2012

It is snowing very lightly. We have been hoping for snow. We need at least four inches to protect the ground when it gets below zero. In the last open Winter we lost a few shrubs and several perennials that were not quite hardy enough for the conditions. I, also, like the snow for aesthetic reasons, even though, I have a driveway as long as a city block.

We are, also, waiting for 2012 and what that will bring. Many of us who read the Edgar Cayce prophecies and the many, many books about a pole shift, expected significant Earth changes to accompany the end of the millennium. However, many pointed out that the changes were synchronistic with our consciousness and the severity would diminish as our eyes opened. I generally take the position, "let's see what happens". I didn't particularly like the idea of man starting completely over again to see if he could "get it" this time. That seemed to be a likely scenario. It didn't appear, until recently, that we learned enough to prevent our near elimination.

I sense now that many people are waking up and those prophecies can be seen differently. Instead of a geological polar shift; think in terms of a consciousness polar shift. Instead of being betoken to the dark and ruled by the ego; imagine us following the light. Imagine us being able to make the choice to give up fear-based thought forever. That has always been our option; but now, many, many people are able to see the choice. This has created much upheaval in the world. Those who use fear to control the population don't like losing their grip. But they have! It is all over but the squawking.

In the coming days there will be more than squawking. There will be many attempts made to reinstate control of the people. Beware of all attempts to create conflict. Don't believe any news source that attempts to demonize any group. Take the position that all are worthy and deserving of love; period. Don't allow any dilution of this idea. Understand there is no justification for any type of warfare. That time is over.

Our institutions that promote divisiveness, will change or dissolve. The transition won't be smooth, but it will be certain and you will be able to recognize its certainty. The first thing to go will be our financial system. We must be prepared to help each other. It has to be the first to go because of what it represents. It has been the lynchpin of the Old World. It is symptomatic of our abandonment of love for money. You can see why the financial system must be the first to collapse.

Look to the New Year for the rapid changes that lead to our New World. Keep your mind focused on the world that you desire; a world created by unconditional love.

HAPPY NEW YEAR.

Love and Peace, Gregg

MERRY CHRISTMAS

We, mankind, have been celebrating this season for 10,000 years, that we know of, and probably much, much longer.

So, whether you celebrate The Return of the Sun or The return of the Son; I wish you a very glorious, joyful and peaceful season.

Peace will soon reign on the Earth as each of us discovers the Peace in our hearts, which is natural to us, and it shall spill over on each other. Love and Peace are our rightful heritage. We can experience it now.

Love and Peace,  Gregg

CHRISTMAS IS COMING

It was snowing when I got up. We have about an inch of snow on the ground, just in time for the Holidays. I am a little late getting started this morning. I was about an hour late with my chores and I just put my dishes on to soak. I have no idea what I am going to blog about. Hopefully, something will come to me.

Since my last letter, I have been struggling with the idea of belief. I don't admit to believing anything. I want to be a person who accepts things out of knowing. However, "knowing" while living on this earth is largely illusory. What can we really know? We gather enough evidence from repeated experience that we come to expect 'a repetition of events' and thus make conclusions. Is that knowledge? Then there is what we know intuitively. It feels so right, it must be true. That, too, can be supported by experience.

I realize that I accept many things as true when I have no proof. Is that what belief is? One of those things is the idea of ONENESS. It can be expressed as "God is One"; "Mankind is One"; "All are One". You understand the idea. What you do to others you do to yourself etc. etc. The idea and the realization or, perhaps we should say, the experience, are two different things.

Somewhere along my path, through reading, meditation, etc. I came to accept, wholly, this concept. It makes complete sense to me. I have no doubt about its truth. Yet what would I say to a skeptic? The knowing is an internal, intuitive process. I feel like I know it. Have I experienced it? Not completely enough to convince a doubter. In fact sometimes the battle wages inside myself. It is not that I doubt it. It just that when I am in a low place, it seems that the realization of Oneness is a joke.

Yet the concept has tremendous value as an idea for our personal growth and relations with others. Believing that what you do, think, and say to others is what you are doing, saying, and thinking about yourself is a powerful idea. I have long since seen it operate in my life. I see how my judgements of others reflects my feelings about myself. When I attack another person {usually my wife} I can see how I first attacked myself and then out pictured it. We can't tolerate attacking ourselves: the first convenient target will do. It is usually a loved one. We are usually kinder to strangers.

So, you can see how believing "All is One" will improve all our relationships; whether they be personal, international, business or what have you.

Oneness as applied to the Earth and all its creatures is a concept that, I hope, all will soon embrace. Can you imagine the change that will occur when we treat the Earth and all its denizens the way we want to be treated? Think of the Earth as a living thing; a wholeness with a consciousness like ours. Imagine this consciousness communicates as we do. Our bodies are part of the Earth as the trees and grasses are. In some way, all beings belonging to the Earth must be, now, in communication with each other. We just need to listen.

I guess I do experience "Oneness" as truth. More on this later. I have got to wash my dishes. Have a Happy Holiday! A Merry Christmas! Or a Happy Festivus [Seinfeld]

I plan a short blog on Christmas Eve or Christmas.

Love and Peace, Gregg

GOD ATHEISM AND RELIGION

I would have blogged yesterday but I was flat on my back with a flu bug. Saturday we had a party for Elijah's fourth birthday. One or more of those little guest was a carrier. We all suffered some degree of gastrointestinal difficulty. For me, that part was minimal; I was just laid out. I was able to do my chores but I spent about twenty of twenty-four hours laying down. Today, I am much better.

Saturday night we attended a Solstice Party. It was great. We had a wonderful time. A conversation I had leads to this blogs discussion.

The question comes up; why God? What is behind the question? I can't get into the minds of all atheist, but as a one time atheist myself, I have some insight. Many are reacting to the punitive and illogical experience of religion and they have not reached the point of realizing there is little connection between God and religion.

Religion is always a man-made institution used to control the population. Since they are often based on a genuine "Teacher of God" they may carry some truth and there certainly are serious seekers among the adherents. I perceive the truth in the worlds major religions.

Religion as an institution has been used to control people in  many ways. It often teaches us that body function are evil; that being in a body is an inherently negative thing. That God will punish you for wrongdoing. Not only punish you, but send you to hell for all eternity. Then they say, that the only way you can be saved, from this fate, is to adhere to their particular beliefs. If you are a sensitive soul, what refuge would you have besides atheism?

On top of this, religion purports God to be all loving and all forgiving. Huh, how does that fit with the paragraph above? I know there are religious group who base their beliefs only on Christ teaching and avoid the worst of these problems; but, even then guilt finds its way into the system.

One thing we need to realize is God did not make religion. The great spiritual teachers did not found any religions. They tried to teach us to love one another. That this life on Earth was largely illusionary and could be what we wanted it to be. They tried to express its transient nature and that we were eternal beings only having a brief sojourn on Earth.

I do not see how the logical mind can prove or disprove the existence of God. When I was an atheist I could not comprehend how people could believe that ethical behavior arose from religious belief. In my experience the most ethical people were the ones who were more apt to question the legitimacy of religion. Now, as I can view it from both sides, I don't think the question is relevant. We all carry the truth inside us {again a major teaching of the great ones}; we don't need religion to tell us what is right or wrong. We do know.

We will not solve the problem of the existence of God in the logical mind. At least not yet. We can pile up evidence on both sides, but never enough to overcome whatever your convictions are now. And why does it matter? If God doesn't exist; He/She isn't. If God does exist; He/She isn't concerned about your conclusions, because God is Unconditional Love and only wants what is best for you.

The logical mind is hopeless in solving the question of the existence of God. It is not a matter of belief, it is a matter of discovery. There is no need to believe in something you haven't discovered yet. If there is validity in the left brain/right brain dichotomy; it is definitely a right brained function. It is led by your intuition. Begin by asking yourself, "Who am I" "What am I doing here" "Do I have a purpose" As you can ask these question, without your logical mind kicking in, you will get answers. Over the centuries, meditation has been the commonest and most useful tool in seeking answers.

Using the word God can, itself, be a problem for some. Great Spirit, All There is, Unconditional Love, The Great Void, The Silence and many other words attempt to express the unexpressible.

Love and Peace, Gregg

SCARRY TIMES

For many years there have been predictions of great changes for our times; economic, geological, political, demographic, spiritual etc. What is looming on the horizon is a great economic change.

Many people sense or even anticipate a collapse of our economic system. However, the reactions vary greatly. Some, who have been expecting it for along time, eagerly await it as they have been preparing for the creation of a new system and they are confident it can and will be accomplished. Others, are overwhelmed by their compassion for those who will be in fear and great pain of their loss and don't necessarily see that the transition will be short lived. There is great overlap in these two groups; even day to day, one can feel confident and free of fear and the next day paralyzed by it. Then of course there are those that go on without a clue that there is a problem.

It is time to get serious. The M.F. Global collapse is one of many bellwethers that occurred in the last few years. The particular warning about this collapse is: nobodies money is safe; no pension funds; no 401ks; nothing. The big banks knew this was coming for a long time, they are now sucking up everything they can get away with. They can get away with a lot!

Look to your own situation. If you can get your money out - do so. Whether you have investments or not, imagine the turmoil that might occur if your family and friends could suddenly not access their funds {that is what happened in the M. F. Global situation}. Be prepared to help any way you can. I personally don't think all commerce is going to halt; but it will be crippled for awhile. It wouldn't hurt to have some foodstuffs to get you by for a few weeks.

