The Order of the Heldhigh Torch  

THE SECOND MOST DANGEROUS PLACE TO BE

January 30, 2012
The value is personal integrity.

They say the most dangerous place to be is between a mother and her child, be it bears or humans.  I think this is true.

What, then, is the second most dangerous place to be?

Between a man and his self-image – who he holds himself to be.  Not who he is, mind you, but who he holds himself to be.

What do I mean?

Dominique Francon, the femme fatale of The Fountainhead, said: “They say the worst thing you can do to a man is destroy his self-respect, but that is not possible.   The worst thing you can do to a man is to destroy his pretense of it.”

A man’s self-image, what he is proud of, is an image that he created by his own consciousness.  It is how he sees himself and desires others to see him.   If the reality of the man and the conscious image of that same man are alike, then there is no space between reality and the artifact.  That man is free.

The man who has space between these two things is a slave to his self-image.  His choices are limited.    He works tirelessly and remains on task day and night.  He has quite the investment into this project.

He is taught from day one to create this image; he was rewarded for it as a child.

I remember sitting in church looking around at all the children and seeing the image they were practicing for everyone.  And then on the playground, I would see them remove that mask and reveal the truth.   Sometimes I liked them better with the mask on!

The groups or cliques in school demanded you to be one with their tribe, which meant stripping away your true identity and building a new one that was just like the rest of the group.  The group identity was a bigger reward than the individual one and, if you want that reward, what you pay attention to grows.   My identity was very important to me, so I resisted this trade, better known as the selling of my soul.  But many did not.

Those that did lose themselves along the way – piece by piece, compromise by compromise – evolved into a hollow shell of a man that had conformed to everything that every other man had demanded him to be.  He should have been happy with what he had wrought!  But alas, he was not.  Oh yes, he experienced joy now and again, but it was fleeting and thin, directly tied to the positive evaluation he received from those around him.  The deeper truth is that he never created what he became.  He defaulted and this is what he ended up with.

If the evaluation of those he gives authority to determine his worth is negative, or worse true, this man has few choices.  One of them is simply to withdraw from all society – to walk around revealing nothing of himself.  This is easy to do, because he is already so far from connecting with any other human anyway.  Or he demands secure boundaries.  He demands (“bullies” is a better description) that people behave in ways that keep him feeling unthreatened.   This is the nature of political correctness.

This man cannot create a life because he cannot love, which is to say, he has cut himself off from knowing himself as a valuer.  And he cannot be loved because he doesn’t know himself as a value.  If love is a response to value, and one projects no values, what is there to love?  He can fight.  He can force.  He can destroy.  He knows the art of war.  He knows the power of self-deception and he prescribes it to his fellow man and his children as the answer for happiness, which he needs and wants.

He speaks like this:  “Have hope!  Pray!  Let’s not talk about that.  (Bury your head in the sand – c’mon now, even deeper.)  Surely the pain, the threat to the image, will go away eventually.”

As we know, this is disaster in the making, waiting for the other and final shoe to drop.

What can that man do?  He has to manipulate his values, that is to say, accept false values – starting with the value that opened the gate to this mess in the first place – his mind.  At some point he had to place his identity, his ego, as a sacrifice on the altar of someone who would have him sacrifice it to him.  What value is this?   It’s a non-value.  It’s a non-choice.  It is the philosophy of “I don’t care” and “I can’t help it.”  It is lying and laziness wrapped into one instant.  “I give up being worth the trouble.”

The first chapter of an imaginary book called “How to Enslave a Man” would say “Have him destroy his self-worth.  Make sure he accepts that his life is less valuable than his master’s.”

There are many ways to do this.  The best way is to teach him a moral philosophy that teaches self-sacrifice as the good.  So in order to be good in the eyes of his neighbor he must be worthless.  You teach him to be bent in half, prone to the wishes of his neighbor.  You teach him to bend over to show the slave’s burden-carrying back to the world rather than his face.  You bring him to his indoctrination in this philosophy week after week.  You have him mindlessly chant over and over and over, “What a sinner I am I am.”

Another way approaches the matter from the opposite direction.  Toward the same end it keeps telling him how good he is, without him ever earning it.  That he is good inherently, by being a living being.  This is probably more dangerous to the little fellow’s self-respect than telling him how rotten he is.  Either way, it starts the child off with the inability to know the facts of reality, how he relates to those facts and who he really is.  He is given no standard by which to judge himself truthfully.  He floats.  His moral code is pressed onto him by someone else.  Without a guide to live by, he can only create himself to be a monster – perhaps a pleasing monster, but still, a monster nonetheless.

