i’m not there.

I’m not there. Saw this film tonight, about Bob Dylan, what defined him, from where his creative voice speaks, and all the histories and archetypes he embodies. He’s hugely gifted, people recognised his ability to say what they thought and felt on deep, deep levels. Storytelling with melodies and harmonies was how he used the English language to express and illuminate what was happening at these almost seemingly indescribable fathoms of the 1960’s. Lessons we are learning my friend, are blowing in the wind.

Yesterday I received this email from an old friend, dare I say old, as in the fact we’ve known each other about 25 years or more, since high school. He lives in Miami now, and in 1998 or ’99 he moved back to our childhood territory of South Florida where I was also living, and we worked together to create the original tunies.com. Troy and his brothers carry very strong creative energies. Their father told them magnificent stories every morning when he’d take them to school, feeding their imaginations in equal proportion to feeding their bellies. I’ve always observed in a silent awe, the wide boundaries they were and still are willing to explore with film, music, art, and humanity.

Wendy,

This past tuesday a few friends and myself gathered to begin what we call

“Conspiracy Theory Tuesdays”

First we watch a video DVD etc.. about some World Condition and how it relates to us and Everything going on around us.

Then we follow up with a group discussion.

The first film we watched was ZEITGEIST. It is a multi part video about religion, the federal reserve and 9/11.

If you have not seen them you should go to you tube and watch them.

I think there are 3 films in total.

we have only watched the first video based on religion. we will watch the others in following weeks.

That you should send me the link today is a welcomed continuation of that film’s themes.

Today i only watched one hour of the Talisman film you sent me.

I am proposing my Conspiracy group watch it together this Tuesday in its entirety.

As well I have begun to remove many of the foods that contain GM substances and artificial sweeteners etc and Flouride treated waters from my diet.

Fortunately for me I removed BEEF from my diet 20+ years ago and i am lactose Intolerant which is a welcomed Gift from God!

I hope all of this conspiracy stuff / awakening leads to a constructive and creative solution that is helpful as it can breed much fear.

What are your thoughts on all of this?

Your gift to me of Mystery School several years ago helped me to see “This is the time and we are the people” as a bold truth.

but I am still left with the only thing I know how to do to make a difference at this time and that is to make art and try to get it seen by as many people in the world as possible and hopefully raise our world consciousness.

let me know your thoughts.

Thanks!

troy

I asked Troy if I could post this in order to respond more publicly because these are the incoming thoughts of the collective. And he agreed. On the 14^th of Feb. this year, I did send a link to just about everyone I know to watch Zeitgeist, I still had the email, and here is the text:

There is a movie I strongly recommend –
We, as a global society have to wake up and the historical paradigm needs a shift, for imagine….
the masses – the conscious awareness lights up, enlightens and then society can function much better – Even from the now-juvenile-likes-of the Da Vinci Code. Millions of people looked at symbolism differently. Wait till you view this, the way you see the world will expand again and spark new thoughts. You are my peers, I want to share this and I hope you will partake. i bought a DVD and had 5 copies made to give to friends here. If it resonates, do the same, show it to high school teachers, college professors, students, grandparents, your dentist and electrician.
http://www.zeitgeistmovie.com/dvdorder.htm

Sending you much idealism and optimism from Oceania
always, Wendy xoxo

I think the timing was a tad off, as usual, I was a bit too early. Mind you, anyone who knows me who is reading this is laughing because they know my propensity to run late in the physical world. And some of you will smile because you’ve always known me to be on the fringe, ahead of the masses with spiritual study; from metaphysics to the Kabbalah, and a lifelong, innate passion for astrology. You see, I’m usually late because I have to return from these other realms of thought and time. 🙂

During the past 3 months I’ve taken my own advice and shared the film with family, and a wide range of friends and acquaintances. Some grasped all of it, others chose what suited their state of being. Zeitgeist is a stepping stone, and the work of Esoteric Agenda is larger, clearer. It is a more cohesively woven mosaic of the world we live in. Enjoy it, I shall await the feedback afterwards.

Troy, remember, we are in this world, not of it. My wise teacher Trenton taught me this at the oh-so-young-age of 20. The lesson, truly understanding it took about another ten years of Earth living.

More and more, we will see people preparing to take on new perspectives, grander understanding of how we need to relate, engage, educate, discuss, and live. One of our generation’s collective purposes is to discover what we do with these truths. You are too right about how awakenings (versus “conspiracies”) can ‘breed much fear.’

Locked concepts of belief are very painful to lose for many people. Many times, the fear is just fear of responsibility. Fear of “what’s going to replace … if I let go?” Fear is an extreme, one side of a polarity and perhaps its dual nature counterbalanced with love is why the mystical adepts always teach balance and detachment, so we don’t become swinging monkeys.

