Forget The Risk and Take The Fall!!

Posted on August 16, 2018 by Rod's World

Whats meant to Be Will Be: True strength comes when you have so much to cry and complain about, but you prefer to smile and appreciate your life instead. There are blessings hidden in every struggle you face, but you have to be willing to open your heart and mind to see them. You can’t force things to happen. You can only drive yourself crazy trying. In the end, loving your life is about trusting your intuition, taking chances, losing and finding happiness, cherishing the memories, and learning through experience. It’s a long-term journey. You have to stop worrying, wondering and doubting every step of the way. You might not end up exactly where you intended to go, but you will eventually arrive precisely where you need to be.

So what it means is mostly what is meant to be will be. You have the strength to survive whatever life throws at you, even though at times you may severely doubt this. How has society written about this over the eons, let us have a look:

1. Rabindranath Tagore was a Bengali polymath, a poet, musician and artist who reshaped Bengali literature and music, as well as Indian art with Contextual Modernism in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Author of Gitanjali and its “profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful verse”, he became in 1913 the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize in Literature. Tagore’s poetic songs were viewed as spiritual and mercurial; however, his “elegant prose and magical poetry” remain largely unknown outside Bengal. He is sometimes referred to as “the Bard of Bengal”.

2. How many years are you willing to wait to go home to where you are meant to be: I’m Going Home.

3. You don’t have to stress and worry if it doesn’t happen straight away, no time frame to what’s meant to be.

4. So you slept in and missed the 7 o’clock train. Don’t beat yourself up, you cannot change the circumstances: Right On Time.

5. Reyna is a young African American woman with a YouTube channel on relationships and a best selling book called I Love my Life. Her video called How Vulnerability Can Help Us Grow is very insightful.

6. I have had many a situation that did not turn out the way I planned only to have something better turn up soon after. I have learnt to not make it mean the world has ended because I didn’t get exactly what I wanted instantaneously, a problem in our instantaneous gratification society of today: Say Something.

7. The will of the Universal spirit works in mysterious ways. You may meet that person you think is the one, and God/Gaia will teach you the lesson that you need to learn at that stage.

8. I had a period of 6 years where my mental health fell apart, I now believe if this had not happened I would not be doing the things I do that I love today: Shine Your Way.

9. Assuming you will wake up tomorrow is an extreme assumption, but for some people, it does not happen.

10. Marilyn Monroe (born Norma Jeane Mortenson; June 1, 1926 – August 5, 1962) was an American actress, model, and singer. Famous for playing comic “blonde bombshell” characters, she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1950s and was emblematic of the era’s attitudes towards sexuality. Although she was a top-billed actress for only a decade, her films grossed $200 million by the time of her unexpected death in 1962 (equivalent to $2 billion in 2017). More than half a century later, she continues to be a major popular culture icon: After You Get What You Want.

11. If you have an attachment to a result when it does not happen when you expect it to, it adds much efforting to what you are up to.

12. These practices take a lot of the risk out of living your life: Close To The Edge.

13. That line, you have to draw the line of determination from desperation should be included in everybody’s boundary statement.

14. Sometimes I feel really jealous when I see happy loving couples after my feeble attempts at having my romantic love affairs work out: Regardless.

15. We go back to the years 767 CE to 820 CE for our final quote and the words of the great Muslim cleric, Imam al Shafi’i. He was the founder of the Principles of Islamic jurisprudence otherwise known as Uṣūl al-fiqh which is the study and critical analysis of the origins, sources, and principles upon which Islamic jurisprudence is based.

The best thing you can do is keep going: Don’t be afraid to get back up – to try again, to love again, to live again, to dream again. Life’s best lessons are often learned at the toughest times and from the biggest mistakes. Sometimes you have to endure the worst to arrive at your best.

Today’s playlist contains some smooth soul and rocking Rock and roll, one of the great guitar anthems in my humble opinion starts it all off. Ten Years After from Woodstock then three soulful numbers from Aaron Cole, Justin Timberlake, and Owl City. Then a return to the sex symbol of the 1950’s, Marilyn Monroe. Another rock classic from Yes finishing with an ultra badass sex number from Masicka. Here’s the link, Enjoy: Forget the Risk, and Take the Fall.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends:

I Fall Too Fast, Crash Too Hard!!

Posted on August 9, 2018 by Rod's World

The title of the chapter on letting go in Marc and Angel Chernoff’s inspiring book, Getting Back To Happy: Their Website. is Letting Go: Surrender Attachments That Are Holding You Back.

In the chapter, they write the following: Limits illuminate beauty, and death is the ultimate limit – a reminder that we need to be aware of this beautiful person and appreciate this beautiful thing called life, Death is also a beginning, because while we have lost someone special, this ending, like the loss of any wonderful life situation, is a moment of reinvention. Although deeply sad, their passing forces us to reinvent our lives, and in this reinvention is an opportunity to experience beauty in new, unseen ways and places, And finally, death is an opportunity to celebrate a person’s life, and to be grateful for the beauty they showed us

Most of the time it’s tough, to be honest about what we really need and how our lives might benefit by letting go of some things If you have felt any of Marc and Angel’s list, maybe it’s time to reassess your situation.

Someone constantly expects you to be Someone You’re Not.
A Person’s actions don’t match their Words.
You have a habit of moping and feeling Sorry For Yourself.
You’re clutching Tight ti an Easy Street Mentality.
You truly dislike your Current Situation.
You catch yourself obsessing over and Living in the Past.

Letting Go is not giving up, it’s about surrendering obsessive attachments to specific people, outcomes, and situations. Where in your life could you do this on an ongoing basis?

Much has been said about Letting Go over time, here are a few of my favourites:

1. God, Buddha, Allah, we know what they are pointing to in this insightful quote.

2, It’s paramount that one of them is not yourself: I Was Here.

3, His Holiness rocks.

4. Vacate them from your space, so that there is room for those who are meant to be part of your tribe: Let It Go.

5. I have felt this situation in my life several times. Each time it had to happen for the better version of me to flourish.

6. They were experiences, not life sentences: Climb Every Mountain.

7. Let go of those things that you know are costing you power on an ongoing basis.

8. They say everyone we meet is either to teach us a lesson or to be taught one by them, remember the lessons: Let Go Of Attachment.

9. You can only be you, don’t try and be someone else for someone else, it won’t work.

10. If you are having difficulty with the latter, please reach out to others: Starting Over Again.

11. I love the imagery of this Meme. It hits home in a very powerful way.

12. In the end, the heart and soul are what has the final say over the often flawed logic of your mind: Heart and Soul.

13. If we bodily don’t do this, we die. What difference in our psychological world.

14. In my country, the voicemail number is 212. I don’t answer numbers that I do not know because of my past history with giving too often to charities who onsell your details, they don’t leave a voicemail: Living In The Past.

15, The past is the past, it will not change. Use your energy towards whats next on your agenda in life.

So how can we let go and live better? By realizing that there’s nothing to hold onto in the first place. Most of the things – situations, problems, worries, ideals, expectations etc. – we desperately try to grasp, as if they’re real, solid, everlasting fixtures in our lives, aren’t really there. Or, if they are there in some form, they’re changing, fluid, impermanent, or mostly created in our minds. Life gets significantly easier to deal with when we understand this.

We go further back than ever before in today’s Playlist. We begin with Beyonce and The Frozen Soundtrack then warp back to The Sound of Music. Some Spoken Word from Alan Watts and Co. then soulful Natalie Cole. Then there is our pre WW2 track by Bea Wain and Larry Clinton finishing up with the flute-driven Jethro Tull. Here’s the link to make for easy listening: I Fall Too Fast, Crash Too Hard.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.

Prometheus Is Reaching Out For The Stars!!

Posted on August 2, 2018 by Rod's World

I discovered another Brene Brown book I didn’t know about yesterday: I Thought It Was Just Me (But It Isn’t): Making the Journey from “What Will People Think?” to ” I am Enough”. A long title and subtitle but flicking through it I just had to buy it.

I turned to a page that caught my attention and this is what Brene had written:

Reaching Out: When it comes to my personal struggles with appearance, family, parenting, motherhood and work, I’m one hundred per cent dependent on my connection network. I depend on them for advice, guidance, support, feedback, validation, praise and sometimes I need them for plain old handholding or babysitting.

I’ve worked very hard to build this network – it’s now big and strong. I also depend on these people to lean on me. I know it sounds funny, but I want to be in relationships that work both ways. Receiving empathy is a wonderful gift, but so is offering it. Both giving and receiving make me a better person and help increase my shame resilience.

I can so relate to the last sentence because one of my major struggles in life is the act of receiving. I am one of the great givers and am regularly acknowledged for it, I have been given the title in my community of a beautiful man. I was recently acknowledged by my community to the tune of being gifted over $2000 to help replace my computer that was damaged by my English student. It involved over a hundred people saying to me you are enough and donating money. It wasn’t about the money to me but the act of people saying we love you and taking an action to express it.

