The Probity Post

I have never made a decision in my life that has provoked me to do so much soul-searching for such a long time. However, after 33 years of nurturing, nudging, prodding, caring for and watching my baby (Music Connection magazine and its highly trafficked websites) grow up to become the most beloved musicians trade mag in the industry, I have decided to step down as president of the company and resign my post as co-publisher/executive editor.

The truth is, I simply sold my half of the company to my business partner Eric Bettelli, who will assume the mantle of CEO effective immediately. Make no mistake, I’ve reached this decision with a genuine sense of peace and gratitude, and EB and I remain best of friends—more like real brothers. Plus, I feel confident that I’m leaving the company with an impeccable reputation of integrity and service to the music community, a variety of outstanding products to offer musicians and a super talented and committed staff of great individuals committed to supporting Eric and sustaining MC for years to come. I’m very proud of that fact that MC (in it’s own humble way) has truly made a real difference in the lives and careers of thousands of musicians and music people all over the world.

Even so, in the past few years I have felt closed in, trapped and consumed by my own creation. There are so many opportunities that have come my way over the years and so many ideas that I’ve wanted to persue & develop. However, I have always felt locked & shackled to the one creation that has made me a good living for so many years and I’ve always used the excuse that the day-to-day commitment of growing Music Connection was paramount over any other intriguing possibilities that came my way.

On the one hand, being the publisher/editor of an extremely respected Music Biz rag has always had many awesome perks and I have met so many interesting and colorful people. To some, I’ve given up a dream job and in many ways that’s true. Never the less I  have always been haunted with the following question: ”Are you willing to risk who you are for who you could become?” My answer has always been a resounding YES!

The best analogy I know that explains my recent feelings is my favorite quote by Anais Nin:

”And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”

Since I first conceived the idea for MC in 1977, I’ve often wondered what the end would look like. I Started Music Connection magazine for three reasons:

1) To help musicians sort out the challenges of the biz.

2) I was 28 yrs. old and my music career was in limbo and I needed a career breakthrough. I figured if I started the mag I could get up close and personal with A&R execs, publishers, musicians, etc. That part worked beyond my expectations!

3) There was absolutely nothing like MC anywhere—so why not?

I really wanted to get the mag going and then let it run itself while I continued to pursue my own quest for music success. However, it didn’t quite work out that way. Once we launched the first issue I quickly got caught up in the hoopla of running a business and couldn’t stop the momentum. That was three decades ago and unfortunately my music career took a back seat to my day gig. I say unfortunately with reservation. Although my music career plummeted, MC eventually took off and became successful. Perhaps even more successful than my music ever would have—who knows? I do know that writing blogs and books has taken the place of writing songs, and leading seminars and giving lectures has taken the place of performing. An exchange I accept with gratitude.

What I’ve Learned:

•  I’ve learned to embrace the unknown: that the recent changes in the music biz have been (and continue to be) larger than any I’ve ever seen in all of show biz and I love the way technology has altered the course of our industry. Who would have thought that two computer geeks, Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, could ever impact our industry (and world) as much as Lennon and McCartney. The only difference is the medium.

• I’ve learned that truth triumphs over rhetoric: The way I see it, although things have changed in our biz, it’s those things that haven’t changed that are still the most important; talent, connections, commitment, persistence, honesty to your Self and practice, practice, practice till your fingers are on fire!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          • I’ve learned that original music is an expression of emotions and who am I to critique or judge anyone’s feelings. Personally, I either like a song or I don’t. However, having had the grand opportunity to listen to every conceivable type of music on the planet for the past three decades, I have arrived at a profound respect and admiration for any artist in any medium who follows his own creative spirit and expresses his talent with honesty and abandon.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                • Finally, I’ve learned to speak less and listen more (many would disagree with that statement). Somewhere in the murky mist of the past few decades I began meditating (circa 1985). I’ve been attempting to tame the beast between my ears almost every day since then and I must say that the balance I’ve found in my life between the hoopla of rock & roll and the silence of my soul is astounding. I’m not sure who I would be without that one simple practice in my life.

