Path Rhino

Using Statigram to track your Instagram Stats

2014-03-27T14:28:00.002-04:00

STATISTICS is the 2nd Main section of Statigram after VIEWER. If you have never clicked on the statistics tab while being logged in before you have to do so and then wait until your stats are generated.

STATISTICS / OVERVIEW contains 3 boxes, the first box is the summary snapshot which gives you all of the totals for # of pics, likes, comments, followings/followers, and there is a small line graph showing the fluctutations of your followings. The box beneath this gives your follow ins and outs over the last 7 days. The bottom box is your scores broken down by love, talk, and spread. Love is tied in to likes, and talk is tied in to comments. The rate is a percentage gauging your follower engagement, while the spread rate measures beyond your followers. There are 2 numbers listed, one for your last photo, and one for your last 15 photos.

The STATISTICS / ROLLING MONTH DETAILS page is also made up of boxes only this time they are set up in 2 columns. The Content Box compares how many pics you uploaded compared to last month. You will also find your most used filter, and most used tag listed here. On the right side is the Popular section. The Engagement Box on the left is for your likes, and the right Engagement Box is for your comments. Below both of these are Thumbnails of your recent most popular pictures. On this screen is also listed your follower growth comparisons as a whole in addition to your gain and losses for each day that you refresh your statigram statistics. To the right is the list of your most engaged followers and your follow to follow status in relation to them.

STATISTICS / CONTENT shows you how much you've posted in two breakdowns, first as a line graph representing the life of your account, and yearly bar graph showing the distributions either monthly or weekly. Density is the breakdown by day of the week and also a separate breakout for time of day. Your filter usage is listed next (on the left), along with tags and geo location data (on the right).

Stay tuned for PART 2 on Statigram STATISTICS.

Statigram Unlocks Your Instagram

2014-03-27T11:46:00.001-04:00

Statigram is useful as an Instagram webtool because of all the rich data it provides you about your account. This allows you to make decisions about what you post and how you interact with others.

The easiest way to sign up for Statigram is via your Instagram login. The first main area of Statigram is the VIEWER section of the header bar. Which begins with your IG FEED. You can also organize the people you follow into groups to filter by your favorites or topic. This allows you to keep an eye on certain accounts without having to unfollow anyone. This is helpful in eliminating a cluttered timeline. This is much like the list function on twitter.

Statigram allows you to view content in 3 forms, grid, list, & detail. Grid gives you a quick overview of the pictures in your stream (or group stream). Liking pictures goes much quicker on Statigram than the normal way on IG. Use the list view to drill in for more data, enlarges the pic, shows comments, who like the picture, hashtags, etc. The detail view is a slideshow.

Continuing along the secondary line to VIEWER / MY MEDIA you get to your pictures. Here you have the option of sorting your photos into folders if you wish, there is also the same 3 viewing options as before grid/list/detail with the addition of sorting your photos into most commented or most liked. The sort by most likes is especially useful because in just one click you can review your most popular pics in descending order.

Then comes VIEWER / MY LIKES which is self-explanatory, it is all the pictures you have liked, and once again in the 3 viewing options. VIEWER rounds out with my followings, my followers, and popular. We'll talk more about followers in the STATISTICS / COMMUNITY section coming up. POPULAR is what is most popular across all of IG.

An Uphill Battle

2014-02-19T22:32:00.000-05:00

Continuing on from where we began yesterday with our exploration of my journals starting with an entry from 3/21/2007 in the second part of the opening sentence where I refer to an uphill battle.

In order to create something truly meaningful it takes time and concerted effort. This theme comes up often. I also talk about a process I call Personal Archeology which I used to uncover part of my past. Journal Mining is a form of Personal Archeology. Here are some quotes from the entry that speak to this topic:

So often it takes time. This is why it sucks. The mission. What did ya find? Personal Mythology?

It takes time before you see the possibility of a true rhythm.

Do you have the patience to benefit from the experience of life?

The next logical topic to follow our discussion on Beginnings is to turn to the idea of process, or basically creating systems for the things that you will have to repeat. Basically anything that you will do more than once gets its own process.

What Does PSK Mean In Schooly D's Song?

2014-02-19T21:42:00.000-05:00

Schooly D is known as one of the first people to make rap music that could be classified as gangsta rap. Another name that comes to mind is the name of Just-Ice who also fits the early gangsta bill. The song PSK, What Does That Mean? is an out and out hip hop classic and should be known anyone that claims to love the music.

So PSK stands for The Parkside Killers which was a real outfit that ran in Philly based out of a neighborhood of the same name. Just think of the landscape of rap music if Schooly D didn't help set off the genre that groups like NWA took the baton and ran with.

Journal Dipping: The Beginning

2014-02-18T20:37:00.002-05:00

Sometimes that is what it feels like inside our heads

I put all of my journals into chronological order to begin to reviewing them for insights and clues from my past. The journals I've collected span from 2003 to the present. I randomly started in the middle of the pile with an entry from 3/21/2007 which starts with:

Beginning begins again, my friend the uphill battle.

And so begins our journey to crack the nut of what I was talking about 7 years ago. Also in 2007 I uploaded a youtube video where I talk specifically about beginnings and start with lyrics from the KRSONE's legendary song "My Philosophy"

So, you're a philosopher?
Yes, I think very deeply
In about four seconds, a teacher will begin to speak
Let us begin, what, where, why, or when
Will all be explained like instructions to a game
See I'm not insane, in fact I'm kind of rational

In 2006 which is the first year of this blog I began an entry called Bloglife with this to say about Beginnings:

The best way to begin is to begin badly, to fall straight down the pipe, and into the crapper. This is the way to ultimately succeed. First you must fail, so throw yourself headlong in front of the world with no shame. Dance on fire under the light. Enjoy the brightness, burn baby burn. I like the nightlife, give me some spice.

I could dance in quiet corners by myself buying nothing, peace nor admitting too many distractions. Nobody listens to the memoirs of a tormented sore loser.

Who wants to hear form crappy emotionalism.

Another life rolled out on a stretcher.

Who gives a damn?