So what ways does society have in place for people to reach out to each other, here are a few:

1. At every moment in your day, there is an opportunity to do this. We walk through a world where we know so little about each other.

2. Time to access your inner child. Remember when we were young and asking for things wasn’t a problem. We may not have got what we wanted every time, but we bravely asked anyway: Why.

3. At the height of my Mental Health journey, I often forgot the first line of this mantra, so accessing the second and third were virtually impossible.

4. An athlete who broke down the walls of racism in an international sport, I imagine there was a lot of light and shadow in his journey to achieve it:

5. My life became a lot more joyful when I realised that the access to it lay in giving to others as well as myself.

6. One of the great sages of our time. Why do we need Aristotle when we have a wise, cuddly bear: My Heart Will Go On.

7. Heads or Tails?

8. But It’s also useful to use some discernment, as the only person who can really rescue someone lives in our mirrors: How To Save A Life.

9. Sometimes no answer, no words is the answer that is required when you reach out.

10. I have become officially self-employed recently. I am finding more and more that until I reach out that very little success will come my way: Girl On Fire.

11. And who does not want the divine reaching out to them?

12. I was about to choose Pharrell’s Happy when this song came up on Youtube: Can’t Stop The Feeling.

13. This image makes me think of the saying Power To The People, let us be one of them.

14. This is what my world paradigm: Love and Respect for All, Everyone Included is based on: True Colours.

15. And for the final comment, I go to one of my top ten, Maya Angelou. Our society seems to have forgotten the power of a loving touch.

In her TED talks on vulnerability, Brene speaks about the power of speaking shame is learning to express how we feel and ask for what we need, Then I would say I am getting better at it. I recommend buying and reading Brene’s book, it will move you a fair way down the track.

Today’s playlist has a bit of good old rock and some beautiful musical songs in it. Pop diva Sabrina Carpenter starts us off, Linkin Park rocks it up next. The Celine Dion displays her incredible range, then back to some rock with The Fray, A great women’s anthem from Alicia Keys ending with two numbers from The Trolls animated movie. Here is the link for your enjoyment: Prometheus Is Reaching Out For The Stars.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.

Find Joy In The Ordinary!!!

Posted on July 24, 2018 by Rod's World

It takes courage to open ourselves up to joy. Joy is possibly the most vulnerable emotion we experience in our life. Young children are great at it, society soon deals with this by sending them off to the structure of formalised education where joy is not cool anymore.

Brene Brown calls this being trained in foreboding joy, beating vulnerability to the punch by imagining the worst or feeling nothing in hopes that the other shoe won’t drop. One way both Brene and I suggest around this is to feel gratitude, moment to moment for your ordinary life. Not wishing that it was different to what it is at this exact moment. This doesn’t mean having no dreams or goals, it means being deeply grateful for the progress you have made so far in your life.

So how does the world talk about Joy, let’s skip down that path together:

1. Time to break out the Gumboots/Wellies. Remember those rainsoaked paths of your childhood and how long it took to walk down them as each puddle became a new adventure.

2. Commenting on his imprisonment Nelson Mandela stated I went on a long holiday for 27 years. How many of us could retain our joy for that incredible amount of time: Nelson Mandela.

3. We need both kinds – The dark and the light in the recipe that makes up joyfulness.

4. This quote makes me think of the joy of being loved: Perfect.

5. Freely Interdependent exuberance – Orgasmic!!

6. And what brings Joy to your life? Being in Action: Confident.

7. No regrets, please.

8. Dumbledore is a very wise wizard, after all, he ran Hogwarts: Turn On The Lights.

9. How does the Universe speak to you? If not joyfully time to reboot it.

10. What will be on your tombstone? For me, my definition of Interculturalism: Love and Respect for All, Everyone Included: Nessun Dorma.

11. We are born free, what happens?

12. Love this beautiful list of life: The Joy of Life.

13. I, I, I,I, I, I,I, I, I,I, I, I,I, I, I,I, I, I,I, I, I,I, I, I,I, I, I,I, I, I,I, I, I,I, I, I,I, I, I,I, I, I.

14. Smell the Roses: English Country Garden.

15. His real name is Rolihlaha Mandela……his teacher gave him the name Nelson! His name means troublemaker.

To seek out moments of collective joy and to show up for moments of collective pain, e have to be brave. This means we have to be vulnerable. Brene Brown, in her 200,000 plus pieces of research couldn’t find a single example of courage that did not require vulnerability. Can you, In Your Life?

