MAY/JUNE 2006
Issue #26
Archives
In this edition:
“And, could you keep your heart in
wonder at the daily miracles of your life, your pain would not seem less
wondrous than your joy,
And you would accept the seasons of your heart, even as you have always
accepted the seasons that pass over your fields.”
—Kahlil Gibran
Programs/Retreats:
California:
Creative Meditation :
The Secret Key to Your Inner Wisdom
Corinne McLaughlin
Saturday, July 29 in
Meditation Mount, Ojai, CA
Deepen your connection with the
incredible light and wisdom within you—the presence of
God/Spirit/Universal Mind/The Ground of Being. You’ll find it easy to
meditate in this quiet, sacred space of peace and beauty where thousands
of people have been meditating for over 50 years. Meditation is very
effective in stress reduction, healing and intuitive decision-making,
according to recent scientific studies. This approach is
non-denominational, based on the Ageless Wisdom -- the "golden thread"
connecting the hidden teachings at the heart of all spiritual paths,
East and West. The retreat will include instruction in creative
visualization techniques as well as guided meditation, walking
meditation, and silence. Whether you are new to meditation, or are an
experienced practitioner interested in new techniques, you will find
great benefit. You’ll learn effective meditative techniques for:
-
Slowing down and becoming more fully present in each moment
-
Developing a deep sense of
relaxation and inner peace
-
Building the rainbow bridge
to your soul or higher self
-
Transmuting negative energy
into positive, creative energy
-
Contacting an inner source
of wisdom and guidance
Suggested donation: $25.
Meditation Mount is in a beautiful setting with dramatic views of the
Ojai Valley and the surrounding mountains. (Ojai is 1 ½ hours north of
Los Angeles off Highway 101.) You are welcome to stay after the seminar
and enjoy the peace and serenity of Meditation Mount and its meditation
room and viewpoint.
For registration call (805)
646-5508 or (415) 472-2540;
meditation@meditation.com;
www.meditation.com. For more
information about the content of the seminar contact Corinne directly at
415-472-2540 or email
corinnemc@visionarylead.org.
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Please send your donation to:
THE CENTER FOR VISIONARY LEADERSHIP
369 3rd Street, #563
San Rafael, CA 94901
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Dear Friends,
Lately I’ve been reflecting on how I can find a point
of synthesis amidst all the diversity I experience all around me--in my
immediate family, in my neighborhood, in my community, in my nation and
world. For example, our neighbors on one side of us are poor, working
class, conservative Christians. On the other side, our neighbors are
wealthy, professional, liberal Jews. Part of me relates easily to certain
parts of them. And when I can listen with an open mind and appreciation
to all aspects of who they are, I always learn something new—about
religion, politics, family or business. I find this transforming.
When I include all aspects of both neighboring
families, without judgment or favoritism, and then hold a higher point of
synthesis that includes all the differences, something in me transforms.
Life itself is a loving synthesis in action. I embody more of this
synthesis by aligning with a higher purpose within the common good. From
that point I can perceive the Divine in everything.
As those of us who are Americans (by accident of
birth or choice) celebrate Independence Day this summer, can we make a
shift to a consciousness of synthesis and inter-dependence? Can we
notice that there’s no way we can be really independent of anyone or
anything else-- whether it’s someone in our neighborhood or in another
country-- or even another form of life on our planet? Each person and
each thing affects everything else. This is the universal vision of our
Founding Fathers (and Mothers), which we explore in
The Deeper, Secret
Roots of America’s Founding and in our
Meditation on a Higher
Vision for Our Nation.
This month, open yourself to an even larger
synthesis--the healing power of nature in all its beauty and
magnificence. Experience the interdependence of all life. Let the
deep peace of the forest and the ocean fill your soul and uplift your
heart. Listen to the music of the birds and the wind in the trees, feel
the warm sun on your face, inhale the gentle fragrances of flowers in all
their colorful splendor. Is there no greater expression of pure love and
pure joy?
Nature is always attuned to the limitless love of
Spirit. But we as humans have free will to choose this love or reject
it. Let us choose this unceasing love, this loving synthesis in action,
recognizing that we are truly one with all creation. As we protect and
preserve nature’s beauty, we in fact preserve our own deepest Self.
With Love and Best Wishes,
Corinne McLaughlin with Gordon Davidson and Ginger
Young
NOTE:
Your feedback is very important to us! Please
send us your comments.
Photo by Gordon Davidson
“Our style and
manner of thinking have undergone a revolution. We see with other
eyes; we hear with other ears; and think with other thoughts, than
those we formerly used.”—Thomas Paine
With all the controversy catalyzed
by the enormously popular The DaVinci Code and its revelations of
secret, metaphysical societies to which DaVinci, Isaac Newton and other
famous visionaries of the time belonged, we thought might be useful as we
approach America’s Independence Day to explore the metaphysical
backgrounds and secret societies of our Founding Fathers. Here are
excerpts from extensive research we did for our 1994 book on Spiritual Politics:
THE DEEPER,
SECRET ROOTS OF AMERICA’S FOUNDING
© 2006 Corinne McLaughlin
The most intriguing hint about the
secret, metaphysical dimensions of the founding of America is not actually
hidden at all--in fact it can be seen in millions of places today--on
every one dollar bill, which displays the reverse of the Great Seal of the
United States. Here is the All Seeing Eye of God or Spirit, placed above a
pyramid--a symbol representing spiritual vision that is found in many
secret societies, including the Rosicrucians and the Freemasons.
