You are given the gifts of Gods. You create your reality. Yours is the creative energy that makes your world. There are no limitations to the self except those you believe in.
Think you are well and that all is well with you and nature will read your thoughts and make them true.
Your thoughts are the tools with which you carve your life story on the substance of the universe. When you choose your thoughts, you choose results.
Life allows you to think as you please, but it always produces for you what you think.
This grandfather of all people-skills books was first published in 1937. It was an overnight hit, eventually selling 15 million copies. How to Win Friends and Influence People is just as useful today as it was when it was first published, because Dale Carnegie had an understanding of human nature that will never be outdated. Financial success, Carnegie believed, is due 15 percent to professional knowledge and 85 percent to “the ability to express ideas, to assume leadership, and to arouse enthusiasm among people.” He teaches these skills through underlying principles of dealing with people so that they feel important and appreciated. He also emphasizes fundamental techniques for handling people without making them feel manipulated. Carnegie says you can make someone want to do what you want them to by seeing the situation from the other person’s point of view and “arousing in the other person an eager want.” You learn how to make people like you, win people over to your way of thinking, and change people without causing offence or arousing resentment. For instance, “let the other person feel that the idea is his or hers,” and “talk about your own mistakes before criticizing the other person.” Carnegie illustrates his points with anecdotes of historical figures, leaders of the business world, and everyday folks.
The first self-help book I ever read was “How to win friends and influence people” by Dale Carnegie. I just finished school and was looking for an inspirational book in a tiny, poorly stocked book store in Windhoek in Namibia. I came across Dale Carnegie’s book in the scant selection of books on a shelf right at the back of this dusty store. I unashamedly admit today that although this was the first “motivational” book that I ever owned when it still remains one of the top ten books I ever read when it came to practical advice regarding people skills. Many of you might have read the book or still have a copy on a shelf in your library. I would suggest that you read it again. It will refresh your memory on one of the most important principles when it comes to compassion. It will remind you that you can make more progress in all areas of your life if you develop a sincere interest in others. Dale indicates in this book that you can make more friends in two months by developing an awareness of the interests of others than you could achieve in two years using any other method.
We live in small boxes today surrounded by massive walls to keep intruders out that might dare to enter our comfort zones. We shout at each other over these walls and only on very rare occasions lower our draw bridge and venture out or invite anyone into our domain. Most of us go around with our defence shield up and remain on guard twenty four hours a day. The political climate that we live and work in might also have something to do with this unhealthy behaviour. We need to open up and become more vulnerable if we want to escape the deadly ruts that many of us fell in over the years. Some of us feel lonely and need friends, companionship and fun, but we often forgo on these desires because of our fears and warped self-interest. Everything revolves around us and our own dreams, desires and choices. We look at life, people and places through a self-interest one way mirrors. Our interests always come first and the interests of others never really feature at all. We have this “What is in it for me” attitudes that fail to address the needs of anyone else.
When last did you manage to get yourself out of the way long enough to listen and experience any human being, family member or friend with an open mind? Many of us developed a sick habit of judging everyone. We endlessly scan people for flaws or potential threats. We fail to listen to them when they talk. We listen to the first few words of their sentences and then jump to conclusions. We look at people through eyes that fail to see the pain or desperation in them. We listen to what people say and fail to read the subliminal call for help that they are possibly to proud or ashamed to express. Do we care enough to really hear what our partner or children are telling us? Are we alert enough to feel the emotions of the person that we are communicating with? I think we all of us might have some work to do when it comes to mastering the art of putting the interest of others first.
When last did you compliment anyone on anything? We as parents tend to only give attention to our children when they are sick or when they did something wrong. We as partners only become interested enough when our relationships begin to fall apart. We fail to notice the cracks and peeling paint in our relationships. We are so busy with our own agendas, self-interests and objectives that the pain and frustration experienced by our partner bounces off our egotistical shield. Can you see what major difference a shift in attention can make in your life? Can you accept that life is not only about you and your plans and goals? Can you understand that the formula for success is that your success if virtually guaranteed if you help enough other people to achieve their own goals and dreams?
So I suggest that you shut up the next time anyone talk to you and listen carefully what is said and what is not expressed verbally. God supplied you with two ears and one mouth. You must listen more and talk less. Put yourself in others’ shoes and ask yourself if you really know the story of the person that you are talking to. Stop jumping to conclusions and stop judging people on hearsay and second hand data. Stop forcing people to communicate to you through their history. Start each day with a new clean slate. We have so many prejudices and perceptions about everything that is cast in stone that it became impossible to see thing as they are in the moment. Set yourself free by putting the interest of others first for a while.
. This might come as a shock, but everything you think is wrong. Much of what you take for granted about day-to-day existence is largely a figment of your imagination. From your senses to your memory, your opinions and beliefs, how you see yourself and others and even your sense of free will, things are not as they seem. The power these delusions hold over you is staggering, yet, as Graham Lawton discovers, they are vital to help you function in the world
This might come as a shock, but everything you think is wrong. Much of what you take for granted about day-to-day existence is largely a figment of your imagination. From your senses to your memory, your opinions and beliefs, how you see yourself and others and even your sense of free will, things are not as they seem. The power these delusions hold over you is staggering, yet, as Graham Lawton discovers, they are vital to help you function in the world
Millions of people have witnessed this phenomenon, which is referred to as “Shadow People”. Some just shrug it off, thinking it’s no more than their imagination. Others truly believe that they saw a human-like shadow at a place where it shouldn’t have been. Sometimes, Shadow People are even seen by a person who is alone, while other times these strange shadows appear to be lurking within other shadows.
So what exactly are Shadow People? Are they some sort of spirt or ghost? Maybe a being from another dimension or realm? Do they represent some sort of vision? Or are they nothing more than just figments of our imagination? Whatever Shadow Peopleare, they are being reportedly witnessed everyday. In fact, Shadow People represent some of the most popular supernatural sightings in the world.
The most believed theory is that Shadow People are spirits with dense energy, like orbs and vortexes. Some photos show that orbs and vortexes do occasionally cast shadows. All though we can’t see orbs or vortexes with our naked eye, it’s believed we can sometimes see the shadows they cast. essentially, this theory explains that the Shadow People we actually see represents the energy of the spirit that we can’t see with our naked eyes.
Another theory is that we’re getting a glimpse into another dimension. Perhaps that dimension or realm blends in with ours a bit and what we’re seeing is the shadow of someone from the other dimension. If that’s the case, then can that person see us? Do we appear like a shadow to them? Many paranormal investigators are intrigued by this theory. Unfortunately though, there’s really no way to prove it.
When it comes to Shadow People, all we can do is theorize and speculate. Perhaps all explanations are equally valid. Maybe Shadow People don’t have just one origin. While they mostly appear to be “human” outlines, there are still some that are witnessed in different sizes and shapes. Unfortunately, they go away as quickly as they appear, so nobody ever really gets a good look at them. They are strange though. One good thing that can be said about Shadow People is that, for the most part, witnesses don’t report any feelings of negativity coming from them. Shadow People leave witnesses feeling strange, and maybe a bit uneasy, but hardly ever frightened. We can only hope that Shadow People aren’t evil or malevolent, whatever they may be.
We all want to seem smart around workmates and acquaintances, but we often don’t have the time to put in to further study to achieve this. Luckily, there are a few ways you can make yourself seem smarter with a minimum of effort. This is a list of the ten best tips for appearing smarter.
10. Learn a topic to debunk
The majority of “hot topics” are debated by people with very little knowledge of the subject. A good example of this is global warming – the majority of people you speak to on this subject will tell you how we must change our habits to prevent global warming, but few will know what “anthropogenic global warming” is. Spend a little time learning what the real experts on these faddish topics say and you simply can’t go wrong. Try to remember some of the names of authors so you can quote them.
9. Improve your Vocabulary
The simplest way to do this is to subscribe to a “word a day” emailing list. Remember to ensure that you memorize the correct pronunciation and spelling of the new word or phrase. Perhaps you can start with mesonoxian, or any of the words on the Top 10 Weird English Words.
