take my word for it...

prof. glitterbox's suggested summer reading list

summer is on it's way (or was here and will be back again... thank you global climate change)... nonetheless, what kind of purrfessor would i be if i didn't provide you with a suggested reading list for those days sitting out in the sun (your back yard, your neighborhood park or on the beach... don't forget the sunblock. some sun is good. too much is bad. moderation)?!?

reading one of these books will certain morph your perspective, bringing you more awareness, depth, joy and love into your life. reading three or more (any combination) will transform your life completely. (but only if you want it to)

the list :: (in no particular order)

• the tao of pooh
• the power of now
• the four agreements
• the secret*
• the book of secrets
• the earth path
• living, loving & learning
• wicked**

i was going to try and write a little about each book & details, but too many people already get paid to do that so i'm just going to say, "take my word for it". you can read each author's intentional jargon for each, and other people's opinions, if that's what you want, but just "take my word for it". in a day and age where there is a loss for the impeccability of our word, i am striving every day to be impeccable in my word & do the best with that in each moment (two of the four agreements you'll read about)... you would probably not be reading this if you didn't know me or know someone who you trust who directed you in this general direction.

trust me. trust them. trust yourself. take my word for it... and read these books. start with the title that sounds most interesting to you. click on that link. read the description. choose if you'll read that one or pick a different one. if you need the preview :: each book comes from a very different perspective, but all look at the human "condition(ing)" and ways to retool/rethink our "being" and bring true peace, joy & fulfillment in each moment of our life.

* it's summer, take it easy, you can watch the movie instead. grab the lawn chairs & invite friends over :: the secret. don't forget the popcorn.

** it's not quite in the same vane as the rest, but to me it was about changing our perspectives on someone else's labels. what is good? wicked? popular? right? it's while one of my favorite musicals and based on the book, you don't get the same impact, depth & more realness, in the broadway show :: wicked

note :: i'm not endorsing amazon.com in any manner. you can find most of these books at any store that sells books *or* your local library.

2012, entering the age of enlightenment

i see it happening, slowly. the more and more that the "tea baggers" and everyone with an opinion and discrimination against anyone else speak up, the rest of the world is attacking them, not only in their area of expertise (which may have nothing to do with their "hate"), but people are starting to stand up and say "it's not ok to hate... no matter what, where or when".

we are slowly on the path to enlightenment. i believe the struggle is going to get worse, and perhaps a little more ugly. hold out. hold strong to your understanding and awareness that we're all one race, the human race and we're all part of one being, the human being. as a people, i think are on the way. we haven't reach the "tipping point". i believe the tipping point, not the end point, will be in 2012, entering us into the age of enlightenment. scarily, we might actually reach if we all keep up our work for unconditional love and acceptance of all others, as the represent a part of us. accept them and we accept ourselves.

all the world's a stage

i often find myself trying to do things like yoga while listening to italian secret service station (lounge, acid jazz, downtempo, jazz, easy listening). when i thought about the stage i've created & the role i'm playing, i realized i would fire the music director, production designer & costume designer. the individual pieces are all great, but nothing we do in life is experienced just individual pieces at a time.

set the stage and commit fully to doing whatever you do. experiment with the experiences created when you consciously look at the entire stage set and the senses you energize.

• music is the soundtrack to our life :: change the music, change the mood, focus the mind, open the soul.
  
• lighting sets the stage :: bright light can focus us, if controlled like a spotlight or washout our focus and energy if over-saturated or over-exposed. color of light can be explored, as well. candle light provides an amazing source of energy. light a few for calming, rejuvenating energy or light many to get a party "on fire"
  
• wardrobe :: there is something to be said for dressing the part (thanks stacy & clinton); the fabrics & textures you wear or touch play a role in any experience
  
• props, please :: what are the props you use? observe your space. what symbols/images you are sending yourself? positive reinforcements are a good thing. fill your space with images or things that give you the "feeling" you're trying to create.
  