And in closing I leave you with the words of the Buddhist teacher Pema Chodron who reminds us that "each moment is an opportunity to make a fresh start." (from Places That Scare Us)

I feel so alone without you

2013-05-22T14:56:00.000-04:00

Drifting like shattered lonely fragments
Hearts turn to icy steel barbwire
The razor that cuts apart sanity and wrists
The desperation that drive cars off cliffs
And lovers into deadly conflicts

With depths left barren in your absence
Tossed dangling from a trapeze draped over a skyscraper

I can still hear your sobs reverberating
I can still hear my angry words bouncing off the walls

As love turns to anger my core feels snapped
and hollow as I let you go
and wish you well

Written 6/6/04
Revised 5/22/13

Awareness: Navigating Systemic Failures in Corporate America

2013-01-17T15:37:00.000-05:00

In an ordinary workday we are responsible for many tasks throughout the day. If we become stymied by issues, and procedural inconsistencies it can become extremely frustrating. It is a terrible feeling when our follow-ups fall into black holes and we begin to worry that the lack of movement on these items will eventually be blamed on us for not being resolved.

Another obstacle I've encountered is a shoddy manager who continually monkey-wrenched the works of every item she touched. After confronting her and other manager’s within the company about the issues I realized nobody was ready to make the changes needed to get things on track. My emotions ran high and soon I got labeled a hothead. This is when I changed my approach to avoid getting thrown out of the company.

I stopped bringing issues to the fore as in the past and instead began logging down what was taking place. This allowed me to feel covered from being blindsided as my boss's inability to fix the systemic failures spiraled out of control. In the process my new passive approach enabled me to develop the perception in of a model employee, thus shedding the hothead label. I developed piece of mind that I lacked when constantly raising concerns and following the so-called right practices set forth by the chain of command. In essence I had come up with a personal strategy to prevent being swallowed up by the machinery that stopped functioning properly.

Then as the volume of my job continued churning along, I ignored the piles of papers and began concentrating on doing everything I touched accurately and with awareness, also keeping a log of the daily events. Previously, I noticed a lot of work making us so busy which at its core was not too much volume but that sloppy handling created the need for two to three passes to get something done.

I crystallized my approach into the idea that with awareness, doing my daily tasks accurately, and not stressing over the quantity my frustration would dissolve. Eventually the company caught up to the nightmares caused by the inept manager and she got her pink slip. Interestingly enough many of the problems remained only this time with a different person steering the ship.

Flash forward to my present situation where my workload is much less, and the issues are not as blaring. The funny thing is that awareness, and accuracy still is the hallmark of my experience. A few minutes before I began writing this the insight rushed into my mind and I said I have to write this down. Whether busy, and busting through the seams with unresolved issues and piles of work, or suspended in open space with little to do the approach remains the same.

My initial fear once I realized I didn’t have enough work to keep me busy all day long was that somebody would come by desk looking to find out what I did all day. Even when I took the position I was told that the previous occupant of my chair only worked about 50% of the time. Now from my present perspective I’d be surprised if they had enough to do to keep them busy 35% of the time.

I took the awareness approach to heart, and created a manual of the tasks needed to do my job. I ran the numbers as far back as the system would allow me to so I knew how much volume and thus revenue we’ve been spitting out over the last five years. I cleaned up the cabinets and made sure everything was organized. I took all of the redundant papers and chucked them in the recycling bin. When all of my projects were completed I felt good about what I did. Now I sit here and wait for the powers to be to come and acknowledge what is happening with my department.

The point though is not them, it is me. I feel good about the work I’ve done and all of my effort. I know more about this area of the company than probably anyone except my direct report who has been doing her thing for about two decades. I feel indispensable even as I am phased into an inactive role within the matrix. Everyday my confidence builds and I look forward to the day that may never come when they sit me down, and attempt to evaluate me. I am ready. I don’t need to share my knowledge or expertise with anyone else. I know what I have accomplished and that is all that matters.

I’m not in a rat race trying to get ahead. I am in a search for wholeness and prepared to find it wherever it may lurk. As I see myself outgrow some of these structures I take solace in the joy of coming into my own with full awareness and happiness. Nobody externally is my problem or enemy, I am my own friend. I look forward to the next step and envision being able to help companies and people become more efficient, and at the same time more aware. I have come to a place where I am grateful for my world, its opportunities, and possibilities, even when so much of the external situations seem so far away from what I ultimately dreamed of. I realize more than ever that my good attitude is going to take me to some really wonderful places and help other people. I am available to everyone and ready to help but only those people that want to be helped, and take the time out to listen. I am no longer going to shove my ideas down anyone’s throat. I will save my speech for those that listen.

I wrote this back in 2010 and decided to share it as I continue to go back and look at my previous writing

Unpacking the Kybalion

2012-12-27T12:57:00.000-05:00

The Kybalion contains a series of 7 Laws. The First Law is Mentalism which states that "All is Mind." As human beings we perceive our reality through our consciousness. We do not have any other way to relate to the world. Even physical touch is felt through a relationship with our minds. It is from this vantage point that we can see the wisdom of viewing the world as stemming from our minds. No matter how hard we try to escape from our own minds we can't do it. Bruce Rawles describes this union of consciousness in the following manner:

Pure consciousness is at our center, the ineffable quintessence of life at the focus of each being. Mystical traditions inform us that all matter is permeated with consciousness, the one foundational principle that science tries in vain to localize in the context of an assumed finite material reference frame. Our prime awareness, eternal, unchanging in a Universe of change, defies definition.

Rawles goes on to say that the "lab assignment" of this Law is to be kind to ourselves. Ruben Cedeno advises us that "Once an idea has been strongly fixed in the conscious mind, it will be stored in the subconscious mind as a mental image."

Now that we have glimpsed the Power of the Mind let us move to the 2nd Law of the Kybalion which is the Law of Correspondence which states that "As above, so below." By applying this Law we can glimpse realities which would otherwise be kept hidden from us. In the natural progression of the previous Law from understanding that our perceptions form our reality we can now see that they directly correspond to what is outside of ourselves. The Kybalion tells us that we can uncover truths which otherwise would remain unknown to us because of this matching relationship with each other.

If we can learn to ask the right questions then we are immediately led to uncovering the right answers. Are you asking the right questions in your life? And do you believe that by asking these appropriate questions you will be naturally led to the answers? This is the power of your intuition and it can provide powerful guidance in your life.

In a previous post I explored some ideas around the 3rd and4th Laws (Vibration and Polarity) so to follow these concepts further I'd suggest you read that post also.

