“I’ve never done a thing I’ve wanted to do in all my life.” – Last line in the book: Babbitt by Sinclair Lewis
Babbitt (1922), by Sinclair Lewis, is a satirical novel about American culture and society that critiques the vacuity of middle-class life and the social pressure toward conformity.
The word “Babbitt” entered the English language as a “person and especially a business or professional man who conforms unthinkingly to prevailing middle-class standards”.
Great advice from Joseph Campbell: “Follow your bliss. If you do follow your bliss, you put yourself on a kind of track that has been there all the while waiting for you, and the life you ought to be living is the one you are living. When you can see that, you begin to meet people who are in the field of your bliss, and they open the doors to you. I say, follow your bliss and don’t be afraid, and doors will open where you didn’t know they were going to be. If you follow your bliss, doors will open for you that wouldn’t have opened for anyone else.”
I invite you to pause a few moments and let me share a little about our counter-intuitive approach to the men’s spiritual circles in the Men’s Fellowship Network.
I sat together with a friend one night within the dark night of his soul. I held for him a greater truth, the essence of which he could not see. I held it until he was eventually able to shed enough of what no longer served him, and was able to see the spark of light that had been within him all along. It was the spark of his true spirit; his goodness and his gifts. It gave me pause. I later realized that sitting with him was his gift to me and it inspired me to produce this short video about holding sacred space. After I finished making this video and put the music to it I realized the title of the guitar piece was “Diagonal” by Richard Crandell. Perhaps a touch of Divine order at play here… Clay Boykin
Claude Bristol is a name not often heard these days, yet his message on the power of believing is timeless and draws on the teachings of Buddha, Jesus, Phineas P. Quimby, Mary Baker Eddy, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and others.
The Magic of Believing (1948) – Claude M Bristol
For a two year period, I was church editor of a large metropolitan newspaper, during which I came in close contact with clergymen and leaders of all sects and denominations, mind-healers, divine healers, Spiritualists, Christian Scientists, New Thoughters, Unity leaders, sun and idol worshipers – and, yes, even a few infidels and pagans…
I have read literally thousands of books on modern psychology, metaphysics, ancient magic, Voodoo, Yoga, Theosophy, Christian Science, Unity, Truth, New Thought, Coueism, and many others dealing with what I call “Mind Stuff,” as well as the philosophies and teachings of great masters of the past.
Much has been written and said about mystical powers, unknown forces, the occult, metaphysics (beyond science), mental physics, psychology (the science of mind), black and white magic, and many kindred subjects, causing most people to believe that they are in the field of the supernatural. Perhaps they are for some. But to me, the only inexplicable thing about these powers is that belief makes them work…
Claude Bristol was a hard-headed journalist for several years, including stints as a police reporter and as church editor of a large city newspaper. In this post, he met people from every denomination and sect and later read hundreds of books on psychology, religion, science, metaphysics and ancient magic. Gradually, Bristol began to see the ‘golden thread’ which runs through all religions and esoteric teachings: that belief itself has amazing powers.
Having spent years thinking about the power of thought, he had assumed others knew something about it too. He was wrong. Strangely, he found that most people go through life without realizing the effect that strong belief can have on reaching their goals – they leave their desires vague and so they get vague outcomes… (continued)
More on Claude Bristol – The Magic of Believing was written, he says, for ex-servicemen and women who would have to adjust to civilian life and try to prosper in it. It was published when he was in his 50’s and followed the success of a small book he published in 1932 entitled T.N.T. – It Rocks the Earth… (continued)
“It is paradoxical, yet true, to say, that the more we know, the more ignorant we become in the absolute sense, for it is only through enlightenment that we become conscious of our limitations. Precisely one of the most gratifying results of intellectual evolution is the continuous opening up of new and greater prospects.” – Nikola Tesla.
I invite you to set your phone to chime every day at 11:11am. Then, at that time pause a few seconds to energetically, mentally or spiritually, send a good thought to someone, or send a text, or give them a call.
This tradition was started a few years back in our men’s circle and has since begun spreading throughout Austin, Tx. Imagine the effect if everyone in Austin were to do it! Imagine if this went viral and the wave of good that would ripple around the world if all people were to do it.
According to numerology, the number 11 is a “master number” which signifies intuition, insight, and enlightenment. Seeing 11 11 is a good sign! An energetic doorway is being opened in which you will experience spiritual growth. – In World War I, on the “eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month” of 1918 the armistice took effect. – This year has additional importance in that 2018 adds to the number 11, so it is the “eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of a year that signifies eleven”
Circles of Men – “A wake-up up call for men who believe they can go it alone.” – Don Frick
“…every single one of the major world traditions has highlighted — has said —and put at the core of their tradition what’s become known as the Golden Rule.First propounded by Confucius five centuries before Christ:“Do not do to others what you would not like them to do to you.” – Karen Armstrong – 2008 Ted Talk
The principle of compassion lies at the heart of all religious, ethical and spiritual traditions, calling us always to treat all others as we wish to be treated ourselves. Compassion impels us to work tirelessly to alleviate the suffering of our fellow creatures, to dethrone ourselves from the center of our world and put another there, and to honor the inviolable sanctity of every single human being, treating everybody, without exception, with absolute justice, equity, and respect. – Charter for Compassion
Triangulation is a manipulation tactic where one person will not communicate directly with another person, instead of using a third person to relay communication to the second, thus forming a triangle. It is also a form of splitting in which one person manipulates a relationship between two parties by controlling communication between them.
Triangulation may manifest itself as a manipulative device to engineer rivalry between two people, known as divide and conquer or playing one (person) against another.
If you're looking for clarity or just need a fresh perspective, I'm here to help. Click here for a complimentary 20-minute 1:1 chat. No pressure, just a conversation to see how I can support you on your journey.
