Hello…

Well, first of all I want to thank all of you who have sent birthday wishes in advance of

my date of birth. I feel good about this birthday.  ‘Chrystallia is coming along. ‘Hope sooner than later. I hate to be vague, but the further along in this process I get, the further there is to go. Which isn’t bad at all when you consider that process is everything and while the result may be gratifying, (or not) for my ego, the true joy is in the creating. Therefore, I am giving myself as much time as I need to get it right. I believe it is that valuable a story for us to share. So, please be patient.

I have also heard rumblings of my blogging habits. While I would very much like to accomodate a schedule of frequency, that’s not who I am. I write as it moves me, but I’m here and I know your there and I don’t have any plans on going anywhere. I’ll  not forget, but there’s every possibility that’ll I’ll be late, (or early, depending on the person).

See that? Pretty fast, huh?

So I’m wondering about how living things communicate. There’s definitely an exchange in vibration that occurs, Then there are sounds created and languages formed of those sounds.

Different languages. The languages create sounds of their own as they’re interpreted in so many ways through so much emotion. The complexity of language is a mirror to the complexity of our emotions. It’s also the way in which we try to learn to listen to what we mean when we say  what we say.

In a room filled with English speaking people from a block on the street you grew up on, the appearance of communication on so many levels is, in truth, gratifying for a fleeting moment. Then your auditory senses immediately upload to the keenest level of their ability to read intention, fear, or seduction in a voice. Because one word can be said so, so many ways. You may not know what you’re hearing subconciously.

Interesting notion; the sound(s) we do not hear…or don’t think we hear and most of the time don’t even listen for. Its  like ‘the tree falls in the forest…’…if you don’t see it happen, or hear it happen, then…did it happen at all?

I believe it happened, even if only as far as an idea happens. At least on this dimension, we know that an idea is energy that is manifested in an electrical pulse organized by your brain so that you can quantify the ‘reality’ of the ideas’ existence, or do everything in your power to deny it even exists.

In other words, all existence being composed of thought/consciousness, having a thought, or an idea is to even the smallest degree a cognisant manifestation of energy. It exists.

Anything the human mind can imagine exists on some dimension. Why? Because we’re all part of the whole of everything, which at our most primal level we know to be true, because everything is part of us and we are part of everything.

However, it’s easier to find difference than similarity. We covet that person, color, occassion, smell, addiction to power who best mirrors ours. She’s our dream girl, he’s our dream boy…Ken and Barb….

We spend the majority of our energy finding our differences. Why? Because first of all, our mind believes it is important. Very important. “I like to smell the leather before I buy it,” it says with heartfelt sincerity and believing every word of it, proud to be in control of everything everywhere, or at least proud to think that it could be in control….

It’s very comforting for the mind to apply differences. It’s right in its wheelhouse. And there’s so much to do! So many evaluations and definitions, likes, dislikes, do’s, don’ts,  this ‘type’ of person to love, that to hate. Learn as much as we can so we can someday bring Mother Nature to our knee,…I mean, there’s a lot and still more! The sky? The universe is the limit!

This is the way the mind thinks and does everything in it’s power to support and recreate that illusion that it can do anything, know anything…even when the fact that our bodies fail us and we leave this life still lurks in the shadows of our mind, always threatening to come out.

Difference to the mind isn’t candy. It’s heroin. To find similarity is, as far as the all powerful mind is concerned, is counter productive…(I’d say ‘counter-intuitive’ except the mind…yours and mine, has very strict rules regarding intuition, or sixth sense and quickly relegates all of that ‘unknowable’ stuff to the category of ‘what we’ll master some day, eventually’…control,control,control).

To find similarity, the mind must find how another mind is similar and the result is usually a perceived complete likeness, a la the love story of all time and the ensuing and all consuming drive to identify anything or anybody that threatens what the mind has interestingly identified as our ‘unique similarity,’ and either change them or own them and do what  you will with them.

Because the mind does not really like similarity, especialy similarity with seniority. the mind’s very existence, as far as it knows is entirely dependent on its ability to control, know,  be able to find, build, destroy, grow, and even approximate love is within its reach. There is no reason to ‘not know.’

Interesting that my mind would think of there being ‘no reason to not know.’ Interesting in that it seeks a ‘reason,’ as if knowing or not knowing is part of its kingdom.

Especially reading this, you get a good sense of how devious the mind can be. It can’t sit still. ‘Hates anthything it cannot sense, measure and control and therefore either subtley or overtly defends against it.

And how lucky are we that we have this thing called ‘consciousness?’ Where we can sit back and watch the show, take in a film.’This is your life__________________________  (Did you fill in  your name?)

We have this amazing ability to watch ourselves exist. See ourselves, hear ourselves, watch ourselves feel, and think. We have this clear, clear window into our mind that we can choose to look through or not. We can see and feel what feels good and what doesn’t, what is  our fear, to experience our courage and find compassion for ouerselves in our struggle and compassion for (yes, similarity) our selves in others.

There it is again: We’re all one.

To be conscious is, in truth to be with God, truth, love. It is our most sacred gift recieved from our own great power of consciousness and we have an obligation to pursue it, know it, and yes, love it. An obligation to our selves and everything that is a part of our selves, and all that is a part of everything that is.

pmg

Contemplate that. Everything is apart of me and I am a part of everything. (Don’t read any further. Just take a moment and contemplate that thought.  See where it takes you.)

————-

I like the act of contemplation, where you can allow yourself to let go of the where and when of it all and just sit with a thought and the endless broods of thoughts that come with it.

Another favorite contemplation is:  Find that place where thought becomes matter.

The only thing I can absolutely, positively and completely promise you is this; when you contemplate that place where thought becomes matter…you ARE in that place, you ARE the place.

categories On Blogging and Shared Thoughts | | datetime March 2, 2010 11:18 pm

126 Comments

  • By noia29, March 3, 2010 @ 1:21 am

    I’m very, very confused.

  • By sknash, March 3, 2010 @ 3:15 am

    How appropriate Paul, since I just had my birthday and that always leads to contemplation of the past year, which has not been the best and this year has not started off the greatest either, I do think of where I have been, where I am going, how am I going to get there, who I will meet along the way, what will I learn.

    I especially love this phrase in your post “you get a good sense of how devious the mind can be. It can’t sit still. ‘Hates anthything it cannot sense, measure and control and therefore either subtley or overtly defends against it.” I so relate to that. My mind will just fry if it does not get an answer. It does not want a problem fixed, it wants to know how to fix that problem. Especially apparent when dealing with modern technology.

    I hope my contemplation does take me where I am, where I want to be. And I hope your contemplation does the same.

    Enjoy your very special day. You deserve it and so much more. I know about the writing part though. I am up to Chapter 12 in my little writing journey and seems the closer I get to the end, I am further away. But like you, I don’t want to rush, I want to digest and tweak and it all takes time. But I anxiously await your publication.

    Thanks again for taking the time. No apologies needed. YOu have done more for us these 30 years than some have ever done in their lives. I appreciate all you do, have done, and are.

    Love and Blessings, Susan

  • By fee, March 3, 2010 @ 5:09 am

    Wow! You certainly give us plenty to think about Paul! I think I get where you are coming from but this poor old brain of mine is rather addled at the moment. (Hilly! I heard that snort!) I really appreciate your blogs as they make me exercise my brain which is always a good thing.

    Like the others I anxiously await the publication of your book but I do realise the time and work it takes to publish. Just one question there that Pam will likely answer. You are going to publish in normal book form aren’t you and not just as a E Book? I know that E books are becoming very popular but for me there is nothing like having a proper book to read and I love reading! All the family do!

    Hey, you have no need to apologise as this is your “Shared Thoughts” page. It is your privilege to come in or not as the inclination(or time)takes you. The rest of this happy band will discuss away quite merrily on or off topic. I know for one that I’m terrible for butterflying from topic to topic.

    As for contemplation I do it regularly but I call it daydreaming. It is amazing though how one can start off with one thought and then the mind diverges off on all sorts of different tangents. I try not think too frequently of the size of the universe etc as I find the thought of that immensity rather unnerving.

    “Communication”, now that is an interesting subject. The majority of us have that strong need to communicate with one another. (Heheh especially me!! Whether by talking to one another face to face, phone or by the written word. When talking face to face it is much easier to read the other’s facial or body language to get the meaning of what they are sharing. Even when we don’t share the same language we can usually make ourselves understood. I can remember once on holiday in Romania in the 70′s making friends in the hotel with a Romanian who didn’t speak English. We still managed to understand what the other was trying to say. Maria and I had the same problem in Bromley as even though her written English is great she still has some difficulty speaking and understanding the spoken word. I will be visiting with her in her home town in a couple of months time so we will have great fun trying to understand each other. I now have an Italian phrase book and am trying to learn her language.
    Words can have different meanings in different parts of the world even in different areas of the same country and it is so easy to unintentionally upset or offend someone. I had some funny moments when I first migrated to Australia with terms used here that meant something entirely different back in Scotland!
    Also it is so very easy to pick up on just one word or phrase in a sentence and take entirely the wrong meaning out of it. I have had some interesting discussions with my husband on that one! Especially as he is going deaf so doesn’t always hear properly what has been said!
    I will stop waffling now and finish by agreeing with Susan’s last paragraph. Thank you for just being you,
    love and hugs always, Fiona

  • By hilly, March 3, 2010 @ 9:40 am

    don’t worry Fee…I printed it out and I’m still thinking about it all.

    Paul I see that I’m going to go wandering off on at least 4 different paths from this latest blog. (you once said you were good at shaggy dog stories – I tend more towards the shaggy cat)

    If it’s any comfort to you Paul and Susan, I started to write a ‘novel’ about 5 years ago. Since then I’ve written a whole lot of stuff (all of which I would be way too embarrassed to let Paul read!)and I’m still learning the craft. The novel is in revision N° 6 right now…as in binned, deleted, cut and pasted, names changed at least 4 times (and put back to the originals only to be changed again) and good grief where did I put that passage/page/file etc.
    One thing’s for sure, it’s great exercise for the mind and an excuse to sit and stare at a wall for hours thinking and coaxing the Muse out of hiding.

    We will all get there in the end.

    and I’m with Fee…books should be held in the hand, their pages turned manually. These actions are a part of our interaction with the book we read. A pause; a finger hovering over a phrase : do I mark that? copy it out?)the furtive glance at the page before (did I forget something that happened? who is that speaking right now?)
    the pleasure of slipping a bookmark into a page to go back to it later and re-read it…the pleasure of picking up a book you read before – an old friend – and finally discovering where you put that shopping list/beautiful leaf/ postcard….
    I don’t believe you can get any of that with an e-book.
    Kindle makes me think of firewood and I would never burn a book…

  • By Rachelle, March 3, 2010 @ 11:14 am

    Paul – I’m glad to hear you’re feeling good about this upcoming birthday. I hope it’s a wonderful one. The online birthday card on this blog looks great. Pam did a superb job!*g*……Speaking of birthdays I’m celebrating my 40th this year the same day as some one else on here.*g* I’ve decided to enjoy the remainder of my 30’s nice and slow this year!

    Thanks for the update on ‘Chrystallia’ and I look forward to it! I know Pam and yourself will keep us posted on the progress. I’m also planning on purchasing ‘Chrystallia’ for family and my best friend…… I don’t purchase the E-books or kindle and I’m glad to hear we all prefer the books that you can turn pages manually.

    Thank you again for taking the time to share your thoughts. You’ve contributed alot and I appreciate the time you’ve given. It’s very positive and nice to read. You give us a lot to think about and consider. I like when you wrote “To be conscious is, in truth to be with God, truth, love. It is our most sacred gift received from our own great power of consciousness and we have an obligation to pursue it, know it, and yes, love it. An obligation to our selves and everything that is a part of our selves, and all that is a part of everything that is.”

    Fee – when your wrote “The rest of this happy band will discuss away quite merrily on or off topic” I thought that was so cute! I know myself I tend to go off topic.*g*

    Have a wonderful day, Rach :)

  • By hilly, March 3, 2010 @ 1:18 pm

    OK I warned you – this blog is going to take me wandering off all over the place.

    The first path is the obvious.

    “I feel good about this birthday”.

    Now that made me think about age and how we deal with it in this world that offers all those pills and potions and snake oil remedies to stay ‘young’. Does any botoxed ‘miracle’ really look ‘young’? I’ve got lines by the sides of my mouth and my neck is going wrinkly and you know what…well we all know what Rhett Butler said don’t we!

    This is aimed at those of us here who are (as the French put it so discreetly) “of a certain age”….over 45/50 is a pretty good line.
    Think of when we were kids. Even dressed casually men were still trapped in the shirt and tie syndrome (you don’t believe me ‘kids’ go look at photos of the men at early Beatles concerts!)…

    …steps aside for shaggy cat: hahaha have you noticed how all the TV cops wear smart suits and ties these days!

    In my nice comfortable middle class London childhood, the ‘older’ women all trooped to the same clothes shop to buy sensible suits (and shoes!) A-line skirts and twin sets. They went to the same hairdresser to have a perm and (if their natural colour was fading’ a ‘blue rinse’…giving their graying hair a steely tinge. The hairstyle was the same (back combed ‘beehives’ were for the young; these matrons had a hairstyle that only the Queen of England still wears(!). Looking back, these matrons were probably…40, 45!

    Now look at us ‘old girls’ …jeans and t-shirts; skirts the length we feel like wearing depending on the day; hair long, short, grey, blonde, red (scarlet that is) auburn whatever we feel like. And as for the heels I wear – well if I wear them I can see over the tops of tables!

    It is all a part of our attitude to age.
    Either we accept where we are in our own personal timelines or we fall over ourselves to look like ‘mutton dressed as lamb’.

    And the most important attitude is that ‘age is a state of mind’. I have a childhood friend who was middle-aged when we were 10!

    Age is a marker – a mile stone on the road that traces our journey. Unless we are held back by physical circumstances there is no reason to let it stop us going ahead.
    And what keeps the mind young? Thinking, mulling over an idea, a painting, a piece of music, someone/thing we consider to be ‘beautiful’

    OK I’m coming out here…..I’m mulling over Paul’s beautiful mind! (I heard you Fee !)

    I’m thinking about how he manages to drop a phrase in my lap and leave me toying with it and turning over until I can make sense of it.

    Or not….

    Oh and I’m rereading ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’…………and waiting for Chrystallia.

    Take you time Paul; take time and use it as you wish. Better late than never

  • By sknash, March 3, 2010 @ 4:27 pm

    Hilly,
    Your post made me smile and laugh, remembering the days back when. I just hit 54, might proud of it. The way I look at it, age is a year. Any day on this side of the dirt is a good day. You are dead on when you said age is a state of mind. I live that, breath that. I keep getting asked, when am I going to grow up. My response, never. I have what I like to call the Peter Pan syndrome; Paul, having played Hook in Panto, I know you understand that. I am never growing up, never getting old. 99% of the time, it works. The 1% well, those days I feel 110. My life is full of milestones. I love looking back, I cherish looking forward. Thanks for the kind words on writing. This is my third chance at this and I am determined to finish it. And there is nothing like holding a book in your hands. I just don’t do e-books. Give me a good hardback, LARGE PRINT, for these tired eyes anyday. Writing takes me to places I can only dream about and lets me escape. I know the editing can be an even longer process and even after it is printed, I imagine I will go thru it over and over, just trying to imagine it another way. Good to know I am in great company. Interesting to see who finishes theirs first, Paul or me! :-) Susan

  • By Nadine, March 3, 2010 @ 4:29 pm

    Vous avez raison d’etre bien pour votre prochain Anniversaire , de vous à moi Paul vous ne faites pas du tout votre age , vous etes toujours aussi charmant ! j’ai 10 ans de moins que vous j’accepte mon age moi aussi de toute façon nous en sommes contraint , mais ce que je n’accepte ce sont ces ” rides ” qui marquent mon
    visage ! La chirurgie esthetique pas question je n’ose meme pas y penser ! cote vestimentaire je suis plutot sport sutout des jeans ! pas féminine du tout !

    Voud etes un etre ” Merveilleux ” rien ne me surprend de votre part , que vous repondiez ou non sur ce bog nous savons toutes que vous avez votre travail et tres peu de temps a vous !

    J’aimerai dire comme les filles que j’attend impatiemment votre livre , comme vous le savez je ne connais pas l’anglais ! pas de version Française je suppose ? je suis deçue ! et ” triste ” .

    Je ne sais pas si vous pourrez lire ce message en Français Paul , Si Hilly le lit je lui demande de vous le traduire suivant son emploi du temps ! Merci !

    Merci encore Paul pour tout ce que vous nous apportez !
    Amitié .
    Nadine

  • By Terri, March 3, 2010 @ 6:08 pm

    Hello Paul, Again you’ve given us a lot to think about. I guess I’ll sound like so many others but I am so happy for you that your looking forward to this birthday! So many times a birthday can make us sad, other than the fact that we’re still here. I never look forward to a birthday but the two or three months before mine is the season I love the most and I wish time would slow so I could enjoy that time even more. Your words on contemplation are interesting but I agree with Fee. They are more like daydreaming for me. I love the time I get to think to dream. Evenings can get noisy sometimes caotic here. That’s different from my nature. I look forward again for the next quiet time. I found some of my happiest ‘daydreams’ where of something I played over and over in my mind and it actually happened or I was able to make it happen. Not often, but a few times in my life and the memories are wonderful. It’s something I’m grateful happened. Times right now are a little trying and it’s so nice to read your blog and have your words take me back to a happy thought, memory. I think we all need that once in a while. I always look forward to your written thoughts.I feel it’s a creative process for you and it doesn’t matter how soon (or not) the next writing appears I only hope it does. Thank you for you. Love and Happiness, Terri

  • By noia29, March 3, 2010 @ 10:36 pm

    It isn’t that Mr. Glaser’s comments are too complex. I just cannot ever manage to piece them together. Oh, they are interesting. It seems as if PMG were actually speaking to you in an environment where questions could be asked and answered he would make more…sense. Or be understood. But when it’s written down as it is, it is like a 1000-piece puzzle when you first upturn the box. In your mind, you know a picture can emerge and probably will emerge once the components are assembled. Until then? It is confusion.

    First of all, I don’t understand how a person can picture the point where sound becomes matter because sound doesn’t become matter. It is kinetic energy. Vibration; sensation; reverberation; waves. The other way around I can see. I can picture the point at which matter becomes sound. I can picture that point when a drumstick strikes a snare or the bow of a violin caresses the tautened strings. I can even picture the energy wafting up from those solid objects as pure energy then expands into waves or pulses. Those pulses striking the eardrum to become vibrations. And those vibrations teasing the brain with remembered images, sensations, emotions, and so on that transport my thoughts into a kailedescope of light and color, even depth, that transcend matter. And I wonder if that is what he meant.

