SPACE

 

                                                         SPACE SOUND

                        JUST AS NO SOUND CAN EXIST WITHOUT SILENCE, NOTHING CAN EXIST WITHOUT NO-THING, WITHOUT THE EMPTY SPACE THAT ENABLES IT TO BE, EVERY PHYSICAL OBJECT OR BODY HAS COME OUT OF NOTHING, IS SURROUNDED BY NOTHING, AND WILL EVENTUALLY RETURN TO NOTHING. NOT ONLY THAT, BUT EVEN INSIDE EVERY PHYSICAL BODY THERE IS FAR MORE "NOTHING" THAN "SOMETHING". PHYSICISTS TELL US THAT THE SOLIDITY OF MATTER IS AN ILLUSION. EVEN SEEMINGLY SOLID MATTER, INCLUDING YOUR PHYSICAL BODY, IS NEARLY TOO PERCENT EMPTY SPACE - SO VAST ARE THE DISTANCES BETWEEN THE ATOMS COMPARED TO THEIR SIZE. WHAT IS MORE, EVEN INSIDE EVERY ATOM THERE IS MOSTLY EMPTY SPACE. WHAT IS LEFT IS MORE LIKE A VIBRATIONAL FREQUENCY THAN PARTICLES OF SOLID MATTER, MORE LIKE A MUSICAL NOTE. BUDDHISTS HAVE KNOW THAT FOR OVER 2,500 YEARS. "FORM IS EMPTINESS, EMPTINESS IS FORM". STATES THE HEART SUTRA, ONE OF THE BEST KNOWN ANCIENT BUDHIST TEXTS.  THE ESSENCE OF ALL THINGS IS EMPTINESS.

                    THE UNMANISFESTED IS NOT ONLY PRESENT IN THIS WORLD AS SILENCE, IT ALSO PERVADES THE ENTIRE PHYSICAL UNIVERSE AS SPACE - FORM WITHIN AND WITHOUT. THIS IS JUST AS EASY TO MISS AS SILENCE. EVERYBODY PAYS ATTENTION TO THE THINGS IN SPACE, BUT WHO PAYS ATTENTION TO SPACE ITSELF?

               YOU SEEM TO BE IMPLYING THAT "EMPTINESS" OR "NOTHING" IS NOT JUST NOTHING, THAT THERE IS SOME MYSTERIOUS QUALITY TO IT. WHAT IS THIS NOTHING?

                YOU CANNOT ASK SUCH A QUESTION. YOUR MIND IS TRYING TO MAKE NOTHING INOT SOMETHING. THE MOMENT YOU MAKE IT INTO SOMETHING, YOU HAVE MISSED IT. NOTHING - SPACE - IS THE APPEARANCE OF THE UNMANIFESTED AS AN EXTERNALIZED PHENOMENON IN A SENSE-PERCEIVED WORLD. THAT'S ABOUT AS MUCH AS ONE CAN SAY ABOUT IT, AND EVEN THAT IS A KIND OF PARADOX. IT CANNOT BECOME AN OBJECT OF KNOWLEDGE. YOU CAN'T DO A PH.D. ON "NOTHING". WHEN SCIENTISTS STUDY SPACE, THEY USUALLY MAKE IT INTO SOMETHING AND THEREBY MISS ITS ESSENCE ENTIRELY. NOT SURPRISINGLY, THE LATEST THEORY IS THAT SPACE ISN'T EMPTY AT ALL, THAT IT IS FILLED WITH SOME SUBSTANCE. ONCE YOU HAVE A THEORY, IT'S NOT TOO HARD TO FIND EVIDENCE TO SUBSTANTIATE IT, AT LEAST UNTIL SOME OTHER THEORY COMES ALONG.

                 "NOTHING" CAN ONLY BECOME A PORTAL INTO THE UNMANIFESTED FOR YOU IF YOU DON'T TRY TO GRASP OR UNDERSTAND IT.

                ISN'T THAT WHAT WE ARE DOING HERE?

                 NOT AT ALL. I AM GIVING YOU POINTERS TO SHOW YOU HOW YOU CAN BRING THE DIMENTION OF THE UNMANIFESTED INTO YOUR LIFE. WE ARE NOT TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IT. THRE IS NOTHING TO UNDERSTAND.

                SPACE HAS NO "EXISTENCE". "TO EXIST" LITERALLY MEANS "TO STAND OUT". YOU CANNOT UNDERSTAND SPACE BECAUSE IT DOESN'T STAND OUT. ALTHOUGH IN ITSELF IT HAS NO EXISTENCE, IT ENABLES EVERYTHING ELSE TO EXIST. SILENCE HAS NO EXISTENCE, IT ENABLES EVERYTHING ELSE TO EXIST. SILENCE HAS NO EXISTENCE EITHER, NOR DOES THE UNMANIFESTED.

                SO WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU WITHDRAW ATTENTION FROM THE OBJECTS IN SPACE AND BECOME AWARE OF SPACE ITSELF? WHAT IS THE ESSENCE OF THIS ROOM? THE FURNITURE, PICTURES, AND SO ON ARE IN THE ROOM, BUT THEY ARE NOT THE ROOM. THE FLOOR, WALLS, AND CEILING DEFINE THE BOUNDARY OF THE ROOM, BUT THEY ARE NOT THE ROOM EITHER. SO WHAT IS THE ESSENCE OF THE ROOM? SPACE, OF COURSE, EMPTY SPACE. THERE WOULD BE A "ROOM" WITHOUT IT. SINCE SPACE IS "NOTHING". WE CAN SAY THAT WHAT IS NOR THERE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN WHAT IS THERE. SO BECOME AWARE OF THE SPACE THAT IS ALL AROUND YOU. DON'T THINK ABOUT IT. FEEL IT, IT WERE. PAY ATTENTION TO "NOTHING".

               AS YOU DO THAT, A SHIFT IN CONSCIOUSNESS TAKES PLACE INSIDE YOU. HERE IS WHY. THE INNER EQUIVALENT TO OBJECTS IN SPACE SUCH AS FURNITURE, WALLS, AND SO ON ARE YOUR OBJECTS, THOUGHTS, EMOTIONS, AND THE OBJECTS OF THE SENSES. AND THE INNER EQUIVALENT OF SPACE IS THE CONSCIOUSNESS THAT ENABLES YOUR MIND OBJECTS TO BE, JUST AS SPACE ALLOWS ALL THINGS TO BE. SO IF YOU WITHDRAW ATTENTION FROM THINGS - OBJECTS IN SPACE - YOU AUTOMATICALLY WITHDRAW ATTENTION FROM YOUR MIND OBJECTS AS WELL. IN OTHER WORDS.YOU CANNOT THINK AND BEWARE OF SPACE - OR OF SILENCE, FOR THAT MATTER. BY BECOMING AWARE OF THE EMPTY SPACE AROUND YOU, YOU SIMULTANEOUSLY BECOME AWARE OF THE SPACE OF NO-MIND, OF PURE CONSCIOUSNESS, THE UNMANIFESTED. THIS IS HOW THE CONTEMPLATION OF SPACE CAN BECOME A PORTAL FOR YOU.

