People Think About What They Don’t Want!!

Posted on July 20, 2019 by Rod's World

It’s a bit of a celebration today, on Wednesday I reached the old official retirement/pension age of 65 in Australia. Our right-wing government wanted to make it seventy before the backlash became too much when it reached 68. This is also my 450th blog. What did I do on my retirement day, I went to an event called Awakening Attraction, this is the blurb for it:

There is nothing that enlivens relationships more than the potency of ‘chemistry’ – the charge, the tension and the excitement of impassioned desire.

It is this magnetism, this enchantment, this allure that is the elixir of relating and it weaves certain magic through our romantic interactions.

Without it, we may still have great ‘friendships’ or ‘partnerships’ but we will be missing out on the ‘juice’!!

Attraction has often been considered as an elusive ‘Je ne se quo’, but what if attraction was not a mystery but rather something you could understand, cultivate and play within a healthy way to bring out the best in those around you? What if you could ignite the spark of attraction and keep the flame alive in relationships?

During this interactive special evening event for men and women where we will be navigating all things ATTRACTION.

The topic we will be exploring on the night…
– When it comes to intimate relationship what is your ATTRACTION STYLE?
– Understanding the effect you have (or don’t have) on others.
– What do you WANT to attract and what are you actually attracting?
– How you ignite the spark of attraction
– How you keep the flame burning deeper in a long term relationship.

I have done the feeder program for this night called Awakening Women for Men, a transformational experience that alters how you listen to your own inner feminine, your mother, mine has passed, your sisters if you have them, your lovers and your female friends and the sister program is Awakening Men for Woman. The ethos of these programs is

We believe that at our human core our greatest longing is to be seen, felt and heard by those we love.

Awakening Connections is a new paradigm of relating that empowers people to come into deeper wholeness, love and truth.

We know a world exists where humans feel enlivened within themselves which in turn creates an opening for healthy, sexy and inspired relationships.

Relationships with self and others are the most challenging emotional experiences we face, asking us to continually evolve and grow.

We give people the ability to really step into and navigate the challenges we face and turn them into gold.

Awakening Connections celebrates the journey of relationship through embracing both its ecstatic potential as well as the gritty, real and raw nature of the human experience.

It’s time to create extraordinary relationships, are you ready?

So how has society looked at attraction over the years, here are some of my favourite ways!!!

1. This calls out to my heartspace.

2. In the real field of attractiveness, you do not have to live by the rules that there are only certain desires that are OK: I Feel Good.

3. But only with consent, we do not read it right every time.

4. Are you great at receiving your desires, it is something I am working on after years of listening to the reasons why I couldn’t in my head: Waiting for Love.

5. Body Butter, not something taught in standard high school sex education classes.

6. Talking about what is present in the actual moment, not saying what you think they want to hear, now that is expansive: Titanium.

7. Do you match your desires, I am about a 5 out of 10, always working on becoming stronger at it.

8. And once you begin to awaken your conscious self, your lifeforce does not allow you to go back: Set Fire To The Rain.

9. Magnets are built to attract to and stick to what are the right frequencies, listen to your magnetic power.

10. Fear prevents you from approaching what you desire and what you are attracted to, there is that classic saying have your fear and do it anyway. Over to You: Anyway.

11. Fuck Yes!!

12. Awakening occurs at the moment, you can do it millions of time in your life, especially around attraction: Changes.

13. Red or Blue, which are you attracted too?

14. Remember in this attraction game that you have unique strengths and skills, may you find the one, or even two or three that honours them: The Way.

15. And from the most famous of philosophers Ms Unknown comes the final lesson when awakening attraction.

A week or so after doing Awakening Women for Men a dear friend of mine asked me what did I learn about women from the course, it felt like she was checking to see what secrets Alley, Shaney and Jarrod had given away. Here is my answer: I said there was too much, it will take a lifetime to take it all in, but imagine I had never met you and I walked into the room and saw you and went: we must end up as lovers. I ask you out informing you that I broke up with Janice three months ago. I would know when I am placing my projections of being with Janice on our relationship, allowing it to be new and fresh and full of love and curiosity. She smiled and said that is beautiful.