What would it look like to help a child learn a moral code that helps him have happiness, have good honest relationships, make good healthy trades with people?

How does that way of parenting look?

I say is looks beautiful.  Why?  Because it fosters a powerful development of that child’s mind, it rewards him for thinking, it encourages honest internal dialogue.  It brings out wonderful questions with new answers and unimagined possibilities.  Thinking no longer is a chore, tied to the care and feeding of the monster.  It now is tied directly to happiness.   There is a difference between the long walk to a horrible, but necessary, chore and a walk of that same distance to something you love doing.

To sacrifice is to destroy the mind, to turn it into a tool for one’s self-destruction, which by necessity must destroy the objective value of everyone in its path.    It builds a false identity out of non-objective pretend-values.  This isn’t a good life; it’s an image of a good life.  You might as well take a photo of yourself smiling and hang it on the wall.

To create is to start on the right foot.  To stay true to your purpose rather than straying off in a thousand directions takes something.  To undo all that has been done requires dedication and effort.  It requires building a community that is supportive of such a task.

The Order of the Heldhigh Torch is such a community.  Its main purpose is to inspire the creator in you, to be there to support that creator.

What happens is that people want this and they see the value.  But because of their conditioning and all that they’ve built up to maintain their fiction of value, they lose the spirit when they return to their old community which calls to them.  “No!  Be one with us.  We value your image, for we also are that image in our particular form.”   Your self-discovery offends them and you feel uncomfortable.  Rather than pretending that your self-image is fine, your mind wanders into that second most dangerous place to be – that space between who you are and who you hold yourself to be. It takes extreme moral strength to go back into that space and come out clear as to what happened.

Heldhigh Torch is a place for you to break free and experience the full vibrancy of your values.  Let it be that for you.

OPENING THE WINDOW

December 8, 2011
The value is intimacy.

Today I had a great conversation with a very smart and open-minded businesswoman who happens to be an atheist. She wanted to know what to say when a potential client asked “What church do you go to?” or the dreaded “Are you a Christian?”

First off, I had to get clear what it was that she wanted? She said, “I want them to be patient enough to take the time needed to get to know me first before they have THAT kind of conversation.”

“So how are they going to get to know you?” I asked

“Over time,” she said, “they will see that I’m a good person and then we can have the conversation about my beliefs”

“OK,” I said, “Sounds like you are putting this great opportunity off for later, and later never comes!”

“What do you mean?” she said with a puzzled look

“The intimacy you wish to have requires trust and a process of getting through the walls, the walls of fear that people keep between themselves and you to protect themselves. For the thieves that win in a moral system like we live in and the one they support, image is more important than truth. It is their concern for image that is driving their question and it serves you best to lie to them at that point – and many do. They need proof that you can be trusted to maintain their image.”

“Yes” she more excitedly agreed.

The way to get to know someone quickly is to climb right through the window that they open when they ask great intimate questions like these. Yes, these scary questions are great questions! You are an adult and you can manage these questions. What a quick way to prove what an effective business person you are!”

“I am not understanding how that window is opened with those questions.”

To break through the wall you need to take them by them hand, as if you are a kindergarten teacher leading a small child to a new understanding. You might be the only adult in the room!

And then she shocked me when she asked, “Isn’t that going to offend them?”

I soon recovered!

“Not if you keep that context to yourself. You aren’t going tell them you see them as five years old, but this way of seeing their situation gives you the tools to be more patient with them in helping them see a new way of thinking.”

I continued, “What they really want to know when they ask you those questions is ‘Are you a good person or not?’”

She nodded again, she was getting it!

I said “Enroll them in this higher level conversation. Take them to a new place. But make sure you get them to agree to go there with you. They must want to go there. You ought never to use force on another to get your needs met. Your excitement about their interesting question will be enough to get them on board with you.”

I gave her some real life examples of what to say…things like “That’s a great question! DO you want to discuss this now? I love this conversation.”

So after a few fun back-and-forth’s over the many creative options, I said, “And then, one of two things will happen, either they will stop the conversation and basically say “I don’t want to be an adult, I don’t want to have this conversation, I don’t want to THINK!””

