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Questions (Quotes from Ed in Red)	Answers
Sun, 15 Oct 2006 Sexual Matters Dear Ed, Ed writes on Sep 30: "One of the properties of pornography is the dehumanization of women, the reduction of women to their sexual aspect. Your reference to women as bitches might also tend to dehumanize women." It has to be said, thought I, great!!! Ed writes on Oct 2: "Back Tests may help determine whether or not your system fits you." You see a really clad woman with a huge back really inviting to "test" it. When I saw this I was really cringing! (1) I see a contradiction. This picture and the saying connected to it "invite" guys to treat women as objects. The girls is shown reduced to sexual aspect of this huge back along with an invitation to "Back Tests". You cannot see the face of the women or the head, they are cut off. (2) One of my relatives also did some "back testing" in family by hitting a females back despite being married. I really hated that! (3) Isn't it lovely. There is a woman who really shows their sexuality wearing such really tight trousers and this in red. Perhaps she enjoys being an object of sexual attraction? Or does she just like the reddish color? All in all it was her choice to show up like that. Is she responsible for the consequences or is it the man who is hitting the back? The subtitle beneath the picture indicates that's completely adequate to test this back? I also remember some "goldilocks" ghosting around. She was "testing" the right size. .... somehow also funny :-) ... hoping very much the guys are doing the right back testing after those proposals. I see somebody already putting the pictures on the "back test" computer :-))) working hours and hours instead of back testing the girls :-) Hopefully. PS I really love your jokes! EG "London Symphony Orchestra" or the gorilla in the banana, still laughing my head off.	Thank you for sharing your process. You might consider taking your feelings about objectifying women to your tribe as an entry point. Sometimes We Objectify Men Clip: http://towleroad.typepad.com/photos/ uncategorized/parkershinntank_1.jpg
Sun, 15 Oct 2006 Working Out Parental Issues Dear Ed, I hope you are doing fine. I have to say that I am really pleased with your FAQ. Somebody wrote: The truth is I'm a coward, and I'm ashamed to admit it. I am also a coward and really happy that school and teenage years are over! No need to be in the roller coaster anymore and dying of fear because "everybody" is doing it. In delving in the pleasures of being grown up your books are also a great help. After reading in the book "Emotional Blackmail" written by Susan Forward I managed to talk to my brother about our relationship. It was an urgent need to do it after the "real-time TTP" I had going on the last weeks. The relationship is still not very clear but I feel now much more confident to act out what is on my head and say what I mean. I cannot put it in words, but there is definitely a change. I also had some discussions with my parents and afterwards I was going mad that they are surely going to hate me now till the end of my life. Concerning these turmoils, I am most happy with the book "Toxic Parents". I decided to enjoy the love in the relationship to my parents which is really to enjoy and to get out of the scenery when the weather changes :-) I also get the impression it's not so important any longer to have a satisfying relationship in this life, but seriously working on the idea to have one. The worries that I will never have one are completely gone! Instead I am just working on the tasks at hand among others looking for a relationship to somebody I am interested in. That's a complete change of view after my "real-time TTP" during the last weeks. I am really grateful for your description of TTP and "Rocks" which really forwarded my process. I actually bought a nice flowery file to keep some ideas concerning personal development. It will contain snapshots and diverse material so don't feel forced to post anything :-). Meanwhile, I have to say that I am really enjoying the quotes on self-discovery posted by you on October 4. Best greetings	Thank you for sharing your process.
Sat, 14 Oct 2006 Mirror Neurons Hi Ed, I read this and thought of sending and receiving - especially those circumstances where those NOT sending or receiving spoke of things lifting by just being in the room. The quote, "The most significant finding was the discovery of "mirror neurons," a widely dispersed class of brain cells that operate like neural WiFi. Mirror neurons track the emotional flow, movement and even intentions of the person we are with, and replicate this sensed state in our own brain by stirring in our brain the same areas active in the other person" which may be an explanation of this. The author also wrote Emotional Intelligence.	Yes, people sometimes call the process of tuning in to someone "pacing" or "mirroring."
Sat, 14 Oct 2006 Wants to Remove Feelings Hello Again Ed, Maybe this is my "authority drama" coming out again, but I feel its an important contribution for trend following traders to read. When a system is produced, most prefer a low draw down system ( including me), thus avoiding the discomfort of large draw downs. But there is a costly price to pay for using tight stops, and that is price of missing out on compounding growth percentages. There will always be those outlier stocks that can run up by enormous percentages over long periods, 1000% or more is what I am referring to here. Simple examination of these stocks will generally show large contra trend fluctuations of up to or more than 30-50%, and a tight stop can rarely hold on to these for these outsized gains. The initial trade may be a buy at $1 and it may run to $1.80 before getting stopped out at $1.55. The point is this, and its a very big point. When the stocks stops falling and resumes its uptrend, the trader will more than likely re-enter with the same % risk of his capital, rather than the original trade size, because it would violate the "percent of capital risked per trade" amount. So even if he gets stopped and re-enters many times, following the stock on its 1000% rise, he will get a vastly inferior return than a trader who has held on from the initial $1 entry with a wide stop and one long tern trade. Holding a smaller position with a wider stop loss, can allow these large conter-trend moves without getting stopped out, or breaking risk principles, even if many pyramid entries are needed to get the full risk sized trade in place initially. If initial maximum risk is $1000 with a 50% stop, the trader will only typically be able to buy about 20% of his normal size. So when the stock rises to allow the stop to be raised to reduce initial risk to $500, then he may add another $500 risk to his trade, and keep doing this until he achieves his correct full size position. Then the trade can see huge percentage returns on these outlier trades, and still do it without violating his risk rules. The price to pay for this is just a higher average entry price from multiple entries, and higher potential draw downs AFTER a large gain has already been achieved. . So, in a nutshell: Ascertain the amount in percent that a stock has fallen within its uptrend, and decide how many percent it can fall before you consider the uptrend to be broken, and place your stop a little wider than that, measured down from the most recent high. Using this tack, you can enter on a new high, or during a rise out of one of the dips. The stop is not raised until a new high is made, or else this would violate the principles. I feel this is a worthy exchange. To remove all feelings of living my authority drama, I will add this proverb thus ridiculing myself. A fool thinks he can teach others, what he himself has just been learning ...	Systems and Rules seldom provide a cure for feelings. If you dislike the feelings you have during drawdowns or the feelings of following rules, you might consider taking them to the hot seat. Before You Remove Something you might first consider its positive intention. Clip: http://www.therapies.com/surgery/jossurg1.jpg
