« Older Entries

Masonic Groups Losing Ground in Present Period; Can they survive to Future Periods?

The Masonic Groups are losing ground currently and they are losing political influence. But why is this? It is because the population of the United States of America is now at 300 million people and no matter how they play politics behind the scenes there are just too many people and the media is just too powerful and they are losing control of their power base.

The use of networking, storytelling and spreading rumors can only go so far when the masses of people have turned over their mind to the constant bombardment of mass media. The Masonic Groups have their buildings in a state of disrepair and in this state of material wealth desires of the general population and with the image of those Masonic decaying buildings, well they simply do not look like anything substantial enough to be taken seriously.

Additionally many of the people in the Masonic groups who have been taken in as members are under whelming in their level of intelligence. I speak without ego and only exact observations. I have been to every single city in the United States of America in the last four years and I have sat in coffee shops and talked to people, Masons and listened to the stories and tales.

I fully understand the good old boy network situations in many towns, but things are changing and Masonic groups are losing ground because they no longer have the image, are not recruiting high IQ intellectuals or using the mass media to help their efforts. I believe the Masonic groups are losing ground in the present period and I do not believe they can survive future periods as they will be passed by.

They can no longer control people through their rumors or secrets. I have nothing against the Masonic groups and have friends who are masons, as well as understand their place in our society in their work in the past periods. But I do watch trends, I am a futurist and I definitely know what I’m talking about, so, if you are a Mason do not take this as a detraction, but rather a warning of an inevitable future. It is time for the Masonic groups to adapt or decay. What happens next is up to them. Consider this in 2006.

Tags:

Manifest In The Moment – How To Find The Present Moment & Just Be

Many people think that they’re living in the present moment, but if
you really stop to think…are they? Are you? What can you do to make sure
that you’re present? Here are some simple tips to get you in the
moment…and get you living better because of it!

First, try this. Pick a present moment and describe it. Describe
everything about it. How does the air feel? Is there a certain
smell in the air? How do your clothes feel as they touch each part
of your body? Do you taste anything? What do you see? Notice
everything that you’re aware of. Begin every sentence with: ‘Right
now…’ or ‘At this moment…’ or ‘Here and now…’.

Sometimes, you can have resistances to this exercise. So just notice
and write down any difficulties or resistances that may arise. Be
AWARE of these issues and put them aside. Now, transfer this
exercise to…exercising! Think about your resistances to exercise,
get in the present, and describe how you feel!

If you don’t know where to start, use these questions. Why did you
start the exercise when you did? Were you tired? Angry? Did you go
blank while doing it? Did you daydream or wander off? How long was
it before your mind wandered off?

Now what do you do to get back on track? The first thing that I like
to do is use “stop thoughts.” When you’re having a negative or self-
destructive thought, just tell yourself to STOP! Like Jen says,
throw those negative thoughts into a mental blender and scramble them
up! Sometimes I even write the thoughts in a journal and “capture”
them in the closed book. Whatever helps you to move past these
thoughts, do it! Get rid of them and move forward immediately. Get
in the present and create the life that you want. Think of it like
this…an hour from now is only a fantasy. And an hour ago is only a
memory. The present is what you have to create now. Do it!

IMPORTANT: When you do this “getting present” exercise, you don’t
have to do this sitting still. Do it at ANY time! If you think
about it while taking a walk or even doing the dishes – DO IT! The
more practice you get at being present, the better!

BREATHE…CONNECT…FEEL the present moment! Anxiety is usually
about tomorrow. But things feelings such as boredom, impatience, and annoyance
can cause anxiety because you’re preventing a full experience.
Always acknowledge these feelings and the STOP them…and move on! I
know it sounds basic, but it really is that simple! The only thing
you can control is your own thoughts and reactions, so get to it!

To re-acquire the full feeling of PRESENCE is an experience of
tremendous impact. And you will definitely know it when you get
there. Don’t fear it…just BE with it. The present is your present!

Tags:

How Following Robert’s Rules Affects Present Day Board Meetings

The official guide on how members of the United States Senate should behave was written by Thomas Jefferson in his “The Manual of Parliamentary Practice” which unfortunately was not followed to the letter. A state of confusion about parliamentary rules continued until Major Henry Robert came up with his Roberts Rules of Order.

How The Rules Originated

The initial rules laid down by Major Robert were followed practices followed at the United States House of Representatives, but Major Robert brought in additional modifications that would prove to be useful to common American citizens as well. Even today, nearly 145 years after it was initially written, the Robert’s Rules of Order is the last authority on parliamentary proceedings in the United States. The basic concept of Robert’s Rules gave group meetings a sense of cohesion and order which was shown to avoid chaos. It followed the principle that to make a vital and important decision, one of the first rules is maintaining order within the meeting. It gives all participants a chance to air their views in a civilized manner without any member’s opinions being ignored.

Order From Chaos And Confusion

Any meeting that follows these rules has to begin with a general call to order, following which a roll call is instituted; a Roberts Rule of Order, which is still followed today in millions of meeting daily. The next sequence of the rules is that office bearers in the committee then read out a full report of the activities that have taken place up to the day of the meeting. Subsequent to that, there is a reading of the agenda of the meeting, before the matter is discussed in full by all participating members. Various points of orders could be raised and after all the points in the aforementioned agenda is discussed. Any business that was not concluded or any matter that is in need to be discussed in the next meeting is put forward, after which the meeting is closed.

Present Day Relevance

Since its introduction in 1867, companies and organizations all around the world have endorsed Robert’s Rules as one of the most powerful tools in making meetings effective. The eleventh edition of the book has experienced some minor alterations, but the original concepts have not been changed in any way. Following Robert’s Rules has been shown to bring order in meetings which have degenerated into confusion and chaos. This confusion, which has followed by non-adherence of the principles of Robert’s Rules, has been experienced in many a board meeting or other general meetings. However, following the rules in general has saved time; implementation of good and useful ideas and suggestions taken on board, for the general well-being of the company.

Tags: