Blog

by ‘Paulo’ O’Brien

In the mystical realm of the “collective unconscious” (see my book), archetypes are like celestial roadmaps that guide you on life’s transformative journey.

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As a sensitive young child, I thought how wonderful it would be if I could learn a skill I thought of as “mood control.” I imagined there were evolved beings who had their emotional states under control. I hoped

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“For in every adult there dwells the child that was, and in every child there lives the adult that will be” – John Connolly 

Childhood legally ends at age eighteen, but childlike parts remain active

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As we enter into a new year, the tradition is to make resolutions to accomplish some things that we were perhaps unable to do in the past: lose weight, save money, quit smoking, eat better, get organized, learn a language, start a … Read More & Listen »

Imagine an invisible enemy that can invade and destroy your body, unwittingly brought to you by a friend. It’s as if we are living a horror movie, and nobody knows the ending. It’s a strange movie and the popcorn tastes of hand sanitizer. … Read More & Listen »

Those of us who pay attention to the spiritual dimensions of life know about compassion, one of the most important forms of loving-kindness. Validating modern psychotherapy’s latest findings, the Dalai Lama reminds us that compassion can positively re-wire the mind. Simply put, … Read More & Listen »

According to a folk saying in Thailand, if a person is wealthy, it’s because they were generous in a previous lifetime. (They have another one about if a person is beautiful it’s because they were kind, but that is a different article.) … Read More & Listen »

We now recognize several forms of intelligence. There’s IQ, emotional intelligence and—thanks to the work of Esther Perel—erotic intelligence. One of the most important forms of intelligence is “intuitive intelligence,” which is the title of my new book (available September 10, 2019 … Read More & Listen »

A common spiritual trope is that we should get rid of ego. The word can even make us cringe or feel guilty. We try to suppress parts of ourselves, but to operate in the world we need a personal

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Feel rushed? Even when you’re on vacation? Worried about the future? Overwhelmed? Fast-paced living creates “hurry-sickness”– a sense of desperation and time-pressures that are draining. We’re conditioned to chase money, power, success – ever embracing a wilder, faster pace of life. Despite a … Read More & Listen »

As this year draws to a close, the holiday season is upon us. Christmas is both a materialistic celebration and a religious holiday—a convoluted intersection of opposing belief systems. But the real spirit of the season derives from a celebration of nature … Read More & Listen »

Have you ever wondered why you’ve been feeling more anxious or depressed in the past couple years? Having more trouble sleeping? Feeling confused or overwhelmed by behavior that you can’t make sense of? If so, you may be a victim of “narcissistic … Read More & Listen »

Sometimes we are taken over by a part of ourselves that we don’t want to recognize. Various “selves” can show up for different situations and relationships. “Something came over me,” we say. It can

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Everyone prefers happiness over suffering, but it can be difficult to steer our emotions and moods toward a happier state. According to evolutionary psychologist, Dr. Paul Gilbert, we are burdened with a big challenge he refers to as a “tricky brain!” Why … Read More & Listen »

In a world of increasing polarization, there has never been a better time to learn the art of peacemaking. Most of us aren’t taught to manage our emotions or the emotions of others, especially people who see the world very differently. In … Read More & Listen »

We are living in a time of accelerating change and uncertainty, which can feel chaotic and threatening. Animals, including us humans, have an instinctive tendency to automatically react to sudden changes as threats. Throughout most of humanity’s existence, life-threatening dangers were prominent … Read More & Listen »

The I Ching, or Chinese Book of Changes, is the oldest of books and a system channeled 3000 years ago by sages to help emperors make better strategic and timing decisions. For thousands of years, this Taoist classic influenced campaigns, relationships, literature … Read More & Listen »

Your beliefs — about yourself and the world you live in — are the lens through which you experience life. Every thought, every feeling, every decision and every action you take, arises out of your beliefs. Many are so deeply ingrained that … Read More & Listen »

As I point out in my book, Great Decisions, Perfect Timing, one of the benefits of living the “synchronistic lifestyle” is wisdom–a rare quality that no longer gets the respect it deserves. Wisdom is the learned ability to calm down and make … Read More & Listen »