The playlist for today speaks to the awakening of attraction. We begin with the Sex Machine James Brown. then we move forward to this century with Avicii. David Guetta duets with Sia next. Adele and Martina McBride follow. @Pac does the penultimate number, finishing with Ariana Grande.

Honouring your attractions is needed if we are to live from Love and Respect for All, Everybody Included. I sincerely believe that there is at least one awakened soul out there for us. Until next time, my dear friends.

Judgement Day Is Coming!!

Posted on July 11, 2019 by Rod's World

What does the title of this blog make you think of? The End of Days, in my case it was that I make judgements that stop me being able to be in the moment and feel what I am actually feeling moment to moment on an ongoing basis. This comes from a long history of having to KNOW what is going on and living in the belief that there is a certain way life should be especially in relationships.

I recently did this when dancing with a woman I would like to get to know a whole lot better. She made a request of me that my judgemental persona did not agree with. My People Pleasing identity did it anyway over the top of I don’t want to do this. It continued running me for three days until I had a discussion with my mentor. He pointed out that was I being in the moment of the request she had made of me or was I not being present and living inside the judgement I had made. My body shuddered as I realised the opportunity I had missed out on.

So how often as a society do we do this and what have we written about it over time? Here are a few of my favourites:

1. How many times are we told this as children by our parents or teachers yet it doesn’t seem to sink in?

2. Will Rogers provided an epigram: When I die, my epitaph, or whatever you call those signs on gravestones, is going to read: “I joked about every prominent man of my time, but I never met a man I didn’t like.” I am so proud of that, I can hardly wait to die so it can be carved: It’s My Life.

3. One could link this to many politicians as they lose their right to opinions of their own and must take on their parties beliefs and not truly act for the people who elected them.

4. The three fingers pointing back under another name: Who You Are.

5. He passed several years ago but the words of Wayne Dyer still hit home.

6. Mainstream media is chock full of this: Say Something.

7. Perhaps the most pervasive form of judgement, the silent passive-aggressive treatment.

8. This reminds me of the famous Dalai Lama quote about are you really listening: Elastic Heart.

9. Heartspace 101.

10. Accepting what is and doing what it takes to have love present: Love and Compassion.

11. Another way of saying it, is we judge the shit out of each other.

12. Written 1900 years ago, these words are still totally relevant: The Lonely.

13. Perfectionism, leading a mistake-free life, not following your dreams, more like letting your judgements rule your life.

14. If people have to fit into your box, are you celebrating their uniqueness: Unique.

15. And from the great Albert Camus, the final lesson. That hope we will stop judging others, the Buddhists call it enlightenment, do you have years to sit under a tree? All we can do is the best we can do not to be controlled by them each and every day.

My Essence /LifeForce is Unlimited Intimacy: when I enquire into the light of this, the shadows contained in my identity come out to play to have me learn the lessons I need to learn to cleanse my heartspace. It is an ongoing journey that I am willing to take:

Today’s playlist begins with one of Rock’s heartthrobs, John Bon Jovi. then a song I used on my previous blog, it’s so suitable for this topic too and it’s by Jessie J. Four of the remaining songs are pop diva’s, the first two being Christina Aguilera and then Sia. Our spoken-word piece is by His Holiness The Dalai Lama. We finish with Christina Perri and end with Sino: Judgement Day Is Coming.

Having my world ethos be Love and Respect for All, Everybody Included helps me when I am ravaged by the judgements my identity chooses to throw up at me on a daily basis. It reminds me of my big vision. Until next time we meet, my dear friends.

The Things They See Are Not Just Remembered, They are Soulfood!!

