Ideas

 Ideas are fleeting.  They come, they go and when one reaches a certain age holding on to an idea can become a competitive event.  Some ideas have grown to become some of the neater stuff that we have in our world such as the telephone, electric lights, stereophonic sound, one of my personal favorites, and the roasted chicken.  

Chicken is Gods proof that she loves us.  Chickens are relatively easy to catch, they don't know what's about to happen, and they are naturally the tastiest morsel on two boney legs.  This is an example of a perfect cosmic idea.  See how that works?

However, God in her infinite wisdom didn't create the Multiverse without a sense of humor.  So, when we get to that certain age, let the games begin.  If you've forgotten what I'm writing about you possibly have come to that point in your life so I refer you to the top of the page.  Read as many times as it take to retain the information then go beyond this paragraph.

To hold onto fleeting ideas it may be a good idea to carry a small hand held recording device to keep a record as they come into your fold for later consumption.  This recorded information has the benefit of staying in original context and gives the thinker the opportunity to relook at such craziness in order to re-imagine the idea or to trash it altogether.  Either choice may be a goodly one. 

Sometimes you might have an idea so impressive that forgetting it to age or some other genetic abnormality is virtually impossible.  These are the ideas that can potentially change the world.  It's at these points when humankind may be at the cusp of evolution, and  gain the attention and favor of our ever present Goddess, the creator of our existence.  If she grants the idea maker an audience, the non dying type, then the world may have some cool stuff to play with for a period of time.  I mention Steve Jobs as an example.  His ideas are still growing and giving humanity the happies years after his Personal meeting with the Goddess.  She must have liked him a lot as she hasn't given him back.  

So, my advise to you the reader, the thinker, and possibly idea maker.  Record, protect, and try stuff out because you never know just how rich it might make you.

Peace and Balance,

John

Missing Time

 Occasionally, not as often as It used to happen, but occasionally I suffer from a malady called, "Missing Time."  For instance yesterday Mona and I visited the medical community for what should have been a short 30 minute talk.  We left the house at about 11:20 AM, the appointment was for 11:30.  Only being a couple minutes around the corner from the appropriate office we arrived in plenty of time for the meeting.  The appointment went off without a hitch and we left the place about 30 minutes later and came home.  That would have made it around noon to 12:10.  I got Mona situated and went to the store for a few essentials.  That process was a short one, I don't like the shopping experience my anti social nature tends to prevail and I came home at about 1:30 ish.  We had a short talk, which involves some poking fun at each other and other folks.  She wanted to play in her books and I decided to send a text inviting my two compadres Ray, and Michael over for Weekly holy beans.  Then I suddenly noticed it was 3 o'clock.  We lost about 90 minutes of time.  Poof, gone just like that.  

Missing time has plagued me for most of my life.  I have had spells where entire days have disappeared without a trace.  I discovered early on that trying to find lost time is much like looking for air.  You know it's there, but can't see it.  Unless your in the LA area.  But, that's a whole other universe.  

More than just a few years ago, I had an appointment with a student in my office on Main Street.  I got up early and had some breakfast and decided to take a bath, we didn't have a shower, our apartment was in a house that was a tad over 100 years old and the plumbing was not exactly up to date.  I was soaking and decided to go through a short meditation while in the hot water.  Always a relaxing process.  I came out of my meditation and noticed a message on my answering machine, one of those old types that use tape to record the messages.  At that time that's all that was available.  The message informed me that I had missed my appointment with the student by a little more than four hours.  Shhhhsh.  Missing time.  

Lapses like this one have plagued me since I was a grasshopper.  An explanation may be in a later blog.  When it makes sense to me.  

Peace and Balance,

John

What is Qi?

I start with, "Breath in the nose, Breath out the mouth."  Then I'll work into, "Relax and make your Breath going out longer than your Breath coming in."  We'll play with that game for awhile and I'll suggest that slowly moving the arms and hands up and down might be a good way to experience something special.  At this point my students usually give me a little bit of a sideways look, most fearing to ask, "What's special mean?"

I have a few guys I try things out on before I indulge John Q. Public with the things I'm trying out on my few guys.  The Special is one of those things.  At this point the reader is going to blurt out, possibly, at the screen, "John, dude, what the hell are you talking about?"  