The symbol of the Tao — a circle enclosing two equal interlocking paisleys — is referred to as the “tai chi” symbol, or sometimes as the “yin-yang.” The outside circle represents the universal Tao, the “way” or “path” associated with a life … Read More & Listen »

Spring in full bloom is a perfect time to spread your creative wings — including through playfulness, joy and humor — with some playful monkey business. If you’re feeling more creative or playful than last year, it might have to do with … Read More & Listen »

Sometimes perfect timing happens the minute you make a great decision and sometimes it takes years. My recent trip to China in October illustrates the point. Amazing synchronicities proved out the truism that “everything happens for a reason!” Attending this year’s International … Read More & Listen »

Both businesses I founded had “visionary” in their name (Visionary Software and Visionary Networks). Now we have the Visionary I Ching app. From the start of my entrepreneurial career, I called myself “Chief Visionary Officer,” because I saw myself primarily as an … Read More & Listen »

In my previous blog post about interviews, I referred to my being the host of KBOO Community Radio‘s Pathways program. In this blog, I’m going to share about my own appearances in support of my latest book, as well as my … Read More & Listen »

Media transforms lives and reflects our fascinations. We read books that inspire us, view films that move us, and listen to programs that broaden our knowledge. Sometimes getting involved with media can be a powerful, transformative experience in and of itself. That … Read More & Listen »

A hyper-connected world makes us hyper-distracted. Smartphones, tablets, even watches spit out endless texts, tweets and funny kittens — making it difficult to concentrate or accomplish goals. When faced with a list of tasks, the common tendency is to save the hardest … Read More & Listen »

In the early days of my Internet start-up (Tarot.com), I assumed the sovereign archetype and invented my own currency. I called it “Karma Coins” and it was a radical idea at the time — a way to give registered members a way … Read More & Listen »

Everyone always has a day job, even well-off folks who have a lot of time or someone like me who sold his business. While I am no longer an employee or an entrepreneur – and I enjoy more creative freedom than I … Read More & Listen »

What is a mission? For some, it is a singular sense of purpose and meaning in their lives. I think that’s partially correct. However, a mission is not the result of specific acts (or actions) we take. It has everything to do … Read More & Listen »

Hearing people’s synchronicity stories – and sharing my own – has been a fun offshoot of the launch of Great Decisions, Perfect Timing. One of my favorite visionary beliefs is that there are no accidents and everything happens for a reason; … Read More & Listen »

In my new book Great Decisions, Perfect Timing, I explore how a “visionary decision” needs to take the collective good into careful consideration. A personal criterion of mine is that if anything is good for me, it also has to be … Read More & Listen »

No matter what you do, think of yourself as the Chief Executive (CEO) of your life. I am referring to that part of you that consciously makes all your strategic decisions. Hopefully a Visionary Decision Making practice is helping you make the … Read More & Listen »

The subtitle of my new book, Great Decisions, Perfect Timing, is “Cultivating Intuitive Intelligence.” Accessing intuitive intelligence is the central component of the Visionary Decision Making process: after all, intuition stimulates the impetus to make a decisive move, do nothing at … Read More & Listen »

Great Decisions, Perfect Timing, my new book, launches on February 19, and the date is more than just a meaningless coincidence. February 19 is the 2015 Chinese New Year, the most important holiday on the Chinese calendar. Dating back to the … Read More & Listen »

My newest book, Great Decisions, Perfect Timing: Cultivating Intuitive Intelligence (coming out Feb. 19, 2015) is many things: an autobiography, a guide on how to improve decision-making and timing and some philosophy — rolled into one. Above all, its composition, which took … Read More & Listen »

Carl Jung’s work with archetypes was one of his groundbreaking contributions to psychology. He defined universal archetypes as psychic blueprints that lend form to how human beings perceive, interpret and respond to situations and relationships. Archetypes are an energy resource that we … Read More & Listen »

No need to beg. Whatever your heart desires, you will realize it more easily by means of a skillful invocation. Twenty years ago I developed a Creative Manifestation Treatment based on an old Religious Science template, and use it to facilitate manifesting … Read More & Listen »

