Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
by Peter Ragnar
To freeze and do nothing is an attempt to stop the action, to release the pressure of
decision-making. And to lunge forward blindly is just a different way of surrendering
to the pressure. Can you imagine the long-term effects this behavior can have on your
major life-altering decisions?
Ragnar’s Razor
“Major life altering decisions...” of the Day
An escape from the pressure created by two or more "The walls of the
alternatives is basically an escape from using our mind. comfort zone encase
To never venture out beyond the confines of our comfort
the soul in a straight
zone is simply another way to shrink our world. The walls
of the comfort zone encase the soul in a straight jacket jacket of confinement."
of confinement. Sadly, every so often we see the elderly
fearful of even leaving their room or apartment. The Points of Interest:
sheer terror of not being able to trust their mind Save!
has paralyzed decision-making. On Package Deals
a career that eats up your life force, and at the end of Points of Interest:
that career spits you out as a wrinkled skin bag of
wasted flesh, is indeed a suicidal decision. Whether you
decided on a whim to study medicine, high finance or
political science, or you methodically planned each step
from grade school matters little. The end results are
everything.
Are you lucky? Well of course you are! How else would
this newsletter find you? As a lucky person, you attract
people, circumstances. and resources to you that
make your dreams come true! Many people falsely
believe that success is luck without realizing that success is actually the applied science
of luck. There are some specific personality traits that lucky people tend to express.
While not every lucky person exhibits all of these personality traits, and everyone has
a mixed bag of them, I would encourage you to develop as many of them as you can.
Think of this as your "Luck Makeover".
Ragnar’s Razor
Lucky Personality Traits... of the Day
• Having A Sense of Humor Lucky people don't take “When you start
themselves too seriously. Humorous people see the winning, you will
world differently from non-humorous people, and they
continue winning until
tend to have better luck precisely because of their
different viewpoint. They don't allow trivial events to you doubt the process.”
tense them up. Tension blinds us to opportunity.
A sense of personal playfulness is a ticket to good Points of Interest:
fortune.
them; as you find them, you'll realize you are blessed Points of Interest:
by them. Learning to say "thank you" is a way of
attracting good luck.
So, what might be the problem in accomplishing such a sublime state? Let me
provide you with a graphic example from the past. There was a period of my life
decades ago when I worked as an ironworker. You can just imagine what it might take
to walk a six-inch beam at dizzying heights without a safety net—the penalty for
failure was certain to be death! What qualities had to remain intact? These are the
very same qualities that you and I need in order to stay in a positive and prosperous
relationship with life. They are balance, concentration, and courage.
Concentrate on what you want, not on what you don’t Points of Interest:
want. This means never, ever saying anything you do
not sincerely want to come true. I remember only
too well how much energy this vigil requires. It requires
that you become a constant witness of your thoughts,
emotions, and behavior. One thing is absolutely certain:
lose your concentration and you will fall and severely
hurt yourself. Maintain laser-like concentration and
you can ask this opulent reality for anything your
heart desires. Concentration is the key you use to open
the lock on the treasure chest of life. Doesn’t it make
good sense to use it?
None of us like to be told what to do— even if the advice is beneficial. Over the
years I've lost more friends over corrective suggestions than I have from any display
of my own personality flaws. Actually, giving advice can be a personality flaw
in itself. That's why being viewed as a teacher or mentor is a very dangerous role to
assume.
While I've been a strong and vocal advocate for an
organic live food diet, I realize only too painfully
that my passion can alienate others. While folks will
give this diet a try for a while and then go back to their
old ways of eating— the feeling of failure and personal
rejection is often directed at the proponent of the diet.
Communication is severed and replaced by silence.
The coffin is sealed, and friendship is buried. Make
appointments for others and you're apt to find yourself
disappointed.
Like I’ve said many times before, “What you want wants
you, and it is rushing to meet you.”
Did you ever have a dream, a secret goal? Let's say the
deepest desire of your heart was perhaps to write
a book, play on stage, or maybe sail your own sailboat
around the world. I suppose the actual description isn't as important as the fact that
this was your goal, your desire, your dream. It is one you formulated to fit you and
your psychological makeup. But, now the moment you openly express your white
fire hot passion to pursue your dream some officious and fastidious soul slaps you with
a cold towel.