Sat, 14 Oct 2006 How to Remove Drama Hello Ed, Hope you are doing well, and sorry for not posting anything for a while. As you may remember, I haven't had much luck with the trading tribe, but recently a good friend of mine has been going to gamblers anonymous, and was telling me about the methods they use. I found it interesting that the process they use to help addicted gamblers is more or less the same as your TTP method. They simply take turns to tell the group their experiences while to others listen and one receiver asks appropriate questions. The stories were incredible, and some problems were just horrific. One gambler had stolen £50,000 from his partners joint business account and blown the lot at the casino, and was fearing the backlash after his partner discovered his actions. Another had lost his wife and family due to online poker, causing him to urinate down his leg (without removing trousers) while waiting for the next card to come, instead of going to the toilet! His house stunk so much that the family left him, and of course he lost most of his money. My friend's problem was bad, but not as bad a those above, and he said it helps him to stop, and explained that the meeting coordinator told him, "We don't know why this works, but it does" As it happened, my friend turned out to be an excellent receiver and we did some sessions, with me listening to his gambling problem, and him listening to my trading problems. He seemed to be able to hold the subject very well, and maintain focus on the key roots of these problems. I realized a few things, which I actually didn't like much about myself. This time there wasn't actually an "aha" moment, but it was more like a kind of unhappy realization of some deep character imperfections that I have stored up over my lifetime. This "authority drama" you mentioned before has more to it than the first sessions showed. I realized that when I was a child, I didn't get the "right kind of attention from my parents" meaning, I felt I was different from the rest of my family ( I still do) and this led to creation of "dramas" to get the attention I wanted. If I was just being myself, I didn't fit in very well, and being the youngest, I was often criticized. It wasn't until later in life that I met people similar to myself who I could identify with, and also parents of my other friends proved very solid in their understanding of me. This helped me a lot to validate the importance of my own character, gave me self belief, which before was always suppressed by my family who appeared to want to change me in some way. I realized it wasn't any fault with me, but just some differences between my family and myself. In spite of this, the drama is still there in some ways, and these are the examples. I sometimes prefer to be absorbed in programming, improving my already excellent system instead of using it to make money. Trying to improve the ratios, instead of accepting they are already good, and capable of spitting out cash regularly. I often prefer to teach others how to trade, and advise them for free on their own positions, above doing my own trading. I desire to trade others funds for them and make them money, and ask nothing in return. Why? I often feel the need to impress others, who I deem as being "successful business people" , and you will see this in my early correspondence with you! I spend a lot of time thinking about how to teach others, and what I will say to them. I don't actually enjoy this so much, but its like an impulsive thing I just do, even when I have more important things to do for myself. Its kind of "taking me over" sometimes, similar to the "emotional hijacking" referred to in the book Emotional intelligence. I make myself excuses, giving reasons NOT to trade, preferring to prepare other new signals for my system, all of which contain many complex lines of code, thus making this more and more time consuming. Yesterday, I had a good buy signal which looked like a great trade, and I didn't do it, as some feelings of " I cant be bothered with this trade" Came to me. Why did I feel like this? All these things are also affecting my relationships, as I prefer the playboy lifestyle, rather than committing to one lady. I don't enjoy the feeling of being in love, in case the lady can leave me. I am quite happy to chase an impossible woman until I get what I want. Once I have conquered her and she loves me, I reject her. Why do I keep doing this? Making money, is being put into second place behind these above examples. I will do more work on these things next time, to see if I can find how to prevent it, but I would like to hear your comments on this. How can this drama be removed from my personality? How can I resume being a pure trader, instead of a trader / programmer / teacher / mentor? My own trading account is doing well, and has just have reached 15,000% profit from 6 years 8 months work, but most of this was done in the early years, and performance in the last 2 years has been way below my best efforts.	You might consider noticing the feeling that comes up just before you engage the drama. In case you use the drama to "medicate" the feeling, you might be able to dissolve the drama by experiencing the positive intention of the feeling. Sometimes We Use Drama like a drug to make a feeling we don't like go away. Clip: http://www.lifescan.com/images/care/ testsmart/medication.jpg
Thu, 12 Oct 2006 Rock Process Feedback At a recent IV tribe meeting I engage in the rock process. The process manager takes me into memories of childhood, looking for a traumatic charge, where I acquired the rock. I name the rock "surrender", and notice I have surrendered at various times in my life, when there were better options available. I recall a traumatic morning, about age 5, when my father insists I get dressed and go to Sunday school. I am on the floor throwing a tantrum. My father is physically stuffing my arms into my suit coat. My mother is standing nearby, crying. The tribe recreates this scene. I throw a tantrum on the floor. A tribe member physically tries to put a coat on me while I resist. Another tribe member stands by crying. We go through this process several times. The first time, at the end, my "father" hands me the rock of surrender, as I have surrendered to his will to go to Sunday school. The second time, I refuse the rock. The process is physically and emotionally exhausting. Weeks after the meeting, I notice feeling continually disconnected from day-to-day affairs, that I ignore some things that need urgent attention, and don't care. I am in some state where business and family responsibilities don't matter. Somehow my 'motivator' is now uninstalled. I recall feeling this latent tendency at other times, but it is now accentuated as a dominant perception. I notice other tribe members who have been through the rock process in similar states of consciousness. I feel the need to reconstruct some motivator to keep my business and family together. i am enjoying exploring this neutral state. I am too neutral to even be depressed. I am simply neutral, idling. I've stripped the gears. *** At the Davis tribe, we spontaneously engage in the preliminary part of the rock process, identifying a feeling of "I'm not good enough". The process manager finds a small rock and gives it to the hot sitter. He, of course, responds that the rock is not good enough, it's too small. So it is perfect.	Thank your for sharing your process and for your willingness to experiment with this process. We are noticing people who go through the Rocks Process typically experience feelings of disconnection, disorientation and emptiness in response to removal of the toxic rock. These feelings seem to persist until the client installs a healthy rock in its place. We are finding we can uninstall the toxic rock and install a healthy rock all during one session. One of the Signs of Successful Rock Removal is an empty feeling. Clip: http://pbskids.org/lions/words/ images/empty.gif
Tue, 10 Oct 2006 Father Has Cancer Ed, I have carried my “sacrifice” rock around, and I notice occasional rather subtle ‘automatic’ decisions I make that result in me or attempts to result in me sacrificing something (like an object, an experience, an opportunity to get something). I also have a lot of trouble ‘just noticing’ these sacrifices as you initially suggest, sometimes I respond quickly and alter my decision upon such noticing, I do not like my frequent use of automatic sacrificing at all, I now see this ‘over use’ as something that seems to weigh me down from getting on in life. I currently don’t know when or where I receive this heavy rock, but I’ll tell you what I really want to give it back! For the last few days and right now I notice a “stale” feeling, I also notice being more tired in morning, I am experiencing ongoing mental blockage to finding solutions to help overcome hurdles and complete my system, I find it much more difficult to exercise, I am struggling to embrace ways to have fun and everyday tasks feel more of an effort, although I get them done. One personal issue I am experiencing is my father has aggressive prostate cancer (Gleeson 9), over the past 18 months I have provided him with much research on the condition as well as information on therapies and advice that might help him fight the cancer. I discover a Professor in Switzerland who has much success in reducing PSA levels and provides some patients with better health, so much so that they surpass their doctor’s life expectancies, with little sign of weakening to the cancer. Until recently I have been (along with most of the family) trying to influence my father into a 3 week stay in a clinic in Switzerland, in the hope he will respond well to the treatment (which reports of very little side effects). He currently is honoring a “chemo targeting” drug trial (phase 2 trial drug/very early stage trial) that appears to be a dosage test, because this is drug is so new the Doctors they are unclear about its effectiveness to fight cancer. Since being on the trial his PSA which started at 8, the PSA results double at each appointment to check on PSA level, it last stands at 70. When I talk with my father, I notice his responses suggest he has not read the materials I send him, or listened to me when discussing the options with him. I realize that I have my own selfish feeling to have him make all the decisions that make sense to me. I take all this to my last tribe meeting and I am now willing to just support as best I can, be there for him, and walk with him through what ever comes up. Yesterday I spoke with him and he wants me to talk with his Oncologist to discuss my concerns.	Thank you for sharing your process.