I am one of those who believe this is a necessary change so we can free ourselves to create a new system of commerce. Capitalism has become so corrupt it can no longer be reformed. It is a doomed system that can only lead to corporate fascism.

We have to begin discussions about how we are going to deal with the transition. Universal debt forgiveness is a must. A return to the local production of food and the break up of big agriculture needs to follow. Our transportation system has to be changed completely. Reliance on the automobile needs to end. Creation of communities on the spokes of a wheel of high speed rail {or does it need to be high speed?} We can quit being in a hurry. There are many models out there for a sane functional community. We don't have to reinvent anything. Folks have been thinking about this and preparing for fifty years or more. This situation is not a surprise for many, many people. 

Those who are surprised are going to need reassurance and many will need help with food stuffs etc. I believe there will be an amazing pulling together of folks and it will not be as bad as it seems. Individuals will feel a new sense of sovereignty and independence. You will surprised about who comes forward with new ideas and leadership. This is not a time to be afraid. However, be watchful and alert. Things are going to change rapidly. Eagerly anticipate a saner, more peaceful, more loving world.

Love and Peace,  Gregg

A BALMY WINTER DAY

When I got up this morning it was 37 degrees. It actually felt balmy. It is a testimony to our ability to get used to something. Imagine how 37 would have felt in September. I don't have to imagine I remember how cold the 30's felt in the early Fall.

Today for the first time in my life I am going in for an eye exam and a fitting for glasses. I will be 77 in January and I have never had an eye examination other than holding a hand over one eye and looking at a chart; the thing you have in grade school. I can still pass the eye test for a driving license, but it is getting harder. I use 99 cent glasses for reading. I would probably hold out until I am eighty but certain people in my family have been campaigning against that idea.

Of course the seeing, I am most interested in, is the seeing that happens when we drop the scales from our eyes. The scales are built by judgement and everything we see is filtered through them. I am convinced that Paradise is here, on earth, but we can't see it because of our blindness. Have I seen it? Perhaps, I have seen glimmers. If you are reading this; you probably, too, have seen glimmers. I don't see any better than you; but I have contemplated the subject for forty years. I have experienced an increase in life satisfaction; a greater sense of peace and joy as I have consciously given up my judgements of others. Yes, I still have a ways to go. Ask my wife. No don't. I want you to enjoy the illusion of my near perfection. Huh!

You will find it easier to forgive those distant from you than those close. The  more intimate you are with someone the more opportunity for the ego to get involved. When you are judging yourself, you are looking at the world through your ego. You are especially alert for the shortcomings of those who are suppose to love you. At those times, you will come down hard on that other person. If you are verbal about it, a fight may ensue. It you keep it to yourself, you will get depressed. Either way you lose. Judgement is horrible. When the other person in the relationship is also leading with their ego, you can fight, vehemently, over the color of the sky. If you can catch yourself and laugh; you can dispel the curse. {It is like a curse} Laughter is a remedy for many of life's foibles. Of course, it needs to be clear that your laughing at yourself.

We have these automatic judgments we make of the world. They are just bad habits. They are easier to relinquish than we realize. Judgements about religion, nationality, race, gender, body size, wealth, health, etc. etc. Until you decide to make a conscious effort to eliminate them they color your perception. You will not see the other person. You only see a reflection of your idea. Once you are determined to give them up, you will catch yourself. You might give yourself a few seconds to discover where you learned such judgements; parent, friend, teacher etc, it helps. If it works out for you, spend a few minutes before you go to bed and review your day. {This is not for self criticism} Love yourself. Forgive yourself. You are involved in a great project and deserving of great love.

Have a wonderful SEEING day.

Love and Peace, Gregg

A BEAUTIFUL DAY

It was cold and Sunny this morning; about zero when I got up. It didn't feel particularly cold, there wasn't much breeze and the Sun felt marvelous. Doing the chores was a privilege and, all and all, it feels great to be alive.

Every Morning could be like this, right! It would be if it wasn't for that silly thing called a mind. What is a mind anyway? Where is it located? Is it in our brain? I don't think so. What does it do? Well it figures things out. It is a wonderful builder. It is a wonderful solver of problems. Why the difficulty then? Can't we always be excited and happy to be alive?

It must be that trickster, that ego, that invites fear into the mind. A little fear attracts worry, which comes in all shapes and sizes. We know that worry solves nothing, that it robs us of life's enjoyment. Yet we get seduced into listening to bothersome thoughts by that trickster. That wily ego tells us we can solve everything with our mind and blames all problems outside itself. The truth is the mind is a tool and it works marvelously but cannot function independently of the heart. One of our troubles is believing the mind should rule over the heart, when in fact the heart must rule the mind. The heart is unconditional love, it is the energy of the universe, it is what makes our mind possible.

The ego cleverly uses the mind to separate us from each other and the rest of the universe. It has been remarkably successful. As long as we allow the ego to introduce fear thoughts into our mind, we will remain separate from ourselves as well as each other.

We must begin to make ourselves whole. Recognize that the mind must be subject to the heart or if you prefer, the spirit or universal energy. When we eschew fear and the mind is clear it[the mind] recognizes its connection to the whole. It won't try to operate independently of unconditional love.

As individuals, our task is to realize that no amount of fear is helpful. It is no way protective. Worry is so seductive, but completely worthless and dangerous to our physical and mental health. We will learn to catch ourselves when a worry seed is planted in our mind and pull it out before it germinates. It takes practice, but once you realize the value it becomes easier and easier. It is great to be happy, peaceful and joyful. It is our birthright!

Have a wonderful carefree afternoon.

Love and Peace, Gregg

AN ORDINARY DAY

Winter has arrived here. It is snowing and cold and it is supposed to remain below freezing for the next week. Christmas party invitations began flowing in; we already have three events scheduled and we haven't decided what we are going to do Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, yet. We may host a dinner party.

We had a wonderful venison steak dinner last night and I finished the left overs for brunch. The venison was supplied by my son and grandson; the two main hunters of the family.

This is one of those days when I have no idea what to write about. When I first started writing this blog I had fantasies of writing every day. As you know, that didn't last long. The news of the world remains dismal with sabre rattling and various threats being toted by the powers that be. I try not to pay attention to it and I know there is good news out there somewhere, too. There appears to be a new Homesteading Movement emerging. This time, much of the focus appears to be in cities such as Detroit and St. Louis. People have sent me information about this phenomenon and I will pass on some information, via websites, when I learn how to do it. There are lots of things on the internet that I would like to share with you but I need to learn how to do it properly. My Tech savvy kids show me how to do things but I promptly forget unless I have an opportunity to repeat what I have learned soon after.

Talk about an ordinary day; my mind must be extraordinarily ordinary today as my creative impulse lies dormant. I would erase this whole message, but you might as well know what an ordinary folk I am. I need to focus on the beauty of my natural surroundings and re-energize. It is a winter wonderland out there with giant snowflakes that look like giant white butterflies floating down. I will go outside and tilt my head up, like a child, and catch one in my mouth. 

Love and Peace,  Gregg

LOOKING ON A FORGIVEN WORLD

When you can see the world without judgement; you will be able to see paradise.

To accomplish this, you must forgive yourself. You must recognize your innocence and that of your neighbor. No amount of guilt is good. It was fashionable during the eighties for some people, even psychologist, to postulate that a little bit of guilt was a good thing. That is nonsense; it is like saying a little neuro-toxin won't hurt you.

It is human to regret hurting somebody. It is an error needing correction. A person needs to recognize their error and decide not to make the same mistake; thus forgive themselves. Because you are human, you may have to do this again and again. Guilt is the feeling that you are a lesser person because of your mistake; a flawed human being. Feeling guilty always perpetuates the behavior you are feeling bad about. It never, never prevents it. To truly forgive yourself or others you must be whole yourself and not be diminished by guilt.

You can't forgive yourself if you insist on hanging on to your judgements of others. It takes practice to see others as innocent. It seems a jerk is a jerk deserving of your condemnation. Here is where compassion will aid you. When you see a person behaving in a negative manner, remember that they are the one in pain, whether they know it or not. See them with compassion and understand their behavior as a call for love. With practice you can learn to see through their craziness {ego} to the beautiful spirit they are. This won't happen overnight. Don't expect too much of yourself. At first just remind yourself,  when you see somebody being a jerk, that they are in some kind of pain. Eventually you will see their innocence.

A good exercise when you find your self judging yourself is to say, "I have forgiven myself and I look upon a forgiven world".

At this point we have no idea how powerful our perception is. We cannot really see the truth that is outside ourselves as long as we look through a filter of judgement. Every judgement you make affects what you see. We remain prisoners of our judgements until we can give them up.

That is why in the conclusion of my letter yesterday I used the present tense, I wrote "............dream of the glorious world" You don't need to think of this beautiful world in the future. It is here now, we just need to open our eyes.

Love and Peace,  Gregg

A LAZY MORNING

I have yet to do my dishes. They are still languishing in the sink, waiting patiently for me. I have been a little slow to get to things. I did my animal chores with Elijah, my almost four, grandson, and then he entertained me for a couple hours. We learned counting with Richard Scarry and Grandpa tried to catch a little snooze but Elijah found ways to keep Grandpa's eyes open.

It puzzles me why there is not more open communication about these times. There is a great deal of writing on the internet about the changes that are occurring. I lived through the back-to the-land movement of the 70s, there were groups formed all over the country and several magazines catering to the movement. In our area we formed a Homesteading Club that had several members and held together for several years. It was a rich and rewarding experience.

