The [...]]]>

• Comet Holmes still getting brighter and now has a tail. Check out this photo gallery.

• The Daily Behemoth points out a Times editorial on population control. Eugenics, anyone?

• Daniel Pinchbeck’s latest article discusses the ‘Homeland’ and Naomi Wolf’s “The End of America.”

• Is a submarine-based helicopter in our future? The invisible tank, though, is already here.

• Fireballs in Turkey.

• Brasscheck.tv has a great collection of videos you have to see.

• Rosslyn Chapel videos.

• The Danger Room on “White House Candidates Battle Aliens.” And in Canada, Exopolitics Toronto also pushing for disclosure.

• Heads up to TrueTao sage Derek Lin at Journey of A Thousand Miles, on his latest post “An Easy Way to Understand Wu Wei” and the surfing the Tao analogy. Derek is a wonderful source of Tao wisdom and I highly recommend his Taoism.net.

On any journey of self-discovery and seeking the unknowable, one cannot help but notice the inextricable and inevitable influence of place upon progress-to-date – until, of course, one reaches the place of no-place.

Though my own metaphysical journey started in Los Angeles, it quickly became clear that at [...]]]>  

On any journey of self-discovery and seeking the unknowable, one cannot help but notice the inextricable and inevitable influence of place upon progress-to-date – until, of course, one reaches the place of no-place.

Though my own metaphysical journey started in Los Angeles, it quickly became clear that at least for me, further advancement wasn’t going to be easy there; I had to get out. Not to mention that I had, during this initiatory period, stepped foot on this island for the first time and was simply changed forever. Frankly I couldn’t get back here fast enough.

Certain places on the globe seem to resonate with different people for whatever reason; one friend is currently finding solace in the Southwest, another longs for home in Switzerland while away on business, while yet another perhaps more gypsy soul is currently in debate with this particular crazy rock. The ancients knew certain locations resonated with specific planetary energies, and built their monuments/observatories accordingly to harness or intensify the power – for what uses, I might suppose were many.

In terms of spiritual development, paying attention is the key. A place can teach, if we allow it to. I can speak from experience about the Big Island; its energy is palpable, electric, shocking, penetrating and alive. It’s like the Great Pyramid of the Pacific. If tuned to its particular radiance, it tends to force a certain coming-to-terms with elements of oneself in clear and often disturbing reflection, far more rapidly than might normally occur in life somewhere else. Perhaps it’s the seemingly concentrated mega-supernaturality of the place, all confined here on a relatively small patch of land out in the middle of thousands of miles of ocean; I don’t really know what makes this place so magical and transformative. But you can either face yourself, and perhaps some difficult challenges, or you can run away. Trust me; plenty of people choose the latter.

This place isn’t for everyone, and I image it’s the same for all the islands. It’s not a little ironic that “Lost” is filmed in Hawaii – because it’s easy to get lost here, trapped in a kind of psychical warfare with Self in which intriguing clues to endless puzzles dot the landscape of existence, with no escape. This is a unique place which at first seems to be a refuge, where a calm, slow-paced way of life accented by warm weather, beaches and aloha beckons; but a violent and molten core suggests a more turbulent spiritual undercurrent. After about two years, more or less, newcomers are either fully absorbed in the trials by fire and subsequent honing of their character, or are in the process of being expelled. Residents know, the island seems to pick and choose who stays here, simply spitting out the rest. One either resonates with this place, or not – and the ‘nots’ often get a solid kick in the rear on the way out.

In the six years I’ve been here, I can attest to the transformation that has occurred within me – and is still taking place. It hasn’t all been plumeria blossoms and coconuts. I’m stronger, calmer, wiser, but not before some difficult experiences; I exorcised not a few demons, walked the coals, and witnessed the same in loved ones around me who came here. This island, as I’m sure other places too, will heal you, strengthen you and teach you – if you pay attention and let go of your expectations. If you force your own ego upon it and refuse to listen, this island will shake you, rattle you, and even burn you or swallow you whole.

It’s as if this haunted isle is a microcosm of the Tao; within it – for some – are all the tools necessary for transformation of spirit and character, in loudly resonating abundance. Wrong choices exist glaringly alongside the right ones; not necessarily good or bad, as all things become part of one’s conscious development. But certainly they depend on one’s level of awareness and participation; there are plenty of lost souls wandering around out here too, as in any place. Personally I feel blessed to have been led somewhere I could move through my own journey at what seems to be an accelerated pace – where every step rings clearly, announcing itself, sometimes painful, sometimes joyous – and the in-between, no-man’s time can be an intense paradox of aware not-knowing. In another place, perhaps these signposts might have gone unnoticed under the thundering din of a materialistic, overcrowded, overbuilt and neon-lit now. In another place, perhaps my own tuning fork might have been out of phase.

