Failed Dream - Do Not Suffer Alone Any More - Teamwork, Skills, Belief, Success

Failed Dream

Do Not Suffer Alone Any More

Teamwork, Skills, Belief, Success

      Are you sold on the network marketing or mlm concept, but struggling? 95% of those involved in network marketing and mlm make less than $10 in a month. Are you one of them, like I was? There are so many that truly believe in the marketing concept, it should just posper based upon that belief. But it doesn't. Aside from the scams and ponzi schemes there is the general lack of knowledge and skill on how to build this kind of business and further, how to maintain, sustain and grow it.

      In the earlier days of this industry it became clear that personal development plays a role. I think the industry is still pretty immature. Many so called sponsors to this day will retort "Watch this video", "Read this book", or worse, "Buy this program". All without any clear plan or course to follow. Paroting what they were told they basically just "winged it" and got it to sort of work for themselves, so, they reason, you might get lucky too. Too bad that what worked for them, that one nugget or even stack of clues, is likely not to work for the next person. How do you build a business, based on personal development with no instructions?

      How did we get into trouble? Having a lack of leadership in actual leadership training seems to be part of this problem. Much of the personal development that is out there had focused upon Sales and being a Sales Person. This is more of a psychology and personal relationship business than anything to do with product or service sales, or even a company itself. The foundation of personal development can be traced back to books like "Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill, and, "How to Win Friends and Influence People", by Dale Carnegie. Many of the expansive texts, videos, recordings and other training material today, found in the field of personal development have their basis in just some small part of either or both of these books. Derived from these can be found the masterful teaching of Tom "Big Al" Schreiter, who took these teachings and evolved a system of 25 skills, where we learn exactly what to say and exactly what to do. When things are not going as we'd like, we know why, and exactly what needs to be done to fix it.

      Imagine being able to interview 500 of the most successful people and capture a series of habits and traits that all of them used to attain their success. That is exactly what Napoleon Hill did. Dale Carnegie's book, foundation and legacy continues to inform and teach the skills of true leadership.

Is there a solution?

      Learning the skills that successful network marketers and MLMers use to achieve and maintain their success is the key. Also staying associated and connected with those who have found this out, built a structure, and continue to stay close to the fire of skill building for mutual success. If you are interested in or already involved in network marketing or mlm, I invite you to download this ebook as a gift. It is the mastermind compilation of 36 years of network marketing and mlm success and 26 years of full time income of one man and his team. The goals are simple. Build it once, build it big, and have it pay your children's children. This is truly the dream of network marketing and mlm, is it not? Using the skills we teach and practice live in 10 calls every week, we stay close to the fire of inspiration and motivation for successful action.

with gratitude and in service,

Tony Koker

P.S. There is a price to entry. Download and read the ebook, then there are a couple of recorded skills calls to listen to. A couple brief investments of time and the whole system will be made available to you. And, just like the ebook, no companies or products are mentioned at all. No pitch. No credit card. Just a few minutes of your time for some value.

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Tune In! A Spiritual Radio Transceiver

The Brain

      I was again amazed today, when I found that thoughts I just had were echoed by a post by two different people I know, at exactly the same moment they were creating their work, but each at two different times today. It is exactly like we were thinking the exact same thing, at the same time. But, the emotional thoughts I experienced were disconnected from the stream of thought I was having at the time, and were momentary diversions.

      In the first instance, I was looking through a site that has 13 million photographs for a picture for a blog post. In order to be effective, I've found that searching on terms relevant to either the headline and/or content is helpful in keeping this task quick and efficient. I don't have all day to find a good picture. As I choose my picture, this other picture really caught my eye. It was a thought I had received from the ether, telling me that this other graphic, although not on mark for what I was doing right now, would be perfect to something else. I took a mental note of that, but was not driven to select it and download it now, but to perhaps return later. I have subsequently seen this exact picture on another's blog post, which was clearly posted just after my experience at the photo site. When I saw it, I instantly recalled my contemplation earlier and inspired to include the story in this week's lesson.

      The second instance was similar. In addition to the photo site, there are other social media services that provide pictures that can be used for a meme or blog posts, or even marketing and advertising copy. I was in the process of scanning one of these when I experienced the very same emotional thought. My attention was drawn to a picture, that was not relevant for what I was researching, but impressed upon me that it was great for another purpose. The purpose was beyond my grasp, at the time. But, when I saw the graphic in use, just a couple of hours later, my emotional thought was completed with the notion that the effort was completed and the desire effect fulfilled. Upon reflection I believe I experienced excerpts of the process used by another, and the completed message was mentally communicated significantly before I actually saw the finished product. I believe I heard the echo of their epiphany or aha moment.

      Like tuning a radio, our thoughts scan the frequencies for sympathetic vibrations. The more people that identify and echo a thought, the louder the volume. The volume can also be increased by using stronger positive emotional bonds on the thought. Squelching then negative emotions, which often drown out the positive thoughts, also helps to increase the positive volume. Amplifying the positive emotions through habitual reinforcement is crucial to avoiding distraction or outright derailment.

      Unlike radio, proximity seems to have little role. We can be a world apart, yet experience the vibration inside. I think this can be called spiritual, too. It is deeply internal, yet, at the very same instant, it is extremely external, reaching across space and time.

with gratitude and in service,

Tony Koker

 

P.S. How often have you said Your self-talk today? Tune Your mental harmony for Your success now.

 

P.P.S. If you would like to explore other perspectives on this topic, in our weekly mastermind, please follow this link.

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Resolve a Habit of Persistence

Persistence

      My life is perfect. Everything is like it should be. A picturesque summertime float on a calm, crystal clear lake. The sun out with but wisps of clouds in the royal blue sky. Not too hot, not too cold. I want for nothing. Friends and family surround. Laughter and reverie abound all around.

      Then, there's that sound again. It sounds like a knock on a door. Is it another distraction, or, another opportunity?

      I wake. Dream over for now.

      I have to return to the task at hand. Do I continue working, or, do I pause and consider making a decision?

      Now is not the time to rethink. I am in work mode, now, today. Back to the formula. Just execute. Saying my self talk I am able to regain focus.

      Clickety clack, clickety clack, like a train going down a track. The knocks on the door fade away. I'm returning to my zone.

