Articles | 7 words associates

Articles Archive

Types of People

by James Burgess

No doubt there are universal laws by which we are constrained, and it may even be that the number 7 is an expression of one of them—yet it’s unlikely that we will all interpret its significance in the same way. It is anyway certain that we’d use different terms to discuss and describe it, so it may be better to see the 7 words as guidelines that are subject to creative interpretation. Open
Using this model we have considered how to contemplate differently certain key processes of life—growing, healing, learning, love, religion and politics. Equally we can apply it to other processes, and if we find that this develops our awareness, then it is valid to employ it. We can also see that certain people have strengths and weaknesses in various areas that the 7 Words express.

After a while we will gradually develop awareness of ‘types’ and intuitively recognise a person as a ‘strong No, weak Hello’—perhaps a serious accountant or a ‘Strong Thank You, strong Hello’—a warm and sociable neighbour. It’s useful to know our own tendencies.

If for example, I am normally strong with Goodbye and yet cannot leave a job that bores me then I can look more closely to discover why—perhaps at the moment I’m feeling emotionally insecure or I’ve just taken on extra financial obligations that give me to have less confidence moving into the unknown.

Or if I were always waking up unenthusiastically—what would it take for that to change? Was there a time when I was chirpy on waking? If so—what was the difference that made the difference? Can I do something to bring back enthusiasm into my life?

The individual interpretation of high or low scoring primary words—strong on No, weak on Goodbye and so on—can be dealt with intuitively after gaining some grasp of the main ideas of the 7 words. It is also meaningful to consider the various scores in combination; the 42 possible results are briefly explained here. They are meant as preliminary suggestions for further contemplation, a guideline for a person to use as help towards a deeper sense of self-awareness.

If No is the strongest score, and the weakest is:

Hello There can be reluctance to embrace new ideas and new people, fixity of habit, a reflex against trying alternatives. Life can be rigid and set firm into patterns of defence.
Thanks By blocking out so much, what is wanted may also be accidentally excluded. The warmth of human connection and appreciation of life’s blessings cannot easily pass through a door that always remains closed.
Goodbye Perhaps what was entirely appropriate once is no longer valid and valuable. There may be an outworn self-image that needs to be released in order to move forward to new opportunities.
Please Defining life negatively is one way to be very restricting—‘I know what I don’t like’ can actually attract exactly what we don’t like. It’s more fruitful to pursue a more optimistic vision based on positive statements of preference and desire. Within the range of opportunities available it is good to become focused on a clear goal and set out to achieve it. There are resources available to help in this and yet they can be harnessed only when we ask for cooperation.
Sorry Life is rather harsh for those who cannot easily admit their weaknesses. Modesty is a rather more pleasant and sustainable condition than the aloofness of pride. ‘Beyond a healthy discipline, be gentle with yourself’ (Desiderata).
Yes There are times when controls need to be relaxed so that the unpredictable elements of life are admitted. To be constantly clenched, through fear of being out of control, is damaging. There is a need to take risks sometimes.

If Hello is the strongest score, and the weakest is:

No A need may exist to develop discrimination and apply more thought to priorities in life. We can’t accept everything that is available and are required to choose what has importance; otherwise we are likely to become more than a liitle overwhelmed.
Thanks Is the grass always greener in another field? It may be better to lean how to appreciate what there is here and now rather than to indulge an appetite for excitement and just take the familiar for granted.
Goodbye It’s not reasonable to believe we can breathe in without breathing out. If we take on new things without completing and letting go of the old, then life becomes cluttered and unmanageable, we spread ourselves too thinly and nothing is properly finished.
Please Within the range of opportunities available, it is good to become focused on a clear goal and set out to achieve it. There are resources available to help in this and yet they can be harnessed only when we ask for cooperation.
Sorry Living on the surface of things has its advantages, yet a deeper and more mature involvement is gained only when we take more responsibility for ourselves and the effect we have on others.
Yes A more balanced life is less frenetic and can be created by trusting more in the natural flow of things and letting ourselves have time to relax and assimilate, accepting periods of quiet as valuable and important.

If you want to study further, we recommend the purchase of 7 Words Principles and Practices from Lulu.

Tarot: How to Choose a Significator

by Nesta Burgess

There are many theories about the choice of the significator card for a Tarot reading and of course there is no “one true way”, for it is very personal. Still I would like to offer a slightly different approach to this process of choice – as a means to define your question more clearly, prepare for the reading better and even to know yourself more deeply. Open
There are various possible choices using Major or Minor Arcana cards. Rider Waite for example speaks of the tradition of representing male and female respectively as Magician or High Priestess. Perhaps more commonly the court cards of the four suits are used to represent qualities of personality, the nature of a particular situation, or even outer qualities such as the color of the hair or eyes. The process of choosing goes along with the study and definition of the topic in the reading, and it has 7 stages, aligned with the 7 Words:

1 Identification Firstly, there is a need to decide what exactly it is that we are going to study – the nature of situation, our role in it, or the effects of it in the greater picture of our life.

If we wish to get deeper insights into the particular situation, one of four suits of the Minor Arcana can be chosen regardless of our individual qualities of personality:
Rods (Wands) would be chosen to represent spiritual and philosophical aspects of life;
Cups are concerned with feelings and emotional matters;
Swords are all about power and social position;
Pentacles (Coins) symbolize money, wealth and material belongings.

