Why are some of us travelers and others are builders? Even today we still have our nomads..read and see what I mean

Well for those of you who are avid readers of my blog you will note that September was an awful month for me with tons of set backs and of course the blog suffered for it greatly.  As many of you are aware I took an unexpected trip to Atlanta that didn't turn out at all as was planned or expected. However, I will say that a few decent things came out of the trip, some are note worthy and will be explored more in-depth here in the annals of blogdom.  However for today's entry I want to take you on the trip that I had to see the doctor this morning.  Because for some reason on these trips is when my brain seems to go into hyper-drive and I think of some of the most obscure and deep rooted thoughts.  Maybe it is the open road and my love to travel that opens my mind up to the inner and outer awareness and consciousness that I need to focus my mind and intellect into.

Whatever the reason, I took it into my head to explore my incessant need to move around to not plant roots of a lasting sort.  While it is true that in my younger years I was content to grow as Orlando grew, I soon realized that there was much more to the world than my little pond and I wanted to see it and explore it first hand.  I believe it is for that reason alone that I joined the Navy right after high school and was disappointed with the fact that I got assigned to a ship that was in dry dock and undergoing refit for active duty.  The last time my ship had seen any action was for a few years during the Korean War.  She had been mothballed shortly after WWII and was activated for a brief tour during the Korean War only to be put back away in the Naval shipyards once more.  It wasn't until President Reagan decided that we needed a 600 ship fleet to protect our country that the mothballs were put away and she was rolled back into active duty. I was fortunate to be a member of the precommissioning unit, and was made a plank owner of the U.S.S. Wisconsin (BB-64) the last of the Iowa class battleships.  Being a plank owner gives you certain rights and a piece of history to boot.  We were each given a piece of the original teak deck and our names are forever written in the history books as members of the team that brought the old girl back to life.

My need for travel and the exploring of the world would have to wait for several years but it was worth the wait I can tell you.  I experienced a different sort of Navy than most traditional sailors. I was made a flag member of the MWR team (Morale, Welfare and Recreation) I had the captain, command Master Chief and the XO's ears, I had meetings with Admirals and other Captains and did things that no other 20 year olds can claim to have done.  I got to travel before the ship to exotic ports and set up recreational activities for the crew and I had a power that was unparalleled. I came in on the ground floor of the movement and was in charge of everything.  It was hard to leave that post and move on, yet I did.  Only to head back to it over and over again throughout my career.  I received a Navy Achievement medal for my conduct and activities and my name was well known throughout the Navy. I parlayed the networking skills that I learned in the Navy to different occupations I held after I got out and I can't complain, I did pretty well for myself all things considered.

But, my story doesn't end there, I returned to Orlando after the Navy to battle cancer, but was only there for a short time before I moved on to the big city life of Atlanta. I found myself working for different Governor's and holding quite of bit of power for a little time.  However, as all good things do it passed.  I got sick again with Cancer and Radiation disease from my treatments with the first bout of cancer.  In the blink of an eye everything I had worked for and built up disappeared around me.  This was the first time that I realized how fragile and fleeting life can be.  But also how wondrous and fulfilling it can be at the same time. See, I learned that a person can live a lifetime in just 10 short years and accomplish things that take others a lifetime to build.  I also saw how fast it all can disappear depending on the situation and circumstance one finds themselves in.  Years have now passed since then and I am embarking on a new chapter of life and a new phase, yet the transitory calling of my nature is still there.  I often wonder what my life would have been like if I would have stayed in Orlando and did things differently.  One thing I realize is that I wouldn't have met some of the most extraordinary people that I have met in my life, nor would I have cultivated the vast network of friendships that I have amassed over the years.  See I count myself lucky, I am in contact with most of the people I went to High School with and served in the Navy with.  This is something that was brought about by the internet and Facebook.  But, also through the endeavors of those of us that struggled to find and reconnect using the tools available to us as provided by the current technology.