What is happening now is a much, much bigger event. It is a major upheaval and yet it is not talked about among the people I know. The collapse of the economy and the rest of the social structure, as we have known it, is on the verge of being clear to everybody. Yet, I don't know of many people coming together in anticipation of future needs. I hear a conversation, occasionally, but so far no real coming together.  I have a friend who built a root cellar and I know other folks who have gradually stored up non-perishable food stuffs. However, I don't see the coming together that I did in the 70s.

In the 70s the feeling was hopeful. We were convinced that we were a vanguard of people who were preparing the way for the rest of the population to follow. We dreamed of a society where the vast majority would live close to the Earth, raising our own food and contributing to the whole. We believed we could live with nature and were dedicated to restoring the Earth to its pristine beauty. Then came the 80s. It became clear that the world was not going in our direction. Most of us returned to fulfill roles in the old world. I don't think our hearts were changed.

Today, we are on the verge of great changes. Is there much coming together? Many of my friends and acquaintances seem to feel the coming changes acutely, but I think they feel helpless or even dread. That is very sad. It is a hopeful time! Even a time for celebration! I think it is time, again, for folks to come together and dream of the glorious world.

Love and Peace, Gregg

THANKSGIVING WEEKEND

Friday we recovered from the party and ate left overs. Yesterday we went to pick up a goat we bought and we ate leftovers. I ate about six pieces of pie since Thanksgiving. I just finished a piece of pecan pie. We have portions of pecan, apple, mince, pumpkin and key lime pie left. It will get eaten.

We bought a goat with a distinguished pedigree. We will tuck the Paper away and not look at it again. Our interest is in goats that will milk a gallon a day with some consistency. We gave our old buck away and will start with a fresh sire next year. Line breeding is fine with herd animals but you want to introduce a new sire about every five years.

I took a break to finish a mound of dishes. The serving dishes are gradually being emptied and in need of washing. One more day and there should be only pie plates left.

This would be a good time to contrast the opulence of my life with others; both in this country and the rest of the world. I can't go there. It is too painful. Our government spends 1.9 billion every single day on the military, in the process killing thousands of people and at the same time allowing millions of people to die that would be easily saved with a fraction of that money. Just a small portion of the money we spend on the military could be used to save millions of folks from starvation. How can this be? How did it come to this? I know it doesn't do me or anybody else any good to focus on these negative agendas. Thank God for the Occupy Wall Street Movement. Perhaps it has stirred enough people to awaken and demand and end to this madness. It is becoming crystal clear that the biggest terrorist are folks controlling big banks; who in turn control the Pentagon and other allied militaries. The War on Terrorism is just an excuse to beat the Third World into submission and rob them of their resources. I know that if enough people open their eyes, this madness will stop. There has to be ways we can refuse to cooperate and even frustrate their agenda. Politics doesn't work, right now, as both parties are bought and paid for. Democracy can't happen as long as one can use money to control the outcome. I am not advocating the overthrow of the government. I am recommending the expulsion of the people embedded in the government whom are controlled by these big bankers. Then the banks have to be dismantled and restructured so they can no longer make democracy impossible.

I must be a little down today. I know this painful world I am seeing is almost over. I know we are creating a new world where all this horror will be a distant memory. And yes, I can heed my own advice and look to the light! It is there to see. I see love in the eyes of all I meet. I know everyone wants to work towards the New World that shines just over the horizon. I know we need help in preceding. I learned a long time ago that effective action can only follow correct thoughts. That means any action must issue from a mind steeped in unconditional love. So we need to clear our minds of all negativity and "see" what can be done.

We will succeed.

Love and Peace,  Gregg

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite Holidays. It is a time when our children and their children congregate at our house to celebrate. We do have a great time.

This Thanksgiving seems especially significant. Our future is full of promise. Although, we don't always realize it; we have much to be thankful for. Practicing thankfulness can be a turning point in ones life. When your a little down it can immediately change your viewpoint. Learning to be mindful of thankfulness can change your life.

Practice it today. Imagine you are an infinite being {you are}; imagine you have an infinite capacity to love {you do}. Bring the whole world into your heart and marinate it in unconditional love {you can}.

Celebrate the beautiful being you are.

Love and Peace, Gregg

A CLOUDY DAY

It has been cloudy all morning. Cloudy, but, not gloomy; although that is a matter of mood. I have to admit I have had an occasional moody moment this morning. I have no idea what I am going to write. I think if I sit here and click the keys something will come to me.  

I read the economic forecast on the internet and they state that were swirling down the drain and there is nothing on the horizon to save us. I read the spiritual web sites, they are reassuring; basically saying, everything has to collapse in order for a new world to come into being. I have always believed that even before I heard anybody else say it. I, always, could see that the world was barking mad and it would have to collapse in order for us to give up the ideas this mad world engendered.

I learned, early, that the solution was not to fix the world, but to fix yourself. The perception you hold of the world is unique to you. Although, we all have great commonality in what we see; we all see a different world depending on the filter of our thoughts and feelings. In order to "see" one must look with unconditional love. That begins with loving yourself; which in turn, begins with forgiving yourself for every real and imaginary infraction. When you see can see a forgiven world, you will see that everyone is on the path to the same place and everyone is your teacher.

Of course this easier said than done. I have been consciously engaged in this process for at least forty years and anybody who knows me will attest that I have a ways to go. Don't lose heart, I might be a slow learner. There is no question that learning is speeding up. People are awakening everywhere. Sometimes, you might look around and  think nobody gets it! That is discouraging. When that happens, look for the negativity in your own mind. Gently blow it away; let love flow in. Now look around; you will see the world differently.

The next few months may be cause for struggle. All that is hidden must come out. All the ways we have been manipulated as a people will be clear to those who are willing to see it. All the atrocities committed by governments who pretended to be committed to peace will be unveiled. It will be unsettling; be prepared for it. Also, be prepared to forgive those who transgressed. There is no room for condemnation. Remember, we created this dysfunctional world collectively because of our separation; those who have erred are only the weaker ones. These, weaker ones, were often the more powerful in the old world. Since they had no sense of connectiveness, they felt no obligation to anyone and were able to pursue wealth and power relentlessly. As you see how miserable they are, it will be easier to forgive them. 

Practice seeing a forgiven world.

Love and Peace, Gregg 

Life on Laughing Water Farm

I don't like killing things. I don't suppose there are many people that do. I have to butcher; but that is a special, perhaps sacred relationship. You give the animal the most pleasant, natural life possible and the animal fulfills its purpose. He is dispatched with much love and respect. So when the first mice appear I am reluctant to respond. They are cute little creatures and I don't mind them too much until they get into the silverware drawer. This year they scampered around for a month. Jamie reported them running across the floor on a daily basis.  I spotted them too, but I still hadn't noticed them getting into food or other places we definitely wouldn't want them.  However, a couple nights ago, I got up to relieve myself and as I was leaning over the toilet, stark naked, a mouse ran between my legs. That's a little too friendly. We couldn't find our old traps, so we bought some new ones. Since then we have caught about eight mice.

We are all set for the Winter now and I guess it is just in time as snow is forecast for tomorrow. The last couple days I hauled water to the animals. I use a couple five gallon plastic jugs. I have to use a cart now, but, tomorrow [or whenever the snow falls] I will use my toboggan.

The Occupy Wall Street movement had a big push yesterday. Both the CBS and BBC news implied that there were only a few thousand in  attendance. BBC news didn't mention actual numbers in New York, but they did in Washington DC. CBS said there were only a few thousand in New York. They both seemed to imply that the movement was running out of steam. Internet sources, that are generally reliable, put the number at 30,000. What's up? There must be a lot of pressure on the media to minimize the impact of the movement. To give them credit, the images they showed looked like a lot more people than a few thousand. CBS had a voice over rather than the reporter for part of the segment. The movement is definitely not losing steam! The powers that be made an error when they attempted to suppress it. They have given it more energy.

MFGlobal's bankruptcy is causing a much greater impact on the economy than first thought. Thirty million is missing out of customer accounts. For whatever reason the company and regulators are holding up forty billion in company assets while they attempt to account for the missing money. Several folks that held gold futures lost their money and worse, the rumors are, that much more than the thirty million is unaccountable. The financial structure is so fragile this could yet be a calamitous trigger.   

Well I got to do my dishes and then we have to go to Mora to do some Thanksgiving dinner shopping. TGIF for you working stiffs.

Love and Peace, Gregg

WAITING

What do you do while you wait for the dark to finally succumb to the light? The opposing forces create a tension in the body. I experience it as weariness. I am good at deflecting negativity, but then it does get to me. However, I have gotten a lot done in the last few days. I mended a fence, fixed a gate, put bedding down in my turkey and chicken houses and, yesterday, I finished snugging up the chicken coop for the Winter.

While we are waiting for the final economic crash; I ponder why we don't do anything more to make life easier for the ones most victimized. We learned a long time ago that the best way to deal with an economic downturn is to put money in the hands of those on the lower rungs. When you give money to the poor or near poor they spend all of it on their welfare. Every penny goes to the grocery store, the drug store, the dry cleaners, the garage and, yes, some to the liquor store. The local community is enhanced and the economy stimulated. This is a fact not speculation. Study the course of every downturn and you can see how it works. It is especially evident in the Great Depression. Roosevelt's interventions clearly worked. Don't believe the conservative spin that things did not get better until World War 11. Sure some things stayed in the doldrums but the economy is a lot more than the stock market. Roosevelt's initiatives alleviated suffering and gave hope. They rescued our country from economic hell.