8. Obscure Knowledge
By developing knowledge in a very obscure area, you are very unlikely to meet someone else with the same knowledge. This means you can wax lyrical for hours and it doesn’t matter how many mistakes you make – no one will know, and you will seem ultra-smart. You might, for example, spend some time studying the early Egyptian dynasties (or an interesting character like Smenkhkare,) or the writings of early Christian writers. You can be sure that even the most staunch Southern Baptist fundamentalist has never heard of most of the “fathers of the Church”, let alone read anything they wrote. Saint Igantius of Antioch is a good start; you can follow up with Athenagoras, Irenaeus, Origen, Novatian, and Polycarp. Great subject matter for the Atheist who wishes to debate against fundamentalists.
7. General Knowledge
This can be done very easily. Buy a Trivial Persuit (Genus Edition) and memorize one card before going to bed each night. In no time you will have a fount of general knowledge so immense that no one will dare debate you at Friday night drinks.
6. Ask Questions
The best way to use this trick is to ask questions when you already know the answer. This is a form of Irony when used in the right way; when the person you are questioning answers, you can ask a related question which will make it appear that you have taken in what they said, absorbed it, and wish to clarify an aspect of the topic. Additionally, when you are discussing a subject with someone who clearly knows less about it than you, you can ask questions that you know will make them stumble. This is particularly good if you have a large audience as everyone will be in awe of you. Make sure you are humble when the person’s weakness shows.
5. Learn About Good Books
Sparknotes. I repeat, sparknotes. Use the short notes found on this site to get a broad overview of famous classic novels. You only need to learn enough to make it seem that you have read the book. For a decent classic you should be able to do this in 30 minutes or less. And who knows, you may find that you want to read the book and gain some real intelligence.
4. Watch Movies
Watch some classic movies that are both good and bad. These movies don’t have to be silent movies, black and white, etc. Just good movies, fulfilling movies. Also, watch some bad movies. Someone who can spout off one or two good movies will sound either smart or fake. But someone who can state both good and bad movies, and justify why each is classified that way, will sound intelligent.
3. Learn Quotes
A great writer once said: “Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone elses opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation.” – while this is amusing, it is not entirely correct when trying to appear smarter. People will be utterly in awe of you if you can quote a famous line from poetry, a great play, or a witticism by a literarary master. There are a million sites on the internet that will help you to find quotations. Learn one a day. If you wish to learn a few lines of poetry, I recommend starting with Plath, Ginsberg, or Whitman; everyone knows who they are, but few will be able to quote them. Oh – the quotation I used here is by Oscar Wilde.
2. Use Words you Know
Nothing makes you looks more like an idiot than fumbling language. Stick to what you know! People will argue that tapes and books can teach you new words, but you still risk a terrible mistake. Learning new words can broaden your thinking and amplify your ability to communicate. However, doing so will open you up to appearing stupid, so you should stick with words you are 100% positive of pronunciation and meaning. Even if it takes you an entire extra sentence to explain a concept that one word would have clarified instantly, it’s totally worth it.
1. Be Quiet
Quite simply, the less you say, the less you can say wrong. Oh, and smile and nod knowingly.
Here’s how to get in touch with every talent, every ability you ever wanted for yourself, even if you’re convinced you don’t have a shred of ability in that area.
Physicists and mystics agree that all of time co-exists simultaneously. The way we experience time, with one moment following another moment after another moment, is (they say) an illusion. In reality, all moments of time are hanging around together, and our consciousness is threading its way through and among those moments of time.
(Just stay with me for a bit longer, and we’ll be past all this theoretical stuff.)
They also say that there are an infinite number of variations of each possible moment. That’s what they call “parallel universes” in the science fiction movies.
As it turns out, those parallel universes are not actually science fiction after all. They’re really there-the physicists say so. We just can’t usually see them.
But there is one way to perceive them. It’s your intuition (or imagination).
You can actually tune your mind in to a talent you don’t have, but would love to, and you can attract it to you. There is “another you” in that alternate “now” that has all the talent you wanted but didn’t get.
So how do you benefit from this “other you”? How do you siphon off the abilities from the “talent gas-tank” of that other you, and get it into your mind?
The short answer is, you don’t.
You don’t try to take anything away from anybody. Instead, you reach out with your intuition and imagination and offer to combine your talents with those of that other you. You suggest a win-win merger that benefits you both.
Then you start training those new talents, and-surprise-those very talents appear from out of “nowhere” (but you’ll know where).
Do this…
It’s simple to do a bit of “day-dreaming” and talk to other versions of yourself. How do you reach them? Just imagine it. You’re always talking to that policeman or judge or parent in your head. So why not your other selves in other possible universes? Just imagine them. Talk to them. Offer to do a joint venture — share some of what you know for some of what they can do.
And then, once you’ve made an agreement, just accept what comes. And enjoy it.
For all the interest centred on positive thinking, the philosophy attracts equally intense criticism. Critics see positive thinking as a cotton-candy theology that posits unrealistic responses to life, and that distracts men and women from the real social factors impacting our civic and private lives.
The literature of positive thinking is varied and vast. It ranges from the superficial to works of real substance – and it represents probably the one category of books that goes unread by its critics.
For anyone who is interested in test-driving the powers of the mind (call it a thought experiment), or who is simply curious about what the “power of positive thinking” really prescribes, here is an annotated list of cornerstone works of positive-thinking spirituality. While not exhaustive (probably no such list could be) it provides a full-circle tour of the positive-thinking outlook.
1. The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale (1952)
The Protestant minister’s manifesto made “positive thinking” into a household term. Peale’s innovation was to recast positive-thinking philosophy – which was once rooted in mystical subcultures and magical-sounding terminology – into language that proved acceptable to most church-going Americans. Filled with enduring and surprisingly potent ideas, Peale’s book turbo-boosted the fields of self-help, religious counseling, and therapeutic spirituality, as well as today’s prosperity gospel.
2. Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill (1937)
The journalist Hill minted the basics of get-rich metaphysics – with some assistance from his hero, industrialist Andrew Carnegie, whose insights provided Hill with his earliest inspiration. Hill posited the existence of a “master mind” – a kind of analogue to Ralph Waldo Emerson’s “Over-soul” – that could be used for persuasion and personal power. Hill also urged the selection of a “definite chief aim” in life. Next to Peale’s work, Think and Grow Rich is the most influential and enduring book of its kind.
3. How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie (1936)
Carnegie produced probably the shrewdest book on human relations ever written. The book provides a blueprint for how to accomplish things inside of workplaces and other large organizations. The author’s basic counsel is: agreeable people win, and his tactic is to avoid offending other people’s sense of vanity. Carnegie picked apart the human foibles that create person-to-person friction and keep projects from getting completed. He set the tone for “professional” behavior and the language of workplace relations. Whether seen as cynical or insightful, Carnegie’s analysis of human nature is trenchant.
4. The Science of Getting Rich by Wallace D. Wattles (1910)
This concise manifesto combines the New Thought movement’s money-seeking aims with its (long-forgotten) social ideals. Wattles, a Quaker minister and Socialist Party candidate, was not interested in “getting rich” as an end to itself, but in fostering a socially just economy characterized by mass abundance. This mind-power classic formed a key influence on the book and movie The Secret, which neglected to mention the author’s social and civic radicalism. The book highlights the progressive ideals of the early days of positive thinking.
5. Psycho-cybernetics by Maxwell Maltz (1960)
The cosmetic surgeon Maltz devised a ground-breaking secular re-sounding of New Thought principles. His bestseller reframed positive thinking as a process of psychological reconditioning rather than the summoning of metaphysical agencies. In so doing, Maltz helped lay the foundation for the field of business motivation, cognitive reconditioning, and the work of figures such as life coach Anthony Robbins.