    If he did, then the preceding part makes a little more sense. I have always believed that sound, language, was the lowest form of communication. It’s like most “science.” Man takes the wonderful, unexplained marvels of the world and tries to explain them. Of course he never does. Instead, labels are slapped across the mysterious. Rules are made that are not rules at all. They are educated guesses. We base them on the tiny grains of understanding we have at the time and tell ourselves we have discovered something new when all we’ve done is fool ourselves that we know more than we do. Or have made the infinite finite. All the while we all know on somke level our “knowledge” will become as obsolete as the concept of the earth being flat or emotions coming from the liver. So getting back to sound. Maybe there’s truth to the story of the Tower of Babel. Maybe the tower was really knowledge or thinking we knew more than we did. Only piling up enough “facts” to do damage instead of actually striving to maintain our awe in the mystery of everything we see and hear but can’t explain.

    I believe we all start out communicating with a different kind of energy. Call it e.s.p. Or clairvoyance but why try to name it. Animals communicate in that way. And babies. Before we teach them auditory communication. If you ever watch to infants or toddlers together, they communicate in a way we dismiss as primitive but I think might actually be more advanced. The way identical twins do. Tapping in to some deeper universal energy or constant. Then we human beings, thinking we are teaching them to master some greater principle, force them to condense or contain a medium that incorporates energy, vibration, a variety senses, and a wealth of other “stuff” that exists even though we have no idea how to pick it all out and name it into reliance on the simplistic grunts and groans that we have laboriously taught ourselves. That leave us feeling like we are more advanced when really we have thrown out most of what was intended to settle for the things we can label. I can piece together a few of PMG’s comments about language and what it evokes based on that. But I have no idea if that’s where he’s coming from or my own misinterpretation. And if it is where he’s coming from where is he going with it? His ideas seem to veer off into each other before he finishes them. So I’m always lost. Even after I read over them several times. It never seems like I can’t figure out the concepts. It just seems like major pieces are missing. And I feel that if I could ask for those pieces and have them given to me the puzzle would take shape somehow. Until then it isn’t a matter of agreeing or disagreeing. I just don’t know what to make of what I have. Not without the parts I don’t have.

    As I said before, I come away very, very confused.

    Noia

  • By noia29, March 4, 2010 @ 12:59 am

    I suppose in my way of thinking true learning and discovery start from the point of recognizing, admitting to yourself and others that the sum total of man’s knowledge from the beginning of his existence to the end of his days will only represent a raindrop of understanding in and endless sea of wisdom. So learning has nothing to do with fixating yourself on the teacher. The teacher contributes but expects others to take that contribution and explore it until you have taken it far further than he ever could. Why? Because you combine his dicoveries with yours to create something even more fascinating and complex. Then you pass on your contribution to that next person and even back to the teacher so that more is added and so on. It all starts with awe for all that you don’t know or can’t conceive. You admit that for every one thing you know (or can put a name on at this moment) there are billions of things you don’t know. And being engaged by that. Not inimidated. Step one then is admitting when you don’t understand a point. Next is having the courage to question. The next part is the one that seems to get lost, here on this blog and in real life. Listening. Listening to hear, not so that you can say something to impress or find a lead-in to jump in with something totally off-topic that you just wanted to get in there. You listen to take in. To expand. Grow. You should want to move ahead to the next question and the next every time you get a new piece of the puzzle that you didn’t have before an put it in place. The puzzle won’t ever be finished. The universe is too magnificent. Human beings get too distracted by labeling what we think we know and worshipping it to explore those doors to the universe in our mind. Oh, I think we have the capacity. Even “scientists” know we carry the universe (or a key to it) in our “brains” but don’t know how to use that key. Maybe someday we will. But not without asking questions and listening for real answers instead of telling others what to think or believe in a misguided belief that you know more than you do. And that is what frustrates me about this blog. People talk about “shared thoughts” but only seem to want to share their own. For attention. Or a sense of power, like PMG said in the previous blog. So the ones who seem to really be questioning and trying to listen get shouted down by the ones who just want to be heard. Or prove they have some deeper perceptivity in processing what PMG has stated than the rest of us when all-too-often what is subsquently offered by others as explanation only seem to prove a degree of confusion greater than that divulged by the one who acknowledges bewilderment or asks for PMG’s clarification. I’ve seen that over and over again. That’s why I usually keep my thoughts and questions to myself. And I think other people probably log on and do the same. And it seems like a waste of a really good opportunity. When the people who don’t have anything on topic to say just say anything so they can be heard. Instead of listening. And contemplating, the way PMG says. There’s a rush to compliment him or prove this person knows more than that one. Well, I have an IQ in the 180′s…and I still recognize that I don’t really know anything. That number represents a man-made “rating” on a man-made test that’s compared to a man-made scale based on the scant “knowledge” we delude ourselves we know. It has nothing to do with wisdom or understanding. Or common sense. (No matter how “smart” you are, there will always be someone who is “smarter,” and someone smarter still…and so on and so on and so on. Really, all any “intelligent quotient” should mean is that the higher it is the greater the recognition that you forever salivate to know what the other person has learned so that it, too, can be added to your own miniscule pool. So much to learn! So much to consider. So much to absorb before we pass away from this world. (That is what I originally assumed the objective of this blog to be, at least on PMG’s part: for one man to express his own “curiosity” as a means of encouraging others to do likewise.) Each person doesn’t have to prove a greater degree of intelligence than the next to impart some new piece of wisdom…but they (meaning everyone taking part in the discussion) do have to be willing to listen and honestly share. Give others a chance to speak rather than shutting up those who offer different perspectives. To be confused is not to need someone to step in and tell you how they assume you should think or approach a situation. To be confused is to admit that you still have questions that weren’t answered sufficiently for you to get a clear enough picture for contemplation to begin. And, in my personal estimation, the potential to “share” that degree of learning is lost when the focus shifts from an unadulterated desire to “share” to a constant bid for attention from the teacher, from others.

    Because I have so often witnessed, quite astonished, the confrontational position exhibited by the regular “fellow bloggers” towards anyone new, anyone with opinions at variance with the accepted, it is my pracice to read but not to speak. Even so, it’s lamentable to think of all the questions out there not being asked (for that reason). Not to mention all the opportunities PMG isn’t afforded to expand upon what he originally writes in each entry. I come away wondering just how much more he (and others) could contribute if only given the chance.

    Noia

  • By jools, March 4, 2010 @ 3:12 am

    Bearing in mind recent responses, perhaps I should apologise that I’m not adding my thoughts to the essential premise of this particular post; I’d need to give it far more consideration, and I’m already allowing myself to be diverted from my main task today. Which is – writing – and its various processes!

    I’m at the editing stage with my novel which I’m finding much more difficult and time consuming than when I first wrote it. As Paul says ‘the further along in this process I get, the further there is to go’. I equate it to chasing after someone with more stamina, who always runs that bit faster than I do.

    After going through a fallow patch in the winter – not so much writer’s block as a temporary (I hope) narrowing of the arteries – I’m currently going through notes from my writing class tutor, some of which are proving extremely challenging. But I am determined to persevere.

    Even though it would be an achievement to get it out there and to know that other people would read and hopefully enjoy my endeavours, I don’t want to lose sight of the fact that the writing is the thing. But I like cake, and I like icing, so whether or not the book sees the light of day in print or as an e-book, I can only do the best I can.

    An afterthought: Anyone who knows me, knows I love books in their current form and wouldn’t ever want them to be done away with, but I’ve looked at the Kindle thingy (see I know all the technical jargon) on Amazon, and my feelings are that it’s a reasonable alternative for novels/text books etc; particularly knowing that you can increase the size of the font! Also if it’s a way of getting people to read, then why not?

    So to all those writers out there, at whatever level and process, good luck and keep at it. It’s worth everything you go through.

    Now, where was I…

  • By hilly, March 4, 2010 @ 9:26 am

    Noia –
    I like the way you think about sound and communication. You made points that really rang bells with me (and I worked for some years with children with severe communication problems)
    You will find my e-mail through the forum page on this website – I’d love to discuss it with you privately if you have the time.

    Don’t be discouraged by the responses you see here. You are intelligent enough to know that we all see things in a different way. A high IQ is great (but I know to my cost how it can be a ‘handicap’ as well sometimes!)

    you said:
    People talk about “shared thoughts” but only seem to want to share their own. For attention. Or a sense of power, like PMG said in the previous blog. So the ones who seem to really be questioning and trying to listen get shouted down by the ones who just want to be heard.

    I think you are being very harsh on some of the contributors here. People try out their thoughts as a result of what they have taken
    from Paul’s…some express themselves better than others – some stray more than others
    (shaggy cat just walked past again). I haven’t seen anyone ‘shouted down’…learning to discuss means agreeing and disagreeing after all. All contributors are equal – at least I hope we are.

    TBH I think you have attributed something to Paul that he didn’t say (or as far as I can tell imply): “For attention. Or a sense of power, like PMG said in the previous blog. ” He generalised about why we communicate and discuss – I don’t think he was implying that anyone is posting here for power or attention.
    BUT, without the back up of visual clues who can be sure of what is behind out posts.
    Maybe I got his words wrong.

  • By Rachelle, March 4, 2010 @ 9:28 am

    Pam – Good point on the e-books and Kindle. I hope hard copy books remain in circulation for a long time to come! When I buy books as gifts they are always my first choice – my family have all the Harry Potter books and I was one of those parents who lined up for them on opening day.*g*…… Looking forward to “Chrystallia”!

  • By hilly, March 4, 2010 @ 9:37 am

    I am amazed that no matter how many times you work on editing a novel, you always seem to find those small errors you missed in your previous nth edit of the nth draft, lol! As Paul says: “Your eyes play tricks on you.

    that is the bane of all writers and editors Pam!
    the problem is that until someone else proof reads for you there will always be ‘the one that got away’. this is because ‘Your eyes play tricks on you’…in league with your brain!
    We know what we wrote…we know our text and so our eyes expect to see the correct words and spelling….and our brain is even quicker. It is like those irritating ‘tools’ (are they kidding or what?!) that are built into software like Word (until you remember to disable them) You type the first two letters of a word and Word thinks it knows what you want to say; if you don’t check back disaster can strike!
    So you write your paragraph…you read it…you see the words you wanted…you look again; yup, still there…by read through number 3 your eye to brain communication is conditioned. It expects to see ‘the quick brown fox…etc’ and so even if you typed ‘the quick brown fog….’ your inner brain (your mind’s eye?) is going to see ‘the quick brown fox…
    that’s why we all need a second pair of eyes to edit (or to use internet-speak ‘beta read’) our writing.

  • By hilly, March 4, 2010 @ 1:47 pm

    “Everything is a part of me and I am a part of everything”
    “I like the act of contemplation, where you can allow yourself to let go of the where and when of it all and just sit with a thought and the endless brood of thoughts that come with it.”
    “Find the place where that thought becomes matter.”
    “…when you contemplate that place where thought becomes matter…you ARE in that place, you ARE that place.”

    Strung together like that it sounds like poetry!

    Most of the time we have to resort to words to convey our thoughts to others (unless we have the talent to paint or draw or write music).
    Our thoughts take on a ‘concrete’ being when we find a means of expressing them….but they still exist, in our minds and consciousness even if no-one else can see or hear or feel them.

    Thoughts become matter. The abstract quality of thought and words and communicating, and how we need to create a way of ‘grasping’ them…by speech or writing. Grasping – getting a hold of – getting a hold on – controlling….

    If we can touch something, we know it is there.
    If we can see something, we know it is there.
    If we hear something, we know it is there.
    But we can not see out thoughts – but we know they are there.
    We can not hear our neurones clicking and snapping across the synapses and making our bodies and function – but we know they do.
    We can’t hear or feel our brains working (although a scan or an MRI can see it working) – but we know it is doing all it has to for us to breath and move and speak and think – and gosh oh golly all at the same time!
    We can not see our consciousness; we can not see our souls. Does this mean they don’t exist?
    I can’t see it so should I believe in it?

    Language? Thought? The unspoken communication of a look, a touch?
    ‘If a picture paints a thousand words”….
    We can touch a word if it is written on the paper we are holding. We can touch a word if we are typing on the keyboard. We can touch a word if we are holding a pen or pencil. And what is more….words can touch us. They touch our hearts and minds.
    A comforting word to a friend who is unhappy or sick.
    “That was touching, thank you”

    And yet those words are still abstract; they are the random result of some earlier human’s decision to string certain sounds together to represent “you” “me” “eat” “love”
    Why did some groups use one set of sounds and another choose an entirely different set to mean the same thing? “Amour/love/liebe”
    How is it that we understand that a random group of sounds means “love” if we see it in the eyes of the person who says it – even if we don’t understand the language s/he is speaking.

    A baby takes a cue from the tone of voice until it has sifted through the sound system it came pre-programmed with to filter out all but the sounds it hears around it and learns to use them.

    We can’t get those cues when we read a blog or a letter. If we know the person, if we have heard him/her speak, we can have an idea of what the words sound like.
    But for those who don’t it is a different matter.
    If we have an insight into the person’s sense of humour we detect a pun or a joking reference, (either Paul’s aside about the Nile in an earlier blog made you smile – or you didn’t get it).

    And words can become dangerous weapons…the pen is mightier than the sword. It isn’t guns and bombs that make wars – but propaganda…the spoken word, often filled with hatred.

    “If you prick us, do we not bleed? if you tickle us, do we not laugh? if you poison us, do we not die? and if you wrong us, shall we not revenge? If we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that” (Merchant of Venice)

    “Because one word can be said so, so many ways? You may not know what you are hearing subconsciously.”

    I may be repeating myself but try this:
    Repeat the phrase aloud, over and over – emphasis on the first word the first time; then on the second etc. etc. See what happens.

    I really like walking by the sea.

    Fun wasn’t it?
    You changed the meaning every time. But what did I mean when I typed it?
    Was I being nostalgic? Were you?

    If I can cut my mind off from all distractions and just concentrate on my being – does everything else in the world stop? Of course not.
    But I can put it out of my mind. Out of sight out of mind…out of sight, man, I’m out of my mind!

    We can try to detach ourselves…our consciousness from our body. Rise above ourselves and seek a level of psychological peace…peace of mind.
    And if our collective peace of mind could be brought to influence those around us?

    Our thoughts can become actions….matter. They matter.

    “Cogito, ergo, sum”….”I think, therefore I am”
    …Descartes had something there!

  • By hilly, March 4, 2010 @ 1:48 pm

    darn HTML messed up the copy paste – sorry about all the italics!

  • By Nee, March 4, 2010 @ 2:02 pm

    Paul,

    Your timing was perfect. After a particularly tough day at work, I really needed that laugh. Of course, I had to skip over the part about sounds.j/k ;D

    Thanks!
    Renee

  • By Christine, March 4, 2010 @ 2:21 pm

    Hi Pam, You really can’t beat a cup of tea with a good book! Can’t wait to read Paul’s books.
    You did a great job on his birthday card by the way.
    Best Wishes,
    Christine.

  • By Christine, March 4, 2010 @ 3:13 pm

    Hi Paul,
    Its lovely to read your thoughts again. I must admit that it has taken me several re-reads for it to sink in;(its been a long week lol).
    Languages, theres an interesting one. I don’t speak anything other than English, although many would laugh and say that ‘Geordie’ is hardly correct English!.
    Having said that, no matter what language you speak it is the ‘tone’ of voice that shows anger, joy, pain, and heartache. We don’t need to understand the actual words as the emotions in those words are clear.
    Even a look can say more than a word can; like when you are a child and your parents would give you that ‘don’t even think about it’ look!.
    Or sometimes you walk into a friends house and nothing is said you just ‘feel’ the atmosphere and automatically know that they have been arguing!
    Is contemplation the same as day dreaming? I’m not too sure on this one I know to contemplate is to think deeply about something so maybe they interlink.
    Don’t we all do this? Some maybe more than other’s but isn’t this when we allow ourselves to ask what if?
    Day dreaming about winning the lottery and going to California that’s a favourite of mine!
    Intuition there are definitely times in one’s life when you just ‘feel’ something is right/wrong. Theres no proof as such, nothing that you can put your finger on but you know you are right. Our senses don’t often let us down. Unfortunately people do, but I personally tend to go with intuition.
    Thank you Paul for spending the time to blog us. You are appreciated very much. Really looking forward to your books :)
    With love as always, Christine xx

  • By moncanzuba, March 4, 2010 @ 6:05 pm

    Dear Mr. Glaser,

    Regarding to how long it might take you to get your book finished, for me, you can take as long as you like because I am not planning to go anywhere either ;-) . Here in Argentina we have a saying: “Good things happen to those who know to wait” and I KNOW that you book is worth the waiting.

    On the other hand, when you say: “when you contemplate that place where thought becomes matter…you ARE in that place, you ARE the place” it reminded me the dialogue between Morgan Freeman & Jim Carry at “Mighty Lord”: “Next time you want a miracle, BE THE MIRACLE”.

    I hope you have a great, happy and peaceful birthday sourrounded by your beloved ones.

    Always a pleasure sharing and learning here.

    Monica (from Argentina)

  • By lady800cc, March 4, 2010 @ 9:57 pm

    Hi PMG and Blog Fam ;-)

    Does knowledge of a thought process, or a state of mind invoke change in the process or state? I think yes. This is why I like this blog; I am growing from it!

    “.. the mind does not really like similarity, especially similarity with seniority ..” Sorry to take this fragment in the way that I did because it changes the context a bit… but alas still retains its relevancy. In Tang Soo Do class this evening, it was unusually packed. I think because of the previous cancellations from the snow storms. Various levels were represented in the room. At one point we were grouped together to work on forms and one steps. I continued to notice my mind drifting to comparing myself to those in my group and even in other groups; I focused on the differences in execution, and the negatives thereof, instead of the similarities in execution and what I should adopted. I did notice this and tried to re-focus. I think your revelation (for me) PMG, should help to elevate my thoughts of differences vs. similarities next class in addition to the next hour.

    Lady800cc
    **Yeah I ride

  • By xtexan86, March 4, 2010 @ 10:21 pm

    Well, I hope I can express an opinion here without sounding too brash or disrepectful, but it appears that I may be part of a tiny, silent minority that agrees and sympathizes with noia29′s post.

    Having sat in more college and graduate school classrooms than I would really care to remember, I’ve usually found it pretty easy to spot a good teacher. They’re the ones who ‘teach’, not just read from a book.

    Maybe this is just my style of learning, but I don’t do very well with abstract thought or principles. Instead of trying to figure out something that may or may not have been scientifically proven, ie, sound turning into matter, I’m more inclined to learn when instructed in clear, everyday language.

    Here’s an example. Math starts with 1+1=2, and proceeds on to theorems and proofs that even Einstein would have a hard time understanding. Now, If a student is exposed to, let’s say, calculus before learning basic algebra, chances are they might learn a few simple concepts but certainly they will never learn the more complex equations.

    PMG, I’ve already said before that you have my deepest respect, but as noia26 pointed out, sometimes the info that is given is pretty convoluted. Without the opportunity to ask for clarification, we readers are left with what we have. And s(he) is right, I believe that much opportunity to learn is lost as a result.

    Back in an earlier post, someone mentioned how glad they were that this blog wasn’t a typical ‘celebrity’ kind of show and tell…’I like sunsets, puppies and walks on the beach.’ I’m not suggesting it should turn into that, but, in all honesty, I learned more about noia and what she wanted to convey simply because she kept her message, well, simple.

