Points to Ponder by Richard Wooldridge

     It is essential that we see how incredibly important these teachings are. I was recently sitting in our class in Pagosa Springs and was reflecting on how nice it was to be there. It was uplifting and there was a right atmosphere and energy that was noticeable. We were learning and being reminded of our higher purpose here on earth. The class was above the chaos and madness going on in this country and across the planet and the constant bickering and fighting we see amongst human beings. We were in a truly safe place.
     One of the students in our class saw something and made an excellent point. The whole purpose of what society is doing is to make us feel bad and to feel guilty about something even though we had nothing to do with its occurrence. In Live Above this Crazy World, Vernon Howard states, “Man’s plans cannot cure human ills because his schemes are the very cause of social chaos.” So nothing that human beings do on an earthly level will make things better. Only what happens spiritually with an individual can affect real change.
     We must begin to see things as they are and to stop living in a fantasy world. I was eating breakfast recently in a local eatery and the owner had to waitress because one of the people who was supposed to be there didn’t show up for work. And of course, the place got very busy and she wasn’t happy about the situation. She was doing her best to get caught up and take care of all the customers. I had to wait longer than usual to place my order, but I decided to stay and to watch myself to see if impatience or something else negative would rear its ugly head.
     The owner didn’t have the benefit of this work to help her. She didn’t realize that she need not suffer or be angry about the waitress missing her shift. Life is constantly throwing curve balls at us but we don’t have to allow them to fluster us. With the help of these truth principles, we can start to handle things differently. Yes, there will be “so-called” difficult situations that come up, but we don’t have to make them a problem. “Over and over we must remind ourselves that the problem is not out there, but in here.” (From Live Above This Crazy World)
     We must ask ourselves, “Am I free of all torment?” “Do I still suffer in any way whatsoever?” “Am I liberated from all problems?” “Do stories in the news still upset me?” “Can other people set me off?” “Is there irritation or annoyance when something doesn’t go the way I think it should?”
     If we answer yes to any or all these questions, then there’s work that needs to be done. This is all good news because it shows there is a bit of self-honesty there, which is a necessary ingredient on the road to self-awakening. If you follow any kind of sports, you’ll frequently see that when players run into difficulty or are struggling as a competitor, they are reminded either by a coach or maybe even by themselves to return to the basics or fundamentals. It should be the same with the spiritual journey.     Truth constantly reminds us that only the present moment exists. “Problems cannot be escaped by running to there and tomorrow, for there is never anything but here and now.” (From The Power of Esoterics)
     Another morning, I was at a restaurant and waiting for my food when I was given the opportunity to observe a group of four young men who were discussing the Bible and what Christ taught. They were very engrossed in conversation. They all spoke with false assuredness, conviction and dogmatism. They had no awareness about themselves whatsoever. They spoke as if they personally knew Christ and could speak for him. They were explaining to each other that this is what Christ meant. They were knowers.
     There is perception and understanding but it doesn’t come from memory. It comes from inside of you, not from something you read in a book or an interpretation of what you read. It’s a direct perception or the seeing of something from yourself. You can read a description about what a peach tastes like but until you actually taste the peach yourself you don’t know what a peach tastes like.
     Perfect proof that the young men didn’t know what they were talking about was when one of them asked the owner of the restaurant if they were being too loud. One of them had said something which caused an outburst of laughter by all four of them simultaneously and the volume of noise in the restaurant went up perceptively. If someone is aware he would know if they were being too loud or not. He would also know how others in the room were reacting.
     Those who unconsciously believe they know more than the teacher or more than someone who genuinely has more insight, insist that they are the ones who understand and see more. The greater the insecurity or self-deception the less someone actually knows. The less there is of you and the more egotism and negativity we see through in ourselves and voluntarily give up, the more we’ll be given insights from the higher. God is not fooled.
     It is imperative to begin to see what we’re like underneath the mask, the facade. The dictionary defines facade as a false appearance that makes someone or something seem more pleasant or better than they really are. Beneath the facade of most human beings is a tremendous amount of hostility. “God does not want you to think people are nice. He wants you to see thru human evil.” (From Live Above This Crazy World) “Your exploration of human society reveals many surprises … Gone are all your dangerous delusions that people are basically nice and will express love if just given a chance.” (From Live Above This Crazy World)
     In their self-absorbed sleep state, people always cause problems for other people. The other day Lynne, Judith and I went shopping at a grocery store in Durango. When we exited the store and started to load our groceries into our vehicle, a woman in a van drove up and parked in a spot fairly close to the entrance of the store. There really wasn’t enough room for her to park where she did, as I noticed that she had parked so close to the car on her passenger side, there was no room for that person to be able to get into their car. So I pointed out the problem to her, not in an angry or scolding way, but to save the person in the blocked car some trouble. I could tell she wasn’t very happy about what I said. She replied, “I’m within the lines.” I did not reply to her, but she reluctantly got back in the van and re-parked. But there still wasn’t enough room for the person on her passenger side to be able to enter their vehicle.
     There weren’t that many customers at 10 AM and you could see there were at least 50 other empty parking spots that hadn’t been taken and many with no vehicles on either side of the spaces. She could have easily moved to one of those but would have had to walk a little further. I did not say anything more to her, as it would have done no good and I couldn’t explain to her in a million years all the things she was doing that were wrong. If I had pointed out that she was irritated and self-absorbed, what do you think her reaction would have been?
     She was completely in her own world inside herself. She was very hostile, was in a hurry and her mind told her that it was necessary for her to have the parking spot closer to the entrance of the store. I would guess she was in her early 30’s. It wouldn’t have hurt her to have had to walk a little further.
     This in one tiny little incident that occurred, and it explains what’s wrong with us, with her, with Colorado, with the U. S., with Europe, with Russia and with almost every person on this planet. This is not an exaggeration. This incident provides a microcosm of what people are actually like inwardly and how that nature translates itself into outward behavior. No wonder we are in the shape and place we are, and the planet as a whole is in the disastrous shape that it is.
     We cannot change the world and we cannot change other people, but we can do something about our own negative reactions. I need to work on myself and to forget about everyone else. Vernon gave a talk once which helps explain many things. It’s entitled “Why You Should Not Help Other People.” It would remove a tremendous weight from all of us if we fully understood what Vernon was talking about. I cannot do another person’s work for them, and no one else can do my work for me. Personal effort is really the only solution.