Infinite Intelligence of Cause and Effect

2012-12-26T11:27:00.000-05:00

Continuing from where we left off on our last post attempting to begin the task of answering the question, "What is NewThought?", via online sources I return to the New Thought wiki as a jumping off point. The 3rd major term that we come across after New Thought, and Higher Thought is Infinite Intelligence. This is presented as another wordfor God.

According to Achieve Your Creative Potential (AYCP), Infinite Intelligence is "all the energy that exists in the universe being a single entity and that entity being in total communication with every aspect of itself." AYCP goes on to say that only by quieting our mind can we access Infinite Intelligence.

At this point let us backtrack for a moment and talk about who Thomas Troward is briefly. The Bio listed on Wikipedia for him is brief so here it is in its entirety:

Troward was a divisional Judge in British-administered India. His avocation was the study of comparative religion. Influences on his thinking, as well as his later writing, included the teachings of Christ, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism.

After his retirement from the judiciary in 1896, Troward set out to apply logic and a judicial weighing of evidence in the study of matters of cause and effect. The philosopher William James characterized Troward’s Edinburgh Lectures on Mental Science as "far and away the ablest statement of philosophy I have met, beautiful in its sustained clearness of thought and style, a really classic statement."

According to Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) archivist Nell Wing, early AA members were strongly encouraged to read Thomas Troward's Edinburgh Lectures on Mental Science. In the opening of the 2006 film The Secret (2006 film), introductory remarks credit Troward's philosophy with inspiring the movie and its production.

Troward was a past president of the International New Thought Alliance.

As we see here Troward studied many of the major religions and focused heavily on the topic of cause and effect. Examiner offers this short message about cause and effect along with 2 Emerson quotes:

Shallow men believe in luck.
Strong men believe in cause and effect."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Cause and effect, means and ends, seed and fruit cannot be severed;
for the effect already blooms in the cause,
the end preexists in the means,
the fruit in the seed."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Remember that you have anything and everything you want. You just need to manifest it.

While thoughts are vital to manifesting desires, there’s another component which is also important - the Law of Cause and Effect, also known as karma.

As we did in the last entry let us review what we have discovered thus far. Infinite Intelligence can be seen as a synonym to God. This Infinite Intelligence is all-encompassing and we need to slow down from the tumult of our daily activities in order to contact and make use of it. If we take on this thinking exercise with our mind we can bring about direct effects which may result in manifesting a reality that we desire.

Are you keeping up with this? I will do one more entry along these lines which I dub a "follow the breadcrumbs" form of writing. From there I will do a separate review post, and then from that vantage make a decision about where I would like to take this blog series beyond that.

What is New Thought?: An Exercise in Googling

2012-12-25T23:29:00.003-05:00

If you type this question into Google not surprisingly the first link that comes up is for the New Thought entry in Wikipedia. Once you click into the page the first thing you learn is that it is also referred to as Higher Thought. If you then take the term Higher Thought and place that into Google you will come across a page sharing oddball videos and photos of the meme variety. The 2nd link is to Chapter 24 of a Thomas Troward book called "The Hidden Power." He refers to a Kensington Higher Thought Centre and says the idea of Higher Thought is:

That Man controls circumstances, instead of being controlled by them
Whatever teaches us to rely on power borrowed from a source outside ourselves is not Higher Thought
Whatever explains to us the Infinite source of our own inherent power and the consequent limitless nature of that power is Higher Thought.

According to Horatio Dressler who wrote the book, A History of the New Thought Movement, the name Higher Thought is the name originally preferred in England.

The 2nd entry that shows up in Google when you type the question "What is New Thought?", is a link to the New ThoughtAlliance page with the same question. They offer their "elevator answer" as follows:

“New Thought is an ever evolving understanding that all of life happens through us, never to us. It uses the term or word consciousness to further explain the process, often quoting Emmet Fox’s statement, ‘Life is consciousness,’ that leads one to the ever unfolding idea that in order to affect a change in our life, the realm of mind called consciousness must first change.”

According to Emmet Fox "Life is a state of consciousness. That is the beginning and the end."

In a nutshell as we pull out of the gate in an attempt to answer the question of "What is New Thought?" through an exercise in Googling, we find that it can also be referred to as Higher Thought although that term appears to have been hijacked by internetland. We see that Higher Thought at one time stood as a preferred term for at least one organization in England in the early 20th Century. According to Troward we are in control of our circumstances and this is the meaning of Higher Thought. He goes on to explain that our power relates with an infinite source which is limitless. According to the New Thought Alliance this evolving understanding happens through us meaning that we are active participants in this process. Emmet Fox refers to life as consciousness which is a state that acts as both the beginning and the end of the entire ball of wax.

Did you get all that?

Messages from the Spirit World

2012-12-04T12:51:00.000-05:00

5 years ago almost to the day I began to play around with the idea of Channeling and Automatic Writing. I jumped into the experience and allowed the Spirit to take me. My idea being that I could connect to the deepest aspects of myself and not be bound to the earthly mundane feelings of doubt and fear. What you will see in this entry is the fruits of this exercise. Many times when I post writing from a long time ago I will take the time to edit and clean up the verbiage. In this case since it is writing done via a Channel I will not take the liberties of modifying it in any way. Without further ado I present to you the Messages I received directly from the Spirit World:

The beginning is vital, as is your life to the completion of the journey, join forces with others to bring about the transformation already rumbling.

Now the awakening is before us and we are players. So are we going to stand behind fearful men and women who scream and turn us into hateful beings or are we going to get on the love train and leave behind the shackles of imprisonment.

The soothsayers, pundits, gurus, and teachers of old were right and continue to be right, the world we see is not real in the sense we believe it to be as are we not the solid entity we claim ourselves to be, this is known. If not known in the waking fiber of the day to day consciousness at the very least it is known in the consciousness of the human ape.

Mindfulness is your field of power your force field surrounding you with protection, use it always. When you slip gently return, simply, no big show, this is the crisp way of life, the precise way. This is the true operation of ones habits. The longing that arises from time to time becomes more tender as the practitioner softens, melting into experience direct and warm, lost between the space of reality and dream, the liquid.