    And while I have no doubt your upcoming book will be well received, I wonder if it’s message will be equally abstractly conveyed (my words)and understandable to just a certain segment of readers. Maybe not, because certainly, at least, Pam thinks very highly of it.

    So, that’s it, just a solitary opinion. Certainly not meant to be ungrateful for the effort that you (PMG) do make to share your thoughts with those of us who would like to learn, as I am very appreciative for this rare opportunity, although, by nature, it does tend to be unidirectional.

    Noia, thanks again for expressing your concerns.

    xt

  • By noia29, March 4, 2010 @ 10:48 pm

    And I thank you, xt. One would assume that the only response to an honest effort…would be the effort to proffer an honest response…?

  • By Terri, March 5, 2010 @ 5:48 am

    Hi Christine, Maybe the act of contemplation and day dreaming can be both separate and interlinked. I too for years dreamed of a California trip. And since it was very hard for me to travel, my obligations, situation, finances etc. it was my favorite day dream. After a while I felt so many people travel and take it for granted I began to seriously ‘contemplate’ my situation and why it can’t be changed. It might not be contemplation in the true sense but seemed to be to me since it went from a happy ‘dream’ to why does my situation have to stay the same? Does contemplation sometime lead to change, acceptence? I like your idea that tht two may sometimes interlink. Or one lead to the other. Terri

  • By Sammy, March 5, 2010 @ 6:39 am

    Quoting Michael : “ The complexity of language is a mirror to the complexity of our emotions. It’s also the way in which we try to learn to listen to what we mean when we say what we say”

    Isn’t this the reason we use the phrase “I mean… what I am saying is…” and try to explain again and again what we just said in other words… because the words we used didn’t exactly ‘sound’ the way you wanted them to. Because although the other person didn’t say anything his/her facial expressions just ‘told’ you that they didn’t get what you meant?
    In my profession (I am a Research Scientist) I get to work with many International students. The challenges I face day to day is immense not just because the difference in languages but because of the difference in cultures. Surprisingly most of the time the ‘tone’ of a person, no matter what language they speak in, sounds the same when they talk about similar things. As an example one student, who was from India, was waiting to go for lunch with a friend, and this friend was late. After sometime the phone rang and this student talked to this other person in Hindi. Although I didn’t understand a word of Hindi by the ‘tone’ she was addressing her I knew she was asking her “where the hell have you been?” Sometimes you read into people’s ‘sounds’ and not their words. Then sometimes the ‘tone’ itself becomes misleading. One of the students was again on the phone and his tone told me and the others around that he was shouting or arguing or ‘fighting’. … but then he told us that he was having a very good and friendly conversation with one of his best friends. He was very confused when we told him that we thought he was ‘fighting’. He must have thought we are really weird people to think that he was ‘fighting’ when he was really having so much of ‘fun’!

    I was reading Noia’s comments. It is very true when you say that “it is like a 1000-piece puzzle”. I have felt like that many times and all what I do is read and re-read to make sense out of what has been written. Sometimes I understand and sometimes I don’t or maybe even what I have understood is not what Michael really meant. I understand that Michael cannot comment or answer each and every question others have… Time is not that easy to find… However… :-) I wish he could reconsider his decision and just explain or answer some of the questions that arise directly from his comments, maybe just once in the middle of the blogs…I know it’s a lot to ask … (sigh!)

    And.. Noia.. Did Michael say that “sound becomes matter?” I may have misunderstood but I see that he says “Thought becomes matter”. Maybe it is the same (as a ‘thought’ is converted to a sound and vice versa). What I understood is that all our reactions arise from a thought and in that sense simply speaking thought is what becomes ‘matter’. A thought is converted to a ‘picture’ which is physically touchable. A thought is converted to a ‘song’, which one can hear. A thought turns into a ‘tasty dish’. A thought creates ‘war’ and also ‘peace’. A thought is the root for all ones actions and then the thought becomes you. Is that what Michel meant… I don’t know but that is what comes into my mind.

    Rachelle… Wish you a Happy Birthday when you celebrate your 40th. I celebrated my 41st birthday this year and to tell the truth.. the 40’s are wayyyyyy better than the 30’s… :-)

  • By hilly, March 5, 2010 @ 9:33 am

    noia, xt,

    I can see what you mean about wanting explanations when Paul’s thoughts get convoluted…although the more convoluted the more I want to sit and mull them over!

    I’m the opposite of you xt – I prefer the abstract over the 1+1=2 approach…maybe because if I see two ones my mind says “eleven”.
    and four consecutive figures must surely be a date.

    In amongst the clutter of useless (or not so useless) information I have gathered in the trashcan compartment of my brain I found this. In many languages in the chinese linguistic family tone and intonation are crucial. There is one word (can’t remember that detail)that if said one was is a fairly harmless remark; but get the intonation wrong and you insult someone’s mother in the worst possible way!

    The Eskimos has several hundred words for snow…language can be so complicated and yet so simple.
    And every word has it’s weight

    Noia, you’re right – honesty is the best policy (unless it gets you into trouble)

  • By hilly, March 5, 2010 @ 9:34 am

    Sammy….I stopped really counting after 50…going by my maternal line I’m not even halfway through my life expectancy (I’m 54)….help!

  • By xtexan86, March 5, 2010 @ 3:02 pm

    Ahh,

    Thanks Sammy, for that explanation of how thought can become matter. If I could be able to think and contemplate things like yourself, I’d certainly be a happier learner.

    And Hilly, well, you go girl! Not having a very abstract way of thinking, is probably why I never really succeeded at math, although I love the problem-solving aspect of it.

    Lastly, truthfully, I don’t look forward to birthdays. To me, they’re just reminders of one less year I have left to try and learn/accomplish/experience everything out there that I want to do.

    Peace. xt

  • By noia29, March 5, 2010 @ 6:10 pm

    Again these responses have piqued my curiosity. I read many different responses each selection a single component of the lesson. Each segment alludes to a rivetting concept in itself. My bewilderment stems from understanding how those components coalesce. When do all the related by completely separate sections fuse into a unfied lesson or idea? This is what I would like the rest of you to explain to me. PMG presented a central topic in prompting us to consider how living things communicate. From the exchange of vibrations sounds are created. Here language is formed. The introduction of sound becoming language leads into the exploration of the complexity of sound. Different languages in contrast to the familiarity of the sounds inherent in your own dialect. The impact of the interpretation of the sounds created by language summon different responses. Conscious versus unconscious which becomes what you hear in contrast to what you do not hear, and how individual senses define those subtleties. The act of defining translates into the formation of ideas. And each idea is an electrical pulse. The brain’s way of qualifying, evaluating, that idea’s existence, all existence equaling thought versus consciousness. Having a thought, we are then told, is a manifestation of energy. And anything imaginable, any idea that you might conceive, can indeed exist on some dimension within the limitless scope of the universe. This means we are all a part of everything. Everything is a part of each of us. Yet rather than focus upon this, the predilection is to spend our energy ascertaining or isolating our differences. This introduces the comparison of differences and similarities, and the human mind equating the isolation, evaluation, and the identification of differences as a form of control. Similarities, on the other hand, are usually interpreted as a perceived likeness between individuals, which is presented as equally unfavorable because the pursuit of this notion of interchangeability is itself a catalyst for seeking to change or own that other person identified as somhow like you. Also control. But consciousness is the ability to watch the self exist, which defines the capacity for the intricasies of human experience. Through this medium, consciousness, we become aware that we are all but parts of the whole. Likewise, the intricasies of the universe are a part of us…an idea we are urged to contemplate. We’re to contemplate thought and our oneness within the scope of existence. But the original topic or idea was the formation of the sounds that create language, the significance being the conscious versus the unconscious which seeks to define what we hear as opposed to what we don’t hear, which becomes the formulation of ideas. Thoughts.

    Since new topics are introduced before the preceding idea is fully formed, I can’t even begin to piece together correlations. Terms like “energy” are used to describe multiple entities. Sound. Ideas. Thoughts. Existence. So, I’m not sure if I’m supposed to contemplate where sound becomes matter, where thought becomes matter, or where energy becomes matter. Or how the word matter is defined.

    And so I am very, very confused.

    There is a definite progression from the main idea to the conclusion. Each segment of the discussion formulates an independent idea. Each separate concept is easy enough to explore or understand. But how do they all fit together? And what is the lesson or new concept being shared when all of the loosely related elements are linked as a single composition?

    I

    Am

    Lost.

    Others are able to coax all these partially presented pieces into a whole. No matter how often I reread the entry though I come away with several disconnected concepts with no clue as to how they are meant to relate to one another.

    Maybe those of you who are able to follow the general progression and tie all the different ends together could explain just how you did. And what it all means.

    Since I am still very, very confused.

    Noia

  • By hilly, March 6, 2010 @ 4:44 am

    noia….maybe you shouldn’t try to make them relate to each other?
    I can see how it is confusing that topics come onto the blog at random – but we are all over the world and in different time zones (and our thoughts are ‘all over the place’ in our heads)

    you can reach me by going to the ‘fanforum’ page on this website and clicking on the message I left for softly a while ago.

    (that goes for anyone else BTW)

    Maybe we can unravel things together. Or tie ourselves into even greater knots!

  • By Christine, March 6, 2010 @ 6:41 am

    Hi Terri,
    I know what you mean, people travel all over the world now, I guess its taken for granted if you are able to do it without having to consider other things as in health, finances etc. I contemplated on contemplating; and think it can mean a whole range of things from life decisions to basically anything you try and figure out! I do still think that day dreaming comes into it so where lol.
    I kind of get the feeling I am tying myself in knots here (Hilly you are so right!) so I’ll go and try to figure it out.
    Best wishes, Christine.

  • By hilly, March 6, 2010 @ 8:59 am

    There’s a saying ‘I can’t see the wood for the trees’…maybe instead of looking at all those individual trees and trying to identify them (is that a larch?) enjoy the fact that the forest has so many different paths around the trees; so many trees to climb. choose the mighty oak or the tender willow and contemplate it. Eventually the wood becomes one…and the trees no longer obscure it.

    Try this. A blog is made of ‘threads’…think of a wool weaving of many colours; each colour is a thread…and each thread has a number of strands.
    If you start by choosing a colour and following it as you unravel the theme it represents; then you start to pick at the thread and unravel the strands. One colour at a time. Pick the one you like…it’s blue or pink; it’s happy or sad, it’s easy to ‘unpick’ or it’s a knotty problem.
    When you have followed one strand maybe…just maybe others will fall into place. they don’t have to. The weaving may be a picture or an abstract…let your mind choose.

    Or try this. think of Paul’s blog as a symphony. (Beethoven’s 5th is a good one to choose) You can listen to the great swelling up of the orchestra and you hear the whole piece. but if you let your ears concentrate – on a theme, a tune, that runs through it, you find that you ‘understand’ it better. Listen to how the composer plays with those famous first notes…they reappear, the rhythm changes…they sound ‘upbeat’ they sound menacing …but they guide you through the symphony.
    If you concentrate on the strand you are interested in you may find it easier to see the whole.

  • By noia29, March 6, 2010 @ 9:33 am

    In other words just read it and call it golden because the writer is a celebrity?

    Isn’t that rather insulting? Condescending to PMG, like the pat on the head you give a child? If you are only going to read what somebody is written to pick out the parts you like or identify with, do you really care what the person is saying in the first place? What’s the point then? And why pretend it’s a pupil-to-pedagogue exchange if you aren’t really interested in genuine understanding or adding to your established font of cognition?

    Again I seem to be in the minority. Seems patronizing, almost derisive, to me.

    Poor, poor man.

  • By Christine, March 6, 2010 @ 12:34 pm

    Hi Hilly,
    Personally, I like the way you tried to ‘explain’ (for want of a better word) Paul’s blog. We will all read and take away from it different things as we are individuals and none of us ‘think’ in exactly the same way; no matter how we try lol.

    The comment from noia29 Sorry to jump in here, but I think that most of the people on here as I have said before, have the greatest respect and admiration for Paul.
    I think we all try to understand what he writes,even re-reading it to get a better understanding. I think to throw the line about it being golden because he is a celebrity is harsh on the people who are genuinely interested in what he has to say.
    Paul gives his time to do this, we appreciate him, its a two way thing, so why end your comment by saying poor man? I’m sure Paul is very intelligent and would spot who and if he was being patronized.
    Christine.

  • By hilly, March 6, 2010 @ 12:36 pm

    “In other words just read it and call it golden because the writer is a celebrity?”

    if that was a comment on what I posted before your remark I think it’s time to put you straight. that is not what I said, nor what I mean nor what I think.

    You came here and started throwing these little barbs around and saying:’I don’t get it’…you got responses, even people taking up your points and agreeing with them and all you do is make remarks like that.

    Nobody has pretended “it’s a pupil-to-pedagogue exchange” neither is anyone “[not] really interested in genuine understanding or adding to your established font of cognition?”
    (the word is ‘fount’ BTW but I make allowances for lousy typing or ESL).

    ‘Patronizing’ you say. ‘Derisive’ Understand that you are not the only one who
    comes here with a heavy intellectual baggage…and if anyone has been patronizing or derisive it was you.

    I apologise to Paul, to those who come here for genuine discussion and yes, Noia, even to you if I have flown off the handle here and got you wrong.

    But you are beginning to remind me of someone that I sincerely hope has not found her way to this blog!

  • By hilly, March 6, 2010 @ 12:49 pm

    Christine our posts coincided….thank you

  • By hilly, March 6, 2010 @ 12:51 pm

    but I wasn’t trying to explain Paul’s blog as much as trying to find a way to explain how I was taught to ‘analyse’ a text

  • By Christine, March 6, 2010 @ 1:05 pm

    Hi Hilly,
    My apologies analysing a text,… I will remember that for future reference. Is it me or has it just got hot in here? Wow I can always tell when I get wound up because my fingers try to type out furiously lol.
    Best wishes, Christine.

  • By Nadine, March 6, 2010 @ 1:28 pm

    Poor Noia!!!!!
    Pauvre Noia!!!!

  • By noia29, March 6, 2010 @ 3:16 pm

    Well I can sincerely say I’ve learned quite a lot today! I also feel confident that I at last understand. All too clearly.

  • By zephie, March 6, 2010 @ 6:50 pm

    I’ve been following this blog since January. I don’t know why I came onto it in the first place. Part of me says it was because I lost a cousin to AIDs back in the 90′s. When she died the death certificate listed her death as something odd. He brother just confessed recently that the doctor, a friend of the family, was afraid that if he mentioned AIDs at all the locals wouldn’t allow her to be buried in the samer cemetery as the rest of the family. I was so infuriated when I heard about all this that I started researching the disease. That’s when I stumbled on Paul Michael Glaser’s name. I have to admit that I could barely remember who he was. Starsky & Hutch is a bit before my time. I vaguely recalled watching the odd rerun with my mom. So when I read more about his story I think the thing that stood out most was here was this human being who tapped into some well (By the way. Because I thought it was just a petty and nasty comment to make, I looked up the words “font” and “fount” in the dictionary. “Font” is appropriate when the reference is a spiritual or baptismal one and is the only one of the two which specifies “” in my dictionary. So the attempt at being hurtful to another person in that instance was a poor one.) of strength and acceptance I did not think I possessed. So I took an interest, wanted to know what it was or from where it sprang. So I thought the best way to maybe discover the answers was by reading his own thoughts in his own words. Many times I got lost or confused, just like Noia and some others before her. Only, I was a coward. When other people admitted they didn’t understand things the reaction was immediate and I’ve never dealt with confrontation well. So I didn’t speak up, even when it seemed really unfair that only a few people get to say what is own their minds and treat the site almost like it is their own personal venue. Other people didn’t seem to have the right to speak. When xtexan offered her opinion that some of Paul Michael Glaser’s explanations struck her as convoluted, I was proud of her and ashamed of myself because I’d often thought the same thing. And I had talked myself into telling her that when the same familiar replies that I’d allowed to intimidate me before started rolling in. And I chickened out. But I found myself thinking exactly what Noia wrote. Poor, poor man. Above somebody asked why she would say that. First of all I can’t imagine trying to share your thoughts to people who still seem to need you to be someone or something you were decades before. It would be a hurtful, dehumanizing thing to me which often leaves me wondering if it is to him as well. Also I thought that because I have a small circle of lifelong friends who are quick to tell me when the points I’m wanting to make don’t quite come out the way I intend them to. Being painfully shy, their honesty has taught me to overcome so much of that shyness, ignore the booming of my heart in my ears (because I’m scared of being laughted at or ridiculed) and try again. So I appreciated the intentions of the people who actually admitted things didn’t make sense to them. Some of us tend to think faster than we can write. We jump onto another subject before we finish the first one and don’t realize we’ve done it until someone takes the time to say “back up, there!” And I did feel sorry for PMG at times when it seemed like other people should have cared enough to say that to him. But again I was too afraid to say so. Sometimes I would type up my response then find myself dreading the reactions so violently that I would get sick to my stomach and not post what I wrote. I know it’s silly. A grown woman being so timid. After all what can anybody here really do to me. Right?

    Well, they can make me and others feel small and insignificant. Like less of a person than they are. They can cause hurt and humiliation by acting as though they are somehow entitled to approve or disapprove of others they don’t know and have never met. People who don’t come to this blog to hear what they have to say but what PMG does. I was a coward before and am illogically scared now, but I think it really shameful for grown people to behave that way. And I wanted to say to Noia that I admire her. She thought something was wrong or not right or whatever and said so. Maybe if more people did that there would not be so much disharmony in the world. Because it’s not so much that she and the other ones like her speak for some silent minority (or maybe they do). It’s that they give those of us who let fear keep us from speaking up the courage to try to in spite of our fears. And they remind us, reminded me, that I have just as much a right to be here and think what I do as that small group who seem to dominate the page. Please. Stop making some of us feel like outsiders. It isn’t fair. And every time a Noia or an xtexan or a Michaela voice an opinion and are treated that way there is probably a cowering little Zephie who then gets too intimidated to say anything and misses out on whatever it is that he or she is hoping to find by coming here.

    Noia, I’m really sorry you were spoken to like that. You said what I thought and amybe if I had not been too scared to say so you at least wouldn’t have been standing under fire alone.

  • By zephie, March 6, 2010 @ 7:05 pm

    Something went wrong above. Before my text went blue, I wrote “a~of information” using the same symbols as the Merriam-Webster did. Apparently this sent a weird command to the site’s formatting program. But I did want that to be said since I still don’t know why it was necessary to be so mean about it in the first place.

  • By lady800cc, March 6, 2010 @ 8:56 pm

    To agree or disagree, to understand or not to understand, to identify with or not to identify with, to comment or not to comment… each is a choice. And I do not believe that weight and admiration can be disproportionately applied to any of those choices when they are made. It is just as unfair and inaccurate to accuse those that may agree with or identify with Paul’s writings, of only doing so because of his celebrity or their being infatuated with the same; as it is unfair and inaccurate to presume that those that do not agree with or do not identify with Paul’s writings, should not continue to venture onto this blog. Whatever we think about Paul’s writings, he has setup this medium for discussion; with the only request that we be respectful of the other sharers here; that we not resort to character assassinations because someone’s opinion of Paul’s message is not like our own.

