Peter E. Pflaum - Golden Globe -

The Synergy Network

Wiredbrain home site Pflaump@wiredbrain.com

RE: Great Minds work alike:

For the last few weeks there has been an interesting

correspondence between what I have been doing on my book and

INTERNET and the time covers. First there the INTERNET story

about "Newbies" which I was.

Then the story on the Disaster

in Central Africa as an ecological event - which I saw as a

problem with the covenant - the relationship between people

and the planet. Now the idea of infinity and my work on the

Sufi.

The next topic should be "Does anyone notice the

System is broken" the political process does not work.

Excerpts from drafts and INTERNET (E-mail) notes on

sustainable growth - Visions - Values - and reform.

RE: Real World?

A paradigm Shift?

A friend in mathematics once said "

The real world is only a

special case and not especially interesting." Economics has

created the most wonderful, beautiful, intellectual

structure which is robust enough to have special

applications to the real world. It is a theology not a

science nor can it be.

The "science" of man is something

quite different.

The logical structure is based on 18th

century rationalism, and 19th century science and technology

(production functions ) with a little 20th century social

science (Institutional structure).

The psychological reality of economic assumptions, has

always been wrong in the real world. Even big organizations

and economists themselves are not rational.

They practice

forms of social cults, with sub-optimal goals based on

personal ambitions, greed, power plays, goal displacement,

illusions, companies sell dreams and often live in their own

dream-world, they are human - all too human.

The shadows

become real, the real is a shadow. Blue smoke and mirrors is

our biggest business.

The emperor has clothes but they are not the shining gold

that the false tailors have promised. But then it's a

living. Truth is an abstraction - we all find comfort in a

shared illusion.

Organization motivation, however, of the principle economic

institutions can not be ignored.

The motivation of the

landed gentry, the desires and character of capitalist and

industrialist, the values of corporations, the results of

the separation of owners from managers, and new forms of

economic enterprise (

The Age of Unreason - Charles B. Handy

is an excellent introduction) are too important to avoid.

(Time frame for saving and investment, take-overs, Token vs.

real economy are important issues that raise the real values

and motive of real people in real time.)

It is possible that neo-classical economics is renewed.

The

structure is not really dependent on the base assumptions.

Market, monetary, fiscal, policy, investment and factor

analysis do not depend on a social- psychological model.

Each is a special case and there are some very useful tools

of analysis. A carpenter does not have to understand

physics.

The paradigm shift (should be the name of a rock band) of

the new world order, the Global economy, the limits of

growth, the oversized, over fed, over here technology -

creates new imperatives? What is the answer - I thought you

never ask? A new bottom line - wealth not riches -

productive long term capacity - not profits - the goose not

the golden eggs. (Back to Adam Smith - who had good feel for

predestined values, things over which we have no power - put

things back in the limits of reality - we are not Gods we do

not have unlimited choices. Back in tune or out of the room.

Back in touch - )

"Mankinds' moral sense is not a strong beacon light,

radiating outward to illuminate in sharp outline all that it

touches. It is, rather, a small candle flame, casting vague

and multiple shadows, flickering and sputtering in the

strong winds of power and passion, greed and ideology. But

brought close to the heart and cupped it one's hands, it

dispels the darkness and warms the soul." James Q. Wilson

************************************************************

The point is we need a new vision - I have a suggestion.

The most Ancient way is the way of the Sufi.

They have a

method of "learning" that could open people eyes to what is

happening.

The most likely case is that field in Central Africa - this

is my bad dream - I worry -

The dream was Atomic destruction

- now its ecological -

The sufi method in training is useful to get past peoples

fear of the new. It helps focus on the task at hand. I have

developed a 12 -15 step workbook that works for many

students. I have three long files on the method - drafts

(work in progress). Your task is to rent the last wave movie

and read one of the sufi books below.

(By Friday sundown)

RE:

The Friends have Visions: ( I got this off the net)

I don't know of any really adequate academic studies on how

we Friends (Quakers) handle such things -- we *do* sanction

personal revelation-- but our methods are fairly

standardized. A Friend who is "led by the Spirit" to a new

vision or concern may act on it privately, or may ask her

Quaker community to act, depending on the nature of her

"leading".