Friendships usually begin by meeting someone at work or school or in a social group. You are open to new people, discover that you have something in common with some of them and decide to enhance the experience of common interests with … Read More & Listen »

In this age of anxiety, multitasking, and myriad distractions, it’s easy to overindulge in too much thinking … even when you don’t want to. We dwell on the past, worry about the future, second-guess ourselves—sometimes endlessly. Against this epidemic of stinking thinking, … Read More & Listen »

Have you ever passed up something that was good in the hopes that something more perfect might come along? Do you find it difficult to tell the difference between a risk worth taking and wishful thinking? How many times has trusting your … Read More & Listen »

A new year is upon us — both solar and lunar (Chinese) versions. Some common rites this time of year include setting goals and making resolutions. My next book — Great Decisions, Perfect Timing — is about how to activate intuition and … Read More & Listen »

For eons, meditation has been a central spiritual practice of most religions. The current widespread interest developed after the popularization of eastern practices like yoga in the 1970’s. In fact, meditation has long been referred to in India as raja yoga – … Read More & Listen »

If you’ve ever used a smartphone or tablet, you know about apps — analogy for apps is your belief system, the programming that runs the way you think, feel and do. Occasionally, developers issue upgrades to remove bugs or improve functionality of … Read More & Listen »

The Dalai Lama recently visited Portland, Oregon for a four-day summit. His entourage stayed in the hotel below the condo where I live. A supporter of Tibetan culture, I was asked by the local Tibetan Rinpoche if I could help sponsor the … Read More & Listen »

In my previous blog, I introduced the idea of dividing life into three stages and we looked at Stage One of Self-Discovery and Training. According to the Visionary Decision Making system, this is the time to discover and develop your natural … Read More & Listen »

In my next book, Great Decisions, Perfect Timing, I divide life into three stages. The first stage is Self-Discovery, starting at birth and lasting until your first Saturn Return (around 29.5 y/o). Stage One is about learning who you are, what you … Read More & Listen »

Recently I was on the AM Northwest TV program here in Portland, talking about the benefits of consulting the I Ching to make better decisions. As Chinese New Year approaches, it is a good time to reflect on your life and … Read More & Listen »

Hi Paulo, I’ve been in an on-again, off-again relationship with John for about 10 years, sometimes with long periods of time apart (in other relationships). I don’t seem to be able to get over him and we always end up back in … Read More & Listen »

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As I write this, I am participating in the Centers Gathering of 2012, being hosted by the Findhorn Community in northern Scotland. This year features an inspiring collection of 27 centers from 17 countries on all five continents. And the 2012 gathering … Read More & Listen »

On my way to represent the Divination Foundation at a “Centers Gathering” conference at Findhorn, Scotland—one of the original spiritual teaching centers, during this its 50th anniversary year—I am passing through the city of beauty, art and romance—Paris, France. I love this … Read More & Listen »

Valentine’s Day 2012 … and if I still bought into the premise of it, it could make me feel depressed. In fact, our annual celebration of romantic love brings up longing for most people. This feeling of lack makes good lyrics for … Read More & Listen »

Getting older is unavoidable, but is it possible to avoid the symptoms of aging? Can our choices about what we think and feel—and how we live—propel us into a long and healthy life? It seems there’s more to the question of aging … Read More & Listen »

Dear Paulo, How do I relate with someone whom I lost all respect for as the result of our romantic relationship that is now over? Unfortunately, I can’t just avoid him, because we share a social network that includes several friends and … Read More & Listen »

I have 3 children, my youngest being 14 months. This is the first time in my life that I have not had to work and am able to be a stay-at-home mom. My dilemma is, first of all, that I feel guilty … Read More & Listen »

In my last blog, I pointed to testosterone as being half of the reason for male horndoggedness, the other half being emotional in nature. Some women had trouble accepting the vast testosterone differential, and the part this hormone plays in desire for … Read More & Listen »

For thousands of years, human beings have used divination systems such as astrology and tarot to inquire about relationship and compatibility issues. But an intuitive approach cannot resolve such problems all by itself. While we often try to attribute our passions to … Read More & Listen »