Wanting to stay on theme of the 1960’s and today, requires a little astrology at the moment. The planet Uranus takes 7 years to travel through one zodiac sign. For rate of comparison, the sun takes about 30.4 days to move through one sign. The planets beyond Saturn are generational influences, celestial bodies that have been given to our solar system as we evolve.

“The first recorded sighting [of Uranus] was in 1690 by the Astronomer Royal John Flamsteed, who failed to notice its motion, and so entered it into his star catalogue as 34 Tauri. In the course of the next century several other astronomers recorded its position. The most unfortunate of these was P. Le Monier, who observed Uranus eight times in four weeks, but failed to realise it was a planet because it was in its station. The discovery of Uranus is attributed to William Herschel, who first saw it on 13 March 1781 when trying out a new telescope.”

If you look back at the 18^th & 19^th centuries, while we just started to glimpse the image of Uranus on the celestial landscape, the Earth was experiencing decade after decade of revolt with the desire for ideals of brotherhood, freedom, equality, and liberty. France, the U.S., Russia…the collective stories were resonating to the same melodies and harmonies.  The planet, astrologically, came to symbolise revolution, rapid, sudden change, throwing out the baby with the bathwater, innovation, disruption, liberty and uniqueness.

Our generation, born between August 1962 and September 1968 while Uranus was traversing Virgo along with Pluto, are here to promote healing and attuning with Earth’s rhythms and cycles in new, innovative ways. Virgo is an Earth sign, so we are quite practical in how we go about this too. And some of us are even quite conventional.

The two planets, yes, I consider Pluto a planet, happen to find themselves in conjunction about every 125 years. We as 60’s babies are a bridge generation with this alignment, particularly those born in 1965 and 1966 when the two planets were exactly conjoined in the same degree and minute of Virgo. They also have these two points opposing Saturn in their charts. We were genetically programmed to see the strings of the puppets and grasp space travel as real, just as the children born today are coded to grasp nanotechnology and understand the powers of the mind.

The Uranus/Pluto group came into this life with “…the ability to receive intuitively from the planetary mind new ways of cleaning up the social environment on both physical and mental levels. Disruption occurs when new ways of serving society are misunderstood and taken too literally.” As you say Troy, we are the change.

For our parents and elders, the mid 1960’s brought an escalation to the Vietnam War and protest was building and wanting revolt. Military service (a service to society) was also changing. Virgo was giving them the power of discernment, to see truth and lies and the ability to tell the difference, or to bury their heads deeper in the sand. (The shadow side of Virgo)

Now, with Pluto entering Capricorn, fully in January 2009, we have the choice to compatibly and collectively use our Virgo-esque power of discernment to transform social mores and cultural pillars, societal services and structures. Even if we do them locally, we affect change. Small ways matter, always.

I’d like to write more on this later. Neptune & Pluto to follow…

For now, I bid you good night from Wellington and if we can use this medium to exchange more thoughts and ideas, that will be grand, my friend. Until soon

In the days before Dumbledore

Perhaps it is time to begin, from the beginning, in the days before Dumbledore, in a galaxy far, far away…

Myths and stories are essential to our evolution, information to educate us on deeper levels. Our media channels and sources need to do more to honour inherent intelligence. I’ll leave it there. For now.

When Ted Turner’s Cable News Network entered the living rooms of my generation, they actually reported on fascinating topics. They were independent of corporate interests, free to be innovative, and appealed to millions of people. News about the terra cotta soldiers in Xian, China becoming a UNESCO site in ’87, (kids this was before the internet), China was still behind the veil of what Mao created, and showing videos of this mysterious catacomb to the world for us, was mind-expanding.  A few, true political debates (not screaming Mimi’s entrenched in ideology) and discussions were aired, some interesting biographical perspectives of business leaders…All of this programming revealed a quality of content that populations hungered for, post Peter Finch in the film Network. Slowly, through commercialisation, which is only a euphemism for selling out quality; the greater revenue generation from advertising and then the merger with Time Warner, CNN experienced a dumbing-down because higher intentions were purchased by advertising masked as sponsorship. As most media companies do nowadays, they claim they’re unbiased, reliable, and produce shows about these topics. Does not one’s character speak for itself? What about the character of a media company?

Here’s a great adage – Put it on the fridge, teach it to your children and grandchildren

Watch your thoughts; they become words,

watch your words; they become actions,

watch your actions; they become habits;

watch your habits; they become character;

watch your character; it becomes your destiny.

Companies are characterised by the intentions of their goals and achievements, which is determined and executed by those who create and generate its purpose.

If a company is driving their business with the intention to solely profit, and they know how much money is required to meet a defined profit, why pursue the merciless and incessant quest for ever greater profits? What if the bottom line was based on how much it costs to remain successful, consistent, responsible, and interesting? Are these not also considered stellar qualities in a human’s character? …These, dear Reader are the components where “good begets good.”