                 SPACE AND SILENCE ARE TWO ASPECTS OF THE SAME THING, THE SAME NOTHING. THEY ARE AN EXTERNALIZATION OF INNER SPACE AND INNER SILENCE, WHICH IS STILLNESS, THE INFINITELY CREATIVE WOMB OF ALL EXISTENCE. MOST HUMANS ARE COMPLETELY UNCONSCIOUS OF THIS DIMENSION. THERE IS NO INNER SPACE, NO STILLNESS. THEY ARE OUT OF BALANCE. IN OTHER WORDS THEY KNOW THE WORLD, OR THINK THEY DO, BUT THEY DON'T KNOW GOD. THEY IDENTIFY EXCLUSIVELY WITH THEIR OWN PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL FORM, UNCONSCIOUS OF ESSENCE. AND  BECAUSE EVERY FORM IS HIGHLY UNSTABLE,THEY LIVE IN FEAR. THIS FEAR CAUSES A DEEP MISPERCEPTION OF THEMSELVES AND OF THEM HUMANS, A DISTORTION IN THEIR VISION OF THE WORLD.

               IF SOME COSMIC CONVULSION BROUGHT ABOUT THE END OF OUR WORLD, THE UNMANIFESTED WOULD REMAIN TOTALLY UNAFFECTED BY THIS, A COURSE IN MIRACLES EXPRESSESS THIS TRUTH POIGNANTLY. "NOTHING REAL CAN BE THREATENED. NOTHING UNREAL EXISTS. HEREIN LIES THE PEACE OF GOD".

              IF YOU REMAIN IN CONSCIOUS CONNECTION WITH THE UNMANIFESTED, YOU VALUE, LOVE, AND DEEPLY RESPECT THE MANIFESTED AND EVERY LIFE FORM IN IT AN EXPRESSION OF THE ONE LIFE BEYOND FORM. YOU ALSO KNOW THAT EVERY FORM IS DESTINED TO DISSOLVE AGAIN AND THAT ULTIMATELY NOTHING OUT HERE MATTERS ALL THAT MUCH. YOU HAVE "OVERCOME THE WORLD", IN THE WORDS OF JESUS OR, AS THE BUDDHA PUT IT, HAVE "CROSSED OVER TO THE OTHER SHORE."

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THE POWER OF PRESENCE (UNMANIFESTED)

 

                              

                                       THE POWER OF CONSCIOUSNESS

                                    WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PRESENCE AND THE INNER BODY?

 

                 PRESENCE IS PURE CONSCIOUSNESS - CONSCIOUSNESS THAT HAS BEEN RECLAIMED FROM THE MIND, FROM THE WORLD OF FORM. THE INNER BODY IS YOUR LINK WITH THE UMNANIFESTED, AND IN ITS DEEPEST ASPECT IS THE UNMANIFESTED, THE SOURCE FROM WHICH CONSCIOUSNESS EMANATES AS LIGHT EMANATES FROM THE SUN. AWARENESS OF THE INNER BODY IS CONSCIOUSNESS REMEMBERING ITS ORIGIN AND RETURNING TO THE SOURCE.

 

                       IS THE UNMANIFESTED THE SAME AS BEING?

                            YES, THE WORD UNMANIFESTED ATTEMPTS, BY WAY OF NEGATION, TO EXPRESS THAT WHICH CANNOT BE SPOKEN, THOUGHT OR IMAGINED. IT POINTS TO WHAT IT IS BY SAYING WHAT IT IS NOT. BEING, ON THE OTHER HAND, IS A POSITIVE TERM. PLEASE DON'T GET ATTACHED TO EITHER OF THESE WORDS OR START BELIEVING IN THEM. THEY ARE NO MORE THAN SIGNPOSTS.

                  YOU SAID THAT PRESENCE IS CONSCIOUSNESS THAT HAS BEEN RECLAIMED FROM THE MIND. WHO DOES THE RECLAIMING?

                    YOU DO. BUT SINCE IN YOUR ESSENCE YOU ARE CONSCIOUSNESS, WE MIGHT AS WELL SAY THAT IT IS AN AWAKENING OF CONSCIOUSNESS FROM THE DREAM OF FORM. THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOUR FORM WILL INSTANTLY VANISH IN AN EXPLOSION OF LIGHT. YOU CAN CONTINUE IN YOUR PRESENT FORM YET BE AWARE OF THE FORMLESS AND DEATHLESS DEEP WITHIN YOU.

                 I MUST ADMIT THIS IS WAY BEYONG MY COMPREHENSION, AND YET ON SOME DEEPER LEVE I SEEM TO KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT. IT'S MORE LIKE A FEELING THAN ANYTHING ELSE. AM I DECEIVING MYSELF?

                    NO, YOU ARE NOT. FEELING WILL GET CLOSER TO THE TRUTH OF WHO YOU ARE THAN THINKING. I CANNOT TELL YOU ANYTHING DEEP WITHIN YOU DON'T ALREADY KNOW. WHEN YOU HAVE REACHED A CERTAIN STAGE OF INNER CONNECTEDNESS, YOU RECOGNIZE THE TRUTH WHEN YOU HEAR IT. IF YOU HAVEN'T REACHED THAT STAGE YET, THE PRACTICE OF BODY AWARENESS WILL BRING ABOUT THE DEEPENING THAT IS NECESSARY.

                                              ATTENTION TO THE INNER BODY

                    IF FELT VERY UNCOMFORTABLE WHEN I TRIED TO PUT MY ATTENTION ON THE INNER BODY. THERE WAS A FEELING OF AGITATION AND SOME NAUSEA. SO I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO EXPERIENCE WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT.

                    WHAT YOU FELT WAS A LINGERING EMOTION THAT YOU WERE PROBABLY UNAWARE OF, INTIL YOU STARTED PUTTING SOME ATTETION INTO THE BODY. UNLESS YOU FIRST GIVE IT SOME ATTENTION, THE EMOTION WILL PREVEN YOU FROM GAINING ACCESS TO THE INNER BODY, WHICH LIES AT A DEEPER LEVEL UNDERNEATH IT. ATTENTION DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOU START THINKING ABOUT IT. IT MEANS TO JUST OBSERVE THE EMOTION, TO FEEL IT FULLY, AND SO TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND ACCEPT IT AS IT IS. SOME EMOTIONS ARE EASILY IDENTIFIED, ANGER, FEAR, GRIEF, AND SO ON. OTHERS MAY BE MUCH HARDER TO LABEL. THEY MAY JUST BE VAGUE FEELINGS OF UNEASE, HEAVINESS, OR CONSTRICTION, HALFWAY BETWEEN AN EMOTION AND A PHYSICAL SENSATION. IN ANY CASE, WHAT MATTERS IS NOT WHETHER YOU CAN ATTACH A MENTAL LABEL TO IT BUT WHETHER YOU CAN BRING THE FEELING OF IT INTO AWARENESS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. ATTENTION IS THE KEY TO TRANSFORMATION - AND FULL ATTENTION ALSO IMPLIES ACCEPTANCE. ATTENTION IS LIKE A BEAM OF LIGHT - THE FOCUSED POWER OF YOUR CONSCIOUSNESS THAT TRANSMUTES EVERYTHING INTO ITSELF.