Bury your consciousness into the it of now and experience it without the veil, the overlay, see life in its natural state. So much energy gets wound into making an experience happen and losing the experience itself. The worked up nature of our speedy hearts causing crashes of ups and turns that crash out of the flow and rhythm of that taking place around us.

Positive is infinitely more powerful and stands over the show of false power, or cowardice, true courage builds through the fruits borne of practice over time.

Finding ourselves means finding out what we are not and continuing to eliminate all of those things until we have what is left being us. This thing that is left will whither away like dust upon our deaths and become one with all again. This is our final step in the journey but for now we must continue our preparations for the next unfolding.

So we meander our lives in our sleep unable to wake up until something jolts us awake, or another possibility is that we are gently coaxed to an alert state, nonetheless no matter how you arrive once you get there what is next. All too often it is the slip, we slip back into the comforts or discomforts of our usual day to day way of handling life by closing in on the visceral real and immediate and instead conjuring the unreal the distracting and the not-real.

In order to pass back into the real state we must begin to acknowledge that what is happening at any given time is important and should be recognized from the primary point of experience. Now is wow. Stand up and take a breathy look at the landscape. Now tell yourself, “This is my world, and with it I can create whatever I want and this will be carried out by remaining in harmony with the universe.”

Enlist the powers of the spirit as well as the power of the living. Coordinate a pantheon of powers behind you as your guide. Allow the fruition of knowledge to blossom from your tongue only to the initiated. Do not embark on foolishness with fools, and know when to open your cards to scrutiny. There are forces that do not understand the true power and thus will use their own confusion to destroy you and waver your resoluteness. This is dangerous times and thus the information culled from the depths of eternal wisdom must be both, propagated and protected, embodied, and recreated in order for the translations of the past to resonate in the present and guide the seekers of the future. There is no reason to rewrite the books of sages but rather to directly contact the wisdom material and embody it in its flowering both in the primary sense of authentic luminous presence and also in the deeds we energize our days with, and also in the wisdom we breathe and in the proof shown through the improvements of the people around us. Never question the method that yields results only question the methods of others.

The vision comes out of a cave and when the light is drawn upon the situation the answers lie and then only then can the one pointedness take center stage. It is in the next phase that decisions become made to show future past. No dramatic, flow ebb and tide but do allow changes to swirl, allow middle time, speaking time, out time, remember the home can be likened to a jail cell. Be out in the flow of tide of people and change. Guard your mind among others you will be surrounded in all directions by people who have not had your training

12. Here this is a long term project in will and will manifest in blossoming powerful ways there is no cap, no limit to the possibility of the unveiling as minds unite the synergy will be deafening so look into the future by seeing the present in its fullness

13. Now play with the goddess of infinite beauty this is the charge of ever youthfulness so be aware of our vitality and your warmth as it emanates appearance is so crucial to the lessons that come from the schools of collected minds and so we begin to create the new fiber of new thought and new chances so we can find yourself in a network of broad and hopeful and swing into the world aware that as distraction comes we can ward it with our vigilance so we are thankful ever for the positive messages that come and know blessing when they come some call it karma all lost in a name is a flock of needy souls so trapped in division so we lose ourselves in a grave of thunder and then we wonder why the fire is in our homes so we need not run into our graves as living beings we must rise out of the ashes of broken lives shattered dreams and gear ourselves up for the fire, children of the future bring our flames to the torch for the bonfire of fiery new ways of thought as the old ways become challenged we cater to the bringing of the tides and watch as the old gets swept up and transformed like you my very child who easily could have fell in the clutches of the evil forces preying in the minds and doorway, alleys, and lifelines of the scary and cults, the fire of the independent mind will keep all of us clothed in knowledge which will never be stripped away we can never go bare even if our minds are ever under attack

14. Bombs are the scariest part of the technological age, ward off the aggression of fighting instinct. No longer is this acceptable, we are not safe around all of these guns, so we need to be peace, and act peace. Love peace, live, after you take peace into your heart and let it rest there all day long, and take it to bed with you at night, then you have given love a true home in your heart. Take advantage of the sights and sounds, the language of life, the dance and the spark, never run away from the magnificence and the trickiness as you go about your day to day, say hello to the flower and the cat in front of the house, see the dog barking behind the gas station, know the smell of oil filling up in front of you, the sparks and jumps of a vibrant landscape skillfully pictures world-building in our hearts again, chipping away at our Lego of destiny stapling our minds, fastened to the future knowing only the present will carry us there. Trust in trust and know what comes belongs as do you, learn from the great invention and let it all go all the time, constantly refresh your palate, restart the engines, give yourself a new chance always

15. March forth into battle with the lesser heathens and devils, hold thy mind ever vigilant against malevolence, travail the path with insight and caution. Along the pitfalls of everyday existence lies choice in the choiceless mirror. Encased in mind is eternal wisdom which when brought forth blossoms into fruit for living beings to nourish their weary spirit. Rising from the confusion of beleaguered minds is a beacon, a light, the eternal light, some have the benefit of recognizing the light and purifying themselves in its glow. The basking of the light of eternal consciousness and expansive wisdom is brighter than any force broadcast over any method. There is no P.R. campaign that can counteract the eternal manifest. So pay heed to its manifest and understand in your soul beyond word and concept this truth, burn this into your brain until the words disappear as you will one day too. Watch as the concepts fall away from you like dead skin. The peeling away of the layers yields forth the mind of eternal wisdom, such glory in the practice and path devoted to blossoming my internal rose, my heart that reaches tentacles of spirit luminosity and knowing, no question, inscrutable and undefeatable due to where we stand above and beyond the fabrications of false hope, false doctrine and impure intention purify thyself so that you may enter the kingdom of heaven on this earth, within your lifetime.

Summary:

The beginning is vital, as is your life to the completion of the journey, join forces with others to bring about the transformation. Bury your consciousness into the It of now and experience it without the veil, or overlay, and see life in its natural state. So much energy gets wound up into making an experience happen and losing the experience itself. Mindfulness is your field of power your force field surrounding you with protection, use it always. When you slip gently return, simply, no big show, this is the crisp way of life, the precise way. Allow changes to swirl, allow middle time, speaking time, out time, and remember the home can be likened to a jail cell. Be out in the flow and tide of people and change. Enlist the powers of the spirit as well as the power of the living. Coordinate a pantheon of powers behind you as your guide. Trust in trust and know what comes belongs as do you, learn from the great invention and let it all go all the time, constantly refresh your palate, restart the engines, and give yourself a new chance always.