What I’m Taking With Me

• A head full of acquired knowledge about publishing, people, music, business, money and responsibility. And a heart full of acquired wisdom about struggle, empathy, generosity, flexibility, friendship, respect and love.

What I’m Leaving Behind:

• All my promises kept and my affairs in order.

• A slew of good products for the great staff of MC to exploit and share with the music world.

• An open door to endless possibilities and forever opportunities.

• A prayer and good wishes that MC will continue to grow and contribute to musicians and music people for many years to come.

What I’ll Miss The Most:

• The standard answer to that question is “the people” and that’s true for me. I’m proud to say that I’ve made more friends than enemies in this business (former employees included) and I believe most of those friends will be with me for life. I’ll especially miss the great staff of MC; an extremely talented family of folks committed to helping music people achieve their dreams.

• I’ll miss the excitement of holding a brand new edition of Music Connection in my hands, “hot off the press.”

• I’ll miss the process of publishing: Taking words, graphics, ideas and designs and going public with it. Whether in a magazine, a book or a website, I absolutely love the creative and innovative process of publishing. Too bad it has to be shackled to the advertising dollar.

What I Won’t Miss:

• Firing people. Especially good people who really loved their job at MC. In 33 years, it was the worst part of my job. I would agonize and procrastinate for weeks, often months, before I ultimately did what I thought was right for the company. I apologize to those who felt that sting.

What I Plan to Do (I just heard God laughing at my plans!)

Even though I put my 10,000 (Malcolm Gladwell) hours in the publishing world, and even though I’ve published three books, two different magazine titles and 792 issues of MC, plus 5 or 6 different websites, and even though I could easily (in my sleep) publish ANYTHING, I think I’ll try a different direction for a while.

I still love the entertainment business and I plan to spend my time doing what I love most: writing, teaching, leading seminars on a variety of subjects, public speaking and keynotes. Perhaps I’ll even achieve the honor of giving a TED speech someday.

However, the thing that’s tugging at me the most is something I’ve always loved to do, and that’s helping and coaching individuals through the minefields of their lives and consulting with groups, companies and corporations who are looking for a breakthrough in the areas of achievement and performance.

So I’m already in the process of creating a company to help others solve their problems. The company is called The Probity Group and it’s a creative “think tank” specializing in innovative solutions to impossible challenges. It’s a consulting/coaching company that draws on the brainpower, practical experience and intellectual leadership of an awesome staff of committed problem solvers in order to accelerate extraordinary results and arrive at exceptional solutions. Our intention is to lend some insight and a helping hand to individuals, groups, organizations, companies, corporations, or anyone that can use some centered guidance and thought leadership.

Sound like fun? Wanna play? Gotta problem you want solved? Gotta project you want to move forward? Just e-mail me your thoughts, I’d love to hear from you: jmichaeldolan@gmail.com.

Sometimes I feel like I sold out back then in 1977 when I traded my music gig for an office job and sometimes I feel like this is what I was meant to do. However, music is like a trusted friend who is forever on my side and always beckoning me to “come out and play!”

I cherish my ability to play and perform music as a gift, one that I never, EVER take for granted. And I constantly acknowledge my parents for making me practice! practice! practice! Whether it was piano, drums, guitar or singing they never let me off the hook.

I love to sing and play with experienced, seasoned musicians whenever I get the chance. However, even though performing music is always in my heart, it is seldom on my to-do list. But that’s okay, because whenever I do get the chance to play, my soul sings with joy, my fingers scream in agony, my heart pounds with excitement and I can’t catch my breath from laughing so hard—because I’m having so much fun!

To my friends, family, the great staff of Music Connection and all those who have enjoyed MC for the past three decades, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for filling my life up with such challenge, and my soul with such joy.

Peace & Love,

Michael

A long time ago, there lived a lonely idea named “Possibility” (a beautiful name indeed everyone would say). She was lonely because at the time, no one ever took her very seriously and no one wanted to be seen playing with her because she was always tempting and taunting people with thoughts of promise and desire. Not to mention the fact she was always trying to rouse the stats quo and rival the way things ought to be.

