Be PREPARED for Your Next DO OVER..!!!!!

Today's Inspirational “MYTHOLOGICAL MAGIC”

FROM DAREDEVIL ON NETFLIX

Young Matt Murdock: So what kind of training is this?

Stick: You like ice cream?

Young Matt Murdock: Yeah.

Stick: Then shut up and eat it. I'll ask the questions. First thing you gotta understand is nobody feels sorry for you and nobody ever will. 'Cause when it comes to being born lucky you won the friggin' lottery.

Young Matt Murdock: I did?

Stick: [Smacks him with his cane] What did I say about questions?

Young Matt Murdock: "Shut up."

Stick: Good. How old were you when you got blinded?

Young Matt Murdock: Nine.

Stick: Nine? So you had nine whole years of looking at movies, blue skies, up girlies' skirts that I never had. I was born blind. You don't hear me whining about it, do you?

Young Matt Murdock: No.

Stick: So, you're nine years old, walking along, minding your own business and whammo! Get hit by a truck, killed dead on the spot.

Young Matt Murdock: I wasn't killed.

Stick: You lived? Praise God, it's a miracle. So you survive the truck and get this chemical shit in your eyes. What next?

Young Matt Murdock: I hear things.

Stick: What kind of things?

Young Matt Murdock: Everything. Coughs and fights and cats meowing. Sometimes blocks away. I can sense things. I know where things are and when they move. But I can't see.

Stick: You know what they call stuff like that? Gifts. The special kind. The kind that very few people have. Or deserve.

Young Matt Murdock: I never thought of it that way.

Stick: Well, that's because you're stupid.

Young Matt Murdock: I'm not stupid, I'm smart.

Stick: Because you taught yourself how to run your little fingers over the bumps and read Braille? Smart don't come out of books, kid. Smart is making the right decision at the right time. Like now. What's it gonna be, Matty? You gonna spend your life crying and rocking yourself to sleep at night? Or are you gonna dig deep and find out what it takes to reshuffle those cards life dealt you? Your call. [Matt looks at Stick] [chuckles] Good choice, kid.

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Growing up in the 80's, Bill Murray was one of my comic heroes.  As I am quite sure he still is for many fans of comedy.  But there is one particular film of his that is much more profound for its inherent nature of sharing many truths about the path to self improvement that it is given credit for.  The film is called ‘Groundhog Day’ and if you have yet to see it, I highly suggest carving out some time in the near future to do so!  

The film is also a wonderful representation of one of life's greatest gifts, that being the delectable DO OVER.  And for those of us who use this magnificent opportunity when in it presents itself in our lives, it is perhaps the most effective manner in which to be RE-BIRTHED into a Greater Version of The Greatest Vision of yourself!  

In the film, Bill Murray's character gets caught up in a ‘time loop’ that has him reliving the exact same day, Groundhog Day in fact, over and over.....and OVER again!  Each morning as he awakes, the day starts EXACTLY as it did the day before.  As he progresses  through each day, he is confronted at the same time by the exact set of individuals and circumstances from the day before.  A virtual life glitch that has no ON/OFF button he can find.  

Murray plays an obviously discontented meteorologist who believes the menial task of traveling to Punxsutawney, PA to cover this annual event is way beneath his talent and good sensibilities.  Like most films transcendent in nature, there are many lenses through which the manner in which the story unfolds can be interpreted.  For me, it is a superb metaphor for the way that the Universe, sensing a need, will essentially RECREATE a very similar set of circumstances in our lives from the past, giving us the opportunity to engage them(Hopefully) with a new earned sense of understanding and change in perspective;  basically we are given the gift of a DO OVER!   And very often, if the prerequisite lessons are not learned, the Universe has absolutely NO problem setting up the circumstances once again, until we finally grasp the knowledge that these events were provided for.  Some of us are perhaps slower learners than others, and that is OK!

The movie plays out such an example on DAY 3 of this perpetual GROUNDHOG DAY.  Murray's character once again steps in the middle of a large muddy puddle, ruining his shoes and pants, still not having learned his lesson from the previous two days.  Sound familiar?!  Filled with self judgement, he begins to despair his actions and choices in life.  Again, does that resonate with you?!  It sure does with me!  LOL  That night in a local bar, he decides to drown his sorrows with booze and says, “I was in the Virgin Islands once.  I met a girl.  We ate lobster and drank pina coladas.  At sunset we made love like sea otters. THAT was a pretty good day.  Why couldn't I get that day over and over again?”  Ah, but what lessons could be drawn from reliving a magnificent day such as that?  No, we receive FAR more wisdom and knowingness from reliving situations that caused us despair, pain, and suffering.  At at its core, that is exactly what a DO OVER is all about!