Why don't we use this method now? Extend unemployment to every person who needs it. Create work opportunities. Our infrastructure is in the toilet. What is holding up these simple solutions? We know, without a shadow of a doubt, that we need to find, every way we can, to get money in to the hands of the people in the lower echelon of the economic structure, if the economy is going to survive. [Quite a sentence] What is going through the minds of those who resist? Is it the belief that the working class is not worthy of the help? Is it some distorted morality like that? Are they anxious to be dragged down into the same economic oblivion for the sake of some ideology that hardly makes any sense. When people are suffering from of lack of money; how does austerity work? How can it work? I don't understand the resistance the conservatives have. It has no logic. It must be some distorted morality. Every penny you give to a poor person will eventually trickle up to the rich. It usually isn't a trickle, it is a river!

The other thing that would turn every thing around is universal debt forgiveness. But if we resent giving the poor unemployment insurance, it will be awhile before we see the wisdom in that. It is going to happen eventually. It is the only way to rid the economy of the trillions of dollars in bad debts; mostly gambling debts i.e. derivatives. We are either going to sink or we are going to have to wipe the slate clean. This time, however, debt forgiveness will have to be extended to everyone, not just to the bankers. Then the whole banking structure will have to be changed to outlaw the practices that got us in to the mess in the first place. I do know how to do this. I will discuss it in a later session. 

It all boils down to, doing what's most loving.

Love and Peace, Gregg

11-11-11

This is suppose to be a high energy day. I don't notice it so far; in fact I am dragging a little this morning. Hmmm........ could be one of those beers I had last night was bad.

Despite my situation, I do believe the energy or light is increasing of late. There are more and more disclosures of the nefarious behaviors of the elite coming to light and on the positive side, people seem to be waking up to their condition and instead of anger, they are expressing a willingness to forgive and start over. They are clearly demanding an end to the domination of money. The Occupation Phenomena keeps growing and attracting people of considerable social significance. I don't think they will quit until the big banks come down.

Also, I note, the war hawks are having trouble getting people behind the idea of a preemptive attack on Iran. The news media has been flooded with articles and news releases crafted to engender fear and whip up a retaliatory response. I don't think the people are buying it this time. The memory of getting sucked into the wars with Iraq and Afghanistan are still fresh. They know that they were manipulated into supporting those wars on false pretenses.

It is hard for people to imagine a world free from the power of money. We are so use to it that we can't imagine what it would be like to live in a world where the banks didn't rule. Have you been in a big bank lately? Have you noticed how similar they are to temples? There is a hushed quality; like a cathedral. We have been carefully impressed with the sacred quality of money and the similarity of banks and churches is no accident.

It seems like an impossible task to unlearn all these associations in which we have been so carefully imbued. However, I am impressed with what I am hearing from people and it sounds like folks are far more willing to shuck all that old stuff and dream of a different future than I first thought. I can't intellectualize the change that I am seeing and feeling, but I have no doubt about its genuineness.

I haven't done my dishes yet and I do need to get some outside work done. I need to get my turkey house and chicken coops ready for the Winter. I put plastic on the coop windows and give them new bedding. Enjoy the day!

Love and Peace,  Gregg

WHAT'S ENLIGHTENMENT?

Well I finished my chores and my dishes are soaking and I am already second guessing my intention to deal with the the title subject. What is enlightenment? How do I know; I am just a dumb schlock from Ogilvie. Although, I have occasionally peered through the darkened glass and even had brilliant insights of lasting value; I am not in position to say what it is, with any precision. However, after dwelling on the subject for almost fifty years, I have a few things to say.

First of all: everybody is on the path to enlightenment. That is what you are here for and there is no one path. Everybody is on the journey. It doesn't matter if you spend twenty years in an ashram or twenty years tilling corn, your advancement on your path may be equal.

Secondly: you are not really in charge of your progress. You can delay it, by hanging on to materiality and negativity of all types and ignoring any guidance that comes your way. You can't stop it. Compare it to your physical growth; it happens largely without your cooperation. You may damage it by poor practices like diet etc., but it happens anyway.

Thirdly: Good practices will facilitate spiritual growth, just as good diet and exercise will aid physical growth. You don't decide when you become enlightened; it happens when you are ready. You won't have to ask, "am I enlightened?" You will know! Good practices are largely defined by how you choose to see the world and largely determined by the thoughts that you hang on to.

We came here to experience separation. Our task is to discover- we don't really want it. There is no peace in separation. There is no joy in separation. There is no love in separation. The champion of separation is our ego, which continues to measure our worth next to each other. The ego sees everything as better or worse. The ego uses judgement to maintain separation. As long as it has dominance, you won't have peace. You may think you are judging others; but there are no others.

Putting your ego in its place; entails seeing it's littleness. It is only concerned with materiality and what makes you seem better or worse than your neighbor. It is not interested in your happiness or well being; although it will {often vehemently} pretend to be. Putting yourself first { your real self} means making Love the dominate force in your life.

There is something happening in the world now, some people describe it as an intensifying of the light, which it makes it easier to see through our individual and collective ego disguises. People are seeing the Truth in greater and greater numbers.

Practice Love in everything. Value everybody. Be serious about keeping negativity out of your mind. We won't need to describe enlightenment. We will experience it.

Jamie says there are fried potatoes and bacon ready.

Love and Peace, Gregg 

SATURDAY AFTERNOON

It was a quiet Morning and now it is a quiet early afternoon. It is one of those days when I just want to sit still and absorb whatever there is to absorb. The farm chores for today are mostly complete, the dishes are washed. I am free now to write. But what? Sometimes I have absolutely no idea what to write; other times, the ideas flow so fast I miss half of them.

We are in a waiting pattern. I hate to wait. I have yet to master a Zen like attitude when it comes to waiting. Among other things; I am waiting for the European governments to throw up their hands and let the Euro collapse. They will eventually, because the only way out is debt forgiveness and the end to the idea that austerity will work. It is bizarre to think that the Greek people should suffer because of the bankers greed. The powers, that be, try to demonize the Greek worker for being selfishly, profligate. Which is nonsense on the face. It is the same as some do in America, blaming the poor for the housing crises.  "Oh, if they only hadn't taken out those loans". Instead of insisting that the swindlers be thrown in jail and their profits confiscated, we bail out the wrongdoers and scapegoat the innocent.

I know, I should practice what I preach and not pay any attention. After all, I live in paradise. I have all the food, wine etc. I could possibly want. I have an amazing, remarkable wife who supports me and fights with me when warranted. I live in a very peaceful place. We have wonderful neighbors and great, great friends. I could not want for more.

It takes, only, a mere change of thought to go from purgatory to heaven. If you look at the stream of thought that passes through your mind, you will notice how your mood changes according to the thought that you hang on to. I have been on this journey for almost fifty years and I still sometimes forget to look at quality of the thought I am entertaining when I am in a less than stellar mood.

So, I don't have to wait. I can see Paradise from here.

Love and Peace, Gregg

NOVEMBER MORNING

It feels like snow this morning, however, we are in a dry spell and the snow will probably go South of us. All day yesterday I wanted to blog but events prevented me. All those wonderful ideas I had in my head are now gone; but there still must be something rattling around in there. We didn't get a single Trick or Treater for Halloween. In the 40+ years we lived here, we only have had a handful and none in the last 10 years. Yet, we still buy treats just in case; little Snicker bars {Jamie's favorite} and Peanut Butter Cups {my favorite}. We have a long tree shaded driveway; about a tenth of a mile, a city block for folks that measure that way. We live in a neighborhood of farms and family dwellings, but there are no young children living nearby.

Many things that have and are happening in the world of a highly negative nature are becoming known. This is a time when the hidden becomes unveiled. Much of a criminal and embarrassing nature will come out. Those who have been naive about the role of our government may feel angry and ashamed. This has to happen to further the awakening process. However, do not dwell on it. I know it is tempting to wallow in others misdeeds, but do it as little as possible. Use your creative power to envision a New World created of love. This is the time to use our collective creative energy to bring in the New World. I wish I could describe to you what a world created of Love would look like. I think it would help. But I believe that all of you have within you the capacity to see a perfect world. A world devoid of negativity. A world without haves and havenots. A world where equality is a reality. A world where love is the response to every situation. A world where feeling loved and appreciated is as natural as breathing. Spend some time everyday imagining the New World. We need to come together now to bring it forth.

Go through your day being mindful that everything your do can be done with love. Resist going on autopilot, be purposeful and focused. It doesn't matter the task, there equally important. Wash the dishes with love, sweep the floor with love; whether it is brain surgery or leaf raking, do it with love.

And I need to do my dishes.

Love and Peace, Gregg

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

The arrival of Halloween seems anti-climatic since people in our area have been celebrating since Friday. I don't remember it being such a big deal for adults when I was younger. In my family, it was always celebrated; but for a lot of adults of my generation it was a big yawn. Now, it seems like, everybody celebrates it. 

The weather is a mild disappointment. All week long the weather folks have been telling us that it was going to be Sunny today and it was only going to get down to 31 degrees. Instead, it is now 39 and foggy and wet. It got down to 24.7 last night and my hoses froze up that provide water to my animals. I will have to do that part of the chores when I am done here. I was going to finish the yard work today; now I am having second thoughts.

