Hang Out With Me At The Burn…

Are you going to the Burn next week? If so, then come join me for a talk I’m doing on Friday.

It’s going to be on the topic of the next evolution of “conscious business” – and I’m going to be sharing some of my best ideas for building a business that succeeds, as well as contributes. I’m doing a couple of talks over the next month or so in front of larger crowds, and this will be my “warm-up” with this material.

Here’s the “address” – write it down:

The Purpose Circus
8:25 and Esplanade
Friday, the 4th at 2 PM

Look for the big top-hat. Come along, and bring friends!

Come See David Deida With Me

[NOTE: This is the text from an email that I’ve sent to my “inner circle” of friends and clients – I’ll leave it up here on my blog for a day or two – until the event is sold out.]

This is a personal invitation – it’s going out to my
friends first, then my “business friends” next.

You probably know that David Deida is the most
interesting and innovative teacher in the area of
relationships, spirituality and sexuality.

In any event, I had the privilege of interviewing
David for my interview series a few weeks ago, and
we hit it off.

David has been “unplugged” for the past year working
on some new material (and I can tell you… based on
the interview I did with him… it’s amazing stuff).

He’s gearing up to do a couple of big live programs
over the next few months. One of the things he’d like
to do is have a chance to practice with some of his
new, deeper material… which has created a VERY
interesting opportunity…

David has decided to do a 2 1/2 day exclusive live
training for about 20 or so people in Ojai next month.

The dates are the 18th-20th of September,
which are a Friday-Sunday.

After discussing this event with him and his team,
I suggested that I know several people who would
love to attend something like this – and get an
“insider” experience with him.

I’m going to attend, personally… by the way (and
I’m pretty excited about it!).

So while we were discussing the program, I suggested
that maybe I invite some of my friends, and they loved
the idea.

So here’s the deal:

David hasn’t done a small-group “invitation only”
event like this in several years (and he’s not
likely to do another one like it for several MORE
years).

He wants a small group of people who know his work,
who are willing to go VERY deep, get VERY real, and
possibly go WAY beyond what they thought possible in
the realms of relationship and sexuality.

Because this is a small, invitation-only intensive
event, the price is a little higher than a “big”
program.

It’s $5,000 for a male/female couple or $3,000 for
an individual to attend.

Originally, this event was going to cost $4,000-
$5,000 per person. After discussing with David’s
team, I told them that I wasn’t interested in making
any money promoting – and that I’d prefer to just
pass the savings on to the people I know who might
like to attend – so that’s how they arrived at the
special lower price.

So anyway, if you’d like to attend, the price is
only $5,000 for a couple or $3,000 for an individual.

A few more details:

The event starts on Friday evening. The first session
will go from approximately 7-10 PM. On Saturday and
Sunday, the event will start in the early afternoon,
and go until late at night.

The hours are a little later than most “seminar” type
experiences – because David has found that some of
the more profound work happens at night.

I attended one of David’s 2 1/2 day programs last
year that followed a similar format, and I have to
say, it BLEW MY MIND. Very transformational. That’s
why I’m going back for more!

So, if you’d like to attend this program with me,
then please call Michaela (she runs David’s
businesses) and tell her I sent you.

She’ll register you for the program, and get you
all the logistical details.

You can call Michaela at 323-493-3737 or send her
an email at:

michaela@deida.info

Trust me on this one. This is a once-in-a-lifetime
opportunity – and we’re going to have a great time.

Come if you can!

Eben

P.S. Here are a couple of quick thoughts – just to
make sure you get the most from this program and
know what to expect in terms of travel.

If you’ll be traveling to attend this program, you
will probably want to fly in to the Burbank airport
or LAX. Burbank is maybe an hour from Ojai and LAX
is maybe 90 minutes.

There are several hotels in Ojai you can stay at, and
the actual event is about 7 miles from downtown Ojai
(so you’ll need a car – or to carpool).