With your enthusiasm dampened you actually begin to wonder if you should be more
cautious. "Maybe I'm not capable enough. Maybe I don't posses enough knowledge.
Maybe I don't have the needed courage. Maybe I should play it safe. After all I could
fail, make a mistake, and then the whole world would laugh at me! " Take it from me:
The world is just too busy to notice and if they did, it really wouldn't matter
anyway.
animals in the human jungle, I take it all in stride and Points of Interest:
see what I can learn from it.
Well, the answer is probably “no”, not in today’s jaded,
hubristic, backbiting society. So what? It’s you who
count! Your dreams, your desires, your goals, your high
ideals, your visions, your adventures, after all whose
life is it anyway? Listen, no one can live it any better
for you than you! So, grab your life by the horns and
direct it where you want it to go. Take a deep gulp of
courage and move forward! And never let anyone
rain on your parade!
You may not have ever heard the word before unless you’re an English major or
possess a proclivity for vocabulary. Even so, it’s the application of the definition that
becomes the determinant of your personal level of achievement.
If you want more alacrity in your life practice saying, “I’d love to” as a
response to any responsibility you undertake. Say it with me a few times and see
how it makes you feel. How does it sound to your ears when I say it? Well, it sounds
the same way to the people you work for—or to anyone else in fact. For 30 days, use
these three words as often as you can.
You may think this is too simplistic to be of any value. Would you believe that I know a
man who used those words and went from a temporary two-hour job as a day laborer
to overseeing $500 million of commercial construction in just a few short years?
deep breath and smiled. “What a wonderful day it is to Points of Interest:
be alive!” he exclaimed. The other four just grumbled as
they dragged themselves along.
As the big crane lifted the last of the steel, the man
jumped down. All the workers were paid for the
unloading. As they started to leave, the superintendent
called to the happy man, “Say, if you’re not doing
anything, would you like to wash my pickup?”
As time went on, the company acquired contracts for Points of Interest:
several more bridges, a civic center, an airport renovation,
a hospital and a university extension. Would he like to be
the boss over the boss over the bosses? The happy man
said...
Despite all our fears and misgivings, so many of the grave calamities we were weaned
on never took place. And of course, others we had no advanced knowledge of did. So?
I remember as a child, and maybe you do as well, being ushered under our desks
during civil defense drills. So, here you are under a wooden desk in an old brick
classroom with your hands over your head to protect yourself from an atomic bomb
attack!
One thing I do know, even if I'm not perfect in the above Points of Interest:
list, is that calmness is not achieved in peaceful valleys
but on the mountain peak where you can taste the
lightning. It is here that your magnetism and luminous
radiation transform you into a being of light. And that's
why I write.
May you never let your light grow dim nor let your
music die within!
But let's face it, not so much is made in America anymore —except babies from
stressed out parents working several jobs to make ends meet. So where do they shop?
I don't blame the kids. I can remember as a little tot being pulled around a maze
of aisles packed with stuff I was too short to see. Like a lot of kids, I heard the holy
command, "Be patient!" and the divine threat of retribution if I wasn't. So, I often
ended up on the receiving end, if you know what I mean.
How do you know what you should be doing with your life? The first sparks of inner
knowing flare up to attract your notice. You feel an unexplainable pleasure and
excitement with those thoughts. As your enthusiasm increases, your passion grows.
Passion is purpose, and not resisting your passion is the flow. It is purpose
which defines flow just as the walls of the canyon define the river.
Ragnar’s Razor
“The river is your lifeblood...” of the Day
...it is carving your purpose to make a concrete “Passion is purpose,
statement of your presence. Your presence is identified and not resisting your
by your purpose. Once your purpose, your major reason
passion is the flow."
for existing, is established—your spirit must be released
from the dam to flow free and create.
Points of Interest:
We often hear of some people identified as “free spirits,”
moving about capriciously, whimsically, without any
rhyme or reason. These types of free flowing souls are
much like a floodwater that fills the lower recesses of
whatever it approaches. This is quite the opposite of the
persistent, purposeful roar of a mighty and free flowing
river whose power with intelligence and creativity might
be harnessed for the benefit of millions.
