By Heather Williams, H.W., M. (with permission)

March 3, 2024 (TheProsperos.org)

WORD = a sound that communicates meaning; a written or printed character or combination of characters representing a spoken word; talk; discourse

QUESTION: Do you know the WORDLESS world?

STORY: We all live in a “word-built-world”. What I want to point out is that there is a world that is wordless and it is important for us to connect with it. We all construct our lives by the words we use. Words are openings through which meaning and understanding flows. The word “relationship” means a sense of being related yet individually, we each have unique experiences with our relationships. The word “WORLD” usually means the physical world – and yet each person views it differently. There does come a time in everyone’s life when we need to take a PAUSE and step back from defining our life in words. Try this: Just BE PRESENT and FEEL the WORDLESS ENERGY that is now flowing through your body. Relax and feel this Energy guiding your journey. Life is far more than words can ever express. Also explore a word tool called Translation® that I have used for over 50 years to open up to the ever present Energy of life. Translation® uses words to enter the wordless.

QUOTES

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” ~ John F. Kennedy

“I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way – things I had no words for.” ~ Georgia O’Keefe

“Words are singularly the most powerful force available to humanity. We can choose to use this force constructively with words of encouragement, or destructively using words of despair. Words have energy and power with the ability to help, to heal, to hinder, to hurt, to harm, to humiliate and to humble.” ~ Yehuda Berg

EXERCISE

STOP.

Sit quietly. Assume an erect posture. Sense the breath.

Sit calmly and just BE PRESENT and FEEL the WORDLESS ENERGY in your body.

See something around you but don’t name or judge it.

Get your pen and paper and write words or draw lines expressing the wordless energy that is flowing through you.

Move forward into your day feeling guided by the Energy of the wordless world.

By Heather Williams, H.W,. M. (with permission)

February 26, 2024 (TheProsperos.org)

OTHER = different; the second of two; not the same; alien

QUESTION: How do you see OTHERS?

STORY: Typically we all identify ourselves as physical beings and when we do this we see OTHER physical beings (neighbors, partners, friends, co-workers) as separate from us. We label OTHERS: good/bad, smart/dumb, kind/unkind, and lots more. I’ve lived with my partner for 30 years. She is different from me in a number of ways. Yes we squabble, but we get along pretty well because our differences really provide valuable skills, talents and abilities that we ourselves would not have. She likes to garden, build stuff and cook. I like to keep the kitchen clean, tend the chickens, write my next book and paint and draw. In The Prosperos we practice tools to RE-IDENTIFY ourselves as Consciousness. This helps us to open up to our Higher Self which sees the ONENESS of all life. OTHERS are really just mirrors of the parts of ourselves that we do not see.

QUOTES

“Mastering others is strength. Mastering yourself is true power.” ~ Lao Tzu

“The most satisfying thing in life is to have been able to give a large part of one’s self to others.” ~ Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?” ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

“People who look down on other people don’t end up being looked up to.” ~ Robert Half

EXERCISE

STOP.

Sit quietly. Assume an erect posture.

Sense the breath. Relax.

Sit calmly and bring to mind other people that are in your life – partners, neighbors, friends, co-workers, relatives.

Get your pen and paper and write words or draw lines expressing how OTHERS help you to grow in understanding the oneness of life.

Move forward into your day seeing other people as mirrors of the different parts of you.

By Heather Williams, H.W., M. (with permission)

February 25, 2024 (TheProsperos.org)

POLARITY = having two opposite poles as the earth has a north and south pole.

QUESTION: Have you done some work with polarity?

STORY: What is polarity? It comes from the Latin word ‘polus’ = “end of an axis”. What is an axis? It comes from the Sanskrit meaning ‘beam of a balance’. A “BEAM” is a straight line with two ends and both ends are essential! Our world is full of polarities: male/female, good/evil, rich/poor, black/white, left/right and lots more. Our brain has two hemispheres – the left and the right. The left hemisphere processes information logically and sequentially. It is highly verbal and intellectual. It loves to name, measure, compare and analyze things. The right hemisphere processes information spatially, holistically and visually. It is highly relational and loves to notice connections and senses the oneness of all things. It is time that we approach polarity with LOVE rather than standing on one side and pointing our fingers and judging, fearing or hating the “OTHER”. As we creatively work with the polarities of life, we are able to reclaim a sense of ONENESS with our world.

QUOTES

“Life is possible only through challenges. Life is possible only when you have both good and bad weather, when you have both pleasure and pain, when you have both winter and summer, day and night. When you have both sadness and happiness, discomfort and comfort. Life moves between these two polarities. Moving between these two polarities you learn how to balance. Between these two wings you learn how to fly to the farthest star.” ~ Rajneesh

“How else could it have occurred to man to divide the cosmos, on the analogy of day and night, summer and winter, into a bright day-world and a dark night-world peopled with fabulous monsters, unless he had the prototype of such a division in himself, in the polarity between the conscious and the invisible and unknowable unconscious?” ~ Carl Jung

EXERCISE

STOP.