6. Essays of Ralph Waldo Emerson (1841)
These were the great Transcendentalist manifestos, such as “Spiritual Laws,” “Compensation,” “Self-Reliance,” and “The Over-soul.” Also see Emerson’s essays “Nature” (1936) and “Success” (1870). Emerson posited that all things begin in thought. His impact was not as significant on the development of New Thought as acolytes liked to claim (for one thing his work was not referenced by New Thought figures until the 1880s); but the Yankee mystic did set the tone for the self-directed spiritual search in the Western world and his influence has never been surpassed.
7. Philosophical Conceptions and Practical Results by William James (1898)
The philosopher James is often credited with legitimizing questions of mental healing and causative qualities of the mind in his classic The Varieties of Religious Experience (1902); but this much shorter work, which he delivered as an address before the Philosophical Union at Berkeley, asserts the need for a practical spirituality and philosophy of living – the effects of which can be measured in human conduct (which James saw as the one true worth of an idea). James’s impact was equal to Emerson’s in summoning modern thinkers to a pragmatic approach to religion.
8. As a Man Thinketh by James Allen (1903)
This short, brilliant meditation by the English moralist and early animal-rights activist gave the mind-power movement its key (and somewhat out-of-context) Scriptural maxim in its title. The concise book movingly framed mind-power principles in a practical, ethical manner. Allen eschewed sensationalism and universalized the philosophy of mental manifestation as one available to all people, regardless of religious backgrounds or beliefs.
9. Science and Health by Mary Baker Eddy (1875)
This is not a positive-thinking book in any conventional sense, but none of the literature mentioned here would have been possible, or at least would read the same way, without the Christian Science founder’s influence. Unlike many of her contemporaries, Eddy became widely read and internationally known. Her highly original metaphysics (which critics too simplistically accuse her of lifting from the influential mental healer Phineas Quimby) touched nearly every thinker in the mind-power world for fifty years. Eddy’s work foresaw current uses of prayer and meditation for health.
10. Alcoholics Anonymous (1939)
Conceived chiefly by AA cofounder Bill Wilson, this book distilled the ideas of William James, and other mind-power metaphysical currents, into a practical and largely self-directed form of healing spirituality. The first three of the famous twelve steps are a blueprint of the Jamesian idea of a “conversion experience.” Other portions of the book are influenced by the Oxford Movement, Carl Jung, Emmet Fox, James Allen, Mary Baker Eddy, Emanuel Swedenborg, and a slew of influences and experiments that marked the experience of Bill and his wife Lois, and their collaborators. Part of the book’s genius is that any term — anger, gambling, addiction — can substituted for alcohol. It is arguably the most practical book ever written for people in crisis.
Millions of people have witnessed this phenomenon, which is referred to as “Shadow People”. Some just shrug it off, thinking it’s no more than their imagination. Others truly believe that they saw a human-like shadow at a place where it shouldn’t have been. Sometimes, Shadow People are even seen by a person who is alone, while other times these strange shadows appear to be lurking within other shadows.
So what exactly are Shadow People? Are they some sort of spirit or ghost? Maybe a being from another dimension or realm? Do they represent some sort of vision? Or are they nothing more than just figments of our imagination? Whatever Shadow Peopleare, they are being reportedly witnessed everyday. In fact, Shadow People represent some of the most popular supernatural sightings in the world.
The most believed theory is that Shadow People are spirits with dense energy, like orbs and vortexes. Some photos show that orbs and vortexes do occasionally cast shadows. All though we can’t see orbs or vortexes with our naked eye, it’s believed we can sometimes see the shadows they cast. essentially, this theory explains that the Shadow People we actually see represents the energy of the spirit that we can’t see with our naked eyes.
Another theory is that we’re getting a glimpse into another dimension. Perhaps that dimension or realm blends in with ours a bit and what we’re seeing is the shadow of someone from the other dimension. If that’s the case, then can that person see us? Do we appear like a shadow to them? Many paranormal investigators are intrigued by this theory. Unfortunately though, there’s really no way to prove it.
When it comes to Shadow People, all we can do is theorize and speculate. Perhaps all explanations are equally valid. Maybe Shadow People don’t have just one origin. While they mostly appear to be “human” outlines, there are still some that are witnessed in different sizes and shapes. Unfortunately, they go away as quickly as they appear, so nobody ever really gets a good look at them. They are strange though. One good thing that can be said about Shadow People is that, for the most part, witnesses don’t report any feelings of negativity coming from them. Shadow People leave witnesses feeling strange, and maybe a bit uneasy, but hardly ever frightened. We can only hope that Shadow People aren’t evil or malevolent, whatever they may be.
We all want to seem smart around workmates and acquaintances, but we often don’t have the time to put in to further study to achieve this. Luckily, there are a few ways you can make yourself seem smarter with a minimum of effort. This is a list of the ten best tips for appearing smarter.
10. Learn a topic to debunk
The majority of “hot topics” are debated by people with very little knowledge of the subject. A good example of this is global warming – the majority of people you speak to on this subject will tell you how we must change our habits to prevent global warming, but few will know what “anthropogenic global warming” is. Spend a little time learning what the real experts on these faddish topics say and you simply can’t go wrong. Try to remember some of the names of authors so you can quote them.
9. Improve your Vocabulary
The simplest way to do this is to subscribe to a “word a day” emailing list. Remember to ensure that you memorize the correct pronunciation and spelling of the new word or phrase. Perhaps you can start with mesonoxian, or any of the words on the Top 10 Weird English Words.
8. Obscure Knowledge
By developing knowledge in a very obscure area, you are very unlikely to meet someone else with the same knowledge. This means you can wax lyrical for hours and it doesn’t matter how many mistakes you make – no one will know, and you will seem ultra-smart. You might, for example, spend some time studying the early Egyptian dynasties (or an interesting character like Smenkhkare,) or the writings of early Christian writers. You can be sure that even the most staunch Southern Baptist fundamentalist has never heard of most of the “fathers of the Church”, let alone read anything they wrote. Saint Igantius of Antioch is a good start; you can follow up with Athenagoras, Irenaeus, Origen, Novatian, and Polycarp. Great subject matter for the Atheist who wishes to debate against fundamentalists.
7. General Knowledge
This can be done very easily. Buy a Trivial Persuit (Genus Edition) and memorize one card before going to bed each night. In no time you will have a fount of general knowledge so immense that no one will dare debate you at Friday night drinks.
6. Ask Questions
The best way to use this trick is to ask questions when you already know the answer. This is a form of Irony when used in the right way; when the person you are questioning answers, you can ask a related question which will make it appear that you have taken in what they said, absorbed it, and wish to clarify an aspect of the topic. Additionally, when you are discussing a subject with someone who clearly knows less about it than you, you can ask questions that you know will make them stumble. This is particularly good if you have a large audience as everyone will be in awe of you. Make sure you are humble when the person’s weakness shows.
5. Learn About Good Books
Sparknotes. I repeat, sparknotes. Use the short notes found on this site to get a broad overview of famous classic novels. You only need to learn enough to make it seem that you have read the book. For a decent classic you should be able to do this in 30 minutes or less. And who knows, you may find that you want to read the book and gain some real intelligence.
4. Watch Movies
Watch some classic movies that are both good and bad. These movies don’t have to be silent movies, black and white, etc. Just good movies, fulfilling movies. Also, watch some bad movies. Someone who can spout off one or two good movies will sound either smart or fake. But someone who can state both good and bad movies, and justify why each is classified that way, will sound intelligent.
3. Learn Quotes
A great writer once said: “Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone elses opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation.” – while this is amusing, it is not entirely correct when trying to appear smarter. People will be utterly in awe of you if you can quote a famous line from poetry, a great play, or a witticism by a literarary master. There are a million sites on the internet that will help you to find quotations. Learn one a day. If you wish to learn a few lines of poetry, I recommend starting with Plath, Ginsberg, or Whitman; everyone knows who they are, but few will be able to quote them. Oh – the quotation I used here is by Oscar Wilde.
