Final Thoughts, part 3

Lesson: Everything Changes (including my rock journal).

Rock on a Global Level

The "rock fusion" series of playlist were my attempt to answer the most frequent question I get, which is "what do you listen to now?" Rock Fusion 1 was actually the song that provided an answer to that question. Once I came up with the name for the play list (i.e., rock fusion), it sparked an idea of creating multiple playlists featuring international artists and styles of rock-n-roll. These series of playlists were also my way of proving that indeed it might be possible to "save the world through rock-n-roll." At the end of the preface to my rock journal, I argue that if one person’s soul could be saved through rock-n-roll (i.e., mine), then might not several people, a community, a nation or the world be saved as well? These four playlists certainly show that rock’s reach is quite extensive and, therefore, that such an outcome may indeed be possible! Why not!?!


For this first playlist, I searched for bands that play rock fusion which I consider to be progressive, experimental or psychedelic rock. These are just a few notable exponents of the last decade and a half. If you like a song, consider listening to the album from which that song is taken. The "fusion" part of the playlist name refers to the fact that this is rock-n-roll from countries outside the U.S. These songs and artists represent an international fusion of myriad musical styles with the electric guitar figuring very prominently. The themes also are quite distinctive compared to the themes on which U.S. bands choose to focus.

Stand Out Track: King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard is a personal favorite. Since they were already a favorite before I created this playlsit, I wanted to highlight a song/artist that was new to my feed, specifically the Claypool Lennon Delirium featuring Les Claypool (Primus) and Sean Lennon (The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger).

Rock Fusion 1 – A Spotify Playlist

"Wiwasharnine" (Mdou Moctar)
"Karadeniz" (Mustafa Ozkent)
"Kaymakamin Kizlari" (Altin Gun)
"Grand Street Festival" (Gitkin)
"Gatherings" (Kikagaku Moyo)
"Space Camel" (Ouzo Bazooka)
"Sure as Spring" (La Luz)
"Self Hypnosis in 3 Days" (Wand)
"S!CK" (The Warning)"
"A Lovers Hate" (Black Moth)
"Delusion" (Stonefield)
"Let It Burn" (Goat)
"Hazelwart" (ORB)
"Cricket Chronicles Revisited" (The Claypool Lennon Delirium)
"Cubensis Lenses" (Psychedelic Porn Crumpets)
"MEPEM" (Frankie and the Witch Fingers)
"Crumbling Castle" (KGLW)



After working on the “Rock Fusion 1” playlist, I needed a playlist for a subgenre of rock that would not demand the brain power required by Rock Fusion 1. Both lists were worth the effort expended due to the joy they've brought to my mind, body and soul. The stylistic/structural complexities across the playlist shows the versatility of the genre and the creativity of the artists who fuse the traditional and contemporary into something that is truly unique. I really like the working class flavor of all of the cumbia styles represented in this playlist.

Stand Out Track: Like with the last playlist, I do have a personal favorite, Grupo Fantasma (they were the dance band that performed at our wedding). But since Grupo Fantasma is such an established brand in Austin, I’ll pick the other Austin band on this list, Money Chicha.

Rock Fusion 2 (Cumbia Edition) – A Spotify Playlist

"Cumbia de Los Pajaritos" (Los Mirlos)
"La Cumbia Sampuesana" (Abelardo Carbono)
"Mi Gran Noche" (Aniceto y Sus Fabulosos)
"Sonido Amazonico" (Chicha Libre)
"A Patricia" (Los Destellos)
"El Diablo" (Compay Quinto)
"El Dragon/La Molienda" (Los Orientales de Paramonga)
"Killer Cumbia" (Mexican Institute of Sound)
"Chuco Steady" (Frente Cubiero)
"Comencemos" (Jungle Fire)
"Desplazado" (Frailejon)
"Kushimoto Bushi" (Minyo Crusaders)
"Caldo Parao" (Ondatropica)
"Pa Lante Mi Gente" (Sonido de la Frontera)
"Levantate" (Grupo Fantasma)
"Cosa Verde" (Money Chicha)
"Caballito Nocturno" (Sonido Gallo Negro)



I don't have a strict definition of "Afropop" that I am using here. I created a playlist with songs from various nations/regions of the African continent with which I connect as a rockero (i.e., often with sweet guitar licks). There are so many uplifting tracks, and they are all so different. Keep in mind that most of these songs are sung in languages that I don’t understand. Yet, several of the songs are so uplifting that they have the effect of producing tears of jubilation. I am so thankful for the entire rock fusion series, but for this playlist in particular because of how deeply the songs penetrate into my being.