As I often do, I have been pondering general questions, such as the changing dynamics of intimate relationships (specifically hetero, my orientation). Ever willing to ask dumb questions, I wonder: What, if anything, do modern women feel they need men for at … Read More & Listen »

Dear Paulo, After 30 years of a “wonderful marriage,” as my husband called it, he is asking for a divorce. We are both 55 and I believe there is another woman. He apparently has been planning this for about 8 years. “I … Read More & Listen »

Mars Hill, near the Parthenon, Athens, Greece. The other day, during my first visit here, I took a tour of the Acropolis, the hill on which the monumental Parthenon, symbol of the glory of Greece, still stands, huge and magnificent. Close by … Read More & Listen »

My husband and I have been separated for 4 years. We have seen each other on and off. I have always been the one to walk away from the relationship each time. Recently I have experienced a huge karmic kick in the … Read More & Listen »

My recent guest on my Pathways interview show, Michael Beck, is an executive coach who, among other things, helps entrepreneurs and people in general achieve what they want. He thinks we humans are all actually excellent manifestors … much better than we … Read More & Listen »

Recently, I interviewed Geneen Roth, author of the new book Lost and Found: Unexpected Revelations about Money and Food (podcast on Divination.com). Hers is the moving story of how, after decades of struggling … Read More & Listen »

Hello Paulo, I have been struggling with the loss of my daughter Melissa who was murdered by her 2nd cousin over 5 yrs ago and I still can’t seem to communicate with her or really come to terms with her death … … Read More & Listen »

On March 11 a devastating earthquake hit Japan, generating a tidal wave that wiped out a huge swath of Japan and caused damage as far away as Oregon and California, hitting Hawaii on the way. In Maui, the wave was expected to … Read More & Listen »

Dear Paulo, How do you reconcile a seemingly intractable relationship imbalance and uncertainty of a future? My significant other and I have been together for 5 years and share many values, experiences, and interests. The imbalance is in how our different scales … Read More & Listen »

In personal growth trainings, it is said “What you expect is what you get” — an idea that jibes with my teachings on the power of beliefs (and why we should consciously choose our own). In other words — if you expect … Read More & Listen »

Dear Paulo, My dentist seems to think it is OK for his staff to cause injury and pain. One of my teeth has required multiple visits, and each have been fraught with mistakes resulting in months of intense pain. They assure … Read More & Listen »

Recently, I interviewed Sherry Turkle, author of the new book Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other for my Pathways radio show/podcast. In it, the eminent social psychologist explores the boundaries between intimacy and solitude, … Read More & Listen »

New Year’s resolutions have us thinking about all of our bad habits, all the things that are wrong with us, while resolving to do better. (How many of us have failed already?!)
I was brought up learning that if I was perfect –  if I behave…

Dear Paulo, I have decided to retire from my government job in the near future. My long career has had its ups and downs, but increasingly, I feel the value of my job is diminished by mindless procedures and focus on personal … Read More & Listen »

A new calendar year is upon us — with all the new hopes, goals and expectations that we put upon ourselves. This year, before we get too carried away down our own chosen paths of…

Paulo, I have been struggling with the loss of my daughter Melissa, who was murdered by her second cousin over 5 yrs ago and I still can’t seem to communicate with her or really come to terms with her death … but … Read More & Listen »

Paulo, I met this great guy who’s been married 18 years. We’ve been planning on moving in together, but he’s messed up emotionally. He says he’s in love with me but also loves his wife … and said he has obligations to … Read More & Listen »

Now that I’ve digested ‘The Female Brain’ and ‘The Male Brain’ books (both highly recommended), let’s move on to how we can use our mind to actually change the brain (regardless of gender). What is “t…

Recently, I digested another excellent brain book, “The Male Brain.” In this fascinating follow-up to her bestselling “The Female Brain,” Harvard neuropsychiatrist Dr. Louann Brizendine leads readers through the lifespan of a man’s brain. To put this in a social perspective, let … Read More & Listen »

Recently, I went to Ecuador where I was interviewed on Radio Quito (about “intuitive decision making” and the I Ching). In turn, I taped interviews with leaders of the rain forest environmental movement for Read More & Listen »

