The Pain of the Process is only Temporary.

Posted on February 11, 2019 by Rod's World

Wish you had more wellbeing? Are you longing for an evidence-based approach to consistently feel good and function more effectively at work? Do you need busy-proof practices to help you more confidently navigate the lows and highs we all experience?

What if you had a toolkit to unleash accomplishment. If you purchase Your Wellbeing Blueprint: Feeling Good and Doing Well at Work by Michelle Mcquaid and Dr Peggy Kern you get one: Get It Here.

There are seven levels to the tool kit, here they are:

Setting Goals That Work – Know what you Want, Audit your Time, Stretch Yourself, Set Weekly Goals.
Being Hopeful – Map Your Hopes, Start a Passion Project, Find Hopeful Friends.
Practising Growth Mindset – Set Learning Goals, Get comfortable with Failure, Name your fixed Mindset, Growth Mindset Reflection.
Developing Grit – Draw a Grit Map, Ask for Help, Invest in Deliberate Practice.
Boosting Your Confidence – Strike a Power Pose, Take One Small Step, Acknowledge “Not Yet”.
Being Self-Compassionate – Create a Mantra, Write a Letter, Soothe Your Pain, Remember to be Kind.
Improving Your Resilience – Challenge Your Beliefs, Lean into the Suck, Ban “Always”, Flex Your Stress Mindset.

Shakespeare said, “Joy’s soul lies in the doing.” How has society written about this journey, Let’s take a look:

1. Do what you love for work, and you will never work another day in your life.

2. Burn, Baby, Burn: Burning Down the House.

3. Charles Franklin Kettering sometimes known as Charles “Boss” Kettering was an American inventor, engineer, businessman, and the holder of 186 patents. He was a founder of Delco and was head of research at General Motors from 1920 to 1947. Among his most widely used automotive developments were the electrical starting motor and leaded gasoline.

4. When you pass they will remember you for who you were, not what you owned: When I’m Gone.

5. The dreams, they’re on the other side.

6. Kids say such amazing things until we train it out of them: Lot To Learn.

7. Eric Thomas, PhD is a critically acclaimed author, World-renowned speaker, educator, pastor and audible.com Audie Awards Finalist. ET, as he is better known, has taken the world by storm, with his creative style and high-energy messages. His words continue to impact tens of millions of people in several hundred countries across the planet! Through a significant social media presence and his recent domestic and international tours, “ET, The Hip Hop Preacher” has become a global phenomenon!

8. Boom: Tomorrow.

9. You, Yourself, I.

10. I learnt an expression at Landmark Education I will never forget, what you don’t know you didn’t know: Heaven.

11. Katie Byron calls it the Work, you need to do it.

12. of course, it’s Judy and Somewhere over the rainbow…: Somewhere Over the Rainbow.

13. Two very similar statements with totally different meanings.

14. I believe in miracles and unicorns, do you?: You Sexy Thing.

15. And the final lesson, Yes, You are that person.
With more than 100 positive interventions to choose from, this book gives you everything you need to become an informed, confident, and active steward of your own wellbeing so you can wholeheartedly show up and be fully engaged in life — whatever it throws at you.

I really like today’s eclectic playlist. It begins with Talking Heads, moves over to Eminem, then another rapper in Luke Christopher. To the world of the musical with a track from Annie. The beautiful voice of Kane Brown is next, then the legend who is Judy Garland finishing with the sexy tones of Hot Chocolate: The Pain of the Process is Only Temporary.

So one of my accomplishments is to have Love and Respect for All, Everyone Included is part of common day language. Join me in spreading it until we meet again, my dear friends.

A Rock Musicians Career is Shortlived!!

Posted on January 22, 2019 by Rod's World

There are a lot of lists out there that are based on what to stop doing to yourself to lead a better life, but not so many lists that advise you what to start doing. So here is one of my top ten’s go at it. From Marc Chernoff comes these 30 suggestions:

Start spending time with the right people.
Start facing your problems head-on.
Start being honest with yourself about everything.
Start making your own happiness a priority.
Start being yourself, genuinely and proudly.
Start noticing and living in the present.
Start valuing the lessons your mistakes teach you.
Start being more polite to yourself.
Start enjoying the things you already have.
Start creating your own happiness.
Start giving your ideas and dreams a chance.
Start believing that you’re ready for the next step.
Start entering new relationships for the right reasons.
Start giving new people you meet a chance.
Start competing against an earlier version of yourself.
Start cheering for other people’s victories.
Start looking for the silver lining in tough situations.
Start forgiving yourself and others.
Start helping those around you.
Start listening to your own inner voice.
Start being attentive to your stress level and take short breaks.
Start noticing the beauty of small moments.
Start accepting things when they are less than perfect.
Start working toward your goals every day.
Start being more open about how you feel.
Start taking full accountability for your own life.
Start actively nurturing your most important relationships.
Start concentrating on the things you can control.
Start focusing on the possibility of positive outcomes.
Start noticing how wealthy you are right now.

