God is talking... Are you listening?

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Workshop Announcements Join us to learn how to say "Yes" to life, by tapping into the wisdom and intelligence of your body, heart, and soul. Embodied Wisdom: Utilize the intelligence of your body to change the way you think and feel Seishindo Personal Growth Workshop with Charlie Badenhop and Dorothy Pietracatella Washington, DC, April 15-17, 2005 Embodied Intelligence: The Role Your Body Plays in Learning, Relationships, and Creativity Seishindo Coaching Workshop with Charlie Badenhop Calgary, Canada, April 22, 2005 Self Hypnosis for Self Renewal and Healing with Charlie Badenhop and Dorothy Pietracatella New York City, April 30 - May 1, 2005

1. Recent Thoughts

Has the huge tsunami had a similar affect on you personally, as it did on much of Asia? Has any of what you believed in been washed away, shattered, or destroyed?

Has the recent tsunami scared you more or less than 9/11? Or, perhaps the recent tsunami has even led to a deepening of your faith?

I don't want to seem uncaring, or just downright impervious to feeling, but as horrific as the recent tsunami onslaught was, I think and feel that the waves also brought along with them, a huge surge of rejuvenation, "life", and a heightened awareness and compassion by humankind. I think we have been awoken to just how much death and suffering there is in the world, regardless of what we see and don't see on major news programs.

My experience is that every horrible occurrence holds the seeds for new hope and life. Tremendously heart wrenching things take place in the world. Tremendously heart wrenching things have taken place in my own life. Coming to terms with what happens, offers us a tremendous opportunity to start out fresh. Beginning all over again, but from a new space and time. I can say for sure, that every "tragedy" that has occurred in my life, in the long run has added to the quality of my life, and my connection to Spirit. I can say this with heartfelt conviction, and not simply with a passive smiling face. The most challenging moments in our lives, can invariably also be the most rewarding.

The attacks on the World Trade Center were horrendous. More than three thousand people were killed, the hearts of Americans in particular, were shaken, and most of the world was mortified. Americans in particular were alerted to the fact that "we" were facing a wave of terrorism that would not likely be easily contained.

Three years after 9/11, and after billions of dollars spent on protection, we knew that we were still not safe, but at least we were comforted by the fact that airport safety personnel were now confiscating our nose hair clippers prior to boarding, and that such weapons of minor destruction (WmD) could no longer be used to attack the principles of freedom, democracy, and capitalism.

Three years after 9/11 and after billions of dollars spent on protection...
In a way that neither the extreme right nor extreme left of the political spectrum had envisioned...
All of humankind, and even Nature itself was attacked by a new wave, of terrorism.
By a primordial force stronger than the passion and emotion that any of us can hold in our hearts.

This seeming terror attack killed roughly SIXTY FIVE TIMES more people than were killed in the Trade Towers. The numbers are staggering. The loss of life, the disease, the pain of those who literally had loved ones wrenched from their grip, is also staggering. Beyond what any of us can logically comprehend. And way beyond the fear that some of us might harbor in regard to mortal terrorists attacking "our" country.

One huge question seems to be in need of an answer here.

Who will be responsible for making the world a better place, after the tsunami?

In some fundamental way, I hope that the faith and understanding of each person left unscathed "personally" from this disaster, has been shaken. That due to Nature's massive housecleaning, we will all find new ways to rebuild and embrace the sanctity of life, as well as embracing the hearts and aspirations of those we deem to be our enemies. That due to this primordial shift in what we know to be Planet Earth, we will all have an equally primordial shift in our concern for and connection to, the heart of God, and the living Spirit of all Life.

We have been awakened...
To the destructive,
And to the creative forces of Life.
Now, is the time to commit.
To take some responsibility,
For sharing the workload,
Of making the world,
A more humane,
Caring,
Place to live in.

Please do not miss this important opportunity.

God is talking.

Are you listening?

People are in need. Please contribute on a weekly basis.

2. Further Commentary and a Poem

One question I continually find does not yield me the answers I deeply desire when it comes to understanding major traumatic events, is the question "Why?"
I am very hesitant to try and come up with answers to "Why?" questions, because I think that usually what we are doing when asking such questions, is attempting to create a logical reason for why things happened as they did, when logic does not necessarily play an important role in what took place.
"Why did the disgruntled worker kill six of his colleagues?"
"Why did the mother drown her three children?"
"Why would an all caring God kill so many people?"
We can definitely come up with simplistic answers for each one of these questions, but the answers we offer will not likely satisfy our deep longing for "truth."