Sat, 7 Oct 2006 TTP, Panic and Alcohol Ed, Do you think TTP has a use in helping suffers of panic attacks and alcohol abuse. If I was to explain the process and the person was willing to accept the assistance would this be beneficial, do you have any experience with this? My concern is that these disorders may need more professional help than I am capable of. I welcome your comments.	In TTP, Forms Processing appears effective in rehabilitating emotional expression and alignment of emotions, thoughts and intentions. Occasionally it may also help to clear a light "addictive" pattern. We are currently applying the Rocks Process to deal with deeper issues such as Signature Forms, deep emotional trauma and more intense types of addiction. In all cases, willingness on the part of the client appears essential. Addiction is Sometimes just another way to avoid feelings Clip: http://www.michaelmain.com/addict.jpg
Sat, 7 Oct 2006 Love & Hate Ed, which is the positive intention of anger? I find such a feeling so instinctive, mysterious and masculine. I believe attempts to contain it may lead to drama, such as being abused. I notice in your posts that you might have a judgment about it.	Anger tends to associate with invasion and intends to support protection of boundaries.
Fri, 06 Oct 2006 BF Skinner, Pigeons and TTP An experiment carried out by B.F. Skinner: A number of hungry pigeons were allowed a free run in a laboratory in which, every few minutes at regular intervals, some grains of corn were automatically dispensed by a machine. The next morning it was observed that the pigeons showed very strange behavior; some ran around with their heads held high up in the air, others trailed one wing on the floor while holding up the other, and others made different obsessive movements of one kind or another. What happened was this. The hungry pigeon, in running around the laboratory, makes all sorts of movements; when, quite by accident, some grain is thrown on the floor while it is making one particular movement, it gets the message that because the corn was thrown /after /it made a certain movement, therefore it was thrown /because /it made that movement! The bird is now more likely to make the movement again, in the hope of encouraging more manna from heaven. By pure chance, on each occasion, food will again be thrown on the floor, and the bird will be confirmed in its (entirely erroneous) hypothesis. Thus the probability of its making the movement will increase, until by the morning it will be running around making it all the time! Is this us doing TTP? During the past 16 months of practicing TTP my life has greatly improved; many thanks to you and my tribe members. TTP has been a wonderful tool for me. But would another tool have done the same magic? In programmer's jargon is TTP one of many helpful subclasses of the Ultimate Process?	You might consider finding out if you are in a TTP Skinner Box by trying TTP for awhile with one wing on the floor.
Fri, 6 Oct 2006 Hypnotism My account falls as I misunderstand my first options position I spend two weeks on holiday planning. I read several option specific books and not one of them mentions that non quarterly options are settled against the nearest quarterly future not the same month’s future. Perhaps only quarterly options existed when these ‘definitive’ books were written. This lesson costs me a small fortune, around 70% of my account. I was in quite heavy as it was ‘low risk’ and the required margin for the trade was low which lead me to believe what I was doing was correct and indeed low risk. It seems my broker offsets Oct futures and Oct options which seems mad to me as they are not as pure a hedge as Oct options and Dec futures. For this combo they don’t offset and require additional margin this seems wrong to me as they are eventually to be settled against the same price. I feel when I conquer one mistake (I no longer average losers) there is another lesson that needs to be learnt just around the corner. This frustration wells up inside of me as I feel I’m so far behind I’ll never get ahead, even if I do well from this day on. This of course is not true, it’s just my feelings pump making me feel the frustration I so often ignore as I try to maintain a ‘positive outlook’ (ignore the reality of the now) I wonder where hypnotism fits in and if hypnotism is a good way to access Fred and see why he does what he does? I wonder if Ed has any comments or experiences of hypnosis he’d like to share. My reservation is that unlike TTP, it is not you that is left to interpret what comes out it is some practitioner you are perhaps more passive in the process than in TTP. I enclose a picture that forms the basis of a snapshot I work on. It works like a collage with words and pictures added to it. I look for photos of me and my long term girlfriend looking happy and relaxed to add to it. I’m reluctant to add children as I don’t want to produce an image of what they ‘should’ look like so perhaps a suggestion of children’s paraphernalia might work in its place. I celebrate 8 years with my girlfriend this weekend, all of it’s been great and it gets better everyday. It feels I’ve got this area in hand, perhaps I need to enjoy and appreciate the now before Fred will let me move on to the next level. Thanks for running FAQ's as an outlet for me to share what’s going on to me. If I ever get this house you’ll be on the list for the moving in party.	In TTP, drumming tends to induce a light trance. We use a more intentional form of hypnotism in the Rocks Process. One Characteristic of Trance is a narrowing of focus Clip: http://www.dhyansanjivani.org/ hypnotism/hypno_index.gif
Thu, 5 Oct 2006 Feedback on Rocks Process Hi Ed, As per our conversation I wanted to write you my thoughts on my experience with your work that had happened 3 weeks ago now. Well as you know I have done a lot of personal growth seminars through out the last 20 years and as a Certified Life Coach I had a lot of tools. One day, one of my clients saw me in deep despair about some situations in my life. I knew I couldn't get a clear perspective on it by myself. He then brought me to you. You not only authorized him to bring me to your home but you also opened your wisdom and knowledge and took me back to a place that allowed me on a physical not just mental level to resolve my deeply rooted trauma. Your technique was so powerful that it took couple of days for me to adjust to the new change in me. After that however things started to transform in my life in ways I had not anticipated. I had been looking for solutions outside myself for so long and now that I was finally reconnected to my true self I was generating new people and positive situation in my life. I got some release and clarity. I am not going to say that it was a permanent cure ... but it shifted an imbalance in my life and gave me new tools to create a life I love. I want to thank you for your generosity towards me on that day and I would like to thank [Name, who plays my mother in the Rocks Process] who was a vital instrument in the deliverance of my problem. I wish for you to continue your work for so many people can truly benefit from your knowledge. Blessings,	Thank you for sharing your process.