So what has the world said about doing things that empower you, here is my selection of several thousand options:

1. Perfection, the booby prize that holds people back from beginning so many adventures and creative outlets.

2. Blogger turned New York Times best-selling author and speaker Mandy Hale is the creator of the social media movement, “The Single Woman.” With a heart to inspire single women to live their best lives and to never, ever settle, Mandy cuts to the heart of the matter with her inspirational, straight-talking, witty, and often wildly humorous take on life and love. Mandy’s message reaches literally millions of women across the world every day through her blog, books, and social media platforms: Happy.

3. Wishing that the world be a better place does not make the world a better place, action does.

4. Mini list: Express Yourself.

5. Self Love 101.

6. Is the second line the new name for Social media: Medicine.

7. Join a pride march today.

8. All the things that make you happy, not the other stuff should be your focus: Yeh Hum Aa Gaye Hain Kahaan.

9. Thrilling and voluptuous, Yes Please!!

10. They all build on each other: Dressed for Success.

11. What do you do for yourself to build your positive to do list?

12. Doing these things is what has your ideas and dreams happen: Lose Yourself.

13. And from the world’s greatest investor – humour, or is it?

14. You have to be part of your A team, or it just won’t work: The A team.

15. I love Alex’s ethos – Self Care: Everything!!

Remember today, for it is the beginning. Today marks the start of a brave new future.

A scene from Bollywood features in today’s tracks, hard to believe how little we know about the world’s largest film industry. We begin with Pharrell, follow with retro Madonna, then someone new to me but not 1.7 million viewers, Queen Naija. Off to Bollywood with Shah Rukh Khan and Preity Zinta, then Roxette and Eminem and we finish with Ed Sheeran quite an eclectic mix: A Rock Musicians Career is Short-lived!!

So as always I will recommend the practice of Love and Respect for All, Everyone Included till we meet again my dear friends:

Don’t Tell Your Problems to Everyone!!

Posted on January 15, 2019 by Rod's World

Today we look at things you would love to tell yourself if you could travel back in Time to give your younger self some advice about life.

I came across this great list by Marc Chernoff using my write about what’s on the page I open the book too. There are quite a few sage statements, here they are:

Spend more time with those who make you smile and less time with those who you feel pressured to Impress.
Your health is your life. Keep up with it. Get an annual physical check-up.
Laugh at stupid jokes. Apologise. Tell someone how much they mean to you. It’s the small moments that make life good.
Living a life of honesty creates peace of mind, and peace of mind is priceless. Period. Don’t be dishonest and don’t put up with people who are.
Life is much more enjoyable when you stop trying to be cool and simply focus on being yourself.
Forgiving yourself is far more important (and difficult) than getting others to forgive you.
Complaining is like slapping yourself for slapping yourself. It doesn’t solve the problem, It just hurts you more.
There are few joys in life that equal a good conversation, A good read, A good walk, A good hug, A good smile, A good friend.
Learn to adjust the sails of your life to unpredictable winds, while keeping your focus clearly on your destination and keep sailing until you get there.
Laughter is the best medicine for stress. Laugh at yourself often. Find the humour, In whatever situation you are in.
Freedom is the greatest gift. Self-sufficiency is the greatest freedom.
Everything that happens in life is neither good nor bad. It just depends on your perspective.
If you want something in your life you’ve never had. You’ll have to do something you’ve never done before.
You’re not alone. Everyone has problems. Some people are just better at hiding them than others.

So what has the world said about life’s lessons, here are a few of my favourites:

1. How did you cope with the focus when you finished the former and left the latter. Some say the first gives you no training to handle the latter.

2. Relating to your mistakes as what lesson am I meant to learn from this ILO what went wrong is the most powerful way to get the lesson provided: Not Afraid.

3. For me, it was the times I had to enter psychiatric clinics, five times, each time you lose total control of your life.

