Workshop - Newport Beach 1980- Page 1 of 8

Talk covers:
Self determined/other determined
Picture of man
Developing a habit of a chosen inner state
The “flat tire” story
What would have happened if “what I see as bad” hadn’t happened.
How can I be serene when “they” are bothering me
Acting healthy to be healthy; action/attitude = condition
Use it or lose it - - use it and keep it
Tone scale – coma to exhileration
Initiative, resistance, form and result
The thought of being a good guest
Time as the only resistance
What not I’s do - - how they operate
Nothing nor nobody is to blame.
What generates and dissapates energy
Common misconceptions
Choosing how I’ll see people around me
Purpose and will vs “will power”
Environment, inner feeling, activity and nutrition
Self remembering
poltergeist situations
autistic children
futility in trying to do the opposite
What have we earned?
Faith, grace and agape
Threat
Choicelessness
The 4th Wise Man - - a book
Freedom and experiencing freely
Definition of “surrender” and  “take charge”

“ideals are illusions we fight for” or cling to,
but “what is we can do something about”.
Good Sam - - who was neighbor to the man in the ditch
Am I loved? Vs Am I capable of loving.
Seeing people as beautiful - -
consequently treating them spontaneously.
Definition of awareness and intellect
Romantic love and commitment
Higher States of being
Seeing patterns in people and in self
Definition of renouncing
Artistry in the higher states – painting and music
Positive thinking - - does it work?
Homeopathy - - removing the obstruction to cure.
More on adaptation
Reasons for failure in new businesses
Seeing Life as a party instead of a madhouse
The Masons
Travelers and Trippers
Suggestibility
“seeing clearly”
Balance of four with example of teeter tooter game
Moods are contagious - -
higher moods can conteract lower ones.
Financially independent or “free to”
Old man who had money sewed into his coat,
yet ate garbage
Running an experiment instead of  listening to A and B side
Commitment to an invention or pet idea
“Why” things happen
Increasing one’s necessity
Being consciously or unconsciously selfish
Opposites and degrees

So today we'll start off by finding out what we came here for in the first place.  What'd you come for Charles?

(I came to see you.)

What'd you come for Melba?

(No particular reason.)

No particular reason, you just came, ok?  How about you?

(I came here to be with the teacher.)

Ok, well we'll see if we can elucidate something that would be worthwhile before the time's over with.  We got all week to do things.  So we'll try to see that everybody leaves here without any ability to make a problem, ok?  Now most everybody here, as I well know, is expert at making a problem.  They can make them out of anything or out of nothin', ok?  Have you been able to do that?

(Oh yeah.)

Yeah.  So I'm going to see if in some way or other, I can make it impossible for you to make a problem before the week's over, ok?  So the first thing we're gonna talk about today is whether we are self-determined in what we do or whether we're other determined.  Who determines what I do?  And how I feel? 

So we're told by supposedly experts that only 5% of the people in the world are self-determined as to what they're going to do, what they're going to act like and so forth; and that 95% are motivated into action by something other than themselves.  And it says that's why 5% of the people in the world get along well and the other 95% don't.  So you think that's a fair number Warren?

(I'd say so.)

About right.  Ok.  So the self-determined person decides first how they will feel.  Now basically I think regardless of whether we have been through it or not, that most everybody's major interest is their inner feeling.  If you have an inner feeling of very delighted and wonderful feeling, you don't have a problem--is that right Betty?  But if you are in a state of anxiety or fears or frustrations or worry and so forth, you consider you have a problem, is that right? 

So then seems that circumstances, other people, situations, and not i's determine how most people will have an inner feeling. 

Now we're going to go into it a wee bit, and see if we can do something about it - - that we can determine our own inner state.  Would you like to be able to do that at all times honey - - that you could always determine your own inner state.

So when a person is self determined how they feel, they take charge of their attitude which is, after all, our inner feeling; and the way one takes charge of their inner feeling is the way they act.  So if you have a certain attitude and a certain act, then your condition equals that.  So you will have a condition that is always in balance with the way you’re acting and the way you’re feeling or your attitude inside.  Now you can't just take charge of your attitude or inner feeling and say I'm gonna feel a certain way--it doesn't seem to work that way. 

You can do a lot of positive thinking which is trying to tell yourself that you feel other than you do; but if you act a certain way, you will always feel as you are acting.  Now if we sit and act like we're the last rose of summer - - sad and beautiful, you know, fallin' down - - then your inner feeling will be in accord with that. 

Now very few people are aware of how they are acting.  In other words, you’re unaware of what picture you're presenting to the world about you, huh?  Now if you should act like Vivo is today, then everything is wonderful, huh?  You even feel good today is that right?  And there has been times when my dear friend came in groaning and sighing.  I say how are you and he'd tell me; and that took most of the morning - - it was sad and terrible and way down there dragging the bottom and everything was wrong that could possibly be wrong and a few things that couldn't possibly be wrong.  So as long as he did that, his inner feeling was going to that.  He was acting this way--totally unaware that he was acting this way and so his condition was one of constant troubles, is that right Vivo?

(Basic turmoil.)

Basic turmoil - - now that's a good word - - very basic turmoil going on.  Now in this condition he was other determined - - totally and completely.  Circumstance had a little bit to do with it.  I don't think any other people had anything to do with it, but he found a lot that he could assign that situation to; and certainly the not i's were having a field day. 

So we will begin to look to see how we could act.  Now the first thing that determines most people how they act is the little not i's.  Now we will draw the not i's - - we won't take but a few minutes; but we'll leave it around because it is very basic.  

The first not i established our purpose in living.  Now about the day we were born, so we were pretty tiny folks and had very little to be concerned with;  but for the first time we begin to feel intense discomfort - - being born's a mess.  So I don't know why people celebrate those days, but I guess because they're not having them anymore - - more than likely; but I don't see very much to celebrate myself. 

But nevertheless, the first basic decision was that the purpose of living was to be non-disturbed - - regain the non-disturbed state.  I'll make it as short as possible over here - - regain the non-disturbed state. 

Now if we check up a little bit, we will see that most of all the efforts and troubles and things we went through in our life was the effort to regain the non-disturbed state.  A human being a little disturbed begins to look for a pill or a potion or something to make them non-disturbed, is that about right - - as quick as possible.  Why we look for something to make us non-disturbed.  So we work very hard to accumulate a lot of money so we'll be non-disturbed.  We travel to and fro to all sorts of places - - go to meetings and all sorts of things hoping we will be non-disturbed when we get through.  Now I'm going to try to see that you get that this time, ok?  So you will be really non-disturbed. 

So the first thing that the infant does when he is disturbed and which most of us have managed to continue until this day was to complain.  Now when things don’t go to suit us what is the usual thing to do Margaret? 

(You’re right, I complain.)

Gritch - - that's a combination of gripe and ___, you know.  So we complain.  Now that worked beautifully for most of us for at least a couple of years; and after that, it didn't work so well; but we're still trying to make it work.  You ever complain, Vinnie? 

(Occasionally.)

Occasionally and it's supposed to make things straighten out, isn't it? 

(Hopefully.)

But does it ever do it, or is it usually the last thing you'll get done out of it.  In other words it keeps more turmoil going. 

The second way that we found out to try to be non-disturbed was sticking up for our rights.  Now our rights are really non-existent.  I think everybody here arrived in this plane of existence about the same way - - broke, helpless, naked, without a coin and no way to take care of yourself.  Is that about the way you got here Penny.

(Yes.)

That the way you got here Vivo?  So then, of course,  somebody looked after us and gave us a few things here and there - - they provided us food, then they give us some clothing right quick and a few other things.  So very rapidly we begin to feel that that is a right.  Anytime that you have something more than two days in a row given to you, you begin to feel it's a right.  If some guy comes by your door and you give him $2 every morning so he can buy him some coffee through the day; and you give it to him two mornings in a row, the third morning he comes and you don't give it to him, he's all ticked off at you because it was his “right” now.  See the first day he appreciated it - - the second day it was acceptable and the third day if you don't give it to him, it's his “right” and he's real upset.  So the moral of that is don't give him anything the first day. 

So this one is to “stick up for rights”.  Now that's when we get a little belligerent.  Has anybody tried that one in the last year or so?  Not today or anything like that.  We know nobody's done that; but have you in the last year or two stuck up for your rights and got a little belligerent?  Warren, have you - - probably so. 

So we're still trying to use these methods, so these are what we call not i's.  The complainer, the sticker up for rights and about along then our folks got tired of all this foolishness we were puttin' out, so they begin to insist that we please them. 

So we developed a pleaser not i; and it goes around feeling that it's got to please somebody.  Now it really doesn't want to; but it feels it has to or we'll get in trouble, is that right?  Have you ever tried to please people that you really could care less whether they're pleased or not except they'll cause you static?  So that's another not i. 

Then the fourth set of not I’s comes along - - they told us to  believe and do as we're told by our authorities.  Now our authorities are parents, school teachers, doctors, lawyers, policemen - - all these things; and if we would just do everything they said, why we'd get along fine, is that right?  But who wants to do it?  So we begin to be a quoter; and there’s one in there that quotes all sorts of wonderful things to you about how you ought to behave all the time.  You should do this and you should not do that.  Do you ever hear about that one Ron.

