Forums IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ Abundance for Life, Effortless Success You are where you are because you are

We received the following email from a customer:

“I would like to be removed from your list. I do not wish to have this information pollute my life anymore. Furthermore you are giving people who are desperate to make a conscious change in their lives information that constantly brings them away from themselves. Your advertisements remind me of the old fishing saying, CATCH OF THE WEEK. Look at this person we have for you now, With their help you can have Wealth, Health and Happiness. If you people had any integrity you would understand that making a bunch of money and having all that you want in life is not true abundance. People are where they are in their lives because that is where they are supposed to be. That is what life is dishing out to them because that is what they need to learn about. The difference between what I am saying and what you people are doing at learning strategies is taking responsibility for ones self. I guess you have figured out by now that kind of thing just doesn't bring in the big dollars. To use your words it lacks pizazz. But the truth is not always what people want to hear. It certainly doesn't sell.”

I wrote back:

Thanks for taking time to express your views.

We do have a serious disagreement.

You say:

“People are where they are in their lives because that is where they are supposed to be.”

We say:

People are where they are in their lives because that is where they are.

Much of our Abundance for Life course is helping people understand that. Once they do, they automatically quit judging people (including themselves).

That frees up a ton of emotional energy that blocks freedom and truth in their lives.

When a person believes they are where they are because that is where they are SUPPOSED to be, they are set up to be a victim of life.

Again, we say you are where you are because that is where you are. If you want to change, you can. And, it is a lot easier when you find joy and peace just the way you are right now.

You say:

“Furthermore you are giving people who are desperate to make a conscious change in their lives information that constantly brings them away from themselves.”

No. It is always about bringing them to themselves. The truth about who they are.

You say:

“If you people had any integrity you would understand that making a bunch of money and having all that you want in life is not true abundance.”

As an isolated statement, you can be absolutely right.

“CATCH OF THE WEEK.”

There are many ways to get to Chicago. We offer a variety. We give choice.

Regards,

Pete

Wow Pete. Thanks for posting! That really shows what a good company you are leading, when you can post the negatives like this, and turn them around so.

I really appreciate how non-defensive you and your kind staff are. Keep up the good work!

I am assuming that this individual is not a member of these forums.

If so, then posting this person's email and your reply in this forum is not exactly in good taste, nor is it good form.

This person sent you an email in private. He or she didn't post it on the forum for open discussion. Did this person give expressed consent for you to do so?

If this person is not a particpant in this forum, then he or she is not present to defend the views presented. Bad form.

I can appreciate your good intentions in posting this, and I suggest, Pete, regarding the circumstances that you remove that post from the forum.

The strength of your products and ethics should stand on their own and not require airing these things out in public.

[This message has been edited by babayada (edited June 04, 2004).]

Babayada, do you have the Abundance for Life course?

Pete,

Yes. I own it and have been going through it for around two or so months. I've been enjoying it immensely.

I did not express the opinions above to simply be contrary or to express agreement or disagreement with any of the points expressed. It's simply a matter of personal ethics that I never post someone's private email to a forum without their prior consent. It can cause a heap of trouble.

If the person has given consent, then just ignore me.

Stephen

[This message has been edited by babayada (edited June 05, 2004).]

Two things:

I heard back from the writer of the email who said that he/she agreed with me. That we weren't so far apart.

Stephen, the reason I asked whether you had the course was to point out that whenever you have a strong response to anything -- which it seems you had when you wrote the first post above -- the first think you should do is the Feeling Exercise or the Inquiry Process or both.

Those two exercises are so vital to what Paul teaches. We could probably do four more CDs on each to help drive home the point. Some people using the course are running the Feeling Exercise 20-30 times a day for day after day. At some point it becomes automatic. At some point they naturally harness the power in their feelings that otherwise gets bottled up. That power is then freed to serve them in magnicent ways.

I didn't think twice about submitting my earlier post. I had stripped out anything that would identify the person. And I certainly didn't bash the person.

If the person would have been upset by the post, I would have politely apologized. Had the person not been so stuck in his/her trance and actually purchased the course, I would have suggested that this was the perfect time for the Feeling Exercise or Inquiry Process.