We see teachers as imparting wisdom to their students; perhaps, in part, that is true. However, it is the smaller part. Actually, the teacher is the primary learner. The teacher always teaches what he is trying to comprehend himself. The students gain from the teachers attempts to further his own education about the subject. The passion a teacher has for his subject comes from his wish to learn it.

For those who pay attention to the stock market; you may have been amused, startled, reassured etc. by the rise in the stock market last week, when it went up over 300 points. Some talking heads were declaring an end to our economic woes and stating a second[?] recession was avoided. Most of this was attributed to the Europeans coming together to save the foundering economies of countries like Greece.

Now, today, we go back to reality. The agreement won't save Greece; it won't save the Euro; it won't save the banks and it won't save our economy. The banks are already insolvent we are just waiting for the consequences to be realized. All they are doing is begging for more time and hoping for a miracle. When there are 600 trillion dollars in gambling debts outstanding {worthless derivatives} sitting in the banks of Europe and America with no way to pay them; what is going to happen? I don't know either, but it won't be a recovery. I think the only way out is universal debt forgiveness. That is UNIVERSAL. Everybody's debts not just the banks, like last time.

Love and Peace, Gregg

WORTHINESS

The old world conspired to keep the knowledge of our worth from us. Some religions taught that we are damned until saved. When religions became institutionalized they all taught that somehow they have the corner on salvation and one must follow their rules if you expect to realize it. Governments as well as religion created hierarchies that bestowed personal value according to your station. Parents and teachers, unwittingly, reinforced these ideas.

Of course it is all nonsense. WE ARE ALL EQUAL and WE ARE ALL EQUALLY WORTHY. As a philosophical statement, it is easy to accept. To realize it, requires one to open their eyes. Our culture has corrupted us to think that you must have money or celebrity or esteem from some group to have worth. But our real value is expressed in how we love each other. The happiness we bring. The light we create in each others eyes. There are no small things. You can't know the profoundness of the impact you had by smiling at that person in the grocery store. All the things that happen and don't happen between people, in the usual course of our days, have positive or negative consequences. Everything effects people either positively or negatively. There are no neutral events.

The more we realize our worthiness, the more we shine our light onto the world. It becomes easier to gladden the hearts of the people we interact with. Isn't that what we are here for? I know we forget and we have to forgive ourselves for our forgetting. Our sense of our own worth will grow as we learn to recognize the worth in others. When you validate others worthiness you become more aware of your own. I know I am being redundant, but it is such an important point. When the statement was made, "that we love our neighbors as ourselves" some people didn't get that that is what we do. If we don't love ourselves we can't love our neighbor either. It all, of course, comes back to our oneness.

That is enough for today.

Love and Peace, Gregg

A NEW AGE ?

According to several Mayan Calendar scholars, this is the last day! The calendar ends today. Tomorrow will be Day One of the the New Age. Do we get to name the new months? I would name the first month after my Grandson, Elijah, who loves calendars.

I know very little about the Mayan Calendar. I get my information from my brilliant wife, Jamie, who keeps up on nearly everything. Carl Johan Calleman is a good source of information. He believes the old age was characterized by dominance. The New Age is one of individual sovereignty. Cities represented dominance in the old age. He envisions a new age characterized by a network of interconnected villages.

I hope it is true! It fits my image of an ideal civilization. I have always wondered how cities would work in a well functioning, sane society. I could not imagine living in a large city for any length of time, but that is my prejudice; many people must love them. According to Calleman, cities were designed to dominate the countryside and the future will be without dominance.

It is an incredibly beautiful day! After I get my dishes washed, I am going to go out and do a little yard work. Or I might be overcome with Fall Fever and just enjoy the sunshine.

TGIF for you working stiffs. Have a good Halloween and Happy New Year.

Love and Peace, Gregg

NOW FOR THE HARD PART

It is relatively easy to get to the place where you can say I love my neighbor; well maybe not your next door neighbor. One can feel good about having forgiven mankind and have a nice glow of love for everyone and then get irritated by wife, husband or child.

Think of it this way. We are all on a journey to become unconditionally loving beings. Our greatest helpers on this quest are the people closest to us; by their very existence they help us relinquish the dominance of our egos. We marry somebody to fill our perceived needs; intimacy. companionship, understanding, support etc. We, also, marry somebody to facilitate our growth. Growing can be painful, depending on the degree of separation we are experiencing. The things that we take personally are not really personal. They are the other persons attempt at growth. The level of conflict between you is not a measure of the growth value of the relationship. Many so-called Soul Mates have very conflictual relationships as they are teachers for each other in giving up the dominance of the ego.

DO NOT GET DISCOURAGED. There is the old story of the pilgrim who was seeking enlightenment. He traveled to a mountain top retreat and spent years meditating and praying. He was able to feel the absolute glow of love and he felt he had reached his goal of perfect peace. He decided it was time to rejoin the world. He went down the mountain and entered the market place; someone jostled him in the crowd and he reacted with irritation. We need other people to help us give up ego dominance. We are learning very fast and it won't take you as long as this fellow. For reasons we may go into later, learning is greatly intensified right now. You will be surprised with your progress.

Forgiveness is the key to our success. Forgive every slight. Attempt to see through others ego struggles to the radiant being they are. When you fail; forgive yourself, forgive yourself, and forgive yourself again. Remember you must truly love yourself to have the capacity to love others.

That is enough for today. We got our potatoes dug. Jamie thinks we have enough for the winter. Our major Fall tasks are completed. A good feeling. I need to snug up my chicken coop, which means putting plastic over the windows, and roll up the hose etc. Now it is time to wash the dishes.

Love and Peace, Gregg 

AUTUMNAL MORNING

It is weird getting up in the dark. Every Fall I need to get used to it all over again. Okay, I admit it I have been laying in bed like a slug until the light begins to brighten the room. I don't like getting up in the dark. I did for many years and now well into my retirement I like to stay in bed until light. This morning the sun came over the horizon about 7:15. We will dig the last of the potatoes today. It is a perfect day for working outside.

As part of the Awakening, we each need to see how we were, effectively, slaves of the monied people behind the scenes. We need to see how our worship of money has kept us from realizing our autonomy; hence our freedom. We can't free ourselves by being angry about it. Sure on seeing the truth one may have a flash of anger, but staying angry will keep you stuck. We need to forgive our enslavers. It will help if you can see them as more stuck than you. Why would anyone want to have vast sums of money and power? No matter how much you have on the outside; it will not make things better on the inside. What everybody wants is to feel loved and have the capacity to love in return. In order to love others; one must love themselves. People who value money and power for its own sake can never be sure anybody loves them for themselves. They can only get comfort in conquest, which is very fleeting. As their emptiness grows, they seek more and more power and wealth for the high it gives them. It becomes a horrible addiction that makes any attempt at peace impossible. Don't envy them. You are far better off. 

What keeps us apart? What keeps us from seeing? It is our sense of separateness. That in itself is, certainly, not a bad thing. We are in bodies after all, which are separate. But add to it judgement of better and worse and you have created a situation extremely difficult to get out of. The problem is, perception is fluid and dependent on what you think. If you see someone in a negative light, it aligns your perception to continue seeing them that way. Your mind will arrange the data so you can see them as you believe them to be. We do this individually and collectively. It is time for us to  get over it. Governments have used this mechanism to control their people for thousands of years. Our present government has been using this very effectively in the "war on terrorism". They can easily demonize people and murder them without regard for political repercussion, because people have been blinded by induced perceptions.

Practice seeing everybody as absolutely equal. Sit back scan through your mind all the peoples of the world. Africans, Europeans, Australians, Asians, Catholics, Jews, Protestants, Muslims and all their subgroups. You get the idea. Everybody Bushmen, Eskimos, leave no one out. Do you see anyone as lesser? How did you come by this idea? You will find this exorcise as worthwhile in helping you see how you have been programed. Be honest. It is not easy to face our judgements.

We must give up the ideas of higher and lower and better and worse as they apply to people.


 Love and Peace, Gregg



   

SUNDAY

When I began this Blog I wanted to focus on the New World that is emerging. A world created by Love.  I hoped to encourage people to see without judgement and to imagine a world where the most loving of our citizens would rise to the top of the power structure. If we create, with the thoughts that we hold in our mind; then it behooves us to look to our minds for the peace, love, and joy we want to out picture. All this is easier said than done; but, we do have a lot of help and we will do it. There is a significant period of transition where learning will be intensive. We can help each other through this time.

I have said earlier that I didn't know the timing of the economic  collapse; although I did say it was only months away. Things are happening behind the scenes which would indicate it could happen in days. Merrill Lynch has been given the okay from Bernanke to transfer their toxic paper to their banking arm which is Bank of America. This action makes these worthless holdings eligible for FDIC coverage. The amount is over seventy trillion dollars, which will be dumped on the taxpayer. If the bank fails these trillions will have to be paid before FDIC pays the depositors; according to some folks that have investigated the situation. If this is true, anybody with money in Bank of America is in a very vulnerable situation. FDIC will clearly go bankrupt unless congress could come up with the money. That is highly unlikely in today's climate. This coupled with the teetering of several European banks could spell big trouble in the immediate future.

The transition period may be upon us. If I had substantial money in a big bank, I would withdraw it. I would contemplate what life would be like if the big banks fail. What if there was an interruption in the flow of money? How long would stores stay open? If the government acted swiftly and appropriately, the disturbance could be minor. However, considering the current gridlock, appropriate action appears unlikely. I hope I am wrong and I well might be; economic predictions are notoriously difficult. Yet, I am sure enough that we will check our supplies to make sure we have enough food to get us by a couple months. Fifty pounds each of rice, dried beans, flour etc. will go a long way towards making life comfortable.

