What is Yours?

Posted on May 2, 2016 by Rod's World

I volunteer at an organisation called the Darebin Intercultural Centre where we hold programs that allow different culture to educate others on what inspires people about their cultures. We believe that this is the best way of integrating people in our multicultural municipality, there are over 150 different nationalities in Darebin.

What does culture mean, here is the Oxford dictionaries definition :definition of culture – the arts and other manifestations of human intellectual achievement regarded collectively:

“20th century popular culture”

synonyms: the arts · the humanities · intellectual achievement(s) ·

intellectual activity · literature · music · painting · philosophy

a refined understanding or appreciation of culture:

“men of culture”

synonyms: intellectual/artistic awareness · education ·

cultivation · enlightenment · discernment · discrimination · good taste · taste · refinement · polish · sophistication · urbanity · urbaneness · erudition · learning · letters · belles-lettres

the ideas, customs, and social behaviour of a particular people or society:

“Afro-Caribbean culture” ·

“people from many different cultures”

synonyms: civilization · society · way of life · lifestyle · customs ·

traditions · heritage · habits · ways · mores · values

the attitudes and behaviour characteristic of a particular social group:

“the emerging drug culture”

biology

the cultivation of bacteria, tissue cells, etc.. in an artificial medium containing nutrients:

“the cells proliferate readily in culture”

a preparation of cells obtained by culture:

“the bacterium was isolated in two blood cultures”

the cultivation of plants:

“this variety of lettuce is popular for its ease of culture”

synonyms:cultivation · growing · farming · agriculture · husbandry ·

agronomy.

This gives me a wide access to what I could choose as the 15 quotes for today’s interaction, I hope I do it justice, here we go:

1. In my country Australia when they arrived in 1788 the British declared Terra Nullus – vacant land and went on a genocidal attack on the native population who had resided here 60,000 years. Luckily for us they failed and we have a growing culture to look back on and learn from the first Australians.

2. The first thing conquerors do when they take over another is attempt to destroy their languages, music and knowledge of their past. In Tibet speaking their native tongue is banned by the Chinese.

3. Wade Davis CM is a Canadian anthropologist, ethnobotanist, author, and photographer whose work has focused on worldwide indigenous cultures, especially in North and South America and particularly involving the traditional uses and beliefs associated with psychoactive plants.

4. I am a language tutor for 4 people and find I am learning as much as I am supposedly teaching. I have taught 2 doctors. a Council member of a city three times as large as the one I live in and a structural engineer who was responsible for constructing the largest projects in his country until he was blacklisted by the Taliban.

5. I have visited several countries in my 60 years and one of my unique experiences was visiting a housing museum in Tbilisi, Georgia. The building went back 1,300 years and were a fascinating way to learn about the culture of the region.

6. I just had to include this one, as an editing professional I don’t know if the spelling mistake is a deliberate part of the message they are trying to expound or not.

7. And in my very core is one of the main cultural paths, music of many nations. Here is one of my favourite tracks: Culture – Wings of a Dove.

8. What has the world become where the basics of our life have become unaffordable for some, it is hurting the heart of our planet.

9. I believe mainstream’s media portrait of Iran to be a classic example of creating what is meant to be the culture of a country. In my work I have meant a lot of Iranian asylum seekers and become friends with an Iranian musician Studying here. Gelerah’s music is magnificent: Magnificent Tones.

10. Raymond Douglas Bradbury was an American fantasy, science fiction, horror and mystery fiction author. Widely known for his dystopia novel Fahrenheit 451 as well as his science fiction and horror story collections The Martian Chronicles The Illustrated Man, and There Will Come Soft Rains. Bradbury was one of the most celebrated 20th- and 21st-century American genre writers. Hitler tried to destroy German Intellectualism by doing this prior to WW2.

11. When Governments forget that cultures are not to dominate but strengthen the hearts and souls of their citizens quotes like this appear, unfortunately they are occurring at a growing rate.

12. Credited with creating modern Finnish culture Hugo Alvar Henrik Aalto was a Finnish architect and designer, as well as a sculptor and painter. His work includes architecture, furniture, textiles and glassware.

13. Gaining insight into 4 different cultures at the same time can be quite invigorating, I spend some hours investigating what they tell me about each of their unique upbringing, one spent 25 years in a refugee camp, being born there.

14. Pretty unique way to teach multiculturalism to your citizens, build different countries into your infrastructure, wonder what effect it will have on the inhabitants of each suburb.