The world hasn't changed much except that information is now more available than it ever was, yet, it is still controlled by the powerful and what was once opened, is now becoming closed.  It has taken me a while to understand that life is but a series of cycles and circles that repeat at intervals, that our lives are nothing but a series of patterns that we follow.  Let me digress here for a brief moment, because my background is in Information Technology, the Internet and E-commerce. However, something amazing and yet heinous is happening with our technology.  See we went from single computers that were housed in a single unit, like the TRS-80 which was one of the first computers I learned to program on back in the 80's. Now in 2012, I see that All-in-one computers are making a come back. However, with some minor adjustments.  There are now hard drives and wireless cards, modems and network cards installed on all of the new machines, things that were not even thought of in the past.  However, it is plain that technology that society is embracing is that from an older era.  Cloud computing is just another utilization of what was once called main-frames and smart terminals.  There was a time when the main frame was connected by dumb terminals, but now each computer has it's own processor and access to the internet or what it is morphing into.  There once was a time when the information super highway was just that a series of webpages posted in the ether that could be reached by addresses.  Now we are back to fencing off that open area with our smart phones and apps.  Fences and walls are being built around the point of service. This is to provide instant and reliable information, with less loss of data.  See in the old days when we used the web to get around packets were sometimes lost, this was deemed acceptable at time because information was the goal. Today we want information at our fingertips with speed and accuracy hence the advent of apps to bring that data to you through a closed platform isolated and separate from the information stored on the world wide web.

If you are following what I am talking about you will begin to see that the old is coming back with just a different bit of style and sophistication added to it, more bells and whistles, but it is the same and the information and data is once again being controlled by corporations like Google, Apple, Yahoo and others.  But, this is just one point of many that I want to make, what comes around goes around as the old saying goes.  Soon you will be seeing other things from earlier years making a comeback and the nostalgia buffs in us will embrace it, however, don't be fooled into thinking that anything new or genuine is being offered to you because it really isn't, they are just dressing up what was done before and repackaging it for greater exposure and the capture of the almighty buck.    But let's continue talking about what I really wanted to talk to you about in this blog entry, before I digressed.

What I wanted to talk to you about was how you find some people that have lived in an area their whole life, they never wanted change or to experience anything different from what they had expected.  I am not one of those people, I was born a nomad of some sort apparently because I have no roots or ties to any one area. Yet,  I have family and friends that have never left Pennsylvania nor do they plan too. They have made their life there and have been content and successful.

I could see if my family was close to a big city and career opportunities, but they weren't they remained and maintained a life in the rural and suburban areas of the state. I wonder how they accomplished that, I often think they are the lucky ones, the ones that will have a legacy to leave once they are gone, what will I have to show for my time on this planet.  Not much, no family home to leave to a relative or excess of money from my pursuits.  The only thing that I will leave behind when I go is the legacy of my writing which I found late in my life.  So what makes me different from my family, why were my parents different from their siblings and family and what caused them to move around and strive to build something away from the nuclear family unit that gave them life and sustained them.  Now, one thing that I have recognized is that the family that remained behind remains close, they communicate with each other and get together when it is possible.  Those of us that have drifted away from the core family are not included in these events or get together's and I am wondering if it just happened that way or was there a bond that was severed when the family moved away.  It is impossible for me to tell you at this point as this is just something that I started thinking about today.  I can tell you that when my grandmother was alive things were different. It seemed that as the Matriarch of the family she held it together with her will and love alone and when she passed the communication and closeness of the family seemed to suffer greatly. Though others have tried to pull the family back together over the years after her passing it seemed like an impossible task.

What I have learned is this the family that remained behind and close, have a network between them that supports and uplifts them. They help each other and have a fellowship that those of us that have moved away lack.  Not saying that our satellite families are not close, because my family is pretty close and we all talk often.  But, it is the aunts, uncles, cousins, and other family members that we lack contact with.  Our roots have been shunted and we drift aimlessly.  Or at least in my case that is what I do.  As I said earlier, I was thinking on the drive over to the doctors today why did I choose to move around and not plant roots?  Why am I still without a base of operations and I am in my mid 40's now?  Answer, is that I don't have the extensive family network that my nuclear family has, I am not as connected to my cousins, aunts and uncles like I was when I was younger and my grandmother was still alive.  I also realized that my goals and perceptions were different from the rest of the family. They wanted to have children, homes and grow together, and I chose to follow money and my own personal glory instead of investing in family and home and a base of operations.  This I believe is where I have made the choice and this is the place to which it has led me.