(Sure do.)

It tells you you should do this and you shouldn't have done that and so forth and so on.  So then the fifth one comes along and that's the self improver.  That's always telling you you should do better than what you're doing.  Now nobody knows what better is, but it would just be different, is that right?  You ought to do everything better, huh?  But do you know what better is? 

(Sometimes I think I do.)

So did you ever try to improve yourself?

(Oh yeah, all the time.)

Well, let's look around.  Now we see a whole bunch of humans here - - no two of which look exactly alike, thank goodness, huh?  That way we can tell one from the other; but every one of them has one head, two arms, two legs and a body to hold it together, is that right?  How are you going to improve on that - - put two heads on it?

(Not really.)

Three arms?

(That's the way it is.)

Fine, then let's quit trying to improve ourselves, ok?  We don't even know how to make one cell, but we set out to improve.

Now the sixth one came up and that really settled things.  That's the blamer.  Now if I can just find what to blame for my terrible situation, I got it made, is that right?  Now the only thing with blaming is as long as you blame anything either inside, outside, self or another, there is absolutely nothing you can do about whatever it is you want to do.  That's a paralyzer. 

If I blame you for something, then there's absolutely nothing I can do about it - - I got to wait until you do different and that never will happen.  You know, 'cause I'll always see you as still being to blame, so that will go on and on and on and on.  So we have this little set - - we'll call this one A and this one B and here's the poor chooser which is what little is left over of the “awareness”; and it's trying to decide will I do this one or do this one. 

Now it really doesn't matter which one you do because if you do one of them, the other one will give you a fit for having done it.  There's no way to please these things because they don't like you.  And anybody who doesn't like you simply cannot be pleased.  No matter what you do, it's not quite correct. 

So if you save all your money and develop a great estate, then somebody says you're a money grabber; and that's all you ever think of; but if you spend all your money and have a good time with it, they say you're a spendthrift.  If you work real hard and do a good job, they say you're nothing but a workaholic; and if you don't work very much and take a lot of time off, they say you're lazy.  So it really doesn't matter.  The not I’s don't like you; and basically, they have been the big controller.  We're other determined by not i's.

Now the only thing I know to do with them is to ignore them.  Now they always say something derogatory about you or another and they always tell lies.  Everything they say is incorrect—see - - just flat lies.  Now if you know that much about them, that's all you'll ever need to know.  You will simply ignore them.  So anytime you hear something derogatory run through your head about you or another,  you ignore it--now you can't make them go away because they're not you.  They're gonna stick around. 

A man was telling me the other day that he had one barking at him that particular day when he came in here; and he remembered that it was telling him exactly the same thing under altogether different circumstances 36 years ago.  So they're very persistent, but they're still lies; and the only kind of people I walk away from are bores.  Now anything that's been telling you the same thing for 36 years or for however old you are before you got here, is a bore, isn't it?  Who wants to listen to a bore?  So you just ignore them and they finally get so they are less insistent; but give 'em a half chance and they're back to tell you a story, ok?  They're gonna pick on you a little bit.

Now the person who is self-determined decides first, "What do I want to do?"  I may decide, "How do I want to feel now?"  You know if you want to do something, you have to feel a certain way to do it.  "How do I want to feel?"  Now that is pretty basic that you'll put that one down.  "How do I want to feel?"  Well I think that the very lowest any of us would like to feel is kind of serene, isn't it?  I can feel a lot higher than that, but there's nothing below that that I'm really interested in.  I don't want to feel angry.  I don't want to feel bored.  I don’t' want to feel guilty.  I don't want to feel frustrated.  I don't want to feel aggravated - - none of those little chores.  You want any of those.

(No.)

Do you have 'em frequently?

(Yes.)

Ok.  So now while you're here you can go back to the east coast without them, that all right Miss Ruth.  Would you just as soon to go back without them, huh?  Ok, let's start right now that you're gonna determine how you would like to feel, huh?  Now how would you like to feel today? - - the lowest level you would like to feel.  I'm not gonna ask you the highest one.

(Serene.)

You'd like to feel serene.  Ok, now I'm going to ask you next - - how you would act if you already felt serene.  How would I act if I already felt serene?  How would you be acting Miss Ruth?

(I don’t know.)

Wonder if any of the rest of us could look at you and tell whether you were serene or not.  That's what I mean by acting.  If I look at somebody I can tell pretty well how they feel, can't you?  Ever see somebody and way they look like they have the weight of the world on their shoulders, huh?  And they are so angry they could bite nails in two. Now you haven’t heard this person say one single word, but you looked at 'em and saw that - - is that right?  And that person looks like they have a lot of troubles - - huh?  You know that do you?  Now how do they show you that they're feeling that way?  Now you recognize it don't you?  Ok?  So how do they tell you?  They're acting that way - - you haven't said a word to them, they may even be a total stranger you are observing and you’ve never seen before in your life.

(The expression on their face?)

Ok, so we'll draw a picture - - so far we have very little to go on - - it hasn't said a thing, but now let's say that it looks like this.  What would you say? 

(They could be angry?)

Well, get 'em down here get ‘em worried.  In other words,  everything on that person would be down, is that correct? 
D - O - W - N, everything would be down, huh?  Now are you ever aware, Ruth, of how you are acting--what picture are you presenting to the rest of us?

(Once in a while - - - )

About how often? 

(Not very often.)

And not very long at a time, huh?

(I have to pick it up again.)

Well, how about just startin' today you're going to be self-determined, ok?  You're going to determine what picture you show me - - what picture you show everybody here, what picture you're gonna show Gary, what picture you're gonna show Phil over here, what picture you're gonna show Charles so that we could look at you and know without hearing anything from you, how you're feeling?  Huh? 

(Yes.)

Now that would require a small bit of attention, no doubt, is that correct? 

(A lot of attention.)

Well, whatever it takes.  It would be all right to do it, is that right. because it'd be worth it, is that correct?  So all it would require, though, on your part is attention and acting, is that right?  That's all you would really have to do is to put your - - only effort you would have to expend is the attention that you would put on it, huh?  Now after you did this for a while, would you feel that it would become a habit?

(I think so.)

Just like it's become a habit to look sad and woebegone and all these things, is that right?  Huh? 

(Yes.)

Now I'm going to ask all of you that's gonna be here all week, ok - - that as you look at somebody, you walk up and say, "You are feeling so and so."  Now that's a little bit of an assignment.  That you walk up to 'em and say, "You're feeling sad."  And let's see how long they can keep it up, ok?  Now you have a little assignment that you will walk up and say to somebody, "You look wonderful."   "You look like you're very happy."  "You look like you are bubblin' over."  And you just walk around and tell 'em.  Now I'll see that we keep band aids and everything on hand for the injuries; but you walk up and tell 'em, ok? 

(That’s right.)

Now in a very short time we all develop habits no matter what it is, ok?  So it takes a very short length of time to develop a habit, is that right Vivo?

(Two days.)

Something like that.  Now we're gonna have five days of it - - gonna have five full days; and you'll see people around and while you see them, you walk up and say, "You look so and so" or "You're feeling so and so" ok?  Don't tell them they “look it” because “they're really feeling it” because any way you are acting this moment, you feel.  So if somebody walks up to you and says, "You look sad."  That would tell you to do something about it, is that right?  Huh?  And if somebody says “you look angry”, it would tell you to do something about it.  Somebody says you sure look happy today - - fine, keep on doing it.  So the only thing you would have to have is attention, huh? 

Now you would pay enough attention that you would determine how you’re going to act because you're gonna leave here as a self-determined individual, huh?  It won't change the percentage point - - it'll still be 5 and 95% - - it won't change it any because there's so few of us that it won't make any difference, ok? 

But you will be self-determined that you will determine one thing - - how you feel all the time.  Now you will, of course, have to determine how you act in order to take care of the feeling; and you will be determining your condition.  So you only take care of one, and you get all the rest of it, ok? 

Now it looks like a pretty good bonus, doesn't it?  Ok, so now all you do is pay attention to how you're acting.  Now there's mirrors in the conference room back there which you're welcome to walk in and take a look at - - there's mirrors in the wash room.  You can take a look in there; but everybody's gonna be a mirror to everybody else, huh?  And, of course, there's liable to be some slight balance, but I said we'll keep band aids and Onaca and a few mercurocromes and everything to take care of that. 

Now over here, of course, not only the not i's but there's other people around.  Now do you think that it would do anything worthwhile to try to straighten out other people or is it better to just treat them like they're very wonderful and go on about your business no matter what they do?  You don't have to straighten them out do you Melba.

(No.)

But we have a great proclivity for trying to straighten everybody out, is that right?  Man, we want to get 'em straightened out.  You get on your defensive high horse and you got to get 'em all straightened out!

