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#10

Coppied into 1807-E in How to Eat an Elephant

WE RECOGNIZE AND STUDY

THE SEVEN MASTER PRINCIPLES OF LIFE

In order to better understand ourselves and the world around us, we study, practice and teach "THE SEVEN MASTER PRINCIPLES OF LIFE". Knowing and applying these principles gives the student insights into the workings of this world and glimpses of self awareness that are not available to others.

These principles predate recorded history and come to us through the teaching of the enlightened masters of ancient Egypt, through the teachings of the ancient eastern religions and through the native American spiritual traditions.[1]**

(1) MENTALISM --- All outward manifestations have their source in the mind. Every action taken and everything that any human being has ever created started as a thought in a human mind. [2]** Thoughts are the first cause of everything you ever have or ever will experience. Thoughts include beliefs, opinions, desires, repulsions, random daydreaming, etc.

As stated in the Christian Bible, (John 1:1): "In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God." As stated in the ancient Hermetic teachings: "The All is mind. The universe is mental." See "The Kybalion, Hermetic Philosophy", pg 26, (Referenced in the bibliography)

Once we realize that the first cause of all of our experiences is in the mind, we also realize that we can change our environment and our experiences by making changes in our own inner consciousness. The external world will keep coming into our consciousness. If we do not like what we are experiencing and want to make changes, the place to start is by changing the way we react to what we are experiencing.

Our Universe Is Constantly Rearranging Itself to Fit Our Picture of Reality.

Everything we are, have or will experience on planet Earth is a dream --- an illusion. However, while in the dream. everything appears to be real. Everything looks real, sounds real, feels real. In spite of its appearance, the universe as we know it is nothing more than impulses of energy and information.

We do, however, have a degree of creative control over our illusion. For each of us, our universe is constantly rearranging itself to fit our picture of reality. In other words, we regularly get more of whatever we define or lable as real. Thus, by changing our picture of reality, we can exercise creative control and alter what we experience as reality.

Unfortunately, this process is stuck in time. It is not instantaneous. We are also stuck in our illusions which frequently take considerable effort to un-believe --- to remove them from our belief system.

***

(2) CORRESPONDENCE --- We can learn much about seemingly unknown phenomenon by understanding that what is in one aspect of life is in some way mirrored in every other aspect of life.

***

(3) VIBRATION --- Everything is constantly in motion including the smallest atom, the largest star and everything in between. Everything is always decaying or becoming. The only thing constant is change.

We can look at life and ourselves as constantly in motion. "I'm here now and I want to be there then." Life is a process; a continuing flow; a vibration

***

(4) POLARITY --- Things that appear to be opposites are merely opposite poles of the same thing. "God" / "Devil", up / down, hot /cold, wet / dry, etc.

***

(5) RHYTHM --- Like the tides, everything in life has an ebb and a flow. We constantly move in what appear to be circles. Actually, our motion is more like a spiral. We can never return to the same place that we left because when we return, the place we left is different. The difference may be so slight as to be un-noticeable, but non the less it is different.

***

(6) CAUSE AND EFFECT --- For every cause there is an effect. For every effect there is a cause. The first cause in cause and effect is in the mind. The physical cause in cause and affect is itself an effect.

***

(7) GENDER --- Gender is in everything. The spark of life that moves us and everything else in the universe is an aspect of by gender. All things are related by gender. Everything is moved and affected by everything else. Everything is related to everything else. everything has an effect upon everything else. (Quote the poet who said something about picking a flower and affecting a star.)

Gravity, chemistry, electricity, magnetism, and human sexuality, are all aspects of gender.

***

The master principles of life are found in all of nature and in all aspects of human life --- Newton's third law of physics --- The psychological principle of projection --- Sound is the vibrating rhythmic movement of the air that we are in --- Etc. See the bibliography, item #25, for a source of additional information on these principles.

#11

WE recognize and study

THE principles that govern human interactions

In order to better understand human nature and the people with whom we interact, we study, the principles that govern human interactions. Knowing and applying these principles gives the student insights into their own behavior and assists them in dealing with others. A few of the major principles are listed below.

(11-1) Self Interest:

People (almost) always act in a manner that they perceive to be in their own best interest. This is true even when their actions are actually counter to their own best interest.