    I believe this medium was setup in the spirit of love with a desire for connectedness… and through the noise… that is the music I hear.

    Peace ;-)

    Lady800cc
    **Yeah I ride!

  • By lady800cc, March 6, 2010 @ 9:03 pm

    Wow PamM, didn’t see your post till after I posted (and can’t believe it took me an hour to type what I did)… that was a loooong wave length we were on together (west coast – east coast) ;-)

  • By zephie, March 6, 2010 @ 9:15 pm

    When Noia asked about putting all the pieces together, I stayed “on” for hours waiting for a response. I wanted to know the same thing she did. Truth? I kind of thought the same thing she did. It did sound to me like she was being told to interpret things the way others wanted her to. And the first thing that popped into my mind was that bit in “Reactions” when PMG said something about people reacting to his celebrity. And I also thought that maybe if he brought it up himself before maybe it was his way of saying it was not a reaction he liked or was comfortable with. That’s the main reason I didn’t understand why the reply seemed so..mean. Is it wrong to point out that it might not be fair to someone to chop what they say in pieces, especially when you didn’t ask for someone to tell you how to think but help you understand what to think about something you don’t understand.

    Because I don’t understand.

    I don’t understand any of this.

  • By disappointed_miss, March 7, 2010 @ 12:29 am

    Zephie,
    Zephie,

    I haven’t returned to this site since frustration and just plain outrage got the better of me some time back. So many times I found myself wondering how many people there were out there who had really kicker observations to make or comments that would actually shed light on my darker incidences of confusion…but didn’t because so many of the attitudes (and I do mean “Attitudes”) appeared to be, “Back off! We’re here to recover days-gone-by, and if you can’t let us worship our memories of tight jeans and distressed leather, DROP DEAD!” (It’s funny that it wasn’t until after I’d come away with a really bad taste in my mouth for Mr.Glaser that I watched my first S&H episode on YouTube. I actually had no idea until then what all the furor was about.) All I knew was it sounded to me like the “in-crowd” was telling me I had no right to be here or verbalize my perceptions because I was too young and stupid to know what I was talking about. It was really, like you say, dehumanizing. Here is was, a page based supposedly on the theme “we are all love,” when love was the last thing I experienced from it! Sometimes I would come away literally shaking with indignation. “Who are these people!” I would shout at the screen, “and what gives them the right to speak for him and me and everybody else!”. Literally: I did. It was at that point that a friend of mine told me to lighten up because I didn’t matter to those people anyway. Nothing did except living vicariously through some other guy’s fame. I believe I even mentioned the comment at the time, and the business manager/liaison made a point of assuring me that I did, as did a few other contributors who are conspicuously absent after my self-imposed hiatus. Even so I didn’t feel like I mattered. It made no sense to me that I (like others) was being rejected, not to mention subjected to what felt and sounded to me like oh-so-subtle smackdowns. By the time I left people on my floor were calling this the Slam Blog, logging on to see who was going to get “smacked” next. Even now I hear the odd comments and jokes in passing from people who think of it as “better than a soap opera.” I think it’s sad, since I recommended the page in the beginning when I first found it on accident. At that point, I’d not read too many of the actual contributor replies yet; needless to say I felt really terrible when the site caught on as a running joke. I felt somehow responsible, on top of my incensed distaste for many of the reactions. Those weren’t positive sensations at all; yet because of them I can identify with things you’ve expressed. Weird, isn’t it, how the reactions of strangers can be so much more distressing than responses from people you know, or even associate with. Even with a “familiar” stranger you come away feeling as if you understand why you don’t mesh or rub each other the wrong way. With faceless correspondents there’s this added illusion of having been somehow violated because someone you don’t know has lashed out at or diminished you, and you have absolutely no clue why.

    What urged me to visit the site today is still a mystery to me. I actually hadn’t thought about it in a while, wanted to put the whole unpleasant experience out of my mind. Except for thinking about M804 now and then or cringing when I hear one of the people from my floor shout, “SLAM!” and then start laughing, I really don’t, or didn’t, think about it much. But now I’m glad I did. First of all I cheered Noia all the way through for having the gonads (my Dad would have a seizure if he heard me use that term, so just pretend I said “perspicacious obduracy”– LOL) to get in there and stay in there to let others know that she was a human being with the right to be heard, just as they are. Sure, she got “kicked off” the way some of the rest of us did in that none-too-subtle way; but it was validating to see someone us standing up to be counted. The other reason I’m glad is because I literally stood up and applauded when you made your stand. I’m not all that shy now, but when I was little just talking to people could make my palms sweat and my heart race. I’m just attempting to say I know how hard that must have been for you. Plus if I had known you were out there maybe I wouldn’t have let myself be chased away.

    Because, like you and Noia tried to say, this blog shouldn’t be about one group or set of individuals ordering other people to think or react or respond according to their needs or expectations. It was supposed to be one guy sharing what he thought about things and then listening as other people weighed inon his thoughts. Like you, I just don’t understand the rest of it. Maybe I never will. I do know that I came away with a rather negative impression of PMG, unfairly I can see now, especially in light of Noia’s outrage on his behalf. Who knows? Maybe I saw in him (or wanted to see in him) aspects of my Dad and was disappointed in him when he did not jump in to defend the one’s of us who were treated like we had no right to give our opinions on his blog. It was as if he didn’t care, if that makes sense, even though most of what he said was based on a foundation of love towards and for other human beings… a lot like my Dad’s philosphies.

    Now I feel really stupid, like I should explain.

    My father is a retired NBA forward. Before he was draft-picked, however, his dream was to become a scientist. Growing up in my home was great, because Dad created such cool things. After he made the decision to retire (as he only continued to play long enough to set aside enough of a financial cushion to pursue that dream) he naively thought his credentials from Brown and Berkeley would underscore his credibility as a scientist. Instead, he quickly found that no matter how he presented himself, his ideas, or his work, those around him would invariably manuever the conversation to some three-pointer he made twenty years ago. Once, as he sat seething, the comment was made, “Who cares what he’s pitching? Did you see that rebound-shot he made off of ****** when the****** played the Lakers back in ’88?” At times, I don’t think people understand how crushing those reactions can be. In their minds they are paying the ultimate compliment; yet what it actually amounts to can often be condescension. And how can the celebrity respond if the comments do strike him as patronizing. To say nothing is often interpreted as encouragement or approval: to voice any kind of displeasure is to risk being condemned as arrogant, unappreciative of the people who “got you where you are,” or “putting on airs.” Dad doesn’t live in this country any longer. He often said he couldn’t bear the weight of other people’s expectations on top of the competitive hustle to get in their and get funding for his projects. So now he is developing this killer technology for specialized NICU isolets for premature infants that was stalled in this country because his so-called fans could not get past perceptions of him as a pro ball player. And I sometimes think about all the preemies that might have been saved if that technology had been available before.

    So for me, personally I don’t find Noia’s questions inappropriate. She voiced something I felt long overdue before asking if the fact that comments that seem to encourage others not to focus so much on what is being said as who has said it might sound as patronizing to PMG as they did to her. And, to be frank, it often sounded to me as though SOME (not all) contributors were essentially saying, “shut up and like it because this is my idol!” I certainly heard that in the postings directed her way, whether that was the intent or not.

    I felt like an outsider here, too. Even after all this time, I still do. It’s unfortunate. So is the fact that replies like those do reflect badly on a blog’s “host.” In my dorm, most of us hadn’t really heard of Paul Michael Glaser until I began following and posting. Now the “Kitty Claw Page” is like a running joke, with people logging in just to see who’s going to get “slammed” this time. That bothers me, because I originally encouraged so many people to check it out because I thought the man had interesting–even valuable–things to say, even if I wasn’t sure he expressed himself all that well. Instead I see firsthand how the attitudes of just a few people can undermine another individual’s purpose. And reputation. In the end, all I’m trying to say to you and anybody else out there like you (albeit not too effectively, I’m afraid) is that you shouldn’t feel afraid or dehumanized or anything of the like. All people have value. We each and all have a right to be heard when the forum to be heard is offered to us. A couple of really nice people made the time to say that to me when I last logged in. It just seemed right to return the kindness. To you. To Noia. To any and every body like you.

    It just seemed like the right thing to do.

    Peace Be With You,
    (or “Keep Hangin’ Like It’s Bangin’” if that’s what you prefer!)
    dm

  • By marly, March 7, 2010 @ 3:10 am

    Dear bloggers,

    In my humble opinion the participants of this discussion are drifting further and further away from the initial question(s) about pmg’s latest blog topic “Hello.”
    Some people asked for clarification on what was being written by pmg and other people reacted to these posts by giving their own personal interpretations.
    So far, so good but instead of remaining focused on the “Hello” topic and its contents the discussion trailes off in different directions and, as far as I can see, has become a battle between the “ïn-group”and the “out-group.”
    A battle of words where seemingly so much more is being left unsaid than actually being said…..

    I sense a lot of hurt, a lot of pain here and I would urge everyone involved to take a “time out” to reread and to reflect on your own reactions towards one another.

    Maybe, at this stage or some time later on, Paul could step in to clarify questions about his “Hello”blog himself?

    By the way, here’s a interesting link about group psychology:
    http://www.spring.org.uk/2009/09/how-groups-form-conform-then-warp-our-decision-making-productivity-and-creativity.php

    Respectfully yours,
    Marly

  • By sknash, March 7, 2010 @ 4:14 am

    First off, I will clarify that a lot of what Paul has written just does not make sense, and I think I mentioned that in one of my posts, “sometimes it just gives me a headache” or words to that nature. And that’s okay. I try to pick it apart, make sense, read other’s notes and make more sense.

    However, I do not just agree because he is PMG. He is not Starsky, just as he is not Hook or any of the other characters that he played. I too have felt much like an outsider, but tend to jump in if there is something that I can relate too and this last blog I related to. I hope I have in no way offended anyone or made anyone feel uncomfortable by not “staying on track.” I thought this blog was our way of communicating with Paul, reading and enjoying his and our thoughts, digesting them, and just talk with others, who have the same mutual admiration and love for him.

    90% of what is said does not make sense, but that’s okay with me. This is my way to learning more about him, what he thinks, what he believes, just as I do all my co-workers around me, my family. Not because he is PMG. Yes, he is a celebrity and yes, he has had an opportunity to touch my life during a very dark time and I have mentioned that. That is my way of letting him know, I have no other way of doing that than this forum. I have enjoyed others blogs but I also have seen where it can get a little territorial and that comes with something like this. That’s when I lurk and just read for a while or post when I feel the need to like with Christine and her friend. Or anyone else I may relate to such as Hilly and writing books.

    I am not sure what I am trying to say here, except I share some of the thoughts about being an outsider, but I guess that is mostly my choosing but I also do not share with the celebrity/GOd thing and agreeing because he is Paul. And I do not think PMG would wany any of us to do that. So I will continue to lurk until I have something to say, I will continue to thank Paul for taking time to do this, not because he is Paul, but because someone took time from their schedule to do it, just as I would thank anyone else who does something for me, and I will take the opportunity to tell him about the impact he had on my life as this is my only way to do it. If he reads it, fine, if not, nothing lost. Doesn’t mean he did not have an impact. I never expected Paul to even respond like he has and that is an added bonus. If this is not what this blog was to be, then I apologize for going off the beaten path. LIfe is too damn short for these conflicts. Blessings – Susan

  • By fee, March 7, 2010 @ 4:48 am

    Whoa there folks!!!! Time out! I am getting really confused here now myself. Ok, Hilly, maybe did lose her cool but she did say that she apologised if she had got the wrong end of the stick!
    I was trying to keep out of this but honestly this is becoming ridiculous. Now I realise that I will be accused of being on Hilly’s side because we are close friends. That doesn’t mean I can’t see both sides of an argument/discussion.
    Yes, I agree that everyone who comes on here and posts is entitled to respect and to have their points of view listened to and Noia and DM have made some very valid points.
    However I am still trying to figure out where the “In’ group and the “Out” group come from. Why because some of us know each other personally are we being castigated as being an “In’ group? I have been rather upset by these accusations and I can’t see where anyone in the past has tried to put another down. I know myself that I would never consciously put another person down and I am not here because of what Paul has appeared in in the past but because I genuinely am interested in what he has to share. I don’t pretend to understand half of what he is sharing as I am not an intellectual but I am interested in learning and growing.
    I wonder if it is a generation gap problem or something similar? I say again as I have said before, posting like this we can’t see each others facial/ body language so misunderstandings can and obviously are occurring.
    Noia, Hilly did originally make a genuine offer to discuss with you offline the subject under discussion and it was a genuine offer and not at all a condescending one as she is not like that. Hot tempered? Yes! None of us are perfect!
    Marly, I agree that unfortunately the posts have drifted away from the original topic but at the moment I don’t feel up to contributing further. Maybe I am getting too old for this sort of thing but I hate seeing dissension.

  • By fee, March 7, 2010 @ 4:52 am

    Susan, I have just read your post and I agree thoroughly with all that you have said.
    Sorry, I was amiss before and forgot to sign myself off
    Peace, Fiona

  • By sknash, March 7, 2010 @ 5:18 am

    No apologies needed Fee. I’m sorry there seems to be so much discord. And I do apologize about the outsider comment, what I meant was I do feel like an outsider at times as I know many of you have seen Paul in Panto, perhaps met him, have more of an inside track, if those are even the right words. That is what I meant. Sometimes you all talk about stuff that you have done or he has said, and since I have never seen him, met him, etc. that is what I meant, feeling outside of the loop. And I absolutely do not take offense at that. That is just nature and people talking about what they know and love. Lord knows, if I had met him or seen him perform, I would be talking the same. That is all I meant. I guess I just don’t take things the way others take them. I hope we can all just enjoy Paul and his writings. After all, this is his time and his place, we are visiting. Thanks Fee!! I do enjoy reading others posts and would hope they feel the same. Susan

  • By Softly, March 7, 2010 @ 5:42 am

    Well now, I have been away for a bit, tending to my overgrown woodland and come back to a blog shouting match. What happened?

    I read and reread the original blog by Mr. Glaser and read and reread the comments. After spending this much time seeing the trees from the wood I tend to do that in this blog forest too. I hear a lot of confusion, see a lot of miscommunication and feel a lot of misinterpretation. Again what happened?

    Allow me to stay in gardening metaphors for a while.

    I’m not here, now, because of Mr. Glaser’s famous stripy tomato’s. I’m not here because Mr. Glaser has set out to teach, he does not claim to be a teacher. But I am here to learn. To learn how to tend to my own garden. I’m here to be inspired by his story and yours, using the seeds I find here and elsewhere in my own plot of land.

    I too feel lost sometimes when I read the original blog by Mr. Glaser. Sometimes I see hem go off planting cherry trees in midair, or so it seems to me, and I wonder; does he want them to take root and bear fruit? Or is he just concerned with the process of planting. Where is he coming from? Where is he going?

    Then I realize that I can barely look over his fence, I only see a small piece of the garden he is planting in. Where to me it looks like he’s planting in mid air, it probably feels for him like planting in solid ground, and I remember, he is not teaching, he is just telling his story leaning over his gardens fence.

    There is a Japanese proverb that’s about teachers and students but I feel it applies to storytellers and listeners too.
    (freely translated)
    When a teacher points to the moon, don’t stare at his finger, however well manicured it might be. Don’t blame your confusion on the story teller because he point with his left index finger instead of his right. You are not supposed to look at the finger, you are supposed to look at the moon.

    So look up, look at the moon. It might be barely visible, obscured by clouds, but keep looking, they will go away. The moon might be only a sliver of light in the sky, just wait, it will get bigger. And when you do see it in its full glory just know that it will be obscured by clouds again and it will become a barely visible sliver of light once more.

    Don’t judge the moon, don’t fight the teacher, don’t blame the story teller, don’t argue with fellow onlookers, don’t point the finger at companion travelers and don’t plug your ears with filters of preconceived notions. Look at the moon and tend to your own garden.

    So here I am, stretching my back after a long hard stretch of back breaking work of physically feeling the oneness with the wood and the tree. Doing away with my preconceived notions of how the world should look. Planting cherry trees in solid ground and clearing the ground for growing tomato’s. I look over the garden fence and see my neighbors in hot debate, putting up higher fences, claiming ownership over crystal clear universal knowledge and I can feel the slinging of some mud. So I look up to the moon, put my head back down and tent to my own garden, planting the seeds I have found here in my own blog forest and I contemplate communication.

    I will remain forever wondering about us humans, it’s mind boggling…, some of the intentions…?
    I’ll be forever learning about how to tend to my own garden. I’ll put my head down a little sadder now, disappointed really and with vicarious shame, but like the clouds that obscure the moon I know this too shall pass.

    Be well fellow gardeners and be well fellow storytellers.

    Softly

  • By Christine, March 7, 2010 @ 5:50 am

    Hi Paul and fellow blogger’s,
    What has happened to Paul’s blog?
    This was a great place to come and ‘share’ our thoughts. I came on this morning and it seems that people are having a real go at one another. I have to say that the comment made ‘its better than a soap opera’ hit me quite hard, its so upsetting when you talk about things in your personal life; thinking like I did that it fitted in some way to Paul’s blog, only to find that some could say that. Not just me no doubt but the thing is this is REAL. We are not talking about a fictional scene here, no, no, its real pain, real feelings true life!. Last week I said that there was a feeling of trust on here. It is so sad to wonder today where has it gone? I would trust Paul and some other’s on here, but now I’m wondering have I been too trusting. Paul if you read this I apologize for the way this has gone.
    To those that question my sincerity to Paul, think on this you have not lived my life, you really don’t know how much this man means to me. He has picked me up at the worst possible times in my life. Today I feel ‘judged’ not by everyone but it still hurts. In disapointment, Christine.

  • By Rachelle, March 7, 2010 @ 12:20 pm

    Sammy – Thank you so much for the early 40th birthday greeting.*G* I’m so glad to hear the 40′s are great and happy belated birthday to you!
    Christine – I always appreciate your sharing and you are a wonderful friend.
    Pam – You’re a postive light :)

    This shared thoughts blogs is so helpful and applying what we learn to our own journey is what it’s all about. I have done this already and I’m even better at stop lights when I am running late.*g* One day at a time we can all make a difference!!

    Have a great day and the Oscars are on tonight. Off topic (who me – lol) and I just saw District 9 and it’s a great movie!

    Rach

  • By Saskia, March 7, 2010 @ 12:27 pm

    “In other words just read it and call it golden because the writer is a celebrity?

    Isn’t that rather insulting? Condescending to PMG, like the pat on the head you give a child? If you are only going to read what somebody is written to pick out the parts you like or identify with, do you really care what the person is saying in the first place? What’s the point then? And why pretend it’s a pupil-to-pedagogue exchange if you aren’t really interested in genuine understanding or adding to your established font of cognition?

    Again I seem to be in the minority. Seems patronizing, almost derisive, to me.

    Poor, poor man.”