The Special is Qi pronounced Chi.  What is Qi?  Classically Qi is an expression that represents Breath.  We breath it in, we breath it out every few seconds of every day.   For this reason Qi has been referred to as the "Life Force."  It's simple, if you don't breath, you don't live, "Life Force." Get it?  

So, now we've traveled from a term that represents Breath, to one that sustains our very living processes.  But, that's not all.  Qi is also a word that expresses the flow of electrons from one place to another. "Holy Shnikies John, what the hell are you getting at now?"  I can hear your minds reeling.

What is the term for flowing electrons?  Electricity.  Electrons flowing from one place to another are all around us every day.  We've harnessed this power a long time ago and wrapped it in cloth and plastic as the electrons flow along a wire made of a conductive material.  This amazing power, and it is amazing if you put your head to it, is the energy in our electric wires feeding all of our toys and gadgets.  And, we are becoming more, and more reliant on it every day, physical Qi.

Let us summarize for a moment; Qi, we breath it in and out, sustains our lives, and flows through the wires of our things to give us pleasure and a happy living experience.  Yep, so far that's it. 

Technology is a fascinating concept.  We, through the power of our minds, the juice flowing from our brains can change the way we look at the world.  Today we have the ability to throw those electrons from one location to another without wires.  We have the ability to charge, control, and energize our toys at a distance through the air.  Oh my god, what's next.  Now, Qi is a flowing force of moving electrons that travels from a power source through the air to a receiver that uses those electrons to power it up.  The electricity is airborne.  We've created directed power technology, Qi.  "John, stop your giving us a headache."  I can tell what your thinking.  

Ok so here it is, So far;  Qi, we Breath it in and Breath it out giving us our source of life force, Qi moves from one place to another through our created wires a flow of electrons lighting up our lives, Qi and directed energy source flying around through the air giving our technology the juice it needs to thrive.  Yep, that's about it, but I'm not done yet.

Now we're at the Jedi factor.  In our crazy technical multiverse we have created the ability to mentally guide that flow of Qi, electrons, from one point to another by thinking about it.  We now have the ability to control computer screens, toys, medical equipment,  and other cool stuff with our minds.  There have been studies and experiments done at virtually every Ivy league school in the country and the findings are conclusive, human beings can control our environment with our minds, Qi.  Oh my God the electrons are now the energy flowing from the Brain.  What comes next? John Stop.

Yes, now we're back to the beginning, something the ancient Chinese knew millennia ago.  Qi, Breath in Breath out, the Life force.  Becomes Qi, the electricity flowing through our wires, which in turn becomes the Qi, wireless technology that runs our toys through the air, then we have Qi, the power directed from your mind to the toys and gadgets we use every day, back to, Breath in, Breath out, and live a good life.

Peace and Balance, 

John   

The Blank Page

 

Sometimes you sit in front of your laptop, and or typewriter, I'm old enough to remember those things, and stare at a blank page for what seems to be an eternity.  No words come, no thoughts formed, nothing happens that gives you that first jolt of inspiration to complete a sentence.  The page remains blank and mocks you as if it were a self important know it all that has your number.

For a brief moment your mind goes into disrepair and a mild panic sets in.  "Is this it, is that all there is?" You think, "Have I wrote my last quip, am I tapped out?"  All these thoughts for a writer are terrifying.  The blank page represents a beginning, it's not supposed to be an ending, yet there it is staring back at you with that smugness that is so, so repulsive.

I will rise from my chair at this point and retreat to my personal council, the coffee maker.  I will plop in a pod, yes I've graduated to the great Keurig gods in the sky for my holy bean, convenience and accessibility are the name of that game, and I will ponder the holy drink and smell it's aroma, and taste the bitter taste of the adult.  Clear headed I will return to the page.

Nothing happens, it is still blank.  The coffee gods have failed me.  Time for the greater inspiration of the Outdoor excursion, a walk in the yard is always good for inspirational fuel.  

Nothing, Damn.  So I stare, and stare, and stare, and...snore.  It seems looking at a blank page long enough causes the brain to go into shut down mode and sleep.  I reanimate and take a sip of my now cold coffee.  Not as satisfying, but still holy.  

