Life on the Flow
by
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Chapter Overview
Chapter One FLOWING WITH THE STREAM
I believe with great conviction, that the purpose of life, is to attain knowledge, and if possible enlightenment. We have all been incarnated into the physical plane, on the planet Earth. This is our class room, and all of our fellow humans, are teachers, students, or probably both. I would like to share with you the experiences of my life that stimulated me to discover, and stay on the flow.
Chapter Two Mapping Our Course
In this chapter we will explore methods to map our future. Before we can map our future course, we must first understand our basic nature. The three major chapter topics are:
Understanding Our Past
We need to understand our basic nature, and how we have been socialized by our family and friends, to become the person we are.
Understanding Our Present
We should be able to articulate our current values and goals, and understand which life games we are playing
Plotting Our Future Course
If we have a clear direction and purpose, we can take advantage of the winds and currents of life to live on the flow.
Chapter Three The Journey To Perfection
The journey to perfection is a process rather than an outcome, and a process which probably never ends. There is always another step to take, another refinement to make. Our journey to perfection must take place in three critical areas of our life.
Intra-Personal Perfection
The ability to, discipline our emotions, thinking, and the management of our time, is critical to moving toward perfection.
Inter-Personal Perfection
The ability to, manage our relationships with others in an ethical, and harmonious manner.
Planetary Perfection
The ability to, live on the Earth, in a sustainable manner.
Chapter Four Extending Our Life
This chapter will explore methods of increasing our active, creative life span. The journey towards perfection is a never-ending process, the moment you reach it, it changes. Three important aspects of life extension covered in this chapter are:
Cherish Life but Accept Death
We must live our life with intention, but understand that it may end at any moment.
Optimal Maturation
We will explore the strong interaction between mind and body. We can extend our life span by: positive thinking, maintaining our earth suite, and keeping in touch with our spirit.
People with Purpose Live Long And Active Lives
We will explore how purpose and intention can drive and extend our active life span.
Chapter Five We Are What We Think
In this chapter we will explore the impact of our thinking mind, on our health, and longevity. The chapter contains the following areas of exploration.
Think About How We Think
Current theory and practice in mental therapy, utilizes a method called, cognitive psychology, which teaches individuals to cultivate positive thoughts, to create positive emotional states.
Levels of Consciousness
Consciousness is on a continuum with many levels. The lower levels of consciousness, represented by negative thinking, such as, anger, and sorrow, have a detrimental effect on our health and longevity.
Mastering Our Mind
The higher levels of consciousness represented by positive thinking, laughter, and joy produce positive endorphins that have a beneficial effect on our health and longevity.
Chapter Six Maintaining Our Earth Suit
In this chapter we will explore the idea of our body, as an earth suit, given to us, on the day of our birth. This self- healing machine requires that we pay attention to three major areas of machine maintenance:
We Become What We Eat.
We need to run our bodies on high quality fuel. An on-going healthy diet is required for extending our active life span.
Move It Or Lose It.
We will explore a variety of movement practices. Different form of movement will work best for different kinds of people.
Rejuvenate Repair, And Replace Our Body Parts.
Modern medicine can replace, and enhance, parts of our earth suit. Holistic medical methods are available, to keep our earth suit in good order.
Chapter Seven Keeping In Touch With Our Spirit
In this chapter we will explore the spiritual aspect of a life on the flow. We are in our body, but that is not all we are. We will deal with three important areas of spiritual life.
Science and the Spirit
. We will explore spiritual issues such as: I free will and determinism.
Getting In Touch with Our Spirit
We will explore as a wide variety of methods for attaining increased spiritual awareness such as: prayer, pain, silence, psychedelics, fasting, mantras, music, movement and positive affirmations.
Staying In Touch with Our Spirit
We will explore methods to keep a spiritual focus, as part of our everyday life.
Chapter Eight Selecting Our Crew
In this chapter we will explore our relationships. Some of these people were selected for us, and others we choose. We will explore three major categories of relationships.
Given Karma
Those people we are born to, or who we bring into the world
Acquired Karma
We will explore relationships we have chosen; friends, acquaintances teachers students, lovers and enemies.
Tools of Relationship
We will explore communication tools, which can help to make relationships work..
Chapter Nine Re-inventing Our-Self
Life is a continuous process of incremental change, it is possible to achieve a more rapid advancement towards our vision of perfection, by a major reinvention of who we are.
Reinvention
Some of us are forced into reinvention, others of us choose to reinvent them-selves. If we have a clear image of perfection, it is possible to make major gains through reinventing ourselves.
Reinvention by Intention
We will explore different methods for developing a personal reinvention plan. We will learn how to deal with the forces of resistance and change in a planned, consciousness manner.
Reinventing Ourselves in the 21st Century
In the 21st century, changes in the climate and society may force more rapid change than most people are prepared for.
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About the Book
We can experience our life as a metaphor, one in which time flows as a continuous stream, and all of us, in our boat of life, fl owing down the stream toward an unknown destination. We are often unaware of the effect our mental model of reality has on our everyday perceptions and behavior. Embracing a positive metaphor can move our lives forward in a conscious direction. In this book, I will present information that can be used to stay on our natural flow; information that can help us avoid the sandbars of depression and disappointment, navigate the rapids of sudden change, and avoid getting dashed against the rocks of failure or success that we will all inevitably encounter on the stream of time.
About the Author
Dr. Jerry Spiegel, organizational development consultant and life-changes coach, is a pioneer in the applied behavioral science field. He brings over fifty years of experience in providing training, consulting, and coaching to individuals, groups, and organizations engaging in planned change. He specializes in transforming individuals and organizational cultures for enduring, long-term change. Dr. Spiegel is an expert on individual and small-group behavior and has designed and conducted a wide variety of workshops for diverse audiences. He is the co-author of Self Directed Work Teams: A Primer and Manager Guide to Team Working. He has served as an adjunct faculty member at universities in Chicago, San Diego, and Bangkok.
In 1967, the summer of love, Jerry experienced a major life change. He moved to California, to follow the path of a spiritual seeker or, as it was called, the hippie lifestyle. Between 1967 and 1981, he lived in a number of communes and engaged in a twenty-one-day fast in the wilderness. He worked as a handyman, vegetarian cook, migrant farmer, furniture mover, and tarot card reader. During this period, he also co-authored a book entitled On Becoming High about finding a higher spiritual self.
Dr. Spiegel lives in San Diego, California. He is constantly exploring and developing modalities for reaching higher states of consciousness. Above all, he remains dedicated to the idea that one’s journey in life is never over until it’s over.
Jerry is a steersman on the stream of time. Through the Reinventing Ourselves Workshop, he guides individuals, groups, and organizations to discover, implement, and achieve their vision of perfection. With engaging stories and tales from the trenches, Jerry inspires creativity and the desire to live many lives in our time here on earth. It is never too late to reinvent ourselves.