Upon hearing the suggestion that I am insulting and underselling people, let me share some additional perspective.
"Nonviolence is the greatest force at the disposal of mankind. It is mightier than the mightiest weapon of destruction devised by the ingenuity of man."
This in response to detractors who feel that a demonstration en masse is a show of force, while individual action is a sign of thought and concern.
"Truth, purity, self-control, firmness, fearlessness, humility, unity, peace, and renunciation - these are the inherent qualities of a civil resister."
I don't know about the rest of you, but I have been weakened by the comforts of our pampered society. I work at bringing these qualities fully to bear upon the life that I lead, and in the face of what our society has become, the challenge is at times overwhelming.
"Non-cooperation is a protest against an unwitting and unwilling participation in evil."
Right here, it is clear that the creation of the system of democracy and free-enterprise contains many hidden elements of evil that we unwittingly and unwillingly participate in. Discovering the truth, we resist cooperation and that is what the worldwide general strike offers us all an opportunity to voice.
"Love is the strongest force the world possesses, and yet it is the humblest imaginable."
Underneath my inspiration for all my actions, whether seen as crazy or not, is pure Love.
"Poverty is the worst form of violence."
Before we're so quick to judge such an extreme action like a worldwide general strike as foolish, a show of force, or some such other foolishness, let's remember the violence that we inflict upon our own world through our consumerism, through our selfishness, and even our complacency. Again, unwittingly and unwillingly participating in an evil that is having an impact right now in life and death balances half a world away while we sleep comfortably in our beds with down-filled duvets.
Now let me reiterate, that my only intention is to amass a collective consciousness that will respond to the state of our world affairs, our national affairs, and our business affairs in a more just, and honorable way.
Monday, January 15, 2007
April 6, 1919 India Came to a Stand-still
On April 6th, 1919, Gandhi's influence witnessed a country of 350 million people, without the benefit of internet communications act in a unified and peaceful way that saw India stand still. Given the nature of the governance in that time, it was called A Day of Prayer and Fasting. This was part of Gandhi's peaceful resistance movement to regain rightful ownership of India back to the Indian people.
Many others have been inspired by Gandhi, one of whom was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who is remembered today as well.
On another personal blog, as a result of blog-surfing, media reports, and the many travesties we've become familiar with around corporate abuses, political abuses, poor leadership, custodianship, and stewardship, I posted an entry suggesting a world-wide general strike. I'm not sure how serious I was about it when I initially posted it. It was sudden, half-baked, and without a clear agenda for any immediate action by any particular individual or party. Intriguingly, it has garnered considerable attention and support as people that are aware do see the value in awakening their fellow man.
As I spoke to a local friend of mine tonight, he made it perfectly clear to me that a focus seemed to be missing. I suppose that has something to do with the subversive nature of how I teach. I'm only just seeing this as I write and recall other previous conversations around my intent and desire to change the world. You see, while leaders do need to change, they are not the ones who will make any lasting impact. It is you and I - the people.
Were there to be a Worldwide General Strike, people everywhere would begin to recognize the power we have when we act in a unified and peaceful way to let our leaders know when they're doing a good job, and when they're not doing a good job. As I said, I've watched blog after blog, with all their complaints, and see little action. In conversations within my own personal blogging community, it has been expressed that many feel overwhelmed and powerless to bring about any lasting or meaningful change.
This is because we act only in small splinter groups, and depending upon our current state of affairs. We have been so complacent as people in a society that has grown fat and lazy, being spoon-fed politics by the media, spoiled by materialistic desires and entertainment, and find ourselves puzzled by the dullness we experience. Broad-brush, I know, but even I, without a TV, do feel this influence on many levels - in the supermarket, within business culture, having a conversation at the coffee shop. It has become so pervasive, we don't even realize that the wool is being pulled over our eyes.
We all want the same thing: Love, Life, and Happiness.
How that will look for each person will be different and so will our preference for our livelihood. In order to have the best opportunity to achieve these things, we need three main things from leaders in society, and leaders in business:
Many others have been inspired by Gandhi, one of whom was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who is remembered today as well.
On another personal blog, as a result of blog-surfing, media reports, and the many travesties we've become familiar with around corporate abuses, political abuses, poor leadership, custodianship, and stewardship, I posted an entry suggesting a world-wide general strike. I'm not sure how serious I was about it when I initially posted it. It was sudden, half-baked, and without a clear agenda for any immediate action by any particular individual or party. Intriguingly, it has garnered considerable attention and support as people that are aware do see the value in awakening their fellow man.
As I spoke to a local friend of mine tonight, he made it perfectly clear to me that a focus seemed to be missing. I suppose that has something to do with the subversive nature of how I teach. I'm only just seeing this as I write and recall other previous conversations around my intent and desire to change the world. You see, while leaders do need to change, they are not the ones who will make any lasting impact. It is you and I - the people.
Were there to be a Worldwide General Strike, people everywhere would begin to recognize the power we have when we act in a unified and peaceful way to let our leaders know when they're doing a good job, and when they're not doing a good job. As I said, I've watched blog after blog, with all their complaints, and see little action. In conversations within my own personal blogging community, it has been expressed that many feel overwhelmed and powerless to bring about any lasting or meaningful change.
This is because we act only in small splinter groups, and depending upon our current state of affairs. We have been so complacent as people in a society that has grown fat and lazy, being spoon-fed politics by the media, spoiled by materialistic desires and entertainment, and find ourselves puzzled by the dullness we experience. Broad-brush, I know, but even I, without a TV, do feel this influence on many levels - in the supermarket, within business culture, having a conversation at the coffee shop. It has become so pervasive, we don't even realize that the wool is being pulled over our eyes.
We all want the same thing: Love, Life, and Happiness.
How that will look for each person will be different and so will our preference for our livelihood. In order to have the best opportunity to achieve these things, we need three main things from leaders in society, and leaders in business:
- Better Leadership: understand that a leader is a servant to ALL equally.
- Better Stewardship: manage and care for the resources of finance and people with greater responsibility and fairness for ALL equally.
- Better Custodianship: clean up our act so that our planet's health, our health, and our future generation's health will stand a chance.
So, were there to be a successful Worldwide General Strike, as proposed for January 31st, 2007, the message to these leaders would be that this is what you want. However, this is not the main purpose of the general strike either.
People, you need to also wake up and become more aware of your choices. You need to become more conscious about the power you have individually and collectively. You need to become more responsible for the impact you have for, or against the greater good.
This isn't an initiative to wake up the leaders though, this is a call to wake up the people. You put the leaders there and you're the ones who, even in your complaints, tolerate the status quo: War, Poverty, Homelessness, Pollution, etc. --- and all their accompanying side-effects on environment, social, mental, emotional, and physical health in so many different degrees and ways.
You want to make change happen? Be that change.
I'm a professional coach committed to being change. I start with my heart and I've done a lot of very difficult personal work over the past ten years. I've also encountered a lot of difficult personal, professional, and societal obstacles along the way. It's a nasty minefield for the novice and many give up along the way. I mentor young, middle-age, and older folks too. I invite you to inquire into my coaching and being challenged right down to the core of your heart to grow and challenge your perceptions and beliefs.
We're not looking for overnight change, we know that this will be the same task of patience exercised by farmer's at the beginning of every season.
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Celebrating a Success Story
I happened to contact a past client out of curiosity and heard a wonderful success story worth sharing. In doing so, you may also find the links to his sites valuable to you, depending on where you live, and what you need.
Congratualtions Albert and thank-you for sharing the wonderful news!
Lee,
In the middle east, arab culture believes very strongly in the sixth sence. So much so, that people often speak to others about "feelings". These "feelings" are believed to have caused wars, feuds and also marriages and new ventures.
The fact that you have contacted me, I believe I was "feeling" this would happen.
For the past month, I have been talking to people about how my life has turned around because of a person I once spoke to over the phone. People do not understand what a profound effect you have had on my life.
I believe you must have heard the echoes of these murmurings, because you contacted me today.
Lee - what can I tell you? I have dreamed all my life to build a business of my own. To build a practice I believed I can do and something that would complement my skills, personality and vision.
Well, since talking to you, I spent 2006 building the initial structures. These structures can be found at the following addresses;
http://www.onebridge.ca
http://www.corporatesoccer.ca
http://www.goworkoverseas.com
I dreamed of building one thing - instead, I found energy and time to build three!
I was "downsized" in April 2006 from HSBC. I have been much happier since then. I have not worked since April 2006, but I have put alot of effort to build this practice.
I feel better. I think better. I am happier with myself. Of course, there remains the occasional low - but a lot less frequent than the time before I spoke with you.
I credit you with my turn around and I credit you with restoring my confidence, my vision and my conviction of what I was put on earth to do.
