Contributors Say

Saturday, May 9, 2009

Charles Faulkner

Dear Ed,

I find this resource useful to learn more about Charles Faulkner's works

clip: http://www.nlpco.com/pages/

Saturday, May 9, 2009

Mortgage Forgiveness

Hi Ed,

Thank you for sharing breakfast with me this morning. I am grateful for this opportunity to interact with you outside the tribe setting and learn from you in this additional capacity.

Here is what I read at IRS.gov about mortgage forgiveness (I understand that California has a matching program):

http://www.irs.gov/individuals/

article/0,,id=179414,00.html

The Mortgage Debt Relief Act of 2007 generally allows taxpayers to exclude income from the discharge of debt on their principal residence. [...] This provision applies to debt forgiven in calendar
years 2007 through 2012. Up to $2 million of forgiven debt is eligible for this exclusion.


Separately, here's my write-up on WWI-era US "Liberty" bonds which came up in our conversation this morning:

http://sentiment-leech.blogspot.com/2009/03/

Friday, May 8, 2009

Falling off the Diet Wagon

Dear Ed

I gather you may have fallen off the wagon?
If I can help just e-mail back.
 

Friday, May 8, 2009

Cause of Seattle

see previous

Chief Ed,

What is the cause of Seattle?
Report: The Cause of Seattle.

1. From me, "The cause of Seattle is NAUGHT".

2. "No idea???"
2a. "I didn't understand the question, did you get many responses?

3. "My first thought was "trade".

4. "Since I live down the road from Seattle, let me opine:
One day long ago, in their infinite wisdom, the founders of Seattle envisioned a former PL internal relocating there. Little did they know if they constructed it...I would go".

5. "I'm sorry man, but I don't understand the question. What is the cause for Seattle? Are you talking about the formation of the city as the hub for water based transportation of people, product and services for the Northeast side of the country?"

6. From a former co-worker(2), "Seattle was caused by Seismic activity and volcanism. (I thought you would never ask!).

The effect of Seattle is CTIC.

Thank you Chief.

Thank you Tribe.

Friday, May 8, 2009

Same Hospital, New Bar

Dear Ed;

My Progress Report:
 

Down here [at the hospital]. I was taken aback at first. What had begun as a two-day visit / check-up the back specialist [at the hospital] has turned into two weeks. (Spinal fluid back pain. Tremendously painful headaches.) We came down to [the hospital]- the hospital of our talented back surgeon.
I got a room at the Hotel. My husband got a room at the Hospital.

He had two operations here in April. In the last two weeks he has had four operations. (He was only supposed to have come for a check-up). There is no sort of medical malpractice- just a tricky part of the body that needs a lot of attention and very specific care.

I attended the Workshop in between the hospital visits.

I decided that this uncertain time was going to be made into something of value. I was going to live in the Now and observe and accept my feelings. I also resolved to make the time work for me. So as a result of this I did a number of things I have never have done before. I am trying to receive everyone I meet as fully as possible. I am trying to fully receive, everyone with whom I interact.

I went to a bar at a noisy- and good- restaurant next door. I determined to sit alone at the bar (Something new to me).  I have done so now four times, (observing my feelings of discomfort), and met several new people, one of them is an angel investor who will be looking at my husbands company. (A good thing.)

This whole experience has been a bit like the movie Ground Hog Day. We were only supposed to be here for two days- now it has been two weeks- everyday I get up and try to make it better.

The first thing I do is check my stocks, and stop-loss positions. I am concentrating on my stop-loss positions, practice, practice, practice. I want to do it enough times that it becomes second nature and even a constant source of pleasure. I feel as though I have made a good start on the process.

I am following healthy habits, eating, exercising, reading the FAQs, and absorbing what I learned at the Workshop. I am trying to not just stay in the now, but enjoy the now, and make the entire experience a pleasure.

Friday, May 8, 2009

Motivation + Intention+ Action = Result??
 

Ed,

In the equation intention = result, what is "intention" exactly?? I am not sure but I think that intention is my action or inaction in the moment of now, isn't it??

Say for example You Ed, are forgetting to delete the name of the sender of an email posted on the FAQ. What is your real intention in the now with this forgetting? Your intention is to transfer it as usual on the FAQ after deleting the name of the sender and answering the question. And just before you finish to reread it, you see that your kitchen is blazing, so you nevertheless post it with the name then you run to put out the fire. In that case what is the real intention?

In the TTP model, intention is another name for the system structure while result is another name for the system behavior.

Your confusion seems to revolve around an attempt to morph intention and result into the cause/effect model.

In the cause/effect model, you select two snapshot states from the evolving system and call the first one the cause and the second one the effect. 

Sometimes you can further define the cause as the "problem" and then justify some program to address the "problem" and thus "fix" the effect.

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Trance Work

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Chameleon Changes Colors (movie)
 

Dear Ed,

You might like this.

Thank you for the clip.

Surrendering to the flow

works for the chameleon

and for Trend Traders.

Clip: www.multiscope.com/hotspot/herptile/

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Dis-Engaged to Wife

Dear Ed,

Thank you for sharing your process.

Dis-Engagement

may indicate you are gearing up

for something better.

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Spelling Bee or Punching Bag?

Dear Ed,

[The TTP commitment to intimacy-centric relating]   moves me to have a better relationship with my father with my mother and with my sister.

I receive one of the first reports and am moved to feel about my relationships with my father, mother, and sister. I start feeling. I start writing. I finish writing and send this writing to you.

I am several months old. I am not yet able to talk. Dad is holding me naked over the sink in the downstairs bathroom and giving me a spanking with his open hand. I don’t know why he is hitting me. The pain is excruciating. I cannot control my bodily functions and evacuate my bowls. I shit on his right hand that is hitting me. Dad looks at the shit on his hand and stops hitting me. I don’t know why I’m being spanked. I can’t talk yet.

I am four-years old. It is my first day at a private kindergarten. I along with the other kids am asked to count on paper from one to one hundred. We are instructed to put one number on each line. There are one hundred lines. I can only count to ten. The little boy next to me can only count to ten. I suggest to him that we count to ten and then simply fill numbers into the remaining lines. He agrees. We write our numbers to ten and then fill in the lines with different numbers to complete the task. My mother arrives to pick me up. The teacher is talking to my mother in front of me as if I cannot hear what they are saying. The teacher tells my mom that I am stupid. She does not use the word “stupid” but I get the sense that she thinks I’m stupid. I think my teacher is stupid and do not like her. All the kids in the school are from rich families from the city. I’m the only one from a small town. I don’t fit in. The school is in [State]. We have a Cowboy and Indian day. My mother buys me a full leather suit with fringe and a feathered war bonnet. She takes pictures. I arrive at school. I am the only Indian. I am of Irish ethnicity, but I am a native American Indian today. Recess begins and it is now Kill the Indian Day. I run. I’m fast, but there is no place to run to, the playground is fenced in. I’m trapped. The leather outfit is heavy and I tire of running. The kids catch me, circle around me, and yell at me, and shove me. The teacher doesn’t intervene. Recess is unpleasant and frightening for me. The second recess is worse. I hit the door running. Same deal. The teacher doesn’t intervene. This is a long day for me. After school, at home, my mom takes another photo of me in my Indian suit next to my sister. I tell her what happened, but she doesn’t care. She says I look so cute. Mom doesn’t notice all the missing feathers.

We start studying different countries at school. After school I watch a TV show with some English actors. I learn to produce an English accent. I am now English and each day I report about my country, England , to the class. I also include an elaborate story about how my father works on the Alaskan pipeline. I do this for many days. My father is an aeronautical / aerospace engineer and has not been to Alaska . My mother comes to pick me up after school and my teacher greets her and tells my mom that, “We studied Matthew’s country today.” My mom asks her what she is talking about. My mom and the teacher are mad at me and I know I’m going to get it when I get home, and I do. I think that I am only four years old and I feel good that I can make my teacher look stupid just like she made me look / feel stupid for not knowing how to count past 10. My mom doesn’t appreciate the creativeness of my storytelling or my ability to affect an English accent.