Now circumstances is really a goodie.  When we have a circumstance that we don't exactly like, do we generally let it control our inner state of being right quick, huh?  Right quick, is that right?  So in other words, somebody said something or did something that I didn't like or maybe it’s just some circumstance I don’t like - - the machine breaks down.  Did you ever see some guy get out and kick a flat tire?  Huh?  Did you ever see the guy take a hammer and beat his car with it?  You know, the stupid thing's controlling him. 

(I've seen somebody do it.)

She saw somebody do it, huh?  It made the car start real good, didn't it?  You all heard the story about the man that went to borrow a jack one night, didn't you?   You heard that? 

(I didn't.)

You haven't heard it.  Well, I will tell it to you dear lady.  It seems that one time a man was out making a call in the country.  He was a salesman of some sort, and he had to go from one town to the other.  He was way out in the country and it got late at night--9:30 or so--and his car had a flat tire.  So he got out and said a few choice words about the car having a flat tire, ok?  So he goes around and opens the trunk and somebody had left the jack out.  Well, naturally that aroused some more disturbance.  So he looked all around and the only thing he could see was way off over the way, was one farm house with a light in it.  So he decided that the only thing to do was to walk over and see if he could borrow a jack from that house and fix his tire or change his tire and then he could go on and take the jack back.

But with every step he took, he felt more upset; and he began to listen to the not i's, and one of them in his head  said, “Those damn farmers won't trust a man with a suit on and a tie--they'll want a $10 deposit on the stupid $4 jack." 

Well, within another 100 feet, it was up to $50 for puttin' the deposit up for the jack; and this went on and on; and he was more and more upset and just before he got to the house, all the lights went out.  Now he “knew” they were in bed and would really be disturbed at him comin' up there: but he had to have a jack, so he went up and he whacked on the door and a voice stuck out the window and said, "Yes, what is it?"  And he said, "Aw, you and your damn jack, take it and go to hell!" 

And so he'd already worked out what would happen in his head by the way he was acting, and that ended the show, huh?  So, of course, he had all of his troubles to go on with anyway, but he was firmly convinced that the man wouldn't let him have the jack.  He just told him off - - “You can just have your old jack.” 

So then circumstances can decidedly upset us.  Now does the circumstance, we'll say, of a flat tire get any better because we have gotten angry and upset and stewed up over it or is it still just a flat tire.  And you don't even know if it was a misfortune or not.  Because had you continued rollin' on down the road, you don't know but what you'da had an accident and been a basket case 30 minutes later, do you?  You don't know that, so how do you know it was even bad?  Huh?  How do you know it was even bad?  Just one of these little things says you were disturbed; and therefore, it's bad; and then you start listening to all of the chatter in your head and get the blaming going and the whole smear; but do you know that a little thing like a plane being late or a car having a flat tire or the car won't start--do you know what would have happened had it all run smoothly? 

You don't know that, do you?  So how can we say it was bad or lousy - - it's just “what is”; and you know there's nothing so important any of us do that I think the world will quit turning on it's axis because we weren't there on time, is that right?  So could we just take that we have a new purpose at the moment - - get a tire changed or whatever it may be, huh?  The car won't start; well, we have a new purpose for a few minutes - - go get the car started - - whatever it may take.  But we don't know that it was bad, but you see we take on all the chores of judging that we know what ought to be. 

Miss Diana was goin' down the street over here not long ago and somebody plowed into the back end of her little car and made mincemeat out of it, huh?  Now do you know what would have happened had she been able to continue on to where she was headed before she got stopped with having the back end of the little car caved in?  Do you know what would have happened to it? 

I don't.  She may have been a basket case.  She may have found a brief case with a million dollars in it, I don't know; but I would have bet on the first one more than I would the last one, ok?  And I don't know that anything would have  happened; but nobody knows; so how can we judge it as being bad without knowing what the alternatives were.  We don't know the alternatives.   So we just have to leave it as a “what is”, is that right?  And certainly we can all handle what is, huh?  You can do that?  How are you lookin' now?  How are you acting? 

(Well, I think I may be.......I’m concerned about..)

You were a little concerned about what?  It is very important what happens to that tape down there.  It really is.

(I think there might have been a .......)

....a little disturbance way down therewhile you’re lookin' very anxiously over here.  You don’t' know what's goin' on just watchin' that stupid machine down there, is that right?  Now that's really circumstances, huh?

(Right.)

…that's really circumstances.  Now you gonna let a tape machine determine your inner state or are you gonna do it?

(I'm gonna do it.)

When?

(Right now.)

Ok, I just wanted to know.  Ok.  So then we can take charge whenever we like; but our habit is to allow everything to take charge except me; and I'm the victim of circumstances - - a victim of other people - - and so forth, is that right?  And they determine your inner feeling; and the inner feeling determines how you act; and the action and the inner feeling determines the condition of your existence, huh?

(Right.)

Now you want to continue that, or do you think it's worthwhile - - you flew out here didn't you?

(Yes.)

All the way from Washington, huh?  And you came here to spend time in the affluent area of Southern California we call Newport Beach, huh?

(Right.)

Now if you do all of that, surely you could use it, is that right?

(Yes.)

Now all you got to do is let the tape machine be.  I'll take care of the tapes, ok?  And then when you want some, I'll sell 'em to you.  All of us will be better off - - you won't have it to worry about and I'll make a dollar, ok?  I think that's a good idea, don't you?

(Yes.)

I like that so why don't you just turn the thing off and then you won't have it to be concerned with it anymore.  Ok?

(Ok.)

And if it goes off, why somebody will tell you.  I even stop to let people change their tapes - - don't say a word in between so they won't miss one valuable word.  You know how great and valuable it is - - one word somewhere.  I just stop while everybody turns the tapes over and we start off with the next word and nobody ever knows there was an interruption in there, ok? 

So now I think I have kind of pointed out here that we can do this either way.  We can allow ourselves to be other determined all the time, huh; and go around most of our lives with all kinds of difficulties of one form or another, or we can take charge and be any way we want.  And you said you’d like to be a minimum of serene, is that right?

(Right.)

Ok.  And you wouldn’t let Christopher change you; and you wouldn’t let Robert change you or anything else.  You’d go on and take charge - - to hell with their noise, is that right?

(That’s it.)

Ok, now you can do that; but it does require that you pay attention and the only thing you really need to pay attention to is what are you tellin’ me without openin’ your mouth about you’re inner feeling.- - not just me, everybody in here, huh?  What are you tellin’ me, now, about your inner state?  Now it’s doin’ a little better.  Just see you have to keep being reminded.

(I know.)

Now who’s in charge, you or somebody else, ok? 

(I’m trying.)

Yeah, I know about that trying.  I’m trying.  The lady told me when somebody said they’re trying their best.  She said, “You really are.”  “You’re very trying.”  Ok?  You’re very trying.  So let’s change that around. 

Now let’s take a minute and everybody have time to ask questions to make comments whatever you like, I’m not gonna lecture myself  into the corner.  I leave plenty of room for you to ask a question.  Looks better.

(I get tired.)

(I know.)

Hasn’t been used in years, so naturally they get tired; but Vivo is a great user of gymnasiums.  I believe he could tell you that when he works out in the gym, he doesn’t get tired anymore after a few days.  How long does it take doing a certain exercise until it doesn’t  - - it’s very tiring when you start until it’s not tiring?

(The exercise?  Usually you stop when you get tired doing it.)

I know; but each time you get so you can go a little longer, is that right?

(Sometimes, yeah.)

Most of the time, huh?  In other words if you do something a very short length of time, why you can do it without thinking about it, ok?

(Ok.)

You run a typewriter? 

(Yes.)

What kind of method - -touch or hunt and peck?

(I usetouch.)

And if you keep doin’ it, you’re fingers know where to go, is that right; and you don’t have to think about the keys.  If you think about the key, it takes you forever to find it.  That’s called the Columbus method.  Discover a key and land on it, you know.  Then half the time you miss it. 

But now let’s all have comments.  Miss Melba?

(Bob there’s something that’s a mystery, that’s the mothers…..)

Well, that’s according to how much trouble they have, isn’t it Hon? 

(Well, no, I mean like some people - - no matter what they do, it’s easy to be serene.  But some of the other people that are around you - - you know - - …)

Well, we’re not talking about the people around you, we’re talking about you.

(Yes, but at some point, you know, you can get caught up and then you look at it and you think - - well whatever is going on in that person, I’m going to be serene, but there is a not I that gets in there and fights very hard to convince you that you really need to stick up for your rights.)

He’s a liar.

(… and there’s no reason why…….)

There’s no reason.  They’re to blame because they’re tearing down your inner state. 

(And you’re saying, “I’m gonna be serene, but this person is tearing down”…)

No, I wouldn’t say I was gonna be serene.  I’m already acting serene.  (Silence for a long time) 

(Hum.)

…On the telephone , in person and so forth.

(But they attack.)

Um?

(They attack.)

What do you mean they attack?

(Well, you know, um, you want to do something and then somebody else close around here wants to do something different.)

Well, fine then go do it.   (Laughter.)