Today’s playlist contains the first Operatic song I have chosen, we begin with The Special, followed by the uber pairing of Ed Sheeran and Beyonce. Then a pop diva in Demi Lovato by the rapper Future. Then comes our operatic number with Pavarotti, then off to the Emerald Isle with The Corrs, finishing off with a quirky ditty from Jimmy Rodgers. Here is the Youtube Playlist for your viewing pleasure: Find Joy In The Ordinary.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.

Headphones On, World Off!!

Posted on July 19, 2018 by Rod's World

I am reading Brene browns new book, Braving the Wilderness: Brene’s Website. Using my formulae of writing about what is on the page I open the book too, today we are discussing the rise of loneliness amongst our society. Sorting, or living and hanging around with people who hold the same beliefs as you have become more prevalent: in the American 2016 election 80 per cent of counties gave either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton a landslide victory. In 1980, 20 per cent of American reported they were lonely; the figure is double that now.

This seems counterproductive, sorting and loneliness. If we are living in a like-minded community, shouldn’t we naturally feel like we belong? In her book, Brene quotes neuroscience researcher John Cacioppo of the University of Chicago who has been studying loneliness for over 20 years. He defines loneliness as “perceived social isolation” and states we feel loneliness when we feel disconnected. At the heart of loneliness is the absence of meaningful social interactions —- an intimate relationship, friendships, family gatherings, or even community or workgroup connections.

So, what does society have to say about the state of loneliness? There were many negative quotes, but I have chosen to stay with the more positive aspects of loneliness:

1. Rocker philosopher Henry Rollins paints a beautiful scene with his words on the matter. How great is the term “A Special Burn”.

2. Can’t quite make out the name of who said this, but how many times have we curled up in life to our favourite tracks hoping that they will make the pain of loneliness go away: Perfect.

3. During my Mental Health crisis of six years, this thought was always in the background.

4. On this walk, you get to realise that it is you who has to make the final decision, alone or not: You’ll Never Walk Alone.

5. Two words – Self Love.

6. How we define a situation can clearly give it a different meaning: Solitude.

7. For those who have suffered the abuse, we wish didn’t exist on our planet.

8. Some people use escapism to get away from it: Time After Time.

9. There is someone I am hoping is thinking this at the moment.

10. John Steinbeck wrote this quote. He won the 1962 Nobel Prize in Literature” for his realistic and imaginative writings, combining as they do sympathetic humour and keen social perception.” He has been called “a giant of American letters,” and many of his works are considered classics of Western literature: Precious Things.

11. We assume that our life will remain the same, change is the reality.

12. Carl Jung knew that speaking up was the solution to loneliness. Time to make some requests: Don’t Speak.

13. I was not a hugger for 59 of my 64 years. They work.

14. Time to reach out when Satre’s prognosis is in place: Bad Company.

15. Find the Others.

Here are the final remarks from an interview between Bill Moyers and Maya Angelou:

Moyers: Do you belong anywhere?

Angelou: I haven’t yet.

Moyers: Do you belong to anyone?

Angelou: More and more. I mean. I belong to myself. I’m very proud of that. I am very concerned about how I look at Maya. I like Maya very much. I like the humour and courage very much. And when I find myself acting in a way that isn’t…that doesn’t please me—then I have to deal with that.

Today’s playlist begins with pop icon Ed Sheeran, then we fly back to the 1960’s with Jerry and the Pacemakers. Even further back to Billie Holliday. Then three fine female singers: Clare Danes, Bic Runga and No Doubt. One of the classic English rock bands Bad Company brings it to a close. Here’s the video playlist: Headphones On, World Off.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.

Nature is Fine, but Human Nature is Finer!!

Posted on July 16, 2018 by Rod's World

Humans and Connection, what we search for on an ongoing and daily basis. All elements of society have shifted profoundly in my lifetime. Almost all of them have shifted in one direction – away from the normal and directly towards the weird.

These words come from Seth Godin’s little masterpiece of a book, We are All Weird, The Rise of Tribes and the end of Normal. He states that Creation is amplified: Publish a book or sell a painting or customise your car or design a house – whatever your passion, it’s easier to do it, it’s faster to do it, and it’s more likely that (part of) the world will notice what you do. The ability to reach and change those around you has been changed forever by the connections of the Internet and the fact that anyone, anywhere can publish to the world.

