The Meaty Choice

Now when I say "meaty choice", I'm not talking about shopping for barbecue... Although, metaphorically speaking, it's not far off. What we choose--decide to do--is really the basic driver of our life. This may seem obvious until it is acknowledged that in order to create anything, choices must be made.

In fact, the bigger the creation, the more "meat" or "oomph" or intention needs to be there in order for it to happen. It's easy to confuse "choice" with "preference" or "wish". Preferences and wishes are non-critical components of creating where there is nothing at stake, and it's no big whoop if they don't happen.

With the Meaty Choice, though, you've got considerable skin in the game, and the outcome resulting from the choice has far-ranging effects on the rest of your life. What gives these kinds of choice "meat" is the intention (energy) behind them, and consequences if the choice does not actualize.

We're really talking about making the kinds of choices that launch you out of the comfort zone box into a whole new life. Now, not everyone wants to get out of the box, and that's a valid choice, too. But to really change it up--if that's what you need or want to do--then the Meaty Choice is your alternative.

How do you make a Meaty Choice?

First, really DECIDE that this is what you truly, deeply want to do. You must be willing to make this decision and then stick with the choice "come hell or high water". Ironically, once the choice is made in this way, "hell and high water" usually don't come up.

Second, what are the consequences if this choice never happens? What would your life look like in five years? What would your life look like in five years if you make the choice? Without some sort of untenable result from NOT making the choice, chances are you won't stick with it, and won't respond meaningfully to the opportunities that will come your way as a result of the choice.

Thirdly, keep making the choice, over and over. Keep creating the outcome. If you stop, or if something else becomes more important, or distracting, then you are adding time to the actualization "schedule" the Universe is attempting to provide you. Once the Meaty Choice is made, the Universe begins to have your back, and as you repeat this choice the more demonstrations of this fact will manifest. Persistence wins the day.

If you have any procrastination proclivities like I do, it's dismayingly easy to "put off" making any kind of Meaty Choice. I think this is because the reason for procrastination is to "keep options open" for something better, or the other kind of procrastination has to do with needing to be forced to do something unsavory, and time becomes the force factor.

Either way, time can be your friend or your enemy. If you are completely and thoroughly willing to "do whatever it takes" then the Universe will throw you time-sensitive opportunities that really speed stuff up. If you're procrastinating, then so does the Universe.

You want to break out of the box and live a life you've previously been just dreaming about? Make that Meaty Choice!

Life Doesn't Care...

My dear friend and shaman, Janet Barrett (whom I highly recommend for energy work), turned me on to this quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson: "Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could; some blunders and absurdities have crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day. Begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense."

I've too often found myself stewing in recriminations and regrets about what I have or haven't done in my life--and when you get to that "certain age" (64), the opportunities to do so are frequent and persistent..

In saner moments, it's easy to see that all regret and recrimination is a result of judgements and conclusions that form into an overall point of view: "My life is nothing like I expected it to be", or "You'd think by now I'd have some things figured out", or "All this time has gone by and I still don't know shit." And then you consider all the time you've spent mulling over these apparent malfeasences and it adds more gasoline to the fire of self-condemnation.

In his quote, Emerson makes it all about choice. CHOOSE to forget those "blunders and absurdities"; CHOOSE to begin anew; and CHOOSE to begin it "serenely and with too high spirit to be encumbered by your old nonsense".

As Janet pointed out to me the other day in one of our marathon sessions, "What are you getting out of these judgements you're making about yourself? What is the reward?" Ouch. Does it actually feel good to wallow in self-pity? Well, if I was going to be completely honest, yes, there is a certain resignation and soft numbing not unlike falling asleep--and that does feel good. It's a sort of endorphin release of the abdication of responsibility combined with the cuddly softness of not giving a damn. It's a sort of soft rebellion of choosing not to care, choosing not to take action. It can be addicting, and I suspect it is what can lead a person into clinical depression.

It's not that there is anything wrong with this syndrome--it's just something to choose against, really. The soft heaviness and comfortable apathy is the vehicle carrying us toward death. It shows up in the body as a sapping of energy, a need to lie down, a compulsion to tune out everything that is not that--a path to oblivion.

Oddly, I've noticed I can jump out of this vehicle's gravitational pull by asking the simple question, "What would it take to finally have joy and ease in my life?" And after a time, the photons return to energize the DNA, and lo and behold there is light at the end of the tunnel.

The thing is, Life really doesn't care whether you personally live or die, since through living it expresses itself through you, and in death, simply uses the vacated quantum waves, molecules and cells to joyfully re-animate into new forms of life. So the choice to live or die is yours alone to make.

Vital and energetic joy and ease are what life uses to be more of itself. And when we are "full of life" there is automatically joy and ease in our lives.