And perhaps this would require complete privatization of commerce. Because, as we know, government and business make for wicked bed partners. The outcome cultivates torrid monetary affairs.

I am proposing that we learn the art of collaborative autonomy. (Maybe there’s a new governing paradigm in there too) There are billions of innovative global citizens, and sharing information is the highway, the bridge, the connective force to continue building our civilisations.

How do we disseminate, discern and discuss the information we want to take on? The future doesn’t need to be a Terminator in Brazil chasing Bladerunner. (Apologies for the trite cinematic puns)

This present, the right now will lead to our future. How we live now, and everyday builds the future realities.

Employ your imagination, blossom, and live in the present with an expanded awareness. It’s a small change, the only kind we ever need. Some of us fight against changing so methodically that bigger, sometimes more traumatic changes are necessary to jolt us from our static state, which is momentary fear.

Change can be scary, going through crap is crap while you go through it, then once it’s over, you look back and are usually just grateful you got to that point.

You know what? We don’t have to go through the muck to reach a rainbow. Ladies and Gentlemen, we don’t need war or embedded microchips to wake us up. Self-awareness is capable of leading the collective. It’s the symbiotic relationship of the macrocosm and the microcosm.

Our human evolution is on a threshold. And I believe there are several doors to choose from; it’s just a matter of first recognising that each of us has the right to choose which door suits us best. And for some, it may be the magic of Dumbledore.

quick flashback

It was early 2007 or it may have been 2006 – here is a response I wrote to a former colleague about an article called fighting words Unfairenheit 9/11 The lies of Michael Moore. By Christopher Hitchens Posted Monday, June 21, 2004, at 3:26 PM ET

It was a bit prophetic really, considering the mainstream energies around us now, in 2008:

Hi Jarrow,

Well aware of Christopher Hitchens, he’s done a great job for Vanity Fair, too. So you are right, there isn’t much point in re-hashing 2004, or the last 6 years, or even the last 100. Thank you for sharing his article. 🙂

There isn’t any difference between a Republican and Democrat really, except that Republicans happen to look more composed in their navy suits, white shirts and red ties when they screw up. The reason Dubya has taken such a hit with the media is because he is not an intellectual, and as small-minded as some of the world population is, they still naively expect leaders of the red, white, and blue to have savvy intelligence. Although, some politicians and rarefied statesmen do, but they are smart enough to stay behind the scenes.

Taxation, corporate interests, and the military industrial complex run the US and perhaps that is why all politicians are “arses upon which no man has sat.” The 300 year cycle (approximately) of a republic government is considered to end in tyranny, which becomes rooted in complacency by those oppressed, and then the mass consciousness hits a repeat button, and revolution starts again, like a wake up call, so that a new or modified system can emerge.

The Elephants and the Donkeys are in their last four or five decades, and if the country is truly blessed, it won’t need to become a fully oppressed tyranny under the mysterious intentions of Dick Cheney, Boeing, or ExxonMobil in order for a more enlightened government to one day emerge. The rhetorical question of the week is, how do you successfully manage, or is it appropriate to say govern 300 million people without a dictatorship and implanted micro chips? Can anyone imagine what a country’s government would be like if high intelligence could co-exist with manual labour in a “balanced and fair” system? Jarrow, the goal is socialism, every country practices it, some just use other names, like Democratic Republic.

You see there really isn’t a difference between the two, they are symbiotic, greedily feeding off each other, starving their own country and the rest of the planet with their gluttonous attempt to have the most media time, the most money in the bank, the most land ownership, the most power to make the largest errors without retribution. Lovely grid that has been created, especially in the last sixty years.

I don’t know if we will witness an insurrection in our lifetime, quite possibly. Then perhaps you will visit New Zealand, and I’ll save a good bottle of red to decant and enjoy with you.

What if tax wasn’t necessary?

New Zealand Government being suckered into the global grid?

(perhaps a pseudo-headline from the fictitious Daily Chronicle?)

This morning, as all mornings, I wake up to Radio New Zealand National and you know what, Aotearoa? There’s loads of money to spend over the coming months. The government has a lot of money to spend, so it creates “schemes.” The carbon emissions scheme is going to cost businesses hundreds of millions of dollars. National wants to postpone, Labour wants it pushed through now. So by all means, let’s cripple the economy some more. You see, it won’t put funds back into the pockets of businesses, organisations or individuals – those entities that re-invest and fuel the cycle of cash flow. There is something not right in paradise.

Personally, I think the use of the word ‘scheme’ (rather than plan, initiative, or design) within New Zealand lawmaking circles is right on; and to enhance this point, the thesaurus includes conspiracy as an optional noun. Imagine a select group who gather to plot a course of action, behind closed doors, with an end result to fill coffers managed by the same group. At least Kiwis call the kettle black and use the word scheme where in other countries it is more euphemistically glossed over and sold via propaganda.