So to say the least, 2007 will be the year I finally cash in on these ventures. I believe the effort and the patience will pay off. To think, I have waited 10 years (since graduating) to get to this point.
I am a happier dad. I have two beautiful girls who inspire me every day. I am striving to build on an already solid foundation of marriage.
Lee - a big thank you. I will probably be thanking you for many years to come....
I, too, "feel" 2007 will be a very good year!
A warm new year greeting to you and to all those you care for.
Take care mon ami!
Albert
Congratualtions Albert and thank-you for sharing the wonderful news!
Lee,
In the middle east, arab culture believes very strongly in the sixth sence. So much so, that people often speak to others about "feelings". These "feelings" are believed to have caused wars, feuds and also marriages and new ventures.
The fact that you have contacted me, I believe I was "feeling" this would happen.
For the past month, I have been talking to people about how my life has turned around because of a person I once spoke to over the phone. People do not understand what a profound effect you have had on my life.
I believe you must have heard the echoes of these murmurings, because you contacted me today.
Lee - what can I tell you? I have dreamed all my life to build a business of my own. To build a practice I believed I can do and something that would complement my skills, personality and vision.
Well, since talking to you, I spent 2006 building the initial structures. These structures can be found at the following addresses;
http://www.onebridge.ca
http://www.corporatesoccer.ca
http://www.goworkoverseas.com
I dreamed of building one thing - instead, I found energy and time to build three!
I was "downsized" in April 2006 from HSBC. I have been much happier since then. I have not worked since April 2006, but I have put alot of effort to build this practice.
I feel better. I think better. I am happier with myself. Of course, there remains the occasional low - but a lot less frequent than the time before I spoke with you.
I credit you with my turn around and I credit you with restoring my confidence, my vision and my conviction of what I was put on earth to do.
So to say the least, 2007 will be the year I finally cash in on these ventures. I believe the effort and the patience will pay off. To think, I have waited 10 years (since graduating) to get to this point.
I am a happier dad. I have two beautiful girls who inspire me every day. I am striving to build on an already solid foundation of marriage.
Lee - a big thank you. I will probably be thanking you for many years to come....
I, too, "feel" 2007 will be a very good year!
A warm new year greeting to you and to all those you care for.
Take care mon ami!
Albert
Monday, January 08, 2007
A sea change is about to hit the workplace. Are you ready?
VIRGINIA GALT
WORKPLACE REPORTER
Globe & Mail Article
David Shaw scans the horizon from his 30th-floor office in downtown Toronto and warns of a coming "tsunami" that will leave bureaucratic, old-style organizations with a lot of empty desks.
With the majority of baby boomers contemplating retirement in the next decade, and the newest generation of employees placing a premium on work-life balance, employers will need to adjust their recruitment and retention strategies radically, says Mr. Shaw, chief executive officer of Toronto-based Knightsbridge Human Capital Solutions.
And they will be forced to manage their organizations "very differently" in light of what the aging boomers and their entry-level offspring have in common: Attitude.
Many older, experienced employees might be willing to delay retirement if they can continue working "on their own terms," he says.
The same goes for the youngest generation of employees, who are willing to expend a tremendous amount of energy and brainpower -- but again, "on their own terms," says Mr. Shaw, who founded Knightsbridge five years ago after leaving his post as president of Pepsi-Cola Canada Beverages.
"The successful organizations in the future will be those that understand where the [labour] market trends are, and understand the need to be adaptive to the people who work in their organizations."
Those least willing to accommodate the desires of their employees will most likely suffer from labour shortages in the coming years, Mr. Shaw predicts.
Employers do not have the luxury of time in developing new approaches to recruiting and managing talent, he adds. In the public sector, for instance, "every provincial government, in the next five to seven years, is going to lose 60 per cent of their work force.
"I don't think people will recognize the work force between today and 10 years from now in terms of . . . the way we work, the people who are engaged in the work force and the work that people are doing."
To reinforce his point about the challenges facing employers, Mr. Shaw brandishes recent issues of The Economist (cover story: The search for talent. Why it's getting harder to find) and BusinessWeek (cover story: Smashing The Clock. No schedules. No mandatory meetings. Inside Best Buy's radical reshaping of the workplace).
The "results-only work environment" initiative, introduced last year at the Minneapolis headquarters of Best Buy Co. allows employees to decide when, and how, they will work -- their performance is judged on output rather than the number of hours spent in the office. And, according to company executives interviewed by BusinessWeek, productivity is up and turnover is down.
It is a gutsy move by Best Buy, says Mr. Shaw, who applauds the initiative, although "it remains to be seen" how effectively the company can run its North American operations when, for instance, head office employees have the freedom to leave at 2 p.m. to catch a matinee, on the understanding that they will make up the work later.
"At the end of the day, results always count," Mr. Shaw says. "They're taking a lot of risk.
"Still, having the guts and courage to do something like this is invaluable because the people who work in the organization are looking at the leadership and saying: 'You know, at least they are trying to do something that reflects an understanding of who we are and the needs that we have,' " Mr. Shaw says.
What Best Buy has gained, through its flexibility around work schedules, is a highly engaged work force, which will serve the company well in the future when the pool of available labour shrinks and employees have far more choices about how, and for whom, they want to work, he says.
"I think every organization should be looking at doing things very differently . . . knowledge workers can migrate very quickly."
Those most likely to suffer labour shortages will be hierarchical organizations that continue to dictate working hours and methodology in the belief that employees will only work under the watchful eye of a manager, Mr. Shaw says.
Those organizations willing to innovate -- through such initiatives as flexible working hours, telecommuting and phased retirement for older employees who want to cut back their hours -- will attract and retain more employees.
But this will also make the jobs of managers far more complex, he says, because they will still need to ensure that the work gets done.
"This isn't about becoming a complacent, fluffy organization, because results still matter," Mr. Shaw says.
"But the way and the manner in which you achieve those results is very telling in terms of the company that you are . . . and whether people are willing to work in these environments."
WORKPLACE REPORTER
Globe & Mail Article
David Shaw scans the horizon from his 30th-floor office in downtown Toronto and warns of a coming "tsunami" that will leave bureaucratic, old-style organizations with a lot of empty desks.
With the majority of baby boomers contemplating retirement in the next decade, and the newest generation of employees placing a premium on work-life balance, employers will need to adjust their recruitment and retention strategies radically, says Mr. Shaw, chief executive officer of Toronto-based Knightsbridge Human Capital Solutions.
And they will be forced to manage their organizations "very differently" in light of what the aging boomers and their entry-level offspring have in common: Attitude.
Many older, experienced employees might be willing to delay retirement if they can continue working "on their own terms," he says.
The same goes for the youngest generation of employees, who are willing to expend a tremendous amount of energy and brainpower -- but again, "on their own terms," says Mr. Shaw, who founded Knightsbridge five years ago after leaving his post as president of Pepsi-Cola Canada Beverages.
"The successful organizations in the future will be those that understand where the [labour] market trends are, and understand the need to be adaptive to the people who work in their organizations."
Those least willing to accommodate the desires of their employees will most likely suffer from labour shortages in the coming years, Mr. Shaw predicts.
Employers do not have the luxury of time in developing new approaches to recruiting and managing talent, he adds. In the public sector, for instance, "every provincial government, in the next five to seven years, is going to lose 60 per cent of their work force.
"I don't think people will recognize the work force between today and 10 years from now in terms of . . . the way we work, the people who are engaged in the work force and the work that people are doing."
To reinforce his point about the challenges facing employers, Mr. Shaw brandishes recent issues of The Economist (cover story: The search for talent. Why it's getting harder to find) and BusinessWeek (cover story: Smashing The Clock. No schedules. No mandatory meetings. Inside Best Buy's radical reshaping of the workplace).
The "results-only work environment" initiative, introduced last year at the Minneapolis headquarters of Best Buy Co. allows employees to decide when, and how, they will work -- their performance is judged on output rather than the number of hours spent in the office. And, according to company executives interviewed by BusinessWeek, productivity is up and turnover is down.
It is a gutsy move by Best Buy, says Mr. Shaw, who applauds the initiative, although "it remains to be seen" how effectively the company can run its North American operations when, for instance, head office employees have the freedom to leave at 2 p.m. to catch a matinee, on the understanding that they will make up the work later.
"At the end of the day, results always count," Mr. Shaw says. "They're taking a lot of risk.
"Still, having the guts and courage to do something like this is invaluable because the people who work in the organization are looking at the leadership and saying: 'You know, at least they are trying to do something that reflects an understanding of who we are and the needs that we have,' " Mr. Shaw says.
What Best Buy has gained, through its flexibility around work schedules, is a highly engaged work force, which will serve the company well in the future when the pool of available labour shrinks and employees have far more choices about how, and for whom, they want to work, he says.
