Conversations For Transformation: Essays Inspired By The Ideas Of Werner Erhard

Conversations For Transformation

Essays By Laurence Platt

Inspired By The Ideas Of Werner Erhard

And More




Being Around Werner

Sears Point, California, USA

July 12, 2013

"If you keep saying it the way it really is, eventually your word is law in the universe."  ... 
This essay, Being Around Werner, is the companion piece to It is also the thirteenth in the complete group of Experiences Of A Friend (click here for the open group Experiences Of A Friend II):
  1. Stepping Back
  2. At Home As Self
  3. Empty Windows
  4. Futile Like A Freedom
  5. Shut Up And Do What You're Doing
  6. Werner As Intention
  7. Who He Is For Himself
  8. Source Quote
  9. Puzzle Solved, Mind Unraveled
  10. Eye To Eye
  11. Mystical Connection II
  12. Relentless
  13. Being Around Werner
  14. Being Always In Action: A Possibility
  15. Shaken Up And Teary
  16. On Being Sad
  17. The Complete Presentation
  18. Force Of Nature
  19. Everyone's In Love With Everyone
  20. I'm Old School
  21. Werner At The Speed Of Choice
  22. I Get Who You Are From What They Do
  23. The Significance - Not What Happened
  24. You Know I Love You - And I Know You Love Me
  25. Speaking To People's Relationship With Werner
  26. A Master At Being (And Having People Be)
  27. Werner As Source
  28. A Man Who's All There
  29. My Heart And You
  30. Mind Control
  31. Again And Again And Again And Again And Again And Again
  32. Unwavering
  33. The Leadership Course III: Pillar Of The Community
  34. American Genius
  35. Legacy II
so far, in that order.




Photography by Jo Fielder - Breakthrough Racing - 1979
Werner Erhard
It's a simple fact of happenstance: before there were trainings, before there were courses, before there were seminars, before there were symposia, before there were worldwide enterprises committed to making the work of transformation available in any number of cities and countries in many languages, the way you got it  was by being around Werner.

If you say that's contentious, I want you to know I hear you. And I'm completely fine saying it that way. I have no problem acknowledging it's authenticity - which is to say I've taken no issue with it, no quarrel with it. Here's why:

You could argue the theory of relativity  isn't the property of any one particular person. I happen to agree with you. But until Professor Albert Einstein isolated and made its distinctions available for humanity, relativity wasn't accessible through language  to anyone. You could just as well argue the force of gravity  isn't the property of any one particular person. I would also agree with you. But until Sir Isaac Newton isolated and made its distinctions available for humanity, gravity wasn't accessible through language to anyone. And "accessible through language"  is the essence.

Similarly you could argue transformation  isn't the property of any one particular person. I would agree with you on this score too. But until Werner Erhard isolated and made its distinctions available for humanity, transformation wasn't accessible through language to anyone. And that's how it is for us folks here on Planet Earth, yes? It's people  who bring forth new ideas. The design for the hip-shaped  Coca Cola bottle didn't just fall out of the sky. Having said that, when I asked Werner "Who is the source of transformation? In particular, who is the source of this transformation in my life? Is it you?", he answered me "No, it's you. You have this transformation because you created it. That's all.".

It's true. I created this. There's no doubt about that whatsoever. But here's the thing: what's appropriate for me personally to give back is "Yes I created this ... and you created the space for me to create it.". You see, I for one am 1,000% totally OK with acknowledging source. And no, I'm not coerced to. Nobody is. It's not expected. But for me, transforming my life and Life itself, and acknowledging source are like the front and the back of my hand: they're inseparable. This relationship, this dance  with transformation and acknowledgement makes for profound love, for intimate friendship, for (I say) privilege.

Now, to be sure, you could say it's also  contentious and pure ego  for me to deem this relationship, this dance to be a privilege. But it is. It is a privilege.

Listen: the privilege about which I speak has less to do with associating with any particular player in this piece, than it has to do with being awake to the opportunity transformation is, together. It's a privilege to play in this game with Werner and with you this way. It's a privilege for me because I say it's a privilege for me. And you'll make up your own mind for yourself whether or not I'm on an ego trip or if I'm just naïve ... or if I'm simply telling the truth.



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