We are not subject to propaganda here as much as in other parts of the world, or are we? I’d like to think not.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the Earth is getting warmer. It’s a fact; it’s part of the geophysical cycle of the planet. Granted pouring cement, asphalt, and motorways that have become carparks do help to assist the speed and severity of the natural cycle. Please ask, “Why do we need a carbon tax?” “Why do governments require such massive control of economies?” This bothers me. Does it bother you?

Until I post again, please give it some thought…Today’s topic is monumental and whole blogs are dedicated to it. If we start in small ways, then we can change the bigger concerns. Till then, W

a letter to Brian

Hi Brian,

Thank you for taking the time to write. After decades, truly, can’t believe I’m old enough to say that! of knowing Steven B, our paths have never crossed. In light of that, I am pleased to make your acquaintance, as I’ve also heard Mr. Steves speak of you for the same amount of time 🙂

Brian, it is a strange time on the planet, and hindsight is our 20/20 vision. In retrospect, my decision to immigrate to New Zealand was a bone-marrow feeling, a calling, and for many reasons. When Kiwis ask me, “why New Zealand?” The short answer is that I was essentially a political refugee. In some regards, I was also culturally estranged from the land of my birth. I think if a time comes again when I will own property and/or spend time in the U.S., it will be in Colorado or New Mexico. In the last few months, you are the second person via friends who is asking about moving overseas, seeking a new country. This is what what I was going through after the Bush administration was appointed in 2001. It took four years to happen, and it was worth the wait, especially now, because it’s done. I’m officially a New Zealand permanent resident and will be able to apply for dual citizenship in about 2 years.

Signposts of manipulation have revealed a sad attempt for the wrong motives to mobilise and encompass almost 300 million people The question is, do we choose to see it, and if so, what do we do? Moving overseas is an answer for some people.

Just about every government is tapping into the global grid in one way or another. New Zealand is using Asia and there’s huge opportunity as long as the government gets out of the way to let business be business, and governing be governing. New Zealand is very small, 4.2 million. It is the size of a U.S. city spread out over the landmass of Britain. I recommend asking your Self where you want to be, in your bones. If you decide to visit here, I’ll be happy to show you some of the lifestyle and culture. When I arrived to live here, it was my first time, jumped in to the deep end with both feet first. Professionally it has been a challenge because I don’t fit into a predetermined slot on the corporate chain, so I’ve started my own company to work with businesses here that can be “stars” in other larger markets, such as the U.S., the U.K., and parts of Asia.

My new home is a DIY nation, very innovative, and a piece of paradise on Earth. I have found that the southern hemisphere is propelled by a different energy, one that is not manic or apathetic. Mind you, the pace is much slower and to make things happen usually takes a lot longer than you’d expect, however, it is a healthier balance to creating a quality lifestyle.

In Sept./Oct. 05 I had started all the paperwork for NZ permanent residency, using the Skilled Migrant Worker category. (I worked with e-migration to take care of the process) I’ve posted other helpful links for more information. Australia is a much larger market, they pay better, the climate is warmer, they’re also having major drought conditions and their Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd seems to be one of the more enlightened political leaders, he’s only about 7-8 years older than we are. However, their former PM, John Howard sort of reminds me of a man who would be the second cousin of John McCain, metaphorically speaking. During his tenure, he entrenched Australia into the US/UK grid, (economically, hence, politically), so Mr. Rudd has been working very hard, and has a huge job ahead of him.

New Zealand’s Parliament is due for a change in the coming weeks from Labour to National, after 8 years with Helen Clark at the helm, the country has evolved, keeping a conscience while expanding global interests. Taxes are insane everywhere, part of the centralised banking and government systems. Highly recommend you watch the following documentaries while you contemplate this life change

The Esoteric Agenda and Zeitgeist

Here down under we are paying about $1.90 per litre for petrol and $3.00 for a litre of milk. The cost of living has been steadily climbing plus there’s a 12.5% GST on everything (our VAT or sales tax) I’d also suggest checking out some of the properties for sale too, because it gives you another view of lifestyle, particularly in the various regions.

I’ll look forward to hearing from you again. Best always, Wendy

______________________________________________________________________________________________
Hi Wendy

I am a good friend of Mr. Steves in Atlanta. We went to DU together. I have heard about you for years.

I am thinking of departing the good old USA as life has become harder and harder here.

Steve, thought I should email you and ask how you liked your transition

Just feel like the last 10 years have been a battle, over taxes, underinsured, too intense etc

Would love to hear how you adjusted to New Zealand. How did you get in etc. I am a Swiss citizen and USA so that is handy

Brian

221 years ago

About the time the original 13 colonies progressed to being the United States and adopted their new constitution in 1787, Alexander Tyler, a Scottish history professor at the University of Edinburgh, had this to say about the fall of the Athenian Republic some 2,000 years prior:

A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government. A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover that they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse due to loose fiscal policy, which is always followed by a dictatorship.