I am six years old and I am a good speller. The best in the class. Mom and I are doing a spelling review for the first-grade spelling bee. She asks me to spell the word “ball,” but instead I hear her say, “doll.” I spell “doll” correctly, “doll d-o-l-l doll.” My mom gets very angry and is screaming at me that I am stupid. She screams, “How can you not even know how to spell you own name!” I try to explain. She doesn’t listen. She just keeps screaming that I am so stupid. I start crying and she just keeps screaming at me. I think that I am a good speller, but not good enough for her.

I’m in the spelling bee standing on the stage in front of the entire school. It comes down to me and two other kids. The final three. The word I am supposed to spell is “white.” I live in an all white town. I go to an all white school. I am five when I go to my first minstrel show, where white people paint their faces black and sing My Mammy by Al Jolson. I am nervous in front of the all white crowd. I spell “white w-h-i-t white.” I leave out the silent “e.” The crowd laughs. My mom in humiliated and lets me know. I’m not good enough.

Every night my parents fight. Every night. Every night. They scream at each other and throw things. Every night I hear them argue. I hear them scream at one another. I hear things breaking against the wall. I wonder if they will be alive in the morning. I rock myself to sleep to muffle the noise. I can’t hear them so well when I wrap the pillow around my ears and rock back and forth. I’m too scared to leave my room. I wonder if they will be alive in the morning. This happens almost every night. I rock myself to sleep. I wonder if mom and dad will be alive in the morning.

I’m ten now. Dad still beats me but uses a belt. My sister, who is twelve, tells me to hurry up and start crying when he whips me. She says that that is what works best for her. She tells me that dad stops whipping her when she starts crying. I take her advice, but it doesn’t work for me. Crying doesn’t make him stop, so I stop crying. My beatings last longer than my sister’s. I’m not going to cry. It doesn’t help me. Crying doesn’t help.

I’m twelve. My parents are threatening to get a divorce. My sister decides she will live with my mom. I see my dad cry for the first time. It’s only for a minute. Mom and dad ask me who I want to live with. I have to choose. I say that if they can’t work it out, then I do not want to live with either one of them. They decide not to get a divorce. I still have to live with both of them.

I’m fourteen. My dad jokes around with his hunting buddies that I’m getting bigger and that he needs to beat the shit out of me one more time before I get any bigger. I hate this. My dad is an undefeated welterweight boxing champion in the merchant marines. My mom and sister and I are arguing. I walk past my mom in the hallway and our shoulders touch which causes her to take a small side step. My sister is at an angle where she can see me and my mom and my dad who is in the other room. I can’t see my dad and he can’t see me. He can see my mom though. My sister sees my mom step to the side and with a sneer yells, “Don’t hit mom.” Then she smiles. It’s a fucking evil smile. I can’t believe she just set me up. My dad hears my sister yell, sees my mom take a sidestep to catch her balance, and assumes I hit her. I never hit mom. He comes barreling around the corner. I duck under the first punch as it is wild and he is off balance from running around the corner. Now he is really mad and starts pounding on me. I cover up and try to move out of the hallway so that I can run away. I’m boxed in and his blows are landing hard. It’s hard to see and my ears are ringing. I still don’t fight back. He’s my dad. I don’t want to hit him. He keeps hitting me. I keep my hands up and try to protect my face. He hits my arms. I can’t keep my arms up any more. He hits me in the face. It’s hard to see now. I can taste the blood flowing out of my nose. I look at him. Our eyes met and I say, “I’m your son. I’m your son.” He stops hitting me for a moment, and I use that moment to make a run for it. I run outside and hide in the woods for hours. Blood is in a steady stream coming out of my nose. I can’t get the blood to stop. My shirt is covered in blood. I take my shirt off and press it up against my nose. I’m still bleeding, but not as much. After several hours I go home. No one talks about what happened.

I’m still fourteen. Dad starts joking around again about beating the shit out of me one more time. . . He’s laughing about it. This time I say, “Fuck you.” He stops talking and stares at me. I am too angry to be scared any more. I say, “You think it’s funny. You keep saying you want to beat the shit out of me one more time. Well then do it. Get it over with. But this time I’m fighting back. Fuck you. Let’s go.” My dad then picks up the big coffee table and uses it to slam me into the brick fireplace. Oh fuck. I’m pinned and I can’t move. I use all my strength and push back. It’s the first time I’ve ever resisted. I keep pushing. I’m tired of being beaten. I fucking hate him. I keep pushing. He drops the table. He stares at me. Then he just walks away.

I’m in eighth grade in junior high school. I play alto and tenor sax. I’m first chair. I’m elected student band director by my peers. I direct the band in two songs in front of the entire school. It’s the end of the school year now. We have to audition to get into the high school band for the next school year. I’m too scared to audition. I might not make the cut. I quit band. I quit playing the sax. I’m first chair, and the student band director, and I’m afraid I’m not good enough. I don’t want to fail so I don’t audition. I now see this pattern repeated throughout my life.

I am at the workshop in Reno and am watching the rocks process and I start remembering things from my childhood. Oh fuck. This sucks. I have a lot of rocks. A lot of rocks. I am so scared.

After the workshop my sister is in town. She and my niece and nephew are with her. My nephew is competing at a regional debate tournament and my sister asks me if I can come to one of his debates. I go to his first debate. That night my sister calls me and tells me that he didn’t think he did very well and is not feeling good about himself. She knows that I’ve given hundreds of speeches and asks me if I can coach him. I agree. It is late at night and I am tired. I drive to their hotel. I test my sister and my nephew for their willingness to receive coaching. They both exhibit willingness. I share some speech processes that I use. My nephew performs his affirmative debate for me. I offer more of my processes with him. He makes adjustments and delivers his speech again. I see his confidence growing. It is late. I start to say goodbye and leave and he asks me if I have time to go over his negative debate. I say, “Yes.” We go through the same process. His confidence grows.

It is the next day and I get a message from my sister, “Your nephew is doing much better and has moved up to a higher competition level than he’s ever been to. He is a sophomore and earned enough points to compete against the seniors.” I am now checking my voicemail and get the message, “He medaled for the first time. He got tenth place out of forty contestants in the higher bracket.” Now, I realize that I talk with my sister more in the last 15 hours than I have in the last 15 years. I wonder if it’s the under-Fred network. This stuff really works!
 

Thank you for sharing your process.

Father and Son are the Topic

of Chapin's Cats in the Cradle

"And the cat's in the cradle,
and the silver spoon, Little Boy Blue,
and the Man in the Moon,
When you coming home son,

I don't know when
We'll get together then,

you know we'll have a good time then.

I've long since retired and my son's moved away
I called him up just the other day
I'd like to see you, if you don't mind
He said I'd love to Dad, if I could find the time
You see my new job's a hassle and the kids have the flu
But it's sure nice talking you Dad,

it's been real nice talking to you.
And as I hung up the phone it occurred to me
He'd grown up just like me,

my boy was just like me."

-- Cats in the Cradle by Harry Chapin

Control-centric agreements

typically promise fulfillment

in the non-existing future.

Intimacy-centric agreements

exist and continually fulfill

in the ever-evolving moment of now.

Clip:  http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Jet for Hire

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

O Father, Where art thou?

Dear all,

This is my first report. I value the connections and friendships I make with all of you who attend the workshop and the awareness of my own big wave of something that is important in my life. I share this with my father as well. I attempt to write staying in the now.

My father and I have a unique relationship. In judging it, I say I am extremely grateful for the freedom and support I receive from him. However, he is not like all the other fathers, and I believe I have trouble dealing with him not reacting to me how culture brings many fathers and mothers to react to their children. I remember one tribe member bringing about a question of fear that he has if he does not judge and perhaps try to “fix” his daughter’s problems as many parents are brought to think they should. He fears perhaps that she will not feel loved and nurtured and cared for. I remember a pain of my own of feeling unloved and feeling somewhat of a “nuisance” in the eyes of my father.

I have issues dealing with feeling unappreciated in my relationship with him. My father is somewhat inconsistent and very set in his ideas. This poses obstacles for me in my big wave to get close to and have a fulfilling relationship with my father.

My father points out in the meeting we have following the workshop that I often avoid conflicts and brush off issues and circumstances that are of great importance to me while he is never made aware of my feelings.

Thank you for sharing your process.

Being the Father and Being the Daughter ...

... are easier

when both surrender to the process.