When choosing a significator to represent yourself or your client, it is important to decide whether you are interested in the qualities of your role in particular circumstances, or their relations to your personality in life in general, for they may differ greatly.

My personal opinion is that the Major Arcana cards represent the spiritual principles in our life, which are more to do with our soul’s purpose rather than expressions of our personality. Therefore I would suggest using them for more special cases when life-changing events occur or major questions of life direction are addressed.

2 Options Having chosen clearly which aspect of the matter you are studying, select all the possibilities for the significator. Criteria of age, sex and appearance can be used, but don’t forget that in some situations even a powerful and mature man can be rather like a vulnerable young boy.

3 Deepening Your question might be complex when contradicting qualities prevent you from making a choice between several archetypes. See it as a door to a deeper knowledge of what is hidden in the situation. Consulting your feelings and body sensations take your time looking at every one of the possible cards and then let your heart guide you.

4 Decision Trust your choice and return the remaining cards to the Tarot deck. If you manage consciously and truthfully to point out the difficulties and contradictions you have had to overcome to make your decision, these can be turned into valuable realizations about yourself.

5 Visualization Imagine meeting or even becoming the character depicted in the card. Breathe slowly to deepen this connection and expand your understanding of this energy – you can talk to the archetype, or imagine it expressing through yourself in various situations. See its effect in your life – when do you act out such qualities? Which situations represent or awaken these qualities in you? What is the deeper wisdom this card is teaching?

6 Awareness Although all archetypes may be pure in the spiritual realms, they gain a shadow side as they descend to the material world. Suppression or unawareness of the existence of the pure energy always leads to distortions and negative expressions of it. Acknowledging these shadowy qualities in yourself is your biggest resource. Try not to judge – just to notice, because awareness and acceptance are enough to get things moving.

7 Flowing Do not get attached or identified with a certain significator for too long, especially if it was very pleasant and inspiring. You would be limiting yourself to only one thing, when many are available. Every day and every reading bring new lessons and to be able to accept them one needs to let go of any expectations.

I hope that the description of this sevenfold method will be a source of new ideas and inspiration, even if you don’t choose to use it!

The General Change Process

by James Burgess

The process can be applied at any level whether this be personal, corporate or global. Naturally it involves seven stages, each of which is a necessary condition of successful outcome. Open
1) This is unacceptable
2) I wonder what options there are?
3) This option feels better
4) Okay—let’s do it—let’s move on.
5) Let’s do exactly this, shall we?
6) We’ll need to be responsible and careful…
7) ...and to accept what we get when our plans don’t quite work out.

Possible omissions or errors include:

Failure to define the problem Despite the strong emphasis in alternative bookshops on positive methods to engineer life changes, in practice the main task is not really to affirm what we want; it is to clearly define what we don’t want. This has to be done very specifically indeed. NLP students know about this. We have to get to the exact physical aspects of the particular life circumstance that we want to change. Say something like: ‘I experience my father as uncomfortably invasive whenever he speaks to me disdainfully about my career prospects’.

Inadequate information and contacts Is it reasonable to expect to jump immediately from problem to solution without due process? That’s not what life is about. We need to consider options, to enquire into possibilities, to be open to change our ways a little bit. There is vast energy wastage simply because information and contacts are not respected and developed fully.

Failure to take human feelings into account On a personal level, we need to be honest about the gap that exists between what we would like to be, and what we are. It’s good to strive for something that would express an elevated version of who we want to be, yet actually if it feels awful, then there’s a very good chance that we won’t sustain the new situation. So we need to imagine how it would feel actually to be in the circumstances we’re proposing. Equally, the machinery of business and government will never run smoothly unless and until the human factor is embraced as a necessary and valuable factor.

Indecisiveness and slovenly attitudes towards completions Committees in general are renowned for their indecisiveness, especially the local soviets in the ex-USSR. If we postpone our decision until there is only one possibility remaining, then we can’t be blamed for making a mistake! What crazy logic! What nonsense! Is it thought that errors of omission are not errors? And yet we all suffer from failure to complete. When a shopkeeper gives us a plastic bag are we aware enough that unless we act wisely its disposal will probably cause additional pollution? Do we always keep our files upto date? Do we routinely throw out old clothes to the charity shops? In other words are we willing to deal fully with the implications of a decision before making it?

Indistinct intention and inability to win cooperation It’s no good just saying ‘I want to get closer to God’ or ‘I want to be happy’, these are so indistinct that nobody can actually understand what we mean. Most importantly, we ourselves can’t. So we don’t know what we want and therefore we don’t know how to get it or even when we’ve got it. Say something like I choose to find a home with everything I enjoy and need, and I will enjoy attracting cooperation to help me get it.

Lack of awareness and irresponsible dealings with other people We live in a world where there are other people with their own agendas, and their own situations. Some of these will be touched as we progress towards fulfilment of our own visions, and occasionally there will be those who feel upset when we get what we want. We need to watch out for this, and try to minimise their upset, even promote their own vision-fulfilment, as a way to diminish the resistance against us. It’s not only nicer; it’s also more effective.

