Tag:

blogging

Cracking the Language Code: Why AI Can’t Embody Words

I'm loving ChatGPT but it lacks soul. Depth. Emotion. This is all a requirement for Embodied Marketing. AI needs a worldview and experiences to compete with humanity. More availability of information doesn't always lead to more learning – and it most definitely doesn't lead to embodying the information (because AI doesn't have a body!) Information without personal experiences behind words falls flat. Despite its advancements, AI can't embody words for the following five reasons:

1. The Complexity of Human Language
Human language is dynamic and rich in emotional undertones. Words often carry multiple meanings and change based on context. AI encounters difficulties in capturing the subtleties within words.

For example, I experimented with ChatGPT writing poetry. I prompted it to clone this poem that I wrote two years ago.

Here is the AI version of my poem:

At first glance, I was impressed. But AI writing “let authenticity be your seal” is full-on CRINGE.

This brings me to…

2. Authenticity

AI writing about “authenticity” is like a poorly sung cover song of your favorite band. You just want the real thing! You know what your favorite song sounds like – and more importantly what it feels like!

Authenticity is a human characteristic. AI can generate human-like text, but its responses are generated based on algorithms and patterns rather than personal experiences or emotions.

Authenticity involves expressing one's beliefs, values, and emotions in an honest and sincere manner. AI lacks personal beliefs, emotions, and self-awareness – so it does not have the same capacity for authenticity as humans do.

AI can only mimic authenticity. While AI can be programmed to generate empathetic responses, it's important to contemplate what imitation does to our human emotions or intentions. After all, we are still human, right? Right?

3. Ambiguity and Interpretation

The above question -asking if you, my dear readers, are human – has ambiguity behind it. AI won't understand the nuance written here.

Human Language is rife with nuance. And the absence of human-like intuition and emotional intelligence limits AI's ability to accurately determine the intended meaning behind words. Humor, sarcasm, and irony often elude AI systems, resulting in misinterpretations and misunderstandings.

4. The only way to embody words is to have a body!!

Embodying words goes beyond literal understanding; it involves emotional and social intelligence. Humans perceive and express emotions through language – incorporating tone to convey meaning. AI lacks consciousness and emotions – and struggles to recognize subtle emotional cues. The inability to gauge emotional nuances further distances AI from truly embodying words.

You can feel the difference between this very article and this article: AI Chat: The New Marketing Revolution. I published this article on my blog a few months ago. While it's informative, it doesn't embody emotions and experiences.

5. In the human world, imitation can sometimes be flattery. But with AI, imitation falls flat.

Creativity plays a pivotal role in language embodiment. Creativity enables humans to express thoughts, ideas, and experiences beyond mere words. AI systems struggle to replicate our human abilities.

I even asked ChatGPT if it likes to imitate humans. AI doesn't have personal preferences (at least right now in 2023!) Here's the response:

While I will continue to use ChatGPT to assist my creative writing (such as this article), let's not push the boundaries of AI research into fully replicating our human abilities. I used my human experiences and emotions to embody what I wrote here. Can you feel it?

While we can marvel at AI's achievements, let's not forget that it doesn't have a body – and it can't embody words and experiences. Let's appreciate the unique qualities of our human language (while humanity still exists!) and embrace the nuances it plays in our lives.

Sign up to read more of my adventures of consciousness and creativity in my Love Notes here.

This article was written by a real human (Jessica Ann) for humans.

May 29, 2023 0 comment

Blog

Why Empathy-Driven Marketing Works

You're aware that your target market requires everything you have to serve. But your communications aren't getting through. You've tried everything: Expert advice, best practices, cutting-edge software, and automation. However, you've reached a stalemate and your results aren't improving. New channels and a content-driven strategy allows you to reach more potential customers. But engaging with buyers and gaining their trust has never been more challenging.

It isn't very pleasant, right?

So, how can you increase the number of customers you interact with?