Certainly Surfing the Tao is a Way of many diverse paths, and the point of it all is to find the essence of one’s own experience – discovering Self, discovering the Tao, and the links therein; discovering the Way of Life and love as it unfolds in an increasingly chaotic world. Every place and person will be its own, and these paths will all someday converge on the Great Path, within the spirits and hearts of those willing few. I can only suggest that place can play a far more important role in our journey than we may realize. Pay attention and the Tao will lead.

Float down the center of the rapids, don’t try to swim against the current. No matter how often the rains come, it’s always the same.

Learn to sway in the wind or you’ll break. No matter how many times the gales blow, it’s always the same.

Float down the center of the rapids, don’t try to swim against the current. No matter how often the rains come, it’s always the same.

Balance over the abyss but don’t fall in. No matter how hard you’re shaken, it’s always the same.

What’s different about today?

Nothing.

The soft overcomes the hard.The slow overcomes the fast.Let your [...]]]> If you want to shrink something,
you must first allow it to expand.
If you want to get rid of something,
you must first allow it to flourish.
If you want to take something,
you must first allow it to be given.
This is called the subtle perception
of the way things are.

The soft overcomes the hard.
The slow overcomes the fast.
Let your workings remain a mystery.
Just show people the results.

Tao Te Ching #36 (trans. Stephen Mitchell)

As came up in my last radio interview, there are quite a few different points of view regarding otherworldly or ‘non-human’ entities who have, are or will influence our world – angels, demons, aliens, ancient gods, ethereal masters, spirit guides [...]]]> “None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free.” -Goethe

As came up in my last radio interview, there are quite a few different points of view regarding otherworldly or ‘non-human’ entities who have, are or will influence our world – angels, demons, aliens, ancient gods, ethereal masters, spirit guides and the like. Debate arises when one attempts to determine, are they good guys or not, and how do we know for sure? Early on in my blog I touched on this; Aliens: Gods or Demons? is one example, and True Masters is another angle.

My mission is to attempt to help people find and use their own sense of discernment in these matters. It’s why I wrote my book. The truth is within us; in fact this is one way to tell if a guide is really a friend or not – they will tell you (if they tell you anything at all, for real good guys rarely interfere): the truth is within yourself. We just have to learn to access it. That’s what good guys like Jesus, Buddha, Lao Tzu, Krishnamurti, Ueshiba and others have tried to explain. It’s also why in my book I placed much of their wisdom next to topics like UFOs and secret societies; it’s a great way to learn how to think about such things. There is a Way to Know. The Chinese called this Way the Tao. It’s pulsing through you right now. Do you have the ears to hear?

“…Over twelve years ago, a group of individuals from several different worlds gathered at a discreet location in our solar system near earth for the purpose of observing the alien intervention that is occurring in our world. From their hidden vantage point, they were able to determine the identity, organization and intentions of those visiting our world and monitor the visitors’ activities. This group of observers call themselves the ‘Allies of Humanity.’” You can read their first book free online here (Thanks, Kingsley). Their message is to warn us that the various “alien visitors” to our world have not come to “promote the advancement of humanity or the spiritual education of humanity…As has occurred in your own world in your own history, the first to reach the new lands are the explorers and the conquerors. They do not come for altruistic reasons. They come seeking power, resources and dominion…The challenge is for humanity to understand who its allies really are and to be able to distinguish them from its potential adversaries.” According to the Allies, spiritually advanced races do not engage in regular space travel, commerce or interfere with other worlds – they prefer to remain unseen.

“The bad guys love to disguise themselves as the good guys,”- Surfing the Tao: A Revolution of Free Will. The Allies write, “The visitors will try and create the impression that they are ‘the allies of humanity.’ They will say they are here to save humanity from itself, that only they can offer the great hope that humanity cannot provide for itself, that only they can establish true order and harmony in the world. But this order and this harmony will be theirs, not yours. And the freedom that they promise will not be yours to enjoy.” These visitors seek to gain our “trust and… devotion,” telling people they’re here to “uplift humanity spiritually, to give humanity new hope, new blessings and new power…once this allegiance is established, it becomes increasingly difficult for people to discern what they know within themselves from what is being told to them. It is a very subtle but very pervasive form of persuasion and manipulation.” “Subtlety is the name of the game.”-Surfing the Tao.