She frowned.

And I continued, “If that is the case ~ you win! You certainly don’t want a non-thinking client, do you?”

She laughed and said, “No.’”

I went on “And the other, better option, the one that will most likely happen, is they will recognize the mature leader you are and go with you into that uncomfortable conversation, a conversation which they probably have never been able to have on their own without drama being included. Here you are making it drama free and very comfortable and enjoyable – with their help! You stay away from an attacking form of conversation and always be the leader, making sure you maintain your commitment to their learning ~ a loving kind of conversation.

“And if you accomplish this, your mission will be accomplished in record time! You will have a client for life! You will have turned a potentially dangerous question into all the proof they need to know you are a well-rounded mature adult who they can trust and admire and be confident to send referrals to. Awesome!”

Being so proud of myself for making this work, I smiled and said, “You win! They win! You get to be you without being sacrificed – without having to compromise yourself and being less than you know yourself capable of, and in a miserable state of self-defense every time you are around them. That will drive your energy towards helping solve their problems more effectively! That is why they are looking to hire you, right?

She nodded and smiled some more. She now had more tools and understood the rules of the game!

“Of course!” she said

I offered this “So look at these questions as an exciting window of opportunity to shine and prove your true value, rather than being caught up in the fear.

“Why you are in the fear is your own thing to figure out. But do look within for why you responded emotionally as you did. Your practice will be an example for others to do the same and this will foster maturity and wisdom. Given your example of introspection, perhaps they will overcome their fears of all those scary non-Christians out in the world.

“If you want them to do it, you need to do it yourself. Be a role model.”

She thanked me for my time and I thanked her for helping me to realize and push further my personal values.

It was a great trade!

 

SAGE ADVICE or DEAR LAERTES, THE TEACHER STOLE MY LETTER TO YOU

October 26, 2011
The value is “three principles.”

At the end of my daughter’s senior year in high school, her College prep English teacher gave all her students an interesting assignment. They were reading Hamlet and there is a scene where The King’s chief counselor Polonius gives his son Laertes a bit of sage advice as he leaves to go off to college. The teacher wanted each student to get some sage advice from their parents to read in class the next day.

I told Jessica that she already was familiar with any advice I could give her, but was going to do the assignment with the notion of giving the advice to her class and the teacher, and it should be interesting as to what will happen.

I figured my advice would contrast with the rest of the students’ parents. It did!

Here is the advice I wrote in my letter (to the best of my recollection):

1. Value reality. Make an effort to support reality. Its easy to justify an untruth because it feels good. You are real and you must use your mind to navigate the world effectively

2. Value independence. You were born a dependant child. It’s my job as a good parent to help you transition into becoming more and more independent. Your mind works best when it’s free to choose. Choice is only available if the mind is free to recognize alternative choices. Your mind grows strong when it is encouraged to think and solve personal issues. It’s very easy to remain dependant on someone else’s choices and remain weak. The only kind of person that would allow you to remain dependant on them is a power hungry dictator who lives in fear of having a mind that does not function correctly. And there are many of those wolves all dressed in sheep’s clothing.

3. Value humor. It is your only defense against being emotionally sucked into the dysfunctional drama of those who have not learned the value of 1. and 2., and have violated those principles. You cannot help them if you cannot stop and see the bigger picture. Humor is the best tool to help your mind remain creative and available. It is easy to get angry and frustrated with those who seem to never learn the lessons that are so clear to a person who values reality. Your anger and frustration will only serve to reaffirm the fear that they live within, the fear caused by having a weak and barely functioning mind.

Jessica came home that day and said “Dad you were right! Most of the other parents wrote letters that were full of pathetic advice, things like “Don’t forget about us.” “Call home often.” “Dress warmly.” and “Read the Bible every day.”

There was a stunning contrast between my letter and the others. The teacher commented that she could now understand Jessica a lot better!.

At the end of class the teacher took my daughters letter to keep for herself. I guess I was a good counselor for her too.

 

GRACE-FULL vs. TRADE-FULL

October 24, 2011
The value is “distinguishing the difference.”

Today I was asked by a Christian friend what I thought “grace” was.  I looked it up.

According to the Catholic tradition there are two forms of “grace:” actual and sanctified.