15. Sound familiar with what is happening in the current era, Herman Hesse wrote this back in the 1940’s prior to the war to end ll wars, they got that wrong too . He was a German-born Swiss poet, novelist, and painter. His best-known works include Steppenwolf, Siddhartha, and The Glass Bead Game, each of which explores an individual’s search for authenticity, self-knowledge and spirituality. In 1946, he received the Nobel Prize in Literature.

I believe the best of each culture will overcome the evil that is being used at the moment to corrupt the world. That is why I have created a Facebook public group: Interculturalism to have a space where people of all cultures can sing the praises and what they love about their life.

Namaste until Thursday, my dear friends.

Standing In the Lovelight!!

Posted on April 14, 2016 by Rod's World

My friend Jo Jo posts a wish that people stand for Love each day, it’s because that’s who she is for life. The title of this blog comes from my favourite Jo Jo song: JO JO at her best.

What turns on your Love Light. There are 7 billion versions of this on the planet, I recommend that you find the people who have similar reasons as yourself, as my friend Jeffrey Slayter says , go and find the Others. Don’t look for those who will not understand yours.

I have crossed diverse areas of peoples Lovelights in the 15 quotes I have chosen to look at where society has gone with this. Let us begin our journey:

1. As Jo Jo sings we are standing in the Love Light all the time, must be the season for it if you choose it.

2. Unfortunately at times the Love Light gets shattered by the irresponsible actions of a greedy few and an event called war takes place. It is then up to our children to say enough, this is now what we were put on the planet for.

3. There was a slightly better known band that Jo Jo who did a song about this subject as well, here it is : Sweden’s go at it! I prefer the Australian one.

4. All the external lights: street light, candle light, and even the light from the moon and the stars does not come anywhere near the power of the inner light of love. It makes you tremble and shudder with vitality and joy.

5. If we could just provide the energy required from the love we have for each other when we first arrive on the planet. Because that is what we are, Pure Love, then the question of alternative energy would be solved out right.

6. Must have been dancing in the Lovelight when I chose this one. Beautiful image of the power of it.

7. People often say they fall in Love, I say they find it as it is ever present in the form of light. We just need to look harder for self love and sacred love.

8. Driving the car to the stressful job does not feel like love to many, but get the mind out of the way of the heart and the light shines through.

9. One of the strongest examples of this for me was in the ancient Russian city of Leningrad the year before the wall the day came down with a young submariner. We both could not speak each others language but found entering each others Lovelight irresistible.

10. David Oman McKay was an American religious leader and educator who served as the ninth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, serving from 1951 until his death. He believed in the LoveLight.

11. Gede Prama is a long student on peace. He began his childhood by communing with symbolical Guru in one of old village in north Bali. Later on when he learned from the life stories of many maha siddha (the enlightened), he began to understand his spiritual experience in childhood. This last experience then enriched by meditating, reading, researching and personal meeting with some of world wide spiritual Gurus like HH Dalai Lama, Thich Nhat Hanh and Karen Armstrong.

Scholarship enables Gede Prama to continue his postgraduate study to England and France. Hard work makes Gede Prama was appointed as CEO (chief executive officer) of a large corporation at the age of 38. And one year later he left behind all luxuries of corporate world then begin a journey of serving. To serve people on the path of peace.

12. Lighten the dark regions of your inner world. Denying them does not produce light but stress. Going on an acceptance journey allows for new Essences to grow in their place.

13. Sue Fitzmaurice is a coach, a very great one from New Zealand, here is her story

My purpose in life is to teach, research, coach and write about purpose. It’s what I love and it’s what I’m good at. It took a while to figure out that that was my thing – I spent a good few years chasing my tail, chasing money, achievements, status, and a few other things that had both negative and positive outcomes but all of which led me to here.

I hope in some small way I can inspire others to be all they can be and to reveal their own purpose in this world, with some nourishment for the heart, mind and soul.

Despite intolerance of all kinds around us I believe we are all One, that Love and Light underlie our humanity, and when we can understand and open to it, we will cease harming each other and our planet.

For most of us it takes most of our lives to figure it out, and each day is another step up the mountain.

14. When will we learn to light our Love Lights, they definitely don’t do it at school. In fact one could say they specialise in putting them out.

15. And as we do Jo Jo, the last one is send out as much Love Light as we can each day, because that is what will make the difference in the end. The work of the Natural Mystic.

So my purpose was to shine some Love Light on the lives of people who manage to read this and hope they pass it on to their beloved, family and friends

Namaste until next Monday my dear friends

There was No Peace!!