In fact, I am currently in the middle of a DO OVER myself.  And I couldn't be more THRILLED!  I mean how often have you even prayed for a chance to go back in time and relive a set of experiences, already knowing how you would engage them with a higher sense of care, consideration, and intent?  Well guess what, the Universe has this paradigm built into its programming.  And when there are certain lessons and knowledge that are needed to complete your Hero's/Heroine's Journey, the Universe, like a genie in a ‘life circumstantial’ bottle, will offer you the opportunity that you seek.  You will inevitably receive a DO OVER that mimics many of the same set of circumstances as something that has transpired before.  Just like MAGIC!  All in the hopes that THIS time, you will grasp the gift and opportunity at hand, and receive this gift with reverence and awareness!  

Murray's character Phil, after sensing there is nothing he can do but ACCEPT his situation of reliving each day over and over again, finally succumbs to his reticence about the situation and begins an arc of self improvement.  He begins practicing generosity, reading books, taking piano lessons, and even learning French!   Admittedly, many of his actions are at first all in an attempt to impress his producer Rita.   It isn't until Phil (Murray) begins to Let Go and Let God and allow the changes he has made in himself to be experienced and noticed by those around him in a truly authentic manner, that he wakes up and it is FINALLY February 3rd, the day AFTER Groundhog Day.  His lessons learned, his purpose now clear, he is allowed to continue on with his life!  

What I find quite fascinating, is that the film's late director and comic genius in his own right, Harold Ramis has been quoted as saying that Phil (Murray) needed close to 30-40 years of reliving the same day to  have the lessons he needed for his Hero's Journey to be fully engrained in his sense of BEING.  And as harsh as that may sound, I know that it has taken me decades to finally come to the understanding and full comprehension of many of my own life lessons!  There are many more I am still working on!   And, if you are truly honest with yourself, I am quite sure the same rings true for you!  Agreed?!  :0)

Life is a constant Journey, that allows us many opportunities for us to learn from our past mistakes and is more than gracious in sending us as many DO OVERS as we may need until we receive with deep reverence the knowledge and understanding at their core.  However, it is up to us to stay AWARE.  We are often so consumed with LIFE, that we are not present enough to recognize that circumstances are lining up in such a transformative and magical manner to allow us to relive our own version of Groundhog Day for the Re-memberance it can bring.  And when we are fortunate enough to have the Universe bless us with such a gift, enter into it with verve, gusto, and no fear!  Become a SOULdier of Love, and a Steward of Remembrance to extract every juicy amount of wisdom the opportunity was brought to unfold into your experience! 

And BE AWARE, if you chose NOT to learn from these blessed gifts of DO OVERS, they WILL RETURN.  So it's your call!  Do the work NOW, or later.  Either way, eventually it must be done!   
And take it from me, the longer you wait, the harder it is and the more it HURTS!  


Nerdmaste,

Jeffrey Louis Martinez

Are you DRIFTING Through Your Life... Here are TIPS to Find Your CALLING...!!!

TODAY'S INSPIRATIONAL “MYTHOLOGICAL MAGIC”

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Over 70 years ago, Napoleon Hill wrote a book called “Outwitting the Devil”, yet it wasn't actually published until quite recently.  At the time of its crafting, he had already made quite a name for himself in the business world, especially from the success of his seminal tomb “Think and Grow Rich.” (If you have not read it, I suggest typing in Amazon.com in your web browser as soon as you are done reading this post!)  So why exactly did this particular vision from his inner mind lay hidden from public consumption for decades?!?  After all, Hill was the author of numerous books that transformed the cultural zeitgeist of a society that had been been fiscally stripped and spiritually annihilated by the horrors of the Great Depression.  He had made it is life's purpose to take on the near Herculean task of setting aside over 25 years of his life to uncover the underpinnings of life success and what nuances existed that separates those of us who merely survive from those of us who actually eat PASSION FLAKES for breakfast and thrive the rest of each and every day of their brief time here on the planet, fulfilling their Hero's/Heroine's journey along the way. He went so far as to partner with the iconoclast Dale Carnegie who assisted him as a mentor on this mission of a Lord of the Rings worthy proportion!  Frodo who?!?  :0)

“If you undertake this job, you should interview not only the few who have succeeded, but the many who have failed. You should carefully analyze many thousands of people who have been classified as failures, and I mean by the term failures, men who come to the closing chapters of their lives disappointed because they DID NOT achieve the goal for which they had set aside their hearts toward achieving.   As it is inconsistent as it may seem, you will learn more about how to succeed from the failures as you will from the so-called successes.  They will teach you what NOT to do.  Among toward the end of your labor, if you carry it through successfully, you will make a discovery which may be a great surprise to you. You will find that the cause of success is not separate and apart from the man/woman.  That is is a force so intangible in nature that the majority of men never recognize it. ; a force which may be called ‘the other SELF.’  Noteworthy is the fact that this OTHER SELF seldom exerts its influence or makes itself known excepting at times of immediate emergency, when men are forced, through adversity and temporary defeat, to change their habits and THINK their way out of temporary defeat."