Rather than logically trying to answer "Why?" questions, I think we will likely do much better at calming our soul, by exploring our range of feelings, our joy and our pain, through some form of art.

In Seishindo we often use poetry to help us give expression to concepts we are working with, and feelings we are wanting insight into. We use poetry as a way to express what words alone cannot say. We use poetry as a way of learning how to touch the soul with words, and unlock the depth of meaning and emotion carried by verbal language. In the process we hope to point towards understanding that discussions involving opinions, beliefs, hopes, and fears, can be much more fruitful, when considered in a poetic framework, much more so than conversations striving to uncover right and wrong.

Below is my humble attempt, as someone who is thinking about aspiring to be a poet.
We would love to read your offerings as well. We would also be happy to receive other forms of artistic expression from you!

The Wails of Newborn Babies

Life can be terrifying and difficult enough, without human beings needing to kill each other, to prove the point.

Nature I believe does not countenance discussions of right and wrong, mine or yours, zealot or infidel.

Nature, and perhaps God, it seems,
Do not appear to take sides.

Life, from another perspective... ...
Is also wondrous, beautiful, and exhilarating,
Beyond compare...

And hopefully,

Forever filled with the wails of newborn babies,

Much more so than,
The wails of ambulance sirens,
Carrying the dead and the dying

From the latest scene of hate and misunderstanding.

May we learn to love our brothers and sisters.
And appreciate life for what it is.

Or perhaps,
May we at least,
Somehow learn to appreciate life

For what it can be.

A task that is way too important to be simple.

A task that is way too important to leave to someone else.

* * *

And just one more thing...
One thing I noticed a long time ago is that somehow each person seems to care much more about those one knows and identifies with, than with those who are unknown, or outside one's circle of influential others. I guess, in a way, this is only quite natural. Years ago I remember reading a LARGE front page headline exclaiming "Six people killed in a holiday traffic accident!", and then continuing onto the third page of the newspaper, and reading a one column story about 600 people having been killed in China due to massive flooding. It was amazing to me to consider how much more important the lives of those six Americans appeared to be, compared to the lives of the six hundred Chinese people. I remember a friend jokingly saying, "With all of the Chinese people there are, who will even notice the difference? The six Americans killed were all Dodger fans!"

3. Practice

"Connecting, and extending out into the world"
This Practice is meant to help you further develop your sense of being connected to other life forms in the world. Friends, allies, enemies, colleagues, loved ones, family members, people with similar interests and concerns, animals, nature, art.

When we feel connected we tend to feel more empowered and more at ease.
When we feel connected to the rest of the web of life, we have a clear sense of "having help."
When we feel connected we know that truly, we are never all alone.

4. Links

John Grinder, one of the co-creators of NLP, is coming to Tokyo for the first time ever! He is being sponsored by my friend and colleague Taiten Kitaoko. Find out more by trying out both of these links.
The program of the workshop
About John Grinder

5. Suggested Reading

"The Spirituality of Imperfection"
by Ernest Kurtz and Katherine Ketcham

This is a down to earth, inspiring book that will help you to settle into being yourself, and fully accepting yourself. "Warts and all."

Beyond feeding your own soul, this book makes an excellent gift for anyone who might be struggling to find peace of mind in their life.

This book is founded on the principles of Alcoholics Anonymous, which I more and more find Seishindo to be in alignment with.

6. Suggested Music

If you find that you resonate to the concepts of Seishindo, then I can all but guarantee you will love the music of Lee Ellen Shoemaker, aka "The Tunnel Singer".

Lee Ellen is a performance artist and vocalist who composes and sings in places with unusual natural acoustics. Her five CD albums are each recorded in amazing acoustical spaces, like huge water cisterns, and tunnels.

Her music is haunting, rhythmical, resonate, and simply beautiful.

You can enjoy sound samples on Lee Ellen's web page The Tunnel Singer.
But even better, I would suggest buying her CD's! Which you can do once you get on her site.

Ellen is offering a special to the readers of the Seishindo Newsletter, and if I was you, I would jump on the offer! Get all five of her CD's for the price of four.
That means just $48 for FIVE CD's. (Less than $10 a piece.) This is really inexpensive, and you will love her music. To take advantage of this special type "Seishindo Special" in the comments section of the shopping cart, or write in these words if you mail her an order.

If you are into exploring altered states of consciousness this music will prove to be really special for you.

7. Endnote and Invitation

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* * *

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8. Copyright

Unless otherwise attributed, all material for the newsletter "Pure Heart, Simple Mind"(tm) is written and edited by Charlie Badenhop ©. All rights reserved.

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