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Tuesday, November 22, 2011

My Journey Continues

Another month into the year and Thanksgiving is almost here. American Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays because it centers around food and family. As commercialized as it is (and actually nationalized to promote economic resurrection,) I enjoy it because it still remains fairly free of cards, gifts, and decorations. I find it a day that reminds me that I am thankful daily. This might sound unusual, but it really makes sense to me as I journey onward in my Conscious Exodus.

It is almost bizarre to think that some people really only give thanks for what they have on this single day of the year. I cannot imagine a day that I have not, or cannot, say "thank you" to someone or pray a prayer of "thanksgiving" for something that helped me in my journey. I know there are those devastating events that happen to us from day to day, and I am not unaware of those terrible things that are happening to people all over the world as I type this. I do know that all of that is happening and that as it unfolds, those who are both unwillful and willful participants in it all have moments of every emotion imaginable. I myself have experienced some very dreadful things in my life and as they get put into perspective with everything going on in the world, I still see fit that I need to be thankful.

I hope all of you reading this find the time to journey into conscience and reflect on the moment to become aware of those things that make you want to say "thank you". I thank all of you for helping me in my Conscious Exodus. Knowing that everything doesn't always fit in the exact way you may want, but understanding it does fit in the grander scale and if you are in it for the right reasons, and can accept that sometimes it may arouse emotion, then your journey has begun. Be thankful it happened. Understand you are not always in control of what happens, but you do control a portion of it. Have no hidden agenda and work to develop those around you rather than destroy them. If your intentions are just and without selfish intent be thankful.

Sunday, October 9, 2011

Chapter 9 - Your Conscious Exodus

A little from the last chapter in the book,

Weltanschauung: Habits, Principles, and Personal Choices Of
Moral Leadership For Leaders of Conscience in the 21st Century

Copyright 2010-11 By William J. Nelson, M.Ed.



"As a Leader of Conscience, I am certain that the forces of Darkness are sent upon us to prevent us from letting the Light into our world and reaching out to those that we lead.  These dark influences are often disguised as things we love.  Simple distractions that are often over-looked are abundant in the way these forces work upon us.  They are most likely hidden in the voices of the ones we love and the material enjoyments we are attracted to.  These distractions frequently divert us from right choices.  Remember earlier in this book that the right choice for a person is sometimes not the rite way of doing things. I struggle with the idea that traditional methods are the only way to get things done. Especially if the traditional methods rely less on conscience and more on power plays that often are destructive rather than constructive. Right is not always rite and rite is not always right.


What is an exodus?  Egypt and Moses.  Jesus in the desert.  Siddhartha Gautama fleeing from his princely life behind the castle walls and his journey into the woods.  Battle Star Galactica’s rag-tag fugitive fleet of ships.  Han Solo teaming up with a Wooki and the son of the Dark Lord himself.  African-Americans gaining freedom from slavery and earning their full civil rights.  Nelson Mandela being imprisoned and becoming president.  The fall of the Berlin Wall.  The Chinese Miracle.


Let’s first look at something from an Indian narrative.  The story of the Buddha Gautama under the Bodhi Tree is a fantastic example of overcoming distraction and accomplishing a greater awareness.  One must read the entire Buddhacarita of Ashvagosa to understand the life of the Buddha Gautama.  In the text, Siddhartha Gautama sits under the fig tree and fights temptation, distraction, and evil.  His battle against Mara, the “Evil One” proves to be a common theme in many such stories of leaders who have to overcome similar evil, temptation and distraction.  First, a group of beautiful and sensual young women try to seduce him away from meditation.  When they do not succeed, storms of lightning, wind and rain are conjured up.  When the storms don’t send him packing, Mara sends in his demonic armies with weapons of flaming rocks, but Siddattha fights them and defeats all the armies with his virtue."

Monday, October 3, 2011

Thinking and Doing

A quick note to get inspired. Thinking is a great thing to do and sometimes thinking is much better than doing. Doing is an essential component of change and effect. Think before you do, or do before you think. Either way just think! Be careful because thoughts are more powerful than you might realize. Think about it.

Sunday, July 17, 2011

New Post on LampLights

Read Revelation 6 and posted on LampLights.  Hyperlink on over to the blog and check it out or comment.

Friday, July 15, 2011

Consciously Aware of the Moment

(Be sure to click on the colored hyperlinks to read more from others)

Once again time has passed since my last post.  The days are filled with hours and the hours are filled with minutes and those minutes are filled with seconds, but it's the moments that those seconds make that really matters.