Posted on April 12, 2016 by Rod's World

One of the things I do is tutor refugees who need to Improve their English. At the moment I have very two different students. One was born in a refugee camp in India 25 years ago, yes thats right, she had been in a refugee camp 25 years. Then she was put in three detention centres by our government before being released. She has lived in a free community 4 months of her young life. The other is a doctor who was on the council of the capital city of the nation she comes from , I asked her why she left. Her reply was poignant , there is no peace Teacher, she calls me teacher. I have a sense they will both be great citizens of our country given what they have been through.

I have been thinking about that statement , there is no peace since, what truly gives us peace, is our nation of Australia we live in relative peace from war but to a lot of people They do not feel so, ramping up the threat to our nation. So I have chosen 15 wide ranging statements about peace to comment on the subject.

1. That great philosopher Unknown comes up with on of the most powerful definitions to my mind, peace belongs in our heart not the physical surrounds that we are in.

2. Peace has a few allies in making the world a better place, I love the last one Everybody not just us, no hate, no war.

3. Maura is 9, with more people of her age thinking like that I give Peace a Chance, Join in with John and Yoko.

4. Be in the Now, that is where peace lives, I resist this a lot. Need to read The Power of Now again.

5. Robert Brault is a writer of forty years standing, he points to the fact where our peace really lives, within.

6. We have all seen those silly cartoons with aliens looking on as there are explosions all over our world. Silly or Not?

7. One of the world’s great peace activists, a man who lead a nation to freedom peacefully, hits the spot with this one. Makes me think of Cat’s Peace Train.

8. A disturbing image with a powerful message. Yes its up to you to be a Rider of the Storm

9. MLK, in my favourite top ten speakers, I listen to him regularly, his passion for peace was extraordinary.

10. To one of the young things who have replaced Martin Luther King, the youngest recipient and possibly the most deserving winner of the Nobel Peace prize. Malala speaks the words of peace for her generation.

11. Closer and closer, the world is becoming a smaller place, may we use the words above in our recipe.

12. I’m sure each parent wishes this for that bundle of joy they hold in their arms as they raise them with love. A question though, How does war replace this scene later in Life?

13. One of John Lennon’s more obscure Peace quotes, but a chance to listen to You’re not the only One.

14. Yes a cute dog photo peace quote, works for me. Who is Antsy McClain, watch this: Living in Aliminium.

15. And finally a Sacred Meditation to complete with, may there be peace in your life and the world.

Namaste until next Thursday my dear friends.

Beauty Begins the Moment …..

Posted on March 31, 2016 by Rod's World

At the Intercultural Centre I volunteer at, we are having an art project called Brighten the Jade. We are getting local artists to collaborate to paint the walls of our new meeting room, the Jade Room. It brought me to think what brightens my life up? I would include singing, dancing, time with my family and friends and of course blogging and my new thing creating PDF’s from webinars and podcasts.

What do people say around the world and throughout history about what has brightened their life up, its an interesting recipe of 15 quotes. Let us begin our journey

1. The American Poet John Holmes was known for his uplifting quotes, this being the most famous of them. Being buff brightens your day up but your heart gets fitter the kinder you are.

2. It took me two lengthy periods of working in government service then severals years of mental health issues before I got the health and spiritual value of this statement. Have read Richard’s biography he is a man who did not do this in his life.

3. Time for what was the anthem of my generation: Don’t Worry about a Thing.

4. Do you get tunnel vision on your projects and visions in life. The work I am doing with my mentor Arion Light through his Activation School. points to the above, if you are not attached to where you get your result from, you can get your result from anywhere.

5. We have days we jump out of bed screaming YES, YES, YES, then something happens and the Yes’s fade. Though its great to set by whens if it doesn’t happen on that exact date your dream is still there in your heart and soul.

6. Probably the song that best covers this type of deep love is the one and only All You Need Is Love.

7. Lots of people give up on their plans for supposedly logical reasons, what were their names, but we all know Galileo, Martin Luther King, Oprah Winfrey. Don’t give up brightening up your life.

8. There are so many quotes that express the above sentiment, that the way to brightening up your life is through others, I agree wholeheartedly.

9. Three formulas for brightening up your day. A lot of people do this with their cups, so to remind them when the going gets mundane.

10. This quote is another by the prolific philosopher Unknown – Its not great to have people who demean the sunshine around, heal them or move on.

11. Abhisek Tiwari is an Indian TV actor, this could be a line from his series or a great insight he has come up with that brightens our lives.