"I think every organization should be looking at doing things very differently . . . knowledge workers can migrate very quickly."
Those most likely to suffer labour shortages will be hierarchical organizations that continue to dictate working hours and methodology in the belief that employees will only work under the watchful eye of a manager, Mr. Shaw says.
Those organizations willing to innovate -- through such initiatives as flexible working hours, telecommuting and phased retirement for older employees who want to cut back their hours -- will attract and retain more employees.
But this will also make the jobs of managers far more complex, he says, because they will still need to ensure that the work gets done.
"This isn't about becoming a complacent, fluffy organization, because results still matter," Mr. Shaw says.
"But the way and the manner in which you achieve those results is very telling in terms of the company that you are . . . and whether people are willing to work in these environments."
Friday, January 05, 2007
Correction and Clarity of Focus
Yesterday I sent out my New Year's greeting and special offer. The email also included insight into who I coach and what I do. This comes about as I continue to work with people and discover more deeply within the issues that are at hand, determined to recognize a pattern so a clearer marketing focus aids the consumer choices. As a result of a profound conversation this morning, I am quickly responding to the correction and clarity of focus. You will see from the exchange I describe herein, the benefit coaching has on an individual (me), and a more concise picture of what I can do for you.
I had a colleague over for coffee this morning. He's an artist, a writer, and a gifted coach in his own right. His approach and journey has been radically different, yet his gifts of spirit are so apparent and delightful to experience. Visiting together today, we both shared bits of our recent journey as individuals. As we did, my gifts prompted feedback for him that helped him and his gifts prompted feedback that helped me.
As he was leaving, he blurted, "conflict resolution." This is what he saw for me, particularly as I move towards bringing my services into the corporate world. It's a term readily recognized in business language that translates to dollars saved and troubles averted in an organization. He left that with me to consider, with the seed shedding additional light that the coaching I've been doing, and what I did for him this morning, was to resolve the internal conflict he and other clients were experiencing.
Given the many studies I've undertaken over the past number of years, and reflecting on every client I have ever worked with male or female, and every piece of writing I've ever done, each has been about creating peace - whether it is a macro topic or a micro topic - external world social issues, or the inner-world issues.
Conflict Resolution
While conflict in the workplace, or any place, appears to be between two people or two parties, in reality the conflict exists within the individual . At any level, even a party (group) level, the conflict continues to exist wtihin an individual that has polluted and continues to pollute a group identity. News reports over the years have included statistics and findings that show anger, anxiety, mental illness, and others making their impact felt in business and other areas of life. Address the internal source of the conflict with the individual and transform the individual perspective and conflict. The resolution and impact will transform, not only the individual, but the impacted community around the individual as well.
Testimonial Already Received
You do well, here, as you seek peace and win-win situations as a rule. ~ S. Quill
Reminder
I had a colleague over for coffee this morning. He's an artist, a writer, and a gifted coach in his own right. His approach and journey has been radically different, yet his gifts of spirit are so apparent and delightful to experience. Visiting together today, we both shared bits of our recent journey as individuals. As we did, my gifts prompted feedback for him that helped him and his gifts prompted feedback that helped me.
As he was leaving, he blurted, "conflict resolution." This is what he saw for me, particularly as I move towards bringing my services into the corporate world. It's a term readily recognized in business language that translates to dollars saved and troubles averted in an organization. He left that with me to consider, with the seed shedding additional light that the coaching I've been doing, and what I did for him this morning, was to resolve the internal conflict he and other clients were experiencing.
Given the many studies I've undertaken over the past number of years, and reflecting on every client I have ever worked with male or female, and every piece of writing I've ever done, each has been about creating peace - whether it is a macro topic or a micro topic - external world social issues, or the inner-world issues.
Conflict Resolution
While conflict in the workplace, or any place, appears to be between two people or two parties, in reality the conflict exists within the individual . At any level, even a party (group) level, the conflict continues to exist wtihin an individual that has polluted and continues to pollute a group identity. News reports over the years have included statistics and findings that show anger, anxiety, mental illness, and others making their impact felt in business and other areas of life. Address the internal source of the conflict with the individual and transform the individual perspective and conflict. The resolution and impact will transform, not only the individual, but the impacted community around the individual as well.
Testimonial Already Received
You do well, here, as you seek peace and win-win situations as a rule. ~ S. Quill
Reminder
In honor of the New Year and the desires behind resolutions, I have created a limited time special offer. I am
- Offering the FIRST FIVE PEOPLE who sign up in the next 8 days a 50% discount in the monthly rate for a maximum of 3 months.
- Regularly $450 per month, you can now sign-up for 4 coaching sessions of 50-minutes per month for ONLY $225 plus GST.
- You also save an additional $150 with a FREE intake session!
This is a savings of over $825 for the next three months!!!
This is a ONE TIME OFFER!!!
At the end of the 3 month special, you have an opportunity to renegotiate and redesign our coaching relationship and fee structure in a collaborative fashion were you needing to continue coaching.
Just to recap:
$225 per month for maximum of 3 months and NO INTAKE FEE
(a savings of $825 over the three month period)
FOR THE FIRST FIVE PEOPLE WHO CONTACT ME
ACT NOW!!!
A reflection
Some men have expressed conflicted responses to my recent communications around the gender issues, the masculine and feminine energies, the left and right brain... it may be lacking in clarity or it may be a lacking in understanding the subtleties that come with language too. This morning I was reading an Osho meditation where this statement spoke clearly to the issue at hand:
A man who lives through conscience becomes hard. A man who lives through consciousness remains soft.
The passage had more to offer and I'll be happy to share it. For now, this statement is one worth mulling over oneself first to see how the body reacts.
A man who lives through conscience becomes hard. A man who lives through consciousness remains soft.
The passage had more to offer and I'll be happy to share it. For now, this statement is one worth mulling over oneself first to see how the body reacts.
Hope, Faith, and Action
I received a response from a dear old friend, living in another Canadian province, to the email with my New Year greetings and special offers. Her response requires no explanation or lead-in, here it is:
Baby...there was a major excution against the Muslims at XMAS...no humanity there...
Yes, and there are so many other things in life that are tragedies. I replied with the following:
That may be, and that is why I bring my message to the world. Change will become more visible as we begin to change individually, bringing more peace, love, and abundance into each others lives. It never starts at the top, it always comes from the people as the groundswell grows.
Much love, Lee
Baby...there was a major excution against the Muslims at XMAS...no humanity there...
Yes, and there are so many other things in life that are tragedies. I replied with the following:
That may be, and that is why I bring my message to the world. Change will become more visible as we begin to change individually, bringing more peace, love, and abundance into each others lives. It never starts at the top, it always comes from the people as the groundswell grows.
Much love, Lee
Gender Sense
As this gender role confusion is a natural part of the conversation, and we all deal wtih some form of internal question around how we should be, the comment arose as that there are few Real Men left in this world. This naturally leads tot he question of what are those qualities and she was generous to share an off-the-top-of-the-head list.
I couldn't agree more and I'm very glad to see these lists for men/women, in combination with the gender articles and the need for development and healing with our society's role expectations. Too often we see the power-struggle between men and women and the power struggles we experience in personal relationships and around the world between countries have never amounted to anything more than adding more fuel to the fire. Fortunately, as we communicate, investigate within, and open ourselves vulnerably to share the truth, we begin to reach the root, build solid foundations, reach understandings, and find solutions.
PS - this was an off-the-top-of-the-head list meaning that more can be added. When it is an item about owning your personal power in a positive, non-manipulative, way that adds to the enjoyment and fulfillment of your life without affecting others lives in a way that robs them of their own personal power, then I would tend towards support. Where we often become confused though, is around how to get what we want from life and people without manipulating. Often times we aren't even aware we are manipulating, given the many years of observing and accepting behaviors throughout societies examples in life and entertainment.
- He knows who he is, what he believes, and lives his life with unwavering integrity.
- He treats people fairly, with dignity and respect.
- He does not shy away from conflict, but handles it with grace and courage.
- He is kind, particularly to women, children and animals.
- He does not seek to control, manipulate or dominate anyone.
- He is not afraid to love and to be loved, unconditionally, even when he gets hurt.
- He seeks ways to help others at home, in the workplace, in the community.
- He listens more than he speaks. When he speaks, his words are full of wisdom.
- He has a sense of humor, particularly regarding himself.
- He takes care of himself physically.
- He makes the world a better place.
I couldn't agree more and I'm very glad to see these lists for men/women, in combination with the gender articles and the need for development and healing with our society's role expectations. Too often we see the power-struggle between men and women and the power struggles we experience in personal relationships and around the world between countries have never amounted to anything more than adding more fuel to the fire. Fortunately, as we communicate, investigate within, and open ourselves vulnerably to share the truth, we begin to reach the root, build solid foundations, reach understandings, and find solutions.
