Beginning with Tarot: A Personal View

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I got involved with psychic research when I was about 11 years old.  I had become fascinated with psychic phenomena while reading an article in my mother’s Family Circle magazine.  The article was based on the book Hidden Channels of the Mind by Louisa E. Rhine, wife and co-researcher of J.B. Rhine who had developed the field of parapsychology while a professor at Duke University.


Soon I was reading everything I could get my hands on about the subject.  One book in particular focused on testing procedures, and  my best friend at the time was enthusiastic about the idea of working through those tests as experiments.  His house had an attic room that wasn’t being used, so we converted it into a parapsychology lab as only a couple of sixth graders could... it basically consisted of a table, a couple of chairs, pencils and paper, some dice, and playing cards. We didn’t have any Zener cards, which we would have liked, but the book had procedures and listed probabilities for ordinary playing cards, so we were set.  We tested each other according to the protocols we learned from the book, and recorded the results.  We didn’t break any new ground in our “research”, and after that school year we lost touch with each other.


Shortly after that, when I was 13, I went to see the new James Bond movie Live and Let Die.  The music, the intrigue, girls and guns, and then... pictographic cards start falling on a table as a woman’s voice begins describing things to come.  I was instantly intrigued!  What was this?  The story developed, the cards became more prominent, and at one point the word “Tarot” could be seen in a window over an image of The High Priestess.  I had to know more.


This was 1973, and some aspects of American schools were starting to go sane, albeit only for a few years.  The Scholastic Book Club, which sold books through my junior high school, offered a deck of Tarot cards through its monthly catalogue.  That became my first deck.  I don’t remember what it was called, but it was only the Major Arcana, and in addition to traditional titles, each card had the name of a popular song printed on it.  The Fool referenced “The Fool on the Hill”, The Devil mentioned “Sympathy for the Devil”, The Wheel of Fortune had “Spinning Wheel”, and so on.


So my love affair with the Tarot began, and continues to this moment...


 Now, Lifeforce Tarot Energetics is a system of utilizing lifeforce energy, and focusing it with the symbols of the Tarot, through the stillness of Now.  Universal symbolism and psychic energy interact in ways that facilitate deep insight into real-life concerns, and often result in deep healing on emotional, spiritual, and even physical levels.  There is no known limit to this, as it is continuously evolving.


The challenge here is putting this into words.  It’s one thing to live with it as it evolves, it’s another to teach this approach to others.  What seems obvious to me now may not be apparent to you, just as what now seems self-evident to you may not seem so to me.  This is okay.  I’m not trying to teach or write dogmatic “Truth”, just suggesting an approach to the ancient art of personal transformation that may help you on your own journey... or at least, maybe, entertain you a bit.


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Copyright 2011 by Dennis George Rudolph.  All rights reserved.

Easy Meditation

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In this life stuff happens.  Like a wheel... going round and round, up, then down... people set goals, strive for them, the goal is achieved... or not... and then on to another goal... Maybe there’s a larger vision in mind, with goals on the way to it, maybe that vision changes sometimes... on we go...


Yet at the center of that wheel, that endless cycle of change, is a hub, a still point that remains unchanging while all around it spins through time.  Whether you’re aware of it or not, it’s still there, never going any place, never changing.  This stillness is both inside of you and outside at the same time.  When you access it deeply, become acutely aware of this stillness, it becomes obvious that inner- and outer- are just ways of thinking about it, and that you are it... inner and outer all at once. 


Meditation is often suggested as a way to get to this inner stillness, and yet having such a goal is often an obstacle to meditating.  If you haven’t done it before, or even if you’ve been doing it for ages, you might want to start with the idea that you’re just going to sit quietly and do nothing... meditating just for the sake of meditating.


There are many methodologies for meditation, and many are worthwhile.  I’m going to suggest a simple form of sitting breath meditation, which is usually more than sufficient.  This is not at all a dismissal of other worthy ways, just some suggestions for easy, effective meditation.