Intolerance and inflexibility; failure to flow Rigidity is evidence of death not life. We will never get exactly all we want, so we do need to accept what comes instead. Life is about flowing through the changes, and although we can nudge things our way, we need also to acknowledge the larger picture over which we have no influence at all. Can we stop the sun shining or the tides rising? King Canute knew about this.

Story Telling in 7 Words

by James Burgess

A story has well defined aspects. It begins ‘once upon a time’ with a set of circumstances that defines the stage: place and time typically. Something happens to disturb the status quo and this begins the action. Open
Someone wants something and sets out to acquire it, most often developing a heart reason for fulfilling the quest. There is a setback, a choice and usually an opponent or personal conundrum to grapple with. Some inner shift takes place—a refinement—before a resolution can occur, after which the hero(ine) lives (sometimes happily ever after) having gone through the transformation that the story tells of.

This transformation is the essence of the journey that the story tells—the journey from No to Yes. There would be no story if we began with everything being fine and dandy.

The action starts with No. Someone cannot accept the way things are and the story tells us about the process that unfolds from this — which of course has to come to resolution if we, the audience, are to be satisfied. New things are examined — this is Hello; love and gratitude are experienced — Thank You; the old ways are gone for ever — Goodbye; a new vision replaces the old, and this needs cooperative involvement — Please; a refinement occurs within the hero(ine), which makes them a better person — Sorry; and all settles back down to an agreeable new situation — Yes.

A Global Perspective

by James Burgess

I want a few very basic things that seem to me like a birth-right: Open
Unfulfilled Universal Wants

my person, family, property and country to be safe from intrusion
access to factual information about the matters that concern me and my circumstances.
to be cared for when I’m old, needy or sick and to care for those who need my help.
to enjoy a wholesome natural environment where people clean up their own mess: clean air, fresh water, nutritional food, and to know my grandchildren will have them too.
my views to be embraced as part of the whole picture that humanity shares.
those in positions of authority to be accountable and pay compensation for their misconduct.
to have the freedom to express myself without fear of persecution, whatever my race, creed, gender or harmless preferences.

In the general absence of these expectations being met, there are major issues on a global scale. These can be seen differently and studied more objectively if we examine which of the 7 words is most applicable to describe them or the reasons they exist. By reframing the problems we can try other ways to find solutions. It has to be said that—although we are making some progress—it really is time now to deal more effectively with them. We acknowledge that this approach is likely to be viewed as simplistic—and indeed there are always factors that complicate—yet in the end surely it is intuitively clear that the answer must be found in simplicity?

War relates to No
Media Corruption relates to Hello
Poverty relates to Thank You
Environmental Issues relate to Goodbye
Human Rights relate to Please
Tyranny relates to Sorry
Persecution relates to Yes

War, Theft, Rape, Bullying

These arise where a person’s boundaries are weak. There is no solution to be found in taking the moral high ground and saying that the aggressor is to blame. It doesn’t work. Simply put, he must be stopped. There needs to be a very strong No, if we are to be safe from intrusion. Rather than deplore the war, we need to do whatever is needed to help the victim to keep out the invader. Whatever is needed. If peaceful demonstrations are enough, that’s good. If not then further pressure must be applied against those who intend to aggress.

We can understand that intention is subject to interpretation—so there needs to be a fair interpretation reached. What we lack is a world police force and justice system. In every community we find it necessary to use force to protect the innocent against aggression and to go through due processes of law to penalize the wrongdoers. Why have we not collectively created a global version? If the UN is meant to be the global police force, then to be effective it needs to be strengthened. Until No is applied strongly and fairly, there will continue to be crimes against individuals and their homelands.

To deal with theft requires that we guard our property better until collectively we have created a community enlightened enough to make it disappear.

Rape is terrible, and victims suffer grievously. The aggressor cannot easily be excused or forgiven and yet punishment is often not forthcoming, certainly it is not an effective deterrent. What is effective requires the potential victims to be diligent about not exposing themselves to risk, although the price to pay is the curtailment of a degree of personal freedom. The message No! needs to be given early and clearly in unambiguous terms, which in certain circumstances might even include moderating the choice of clothes being worn or situations visited.

Bullying takes place at school, at home and in all aspects of business and politics. No matter how big and powerful is the bully; there is always someone who is more so—especially if that ‘someone’ is a group. The answer to bullying lies in the creation and supervision of group codes, laws if you prefer, so that the many can resist the few. If any one nation becomes the world bully then the rest will have to join together and enforce policies to prevent the despoiling that will result otherwise. In the absence of such a preventative force, violent individuals are inclined to take matters into their own hands.

If you want to study further, we recommend the purchase of 7 Words Principles and Practices from Lulu.

Running a Business

by James Burgess

Here’s a summary of how to interpret the ideas within the 7 Words and 28 keywords in a commercial framework. Open
No is about Boundaries Identity Choice Truth

It is by what we exclude that we define ourselves—we’re what’s left after we have refused the unacceptable. Legal structures deny us certain possibilities by making them illegal—anything so denied is therefore the defining boundary of our corporate structure. The name we use immediately casts aside 99% of all possibilities—the Auckland Hells Angels do not trade in commodity futures anymore than the Frome Over ’60’s Club encourages all-night raves. Further, by refusing sloppy standards, we choose efficiency, and lastly the exact circumstances of our situation show the truth of who and what we are. This is the purpose of saying No—to identify the truth of who we are, it is fundamental, and establishes firm ground upon which to build.