Stand Out Tracks: I will cheat here and pick two tracks, the first two, by Fatoumata Diawara and Sona Jobarteh. They are amazing singers who are also amazing composers and guitar players. Phenomenal tracks! Both songs are uplifting but in different ways. One track provides a warm embrace and the other provides an energetic boost allowing you to persevere. That’s about how this entire rock fusion series feels to me.

Rock Fusion 3 (Afropop Edition) – A Spotify Playlist

"Nterini" (Fatoumata Diawara)
"Fondinkeeya" (Sona Jobarteh)
"Ai Haira" (Vieux Farks Toure)
"Awa adounia" (Liya Ag Ablil, Naria Nid El Mourid, Abdallah Ag Ahmed)
"Sastanaqqam" (Tinariwen)
"Takamba" (Bombino)
"Alghalem" (Terakaft)
"Watch Your Life" (Itadi)
"Worry" (Songhoy Blues)
"Black Times" (Seun Kuti, Egypt 80, Carlos Santana)
"This Hustling World" (Gyedu-Blay Ambolley)
"Afrofunk Revolution" (IFA. Okwei V. Odili0
"Ne Te Fache Pas" (T.P. Orchestre Poly Rythmo)
"Abonsam" (Ebo Taylor)
"E Go Betta" (Dele Sosimi)
"Love Thy Neighbor" (Orlando Julius, The Heliocentrics)
"Crache La Douleur" (Fanga) Avion (Afel Bocoum)



Brazil, like Africa, is such a fountain of creativity. The fusion of styles is just impeccable. Many tracks are jazz, rock, funk and samba all at the same time. Some songs are fun, some intense and some playful, reflective of the complexities of the human condition. This playlist also wins for best cover artwork. The attention to detail in the compositions (and cover art) really appeals to my prog rock sensibilities, even though there is nothing in any prog rock playlist that currently exists that sounds even remotely like this. It’s a musical journey of epic proportions comprised mostly of bands with a very modest number of followers.

Stand Out Track: It was very hard to pick one stand out from this playlist. I’ll go with the track by Pata de Elefante (second to the last track) because it is done in a surf rock style. There is no other song that I mention anywhere in my rock journal that could be categorized as surf rock. I had to create a playlist of rock music from Brazil for that genre to make it into my story, but it finally did!

Rock Fusion 4 (Rock Brasilero Edition) – A Spotify Playlist

"O Poeta" (Ave Sangria)
"Tudo Que E Bonito" (Academia de Berlinga)
"Cada Dia um Novo Amor" (Trabalhos Espaciais Manuais)
"Sheik" (Charlie Brown Jr.)
"Jah Me Liberta" (Planta E Raiz)
"Sulamericano" (Biana System, Manu Chao)
"Marsicano" (Cabruera)
"Eru" (Abayomy Afrobeat Orquestra)
"Alteracao" (BNegao, Seletores de Frecuencia)
"Briza" (Macaco Bong)
"Maco" (Eko Afrobeat)
"Babulina's Trip" (Graveola)
"Madurar" (Samuca e a Selva)
"Sapato" (Russo Passapusso)
"As Novas Aventuras" (Pata de Elefante, Gabriel Guedes, Daniel Mossmann, Reynaldo Migliavacca Neto)
"Abstrai" (Autoramas)



More Rock Wisdom – 1970’s Edition

The “More Rock Wisdom – 1970’s Edition” playlist came about via a mental list of songs that I began creating where I’d say to myself, “that song has to be on a playlist.” I didn’t know what it was about these songs that made me feel that way. They were great songs, but I had decided that I would not take a “greatest hits” or a “favorite songs” approach to my featured selections. I decided that the song had to say something meaningful about life to be included. There will likely be other playlists for each subsequent decade. When I feel the spirit move me to create those additional playlists, then I will.

I won’t write an entire chapter for this playlist. I will note a few persistent themes and then really dive into a few of the songs that resonated the most. "Have You Ever Seen the Rain," "Wheel in the Sky" and "World Turning" get at the grind of life and trying to figure out a way through tough times just through sheer will. "Long Train Running" conveys a similar sentiment but it offers up love as the fuel for perseverance. The refrain from that song, "without love, where would you be now," reminds us that when nothing is going our way, we can hang on to love. It is what fuels the universe. It is absolutely abundant. We just have to pick our preferred way of connecting with it.

