Kathryn: Mr. Kaufman, I have read your masterful book, Self-Revealization Acceptance. For our readers, I would like to start our conversation with the title…please explain the difference between self-realization and self-revealization.

Stephen: There is a significant difference between Self-Revealization Acceptance and all other self-actualization processes. Most philosophies that incorporate self realization approaches are predicated on the idea that one should have a complete faith in the outcome of an affirmation that may or may not be functional for the person doing the affirming. Self-Revealization Acceptance is completely different in that it causes the self-revealization practitioner to thoroughly question the potential outcomes of manifesting that which is presumed desired and to maintain an attitude of constant reevaluation of the desire. This empowers the practitioner to be exact and specific so that the outcome sought is delivered, and it demands of the Creative Power of the Universe to deliver without restriction or delay what is desired. Once the SRA concept is adapted to a person's consciousness and psyche, it becomes easier for the practitioner to fully understand the potential of the object of desire while permitting the Spirit of the Thing Itself of the desired object to manifest with ease and grace and without interference by the seeker. By maintaining a consciousness of acceptance, it become readily functional in a person's experiences. To sum up: while other concepts merely tell you what to do, Self-Revealization Acceptance teaches how to do it in real time.

Kathryn: Moving on to your subtitle: Your Divine Right to Live in Joy and Freedom, I want to know your opinion as to why the majority of people are not living as if joy and freedom are divine rights.

Stephen: Most people are afraid of acknowledging their own magnificence: the same magnificence that all who have created and accepted a higher perfection to direct their lives have done. Essentially, they can not come to terms with their own inconsequence based on the ego assumption that they created themselves. This is a profound fallacy! Humankind is simply not equipped to have “created itself,” irrespective of presumed ideologies. There are a number of reasons for this. For the most part, everyone is told one thing or another and that they are the end all and be all of creation. This is mostly done in subtle ways that give them the idea that they can do everything by themselves, albeit such an idea is also an aspect of the Creative Power of the Universe, though it is certainly, and without doubt, incorrect. We are all created as extensions of the overall subjectivity of the Creator. What we must do as these extensions is to accept the divine intention to manifest ourselves as an outcome of the higher universal needs.

Kathryn: So, what is Self-Revealization Acceptance, and the story behind you learning of its existence?

Stephen: I had studied just about every religion and philosophy for the major part of my life, intellectually, physically, psychically, and had always found myself in a quandary when it came to making certain things happen. I had always felt that there was some sort of “key” to making things happen, but for some reason this personal authority never manifested in completeness. All the dogmas I had come across always spoke of what to do to bring about change but never how to do it aside from various forms of meditation and prayer: two limiting functions based on the ideas of others trying to teach this form of reality. Self-Revealization Acceptance eventually revealed to me that it is the “how” that is required to make change. I won't bore the reader as to what I personally had to go through to discover this profoundly simple method, but you can well imagine the turmoil, self-doubt and all the variations of that in my pursuance of learning and using SRA. I was thoroughly, and with great trepidation, questioning the motives of God, whom I call the Creative Power of the Universe.

What Self-Revealization Acceptance does is it brings into functional and tangible form ALL the creative energy of the universe as it is instructed to reveal itself as. Self-Revealization Acceptance affects the release of any and all limitations and restrictions: mental, physical, emotional, psychic, and spiritual. It works by knowing God as you and not you knowing yourself as God. It becomes essential to know that a universal inversion parameter is demanding of you to turn your head around and understand that you are an extension of the Creative Power of the Universe, and to please It, you are given the choice of deciding what it is that you will it to “be.”

I now had an exacting tool to bring about change without deep meditation or any other form of self-exploration. Then the fun began of learning to use it properly and intelligently for the benefit of all concerned with myself as the primary recipient of all good. There is much more to Self-Revealization Acceptance than just this simple explanation.

Kathryn: How does SRA differ from the Law of Attraction as we have come to view it from popular books and movies such as The Secret?

Stephen: Laws of Attraction are not substantial in that they create limitation based on what you think the law should be, even with amounts of will power, which are very debasing irrespective of assumed accomplishment. The results, unless they are accepted as an aspect of your own being, will continue to need will power to maintain closure of return. Self-Revealization Acceptance works in conjunction with the Spirit of the Thing Itself that draws forth from the Creative Power of the Universe, and it expresses desire in the manifest form based on the exact definitions of what it is told to demonstrate, and it does so instantly, though you may not see it until you train yourself to recognize the outcomes during the process.