Seth also says that because you can find others who share your interests, weird is perversely becoming more normal, at least in the small tribes that we’re now congregating in. The community you choose can be a mirror and an amplifier, furthering your interests and encouraging you to push even further. The internet connects and protects the weird bt connecting and amplifying their tribes.

So how have we looked at human connection over the decades, here’s a few quotes that give us some idea:

1. I am in a program called the Warriors of Love. We recently looked at Resonance, when you are at your lowest, what you need is the above, not statements like Just Do It.

2. Brene is such a genius in these areas, A state that will always be part of my journey until they put me in the ground: Courage, Compassion and Connection.

3. I am so glad that I have recently found several events that are based on people meeting in a circle and sharing their stories with each other. This is a profound way to break through the fear people have of others knowing who we really are when the masks have been removed.

4. Married to one of the worlds wealthiest men, Melinda and Bill have discovered that making more money a second than some countries do does not fulfil you, your connectedness with others on the planet is where the inspiration comes from: Better Place.

5. And a little more from Melinda on the power of human connection.

6. Taking time to commune with the power of nature adds to our ability to connect to the 7 billion inhabitants that hang around on her: Earth Song.

7. Animals seem to like hanging out with each other. They do not analyse why they love each other as nearly as much as the human race.

8. Viktor Emil Frankl was an Austrian neurologist and psychiatrist as well as a Holocaust survivor. His best-selling book Man’s Search for Meaning (published under a different title in 1959: From Death-Camp to Existentialism, and initially released in 1946 as Trotzdem Ja Zum Leben Sagen: Ein Psychologe erlebt das Konzentrationslager, meaning Nevertheless, Say “Yes” to Life: A Psychologist Experiences the Concentration Camp) chronicles his experiences as a concentration camp inmate, which led him to discover the importance of finding meaning in all forms of existence, even the most brutal ones, and thus, a reason to continue living: Survival.

9. To me beautiful art does not necessarily mean paint on canvas, it can be words, hugs, baking, servitude, many different things.

10. AKA, you and I are unique: Human.

11. It’s the moment when you find the answer to contentment isn’t just internal or external but a balance of both.

12. Who makes up the people in your life, category one or two: Delicate.

13. The Pet Owners eulogy.

14. From the loinclothed one, comes an excellent point as to what it takes to make the world an unwelcome place: What a Wonderful World.

15. Amit Ray teaches the importance of integrating yoga, mindfulness and positive approach towards life. His words and teachings are popular and inspire people across the world. Regarding yoga, he says that yoga is not a religion. It is a science, science of well-being, the science of youthfulness, the science of integrating body, mind and soul. He advocates for creating peace and positive vibration on earth. He emphasises that it does not matter how long we are spending on earth, or how much money we have gathered or how much attention we have received. According to him, it is the amount of positive vibration we have radiated in life that matters. He emphasises the value of family. According to Amit, there is no better example for a child than a caring mother and a dignified father.

Only wealthy organisms are able to culturally diversify, and as human beings get richer and more productive, our instinct is to get even weirder. As productivity has skyrocketed, so has our ability to do what we’d like instead of merely focusing on survival. Standing out takes, time, money and confidence. More of us have all three now.

The playlist today begins with some excellent insight from Brene Brown, then a pop diva in Rachel Platten. Michael Jackson delivers one of his more obscure numbers, then an explicit number from Eminem. The beautiful voices of Rag and Bone Man and Taylor Swift follow ending off with Louis Armstrong. Here’s the Youtube playlist: Nature is Fine, But Human Nature is Finer.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.

You Will Not Know How Powerful You Are!!

Posted on July 12, 2018 by Rod's World

Often when we talk about helping poor communities, we’re actually working not to save a life but to offer more choices. That’s how we improve our well-being – by enabling choice.

The above statement is from Seth Godin’s inspiring little book: We Are All Weird: The Rise of Tribes and The End of Normal: Link to Buy It. I like the testimonials – “This is a book about giving a damn. It’s about caring about what you do and (as important) who you do it for. Professional apathy is a relic of a dead era and, as Seth teaches brilliantly, a mentality you cling to at great peril. Everyone with a pulse and a paycheck should be living, We Are All Weird – Chris Taylor, founder, Actionablebooks.com.

But it is Sherold Barr’s testimonial, who describe themselves as a Master Coach and Freedom Fighter that impressed me the most: “This book will resonate with anyone who wants to lead a tribe, be authentic, dance to the beat of their own music, and make a difference in the world. If your inner critic (the resistance) has been telling you that you are not enough, your work is not good enough, and who do you think you are to make a difference then buy this book. Let your freak flag fly high.”

