Witnessing the rising sun drench the entire valley with glorious light.

Are you surprised that I’m back already, especially a day or so after posting my last article?  Me too — It’s been a long time since I’ve done that!

I can’t explain it and I’m not going to even try but suddenly I feel inspired to share a new development with you this morning.   Right now my brain is buzzing with pure delight - it’s one of those “high as a kite” kind of things except that it’s all natural.  

As I write, I’m staring out the window, watching glorious sunshine flood the entire valley with delicious rays of light.   Thank you God!

As I prepare to move to Iowa, I’ve been going through my apartment, filling boxes with things I want to keep and throwing out the rest or giving them away to Goodwill.   To my surprise, I’ve been asking myself questions like, “Do I really need to keep this?”

One of many trophies collected over the years

Just the other day, I gathered together a bunch of trophies I won from Toastmaster speaking contests over the years - you know, those cheap, breakable trophies that you can buy online for five bucks.   I went to the walk-in closet and retrieved a couple that were coated with a thick layer of dust and set them along aside the more recent ones from last year (2008).

There they were, all lined up, awaiting their fate.   I wish I had the presence of mind to take a photo of them but the one you see above will have to suffice.   As I surveyed the trophies in front of me, I felt something bubbling to the surface of my consciousness.    The words were unmistakably clear:

“Why do you even need to keep them?  After all, half of them were sitting in the dark closet, collecting dust!  And just who are you trying to impress anyway?  Hardly anyone ever comments on them when they come to visit.”

Startled yet decisive, the executioner in me swiftly grabbed them in one fell swoop and threw them all in the garbage with a flourish.  Boy, the resounding clatter that seemed to vibrate off the walls was exhilarating!

Almost as if in a trance, I marched with a strong sense of purpose back to the walk-in closet and went looking for my next victims.  Within seconds, my eyes fell on a handful of awards I had won while at Merrill Lynch over a decade ago.    Scattered throughout the closet were things like a fancy nameplate, a heavy silver platter that I won in a sales contest, an executive desk blotter and a heavy glass trophy in the shape of a pyramid.

Packing little by little

A smile immediately lined my face.  I knew what I had to do.

One by one, as if collecting a bunch of logs for the fireplace, I cradled them in my arms and threw those in the “garbage box” too.

I know my Mom once told me I never had any problems getting rid of things that were no longer of use to me when I was a kid, but gosh, all those trophies and awards?  I could just feel my ego trying mightily to hold onto them.

Now they are GONE, just like that (POOF)!

What do you think is happening here?  I have a few theories but just for the fun of it, I’m going to leave this open-ended and invite you to join in on the conversation.

WAIT!  WAIT!  WAIT!

Before you do that, I can’t resist letting you in a secret conversation I had with a dear friend that might, just might, explain away my latest behavior.

To paraphrase her, she said, “Stephen, for the longest time your identity has been firmly rooted in your past accomplishments.”

“How do you know that?” I asked, slightly taken aback.

“Well, almost every time,” she continued, “when you write an introductory email to strangers, you manage to slip in there somewhere that you are a “former award winning stockbroker, blah, blah, blah.”

I tried to smile but all I could manage was to punctuate the silence with ugly sounds of fake coughing.

Sensing my discomfort, she went on, “Honey, not to dismiss those awesome accomplishments because they are truly astounding, but Stephen, those things are not who you are.”

Her timeless words simply hung in the air.  I stared at her, my unblinking eyes trying to decipher the power of what she just said.

Repositioning myself in the lawn chair, (we were hanging out at a park on a beautiful sunny afternoon), I managed to blurt out a response, “Damn, you are right - that makes a whole lot of sense!  Thank you!”

Jenni got me thinking.   Anyone who goes through my archives here at Adversity University will notice that I have frequently mentioned past achievements when trying to make a point.   What a revelation!

Was it because I was really trying to make a point?  Or was it because subconsciously I was reminding myself and others of the things I’ve done so that I could continue to validate my self-worth while stroking my alter ego?  Perhaps.   Was it another way to sublimely promote myself as a motivational speaker?  Once again, perhaps?

Who knows?

But right now two things have become very clear to me:

1.  WHO REALLY CARES?

2.  YOUR PAST ACHIEVEMENTS ARE NOT WHO YOU ARE.

Now, don’t get me wrong.  Of course, I’m very proud of my achievements (and so are my parents who thought I’d never one day fly an airplane).  And you should be too, especially if you had to overcome a lot to get there.

But the question still remains, do they represent the inner essence of who we really are?

What I’m quickly grasping here is that we are raised in society to extol our accomplishments because that’s what’s expected of us.  If we want more of something, we better present our “credentials.”   As convention thinking goes, you “need” a fabulous story lined up if you want more money, get on Oprah, receive better recognition, or land bigger business deals, to name a few.

But do we really need to do all of that?

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The Art of Shedding the Alter Ego

Do you know yourself? (Photo taken at Maharishi University during Visitor's Weekend in April 2009)

I bet the title of today’s article threw you for a double loop, didn’t it?  Good.  That was intentional - not as an attention grabbing gimmick but something I’ve come to realize over the years.

This topic came up because I had to answer the following question on my graduate school application:

What are your personal and professional goals? (minimum 50 words)

Without knowing it, I had been using the power of my subconscious mind over the last several years, especially after college graduation in the early 80’s.

All those visualizations I did to become a pilot (as a teen I frequently drove my mother’s car down the middle of the highway, pretending to take off and land), to win sales trips while a stockbroker (I placed on the wall of my office photos of hotels where I’d be staying), to become a pilot (I envisioned myself being congratulated by the FAA examiner) and to become a national motivational speaker (I have a photo of a man speaking to an audience of thousands) have been the result of harnessing powerful universal laws.   I honestly had no idea how any of my dreams would manifest but I learned how to trust that I’d be led and I was.  Over time, I learned how to take inspired action after recognizing various hunches, intuitive impulses and urges along the way.

With each passing year, I’ve developed an insatiable hunger to find out more about how it is that I managed to manifest what everyone else said would be “impossible.”  That led me to become an arduous student of natural laws and its underlying connection to the subconscious mind.   It is one reason why I am applying to Maharishi University of Management.