Jamie and I have the advantage over most folks because we lived the 'simple life' before. In the early seventies we were part of a movement of 'back to the landers' who experimented with living off the land as much as possible. Out of curiosity and a sense of adventure, we lived without running water or electricity for seven years. We lived graciously, even elegantly and we can advise others if worse comes to worse.

I would encourage people to use the comment section. Perhaps we can get a discussion going.

Love and Peace, Gregg 

A COOL MORNING

It got down to 29 degrees last night. It was in the low thirties when Elijah, my three year old grandson,  and I went out to do the chores. There was ice in the bird bath and in all the buckets, but the Sun was shining and it was really a glorious Morning. We went to the market in Pine City yesterday. We bought a dozen stalks of Brussels Sprouts to put up in the freezer. They didn't do well in the garden this year. Perhaps it was too wet. Markets are good places to see how free enterprise works.

Free Enterprise, of course, is not Capitalism. In the last couple hundred years there has been great attempts to relate and even confuse the two. Capitalism strangles free enterprise. Capitalism uses the power of money to eliminate its competitors. Free enterprise can only exist at the whim of the capitalist. When you threaten their profits they find a way to eliminate you. If it goes well they will buy you out; if you don't cooperate they will drive you into bankruptcy or worse. Gradually, the monied people purchased our politicians and they pass laws to facilitate the corporate takeover of our society. The people of money use slogans to hide who they are. They pretend to champion small business; but make it almost impossible for a small business to succeed. Their predatory natures are hidden behind behind slogans and ideologies that sound like they support freedom and democracy, but hide the wish to dominate and conquer. It is "survival of the fittest". The worst kind of Social Darwinism.

That is what the Wall Street Occupation is about. People who lack understanding think they have no focus. It is just the opposite; their focus is huge and profound. They see that in every sphere of our lives we are being controlled by the people of money. People have no right to health care; to education; to decent housing; to a healthy diet; to unpolluted air and water; their soil is being destroyed; crops lacking in nutrition and dangerous to our health our being presented as good for us; innocent people all over the world are being murdered in the pretense of protecting us from terrorism; and I could go on and on. Do I need to? That is what the protest are about. They are bringing to our attention how greed and the lust for power have destroyed many lives and severely limited the life expressions of the rest of us.

Yet the solution has always been right in front of us. It has echoed down through the ages, out of the mouths of our great teachers. It can be summed up, love one another.

Love and Peace,  Gregg

I'M BACK

Well, we finally got our new computer up and running. I had to call the Apple people and spend, what seemed to be, a half a day getting things working. I finally caught the problem myself. I made a spelling error when I inputted some info.  A learning experience.

I just listened to an interview, with Chris Hedges, at the scene of the Wall Street Occupation. He is a reporter who has covered many demonstrations and movements. It is his opinion that this movement cannot fail to bring about desired changes in how our society functions in the political, economic and social areas. You can see it on "What really happened" dated Oct 18.

Chris is one of many pundits/reporters that feel this movement will go the distance; that it won't slow down until real progress is made towards a just society. People are realizing that they create the government. That it is there to serve them. The government is not there for the purpose of serving corporations. A student of history might ask, "When did the government quit serving the people? When did the the government begin to be the facilitator for corporate money making?" Was it always so? In any case it is time it stops.

Americans have been fooled into thinking they are free. They feel free as long as they accept societies structures and don't attempt to move out of their cage. Religion reinforces these authoritarian structures and makes any variance from the norm 'a sin'. If you want to know how free people really are, have some in depth conversations with dyslexics, homosexuals, eccentrics of all stripes, anybody a little out of the norm. Not to mention Blacks, Hispanics, Orientals, Native Americans and all the other groups the larger society has frowned upon in the past and present. It turns out nobody is free, not the judges or the judged. We need to discover what freedom is. Now we are more expert on what it isn't. Can I do or be anything as long as it doesn't impinge on anyone else? We really won't understand these things until we know the reality of Love. When we can "see", that is, view each other with unconditional love; then we will understand freedom.

 Well I need to get some chores done. Potatoes need digging, apples need picking....................... sounds like a song.

Love and Peace, Gregg                                                              

FRIDAY ALREADY?

Time is really flying for me. I guess that is good as these testing times are difficult. It appears that the government's attempt to make war, over the trumped up charges against Iran, are diminishing. The governments case is unraveling. It appears that nobody believes it. I hope that is not wishful thinking on my part.

I don't have the slightest idea what to write today. I sit here, my mind empty. Yet, I am sitting here with my fingers over the keys; I must have something to say. What? I know I have lots to do. Potatoes need digging. Apples need picking. The sheep were not sheared this Spring. They need some shearing now or very early this Spring before lambing. The way they are now the new lambs will have trouble finding any nourishment. The weather is definitely turning and we are now getting a taste of Winter's chill. It is not cold yet, in fact, it is 52; but there is a cold wind and that feeling one gets as Winter approaches.  When I was younger, I couldn't understand why folks would go South to escape the Winter; now that I am in my dotage I appreciate the idea. Yet, I wouldn't. Living through a Minnesota Winter has its charms. Once I get into it, I love going out every Morning to give water to my animals. We have sheep, goats, chickens, geese and turkeys and they all need to be watered and fed. I don't have a freeze proof water system; so I need to haul containers of water out to their barns using a toboggan. The Winter is a much more interesting event when you can go out in it and talk to your animals. I am always amazed that they can adapt so well, living, with only an unheated barn for shelter. I have seen the geese and sheep sleep outside on a Winter's night when it is below zero. The chicken coop is more cozy. Although unheated, if there are enough chickens it will stay above freezing during the day, even when it is below zero. Of course, there are those days when it looks nicer out the living room window. I will let you know how I experience Winter, as it happens.

I do believe I live in Paradise. Only the thoughts I might have keep me from experiencing the love and peace of a perfect existence. I think I can realize that, regardless, where I might live. I have lived in the suburbs and even in the city for a short time. I have loved wherever I have lived. For me, living in the country has been the best.

We will talk more about the happenings of the world in the coming days.

Love and Peace,  Gregg

I AM WEARY

I caution people not to get immersed in the media; but, it does come at you from all directions. Yesterday, I was driving to Ogilvie; the radio was tuned to MPR. I heard of a supposed plot by Iranian agents to assassinate the Saudi ambassador. My B.E. {bovine excrement} detector red lined. "Not again", I thought. Do some people believe this? Same old story; some vulnerable folks set up by an FBI informant. I knew something like this was coming, because the government wants to get peoples' minds off the Wall Street Demonstrations and it is, also, useful to jab Iran in the process. There are people in our government who would love to bomb Iran. They will attempt to crank up a retaliatory mood. I don't think it will be successful. The weariness comes from holding your breath, because one can never be sure. It is best if we don't pay attention to their machinations. It is difficult to know what is true or not true; but most people do have a pretty good internal guide. Often our internal sense is the only thing one can go by. You can look back and see how often it was right. By following your intuition you can gain confidence in certain written and internet news sources; the popular media is rarely accurate.

When I first started blogging, I thought I could blog everyday. Well, that didn't work out. But I, at  least, thought every other day. You notice how that worked out. One of the problems is, we have only one functioning computer and a great demand for it. Jamie just finished a musical and she needs to use the computer often. She says I can just kick her off when I want to use it. I don't think that is a viable solution. We did, however, find a solution; we bought another computer. It is being shipped and should be up and running in a few days. We will see how well I do.

It is very important for us to focus on "the light". I don't know how else to put it. If you will think in terms of "dark" which is everything that grows out of fear {all negative emotion} and "light" which is everything that flows out of love {all positive emotion} you can see what I am trying to communicate. Our attention is like a nutrient. It creates growth. We grow what we focus on. That is how our perception is formed. In the coming days we will be invited to have a whole array of destructive thoughts and ideas; don't dwell on them. Focus on the loving reality you want. Give your loving attention to everything.

Love and Peace, Gregg

FRIDAY

Yesterday, we picked apples to preserve for Apple Pies. Jamie puts all the ingredients up in a jar. It is called Apple Pie in a Jar. If anybody wants the recipe I will be happy to share it. We have some good friends that have an apple tree that is amazingly productive. The one tree has enough apples for several families. They, also, have several other apple and plum trees. We have one apple tree that produces delicious apples for eating out of hand and we have four young trees that won't produce until next year.

It is windy and warm today; a beautiful Fall day. I think were on the verge of a big weather change. It has been unusually warm; eighty degrees forecast for today. There is rain coming and we need it.

Most folks must now be aware that great changes are coming. For some of us they might seem slow; especially, those who sensed the changes on the horizon forty years ago. To those, I say, your wait is almost over. Those who have ultimate power due to their amassed wealth, have seen their power slipping away as more and more people awaken. Because of their greed for power and wealth, they made some missteps in their financial manipulations that cannot be reversed. Their attempts to take absolute control of the world economy has failed. The banks they control are insolvent due to the trillions of dollars in derivatives which are worthless. They are drowning and will attempt to create a major war or other disturbances to regain power but it is OVER. Nothing they do will work.