The simple answer to it is: Empathy.

To grasp how your customers feel, you must move beyond logic-based marketing.

Empathy-based marketing means perceiving reality from your clients' perspectives. Marketers must have a thorough grasp of who their clients are, the difficulties they face, and what encourages them to be truly customer-centric.

Empathy is a vital component of social skills, which is an essential leadership talent.

Despite all of the evidence, the ultimate resource in a marketer's toolbox remains empathy. When it comes to creating trust with customers, we have more avenues than ever to communicate with them (social media, content outlets, and technology). Step into your consumers' shoes to gain a better understanding of what they're going through. Then you'll be able to provide them precisely what they want or require living healthier lives.

Takeaways to Remember:

One of the essential skills for today's leaders is the ability to empathize with others.
Data is vital, but marketers must strike a balance between data and empathy.
Marketers may have “collective amnesia” when it comes to interacting with target audiences.
Empathy should be used in marketing to achieve success.
Data can never replace real human ties.
The most effective marketing is focused on the customer rather than the brand.

Empathy is the process of placing yourself in another's position and seeing things from their point of view, and we could use a lot more of it in modern marketing.

Why do we need more empathetic marketing?

The finest marketing isn't about the brand; it's about the customer. But we all too frequently become so focused on the message we're trying to convey that we lose sight of this fact.

The days of directing and shoving people into a sales pitch are long gone as the sales process has evolved into a more personalized experience. Consumers nowadays don't want to be “sold” to; instead, they want to build a relationship with a brand. Consumers will overlook or become irritated with any marketing piece that does not feel genuine or honest.

The primary focus as marketers should be on sales, and although this should be the case, it may sometimes stifle our communication. Consider the problem your customers are trying to address before pitching your product or service to them. This will help you guide them to your brand rather than direct them.

When you go on a journey toward empathic marketing, you can listen to and respond to your client's needs rather than just talking to them.

Empathy in Marketing: How to Use It

Now that you understand why empathy is so essential in marketing consider how you can use it in your existing marketing approach.

Make your brand and yourself more human.
The fact that no two persons are the same should serve as a reminder.
Always do your homework.
Pay attentively, listen intently, and take action.

Empathetic marketing's impact

Empathy and listening have a lot of power and magic for brand leaders and brands that wish to lead. The moment is more than suitable for it, especially with today's marketing tools and video technologies.

When you respond to your customer's need to be heard and understood, I guarantee you won't want to go back to the old way. We can develop a long-term competitive edge by emotionally connecting with customers and giving them what they desire. As a result, sales and revenue will rise.

To shift from a company-centric (how do I obtain what I want) to a customer-centric perspective, start with your empathy (how do I help them get what they want). The ideal marketing and selling make you feel like you're assisting others. Understanding a customer's wants, demands, and grievances will help your marketing campaigns stand out from competing organizations.

Marketing success means establishing a connection between the brand and the consumer through empathy.

The old ways of marketing were about creating an urgency around the message that was based in a static, fear-based mentality (think infomercials and commercials). This creates fake urgency. Instead, adjust to the tone of today by being more positive and inspirational. Talk to your customers from a place of truly caring about where they're currently at in their journey – and then you connect with them from a place of authenticity.

A Data-Driven Approach Can Be Limiting.

Of course, insight and data into how content is performing is essential to inform your content strategy. But today, customers make buying decisions based on conscious and unconscious beliefs – and often the data doesn't reveal the rollercoaster ride of emotions and insights that are at their fingertips.

The best content speaks to your audience in a way that's human and accessible. It illuminates hidden desires that they didn't know they had (and data-driven marketing often doesn't know this either!)

Empathy drives conversations, which inspires long-term connections and customers.

Contact us to learn more about how we can help with your empathy-marketing needs.