On the other hand, it was her big brother “Knowledge” that everyone wanted to get close to. He was tall and very handsome and filled with brash confidence. Knowledge always had the safe, right answers and never challenged the status quo, mainly because he enjoyed the egoic “high” of righteousness, agreement and praise.

In fact, when possibility was very young her mother even told her: “You’re brother Knowledge is the smart one my dear, you are the playful imaginative one. He is the one everyone respects and listens to.”

As the years went on and Possibility matured she became more and more frustrated and even a little jealous that her brother Knowledge got all the glory while she was always treated with little regard. “Why listen to Possibility when you’ve got factual Knowledge to guide you” the townspeople would say.

One morning, Possibility woke up feeling very frisky and very alive. Her dreams that night were filled with all kinds of fantasies and new ideas. And for the first time ever, she dreamed she was flying!

After gobbling up some fresh thoughts for breakfast she begin to write down a fantastic idea. Page after page, she wrote and wrote, franticly developing an extraordinary, unbelievable, impossible, totally unrealistic, status quo buster of an idea. A little mischievous perhaps because it went against everything her brother believed in, and therefore would certainly go against what everyone else believed in too. Nevertheless possibility “knew” this idea would work and was determined to once and for all be taken seriously.

After many months developing and perfecting her idea, it was finally ready to be put to the test. She called on her trusted cousin “Fate” with explicit instructions to deliver a certain message to exactly 100 unsuspecting, unassuming, clear thinking, normal, run-of-the-mill, could care less, human beings, of all colors, all religions, all nationalities, and to both sexes. At the very same time, on the very same day, at the very same hour.

So Fate, being the much younger and more naive of the two cousins began whispering possibilities mysterious message to exactly 100 unsuspecting, unassuming, clear thinking, normal, run-of-the-mill, could care less, human beings, of all colors, all religions, all nationalities, and to both sexes. At the very same time, on the very same day, at the very same hour. Here’s what the message of Possibility said:
“You can fly.”

So, the idea of flying appeared one sunny day in the minds of exactly 100 unassuming human beings at the very same time, on the very same day, at the very same hour.

For the next many years, these 100 messengers could often be found in the company of their friends excitedly sharing their fantastic ideas of the possibility of flying. And their friends and families would laugh uproariously and taunt them for thinking such wild crazy thoughts. They would always say “Knowledge” said it was absolutely, positively impossible for a heaver than air object to lift itself off the ground…unless of course it was a bird!” and that such foolish thoughts should be confined to insane asylums and places for the mentally challenged.

THE REAL HEROS OF FLIGHT

And even as those brave men and courageous boys began strapping wings of wire and paper on to their backs and jumping off bridges in an attempt to prove they could fly, there were clusters of cameras rolling and hundreds of cracking flash bulbs exploding in the faces of the unassuming pilots to be. As the reporters scrambled and dashed to get their stories on the front pages of newspapers and magazines everywhere: “Another Birdman Crashes In Defeat”

Nevertheless, after many years of trial and error, all around the world the possibility of man’s ability to fly began to slowly take off. And before you knew it even men with knowledge and righteousness began to embrace the idea of flying (with the help of Physics and Finance of course).

And finally, many years after the message of possibility was first whispered to those 100 unsuspecting human beings, Orville and Wilbur made Possibilities dream come true. And on December 3, 1904 took her for the ride of her life—they took her flying! And from that day forward all the townspeople began to take “Possibility” very seriously.

The most noteworthy thing here to me, are those brave men and courageous boys who strapped wings of wire and paper on their backs and jumped off bridges in an attempt to prove they could fly. Those guys absolutely knew that they were being ridiculed and laughed at in the press. And they knew their children were being teased at school and their families were being socially chastised. Yet they did it anyway. Because they believed in the “possibility” of flying. And although they couldn’t prove they could fly, they could know it! And they courageously tossed aside all thoughts of righteous knowledge and soared upward, rocketing their dreams as high as they could take them.

I respect the guys who actually ended up flying. However, I honor the guys that went before them, who only got the laughs, never the glory.