I cannot even imagine a world without time restraints, but I would like to think one of those worlds does exist.   The moments that we create in our daily lives are often limited by that concept we call "time."  I hustle to get things done before the day ends and realize that it might not really even matter when we approach the issue from the perspective of "no-time."  The concept of "no-time" needs to be explored more and the schedules we have put ourselves on as a human race should be rethought.  Immortality and timelessness are difficult to understand, but I don't think we put enough effort into thinking about these concepts anymore.  Instead we focus on being slaves to the 8-hour work day and the 40-hour work week.  Many live as if they are in a raced to acquire as much as possible in the time they have on this planet no matter who they hurt in the process, (as if that really matters if we die and stop existing.)   The 24-hour day is not really as it seems, it's fashioned out of convenience and the 24/7 schema is there for the benefit of those who control the system it exists in.  It also changes as events happen.

I grow older each day, but my life really exists in that particular moment when I am consciously aware of my existence outside of the restraints of time.  It is then that I am consciously aware of the moment when no-time is present.  Is this moment of awareness a glimpse at immortality?  The crazy idea that there are immortals that use us for their benefit as the worker bees in a world of their creation was once an idea that sparked an interest to seek out the sources of their immortality.  Lists of people who claimed or sought after immortality do exist.  Are they crazy?  Finite existence of the human vessel is the view most human beings accept.  I would like to believe some part of us is everlasting just as we are taught in many Christian (and other) faiths, but to understand this shouldn't we always be consciously aware of the moment?

Friday, July 1, 2011

Another Step Closer

A few more days have passed as I make my exodus into the future.  Today is a normal day.  Life is happening all around us.  I cannot simply sit back and watch it happen.  Together we can leave our marks and positive energy for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for our posterity to follow.  Within them we will exist eternally.  Without them we will infinitely exist externally.  As Newton understood it, nothing is ever created nor destroyed, but rather it is changed from one form to another.

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Time Passes

It has been a few months since my last post and with the passing of time and all which accompanies it, I have had an incredible conscious exodus.


I have shared conversations with many of you over the last few months that added to my life experiences and weltanschauung.  I cherish the moments I spend in silent thought after I have spoken to all of you.  I really like listening to all of you as you tell me your thoughts.  I get a much better understanding of who you are and what life is about for you when I listen to what you have to say.  Sometimes the silence in between thoughts helps.  In the months ahead I am going to work more on the book.  It is long overdue, but nearing completion of the text based portion.  The interactive version will require a bit more time, but I promise will be worth the wait.

Don't forget to visit the following associated sites as part of your Conscious Exodus:
U:View
Weltanschauung
Conscious Exodus Publications
Live on my friends and remember, fear none, love all.

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Death Doesn't End Anything

Where does death take us and what does it leave behind?  I am a believer in the eternalness of existence.  As a student of the natural sciences I was taught a few basic things about the world we live in.  One of these things is the Law of Conservation of Matter.   You might remember this from some of your basic science classes in school.  This principle is proven to declare that matter/mass/energy cannot be created nor destroyed, but is constantly changed from one form to another.  The existence of a "soul" lends a more interesting twist to this idea and is yet to be considered in this, but I challenge you to include it as you think about all of this.  I will not comment one way or another about this here, but can say as a believer that souls may defy this and do exist in this world even though we may not be able to see a soul or prove it's existence as part of the natural world.  Many will make a disconnect from the natural to the supernatural in defense of their argument. I see the two as dependent upon one another and connected.

As a student of  philosophy and religion, I was taught that there are many systems of faith that hold true to the same idea in terms of God or a higher power.  Many look to an after-life (hellish or heavenly worlds,) a resurrection day, or reincarnation.  What ever your belief, you do not disappear, nor do the "footprints" you left in this world.  There is no free ride for any of us.  In my book I will expand on this in a few of the chapters.

If you have had the experience of death effect you in profound ways during your life then you will find a connection as you read these chapters.  If death has not yet been part of your Conscious Exodus yet then maybe my stories can help prepare you for the decision ahead of you as death becomes more real to you.

Recently,  I've have put to rest my father-in-law and my uncle.  They died only days apart from one another in two separate events not obviously connected at all in the worlds they shared.  They did share a connection even thought they were not acquainted with each other directly.  I knew them both and loved them both.  They barely knew each other, but my wife spent much of her life with both of them even though she did not share time with them together.  They were not blood relations, yet they had family connections to my side of the family and my wife's family.  The way they profoundly effected the path I am on in my Conscious Exodus will  continue to effect me even in their absence.  Maybe their absence will cause more of an effect on my direction than their life's did.  I am still thinking about that one because in death we are not gone from memory or influence of those we leave behind.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

St. Patrick indeed was a leader of conscience. His life story should be one that all leaders of conscience should be aware. Enjoy St. Patrick's Day and Slainte!