               IN FULLY FUNCTIONAL ORGANISM, AN EMOTION HAS A VERY SHORT LIFE SPAN. IT IS LIKE A MOMENTARY RIPPLE OR WAVE ON THE SURFACE OF YOUR BEING. IT IS LIKE A MOMENTARY RIPPLE OR WAVE ON THE SURFACE OF YOUR BEING. WHEN YOU ARE NOT IN YOUR BODY, HOWEVER, AN EMOTION CAN SURVIVE INSIDE YOU ARE IN YOUR BODY, HOWEVER, AN EMOTION CAN SURVIVE INSIDE YOU FOR DAYS OR WEEKS, OR JOIN WITH OTHER EMOTION CAN SURVIVE INSIDE YOU FOR DAYS OR WEEKS, JOIN WITH OTHER EMOTIONS OF A SIMILAR FREQUENCY THAT HAVE MERGED AND COME THE PAIN BODY, A PARASITE THAT CAN LIVE INSIDE YOU FOR YEARS, FEED ON YOUR ENERGY, LEAD TO PHYSICAL ILLNESS, AND MAKE YOUR LIFE MISERABLE.

                SO PLACE YOUR ATTENTION ON FEELING THE EMOTION, AND CHECK WHETHER YOUR MIND IS HOLDING ON TO A GRIEVANCE PATTERN SUCH AS BLAME, SELF-PITY, OR RESENTMENT THAT IS FEEDING THE EMOTION. IF THAT IS THE CASE, IT MEANS THAT YOU HAVEN'T FORGIVEN. NONFORGIVENESS IS OFTEN TOWARD ANOTHER PERSON OR YOURSELF, BUT IT MAY JUST AS WELL BE TOWARD ANY SITUATION OR CONDITION - PAST, PRESENT OF FUTURE- THAT YOUR MIND REFUSES TO ACCEPT. YES, THERE CAN BE NONFORFORGIVENESS EVEN WITH REGARD TO THE FUTURE. THIS IS THE MIND'S REFUSAL TO ACCEPT UNCERTAINLY, TO ACCEPT THAT THE FUTURE IS ULTIMATELY BEYOND ITS CONTROL. FORGIVENESS IS TO RELINQUISH YOUR GRIEVANCE AND SO TO LET GO OF GRIEF. IT HAPPENS EXCEPT TO STRENTHEN A FALSE SENSE OF SELF. FORGIVENESS IS TO OFFER NO RESISTANCE TO LIFE - TO ALLOW LIFE TO LIVE THROUGH YOU. THE ALTERNATIVES ARE PAIN AND SUFFERING A GREATLY RESTRICTED FLOW OF LIFE ENERGY, AND IN MANY CASES PHYSICAL DISEASE.

                    THE MOMENT YOU TRULY FORGIVE, YOU HAVE RECLAIMED YOUR POWER FROM THE MIND. NONFORGIVENESS IS THE VERY NATURE OF THE MIND. JUST AS THE MIND-MADE FALSE SELF, THE EGO, CANNOT SURVIVE WITHOUT STRIFE AND CONFLICT. THE MIND CANNOT FORGIVE, ONLY YOU CAN. YOU BECOME PRESENT YOU ENTER YOUR BODY, YOU FEEL THE VIBRANT PEACE AND STILLNESS THAT EMARATE FROM BEING. THAT IS WHY JESUS SAID, BEFORE YOU ENTER THE TEMPLE, FORGIVE." 

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THE PAIN OF LIFE

 

                                     THE LIFE WITH PAIN AND SORROW

  

                        NOBODY'S LIFE IS ENTIRELY FREE OF PAIN AND SORROW. ISN'T IT A QUESTION OF LEARNING TO LIVE WITH THEM RATHER THAN TRYING TO AVOID THEM?

      

                      THE GREATER PART OF HUMAN PAIN IS UNNECESSARY. IT IS SELF-CREATED AS LONG AS THE UNOBSERVED MIND RUNS YOUR LIFE.

                    THE PAIN THAT YOU CREATE NOW IS ALWAYS SOME FORM OF NONACCEPTANCE, SOME FORM OF UNCONSCIOUS RESISTENCE TO WHAT IS. ON THE LEVEL OF THOUGHT, THE RESISTENCE IS SOME FORM OF JUDGMENT. ON THE EMOTIONAL LEVEL, IT IS SOME FORM OF NEGATIVITY. THE INTENSITY OF THE PAIN DEPENDS ON THE DEGREE OF RESISTENCE TO THE PRESENT MOMENT, AND THIS IN TURN DEPENDS ON HOW STRONGLY YOU ARE IDENTIFIED WITH YOUR MIND. THE MIND ALWAYS SEEKS TO DENY THE NOW AND TO ESCAPE FROM IT. IN OTHER WORDS. THE MORE YOU ARE IDENTIFIED WITH YOUR MIND, THE MORE YOU SUFFER. OR YOU MAY PUT IT LIKE THIS, THE MORE YOU ARE ABLE TO HONOR YOU SUFFER. OR YOU MAY PUT IT LIKE THIS, THE MORE YOU ARE ABLE TO HONOR AND ACCEPT THE NOW, THE MORE YOU ARE FREE OF PAIN, OF SUFFERING - AND FREE OF THE EGOIC MIND.

                WHY DOES THE MIND HABITUALLY DENY OR RESIST THE NOW? BECAUSE IT CANNOT FUNCTION AND REMAIN IN CONTROL WITHOUT TIME, WHICH IS PAST AND FUTURE, SO IT PERCEIVES THE TIMELESS NOW AS THREATENING. TIME AND MIND ARE IN FACT INSEPARABLE.

                   IMAGINE THE EARTH DEVOID OF HUMAN LIFE, INHABITED ONLY BY PLANTS AND ANIMALS. WOULD IT STILL HAVE A PAST AND A FUTURE? COULD WE STILL SPEAK OF TIME IN ANY MEANINGFUL WAY? THE QUESTION "WHAT TIME IS IT?". OR WHAT'S THE DATE TODAY? - IF ANYBODY WERE THERE TO ASK IT - WOULD BE QUIET MEANINGLESS. "WHAT TIME?" THEY WOULD ASK, WELL, OF COURSE IT'S NOW. THE TIME IS NOW. WHAT ELSE IS THERE?