I shared my rock-infused autobiography as a way of showing that rock-n-roll itself can be a way to connect with universal love. If you can do that via rock music, there’s probably an infinite number of other ways to also do that. Find the one that works for you. Patience is the key when love is concerned as conveyed in the song "Hold the Line." It’s such an incredible tune with a powerful message, be patient because "love isn’t always on time!"

The need for life to be such a grind leads to confusion about life and people, a theme touched-on in the songs "Reeling in the Years" and "Really Don’t Mind." Both songs allude to people who think they know what’s up but are really clueless about life and its meaning. The Steely Dan hit ("Reelin in the Years") is about dealing with a love interest who is so self-absorbed that they can’t appreciate love or life in general, while the rock classic by Jethro Tull is about how the elite think they know it all and want to determine what happens (not just for themselves, but also for others). While people with this attitude towards life can be frustrating to us, both songs are playful in their tone. This suggests that we should avoid the human tendency to lend too much credence to their views but make choices that honor and respect our own needs, desires and values.

More Rock Wisdom – 1970's Edition) – A Spotify Playlist

"Have You Ever Seen the Rain" (Creedence Clearwater Revival)
"Shooting Star" (Bad Company) (Queen+Paul Rogers)
"Long Train Runnin'" (The Doobie Brothers)
"Blinded by the Light" (Manfred Mann’s Earth Band)
"Hold the Line" (TOTO)
"The Weight" (The Band)
"Really Don't Mind" (Jethro Tull)
"Runnin’ on Empty" (Jackson Browne)
"Band on the Run" (Paul McCartney & Wings)
"World Turning" (Fleetwood Mac)
"Give a Little Bit" (Supertramp)
"25 or 6 to 4" (Chicago)
"Wheel in the Sky" (Journey)
"Ventura Highway" (America, George Martin)
"Reelin' in the Years" (Steely Dan)
"Mr. Blue Sky" (Electric Light Orchestra)
"Fly Like an Eagle" (Steve Miller Band)



Two songs featured on this list, "Shooting Star" and "25 or 6 to 4" place the focus on the that relates to being in the music business. The song by Chicago (25 or 6 to 4) is a jammin’ tune released in 1970. One might think the theme is about how crappy life can be, but it has a much more mundane theme. It appears to be about the band being on a deadline to finish recording a song for a record label by the start of business the next morning, and it is already 25 (or 26) minutes until 4 a.m. (thus the song title) and the product is not yet complete. The song has a driving tempo so it appears that the band has not yet lost hope that the goal will be achieved.

The song, "Shooting Star," by Bad Company is one of those classic songs that seems like a Friday-at-5 pm-crack-a-beer-open-feel-good-song but is actually more of a tearjerker. It is a story that is woven by the singer about a character with whom we can relate. Think "Jack & Diane" (John Cougar), "Don’t Stop Believing" (Journey) and "Livin’ on a Prayer" (Bon Jovi). It even has that sing-along quality, but that is where the comparisons end.

The way this song differs is by the fact that it is a tragedy and not a song of perseverance. It is tragic like the story of the character, Ziggy Stardust, and comes 3 years after the release of that incomparable album by David Bowie. The theme of this song relates to Chapter 6 of my rock journal (about Sci-Fi Rock-n-Roll where I highlight the album Ziggy Stardust) as well as the subsequent chapter (Chapter 7 - The Greats Create and Destroy) where I specifically address the fact that being a rock star is a very precarious profession.

In "Shooting Star," we are introduced to Johnny, a young kid who wanted to become a rock musician after hearing a song by The Beatles on the radio. Johnny buys a guitar, practices relentlessly and joins a band. As Johnny leaves home having told his mom that he was leaving to become a rock star, we hear the mom say the refrain of the song to herself, "Don’t you know that you are a shooting star. And all the world will love you just as long as you are …. a shooting star." The mom knows that a shooting star is not an actual star. It is an asteroid that either crashes into the Earth or burns out completely as it flies across the sky. And burn out is just what Johnny did. I feel like I have to say RIP, not just for the character in this story but for all those rock stars and those who aspired to be rock stars and who did burn out.