    Isn’t this patronizing? ‘Poor, poor man.’ I mean come on, if he thought he was so ‘poor’ why on earth would he keep writing these blogs? He’s a clever enough man to know when and when not he is being patronized, aren’t you, patronizing him, by thinking this? Thinking he doesn’t have the intelligence to realise?

    “What about my comment here is not clear?…”Disrespect for each other, is in effect, disrespect for Paul and for all he gives us here in his blog.” And this is the truth! He is here to share the many wonderful and incredible things he has learned and studies in his own journey..and I for one, intend to use what I can for myself. I do not judge what he or anyone elses posts here..just examine the ’shared thoughts’ and apply what I can to myself. I think it would be a great loss to people, including Paul if he decided that his posting was not helping and empowering people and he altogther stopped.”

    Pam – you don’t seem to realise how you are making the regulars on this blog feel! How can you not see what you are saying is going to hurt people?

    The bloggers who are attempting to say that the ‘click’ don’t care about what they are saying or doing, and are patronizing Paul, etc etc, are actually pulling them to pieces, making them feel worthless, and you ‘applauding’ such things is just plain wrong.

    Noir for example came onto this blog and accused people of patronizing, then after getting a few annoyed answers (which of course would happen as these fans respect Paul dearly) then came back with that they were the ones in the wrong, that THEY didn’t like any ‘outsiders’; and you agreed.

    It all seems to be esculating into: the bully gets brought up a peg or two by the victim. The victim retaliating then the bully getting off scot free whilst the victim is left feeling betrayed.

    You just don’t seem to ‘get’ any of this, you seem to be blinded. No wonder the regulars on here are responding angrily, you have let them down.

    No-one before the comment of ‘poor, poor man’ has patronized Paul they have just given their views, and loved being able to learn from him.

    It seems that this post has been ruined by accusers and people out to make trouble.

    Hilly, Christine, and a few others, I feel sorry for you, and I apologise on behalf of anyone that SHOULD actually apologise. I respect you deeply, and always love to hear your opinion on things.

    Saskia.

  • By Saskia, March 7, 2010 @ 12:55 pm

    No worries Pam, I resent your comments too. :)

    I’m not a hurtful person, and I will not move on. I am Paul’s fan. :D

  • By Terri, March 7, 2010 @ 1:03 pm

    Hi Zephie, I really understand a lot of what you wrote. I too have written and erased. I spent my life being told I’m less than and it really changes what,who I,we should have been. Your not alone. I think then it’s easier to feel the negative. You said you don’t understand any of this. Being a little older I understand some-I’ve seen it before. I hope we can read and try to enjoy, understand, and apply what Paul tries to tell us. I know I do. Terri

  • By SFLaw11, March 7, 2010 @ 1:07 pm

    So Paul..

    Pondering your inquiry on communication…I recalled an interesting study that still evokes a smile for me. Thought I’d share it here…with a community in need of a smile.

    Your observational statement was..”So I’m wondering about how living things communicate. There’s definitely an exchange in vibration that occurs, Then there are sounds created and languages formed of those sounds.”

    Interestingly…during a study OF my team by UC Berkeley PhDs on ways highly effective teams develop a unique “language”, we confirmed that a rhythm of looks, sounds, twitches, and breathing can generate results faster than a spoken word. Probably everyone has experienced this with family members or those they’ve worked closely(ahem…like you and Davey possibly) – however – when it befuddles and confounds a group of PhDs studying communication…it’s called: FUN!

    At the request of my boss, we invited in a group of 3 professors to observe my team’s weekly meeting. We’d developed a reputation as successful problem solvers with innovative and creative approaches with fast results. The professors were brought in to pick up on communication techniques that could be taught to other teams to increase effectiveness.

    Looking back, the instructions from the professors sounded much like one of today’s reality shows. They set up cameras and mics around the room…and told us to IGNORE IT! We did! It only took a few minutes to get into our normal groove of covering topics, presenting problems and seeking group input for solutions.

    We’d bantered through half our agenda when the 3 professors burst into the room yellling STOP…STOP…STOP!!!! Much to our surprise..we’d forgotten they were watching.

    The lead Dr. explained they were frustrated because they could not decipher our discusssion at all! For the last two hours they explained our communication consisted of phrases, one word responses, grunts, eye movements, facial expressions and a little heavy breathing! They knew we’d worked out solutions to several critical issues, but had no idea how or what we were saying. They gave us their “play by play” read back of one conversation and it did sound ridiculous. Some of the “one word” responses were a reference to a historical situation(s) we all knew about. We’d short cut the discussion and leverage our experience by simply uttering one word. We all knew the reference and we knew what worked and what didn’t work from that memory.

    Bottom line…the esteemed communication gurus told us we had something very rare. A level of communication that transcended words. We knew instinctly each other’s thoughts and abilities and leveraged this to quickly and decisively cut through red tape and needless formalities. In their estimation, we demonstrated a level of communication that can’t be taught…but it can be nurtured by listening, understanding and respecting others.

    We LOVED that we frustrated the experts…but more..we loved working together. Members have since retired, some moved on, but we still stay in contact…thru just a word! :)

    Sharing a thought….

  • By Saskia, March 7, 2010 @ 1:18 pm

    I will move on from this topic, but not this blog as this is what I thought you meant.

    I am not a negative fan, just trying to remove the hurt I know people are feeling at this moment in time.

    Now, *moving on*.

    This blog being about communication has taken a really bad turn for the worst, I think no-one needs to think Paul is being patronized, and just go ignore the above comments, where it all turned nasty; get right back on topic.

    “In other words, all existence being composed of thought/consciousness, having a thought, or an idea is to even the smallest degree a cognisant manifestation of energy. It exists.

    Anything the human mind can imagine exists on some dimension. Why? Because we’re all part of the whole of everything, which at our most primal level we know to be true, because everything is part of us and we are part of everything.

    However, it’s easier to find difference than similarity. We covet that person, color, occassion, smell, addiction to power who best mirrors ours. She’s our dream girl, he’s our dream boy…Ken and Barb….”

    I was studying philosophy, and I read the story about a caveman who had been tied up and only allowed to look at the wall all of his life, whilst the others were allowed to roam free. They used the fire to cast shadows on the wall, and the caveman thought they were real living things, not shadows as the others knew to be true.

    Now once he got cut free, he would be blinded by the fire (as never being in direct light) he then once stumbling outside, and into the sun, would be even more blinded at first. But after a while, things would start to become clear to him, he would see the lie he had been living, how he had been deceived.

    Now – if we think everything isn’t as it seems and start to look for answers, we can’t see clearly (the fire) but as we start to delve deeper and deeper we start to see most clearly (the sun).

    Everything we see exists. But are we seeing it as everyone else is seeing it? Do we smell,taste,feel like others do? I mean, yeah, everyone has their own experiences and points of view, but how do we know, if we are seeing the ‘true’ thing, if we are tasting what others are. There is no way to fully describe it. It tastes…”orangey, acidy, quite sharp…” that still doesn’t pin point it. This colour is bright blue, Royal blue…” This still does not pin point it… It’s mind boggling. I wish I could experience someone elses senses, just once. To see the remarkable difference in which people perceive things.

    Saskia.

  • By zephie, March 7, 2010 @ 1:51 pm

    Please, don’t. I spoke. What I said was drained of its meaning little by little. Nothing more needs to be said. I’ll go back to just reading. Remaining invisible. After all, even after I spoke and stood up to be counted, it made no difference.

    We are not all love. What I’ve seen and experienced is not love. I don’t know what it is but I just want to forget I was ever naïve enough to think being heard here was possible.

  • By Saskia, March 7, 2010 @ 2:01 pm

    “Yes Saskia..this is an example of communication. My point was clear in that it was time for people to move on from the bantering and hurtful comments..none of which came from me…and my request was not directed at anyone just the off topicness that must end.
    So moving on and back to the topic of Paul’s shared thoughts..please..
    ‘xoxo”

    Pam – I know that it is a form of communication and I don’t need to be told. I am sorry, but I made it CLEAR as DAY that I was moving on and I made a point to just STEER the topic completley off the whole bantering thing and you having the comment above have just highlighted it again! I just want to know, what was the point?

    That has really made me angry, because it seems you’ve just done it, and I feel patronized (oh that word again!) that you said “Yes, Saskia that is a form of communtication” like some school teacher.

    Zephie, all comments are welcome! You are not invisible and you should not be left in the dark. What do YOU think of communication? Do you agree with the Caveman theory? Etc. Etc. Express yourself, you will be heard.

    Saskia.

  • By Birgit, March 7, 2010 @ 2:08 pm

    Jeez – and I thought I was crazy…

    The reason why I have registered here is Paul’s first sentence of this blog entry. I am writing on behalf of my friend rita who was actually the first one to congratulate Paul on his birthday.

    She read the invitation on facebook and thought that the birthday wishes would remain hidden until the 25th and would only be revealed on Paul’s birthday. She phoned me, deeply embarrassed about her mistake, shortly after the comment appeared. By the time I had a look on the site for myself, I saw that several others had thoughtlessly also joined in, although it was apparent from this point on that the birthday wishes would not be concealed.

    So, to make a long comment short: this is to say “Sorry Paul!” from rita. She’s still too embarrassed about it to apologise herself.

  • By Christine, March 7, 2010 @ 2:15 pm

    Hi Paul,
    Oh dear this blog needs sorting out for sure!
    Please come in here Paul and get us back on track!
    With love as always,
    Christine.

  • By sknash, March 7, 2010 @ 2:18 pm

    Saskia, I don’t know how else to contact you. Could you please let me know how to reach you outside of this blog. Many thanks. Susan

  • By Birgit, March 7, 2010 @ 2:22 pm

    reply to Pam:

    In Germany it is considered bad luck to congratulate someone *before* his or her actual birthday.

    Apart from the superstition-issue it is pointless to congratulate someone on his or her birthday before the actual day… why congratulate someone on something that hasn’t happened yet?

  • By Birgit, March 7, 2010 @ 2:43 pm

    That’s why rita is so terribly embarrassed. And when she read the intro of this blog entry she was even more embarrassed and now she would like to bury herself under a big block of concrete.

  • By Saskia, March 7, 2010 @ 2:52 pm

    Communication can cause so many different emotions. Happiness, sadness, anger, resentment, love, laughter, etc.

    Sometimes we pick up something totally in the wrong way, that what that certain person was saying, wasn’t meant to offend, but maybe it had to you, as you read it wrong, picked up on the wrong tone, or just got the wrong end of the stick.

    Online communication is sometimes the hardest. The amount of arguments I have had online, as you cannot hear the tone of voice, so the slightest thing can peeve you off when it was meant lightly.

    I think I’m too quick to lose my temper, or, if in a bad mood vent anger out on others which is terrible, but very human.

    Communication is the best thing in the world, it has went from cavepaintings to words to technology, etc. It has evolved, and I think this blog makes me grow and learn so much.

    I would like to apologise to Pam M as my communication skills aren’t the best when I am hot headed. Lol.

    Birgit – I think your friend has no reason to be embarrassed, so what if her wishes were a little early! It just means Paul knows he is thought about, and loved.

    Saskia :)

  • By Birgit, March 7, 2010 @ 3:06 pm

    Well, she’s gone to bed now and I can’t ask her anymore, but we thought that the reason Paul emphasized the wishes “in advance of his date of birth” was that it was somehow bothering him.

    Well, it’s past midnight now and I have to take the dog out for a walk. I wish you all a good day.
    And hope you sort out your issues.

    Peace & love from Germany,
    Birgit

  • By moncanzuba, March 7, 2010 @ 4:22 pm

    Dear Pam and Bloggers here:

    I’ve been on the Internet for more than 10 years, mostly as member of forums, blogs, or mailing lists in the U.S.A. because I love the language and the only way to learn a language (wich is an endless job) is being among those who speak it.

    But what makes me really sad and made me left in the past many of those places is how easily
    you can turn what started with a good intention into a cat-fight in a matter of seconds.

    We are all different, even you among yourselves in your own culture, because we are INDIVIDUALS. We may agree or disagree but this does not justify getting to the poin of being rude each other or – what is worse – with the owner of the blog!.

    There were times in which I did nor undertand the entire posts, but there were alway something good to gather from them and, for God sake, NOBODY pointed me a gun to stay here even if I don’t “fit the profile”.

    It is truly sad for me to see this. I came here to learn and share, not to point finguers onto others when I disagree with them, or when their posts were “too complex” for my mind capabilities or misunderstandings because of the language which is not my first tongue. I love challenges and this was a challenge for me. Sad that It got me tired.

    I Hope I did not offend anyone here with MY HUMBLE OPINION of what I see, and if I did it, please, accept my apologies.

    Dear, Mr. Glaser,

    I am not leaving the place (if I am still allowed to stay) but I will remain in silence and – if you don’t mind – I’d rather write to you in private. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR GENEROSITY.

    Very respectfully.

    Monica (from Argentina)

  • By Sammy, March 7, 2010 @ 7:53 pm

    OMG… I logged in to the blog after two days and what in the world is going on here… Come on people. This is a blog of ‘shared thoughts’ … nothing else… I joined this blog about a month ago and I never felt as an outsider. When I had written about something that happened to me a long time ago and Pam said “Welcome Sammy , we are glad you are here with us”, I felt accepted. I think that is what everyone is looking for: Acceptance and friendship. Pam I never thanked you and I will say it today. Thank you so much for welcoming me and making me a part of this blog. Thank you for keeping us all together.

    During this short period of one month or so… what I understood is that PMG is here to share his thoughts. He is NOT trying Preach or Teach. He is sharing with us what he thinks of what he sees. So we discuss it. I see comments similar to his and different from his. We need to look at things in all possible ways and we need to see different opinions. How can a discussion move on if everyone sees white as white and black as black? Hey… there are many shades of black on many shades of white. Like I said in one of my comments this will be a very dull and boring world if all of us start seeing things the same way.. Arrrhhhgg.. I definitely don’t want that kind of a world… (or a blog for that matter… ahhh.. matter)..

    XT about the birthday comment: Hey… Don’t be too hard on yourself.. When a year pass by think of the good things that came your way and all the bad things you got through… That will be one lesson less to learn… Helps me!

    Hilly: About your maternal side life expectancy… I know exactly what you mean… same with my maternal side. Help me too!

    SFLaw11: I enjoyed your story as I can relate to similar environments. Now I am thinking of putting up cameras in my lab to see how my fellow scientists communicate. Would be fun!
    :-)

  • By eggnoggon, March 7, 2010 @ 8:17 pm

    Well I am sitting here comptemplating thought “matters”? Okay, I can run with that, I work with radiation so I don’t need to visualise everything to understand it is there and to realise how immensely powerful it is.
    Oh wow!! within a millisecond, rationalisation – like a big warm hug, my safety net.
    Can I comptemplate, freefall into thought??… hell yeah… I can do anything I am strong, brave, smart.. feeling the need to talk myself up… self-doubt lurking??! Seriously I can do this… think about nothing… easy … just relinquish control …. instant kaos, absolute terror!!
    Tough stuff … but thoughtful none the less, so thanks be, kp …. now about sniffing quality leather….

  • By sagacity, March 7, 2010 @ 9:37 pm

    Weeks ago, I felt it in my best interests to distnace myself from this blog for a number of reasons. Just now, I received an e-mail from another who had departed but still choses to occasionally check in. She told me of the alarming turn of events. And I, having read through, the comments made, feel compelled to at least offer these observations. If my tone strikes anyone as superior, preachy, or condescendingly didactic, I ask that he or she note that my objective is to offer my opinion as concisely as I am capable without emotion, personal reference, or private biases. I am only stating an opinion, not presuming to open a discussion, with one goal and one goal only: to elicit personal, individual contemplation (for those who find merit in these observations) that might (or might not) help the process of restructuring and moving forward begin. Only those interested in another perspective are being addressed. For everyone else, best wishes and have a pleasant morning, afternoon, evening, or “day.”

    It is my personal view that the general content of a blog should be solely determined by the one who has created that blog. As I attempted to state before, NO ONE–and absolutely no one–should presume to speak for the authenticator of a blog without his or her express knowledge and permission. Furthermore, it is never wise or appropriate for individual contributors to dictate to others how best they might process experience (of participating in the discussion), interpret the ideas or data originally presented by the author, formulate questions, or process that which is learned, no matter how well-intentioned such advice may (or may not) be. Shouldn’t that process, after all, fall into the category of the one-on-one interaction developed between the author of the blogs site and each contributor? Is there ever any feasible benefits to be gained by answering questions which are not specifically presented to “you” (as an individual) or posed to the available online readers in general? After all, this is not (and was never by any visible or verbal indication on PMG’s part meant to be) a socially interactive, socially driven venue–albeit it is quite natural for personal relationships to develop through the course of repeated contact and collaboration, not to mention the evolving of comfortable rapport through the course of the exchanges. These relationships, however, should (from my perspective, at least) be relegated to outside, personal venues, such as e-mails–or other sites provided by PMG for that purpose, such as official websites and Facebook groups–under mutually agreed-upon circumstances and willingly exchanged, and it is NEVER–in this day of increased safety and privacy concerns–a good practice to press for another’s personal contact information or contact beyond the discussion forum, since many may not be comfortable with that kind of overture. One never knows what negative experiences lurk in another’s past! For that reason, it is best to ask the blog’s author if the development of a separate site devoted to such social communications exists, is in the works or might be considered, or even offering to (with the permission of the blog’s author) to create one yourself. Quite frankly, this type of blog (set up for discussion and the exchanging of specific ideas on specifically introduced themes) simply cannot healthily or even reasonably support the exploration of personalities, friendhips, and each individual’s topics, beliefs, or commentary unrelated to the author’s original intent, for ach particular blog is, after all, designed by that author to examine distinct subjects, concepts, principles and themes. It is, again, his or her (in this case Paul Michael Glaser’s) site! Such a site should run smoothly if allowed to be run by its creator. It is only when other individuals (visitors to the site) begin analiyzing personalities, focusing upon the characteristics of others, and attempting to dictate behaviorial stipulations that problems occur. After all, don’t all those issues fall under the discretion of the person who conceived of the blog? To share, question, disagree, and encourage one another (with regards to the subject matter introduced by that creator) is, amongst contributors, of course, the ultimate goal; however, developing and maintaining personal relationships or interaction via another’s blog is ill-advised and (as is now evident) a recipe for chaos and disaster!

    Again, these are my observations. “Sagacity” is a name to which I have answered since childhood, not a title of supposed accomplishment with which I have dubbed myself. I offer them after much contemplation upon my own departure from the site, when I made the personal decision that the tide of this blog was evoking reactions, responses, and emotions within me I deemed unhealthy and counterproductive. If my words help: great. If not, I at least tried. No more is expected or intended.