PS - this was an off-the-top-of-the-head list meaning that more can be added. When it is an item about owning your personal power in a positive, non-manipulative, way that adds to the enjoyment and fulfillment of your life without affecting others lives in a way that robs them of their own personal power, then I would tend towards support. Where we often become confused though, is around how to get what we want from life and people without manipulating. Often times we aren't even aware we are manipulating, given the many years of observing and accepting behaviors throughout societies examples in life and entertainment.
Thursday, January 04, 2007
New Year's Greeting and Special Offer
I want to thank-you for your support and wish you all the best that 2007 has to offer. I feel that 2007 will be a remarkable year globally, not just individually. It suggests at being a year of endings and a year of humanity. It will be interesting to witness and participate in its' unfolding.
Included in this entry are the following:
Particpate
Groups - Power Smart Men, Spirit's Calling
Coaching 2007 Kick-Off - A special offer
Who I coach?
Reading - two new articles
Participate
From 1994 to 2005, these years have been one of extremes in my life, all of which have contributed to an experience of deepening an understanding of the human-being - mind, body, emotions, and where spirit fits into the equation. In addiition, the evolution of society and societal beliefs that shape the social, business, and government landscape is seen in relation to the individual and the effects on community, health, and well-being. As these forces come together, and the name One Man Can (make a difference) comes into play, it is now time to start bringing more to the streets of my community.
Groups Gathering Community
Power Smart Men
This group, beginning next week, will be a group of male entrepreneurs who wish to do business in a new way. First, as entrepreneurs we are sometimes more isolated than we were in the office and this vehicle will lessen that impact. Second, as men we have been raised under the influence of the male stereotype of power, command, and control. However, many of us also feel conflicted with this and seek more cooperative and collaborative ways of working and succeeding. The fundamental principle of this group is Success Breeds Success. Working together towards each others success will ensure our own success. As the group unfolds, much more benefit, learning, personal growth and development will occur in a safe and comfortable environment.
Email via my site contact or phone 778-862-1626 to RSVP or make further enquiries.
Spirit's Calling
Spirituality and religion, sometimes seen as synonomous, often carry baggage for many people. They both did for me and in enormous quantities. Nonetheless, there is something to it and as difficult as it was for me to shed my baggage I arrived at an new place of understanding that contains so many possibilities for all of us to experience. So, for the curious, for the seekers, for the cynics like me, and everyone in-between, this group will create a safe comfortable environment for the discussion of spirituality and the various belief-systems that exist. As the moderator / facilitator, I will undertake a coach role, a participant role, and a teacher role as required.
Email via my site contact or phone 778-862-1626 to RSVP or make further enquiries.
Coaching 2007 Kick-Off
With January now underway, some have already seen NY's resolutions slip to the floor. Isn't that part of the nature of change and the human-being? It all starts with the idea and then the false-starts, until such time as the pain or desire really pushes us forward. Then when we get there we wonder why we took so long. So why wait? Get some help.
Special Offer
In honor of the New Year and the desires behind resolutions, I have created a limited time special offer. I am waiving the intake fee and offering the first 5 people who sign up in the next 8 days a 50% discount in the monthly rate for a maximum of 3 months. Regularly $450 per month, you can now sign-up for 4 coaching sessions of 50-minutes per month for only $225 plus GST. You also save an additional $150 for the intake session. At the end of the 3 month special, you have an opportunity to renegotiate and redesign our coaching relationship and fee structure in a collaborative fashion were you needing to continue coaching.
Who do I Coach?
Boys becoming men, men becoming whole, and human-beings allowing spirit. I have and continue to coach women, more specifically related to spiritual development and personal empowerment. That being said, my greatest successes come from working with men who are open, sensitive, collaborative, and trying to make sense of the conflict between the experience of themselves and reality of their day-to-day. Here's what one client had to say: "Sometimes we get so tied to the past that we have a hard time seeing the possibilities. Lee patiently challenged my traditional lines of thinking and helped me to learn to listen and (importantly) act on my inner feelings, becoming more authentic in the process." Another favorite verbal testimonial referenced the radical change seen in a young man over a period of three months that resulted from coaching. Being a man is so much more than you can imagine. Being human is so much more than we are allowing.
Reading Insights and Inspiration
Visit my blog and read Gender Schmender, We All Need to Be Whole and the piece following it titled The Trouble With Boys to see the latest writing as I continue delving into my curiosities, discoveries, and research. For other inspiration, I invite you to visit the articles page of One Man Can for your specific needs.
Happy New Year
I'm excited - come and get some!
Included in this entry are the following:
Particpate
Groups - Power Smart Men, Spirit's Calling
Coaching 2007 Kick-Off - A special offer
Who I coach?
Reading - two new articles
Participate
From 1994 to 2005, these years have been one of extremes in my life, all of which have contributed to an experience of deepening an understanding of the human-being - mind, body, emotions, and where spirit fits into the equation. In addiition, the evolution of society and societal beliefs that shape the social, business, and government landscape is seen in relation to the individual and the effects on community, health, and well-being. As these forces come together, and the name One Man Can (make a difference) comes into play, it is now time to start bringing more to the streets of my community.
Groups Gathering Community
Power Smart Men
This group, beginning next week, will be a group of male entrepreneurs who wish to do business in a new way. First, as entrepreneurs we are sometimes more isolated than we were in the office and this vehicle will lessen that impact. Second, as men we have been raised under the influence of the male stereotype of power, command, and control. However, many of us also feel conflicted with this and seek more cooperative and collaborative ways of working and succeeding. The fundamental principle of this group is Success Breeds Success. Working together towards each others success will ensure our own success. As the group unfolds, much more benefit, learning, personal growth and development will occur in a safe and comfortable environment.
Email via my site contact or phone 778-862-1626 to RSVP or make further enquiries.
Spirit's Calling
Spirituality and religion, sometimes seen as synonomous, often carry baggage for many people. They both did for me and in enormous quantities. Nonetheless, there is something to it and as difficult as it was for me to shed my baggage I arrived at an new place of understanding that contains so many possibilities for all of us to experience. So, for the curious, for the seekers, for the cynics like me, and everyone in-between, this group will create a safe comfortable environment for the discussion of spirituality and the various belief-systems that exist. As the moderator / facilitator, I will undertake a coach role, a participant role, and a teacher role as required.
Email via my site contact or phone 778-862-1626 to RSVP or make further enquiries.
Coaching 2007 Kick-Off
With January now underway, some have already seen NY's resolutions slip to the floor. Isn't that part of the nature of change and the human-being? It all starts with the idea and then the false-starts, until such time as the pain or desire really pushes us forward. Then when we get there we wonder why we took so long. So why wait? Get some help.
Special Offer
In honor of the New Year and the desires behind resolutions, I have created a limited time special offer. I am waiving the intake fee and offering the first 5 people who sign up in the next 8 days a 50% discount in the monthly rate for a maximum of 3 months. Regularly $450 per month, you can now sign-up for 4 coaching sessions of 50-minutes per month for only $225 plus GST. You also save an additional $150 for the intake session. At the end of the 3 month special, you have an opportunity to renegotiate and redesign our coaching relationship and fee structure in a collaborative fashion were you needing to continue coaching.
$225 per month for maximum of 3 months and no intake feeEmail via my site contact or phone 778-862-1626 to book your appointment or make further enquiries.
(a savings of $825 over the three month period)
Who do I Coach?
Boys becoming men, men becoming whole, and human-beings allowing spirit. I have and continue to coach women, more specifically related to spiritual development and personal empowerment. That being said, my greatest successes come from working with men who are open, sensitive, collaborative, and trying to make sense of the conflict between the experience of themselves and reality of their day-to-day. Here's what one client had to say: "Sometimes we get so tied to the past that we have a hard time seeing the possibilities. Lee patiently challenged my traditional lines of thinking and helped me to learn to listen and (importantly) act on my inner feelings, becoming more authentic in the process." Another favorite verbal testimonial referenced the radical change seen in a young man over a period of three months that resulted from coaching. Being a man is so much more than you can imagine. Being human is so much more than we are allowing.
Reading Insights and Inspiration
Visit my blog and read Gender Schmender, We All Need to Be Whole and the piece following it titled The Trouble With Boys to see the latest writing as I continue delving into my curiosities, discoveries, and research. For other inspiration, I invite you to visit the articles page of One Man Can for your specific needs.
Happy New Year
I'm excited - come and get some!