You may want to set a timer for about 20 minutes, so you don’t have to look at the clock while you meditate.  If you want to do it for longer or shorter periods of time, that’s okay; 20 minutes is a good time to start with.  Now, sit quietly and gently pay attention to your breathing.  You can close your eyes to make this inner awareness easier.  Don’t try to change your breathing now, just let it happen.  Some methods have you counting your breaths, or saying things like “In... out...” as you breathe. Right now you’re doing none of that, you’re just focusing on your breathing, feeling it, and allowing whatever sensory awareness comes along with that attention.


Thoughts will come along from time to time, especially at the beginning.  That’s okay.  It’s like you’re watching a stream, maybe from a bridge above it, and that stream is your breathing.  Occasionally some object comes floating down the stream... a thought... so you notice it as it goes by, and return your attention to the stream.  No need to follow or chase the thought, you just let it go as you return your attention to your breathing.


Sometimes those thoughts may seem important, like... “I’ve got to do something!”  It’s useful to have a paper and pen or pencil handy, to jot those thoughts down... then you can get back to meditating.


So what are you doing when you do this type of meditation?  Ultimately, nothing... but it’s nothing packed with stillness, with the silence at the core of all things. 


The Tao Teh Ching puts it well, in chapter/verse 48:


Learning consists of daily accumulating;
The practice of Tao consists in daily diminishing.


Keep on diminishing and diminishing,
Until you reach the state of Non-Ado.
No-Ado, and yet nothing is left undone.


Meditating is not about setting goals.  Transformation happens, but not because you’re trying to make anything happen.  You don’t make it happen, you let it happen.  The bigger You becomes more apparent when you let the little “you” step down out of the way.


What do you think might happen if you were to sit quietly, for twenty minutes each morning, and just pay attention to your breathing?  What if you were to do this for twenty minutes in the afternoon as well?


The effects of regular meditation have been described and even formally researched.  Inner effects include a greater sense of personal peace, freedom from depression and anger, greater openness to useful ideas, increased creativity, and greater awareness of personal identity with All That Is.  Outer effects include greater harmony with people around, goals achieved more easily, and there have even been studies to suggest that violent crime rates go down in communities where numbers of people begin meditating on a regular basis.


Meditating with these effects as goals, though, seems to block them for many people.  To meditate just for the sake of sitting quietly and doing nothing... that is enough.  As the Tao says, “No-Ado, and yet nothing is left undone.”


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dennis@dennisgeorgerudolph.com


Copyright 2011 by Dennis George Rudolph.  All rights reserved.

The Best on Meditation, Here, Now.

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For anyone exploring "spirituality" or seeking the answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything, and wondering what to do... meditation is the best place to begin.  These are the best and most practical resources on meditation that I know of, all recommended highly:


Slow Love: A Polynesian Pillow Book by James N. Powell
The chapter "On Doing Nothing" is one of the best writings on practical meditation I've come across in a long time.  This book is also one of the best on romantic and sexual relationships as well.


Hardcore Zen: Punk Rock, Monster Movies and the Truth About Reality by Brad Warner
Funny and educational autobiography of an 80s hardcore punk bass player (for Zero Defex) who went to Japan to work on Japanese monster movies and wound up becoming a Soto Zen priest.  Funny and insightful, this book also has practical instructions for traditional zazen practice.


Zen without Zen Masters by Camden Benares
Discordian Zen, with an extensive section on practical meditation "how-to"s.  Lots of Discordian stories and paradoxically insightful nonsense, all with an introductory commentary by Robert Anton Wilson.


Catching the Big Fish: Meditation, Consciousness, and Creativity by David Lynch
Yeah, the same David Lynch... the prolific filmmaker behind Eraserhead, Blue Velvet, and a lot of other films... and, at one time, weather reporter in LA.  Not a "how-to", more of a brilliant autobiographical exploration of meditation and the creative process.


While reading about meditation can teach you a lot, nothing compares to the experience you have when you really do it!  I'd love to read about your experiences... dennis@dennisgeorgerudolph.com.


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Copyright 2011 by Dennis George Rudolph.  All rights reserved.

Learn Effective Hands-On Healing Now!

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A lot has been written and taught about energy healing.  Some is good, some is not so good.  What follows are notes on what I consider to be the best, most practical books on hands-on healing out there, with links to help you when you want to find them on Amazon.  The first two are practical guides to doing the stuff, and the third can help you steer clear of a lot of the traps that some have set to mislead sincere seekers.  These are the real deal.


