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