Posted on June 29, 2019 by Rod's World

On Thursday night I had the choice of attending two events, the first was the 3PBS volunteers party, free drinks and free food for volunteering over the radiothon and the second was the Warriors of Love MasterClass in a Yurt in far distant Warrandyte. I chose the latter, as I had a calling to explore my standing towards my reaction to my burgeoning eldership. See, I do not live the life my newsfeed says I should be interested in. I receive ads for river cruises in Europe with my fellow retirees and purchasing a residence in a retirement village according to their algorithms. Instead, I make chai and crew for conscious dance and attend breakthrough sexuality week-long courses. So that was what I chose for my personal ceremony, to land the vitality of being an elder of the conscious community of Melbourne.

I chose to vibrate the energy through my body from the top to the bottom and then from the bottom to the top, the energy is that of the earthsong I have recently come in contact with after an encounter with an indigenous elder. I also chose to lie on the earth and be as close to it as possible. It was an impressive ceremony and calmed down my stories that have been entering my space recently.

On the drive home I began to think about how society sees the importance of ceremony these days. These are a few of the quotes regarding the matter:

1. In our ever so busy self-gratification lifestyle, the advice of If you have not got time to pray, the first thing you should do is pray.

2. Starting with The Teachings of Don Juan in 1968, Castaneda wrote a series of books that describe his training in shamanism, particularly with a group whose lineage descended from the Toltecs. The books, narrated in the first person, relate his experiences under the tutelage of a man that Castaneda claimed was a Yaqui “Man of Knowledge” named Don Juan Matus. His 12 books have sold more than 28 million copies in 17 languages. Critics have suggested that they are works of fiction; supporters claim the books are either true or at least valuable works of philosophy: Work It.

3. Saying things and actually doing them, two different things, one reason we need a ceremony.

4. What if we could use each of our mistakes as a life-altering ceremony: Maya on Mistakes.

5. Eleanor on dreaming, not just a POTUS wife, a great philosopher.

6. In Warriors of Love, we call these states Identity and Essence: Growing Pains.

7. Why I wished to do the ceremony on Eldership, biological age is relative.

8. Even with different parts of yourself: Ceremony.

9. You deserve to fulfil your dreams.

10.” the safest general characterization of the European philosophical tradition is that it consists of a series of footnotes to Plato: Careless Whisper.

11. And they call them their ceremonies.

12. Ceremonies never cease in your life, they are just a new step to getting better, not to fulfil someone else’s label of being the best: Proof Me Wrong.

13. Amen!!

14. More Maya, Fuck, I love this woman: Love her Life.

15. Our final lesson about ceremony comes from our ally, Google.

Faith in what my heart tells me is a ceremony these days means a lot to me, they may be ancient kirtan ceremonies. listening to a meditation by a valued mentor, walking in the eternity that is nature, I get to choose what I call a ceremony and am doing it more and more these days. it does not even have to include others.

Today’s playlist contains one of the great friendships. We begin with Missy Elliott, then Oprah and Maya. Then move forward in time to pop diva, Allessia Cara. Radiohead is followed by George Michael. Some background music for tapdance by David pack and we end by revisiting Maya and Oprah.

I think a paramount part of the ceremony is to include Love and Respect for All, Everyone Included, Until we meet again my dear friends.

Incredible Things Can Be Done Simply!!

Posted on June 24, 2019 by Rod's World

Had a busy solstice weekend, crewed on Dancing Freedom Friday night, then Winter Solstice Chanting Meditation on Saturday but have chosen to reflect on the event I attended on Sunday that my friends Robbie, Maz and Paul ran called Own Your Desires. Here is the blurb for it:

Do you ever feel attracted to someone but fear rejection? Is it challenging approaching people you are attracted to? Do you struggle to ask for what you really want? We have all had these experiences….as human beings, we have hopes, needs, dreams and desires. This is a journey in exploring and resolving these situations in a safe, experiential space. This is an opportunity to dive deeper into these thoughts and emotions. A chance to unravel old habits and ways of being. There will be exercises and practices for you to discover and develop communications skills, a reframing of limiting beliefs and empowering you to own your desires.