I BELIEVE I MAYBE LEAD BY THE SPIRIT - AND WANT YOUR HELP

I DON'T KNOW WHERE ELSE TO TURN.

If she asks the community to act, the local Meeting for

Business will refer the issue, via the Committee on Ministry

and Oversight (or its local equivalent), to a clearness

committee.

The clearness committee will meet with the

individual for however long it takes, seeking to discern

whether the leading is really "from God" or not.

I DON'T KNOW IF THERE IS A MEETING IN MY PART OF FLORIDA -

EAST CENTRAL - I'M NOT SURE WHAT "from God" means to you -

I WAS a friend in Chicago (decades ago, and worked with the

service committee) but now and for many years have been a

happy Episcopalian, but don't trust them in this matter, its

not their common way, their habit - they maybe out of

practice.

There are no hard-and-fast recipes for deciding whether a

leading is genuine or not: such a recipe would not be a

good substitute for active wisdom, and anyway, most cases

turn out to be unique in some fashion. But as I have said,

we have certain standards we nearly always start with.

These standards generally include such things as the

individual's description of how the revelation arrived (how

does it sound? -- honest? truly inspired?), the individual's

manner (clear vs. agitated, moved versus argumentative, that

sort of thing), parallels with precedents in the history of

our (Judaeo-Christian) faith, and whether the leading seems

more like a standard political -social conviction or like a

genuine non-rational breakthrough to something new and

valid.

THAT'S WHAT STUCK ME - A NON-RATIONAL (not- irrational -

just beyond reason -) to something new, valid and very

important. (Not really new - but a new twist on a very old

theme - the COVENANT - )

We will pray over the issue and "hold it in the Light" --

i.e., hold our awareness of it in one consciousness with our

own sense of what is divine.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN - "hold it to the light" I think I

know - but awareness of your own consciousness and a sense

of the divine - is rare - in my experience anyway - really

you do that - have that - GEE!

We will not rush to conclusions, knowing how very easy it is

to be wrong.

The committee will report its findings to the

Meeting for Business, and the Meeting for Business will

wrestle with the matter in its turn. If the Meeting for

Business agrees that the leading is genuine, it may --

depending again on the nature of the leading --pass on its

findings, in the form of a minute or epistle, to other

meetings elsewhere in the Quaker world. Or it may give the

Friend who has experienced the leading a "travelling

minute", which she may take with her to other Meetings,

saying basically that "this Friend travels with our

blessing, under a concern that appears valid to us".However,

no Friend will be expected to sanction the validity of some

other Friend's leading just because a clearness committee or

a Meeting for Business has found that the leading appears

genuine.

THAT'S NOT MY CONCERN - ONLY TO SEEK PEOPLE OF THE SPIRIT

WITH A LAMP TO LIGHT MY WAY

The issue can always be re-opened. We have had cases where

a single person's reservations about the character of a

leading has turned a whole Meeting community around, just as

we have had cases where a single person's leading has done

so. This method has worked well for us for 300 years or so.

If you need to verify my description of it, you could start

by writing the clerks of major Quaker yearly meetings, such

as London, Philadelphia, New England, Baltimore, etc., and

asking them for information on this matter.

They will probably refer you to someone whom they consider

capable of giving an accurate answer for their community.

Baltimore has an INTERNET address. Is this information

helpful? Best wishes, Marshall Massey INTERNET:

HERE IS THE VISION: or a story about it -

The Covenant:

For Friends who may have knowledge of spirits or

leading let me be as straight as possible. I will try not to

get carried way but keep my feet on the ground.

1.)

There is a connection between life and the environment.

This is the Covenant:

The purpose of life is to exist within a niche and

expand as possible. If life doesn't keep in balance there is

a collapse. Too much algae, not enough oxygen, life itself

is balance of resources and the demands on resources.

There

is a little misunderstanding about dominion and be fruitful

and multiply. We are different from other life in that we

are aware.

The forbidden fruit is self consciousness.

The

covenant is sub-conscious - it's in the dream time. We are

beasts and as living creature have in our very existence a

sense of where we belong.

