The Inspiration Nation

This time last year, I read Frederick Douglass' famous speech, "The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro."  It's a recurrent theme in American politics, this idea of freedom for her citizens.

When we talk about notions of freedom and citizenry, inevitably other profound issues also come up, like nationhood, politics, privilege, and now more than ever, what it means to be patriotic in its many forms.

Whatever your views on these, and however they play out in your life and your conversations today (and any day), I wanted to share with you (perhaps you've already heard it) Marvin Gaye's live rendition of The Star Spangled Banner, the national anthem of the United States of America.

It's the most beautiful rendition I've ever heard.

At a networking meeting yesterday morning, I made a confession.

It wasn't particularly easy to say, but what I think stops people in their tracks and keeps people "stuck" is the feeling that they are all alone, that they are the only one experiencing the thing, and that no one would understand.

My challenge in the past has been not wanting to be perceived as a complainer.  Who wants to hear my troubles anyway?

So, I find myself yet again plugging away -- struggling, really -- on my own.  Not exactly what I'd call fun.

Have you ever felt that way?

With the population of the world numbering into the billions, there's a good chance that whatever it is we may be struggling with, someone else is struggling with the same thing.

So I threw caution (and trepidation) to the wind and decided a couple of days ago that I would make my confession on Monday.

What was my big confession?

That I felt like a complete LOSER (with a capital L) all week last week.

I felt like I was behind the 8 ball at every turn, running around like a chicken with its head cut off, and really not quite understanding what was going on.  I also was physically dragging all week, generally feeling very tired and lethargic.  One day last week, I took two naps!

I also found myself not getting anything done that I had planned to do to further my business, so I felt not a little bit depressed and disappointed with myself.

On Friday, I had a chat with my accountability partner, during and after which I felt like even more of a loser.  He only spoke truth, confirming that I had accomplished very little of what I committed to accomplishing that week.

He was neither harsh nor lacking in compassion, but he didn't pull any punches either.

I don't know about you, but getting punched doesn't feel very good.

So, feeling crushed and wanting to crawl under a rock and die, I opened a book and read the line in C.J. Hayden's Get Clients Now! book that gave me a different, better perspective:

"There is no failure, only feedback."

So, relieved, I exhaled.

And then I picked myself up, recommitted, and stepped back on my path.

For those of you who read this blog, you know that I have been receiving regular training from Dov Baron of Baron Mastery Institute.

Recently, I gave a testimonial that I want to share with you on the personal benefits I've received by conscientiously applying Dr. Baron's Equation for Manifestation (EFM) audio program on a daily basis.

As Dov voice guides you through the 16-minute EFM meditative process, mixed on the audio are 7 additional layers of music and rhythms that collectively are called brain wave patterning designed to neutralize the mind's chatter, allowing your own positive messages to drop into your subconscious.

It's a wonderful process, and here's what I have to say about it (I no longer have the crazy, spikey hair, though!).

Since I am having challenges actually embedding the video into this blog, click this link to view the full-screen version (It's only 53 seconds long):  Tshombe's EFM Testimonial or TshombeEFM.notlong.com

I can't believe it's been over 3 weeks ago (May 3 & 4) that I had the amazing privilege of attending a two-day workshop put on by Dov Baron of Baron Mastery Institute, called First Access.

Because Dov is in high demand, this was a rare opportunity to connect with Dov in a more intimate and informal context where attendees could ask him any question they desired. In fact, Dov has never offered a forum like this before (to my knowledge).

He and his team offered the workshop at no cost to anyone who wished to attend.

There were only two caveats. The first was that "Only the serious could apply". In other words, the sole stipulation for attendance was the proviso that attendees be committed to their own self-development and personal growth rather than being "tire kickers."

The second was that each participant had to agree to attend both days of the workshop.

The content was amazing. I volunteered at the event and still was able to take pages and pages of notes. I'm quite sure that, had everything been transcribed, the content would fill volumes.

(The event was filmed and recorded, so it's quite within the realm of possibility that it could be transcribed verbatim. Since it was essentially a question-and-answer format, I think they should have it transcribed. They could then publish it either traditionally or through self-publishing or print-on-demand means like lulu.com or iUniverse. I wonder if they've thought of that? The investment would be minimal.)

What did I learn?

Well, I haven't really had the chance to go through my notes as thoroughly as I would like. I probably should type them up, but here are few things I learned from Dov, as he answered questions that were put to him during the two-day event:

• Did you know that 'the walls of your mind can melt' without the use of drugs?  Dov took us through a modified holotropic breathing exercise and explained what Stanislav Grof developed during the 1970s and 80s.
  
