Browse published articles attributed to Ron Archer, with full-archive search.
"Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it." -Henry David Thoreau (1817 - 1862) This year I decided to get serious about my goals.
"The most precious gift we can offer others is our presence. When mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers." -Thich Nhat Hanh It's Saturday morning and I just completed my "weekly review." For those not familiar with the popular "Getting Things Done" book and methodolgy, the weekly review is part of an overall system for managing projects and tasks. David Allen, who created this system, also practices karate.
"There are two tragedies in life. One is not to get your heart's desire. The other is to get it." -George Be ard Shaw
"Formerly, when religion was strong and science weak, men mistook magic for medicine; now, when science is strong and religion weak, men mistake medicine for magic." -Thomas Szasz This morning I made an appointment with my physician for my yearly physical. Okay, well sort of yearly.
"The best way to predict the future is to invent it." -Alan Kay It would be difficult to talk about this new moon without talking about Egypt and the revolution that's happening there. Why? Because this new moon is in Aquarius, the sign of brotherhood, humanitarian efforts, and egalitarian ideals. The four planets (plus Chiron) that are in Aquarius now are emphasizing these energies. More on the astrology of the new moon below.
"Talent hits a target no one else can hit; Genius hits a target no one else can see." Arthur Schopenhauer (1788 - 1860) The New Moon and Business
"Faith may be defined briefly as an illogical belief in the occurrence of the improbable." -H. L. Mencken Faith is a funny thing. It basically means "to trust." And trust denotes an element of action- either I trust that you will do something, or my trust in you/the system/God/etc.
"Men make history, and not the other way around. In periods where there is no leadership, society stands still.
"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." -Anais Nin The Wizard of Oz is one of the most beloved movies of all time. I won't summarize the whole plot (who hasn't seen it?) as I'm sure you'll remember from the movie that Dorothy has three companions- the scarecrow, the tin man, and the cowardly lion.
"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. Security does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than exposure." -Helen Keller
"Let us be grateful to people who make us happy: They are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom." -Marcel Proust (1871 - 1922) A few months ago a friend gave me a small African Violet when he came over for a dinner party. It was very sweet and a thoughtful change from the usual bottle of $5 wine most guests offer. African Violets are delicate- they require indirect sunlight and should be watered carefully and only when the soil is almost dry.
The January New Moon in Capricorn: Plan Your Work and Work Your Plan "A goal without a plan is just a wish." -Antoine de Saint-Exupery
"If we don't change direction soon, we'll end up where we're going." Professor Irwin Corey
"There is a fullness of all things, even of sleep and love." -Homer (800 BC - 700 BC) Over the past four weeks since the last new moon in Aries, we may have had the opportunity to plant something new in our lives. And like any thing that we want to grow, it's important to remember that a seedling needs constant attention.
"Thinking is the talking of the soul with itself." -Plato (427 BC - 347 BC)
"Truly successful decision making relies on a balance between deliberate and instinctive thinking." -Malcolm Gladwell
Have you ever been lost? Did you wish you had a map or GPS available? Maps and GPS are pretty cool. They get us from point A to point B. They place us high above the earth and give us perspective. And maps can show alte ate routes, points of interest, and the terrain we’re likely to encounter.
We live in interesting times. The Arab Spring. The Tea Party. Occupy Wall Street... not to mention the choices, challenges, and changes that each of us has to deal with individually on a daily basis. I know for myself there are times when I'd like life to just slow down a bit. But time marches on.
"The person who makes a success of living is the one who see his goal steadily and aims for it unswervingly. That is dedication." -Cecil B. DeMille
Addiction is not about placating the bad dog – it’s about feeding the good dog. You still have to feed the bad dog, but only enough so that the ASPCA doesn’t bring you up on charges.” -Robert Downey Jr. Astrology is a beautifully symbolic language, reflecting back to us the magical cycles of life that surround and sustain us. In agrarian cultures, springtime (Aries) is when the ground is plowed and new seeds are sown. It’s the beginning: a time of hope, planning, and planting.