Hello is about Attention Openness Exchange Communion

The way in which we interact with others is of paramount importance in any corporate activity and Hello tells us all about this—it’s to do with our connections with the social environment: the things we attend to, our willingness and skill in opening up to new, the social qualities we bring in how we do business and the degree of intimacy we are able to develop with the major movers. Communication and understanding are primary tools for corporate success, and there are so many courses now that can help us develop the skills and attitudes that enable us to improve them. Are we willing to learn how to interact meaningfully and profitably with others?

Thank You is about Appreciation Valuing Giving Heart Essence

We may need to remind ourselves that, although a company has its beingness defined independently of people, it is simply a useful structure by which human endeavour can be directed and efficiently employed. Therefore the feelings and values that are important to us personally need to find normal healthy expression in the corporate framework. This means allowing—sometimes at cost to black-and-white short-term profitability—that people and their human values are worth investing in. If not—then how do we claim any moral high ground when we compare ourselves to animals or Nazis? And indeed how can we expect to attract staff and win their loyalty?

Goodbye is about Realization Appreciation Completion Moving On

The Status Quo is not acceptable and we have to realize this in detail, and decide how best to move forward from this awareness. It is most important to tidy up the loose ends of any and all situations by being diligent in completing what we have begun, so that we are free to respond appropriately when circumstances around us force us to move into new ways of working. These first four aspects of management define the normal orbit of common practice—who we are, what we do, how courteously we do it and whether we do it properly—and for anyone to achieve this degree of mastery is excellent and promises great success. Next we consider a heightened degree of ability that distinguishes the goats from the sheep.

Please is about Vision Intention Cooperation Prayer

Here we take it all up a level. There are aspects of Please that are routine—getting people to do what you want—whether applied by a manager or by a salesman. Yet the more profound context in which this is applied is to do with raising the corporate profile in pursuance of its greatest purpose. We need to imagine how the world can be a better place and that we figure rather importantly in bringing that about. It is the assertion of a better future shared with all of our working associates. It requires faith and the technologies of applying faith in the corporate realms.

Sorry is about Responsibility Remorse Repair Release

This is the one thing noticeably absent from the skill sets of most politicians and executives. It is to do with the development of maturity, adult qualities of doing the right thing, refinement of character, dignity and nobility. We have to be somewhat cautious that our assertiveness is not unduly harmful to another and that if we do step on a few toes, we soften the pain and make amends wherever possible. Corporate activity should not be allowed to denigrate human values or shield personal responsibility—our civilization, our very humanity, depends upon accountability.

Yes is about Permission Acceptance Agreement Surrender

However much we may think we know about what has worked in the past and what works now, the future has its own ideas and, for all our powerful controls, we are subject to forces that none can master. We need to allow that there are some things we cannot do, some authorities that will not bend, some powers greater than ours. These present themselves as retirement, death, illness, insolvency and loss—they are also part of the equation of corporate life. When they come, we can only resign ourselves to go along with the flow—to surf the waves of change and try keep on the board.

If you want to study further, we recommend the purchase of Management Mastery in 7 Words from Lulu.

Career

by James Burgess

Career is not always expressed within the relationship between employer and employee and can have a vocational quality such that level of income is not the prime issue — and is even ignored. However, in some way we all tend to grow towards our fulfilment by attaining a socially defined role, a position within the community. ‘What do you do?’ ‘Oh, I’m a …’ If such a position is not fulfilling for us, maybe we need to do something to change it. Open
7 Aspects of Career

No Making a choice of career is inextricably linked with defining our identity; career choice is usually the fundamental determinant of our social roles and touches upon every aspect of life from home to friends to self-image. Certain behaviour and keeping certain company is inappropriate within the context of some career choices.

Hello It is important to consider options from an informed point of view. There are questions of qualifications, aptitude, work environment, personal characteristics and so on. There is a lot to learn in any career and it is required that we will be able to hold our attention upon the subject for sustained periods without losing interest or concentration.

Thanks Career is more than a secure income, it is more than a vehicle through which to develop character — it can become of such importance that it is our life. ‘She lives for her work’. There is great joy to be found throughout the years when one has enthusiasm for one’s work and so we feel grateful for it and know that it is of primary value in promoting happiness and quality of life.

Goodbye Traditionally an apprentice would demonstrate that he had learned his trade by producing a high-quality example of his skill called his masterpiece, which entitled him to be known as a master craftsman. The equivalent stage continues to exist, though in a different form— perhaps a written examination with a practical aspect. There are also other stages of advancement, perhaps emphasised by promotion or other kinds of recognition, after which we don’t look back; we move from being a big fish to enter a larger pool and progress again.

Please In order to focus our intention clearly upon attainment, we have an image of ourselves as an established master of our craft: as director, consultant, owner, manager and so on. Such self-images are goals and are helpful to motivate and overcome obstacles. They are usually taken on from respected or admired role models.

Sorry As time progresses we slow down a little and the urgency of needing to achieve is replaced by confidence and wisdom so that we are more profoundly awakened into a sense of service. We can see our career as an aspect of real service to our employer or clients, to our community and to God. The inner qualities we have developed have deeper significance than the career’s outer achievements and rewards.