The pyramid was
used by some ancient cultures, such as
the Egyptian and the Mayan, as an initiation chamber. The All-Seeing Eye
seems to be placed as a capstone at the top of the pyramid.
If you stand at the base of the
pyramid, there are many
different viewpoints, depending on which of the four sides you are
standing on and looking out from. But
at the top, all the viewpoints unite, because there we
see with the Eye of Spirit. What an
important message for us today! The various religious and political
groups stand at the base of each side of the pyramid, fighting for their
limited view, when they need to climb higher to see the more inclusive,
higher vision from the top—the radiant Eye of Spirit.
The reverse of the Great Seal was
minted in 1789 but it wasn’t used until 1933 when
President Roosevelt put it on the
dollar bill at the urging of Secretary of Agriculture Henry Wallace, who
was a follower of Nicholas Roerich, founder of the Agni Yoga Society. The
first Congress appointed Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and Ben Franklin to
design this Seal, and major revisions were added by Charles Thomson and
William Barton. The United
States is the only country today with a two-sided national seal. Isn’t it
time to pay more attention to what’s on the reverse of this Seal?
It’s a powerful symbol of the soul
of America.
Read More
Printable Article
SPIRITUAL PRACTICE
OF THE MONTH:
Meditation on a Higher Vision for Our Nation
by
Corinne McLaughlin
Imagine that you are
standing before a great pyramid, like the one pictured on the U.S. dollar
bill, with such massive sides that you can barely see the top; with steps
on each side leading to the top.
Notice
that there are four sides to this pyramid, and on the other three sides
are groups of people who embody a certain perspective on the world--a set
of values, political and religious beliefs, cultural assumptions,
etc.—that are different from yours and yet different from each other.
For example, your group may be Christian …another group may be Muslim or
Hindu or Atheist….Your group may be liberal…another may be conservative or
radical or apolitical, etc.
Now
imagine that your group, as well as the other three groups of people, are
all climbing up the sides of the pyramid;
With each
step that you climb, you begin to feel lighter, clearer, and more
peaceful….it’s as if you get a new perspective on things as you climb
higher….
As your
group reaches the top of the pyramid, there is a large platform where you
can stand and look at the breathtaking view all around you;
As you
look, three other groups, all different from you, also reach the top from
one of the other sides of the pyramid, and they stop to appreciate the
view….
Then a
great radiant light seems to engulf everyone standing there….it seems to
awaken and transform everyone, filling everything with light, with new
wisdom and vision…
It seems
as if there’s a change in everyone; but although their physical appearance
seems the same, somehow you see them differently, as if you can see an
inner light shining from within them… the same light in everyone….and
suddenly you can understand their point of view, their values and beliefs,
as if from the inside out…With a flash of insight, you see how it all fits
together into a magnificent whole…
You
realize you are seeing with the Eye of Spirit…and you recognize all the
other diverse groups as part of something larger and truly awesome…
Humanity.
Printable Meditation
“The breeze of grace is always blowing on you. You have to open the
sails and your boat will move forward.”--Ramakrishna
The Rise of Conscious
Capitalism
© 2005 Patricia Aburdene
The following
is an excerpt from our good friend Patricia’s ground-breaking new book,
Megatrends 2010, which is full of both innovative ideas and
practical examples (including The Center for Visionary Leadership):
Conscious Capitalism isn't altruism; it
relies instead on the wisdom of enlightened self-interest. Here are
seven powerful trends that are re-inventing free enterprise:
1. The Power of
Spirituality.
In turbulent
times, we look within; 78 percent
seek more
Spirit. Meditation
and yoga soar. Divine Presence spills into
business.
"Spiritual" CEOs as well as senior executives from Redken and
Hewlett-Packard
(HP) transform their companies.
2. The Dawn of
Conscious Capitalism.
Top companies and
leading CEOs
are re-inventing
free enterprise to honor stakeholders and shareholders. Will
it make the world
a better place? Yes. Witl it earn more money? That's the surprising
part: Study after study shows the corporate good guys rack up great
profits.
3. Leading from the Middle.
The charismatic,
overpaid CEO is fading
fast. Experts now
say "ordinary" managers, like HP's Barbara Waugh, forge
lasting change. How do they do it? Values,
influence, moral authority.
4.
Spirituality in
Business
is springing up all
over. Half speak of faith at
work. Eileen
Fisher, Medtronic win "Spirit at Work" awards. Ford, Intel and
other firms sponsor employee-based
religious networks. Each month San Francisco's Chamber of Commerce
sponsors a "spiritual" brown bag lunch.