What will this experiential journey give you?
-Freeing yourself from false expectations and imagination.
-Freedom and power to approach people and own your desires.
-Building courage and learning how to express how you truly feel.
-Developing self-awareness and harnessing your truth.
-Empowering yourself to express your affection for another.
-The opportunity to share your true self with another.

At 64 I was the elder of the group which had quite an age spread, the exercises were short and sharp experiences in asking for what you desired with time building up in each experience. There were also sessions were people could share their experiences. Confidentiality does not allow me to share anyone’s but my own.

I noticed I had judgements on what each person would be willing to do and was often surprised when this did not turn out to be the result of the request. Out, damn judgements.

Given this, how has society related to desires over the centuries, here are a few takes at it:

Coventry Kersey Dighton Patmore was an 18th Century English poet and critic best known for The Angel in the House, his narrative poem about the Victorian ideal of a happy marriage. I think desires in the 21st Century may be a little different.

2. One distinction was to align your mind, your heart and your sex, all essential areas of your soul, methinks: Everybody Dance.

3. Desire versus Love, an eternal conversation!!!

4. Breath was an important part of the process, Dan Brule is a breathwork master who makes the following statement: Our Breathing is the only system in the body that is both completely automatic and also under our control. That is not an accident of nature, not a coincidence. That is an opportunity, an invitation, to take part in our own nature – our own evolution: Breathin

5. The long and windy road of placing your dreams and desires in the hands of others.

6. It looks like a scene from Marry Poppins so, that word: Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

7. How often do we leave our desires out so that our lives appear organized without ripples on the water?

8. Do you purposefully bring your desires to life on a daily basis, you belong with these people if you do: Love Shack.

9. As I found out I probably fit in the latter group when it comes to my desires.

10. Grateful for both the Yes’s and the No’s, need to work on the latter: Kind and Generous.

11. A bucket is just another word, as are To-do lists, both can prevent you from actually living in the moment.

12. From the man who gave us the bliss distinction, here is another classic that points to why we may not be fulfilling all our desires: Staying Alive.

13. It’s in the tax area our desires live.

14. As Tantra came from India I had to include one image of a wise Indian guru or it would just not seem right: Slave To The Rhythm.

15. And Oprah points out in our final lesson, that desires should excite you at first as it is that, that will keep you focussed.

I feel sated after the experience and acknowledge that Robbie, Maz and Paul delivered full value with love and compassion, they worked well as a facilitation team, I will be back.

Today’s playlist contains some musical royalty: We begin with funksters Chic, then shoot forward to pop diva, Ariana Grande. Then that word and song from Mary Poppins followed by a jump around track by the B-52’s. The superb voice of Natalie Merchant is next, then pop royalty The Bee Gees. We finish with the always sultry Grace Jones: Incredible Things Can Be Done Simply!!

My major desire is that the world lives from this paradigm: Love and Respect for All, Everybody Included. Until next time we meet, my dear friends.

I like the Way You Make Me Feel!!

Posted on May 30, 2019 by Rod's World

Its Reconciliation Week in Australia, this is the official blurb for it:

At the heart of reconciliation is the relationship between the broader Australian community and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. To foster positive race relations, our relationship must be grounded in a foundation of truth.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have long called for a comprehensive process of truth-telling about Australia’s colonial history. Our nation’s past is reflected in the present and will continue to play out in future unless we heal historical wounds.

Today, 80 per cent of Australians believe it is important to undertake formal truth-telling processes, according to the 2018 Australian Reconciliation Barometer. Australians are ready to come to terms with our history as a crucial step towards a unified future, in which we understand, value and respect each other.

Whether you’re engaging in challenging conversations or unlearning and relearning what you know, this journey requires all of us to walk together with courage. This National Reconciliation Week, we invite Australians from all backgrounds to contribute to our national movement towards a unified future.

Our local cancel has been showing indigenous directed films nightly, last night I saw a beautiful documentary named Connection to Country: Here’s the Trailer.

So how do you connect to your land, your family and your friends? Lets have a look at what the world has said about it:

1. The one that this is happening with liked my Facebook picture yesterday. Is this a call to action?

2. it is what it is: doesn’t work to wish it was another way: Chemistry.