Sit quietly. Assume an erect posture. Sense the breath.

Sit calmly and observe polarities in your world: light/dark, warm/cool, high/low, close up/far away, male/female and lots more.

Get your pen and paper and write a few words or draw lines expressing the ONENESS that is the truth of polarity. The poles are two sides of one beam.

Move forward into your day aware of the BEAM of ONENESS flowing through you.

By Heather Williams, H.W., M. (with permission)

February 22, 2024 (TheProsperos.org)

Do you know the GUIDE deep within you?

GUIDE = to lead, direct, show, point out, supervise

QUESTION: Do you know the GUIDE deep within you?

STORY: When I was 22, I graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and left Wisconsin. I returned to San Francisco searching for a Gurdjieff Teacher. I met Thane Walker, founder of The Prosperos School of Ontology. Ontology is the science of BEING. Our Beingness is our Essential, True Self. Thane’s classes guided me and many other students to work with the problems of our binary, separate ego-self and to awaken to our True Self as Consciousness. Our True Self is always within us – and it takes WORK to let go of ego and connect with your True Self. Now, I am 77 and I continue to do this WORK – which is the practice of Self Observing and Self Remembering. I am grateful. This WORK connects me with my Inner Guide, my True Self. Today I continue to teach Prosperos classes (Translation® & Releasing the Hidden Splendour™) and I lead a weekly Ontology Work Chamber online. We help each other to connect with our True Self. Check out my Ontology Work Chamber to learn more.

QUOTES

“There is a deep need in the world just now for guidance – almost any sort of spiritual guidance.” ~ Carl Jung

“To walk safely through the maze of human life, one needs the light of wisdom and the guidance of virtue.” ~ Gautama Buddha

“Knowing others is wisdom; knowing the self is enlightenment.” ~ Lao Tsu

“We are Souls having a human experience. We are sent here to develop ourselves.” ~ Red Hawk

EXERCISE

STOP.

Sit quietly.

Assume an erect posture. Sense the breath.

Sit calmly and ask: What guidance could help me at this time?

Get your pen and paper and write words or draw lines about a personal problem that keeps you from moving forward – and – allow your Inner Guide (True Self) to write words or draw lines expressing It’s guidance toward a new understanding for you.

Move forward into your day allowing yourself to be guided.

By Heather Williams, H.W., M. (with permission)

February 9, 2024 (TheProsperos.org)

STUMBLE = to make an error; blunder; to trip in walking; to move carelessly

QUESTION: Have you ever stumbled?

STORY: Everyone has stumbled. I’ll bet you stumbled at one time. Yes, I stumbled about six months ago. I was washing the outside windows when I stumbled accidentally and fell off of a little ladder. My ankle was twisted and it really hurt when I walked on it. Thankfully nothing was broken. I quieted my mind and listened to my heart – gently asking for guidance in how to tend to this unfortunate accident. It took two weeks for my ankle to fully heal and for me to walk without any pain. Yes, our life on this earth journey is full of potholes and cracks! We all stumble and fall now and then. Thankfully, today many people are learning to STOP, quiet the mind and listen to their heart and allow their True, Innate, Inner Self to heal their wounds. Remember that the first stage of SELF REMEMBERING is experienced when we place our attention in the NOW of the body and FEEL the Energy of remembering that our True Self is LOVE, Consciousness, Beingness, SOUL here NOW. Give it a try right now!

QUOTES

“It is by going down into the abyss that we recover the treasures of life. Where you stumble, there lies your treasure.” ~ Joseph Campbell

“First stage of Self Remembering is consciously knowing I am here now, in this body. Second stage is consciously being aware of my surroundings. Third stage is allowing Divine Energy to flow through me.” ~ Red Hawk

“All men die. You may say: ‘Is that encouraging?’ Surely yes, for when a man dies, his blunders, which are of the form, all die with him, but the things in him that are part of the life never die, although the form be broken.” ~ Annie Besant

EXERCISE

STOP.

Sit quietly.

Assume an erect posture. Sense the breath.

Sit calmly for one minute.

Listen to your heart and ask for guidance in remembering a time when you stumbled.

Get your pen and paper and write a few words or draw a few lines expressing how a stumble helped you to SELF REMEMBER and open up to the Energy of SOUL.

When ready, move forward into your day ALLOWING your Heart to guide you.

