Vacation Planning 101 (Summer)

September 20, 2005 at 11:52:40 p.m.

Time is getting close when you may be working on the details for a summer vacation, so it’s time for us to remind you to get your Geographical Locator
Map. The map is made for you only and will cover all your most positive and most negative areas in the U.S. If you plan on going to Europe you can get
a Locator map for that area also.

If you order your map before June 30, 2003 you can take a 10% discount on the price. You can also take a 10% discount if you order two or more maps
as you would for a couple or a family situation. No other discounts can be used with this offer.

We know how exciting it can be to take off into the wild blue…but quite often you end up in a terrible place with difficult people and outrageously
bad accommodations. Your Locator map can’t guarantee the food and shelter except to assure that you will be in the proper locale in which to enjoy yourself and that usually means that all amenities will be of the best level for you, too.

For details, price and discussion call the office at 972.447.9092.

‘Dear God’ Thanksgiving Prayer

September 20, 2005 at 11:50:53 p.m.

Dear God;

I wonder sometimes how you put up with me and all the other people who call upon you only in times of need, but hardly ever in times of celebration. I am so grateful for your patience and understanding and know that, if I would but try, I could express the same to all that I meet. I am ever mindful of your infinite wisdom and thankful that it expresses in a quiet tolerance that allows me to experience life in my own way. I am happy in the understanding that, although you hold all knowledge, I am allowed to search and discover in my own way and at my own pace. I appreciate you leaving me to my own devices and methods, so that the thrill of discovery is never diminished or impaired and becomes a lasting part of personal wisdom. I thank you for the opportunity that I get every day to grow and expand in mind and consciousness; and for allowing me to make my errors and accept my victories, for in them I find my identity and my reason for being. Thanks too, for the people who have crossed my path. Some have been warm and loving and some have been hostile, but all have shown me that goodness and mercy comes in all sizes and shapes. And most of all, thank you for granting me the experience of self awareness. Without that I would never understand the warmth of the sun or the brilliance of a winter’s day, nor could I comprehend the wonder of a child’s smile. I know that I don’t come to you often enough, to sit silently in your lap, but when I do, there is always room for me there and your comforting arm is always around me. I am so thankful that I am your child, and right or wrong, your love for me never changes. Thank you for welcoming me back home once again on this Thanksgiving Day. – GT

Spring (2003)

September 20, 2005 at 11:49:26 p.m.

The onset of spring rains and warmer days always pulls my thoughts back to my childhood. My mother would have us haul the small rugs outside and for the next hour we would beat the winter dust out of them. Windows would be washed, inside and out, wood floors and steps would get a good polishing and anything that seemed to have any residual of winter would undergo a transformation powered by lots of elbow grease. Most of those rituals have vanished through the use of modern machines and better methods but what has remained (almost intact) is the need to clean up and clean out our sluggish body system that has withstood any number of snow storms and unwilling treks in freezing weather to the market for kitchen essentials.

Even old systems have good ideas impacted in them and although we are much more active in winter now than decades ago, the call to Spring cleaning still resounds in our memory.

With this in mind it is time to shake out the metaphysical carpets and throw off the heavy winter blankets that still seem so cozy even as the fresh breeze calls us outside. It is time to let our mind and spirit, still groggy with winter stories and pictures, move out to embrace the fresh air of spiritual adventure and inner blossoming.

To give you that necessary boost, we are offering you a special Spring discount of 10% on any service except the Life Reading. This includes any service that requires phone time with Gregge which is rarely offered anytime during the year. THIS SPECIAL OFFER WILL END ON MAY 20, 2003.

This Winter has been difficult for most everyone what with world events pressuring us every day and conditions not normally a requirement, pulling us to service above and beyond our normal responsibilities.

So, gather up your wet snow shoes, worn parkas, bulky scarves and knitted hats and put them away while we meet your current needs with bright and helpful guidance to make this a bright and happy Spring.

Call the office at 972-447-9092, Central Time 10am-4pm to talk over your needs and make an appointment. Your time with Gregge will be like a breath of fresh Spring air and written reports that you need will serve to guide you all through the year. – GT

Restraint (2001)

September 20, 2005 at 11:47:47 p.m.

It used to be (way back when) that the purpose of the media was to inform. Over the years that was changed “to excite.” And now, it seems, its purpose
is to “panic.” You can’t sell newspapers with good news on the front page nor can you acquire sponsors for TV shows that present our daily times with truth and calmness.This being said, my object is to answer the ongoing question of “what to do” and how does one live within this panic oriented society. In metaphysics the answer is “restraint.”