One leaves only mud and mess in its wake, the other Magnetic Qi Gong
an awe inspiring spectacle that electrifies our spirit. PREMIUM PACKAGE
Magnetize your Chi!
The difference between destruction and creation is our Points of Interest:
defining purpose for being. Once your purpose is clearly
established, your spirit must be released to give life to it.
It must have free flow for you to evolve in the direction
of growth and life.
Did scratching your poison ivy ever make it go away faster? No! Did scratching it make
you feel good? Yes, but just temporarily. Sadly, however, you’ve just increased its
sensitivity, making you apt to irritate it more. Who enjoys seeing the festering, oozing
wound and its resultant scab?
So, what can you do when faced with the irresistible urge
to scratch that itch? Refrain the best you can. Take your
mind off the things you don’t want and focus on what
you do. Remember, “no” never pushes anything away;
it is an attraction force. When faced with any irritation,
refocus and look elsewhere. Look for the beauty in life
and in others. Find something nice to say. Shut up,
smile, and seek peace. And remember, this is the first
day of the rest of your life. Vow to make it the best day
ever!
“The #1 Reason a
Person Fails in Life”
by Peter Ragnar
Why does a person strive and struggle to cast off the curse of poverty? Because that
one realizes that poverty is rich in all the wrong things. Oh, how we have all been
admonished to extol the alleged virtues of that class of people referred to as “the salt
of the earth,” as if in some weird and strange way to confuse poverty with goodness.
I know only too well what “living life near the bone” as Thoreau would say
is like. It is not some peaceful acceptance or contentment–-mostly, it is a life of
resentment. The word money is one of the most negatively emotionally charged words
in the world. People show contempt for those who have it and praise those who don’t.
How can anyone rise from poverty to become someone they resent? How can anyone
rise from poverty when their equals celebrate with pride their misery? How can anyone
rise from poverty while secretly enjoying being one of the downtrodden viewing it as a
social identity, marching and rallying for justice?
Yes, both the rich and poor think about money. However, Points of Interest:
here’s the big difference: the rich get warm and positive
feelings about it, and the poor get pangs of distress in
the pits of their stomachs as they agonize over their
lack. If money gives you a sick feeling due to needing
it and yet not having it, then this so called “evil” must
be condemned. What’s forgotten is that every feeling
becomes a vibration. Every vibration becomes an
attraction field, which returns similar vibrations as
objects, experiences, and circumstances in your life.
Right now as you’re reading these words, what are
you vibrating?
Today is the first day of the rest of your life. Today is
the only day available to begin to reach for a higher and
richer life. Today, at least if only in your mind’s eye,
create the conditions of blessedness and plenty.
Do not take your eyes off the prize of prosperity. Hold
steadfast to your vision and as surely as the sun rises it
shall be forthcoming!
It matters little the amount of exposure you’ve had to religion; in fact, it matters little
to which religion you’ve been exposed, you probably know some version of the Golden
Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” While many give lip
service to this wise observation and use it as a flag to fly, very few actually use it as a
rudder by which to steer.
differences, only then is it possible to reason with each Points of Interest:
other, to examine harmful and unproductive behavior,
and replace it with positive traits, such as having the
courage to be the first one to be the peacemaker. Smiles
and warmth say much more than all the preaching in the
world. It’s how we make friends, not enemies.
If one day we all discovered everyone had a case of
amnesia, lost were all religious tenants, beliefs, and holy
books; one very special element would still remain. You
see it’s indelibly etched into the moral fiber of the human
heart. You need no one to preach it; it speaks loudly on
its own if we but care to listen. It says, “Do unto others
as you would have them do unto you.”
Once a sage was assaulted by slanderous accusations. After the critic finally ran out of
things to say (a small miracle in itself), the sage remained silent and then asked, “If you
offer a person something and that person refuses to accept it, to whom does it belong?”
The critic answered, “It belongs, I guess, to the one who offered it.”
Here’s some wise advise from Mark Twain: Points of Interest:
“Keep away from people who try to belittle your
ambitions. Small people always do that, but the
really great make you feel that you, too, can
become great.”
The earth is no longer flat and you will not fall off into
the mouths of dragons. Be committed to truth and have
the courage to see what’s right and beautiful about the
world. Go on despite discouragement, drudgery, and
broken dreams. Go on beyond criticism and regret. Go
on because the world is still a beautiful place to be.