2. Use Words you Know
Nothing makes you looks more like an idiot than fumbling language. Stick to what you know! People will argue that tapes and books can teach you new words, but you still risk a terrible mistake. Learning new words can broaden your thinking and amplify your ability to communicate. However, doing so will open you up to appearing stupid, so you should stick with words you are 100% positive of pronunciation and meaning. Even if it takes you an entire extra sentence to explain a concept that one word would have clarified instantly, it’s totally worth it.
1. Be Quiet
Quite simply, the less you say, the less you can say wrong. Oh, and smile and nod knowingly.
You are given the gifts of Gods. You create your reality. Yours is the creative energy that makes your world. There are no limitations to the self except those you believe in.
Think you are well and that all is well with you and nature will read your thoughts and make them true.
Your thoughts are the tools with which you carve your life story on the substance of the universe. When you choose your thoughts, you choose results.
Life allows you to think as you please, but it always produces for you what you think.
You are given the gifts of Gods. You create your reality. Yours is the creative energy that makes your world. There are no limitations to the self except those you believe in.
Think you are well and that all is well with you and nature will read your thoughts and make them true.
Your thoughts are the tools with which you carve your life story on the substance of the universe. When you choose your thoughts, you choose results.
Life allows you to think as you please, but it always produces for you what you think.
. This might come as a shock, but everything you think is wrong. Much of what you take for granted about day-to-day existence is largely a figment of your imagination. From your senses to your memory, your opinions and beliefs, how you see yourself and others and even your sense of free will, things are not as they seem. The power these delusions hold over you is staggering, yet, as Graham Lawton discovers, they are vital to help you function in the world
It would appear that we are quite mad, recklessly destroying our planet and each other. But this is just the tip of the iceberg. All the old axioms supporting our past assurances of reality are beginning to fall apart. Family structures, relationships, careers, self-image, finances, government, even our time-honored concepts of morality seem to be crumbling in the whirlwind of some implacable energetic imperative. Could this be the termination of civilization prophesized by the Hopi, Mayans, and other indigenous cultures; or even the predicted end conveyed in the bible?
Already being considered a metaphysical classic, new novel “Going Deeper: How to Make Sense of Your Life When Your Life Makes No Sense” (ISBN 0972395458) “is not about self improvement” explains author Jean-Claude Koven. “It isn’t about how to become more popular or how to attract more money or romance into your life. Rather, it deals with awakening to the purpose for being here.” In Koven’s entertaining, engaging and subtle book, Larry and his wise-cracking dog Zeus make their way to Joshua Tree National Park for a relaxing vacation. Unexpectedly, Larry begins a journey of spiritual awakening and true enlightenment with the help of Zeus’ wisdom of ages, and other unusual friends. Larry learns that the Earth and all of her inhabitants are depending on him and many others, to transit them smoothly into the next paradigm.
Dedicated to the 70 million wanderers already incarnated on earth, “Going Deeper” is a significant teaching novel offering 434 pages of spiritual wisdom with fiction and humor. “Many people write me saying that the book changed their lives and provided a degree of clarity they hadn’t been able to obtain before reading it” says Koven. “I can only speak to what ‘Going Deeper’ has done for me” he adds, “It has unleashed a never-ending torrent of awareness, reconnecting me to my own personal source, reaffirming my purpose on this planet.”
Set in the storytelling style of recent successful teaching novels such as James Redfield’s “The Celestine Prophecy” and Daniel Quinn’s “Ishmael,” Koven has weaved his 40+ years of studying and teaching metaphysics and spirituality into “Going Deeper.” A wake-up call brilliantly designed to spark the consciousness of millions of people who want to recover their innate wisdom and power, “it offers a blueprint for breaking free of self-created limitation and dependence on others for our wellbeing” concludes Koven.
Recently awarded the USA Book News Best Books 2005 Award for Best New Age Fiction, “Going Deeper” is poised to shift the mind/body/spirit communities around the world. According to Linda Salvin, host of the Visions & Solutions radio program, this is “the hottest metaphysical book of the millennium…” And in the words of internationally known author, anthropologist, and social visionary Jean Houston, PH.D., “an extraordinary work that harvests the wisdom of many times and peoples…Mythic and masterful, it is a work to be read and re-read.”
Jean-Claude Koven was born in 1940 in Villenueve-sur-Lot, a market town in France. After a short stay in North Africa, his family immigrated to Brooklyn on a Portuguese fishing boat, eventually settling in Manhattan. His many business ventures and entrepreneurial pursuits have been a cover for an impressive spiritual curriculum that has lasted some 40 years – several pages in the Acknowledgments section of his book detail the many teachers, mentors, and guides, each of whom expanded some aspect of his consciousness. Currently, Jean-Claude lives in Rancho Mirage, California with his wife, Arianne. “Going Deeper” can be purchased at major online bookstores. For more information about “Going Deeper” and Jean-Claude’s recent writings, go to http://www.prismhouse.com.
Read the Book
Although you may also want to consider the convenience of owning your own hard copy, you can now download each chapter of the book, Going Deeper, in PDF format at no charge!
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Keeping yourself motivated as you work towards your goal can be challenging. You may find it hard to stay positive. If you find yourself stuck in a rut, there are some tried and true methods to stay pumped up and keep the momentum going. Remember motivation — positive and negative – comes from within. So take a deep breath, relax, and focus on the positive.
Re-evaluate your plan of action, including your timeline. Look at your goal as a whole, and then break it down to “bite-size” pieces. Having a smaller piece of the larger task to work on and complete can create a large sense of accomplishment and rekindle your motivation.
Evaluate your obstacles. What is standing in your way? Think about other obstacles that you’ve already faced and overcome. You can get past these, too.
Reach out to a friend for advice and encouragement. Pray for guidance and strength. Locate a book of inspirational quotes, poems or short stories. Find a movie with a positive, uplifting storyline. Listen to upbeat, toe-tapping music – and play it loud.
Look for a distraction. Work on a hobby to channel your creative side. Many times using the “fun” side of your brain may spark your confidence.
If you do better to regroup in quiet, try going for a walk, or find a quiet place to reflect on your past successes. Another great idea is to envision your current project in its completed form. Imagine how successful you will feel when you can add this venture to your list of accomplishments!
Sometimes just one of these actions will motivate you back to your path, and at within other times it may take a combination. Whatever you do, remember never give up. Try to get back in step with the same motivation and vigor you had at the beginning of your journey.
Patrick George is a popular motivational speaker and author of the books, “The Little Black Book of Leadership Quotes”, “Quotes for the True Leader” and his newest book, “You Can’t Fry Chicken in 8 Minutes but You Can Set Incredible Goals in 8 Steps”. Patrick’s passion for motivating people comes from his years of experience in student activities during his high school and college years. For more than 20 years, Patrick has travelled the United States and Canada motivating thousands of youth and young adults.
We all want to seem smart around workmates and acquaintances, but we often don’t have the time to put in to further study to achieve this. Luckily, there are a few ways you can make yourself seem smarter with a minimum of effort. This is a list of the ten best tips for appearing smarter.
10. Learn a topic to debunk
The majority of “hot topics” are debated by people with very little knowledge of the subject. A good example of this is global warming – the majority of people you speak to on this subject will tell you how we must change our habits to prevent global warming, but few will know what “anthropogenic global warming” is. Spend a little time learning what the real experts on these faddish topics say and you simply can’t go wrong. Try to remember some of the names of authors so you can quote them.
9. Improve your Vocabulary
The simplest way to do this is to subscribe to a “word a day” emailing list. Remember to ensure that you memorize the correct pronunciation and spelling of the new word or phrase. Perhaps you can start with mesonoxian, or any of the words on the Top 10 Weird English Words.
8. Obscure Knowledge
By developing knowledge in a very obscure area, you are very unlikely to meet someone else with the same knowledge. This means you can wax lyrical for hours and it doesn’t matter how many mistakes you make – no one will know, and you will seem ultra-smart. You might, for example, spend some time studying the early Egyptian dynasties (or an interesting character like Smenkhkare,) or the writings of early Christian writers. You can be sure that even the most staunch Southern Baptist fundamentalist has never heard of most of the “fathers of the Church”, let alone read anything they wrote. Saint Igantius of Antioch is a good start; you can follow up with Athenagoras, Irenaeus, Origen, Novatian, and Polycarp. Great subject matter for the Atheist who wishes to debate against fundamentalists.