While having goals more than helped me achieve my dreams (in fact, I became a certified “goalaholic”), I am now of the opinion that goals have the potential to impede rather than enhance the quality of life.  That’s because in order to achieve my goals, I became so focused on where I was going rather than living in the moment.  While blindly pursuing them, I probably missed out on opportunities that came knocking.  Whenever I did reach my goals, the inner joy I thought would be there was noticeably missing.   I found myself saying, “What’s next?”

Instead of drawing up detailed goals and plans, I now use what is popularly referred in self development circles a “vision board” to help me clarify my life’s purpose.  Just like Hollywood directors use storyboards to map out their blockbuster films, I have a vision board for my personal and professional dreams.

Having a vision board complete with images, words and phrases allows me to stay in the moment because they help me maintain a sense of direction and integrity while letting me wander and trust in the unknown.

My Old Vision Board

Whereas my old vision board included images of material possessions like a black BMW, a private Honda jet, fancy business clothes, a huge house by the lake and a photo of Oprah (my dream was to be on her show), I now have images of nature’s waterfall (connection with Mother Earth), a healthy man running through the park (physical fitness), a refrigerator stocked with fruits and vegetables (raw food diet) and words/phrases like “Shift of Consciousness,” “Wisdom,” “Love,” and “The Mind-Body Connection to the Next Level.”

When I first created my new vision board earlier this year (see second photo), I had no idea how I was going to make a shift of consciousness nor did I know how I would take the mind-body connection to the next level.  I just trusted that I would be led in the right direction and here I am, applying to Maharishi University, a consciousness-based institution!

New Vision Board Created Earlier this Year (2009)

On the professional front, while I expect to continue my role as a public speaker, I envision a complete makeover by becoming a “consciousness expert” with both Masters and Ph.D degrees under my belt.   Using rediscovered “self knowledge,” I aim to help co-create world peace by taking part of a future governmental Peace Department.  Finally but not least, I aspire to become a Transcendental Meditation teacher.

What a change of ambition in the quest to reinvent myself through a spiritual, transformational journey tinged with higher levels of consciousness!

NOTE:  The following was not on the application - it’s just for you……

What about you?  Have you thought about reinventing yourself and aiming for the highest good?  Let your inner child come out today, get a pair of scissors and a bunch of magazines and start cutting out photos, images, words and phrases that appeal to your inner self and make yourself a vision board.  Throw away your goals and put the vision board up in a prominent place where you can see it every day and watch miracles unfold!

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Goals Are Not the Answer to Success!

Argiro Student Center, America’s first student center constructed according to the ancient principles of Vedic architecture for harmony with natural law.

As we go through different seasons in life, there comes a time of big change like going back to school for the first time in decades.   In my last post, I announced that I was accepted in the Masters’ program at Maharishi University of Management where I’ll be studying Vedic Science (the study of consciousness).

Since I’m about to make a cross country move to Iowa to attend this university, I’ve been busy purging things I no longer need.  It’s all part of the clean up process to get rid of old, stagnant energy and make way for new, fresh and vibrant energy.   I spent several hours this past week shredding old financial documents from the 80’s and throwing out things I no longer have any use for.  My Mom once told me that I was like that as a kid.  I would go through cycles where I’d get the urge to “spring clean” more than a couple times a year.   It’s no wonder my home isn’t very cluttered these days!

Part of the clean up process involved learning Transcendental Mediation (TM) even though I could have waited until the Fall to learn it at the university.   There are a couple of reasons why I decided to do it now rather than later:

1.  David Kidd, a certified TM teacher from Canton, OH was not only very easy to lipread during the private introductory and preparatory lectures but he also took it upon himself to shave off his beard so that I could lip-read him!  Never has anyone done that for me.  Most men, especially those who’ve had a beard for a while, are usually reluctant to part with precious facial hair because it’s become part of their identity.  It was a powerful gesture that spoke louder than words and inspired me to learn TM from him.

2.  All students at the university receive a scholarship to learn TM once they’re enrolled.   Had I waited until then, I would not have had to pay any out of pocket money.  But while I was there during Visitor’s Weekend back in April, I was told by the admissions counselors that once I was accepted, I could request a special scholarship to offset the cost of learning TM prior to enrollment.  About a week ago, a letter from admissions arrived confirming this.  All the necessary paperwork has been sent back for processing and I am now waiting to hear from the scholarship committee on how this will be handled.

Practicing Transcendental Meditation

The purpose of this article is to share with you what I’ve experienced so far but before I delve into this, you should be made aware that the experience is not only different for everyone who learns TM but it’s also hard to describe.   It’s like trying to tell someone exactly what something tastes like.  Pretty hard to do, right?

Likewise, it’s difficult for me to put in words what TM is like - it’s something you have to experience for yourself.

Having said that, it’s been a full week since the last day of class.   I’m now practicing TM twice a day, once in the morning and once in the afternoon.

The first week found me transcending pretty deep a couple of times.   The best way I can describe that experience is by telling you that I lost all track of time and fell into the “zone.”  Have you ever worked on a project that you enjoyed so much that it was a pleasure to do it, that it didn’t feel like work and how the time flew by?  Well, that’s exactly what happened.  Although meditation is only twenty minutes, it sometimes felt like five!

I’ve noticed that I sleep less at night and wake up earlier.  That’s because from what I’ve understand about TM, you gain deep rest during meditation.

Indigo Lake - my favorite place to partake in nature

A few days after the first lesson, I was at my favorite park, a lake near my home (see photo to the left).  It was a gorgeous sunny day.  As I was taking in the visual symphony around me, I thought I was seeing vibrant colors everywhere!   I wasn’t sure if it was my imagination or if I was really seeing them but they were in full splendor for me to enjoy!

When I told my teacher about it, he said nothing’s changed “out there” - all that’s changed was me and how I was perceiving the world around me.   That reminded me of Ghandi’s famous quote:  “Be the Change You Wish to See in the World.”  Hmmmm…..smart man.

I’ve been wearing my glasses less and less but I was doing that long before learning TM.  At first I thought my vision improved because I was reading small print off the back of containers without my glasses but just the other day, I was reading small print again but had some difficulty focusing so the jury is still out on that one.

