The divide between rich and poor is an ancient one.
Just to be clear, there’s nothing wrong with being rich and there’s nothing wrong with being poor. From one perspective, a higher perspective if you will, both have catalytic potential for spiritual learning and growth. There is, however, something not quite right about being dirt poor.
And there’s something not quite right about being filthy rich.
Filthy rich and dirt poor are glaring indicators of injustice; filthy rich and dirt poor are indicators of a lack or loss of mercy; and both serve as serious indictments, at least indirectly, against those who would allow them to prevail in view of, and in the face of, needless suffering.
The divide between rich and poor would not be such a problem if both rich and poor were content to let each be as they are. A growing divide does become a problem, however, when it fails miserably at keeping filthy rich and dirt poor from coming into plain view for all to see.
With an ever present and growing social media, the spectacle is more apparent than ever, and only the most self-serving and self-entitled among us can turn a blind and oblivious eye.
In my view, from the point of view of someone with a wealth of knowledge about, and insight into, the Great Beyond, standing outside of the matrix of control, where any sound notion of the ultimate negotiation is concerned, this is where things get really, really interesting.
I’ll begin with a simple image: a portal that leads to a light at the end of a tunnel. It’s just you and the portal that leads to a bright light at the end of a dark tunnel. You’re near the entrance of the portal and you can’t help but wonder: is this for me? You wonder: is it safe to enter?
There are two schools of thought on the matter. Old school says “yes; yes, it’s for you, and yes, it’s safe to enter.” New school says “yes; yes, it’s for you, and yes, it might be safe to enter, but … it might also take you to a place in space where you simply do not want to be.”
How’s that?
We live in a world of many contrasts ~ rich and poor, good and bad, right and wrong, life and death ~ by which to experience, understand, and appreciate. Were it not for these constraining contrasts and these constrasting constraints, no significant learning could ever occur. Because of these contrasts, not in spite of them, we grow “up” in the light of wisdom for the sake of love.
The higher “up” we go, the less the emotional charge under the influence of constrasts and constraints. Indeed, this world has been likened to “an entropy reduction trainer for souls,” one where souls are made resilient, yet responsive, in relationship with other response-able souls.
Death, for souls, is a transition back to a realm where entropy does not exist, in a realm of timespace where space has one dimension and time has three, one where souls are linked directly through their minds and can see in all directions, one where souls are confronted with re-living every moment of their lives ~ and the lives of those they affected ~ inside a panoramic view.
Remarkably, no one is there to judge you; if anyone is judging, it’s you judging yourself.
In between lives, souls gather with other souls to do what is most appropriate for their level of learning: beginners continue to attend classes, intermediate students gather together to teach each other, while the more advanced souls serve by teaching or guiding groups of souls.
When they’re not learning, teaching, or guiding, souls take time out to play and explore.
Just like on Earth.
When the learning, the teaching, and the guiding are done, it might be time to come back; it might be time to reincarnate on this world, where learning and growing, exploring and creating, expanding and expressing, evolving and ascending resume with an eye towards fulfillment.
The fulfillment of what?
The fulfillment of love and wisdom, in one of two directions: in service mostly to self or in service to others more often than not. This is your choice; indeed, this is the choice, according to those who have made this choice and are now living it fully, past the point of no return.
Prior to reincarnating, a soul enters a theater called The Ring of Destiny, a private space supervised by advanced beings to allow souls to preview, select, review, and tweak the programming that will underpin their new undertaking for yet another lifetime as a spirit embodied.
The soul chooses a life to live, including parents, and comes back to body.
Another life is lived; another set of lessons is learned to make The Choice.
Or to bring light to The Choice, as is the case for the most advanced souls.
Souls have various exit points along their timelines. At what point will a soul make a graceful (or not so graceful) exit from an embodied life? Have you ever had the feeling that death was near, but then decided you would dismiss the grim reaper and bypass the appointed time?
Have you ever had the feeling you were meant to meet someone at the sight of a talisman, but for whatever reason decided to move on? All such choicepoints are preplanned, all part of a contract or an agreement that souls make prior to entering a new and fresh incarnation.
Souls are both free and not free when subject to programming. To the extent to which souls are programmed is the extent to which souls are learning and growing; to the extent to which souls are conditioned by their programming is the extent to which souls yearn to be free.
Are you free, dear reader? Really and truly free? Or do you long to be free?
At the appointed time, souls prepare to negotiate and navigate yet another transition to the Other Side, into the Great Beyond. Having forgotten from whence they came, they are (usually) more than a little surprised by what transpires, sometimes before and/or sometimes after.
The more advanced souls are quick to find their place on the Other Side, quick to return to re-unite with their oversouls, to feed their oversouls with their experience and wisdom, before basking in its love and its light. What younger souls see as God, older souls view as oversouls.
