Jeffrey Brown's Blog

Obedience, how do you become obedient? You guessed it, sacrifice. They work in tandem. In order to understand the essential, innate nature of sacrifice let's look to where it matters most. The family. It is within the family where sacrifice of one's desire is learned--child's to parent's desires, parent's to child's needs, spouse's to spouse's desires and needs. Looking at sacrifice within the family, we can see the great merit, honor and purpose of sacrifice beyond its use for mere financial success. Keep in mind that in order to be truly successful, one must concentrate on inner qualities that will reflect outward to the material world.

In saying this, I am reminded of Neo in the movie The Matrix, the one, the great sacrificer, the messiah, if you will . His focus is on the family, the human family, the greater good. In an attempt to save all those in the Matrix, he is willing to put his very life on the line-freedom, liberty, his main purpose not his personal comfort. These words invoke such names as William Wallace, Martin Luther King, Gandhi, and George Washington.

In order for Neo to succeed, he has to believe in himself first. Upon his visit to the oracle, to see if he is "the one" chosen to free the people enslaved by the machines (machines using human electromagnetic energy to power their cities) he asks the Oracle if he is "the one."

(I've edited or taken out some lines to clarify my point.)

Oracle: I'd ask you to sit down, but you're not going to anyway. And don't worry about the vase.

Neo: What vase?

Oracle: That vase.

Neo hits the vase and it crashes to the ground.

Neo: I'm sorry.

Oracle: I said don't worry about it. I'll get one of my students to fix it.

Neo: How did you know?

Oracle: What's really going to bake your noodle later on is, would you still have broken it if I hadn't said anything?

Oracle: So, what do you think? You think you're the one?

Neo: I don't know.

Oracle: But you already know what I'm going to tell you.

Neo: I'm not the one.

Oracle: Sorry kiddo. You got the gift, but it looks like you're waiting for something.

Neo: What?

Oracle: Your next life maybe, who knows? That's the way these things go.

What it comes down to is belief and continual obedience to that belief that you can succeed, that you can get it done, that you can overcome, that you are the one to get the job done. Neo eventually believes, so much so that he is able to destroy the previously untouchable agents-the bad guys. He believes so much (overcoming the conventional-the matrix) that he is able to do amazing, unheard of things within the matrix: fly, fight hundreds of agents (Smiths), know what's happening before it happens.

In subsequent films, Neo's faith and his exercising of that faith creates such strength he is able to fight the machines in the real world, outside of the virtual world. To a great degree, he is motivated by needs beyond his own. By including so many others in his desire to succeed, his motivation is millions times greater than if he were merely attempting to accomplish a desired outcome that solely benefits him.

Herein lies the secret to success. Find others you can help, tens, hundreds, thousands, millions, each multiple inspiring and strengthening you in your purpose. But maybe you don't think you have what it takes. You say, "Well, there's' only one Neo." (Actually, there's been six Neos, according to the Architect in The Matrix Reloaded.)

But an important question to ask is does Neo have a unique, innate ability that only he possesses? A superhuman strength? Or is it simply his ability to consistently and obediently apply his faith through extreme difficulty and fear that enables him to succeed, excel, and exceed others? How many potential Neos are out there in the real world? Are there a finite number only because they have unique strength and motivation? or are we all Neos who merely lack the proper patience, faith, and obedience to our inner will or knowing?

What about you? Do you have the ability to believe and the obedience needed to consistently follow the path needed with the faith required to build your strength, to build your world, creating greater purpose, meaning, importance in your life, eventually reaching out to many others, to reach down and lift them, unplug them from the matrix that is sapping their energy, robbing them of their lives?

Only you can know for sure if you have the desire, faith, guts, support, imagination, faith, obedience it takes to be a Neo, one of greatness. Bottom line, do you choose to be an observer, plugged into the matrix used by others, or a doer, a Neo saving millions of worlds without end?

Fear is the crippler of all effort, toil, and want.
It resides like a virus in our cells, waiting,
herpes zoster forever present,
begging for release to shingle its home complete,
a place safe and secure for friend fear.

This willful act, this retention many will not admit to
for their fear goes deeper than even they know.
It keeps them too busy to examine death-demystifier
of reason for being-until deep in its throws.

Never knowing why amongst considerable accomplishment
their unhappiness grows until wrapped in the revelator's
ultimate knowledge, found only in death's throws.
Its message too expansive to do any good when found this late.

Fear, a plan to keep death's revelation in check,
most letting it take them never knowing that with
unexpected ease they could break its neck.

But fear thrives at the hands of extensive positioning and marketing by media,
needful politicians, the ignorant and imaginatively lame helping to grow its power and fame.

Don't wait until death to learn of its lesson galore, for comfort was never the reason for life.
It is a fruitful basket waiting to be filled with peaches and plums ripe for the taking.

The fruitful to take you on unimaginable flight of insight garnished by eons of light, light dancing, light playing, light wanting,needing to fill the void; yet faith in self not the Creator keep most gifts desperate to be given rotting on the shelf,never seen, never tasted, never felt.

To overcome you must turn to the lion's neck and face its roar. Turn to the lion's neck to raise your gaze to his quivering chin.

Now prepare for more . . .

Turn to the lion's face, embrace it. Simply.
Turn to the lion's face, embrace it, embrace it, embrace it to turn up your gaze to bear in on its eyes to see the depth and billions who cared not to face their demise, those feeding upon billions of lies.

Put a hand gently, calmly upon each side and embrace it lovingly to feed back its roar. Firmly.
Two fisted in full fledged stationary flight from fear and
Scream, Scream, SCREAM!
Fear . . . no . . .
Fear . . . never . . .
NO! NEVER MORE!