By Heather Williams, H.W., M. (with permission)

February 5, 2024 (TheProsperos.org)

Can you focus your attention on the present moment for one minute?

CONCENTRATE = to focus one’s powers, efforts or attention; to bring or direct toward a common center or objective

QUESTION: Can you focus on the present for one minute?

STORY: Focusing our attention is the key to opening the door to our Higher Capacities. Are you aware that your Higher Capacities are within you and available now? Right now I need to access my higher capacities because I am packing up all my studio stuff for our move to Tennessee. I’m lifting heavy books, picture frames, large drawing papers, tables and artist equipment as I attempt to fit them properly into a variety of boxes. I’m on box #52 right now! I am 77 years old and all this physical labor is draining my energy. Just to let you know how I access my Higher Capacities – I stop and take a break and listen to my body without judging, worrying or trying to change anything. I just focus my attention, relax any tension, listen, feel and love the Divine Energy that I AM. And then I move forward with gratitude. Wherever you are right now – feel gratitude for the Divine Energy that you are.

QUOTES

“Energy flows where attention goes.” ~ Tony Robbins

“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.” ~ Buddha

“Our task is to find teaching methods that continually engage the whole human being. We would not succeed in this endeavor if we failed to concentrate on developing the human sense of art.” ~ Rudolf Steiner

“The Western day is indeed nearing when the inner science of self-control will be found as necessary as the outer conquest of nature. This new Atomic Age will see men’s minds sobered and broadened by the now scientifically indisputable truth that matter is in reality a concentrate of energy.” ~ Yaramahansa Yogananda

EXERCISE

STOP.

Sit quietly. Assume an erect posture.

Sense the breath.

Sit calmly and focus your attention on the Present moment.

Notice any tightness or tension in your body.

Relax. Breathe.

Get your pen and paper and write words or draw lines expressing yourself paying attention to the Divine Energy that you are.

Take charge of your most valuable asset: your attention.

Move forward into your new day focusing your attention on the Divine Energy that is always flowing through you.

By Heather Williams, H.W., M. (with permission)

February 2, 2024 (theprosperos.org)

Is something moving you?

MOVING = capable of movement; relating to a change of residence; stirring deeply in a way that evokes a strong emotional response

QUESTION: Is something moving you?

STORY: Cindy and I have been together for 31 years now. We are different people but we do share a common purpose. Life is constantly moving right? Well, in 2017 I retired from 18 years of teaching middle and high school students. In 2018 the college where Cindy was a nursing professor suddenly closed. In 2019 we decided to move from Vista, CA back to Wisconsin where we both grew up and where our sisters and brothers live. COVID kinda divided our family. Cindy and I are in our elder years and now in 2024 we are moving again. We are moving to Tennessee. Why? Well, our purpose for moving has always been simple: We want to share the valuable principles that we have learned in our life and we want to help people who are interested in waking up. Cindy is a nutritionist and an herbalist. She values bodily health and natural food. I am an Ontological artist. I focus on a problem and then I listen to my heart and soul (my Inner Beingness) and I use paint or pencils to draw out an expression of the TRUTH of the problem that is here now. We are teachers and our purpose is moving us.

QUOTES

“Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can’t help them, at least don’t hurt them.” ~ Dalai Lama

“As far as we can discern, the sole purpose of human existence is to kindle a light in the darkness of mere being.” ~ Carl Jung

“True happiness… is not attained through self-gratification, but through fidelity to a worthy purpose.” ~ Helen Keller

“The purpose of education is to make good human beings with skill and expertise… Enlightened human beings can be created by teachers.” ~ A.P.J. Abdul Kalam

EXERCISE

STOP.

Sit quietly. Assume an erect posture.

Sense the breath. Sit calmly and reflect upon your life purpose.

Feel the energy of life moving in your body.

Get your pen and paper and write a few words or draw lines expressing your unique purpose in life. Move forward into your day listening to your heart and soul calling you to express your purpose.

By Heather Williams, H.W., M. (with permission)

January 26, 2024 (TheProsperos.org)

Are you facing a screen right now?

SCREEN-TIME = “time spent watching television, playing a video game, attending a class on zoom or using an electronic device with a screen

QUESTION: Are you facing a screen right now?

STORY: In 2019 I began teaching my drawing classes on zoom. I discovered that I kinda liked being able to share my love of drawing without having to get all dressed up, drive five miles, park my car and carry my equipment into a building. Ten to twelve people show up on my screen in little square frames. I see and hear them and they see and hear me. I share stories, images, photos, drawings. We are able to ask questions, dialogue about various techniques, share meditations and more. Some of my students are young; most are adults. Many live in other states and even other countries and would have had to pay large amounts of money to attend an in-person class. Screen-time is great AND I believe it is wise for all of us (especially the young ones) to step away from “screen-time” now and then. Go out and walk in nature. Contemplate and FEEL the living energy flowing through you and the birds, squirrels, trees, clouds, distant hills, sunshine, other people and more.