4. It just seems so natural when you meet both of these things like you have known them your whole life: True Friend.

5. From the world’s greatest philosopher, Ms Unknown comes this famous camera analogy.

6. The cat in the hat is such a wise creature: Hop on Pop.

7. The Shadow and the Light, we need both to be a fulfilled human being.

8. I like the last line, learn from your mistakes, but never regret: No Regrets.

9. Part of Self Love 101.

10. It’s time to leave when the last line starts happening: Don’t Hurt Me.

11. Love the go through to voicemail line.

12. WTF is a positive deviant?: My Passion.

13. Can’t have it be boring, can we?

14. On life’s journey, remember that word: Succession: Brave.

15. And for the final lesson, the picture says it all.

Some of us run in the middle of the night. Some of us strum acoustic guitars and smoke joints. And others go to church. Or sip expensive wine. Or surf dangerous waves. or jump out of perfectly good aeroplanes. When we try to understand other people by personally relating to the things that they do, we usually can’t make any sense of it. Because it’s easier to see weirdness in a sea of normality than it is to decode the logical methods behind one’s madness. But when we look just a little deeper, by making a noble effort to understand people by truly listening to why they do the things that they do, they never seem quite as weird. Actually, they and you begin to seem, perfectly normal.

Today’s playlist is for the kids with two animations. We begin with Eminem then transform Miley Cyrus into Hannah Montana. Dr Seuss leads off our animations, then back to the sixties for The Walker Brothers. Then DJ Mustard, followed by Akcent, and we finish off with Sara Bareilles: Don’t Tell Your Problems to Everyone.

I have one important life lesson to add to your lists: Show Love and Respect to All, Everyone Included until we meet again, my dear friends:

A few of my Favourite Things!!

Posted on January 8, 2019 by Rod's World

It seems I have reached the limit of Facebook pages I can like, it’s 5,000, the same as Facebook friends you can have, But I have built a collection of my top 10 or 20 over the journey that I offer to the Booker Looker universe because I believe their posts make a difference. Some of them I have no idea how we connected and others were recommendations from friends. So I thought I would list them for you so that you have the opportunity to gain the knowledge they share across the airwaves:

Nicky Hamid: Spiritual dude from New Zealand. His words are full of the most love for the planet and its occupants I have found: Link to Nicky.
Luminita Savic, AKA Purpose Fairy: Her blog on 15 Things You Should Give Up to Be Happy went viral and she now appears on stages all around the world giving her worldly advice, one of the great list makers on the net: Link to Luminita.
Marc and Angel Hack Life – Practical Tips for Productive Living: After losing two very close people at an early age, Marc and Angel Chernoff began to write about the experience in a blog which has turned into their latest book becoming a New York Times bestseller, to me the most useful meme and list makers on the net.: Hack Life.
Brian Johnston at Optimize: made millions in the IT industry then went to Bali to read every book worth reading. Does a six-page PDF and 20 minute audio on the big ideas from each book, For those who are time poor but love new knowledge for $10 a month you get 5 new books, best ten bucks I spend: The Books.
Katherine Woodward Thomas: Katherine writes a daily mini blog on relationships and life. They are incredibly insightful, they are called Love out Loud Daily: Katherine’s link.
Dane Tomas: Creator of a revolutionary clearing method called the Spiral, Dane is my go-to man on all things in regards to sexuality, you may find some of his stuff abrasive but its worth the journey: Dane Live.
Amrit Sandhu: This is actually a blog called Inspired Revolution. You will not meet a man more enthusiastic about life than my friend Amrit. He interviews inspiring people who give you a lift everytime you listen. Here’s Amrit.
Mastin Kipp: My version of Tony Robbins. I first came across Mastin when he had a blog called The Daily Love which used to have the best quotes and guests. He had 700,000 followers but shut it down when he realised that coaching was his true destiny: Live Your Purpose.
Elephant Journal: Numerous pages on Health, humour sustainability. It costs $108 for life but is worth the investment: Elephants Pages.
Ari Amala: Another friend, her poetry is so beautiful and touches my heart every time. I told her she reminds me of Maya Angelou when she reads it: Access Ari and her words of Beauty.
Dannielle LaPorte: I use her daily planner and have for five years. Uber insightful Canadian, lots of free stuff including at the moment her Flagship Book, The Desire Map: My Favourite Canadian
Madysn Taylor: DailyOm, always a great read on a wide variety of subjects: Here’s Madyson.

So that covered Facebook and the net, but what does society say about a few of our favourite things, let’s have a look:

1. What more love can you offer in a gift than actually creating it yourself.

2, My friends who have been there said the uniqueness of its people is one of the reasons New York is their favourite place: New York, New York.