Let ‘em do it, but of course, you know how they ought to do it; and they shouldn’t be doin’ that foolishness; and therefore…

 

(And you’re looking at that whole thing, but that’s still…)

And we go right on by the serenity and into the old habit and let circumstances and situations determine our inner state - - um hum.  And, of course, then we’re a victimized by these people who are around us who just know what’s right and go on and do wrong anyway - - those dirty dogs - - anybody can see that, huh? 

We’re not concerned with the others.  We’re only concerned with one.

(Right.)

How do you want to feel?  How are you determined that you’re going to feel?  Now certainly I can deal with difficult people a lot better if I’m serene than if I’m all upset.  I believe everybody knows that.  Is that right Warren?  If I’m serene and peaceful, I can deal with all kinds of gritchy people and get along fine. 

(I know what your doing?  She laughs.)

That’s fine.  I do too.  I always tell people sure I know what I’m doing. 

(You said something and Melba agreed - - it turned out to be factual; and that is we’re only concerned with one - - we’re not concerned with others.)

I know, but Melba is somewhat concerned with other people because if she could get the world straightened out, she’d feel good.  I know that.

(….we’re concerned with somebody else in this world._)

That’s very true.  I don’t want to be concerned with ‘em, I want to do lots of other nice things, but not be concerned over ‘em, ok?  Huh? 

(Yeah.)

Now if they would just straighten up and do right, you wouldn’t have to be concerned over ‘em.

(Yeah.)

So you only have a very small chore, just get everybody else straightened out, and then everything would be fine.  Now you’re way is simpler than mine, but it takes several hundred years longer.  (laughter)  That’s the only difference, ok?  So you’ll have to work a lot longer, but it will work better than mine - - soon as you get ‘em all straightened out.  All you gotta do is outlive ‘em all.  Takes a lot longer, huh?  That’s not so bad is it?  But new ones keep springing up all the time and then you have to outlive them too; so finally when it’s only you left in the world, why everything will be fine; and then I bet you’re fussin’ about it.

(That’s right - - it’ll rain.)

It’ll rain then Warren, or it’ll have a drought or it’ll get too hot or somethin’ will happen.  It won’t be just right, I’ll bet‘cha, ok? 

Ok, who’s got the next comment here?  Melba did that one up well.  I enjoyed that dissertation there.  After all somebody’s to blame or I’d a been all right to begin with, huh? 

(Well, this is just some people.  I was wondering why.)

Well, they’re just perverse so that’s all that’s wrong with ‘em.  Why bother?  They’re just perverse people.  The main thing that’s wrong with ‘em Melba is you know them.

(It’s more important with some people.)

That’s the ones we know.  The others, they can go on and do as they please, yeah.  Just those we know that needs to be straightened out - - of course - - especially close relatives.

(By marriage.)

By marriage, birth and a few of those things - - like a couple of kids and a husband and a parent or two that’s still stickin’ around - - why they all need to be straightened out.  Mother get married yet?

(She gets married in September.)

In September, ok.  You approving all right?

(Oh it’s great.)

Good, wonderful.  Who’s got the next question here?

(How about this inner state that’s serene, is that similar to the tone scale or contentment.)

I would call it more like vital interest.

(Ah.)

We’ll do the tone scale sometime this week dear.  You know you’re really not serene unless you’re vitally interested.  When you’re just contented, you’re just on the edge of boredom.

(Oh.)

You’re just on the edge of it.  So I’d say the first time a person really feels serene is when they’re vitally interested in what’s goin’ on.  Now suppose we take one “vital interest”
this week and that is the vital interest in being in charge of our own inner state.  Now that seems to me to be a reasonable thing to be vitally interested in, wouldn’t you? 

(Yes.)

(Can you be in charge of your inner state like during a physical ailment like not feeling well or…)

Well, of course, before you don’t feel well, you usually have an attitude that’s down Miss Penny.

(Oh.)

So the whole bit is - -  you’re about as healthy as you choose to act.  Is that something I laid on you one day brother Vivo?  Brother Vivo was going around - - oh his body was fallin’ apart - - everything.  And I told him he’d be just about as healthy as he choose to act like he was.  So you can look at a person and say that one looks very sick or this one looks pretty well, is that right, huh?

(Yeah.)

So that’s the way they’re acting, isn’t that correct?  It’s not that you see a big sign hung on them that says “arthritis” or  flu or whatever.  You know it by the way you see how they look, they sure feel terrible, is that right?

(That’s right.)

Now you see somebody else and you say they look like they’re the healthiest person around, is that right?  Now it’s the way they’re acting again.  Yes, the way you act determines your physical condition.  I said condition over here, didn’t I?  So it takes all kinds of conditions - - even how well you get along in what you’re working at or anything else.

(So you say if you’re tired - - that just by acting not tired, you won’t be tired?)

Well, you’ll feel a whole lot better; but, of course, I always think when I’m tired - - if it’s convenient I’m gonna goof off for a little bit - - however, sometimes that doesn’t happen and I’d rather not feel so tired so I act like I feel a lot better; and I have a tremendous amount of energy until such time as I find time to goof off for a little bit which I dearly love to do.  But you’re talking about a physical illness or something instead of just being tired.  So let’s say that you had indigestion or one of those pretty things and you started acting like you felt real good.  You’d be surprised how quick the indigestion is all gone.  And this could go on for all the other things that people get names for. 

I’ve seen people that were very stiff and they could hardly get up and down and they walked with a cane; but you get ‘em to acting like they feel a little better than they do - - not a whole lot, just a little bit better and in a very few days they don’t’ need all that stuff.  They forget about it; and they go on feeling good because that’s part of the condition, isn’t’ it?

So if you present a picture to me that says Miss Penny is a healthy looking lady, ok?  And if you did that pretty consistently, you would be exactly what you are presenting - - you’d be very very healthy.  Now if you wanted to be a super healthy being, you would act super healthy, ok?  I prefer that one anyway.  Do I look like I’m sick? 

(No.)

I could easily be.  All I got to do is start actin’ like I’m sick, tired, worn out; and it’s really getting’ rougher; and I would begin to feel that way.  But I prefer to feel fantastically well all the time, so I pay attention.  So somebody may see me look in the mirror to see I’m lookin’ very vain.  I say, “You’d better believe it- - I want to feel it!” 

(other side of tape).... everybody who sees you as being a very happy healthy loving lady and see how quickly you feel that way, ok?  It's worth an experiment isn't it? 

(Definitely.)

So don't let other people have anything to with it, and don't let these bunch of weird things have anything to do with it,  and don't let a little circumstance have anything to do with it 'cause it's you that is the one that experiences it anyway - - everybody else could just sympathize with you - - and that doesn't help a bit. 

Ok, who's got the next question in here?  That was a very good one, thank you Penny.  Who's got the next one?  Somebody else's machine needs to be turned over - - everybody quiet while the turnover takes place here.  Got it goin?  Just one small frown and you had it fixed. Ok?  No more questions.  You see I quit when they don't ask questions anymore. 

(Oh, oh.) 

What about it Vivo? 

(I have something I thought about while driving here today.  What is worry?)

Worry is wanting to be sure you know the outcome before it happens.  And you're very concerned and anxious, and wouldn't it be a mess if you did know it.  I can't think of anything more horrible than to know what was gonna happen before it happened.  If it was wonderful, you'd still be bored because you'd already been through it.  If it was lousy then you'd have to sit and cringe for days before it got here, is that right?  I don't want to know the future; I like it by just leaving it in the "I don't know" department.  Then I have lots of pleasant beautiful surprises.  Ok?  Anybody else here. 

(A lot of people are programed or conditioned to believe that if you do certain things then certain things will happen and your life isn't ordered, stable; so a lot of these things are of the unknown.)

The whole bit is to be able to just be pleased with having the unknown.  Being happy with “I don't know”.  Somebody said, "What are you going to do tomorrow?"  I don't know. 

(Everything's unknown.)

Everything’s unknown except this second, isn't that right?  So everything's goin' along fine here now, but I don't know and I wouldn't really want to know.  That way it gives me something to work for to have things nice like I want ‘em, ok?.  If I already knew, oh man, that would be purely a machine turnin' over and over, but we are living beings and so the future's undetermined.  So it's unknown to anything, ok?  And I don't want to know. 

The subject we'll use now is "Use it or lose it". 

(We’ve never heard this one before.)

We'll there's a lot of things you haven't heard yet Vivo.  But probably we'll get around to it.

(Ok.)

And you'll hear it all sooner or later, ok?  Now anything that you - - any ability or faculty that you have, if you don't use it, you lose it pretty shortly.  So we have been given most of the people here some information over a period of time - - precious little of it of which has been used.  'Cause if we did, we wouldn't be having this meeting - - you know, you're the only one hasn't been here before so you and I would be here alone Penny.  So if you use something, it “becomes you” in a little while.  If you don't use it, pretty soon you forget about it - - it may be some words you can recall now and then and you rattle 'em off, but they don't mean anything.

So there was an experiment run a few years ago of giving all grown-up folks like you, me and everybody else here - - a total liquid diet.  Now it had all the nutrients and everything in it that you would get out of a steak or baked potatoes or salads - - it had everything in it but it was all liquid.  Now they found the most interesting thing - - that in a very short length of time - - less than six months - - all the people that were on this begin to loose all their teeth; and their jawbones begin to be what's called, osteoporosis which means that  all the material come out of the bone and you could break it by just squeezing on it a little bit. 