QUOTES

“Nature is the source of all true knowledge.” ~ Leonardo da Vinci

“Whether you are a parent or not, carving out time to turn off your devices, to disconnect from the wired world and engage with the real people who are all around you, is one of the best gifts you can give yourself and the people you love.” ~ Alan Brown

“It’s not just about limiting screen time; it’s about teaching kids to develop good habits in real life. As well as managing their screen time.” ~ Cynthia Crossley

“Nature is not a place to visit. It is home.” ~ Gary Synder

EXERCISE

STOP.

Sit quietly.

Assume an erect posture. Sense the breath.

Sit calmly and contemplate your “screen-time” experience and your “out-in-nature” experience.

Get out your pen and paper and write words or draw lines expressing both experiences.

Move forward into your day appreciating and paying attention to the natural world around you.

By Heather Williams, H.W., M. (with permission)

January 24, 2024 (TheProsperos.org)

What do you reflect upon?

REFLECT = to turn or bend something back; to divert, deflect; to make manifest – to mirror, realize, consider

QUESTION: What do you reflect upon?

STORY: I have attended weekly figure drawing workshops every Friday for probably thirty years. Picture it: a small group of about 6 or 7 artists sit on “donkey chairs” with their sketchbook and pencil or pen or whatever they use to draw. The model is a person who is paid a small amount to sit or stand or lay down quietly while we draw. Beginning poses are quick, one to 5 minutes. Then we have an hour of 2 or 3 twenty minute poses. And maybe we end with a 50 minute pose. I don’t remember where I was when I did this drawing. To me it reflects a human being who has suffered greatly. He may be reflecting on help from above. I feel the story, the Spirit, the energy, the emotions – of the man in this drawing. How does creativity help us to reflect on what really matters? Whether you write a poem or sing a song or do a drawing – creativity connects us. We all are creative beings and it is essential for us to reflect upon and to draw out our own unique creativity. Learn more in my drawing classes: https://www.drawingtogether.com/drawing-classes

QUOTES

“Your soul needs time for solitude and self reflection. In order to love, lead, heal and create – you must nourish yourself first.” ~ Louise Hay

“Creativity requires the courage to let go of certainties.” ~ Erich Fromm

“A healthy social life is found only when, in the mirror of each soul, the whole community finds its reflection, and when, in the whole community, the virtue of each one is living.” ~ Rudolf Steiner

EXERCISE

STOP.

Sit quietly. Assume an erect posture.

Sense the breath.

Sit calmly and reflect upon your own unique creative expression.

Relax. Breathe.

Get your pen and paper and write words or draw lines expressing your Spirit, energy and emotions that are flowing now through you and all life (people, animals, trees, flowers, air, water, earth).

Move forward into your day reflecting upon your unique creative life purpose.

By Heather Williams, H.W., M. (with permission)

January 21, 2024 (theprosperos.org)

Are you aware of your “Blind Spot”?

IGNORANT = lacking wisdom or knowledge; unaware; not paying attention

QUESTION: Are you aware of your “Blind Spot”?

STORY: This little imaginative drawing expresses the humorous way our egos relate. I am ignorant of my “Chief Feature” or “Blind Spot”. Apparently most people are unaware of their own “Chief Feature” or “Blind Spot”. In 4th Way terminology – Chief Feature is the core feature around which the psycho-emotional, personal ego is constructed. It really takes WORK and sincere attention to become aware of this wizard part of ourselves. Now, I have lived with Cindy, my partner for over 30 years and I am just beginning to realize how important she is to me, as I do the WORK of discovering my “Chief Feature” or “Blind Spot” and remembering who I AM. Relationship is truly the source from which everything flows. Learn more in my WORK CHAMBER where we read the book: Self Remembering, by Red Hawk and discuss the valuable WORK of waking up to our True Identity as Consciousness: https://www.drawingtogether.com/workchamber

QUOTES

“Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s ignorance.” ~ Confucius

“The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is.” ~ Winston Churchill

“It takes considerable knowledge just to realize the extent of your own ignorance.” ~ Thomas Sowell

“Where ignorance is our master, there is no possibility of real peace.” ~ Dalai Lama

EXERCISE

STOP.

Sit quietly.

Assume an erect posture. Sense the breath.

Sit calmly and contemplate your most significant relationships.

Observe yourself relating to another person. Get your pen and paper and write words or draw lines expressing yourself in a relationship.

Pay attention to how you relate to others.

Move forward into your day being more aware and willing to learn more in your relations with others.