• Discipline (i.e., "will power") doesn't work long-term.  It is what we make important in our lives that matters.  Are you finding it difficult to pinpoint exactly what is most important to you?   Look at what you are currently struggling with in your life and that will be your clue.
• Feeling scattered?  Ungrounded?  Run both of your wrists under cold water and deeply (and simultaneously) breathe in the cold through your nose, down through your feet and into the Earth.
• One way to access the subconscious mind is during hypnagogia, or the hypnagogic state.  This is the transition between wakefulness and sleep.  Messages are thought to be most powerfully implanted during this state.  Since children are essentially walking around in this state much of the time, and the subconcious mind receives the majority of its information between 0 and 7 years of age, it's of the utmost importance that parents or primary care givers and others proactively and consciously provide the child with life affirming messages.
• Dov illustrated the power of mind over matter, citing Franz Mesmer's healing work on Charles Fillmore and his wife in the late 1800s.
• 8 steps to finding your purpose.  Ask yourself:
1. If I could instantly do whatever I wanted and be instantly qualified to do that thing, what would I do?
2. What is it that I tell myself in order not to do it?
3. Who do I know or who could I find who would be willing to help me do it?
4. What 5 things do I currently have that would make it easier for me to do it than most people?
5. How would me doing it impact the people I love for the better?
6. How would me doing it impact humanity better?
7. What one thing can I do in the next 24 hours that would move me in the direction of doing that?
8. What am I doing when my lights go on?  What is it that when I'm speaking about it, I get impassioned, juiced? (First, ask yourself this final question and write it down. Then, without revealing your own answer, ask your friends to answer the question about you.)
• Dov scratched the surface of the philosophies of Richard Bach, including discussion of the quote "You are always free to change your mind and choose a different future, or a different past."
• Did you know that $34 trillion circulates the world every day?  And that's just what's legal!  Clearly, there is no real lack of money in the world.
• When we have the courage to step out and do something different, we show others it's possible for them, too.  (Example:  Roger Bannister breaking the 4-minute mile)
• Dov discussed his interpretation of the coming end of the world in 2012, as predicted by Sacred Geometry and the Mayan Calendar.  Which path will you choose?
• I learned a technique for developing laserbeam mental focus that took Dov himself 4 years to perfect!  (I better get to practicing!)
• I learned what a dead seagull and an eagle have to do with making decisive choices and following my dreams.
• I learned how to instantly moved from a state of depression to one of joy by shifting my focus and by manipulating my body's energy centers.
• Dov described déjà vu as a "glitch in the Matrix." He used String Theory, Many-worlds/Parallel Universes Theory, and the Law of Resonance to describe the phenomenon.
• Did you know a child can be born addicted to stress because of the influence of the mother and father?
• Why does mental illness exist?  What purpose does it serve?  Dov explained in detail his view on this topic.
• Have you ever wondered when it is time to leave a relationship and agonized over the decision?  Dov gave a crystal clear answer to this question, which has to do with the present or absence of commitment to growth, development and healing.
• Dov gave a great example of the difference between "outcome" and "goal."  On the journey of this life on Earth, goals are important, without attachment to the outcome.  So-called "enlightenment" is a journey, not a destination:
• A goal is a marker on a progressive journey whereas,
• Outcomes are all about postponing your joy

I get a lot of forwards in my email inbox from friends and family.  I'm sure you do, too.  To tell the truth, I generally skim over them pretty quickly and then hit the delete key.

This morning, something moved me to give more than cursory treatment to a YouTube video -- sent to me by my sister, Tahirah -- that I also want to share with you here.

Far more articulate than me, recently-naturalized US citizen, Derrick Ashlong, offers an answer to would-be critics of Obama who assert that he is heavy on emotional appeal, but lacking in substance.  Derrick illustrates with incredible reasoning that nothing can be further from the truth, and shows with equal power the depth of engagement young people have in this politcal process at this historic time.

This spontaneous, impromptu interview (where it is clear the interviewer intended to catch Derrick unprepared and uninformed) is just shy of 6 minutes long.

Awesome, don't you think?

Those who know me know that I have been won over by Senator Obama.   I am inspired by the message and politics and consistency of Senator Obama, particularly his broad appeal and commitment to collaboration and unity -- as opposed to a hardline, go-it-alone attitude -- as the vehicle through which positive change can occur.

This has been my impression of the man already.  Derrick's interview only served to further seal the deal. 

In fact, the response was so great, Derrick was moved to record a follow-up response to this interview to explain his deeply personal and emotional reasons for supporting Obama.

I hope you'll take a moment (about 7 1/2 minutes) to also view the following video by Derrick Ashlong.  I think you'll find it inspiring and moving, regardless of whether you agree with his choice of candidate to be the next President of the United States or not.

I would love to hear from you about your thoughts and your impressions.