Clips:

http://abernook.com/item_images/

fatherdaughter.jpg 

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Music and Passion

Teacher Ed,

Your website indicates that the TT book is out of stock. Is there are any way I can get a old annotated copy from you ;-).

As always, its fascinating to read "Ed Seykota's FAQ" everyday, actually multiple times in a day, I am going through old postings now, it is amazing how if you remove the date, they all sound like they were written for now. Hmm they are written for now.

And I also want to thank all the contributors who pour their selves (souls) into their postings sharing and feeling their pains / joys.

I feel encouraged to try it the whole day.

My other teacher, defines GOD as IS. Is == Now. My teachers agree. I trust. I try. I learn.

cheers

Clip: http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/

Thank you for the clip and for the encouragement.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Thank you for the clip. 

Perhaps you can get the Grateful Debt to cover the tune.

When the Government Inflates

the currency is likely

to travel down Shakedown Street.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Hospital Lockdown

Dear Ed;

I thought we were getting out of [the hospital] tomorrow. It is not to be. My husband will be in the hospital Wednesday and Thursday, (the fourth operation). I've been thinking about this meeting all week- so I will be sending you my notes / thoughts. I would appreciate your input on the issue.

I'm so tired of this hotel / hospital /  drive / circumstance- I keep thinking there MUST be some kind of important change involved.
 

I apologize for missing the Thursday meeting. I was frightened to attend, but hoping for an important breakthrough.

I'll send you my thoughts on that tomorrow.
 

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Book Stock

Hello,

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Road Maps
 

Dear Ed,

Thank you for sharing your process.

Ritalin

is a popular drug for treating BTS

(Boring Teacher Syndrome).

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

You report "pressure" from your "bosses" to cover your position.

I wonder if you might consider finding out:

(1) who is really in charge of your account.
(2) who is really your boss.
(3) what policy you are to follow in response to your colleagues' feelings.

Perhaps you might consider taking some of your own feelings about <setting boundaries> to Tribe.

Defining Who is the Boss

is an essential part

of boundary management.

Clip: http://www.yourcharmsonline.com/

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Can Do

Dear All,
 

Since the Workshop I take the following actions to move towards my big wave:

1. During my flight back home I read and on Sunday night complete: No Limits: The Will to Succeed by Michael Phelps;

2. I spend five hours discussing my workshop experience with my wife;

3. I communicate with various workshop participants and follow through on commitments I make during the workshop to exchange information;

4. I write my workshop experience to FAQ;

5. I work on refining my Big Wave, see amendments below;

6. I go to my godson’s birthday party. My wife and I are almost last to leave. I tend to avoid such social events;

7. I start work on a project management/time spreadsheet which I intend to use for reporting to my support group. I thank some for sharing their Time Log and inspiring me to improve my measurement system;

8. I revisit some of the Road Maps work to clarify my understanding on various concepts;

9. I finalize a training and nutrition system which I started yesterday Monday 4th May;

10. I make a continuous effort to maintain a positive and can do attitude about everything around me.

Going forward I intend to further clarify my big wave.

I intend to include all future reports in one spreadsheet for easy reference and progress measurement.

I intend to report on a weekly basis on weekends.

I experience exponential growth in my relationships and in my development as a trend following systems trader.

Schedule:
8 months
20hrs per week - I expect to increase time spent on BW very soon.

Support:

My wife
Cambridge TT Chief
FAQ & Workshop Support Group (WSG)
Guidance from Ed
 

Measure:
I experience exponential growth in my relationships.
1)I maintain a feelings diary. I log my emotions as they arise and at a minimum of 3 times per day.
2)I become aware of my emotional undertones and watch for repeating patterns.
3)I develop/reinforce grow grow, mutually supportive relationships.
4)I navigate toxic, co-dependent relationships. I am non judgmental.
5)I log progress of points 2 and 3 and report issues that arise weekly to my WSG.


Measure:
I experience exponential growth in my development as a trend following systems trader.
 

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

How to Instantly Fail a DUI Test (funny video)
 

I can drink to that.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Big Wave Metrics Measurements

Hi everyone, I just wanted to update on my Wave. I've decided to add metric measurement for my Wave Project. I commit to update on biweekly basis. Thanks for your attention.

I commit:

5 minutes per day I spend sharing feelings with women.

Thank you for sharing your process.

Sharing Feelings May be Superfluous ...

... unless you are going for  intimacy.

Clip:  http://media5.picsearch.com/is?HgEwe_pSWpgpWtAE0ERJsEs7pDS1lbVGRz3l_3ZShpg

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

To Finish or Not To Finish?
 

Dear Ed,

Thank you for your suggestion.

Regarding your TTP Book: I read in FAQ that you work on several books since 2006.

As a result I wonder if you intend to finish (all or parts of) this current book within a certain timeframe, and accept a less than perfect outcome.
Or if you intend to produce a perfect outcome and put off the final drafts ...

Thank you for your support. 

In line with the TT philosophy, I am in process of writing the book and I am working on it regularly and I do not have a definite idea of the completion date. 

Completion dates are a property of goal orientation and can interfere with the flow toward completion.

Winning Teams Rarely Pre-Define the Time

at which they expect to make the goal.

You get to the end of the river

by going with the flow.

Clip:  http://media3.picsearch.com/is?vdwFkXcy7HjqBcGx7UXSvTUVOejE7LO7vasDtES-yPI

Clip: www.i-needtoknow.com/

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Workshop  Photo

Dear Ed and all the participants in the workshop,

It is an amazing time.

I'm sending the two pictures that i take with my camera.

Thank you for the support and the openness.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Heirloom Rocks
 

Dear Ed,

Thank you for your reply.

As a recent Workshop Graduate,
you are welcome to attend the Incline Village Tribe on condition that you participate fully and that you agree to attend all the remaining meetings, 7, 8, 9 and 10.

I concur with your inclination to choose embarrassment as an issue.
I feel that you can contribute a lot to the Tribe by being willing to champion this issue on behalf of all of us.

The Rocks process is unique to each person and to each Tribe. It tends to help the Sender identify his/her issue as a medicinal response
and then to implement new pro-active responses on a deep level.

You may recall the Rocks Process from the Workshop in which we have a role playing exercise in which the Sender pulls his sister's hair and his mother slaps him, etc.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009
 

São Paulo

Hi Ed,
 

Welcome

São Paulo

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Second Book

Dear Chief,

Do you have the intention to release the second edition of your book?
 

Friday, May 1, 2009
 

A Model of Scientific Study...

Dear Ed,

I am sending you my first report on my progress towards my Big Wave (I sent it to my support group two days ago). It includes a more complete version of my strategy to reach my goal.

I thank you wholeheartedly for your supporting my Big Wave of giving up control and being a source of love and joy for my wife and my children. Back in [City] I write down a strategy to reduce control on people. I am sending it to you as an attached file.

I have to define the metrics of my assessment. It is difficult and I think a lot about it. I have come to the following:

1. Time I spend daily thinking about methods I use to exert control and alternative responses

2. It is difficult to assess all situations that I experience daily and find out if I am exerting control or not. Hence, use my background as scientist: I define a random sample to analyze the whole population. My sample consists of the first interaction with people in each new hour, yielding 15 events daily, most of them including my family. One interaction includes all participants and ends when a) a new participant appears, b) an old leaves or c) after 10 minutes. I report if the interaction was control-centered or intimacy-centered. “Control-centered” is easy to define. “Intimacy-centered” is defined by a) I realize ways of exerting control b) I do not use them, c) I talk about my feelings and d) I listen to the feelings of other people/ask them if they want to tell me their feelings.
This definitions are cumbersome, but it makes the whole assessment model operational.
 

3. Listing all situations where I exerted control during the day and planning alternative strategies.

It is a lot of work.

-----

Thank you for giving me the chance to think about myself and about the way I interact with people. My own strategy for shifting from control-centric relating to intimacy-centric relating includes the following.
First, I define control. It means to me
1. You do what I want/ you are the way I like you to be.
2. I do with you what I want and
3. You don't do what you want/ you are not the way you like you to be.

I observe that this first definition clarifies and simplifies my further work.