5. The
Values-Driven Consumer.
Conscious
Consumers, who've fled the
mass market, are
a multi-billion-dollar "niche." Whether buying hybrid cars,
green building
supplies or organic food, they vote with their values. So,
brands that embody
positive values will attract them.
6. The Wave of
Conscious Solutions.
Coming to a firm
near you: Vision
Quest.
Meditation. Forgiveness Training. HeartMath. They sound touchy-feely,
but
conscious business pioneers are tracking results that will blow your
socks off.
7.
The Socially
Responsible Investment Boom.
Today's stock portfolios are green
in more ways than one.
What Is Conscious
Capitalism?
Conscious
capitalism is a multi-dimensional phenomenon. You might think of it as
"stakeholder capitalism," or call it the "Triple Bottom Line," but
there's even more to it than that. It is the dynamic matrix of social,
economic-and-spiritual-trends transforming free enterprise. It is:
- Bottom-up - a broad-based,
grassroots movement pressing for greater
accountability and integrity in
business.
Top-down -
espoused in hundreds of the world's leading corporations.
Prosperity-oriented - an engine of superior financial performance.
Investor-driven - attracting trillions into socially responsible
funds.
Activist -
a hotbed of advocacy from shareholder to environmental.
Demographic -
reflecting of the changing human profile of business.
Consumerist
- winning growing public support in the marketplace.
Spiritual - the real-world
manifestation of the quest for transcendent values.
Read More
Printable Article
This Month's
Recommended Films:
(in theatres nationwide)
There are so
many excellent, inspirational films out right now, with unusually
conscious content, that we felt it was essential to urge you to see the
following:
An
Inconvenient Truth stars a transformed Al Gore in a passionate and
entertaining presentation that wakes us up to the scientific realities of
global warming and what we need to do now. It is the most significant
film of the year, as many reviewers have said. Gore calls his film a
“nature hike through the Book of Revelation,” as he shows visible proof of
melting snow and polar caps, increased hurricanes, world-wide floods and
droughts, increasing viruses. But our favorite line was when he reminded
us that “political will is a renewable resource”— as
citizens we
can make changes now if we have the will, both personally and
collectively.
Celestine
Prophesy is a good adaptation of The New York Times best
selling book, with screenplay by the author, James Redfield. An
adventure-filled drama set in South America about a search for an ancient
secret scroll, with insights about synchronicity, meditation, the power of
thought to create reality, etc.
The Peaceful
Warrior, starring Nick Nolte, is based on another immensely popular
new consciousness book by Dan Millman. An Olympics bound college gymnast
meets a mysterious spiritual teacher with unusual powers at the gas
station, and learns how to quiet his mind and live more fully in the
present. However Nick
Nolte playing the teacher illustrates how challenging it is for an
actor to portray a spiritual depth that he may not personally embody.
The DaVinci Code
(just in case you've been living under a rock or haven't heard about
it), starring Tom Hanks, presents some key ideas found in the esoteric
tradition and protected by the secret societies for centuries, which now
must come to light. Although a thriller, with more graphic
violence than necessary, the revelation about the Divine Feminine will
transform old paradigms.
Printable Article
Letters to the Editor:
”I love your website and I will like to rate this site
as a 5 Star Site on
meditation.” –Richard Folorunsho, Ibadan, Nigeria
“First
class issue of Soul
Light. Congratulations! Very positive and constructive content. I
especially like the Gandhi quote, which I’ve never heard before but which
is a perfect seed thought for our work: “I
could not be leading a religious life unless I identified myself with the
whole of mankind, and that I could not do unless I took part in politics.".”
--John
Bellassai, Washington, DC
“As is my habit on any given Sunday
morning, as I sip my first cup of coffee, I pick up my laptop and Google a
question that is on my mind. And today, being Easter Sunday, I will
interpret what follows in my email as a "good sign." This morning, my
question was "what really matters." As a result of this small step I found
your website. What engaged me immediately was an article about leadership
and values. But that was only to lead me to your article on "reading
signs." It made me think about the many times that I have seen or
witnessed many such signs. Elated to find a kindred spirit who is also
focused on planetary issues, challenges and opportunities, I continued to
explore other articles that you had written. I found "weather" and related
to your story in much the same way as you had. I've noticed these occurrences as well - beginning with my first glimpse of a picture
in a bible story when I was a young girl - Noah's Ark and the Flood. I
will never forget the picture and my subsequent horror at seeing the
suffering of the people. I revisited that picture many times and have been
thinking about what is occurring in the world today around "water" and floods. As is the case in my life, I never meet anyone or find anything
that is not related or connected to my path or what it is I need to learn
and discover as I grow and mature as a spiritual human being….I've been
involved in organizational change, personal mastery and knowledge
management for several decades and have recently left the corporate world
to write, perform and involve myself in projects that are aligned with my
values and soul's journey.” --Jo Singel, New York
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