Visionary leadership brains

As I've continued to ponder the implications of different dominant portions of our brains, this morning I realized how we are always providing visionary leadership. We cannot turn off our ability to LOOK FORWARD to the next experience, though the way we do it varies with how we use our brains.

Our limbic systems are predisposed to live in our past history. These instinctual brain functions memorize what happened, how it felt and a story to tell about it. This instant recall serves many valuable purposes such as:

• it keeps us alive when faced with life threatening dangers
• it replicates our genes when faced with sexual opportunities
• it repeats a success when faced with a familiar drill to execute
  

Yet this use of our limbic systems amounts to a failure of visionary leadership. When relying on our limbic system for guidance, we LOOK FORWARD to our past. We envision repeats of previous incidents. We set up with our expectations those re-enactments of familiar experiences. We create mental factories for the replication of the same old story and chronic anxiety. We say what we're worrying about.

Our left brains are predisposed to live in our present circumstances. These rational/logical brain functions dwell on what is happening now and what to do about it. This emphasis on the immediate situation serves many useful purposes like:

• it gets things done that won't happen by waiting, letting go or trusting a process
• it sorts out what is good/bad, acceptable/unacceptable, desired/rejected
• it opposes what appears to need a battle, enemy, objection or resistance

Yet this use of our left brains also amounts to a failure of visionary leadership. When relying on our left brain for guidance, we LOOK FORWARD to maintaining present circumstances. We foresee more of the same and maintain convictions that this is what is reasonable to expect. We say "no" to what we're insisting on persisting with a vengeance.

Our right brains are predisposed to imagine better circumstances. These creative/intuitive brain functions dwell on envisioned possibilities. This emphasis on the future serves a bunch of fulfilling purposes including how:

• it spawns innovations and advances in the world
• it inspires others to get creative and inventive
• it syncs up all the brain functions into a flow state

This use of our right brains amounts to effective visionary leadership. When relying on our right brain for guidance, we LOOK FORWARD to what's coming about. We foresee welcomed changes without knowing exactly how things will improve. We say "yes" to all that's happened and happening with confidence in the unfolding upgrades.

Aah. To be right brained, or not right brained, that is the question.

I think I can

When I was a young boy, one of my favorite stories was "The Little Engine That Could". The determined, little steam engine got up the steep hill by repeating "I think I can, I think I can" instead of listening to self-defeating thoughts. This proved to be one of the sources of my optimism and sense of adventure throughout my life. There have been numerous successes where I started out needing to "fake it until I make it". Yet now that I have more insight to reflect upon this, I see more to the dynamics involved than "thinking I can".

Most of us have experiences where we did not succeed. "Faking it until we make it" did not work like it was supposed to. In those situations, we know that we're a fake. The thoughts we attract avoid disrupting or contradicting what we know. We may suddenly think "I can do this" when subconsciously we know we'll be shown up as a fake. We may think "I'll succeed if I try hard enough" and end up giving up because no amount of trying disproves our premise of "I can't". We might also think we can overcome the obstacles and show others they are wrong about us, only to discover our reputation is "right on".

We also have experiences where we do succeed at 'faking it until we make it". In those situations we know we will succeed before we do. The thoughts we attract avoid contradicting our conviction about our imminent success. We will think "I can do this" and subconsciously know we're right. We may think "I'll succeed if I try hard enough" and sure enough, we do. We may think we can overcome obstacles and live up to our well-deserved reputation as someone who succeeds at what we set out to do.

There's another facet to succeeding by knowing "it's a can-do" that involves other people. If we are doing something for them, instead of ourselves, what they know can overrule what we know. If they know that "nothing works out for me like it should" while we know "we can do this and succeed", their tale of woe can win. However if they know we will succeed and we know that too, the success will come more easily than usual. Both of us will attract thoughts about what to do, how and when to do it. Moods, motivations and energy levels will show up as a vibrational match.