3, Money you can get back, time is gone forever, us it wisely.

4. Don’t know who Terry Gross is, but with 29,000 songs on my Itunes and Spotify, I plead guilty to this: My Favourite Things.

5. And then there is all of life.

6. The good bits and the so-called bad bits, put down the umbrella’s my friends: Satisfy My Soul.

7. All dancing and singing ones do it for me.

8. Reading Oliver’s name I instantly think of his book with the quirky title The Man who Mistook His Wife for a Hat: Toccata and Fugue.

9. Shared.

10. Who knows what may be generated by having a cup of coffee at your favourite cafe: From Little Things, Big Things Grow.

11. Who’s your favourite voice.

12. I love it, Life as a happy accident: Happy Accidents.

13. At 17, Coelho’s introversion and opposition to following a traditional path led to his parents committing him to a mental institution from which he escaped three times before being released at the age of 20. His life story reads like the title of his most popular book, The Alchemist.

14. Education goes both ways, the student and the teacher are changed by each interaction: Teach Your Children Well.

15. And finally, a recipe to start a few of your Favourite Things with.

In her excellent book, Love Out Loud: Contact Nicole., Nicole Gibson recalls a quote from a friend “Stand In Love, Don’t Fall In Love”, I think this sums up the power of a Few of our Favourite Things very well.

On the playlist, we return to a few previous centuries to fill in the mix today. Frank Sinatra, John Coltrane, Bob Marley and Bach lead off. Then a classic from a great OZ band, The Waifs. We finish with two artists new to me, Saint Motel and the duo Suzzy Bogguss & Kathy Mattea: A Few of My Favourite Things.

My Favourite thing is Interculturalism: So remember to show Love and Respect for All, Everyone Included until next time we meet my dear friends.

The Garden of The World has no Limits

Posted on January 3, 2019 by Rod's World

Today is my self declared Rumi day, all the quotes will be from one person, he is Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī, also known as Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Balkhī, Mevlânâ/Mawlānā and Mevlevî/Mawlawī, but in the western world simply known as Rumi.

Rumi’s poetry has been captured in a number of different collections. In all, one is exposed to the manner in which Rumi demonstrates the unbridled joy that comes from living life fully while urging us always to put aside our fears and take the risk required to do so.

Rumi believed passionately in the use of music, poetry and dance as a path for reaching God. For Rumi, music helped devotees to focus their whole being on the divine and to do this so intensely that the soul was both destroyed and resurrected. It was from these ideas that the practice of whirling Dervishes developed into a ritual form. His teachings became the base for the order of the Mevlevi, which his son Sultan Walad organised. Rumi encouraged Sama, listening to music and turning or doing the sacred dance. In the Mevlevi tradition, samāʿ represents a mystical journey of spiritual ascent through mind and love to the Perfect One. In this journey, the seeker symbolically turns towards the truth, grows through love, abandons the ego, finds the truth and arrives at the Perfect. The seeker then returns from this spiritual journey, with greater maturity, to love and to be of service to the whole of creation without discrimination with regard to beliefs, races, classes and nations. And as well as this he wrote possibly the most beautiful poetry ever written on this planet from which short vignettes are taken and turned into quotes, here are my favourites:

1. I must be in Love, I have felt like my body is disintegrating into the energy of the universe lately.

2. Can you even think this: Ocean of Love.

3. From the day I was born.

4. Time to turn the searchlight on: Find Yourself.

5. Quiet please, ah, there it is.

6. Find the others, but be responsible for your steps in life: A Road Song.

7. It’s just a perfect day, I’m so glad I spent it with you.

8. Only one song for this: Because the Night.

9. Remember those nights sitting watching the ocean reflect the stars and moon stoned out of your mind, I do.

10. I call him/her Gaia, what’s your name: Sacred Chant.

11. One of his best known.

12. Today we call it Social Media: The Sounds of Silence.

13. Starseed Y’all.

14. Remember to breath next time we meet, my beloved: Ring of Fire.

15. And finally from the great man, a simple request.

No mirror ever became iron again; No bread ever became wheat; No ripened grape ever became sour fruit. Mature yourself and be secure from a change for the worse. Become the light.” What a beautiful way to help us remember to appreciate each step we take in the self-actualizing process. Remember that once you‘ve evolved to a new stage of development, you simply cannot go back to the levels you were previously at! Rejoice in that fact and appreciate your growth. Become the light.