As our economic conditions have undergone change over the past year and the unemployment rate has gone up and corporate chicanery has come full circle, the average person has been inundated with “news” that is bleak and unsupportive. But it is hard to avoid the propaganda and most everyone is
thinking of belt-tightening and cutbacks. That approach is wrong!

Common sense restraint is good logic. Metaphysical restraint is self destructive. The laws of the Universe are there to maintain balance and
harmony of action. Those issues or acts that disrupt the norm are met with an equal counter force to bring all conditions back in accord. Lack is met
with abundance; fear is met with courage; worry is met with faith; weakness is met with strength; and apathy is met with action.

As individuals we are not in control of the national economy, but we are in control of our individual space in that economy. Whatever conditions
surround you must be adjudged on the basis of your own belief. If you are afraid to spend and begin “pinching” you will cut off your potential flow of good. If you worry about tomorrow you will set negative forces into action and tomorrow will be ugly. If you believe that you are a victim of economic circumstances you will imprison yourself in your own mind.

Remember that you are a co-creator with the Universe. The force of creation is within you and at no time are you not moving with your hand on the
throttle. If you are going to apply the brakes your abundance will come to a halt. If you open up the throttle carelessly you will surely fly off the
tracks. Restraint is the governing force is both cases. Remember, the Universe does not over-create nor produce lack. It is always moving
forward – with omnipotent intelligence and restraint. Your mission is to move along in harmony with it – GT

Responsibility

September 20, 2005 at 11:43:54 p.m.

There is no question that our language contains some words that simply strike fear in our heart. One of them is responsibility.” Finger pointing or the letting-god-take-the-blame game is rampant in our society. I think Harry Truman was the last president we had who admitted that the buck stopped here – meaning the oval office. Seems that ever since then the exercise of pointing at someone else has risen to an art form.

I am always reminded that Nature is our day to day code book and everything we need to know, or understand, is contained therein. Following that thought, we do not find anything in Nature that is passing the buck. No tree blames another tree because it itsn’t getting enough light or water. Everything does its best and moves on.

Finger pointing and blame finding is an exercise in self degradation. We are not born accusers, it is a learned negative habit and one that proliferates as it is used. Self honesty is one of the highest levels one can attain to as a human being. Willingness to assume one’s resonsibility is the key to that attainment. No one is ever going to be right all the time. Making “mistakes” is as natural as breathing and is seldom earth shaking.

The Law is simple. Do your best; let the chips fall where they may and; get on with your life! – GT

Renew Versus New (Spring)

September 20, 2005 at 11:42:15 p.m.

Soon I will look out the window and see the pink blossoms on my peach tree. My neighbor’s line of crepe myrtle trees are beginning to show buds that will soon blush lavendar and white. My herb garden was planted over the weekend, so my passion for cooking will not go wanting for that special flavor that really turns an ordinary dish into a gourmet presentation. In short, Spring is about to burst on the scene. This is the time of year that most of us look to Nature and see everything in a state of reawakening.

We think of Spring as a time of renewal. But the word “renewal” is a contradiction in terms. If something is new it cannot be renewed. The very meaning of “new” is that which has not been produced before. But “renewal” is simply the act of remaking a condition that has existed before.

In metaphysics, repetition is considered one of the most negative of conditions. The reason is simple and obvious if one would but watch Nature and the surrounding Universe. On close inspection it becomes apparent that the Universe does not renew but rather is always moving forward and manifesting that which is truly new! The blossoms on the peach tree are not the blossoms of a year ago. The grass on the lawn comes up and covers the yard, but each blade is completely different from the grass of last year. Nothing in the Universe renews. Everything begins its own life in its own place with its own purpose.

Within this truth is a great metaphysical lesson. Humans are creatures of habit. Repetition is not only a major characteristic of our make-up, but we even strive to follow previous patterns. We are experts at “staying between the lines.” And, therein lies our downfall. By failing to make an experience new we recycle ourselves into stunted growth patterns. We fall out of sync with the Universe and produce boredom instead of development.

A marketing survey taken some years ago revealed that the two most effective words in advertising were, “new” and “free.” Why should this be so surprising, since “new” is the very word that automatically unlocks our basic Universal longing for improvement and development.

If you’re in a rut, sit down in some quiet place and start saying “new” over and over again. Watch what happens. Your body will feel as if you are throwing off constriction. There will be a sense of expansion. You will feel lighter, happier and more anticipatory. When you finish the exercise, there will no longer be a feeling of being stuck. Instead you will find yourself looking for something to do, seeking out a new approach and feeling confident that a positive pathway is in front of you. – GT

Rage And Regret

September 20, 2005 at 11:40:32 p.m.