3. I’ve got the music in me, literally.

4. I can’t hear what you are saying from the sound of the energy emanating from you: Good Vibrations.

5. They aren’t called the gateway to the soul for no reason.

6. The greatest thing you can say to someone: I see You: That scene from Avatar.

7. And they are free.

8. Our indigenous people have a Treaty with the land here in Australia: Treaty.

9. This is what is written on Victoria’s landing page, beautiful: When you remain in your own authentic rhythm and peace you can exist and thrive as both a strong and tender thing simultaneously. Like poetry. Or plants. Or breath,
moving through the body. This is where your power lives.

10. And to the animals and the plants as well: Say Something.

11. All hail a life long friendship, they know all your tricks and when you need to be loved.

12. I don’t want to talk about the hummus: Listen to Your Heart.

13. One word: Brene.

14. My favourite refreshment: Follow The Sun.

15. And our final lesson for today is that what and whoever you connect with, be it the land or a new lover, it’s not about you but how you leave them feeling.

So I hope this helps you strengthen your foundation of connecting with our planet and its inhabitants.

Today’s playlist begins with another unknown pop lad named Asher Angel. Then back to the beaches of California with the Beach Boys. Next is the scene from Avatar that always makes me cry. Then we have the biggest selling indigenous song ever by Yothu Yindi, you can dance if you wish followed by pop diva Christine Aguilera. Roxette is the penultimate song and we close with a live version of Xavier Rudd’s anthem: I like the Way you Make me Feel.

My wish is we all connect through the paradigm, Love and Respect for All, Everybody Included. Until next time, my dear friends.

My Story Matters because I Matter!!

Posted on May 16, 2019 by Rod's World

Have you seen it, I’ve watched it five times, etc. etc.. I’m talking about the latest Netflix sensation, Brene Brown’s special The Call to Courage. I’ve watched it once but have viewed everything on Youtube several times over the years. The title of this blog is one of her quotes, and when her last book Dare to Lead was released I pre-ordered it three times by mistake, my two friends I gifted it to were rapt.

I have read every book she has written at least twice because she is a great writer and makes it easy to receive many aha moments per page. Let’s list them:

The Gifts of Imperfection.
Daring Greatly.
I Thought It Was Just Me: But It Isn’t.
Rising Strong.
Rising Strong As A Spiritual Practice.
The Gifts of Imperfect Parenting.
The Power of Vulnerability.
Braving The Wilderness.
Connections Curriculum – 12 Sessions.
Dare To Lead – Brave Work.
Women and Shame, Reaching Out.

Oops, I have not read them all after seeing the list, two to go. I put Brene Brown quotes in Ecosia Images, I use Ecosia search engine ILO Google because of the fact they plant a tree for each click, and there were hundreds, it’s like all of her words are a quote that can transform your life. These are the ones I have chosen, It’s time for some Brene bliss:

1. These days of the online world, they are called Trolls.

2. And the booby prize is …: Perfectionist Complex.

3. Don’t forget the little things, remember to stop and smell the Roses.

4. If you only do what you know what you feel safe doing, the word boring comes to mind. Time to step up to mistake land: Another Lifetime.

5. Happy, Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy, Joy.

6. My marketing mentor laughed at me when I said I could do research for everybody. Andrew said, what about working with people you like working with, find the others: They must deserve It.

7. We are not Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, at the base of it all, we are all human.

8. Shadow and Light travel together, attempting to ignore the shadow is pure bullshit, the pain will remain and return tenfold until you are willing to deal with it: Growing Pains.

9. For me, it lives in the realm of what we don’t know we don’t know.

10. Kur-it. This is why my English students often stare at me with strange looks when I pronounce words for them: Reach Out.

11. Repeat after me, I am Enough. Repeat after me, I am Enough, etc. etc…

12. And at the base of it all, there is Love: Love Myself.

13. How do you respond when a beloved shares their life with you?

14. To be totally balanced in our bodies, we need to feel it all: Comfortably Numb.

15. And fro Brene’s final lesson, it’s a long one and a doozy. If all you get is the aha moment from this one then Brene has done her job.