Sanctified grace is the supernatural stuff god supposedly decides to give us as unique individuals.  Things like good eye sight and bad eye sight.  Even having faith or no faith is supposedly decided at the heavenly level.  Orthodox Catholics don’t mind atheists because their god decided to grace a person with faith or not, and it’s god’s business as to why.

“Actual” grace is the thing a man gives to another man, as if he is playing god. To me it puts one man above another and transfers a good to that lower man as an act of goodness.   That’s in effect playing god!  This artificially raises one above another and the only way to relate with one another is through an act of grace, or what I would call a kind of moral charity.   And as long as everyone is enrolled in this idea, meaning, agrees to play along, all will be fine.

But that never does happen nor can it happen.  This is an error in judgment about reality: man doesn’t play along unless he sees what’s in it for him. (That’s a clue to building a moral system that can work)

When a  man calls another man “greedy” as we see down at the Occupy X protest sites all around, it is because he is unhappy and feeling helpless about the fact that the other man isn’t playing by his own faulty rules!  He wants to be graced with goods, dammit!

This is a philosophy that intentionally produces unhappiness, fear and frustration with one’s fellow man.    It’s a philosophy that effectively turns man against man, in the name of “the good.”  It’s a philosophy where slavery is the only stable kind of relationship. The only action one feels he can freely take is to get down on his knees and pray for God or other men higher up on the status ladder to grace him with what he wants and needs.  Man is dwindled to a beggar or at best, apathetic to his fellow man.  That’s pathetic!

The alternative to this kind of planned suffering is the “trader principle:  it starts, rather than seeing man as a charity case, with man as a valuable being, always with valuable potential as a creator.  It assumes he always has something good on the spot to trade or a future with values to trade.  Standing in this orientation to human beings, gives one all the power all the time with all the people.  This view encourages all men to stand upright and it never asks him to submit or sacrifice.

Trading requires honesty, accountability, and responsibility as its virtues.  It requires people to think and act and think again.  It rewards appropriately for proper action and punishes appropriately for improper actions. It teaches the right lesson at the right time.   It is aligned with nature and the reality of every man, since we all act or at least think we act in accordance with what is in our best interest.  And who better to decide the nature of those actions than the actor himself?  Of course, you might think you are God and can do the choosing for me.  But I bet dollars to donuts you want part of my fortune for following your advice but not part of any actual suffering I incur for following it.

You know you can always trust a person to stand for his principles.  But if his principle is to give and get sacrifices in the name of the good, you can always trust that the squeakiest wheel will get the grease.  Choose your purpose.  Either get busy sharpening your ability to squeak, or get busy building a trader community instead.  One fosters pain and suffering as its purpose, the other builds character, ability and strength.  It also produces an abundance of spiritual and physical values instead of fostering a shortage of them.  The rule is: whatever you pay attention to grows.  When you reward suffering you grow suffering.  When you reward a good trade, you grow good trading.

The Order of the Heldhigh Torch is a community intentionally built on this trader principle. It helps a person stand tall and proud of his good trading.

 

CAUGHT IN THE QUAGMIRE OF INCONSISTENCY

October 20, 2011
The value is “logical consistency.”

I met a man yesterday who walked into my office to discuss a truck I have for sale.  He asked if this was the same shop that also had a sign about meeting the Libertarian candidate for Lt Governor.

“Yes! This is the place and I am that guy!”

His questions about the truck stopped. Now, his first question was “Can you tell me the main difference between a Libertarian and a liberal, please?”

“Logical consistency!”

“What, exactly, does that mean?” he asked with a very snotty tone. Then, I knew my words were going to fall on stagnant, maybe even deaf ears. He had something to say to me, but I wanted him to say it instead of me fishing for an answer that he was in no mood to hear. I decided to turn up the volume, and go for honesty instead… as you will see later.

Despite his snarky attitude, I politely answered “A Libertarian builds his moral code on the foundation of individual rights, including property rights. In effect, you own your own body and mind, and your mind is treated as if it actually has a reason to exist. You get to keep the consequences of your own mental and physical efforts. You win or lose based on your ability to learn and know reality.” He looked agreeable.

I expounded by saying I think there are two forces that drive everything in human relationships. The male brain, which tends to have a more warrior-like value, and the female brain which tends to have a more… he interrupted me and said, “loving value.” “Exactly,” I said!