That email was indicative of many telephone calls that I received where people are stuck in their trances of lack. I wanted to use the email as a teaching moment.

Hi Pete,

I think that your posting was a good teaching point and that you presented it in a fairly generic way - stripped of anything personal or identifying. I also helps to note that you this message represents a type of response that you hear with some regularity. Presenting it like that does offer a good teaching opportunity. I would have agreed with Stephen if there had been more identifying information in the message, rather than it being representative of a type.

what time does the spaceship leave? where's my Kool-Aid?

[QUOTE]People are where they are in their lives because that is where they are supposed to be. That is what life is dishing out to them because that is what they need to learn about.[QUOTE]

Gosh, if this were this case, then we would have to close all the charities, because those who are down & out should be left to go hungry & unclothed. Taking this a step further, we would have to close all the schools, because if we were really meant to have formal education, that skilled knowledge would surely be divinely bestowed upon us at birth, and we would be able to easily and naturally access it... if we were spiritually "deserving" enough, that is.

If you lived by a lake in the middle of nowhere with no transportation, and your neighbor down the road was starving because he didn't know how to fish, would you not teach him, if you already knew how?

When people are left isolated in their misery, their hope dies, and despair sets in. The worst thing in the world is for fear to rule in the hearts of humanity. The world would definitely plummet and find its way into nonexistence. Without hope, there is no reason and no will to live.

On the flip-side, one of the most rewarding things in life is to be able to free someone from a bondage, by showing them how to help themselves, and where they are missing the mark, or how they can do things better. I wouldn't be able to look at myself in the mirror, if someone were placed in my path who needed help, and I did not do what I could to assist them, even if it's to simply direct them to the necessary resources and information. If they balked or refused it (which happens often), or abused it, at least I could walk away knowing that I tried. I did my best. I can't help but help, because it's part of what makes me whole.

Now that I'm thinking about it, it just occurred to me that, yes, in a way, one could say that "People are where they are in their lives because that is where they are supposed to be." But instead of labeling the circumstance as some sort of divine punishment dealt to the helpee, it would more accurately be called a "learning, growing, & edifying opportunity" for both the helper and the helpee.

As for abundance, this very earth of ours, in all her glory, is the epitome of abundance. It is here so that we, as a human race, are given by potential, plus a little elbow grease, initiative, and teamwork, to grow and prosper like fruit on a tree. Yet when you snap those pieces of the puzzle together, they still don't complete the picture, so that you can solve the riddle. All you have to do is look around to know this. The question is twofold: How can you most effectively pull out that potential, and are there really any boundaries?

From what I understand (I haven't taken the course, yet), "Abundance for Life" answers that question well. It takes you beyond the grade school of life, even beyond college, and enrolls you in the graduate school of life. You step beyond the basics of human ingenuity and productivity, into the supernatural realm of operations, where one is able by faith, to access and utilize the very power of all life, at will.

If I'm wrong, please correct me. But this is how I see it, right now. I like the way you responded to that person, Pete. I'm glad you posted it, because it causes us to think about the most basic concepts which are so commonplace, that they often go unnoticed.

I am profoundly enthusiastic about ordering the course, but I'm waiting for a way that I can do it. I am so grateful that I found Learning Strategies (or that if found me). Thank you so very much for all that you do for us.

[This message has been edited by SHEANIMA (edited September 09, 2004).]

P. S. - It is common knowledge and an understood practice in the business world that all correspondence sent to a particular organization, becomes the property of that organization. Unless otherwise expressly requested, or the material is copyrighted, or of a legally private nature, that company is entitled to publish all such correspondence.

Pete, it goes without saying that you presented this particular letter in good taste, discreetly removing all identity of the author, even going so far as to not point out the person's sex.

You did not use it to put down anyone, but to teach and build up. Since you are, among other things, a teacher, you acted as one by reading a student's work in front the class, so to speak. This is a teachers prerogative, and the student gives implied permission by having submitted such correspondence.

[This message has been edited by SHEANIMA (edited September 10, 2004).]

Are events supposed to happen?

Supposed by whom and under which condtions?

I believe that many of the forces that work to create situations are impersonal or have nothing to do with you. Rarely is anything the result of a conspiracy of some sort, be it mundane or metaphysical.