I can only speak from personal experience and from what I have seen in my own life, but those of us that uproot and move ourselves away from the core family are transitory in nature, nomads by choice and choose to follow money, glory, fame or recognition.  Sometimes the path that our feet initially are place are by our parents and you have to find your own way back to the core family if you want to experience the growth and life of having one.  I was seven years old when my dad moved my family halfway across the nation to start a new life, it isn't till now that I actually have thought about what that decision meant and what path it put me on.  Had I take the time to consider what I was doing with my life and explored a little more on my own I might have come to the realization much sooner in my life.  I am not sorry for what I have accomplished or where I have been, nor what I am still yet to do, I just see that the choice that was made all those years ago could have been undone by my making a conscious choice to go back and find out. Yet, I chose to follow the nomadic path that I was on and chase after the money.  Funny about that is once you find it and achieve it, there never seems enough and you are driven to other things.  I was fortunate that fate or God took an active role in my life at the point in which he did, because I could still be in that world and bashing my head against the grind and striving to make more, have more and attain more and never be truly happy.

I learned back in 2007 that easy come easy go, see I have had my fortune, built it spent, built it again and lost it.  But in the process I was never satisfied and I always wanted more, strove to do better, it became a game and an obsession and it could have easily destroyed me, but because my health took a turn and things worked out differently for me, I have learned and what I have learned I became determined to share with others.  So I started helping those around me that were less fortunate than I was, and guess what I found everyone was less fortunate than I and I still messed things up. Gave away more than I could and hurt myself in the process. However, it was well worth it for the lessons that I have learned and now I help hundreds more in my new way than I ever could doing it single handed and headless of my own regard. See I took what Jesus did literally and tried to walk and help the down trodden, what I didn't know was how easily it was to become a target and labelled a sucker.  But again, I cannot and will not complain about anything I have been through because I learned and that is what life is all about.

The point that I want to make to you is this, you have choices that are open to you that you may not even be aware of.  If you want to build a lasting family and home then that is what you should focus on. The money and other things will come once your priorities are in order.  Trust me when I say that God provides because believe me he always does, and it comes when you need it the most and you least expect it.  Be open to change, embrace it, trust me it is nothing to fear and only good can come from it.  Take each experience you have and learn from them. Grow from them and build upon them, and you will see that you are well on your way on the philosophers journey toward enlightenment and spiritual wisdom.  Nothing is ever what it seems, but always take things at face value and when you find the hidden meaning you will grow from it like I did.  Money is not the end all be all and doesn't ensure happiness.  The search for it and the seeking of it can be your undoing.

Be wary of the path your are on, ask yourself questions and grow that is what we are here for.  You can make a difference in the world no matter where you are at.  In a small town or in a big city, it is all up to you and how you handle the things that life throws at you.  Keep in mind that anything worth having is never easy to achieve, and if it was you wouldn't appreciate it anyway. So work hard, live hard, and play fair and have fun. That is what life is all about.

As always my thoughts and dreams are with you,

Uncle B

Techniques and Practices that will help you successfully ground yourself

In yesterday's blog entry I spoke to you about the concept of grounding and how it can benefit you.  Now, what I would like to do is explain just a few simple techniques you can use to achieve grounding. Believe me when I tell you there are many ways and techniques out there that a person can use to achieve grounding.  My goal is to narrow down that list, by giving you a foundation upon which you can build on.  Feel free to customize and adapt either of the techniques I am about to talk to you about and make them your own. Find the easiest most comfortable way to achieve this and it will become second nature and automatic. Like I said be creative, have fun with it and make it your own..  All I ask is hat you push your fear and skepticism aside and just try it, you will be glad you did and will feel the benefits right away.There is nothing to lose, it can't hurt, and you have so much to gain, just have to do it.  As with all things that are new to us we have natural doubts, we are skeptical and may have second thoughts or misgivings about grounding.  But, if you go into it with an open mind and a receptive heart you cannot go wrong.

Getting rid of negativity in your life, freeing yourself from the rut that you have been stuck in, ending the cycle of depression and fear that has been keeping you prisoner; are just some of the things you can expect to gain.  Others, will include more energy, a feeling of inner peace and you will have a sharper focus.  Things around you will start to change, the new positive outlook, will start to draw more people and things to you and around you. Opportunities will begin to open up for you and your whole life will become enriched.  Keep in mind that positive attracts positive, inner calm brings inner peace and with our stress reduced, our body can rest easier and will benefit from more efficient healing and recuperation, which in turn lets us sleep more peacefully, allowing us to feel renewed, refreshed, relaxed and energized. Trust me when I say it is a win-win situation, you have absolutely nothing to lose, except maybe depression, anxiety, stress and the familiarity of despair.