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
The Trouble With Boys
It's no accident that recent conversations of masculine and feminine forces within the individual have arisen wtihin the work that I do. These recent conversations also lead to the introduction to a book which I stumbled upon when visiting a friend. This book, without even cracking the cover, resonated so firmly to the core many issues of life as a boy, as a man, and an outcast. The book, The Trouble With Boys, as I'm barely scratching the the opening chapters has this to say:
Our sons are growing up in a world in which it helps to be less human. Few of them will turn into murderers, but most of them will have learned by the age of 10 that the world expects them to 'toughen up'. The gun-toting drug barons and their couriers who are now terrorizing housing estates in the north of England are products of a system that believes it is better for a boy to hit the person who upsets him than it is for him to cry. So are the men who need to drink before they can allow themselves to feel, and those who kill themselves rather than confess that they have lost their jobs. It is a process which is so effective that few of our boys escape entirely, nor will they, unless we understand more clearly just what it is they are facing.
This, just one of many paragraphs that roils the guts with emotions as I read on, summarizes quickly a conflicted experience of being that does not provide the male child with the appropriate tools to grow up wholly. Instead, shut down any emotive aspect of the self and learn to fight for every scrap that this competitive world we (history) have created. As the landscape has changed, with the advance of women's equality and integration, in addition to equal opportunity for other minority groups, the traditional "place" (a sense of belonging every human being seeks) for men has evaporated and boys and men alike are being outperformed by women. This isn't a question of a sex being better than another, it is about a sex being better equipped.
Being better equipped doesn't even imply that women are just better at some things than men. Yes, it is true they do better in relationships and are more balanced in many respects than men. It isn't just a question of what is genetically determined, it's the social structure that supports and equips the child. As many a man could tell you, distant fathers and the role of manhood and agenda of society that forces itself on young boys ill equips them to deal with the social evolution taking place. Instead, what we see is increasing violence, suicide, drug use, etc.
This, again, supports my belief that our society requires a social change that creates better father-son relationships and communication. And from a personal perspective based upon my own family-life experience, both as a son and as a father, as a husband and a divorcee (twice), and a single non-typical male seeking a female who can see what it is I experience, that women can and would do wonders by playing in a role of nurturing and educating men - where men are open to this softening process and integrating the fullness of their humanity. I mean really, where else are men to find insights into a side of life that has never been given permission for expression in their own lives?
That being said, I have come to the full realization, that while not perfectly there yet, I have ventured out of the typical male territory, having been fortunate or unfortunate enough - depending upon my perspective any given day - to retain and explore an emotional side of my being and in time, discovering the applicable female energy at work. Remember men, this isn't an issue of sexuality, this is an issue of wholeness: The Yin and Yang; Dark and Light; Masculine and Feminine; Right Brain and Left Brain. Anyone who has completed any kind of assessment around personality or behavior, while recongizing traits, will also recognize that they are more than what the assessment says they are. Like myself, depending upon current life situations, you may even discover that in one decade you score completely opposite to what you scored a decade earlier. Pigeon-holing and dictating social-norms is a dangerous business with potentially hazardous results for some participants.
This book is an extraordinary read and I'm glad to have stumbled upon it. I highly recommend it to everyone as a tool that can open our eyes to the failings of our social-norms and then respond with correct-action that will educate and empower a healthier society for both men and women. I must include women in this equation because in spite of all the advances women have made for themselves, I believe based upon my own experience and many comments in literature as well, that women still view men and expect men in a way that has long become obsolete. If this change and healing is to occur, we all need it. As I wrote Gender Schmender, We All Need to Be Whole, particularly towards the ending paragraphs, our world health (government, business, communities, and families) will benefit greatly and depends upon this radical departure from the typical stereotype that still influences the world today. Our children are depending on us.
Following this blog-entry, my dear mentor-peer-friend pixelpyro posted the following beautiful reply that may leave your mind reeling. Enjoy!
From time to time, your enlightened insights reach the level of "holy shit, that's brilliant!" When I started reading it, I formulated a response around the idea of left and right brain significance, but you mentioned that too. So I digress to testimony....
When I was in a new age cult, years ago, we called the genders 'male appearing' and 'female appearing' since we are all male/female with a dominant orientation one way or the other. We can, at will, change our intellectual orientation to our own sense of comfort, even to the point of altering hormone levels. Wow, you say. Not really a wow. Bees can start out with female organs, change to a male and become hive technicians, then if more foragers are needed, they can revert back to being female again, regenerating female organs. Now say wow. Maybe I have the jobs reversed, but no matter. It's sad that we have over the centuries defined what it means to be one gender or the other, then based on those assumptions, concluded that we must have been given the wrong body. "I cry when I watch chick flicks. I love cooking and interior decoration. When I was a boy I wanted to be a fashion designer. I must be a woman in a man's body!" Timeout, before you go in for surgery.... Who says those are female traits? Those are dogmatic social guidelines invented by man, but not necessarily by nature. These are right-brain traits, everybody's brain. It's not a question of gender, but a matter of what feelings you allow yourself to express publicly, and what you repress because of intimidation.
Think:
Blokes, if you don't believe you have feminine traits, tell me why you have nipples.
That one always gets 'em on the ropes. It's the woman in you that makes you want to play this game (Neil Young). Where did gendering originate anyway? Where everything else did, in the spiritual, non-physical ether. [Warning: This is heavy and obscure, but we can't help ourselves] Males appeared because this all started in Infinite Mind. I am, therefore, I am [Man-law #1] Females appeared because if there is an Infinite Mind, it must have a home. I am - here. [Fem-law #1]. So, the sex organs are representative of that. Mind (consciousness) is the creative force of the universe. Thought is the father of growth, change, multiplication, and so on. The womb of creation is all that appears as a manifestation of thought. The guy who wrote the Adam and Eve myth was trying to explain this, and wasn't any clearer than I am. How this relates to your post is that we carry with us the nature of both. Every creature is creative, and nurturing; A driving force and an impregnable vessel. (Oh, behave, baby); We are all analytical and intuitive; and guess what? We all have a left and right brain hemisphere. Even the planet is male/female. The west is totally male and the "esoteric east" is the feminine hemisphere.
Now, why do we choose to focus only on whether our vehicle is equipped with an inny or an outy? Rather shallow, don't you agree?
We thank you for your patronage.
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Gender Schmender: We All Need to Be Whole
I have been having an interesting discussion lately about the male versus female brain. This arose out of an online assessment that determines if your brain thinks like a man or a woman. Following that initial exploration and discovering this man (me) scored higher than the majority of woman on the female side, another tool was introduced that examines written work and determines the sex of the author. Subsequently, this conversation and tool lead me to be more curious about the results and their meaning. Exploring the written work further resulted in sharing this article and my own personal thoughts and how they pertain to the whole person I consider to be the optimal human experience based upon a spiritual foundation that I've come to understand around both sexes.
Since I've crossed the bridge of cold-hard-facts to the world of what cannot be seen or touched, the feelings begin to sense the other mysteries at work in our lives. This, in part, is an aspect of spirituality I suppose and what intrigues my mind around what we believe that ends up defining and confining us as human-beings in society and in our individual expression. And then, why do some people have that more holistic aspect than others? What differences in their birth, their makeup genetically, etc... so many wonderful mysteries to explore.
I have a young nephew, who like me, experiences the social world very differently from those around him. He's at odds with himself and what and why everyone else is different. Naturally, him being in the minority sets him up to be the oddball and to wrestle with being who he really is. That has been part of my story too and it's not whether what I had lived was authentic, it was that somewhere along the way the natural development or evolution and expression for who I really was wasn't allowed to surface. Fitting-in requires a lot of learning and conditioning and to unlearn and uncondition oneself is often even harder; particularly when we see the imperative to compress the learning time-line.
So here is the latest link for another gender assessment tool - if you will - the guessing machine and algorithm - which I think is pretty damn good in its performance. I fed quite a bit of my writing into it - more than listed below - especially as I became more curious about the gender and the influencing factors upon the physical form.
http://www.bookblog.net/gender/genie.html
Even so, there still appeared to be some kind of inconsistency not quite evident to me. Then I wondered about my state-of-being and the energy that went into the pieces. As I looked at the trend of articles written over a two-year period - a sampling, not all of them - I noted that the difference, while often subject-matter related, was also directly influenced by the source of power for the article. What does that mean?
As these measures of the masculine and feminne, male and female, the dark and the light, etc., all arise, the recognition that opposites are what makes up all that exists. Energy is what exists and creates the physical form - and yes, that energy is God or the force of God. As everyone knows from their school-days, and if not, by the necessity of putting a battery in a device correctly, there are opposite poles that make things go.
As I've said in an earlier discussion, we are the yin and yang, the dark and light, and the masculine and feminine. This is not about the physical, it is about the energy and spirit of what exists within the physical form and will return to energy/spirit upon death. That spirit and essence of who we are has the properties of the opposites while largely embodying the dominant trait assigned to the physical form. Now this is where it gets interesting and what, in part, leads me to support this idea.