I know I called this list, "Rock Wisdom," so I suppose words of warning count as words of wisdom. I would agree with that categorization since I gave a fair amount of warnings about situations and lifestyles to avoid or of which to be wary in my rock journal. I would consider the community of rock aficionados to be somewhat of a working class group, if not actually working class then maybe they might be working class in their outlook. Something about the message in rock music is resonating with fans, and, as I laid out in Chapter 2 & 4 of my rock journal, the message is much more complex (and supportive) than the "sex, drugs and rock-n-roll" image of rockeros.

Given the difficulties that one encounters in life, it is not surprising that one common theme that is conveyed in this play list is that of escape. "Fly Like an Eagle," "Band on the Run," "Ventura Highway" and "Running on Empty" delve into different aspects of the subject. The song by McCartney & Wings takes on a catch me if you can storyline. Although it’s a bit unclear why anyone is after this band, we can’t help but root for them because they appear to successfully be evading the authorities. The songs by America and Jackson Browne are the prototypical rejection of the 9-to-5 lifestyle for one that is driven more by passion and adventure. Then you have “Fly Like an Eagle” by the Steve Miller Band that takes things to another level. We are not just going to reject the norms and expectations that society places on us. We are going to reject the notion that we have any limits at all, freeing ourselves from any limitations so that we are able to will into existence the world in which we want to live. Why not? If we don’t have a positive vision for the future, then how is it ever going to materialize?

I won’t say too much about the remaining songs except to say that hopeful messages reside in the songs "The Weight," "Give a Little Bit," "Hold the Line" and "Mr. Blue Sky." We are asked to share each other’s burdens in "The Weight" and to share love with each other in "Give a Little Bit," because it just makes life easier for everyone when you live life that way. "Mr. Blue Sky" conveys the sentiment that we might feel after a long rain spell in our lives that ends when we finally see the clouds part to reveal the blue sky. We are at the same time happy that the gloom is over but also questioning why it had to last so long. Although the song questions the suffrage endured, it has a very light and joyful tone suggesting that it is better to be in the here and now.

The last song that I have yet to mention is "Blinded by the Light" by Manfred Mann’s Earth Band. That song aligns with the second entry in "The Code of Rock-n-Roll" from Chapter 2 of my rock journal which states that "rock-n-roll is about pleasure." This song directly addresses the sex, drugs and rock-n-roll idea in one fell swoop. The song appears to be about a group of friends partying too hard and living to tell about it (if only barely). Of course, the line that stands out and appears to be trying to tell us something is:

Mama always told me not to look into the eyes of the sun. But, mama, that’s where the fun is.

– Blinded by the Light (Manfred Mann’s Earth Band)

Looking "into the eyes of the sun" is what’s forbidden. As far as this song goes, it may be that the composer is suggesting that the pursuit of pleasure is something else that Mama would consider forbidden. And we know what the human tendency is when someone tells us that something is forbidden (especially your parents), it’s to do that very thing.


Before closing out this volume of Afterthoughts, I’d like to get back to the song, "Running on Empty," a song which I feel can teach us a little more about life than the category in which it was placed (i.e., songs about "escaping"). It also provides a different perspective at how we might use the sun as a guide to living, a much different perspective than was conveyed in "Blinded by the Light."

“Running on Empty” is a song that continues to resonate. How can a song about feeling like you don’t have fuel in the tank resonate for more than 30 years? Can you really make it through life with the gas gauge on empty for that long? Or, could it be that the meaning of the song is much deeper than that? I won’t do a line-by-line analysis, but I will take some key verses and outline what came up for me as I listened to the song on repeat. Many tears were shed just trying to write these few lines. (Note: If you read the main manuscript of my rock journal, you know that tears shed during the writing process is just part of my healing process. And healing is good!)

Looking back at the years gone by like so many summer fields.
I don’t know where I’m running now. I’m just running on.
Running on empty. Running blind.
Running into the sun, but I’m running behind.

Verse from “Runnin’ on Empty” (Jackson Browne)

I first want to establish why I placed this selection in the escape category of songs. If the years are slipping by, it implies that they’re slipping by and that you don’t have much to show for it. The life you have is one from which you’d like to escape, so you just get on a motorcycle and go. You don’t know where you’re headed (running blind) and don’t have any motivation (running on empty) except for the desire to escape. You sense that brighter days are just up ahead (i.e., in the form of the bright sun), but you’re late in getting on that road (running behind).

Gotta do what you can just to keep your love alive.
Trying not to confuse it with what you do to survive.

Verse from “Runnin’ on Empty” (Jackson Browne)

This line suggests that that there has to be more to life than just the daily grind. You try to focus on what you love to do, the things that give you a passion for living, because that is what matters, that is where your happiness resides. You just need to get there. You’re running on…running into the sun … but you’re running behind.