The other thing I noticed was that people, especially strangers, seem to be friendlier to me a little more often.  I’d go to the gym and every once in a while (in other words, more frequently) people appeared to be glad I was there.  They’d smile and beat me to it by saying “hi” first.   We all know that hardly anyone does that these days, especially at the gym or the supermarket where everyone is in their own little world.

The church I go to most Sundays.

Last Sunday virtually everyone at my church was clamoring for me, going out of there way to say give me a hug and ask how I was doing.  It’s not that they don’t do that but it just seemed on that particular day it was happening more than normal.  I was like, “What the heck is going on?!??”  Who knows, maybe it’s because everyone there knows I’m leaving soon for school so they’re acting more friendlier than usual.  People are funny that way, you know?  But, hey, I’m not complaining!

At the start of my meditation, I noticed that every time I attempted to take a deep breath within the first few minutes, it was always an effort to get air all the way in but after approximately ten minutes or so of meditating, it becomes easier, almost spontaneous to take those deep breaths.   And then as the day goes on, I find myself taking deep breaths easily, regardless of what I’m doing.  Wow.  That’s a strong indication that I’m truly relaxed because it’s pretty hard to take deep breaths when you’re not!!

All of you have been to a gym at least once in your lifetime so here’s an analogy for you about how benefits tend to accrue over time.  The more you practice something like weightlifting or running on the treadmill, the more benefits you’ll see over time.  Whereas you once weighed a certain amount, you’re now seeing a trimmer body with less weight.   Whereas before you might have huffed and puffed your way around the track, after working out for a while, you’ll have an easier time doing it.  It’s the same thing with TM.

Ancient method of dyeing cloth

Here’s another analogy.  In the old days when a piece of cloth needed to be dyed a certain color, say purple, it had to be dipped into a vat of purple liquid and then laid out in the sun to dry.  During the drying process, the color would fade away and then the cloth would dipped into the vat later in the day and laid out to dry once more.  As the cloth is repeatedly dipped into the vat and laid out to dry, there’s a build up of residue of color that remains on the cloth over time.   (Photo credit:  robin.elaine)

Meditating twice a day is like dipping the cloth in the vat to be laid out to dry (which is like going through the normal course of the day) until it is again dipped in the vat (i.e. meditating for the second time at the end of the day).  The more you dip the cloth (i.e. the more you meditate, workout or practice a skill), the more the cloth retains the color of purple (which is like saying the more you’ll experience the benefits of TM taking hold).

Now, a review of my experiences isn’t fair without discussing the flip side.   Among many of the benefits that are said to accrue over time is increased clarity, more inner peace, a higher sense of well being, more creativity and a change in the way you appear to others, to name a few.   To be fair, it’s still too early in my practice to gauge whether or not any of these have manifested.

While I appear to absorbing more information when reading certain books (i.e. more clarity), I’m not yet sure any new ideas have been popping up (i.e. increased creativity).   No one has told me that I appear to have changed because if they did, that would mean I’ve made an outward change of behavior or in other words, changed my way of being.  I’ve always been a loving, caring and positive person but with increased practice of TM, my understanding is that you become more settled and peaceful.  Your manner of speaking becomes more congruent with your inner life’s purpose.   I haven’t noticed any changes in my manner of speaking either.  Granted, these are hard to judge objectively but until I learn how to observe myself from an outside, detached point of view, I’ll have to rely on other people’s perception of me to tell me whether or not I’ve made any noticeable changes.

On other news, I just learned that a student in Maharishi University’s work-study program has been busy typing up transcripts of videos that will be a part of some of the classes I’ll be taking in the Fall so I’m pretty excited about that.   Because the university has never had a deaf student enrolled before, finding ways to make my education more accessible is a new learning experience for them.   To help them along those lines, I did some research and emailed a list of different ways for they can make my education more accessible.    I am now waiting to get feedback back from them on this.

Students begin arriving to campus on August 13th, which means my time left here in Akron, OH is rapidly drawing to a close.  It’s hard to believe I’m moving on but I am truly blessed and excited to have an opportunity to study something I have a strong, compelling interest in.   My vision is to become a consciousness expert and help others learn how to tap into the powers of the mind to achieve their dreams.  I also see myself teaching TM, becoming a university professor as well as co-creating world peace.

For more information on TM, here are a couple links for you:

Transcendental Meditation

Book on TM by Robert Roth (you can read the entire book for free online)

Until next time, enjoy the beginning of your glorious summer!

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Transcendental Mediation: My Experience Thus Far

It’s official:  I’ve been accepted. Wahoooo!!

I’m sitting here in my office in child-like wonder and awe at what will unfold next.  I’m exceedingly grateful and can’t wait to see what God has in store for me.

Here’s what I read after rubbing my eyes and yawning after a well needed catnap:

Dear Stephen,

I have very good news for you!

Your acceptance to Maharishi University of Management has been completed and soon you will receive your acceptance letter and other important information.  Once your acceptance packet arrives, be sure to send us the Admission Deposit form and your $100 deposit as soon as possible, or at least by July 15th.

If you requested on-campus housing, we can reserve a room for you once we receive your Admissions Deposit.

We look forward to meeting you soon.  If you have any questions, please contact your admissions counselor.

Sincerely,
Office of Admissions
Maharishi University of Management
www.mum.edu

Life as I know it will never be the same.   Not only does this represent the first time since the 80’s that I’m returning to school but it’s also the first time a deaf student has been admitted to Maharishi University!   Countless of people have told me that I’m blazing yet another trail.  The funny thing is I didn’t plan it that way.  I was just drawn to the school and through a series of mysterious events I ended up applying and now a new door has opened.  Thank you God!

On other news, I have a new article coming up soon about how setting goals don’t really work - it’s a contrarian viewpoint.  It goes against everything we’ve been taught in personal development circles so I think you’ll enjoy it.

Until next time, choose to be happy and walk around with a sense of child-like awe and wonder.   You never know what you might discover!

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NEWSFLASH: It’s Official…….

Argiro Student Center, America’s first student center constructed according to the ancient principles of Vedic architecture for harmony with natural law.

My challenge is that when I write, I love to keep writing, which means I take forever to get an article just right.  It takes HOURS to write one and I think the fact that I tend to be a perfectionist sometimes takes away the joy of writing - I find it harder to get motivated because of this tendency.  That’s partially why you haven’t heard from me in a while.