Now, I have your interest right?  I think I might! So how do you get to this point? It really isn't as difficult as you might think, keep in mind that there are many ways to do this and it is your job to seek out which one is easiest and right for you, then make it your own.  There are an unlimited possibilities, techniques, methods, techniques, and philosophies on this out there, feel free to mix and match, add, subtract, personalize it anyway you see fit.  A few examples are Gardening, Baking, Reading, spending time with nature. As I said there are unlimited possibilities you just got to figure out which one fits you and then you just incorporate some basic techniques and then you are all set.  Doing something outside of your comfort zone will give you the most outstanding results.  Now we are going to delve into the basics and give you a thorough understanding of them so that you can incorporate them in your daily life.

The basic of grounding are pretty simple and easy to follow:

• Set aside a dedicated time of day. It works better if you use the same time as much as possible.  Though there will be times when you can't do it at the same time or you may find you need to have more than one time set aside per day.  Personally I have my time set for the morning so the tone of my day is set.  Then when I need to I throw in an evening time when appropriate. (15 to 30 minutes is all the time you need)
• Make sure that you have selected a private place and you will not be interrupted.  Turn off your phone and isolate yourself all outside influences and distractions. 
• Clear your mind and relax.
• Feel the energy flow from above you and through you.
• Let it pass through you into the ground.

With all this being said lets get to it.  These are my simple techniques that I use.  Sometimes I add music and other things when I am trying to relax and ground, as I told you earlier the possibilities are unlimited and there is no wrong way or right way, it is just your preferences and what you feel comfortable with.  My favorite and probably first choice is a natural approach and incorporates nature in all the beauty and wonder that exists there.  If you live in a city it maybe a little hard for you to find the perfect spot.  But, the neat bonus is that you can try all sorts of different spots, and change them as frequently as you want.

In our overview on grounding, I explained that grounding is a natural phenomenon therefore somehow it seems fitting that the first technique takes place and incorporates nature in its usage. I have set aside a time for each day to explore nature.Personally I choose to do my grounding in the morning. My reasoning is this I am not a morning person, it takes me a bit to wake up and get my day going. Therefore, when I ground and commune with nature I set the tone for my entire day.  When I step out of the house I am positively energized, I am eager to face the day with renewed joy and vigor.  

But how do I achieve all of this? Simple I select my personal block of time, as stated earlier about 15 to 30 minutes each morning., where I isolate myself from the outside world.  This means that I turn off the cell phone, television and ensure that I avoid any distractions and interruptions.  I step out into nature and observe it in all of its beauty and majesty.  I actually don't have to physically go anywhere I personally like to sit in my backyard, or go to the beach or even the public park.   Next, I feel the sun warming and this helps me quiet and still my mind.  I also like to touch the plants, smell the flowers, talk to the animals that are in the vicinity. As I am doing this I let my mind grow quiet pushing out all thoughts and distractions and I feel the energy of the sun flowing all over me and through me.  As the energy courses through my body from the heavens toward the ground, I actually feel the negativity and stress of the world and the previous day drain slowly out of my body. The positive energy flows from the sky through the top of my head and then through my body and leaving it through my feet and my hands that touch the plants and other things.  All the while I rejoice and give thanks for another day as my body fills with the energy of the sun.

The second method is just a little variation on the first instead of walking around and touching things to ground, I find a tree to rest on, I place my back and head against the trunk as I lean back.  I can feel the energy of the sun flowing down from the sky into the trees leaves and flows through the trunk heading to the roots for grounding but because I am leaning against the tree, I am actually part of the trees circuit the energy that flows down frAom the sun, enters my body through the trunk into my head and flows through my body, and exit through my back and drawn down into the ground by the trees roots. As the energy is drawn through me and suffuses me in every way and as long as my mind is free from all outside thoughts, influence and then isolating me from the clutter and activity of the world for just 15 to 30 minutes each morning I feel refreshed and energized to face the day.  Now, if for some reason I cannot get out into nature, I do the next best thing, I sequester myself away in my room.  Again turning off  all distractions and shutting my door so I am not disturbed.  I then go through the steps again, visualizing the energy from the sun flowing down through my roof through the top of my head and travelling through my body seeking to reach ground.  Remember there are so many ways to customize this that whatever you choose to do will work as long as you keep to the basics. As you can see the only difference between the above techniques is the venue where the grounding actually takes place.