I was just thinking the other day that a lot of people have dreams, dreams they hope to accomplish, a few they have accomplished, but statistically most will die with dreams unfulfilled.

Personally? I no longer have dreams. They are all gone, for all my dreams have been realized. I wanted to become a sports hero, did it. Wanted to be a rock musician, did it. Wanted to become a standup comic, did it. Wanted to be an author, am one (working on book #7). Wanted a loving wife and kids, got it. Wanted to move away from my home in Connecticut to test, try, push myself beyond, waaaaaaay beyond my comfort zone to grow in character, strength, purpose, and to prove myself, did it (I moved to Boston alone, no family or friends totally shy and withdrawn, after four years moved to Los Angeles and fifteen years later, I am exactly where I need to be).

I've overcome shyness, serious introversion, suicidal tendencies, hopelessness, laziness and pointless living, depression, addiction and have moved on to live a life complete and full of purpose, moving forward ever and ever closer to the ideal of spending every waking moment doing exactly what I want to do in a fruitful, purposeful, giving, living, life of great joy, joy, joy.

Yes, Stimpy, even real beings can mean it whole heatedly and say, "Happy, happy, happy, joy, joy, joy."

But to get there was not easy, fun, or something I'd EVER want to do again. Thank heavens we're only here once ;=)

But as we grow, the universe is helping us to become bigger than our problems--issues and problems that used to take us down now bounce off us like bullets bouncing off the Man of Steel.

Yes, ladies, sing it as a reality not merely a pep song to turn away the fear:

"Oh yes, I am wise
But it's wisdom born of pain
Yes, I've paid the price
But look how much I gained
If I have to
I can do anything
I am strong (strong)
I am invincible (invincible)
I am woman"

Men, just put your sex in the lyrics and go for it. Singing . . .

That's it everyone, like you mean it!!!

Yes! This is purpose defined. Yes! This is joy realized. Yes! This is where we all can be and should be.
I'm not a leader? I'll never be rich? I want to just be comfortable? I'm not smart? I'm not important? I'm too lazy?

What lies? What evil? Root out the source of such evil lies and get on with your greatness and glory, get on with your bad self . . .

No child left behind? What of us adults? My newest slogan, "No adult left behind" We should all find great and true joy, joy, joy in our lives. There is no reason or purpose under the sun that we can't, for it is all a matter of mind over matter. Not just a cliche here either, for I and thousands of others have done so. But we want EVERYONE to join the club.

Just Do IT! (Thanks Nike)

But how? Let's not just cheer lead, let's get to brass tacks (I prefer platinum, myself ;=)

Find where you are wasting time. Find where you are lacking energy. Find where you are merely accepting what you believe to be "fate." Find where the white light / white heat burns, turn to it, take it in, and live there. Discover what ever it takes to overcome pointlessness, uselessness, negativity, misery, depression, anger, stupidity, ignorance . . . all emotions negative and deflating.'

GET THEM OUT!!!

You are not your alleged weaknesses and shortcomings. You are bigger than them.

YOU are in charge of how you process life.
YOU are in charge of how you deal with adversity.
YOU are in charge of whether you are happy or sad.
YOU are in charge of waisting time.
YOU are in charge of digging up hours to excel and exceed.
YOU are in charge . . .
YOU are in charge . . .
YOU are in charge . . .

God bless and may you shine, shine, shine . . . to personal betterment, brining along all who are exposed to your ever expanding and purpose laden star.

Burn sister, burn.

Burn brother, burn.

"Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light."

Shine on you crazy diamond . . .

Shine on!

(Brought to you by better knowing beings not listening to the lies and deceit of all verbal downers pushed on us by those looking for ratings and greater profit. Smash your television. Burn your newspapers. Delete and block all Internet naysayers of ill-will and malicious intent. Burn out the dark to bring on the light, light, light, light . . . the only RIGHT. Peace!)

Sure, it's great fun signing up for all kinds of on-line groups, chatting, gaming, wii-ing, xboxing, socializing, keeping up on all the details of your favorite team. It's fun reading outside your niche-market, reading for leisure, reading for intellectual stimulation, on and on.

But what of responsibility to self? Family? Country? Building a future? If we waste too much time doing things that are simply easy, fun, and frivolous we will encounter some serious death-bed regret. What of lying there with gasping breaths stating simply "Less Xbox, gaming, sports, frivolousiteeeeeeeeeee. . . " thud!!!

Discipline, focus, commitment, organization, dedication, supplication to purpose and drive, drive, sacrifice, drive, drive, drive are the only elements or self-coaching statements that will gain one a happy, joyful, fulfilled life, for all of us want more, but way too many of us want it now without the effort, dedication, and sacrifice needed.

No one ever gained more by doing less. It is a universal principle that sacrifice, dedication, effort with a little bit of disappointment (maybe a lot) thrown in for friction and adversity makes one a happy person. And it’s interesting to note that the majority of the successful had to either wait a long time for success or saw success come and go before they learned how to hold onto it for dear life, mostly out of experience that rubbed reality in their face causing greater commitment, focus, dedication, vigilance, and sacrifice.

It’s amazing the amount of leisure we have to give up to get going in the extreme. If you want big happiness, big success, big freedom, big reward you’ve got to be willing to make big sacrifices, sacrifice of body, mind, time, emotion, the physical, emotional, and material, all combined.

So next time you sit about to delve too deeply into leisure (we all need downtime but four hours a day in front of the tube?) think about all that it costs.