Have you ever known something was right but you couldn’t prove it?
Has fate ever whispered something in your ear that seemed impossible, but you went for it anyway?

Peace & Love

Michael

Where does creativity come from? Why isn’t it always available when we need it? How do we get more of it? Why are some people more creative than others? Why is it that sometimes we’re very creative, and, other times, we’re not creative at all? The answers to these questions are often ambiguous and illusive—seldom clear and precise. However, I believe that everyone has the same access to the unlimited supply of creativity available in the universe. Our supply of creativity is endless, we could never, Ever, EVER, run out of creativity. Better said, we always have the option to express our self creatively—whether or not we choose to exercise that option, and access our natural, pure creativity is entirely up to us. Creativity is simply the productive originality of the Soul—it’s what our Creative Spirit does when we’re not in the room. And “Creative block” is simply the head interfering in what the heart wants to say!

If you think about it, what actually lies before us, each and every moment, (whether we draw or not) is a blank canvas that’s just waiting for some wet paint. However, sadly, most of the time, we choose the same colors over and over again, expecting a different picture to show up on the canvas. We use safe colors that we think have worked for us in the past, or we suspect have worked for others. Seldom do we ever dip our brush into a color that’s controversial, because we don’t want to rock the boat, or worse yet, have people think we really don’t know what we’re doing. I’ve always observed that if you’re rich and successful, and do outrageous things people think you’re a creative, eccentric genius. However, if you’re broke and unknown, and do outrageous things, people just think you’re crazy. Our society seems to grant creative liberty to people who are wealthy and successful, and hold suspect, people of little means. Therefore, it would be reasonable to assume that our degree of creative expression or performance is predicated on the reaction of our friends, family, peers and audience. If they all approve, then we’re awarded the moniker of “creatively talented.” If they don’t approve, we retreat, and try harder to please them, until we get it right.

The author of Eat, Pray, Love, Elizabeth Gilbert, has a different way to think about creative genius. Check out her “TED” speech.

Contrived Creativity
From my humble show biz perch, I can easily recognize two types of creativity: “Contrived Creativity” and “Pure Creativity.” Contrived Creativity is efforting and demanding, and is usually “sold-out” for money, fame, or a hollow ego-stroke. It’s forced, like writing supermarket novels or mundane TV shows. It never feels natural, and the result is, it never expresses what you really want to say. This type of creativity starts with an exciting idea, then gets passed through the gauntlet of considerations, useless gossip, false rules, and fear, until it becomes a manufactured garment made from synthetic ideas. What’s wrong with that you ask? You’re ripping your Self and the rest of us off by holding back, and not fully and honestly expressing your particular gift of originality. You’re attempting to generate ordinary, predictable results out of fear, rather than simply manifesting extraordinary results out of the fearlessness of your Creative Spirit.

Pure Creativity
Then there is pure creativity. Pure Creativity has no boundaries or rules. It has no rhyme or reason, and is not based on any logical conclusion of what is the proper way to produce or create a result. Pure Creativity is free of impurities, totally naked, and does not wear the clothing of pride, selfishness or ego. Pure Creativity has absolutely no purpose until its creator gives it one. Pure creativity bubbles up from the heart, it does not trickle down from the head. It cannot be bought, taught or found in any book. It has no formula for completion, and is only available to its creator when used in conjunction with the truth. Pure Creativity is not learning how to play guitar, it’s remembering how to play. It’s not writing a new script, it’s summoning the thespians of your imagination. It’s not painting a pretty picture, it’s getting out of the way so a colorful expression can appear on the canvas. The place where pure creativity exists has not yet been fully explored. However, it has been known to hide in such elusive places as that serene, silent space between one thought and the next, prowling in the privacy of naiveté and innocence, wedged between bright ideas and self doubt, and dancing in the shadows of spontaneity and impulsive behavior. The ultimate result of Pure Creativity is expressed love.