When we want to change "knowing we're a fake" to "knowing we will succeed", we may need a life changing incident. Mere thinking, affirmations and visualizations are "after the fact" -- attracted by what we know to be the fact. They are kept powerless from changing what we know. They seem convincing and apparently effective until proven to have no effect on what we continue to know is always and escapably true.

The alternative is to "not know" what the facts are. By returning to innocence, wonder and curiosity, there are no known facts to run the show. We can use our "beginner's mind" to start afresh. To overrule our past history, it usually helps to thoroughly capture the present situation as unfamiliar in so many different ways. We need to think 'this is different from last time" rather than "I think I can". If we think with questions like "I wonder how this will turn out", we mess up the known answers for "how it always turns out". We're free to be how we want to be.

Life changing incidents

Yesterday I drove a neighbor to her eye doctor appointment and reread "As a Man Thinketh" in the waiting room. The premise of that classic, little book is that "we attract into our lives what we think about, think of ourselves and think is true". As I've explored the Law of Attraction recently with those I'm mentoring, I've come to a slightly different understanding. It seems more accurate to me to say "we attract what we know". What we attract includes all those thoughts that come to mind. That gives the appearance of attracting what we think when we disregard where thoughts come from.

Once we know we can succeed at something, thoughts come to mind, opportunities show up in our world and we act accordingly. We make ourselves right and prove what we already know. We show ourselves and our world that we can succeed at this. We may also do the opposite by knowing we cannot succeed at this. We'll have thoughts of trying to succeed, justifying our failures, and changing how we vainly attempt at succeeding. We'll attract opportunities to go through the motions without a successful result while making a show of futile attempts. Again we prove what we know to be true. We are experiencing "life maintaining incidents".

Occasionally we experience "life changing incidents". What happened to us moves us at a very deep level. We change what we know "always and never happens" to us. We get a different belief about what we can and cannot succeed at doing. We see situations with different convictions, assumptions and expectations. We experience different thoughts coming to mind, feelings coming to our body and scenarios coming to our imagination.

Once we know this new possibility is true for us, we resume "life maintaining incidents". We prove to ourselves that this new deal is real. We convict ourselves with this new "fact of life". We experience how something always or never happens in light of this new certainty. We act accordingly and maintain what comes to mind, body and imagination.

Becoming vastly allowing

When we are aware that nothing need to be different than it is, we attract what we want at the highest level. Said another way, when we are vastly allowing, we are in the clear for the good stuff to appear.

When we are vastly allowing, we see how everything is changing. Nothing can remain the same, so whatever is so right now will be different sometime soon. By forgiving others for what happened, we are free to move on. By accepting what was unacceptable, we attract better opportunities. By including what was rejected, we find other dimensions to value, utilize or appreciate.

When things stay unfortunately the same, there is some interference to the changing nature of life. What we resist persists. What we oppose shows us opposition, not permission or validation. Life seems to be a mirror of the face we show it. If we face life with negation, it negates our desires, ambitions and intentions. If we show the world how it's wrong, we will be wronged by it.

This "returning of our outlook" creates a dilemma at first. The idea of acceptance seems to ask us to become doormats that get stepped on by others' wicked intentions. Taken at face value, becoming vastly allowing seems to suggest doing nothing about abuse, toxic behaviors, violations of rights or damaging conduct. There appears to be no way to take a stand against wrong doing without make it worse or more persistent.

When we transcend this dilemma, we practice non-dual awareness. We say "yes" to "yes AND no". We have no problem with having problems AND solutions. We have no resistance to allowing AND disallowing. We accommodate the accommodating AND the unaccommodating facets of our situation.

When taken as intended, becoming vastly allowing merely disrupts our reacting to appearances and acting based on our fears. We do nothing that would escalate, antagonize or perpetuate adversity. Rather we practice non-resistance that disturbs the cycle of abuse and deprives the vengeance of a target. We give permission to the ongoing change processes in the midst of bringing on different experiences. We foresee what will come about by allowing realizations to develop, outlooks to evolve and determination to lose heart.

