The Mystery of Dreams Finally Solved

1.JohnHenryFuseli_TheNightmareCropPerhaps nothing to come out of the human mind has so fascinated, inspired, and confused us quite like dreams. There have been many theories as to what they are: the by-product of the mind categorizing memories as it organizes a day’s worth of data; the result of the brain trying to make sense of random neurotransmitter misfirings; the way conscious thought delicately deals with subconscious stress; the communication of the soul with the brain; frequencies our brainwaves pick up from our future selves, the collective consciousness, aliens, or powerful forces with mind-manipulating technology; and on and on. There may be some truth to any of these theories, but for me, the explanation that makes the most sense not only explains the science of what dreams are, but also explains how they are often able to foretell the future, particularly, our individual and collective destiny. More »

A Simple Test To See How Close You Are To Enlightenment

1.EinsteinLaymanFanFinal.phpEnlightenment. The moment we consciously connect to eternal truth. It’s when we see through the veil of this illusionary world, rising above ego, time, materialism, and our own emotions to see the bigger picture—that we are all one. It’s what all gurus, spiritualists, yogis, Buddhists, monks, meditators, shamans, artists, writers, and religious leaders strive for. It’s the state Neo reached at the end of The Matrix, the level Dorothy attained so she could surpass time and space and return home, and the brief moment you get a taste of, usually in the shower, when your brain skips a beat on the record of reality, resulting in a little inspiration in line with your true self. But is there any way to speed up the process or at least know how close you are to the fully enlightened experience? I believe there is. And it’s something so unbelievably simple, you’ll be able to master it shortly after reading this blog post. More »

The Long Lost Instruction Book To The Game of Life

1.The_Hero_s_Journey_by_dunlavey.deviantart.900x900When you’ve seen as many movies as I have, you begin to see that they all follow a certain pattern. This is true not just of movies, but of all great stories ranging from those found in classic mythology and literature to modern TV series and video games. Joseph Campbell called it the monomyth or hero’s journey. It’s basically a series of steps that the protagonist must go through during the course of his or her adventure. In addition to this, there are also a number of spiritual principles that often find their way into storytelling. By combining these principles with the monomyth, you can pretty much figure out where just about any story is headed. While this skill has proven to be incredibly annoying to my wife, it’s come in very handy for me. Not because I’ve continually annoyed her with my usually correct movie and TV show predictions, but because I’ve noticed that these storytelling rules apply to more than just fictitious stories. They also apply to real life. More »

WARNING: SPIRITUALITY CAN BE HAZARDOUS TO YOUR HEALTH & WEALTH

1.meditating_zombie_by_BozarthCropAh, the enlightened life! A life where the superficial trappings of the material world have lost their luster. Where greasy, fried, and fatty foods are no longer tempting. Where meditation, sharing, and an appreciation of the beauty of nature provide all the fulfillment one needs for true happiness. And yet, considering how healthy, content, and self-fulfilled spiritual people claim to be, why are they plagued with so many health, wealth, and happiness issues? Is poverty a requirement of enlightenment? Is self-indulgence selfish? Is self-love a sign of an inflated ego? The irony is that most spiritual people are just as egotistical as materialistic people—perhaps even more so since they believe themselves to be so far above everyone else. Sacrifice and ascetic behavior do not make one spiritual. Denying the material for the sake of the spirit misses the big picture. To be truly fulfilled, one needs to embrace both of these worlds, creating more than a holy life, but a wholly life. More »

How To Change Your Baby’s Diaper

020214LATBCBriennaDiaperChangeThumbnailIn this Layman’s Answers to Baby Care episode, the Layman demonstrates best practices for changing your baby’s diaper along with some fascinating mythological and spiritual fun-filled facts thrown in! Learn the simple trick that makes diaper changing super-quick, what NOT to use on your baby that was likely used on you, and the hidden truth about Disney princesses that makes their likeness perfect for disposable changing sheets! More »

Diary of A Layman #32 (Fall): Was 2012 An Epic Fail?

1mayanapocalypse2012t-shirtFor years leading up to 2012, spiritual-types who were sick of the way the world was heading could take comfort in the promise of a new era that was predicted to begin on December 21 of that year. The Mayans, known for their astronomical expertise had supposedly predicted it. In addition, St. Malachy’s famous Prophecy of the Popes, which predicts when the world as we know it would end, also correlates to about the same time period. The Hopi tribe, Edgar Cayce, a book attributed to Nostradamus, hell, even The History Channel’s countless specials all pointed towards 12/21/12 as the beginning of the end times. The details differed, but whether you believed that Earth was due for a major cataclysm, a spiritual awakening, a religious reckoning and rapture, an alien visitation, a new dimension, or just an enlightened age, most people seemed somewhat excited that a major event was on the horizon. When the day finally arrived, we instead got something that came as a shock to many: absolutely nothing. Or so it would seem. More »

How To Bottle Feed Twins Pts. 1-3

130901LATBC2TwinFeedingThumbnailIn this Layman’s Answers to Baby Care episode*, the Layman shows how to effectively feed twin babies simultaneously! Learn how to mix formula with less gassy bubbles; prepare formula in one daily batch; how to decipher baby babble cues for hunger, burping, and more; times and amount of feedings, options for propping up babies, option for hands-free feeding, burping best practices, easiest ways to record baby feeds, and learn about the Indiana Jones Switcheroo!

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Diary of A Layman #31 (Summer): 5 Steps To Uncover Your Destiny

I’m very excited about a new app coming out that is completely ahead of its time. It’s called GoogleFuture and it’s amazing. Applying the process of quantum computing, the app enables you to Google search anything, from any time period—including the future. And not just the future of your current timeline, but any possible future. Imagine being able to do a search on yourself to see what becomes of you based on certain choices and decisions—which job brought more success, which partner brought a more lasting relationship, which path brought the most fulfillment. With GoogleFuture there will be no more uncertainty, and really, no need for this article. Truth be told however, there actually are no plans for GoogleFuture, or anything similar, anytime soon as far as I know. But being able to figure out your destiny is really just as easy. Maybe, even easier. More »

How To Create A Space-Saving Baby Nursery

Baby_Nursery1In this Layman’s Answers to Baby Care episode*, the Layman shows how to make the most of your baby nursery in a small space. Whether you’re in the city, have a small room, or a decent space—but with twins or triplets—you’ll see space-saving and sanity-saving methods to make your nursery the sh*t (without smelling like sh*t).

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Evolution Has Been In The Bible All Along

1.JesusDNAFishBWEver since Darwin published his infamous On the Origin of the Species in 1859, science and theology have been at war over the theory of evolution. The irony is that evolution and all its aspects—natural selection, survival of the fittest, genetic mutations—all appear in the Bible as clear as day. In fact, even a “missing link” explanation that science has still not uncovered appears in there as well. Is it found in some lost book, obscure passage, cryptic verse, or esoteric translation? No, it appears in an entire story that everyone knows—the story of Noah’s Ark. And once I point out the metaphoric meaning of the story, you’ll wonder how on earth you never noticed it before. How? The church didn’t want you to notice. Because the truth takes power away from them and puts it where it rightfully belongs—to you. More »