Trumped: Moral Politics

In the shamanic world--a world we are addressing with the idea of a "Quantum Life"--we see everything as energy. There is "negative energy", the energy of the destructive, death and decay, of fermentation and marination; and then there is "positive" energy--the energy of the creative, life-giving, growing, flowering. Both of these energies create the yin-yang of the physical world that we perceive through our senses. There would not be one without the other. Hence, ultimately, the division of energies into "positive" and "negative"--making one good and the other bad--is an arbitrary judgment having nothing to do with the truth of Reality.

With all the controversy and chaos-making surrounding the election of a new U.S. president, it's important to embrace this "everything is energy" truism.

I've personally never agreed with the two-party system. At its core, it's divisive, and serves to divide into two camps populations whose beliefs run the full spectrum of human emotions, values and morals--hardly contained within two platforms of political belief.

However, to divide is to control--a divided electorate is a controllable one--and those in power have used this "divide and conquer" strategy since the dawn of time.

This is why I was not at all surprised at the rise of and election of our current president. The further the pendulum swung in one direction, it was surely going to swing in the other--it's the nature of the two-party system. And when it comes to liberal vs. conservative it's interesting to note how those concepts have evolved through the years. I remember back in the day when "liberal" represented more along the lines of hippies and free-thinkers; where "conservatives" were more about keeping a comfortable status quo and being frugal with money.

Nowadays, "liberal" has come to be embraced as "humanitarian" by liberals; and "convervatives" have come to be known as "self-empowered" by conservatives. Yet the Liberals define conservative self-empowerment as "self-serving"; and the Conservatives see liberal humanitarism as "Socialism". How petty and un-serving are both views, because they trap a certain moral code into an over-simplified cage of judgment and denial.

That said, our current president has come into power not as a "liberal" or "conservative" but as a disruptor--a "joker" card, if you will, bringing chaos and outrageous uncertainty to a political world that has been hypnotized to sleep in a gigantic inhuman monolith known as "the government"--and it's all driven by the engine of finance. Believe it or not at one time in this country's history, the people came first and the money came second. This has, over time, been reversed because money is power in this culture.

We also must remember that the word "democracy" was shunned by the founding fathers, who saw fit to not use it in the Constitution. As Thomas Jefferson stated, "A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of the people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine."

And as the years rolled by, the building up of polarized quantum entanglements of politics within this supposed "democracy" have at last culminated in a completely polarized electorate, unable to hear or even allow opinions of the other side. And then amidst all this extreme rancor, sits The Disruptor of a president. It couldn't get more dramatic; and yet this Grand Entanglement is revealing the true mechanisms behind the status quo established long ago by power-seeking men and women, who have lost the point of what it means have a functioning republic.

Out of chaos rises awareness and unheard of possibilities. This is America's greatest hope--to unite in the awareness of who the Controllers really are, and re-create a better world without them.

Again, everything is energy, and as individual creators, how we create the energy of our own lives is how a better world for all is achieved.

The Lie of Being Stuck

It's been a challenging last two months for me, where things seemed to spiral downward despite my best efforts. I was forced realize that my expectations of where I should be going and how fast, were being completely deconstructed.

Things seemed to "grind to a halt"--my income, my quest for a new living space, progress with building the business back after several setbacks. Despite knowing better, I came to to conclusion that I was just stuck--emotionally, spiritually, physically and mentally.

One of my beloved mentors (an Access Consciousness facilitator) did a Facebook Live broadcast last night. She got my attention when she said "Hi Boyd" and I hadn't commented. The broadcast started me on what feels like a bit of a release from the "stuck-ness".

She said, "Being stuck is a lie. Just look at your skin--it's being rebuilt every day, the air you breathe has different molecules that have been all around the world; and your heart is beating and circulating all that new food and air and water you've been putting into it. That's just one part of the 'being stuck' lie. The other part is that by declaring that you're stuck, you've just made a giant conclusion about everything that's happening around you. This limits your awareness of what is actually NOT stuck. Start being grateful and asking things like, 'I'm breathing new, fresh air! What else is possible?' or 'Every day is a new day--what changes can happen here?'"

That pulled my head out of the perceived rut I'd gotten myself into, long enough to start asking, "What else can change here? What is possible I haven't thought of? What can I do to really change things?"

I finally got back in touch with the quantum world, where particles and waves are constantly darting here, there and everywhere--wave upon wave of changing conditions bringing new and fantastic possibilities now available to us all.

Yes, sometimes things do seem like they are moving like molasses in January--but that doesn't mean they've stopped moving! Besides, why focus in on the molasses, when unique snowflakes are falling, the elk are running, the wind is gusting, and the plant world is awakening with green promises of Spring.