Choosing our desires

Once we are aware that we are continually attracting our experiences, we then realize how important it is to immediately choose our desires. When faced with something we don't want to happen, feel, think about or anticipate, it's time to choose differently. The most likely sequel to what is occurring is a persistence or a reoccurrence. We perpetuate what we negate or appreciate by paying attention to it with no choice but to react. Choosing "no more of this" is not a viable option because of the insistence sought by our persistent attention.

When we take our mind off of unwanted things, there are two sources of desire to consider: our left and right brains. Our left brain functions neurotically. It seeks "symbolic gratification" of its unmet needs. It formulate desires that are superficial and impressive. The pseudo satisfaction that results sets up craving bigger acquisitions or more extreme thrills. The pursuit, shopping or search is more gratifying than the acquisition and use. The left brain is the proud sponsor of this shopping frenzy, over-consumption and excessive materialism.

Our right brain has access to the big picture. It's sense of "what to want" is in tune with all that is emerging and transforming in our complexly intertwined situation. The desires delivered by the right brain seem like a higher choice. They regard our needs as illusions because of how we really relate to all-in-all. Our fears are "false evidence appearing real". All is possible and we are creators in this state of mind. Our right brains' felt-sense is serene and purposeful. The satisfaction from the realization of their desires is authentic and significant. The right brain is the proud sponsor of harmony, balance and moderation in our lives.

Our left brains operate on the premise of our mortal existence. They assume we really die after a limited life span. They maintain a sense of fear as if the dangers we face are real. They believe in our past histories and linear conceptions of time. The desires that arise from these misconceptions are destined to be dissatisfying, desperate and problematic.

Our right brains support our eternal existence. They assume we are here for experiences using appearances that seem real. They operate on the premise of safety, freedom and forgiveness. They dismiss our past histories as mere illusions and explore the continual now moment. The desires that arise from these premises are deeply satisfying, spontaneous and compassionate to others.

In my experiences with these two sources of desires, I found it works best for me to be empty on the left side and getting filled by the right side. When I don't know what to want logically, I am inspired with desires via my intuition. By assuming my left brain desires miss the mark, I'm right on target by receiving from my right brain. If I want something based on fear, I lose out on deep satisfaction. When I want something in tune with my eternal spirit, it comes easily and satisfies me deeply in the now moment.

We always get to be right

Another way to explain how the Law of Attraction works is to realize how we always get to be right. No matter what we believe, we get to see that it's true. We continually create a convincing experience of what we think is right. However we change our mind to consider something else to be right, we change our world of evidence of how right we are.

When we make the Law of Attraction into something special, we may think it's not true and there's no proof that it works. We will then produce the evidence that confirms this presupposition, unaware that we attracted proof that "we are not really attracting anything". When we think the Law works for some people, but not for us in particular, we will create evidence of how inferior, unfortunate and powerless we think we are. If we think we succeed at attracting good things when we are giving, generous and caring, but not when we are greedy, selfish and mean-spirited, so it will appear for us to behold.

Once we realize, as I'm conveying right now, that there are many ways to be right, we face new choices. We can select which way to be right -- based on what we choose to experience. If our choice is wallow is self-pity, we will realize how right we are to think that as our thoughts and imagination are filled with convictions and our happenstance delivers some persecution. If our choice is to feel arrogant and superior to others, so it happens that what comes to mind and our world will prove our premise to be true. If we choose to relate to, understand and nurture others, we will attract opportunities to experience that and feedback about how we're succeeding.

With numerous experiences of observing whatever appears both inside and outside us, we realize the Law of Attraction is relentlessly successful. We always get to be right. We endlessly attract evidence of what we believe to be true. We create our experiences by our choice of which way to be right. The world we selectively perceive and frame with our own significance conforms to the command of our assumptions. So be it.

great systems - great people

Great systems attract great people. Likewise, highly effective people are attracted to highly effective systems. The attraction is mutual. They have much in common. The experience seems congruent, validating and meant to be.