Looking at the subject-matter and the state-of-being that inspired these pieces, I quickly recognized what part of me fueled the thoughts that became the words. The mind, recognized as a masculine feature and energy within the human body was the dominant force behind the words for those articles that the genie guessed my gender correctly - as male. The articles that it guessed me as female, were articles that were more emotionally and heart-centred in their inspiration. This is recognized as a more feminine feature and energy within the human body. And this, the whole, is what we're each here to develop.
For women, already in the female form and experiencing the dominant expression of the feminine in their state-of-being, have the exquistie opportunity to also explore, discover, and develop their own masculine force of energy in the physical expression. I believe this is where I have witnessed many mid-late-twenties to early-thirties women that are struggling with how to be more assertive. A part of our natural evolution that we've been unaware of possibly?
Now I've got to tell you, the brain quiz suggested a more feminine leaning brain in its thinking and being when I viewed my results. That quiz too, I wonder now, in the same way - in reference to the spiritual forces (energy) at work that make up the physical form - if my yin-yang balanced evenly as a newborn, and even as a child who was more of a loner, and developed more into the masculine over time into puberty as part of the physical forces were at play, in addition to the social forces of society (a mass of influencing energy) forcing the masculine dominance dictated by social-norms and social-agreements? So why even wonder and ask this?
I am emotional, empathic, intuitive, and do have an ability to read people that scares both myself and them, thus finding myself alienated socially at times. There are some skills I still need to master with respect to managing both energies at work within me, as do we all. Now that I have come to discover more about the masculine and feminine energies at work - getting over my own reluctance of disturbing the social norms - I could embrace the fact that to be a human-being is to develop, experience, and live both expressions of the masculine and feminine energies in life. Part of this also entailed me having to stop fighting spirituality, god, and all that jazz. Too often I've resisted wanting only to be another goldfish in the fish bowl. Don't ask why, you probably already have experienced something similar yourself.
So there's the idea, and recently I've seen other material that didn't quite make sense of all this, even though it was saying the same thing. Now I can see its' evidence in my own expression of life. I believe that society will improve greatly as we begin to embrace and learn to develop both energies in our expressions of thought and life. As we all deepen this understanding we will evolve in our social development and how we raise future generations as well. Seeing the results of this, I'm sure the world will find itself experiencing far more balanced results in life, relationships, business, government, and the cause-effect chain that leads to most man-made tragedies would lesson dramatically.
PS - the paragraphs of this blog-entry were dominantly male expressions. And I noticed it all came from my analytical thought processes as I explored my curiosity and findings.
This particle blog entry was originally part of an online discussion on a personal blog-site with another friend half-a-world away. Since it originated from a conversational perspective, I only altered the first introductory paragraph in order to assist you, a newcomer to the conversation. If continuity seems rocky, it is due to not wanting to change the conversational flow that took place as it was written.
As a professional coach, this article speaks strongly to an aspect of the coaching that I do. I have coached late-teen, early-adult males around what it means to be a man. This includes topics of spiritual development, emotional development, and the courage these journeys require. Additionally, it is natural that these conversations lead the young man to embark upon his own life of adventure that is to discover himself, his passions and interests, his likes and dislikes, and learn how powerful he is simply through the act of choice - not one of dominant and competitive power.
In addition to the young men, I more often find myself coaching both men and women around similar issues where social conditioning has had an overwhelming effect upon their emotional well-being which affects their happiness in many areas of life. These people are often at risk of finding themselves displaced and apparently, according to recent research, men are more likely, and statistically are, experiencing higher rates of suicide. As a recent male client shared with me:
Since I've crossed the bridge of cold-hard-facts to the world of what cannot be seen or touched, the feelings begin to sense the other mysteries at work in our lives. This, in part, is an aspect of spirituality I suppose and what intrigues my mind around what we believe that ends up defining and confining us as human-beings in society and in our individual expression. And then, why do some people have that more holistic aspect than others? What differences in their birth, their makeup genetically, etc... so many wonderful mysteries to explore.
I have a young nephew, who like me, experiences the social world very differently from those around him. He's at odds with himself and what and why everyone else is different. Naturally, him being in the minority sets him up to be the oddball and to wrestle with being who he really is. That has been part of my story too and it's not whether what I had lived was authentic, it was that somewhere along the way the natural development or evolution and expression for who I really was wasn't allowed to surface. Fitting-in requires a lot of learning and conditioning and to unlearn and uncondition oneself is often even harder; particularly when we see the imperative to compress the learning time-line.
So here is the latest link for another gender assessment tool - if you will - the guessing machine and algorithm - which I think is pretty damn good in its performance. I fed quite a bit of my writing into it - more than listed below - especially as I became more curious about the gender and the influencing factors upon the physical form.
http://www.bookblog.net/gender/genie.html
What I found interesting is the fact that there are differences. While it did tend towards consistently guessing my gender correctly - I did more than is listed above - I began to become curious about why the differences showed up. Doing more of my articles and blog-entries, including some fiction I had written a while back, I noticed that subject-matter played a part. That was my initial gut-reaction as I observed what was happening.Article 1
1115 Word Article, the genie determined my gender
correctly. I scored 60% higher male influenced words versus female influenced
words.Article 2
374 Word Article, the genie
determined my gender incorrectly. I scored 31% higher female influenced words
versus male influenced words.Article 3
826 Word
Bog-Entry, the genie determiend my gender correctly. This margin was only by a
6% difference.Article 4
652 Word Article, the
genie determined my gender incorrectly. This margine was by 18%.Article 5 & 6 - correctly measured male by minimal and extreme
differences.Article 7 - balanced scoring between both the male
and female - no guess made.Article 8 - again, balanced score,
although female edged male by a dozen or more words.
Even so, there still appeared to be some kind of inconsistency not quite evident to me. Then I wondered about my state-of-being and the energy that went into the pieces. As I looked at the trend of articles written over a two-year period - a sampling, not all of them - I noted that the difference, while often subject-matter related, was also directly influenced by the source of power for the article. What does that mean?
As these measures of the masculine and feminne, male and female, the dark and the light, etc., all arise, the recognition that opposites are what makes up all that exists. Energy is what exists and creates the physical form - and yes, that energy is God or the force of God. As everyone knows from their school-days, and if not, by the necessity of putting a battery in a device correctly, there are opposite poles that make things go.
As I've said in an earlier discussion, we are the yin and yang, the dark and light, and the masculine and feminine. This is not about the physical, it is about the energy and spirit of what exists within the physical form and will return to energy/spirit upon death. That spirit and essence of who we are has the properties of the opposites while largely embodying the dominant trait assigned to the physical form. Now this is where it gets interesting and what, in part, leads me to support this idea.
Looking at the subject-matter and the state-of-being that inspired these pieces, I quickly recognized what part of me fueled the thoughts that became the words. The mind, recognized as a masculine feature and energy within the human body was the dominant force behind the words for those articles that the genie guessed my gender correctly - as male. The articles that it guessed me as female, were articles that were more emotionally and heart-centred in their inspiration. This is recognized as a more feminine feature and energy within the human body. And this, the whole, is what we're each here to develop.
For women, already in the female form and experiencing the dominant expression of the feminine in their state-of-being, have the exquistie opportunity to also explore, discover, and develop their own masculine force of energy in the physical expression. I believe this is where I have witnessed many mid-late-twenties to early-thirties women that are struggling with how to be more assertive. A part of our natural evolution that we've been unaware of possibly?
Now I've got to tell you, the brain quiz suggested a more feminine leaning brain in its thinking and being when I viewed my results. That quiz too, I wonder now, in the same way - in reference to the spiritual forces (energy) at work that make up the physical form - if my yin-yang balanced evenly as a newborn, and even as a child who was more of a loner, and developed more into the masculine over time into puberty as part of the physical forces were at play, in addition to the social forces of society (a mass of influencing energy) forcing the masculine dominance dictated by social-norms and social-agreements? So why even wonder and ask this?
I am emotional, empathic, intuitive, and do have an ability to read people that scares both myself and them, thus finding myself alienated socially at times. There are some skills I still need to master with respect to managing both energies at work within me, as do we all. Now that I have come to discover more about the masculine and feminine energies at work - getting over my own reluctance of disturbing the social norms - I could embrace the fact that to be a human-being is to develop, experience, and live both expressions of the masculine and feminine energies in life. Part of this also entailed me having to stop fighting spirituality, god, and all that jazz. Too often I've resisted wanting only to be another goldfish in the fish bowl. Don't ask why, you probably already have experienced something similar yourself.
