The god that you are

What is the book about?  how a man can become the best version of himself that he could possibly be  building healthy boundaries  helping men to develop greater self-esteem  Self-actualization/self-realization  giving men a sense of structure/framework to live lives which, otherwise, might be more aimless  sharing wisdom from an elder (traditionally, in most Western societies, men have not shared – or even read about – what really matters in life)  shifting consciousness  skills for life  understanding what it truly means to be a man in the 21st century When each of us is born we are full of potential. Not only potential in what we can do, but also how we can be. However, as our lives take shape, ‘life’ happens to us and we tend to lose sight of those possibilities. But it is possible to return to that state of open opportunity, to find again that being, full of potential - that god. The god that you are does not glorify men at the expense of women; it joins with women in celebrating the best of all of us. There is a great deal of information available today for women about being a goddess. But until now there has been very little available for men about inhabiting their natural destiny. The god that you are is a book about realizing that destiny. It is a manual for life that not only describes what it means to be a god, but looks into and, in plain English, demonstrates to men how to BE a god. In the process it also deals with healing, self acceptance, authenticity, consciousness, self-esteem and boundary issues. (Although The god that you are was written specifically for men, there is much in the book for women as well.)

1: WHAT DO YOU MEAN “I’M A GOD”? Aside from religious figures, is there a man, living or dead, whom you would describe as a god? If you had to nominate a man whom you could say you think is a god, who would you point to? A sportsman, a film actor, a singer? Why? What qualities does this man possess? And what is it that you think this man might have that you don’t? My message to you is simple, and it is this: You are a god. The reaction from the majority of men is “No I’m not”. Often they will say this automatically without even thinking about it. And that’s because they have a fixed idea of what the statement “I am a god” means. Try it for yourself – say, out loud, “I am a god”. For many it feels incredibly awkward. Or just plain wrong. So, let’s get clear what kind of god we’re talking about? Firstly I’m not suggesting that you are ‘God’. Not the creator and ruler of the universe and source of all moral authority. The supreme being. The Big Man in the Sky. There are institutions for people who claim to be “God”. Although there is an argument to be made that there is a little bit of God in all of us. Or, even, that we all together constitute God. But I’m not talking about that. Do I mean that you have superhuman or supernatural powers? No. Are you a being or spirit to be worshipped as having power over nature or human fortunes? Well, maybe. But only worshipped by yourself. Although that doesn’t mean that others can’t recognize you as a god. No, the ‘god’ I’m talking about here is a fully realized man. He doesn’t look to others to validate him, and he isn’t perturbed by others’ thoughts about him either. A god believes in himself. And you can too. It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks or says. Let me repeat that: It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks or says. It’s not necessary for others to regard you as a god. It’s how you regard yourself. You were born a god and you remain a god. Even if you can’t see it yourself. Ernest Hemingway wrote “There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self.” You can be superior to your former self by fully realizing yourself as a god. But why call yourself a ‘god’? Couldn’t you just be a fully- realized man? No, because that’s not enough. That’s like describing a champion racehorse as “a horse”. Obviously it is a horse, but it’s so much more than that, just as you are more than just “a man”. You could, of course, just be a man, but then you would be missing a part of yourself. (I’ll explain how and why in later chapters.) And I believe that each of us is obliged to be the most that we can be in life. And this means embodying the gods that we are. Yes, ‘god’ is an emotive word. And that’s the point! Maybe using the word will shock you into becoming your true self. Because, since you were a baby, you have probably been moving away from your true self. Now it’s time to come back home. To come back home to you. And, let’s be clear: I’m not saying you could be a god. I’m not saying that, with enough practise, you might become a god. I’m saying that you already are a god. You may not be realized or embody that godness yet. But you’re already a god. You just need to see it and acknowledge it. Why would anyone want to be a god? Here are a couple of very good reasons: Because it’s your destiny (it was what you were born to be), Because I believe that it will make you happier! That is, you will feel more fulfilled and more satisfied with life. Isn’t that a good reason to embrace being a god? Of course it is! In the meantime your relationships will improve and you’ll be healthier. I can’t promise that you’ll become richer, but you never know! Understanding that you are a god also gives you confidence and is better for you socially. “Okay”, you might say, “I’m not “God”. But I’m a god, What special powers do I have then?”. Here’s the thing: the one special power that you already have is the only one you’ll ever really need: the power over yourself. And it’s important to see that you do already have that power (and later on we’ll be talking about how you can access that power). So, what precisely do we mean when we talk about a ‘god’? And what is the distinction between a god and an ordinary man? Let’s just pause for a moment. Can you accept that it’s actually possible to be a god? Is your mind open to that possibility? If you can accept that possibility – even just a little – well, good. Do you realize that every time you act you give yourself permission to take that action. Similarly, every time you make a decision, you give yourself permission to make that decision? This includes simple, basic activities like standing up from a chair, as well as major decisions like moving to another country. In between, in every moment of your life, you are giving yourself permission. And that includes accepting ideas. Not that there’s often much of a debate about it. We generally give ourselves permission in a subconscious (or unconscious) way. Therefore I propose that you give yourself permission to acknowledge that you are a god. Now, if you have accepted that it’s actually possible to be a god, can you see that you might evolve into your god-self? Can you embrace that concept? And does anything come to your mind as to how that evolution might take place? What do you think is the difference between how you are currently as you read this and how you might become? What qualities might you have as a god that you, currently don’t own? How does a god live differently to how most men live? Here are a few ways: A god fully inhabits himself. He is awake to all of his potential. He is alive to all the possibilities that life has to offer him. His mind is tuned and he is fully aware and conscious of the world immediately around him. He understands himself – his motives, his drives, his needs. And he is constantly growing in this knowledge. He rises to challenges. He is dedicated to furthering his growth and the growth of the world around him. A god owns who he is. Everything about who he is! He owns his abilities, his triumphs, his talents, his magnificence. And he also owns his dark side, his ‘failures’, his ineptness in certain areas, and all the areas to which he especially needs to pay attention. (I have been asked how a god can ‘fail’ or has a dark side. “Aren’t these very human qualities?” Well, yes and no. I will go into this in greater detail later. But, for the time being, suffice it to say that what I’m talking about here is awareness and ownership.) A god is acutely aware of where his energy ends and the rest of the world begins. Note that we’re not just talking about where his body ends. Because a god’s energy extends way beyond his physi-cal body. Have you noticed in social situations that eyes are drawn to certain men? And, in the same situations, that other men be-come virtually invisible. A major reason for this phenomenon is the projection (or otherwise) of the man’s energy. At the end of this book is a little exercise to practice projecting your energy. I urge you to be the complete man: the all-that-you-can-be man Someone said to me recently “You have a sense of entitlement” as though there was something wrong with that. Well, yes, I understood what they meant: that I was being selfish in that moment. And that I was not considering others. That may or may not have been true in that moment. However, while being conscious of, and compassionate for, others it is still possible to have a sense of entitlement. I’m entitled to stand up for myself. I’m entitled to assert my rights. I’m entitled to claim what is rightfully mine. In the process I’m not claiming something that belongs to others. I’m accepting what the universe is offering me. So, yes, I have a sense of entitlement.