So how do we know? The Allies claim not to want any relationship with our world, nor will they interfere on our behalf; rather they say they are only here to help us advance mentally and spiritually to the point where we can discern and act for ourselves before it’s too late. In contrast to the ‘visitors’, they “advocate a spirituality…not the spirituality that is governed by nations, government of political alliances, but a natural spirituality – the ability to know, to see and to act…In the Greater Community, spirituality is embodied in what we call Knowledge, Knowledge meaning the intelligence of Spirit and the movement of Spirit within you. This empowers you to know rather than only believe. This gives you immunity from persuasion and manipulation, for Knowledge cannot be manipulated by any worldly power or force…If you can respond to Knowledge and learn a Greater Community Way of Knowledge, you will be able to see these things for yourself. Then you will confirm our words rather than only believe them or deny them. The Creator is making this possible, for the Creator wills that humanity prepare for its future…Knowledge enables you to think in a number of ways, to act spontaneously, to perceive reality beyond the obvious and to experience the future and the past.”

Are these “Allies” good guys themselves? Look within yourself for answers. Dharmacist Edward Namerdy in his book Another Place in Space wisely suggests we “see what we believe,” rather than merely “believe what we see.” Lao Tzu said, “The Master observes the world but trusts his inner vision.” From Ueshiba, “On occasion the Voice of Peace resounds like thunder, jolting human beings out of their stupor.” Bernard Bromage wrote, “The wise man is he whose ears are very attuned to the Divine Whisperer, and who, through all the delusions of a cheaper civilization, hears the Voice.” And lastly, from Hosea 14:9,”Who is wise? He will realize these things. Who is discerning? He will understand them.”

The more prohibitions you have,The less virtuous people will be.The more weapons you have,The less secure people will be.The more subsidies you have,The less self-reliant people [...]]]> If you want to be a great leader,
You must learn to follow the Tao.
Stop trying to control.
Let go of fixed plans and concepts,
And the world will govern itself.

The more prohibitions you have,
The less virtuous people will be.
The more weapons you have,
The less secure people will be.
The more subsidies you have,
The less self-reliant people will be.

There fore the Master says:
I let go of the law,
And people become honest.
I let go of economics,
And people become prosperous.
I let go of religion,
And people become serene.
I let go of all desire for the common good,
And the good becomes common as grass. -#57

Lao Tzu says it so much better than I could. One imagines our world is too far gone now to try not-doing – and yet, we can all learn from this wisdom, and dream of a better world.

TTC, Chapter 2, trans. [...]]]> … the sages:
Manage the work of detached actions
Conduct the teaching of no words
They work with myriad things but do not control
They create but do not possess
They act but do not presume
They succeed but do not dwell on success
It is because they do not dwell on success
That it never goes away

TTC, Chapter 2, trans. Derek Lin

Free Will is a topic that has always fascinated me. Check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_will for a lengthy definition and explanation of the many aspects and philosophies surrounding this issue. Determinism and incompatibilism, libertarianism and compatibilism, argue one way or the other whether free will truly exists, or whether it is an illusion.

Wikipedia states that the I Ching contains “A shifting flow of probabilities for futures,” and that, “Probabilities take the center of the stage away from things and people. A kind of “divine” volition sets the fundamental rules for the working out of probabilities in the universe, and human volitions are always a factor in the ways that humans can deal with the real world situations one encounters. If one’s situation in life is surfing on a tsunami, one still has some range of choices even in that situation. One person might give up, and another person might choose to struggle and perhaps to survive. The Yi Jing mentality is much closer to the mentality of quantum physics than to that of classical physics, and also finds parallelism in voluntarist or Existentialist ideas of taking one’s life as one’s project.”

I myself tend to agree with the I Ching. I believe that our possible futures are constantly shifting, and that our decisions are based on our various backgrounds and psychologies. Whether Everything is predetermined is hard for me to say – it seems like if it were, life might seem fruitless – if it is, at least thinking we have a choice might be all we need. However, to control the Tao is not our job either – TTC#74, “Trying to control the future is like trying to take the master carpenter’s place.”

But I do believe that within the Flow of things, within the Tao, exists the choice that will ultimately lead to the most harmonious outcome. We work with knowledge of the Tao, allowing it to guide us, not being too attached to the desired outcome. Finding the most harmonious path and allowing it to guide, is what I call ‘Surfing the Tao’ – yet I concede that for many of us, making such choices may require a ‘revolution’ of our (perceived) free will, since it may be against popular notions of ambition and wealth.