As my shaman friend points out, "2017 is the Year of Acceleration--fundamental changes are shifting the very foundations upon which we have built our lives. What is crumbling and falling apart are all the slow parts that can't accelerate at the speed necessary."

So what seems like stuck-ness is actually an awareness of acceleration, making our life seem like it's standing still. Watch for the movement, watch for the new possibilities, and watch for that new vehicle coming to whisk you to the stars!

Why Do Resolutions Fail?

I'm tempted every year at this time to go on a rant about "New Year's Resolutions", and this year I think it's time to burst the bubble of control many of us believe we have that would make us believe we can "keep" those resolutions made.

One of my beloved mentors was ranting the other day about "Vision Boards". She noticed that every year the boards were pretty much the same--the pictures of the lavish mansion, the perfect body, the epic love affair, the wedding ring... And after eight years, none of her "visions" for the future had come true.

She believes the reason for this is that envisioning a "goal" or a desire is not about the simple exercise of imagination. It's, instead, all about ENERGY. So now, my friend creates an "Energy Board" to remind her of that fact.

All things are possible in this universe. ALL things are possible. This is first premise that must be embraced before any "visioning" can become a reality. We so often, right off the bat, disallow certain possibilities because we've chosen to make it so. "I'm never going to have a lot of money." "I'm always going to be fat." "I'm never going to find that perfect love", etc. etc. Now, all these conclusions are underlying all the desires to the contrary. So when you make a vision board, you immediately collide with the reality of your conclusions. And the visioning becomes wistful daydreaming that overlays what you know to be true about life--these things are just not possible.

These "realities" that you know to be true, are actually arbitrary choices that have been made and reinforced through experience. These "realities" become a point of view about life, and limit what is possible for you, this Infinite Being.

First, it's not about "control". There is no such thing as "controlling your life". We believe we have control because we can make some predictions about what is going to happen based on specific actions we take: I'm controlling my life by getting up every day at 7AM, doing my workout, then driving to work. I'm in control. This is an illusion. What is happening here is that you are simply following along a certain pattern of energy that you chose in the past.

This is an important distinction. You choose a certain energy that then expresses itself as your life. You are not "controlling" anything. You are choosing energies, and what unfolds as a result of those choices is what you think you are controlling.

In a sense, choice could be considered control, but if anything it's the ONLY control you have, and it completely eclipses any abilities you may think you have to "make things happen." This is why there is "failure". Failure is a conflict one has with the energies they've chosen. I failed to be a success at my job because what it would take to succeed at that job goes against all the choices I've made to the contrary.

The beautiful thing about this conundrum is that you have a choice. You can choose your way out of a bad situation, bad feelings, a bad life. The key is to continue to choose what it is you truly desire, and this requires honest assessments. What makes me feel really light, excited, inspired and lifted up? Well, go that way!

"Following The Energy" is an ancient operating mode of shamans. They choose a desired energy they want to have in their life, and then follow it through time by continuing to choose it and doing actions that resonate with that energy. This is powerful because it breaks open newer and greater possibilities that they continue to choose and act within that energy.

Rather than make "resolutions", choose an energy you would really like to have and feel in your life, and then as the possibilities and opportunities present themselves, simply re-choose and act. It's the truest way to actualize any desire, and will ensure you have a fabulous 2017!

So What's the Big Deal with Choice?

You hear it floating around in memes and discussion groups on the Internet--and you may have even said it yourself: "Happiness is a choice". I'm always needing to correct the oversimplified grammar by insisting: "Well, choice itself is not happiness. You choose to be happy, and then proceed from there." Much better.

I've heard many folks say, "Well, it's just not that simple. Sometimes making a choice to be happy is just not available, or so unrealistic that it's unobtainable." Yes, there's that. But I would like to remind these folks that the quantum universe within which we live and have our being, exists solely and simply because of choices.

Quantum physicists refer to the strange motions and transformations of quantum particle/waves as "making choices" as to which way they go upon observation, or what forms they take instantaneously over vast distances. There seems to be a sort of meta-intelligence driving it all, and scientists apply that awareness to quantum particle states. This is because quantum particles, or waves, instantly respond to human consciousness--as though that observing consciousness is being answered by another observing consciousness. So it's difficult to call what quantum particles and waves are doing anything other than intelligent.

Hence, the entire physical world is in a constant state of "choosing" what to be, where to be it, and how to get there. And we either consciously participate in that choosing, or not.

So a better retort to the happiness-is-a-choice meme, is, Why do there appear to be limited choices, or no choices at all? Ultimately, I believe it boils down to judgements and conclusions. Judgements and conclusions are what make up our belief systems--what we accept as true, and what we accept as false.

When we conclude, like the Bruce Hornsby song, "That's just the way it is," there's just no wiggle room for any choices. Hornsby, mercifully, tags that hook with, "But don't you believe it"-- opening the door for new possibilities and new choices.