                  YES, WE NEED THE MIND AS WELL AS TIME TO FUNTION IN THIS WORLD, BUT THERE COMES A POINT WHERE THEY TAKE OVER OUR LIVES, AND THIS IS WHERE DYSFUNCTION, PAIN AND SORROW SET IN.

                 THE MIND, TO ENSURE THAT IT REMAINS IN CONTROL, SEEKS CONTINUOSLY TO COVER UP THE PRESENT MOMENT WITH PAST AND FUTURE, AND SO, AS THE VITALITY AND INFINITE CREATIVE POTENTIAL OF BEING, WHICH IS INSEPARABLE FROM THE NOW, BECOMES COVERED UP BY TIME, YOUR TRUE NATURE BECOMES OBSCURED BY THE MIND. AN INCREASINGLY HEAVY BURDEN OF TIME HAS BEEN ACCUMULATING IN THE HUMAN MIND. ALL INDIVIDUALS ARE SUFFERING UNDER THIS BURDEN, BUT THEY ALSO KEEP ADDING TO IT EVERY MOMENT WHENEVERTHEY IGNORE OR DENY THAT PRECIOUS MOMENT OR REDUCE IT TO A  MEANS, NEVER IN ACTUALITY. THE ACCUMULATION OF TIME IN TH COLLECTIVE AND INDIVIDUALS HUMAN MIND ALSO HOLDS A VAST AMOUNT OF RESIDUAL PAIN FROM THE PAST.

                IF YOU NO LONGER WANT TO CREATE PAIN FOR YOURSELF AND OTHERS, IF YOU NO LONGER WANT TO DO ADD TO THE RESIDUE OF PAST PAIN THAT STILL LIVES ON IN YOU, THEN DON'T CREATE ANY MORE TIME, OR AT LEAST NO MOE THAN IS NECESSARY TO DEAL WITH THE PRACTICAL ASPECTS OF YOUR LIFE. HOW TO STOP CREATING TIME? REALIZE DEEPLY THAT THE PRESENT MOMENT IS ALL YOU EVER HAVE. MAKE THE NOW THE PRIMARY FOCUS OF YOUR LIFE. WHEREAS BEFORE YOU DWELT IN TIME AND PAID BRIEF VISITS TO THE NOW, HAVE YOUR DWELLING PLACE IN THE NOW AND PAY BRIEF VISITS TO PAST AND FUTURE WHEN REQUIRED TO DEAL WITH THE PRACTICAL ASPECTS OF YOUR LIFE SITUATION. ALWAYS SAY "YES" TO THE PRESENT MOMENT. WHAT COULD BE MORE FUTILE, MORE INSANE, THAN TO CREATE INNER RESISTANCE TO SOMETHING THAT ALREADY? WHAT COULD BE MORE INSNE THAN TO OPPOSITE LIFE ITSELF, WHICH IS NOW AND ALWAYS NOW? SURRENDER TO WHAT IS. SAY "YES" TO LIFE - AND SEE HOW LIFE SUDDENLY STARTS WORKING FOR YOU RATHER THAN AGAINST YOU.

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LOVE AND HATE RELATIONSHIPS

 

                                                                  RELATIONSHIP

                    UNLESS AND UNTIL YOU ACCESS THE CONSCIOUSNESS FREQUENCY OF PRESEMCE, ALL RELATIONSHIPS, AND PARTICULARLY INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS, ARE DEEPLY FLAWED AND ULTIMATELY DYSFUNCTIONAL. THEY MAY SEEM PERFECT FOR A WHILE, SUCH AS WHEN YOU ARE "IN LOVE", BUT INVARIABLY THAT APPARENT PERFECTION GETS DISRUPTED AS ARGUMENTS, CONFLICTS, DISSATISFACTION, AND EMOTIONAL OR EVEN PHYSICAL VIOLENCE OCCUR WITH INCREASING FREQUENCY. IT SEEMS THAT MOST "LOVE RELATIONSHIP" BECOME LOVE /HATE RELATIONSHIPS BEFORE LONG. LOVE CAN THEN TURN INTO SAVAGE ATTACK, FEELINGS OF HOSTILITY, OR COMPLETE WITHDRAWAL OF AFFECTION AT THE FLICK OF A SWITCH. THIS IS CONSIDERED NORMAL. THE RELATIONSHIP THEN OSCILLATES SWITCH. THIS IS CONSIDERED NORMAL. THE RELATIONSHIP THEN OSCILLATES FOR A WHILE, A FEW MONTHS OR A FEW YEARS, BETWEEN THE POLARITIES OF "LOVE" AND HATE, AND IT GIVES YOU AS MUCH PLEASURE AS IT GIVES YOU PAIN. IT IS NOT UNCOMMON FOR COUPLES TO BECOME ADDICTED TO THOSE CYCLES. THEIR DRAMA MAKES THEM FEEL ALIVE. WHEN A BALANCE BETWEEN THE POSITIVE/NEGATIVE POLARITIES IS LOST AND THE NEGATIVE, DESTRUCTIVE CYCLES OCCUR WITH INCREASING FREQUENCY AND INTENSITY, WHICH TENDS TO HAPPEN SOONER OR LATER, THEN IT WILL NOT BE LONG BEFORE THE RELATIONSHIP FINLLY COLLAPSES.

                       

                        

                 IT MAY APPEAR THAT IF YOU COULD ONLY ELIMINATE THE NEGATIVE OR DESTRUCTIVE CYCLES, THEN ALL WOULD BE WELL AND THE RELATIONSHIP WOULD FLOWER BEAUTIFULLY - BUT ALAS, THIS IS NOT POSSIBLE. THE POLARITIES ARE MUTUALLY INTERDEPENDENT. YOU CANNOT HAVE ONE WITHOUT THE OTHER. THE POSITIVE ALREADY CONTAINS WITHIN ITSELF THE AS YET UNMANIFESTED NEGATIVE. BOTH ARE IN FACT DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THE SAME DYSFUNCTION. I AM SPEAKING HERE OF WHAT IS COMMONLY CALLED ROMANTIC DYSFUNTION. I AM SPEAKING HERE OF WHAT IS COMMONLY CALLED ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIP - NOT OF TRUE LOVE, WHICH HAS NO OPPOSITE BECAUSE IT ARISES FROM BEYOND THE MIND. LOVE AS A CONTINUOUS STATE IS AS YET VERY RARE- AS RARE AS CONSCIOUS HUMAN BEINGS. BRIEF AND ELUSIVE GLIMPSES OF LOVE, HOWEVER, ARE POSSIBLE WHENVER THERE IS A GAP IN THE STREAM OF  MIND.