If you fly in on Friday (the first day), make SURE
you fly in early in the day – because Friday traffic
in LA is BRUTAL. I’d arrive at Noon and plan on
getting to Ojai by 1 or 2 in order to avoid afternoon
traffic.

What’s Your Best “5 Minute Break” Idea?

I’ve been focusing on improving the quality of my short breaks during the day, and I thought I’d ask you: What’s YOUR best idea for a quick break?

Some favorites (and a new one I just tried):

A set of pull ups, a set of push ups, and some body-weight squats really works for me. Takes 3 minutes, and pays huge dividends.

Another is a 5-10 minute meditation. Eyes closed, sitting with legs crossed, zen-breathing.

Taking a walk to the health-food store to get a fresh organic vegetable juice is REALLY working for me these days. Complete change of channel.

A 20-minute nap in the afternoon is magic (I know, it’s longer than 5 minutes… but this one is worth it!).

Yesterday, Rob (who works with me) recommended a 10-second headstand as an “energy booster.” I just tried it for the first time today – FANTASTIC.

So what do you recommend for a quick break to recharge, relax, or rejuvenate?

Leave your break idea in the comments below, and let’s help each other build a heathly, positive habit of taking breaks every hour or two throughout the day!

A Sexy Pair Of Boobies – And Other Interesting Things From The Galapagos Islands

So I just returned from an amazing trip to the Galapagos Islands… and I thought you might like to see some of my favorite pictures from the trip.

And yes, it’s just like you see in documentaries: The animals are basically unafraid, and stand without flinching as you approach them.

The first picture below is a pair of “Blue-Footed Boobies” – doing a mating dance – and obviously feeling VERY sexy (what were YOU thinking when you read the title of this post, huh?).

Highlight of the trip: Seeing a Galapagos Hawk raiding the nest of a cormorant – and eating the eggs. Picture below. I stood about 5 or 6 feet from this bird as it ate these eggs, and it didn’t even care. It looked at me a few times – as you’ll see below. But other than that, it didn’t care that there were people walking right by.

Click on the thumbnails below to open the larger images.

For the geeks: I was using a Canon 5D (original, mark 1 version) and the Canon 135L lens for these pics. The 135 is great. Sharp, fast focus… and gives that beautiful 3D effect when you use it correctly (which I’ll never learn how to do, because I’m a hack photographer!).

Enjoy… and leave me a comment to let me know what you think!

[You can follow me for free on Twitter here: Twitter.com/ebenpagan]

Great Quotes: Words That Help Us Wake Up

I spent some time with a friend today, and he mentioned a wonderful quote from Mark Twain. Here it is…

“You can’t depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus.”

Beautiful.

A great quote can be a lifetime of experience summed up into one line. Great quotes are possibly the most valuable gifts we receive from those who have come before us… from those who have walked the path.

If you’re in the right frame of mind, a powerful quote can help you WAKE UP for a moment. A great quote can instantly transform your view of yourself – and your view of reality.

So what’s the most profound quote you’ve heard? Do you have a favorite?

Let’s create a great collection to share.

In the comments below, leave YOUR favorite and most valuable quotes (with sources, of course!)…

[You can follow me for free on Twitter HERE.]

Give Peace A Deadline – An Interview With Nathan Otto & Amber Lupton

In this interview, you’ll hear Nathan Otto and Amber Lupton explain their “audacious” plan for creating world peace in 5 years… and how you can contribute as well. Press the play button to listen now, and leave your comments below!

Master Your MasterMind

Possibly the most important and profound action you can take to create change, transformation and success in your life is to build and participate in a “MasterMind.”

What is a MasterMind, you ask?

A MasterMind is a group of people who have common interests and goals, who get together on a regular basis to support each other in growth and development toward actualizing those interests and goals. It’s a dedicated group of people who share at least some values, perspectives and objectives in common, who understand that the power of the “group mind” is exponentially more powerful than the sum of the individual minds from which the group is composed.