    S.W.S

  • By macthedog, March 7, 2010 @ 9:46 pm

    Hello All –
    SFLaw11: I loved your comment/story. Very interesting! It really demonstrates that deep communication can happen on so many levels. Your story makes me think of some similar experiences playing in symphony orchestras. It’s amazing how one’s interpretation of a quick intake of breath or slightest of body movements can make or break the cohesiveness of a musical group. I’ll never forget one particular performance, playing in the pit orch. for a complicated opera. The conductor (though usually passionate and very knowledgeable) was literally falling-down drunk that night and needless to say, was of no help to the orchestra! Yet, with nowhere to turn but to each other, we were able and make it happen in spite of everything. It was incredible to experience that level of communication among such a large group of people. …Thought becoming matter? … don’t know … but there was definitely a feeling of ‘oneness’ with everyone’s thought-energy focused on the same goal!

    As for the other stuff going on here on this blog:
    I really do appreciate EVERYONE’S point of view (whether I happen to agree with it or not). It’s absolutely NOT my intention to sound preachy here but my personal check list before writing anything is: Is it honest? Is it useful? Is it kind? If so, then no worries!

    Paul: Your communication here is appreciated … absolutely. It’s interesting, thought provoking and (apparently) sometimes … well … just provoking : ) Your thoughts are what they are – they’re yours to keep or to share. I’m certainly not expecting that you would have all the answers but you do ask some interesting questions! To me, it’s all a journey towards greater love and understanding (wisdom or truth) … A journey that we all share in one form or another.
    So thanks for sharing YOUR thoughts.

    Warm Regards
    Deborah
    (Still trying to be the person my dog thinks I am!)

  • By xtexan86, March 7, 2010 @ 11:53 pm

    My, there’s certainly been a lot of discussion in the last day or so.

    Noia, once again, thanks for your insightful interpretation of Paul’s post. I hope readers like yourself will choose to stay here and help in guiding those like myself along.

    Zephie, that took a lot of courage to post your thoughts. I hope that you will never be afraid to post or voice your opinions in the future. I, for one, did listen.

    Sammy, thank you for those kind words. Yes, I will try to keep your lesson in mind!

    Boy, now comes the hard part. Perhaps if I could spend one day in a celebrity’s shoes, I’d have a small clue as to what they think when people try to interpret something they said.

    I am well aware that the TV character and the real man are two different things, although back in the 70′s PMG and DS did seem to want to blend the real and fictional together. DS’s comment of ‘he’s Paul Starsky and I’m David Hutchinson’ (if I remember that interview comment correctly) might support that. I’ve never seen PMG in person. When Starsky & Hutch ended I didn’t see him in the public eye until the mid 80′s. Then, it took another 20+ years before I became involved in the TV show fandom and eventually found this website. So, I do respect and admire PMG for much of what he has accomplished since the days of tight jeans and red tomatoes.

    It’s this recent blog, though, that has me backpeddling a bit. I would not feel comfortable with a variety of people coming forth and posting about what they thought I meant or didn’t mean. To remain silent when so much is being tossed back and forth, well, like I said, I’ve never been in those shoes before, but it is leaving a sour taste in my mouth.

    I don’t feel like I belong to an ‘in’ or an ‘out’ group on this blog. I do get hot-headed, short-tempered, and will generally fire off my mouth at the slightest hint of a personal attack rather than count to ten.

    But generally, everyone here is pretty respectful. I can go from one opposing post and think ‘yeah, she’s right’ straight into a totally different POV and go, ‘crap, SHE’S right also!’

    I guess the thing I’m trying to say is, don’t be afraid to post your opinion. Just try to be respectful of others when you do.

    xt

  • By Nadine, March 8, 2010 @ 1:16 am

    DEDIE A PAUL , PAM ET VOUS TOUS ! JE VOUS AIME!!!! A lire en Français !

    P : Paix:(Pour tous dans ce monde)
    A : Amour:(Mot merveilleux pour nous tous)
    U : Union:(Nous sommes tous unis sur ce blog)
    L : Libre:(toutes nos bonnes pensees)

    M : Merci:(a toi Pam et a vous Paul)
    I : Immense:(Les fans de tout Pays sur le blog)
    C : Chere :( elle m’est tres chere votre amitie)
    H : Hotmail:(La messagerie Miracle pour tous)
    A : Amitie :( Merci de me donner la votre)
    E : Egaux :( Nous le sommes tous sur ce blog)
    L : Logique:(Sont les paroles de Paul)

    G : Grande :( Notre admiration pour Paul)
    L : Larmes :( Interdites sur le blog)
    A : Attitude:(bonne attitude , bonne entente)
    S : Sourire:(Je vois vos sourire!Merveilleux!)
    E : Etreinte:( vous serrez dans mes bras tous)
    R : Rose:(La fleur de l’Amour que je vous offre)

    Nadine

  • By Birgit, March 8, 2010 @ 5:23 am

    reply to eggnoggon:

    [quote]Can I comptemplate, freefall into thought??… hell yeah… I can do anything I am strong, brave, smart.. feeling the need to talk myself up… self-doubt lurking??! Seriously I can do this… think about nothing… easy … just relinquish control …. instant kaos, absolute terror!![/quote]

    Too right!! I am a long-distance runner in my spare time and while running I contemplate a lot. Thoughts come into my mind, hang in there for a moment but are gone the next. Sometimes they stick for longer. I jump from one thing to another, sometimes completely unrelated. It’s fun and liberating.

    My life has changed since I first had time to contemplate. It all started in Nepal in the mountains, where I had nothing to do but to think about my fast-paced life. I left my job, my home in the UK and returned to my native birth place in Germany.

    It is important to have time to think and it is important to follow your thoughts sometimes, wherever they lead. When I went to Nepal, I didn’t plan to change my life. This was just going to be another trip.
    But this is what freefall into thought can do to you…

  • By Christine, March 8, 2010 @ 6:00 am

    Hi Paul, Pam, and fellow blogger’s,
    How do living things communicate? Isn’t it funny how we all now use the internet, using email’s rather than writing to one another? I must say for quickness the email is great, but there is nothing like a good old fashioned letter in my opinion. How romantic is it to receive a letter from a girl/boyfriend? I’m kind of old fashioned as you can tell lol!.
    Im my day, gosh I sound old! I used to buy a monthly magazine called ‘The Starsky and Hutch’ monthly magazine (quite fitting don’t you think lol) In it there was news and oh some lovely photo’s of Paul and David, but there was also a penpal page (I’m getting to the point here please bear with me!) I had a few penpal’s from all over the world it was really interesting learning about other countries, cultures etc.
    Of course we all ‘shared’ the admiration and respect for Paul and David. 30 years or so on Paul now has this blog and we still want to communicate, to learn, to share. Only the difference is its through the web. You can now send a comment on here quicker than you sometimes get a chance to think it through!
    How did we manage before all this high tech stuff? Life was a lot slower in my younger days,(there’s the age thing yet again! lol) I like my mini laptop, without it I couldn’t come on here and communicate with everyone, and that would be a huge miss to me. We have a great opportunity here to actually talk to one another and you know who would of thought 30 years ago we would one day be talking to Paul on his blog. Thank you to Paul and Pam and other blogger’s I really appreciate you being there. Hopefully we can communicate for a long time yet! I just sent Amy an email to her phone and almost held my breath incase I did something wrong lol, she just received it! I’m slowly learning this technical stuff! Is there no limit to this learning lol.
    With love as always, Christine. xx

  • By Softly, March 8, 2010 @ 7:18 am

    Communication is a funny multi level thing that goes way beyond words and still words get the highest ranking and we act as if they carry the most weight.

    But just contemplate this for a second or ten.

    Most people grow up understanding the words that are spoken and written around them, but what if you grow up understanding neither?

    Imagine watching a life long movie in a language you don’t understand, with subtitles you can not read. How would that make you feel? What is there to help you understand what’s being meant?

    You are left with listening for intentions, translating the looks, interpret the gestures and reading the emotions.

    You learn to become an expert in understanding the layers beneath the dictionary meaning of the spoken word.

    You get confused by the denial and duality of words and intent and the unintended dishonesty of the tinfoil mask.

    You get to be more and more precise with the words you pick only to find no one understands or listens anyway.

    So you are quiet, biting your tong, biding your time, contemplating your doubts, analyzing their theories.

    That’s how I grew up.

    It seems to me that the more ways we have to communicate the less we really do.
    We blog, mail, text and twitter. We throw our words into the world, but what is our intention? Does anyone really listen? Do we care?

    How easy it was and still is to communicate on a deeper level with a dog, a horse or even a gold fish.
    How desperately complex it was and still is to communicate with humans on a level just beyond the tinfoil mask.

    How I gave up.
    How I tried again.
    How I gave up again.
    How I’m trying now.
    How I’m about to give up again.

    I can honestly say that I will never learn to communicate properly with humans; I fear I just don’t “get” us.

    So I’ll read some more, write some more, learn some more, talk to my dog some more, look at the moon and tend to my garden contemplating communication some more.

    Softly

  • By Christine, March 8, 2010 @ 8:42 am

    Hi again, Something just went through my mind, sometimes we don’t even need to speak to communicate with one another. It could be something as small as a look, a smile, a shake of a hand, all the things that in turn make us ‘feel’ Does everything lead to an emotional response? Have you ever heard someone cry, and in turn the sadness they are feeling, you then pick up on and you feel close to tears too? Or on the other hand someone can make you laugh simply by the sound of their laughter?. No matter which language we speak the sounds of distress or happiness are more or less the same.
    Slightly off topic here, but did you ever notice how Starsky’s torino almost had a cute ‘growl’ of its own? Every time it was about to move or park up you could hear the growl! Obviously Paul was revving it; but you know just thought I’d mention it!
    Love, Christine xx

  • By Rachelle, March 8, 2010 @ 10:38 am

    Hello everyone!

    Ahh yes those days of the good old pen and paper. I still remember having a pen pal from Sweden (same grade as me) when I was in grade 6. It was part of the International correspondence with the schools. It was fun writing to my pen pal and then awaiting the response! She became a good friend for many years!
    Communication nowadays is e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, and even Internet messaging – they are the way of today’s technology. I must admit though I’m glad for certain aspects of the ‘net such as FB to catch up with old friends, or this “Shared Thoughts” blog as I’ve met some great people on here.

    Softly – You make some really good points. We text, twitter etc… But how in depth are the communications? I still would prefer (especially with my family or best friend) going to dinner or a movie and just spending quality time with them. If my best friend or family didn’t live near me then the Internet would be the main way but it wouldn’t be the preferred way. That’s me!

    Sammy – Nicely said!!

    Christine – That is too funny on the S&H Ford Gran Torino growl! I think it was pretty funny myself how it used to get banged around.*G* I never got the car to me police officers in a loud red car with a white stripe would be pretty obvious. LOL

    Have a wonderful day, Rach

  • By hilly, March 8, 2010 @ 12:29 pm

    hehehehe Rach and Christine ask me nicely and I promise not to post my riff about how life was easier before we had all this high tech.
    (flying ‘joke’ flag here)
    I still fall off my perch (unlike the Monty Python parrot that my generation laughed at) when I see modern cop shows with computers in the cars!

    but when all is said and done – internet has also opened up our worlds…for better or worse – we communicate with those of like (and sometimes not so like) minds. A very enriching experience it is too.

    I have never been in an in crowd – I prefer lurking on the edges of circles and having lots of different friends…but it is true that some of us here know each other personally. that doesn’t mean the others aren’t welcome to get to know us too.

  • By hilly, March 8, 2010 @ 12:47 pm

    At Nadine’s request I’ve translated this for her. Where the letter and the English word don’t fit I’ve given the translation after the original word in French

    “Dedicated to Paul, Pam and all of you

    P: Peace (for all in the world)
    A: Amour = Love (a wonderful word)
    U: Union (we are all together on this blog)
    L: Libre = Free (our free thinking)

    M: Merci = Thanks (to Pam and to Paul)
    I: Immense* (the fans from all over the world on this blog)
    *can be taken as ‘huge’ (the number of us) or intense (the force of so many people coming together)
    C: Chere: = dear (your friendship is very dear to me)
    H: Hotmail: miracle messaging
    A: Amitie: = friendship. (thank you for giving me yours)
    E: Egaux: = equal(we are all equal here)
    L: Logique.(Paul’s words are logical)

    G: Great (our admiration for Paul)
    L: Larmes = tears. (‘forbidden’ onthe blog)
    A: Attitude (good attitudes, good understanding)
    S: Smile (I see you smiling. Great!)
    E: Etreinte = hug (I hug you all)
    R: Rose (the flower of love – I offer it to you)”

    I think this would be a nice way to end this discussion…what do you think folks. Bury the hatchets (preferably not in one another’s heads) and wait for a new starting point?

    (oops better wave the joke flag again!)

  • By marly, March 8, 2010 @ 1:09 pm

    “We say one thing, mean another, describe one thing, ask another. We rarely reread what we have said, or if we do our eyes play tricks on us and our minds, thinking that we have already read this fails to really see what it is we’re really saying…or in some cases, asking. The fact that we have chosen the words and say/write them as we do and this act creates a window into our person… conveniently escapes us.
    But we’re visible.
    The computer, the act of communicating by word through air doesn’t really remove our vulnerability or visibility. It just creates that illusion. An illusion that we mistakenly interpret as strength. So ironic, that we try to experience ’strength’ in the fantasy of a non-intrusive, non-intimate relationship”.

    When I read these words for the first time I didn’t fully understand their true(?) meaning but, just like so often after reading one of pmg’s blogs, they kept my mind occupied and daring me to make more sense of them.
    Mind you, the following is just my personal interpretation of the words above and I apologize in advance to pmg if I’m doing him any injustice.

    Some comments on this blog have led to disappointed and/or angry reactions from several fellow bloggers. I must admit, after reading some of those comments myself I felt the same emotions.
    After a while though, me being me and therefore always (too) willing to relentlessly scrutinize my own motives , I started to wonder why I felt that way? I mean, hey….this is only virtual stuff, isn’t it?
    Nobody out there is attacking me personally, are they? Wait a minute…..did I say “attacking?”
    Why? Nobody can really touch me, can they? I’m invisible, anonymous……..there is no question of a so called “non-intrusive, non-intimate relationship”, is there?
    So, why do I feel this way?

    So, indeed, the computer doesn’t really remove my vulnerability (neither yours or “theirs”) ,because if I stop blinding myself with feelings like indignation, anger or disappointment I’m enabling myself to practice some self-reflection. Painful? Yes, indeed! Not nice at all to stand face to face with your own vulnerabilities.
    Being mad as hell felt a lot better…..at first.
    Anyway, of all those negative emotions of mine one of them stood out: Anger!
    I believe that anger is nothing but camouflaged pain and when I reread stuff that I’ve written in anger(in diaries, not in public) AFTERWARDS , only than I notice my pain and helplessness, only than I can see what I really tried to say/write;”I can’t deal with this pain, I can’t stand feeling so helpless and out of control…..!”
    Being able to acknowledge this indeed creates a window into my person and helps me to find some compassion for myself.
    At the same time it’s important for me to remind myself (again and again…..)that “the others”, the ones that “caused” my anger(pain) are just as human as I am.
    While rereading their comments without my former anger I’m able to see what I couldn’t see at first, they are experiencing the same pain, the same helplessness and the same fears as I do.
    “They” are not my enemies, they are my fellow travelers, they are me/us.
    (I’m sure that I’m liable to “forget” this insight the next time I lose my temper but it might help me to put things a bit faster in perspective ,hopefully!)

    This “Shared thoughts” blog is free for all and I truly hope it will continue to be a place where people can share their thoughts freely.
    A consequence of being “out in the open” on a blog is that we must accept the fact that all of us who post here are submitting ourselves (willingly or unwillingly) to being questioned and even criticized about our views/opinions, etc.
    Personally I find criticism often hard to swallow but at the same time it’s often a meaningful experience that helps me to get to know myself a little better.
    I know, I know………criticism is o.k. as long as it’s being practiced in a respectful and polite manner and not used to hurt people.
    Truth is that we can’t stop this from happening but we can control the way we react to it.
    We can choose to let ourselves get hurt and respond to anger with anger…..
    Or we can take the time to read and reread these posts and try to retrieve what someone is actually trying to say….
    Pmg is right, you know, we are visible.

    Just my humble opinion, nothing more and nothing less.

    Let’s return to the “Hello” topic, shall we?

    Marly

  • By Christine, March 8, 2010 @ 1:11 pm

    Hi Hilly,
    Hey welcome back! I personally think the idea of yours to bury the hatchets is a good idea!
    Lets all try to get back to the whole point of this blog and ‘share’ Paul’s thoughts and each other’s!. Isn’t there enough trouble and worry in this world; this is a ‘nice’ place to come to lets try and keep it that way! :)

    Hi Rach,
    Thanks my friend! Yes it would stand out like a sore thumb eh?

    Hi Nadine,
    Really nice words!

  • By hilly, March 8, 2010 @ 1:17 pm

    I couldn’t let Nadine down.

  • By cjjo, March 8, 2010 @ 10:24 pm

    Hello.

    I would just like to make it known to one and all that I recommended this site to “Noia29″–a relative of mine–back in January, as I fervently believed in “Chrystallia” and “Hook-Foot” and enthusiastically encouraged her to monitor the progress of both works…going so far as to arrange the initial use of my daughter’s e-mail address when Noia expressed apprehensions about submitting personal information to a fanpage. I just received an e-mail missive from her. Needless to say, I got the good, old-fashioned “ear full.”

    Thank you for making my young cousin feel so, so very welcome here.

    –cjjo

  • By Nee, March 9, 2010 @ 7:24 am

    “However, it’s easier to find difference than similarity. We covet that person, color, occassion, smell, addiction to power who best mirrors ours. She’s our dream girl, he’s our dream boy…Ken and Barb….

    We spend the majority of our energy finding our differences. Why? Because first of all, our mind believes it is important. Very important. “I like to smell the leather before I buy it,” it says with heartfelt sincerity and believing every word of it, proud to be in control of everything everywhere, or at least proud to think that it could be in control….

    It’s very comforting for the mind to apply differences. It’s right in its wheelhouse. And there’s so much to do! So many evaluations and definitions, likes, dislikes, do’s, don’ts, this ‘type’ of person to love, that to hate. Learn as much as we can so we can someday bring Mother Nature to our knee,…I mean, there’s a lot and still more! The sky? The universe is the limit!

    This is the way the mind thinks and does everything in it’s power to support and recreate that illusion that it can do anything, know anything…”

    We’ve seen how much energy we expend on our differences. What a draining experience! I hope we find that using the same amount of energy finding our similarities is regenerative!

  • By lady800cc, March 9, 2010 @ 10:52 am

    Right on point Nee! and using PMG’s words makes the point all the more powerful. Here’s to the exploration of similarities. ;-)

  • By rita, March 9, 2010 @ 3:07 pm

    William Hughes Jones (1912) At the Foot of the Eryri: A Book About Poetry in Wales:

    ‘Poetry is greater than Music, greater than Painting ; for there is music and painting in all poetry ; and whereas Music is satisfied if it please the ear, and Painting is satisfied if it please the eye, Poetry insists on satisfying the inward eye and the physical ear, with a purpose : to subject both eye and ear to its control, that by their aid it may overwhelm the imagination of the reader with the feelings and passions of the Poet.

    And here we come to the Imagination working as a transmuting energy in the mind of the reader : it transmutes what he sees and hears into something that is analogous with his own experience : his tears, and noons, and dim horizons.

    And these are the uses of Poetry.

    Poetry is the power the Poet has of making me see my own heart as in a mirror, and his heart, too, and the hearts of most others, and the heart of the earth, and, most nearly to Deity, the heart of the Deity Itself; as much of each as my vision is capabable of seeing.’ (pg. 6-7)

    sounds familiar, eh?

  • By PamT, March 10, 2010 @ 11:05 am

    “It’s very comforting for the mind to apply differences. It’s right in its wheelhouse. And there’s so much to do! So many evaluations and definitions, likes, dislikes, do’s, don’ts, this ‘type’ of person to love, that to hate. Learn as much as we can so we can someday bring Mother Nature to our knee,…I mean, there’s a lot and still more! The sky? The universe is the limit!”

    How very true. With regard to the latter part of PMG’s assertion, the phrase ‘Information is power’ immediately sprang to mind. Humanity’s thirst for knowledge seems unquenchable. In a material sense, we can benefit in many ways (if we’re fortunate enough to have access) – and I think we develop a ‘faith’ in the wonders of modern science/technology/medicine etc together with the temptation to believe that anything can be fixed and perhaps we can control our own destiny after all. Something that can get abruptly quashed if we encounter a medical condition which can’t be cured/effectively treated or when nature, refusing to be tamed, periodically comes along with a new strain of drug-resistant virus, an earthquake, famine etc.

    “Find that place where thought becomes matter.”

    I have to admit that, as with PMG’s earlier blog entry ‘Ruminating on Sound’, I’ve had something of a blind spot when it comes to the concept of thought becoming matter. First off, I can see that simply because something cannot be measured, its existence is not precluded. As far as I’m aware, there isn’t a scientific measurement to quantify love, or all manner of other emotions, yet most people don’t doubt and have experienced its existence. I can get to grips with energy being present both within thoughts and matter and the premise that, as a few people have already mentioned, thoughts can transform into matter by dint of the act of creativity, in the broadest sense of the word. I got side-tracked on whether that meant that all matter, including that of the natural world, derives from thought, but perhaps that’s irrelevant – I can take on board that it exists for us through our consciousness (for those who experience visual ‘delusions’, the objects are as real as anything else is).

    Then I read lady800cc’s comment:
    “Does knowledge of a thought process, or a state of mind invoke change in the process or state? I think yes. This is why I like this blog; I am growing from it!”
    And I agreed with her 100%, because I do believe that our thoughts can mold who we become (yep, not my original thought – I’m nowhere near that smart). Is that the whole picture? So anyway, I’m still wrestling with ‘the place where thought becomes matter’. Is it, I wonder, to do with a connectivity between the energy that lies both in thought and matter – a spiritual ‘tuning in’ to vibrations from non-static molecules that run between and connect the two – and therefore the ‘everything’? I think this is one that, for me, needs to be considered and perhaps sink in over time.

    I was going to dive into the awareness of being ‘part of everything’, which I think I might have experienced very fleetingly on a couple of occasions but am unable to connect to ‘on demand’. I was curious whether it’s something that over time can become a constant presence, whilst still affording us the freedom to enjoy our individuality. But, as a couple of people have already mentioned, on reflection perhaps there has already been more than enough focusing on our individual differences. I don’t want to dwell on some of the recent communications, mainly because I think many people would simply like to move forward and refocus on what this blog is all about. I did want to say that, whilst I may not currently comment often on other people’s thoughts, I do read all the posts and my guess is that many others do too. So, although it might sometimes appear otherwise, I think it’s important for people to know that they are being heard, regardless of how ‘loud’ or how ‘quiet’ their voices are and how often or how infrequently they may ‘speak’. I find myself in particular agreement with many of the points recently made by lady800cc, Marly, Nee and macthedog. @macthedog – your sign-off also brought a welcome moment of light relief – for the most part, my hound displays ‘You are the one who can sort anything’ behaviour, but every so often I catch him casting me an old-fashioned look of vague disillusionment. ;-)

    So another thank-you to Paul. For me, visiting this blog has remained an enlightening and rewarding experience. I’m exploring some new territory which I don’t think I would have even ventured into were it not for your shared thoughts. Much is still unfamiliar ground but I think I’m making a few discoveries. Sincere thanks for continuing to provide some sign-posts along the way.

    Not drowning (maybe doggy-paddling a bit harder) but waving.
    PamT

  • By hilly, March 10, 2010 @ 1:05 pm

    I received this today – the Heart Sutra.
    Parts of it seem to me to reflect what Paul has said in this and previous blogs. My italics (fingers crossed) for the bits I thought really have relevance to our discussion.

    Body is nothing more than emptiness,
    emptiness is nothing more than body.
    The body is exactly empty,
    and emptiness is exactly body.

    The other four aspects of human existence —
    feeling, thought, will, and consciousness —
    are likewise nothing more than emptiness,
    and emptiness nothing more than they.

    All things are empty:
    Nothing is born, nothing dies,
    nothing is pure, nothing is stained,
    nothing increases and nothing decreases.

    So, in emptiness, there is no body,
    no feeling, no thought,
    no will, no consciousness.
    There are no eyes, no ears,
    no nose, no tongue,
    no body, no mind.
    There is no seeing, no hearing,
    no smelling, no tasting,
    no touching, no imagining.
    There is nothing seen, nor heard,
    nor smelled, nor tasted,
    nor touched, nor imagined.

    There is no ignorance,
    and no end to ignorance.
    There is no old age and death,
    and no end to old age and death.
    There is no suffering, no cause of suffering,
    no end to suffering, no path to follow.
    There is no attainment of wisdom,
    and no wisdom to attain.

    The Bodhisattvas rely on the Perfection of Wisdom,
    and so with no delusions,
    they feel no fear,
    and have Nirvana here and now.

    All the Buddhas,
    past, present, and future,
    rely on the Perfection of Wisdom,
    and live in full enlightenment.

    The Perfection of Wisdom is the greatest mantra.
    It is the clearest mantra,
    the highest mantra,
    the mantra that removes all suffering.

    This is truth that cannot be doubted.
    Say it so:

    Gaté,
    gaté,
    paragaté,
    parasamgaté.
    Bodhi!
    Svaha!

    Which means…

    Gone,
    gone,
    gone over,
    gone fully over.
    Awakened!
    So be it!

    you can find more from my friend ‘Gurudas’ aka Dharmadude on this site

    http://dharmadudeunplugged.com

  • By Softly, March 10, 2010 @ 2:24 pm

    Dear Mr Glaser,

    When I first read your Hallo… I had to disagreed sort of; I’m not sure we spend the majority of our energy finding our differences. When milling it over I found a couple of things I would like to share.

    Seeking similarities
    Have you ever have this happen to you…you are telling your story to someone, say the story of your recent travels, and that someone says: “I have been there too” and before you know it, you are looking at their slide show and listen to their story of their travel. They are not in the least bit interested in how your story differs from theirs and they are happy finding confabulated similarities. ”Thank goodness we are the same, now I can relax, stay blind for your point of view, stay deaf for your side of things and not feel for your. You are erased by someone imagining similarity.

    Defining differences
    “Not the same, definitely not the same.” That can be a very comforting thought. You see a cat scratching the furniture at a friend’s house and think mine never does that, mine is different. You hear of kids bullying other kids and you think: “Not my kinds, mine are different”. You know of someone’s fortune or misfortune and you know that theirs is a very different path. The difference you find can make you jealous or have you sigh in relieve: “Thank goodness that’s not me.” For better or for worse you set yourself apart from the rest, after all you are an individual.
    So we spent as much energy in finding our differences as we do finding our similarities. Why? As a way to figure out who we are one with and who to cast out?

    The same difference
    What does that mean we are one, does it mean we are all the same? Or does it mean we are all part of the same organism, the same universe? I belief the last statement to be true, for me this means that looking for differences and similarities is futile, a waste of precious time.

    A silly conversation between my foot and my hand popped into my head.

    INT. MY HEAD – DAY
    HAND
    Well now, don’t you look funny
    with your stubby little fingers.
    FOOT
    Me? Look at yourself,
    your toes are way to long.
    HAND
    What happened to your thumb?
    It’s in the wrong place.
    FOOT
    No it’s not. It’s exactly were it should
    be, and by the way it’s called a big toe.
    HAND
    You can call it anything you like,
    but that won’t help you hold a pen
    to write your ABC.

    FOOT
    I don’t need a pen to walk from A to B.
    HAND
    You are a strange creature.
    FOOT
    Well, so are you.

    Foot tapping. Hand crosses its fingers.
    HAND
    Are you made from bone and skin?
    FOOT
    Of course I am, and I’ve
    got some nails too.
    HAND
    He, me too, lets shake hands.
    FOOT
    Sorry, I can’t. I can put my foot down
    though.
    HAND
    Mmm, I must be the more
    Peaceloving one then?
    FOOT
    Now you’ve really put you foot in it…

    Awkward pauze.
    HAND
    Lets just agree to disagree.
    FOOT
    Lets agree we have similar differences.
    FADE TO GRAY

    Well, you get the picture, these two can argue and debate their similarities and differences for as long as they like, completely oblivious to the fact that they are part of the same system; Me.
    They are one and I like ‘m both, they have their own use and value and they are as different as they are similar.

    So we are putting our energy in claiming our differentness by putting safety pins in our ear or opposing the others point of view just to underline the separation. Like we put energy in singing the same song and wearing the same t-shirt in tribal colors to celebrate our similarities.

    It seems to me that we as “tribal individuals” should put our energy towards cleaning up the connection we have to the universal system, the universal principle. Cleaning up the connection we have to all, to you, to me, to the sea, a tree and to the bugs on your windshield, regardless of what we feel binds or separates us. We are connected whether we like it or not, we’d better start cleaning up and polish the connection.

    Forever learning,

    Softly

  • By Nee, March 10, 2010 @ 5:16 pm

    PamT,
    I also struggle with the thought to matter concept. I wasn’t taught God thought it would be cool to have a horse with stripes *poof*. I was taught He said let there be a zebra. There was an action or vibrations before the physical matter was manifested. It takes a tremendous effort to change our basic views.

    The way I look at being part of the whole is to take it down the the cellular level. Say I’m an oxygen molecule. I have no idea what my purpose is nor where I have to go. I just know I have to make a journey. I meet a red blood cell, we have nothing in common but “something” tells me we need to form a bond and make the journey together. Each of us has to decide to make that connection because we have the freedom not to get together. We meet vast numbers of other kinds of cells on our journey and they impact us to varying degrees. Until we finally get to that neuron that needs us to provide what it needs to do its job. Individually we are insignificant and vitally important at the same time. We are ALL necessary in the whole. We are separate and together at the same time.

    I hope this makes some kind of sense.:-)

    Renee

  • By Terri, March 10, 2010 @ 7:04 pm

    To Softly, I must tell you I always enjoy reading what you post. Terri

  • By Christine, March 11, 2010 @ 4:40 am

    Hi Paul,
    Find that place where thought becomes matter.

    I don’t know if I understand this. Does thought become matter when it becomes fact? Or the thought becomes reality?
    I am not as intelligent as some other’s on here and get a bit confused sometimes! I really would like to understand the true meaning behind your words and not just take a guess at what I think they mean.
    Having said that, I don’t think its a fault on your part if like me some don’t quite understand. Maybe I’m just not on the same wave length or probably just not as intelligent as you are!.
    Maybe next time you blog, if this is not bad mannered to ask you could explain it? Then I might be able to get my head around it!
    Anyway, thank you for sharing with us, you are as ever my inspiration.
    With love as always, Christine xx

  • By hilly, March 11, 2010 @ 9:06 am

    I don’t claim authorship of this; I have copied it from the blog of a friend of mine: Gurudas aka Dharamdude. It is a Heart Sutra and the comment at the end is his too.
    It seemed somehow relevant to all that has gone before in discussing Paul’s blogs and the concepts he raised.
    My italics (I hope!)

    “Body is nothing more than emptiness,
    emptiness is nothing more than body.
    The body is exactly empty,
    and emptiness is exactly body.

    The other four aspects of human existence —
    feeling, thought, will, and consciousness —
    are likewise nothing more than emptiness,
    and emptiness nothing more than they.

    All things are empty:
    Nothing is born, nothing dies,
    nothing is pure, nothing is stained,
    nothing increases and nothing decreases.

    So, in emptiness, there is no body,
    no feeling, no thought,
    no will, no consciousness.
    There are no eyes, no ears,
    no nose, no tongue,
    no body, no mind.
    There is no seeing, no hearing,
    no smelling, no tasting,
    no touching, no imagining.
    There is nothing seen, nor heard,
    nor smelled, nor tasted,
    nor touched, nor imagined.

    There is no ignorance,
    and no end to ignorance.
    There is no old age and death,
    and no end to old age and death.
    There is no suffering, no cause of suffering,
    no end to suffering, no path to follow.
    There is no attainment of wisdom,
    and no wisdom to attain.

    The Bodhisattvas rely on the Perfection of Wisdom,
    and so with no delusions,
    they feel no fear,
    and have Nirvana here and now.

    All the Buddhas,
    past, present, and future,
    rely on the Perfection of Wisdom,
    and live in full enlightenment.

    The Perfection of Wisdom is the greatest mantra.
    It is the clearest mantra,
    the highest mantra,
    the mantra that removes all suffering.

    This is truth that cannot be doubted.
    Say it so:

    Gaté,
    gaté,
    paragaté,
    parasamgaté.
    Bodhi!
    Svaha!

    Which means…

    Gone,
    gone,
    gone over,
    gone fully over.
    Awakened!
    So be it!

    This idea of “sunyata” or “emptiness” is based on the recognition that all phenomena are inherently impermanent, and therefore, lack substantiality. In other words, everything in this world is interconnected and in constant flux. A deep appreciation of this idea of emptiness thus saves us from the suffering caused by our egos, our attachments, and our resistance to change and loss.”

    http://dharmadudeunplugged.com

  • By hilly, March 11, 2010 @ 12:02 pm

    oops sorry – I checked in earlier and thought that this didn’t post the first time.

  • By HILDA LIPRACE, March 11, 2010 @ 12:33 pm

    HOLA…
    USTED SE MERECE LAS FELICITACIONES POR SU CUMPLEAÑOS -CHRISTALLIA .EL LIBRO LO ESTOY ESPERANDO PARA TENERLO ENTRE MIS MANOS ,NO HAY APURO ,TOMESE SU TIEMPO ,EL TIEMPO ES SUYO .
    LOS SERES VIVOS NECESITAN COMUNICAR,PERO CADA UNO TIENE SU PROPIO ESTILO Y CULTURA NO COMPRENDEMOS AL OTRO ES COMO LA TORRE DE BABEL -TODOS SOMOS UNO SOMOS CREADOS A SEMEJANZA DE DIOS O UNIVERSO COMO QUIERAN DECIR. EL SER HUMANO TIENDE A TENER TEMOR DE VER EN EL OTRO LO QUE SOMOS EN REALIDAD .ES POR ESO QUE NUESTRA MENTE SE NIEGA A VER LA REALIDAD -TODOS SOMOS PARTE DE TODO , DE LA TIERRA DEL AIRE DEL UNIVERSO DE DIOS . NUESTROS PENSAMIENTOS PUEDEN HACERCE REALIDAD (FE ) .LAS PALABRAS QUE SALEN DE NUESTRA BOCA DE NUESTRA MENTE ,PUEDEN EDIFICAR O DESTRUIR A UNA PERSONA .SI YO LE DIGO A MI HIJA (ES UN EJEMPLO )QUE ES UNA TONTA ,ELLA CON LOS AÑOS CREERA EN ESO .LAS PALABRAS TIENEN PODER ,COMO DIJE DE EDIFICAR O DESTRUIR .LA ORACION .LA MEDITACION DIARIA DA FUERZAS PARA TODO EL DIA .SI UNO ORA O MEDITA POR ALGUIEN LAS VIBRACIONES LLEGAN ¿O ME EQUIVOCO ? YO ESTOY TRABAJANDO EN MIS IMPULSOS ¿QUIEN NO SE ENOJA ? Y REACCIONA MAL .PERO hE COMPRENDIDO QUE ME HAGO MAL A MI MISMA -LA FE ES LA CERTEZA DE LO QUE SE ESPERA (LO QUE QUEREMOS ) LA CONVICCION DE LO QUE NO SE VE ( QUE EN ALGUN MOMENTO SE HARA REALIDAD) FE Y MAS FE Y TRATAR DE MEJORAR NUESTROS PROPIOS DEMONIOS (IMPULSOS,ENOJOS.FALTA DE PERDON ETC ) el ser humano es igual aqui como en otra parte del mundo con los mismos derechos .somos de distintas culturas ,pero que importa ,si cada uno tenemos sangre que corre en nuestras venas tenemos un cerebro ,todo absolutamente igual ,nacemos desnudos y nos vamos de la misma manera ,cual es el problema uno es blanco o el otro de color para Dios somos todos iguales la diferencia la realizamos nosotros como si uno por seR Ispano es mas importante que un anglosajon o biseverza ,por dar un ejemplo y en toda indole .lo que pensamos o reaccionamos de distinta manera .yo me equivoque aqui en esta pagina y lo asumo ,sera mi temperamento o una escuza – señor glaser entiendo ,vamos a decir ni poco ni mucho de lo que quiere decir .pero hay algo muy claro todos somos uno ,usted puede y lo realiza de poner sus pensamientos ,donde es una forma de conocer un poco del ser humano que es usted ,es su espacio su pagina ,leo siempre y trato de comprender a usted y a los otros ,lastima que no nos comprendemos estamos en la torre de babel ,nuevamente le pido perdon muchas gracias Dios lo bendiga y que siga su luz .Hilda Liporace de Argentina

  • By rita, March 11, 2010 @ 5:33 pm

    thought and matter form a question of synchrony and asynchrony. whereas thought and speech belong into the former category, the process of writing (i.e. not only externalising, but fixing thought) is the crucial point.

    whatever you think is immaterial. as long as you keep your thoughts to yourself, they are immaterial – regardless of your synapses firing in overtime. you have to externalize your thoughts in order to materialize them. but the act of mere speaking is slave to the factor of time. your utter a thought – and its gone. you spoke of the tree falling when nobody can hear its crashing sound. it didn’t fall then? or did it?

    writing (or chiselling in stone) is the key. your thought would have to transcend time in order to fully qualify as having become materialized. yes, speech forms sound waves. but if there is no ear to fall upon, what does it matter? you would have to overcome the factor if time and by that you also beat that bastard death. you are no longer slave to him, but he has become your slave in return because you have cheated him. through writing.

    just.

    like.

    that.

    ‘death be not proud for thou are not so…’

  • By Kay_T., March 11, 2010 @ 10:18 pm

    Wow Paul……That is how I fall asleep each night…..contemplating life, the day’s events, tomorrow’s dreams, and future hopes. Thoughts that become a never ending novel. I really enjoy your blog…it makes you think.