For now, I leave you with Derrick Ashlong:

The world mourns a great man today.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

It's a somber and sobering day, as I remember Dr. King and the legacy he created in life and in death.  Forty years after the death of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr., there is still much work to do.

That's why it is also a day of rejoicing that you and I have the honor and privilege of embracing the spirit of Dr. King and taking up his torch of freedom, racial equality, and economic justice for everyone.

Will you take up the challenge? 

I am also reminded today of my dear friend and mentor, Dr. Dov Baron (who was just a 10-year-old boy when Dr. King died), whose mission is to raise consciousness and impact the world with the same magnitude that Dr. King impacted his.

I don't know about the rest of the world, but Dr. Baron has surely impacted me in immeasurably powerful ways.

Here's the video I promised you (special thanks to my beautiful new friend, Lisa Haeck, who shared the link to this YouTube clip):

Okay.  I have to apologize that you'll have to wait a few more minutes for that short video clip I wanted to share with you about what people are saying about Dov's programs.

I just looked at my email there's a contest in progress that you can enter!  Since time is of the essence -- it ends at midnight tomorrow -- I wanted to tell you about it right away.

(Apparently there were other contests that I should have known about and told you about, but as I mentioned in my last post, the month of March seemed to disappear into thin air for me!  I must have missed the notices.)

Dov Baron just last week launched his new eBook, The Secret Beyond the Law of Attraction.  There have been some questions about how to order, why anyone would want to purchase it, what makes this book different than all the other books on the Law of Attraction, whether this is just another bunch of hype, and other healthy skepticism-type questions like that.

Get the answers by clicking over to:  http://www.secretbeyondthelawofattraction.com/answers.htm

And for the contest where you have the opportunity to win

• a copy of Dov Baron's Equation for Manifestation Audio Technology CD (I've used this myself with amazing results, as I you can see in my testimonial at this link.  See me live in the flesh by scrolling down to the handsome black man, dressed in black with the spikey hair!), and
• a copy of Dov Baron's new eBook, The Secret Beyond the Law of Attraction (at this link, you'll see among many testimonials, one from my partner, the writer and poet Chad Helder.  Scroll down the page to see it.)
  

Wow.  Where did the month of March go?

I haven't wanted for things to talk about here, that's for sure.  Life's been a whirlwind of activity and excitement.

Whenever I experience a Dov Baron event (particularly the multi-day intensives), my physical and emotional body is (are?) thrown for a loop.

After my first event that lasted more than one day (The event was Attracting Force, a three-day event from March 30 to April 1, 2007), it was such a shock to my system that I experienced the worse diarrhea of my life.  It was so intense (and lasted for 4 days) that at one point my partner wanted to take me to the Emergency Room.

This was no mere stomach flu.

Neither was it unique to me.  I had previously learned from spiritual entrepreneur, Joe Nunziata, that when there are great emotional breakthroughs, very often this shock creates physical disturbances as a result of the clearing of emotional junk.

And when I explained my experience to my friend, Darren Little, he said a similar thing happened to him, only his aftermath manifested as violent vomiting.

I say all of this, not to scare you away, but to illustrate how powerful Dov Baron's programs are and how even small mental and emotional shifts cause dramatic changes, even monumental physical expression.

This is a good thing.  Change is always painful (even good change) because our natural inclination is to resist, even when we think we're not resisting!  I'd rather go through momentary stress as my mind and body adjusts than to prolong unconscious miscreating another minute!

After Quantum Soulmates for Couples that Chad and I just attended, I am definitely in a process of adjustment.  We both are.  But thankfully there's been no near trips to the ER!

Many, many amazing things have been happening in my life, my work, my relationships, and my business this past month.  It's just been a challenge keeping up with all my commitments, since immediately following the 5-day Couples Retreat, I experienced a dominant, general air of malaise -- a stupor of sorts that fought against the level of productivity I would have preferred.

I say all that only to say that I'm back in the saddle again, and very happy to share with you my journey of all things inspirational.....and the journey of finding the inspiration in that which on the surface doesn't appear quite so inspiring.

The second reason I say all of that is to make the point that if you want to get on the fast track to improving every aspect of your life, and are tired of stumbling along on your own, get yourself to a Dov Baron event.  There's an incredible one-day event coming up in Vancouver, BC that you won't want to miss, called The Secret Beyond the Law of Attraction.

(There is a charge of between $49 -- a special going on right now -- and $549 -- the regular price -- but if you're TRULY interested in attending, ask me how you can get in at no charge, as my guest.)

The program is nowhere near as intense as Dov's multi-day events (It is an introductory program, after all -- no fear of vomiting or diarrhea!), but you will be BLOWN AWAY at the content, the interactive experiences, and the practical tools you will take away just in one day.

