POWER - CORRUPTION OR THE RIGHT USE

The right use of power has been hidden from the masses for hundreds of years. There was great hope when the Declaration of Independence became a reality, however as with most beautiful things for the good of all they have barnacles attached to them. John Quincy Adams wrote the following: "All the public business in Congress now connects itself with intrigues, and there is great danger that the whole government will degenerate into a struggle of cabals." I began thinking about the power of corruption and am realizing it has been in power for centuries and perhaps eons – yet people still hope for moral men to lead our government.

I have noted that with Obama being the president-elect that some people assume that he is a trickster. I would like to think that he is a man of his word and he does give the people of this country hope. It is my observation that too many people have lost faith in the government. This is not a new thing and by failing to become involved with the elected leaders, have as Bess Myserson stated, "The accomplice of the crime of corruption is frequently our own indifference."

In my research, I came across The Idaho Encyclopedia – written during the Great Depression. The chapter on the history of state government is most enlightening. Idaho was part of the Washington Territory in the second half of the 1800's. As miners and settlers began coming into the portion of what is now Idaho, each camp had its own customs or rules along with a judge, a recorder, and an executive officer of some sorts. Attorneys could be found in large camps, which became towns. There was what was called a miners' meeting that became the final source of authority. It was similar to a New England town meeting. It also put into practice "the fundamental American doctrines of equality and manhood suffrage." You will notice that women were not considered. This method worked for a while, but the lawlessness of desperados and banditry called for more law enforcement. Therefore the Idahoans petitioned the Territorial Government to become its own independent territory. This was rejected and the people petitioned the U.S. government to become a state. Idaho became a state in 1863.

The new citizens of the state of Idaho were affected by this move. Author Vardis Fisher states, "The first and most serious of these impediments to order were (1) Political corruption; (2) Crime and violence; (3) Inflated speculation in mining; (4) Poor roads; and (5) Indian troubles. The people thinking their problems would be handled had to face the political corruption along with crime and violence. Doesn't this reflect what we are seeing today? It would appear that political corruption has been a bane throughout history along with crime and violence. Where does morality come in?

Vardis goes on to write that both the Democrats and Republicans were considered corrupt even before the territory became a state. "Between the strife of the two parties, concern for the public good almost disappeared. The Republican machine, desperate to gain the spoils of office, made use of such questionable and corrupt maneuvers as were calculated to offset the overwhelming numerical strength of the Democrats. These factional intrigues and counterplots resulted, very naturally, in shortsighted and nonsensical legislation." Doesn't this apply today? This quote reflected on Idaho in the 1860's.

As Obama takes the oath of office, there are those waiting in the wings to criticize him or condemn, others who are playing the wait-and-see game as well as those acting with indifference. We are at a pivotal point of change and this can be the greatest change in history. We have an opportunity to connect with our government and insist that we want to move beyond corruption. We want to have a healthy environment. We want to move from dependency on oil to alternative fuels. The moment has come for us to dance to a new rhythm and reclaim the power of the people with our government elected officials serving the needs of the people. The time has arrived for a new march. Use the website www.change.gov and let Obama and his team know what you are wanting – demanding. Write your national senators and representatives and demand action. Write your state legislators and demand action. Let us keep the momentum going and see a new era – a new way of life. We have to also do our part and that is to be actively involved instead of indifferent. There is no time like this time.

OUR INVISIBLE WORLD ~ CHAINS OR WINGS?

This morning the thought came to me about our invisible life. Few of us give much thought to how much of our life is invisible. We are caught up in what we see, touch, feel, taste and smell. I contemplated the invisibility of my life and came to the conclusion that each of us lives in a world that is mostly invisible. For instance, we live in a web of entangled rules and regulations. These came about because someone or some group created them and put them down on paper. These laws and regulations only exist on paper. They are not tangible, but the majority of us accept them. Have you ever actually ever seen a law? What does it look like? We only know the consequences if we are caught not obeying the law or the regulation. Thus, we are governed by a belief system that is invisible. Sometimes these invisible laws appear to strangle us.

Another invisible belief is debt. Have you ever seen a debt? It only exists due to a belief system that if we purchase a piece of property and do not pay cash for it, then we get a mortgage and a debt with interest. Where does the debt exist? There are words and numbers on paper and an entry on a computer. The same goes for a credit card, and if a payment isn't received on time, then we have to pay more. Debt is not tangible. It is only something we believe is real.

Money is also invisible and only represented by a coin, paper and our agreement that it is real. Have you ever seen actual money, or are you accepting coin, paper and credit cards as money? It is something to think about.

Our lives are governed by what we agree to and accept. People's lives are governed by invisible beliefs and customs. Religions tell us that God is outside of people and only a priest, preacher, pastor or minister can interpret what God's laws are and how we should live. Have you ever wondered how they know that God is outside the human? It is all invisible information handed down in ignorance. The Holy Bible was written by men and re-interpreted by men down through the ages. It is only a road-map or a treasure map according to what one's beliefs are.