     At New Life’s most recent banquet many excellent points were brought up. One particularly helpful point was that Vernon Howard told us we’re memory worshippers. In other words, we are slaves of the intellect, of our thoughts. But there is another element involved that Truth is actively urging us to contact, which is essence or being. There exists an undeveloped part inside of us which recognizes the Truth when it hears it. It is above and beyond the mind.
     It is something one can perceive from a different place inside of themselves. Recently in a class in Pagosa Springs a student relayed an experience he had when taking a trip through Alaska some years ago. He came upon a spectacular view and stopped the car to take it in. The scenery was breathtaking. So, he decided to try and capture it by taking a photograph. A few years later he came across the photo in a box when he was moving. He realized that the picture he took didn’t begin to capture what he had seen and felt.
     Everyone reading this article has had a similar experience including myself. You can’t capture either the present or an awe-inspiring moment from the past. One actually feels something uplifting when viewing a spectacular panorama, but it can only be experienced in the present moment. You are taking in so much more than a camera lens can record. Truth is right now.
     People try to hold onto memories, which is living in the past. If you make a conscious effort to observe yourself or other people, you will see that we’re often living in memory and almost always living in thought. And if you’ll watch even more closely, there is no life or vibrancy in the reflection of the past event. We’re trying to hold onto something which doesn’t exist in time. The event occurred, but only in that particular moment.
     There’s also a tremendous amount of pain involved in living only from thought, whether we see it or not.            Now contrast that with a true spiritual experience. A true teacher conveys something to you that lives in eternity, a cosmic insight or fact is explained, and it goes beyond the intellect. It’s not of this world. It doesn’t fade and it isn’t just a remembrance. It’s alive. It goes beyond human contact or human association. It keeps living because it isn’t in time.
     It’s imperative that we grasp what truth is trying to get through to us. Look at people’s lives, study their facial expressions. See that there is no real contentment, no enjoyment, no ‘aliveness’ there. They’re living in lifelessness because they’re living in the past or in anticipation or fear of what the future might hold or dread of what might happen to ‘me.’ Nothing lives in time; it only seems as if it does.
     Imagination is a very powerful anesthetic. It makes you think you are aware and conscious when you are really believing something exists that has no basis in reality. We are living in fantasyland. The self-deception is immense. The mind is extremely clever in convincing us we’re conscious and that we know what we are doing.
     Have you ever seen a mirage on the highway while driving? You look ahead and spot what appears to be water on the hot pavement, but once you reach the location it magically disappears. The mirage isn’t real, but people would insist it is.
     I can’t emphasize enough the importance of beginning to see things as they actually are. Recently I watched a video clip of a group of powerful people getting together to discuss new policies to manipulate and influence the way they want the direction of the planet to go. Their meddling is always for egotistical gain and profit and to lead people astray and away from the higher while saying they are doing it for the greater good and betterment of mankind. They always make it sound so noble.
     In Esoteric Mind Power, Vernon Howard states, “When society does not know what to do about a problem it invents theories to make it appear that it does know what to do. The appointed crime committee concludes that crime is caused by poverty or drugs or broken homes, which is like saying that illness is caused by sickness. Social problems are caused by human ignorance of spiritual truths, but since few can face this fact in themselves, the problems continue.”
     If you don’t see the ways in which you are being tricked, how can you ever know and discover a new way of living that isn’t filled with lies, deceit, pain, and suffering? The nature of this planet is to cause you problems, not to relieve you of them. That’s the nature of the human mind. Only you as an individual can rise above the chaos and confusion of this world, including your own inner world.
     Vernon puts it this way, “Realization is a dynamic force for self-transformation.” Notice or make an effort to notice that when you are in the present moment there is no pain. There is no problem. There is no fear. None of those exist in the ‘now.’ It’s only when you are running mental movies, when you go into thought or into memory that you experience difficulties.
     Let’s say that there’s a task that must periodically be taken care of. The wind blows and deposits leaves and other particles into a certain corner of your porch. This corner seems to be a magnet for attracting debris. If you ignore it, it could lead to expensive repairs. A part of you wishes it would magically take care of itself and you wouldn’t have to deal with it. However, you know better; it needs to be handled.
     So, instead of procrastinating you clean it up. Now am I studying myself when taking care of the issue? Does resentment come up? Does annoyance rear its ugly head? Why does this keep happening? The mind says, “I have more important things to be doing with my time. I know what I’ll do, I’ll make lots of money and hire somebody to take care of it. This job is beneath me.” I remember one time Vernon picked up some paper that had blown into the entryway. I was there and he could have easily asked me to pick up the trash that had blown in. He did it consciously without any negativity and you could feel the difference.
     Truth has no resentment or anger in it. The intellect does. It hates everything. If we’re living only from the mind, it’s always either on defense or offense. It’s a god unto itself. Its nature is that of an egotistical maniac. In Treasury of Positive Answers, Vernon puts it like this, “Q: Give us something to clear the mental mist. A: A man takes his own viewpoint as the only world in existence, which is like taking earth as the only planet in the universe. Look beyond yourself! Feel the meaning in these three words and you will generate power enough to carry you to the cosmic world.”
     We must start feeling things rather than thinking things. Not in an earthly way but in a heavenly way, where you begin to perceive things entirely differently. I know people who are super intellects, and they can’t see things happening before their very eyes. They can quote spiritual truths word for word but are not aware at all that they’re immersed in exactly what the quote is talking about. They are asleep. They don’t get it. This is simply a fact.
     Vernon states, “His unconsciousness is his slavery …. Never having sighted their psychic chains they deny their existence.” We have to want to see beyond our blinding beliefs.
     A new neighbor recently moved in close to where we live. He has three horses and periodically likes to ride. He saddled up one of the horses and rode into the National Forest which backs up to his property. It’s bear country and he came across an area where there were bushes loaded with wild berries but there were also signs of bear everywhere. His horse became very skittish as it sensed and felt the bears were nearby. The horse instinctively did not like it. So, the neighbor realized it was a good idea to get out of there. He dismounted the horse, grabbed the reins, and led it away from danger. He didn’t want the horse to get spooked and then rear up and throw him.
     You see, the horse instinctively and naturally knew there was a predator nearby. It didn’t have to think about it, it just knew. It followed natural laws of self-preservation. We need to learn to recognize and follow natural cosmic laws just as the horse does. It is not natural to think so much. Everything is processed through our memory banks when we should be focusing on self-awareness.
     Vernon says it this way, “Our single greatest problem is unawareness.” “Unnaturalness covers and blocks naturalness.”* It is not natural to be negative. It is not natural to suffer. Why can’t we as humans see that? “Consciousness of the need for a wisdom beyond the self draws that wisdom to us.”*
     Vernon Howard’s teachings go way beyond thought and the limits of intellectualism. They are loaded with uplifting and inspiring messages we can use to rise above the utter madness and stupidity of this world, as well as our own negativities and shortcomings. We are instructed to “Meet everything with a free and flexible mind which is not tied to past experiences.”*
     *From Esoteric Mind Power

     Vernon Howard once told us, “This is the greatest message ever given to mankind.” It’s a shame more people are not interested. The reason this world is in such bad shape is that human beings already think they know. They prefer to live in fear and worry. God, Truth, Reality has provided for a way out but there are too many distractions and other pursuits provided by this world instead of those we could be experiencing/ perceiving/enjoying from our enlightened higher nature.
     It is an absolute delight when we get ourselves out of the way enough to allow truth to handle something for us. It could be anything. It could be a health crisis, a family crisis, a financial crisis, any kind of a crisis. It was recently mentioned in a class that Vernon assured us Truth can handle anything, and that means anything. The problem is we continue to insist on handling things our way instead of the true way.
     Vernon Howard asks us in Secrets for Higher Success, “Have you ever noticed the weariness resulting from your present pursuit of happiness? This is a helpful sign of being on the wrong path.” We don’t see or realize the extent to which we’ve been lied to and brainwashed by this sick society. In a talk from 1983, Vernon exclaimed, “Don’t believe in people!” One of the greatest lies we’ve ever been told is that in certain situations and under certain circumstances we should feel bad. There is never any instance where we should feel bad or sad (about anything).
     In Psycho-Pictography, it is put this way, “Remember that nature has provided no permanent housing for negative emotions within you.” Do we realize how astounding this is? If we were to truly understand this fact, we would see there is nothing to fear. There is no reason for controversy or conflict or argument or dispute or worry or confusion and so on. Watch the objection that comes up inside you. That’s the nitwit self that insists it must have its way. The self that says, “I must feel bad.”
     Do you get a glimpse of why this work is so difficult? You’re going against all the dictates of the willful self and societal mores: this is the way you are supposed to behave in this situation under these circumstances. You are expected to react, follow edicts or else. Do you really think that God is going to force you to do anything? Only a malevolent entity would do something like that.
     Common sense should tell you, would a truly all-powerful creator put human beings under fear? Absolutely not. Only a sick, maniacal, evil-inhabited individual would do something like that. We must start to see the price we pay, the damage that is done when we become negative. Negativity wrecks our health, drains our energy, and has all sorts of other detrimental effects on us.
     Let’s take one particular negativity and investigate it — feeling overwhelmed. What’s its cause? Unnecessary thinking. We are unconsciously saying to ourselves, “This is too much for me.” “I can’t handle what the world is throwing at me.” What is the world? It consists of thoughts, unconscious demands and attitudes. As Vernon puts it in A Treasury of Trueness, “You’re sinking with thinking.”
     One of our problems is that we’re basically lazy. Just because you keep yourself busy doesn’t mean you are not lazy. It might be that you keep yourself physically active. Or maybe you occupy your mind all day long with frivolous things. Reading can be very beneficial, but it can also be used as a distraction. Reading can be a way of escaping or becoming agitated, depending on what you read. I once told a particular individual that, in fact, they were lazy, and it set off an explosion. It exposed an image they had of themselves of not being lazy. It is fascinating to see people’s responses under certain circumstances. Do you see it’s much easier to get angry than to stop, examine and ask yourself what precipitated such a negative reaction?
     It requires no intelligence to get irate. It proves beyond any shadow of a doubt that human beings live from ideas they have of themselves rather than from a calm, non-defensive state of relaxation, which is our natural state.
     Self-serving politicians talk about peace all the time and then what do they do? They argue with one another, or they start another war because they have warring natures. And they can also profit handsomely from the lunacy. Let me ask you something. If human beings stopped fighting with one another, what would happen to lawmakers and legislators? There would be no need for them. If we would start self-legislating, self-correcting, it would put an end to the nonsense and the insanity. God has provided a way for any sincere individual to rise above the madness of this world. Are we willing to give up the inanity? *
     The point of pondering all these things is to see the utter shallowness and senselessness of this world. We can then begin to sense that there must be Something Else. There is a different kind of excitement that human beings can experience if we’ll begin to look beyond the surface. Upon closer examination there is a way of feeling things where one views this world completely differently than the way it's presently perceived. Vernon Howard puts it this way, “… vast energy is ready to renew whoever makes himself ready for it. We make ourselves ready by refusing to take pleasure in negative emotions, by wanting to know more about life than what we see on the surface.” (Secrets for Higher Success)
     The energy comes of itself when we start to make a concerted effort to break the mundaneness and the clinging to the ordinariness and routine of our everyday lives. Have you ever driven your car on a dirt road that has been rutted previously and the ruts were fairly deep? You try to turn the wheel of your vehicle to get out of the rut, but it just keeps pulling you back into it. Well, that’s our false nature, our ego self. It keeps dragging us back into habitual patterns of reacting the same old way.
     We’re so used to doing things a certain way and we don’t want to change, or we don’t want to see what a dull, boring person we actually are. Truth can fix all that.
     How many have ever had a feeling of guilt come up for no apparent reason? You’re walking across your living room and suddenly you notice you are feeling guilty about something. It proves again that we are addicted to feeling bad. That’s what it means to be asleep. And we continue to allow these marauders to wreak havoc in our lives.
     We simply don’t catch the unconscious habitual thoughts and states that take us over. Maybe you’ve lived with something for a very long time, for instance an old computer? Over time it gets slower and slower, and some things stop working all together. But you live with it, you don’t replace it. Then at some point you decide to spend the money and you get a brand new, sleek, modern computer. You’re so used to the old sluggish computer you have a negative reaction to the new one. You react with aggravation because you must make an effort to learn some new things, including how to use added, updated features.
     Truth is like that. We’re so used to living from the same old sour, grumpy self that the false nature mightily resists being replaced by something that is pleasant, that isn’t afraid anymore, that doesn’t complain anymore.
     Truth is waiting for us to give up the old, so it can replace the negative nature with something new, vibrant and fresh. “To overcome yourself is the very same thing as overcoming the world.”(Secrets for Higher Success)