The first person I know of that explicitly described the concept in detail is Napoleon Hill (in his book “Think And Grow Rich”).

Hill said that no individual can achieve great power with out a MasterMind. My experience (and the experience of every powerful person I know) confirms this idea.

To me, one of the most “magical” powers of the MasterMind is that it affects you on a subconscious level… without you having to “do” anything.

We humans are programmed by everything that happens around us. We tend to be MOST programmed by what we see, hear, and experience others doing.

Not what we read, not what we think, not what we feel. We’re influenced by the OTHERS around us. We literally become those that we surround ourselves with.

Want to know how much a person makes per year? Find their five closest friends and average their incomes. That’s the answer.

Want to know how healthy a person is? Find their five closest friends and average their health.

Want to know what a person’s aspirations are?

You get the picture.

So how does one create a MasterMind group, and how does one make sure that they’re doing it “right”?

Here are a few pointers, based on my experience:

1. Make sure most of the people in the MasterMind are FAR beyond you. At least 3-5 years down the road you’re trying to travel. 5-10 years is even better. This isn’t a non-profit organization or a charity event, so don’t treat it like one. You’re in this to GROW. (All the while knowing that if you grow to your full potential, you’ll be able to do much more effective charity work later in your life.)
2. If you do allow others who are behind you on the road to success in your chosen area, make sure that they have MASSIVE POTENTIAL. You’d better be feeling in your gut that they’re a super-star, and it’s only a matter of time before they pass you.
3. Meet regularly in person. If you are located in different geographic locations, it’s fine to meet by phone often. But get together live, in-person regularly.
4. It’s great to have a few different MasterMinds for different parts of your life. A physical-health based MasterMind can be just as valuable to you personally as a financial MasterMind. Again, just make sure that the members are beyond you.
5. Make sure that the people you invite to the MasterMind can add massive value to the OTHER MEMBERS. Remember, you’re inviting people who are beyond you. They’re going to get a lot more value from the group and the other members than they are from you. Carefully select members who will get value from each other. Keep yourself out of the equation mentally.
6. Be the “hassle remover” for the group. Handle the schedule. Handle the details. Do the annoying administrative stuff that noone else wants to do. You be the one to set up the teleconference bridge meeting line, or the meeting space reservations. You be the one to walk next door and tell the neighbors to be quiet because they’re disturbing your meeting. You be the one to go out and get more drinks for the group because everyone is thirsty.
7. Remember, the value to you isn’t the tangible things you’re going to get. Don’t focus on material gain. What you’re going to get is the personal GROWTH that comes from being around evolved beings. Let the others have the perks and material rewards of the group. You sit back like the “dumb fox” and allow your mind to receive the higher-level transmissions that are coming from the others around you.

Here are some questions I got when I Twittered about creating a MasterMind, with my answers (I tried to answer many of the questions I got above, but here are a few that will help fill this out a bit):

Q: How do you build or “fill up” your group?

A: Start with one or two people that you think would be great “anchor” members of the group – people you might know or have some influence with. Once you get them, tell other members that you’re inviting about these anchors – and connect up the benefit of MasterMinding with those anchors. Again, keep yourself out of the equation. Use the power of each individual you attract to attract others. Be patient. Wait until you have a good core group before starting. Don’t just let people in because you’re in a hurry.

Q: How do you conduct the meetings?

A: A good starting format would be to create a group with 6 members. Meet weekly for 60-90 minutes on the phone or in person. Each week, ONE of the members is the “focus” of the meeting. Start off by having that member share: 1) Their biggest challenge, 2) Their biggest opportunity. Next, the other 5 members of the group brainstorm to help that person reduce or eliminate their biggest challeng, and take advantage of their biggest opportunity. You, as the “organizer” or faciliatator, makes sure that no-one hogs the mic, that everyone is heard, etc. Key here is all 6 minds focused on ONE person’s situation, challenge and opportunity.