Great systems extend beyond the boundaries of the formal infrastructure. They are inclusive of other contexts that unresponsive systems define as "none of our business", "off limits" or "beyond our capabilities. Great people extend their efforts beyond the limits of their job description. They find exceptional ways to serve internal customers, resolve chronic problems, and take initiatives to prevent breakdowns.

Great systems interact with the world as if everything is a system. Things are regarded as cycles and incidents are framed as developmental phases. Likewise, highly effective people are "in process serving other processes". They are immersed in how situations evolve, grow and change. They work with the ways things come back around, revisit the same issues and return to what was partially realized before.

Great systems respond effectively to changing pressures, demands, inputs and constraints. They incorporate enough complexity and receptivity to deal comprehensively with unforeseen stresses. Highly effective people also come up with great ways to handle challenges. The way they see the world and themselves in it gives them better ways to define problems, diagnose symptoms and value happenstance.

The interaction of highly responsive systems and highly effective people appears mutually reinforcing. The two dynamics bring out the best in each other. They effect each other in ways that nurture other contexts and make the world a better place. The spinoff effects from these virtuous cycles energize creativity elsewhere by providing a better example, raising new expectations and recognizing the exceptional contributions. The repercussions of this mutual responsiveness spawns contagious competence in other people and systems. The world finds the combination of great systems and great people to make a desirable difference.

Getting in the clear

When we're in the clear, everything we need right now will appear. If there's something we need to think about, thoughts will come to mind. If there is a scenario it's time to imagine vividly, it will show up when we're free to enjoy it fully. If there's some action we need to take, we'll become inspired to do it in a way that works out perfectly. Whatever we're in the process of attracting will gradually appear in a perfect sequence of a trustworthy process with great timing.

When we're clear that we're already receiving whatever is coming our way, we see what happens differently. We behold whatever falls short of a perfect end result as a wonderful intermediate stage. We welcome "previews of coming attractions" and "practice games" to get good at what we'll be doing before long. We value opportunities to get clear about exactly what we want to be, feel, and experience in the future. We have ways to use anything that comes along in the context of our being clear.

When we're in fear, we have no such luck. Everything we need right now avoids us like the plague. Our vibration attracts troublesome experiences. We think of worries, problems and dangers instead of the good we wish would happen. We imagine how things can go from bad to even worse deprivation, persecution or conflict. We feel frustrated by the evidence whenever fulfillment is taking longer than expected and seeming more difficult to attract. We pass up the opportunities to get more clear because we're not in the clear to receive whatever is next.

To change from being in fear to being in the clear, we need to "stop the world". Our perceptions of our personal history, individual identifies as well as time and space -- are all based on fear. We put a stop to all that by going into the now moment. We lose our awareness of our outer obligations and expectations. We enter our consciousness of inner peace where we find inspirations, intuitions and insights. We trust our being in the dark to see things in a new light. We welcome the mystery to be given a clue of what to do. We dismiss our past history to take this moment with innocence, freshness and a beginner's mind. We enjoy not-knowing what to think, do or foresee about our next move -- so as to get in the knowing that's given to us.

When being in the clear becomes a routine for us, we appear to be spirit-led by others. We follow our own flow of right timing, action and balance. We get a sense of how to proceed upon completion of any task by becoming still, receptive and aware. We simply do whatever comes about with serenity, grace and effortlessness.

Eye of the beholder

There are two ways to see what happens to us. One way works with the Law of Attraction. The other backfires. To create the experiences we want, we need to go one better than observing what happens to us. We need to choose what we see, frame how it appears to us or subject the objective facts to our viewpoint.

Most people appear to get stuck in some kind of misery, or as Thoreau said, living lives of "quiet desperation". This occurs by reacting to evidence and believing in objectivity. There appears to be no choice in the facts that are true or any options for how to feel about it. There is only one frame of reference that is valid: dealing with the objects as they appear at face value. Being a "victim of circumstance" with "feelings hard wired to happenstance" seems to be the right way to live. However, this is a ticket to misery.