* Inanity is the correct word. It means – lack of substance, shallowness, vapid, pointless, emptiness.

     I was sitting in my truck waiting to turn onto a street from a shopping center parking lot. A pickup truck was going by driving very slowly and I wondered why it was taking them so long. As it passed by me, I observed that the driver was a woman and I could see that she was completely lost in thought. Who knows what she was thinking about, but that is why human life is the way it is. That’s why we have accidents. That’s why we get into trouble in all sorts of ways. We’re not really driving our vehicle. We’re not at home. Our mind is somewhere else. We’re supposed to be in the present moment, living right now.
     The intellect lives in time. It cannot go beyond time. So it is impossible for the mind to realize or understand that there is something beyond thinking. An awakened human being knows, feels and perceives things above the mind. Because human beings are thinking machines, they are very predictable in how they will react and respond in every situation. They are mechanical. They are imitators and mimickers. That’s why a study of history shows that the same mistakes are repeated over and over.
     How can something that creates wars ever find peace? How can a troubled person supply genuine answers? How can something which causes problems discover real solutions? How can something which creates pain come up with lasting relief? How can a criminal, who lives to hurt people, effect change for good? We could go on and on with examples of contradiction, but do you see it will never work on that level?
     In There Is a Way Out, Vernon puts it this way, “A person failing to think from his cosmic mind is the ready victim of every other person who also fails to think for himself. People mistakenly assume that borrowed ideas can keep them safe.” The earthly mind can be used for practical matters and for accumulating right facts but cannot implement them. The earthly mind is useless in understanding higher matters. Only that which is above the mind can bring true happiness and cheerfulness.
     Did you know that the world hates cheerfulness? Something that isn’t affected by the gloominess, negativity, and the wrongness of this world. Take a look at yourself. Is there a part of you that hates the Truth while saying the exact opposite?
     Evil knows all this as well and uses it to destroy stupid humans. It counts on ignorance and entrenched beliefs to fool and trick people into enabling their own destruction.
     When you live from a belief system you are stuck in a rut. It limits your thinking. It keeps you trapped in time. You wrongly hope that earthly solutions will work when the crisis comes up. They have never worked and never will work because the earthly solutions are on the same level as the problem. In The Esoteric Path to a New Life, Mr. Howard tells us, “One of the great secrets of the esoteric path is your ability to escape from time…. we can be free of psychological time and live entirely in the present.” We must see the reality of this for ourselves, which can be done.
     Periodically we get e-mails from people requesting that we Zoom our classes. This is where you film a conference via video camera. There are dozens of Apps such as GoToMeeting, Google Meet, Skype, WebEx, Zoom, etc. that allow you to video a meeting that a person anywhere in the world can watch in real time with their computer, tablet, smart phone, TV, etc. We will not do that. We do understand that there are students whose circumstances limit their ability to travel, but we also know there are quite a few people who could make the effort to visit New Life and come to some classes, but who choose not to. People are basically lazy. In this world today everyone wants everything to be handed to them on a silver platter with the least amount of effort on their part. If you want the rewards of the higher life, sacrifices must be made. For example, fear, anger, frustration, depression, any kind of negativity must willingly be given up.
     You can also go against the fear and resistance and give up some of what you call your precious time, energy, money. Vernon Howard did not make it easy on anyone. He said, “You must come to where the Truth is.” We had to be moved to go to where the pure Truth was being taught and not the other way around. Vernon Howard or any true teacher does not need us, we need them. In There Is a Way Out, Vernon puts it this way, “Everyone makes the same mistake. He tries to substitute his personal course for the cosmic voyage.” This isn’t a self-improvement class. It’s all about seeing what is actually and factually going on. Seeing beneath the surface personality to know what people are really like.
     I personally made some trips to Boulder City, Nevada where Vernon was teaching before I eventually moved there to attend his classes full time. I did not have a lot of money and wasn’t sure how I was going to make a living, how things would work out, etc., etc. But something in me knew that if I really wanted help, I needed to go where the oasis was. Over the years there were many people who moved to Boulder City to study with Vernon, and they too had to go through challenges, life changes, etc. Not everyone was financially strapped like me, but they all had to deal with difficult circumstances to make the move.
     For those who may not know much about Boulder City, Nevada, it’s about 30 miles from Las Vegas. It was built and used as a base camp to house the 5,000 workers who built Hoover Dam. It has a harsh, desert environment. Temperatures in the summertime can reach up to 115°, which I personally experienced. So physically speaking it wasn’t the most comfortable place to live, but we didn’t move there to enjoy the weather, though it could be enjoyable. It all depends on your state of mind. However, the cosmic weather and atmosphere were fantastic.
     Over the years I have watched and studied many people and have observed that humans are very adept at making excuses, finding reasons why they can’t do something, justifications for choosing not to make the effort to come to class, rationales for not endeavoring to follow instructions (the rules), to consciously go against themselves (the lazy false self), etc. There are also students of truth who have made and are still making incredible efforts to come to a class. God is very aware of all these things, and we are and will be rewarded handsomely if we have a right attitude and a contrite, humble spirit. This is all very real.
     But evil never stops working on gullible humans and is constantly at work to keep new people from discovering these teachings. It also keeps working on long time students to lead them away from the teachings and the classes. It will use the areas in which we are the weakest to attack us. It will threaten our physical existence for instance. Since darkness has no conscience, it will do absolutely anything to deceive us, like bringing up past follies to create feelings of guilt and regret.
     In Freedom from Harmful Voices #80, “They stir up memories of unpleasant events in an attempt to distract and discourage a spiritual seeker.” It will whisper to you that you are being disloyal to your religious upbringing or conditioning. It will try to convince you into believing you are responsible for all the ills of this world, which is a horrendous lie.
     The interesting thing in all this, if we will notice it, is that the false nature always wants us to feel bad. Notice how human nature always focuses on something wrong, something that must be overcome. Our original nature is happy and content. It doesn’t have problems. Troubles do not exist in this higher nature. Just ponder this, if we were normal, we wouldn’t feel guilty and we wouldn’t feel bad. Wouldn’t that be marvelous?
     Truth tells us we can understand all of this and much more.