Today’s playlist sounds like it came out of the American mid-west and or sitting next to a river. We begin with Miten and Deva, Then to Brad Paisley and the Fountains of Wayne. Possibly the best song of 1976 by Patti Smith then to the river’s edge with Mama Gaia. Two gruff voices finish it off with Tempest and Johny Cash: The Garden of the World has no Limits.

As you bliss out on Rumi and the accompanying songs, remember to share Love and Respect for All, Everyone Included until next time we meet, my dear friends.

Don’t Cut the Person to Fit the Cloth

Posted on December 31, 2018 by Rod's World

I was in my local library returning my slightly overdue items when I saw it: The Book titled f**k it – DO WHAT YOU LOVE: Get it here, free shipping.

In this highly entertaining and motivational book, John sets out to prove that when we do what we love, we’re actually more likely to be happier, healthier, wealthier, and more successful. He addresses the significant blocks that people experience when they consider doing what they love, including: “Doing what you love is for time off, not work”, “Doing what I love would be selfish”, “I just don’t know what I love” and “I could never make a living from doing what I love”. Through no-nonsense ideas, fascinating facts and motivating calls to action, John brings us from pessimism to inspiration, so that our thoughts become powered by “F**k it, I can’t waste any more of my life”, “F**k it, I will find a way to make this work”, “F**k it, I will do what I love”.

So what is your Yes, But? here are the ones John collected from his research:

Yes, but I’m afraid I’ll fail.
Yes, but I don’t want to give up this lifestyle.
Yes, but what about my responsibilities – my family, etc.
Yes, but I’m scared I’ll embarrass myself.
Yes, but no one can just do what they love – grow up.
Yes, but I have no idea what I love.
Yes, but what about money? My passion is acting.
Yes, but I have to think about everyone else in my life.
Yes, but what if doing what I love makes me sick.
Yes, but what if no one wants the thing I love doing.
Yes, but what if I do it and it doesn’t work out. I’ll have nothing left to dream of.
Yes, but my parents won’t approve.
Yes, but it’s hard to take a commercial or business approach to doing what I love.
Yes, but I’m too old now.
Yes, but I don’t deserve to do what I love.
Yes, but what if I don’t make it work after giving up my safe, permanent job.
Yes, but the idea of what I love changes and morphs all the time – like life.
Yes, but what if I realize I don’t love it after all.
Yes, but the people around me won’t like it.
Yes, but I love lots of things, not just one.
Yes, but I don’t want to do what I love for eight hours a day, because then I won’t love it anymore.
Yes, but it’s selfish to do what you love.
Yes, but I might find out that I’m not good at doing what I love.
Yes, but work is meant to feel difficult; it’s not meant to feel like play.
Yes, but I’d never want to work for myself.

Quite a comprehensive list as to why up to 70% of people answer they do not love their work. Sometimes to Do What You Love, you have to say ‘no’ to lots of things that you’d quite like to do.

So how has society spoken about Yes, But over the years? This is what I found that to be:

1. She’s listening, all the time. Be careful what you say and think.

One of the worlds most noted Science Fiction and Fantasy writers, a 2009 profile in The New York Times Magazine described Vance as “one of American literature’s most distinctive and undervalued voices”. He died at his home in Oakland, California on May 26, 2013, aged 96: Cliff Jumping.

3. Another bride, Another June, Another sunny honeymoon, Another season, another reason, For makin’ Whoopee.

4. The ultimate Yes, But: Scared to Death.

5. Sort it out after, to live you must make mistakes.

6. When But can be a great thing: Discovery Channel Song.

7. Beautiful things the But means you do not experience.

8. Imagine if the jazz greats had listened to their Buts: Red Clay.

9. No Buts, Thankyou.

10. Two Words, Barack Obama: Yes We Can.

11. Time for some Fun.

12. Named by Entrepreneur Magazine as one of the Top 10 Twitter Accounts Every Entrepreneur Should Be Following, Ali is an expert at taking away the buts: Vision of Love.

13. Great trumps good every time.

14. Is Maybe So the same as but?: Call Me Maybe.

15, What’s your answer to this final quote?

John says that real prioritizing needs to be laced with frequent ‘F**K Its’, so here we go: F**K It, F**K It, F**K It, F**K It, F**K It, F**K It, F**K It, F**K It, F**K It, F**K It etc, etc.

Today’s playlist includes a POTUS. We begin with the alphabetized YT Vines and KZ Tandingan. Then an ad, The Discovery Channel Song, them some of my favourite style of music from Freddy Hubbard. The POTUS follows, then Mariah Carey and Carly Rae Jepsen finish off with some classic pop: Don’t Cut the Person to Fit the Cloth.