The beliefs we accept are invisible and operate on a frequency. It is similar to a radio frequency. It depends on what station we are tuned into. Our emotions determine our frequencies. Our emotions are invisible, but we experience the frequency of the emotion. Too often people get stuck in their web of unseen frequencies and become ill, feel like they are tied down by responsibilities, hate their jobs, hold on to grudges, anger, hatred, sorrow, regret, guilt and these emotional frequencies only tighten the invisible noose of the frequency web.

When we say I can't or it is too hard, then it is because of the frequency emitted. However, if we turn it around and say or think it's possible or I can, then we allow new possibilities to come to us. It has taken me a life-time to arrive at these conclusions that I am sharing now.

First, I want to point out that we are living in a world of positives and negatives, which are something like a see-saw. When our beliefs, thoughts and words we say reflect negatives then we tap into that frequency. The same goes true for positive and this means that we will have our ups and our downs. When we recognize that our ups and downs are created by our thoughts, words and beliefs, then we can change and ride the wave, so to speak.

Too often people will think that by being positive all the time is the secret, but unless our basic beliefs are changed we bounce back and forth. I have changed a multitude of beliefs and it is something like peeling an onion--layer by layer. The more I become detached and observe a belief or a situation, the more I am at peace within myself. Peace is born within the mind and we are the creators of our mind. It is something to think about.

Peace be unto you.

WHAT IS YOUR MENTAL EQUIVALENT?

Have you ever wondered what your mental equivalent is?

Yesterday as I was cleaning around my bookcase(s) a small booklet fell out. I picked it up, looked at it and I thought “Hmmm. There are no accidents.” The title of this small booklet is The Mental Equivalent by Emmet Fox. Not too many people have heard of Emmet Fox. In the first half of the last century, he was very well known. Born in Ireland, he made his way to the
U. S. and in 1931 he was ordained a Divine Science minister by founder Nona Brooks.

Fox has been labeled an author, teacher, minister, healer and mystic. From my perspective, he was all of these things. He is best known for his book Sermon on the Mount. He has also been called a New Thought minister/teacher; however he labels himself as a metaphysician in this small booklet.

He has crammed into this booklet a powerhouse of information in a concise form. He was saying the same thing that The Secret and other books have said. Fox at one time held services in the Manhattan Opera House in New York City with 4,000 to 5,000 attending each service. His message was simple.

My understanding is that what we experience in our outer world has a mental equivalent in our inner world. Our thoughts, beliefs and attitudes create our outer world. If one has a health challenge and the desire for wellness is there, then the inner thought and belief must be changed to the mental equivalent of wellness. It is simple to say, however it take practice to change an entrenched attitude or belief. In other words, what are you giving attention to with your common thoughts? Is it lack? Is it resentment? Is it anger? Is it unforgiveness? Is it pain and suffering?

If there is a belief in lack, then the mental equivalent is revealed in your everyday thoughts and conversation. Most people enjoy talking about their woes and play the ‘ain’t it awful game.’ Worry and fear brings forth the mental equivalent in the outer world. I have heard people complain about their debts, never having enough money and they keep repeating this to other people. This only reinforces a mental equivalent of lack.

Fox gives the example of the trinity – or triad. There have been trinities in ancient Egypt, Chaldea and Babylonia long before the creation of Christianity. The Christian trinity of Father, Son and Holy Ghost was a plagiarism of ancient knowledge. The true trinity is father, mother and child – meaning that father represents the idea or the thought. Mother represents the activity. The mother carries the thought in her womb while nurturing it. The child is the demonstration or the manifestation.

To bring forth change, one must have clarity of what is wanted. Clarity is the handmaiden to intent. What change is wanted? To bring forth a dream or a desire, there must be attention. There must be an overlay of a new thought over the old thought. This is nourished with interest. How interested are you in having a change in your life? What interest are you showing? How much attention are you giving it? A lukewarm response won’t do it. There must be enthusiasm or feeling. Enthusiasm and feeling are not accompanied with emotion. Have you ever noticed that people who are doing what they love to do sparkle? Sparkle is the result of interest or giving attention to what they loved to do.

According to Fox, The law of mind is that you can only get rid of one thought by substituting another…For everything in life there has to be a mental equivalent. He goes on to say to change an attitude about mistakes is to look at them as learning experiences. Get the thought of what you want as clear as you can. Be definite but not too specific. Fox also wrote that there can be no sickness without fear. Fear and doubt are the blocks that one must overlay with what one wants to be or to accomplish.

In The Mental Equivalent, Fox reiterated over and over, Change your thought and keep it changed. As the piano teacher said, practice, practice, and practice. If a new mental equivalent is wanted, then the price is to give up the old and lousy. It is similar to turning in a used car for a newer model.

Check out http://www.emmetfox.net/