     

     

      I recently became reacquainted with a verse in scripture. It has resonated so well with my self talk, that I have printed it out, hung it on the wall, and have added it to my daily self talk routine:

           "... I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down ..." Nehemiah 6:3

     

     

      Persistence and focus seem to intertwine themselves with each other. These are crucial as I succeed with any resolution.

     

with gratitude and in service,

Tony Koker

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Decision and Action

Decision and Action

      I decide all the time. Whenever I add a task to one of my lists, I've already decided it needed to be done. I've developed quite a talent for putting things down and keeping track of them.
      One of the mistakes I have made often involves my mental excitement and pleasure I get from mentally visualizing these tasks as complete. Don't get me wrong, on the way to getting these things done, this is an important step. The more realistic I can visualize the task as complete, the easier it is for me to do it. My mistake has often been the elation I feel having identified the task and writing it down, ends up being gratification enough, right now, to make me feel I've got things all planned and ready. At least for right now. The mistake I often make, after a little time has elapsed, is to revisit the list(s) and discover ways to make them even better. I find holes that need new solutions. Real or imagined, I second-guess myself until I plan myself to another point of elation, or not. Revisiting these decisions and plans is where I go astray. I have had to work on the habit of deciding now. Closing the plan, having decided the steps, and begin the doing. If there are minor corrections that need to be made, I just need to let go and adjust along the way.
      Through the reading of this book (Think and Grow Rich), and with the help of my mentors, I've found that I need to let go of this decision process of mine. I need to focus on just one more list - my to do list. I've actually renamed this to my ACTION list. My self-talk keeps me focused and motivated, and my ACTION list tells me exactly what I need to be doing, and deciding to change the list, is NOT on the list.
      I am continually grateful for the participation and support of this system (here and here) - the people who mastermind and fellowship each other in peace today and towards greater joy tomorrow.
with gratitude and in service,
Tony Koker
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How to Outwit the Six Ghosts of Fear

HOW TO OUTWIT THE SIX GHOSTS OF FEAR

      Indecision, doubt and fear are the three enemies Napoleon Hill uses to describe the primary obstacles to our achieving what we desire.
      These are powerful adversaries. In the competitive world of commerce we find an acronym, FUD, or, Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt. Major technological companies have even embraced these to wield, like swords against their competition. If enough FUD is put out there, it makes it all the more difficult to chop through the weeds and find the real, substantiated facts. The less black and white the information, the more FUD there is.
      For me, my biggest challenges, have not been the jump from the airplane, my survival is at risk kind of fears. But, the insidious uncertainty that mentally seems to be around the next corner that causes me to not make a decision, and fail to act.
      Instead of boldly moving forward, I find I succumb to the temptation of choosing to just do something else. Often this is something well traveled, in the past, and is well known and understood. I rationalize that these other things, although not really important right now, still need to get done. And, I will feel some sense of accomplishment, having marked these off my list.
      I return, however, to the important task at hand, and again feel the impact of these enemies as they chip away at my self-esteem. I find myself asking how did this not get done, again? I begin to question my motivation. If this was so important to me, why didn't it get done?
      ... to read the rest of this post, please visit our public forum, where you will also find our mastermind lessons on this subject.
with gratitude and in service,
Tony Koker
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Decision

      Whenever I read one of these chapters, I take notes of ideas and concepts I takeaway as pertinent of the ideas presented. The following is my list from this chapter:

• Lack of decision causes failure.
• Procrastination is the opposite of decision.
• Reach decisions promptly and change them slowly.
• Harmony with your desires (which are derived from your values - I added this last part, myself).
• Listen rather than talk.
• Show the world, don't tell it. Act.
• Being all in. "Freedom or death on a decision".
• Mastermind. "I tell you further, that if two of you agree upon the earth concerning anything for which you ask, it will come to you from My Father, who is in Heaven.”
• Courage.

      That last one always reminds me of the Serenity Prayer:

      Lord, Grant me the Serenity to Accept the Things I Cannot Change,
      Grant me the Courage to Change the Things I Can, and
      Grant me the Wisdom to Know the Difference.

      One of the things us greens (self-contained, indirect, primary personality) are good at, is learning ideas and concepts and embracing them from the perspective presented. I can read every word, collect and organize, then summarize and deduce. But, at least for me, I fail to then take the ideas and concepts from my mind and get it into my heart. When I do this, I don't need my outline or list, anymore. My heart is where my desires reside. It has the faith that the steps I take today are part of the staircase up, even if I cannot see the whole staircase. My heart has the belief that sees past temporary obstacles.

      I decide to win. I decide that the best way for me to obtain my desire of helping other people, of being of service to my fellow humans, of breathing when the pressure and oxygen is lost, is to put my mask on first.

      I decide to take back ownership of my life. Slowly, over time, pieces have been given away. They weren't forcibly taken. They were subtly, and perhaps deceptively coerced away, and I let it happen. It didn't seem threatening at the time. It was only a small chip from the large block. But many, many of these have occurred. I cannot simply stand up and declare that they are again mine. I have to bargain and work to maneuver to take them back, one piece at a time. They weren't given away all at once, but over time, and I know they will have to be won back the same way.

      I decide that the past is history. Aside from lessons learned, it does not restrain me. The future starts now. I decide to be fully engaged in the experience of today, right now.

      I decide that the future is molded by me. Only my hand is on the rudder of my boat. I decide to face the waves and the wind, to find the path forward.

      I decide to periodically review my values. My values build my desires. My desires provide harmony for my decisions. Today, I decide to continue to ACT upon these desire-based decisions. I have embraced today - listened with my ears and other senses and capabilities of mind - and now demonstrate this by taking focused actions, avoiding distraction along the way.

      I decide to listen to my heart. My heart provides the drive to silence the fears. My heart provides the energy and enthusiasm to continue on, even in the presence of un-silenced fear, discomfort, or even pain. My heart has the faith that knows the reward is worth it.

with gratitude and in service,

Tony Koker

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You Never Know What You're Going To Get

      Like that now famous line from the movie Forest Gump, the title of this piece talks about the randomness in life and a box of chocolates, and, yet, how there are universal waves, rhythms and harmonies that get amplified and strengthened by those who recognize the positive and useful nature of these and pick them up and use them. The key belongs to those who are open to sensing them. Two seemingly disconnected activities which I am about to present, illustrate this principle. How you connect the dots is up to you.