The masters and merchants of creativity all have one thing in common: They all agree that art, creativity and imagination are the keys to unleashing the human spirit. Listen closely, as they whisper their wisdom from the grave:

Pablo Picasso: Painting is stronger than I am—it makes me do what IT wishes.
Henry Miller: An artist is one who has faith in himself. He does not respond to the normal stimuli—he is neither a drudge nor a parasite. He lives to express himself, and in so doing he enriches the world.
John F. Kennedy: We must never forget that art is not a form of propaganda, it is a form of truth. If art is to nourish the roots of our culture, society must set the artist free to follow his vision wherever it takes him.
Jose Ortega: Being an artist means ceasing to take seriously that very person we are when we’re not an artist.
Albert Einstein: Imagination is more important than knowledge, for knowledge is limited while imagination embraces the entire world.
Igor Stravinski: The artist has an imperative need to make others share the joy which he experiences himself—in order to create, there must be a dynamic force, and what force is more potent than love.

Taking Creative Career Risks in Showbiz
This industry needs more risk-takers! It has become the business of staying within the stifling boundaries of certainty for the mere satisfaction of seeking a personal, financial or egotistical advantage. There are far too many genuinely creative people selling out their talent in all areas of Show Biz today—from TV producers lured by networks to maintain the acceptable status quo, to the actors and writers themselves, who sell out to mundane scripts that have the potential to inadvertently subject us and our children to disturbing violence and mindless drama.
We need to risk the chance of being criticized, and create a new inner motto: “I will fully express myself creatively no matter what people think of me, and I will follow my Creative Spirit wherever IT leads!”

The truth is, the risk-takers in this business, who have followed their own personal Creative Muse are praised and rewarded in life for being the pioneers of the industry, for being the ones who paved the way for the rest of us to follow. They’re the ones who have opened doors so that others may fully express themselves.

To Conquer Without Risk, Is To Triumph Without Glory! - From The Movie “El-Cid.”

Using your own creative instincts as your sword, you can dispel your fears, and forge through the fictitious barriers, blocks and filters of the mind, and access pure creativity, thereby fulfilling your secret, inner desire to contribute your talent to the world. Because, underneath the daily occurrences of your life, entangled deep in your human condition, stuck in the silly putty of the social circumstances that you find yourself in, there is an essence, the sweet essence of your Creative Spirit, that longs to express, craves to contribute, lives to experience, cries to create, and is more than willing to risk it all! Learn to recognize your own personal and unique Creative Spirit—give thanks for it, honor it, praise it, and be grateful for it. Follow your own Creative Spirit, wherever IT wants to go, without hesitation, and it will always guide you toward stimulating and  inspiring, adventures.

As always, I appreciate and look forward to your comments.

Peace & Love,
Michael

I’m currently reading the book Blink by Malcolm Gladwell. It’s been out for four years (2005) so I’m sure most of you have already read it—ok I’m late to the Gladwellian party. The reason I bought it (on my Kindle of course) is because I just finished reading Malcolm’s most recent book “Outliers” (currently #2 on the NY times top 10 best seller list). I was so taken by Outliers that I trusted that Malcolm wouldn’t let me down with his previous outing—and so far he hasn’t. I want to meet this guy! He’s a GREAT writer and man, does he do the research! Here’s a video of Malcolm:

MALCOLM GLADWELL: WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM SPAGHETTI SAUCE

Anyway, I’m only about three chapters into the book and I’m starting to really get what my new friend Malcolm means by “Blink.”  It refers to that instant or moment when we find ourselves absolutely in the presence of the truth and we have a “blink” of an opportunity to go with it or not. Some call it instinct, others call it a hunch, I happen to like the beautiful word “intuition.” However Malcolm calls it a “blink.” Like “in the blink of an eye.”

Here’s a personal example: My friend Dan was telling me about a guy he’s thinking about doing a project with—a big project. He said on the one hand he’s ready to clinch the deal because logic and reason indicate that the project would succeed. On the other hand he’s not 100% sure the guy is trustworthy. I told him that my new friend Malcolm says that you already KNOW if this guy is trustworthy and in fact you already KNOW if the deal will be rewarding (or not) for you and everyone else involved. And you KNEW it the minute you met him and took the first meeting. It all happened within milliseconds inside the quantum neurons and bosons of your brain and the TRUTH was delivered to you quicker than you could loosen your grip on that first handshake.