               THE NEGATIVE SIDE OF A RELATIONSHIP IS, OF COURSE, MORE EASILY RECOGNIZABLE AS DYSFUNCTIONAL THAN THE POSITIVE ONE. AND IT IS ALSO EASIER TO RECOGNIZE THE SOURCE OF NEGATIVITY IN YOUR PARTNER THAN TO SEE IT IN YOURSELF. IT CAN MANIFEST IN MANY FORMS, POSSESSIVENESS, JEALOUSY, CONTROL, WITHDRAWAL AND UNSPOKEN RESENTMENT, AND NEED TO BE RIGHT, INSENSITIVITY AND SELF-ABSORPTION, EMOTIONAL DEMANDS AND MANIPULATION, THE URGE TO ARGUE, CRITICIZE, JUDGE, BLAME, OR ATTACK, ANGER, UNCONSCIOUS REVENGE FOR PAST PAIN INFLICTED BY A PARENT, RAGE AND PHYSICAL VIOLENCE.

              ON THE POSITIVE SIDE, YOU ARE "IN LOVE" WITH YOUR PARTNER. THIS IS AT FIRST A DEEPLY SATISFYING STATE. YOU FEEL INTENSELY ALIVE. YOUR EXISTENCE HAS SUDDENLY BECOME MEANINGFUL BECAUSE SOMEONE NEEDS YOU, WANTS YOU, AND MAKES YOU FEEL SPECIAL, AND YOU DO THE SAME FOR HIM OR HER. WHEN YOU ARE TOGETHER, YOU FEEL WHOLE. THE FEELING CAN BECOME SO INTENSE THAT THE REST OF THE WORLD FADES INTO INSIGNICANCE.

               HOWEVER, YOU MAY ALSO HAVE NOTICED THAT THERE IS A NEEDINESS AND A CLINGING QUALITY TO THAT INTENSITY. YOU BECOME ADDICTED TO THE OTHER PERSON. HE OR SHE ACTS ON YOU LIKE A DRUG. YOU ARE ON A HIGH WHEN THE DRUG IS AVAILABLE, BUT EVEN THE POSSIBILITY OR THE THOUGHT THAT HE OR SHE MIGHT NO LONGER BE THERE FOR YOU CAN LEAD TO JEALOUSY, POSSESSIVENESS, ATTEMPTS AT MANIPULATION THROUGH EMOTIONAL BLACKMAIL, BLAMING AND ACCUSING- FEAR OF LOSS. IF THE OTHER PERSON DOES LEAVE YOU, THIS CAN GIVE RISE TO THE MOST INTENSE HOSTILITY OR THE MOST PROFOUND GRIEF AND DESPAIR.

                IN AN INSTANT, LOVING TENDERNESS CAN TURN INTO A SAVAGE ATTACK OR DREADFUL GRIEF. WHERE IS THE LOVE NOW? CAN LOVE CHANGE INTO ITS OPPOSITE IN AN INSTANT? WAS IT LOVE IN THE FIRST PLACE, OR JUST AN ADDICTIVE GRASPING AND CLINGING?

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SEARCH YOUR WHOLENESS

 

                                               THE POWER OF PRESENCE

                                  MAN AND WOMAN RELATIONSHIPS

                        WHY SHOULD WE BECOME ADDICTED TO ANOTHER PERSON?

                 THE REASON WHY THE ROMANTIC LOVE RELATIONSHIP IS SUCH AN INTENSE AND UNIVERSALLY SOUGHT-AFTER EXPERIENCE IS THAT IT SEEMS TO OFFER LIBERATION FROM A DEEP-SEATED STATE OF FEAR, NEED, LACK, AND INCOMPLETENESS THAT IS PART OF THE HUMAN CONDITION IN ITS UNREDEEMED AND UNENLIGHTENED IS PART OF THE HUMAN CONDITION IN ITS UNREDEEMED AND UNENLIGHTENED STATE. THERE IS A PHYSICAL AS WELL AS A PSYCHOLOGICAL DIMENTION TO THIS STATE.

              ON THE PHYSICAL LEVEL, YOU ARE OBVIOUSLY NOT WHOLE, NOR WILL YOU EVER BE, YOU ARE EITHER A MAN OR WOMAN, WHICH IS TO SAY, ONE-HALF OF THE WHOLE. ON THIS LEVEL, THE LONGING FOR WHOLENESS - THE RETURN TO ONENESS-MANIFESTS AS MALE-FEMALE ATTRACTION, MAN'S NEED FOR A WOMAN, WOMAN'S NEED FOR A MAN. IT IS AN ALMOST IRRESITIBLE URGUE FOR IS A SPIRITUAL ONE, THE LONGING FOR AN END TO DUALITY, A RETURN TO THE STATE OF WHOLENESS. SEXUAL UNION IS THE CLOSEST YOU CAN GET TO THIS STATE ON THE PHYSICAL LEVEL. THIS IS WHY IT IS THED MOST DEEPLY SATISFYING EXPERIENCE THE PHYSICAL REALM CAN OFFER. BUT SEXUAL UNION IS NO MORE THAN A FLEETING GLIMPSE OF WHOLENESS, AN INSTANT OF BLISS. AS LONG AS IT IS UNCONCIOUSLY SOUGHT AS A MEAS OF SALVATION, YOU ARE SEEKING THE END OF DUALITY ON THE LEVEL OF FORM, WHERE IT CANNOT BE FOUND. YOU ARE GIVEN A TANTALIZING GLIMPSE OF HEAVEN, BUT YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO DWELL THERE, AND FIND YOURSELF AGAIN IN A SEPERATE BODY.

              ON THE PSYCHOLOGICAL LEVEL, THED SENSE O LACK INCOMPLETENESS IS, IF ANYTHING, EVEN GREATER THAN ON THE PHYSICAL LEVEL. AS LONG AS YOU ARE IDENTIFIED WITH THE MIND, YOU HAVE AN EXTERNALLY DERIVED SENSE OF SELF. THAT IS TO SAY, YOU GET YOUR SENSE OF WHO ARE YOU FROM THINGS THAT ULTIMATELY HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH WHO YOU ARE, YOUR SOCIAL ROLE, POSSESIONS, EXTERNAL APPEARANCE, SUCCESSESS, AND FAILURES, BELIEF SYSTEMS, AND SO ON. THIS FALSE, MIND-MADE SELF, THE EGO, FEELS VULNERABLE, INSECURE, AND IS ALWAYS SEEKING NEW THINGS TO IDENTIFY WITH TO GIVE IS LASTING FULFILLMENT. ITS FEAR REMAINS, ITS SENSE OF LACK AND NEEDINESS REMAINS.