Q: How do you keep your MasterMind members motivated and involved in the group?

A: If you have to motivate and involve them, then you’ve probably chosen the wrong members. Let them go, move on, and find members who are self-motivated – and who have a natural bent toward contributing and being involved. Trying to change people who don’t want to be changed is hard, unrewarding work. There are enough super-stars in the world that you’ll have no trouble finding them to be in your MasterMind.

In the “final analysis” there’s nothing more important to your growth in life than having intentional MasterMinds – and there’s no skill more valuable than the ability to create MasterMinds, facilitate them, and nurture them.

For more on the topic, I highly recommend Napoleon Hill’s book “Think And Grow Rich” – and get the newly-published “Original Version”. It has many important elements that were removed from later versions. (This is the one to get: Think And Grow Rich – Restored And Revised)

Now do everyone a favor, and leave your best ideas for creating, building, and facilitating a MasterMind below in the comments. Please don’t just write “good post” or “I like that”… instead, add some value and contribute to this conversation with an insight, a practice, or a resource that we can all use to create, bu9ild, and faciliate our MasterMinds. Thank you!

[You can also follow me for free on Twitter HERE.]

Funk Music (And How To Dig It)

I spent the afternoon at my friend Frank Kern’s house a few days ago, and we got on the topic of FUNK. I’m talking about funk MUSIC, of course.

As it turns out, Frank has never listened to much funk. I had to drop some knowledge on him.

After dropping said Funk Knowledge (with enthusiasm, I might add), I’ve decided that it’s in the best interest of all humans… and cultural evolution in general… for there to be a solid introduction to Funk in an easily-accessible form that anyone can understand and enjoy!

If YOU are not (yet) a fan of funk and funky, then I recommend that you:

1. Get a life
2. Get some funk
3. Dig it
4. Repeat
5. Often

Here’s a “Funk Starter Kit” – to introduce you to quality funk music. This is relatively “easy” funk – good, classic, mainstream-ish stuff that anyone can groove to…

Start with these 12 tracks, and build your Funk House on a strong foundation! (At the end of this post is a link directly to the iTunes store where I’ve created an “iMix” of these tunes for easy downloading.)

If You Want Me To Stay by Sly & The Family Stone. Mellow, tight, groovy funk. Sly is INVENTING funk at this point in his career. Note the subtle drum machine and the tight bass line. This song is best listened to with eyes closed… adding a slight nodding movement of the head.

What Is Hip? by Tower Of Power. Rhythm section of Dave Garibaldi (drums) and Rocco Prestia (bass) is impossibly tight. TOP is the only band that can play music this COMPLEX and still make you wrinkle your brow because it’s just so damn funky. Dig the very end of the song. Tight funk! (If you dig this music, and you will, also check out their tunes “Soul Vaccination” and “Squibcakes.” BAD.)

You Got The Love by Rufus (with Chaka Khan). Quacky funky guitar riff in this song lays it down. If you ever see a band perform a cover of this song, you’ll be a happy funk-lover! Rufus and Chaka are great.

Fire by the Ohio Players. You’ll notice that this song starts out with a fire alarm. The funk is so hot that they need to call the fire department! Great bass and horn section in this one.

I Want You by Marvin Gaye. Marvin is one of my all-time favs, and this song is a great example of “blaxploitation movie” style funk. The build-up at the beginning of this tune can only be described as a masterpiece of “anticipatory funk” music! Also, not the background vocals. 147 layered tracks of the Marvin harmonizing with himself. I assume, after listening to the song many times, that Marvin didn’t have his eyes open at any point while recordig this track.