7. General Knowledge
This can be done very easily. Buy a Trivial Persuit (Genus Edition) and memorize one card before going to bed each night. In no time you will have a fount of general knowledge so immense that no one will dare debate you at Friday night drinks.
6. Ask Questions
The best way to use this trick is to ask questions when you already know the answer. This is a form of Irony when used in the right way; when the person you are questioning answers, you can ask a related question which will make it appear that you have taken in what they said, absorbed it, and wish to clarify an aspect of the topic. Additionally, when you are discussing a subject with someone who clearly knows less about it than you, you can ask questions that you know will make them stumble. This is particularly good if you have a large audience as everyone will be in awe of you. Make sure you are humble when the person’s weakness shows.
5. Learn About Good Books
Sparknotes. I repeat, sparknotes. Use the short notes found on this site to get a broad overview of famous classic novels. You only need to learn enough to make it seem that you have read the book. For a decent classic you should be able to do this in 30 minutes or less. And who knows, you may find that you want to read the book and gain some real intelligence.
4. Watch Movies
Watch some classic movies that are both good and bad. These movies don’t have to be silent movies, black and white, etc. Just good movies, fulfilling movies. Also, watch some bad movies. Someone who can spout off one or two good movies will sound either smart or fake. But someone who can state both good and bad movies, and justify why each is classified that way, will sound intelligent.
3. Learn Quotes
A great writer once said: “Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone elses opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation.” – while this is amusing, it is not entirely correct when trying to appear smarter. People will be utterly in awe of you if you can quote a famous line from poetry, a great play, or a witticism by a literarary master. There are a million sites on the internet that will help you to find quotations. Learn one a day. If you wish to learn a few lines of poetry, I recommend starting with Plath, Ginsberg, or Whitman; everyone knows who they are, but few will be able to quote them. Oh – the quotation I used here is by Oscar Wilde.
2. Use Words you Know
Nothing makes you looks more like an idiot than fumbling language. Stick to what you know! People will argue that tapes and books can teach you new words, but you still risk a terrible mistake. Learning new words can broaden your thinking and amplify your ability to communicate. However, doing so will open you up to appearing stupid, so you should stick with words you are 100% positive of pronunciation and meaning. Even if it takes you an entire extra sentence to explain a concept that one word would have clarified instantly, it’s totally worth it.
1. Be Quiet
Quite simply, the less you say, the less you can say wrong. Oh, and smile and nod knowingly.
This grandfather of all people-skills books was first published in 1937. It was an overnight hit, eventually selling 15 million copies. How to Win Friends and Influence People is just as useful today as it was when it was first published, because Dale Carnegie had an understanding of human nature that will never be outdated. Financial success, Carnegie believed, is due 15 percent to professional knowledge and 85 percent to “the ability to express ideas, to assume leadership, and to arouse enthusiasm among people.” He teaches these skills through underlying principles of dealing with people so that they feel important and appreciated. He also emphasizes fundamental techniques for handling people without making them feel manipulated. Carnegie says you can make someone want to do what you want them to by seeing the situation from the other person’s point of view and “arousing in the other person an eager want.” You learn how to make people like you, win people over to your way of thinking, and change people without causing offence or arousing resentment. For instance, “let the other person feel that the idea is his or hers,” and “talk about your own mistakes before criticizing the other person.” Carnegie illustrates his points with anecdotes of historical figures, leaders of the business world, and everyday folks.
The first self-help book I ever read was “How to win friends and influence people” by Dale Carnegie. I just finished school and was looking for an inspirational book in a tiny, poorly stocked book store in Windhoek in Namibia. I came across Dale Carnegie’s book in the scant selection of books on a shelf right at the back of this dusty store. I unashamedly admit today that although this was the first “motivational” book that I ever owned when it still remains one of the top ten books I ever read when it came to practical advice regarding people skills. Many of you might have read the book or still have a copy on a shelf in your library. I would suggest that you read it again. It will refresh your memory on one of the most important principles when it comes to compassion. It will remind you that you can make more progress in all areas of your life if you develop a sincere interest in others. Dale indicates in this book that you can make more friends in two months by developing an awareness of the interests of others than you could achieve in two years using any other method.
We live in small boxes today surrounded by massive walls to keep intruders out that might dare to enter our comfort zones. We shout at each other over these walls and only on very rare occasions lower our draw bridge and venture out or invite anyone into our domain. Most of us go around with our defence shield up and remain on guard twenty four hours a day. The political climate that we live and work in might also have something to do with this unhealthy behaviour. We need to open up and become more vulnerable if we want to escape the deadly ruts that many of us fell in over the years. Some of us feel lonely and need friends, companionship and fun, but we often forgo on these desires because of our fears and warped self-interest. Everything revolves around us and our own dreams, desires and choices. We look at life, people and places through a self-interest one way mirrors. Our interests always come first and the interests of others never really feature at all. We have this “What is in it for me” attitudes that fail to address the needs of anyone else.
When last did you manage to get yourself out of the way long enough to listen and experience any human being, family member or friend with an open mind? Many of us developed a sick habit of judging everyone. We endlessly scan people for flaws or potential threats. We fail to listen to them when they talk. We listen to the first few words of their sentences and then jump to conclusions. We look at people through eyes that fail to see the pain or desperation in them. We listen to what people say and fail to read the subliminal call for help that they are possibly to proud or ashamed to express. Do we care enough to really hear what our partner or children are telling us? Are we alert enough to feel the emotions of the person that we are communicating with? I think we all of us might have some work to do when it comes to mastering the art of putting the interest of others first.
When last did you compliment anyone on anything? We as parents tend to only give attention to our children when they are sick or when they did something wrong. We as partners only become interested enough when our relationships begin to fall apart. We fail to notice the cracks and peeling paint in our relationships. We are so busy with our own agendas, self-interests and objectives that the pain and frustration experienced by our partner bounces off our egotistical shield. Can you see what major difference a shift in attention can make in your life? Can you accept that life is not only about you and your plans and goals? Can you understand that the formula for success is that your success if virtually guaranteed if you help enough other people to achieve their own goals and dreams?
So I suggest that you shut up the next time anyone talk to you and listen carefully what is said and what is not expressed verbally. God supplied you with two ears and one mouth. You must listen more and talk less. Put yourself in others’ shoes and ask yourself if you really know the story of the person that you are talking to. Stop jumping to conclusions and stop judging people on hearsay and second hand data. Stop forcing people to communicate to you through their history. Start each day with a new clean slate. We have so many prejudices and perceptions about everything that is cast in stone that it became impossible to see thing as they are in the moment. Set yourself free by putting the interest of others first for a while.
We all want to seem smart around workmates and acquaintances, but we often don’t have the time to put in to further study to achieve this. Luckily, there are a few ways you can make yourself seem smarter with a minimum of effort. This is a list of the ten best tips for appearing smarter.
10. Learn a topic to debunk
The majority of “hot topics” are debated by people with very little knowledge of the subject. A good example of this is global warming – the majority of people you speak to on this subject will tell you how we must change our habits to prevent global warming, but few will know what “anthropogenic global warming” is. Spend a little time learning what the real experts on these faddish topics say and you simply can’t go wrong. Try to remember some of the names of authors so you can quote them.
9. Improve your Vocabulary
The simplest way to do this is to subscribe to a “word a day” emailing list. Remember to ensure that you memorize the correct pronunciation and spelling of the new word or phrase. Perhaps you can start with mesonoxian, or any of the words on the Top 10 Weird English Words.