              BUT THEN THAT SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP COMES ALONG. IT SEEMS TO BE THE ANSWER TO ALL THE EGO'S PROBLEMS AND TO MEET ALL ITS NEED. AL LEAST THIS IS HOW IT APPEARS AT FIRST. ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT YOU DERIVED YOUR SENSE OF SELF FROM BEFORE, NOW BECOME RELATIVELY INSIGNIFICANT. YOU NOW HAVE A SINGLE FOCAL POINT THAT REPLACES THEM ALL, GIVES MEANING TO YOUR LIFE, AND THROUGH WHICH YOU DEFINITE YOUR IDENTITY, THE PERSON YOU ARE "IN LOVE" WITH. YOU ARE NO LONGER A DISCONNECTED FRAGMENT IN AN UNCARING UNIVERSE, OR SO IT SEEMS. YOUR WORLD NOW HAS A CENTER, THE LOVED ONE. THE FACT THAT THE CENTER IS OUTSIDE YOU AND THAT, THEREFORE, YOU STILL HAVE AN EXTREMELY DERIVED SENSE OF SELF DOES NOT SEEM TO MATTER AT FIRST. WHAT MATTERS IS THAT THE UNDERLYING FEELINGS OF INCOMPLETENESS, OF FEAR, LACK AND UNFULFILLMENT SO CHARACTERISTIC OF THE EGOIC STATE ARE NO LONGER THERE-OR ARE THEY? HAVE THEY DISSOLVED, OR DO THEY CONTINUE TO EXIST UNDERNEATH THE HAPPY SURFACE REALITY?

               IF IN YOUR RELATIONSHIPS YOU EXPERIENCE BOTH "LOVE" AND THE OPPOSITE OF LOVE-ATTACK, EMOTIONAL VIOLENCE, AND SO ON- THEN IT IS LIKELY THAT YOU ARE CONFUSING EGO ATTACHMENT AND ADDICTIVE CLINGING WITH LOVE. YOU CANNOT LOVE YOUR PARTNER ONE MOMENT AND ATTACK HIM OR HER THE NEXT. TRUE LOVE HAS NO OPPOSITE. IF YOUR "LOVE" HAS AN OPPOSITE, THEN IT IS NOT LOVE BUT A STRONG EGO-NEED FOR A MORE COMPLETE AND DEEPER SENSE OF SELF, A NEED THAT THE OTHER PERSON TEMPORARILY MEETS. IT IS THE EGO'S SUBSTITUTE FOR SALVATION, AND FOR A SHORT TIME IT ALMOST DOES FEEL LIKE SALVATION.

                 BUT THERE COMES A PONT WHEN YOUR PARTNER BEHAVES IN WAYS THAT FAIL TO MEET YOUR NEES, OR RATHER THOSE OF YOUR EGO. THE FEELINGS OF FEAR, PAIN, AND LACT THAT ARE AN INTRINSIC PART OF EGOIC CONSCIOUSNESS BUT HAD BEEN COVERED UP BY THE "LOVE RELATIONSHIP" NOW RESURFACE. JUST AS WITH EVERY OTHER ADDICTION, YOU ARE ON A HIGH WHEN THE DRUG IS AVAILABLE, BUT INVARIABLY THERE COMES A TIME WHEN THE DRUG NO LONGER WORKS FOR YOU. WHEN THOSE PAINFUL FEELINGS REAPPEAR, YOU FEEL THEM EVEN MORE STRONGLY THAN BEFORE, AND WHAT IS MORE, YOU NOW PERCIEVE YOUR PARTNER AS THE CAUSE OF THOSE FEELINGS. THIS MEANS THAT YOU PROJECT THEM OUTWARD AND ATTACK THE OTHER WITH ALL THE SAVAGE VIOLENCE THAT IS PART OF YOUR PAIN. THIS ATTACK MAY AWAKEN THE PARTNER'S OWN PAIN, AND HE OR SHEN MAY COUNTER YOUR ATTACK. AT THIS POINT, THE EGO IS STILL UNCONSCIOUSLY HOPING THAT ITS ATTACK OR ITS ATTEMPTS AT MANIPULATION WILL BE SUFFICIENT PUNISHMENT TO INDUCE YOUR PARTNER TO CHANGE THEIR BEHAVIOR, SO THAT IT CAN USE THEM AGAIN AS A COVER-UP FOR YOUR PAIN.

                 EVERY ADDICTION ARISES FROM AN UNCONSCIOUS REFUSAL TO FACE AND MOVE THROUGH YOUR OWN PAIN. EVERY ADDICTION STARTS WITH PAIN AND ENDS WITH PAIN. WHATEVER THE SUBSTANCE YOU ARE ADDICTED TO - ALCOHOL, FOOD, LEGAL OR ILLEGAL DRUGS, OR A PERSON - YOU ARE USING SOMETHING OR SOMETHING OR SOMEBODY TO COVER UP YOUR PAIN. THAT IS WHY, AFTER THE INITIAL EUPHORIA HAS PASSED, THERE IS SO MUCH UNHAPPINESS, SO MUCH PAIN IN INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS. THEY DO NOT CAUSE PAIN AND UNHAPPINESS. THEY BRING OUT THE PAIN AND UNHAPPINESS THAT IS ALREADY IN YOU. EVERY ADDICTION DOES THAT. EVERT ADDICTION REACHES A POINT WHERE IT DOES NOT WORK FOR YOU ANYMORE, AND THEN YOU FEEL THE PAIN MORE INTENSELY THAN EVER.

            THIS IS ONE REASON WHY MOST PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS TRYING TO ESCAPE FROM THE PRESENT MOMENT AND ARE SEEKING SOME KIND OF SALVATION IN THE FUTURE. THE FIRST THING THAT THEY MIGHT ENCOUNTER IF THEY FOCUSED THEIR ATTENTION ON THE NOW IS THEIR OWN PAIN, AND THIS IS WHAT THEY FEAR. IF THEY ONLY KNEW HOW EASY IT IS TO ACCESS IN THE NOW THE POWER OF PRESENCE THAT DISSOLVE THE PAST AND ITS PAIN, THE REALITY THAT DISSOLVES THE ILLUSION. IF THEY ONLY KNEW HOW CLOSE THEY ARE TO THEIR OWN REALITY, HOW CLOSE TO GOD.

             AVOIDANCE OF RELATIONSHIPS IN AN ATTEMPT TO AVOID PAIN IS NOT THE ANSWER EITHER. THE PAIN IS THERE ANYWAY. THREE FAILED RELATIONSHIPS IN AS MANY YEARS ARE MORE LIKELY TO FORCE YOU INTO AWAKENING THAN THREE YEARS ON A DESERT ISLAND OR SHUT AWAY IN YOUR ROOM. BUT IF YOU COULD BRING INTENSE PRESENCE INTO YOUR ALONENESS, THAT WOULD WORK FOR YOU TOO.