“The conservative Right stands for the male brained values and the liberal Left stands for the female values.” He nodded his head and got it. (I secretly concluded that he dislikes females, but that is for his therapist to work out.)

That means as long as there are humans, there will be this conflict. And that gave him the invitation to become a dictator. “So that’s why we need to keep marijuana illegal!”

So that’s what he wanted to say! He went right from “What’s a libertarian?” to that in 10 seconds. I got it. So now it was button-pushing time!

I said, “Marijuana is already illegal, how is that working out? Are kids not able to get it? Of course they are, but instead of getting it for free, now they have to sell a blow job or two to afford it. (I figured “blow job” would push his button.) People like you are why our children have to SELL blow jobs in order to experiment with pot. They are going to do it anyway, so you are a fiend!!!” I smiled at him. I had just gotten his goat!

I calmed him down and asked, “Would you like to have a serious talk over a few beers after work about this subject sometime?”

He dismissed me. “It’s no use. You are just a liberal.”

“Hey! I’m not a liberal.”

“Yes, you are at least half a liberal.”

“Good bye. And, good luck with your apparent jihad against individual rights.”

 

AN EXQUISITE RESPONSE TO VALUES

September 28, 2011
The value is “standing for principles.”

I went to a MeetUp event last night and after the discussion a young man approached me and said. “I just want to let you know why I voted for you in the Lt. Governor’s race.”

He went on, “I was really concerned about things here in Georgia so I did my home work.”

I interjected, “Good for you!  Not many people can make that claim!”

He nodded in agreement and continued “I found your website and read every word on it.  You said something about the proper separation of religion and government and I thought, ‘WOW! a politician who is not afraid to bring up that issue along with the many other hot button issues. Good for him!  But is he real?’   So I decided to send you an email.  And I don’t know if it was you or your handlers, but I got a response back almost immediately!”

I eagerly stepped in and said “My campaign manager, David, probably sent it, but I read it and wrote the response.”

He said, “Well, I was shocked that a busy politician on the campaign trail took the time to respond to me. I was ecstatic! And your answer was exquisite!  I was so proud to cast my vote for you.

I joyfully responded to that by stating “Now, that was not a waste of a vote!

He nodded yes, and said. “I knew that a Libertarian didn’t have the greatest chance to win, but I was so excited, maybe for the first time in my life, to vote for a candidate like you.”

“Thank you.” I said, blushing.  “And, it’s always a waste of a vote to vote for the lesser of two evils.  It destroys your self-respect.”

“You would make an awesome candidate yourself!” I said.

He shrugged his shoulders and said that he had his hands full as a stay-at-home Dad teaching home school to his kids and a group of other home-schooled children.

His young son then interjected excitedly, “Today we learned all about the Morons!”

I said, “What?”

He said, “The Moron Church.

I laughed and said, “Oh, the Mormons.”

“Yes, The Mormons” he said.

“Great!”  I responded.  Looking back at dad, I said, “If you ever want me to come in and teach your students about Ayn Rand and Objectivism, I’d love to do that.”

He said, “Well, I don’t know about that!”  My eye brow raised, thinking to myself, “Really? Mormon is ok, but not Rand?  hmmmm…

Not to be dismissed, I walked him back to his car, enrolling him further on the possibility.

 

FEELINGS UP AGAINST A WALL

August 22, 2011
The value here is “reality.”

I had a long time client come in today that needed a starter motor.   I tested it and gave him the fair market price and he slammed the phone down angry because, as he said, he didn’t have enough money.

An hour later he charged into the office like a bull and said “I feel like I am being ripped off.”

I instantly replied, “If you are calling me a thief you need to take your car off my property now.  I don’t have any use for name calling.”

He said, “No, no, no.  I’m just telling you how I feel.”

I said, “How is your feeling connected to reality?  Are you being ripped off?  Have I stolen anything from you?  ‘Cause, it feels like you are calling me a thief.”

He shook his head and said, “No, no, no, I’m just telling you how I feel…you see, I have lost my job and been in the hospital.”

I softly replied “How is any of that my fault?

He said, “No, it’s not your fault.  All I’m asking is that you talk to me as an adult.

I said “I was talking to you as an adult.  And being adult instead of getting mad and punching you in the nose when being insulted makes for a better decision.  And my decision was to ask you to leave.