Corinne Edwards, a long time subscriber and dear friend, once wrote a comment not long ago that maybe I ought to just write short snippets and write more often - that way it’s isn’t as overwhelming.

Good idea but the problem is once I start writing, I’m simply incapable of giving you short snippets.  The moment my fingers start tapping on the keyboard, ideas pop up and I end up spending virtually the whole morning or afternoon writing and rewriting this one article that was supposed to be “short, sweet and simple.”

Nada.

Partial View of Maharishi University Campus

Today I am inspired to give you an update about my experience during  Visitor’s Weekend at Maharishi University of Management two weeks ago.  But before we go into that, let me just give you a quick update if you’re new here.

For years I’ve wanted to go back to school.  In the late 80’s I had gone to Fordham University part-time for an MBA but when Merrill Lynch recruited me away, I ended up dropping out.   I became enmeshed with the demands of being a stockbroker - I no longer had time for anything else but I remembered very much enjoying the academic environment.  It was a lot of fun, not to mention simulating.

About a decade later, I contracted the school bug again and applied to Arizona State University (ASU) for admittance into their aviation management program.  I got accepted but after looking at the numbers, I felt it wasn’t worth taking on huge loans for a degree in aviation.    It just didn’t feel right so I turned them down.  I was hoping for more scholarships and grants but when they didn’t offer me any, I decided not to go there.

New Friends During Visitor's Weekend (Left to Right: Amar, Jeremiah and Me. Shahn is the guy in the back.)

Interestingly enough, this decision turned out to be prophetic because  I was eventually offered the opportunity to undergo special flight training to make aviation history.  For those of you who don’t know me, I became the world’s first deaf instrument rated pilot in 2006. Had I gone to ASU, I might not have made it into the history books.

Isn’t it interesting what happens when we make fateful decisions like that?  Amazing.

Fast forward to 2009.  After coming off a fantastic year as a professional speaker in 2008, I suddenly hit a brick wall in January 2009.  Life as I knew it began to take me on a strange twisted road of sorts where I felt totally out of kilter.  While I am not prone to depression, it sure felt like it!   I knew there was something shifting inside me and it was utterly confusing.  I found myself wondering where I was going to go next.

Meditation Dome (one of them which can fit THOUSANDS of people)

I began to look for something to simulate me intellectually.   Eventually it dawned on me that maybe this was a sign for me to look at going back to school again.

But this time instead of looking into “regular” university programs like the MBA, Psychology or something like that, I wanted to find a curriculum that incorporated some aspect of spirituality.

Unfortunately, not many universities offer this but after doing a Google search using “spiritual psychology,” I was led to University of Santa Monica and Maharishi University.  If you go back and read Miracles Do Happen When Spirit Puts Strong Desire In Your Heart, you’ll get an idea of what happened after that search.

That was two weeks ago.

Lobby of Argiro Student Center

On the 2 hour drive to the university from Moline airport, I shocked to see cornfield after cornfield.  I could have sworn seeing scary images of “Children of the Cornfield” dancing in my head as we sped by.  Luckily, it was too early in the day.   LOL.

If I had been Christopher Columbus that day, I might have thought the whole world was flat!  I found myself thinking, “What a great place for pilots because there are plenty of places to land in an emergency.”

Let me tell you, I made more friends in 4 days then I’ve made in 4 years in my current hometown.   The students and faculty alike had this sense of incredible peace about them.  Their eyes were bright and shiny.   Words that flowed forth were eloquent, clean and extremely articulate.    I had no trouble lip-reading most of them, a huge bonanza.  I was very excited to be among such well spoken people for obvious reasons.

True Wisdom

Throughout the weekend, I must have shed tears of joy not once, but at least two or three times.  I felt this rare sense of cohesiveness while I was there - something I hadn’t felt in a very long time.  Something was definitely up.

By the time the weekend was over, we were all hugging each other.  A couple of guys picked me off the floor and gave me a squeeze!  I was like, “Wow, this is totally amazing!”   On the flight back home, every time I reminisced about the weekend, my eyes got moist again.

We were all given an opportunity to sample a class in progress on the last day.  I picked the Sanskrit class because that’s one of the courses I’d be taking.    I went with my new friend Amar Sastry who will be a classmate of mine since he’s applying to the same program (see photo immediately below- he’s on the right right in a black top).  Update:  I’m totally stoked to announce Amar was accepted.  Congrats Amar!

The first thing I did was to see if I could understand the professor (Dr. David Pohlman) without having to rely on the interpreter who was with me throughout the weekend.  To my relief, this professor was articulate.  But then he did something that made my heart grow heavy.

He played an audio recording for the class.

The joy vanished in an instant, replaced by concern and fear.   i thought, “How will I participate in this class since I can’t hear the recordings?”

Cool Peeps From Visitor's Weekend

The interpreter (Christine Boxerman - see photo below) suggested I introduce myself to the professor at break-time and share my concerns.

Dr. Pohlman’s first question was whether or not I could hear at all (since I speak so well, it’s a common misconception by most people to think I can hear too).   I told him that despite my ability to speak, I still rely on lip-reading and/or the written word to get the same information others are getting.

Not once did this wonderful young professor’s demeanor crumble with fear or concern (which is how most people tend to respond when they are first presented with an unfamiliar challenge where there are no obvious solutions).  Instead, he smiled and very peacefully said, “I’m confident you can do this.  We will find a way to make this work.”   I could have hugged him right then and there!

Christine Boxerman, "Visitor's Weekend Interpreter"

At the end of that class, the Sanskrit professor asked those of us who were visitors if we had any questions or comments.   Wiping away new found tears (I’m such a wuss, aren’t I?), I raised my hand and proceeded to tell everyone how this weekend felt as if I had “just come home.”   Everyone immediately clapped with joy.

While all of the students I met were quite impressive, one stood out in particular.  His name was Joey.  One evening he sat at our table for dinner and proceeded to tell us about the Vedic Science program, the same one I’m applying to.

The moment he opened his mouth, I was instantly transfixed.  Not only was he incredibly articulate but he displayed none of the normal “young people talk” that often dominate their way of speaking (i.e. “like,” “um,” “yeah,” “dang,” “cool,” etc).   He was so eloquent that I could have easily thought he was some kind of scholar.