The less advanced souls are befuddled or bewildered, if only for a time, and if they’ve been good, and if they’ve been true to their calling and have learned many if not most of their lessons, they’ll be in a state of mind where they can release themselves to the guidance of others.
Otherwise, they find themselves lost and alone in a world they never made.
I refer you to the extraordinary work entitled Thirty Years Among the Dead.
In light of this preamble, in view of this accounting, what is the ultimate negotiation? What do you suppose is the mother of all negotiations? Just for now, I’ll give you a strong hint in the form of a question: do you remember the portal that leads to a light at the end of a tunnel?
Allow me to refresh your memory …
I’ll begin with a simple image: a portal that leads to a light at the end of a tunnel. It’s just you and the portal that leads to a bright light at the end of a dark tunnel. You’re near the entrance of the portal and you can’t help but wonder: is this for me? You wonder: is it safe to enter?
There are two schools of thought on the matter. Old school says “yes; yes, it’s for you, and yes, it’s safe to enter.” New school says “yes; yes, it’s for you, and yes, it might be safe to enter, but … it might also take you to a place in space where you simply do not want to be.”
So why are there only two schools of thought on the matter?
Another hint: it has to do with The Choice.
Are you clear about your choice?
If not, would you like to be?
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A Most Curious Addendum (Updated)
My experiment in the art of negotiation began with this post on the ultimate negotiation. I’ve never done anything like this before ~ actually, I don’t know anyone who has (which is not to say that no one has) ~ and so I have no idea how this tiny experiment is going to play out.
In my experience, a big part of negotiating effectively (and efficiently) is having a brain that can juggle many facts and details while applying many tactics and techniques to an exchange of value that brings mutual benefit. The following facts and details will surely test this ability.
My site hosting is coming up for renewal on Wednesday, March 4th, in the amount of $32.85 USD. Between now and then, I’ve decided I’m going to rely on donations to make this payment. If the payment is missed, this site will go down and stay down for an indefinite period.
This is my response cost for not negotiating to the best of my ability with virtual strangers (I say “virtual” because on some level, no one is really a stranger ~ just an angel masquerading as a clown). For avid readers of this site, this is their response cost for not stepping up.
The web stats indicate that this site consistently receives thousands of unique visitors per month, but even so, I understand that many of us lead busy lives and don’t have time for trivial pursuits. Still, it feels worth my while to explore the nature of negotiation with my readers.
As of Saturday, February 29, 2020 …
Current reality = $5.35 USD (this is how much is currently in my paypal account)
Desired result = $32.85 USD (this is how much is required to make the payment)
Payment deadline: 03.04.2020 (after this date, this site may go down indefinitely)
Am I concerned about this site going down for a while? For myself, no; I will just keep doing what I love to do. I am concerned, however, about the experience of my readers. I feel I would be remiss if I did not give them a chance to donate and keep the site going past the deadline.
I’ll be posting, and keeping readers posted, day by day, until the desired result is met or until the payment deadline passes. In the meantime, if or when the amounts donated exceed the desired result, this will be announced, and the excess, if any, will be applied to the next payment.
Even if the current target of $32.85 USD for three months of hosting is not reached in time, any funds received will be received and used with appreciation to eventually make the current payment ~ so no worries at all that your funds will not be used for the intended purpose here.
If the content on this site compels you or tickles your fancy, consider blessing it with a modest donation of $1 USD, but no more than this, as I would like others to have the opportunity to donate. If you can’t resist giving more than $1, I will set it aside until the day of the deadline.
Update, as of 02.28.2020: I’m sensing a reluctance to donate a mere dollar. I’m also sensing a wait-and-see attitude from readers. Just so you know: I’m not relying on that old persuasive standby of getting friends and family to kick start the process with an abundance of social proof.
Again, any excess on this date will be applied with appreciation to future payments (update, as of 02.27.2020: I sense I need to qualify here: any reasonable excess on this date will be applied with appreciation to future payments, in the event that some joker sends me a rather large donation, just for fun, compelling me to be accountable to my readers for this larger amount).
So if now seems like a good time to donate, would now be a bad time to donate?
You can be sure that every donation will be acknowledged personally. As always, feedback is welcome through my Contact Me page on this site. Much appreciation to those who care to {donate}.
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Suggested Reading
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thinking of negotiating via email?
don’t do it, if at all possible; if you do do it, know that less is more; set it up by clearing the air first; read your emails out loud in the harshest tone you can think of before sending, and adjust accordingly; remember: “I’m sorry” and “I’m afraid” go a long way towards toning it down
always end on a positive note …
~ yours