In just a few moments after starting the grounding process I feel the tensions, stress, emotions and all the negativity from the day before to melt and begin to be washed away. It is just that simple, and I can start my day and know that I am going to have a positive one.  The one thing that I do is to give thanks for being granted another day, say thank you to the tree or nature that has been so kind as to assist me in my grounding efforts and then I take a few minutes to think of some key words to help me through the coming day and help me maintain my positive focus.  These are words that I hope to demonstrate, exhibit, impart to those with whom I may come in contact with or might interact with throughout my day.  These are words like: Love, Compassion, Understanding,, Caring, Wisdom, Kindness, humility, gratitude etc.  I keep these words in the front of my mind throughout the day and to help me maintain focus.

Well you made it this far by reading this post, please don't give up just yet bear with me just a little bit longer as I summarize what I have been trying to get across to you and the key points I hope you will remember.  By now I have defined what grounding is; given you the benefits of; then through in my concept of key words to help us manage and cope with the day.  All you need to walk away with is this: Ground yourself daily, be open and receptive, make it your own, experiment with it, have fun with it, and customize it anyway you want so that you are totally comfortable with the process. But above everything else I want you to try it!

The techniques I talked about were Nature Grounding (or using nature and natural surroundings and settings).  The other is when you couldn't get out in nature then you use what I call Visual Grounding (grounding utilizing visualization) and is done in your private place where you won't be interrupted.  Remember the basics, use key words and you will be amazed at how your day turns around and how things begin to open up for you. You will also notice the immediate benefits of renewed spirit, health all the while of experiencing a positive focus and will be amazed at how relaxed and refreshed you feel.

Please join me for the next entry as I will be going through mediation and how it can and will benefit you.  As always your feedback and comments are appreciated and solicited.  Feel free to ask any questions and remember that I am here for you.  Write to me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bryan.zepp2 or bryanzepp@gmail.com.  If you have enjoyed what you have read please follow my blog, join up and become a follower.  I am trying to build up my audience and I want you to be a part of my community.

All my hopes and dreams are with you.

Uncle B

Today is Mother's Day do something special for all the special women in your life that have sacrificed and provided for you.  Make sure you tell them thank you and acknowledge what they have done for you.

All my love,

B

What is Creative Visualization and how can it help you?

I am about to embark on a series of posts that should be helpful and enlightening and if you have faith and an open mind will help you in achieving your goals, desires. Allowing you to receive blessings and start you on a greater spiritual path toward knowing and understanding God, Nature, the human body, meditation and prayer, as well as different planes or levels of existence. So lend me an ear, open your mind and enjoy the read.

This first entry is a very simplistic overview of Creative Visualization, each entry after this will build upon this first one and by the end you should have a firm understanding of Visualization, meditation, grounding, manifesting and all the parts in between. As always your feedback and comments are appreciated and solicited.  Feel free to ask any questions and remember I am here for you.  I can be reached directly through the blog page, or via email at bryanzepp@gmail.com or on Facebook www.facebook.com/bryan_zepp2.

Let us get started with the overview.  Salt-n-Pepa sang a song called the "I Am the Body Beautiful" which was featured in the movie "To Wong Fu - Thanks for everything Julie Newmar", this song is where we are going to start our series.  They sang "whatever the mind can conceive and believe you will achieve" and it is absolutely true.

You may be wondering how this can be manifested in your own daily life, which is where our entry here will attempt to explain and as we go forward teach you how to make it an automatic and a constant experience that will enrich and enhance your life. I need to explain that the human body has 3 distinct aspects that act and operate on different levels of consciousness.