     One of the most difficult things for people studying these teachings is to learn to see the difference between the intellect and awareness. You’ve heard people say, “I’ve heard that before.” They’ll read something out of a Vernon Howard book or listen to a lecture or watch a video and retain the facts with the mind, believing they fully understand it and that they need not explore it further.
     There is a gigantic difference in seeing something with direct/pure perception and knowing something from memory. Awareness is a million miles above ordinary thought. You can logically arrive at a conclusion about something, but it is only being done with the mind. We must see much more deeply and that can only be done with the spirit.
     In The Mystic Path to Cosmic Power, Vernon puts it this way, “Another great help is to see that alertness in exterior affairs has no connection with psychic-awareness. Exterior abilities are on the mental plane; psychic skill is on a higher, spiritual level.” There is a way to perceive the true spiritual state of others, but it requires us to relax and to allow something to silence the super active mind.
     This will happen of itself if we truly want to understand. We simply see clearly. The discernment comes because there exists a part of us that is tired of being deceived, tired of paying the price of being asleep and there develops within us a sincere wish to really understand what is going on. Because people have made the intellect their ‘god,’ they destroy themselves and everything they touch. This is not too strong of a statement to express. It’s simply a tragic fact.
     I cannot emphasize enough how critical it is to wake up and to see things as they actually are and not how our vivid imaginations portray them. It really is exciting to get a glimpse into another world. It will not be scary as the mind insists; it will be truly exhilarating.
     The mental part of us will fight and defend itself when it feels threatened. People have very strong beliefs about all sorts of things. Beliefs reside in the intellect. And so, thinking they are us, we become attached to them and insist they must be fiercely protected. Truth tells us this is not necessary. Truth is telling us we should be living in a state of awareness. In The Mystic Path to Cosmic Power, there is also a section that explains awareness. Here is part of it, “Awareness brings understanding, because there is no condemnation or identification but silent observation.”
     It’s hard for the way we are presently made up to fathom that one can stand apart and see everything from a completely fresh viewpoint, a perspective that isn’t encumbered with pain, problems, prejudices and burdens. Almost every human being on this planet thinks and feels and believes life is one awful event after another. Why is the news filled with negative story after negative story or one tragedy after another? People love to pass on bad news. Baseball isn’t America’s favorite pastime, complaining is.
     Why is it we don’t want to see things as they actually are? Because we are complicit in the pain game. We love our pain. We refuse to see that we are part of the conspiracy to keep it going. Recently in our class in Pagosa Springs, one student related an encounter they had had with a friend. The friend was telling the student all about a specific problem of hers. The student tried to say a few truthful things to help, but the friend couldn’t grasp what was being said. The following day, the New Life Daily Quote service posted a Vernon Howard quote which gave the perfect answer to the problem. It couldn’t have been put any more clearly and succinctly. But the student was unable to pass it on because in all likelihood, the friend wouldn’t take it rightly. It was so far above her present mental level that there was no way she could comprehend it. This is a perfect example of how human beings don’t really want help; they simply want to unload their problems onto someone else by talking about them. They actually want to keep them so they’ll have something to complain about.
     This type of insight into human nature is absolutely essential. We must give up our fantasy view of this world, that people are basically good, that they only have our best interests at heart and so on. We believe that just saying or thinking positive things about something or someone constitutes the actual state. We haven’t as yet seen the difference between this make-believe world and conscious awareness of reality.
     In the book Inspire Yourself, Vernon puts it this way, “Man fails to see that thought is useful only for everyday tasks, such as conducting business. He tries to use conditioned thought to understand the whole of life, which cannot be done. Only in a state of simple awareness, which is above thought, can he be one with himself and therefore one with all of life. Thought cannot comprehend the whole, for it is but one part of the mind’s total function.”
     I personally will be forever grateful for being led to Vernon Howard. He was an extraordinary human being. These are not just words of praise, but an actual fact. He was extremely tough on what was wrong with us, but at the same time was able to uplift and energize the right part of us. You see, truth can see beyond the facade, the fake front that human beings put on pretending that everything is fine.
     Only truth can truly care because it sees things from a completely different vantage point, one where zero self-interest is involved. Truth is prepared to give us everything if we’ll surrender the false personality and all of the negativities associated with it.
     Effort is required: short term, long term, persistent effort. It’s like learning to play the piano. One learns the scales first and has to practice them. You then learn a simple song like Chopsticks and so on. What is required to learn to play the piano well? Persistence, patience and a love of what you are doing. It’s the same with the truth. If you are genuinely interested, you will be rewarded.
     Truth never fails to come through for any really sincere truth seeker. It includes every virtue known to man. It supplies every spiritual need that a man or a woman seeks. It is love. It is fulfillment. It is happiness. It is understanding. It’s everything a man or woman wants. There isn’t anything it can’t do.
      If you decide to take the journey to another world, to give up your negativity, pain and suffering and to understand these things more deeply, I recommend getting the new MP3 CD, The Truth About This World that was recently made available and is for sale in this newsletter (page 4) or online at www.anewlife.org.
     The greatest reward that any human being can discover is found in these teachings. Vernon Howard emphasized this is the greatest gift ever given to mankind. If we follow the spark that brought us to these teachings, we will not only find freedom from the misery and madness of this world, we will also be given eternal life. Truth guarantees this to be true. Vernon Howard once told us he wouldn’t trade what he discovered for all the worldly wealth a human being could accumulate on this planet. This world has nothing of real value to give you.