Yes Having almost completed the career cycle, we can graciously accept that there are new methods now, new ways that have made us a little out of date and so we come to realize that it is time to retire gracefully into the position of ‘elder’. Occasionally we are consulted for our knowledge, contacts or memories—and yet less and less frequently until we are finally released from involvement.

Corinthians 13

by James Burgess

Can we find a way to see this well beloved scripture as the development of 7 stages from No to Yes? Open

1. Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing.
3. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not love, it profiteth me nothing.
4. Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
5. Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
6. Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
7. Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
8. Love never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
9. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
10. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
11. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
12. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
13. And now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

No The whole first part, 1 to 3, is saying ‘I reject life without Love. For all its gifts of knowledge, good deeds and fine speech, life without Love is nothing to me’
HelloIn 4 to 7 there is a conceptual explanation of what love is: kindness, freedom from envy and so on…
Thanks By 8, the qualities of Love are being extolled as having a greater value than other things
Goodbye 9,10,11 refer to letting go of past things
Please In l2, we envision being face to face with God…
Sorry…and be truly seen (in all our imperfections)
Yes13, surrendering to Love

Historical Perspectives

by James Burgess

We can identify the zeitgeist as a major force that casts a veil of illusion over humanity’s thinking. We consider whether 7 words might be used to examine the deeper waves that underlie all changes. Let’s look briefly at the greater cycles of change, underneath the babble of so much detail and so many opinions — look at the major facets of human evolution, at least the Homo Sapiens bit. Open
We can say that civilisation began to express awareness significantly above the animal level when tools were used. Before that human behaviour very closely resembled that of certain animals—in particular by surrendering to the inevitable danger and hardships of life because no better condition was imaginable. This suggests Yes, the acceptance of what comes without resistance. The tooling-up of the hunter-gatherers coincided with their saying No! They no longer accepted fate and chose a new reality wherein nature could be tamed a little. The truth was affirmed that humanity was a significant partner in the co-creating of Earth conditions. ‘We are no longer sleeping children of the Earth Mother; we are awakening and growing up’. Our prehistoric Yes became No, the beginning of the story of civilization.

No

The Agricultural Revolution marked a major universal shift in humanity’s thinking and was clearly No-like. Fences were constructed around land, establishing both clear boundaries and the identity of those who were normally allowed inside them. People were required to choose to belong to a particular social group—and not to any other, and not to continue their hunter-gatherer meanderings. Foragers who wouldn’t invest their labour into putting down roots were excluded. Thus clans became nations and, protected within the walls of their city-states, they grew wealthy.

Hello

The Hello era that followed accelerated as people developed their languages, shared knowledge, skills and ideas and learned more about getting along with neighbours—who had become much more permanent. Without land to tie them down, the early hunters had had less need for social skills, being able to refuse involvement if they felt uncomfortable. As exchanges opened up, communication took on an even greater level of importance. To exchange surpluses and find ‘new breeding stock’ required that various groups reached out the hand of friendship in trade—or the less friendly version in skirmishes with neighbouring groups.

Curiosity also became a major factor that promoted travel and cultural exchange. Its twin sister inventiveness applied itself to overcome hardships and came up with ideas like yoking oxen and irrigation—mechanical devices that can be seen as early heralds for the next leap forward—the Industrial Revolution. The building of railways and telegraphs and spreading of newspapers even to the working folk are all clues that this period was the flowering of the Hello era. The world, previously an inconceivable concept, was now navigable by even the poorest wayfarer with enough spark and an ardent curiosity.

Thank You

As much as the seeds of Hello were clearly visible within the No-like Agricultural Revolution, the seeds of the Thank You era can be identified within the industrialization process. Leisure became increasingly known as a major social phenomenon—until it became widespread across all classes in the developed world. The poor were still relatively poor—yet only by contrast to the richer rich. In the middle of the 20th century many ordinary working people were rescued from domestic drudgery by washing machines and they could watch TV and drive cars. People became free to appreciate the good life, to express options about what they valued. The governments of rich countries gave compassionate aid to the hungry. And, at least for a while, we felt thankful.

Goodbye

The Information Revolution could be said to have arisen in the mid 1960’s when microchip technology enabled electronic things to come about. This made the processing of data incomparably faster and fanned the flames of humanity’s obsessional lust for information. Now we are given all the information we need to see that the Industrial Age was not handled very elegantly—we had forgotten to deal with all of its ramifications—and the first major complaints were becoming clear sounding. Words like ecology, global warming and CND were introduced into our language, firstly by a group of people who were born around the late 1940’s.

In the Goodbye era we would expect to observe the 4 keywords: realization, decision, completion and moving on. Well, indeed, now we are—at least some of us—coming to the realization of what the Industrial era has done. Next comes decision, and this is not so clear. Unfortunately, those who can really make a difference, the powerful Western industrialists, are not yet willing to decide. When they do decide we will need to go through a stage of completion. Our task is to reach completion on the Industrial Revolution—to clean up. Only then can we expect to move on.

There is good reason to expect a tidal-wave type of change as the baby-boomers of 1946/7, who were born to express humanity’s moving on from wartime, begin to retire at 60. This is the hidden bomb whose long shock-wave blast has rippled throughout the post-war period and is being projected into a future where it is ready to explode. Pensions will become increasingly tight and great pressure will arise to allocate diminishing resources to ageing and unproductive voters (as long as democracy holds). But these same people have had to compete all their lives for limited resources and have become quite used to making governments change their position—on matters like the Vietnam War. And we have to acknowledge that when they came of age in 1964, they pushed the boundaries of convention like never before.

As they approach retirement, they will do whatever they can to look after their own interests. Unfortunately, whereas now it takes three workers to fund one retired person during the next 30 years the dependency ratio will worsen and by 2036 it will need to be only two. We’ll all have to work harder, longer and more effectively by a margin of 50%. Either we wake up to this now and do something or we can learn to expect that as old folks we will be cold, hungry, sick and uncared-for. Goodbye is ruthless; a decision must cut the past from the future. We need to make a difficult decision that will change the face of economics and politics forever, and we need to make it now.

What’s next?

Please will be next, and unified intention, cooperation and prayer will be the qualities of the era. Please begins with vision, so perhaps we may pray for a collective vision of world peace brought about through a widespread shift of awareness. These major revolutionary shifts are happening more quickly as ‘time speeds up’. It took tens of thousands of years for hunter-gatherers to learn their lessons, thousands for the agricultural wisdoms to be assimilated and a couple of hundred until we saw the ambiguities of industrialization. So 40 years after the Information Revolution of the Sixties, we ought to be ready for another—a bedrock change in how we see things, how we think and how we act upon those thoughts.

Presumably this can be called the Consciousness Revolution.

Enlightened Management

by James Burgess

Many of us are employed in management positions or have influence over the thinking of managers, because they are our associates, bosses, clients, students, or we are in some other relationship with them. Probably most of us actually. It may be that we have adopted a position of compliance to fulfil what is expected of us in our roles, yet the time has now come to put that attitude aside and assert a more responsible position: one where we do all we can to change what must be changed, and do it as a matter of urgency.

Who will act if we do not? If we have Free Will then God actually has no authority to protect us from ourselves, we need to do it from our own volition. Day by day, it is becoming clearer that the powers-that-be either can’t or won’t make the changes needed to avoid imminent environmental collapse, which could actually despoil the beauty on Earth for ever—extinct species don’t regrow. Therefore these managers are part of the problem. We need to persuade them to become part of the solution, or unseat them. Open
Corporate strategy in the new era

No

Refuse corruption. Act always from principle and never out of an expediency that violates personal integrity. Be honest, if even it costs money. Be ecological (refuse to be wasteful, turn the lights off, encourage car-sharing etc.) Be clear in your corporate identity. Let decisions be made that honour the dignity of the firm. Survive—but not at all costs. A business has no heart or soul and is driven by forces that can corrupt individuals, yet as people, we do have hearts and souls that need to be honoured, sometimes despite corporate imperatives. If a company will only survive through ignoble actions—then let it fail.

Hello

Be open to new consciousness. Times are changing fast and markets reflect this. The urgency for remedial work on the Earth’s environment is more and more evident and such work must be affected through corporate endeavour, so there will be special opportunities for highly aware managers to develop their companies in line with the needs of the planet and its inhabitants.

Thank You

Show people that they are valued: staff, customers, suppliers, shareholders and the public. Give them all a forum so that their valuable feedback can be acknowledged. Care about them for real. Appreciate the limited resources of the Earth.

Goodbye

Confront injustice. Finish what you start. Complete all deals according to contract. Realize when it’s time to let go of past methods. Be decisive. Address problems effectively. Compete through efficiency.

Please

Be specific about the corporate plan. Align your interests with all others—customers, suppliers, staff etc, to win their cooperation. Make instructions to employees clear and cordial.

Sorry

Be sensitive to the effect you have upon all others. Replace faulty goods, dispose of your waste ecologically, recycle, restore forests etc and compensate fairly those who have genuine grievances.

Yes

Be aware that it is more sustainable to adopt a model of cooperation than competition, so try to be always in harmony with all people and the environment. Be softer than you need to be. Help the shareholders to agree that there’s more to the long-term success of a business than is measured by the Profit and Loss Account.

If you want to study further, you may want to refer to the much more detailed Management Mastery in 7 Words which is available to purchase from Lulu.

Joy Strategies

by James Burgess

Using the 7 Words to create your life as you really want it!
Can you identify each of the seven primary words in the following process? Open
This is unacceptable! Use these words: what, when, where, who, and how, to create for yourself an exact detailed statement of one particular aspect of your circumstances that you want to change.

I wonder what options there are? Expand your view of possibility by brainstorming all the factors, discuss it with friends and associates, take advice from experts, read books, surf the web, think, meditate and fantasize. Just find a way to get your thinking ‘outside the box’.

This option feels better Perhaps several of the scenarios you imagine will be attractive in different ways. Try to feel how it will be if you put yourself into them. Notice which feelings are awakened—if not the heart, then think again.

Okay, let’s go for it! Sometimes the urge to act is strong and self-propelling: a compelling motivation has been awakened and out of this everything flows energetically. Without such a condition then you’ll have to use will—so try to locate that part of you that is powerfully enthusiastic, which needs no force of will and simply moves spontaneously towards the promise of joy.