12. Just love the cheeky humour of this one.

13. It seems Hafiz is Hafez, words of great Beauty , always.

Hafez
An artistic depiction of Hafez
spiritual poet, mystic
Born	1325/1326 CE Shiraz, Persia (now Iran)
Died	1389/1390 CE Shiraz, Persia (now Iran)
Major shrine	Tomb of Hafez, Shiraz, Iran
Influences	Ibn Arabi, Khwaju, Sanai, Anvari,Nizami, Sa’di, Khaqani, A
Influenced	Subsequent Persian lyric poets,Goethe
Tradition or genre	Mystic poetry (Ghazal, Irfan)
Major works	Divan-e-Hafez

Khwāja Shams-ud-Dīn Muḥammad Ḥāfeẓ-e Shīrāzī (Persian: خواجه شمس‌‌الدین محمد حافظ شیرازی‎‎), known by his pen name Hafez (حافظ Ḥāfeẓ; 1325/26–1389/90),^[1] was a Persian poet who “lauded the joys of love and wine [but] also targeted religious hypocrisy.” His collected works are regarded as a pinnacle of Persian literature and are to be found in the homes of most people in Iran, who learn his poems by heart and still use them as proverbs and sayings. His life and poems have been the subject of much analysis, commentary and interpretation, influencing post-14th century Persian writing more than any other author.

14. Two of the greats, Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman starred in this movies that was about brightening the last days of their lives: The Bucket List.

15. And finally , lets get amongst the stars, after all we are starseed, but that’s another blog for another time.

Namaste until Monday my dear friends

To Love Vs. I am Loved

Posted on March 28, 2016 by Rod's World

I follow the Cored Desired Feeling from the remarkable The Desire Map process by Danielle LaPorte. One of the cheapest transformations around : Gateway to Your Freedom. My 5 CDF’s are I am Peace, I am Bliss, I am Love, I am Helping Other People Evolve and I am Loved.

I am excellent at the first four but have recently taken on the fifth I am Loved. I write daily love memes on Facebook and am going to produce a book of them soon, giving love out comes easily, accepting is another matter all together. I used to cringe inwardly several years ago because my self worth had taken several battering including five admissions to psychiatric wards for a period of 6 months. I have been on a journey ever since to change my reaction and allowance of love into my life.

A lot of I am Loved quotes are quite cheesy so it took me a while to choose the 15 for todays discussion. Here they are, lets go:

1. This is the journey I am own, That all parts of this statement are as strong as each other. I think each person has to work on at least one part of it daily.

2. I once had the younger sister of a friend of mine since You made me Love You, I didn’t want to do it at her 21st Birthday party in front of all her friends. I was embarrassed not taking in what she was expressing to me. It never happened.

3. I think why we are finding this difficult is because our society has lost contact with Sacred Love. The time where someone says I love you or you say it to them and both of you know you never have to hear it again. People have stopped telling each other their Sacred stories .

4. Are we expected to change our partners to fit into our expectations of who they really are, watch as they walk out the door, refer to number three.

5. The Meaning of beautiful

pleasing the senses or mind aesthetically:

“beautiful poetry” ·

synonyms: attractive · pretty · handsome · good–looking ·

of a very high standard; excellent:

“she spoke in beautiful English”

synonyms: excellent · splendid · wonderful · magnificent ·

6. To be in a loveable state means to accept all of you , whatever mood is coming at you down the hallway. Its your choice after all.

7. How to attract Love in you life is to love it right back, heres a song about it : Mary J Blige – I am.

8. Sometimes I have done this , apologised for who I was in the hope that I would be love, it didn’t work.

9. Now here is someone who knows she is Loved, how could you not.

10. Mickey Mouse brought us humour in our lives as children, do statements like this turn you off or think I am loved because they are revealing their vulnerable parts to me.

11. How many times have you been told I just don’t love you that way, can we just be friends, bring on the tequila.

12. What is the furtherest distance that this has happened to you, to me it was a Russian sailor who pushed the nuclear missile buttons on a submarine based in St. Petersburg.

13.Eric Fromm was a German social psychologist, psychoanalyst, sociologist, humanistic philosopher, and democratic socialist. He was associated with the Frankfurt School of critical theory. When accepting I am Loved there always must be I Love as well.

14. If Elvis Presley loved you, what song would you choose: The Wonder of You.

15. And we finish with a beautiful quote by that famous philosopher – Unknown.

We choose how I am Loved goes with our words, be wise in your choice.

I still wonder if I will ever break the hold Am I loved has on me for it to become I am Loved. Its a worthwhile journey.

Namaste until Thursday , my dear friends.

Creativity is very Messy, and I am Very Creative!!