~~ Dale Carnegie  (OUTWITTING THE DEVIL)

In fact, this New Age Nerd credits a portion of his found commitment to life purpose on the profound Re-membrance that was gifted through Hill's luminous prose that contains a radical template for the law of attraction that FAR pre-dates this generation's proclamation that “The Secret” is the cure to our feelings of lack of abundance, inadequacy, and disconnection from our authentic SOURCE.   The only real secret he could find for manifesting extraordinary success in one's lifetime came from finding and following your purpose and desire for being here, and doggedly pursuing it with a concrete plan that is backed by daily ACTION STEPS.  Basically, know where you are going, and bust your butt with no complaining or explaining to get there!  Funny that the real ‘secret’ to, well, ‘The Secret’ is that THERE IS NO SECRET!  Perhaps Sean Connery summed it up best in “The Untouchables” with his wicked quip to Kevin Costner's lawman tasked with capturing Chicago's shiftiest crime lord, “Yes, but what are you PREPARED TO DO to get Capone!”  That line can be applied to all of our goals and desired manifestations.  Because you will most often find that those that simply DO, practice the ART OF ACTION.  As my my pop used to implore to his students, in life there are only two distinct camps.  You are either ‘working hard’ or ‘HARDLY WORKING.’  Nuff said! 

Conspiracy theories aside, I believe the reason the Napoleon Hill estate was reluctant to release the contents within “Outwitting the Devil” is due to its narrative premise.  For it is written from the understanding that Hill had an actual dialogue with SATAN himself.  A sit-down for the ages to say the least!  And what exactly would one even dare to wear for such an occasion!  LOL  Even in our contemporary exploitive and sensationalistic media landscape, the announcement of such a journalistic coup would cause quite a furor of frantic frenzy.  So can you you even attempt to ponder the marketing of such a seemingly preposterous declaration back in the days before Marty McFly innocently donned his Calvin Kleins before their time?!?  Although, ironically enough, it does feel like we are having continued dialogue with the DEVIL himself with each and every Donald Trump media debacle!  Forgive me Father, for I have sinned...  ;0)

So while reading the book, I took a page out of the Michael Beckwith (The founder of Agape Spiritual Center in Los Angeles) self actualization playbook, and substituted the ideation of the Devil, into THE EGO.  During many of his fiery Sunday  soliloquies, he would often refer to the Devil as being No Thing less than our own EGO, and it's attempt to keep us feeling separate from our authentic selves.(More on this masterful application in a future post!)

And just as in my beloved “Conversation with God” series, I implore my fellow truth seekers to try and set aside their contemplations on where the information is coming from, and instead intently focus on WHAT in the narrative actually RESONATES with their intuitive feelings.  CAPICHE?!?!
Fantastic! 

What did I find from this Devil's philosophical musings and declarations from the ‘Dark Side of the Force’.  While nothing revelatory in nature, it can be summed up within the context of one potentially destructive paradigm:  DRIFTING!  Napoleon Hill fastidiously used a simple, yet nearly flawless indicator of a person's current probability of achieving stupendous life happiness and success.  Before beginning work with a new group of corporate students, he would line them up and one by one, ask them just two basic questions.  The first being “What is your life purpose?”, and the second being “What is your plan for achieving it?”  After working with tens of thousands of well intended, highly educated individuals, he found that LESS than 10 percent could answer the questions he posed to them.  Many of them staying in jobs they detest, and in relationships that have long passed their intended expiration date!  And this, my fellow New Age Nerds, is the epitome of DRIFTING!

The Devil (EGO) said that this pattern of living energy is his greatest ally toward keeping people from a life filled with soulful expansion, peaceful platitude, and the ability to complete their Hero's/Heroine's Journey.  I can tell you from first hand experience that DRIFTING can become a horrible hindrance to any semblance of lasting happiness.  It's like ‘punching in and punching out’ of the time clock in life.  Living a surface existence instead of a deep, authentic, mindful co-creative process with life.  And it can touch upon and eventually erode what I call the PILLARS of LIFE.  Similar to the load baring posts that hold up any structural foundation, these pillars consist of personal support structures of our existence.  Relationships, jobs, health, fiscal abundance, spiritual practice; these are all the pillars that inform and maintain our sense of well being. 

When we drift in one or all of these areas, we are aimlessly sleepwalking through the precious moments of our days.  In the book, the Devil(EGO) specifically says, “A drifter is one who permits himself to be influenced and controlled by circumstances beyond his control.  He would rather have me occupy his mind and do his thinking rather than go to the trouble of thinking himself.   A drifter is one who accepts whatever life throws his way without putting up a protest.  He doesn't know what he wants from life and spends all of his time getting just that.  A drifter has lots of opinions, but none are his own......   I would advise him to WAKE UP AND GIVE.  Give some form of service to as many people as possible.  He must learn to give before he gets.”