People who believe that events happen for a reason are framing their experience within a structure of their own creation. They are basically creating artifices so that their lives can fit some aesthetic criteria.

Mistaking these reasons we create for reality is sort of confusing a play or a movie for an actual event. After watching Mars Attacks most reaonable people don't go around talking about the martian invasion that just occurred. But it is commonplace for people to talk about their frames around events as if they were external realities.

I realize that what I am describing is indicative of my "frame," but I believe in Occam's Razor. The little reasons and suppositions people create are much like the little fairies that used to make off with babies ... of course, no one likes to think that the baby was unwanted and exposed and that there were no fairies after all.

Not superceding the law of love, the most basic law for all of life is the law of giving and receiving, or sowing and reaping.

When you plant seeds in tilled land, the seeds are supposed to grow into a crop... under the right conditions, such as good soil, watering, weeding, etc. But sometimes the conditions are not right, in which case you will need assistance of some sort, so that you don't lose your crop.

---------------------------------

For every action, there is a reaction, even if its selective non-action. Everything in nature is made within the design of some sort of purpose, which equals reason, which equals will. Purpose, or that which is supposed, is the answer to "Why".

Just because we might not yet have an answer, or scientifc proof of an answer to a particular "why" question, does not mean the answer does not exist. This would be arrogance at its best.

Nature is made in such a way that one thing benefits another thing, which promotes harmony, purpose, and growth. The greatest instinct of all life is SURVIVAL, which brings us to the question of spirit. Certain things are required, beyond human understanding, which either further or counteract the survival, fitness, and continuation of our spirit source - our spirit's nature, if you will.

For example, in order for the human body to be fit for living and procreation, it must be exercised, or else it deteriorates. When a body builder curls with a 20 lb. dumbbell, he is purposely applying temporary stress, strain, and discomfort to his biceps. The muscles actually tear down in the process, but during a 24-hr. rest, they begin a new process of building up LARGER AND STRONGER THAN BEFORE.

Likewise, this analogy can be transposed to fitness requirements for the spirit body. The bottom line, again, is the survival and procreation of nature, whether that nature is of the physical or the spiritual.

---------------------------------

I like what Pete said about not judging. It's like an invisible brick wall that obstructs the flow of love, which in turn stymies true, well-rounded success. This is one of my fervent goals, to train myself not to morally judge. Sure, it's necessary to the course of living life to assess to a certain degree, in a fair way, and decide how to act accordingly. But moral judgment is another matter. Believe me, I have become a MASTER at judging people, and I've learned that it has only hurt instead of helped me.

Even so, the biggest hurdle I'm surmounting now, is learning not to judge (condemn) myself. Boy, what a challenge that has been. With the help of Learning Strategies' Paraliminals, sound reasoning, and God, I am overcoming it. How we love others is fundamentally based on how we love ourselves. And if we cannot fulfill this most basic of all laws, that of love, then we, as individuals, will never be able to live to our full potential, much less help others to do the same.

[This message has been edited by SHEANIMA (edited September 10, 2004).]

SHEANIMA, do you mind if I ask which Paraliminals you said you were gaining from?
Thanks

SteveBCA, I had initially posted a reply for you, here, but I instead deleted it and replaced it in the forum, "Paraliminal Learning" under a new topic entitled "Severe Anxiety Testimonial". That way, I won't be veering too far off of this forum's discussion.

[This message has been edited by SHEANIMA (edited September 10, 2004).]

Judging yourself ...

The human mind perceives patterns even if patterns are not there. It is, among other things, a pattern detection and creation device.

Once you are in your own awareness at some level, the mind is going to come up with judgements about you. It's fit you into some pattern or other. Perhaps a more fruitful and mind-friendly pursuit would be to come up with a greater wealth of judgements about yourself, so one or two don't necessarily stick. Dealing with the emotional revulsion or addiction to various judgements about yourself would also be helpful. Compulsively avoiding or desiring certain judgements are more of a problem than the judgements themselves.

Since you first developed your cognitive system you began discerning patterns and judging. This is background, this is foreground. This is what I want, that isn't. This is me, this is not me. Etc. I don't think you're going to have much luck and trying to get your brain to stop doing the something that is one of its major functions. Better to work with it and allow its functioning to work for you.