Thu, 5 Oct 2006 FAQ FAQ's are a Workshop. Aha!	Thank you for noticing.
Thu, 5 Oct 2006 Failure and Fear Ed, I take the hot seat at our TT meeting yesterday evening. At the last meeting, I suggest we start the next meeting with the snapshot process. However, the meeting starts and I still have no snapshot. I take this issue to the hot seat, as I feel it is central to my not resuming real trading despite many hours of positive back-tests, ie. a form of procrastination. I just don't know what it is. I start with the story and my receiver immediately picks ups on a form I start to display. I feel a lot of fear inside and see that I have a great fear of failure. I generate a whole series of forms, some that I judge as really weird, but relentlessly encouraged by my receiver, I express them. I feel there is a vortex of energy at the centre of my being, drilling down into the floor, so I'm standing up spinning in the centre of the room. I start to feel nauseous and giddy and collapse onto the sofa. The vortex becomes like an inner tornado and I am making all sorts of whooshing noises as a gale is raging inside me. I start shouting out "Failure ! Failure ! Failure !" over & over. My receiver says "More, more, louder, louder !" and I really get into it. A feeling in my torso of terrified revulsion towards the possibility of failure is intense, but after a while starts to feel quite pleasant. By now I'm on my feet again, jumping up and down with my arms in the air. The next thing I remember, I'm back n the sofa curled up in a ball, having all sorts of memories about my late mother and one stands out : I remember at the age of 17, during the month of August when one's key exam results arrive by post each morning, one at a time, my mother brings the envelopes to my bedroom and wakes me up to open them. She wants me to get a place at Oxford, where she had won a scholarship many years earlier; for this I need 3 "A" grades, or pretty close. My best is a "B". I feel disappointment, not for myself (I really don't care if I go to Oxford or not - I'd prefer London ... it's the 1970s after all !), but for letting my down my mother, who I adore and I know I am the favorite. My receiver asks how does this feel & I'm on my feet again, jumping up and down, roaring : I am ANGRY. I start stomping the floor, stomping over my mother's dead body (she died last year). I stomp her into the ground. It feels good. Now I shout "Failure, Failure, Failure" and really start to enjoy it. My receiver asks how the idea of failing at trading feels. I feel a shiver of fear across my chest. He asks to show me this form and I'm on the sofa again tensing up, stretching out my legs and tell him I feel a judge in there. I look for the judge, and it all goes quiet inside. Then I visualize a goblin (the judge) with a warty face and pointed nose and chin. I display this goblin-failure-judge form and I'm making all sorts of guttural goblin sounds; I really get into it for while... and then it all calms down. I say "He just wants to be able to do that every now and then" and I feel the positive intention of this fear of failing. To acknowledge that failure is possible and that I must prepare well to succeed. I feel very calm and expanded - and quite exhausted - and I show the goblin form a few more times and enjoy it. I say "Failure!" really loud and visualize the letters F A I L U R E in the air - it feels great and has no negative charge. I am amazed that this all flows from my mother's hopes for my academic success all those years ago ... My receiver shares what a powerful experience it is for him, providing him with all sorts of insight about himself. We drum and conclude the meeting.	Thank you for sharing your process.
Wed, 04 Oct 2006 Knots Just ran across this site and thought you might enjoy it. http://www.pims.math.ca/knotplot/KnotPlot.html	Thank you for the link.
Wed, 04 Oct 2006 Still at Two Hi Ed! At spare time I try to catch up with everything you write at your homepage and I admit it's tough :-) I guess it takes a whole lot of time to read and answer all questions you get. I have been diversifying my investments lately to different places where it feels good and where I can stay in the long run. I only have one third of my capital under own management. But still my most interesting investment has not been done - and that is with you Ed. Do you have any minimum amounts that is required, if you accept new investments? I know you want people that supports your trading and I have that intention. Even more so, I really would like to know you because I get so inspired by you, but US is far from where I live - so I stick to read your materials and send emails once in a while. I also wonder about the books you are in progress with. I'm very eager to read them as soon as they are finished. I really like your Trading Tribe book. Maybe I should read it a third time;-) Our Trading Tribe is in progress, but we're actually still only two persons. We are both very dedicated and have hoped to get requests from more people but it has been silent since the start in 2005. Instead I have tried to build up Snapshot processes with different friends that are complaining about not fulfilling their ambitions. It is working quite well and I get to receive and send more.	You might consider taking your feelings about being still at two to the hot seat.
Wed, 04 Oct 2006 Feelings About Success This past Friday at TT I took my feelings of not deserving success and fearing failure to the hotseat. Throughout the week leading up to Friday I had been questioning whether I was ready for success specifically in my trading. This led me to think of all the past situations where I had either avoided opportunities because I was afraid of failure or questioned potentially successful situations because I felt I did not deserve to be in that situation. One example that stood out to me was how at times I felt like the woman that I am dating should be with someone else, someone who is smarter, taller, more attractive, etc. I truly felt at times that I did not deserve someone who was not only a genuinely nice person but very attractive and smart. Upon taking my feelings to the hotseat I began to notice an immense butterflies in my stomach feeling. As my tribe encouraged me to experience my feelings fully the feeling moved up my chest and became lodged in lower throat. At this point I felt as if I wanted to expel this "large stone" in my throat, but in my attempts to "throw up" the stone my throat would get smaller and smaller making it seem impossible. With more encouragement from my tribe I experienced this feeling of the stone in my throat more fully and without the intent to expel it but to just experience it. With my eyes closed I did just that and the rock in my throat subsided, at that point I saw a semi bright white light and felt a release of tension. I then became aware that my actions of expelling fear came from my notion that successful people do not feel fear and that is just not the case. The fear present in me is ok, all I can do is acknowledge it and not try and sweep it under the rug. With this breakthrough I want to take my feelings of specifically not deserving my girlfriend to the hot seat in my next meeting. Thank you.	Thank you for sharing your process.
