While paradigm, simply put is just “a way of thinking”…of “perceiving” our world.

I am not “original” in using the term “new paradigm”…It is not a “made from Scratch…original thought.

I believe I came across it from Deepak Chopra’s material…in fact to verify…I scanned the many books of his that I have and I found reference to the term “new paradigm” in his book “Ageless Body, Timeless mind”. So, there is one such credit I give to Deepak. Another “guru” of thought on transformative living would have to include Steven Covey (most famous for “seven habits of effective people). He is far more influential that what is contained in his books, tapes and seminars. He helped launch success coaching (and management coaching) to a new level. He also has “offspring” who are extending his work. There is a “movement” of sorts…that goes “beyond” the seminar. Much of his “practice” is being done in churches, faith communities, community service groups and organizations. It will be the “corporate culture” movement that continues to grow…bigger than life…and that is where I wish to go with this.

This is so much about “culture”, “group think” and the context of cognitive dissonance theory (and critical social theories inclusive of and HUGELY important…critical discourse analysis as a research methodolgy)…that we need to ” go there” next.

Do we discuss culture first…or group think (the cultures paradigm)…or tackle “cognitve dissonance theory.

Cognitive Dissonance theory must come first for you to come to an understanding of “enlightenment”.

Before we can be “enlightened beings” we first must become “emancipated”. Before we become “emancipated” from our own false assumptions, we must become more educated (begin to open to my truth…while examining your truth).

When I refer to “my truth”…it is just the easy reference to the truth of ” the other”. The “other” is an ever expansive term, that includes…the other gender…the other generation…the other country…race…religion or spiritual orientation. Yes, this is HUGE…much education is required…many teachers…many sources of…”the other truth”.

Further…during your on-going, life-long-learning commitment necessary will be…the exercises necessary to move some of that stubborn, self-centred thought out of your head…and away from any point of further influence. If you are biased…or predjudiced against any group…or person…you have lots of work to do.

You will often have to “engage” the other…or the written material…and one must try to “wear the other’s moccasins” . How can we expand our thinking…change our paradigm…how will we get “beyond” the box…the confines of our own limited experiences….without exploring…their world…”experience” their life, their truth as your own.

So recap…true empowerment comes through enlightenment. Enlightenment comes through “emancipating mind, body and spirit” from old paradigms…this comes through the education process. Education…must be a “lived experience”…and inclusive of “living…breathing in…the others truth, exercising all the biases and assumptions out of the equation, and exploring “beyond” your “consciousness of today” to experience the enrichment and enhancement of all things physical, emotional and spiritual (shifting into a new cultural paradigm) through exploration…of all things that we have come to understand as “Energy”.

Energy: we will come full circle on this expanding concept, only to find out their is something we discover yet…about the context of energy.

I must stop here again…as I cannot begin to share the “lived experiences” for me, the multi-dimensional “worlds” of energy…with out sharing some very sensitive subject matter (you’ll have to wait for the book…it just keeps going deeper…getter better…you will not want to put it down, I think rather arrogantly) I have felt that way about many books I have read. Ishmael…New Earth…Dancing Wu LI Masters…Power versus Force…Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance and Lila…just to name a few.