Second, I have to find out how I manipulate and control people. I start with the interaction with my family. My wife and children are likely the people I try to control the most. I observe all of my actions and, before I do something, I think if I am trying to elicit a certain answer from them or to suppress actions from them. I have to differentiate between a legitimate question (do you have homework?) and trying to obtain something from them (don´t you want to cuddle me?). I have to find out how to express a legitimate request (to do the homework) without exerting power (instead of „Go upstairs and do your homework!“ to say „let me see if you need some help with your homework“). I have to learn to control the task or the results (homework) and not the person.

I also observe my actions in retrospective (for example, how I answer to something my children do. The first day I observe that I use several methods to control them including subtle intonations of voice, for example to suggest how their action hurts me. I use this method specifically with my older children. I observe that I apply this method automatically. I observe myself in several situations and remember my usual actions in such situations. I find that many of my acts were controlling. The techniques included physical closeness (invading their intimate space), requests (don't you want to kiss me?) and subtle formulation of questions (“don't you want to kiss me” sets people under more pressure than “do you want to kiss me”), and overwhelming reaction to an action (i.e. trying to kiss my wife when she reaches out to touch me). After a few hours I am surprised about how many ways there are to control people.

I plan to extend this analysis to other people I interact regularly with (my employees and friends).
I also analyze my regular daily actions in retrospective (for example, how I act when I return from work or take my son to the kindergarten) and try to find out if I am exerting a control pattern or if I force people to do things that they do not want to do (for example, I remember returning from work, embracing my wife while she is busy at the kitchen and obviously cannot kiss me and expressing her my disappointment because she does not show me her affection).

Third, I try to find out alternative ways to communicate without controlling people. Instead of cuddling someone, I ask him/her if she wants it. I started doing this with my daughter some time ago and I was surprised how often she did not want.
In this first time, I try to control myself. I try to formulate sentences in a way that allows people to express themselves, if they want. I try to say things in a way that does not put people under pressure, while I communicate my feelings (i.e. not saying „I love you” expecting the answer „I love you too“. Instead, I say „It is very important to me that you are happy/not to hurt you anymore“. I think about what I say, and which reaction I expect from people by saying that: to provide information, to react in a certain way, to feel something? This part is difficult, because I have to think about sometime before I speak. It takes me several seconds and makes communication slow, but I do not see it as a problem and expect it to improve with practice.
I also observe my needs and do not act them out. If I want to touch or kiss my wife, I consider how much this action reduces her ability to express her own feelings or invades her intimate room. I realize that I was overwhelming her with my needs most of the time.

In the morning I realize that I lack resources (for example, my children start an argument and I don't want to control them: in this case, I don't know how to react). Hence, I plan to devote one hour daily to plan resources to cope with situations which arise frequently and require some kind of control (children's argument, my son does not do his homework, children don't stop watching TV or playing with the computer) until I master an intimacy-centered relationship.

Thank you for sharing your process.

The Path from Control-Centric Relating ...

... to intimacy-centric relating

is central to the work of the Trading Tribe

Clip:  http://media1.picsearch.com/is?lcxs2RrYOIidnabDnCX9ZdU6zmcNMcnB7cGobopyq_c

Clip: http://www.guydavid.com/art/digital_art/

Tuesday, May 5, 2009
 

Chart Page
 

Ed,

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

World-Wide Mix

Ed,

I really enjoyed this and thought you might like it.

Talk about a mixing challenge ...

Clip: http://www.vimeo.com/

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Becoming One With the Trading System
 
Dear Ed,

At the very outset, please kindly grant me me the happiness to address you as Guruji (In [Country], the place from where I am, Guruji refers to the person who shows the right path, and also the road to salvation). Also please accept many many infinite thanks for the excellent selfless work / guidance you give to all people (most of them traders). And again many many thanks for making a huge difference to my life.

A bit about my background. I have been trading for a living for the last 18 years with an extremely subjective way of trading. The super bull market (pardon my labeling) allowed me to make many mistakes till it got me twice last year, once in January 2008 and the next time in June 2008. In both the above cases combined together, I lost 40 % of my trading capital. Besides, my trades were opinion based with virtually no concept of position sizing or risk management. I also was never comfortable shorting the market and used arbitrary strategies to trade the market.

The fall in June 2008 forced me to re-think my way of working (I guess each fall or loss over the years kept on going up - my fears and gay abandon way of trading drama went up to such a level that I had stopped feeling my greatest ally viz. fear). I took a break from trading (luckily was not caught in the October tsunami) and used the time to develop a system which was very short term oriented (I figured my personality wanted me to be part of every daily move and hence the short term) but not intra day in nature. I vigorously back-tested the system across years and also assets but when it came to trade, I found that there was a world of a difference when it came to pulling the trigger,

Going back a bit, I had come across the trading tribe in [City] (under the able leadership of [Name]) about 2-3 years ago and had expressed a desire to join the tribe then. The tribe had then thought it not fit to admit me as a member since I did not have a system. Having developed a system, I once again approached the tribe to be a member and luckily, was warmly welcomed by them.

I join the tribe and start trading my system simultaneously on January 01, 2009. I take all my trades (both long and short) with no exception. I run into a huge profit right on the third day of trading due to some corporate fraud - my first taste of success by shorting. I give back most of my profits over the next month by getting whipsawed on my trades - something like 30 times in 20 trading days. Nevertheless I take all my trades. In my first hot seat, I feel my fear and get a-ha moment that trading with a system is infinitely better than trading without a system I also realize that if I trade with a system, I can not go bankrupt ( I assume that if I take all my signals, my position size and risk management would take me out of every bad trade early). I follow my system religiously & get whipsawed continuously but never run into a loss. The scars of being whipsawed and giving back my gains cause extreme heat but I never reach uncle point. I re-test and re-check my system and find that it was my bad luck that the period of a tight range from Jan to March chart pattern wise was like once in a few years. I also rationalize that I have run into a bad start date and get a a-ha moment that ultimately what matters is my faith in the system and the ability to take all trades without any exception. The fact that I am not in loss also helps. Finally, the market trends after March 15 and I find that my faith in the system pays off handsomely. I also find that I am able to freely short the market and realize that trend following is the only way to trade.

In my other hot seat, I express a fear of a failed bungee jumping where I froze. My tribe members make me feel the feelings of being frozen ( I virtually freeze and be in a limbo state for many minutes) and feel a huge range of emotions right from feeling cold, numbness, pain in shoulder/teeth and even sweating heavily in an air conditioned room. I amaze at the huge gamut of feelings which I have. I feel transformed.

I introspect over the last 4 months and realize that I am now a very different person. In hindsight that the pain of giving back profits in the period of Jan-mid March was actually the heat generated by the position and the fact that my system did not perform. In fact, having run into handsome profits and also some of my k-nots having being untied, I find taking the same trades and getting whipsawed to be a wonderful experience, I get a-aha moment that stop losses and whipsaws are like a harness while bungee jumping - they are essential to protect you and get you out of death like situations.

I continue to take all my trades (no exception) and find if very easy to take both sides of the trade. I also realize that one can make decent returns without taking large risks. I also find that I have now have a new life and have discovered the correct approach to trading. Thanks to the system, I find myself having participated in the latest rally and do not feel LEFT OUT. I find me to be much calmer person and having lost all interest in trying to predict the next move of the market. I don't care where the market goes - I want to take all my signals and go where my system takes me. ( I must confess I secretly desire markets to go down since I would be short and that would generate performance as against long-only and/or buy&hold strategies being used by the majority of the market participants).

I have also made a snapshot wherein I see myself smiling in my professionally set-up office trading all markets and taking all signals. I have my trade sheets on my desk and these trade sheets do not have any red flag (which signifies signals not adhered to).

Thank you for sharing your process.

When the Human and the Mechanical

meet, and bless each other

there is unity.

Carborundum (SiC)

is the synthesis

of Carbon and Silicon

Clips:

http://www.smpp.northwestern.edu/

ICORR2005/namaste.gif

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/

ff104/ButterflyPhoenix/Namaste.jpg

http://people.clarkson.edu/~ekatz/scientists/

Monday, May 4, 2009

Relating With Authority

see previous

Your patterns seem pro-active and effective.

Thank you for sharing your insights.

Monday, May 4, 2009

Yoda says:  No Why & No Try
 
Hi Ed,

I watch The Empire Strikes Back with my wife today. She notices dialogue I miss in the many times I see this movie, including this time (I hit rewind to hear it). Luke is training with the Jedi master Yoda, asking him a series of questions, and finally asks "why?":

LUKE: But tell me why I can't...