Wed, 04 Oct 2006 Cold Floating Magnets I want to share the following video with you: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbcmgcLOU1c	Cool!
Wed, 04 Oct 2006 When to hold and fold 'em. http://www.break.com/top_rated/pokerroom1.html	OK.
Wed, 04 Oct 2006 Commits to Self-Discovery I go through much of life with little help or guidance and being as stubborn as I am I do not ask for it from anyone; I want to figure it all out alone and do everything for myself, by myself. You provide this guidance through TTP and FAQ which has a has an important effect on how I conduct my life even though I do not ask for it. I feel tremendous appreciation for this and remain committed to continue my journey of self-discovery and find my right livelihood despite of the perils Fred has in store. Thank you,	Thank you for sharing your process and for committing to the path of self-discovery. You might be able to identify with some of these thoughts: You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. What you'll discover will be wonderful. What you'll discover is yourself. ~Alan Alda Endurance is frequently a form of indecision. ~Elizabeth Bibesco, Haven, 1951 Man cannot remake himself without suffering, for he is both the marble and the sculptor. ~Dr. Alexis Carrel The greatest explorer on this earth never takes voyages as long as those of the man who descends to the depth of his heart. ~Julien Green There came a time when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom. ~Anaïs Nin All men should strive to learn before they die what they are running from, and to, and why. ~James Thurber I know well what I am fleeing from but not what I am in search of. ~Michel de Montaigne If in the last few years you haven't discarded a major opinion or acquired a new one, check your pulse. You may be dead. ~Gelett Burgess The man who views the world at fifty the same as he did at twenty has wasted thirty years of his life. ~Muhammad Ali Perhaps the truth depends on a walk around the lake. ~Wallace Stevens One may understand the cosmos, but never the ego; the self is more distant than any star. ~ G.K. Chesterton, If you resist reading what you disagree with, how will you ever acquire deeper insights into what you believe? The things most worth reading are precisely those that challenge our convictions. ~Author Unknown To the question of your life you are the answer, and to the problems of your life you are the solution. ~Joe Cordare Why should we honour those that die upon the field of battle? A man may show as reckless a courage in entering into the abyss of himself. ~William Butler Yeats These and More Quotes: http://www.quotegarden .com/self-discovery.html
Wed, 4 Oct 2006 Follow-Up Since 1969 Hi Ed, Checking my notes, I find I phoned you the eve of Sept 6. My friend, [Name], apparently never connected with you when he was in the Lake Tahoe area (he was mostly on the south side) the following week. That is okay ... I'm not sure he was ready to meet with you, other than briefly. Did you ever get his email?... and if so, any thoughts? I just wanted to follow up since we talked. I have several ideas to express, so decided to write it all down, not call, this time.... seems to work well with you. Probably a good strategy... when folks write (email you) - you get the chance to ponder, and respond at your leisure. Make some notes as you go through this, as fodder for a response, which I hope you will do. I know you are generally terse and to the point. That is fine. This email is somewhat verbose, a little rambling and long, but be patient with me... I tried to go to your website about a week ago, and noticed it was taken down - unavailable. This time, as opposed to a month ago, after it was back up, I dug a bit deeper into your site. I checked out the Charts area. What I really liked was the utter simplicity of the charts, the way they are presented. Long-term to the left, current daily to the right. The graphics are straight-forward and simple. Did you write that chart-generator? Also, the organization of the Futures categories is pretty good. Just curious - where do you get your data, is it timely, and good quality? Am looking for a source, and a backup source, -- in the meantime have been getting free data via Yahoo Finance (CSI's - believe). In a very basic way - I am also thinking of putting up a free-charts site, with opt-in capability to register. Basically, a free subscription - to build a "list" of prospects for other value-added services later. Perhaps you have some thoughts or ideas? The next thing I delved into was your two "simple" trading systems - the tutorials - and the reader feedback. It was fascinating... all those that duplicated your results on the second one (A Simple Trading System-Support and Resistance), or nearly... due to floating point rounding algorithmic issues. Those folks had to be very dedicated to encode those systems, meanwhile learning all the concepts, and duplicate your results! I also read your System Math document, and the stuff about Donchian, including his "system". I seem to recall you briefly worked for (Shearson) / Hayden Stone around the early 70's ... Did you ever meet the man? Your article said he started there around 1960. 1970 was a lot later. Did you work with him? I know he was a great inspiration for you, and you are "credited" with developing one of the first mechanized trading systems ... was it under his tutelage? or his inspiration? I have contacted you again after all these years because of my motivation to help others in the trading/investing arena - in terms of the premise of my new Internet offering, which is still in the planning stages.... and you are THE MAN, as far as I'm concerned, when it comes to trading (and self introspection with regards to dealing with personal demons that affect trading and life). Ed, I still remember vividly, when you once took me into your Watertown, Massachusetts apartment, and showed me the hand-updated Silver commodity charts on the walls. Anyway, I hope I didn't inflate your head too much with flattery! Most folks out there, whether they be traders or "investors" in the traditional sense (stocks - buy and hold) - do not employ any type of money management system, employing the use of stops, and position sizing methodologies. So many, due to lack of information, and perhaps some simple tools, have fared with disappointing results, or even disastrous results. I would like to bring to light some education / informative articles, charting tools, and perhaps even tools to help in stop-setting, and managing trade risk, and by inference, portfolio risk. Most people do not know or understand some of the terms you have told me about in the past, such as "core equity", "heat", and "Bliss". I took careful notes back in about 1990 when we were together, and found most of those recently. I discovered I even tried to incorporate your formulas in my charting system at one point (mid-1990's - a first step to building a back-testing system), to measure the effectiveness of some strategies (per chart) that I was investigating - I found that code also, and all the "commenting" I left in there. It was never "activated". I never completed the task back then, as a true back-testing system is not particularly easy to develop....which you acknowledged. You are rare in that you are a trader that can also code in C++ (I assume from your website). I did a bit of complex coding in C 15 years ago, so am familiar... but then adopted Visual Basic, as it was more "forgiving" when you had errors, and I could debug faster ( i.e, esp vs "pointer" and memory-leak problems in "C"). Now there is Visual Studio, in which you can use one of several languages for coding. I just got a copy... but am still using VB 6.0 (circa 1998) for the moment, in my "Trend-Finder" technology. Down the road, I'll pass an explanation of that on to you for your critique/comments -- I look at it as having some potential as a tool to help in trade risk management. I know I am guilty, as we discussed briefly over the phone, of having some psychological issues with trading/money, but also as important, was not using any sound money management strategy to protect me back when I did trade. There is hope, however, as human beings can learn and make changes (isn't that what TTP is all about?)