     In 50 Ways to See Thru People, Vernon Howard states, “Seeing is freeing.” The problem is that our seeing is clouded by stupid ideas, ideals, beliefs, sentiments, opinions, assumptions, and other things which originate in the mind. None of these things has anything to do with reality. They are all formed in imagination. The dictionary defines imagination as the part of the mind that envisions, fantasizes, imagines things. That means they don’t actually exist. They are fictitious but we believe they are substantive and real.
     The mind is incapable of understanding anything spiritually. It can only distort or interpret the truth. It can form opinions but again an opinion is an idea that is believed to be true or valid without positive knowledge. As long as the intellect is king or queen there will be no peace on earth, nor will there be a lasting solution to personal problems.
     As long as we cling to ourselves there can only be suffering because we are holding onto something which requires a defense. When you take a position on something, its opposite will invariably appear. And the appearance of the opposite always leads to argument, dissension, a fight or something negative or catastrophic and we end up paying a heavy price for our stubborn inflexibility. We’re like a dog with a bone. Have you ever tried to take a bone away from a dog? You’re fighting a losing battle.
     God wants us to see. He wants us to be happy, unafraid, in charge of the universe. What was your immediate reaction to the phrase ‘in charge of the universe’? How can that be possible? Yes, it is possible. If we are in command of ourselves, of our mind, our emotions, our body — then aren’t we in charge of the whole universe? We must honestly inquire if these things are in charge of us or if we are in charge of them. If we observe our physical, mental and emotional movements at all, it will become obvious that they are pushing and driving us, not the other way around. We must start loving the Truth more than we love the neurosis, the sickness. If we are afraid of anything, we love fear more than we love God.
     One of the things you hear a lot about in the world today is the high incidence of insomnia or the inability to sleep well. It could be an overactive mind with thoughts driving you crazy and not allowing you to fall asleep or worry about something that keeps running over and over again in the mind or maybe it’s even external influences affecting the ability to relax and rest. The world, meaning human beings, take advantage of the problem and offer hundreds of solutions. Some of them are so-called natural remedies with herbs, others are prescription-related, some are man-made inventions such as special mattresses and pillows, all of which for a certain price will do the trick.
     Vernon Howard tells us there’s only a spiritual solution to all human problems. One night, it occurred to me to do something different. I was moved to read something spiritual before going to sleep. I noticed that my mind had been super active and there have been things going on in the world which I didn’t comprehend, but there was a wish to understand. So I picked up Powerful Guides for Spiritual Freedom and began reading it.
     Something in me loved what Vernon was saying in that guidebook. It made perfect sense. It explained the madness that is going on in the world today. There was no resistance to what was being read. A part of me was absorbing the pure truth which put my mind at ease. In fact, it was far above the mind. It chased out the frantic thoughts and left me with calmness, which is not part of the wandering mind. Interestingly enough I noticed that after putting the guidebook down I quickly went to sleep. I wasn’t being hounded by my own thoughts and feelings any longer.
     Here’s something else which we need to observe. Have you noticed how the world, lost and depraved human beings, always have to be stirring things up? Their restless spirits and thoughts are always causing trouble. They are never happy about anything. Nothing is ever right. There’s always something wrong. They can’t stand peace and quiet and order. To put it another way they are seriously disturbed. But as the expression goes, it’s the nature of the beast.
     In 50 Ways to See Thru People, #40, Vernon Howard states, “Anger cannot be logical, tears cannot be calm, fear cannot be perceptive. This means you must see thru people who try to lure you into an emotional whirlpool.” Look at all the things going on in the world today. What a perfect opportunity to use these practical, powerful and beautiful truths, to put them to work for us so that we can rise above all the lunacy. Do we want eternal life, or do we want hell? Most people prefer hell.
     Something you should find beneficial is something we recently covered in class in Pagosa Springs. Everyone reading this article right now should be extremely grateful that a place like New Life exists and that Vernon Howard fulfilled his purpose here on earth. This planet that we live on is a staggeringly evil, filthy place. The odds of someone actually seeing this are astronomical but you and I can. Human beings have been so brainwashed they can’t even begin to fathom the depravity of most humans. A few have, which is good news.
     Human beings can’t stand peace and quiet. They say they want harmony and security, but their lives prove otherwise. In Pathways to Perfect Living, Vernon Howard states, “With mental and physical relaxation, listen to what it is trying to tell you, for it is good news.” God is trying to get thru to us all the time, but we prefer to remain in fear, stressed out, tense, fussy, irascible, grumpy, bilious, touchy, etc. You see it’s fun to see how all these different negative states connect to one another plus you can expand your vocabulary.
     Vernon told us we’re supposed to ‘meet life with skill.’ We were meant to be able to handle all situations that life throws at us. It’s like a baseball player who expertly fields his position. We can learn to do the same. Vernon Howard wasn’t born into this world awake. Through hard work, a sincere wish to understand, tremendous effort to go against the false nature, by not running away from difficult challenges, he succeeded in conquering this illusory world both within himself and out there. Just as Christ and a few others have done while here on earth, he proved it can be done.
     That should inspire and rightly excite any human being who has an ounce of sincerity in him or her or is simply sick and tired of being fooled and hurt by living from their lying, deceitful self. In There Is a Way Out in a section entitled Cosmic Inspiration it was put this way, “Rightness is not on the level of influence. Rightness resides on the loftier level of cosmic inspiration.” Wouldn’t it be fantastic to feel the whole power of the universe behind you? What a relief it would be. Truth guarantees us we can feel the pure, refreshing and permanent energy and presence of God if we’ll just follow the instructions of these teachings and stop allowing the darkness and deception of the mind to trick us. We must obey cosmic laws.

     Everything I’m about to talk about is 100% verifiable by anyone who wants to discover the Truth for themselves. In fact, if you really want to wake up and go beyond ordinary knowledge, these things must be seen and authenticated by you individually. Then you can know for yourself that there is truly an invisible spiritual world that exists. In fact, “The inner world is the only real life that exists.” ¹ When you stop living in imagination it will be revealed to you. “There is something far superior to fantasy, but you must begin to drop the myth-man … the error must be detected and dropped before the right reveals itself.” ²
     The great pain in our lives is not knowing what to do with ourselves. So, we accept the dictates of society and willingly allow the world to entice us into taking part in ten million wrong things just to fill up space, to occupy time. There are numerous sources that will gladly supply us with something to do with ourselves. We allow the Chamber of Commerce, that group or organization or club, that cause, that sports activity or that advertisement to lure us into distraction after distraction, many of which drain our energy and empty our pocketbooks. How many times do I have to buy the new shirt, the blouse, spend all that money on the expensive dinner or whatever it may be before I see that these things will not relieve me of the empty feeling inside?
     Say that you finally got that position or person in your life you so desperately desired. You swallowed the propaganda whole and seemed to be ‘affirmed’ by having the new companion or being on the receiving end of the flattering comment. Before the flattery, you felt that no one noticed you or even cared that you existed. In reality, they still don’t! But if you were a truly happy and content human being, it wouldn’t matter if no one noticed you or if everyone knew who you were. In reality, the flattery neither confirms nor invalidates you.
     These are delusions which we foolishly go along with. A delusion is defined as a belief that is persistently held despite evidence to the contrary. In The Answer, Vernon puts it this way, “Fantasy takes over and persists as long as we have little or no knowledge as to our true purpose in being alive here on earth.”
     As long as we put the rewards of this world before Truth, we will continue to feel pain, be shocked, be disappointed, get knocked down and to suffer unconsciously. An extremely important part of our work is to start to distinguish between daydreams/ imagination and reality. “Fantasies, being fantasies, are always in danger of being attacked, exposed, hurt, threatened, jabbed, accused, jolted, persecuted, haunted, ignored, isolated.” ²
     I was sitting in a local establishment drinking coffee recently and watching the parade of people come in and out. There were young and old, but they all had something in common. They were all terrified. Why were they terrified? Because they didn’t know what to do with themselves.
     Some felt threatened. Some were clinging to one another. Some were immersed in their smart phone. All were living from ideas about themselves. Even their way of dress said something about them. Some wanted to be noticed. Some had piercings in odd places. Some had tattoos. Some had dyed their hair green, red or purple. God didn’t do a good enough job with their physical bodies, so they had to decorate, embellish or mutilate them. It was 4 degrees outside that day and one rather burly man came in with a short-sleeved shirt on with no jacket or coat! This is not an exaggeration.
     But the most astounding thing I saw was that every single one of them was living from the same emotions. Fear, pretense, anger, hostility, anxiety, defeat, nervousness, arrogance, phony confidence, etc. It didn’t matter what their age was or what they had done outwardly to appear unique, they were all the same inwardly. This is the way all human beings live and that’s why human beings suffer so terribly.
     Everyone you meet is wearing a label or sign saying, “This is who I am.” The image can reflect a so-called positive trait or a so-called negative trait. The label appears real and solid, but it isn’t. Because we are lost spiritually, we are destined to carry the weight of the world on our shoulders.
     Everyone is bluffing. Haven’t you known someone in life who is very successful, has lots of money, is able to travel the world, has a family, rubs noses with the rich and famous, etc.? And maybe you’ve gotten to know them a little and you’re able to look beneath the surface to see they are miserable and in a lot of pain. And on the other end of the spectrum, we also must see that the ‘nobody’ suffers as well.
     As long as you and I live from the same place internally nothing is ever going to change. The younger generation can try to create a new reality different from previous generations where everyone is ‘woke’ and will spend their lives righting all actual or perceived wrongs and injustices of the previous generations. But nothing has changed within the essence of human beings. They still are living from the same basic concealed lost natures and almost no one sees or is aware of it at all.
     Changing the exterior changes nothing. “Imagination, which plays the role of Reality, must be dissolved by steady effort on your part.” ² What we fail to see is that these acquired behaviors of falling apart when something in life doesn’t go our way or when we suffer a ‘tragic’ loss or when some other kind of catastrophe occurs outside of our ‘control’ are not real. They are part of the fantasy life we’ve been living. We’ve been dreaming we’re awake when we’re actually lost in imagination or thought. No matter what label we slap on ourselves, we’re still the same inwardly.
     One thing that is helpful is if we can get past our initial quick reaction, our conditioned ideas or stereotyping, and just see people as they actually are without the filters. Somehow, I must learn to suspend the immediate mechanical response. If I can see past the scowl or the smile, the defensive or offensive posturing of the other person or the effusive compliment someone gives me, I’m stepping outside the circle of fantasy. Personally, this never happens to me, but I recently saw someone walk up to someone else and say, “I haven’t seen you in ages and you look marvelous.” The other person completely believed it, puffed up and said, “Why thank you and you look fantastic as well.” They are both charter members of a mutual admiration society. If someone falls for that, then they’re also going to fall for the nasty insult.
     Each of us has a set pattern or way of viewing things and doing things that is unique to what I call ‘me.’ It is an accumulation of everything that has been learned, picked up by this ‘me’ over the many years I have been living here on this earth. This includes the way I self-reference everything. Also included is the stupid belief that I think it is necessary for me to suffer, to feel bad, to be enraged. It also comprises how I should act when I’m around other people. So all these many things are an unconscious burden which limit me, upset me, make me ill-at-ease and cause problems with other people. This all has to be seen through by us.
     Everything changes when we change. Then we are no longer tied to our false nature. We’re released from all our phony belief systems and conditionings. We see the lie that our trials and tribulations are real. When we change, we begin to understand that none of these things are really happening to us. Vernon Howard once put it this way, “There’s nothing to do, there’s only something to see.”
     Once the process begins, if we are genuinely sincere about these things, over time we will be shown things. It happens of itself. It’s nothing that you do. It’s not an intellectual endeavor. One day you’ll be sitting at work or at the dining table with other people and it just comes to you. You become free of everything. You are calm, you are relaxed, you can say something or not say something, participate in a conversation or not. There’s no pressure there and you know exactly what to do. You no longer have to think about it, and you are no longer adding to the madness of this world!
     Vernon Howard puts it this way, “You will see how Light and darkness contend for possession of your life, and you will see that all you need to do is give your consent to the Light, after which it does for you what you could not do for yourself, that is, it will win for you.” ²
     This only happens on Truth’s terms, not on your terms. All of this is real, but we must see this for ourselves. If we will stay the course, these teachings will breathe new life into us and give us everything we’ve ever truly wanted.