(please pardon the formatting issues, the doc had some minor issues which would consume too much time for me to fix considering how small the indenting is off. Chalk it up to belonging there if you would be so kind.)

Gleanings from The Kybalion

2012-12-04T11:48:00.002-05:00

A couple of years ago I came across this text called The Kybalion while looking up info on Summum which some refer to as a Sex Cult. A writer friend of mine mentioned them and it sounded too interesting to not look into further. They are based out of Salt Lake City, Utah and have built a full scale pyramid which apparently all are welcome to visit. They are also very big into mummification.

Anyway, the Kybalion is an important book to Summum and is available in full in the public domain (I am a huge fan of all books about spirituality in the public domain). The book is traced back to William Walker Atkinson who also wrote under the psuedonym Yogi Ramacharaka among many other aliases, and is widely known for his law of attraction book Thought Vibration. The Kybalion is said to be very similar to another book which he wrote called The Arcane Teachings.

Regardless of its origins I found the laws stated in the Kybalion to be easy to understand and instantly applicable even if they all really just appeared to be reworked concepts around the age old Law of Attraction teachings. At that time I set to writing some of my own thoughts on the book and today came across them as I continue to organize and develop a system to house all of my computer files. In the interest of not holding back and in openly sharing the wisdom sitting in my hard drive I decided to post some of them here. With that being said what follows is a a short rundown on 2 of the laws: Vibration and Polarity.

The 3rd Hermetic Law of Vibration tells us that everything is perpetually in motion. Presuming you buy into this fact (which I certainly do and thus feel no need to convince anyone or harp on any detailed explanation of proofs of this truth) then the dual question becomes:

How do we choose to Vibrate?
How do we align ourselves to pick up beneficial Vibrations from the world?

I feel that we are on an ever expansive journey with many things to be revealed along the way. A teacher once advised us to treat the teachings as an "open filing cabinet." Our present understanding will evolve and deepen as we continue to apply ourselves toward learning life's truths. As practitioners we must remain skillful and approach life with a sense of service. There is great danger in falling into the trap of puffed up ego and thinking we are the end-all of the universe.

The 4^thHermetic Law of Polarity talks about how all things contain their opposites. By use of this law when you find yourself caught in an unwelcome situation you can flip the circumstance to its opposite on a dime. This is because they are of the same class, and only differ by their degrees. Once we begin to realize how these poles relate to each other we can transmute them in a way that we are no longer bound to seeing ourselves trapped in one extreme or the other.

The true test comes from trying these things out in daily lives. If we don't take this leap then all we have is a pile of words, and ideas with no bite to them. If you want to be in the vibration of life then you must actively engage in the ideas set forth in the teachings that you encounter. This will enable you to determine which ones work for you, what makes sense, and what doesn't need to be adopted into your personal belief system. Action always trumps belief. Belief can put you on the road, but it is the act of doing that will move your cart along life's highway.

By applying the antidote and moving into an embodied or felt sense we can radically shift the experiences of our daily life. We could practice this both in the fire of the everyday as well as back at the lab with our minds and body through meditative repetition.

Non-Theistic Affirmations

2012-11-28T10:07:00.000-05:00

I really enjoy the writings of Ernest Holmes known primarily for his Science of Mind book. I do struggle with the belief in God as taught by most religions and common interpretations. This caused me to slightly modify some of the affirmations he suggests in his book How To Change Your Life so that I could be feel more in tune with their message.

This brings to mind a discussion I once had with the deacon at the St. Marks Church where he advised that if you have trouble with the word God then find a word that works for you. He suggested love. You can find that conversation embedded in Episode 5 of Norm Scott's Audio Zine Lo-fi Confessional. All you have to do is scroll down and click the bar to listen. One thing you are guaranteed to find out is that I laugh a lot. There are plenty instances on there of me cackling away. That tape is one of my favorites of his very impressive body of archival works. It captures an important moment in time, the protests surrounding the 2004 NYC Republican National Convention, but I digress.

Another important teacher that brought home the power of a minor semantics makeover is Emma Curtis Hopkins. She is commonly referred to as the teacher of teachers for the string of students that went on to become household names within the new thought movement. In her later years she even taught Mr. Holmes himself. As a matter of fact she forced him to recognize something he had been hesitant to embrace his whole life - that he was a mystic. Although she heavily used the word God in her own work, she also likens it to "good" stating that "God is Love" and also "My Good is my God." It is in the service of these concepts that I began to work with the appearance of the word God I keep coming across in New Thought literature as "My Good" and "Love." Perhaps blasphemy to some but a lifeboat to others. There is no reason why we can't work with the power of spirit even if we have a lot of questions. I now present to you the aforementioned affirmations:

Abundance
I identify myself with abundance; I surrender all fear and doubt. I let go of all uncertainty. I know there is no confusion, no lack of confidence. The Presence of All Good is with me. The Mind of All Good is my mind. The Freedom of All Good is my freedom. The power of All Good is my power. The abundance of All Good fills my every good desire right now.

Success
I know exactly what to do in every situation. Every idea necessary to successful living is brought to my attention. The doorway to ever-increasing opportunities for self-expression is open before me. I am continually meeting new and larger experiences. Every day brings some greater good. Every day brings more blessings and greater self-expression. I am prospered in everything I do. There is no deferment, no delay, no obstruction or obstacle to impede the progress of right action.

How to Attract Good Things
I know accepting only good in my life penetrates any unbelief in my mind, casts out fear, removes doubt and clears away obstacles, permitting that which is enduring perfect and true to be realized. I have complete faith and acceptance that all the worthwhile ideas I now affirm will be fulfilled as I have believed. I do everything with a sense of reliance upon the Law of Mind, therefore I know that my word shall not return unto me void. I accept this word and rejoice in it. I expect complete and success fulfillment of the thoughts of increased good which I now establish.