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PERFORMING THE YAJNA

 

                                                  YAJNA PERFORMING

                     MANY PRELIMINARY STEPS OF A YAJNA ARE EXACTLY THE SAME AS THE ONES YOU DO BEFORE YOU START YOUR JAPA. I AM LISTING THOSE STEPS HERE:

                    1. BATHE

                        IF YOU ARE PERFORMING YOUR YAJNA IMMEDIATELY AFTER YOUR JAPA, YOU DON'T HAVE TO TAKE A BATH. BUT, IF YOU DID JAPA IN THE MORNING BUT ARE DOING YAJNA IN THE EVENING (OR VICE-VERSA) FOR EXAMPLE YOU WILL HAVE TO BATHE BEFORE MAKING FIRE OFFERINGS.

                   2. PUT ON FRESH CLOTHES

                       ONCE AGAIN, IF YOU ARE DOING IT IMMEDIATELY AFTER YOUR JAPA, YOU CAN WEAR THE SAME CLOTHES, OTHERWISE, PUT ON FRESH ONES.

                 3. KEEP A SMALL POT OF WATER IN FRONT OF YOU (OR YOUR RIGHT SIDE) FOR PURIFICATION.

                 4. A SMALL CONTAINER WITH GHEE (CLARIFIED BUTTER) WILL BE REQUIRED. YOU CAN ANY SPOON TO MAKE THE OFFERING IN THE FIRE OR IF YOU WANT TO DO IT THE TRADITIONAL WAY, USE A WOODEN SPOON. THE TWO WOODEN SPOONS ARE CALLED SRUKA AND SRUVA THAT ARE USED TO MAKE GHEE OFFERINGS IN FIRE. KEEP YOUR POT OF GHEE TO YOUR RIGHT.
                

               5. KEEP THE POT WITH THE INGREDIENTS (CHARU) FOR FIRE OFFERINGS IN FRONT OF YOU. INGREDIENTS FOR YAJNA VARY FROM SADHANA TO SADHANA. FOR ALL THE SADHANAS LISTED IN THIS BOOK. I'VE SPECIFIED THE INGREDIENTS NEXT TO THEM.

              6. PURIFY THE SURROUNDINGS (PAVITRIKARANA)

                                             

   

              7. SELF-PURIFICATION (ACHAMANA)

              8. WASH YOUR HANDS (HASTA PRAKSHALANA)

              9. LIGHT THE LAMP (IN ADDITION, YOU CAN ALSO LIGHT INCENSE AT THIS LAMP (IN ADDITION, YOU CAN ALSO LIGHT INCENSE AT THIS STAGE IF YOU LIKE, BUT IT'S OPTIONAL.)

            10. INVOKE GANESHA

            11. SHOW THREE HANDLOCKS FOR GANESHA (GANESHA MUDRA)

            12. CHANT THE VEDIC HYMN OF AUSPICIOUSNESS (SVASTIVACHANA)

            13. MEDITATE ON YOUR GURU (GURU DHYANA)

            14. CHANT YOUR GURU MANTRA (GURU MANTRA JAPA)

            15. MEDITATE ON YOUR DEITY (ISHTA DHYANA)

            16. OFFER OBEISANCE TO ALL SIDDHAS    

                    

            17. PLACE YOUR FIREWOOD IN THE FIREPIT AND LIGHT IT. YOU CAN USE THE SAME MANTRA TO LIGHT THIS AS YOU DO FOR LIGHTING A LAMP. YOU CAN LIGHT CAMPHOR OR A WICK DIPPED IN OIL TO IGNITE THE FIRE. SIMPLY PLACE IT ON ONE OF THE WOODEN CHIPS AT THE BASE AND LIGHT I (CAMPHOR OR WICK IN OIL). START ARRANGING FIREWOOD AROUND IT KEEPING SPACE FOR THE AIR TO FLOW.

           18. ONCE THE FIRE STARTS, YOU ARE READY TO MAKE FIRE OFFERINGS. AN IMPORTANT POINT TO REMEMBER IS THAT EVERY OFFERING MADE IN THE FIRE MUST END WITH THE WORD "SVAHA". THE SANSKRIT WORK SVAHA MEANS TO BURN COMPLETELY AND IT IS USED TO BURN ALL OUR AFFLICTIONS. SVAHA IS THE HINDU TRADITION IS THE ENERGY ASPECT OF FIRE. IT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR TAKING THE FIRE OFFERING TO ITS DESTINATION. MAKE THE FOLLOWING OFFERINGS WITH GHEE ALONE. EVERY TIME, YOU SAY "SVAHA" POUR GHEE USING YOUR SPOON (OR WOODEN SPOON). ALL OFFERINGS ARE MADE WITH YOUR RIGHT HAND ONLY.

          19. MAKE THE FOLLOWING OFFERINGS (AHUTI) WITH THE INGREDIENTS (CHARU) OF YAJNA. (NOT GHEE UNLESS THE SOLE INGREDIENT BEING USED IN YAJNA IS GHEE) ALL OFFERINGS ARE ALWAYS MADE WITH YOUR RIGHT HAND IN A YAJNA. THE QUANTITY IN EACH OFFERING IDEALLY SHOULD BE NO MORE THAN A TEASPOON. HOLD IT BETWEEN YOUR THREE FINGERS AND THUMB (KEEPING THE INDEX FINGER AWAY) ANY OFFERINGS AND THUMB (KEEPING THE INDEX FINGER AWAY) ANY OFFERING IN THE FIREPIT SHOULD BE MADE WITH A SENSE OF OFFERING IN THE FIREPIT SHOULD BE MADE WITH A SENSE OF REVERENCE. YOUR PALM SHOULD BE FACING UP WHILE MAKING THE OFFERING.

                20. NOW YOU ARE READY TO MAKE OFFERINGS WITH GAYATRI MANTRA. AN IMPORTANT PRACTICAL ASPECT TO MENTION HERE IS COUNTING. SINCE NOW YOU ARE MAKING OFFERINGS WITH YOUR RIGHT HAND, YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO DO THE COUNTING WITH BEADS. IN THAT CASE, YOU HAVE TWO OPTIONS TO CHOOSE FROM. YOU CAN CHOOSE WHICHEVER ONE YOU ARE COMFORTABLE WITH.

                 ( A). USE COUNTING BEADS. YOU CAN KEEP LOOSE BEADS OR PEBBLES ON THE SIDE AND MOVE A PEBBLE WITH YOUR LEFT HAND EVERY TIME YOU MAKE AN OFFERING WITH YOUR RIGHT ONE.

                 (B). SIMPLY SEE HOW LONG IT TAKES YOU TO CHANT YOUR MANTRA USING A TIMER. ADD 20% TIME TO IT CATER FOR SLOW CHANTING AT TIMES. FOR EXAMPLE, LET'S SAY YOU HAVE TO MAKE 100 OFFERINGS. IF IT TAKES YOU 10 SECONDS TO CHANT YOUR MANTRA. IT'LL TAKE YOU 1000 SECONDS TO CHANT IT 100 TIMES. ADDING 20% WILL MAKE IT 1200 SECONDS OR 20 MINUTES. WHEN YOU COME TO THIS STEP, SET ASIDE 20 MINUTES TO MAKE FIRE OFFERINGS WITH YOUR MANTRA. IT IS OKAY OF OFFER A BIT MORE THAN REQUIRED SO DON'T BE WORRIED IF YOU ARE OVERDOING IT. THE MAIN THING IS TO NOT DO IT LESS THAN THE MINIMUM NUMBER REQUIRED.