     ¹ A Treasury of Trueness, Chapter 5, Your Bright Future in the Real World

     ² The Answer, Letter 3

     In July of this year, a Secrets of Life quote was posted from Vernon Howard’s book Your Power of Natural Knowing. The gist of the four-paragraph quote was that, being insecure as we go out into the world, we put on costumes that are artificial, unreal and have no relationship to what ought to be our natural state. We do this because we don’t know what else to do. We believe the costumes are necessary for our very existence. These are the roles we have assumed in order to live a fictitious life which we imagine will make us happy.
     What almost every human being on earth does not see is that these costumes are unnecessary. The inherent nature of the costume is a lie. We have been fooled into presuming that the eventual result is what we want and what we need. For example, if I get the ‘perfect’ job it will make me happy. “I will be set for life.” “This is going to do it.” “My struggles will be over.” Remember, this is what you are being conned into unconsciously believing. It is imperative to see the truth of this.
     Let’s take another example. I say, “If the right person comes into my life, that’s going to make everything perfect.” “Everything is going to be hunky-dory.” Whatever I say to try to convince myself that this is going to do it won’t work because it’s not real. It’s just another costume I’ve put on. Human beings come up with thousands of so-called answers or contrivances to try to be happy. Notice how these schemes always fail and how the next thing is always waiting in the wings to be pursued.
     Vernon Howard stated, “A costume is something that is artificial, that you put on uselessly, for the purpose of trying to feel good fortune of some kind.” The role of being a good person, a positive person, a successful businessman, a world class athlete, a helpful person, a loyal person, a loving husband, wife, parent is simply a role. You’ll never be able to prove you are any of these things because these qualities do not exist where we are presently living. For instance, as soon as the person who you proclaim to love does something that you don’t agree with, what happens to the so-called label of love?
     You convince yourself that if you invest in this particular stock or piece of property, you’ll make a fortune. What actually happens is that a thought passes through your mind and you grab onto it. Of course, Truth doesn’t say not to spend or invest your money wisely. But if your motivation is coming from greed or if you think the action will provide you with power or ‘security’, it isn’t going to work. Real security cannot be found in earthly rewards or endeavors because their very nature is temporary. Nothing of this earth can provide you with something permanent, only Truth can do that. Vernon Howard states, “Insecurity is a mental condition, not a condition of finances, friendships or sex.” (A Treasury of Trueness #262)
     You see, even if you acquire the things society tells you will lead to a happy, fulfilling life, like the $10 million dollars or the nice big home or the family, they will not bring permanent rest and contentment. It is not in the nature of money, people, experiences, events or memories to be able to provide that. They simply can’t do it.
     And if we aren’t intensely pursuing the Higher, only disappointment and bad things await us. It’s the nature of the beast. Christ said, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you.”
     Have you ever had this happen to you? You meet someone for the first time, and you have the distinct impression that they can’t possibly be this ‘nice.’ They say things that are over-the-top, like they’ve heard so much about you and how wonderful it is to finally meet you. You detect that they’re actually a big phony only pretending to be friendly, loving, kind, thoughtful, etc., etc. Again, this is a costume they’ve put on.
     And when you don’t reciprocate or go along with their phony act and repeat the flatteries, watch how, underneath the surface, they secretly flip-flop to the opposite state of hostility. If someone is not truly genuine, they have no choice but to go from over-the-top praise to secret hostility. You simply know that they know nothing about you and have no awareness at all of what they are doing.
     I recently went to a Chinese restaurant for lunch. It has decent food, it’s very reasonably priced (under $20 for two people) and you get a 3-course meal. You also get a fortune cookie at the end of the meal with a check too. On this particular occasion, my fortune said, “Generosity and perfection are your assets and they show.” I bought it hook, line and sinker. My wife was with me and she just heartily laughed.
     There is so much more to these teachings than anyone can possibly imagine. They will explain everything about life if we are receptive to the message. We can learn to not take ourselves so seriously even though this is a very serious matter. We can start to truly have fun and begin to realize what we’re actually supposed to be doing with our lives. Then life genuinely becomes satisfying. As we slowly stop hurting and deceiving ourselves, it won’t be possible for us to be deceived by others either.
     Recently I happened to look out a window at our home and observed a doe and small fawn. The doe was eating vegetation (deer are vegetarians) while the fawn was investigating its new world. It noticed a set of table and chairs and was very cautious approaching it. It wasn’t sure what it was and wondered if it might pose a threat. It then noticed a large rock off to one side and got spooked. It sprang back to mama for safety and security. She would protect it from the big bad rock. The young fawn did not yet recognize that the rock represented no threat to it.
     The doe knew there was no danger lurking nearby and wasn’t concerned. We have yet to fully recognize that truth poses no threat to us. It is simply trying to show us that pain and suffering is a hoax. I was once privileged to be at a business meeting with Vernon Howard present. He was quietly observing the small group of people in the room when quite suddenly he exclaimed, “You are being hoaxed and don’t know it!” I have never forgotten that moment as it still rings true to this day. It was shouted from the stars.
     When are we going to let truth break through our thick heads, our obstinate ways? We believe we know better and that’s why we suffer. Everyone thinks they know what they are doing and none of them know. But we can know with God’s help.
     Vernon Howard once told us, “Listen to me, you can do this.” (A Treasury of Trueness #2027) It’s wonderful to hear those encouraging words because though we don’t often admit it, we have taken negativity and defeat to be a necessary part of life. All these things can be verified with an ounce of self-honesty and a sincere wish to understand.