Small Things Become Big Things

2012-10-25T21:11:00.000-04:00

Many times when we set out on projects we can overwhelm ourselves by biting off more than we can chew. We blow ourselves up with frustration before we have a chance to successfully move forward by taking on more than we can handle. That is why starting with small changes makes more sense at first, rather than taking on the big shifts above our horizon. This is exactly what David Allen says, the creator of the productivity system GTD which stands for Getting Things Done. He turned much of the accepted practices of the time management community on its head by focusing on the mundane aspects of our world first as opposed the "pie in the sky" factors in our lives. He proposed that in the other top down systems where people's overarching lifetime goals and big picture concerns became the starting point were actually causing people to encounter things they weren't yet ready to handle. He teaches that we need to "clear the decks" of "the runway" aspects of our lives before we can graduate to the higher levels.

It is this very idea that joyfully helped reinvigorate a writing project of mine that I have been working on for varying degrees over the last 7 years. Similarly to how he tells the story I couldn't get my arms around the breadth of the project because I still hadn't been able to plant my feet firmly on the ground in the present with my day to day concerns. This block is quickly becoming dislodged as I earnestly implement his system. About an hour ago I managed to sit down and type out a rough draft of the introduction for this book with little effort or pain. It amazed me to see the words that seemed so hard to come by flying out of me with ease. I am so excited as I come face to face with the genius of working with my lifetime aspirations in this brilliantly organic and profound manner, and I can't wait to see how it informs the rest of my life.

Creative Mind Success

2012-10-18T15:16:00.000-04:00

The following is a summary of the Ernest Holmes book, Creative Mind and Success. It is a combination of my own words and his. I originally took notes on this book which is in the public domain in August and today felt compelled to craft them into the summary you see here. I know that with the proper application of your thought process you will find this summary of value.

We are all surrounded by an atmosphere of thought. As we conform our lives to a greater understanding of this basic principle we will bring into our experience what we wish, let go of what we don't want to experience, and take in the things we desire. In order to do this we must only speak and think words that we wish to create. We must not think, speak, read, or listen to limitation of any kind. It is also important not to dwell on past mistakes. We are better served learning forgiveness of ourselves and others.

Know that you are a success now and that nothing can hinder you from accomplishing your good. Like weeding a garden it is your charge to eliminate all negative thoughts, false beliefs, and any ideas of limitation. See only what you wish to experience and declare that you are in union with Infinite Mind. You attract what you first become in your mind, and feel to be reality. It is imperative that you hold this one pointedly, and with ease.

Learn to love everyone, and send this thought out to the entire world. Refuse to see the negative side of anyone. Know that everyone wants you to have the best. Continue to affirm this everywhere you go and you will find things just as you wish them. By controlling your thoughts you can have and do what you wish to have and do. The creative flow is for you to use but not to possess.

Thinking sets into motion creative power which from an idea sets the path in motion. Learn to use this for a definite purpose, and speak it forth. Don't just see what you desire, know you "are" what you think. When looking for next steps wait in silence expectantly as the inner power supplies you with good. Know the power of words, they are sacred.

Pray with conviction as if you already possess what you need. Have a received attitude, and once again do this single pointedly clearing your mind of any separation from the Divine Mind. We all are better served applying more backbone and less wishbone to our daily lives.

Imagine yourself surrounded by a mind so receptive that it receives the slightest impression of your thoughts. Feel that every thought is received and acted upon. Center on what you want to become, what you want to accomplish, and then keep it to yourself. Say, "I am that thing" many time a day, and develop a perfect mental picture of it. Do not feel it is ever too late to start. Know that life is consciousness and is not contingent on years.

Every day give to the great Creative Mind exactly what you want to happen by seeing only what you desire, while in the silence of your soul speaking it and then it will be done unto you. Money is an effect so in order to acquire it we must find its cause which is consciousness, thus we must acquire a money consciousness. Do not be fooled into thinking of money as material, it is spiritual. Make our unity with supply by daily that all the power in the universe is bringing to us all we can use. Feel this presence of supply, and know that it is yours now. Realize your omnipotent power, speak it forth, and feel that it responds to you. Whenever you see that someone has more than you, at once affirm that you have as much as them. Whenever you see anything big say, "That means me." In this way you learn to unify with the law.

All activity comes from the mind, and doesn't mean that it comes with struggle. We must learn to comply with the Law of Activity. Use this law in our business by constantly remaining in motion. Action is life so stay alert and apply mental awareness which precedes physical activity. Think while you work, move with confidence, and a sense of Supreme Guidance to make you work more intelligently. Stay out of ruts, remain fresh. Be interested in life if you want life to be interested in you. Act in life and life will act through you.

In order to receive from the infinite, first quiet your mind within yourself and without any confusion from outward appearance. Do not be disturbed by effects. Realize the presence of Absolute Intelligence surrounding you as a mind that knows. Second get a clear picture of what you desire, and put your mind in touch with the Universal Mind saying precisely what you are waiting for. Ask for it, believe you are receiving it, and wait for it to arrive. After a few minutes declare that you now know even if it may seem that you don't. Give thanks for receiving this knowing. Do this every day until you find the direction you are seeking. A good time to do this practice is right before you go to sleep so that your subconscious has an opportunity to work on your declaration. When the direction arrives act on it with conviction, and prefect assurance.

Proceed with self-reliance by listening to your own voice and holding to your principal witness. We can't demonstrate life beyond our mental ability to embody our thoughts. We must create the mental equivalent inside us before we can hope to create it in the outside world. Destroy old thoughts with new thoughts. Know that limited thinking has no place in your mind. Sit and realize you are the center of Divine Attraction, and that all good things are coming to you. Feel your power within going out as you draw back in all that you need. Stick with this process even if you don't see immediate results.

Ask yourself, "Do I really want this thing I ask for?", "Am I willing to take for myself what I ask of other people?" When an undesired thing happens drop it, forgive ourselves, and start fresh, never to think about it again. Realize everyone is your friend by exercising absolute forgiveness and eliminating any sense of limitation. See only good never evil.

Every victory strengthens you. You will no longer have to say, "I hope" or "I believe" but will utter, "I know." Follow these instructions with absolute belief. Work on these things alone unless you are completely certain that those you are working with are in harmony with us. In order to attract larger things we must think larger thoughts. This is why we must work every day to expand our thoughts. Get a hold of the biggest thing and claim it as your own.