The Wall Street demonstrations are breath of fresh air and will invigorate the populace. They are a forefront of a far more powerful movement than people anticipate. The individuals involved are people of great capacity for love, compassion, and yearning for peace. They are not demonstrating for themselves alone, they are demonstrating for humanity. They would not be human if they did not have irritation for the status quo but their love far out ways any negativity. This movement will grow as more and more people are attracted to the positive yearnings of these people.

It is very possible that the World Economy will collapse before the first of the year. There, of course, will be a time of transition. It will be an unsettling time for those ill prepared. However, there, also, will be a new sense of caring for each other and those capable of helping will assist those who are not prepared. If we see ourselves as One Tribe, we will get through the transition just fine. There will be  help from some surprising sources.

Enjoy the day.

Love and Peace, Gregg

THE AWAKENING

We just got back from the market in Pine City. We bought more vegetables, our garden was disappointing; it is a flea market as well as a farmer's market and it is great fun to stroll around. We always meet someone we have known. Today we met somebody we hadn't seen in 35 years.

It is beautiful weather here in central Minnesota. It is 75.9 degrees and Sunny. Last night my wife {Jamie} said she heard a Mountain Lion. She lived in California, in an area where they were plentiful, so she knows what they sound like. Then, I have heard strange noises at night that I thought were raccoons having a tussle. Who knows, it would be nice to have a lion around, we have way too many deer.

Yes! People are waking up. They are beginning to see that the world they live in can be shaped the way they want. First; they begin to see that they are essentially servants or slaves {depending on their status} to the people who control their money. If they work in a factory, mine, etc. up to half their work product goes to the company and the government takes a nice bite out of whats left. With the remainder they pay their rent and hope they have enough for food and a few comforts. Every time they pay for something, a little bit more goes in the form of sales tax. If they are professionals they delude themselves into thinking they are making free choices until they can take a full accounting of their lives and realize how much they are controlled.

The first reaction on seeing is a relief. You know things can be better. There, also, can be a lot of irritation, upon first seeing the truth. Hence, the Wall Street Demonstration; this is a necessary step to help awake others. Demonstrations provide a powerful energy that moves the whole society in a positive direction. Of course, the demonstrators most resist the temptation, of any hint, to violence. The counterrevolutionary folks [police] will try to incite them, to justify their own violence. Fortunately, we have Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King to guide us.

As more people awake their energy will be focused on the New World they are creating. The Old World is crumbling and soon it will be obvious. Hold an image of a world created, out of Love, in your mind; for it is emerging.

I hope you folks have a beautiful day to enjoy and can get outside.

Love and Peace, Gregg

SUNDAY AFTERNOON

I didn't intend to take a hiatus from writing. I thought about it every day; but one thing or another interfered with my intentions. Today is a beautiful day and part of me wants to be outside soaking up the Autumn Sunshine. The leaves are in the process of changing to yellows and reds and our huge elm tree is shedding yellow leaves that carpet the lawn. It smells wonderful. Our dog loves to roll around in the leaves and our grandson [almost 4] loves to copy her. It is so peaceful here. It is such a contrast to what is reported in the world.

We finally finished butchering chickens. Now we have to dig potatoes and prepare a bed for planting the garlic for next years harvest. We are completely revamping the garden and fencing out the deer, so we have quite a bit of work ahead of us.

Sometimes it is difficult to see that a new world is emerging. Reading this mornings paper doesn't give much hint of it. An article about the use of drones was appalling. I am a little surprised that there isn't more of a protest within the government to there use. Maybe there is and it isn't reported. It would seem to be a violation of our laws and international law. Since when is it okay to track somebody down in another country and kill them, without a conviction, or any thing resembling due process? Somebody in our government labels them as a terrorist and that is sufficient reason to kill them and the innocent civilians that will always be around? Where is the safeguard from abuse of power? How would you feel if some other country sent drones over our country to kill people they decided not to like? I am sure there are people speaking out but they're not getting much media time.

But there is change in the air! The protest on Wall Street was going on for a week before most people heard of it. Despite police harassment, it is growing and I don't think it will diminish soon. There is great dissatisfaction among young people; partly it is economic, but it, also, the realization that the world, as we know it, is insane. I don't think protest are the answer but they do draw attention to the problem. We need something different than opposition to what no longer makes sense. We need to see what does make sense. What would a world look like if everyone believed Love was the highest value?

I know that world is emerging. A world without poverty, homelessness, hunger, deprivation of any kind. A world where people are free to develop their talents, that are then gifts to all of us. A world where one feels safe and free. It is not impossible! We already have enough resources to have that realization now! There is no shortage. Take all the worlds wealth {in money} and divide by the number of people there are. I don't know the figures to do the math; but I bet there is more than enough. Where did the idea come about that it is okay for one person to amass a fortune and at the same time deprive their neighbor? What ethical code would one be operating under? What spiritual/religious teaching condones that?  Why have we blindly accepted it? We are all equal. We all deserve equal opportunity. We all deserve Love and Respect.

I need to go out and enjoy this beautiful day.

Love and Peace, Gregg

PEACE

We don't realize the importance of peace. I mean peace in our minds. It took me a long time to accept how important it is. Intellectually I accepted its importance many years ago; but I didn't make a commitment to watch my mind and not permit myself to dwell on peace disturbing thoughts. I am sure I thought I was making some commitment but I always slid back into the old ways. I think, perhaps, the problem is the idea of commitment itself. The idea has too much of a forceful attitude. If peace is what we want, we need to cherish it.

One of the great advantages I had in my life was being a psychotherapist. I could observe how people created their experiences in life by how they thought. I learned more from my clients than they ever learned from me. Every day I learned something I could apply to my own life. I loved the work.

So, it was clear to me for a long time that, if I want Peace, Love and Joy, I need to start in  my own mind. For years I gave lip service to this belief; yet I would watch the news with the belief that I was immune to the disturbance, the chaos, the horrible pain of the world. What was I thinking? I was so exceptional that I could observe these things without disturbing my peace? It is true, I do have a greater tolerance than many people. I take my own advice and view it as a history that happened years ago. Lately, I have opened up to a new level of honesty about myself and have seen how I let ideas, thoughtforms,  whatever you want to call them, into my mind and allow them fester.

If we want paradise for ourselves and our fellow beings, we must start with our own minds. Recognize that you create your perception of the world with your thoughts and contribute to the groups creation. A peaceful mind is a very powerful thing that will bring peace to many minds around. Love can only come out of Peace.


We all can create our own Paradise and extend it to those around us.

Love and Peace, Gregg

LIFE ON PLANET EARTH

There really is such a thing as International Procrastination Day? I would be an honored member; maybe even win a medal or two. However, my tardiness in blogging did not have as much to do with procrastination as it did with our inability to plan anything. We never do take planning very seriously. We think of the future in probabilities. Normally, things work out more or less as we anticipated them. Which brings me to the spaghetti sauce. Jamie had successfully canned about 28 quarts { 4 canner loads}. She had another, same size, batch to do. The jar lids began popping in the pressure cooker. The jar lids were bulged and some even buckled up. It looked like there was too much pressure inside the jars. We went over ever aspect of the procedure, closely examined the pressure cooker; nothing plugged, proper weight etc. Yet every canner load had three or four popped jars. This slowed us down so much that we didn't get all the jars canned; we held some over to the next day and they fermented in the jars and had to be tossed out. [The chickens thought that was great.] On opening the jars, a geyser of fermented sauce splashed over the kitchen. I soon learned to open them in a bucket. There must have been about twelve of them.

I have been canning for about fifty years; Jamie over forty years and we couldn't come up with a reason for the problem, with any certainty. The first batch was canned without incident. What was the difference? The only possibility is that the second batch was more dense. My perusal of the canning book would lead me to that conclusion. If any of you folks have a suggestion; please comment.

It was a learning experience and even though Jamie called it the "spaghetti sauce from hell" when it was all over we didn't have any regrets. More and more, both of us are able to maintain peace through life's little conundrums. Perhaps, one more than the other.

Well, so I didn't commence with my chicken butchering until yesterday. We got seven more ready for the freezer. I have about five more to do.

Lately, time has been flying by. Almost anybody over fifty will acknowledge this phenomenon. But I am talking about something even faster; in the last few months the weeks seem like days. Sundays come up every other day! If I was afraid of dying it would be unsettling; but for me it is exciting. I feel so much change and I am eager to see the future. On the other hand, back to earth, I realize how much I have to do before snow flies. The way time has been going that will be real soon. There are things I had planned for the Spring that are still undone, procrastination hmmmmmmmmm.  

Keep the Peace, love everything and lets watch a beautiful future unfold.

Love and Peace, Gregg

A SOGGY MORNING

It has drizzled off and on for the last few days; but no rain in the rain gauge. This morning we had 1/2 inch in the rain gauge. I was aware of it raining gently during the night, but I was surprised at the amount. We need it. It has been dry for a couple of weeks and digging those potatoes won't be much fun if it is too dry. Tomorrow, we are planning on butchering ten more chickens; it will be nice to get that chore over.

Jamie has been working like a fiend. She feels she is chained to kitchen. She canned 24 quarts of spaghetti sauce yesterday and has about 25 to do today. This time of year the canning seems endless. Jamie does the work; I kibbutz with helpful advice. Sometimes she accuses me of being less than helpful. How could that be?

I don't feel like talking about world affairs today. Maybe, a little; I have been observing the collapse of the American Empire. Most Americans don't realize we have one, as unlike the Roman and British Empires, we don't "own" vast lands which fly our flag. Our Empire is controlled through multinational corporations backed up the Banking System.