So if you don't use it, it's going to go away; and you don't have it whether it's the physical body or anything else.  So it's kind of worthwhile to go down and lift a weight now and then, ok?  Don't help the weight any, but it might do something for you. 

And so when you use something, it is you.  Now all the ideas which we talk about have a specific application including the one we talked about the last hour, right?  We had specific application, huh?  That right?

Now if you don't use that application, the whole conversation and the whole bit of information that you may have heard will be gone in a very few days and maybe you could repeat the words - - more than likely you just play your tape recorder again, is that right?  And you can hear it again.

(I’ll hear it again.)

And then you can hear it again.  I think Charles has been playing tapes for you for how many years Charles? - - three, four, something like that?  Quite a long time and nobody's used it.  So then you have to go back and ask him to play it over again, you know.  So you use it or you lose it - - it doesn't matter what faculty, what attribute of the human being.  Now let's say that you wanted to be what's called a very happy being.  Would that suit you Debbie? 

(Sure.)

So Debbie, if you use it and begin to act happy, then you can be under one circumstance about as well as another - - that means you could begin to “be” it.  If you use it!.  Now the last time we talked before was that we said you could feel anyway you wanted if you begin to act that way, ok?  Now if you never act upon it, you wouldn't feel it.  We’re using one this week so you'll know what people are doin' to you.  We said that we're going around and speak to each other and telling each other how they look.  You look happy.  You look miserable.  You look tired.  You look sick.  You look whatever way you're acting.  We said nobody has to tell you how they're feeling 'cause you can look at 'em, is that right?

Now if you don't use it to be whatever state you choose to have, how long do you think the value in the conversation or any material we laid out would last you? 

(I watched two individuals looking out the window and they looked very solemn and serious.)

Well, that's serious stuff out there in the bay. 

(I thought gee well, maybe there's some subjects that warrant it and I...........)

I guess at lookin' at the bay and sailboats and all those guys fallin' off of their little skateboards out there.....I guess that's very serious.  But now what they were usin' was not what we talked about.  What they were using was an old habit, is that right?  So use it and keep it.  They were usin’ the old habit of everything’s serious.

So now if we keep on doin' the same thing we been doin' all the years that we went around miserable and tired and sick and worn out, why that's what will continue to go on.  So if you use it you keep it; and if you don't use it, you lose it.  So we can say it another way, you can use it and keep it.  Now you can have anything you want to and have any state of being you so choose if you're willing to pay a very small little price for it.  It is not to break the old habit, but replace it with a new one of being happy or whatever word you like to use - - I don't know maybe serene, peaceful.  You finally  remembered didn't you - - boy, it takes a lot for you to commit to memory. 

You know there is a group going or working around in Southern California and Arizona and Nevada, and they take you to their meetings and they force you to act a certain way.  In other words, they get up and make you stand up and cheer and walk and smile and tell how wonderful you are and etc.  Now I think it was last Tuesday we were talking about that and most the people come in Tuesday night for an hour leave something like $5 to come for the hour.  This group charges $5,000; and somebody was telling me how wonderful it worked.  I said, yes, for $5,000 I will make you do it.  For $5 I don't give a damn if you do it or not.  I'm gonna give you the information - - it's up to you to do it, ok?  But for $5,000, I'll lead the way and we'll get you up here and prance up and down the hall and scream and shout and act like you're at a revival meeting in the deep south, you know, you'll sing and shout and do the works - - I'll lead it on, wouldn’t  you?  You'd come help me wouldn't you?

(I sure would.)

For $5,000 a head, we'll do it, right?  But it's hard to get that out of 'em.  You got to hypnotize them first; and I don't do that anymore.  I used to, but not anymore. 

So when we're talking about things through the week and we will give you various little things to do like we did the last hour, huh - - then if you use it, it is you.  But if you don't use it, it's all gone in a few minutes.  You might as well stayed back in Washington and sweated, ok?  Might as well stayed over there and done what you always do. 

So let's talk about some of the things that we never use.  How many use, consciously, the ability to feel good?    You know we can feel about any way you want to.  Is that what I told you the other morning?  You can feel any way you want.  Vivo come and said he wanted super health.  I said, well fine, that's easy to do.  All you gotta do is to act like you're a super healthy individual, is that right?

(Right.)

As you act, you feel.  That's the attitude and those two equal your condition, right?  Now I'm going to put some things up here that will give you some idea of what you're keeping’ and what you can lose or what you could have if you want to do it.  I said this is entirely up to you - - I'm not going to lead the way.  I feel fine and intend to stay that way; and so I'll just tell you how it goes. 

So we're going to put something here that we will call action- attitude - condition.  That goes way over there Vivo.  Now these two [action and attitude] is a two-way street because if you have a certain attitude, you tend to act like the attitude you have; and if you act a certain way, the attitude goes with it very quickly.  And the two of them together equals the condition that you might be experiencing, ok? 

So the first thing we'll put down here on the blackboard is “coma”.  Now coma is a person acting like they're dead.  They're still breathing a little bit, but they're acting like they're dead - - that's one tenth of being alive.  That's just breathing and that's about it.  Now we'll just leave that one where it is - - the condition is apparent death and the attitude/action is nothing over here.

The next one we'll put here we'll put number one.  That's up to where you can ”do”.  And that is “apathy”.  Now in apathy the person says, "It just don't make any difference what happens, nothin' will work out very well anyway."  Huh?  So the action is nil again.  The feeling is “what's the use”; it won't work anyway, huh?  What's the use nothing I do works out  right.  The condition is falling apart.  In other words if you saw one of these people lift up their arm, a gob of flesh hangs down - - skin hangs down like that.  If they raise their chin up a whole bunch of skin falls down here; and their jowls fall down here.  If you look down at their feet, their leg is falling down over the top of the shoe.  It's just running down - - it's kinda like warm syrup or something - - it just runs down.  Everything is .....well the best word would be down - - totally!  You've seen many of 'em, haven't you Margaret? 

(Yes.)

Probably been around those in apathy a lot - - there's one here or there, you can see them slowly movin' along.  Now they're using it, so they don't ever lose it, ok?  Now this you give 'em credit for.  They're using their basic attitude/action; and they don't lose it.  They're condition goes with it and it goes on year in and year out.  Now they're using it - - they don't lose it.

Now the next one is “fear”.  Now fear is the idea of listening to those not i's we talked about a while ago telling you that the sky's gonna fall in pretty soon - - Impending doom is going to happen right away, huh?

(For sure.)

And you've been around those folks have you not?  If you say to them somethin' like, “It's a nice day”, they say, "Yes, if you don't mind it being hot."  When I used to see about sick people (I quit that foolishness), they'd come in, and you could say, "Well, you'll be feelin' better tomorrow”.  They'd get a real deep breath and say, "I sure hope so." - - which says "but I know I won't".  So one day just for fun, I said to one - - I didn't think they heard me anyway, so I said, "Well I think you'll be dead tomorrow" as she was goin' out the door, you know - - kinda patted her on the back - - "So you don't worry about it, you'll be dead tomorrow."  She just said (deep breath) "I sure hope so."  and went on home.  But it did sink in about three hours later; and she called me back and said, "Did you say I'm gonna be dead tomorrow?"  I said, "Yep, I think so, but you won't notice the difference." 

So when that goes along, you have fear.  It's continual and the only thing the person is involved with; so now you'll have to say they use it so they don't lose it, ok?  It's right there all the time.  And all the conditions that goes with it which is a whole group of 'em.  I won't bore you with all that kind of stuff.

And the next one is “held resentment”.  Now this one is gettin' up to where you see it every once in a while.  Held resentment is a person who resents something very much; but they hold it in because they're afraid to let anybody know how they feel; and besides that, it isn't polite.  So they're hanging on with a death grip.  They use it all the time.  They never lose it; and they have all the conditions that goes with it.   There’s these first two - - that would be one and this one's two; and now this one is three - - they have all the physical conditions that goes with that.  This one has all the conditions that goes with attitude/action over here is on this side as does this one.  So they’re always in balance.  Now I’m not gonna tell anybody I see which one they're in.  But you can usually figure it out for yourself if you had one, right?

Now the next one above that one is “anger”.  Now this is not anger about any particular thing - - anything will do.  You know it's just that the person is angry all the time - - they're just ticked off deep inside.  So, that's #4; and of course, held resentment is kind of the half of fear and half of anger and is hung in between.  Now the person who is angry keeps on having their attitude of being angry.  You wouldn't know anybody like that, would you?  You've never met one - - never been by one, have you?  Never!  I've known a few of 'em - - they're always ticked off; and they do use it and they don't lose it.  They will be angry about something no matter what happens, ok?  Huh?  No matter what it is - - if nothin' else, they're just angry because nothin' terrible is happening today.  You played one of those games one time didn't you?  You came to see me one time about some member of the family you were a little ticked with, huh?

(Yes.)

And we talked about it a while; and it worked out altogether different, didn't it?