One can hardly pick up a newspaper or magazine without coming across an article on rage…airline rage, road rage, mall rage, whatever. It is an emotion that has grown to disease proportions and like any disease it is killing some of us.

Rage is not anger. Anger is an emotion that belongs in our bag of reactions that help us identify danger and, in some instances, prepares us to protect ourselves. In most cases, anger tells us what our belief factors are and defines differences from others that we are not willing to incorporate into our own makeup. Although anger can be destructive it usually does no more damage than increase our internal stress levels and debilitates us by using our vital energy resources. But when anger becomes rage we have a more serious problem.

Rage is anger out of control. When we are angry we are never far from the point where we can subdue it and bring it under control. But when anger crosses over the line and enters the realm of rage we have no way of keeping it within the parameters of self discipline. At that point we are subject to any number of dangers both to ourselves and to those around us. Physiologically rage interferes with the normal communication between body cells. Most worrisome is its effect on brain cells and consequently in the commands that the brain issues to the rest of the body. This lack of controlled communication produces a chaotic effect within the physical system. Muscles begin to reflex in uncharacteristic ways and the whole body takes on a dangerously aggressive stance. Often the individual will look for some kind of weapon to use against another person or he will attempt to harm the other person with his hands in an uncontrollable assault. The thought processes cease to function and the ability to understand right from wrong is vaporized. It is not until rage has receded back to the level of anger can an individual regain rationality.

By then the damage has been done. If there is no one there as a target then we have caused immeasurable harm to our own body which may even find its manifestation in a heart attack or stroke. If, on the other hand, there was another person involved, the result can run the gamut from the destruction of a relationship to physical injury or even death. In any case the result brings a flood of regret and confusion as to why we allowed our self to reach such an uncontrollable state.

The solution lies in anger management. We all become angry at one time or another but by learning what your limits are when you become angry you can learn how to manage the situation before it reaches the rage line. No matter how righteous you may feel about an issue it isn’t worth the risk to allow your anger to go beyond your self control. This is a self discipline that is not that difficult to achieve and one that might well keep you from the self destructive path of lifelong regret. – GT

Presidential Candidate Analysis 2000

September 20, 2005 at 11:37:29 p.m.

As we have done for the last 10 Presidential elections, charts have been run on each candidate and for the day of the election. Since the Vice President is automatically tied to the prime candidate, we do not make an analysis for that position. This analysis has no bias for party, candidates history, past performance in previous positions, political profile, personal convictions or other areas that a voter might consider. Our interest is only in analyzing the charts with a focus on potential performance if elected to the presidency. We do consider ability to head the government, get along with congress (whether regardless of who has control), and effectively maintain the country’s place in the global arena. Concurrent to that, we also make some evaluation as to fiscal reliability, in both national as well as international matters and capability in international actions for the good of this country and the well being of the world.

ELECTION DAY: Paramount in this chart is the very real possibility that voter turnout may be the heaviest in recent presidential elections and could possibly set a record. It is an aggressive type day with both parties engaging in very active programs to get voters to the polls. Despite this, many voters will decide at the last minute to vote, partly because of latent emotional response to either the candidates or what the voter perceives as vital issues. This, of course, will make early returns unreliable and last minute swings could very well change anticipated outcomes. Although there won’t be any statistics for this, indicators show a very large percentage of voters will come from the “intellectual areas.” Generally this will point to voters from the scientific communities and high tech industries and educational fields. Whether the vote from those districts will be significantly influential will depend upon how effective the “blue collar” vote will be. In the middle class and blue collar homes, most issues will reflect attitudes about health care and retirement issues. Both areas have “strong” positions in the chart. Also holding a prominent position in the chart are issues concerning the future effecting both the individual and the country. Voters will be looking for some element of security for their future in economic and workplace programs and how they see the candidates through that lens will have a strong effect on the vote. This may well be one of the most dynamic presidential elections since the 1940’s.