  • By Softly, March 12, 2010 @ 5:16 am

    Writing is a relative new journey for me; usually I sculpt other people’s words into a printable form. As a graphic designer and sculptor and now newbie scribbler I understand the joy of the journey, the free exploration of the unknown guided by the muse. Trusting that in time the sculpture will say: “now I am formed” and the story will tell: “now I’m told”.

    It is up to me to pay attention and listen to that voice, be sensitive and courageous enough to stop and give it to the world, for what ever shape the muse will take through my hands or through my pen it is never mine to claim or keep.

    I would be egotistically to go on and kill the intent with shuffling more words around or botox the emotion out off the sculpture.

    I know it’s the journey not the destination that maters and I love to travel

    To Terri,
    It makes me happy to hear you enjoy my scribbles. I’m still trying out my pen.

    (I have to apologize for the little hand and foot dialog, the intention was to put it in a formal screen play format, but this here blog thing won’t let me.)

    Happily scribbling along and forever learning
    Softly

  • By Softly, March 12, 2010 @ 6:09 am

    On thought becoming matter.

    Trying to contemplate where thought becomes matter and were vibration becomes sound I bumped into an old Japanese diagram explaining the world, I wish I could paint a picture here with circles and color but I’ll try to do it with words. (so hold on)

    The diagram starts with an empty circle – Ri –
    This stands for the universal principle , the principle that can not be named but can be known.
    From this two circles are formed.
    Doing and not doing.
    These two merge and manifest themselves in energy – Ki –
    Energie flows through everything. And by creation becomes “tangible” in form –Ji –
    (End of picture)

    When awareness grows we know when a form, be it in movement, sound, or object has Ri or if lacks it completely. We are moved by it and can’t deny its truth, its beauty.

    We instinctively know when we are conned, by plastic lookalikes, hollow words, standardized emotions and empty gestures.

    To me the diagram made a lot of sense, but then I had the visual aid. For those of you who like me need the picture (http://aimeedis.blogspot.com/)

    Softly

  • By Softly, March 12, 2010 @ 6:59 am

    On thought becoming matter,

    Trying to contemplate where thought becomes matter and were vibration becomes sound I bumped into an old Japanese diagram explaining the world, I wish I could paint a picture here with circles and color but I’ll try to do it with words. (so hold on)

    The diagram starts with an empty circle – Ri –
    This stands for the universal principle , the principle that can not be named, but can be known.
    From this two circles are formed.
    Doing and not doing.
    These two merge and manifest themselves in energy – Ki –
    Energie flows through everything. And by creation becomes “tangible” in form –Ji –
    (End of picture)

    When awareness grows we know when a form, be it in movement, sound, or object has Ri or if lacks it completely. We are moved by it and can’t deny its truth, its beauty.

    We instinctively know when we are conned, by plastic lookalikes, hollow words, standardized emotions and empty gestures.

    To me the diagram made a lot of sense, but then I had the visual aid. For those of you who like me need the picture (http://aimeedis.blogspot.com/)

    Forever learning
    Softly

  • By Softly, March 12, 2010 @ 7:00 am

    oeps

  • By Softly, March 12, 2010 @ 7:01 am

    If a tree falls in the woods and no one is there to hear it fall does it make a sound?

    It’s a koan, a riddle not to be solved by mind, like what is the sound of one hand clapping? Or what did your face look like before your parents were born? Or does the light in the fridge go out when you close the fridge door?

    Don’t try to solve these riddles, especially not with words, listen for the muse, watch for the universal principle and feel the unbendable intent of pure energy.*

    It does not really matter what we belief or don’t belief is true. The clearer our connection is to the All, to Ri, the more we Know what is true.

    Forever learning
    Softly
    *(Or you could try to crawl into the fridge and see for yourself)

  • By Sammy, March 12, 2010 @ 8:06 am

    hilly:

    Thank you so much for your very recent posting. This is what I have been trying to understand my whole life. It is not that I don’t understand the ‘nothingness’ but living that life with that understanding is not easy. We have so many desires/ideas/knowledge in us that the truth becomes a haze.

    If ones cup is full to the brim with tea you cannot put more tea into that cup… (Just saw this in the kung-fu kind of movie “Forbidden kingdom” that came out in 2008) and I was thinking what an appropriate quote. To fully understand a concept one has to empty the cup…

  • By hilly, March 12, 2010 @ 12:27 pm

    Sammy, I met Gurudas/dharmadude on the web about 6 months ago. He has put so many interesting thoughts my way. Not everyone can handle his ‘take’ on things – he is an ordained Catholic bishop and a Buddhist monk although he will be the first to tell anyone who asks that he is not a Deist at all!
    His web site is entertaining, sometimes provoking and always interesting. I recommend it to all who are open to more than one view of their spirituality

    Softly….knowing you as I am beginning to, I am always impressed with your writing.

  • By Nee, March 12, 2010 @ 12:52 pm

    I think I get it.

    “…that awareness…that consciousness which is thought…” PMG Oct. 2006 (awesome speech!)

    Without consciousness nothing exists. Consciousness is thought.
    Without thought nothing exists.

    It is far less complicated than I imagined.

    Renee

  • By hilly, March 12, 2010 @ 1:22 pm

    Cogito ergo sum = I think, therefore I am

    (Descartes)

    I am, at least I think so
    (me)

  • By Nee, March 12, 2010 @ 1:49 pm

    Oh Hilly, every time I read “where thought becomes matter” my brain just could not grasp how thought became something physical.

    Thank you for telling me you are. I always tell my co-worker that I am a figment of his imagination. ; )

  • By Softly, March 12, 2010 @ 2:25 pm

    On thought becoming matter.

    Trying to contemplate where thought becomes matter and were vibration becomes sound I bumped into an old Japanese diagram explaining the world, I wish I could paint a picture here with circles and color but I’ll try to do it with words. (so hold on)

    The diagram starts with an empty circle – Ri –
    This stands for the universal principle, the principle that can not be named but can be known.
    From this two circles are formed.
    Doing and not doing.
    These two merge and manifest themselves in energy – Ki –
    Energie flows through everything. And by creation becomes “tangible” in form –Ji –
    (End of picture)

    When awareness grows we know when a form, be it in movement, sound, or object has Ri or if lacks it completely. We are moved by it and can’t deny its truth, its beauty.

    We instinctively know when we are conned, by plastic lookalikes, hollow words, standardized emotions and empty gestures.

    To me the diagram made a lot of sense, but then I had the visual aid. For those of you who like me need the picture http://aimeedis.blogspot.com/

    Softly

  • By Softly, March 12, 2010 @ 2:30 pm

    On thought becoming matter.
    Trying to contemplate where thought becomes matter and were vibration becomes sound I bumped into an old Japanese diagram explaining the world, I wish I could paint a picture here with circles and color but I’ll try to do it with words. (so hold on)

    The diagram starts with an empty circle – Ri –
    This stands for the universal principle , the principle that can not be named but can be known.

    From this two circles are formed.
    Doing and not doing.

    These two merge and manifest themselves in energy – Ki –

    Energy flows through everything. And by creation becomes “tangible” in form –Ji –

    (End of picture)

    When awareness grows we know when a form, be it in movement, sound, or object has Ri or lacks it completely. We are moved by it and can’t deny its truth, its beauty.

    We instinctively know when we are conned, by plastic lookalikes, hollow words, standardized emotions and empty gestures.

    To me the diagram made a lot of sense, but then I had the visual aid. (For those of you who like me need the picture just click on my name.)

    Softly

  • By PamT, March 12, 2010 @ 2:55 pm

    Ah ….and so with matter equating to ‘the everything’ (everything that our consciousness can encompass), that is how it is in essence a part of us (in fact, more like ‘the everything’ of us). It’s almost like one of those pictures where you see one image but are told that there’s a second one there if you can perceive it in a different way. It’s all a ‘matter’ of perspective.

    BTW Nee, thanks for your earlier post.

    PamT

  • By Softly, March 12, 2010 @ 2:56 pm

    Hi Hilly,

    Thanks for posting the hart sutra. The Punk Monk is a real find.

    I love the Hilly version of the Descartes quote it gives me the giggles.

    Nee,
    Thanks for your cellular explanation of the bigger picture, I get it.

    All you out there thanks for being…

    With a big smile and kind regards

    Softly

  • By hilly, March 13, 2010 @ 9:34 am

    I’ve always enjoyed the technique of reductio ad absurdum…reducing things to the absurd.

    So:

    I think therefore I am
    Where am I?
    Am I?.
    I am.

    I am?
    I’m there?
    Am I there?
    I’m there.
    Here I am.
    At least I think so.
    So, I think I’m here… so I’m here; so if I think I’m here, and I think, therefore I am.
    At least, I think I am.

    So here I am, thinking about whether I’m here, or there, and my thoughts are all over the place.
    Focus and….hey here I am; I think.
    So I think I’m here, therefore I am here and if that is so…then by thinking I am.

    As they used to say at the end of ‘Soap’..”confused? you will be until the next episode…..”

  • By hilly, March 13, 2010 @ 12:16 pm

    more “soap” bubbles:

    Am I who I think I am?

    OR

    I am who I think I am.

    Shakespeare said it best: “To be, or not be, that is the question….”

  • By Softly, March 13, 2010 @ 2:02 pm

    Never thinking myself a great thinker,
    I never gave thought much thought.
    But is thought becomes matter, and I don’t do much thinking, does that mean that to me nothing much matters?

  • By hilly, March 14, 2010 @ 3:37 am

    that’s lovely, Softly.

  • By PamT, March 14, 2010 @ 1:20 pm

    Yep, PamM, that’s certainly how it seemed to me when the penny tentatively dropped (I think). A holistic concept operating on an almost infinite number of annular and inter-connected two-way conduits – with our consciousness being the vehicle. Absolutely no offence intended, but my initial inclination is that, for me personally, examination of the point where ‘thought becomes matter’ might perhaps be something to spend some time reflecting upon before I’m able to discuss. But, if I’ve anything that I think might be useful to share then I will and I’m certainly all ears if anyone finds it otherwise – as they may well do. In the meantime, having at best only a tenuous grasp (again, I think) on the concepts with which I was struggling, I’m going to sit with those for a while.

    Best wishes.
    PamT
    Not drowning; but waving whilst heading to shore for a little reflection.

    PS. Apologies if you felt I repeated your point. The sad truth is that the instant an equation crosses its path, my brain makes an immediate break for the nearest available exit. I’ve tried having words, and have even threatened it with buying a copy of ‘Quantum Mechanics for Dummies’, but it remains stubbornly entrenched on that particular front! ;-)

  • By rita, March 14, 2010 @ 3:56 pm

    However, it’s easier to find difference than similarity. We covet that person, color, occassion, smell, addiction to power who best mirrors ours. She’s our dream girl, he’s our dream boy…Ken and Barb….

    i can’t quite follow. are you talking about the old adage of, ‘opposites attract,’ or do you mean, ‘like and like’? both carry a grain of truth, but both are very different.

    you are different from me. that’s how we can extablish our identities. you are, what i am not and vice versa. whatever personal property you take, i am sure i can find something that doesn’t match with the understanding i have of myself.

    so, where do we take it from here then with the mirror images? mirror as in reflecting the same (like and like) — or mirrored as in the reverse (opposites)? and would we have to communicate about the differences or the similarities? aren’t they selfevident and need no communication?

    i am just guessing here because you open up so many gaps with this entry. it’s difficult to fill them all in. perhaps you mean by communication that we would have to meet somewhere in the middle and negotiate what we perceive as similarities — only to find out they are actually differences. my understanding of ‘freedom’ is probably different from your understanding of ‘freedom’. are we communicating then about freedom itself, the differences or the shared thoughts?

    communication, when you look at it like that, appears all of a sudden so terribly difficult.

    no wonder we always get it wrong.

  • By Softly, March 15, 2010 @ 12:05 am

    On a more serious note; I may be stuck on semantics again.

    Thought, what do you mean?
    Thought: I’m thinking about how to type the next word, how I should be off to bed instead of typing this word, how I’m not sure what is meant here with the word thought and how my good night tea smells real good

    Thought becoming matter gets some SiFi feel when it is just thought as I describe above. I see Star Trek and Jean Luc Picard talking to a wall: “Earl Gray, hot” and a nice cup of tea appears.

    I’m sure this is not what is meant, but what is meant with the word thought and what is involved in the process of thought becoming matter? If not the thought “let there be tea” then what?

    Thought does not make tea grow; thought does not build boats or write books, hard work does. Does hard work involve thought? Sure, but is this what is meant with “were thought becomes matter”?

    So I sit on my safu and watch the zebra’s and artichokes for a while, contemplating thought and matter, vibrations and sound. I should be in the place now were thought becomes matter and were vibration becomes sound. I look around and I listen, nothing but the fast expanding of awareness, every now and then bumping into unresolved connections, dusted over peephole into who I really am and the smallest grocery list ever “Tea” but no Einstein or algebra coming to my aid. Then a thought pops up about what is thought: “does it really matter?”

    I get up and bow to my safu and I feel a familiar grin on my face.

    I remain forever learning

    Softly

  • By Being_Bette, March 17, 2010 @ 2:10 pm

    New to your blog, but not a newbie to your thoughts. They are ancient and a natural extension of ‘Self’, experiencing itself as One.

    In answer to your contemplation suggestions, try contemplating/meditating on where ‘thought’ meets ‘no thought’ and see what you find.

    Or take it to the edge of manifestation… Delish!

    As for those who are confused. I so -feel- and know your confusion. It is a paradigm shift for this industrialized culture to grasp inner consciousness… your ego does not and will not let you go there easily. For awareness means the death of ego and ego puts up a good fight.

    The basics IMHO we humans are self-governing entities — just like ‘seeds’ that keep the naturally occurring side of life regenerating itself. Though our role in that process is a bit more complex, because we have the ability to think, and therefore control our direction of growth, whereas all the creations follow controlled cycles (garden variety), or instinctual (animals, ect.). But we humans, are blessed with the ‘Creator’s seed,’ as our natural birthright — the ability to govern our expression of Self.
    How that works is actually very simple to understand, if we use computer theory as an analogy. For the human mind operates very similar to a computers hard-drive, and the ‘software’ represents the programming/conditioning we receive from external sources like parents, teachers, religion, the environment, karma etc which is utilized by the operating-system of the hard-drive, but remains separate from it.

    So the ‘software’ actually represents our identity-structure, which can be seen as a multi- layered program of personality traits & conditioned patterns which we wear to the world as a mask or cloak. This cloak/mask is directly related to the level of ‘understanding’ that we have achieved through our acquisition of knowledge. For we are what we condition ourselves to think we are. But, it is only by living what we believe, that a level of ‘being’ (frequency) is brought into manifestation. Many people say one thing, and do another, and this inconsistent behavior-pattern never lets them establish an identity that can sustain itself. So they end up wander-ing (wondering) aimlessly, always searching for stability in their life, never realizing that they have deprived themselves of it by their inability to become a living representation of their beliefs.

    Seeds, are condensed versions of their creator, that rely on certain growing conditions being available in order to nurture their re-creation cycle. An ‘acorn’ for example, contains within it the potential to recreate the kind of Oak tree that spawned it, and we have the SAME potential within us, to recreate our creator.

    The Divine plan, as I understand it, is that each seed inherits from it’s creator all of the characteristics of Divine, in the form of a series of progressive steps or ripening, that lead to the creator being recreated. Just as all the things in Nature are locked into the endless cycle of regeneration, according to it’s particular species. We humans have a two-fold process in progress all the time, one being our physical body, and the other our consciousness. This ‘consciousness,’ actually is the integrated intelligence of all the expressed values of self on all levels of being.

    The plant kingdom, experiences stages of development akin to each one’s own particular kind, as do all instinctual beings such as animals, birds, and fish. We humans follow that same kind of developmental process when it relates to our physical body, as we progress through stages of infancy, adolescence, adulthood, and old age. But the Divine plan for our spiritual evolution depends almost entirely upon our choices in life. Because, we were given as our birthright from our Creator, a level of understanding that remains hidden within our memory, until we acquire the kind of knowledge that re-awakens that level of understanding.

    I hopes this help.

    Thank you PMG, for sharing your awakened thoughts… Keep up the energizing work.

    Blessings, Love & Light,
    Bette

  • By , March 23, 2010 @ 2:08 pm

    As a new bloger and only starting my “journey” it’s very refreshing to see like minds coming together here, and Paul giving us an insight into his thoughts. I have enjoyed browsing through the comments and will continue to visit from time to time, I might even pluck up enough courage and leave a comment of my own, eventually!!

  • By Janise Anthony, April 10, 2010 @ 10:42 pm

    Pam I agree!
    “There is nothing like holding a book in your hands!!Ebooks and kindle..will never replace that!”

    Nothing like the experience of reading a hard copy book. The process of turning the pages and making dog ears to mark my favorite pages I want to refer to again. The texture of the grade of paper used, some is glossy soft and others thick and marbled tantalizing the skin. The smell of freshly printed ink that wafts in my face as I fan the pages creating a breeze that tickles my nose, or the slight musty or dusty smell of a really old but classic book that reminds me of the distant past. Then the art of the book jacket giving it a face which I recognize as a friend each time I pick it up for a read and an internal chat and the site of it on my bookshelf or bedside lets me know its there for me anytime. I cherish my books more than any possession I own.

    I cannot image missing all of this for a piece of cheap plastic, Kindle…

    Peace,
    Janise

  • By Janise Anthony, April 10, 2010 @ 11:22 pm

    I have read a few posters here not understanding “thoughts becoming matter”…

    The formula of physical creation…Thought precedes all matter and matter precedes all form.

    Everything in the physical realm was first a thought before a thing. The computer you are on was first a thought, a concept, so is the chair you are sitting on, the cup that holds your drink, the clothes you are wearing etc. There isn’t one thing in the physical realm which was not a thought before a thing. Thoughts are things. For the God believers (myself included) the earth and sun were summonsed into existance by the word of God. And of course thought precedes all spoken word. Thoughts given enough energy and concentration become things. What is in between thoughts and things is matter. Matter is the physical substance of which physical objects are made.

    Paul writes he likes to contemplate that place where thoughts become matter. I am not so sure it is a place rather than a space. It cannot be seen but felt. I think the thought and then a feeling of knowingness comes at the moment of manifestation. As I have evolved in the process of creating things in my life through meditation, I have come to sense & know before I can even physically see the thing, tangible or not, that it has arrived. This sense is a feeling of “Its here! or I’ve got it!” For me that is the space where thoughts become matter and then shortly after I can see, taste, touch, smell and feel it.

    Once we realize the power of our thoughts to become matter and form, we must be careful of what we entertain in our minds as it will show up in our lives. The more a person meditates the more magnetic they become and the quicker thoughts become matter into form. I cannot tell you how often for me a fleeting or passing thought manifests in my life. Most of it is fantastic but some is unwanted. As I keep a watch guard on my internal dialog, my life flows with ease. I no longer need to chase what I desire. It finds me.

    Much of what people have attracted in their lives is unconscious. Our power comes when we shape our life and destiny with conscious choices using the witness in our thinking.

    Like attracts Like
    Opposites Repel
    Become the thing itself and it is yours!

    Peace,
    Janise

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