November 23, 2021 0 comment

Blog Podcast

Internet Mysticism Fuels Content Marketing

Whoa, let’s take a step back because a weird idea just dropped in this article's headline and I’m not sure if you’re 1) an intellectual 2) a spiritual 3) a combination of both (waves hand awkwardly and then remembers that I’m “spiritual” so I need not care).

For the purpose of this article, I’m going to use the intellectual side of my brain to psycho-analyze why the spiritual side of my mind (the illogical) sometimes runs my so-called-life (Jared Leto is my co-star).

Thanks, Jared. Love your enthusiasm!

What is mysticism?

According to Wikipedia, mysticism refers to the attainment of insight in ultimate or hidden truths, and to human transformation supported by various practices and experiences. According to Oxford Dictionaries, mysticism is “spiritual apprehension of knowledge inaccessible to the intellect, that may be attained through contemplation and self-surrender.”

In other words, mysticism is the story we tell ourselves so that we are ok with veering into the deep end of an otherwise illogical or irrational belief. When we have mystical experiences that support our interpretation of life, we form an identity and attachment to these experiences. In turn, we can continue the thrill of the experience — no matter how “illogical” or “irrational” it may seem to others.

In Neil Postman’s book, Amusing Ourselves to Death, he details the dangers of passively receiving information instead of critically engaging with it. He writes,

“A world where now this event, now that, pops into view for a moment, then vanishes again. It is a world without much coherence or sense; a world that does not ask us, indeed, does not permit us to do anything; a world that is, like the child’s game of peek-a-boo, entirely self-contained…also endlessly entertaining.”

I can’t help but think of all of the instahelp and internet memes that we passively consume.

Hey, don’t get me wrong: I love coming across inspiration on Instagram and I’m just as guilty as any #spiritualwarrier of consuming and creating them. But I’m also a Gemini so I see both sides to everything. In a world where data and logic have so much power, the rabbit holes are my version of Fantasy Football (only Alice and Dorothy are on my team).

Rabbit holes are how I make myself feel superior to the ignorant masses. Plus, it allows me to make sense of a world gone mad. According to this article in aeon.com, conspiracy theories help us to feel unique (especially if you believe in reptile people).

In the book Becoming Supernatural by Joe Dispenza, science and research prove that beliefs actually change our brain waves.

“If the person doesn’t analyze the information they are being exposed to, they are likely to accept, believe and surrender to it because there’s no analytical filter.”

Most interesting is the fact that Dispenza uses science and research to prove that beliefs actually change our brain waves. He writes, “As brain waves slow down, you leave the domain of the conscious mind and enter the realm of the subconscious mind.”

So, here I am, a smug intellectual who is not entirely okay with the confirmation bias that exists in my conscious mind. Yet I'm still skeptical of my unconscious mind.

Is it more dangerous to passively consume information or to simply let go? Can I truly exist in the experience of a belief (without psychoanalyzing it as I’m doing here)?

Do I trust myself to make the leap into the unknown? Should we, as a society, trust ourselves to fully get out of our heads and into our aligned, wild hearts?

The problem is that if I get too much into my head, it bifurcates the very process. However, according to all of the researchers, neuroscientists, and authors (whom I’m interviewing for Season 4 of my podcast), the latter is the way to go — it’s better to go “beyond the mind” even if it makes you seem illogical or mystical.

Dispenza argues that to evolve, we need to develop more consciousness, compassion, understanding, patience and humility rather than react to circumstances that we can't always control. Which begs the question: Are we ever in control? (And if not, I better research both sides to make sure I retain utmost control).

“I never allow myself to have an opinion on anything that I don’t know the other side’s argument better than they do.” — Charlie Munger

Munger’s quote above is my logical reasoning for exploring the various rabbit holes. Here are some other reasons why I let my heart guide my process:

It takes me away from logic (that’s the fun of it — and often, the very point!)
It makes me feel connected to something bigger than myself (like the planets!) After all, what’s bigger than the planets besides, well, the multiverse?
It helps me to find an online tribe of fellow believers.