Dear Paulo, I am wondering if you can give me any insights to the meaning of ‘synchronicity.’ I recently met someone who is unavailable that I have developed a deep connection to. I have never experienced this level of connection to someone … Read More & Listen »

Oct 2010: On location in Ecuador, South America, on behalf of the Divination Foundation. Soon after I arrived in Quito from New York, I met with Natalia Greene, the charismatic political programs director for Pachamama Rain … Read More & Listen »

Reality never lives up to our fantasies. It’s never as good … or as bad either. But reality never lives up to fantasy’s billing, whether our visions were of sublime pleasure or impending doom. The fulfillment of our desires is never as … Read More & Listen »

Dear Paul0, I have a good friend who just inherited a chunk of money when her mother passed away. She is about to invest much of it in a business venture that I think is bound to fail (and might even be … Read More & Listen »

In my last blog, I brought up the subject of “faith” and what it means … and how passionately some people are willing to insist that — in order to be “saved” (or some equivalent) — one MUST pledge allegiance to one … Read More & Listen »

It seems that more and more people are living in a “faith-based” reality, where the harder you believe something the more true it is (or at least seems to you). But just because one believes (or feels) very strongly about something does … Read More & Listen »

Dear Paulo, I’ve been thinking about quitting my job, leaving my boyfriend, and running off to France or elsewhere. My French isn’t fluent, so I don’t know if I can get a job. I was thinking of maybe going to Fiji and … Read More & Listen »

It seems my last blog stimulated a bit of controversy. Some emotions ran awfully high, which surprised my naive self. Some commentors condemned the book I mentioned, The Female Brain (which they admitted they were not familiar with … some sort of … Read More & Listen »

Just finished the book The Female Brain. Wow … I can see that I needed more insight into what you ladies are dealing with … and am so glad for the increased knowledge! Every 28 days or so, your brain is bobbing … Read More & Listen »

Saturn’s orbit is approximately 29 years, so your third Saturn cycle begins around age 58. Now that I have reached this stage, I call it my “third act” … and it’s about sharing, supporting and teaching. Now, of course, these “stages” are … Read More & Listen »

Your second Saturn Cycle begins around age 29 or 30. By now (depending upon your emotional maturity), you will have learned as much as you could about what you like and what you are good at (and, for some of us, who … Read More & Listen »

Hi Paulo, My dilemma is should I be exerting more effort in this business I’m currently in and try to work on my passions simultaneously, or should I try to wind this one down as I search for something else like a … Read More & Listen »

Recently I gave a talk to the student body of NW Academy, a special Portland high-school for the arts. The title of my talk was “Do What You Love and the Freedom Will Follow.” In it I mapped human life into three … Read More & Listen »

About a year ago my family and I were staying at a homeless shelter. We had a lot of challenges before we could achieve self-sufficiency. During this time we fixed a lot of things in our lives, such as getting our driver’s … Read More & Listen »

I am 21yrs old and my mother always tells me that I was a mistake. Does she hate me because she has not made peace with it? – Aumer, Johannesburg, South Africa Aumer, hatred is a strong word, but to tell anyone … Read More & Listen »

Dear Paulo, The more I discover my spiritual self, the more I find myself out of the mainstream of life. Almost as if I’m outside looking in at everyone else. Is that supposed to happen? — Ahnighta in Kalamazoo, Michigan If by … Read More & Listen »

Dear Paulo, I’m troubled over a friendship matter. It’s confusing, as this friend seems to be loving one moment then turns into an iceberg the next, and always fails to reply to my mail. But whenever we meet up during gatherings (twice … Read More & Listen »

How is it that you can feel grateful for an experience that leaves you feeling seriously dispirited — depressed even — for a long while? Such was the result of my tour of the infamous Auschwitz Death Camp in southern Poland, an … Read More & Listen »

Finally, I fulfilled a long-held dream to visit Poland, the land of my foremothers (yes, this half-Irish O’Brien is also half Polish). I write from the charming old city of Krakow in southern Poland. Krakow’s main feature is its large central square, … Read More & Listen »

