CHAPTER 4: Levitation

Previously On… 

Within the Inner Kingdom, you are the King, your intellect the Minister, and your emotions the "Hungry Dogs." Forget rigid control; true mastery lies in befriending the inner chaos. Emotions aren't enemies but loyal, if boisterous, allies. Each meltdown, a redirection to your authentic self, a cosmic shortcut disguised as a setback.

Approach your inner mess like a puppy's accident: with compassion, not judgment. "Failures" are lessons in disguise. Weirdness is welcome. Emotions aren't the problem; ignoring them is. So laugh, cry, and give those emotional dogs a metaphorical belly rub. Remember, you rule, so lead with love.

Today’s Big Idea (Or, "Why You Should Stop Overthinking and Start Floating")

Sometimes, to achieve "Levitation"—that sweet spot where you're soaring higher than your student loan debt—you gotta ditch the "why" and just trust the cosmic GPS. Think of it as sky-surfing without a board, or maybe interpretive dance with zero choreography.

The Hook: Lenny's Levitating Adventure (Or, "How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Float")

Greetings, Earthlings! I'm Lenny. Just Lenny. Like Cher, but with less glitter and more existential bewilderment. I wasn't born floating (Mom insists), but one night, when the crickets were staging a symphony of insomnia, I couldn't sleep.

I was sprawled out like a human starfish, contemplating whether stars ever get performance anxiety. Suddenly—whoosh!—a cloud vortex appeared above my bed, swirling like a cosmic cappuccino. A voice, smooth as melted butter, whispered, "Time to defy gravity, Lenny!"

Now, I'm not one to argue with celestial caffeine. I stood up—and promptly floated off the bed like a helium balloon filled with existential dread. I flapped my arms like a caffeinated chicken (thanks, cartoons!), but no dice. I was lighter than a politician's promise.

Above me, a circle with nine points hung like a donut from the breakfast of the gods. As I floated through them, each point unleashed a sound: buzz! zap! hummmm! It tickled like a thousand tiny electric fairies. I laughed. I may have passed gas from sheer cosmic joy. I was soaring!

The voice kept chanting, "The Circle speaks, don't ask why!" But I'm Lenny! Asking "why" is my superpower! Still, I figured, maybe this was one of those "just go with it" moments, like accidentally ending up at a karaoke bar.

Then I saw inner shapes hypnogogically dancing before my eyes. I followed the contour of these dreamlike apparitions and then it occurred to me. Wrap the six pointed star around the edges of these shapes.  The Tree and the Hoop high-fived—and boom!—a flash brighter than my Aunt Mildred's sequined dress! I zapped through and felt like a human lava lamp. Levitation unlocked!

But life, as they say, isn't all soaring and sparkle-pops. Suddenly, thoughts of overdue bills, that awkward Tinder date, and the time I wore mismatched socks to a funeral crashed down on me. I got distracted—and down I plummeted. SPLAT. Right into a rose bush. Ouch.

But the voice returned, patient as a yoga instructor: "Rise again, Lenny."

So I did. I practiced. I listened. I stopped obsessing over socks and social faux pas. The more I trusted the Circle, the higher I floated. Until finally—I wasn't just floating. I was flying. Not away from my problems, but right into the heart of the biggest, weirdest, most beautiful mystery I'd ever seen—and loving every second.

The Proof: The Science (and Mystery) of Letting Go (Or, "Why Surrender Isn't Just for Losers")

Lenny's story, while delightfully bonkers, points to a profound truth: the power of surrender. In a world addicted to control, letting go feels like jumping out of a plane without a parachute. We demand explanations, we crave certainty, and we resist anything that smells like a leap of faith. But sometimes, that resistance is the anchor dragging us down, preventing us from experiencing the "levitation" that awaits when we unclench our fists.