      The book "Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill, was written after interviewing 500 highly successful people and compiling the results over 20 years. A lifetime mission, funded by a close friend and personal mentor to Napoleon, Andrew Carnegie. The book documents a singular secret masked among 13 principles of success. On a journey through various stories illustrating each of the 13 principles, Hill holds out the hope that the readers will discover the secret, and put it to use and be rich. Written at a similar time as we are in now, it was inescapable to separate money from being rich, but Hill illustrates being rich in the fullest and most positive ways. Once discovered, the secret is simply understood and known to be known.

      I cannot profess to know a lot about the following, but, for the time being have to rely upon a special feature I experienced on a public television broadcast recently, where Tai Chi was discussed. The concepts I find in my notes include Effortless Effort, Balance, Being Powerful versus be Forceful, and an emphasis on Conservation of Energy versus the Consumption of Energy. The following was presented as a brief summation:

• Be In The Moment
• Freedom
• Power
• Flow

      And, finally, (paraphrased) "Be content with what you have, lacking nothing. The world belongs to you."

      Having just recently been exposed to the description of Tai Chi, but having spent a lot of time working with coaching and mentoring people using Hill's book, I had another epiphany that the centuries old practice also was an expression of clues to the very same secret of Hill's work.

with gratitude and in service,

Tony Koker

P.S. Find Your Heartfelt Mental Music Again. Resolve to Quiet the Worldly Chatter. Mastermind with Us: 30 day Cleanse

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Guest Author - How to Outwit the 6 Ghosts of Fear

How to Outwit the 6 Ghosts of Fear

Fear is false evidence appearing real.

In the last chapter we read on the sixth sense, I wrote:

Ultimately, mastering all these principles and allowing the sixth sense to lead us to our utmost desire in life is a spiritual journey as a life being led in this manner is sure to succeed (The Sixth Sense).

And isn't it interesting that the very last chapter Hill focuses on is the ghosts in our mind - the fears we have that are not real.

We perceive them as real though, don't we?

We have come full circle in this book now to the idea that thoughts are things, the next chapter we will be studying.

So these fears are thoughts which we should not focus on.

If we focus on our fears, then we are paralyzed by them.

I am reminded by my friend that we are spiritual beings going through a human experience, just as God came down as man to experience the human existence in life.

Last week I went to visit my mom's only sister, a nun, who is 87 years strong. She's been serving God ever since I can remember meeting her for the first time when I was 6 years old.

She is of the Schools Sisters of Notre Dame order and so my mom, brother and I went to Wilton Connecticut and stayed overnight in the retirement home for these nuns.

During a conversation we were having I was amazed to hear my Aunt Leonie say "well it's all in your mind."

I looked at her saying, “You know Aunt Leonie, and you’re so right with this because all our thoughts are things.”

In kidding with her I asked her if she read Think and Grow Rich to which she answered no. "But," she said, "There’s a wisdom that comes with prayer that certainly opens your mind." "Look around you, the world is full of tell tale signs that creation is full of abundance, full of God's grace. God's work is everywhere. We are the arms and legs of Him who created us and we continue His works. It started with His thought in His Universe. And His thought carries on through us.

As we walked down the corridors, the walls had paintings full of inspiration about creation, the saints, signs and paintings, etc reminding us of the Creator in our midst.

As we followed our aunt, we stopped to meet her sister friends along the way. Some were painting, some were playing music, some were reading, some were writing stories and poetry, some were using the computer, some were having meetings, some were praying, some were visiting with others, some were at the movies..., you get the picture here. All God's work continues to manifest itself all the time.

So as we were strolling through this majestic home full of retired nuns, I realized just how grand God is. My aunt introduced us to a nun who was 107 years strong!

My aunt led the conversation next to speak about what keeps these ladies going strong. We have no fears she said. We trust in His Word. You must live life fearlessly and intentionally if it's going to be full.

I felt like a reporter asking questions, but I could see she was pleased to share her wisdom.

"Ok Auntie Leonie", I questioned, "so how do you get over fears?"

"Simple”, she said, always seek the will of God and you'll find the strength within you." "Again", she replied, “it's all in your mind and get's to your heart and soul, where it penetrates and you can find the answers to your questions for even the most difficult of times."

Now she doesn't explain quite like Hill but I do know what she means.

So daily, the actions we take and do in persisting will take us to the top of that mountain before we know it. We'll reach the top to see clearly everything. Even the fears we have, we will realize that they are small compared to who we are as spiritual beings.

And that ogre called FEAR will appear so tiny that we can kick him off that mountain top and say goodbye to him at last.

Your fears are only as big as you allow them to become. The antidote for overcoming many of the fears we have is in taking actions. Just do it and as you keep doing it, you find that it was never real, just an ogre in your imagination. Learning this helps you to kill fears along the way.

I know for me in any situation that I may feel nervous, I had learned to laugh at my mistakes, to learn from my mistakes and overall, to find a way to make something happen for me through creative imagination.

It really is in doing and being in the now that I find my greatest strength to overcome my fears.

After all the human experience isn't supposed to be perfect, it's supposed to be spiritual and divine and the divine is in our thoughts and heart, right where we find strength to overcome the impossible.

No matter the challenges in life, no matter what our circumstances, no matter what our fears, we work with them as we move up that mountain top.

And we'll look back in reflection one day, smiling to ourselves and realizing how very small our fears had become because we learned to control our own thoughts.

Much Love and appreciation,

Marsha Sortino

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Procrastination - Excuses File Containing Reasons And Scapegoats

Decision: The Mastery of Procrastination

      Okay. We made our organized plan. Now we have to execute it. But, decision plays a part in this.

      I have had many struggles with this one. Procrastination - this one is very insideous - it camouflages itself and hides in the shadows, pretending to be other things during my thought process on the way to a decision to act. Most of the decisions I make are automatic. I've purposefully, or even unconciously made a decision and implanted it internally. When I do slow down the chatter and focus on the act of the decision, only then can I again influence it. Some of the arguments my mind has thrown up as obstacles, when I haven't said my self-talk enough follow, but I've written counter-statements right afterwards, so I can keep my awareness high of these forks in the road in my thoughts.