But then, the pendulum inside my brain swings from one side (the spiritual) to the other (the analytical) and I can’t help but laugh at myself. Look no further than the concept of mercury in retrograde.

My friend and colleague Satyen Raja (whom I interviewed here on my podcast, The Art of Humanity) believes:

I don’t think the Planets and Stars are planning and adjusting their focus and plans based on how we as humans are moving about our day.

If you believe in astrology (cough, cough guilty), his “real talk” may be a real trigger. After all, how else can we explain the chaos of the Universe?

Now, let’s go back to the original thesis of this article, the idea that internet mysticism runs content marketing. In the digital world, content marketing is often used by businesses to: Attract attention, generate leads, expand a customer base, and increase online sales.

So why the bleep does something so illogical (like astrology and internet mysticism) run something that’s seen as so logical like content marketing?

You can’t reason with an emotional story by offering pertinent facts (please, don’t ever be this person).
The only way you can fight a story based on emotions is by offering a better story.

Think of mysticism and content marketing like a surfer on a wave:

Content is the surfboard. It’s stable and has a purpose.
Mysticism is the surfer. The surfer’s beliefs can change while riding the wave, veering from self-doubt to confidence depending on the idea (or the wave).
The marketing of the content is the wave. It can be a tidal wave or a baby wave. Either way, the wave creates a momentum of belief.

surfing in Costa Rica. Don’t I look mystical? #sarcasm

In a way, mysticism is a rebellion against logic and reason. It exists on the foundation of emotion.

Take, for example, this Instagram post that I stumbled on a few years ago. It's wrapped up in the perfect “heroine's journey” arc:

This speaks directly to me, and many of my entrepreneurial friends and colleagues. We seek clarity and meaning as we struggle with identity in a conventional world.

As a rebel, it's reassuring to know that a higher purpose exists. Hell, I no longer want to fit in. I'm simply not designed to, and this quote makes me okay with not only being an outcast – but of experientially living and breathing the next phase of consciousness (and writing about it as I go!)

But this is where the world of mysticism and evolving our consciousness gets tricky.

For better or worse, this particular belief system and subculture of the Internet is becoming mass-produced and monetized. For example, Sephora will start selling entry-level witch kits in October. As someone who does yoga and meditation, I can’t help but see myself as someone who would want something like this (but only if my Sephora Rouge status would send me this kit for free, preferably with the checkout code WITCHHUNT2018).

Witchcraft may have a negative connotation for those who don't follow the trends and culture of the Internet. But if you're a liberal millennial, it may be your religion. It celebrates the idea of the Divine Feminine which according to bustle.com uses:

creation, intuition, community, sensuality (felt sense rather than thinking sense), and collaboration.”

Some like to call this movement “post-truth.” But I believe it’s more post-modernist —where we have a general suspicion of reason; and an acute sensitivity to the role of ideology in asserting and maintaining political and economic power.

Post-modernism captures the zeitgeist of internet culture today.

Postmodernists believe that the West’s claims of freedom and prosperity continue to be nothing more than empty promises and have not met the needs of humanity. They believe that truth is relative and it's up to each individual to determine for himself or herself.

Mysticism is a way to redefine our Truth using story + emotion.

A poem by Shannon L. Alder illustrates this concept:

Read it with sorrow and you will feel hate.
Read it with anger and you will feel vengeful.
Read it with paranoia and you will feel confusion.
Read it with empathy and you will feel compassion.
Read it with love and you will feel flattery.
Read it with hope and you will feel positive.
Read it with humor and you will feel joy.
Read it without bias and you will feel peace.
Do not read it at all and you will not feel a thing.

Mysticism is watching the magic of our lives unfold in real-time.

If you move through life with positive emotions like gratitude and bliss – your life becomes better than anything on television.

In other words, it's storytelling at its finest.

Let me explain this with the logical mind: When the emotional significance of a belief outweighs the emotional significance of being “rational”, you cannot bring reason into the mind (no matter how much logic is valued).