Flashlight by Parliament. George Clinton, literally translated, MEANS “funk.” (George is the funk guru behind Parliament, and thus, this tune.) Possibly the funkiest bass line ever recorded. It took me years of listening to this song before I realized that the flashlight was to HELP THEM FIND THE FUNK. No, really. And if you’re into funk, then this makes a special kind of sense. Listen to this song and try to not move your head. You’ll hurt yourself. NOTE: George Clinton’s songs have been sampled by literally THOUSANDS of modern hip-hop artists, and his grooves are behind more hits than probably any other funk-masters’ work.

Early In The Morning by the Gap Band. A more modern tune (early 80s)… but as funky as they get. Solid funk. Polished funk. I personally think this song goes to the next level around the 6:17 mark, when that bad new funk guitar riff starts. But that’s just me!

Fantastic Voyage by Lakeside. This is also polished, solid funk. Very smooth production. The emphasis on the downbeat during the verses is tight. The long “funk intervention” during the middle of the song is sweeeeet. “What you should do is take a listen to… so you can understand…”

Joyous by Pleasure. This verse of this song probably has the baddest groove of all time. Note, again, the “anticipitory funk” buildup theme for the first minute and forty seconds of this tune. You just KNOW that something funky is going to arrive during the first minute and a half. At 1:40 the main groove starts. When this part of the song begins, I typically have to stop any conversation I’m in, because I must REVERE THE GROOVE. Note the higher consciousness lyrics… back 30 years ago. A shout-out to Nate Phillips on the bass! Unreal bass-man-ship on the Pleasure stuff.

Too Tight by Con Funk Shun. This is slick funk. Polished funk. Happy funk. Tight rhythm, great horns, multi-layered vocals and clean, funky guitars. I dig Con Funk Shun. Awesome band that you need to check out!

Stomp by The Brothers Johnson. Stomp is the goods. And the Brother’s Johnson are well-versed in the art of funk. Their style was under the umbrella called “Sophisticated Funk” back in the ’70s. And with good reason! Quincy Jones produced this album, so you’ve got bad funk plus a world-class production. Once you hear this song, you’ll never forget it! A funk classic!

Getaway by Earth Wind and Fire. The pinnacle of funk, in my own humble opinion. I think that this song represents the pinnacle of musicianship, the funk style, and production. I honestly think that this song represents the best that music has to offer, period. When you listen to this song, you’re hearing a world-class funk band in their prime… playing a song that’s beyond funky. Can you tell that I dig this tune?

BONUS FUNK: Funkin’ For Jamaica by Tom Brown. Not available in the iTunes store, but one of the funkiest and best songs ever produced. Get it!

NOTE: All of these tunes except for Funkin’ For Jamaica can be found in the iTunes store HERE: The Funk Starter Kit (Open this link with iTunes, by the way.)

Leave me a comment below and let me know your thoughts about my “Funk Starter Kit.” Also, leave YOUR funk recommendations in your comment. If I get a lot of good feedback, I might just post and “Advanced Funk Connoisseur” list. Trust me, there’s a lot more funk where this came from!

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How To Become Wealthy RIGHT NOW

In our modern culture and society, we’re making a mistake that is costing us… well… everything.

In the past, wealth was about things like land, gold, food, and money.

Today, wealth is about education, enjoyment of life, quality of time and relationships with friends, cultural experience, personal development, fulfillment, contribution… and is COMPLETELY intangible and unmeasurable (in the traditional sense).

But the bizarre and almost mystical thing about these new forms of wealth – that makes them COMPLETELY different from monetary or “physical” wealth – is this:

When you give these new forms of wealth away, you still have them.

Think about that for a minute.

Let me say it again:

When you give them away, you STILL HAVE THEM.

You can give them away all day long, and not lose anything.

But that’s just the beginning…

The next question is: “How do we GET MORE ‘New Wealth’ – and truly become wealthy?”

The answer is so simple, and so counter-intuitive that almost every single person misses it almost completely.

The answer is to GIVE these new forms of wealth to as many others as possible.