      The Perfect Plan needs more time to simmer some more. I've learned to counter this with the thought that it's good enough, just start moving.

      The timing isn't right, another time would be better. NOW is better than NEVER!

      I don't feel well enough. Catch your breath, take steps to care for yourself as quickly as possible and get moving again.

      It's raining out. Wear a rain coat, or find an umbrella.

      It's too cold. Put on warmer clothes.

      It's too hot. Put on cooler clothes.

      I don't have control and have to wait for things to change in my favor. The conditions could get worse, so again, just start moving.

      I have to examine my motives for the decision. Am I using a positive emotion to support my thought process, or a negative one? This is a huge struggle for me. I have to address this multiple times, in my autosuggestion. It begins with "I am happy." Certainly your self-talk is for you, so you may find different words to use. "I am happy" seems to be high enough of a focus for me, since I tend towards frustration and feeling overwhelmed through sadness, depression and even anger. I cap off my autosuggestion with "Anger and Fear are useless. Love and Gratitude are everything". I don't put my self-talk on my list or plan, since it is already a habit. I perform this automatically.

      The bottom line, analysis has been done, I now just act. I decided when I focused on my foundational desires, built my plan and committed to being all in. Just act on the to-do list!

with gratitude and in service,

Tony, Lisa, Michael and Amanda Koker

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Organizing and Planning - The Steps and Challenges

Organized Planning in Action

      It can be easy to build a high-level plan, but the devil is in the details. I ask myself if the things that I value most, my desires, are being advanced with every step. Then I have to break down the big pieces of the plan, each in turn, into the smallest piece necessary, or possible. My thoughts tell me this is all I need to do; Make the list, then Work the list.

      The day-to-day experience is not always simple, however. I couldn't sleep, two nights ago, and tossed and turned all night as my mind raced with excitement. I did finally manage to fall asleep, but the rude, body-quaking shock of the alarm clock came much too soon. I am not normally a morning person, but having a restless night's sleep only makes it worse. I have to really, really focus. I have to summon all of my energy to get my song bouncing off the inner walls, and every nook and cranny of my internal head. My self-talk, or auto-suggestion, is this song and the key for this challenge too. A few hundred times, while I mindlessly and quickly go through my routine wake-up tasks, should do it. OK, now, where is that written down organized plan I have?

      The minute-to-minute events. Things don't always just have a priority of importance, when ranked against each other and my desires, but they also may have a timing component. There is a time and a place when something must happen. My plan has to have these targets built into it too. Then I can work backwards from the target, and fill in the prerequisite steps needed along the way. Once I think I've established my day into a heads-down, concentrating mode, taking action on the current task, this is when decision comes into play. We have to decide how to react to the phone ringing. Or, an unexpected visitor may arrive.

      What opportunities for turning from our progress towards something else totally unrelated, and, disconnecting from our plan present themselves? Are we disciplined enough to decide if we can afford this distraction now, postpone it to later, or simply decline to participate altogether. How do we find our place again, when we return to continue from where we were? These, often split-second decisions, can put us way off course, if we make a mistake. We have to be comfortable, and positive about even this, though. We are human, after all. We need to know that we are back on track quickly.

      I often find myself far off course, and don't recall even having made a decision to do it. It's as though I suddenly realize I'm not focused on that task, anymore, and I doing something else. Like waking up, or snapping out of a daydream. How did I get here? What triggered this diversion? Was it something I saw, heard, smelled, tasted, touched or felt? My mind just seems to automatically drift into thought upon various stimuli shortly after they are experienced without raising any flag or warning. This must be some kind of rest, or subconscious processing time. It seems to be like a roller-coaster, a repeating cycle of periods of high vibration focus followed by periods of low vibration coasting. The less sleep or feeling of wellbeing and energy I have, the more often it seems my mind cycles. As long as I can keep myself thoughtfully stimulated and focused enough, when my mind coasts, at least I will be pointed in the right direction and either remain on course, or find myself not too far astray.

      Then I make myself, periodically step back and review, again, at a high-level. A balance has to be found between managing the details, and simply working the plan. Each one of us has a different, base realm, where we are comfortable. We need to be able to push ourselves out of our easy, areas of comfort, and just focus on the next, important task, with as much positivity as we can. At least I have to remain neutral and avoid distraction or other negativity.

      Organized Planning has to account for my desires, goals, tasks, processes, timing and interruptions or delays. In the end, I have to be able to review my processes from a thoughtfull perspective, but I have to be sure that I'm taking into account the emotional perspectives as well. How did I manage interruptions? Was I able to successfully overcome the impulse to get irritated, confused, frustrated or even angry? Could I hear the music in my head? Was the rhythm, melody and lyrics of my auto-suggestion, or self-talk able to withstand these challenges? When it isn't, I'll have to re-visit it's formulation, perhaps, a small tweak to that, so my armor will be thicker for the next time. While it remains strong and allows me to keep focused on my desires as I work my organized plan, I am able to process the interruptions and other distractions and accomplish giant leaps towards my heart's desires.

      Thank you to everyone in the MFF Mastermind for helping me obtain focus, remain focused and for the encouragement and support to initiate and continue to take action.

with gratitude and in service,

Tony, Lisa, Michael and Amanda Koker

Image credit: CanStockPhoto.com

What is Creative in Network Marketing - Creative Imagination

Imagination at work

      I use imagination all the time, when I am trying to solve challenges, issues and problems. The synthetic imagination is the easiest, since it is the use of known ideas and facts, recombined and processed into new constructs. The creative imagination comes from the subconscious, and arrives as responses from the desires we have planted there. Just this week, as I further develop task lists and actions to solve my challenges, issues and problems, I believe I have made significant progress when the creative imagination provides missing pieces to the puzzles. There are three specific areas where this can be illustrated from my experiences this week.

      The first area involves my mind set when interacting with other people, an external focus. Having begun to develop a skill to understand whether a person is direct or indirect is part of the synthetic imagination. Being grounded as an indirect myself, I have to rely on my imagination to envision the thought process of someone who is direct. I have to rely upon the creative imagination to provide insight into this process. Although I believe I can operate in the process of a direct, it takes a lot of energy and focus, and even then, I have to have faith that my creative imagination provides the answer as it is needed. I may have to tweak my self-talk, or auto-suggestion a little, if I find that my creative imagination needs to work overtime to another solution, if, as often happens, I come up with the answer in hindsight, after the interaction is well concluded.