I look at the clock, my brain says, "Look man, you've got to get up in the morning to do the "work thing", maybe you should go to bed and think about this in the morning."  I complied.  Hence no blog yesterday.

In the AM, after I do my morning stuff, which includes more of the holy bean, I eventually find myself sitting behind the tapping keys of my laptop.  Suddenly out of the myst comes my inspiration and I laugh out loud at the absurdity of my surrendering and begin typing, "Sometimes you sit in front of your laptop and or typewriter...and stare at a blank page for an eternity..."

Peace and Balance,

John

Crash Test Dummies In Space.

 

I never thought I'd see the day we'd have Crash Test Dummies in space, but on the morning news I saw that we just launched the New Orion Space craft to the moon with a complete 3 dummy crew aboard.  The Orion is flying 8 miles off the surface of the moon taking pretty little snap shots of a completely barren gray scale  lumpy surface.  No green cheese to be had, just lots of gray rock and dust scattered amongst the plethora of impact crater distributed there approximately 4.5 billion years ago.  Isn't that exciting?

I wonder what a Crash Test Dummy thinks as he is floating by our closest neighbor?  Not a damn thing, Crash Test Dummies don't think, they're dead.  I bet you thought I was going to personify them and give them a personality, No not today I'm grouchy.

The Orion Space Craft was launched late from the pad at Cap Canaveral due to the hurricane that blew by causing unrest in the neighboring areas.  The Orion Space Craft has about 12 times the thrust as the Saturn 5 Space Craft, the past largest rocket ever flown.  Given the right amount of fuel, the Orion can be equipped to send a mission to Mars, and possibly beyond.  "To Infinity and Beyond," Buzz Light Year would say.

The Orion is meant to be a people carrier.  It will eventually have a live presumably thinking crew who will be able to look out and marvel at the big nothing of space.  We are going to send more men to the Moon.  It's not an "If" anymore, just a when.  The Orion is the next generation of NASA's new space craft that has at least 80% classified tech on board.  Kinda makes you wonder just what they are actually doing?  But, I don't want to go down that Rabbit Hole, as conspiracy theories give me a headache.  We can't have that now can we?

Think of the power of 12 times more thrust than a Saturn 5.  That is mind boggling.  That also means the space craft lifts off and gets into the vacuum a lot faster than previously.  Maybe that keeps the aliens away?  Who knows.

Any who, Crash Test Dummies in Space, sounds like a B rated Sci Fi movie, where's Ed Wood when you need him?

Peace and Balance,

John 

The Re-explanation.

 If you read the last post you will notice that it reads much like a dusty dry textbook.  That's what happens when I write about things using my logical mind, (Gnos) I get dusty.  So, I will attempt to explain that mundane tired explanation of natural forces using words that I can understand myself.  If I understand a thing, chances are you're going to understand a thing.  

In the beginning of all things that is an energy.  This energy goes through a process of change before we get to a point that can classically be called the Beginning.  The energy changes from Nothingness, to somethingness with a period of utter Chaos in the middle.  This chaos it the nothingness collecting into the Somethingness.  The Chaos swirls, explodes, expands and contracts, blows in and out greater than any hurricane, then finely compacts and quiets into the Something.  That is the beginning, before that we don't count because, just because.  

This something compacts smaller and smaller until it is at the point of a microcosm.  Then there is a short burst of energy.  This energy became self aware, and at the point of self awareness knew all things that was to know and expanded instantly to the rest of the universe.  We'll call this the Big Boom.  I'd call it the Big Bang, but some of you might take that wrong and I'd be stuck explaining the nature of things and we haven't gotten to birds  and bees yet.  

Anywho, the Big Boom happened and all of creation was born in a relative instant.  That was between 13 trillion and 16 trillion years ago on our mundane calendar.  After all there really is no time.  

Ok, I'm going to skip ahead a few trillion years to the birth of humankind.  As we developed the original process of the I Am, that's the self aware thing waking up, took shape into a dusty critter we will call people.  And in this critter a thought was formed with an intention, we will call this the mind, or (Gnos). Greek for Mind.  Gnostic means, the study of the Mind.  Get it?  