Always be gathering more, expecting more, and never allowing for small thoughts. Keep the main thing in your mind, and destroy all thoughts you don't wish to experience. Know "I AM," and that "All is Well." Never again say, "I fear" but instead say, "I trust"

In order to achieve prosperity hold or think of your product or service and declare into the only mind that they will accomplish that for which they are sent out. Know that every word written on them is truth, and that they carry their own conviction. See your products reaching their location with gladness, and interest. Declare this as NOW, and feel it to be true. Mentally assert that they will reach their destination safely and benefit the receiver. When the word is spoken always feel that the mind at once takes it up and never fails to act upon it.

Guard you mind by knowing that no negativity or thoughts of limitation can enter. Clothe yourself in the great realization that all power is yours. Fill the atmosphere of your homes and businesses with streams of positive thought. As you do this you will invite others in and continually draw in only the best.

When surrounded by inactivity, mentally see and declare that you are in the midst of activity. Feel this to be true, and mentally see the pace as being busy. Declare and see that your word perpetually draws in fullness. Stop all striving and struggle within your soul by knowing the truth and absolutely trusting.

To bring people into your life unite with the principle of life, not people. This is called working from the center. Realize life is your friend, and feel the Divine Companionship. Always be cheerful and do not allow your feelings to be hurt. Humanity is what they think they are. Big thoughts yield big things. Through thinking believe in truth, and what you wish to have returned to you. Eliminate negative thoughts and hold only to positive thoughts. Give thanks to the spirit of life, never argue with yourself or others, and through demonstration you shall know.

Flickering Thoughts

2012-10-17T11:32:00.000-04:00

Flickers of thought cascade across our minds like fireflies in a jar. Our mental content is constantly changing and evolving. Thoughts rise and fall like the breath in our lungs, belly, nose and mouth. As we step back and take time to clearly see the process that is taking place much is revealed. Examine these potent flickers, integrate them into our lives, and share them with the world.

Communication is vital, first with our self, and then extending further outward. By connecting directly with our mental content and then communicating our findings to others we transform. It is vital to keep in mind that we are all powerful operators in today’s information age.

NYC Dance Parade

2012-09-21T15:08:00.000-04:00

Here are a few videos I shot in 2010 during a surprise date with my wife, Enjoy, and keep dancing you life away.

Many more from this day still to come, so check back!

Condensed History of Graffiti and Street Art

2012-09-20T23:12:00.000-04:00

Angelo Madrigale did an excellent overview of Graffiti and Street Art history within the span of an hour, and here are some of the video snippets from last nights jam packed event.

The journey begins with an overview of an art form that is uniquely American similar to Jazz.

Angelo weaves us through the early Graffiti landscape via highlights with Corn Bread, Tracy 168, Dondi, Rammellzzee, Chaz and also noting the impact of the book Subway Art.

More videos to come, and if you are didn't see the first in this series yet then click here for part one

Street Art Panel at Doyle New York

2012-09-20T21:44:00.000-04:00

Last night I had the good fortune to sit on a panel to discuss Street Art and its evolution from the streets into the galleries, and now most recently into the auction houses. The panel consisted of Buff Monster, COST, Hrag Vartanian, and myself with Angelo Madrigale of Doyle New York hosting the event and laying down a skillfully condensed history of graffiti and street art throughout the panel. The place was packed and the mood upbeat. Kathleen Doyle got the proceedings rolling with the following story involving former Mayor Ed Koch, wolves, and the MTA.

Graffiti Godfather speaks about his personal experiences bombing the streets of New York.

Bronx Graffiti Pioneer explains Wild Style

Stay tuned for more videos of the event in the next few days

The Shadow: Unlocking Our Hidden Self

2012-09-05T16:42:00.000-04:00

Lurking beneath our day to day waking self is The Shadow. Jung referred to this as the unconscious elements of the mind. My personal teacher Father Max always disliked the term unconscious because he felt that the mind could not be unconscious, he preferred the new thought term of subjective to refer to the subconscious mind. Without getting too bound in semantics lets suffice it to say it is the elements of our psyche which lies hidden beneath the surface. It is important to note that Jung found that the shadow contains both negative and positive aspects hidden within it.

For years people have been developing a lot of techniques to uncover the shadow. Jung taught that by assimilating the unconscious shadow into the conscious self brings a wider breadth to that consciousness. The process is continuous and when worked with throughout a lifetime progresses with greater and greater integration taking place between the waking consciousness and shadow self.

Jung talked about two types of shadows, there is the individual shadow of things we repressed and can’t accept; and then there is the collective unconscious which is a universal, thus non-individuated aspect of the shadow.

Connie Zweig in a 1998 interview with Scott London advised that Jung instructed to work with the Shadow by “holding the tension of the opposites as a basis for working with the shadow.” This conjures up the talk of Robert Anton Wilson with his constant reference to Reality Tunnels and all of the mindbending exercises he deploys to get his readers out of their fixed reality tunnels and begin to see the wider, more expansive way of relating to the world, and other people. Non-dualism is a way of seeing that in my view can assist in this process of awakening to a world that includes our disowned self.

This brings us to the work of Ken Wilber who has formulated a method of uncovering the Shadow by splitting our relation to an object, which can be a person, emotion, place, or situation, into 3 aspects. The first area is to view the object as something you view from afar. You begin to describe the object in terms of what it is on its own. The 2^nd phase is to begin directly relating to the object by beginning a dialogue, and asking question, then allowing the object to answer back. The third aspect is to become the actual thing. You embody what it is speaking from the point of view of the object. Lastly after the 3 aspects have been encountered there is an additional stage where the practitioner accepts all 3 aspects of the object, facing it, talking to it, and finally becoming it, and lastly accepting all 3 aspects.

Wilber teaches that by re-identifying with our splits we can then redirect our energy to work on our move towards wholeness and optimizing our abilities because we are no longer using so much of energy protecting ourselves from the parts of ourselves that we up until then have been unable to accept.

I personally have been working with this process in the form of a 21 minute writing exercise where all three aspects are handled separately for one full page in 7 minutes. I have been using this technique primarily by identifying with famous teachers that I have a great deal of respect for such as Chogyam Trungpa, Napoleon Hill and Ernest Holmes. In my experience it is amazing to watch these historical teachers come alive and begin to speak to me directly. I am getting so much from this direct dialogue I can’t even begin to tell you, and coupled with my free written daily morning pages I feel so strongly that these practices are doing much to enrich my life and integrate my whole person. All this work has even propelled me to wish to start sharing what I have learned in the form of these blog posts.