I don’t know how to tell you all just how crazy this life feels.
(So….I’m running on.)
You know, I don’t even know what I’m hoping to find.
I don’t know how that road turned into the road I’m on.
(But … I’m running on.)

Verse from “Runnin’ on Empty” (Jackson Browne)

You’ve been “running on” for a long while, and you’re still running behind. You still haven’t found “your” happy place. Since you haven’t found that which brings you joy, you feel all that you can do is to keep “running on.” It’s the only thing you know how to do well.

Everyone I know. Everywhere I go.
People need some reason to believe.
I don’t know about anyone but me.

Verse from “Runnin’ on Empty” (Jackson Browne)

Here is the first nugget of hope that is shared in the song. By being on the road, you see a lot of people and see a lot of places and start seeing patterns. And even though you see that people have strong beliefs that guide them, you don’t have such a strong belief about anything other than the road, so you keep…. running on.

If it takes all night, that’ll be alright.
If I can get you to smile before I leave.

Verse from “Runnin’ on Empty” (Jackson Browne)

Along your travels, you’ve discovered that you should cherish any moments where joy makes an appearance. Everything seems to feel right when joy is in the air. You have observed how other people bring joy into the lives of those around them, and you choose to become one of those people who bring joy to others.

Look around for the friends that I used to turn to…
to pull me through. Looking into their eyes.
I see them running too.

Verse from “Runnin’ on Empty” (Jackson Browne)

As you live your life, you see that your situation is not that different from that of others close to you. Your response to the situation is what differs. The realization is comforting. Your situation is a bit more free and dynamic than the lives you see others living, so you keep running on.

I’m running on… and I don’t even know what I’m hoping to find.
Running on empty. Running blind.
Running into the sun, but I’m running behind.

Verse from “Runnin’ on Empty” (Jackson Browne)

I have purposefully listed repeat verses here to conclude. Not knowing “what you’re hoping to find” can make you feel like you are wandering around aimlessly. In the process, you begin to realize that all you’ve seen and all you’ve experienced gives you a unique perspective, knowledge-base and set of skills. Maybe, that not knowing is the point. Since we can never really know everything that there is to know, then maybe “running blind” and “running into the sun” aren’t such bad options if the fundamental nature of the human experience is discovery and illumination (and having a little fun in the process of achieving those things). Finally, since we can’t ever really reach the sun, then it’s also ok to be behind!


CAN Brainstorming Music – A Spotify Playlist

This list was created as music to facilitate brainstorming at CAN (Community Advancement Network) retreats and annual celebrations. CAN is where I work, and what helps me to pay the bills. This is a 28 song playlist that, if you remove the first four songs and last four songs, could be (and probably should be) labeled as “Rock Wisdom,” like one of the other playlists that is part of this addendum. Of course, I will explain a little bit about the basis for my claim, but I will first note that this may be the only thing that I’ve done as the Executive Director for CAN that was NOT collaborative. I just included in this playlist what “The Spirit” moved me to include. That’s not very scientific, but that’s how the list was created. Now, I’ll try to explain why it appears that “The Spirit” wanted me to include these particular songs in this playlist.

First, I’ll note the 4-4-4-4-4-4-4, format of the playlist. For any given brainstorming session, you wouldn’t need more than four songs. So, the first four songs (Tito Puente) were chosen for the 2022 CAN retreat. The second four songs (Sly & the Family Stone) were selected for the 2023 CAN retreat. The four songs by Stevie Wonder is what we will feature for the 2024 CAN retreat.

So, what about the rest? The four songs after Stevie Wonder I label as “celebration songs.” Not surprisingly, they are commonly featured at the CAN celebration each year. The next four songs following the songs of celebration, I consider to be key ingredients for leading a good life (self-expression; authenticity; imagination; setting goals; maintaining forward movement). The last four songs drive home the point that, as some say, “love is the question and love is the answer.” I am a person that does subscribe to the notion that the Universe is powered by love. That being said, it’s a shame that I have yet to address the topic of love in my rock journal. This grouping of songs provides a good treatment to the subject of love. Love ballads in the hard rock genre are much LESS appealing. (In my opinion, with very few exceptions … they really suck.)