• smells like... :: don't forget the often less used art/science of aromatherapy. use essential oils or incense to help invigorate or relax your mind.

foundation of the american economy

i read a post online about "why americans started to produce so much waste". i felt the need to comment and here is what i said:

the foundation of the american  economy (consumerism) is to buy stuff, waste it and buy more.  if we don't throw stuff out in the trash and go buy the next new thing (be it food, clothing, electronics, health/beauty products, etc).  every aspect of our culture, society and economy trains us from a very early age to use, use, use, consume, consume, consume and then waste, waste, waste.  and it's OK... because we can just go to the store and buy more... then we're helping out the american economy and keeping so many american's employed with the manufacturing of those new things and the new levels of customer service and assistance as we enter into a technology age. 

but, as you may have found we are also a capitalist society, which says each person is out to raise their own "capital" (money).  so now i've got a country that is consuming and they want more take home wages to consume more, but that's going to come at a cut to my "capital", so i'll make more capital by shipping the jobs oversees where they're happy to get $8/hr.

the focus of our country's capitalist/consumer society is that of the individual.  we don't have a focus on community.  someone else is taking care of that.  i only have to worry about me, me, me.  there is no responsibility by corporations or individuals to the greater good.  there is no responsibility to look at long-term impact of what i am doing beyond my immediate circle.  we're all in it for ourselves.

this is the american culture.  this is why americans started to produce so much waste.

it's time for change. it's time to start thinking about us not me.

the vow

i took the vow.

please join me and take the vow of non-violence in thought, speech and action.

twenty-one days

please do something for me... a wish or a dream, if you will;

earnestly try living 100% by this one guideline for 21 consecutive days.

"treat everyone you interact with as you would wish to be treated if roles were reversed and not as you have been treated in the past (or as my friend neptune would say, "history is not destiny")."

one simple concept. twenty-one days/three weeks.

instead of viewing everyone else as someone/something else outside of you, go ahead and be selfish for once and view everyone in this world as you and show them how you want to be treated (it's ok to actually include yourself in this exercise too). remember that it's ok to say no sometimes, too. we never want everything all of the time (think about what that *really* means before you wish for it). but how would you want to be told no.

this is your chance for a clean slate and to start over. for the next twenty-one days, history is not destiny. it's now your turn to teach the world how to treat you. are you up for the challenge?

namasté

purrfessor playdoh glitterbox, the first

sherwood soley, creative solutions designer & community change instigator

usNOTme | creative solutions for community change

http://usNOTme.blogspot.com

610.420.2186 | sherwood@usNOTme.net

follow me on twitter: usNOTme

"Our normal human tendency is to enjoy life, to play, to explore, to be happy, and to love." - Don Miguel Ruiz

HOPE – a year later

we all had the "hope" of a new president, a black president, a young president, a different brand of president, to come in and "save the nation", fix our economy, fix our health care, fix our racism and classism and make america a great country again. many of us were secretly hoping for a savyor to come in and save us.

the fault in our thinking thus far has been just that...

we want someone to come in and take care of it for us.

someone to come in and fix it for us.

someone to save us.

...and we don't have to lift a finger. isn't that the american way?

american politics and government has turned into a system that "we the people" sit back and complain that we're not getting what we want, but allow it to continue. most of us don't have enough knowledge about, money or access to the political system to effectively make change, so we shy away. we've been taught that we are weak without them.

the "hope" that obama promised was not that he was going to come in and fix everything. obama's message has been clear from the beginning, that we must do this together. the hope promised is that we can and will have a personal responsibility to your own happiness. the person to come in and take care of us, fix it and "save us"... is well, "us". and, part of "us" is you and me.

we can do it individually (me) or we can do it collectively (us), but the people who run our government should be the people of our country. the representatives, senators and other elected officials have moved away from representing the people into a cycle of keeping their job... how do i get re-elected? who's going support my campaign (financially) for re-election? what must i do to appease that minority of constituents who will fund my re-election campaign, keep me in office and keep me in a paying job? they are not accountable to the masses. they are accountable to the money (and apparently not accountable for money).

our legislative branch has been allowed to grow & taken on a role of legislating laws to dictate the thought of a minority onto the majority. the wealthy and accessed members of our society (a minority of the whole) have driven our political machine for the past 60 – 70 years into the state of disarray that it is now. they are driven by staying in "power" and staying in a job, with kick-backs and benefits. this may or may not be the case at the local level, and it certainly does not apply to every elected official, but our health care, financial/banking, media and big corporation industries would not be where they are today if it was not at least a majority.

obama, new to the scene, has been a ray of hope that things could change. and they still can... but obama is one person. his administration is only a handful of people who may be in-line with this paradigm shift.

you are one person.

i am one person.

it only takes one spark to start a flame.

together we make two.

each of us not alone.

that makes an us, a we, the people.

dear gay america

i received the following note through a list-serv that i'm on. i was inspired by the note and wanted to expand on some of my thoughts, using pieces of the email as the spring board.