Choice creates new awarenesses, and these new awarenesses make possible more choices, until literally all the possibilities of life are available. So, the trick is to first, spot where you've made a conclusion about a situation, condition, or predicament, and just ask, What can change here? Sit with that question until you begin to get a download of quantum particles and waves drawn to you because of the question. These quantum intelligences are all about change, so when you start asking about it, they're right there with you all ready to give you that vital information.

Then, it's just a matter of choosing what to do next. The choice you make is usually the one that feels the lightest, or excites and inspires you. As you proceed, taking action from that choice, keep asking, What else can change here? Or, How does it get any better? Or, simply feel gratitude for the infinite possibilities of life; and soon, things will really begin to open up--all because you just asked a question.

In many cultures around this time of year, it is customary to renew family ties, exchange gifts and, in most cases, relive childhood issues with parents and siblings. What if it could be different? How could it be different? This year, try asking these questions. Who knows what wonderfulness could be in store?

What's Perfect About This I'm Not Getting?

If you live long enough, you'll have the opportunity to make miscalculations. Maybe a few little ones, or one or more really big ones. It's just part of Life on Planet Earth. The thing is, though, miscalculations only seem like they are while you're in the middle of them, or just shortly after them. Then, something interesting happens: perspective.

I was chatting with my brother today about hindsight--that perfect 20/20 vision attained long after an apparent miscalculation. "I coulda done it this way. Or, this way. I shoulda done it this other way and I'd be way ahead." These coulda/shoulda's serve more as self-recriminations than actual astute analyses. Ultimately, you make the choices you make, and the consequences of those choices are reflected in your daily life.

I've had the occasion lately to have made a string of apparent miscalculations regarding the business and personal finances, promotional strategies, all combined with what I thought I actually wanted. Without going into detail about the specific events, suffice it to say, after all the miscalculations and choices were made, I ended up: 1) homeless (except for my brother's hospitality); 2) significantly in debt to the bank, customers, and the government; 3) exhausted, disillusioned and flabbergasted as to how quickly my life seemed to completely fall apart in the course of a few short weeks.

All the old saws have been running continuously through my head: "Things need to fall apart so they can come together in a new way"; "What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger"; and my favorite, "What's perfect about this I'm not getting?"

My theory is that at the end when our life flashes before us--our deeds, misdeeds, intentions and aspirations, there comes a moment where there must be a glimpse of our life as being perfect. Everything happened the way it happened to bring about the greatest growth or realization of the greatest potential possible. If this death bed vision didn't happen, how could we let go? Regrets, "hind signt", and all the couldas and shouldas must coalesce into a vision of a grand scheme that both allows us to feel the exhilaration of completion, and the sublime re-assurance that a loving universe has done all it could to hold us in its embrace, despite our choices. At least, I hope that's what's going to happen when I finally kick the bucket.

With that end-times vision in mind, why not apply it to our situations, predicaments, and self-recriminations we experience every day? How are the choices I am making now contributing to the perfection of my life? Or, what about the choices I've made is perfect? It must be perfect because the overall shape of my life is a circle--the creation of a beginning, middle and ending, where all of it was laid out across this canvas of linear time at its inception.

Now, when I say "perfect", I'm talking about a result of the greatest good not only for me, but for all of humanity, the planet and the universe. This is way beyond my petty desires for how I would like everything to turn out. It's the perfection of a wholistic vision that is personal existence, that contributes all of its energies toward the creation of Universal Love.

Holding the question of how this perfection is playing out in my life when everything is falling apart, is the creative key to better outcomes, higher experiences, and greater self love. We don't have to know "how" this is perfect, or "why" it's perfect; just that it's perfection in the making, as yet not fully realized, and yet ultimately a complete expression of Universal Love.

Before I wax utterly cosmic, that ancient Taoist story comes to mind of the wise old farmer who owned a horse. One day his horse ran away. Upon hearing the news, his neighbors came to visit. "Such bad luck," they said sympathetically. "May be," the farmer replied. The next morning the horse returned, bringing with it three other wild horses. "How wonderful," the neighbors exclaimed. "May be," replied the old man.

The following day, the farmer's son tried to ride one of the untamed horses, was thrown, and broke his leg. The neighbors again came to offer their sympathy on his misfortune. "May be," answered the farmer. The day after, military officials came to the village to draft young men into the army. Seeing that the son's leg was broken, they passed him by. The neighbors congratulated the farmer on how well things had turned out. "May be," said the farmer.

The take away, for me, is that the ultimate universal perfection is unknowable while we are in the linearity of time; but the belief in the existence of perfection is what can give our lives meaning and inspiration.

That's why, when my friends and family send their sympathies and condolences about my situation, I reply, "May be"...