Let’s do exactly this shall we? Create a beautiful, written statement of what you choose for yourself in exquiste inspiring detail. Include in it others who will also enjoy the fruits of your creation, and will care and cooperate in its realization

Due care and attention Spend a moment to consider anyone at all who will be or may be put out by your succes—and pray for their circumstances too in finding an adjustment that improves

Que sera sera It’s all part of life’s rich tapestry: a game of love, truth and joy—so let what comes come! It’s okay; it’s all okay.

Self Analysis

by James Burgess

The work we are engaging with has to begin with ourselves. It is hardly reasonable to suppose that we can offer any meaningful service to help deal with humanity’s mental imperfections unless and until we have acknowledged a personal need to rebalance our own distortions of thinking. Open
This requires self-examination and the soul-searching that goes with it. It’s also important to get some honest feedback from another impartial, observer lest we fall into Nasrudin’s self-delusion and look at ourselves in the mirror of our own conceit. Each of us has been pulled and pushed by the influential forces that shaped our lives. Each of us, as a result, has grown to be less than perfectly clear in our behaviour and other communications. Can we now reverse this process?

Perhaps such questions are secondary to a more important one: ‘Are we willing to try?’ The self-examination questionnaire will give some insights into contours of personality. It requires a degree of intuition and self-reflection based on an honest appraisal of ourselves in answer to the questions. From this, we can learn something about who we are by bringing awareness to our strengths and we can become more conscious of the way in which we may be able to use them to help in situations where another person has lack. Also, by developing a truer sense of our weaker areas, we can train ourselves to make more of an effort to work with issues and develop a more rounded character.

For example, if we find we are not strong on Thank You, we can introduce into our lives the conscious intention to express appreciation of others. We can perhaps begin with those we love, by offering a little gesture of affection—a touch, a word, or a postcard from the seaside—because the thought will be appreciated.

One of the primary benefits in developing self-awareness is to become able to shape our lives according to our own values instead of repeatedly attempting to live out someone else’s ideas about what life is for, and how it should be lived. If we continually feel ‘not quite right’, ‘not totally fulfilled’, okay I suppose’, then perhaps we can find out what can be done to change this instead of just carrying on assuming that we have to put up with something that goes against the grain of our deepest being.

Also if we want to get more deeply below the surface of the questionnaire’s answers—rather blank numerical statements—we can pick out the lowest scoring questions and ask ourselves more about them. One way to do this is in meditation and later there are a few tips to help with this.

Meditations

by James Burgess

In the normal work-a-day bustle, the mind is not able to find and maintain a state of repose. It is constantly kept in a stimulated state by external influences and internal cogitations, and only gets to rest at night—and even then not always fully. The reposed mind is more receptive to influences that are able to bring attention to new perspectives, fresh ideas and inspired solutions to problems. For this reason, it is rather refreshing to spend a little time each day allowing the mind to fall into a condition of stillness. From this deeply relaxed state, attention can be gently drawn towards questions that are of interest. Open
Meditation styles

Even in the realms of meditation, we can separate out 7 distinct styles that relate to the primary words.

No: Concentration

Disciplines of body and mind. Allowing no body movement, holding a very defined subject in mind and, by exercise of will, keeping it in focus for a sustained period. Gazing at an object for some time without blinking.

Hello: Communion

Being with a particular object, for example, fire, water, wine, food, work etc. Tracing connection on 3 levels: down, across and up to expand awareness of its relationship within the whole picture. Find equivalence within a) yourself b) your outer life events c) society. Also study of scripture.

Thanks: Heart-centring

Softening the feelings to enjoy love, beauty and music. Expand the heart to feel well being, compassion, harmony with all people, all beings. Be innocent without goals or beliefs. Walking in nature, smelling flowers.

Goodbye: Movement

Integration of mind, heart and body. Awareness exercises that require exact timing and precise control such as Gurdjieff’s movements. Seeing what you’re doing in every part in every moment. Awakening of life in the body. Sufi practice of Zikr.

Please: Prayer

Whilst maintaining a meditative state of being, project desire into a well-formulated specific intention for the future. Invoke cooperative support of a particular non-physical being such as the archangels, Christ or a Buddha. Use of mantra. Also priestly ceremony, rituals etc.

Sorry: Purification

Simple breathing. Detached observation of the outer circumstance of life. ‘Is that so?’ Expanded awareness of the interconnectedness of desire and its implications—how wanting is a creative force for which one takes karmic responsibility. Owning all perceptions, softening the ties one by one. Forgiveness, Indifference, Release. God’s will be done.

Yes: Transcendence

Cosmic Consciousness. Thinking as the Universe thinks. Subject versus Object disappears. Dissolving into Unity. Sacred Darkness. Sanyassin. Being a ‘Fool for God’. Lost in the Eternal.

Science and Religion

by James Burgess

Nasrudin is surprised to wake up one morning quite convinced he is from another planet and finds what he sees of this one a little odd. He decides to investigate and identifies that there are two basic explanations about the operating system that governs this reality. He is told that they are absolutely opposed and that he’ll have to make up his mind which one he wants to believe in. Undaunted by this challenge, he decides to set out on a mission of enquiry—and in advance he chooses three questions to put to the two spokespersons that he has decided to interview. Open
1. How do you pursue knowledge?
2. What is the deepest mystery left unanswered in your method?
3. If I get ill will you heal me?