2.) When the Covenant (Life and its environment) is broken

all hell breaks loose (Isaiah 34 ) Rwanda - it is a moral or

value problem because we have lost touch with the earth that

sustains us. (Earth Summit Agenda 21)

The problem is

emotional, passions, needs, desires, greed, self-centered -

et al. Surely we all know that man must have a purpose

beyond himself. Maybe some don't know that - Those that know

will have no trouble in understanding - those that don't

know or don't care will wonder what they lived for, and get

into trouble, in the long run. (In the long run we are all

dead - Lord MK) (I have been seeing the "Last Wave" by Peter

Weir)

3.)

The answer (maybe) in the Sufi way - believe it or not

the Sufi's created civilization about 6,000 years ago.

The

"teacher of the Age" taught people to be human. It was a

trick - an illusion. Human passion were too strong, the

animal character too important, so there had to be leaders -

a responsible elite.

The leaders would have training (step

by step practice) and education (discussion and meditation)

in the way of wisdom.

Leaders could be "in this world but not of this world" while

the masses were just in the world and believed in illusions.

Leaders could see and feel beyond themselves, their

passions, and needs and desires. It happens slowly but each

one could teach one and Civilization could continue. It was

a secret, in that the leaders knew the illusion they created

for the masses were just that an illusion.

They were the

Wizard of OZ (another Sufi tale)

The little boy in the

Emperors New Cloths who shouts out - but it's just a

illusion - get into a lot of trouble - as does Socrates,

Jesus, and other who challenge the old or create a new

illusion.

(I still feel funny saying this - nothing new or has not

been said in the last 6000 years but not on INTERNET anyway

- If I am wrong forgive me - it is just the sounds of birds

- no one will listen - it has not been done without forty

years of thought - I am ready for - I have had the dream of

death of white nothing, beyond self, it's the children - and

their children, God give them a chance - some chance - any

chance - I don't have to justify myself )

Now we are in the age of mass publics - of TV - and of many

leaders - many voices - and the elite is in disarray.

The

obligations of leadership, George Bush learned at Phillips,

or I learned at the University of Chicago, a British Public

Schools, have been overwhelmed by commercial, entertainment

values of no substance or worth. Does William Jefferson

Clinton know who he is? What is behind the image - more

images? Surely you need character as described in the James

O. Wilson article. (Aristotle's virtue)

The world is in deep

trouble.

The secrets needs to be advertised, let go. Our

only hope is a larger group of people that have access to

the wisdom. ( I hear the distance voices - shame - shame -

you will destroy what you need to protect - no - but its not

likely to do much good, my friends, either way - I think

it's time to experiment, even the F&A M.)

In tradition such knowledge would be dangerous. People would

misunderstand and create another dogma. Yes, that true and

they may or will. But, think of the alternatives.

The

overwhelming power of the western values (commercial,

temporal, materialist, short-tern, selfish, vulgar, have

overwhelm the society of taste - manners - style - quality -

class - yes class - the tradition is that the poor don't

have time or interests in the "higher things" let them have

their desires and their unquestioned faith -

The Grand

inquisitor was right)

In the face of this ecological crisis we have to expand the

base of people with wisdom and judgement beyond the 1% or

2%, that have maintained civilization for six milium

Now maybe 2% even know the vaguest idea of what I am talking

about. In most peoples experience, their paradigm doesn't

include the concept that civilization is not a natural

process but created and maintained by a tiny group.

They can

see it can fall apart.

They may understand it is a process

not just there! (Survival is not a given)

A spirit has suggested to me that a broader education while

not likely is possible. If not now, sometime in the next

generation. We need to prepare Western Teachers. Sufi's sort

of gave up on the West but that as you see it was a mistake.

The environmental movement has hope.

There are economist who

are thinking about value, there are new religious feelings,

a few leaders are thinking about sustainable - earth values

- the dream time.

It is so sad - so little so late - too late for me - but the

grandchildren of my children -

The grand cycle is coming to

a close. I would like the new one to begin peacefully. Most

uncommon - but if there is only one chance - what else can I

do? Can we just watch as Isaiah 34 takes place. Am I Jacob

of Isaiah 44 - no I think not - don't get me wrong - but we

sure need one - If not me - WHO? If not now when? (45)

The

Bible - it is the text for the Christians and Jews - and has

tribal wisdom it. (also almost everyone has one - so they

can go look it up)

God knows- I have prayed - I have visions - little of it

good, should I pretend it is - we all need hope. Yes, why

not, another illusion? Ye call me master, and obey me not.