And get this - he wasn’t the only student who spoke in this way.   Never in my life have I set foot on a college campus where so many students expressed themselves so well.   I found myself thinking, “That’s what’s been missing!  I want this sense of eloquence.  YES, YES, YES!”

Food for thought.....Isn't that what we all want?

For those of you not familiar with Maharishi University, students and faculty alike meditate twice a day using the Transcendental Meditation technique.

I can’t wait to take the TM course with a certified TM teacher from my hometown before starting school.   Because of the Transcendental Meditation (TM) program, practitioners are afforded the opportunity to go deep within their consciousness, putting them in touch with the source of all thoughts.  TM is known to help with many things including, but not limited to, greater clarity, eloquence, inner peace and other health-related benefits.   WOOT!

In the essay portion of my admissions application, I wrote that after visiting the university and meeting with the students and faculty, my new vision was to improve my ability to speak articulately both professionally (i.e. motivational speaker) and personally.   The university is one very powerful place, let me tell you!

End of Visitor's Weekend

As the weekend progressed, I began to notice a curious pattern in the way everyone from MUM carried themselves.    One young guy came up and introduced himself to me at a town function where they were raising money for a student who was recently injured in an accident without any medical coverage.  There were all kinds of people from the university there - - young, old, etc.    Everyone seemed to fit right in.  I was totally impressed.   What’s more, they ended up raising a $1,000 - no small feat in this rural town!

I asked him what it was like to be a student at Maharishi and he said, “The last university I attended had at least one violent fight a week, sometimes two or three but when I came here, I was shocked not to see any.”    He continued, “The experience  totally changed my life.  I knew I had to come here for my education.”   This young man was also super easy to lip-read - I was in communication heaven!   How many of you can say you’ve met more than one articulate college student in the same location lately?

Gourmet Pizza Party at Dr. Hirshberg's gorgeous Vedic Style home

We toured the campus, visited the dorms, went inside the domes where thousands come together to meditate, browsed through the bookstore (I bought a cool hooded sweatshirt with the university’s name and logo on the front), went to the recreational center and toured other buildings. Our daily meals were at the school’s award-winning cafeteria where they served delicious ORGANIC food - that’s no problem for this aspiring raw foodist!

And get this  - apparently there’s a raw food movement just getting started on campus (and I think in town) - talk about perfect timing!

I loved every minute of my time there and as soon as I got back home, I pushed to get all the application materials in.   As of right now, I am still waiting for their admissions decision.  Update:  I’ve been accepted!  Click to see Newsflash!

My next article is going to be about the value of setting a vision for yourself instead of writing goals.  It’s a contrarian view on the over-hyped notion of goal-setting and why I think it doesn’t work.

Stay tuned.

Commentary Update:   Shortly after this article went public, I received a comment from a person who tried to dissuade me from attending MUM and taking TM citing various reasons, saying I should “do more research before making a decision.”  It was a valid, polite and respectful commentary but because the purpose of today’s article was to share my experience during Visitor’s Weekend and my excitement at being accepted, I’ve decided to hold off on publishing this person’s comment and waiting until after I complete my first year.   By then I’ll have solid experiential knowledge about MUM and the TM movement at which point I can assess the reviewer’s comments without bias.    In other words, if the purpose of today’s article was analytical in nature and I was trying to solicit feedback to help me decide whether MUM was right for me, I would have definitely published the comment immediately.

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Visitor’s Weekend at Maharishi University of Mgmt

Vita-Mix Blender

Do you watch Martha Stewart?  Have you been thinking of getting the Vita-Mix blender but keep putting it off?

Well, today, Wednesday, April 29, 2009 the Vita-Mix 5200, the blender you see in the photo on the left in my kitchen, will be featured on the Martha Stewart show and they are having a special right now - you can only take advantage of this through the link provided below!  Check your local listings for the Martha Stewart show.

Now YOU can enjoy the delicious meals that Martha and Chef Mario Batali made in the Vita-Mix machine as seen on a recent episode of the Martha Stewart Show and receive a bonus subscription to Martha’s Body + Soul* magazine!

Get the ultimate kitchen appliance, The Vita-Mix 5200, loaded with BONUS GIFTS in a Mother’s Day special package which includes:

1- The Vita-Mix 5200.
2- The NEW Vita-Mix Farmer’s Market Bag, insulated and great for shopping - a $20 value!
3-The  Vita-Mix signature Apron-a $25 value
4- Two Free tickets to a cooking class at our Cleveland headquarters with Vita-Mix ‘s  Recipe Developer, Chef Nancy- a $100 value
5- PLUS 2 Vita-Mix ebooks filled with recipes and tips
6- A 1-Year subscription, (10 issues) to the Martha Stewart publication, “Body + Soul*,” a $9.95 value. (*Click here for magazine offer and refund details.)

Of course, you get free-standard shipping, all the Vita-Mix cookbooks and the cooking DVD - all valued at $116, too.   Do it NOW click on this link.

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Newsflash: Special Vita-Mix Offering with Martha Stewart

As her story goes, she was working in the Peace Corp overseas.  Six months before she was due to finish the tour, she decided she wanted to go back to school for a graduate degree, specifically New York University (NYU).  She didn’t know how she was going to pay for it nor did she know where she was going to live.

One day, she found an article in an African magazine that was written by the Dean of this school.   She felt the urge to write him a letter and tell him of her intentions.  He wrote back and encouraged her to apply.

Sometime after that, she was in New York City for a tour of the school.  At one point, she was in the Dean’s office, talking with the very same person who previously corresponded with her.   In less than an hour, he signed some forms giving her a scholarship for the first year, using funds from a discretionary account!

She meandered down the hall, most likely in a daze, and found herself at the Creative Arts Team, a non-profit supported by NYU.   She ended up landing a part-time job with them - we all know what that means.  Most schools offer free tuition to full and part time employees!

Wait, there’s more.

Before the day was over, she was at the Housing Division where she was offered free room and board in a private home in exchange for a few hours of babysitting on the weekends!

Let’s see here…….What just happened?

