Like any good mother, her desire was to have her child grow bright and bold, and to be full of good humor and wit, and to be generous and courageous and kind.
For, being such, how could anyone not have the most beautiful story?
After all, what is the code and concept of life, of living, of humanity, if it is not to find one's calling and to have that calling be greater than one's self; if it is not to pursue that calling and complete it with joyous self-respect?
Wherever you go, whatever you do, you take yourself with you. Everything else is dressing.
Several years ago, it began as a simple capacity-expanding exercise. It is still ongoing, but has become something of an experiment, a veritable research laboratory by default, not by design.
A few of our original participants have long since tossed in the towel, exhausted. Still intelligent! Other adventurous souls have dared to join the stretch. Yet others have in but a dash of deliberation dismissed it, remarking in effect, "Good luck with that!"
It is a fascinating exercise.
I began my flex of this exercise (officially, that is, for I must admit that was not by any stretch the moment I began, rather only in this particular format) at a Black Eye Pea restaurant, unbeknownst to a large group of long-time friends gathered with me there for dinner. Ooops! Revelation! I did not plan to begin there; the opportunity arose, and boom, I made my opening move! Not a big deal for me; hardly gave it a second thought, but yep, as I would soon discover (alerted by a child), I cracked earth! M-hm. A crack, as it were, that would reverberate around our globe. M-hm. Isn't life sweet? Life is soooo sweet cruising through the breeze top down. It is.
So I will encourage you to at least try this exercise. It is a simple exercise, not an easy exercise. I think it is easy, however, I'd hardly be the one to know, for if you know me well enough you probably are aware the playfull little sweet boy in me pops out more often than adult me is comfortable allowing. That energetic little curiosity looks around at all of our ridiculous adult mess, shakes his head, and says, "what's all the fuss?" I always shove him back inside with a slap of mature intelligence, "Don't be naive." Is that what it is; that's what you call grown-up? Bye! That's my boy! Are you still with me?
This exercise was originally intended to be purely personal. It still is! However, as it turns out, understandably so, outcomes go way beyond one's body, mind, spirit and soul, and are far-far-far more encompassing in ways imagined and much more so in ways few contemplate, yet in ways I'll offer that are INVALUABLE. Revealing too! However, it behoves me to issue an essential warning now that I know what I know: not for the faint of heart; not for the needy; not for the joyless; not for the hopeless; awesome for those who have nothing to lose! Don't know why!
What is that noise I'm hearing? I'm out! I'm out! I'm out! I'm out!I'm out! I'm out! I'm out! I'm out! Why give up so quickily when I haven't even told you what it is? What if I tell you it will make you strong and uncommonly resilient and you will be enhanced in ways you'd never have imagined? Yes! However, I only recently recognized you'd also have to be a little "crazy" if you haven't yet emerged from your hero's journey transformed and informed. Don't know why!
Beyond The Hero, traveling the road of significance, where rubber meets road, a traveller is uncommmonly focused but not harmfully obssessed, is of uncommon stamina and knows when to rest, is rarely aware of how much more clearly and readily new and necessary "things" appear in their fullness. Such a traveler hardly ever finds it necessary to compare and contrast, except in process of decision-making; is not dependent on nor motivated by accolades in order to maintain momentum; is of such that various necessary measures and rhythm and balance and lightness of being, etc., etc., etc., are hardly ever (during the process) seconded to or have a dependency on some external approver; and through this process acquires an extraordinarily maleable shield. So how did we come upon our miraculous capacity-expanding exercise?
In course of a set of us close-knit buddies observing by happenstance several gatherings of energetic youths deeply engaged purely by way of sign language ( our illiteracy), and full of admiration, a question emerged amongst us: what would it be like if we were to re-enter our world, except now its language is one we do not speak and cannot immitate. Inhabitants, likewise, do not speak nor are able to immitate our language? Yes, the real world! Game on! But how?
Welcome to episode nine of BEYOND THE HERO - elevated - curated by Neville DeAngelou, escorted into a world that stretches some beyond measure and fill cups to the running over - those who can afford such an enriching blessing.
Ignorance is expensive; it bankrupts many.
Enjoy actionable discoveries continuously shared - smartly - particularly those that uplift, inspire, promote harmony, expand opportunities, exemplify beauty, and reveal wonder, in other words, those proven to strengthen our emboldened exercise of genuine love through all of love's fertile dimensions, supplying those of us who are blessed and inspired to take action with necessary skillsets to be awesome in our real world. Namaste. Share.
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BE SMART
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Miracles of mind-over-matter and follies of matterless minds are enormously edifying.
There exists amongst us a breed BEYOND THE HERO - not some sort of stereotype. Time and again, we have leaned on brilliant examples from amongst our Wonder Women to facilitate transformation and growth and achievement. This will continue to be so in this segment. Learning never stops. Beyond where growth stops, the news is not good.
In our new segment, however, we will primarily be highlighting four critical elements of the RyoMale, which we will use to explore, examine, exemplify, and work out in order to expand amongst our ranks a) more of our brand new breed BEYOND THE HERO and b) effective emergent leaders (of all stripes) apopros to the better values of our times.
