These are words from the ancient Upanishads — Hindu Scripture.

They describe how to attain and sustain a state of being at one with God. Or, put another way, how to achieve a Godly state, in spite of your Self.

Two minutes and 19 seconds of calming, clearing expression.

They remind me of what I used to describe as “the beautiful riddles” that came from Jiddu Krishnamurti’s mouth during his Oak Grove talks in Ojai.
–kwc

How about a short, inspiring daily quote in your email weekday mornings?

“Never say ‘OOPS.’ Say, ‘Ah. Interesting.’”

(Grabbed from the tagline on a post by a writer screen-named The Cyberwolf.)
–ken winston caine

Passing on this urgent call to action from Cathy Zoi:

Dear ken winston,

Join us, and send a message about how crucial it is to reduce harmful carbon dioxide pollution. That you expect the EPA to (more…)

by Ken Winston Caine

A company selling high-efficiency woodstoves in northern New Mexico is advertising that burning firewood is carbon-neutral.

In other words, they are suggesting that it’s a clean, green-energy form of heating.

True science used to mislead
In the radio commercial, they say that the carbon released when the wood is burned is equal to the carbon that would be released if the tree naturally decayed after it died. And that it is equal to the amount of carbon that the tree removed from the atmosphere during its life. That much is good science, I believe.

But does that make wood-burning “carbon neutral?”

I don’t think so. Here’s why:

Man burns up natural balance sheet
Most hardwood trees have lifespans measured in the hundreds of years. Some live thousands of years. And then, when they die (usually due to pestilence or disease or periods of extreme climate change) they decay very very slowly.

So, the amount of carbon a tree releases needs to be measured against the number of years of its life and decay. Per year, the tree emits very little carbon on that basis. When you burn the tree, on the other hand, you release all the carbon at once. And then what do you do? (more…)

Here’s the challenge, in 3 minutes, with a beat to it.

by Ken Winston Caine

The U.S. CAN become 100% energy independent in 10 years and REBUILD THE ECONOMY at the same time, using existing clean-energy technologies.

I’ll show you a longer video in a moment that gives the specifics.

The video may make it seem simple. It’s not. To do this would require the type of will and vision and excitement and investment of the land-a-man-on-the-moon-in-10 years Apollo Project initiated by President Kennedy.

It will require the type of will and vision and excitement and investment of the interstate freeway system project spearheaded by President Eisenhower (which took a bit longer than 10 years — about 25 for the four major east-west arteries to be complete from coast to coast. But one section of I-70, through the particularly beautiful and delicate Glenwood Canyon in the Colorado Rockies wasn’t completed until shortly after I left my assignment as a reporter up there in the early ’90s).

Creating a nationwide clean-energy production and distribution system and economy is a huge undertaking.

The biggest challenge?

Political.

Because the fossil-fuel-based energy monopolies and their related support industries wield tremendous pressure and will not simply smile, nod and agree to be replaced.

And all those people whose jobs are dependent upon the fossil-fuel energy economy must be absolutely sure in the assurance that they will be retrained and transitioned to good, sustainable new-economy jobs and financially assisted in the process. And that must be part of any 10-year plan if the transformation is to win the public support it needs in order to get moving.

Shifting to a clean energy economy will require a sustained public and governmental mandate.

How can this be accomplished with existing clean technologies? Here’s a 27-minute video that spells out, plainly, step by step, how the U.S. can become 100% energy independent in 10 years using existing wind and solar technologies, and by moving to zero-emission technologies for cars. (The video embedded above is a teaser only.)

NOTE: Skip forward to 2:20 to get past the courtesy greetings and acknowledgments and into the exciting stuff.

Here is more about each of the challenges involved in converting to a clean energy economy in 10 years: (more…)

Live from a place of possibility, not from a place of perceived limitations, past or projected.
– ken winston caine

by Ken Winston Caine

Georgia Nichols asks, “What can you do to make life better for yourself and others?”

That’s a great question to ask.

A great focusing question.

A great legacy-creation-inspiring question.

by Ken Winston Caine

The most powerful form of meditation that you can practice is both the easiest and the most difficult.

What I mean by that paradox is that this meditation is easy to do and difficult to sustain.

This form of meditation is easy to practice in part because you can do it anywhere at any time in any situation. It doesn’t require quiet, aloneness, fixation on a sound or mantra or image or any particular breathwork, or blanking of the mind.

It is a powerful meditation in that its results are felt and evidenced immediately, and not only by you, but by others with whom you interact.

This powerful meditation is the practice of presence. The practice of being and acting fully present in the current moment. Holding your presence fully in the now.

Mastering this meditation is a 5-step process. To engage in this meditation practice, simply: (more…)