Remember on this glorious NYE, to express Love and Respect for All, Everyone Included as you walk into 2019:

Paradise has never been about Places!!

Posted on December 3, 2018 by Rod's World

Not about a book this time, it’s about an experience. On the weekend I attended Collective Potential’s People on Purpose retreat: Here’s their contact page. My friend Emeli, the facilitator had a surprise for us on Saturday night, it would test my physical and trust issues to the Nth degree. I had to let my fears of walking down any slight slope when I inherited when I fell down an escalator drunk at the age of 18, a long time to hold onto something seeing I am now 64, but my balance has been shot ever since.

I am one of the worlds great givers, even having the nom de plume, The World’s Greatest Volunteer, but am sometimes naff at receiving, I realise there is a profound cost to this, but have trained myself harshly from the I am Unlovable shadow world.

What I learned was the power of the tribe, of true connection, can have people do things that they had told themselves they were incapable of. What has the world said about the power of connection over the decades, let’s have a look:

1. Number one spot to Brene, the Queen of Vulnerability.

2. I love the quote: You can get a kiss easily enough, having sex isn’t that hard really, but finding those people that touch your soul, that’s another thing: Listen To Your Heart.

3. Relationship 101.

4. Find Your Others: People Help the People.

5. Actions not words, true connections not Roses…

6. As James, the financial planner on the retreat said, you do not change your habits overnight, this is especially true in relationships: Time after Time.

7. For the Barbara De Angelis fan on the retreat.

8. I was the elder at 64, there were lots in their 20’s and 30’s, even a teenager I think: Human.

9. Albert was born in the 18th Century, still relevant today.

10. Too me this is more profound in shared experience: Shared Experiences.

11. They are your weirdo’s after all.

12. Has to slip in Emeli’s favourite word: Purpose: Love Connection.

13. I think I did this with someone on the weekend, we don’t meet them that often, Emeli was one for me, so glad to meet another.

14. I have had these conversations, and they have gone for days: Fresh.

15. Nada!!!

So go out there and find your others, allow true connection in your life, Collective Potential is a great place to start if you are new to the journey.

The playlist today has some certifiable classics in it: We begin with Roxette, then Birdy’s anthem to People. One of my top ten songs by Cyndi Lauper, then the bass tones of Rag and Bone Man. An unknown electronic classic by Menog. And what would a love connection playlist be without some Bollywood by Shubham Tiwari and some disco to finish off by Kool and the Gang…

Remember to show Love and Respect for All, Everyone Included until we meet again, my dear friends.

Breath in Experience, Breath out Poetry.

Posted on November 29, 2018 by Rod's World

I recently attended the most transformational training week of my youthful 64 years. It is commonly known as ISTA, short for the International School of Temple Arts: Here’s the Link. In my over 350 blogs I normally write about books on a possibility, one of the other participants asked me, You aren’t going to write about this, are you? As one of the agreements is to only share your experiences, here I go.

Some background from the source:

We live at a unique and critical time on earth. At the same time as we are faced with incredible challenges to the survival of the diversity of life and consciousness on our planet, we are experiencing an incredible awakening of human potential. Not only are new energies emerging but for the first time in history, the wisdom heritage of all our cultures and traditions is available for integration just as it is most needed.

There have always been temples and mystery schools on earth where the deep teachings on sexual and spiritual wisdom were practised, developed and taught. These centres were often the hidden cause for the advancement of civilizations. Now we have a global civilization and these temples are once again emerging into the light, blossoming like chakras and Nadi points as the light body of the earth is awakened and energized.

So what has society said about transformational experiences over the years, lets take that journey:

1. What our logical mind wants to do almost instantly, explain it away.

2. We all took the opportunities that were offered during the week to the levels our identity would allow a change in: Changes.

3. I received the gifts of Massive trust and energy from the Earth as I walk on this new planet.

4. The ISTA community, you join after spending a week in the field. Prior to that your already I have done ISTA friends will just hug you when you tell them you are going to do it: You Belong With Me.

5. To me, my priceless moment was witnessing a process and looking out over the field and realising there was nothing wrong going on, just total trust.

6. One of my top ten, have learnt so much off this beautiful spirit: Let It Go.

7. Integration time.

8. Albert Camus was a French philosopher, author, and journalist. His views contributed to the rise of the philosophy known as absurdism. He wrote in his essay The Rebel that his whole life was devoted to opposing the philosophy of nihilism while still delving deeply into individual freedom. He won the Nobel Prize in Literature at the age of 44 in 1957, the second youngest recipient in history: Going Under.