So how does the world present enabling choice? It actually goes to many places and here are some of them:

1. How often do we forget that the person we must first enable is the one looking back at us in the mirror?

2. Rosemary Edghill (born 1956) is an American writer and editor. Some of her work has appeared under her original name, eluki bes shahar (lower case intentional). Her primary genres are science fiction and fantasy, but she began by writing Regency romance novels. The publishers of her first novel felt that “Eluki Bes Shahar” (her legal name at the time) sounded insufficiently English to attract readers, so she adopted the pen-name Rosemary Edghill, which became her legal name in 2004. Not really an enabling choice when you think about it: Choice.

3. Relationship experts say that choice has nothing to do with who you fall in love with. I think that is what this quote is pointing out. Our heart doesn’t seem very logical at the time.

4. Those people that are no longer in your life for an excellent reason, they didn’t stay around long enough to discover how truly valuable you were: Don’t Give Up

5. Victor Hugo is the poet my brother took his new name from when he changed his given name to create a new identity.

6. It’s the behaviour that rankles, stopping one person will not cease the violence committed against women by men. Its behavioural change that is required not naming the perpetrators: Bon Appetit.

7. It’s become less and less that I wake up these days thinking of the opposite of this.

8. You can choose to make a difference with your life or not, really, really, truly: Where’s The Love.

9. A title like Chief Executive Officer does not make you a leader, try Nobel Peace Prize Winner or something in that ilk.

10. Sammy Davis Junior rose to the top of the entertainment tree in America at a time when African Americans had to sit at the back of the bus in most states, he had a commitment: Mr Bojangles.

11. How often has it been said a particular person had the ability, but that person never chose to utilise it. That’s why it is the people who make the tough choices rise to the top.

12. One may say, impossible, because they have to want to, you can not make them do it: Tough Lover.

13. In psychotherapy and mental health, enabling has a positive sense of empowering individuals or a negative sense of encouraging dysfunctional behaviour. One must choose to give up the latter definition and allow the person to do what they need to so they can move forward.

14. Don’t be forced into a hasty decision, what occurs in your life is your choice, not others. Unfortunately, I think 90% of the human race forget this at times: Thinking Out Loud.

15. If you are making no decisions in your life there is nothing that is important to achieve, so how can your day to day actions be significant?

Today, some people can make a living as painters or professional bowlers or even poets. There are ten million households with a net worth of more than a million dollars. And there are millions (perhaps a billion) people who make enough money from their day job that they’re able to pursue something they enjoy with their spare time. More and more often, the thing they enjoy is something weird. Choice is what we choose.

The playlist begins with Bollywood superstars Miss Pooja and Manjit Rupowalia, followed by Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush with one of the great duets. Kate Perry adds some Pop Diva, then the Black Eyed Peas sing a sultry number before Sammy Davis Junior takes us back to another era. Christine Aguilera and Ed Sheeran close out the list: You Will Not Know How Powerful You Are.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.

How to Communicate Like A Buddhist!!

Posted on July 10, 2018 by Rod's World

I was in North Fitzroy Public Library the other day, and there was a book sale. Amongst them was a book called the Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness, the much anticipated follow up to Mindfulness In Plain English by Bhante Henepola Gunaratana.

My secret, I am a trained Tibetan Buddhist Calm Abiding meditation teacher and was one signature away from applying to become a monk during the eight years I spent under the tutelage of Lama Choedak Rinpoche, who is based in Canberra, Australia and in my opinion the second best interpreter of Dharma after his Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Back to the book, it cost me one dollar. So using my write about the subject on the page you open it to, today’s topic is Correct Speech, one of the eight branches of The Eight Fold Path. A little from Bhante on meditation:

Meditation is not easy. It takes time, and it takes energy. It also takes grit, determination, and discipline. It requires a host of personal qualities which we usually regard as unpleasant and which we like to avoid whenever possible. We can sum it all up in the American word ‘gumption’. Meditation takes ‘gumption.’ It is undoubtedly a great deal easier just to kick back and watch television. So why bother? Why waste all that time and energy when you could be out enjoying yourself?

Why bother? Simple, Because you are human. And just because of the simple fact that you are human, you find yourself heir to an inherent unsatisfactoriness in life which just will not go away. You can suppress it from your awareness for a time. You can distract yourself for hours on end, but it always comes back–usually when you least expect it.

All of a sudden, seemingly out of the blue, you sit up, take stock, and realize your actual situation in life.