With any name you choose to call God, It is the totality of anything that could ever be desired, known consciously or not. It produces desires in tangible form with ease and grace once the truth of that specific reality is accepted and that the result already exists and is yours by right of consciousness—your divine right to live in joy and freedom. This profound and inordinate activator is an expression of the Creative Power of the Universe and, though it works infallibly, it will only deliver exactly what it is being asked for. Self-Revealization Acceptance is the catalyst that drives the Spirit of the Thing Itself. It empowers anyone to be rid of anything unpleasant or unwanted, replacing it with the thing truly desired. It also enhances what you already have and want more of. Life becomes and remains a pain and a hassle when you don’t accept joyous and productive living as a normal state of being due to incorrect thinking patterns. The reality is that you do have a divine right to live in joy and freedom. You, personally, are responsible for your happiness as well as your misery; it must be accepted as the first truth. That’s just the way it is!

Kathryn: You write in your book that SRA will help one to cut through the negative sentiment and manipulative grace. Would you explain these terms and how they work to undermine our joy and freedom?

Stephen: Negative sentiment is the distress you feel when you are trying to make decisions in your life that will give you more comfort, ease, and success, but feel guilty about the possibility of hurting the feelings of others you are involved with for any reason. When people encourage you to move ahead in your life and do so without showing any form of loss, then you will have the complete advantage of attaining your desires. When they do not, or perhaps try to influence you not to do something because it will interfere with your relationship with them, it is essential that you take control of your thoughts and make the decision to either move ahead or not solely based on your desires and not the needs of others who can restrict you. You must maintain a strong attitude toward your desires without permitting others to claim special rights to you. If you do not make this important decision, you will never attain to your greatness.

Manipulative grace is a form of false flattery that can be totally debilitating. If you suffer from a weak ego, as most people do regardless of their arrogance, you will succumb to the desires of others, sometimes without even realizing that you may be doing so. Subtle hints, words or actions can keep you bound to the status quo. Many people who will try to influence you with their own ideas of what you should be doing may not even be aware that they are intruding on your life. They may sincerely think that their input into your life is best for you. Again, here you must make the decision to live your life by your divine right to live in joy and freedom based on your desires and dreams.

Kathryn: There was a line, in Chapter Two, that caught my attention, “ Regardless of what others may think about you, it is important to see yourself as first and foremost in your life: before wife or lover, before children, before job, career or anything else.” As you know, we are not programmed to think that way, especially women. What steps can you recommend for turning this thinking around?

Stephen: Based on the many convoluted ideas of most religious ideals and beliefs, we are taught to consider the needs of others before we take ourselves as the primary force behind providing for others. This has been the cause of stress and anxiety throughout history. How can a person really give of themselves when they harbor (and they do regardless of well-meaning intentions), resentment for the responsibilities they have permitted to be foisted upon themselves? Can't be done. Why? When a person is only able to give and then take, usually with limitation, they will not be sincere in their endeavors and intent. Only when my own personal needs are taken care of can I then give without expectation of a return on investment, if you will. My giving is total because I know that I am not giving anything away, as my unlimited source of all good is complete, and I don't have to concern myself with any fear of lack, loss, or limitation. This is not to suggest that I just give it away at random. To do so is foolish, as the receiving vessel on the other end may have less than honorable thoughts as to my generosity and can thereby cause me harm.

Kathryn: You write that we are meant to have anything we want, and that we need only increase our desire and capacity to receive it, in order to have it. This leads me to ask you to share your view on the Law of Karma.

Stephen: First off, it is essential to break the alleged chains of karma. Karma, in any form, has been perpetrated on us by the blind essentially leading the blind in an effort to maintain some form of control. To my understanding, karma is debilitating and destructive in any and all forms it appears as including so-called “good.” Breaking the chains of karma requires an individual to acknowledge themselves as a divine representation of the Infinite, thereby releasing any ideas of negative OR positive energy. Pretty much, you want it? You got it! We tend to forget that the Creative Power of the Universe is entirely objective and does not care what you define It as and merely delivers the desired notion. Break the chains of karma with Self-Revealization Acceptance and watch what happens to the enhanced joy and freedom of your experiences.

Kathryn: As we begin to understand that we create our reality, we also begin to question the nature of reality itself. What is your definition of Reality?

