| Always do right; this will gratify some people and | | | | When I returned from the fishing trip, I kept |
| astonish the rest. | | | | waking up at about 3 a.m. and wasn't able to get |
| --Mark Twain | | | | back to sleep. I could feel an idea trying to come |
| The moment of truth, the sudden emergence of | | | | to life inside me, but I couldn't identify it. After a |
| an insight, is an act of intuition. Such intuitions give | | | | few such nights, I began to spend these sleepless |
| the appearance of miraculous flashes, or | | | | hours in prayer. |
| short-circuits of reasoning. | | | | Weeks passed, and I was getting pretty foggy |
| --Arthur Koestler | | | | and tired even though meditation is supposed to |
| Many people look into learning to meditate so | | | | help with concentration and alertness. I wondered |
| they can enjoy more peace. Others hope for | | | | if I had somehow overdone the meditation. |
| greater clarity of thinking. Still others are hoping | | | | Then, one morning at around 3:45 a.m., I felt a |
| for spiritual gains. | | | | warm presence fill the room. In response, my |
| Having been active in meditating for 13 years, I | | | | body temperature seemed to rise and I felt |
| think it's fair to say that meditation will take you | | | | deliriously happy. |
| to unexpected results. If you are ready for that | | | | A voice that I didn't recognize filled my mind and |
| kind of exploration, you should learn to meditate. | | | | told me in tones that were more resonant and |
| If not, perhaps you should just stay as you are. | | | | powerful than James Earl Jones on his best day |
| Here's my experience: | | | | that I should hold a meeting for all of my clients |
| At the start of 1995, I began studying and | | | | to celebrate and share their greatest |
| practicing Transcendental Meditation. Pleased with | | | | accomplishments on the autumnal equinox. At the |
| the results I felt in terms of increased calmness | | | | end of the meeting, I should announce that I |
| and mental clarity, I encouraged my wife to do | | | | would be starting a 20 year project to find ways |
| the same. She, too, was pleased with her | | | | for the whole world to make 400 years of |
| experience. | | | | normal progress in only 20 years, beginning in |
| We decided we wanted to go even deeper into | | | | 2015 and finishing in 2035. For the next few |
| this discipline and devoted much of our spare time | | | | weeks, I could think of little else. |
| over the spring and summer to taking an | | | | What had happened? I prayed over the |
| advanced program to learn, among other things, | | | | experience quite a bit and concluded that God had |
| levitation. I had visions of floating around in the air | | | | sent me a message. Why me? I have no idea. |
| 30 feet off the ground; it was exciting to | | | | Maybe He couldn't find anyone else crazy enough |
| contemplate. | | | | to take on such an impossible task. I certainly felt |
| The reality was quite different from my | | | | that only God would know how to do it. |
| daydreams. We actually learned to hop in the | | | | Why that timeframe? I don't know, but it later |
| lotus position. A typical hop was a few inches off | | | | occurred to me as I wrote this book that the |
| the ground. Fortunately, all this hopping provided | | | | 2000th anniversary of Jesus' resurrection would |
| other mental benefits. | | | | occur during 2015-2035. Perhaps that was an |
| Our instructors kept emphasizing that this discipline | | | | important connection. But who knows except |
| was independent of our religious beliefs. I began to | | | | God? |
| realize why they repeated this point so often: | | | | How would I pursue this project? I had no idea, |
| With more meditation, my thoughts were | | | | not even a clue. All I knew was that I was |
| increasingly focused on spiritual matters. My | | | | supposed to make this announcement at the |
| prayer life was enriched as well as my Bible study. | | | | autumnal equinox . . . and I did. The rest of just |
| At the end of this training, I immediately flew off | | | | amazing history. |
| (by plane) for salmon fishing in Labrador with one | | | | I suspect that you, too, should expect the |
| of my CEO clients. I spent many hours pleasantly | | | | unexpected from mediating. I hope my |
| casting my line in the virtual solitude of the | | | | experience will inspire and encourage you to |
| wilderness on a sparkling river. I didn't care if I | | | | explore new territory through this inner-directed |
| caught any fish. The experience was like a | | | | experience. |
| week-long meditation. | | | | |