Living The Emerson Rule

November 30, 2020December 30, 2022

I Am That – In the Mirror of My Life

When I look around, what do I see? I see precisely what’s inside me. These things, people, places, all reflect my thoughts and beliefs. If I see it, it’s me – I am that. Before I retired one of my co-workers annoyed the hell out of me. Something about him rubbed me the wrong way. One day I had an epiphany – I am Bob! I am the annoying guy! For 30 years I’ve advocated what I call the mirror concept – this is what it means. I am what’s reflected back at me from my environment. I am Bob. Owning this can feel like swallowing a giant pill. Who willingly admits they ARE what they find hideous – or even mildly irritating? Some things are just too up close and personal. Must I be responsible? Yes. I must. Esther Hicks tells me that things wouldn’t show up if there’s nothing in my vibration drawing it there. When I acknowledged Bob as Me, my judgments eased. I cut him slack; treated him differently. Over time he reacted to me differently. Our relationship changed when I changed. Change starts with awareness, and with an open mind acceptance may follow. Awareness and acceptance can change the world.

“Belief: When you believe something, you have made it true for you. Thought: What you do comes from what you think. Perception: Everything you perceive is a witness to the thought system you want to be true.”

Perception is a mirror, not a fact.
And what I look on is my state
of mind, reflected outward.”

Gifts from A Course In Miracles F. Vaughan, R. Walsh

November 20, 2020December 30, 2022

Hello – It’s Been Awhile

Two years ago, I put Living the Emerson Rule on hiatus; my philosophical optimism was running on empty. How could I promote a hopeful point of view when I was angry, indignant and depressed after two years of a political environment that repelled me?

It was time for me to practice my beliefs and find my way to serenity and contentment. When an opportunity came up to go to work and apply my business skills to a worthwhile endeavor with exceptional people, I jumped on it. The familiar routine after unstructured days of retirement helped me focus on things other than the chaos playing out daily in the media.

Distraction, even for a good cause, only carried me so far. I’d turned down the fire but was still simmering with discontent. Luckily, I had a good counselor to talk with. She also pointed me to the works of Esther Hicks. This set me on a path to a spiritual homecoming. I immersed myself in the world of Abraham, reading multiple books, more than once, and attended one of Esther’s seminars. Putting into practice many of Abraham’s processes, I climbed the emotional scale. I rose from grief and depression to happier more joyful emotions. One step at a time, I find contentment regularly.

When the consulting work reached its end, I continued to reinforce my renewed convictions with more confidence. The isolation of the pandemic inspired me to reestablish journaling and meditation routines that encouraged reflection and introspection.
Time-out is wrapping up and I’m ready to reboot; to remind myself and share with others why Living the Emerson Rule is important.

Since it’s been a minute, here are a few links to consider:

What is? The Emerson Rule
Last post – No Poop Fairy (October 31, 2018)
Most visited post – Turtle on my Knee (October 9, 2017)

“We cannot become what we want to be by remaining what we are.”
– Max DePree

August 27, 2018December 30, 2022

The Glass is More than Half Full

Bill Gates and Barak Obama included the book Factfulness, by Hans Rosling on their 2018 summer reading list. I’ve been a Rosling fan since I stumbled onto his TED Talk: the best stats you’ve ever seen years ago. Obviously this went on my reading list as well.

Took the test at the front of the book. Promptly failed it – like everyone else, despite my fandom. Interesting. As I read I acknowledged that YES … things are significantly better now than in the 1800s – in SO many ways. Huge changes in just 200 years. And the improvements in MY lifetime (since the 60’s) – ASTOUNDING! Extreme poverty in decline. Fewer babies die in childbirth. More people have access to electricity and clean water. Most people live in middle-income countries. Worldwide, people live longer and are more educated (even GIRLS).

Yet strangely this good news is tucked away from our awareness by basic human instincts. Which may be why Rosling and his family wrote the book – to identify and outline our blinders and help us become aware. They describe ten reasons “even people with access to the latest information get the world wrong.” Too often we’re oblivious to our own misconceptions.

These instincts may be hard to conquer, but it’s worth trying. The Rosling team recommends we teach our children (and ourselves) humility and curiosity.

“Being humble, here, means being aware of how difficult your instincts can make it to get the facts right. It means being realistic about the extent of your knowledge. It means being happy to say “I don’t know.” It also means, when you do have an opinion, being prepared to change it when you discover new facts. It is quite relaxing being humble, because it means you can stop feeling pressure to have a view about everything, and stop feeling you must be ready to defend your views all the time.”

On the heels of reading Sapiens and Homo Deus by Yuval Noah Harari – realizing how humans exploited the planet and wiped out countless species – and the constant shower of chaos spewed by our leaders and the media – my angst was eased to learn the fact; things are improving – bit by bit. Drip, drip, drip. I just need to open my eyes and my heart – and be willing to change my mind.

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

“The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking.” – Albert Einstein