(It sure did.) 

Right quick.  You paid attention.

(I paid attention.)

Just pay attention.  That's all it took.  So pretty quick you lost this, is that right?  You lost it because you didn't use it.    Now that angry attitude doesn't jump up every minute and come runnin' out at you, does it?   

So the next one above that one, believe it or not, is plain old “boredom”.  A person doesn't have anything to do on their own, so they get bored.  Now that one is fairly common.  People come and say they're bored.  There's just nothing interesting going on - - of course, they don't  make anything happen either, do they?  But they don't ever feel very enthused or delighted about anything - - just bored.  Some people you can jazz up for about three months; and then they still get bored, is that right?  You know about those too, huh?  Ok?  So again as long as we use that, there is never any lack of being bored. 

The difference between apathy and boredom is apathy said it wouldn't do any good anyway; it wouldn't change anything; and boredom says it wouldn't be any fun anyway so why bother with it.  So there is quite a difference. 

And then the next level that a person could come up to would be “contentment”.  Now contentment is better than any of these, but just barely because it's easily knocked off.  Contentment says, “I like what's going on right now fairly well.” - - just fairly well - - it will be all right.  And all of these states are the “border line” between being dead and being alive or being asleep and being awake - - all these are dreams or being dead or whathaveyou - - it's just a mechanical reaction like a machine.  You push the right button, it does a certain thing - - you don't push, it just reacts.

The next one above that is “vital interest” which could be where we said a while ago - - feeling serene.  Nothing has to be changed for me to get along fine; and I can be vitally interested - - interested in something very very much without trying to have things another way.  If people are upset around me why they're fun too, aren't they, huh?  They don't have to be straightened out; they're just fun to watch like they are.  It’s very interesting to see how people behave; and it's most interesting to see what people make important.  That is one of the nicest things you can ever have to watch is what people make important.  It's very very simple, but it is very interesting to see what everybody's making important. 

And then it is more interesting to see how they don't ever let happen what it is they want - - that is very interesting!  So all these people tell you something; and as soon as they say, "I want" - -  whatever it may be, then they put a great big "but" there which cancels all of this wanting.  So you hear what they say but just ignore everything said before the “but”; and then you start listening to it from there on.  That’s when they come out with what they're gonna do or not gonna do.

I have people come in and say, "I want to make a lot of money, BUT I don't want to be tied down."  Did you ever work and have a job anywheres and you weren't kind of tied down while you was doin' it?  You have a home; you're tied down to it a little bit.  You're building a house; you're tied to the house for a little bit, aren't you? - - or the house doesn't get built - - one or the other, that right?  You stayed on the job, is that right?

So you ignore the part that says, "I want so and so but"..........  you just ignore that and listen to what comes on down here; and then you hear what they really said.  "I want a good business, but I don't want to have to take the risk."  Now you hear the person - - all they really said was "I don't want to take a risk."  Just ignore that other stuff.  Now that makes something very interesting to listen to.

Now the next one we will call “enthusiasm” or “exhilaration” - - that means the same thing I believe - - that you really feel full of vim, vigor, vitality - - ready to go do anything, huh?  With enthusiasm you feel exhilarated, is that right? - - all full of energy.  Now that's when you’re really beginning to generate energy - - either one of these generates a lot of energy.  All of these [lower states] dissipate energy.  Now all of this is dissipation of energy and above contentment with vital interest, enthusiasm and exhilaration is generating energy. 

Now obviously most people are not generating a lot of energy, huh?  because they feel tired and they're getting ancient; and they're doing all sorts of things that shows they're kind of falling apart.  But when you're generating energy, you never think about getting too tired, is that right?  You work all day and play of a night.  The only thing wrong is the night's too short, huh?  But any of these lower states,  you're dissipating energy.  And any of these from here on up you are generating energy.

Now would you like to feel very energetic at all times?  Huh?

(Yes.)

How about you Debbie.

(I do.)

Do you?

(All the time.)

No.  A lot of times we get down in here; and you dissipate energy and wind up feeling depleted and tired and etc., is that right?  Now how would you like to feel all the time?

(Enthusiastic.)

Well, now is there anything to keep you from doing that except inertia which is another word for lead in some place in the anatomy.  Huh?  is there anything to keep you from it.

(The not I’s.)

Well, no, they don't keep you from it, they can tell you about it, but you're not controlled by them, they just offer a suggestion.  You don't have to live by the suggestion, do you? 

(No.)

Ok, is there anything to keep you from it?

(No.)

Except inertia.  That means just don't start, is that right?  Now we've said all this week we're going to be bugging each other to start something, ok?  Now if you don't want to be bugged, why go away, you know because we're gonna do it.  And if you don't want to get bugged out of your inertia why you'd better leave now, ok?  So, Vivo, how would you like to feel all week?

(I always do radiate exhilaration.)

Exhilarated and going on doing your thing, huh?

(What’s after that?)

Well, I'll give you that later.  When you have used this, I will give you the other.  When you're using it consistently, Vivo, I'll give you what goes above it.  When you're keeping it which mean you're using it - - then I'll give you the other; but it's useless to give it to you because you'll just  listen to it and go rattling on.  You wouldn't do it anyways, so why give it to you to lose it, ok?  Nothing to it.

So here is something that anybody can do at any time - - that you can take charge of your attitude by your action; and these are all attitudes over here.  There is a good eight of them laying out there; and you can have any one of them. 

Now enthusiasm is called the fire of the gods.  That is when you really generate energy.  Now if you wait for something to be enthusiastic about, you will notice it usually has holes in it by the time you get it - - more holes than Swiss cheese, right Ron?  Right on.  It's not worth bothering about.  But if you're really enthused about something, it's gonna be there.  That's right, you've been working on that a little bit lately since you got all these serious things taken care of.  Ron was very serious - - a lot of serious things to look after so as long as he took care of those, he couldn't be enthusiastic; but when he started doing that, it begin to work different, is that right?

(That’s right.)

It's not hard to do, is it?  Just kind of keep in mind an action that that's what you want. Now what's wrong with being enthusiastic?  What are you working on so hard?  I'll stop and listen.

(There is an old old type of saying and I can't remember what it's called but the guy gets nailed to a rock forever and ever because he gave the fire of the gods .........)

That was old Prometheus’s

(Prometheus?)

Prometheus, yeah.  Well, now he gave the fire and everybody thinks it's the stuff, you know, you cook with.

(I thought the voice of ....)

No, that was out from lightening.  They had that all the time; but he let them in on this little bit when they could be creators; and the other gods got ticked off at him and nailed him to a tree; and got some kind of crows or eagles or something chew his liver out, is that right? 

(He could never die - - just ..........)

And they picked his liver out.  So you see he gave them the fire - - the fire of the gods; and obviously that upset the rest of 'em.  Now we have another story about that - - that those were aliens that come in and they knew how to do these things; and they were just kind of taking these native things of this planet around using them for servants; but he had a little more something - - compassion maybe - - and he began to teach them how to do that.  But you know how long they used that great gift he gave them?

(Not as ....uh uhh - - whatever they had.)

They don't use it very much, so somewheres along, we neglect all those great gifts, you see, because we don't bother with it.  Maybe a few of them use it for a while; and then they quit using it - - they just knew about it now - - they know all about it, you know.  And then, of course they lost it.  So it's use it or lose it again.  So this Prometheus give 'em the fire; but they forgot about using it - - the ones he gave it to.

(...forgot about it.)

Aw, they're humans.

(That bad huh?)

That's tough, that's pretty bad.   I think it’s just humans do that - - they’re kind of perverse Charles.  They just don’t ever feel to do anything because they feel so entitled to everything.  If you feel entitled, it should keep coming to me with no effort on my part.  But you see everything requires a little bit of effort in order to have it.  In other words it says, use it.  If you had an automobile and you put it in the garage and jacked the wheels up off of the ground and just left it sittin’ there for a few years, what’ll you have? - - a pile of rust, is that right?  But if you keep runnin’ that pretty little Seville up and down the street, it runs pretty good, doesn’t it?

(Oh yeah.)

Most of the time except when it needs a few nuts and bolts fastened up on it.  So this is, again, are you going to use what we talk about this week or are you going to just piddle around with it and put it over on a piece of tape; and then you’ve got more tapes to stick on the shelf and catch dust.  Are you going to use it or are you going to just let it be, huh? 

(I’ll use it.)

Now you can go anywhere’s on here on the tone scale you want.  Now I’ve had occasion to work with a person that I started off with them here; and in an hour they went through every one of these states and wound up here.  Now if you can do it in an hour, you can certainly do it any time.  They had a tendency to want to go back down here - - you know - - as soon as I quit working hard; and I wasn’t gonna work day and night on ‘em.  But you can go in a manner of minutes from anywhere on here all the way up to here where you got the fire of the gods, ok?  Generating tremendous energy, feeling fantastic, and when you do that, the body works good inside and out - - the head works good and everything is up and living.  Where if you go the other way, you know, it goes back down here and you hear all the excuses - - “well the way I was treated”.