The pious and self-righteous who conduct brutal inquisitions of accused “evildoers”
have answered the question in the negative by their very acts and judgments. The
word “compassion,” like so many other hollow nouns, implies a lack of action:
it has been set upon an altar to be worshipped but never used.
Whenever you experience pain, do you not seek relief? Points of Interest:
If we are pained at heart over the suffering of another,
do we not seek to relieve it? Only if we are human. A
person who does no more with this precious opportunity
called life than eat, reproduce, and wage war with
all who disagree has not climbed high enough on the
evolutionary ladder to be human.
Now I’m trying to do the same thing with you, and
I really don’t mind if I get bitten sometimes.
I see my life as I do my garden. There are just a few basic essentials: good soil,
sunshine, and rain. In our speed-driven society, it appears that few are capable of
establishing strong roots in an enriching environment. How many folks do you know
who warm you with the sunshine of their smiles? And when the rains come, as they
must, how many of us can find a seed of equivalent benefit in the storms of life?
Like I’ve often said, what you value, you place in the
best light.
Recalling how we were at age 15 is a bit embarrassing for most of us. Gary was just
15 when I came into his life, and I didn’t think he liked me very much. I tried a lot to
get a smile from him, but it rarely worked. To my dismay, he soon dropped out of high
school. It appeared that all he wanted to do was hang out and play rock music with
kids who….well, I’ll say it politely, weren’t the best influence. Isn’t it true that patience
is a bitter plant that produces sweet fruit? I learned this with Gary.
If you plant seeds of love in another’s heart and water with care, when those buds
blossom you’ll have perfume in the air. The sweet joy of loving relationships with others
often arrives after enduring adversities. It only punctuates the fact that rainbows are
both sun and rain together, waiting patiently and always looking upward.
I’ve known Gary for 25 years, and last Father’s Day he wrote me this very personal
letter that I’d like to share with his permission.
Ragnar’s Razor
“Dear Peter...” of the Day
Father’s Day brings the opportunity to express my love “People of inspiration,
and gratitude towards you. I want you to know what kinder and more
a special place you have in my life and what a special
empathetic people, are
influence you have had on me, either by teaching,
sharing, or simply showing by example. often forged by adversity.
Remember to be patient
You have taught me that the world gives what I ask of with others, for you
it, as well as the importance of being conscious of what I can’t have the rainbows
ask for. You’ve also taught me to be still enough to what
without the rain.”
the world is telling me.
You have shown me to be strong but kind, determined, Points of Interest:
yet accepting, emotional, but centered; that balance
is the key. You’ve instructed me to set goals and work
diligently towards them, to push my own limits and find
a way, to believe in myself, pursue my dreams and never
accept “impossible” as an option.
Indeed, we applaud such heroic acts. With swelling hearts and moistened eyes, we
shout, “Hurrah!” for they are the exceptions to our flock mentality. But what of the one
with true courage?
What of the one whose heart has met the refiner’s fire, not once, not twice, but 10,000
times and yet again? The one who willingly jumps into the crucible that glows like
Gehenna, and sheds his dross like a beggar abandoning his rags? The one who steps
forth from the fire with a radiance that dims the sun?
Ragnar’s Razor
“Who of humankind...” of the Day
...can step confidently toward such a challenge with “To go naked and alone
no fear that his heart might harbor some crevice of into your own internal
darkness and be found wanting? Who would find a
wilderness is indeed
heart so pure that the dross of fear has left to find
another abode? A heart that does not suffer doubt or the pinnacle of
desperation, a heart that knows no separation, for it courage."
knows that it encompasses all things.
your own internal wilderness is indeed the pinnacle of Points of Interest:
courage. To throw all you believe you are into the fire as
gracefully as you might place a garland of flowers around
the neck of a noble guest, requires the supreme act of
courage. How can one who belongs to a flock and herd
know of such things?
Just by considering these examples—none of which take Points of Interest:
super-human strength to resolve—we gain a glimpse
of what is required to reach the sunlit peaks I spoke of
previously. Courage comes from the word "Cor” which
means heart. The degree of heart-wood or cor-age
determines our inner strength. If we are strong, we will
endure testing and grow spiritually. If we are not, we will
be broken by the storms of life.