So, what does this mean for the modern marketer who is a part skeptic and part storyteller?

In a world where truth is relative, how can we transcend beyond the logic in our heads to reveal the next layer of our humanity? How can we go deeper into our wild hearts with abandon? And how do the emotions behind the content that we create and consume influence our perception of reality?

Successful content marketing involves fusing mysticism, memes, and GIFs to reach your customers. You don't always need to reach your customers through rational thought (e.g., traditional advertising). You can do it the modern way which includes mysticism and New Thought.

Let's talk content marketing and all the things mysticism.

September 3, 2021 0 comment

Blog

7 Things I Learned in 2020

At the beginning of each year, I look back on the previous year to see what worked, what didn’t, and what I can take from all of my experiences to make the most of the present. This process helps to hold me accountable so that I can more fully show up in my life and business.

I don't rush into the “new year, new year” BS. The Gregorian calendar is out of sync with nature's rhythms and is part of the Matrix control system, keeping human consciousness trapped – but more on this in another post!

Intentions are how I choose to live and set them with distinct words each year in place of a “resolution.” These words guide my choices and actions for the upcoming year. My hope is that these lessons learned are also helpful to you.

Here are my words for the past decade:

2011: Creativity, Connection, Mindfulness.

2012: Mindfulness, Spontaneity, Simplicity.

2013: Build. Track. Focus.

2014: Free. Alive. Expand (along with the 10 things I learned in 2014).

2015: Grace.

2016: 8 Things I learned in 2016

2017: Rebirth (along with 6 Things I Learned in 2017).

2018: Curiosity and Efficiency (along with the 11 Things I Learned in 2018 and the 50 Books I Read in 2018)

2019: Joy (along with 7 Things I Learned in 2019 and the 11 Books I read in 2019)

2020: Purity and Light (and the 30 Books I Read)

Here are the 7 Things I Learned in 2020:

1. External chaos is the manifestation of internal chaos.

At the beginning of this year, I watched the movie Annihilation with Natalie Portman. This movie has stayed with me since I first saw it almost a year ago. It is symbolic for what was to transpire in 2020 and I experienced a bit of a meltdown after watching it (now I see that it was a foreshadowing). The movie tackles depression, grief, and the human propensity for self-destruction. Here is an IG Live about the symbolism of this movie back in the oh-so-innocent time of February 2020.

Our world's current state is a symbol for a much deeper infection, the virus of the mind. It literally cultivates and feeds on fear and separation. But synchronicities can snap us out of the collective spell of hypnosis and helplessness. The more you are tuned into the synchronistic matrix that's informing the Universe, the more it manifests in a feedback loop that'll wake you up instead of keeping you asleep. I interviewed Paul Levy about this h ere.

As Krishnamurti once said, “It is no measure of health to be well-adjusted to a profoundly sick society.” 2020 has opened our eyes to the injustice and sickness that pervades society. It is only through the deep inner work that we can recalibrate our planet and uplift its frequency.

Healing yourself heals the world and creates a better society (I discuss this topic in-depth with Jim Rutt here).

2. I'm fascinated with how fascinated I am with how much I don't know what I don't know.

There’s always a deeper layer to the simulation that has yet to be revealed. like Oz behind the curtain, things are different than what we are told. ⁣⁣

We repeat cliches and “facts” in a somnambulistic state thinking we are “smart” or “awake” while living in a dream within a dream, a mechanical slumber.⁣⁣

⁣⁣Our ontology (sense of reality), ideology (sense of what a good society is) and sense of self (the social construction of an ego) are all Being challenged. Without gripping onto who you think you Are, can you Listen and look deeper? ⁣

2020 has invited me to contemplate: Can you protect the boundaries of your symbolic universe without telling others how to live? ⁣⁣

Western and Eastern Esotericism has taught, both subtly and obviously, that our bodies, planet, solar system, and universe are essentially circuits. ALL studies point to this “old” knowledge becoming more and more true in the world we now live in. But Western medicine doesn't want us to know.

