| "Luck is what happens when preparation meets | | | | things toward the better. In my quest to |
| opportunity." --Seneca, Roman philosopher, | | | | counteract the negativity, I read. The most |
| mid-1st century AD Whoa! Things seem to be in | | | | recent book I picked up is called "Train Your |
| a state of flux at this moment in history, | | | | Brain, Change Your Mind" by Sharon Begley. |
| don't they? Just turn on CNN and you'll see | | | | It's about the transformational ability of |
| how topsy turvy things are with doomsday and | | | | the mind and combines neuroscience with |
| apocalypse on the horizon. It's enough to | | | | Tibetan Buddhism, and mindfulness. I'm |
| turn even the most well adjusted, reasonable | | | | inspired and worked up over this book and I'm |
| person into a confused, pissed off obsessive | | | | only on page ten. Brain science is showing |
| ready to jump off a bridge. I say, keep your | | | | that we have phenomenal powers to adapt and |
| rudder in the water and make life work. Many | | | | heal after head traumas, accidents, and have |
| of my students are real estate agents and | | | | the power to reverse negative programming |
| we've had the chance to discuss the current | | | | like propaganda or brainwashing. Our |
| market at length. Obviously, huge mistakes | | | | intention leads the way. When we set our own |
| were made on all sides. The banks were | | | | frames and not allow others to set them for |
| practically giving it away and people who had | | | | us (like the media), then we can make seismic |
| no business accepting variable rates | | | | changes in the ourselves which can then |
| (regardless of whether or not they understood | | | | ripple outward to our family and friends and |
| what that actually meant) overestimated what | | | | from them out into the world. Seems like |
| they could afford to pay, all lead to the | | | | spirituality and science have had a bit of a |
| morass that's currently underway. Yet now, | | | | problem coexisting in some ways. One need |
| instead of this being 'their' problem (the | | | | only to look at the creationism versus |
| banks and borrowers), it's everyone's | | | | evolution debate that is still being argued |
| problem. I don't have a solution for the mess | | | | to see this. Neuroscience and Buddhism have |
| in the market, but I do understand that | | | | found a common ground on which to create |
| should we tune in and commiserate with the | | | | exciting mind/body transformations that can |
| cable news networks and ruminate on just how | | | | cure diseases without the pharmaceutical |
| miserable and crushing a recession is/will | | | | companies trying to medicate the diseases out |
| be, we will be miserable. Not sure if you | | | | of us, problems like OCD, dyslexia, |
| could tell, but I'm not a huge fan of the | | | | depression and autism. I don't know about |
| media. There's not much to it beyond its | | | | you, but I'd much prefer to think or meditate |
| attempt to entertain at this point, and even | | | | my way to health than take a pill with a |
| the "real news" gets all messed up with | | | | litany of side effects and high price tag. |
| sleazy gossip (whether that be celebrity, | | | | Who benefits from us fixing ourselves? Maybe |
| political, or other). Aside from not really | | | | not the big pharma companies, but the real |
| giving us much to go on, it also poisons the | | | | profit is in us rippling out positivity and |
| well for those of us trying to make positive | | | | undermining the negative things that are |
| changes in ourselves and the world, and for | | | | being spoon fed to us. |
| those of us who strive to frame the world and | | | | |
| our shared reality as a 'win-win'. | | | | Kenrick Cleveland teaches techniques to earn |
| Collectively our conscious and unconscious | | | | the business of affluent clients using |
| minds are being fed a constant stream of | | | | persuasion. He runs public and private |
| gruel, duping us into believing we have no | | | | seminars and offers home study courses and |
| power in the world, no impact, no way to move | | | | coaching programs in persuasion techniques. |