      The second area involves my mind set too, but with an internal focus. This is the easiest for me, being indirect, as it is easy for me to think through tasks and form action plans. The challenge, here, for me, is that it is much more difficult to let go of the planning and consider it good enough. I can easily get stuck trying to make it perfect. Realizing this seems to make this piece less daunting, but if not for my creative imagination I'm sentenced to a prison cell, in my mind, where I regurgitate the known ideas and facts over and over again ad nauseam.

      The third area also involves an internal focus and addresses my mood, or how I am feeling. I can be at peace, silencing the annoyances to the point of ignoring that stimulus for action. Although pleasant, I certainly won't be able to move forward without some stimulus. If I am totally engaged in turmoil, like that experienced on Mondays, when the big change occurs from being in a rhythm of self-motiviation, to that where I have to embrace the desires and goals of others and the demands this places on me, this can result in overload or crisis. A balance has to be maintained, where there is sufficient tension and stress to motivate and drive forward, but managed in a spirit of positive emotions. I constantly call upon my creative imagination to resolve this challenge.

      For all of these areas, my self-talk provides the underlying focus which is fed to my subconscious. My subconscious, in turn, provides responses from the creative imagination in tune with my desires. Otherwise the ideas brought forward may be off the melody, so I have to keep focused on fueling my mind with the rhythm of thought, the vibration of harmony upon which _I_ choose to devote my energy and efforts.

with gratitude and in service,

Tony, Lisa, Michael and Amanda Koker

Image credit: CanStockPhoto.com

Specialized Knowledge - Idea, Knowledge then Action is Winning Plan

Specialized Knowledge

      This is the chapter that I think I get, before even reading it, because I've been technical since High School, but I've finally figured out what I had wrong.

      I've always associated specialized knowledge with that which most of us endeavor to acquire by going to school. We start off learning the basics, then, if we do well, we focus on something that interests us, or that we find fun, and continue with study of it in college. Although this is indeed a path away from general, learn-life-by-living-it knowledge, it is a plan that has been drawn up by others for us to accomplish their objectives. We are being trained to be good followers of someone else's goals and dreams if we simply follow the plan that getting this education is the end, in and of itself, or the job it lands us. We CAN use schools and other training successfully. There are many good examples given in the book in this chapter.

      What we're studying this week involves coming to grips with the specialized knowledge needed to accomplish OUR goals and dreams. Some specialized knowledge we can acquire from others, rather than trying to know it all by ourselves. This is a relief to me, because I know, although I'm perfect, just the way I am, I'm better equipped when I am able to collaborate and share my skills with other people. Together everyone achieves more. But, _I_ DO have to have some skills.

      I have to focus on the specialized knowledge needed exclusively for my desires. I cannot allow myself to become distracted. Being able to focus is an underlying component _I_ HAVE to deal with. I have to silence my negative thoughts. I have to silence the negative noise in my daily routines. I have to especially avoid those recurring thoughts that suggest things can be compromised or doing it later will be okay. It's NOT.

      Self-talk, or auto-suggestion, that we studied last week is the answer for me. This allows me to stay focused on the skills and knowledge I need, while quieting the noise. It reinforces the desires I am accomplishing. It infuses the emotion I need to stay positive and focused. It impresses upon my subconscious mind exactly how important this is to me. I have to repeat this, both mentally as well as out loud, so I HEAR it as well, many, many times a day.

      My subconscious mind responds by pushing me into action. Learning how to get leads, customers and prospects is the specialized knowledge I need, in addition to using my subconscious for motivation.

      Using our mastermind group I am able to tap into the specialized knowledge of others. I am also able to be tapped, like in a tag-team match, to help and assist others. I've found that the best lessons often come from the specialized knowledge of the apprentice, rather than the mentor. I never stop learning or gaining new insights. I'm still more the apprentice than the mentor, but my self-talk is keeping me strongly growing yet humble.

      Specialized knowledge is clearly shown as an important ingredient in the recipe for successfully obtaining the magical incarnation of my desires and growing my understanding of this has empowered me with high vibration energy to continue to take action.

 

      Thank you to everyone on the weekly calls. With your participation I am continuing to climb to ever more lofty heights of understanding and accomplishment in my desires, and, in my ability to reach my hand out to help others do the same.

 

with gratitude and in service,

Tony, Lisa, Michael and Amanda Koker

Image credit: CanStockPhoto.com

Self Talk

"Auto-Suggestion

The Medium for Influencing the Subconscious Mind

The Third Step Toward Riches"

      After reading this chapter of "Think and Grow Rich" and Napoleon Hill's words on auto-suggestion when he states that we should carry out this instruction as if we are still a child, it reminds me of a saying my wife has used since we first started dating: "We're just ba'y kids in a grown up ba'y world". This has been one of our themes during our relationship where we try to approach many challenges from a child-like perspective.

      Having a singular focus a child will persist in their efforts until the objective is accomplished. If told that someone in a large crowd in a stadium has a special present for the child, they will go from person to person, not skipping a single soul, even to the final person in the crowd, if necessary, until they find that present. Without hesitation they ask "Do you have it?". From person to person they go, no fear, no obstacles, just an obsessive action.

      As adults, we work to stay focused like that again. We deal with the complexities we've allowed to invade our mind. We deal with the people and situations that confront us in our routines and the demands that are put upon us. We overcome the negative emotions that spontaneously erupt and threaten to dampen our desire.

      By focusing on a written statement, which we recite out loud, we actively focus on the positive emotions we associate with our burning desires. We concentrate, like the child, on holding that present in our hands. We know what it will feel like in our hands. The weight of it, the sight of it, the total thrill of owning it is already coursing through our body even as we travel forward in the aisles between the seats.

      We have instilled the emotion, focused burning desire and faith all with this simple act of writing down instructions for our subconscious, reading them aloud, and repeating them often, keeping that child, that we are, moving from person to person, through aisle after aisle to get OUR present.