So somebody calls me in some lower state.  We’ll get them up here; and then they say, “but, you know, this happened.” - - some little insignificant something; and there’s one thing about anything that ever happened.  It’s gonna pass - - that’s the only reason it came, you know, was to pass. 

So why make a big issue of something that’s gonna be gone in a few hours anyway, that right?  If Christopher comes home and says something, it’s gonna be gone in a few hours anyway, isn’t it?

(Or days.)

It doesn’t matter whatever it is.  If it’s years, it’ll be gone; but of course, if you tangle with it and keep hangin’ in there with it, you can keep it on shore all the time.

(That’s right.)

You can tangle with something.  That’s my “Dead horse story”.  You know that one too.  You know the dead horse story Penny?  I’ll tell you the dead horse story. 

We were working down in New Mexico one time on the banks of the river.  Once a year they let the water come out of the dams and the Rio Grand River has water in it.  The rest of the time it’s a sand bed.  So when the water came up and was coming down, there was a big old dead horse came floatin’ down the river; and some of the people that was around with me said let’s go pull it out.  I said let it alone.  If you just leave it alone, it’ll be out of sight in a few minutes around the next bend in the river, right?  But if you pull it on shore, you’re stuck with a dead horse and you’ll smell the thing all summer.  Right?  So who wants to get stuck with a dead horse.  So that’s all these endless little things that happen.  So what.  They’ll be gone in a little while.  Somebody calls you stupid.  They’ll shut up in a little while.  But if you tangle with them and gonna straighten them out so they don’t talk to you that way, huh?  Right Miss Margaret - - you’re not gonna hold still for that - - after all my dignity is at stake.  You can keep it going for months, is that right? 

(Yes.)

But if you just ignore it, how long does it take it to go away. 

(Very shortly - - two days.)

At the most.

(At the most.)

Yeah.  Miss Margaret got all shook up about some words that people were sayin’ - - they’re spelled with four letters,  basically,  and she seemed to think those were bad.  I told her they were perfectly legit words these days.  Everybody uses them.  And as soon as you was comfortable with four-letter words everything worked all right.  Is that so?  Everything’s fine.  So what - - doesn’t matter how many letters is in a word.  I can’t see it makes any difference - - it’s just sounds out there - - sound waves goin’ down.  Just vibration - - they’re all gone in a little bit.  But we sure can make ‘em important.

(When I thought of them as another language they didn’t bother me anymore.)

Well, that’s the first ones I learned.  So I figured they was the most worthwhile ones because that’s all I learned.  Diana calls those kitchen language.  They go into kitchen restaurants all the time, so you learn it real fast whether you want to or not - - you learn all the good four letter words in Española, don’t you? 

So now who wants to stay up on the top and take that gift that that god gave his life for - - only he didn’t give his life, just misery.

(He lived in misery ‘cause he couldn’t die.)

Yeah, well he’s a god so he couldn’t die; but he sure got his liver chomped out by those durn pelicans or whatever it was.

(That’s right.)

So does anybody want to use the gift he dropped on us, huh?

(Bob being enthusiastic in the sense that you’re going to be reviewing things, involved in things, you can’t be enthusiastic just ____.)

Aw, you wanna bet.  I can be so enthusiastic sitting here in a chair.  I can be enthusiastic because nobody’s coming in for a few minutes.  I got ten minutes all by myself - - man, I can be real enthusiastic, ok? 

(I think I’m enthusiastic when I’m sleeping.)

Well, all right, keep doin’ something - -it’s all right with me.  I cannot figure out how I’m never doing anything.  You see, sitting to me is doin’ somethin’.  Huh?  I’m doing something, I’m sitting - - I’m doing it deliberately and I do it beautifully.  Here I can make a phone call and pass lovely words with somebody while I’m sitting.  And if there’s people at me all the time, I can do that, ok?  So I’m always doing something.  I can’t conceive of not doing something.  Sometimes I even sleep, believe it or not.  And that’s doing something.  And I can be enthusiastic about that, ok?  - - or anything else.

So you’re always doing something.  As long as you are at least breathing, is that right?  Ok?  And that’s something to be enthusiastic about.  If you ever tried to do without it for a few minutes, you’ll find that’s something to be very enthusiastic about is breathing.  Did you ever try to do without it a few minutes?  It’s tough.   You can sure be enthusiastic about getting your breath again.  I’ll tell you that, ok?  It’s a great joy when you get it.

Ok now I’ve rattled here long enough.  Let’s lay the questions out - - comments, dissertations - - prove me wrong, find fault with it, whatever you like, ok?

(Actually it’s about this point of why - - it’s a why question; but why people aren’t more enthusiastic than they are.  Is it purely………)

Well, just the biggest part of it is pure unadulterated habit that we’ve never been very enthusiastic in our life - - we did things because we should do them - - who’s enthusiastic about that, because we had to.  Who’s enthusiastic about that because we should do it, and we must do it.  And those “should” I’m not very enthusiastic about, are you?   Shoulds, have tos, ought tos and musts - - shove ‘em out.  And most of us will never admit that I’m simply doing something without prefacing it with “I have to do this” or “I should do this” or “I must do that” huh?  Is that right?  Is that the way you see everything.  I’ve listened to you talk a lot of times; and every time you said, “Well I have to do this.”  And  “I have to do that.” And  “I have to go cook a meal.”  “I have to drive the car.”  “I have to write a letter.”  Huh?  You wouldn’t admit that you just simply do something.  You see, we want to escape responsibility above all things, I think Charles.  And so if I’m just gonna be enthusiastic, I’m being responsible; and I think the human being likes to avoid it; and so they say I have to do it, or I should do it, or I must do it or something like that, huh? 

(It’s a conditioning.)

Well that’s what it is.

(Yeah, the youngster…...)

Right, don’t you open your mouth?  And if a kid got up acting enthusiastic, somebody’s gonna set it down and shut it up, is that right?

(Happens all the time.)

Still happening to us, isn’t’ it?  Was you ever told not to be enthusiastic when you was a little girl and got on the table to dance to show how good you were?  Who shut you up, huh?

(Everyone.)

Everybody shut you up.  So expect that’s pretty close to it,  Charles, that kids are “supposed to be brought up in the way they should go” - - so when they start being naturally enthusiastic, somebody puts a stop to it, is that right?  Because they’re noisy and they make noises and they’re not behaving properly and somebody should shut you up, is that right? 

I was over here at Uma one day and there was a bunch of women at an orange convention - - citrus convention - - they were sittin’ and yak, yak yakkin’ while this little girl was way down there - - all these women kept just  yak, yak, yak, yak.  The kid had about all this she could stand - - beautiful little girl; and she started saying, “Look at me, look at me, look at me.”  And nobody was lookin’ at me, so little me got up on a coffee table out in the middle of the hotel lobby and begin to dance.  She was kickin’ her feet back and forward sayin’ “look at me, look at me” - - and mama come shhhhhh.  Now the kid was bein’ naturally enthusiastic; but mama’s can’t stand kids to be naturally enthusiastic because they’re not behaving properly.  So the kids become very serious individuals.  Miss Dianna, did you try to be very enthusiastic and take all the kids in the neighborhood for a walk when you was three years old.

(Did I tell you about that?)

No, I was just makin’ it up.

(I took all if them to the store that was 8 blocks away and we went down Route 5 so I had to be bold.)

So you see mama and daddy didn’t want her to be enthusiastic, and then she’s been tryin’ to be non-enthusiastic the rest of her life about things.  Is that right also?  Huh?  They put a word on you not to do that - - it was what?- - bad?

(They never stopped trying either.)

Well, they’re still working at it I heard.  They’re still trying.

(They dampened a lot of it.)

They dampened a little bit of it.  So I expect all parents dampen a certain amount.  Do you dampen your kid’s enthusiasm? 

(Sometimes when they get on my nerves.  It’s very hard not to.)

Until your nervous system gets to rattling, well it’s all right.  When your central nervous system goes psst,  psst, psst, then you put a stop to their enthusiasm, is that right?

(You’re not saying to let the kids jump up and down on the furniture.  You’re saying rather than domesticate them to educate them……)

Well, that’s right, so you let them have some time to be enthusiastic, certainly.  No I wouldn’t let them break the furniture up.

(Well if some little kid came in here and jumpin' up and down…)

Well, I don’t know, I’d probably sit on the floor and let him have it for a little bit because he’s showin’ you something and if he can demonstrate enthusiasm, I’d let him do it ‘cause I’ll go sit down - - I don’t need an audience, I can gladly let the little guy have it.  Yeah, I would do that; and in all probability, he’d get it out of his system in a little bit; but he’s got his enthusiasm goin’ and I think it’d be worthwhile to let him have it.  Yes sir?

(I like enthusiasm, but there are times when anger, in me,  serves a really good function because I'm afraid of something that I have a damn good reason to be afraid of.  There is times when boredom makes me appreciate the times when I’m by myself.)