Interesting reply, babayada. I'll save that one to my documents. And generally speaking, I do agree with you. But to judge has several meanings:

1) to form an opinion through careful weighing of evidence and testing of premises
2) to sit in judgement
3) to determine or pronounce after inquiry and deliberation
4) to govern or rule
5) to form an estimate or evaluation of
6) to hold as an opinion

When I talked about judging myself, as if it were something undesirable to do, I meant it as pronouncing CONDEMNATION. I have learned how to forgive and not judge (condemn) others, but I neglected to extend that same courtesy to myself. This only served to hurt instead of help me.

Now, with the help of the Self-Esteem Supercharger and Personal Genius, I have come up with ideas on how to successfully do this. Now, I feel as if I'm experiencing on a daily basis, the happiest moments of my childhood, because I'm giving myself moment-by-moment praise, cheerful support, and appreciation in all things.

I figure if God sees fit to forgive me, then who am I not to do the same? And if He says that He won't judge (condemn) me if I don't judge (condemn) others, then who am I to still judge (condemn) myself?

Self-control is one thing, but self-abuse and neglect is another. Subjecting myself to such treatment would only stymie my personal evolution, and prove a disservice to not only myself, but the world, because I would not be fit to fully effect my mission in life to the most powerful degree.

This reasoning has worked quite well for me. I understand that some of these beliefs may not be held by other members of this forum, but that's okay. I'm not here to debate that. I'm just letting you know what works for me.

[This message has been edited by SHEANIMA (edited September 18, 2004).]

I think that when one condemns oneself habitually that the mind is simply moving directly down the easiest path it has.

Awareness of it is really good. My point was concerning an approach for dealing with that fact.

A lot of people talk a lot about how the mind judges, condemns, labels, etc. and how this is a bad thing and should be avoided. I think trying to get the mind to stop doing what it *does* is folly. If you breathe shallowly the idea isn't to stop breathing but to breathe more fully.

I think we are in agreement though our terminology is a bit different.

You're right, babayada, it would be futile to simply tell the mind to stop thinking a thing. It just won't work, no matter how stong-minded we think we are.

For example, even though I tried to love all people, even the ones I couldn't stand, it just wouldn't happen! If I told myself to stop thinking those resentful thoughts, it would seldom make any difference. So I finally found another way to accomplish this, without attempting to stop thinking a particular thing.

Something told me that whenever a negative thought or emotion would rise up against someone, to imagine that I could see that person at their most vulnerable private moment, crying to themselves alone, sobbing, broken-hearted from the depths of sadness, and alone. This image of them would cause my heart to soften, and unleash my ability to feel pity for them. This reinforced a lesson I'd recently learned. You see, when people are rude and ugly to you, it's only because they are hurting inside and fearful. When I understood this, I found myself able to send them blessings (because they are definitely in dire need of them) and pray for their recovery.

I thought up a statement that I tell myself, sometimes: "People can only do the best that they FEEL capable of doing, AT THE TIME." All human beings have the ability for greater character, personal power, and accomplishment, but few feel capable of it on a regular basis.

It took me a while, but I finally learned the importance of applying this consideration to myself. Now, if I happen to think about something from my past that I did which was terrible and painful to someone or even myself, instead of feeling awful and attempting to push it out of my mind, I casually say ALOUD to myself, "You were just lower evolved, spiritually, so you couldn't help it. You were fearful and hurting, and you just didn't know how to get out of it. But now things are different, and you are out from under that problem. So you'll just have to forgive yourself, that's all." I can then release the ill feelings toward myself, and direct genuine love from my heart, to my person.

This example shows that trying to stop a habit of thinking does not work. You have to redirect your focus on something new that captures your attention, by way of one of your senses. In this case, they were the senses of hearing and (inner) seeing, as I took notice and heard the revised inner image of how I saw myself.