Dear Paulo, I have a mental dilemma that I could use some help or guidance in understanding. I am a business coach who loves what he does. I have put a lot of time, money and focus on being a business coach … Read More & Listen »

Dear Paulo, I would very much like to improve my ability to read other people. To quickly find/understand their motivations, desires, and weaknesses. The solution may or may not be spiritual, but I’m willing to try anything..” -– Sam, 27, in Seattle … Read More & Listen »

Recently, I interviewed the author of a new book everyone in America should read as soon as possible. Titled Plenitude — The New Economics of True Wealth, this book by Boston College sociology professor Juliet Schor is a positive and practical treatment … Read More & Listen »

Dear Paulo, I’m one of the large number of people here in the city who lost an executive job several months ago. At age 55 this is the first time in my life I have ever been fired for anything. I haven’t … Read More & Listen »

Recently, when I was in Southern California to interview Daphne Rose Kingma, author of “The Future of Love,” I had the great good fortune to meet with with Suzanne Whang, who had interviewed me on Karma Air some months before. What a … Read More & Listen »

In this moment of writing, I am happily ensconced in a rustic studio on a fresh little trout pond in the Santa Ynez valley (CA), where I am visiting one of my (3) younger brothers. First of all, this part of the … Read More & Listen »

Just watched a most excellent debate on the question “Does God Have a Future” on Nightline, which took place last March 14 at Caltech, between Deepak Chopra and Jean Houston on the side representing spiritual mysticism, and Sam Harris and Michael Shermer … Read More & Listen »

Recently, I had the pleasure to attend a John Gray weekend seminar — at his beautiful Hilltop Ranch in Mendocino. This one focused on the biological bases of gender differences. Of course, we remember John Gray as the author of … Read More & Listen »

This is a call for a little help. I’ve been asked to audition for a new Advice Column in a spiritually-oriented alternative magazine. So, now I am asking you to pretend I’m Dear Abby and ask me for some decision-making or personal … Read More & Listen »

Last weekend, Rick and Jeff — Tarot.com’s esteemed astrologer team (and two of the best in the world) — held their annual winter retreat at Breitenbush Hot Springs in the old growth forest of the Cascades mountain range of Oregon, a spectacularly … Read More & Listen »

Last weekend, I took myself to the Esalen Institute at Big Sur, California — probably the most beautiful hot springs spa in the world. While I was there, I sat in on a workshop on Finding True Love by Daphne Rose Kingma, … Read More & Listen »

The tragedy of the commons refers to a situation in which individuals (or corporations) — representing only their own self-interest — will ultimately deplete or despoil a shared limited resource (”the commons”) even when it is clear that it is not in … Read More & Listen »

One of my resolutions is to cast the I Ching oracle once a week, to ask the universe for insight on a wide question or concern and share the results. I am using the free I Ching reading feature on tarot.com — Read More & Listen »

One of several profound lessons I gleaned from Gay Hendrick’s incredible book, Conscious Living, was how intelligent it is to focus only on things you can change. As for the things you cannot change, we can learn to accept

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What a great discussion in the last blog of how we humans can create victimness for ourselves … and thank you to all who made such insightful comments!

Not all victimness is self-made, and even though I focused

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It’s easy to feel like a victim, especially these days, when the economy is bad and the world seems to have so many big problems. We can always come up with lots of ‘reasons’ to justify feeling like a victim. And, of … Read More & Listen »

This morning my friends Liz and Mario, who live here on this beautiful isle of Maui, took me to a secret bay where it is possible to swim out to a tribe (is that a ‘pod’?) of spinner dolphins. It’s early mornings … Read More & Listen »

Ever been advised to “trust your feelings”? After all, isn’t this the way people make all kinds of decisions — including important ones like who to marry, when to quit your job, etc.? Ah, yes … we’ll jump right in if the … Read More & Listen »

We now live with humongous online social networks, but human beings have always had them — in fact, it is one of the very things that defines being “human.” Or so says a book I just finished, which is a must read … Read More & Listen »

Buenos Aires, Argentina. I am visiting the largest (and very large) city in Argentina, which is a good place to witness the devastation of prolonged economic recession (here, punctuated by military rule at times). Given its location on the Rio de la

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Mataji Indra Devi was one of the world’s greatest yoga teachers, often referred to as “the first lady of Yoga” for her successful efforts at introducing yoga to America in the early 1950’s. In Argentina, where I am visiting her yoga foundation,

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Every so often I interview someone on my Pathways radio show who presents a unique idea. Professor Barry Sanders is one such person. Observing the culture wars that are being fought in the press, I was amazed from reading his new book

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Like all of my work (including the creation of Tarot.com with Jessica Abel and Jewel Mlnarik), my next book — tentatively titled “Great Decisions, Perfect Timing” — is about helping people to achieve personal success in life.