You seek the light, but follow me not. This is the way, you

do not walk with me. I am the life, you do not desire me,

since I am wise, you do not obey me. Be gracious and trust

not in me or yourselves, be noble and serve not the blind

spirits - be mighty and honor not my name. and do not serve

your master, be noble and give not honor where honor is due,

be just and without fear, for if I condemn you, do not blame

me or yourselves, the times are out of joint.

The covenant

is broken.

God, does he/she believe in me;

The Sufi way is tricky, you appear different to different

people and in different situations. This is the way of a

guide or teacher. I am safe and comfortable being who I am,

but you (the others) have expectations and needs. To need is

to expect, to expect is to demand. How am I to live up to

your needs, your demands, your expectations? God is the

same. He is mysterious. He/She is very comfortable being

what he is. He/She has no way of meeting all my needs,

satisfying all my demands, or coming up to all my

expectations. I have to take care of myself. God loves me

but like a good parent or teacher, encourages me to do the

best I can, be on my own. So I do with students. I can't do

the work for them. God can't live my life for me. We have

tasted the forbidden fruit and have gained judgement. To

judge is to be in error, and to live with mistakes. I'm only

human.

God was here before me. I put myself in relationship to God.

All existence is the face of God. I care to understand and

be understood.

I am complex, I live in many roles and have more than one

face. Teacher, father, husband, citizen. gardener, sailor,

writer, thinker, materialist, greedy, faker, fraud,

pretender, dreamer, lover, I run away, I hide, I do a little

dance, I sin against my better self. I fail to that which I

know I "should". I live in the Dream Time, I live in the

"real world", I live in my scull. Who am I, you want to

know. How can I tell you. I am no one and everyman. God does

all these same things. I am in God and God in me. First

understand, then be understood. Holy Mary mother of God the

father, the Son and Holy Spirit, be with us now and in the

hour of our death. Something we are not meant to understand

but are mysteries.

They are beyond words. I have a deep

appreciation for the mystery of existence.

I have been here for fifteen billion years.

The Adam of my

atoms, the sound of the harmony of the universe has been

with me from creation. I did not come from nothing and when

the voice is quiet, I return to where I came from. I do not

expect or demand from my God and He/she gives freely to me.

All the sense of time itself, the awareness of great glory.

These are free gifts of our creator, manna from heaven. God

does not judge me, for who am I to be judged. He lets me be

and hopes for the best. If I pay very close attention, clear

my brain and soul of distraction, I can come into the great

love of God. It surround me with light and love.

The glory

of the heavens surround me.

The wonder of the world, the

rain and wind, the spirits of the living planet whisper in

my ear.

Does it matter what I believe? I know the love of God and

the spirit of heaven. My ideas are only sound and furies,

signify nothing. Quiet my restless soul and tinkered voice -

quiet - and listen - open your ears, - open you eyes and

see- really see - clearly - Plant your feet into the soil -

be there quiet restless soul and you will know God and God

will know you.

I was with my father the day he died. It was in a small

hotel in Alicante. We were alone. His last words were "I

don't want to die." Oh might Ceasar! dost thou lie so low?

Are are thy conquest, glories, triumphs, spoils, Shrunk to

this little measure? ..die many time before their death, the

valiant never taste of death but once. ..Seeing that death

is a necessaey end, Will come when it will come.

Idries Shah, 1924- Learning how to learn :

psychology and spirituality in the Sufi way EDITION: 1st

U.S.

ed.

PUBLISHED

: San Francisco : Harper & Row,

Shah, Idries, 1924-

TITLE

The Sufis

PUBLISHED

Garden City, N.Y., Doubleday & Co., <1971, c1964>

Shah, Idries, 1924-

The exploits of the incomparable Mulla Nasrudin ;

The

subtleties

of the inimitable Mulla Nasrudin

PUBLISHED

: London : Octagon Press, 1985,

c1983

Shah, Idries, 1924-

The pleasantries of the incredible Mulla

Nasrudin Special ed. London : Octagon Press,

Shah, Idries,

Wisdom of the Idiots EDITION: <2d enl. ed.>,

1979.

Thinkers of the East : studies in experientialism

PUBLISHED

: London : Octagon Press, c1982.