Posted on March 3, 2016 by Rod's World

Hello dear friends. Was sitting here wondering what to create when I had an Aha moment, why not Creativity. What lights up your creativity juices. For me it is the word, My company is called Rod has a way with words My Business website and I write two blogs a week. Other things would be Transformation and Dance.

There are lots of cute quotes in the 15 I have chosen and even some that do not need words. Lets begin our journey:

1. Remember those beautiful days spent playing with our friends the dragons, the unicorns and the faeries before we were dragged off to that prison known as school. Some of you survived the journey and are now our creatives.

2. Know mainly as a scientist and considered one of the planets wisest individuals here are some lesser known facts about him Other Einstein Facts. He had a lot to say on creativity.

3. From the author of The Seven Hats principle Edward De Bono, I love the way this poster has been designed to support what it is pointing out, that you have to break the established pattern of a column for creativity to be involved.

4. To me color is part of the creativity process, even if it is the wrong color we can give it another try, creativity is not about perfection.

5. More wise words from Einstein, Its not in the area of logic that creativity dwells , its thinking what no on else has thought, good man Albert.

6. Vivien Greene was the widow of the distinguished novelist Graham Greene and an authority on doll’s houses. This famous quote sums creativity up very well for me. Its not on the perfect days that your creativity are tested its on the rainstorm above your head days.

7. It doesn’t even say who wrote this but it doesn’t need to. One of the greatest lines ever written about human creativity.

8. No words needed here for this image. Pure creativity. but here is The Creativity Song

9. Love the simplicity of this one, try something else if its not working.

10. Danny Kaye was an American actor, singer, dancer, comedian, and musician. His performances featured physical comedy, idiosyncratic pantomimes, and rapid-fire novelty songs. You either loved or hated his creativity.Danny at his best.

11. Martin Luther King Jnr. points out that is the creative who make the difference in the world and help it be a better place.

12. Brian Thomas Littrell is an American singer-songwriter and occasional actor, best known as a member of the Backstreet Boys. He definitely landed among the stars in two different areas, music and film..

13. Along with creativity goes imagination as in the previous quote Lauren Bacall, famous actress stated that one must fly high to fulfill your creative potential, just walking along in life doesn’t achieve it.

14. Taken from Lewis Carroll’s Alice In Wonderland and made by the Cheshire Cat we must arm ourselves against the reality mainstream media push onto us.

15. I chose this one because it blows apart what is reality, a creative way of depicting a watermelon. Bing Crosby and Peggy Lee love watermelon: Watermelon Weather

To finish off here is my favorite poem about creativity:

Creativity

I have no name
Until you name me.
I have no form
Until you shape me.
I don’t exist
Until you make me,
I am creativity.

I am waiting deep inside you
Touch my spark
And let me light you,
Give me life
And I’ll revive you
I am creativity.

Source: http://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/creativity#ixzz41nayqx9G
Family Friend Poems.

Well I will see you all next Monday , my dear friends, Namaste until then.

Is it Abundantly Clear what Abundance Is?

Posted on February 25, 2016 by Rod's World

Good Morning, My dear friends. I have decided to work through my five core desired feeling I base my life on. They are peace, bliss, love , Helping other people evolve and the one I have chosen to comment on today, Abundance. These CDF’s are from the inspiring Desire Map Process by Danielle LaPorte : Link to a new Life.

So what is Abundance: money in your bank account, overseas trips every year, a Ferrari in the drive way or is it good friends, a loving family, listening to your favourite music or a combination of both.

I noticed as I was choosing my quotes that they were all by males so the last few are from Oprah Winfrey and Maya Angelou. Lets begin our journey:

1. Sufism is a mystical–ascetic aspect of Islam. It is not a sect, rather it is considered as the part of Islamic teaching that deals with the purification of the inner self. By focusing on the more spiritual aspects of religion, Sufis strive to obtain direct experience of God by making use of “intuitive and emotional faculties” that one must be trained to use. One of their principles is that by acceptance of what is, abundant feeling prevail.

2. Sue Krebs is the voice behind the poplar Soul-shaping blog. My friend Jeffrey Slayter discovered how to make money first, lots of it then found that did not deliver the total feeling of abundance for him, so he is on a journey to discover what this is whilst helping people who work in fields that are commonly known for hearing having lots of money being a bad thing change thia listening : Free Humanity

3. When I paint my masterpiece. I love the Bands version of this song much more than Bob Dylan’s: The Bands beautiful song. As Joe Vitals states fun and abundance go hand in hand.