9. Much easier after ISTA.

10. Certainly, the journey I took has me much closer to this place: I Was Here.

11. I am so looking forward to where this new trust and energy will take me, and I don’t really care that I don’t know.

12. Back to ancient China for this one, so many of our hearts are now travelling this path: Listen to Your Heart.

13. And the ability of our skilled facilitators, Stephanie, Sean and Elaine.

14. Could my new energy take me here, Who Knows: Africa.

15. And we certainly did in that beautiful space known as the ISTA field.

The two main takeaways I received are an increase in my trust of myself and others to the Nth degree and an energy emanating from the earth that feels volcanic in nature and a sense I do not know what my future will be, and that’s a great thing.

Today’s playlist has some classic sings and songs. We begin with Mr David Bowie then one of the great pop divas Taylor Swift. A musical number from Frozen follows, then some great rock from Evanescence and her highness Beyonce. Two older memories from Roxette and Toto close out the list: Breathe in Experience, Breathe out Poetry.

Remember to show Love and Respect for All, Everyone Included until we meet again, my dear friends.

Now a Soft Kiss.

Posted on November 24, 2018 by Rod's World

I am attending a retreat next weekend organised by my friend and Anam Cara Emeli Paulo via her self-development company Collective Potential: Check them out here. One of her heroes is Joseph Campbell so I thought to revisit one of his books Pathways to Bliss: Get It Here.

Joseph Campbell famously defined myth as “other people’s religion.” But he also said that one of the basic functions of myth is to help each individual through the journey of life, providing a sort of travel guide or map to reach fulfilment — or, as he called it, bliss. For Campbell, many of the world’s most powerful myths support the individual’s heroic path toward bliss. In Pathways to Bliss, Campbell examines this personal, psychological side of myth.

In this highly enjoyable book, Campbell says: “There are something like 18 billion cells in the brain alone. There are no two brains alike; there are no two hands alike; there are no two human beings alike. You can take your instructions and your guidance from others, but you must find your own path.” Defining it as BLISS = THE TRANSCENDENT WISDOM WITHIN YOU – “Your bliss can guide you to that transcendent mystery because bliss is the welling up of the energy of the transcendent wisdom within you. So when the bliss cuts off, you know that you’ve cut off the welling up; try to find it again.”

So how does the world look at Bliss, lets take that journey:

1. Lisa starts her webpage as follows, Dear Highly Sensitive Soul, Everything happens for a reason, I am so glad you have found yourself here! Let me remind you how special and unique you are AND that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you! I know that being a Highly Sensitive Soul can sometimes feel like a curse, but in reality, it’s a blessing. You just need to know how to navigate your way through a world that doesn’t always understand what it means to feel things so deeply.

2. Make sure your daily reality is not too far from your bliss: From Little Things.

3. Probably Josephs most famous quote.

4. the ultimate form of bliss, to know self-love and love for another: All of You.

5. Not what I hold bliss to be, at all.

6. the opposite of bliss: Ignorance.

7. Thomas Gray was an English poet, letter-writer, classical scholar, and professor at Pembroke College, Cambridge. He is widely known for his Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard, published in 1751.

Gray was an extremely self-critical writer who published only 13 poems in his lifetime, despite being extremely popular. He was even offered the position of Poet Laureate in 1757, though he declined.

8. If you are looking out there for it, go back, wrong way: Baby It’s You.

9. Shadow and Light, they travel together.

10. Think I found this opportunity this weekend: Soul Kind of Feeling.

11. Appears to be getting harder and harder to do in these Tinder driven times.

12. All three spiritual fields please: Mind, Body and Soul.

13. The definition of Lolly Gobble Bliss Bombs.

14. 4 great blissful quotes: Safety Dance.

15. The right ones will open.

LIFE IS CALLING but “When the call isn’t answered, you experience a kind of drying up and a sense of life lost.” Life is calling. Are you answering? If not, beware. No matter how much you try to numb yourself, the pain’s not going away. Not till you step up and answer the call. Then? Well, then God’s on the line and flowing through you. Enter: Bliss, Enthusiasm, all the things you want but are afraid you may not get so you keep on doing the same ‘ol, same ‘ol. 🙂 * ring ring * * ring ring * PICK UP, already! 🙂

Some great tracks today. We begin with Missy Higgins and Paul Kelly, followed by a John Legend classic. Then a Paramore super hit, then Beyonce. Over to our more obscure numbers, a great Aussie band The Dynamic Hepnotics, then a re-released obscurity by The Flaming Ember. We finish off with Men Without Hats with their dance ditty: Now a Soft Kiss.

