The Force is With You Always!
by
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Grasshopper Implants
In the 1970’s, there was a TV series called Kung Fu in which a young boy whose grandfather had died was taught many spiritual lessons by the Shaolin (Buddhist) sect that subsequently accepted him into their Monastery. The character of Kwai Chang Caine (played by David Carradine) was called “Grasshopper” by his master teacher in reference to a lesson in internal awareness he had once been taught.
The pilot episode of Kung Fu (1972) explains Caine being called Grasshopper:
Master Po: Close your eyes. What do you hear?
Young Caine: I hear the water, I hear the birds.
Po: Do you hear your own heartbeat?
Caine: No.
Po: Do you hear the grasshopper which is at your feet?
Caine: Old man, how is it that you hear these things?
Po: Young man, how is it that you do not?
Now a grown adult, Caine, having become a Shaolin priest himself, goes from episode to episode wandering in the wilderness (the American Wild West) invoking his spiritual teachings via flashback in order to help those whom he encounters. Those spiritual lessons had been carefully implanted by Spirit in order for Caine to help others in the fullness of time. Nothing in life is coincidence --- rather our experiences on life’s journey serve Spirit’s larger purpose of soul growth! We are always where we are supposed to be, learning the lessons to be learned. If we sway too far off our life’s path, Spirit will auto-correct us, as all roads we take along our journey eventually lead back to the main road again!
Like Caine, my own life has also been implanted with many spiritual lessons along life’s wilderness path as well.
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About the Book
This book teaches people how Spirit operates directly in our lives today and what we must do to live life to the fullest and with malice toward none. It teaches spiritual principles on how to live life with gratitude, acceptance, joy, abundance and wellness. It connects us with our eternal being within and encourages us to create our own soul music without.
Have we lost our way as a society? In the wake of humans murdering over 100 million other humans in the past century, many of us are seeking answers to the ever increasing cultural violence surrounding us. From capital punishment to going postal, we live in a very violent society. Hardly a day passes without news of government torture prisons, drive-by shootings, a ten year old boy murdering his father, or a congresswoman being shot in the head. Shocking revelations, such as American government doctors using unsuspecting American citizens as human guinea pigs for decades of medical experiments, further alienate the government from the people that they are supposed to serve.
It seems to me that we need a new vision of humanity that our faltering institutions have failed to provide. I believe that we need to replace institutional blight with greater spirituality. We need a new spirit of integrity that replaces the often deceitful and violent leadership we currently embrace. We need to challange the "don't get mad get even" mentality in our society with greater understanding for one another. We need to be role models for positive reinforcement (learning) rather than the punishment that only teaches more violence and hatred, and, like the Montagues and Capulets, the never-ending need to seek revenge. This book addresses how to live a life of health and wellness in the midst of a truly sick society.
About the Author
Richard Koepke, author of Best of Both Worlds: The Unauthorized Metaphysical Autobiography of Dorothy Hoogstraten and The Force is With You Always, is a therapist, ordained clergyman and psychic medium that helps people make changes in their lives to find inner peace and outward understanding through spirituality and clinical acumen. He is a therapeutic healer and teacher of skills.
Rev. Koepke holds a magna cum laude Bachelor of Arts degree in Religion and Social Sciences from Wagner College in New York City (where he won the Outstanding Pre-Seminary Student award), a Master of Divinity degree from Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and a Master of Science degree in Education from State University College of New York at Buffalo. He is a Pastoral Counselor and Clergyman, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Licensed Mental Health Counselor and a Certified Psychic Medium. He has completed six units of Clinical Pastoral Education (Advanced Standing) in both the mental and general hospital settings.
Rev. Koepke is a spiritual leader, teacher and healer who seeks Universal Truth. He believes in never-ending self-improvement and wants to leave the world a better place for his having passed this way. His mantra is: "Can I be a better person today than I was yesterday?" He wants his own life to be an example of running the good race and fighting the good fight of faith.
Rev. Koepke has been a featured guest on the international CBS FM Radio show, The Psychics Next Door, and continues to be sought out for his uncanny abilities to help people in all walks of life. Like the Phoenix bird in Greek mythology, for the past 35 years he has used his teachings and therapeutic skills to help literally hundreds of marriages, families and individuals work through their therapeutic issues, and, out of the ashes of the old that didn't work, create whole new relationships stronger and healthier than before. People not only like coming to Rick's counseling sessions, they make themselves better people as a result of his nonjudgmental, spiritual, actively interventional change agent approach.
In addition to his ongoing private practice, he has also worked in a Pastoral Counseling group practice, a Pastoral Counseling agency and a Mental Health Clinic treating the severely mentally ill, while at the same time pastoring both Lutheran and Presbyterian churches for some 30 years. He has pioneered therapy and eating disorder groups in the 1980's and 1990's and was also a public speaker for the former ABBA (Anorexia and Bulimia Buffalo Association), running an eating disorder group as well. Additionally, Rev. Koepke has spent much time doing many continuing education units in the field of addictions.
Having been provisionally certified to teach both social studies and music in New York State, he has substitute taught for both Cleveland Hill and Amherst High Schools in Buffalo, NY. He has home tutored and coached the modified boys basketball team at Cleveland Hill High School for several years as well, including summer basketball camp in Edinboro, Pennsylvania. More recently, he has helped many in need seeking answers with psychic readings. His hard earned wisdom has guided many to new life and new beginnings in a very positive way. He is a natural healer that very much comes through in his compassion for others.
Rev. Koepke was an "A" student in high school, an all-state as well as all-county percussionist, along with with six straight "A" ratings in solo competitions, and the recipient of the John Phillip Sousa music award as Longwood High School's (Middle Island, New York) outstanding musician. He has played in 4 Long Island symphony orchestras (Brookhaven Symphony, South Shore Symphony, Huntington Festival Orchestra and Suffolk Symphony) while still in high school and then college (including playing with and/or being conducted by such musicians as Van Cliburn, Leonard Rose, Tossy Spivakovsky, Clayton Westermann and Aaron Copeland's assistant). He has played percussion for several theater groups including the Brookhaven National Laboratory's Theater Group, which included the Broadway musical, The Roar of the Greasepaint, The Smell of the Crowd. He also played percussion for Showstoppers, a troupe of about 20 actors performing showstopper numbers from Broadway musicals for various groups.
He made his way through college and seminary by playing percussion during summer vacations at the Gateway Playhouse in Bellport, NY, doing 6 Broadway shows a season, each running two weeks long. (Gateway Playhouse includes many former acting students such as Dustin Hoffman and Gene Hackman.) He has played in several bands during his college days as well (including rock bands and wedding gigs).
Knowing the mind-body-spirit connection to health and wellness, and also understanding himself to be divinely guided, guarded and protected to do this work, Rev. Koepke hasn't so much as taken an aspirin or any other medication in about 15 years. His last cold was over a decade ago. He currently jogs 5-6 miles about 4 times a week, meditates in harmony with his God force and takes a cat nap whenever possible in the afternoon between sessions to rejuvinate for evening sessions. He takes care of himself so that he is free to take care of others.
As you can see from all of the above, Rev. Koepke never stops growing and developing. He has helped many, many people in his lifetime and we thank him for his dedication and selflessness to serve others! This book illustrates some of his basic concepts for healthy living.