My top three: Daring Greatly, Rising Strong and Dare to Lead. It is also worth checking out her website, her free resources are awesome: Access to all Things Brene.

The playlist begins with two newbies to me, Jubyphonic and Nao. The spoken word has of course to be Brene, that’s next. Pop diva Alessia Cara follows and then we go way back to The Four Tops. Then my favourite Self Love song from Hailee Steinfeld and Pink Floyd close the set: My Story Matters Because I Matter.

So that’s my love letter to Brene Brown. She would be a fan of my lifetime paradigm: Love and Respect for All: Everybody Included. Until next time we meet, my dear friends.

If you Haven’t grown up by 50, You Don’t Have To!!

Posted on April 30, 2019 by Rod's World

Birthdays, we have one every year, I have had 64 of them, something I did not expect to happen in my earlier wild, lost years. We are sort of given a list we are meant to fulfil by our parents: The partner, the kids, the house etc. etc. – I have failed dismally in adding a tick next to these particular things. Instead, I have my conscious community of friends, wild adventures like attending Confest, dancing regularly every week and making chai for two of the dances.

I am at that time in my life that I hear and read about aging gracefully, Fuck That – Its time to party and experience and provide all the things that our community offers and needs us to share our gifts with them. I was having such a conversation with two amazing women at a friends birthday who had broken the mould as well. On our journeys, we tend to find each other over time, firstly we must make some mistakes on the way but our passion and purpose finally get us there.

What does society say about aging with passion, here are a few of my favourite things:

1. Taken to the extreme in one of my all-time favourite movies, Scarface.

2. Especially if you suffered the same fate as the author of this quote, they shot him: My Baby Shot Me Down.

3. This looks like a good read, great title.

4. Fever means something different to those with passion in their bones: Fever.

5. Takes something to get here, but Fuck, Yes.

6. Marie Dressler was a Canadian-American stage and screen actress, comedian, and early silent film and Depression-era film star. Successful on stage in vaudeville and comic operas, she was also successful in film. In 1914, she was in the first full-length film comedy. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1931. A career that rose and fell only to rise again because she did not buy the I am too old bullshit: Fly Me To The Moon.

7. Who wants to keep making those stupid societal errors anyway.

8. And they all came to celebrate my friend Jules at Naked for Satan on Sunday: That’s What Friends are For.

9. Hail the enthusiastic ones.

10. In 1970, after stepping down as NOW’s first president, Friedan organized the nationwide Women’s Strike for Equality on August 26, the 50th anniversary of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution granting women the right to vote. The national strike was successful beyond expectations in broadening the feminist movement; the march led by Friedan in New York City alone attracted over 50,000 people. Betty was 49 at the time: I Feel Shitty

11. Birthday today, time to break the rules.

12. Not just a presidents wife, one rocking mama: Hello.

13. Pick your favourite.

14. If you do this properly, dementia will never be a thing: In My Life.

15. For the final lesson, the first words are cut off, they are not really needed.

There are many ways to live ones live, your soul knows what is best for you.

Jules, the playlist is for you, Seven amazing female divas. Nancy Sinatra begins the journey followed by Peggy Lee. Dianne Krall and Dionne Warwick produce two absolute classics followed by the quirky Jane Friedman who you will not have heard of. The letter A features in the last two tracks with Adele and Allison Crowe. Jules, I expect to hear some of these at your next gig with Austin: If you Haven’t grown up by 50, You Don’t Have To!!

My life is dedicated to Love and Respect For All, Everybody Included no matter what your age, Until next time, my dear friends.

Humans are still the most extraordinary Computer of All!!

Posted on April 15, 2019 by Rod's World

How am I feeling after our Warriors of Love training day on Identity and Essence offered by Arion Light and his Essence School? Link to a New Future.