8. Obscure Knowledge
By developing knowledge in a very obscure area, you are very unlikely to meet someone else with the same knowledge. This means you can wax lyrical for hours and it doesn’t matter how many mistakes you make – no one will know, and you will seem ultra-smart. You might, for example, spend some time studying the early Egyptian dynasties (or an interesting character like Smenkhkare,) or the writings of early Christian writers. You can be sure that even the most staunch Southern Baptist fundamentalist has never heard of most of the “fathers of the Church”, let alone read anything they wrote. Saint Igantius of Antioch is a good start; you can follow up with Athenagoras, Irenaeus, Origen, Novatian, and Polycarp. Great subject matter for the Atheist who wishes to debate against fundamentalists.
7. General Knowledge
This can be done very easily. Buy a Trivial Persuit (Genus Edition) and memorize one card before going to bed each night. In no time you will have a fount of general knowledge so immense that no one will dare debate you at Friday night drinks.
6. Ask Questions
The best way to use this trick is to ask questions when you already know the answer. This is a form of Irony when used in the right way; when the person you are questioning answers, you can ask a related question which will make it appear that you have taken in what they said, absorbed it, and wish to clarify an aspect of the topic. Additionally, when you are discussing a subject with someone who clearly knows less about it than you, you can ask questions that you know will make them stumble. This is particularly good if you have a large audience as everyone will be in awe of you. Make sure you are humble when the person’s weakness shows.
5. Learn About Good Books
Sparknotes. I repeat, sparknotes. Use the short notes found on this site to get a broad overview of famous classic novels. You only need to learn enough to make it seem that you have read the book. For a decent classic you should be able to do this in 30 minutes or less. And who knows, you may find that you want to read the book and gain some real intelligence.
4. Watch Movies
Watch some classic movies that are both good and bad. These movies don’t have to be silent movies, black and white, etc. Just good movies, fulfilling movies. Also, watch some bad movies. Someone who can spout off one or two good movies will sound either smart or fake. But someone who can state both good and bad movies, and justify why each is classified that way, will sound intelligent.
3. Learn Quotes
A great writer once said: “Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone elses opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation.” – while this is amusing, it is not entirely correct when trying to appear smarter. People will be utterly in awe of you if you can quote a famous line from poetry, a great play, or a witticism by a literarary master. There are a million sites on the internet that will help you to find quotations. Learn one a day. If you wish to learn a few lines of poetry, I recommend starting with Plath, Ginsberg, or Whitman; everyone knows who they are, but few will be able to quote them. Oh – the quotation I used here is by Oscar Wilde.
2. Use Words you Know
Nothing makes you looks more like an idiot than fumbling language. Stick to what you know! People will argue that tapes and books can teach you new words, but you still risk a terrible mistake. Learning new words can broaden your thinking and amplify your ability to communicate. However, doing so will open you up to appearing stupid, so you should stick with words you are 100% positive of pronunciation and meaning. Even if it takes you an entire extra sentence to explain a concept that one word would have clarified instantly, it’s totally worth it.
1. Be Quiet
Quite simply, the less you say, the less you can say wrong. Oh, and smile and nod knowingly.
Here’s how to get in touch with every talent, every ability you ever wanted for yourself, even if you’re convinced you don’t have a shred of ability in that area.
Physicists and mystics agree that all of time co-exists simultaneously. The way we experience time, with one moment following another moment after another moment, is (they say) an illusion. In reality, all moments of time are hanging around together, and our consciousness is threading its way through and among those moments of time.
(Just stay with me for a bit longer, and we’ll be past all this theoretical stuff.)
They also say that there are an infinite number of variations of each possible moment. That’s what they call “parallel universes” in the science fiction movies.
As it turns out, those parallel universes are not actually science fiction after all. They’re really there-the physicists say so. We just can’t usually see them.
But there is one way to perceive them. It’s your intuition (or imagination).
You can actually tune your mind in to a talent you don’t have, but would love to, and you can attract it to you. There is “another you” in that alternate “now” that has all the talent you wanted but didn’t get.
So how do you benefit from this “other you”? How do you siphon off the abilities from the “talent gas-tank” of that other you, and get it into your mind?
The short answer is, you don’t.
You don’t try to take anything away from anybody. Instead, you reach out with your intuition and imagination and offer to combine your talents with those of that other you. You suggest a win-win merger that benefits you both.
Then you start training those new talents, and-surprise-those very talents appear from out of “nowhere” (but you’ll know where).
Do this…
It’s simple to do a bit of “day-dreaming” and talk to other versions of yourself. How do you reach them? Just imagine it. You’re always talking to that policeman or judge or parent in your head. So why not your other selves in other possible universes? Just imagine them. Talk to them. Offer to do a joint venture — share some of what you know for some of what they can do.
And then, once you’ve made an agreement, just accept what comes. And enjoy it.
We all want to seem smart around workmates and acquaintances, but we often don’t have the time to put in to further study to achieve this. Luckily, there are a few ways you can make yourself seem smarter with a minimum of effort. This is a list of the ten best tips for appearing smarter.
10. Learn a topic to debunk
The majority of “hot topics” are debated by people with very little knowledge of the subject. A good example of this is global warming – the majority of people you speak to on this subject will tell you how we must change our habits to prevent global warming, but few will know what “anthropogenic global warming” is. Spend a little time learning what the real experts on these faddish topics say and you simply can’t go wrong. Try to remember some of the names of authors so you can quote them.
9. Improve your Vocabulary
The simplest way to do this is to subscribe to a “word a day” emailing list. Remember to ensure that you memorize the correct pronunciation and spelling of the new word or phrase. Perhaps you can start with mesonoxian, or any of the words on the Top 10 Weird English Words.
8. Obscure Knowledge
By developing knowledge in a very obscure area, you are very unlikely to meet someone else with the same knowledge. This means you can wax lyrical for hours and it doesn’t matter how many mistakes you make – no one will know, and you will seem ultra-smart. You might, for example, spend some time studying the early Egyptian dynasties (or an interesting character like Smenkhkare,) or the writings of early Christian writers. You can be sure that even the most staunch Southern Baptist fundamentalist has never heard of most of the “fathers of the Church”, let alone read anything they wrote. Saint Igantius of Antioch is a good start; you can follow up with Athenagoras, Irenaeus, Origen, Novatian, and Polycarp. Great subject matter for the Atheist who wishes to debate against fundamentalists.
7. General Knowledge
This can be done very easily. Buy a Trivial Persuit (Genus Edition) and memorize one card before going to bed each night. In no time you will have a fount of general knowledge so immense that no one will dare debate you at Friday night drinks.
6. Ask Questions
The best way to use this trick is to ask questions when you already know the answer. This is a form of Irony when used in the right way; when the person you are questioning answers, you can ask a related question which will make it appear that you have taken in what they said, absorbed it, and wish to clarify an aspect of the topic. Additionally, when you are discussing a subject with someone who clearly knows less about it than you, you can ask questions that you know will make them stumble. This is particularly good if you have a large audience as everyone will be in awe of you. Make sure you are humble when the person’s weakness shows.
5. Learn About Good Books
Sparknotes. I repeat, sparknotes. Use the short notes found on this site to get a broad overview of famous classic novels. You only need to learn enough to make it seem that you have read the book. For a decent classic you should be able to do this in 30 minutes or less. And who knows, you may find that you want to read the book and gain some real intelligence.
4. Watch Movies
Watch some classic movies that are both good and bad. These movies don’t have to be silent movies, black and white, etc. Just good movies, fulfilling movies. Also, watch some bad movies. Someone who can spout off one or two good movies will sound either smart or fake. But someone who can state both good and bad movies, and justify why each is classified that way, will sound intelligent.
3. Learn Quotes
A great writer once said: “Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone elses opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation.” – while this is amusing, it is not entirely correct when trying to appear smarter. People will be utterly in awe of you if you can quote a famous line from poetry, a great play, or a witticism by a literary master. There are a million sites on the Internet that will help you to find quotations. Learn one a day. If you wish to learn a few lines of poetry, I recommend starting with Plath, Ginsberg, or Whitman; everyone knows who they are, but few will be able to quote them. Oh – the quotation I used here is by Oscar Wilde.
