Jack, Welcome back. I see that you have given quite a bit of thought to your post. I value it for that reason. I'm not sure it's possible to have incoming information without processing it, which in most cases would include interpreting, analyzing, etc. In my opinion not doing so would create the greatest danger. A case in point is Jonestown. Those people received information, accepted it without analyzing it, and died. I do agree with what I think your point was about incoming information having value, and reading books. I've read thousands of books in my life that had no value other than entertainment. I was not particularly discriminating as to subject matter. As a result I've read a lot of negative stuff that was nevertheless very well written and entertaining. As I look back over the past 30 years, I feel I wasted all those hours reading that type of book. If I could have them back, I'd put something of better quality into my brain. I believe that experience makes us more discriminating so that we can determine what is of value and what isn't. Aristotle said, "It is the mark of an educated mind to entertain a thought without accepting it." ============================================ Let's just say I think some people are Of-God while others are In-God. Because I believe this I also think there is a fundamental difference in how one interprets information. ============================================ Forgive me, but I don't understand this at all. Perhaps you would be willing to explain further, in a personal message if not publicly. Since I don't understand what you want to convey here, of course I can't comment. Jack I think it was you who stated earlier that it would be difficult to link or show a link between spirituality and success. I've come to agree with you to a certain extent, mostly because it is true that everyone has their own definitions of each of those concepts. For myself, it seems to me that when I am comfortable with my spiritual condition, I feel content with my condition in the physical plane, which I interpret as success. When I am at odds with my values, i.e. not comfortable with my spiritual condition, I feel discontent and that doesn't feel like success to me. Whether there is a link between that and prosperity, which is a different idea now that I think about it, I have yet to prove. There are people who think so. I choose to believe them. Please know that everyone here is welcome to his or her own opinion. While I may disagree with it or want to explore it more before I determine whether I agree or not, the point is to have a conversation. If we all think exactly the same way, there is nothing to discuss! Thanks for joining the discussion again...your point of view adds to it. Cheri

Hi Cheri; Hope you don't mind me tossing this in, and my apology if anyone sees it as out of line. I see it as truth. Sad truth, but truth just the same ... ========================================= Jack I think it was you who stated earlier that it would be difficult to link or show a link between spirituality and success. I've come to agree with you to a certain extent, mostly because it is true that everyone has their own definitions of each of those concepts. ========================================= I would agree... success and spirituality mean different things to each of us. No two of us define either in exactly the same way. All around us, there are people that go to church on Sunday, and then steal from the office, lie on their expense accounts, blame others for their mistakes and cheat on their spouses. But, they go to church on Sundays. So they're spiritual. Maybe even religious. Or maybe a good Christian. In their eyes. All around us, even right here at Adland (maybe particularly so) we see people proudly calling themselves Christians while signing up their "friends" into Ponzi schemes, which are against the law in the USA and Canada. "I didn't know" seems to go a LONG way. Once I could accept it - but the same folks seem to do it over and over again. Indeed we all have our own definitions of what success is, and what spirituality is. I would say all that sounds cynical if it wasn't so blatantly true and obvious and all around us. Our own definitions, indeed. *wink* : ) Linda

Hi Cheri, First, thank you for your contribution to the discussion of the meaning of success at my Law of Attraction In Business Forum. I appreciate your wisdom! You wrote: I believe that if we ever achieve all of our goals and can't find anything else to reach for, sheer boredom may kill us. What do you think about that? I don't know if you are a student of the Abraham teachings or not, but one clear thing that Abraham teaches is that "you never get it done." That means that in life in general we never get it done. We are not intended to get it done. Life is a glorious journey of experiences that we create for ourselves to learn what we came here to planet Earth to learn. If we get it done, we will be done and no longer here on Earth. I am enjoying my journey and learning to accept and appreciate the significance of all experiences, regardless of how they appear at first. I hope I never get it done!

Linda, Hello again! I know of the Abraham teachings only through reference in other people's work who have used them for inspiration. I intend to get to the website soon and investigate the source... =========================================== If we get it done, we will be done and no longer here on Earth. =========================================== I don't know whether it is synchronicity or if one influenced the other, but I just read The Tenth Insight (sequel to The Celestine Prophecy for those who don't already know that); and that was also the message there. If that's true (and I believe it is), then I must not be done, because I certainly am not ready to leave the pleasures of this earth. But I hope I do get it done, because then I will be content, even excited, to leave my physical body behind. Given that we all do, I'd much rather be excited and happy about it than frightened and resistant! You have made me more curious than ever about Abraham. Guess I'll finish up here and go to the website to see what I can learn. Cheri

Hi Cheri, This is a wonderful thread and I have learned a lot from your comments as well as others on various posting. Please know that everyone here is welcome to his or her own opinion. I couldn't agree more. I'm not sure it's possible to have incoming information without processing it, which in most cases would include interpreting, analyzing, etc. This is an example where we have a difference in opinion and I think it's great. The human mind and it's ability to capture information is beyond our current understanding. However, I do agree with you if you consider that people will pre-process information. What I mean here is that we have a natural tendency to filter or block information based on some internal condition. In most cases it is a result of nuturing. I believe Clay gave an example of this. The Jonestown massacre you mentioned, wasn't that partly because of blind faith? My refernce to Of-God/In-God was to acknowledge that some people believe we are created from God while others believe God is in us and we are in him/her. In other words, does a hierarchy exist? If we all think exactly the same way, there is nothing to discuss! I chuckled when I read this Cheri. Sounds profound. :-) and I agree He! He! Again, it's a pleasure to know that it is okay to share a difference in opinion on this topic.