The last four songs are by American jazz greats, Dizzy Gillespie, Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong. These tunes are several years down the road in terms of use for actual CAN brainstorming session, but they are good for the purpose of brainstorming. Just like the music by Tito Puente was great for getting the creativity flowing, so, too, are these particular songs. Plus, when the playlist reverts back to the beginning (Tito Puente), it just feels right! And, if your gut tells you it’s right, then let’s go with it, especially when creative expression is involved.

 

The End of the Road for My Rock Journal

Well, that’s it for this set of afterthoughts. I could tease that there might be an “Afterthought 3” section. I won’t do that because the plan is to move on to two other projects that have been incubating in my head. When an idea is incubating in my head, it is essential that it be birthed at some point. If I don’t bring those ideas into being, then it clouds my thinking and trips me up in my life’s journey in a variety of ways.

What exactly are those two projects? I don’t think it’ll be too much of a spoiler to say a little about them. One is about the key albums that influenced me (and thus influenced the writing of my rock journal). Some bands may come to light that could have, would have, should have been mentioned in the original manuscript. While my thoughts on these influential albums could be written as another addendum to my rock journal, there is too much to say about those albums and an addendum should not be exceptionally long.

The second project (and probably my last project since it is gigantic in scope), is the outlining of a comic book universe that features characters whose personality and powers embody the music of particular bands. The list of rocking superheroes/superheroines is now at more than 50 characters. That is a lot of characters, adventures and origin stories to move from my brain and onto the page. If you read Ch. 6 of my rock journal, then you know that “The Adventures of Super Chicana and Foxey Lady” will likely play a prominent role in this new comic book universe (that at the moment does not have a home in either the Marvel or DC comic book universes…in case you were wondering).

Final Thoughts

In Chapters 9 and 10 of my rock journal, I share several cheat codes for living life. I thought to end this series of afterthoughts with a prayer, but instead I thought I’d share another set of cheat codes that I’ve heard articulated in a variety of ways from a variety of sources. I’m not one to hoard knowledge, so I had to impart this particular knowledge to those willing to receive it.

There are hints of these principles throughout my rock journal, but the clarity here is so profound that I wish I had found this knowledge before I started writing. It would have saved me all of the pain and anguish of digging so deep into my psyche and soul to reveal what lay hidden. But, if I hadn’t shared all of those experiences and insights, would I ever have found these cheat codes presented in such a clear and powerful way? I’m absolutely certain that the answer to that question is “no.” Notwithstanding, I am eternally grateful that the Universe has conveyed the following Universal Rules (URs) to me:

  • UR-1 You exist.
  • UR-2 Everything is here and now.
  • UR-3 The one is all, and all are one.
  • UR-4 What you put out is what you get back.
  • UR-5 Everything changes (except URs 1 through 4).

If you are wondering what the linkages are to my rock journal, here is a quick and dirty way to think about those linkages. UR-1 harkens back to the scientific information I shared in Chapter 6 that shows that it is so unlikely that a species like us exists that we (i.e., humanity) must serve an important purpose (i.e., we matter to the Universe as individuals and as a species). UR-2 has a direct link to my past-present-future diagram in Chapter 9. UR-4 has parallels in Chapter 9 to the idea of advancing consciousness and to the dynamic of filling each others’ buckets of faith, hope and love. UR-5 isn’t a principle in and of itself, but I’ll say that there is a hint of this when I argue in Chapter 9 that the evolution of consciousness might be a fundamental organizing principle of the universe. I would also say that these five rules in their totality relate to a statement in the Preface to my rock journal where I state … “the path to happiness and fulfillment is not found by dwelling on the complexity of the universe, but by identifying what truly matters in the universe.” In other words, keep it simple!

You may have noticed that I skipped over UR-3. I did that purposefully because, although I did share something about that specific concept in my rock journal, it did not come from my own writing. It comes from a set of lyrics from the band, Tool, that I quoted in Chapter 3:

We are born of one breath, one word, one spark … sun becoming.

– Pneuma (Tool)

The interesting thing about these cheat codes is that they don’t preclude what I’ve described as being the fundamental organizing principle of the universe. I developed (or gleaned) this theory about the evolution of consciousness through the process of writing my rock journal. As is the case with all the theories that I develop, they remain my beliefs until they are dis-proven. So, I guess I can hang on to this theory for a bit longer. I’m glad, because it’s a good one! If this theory holds, then imagine how that theory combined with the above Universal Rules could serve us as we live our lives.

I find these Universal Rules to be a true and powerful gift from the Universe. I hope you find some value in them, too!

Paz y amor to you all!


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