The religious person responds: ‘We have observed that the mystery of life is beyond our general understanding and so we accept what we are taught by our high priests and mystics. They have developed the basic ideas by which we live, and most of these ideas seem to work rather well so we accept them until something new is unfolded to us. When something happens that I don’t understand, I am willing to contemplate upon it until it becomes clear where it fits in the pattern of things.’

Then the scientist retorts:

"Our methods are much more clearly defined:
a) We observe
b) We hypothesize
c) We test
d) We accept the best hypothesis that satisfies our tests."

These specific processes are carried out by the great men of science who uncover truths so that we technicians are able to know things and apply them in practical terms.’

Nasrudin scratches his head and frowns as he tries to understand what the differences are between the 2 answers—which seem rather similar to him.

Now the religious person addresses the second question. ‘I am told that mystics are constantly working with light. They can’t explain it very well—they say that what we can see is only a tiny fraction of what there is. It takes on many completely different forms, which even include particles of matter! Even darkness is a form of light. To me it’s a complete mystery.’

The scientist replies: ‘Much is known through quantum mechanisms of the behaviour of particles of light as waves, which have frequencies below the visible range from radio waves, television waves and heat waves—which are infrared, and above—ultra-violet, X rays, gamma rays and so on. There are one or two questions as yet unanswered about certain properties of light, which are satisfactorily dealt with only when we introduce scientifically proposed ideas of probability. In a sense therefore since areas are left without deterministic explanation, we could call this mystery.’

Having used up two of his questions, Nasrudin is starting to feel sick because he hasn’t been able to identify any significant difference between the explanations of the shy religionist and the confident scientist. He decides to deal with the third question in a more realistic way and will visit first a doctor, then a religious healer. He is told the local Sufi sheikh has occasional good luck when it comes to healing people—anyway, first the doctor.

Unfortunately he is unable to deal with any more of these confusing words that haven’t done much to help him, so he switches off his universal translator and goes to the doctor, happy to trust in non-verbal communication methods.

He sees a doctor’s sign and enters into an office whereupon he is called upon to wait a while so that the importance of the doctor’s atmosphere can be inhaled in preparation for the interview. He looks around at all the certificates with indecipherable names and is duly impressed. A uniformed underling with awesome authority instructs him to come with her. Into the temple chamber he goes.

The doctor is wearing a white gown and a strange rubber necklace with two earpieces and a dangly bit with a metallic disc at the end. He has a firm, gentle gaze, a silky voice and gives exquisite profound attention, then he makes strange hieroglyphs upon a piece of paper. Taking a bottle from a shelf he says some words that clearly obey some ritual quality and offers Nasrudin the bottle of liquid to drink and sends him on his way.

The sheikh was also introduced by an assistant after a period of waiting in a room bedecked with symbols of his calling. He also wore a gown and a strange necklace (called a tasbih instead of a stethoscope); he also had good eyes, soft voice and the power to give excellent attention. He also wrote out a charm in hieroglyphs and delivered a formulaic message with a glass of holy water for Nasrudin to drink!

Absolutely baffled and unable to perceive any significant differences between the 2 systems, Nasrudin returned home and went to bed

Wordbending

by James Burgess

Is it our purpose, when communicating, to deceive—or is it to develop a true and deeper understanding? Although it is thought and affirmed that it is normal social behaviour to convey good and useful information, that to lie is immoral and in certain circumstances criminal, nevertheless our use of language gives plenty of evidence of a stronger impulse—to cover the facts with words that do not tell it as it is.

So what of this phenomenon—which we’ll call ‘wordbending’? Open
It is assumed that the way we think and the language we use are interdependent, because the processes of mind require language in order to formulate ideas. So concepts unfold as a language unfolds. A feeling can be felt as a feeling and yet, to understand it, we need thought.

From this it can be reasonably suggested that if language is corrupted then thinking cannot be otherwise. If there is no clarity in our language then we can’t speak clearly. We are thereby somewhat deprived of the main tool by which we develop ideas and formulate out thoughts—in the exchange of views and opinions during conversations. It’s true that this lack of clarity can be overcome by vigorous disciplines of mind, such as is necessary in professional education for example, and yet for most people such corrective mental exercises are not undertaken. So how can any reality other than an uncertain one be built upon such uncertainty?

Most people would probably—for all practical purposes—have No to mean ‘probably not’, because that’s what it meant in real terms when they learned it from Mum and Dad. If Mum said ‘No’, although from her tone and actions we can see that what she meant was ‘perhaps I will if you continue to badger me’, then for us that’s what No means. If Dad said ‘Sorry’ with clear indications that gave out something more like: ‘I suppose I have to apologize for the sake of form, but really I feel no remorse for what I did’, then for us that’s what Sorry means. Despite dictionary definitions, these corrupted meanings are the deepest impressions we have to build on, and they form the basis of what we think, say and do. More than this, we also came to learn that ‘people don’t say what they mean’ and ‘to be normal like Mum and Dad, I have to bend my words too’.

We can look at some examples of how we bend words, perhaps beginning with the entirely innocent ‘Poetic Licence’...

If you want to study further, we recommend the purchase of 7 Words Principles and Practices from Lulu.