So what can be done if you have found yourself in an habitual pattern of aimlessly DRIFTING through life?  I invite you to contemplate incorporating the following suggestions that can support you away from your EGO and it's treacherous temptations to keep you in a zombie like state of disillusionment, and bring back that ‘authentic swing’ that brings back the PASSION, JOY, and ZEST that makes life such a MIRACULOUS and Majestic experience!! 

1.  Decide what you want from life and what your God given talents might be.  The things that make time seem to FLY while you are participating in them is a great guidance system toward what those talents and passions truly are!

2. Create a plan for how to go about attaining your goal/purpose/mission.  Hiring a life coach is a wonderful way to start building a support team to assist you in this Journey in a compassionate, loving, and even fun manner!

3.  Analyze your past and present defeats or seeming failures.  (They are really not failures, just ways you now know something does NOT serve you.)  Again The New Age Nerd's definition of sin is to SUFFER without meaning.  Allow yourself to truly FEEL your feelings about the state of affairs in your life and ask Spirit for the guidance to help you understand the seed of equivalence in the form of an opportunity that is waiting to be discovered. 

4.  Become hyper aware of your daily habits and actions.  How much time are you spending surfing the internet, daydreaming, writing scripts in your minds for movies that will NEVER get made.  Anything that is actually keeping you away from tangible action steps toward your purpose. 

5.  Understand that FEAR is simply FALSE EVIDENCE APPEARING REAL.  It is the EGO's way of keeping you small, and is the biggest ally to the nasty nature of DRIFTING! 

And if all else fails, seek out your SEARCH and RESCUE TEAM.  Let them shower you with the Love and respect you deserve.  And don't be afraid to ASK FOR HELP.  Sometimes just breaking up our larger purpose into bite size chunks can help maintain the courage to step forward and simply BEGIN!  And a warm, trusting support team can be your own ‘Gateway to Narnia’ that initiates the start of a great big JUICY exciting chapter in your amazing new life!!

Nerdmaste,

Jeffrey Louis Martinez

STOP!!! You May Be Just THREE Feet From GOLD...!!!!

TODAY'S “MYTHOLOGICAL MAGIC”

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Back during the Gold Rush (1848-1855) on the Western Coast of the United States, there are plenty of well worn tales of individuals who sold the majority of their belongings to buy just enough food and equipment to make the LONG trek by horse across the hardened terrain of the country in the hope of finding their personal fortune.  A few actually had the perseverance, courage, strength and determination to make dreams a realty!  Unfortunately, the majority of them eventually ran out of money, food, supplies , or a combination of the three and said goodbye to the Left Coast to go back to the lives of poverty that awaited them.  

However, the lessons those fervent few left behind them have become things of LEGENDS.  Those who read The New Age Nerd frequently know I have a big 'ole man crush on Napoleon Hill.  And in his quote filled book, ‘Three Feet From Gold,’ he actually tells the true story of a man named  R.U Harby who lived during that time.

Harby’s uncle had gold fever, so he staked his claim and started digging.  After a lot of hard work, the uncle found a vein of ore, so he covered up his find and returned home to raise the money for the machinery that he would need to bring the ore to the surface.

They raised the money and Darby travelled with his uncle back to the site to make their fortune.

Things started well and before long, they had enough to clear their debts.  They were excited, everything from here on would be profit and things were looking good.

Then the supply of gold stopped.  The vein of ore had disappeared.

They kept on digging, but found nothing.

After a while, they quit in frustration and sold their machinery to a junk man for a few hundred dollars.

After they went home in disappointment, the astute junk man called in a mining engineer who checked the mine and calculated that there was a vein of gold just three feet from where Darby and his uncle had stopped digging.

The junk man went on to make millions from the mine.

Darby returned home, paid back everyone who had lent him money and was determined to learn from his mistake in giving up too soon.

He went on to become a phenomenally successful insurance salesman, more than recouping what he would have made from the gold mine.

He learned the lesson that you need to persevere through difficulties and stay focused if you are to become successful.

Whenever you feel like giving up on your dream, remember that you may be just three feet from gold!

~~  Napoleon Hill    (Three Feet From Gold)

I first read that story over 20 years ago and it continues to have a Gi-normous impact on my life.  In fact it is a MANTRA that I live by.  My inner monologue often saying, “Come on Jeff, don't quit!   Can't give up now!   We are just THREE FEET FROM GOLD!"  Of course the gold I am referring to could be a job, a weight lifting goal, or the starting of a new business.   Sometimes, IT IS even about money!!  

But it is that particular story that still informs my own beliefs, values, and sensibilities about the fine line between success and failure in life as much as any other I have ever heard.  It's infused in my favorite stories of amazing Hero's Journey's such as Rocky, Rudy, even The Lord of the Rings.  NEVER GIVE UP.    NEVER.  As they say, the night is ALWAYS darkest just before the dawn.  