 

with gratitude and in service,

Tony, Lisa, Michael and Amanda

Image credit: CanStockPhoto.com

FAITH: VISUALIZATION OF, AND BELIEF IN ATTAINMENT OF DESIRE

      I am reminded of a journey I've taken with the Boy Scouts. We set out for a weekend campout where one of the objectives is to hike up a mountain until we reach the summit. Initially this began as a simple exercise on paper and listing the task among those that we might set as objectives. Many other ideas were put forth, but the hike remained after the final cuts were accomplished.

      Some of the scouts had researched the objective. They provided pictures from the summit. We were all able to visualize being above the tree line, standing firmly on the rock boulders and grassy and mossy surfaces of the top. We imagine the unobstructed wind, at the summit, where there are no trees to block it. blowing our hair and clothes in a forceful draft. We imagine feeling the intensity of the sun warming our cheeks and exposed arms and legs, and even through our clothes. We see the incredible view of the clouds in the sky, the other mountain peaks connecting in a line far off into the distance in two directions. We also see the many valleys below and the tiny tree tops, paths, streams and trails below.

      Many of the scouts had never been there before, but their belief that this experience is there at the top is very strong. They know that it is there. They have already lived it in their imagination. The excitement, even love for the natural sun, wind and sights motivate them into action.

      In a Boy Scout troop, the older boys lead, coach and mentor the younger, more inexperienced scouts. To further instill a faith in the attainment of the desire, they plot out the course necessary to begin the journey. One of the older scouts pulls out a map of the available trails, and a selection is made.

      Leaving our homes by bus, the entire journey to the camp site was accompanied by excited discussions of being on that summit. One boy was even working on carving and painting his initials on a stone he planned to leave behind on the summit, marking his achievement. He was confirming his faith that he would be there. There were other plans for more and better pictures by other scouts (and leaders). Better because WE would be in these.

      The day we arrived was overcast and rain was threatening. We set up camp, dinner preparations were begun and all the while excited discussions of our hike the next day continued. Even though we proclaimed "lights out", many could be heard contributing to a din of banter long afterwards and the words hike and summit could be heard as well.

      The next day, after careful review it was determined that the forecast was mild enough that we could still venture upon our journey on this day, without danger. We spot-checked that all were equipped with the tools necessary for the journey: rain gear, trail mix, plenty of water, walking sticks, proper shoes, at least one camera and the like, and of course the initial-carved and painted rock. Then we set out for the first trail marker.

      Step by step we ascended the mountain. Overcoming and clearing fallen branches, carefully navigating the wet rocks that were slippery; small measure by small measure making progress upward, all the while focused on the experience at the summit. The occasional shower didn't dampen our faith.

      The summit was more incredible than any of us imagined. The top of this moutain was above the clouds which were dripping below. We were overcome with the grandeur laid out before us. It brought goose bumps to some and even tears of joy to others. If it wasn't for the faith instilled long before, many of the boys would have found reasons to stop or even turn around and go back, the warm fire and sleeping bags beckoning them. Instead, our entire crew ascended to the summit and still celebrate the accomplishment as a measuring stick upon which all future objectives are measured.

with gratitude and in service,

Tony, Lisa, Michael and Amanda Koker

Image credit: CanStockPhoto.com

Desire - THE STARTING POINT OF ALL ACHIEVEMENT

      "Awake, arise, and assert yourself, you dreamers of the world. Your star is now in the ascendency."

      "The world is filled with an abundance of OPPORTUNITY which the dreamers of the past never knew. A BURNING DESIRE TO BE, AND TO DO is the starting point from which the dreamer must take off. Dreams are not born of indifference, laziness, or lack of ambition."

      I couldn't state it any better than Napoleon Hill has already done, to start off.

      Being ALL IN starts with a BURNING DESIRE, but also requires that you burn all bridges and serve the only stakeholders that matter - a supreme deity, in whatever form you embrace, you and your family.

      For me, my desire is that I have to be free. I have to be completely free of the bonds of Corporate servitude. I have to be free of the slavery that keeps me working for paltry, shallow and hollow technical achievements in underground fox holes they call cubicles. Even when I am working from home, I am bound and shackled to my phone, pager and computer, never more than a few minutes away from being engaged in their folly.

      This is not to say that their entire efforts are not without desire. Certainly they are full of many desires. They are filled with the desire of the customers of the business. They are filled with the desire of upper management to accomplish goals laid out for the board of directors. Each manager in turn has desires to be looked upon with favor, and goals they have to reach, so they too can be rewarded for their efforts. All are engaged in fulfilling the diluted desires and goals of those above them. At the bottom, the people who toil and sweat to fulfill some personal fantasy of perfection, desiring only to meet the goals set FOR them and not BY them, are lost in a bubble of their own creation when they are forced to comply in order to receive reward. They are not appreciated for the good job they do, if in fact that is even what they accomplish. Instead they are evaluated on false values which are created to mostly level the playing field, so all but a few are treated as "normal" or average. Only a few can be better rewarded. Only a few can, and have to be rebuffed or even punished. Many often figure out that they can just bide their time with a superficial achievement of the goals set for them, and actually accomplish little more than nothing. The melting pot of mediocrity.

      There is a self that could get boxed into their reality. Our desires are limited by their fox hole and false measuring sticks.

      I have a burning desire. I have to be completely free of the bonds of Corporate servitude. This is what I use to aim. I then FOCUS upon my goals, daily and weekly targets, and focus my thoughts and emotions and people and things upon that which _I_ desire. After I focus _I_ must ACT. Desire is the dream. This is where it all begins. Combined with the FAITH that the objects of the desire ARE real, leveraging our daily self-talk, for continuity, and fueling our ACTION by tapping into the strong positive emotions, we are accomplishing and living a new reality for me and for and with others.

with gratitude and in service,

Tony, Lisa, Michael and Amanda Koker

Image credit: CanStockPhoto.com

From Figments to Reality

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      Although the title and topic of our discussion this week is that "Thoughts are Things", we were also immediately asked to consider desire, being definite, having purpose, being persistent, even bordering upon obsession.

      Every chapter of this book lays out pieces of all of the secrets. Some chapters only focus on a few, or even try to focus on a single one, but every single chapter is woven with the strong fabric of knowledge. The knowledge that we are the most powerful creatures on this planet. The knowledge that our power can be positive or negative. The knowledge that when we combine the power of all of the positive, the total is far greater than the simple sum of the parts.