YODA: No, no! There is no why. Nothing more will I teach you today. Clear your mind of questions.

 

Your process I thank you sharing for.

Monday, May 4, 2009

Preparatory Exercise

for IV Tribe Member

Hi Ed …

I was never really allowed to have “ownership” of anything growing up and even as a member of the family business.

My parents are both Type A entrepreneurial people and I had worked in the family business most of my life. They are both very good micromanagers, which is a good trait for a small business person.

I am now in my early 40’s and find that I have some major hurdles to overcome to be free to be me and to achieve my goals and dreams in this life … in my life.

I take responsibility for the fact that I have relinquished ownership of my life for these many years. One of my primary issues currently is that I seem to not be able to allow myself to take a position in the market, hold that position and then take a substantial profit.

I invariably self sabotage myself by either becoming very anxious after I have made the trade and then getting out early or simply overtrading in an anxious frenzy. It actually seems to get worse after I have taken a substantial profit … it must mean it is time to get rid of all that equity. I feel inside that this somehow relates to feelings from my childhood years and later.

The general habit of my relationship with my parents growing up was “nothing was mine” and not even my own choices of who I would like to be in a relationship with. If I did not comply to their wishes I would lose everything … no car, stay at home on the weekends, etc … I found out later that all of my phone calls were intercepted at my father’s home office so they could “listen in” and make sure I was on the “straight and narrow.”

I come from a religious upbringing…I would say very conservative … shite in some respects. Growing up…if I did not comply with my parents and their wishes I was really basically spitting in God’s face. After completing a professional education I went back in the family business.

Of course there were always promises of work hard and “some day” this will be yours. In my mind at the time that made sense. What happened invariably was I worked very hard and the business made money and I took a “less than average” wage for my profession because I had “ownership” not in legal terms but in “word of mouth” from one or the other of my parents.

So the cycle that I have been through is work and never get to share in the “real money”. It usually follows that if there is a problem with a business that I am appointed to “restructure” and make the business “cash flow” then at some point they decide that their control is more useful.

I can see now that I am responsible for this…I should have moved on long ago rather than give 20 something years of my life. So the pattern that I must enjoy feeling seems to be recreated when I take a position, become anxious about losing, then exit early and watch the market move away from me…or…I have a very nice profit and I hold and watch it all disappear.

As Forrest Gump said, “I may not be a smart man, but I know what love is”…I may not be the sharpest tool in the shed but I am aware that this internal cycle is related to things being “taken away”. My father’s general habit, when confronted with “what he said he was going to do” is to disconnect and not talk or threaten me in some way…I find that I have wasted a lot of years trying “to fix” or “to please” my father / mother. The feeling of anxiety / worry that I have in general I think are somehow related also…the pattern of things being “taken away” I have perpetuated of my own choices…but I am ready to get off the merry-go-round.

Thank you for sharing your process.

Human children are, by nature, parasitic. They feed entirely inside their mothers for nine months, feed from their mothers breasts for maybe a year or two after that and then they might live off their parents for years thereafter.

Some parents manage to pull a switcheroo with their kids and become the parasites.

Prior to our next meeting, you might consider asking your parents to define exactly what part of the business you own now.

Ownership might include shares, an employment contract, options, irrevocable mention in a will,  etc.

Note: If you don't own it now, you don't own it.

As you consider asking your parents for this definition, you might notice what feelings come up and bring these to Tribe.

Parasite

T. vaginalis has a pear-shape with thread-like flagella that propel its movement. Once it attaches to cells lining the host’s urinary or genital tract, it flattens out and begins to ingest the cells, as well as white and red blood cells. This associates with inflammation and damage to the urinary and vaginal tissues.

T. vaginalis also consumes bacteria that may be present in the urinary and genital areas, including the bacteria necessary for maintaining a normal healthy environment in the vagina. As a result, women infected with trichomoniasis become more susceptible to becoming infected by HIV and other STIs.

Parasite

The Schistosome Parasite enters the body through the skin of persons coming in contact with infested waters. The adult worm lives in the veins of its host.

Clips:

http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/NR/rdonlyres/

58C1A3DB-3E32-4DB1-8745-12D934001AA5/

0/Tvaginalisparasite.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/

Monday, May 4, 2009

Sees Inconsistency Between FAQ and SVO-p

see previous

Thank you for the catch!

I agree that using the past tense of "ask" and inviting "questions" are both technically inconsistent with SVO-p and, by extension, with TTP.

FAQ is originally a response to numerous questions about TTP.  I originally choose "Frequently Asked Questions" as a title since it is a common internet standard for addressing inquiries.

As the site evolves, contributors are asking fewer questions and are coming to make valuable contributions by sharing their own processes, experiences, insights, clips and, in your case, catches.

Businesses and people evolve continually and rarely change their names. Horatio Hathaway's cotton milling business evolves into Warren Buffet's conglomerate; the Hathaway name tags along.

I am addressing these issues by continuing to accept all forms of contribution, including standard questions - and leaving it to readers to notice legacy inconsistency as just one more of the F-unky A-nd  Q-uirky things about FAQ.

Monday, May 4, 2009
 

SVO-p and the Law

see previous

In your scenario the officer is detaining you and you are questioning (or, in SVO-p, wondering about) his authority to detain you.

He is likely to detect an argumentative tone and respond accordingly by taking it (and you) to the next level.

You might notice if you typically enjoy engaging arguments with police officers, authority figures, FAQ columns, your father, etc.

You might consider taking your feelings about <authority> to Tribe.

Some People Seem To Enjoy ...

... Discipline ...

 ... and Clown Around in Various Ways

to get it.

Clips:

http://e-biscuit.com/images/uploads/

CINDYNeverWearSkirtToArrest_thumb.jpg

http://www.myblam.com/Media/pictures/

thumbnails/546-arrest-me.jpg

http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/

Monday, May 4, 2009
 

Saving and Risk

see previous

Hi Ed.

Thanks for pointing out the difference between Phelps and Phillips Curve. I did read both.

Fred is sending me a message in an impish way to start saving again.

I recently depleted my IRA trading account. I am getting the message to start trading again. I wonder what my hot seat issues are around trading now after a two year lapse.

Risky behavior, addictiveness of day trading, guilt at making money or not making money readily pop into my head and I have a tightness in my neck.

Monday, May 4, 2009

My First TTP Session
 

Ed,

Thank you to all the participants of the resent Reno workshop. It was a powerful event and a clear bifurcation point in my live.

Let me being by saying I was part of one of the sessions that has been discussed already by at least two other members. Their discussions were helpful to me and I'd like to thank them for sharing.

This was my first formal TTP session. Right out of the gate I was aware of my own judgment. How will I do? will I be good enough? what if I make a mistake? what if I let these people down? what will they think of me? I am truly willing? am I faking it? am I hiding behind my own deception?

This voice quieted down once the session began. The “incredible hot seat” (April 28th post) sender is the first receiver and I'm support. I fall easily into the process and thoughts quiet down and events feel in the zone. A fairly natural ebb and flow takes place and two seats go by with similar ease. I'm struck with how natural it is and how safe it feels. The safety of the tribe members and their commitment is inspiring. Both senders exhibit willingness and the transformation is evident in their physiology.

Then it is my turn to take the hot seat. I feel a little anxiety but surprisingly more enthusiasm. Perhaps the safety and the energy are strong enough to silence my judge. I'm thankful to the participants for this feeling. As I begin, I quickly find some energy in my upper back. The coaching and encouragement is strong and appreciated. The only voice I hear is to go deeper. I'm coached trough this and I move into a different form. This is one of elation and joy. I feel that I have just worked through something in my back and I feel joy and elation.

I'm encouraged to go with this and I briefly hear my judge say something about not deserving to feel the joy, but I'm coached to go with the form and soon I'm experiencing elation. Then I am encouraged to enjoy this form. Interesting; enjoying being enjoy. I experience this then fall back into a meditative form. I must have started sinking because I'm being encouraged to get smaller. As I get smaller I sink all the way to the floor. I'm encouraged to enjoy the smallness and I am able. I feel complete and connected. I sit back up and once again find myself in a meditative position.

