Let me start with the title problem. I like, simply, "the work," for what I'm putting together, but there is a need in life to disambiguate, and so I was scrapping around in my notebooks looking for a title. Obviously - the T.D. Lake System - a bit cumbersome, although my name will be on it - and I wanted something with a ring to it, but I also wanted something at least within some realm of reason.
My realm of reason is not the usual one, but some of the titles I came up with that had a nice ring were overly potentate. I mean - so potentate that I was giggling in my scrap-books. I meant to list at least one or two of the more glamorous ones, but I can't find the scraps at the moment.
So I've settled on a title for the moment. It is plenty potentate, but makes a nice working title at the time, and if something better comes along, this particular working title hits the trash-can. So, the current title is, "The Work of Completion." RAHR!!!
Alright, so we've got a basic outline. What I'm currently calling, "The Work of Completion is going to be a total plan of life. There are going to be rubrics for the practices, but certain parts are going to need a mentor. That causes legal issues and so on, but the idea stands to some degree. Also, the "Work of Completion," is meant to be non-sectarian, so that it really doesn't inculcate a belief system, and allows those who do have a traditional belief of some sort to determine either, "aye," or "nay."
It is inevitable that a lot of my own - bluntly - "ideology," - makes its way into this piece of work, but the goal is not to make disciples of some ideology. The "Work of Completion," is a set of practices, and is meant to be done regardless of whether you believe in those sets of practices or not. All that is required is a desire to do the practices, and then to actually do the practices.
I wouldn't consider it a moral flaw not to desire to do the practices. In fact, I think it's very likely that very few people will find this piece of my work very alluring to themselves. Still, for those who might, I'm putting it in order. This piece of work is all work I've done myself, and represents my set of life practices. Further, if mentorship in the "Work of Completion," becomes possible, then I would expect that the mentor would be doing the practices they are teaching the student in their own life.
Further, the idea would be to be practical. For example, if you do your affirmations once a month, that won't fly. However, if you are making 4 or 5 days a week, then you don't need to look for a scourge for your back. You are on the right track. More consistency would be much better, but 4 or 5 days a week will fly.
Alright, so the basic outline looks like this:
1. Affirmations. (!!!)
2. Goal Setting.
3. Cardiovascular Exercise.
4. Nutrition Guideline (GUIDELINE PEOPLE! GUIDELINE! NO ONE EATS BY MATH!)
5. Diary Practice.
6. A Musical Instrument. (It's not even really about having any skill with it, I'll describe this later.)
7. A sketchbook. (Again, you don't have to be Ramos or do art-rendering. We'll talk more here as well.)
8. Isometric Exercise. (You'll see. This is the most complex part, and not even near done. Years away from being done. It's also not the hardest part to do. See #1 for that. I also need a good artist-for-hire to do diagrams so that people can see what they need to do, rather than just read a rubric. Also, you may think Yoga and Pilates is for pink-leotards, but you just wait and try to get out of bed after your first go at a true routine. Bloody Mary's do not help, as you hurt too bad to reach for the wodka and clamato juice. There is a martial-arts tie-in, and I'll discuss it, but that isn't the point of the exercises. More here later.)
9. Centering Meditation. (I'll make this point straight out. Centering meditation is ridiculously easy to learn, hard to make a habit, and very hard to gain any skill with. The goal is to learn to make an orderly collection of a scatter-brain. That is all the goal is! The problem is that a good centering skill takes at least a few years of consistent practice to achieve. Further, some people - for no explicable reason - people who are competent in other areas of their lives - are, "centering retards." They can take a decade or more to learn to center. This is not a moral flaw, but it means that this system requires a great deal of dedication if one means to get the full benefits out of it.)
10. A textual study of some text worthy of textual study. (I'll list some suggested texts, and we'll go over how the study is going to be done. Again, you don't have to become a scholar of Cyrillic, but you're going to read something with some consideration as part of the plan besides Brian Lumley. Oh man, story to tell on the "Mirror," blog. I'm guilty to have that book in my home.)
So those are our basic points. The most difficult and important part - again - is the affirmations, and my intent is that no one do any of the other components of the "Work of Completion," without the affirmations component. The hardest part to learn is the isometric exercise, and the centering-meditation is the real long-haul and the real tedious part.
Another thought is that people might want to alter my own work on this, and while I think most people will just ruin my hard work - someone else might have something important to say on this. Also - if my work is not wholly censured by a religious tradition, I imagine that a religious tradition might try to integrate the work I've done in their own fashion.
I have no problem with these kinds of permutations of my work, with the understanding that from point 1 to point 10, what I'm laying out requires some dedication, stability, maturity and responsibility. What would really vex me is if someone draws the isometric exercises right out and leaves the rest behind - but I can't command anyone on the issue. People are really funny when it comes to isometrics, from - pink leotard to - fighting like a raging tiger. RAHR! I look forward to my maker's revelations about the abuses my teachings about isometrics produce. As I noted in my diary, that component represents to me - "a road of golden bricks - all with my baptismal name on them - yawning at the abysses of hell."
Even saying that my system isn't done, any of these practices are good for a person, though require some care, and there are already good books in publication about all of them. When my own system is done, there will still be other books available on the same topics, and see if you find something you prefer if my own work has no allure to you. Also, if you find the stuff alluring and decide you need to tap out as you are in a bad wrestling pin with the system, then be a big boy (or girl) and discontinue the practices. The intent for the mentorship portion - if it becomes possible - would be to avoid cult abuse and to support and guide a student without swindling their assets or trying to chain them to your leg. Intended, but very likely to be disobeyed.
I think we're going to do one at the "Mirror," blog, and then I might do a real preliminary isometrics talk here - not even a rubric of any kind - but talk about isometrics in general, and some martial arts talk. (Did I do that yet? I've had an article planned for over a year. I may have to check my archives.) Alright, so I'm going to break for a minute and then we'll get to some real grisly leper horror (Necroscope and the Hellbound Heart, in specific.) This is more than RAHR! I love horror books though, and there are a couple of mysteries there in my mind - as well. Onward to the WC, another cup of Gwyd's House Blend (coffee grounds are a good sign in coffee) and then I shall return with horror-leper pron. (Pron being quite fitting in this context.)