     A memory came back to me recently about one of the trips that was made to Southern California in the early 1980s. Vernon Howard periodically would go back to give talks at different locations in the southern part of California. His family had moved there when he was a boy from Massachusetts. When he grew up in LA it once was a beautiful physical location. But as time went on and LA was developed it has been consumed by what has been called progress and much of the natural beauty has disappeared.
     I was in my early 30s at the time and was full of adventure. It was my first trip to Southern California. I was looking forward to experiencing this new quest and seeing the Pacific Ocean for the first time in my life. I rode with someone else in the class who was going to the outside talks by Vernon. He was a little older than me and had agreed to camp out on the beach. I had a two-man tent and thought nothing of sleeping out under the stars next to the ocean and most important of all is we would get a chance to hear Vernon Howard speak in a different setting amongst unfamiliar faces. I was ‘pumped’ to say the least. That term wasn’t used back in the early 1980s. Suffice it to say, I was very excited.
     The talks were being held in Laguna Beach, California so we decided to stay in San Clemente State Park, which is south of Laguna Beach. It was still okay to camp out on the beach back then. You didn’t need a permit and it was safe. You could even leave your tent set-up with sleeping bags inside and other belongings and it would still be there when you got back from going out to eat or to the store or to the lecture or wherever.
     Anyway, it turned out that a storm came in off the ocean that night and it rained heavily all night with wind and crashing waves. There was no danger but it was pretty nasty out. There was a fly sheet for the tent, so we stayed dry. My spirits weren’t dampened from the weather but the other person with me hated it, didn’t get much sleep and reacted negatively to the circumstances. When we got up the next morning at the crack of dawn, I vividly remember that he empathically pronounced, “I’ll pay for a motel room. I’m not sleeping out here one more night.” Obviously, he wasn’t one to rough it or endure the somewhat uncomfortable living conditions.
     I don’t remember what we ended up doing but I suspect we got a motel room as he was the one with the vehicle. At the time I wasn’t developed enough to not let his state affect mine. However, the talks that evening by Vernon made it seem like the episode out on the beach was nothing. I completely forgot about it as inspiration from on high helped break any residue of previous reactions.
     In fact, I got another valuable lesson when Vernon assigned me to be a greeter outside in the rain in the parking lot of the edifice where the lectures were being held to watch for late comers to the meeting one night. I was fine and I had brought a poncho to wear to stay dry but my mind was in conflict because there was a part of me that wanted to be inside to hear the talk.
     We had driven all that way from Boulder City, Nevada, camped out on the beach and “I” was instructed to be outside in the rain while the talk was going on. The lesson was, I was still in the vicinity of truth, there was tremendous energy and help being sent to me. Vernon even came out before he started the lecture and said something to me and gave me some instructions to lift my spirit. But my mind was telling me to feel pain, be bothered by my fate, that I was missing out, when all I had to do was be in the present moment, be aware and watch for anyone who showed up late for the talk. It showed me we have a choice to remain divided and tormented or we can do something different, even though I was unable to do it at the time.
     On a talk I listened to recently, Vernon said, “Change your views toward yourself and you change your nature. Change your nature and you change your behavior. Change your behavior and you change your destiny.” (New MP3 CD — Something Higher Than Ideas, Talk 1 — See page 4) What a great fact. If only we would listen to this cosmic fact. It is an absolute certainty that I can change if I will follow these words of wisdom.
     What I was really doing in the parking lot and what the other person was doing at the beach was complaining. Our work project for the entire year of 2019 is to “Stop Loving Complaint.” To be more concise “Stop Complaining.” Also in a talk entitled “Let the Bus Take You Home” (DVD 26-1 or Blu-ray 9-5 — See website to purchase), Vernon instructs us to ‘unlove complaint.’ The whole lecture is about complaint and why it is so detrimental to our well-being. In the dictionary complaint is defined as an expression of dissatisfaction. We’re unhappy about the way things are, so we gripe or whine about someone or something.
     Now, I just have to start catching myself complaining. I have to see it clearly and the seeing of it will begin to shine the Spotlight of Attention on it so that I will see how it is causing me great pain so that I can eventually put an end to it. I simply see the harm it is doing to me and end it or the light will put an end to it for me. Vernon in this same talk poses a question to us, “Did you notice how your complaints did nothing for you?”
     It takes time for Truth to correct the damage that has been done but we must also have a sincere wish to want to change. We have spent a lifetime of complaining and we’re not just going to give it up overnight. It’s the same with any harmful negative trait that presently exists in our life. We have to see that it is negative and harmful to us.
     In the Fall newsletter of 2016 (New LIfe News PDF file), I made mention of a particular issue I was having with my back and that I had gone to see a chiropractor. An x-ray was taken of my spine and neck in April of 2016 and another one was taken recently to see if the adjustments and treatment I have been getting have made a difference. By comparing the two x-rays side by side you could see the changes that have occurred since beginning the adjustments.
     There was a dramatic difference in the two x-rays. The chiropractor was very pleased by the progress made. If I hadn’t gone to see her I would more than likely be looking like the hunchback of Notre Dame plus have some other serious health issues. She made a very interesting comment to me: “See things can change and progress can be made with proper treatment and your willingness to be treated.” The proof was in the x-rays.
     Life takes its toll on the human body over time, the general wear and tear, etc. Living with the false self, the negative nature all those years drains the life out of people. It destroys the human host. If we will observe ourselves and others, we will see the damage that has been done and is still being done from anger, guilt, resentment, complaint, jealousy, revenge, fear, worry, and all their negative relatives. We have the ability to observe and end this tyranny. Just like the x-rays showed the damage that had been done over the years so too can insight into ourselves show the progress that can be made from the proper application of these truth principles.
     An astonishing difference can be made in anyone’s life who willingly goes along with truth’s efforts to help them; to take correction with a right spirit and to have a right attitude. To listen in spite of voices inside which loudly protest. A genuine effort must be made to go against the false self which objects and proclaims its dominance over us.
     In Psycho-Pictography there is a list of the Four Golden Keys. They are: 1. A sincere desire for inner change (a man must really want to be different). 2. Contact with workable principles (we must beware of counterfeits). 3. Self-honesty (be brutally honest with yourself in order to separate truth from falsity). 4. Persistence (a man must persevere).
     If we truly apply these four golden keys, our lives will wonderfully change. The truth will begin to dissolve all these negativities for us and all will be well.

     Vernon Howard would periodically quote the New Testament and remind us “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.” In other words, there is no middle ground. You can’t sit on the fence. If we remain undecided we have decided to remain ambivalent. In other words, having mixed feelings about someone or something; being unable to choose between two courses of action.
     I remember when I was a teenager my father once got very firm about a particular matter with me and told me, “There’s no gray area. You can’t have it both ways.” There can be no neutrality. We either love the Truth or we hate it. You either get it or you don’t get it. You’re either for me or against me. It can’t get any clearer than that.
     We all have to make a choice. Most people have made up their minds. They have chosen ordinary life over the higher life. In this work you cannot remain impartial toward it. There can be only one loyalty. It’s either right or wrong; good or bad; real or counterfeit; truth or falsehood; heaven or hell.
     One of the things I love the most about this work, these cosmic facts is the definitiveness and directness about them. Vernon Howard was never wishy washy or confused or unsure of himself and it was not contrived. It was for real. There is a way we can live our lives where there is never any uncertainty about it. God intended us to be absolutely sure about everything.
     We are still fooled by appearances. We still think people are nice because they smile at us or turn on the charm or have perfected the act of being friendly. People in the retail business have to be outwardly cordial because they want your business. They have been trained in business etiquette or customer service or have learned over time it’s probably best to be pleasant when doing business if you want someone’s business again. In some cases, you may not want their business again. But it’s a rehearsed or learned behavior with an artificial motive. You want something from somebody, so it automatically puts you in a compromising or trading position.
     The whole point of this work is to become real. If we’re unnatural we suffer. Recently I was paying for my breakfast and the waitress commented to me, “That lady was rude.” I didn’t know who she was talking about but she said she tried a few times to be ‘nice’ to her but she did not reciprocate. The waitress was bothered by the woman’s unresponsiveness. So she set herself up to feel wronged. “If I’m nice to them, they should be nice to me in return.” So I’m going to feel bad because they did not have the appropriate response. Do you see how we do it to ourselves?
     Vernon Howard frequently instructed us to be consciously pleasant, not because we want something from somebody or that we’re trying to achieve a desired result, but simply because it is our natural state. It’s the right thing to do. It’s not good for me to be a perpetual grump.
     In summary it is imperative that we start seeing through the superficiality of people. We are neither the grump nor the phonily cheerful one. It’s time to see human beings are masters of mendacity/duplicity.
     All right, here is something marvelous and very high that I came across recently from a talk given in July 1980. “There’s no way you can think your way back to the Father’s house because the Father’s house is without personal thoughts. When you understand this, the thought structure collapses and with its collapse you ARE back home.”
     When Vernon Howard spoke about being back home, it represents a safe place, an unshakeable inner locale where nothing can disturb or phase us. He once put it this way, “Disorders are healed when lifted to a higher plane of thought than the plane which caused them, for on this higher plane we cease to interfere with the healing.” * It’s above the mind. If we stick with these teachings long enough, we will start to see for ourselves what all this means. It comes to you. The healing occurs by embracing the Truth.
     Recently I was pulling and removing thistles on the property. Here in Colorado it is an invasive species. If allowed to they will take over and push out native species of plants. They have spiny stems and thorny leaves which can be painful if pricked by them. The thistles know they aren’t welcome so will sometimes grow next to a rock or under some other kind of bush or vegetation making it more difficult to extract.
     You can spray them with poison or you can do the more labor-intensive way which is to remove them manually. You want to try and get the root out which can be as long as the part of the plant which is seen above ground. The best time to pull them out is when the ground is damp or wet or embedded in softer soil. Wearing heavier work gloves you pull them out from the base of the plant. If they have grown in harder soil you may need to use a pick.
     It can be tedious work depending on the number of thistles. Mechanical and negative thoughts can be likened to thistles. Bad habits are, as well, like thistles. They need to be removed or they will destroy our lives. They will make life miserable for us if allowed to multiply and must be gotten rid of.
     If we are unconscious and unaware of their existence they go undiscovered and do their damage surreptitiously. So what we first have to do is spot or become aware of negative thoughts and feelings and recognize the damage that is being done. We feel bad. That’s our job. Negativity is an invasive species to human beings. It is not normal. God did not make us with negativity. It is something that we have acquired from other undeveloped biped beings on this planet through imitation.
     So through right effort on our part we can begin to see clearly what must be done. We can refuse to go along with the negativity but we must first detect it. We must see it as negative. Complaining is negative. It is a thistle. Confusion is negative. It is a thistle. Being resentful is negative. It is a thistle. And so on.
     Clarification comes as a result of right effort. There has to be a conscious wish on my part to want to understand. God wants to help us but we must allow him to do that. My interference is getting in the way. The intrusion is my incessant unconscious thinking. An incredible point that was made is “… the Father’s house is without personal thought.” This is a huge clue we’re being given. Let this cosmic fact do its marvelous work to help and heal us. It will if we will acquiesce.