Hill's book is so full of piercing life NUGGET'S, I have pulled several  of my favorite in the hope that they leave an indelible mark on your will power during adversity too!

Three C’s:
Congruency:  Be authentic in your words and actions.  In other words, do as you say, and say as you do.  Others are watching, and even more importantly, this is what makes up your character.
Clarity:  Have a crystal clear vision of what you desire.
Certainty:  Know within your heart and soul that what you are doing has purposes. 

Sometimes the worst situations turn out to be the best opportunities. 

When you call upon your subconscious mind you must conduct yourself just as you would if you were already in possession of the material thing that you are demanding. 

Never let mistakes define who you are. 

Collaboration is essential to creat miracles. 

The knowing – there is a big diference between believing in something and knowing it. 

Tell the world what you intend to do, but first show it. 

Stop overplanning. 

Dream big, and never stop short of reacing the top. 

There is a difference in being interested and being committed. 

Whether the glass is half full or half empty depends on where it began. 

~~  quotes from Napoleon Hill    (Three Feet From Gold)

At one time or another in each of our lives, we are going to be met with adversity and temporary defeat.  But 90% of how the experience turns out is in HOW YOU SHOW UP TO MEET IT!    So never quit, you never know, you may be ‘ JUST THREE FEET FROM GOLD!’

Nerdmaste,

Jeffrey Louis Martinez

PLEASE Read Today's MESSAGE.. Lives DEPEND On It........

Yesterday my heart broke wide open.  Actually it was more akin to a BURSTING of devastating proportions.  As I sat down to watch a few minutes of sports coverage on television came the horrendous news that Washington State's sophomore  quarterback, Tyler Hilinski, was found dead in his college dormitory.  His apparent inner demons had caused him to take his own life with a self inflicted gunshot wound.  He was just 21 years young..........

To the outside world, Tyler appeared to have an incredibly bright future ahead of him.  After slowly impressing his coaching staff the previous two years he was named the starter for the Cougar's next season.  Reports say he was a beacon of INSPIRATION and leadership to the entire student body on the Washington State campus.  His CALLING to service extended to mentorship to players who sought his natural gifts and willingness to share his knowledge with others.  And yet, as is too often the case, a special Spirit filled with extraordinary talent and a passion for being of service to others was obviously hiding his pain and suffering to all those in his TRIBE.  And my soul feels ripped apart.  For him, his family and friends, as well as the entire Washington State community.  

And part of me is angry.  You all know my motto;  THE WORLD NEEDS MORE HEROES!!
Yet one was taken away from us- needlessly and tragically - yesterday.  Sometimes even Heroes need support on their Journey.  Tyler obviously needed help that he never received. And while I never met him, I am willing to go out on a not so long limb to believe it was because of a STIGMA toward mental illness.  Did you know that suicide is the second case of death for men between the ages of 18-45.   THE SECOND CAUSE OF DEATH.......

If that statistic doesn't rattle you to your core, I don't know what will encourage you to assist in creating a CALL TO ACTION!!  No longer can we turn away to the devastating, needless pain and suffering of mental illness.  The time has come for us to ask ourselves what action steps we can FINALLY take toward eradicating the misunderstood Myth that mental illness is some modern form of lepresy.  Or that those individuals who are affected with this HORRIBLE dis-ease (and YES- it IS a Dis-ease) should somehow be treated any differently than someone afflicted with any other form of bodily illness!  Because the hard truth is that we can NO LONGER afford to look the other way; too many lives are at stake!

Just two years ago, I was one of those individuals who could very easily become just another statistic.    As I have disclosed in previous posts, I suffer from depression.  And for those of you who have never been struck down by this absolutely insidious illness, let me share something with you.  I have dealt with severe Crohn's dis-ease.  So bad that I had to have my complete colon removed and wear a colostomy bag until a new surgical procedure was able to create an internal pouch for me.  As a side effect of Crohn's disease, I was also afflicted with the most sever form of arthritis called Aynkylosis Spondylitis.  It cause certain joints in your body to fuse in an ever so painful process.  I have been able to overcome most of my illness and as I have stated in previous posts, I now consider them all tools of WISDOM!!   But I do have a strong INTENTION for sharing my own maladies with you all.  It is to shed the light of truth that my previous bouts of depression aren't even in the same league of utter despair, emotional, physical, and spiritual pain and suffering that befalls on me during a bout of DEPRESSION!!   And I am willing to bet it has a very similar affect on the millions of others who suffer from this illness that creates a cloud that shields any sense of HOPE from your psyche.  

And the manner in which it selects its victims has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH HOW MENTALLY OR PHYSICALLY STRONG YOU ARE-  and I mean nothing!!  But for so many of us who suffer from some sort of mental illness, we hide our pain in the darkness, all alone.  For fear of judgment and alienation from those who love us the most.  My Soul completely weeps to think that anyone would feel they have to face this horrendous dis-ease all alone.  Because I know firsthand that if weren't for my own loving and caring support system, I would probably NOT be here typing this post today.  Yeah....   take that in for a moment!  And since I am aware that WE ARE ONE, I recognize that no life is more special than any other.  