We all want success. But

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As you probably know, I have a radio show called Pathways, which is not only broadcast across the state of Oregon but also podcast via the non-profit Divination.com.

Recently, I sat down to interview Maridel Bowes, the author

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Blogging about beliefs, and the importance of choosing them for oneself, brings to mind a question I’ve been asked for the past 20 years — as the founder of a business that provides access to authentic divination systems. And it is

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Our beliefs are the operating assumptions of our lives. If your beliefs are built around ‘articles of faith’, that does not automatically mean they are not useful to you, it just means that you never personally ‘chose’ them. You inherited them or

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In my last blog, I wrote that I “choose” to believe in reincarnation. Like so many things we believe, I cannot prove it, so therefore it becomes a “choice” to believe it. Oh, sure, I choose it on the basis of the

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In my last blog, I was discussing what the book Outliers brought up for me about the interplay between one’s karma — which is responsible for one’s current life, choice of parents, general conditions and many things that come up — and

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Recently I finished Outliers: The Story of Success, Malcolm Gladwell’s newest book, which opened my mind to the balance between karma and dharma, when it comes to great achievement in life.

We assume that the most successful people are those who are

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Thank you to all who commented on my first blog on Michael Jackson. There is so much rich material in your replies that I’d like to do one more round.

Shannonine’s astute observation was that, as much as I wished that MJ

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How do you sum up somebody’s life? Considering that most people live the equivalent of multiple lifetimes in this one — with multiple careers, multiple partners, etc. — we simply cannot really summarize the constant inflow and outflow of yin and yang,

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The last stop on my recent European tour was Iceland, a volcanic country of humongous lava fields, with a few towns and cities scattered here and there, more powered by geothermal energy than anywhere and featuring whale sashimi in some of the

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On my last evening in Aarhus, Denmark, I had the honor of celebrating the 25th marriage anniversary of Dorthe and Caspar Koch, my hosts in this lovely Danish city by the sea, along with their three college-aged children and a couple of

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Just completed 5 days in Norway, probably the most economically sound country on earth and, from my experience, one of the happier ones also. This is one of the only countries in the world that has ZERO national debt, while managing to … Read More & Listen »

Not to be supremely trite, but I do love New York! It was so great to be there — the weather was superb, my agent David Nelson did a magnificent job moving us toward an I-Ching book deal, and I treated myself

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The days after a warm sunny Memorial Day, it is misty grey and cool in NYC where I sit in the Milburn Hotel on the upper West Side. I love this unpretentious place of small suites with little kitchenettes, and just around

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Today (May 15) is Hans Decoz’s birthday. I have special reason to celebrate. Ten years ago Hans called me up out of the blue to suggest that Tarot.com develop internet Numerology reports based on his lifelong research as a master numerologist. I

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Even though the consciousness of humanity has evolved in many ways, the concept of parenting as a sacred ‘calling’ is almost as rare as ever. Historically in our patriarchal societies, children (and women as well) were seen as property, and not so

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This Earth Day has gotten me thinking about what I do as an individual to help preserve the environment and encourage sustainable use of our natural resources. Yes, I already drive a Prius, buy organic food, and recycle all my paper, cans,

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This past weekend I attended a 3-day cleansing/fasting retreat hosted by famous author John Gray (“Men are from Mars …”) at his ranch in Mendocino, CA. Hey, I like to eat … and I’m not that big on fasting, even though I

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A.T. ‘Tad’ Mann, one of Tarot.com’s interesting authors, came to visit us this last week from his home in Hudson, NY. Tad is the author of Tarot.com’s Astro-Location Feng Shui report and our Mandala Astrological Tarot report, based on two of the