In my most popular interview of 2020, I interviewed Dr. Jack Kruse on optimal health and why we need to be careful who packs our parachute.

3. Podcasting is a Path to Awakening

I realize I'm presenting a lot of uncomfortable Truths. It doesn't mean that I see darkness everywhere. It means that the Light can only win when it integrates with the dark portions of Itself.

Transmuting my tears of sadness + loneliness into tears of purity and Light has been my 2020 superpower.

Here I can access a cosmic force beyond logical comprehension. Grace, I finally understand Her as she shows herself to me, raw in the quiet light. ⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣
Over the years, I’ve learned to dance with darkness. I bend backward into its pulsations, feeling it in new ways, adding a different dimension to who and what I Am. thank you, darkness, for the invite to Stay Human. and to practice what I pose. ⁣⁣⁣⁣

I'm all about the Light but if we can't simultaneously see the dark to every situation, we will stay in the one-dimensional, black vs. white timeline. It is a pure timeline but also naive. After all, subconscious intentions are often not known until retrospect. When we become aware of the Light and the Dark, the sacred and the profane, we realize that a reality exists beyond individuals' deliberate actions.

I'm not sure if this reality is coordinated or random, but it seems synchronistic and Beyond this dimension. As a human trying to discern good vs. evil, I don't always have the answers. But as part of my experiential process, I entertain realities outside of my comfort zone. And have learned to stay away from people who think I am arguing every time I try to express myself (mental health 101).

In thi s terrific article, “Let’s Put the Straw Man of Pandemic Denial Out of His Misery” the authors plead:

We must stop labelling every valid disagreement as denial, which tends to censor legitimate differences of opinion.

Social media today seems to have divided us further, perpetuating our differences. And podcasting seems like it's one of the rare few solutions during these times:

Podcasting is a path to awakening because it broadcasts at a different frequency. ⁣

I have always had the drive to seek out the Truth of myself and of the world. But it wasn’t until I started my podcast and mentoring other podcasters in my program that I could *finally* access a Truth not based in opinion or fear⁣⁣.

I share more about Podcasting as a Path to Awakening on my student's podcasts:

• Going Conscious with Nikki Trott

• BEING with Patrick Cooke and

• the Wisdom of the Body with Heather Grzych
⁣

I also moderate a panel on Clubhouse on this topic every Wednesday at 1pm PST. Follow me there: @beingishuman.

Shout out the podcasters who are having uncomfortable conversations with nuance, planting the seeds of awareness from fertile soil. ⁣⁣Here’s to the podcasters who are reframing the narrative. Here’s to the Light broadcasting to the tune of a higher love.

4. The Matrix was a documentary.

After working inside the belly of the beast in Washington, DC for a decade, I have let go a lot of the ego that tied me to the “news junky” identity. It's no secret that most of it is a facade designed to keep humanity at a lower frequency. And I am now seeing my naivety through a new lens.

Predictive programming is happening on a deep level. The disorienting thing is that it's been right in front of our eyes all along. Hollywood is mind control/predictive programming and the media perpetuates it with propaganda.

Collectively we all need to Be like Neo, embracing the deep sense of thrill that comes as we progressively face our demons and do shadow work.

It’s not easy.

“Discover yourself; otherwise you have to depend on other people's opinions who don't know themselves.” – Osho

There are some uncomfortable truths that we are now waking up to and believe me…I've wanted to look away many times.

Most of humanity is suffering from “perpetual people pleaser” syndrome. ⁣⁣
⁣
The Truth is that people can only meet you as deeply as they have met themselves. ⁣⁣
⁣⁣
But when you do The Work, you start to live in a different energetic vibration. From this octave, you learn to respect your rhythms and your inner landscape. You learn to set boundaries and find personal sovereignty. ⁣
⁣
From Here, a beautiful Higher Consciousness shines through.