My Essence is Trust in Intimacy and sees me on a journey as to what it would take to have life be intimate moment by moment in my daily interactions with my family, friends, workmates, and potential lovers as that is an area I am working on after a ten year drought and a 12 month amazing journey.

We did an exercise on giving feedback in regards to our identities and our Essence. All went well as the first two people got it right in giving me feedback to my identity that was areas they thought I could improve in coming from I love you, Rod. Bring on the third person, who started by praising my identity which brought up the following thought, Wait, you are doing it wrong and then an aha moment that I related that my identity was all that was wrong about me and that if people really knew that about me they would never speak to me let alone interact with me in a relationship.

So, how has the human race spoke about Identity and Essence, let’s have a wee look:

1. Busyness vs. Passion, The choice is up to you.

2. Mahatma, we are called the Warriors of Love, 33 and expanding: Faith.

3. We leave no one behind.

4. I work at a place called the Darebin Intercultural Centre. The word Intercultural was specifically chosen to empower what the above quote is pointing at: Common Cultures.

5. John Abbot (1751-c.1840) was an American naturalist and artist. He was the first artist in the New World to create an extensive series of insect drawings and to show insects in all stages of development. In addition to more than 3000 insect illustrations, he also produced drawings of birds and plants. He obviously believed all creatures were part of the earth’s culture.

6. Another Warrior’s essence is clarity, this quote reminds me of his stand for it: Set Your Controls for the Heart of the Sun.

7. Do you know what you really want?

8. How fucking beautiful is this from Albert, rocks my world: Real Love.

9. Not up to them, It’s up to you and the actions you are willing to take it to make it happen.

10. I love the way Brene Brown says it: Dare to Lead: Dare To Lead.

11. A missing from current society is the power of the storytelling circle.

12. Boom: It’s My Life.

13. Made me think of the saying: Opposites Attract, well done Stephen.

14. When I am with the Warriors of Love I feel this so strongly: Illuminating the Soul.

15. And for our final lesson for the day, have some ridiculous fun.

Moving onto the Essence conversations, I have big boots to fill, I am up for it.

Today’s playlist is a little eccentric. George Michael funks out the first track, then some intercultural kids from Western Sydney, Bysa. A classic Pink Floyd song takes you to …, followed by a very gospelly number by Blanca. Brene Brown then lays some truth on us then some good old rock and roll from Bon Jovi. We finish with a contemplative piece about the soul: Humans Are.

My ethos to fill those boots is, Love and Respect for All, Everyone Included. Till next time we meet again, dear friends.

A Relationship Is Like A House!!

Posted on April 12, 2019 by Rod's World

Shit, I forgot to do my Thursday blog, sorry if you rely on it for your morning coffee break but I been having such a great time lately it slipped my mind. This morning I am feeling joyful after attending my friend Cat’s awesome graduation for the process she created called the Cor Method. Here’s the link, travel to Melbourne for eight weeks, it’s worth it: Link To A New Life.

I have been to both graduations and often find myself moved to tears by the amount of heart the participants reveal to their families and friends. From singing to dancing to spoken word each is creative in their own way, all speaking from the heart.

So what has the people of planet Earth said about opening one’s heart to the people in your life, let’s have a look:

1. Many of the participants spoke of the negative stuff their mind was saying to them, but then their hearts took over, superb!!

2. I prefer the former, hate has never resolved anything for me: Love and Hate.

3. Gangaji currently writes and tours as a teacher. She holds that the truth of who you are is already free and at peace, which can be realized simply by ending one’s search.

4. The course definitely allows more space for this: Love Myself.

5. Maya loves the Cor Process too.

6. Lots of famous people know the power that is contained in the heart: So Much Magnificence.

7. Having revealed their hearts to the people they love, the participants need not worry about the former.

8. You could palpably feel the hearts cracking open last night: Hallelujah.

9. When you reveal all of what is in your heart some of this may happen.

10. The eyes have it every time, for me: Bette Davis Eyes.

11. How old is your Inner Child and does She/He still enjoy play?

12. You know where it is hanging out, Go there: Yogi B Truth Hurtz.

13. And how could I leave out the Persian poets?

14. Why Cat is such a heroine in having created this bundle of transformation work: Always Look On The Bright Side of Life.

