Breaking the Deafening Silence

The time for breaking deafening silence in H.O.P.E’s communications has come. Your editor has been silent for two reasons: first, and most important, was whether the time of serving my “worthy ideal” was coming to an end or not; and, second, how was H.O.P.E’s mission to fit into the dynamic of change we face today.

The concept of the “worthy ideal”

This concept comes from the lifetime study of success conducted by Earl Nightingale, who, arguably, is the world’s greatest student of success. According to Earl, success is the “progressive realization of a worthy ideal,” and every one of us is born with one. However, our environments have a great influence on our early years, and we can forget that “worthy ideal”. Earl said that the greatest service we can do for self and others is to remember that worthy ideal and serve it.

During the last three months, I have explored my worthy ideal to a depth I had never quite gone before. I had a very dear friend who was a gifted counselor and advisor, Margot Fanger, who helped me form H.O.P.E. back in the 1980s. She told me that in her opinion I was not a counselor, a psychologist, or a psychiatrist; rather, I was a “guide”. A guide does not show people the way so much as she or he helps that person find their way through life.

“Guiding” in H.O.P.E.

Margot pointed out that guiding only becomes possible when the guide realizes that the person she is serving already has all the answers within.The guide will help that person find those answers. Guiding is an ability I was born with; so it became a vital quality of what all of the H.O.P.E. Group work is about, and this has come brilliantly clear to me over the last two weeks. Consider the real benefit of being able to serve as a guide for another human being… virtually everybody has that ability, and we in H.O.P.E. know how to help them find that ability and share it.

It is perfectly clear to me that my work is far from done and my body has quite a few years left in which to finish it. I am not to do this work alone. Those who are meant to carry it beyond me are already coming to join the organization. Should you feel called to help please let us know. Speak to your guide or email us at hopeheals(at)hopehealing.org.

H.O.P.E.’s mission is to help people find meaning, value, and purpose in their lives. We achieve this mission by working in supportive H.O.P.E. Groups that help people find the attitudes that nurture the mission. This mission is, most certainly, “the realization of a worthy ideal”. For me, we face an incredibly huge challenge in the life of human beings today: namely, to find the meaning, value, and purpose of the whole human race. As I look around there are many who are devoted to this work which has a multitude of forms. H.O.P.E. is one of them.

The image of the dark forest

The image that faced King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table is clear to me. It is, for all intents and purposes, what Saint John of the Cross described as the “Dark Night of the Soul”. I have had dreams that point at the impending collapse of the political and economic structures that have virtually dictated how we live since the Industrial Revolution began. My sense is that this is a living process over which we have virtually no control except to be able to change our attitudes as we face the one great enemy of all – FEAR.

Indeed, we do seem to have no control over it… it threatens to overwhelm us today. However, the Buddhist wisdom teacher, Pema Chödrön, has made it clear that fear tries to control us and if we run from it it has controlled us. If we turn to face it and recognize its hunger to control us, we can refuse to participate in its vicious need to control, control, control. One word says it all: “No!”

H.O.P.E. Groups

We call H.O.P.E. Groups “Attitudinal Healing Groups” because they work with people to be able to say that “No!” to that great enemy called fear. We do so by helping each other let go of fear and conflict and come to see life in a peaceful, and loving way. This, to us, is the way of the creative Universe. It is clear that we humans have the ability to choose whether or not we continue this path that leads to total destruction or to take the creative route and build a completely new and beautiful Mother Earth.

All of the tools and means we have of achieving this marvelous result are in H.O.P.E.’s website, www.hopehealing.org. There you can find where the present H.O.P.E. Groups meet, and I am pleased to announce that the Hallowell H.O.P.E. Group is reformed and our next meeting will be at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church at 6 o’clock on Wednesday, July 13. I look forward to seeing both old friends and new friends then and there.

{ 8 comments… add one }
  • Diane Cirincione July 2, 2016, 9:31 pm

    Hi Ken,
    You touched my heart with your clarity and hope for the possibilities so many have to offer and share. You remain deep in our hearts.
    Freedom from fear this 4th of July!
    ❤️🇺🇸💥🇺🇸🍔🇺🇸🌭🇺🇸❤️
    Diane Cirincione-Jampolsky

    • Ken Hamilton Ken Hamilton July 3, 2016, 4:38 pm

      Thank you my friends. What a time to be alive!

  • John Russell July 2, 2016, 10:00 pm

    Hi Ken. H.O.P.E. has saved my life more then once. I am a walking miracle on many fronts. I thank and honor you for all you have done. I have been a member for years and feel I am ready to be trained to be a guide. Happy 4th of July and continued health to you. All my love . Sincerely, John Russell

  • Bernie Siegel, MD July 3, 2016, 1:42 am

    Ken you are the shepherd who cares about his flock and guides them to nutrition for their body, soul and spirit.

    • Ken Hamilton Ken Hamilton July 3, 2016, 4:34 pm

      And, Bernie, it was you who told me that “H.O.P.E. is a beacon that lights the path through your problems to your possibilities” for which I am eternally grateful. And now I can thank you again.

  • Elaine G McGillicuddy July 3, 2016, 1:50 am

    Dear Ken,
    I am so happy to learn of this fresh enlightenment and energy that has come to you in the last two weeks! What jumped out at me among other memorable things you said in your “Breaking Deafening Silence” is what your friend Margo pointed out: that your work as guide will become “possible when the guide realizes that the person she is serving already has all the answers within.The guide will help that person find those answers.” I just love that because it’s what guides me in my own journey, after Francis’ death.
    Thank you for your critically important work!
    With Gratitude and Love,
    Elaine

  • Jim Liberty July 3, 2016, 7:01 am

    Thanks Ken I’ve learned a lot from you & I do this for many others
    too.

  • Ken Hamilton Ken Hamilton July 3, 2016, 4:40 pm

    Thank you all so much for your caring encouragement.

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