Before I introduce 12 Golden Keys for the first time beyond the bounds of a few dozen family members and friends, I first want to establish the possibility that from time to time people receive ideas or wisdom from “out of the blue.” Ralph Waldo Emerson made the following statement about illumination of the mind: "A man should learn to detect and watch that gleam of light which flashes across his mind from within." Emerson also explained the potential power of releasing the ideas found within us: “What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us. And when we bring what is within us out into the world, miracles happen.”
The enlightened prose of Thomas Paine, such as his 1776 pamphlet Common Sense, helped inspire colonists to join together in the American Revolution against tyranny. In discussing the origin of some of his thoughts and knowledge, he made the following eye-opening statements:
I quote the above examples, a few amongst many that could be recited here, to lend credence to the concept that people, even me, from time to time, can and do receive enlightenment and insights from unseen or unknown sources and that such illumination has potential value depending on how a given person chooses to receive and use it. Simply stated and using the words of Paine, 12 Golden Keys “bolted” into my mind. That's it--it was a unique experience but I have no desire to mystify them or in any way claim any special dispensation for writing them down. The Keys, as shown below, speak for themselves. I introduce them here to you in their plain simplicity and hope that this is just the beginning of a meaningful discussion about their meaning and ways a person can benefit from the fundamental principles contained in them.
On December 17, 2004 at 7:20 a.m., I awoke out of a deep sleep with the thought to turn on the light and start writing. I found a pen and note pad in the top drawer of my nightstand. While still lying in bed, I wrote the following words as fast as my pen could move.
12 Golden Keys
After I was done with the list, I wrote "12 Golden Keys" across the top of the paper. In the weeks after I wrote the list, I typed it up and passed it out to a select number of close friends. I put the original in my sock drawer where it stayed for years. The original now hangs on my wall. When the opportunity felt right or when I thought it might help, I selectively shared the list with a handful of people who approached me with varying life challenges. I was often surprised by the reaction people had to some or all of the Keys. Sometimes tears would roll down cheeks as a person read the list or people would thank me and tell me they really needed to see one or more of the Keys due to circumstances in their lives. Several times readers looked up at me with a surprised look on their faces when they grasped, perhaps for the first time, that they couldn’t change others, they couldn’t change the past, or they didn’t need to be perfect. I was grateful on such occasions that I could offer them such simple and timely wisdom. I was humbled then and remain so now any time I see individuals positively affected by the 12 Golden Keys. Take note of the interesting sequence of the Keys from self, through God, to serving others.
It is important you understand that in no way are the Keys intended to displace or supersede anyone's personal religious beliefs, sacred values, or moral codes. Ultimately, you should hold on to that which you find holy, to the truths that inspire and uplift you, and to the divine that guides you. It is my simple hope that in some way, perhaps during a bad day, a period of crisis, or when you feel that the weight of living is crushing you, you can look to 12 Golden Keys™ in the same way you might reach for a favorite poem or an inspirational quote and find some peace, comfort, reminders, or direction to help you through. I guess that is why I decided it was time to release the whole list in case someone might benefit from any part of them now.
There is much more to come in the future. I hope to complete some books I am working on that pertain to the keys and, as a lecturer, be able to speak to groups from all walks of life about the principles contained in 12 Golden Keys™. I hope to provide service to people and organizations in need and help people find their own way. Consider this the official beginning of what I hope is a long and beneficial ride for many.
[As to the article, Copyright © 2011 Steven Burge. All rights are reserved. No copying or reproduction without the written consent of the owner.]
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| Thomas Paine--Bolting Thoughts |
“Any person, who has made observations on the state and progress of the human mind, by observing his own, cannot but have observed, that there are two distinct classes of what are called Thoughts; those that we produce in ourselves by reflection and the act of thinking, and those that bolt into the mind of their own accord. I have always made it a rule to treat those voluntary visitors with civility, taking care to examine, as well as I was able, if they were worth entertaining; and it is from them I have acquired almost all the knowledge that I have.” (Location 611-18 11051, 5% Kindle).
I quote the above examples, a few amongst many that could be recited here, to lend credence to the concept that people, even me, from time to time, can and do receive enlightenment and insights from unseen or unknown sources and that such illumination has potential value depending on how a given person chooses to receive and use it. Simply stated and using the words of Paine, 12 Golden Keys “bolted” into my mind. That's it--it was a unique experience but I have no desire to mystify them or in any way claim any special dispensation for writing them down. The Keys, as shown below, speak for themselves. I introduce them here to you in their plain simplicity and hope that this is just the beginning of a meaningful discussion about their meaning and ways a person can benefit from the fundamental principles contained in them.
On December 17, 2004 at 7:20 a.m., I awoke out of a deep sleep with the thought to turn on the light and start writing. I found a pen and note pad in the top drawer of my nightstand. While still lying in bed, I wrote the following words as fast as my pen could move.
12 Golden Keys
- Your life matters
- Learn from your mistakes
- There has only been one perfect person
- You can only control and change yourself
- You must have balance
- You are never alone
- You can’t change the past, you can only shape the future
- Put God at the center of your existence and family and friends at the center of your life
- Live in the moment—there is no time like now
- Choose to be happy even when life is not fair
- Commit to make a difference through unconditional love
- Live the Golden Rule
(Copyright © 2004 Steven Burge. All rights reserved.)
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| A Distant Photo of the One and Only Draft of the Keys |
It is important you understand that in no way are the Keys intended to displace or supersede anyone's personal religious beliefs, sacred values, or moral codes. Ultimately, you should hold on to that which you find holy, to the truths that inspire and uplift you, and to the divine that guides you. It is my simple hope that in some way, perhaps during a bad day, a period of crisis, or when you feel that the weight of living is crushing you, you can look to 12 Golden Keys™ in the same way you might reach for a favorite poem or an inspirational quote and find some peace, comfort, reminders, or direction to help you through. I guess that is why I decided it was time to release the whole list in case someone might benefit from any part of them now.
There is much more to come in the future. I hope to complete some books I am working on that pertain to the keys and, as a lecturer, be able to speak to groups from all walks of life about the principles contained in 12 Golden Keys™. I hope to provide service to people and organizations in need and help people find their own way. Consider this the official beginning of what I hope is a long and beneficial ride for many.
[As to the article, Copyright © 2011 Steven Burge. All rights are reserved. No copying or reproduction without the written consent of the owner.]
Wow, all 12 keys are out there now! Looking forward to the book.
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