She made a decision to go back to school, not knowing how she’d pay for it or where she’d live.  Then in the course of one day while touring NYU:

• her first year’s tuition was fully paid for
• she got a part-time job which meant she’d continue to get free tuition
• she was offered free room and board in a private home in exchange for babysitting on the weekends

As she tells it, she now has a masters degree from NYU and did not have to pay one penny - OMG!!!!

Her comment set off an explosion of renewed desire to not give up my pursuit of higher education.   It also inspired me to write a new article here, the first I’ve written in over a month.   She reminded me that when spirit places a strong desire in your heart, it doesn’t matter what’s happening in the world, the economy or whatever that’s going on.

Now, it’s my turn - I owe you an update.

Please get yourself a cup of coffee, a glass of wine or whatever it is you like to drink because it’s going to be one very looooooong update.

Last month, I informed this community of my desire to return to higher education and asked for help.  At that time, I had my eyes set at the University of Santa Monica (USM), a school that was offering master’s and doctoral degrees in spiritual psychology, a subject I immediately felt was right for me.  I was also looking at the Maharishi School of Management in Iowa.   Both felt right to me.

There were several challenges with USM.  First of all, the school was not accredited on the national level, which meant I could not apply for federal grants, scholarships and/or loans.  They offered classes once a month, on the weekends - unless I moved there (unlikely), I would have to commute from one end of the country to the other like the majority of students who fly in from around the world every month.

Needless to say, I had no idea how I was going to pay for lodging, meals, books, tuition, airfare, etc.  That could easily run into the thousands every single month!

Gosh!  The enormity of the situation!

But since the desire to return to school was so strong, I knew God must have put it in my heart.    I proceeded to put it out there via this blog.  I asked the community for financial assistance and set up a Paypal button and then waited.

Interestingly enough, despite the strong nudge from within, the results were not what I expected.   I thought to myself, “Okay, maybe this isn’t what the universe had in mind for me.”    Perhaps I was barking up the wrong tree here.   I took a deep breath, said some prayers and made a personal vow to keep an open mind.   I had a feeling the universe had something up its sleeve so I waited for the next sign.

A short time later, I received an email that would set in motion a flurry of incredible events that I could never have foreseen but interestingly enough, it would turn out not to end up the way I thought it would.  Hang on…..there’s more coming.

The email was an innocent note from a family member with a long list of questions about why I picked USM for graduate school.    Were they accredited?  Why commute every single month - aren’t there other schools offering the same program?    Etc. Etc. Etc.

Las Vegas Keynote Speech

At that time, I was preparing for a speaking engagement in Las Vegas and told him I’d respond when I got back.   One morning after returning from the trip, I felt this overwhelming urge to respond to his email.  My fingers were absolutely flying on that keyboard - it was like the Hoover Dam was bursting with ideas!

As i was typing away, it occurred to me that I should mention I was looking for a live-in situation similar to the one I once had when I lived with a woman during the summer of 2005.  She had a bad back and was looking for someone to help her around the house in exchange for free room and board.  Since I had never done that before, I took her up on it and for the most part, it worked out rather well.  I ended up saving quite a bit of money that summer too.    I indicated that if I were to find something similiar, I’d be able to attend USM.

The following morning, I received an urgent phone call from this family member who proceeded to tell me that not only was he and his wife looking for live-in help but she had serendipitously mentioned over dinner one night:  “It’s too bad none of our family members are available to help.”

I  was floored - I had NO idea!

What’s even more tantalizing is that six months prior (October 2008), I had told my landlord that I wanted to renew the lease for only six months instead of the customary twelve.  I had a feeling I would be moving come April 2009 but didn’t know why.   Fortunately I listened to my intuition and convinced them to give me a six month lease.

In summary, take a look at this wondrous string of events that I could never have predicted:

• signed a six month lease set to expire April 2009, not knowing why
• strong commitment to return to school hit me around the first of this year (2009)
• via online research, I found USM, Maharishi University and other schools that appealed to me
• told family and friends what I was hoping to do
• received an email from a family  member asking why I wanted to attend USM
• received burning desire to respond to his email after returning from a trip
• discovered that this particular family member was in the process of interviewing live-in applicants - exactly what I was looking for!

Oh my God, what was happening?

We immediately began negotiating on how this live-in arrangement would work.  Every major obstacle/concern that came up during the almost-daily conversations was easily and effortlessly resolved.

As you can see in the picture to the left, they have a huge house so plenty of work to do around there.  I’d live in the 5th bedroom in the finished basement.

So far, so good.

The closer we got to the end of March, the more confident I felt at the way things were going.    In fact, the negotiations were going so well that I felt strong enough to put down a deposit for the Fall class at USM.   I figured since things were progressing smoothly, it was a message from the universe that I should stop looking at other schools and notify the apartment manager of my intentions to move out at the end of April.

Suddenly out of the blue, the negotiations took a sharp detour, completely throwing me off.   At first I was asked if I could postpone the move to end of May instead of April.    Then a day went by, then another and another.   I was told in a brief email to “hang in there.”   I knew he and his spouse were working out the details of the arrangement.

A whole week flew by without hearing from them.   The longer I waited, the more my heart sank.   Somehow I knew what the final verdict would be.

On March 30th, I received word that the deal was off.

I was crestfallen but not surprised.  Why did this happen?  What was the meaning of all this?  How could everything have been working out so smoothly and with seemingly divine timing only to fall apart at the seams?   What was the universe trying to tell me?

I was puzzled.   Befuddled.   Confused.   In a daze.

Then fear, worry and concern began to set in.

• “I just put down a deposit to reserve a seat for the Fall 09 class - should I get it back now?”
• “I’d have to fork over more money to pay the application fee - should I continue to apply and have faith?  Or should I put a stop to all of this?’
• “How am I going to afford the monthly commutes to and from Los Angeles now that this live-in thing fell apart?”

While fear-based thoughts were swirling around in my head, I remembered someone once told me, “When one door closes, another opens.”  I took a deep breath and called USM to cancel my application.

A day or two later, a new door opened.

You guys know from an earlier post last month that while I was looking into USM, I also had my eye on the Maharishi University of Management in Iowa.   Because of the way things were unfolding with respect to USM, I really thought that was where the spirit was guiding me towards.    But I guess not.

Unlike USM, Maharishi is a full-time, fully accredited institution, which means I can apply for federal grants, loans and scholarships.   It’s also a unique place that requires everyone in the school to learn and practice Transcendental Mediation.