4. Gabrielle Bernstein is a motivational speaker, life coach, and author.^[1] She grew up in New York and attended Syracuse University, where she received a degree in theatre. In 2008 she founded HerFuture.com, a social networking and mentoring website for women. Bernstein has written three books, Bernstein has also worked as a public relations entrepreneur and founded the PR firm SparkPlug Communications as well as co-founding the Women’s Entrepreneurial Network, a non-profit professional organization that connects female entrepreneurs. For her its all about self worth.

5. a·bun·dance

a. A great or plentiful amount: an abundance of rain.

b. The condition of being in rich supply: bananas growing in abundance.

c. Degree of plentifulness: “Species of low abundance are ignored in the calculation of predominance” (William M. Lewis).

d. Chemistry The amount of an isotope of an element that exists in nature, usually expressed as a percentage of the total amount of all isotopes of the element.

e. Affluence; prosperity: living in abundance.

this quotes slides easily under definition e.

6. The thing I most enjoy in life costs me $20 a night, dancing , it fills me with abundant joy.

7. When we tune into we have acquired Abundance inside. One of the last things Wayne Dyer did before he passed was his beautiful movie the shift, Here is the theme song : Song Inside

8. Big Tony has people fire walk to show them that their fear holds them back from many things, once they do it their life has the possibility of becoming abundant.

9. Acknowledgement is the basis of all of Eckhart Tolle’s work, the Power of Now , not yesterday or tomorrow but what is so right now.

10. As I said before what I love doing is dance, I dropped it out for several years and my mental health suffered accordingly. So doing what you love affects all areas of your life. I would love to be to do this: The Lindy Hop.

11. Those words the world seemed to have replaced with Profit: Integrity and making a difference. I’m sure Bob wrote Positive Vibration about it.

12. It would work out only if I had this or that. Concentrating on this aspect of your life will mean you never, never have enough in the words of Oprah.

13. I love being fulfilled with what I do, Dancing, English tutoring, Copy writing, I use the expression Find the others. This means the things that I love doing as well.

14. My choir the Moons a Balloon sing Sally Oldfields: Celebration, There are three lines where you shout Hey, praising the moment of celebrating life. This is letting Abundance flow in your life.

15. With the publication of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Maya Angelou publicly discussed aspects of her personal life. She was respected as a spokesperson for black people and women, and her works have been considered a defence of Black culture. Attempts have been made to ban her books from some U.S. libraries, but her works are widely used in schools and universities worldwide. Angelou’s major works have been labelled as autobiographical fiction, but many critics have characterized them as autobiographies. She made a deliberate attempt to challenge the common structure of the autobiography by critiquing, changing, and expanding the genre. Her books centre on themes such as racism, identity, family, and travel. Her quotes are used all around the world as examples of how to thrive and prosper in all areas of your life.

I also love the quote History teaches us that men and nations behave wisely when they have exhausted the other alternatives, the journey of what abundance is to me has been a bit like that.

Namaste until Monday , my dear friends.

On the Road Again!!

Posted on February 16, 2016 by Rod's World

One date late, I was on a Monday op shopping journey with my sister from Tasmania who was over for the week and my regular Tuesday companions my Melbourne sister and my eighty eight year old mum.

I came to work and saw the headline ” My Journey, My Lucky Country ” an entirely different sort of outing, a refugee tale. It made me think what did the word journey mean to an individual was it one of the road, an inner journey of the body and mind, time spent with friends or an entirely different interpretation.

The 15 quotes I have chosen cover many different takes on it, so lets begin our journey:

1. Dr. Steve Maraboli is a life-changing Speaker, best-selling Author, and Behavioural Science Academic. His quotes and videos have become a social media sensation, being shared by millions across the globe and earning him the designation of, “The most quoted man alive.” On journeying he states that one needs to let go of what occurred yesterday to release the beauty of today’s.

2. Rainer Maria Rilke was born in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, travelled extensively throughout Europe, including Russia, Spain, Germany, France, Italy, and in his later years settled in Switzerland—settings that were key to the genesis and inspiration for many of his poems, yet he believed the main journey was an inner one.

3. One of the great hits of the first great musical festival Woodstock was Canned Heats epic On the Road Again Canned Heats anthem to the Journey.

4. Ernest Hemingway , winner of the 1954 Nobel Prize for Literature, had an amazing life’s journey. Married four times, he reported from the Spanish Civil War and was present at the Normanby Landing and the liberation of Paris during World War Two. He certainly lived the ethos of his above quote.

5. In these hectic times of Internet, Facebook and many other forms of Social Media, the journey often feels more like a race. Try to slow down and find the joy that is available on the journey of life. Remember to smell the Roses.