I feel great. I'm analyzing what happened, but I don't sense any judgment. I then hear Charles Falkner behind me saying something to the member on left about him hypnotizing me and he reprimands him to knock it off and claims he knows "exactly what he is doing." I easily ignore this because my eyes are closed and I realize I have a form going on in my eye balls. They are dancing wildly while something Is dancing in front of my closed eyes. I'm very curious about this and I'm wanting some encouragement to go deeper with this. No one in the group seems to see this form and it's frustrating because I can see how much they helped me earlier. The process gets distracted by the conversation with Charles.

I open my eyes and there is a brief discussion, and I inform the group of my form and ask them to explore it with me. I close my eyes and the dancing quickly returns. I'm able to shake my eyes more with the help of the group. I see some sort of fire type energy figure that is present but elusive. It shifts shapes but looks a bit like Satan a bit like a dragon and a bit like a laughing Buddha? I'm stuck between focusing on it or upping the heat in my eyes as I'm being encouraged to do. I dance around with this for a bit but it goes away? Maybe I didn't go deep enough? Not sure, But I feel great and slowly come back and share how I feel with the group. I'm already processing information and I sum the education of the experience as follows: I like to appear strong and big and therefore carry extra weight on my back that is holding me back. If I put that down, I can allow myself to feel joy, and even enjoy being small. I'm very great full for this process and thank my tribe members.


Next I find myself as the Receiver in the “incredible hot seat.” The process was long and had many starts and stops. At times my judge returned with “your doing it wrong. Your not good enough, your letting them down.” But, I got great support and encouragement from the other members which helped me be aware of this voice and choose something different. One of the members keep laughing at difficult times and this really helped me stay non judgmental. I'm very thankful for his laughter. It helped me to allow it to be OK that I was learning. “its a process”

As the hot seat started to unfold, I began to realize this was a perfect form/drama? for me to be engaged in. This issue is at the core of something that is stopping us both. This man appears to be having abandonment issues and is locked in a control drama. He is an energy that I have been on the opposite end of for most of my life. I'm getting irritated. This is what I'm wanting to move away from and I'm frustrated that its here in this workshop. I realize this in real time and see that its perfect and attempt to work through it. Ed comes over, makes an observation, then leaves. The sender bounces out of his form and declares that Ed understands and gets it. Now I'm confused, I don't know what to do? We decide to “leave him alone” i.e. follow Ed's lead to have him go deeper into abandonment.

We are still there at a distance and the form appears stuck. Now what? Confusion? I'm thinking I "should" know the “solution”, but I'm blocked. One of the supporters does leave altogether and goes upstairs to join the others who have long since finished. I converse with the remaining tribe member and we chat for a while then I decide I need to walk away from this for me. I go upstairs and this doesn't feel right? I follow that intuition and go back downstairs. Myself and the remaining support member get back in a circle with the sender and attempt a few different approaches. Charles eventually comes down and begins to help. I see how skilled he is and I appreciate his apprenticeship.

Ed later joins in and the “magic” begins. I'm in awe about how skillfully they handle the process. I'm very attentive and know this is a gift I am receiving. The details are mentioned in the above mentioned post so I won't elaborate. But I will emphasize that the completion process appears unresolved?

Sunday morning Ed is right back at it and thanking the hot seat for his gift to the tribe and I get it. I see how I'm on the opposite side of the this serious control and witness how Ed is not. My judge kicks in hard as I wish I were acting as strong as Ed. Then I become aware that its OK that I'm weak here. I see that I've been given a bad script and therefore I'm not weak, I'm just UNAWARE. Why would there be judgment? I get it. Now I can begin the PROCESS of re scripting myself and getting free of some bad tool that someone I trusted gave me. I realize I don't understand yet, and I understand that its OK. As I peal the levels of the onion away I see how powerful my control drama is and I begin to be frightened by it. Ed's banjo song, “my butt is in the now...Hi Ho the MERRY O” is resonating with me and I enjoy that I'm on the process and the fear subsides.

I return home and things at work are great. I see how we are succeeding in part because of things we were intuitively doing that were in line with much of what I got from the seminar. We have a tribe, (we are a trading group) we have a process, complete with strong support, solid commitment, and excellent measurement tools. I now have a more complete understating of what is working and why and I'm looking forward to clarifying this further and sharing with my group.

Thank you for sharing your process - and for doing so in detail.

Sunday, May 3, 2009

The Crux of Thee Matter

Ed,

Hello.
 

I am following up on my model to Simplifying the Fredian Psychology Model.

Were the humble changes I made to the Fredian model too simplistic, and if so, is that not the crux of genius?

Anyway, I feel indebted for all of your help and am looking for an opportunity to say 'hey'.

Thank you for sharing your "simplification model" and your "crux of genius."

The term "Crux" derives from the Latin cruc - crux meaning cross or torture.  Relatives include crucible and crusades.

I notice your simplification model includes lots of extra surrounding features such as "negative experiences," "false beliefs," "negative behavior," "new negative experiences," negative expectation," and "God."

You might consider taking you feelings about <judgment> to Tribe.

First Crusade 1095-1099

During the first decade, the Crusaders pursue a policy of terror against Muslims and Jews that includes mass executions, the throwing of severed heads over besieged cities walls, exhibition and mutilation of naked cadavers, and even cannibalism.

Sunday, May 3, 2009

Gets a Free Meal
 

Dear Ed,

My husband has been operated on and is recovering. (Yeah!~).

I went to dinner at the [brewery] next door to the hotel. A local DJ and the manager of the brewery were sitting next to me at the bar and we talked about recipes and systems.

Sunday, May 3, 2009

Striking Changes

Thank you for sharing your process.

Striking Changes

may affect the way

you light up your matches.

Clip: http://www.cite-sciences.fr/csmedia/storage/

Clip: http://www.flixxy.com/wildlife-

Sunday, May 3, 2009

Long-Term Chart
 

Ed,

This is a 600 year graph of silver prices and silver/gold ratio from 1344 to 1998 as shown in 1998 dollars.

Silver Price / 1998 Dollars

from 1344 to 1998

Blue Line = Silver Price

Thank you for the chart.

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Scientists Catch On

Ed,

Some scientists now realize that only Now exists.

See:

http://discovermagazine.com/2009/may/

01-the-biocentric-universe-life-creates-time-

Sunday, May 3, 2009

Giving up Automatic Responses

see previous

Ed,

Thank you for your feedback.

Ed Says: "The hard work you report is consistent with the DIM process and trying to control things".

Yes. The past days I realize that my responses are still not automatic (I write: "I have to re-program the system from scratch").

While thinking about how difficult it is, I start rubbing my eyes and my forehead with my palms and fingers. I remember showing this form before (I am not certain, but maybe also during the workshop). It is a signature form, indicating that I have a deep response pattern (rock) related to control issues, maybe also to decision making / changing things.

As I realize it, I also realize that it can be very difficult or even impossible to re-program my answers alone.

A DIM rock process is per definition undoable, since it is impossible to observe and describe a system from within (i.e. me changing myself). I need a meta-me.

I mention the issue “automatic responses – reprogramming” to my wife. She mentions that she observes substantial changes in me.

Since intention = results, I am pleased as I see results indicating that I really want to change things.

Ed Says: “At such point as you ever become willing to surrender to and to complete the process, we may be able to define and implement Pro-Active strategies on a deeply automatic level - and save you some of that "hard work."

I read “we” above. My Tribe does not know how to carry out Rock processes. Maybe you think about visiting Europe in summer. If yes, maybe you can supervise our Tribe (I cannot supervise my own process).

The changes your wife is noticing may have to do with your receiving her more and manipulating her less.

You seem to be making substantial changes in these areas.

Yes, at such point that you become willing to engage the work of considering your deep-root responses, you are welcome to experience the Rocks Process at the Incline Village Tribe.

Sunday, May 3, 2009

SVO-p does not have an "official" interrogative tense. Interrogation often associates with manipulation and control.

Appearance of the interrogative, past and future tenses in your language can be indicators of issues to bring to Tribe.

In SVO-p we share feelings, including wonder, confusion and "I don't know."

For example:

I wonder if you can relate to these notions.

 

I wonder if you can go for a whole week substituting sharing feelings for asking questions.