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Although many think that divination is fortune-telling, authentic divination systems — including the I Ching, Tarot as well as applications of Astrology and Numerology — are not primarily focused on the future, but on the management of change in the present moment. … Read More & Listen »

At Tarot.com, we are aware of the fact that approx 2/3 of the anonymous queries into our free Tarot features are on the subject of relationships — both by folks that are in one and those that are not — approx 50/50

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Just got back from Rick and Jeff’s annual New Year’s Astrology conference at Breitenbush Hot Springs in the old-growth forests of central Oregon … so far out there, I couldn’t get cell phone or even radio reception!

I’ve been going to Breitenbush

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My “living from the inside out” is not a new idea, just my feeling-oriented way of describing some well-known principles of psychology (and therapy). It feels like you are coming from the inside, kind of like throwing side-arm.

There is a term

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Living from the Inside Out is the tentative title of the new book I’m writing (my first was entitled Divination — see my non-profit Divination.com for reviews, etc). This next one teaches the intricacies of my Manifestation Practice — a system

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OK, here is how I solved the problem of not making and keeping agreements (see resolutions) with myself: I created a shorter term “Monthly Personal Agreements” system that only bit off the period from the first Sunday of a month to the

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The beginning of a new year is a natural time for new beginnings, including new habit formation … everybody knows that. But there is a built-in problem with New Year’s resolutions, which makes them virtually impossible to keep! Why is that? I

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For the last week, I have been more or less confined to my condo, unable to drive the streets of Portland. Like much of America right now, Portland is freezing up and has been for the past several days. Temperatures that don’t

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Was in San Francisco a couple weeks ago to see my mother and attend a talk by Dr. John Demartini (which I took her to … she loved him) … and was fortunate to spend some time with John and also tape

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The Bali astrology conference with Rick and Jeff has come to an end. Everyone has learned a lot.

A few thoughts about our hosts, the Balinese people. Even though Indonesia is an Islamic nation, 90% of the residents of this particular small

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I-Ching guy gets educated by masters of astrology:
My divination expertise has always been the I-Ching, which I have used and loved and studied since I was a teen in 1969. My claim to fame is as the inventor of ?interactive

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Unplugged. Conference day 3.

By now I have settled into a laid back routine, shedding old patterns of busy-ness in this land of ?rubber time? (a Balinese expression translates as this, referring to how flexible they are ? or their lack of

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At home in the rice paddies.

Arrived a couple days ago. Even though I missed out on some sleep, I had virtually no jet lag, or head cold ? that dadgum HumidiFlyer really works!

The Heaven and Earth Astrology conference got started

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The other day I taped an interview with Nancy Whitney-Reiter, author of the new book Unplugged, which is written for young urban professionals, a kind of how-to-find-yourself-by-dropping-out-for-a-while book. Nancy was a delightful guest on my Pathways Program (half-hour interview now available for

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Often as I go out and about I am asked the question: “Do you really believe in this divination stuff?” The answer I give leads me to think about the nature of beliefs and our faith in them, something I touch on

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We are excited to announce the launch of Tad Mann?s new Feng Shui Astro Location report on Tarot.com.

Starting with my admiration of his work, Tad and I became friends long ago.

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As we discussed in the previous thread, authentic divination practice is not asking God to predict or create a certain glorious future for us. It is, rather, the skillful management of omnipresent Change in the present. Where the “God” part comes in

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When the idea of divination software first occurred to me (1987), even though I was not prejudiced against computers, I was concerned about whether PCs could truly be programmed to facilitate authentic I-Ching (and later Tarot) experiences for people. (I tell the

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Welcome to Tarot.com’s new blog section. It’s going to be fun to communicate on a personal level with Tarot.com members, people that I resonate with!

Divination is a word that I love, and a word that few people understand. It refers to

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An ancient method for casting an I Ching reading involved a relatively laborious process of sorting fifty stem stalks of the yarrow plant. A more modern method uses a series of coin tosses using three identical coins (copper pennies will work) with … Read More & Listen »