Red pill, anyone? 💊

5. Science without philosophy is dangerous.

According to Haluk Berkmen, former Retired Professor of Physics, science and philosophy were intertwined and indistinguishable many years ago. This is why you are accepted as being an expert in the field when you get a PhD. PhD means “Philosophy Doctor.” Philosophy is not entertainment, it is a serious investigation of social as well as human values and a pursuit of wisdom. It tries to elaborate on the subjects of aesthetics, ethics, epistemology and ontology.

However, today it's no secret that scientists will deny what they see if it conflicts with their reasoning. And if you stand outside the status quo in your thinking, you are canceled.

2020 is asking us to bridge both worlds: science and philosophy.

Science without unconditional love and light is blind.

Philosophy without unconditional love and consciousness is empty.

People centuries from now will look back at 21st century societies and wonder how we could ever be so stupid.

But there's hope…

In the study of consciousness, there's a theory known as “panpsychism” Panpsychism sounds crazy but it's also most probably right: It is the theory that posits that consciousness is not confined to biological entities but is a fundamental feature of all physical matter—from subatomic particles to the human brain. In Galileo's Error, author Philip Goff provides the first step on a new path to the final theory of human consciousness. In one of the most-read stories in Scientific American in 2020, Philip Goff explains this concept in-detail and we discuss it in our episode here.

As humans, we evolve through a series of stages. This matters for the happiness and survival of us all.

6. Much of what we’re seeing in our collective “reality” is stored trauma presenting our shadows, waiting to be recognized and healed.

We are a culture built on years of trauma. And there’s no amount of “marketing” that will heal this. We need to become inside-out brands: brands who have compassion and empathy baked into their business model. Brands who can show up and do the difficult work of creating personal art will thrive.
⁣⁣
“Success” in marketing is not about sales funnels or targeted ads or an influencer promoting your product (even though my company does all of the above 🙋‍♀️ ) ⁣⁣
⁣⁣
Humanizing your brand is about alignment with your core values, finding your frequency, and communicating from this space of authenticity. ⁣⁣
⁣⁣
It’s 100% an inside job. ⁣⁣

Just as we are Being led to purge unconscious behavior and let go of false levels of comfort in our personal lives, it's happening in the business worlds too.⁣⁣ ⁣This is the greatest hour: We are being asked to anchor as a zero point field for the well-being of All. This new strength is Being released right now onto Earth, I feel it radiating through me every moment of the day. ⁣⁣⁣⁣It’s Here to heal, renew, and bring greater clarity for the days ahead. I wrote a poem about this here.

7. Being is our Birthright.

Mystical experiences have been pretty much denied and treated as irrelevant in our cult-ure. But we are now recognizing a part of our being that we had never known before, something deep within us that's not separated from the universe. So much of our behavior has been based on the desire to alleviate the pain from our own separateness. In a world that tells you to Do, Do, Do…I am deeply humbled when I just allow myself to “Be” and receive. I am open to more. I surrender and embrace all of it as it is. I'm no longer trying to move everything at once. I am allowing the current to take me and let the ocean carry me.

The state of Being beckons when I’m barefaced in nature with my hair in a high-bun. Not having looked in the mirror all day, I glimpse something immutable, something that Is Beyond. A luminous intimation. A sacred access into the mystery of our history.⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣
Truth is Here at every turning point, under the skin we’re in. When we real eyes that Being is Human. and Divinity looks different ⁣⁣on everyone. ⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣
Just as a spiral staircase rises in the forest in the presence of fauna, we can cultivate creative tension expressing another dimension. As we bask in Eternity Beyond what we see.

And with that, I end on my words for 2021:

Trust, Community and Magick

Thank you for reading and Being along with me on this journey!

Subscribe to my musings here.
⁣⁣

January 20, 2021 0 comment

Blog

Does Your Content Spark Joy?