(11-2) Voluntary Human interactions:

Voluntary human interactions take place only when all parties to the transaction believe they will benefit thereby. In the absence of deception, when such a transaction is entered into by two knowledgeable and capable people, both parties gain. both parties are winners. Force, manipulation and coercion are absent and obsolete. The long term result of multitudes of such transactions is a higher standard of living for everyone.

(11-3) Life's Two Greatest Arts

Life's Two Greatest Arts are (A) "Seeing life as it really is." (B) "Knowing what to do and doing that --- Knowing what not to do and not doing that." These apply to both our external physical world (i.e.--- our physical location and the circumstances in which we find ourselves.) and our internal state of being (i.e. --- our attitudes, beliefs and mind set). We need to look at all the facts and factors. Our responses and resultant actions need to transcend our egos and personal opinions. They need to be based on long term results and consequences. (See bibliography item# 18 for more information.)

(11-4) THE Interpretation of laws, rules and principles:

With every law and rule must come an interpretation. The interpretations vary according to: (A) the spiritual awareness of the interpreters; (B) the overall context of the agreement; (C) the physical setting where the agreement is created, interpreted and is to take affect; (D) the variety of meanings and interpretations for the individual words used; (E) the background and mental mind-sets of the parties involved; (F) etc.

(11-5) Movement AND CHANGES:

With regard to knowledge, beliefs, attitudes or physical location, in order to get to a specific some-place-else, we first need to find out where we are. He who thinks that that he already knows it all is a very poor student. Awareness of where we are right now is the first key to transforming our location, condition, awareness or circumstances --- the second key being a willing to change.

11-(6) INFINITE POSSIBILITIES:

Each and every one of us lives in our own universe and that universe filled with infinite possibilities" Every one of us is unique, but then there is nothing unique about being unique. Each of our personal universes is infinitely interconnected, infinitely interactive and mutually influenced by every other personal universe. For example, when going somewhere, if you stop to smell a rose, you have altered everything else that you will encounter along your path. When you reach your destination, it will be different than if you had arrived only a moment before. Usually those differences are slight or insignificant so most of us do not notice. Sometimes those seemingly slight alterations make a world of difference. How different would our world be today if it had been raining at noon in Dallas, Texas on November 22, 1963?

(11-7) FREE WILL VERSUS PRE-DESTINATION:

Free will or pre-destination --- its your choice, or is it?. The human biological machine comes with a built in computer program. This preset program determines and controls both its physiology and its bio-mechanical behavior. For about the first seven years of life, both intentional and unintentional programing easily adds countless new programs to the computers automatic, bio-mechanical program. Languages, beliefs, religions, customs, likes, dislikes, fears, behavior patterns, behavior rituals, etc. are easily pumped in. At about age seven (called the age of reason) the bio-mechanical program automatically starts turning off the input mechanism. By the age of about eleven, a lifetime of behavior patterns have been set for most humans. The bio-mechanical computer program controls most of the activity of most human being for the remainder of their lives.

Mechanical man rolls through life bumping into the external world and reacting according to the preset computer program. The human exercises no conscious influence on what occurs in its environment and only react mechanically to these external stimuli. This aspect of human behavior can be equated to predestination.

Those human beings who's automatic, bio-mechanical program has not been damaged beyond repair, hold the potential of intentionally becomes conscious of their inner programming and intentionally learning how to bypass at least a portion of it. This aspect of human behavior can be equated to free will.

(11-8) LIFE'S TWO GREATEST "THOU SHALL NOT'S":

(A) "Thou shall not violate another's person, property, possessions, privacy, or reputation !" (B) Thou shall not waste or intentionally destroy !"

#12

WE recognize and study

the BASIC RULES OF economic and SOCIAL INTERACTING

In order to better understand human social behavior, we study, the principles that govern economic and social interactions. All human interactions take place within the context of our social and individual belief systems. He who understands his own beliefs and limitations and also understands the context in which his counterparts function holds a great advantage in negotiations and social interactions. Sections 8 through 12 above encapsulate the

A few of the major principles are listed below.

Assumption of Scarcity

(12-1) DEFINITION AND PURPOSE OF MONEY:

In a free and just society: Money is a measure of value, medium of exchange and a storage of wealth. Money is a commodity with its own intrinsic value which represents other goods and services. In an unjust society, money is a tool of suppression, power and control.

(12-2) THE INFLATION ILLUSION:

As the old story goes, if you can't steal the money, then steal the value out of the money. That is exactly what inflation does.