2. Use Words you Know
Nothing makes you looks more like an idiot than fumbling language. Stick to what you know! People will argue that tapes and books can teach you new words, but you still risk a terrible mistake. Learning new words can broaden your thinking and amplify your ability to communicate. However, doing so will open you up to appearing stupid, so you should stick with words you are 100% positive of pronunciation and meaning. Even if it takes you an entire extra sentence to explain a concept that one word would have clarified instantly, it’s totally worth it.
1. Be Quiet
Quite simply, the less you say, the less you can say wrong. Oh, and smile and nod knowingly.
Here’s how to get in touch with every talent, every ability you ever wanted for yourself, even if you’re convinced you don’t have a shred of ability in that area.
Physicists and mystics agree that all of time co-exists simultaneously. The way we experience time, with one moment following another moment after another moment, is (they say) an illusion. In reality, all moments of time are hanging around together, and our consciousness is threading its way through and among those moments of time.
(Just stay with me for a bit longer, and we’ll be past all this theoretical stuff.)
They also say that there are an infinite number of variations of each possible moment. That’s what they call “parallel universes” in the science fiction movies.
As it turns out, those parallel universes are not actually science fiction after all. They’re really there-the physicists say so. We just can’t usually see them.
But there is one way to perceive them. It’s your intuition (or imagination).
You can actually tune your mind in to a talent you don’t have, but would love to, and you can attract it to you. There is “another you” in that alternate “now” that has all the talent you wanted but didn’t get.
So how do you benefit from this “other you”? How do you siphon off the abilities from the “talent gas-tank” of that other you, and get it into your mind?
The short answer is, you don’t.
You don’t try to take anything away from anybody. Instead, you reach out with your intuition and imagination and offer to combine your talents with those of that other you. You suggest a win-win merger that benefits you both.
Then you start training those new talents, and-surprise-those very talents appear from out of “nowhere” (but you’ll know where).
Do this…
It’s simple to do a bit of “day-dreaming” and talk to other versions of yourself. How do you reach them? Just imagine it. You’re always talking to that policeman or judge or parent in your head. So why not your other selves in other possible universes? Just imagine them. Talk to them. Offer to do a joint venture — share some of what you know for some of what they can do.
And then, once you’ve made an agreement, just accept what comes. And enjoy it.
Once upon a time, there was a beautiful young girl taking a stroll through the woods. All at once, she saw an extremely ugly bullfrog seated on a log. And to her amazement, the bullfrog spoke to her.
’Maiden,’ croaked the frog, ’would you do me a big favour? This will be hard for you to believe, but I was once a handsome, charming prince; and then a mean, ugly old witch cast a spell over me and turned me into a frog.’
’Oh, what a pity!’ exclaimed the pretty girl. ’I’ll do anything I can to help you break such a spell.’
’Well, Miss,’ replied the frog, ’the only way that this spell can be taken off and I can be returned to a handsome young man again is for some lovely and pretty young girl to take me home and let me spend the night under her pillow.’
The young girl took the ugly frog home and placed him beneath her pillow that night when she retired. When she awoke the next morning, sure enough, there beside her in the bed was a very young, handsome man, and plainly of royal blood. And so they lived happily ever after, except that to this day her father and mother still do not believe her story.
And all your life is nothing but such stories, because all desiring creates only fantasies. All desiring is fabulous, all desiring creates illusions. You go on changing – you change one illusion to another, you go from one illusion to another, but you go on changing illusions. Always from one illusion to another illusion is your movement. When you understand the very mechanism of illusions as such, there is a break, a breakthrough.
An insight dawns on you. In that moment, not only this world becomes meaningless, ALL worlds become meaningless. In that moment, there is nothing to be desired. You don’t desire even desirelessness; there is nothing to be desired. Suddenly desire is not there, that smoke is not there, and the flame burns bright.
Remember not to change problems, from one illusion to another. It does not help much.
A little girl was deeply impressed by the clergyman’s sermon as to the separation of the sheep and the goats. That night after she had gone to bed she was heard sobbing, and the mother went to her to ask what was the matter. ’It’s about the goats!’ Jenny confessed at last. ’I’m so afraid I am a goat, and so I’ll never go to heaven. Oh, I’m so afraid I’m a goat.’
’My dear,’ the mother assured her weeping child, ’you’re a sweet little lamb. If you were to die tonight, you would go straight to heaven.’ Her words were successful in quieting the little girl, and she slept.
But the following night Jenny was found crying again in her bed, and when the mother appeared she wailed, ’I’m afraid about the goats.’
’But Mother has told you that you are a little lamb, and that you must never worry over being a goat.’
Jenny, however, was by no means comforted, and continued her sobs. ’Yes, Mamma,’ she declared softly, ’I know that. But I’m afraid – awfully afraid you’re a goat.’
From one problem to another… but the basic problem remains This is not the way to solve problems – one has to look at the very root from where the problems arise.
So Zen does not call anger the problem, Zen does not call sex the problem, Zen does not call greed the problem, Zen does not call aggression, violence, the problem. Zen calls the root problem desiring – and all other problems arise out of desiring. Cut the root, and the whole tree disappears.
Here’s a million-dollar secret I’ve never shared with anyone before. When you use it, you will get inside your prospects’ heads and manipulate their thinking to get them to do what you want—including sending you money right now for your product or service. Sound hard to believe? Keep reading and I’ll prove my point to you.
Right now, as you read these words, you are practicing the very thing I’m going to describe. Centuries ago people read books by moving their lips. Over time—and probably due to complaints from the family—people learned to close their mouths. But virtually all people still read the letters you send them by saying the words in their head, almost as if they were speaking them out loud, but in reality speaking only to themselves. You’re probably doing it right now.
You are, aren’t you? It doesn’t reflect anything about your intelligence. It’s how most of us read. I read more than most people and I still read the same way you do, “mouthing” the words in my head. It’s how most of us humans accept the written word. Relax. You’re normal.
Why is this important?
Because this is a way for you to plant hypnotic commands right into the skulls of people.
This is staggering power. When people read your sales letter, you are, in essence, right INSIDE the head of the very person you want to persuade. They are speaking your words—your commands, if you do this right—to themselves. You are in their “command center.”
Think of the power you have!
Unless you’ve taken a speed reading course—which teaches you to scan pages and avoid seeing single words—you are like everyone else: Hearing what I want you to hear right now, in your own mind. In reality, I’m in your head! What am I going to make you do?! Buy my books? Hire me to write copy for you? Make you go out with me and do my bidding?
Hmmmmmm.
You can imagine the kind of power this gives me, and can give you once you learn how to do it, too. And that’s what I am going to give you a quick-start lesson in:
How to control your prospect’s mind.
First: You need to accept that people are reading your sales letters (or ads, memos, email, web copy, etc.) by pronouncing your words in their heads. This means you are in the “forbidden zone” and ready to re-wire their brains.
Second: Keep in mind that as people read, they think. You are doing it right now and you have been doing it throughout this article. You are talking to yourself as you read. You are thinking.
People read your words and also ask questions, as if you were there to answer them. Your job as a Hypnotic Writer is to anticipate those questions and answer them. Do so and people will follow your commands.
Are you with me? As I mentioned earlier, I’ve never discussed this concept before because I felt it was too damn powerful to release. But when Mark Joyner asked me to expand on the material in my best-selling “Hypnotic Writing” series of books, I figured I owed the man my ace in the hole.
Here it is!
And here’s how it works:
You write your sales letter with all the hypnotic writing skills you learned from my books. You use every trick you’ve learned to grab and hold attention, build desire, and lead to a strong close, because you know that’s how you create truly hypnotic writing.
And AS you write, you are also asking yourself, “What is my reader thinking right now?” This is much like trying to handle objections in a traditional sales call. The difference is, you are doing this in writing. Your customer isn’t standing in front of you. He or she may be thousands of miles away.
But that person is reading your words—voicing those words of yours in their head—and that person is asking him or herself questions. Anticipate them and answer them and you will up the odds in creating a sales letter that easily persuades.