About a week after the negotiations fell apart, I applied for and received a travel scholarship from Maharishi to visit their campus during “Visitor’s Weekend’ (end of April).   All of my expenses will be paid for.  They’re even providing me with an interpreter so I don’t miss out on anything!

When one door closes, another opens.

Well, my friends, I have no idea what will happen next.   I have no idea whether I gave up too soon on USM or if canceling my application was the right thing to do.  I have no idea whether Maharishi is the right school for me or not but I’m sure to find out when I explore the campus during Visitor’s Weekend!

All I know is that the universe put in my heart the desire to return to school for a graduate degree and I’m being led on this mysterious path that continues to unfold in the strangest and most unexpected ways.

I am not giving up.

When one door closes, another opens.

Note:  To see Lisa’s beautiful story about her NYU graduate school dreams, go here.

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Miracles Do Happen When Spirit Puts Strong Desire in Your Heart

The reason I’m asking is because shortly after I wrote the article a few days ago about asking for help with regards to my quest for higher education, I received an email from a very good friend who has been my mentor for several years.  Here’s what he said:

I don’t think it is a good idea to be soliciting funds to go to college in your 40’s when it is not a life threatening necessity…….

Now think about that for a moment.  What was your perception of what he wrote?

At first I was taken aback because this is a man I deeply admire and respect.   I was writing from the heart with good intentions and walking the “Ask and You Shall Receive” talk when I wrote the article.  In fact, I felt good about it so I went and published it.

When I first read his response, my immediate reaction was, “He thinks I’m a failure because I shouldn’t be asking for college funds in my 40’s.”   But then when I read the rest of his email (”not life threatening necessity”), I had an “OMG” epiphany.

He was trying to tell me that unlike many people in America, I am not in a life threatening situation where I’m struggling to put food on the table or about to lose my home.

My mentor is no nonsense kind of guy who has been around the block and then some.  The ironic thing was when I put out that article (Update:  Request for Help, An Experiment), I had a funny feeling he might have something to say about it.

But here’s what was going through my mind when I wrote it:

1. “If you worry about what everybody thinks, you’ll never get anything done.  You’ll never brave the potential criticism (whether constructive or negative) by asking for help.   It’ll weigh you down every time.  In fact, it’ll paralyze you.”

2.  “There is nothing inherently wrong with asking for help because if you ask, that’s how others know what you are looking for.  It opens the way for universal possibilities to emerge.  The universe will bring to you what you request on some level because you asked for it.”

3.  And finally, “there’s never a wrong time to ask for help. ”

Despite my heartfelt intentions, I might have been a little off with # 3.   I’m a lot like my favorite spiritual blogger (Slade Roberson) who wrote in a recent article two things I can relate to.   (Note:  The second quote was paraphrased where I took out some words):

I like to push.  I like to make things happen.  I like forward motion, even when it feels reckless, dangerous…..at least it feels alive…….

For me, the greatest challenge…..is finding a reasonable middle ground between everyday reality and the mystical  - - between addressing the panic and pessimism that many people genuinely feel and wearing some crazy happy face mask of Magically Delicious News you can’t relate to.

Like my mom said to me on the phone recently, there are so many people out there who have not only lost their jobs but are collecting unemployment.  Many are worried about the future.  Thousands have been laid off.    The news just came out the other day saying that unemployment is at its highest ever - maybe since the Great Depression.  (Chart:  greatcreation)

Like it or not, that’s what’s happening in America right now.

You see, I no longer watch the news or read the paper because it’s full of negative stuff.   We have so much negative news circulating that it’s detrimental to my health to let it seep into my psyche.  That’s why I cut cable TV and canceled my  newspaper subscription a long time ago.    I made a decision that I was no longer going to allow negative energy to permeate my way of being.   I’d much rather read inspirational books or blogs and watch uplifting movies and documentaries.

This is not to say that I have been out of touch because certainly I get my news online these days but I now recognize that perhaps I was not seeing the big picture at the time of the above mentioned article.

Here’s what I learned today…….next time I want to put myself out like this, I should probably bounce it off a few trusted people, get their input and then make a final decision.    Isn’t that what mentors are for?

It is still my dream to find a way to fund my higher education and I continue to believe that despite the economy, I will go back to college in some way, form or shape.   Through God, nothing is impossible.  Wasn’t it this the attitude that helped me become the world’s first deaf instrument rated pilot back in 2006?  Wasn’t that how I became successful on Wall Street during the 80’s and 90’s plus many other achievements?

If you don’t already have a mentor, then get yourself one.    Find someone who’s been around the block - he or she could very well save you from veering off path.   While it’s great to be fearless and “put yourself out there,” there are things experienced mentors can talk to you about.   While they support your dreams, they also care enough about you to smack you awake from time to time, no matter how much it might hurt your feelings.

In closing, let me thank all of you at Adversity University for your moral support and for sticking with me.   As for my mentor, you know who you are.   Thanks!

I am exceedingly grateful to have a solid community of people like you following me here.   If you’ve been with me for a long time, you know things have changed around here.  what initially drew you to me here (my inspirational stories) have changed to weekly gratitude posts, interviews and occasional experiments like the raw food diet experiment.   Despite the changes, while not everybody leaves comments, I know you’re here with me in spirit and I truly appreciate and acknowledge that.  I think you understand I’m in transition like one long time subscriber said to me in an email.

Perhaps you are confused about where I am going or what I want.  That’s okay.  Just know that I will continue to explore my inner divinity and share with you what I can going forward.  I still care about making a difference and that includes going back to school, speaking and writing.   Like millions of people, I am experiencing a transition, still trying to learn more about my divine purpose.   And so I’m saying, “Thanks for hanging with me.”

In fact, I love you!  Yes, I do.  There I said it.  Was I off the mark with that too? 

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Learning Life Lessons Through Mentor(s)

This was strange because I became aware of this problem late yesterday afternoon and fixed it long before the emails went out to you and everybody else on the email subscriber list.

However, for some reason the correction didn’t take place probably because of a stupid option Wordpress has with automatically saving my posts every five seconds, causing weird problems like this situation.  Fortunately,  I’ve since found a plug-in to disable the autosave feature.