                                 1. The Mind
                                 2. The Body
                                 3. The Soul

Together these components make up the Spiritual Body. Each part of the spiritual body then acts on different levels or planes of existence.  These planes of existence are:

                                1.  The Etheric or Astral Plane ( also known as the Divine or Holy Plane)
                                2.   The Physical Plane
                                3.   The Elemental Plane

Let me digress here for a minute to give you a little brief overview of these planes and attempt to explain how they work.  First I want to talk about the etheric plane or astral plane, it is also known as the place of dreams the ethereal realm, and in metaphysical terms the place where Heaven and the Angels reside.  It is also the plane of existence that our unconscious mind travels when we are deep in sleep or when in a meditative state.  The physical plane is what we know and count as reality.  This plane is governed by the physical laws of nature and science and of course life.  This is also the plane where creative visualization manifests its results. (More on that later in the series)  The elemental plane is the plane where the elements reside, it is also where the life energy resides that flows.  This energy actually transcends all planes and if found in every living thing on Earth.  It is commonly referred to as the "Godhead" or "Spark of Life", and it is where the energy of the Divine instills in us the gift of life and provides the power for our bodies.  It is also the enduring force that Albert Einstein describes in his theory of Relativity.  The theory states energy cannot be destroyed, it can only be manipulated, converted and changed and is represented by the formula E=MC Squared.

As we get further in the series more information will be discussed in greater detail and explain different aspects of them and how they correlate to the 3 different aspects of the spiritual body.  But for right now I want to delve into the tenant of  "Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, you will achieve." Is true and how you can accomplish some amazing things in your daily life. There are some factors that need to be reached before you can achieve your hearts desire.

In order to achieving or manifesting a desire or reach a goal, a few things must first take place.  Probably first and foremost is that the union of the aspects of the spiritual body must be aligned, balanced and in harmony with each other. This is a critical understanding point in order to achieve and receive the end result or desired outcome of any situation the mind, body and spirit must be in total harmony and balance. When I talk about alignment and harmony I am speaking that these aspects must work together and be perfectly blended or united.

But how do you harmonize or align your mind? This is where we are going to start because I think this may possibly be the hardest aspect to align and focus.  Now when I use the words align and focus, what am I actually talking about?  The idea is this we need to free our minds of any and all distractions and we must remove all doubt, any emotions need to be focused and grounded (grounding is a technique for eliminating negative energy and focusing of our will and thoughts, more will be discussed in the next entry about grounding).  When we are grounded and focused our minds are free from doubt, distraction, positively energized, and focused toward a single purpose.  At this point all I am wanting you to understand is that when your mind is focused to a singularity of purpose it can align with the body your desire or goal or dream is imprinted or planted on the astral or ethreal plane, because this is where the mind operates and influences.

The Body which dwells and operates on the physical plane and reality harmonizes with the mind and aligns through strong emotion or desire which strengthens the imprint  and starts the manifestation process.  Which incorporating the Spirit through mediation and focus provides the rest of the power needed to manifest your desire or goal from the etheric plane to the physical plane thus bring about the desired end goal or achievement.   Remember that this is a very simplistic overview of the process.

I do want to take another moment here now that I am at the end of the overview to state that different cultures and beliefs reach unity or harmony in many different ways, spiritualists use grounding and mediation, christian's use singing and prayer, where Buddists and Hindu's utilize chanting and prayer with the lighting of incense to direct their inner focus.  However, the end result is the same turning and inner concept, idea, desire, vision or goal and bringing from within to without by manifestation and visualization...all of which is accomplished by the total aligning of the 3 aspects of the spiritual body: The Mind, Body and Soul.  Reaching a state of singularity of purpose and total harmony, fueled by desire or strong emotion and infused and powered by divine energy that comes from the spirit.  Always remember that whatever your mind can conceive and believe, you will achieve! Further when you set your mind to something you will get it.  Even the Bible states that "whatsoever you ask shall be given unto you".  However, I must caution you at this point that another adage also holds true "Be careful what you wish for you just might get it."

Be safe and like I told you earlier write to me let me know what you think and if this has helped you in any way.   If nothing else maybe my own personal quote will help some of you "Anything is possible in this world, if we only strive for perfection one day at a time."  Do me a favor and take sometime to smell the roses, appreciate nature and those around you.  And as we get even closer to Mother's Day please take time to acknowledge your mother or another special woman in your life and tell them how much you appreciate them and love them.

All my hopes and dreams are with you,

Uncle B