VICE PRESIDENT AL GORE: There are two overwhelming elements in his chart and they both deal with issues of changes and vacillation. No doubt he wants to move ahead and will push for legislation and actions that put the country on the leading edge of social and economic change. But history has shown that the American congress is not known for fast closures and that can bring a somewhat bitter confrontation between the oval office and the gentlemen and ladies on the hill. What Mr. Gore wants is to see America in a high profile leadership role and it doesn’t matter to him in what category that manifests. The chart clearly shows his interest in science and he will probably push hard for budgets that reflect support of that area. Since scientific development often comes from military need, it would not be unusual to see a strong interest in underwriting military oriented research and development. The vacillation issue may be subtle and the American public is not privy to what goes on inside the the oval office, so very little of this characteristic will be available for public scrutiny. This being said, the chart shows that Mr. Gore can go through a number of swings on issues, moving from agreement to disagreement without much hesitation. That could leave us to wonder how influential his advisors might be if only for the fact that the Presidency is the chair where the buck stops. Personal fluctuation leaves the door open for intense input and we have to wonder if the loudest and perhaps last voice he hears will be the one he listens to. Of course, the upside is his flexibility and in times of crises that can often be what is needed most. He is not inclined to worry an issue like the proverbial dog with his bone. He can move quickly and impulse plays a role in the way he does this. He might well let his staff and advisors haggle the issue outside his door, but when push comes to shove the gavel will come down…for better or for worse. His economic profile is almost the opposite of everything else we have just covered. Here Mr. Gore moves deliberately, often agonizing over the issues. And it is here that he is most likely to revert to historical record or tried and true methods. It is in the economic area that he is most unsure and therefore most careful. Unwilling to take chances that amount to economic gambles, he will defer to those on his staff who carry the best economic track record. That might be just the balance necessary to keep the country from rocketing into economic outer space without having worked out a way to return home. But, as we know, someone has to prod congress into action and if not the President then who? Economic energy must come from the White House and extended deliberations on how to keep the country fiscally healthy cannot be chewed upon indefinitely. Action in the global arena does not appear as a strength in his chart. He is more likely to meet global issues by example, showing the world what this country has done, or is doing, and asking the global community to embrace similar action. He is not an FDR or Truman when it comes to playing a major role in a fast shrinking world. Certainly he has the persona but there can be some concern as to whether he has desire to be an active player at the global table. Here again, much may be left to his advisors and staff but with world issues so much of a daily front-page event, he cannot afford to take a non aggressive role; not if this country is to maintain its position as a world leader. International politics takes a politician of significant stature and savvy and we cannot find those indicators in Mr. Gore’s chart. Patience is necessary when dealing with other countries, and that is not one of his best characteristics. He wants to lead by dynamic example and perhaps that may be enough in a fast changing world. Certainly we face an undefined future and the qualities of international leadership that worked in past decades may fall far short when applied to the demands of the future.

GOVERNOR GEORGE W. BUSH: If the seat of the President of the United States is, as often declared, the most powerful position in the free world, then it is clear by his chart that Mr. Bush wants that seat. His chart is dominated by personal aggressiveness and a desire to exercise as much control in the office as the Constitution will allow. He is unwilling to take “no” for an answer and he and the Congress will definitely be on a collision coarse unless it is dominated by his political party. He clearly intends to put his mark on the presidency. He is less concerned about the issues than making sure that he advances those programs in which he holds a deep personal interest. That is not to infer he has no interest in what is good for the country, but once he decides that he has reached a decision that is factually supported, he will move whatever mountains that are in his way in order to bring his programs to fruition. Mr. Bush is very sensitive to his acceptance rating with the people. In some cases that can be an overriding factor in how he is willing to proceed. He is committed to being the good guy on the white horse. If the country is happy with that, he will be satisfied. But if the country is not behind him, he will take it as a personal affront and just saying that “I’m the President,” is not going to be enough. If necessary he will take his argument to the people, a la the Roosevelt fireside charts. This too can raise the hackles of congress and make the passage of his legislation much more difficult than it should be. His concerns for the future will be a dominant element of his administration, especially on issues that are clearly the topic of household conversations. Most common among these will be issues of health care and education. He has a vital interest in the well being of people, but so much of this focus is for action down the road rather than doing something in the moment. Promises, as we all know, are simply promises and that “sell” can wear very thin if not supported by hard results. The President must lead and although this is a democracy having too much of an ear to the ground can dilute the office and its effectiveness. Experience shows that you cannot please everyone and if he decides that personal popularity dictates his decisions we are in trouble. One of his primary barometers will be the economic health of the country. He is dollar oriented and few presidents of the past have had as much interest in the bottom line as he does. How will this play out with the chairman of the Fed? Mr. Bush is not likely to sit quietly by while the economic health of the country is manipulated by any agency not under his specific control. He views the economy as the essential icon by which other nations view us. Nothing is likely to make him more confrontational than having our economic status decline. This will have a significant effect on his decisions if we look “poor” to the world around us. For this reason he will push hard to insure that our standard of living is high enough that other nations envy us. Sounds good on the outside, but what will it take to make that a reality? Mr. Bush is a “cost be damned” type executive which does not necessarily include those elements that are thought to incorporate the rules of fiscal responsibility. He will bring the same aggressive personality to the global table that he brings to the oval office. That may not endear him to other world leaders. Every international problem needs an active dialog in order to reach solution and there has to be someone willing to lead that dialog. But sensitivity is an essential characteristic to whoever that person may be and Mr. Bushs’ personal interest to succeed may not please the other members at the table. The approval one receives at home is no guarantee that one will receive the same support in the world arena. Leadership is a virtue but without temperance it becomes dictative. He is certainly wise enough to learn that, which in a short time, can make him a major player in the international arena. – GT

Other Worlds

September 20, 2005 at 11:34:45 p.m.