I wouldn't interfere one iota with your enjoyment sir, I'm only saying it's available.  I wouldn't interfere with anybody's practice of anything on here, including comas.  I wouldn't interfere a bit.  I suppose that somebody could tell me that they really enjoy a coma because nothin' bothered them for a few days.  I wouldn't doubt that.  And I'm not saying that they got to be any certain place, but the first hour we started here - - you weren't here - - you were lettin' Debbie rearrange my time schedule.  We asked what everybody was doing here, ok?  And they said they would like to be in a minimal state of serenity which is vital interest or above. 

Now I'm only pointing out how they can be there.  I'm not even suggesting where they be because as I said a minute ago; I don't care.  You know, if they want to be in coma, that's fine with me.  They want to be apathetic, that's fine.  If they want to be fearful, that's fine.  Now most people do slide up and down here a little bit; but these folks told me before you got here that they would like to have serenity as their minimum - - then they can go as high as they want.

(The other day I told you that I woke up and was feeling guilty because my little dog was doing such and such - - I know that guilt makes me feel physically unpleasant; and you said that I don't have to have a guilty feeling to make me take that dog to the vet.)

That’s right, on your own accord, “We'll I'm gonna just do it.”

(“I have to” if I begin by guilt or fear or anger?)

Without saying, “I have to take it to the vet”, you just say, "I'm gonna pick little doggie up and take it down to the vet." huh?  I want to take it to the vet.

(I was havin’ cotton-pickin’ guilt.)

Well, I know you couldn't do anything unless something was driving you to it, huh?

(I think it’s waiting for permission.)

No, you can't do things like you can't take kids down to the aviary of eight blocks away without asking permission, you know better than that. 

(Maybe if I’m feeling apathy I could motivate myself to feel vital interest, then I’d have to.....)

Well, maybe you get tired of it Penny, that's what I think would be a good motivator.

(You know there are times when I feel real pain.)

You’re just enjoying a good downer and nobody's gonna deprive you of it, is that right?

(I feel those too, and I enjoy those....but other times, I would really like to pick myself up and go....)

You just can't find the starting' button. 

(Well, yes, it's real difficult.  I just wondered whether there was an easier way.)

No there's no easy way - - it's just “do it”.  It's according to what you want, ok?  Now I said I'm not finding fault with anybody being down here, it's according to whether you say, "Well, this is the lowest I want to go on it." ok. If it is, when you find yourself down there, you would immediately get out of it.  That would be the equivalent to something like if you were sittin' on the bottom of the swimmin' pool and you begin to get short of breath - - you know-- you needed some air.  What motivates you to get your head out of the water Penny? 

(The need for air.)

Plain old survival, is that right?  Well, as far as I'm concerned, this is going towards total non-survival from here down - - middle of that one.  That's going towards non-survival and this is from middle line up is going towards survival.  Now I think it would be the same thing that would  motivate me to get up off the bottom of the pool when I begin to feel blue and out of breath, ok?  Now did you ever do that - - find yourself down there and you couldn't get a breath under water so you were feeling like you were going to explode a little bit, so you got up out of there, is that right?  What motivated you honey? 

(Wanting to get some air.)

I think that's about it.  So I see it as survival; however this is not as dramatic as sittin' under the water.  So most people don't see this as non-survival, ok?  And they don't see this as survival; but really I think if you looked at it a minute, you'd probably see one was as much survival or non-survival as the other - - sittin' on the bottom of the pool and "Well, I just can't get up the energy to push my feet down and bounce my head out of the water so I can breath." Huh?

(Uh huh.)

Now if we sit there and said, "I just don't have the energy to get up so I'm gonna sit here and drown" - - but we don't do that. But you see that's kind of dramatic - - it'll happen in a minute, this takes a period of time; but it's goin' toward non-survival; and it doesn't take it too many years to accomplish it's purpose.

(You know, what if you don't want to be there - - it's sort of like a cycle, isn't it where you have to get down to make you wanna get up.)

Well, you begin to see that you want something, yes.  So when you've been miserable long enough, you'll do something about it; but most people don't.  Last weekend I was down in some little village in central Texas; and one man said the reason he never did anything, he hadn't been miserable long enough yet.  But as soon as it got miserable long enough, he'd decide to do something about it.  Now he's been an alcoholic for years; and he said lots of people talked to him and showed him how he could get along; and groups of people was happy to work with him to get him out of it; but he said, I wasn't miserable enough - - but one day I was miserable enough; and I hollered for help.  And he hasn't been an alcoholic since, ok?  So I guess it’s  like Charles asking why we don't take the gift of anything we can have.  I think we're all a little perverse; and we enjoy a certain amount of misery for a certain length of time, but finally it does begin to get tedious.  So you can probably enjoy a certain bit of misery for another 10 years and after that it'll begin to get tedious; and then you'll say you don't want it, ok Penny.

(I don't want it now - - yeah, I understand....)

But you know it's really not all that worthwhile to you now, huh? 

(Well, no, it'd be nice.)

It would be nice; but.....................

(Well, no, I’m trying to see if I can explain - -let me think about it.)

I'll let you think about it.  Somebody else got a question while Penny thinks.  Yes Warren?

(That point about anger.  You can be enthusiastic and still be angry?)

Be enthusiastically angry.

(You can act angry....)

Oh yeah, you can put on the best show in the world.  I have put on some good ones in my time.

(I do that all the time.)

Well, I know, you'd better believe it.  You get people on the defensive before they know what happened to them, don't you?  You just start gettin' angry at them and they get on the defensive right quick.  Yes sir?

(Going back to what I was saying before - - let’s take boredom.  Sometimes I have to be bored to appreciate vital interest.)

Oh yeah, to motivate you a little bit.

(I think its part of human nature.)

It probably is.  I would agree with you wholeheartedly.  The only thing is I hope get over human nature someday.  I mean that because human nature leads to everything that I don't really put a lot of value on; but I'm not tryin' to sell you or anybody else on doing anything, I only say it can be done.  And those that want to - - can!  The ones that don't want to, Lord I don't sell them on it.  What you got there?

(I was just thinking - - I don't think all of states land on all of the people.  I'm never bored, but I’ll get depressed.)

Oh, you go all the way down to nothing - - I know.

(So what I’m saying is, don’t we have favorites?)

Oh yes, everybody has their favorites.  Some like to stay here, some here, some here, some here, some here - - you know you can spot 'em out.  Everybody likes their favorites; but then we do travel a little bit; but we go back to home base very quickly, ok?  But everybody travels a little bit.  Circumstances will yank somebody up here for a few minutes or down a little bit; but they all go back to home base pretty shortly.  A person has their habitual spot on there.  But they do travel a little bit, sure.  And, of course, you get depressed once in a while, but very dramatically depressed. 

(Vitally interested.)

You get depressed with enthusiasm - - I've seen you do it enthusiastically.  In other words when you are depressed, you're doing it very dramatically.

(I don't tie to that ....)

I know you haven't, you got too many other things to do to have time to fiddle around with that stuff.  Ok, what's the next question please? 

(What's that magic spot in the middle of contentment - - what is that?)

Well, it's not a magic spot, it's just where it's on the borderline - - whether you're surviving or non-surviving - - whether you're going towards non-survival or going the other way, it seems to be that that's the line which can go either way.  It's a good place to start either that way or this way.  Very seldom a person wants to start from apathy or fear to go up, but if one is in contentment it’s easy to get there - - it’s very easy to go this way according to a little set of circumstances or it'd be very easy to go the other way with a little different set of circumstances.  You got yours figured out there yet, Penny?

(I was just saying that I don't want to go down; but I appreciate being up.)

Well, nobody's going to prevent you from doing it.  We said all it takes is a little attention to deciding that's the way you want to go; and you know how to get there - - you begin to act the way you want to feel.

(Um hum.)

So the first question is - - how do I want to feel?  Now you can answer that most of the time, is that right?  Now it may vary as our friend says.  Maybe sometimes you want to be here and sometimes way up here.  How do I want to feel?  Right?  Now you could ask that question and get an answer most of the time, is that right?  Now how would you recognize a person that already felt that way? 

(Ummmm.)

By how they're performing on the surface, is that right?  How they were acting - - how they were behaving - - you could say it either way, is that right?  Now there's nothing to keep you from being a very wonderful actress and performing in that role, is there? 

(No, I guess not.)

So you write the script and direct the part and play the role.

(Ok.)

You do it yourself and you begin to do - - act; and in a matter of minutes you will be feeling like you said you wanted to feel.  And in a few hours, the condition will be like your  attitude and your action is; and so you can do it any time you want to; but nobody says you should, ought to, have to or must  - - that's entirely up to you.

(You said you don't have to go down and don’t see any reason to be miserable in order to motivate you to feel good.)

Right.  You got enough things to do - - you don't want to have to get way down here and practically be dead before you decide I better go back up here.  By that time you got a bunch of scars; and you really don't need all that, ok?  So you could start now and go which ever way you want to.  Now there's nobody to say you should or you ought to or you have to or any of that sort of thing.  You said that's what you want, is that right; then all we're doing is giving you a little road map that you can do it that way, ok?  And you're not gonna let other people or a not I come along and knock you down and say, "Oh well it wouldn't do any good."  Ok?  Another question, comment? 

(Are children naturally enthusiastic?)

Continued............

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