I further explained, “When someone calls me a thief without any evidence, I ask them to leave because reality is of no value to them anymore.  Just their feelings are real. Everything else is of no consequence.  That is a dangerous place to live.”

He said “You have always been honest with me and I trust you.  I just want to talk about this.”

I said, “Sure, go ahead.”  He then apologized for his words.  I accepted and we moved on!

I said, “I want to help you with this problem you have.  I have always wanted to help.   There are many options.  Are you ready to hear them?”

He said, “Yes.”  And we easily, with no effort, found a win-win solution.

When reality is tossed aside for feelings and then used to manipulate others, it’s always going to end badly.

 

THE PHILOSOPHER AND THE PROSTITUTE

August 2, 2011
I said in my previous post that I will share some real life stories about how applied philosophy looks in real time.  This particular story keeps being requested, because it clearly displays the principle and the result.

This is a true story about a prostitute that walked into my shop not too long ago.  And this is how the application of my principles played out.  What principles?   Specifically, the Trader Principle – trading as the only moral way to relate with people – all people.  There are other principles at work here, but the Trader Principle is the one she wasn’t aware of, much less held.

I own an auto repair shop, and there are two sections: the office and the open bays for the cars.  It is kind of like the mind and the body dichotomy, another theme of many of my blogs.

On this hot day, a tired, ragged-looking, older woman dressed up like a teenage girl, pink short shorts and a pink half t-shirt with “hello kitty” on the front, stood looking for someone in the bays. Hmm.  Would that mean she was appealing to the body of the shop?  As I tell people, beware of someone appealing to your emotions, i.e., your body, instead of your mind!!!

The mind, me, was working in the body at this time, and I shouted over the fans, “May I help you?”

She pressed her finger against her lips as if too shush me.

I walked closer and said, “What can I do for you?”

She told me her name was Nikki and began telling me an awful story about how she lost her job, lost her home, blah… blah… blah.

I cut her off and asked again “how may I help you?’

After a short pause, she said, “I need money.”

“Oops!  It looks like you have come to the wrong door,” I said.

She looked very confused.  I had thrown her off her game. And, it was a game.

I continued, “You see, I’m an Objectivist.  Do you know what that is?”

She shook her head “no.”

“I’m a trader,” I said.  I think she thought I meant like Benedict Arnold!  I cleared that up by proceeding to tell her that an Objectivist holds to the principle that trading is the moral way to deal with people.  She still looked very confused.

“Let me ask; is your story, the pathetic one you were telling me, is that a valuable story to you?”

“No,” she said, very embarrassed.

“Well, it’s not valuable to me either.  Is the money you were seeking from me with that story valuable?”

“Yes,” she said, with a little more vigor.

“That makes you a thief!” I said, with condemnation.

“No sir, I am not a thief!” she said, with a little more confidence in her voice.

“In my book, anyone who tries to swap something not valuable by both our standards for something that is valuable by both our standards, is a crook!  You need to leave!  I do not wish to purchase your pathetic story, nor make your pathetic story valuable by purchasing it from you.  That will also train you to create more pathetic stories.  It is against my morality to make that kind of trade, a trade from hell!”  By this time, I was shaking my head up and down with her in unison, as she seemed to be getting it, maybe for the first time.

After a brief moment I asked in a more sympathetic tone, “Do you have something beside your pathetic story to trade?”

“Sex?” she asked in a whisper.

“Nope.  Sex is free.  Anything else?”

There was no sound from her; she was looking down at her feet.  I called her up to look in my eyes and said, “The difference between you and me is that I think you are valuable, and you don’t.”

She turned away in anger and said, “Can I use your bathroom, please?”

“Yes of course you may.”

The male client sitting in the office was asked to join her in the bathroom, unbeknownst to me!  She was setting up her business in my bathroom!

She returned with a smile and what looked like a better idea!  “Your bathroom needs a good cleaning.  Would you pay me to clean it?”

“Hell yes!” I exclaimed, “Now you’re using your brain!”

She lit up like a Christmas tree and the ugliness of her face started to melt off as the youthful spirit came back to her.

We quickly negotiated a price and the expectation.  I gave her some cleaning supplies and in thirty minutes I had a sparkling clean bathroom for my customers!

She asked if I liked it and when I agreed, she said, “Then pay me more money!”

I frowned and said, “Stop that.  You are being a thief again!  You must keep your end of the bargain as I keep mine.  You never change the terms of the agreement in midstream.”