Marie Kondo’s catchphrase is prescient when it comes to our physical objects. But “sparking joy” takes on new meaning when it comes to the content that we create. In a world where materialism and consumption dominate our existence, a new lens is necessary to pierce through the static of our programmed lives.

“Spark joy” is nothing new — it’s simply a new lens (the old lens on life is obviously in the trash).

The media feeds us new catchphrases. But it’s all the same concepts, distilled through entertainment that facilitate cultural programming. This type of “infotainment” is designed to make us think we’re in control.

But too often we’re merely changing the channel on an endless “reality tunnel” or simulation of what you see to be Truth.

You can stop reading now if these thoughts don’t “spark joy.”

Perception creates our reality. If we don’t question our perception, we’re fed algorithms that get more delicious and convenient as time goes on. Time passes, and sooner or later we don’t even realize that we’re chewing on cardboard, wondering where all of our nutrients went.

It’s time for a new way to move through the world based on an inner Operating System that allows us to peel back the layers of our preprogrammed selves.

Content sparks joy when we create from an embodied place. And I’m not referring to the digital platitudes of posts, eBooks and white papers. Giving your customers what they want should always spark joy, especially when it’s content that truly connects with your customers.

But it’s no longer enough.

Our culture benefits greatly from people staying disconnected from their deepest inner truths.

We’re being called to awaken and to awaken deeper. We’re collectively giving birth to a new way of being — and when we create content from this new frequency and identity, we can evolve into higher versions of ourselves.

Creative thinking is not the act of “inventing” something but rather consists of thinking in an unprogrammed way.” — John Baines, The Stellar Man

Much of the Kim Kardashian-style content of today runs on a program, fueled by narcissism and ego-driven metrics. Algorithms further perpetuate these falsities.

Even if you’re not into “mainstream” culture, the counterculturalism on the other end of the spectrum is not much better. According to this article in The Atlantic, conspiracy theories work so well on Youtube because the conspiratorial mindset is threaded through the social fabric of the platform.

The medium is still the message.

In 1964, Marshall McLuhan theorized that the characteristics of the medium itself influence the audience more than the content. Content creators and marketers cannot merely distribute cookie-cutter content and hope it gets traction. In a media-saturated world, we need to understand how the audience consumes information and factor in how they’ll react to the content based on the platform itself.

But it’s not only done through logic.

According to media scholar Taina Bucher, understanding how algorithms make people feel is crucial if we want to understand their social power. Her research develops the notion of the algorithmic imaginary, which argues that how we think about the function of algorithms, not only produces different moods but also acts as a feedback loop for the Facebook algorithm itself.

This begs the only question: How do we break out of the simulation?

Technology enables and informs our choices. But how do we know if we’re blindly doing whatever our technology is telling us to do?

If we rip out the script, we’ll need to replace it with something.

That something is Truth.

We don’t need to destroy technology. But we do need to become aware of how we’re running our programs.

“Marketing used to be about creating a myth and telling. Now it’s now about finding a truth and sharing it.” Marc Mathieu

Marketers today need to not only be great thinkers but Awakened Beings. We need to not only possess keen intellect but possess elevated states of consciousness.

This means that we can’t simply be in love with the concept of Truth. We need to exist as its embodied essence through deep presence. When we integrate modern marketing with human potential practices, we can consider our customers from a spiritual perspective and as a whole person — body, mind, spirit and emotion.

Content sparks Joy when we question our perception.

When we align with the Truth of our essence, we’ll have more presence. And we’ll feel more connection with our humanity because our programs aren’t running on an old script.

Not all of our content needs to spark Joy (we’ll leave that to the unicorn memes).

But content should spark surprise, which in turn, elicits a narrative that unfolds over time.

This is a draft passage from my next book: Myth, Meaning and Marketing: How Content Creates Reality, available for pre-order soon!

February 24, 2019 0 comment

Newer Posts

Older Posts