So let’s take a trip down the eightfold path, memories of the countless nights and retreats I attended studying the dharma are flooding back, I was very good at it according to Rinpoche:

1. What, no judgement, gossiping, criticism. That would silence a few people I know.

2. Straight back to the midnight shows at the Valhalla and The Blues Brothers: Think.

3. Another concept of Buddhism is Loving Kindness, this stream of flowers reminds me of it.

4. Love me a Mind Map; This should be tattoed on all politicians hands to read before they speak in the chamber: Think Before I Speak.

5. From the symbol in the left-hand corner, I would say this is a Zen saying, beautiful, isn’t it?

6. People’s greedy desire for power, politically we never seem to remember this is a premise of the eightfold path if not addressed: Don’t Tell Lies.

7. What will mainstream media employees do when this comes into force when I am elected to power in this country, I don’t think they know how to do this.

8. How long do you spend being ethical with your speech each day?: Where Is the Love.

9. Not just the Buddhists follow right speech, here’s something from Hinduism.

10. One of the classic tales about incorrect speech, Pinocchio needs no words under this image to get the message: Bad Liar.

11. I own up to when the words feel trapped like this when I feel they may not land properly.

12. How hurt are we when what we think is the truth was revealed as Lies: I’m not a Lesbian Anymore.

13. Why, How and What. Our job in life is to discover our Why, and then you will never work another day in your life.

14. I still have a Tee Shirt with the Dharmacakra on it; The Noble Eightfold Path is a sexy beast: The Eightfold Path In The Style Of Adele.

15. And finally for the definition nerds out there, here it is.

Correct Speech has four qualities, the Buddha told us. It is always truthful, it is uplifting, not malicious or unkind. It is gentle, not crude or harsh. It is moderate, not useless or meaningless. I have a ways to go to achieve this moment to moment, a new daily practice.

The playlist today is quite quirky. We begin with Aretha Franklin from the iconic Blues Brothers movie, Then pop Diva Astrid S. The Black Eyed Peas appear on the next two clips, one with Ariana Grande at the Manchester benefit. Back to pop divas with Selena Gomez. But we finish with a lesbian anthem by Bria and Chrissy and then Rachel Moss interpreting The Eightfold Path in the style of Adele. Here’s the link to the playlist: How To Communicate Like A Buddhist.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.

Never, Never, Never Give Up.

Posted on July 5, 2018 by Rod's World

Back to Marc and Angel Chernoff’s iconic first book: 1000+ Little Things Happy Successful People Do Differently. Using the write about what is on the page you open on theory today we discuss the 11 things Everyone needs you to know. They are:

You never really know how much the people around you are hurting.
The most important trip you will likely take in life is meeting others halfway.
Relationships don’t create happiness, they reflect it.
Compassion comes back around.
Timing is Everything.
Actions are the loudest form of Communication.
A loving relationship creates freedom and abundance.
People are more of what they keep silent than what they say.
What others say and do is often based entirely on their own self-reflection.
Sincerity is giving without expectation.
Not every relationship is meant to last forever.

So what do you need to know to support those people who pop up in your life, here are 15 ways that we can do that:

1. The way through to growth is through education, finding out what you don’t know and getting out there and learning it, begin today.

2. Do you know your place in your communities, your family, your friendships, a worthwhile practice to take on daily: Somebody I Used To Know.

3. On a need to know basis this is quite useful.

4. Is a riskless life worth living? Not for this little black duck:

5. What are your wants, mine is to see the world live from the paradigm – Love and Respect for All, Everyone Included.

6. A worthwhile thing to stick on your fridge: Learn to Fly.

7. What you need to know it is your actions not what you say that makes the difference.

8. I was just curious what this pack of extraordinary looking people needed to know by being at Stonehenge: Mr Curiosity.

9. Very salient for point eleven – Not every relationship is meant to last forever.

10. Left the is out, they did, love the grace in it though: Grace Live.

11. Now let’s get to the juicy details. The lunula can reveal important secrets about your health. For instance, a smaller lunula can indicate anemia or malnutrition. Also, a small one might indicate indigestion from a slow metabolism. If it is blue-coloured, this lunula could indicate diabetes. And if it is tinted red, it might indicate signs of heart disease.

12. There are over 7 billion versions of this reality on the planet. You may not agree with quite a few of them: Happier.

13. I have many “tree” friends, I love them for what they provide in my life:

14. At Dancing Eros for Men last night we changed the life of our priestesses by honouring them with a ceremony from the heart – we also gave them flowers: Believe.