 

I wonder if these examples satisfy your request.

Sunday, May 3, 2009

Phillips and Phelps

see previous

Hi Ed,

I learn so much by reading FAQs. The description of the hot seat was very helpful to me.

I also went off site to read about the Phelps Curve. Economics is an area I know little about other than personally my purse has a limited supply of dollars on a regular basis.

Thank you for sharing your process.

I note you look up the Phelps Curve in response to my mentioning the Phillips Curve.

Phelps is the author of the "golden rule of savings" - a pro-control variation of Static Optimal Economics that overlooks the rejuvenating intention of the business cycle.

Thank you for sharing your process - and your experience of conducting research on Internet.

The Speed of Light

varies

as a function of

magnetic permeability and

electric permittivity.

For example light travels

slower through glass and water

than it does through air

or "empty" space.

Clip: http://talklikeaphysicist.com/wp-content/

uploads/2008/11/speed-light-tattoo.jpg

More on the Math: http://hyperphysics.

Sun, 5/3/09

Guilt Tripping

Thank you for sharing your feelings.

Please note my email does not doubt your trades are real or claim you are lying.  It asks about your feelings - in  particular if you feel your trades all flow from an automatic back-test system.

Evidently, this hits a nerve and excites you to introduce the topic of whether or not you are lying.

You might consider taking your feelings about <anger>, <control>, <throwing tantrums>, <lying> and <trying to guilt-trip others> to Tribe.

In the TTP Rocks Process, we view "guilt-tripping" as merely another deep-root medicinal response pattern.  We aim to identify the origin of this pattern and supplement it with automatic pro-active response patterns.

You might find that mastery of alternative response patterns might facilitate your raising more funds to manage.

As I recall, you are not currently in a Tribe and are relying on the DIM (Do It Myself) process.

The DIM method is typically ineffective in dealing with control issues.

Guilt Trip: What to Pack

1.

Tell someone that their actions are hurtful.

Example: "You say I'm lying. (sob, sob, sob).

2.

Demand reparations.

(This is the point of the exercise.)

Example: "I want an apology

and I want you to send me

some money to trade."

3.

Follow up with a "righteous closer."

Example: "I would never hurt someone

by accusing them of lying.

I'm offended."

Clip: http://www.boundless.org/2005/

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Wants to Join IVTT

Hi Ed,

I would like the opportunity to attend the IVTT on an on-going basis.

I attended a workshop in spring of 2007. I have tried to the DIM approach for a long time without success. Let me know if this option is available.

I am open to participation by Workshop Graduates.

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Efficient market hypotheses are generally static models.

Economic models are generally Cause-and-Effect models.

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Giving up Controlling Others

It's a Lot of Work
see previous

Ed,

May 1st is a holiday. I am glad about that, because the continuous observation of my interaction with people is a lot of work.

At the evening I am exhausted. However, I see some changes. I have several long talks with my wife. I used to listen to her, now I receive her. I learn the subtle but huge difference between both.

For example, I comment my wife about rising stocks and she mentions that she sold at the bottom. I think that she is mourning about the money loss. I do not answer and think about what she is saying. I think again, and again, and realize that she does not regret the losses: she feels that I mislead her. This time I acknowledge her feeling and do not start trying to explain strategies, stocks hitting stops or whatever. I see that she does not have a special reason to trust me right now. I do not make excuses or explanations. I cannot work on "money loss", I can work on "My wife feels that I mislead her".

She mentions that she is uncertain about how things will work. I receive her while she kisses me. Once I receive curiosity and love, another time sexual arousal and fear. I let her experience these feelings and ask her about it: Are you afraid? Sure she is! This gives her the possibility to tell me about her feelings and me to understand her better.

Three days after I change my attitude I observe a substantial change in my wife: she searches closeness, touches me more frequently, kisses me spontaneously. If I want to touch her or kiss her I first mention it to her. Sometimes she rejects it, and I acknowledge her rejection. It can seem artificial to an observer, but I am learning to interact with her after 12 years.

I tell her about my experiences during the workshop. I am very careful as I tell my story. Am I trying to manipulate her, to make her feel compassion? She says that now she can understand better my actions immediately after my arrival. Do I send too much? Do I take care of her feelings? It seems to me that I am doing a good job, for the conversation carries on for 2 hours and we discuss several aspects of our relationship. Not everything is positive: I get the impression that maybe she cannot forgive me.

I wish I were one of the guys who report instantaneous and complete success. Instead, I realize the large amount of work in front of me. I am glad about the daily, the hourly discoveries and see that some deep and old patterns are indeed changeable. But I realize that it requires hard work.

I am careful about not using my new approach to manipulate people. Ed writes „You might notice if talking about "your change" is part of a strategy to win attention and approval“. I am aware of the risk. I don't talk about “my change” as if I were a converted man.

There is no “change”, but an ugly discovery. I told several friends about my marital problems looking for them to comfort me and to express me their affection. Now, I have to “debrief” them and tell them the real story. Do I expect a reaction from them? No, I don't. I think that they just have a right to know this wrongdoing by me and not have a false picture of a poor [me].

I receive feedback from several Tribe fellows about my local work and my experiences in Reno. They clarify me about me controlling or not processes,

Tribe members and social interactions outside the meetings. The picture is not as bad as I feared, but I see the danger of becoming a guru surrounded by weak people.

I realize that TTP is not about drumming, browbeating, shouting and insufflated neck veins. It took me a long time to learn that it is about receiving, giving the people room to express themselves and accepting their feelings.

I wonder how I completely forgot it during 3 days in Reno. An experienced Tribe member mentions that mine was one of the most intense hot seats he ever observed. Nobody was shouting, beating drums or creating a Super bowl atmosphere. It was just acceptance and encouragement. And it was very intense, very effective, life-changing.

I remember my intention before the Workshop to be in first line to help others. The feedback from Workshop participants suggests that they are learning from my experience.

Thank you for sharing your process.

The hard work you report is consistent with the DIM process and trying to control things.

In the TTP Rocks process we identify the Stressor, the Key Emotion, the Rock Donor, a Critical Incident, Medicinal Resources and Pro-Active Resources.

During the process, the Sender becomes emotionally florid and must muster considerable willingness to surrender to and to complete the process.

Once we identify the elements, we bring them  together in a way that automatically links the new Pro-Active Resources to the Key Emotion.

This all occurs while the Sender is emotionally active, "out of control," and consistently willing.

At completion, the Sender's new response patterns become automatic; he may thereafter become aware of others acting differently around him - and eventually aware he is behaving in new and Pro-Active ways.

In your case, you seem to be implementing some of your new Receiving skills - and finding people opening to you.

In the Rocks Process, you seem able to get about as far as the stage of beginning to discover your Medicinal Resource (eg. browbeating others, throwing tantrums, pouting, guilt-tripping, etc.)

At that point, your desire to control the process seems very strong and you seem consistently unwilling to proceed to the element identification phase.

At such point as you ever become willing to surrender to and to complete the process, we may be able to define and implement Pro-Active strategies on a deeply automatic level - and save you some of that "hard work."

Until then, you might consider continuing the struggle of noticing instances of controlling  others and wondering what to do about it.

The Cool Thing About Struggle

is that you are likely to be

on both sides of it.

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Dynamic Feedback System Models:

Testing for Model Robustness

Dear Ed,

I offer my full help and support in building a portfolio of Dynamic Feedback System Models (DFSM), especially in Economics.

I like the key element of the feedback loop.
 

Currently I am going through the links, material and exercises which are provided in your website links.
It is really Good stuff.

Thanks a lot for sharing this technology.

This question keeps popping in my mind:
 

I am wondering if there is any test for Model robustness in the Dynamic Feedback System Models.
How do I measure if DFSM works?

I see that I can measure DFSM for natural sciences by doing a "sufficient" (statistical significant) number of times the experiment.

How can I do the same for social sciences, like economics, as usually there is "not enough observations" (not a statistical significant amount of data) and/or you cannot replicate the experiment.

The example I have in mind is the Phillips curve relationship.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phillips_curve

The same apply to the Kondratiev Wave (or van Gelderen - de Wolff cycles): 4 cycles may not be statistical significant to build any robust model.