“The average age of the worlds greatest civilizations from the beginning of history, has been about 200 years. During those 200 years, these nations always progressed through the following sequence:

1. From bondage to spiritual faith;
2. From spiritual faith to great courage;
3. From courage to liberty;
4. From liberty to abundance;
5. From abundance to complacency;
6. From complacency to apathy;
7. From apathy to dependence;
8. From dependence back into bondage.

I’m not going to expound on this too much today. Consider it food for thought, especially in light of the most recent Democratic primaries this week in Indiana and North Carolina. What Professor Tyler puts forth is straight to the point, plus I have a few key projects on my desk awaiting completion.

Until tomorrow…

advertising the spend

Yesterday I received my monthly email from trendwatching.com and here are some of the highlights:

“When applying this ever-wider embrace to green products and services, the shift looks somewhat like this: we’ve gone from ECO-UGLY (ugly, over-priced, low-performance, unsavoury yet eco-friendly versions of the ‘real thing’) to ECO-CHIC (eco-friendly stuff that actually looks as nice and cool as the less sustainable originals) to now ECO-ICONIC:

ECO-ICONIC | “Eco-friendly goods and services sporting bold, iconic markers and design, helping their eco-conscious owners show off their eco-credentials to their peers.

As a person in business I can appreciate the subtleties of marketing. I even go so far on my company’s website to state: “Shopping online is the new retail theatre; from auctions to cyber stores. We ask, “Is your business ready for the new economics of the retail trade?”

If our collective consciousness is evolving, and as an optimist I believe it is, then, why continue to promote consumerism? Isn’t “being green” and “sustainable” just a different mask to sell you more of what you may already have and don’t need? Or, are there companies truly abiding by eco principles from production to packaging to profit?

More from the trendwatching briefing:

Per the above definition, ECO-ICONIC is not about all green products, it’s about those products that through their distinct appearance or stories actually show that they’re green, or at least invoke some curiosity from onlookers, and thus help their owners/users attract recognition from their peers. How ‘new’ is this? Well, just take a look around: a surprisingly high number of green products and services imagined and designed in a distant past when green was seen as a compromise, still try to hide their sustainable superiority by looking as much like ‘normal’, ‘non-green’ products as possible.

Now, ECO-ICONIC works both in the world of traditional status symbols (build a green brand/product, advertise the hell out of it and make it recognizable by the masses, which in turn makes it easy for buyers to get respect from strangers) and as part of the STATUS STORIES phenomenon, which involves providing buyers of little known/niche eco-brands with conversation starters and story details to get a status fix from their peers.

Here’s another what if, mio mondo.

What if status symbols stopped being important to us? Are they more than associative icons of purpose and meaning that just make us a bit needy? These burning questions fire in my head because I know we can survive quite nicely thank you, without these distracted standards. I’m just as guilty, brand consciousness, owner of an iPod & an iPod Nano, one is my house stereo and the other is my virtual world when walking around the city or riding the bus. I don’t like traffic noise, discordance. Sensitive ears. When I lived in Madrid and in NYC, I used to go to sleep with my walkman (it was the 80’s) to drown out the sirens and horns.

Getting off the track – so

Perhaps we need to look at what we own and determine what is truly necessary. Personally, I think the collective, current eco-nomics of our time, especially over the next three to five years is to learn how to live without debt. While I was at the bank yesterday, restructuring my mortgage, I read their “Economics Brief,” their assessment globally and how it’s affecting New Zealand. There was a very interesting point made about China’s economy which is reportedly expected to slow from 11% growth to about 9.4%, give or take a decimal point. The outlook for the OECD pales ashamedly in comparison.

Ladies and gentlemen, China is a nation of savers. Their masses are not in debt to centralised banking, MasterCard and finance companies. New Zealand has one of the poorest savings rates in the world, and I am just as guilty. I overspent on my house two years ago; however, it was based on knowing the property would increase in value. And it has and will continue to do so. Thankfully I can live here through this rough patch or rent it out. There isn’t much land in Wellington and since you can get to the St. James Theatre in a 15-minute walk, or Te Papa, our national museum along the waterfront in about 20, it’s a prime location. If the house sells in the next couple of months, someone else will make a larger profit in another 2 or 5 years, and that’s okay. That’s good. This is part of the cycle of money in a society.

Now back to China because I find this fascinating insofar as their citizens’ discipline to save. We have something to learn from them.

Maybe we need to let the Chinese teach us how to save. Clearly their discipline is commendable.

The environmental concern is also about China’s increased economic growth, which will mean more money to spend on consumables. And believe you me; the global corporate wizards are doing their utmost to effectively market to an audience of 1.3 billion sets of eyes and ears. I would also like to export some of New Zealand’s goodies to them. I’d like to imagine this happening without screaming status symbols, quality to last so we don’t need to buy new shoes every 3 months.

