CURRENT MISSION

Explore my world through all means. Passions include physics, neurology, psychology, and self-modification of my mind, exploring mind, body and spirit with courageous and committed people through solitary, intimate, and community endeavors.

ABOUT ME

#1 - They say that if you want to get something done, then ask a busy person. That is me.
#2 - They say that you only get to keep what you give away. So if I want to liberate myself by giving away all my stuff, does that mean I have to keep it?
#3 - ... always making room for novelty.

PHILOSOPHY

I believe one's life is one's work and I try only to do things that will have a long lasting, positive influence. For this reason I pursue long term projects that result in the publication, production, or completion of something. It could be a game, a journey, a study, a child, or my life. If the product of my labor does not hold promise for improving the quality life, why bother?

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I have moved to Canada; I am rootless. I've gone from living on 6 acres in a 2,600 sq.ft house to living on zero acres in a 600 sq.ft apartment. This is why I cannot host now, but I would like to move out of the city and build myself another house... or two. I will host again!

I make the most of my connections through the projects I undertake, and the further interactions that arise from them. So if you look at my web site and see an opportunity to work with me, or have something to say regarding any of these projects, then that will provide a reason to communicate, collaborate, visit, or travel.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I started hosting people and have found it both rewarding to me, and valuable as a way to provide service to others. I try to share essential experiences with whomever I meet, which is actually easier when I'm a CS guest because I'm more prepared. I feel I've been able to save the life of at least one person with the information I've shared, and a number of people I've hosted have become permanent fixtures in my life.

I learned the value of sharing with strangers from my own many trips to Alaska, Mongolia, Canada, South America, and Europe. Trips that started long ago, before there was a CS network. I enjoy bringing people together and seeing new, meaningful things happen. I share "interestingness," and I'm always got my heart open. When you met another person with their heart open it's like the "Vulcan Mind Meld," nothing needs to be said!

Interests

Spiritual pursuits: anything that involves risk and passion which for me includes: physics, finance, art, games, music, learning, flying airplanes, paddling kayaks, scuba diving, joining in ceremonies (social, religious, family, tribal), or just simply deep and personal sharing. Seclusion, I like that too.

I've built a new profession as a hypnotherapist, and I use it as a means of personal and social growth, and consciousness enhancement. As a physicist I was always skeptical of metaphysics, and this is now confirmed as I see everyone has a different understanding of what's real. I also understand that our identities, our egos, are but paper-thin constructions and, as a hypnotherapist, it is my privilege to help people see beyond their egos, and experience themselves more deeply. Therein lies health and growth. Do not hold on to who you believe yourself to be!

I am unusual because of my varied background, my travels and my skills in physics, neurology, psychology, and spirituality. I do not subscribe to any doctrine, I make it up as I go along, letting everything be provisional, and enforcing no authority. My clients have the last word. I consider myself both in service to them, and a beneficiary of their empowerment.

• arts
• books
• fashion
• education
• exercise
• flying
• boating
• traveling
• music
• outdoor activities
• mountaineering
• scuba diving
• sailing
• rock climbing
• teaching
• history
• physics
• mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

I see few movies, I'm leery of submersing one's senses in the world of unknown myth-spinners. I let others tell me which movies to see. I have a similar feeling WRT music: listening to other people's ideas depletes my need to weave my own, so I instead surround myself with instruments and make my own. I'm constantly buying books. Like Umberto Eco, I want to be surrounded by books that I have not read but want to. Once I've read a book I keep it only if I will read again. If not, I give it away.

Here is a list of the books that I once had stacked next to me: The Biology of Belief:unleashing the power of unconsciousness, matter, and miracles; 18 Unconventional Essays on the Nature of Mathematics; Midnight for Charlie Bone; New Foundations for Classical Mechanics; Geometric Algebra for Physicists; A Vision of the Brain; The Philosophy of Quantum Mechanics; Exploring Complexity; Peyote Hunt, The Sacred Journey of the Huichol Indians; Dreamtime & Inner Space, the world of the Shaman; Shamans, Healers & Medicine Men; Bowling Alone, the collapse and revival of american community; Stumbling on Happiness; Languages of the Brain, experimental paradoxes and principles in neuropsychology; The Ranger's Apprentice: the siege of Macindaw; The Living Goddesses; Pauli and Jung, the meeting of two great minds; The End of Time, the next revolution in our understanding of the universe; The Biology of Transcendence, a blueprint of the human spirit; Rising Powers, Shrinking Planet, the new geopolitics of energy; The Illusion of Conscious Will; Patterns in the Mind, language and human nature; How Brains Make Up Their Minds; The Ascent of Humanity, civilization and the human sense of self; Plant Spirit Healing, a guide to working with plant consciousness; Of Time, Passion, and Knowledge; The Tailor of Gloucester; The Neurofeedback Book, basic concepts in applied psychophysiology; Stigma, notes on the management of spoiled identity, The Alchemy of Finance, reading the mind of the market; Eleusis, archetypal image of mother and daughter; The Mayan Code, time acceleration and awakening the world mind,and most memorably: A General Theory of Love, which I can't recommend highly enough... What am I doing typing all of this in?

Now, I have a new stack of books next to me, but the topics are largely the same. Except now I have written three books of my own, but that's another story.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Active and independent as a mountaineer at a young age. Did hard routes up huge cliffs and glaciated mountains in California, Alaska, and Europe. Seem to be famous for having swam across the Arctic Sea from Alaska's North Coast to Barter Island. (I was stranded!) Explored transformation through sensory deprivation, mediation, the outdoors, and then graduate school (an unpleasant kind of sensory deprivation). I've explored shamanism in its Asian and Amazonian forms where I've become adept at the Ayahuasca ceremony. More recently I've applied these insights to further develop the psycho-spiritual aspects of neurofeedback.

I am proud of my unfortunate events: fell 1,000' off of Mt. Robson, the tallest peak in the Canadian Rockies, crashed and damaged my sail plane, saved my scuba buddy's life when she fainted 80' below the surface. These were the luckiest days of my life! I try not to make a habit of it.

Teach, Learn, Share

Conflicts between my own eclectic (chaotic?) learning style and the education I experienced led me to write a book on what I call "authentic learning." The book is for teenagers and presents the personal stories of people of different ages and interests. Through these stories I hope people will better understand how to fashion the learning experience that is right for them. You can read these interviews, which is the book, at http://www.mindstrengthbooks.com/. I see travel in general, and CS in particular, as an exercise in authentic learning.

What I Can Share with Hosts

The neighborhood, local and global, observations, symmetries, and reflections.

Countries I’ve Visited

Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, Ecuador, France, Greece, Italy, Mexico, Mongolia, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Peru, Portugal, Switzerland, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, United States

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