(12-3) PROPERTY USE:

The basic, historically-precedented, underlying premise relating to personal behavior, social interaction and property use is as follows: In the absence of deception and manipulation, when knowledgeable, capable people interact by mutual consent; utilizing their own spirit, mind, body or physical possessions; in a manner that is positive or neutral in its affect upon others, upon our environment and upon future generations; then: The person (or group thereof) whose property is being used determines the manner of its use.

(12-4) SUPPLY AND DEMAND:

Supply, demand and price are intimately interrelated . Stated simply, the law of supply and demand says: (a) the lower the supply, the higher the price and (b) the greater the demand, the higher the price. Thus the law of supply and demand is a basic tool that the dominator--manipulator, lawyer--capitalists use to steal money from the rest of us. Their game is (1) to artificially limit supply, (2) increase demand by propaganda, manipulation or advertising. Thus, they raise the prices to artificially high levels thereby making themselves excessive amounts of money. In our society, money is a measure of personal power and control.

In addition, when the supply of something is intentionally limited this causes those seeking the product or service to consume increased amounts of time, effort, money and other valuable resources in pursuite of the item in question ans/or to not have the item at all.

The classic example of this is artificial implimented, parking restrictions and fees.

They send out uniformed, mindless, angry atomotons on three wheelers to collect taxes from all who fail to follow the rules or pay the extortion fees.

(12-5) Corporations and taxes:

Corporations don't pay taxes. They never have. They never will. In the 1980's. when the dominator--manipuilators had Reagan stand up and proclaim that corporation should pay their fair share of taxes, very few people bothered to ask, where will the corporations get the money to pay those taxes? The answer is from you and me of course. Taxes are simply one more cost factor which is added into the sales price of their products. Like good little sheep who never question the wolves disguised as shepherds, we went right along to the slaughter house.

(12-6) Excess profits revert to ownership:

#13

The ultimate cause

in "cause and effect" transcends the physical.

Every rule, every principle is subject to an overriding rule or principle. As a personal example, each of us is master in some places and servant in others. Our physical actions are governed by our emotions which are, or can be, governed by our thinking process. Our thinking process is dominated by our belief system. Since our belief system transcends our physical senses, we tend to ignore it and thus look for causality in the physical world.

Many of our current, dominant beliefs originated in childhood (age 0-7 yrs.) when we were neither logical nor reasonable. (See Chains or Choices for additional information)

These beliefs were then carried unquestioningly and unconsciously into adulthood where we now place limits on just about everything. For example, until a few years ago, people believed it was impossible for a human being to run a mile in less than four minutes. Rodger Bannister did so on May 4, 1954. Since then, the feat has been repeated over 3,000 times. Why? Because the major factors which determine what we are and what we experience lie in our thinking processes and our belief systems.

Look within and see the mirror of your external world. Look around you and see the mirror of the internal you. Within the limits of earth-plane-reality, we set ourselves up for what we experience. Since we manifest our dominant thoughts, beliefs, fears or desires, wisdom would indicate that we use considerable discretion as to what we allow into our minds, to that which we give our thought energy and to what we choose to believe. (In the above regard, the "T.L.C." treatise, Affirmations...as a Creative Process is currently available.) (See positive wording in Drinking and driving.)

Although the physical world is very real to us and to our bodies, the first cause in all that we experience is in our minds.

Most of the time I doa s my nature compells me to do

Opposites are inentical in nature, but different in degree.

#14

Within

the context of human

destiny, our beliefs and our

thinking processes are the two fundamental

tools with which we create our own future.

Two things constantly manifest in our lives: (1) What we want and (2) What we fear. Unfortunately, most of us cancel out what we want by giving our "God-force" to what we fear. Then we sit around feeling sorry for ourselves. At The Life Center we are demonstrating that there is another way.

#15

The ultimate responsibility

for what I am, where I am, who I am,

and for what I am experiencing rests with me.

I need to find out where I am before I can get to some other specific place or goal. I need to acknowledge and own my own feelings before I can feel otherwise with any degree of clarity. I need to accept the responsibility for what I am in order to have the power to change into what I want to be. If I blame outside what-ever's for my plight, that means I have to get them to behave differently, so I can be who I want to be. When I accept the responsibility, myself, for what I am and for what I am experiencing, then, I know I also have the power to be and experience a new and different me.