Not only do you not LOSE these new forms of wealth when you give them away, you actually get more of them by giving them away.

This happens in 2 ways:

1. When you give New Wealth away, you get AS you give. You also build the capacity within yourself to give even more. And ultimately, you experience or FEEL even more AS you give them away.
2. When you give New Wealth away, you help others develop the capacity to give New Wealth, and they give some of their New Wealth to YOU.

For example, when you teach another human being how to do something, you learn it better. That person will then go off and use what they’ve learned from you, develop their own “style” or approach, blaze their own trail, then come back and teach you a new distinction that will help you go to the next level on your own path.

When you love another person pro-actively, you build the capacity to love in yourself. You create more love to give. As they experience and receive love, they develop their own capacity to love others – and they give love to you spontaneously.

When you contribute to another person, to a group, or to the world… you participate in the evolution of our culture, our species, and our planet. As the entire culture evolves, we all evolve. As our species evolves, we all evolve. As our planet evolves, we all evolve. You gain. The people you love gain. Everyone gains.

Most of the significant problems that we face as individual people, collectively as a species, and as a planet, come down to each of living in an old paradigm of “getting” and of “selfishness”… mistakenly believing that resources and wealth are scarce. We consume them without regard for the impact that this consumption is having on our health and our planet. We turn a blind eye to the impact that we’re having individually.

We’re literally living in the past, when the most valuable resources were things like food, land, and posessions.

That time is gone. A new time is here.

It’s here NOW.

The people who are on the “cutting edge” of evolution, education, contribution, health, relationships, etc. don’t care if you drive a fancy car, wear a fancy watch, or wear brand-name clothes. In fact, they’re suspicious if you DO “consume conspicuously.”

Living a life to get more material goods, show off so others will give you approval, own more stuff, etc. is a waste.

Living life to contribute more education, growth experiences, friendship, love, and evolution to others and to the planet is where it’s at.

In the final analysis, you have an opportunity to do something that most of the other people who have lived before us did not have the awareness or opportunity to do.

You have the opportunity to become wealthy RIGHT NOW. In this very instant. Immediately.

All you have to do is start giving your New Wealth away with consciousness and intention.

Here are a few action steps for you:

1. Teach something to another person in a way that helps them grow on their path.
2. Give someone an experience that will help them evolve.
3. Introduce two people that could help each other – without expectation.
4. Love another person unconditionally.
5. Contribute to a group or cause that is working to change the world.

The single most powerful business and marketing lesson I’ve learned is something that I call “Move The Free Line.” It involves giving away a massive amount of value to potential customers – for free. This results in them trusting you, telling others, and getting a “sample” experience that helps them make the decision to buy from you and your company.

It’s just the beginning.

In the long-run, we will all become incredibly wealthy when we learn how to give Modern Wealth away consciously and consistently as a WAY OF LIFE.

Have a fantastic year, and do something to make yourself and the people around you wealthy TODAY.

Leave me a comment below to let me know your thoughts…

[Follow me for free on Twitter HERE.]

SKYNET Part 3: “…try not to build anything that actively kills people…”

Scientist warns humanity to prepare for the rise of robots:

http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2008/12/preparing-human.html

Robots to raise your child:

http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2008/12/babysittingrobo.html

Sarcos “Exoskeleton” Robot Suit:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYWd2C3XVIk

Robot population “booming” worldwide:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2000/01/000117071805.htm

Robots will be measure of the gulf between the “haves” and “have nots” of the future:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081205100137.htm

But the GOOD news is that when they finally do wake up, they’ll have the technology to be invisible (and borderline invincible as well):

http://discovermagazine.com/2009/jan/007

And, you know this doesn’t weird me out at all either:

http://www.ubergizmo.com/15/archives/2008/03/combat_for_recon_missions.html

Read my original “SKYNET” posts here:

SKYNET

SKYNET Part 2

Leave a comment below to let me know what you think of this weirdness!

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