Anyway, what I did was to test the Paypal button inside my email and because it didn’t work for me, I assume it didn’t work for you either - that is, if you attempted to click on it.   Like what happened with me, you would have been taken to PayPal’s home page, not the “Help Stephen Go Back to School” donation page.   ARRRRR.

The PayPal button has been double checked and corrected.  You should now be able to click on the Paypal button inside your email (see below) and donate if you’re inspired to.   Or you can simply go to the blog (click on the title of this article) and scroll down the page until you see the PayPal button.  Okie dokie?

Whether you click on thje button in your email or on the blog page itself, you should a see a page that looks like this:

Once again, here’s the PayPal button:

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Correction of PayPal Button from Yesterday’s Post

First before I tell you about my latest and probably most ambitious experience, I just wanted to tell you that I’ve been a bit preoccupied with preparing for a keynote presentation next week in Las Vegas at a major aviation expo.  For the first time in my professional speaking career, I will be using PowerPoint complete with photos and videos.  Thankfully the man who invited me to be the speaker has been helping me with the technical aspects of video editing and incorporating them in my PowerPoint program.  It’s taking a lot of my time and focus these days to get it just right and I’m having fun learning as I go!

Click on brochure to see inside!

I am very grateful for the opportunity to go back to Las Vegas again in less than 12 months (last year I was there as a keynote speaker at the MGM Grand Hotel for the Risk Management and Patient Safety Institute).  I’m staying at the same hotel but the speaking gig is being held at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Go to this link if you’re curious about the aviation expo - it takes you right to the page where I’m featured as the keynote speaker.

I will be sharing my journey in overcoming obstacles on the way to becoming the world’s first deaf instrument rated pilot.  The audience will be primarily made of pilots so they’ll understand whatever jargon I choose to use throughout the 60 minute talk.  I’m pretty stoked about it!

The other thing is my preoccupation with going back to school.  I’ve been feeling a strong inner calling to expand my knowledge in the study of consciousness, a subject of which has fascinated me for years.

Ever since I began my raw food journey in September of last year, I’ve been experiencing incredible internal shifts, literally becoming a completely different person in a matter of months.  I’ve taken on new interests, thinking more outside the box and substantially increased my level of spiritual awareness.   More then ever, I want make the world a better place to be - not that I didn’t want to before, but I’ve gone deeper into the meaning and purpose of my life in ways I haven’t done before.   That, in turn, has caused my way of being to change.

In other words, I’m not going back to school to get an MBA or receive a traditional degree like everybody expects.  What I want to do is get a Masters in spiritual psychology at the University of Santa Monica.

Why am I wanting to go back to school so badly?

Well, for one thing, I love the academic environment.  I really miss it.  I remember doing rather well in college during the 80’s.  I enjoy the challenge of taking on new subjects and learning about something that truly inspires my heart.  I don’t mind the discipline of studying, writing papers and taking written exams.  There’s nothing like the thrill of getting good grades and interacting with other students and professors on campus.

So it’s time for me to go back to school and I need your help.

My objective is to prove that regardless of the current economic situation, if you’re determined to achieve a goal despite the appearance of financial, logistical or other obstacles, there is never a better of a time to ask for assistance than right now.

When we are inspired to take action from the spirit, there is no need to “wait for the right time.”   As soon as I thought of the idea of writing a blog post about it, I went right to work.  My ego kept trying to tell me, “The economy is in bad shape, everyone is pinching pennies.  Wait until it recovers.”   From my perspective, that’s not abundant thinking.

Abundance is everywhere, regardless of the economic situation.  With God nothing is impossible.  He will provide the right people to appear on the way to our dreams.  Interestingly enough, God is my source, not people.

You’re probably thinking, “Whoa, hold it right there!  Well, Stephen, if God is your source, then why are you asking us for help?”

Good question, good question.

Let me challenge you to think outside the box for a moment.   God has always been your source.  Not your boss, not your paycheck, not your friends.  What happens is God uses people, places, things and circumstances to help those of us who are asking for it.  In other words, if you are inspired to help and you take action to do something, then that’s God working through you.  He’s inspired you.

God will put the desire in your heart if you are meant to contribute in some way.   Since we’re all given free will, obviously we make the final choice on what action we take but if we are listening and we take inspired action, that’s God using us to heed his call.  Does that make sense?

The University of Santa Monica is offering a 2 and 3 year Masters program in spiritual psychology.  Classes are taught one weekend a month for 9 months with a full week over the summer.  That means either I have to move there or commute from Ohio.

The biggest gravitational pull to this school is the fact that they provide interpreters for deaf students.  Without an interpreter in the classroom, I’d be lost.

Here’s where I need help from you (”Ask and You Shall Receive”)

1. If I decide to move to Santa Monica, I will need a place to stay - I’m looking for a potential roommate who is health conscious (into raw foods or something along those lines), a non smoker and a spiritual seeker.  Do you know anyone who has a room to rent in Santa Monica?
2. Are you aware of any government programs that offer financial assistance to students who want to go back to school for a Masters (or PhD)?
3. Are you aware of any scholarships or grants that I could look into?  Supposedly there are billions of dollars worth of scholarships just waiting to be taken.  In the past, I’ve found scholarships on FastWeb to be limited to those who are much younger than me in an undergraduate program.
4. I am estimating the cost to be about $25,000 for the first year.   I am required to send a deposit of $600 for the first semester (October).  Are you inspired to contribute?   Every little bit helps.  A PayPal button has been provided below for your convenience.  This is bold, I know but that’s okay!

When I come back from Las Vegas, I am setting up a dedicated “Help Stephen Return to School” page on this blog.  The moment I start receiving contributions for the purpose of attending this school, I will create something on the sidebar with an update of how much I’ve received so far.

If there’s anything I’ve learned from becoming the world’s first deaf instrument rated pilot, an award-winning Wall Street stockbroker and making scary decisions like quitting a six-figure career to become a motivational speaker and moving to three different states, it’s defying conventional ways of thinking, taking leaps of faith and asking for help.

I could not have accomplish any of the things I’ve done without other people coming into my life with the right resources at the right time.   We can’t do it alone.

That’s why I am sticking my neck out and asking you for help.

Update:  See Learning Life Lessons Through Mentor(s)

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Update: Request for Help, An Experiment