Those of us apply The Law of Attraction effectively see everything differently. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, though not necessarily in the data of the scientific observer. We create our response to evidence by believing in our own subjectivity. What something becomes in our experience depends on what we make of it. It's our call how we take it to mean and let it in. We choose how we feel by selecting a frame of reference to apply to objective evidence.

Reacting to literal appearances forms a vicious cycle with no apparent escape from the subsequent misfortune. It's obviously not possible to "count your blessings" until some blessings show up to count. The blessings don't happen along because the attention is on the mention of obvious misfortune.

Creating a selective perception of evidence can form a virtuous cycle which attracts even more to delight in. Counting your blessings begins now by seeing the good, beneficial, valuable and responsive turns of events in current happenstance. Unlike vicious cycles, what appears does not mean it's going to stay this way or provide relentless torment. It means it's changing, in process and soon to be taking on a different appearance. It's good for now and getting better too.

There are two ways to take a subjective approach to happenstance. One way takes a shortcut that asks for trouble; the other takes the long road and gets what it really wants. The shortcut is taken by spin doctors and scam artists. The positive attitude is a cover-up for a contemptuous disregard, incessant ambivalence, or profound insecurities. The deep resistance speaks louder than the superficial pleasantries when attracting the next match to one's vibrational offering.

The long road is taken by creators of personal experience. A cleansing process has cleared out the lurking resistance that came into conscious awareness and got resolved in stages. The vibrational offering now signals what is appreciated and validated with "all one's heart". The hesitation, misgivings and fears are gone. All that remains is the now moment of beholding in one's eye -- a bounty of experiences worth living and loving.

Vibration as an explanation

I've been using "The Law of Attraction" as one possible explanation for events during the past year. The release of The Secret DVD familiarized all of my proteges with the basic concepts. It also raised numerous questions in their minds. I've been exploring this outlook on life for over a decade. The premises of the Law of Attraction, as I've integrated it into my outlook, are as follows:

1. At any given moment, something enters into our experience: a feeling comes over us, an added thought comes to what we're already thinking about, a better idea or question dawns on us or something shows up in our world. We are immersed in happenstance that we do not make happen with our efforts, striving or expenditures.
2. Whatever happens embodies a particular vibration, waveform, harmonic frequency. These vibrations range from high to low, uplifting to disheartening, or expansive to confining. We are experiencing feelings in our happenstance.
3. At the given moment, we are also offering a particular vibration or combination of frequencies -- by what we are focusing on and feeling as a result. When we pay attention to something, we put out a broadcast signal that indicates what frequency we are in tune with, ready to receive and predisposed to appreciate more of the same experiences.
4. What then happens is a vibrational match to the frequency we signaled beyond our physical limitations. We attract whatever is in tune with the tone we set. We set up a closed loop with the frequency of our focus that generates more evidence, confirmation and experience of our particular focus. We cycle round and round with whatever we are paying attention to.
5. All attention is successful at attracting more of the same feelings supported by something compatible to focus upon. We can be extremely negative and attract more to be negative about. There is no limit to how much we can attract and no restrictions on what we attract with the focus our attention. We are only confined to replicating, reinforcing, reflecting and repeating inside closed loops.
6. Attracting something different calls for a different focus of attention and resulting feeling. We stop reacting to what we have continually attracted and start creating what we want to attract with a new vibrational offering.
7. When we attract experiences that we think we don't want, we are nevertheless in tune with the vibration of that happenstance. We called forth what appeared by whatever we continue to hold in denial, baggage, opposing stances and unresolved issues. There's no one else responsible for what shows up in our experience that we can justifiable blame, guilt-trip or denigrate.

When we embrace these premises, we explain our happenstance differently. We can see what shows up as a mirror of what's up for us in our feelings of focus of awareness. We can look within for what is tune with what came about on the outside. We can regard the frequency of a repeat occurrence as an indication of our obsession with it's vibration.