However, I believe that most of us do NOT follow that first intuitive moment of truth and rely instead on research, knowledge, investigation and contemplation until we are left with even more uncertainty then when we started—simply because we don’t trust our “gut reaction.” We seem to need more opinion from others or info from a book or factual data in order to make an intelligent decision. Nancy and I did that when we bought our bed. Buying a bed these days is like trying to choose a suntan lotion, THERE’S JUST TOO DAMN MANY! Anyway my back hurts just talking about the bed we ended up buying. We should have just followed my first “blink” of truth and bought the “Sleep-Number” bed, instead of the one where the guy says, “Or Your Mattress is Freeeee!”
THE FORCE
The idea of following my intuition (without hesitation) has always reminded me of the original Star wars movie. I’ve seen it 2-3 times over the years. Never bothered with the sequels because I loved the original so much I didn’t want to see such a perfectly written script get homogenized by the Hollywood machine.

Anyway, whenever I see that movie I hang on to every word uttered by Obie-Wan Kenobie’s profound teaching of truth: to always “Let The Force Be With ME.”

Kenobies’ words (actually they were George Lucas’s) remind me to always TRUST my own instinct and intuition, and have faith in that bigger part of me that has the ability to ALWAYS recognize the truth. Whether it’s personal, business or political.

The film and the Blink book remind me once again, to consistently re-visit that autonomous place of independence and freedom within me. That place where my illusive “creative spirit” resides—the abode of my intuition. It reminds me to TRUST my “good ideas” and to follow my spirit, without hesitation, in the direction IT wants to go. It tells me who to trust and who to avoid, what street to go down and what products to buy—or not.  I’ve always relied on it for business deals and unfortunately, sometimes I haven’t always listened. It also reminds me (without kindness) to check my ego, drop my act, re-write the story of my future and to pursue my dreams with steadfast confidence and reckless abandon.

Finally, both the Blink book and the Star Wars film remind me to always acknowledge the (Divine) Force within me, that (holy) spirit within me. To honor it and invite THAT powerful Force to “stand with me” in my ultimate quest for fearless confidence, ruthless integrity and peace of mind. And to not “blink” when I’m in the sacred presence of the truth.

Like I said, I’m only about three chapters into the book.

I’m curious to know:
- Has your intuition ever failed you?
- Do you see much of a difference between your intuition and your mind?
- When the words and pictures in your head are competing for your attention with judgments and doubt, how do you make the distinction between your intuition and your mind?

Peace & Love
Michael

If I were to guess I would say that war and violence began as a survival instinct when we all still lived in our lovely condo caves. If you could eavesdrop on the some of the earliest conversations of humans they may go something like this:

“If you steal my bananas I will kill you!”
“If you even think of taking a flame from my fire I will kill you.”
“If you step one foot into my lovely condo cave I will kill you!’
“If you even look at my hairy stinky wife I will kill you!”
“Drop The Club! Or I will kill you!”
“This is my land. If you step one foot on it I will kill you!”
“I went to the mountain top and spoke to God. If you don’t believe in MY God I will kill you!”

According to my psychologist friends there’s plenty of data and research to absolutely prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that humans are “hardwired” for violence. And like it or not, we will always and forever resort to violence. And the best we can do is continue to counter it with more, better and different methods violence to help soften the situation. But what do they know?

Check out this video of Neanderthal Man:

THE RECURRING CASE FOR NON-VIOLENCE

For the first time in the history of humans we may now be at the crossroads of a real paradigm shift in our evolutionary DNA because the notion of non-violence may finally be at our doorstep.

Perhaps the possibility of non-violence first came to Jesus and he took off with the idea, spreading his message of love as far as he could take it.

His followers would protest:
“Jesus Christ! Are you crazy? The Romans are killing our children and torturing our families! They’re even coming after you! And you want us to turn the other cheek and respond with love? Are you crazy Lord?”