... and as near as I can tell, nearly all the trader-interviewees in Schwager's books made some very costly mistakes early on, some almost devastating, learned from it, and then finally became very successful traders. I mentioned over the phone that I, right now, was probably not interested in trading again.... but the truth is, when I have discretionary funds to trade again, I would very likely take the challenge - and definitely utilize a sound money management plan, systematically. And of course, use a back-tested trading system. But my focus right now is to get a new (Internet) business up and running profitably, in the "trading and investing" area, and once again get a healthy cash flow going. Perhaps we can help each other in various ways down the road. I really would like to bring a greater awareness to others about sound money management principles, and provide tools that make it easier to implement. My own experience has a lot to do with my motivation to help others. Deep down I think I have the "right stuff" (with regards to trading). I truly believe, it is not so much the system for picking entries and exits that leads to success in trading (where so many focus their energies), but it is the money management plan. Van Tharp apparently did a study, which I am sure you are familiar with, basically taking a 5% return back-tested system, and pushing that up to 26-28% solely using position sizing methodologies. That provides some real validation for what you have been doing for years. I have ordered his book that I think had that study in it. By the way, I also went to Michael Covel's various websites ... and purchased his book (Trend Following). Haven't received it yet, but understand you are in it. I have to credit you, Ed, with educating me on the importance of money management ( i.e., "bet" or position sizing mainly), as well as a little about trader psychology, all done informally during our several get-togethers back in the early 1990's. I'd like to take some of those lessons to others, via a website or websites, on the Internet... Perhaps others can learn and benefit from it, and improve their returns while being comfortable with their "Bliss" factors. I mentioned in the phone call that down the road, I would like to resurrect my notes from our past discussion on money management -- mostly in the format of formulas and definitions of terms that I wrote down after we had talked. I will incorporate what you have added in your "System Math" document to make sure I am on the right track, along with information in my prior notes, into a preliminary "article" of sorts. At that point I'd like to send it to you for your review, comments, corrections, etc. At this point I'm not sure when I'll get to it, but surely within the next several months. Also, I have been studying the "Internet Marketing" field for about 6 months solid now, so I can employ sound business and marketing techniques in driving traffic to my site(s), and converting traffic to sales effectively. I have a "mentor" in that area. Once I get more on top of my game, and get something up and running, I'd like to help you, if you are willing, in finding ways to "monetize" your traffic, even if it is simply having links to products and services you endorse, and share in profits generated by traffic from your site. I have lots of other ideas as well. I'm looking forward to some feedback. That is all for now.	Thank you for sharing your process and for re-connecting after so many (about 35) years. I recall visiting with Dick Donchian on many occasions. My attempts to program and back-test his "trading rules" show that the rule set conflicts with itself. His "trading guidelines" are not specific enough to convert to computer code. His "weekly rule system" is simple and programmable and generally shows profitable results. The Safest Way to Double Your Money is to fold it in half. (You might be able to do this twice.) Clip: http://www.aagiftsandbaskets.com/ engraved_folding_money_clip.html
Wed, 4 Oct 2006 Rocks Process In Action See: Support of your Further Success "The [City] Trading Tribe met tonight at my place. A good meeting. Several of the members, including myself, exploring new forms. I tired various things including: encouraging a repeated role play, accessing both the familiar feeling / form and the positive feeling / form they are unwilling to feel and going for the 'don't know' feeling." I believe I am the the subject of that repeated role play. I show my snapshot and [Tribe Leader] asks me some questions. I describe an issue that I have. I tell the tribe I am frantically searching for my feelings. He forcefully pushes me down back into a chair and asks me if that is the feeling. I tell him that it's more like being tackled. He asks the 3 other members to block my advance toward the windows. I have the feeling of being blocked and then the feeling of success in going past each member. After a few times of this, I feel my feelings ignite. I stop the role play and get into my feelings. I do a vigorous form and yell out. While laughing and crying, I feel excited, and scared all at once. As [Leader] asks me to freeze, I go "over the top" and the feelings rush out even stronger. (my eyelids are closed but open for a split second for me to notice members looking at each other and expressing joy; I notice [Leader] closing the window) I catch my breath and realize that I am human. Having emotions define my humanity. I suddenly recall when I was young, my father would scold everyone in my family saying that we do not even know how to be humans. (this is my rock) In the days that follow I feel changed in the way I deal with situations and other people. I am willing to feel anger when someone tries to cast blame on me or my family. I feel bravery to tell my older brother that I do not want to "report" to him. My wife praises me (a rare occurrence) and I feel suspicious (an entry point). Unusually, since that meeting, I have many consecutive, vivid dreams that occur during naps and night-time sleep that I recall upon awakening. I try to figure out the cognitive message or meaning associated with them and I log these in my journal and the feelings associated with them. I learn from TTP that the feeling is the message. The most recent and most emotional dream I have is I dream of a person who totally accepts me for who I am. I awaken energized, extremely happy and motivated to do work and be productive and I feel pushed to do the right thing. (right livelihood?). I feel such a person would support me to my right livelihood. Also a few days after that meeting, I find a rock that fits my pocket and hand. I anchor my feelings (associated with my dramas) by squeezing this rock in my right hand and sighing. I recall from NLP that using the same anchor for different feelings "integrates" the feelings. I plan to access these feelings on my next hotseat. My personal assessment is that I am more at peace and more aware of when I am passing "the rock" to my children. For instance, trimming my daughter's fingernails so that she won't scratch herself is giving her a rock when she is distressed from my effort to hold her still. Also, coercing my 14 year old son to do more math problems before bedtime is passing the rock. Externally, my 14 year old son says I don't yell at him as much as before. I am content with the results. Thanks.	Thank you for sharing your process. In The Rocks Process We assist the sender to locate his issues through role playing. Clip: http://www.morningsun.net/images/ 082001/Tackle.jpg