      I have been thinking heavily, lately, of the progress I've made and also where I haven't made any progress.

      I have been in similar states like this before. Finding myself on a road with a fork in it. Do I stay on the path I've been on? Do I continue much as I have so far? Or, do I take this turn?

      Once I decide, I know there are few if any roads back, and those are more difficult to travel, or worse yet, in a reverse direction back to that same fork.

      I know that it won't always be clear that I've made the correct choice along the way. There will be desire-threatening obstacles. But I have made these decisions before. I haven't always executed them perfectly. I even had to settle for good enough (very challenging for my personality). But I also know there will be an almost unconscious blur that can occur in the knowing it works, when it's working.

      To be in an excited state of not being able to go to sleep at night.

      To anticipate the dawn of the new day and awake, even before the alarm goes off, jumping out of bed to advance our cause.

      It is all found in this book. And the journey begins within our own minds. It begins with our thoughts. Thoughts become all manner of things.

with gratitude and in service,

Tony, Lisa, Michael and Amanda Koker

The Six Ghosts of Fear

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        Fear can motivate us. Fear is negative. Napoleon Hills grouped all fears into one of six categories: POVERTY, CRITICISM, ILL HEALTH, LOSS OF LOVE OF SOMEONE, OLD AGE, and the fear of DEATH. In the second part of the chapter he discusses SUSCEPTIBILITY TO NEGATIVE INFLUENCES. He also listed the negative emotions, in an earlier chapter (12): The emotion of FEAR, JEALOUSY, HATRED, REVENGE, GREED, SUPERSTITION, and ANGER. After reading all of this it is clear that these fears, negative influences and negative emotions all form vicious circles of chains that bind and bound us down, keeping us hostage, if we let them. We must use the power of the positive emotions: DESIRE, FAITH, LOVE, SEX, ENTHUSIASM, ROMANCE and HOPE and the other techniques and principles we have learned.

        Knowing that a speeding car is not likely going to be able to turn or swerve in time, we could flee.

        I've read or listened to someone that the responses we demonstrate to various fears are always either FREEZE, FIGHT or FLIGHT. What happens when we freeze in front of that oncoming car? We certainly wouldn't consider, or at least not for very long, the notion that we might fight with it, right? Hopefully our mind is able to analyze the situation, using ALL of our SIX senses, and correctly motivates us to run, jump or dodge in plenty of time to avoid disaster or injury.

        Nature or nurture? Are we born with certain fears? Certainly most, if not all, have been learned, rather than having been built into us.

        Are we in a trance? Are we so bombarded that our brain rarely has a thought any more, that hasn't been planted by a text message, email, song, jingle, image, or worse, something that combines many of these, like television or a movie into one shotgun blast of blockage and damage? Even books, where our imagination is used to paint the pictures, sites and sounds we see provide either positives or negatives. Usually we are presented with both, at the same time. Luckily we can control the mechanism to reinforce the positive and reject the negative. If too much of the negative is passed through without being rejected, the pathways get clogged with obstructions, rerouted, or broken entirely. We then have to work all that much harder to clear the obstructions, reroute again, or even build from scratch, all over again. The great part of this, our incredible brain is resilient. As long as there remains one single glimmer of spark in our thoughts that is derived from OUR desires, we CAN build the paths again, one by one. Each building on the others until we fashion again a massive super highway network, working in concert and alignment for OUR desires.

        Critical thinking is essential for us to discern what messages we let in, but we also have to have the confidence to know, that should things we didn't desire sneak into our brain, which they always seem to do, that we have the abilities to reinforce our desires.

        It is being confident, yet humble, without being arrogant. We all still make mistakes and are not yet perfect in that regard. Also, it is participating to help others, thereby finding inspiration to solutions for our own challenges. Our physical and virtual mastermind groups are fertile oceans of energy that provide insight and inspiration to all those involved. We are alive, awake, alert, enthusiastic and find ourselves at higher and higher levels of positive emotional, mental, spiritual and physical vibrations of energy. We can achieve and overcome anything. We can evolve the whole ocean by remaining the perfect self, just the way we are, growing, together and individually.

 

with gratitude and in service,

Tony, Lisa, Michael and Amanda Koker

The Sixth Sense

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A sixth sense, a portion of our subconscious mind, our "Creative Imagination", "a receiving set for ideas, plans and thoughts" are all phrases that Napoleon Hill uses to describe this week's topic. Intuition, gut feeling, instinct, knowing that we know, if you know what I mean are also phrases that could be used. Mental and spiritual ... Miracles ... Aha, eureka or epiphany moments ... these are the results we achieve or are achieved on our behalf.

Once we can relate to what it is, how do we endeavor to use it? The steps have been clearly outlined during our journey through the preceding chapters. We can then receive "without efforts or demands."

A virtual mastermind group is a solution that Napoleon Hill describes, perhaps to embarrassing detail (to himself), through much of the latter part of the chapter. Even this seems to have worked, for a time, then it didn't work so well, or he lost faith in it. It was then abandoned, only to return again in urnest but in a further evolved and more insistent form. The focal characters were always shifting and changing over time. A student of the characters he was able to leverage their gifts for his behalf.

Is this a form your Creative Imagination is suggesting you should use? If so, who are your Counselors? Are they your heroes? Are they real or fictitious? So often I have found myself focused upon someone who themselves are a creation of someone else's imagination. How do I stay focused in reality, yet avail myself of this enormously powerful ability? Growing up I admired Sherlock Holmes as an role model. I've even tried to focus on real people, but most that I look to, when scrutinized expose their flaws. We all have these. That's why we need so many on our committee. We have to be able to balance the positives and stay focused on our true desires as they further unfold. We are multifaceted diamonds, but still in-the-rough on many edges. We may believe we understand what our true desires are, but, as we grow, we learn that these too evolve into even greater places.

Of all of the characters who are on my committee, those who remain silent, in the dark recesses towards the back, step forward into the foreground, in the bright light to be heard again when the time is right. I call them characters, because, although they do start off as real as possible people, they always seem to become a little glamorized. I've found they tend to be flawless in their special attribute(s) and have managed to completely reduce any negative side effects to nearly imperceptible. But that, after all, is what we are really trying to do with ourselves, isn't it?