Consider the science of flow states. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (try saying that three times fast!), in his research, describes flow as a state of total immersion, where self-consciousness evaporates and action becomes effortless. Achieving flow is like tightrope walking between challenge and skill. Too much challenge, and we're paralyzed by anxiety; too little skill, and we're snoring from boredom. But when challenge and skill dance in perfect harmony, we enter a flow state where time vanishes, and we perform like rock stars.

The secret sauce? Surrender. To enter flow, we must relinquish our need to micromanage the outcome. We must trust our instincts and let the activity carry us. This is Lenny's epiphany: stop questioning the "why" and simply ride the cosmic wave.

But letting go isn't just for athletes and artists. It's a cornerstone of spiritual wisdom. In Buddhism, detachment is the VIP pass to freedom from suffering. By releasing our grip on outcomes, possessions, and even our own egos, we break free from the hamster wheel of desire and aversion.

Similarly, in Taoism, wu wei (non-action) emphasizes aligning ourselves with the universe's natural rhythm. Wu wei isn't laziness; it's acting in harmony with the Tao, the underlying principle of reality. It's like being a river: you don't force your way to the ocean; you adapt to the terrain and flow with grace.

The challenge, of course, is knowing when to let go and when to grab the reins. The world is teeming with snake oil salesmen and empty promises, and blind faith is a recipe for disaster. But there's a chasm between healthy skepticism and crippling cynicism. Sometimes, we're so busy scanning for potential pitfalls that we miss the open doors to growth and transformation.

The key? Discernment. Trust your intuition. Distinguish between genuine guidance and wishful thinking. This requires self-awareness, mindfulness, and a willingness to question your own BS. It also requires courage—the courage to leap into the unknown, even when your inner critic is screaming, "Are you insane?!"

Here’s How You Can Do It: 

Continue from the Soul Kernel and practice this new element.

1.  Download the attached Tibetan Eye Chart, print it out and attach it to your wall at eye level. 

2. Put your nose up to the middle circle.

3. Starting at the 1 o'clock position, start contouring the edge of the black shape, extending out to the periphery of your vision without tilting your head or removing your nose from the center circle.

4. When you get to the outer circles go around them 3 times. 

5. Follow the contour clockwise all the way around the chart till you return to the starting position. 

6. If you’re wanting more, reverse the direction and follow the contour counterclockwise until you return to the starting point. 

7. When completed, cup your palms over your eyes and stare into blackness for as long as you can maintain the pitch dark. 

This exercise is good for your vision and will prep you for the next step of the meditation that continues from the soul kernel.

What This All Means: The Bigger Picture (Or, "Why Levitation Is More Than Just a Party Trick")

"Levitation" isn't just about floating in the air; it's about transcending the limitations of our minds and embracing the infinite potential of our souls. It's about realizing that we are more than our thoughts, our fears, and our doubts. We are part of something vast, mysterious, and profoundly interconnected.

This chapter fits into the album's grand narrative by illustrating the shift from collapse to transformation. After the initial shock of the "call," we begin to explore the possibilities of a new reality. We learn that pain can be a catalyst for growth, and that even in the darkest depths, hope flickers like a stubborn candle.

The journey through the nine points symbolizes the stages of spiritual awakening, each with its own unique challenges and rewards. The Tree of Life and the Hoop represent the integration of masculine and feminine energies, the dance between structure and flow, the harmony between earth and sky. It's all about balance, baby!

Ultimately, "Levitation" is a reminder that we are all capable of soaring, of rising above our circumstances and realizing our full potential. But to do so, we must be willing to let go, to trust the process, and to embrace the glorious, messy, unpredictable mystery of life.

Remember This (Or, "Your Pocket-Sized Dose of Wisdom")

He who floats with faith, flies with purpose. (And maybe wears a really cool cape.)

Next Time On… (Or, "The Adventure Continues!")

In the next chapter, we'll dive into the wild world of "Thinking"—how our thoughts can both liberate and imprison us, and how to find freedom in the present moment. What if the very thing you think defines you is actually dissolving you? Prepare for a mind-bending journey!