Let me know what you think about these concepts, your own personal experiences in working with your shadow, and how you feel about the manner in which I am presenting this material?

Thanks,

David

Writing and Music

2012-05-24T18:29:00.000-04:00

Sweet Toof Williamsburg Brooklyn NYC Street Art

Music often has a fractal structure like writing and nature. Rudy Rucker compares a novel to a score composed by an orchestra of characters. I think of a looper laying down all his tracks before he begins his song. Rucker also mentions the soloist whether it is the sax or the guitar. I think of the freestyle emcee. In a rock and roll badass kind of way Rucker speaks of the power chords as god chords, and advises us of the themes of his beloved sic fi genre. The writer builds up the concepts, juggling the action, pressing it forward, the ideas moving. The musician uses time, rhythm, repetition, patterns, and alternation. The musician becomes a radio antenna accepting the energy as fuel to help create their song.

Fractals start small and keep building in complexity infinitely. New ideas keep breaking off and expanding, all the while echoing back to the source of it's original trajectory. They say the eyes are the window of the soul, so then the doors of the mind hold hidden worlds, and the world is likened to a building. On the roof we see the infinite realm of possibility and in the basement we respect the underbelly. All the while we are advised to remember the hierarchy, the outside, the inside, and the secret.

Sweet Toof & Mighty Mo from Burning Candy Crew Greenpoint

Fear, Writing, and Presence

2012-05-22T20:20:00.000-04:00

When things are on track we churn through life smoothly not even thinking about circumstances too closely. Not until the rug gets pulled out from under us do we find ourselves face to face with fear. This is when the pedal hits the metal and we need to start looking at our lives more closely. We can either deal with fear or run away into distractions, bad habits, mindless TV shows, you name it. We can see the trap and instead work directly with the situation, puncturing holes in the veil of confusion with the sword of insight. We must stay focused, keeping our grip on the big picture, our goals and aspirations.

Thich Nhat Hanh tells a story where a man came to interview him about all of his good works. Nhat Hanh advised him not to waste his effort writing a book about him, and instead to write a book about himself, and how he is learning to work with his own mind. This is the invitation for all of us to tell our personal journey firsthand.

Some more thoughts:

Sensory Overload versus Media Deprivation
Finding your spot in the world, taking your place.
Keep Sight of your Definite Chief Aim
Nature is made of fractals
Starting with a Framework and Building Outward from there.
Become a community manager

Building up your Archive

2012-05-22T12:26:00.001-04:00

Here are ways and reasons to build up your blog archive:

Keep having public internet opinions
Tag all your photos and posts for SEO nuggets
Freewrite onto a notes document on your hard drive or in the cloud
Be consistent
Develop your unique voice
Have an objective
Ask yourself lots of questions, especially the ones you have determined are the right ones
Trust your intuition to open up new doors and alert you to new horizons
Gotta have Faith
Trust the power of the Word
Understand the strength of denials and affirmations
Name your Good
Get clear by unplugging from TV wherever possible
Look for new ways to improve
Use bulletpoints and lists to organize your thoughts
Share what you find with others
Approach all of your writing, even fiction with a realist attitude.
Don't buy into critics, but that doesn't mean not read them when you are looking for other points of view
Obey the all powerful Reality Tunnels
Keep practicing every day
Stay productive, and know when to step off the Hamster Wheel
Smile as much as possible

Creative Marriage Never Ends

2012-05-22T12:15:00.001-04:00

I woke up this morning relaxed and aware of the churnings of my mind, and I decided to visit an earlier entry I wrote about getting married a couple of years ago. The piece is called Creative Marriage. I begin by talking about letting my thoughts that build up in my head flow first in the example of a hodge podge rap piece, and second in the release of thoughts in the blog entry.

I move on to the fact that I have been married 2 years now, and quite a lot has shifted. Both my wife and I lost our jobs within a few months of each other. Now as we figure out our next steps our relationship recognizes the shift. We enjoy the time together but not working causes a strain on things naturally. We are bounded by our commitments to each other and we can take comfort that we are here working side by side, this is a true blessing.

We said we wanted to break away from the corporate life but didn't know we would be ejected more by their rules than with us writing our own tickets, and those bruises hurt as they drift into scars. Moving on in life teaches some powerful lessons and I think we are still learning a lot about those things, just look at the Tea Party, and OWS, and all the other indicators of the angry voices as the Bankers get the bailout.

We got married and are now trying to find our individual voices in this crazy confusing world. I look to see the world of Street Artchiving to be my next step. I love taking pictures of Graffiti and Street Art starting in my local neighborhood, and then expanding from there. I love the idea of working for myself and becoming an entrepreneur, this is my path, writing, and learning the ropes out here on my own generating income and surviving with the sharks without becoming one ourselves.

The thoughts get released, and the wonder comes back with the structure of the day to day play by play. Life bouncing with possibility, abundant with excitement, happy to dip back in the joy of marriage, and the movement of making sense of a turbulent journey. Happy Trails!

Stepping out of the Shadow Artist's Cocoon

2012-05-22T11:40:00.002-04:00

As artists we must not hide in the shadows, but need to step into the light and proclaim ourselves as artists. It is foolish to wait for inspiration and expect genius to arrive at our doorstep without doing the daily work necessary to dance with our muse. Nothing happens when no effort is applied. I liken being an artist to being a king. As an artist you are at the center of a sweeping drama that is begging for you to unfold in the court of reality. As artists I insist that we all take our thrones, sit regally, and survey the world clearly, so that we can begin our dance.

Build it and they will come Julia Cameron tells us in her work centered around removing creative blocks. I accept her invitation and move into the foreground prepared to explore the universe seeking to reveal itself to me.

We are as humans an integral part of nature even if we have removed ourselves from that world in so many ways. Communing with nature doesn’t have to mean moving into the woods, we can engage with nature directly each day. This is our bridge into our souls and it is vital to our well-being. Rudy Rucker begins his Writer’s Toolkit talking about nature and fractals, how we are made up of smaller and smaller components.

Since this is a written piece let me continue to focus on writing, and bring in the elements mentioned in Rucker’s Toolkit. He begins with picking out a title. This is the rallying cry that all of your thoughts circle. This is also the tidbit that people will search for you under so you got to get a title you like and that is original so you don’t get lost in the pack.