We are OPEN - Our World Needs Each Of Us, that much better at our best!
Today's pivot QUESTION: you are not closed-in, trapped in an echo-chamber, comfortable only with the views of those who think and act and believe as you do; you avail yourself to disparate views and processes and ideas and solutions and alternative ways of thinking; you are neither flippant nor a sail in the wild wind; you sift and sort and work things out without re-inventing the wheel; you assess the risk with necessity to reveal; you understand the adjacent possible; and you test, learning along each step
- how do you determine whether the strategy you've employed to achieve your vision is working per plan (timely); what have you in place for a switch if you discover it is not?
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A Living Experiment
Once we decided we wanted to engage our world on this new level - the level of being, that level of authenticity so widely talked about, a level of new learning, a level set in real world realities - we needed to decide how best to go about this exercise, this experiment.
So who are you? Who are we? Who am I?
Let's say, for example (and this is a real example), you espouse whole-heartedly virtues such as, prudence, temperance, fortitude, justice and kindness. Let's say you espouse certain admirable methods of processing your thoughts, such as, that which is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely and commendable, particularly if there is excellence in these, if these are worthy of praise. Let's say you have your vision as clear as the blue sky, and all of the like; and these attest to who you truly are. Let's just say. Here is how we went about this awesome exercise.
In the purity of our intention, we truly did not know what we were in for. We were not about to become deaf or dumb or ignorant of life as we knew it. We made the choice to be elevated, deciding that the way to conduct our lives would be to simply be: to be as is honestly comfortable; to let our lives shine as it truly is; yes, just to be who we are, not to say who we are; to act as we chose in accordance with our authentic selves, not to interpret our actions as we prefer them to be interpeted; to learn from the actions of others, not only just by what they say their actions mean; to recognize that the way we conduct, that is, live our lives, tells, as it always does and always will do, the fuller story.
We acknowledged the necessity to listen more intentionally, more receptively, and soon realized more fully (what is evident) that the human speaks not only using word-languages, but also with the non-verbal language of the body, and the non-verbal language of the spirit, and the non-verbal language of the soul.
We soon realized that the spoken language is a coded language of all sorts. It was at this discvery that we decided on a new way to speak: that we would do all we could to eliminate codes from our speech: we would drop religious codes, ethnic codes, racial codes, and locational codes, status codes, and the like, speaking only as is necessary with as much clarity as we can but as codeless as possible. This was not and is not perfect, and may never be perfected.
We realized too that human lives are filled with another kind of coding: symbolism. So much about us as humans is purely symbolic - primarily telling a story often quite different from who we are, as may be determined by our actions, even though often they might authenically be purporting who want to be. Our symbols identify us as members-of, whether or not we are mentally, spirtitually, emotionally, intellectually, soulically, true members of. We chose to eliminate as best we could those symbolisms wherever they are intended to convey the message of that symbolism. Perfection has not been achieved or sought.
Did I say this was easy? Well! It is. But not for everyone. Can you even begin to guess what would be the outcome? This is not a thought experiment. Nevertheless, you can make it one for starters. It is my guess you will not half imagaine all of the outcome. Besides, those elements of this exercise just disclosed were merely how it all began. There is more.
I recommend this as a test to one's own personhood. Just for starters: this Sunday, let's say you drop all of your accustumed Sunday SYMBOLISMS and be your virtuous authentic self, for indeed, let's say you acknowledge GOD KNOWS EXACTLY WHO YOU ARE, if you lean that way, and let's say the folks you fellowship and friendship and family with know who you are. Be your authentic self (absent the symbolisms), SEE WHAT HAPPENS. It's fun. It is. Well, that's what a boy will say. (TO BE CONTINUED). And so, here we are!
BEYOND THE HERO, the skills used along each journey of signifcance were honed from the hero's journey where no hero can go it alone or come through without being transformed. BEYOND THE HERO, its leaders are of a brand new breed, as we shall continue to discover.
"Keep your thoughts positive because your thoughts become your words. Keep your words positive because your words become your behavior. Keep your behavior positive because your behavior becomes your habits. Keep your habits positive because your habits become your values. Keep your values positive because your values become your destiny." _ Mohandas Gandhi
Perspective matters.
"Do not repeat the tactics which have gained you one victory, but let your methods be regulated by the infinite variety of circumstances." _ Sun Tzu
Have you a cause so compelling your being exists precisely for it? Is your cause SO JUST it is worthy of the time, space, and efforts required to achieve it? Does your cause keep you fired up, does it give you a reason to rise into every fresh new day ready for it? What will you do today? What is the intention of your action? How ready, willing and able are you to lead your mission to completion?
What is your strategy?
This is worth repeating. Having a vision and knowing your mission along the journey of significance is essential. Understanding your skills, honing your skills, and using your skills smartly are all essential, not only to the success of your mission, also to the fullness of your expression of your intention in the execution of your strategy. However, there is nothing accountable to execute if you have no viable strategy.