With all of the media that bombards us daily it is extremely difficult to stay focused in real role models. It has to be worked at. We have to eliminate those who let the distracting creep in, while we have to also work to surround ourselves as much as possible with those who are focused and taking action. We can meet with them on the phone, in person, or, by other means. Perhaps we can even arrange to sit down and have a meal with them, or travel and visit or even vacation with them. Even brief encounters can plant the seeds for a successful addition to the mastermind.

I could write volumes about my counselors. My dad, who passed away in 1989, is still a major and active participant in my committee. The epitome of self-sacrifice, he never wavers in his dedication to actively performing to be of benefit to all those around him. My wife, who has found and uses the secret of service to others as the means in indirectly achieving her own desires. Even my children, who have grown into critical thinking adults. They too provide me with constant council using the evolved fusion of the experiences they've had and are still having on their journeys, but from new perspectives. Many teachers as well as historical figures also play roles. I constantly read to explore for others who may have learned just one more special ingredient to be added to the recipe.

If you are not inspired to utilize Hill's process of a virtual mastermind what do you do? How vivid can this process become? Can you see images of places, people and things, much like a dream, but remaining fully conscious? Is it day dreaming? Such an intense state of deep focus of vibration and thought could be considered meditation. Yet it all seems to occur in an instant. And complex challenges are dealt with over many of these sessions over, possibly, a great deal of time.

The sum total of all that we have explored so far, this is certainly the master key with which to unlock all doors.

 

with gratitude and in service,

Tony, Lisa, Michael and Amanda Koker

The Brain - A Broadcasting and Receiving Station for Thought

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      Having read, written and discussed the subconscious mind, last week I think I focused on myself and what is sent from the subconscious to the conscious mind. In doing so I skimmed over the creative imagination although that is the fuel for the subconscious; the connecting dots were not evident to me until this week.

      Like in a couple of other lesssons this time through the book, my first inkling was to write some more about self-talk, and how this programs our subconscious and conscious mind to work in concert to focus and act on our desires. However, although similar, the lesson I learned this week was significantly greater in size, power and importance.

      I was poking around in my marketing and advertising effort, after tonight's Coach's Corner Mastermind call, and then, as I was brushing my teeth before bed, I had another ah-haa moment. A crystal clear picture appeared in my mind. My pulse began to race as I realized just what Napoleon Hill is talking about in this chapter. I could actually see this principle in action although it initially was simply for the limited scope of my marketing and advertising effort. I then went back to my computer to capture what I saw in that picture, but as it applies to the much greater scope Napoleon Hill presents.

      While our self-talk permits us to personally program our thoughts to be in harmony with our desires, it is our creative imagination, which links us to Infinite Intelligence. Hill reminded us of sex transmutation as our strongest internal and emotional method to increasing the rate of vibrations, but here, in this chapter, he attempts to touch upon that which is significantly more powerful and without bounds.

      He talked about the 14 billion orderly nerve cells we have in our brain, with some discussion of telepathy and clairvoyance and then hinted some more at this awesome force and its intangible nature.

      We are all part of this invisible ocean of vibrations. When we program ourselves to produce a harmony of desire that is focused and able to be acted upon, we become a towering light house, shining our beacon throughout this ocean for all who are receptive to see and experience. When we further combine our efforts with others, through brainstorming and mastermind sessions, we create repeaters or harmonic sympathizers that amplify the vibrations, increasing the intensity of our light, and extending it's range well beyond the bounds of ourselves and our surroundings.

      Those that have better understanding than we do, pick up the signal, and send back suggestions for improvement. Infinite Intelligence, in tune with all of the waves as well as the existance or absence of light houses, further influences and directs the vibrations like a conductor of an orchestra. Those that are seeking improvement just need to be open and aware enough to see the changes. Maybe the light we see blinks, or changes color? Our creative imagination provides the channel into our subconscious.

      We need to constantly work to remain in harmonic sympathy within ourselves as well as with our mastermind group to continue to provide the energy and vibrations necessary to remain in that towering light house. As we constantly succumb to the distracting or even negative influences around us in our sensory world, we need to develop habits that help us to keep our lighthouse in superior working order.

with gratitude and in service,

Tony Koker

The Subconscious Mind

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My Subconscious Mind

      After reading this chapter again I was impressed upon to describe with detail what a walking tour of my subconscious mind might be like. I don't really have a view of what it might look like from the outside looking in, except for what we normally see as a grey, wrinkled yet large pea-shaped mass. Rather, I observe as though I am already inside.

      I feel dampness as I seem to be at the lowest levels. It is very dark here. The walls seem like those of a cave. There are sights, sounds and feelings here, but they seem very base and raw, yet very powerful. I feel intense fear and hunger, my heart is racing and I find myself focusing on my need to keep breathing. There actually seems to be writing on the walls, but the chill and anxiousness I feel here strongly encourages me to wander higher and beyond.

      As I move upward along one of the paths, I see all manner of flashing lights, like nearby rooms with displayed images, or strobes of colorful performance or party venues. Light and dark the lights pulse with various energies. Its a wonder of activity, yet it seems as though everything is contained, packaged neatly into compartments, yet readily available to be accessed. It almost seems like a library full of bookshelves, yet there are all manner of storage. Some containers seem to have sights, sounds, textures, heat and even odors, while others buzz alone with energy.

      There is just so much to experience, I cannot possibly explore everywhere. There seems to be activity. Containers appear to be in a constant process of being rearranged, reordered, called forward, and just as quickly dismissed in a rush into the echos of the cavernous beyond.

      At the highest level of my subconscious mind I hear this rhythmic repetition. It sounds like words, but they quickly vibrate into sensual collections. Collections of images, sounds, scents and vibrations of emotion combine into this song. There is no counterflow or resistance here. In comes the song. The package starts rather vague. As the song continues, the package is taking shape. Almost like a mist or fog it begins to resemble something more and more tangible. As the song is repeated, the process expands to influence all of the activity. The rearrangement of everything begins to vibrate to the rhythm and melody of the song.

      All at once, the song stops, but the activity continues long after. There are subtle signs that the activity is beginning to again become more random, but just as quickly as it stopped the words begin again and the song plays on and the activity continues stronger than ever.

with gratitude and in service,

Tony Koker