What we are experiencing today is the inevitable result of the thoughts and actions of all of our yesterdays. Our thoughts and actions of today add to that cause. Thereby, we are now creating our tomorrows. When we realize that we are the creators of our own lives, we can no longer play victims thereof. This can, at first, be very unpleasant, for it means: (1) accepting the responsibility for our current conditions, (2) making the choice to change, or wallowing even deeper in our own misery, (3) studying and learning what to do and what not to do, and (4) beginning and continuing doing or not doing whatever is required in order to change.

(Add a statement on protectionism vs victim mentality.)

#16

Each one of us is a "God."

Some of us realize it and some of us do not.

We are each one of us the focal point for the creation of our universe. We apply our spiritually creative minds to our physical environment and thus everything outside of what we call nature is our own personal and/or society's creation. When two or more of us are gathered in the name of creation, our combined creative powers are increased dramatically.

As fellow co-creators of the environment that we are currently living in, we might well ask ourselves, "Am I creating what I want? Am I an asset to my fellow co-creators?" Or stated another way, "Am I working on the solution, or am I part of the problem?"

There are things seemingly beyond human control. Future scientific research may well surprise us as to the extent of the powers of our combined, superconscious, co-creative minds. For now, it may be sufficient to say, "I am a co-creator of the universe I live in. 'God' made the laws and I use them to create my own reality."

#17

The truth is its own authority.

Understanding is one of the basic fundamental principles underlying philosophy, religion and science. Understanding the truth gives us options of action which free us from the bonds of slavery to personalities, superstitions, institutions and books. We can act rather than simply react. When we direct our faith to the inner self which knows the truth, the higher spiritual conceptions give us guidelines with which to reason out the suggestions of truth which come to us through the earthly personalities, institutions, books, etc. --- which are then rightly regarded only as agencies and teachers. Faith and reason work hand-in-hand, while confidence and security come from within.

Listen to the conscience --- the intuitive self. Be true to the self, to the "still, small voice within." Look to the information rather than to where-it-comes-from and know that the truth is its own authority !

#18

Each person

is the final judge as to what is right

for him or her SELF, so, "To thine own self be true."

A still respected, ancient philosopher once wrote: "Be ye lamps unto yourselves." When one follows this suggestion and lets "The-God-light-within" shine forth and light the way, the person can see what is correct for himself. At The Life Center, we realize that each must do his own seeking. We know that if something does not feel right to us, it is not for us at this time. We let it go for a season.

The proof of a religious belief cannot be publicly and empirically demonstrated. It is something one can know only within one's own being. At T.L.C., we make no effort to get anyone to accept our way of thinking, for it is quite obvious that he who needs to convince another is himself in doubt. We merely offer to others that which we have found helpful to ourselves.

#19

Tolerance to the Ways of

Others Is Essential for Peaceful Living.

The roads to God are infinite. Philosophers, theologians and religious fanatics have tried, for centuries, to map the way. Their conclusions are divers, often conflicting and confusing. Many err in assuming that the way they see things is the way they are. They expect us to see through their eyes.

Simple observation shows that there is a multitude of ways too do practically everything, and there is no such thing as one way, or one true religion. Thus at The Life Center, we acknowledge, honor and respect: (1) Your right to be and our right to be, (2) Your beliefs and your right to hold and express same, and (3) Our beliefs and our right to hold and express same.

"God" is too big to fit inside of just one religion. Therefore, we frequently ask ourselves this question: "Is this reality, or is this my belief about reality?"

Rituals are a part of each individual's personal, religious / spiritual belief system. A ritual is any action or behavior pattern regularly practiced by an individual as a result of his / her personal and spiritual philosophy of life. We at The Life Center acknowledge, honor and respect everybody's right to their own forms of religious rituals, practices and worship. We also follow the philosophy that no person or group of people has any right to force any other person to violate his/her spiritual beliefs.

WE RECOGNIZE AND HONOR

THE SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE.

Simple observation of our current social structures indicate that the separation of church and state is fast becoming an essential requirement for the survival of the human species, We therefore, recognize, honor and practice the separation of church and state.

We function of the general principle that one who is active in the promotion of religious and / or spiritual principles should refrain from participating in any government activities.

Why don't sheep shrink in the rain?

Sleeping with all the guys on the softball team doesn't make that girl a slut! She's just really friendly.

[1]** See "The Kybalion", A Study of the Hermetic Philosophy of Ancient Egypt and Greece, by Three Initiates. (Referenced in the bibliography)

[2] ** Science has yet to define the concept that we call "The Mind".

The TLC Philosophy