Stephen: Reality is based on our personal mythology. Regardless of how you see yourself, you can only purport to experience what it is that you accept yourself as and nothing more. What you are is not as important as who you are: a direct manifestation of the Creative Power of the Universe.

Kathryn: How does reality change depending upon whether we have faith in something, or faith of something?

Stephen: This concept is crucial. Having faith in something is based on naive notions that we are our own creators based on the choices we make, depending upon what we have been taught by others, well-meaning or not. When we presume to tell the Creative Power of the Universe what to do, we end up finding that we are always out of touch with true reality and don't get what we think we want. True reality is an acceptance of who we are rather than what we are. Having the faith OF something permits the joy and freedom of being to take the form it is intended to take without our interference by giving egotistical and misconstrued instructions to the Infinite. When we produce a particular thing and do so for the benefit of all concerned, it is in direct line with the associated ideas that we gain from devotion to the work we are doing. The purity we should seek is in the devotion to the ideal we are accepting as our self-defined selves. As the Creative Power of the Universe takes pleasure in our devotion to it, more of Its life force is released into our experiences.

Kathryn: In conversations with people all around the world, I’ve found the number one problem facing most of them is finding their spiritual purpose in life. In your vast experience, have you come across a formula for finding life purpose?

Stephen: People talk about being unable to find a purpose in life mostly because they are constantly judging themselves against others and trying to figure out why someone else is successful in certain areas that they, themselves, want to experience while they, themselves, are not. The purpose of life is to live it fully! The work that one chooses to pursue should be more than enough to develop a personal sense of purpose, but because of the attendant frustration of trying to make things happen, the inevitable brick wall shows its own nasty demeanor. Introspection into one's soul and mental abyss will always reveal what it is that should be done by the individual seeker. Spirit should not be thought of as an end to itself. It is made personally evident based on the devotion to one's work. It is not some mysterious “thing” that cannot be grasped and made functional.

Kathryn: How has your life changed since you started the practice of SRA?

Stephen: Since developing the reality of Self-Revealization Acceptance, I have gone through extreme changes by overcoming limitations to my ego-implied thoughts of selflessness. It has caused many who I previously thought were near and dear to me to run for the hills. During my trials and tribulations of trying to return to my previous thoughts, I have been unable to do so. Once you put the key into the lock...

Kathryn: Self- Revealization Acceptance is only one of the 37 books you have authored – in and of itself, a remarkable feat – but you are also a Hanshi 10th Dan. Please enlighten our readers to the significance of this honored title.

Stephen: Hanshi is the the highest title attainable in the martial arts world, along with an accomplishment level of 10th degree black belt. It is based on an elected consensus of others involved in your particular discipline. It is not something that you, yourself, decide you want to be when you grow up. There are tremendous responsibilities that accompany the acceptance of the title. These include the fundamental samurai philosophy, along with an undefinable quality that is only expressed through actions and deeds.

Kathryn: You have been a martialist for many years. Do you feel that in life it behooves us all to see ourselves as Warriors?

Stephen: The whole “warrior” thing has become a completely misconstrued notion. The word itself has lost meaning. Look at the first three letters. This goes back to the the idea that the true secret to wining the so-called battles of life is not in understanding why things happen or why they don't, but rather in knowing what you want and accepting it as already done by your divine right to live in joy and freedom. If you prefer to constantly battle against the odds of life, then, yes, you may suggest to yourself that you are a warrior. The reality is that you are wasting time by trying to beat something when you would be more at peace with your self if you simply defined your desire that would enable the Creative Power of the Universe to deliver it for your acceptance with ease and grace, KNOWING that it is delivered to you in perfect time and place.

Kathryn: You have dedicated over fifty years to your spiritual pursuit of mastery. Is it possible for you to streamline a lifetime of learning into the three most important lessons you’ve learned along the way?

Stephen: No one is more or less important than anyone else regardless of circumstance or personal discrimination.

Everything I do must be for the benefit of all concerned. Whether it is accepted by others is of no concern to me.

The rent get paid; the bills get paid; I have money in my pocket, food on my table; my health is splendid, and I continue to study and learn more about my chosen disciplines.

Kathryn: In closing, is there anything else that you would like to share with our readers?

Stephen: One of my favorite self composed apothegms and to close with a bit of levity: “Pay no heed to meaningless things such as words of wisdom.”