* A Treasury of Trueness (#194)

     Typically, most people take care of their physical bodies. They brush their teeth, bathe, wear clean clothes, etc. or at least you hope they do. Animals certainly have enough sense to wash and clean themselves. Birds take baths in streams, cats and dogs and squirrels groom themselves and various animals do different things to preen and take care of themselves in that way. We know that personal hygiene is a good and necessary thing. We also know that the body needs to engage in a certain amount of physical activity and movement to be healthy too.
     Our parents feed us and pick out foods for us to eat, hopefully nutritious, so that our bones, muscles, nervous system, brain, immune system and other parts of the body grow strong and healthy. At a certain point in our physical development we must start making decisions for ourselves in choosing our own food, determining what we’re going to wear, etc. We try to choose nutritious and balanced foods, but obviously some of these choices are prompted by budget constraints in younger years.
     There are other things which need to be nourished as well, the mind and the emotions. We go to school, hopefully to learn something practical and help us deal with life’s daily challenges. It used to be described as the 3 r’s, readin, ritin and rithmetic. This phrase was said to be introduced in 1795. If you do a little research, you will discover that the second ‘R’ at one time was reason and third ‘R’ was probably reckoning. Reckoning was a Victorian term for mental arithmetic and had been in use as such since the 14th century. Today it’s the 3 i’s, iPad, iPhone and IT (Information technology).
     God also put into human beings a fourth element, a yearning to discover why we were put here on earth. Vernon Howard put it this way, “Something in you yearns for goodness and permanence.” * Another way to state it is that our inner nature is waiting to be transformed through conscious effort on our part. Remember, “There’s nothing to do, there’s only something to see.”
     There’s so much more that needs to be understood about what’s really going on. Here is a clue which can help us understand. In Pathways to Perfect Living, * Vernon states it this way, “A false society has imposed upon you a false conscience which chains down your natural happiness. By rising above society’s falseness with trueness to your own nature, artificial conscience can neither exist nor pain you. True conscience springs from your recovered essence and is the same for all who live from essence.”
     As the damage that has been done to us begins to be undone, it frees us from the burdensome weight and interference of the false self and conditioning from all the years of feeding our mind and emotions with wrong data, faulty information and misleading phony religious, moral codes and ideas. If you put trash in, you’re going to get trash out. How can faulty conditions exist outside of a faulty mind? Get rid of your faulty thinking and you get rid of all of your problems.
     It’s like trying to tune in a distant radio station but there’s lots of static and interference from all sorts of things of which we’re simply not aware. As we get closer to the source or the storms move away, the signal becomes clearer and stronger. Eventually we can hear the message perfectly. The dial is then set to harmonious, Heavenly, Truthful or Cosmic wavelengths instead of negative, moody, distorted or dark forces frequencies.
     In a fabulous talk I just recently listened to, Vernon said this, “Being good is a need, it’s not just a virtue.” * We need water, we need food, we need activity, we need a roof over our heads, we need warm clothes in the winter and so on, but we need Goodness above all else. Deep down we’re looking for something that will not betray us or let us down. That something exists. All of these truths are provable facts that can be verified by anyone who is willing to accept the unvarnished truth and who wants real happiness, not the counterfeit variety that this society is offering.
     Recently I was in the local Post Office to pick up a package. While I was waiting a customer came up to the counter and knew the lady who was helping him. He asked her, “How are things with you?” She responded, “Pretty good.” I observed by the tone of her voice and facial expression that she really wasn’t good at all. She wasn’t happy. She just said the mechanical, programmed and expected response in that particular situation. People reveal themselves all the time. They show what they’re really feeling and thinking. She has chosen that state. She is unaware that a higher way of living exists for her. She doesn’t know she could be wide awake while answering the gentleman’s question without annoyance or any other kind of negativity.
     We have said we want something different. We have said we want to stop making wrong choices and getting into trouble with ourselves and others. We start by seeing how we unconsciously make demands of this ungrateful world. We are demanding that we think we should be treated differently and that somehow, we are owed something. We are also insisting that other people should act differently. Even though I can act immaturely, others should behave intelligently, they should be more mature. How can they do this if they are like you are? Vernon put it this way, “What you do is what you are.”
     We’re neglecting something. We’re failing to see what we are really like. Can I honestly begin to admit without any self-condemnation that I’m lost? “All lost people are loaded with hostility.” That I’m not a nice person. I’m not a happy person. In the same talk I alluded to earlier, Vernon gave an incredibly uplifting and positive fact if I can accept it, “Consciousness of your badness dissolves it.” How marvelous. Aren’t you excited when you hear a beautiful statement like that? If you want to put it this way, there’s real hope. There’s a real opportunity for me to see that something higher exists above this sick world and my mad mind.
     There’s a pre-requisite though. You have to love what you are hearing. Your old nature doesn’t and can’t love it, but the budding new nature can. “Your essence is happiness itself.” Another incredible, dynamic, living, true statement.
     There’s something that we can begin to see for ourselves and that is, besides the human body that we inhabit, there is a spirit. It was just referred to above as essence. It’s something that God has put into human beings, but it is not developed. It needs nourishment just like the body does. So, we’re either doing one of two things — we’re uncovering it or we’re neglecting or even damaging it. We’ve been given the chance for understanding and we’re either doing the right thing or we’re doing the wrong thing with this chance. If we begin to see ourselves and others in action, it becomes easy to see what the consequences of those actions are.
     The existence of the essence within cannot be proven or disproven intellectually. It’s a spiritual matter and it is real. You can see and feel the energy of it. If we must use a word to describe it, that word would be intuition. The dictionary defines intuition as the ability to understand something immediately, without the need for conscious reasoning. But it’s actually more than just intuition. It’s much more. It could also be called pure perception.
     As we begin to grow up spiritually, start to wake up from psychic sleep or unawareness, and catch all these negativities inside of us, it will become clear to us what must be done. It is imperative though that we observe all of these things for ourselves. See the hostility. Notice the price paid — the loss of energy, feeling awful or whatever the aftereffect is that inevitably comes from doing wrong.
     If we’re separated from God, from Truth, there can only be anger, resentment, fear, hypocrisy, irritability, worry, rage, desperation, emptiness, loneliness, etc. These are the consequences of not following cosmic laws.
     All of my wounds and problems are self-inflicted. But I have to affirm that by own personal observation. As long as I remain solipsistic I will continue to pay the price. But the good news is that something can be done about our faulty thinking. It can be transcended. “We can win over the world by not being a part of it.” * We can also defeat what now defeats us.
     If we follow all the truths outlined we will experience a feeling which is out of this world.
     I highly recommend listening to the first talk on Vernon Howard’s Higher World *MP3 CD Volume 30, Track 1. It is loaded with gems of wisdom.