In my next post here on The Inspiration Nation, I will share with you a short clip where one lady was so impressed by Dov's program that she said "Excuse the expression, but he (Dov Baron) kicks ass."

As for me, here's a copy of a thank you letter I sent to Dov Baron after I attended my first one-day event last year on March 17, 2007:

18 March

Dr. Dõv:

Twenty-four hours have elapsed since the end of Resonating Riches, and I'm still reverberating.  "My cup runneth over."  I learned so much about abundance, resonance, energy-vibration, how we create our individual reality and how we are simultaneously connected to all & everyone in The Universe.

Thank you, Dõv, for stepping up & stepping out by sharing all of you with us.  What a blessing, what a gift you are, Dõv -- and because of you and because of this program I am on fire.

I know that I am no longer trapped by my life.  No, instead I am (and from now on forever will be) Master and Creator of my life just the way I want and deserve it.

Thank you especially for your honesty.  You're not afraid to "give it to us straight" -- which is the true mark of love and compassion.

Mere words fail to express the depth of my gratitude.

With joy & heartfelt thanks,

Tshombé

 OK.  I've bended your ear long enough!  I'm off to look for that clip I know you'll want to see......

If you've ever been to one of Dov's programs, "overdelivery" (in the sense of getting far more value than you could have imagined, even if you've been to the specific program more than once) couldn't be more of an understatement.

Chad and I have had very loving, intimate times (and not-so-loving or intimate times) the duration of our relationship, but I don't think it's ever been as unpretentious, close, open or deep as after just 1 1/2 days of the Quantum SoulMates for Couples program.

On the first day, we were reminded that Quantum SoulMates don't magically appear by accident, coincidence or mistake.  Instead, we resonate into our life specific people to give us the opportunity for healing and growth.

Chad and I have agreed to take that a step further and enter into a Quantum SoulMate Relationship.  This means we have committed to fulfilling the potential to heal and to grow as individuals and as a couple.

This isn't a light or easy commitment since it entails being willing to look at the wounds I've been carrying around and resolving to clean them up when situations in my relationship reveal to me that there is still healing to be done.

As Dov puts it, "It means begin willing to go through whatever you need to go through to get to the other side.  When shit comes up, being willing to look first at yourself, not them."

The challenge with this is that everyone has been hurt deeply in their lives and they don't want to be hurt again.

So, here are for conditions I have to agree to in order to enter a Quantum Relationship:

1. Educate myself about relationship beyond social conditioning (Who got an owner's manual or specific training on how to create, sustain, and grow a healthy relationship?)
2. Enter the journey of self-discovery (It's all about ME, not the other person.  I'm the common denominator in all my relationships, romantic or otherwise.)
3. Train myself in the new model of relationship (You mean I can do that consciously?!)
4. Become accountable to change the behaviors and coping mechanisms that prevent me from creating a Quantum Soulmate Relationship together.

And we've already begun both the educate and the self-discovery process.

Very, very profoundly I might add.

Last evening, Renuka led us through an intense process where I really uncovered some "stuff" I thought I'd dealt with.  I was amazed the resentment and pain I felt toward my father in particular had not been altogether healed.  It not only profoundly affects me, but necessarily affects my relationship with my partner. . .

And not for the good of the relationship. 

This is a process of self-discovery, and I'm committed to looking at this head-on and healing it.

One thing's for sure, and that is I know I felt betrayed by, alienated from, and emotionally abused by my father.  He is the architypcal role model I have for men in my life, particularly those who purport to love me and claim to be trustworthy.

Through that process Renuka led, I discovered that in all of my relationships with men of any real depth, I haven't allowed myself to fully trust them.  I expect weakness, betrayal, and lack of trustworthiness.

Guess what's come up as an issue in my relationship with Chad?

I was talking with my accountability partner and told him that this discovery really informs my attachment to the idea that talk is cheap.  Chad often tells me he loves me, but I'm of the "Show-me-the-money" mindset, as in "We'll see.  The proof's in the pudding."

Of course, Chad has his own issues that inevitably work their way into our relationship, and to be sure, trust in any relationship is essential.

However, my unresolved (or better said, unhealed) issues of trust with my dad clearly strain and put an unnecessary burden on our relationship.

Dov and Renuka describe this issue (which trust is only one of many) as part of My Buried Unconscious Childhood Agenda.

Wow.  Imagine bringing and agenda into our relationships!  Yet, that's why we enter into relationships at all, to heal and to grow, and to raise consciousness of who we really are and who we can be. 

That's profound.

And only the tip of the iceberg (which itself is and overstatement) of the amazing learning (and learning experiences, since this program is highly interactive) that took place yesterday.

It's almost time to begin another 12+ hour day of intense clearing of junk, discovery of new tools for moving through conflict, and greater levels of intimacy ("into me see") with my partner.

More soon . . .