But, I still have an AMAZING sense of hope!  Why-  Because just like the current #ME TOO movement and the positive manner that it has caused a rapturous ripple effect that is slowly changing the manner that victims of sexual harassment and abuse can safely step forward and tell their story for  the first time, I KNOW we have the same ability to replicate that sense of supportive LOVE to those of us who suffer with mental illness.  

So I ask all us NEW AGE NERDS, as well as anyone else who will read today's post, to start a #DON'T JUDGE movement!  And share it's meaning with anyone who inquires.  On behalf of all of us who suffer with mental illness, it would go a LONG way toward continuing us on a fast track toward supporting millions of us to step back into the light and get the help so many desperately needs.............

Nerdmaste,

Jeffrey Louis Martinez

Your OPTIONS Are LIMITLESS...Don't Play SMALL..The World NEEDS YOU!!

TODAY'S MYTHOLOGICAL MAGIC

"This is the most important and crucial times of your life. For what you do now, and what you decide to do at this age may very well determine which way your life will go. And the question is, whether you have a proper, and a sound blueprint. And I want to suggest some of the things that should be in your life's blueprint. Number one in your life's blueprint should be a deep belief in your own dignity, your own worth and your own somebodiness. Don't allow anybody to make you feel that you are nobody. Always feel that you count. Always feel that you have worth and always feel that your life has ultimate significance. Secondly, in your life's blueprint, you must have as a basic principle to achieve excellence in your various fields of endeavor. You are going to be deciding as the days and the years of your life unfolds what you will do in life, what your life's work will be. Once you discover what it will be, do it and do it well. Be a bush if you can't be a tree. If you can't be a highway, just be a trail. If you can't be the sun, be a star, for it isn't by size that you win or fail, be the best of whatever you are. Finally in your life's blueprint must be a commitment, to the eternal principals of beauty, love, and justice. Well life for none of us has been a crystal stair, but we must keep moving. If you can't fly, run. If your can't run walk. If you can't walk, crawl, but by all means keep moving." 

Martin Luther King Jr.

Can you believe we are already 2 full weeks into the NEW YEAR!!  Yuperoo!  And I bet I'm not the only NEW AGE NERD who thinks that we are at a Tipping Point on this planet.  Especially given the tumultuous events that haunted us in 2017.  From a billionaire reality star actually being sworn in as our President(today he actually had a Government appointed  psychiatrist access his mental acuity...CRAZY...)  to weather events of every size, shape, and from causing absolute HAVOC!  Notably here in the United States, but around the world!  Too many tragedies of unfathomable proportions to even mention.  And raise your hand if you are one of the growing members of the TV audience that no longer checks in with the evening news.....   Just like I thought...    All but a couple arms are raised high to the sky!!  I ...ummm..   have to put mine back down to continue writing today's post.   LOL

Before you presume to think that today's musings are going to be a real downer.....    Hang in there with me!  Because the fact is that my INTENTION for writing today's post is quite the opposite.   When I first decided to become a spiritual teacher/coach(and still a student), I had ONE MISSION.
And that hasn't changed one iota since beginning this Journey over a decade ago!  With every ounce of my BEING, I feel that the fastest and most effective manner to change the vibration of this planet is if every one of us starts the process with all the Courage and Strength you can muster to firmly and passionately step into the path that is your CALLING!  

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

Marianne Williamson from A Return To Love

This Spirit sent quote from one of my favorite spiritual guides, Marianne Williamson, is perhaps my favorite of all time.  And for those who follow my Facebook page, you KNOW that is some high praise!!  Why you ask?   Because it encapsulates my own CALLING more than any other bit of prose I have ever come across.  And it's time for us all to take heed to it's message......NOW!!
Not in the Spring or Summer, or even worse, next year....but THIS VERY MOMENT!!  The world needs more heroes, and it needs them immediately!  Pronto!  Immediamente!! Bright and early tomorrow morning!!  Ok, I'll stop........   ;0)

So what exactly is holding us all back from ditching that soul sucking 9-5 and finally start DOING what we came here to do and BE?!?    I can here the collective sigh from the back of the bleacher seats saying money...dinero...cheddah baby!!!   And I hear you..   I truly do!  We all have fiscal considerations as well as real pragmatic responsibilities to attend to.  I've said it before and I will say it again.  I would NEVER advise anyone to up and quit their job tomorrow or on a complete whim start a new business with no concrete plan in place on either accord.  BUT, that doesn't get anyone a free hall pass to constantly use that as an excuse to keep doing what they are doing if it is not in complete ALIGNMENT with their life's CALLING!!  That's what playing SMALL is all about.  And nobody camera here to play SMALL!!  That's a coward's way of playing this game of life.  And I know that there aren't any NEW AGE NERDS who came here to hide their unique talents and special gifts from the rest of us.  Quite frankly, thats isn't fair to the rest of us.  And if that sounds a bit harsh, so be it!!  Look all around you!  Do you like what you see??  Can you see room for improvement?!?  I sure can!!