That’s just it. Do we need so much stuff? My friend Philea spoke about this months ago, as we discussed paring down. Why do we need more than two sets of sheets at any one given time? Do we, as women need 46 pairs of shoes? (of course my polyphrenic companion Carrie Bradshaw would be in an uproar 😉 Aren’t we able to live with less? About that time, trendwatching had mentioned the up and coming fashion of disposable clothing. This new wave attracting mostly those 25 and under. I haven’t followed it up nor heard much more about it. Hopefully that inane concept faltered and evaporated without leaving too much in the landfills.

Marketing your business because you provide a quality product or service and have good intentions is buried beneath icons and symbols and branding. Isn’t it possible for commerce to perpetuate without excessiveness? For trade and the “cycle of money” to exist without all the masks and distractions?

Later in the briefing, it states:

“…many consumers are deeply skeptical about large corporations claiming to go green, as very few companies are seen as honest to begin with. However, as stated before, a large enough eco-conscious audience now exists to make it worthwhile for brands to join the ECO-ICONIC fray. Just seek out the eco-minded middle classes around the world and you will be off to a good start. For the next 12 months, at least 😉

Not so sure if tongue in cheek, or a wink about the next 12 months is fully appropriate. Yet, this is a valid point. The global middle class is the engine of the cycle of money; they move things forward or stall the system.

To ask, can we make things work without indebtedness? Any economists, bankers, laymen, corporate wizard, anyone thinking who wishes to comment, please do so. Educate us. When we think more consciously, we’ll choose more wisely.

one fine day

I had an interesting encounter today, one of those rare moments of unconditional giving and receiving, the just because at it’s most pure. We have this fabulous honey boutique in the city centre, and I stopped in to follow up about a job contract to work with them while things get under way for Uncommonly Good Ltd exporting and my personal studies for an export certificate.

I met one of the part-timers and we talked about the different products, from Buzzy Bee children’s items to the medicinal properties of cinnamon and honey. Then a customer entered, and because I was raised by one of the best merchants to walk this planet, I automatically and consciously greeted the customer with a true welcoming.

While I played with some of the personal care items, all with honey, and tested out one of the hand creams, I joined in the conversation (some of you say, of course you did!) between this customer, Karen and Lakshmi, the part-time sales associate.

Karen was telling us about her new lifestyle choices and changes; taking better care of her body, plus she had met a man. Then she mentioned her skin reactions from sugar and coffee, and I could see something not visible. Rather, sense something; her liver wanting to detox. I suggested dandelion tea as a start, and digestive enzymes, although I did forget about Milk Thistle, which I’ll mention next time I see her. She was so grateful for the information, recognising it as what she needed to know at that particular moment. She asked if it would be alright because she wanted to give me a hug. That was how she wanted to say thank you from her soul to mine. Sometimes I have that affect on people. 😉 And not to be cheeky either. I think I’ve been remiss with unconditional giving to strangers. Of course, there’s the occasional smile exchange that comes from within, or a random conversation while waiting in a queue or sitting on a bus. Today was a real life reminder, a seasonal reminder shall we say. It’s what I chose to be aware of, to put into my consciousness.

It’s dark now, not even 6 pm, and I shall call it a day. Until soon…

knitting themes

As autumn air arrives from Antarctica, the days start and end earlier. Here in New Zealand, weather is a big topic of daily discussions and Wellington is no different; hence, my mention of the weather. Our winter days are markedly shorter and it is our season where we have the least public holidays. Hence, these are the seasons we work a lot down under.

I spent a breezy, cool weekend mostly outdoors and a couple of hours watching The Documentary Channel and a few hours playing a new digital game, easily addicted since it involves creating patterns. Yesterday I watched “Outfoxed,” staying on current theme for Brave New World in the City, which demonstrated Rupert Murdoch’s propaganda machine, Fox Network in its most unflattering light. I’ve never watched more than a minute of O’Reilly & his factors. Perhaps the same people who are able to sit and listen to him also carry the aptitude for watching reality programming. One of the gentlemen interviewed in Outfoxed, Rob McCormack, perceptively defined how in Soviet Russia the people knew they were being fed propaganda, they knew their information wasn’t trustworthy. In the U.S., citizens and other news corporations (!) absorb the panicked headlines fed by Fox News.

It has been said that more U.S. citizens are onto the propaganda mechanisms now than in ’01 and ’02, and the realist answers, “Right, and good. Finally. Only, what about all the people that are brainwashed and believe the propaganda as truth to this day?”