Living in this world has never been easy. From the dawn of ages, mankind has chosen to turn life into a struggle. Love and spirituality has always had to fight for breathing space, and progress of the spirit has always been slow.

But it need not be this way. There is a method by which you can live with this world without suffering through its ills and confusion. It is possible to grow in a life that is threatened by cruelty, malice and greed. To do so you must understand this:

There is not just one world available to you; there is another world and you have the power to chose in which one you wish to reside.

The first world is the world we have come to accept as the only one we can respond to. It is a world of war, mundane laws, illness and violence. It is a world run by multi-national corporations looking only for profit and nations seeking only aggrandizement of their ideology. It is a world of business, partnerships, parenthood, institutionalized education, military
budgets, AIDS, drugs, criminals and prisons, panic reporting, poisoned air, fast foods, polyester and mindless television. In short, it is the world we believe to be real.

But there is another world, not of this kind. Its location is no further than a few inches beyond the top of your head and the tips of your fingers. It is a world driven by your will and manifested by your mind. It is private space that can be colored in rainbow hues or black darkness. You can give this space away letting the outer world flood in upon you. It is a world of choice, not a world of must do. It sees and hears what the outside world is doing, but it does not react. It keeps the outside world, outside. It creates to meet its own self expression, not to please the demands of others. It hates not, fears not, envies not. It accepts love of self as the energy of life, not the love of others as a life necessity. It creates to manifest its own self expression, not to receive praise or servitude. It is a world that you control, not a world that controls you.

You will not likely live beyond a century. That is not much time if you consider that the Universe is infinite. In such a small space of time each moment is exquisitely valuable. Each day is unparalleled with multiple opportunity.

Stop looking outside yourself. Don’t listen to the howling of the madmen promising riches. If what you hold in your hand is not created by you then it is alien to you and it cannot improve you. The secret of life is your power as a co-creator. If you fail to use that power it will be forced upon you in terms that are not for your benefit. It is not the gold that it claims to be but nothing more than painted rock.

Promise yourself that this year you will exert your power, grow in your individuality, expand in wisdom and reflect only good. Universal intelligence is always working…promise yourself that you will co-create with it! – GT

Nurses And Patients

September 20, 2005 at 11:32:49 p.m.

A wise man once wrote “The whole world is a hospital and you’re either a patient or a nurse.”

Perhaps at no time in the last two generations is this comment more appropriate.

When we think that the world around us has gone crazy perhaps it’s time to look at who you are. Are you the patient or the nurse?

Take yourself off to a public place. A local mall might be a good choice. Sit down on one of those very hard benches they supply for tired shopper and take a long, hard look at the people passing by. Which ones are the patients and which ones are the nurses? It’s really not that hard to identify one or the other. And, after you have made a few choices, look again. What are the characteristics that you see in each one. Are the patients limping, their faces frozen in some mask of hopelessness? And the nurses. They are looking around, for someone to take care of, someone who will give them applause for their good and compassionate services?

Is this too stringent a commentary? I think not, because self honesty is in demand right now. A new beginning, a new century. What better time to take stock and look at one’s self with unblinking vision.

Spiritual development demands honesty and a willingness to update ourselves without hesitation when the time indicates that we do so. Is there any better time of demand than now? Perhaps someone is looking at you and they see you as either the patient or the nurse. It will be hard to hide either one. Hard, that is, unless you remove yourself from both images. Being who you really are is the only way you can change other people’s perception of you. If you think it doesn’t matter you’re fooling yourself. If you think that the image in the mirror is neither patient or nurse, you’re also probably kidding yourself.

This is the first month of the year. Letting another month go by without an honest appraisel pretty much sets the tone for the year. Probably, in one manner or another, you lifted a glass on this past new year’s eve and toasted the new year and there is a good chance you will do so next December 31st. Will that be a toast the new, real you that emerged from the hospital of life, or will there still be a medical progress report swinging aimlessly from the foot of your bed.

Decide! – GT