Seeker after truth : a handbook,

Caravan of dreams, Octagon P., 1968.PN6071.S85 S48

A veiled gazelle : "seeing how to see" : Octagon, 1978.

Special illumination : the sufi use of humour

Press, 1977.

"Beginning to begin" : neglected aspects of Sufi study

c1977.

The way of the Sufi 1980.

The perfumed scorpion

The dermis probe

The magic monastery : analogical and action philosophy of

the

Middle East and Central Asia

PUBLISHED

: London : Octagon Press,

1981.

Sufis

PUBLISHED

: London : Octagon Press, 1984.

Tales of the dervishes : teaching-stories of the Sufi

masters over the past thousand years EDITION: <Special

ed.>

PUBLISHED

: London : Octagon Press,

<1982>

RE: Ideology and the Republic:

The Axioms of the "Age of Reason" or enlightment depended

on the ability of mankind to use "right reason" and "natural

law."

The American Constitution system was an outgrowth of

this belief system. It is an ideology I much admire, the

belief that man/woman can find the truth through discussion,

open debate, republican political processes, and a sense of

civic virtue.

The ability of "political man/woman" was

original limited to those of property but quick expanded to

all while male citizens.

The political ideology of the

American Republic maybe impractical because of the size,

complexity, and moral decay of our country. We need to think

of alternatives.

I learned in "Political Science" that Democracy depended on

a civic elite (Tom Dye,

The Irony of Democracy). Merton,

Lipsets, and the mainstream textbooks showed that a small

percentage were really politically active. (Went to meeting,

joined organizations, gave money, talked politics, etc.).

The community power studies of Hunter,(Atlanta) Dalh, (New

Haven) and the social scientist - Middletown, Jonesville,

YankeeTown, showed how local elites work within a more or

less pluralism system.

The vast book on Robert Moses,

The

Master Builder (Cato) and Lyndon Johnson gave a very

realistic picture of practical politics, how things get done

in the real world.

The "iron Triangle" and the power brokers

give a working guide to "power in Washington."

My own work with communities facing desegregation was a

practical application of "power" theories. I Omaha there

were the "six-pack", In Milwaukee the Ungelingher's (sp) and

the Newspaper (

The power structure was out of town but

maintained agents - lawyers, foundations to help in local

affairs, including Wingspread where this took place), in

Orlando the Citrus Club, etc. This group and their agents

could help in the process of a smoother desegregation

process. In Louisville, Denver, these forces played out. In

Boston a section of the political elite (Louise Day Hicks)

created problems by trying to exploit racial fears for short

tern political gain.

The economic and social effects were

pointed out to other civic elites who then worked to make

the process work.

The case of New York City, (Linsey Administration and the

default) shows what happens when the power systems fails.

Too many actors, a lack of civic virtue (

The Un-heavenly

City, James Q. Wilson and Edward Banefield.) compared to

Pittsburgh where the Carnagies, Pews, Melons, could rebuild

an older industrial town. Chicago had the downtown athletic

club, the Union League,

The Tribune, and the machine and

things were done, the same types in Atlanta, but NYC was too

fractious and democratic. (Unions, ethic interests, personal

political machines, lack of concern by the Westchester,

Oyster bay and Conn. crowd. )

The conditions for civic affairs are civic orders. As James

Q. Wilson points out - once the rules break down authoritian

solutions can not be far behind - jails, police, men on

white horses (Parot) - Neo-fascist and romantic authoritians

like Bucannan and some of the "new Right." Kulture Krig

(Culture wars ) against the modern world - a new

inquisition.

One set of alternatives were set out by Rex Tugwell when he

was at the "Center for the Study of Democracy" in Santa

Barbara. (Hutchins) Thing globally, act locally -

regionalism and decentralization is critical process

reforms. (

The Age of Unreason - Handy)

Ant. Julius Caesar Act V Scene V (end)

The civic virtue must have a new image: (Duty beyond self)

(about Brutus)

This was the noblest Roman of them all. All the

conspirators, save only he, Did what they did in envy of

Great Caesar; He only, in the general honest thought And

common good to all, made one of them.

His life was gentle, and the elements So mixed in him that

Nature might stand up And say to all the world "This was a

man!."