The documentary also pointed out what happened in November 2000, you know, with the U.S. election…that well-engineered plan to have Dick Cheney holding office and the strings that bind the Brave New World façade together. What I am about to write here has been written before, but I didn’t know this until yesterday. It was like another piece of the puzzle snapped into place. A first cousin of George W. Bush was conveniently working at Fox News, in charge of the voting stats tallied from research at exit polls around the country. (talk about abolishing theories that life is random!) The U.S. presidential race was too close to call; everyone knew that, nobody had a clear winner, even at midnight. Then in the middle of the night, about 2 a.m. George’s cousin relays (mis)information that the results show he is the clear winner, and the anchor proceeds to announce that George Bush is the apparent winner and the next U.S. President. Every other news company ran with the egg, too. In minutes no less. And that is how, ladies and gentlemen, George W. made it on the path to be appointed president in 2001.

It was also the opportunity for Mr. Dick Cheney and Mr. Karl Rove to align more closely with Mr. Murdoch and the Fox Network to advocate their agendas. Brilliant, really. Appalling, more so.

We are fortunate here, on the other side of the world. Our media hasn’t reached the levels of panic and fear induced by Fox and Clear Channel and the few others. I’ve added a new link, a single page called Editor Freedom which contains dozens of other sites. One might even call it fair and balanced.

Cohesively this leads us to the topic of FREEDOM. We as global citizens have the choice to maintain, lose, or acquire freedom. It is a choice of existence. And most importantly, it is the RESULT of RESPONSIBLE ACTION, RESPONSIBLE CHOICE. I had a teacher, J. Trenton Tully who drilled this lesson into us.

I did a quick search online and found the following definitions for freedom:

Emancipation of the person from slavery.
www.discoveringthestory.org/ugrr/glossary.asp

the condition of being free; the power to act or speak or think without externally imposed restraints

exemption: immunity from an obligation or duty
wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn

A political condition that permits freedom of choice and action for individuals and also for individuals and groups to participate in the decisions and operation of the society and the political system.
www.canvasopedia.org/content/canvasopedia/dictionary.htm

In order for a Brave New World to exist, we need to examine what kind of world we want to live in and participate with, we as global citizens. There are some people completely apathetic, thoroughly seduced by the seemingly well-intentioned communications of security and safety. I ask, security and safety from what or whom? Large government? Greedy, malignant politicians? Centralised world banks wreaking havoc with money and food supplies?

Oh right, it is safety, security, and [border] protection from terrorists hailing from desert cities in the Middle East. Some dire predictions about the process of achieving “one world government” state that the people will allow it, that they shall willingly accept it. (Sidenote: Of course this could happen, especially if the people are completely conditioned to believe they are no longer safe and secure, where only a “militaristic” government will be able to promise to keep them out of harm’s way.) Fox News can’t tell you otherwise, only you can choose to believe otherwise.

Perhaps if you’ve made it to this point in today’s post you are imagining that I’m standing on a soapbox behind a pulpit. Maybe. It’s how you choose to see the picture. In my ideal world, expressed views and opinions give spice to the bland dishes mass media is serving to the populations. It’s our choice whether we ingest it, assimilate it, chew on it, spit it out, or recite it as gospel.

Thankfully, only months to go, after 7 long years. I’m not sure if the next “appointed” U.S. President will reinstate the many civil liberties lost. Maybe taking off our shoes and losing our right to carry a 500ml bottle of water to board a commercial airline won’t last. Maybe enough people, a critical mass needs to be responsible, to desire autonomy. Maybe we won’t succumb to believing propaganda as truth. Maybe the alarm will go off in time to wake us up.

Until soon…

a new year again

It is said that the masses have been hypnotised by the media. The medionic (a wendy word) machines of communications have supposedly conditioned the collective consciousness to consume, de-intellectualise through reality fantasies of the most, shall we say primal instincts? I never watched the OJ trial or any of the reality shows.

Admittedly, I have endured about 3 minutes of The Amazing Race once, and always wondered how can anyone sit through this stuff? Have you ever left a film or a theatre production that just wasn’t working for you? With only light recall, I believe I’ve walked out of 2 or 3 films and perhaps one play. Mind you, I had most likely wanted to get and up leave from several, but I endured. Is this what the collective does now with ever more frequency? Endure the painfully limited choice of enjoyable media until conditioning sets in and what is viewed actually changes with our so-called perspective to become bearable of our time, of our living space?

These are today’s ponderings. The spiritual New Year starts today, according to some mystery schools around the world. I’m pretty sure it has to do with the astronomical clock, not the Gregorian or Julian calendars. Which by the way, synchronistically, yesterday’s curious What if question was answered about an hour or so after the post. Just love when life happens this way. I did a search on Gregg Braden and The Zero Point, the last book of his that I’ve read. The surf brought me to the shores of Sweden where I listened to radio interviews on redicecreations.com and youtube. While at the latter, in the helpful “Related videos” menu I came across The Esoteric Agenda and started watching part 1 of 13. If you have seen Zeitgeist, enjoyed it, and had a shift of perspective; then you will appreciate some of the fine research that was put into this production. Of course it is not for everyone’s mindset, just like reality television isn’t compatible with mine.