I did the same thing where anxiety was concerned. Even though I'd resolved all issues of fear, and received a noticeable degree of relief from the Paraliminal tapes, they still happened, but ONLY WHEN I THOUGHT ABOUT IT! This proved that the problem was now just my body and mind's learned, habitual reaction to things. I concluded that my system was so used to the chemicals and adrenaline of fear and anxiety shooting through me on a regular basis, for so long, that it eventually thought this flow was normal. I tried to force myself to stop thinking about the anxiety, because the mere thought of a possible attack would bring about an attack. But this did not work, no matter how hard I tried!!! My body and mind would soon swing me back the other way!

Then a small, quite voice inside of me suggested that I think back to how I used to see life as a child, and compare it to now. After reflecting, I realized that everything seemed so wonderful and new, with little to no judgments or meanings attached to anything. All my senses were heightened, because everything, even the smallest of things were fascinating to me.

So I thought I'd experiment, and see what would happen if I acted as if I were seeing life through my eyes as a child, again. Rather than NOT think of something which would trigger an attack, I focused on experiencing everything with my 5 senses, as if everything were new. I marveled at the texture of the things I touched. I would pretend that no visual or audible thing had any particular meaning attached to it, it just WAS, that's all. I would convince myself that the kind of people I would normally not like, no longer represented anything to me, other than just being there. I would be captivated by the movement of my body, and how interesting and fun it was to care for it. The smells I experienced were as if they were new, and I took them just as they were, and nothing more.

After almost a full day of this, I had noticed that I had not had one single anxious episode! But of course, once I thought about it, it happened (ha). By the end of the second day, I was better able to catch the sensation of an upcoming episode right before it could show itself, and I'd instantly play that game with myself again, and quickly focus on a nearby object and pretend that I was fascinated by its shape. This would halt the reaction before it had the chance to begin, which is something I'd been unable to do, before. Now, those minimal, subtle mini-sensations have become almost nonexistent, and will soon cease altogether. I don't feel the fear, anymore. I can honestly say that I NO LONGER HAVE *ANXIETY ATTACKS*. After over two years of struggle, I AM NOW FREE FROM THEM.

My point is, trying to stop thinking about certain things did NOT work. I had to give myself a game to play... something interesting to do, to notice, to touch, that would short-circuit the behavioral attack. AND IT WORKED.

What lessons I learned, babayada! They were hard ones, but the Paraliminals opened up my mind, reduced the anxiety, and "re-wired" my thinking, so that I could be more receptive to that positive inner help, which is within me. If that can happen for me, imagine what the Paraliminals and these ideas can do for others who are fighting the same problems.

[This message has been edited by SHEANIMA (edited September 20, 2004).]

I have had a similar sort of experience.

I used to have problems with anxiety. They did not manifest themselves as full blown anxiety attacks with the breathing, increased heart rate, etc. Rather it was a more pervasive and lasting form of prolonged anxiety that almost totally sapped the joy out of life for me. During this period I was really paranoid and judgmental of myself.

I won't go into the details, but it got to the point where I literally could not remember a moment in the day when I did not feel incredibly anxious and worthless.

The cure was me realizing in a moment that I was starting to go nuts. My life was filled with anxiety and the anxiety was steadily increasing. My life, at this point, almost didn't seem worth it. I realized that in order to fight the anxiety I had to literally fight for my life by, instead of focusing on the fear and fighting it, focusing all I could on what made life enjoyable and worthwhile no matter how small.

If I could remember a joke that made people laugh, or a particularly good meal, or whatever, that is what I focused upon. I practiced this for a while and eventually I got my life back.

In your case, though paraliminals played a part, it sounds like your figuring and thinking about things were the operative elements in creating the change for you. That is, the figuring and then the dedication to follow through with your discoveries.

So, I sorta understand, and congratulations to you on your various victories.

[This message has been edited by babayada (edited September 21, 2004).]

I'm a little late with my response to the initial situation, but would really like to share my viewpoint.

I feel blessed to have connected with Learning Strategies (:-) a moment of Grace?). It's not their products, retreats or other offerings that keep me coming back, it's one thing - their INTEGRITY.

Long distance and in person, with myself and with others, I have been aware of their absolute integrity and the always underlying intent to support others however they can. Since we are all different with different needs and desires they offer different opportunities - the choice is always ours.

And . . . they are successfull in every way - I wouldn't expect - or want - it otherwise.

Thanks, Learning Strategies for supporting my choice to be me.

Jenny