6. How often are we reminded that the journey is not always on a straight lineal path. For me it has been mental health episodes. What have been your falls?

7. My brother left our family home and travelled to Western Australia without notice at the tender age of 17. My parents at the time did not understand this at all. I think we all have incidents in our life’s journey that are not understood by others. They are not meant to be. Its our journey and we mostly know why we are doing it.

8. All the books we are read as children have a happy ending. Yet in our lives this is not always the case, we have much more interesting stories to tell from our journey.

9. “Harness the power of today. Seize the blessings of today! Make something happen, enhance your life, make someone laugh, help a friend, love, love, love!”

10. I have been training myself recently to be in the present, it is quite remarkable how different your experience of life is when you exist from this paradigm, all experiences are more enjoyable.

11. If the Earth formed at midnight and the present moment is the next midnight, 24 hours later, modern humans have been around since 11:59:59pm—1 second. And if human history itself spans 24 hours from one midnight to the next, 14 minutes represents the time since Christ. This put our lifetimes in perspective, remember to enjoy the time you are here.

12. Big Tony point out that to be able to experience a journey you must begin it. Many people choose to never do this.

13. Many people just a few years older than me have been passing recently including a good friends father totally unexpectedly. Don’t forget the people in your life who mean a lot to you. Assuming they will be there tomorrow is just that, an assumption.

14. That’s what friends are for Dionne Warwicks divine tune on the subject.

15. And finally Snoopy has the last say, Lets bring in Willy Nelson as well On the Road Again, to me this is so true. My friends and family have been the best part of the journey.

So how ever we travel our journey, as an entrepreneur, a Nine to Fiver, a sporting hero, a stay at home mum all the advice seems to be enjoy it as much as you can because we are here for a short while.

Namaste until Thursday my dear friends.

Find Where It is, Follow your Bliss!!

Posted on February 11, 2016 by Rod's World

it is important to note that following one’s bliss, as Joseph Campbell saw it, isn’t merely a matter of doing whatever you like, and certainly not doing simply as you are told. It is a matter of identifying that pursuit which you are truly passionate about and attempting to give yourself absolutely to it. In so doing, you will find your fullest potential and serve your community to the greatest possible extent.

Joseph Campbell did a series of interviews at George Lucas’s Skywalker ranch in California during 1988 that would bring to the world the expression Follow your Bliss. There has been much spoken about it, with a lot of it being on YouTube 57 videos on Joseph Campbell’s Work.

So what does bliss mean to you. Bliss is defined as ecstasy or extreme happiness in daily life, or theologians refer to it as the ecstatic joy of heaven. Bliss is one of my five core desired feelings, the others being Peace, Love, Helping other People Evolve and Abundance. These are what I use to live my life and achieve my results from. It is from the Desire Map work process developed by Danielle LaPorte. It has transformed how I relate to life.

What do we as humanity say about bliss, I have chosen 15 quotes most of which mention bliss but several that don’t, lets see how it has been construed over the decades. Here we go :

1. People have tried to lead others to the state of bliss for a long time, this list seems to be a great way to get there.

2. Amy is an author, media personality, and expert dating, relationship, & wellness coach and medical intuitive. Her motto is Live Joy, be Kind, Love Unconditionally. One of the most quoted women on the internet, she says bliss is everywhere, its up to you to choose it.

3. In the state of bliss, everything is loved. Something that I and most of the people I know seem to battle with given how society is presented on a daily basis. keep up the good work everybody.

4. Here’s another version of bliss I definitely do not agree with, this is how governments control the masses, through their ignorance.

5. To me this quote signifies braveness, creativity, unlimited possibilities and positivity. It signifies everything that a young child naturally possesses and as we grow older we are stripped of these traits and are replaced with fear of failure. Picasso made me re-evaluate my life and I came up with a list of things I must do in order to keep my inner child alive.

6….”To maintain the state of bliss, the infinite consciousness must have the most ingenious ways of both having monotony and overcoming it, of so combining order with randomness that the principle of order does not issue in dead uniformity, nor the principle of randomness in chaos. Alan Watts gave a fascinating talk on the subject placing bliss somewhere between the two, its long but well worth it. Control and Randomness.

7. Remember the joy of the imaginary friends and the fairies and wizards we could see when we were young, Adele sings about this on her new album Back in those days.

8. My friend Jessica from Canada likes owls, we swap pictures of them on Facebook. I agree with this statement, that is what is in our unconsciousness that challenges our ability to attain the state of bliss.