Public knowledge is public power. Private knowledge is private power. Mr. Redstone and Mr. Murdoch influence the content of public knowledge and essentially own the channels of media to provide that knowledge. Hmmmm…..So does this follow the logical path that if public knowledge was elevated, educational (truly, with integrity and not standardised tests) and inspiring, would the result of public power follow with the same characteristics? Would the public be empowered to evolve toward greater autonomy? I think this dilemma, is it a dilemma? I think this dilemma of choice is about personal responsibility; also known as the “ability to respond.” We need to choose what goes in our heart, our mind and ultimately, our consciousness, our soul. It is our response-ability to acquire the type of knowledge that suits our being, because ultimately, it’s about our responsible use of the power that knowledge will bestow.

This may be getting a little heady. Simply mio mondo, choose what you will, no criticisms, just a request that you do make your choices with awareness.

Until tomorrow…

buenas noches

May Day, the day when the world found out Hitler was dead, the eve of Beltane.

What if we hadn’t stopped living by astronomical cycles?

My “what if” pondering for today; mind you, it isn’t really a new thought. It’s just that during recent weeks there have been collective clues showing how the historical perspective is lengthening. We are realising a more encompassing world view of what was happening globally 2000, 5000 and 10,000 years ago. Look at what was happening only 14 years ago. Only 14 years ago the Internet was being touted as the Super Information Highway. Windows and AOL penetrated the techno savvy and open-minded. 1994 wasn’t all that long ago. Think about it. It is just that so much has happened, and so much has changed in 14 years, the rate of life has picked up measurably. What if we timed events by the sun and moon, and perhaps other planets? We abide by the seasons as a former agrarian society because the school year in both hemispheres was set up according to the harvest.

Learning and embracing new information is a choice. I have chosen to create this space even though I am not fond of the word blog. There is something lazy about it, the familiar phrase, ‘laying there like a log’ is the association my brain conjures up. As a word, blog simply doesn’t have an appealing sound to my poetic ear. However, it is part of our lexicon, so be it. On the positive, these steps have lead me to discover some amazing online sources of information, to check out youTube for enlightened information, and they are updated at least weekly in the “links,” over there on the right navigation bar. The newest one, Red Ice Creations was discovered while searching information about Gregg Braden beyond his website.

Recently I started to read Shirley MacLaine’s newest book, Sage-ing While Age-ing. I enjoy reading what she has to say, her insights; she skilfully uses wit and understanding to express them with clarity, and somehow the messages she has to deliver usually resonate for me. When I was 12 and 13 on spring holidays with my parents in Las Vegas, I saw her perform & there was a connection. I always thought one day I’d meet her. Then about 7 years later I did, albeit a brief introduction backstage when she performed a one-woman show on Broadway when she was celebrating 50. The new 40 was evolving, twenty-four years ago. It was the same time Tina Turner birthed her second self, it was 1984. They were new symbols of feminine wisdom and triumph, guiding my generation who were entering their 20’s to believe that age-ing is not on the clock. Life is all in the way you think about it, how you choose to live, how we self-perpetuate and evolve. How will we live the seasons of our lives?

I bid you good night.

Until tomorrow…

encantada

Here I write to you from Wellington, New Zealand, my home since November 2005. The pioneering spirit of my ancestors does run through my blood, and so far, it’s been an adventure, an evolution, and a whole new chapter of life.

A while ago, maybe a year or more now, I thought one day I’d have a syndicated column called Wendy’s World. A bit cheeky and, a bit catchy. Supposedly I was named Wendy because the vibe (or was it the familial projection?) in 1963, 32 days after the contrived murder of JFK, was that my soul would be independent, enterprising, and a bit of a wanderer.

I come from a family of immigrants who settled and travelled America between 1895 and 1945. Half of my family arrived from the Ukraine and settled in New York and Florida to become merchants, doctors, earth mothers, and other participants in American society. The other half left Italy; and spent lifetimes cooking, growing flowers and fruit, serving beer and whiskey, playing music and coal-mining in New Mexico and Colorado. How these two very different, yet similar, intuitive tribal families joined up is another story for another day.

I have been accused of living in a bubble, in my own idealistic world, choosing to see the positive even at the most dreadful times. It’s the foundation of my being, it’s the way I am, and why not espouse my views somewhere compliant? Perhaps my inherent yearnings to write and share insights are a sort of Carrie Bradshaw meets Aldous Huxley. Brave New World in the City, as my friend Mike so aptly named the eclectic combination, just today, the last day of April 2008.

As the moon wanes from our view, and the month of May stands upon the calendar’s threshold, I am embarking on a more public journey. An online unsyndicated column to question, propose ideas, give perspectives and explore what is possible. I hope you will join in. Until tomorrow…

Greetings, Kia ora

and Welcome. The journey begins, the name and space are reserved.

Until soon…