Jesus replied: “I say to you, offer the wicked man no resistance. If anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also. If a man takes your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone orders you to go one mile, go two miles with him.”
Matt. 5:39-41

The followers of Mahatma Gandhi would say the exact same thing:
“Babaji! Are you crazy? The British are the most powerful nation on earth! They kill our children and torture our families! They’re even coming after you! And you want us to turn the other cheek and respond with love? Are you crazy Bapu?”

Gandhi replied:
“I object to violence because when it appears to do good, the good is only temporary; the evil it does is permanent. Hate the sin, love the sinner.”

The followers of Martin Luther King would say the exact same thing:
“Oh Reverend King! The whites are the most powerful race on earth! They kill our children and torture our families! They’re even coming after you! And you want us to turn the other cheek and respond with love? Are you crazy man?”

MLK replied: “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

Today something has changed in the world. The energy has shifted. You know exactly what I mean. Perhaps that 100th monkey has picked up the ball and run with it.

There’s now plenty of evidence to show that a few of the more intelligent and sophisticated powers that rule the world are beginning to look very closely at new and more contemporary non-violent methods of winning, dominating, occupying, ruling and conquering each other, without blowing up that which they want to possess.

Wikipedia research:
- Axis of Logic
- Guerrilla’s Without Guns
- Non-violence and Inner Disarmament
- The Albert Einstein Institute for non-violence

Don’t get me wrong, I still believe that humans have the desire to compete, dominate and conquer. The time for that 100th monkey to deliver the message of total global cooperation has not yet arrived. However, I do believe that the possibility of “the final days of violent war as we know it” is an idea who’s time has come—as “WEA” used to say.

ITAKETHEVOW.COM

During one of his seminars my guru, teacher and (distant) friend Deepak Chopra took a vow of non-violence. Then he asked the 450 people in the room to take the same vow. The video shows them all taking the vow.

The vow is very simple:
“I take the vow of non-violence; in my speech, my thoughts and my actions.”

The goal is to get 100,000,000 people to take the vow. You can take the vow at: www.itakethevow.com

On February 1, 2009 (my mom’s birthday) I took the vow.

What’s most fascinating to me is the resistance I’m getting from people when I ask them if they’ll take the vow. One psychologist friend insists that humans are “hardwired” for violence and that will never change. Therefore she refused to take the vow. My Christian and Jewish friends say that when rockets are fired at your family you must bomb their family in self-defense. Another friend said, “Well, when I take a vow I never break it. Therefore I don’t want to take a vow that I may not be able to keep! (Oh yeah, right, what about your divorce!) Then there’s my favorite: “What if a big bad bogie man was raping my wife and slaughtering my family? Do you expect me to just stand by and tell the monster that he won’t get any resistance from me because I took a vow of non-violence ? Sorry Michael, I’m not taking your vow!”

I believe that a vow of non-violence is far and away distinct from physical survival or self-defense. Some of my heroes did what others would consider violent actions. But I believe they were taking advantage of a “teaching opportunity” rather then consciously breaking their commitment to peace:

Teaching opportunity: Jesus violently crashed the markets in the temple.

Teaching opportunity: Gandhi used to whack his devotees over the head with his walking stick.

Teaching opportunity: George Harrison and his wife Patti were great examples of a life committed to non-violence. Yet in a desperate attempt to save my favorite Beatles’ life, she hit the attacker over the head with a lamp…teaching him a lesson he’ll never forget!

I believe that a vow of non-violence is a place to come from, a powerful stand, a way of life. Yes, if the boogie man was going after my wife Nancy you can be sure I’d bust him over the head with a lamp—but only after all attempts at negotiation failed.

Even Gandhi says,
“We may never be strong enough to be entirely nonviolent in thought, word and deed. But we must keep nonviolence as our goal and make strong progress towards it.”

So are you willing to take the vow of non-violence? If not, why not?
What are your thoughts on “The final days of violent war as we know it?”
Do you believe that we are “hardwired” for violence and that will never change?

I look forward to your comments.

Peace & Love,
Michael