In particular I read in "Counterintuitive behavior of social systems" by Jay W. Forrester (JF) D-4468-2, page 6: System dynamics differs in two important ways from common practice in the social sciences and government. Other approaches assume that the major difficulty in understanding systems lies in shortage of information and data. Once data is collected, people have felt confident in interpreting the implications. I differ on both of these attitudes. The problem is not shortage of data but rather inability to perceive the consequences of information we already possess. The system dynamics approach starts with concepts and information on which people are already acting. Generally, available information about system structure and decision-making policies is sufficient. Available information is assembled into a computer model that can show behavioral consequences of well-known parts of a system. Generally, behavior is different from what people have assumed.

Can you help me to clarify my thoughts?

My first finding is that maybe useful to add some metrics (to the DFSM picture to show how robust a model is).

------------

HOLD ON!

I start to feel a strong pain on the back of the neck in the moment of sending this mail. Really strong.
How comes?

So instead of sending it I find myself downloading further pdf files from the website, printing and reading them as I am unable to sit on the chair.
 

I notice in "A Skeptic's Guide to Computer Models" by J. Sterman D-4101-1 and start to read.
 

Suddenly page 12 comments on importance of soft variables strikes me, then pages 17 to 20 are eye-opener, including the remarks on Phillips curve.
 

Thank you for sharing your process.

The Phillips Curve shows Unemployment versus Inflation Rate.  It "predicts" you can't have full employment and low inflation.

Two variables in a system model that have a level separating them, have a phase shift between them.  If you plot them, you get a hysteresis pattern at best.

The expectation of these forming a straight line is absurd and reflects the sorry state of the art and science of economics.

If anything, the chart might display a Phillips Loop. 

One use of the Phillips Curve is to justify "blaming" high employment for inflation - and distract attention from the role of the Fed.

Phillips Curve

Elastic Hysteresis

Economist

Clips:

Philips Curve: Wikipedia

http://wpcontent.answers.com/wikipedia/

commons/thumb/d/df/Elastic_Hysteresis.jpg/

300px-Elastic_Hysteresis.jpg

http://www.webird.ne.jp/degipic/

Friday, May 1, 2009
 

I am preparing a study plan for System Dynamics. 

Friday, May 1, 2009

Reducing Control

see previous

Friday, May 1, 2009
 

Workshop Feedback:

Perfecting Trading System

Ed,

Thank you for sharing your process.

Friday, May 1, 2009

Workshop Follow Up

TTP = RPG
 
Hi Ed,

Thank you and (member) for the Workshop and the great weekend. I learn more about myself in the few days I am in the US than I do in years doing it myself and as an extra bonus I meet a great group of people all following the same path as me. It doesn't feel lonely all of a sudden.

The weekend reinforces that my DIM pattern, the fear of asking for help and asking questions holds me back in my progress and to opening up to receiving and providing support to others.

Before the Workshop I commit to myself to be open, interact and not freeze up when I am in the process of a hot seat. I have willingness to do the work and interact with others. I am usually very quiet and keep very much to myself. I notice myself freezing up on some occasions and wanting to be in control of myself. I have a lifetime habit of not letting myself go and allowing myself to be free. I am usually very secretive and closed. My mother taught me to be humble, never talk about myself, my achievements or my family as she ascribes the bad luck that hits our family to the evil eye phenomenon. A strong belief in the [Nationality] culture.

I achieve my commitment. I speak to other participants, share my views, myself and have a great time. The whole workshop experience from the moment I arrive in the US until I depart, including the loss of my luggage in SFO, can be summed up in one word: SURREAL. Perhaps Fred even sets up drama so my luggage stays behind in SFO to communicate his unwillingness to let the experience end.

-----

During registration to the Workshop, Ed requests a short essay on a significant goal and process we wish to master at the Workshop. I review my essay during my flight home and audit it against my Big Wave ("BW"). I feel that my goal and process from my essay reconcile with my BW.

My BW on Friday night which I later refine throughout the process is "I love my life; I love my wife; I love what I do; I am the best I can be."

My BW is about accepting my reality, being true to myself and living life to my greatest potential. I spend much of my teenage years in denial, not accepting my reality and living in the future. I always tell myself things will always be better in the future and spend a big part of my life running away from the now.

-----

The education I receive from TTP truly changes my perspective of who I am and of my life. I accept the death of my father and my brother, I accept that it is not my fault and that they did not just abandon my mother and me. It is not even the evil eye's fault. I no longer feel ashamed of myself or guilty.

I also see through the TTP lens that this experience has important teachings such as: living life in the now, not getting carried away with the accumulation meaningless stuff in life and that I can also be of service to others less fortunate than myself in their process to overcome difficult/traumatic situations in their lives. I would like to share the importance of these insights/gifts from my experience with others.

I no longer believe that the world owes me a favor or feel sorry for myself or want to feel guilty for wanting to do well in my life and for having big dreams. Perhaps I can also be a contributor to my community and to society. I thank Charles for dropping into my hot seat process at the right moment and pointing this out.

During a break [Name] asks me where my shamefulness and guilt come from. I explain to him that as kids my brother and I have an informal seating arrangement in the family car where I always sit behind the driver's seat and my brother behind the front passenger seat so he can watch my father drive. We think driving is cool and enjoy watching our father drive. Being the youngest I object to this arrangement and make a dash for his seat on many occasions. My success ratio is close to zero.

On the day of the accident my brother volunteers his seat to me and is happy to sit behind the driver's seat. He along with my father and an 8 year old cousin do not survive the crash. About a month after the accident I discuss this with my mother and mention it is my fault that my brother is killed. I receive a stern warning never to think about this or ever mention it again. I put this to sleep don't think about it until recent years and my TTP experiences.

[Name] gives me big Aha moment with his remark: "Your brother's Fred knows this and protects you". I am grateful to [Name] for this powerful insight and feel strong emotions as I think about this. Being older he did that regularly.

Big Wave Evolves

I wake up on Saturday thinking of the feedback I receive from group members on my big wave. I rewrite my big wave thinking of the positive feedback I receive. I have an AHA: TTP is about growth, I want exponential growth. My big wave evolves: "I experience exponential growth in my relationships and in my development as a trader."

-----

When I present my new BW during my elevator speech I notice how I feel and write my feelings down right after my speech. I feel fear and have a shaky voice and legs. I have a fear of criticism and shut down when confronted. I am emotional and feel I don't deserve to achieve my BW. I also feel guilty for wanting to pursue my Big Wave. It doesn't feel like real work and feels too much like play - fun. Am I forbidden to have fun? I sometimes feel so.

I take the feeling of not deserving to achieve my BW to the hot seat and work through the process. Ed, the process manager and receivers help me work through this issue. During my process I feel angry with myself and stupid for thinking like this. I feel like I have the ability but I don't believe in myself. I want to hide my face and feel ashamed of myself. I do that while my tribe eggs me on to do it more.

The feeling moves to from my face head to my stomach. I feel a knot in my stomach. I tense my stomach until I reach the zero point. I am in touch with Fred. Ed asks me "What's standing between you and achieving your BW?" I respond "Nothing - I've done harder things than this before". I think of this comment over the next couple of days and ask myself: "is it that simple or am I getting overconfident?"

Friday, May 1, 2009

Systems

The applications are multifarious and personal.  To get a sense of the possibilities, you might read through the Roadmap materials.

Friday, May 1, 2009

Thursday, April 30, 2009

Dear Mr. Seykota

I’m not sure if you received my last email but I just wanted to say that I’ve been going over your site, I will order your book once it’s back in stock..

I’ve downloaded and printed the first two Road Maps and will start on these immediately. I’m not sure when your next work shop is but I would like to attend. I will try to finish the Road Maps as soon as possible, do you have any advice?

I generally post notification of Workshops to this site when I know about them.

Friday, May 1, 2009
 

Amazing Commitment

Friday, May 1, 2009

Wants to Attend the Next Workshop

I currently have no Workshops on the schedule.

Friday, May 1, 2009

Likes FAQ Item

see previous

Friday, May 1, 2009

Effective Tribe Meeting in Nablia

Ed,

http://blogs.static.mentalfloss.com/blogs/

Thank you for the link.

Friday, May 1, 2009

Wants The Trading Tribe Book

Hi there,

The Trading Tribe is out of stock.