Articles

by Owen Waters

The Buddha spent many years trying to understand evil and suffering. He eventually concluded that the only real power in the universe is the Creator and that all else is illusion and therefore has little or no power in comparison.

He then went on to counsel people to adopt the middle way in order to avoid being sucked into illusion and bringing suffering upon themselves. He saw attachment to things of the world as the source of suffering, so he advised people to be a part of the world, yet not attached to it.

His words ring as true today as they did 2,500 years ago; and yet, times have changed. Today's level of popular consciousness is far beyond that of the relatively dark times of 2,500 years ago. Today, detachment is still excellent advice, but we can do so much more now to consciously transform the old ways of darkness.

Why Clients Don't Answer Open Invitations

As an Accidental Entrepreneur, you need clients and customers. And if you’re not 100% confident that folks are interested, you may feel that the best way to approach getting clients is with an open invitation.

After all, you wouldn’t want anyone to feel excluded, would you?

But being specific about which clients and customers are just-right isn’t about exclusion. In fact, it’s exactly the opposite.

How are your just-right clients supposed to know you are talking to them if you don’t tell them?

The Problem with Open Invitations

The problem with open invitations is that there’s no way for your just-right clients to know you’re aware of their existence, let alone that you actually care about their concerns.

From your point of view, the open invitation makes it ultra-easy for them to approach.

From their point of view, the open invitation disappears into the background noise of everyday life. To get their attention, you’re going to have to be more inviting.

Autumn is here, sometimes bringing with it a tendency to turn grumpy. The cooler weather and the longer nights. Those of you who know me will not be surprised at the targets of my occasional but usually well meaning grumpiness - people who spout about spirituality but do not actually do it.

My first taste of this was at school where the head teacher and his wife preached a gospel of kindness but behaved like bullies. You probably all have your own stories.

Snake Oil Salesmen

For forty years now I have been involved in the new spirituality that is emerging in our culture. I love it. We can call it new age, or holistic, or contemporary. Like all spiritualities, it has its beauty and it has its shadow sides. One of its shadows - and not a new one - is the promise of a quick fix. John Diamond, the journalist who died of cancer, once likened new age teachers to snake oil salesmen.

[Editors Note] This article, though written ten plus years ago, is as valid today as it was then. It is treasures like these that have endless value. For some this simple wisdom inspires us on, for others it may be a first time read that awakens awareness. In either case, it enforces the ideal that truth is love and as love, never-ending. Enjoy

The Mayan year of 7 Eb that began on March 21, 1996, is an incredible opportunity for humanity to empower itself to access living truth. What has been manifesting as a very powerful year has been activated by two comets appearing on two consecutive equinoxes. According to the Maya, the comet that appeared this past Spring Equinox, is called YAHK'UTAH, meaning "The presence of the love of God on Earth." It carries a message of love, peace and harmony. Because it is headed toward the north star, Shaman Ek', the star of wisdom and knowledge, the comet also brings a message to humanity that cosmic wisdom is returning. Hale Bopp a second comet, is due at the same time and place during the Spring Equinox in 1997! These two comets create a cosmic doorway in which we can activate and accelerate our inner truth.

The issues that have boldly arisen in this cosmic doorway are quite evident to those on the path. Erroneous information and false prophets are being flushed out in droves. The light activated by the prophesied comets are bringing truth to the surface and the untruths are falling away. Because of this activation, humanity is being called to discern truth. It is time we learn to access our own inner knowing.

When John Amatt led the 1982 Canadian team on a successful Mount Everest Expedition, only three people reached the summit. Many climbers who were part of the team, whose lifetime ambition was to stand on top of Everest, made the conscious choice to stay in the base camp.

Why? Because they knew the effort was likely to fail if everyone tried to make it. They chose to forego their individual dreams in favor of helping the team succeed.

This wasn't John Amatt's first time to plan an Everest expedition. Ten years earlier, with one of his friends from Norway, he had gathered a team of world- class climbers from many different countries, for the challenge. But at the last minute, he backed out. Officially, it was to get married.

"But that was just an excuse," he said later. "I knew that, despite having the best climbers in the world, this expedition would not succeed. Everyone wanted to reach the top for their own glory or that of their country. No one seemed willing to make decisions for the good of the team."