So here's the best of the good stuff so far:


Now Reiki: Universal Energy and the Stillness of Now by William Welton
The best in hands-on healing, simple and direct.  This one not only teaches energy healing, it could transform your view of reality if you actually practice the meditations and follow the suggestions on applying healing energy.  It combines the practical teachings of classic Usui Reiki with the insights of Eckhart Tolle.  To get the most out of this, it is best to get it with the Now Reiki Meditations CD.  It is also available as a complete Now Reiki Audio Course.


Quantum-Touch: The Power to Heal (Third Edition) by Richard Gordon
An excellent book teaching effective hands-on healing with many practical variations.


Reiki False Beliefs Exposed For All Misinformation Kept Secret By a Few Revealed by Steve Murray
A Reiki Master debunks a lot of crap that's been put out about hands-on healing generally and Reiki in particular.  If you've been around the Reiki community for a while, be prepared to have some myths shattered.  If you're new to it, this can save you a lot of time and money that might otherwise be spent chasing manipulative fantasies.


These three resources can put you on the road to truly effective energy healing... that is, if you get them and, most importantly, sincerely apply what they teach.


Please let me know how you use them!  I can be reached at dennis@dennisgeorgerudolph.com.


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Copyright 2011 by Dennis George Rudolph.  All rights reserved.

The Trilogy, Linked

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The following books are three of the clearest and most direct pointers to the moon (to borrow the Zen analogy) that I know of.


The Book: On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are by Alan Watts


Lucid Living: A Book You Can Read in One Hour That Will Turn Your World Inside Out by Tim Freke


The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment by Eckhart Tolle


To believe what they say would be to miss the point.... but to ignore them may be missing an opportunity to wake up to more than you can think.


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Copyright 2011 by Dennis George Rudolph.  All rights reserved.

$ubverting the Simple

What follows is a parable that reflects what happens all too often in businesses with a "spiritual" bent.  It happens when a simple, legitimate teaching is subverted and complicated for the purpose of making more money from it.  It was originally written in response to changes taking place last year in a company that does business in teaching hands-on healing.  Sadly, it reflect what happens all too often in too many such companies, churches, systems and schools.

I’d like to share with all of you one of my “life experiences.”

Many years ago, as computers were first coming into their own, there was a great lack of knowledge about connecting computer peripherals – printers, scanners, monitors, cameras and such.

A friend of mine in a far away country, recognizing this opportunity, began to conduct “Printer Connection” workshops. For less than $300 you could attend his class, and in less than 2 days you could learn how to connect your own printer (or someone else’s), whether it was a serial, parallel, or usb connection. He was very good at it, and soon many people were “connecting.” He also saw that there was a need for many people to learn this skill set quickly, and his time was limited. So many needs and so little time. What to do?

He developed a system whereby a workshop attendee could attend repeat workshops, pay a one-time $100 fee, and become qualified as a “Printer Connection” Practitioner, with his blessings. Good deal. The students attended extra workshops. He even gave them a half-price special for repeat workshops. Some Practitioners charged for this printer installation service, and some offered it freely and gladly, especially for friends.

He then figured out that if he were to require attendance at a few more workshops (and another one-time $100 fee), he could certify his student as a “Printer Workshop” Instructor, and the new P/W Instructor could then hold workshops for other students, collect $300 from each one, and send him 10% of the fees collected. The money would come rolling in.

But gradually, the flaws in his plan began to appear. There were expenses. And not that much money.

Over a period of time he saw his classes dwindling. And those of his Instructors, as well. Computers were becoming mainstream and people were reading the Owner’s Manual.

He looked and looked for a way to increase the cash flow. He hired several management consultants. And by his own admission, they all cost him a lot of money.

Finally, he tried a new consultant who convinced him that he could increase his cash flow with this consultant’s new program, called “Selling By Taking.” The premise was simple. Instead of giving support to all of his Practitioners and Instructors, he could “take” money from them by decreeing an annual renewal fee to maintain their certification. What a stroke of genius. So what if they didn’t care for it. Progress is often unpopular.

So what if they rebelled and he lost half of them. That would still leave him a six-figure income every year, for doing nothing but decreeing: “Selling By Taking.” Brilliant.