Let me explain this another way: Hypnotists know that you will obey their commands as long as you don’t already have a counter-suggestion in you to the contrary. They can tell you to “Go open the window,” and you will do just that UNLESS you have a counter-thought, such as, “But it’s cold outside” or “I don’t have a good reason to open the window.”
This same dynamic goes on inside your readers. You can tell them to “Send me money now for my new gizmo,” and they will do exactly that UNLESS they have counter-thoughts (read objections) in them. As you probably know, most of your readers will have counter-thoughts. Your job is to anticipate them and answer them and THEN give your command.
I use this little known hypnotic skill in all my sales letters.
I work hard to create a headline that relays a benefit in a curious way. I sweat to write an opening that yanks attention from wherever it was, to my words. And then I use this “hypnotic dialogue process” to write the letter.
In other words, I write my letter while pretending to talk to one person about my product or service. In a real way, I’m talking to myself. As I “talk” on the page, I imagine what my prospect will ask next. It’s a dialogue in my mind. But the truth is, that same dialogue will end up in my prospect’s mind if I do this right. You’ve been doing it throughout this article. You’ve been reading my words and asking yourself questions. Right?
Throughout the writing of this article, I kept asking myself, “What will he ask?” By anticipating your questions, I could handle them in a persuasive way. I could, in short, lead you to my way of thinking and to doing what I want.
For example, right after my opening paragraph, I wrote, “Sound hard to believe?” I placed the question there because that’s probably exactly where you ASKED the question in your own mind. You read my opening lines—about my big promise to show you how to get people to send you money—and inside yourself you said something like, “That’s pretty hard to believe. Prove it.”
And right there, right on cue, comes my question. I anticipated your thoughts and answered them by using the dialogue process. And what did I install in your mind while you were reading?
Go back through this article and see if you can find this “dialogue process” at work. And then notice what you do next, because that action will reflect the command I secretly embedded in you. And now that your objections are handled, you have little choice but to act on it, or not.
Everyday you make a thousand choices. You choose what to wear, where to go, who to meet, what to eat and what to do. MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL, YOU decide WHAT TO THINK. One thing is sure and that is that your day will not be better than your thoughts. ...................
Just close your eyes for a moment and see if you can visualise this open toolbox and if you can see the hundreds of tools that are neatly placed in this toolbox. Now look if you can see the maker’s name on these tools. The creator of these tools (thoughts and perceptions) is you. You created thousands of thoughts and perceptions (tools) about everything since your childhood. ..................
When confronted with any situation or problem you reach into this toolbox and take out what you think the most appropriate tool would be and then attempt to fix the problem. It is estimated that your mind thinks at least 2,500 thoughts an hour. Every thought that you think is a tool (perception) that you have that you imagine would work best under specific circumstances. This thought process continues day and night and will do so for the rest of your life. .....................................
I am convinced that we think ourselves to a standstill. We never stop playing with these tools in our toolbox and can hardly ever really relax for a while. If we are not faced with a problem or task that needs completion we still continue to take out these tools and mentally rehears and contemplate how we will use them should something that we fear become a reality. ............................
We are forever thinking and scheming and never become still and tranquil inside. Our bodies might seem relaxed, but deep inside our heads this thought process continues churning around. What I am most worried about is that most of the tools that you have in your toolbox are very old and outdated. .......................
Many of the opportunities, problems and obstructions that you face daily cannot be repaired while you are using old and outdated tools. If you take a modern mechanic’s toolbox and you place the toolbox of a mechanic of fifty years ago next to it you will find that there are major discrepancies. When you are confronted with something that needs repair and you do not have the right tool for the task at hand it can be very frustrating. We usually improvise and try using some other tools and hope that it will also get the job done. ........................
When you are faced with a problem you need to select the right tool for the task at hand. If you do not have the tool in your toolbox it can complicate your life. What most people seem to ignore is that it is sometimes better not to reach for your toolbox when faced with a problem. Sometimes you need time to pass or need to leave the problem with its rightful owner. How well you use your tools is usually reflected in the world you see around you. What would you do if you were faced with any or all of the following? .........................
You get a flat tire on your way to an important customer or meeting. You can fall apart, develop a migraine and think that life is against you or you can take out the right tools (patience and reality) and take care of the problem in a relaxed manner. ........................
You have been working on the computer for hours and suddenly lose all your work. You can drop dead with a heart attack; think that God hates you or you can take out the right tool (sanity and reality) and begin over and this time remember to make a backup of your work. ....................
A lover or wife possibly cheated on you. You can go crazy and get an assassin to take out the potential threat to your relationship, think that you are a failure or you can take out the right tool (no fear of loss) and get on with your life. .......................
When you have the right tools in your toolbox it makes life a lot easier. The choices we make are vital in our lives. The more quality choices we make during any given day the higher the probability of success and peace of mind. ................
I suggest that you equip your toolbox with the best tools you can lay your hands on. It is important to upgrade if you discover that one of your tools are outdated or that a more modern version is available. How would you react if your TV packed up and a technician that obviously knows very little about electronics arrived at your house with only a sledgehammer and a few other primitive tools in his toolbox? I am sure that you will send him away and find someone better qualified and equipped for the task. .....................
You might sometimes be like this incompetent and poorly equipped technician indicated above if you do not often update your tools (thoughts) in your toolbox. You can also have all the right tools in your toolbox and never use them because you are afraid that you might make a mistake. ..................
You must remember that happiness and success is always just one thought (tool) away. You should remember when you find it difficult to cope with something that one new tool (thought) could change your life. One fresh thought and one new idea can change your life from pain and suffering to success and peace of mind. ........................
You are today what you were programmed with yesterday. The choices that you make on a moment-to-moment basis decide your fate and future. You can never feel or perform better than the ongoing thoughts and feelings that you allow to occupy your mind! .......................
The mistake we make is that most of us live our lives on a reactive basis. We start and complete our day in a reactive state of being. Something comes to our attention via our five senses or via a thought in our mind. We automatically slip into the “role” that we created for ourselves many moons ago. We act, react and experience the same feelings and emotions that we embedded with our scrip at its inception. We do exactly the same when new stimuli push the previous “drama” off the stage in our minds. We sustain this reactive mode of thinking until we finally go to bed at night. Most of our days are made up of a tapestry of “roles” that we played in our own colorful way. It is important to understand that nothing is going to change until we do something different. We cannot repeat the same old recipes and expect a different outcome. ....................
You can use the “Portable Life Skills Wisdom” book to develop a range of appropriate scripts that you can use when you are faced with a problem or project that need your attention. You will if you apply the scripts in this book find that you no longer run your life on a reactive basis. The new scripts will help you to live your life in the moment. You will become more realistic. You will treat each event on its own merit. How do you do this? ......................
The Process ....................
Read the first message in your book. Write it down if at all possible. It will assist you to absorb the data provided. Now sit back and close your eyes and visualize how you will apply the specific message in the various areas of your life. See yourself on the screen of your mind using the message in all your day-to-day activities. It is important to attempt to feel and experience the benefits that this new mode of thinking will bring into your life. Do this for ten minutes. Then open your eyes and begin to apply the wisdom on all occasions where appropriate in your activities on that given day. ...........................
Proceed to do the same with second message etc. in your book tomorrow. You will upload almost a thousand powerful recipes if you sustain the process indicated above. You can in less than three years upload a powerful “tool” system that will serve you for the rest of your life. This can be a life changing experience if you apply it daily. You will discover that the ten minutes you invest daily will upload countless new strategies into your subconscious computer. Build a successful and happy life. The key however is action. You can have the best tools available to man and still fail if you don’t use them daily. Wishing you the very best with this endeavor. .............................
Daily Support System (This Blog) ................
You not only have the massive key ideas in the book that you can use when appropriate you also receive daily posts on a wide range of subjects that will expand this system to a level never offered before. Visit this blog daily for fresh new ideas with a sprinkle of historical wisdom that stood the test of time. ..........................
Rene
PORTABLE LIFE SKILLS DAILY WISDOM GUIDE 