Mental wards are routinely populated by the confused, apathetic, and detached. While
it is certainly true that you can be faithful, steadfast, trustworthy, and loyal to the
wrong causes, militant religious movements, or social organizations and clubs—this
isn’t the commitment of which I speak or write about. I’m addressing the issue
of commitment you have (or haven’t) made to your personal growth and
development—additionally, your commitment in honoring your loyalties with your
friends and teachers.
It’s so easy to accuse others of being disloyal to you if you haven’t honored your
friendship with them. The best way to receive loyalty is to give it. Here, I’m not
referring to making oaths; oaths are words, not deeds. Mark Twain wrote, “Loyalty to
petrified opinion never broke a chain or freed a human soul.” And I might add,
no oath has ever saved a marriage or friendship, or stopped oppression. Only deeds,
not words, have that power.
“It is said…” the old man strokes his chin and looks
higher towards the distant mountains. “He lives on a
mountain. Most often he can be found sitting in a swing
under a huge old oak tree or working in his garden. How
would you like it to be?”
“The tree of my heart is heavy with fruit. Come, Points of Interest:
ye hungry souls, gather, eat, and be satisfied.
My spirit overflows with aged wine. Come, oh ye
thirsty hearts, drink and quench your thirst…would
that I were a dry well, so people might throw
stones into my depths, for it is better to be an
empty well than a spring of pure water untouched
by thirsty lips.”
So, how should you live your life? How would you like it
to be?
Consider two men. The foolish man hoards his seed when he ought to plant, only to
discover how quickly the season of sowing has passed. The wise man, though seen
as a fool, scatters his seeds where he may never walk again. Some of his seeds are
consumed by crows. Some are borne away on the spring breezes. Some fall into the
babbling brook. The first man, bitter because he has no harvest, says to the second
man, “You are not better off than I!” The wise man replies, “Perhaps you misjudge the
situation. True, I have no garden plot to tend, but wherever I walk and find my day to
end, up the steep mountain trail or down to the brook where sweet willows bend, the
crow, the water, the wind, my friends, have planted my seeds and cared for my needs.
And wherever my path will end, 10,000 miles or around the next bend, my lot will be
in the garden plot of God.”
For the foolish man, calculation became the brakes on his giving and the unfavorable
season passed him by. The wise man on the other hand ,
held no reservation, expected no reward. With unshackled Ragnar’s Razor
heart and open hands his life became an open harvest. of the Day
“My experiments with money “For those with
have led to the conclusion that financial concerns
only generosity increases it.” and material lack,
For those with financial concerns and material lack, the solution is
the solution is simple. Become more generous and less simple. Become
greedy. You may protest, “I have but little to give.” But more generous
have you ever considered how much value that small
and less greedy."
portion has in relation to one who has vast treasures of
abundance?
Whether you give from your poverty or from your Points of Interest:
richness, however, only your heart’s intent will
determine the results.
All forced giving is phony. Let the gates of your tender
compassion open, and your heart’s river flood over its banks,
and it will carry your treasures atop the waters and scatter
blessings to everyone.
A difficult life is an ungenerous life. But for those who give with
no thought of reward, who give as naturally as the honeysuckle
gives her perfume and the cherry tree her fruit, they become
the warm fires in a dark and stingy world that light the way so
others may follow. And that torch burns forever.
During any holiday season you’ll find untold numbers of people rushing around to ready
themselves for celebrating with friends and family. Traffic delays, flight cancellations,
unpredictable weather, crowds, and often, short tempers are in season. I don’t know
if it was like that in 1843 when Charles Dickens published The Christmas Carol. Maybe
the world today is a bit too busy racing around and sleeping in airports.
I can still remember the first time I ever flew in a plane. It was a night flight on a TWA
propeller driven plane. The flight originated from La Guardia Field, NY and twelve hours
later landed in Los Angeles, CA. Much has changed in the world since 1947. Funny—I
don’t recall any crowds, flight delays, or security pat downs.
Oh, and one small favor. Please give that little blond
haired boy a good thought in your heart. You see he
never really grew up and I still think the world is a
beautiful place!
