I see myself as a "Modern Magician." I've studied many esoteric tomes and learned many practical incantations for making change happen as a Life Coach, and in my own personal development.

The most powerful and ecological personal change technology I've found is the Core Transformation process, which I now use primarily in my coaching and for my own growth.

The Law of Repulsion

I present to you…THE LAW OF REPULSION…as channeled to me by a group of beings called Socrates from a litle bit below the middle of Orion’s belt…

The beings known as Abraham are full of shit. But then again, beings living on planet Sirius have butts where we have heads, so maybe that’s why they see things a bit upside-down.

Clearly the Universe does not run in accordance with a so-called Law of Attraction, but by the Law of Repulsion!

The Truth of the Law of Repulsion can be easily displayed with any two magnets. The positive end of one magnet does not attract the positive end of the other—quite the opposite! Like repels like! If the Law of Attraction were true, electrons would attract electrons! And would “opposites attract” in matters of the heart?

What goes up does not go even more up! What goes up must come down. Similarly, if you throw a ball down hard, it will bounce back up! This is the Law of Repulsion.

On your planet, an alcoholic has a hangover, so he drinks a beer to eliminate the pain. This is an application of the Law of Attraction—alcohol trying to solve the problems of alcohol.  The Law of Repulsion states that if you want to solve the problems caused by drinking too much, then stop drinking!

Abraham says stuff like “Worrying is using your imagination to create something you don’t want.” Nonsense! Worrying doesn’t attract things you don’t want—it’s not worrying that is likely to create situations you don’t want! Right now there are a lot of people in your world who aren’t at all worried about global warming. Guess what: not worrying about global warming is making global warming a whole lot worse! Worrying repels what you are worrying about, because now you know about the problem and you find it important enough to start doing something about it.

The teachers of the Law of Attraction have an abundance of money and spiritual experience, yet have millions of followers who do not live in financial or spiritual abundance. In fact, the people they attract tend to lack money and be seeking spirituality through their teachings! Clearly like repels like. The abundance of Esther and Gary Hicks repels abundance in their students.

On the other hand, wandering homeless monks historically have attracted abundance in the form of donations, food, and shelter, as well as spiritual abundance. Poverty repels poverty! Abundance repels abundance! If you want abundance, seek poverty! But if you want poverty, seek abundance!

How many people do you know have sought wealth only to end up even more poor after putting down money for a get-rich-quick scheme, an “internet marketing course,” or an Abraham-Hicks seminar? Clearly seeking abundance leads to poverty!

On the other hand, monks and spiritual teachers for thousands of years have taught about the abundance that comes from voluntary poverty. As Jesus said, “And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.” ~Matthew 6:29

Jesus understood the Law of Repulsion. He was a saint and spoke of universal love and was killed for it as if a criminal! Love repels love! Goodness repels goodness!

Meanwhile the rich and powerful who commit crimes regularly and treat people like objects for their own selfish interests are revered as saints and heroes! The Law of Repulsion in action.

Those who are focused on global abundance for all, like young people working in the Peace Corps or in NGO’s, are often making very little money. Like repels like!

Conversely, those that are focused on massive personal abundance tend to create a world in which others have less personal abundance, due to the simple math that there are only so many dollars in circulation at any one moment. Massive personal abundance for me repels personal abundance for others! Like repels like!

Abraham says focus on what you want and you’ll get more of it. But lawyers are successful in helping people get what they want to the extent that they focus on what their clients don’t want—e.g. to get sued. Focusing on getting sued repels getting sued! Not focusing on getting sued is much more likely to lead to a lawsuit! Like repels like, once again.

I could go on, but I do not have an abundance of words for such a simple concept. (I’ll leave the abundance of words for those who have nothing to say.) Basically, just invert everything that Abraham says and you’ll have the real Law of the Universe.

If you need anything, just look at Orion’s crotch and pray to Socrates and I’ll hook you up with some crazy dreams, ok?

Repel your ignorance,
Socrates

A Response to Bill Harris

Bill Harris, founder of Centerpointe and Holosync binaural beat meditation CDs, recently posted a blog on whether meditation and Holosync resolve shadow material.

I responded with this comment, which seemed to anger Mr. Harris, especially my suggestion that there might be a problem with “selling spirituality for high prices with pushy marketing amongst those who are also customers of Centerpointe, Integral Life, Genpo Roshi, etc.” He replied in the same comment, which again you can read here.

Since I’m not sure if he’ll post my next comment in reply to his response (all comments on his blog are moderated), I decided to post it here on my personal blog:

Bill,

I was not suggesting that there is no way to charge money for things that could accord with spiritual principles, and I was not suggesting anything about your shadow or anyone else’s. This was not a personal attack–sorry if it came off that way to you. My writing seemed to have stirred anger in you, and that was not my intent. I apologize.