 

 

This is the time to be openly gay and out of the closet.
Voice your life to those in power who control our freedom and rights.
Our community is being evaluated and judged by those now more then ever.
We are not a sex movement.
We are alternative families!
Based on love and support .
We are art. The art of life.
Accept diversity

 

"This is the time to be openly gay and out of the closet"

take control of your freedom and rights simply by living your life, unapologetically (peanut gallery = no comments, plz) 

the only person who "controls" these things is you. 

more importantly that getting "those in power" to understand you, get those in your life on a daily basis to understand and support you.  it's better to have ten "non-gay" people calling that person in "power" to support you then one on one.  plus, those ten people will may also educate (enlighten, bring awareness to, etc.) one or two other people.  you've now grown from a 1-to-1 ratio and become 30-to-1.  this equation begins to put the power back in the hands of the people.

Our community is being evaluated and judged by those now more than ever.

there is nothing to judge about our community.  taking as stance as being "judged" says that there may be something wrong about who we are and the way we live.  stand up, proud of the living, energetic, unapologetic, imperfect, growing and loving human being you are.  there is nothing to judge.  don't degrade yourself and our community by continuing to even use language of "judgment".

many of us "radical phaeries" believe in energy work, magick, non-violence, eastern & earth based philosophies.  if you look deeply into many of them, thought, intent and *words* are the real magick.  deliberate use of language to bring substance to actions will not only create a stronger impact, but give those who *want* to stand-up with us the language (script) to use.

We are not a sex movement.  We are alternative families!  Based on love and support .

the use of the word "alternative" families says that the relationships and bonds we build are something *other* thank families, although the concept of an "alternative family" being one based on love and support is kind of "alternative" in nature because our traditional families (for the majority) may not be based on love and support.

to be 100% honest, i don't believe in fighting for gay (equal) marriage rights, alternative families, women's reproductive rights, black rights or any other segmented rights.

i believe in fighting for human rights.  the rights and freedoms we are all fighting for are core to our being, not out bodies.  our physical bodies and the accompanying characteristics are not representative of who we are as loving, caring, supportive, energetic, living beings.

contrary to the idea of accepting our diversities, i challenge all of us to strip away our difference and embrace our commonalities.  our differences (diversity) still separate people (us and them).  it is always a system of duality.  break down that barrier of duality and find those things in each of us that are the same.  the "love" we speak of universal from person to person, whether in china, usa, zimbabwe, france or chile.  the needs, rights and freedoms of all humans are the same.

resource:
the universal declaration of human rights:
http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/

namasté
sherwood soley, creative solutions designer & community change instigator

usNOTme | creative solutions for community change
http://usNOTme.blogspot.com
follow me on twitter: usNOTme

"Our normal human tendency is to enjoy life, to play, to explore, to be happy, and to love."    - Don Miguel Ruiz

loving human beings

I was chatting with someone online who had just moved to philly, and I said:

well, again, welcome.

how has philly treated you so far? what part of the city do you live in? (almost wrote love in... wouldn't that be nice if we talked about ourselves as loving human beings instead of living human beings... there's a vast difference)

what a vast difference?!?! we go through life trying to make a living. what if we went through life trying to make a loving (thing… it's your own mad libs)?? americans are a society of consumers who make a living to consume (more). what if our society was described as a society of relaters who love (unconditional love)?

shadows

shadows. everyone has them. those dark scary thoughts, feelings, emotions in the back of your mind. the things you don't want to bring out into the light. the things that you're afraid of.

 

share your shadows with your best friends and diminish the burden. share your story and change our collective story. by embracing and forgiving our own shadows, we are forgiving it in others and diminishing the evil (shadows) in the world.

 

shadows are part of a dualistic mind set: me or the other. right or wrong. good or bad. popular or right. there is no "other", it's all us. there just is. you are the seer (the silent observer/witness), not the scenery.

 

you're the observer of your day, as if watching a movie. there is no chance to go back for a second take or change your intent. cut and print. it's done. it just is. do not judge others or yourself (dualistic mind set; right/wrong, good/bad, popular/right, pretty/ugly, yes/no). just experience.

 

everything else is speculation. humans live in imagination.