Sunday, January 23, 2011

The Past

I am sitting here staring at a book marker in my copy of  "The Epic of Gilgamesh" and on it is written "The past cannot be changed. But the future is whatever you want it to be."  I am so sure that this is sometimes misunderstood as "forget the past, work on the present and your future," that the future doesn't really happen the way we all want it to.  Our current human condition is a direct result of the past that either we lived it or as our ancestors lived it.  The past cannot be changed.  Our future might not turn out exactly how we would like it to, but our current situation in life is connected to both by the choices we will make based on our knowledge of past events and the people who lived those events.  Be a leader of conscience and look to the past for as much information as possible.  Your conscious exodus should lead you into a greater understanding of your weltanschauung.  I was sent a post by a Facebook friend today complimenting me on my recently added profile picture, and noticed her profile pic which has been there before, but actually inspired me today to reflect more on my own conscious exodus.  It is a picture that when stared into gives you a sense of awe and wonder.  It has the power to release you from thoughts that might be on your mind at that moment.  If you want it to, it might just be able to help you clear your head enough to reflect on where you are and where you want to go.  I know there are many other pictures that might do the same.  The difference is, this picture was there in the past, but it was not until something here in the present made me pay attention to it like I did.  Sometimes we look at the present world around us as if we are unconsciously living in it.  More on this as I write about it in the book.

Saturday, January 22, 2011

The Power of Trust

Trust is one of the most important ideas that any great leader can use to create a unified effort.  The unfortunate truth is that even great leaders of ego can use this to reach goals that do not contribute to the health, welfare, and happiness of everyone they lead.  As you read through "Weltanschauung: Habits, Principles, and Personal Choices for Moral Leaders of the 21st Century"  In Chapter 4, "The Principles We Select," I ask you to consider the idea of  "interconnected trust."  This idea stems from the establishment of "trust groups" and initiatives in social justice.  If you are to grow into a leader of conscience, then you must at the very least understand (hopefully accept) the principles set forth as part of the chapter that deals with this idea.  After this understanding comes establishing habits needed to make the choices required to call yourself a leader of conscience.  The chapter will be an uncomfortable one, as it will address the issue that you might be an effective leader, but not a leader of conscience.  You will struggle with this if you cannot distinguish the difference between the two with enough understanding that effective leaders are not always leaders of conscience and do not have to be, but should be.

Friday, January 21, 2011

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

What's Your Weltanschauung?

A persons outlook on the world let's us understand each other, and similar views help us to work toward a common cause. There is so much that should be considered when establishing an understanding of the world view we create. This will be explained more in chapter 2, "Your Head, Heart, and Soul" I hope this chapter gives a good look into all avenues of understanding leadership in terms of your Weltanschauung.

Monday, January 17, 2011

Where's your Conscious Exodus taking you today?

I am getting ready to do some research and citations for the book I am writing tentatively entitled
Weltanschauung: Habits, Principles, and Personal Choices of Moral Leadership for Leaders of Conscience in the 21st Century


The research today is very appropriate because I am looking to Howard Thurman whom was an inspiration and teacher to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  Included will also be reference to Dr. King's influence on me through his writings in regards to personal exodus.

If time permits I am also going back into one of my all time favorite stories The Epic of Gilgamesh and including some connections I see between Weltanschauung and Conscious Exodus as exemplified between the King of Uruk and Enkidu.

Enjoy your holiday and remember it is a day that is very important when you ask the question, "Where will your Conscious Exodus take you today?"

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Weltanschauung: Habits, Principles, and Personal Choices of Moral Leadership for Leaders of Conscience in the 21st Century

I've been working on the book most of the day.  Now it's time for some dinner.

Weltanschauung: Habits, Principles, and Personal Choices of Moral Leadership for Leaders of Conscience in the 21st Century

I am researching and writing about the era in world history this word appears in as part of my book and came across what might actually be something I forgot about from my college studies. It will be a huge part of the title and reoccurring theme in this work on leaders of conscience for the 21st century.

Weltanschauung: Habits, Principles, and Personal Choices of Moral Leadership For Leaders of Conscience in the 21st Century

By William J. Nelson, M.Ed
Copyright 2010-2011


Here's a tentative chapter list and Table of Contents for you.


CONTENTS

Introduction

Acknowledgements

.Chapter 1.
A New Beginning for Leaders of Conscience

..Chapter 2..
Your Head, Heart and Soul

…Chapter 3…
Making the Choice

….Chapter 4….
The Principles We Select

…..Chapter 5…..
The Last One and the First One in Everything that Needs to be Done

……Chapter 6……
Nothing Can Happen that is Not Meant to Happen

…….Chapter 7…….
Influence and Being Influenced

……..Chapter 8……..
Faith, Hope, Love and Synchronicity

About the Author

Resources

Bibliography