What I was suggesting is that personal work–whether meditation, self-help, personal development, etc.–does not necessarily resolve *our* ongoing discussions of culture, economics, and politics–how to live together, whether or not or how much to charge for spiritual products and services, how to structure socio-economic conditions, etc. Meditation and shadow work won’t necessarily resolve issues money any more than of abortion, gay marriage, etc., in my opinion, although they can help to have a more sane and equanimous public debate!

I do have certain opinions about marketing and culture however, and enjoy the ongoing dialogue. I consider your response to my comment part of this public dialogue, and appreciate your opinions. I think selling spirituality is an enormous problem, especially at high prices and for the personal financial benefit of the teacher. I do not see things as black and white, selling for high prices or giving everything away for free. There are many models that walk a middle path with money and do so fairly successfully. S.N. Goenka has proven a dana-based model for retreats, and Insight Meditation Society a fee-based model. Jack Kornfield seems to make a reasonable living from books and psychotherapy clients. I have no objections to any of these models, albeit there is still ongoing public debate even about these organizations and ways of serving. There are other concerns with the sale of spirituality discussed regularly, including selling something that cannot be given to anyone else and the commodification of the sacred, but I won’t get into those issues here.

I think charging for spiritual services is not necessarily more of a problem than in business generally, except that spiritual teachers are seen as role models for enlightened action (but so are CEOs), and therefore amassing enormous personal wealth in particular seems out of place according to my values and what I’d like to see in a harmonious and peaceful society.

I recognize that this view is not shared by all people, obviously, which is why personal growth and meditation won’t resolve the ongoing dialogue on the subject, as it is necessarily collective, cultural, social, and economic. This is my larger point, not to try and convince you of any specific position nor attack you personally for holding a different view than me! :)

You seem to indicate in your reply that debates such as these are a matter of personal shadow material and could be resolved by doing personal shadow work on money. While I think such work is helpful, I disagree that personal work will solve any collective social and economic problems, for the concern is not my personal relationship with money, but *our* *collective* relationship with money and the structures of society. This is an enormous shadow of our individualistic Western culture that tends to be culture-blind as many cultural critics have pointed out.

That said, the opinion of nearly everyone I know who’s had contact with Centerpointe’s marketing has ranged from “they are relentless” to “they are obnoxious” to “they are seriously overpriced.” That was my experience too as a customer of your company, and of other companies that use a similar school of marketing. Just some feedback for you–do with it as you’d like.

Respectfully Yours,
~Duff

INFOGRAPHIC

My advice to you is not to undertake the spiritual path. It is too difficult, too long, and it is too demanding. What I would suggest, if you haven’t already begun, is to go to the door, ask for your money back, and go home now. This is not a picnic. It is really going to ask everything of you and you should understand that from the beginning. So it is best not to begin. However, if you do begin, it is best to finish.
— Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche

This is one of the most inspiring clip of house dancers I’ve ever seen. True masters of this underground art.

Natural Passion and Change through Wholeness

What do you get when you take Tony Robbins’ passion, joy, and enthusiasm and subtract the achievement focus, the manic goals, and all the pushing and forcing?

I don’t know either, but I’m curious to find out.

Bradford Keeney’s Shaking Medicine/Autokinetics seems to be the joyful part minus the pushing and forcing, leading to natural happy expressiveness.

Core Transformation seems to be the psychological wholeness and healing technology, the method of making personal changes that is truly integrative.

I feel so deeply called to both. I’m so curious where they will lead.

My years of dance as spiritual path (in bars and clubs no less) has lead me to Shaking Medicine—and thank goodness. I thought I was the only one. I had no idea this was the stuff of 1000’s if not millions of years of practice.

My years of personal development and even the Enneagram at age 12 have lead me to Core Transformation—and thank goodness too. For while many techniques helped at surface levels, none so clearly and consistently lead to deep changes with such wholeness and integration.

I want to share these things with the world in whatever ways I can, for whomever it is best suited. I feel that this is my calling and my mission. I feel so grateful for those whom have come before. If I see further, I stand on the shoulders of giants, who stand on the shoulders of giants, who stand on the shoulders of….

Work and productivity

It’s not about working “hard” or “long,” it’s about working focused. Being present. The lesson of work is the lesson of life—be present, awake, aware.

“Hard” implies difficult, which means you are not in flow. It’s the balance between challenge and ability with full engagement—that’s the aim. But to get there, you must practice focus, awareness, presence.