Do you remember that first kiss that was like a sip of addictive enchantment? Your
every waking moment trembled and filled you to the brim with an indescribable
ecstasy. If you’re still living with that special someone and the years seem to have
stolen the magic away, then the words of Kahlil Gibran will have special meaning for
you.
It isn’t so much falling as if it were an accident, Points of Interest:
but a sudden sprouting of love, a seed residing
within that was suddenly watered and warmed
with a special smile.
He always had a smile for me. It may have been part amusement or part fascination.
I could hear him now—“You mean to say, you cut all those logs with an axe? How on
earth did you move 40 foot logs around, let alone raise them ten feet high on the
walls? Let’s see”…. He’d say as he stroked his chin, “I’d guess your place is close to
sixty feet long. That means the number of trees you cut by hand was…” After a bit
more contemplation he burst out with “ So how did you do it?” I replied “One log at a
time, all else is commentary.”
passionately, like each log you cut and peeled. It was Points of Interest:
one log at a time that made your life rich.”
“Other than some firewood I sold, not much.” Points of Interest:
“Well just looking around your place, I’d say you’re
wrong. I’d say you made a small fortune by following a
dream.”
“Forgive?—Hell—No!”
by Peter Ragnar
When he saw me, he ran with gun in hand. I knew where he was headed so I took a
short cut and was waiting for him on the top of the rise. His breathing was labored and
loud as he climbed out of the brush. His face paled with fear when he saw me. Not so
much from my physical presence—for he appeared bigger, younger, and more muscular
than myself. He was afraid because he knew he was wrong.
There had been a number of dead bears found with their paws cut off, teeth pulled
out, and bellies cut open, just left rotting in the forest. These wasted bears had been
slaughtered just for their gall bladders and a few souvenirs. You can just imagine burly
men with yellow teeth bragging in a bar about their bear tooth necklace. However, no
one dared utter a word about the $2,500 they got for the gall bladder. It seems that
folks in China and elsewhere were willing to pay that much for what was believed to be
an aphrodisiac. There was a very dangerous black market at work—so dangerous that
these desperate men had shot at park rangers, game wardens, my wife, and me.
Forgive? Yes—Forever!
It all happened several years ago when the mother was murdered in cold blood. She
left behind an infant who was still breastfeeding—a tragedy for sure. While it was
against the law for us to take in the bereaved offspring, a neighbor did. He was the
wild one. By that, I mean he was a big black bear. The tiny orphan bear we named
“Cub,” and the big male bear we called “Uncle.”
sweet, nurturing sound. Nothing! Oh yes, the Barred Owl Points of Interest:
would mournfully call “who who, who hoot a doo”…but
no sucking sound. A month passed and one morning I
received a call from the state wildlife agent asking me to
meet him.
and other living creatures. It is over these bridges that Points of Interest:
your spirit travels to enter the gates of their hearts.
For friendships to exist, there must be shared common Points of Interest:
interests and pursuits. What common interests can
a dog have with a human? How about trekking miles
each day exploring nature? My dog, Bodhi, is always
pointing out new scents and animal tracks for me to
recognize. We share an intense love and interest in
nature. I realize that even the simplest of friendships,
which are characteristic of children, are based on mutual
enjoyment. So, my dog and I also run and play games
together, such as hide and seek.
These friendships are the most shining enhancements Points of Interest:
of one’s own life. The stainless individual, the seeker
of human excellence, may have but a few authentic
friendships, but those he or she has cultivated are as
enduring as diamonds. Old friends, much like character,
are not made in a hurry. Lasting friendships are built on
values and high ideals.
Bodhi has just rolled over onto my feet. The fire needs
another log and my tea is cooling. Ann just asked if it
needs warming. My heart is warmed and that’s what
matters— you see, I’ve got a dog, friends, and fidelity.
All I could think about was that at high tide, that small
sandbar would be mostly underwater except for a small
porta-potty and a picnic table that sat on a high rise. But Shedding Light on
now we had a full-fledged nor’easter bearing down with Magnetic Myths Audio
sudden intensity. As I ran for my boat, the first grape- CD
sized raindrops splattered on my forehead.
can tell you for certain, courage isn’t the absence of fear, Points of Interest:
courage is doing what you’re afraid of doing, and doing it
anyway.