Remember to spread Love and Respect for All, Everybody Included until next time we meet, my dear friends.

To the World, You might be Just One Person!!

Posted on November 12, 2018 by Rod's World

I received a reply to the message from the woman I say I am in love with, I feel incredibly happy with this, she has been overseas the past six months. At the moment I am reading a book called Love 2.0 by Barbara Fredrickson which redefines our ability to feel the ultimate emotion: Get It Here.

We all know love matters, but in this groundbreaking book positive emotions expert Barbara Fredrickson shows us how much. Even more than happiness and optimism, love holds the key to improving our mental and physical health as well as lengthening our lives. Using research from her own lab, Fredrickson redefines love not as a stable behemoth, but as micro-moments of connection between people–even strangers. She demonstrates that our capacity for experiencing love can be measured and strengthened in ways that improve our health and longevity.

Ready for our new, upgraded definition of love? Love 1.0 = The emotion you feel for your “soul mate” or kids or family; what we hear about on the radio, etc. Love 2.0? Love 2.0 is ubiquitous. It’s that “micro-moment of warmth and connection that you share with another living being.” It’s what Barbara describes as “positivity resonance.” Love is found in those TINY moments—the micro-moments—in which we are truly present, sharing a positive experience with someone. When that happens, our brains and bodies synchronize in truly stunning ways. Sprinkle in some mutual care for the others’ well being and you have positivity resonance—aka Love. What’s exciting about this upgraded version of love is that it’s not limited to our most intimate relationships (yet, very importantly, can be practised most frequently within them—something I’ve done a bunch of times since picking up the book yesterday). When we allow ourselves to open up to this possibility, we can create more of this positivity resonance with others and experience the extraordinary gains in health and happiness that go with practising this supreme emotion.

So how do we as humans define love, here are a few of my favourite takes at it:

1. Imagine if we were in contact with those micro-moments of love 24/7. It would transform my life for certain.

2. Imagine if you glimpsed it every day, it would be blissful: A Slice of Heaven.

3. And this is what drops away.

4. And your micro-moment mission is to…: When You Believe.

5. Not really a choice is it?

6. And you, and you, and you, and you…: Better Together.

7. One never knows what those micro-moments of connection can turn into.

8. Positivity resonance at some times, our greatest fears at others, it is our time to choose: How Deep Is Your Love.

9. Not really an example of Love 2.0, but I had to fit the bard in somewhere.

10. Definitely possible in both areas of love, one and two: Soul Shakedown Party.

11. All of the emotions come with Love.

12. Love is a two-way street: Give Love.

13. But we always have a favourite.

14. And then, time for some Rumi: I Love You for What You Are.

15. And from the Love Prince, Bob Marley comes how to achieve Love 2.0.

Barbara introduces us to the fact that micro-moments of love are created by and result in changes in three main biological characters: your brain, oxytocin, and your vagus nerve. As she says: “Put simply, your body was designed for love, and to benefit from loving.”

Very briefly, when we have positivity resonance, our brains synchronize in astonishing ways. This “neural synchrony” or “neural coupling” is produced as we attune to the individual(s) with whom we’re interacting. Oxytocin, the “love hormone” is, apparently, more appropriately identified as a neuropeptide because it shows up not just in our bodies but also in our brains. Barbara talks about some fascinating research on how increasing levels of oxytocin increase trust and cooperation. Then we get to Vagus. Our vagus nerve is our tenth cranial nerve. “It emerges from your brain stem deep within your skull and, although it makes multiple stops at your various internal organs, perhaps most significantly it connects your brain to your heart.” Hmmm… A physical, biological component of our bodies that connects our brain to our hearts? I’m listening! The short story here: As per all the benefits articulated above, Optimizing our vagus nerve’s functioning is a good idea. Good news is: our “vagal tone” can be developed much like our “muscle tone.” It just takes practice. We’re almost ready for those practices. First, desire.

Today’s playlist begins across the trough from my homeland, for all you others, that’s slang for New Zealand with Dave Dobbyn, then Whitney. A few rocky numbers follow with Jack Johnson, Calvin Harris and Bob Marley. The penultimate number is some soul from Andy Grammer featuring Lunchmoney Lewis, finishing with a Bollywood masterclass.

Love and Respect for All, Everyone Included until we next meet, my dear friends: