story of a mother who couldn't feed her children was not draped in some reporters opines about how the failing economy or some other smoke screen is responsible for her being downtrodden. Television news has clearly become the mouthpiece for the rich people who own most of the country, purchased right after the Great Depression. That brings it into the realm of media, which has no obligation to be arbitrary at all.

So, the question is: How do you change people's minds who are subjected to a constant barrage of propaganda from recognizable people that leads them further down the wrong way on a one way street? Chances are: they are feeding into the mix of sexual, emotional and other cues that cause a subsequent amplification of our consumer nature. I mean, it took me years to realize that I should always be skeptical of information that is handed to me, for which I did not ask. It is hard to think for yourself when it is so much easier to let "the box" think for you.

The thing is, that we MUST change these minds (of the masses) before its too late. There are some progressive institutions that broadcast the right messages, but they are drowned out by the pillars of the industry who don't care about the common person, they just focus on their profit margins and ratings returns.

Maybe its time to take a page out of history and start distributing newsletters that highlight the TRUE history of this country and the behind-the-scenes debauchery that is still occurring today (sorry President Obama, we know the deal) . There is not much that is more powerful than the printed (something you have to read, including a computer screen) word. I read an article in the NY Times that said a study found that when something is read by a person--no matter how ridiculous or contrary to truth--it is more likely to be noted and/or considered by the individual reading it, simply because it is in print. No wonder those crazy e-mails about Obama being the anti-Christ et al. were eaten up by middle and lower income (mainly white) people. I'm sure that there are newsletters out there, but it is up to us to get it into the hands and in front of the faces of the people who need it most. I think this could be a crucial first step in starting the grass roots movement toward what David C. Korten calls "Earth Community". Urban farming is another one which might not require so much effort for gaining support. Remember, the government has no power if no one gives it to them, if we take things into our own hands. Trust! The answer will not come from the top of the ranks. It comes from changing minds, showing them that there are other ways to live beside the American Imperial/Manifest Destiny lifestyle.

What do you think?

Peace.

Big Kids

As you know... I'm a very careful observer of EVERYTHING, especially people. Since I have been an adult for a few years now, I can kind of gauge what actions seem to be "adult-like" and those that seem more "child-like".

If you read a book called Born to Win by some psychologists whose names I cannot recall at the moment, you will see a theory that claims that each of our psyches is a combination of three ego states: The Child, The Parent and The Adult. The Child is the obvious ego state, this is when we are most curious and apt to try new things just to see what they are like simply because we feel like it. The Parent is the learned set of actions we learn, as children, from the adults in our lives... which is why most of us grow up to be our parents since they are the most abundant examples of how to be an adult. We mimic those actions because as a child we learn what these actions elicit from others and how they help (or don't help) us navigate through life. The Adult ego state is the only one that is constantly changing. The Adult ego state is the one where we take in information, run it through our memory banks for any previous experience of a similar type and then make a conscious decision to act.

The book says that we remain in one ego state more than the others, unless you are the ultimate measure of a well-adjusted person (but who REALLY is?). The more I observe adults and children (anyone under 18), the more I want to ask the question: Do we really ever grow up? Or are we just physically mature kids? We (myself included) seem to be stuck in the child ego state, reflecting the Parent ego state from time to time, but most of us just react through instinct (the combination of those egos), rather than waiting to act. I must say that I'm guilty as well. As a child, I was always into going outside and being in nature, I wanted to be a musician and I loved science (the study of nature). Today, my profession is in research science, I recently bought equipment to perform and record music, and I always look for ways to get out into the natural world (I'm currently planning a hunting trip with my Father). I react internally as my Child and Parent ego states would dictate, but my discipline as a scientist and as a former martial artist lead me to use my Adult ego state quite often. However, when I observe other adults, they seem to act like kids or kids who are mimicking what their parent did. I'm not sure if I am on to something here or I just think that many of my older counterparts are just immature, but the next time you are around your parents or some older adults, take a minute and step outside of the situation to look at how they act and react. It is said that for the most part we don't learn much (about how to survive) outside of what we learn as children (you can find sources in any Psych journal, as I did), but if that's true, we probably are just BIG KIDS.

On another note... All these people are dying from day to day. Now, I know that millions of people die everyday, but something seems different about this time and the rate of deaths... Are we really moving into a new Procession of Equinoxes (end of an age)? I think that's what the Bible story of the Exodus and subsequent establishment of Hebrews in the Middle East is implying with the deaths of all the adults older than a certain age (I think it was 40). I hope I'm wrong, because that would have implications with my own parents, and I don't think I could handle them not being around. On the other hand, I'm sure some of these so-called Piscean age folk will make it past December 21, 2012. I just hope my family is part of that group.

Have a great weekend!

Peace.