Wed, 4 Oct 2006 Constant Challenge Ed Says: I see my role as encouraging people to form Tribes (intentional communities) to support personal growth. People typically project each other into complementary roles that support their currently active dramas. Yes. I don't complain. I feel you're doing what has to be done. And you're doing great. In such a role you are likely to be constantly challenged to face your own issues and to attract people who, say, have a hard time forming or joining a family / relationship / community Tribe. Thanks.	FAQ contributors are excellent educators. In The Classroom The "teacher" typically learns most. Clip: http://www.tla1.com/Talent/ Jennifer_Herbert/JHerb%20Classroom.JPG
Wed, 4 Oct 2006 Golf Process In the absence of any smooth rocks (physical form), I am experimenting with a golf ball as a temporary physical rock (seriously). I pump in the feelings, then whack it into the lake at the driving range the following week. Feels good, even if it is a rather primitive implementation of your rather more sophisticated process. I follow your FAQ and other writing on Rocks - I already see value in addressing recurring signature forms. Keep up the awesome work.	Thank you for sharing your process. Sending Feelings into the lake Clip: http://www.think-golf.info/wp-content/ backswing.jpg
Wed, 4 Oct 2006 Acknowledgment Mr. Seykota, Being a career electrician my whole working career of 13 years. I suddenly found myself struggling through 2000-2002 suffering layoff after layoff as a roving electrician. I was very young and thought that the economy and the unlimited amount of overtime in the trades were a way of life. From the time I graduated (1994) I took an abundance of work for granted, I purchased a rather large truck that I did not need and enjoyed it for a couple of years. Then I married, moved to [State], got laid off, my wife simultaneously got laid off too and was pregnant. Foolish love and foolish young people we were indeed. Naivety in it’s bliss. So with the pain of having this debt and no way to provide for my family and determined to fight my way out of it I started doing odd jobs for anyone and I began reading stock market books I thought would be profitable. My quest was insatiable for a way to ensure we would never go back to poverty. (I started an electrical contracting business shortly after 9/11 and barely survived on a whole years worth of the hardest work I had ever done for a mere 13K for all of 2002). But I had no choice, it was all I was proficient in, and I reasoned to my wife that the only way to a reasonable future would be to start a business making $8 per hour, prorated out over hours worked for profit+ the time factor of growing into something, i.e a future whereby eventually our $ per hour would lift with volume of work etc. versus bussing tables inevitably for the same rate per hour + no future to grow into any thriving business. It seemed the most logical choice to follow so I put my head down and 4 years later when I looked up we had grown the business enough to where we were making a decent and respectable living. With a fresh 25K made in real estate this year I started trading the S&P, Euro and Index Options. Again I had to learn the hard way about naivety. Draw downs of >90% Gains of 50%, I would win some, give it all back and then some. I had horrible money management rules and a mixture of all kinds of strategies from reading a mix of books that were the wrong kind of combinations for the instruments I was trading. I had no concept of overlapping natures of markets and it was a series of overtrading and multiple small losses that I eventually allowed myself to spew my seed out the window. I was so foolish, no plan or training in the least. I worked 15 hours a day “reading” the market for 3 months. I am telling you I lost that money honestly! (chuckle) At least I was not as naïve about risking no more than I could afford to lose. But let me get to the point. I read about you in market wizards and I was struck by how you were testing theories off of punch cards to validate concepts from Donchian. What a revelation! Actually back test and perform theories in based on history to deduce an outcome? It only has taken 25K for me to learn a small bit of sound wisdom. Call it earnest money if you will. Any way I digress: I Googled your name in hopes of finding more information, to research and try to orient myself better to the finer arts of this business. I was grasping if you will, at the only things I reasoned to be valid amongst the snake oil and holy grails. It logically seemed to me that your methods and philosophies were far superior to any strategy or concepts I had thus read about. I thought that through research and study, it would be possible to follow in the footsteps of one who has traversed this landscape successfully in the past. To my pleasant surprise I found the trading tribe website. I selfishly devoured the coin flip scenario, and the TSP’s and began trying to develop systems for back testing avowing not to trade again until I have a clearly defined scope and plan. But I am ashamed. I must say after reading through years worth of posts on the FAQ and seeing all of the assistance that you have poured out to the frail and weak such as I, it greatly touched me. There are no words that can frame my gratitude for the simply astonishing illumination with which you have engendered through this site. I am no pioneer, no great thinker, nor am I any sort of mathematician. But you have deposited ideas and roadmaps for the less visionary such as myself to model after. After what started out as a quest to gain information, to assist my so called dreams I realized that if you were as concerned with only yourself and your affairs as I have been lately I never would have found this treasure trove of AHA’s. I realized that I don’t want to be so self-centered anymore. I am so touched with how you respond in helping people with your feedback. You could be doing so many other things with your time other than assisting the helpless who flail about such as me. But if you hadn’t done this I would still be light years away from where I am, but worse yet because of no guidance! I had only perused the site for 2 days and then when the GoDaddy episode transpired; I thought that maybe I had missed an opportunity to reason through the concepts so richly deposited on this site. I was upset because I had not had enough time to study the deposits that a professional took time to lay out. I am so joyous that it is back and that your intent is to keep it this way for however much longer your grace and website hosts permit. Thank you sir from the bottom of my humble heart! Your philanthropies have not gone unnoticed in my camp! Generations of my children will know the effects of your contributions to our success and I shan’t waste the powerful knowledge of the concepts you have so graciously shared with us all. Through searching for information on how you trade I ran across other forums online where people where interested in what you are trading now, what secret methods you are using and wishing they could be privy to all of the information. But it is readily apparent that you have inadvertently disclosed to us all exactly the tools we need to follow. The only thing you have not done is build a system for us. I would liken it to my Father making me purchase my own vehicle, when I was a teenager. Yes he could have given it to me, but if he had my value system would have developed disproportionately to my economic status, and I probably would never have learned to keep my foot out of the carburetor if I did not want to be replacing transmissions, tires etc. etc. My dad put me on the right path and I figured the rest out along the way. I may not be the brightest bulb in the room, but I can see that from these concepts you have outlined a man of reasonable intelligence should be able to define his thoughts enough under the guidance to have an edge in this endeavor called trading. Thanks for helping me get to the right path.	Thank you for sharing your process and for your acknowledgment.