15. Find your passion and you will never work another day in your life and you will not need to take holidays to recover.

Love doesn’t close the door against all that is good, that’s a little practice the human race came up with. How can you reverse the situation on your life in practical terms?

The playlist today begins with Gotye’s breakout hit, then the sultry Miley Cyrus, followed by some rock from Foo Fighters, Then a group of boys – Jason Mraz, Jeff Buckley, Ed Sheeran finishing off with Mumford and Sons. here’s the link to the Youtube playlist, music is better with pictures: Never, Never, Never Give Up.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends:

As Soon As I Saw You!!

Posted on June 21, 2018 by Rod's World

Finally, I remember to Bring Brene Brown’s great book Daring Greatly: How the Courage to be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent and Lead: Her home page. I write my blogs at Darebin Intercultural Centre, where I teach English as a second language three days a week. Using my trusted method of writing about the subject that is on the page I open today we look at appreciation. Brene says:

“Just as our experiences of foreboding joy can be located on a continuum, I found that most of us fall somewhere on a perfectionism continuum. In other words, when it comes to hiding our flaws, managing perception, and wanting to win over folks, we’re all hustling a little. For some folks, perfectionism may only emerge when they’re feeling particularly vulnerable. For others, perfectionism is compulsive, chronic and debilitating – it looks and feels like an addiction.

Regardless of where we are on this continuum, if we want freedom from perfectionism, we have to make the long journey from “What will people think?” to “I am enough” That journey begins with shame resilience, self-compassion, and owning our own stories. To claim the truths about who we are, where we come from, what we believe, and the very imperfect nature of our lives, we have to be willing to give ourselves a break and appreciate the beauty of our cracks or imperfections. To be kinder and gentler with ourselves and each other. To talk to ourselves the same way we’d talk to someone we care about.”

So what has society said about appreciating ourselves, here are a few of my favourite quotes about the subject:

1. I fill out my Danielle LaPorte’s daily planner religiously every day, on the page is a space to put what you are grateful that day, works for me.

2. Not yet, I’ll do it when… Whats wrong with this statement?: Unwritten.

3. From one of the two most prolific quoters on the net, Ms Unknown comes this beautiful quote pointing out that the act doesn’t have to be a huge one to make a profound difference for someone.

4. Back to the second century A.D. for this quote from the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, who was a practitioner of stoicism. Amazing that they thought so much about happiness such a long time ago: Being Alive.

5. What is your essence in life? , mine is Beauty in Life. At the moment I move between contentment and pure joy.

6, Simply, Appreciation 101: Thinking out Loud.

7. I have been to some amazing places in my 63 years. One of them was the U.S.S.R. to run the Moscow Peace Marathon the year before the Berlin Wall came down. My memories are of Lana, Sergei and Michael Jackson, three people we met in a cafe in Leningrad who become our besties and showed us around for five days.

8. Do you accept compliments easily, that’s all part of your worth and value on the planet, don’t rip people off: Love Myself.

9. Life truly is a journey, on a journey, you will have your ups and downs, guaranteed.

10. I think I have found that someone else, Yay!!: We found Love.

11. Repeat after me, LOVE YOUR LIFE!!

12. Winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, His Holiness the Dalai Lama uses a gardening analogy in this quote about the importance of appreciation: Guide to Happiness

13. From Little things, big things grow – great saying and great Aussie song, look it up on Youtube.

14. How many people have you outlived, we always assume that we will be here tomorrow, not necessarily true: Need You Now.

15. Toni Payne is a creative writer, film director, poet, visual artist, media personality and entrepreneur. She enjoys working with still and moving images to create visual masterpieces. She also enjoys writing inspirational quotes, short stories, and poetry about various topics from romance to self-love. At her leisure, she does voiceover readings of short stories and flash fiction on her podcast and writes travel, exotic cars and beauty lifestyle articles. She also writes musings about pop culture, entertainment, relationships and more.

Brene talks of three areas in your life that help you raise your appreciation levels: they are Self Kindness, Common Humanity and Mindfulness. Add these to your menu and I’m sure you will appreciate life at a greater level.

The music for today begins with Natasha Bedingfield, followed by actor Neil Patrick Harris doing what he loves, cabaret. Some modern popsters in Ed Sheeran, Hailee Steinfeld then Rihanna. His Holiness the Dalai Lama follows and we complete with Lady Antebellum. Here is the As soon as I saw You video playlist: Video Playlist.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.