She understood and was sorry.

She then asked if I had any more work and if I would hire her to learn how to fix cars.  She was overwhelmed with a new sense of freedom!

When she finally left she was practically dancing out the door.  She turned around suddenly and came back in to tell me that her name wasn’t Nikki, it was Deena.

I thought that was interesting?  She felt the need to clear that up, as if she valued her true identity over the false one!  Very good!  To me she transformed from a sick, pathetic, old lady to a lovely-looking mature woman.  The change was astounding!

She wanted to work for me.  She wanted me to find more jobs for her to do.  She was excited to work and be valuable.  She forgot, or maybe never knew, she was valuable.  I didn’t give her charity.   I didn’t give her what she wanted to hear.  I didn’t make up a lie to get her out the door.

It was a win-win and my value of trade and my pride in operating by the Trader Principle were now present.  A new value became present for her, and my value was restored.  One “Ego Unit” completed!  “Yeah!”

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Comment:

This story is such a good example of the message on the new business card that I’m posting it here so you may see that for yourself.  The fundamental human condition is that a person must traverse the gap if he is to live.  Clearly Dan’s “guest” was stuck in NEED and Dan was able to support her to create some way of creating/producing a VALUE.  She did it and the result was not only the physical value she produced in the world (the money she needed) but the spiritual value she produced in her consciousness (her joy).  They are always entwined, never split.  Steve

 

 

WELCOME

July 28, 2011
Greetings and welcome to The Order of the Heldhigh Torch!

I must say; my congratulations on getting this far in your own personal development, especially if you have gotten here by your own intention.   If you found us by sheer curiosity, welcome to a room with a curious view!  Please let us know what it was that triggered your interests.

What is that curious view?   HHT, as it is affectionately called, is the kind of community that one establishes in one’s life intentionally, to help him grow as a whole. One must first see the value in this worthwhile endeavor.  I say “grow as whole,” because it’s not just about growing spiritually, mentally and/or physically like some alternative communities facilitate.  I consider a human being to be a whole object – one being functioning in unison.  The spiritual IS the same as the physical and visa-versa. We are about making connections, not divisions – integrating, not disintegrating.

For instance, a healthy kind of individual is one who acts for his/her (I use his to stand for both his or her from now on) own well-being almost automatically.  It takes very little effort once one is aligned.  The more aligned the less effort it seems to take.  His mind and his chosen community aren’t pitted against each other; they are not split in two halves and trained to work against each other, like a snake chasing its tail.  HHT is about facilitating the opposite training, the mind and body in unison.  E.g., the snake acting as his own nature permits with as little effort as needed to tread across the sand towards its end which fulfills its purpose.  We talk a lot about purposes.

I think we are, after all, social beings, and we can choose the shape of the community we join or at least make an agreement with.  The nature of that agreement is important and with whom, because that is the defining shape in which those agreements shape our growth.  (To have a reactionary relationship with a social system or community that you disagree with is self-shaping.  You can become an angry, bitter, self-divided tail-chaser too.)

HHT is a fertile ground for your development, helping you through self-motivated participation and self-made agreements, it provides an effective sounding board that is able to provide as accurate a picture of life for your profit as possible at the time.  If there is a better view, bring it here.  I want to know it.  I got here by all the many people who brought me a view of a better way!

We work to shape HHT into the best possible system to accomplish this kind of result, that would effectively produce never ending (until dead of course) growth and vitality in one’s life, and as a bonus, growth and vitality in one’s other chosen communities.  I bring energy and vitality to all the many kinds of groups I belong to – some as leader and others as member – be they as simple and most important as my own little family society.

To me, HHT is a recharging station.  I get a charge out of it by paying my attention to it and to my own personal challenges and agreements with it.   The community asks nothing from me.  I only ask something from it, something that is not a contradiction to any other member.  I personally want to know and meet people that can challenge me, and that are open to a challenge in return.  It’s a win-win proposition.  It’s a stable kind of relationship.

I wish for this community to grow as the people within it also grow.  It is a commitment, but a very personal one.  And I respect your choice to be in it or out.   Only you can determine whether you wish to take on this type of challenge or not.

My blog here at HHT’s website will be about applied philosophy, or simply put, my chosen principles in action.

Welcome to my challenge!

Dan