So there's the idea, and recently I've seen other material that didn't quite make sense of all this, even though it was saying the same thing. Now I can see its' evidence in my own expression of life. I believe that society will improve greatly as we begin to embrace and learn to develop both energies in our expressions of thought and life. As we all deepen this understanding we will evolve in our social development and how we raise future generations as well. Seeing the results of this, I'm sure the world will find itself experiencing far more balanced results in life, relationships, business, government, and the cause-effect chain that leads to most man-made tragedies would lesson dramatically.
PS - the paragraphs of this blog-entry were dominantly male expressions. And I noticed it all came from my analytical thought processes as I explored my curiosity and findings.
This particle blog entry was originally part of an online discussion on a personal blog-site with another friend half-a-world away. Since it originated from a conversational perspective, I only altered the first introductory paragraph in order to assist you, a newcomer to the conversation. If continuity seems rocky, it is due to not wanting to change the conversational flow that took place as it was written.
As a professional coach, this article speaks strongly to an aspect of the coaching that I do. I have coached late-teen, early-adult males around what it means to be a man. This includes topics of spiritual development, emotional development, and the courage these journeys require. Additionally, it is natural that these conversations lead the young man to embark upon his own life of adventure that is to discover himself, his passions and interests, his likes and dislikes, and learn how powerful he is simply through the act of choice - not one of dominant and competitive power.
In addition to the young men, I more often find myself coaching both men and women around similar issues where social conditioning has had an overwhelming effect upon their emotional well-being which affects their happiness in many areas of life. These people are often at risk of finding themselves displaced and apparently, according to recent research, men are more likely, and statistically are, experiencing higher rates of suicide. As a recent male client shared with me:
Lee is a rare individual who really wants to help people reach their fullest
potential.Sometimes we get so tied to the past that we have a hard time seeing the
possibilities. Lee patiently challenged my traditional lines of thinking and
helped me learn to listen and (importantly) act on my inner feelings,
becoming more authentic in the process. It's still hard not letting my ego and
thoughts get in the way, but having Lee as my coach will ensure I stay on the
right track. All my relationships have been enhanced with Lee's wisdom.I heartily recommend Lee to anyone who may need a coach to guide them to a
more balanced life. Don't be put off by the spiritual aspect; I was hesitant at
first, but have realised it really is possible to listen and act on our feelings
from deep within and to see new possibilities. I appreciate Lee's patience,
style and presence whenever I've needed to talk to him, whatever the subject,
he's been there for me. And for encouraging me to pursue my dreams.
Subsequently, I would like to thank him and others for affirming this gift that I'm able to share with them.
Friday, December 01, 2006
You're Gonna Hate This!
A Big Ramble I wrote in conversation about The Law of Attraction with a community of coaches. Emotions, positive thinking, and a myriad of points of view were being expressed. Then I wrote this:
I started down a road with this post and found it needed to take shape through what felt like a little rambling. I hope it still works for you and gets the essence of an idea across to you.
I have really enjoyed a recent discussion... for the most part. That 'but' in there is the part of me that felt discomfort, and in the discussion we had been talking about feelings, emotions, chemical balance, etc. I was unable to respond earlier until what irked me made itself more powerfully known. Another post put my eyes back squarely on the work I have been doing the past 10 years, some of the major obstacles I experienced last year, and where I've made breakthroughs this year. It means that all we've said, while good, useful, and powerful, how many of us acknowledge some deity - as the one true god - that acknowledges this powerful force at work in our lives? This Great Mystery, Creator, Source, I really don't care what context you want to frame it so as to avoid any discomfort these words may have with your history of baggage, God is real. What is God?
I cannot answer and no one from this side of the ether can say for certain what God is. What we can say is that we recognize the power at work through the law of attraction and we can also see that this same power has had the enormity of presence, imagination, and ability to create a Universe so immense and diverse. This universe is also completely washed by the same force of energy we're talking about, and the universe is so complex that I cannot say whether the energy is God or that God acts upon energy. See what I mean? I've reached a point of knowing and not-knowing. There are a lot of things in life like this.
So too, the law of attraction. What is IS and by accepting and allowing what IS, then my beginnings with the law of attraction is at play. And then, as others rightly say, there are the days when shit happens and knowing what I know, no matter how hard I try, those thoughts and emotions are having their way with me. So now, rather than force the law of attraction into action, I retreat to a place of spiritual awareness that I have developed, one that sees and observes and just BE with the storm. From here, I acknowledge the Divine Mystery, as evidence suggests that there is more than meets the eye - both in the practical physical sense but more importantly, also with the tragedies of life.
You see, many, many years ago I asked a curious question. Looking at the world around me, the insanity we all seem to enjoy (even in our victimhood), I wanted to know the truth. This was a rather ambiguous and very open-ended desire. Of course, I was speaking about God on one level, and I also spoke about the many layers of lives that I witness and yet know nothing about. What crept up over the years was a dismantling of my life until one day I thought I was the same loser that I was curious about. IMPORTANT NOTE: Loser is a victim statement to make a point about that moment of no longer being at choice. Instead of realizing I had chosen this path of curiousity, trying on new shoes and walking for a mile, I kept the damn things on and kept going. Sometimes you just forget who you are when the forces overwhelm. I'm not saying they do - I'm saying they can.
And what is this all about then? More than 10 years later I have answered some big questions about God. One important fact is that religion truly has no place as an authority to God - it's only another vehicle or structure to assist. God is the only authority and that relationship is solely individual and that is where the relationship is found: One on One. As well, many of the miles I've walked in other men's shoes has taught me that most human beings in the educated realms of the world are so distant from God that our social agreements have become fatalistically an acceptance of what will never be.
I don't know if anyone is getting this and I'm not even sure I'm saying it right. God does not want to be ignored. Your Spirit internally does not want to be ignored. Your ego doesn't either and our wily minds can create a psuedo-god-figure mystical reality that supposes at the divine and still manifest the crap that is destroying lives. Okay, now I'm going so far I can't even see the strand that will untangle this wicked web of deceipt that we live day-in and day-out. You think I'm wrong? Too judgmental? Not positive-minded enough? I don't know. I wake up most days with a smile and enjoy much around me. I've also had to come to accept much of reality that maybe I cannot change from this space that I occupy. I also know that many, both in our professional community and elsewhere, would rather I didn't rock the boat and say this kind of stuff - Let alone chase after it and try to bring about change!
I'm going to say some hard stuff. I'm asking that you sit with it, let it sink in, and see the resonance.
Social agreements:
- Create many of the behavioral problems that begin in youth. Have we seen any evidence of this?
- Children model and learn their behavior first from their families. Second from their friends. Third within the unruly and vicious hallways of higher education. And many get more through formal religious education. Ironically, many children model better behavior than adults.
- Adults (having been children) perpetuate and accept the insanity having survived and found their little niche that will enable them to keep up the charade within the context of their safe little world of limitations.
- A market-driven system based upon competition, designed for some to have more and some to have less, continues to operate and influence the social consciousness. Enron and the like clearly demonstrate the viral power of greed and dishonest behavior. A Fog of Consciousness, if you will, that allows even the Good Man to forget himself and make a self-serving choice even when it hurts thousands of other people. You like driving that SUV?
Come on! Let's fight another war, drill another well, and burn down another forest! Each purchase you make gives power to the social agreement already in place.I can go on and on here. I'm hoping you see the truth to some of this. Now the question is: So what?
Here's some points that matter to me:
- Higher Consciousness, Higher Awareness: This more than any other must occur, individual by individual, throughout the mass consciousness. As this happens, people's lives will begin to evolve and change, most likely for the better where their spiritual education has a wholistic balance between material and spiritual realms.
- People, all of the you-and-me in the world, with higher levels of awareness can begin to redefine the mass consciousness that will then redefine the social agreements that dictate our lives externally through the systems and structures of business, politics, edcuation, etc. thereby creating healthier, happier communities globally.
- Our relationship to material things must change. The relationship with the earth must change. The relationship with our society must change. It's not ALL ABOUT ME as many tend to think and behave. There are ripple effects upon others, upon the environment, etc., with every thought, action, judgment, purchase, and decision we make. From where you work, how you work, where you shop, how you shop, and so on, and so on.
So really, I wonder now, how important is awareness? Is it all about self, and personal beliefs, and breaking through, and becoming all that you can be? Or is there more? The power of AND????
As was suggested, there are events, tragic and painful events, that occur in people's lives who have demonstrated highly optimistic and healthy behavior patterns. The law of attraction clearly not at work in the same context that teachers of the method talk about. So here is another take and one that I can own and maybe resonates slightly (or not) with others who've encountered unexpected tragedy. It has opened my eyes and developed deep levels of compassion and understanding. It is in this juicy place of LOVE that I find myself drawing upon to help bring change to others lives.