We have controlled countries by controlling trade, natural resources and especially the monetary system. We have ruled the world because we have the Reserve Currency and in order for any other country to buy oil they had to have dollars. In order to maintain their dollar supply they had to invest in our treasury notes. This little scam has started to unravel. Oil rich countries have begun{or threaten} to sell oil for other currencies, in defiance of U.S. wishes. Our only strong alliance left is NATO and they are giving us only tentative support. They went along with us in Libya only because they thirsted for Libya's oil. Despite the media coverage there are signs that this bit of fakery is not going to work. Libya will not kowtow to NATO.

Of course, we still have numerous Army and Air Force bases all over the world to reinforce our banking and corporate decisions; but even the ruled need to give some acquiescence in the process. Even the conquered cannot be controlled without some willingness; witness Afghanistan. The world is no longer going along. Many countries are considering dumping the dollar as their reserve currency. They are aligning themselves anew, against the dictates of American policy. We are greatly weakened by our diminished status, as the greatest financial powerhouse, partly because of our huge debt to China and Japan. The rest of the world is waking up to the fact that they don't need to be afraid of us. This is a big, big change and a welcomed one.

Perhaps that is enough for today. I need to wash the dishes and hopefully get some things done outside. I will probably not blog tomorrow as I will be up to my neck in chickens but who knows?

Love and Peace,  Gregg

A Beautiful Fall Day

It is a perfect day! Cool and Sunny; a perfect day to do all the outside work I have been procrastinating about all Summer. I still have several chickens to butcher. Our yard is full of blown down branches from numerous storms this Summer. Some were outside the mowed area and some I just mowed around. This is work I would like to get finished before the snow flies.   

These next few months will be very chaotic. Keep your peace by being aware of your thoughts and dismissing those that lead to negative scenarios. Perception is everything. What you perceive is what you will experience. See the Love and Light behind everything; difficult sometime but possible. Think of this world as an illusion that we create both separately and collectively. See the most loving scenarios you can imagine.

Many people will fall victim to the superficial negativity in the coming months. They will need our reassurance that it won't last long and help in seeing differently. There will be periods of time that will seem hopeless to many. Know that it is only the dark before the dawn. There is a glorious future.

  Life on Earth will be different. People will know they are sovereign beings. Everyone with a different function but none better than another. Cooperation, not competition, will be the rule. Village life will be the rule, rather than huge cities. Food raising and manufacture will be local. Our surpluses will be  will be shared with others; thus we will have goods from other climates. Energy sources will be completely different. We have been slaves to oil and coal because money could be made from them and people could be easily controlled because of their dependence on them. Over the last century there have been many saner ways of producing energy that were proposed then scuttled because it did not create a cash cow for the monied few. When our minds are free to look for new sources of energy that are affordable and nurturing to ourselves and our environment we will easily find them.

The folks in power are desperate to hang on. They will create more chaos as they are losing their grip. There may be more "false flag" operations as an excuse to continue the endless war. Know that they are becoming more and more powerless as every day goes by. Ignore what you hear and see on television and be skeptical about what you read. If it is scary- don't believe it. If it disturbs your peace-ignore it.

You will get through these times and you will see the Dawn.

Love and Peace, Gregg

TGIF

Although, I have been retired now for 11 years I still remember the blessedness of a Friday. To have that weekend stretch out before you.............two whole days to relax and be free. You working stiffs have my love and compassion. There is nothing wrong with work. We need to work. It is an important expression of our being. I was lucky, I always did what I loved to do. Working with people, helping people, but even then the institution that provided the work could be rife with rules that contradicted the mission and caused stress in the employees. We will have a saner world.

My last two days were very busy. Wednesday we went to the flea market and bought vegetables to supplement the supply from the garden. My brother and his wife came for dinner and brought a bushel of tomatoes that they couldn't use. There was a frost forecast for the morning and they already canned all they they wanted. We much appreciated them, as our crop was piddly. We had a delicious dinner featuring our home raised chicken and ample wine.

Yesterday, Jamie worked all day putting up vegetables for the winter. She was on her feet from morning until evening. My day was much more relaxed. I did go to the feed store. I did finally get my lawn mowed and it really needed it.

These are difficult times and it is hard to see that people are really becoming more enlightened. One would not get that impression from the popular media, yet there are signs. Recent poles have indicated that more and more people describe themselves as spiritual but not religious. People are realizing that religion has not fulfilled the function of helping people make sense of the universe and understand their place in it. Regardless of the high motives religions founders may have had, the institution generally evolved into a means to control people. To be sure, their are many genuine spiritual seekers as parishioners and leaders in organized religion, but the institution as a whole has been used to control people, not enlighten them, these last two thousand years.

A core belief of most religion is that God is love and every human has equal access to him. No where in the instructions of the primary spiritual teachers is there any hint that people should create an institutional hierarchy of religion to let us know what God wants. All the teachers, I am familiar with, teach that God speaks directly to the heart of every person. We need to listen.

I am heartened that more and more people are willing to think for themselves in these matters.

Well that is enough for today. My dish water is getting cold.

Love and Peace, Gregg

TUESDAY A NEW DAY

Today we can feel the oncoming Autumnal Season. It is afternoon and it is still cool. There is frost predicted for the morning. I wasn't able to blog at my usual time because Tuesdays the morning a neighbor drops in and we spend time jawing about the universe. Some times it turns in to a rant. We talk about a great many things, often politics and current events. We have enough of a different slant on things as to make it interesting.

It is such a beautiful day it is hard to see the "old world". It appears that paradise is already surrounding us. Speaking of that, I was somewhat disturbed by my last blog. I think every thing I said was fine; but not the reason I said it. I was upset by the relenting resurrecting of  9-11. There is much to be revealed about that tragedy that is yet to come out. However, I teach that in order to create the world we want, we must give up the old world. It is a world created with fear. It no longer has value and happiness cannot be found there. I can generally view what is transpiring without reacting to it. I have said to people, who are disturbed by what is going on in the world, to look at it as if you were living a 1000 years from now. View it as if it was history, like we would view a film of the Roman Empire. There are many parallels.

In order to extract ourselves from the influence of the old world we do need to understand how we are influenced and how to give up the influence. However, criticizing, complaining, ranting about it etc. is not going to help. It only serves to disturb your own peace. We are the creators of our individual and group experience. We must own the "old world". We just don't want to do it any more.  We need to forgive ourselves for the mess we created and move on. We will create a "New World" founded on unconditional love because we are loving beings and that is what we want to do.

In future sessions I will continue to talk about how we have been taught fear, in order to be controlled, so we can free ourselves from said control. I will avoid the rants.

Love and Peace, Gregg 

CORRECTION- MONDAY MORNING

OKAY- "IT IS BETTER TO LIGHT A CANDLE IN THE WILDERNESS THAN CURSE THE DARKNESS" IT IS AN OLD MAN'S RAMBLE AFTER ALL.  GG

MONDAY MORNING

When I started this BLOG I intended to write everyday. I soon discovered that there were scheduled events that would demand my time and now I see that unscheduled events, also, would interfere. I had hoped to write every morning from about 9:30AM to 11:AM. Saturday we had to pick up bales of hay from a neighbors field and store it in our barn. Sunday morning we butchered seven more chickens, which we like to do in the cool of the morning. We should have enough hay now to last the Winter, unless we have a worse case scenario; that would be a Winter where snow lays on the ground from the first of November to the last day in March.

I would like to address how fear is used to control us. At a superficial level, look to insurance. The industry uses fear to sell their product; whether it be house, car, life, liability or health insurance. It is disguised as responsibility but ask yourself; what is it for you? The industry makes enough money to build huge skyscrapers in  every large city in America. If, as a group, we were interested in  being responsible for ourselves and each other; is this the way we would do it? In any community one could gather historical data on the frequency and extent of house fires. It would be easy to calculate how much each should pay: their share plus an amount to cover catastrophes. You would need a good computer. You would not need huge skyscrapers and executive salaries in  the millions. We have been carefully taught not to question those who are the supposed experts and we do not see how they use fear to manipulate us for the purpose of making money.

I am very glad this 9-11 business is over. I had to keep the television off and I only glanced at the Sunday paper. Just what were people suppose to remember?  For what purpose? Every time there is a danger of our fear of terrorism dieing down, another event materializes to remind us. We must fear. I thought this weekend was the most obscene exploitation of a tragedy ever perpetrated on a people. Who gains by making us afraid of Mid Easterners? Who wants us to mistrust Muslims? Let's see: we lost a few thousand in the trade center. We have killed millions since in the Middle East. A war in Afghanistan, a war in Iraq, a war in Libya, hidden wars all over the third world; check it out.  Who gains? Are you richer because of it? The munitions people certainly are, the oil people love it, I don't think the banks are complaining. There is an awful lot of money to be thrown around because of the War Machine. They can elect politicians,  they control the media. Is that what they are doing?

I had to have a mini-rant about the craziness of the world, as we experience it. I hope it helps to awaken some of the sleeping ones. My wish is that we would accept the fact that the world, as expressed in the media, is "barking mad" and we would turn our faces towards a world we want. We may need to understand just how crazy the world is but it is not very helpful to complain about it. You know the old saying, "It is better to light a candle in the darkness, than to curse the wilderness" well it is true.

In the next few sessions I would like to discuss how the major institutions of our life have used fear to rob us of our sense of sovereignty and therefore controlled us. And yes, "The candle in the wilderness", how we can free ourselves. 

Love and Peace,  Gregg