9. It is a term used to falsely justify apathy on the given subject in the form of a catchy cliché. A prevalent saying of the people in the West when confronted by the truth. Steven Fry points to why this categorically untrue.

10. Is bliss sweet and internal, it seems to be far off the beaten track of normality. Here Alice ensures the Mad Hatter that he is well on the path to it.

11. Bliss to me is a state of where Everything is a gift. Acceptance of all the above allows the opening of the heart through trapping nothing inside.

12. I’m sure all parents can relate to this state of Bliss. Here’s a song from Jennifer Lopez about it – I love my Child.

13. That must be why they say we need to re declare our Love for each other each morning, so we can remember this.

14. Before they learn duality babies have the most wondrous blissful look, this video clip by Nahko Bear reminds me of that wondrous state – Aloha Ke Akua.

15. For the last quote we go to the master of Bliss, Joseph Campbell. He makes you a promise that if you follow your bliss and don’t be fearful of it, doors will open that you cannot imagine.

Having delved into this divine state, we can see that it is possible to attain it, but that you have to put in some determined effort. It just doesn’t happen by itself.

Namaste until next Monday , my dear friends.

Partake in one of Life’s Pleasure, Your Body!

Posted on January 28, 2016 by Rod's World

I up to recently had been taking a medication that increased you appetite and because of this blew out to over one hundred kilograms. My frame is not made to carry this much weight and had bits that were hanging about.

I had been going to the gym for the past two years and this did not move “The bits”, and I used to not enjoy looking in the mirror. Magically since I have come off the medication I have lost eight Kilos and my belief that I can lose the magical fifteen has become a reality not another failed New Years resolution.

What do we as a community say about Body Image, most of the quotes are aimed at women, which says something about our society I believe as I think it is a cross gender issue but has been kidnapped by the fashion and marketing industries. Let us begin:

1. I never used to believe in gyms until I started going to one, becoming the virtual gym junkie, going at least three times a week. The main benefit was one of feeling lighter of mind not body.

2. I have a friend who is known for her expression when she is impressed with something, utters the good old Australian colloquialism Fuck Yeah. Here’s another way of saying you where given your unique body for a purpose.

3. The people who suffer the most attacks on their bodies must surely be Hollywood actresses. Friends star Jennifer Aniston suggests that it is not their job to satisfy the wishes of a blood thirsty media pack.

4. We are only given one body this time around, if you disregard it too often it will burn you to the ground and you will be in the line to get the next one.

5.Simply, beautifully, wonderfully uniquely you. The gateway to your soul is not disliking what you see in the mirror, but what your beautiful Inner Pilot Light says to you when you are loving yourself.

6. Dr. Vanessa Pawlowski provides Counselling for a new relationship to your worries and your body. This is her main mantra in life, I think is should be stuck on every bathroom mirror.

7. Marilyn was the film goddess of her time. She looked nothing like the catwalk models of today or the Parisian beauties of the Seventeenth Centuries. Proof that what is accepted as beautiful changes with time.

8. I am doing some work at the moment that disagrees with this, that we hold the memories in the body Arion’s Activation School. Altering the mind works for a while but if it remains in the body, it will come back.

9. Mainstream media lost me a long time ago, images of War, Death and pestilence. The message they spread about body image are just as harmful for the general population, why do they do this?

10. Michelle M. McGrath, convenor of the Sacred Self website has this beautiful quote pointing out the Sacredness and limitlessness of our bodies. Very empowering.

11. Our song for the day from Pop Diva Rihanna Diamonds, Comfort with your body is the way she travels.

12. Kurt Vonnegut is a fine Sci Fi writer and a well known social commentator. On the subject of the Body, he reminds us it is our greatest Instrument and we should take very good care of it.

13. Could I write on Body image without mentioning the practice of Yoga that has swept the West. B. K. S. Iyengar was one of the original Yoga gurus who brought his style to the west. He refers to the body as the temple and that it should be treated accordingly.

14. Frequently attributed to C.S. Lewis the popular origins of this quote actually go back to Quakerism in the 1892 journal Annals of a Quiet Neighbourhood and there is evidence it was used earlier than this date. So work on your Soul and the body will follow.

15. And the final word to Emma Watson, British actress and model whom you may know better as Hermoine from the Harry Potter film series. Emma is outspoken about the pressure put on women to fit in to the images the media creates for them. She does not agree with it.

Most of the quotes seem to be saying that we are given a body and a soul, that we should look after both as they are inter connected. Go out and do this and you will live a healthy Life. Namaste until next Monday , my dear friends.