I was a successful young career man with a good heart, creative spirit, a joy and zest for life, people, and my work. People enjoyed, respected, and even listened to me at times. In one decade of life, horseshoe's seemed to fall from the seat of my pants. The next decade, nothing seemed to go right.
Divorce, financial ruin, serious illness, downsizing uncertainty, and recovery.
Sudden job-loss, cross-country move, family crisis, near-death health crisis, two-year recovery process, more financial ruin, and so on.
Things happen and some things people will say are based upon poor choices. That can certainly be true and here's a rub worth considering:
Were the other human-beings involved in the interaction and creation able to respond with higher consciousness, would I have made the same choice or would I have had new information? Would I have been trespassed against or could a more empowering result have occurred that rippled even further out to others lives?
Certainly a lot to think about. We tend to bite-size things to get a handle on them - like the law of attraction - and label people, things, and situations to explain and rationalize them away. Heck - we know that we even do that in our minds. Now take a wider, and wider look. It grows, as do our problems and they will change when we change in a bigger way.
Cause and Effect
- It's why war happens
- It's where violent crime originates
- It's why we have some leaders in office we may rather not be in office
Okay, now I'm just going diarhea on you. I'll ease up cuz this could keep going. It's also why we coaches do what we do - Isn't it? Change the world one person at a time?
Best wishes, Lee
One Man Can (make a difference)
I started down a road with this post and found it needed to take shape through what felt like a little rambling. I hope it still works for you and gets the essence of an idea across to you.
I have really enjoyed a recent discussion... for the most part. That 'but' in there is the part of me that felt discomfort, and in the discussion we had been talking about feelings, emotions, chemical balance, etc. I was unable to respond earlier until what irked me made itself more powerfully known. Another post put my eyes back squarely on the work I have been doing the past 10 years, some of the major obstacles I experienced last year, and where I've made breakthroughs this year. It means that all we've said, while good, useful, and powerful, how many of us acknowledge some deity - as the one true god - that acknowledges this powerful force at work in our lives? This Great Mystery, Creator, Source, I really don't care what context you want to frame it so as to avoid any discomfort these words may have with your history of baggage, God is real. What is God?
I cannot answer and no one from this side of the ether can say for certain what God is. What we can say is that we recognize the power at work through the law of attraction and we can also see that this same power has had the enormity of presence, imagination, and ability to create a Universe so immense and diverse. This universe is also completely washed by the same force of energy we're talking about, and the universe is so complex that I cannot say whether the energy is God or that God acts upon energy. See what I mean? I've reached a point of knowing and not-knowing. There are a lot of things in life like this.
So too, the law of attraction. What is IS and by accepting and allowing what IS, then my beginnings with the law of attraction is at play. And then, as others rightly say, there are the days when shit happens and knowing what I know, no matter how hard I try, those thoughts and emotions are having their way with me. So now, rather than force the law of attraction into action, I retreat to a place of spiritual awareness that I have developed, one that sees and observes and just BE with the storm. From here, I acknowledge the Divine Mystery, as evidence suggests that there is more than meets the eye - both in the practical physical sense but more importantly, also with the tragedies of life.
You see, many, many years ago I asked a curious question. Looking at the world around me, the insanity we all seem to enjoy (even in our victimhood), I wanted to know the truth. This was a rather ambiguous and very open-ended desire. Of course, I was speaking about God on one level, and I also spoke about the many layers of lives that I witness and yet know nothing about. What crept up over the years was a dismantling of my life until one day I thought I was the same loser that I was curious about. IMPORTANT NOTE: Loser is a victim statement to make a point about that moment of no longer being at choice. Instead of realizing I had chosen this path of curiousity, trying on new shoes and walking for a mile, I kept the damn things on and kept going. Sometimes you just forget who you are when the forces overwhelm. I'm not saying they do - I'm saying they can.
And what is this all about then? More than 10 years later I have answered some big questions about God. One important fact is that religion truly has no place as an authority to God - it's only another vehicle or structure to assist. God is the only authority and that relationship is solely individual and that is where the relationship is found: One on One. As well, many of the miles I've walked in other men's shoes has taught me that most human beings in the educated realms of the world are so distant from God that our social agreements have become fatalistically an acceptance of what will never be.
I don't know if anyone is getting this and I'm not even sure I'm saying it right. God does not want to be ignored. Your Spirit internally does not want to be ignored. Your ego doesn't either and our wily minds can create a psuedo-god-figure mystical reality that supposes at the divine and still manifest the crap that is destroying lives. Okay, now I'm going so far I can't even see the strand that will untangle this wicked web of deceipt that we live day-in and day-out. You think I'm wrong? Too judgmental? Not positive-minded enough? I don't know. I wake up most days with a smile and enjoy much around me. I've also had to come to accept much of reality that maybe I cannot change from this space that I occupy. I also know that many, both in our professional community and elsewhere, would rather I didn't rock the boat and say this kind of stuff - Let alone chase after it and try to bring about change!
I'm going to say some hard stuff. I'm asking that you sit with it, let it sink in, and see the resonance.
Social agreements:
- Create many of the behavioral problems that begin in youth. Have we seen any evidence of this?
- Children model and learn their behavior first from their families. Second from their friends. Third within the unruly and vicious hallways of higher education. And many get more through formal religious education. Ironically, many children model better behavior than adults.
- Adults (having been children) perpetuate and accept the insanity having survived and found their little niche that will enable them to keep up the charade within the context of their safe little world of limitations.
- A market-driven system based upon competition, designed for some to have more and some to have less, continues to operate and influence the social consciousness. Enron and the like clearly demonstrate the viral power of greed and dishonest behavior. A Fog of Consciousness, if you will, that allows even the Good Man to forget himself and make a self-serving choice even when it hurts thousands of other people. You like driving that SUV?
Come on! Let's fight another war, drill another well, and burn down another forest! Each purchase you make gives power to the social agreement already in place.I can go on and on here. I'm hoping you see the truth to some of this. Now the question is: So what?
Here's some points that matter to me:
- Higher Consciousness, Higher Awareness: This more than any other must occur, individual by individual, throughout the mass consciousness. As this happens, people's lives will begin to evolve and change, most likely for the better where their spiritual education has a wholistic balance between material and spiritual realms.
- People, all of the you-and-me in the world, with higher levels of awareness can begin to redefine the mass consciousness that will then redefine the social agreements that dictate our lives externally through the systems and structures of business, politics, edcuation, etc. thereby creating healthier, happier communities globally.
- Our relationship to material things must change. The relationship with the earth must change. The relationship with our society must change. It's not ALL ABOUT ME as many tend to think and behave. There are ripple effects upon others, upon the environment, etc., with every thought, action, judgment, purchase, and decision we make. From where you work, how you work, where you shop, how you shop, and so on, and so on.
So really, I wonder now, how important is awareness? Is it all about self, and personal beliefs, and breaking through, and becoming all that you can be? Or is there more? The power of AND????
As was suggested, there are events, tragic and painful events, that occur in people's lives who have demonstrated highly optimistic and healthy behavior patterns. The law of attraction clearly not at work in the same context that teachers of the method talk about. So here is another take and one that I can own and maybe resonates slightly (or not) with others who've encountered unexpected tragedy. It has opened my eyes and developed deep levels of compassion and understanding. It is in this juicy place of LOVE that I find myself drawing upon to help bring change to others lives.
I was a successful young career man with a good heart, creative spirit, a joy and zest for life, people, and my work. People enjoyed, respected, and even listened to me at times. In one decade of life, horseshoe's seemed to fall from the seat of my pants. The next decade, nothing seemed to go right.
Divorce, financial ruin, serious illness, downsizing uncertainty, and recovery.
Sudden job-loss, cross-country move, family crisis, near-death health crisis, two-year recovery process, more financial ruin, and so on.
Things happen and some things people will say are based upon poor choices. That can certainly be true and here's a rub worth considering:
Were the other human-beings involved in the interaction and creation able to respond with higher consciousness, would I have made the same choice or would I have had new information? Would I have been trespassed against or could a more empowering result have occurred that rippled even further out to others lives?
Certainly a lot to think about. We tend to bite-size things to get a handle on them - like the law of attraction - and label people, things, and situations to explain and rationalize them away. Heck - we know that we even do that in our minds. Now take a wider, and wider look. It grows, as do our problems and they will change when we change in a bigger way.
Cause and Effect
- It's why war happens
- It's where violent crime originates
- It's why we have some leaders in office we may rather not be in office
Okay, now I'm just going diarhea on you. I'll ease up cuz this could keep going. It's also why we coaches do what we do - Isn't it? Change the world one person at a time?
Best wishes, Lee
One Man Can (make a difference)
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