Before I start throwing stones at glass houses, I will admit that I DO UNDERSTAND how much strength, courage, and support it takes to step into the LIGHT and answer your Soul's calling!!  In fact, as I have stated many times before, it took me over three decades!  But, as just one of your many mentor's on your Hero's Journey, I plead with those of you still waiting in the darkness.......although the first steps are beyond petrifying...they will lead you to an adventure that is the greatest FEELING in the world!!  Please trust me...... There isn't time to waste.....

My ultimate goal is start a REVOLUTION!!  In which ONE by ONE, as a community of NEW AGE NERDS, we encourage, INSPIRE, and support each other to take the first action steps toward our life's CALLING!  Write that business plan, start that family, write the first check toward a new class, start a Mastermind group, hire a life coach, walk into a TOASTMASTERS seminar, start a new lifestyle to lose that extra weight, shine your light everywhere you go as you may be the ONLY bible, torah etc. that the next person you meet may ever read.......   The possibilities are truly endless....   SO THERE ARE ABSOLUTELY NO EXCUSES.......

Self doubt is so insidious that it not only renders us stuck in our own lives, but it actually weekens our ability to dream about what living unleashed would look like.  And here's the thing:  the mere act of a dream is a vitalizing, dreaming affirming endeavor.  
Danielle Laporte:  The Fire Starter Sessions

I BELIEVE in each and everyone of you.  And I will continue to hold a Space of Love and Light for those of you who don't believe in yourselves until you have the courage to do so....



Nerdmaste,

Jeffrey Louis Martinez

Will You ASSIST In Lighting Our Brothers And Sisters UNIQUE PATH..?!?

Some say we are NOT our story...
And that CHAOS reigns supreme...
That life has no meaning...
Hiding in the Darkness unwilling to be seen..

Yet through the months of our calendar....
Pages are torn away day by day...
Our time in this dimension is finite...
There is NO TIME to feign....

Our scars are buried deep within...
They hide the transgressions befallen us...
Yet sins are to SUFFER for no reason...
So why do we hide our pain without HOLY TRUST....

A new HORIZON'S task is to shed LIGHT...
For each of us are such precious SOULS...
With a CALLING to unfold wisdom and GRACE...
And a Story from a Journey that is meant to be told....

Starting this day, let us hold a Divine Space...
A PROMISE to keep others' secrets safe...
For failing to accept the calling of your Soul...
Shields the Journey you are here to face....

For too many GRAVES are filled with stories untold...
And gifts and talents for we shall forever bemoan...
A crying shame that must happen NO MORE...
From this moment on will every soul's brilliance be shown...

This World is slowly changing...
As brothers and sisters we've chose to be KIND...
Our SPIRITS Light forever may shine....
So that Each UNIQUE path shall we always find.....


Nerdmaste,

Jeffrey Louis Martinez

Read This to UNDERSTAND The UNBELIEVABLE Power of STORY..!!!

Today's Inspirational “MYTHOLOGICAL MAGIC”

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“THE DESTINY OF THE WORLD IS DETERMINED LESS BY THE BATTLES LOST AND WON THAN BY THE STORIES IT LOVES AND BELIEVES IN.”
~~  Harold Goddard  (LEGENDS OF THE KNIGHT)


When I first decided to launch The New Age Nerd,  of course I was filled with some amount of trepidency about how it would be embraced.  Would there be other people like me, who have found inspiring strength, motivation, and a sense of ONENESS with the world of Mythology, both old and new, the same way that it has captured and informed my spiritual guidance and passion for life.  From the response the site has received, I believe the answer to my question is a resounding YES!  

But I recently had the privilege to watch a magnificent and quite moving documentary called ‘Legends of the Knight’ that has eternally filled in any gaps in lapsed confidence about my mission.  In a relatively short running time of 1:15 minutes, it deeply and emotionally conveys the power of  not only BATMAN, but many of the stories and modern myths that fill our collective consciousness and have the ability to transform our thoughts and actions toward ourselves and others in compassionate ways.

The documentary begins with a moving story from Michael Uslan, the executive producer of all of the Batman films since Michael Keaton first donned the cowl and cape back in 1988.  Back in 2012 he was asked to give a speech to the graduating class of West Point.  Quite an honor, not to mention quite overwhelming.  He decided to frame his speech around BATMAN as he started, “ Bruce Wayne in committing to become a hero for good after watching his parents brutally murdered before his very eyes, by believing ONE person can make a difference, sacrificed his childhood to train his body and mind in becoming the BATMAN.  He became a Legend, an urban warrior.  Cadets of West Point, YOU ARE BATMAN!”  The graduating class before him jumped out of their chairs in complete unison, high fiving one another for several minutes.  Michael said it was one of the most magnificent moments of his life!  A true testament to the power of modern myth in our lives!