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                     IF AT ANY TIME, YOU FEEL THE FIRE IS EBBING IN THE PIT, POUR MORE GHEE AND /OR PLACE MORE FIREWOOD. WHENEVER YOU POUR MORE GHEE, DO IT WITH YOUR MAIN MANTRA AND DON'T FORGET TO ADD "OM SVAHA" IN THE END.

              21. NOW MAKE THE FOLLOWING FIVE OFFERINGS AGAIN WITH GHEE.

              22. MAKE THE OFFERINGS BY PLACING THE DRY COCONUT (FILLED WITH YAJNA INGREDIENTS AND A BIT OF GHEE) IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FIREPIT. DO THIS CAREFULLY AS THERE CAN BE A FIRE HAZARD. CHANT THE FOLLOWING MANTRA WHILE YOU DO THE FINAL OFFERING (PURNA-AHUTI).

                

                                     * OM PURNAMADAH PURNAMIDAM PURNAT PURNAMUDACYATE PURNASYA PURNAMADAYA PURNAMEVAVASISYATE

                                    * OM SANTIH SANTIH SANTIH.

                                    

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DEVELOPE SELF CONFIDENCE

         

              ONCE SEEING IS BETTER, THAN A HUNDRED TIMES TELLING

                  THE NERVES THAT LEAD FROM THE EYE TO THE BRAIN ARE MANY TIMES LARGER THAN THOSE LEADING FROM THE EAR, AND SCIENCE TELLS US THAT WE GIVE TWENTY-FIVE TIMES AS MUCH ATTENTION TO EYE SUGGESTIONS AS WE DO TO EAT SUGGESTIONS. 

                 ONE SEEIING, SAYS AN OLD JAPANESE PROVERB, IS BETTER THAN A HUNDRED TIMES TELLING ABOUT.

                  SO, IF YOU WISH TO BE CLEAR, PICTURE, VISUALIZE YOUR IDEAS. THAT WAS THE PLAN OF THE LATE JOHN H.PATTERSON, PRESIDENT OF THE WELL-KNOWN NATIONAL CASH REGISTER COMPANY. HE WROTE AN ARTICLE FOR SYSTEM MAGAZINE, OUTLINING THE METHODS HE USED IN SPEAKING TO HIS WORKMEN AND HIS SALES FORCES:

                  I HOLD THAT ONE CANNOT RELY ON SPEECH ALONE TO MAKE HIMSELF UNDERSTOOD OR TO GAIN AND HOLD ATTENTION . A DRAMATIC SUPPLEMENT IS NEEDED. IT IS BETTER TO SUPPLEMENT WHENEVER POSSIBLE WITH PICTURES WHICH SHOW THE RIGHT AND THE WRONG WAY, DIAGRAMS ARE MORE CONVINCING THAN MERE WORDS, AND PICTURES ARE MORE CONVINCING THAN DIAGRAMS. THE IDEAL PRESENTATION OF A SUBJECT IS ONE IN WHICH EVERY SUB DIVISION IS PICTURED AND IN WHICH THE WORDS ARE USED ONLY TO CONNECT THEM. I EARLY FOUND THAN IN DEALING WITH MEN, A PICTURE WAS WORTH MORE THAN ANYTHING I COULD SAY.

             LITTLE GROTESQUE DRAWINGS ARE WONDERFULLY EFFECTIVE... I HAVE A WHOLE SYSTEM OF CARTOONING OR "CHART TALKS". A CIRCLE WITH A DOLLAR MARK MEANS A PIECE OF MONEY. A BAG MARKED WITH A DOLLAR IS A LOT OF MONEY. MANY GOOD EFFECTS CAN BE HAD WITH MOON FACES. DRAW A CIRCLE, PUT IN A FEW DASHES FOR THE EYES, NOSE, MOUTH, AND EARS. TWISTING THESE LINES GIVES THE EXPRESSIONS. THE OUT-OF-DATE MAN HAS THE CORNER OF HIS MOUTH DOWN, THE CHIPPER, UP-TO-DATE FELLOW HAS THE CURVES UP. THE DRAWINGS ARE HOMELY, BUT THE MOST EFFECTIVE CORTOONISTS ARE NOT THE MEN WHO MAKE THE PRETTIEST PICTURES. THE THING IS TO EXPRESS THE IDEA AND THE CONTRAST.

                 THE BIG BAG AND THE LITTLE BAG OF MONEY, SIDE BY SIDE, ARE THE NATURAL HEADS FOR THE RIGHT WAY AS OPPOSED TO THE WRONG WAY, THE ONE BRINGS MUCH MONEY, THE OTHER LITTLE MONEY. IF YOU SKETCH THESE RAPIDLY AS YOU TALK, THERE IS NO DANGER OF PEOPLE'S LETTING THEIR MINDS WANDER, THEY ARE BOUND TO LOOK AT WHAT YOU ARE DOING AND THUS TO GO WITH YOU THROUGH THE SUCCESSIVE STAGES TO THE POINT YOU WANT TO MAKE. AND AGAIN, THE FUNNY FIGURES PUT PEOPLE IN GOOD HUMOUR.

                I USED TO EMPLOY AN ATTIST TO HAND AROUND IN THE SHOPS WITH ME AND QUIETLY MAKE SKETCHES OF THINGS THAT WERE NOT BEING DONE RIGHT. THEN THE SKETCH WERE MADE INTO DRAWINGS AND I CALLED THE MEN TOGETHER AND SHOWED THEM EXACTLY WHAT THEY WERE DOING. WHEN I HEARD OF THE STEREOPTICON I IMMEDIATELY BOUGHT ONE AND PROJECTED THE DRAWINGS ON THE SCREEN, WHICH OF COURSE, MADE THEM EVEN MORE EFFECTIVE THAN ON PAPER. THEN CAME THE MOVING PICTURE. I THINK THAT I HAD ONE OF THE FIRST MACHINES EVER MADE AND NOW WE HAVE A BIG DEPARTMENT WITH MANY MOTION PICTURE FILMS MORE THAN 60,000 COLOURED STEREOPTICON SLIDES.

             NOT EVERY SUBJECT OR OCCASION, OF COURSE, LENDS ITSELF TO EXHIBITS AND DRAWINGS, BUT LET US USE THEM WHEN WE CAN, THEY ATTRACT ATTENTION, STIMULATE INTEREST AND OFTEN MAKE OUR MEANING DOUBLY CLEAR.

                                                                   ❤❤❤