Wed, 4 Oct 2006 Breathwork Follow Up - My Relationship see: Report From Significant Other Ed, thanks again for hosting the breath work weekend. I am touched by your commitment to support others in their personal growth. During the breath work weekend I am working on my snapshot “I am intimate with [Girlfriend]”. She is my girlfriend of 1.5 years. Before the weekend I feel a lot of times I am not opening up to her 100%, she feels the same way and tells me a lot of times I am not 100% in the relationship. When I get back to [City] she picks me up at the airport. We have some small talk and then out of nowhere she tells me that she feels she really wants a more intimate relationship and asks me if I am willing to do so. I feel very clear at this moment and I feel our intentions align. The next weeks our relationship shifts dramatically. We share our true feelings and we commit to acknowledging each other without judgment, which is really hard to do at the beginning. I am noticing for the first time how much judgment I have about her feelings and how I don’t follow the TTP principles of receiving and encouraging with her. We have several intense fights where some major real feelings come out. She gets worried that we fight a lot more often, I feel good about it. I feel for the first time both of us stand up for ourselves and for the honesty in our relationship. I feel very alive. Even in the middle of intense fights I feel very close and committed to our relationship. I feel these fights actually help us grow. The next several weeks the fights seem to get less frequent and the relationship starts to find a flow. From then on I feel our relationship grows on its own. It is like I had to jump-start the engine and now it just runs. I feel very close to her, I share all my feelings with her and I am receiving hers and it feels very liberating. I feel very fortunate that I have a partner that is so committed to our emotional growth. Our connection is very deep and I feel I am 100% into the relationship. In other areas of my life I notice a few major shifts. I am eating much healthier. I always workout regularly and feel good about that, but my eating habits where different. I never seemed to get control over it and consume a lot of junk food. Now I am surprised how well I eat and that as well feels liberating. The other change I notice is that I have a deep curiosity and desire to learn about things. I feel I am thinking more independently and have deep desire to discover things. Thank you so much for your support and commitment Ed, you are the best.	Thank you for sharing your process. Lovers who are both on the growth path tend to grow together. Clip: http://www.warhols.com/ unique_works_on_paper.htm
Tue, 3 Oct 2006 More on Pedestals see Pedestals Ed, I feel that in spite of many FAQ readers, tribe members and aspiring traders actually putting you on a pedestal you're doing a great job indeed. Also, it looks like the Pandora's box is open on sexual, relationship and other deep issues. In native Americans culture the chief was also a spiritual leader, wasn't he? May the chief have courage, wisdom, respect and generosity.	I see my role as encouraging people to form Tribes (intentional communities) to support personal growth. People typically project each other into complementary roles that support their currently active dramas.
Tue, 3 Oct 2006 Pedestals see Wants Trading Advice I was referring to the ‘back tests’ FAQ on Mon 2 Oct. Your response is shallow, obvious, the type of response I might see from a very junior trader, or just not very helpful in my opinion. My comment is an observation driven from reading FAQ for several years, not a feeling I’m suppressing. I did long for a strong guiding hand at one point, I thought you might follow through on the statements you said you would, but you didn’t, and I felt hurt. Yes, I see many fathers have poor relationships with their sons. It makes me sad. I have a great relationship with my son, and I love it. I’ll be a ‘strong guiding hand’ to others (my son included), once I feel my feelings about putting people on pedestals, then feeling let down because they don’t keep their word.	FAQ does not offer specific trading advice, or recommend specific trading system parameters. See Ground Rules, above. You seem to be getting close to an important issue. You might consider recalling events in which you put people on pedestals and then perceive them disappointing you. If this or another entry point continues to lead to a signature form, you might consider employing the Rocks Process. You might also consider providing a guiding hand to your son now, rather than in the non-existing future - unless, of course, you are aiming to disappoint him. Looking for Early Cases of putting someone on a pedestal. is one way to begin The Rocks Process. In a later part of the process, you might come to feel remorse for disappointing others. Clip: http://www.gardenwinds.com/ servlet/Detail?no=371
Tue, 3 Oct 2006 Wants Trading Advice I notice you offer advice when a FAQ sender writes about a sexual experience or a relationship; but when it comes time to trading, not so much. (See below: Ed Says: FAQ is not particularly effective in ... dispensing advice.)	You might consider taking your feelings about not getting trading advice to the hot seat. Perhaps you have a Rock about longing for a strong guiding hand. Father and Child help show each other the way. Clip: http://www.nypl.org/branch/choices/ images/hands.jpg
Tue, 3 Oct 2006 Feelings Trigger Drama Hi Ed! I think it's hard to know when a feeling only should be felt and when the feeling should trigger a behavior. Imagine someone hurts me. My feeling might be pain in my stomach. My thinking is that the big fool deserves a response that hurts back equally. I have come to believe that the best thing to do is to communicate my feeling, my aha-wisdom gained from the feeling or just saying something smart like you use to do in the trading tribe. The problem is that I need to get rid of the feeling and the smart answer usually gets to me to late. Do I have to wait until next trading tribe and then bring up my topic there? I consider it important to both communicate that I don't accept the behavior to the person hurting me and also releasing me from the feeling. Maybe my feeling will automatically be released if I communicate that I don't accept the behavior...? I haven't dared to do that in the past. Usually I just become quiet or once in a while I let my feelings make me upset and irritated (drama). When I'm in the tribe I know I can rely on people. In everyday life, I don't expect to be received and validated. I often find my feelings are mixed up with thoughts about what people around me do. I might say that I feel someone is boring, negative, unfriendly - instead of saying what I physically feel. In some way the feeling - pain in stomach tells the receiver so little, so I try to explain it but gets away from the feeling and into thought / judgments. Many times when I tell my feelings to my wife, I find my words being unfair. I don't think what I say mirrors the fact, but I still have to say it. After I've told it - it tends to disappear. I have even complained on her even if I don't consider it fair - to be able to release me. As I say it to her - I also admit that it's not the fact but my feelings. Is the problem that I'm not open to face my feelings? I don't want to do the DIM process so I try to tell her instead. When I go into details of feelings like this, it reminds me of trying to make my trading model perfect. I want a very straight forward direction, but I think I need guidance of that direction.	A normal healthy individual receives information from his environment, generates feelings and then sends information and action back into the environment. If the individual carries judgments about some of his feelings, we say he has those feelings in k-nots. He may then be unable to respond congruently and deal effectively in the area of these feelings. The Trading Tribe Process (TTP) provides a way to experience these k-nots, dissolve the judgments and free up the associating responses. For example, a man who his a judgment about showing affection may routinely communicate anger instead. He takes the Hot Seat, experiences his k-nots and learns to be more emotionally present with his wife. If the individual carries a "Rock" or deep response pattern to certain stressful situations, he may instinctively and inexorably fall into the "drama in the rock" rather than respond in more constructive ways. For example, a man who has a Rock about "If I think you are going to leave me, I leave you first" may over-react by shutting down when his wife leaves the house to go shopping. We are learning to use the Rocks process to identify Rocks and to relieve the psychic wounds that carry them. TTP is all about K-nots and Rocks http://iomphoto.20m.com/owengal.htm
Mon, 2 Oct 2006 Fear and Shame Hello Ed, As always, my warmest wishes and deepest appreciation and gratitude for all that you do, and all that you are. Thanks for the inspiration and guidance. I just wanted to touch base and let you know how things are going. I still know what to do to get where I want to go and Sometimes I actually do it. A lot of the time I think about doing it. Most of the time I'm afraid to do it I wish I could give in to my life and dreams NOW. The truth is I'm a coward, and I'm ashamed to admit it.	Thank you for sharing your process. Shame and Fear have positive intentions. Clip: http://www.janesmann.com/Paintings/ 1998/Pinkembarrassment.jpg
Mon, 2 Oct 2006 Back Tests Hello Chief Ed, The numerous tests of several trend-following systems that I ran on futures and stocks indicate that: - Limiting the total portfolio risk does not improve the