My own childhood was fraught with strife and confusion and that is when I began to find solace in the world of WONDERLANDS from all forms of Myth. TV, movies, comic books.  I couldn't get enough.   They inspired in me a belief life could be SO much than I was experiencing.  Myth became my entry point of self realization and spirituality.  In fact, Lydia Cerpa, a child family counselor was included in the documentary to express, “Stories with heroes help us in finding our true potential.  When a child starts to pretend with heroes they are actually creating new neuro-pathways in the brain that create new behaviors externally and internally as well.  Their brain begins to change .  Hearing a story wakes up something inside of you.  It can allow you to break through to your true potential by seeing alternate possibilities previously unheard of.   And when you see it through a story it becomes tangible because you think that could be me.”  YES!  And who amongst us New Age Nerds still doesn't try and use the Force just for shits and giggles every once and a while!  Be honest! LOL

Later in this fascinating exploration of the power of our modern day Heroes and Heroines there was another important explanation of this phenomenon from Jonathan Gotschall, the author of ‘The Storytelling Animal.’  He explains, “ What fascinates me about story is that we do it at all.  It's spectacularly improbable that humans would be this species that spends so much of our time on Earth in fabrication realities.  When I talk to my students, I ask them why do they spend so much time wrapped up in various forms of fiction?  Why do we like fiction so much?  They tell me it is because stories give us an escape.  That life is hard and it is an opportunity to go on a short vacation from the stress and problems of everyday life.  We can leave it unscathed and unchanged.  But, that is EXACTLY what the research is NOT showing.  The research is showing that the time we immerse ourselves in various forms of our favorite WONDERLANDS actually creates profound change in us.  This change comes on an emotional, and behavioral, and psychological level.  AND this can all be measured in a lab!”

We live in challenging times.  Not to be fear based, but there is NO denying the amount of various forms of carnage that fills our nightly news and daily papers, websites, and blogs.  This is NOT a part of our inherent nature.  We are after all ‘spiritual beings having a human experience.’  I believe we are all seeking a strong paradigm shift back to the attributes we find in many of our pop cultural myths.   Kindness, compassion, heroism, and respect towards all!  Why do you think SUPERHEROES have become a fanatical part of our current zeitgeist after DECADES where no movie studio would touch a comic book story with no matter the price.

In “Hunting the Dark Knight”, Will Brouker writes, “In popular culture there are times when anti-heroes and morally ambiguous heroes seem to be popular.  But I think the pure essence of superheroes, especially BATMAN, and why we constantly come back to them is about becoming someone better.  The strength and heart of BATMAN is about making a positive decision to make positive change in the world.  And I think that is a heroism we can all ASPIRE to!”

The documentary is filled with a myriad of wonderful examples of persons both young and old, who have used the BATMAN myth to help inspire, propel them to unimaginable heights despite enormous physical disabilities, and generally provide them with a Heaven sent HOPE!  Many of the stories brought tears to my eyes and even provided me motivation toward some of my own unfinished goals!  

I appreciated the fact that although the documentary strongly focuses on the undeniable influence of BATMAN on our culture, it also touches on the importance of STORY in general as a stupendous source of collective unity, understanding, and HOPE for so many.  I try and infuse The New Age Nerd with the power of STORY as often as I can as I believe, like Joseph Campbell, that our collective Story through MYTH is one of the most powerful gateways to our spiritual salvation on this planet.  Essentially, we all share the same story, and if we could just learn to acknowledge this on a deeper level, I believe the level of acceptance and unity in this world would be astounding.

That's why I loved this quote in the film by David Taylor from his book ‘Tell Me a Story’.
He espouses, “ I think the greatmess of seeing life through the lens of story is that I have the freedom to make real choices, I'm not determined by my biology, my gender, my history, or genes.  Those are all part of the story but at the end of the day, I have a choice to make and this is the most encouraging possibility of all.  You can be something other than you are if you wish to be.  You can be the GREATEST VERSION of who you are.”  Couldn't have said it better myself...so I won't!   :0)

At the end of the day, we are all seeking ways to move through this life with GRACE, HOPE, Peace, and Joy.   Us New Age Nerds get much of our inspiration and strength from the stories all around us.  But there are SO many paths back to the LIGHT!

For me, BATMAN has always held a special place in my heart and soul because he is the only superhero who is actually just a man.  His only real superpower is  his HUMANITY. And that is something we all have access to in becoming the Greatest Versions of the Greatest Visions ever held of ourselves.

Because the truth of the matter is.......    WE ARE ALL BATMAN

Nerdmaste,

Jeffrey Louis Martinez