Besides, many would remain loyal. It’s not a question of ethics or morality – this is business.

Well, some of his fans left him, moving on to bigger and better things – “if not this, something better.” Some refused to give in to extortion and were “unplugged.” And some willingly paid the fee so they could continue to install printers.

And they all lived happily ever after.

What does this have to do with my life’s experience?

Well, as a computer specialist, I had quickly learned to install printers and other peripherals with a minimum of time. I could teach people to do that with their eyes closed and even over the phone, in a matter of minutes rather than days. Just couldn’t justify charging them $300, much less taking 2 days of their time. And if the occasional person wants some help with their computer, I’m still willing to give it.

Yours in Truth,

G L Arnold

Story stolen from reprinted with permission from the Qtouch Blog http://qtouchblog.blogspot.com/

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Copyright 2011 by Dennis George Rudolph.  All rights reserved.

An Impartial Review of The Psychic Experimentalist

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Recently a good friend of mine agreed to write a review of The Psychic Experimentalist, a collection of  articles and essays from the last couple of years.  I'm amazed that he liked it as much as he did, and consider his words true praise.  I hope you agree...


A few weeks ago Dennis George Rudolph published a collection of his tirades online as what he called a "free ebook".  The title of this volume is The Psychic Experimentalist.  To call it an "ebook" may be a bit of an exaggeration, as it weighs in at a mere 45 pages... maybe more of an "epamphlet".  Most, but not all, of the essays that constitute this screed have been previously published as blog posts.  Although I am acquainted with the author, I only got around to reading it recently.  Once I started telling him what I thought of it, he asked to write this review.  I'll try to be kind.


It attempts, rather directly, to change the perspective of the reader in a way that enables the reader to see beyond the words to something-or-other beyond them.  The author particularly enjoys the "finger pointing to the moon" analogy from Zen, and yet the words themselves seem to point in all kinds of different directions.  One moment he seems to be raving about the oneness of everything, and the next he's saying that reality is incomprehensible beyond models of reality.  He capitalizes words that he feels have some "cosmic" importance, then tells us again to "look beyond the words" as if that's easy to do when you're laughing at his preposterous inconsistencies.  Sometimes it's hard to tell when he's joking, or whether he considers his pretentious "jokes" to be significant somehow.


In the self-serving bio at the back, which he tacitly admits he wrote, he never mentions his Wiccan priesthood, his background teaching shamanism and European Faerie Tradition, or his experimental blues death punk band in the 1980s.  Nor does he mention whether or not he went to any college beyond a couple of semesters at the Calvary Chapel Bible School... and he doesn't even admit to that!  He says he's a minister without mentioning that he was ordained by the Universal Life Church when he was 14, after reading about them in Abbie Hoffman's Steal This Book.  When I confronted him with this he told me he had also been ordained by another church as well, although he couldn't remember its name.  This dubiously eclectic background is ignored while he emphasizes things he'd rather people notice.


His logic is inconsistent at best, his stories are erratic, and the quotations he chooses are so contradictory I almost wonder if he's somehow laughing at himself while raving about the futility of "belief systems" and such.  The way he capitalizes words in the middle of sentences is intended to make some kind of point, I know, but I'm not sure they don't just bring up the reader's own preconceptions about "All That Is" or whatever pompous crap he's ranting about.


Sure, I laughed out loud reading it, and I told him I was laughing with him, not at him.  I think he wanted to believe me, however much he harangues me about not truly believing anything.  So would I recommend this book?  Sure, if you want to spend some time having your mind turned inside out and shaken out over a cosmic dustbin.  Honestly, I don't agree with everything he says, but then again he doesn't ask for agreement, so I guess that's okay.  He seems sincere while asking people to disagree with him, so how could I not question this stuff?  That's what he wants!


Anyway, the price is right, it's free from his website http://dennisgeorgerudolph.com .  I'm glad I finally read it, even if it's hard to tell whether its a complicated joke masquerading as a true sutra, or a true sutra camouflaged as a complicated joke.  Just get it, read it, and decide for yourself.

I wonder if he's going to have the balls to print this.  And I wonder if he really thinks anyone will believe he didn't write this review himself.


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Copyright 2010 by Dennis George Rudolph.  All rights reserved.