Our minds started exploring and we personified all of the creation around us.  We gave human attributes to the forces of nature, our first angels.  We gave human thought to the animals around us.  The Sephia or Animal mind. Sephia can also be translated as Sophia the spirit.  We split our thoughts between our imagination and physical reality.  The God, and Goddess were born and from them all other things are created.  Because this is how we related to our universal creation, now we're back the the birds and bees.  They do exist at this point, but I'm not going to explain things to you that you'll eventually figure out on your own.  

Because we think complicated things, our God families get very complicated.  However, let's backtrack to the beginning.  We all, everything that exists comes from the Aeon (the One)  That is We are all, God.

Peace and Balance,

John

The Power of Silence.

 

In 1964 Simon and Garfunkel recorded a song that went multiple platinum, "The Sound of Silence."  The words of that song are haunting, and just a tad prophetic.  In a dystopian society where making music, sounds, where you cannot communicate for fear of breaking the ever present Silence, the God of that society may speak of what is happening in our modern world.   Are we heading toward a world of quiet disturbances, where nothing penetrates the mind of man, where that penetration would create an unquietness that would resemble insanity.  Are we becoming Disquieted?

The Power of Silence is unquestionable.  Do you remember moments where a parent or guardian would suddenly look at you over the top of horn rimmed glasses.  Not speaking, barely breathing, nothing moving, but you know exactly what was being suggested, shared, and or communicated in your direction.  That power is ominous.  There is nothing greater in our universe than a parent gazing at a child in contemplation.  The child is frozen in place like a deer caught in a Buicks headlights.  

In deep space there are occasional explosions of powers that we have never actually heard only magnetically measured or felt.  Hugh sounds so loud that they can only be felt, or at such distances that  energies are only travelling and leaving a physical presence, but never heard.  These are the sounds of silence.  Just before a Super Nova, the magnetic field of the addressing star stops, there are no noises coming from that region of space, for just brief moment, then, "Boom" the power emanating from that center is so great all molecular motions stop for a brief space that moves faster than we can measure, light, time.  These too are the sounds of silence.

Grandparents have that power, looking over the spectacles to also freeze grandchildren in there gaze like so many deer.  This is where the parents learned this skill.  It is every parent's obligation to eventually share this secret with their children.  

In a quiet distance a shuffle of power is moving at speeds not comprehensive to the average observer.  The wave is the stuff of creation.  It is Shiva, the Creator, the Destroyer moving unemotionally outwardly from it's center to act.  The Power, the Sound of Silence,

Peace and Balance,

John

Wi and Han Wi

 A long time ago the warrior Anpao was in love with the maiden Wi.  He tried many things to gain her attention and favor.  Anpao would hunt and bring her the finest deer hides.  He would create the most elaborate tipi's with the best buffalo hides.  He would bring her the finest horses.  Anpao did everything he could think of to get her attention.  

Wi had eyes for another.  She was always looking out for Anpetu, the sun warrior.  She would watch for his arrival and on his approach would run and hide.  Wi was afraid of Anpetu's brightness. His glare blinded her.  

Anpao was jealous and created a terrible idea.  He traveled to Anpetu's tipi to do battle with what he thought were the Gnasty's that lived there.  Anpao found himself in a perpetual battle with the monsters from the sun.  

Each morning Anpetu would make his approach, and Wi would run and hide.  And every night Anpetu would sleep and Wi would gaze upon him as he slept.  But, when the warrior Anpao made is presence known thru Anpetu, Wi found herself gazing out at a reflection waiting for Anpetu.  What came instead was the conflict Between Anpetu and Anpao.  The monsters of the sun were dancing.  Because of this conflict once every month Wi can gaze upon Anpetu and Anpetu can share space with Wi.  Anpao sleeps. 

During this time Wi and Han Wi share the skies.  The sun and the moon can be seen dancing together while the Darkness and the Light battle for conquest of the monsters of the sun.  Who never appear.  

Peace and Balance,

John

Toltec

 

Originally the Toltec were a pre Columbian/ Mesoamerican culture that ruled an area centered in Tula, Hidalgo, and Mexico during pre classic and post classic  period of Central American Culture from about 950 to 1150 BCE.  The Toltec spoke an ancient form of the Nahuatl language that was in a period of changing at the time.  Influences of other peoples moving into the regions were changing and altering the language of the Toltec.  At the same time the Toltec were influencing and changing the cultures of the immigrants to their lands. 