How did you determine the smartest strategy for your mission? What is your strategy? Understand your strategy. Villains and monster are not without theirs. Theirs don't have to work perfectly. What is your strategy? Own this!
Remember: this is YOUR LIFE; only you can live it. Live out the expression of your love.
Take Action
"Know what you own. Understand what you claim. Believe you can achieve what you conceive then call it by its name. Mine! The extent to which you have this clarity of mind, this purity of understanding, this strength of belief, you have the fire, the fuel, the impetus, the passion, the determination, the willpower you require to pursue and retrieve your truest desire. But do not claim what does not belong to you. It will not keep you . . . it will suffer you but for only so long."
You are valued. You are important. What you experience is important. Your intention matters. You are a whole being. You are a true wonder. You diminish yourself whenever you pit valued elements of who you are against vital elements of who you are: your intuitive self against your intellectual self, your rational self against your emotional self, your gut against your heart against your head. Don't be put at war against yourself: you are a masterpiece. An intricate being. Human!
Rather be a BE-er or a PREACH-er?
mentor
coach
advocate
sponsor
Life: it is a dance. It gets better with practice; its music is in your heart and in your soul and in your blood and in your bones. Life; it is a dance. It gets better with practice. You have a partner – your spirit. You can have a party if you like, but choose smartly who you invite, for life – your life – is a dance. It gets better with practice, unless you stop the music or so crowd your dance floor there is no space to move or be moved within it. Explore. Yes, life; it is a dance. It gets better with practice until the dance becomes the dancer and the dancer becomes the dance and life and all of existence becomes a singular flow. Yes, life; it is a dance. It gets better with practice. Dance.
Masterpiece
a work of outstanding artistry, skill, or workmanship.
tour de force
Who Keeps Our House Clean
Home is a special place. Love resides there. The best journeys take you there. Hope lives there. Home leaves no question about belonging. Friends belong there. Dreams thrive there. Home is a place of forgiveness. There is no rejection there. Home is a place of rest and recuperation and rejuvination. There is laughter there. Life takes you to unexpected places; love brings you home. At home you are free to flourish. It is where you birthed your wings. Are you there yet? We live amongst viruses and bacteria: some are villains and some are monsters. Don't feed monsters. Villains are everywhere; you are ever in their sights. Be prepared: find your rhythm, stay in balance, keep your values and your vision in focus. You got this.
Out beyond ideas of right doing and wrong doing there is a field. I'll meet you there.
When the soul lies down in that grass, the world is too full to talk about.
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live laugh love
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let your light shine
Come, let us all be friends for once,
Let us make life easy on us,
Let us be lovers and loved ones,
The earth shall be left to no one.
Across the nation and around the world there is a long rumble.
It is a rumble so loud it strikes ready ears as a distant clap of a fierce thunder. It is a rumble so low, it rides beneath the noise of a thousand human fears; it can no longer be heard. Fear of flight, fear of heights, fear of sand, fear of snow, fear of monsters in the closet, fear of bugs in the pillow, fear of cats, fear of bats, fear of strangers at the door, fear of being lost, fear of being laughed at, fear of being stuck in the toilet bowl, fear of whites, fear of blacks, fear of browns, blues and yellows, fear of nakedness, fear of the unknown, fear of being hurt.
Smile. Live. Love. Laugh. Look. Listen. Learn. Be awesome. You are powerful beyond measure. You are not alone. You can do all things. I am you. You are me. We are one. Keep Sharing.
May our light shine on sprinkled seeds along The Journey.
"Live Your Life - Live it well. You are worth it."
Listen. Learn. Lead.
"I have the audacity to believe that peoples everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies, education and culture for their minds, and dignity, equality, and freedom for their spirits. I believe that what self-centered men have torn down, men other-centered can build up." Martin Luther King Jr.Look. Listen. Learn. STRETCH & SAVE! (A Place Called Ah.)
Breathe.
We are accompanied.
Balance - Focus - Rhythm
BE EVER REMINDED:the life you are living is YOUR life; ONLY YOU can live it!
The Journey - Your Voice Illuminated - Our Global Digital Radio Show & Podcast. We stop at exotic places, meet fascinating folks with intriguing stories and novel solutions to some of life's tricky problems. We play a few games too, and track remarkable characters of three classics: ILICET - A Time To Begin Again (True Story) SBL Series: 2:26 AM, The Gathering (Matchbox Mystery) and Flight Of The Fused Monkeys (5-Star Series). Life is beautiful and full of surprises. Breathe! Along our journey of life and learning we challenge ourselves toward the reaches of our highest ideals: to be our best, do our utmost, achieve our finest, wherever necessary and practicable redesigning the contours of possibility, reshaping human capability. Join our posse. We are changing the game! We welcome your perspective. Enjoy top dramatic, inspirational, mystery, scifi, and true stories. Live. Love. Laugh. Look. Listen. Lead. Learn with us. Get your FREE AUDIO of 'Sven: The High Achiever's Journey'. You'll be glad you did. Share the experience.
ILICET - A Time To Begin Again (True Story) 
