DAY 8: Just as Michael Penn said in 1990 "It's No Myth!"

DAY 8: Just as Michael Penn said in 1990 - "It's No Myth!"

8:26 am

We had an excellent meetup yesterday where Kellylore’n Metzger discussed “New Year’s Evolutions” then I gave my presentation on Part 2 of the Sixty Day Quest called “Shadows”.  I want to thank Mike, Michael, Erika, Joshua, Melody, Lynn, Karen, Zach, Kellylore'n, Laurie and Martiena for coming out. I think that’s everybody - if I left someone out I’m really sorry! You all gave me some very useful feedback about your experiences with the game What Happens Next? It reminds me how everything truly does happen for a reason and every single one of you was meant to be there last night.

In Round 1 of What Happens Next? I loved watching all of you laugh and have a wonderful time!  In Round 2 of the game we delved into the past and confronted the person or event who might have planted the seed that you couldn't do, be or have something in your life.  In Round 3 we identified our current "critical gap" that stands in the way of fulfilling our quest.  This game offers the advice that we always have a choice - even when confronting our darkest shadow,

Oh! For those of you who wanted to learn more about Mike Wanner’s Purple Pad the website is
www.ThePurplePad.com.　

Yesterday, up until our fabulous meetup, I was in the middle of this Shadow feeling.  I listened to one of my interns tell me how friends in her circle believe ALL people are shallow, selfish and have a superficial attention span. Both my intern and I discovered the more you focus on these attitudes, the more you loathe this behavior, you actually become this.

Oh, if you’ve been following my blog you should know that Meetup.com rejected my “perk” citing that it “appeared to be an attempt at a mass email”. That’s fair - in my blind devotion to my cause I can certainly see that to be the case. I emailed the man back from the “Perks Support Department” named Matt Daly, apologized for the submission and said I will submit a new perk if I can get the same promotion. I also asked Matt for who I might contact in submitting a corporate sponsorship proposal to Meetup.com. Whether or not Matt writes me back will become part of the story line for the “If I Ruled the World” 12-Hour Marathon publicity idea in which I blogged about the other day.

Okay, more on the Shadow:
During the Shadow you can come face-to-face with your own ignorance. The “Unconscious Incompetence” is starting to become “Conscious Incompetence” and can really sting. When you become consciously aware of your quest and how “the world” discourages true bravery and independence - you can feel like a child being told for the first time that miracles can’t and don’t happen. "The world isn't fair!"  You always deal with this on some level - no matter how familiar you are with the path. Even if you’re a successful, powerful person, if the quest truly calls you then your ego’s gonna get rocked!

This time with the Shadow is a time for vigilance, to ask yourself whose needs are not being met. Undoubtedly you will encounter people with crushed dreams, broken hearts and critical opinions.  Even indifferent communication, people just plain ignoring you, might affect your mood.  I know it has affected mine!  You’re going to encounter people with Limited Thinking. You’re going to be treated indifferently by people projecting their own unconscious fear on you especially when you live in the light of this information!

But it helps knowing this is on the map! Sometimes that can be your only saving grace during the Shadow. The only reason the Wicked Witch didn’t destroy Dorothy in Munchkinland was because of the saving grace of Glinda. The only reason Luke Skywalker wasn’t destroyed in the Stormtrooper raid on his farm in Tatooine was because Luke was out with Obi-Wan learning about The Force. Each character would have been destroyed when confronting this shadow if not for the serendipitous timing of their quest. This quest, or the story of the myth, is still alive in our 21^st century hero’s journey.

The Myth is the song of the Universe. We’re trying to live a dream in order to understand our own greatness. The 3^rd dimensional world of dualistic thinking “don’t take too kindly to that kind of thinking!” You know you’re amazing: like Romeo in black jeans, like Heathcliffe - it’s no myth. But the girl still says “it’s time to go” - she says “we can be friends.” This Michael Penn song from 1990 has dark images about the youth and innocent getting the first taste of bitter shadow.

Once again, I want to thank everyone last night for your wonderful support. It’s inspiring to hear that everyone was making beautiful progress in their quests! I’m here for you.

Mike Shoeman
"He's Beginning to Believe"