The Toltec greatly influenced the cultures of both the Aztec and Mayan societies.  The Toltec militarily absorbed the Maya and in doing so created the great city of Chichen Itza, with architectural design that even today modern man has difficulties fathoming.  The Maya looked upon the Toltec with great reverence and respect.  In the language that developed from a Blend of Maya and Hahuatl the word Toltec became the word Mayan culture used for Sorcerer.  As time progressed the Great Aztec Empire evolved from the Toltec, Mayan, and Aztec cultures that all seemed to blend together and became known by the name of the majority, the Aztecas.   In the Aztec language that evolved from a blending of the other two plus the Aztecan speech, the word Toltec became the word Aztec would use for Artisan, or Creator.  

As time progressed and the Central American Culture became predominantly known as the Aztec Empire, the Toltec became part of the mythology of Central America.  The Toltec had become the Sorcerers, the Seers, those that spoke to the gods, the Wazi, Great Wizards.  Aztec priests became known as Toltec.  

This absorption into Culture by the Toltec could be due to their abilities to predict or foresee what was becoming of their own peoples.  Their populations was diminishing and in order to maintain ancient technologies and secret knowing's a decision was made, "If you can't beat them, join them." So they shared their knowledge with each following culture that would absorb or be absorbed by them.  This is the question, who did the absorbing?  

In the modern world there are many societies that lay claim to the title, "Toltec."  Brought into popularity in the late 60's and early 70's by the author, Carlos Castaneda, Toltec became a term for, "A man of Knowledge."  Almost a direct reflection of the blended Mayan and Aztecan languages.  

What then is, "A Man of Knowledge?"  We could be literal with with the words and take it as read, a person that knows stuff.  But, that sort of goes, Nowhere quick.  "A Man of Knowledge," then becomes someone who walks outside the standard path of normal society.  He/she is a person who gains their living information through the observation of things most can not see.  Reflecting on the relationship to that knowledge with the majority vs. the minority.  After much watching, listening, and reflecting the knowledge comes to the observer who can then decide to share or not the knowledge observed or experienced.  In that way the Toltec are indeed the Sorcerers, the seers of modern society.

To become, "A Man of Knowledge" is to take a step away from the fears that bind us to the normal and the restrains of the majority.  We separate ourselves from the easily traveled path to the difficult path of enlightenment and awaken the Us inside the We.  We experience the Death of Ego and free from Karma, to borrow a term from the Hindu.  We become the Shaman.

Peace and Balance,

John

Books, the Portals to Infinity.

 Most High School Text books published in this country are written way above the reading levels of the standard High School student.  Academically the text book is written at a level that presumably the student is at during the presenting of the material in the book.  However, most High School students in this country read at about a 5 to 6th grade level upon graduation, and that level is declining.  

The average adult in the United States reads, if they are readers, at about the 9th grade level, but that to is declining as our students join the massive working class machine.  It seems that as people mature into adult hood so their reading levels improve, possibly due to this maturation if nothing else.  

School libraries have been whittled down to the main hub of technology driven devices like the Chrome Book, and other Lap Top computers as well as the repair and maintenance of these devises.  The School libraries are slowly down stocking their inventory of paper reading materials, books, papers, and periodicals, for the replacement reading opportunities that the World Wide Web offers from one of these electronic items.  

I am a lover of the old fashioned book.  I like the tactile experience.  I like the smell of a new book.  I like the feel of a new book.  I particularly like finding real old books that society may have forgotten about stashed in the back of a library in a hidden corner on a never dusted shelf.  This experience wakens the old Wizard in me and learning of historical documents begins.  Books are the stuff of magic, the stuff of legend, the stuff of the future, past, present, and what may or may not be.  Books are our conduits to places we would otherwise never walk unless we had the book to tickle our imaginations.  

It is a sad day when a school librarian looks you in the eye and tells you that the books are all being replaced by technology.  This has happened, and I quake in fear at the prospect of a society of people who have forgotten what a Book is.  

If you have a library of your own, as I do, protect it, read it, get to know it, and enjoy it.  When the Moral Majority appears at your door with torch and a can of fuel in hand fight them off with the biggest baddest book you can find and don't let them in.  For right around the corner lurks our Doom.

Peace and Balance,

John