15. The final lesson for today, Is a life without mistakes a real life?

I must acknowledge how I got to know Cat was through her delightful partner Ryan McRobb, through many connections. They give me hope as to what a joyful relationship could be like.

Today’s playlist has some long live tracks, I prefer live tracks to those from the studio, it’s more real. Using 7 artists in each blog and having done over 450 blogs you discover new artists all the time, we begin with one of them, Michael Kiwanuka, then one of my standard songs about self-love by Hailee Steinfeld. Then two great live tracks by Deva and Miten and Jeff Buckley. For a song about eyes, there is only one choice, Kim Carnes. The heart has to have some Bollywood so Vassan is next, and for some silliness, we complete with Eric Idle: A Relationship is Like A House.

In my heart lies the expression: Love and Respect for All, Everyone Included. Come for holidays in Melbourne and do the next course, we have some ace B and B’s here. Till we meet again, my dear friends.

Not on my watch, Anymore!!

Posted on March 18, 2019 by Rod's World

I wrote the following in my Facebook news feed two days after New Zealand:

I am sitting in Preston Town Hall at the Multicultural fair, cultural diversity Festival 2019. There are hijab’s and henna painted hands everywhere, so many different cultures. Firstly I went to the Preston Mosque, ironically the day after NZ they had already invited their neighbours so they could meet and enjoy a meal together. I was privileged to hear the Imaan give his welcome speech and his communities comment on NZ. I firstly had spent an hour having my hand shaken by both Muslim men and women thanking me for being there, I did not know if it is cool to walk around a mosque with tears flowing from your eyes so I sort of controlled it. The Imaan spoke of common humanity, then of a noble death, where you are looked after in the afterlife. He quoted the Koran where it says if you kill an innocent human being you kill the spirit of the human race. I made a promise to myself at that moment I will do everything in my power that this will never happen again on my watch.

I picked up my friend and extraordinary poet Ari Amal’s beautiful tome: The Details and the Infinite when I got home and opened it to the following poem, it spoke to my heart, here is her webpage link: Find out about Ari.

May All The Blossoms Within You Unfurl

It only takes one brave bud

To start a revolution

So to the buds in you that are yearning to burst open

These words are for you:

Darling ones

Spring has come

It is time to become

All that you are

So lift your face to the sun

& laugh with the sky

For even your fragrance is a Gift

To those who happen by

It only takes one brave bud

To start a revolution

So tell me,

Who amongst you will inspire

the Fiesta?

I don’t think the human being who committed the heinous act in Christchurch had read it, who amongst us will do what it takes to transform the world into the majestic place it could be. What have we written about it, let’s take a look:

1. One of the bravest acts a human being , can commit in their lifetime, be themselves in the face of the crap society throws at them not to be.

2. Can’t read their name, but I have enjoyed the revolution, my artistic friends have created for the past 45 years: Art for Art’s Sake.

3. “Nisker’s book (Essential Crazy Wisdom) is twenty-three times more liberating than the Bible, the Torah, and the Koran combined. It may be crazy to say such a thing but it is also wise.” — Tom Robbins, author.

4. From the Black Panthers, if you don’t know who they are, google it. It’s not about the people, it’s about their stand: The Revolution Will Not Be Televised.

5. Begin one today.

6. No Isaac Newton here, grow some: Formation.

7. Donald Trump, Scott Morrison and other far-right world leaders, Jacinda and us mob, we are coming for you.

8. Dorothy got this answer to a question, I don’t accept it: Que Sera Sera.

9. A revolution of desire has given us today’s world, pick again.

10. Will it be yours, what area in your life will it be: Stir It Up.

11. He, Joseph Stalin may have got carried away with his zeal but I get his point, just don’t go over the top like Uncle Joe did.

12. When I read George’s books, I decided Tyrion Lannister was one of the great characters in literature. Not just fantasy literature – literature! A brilliant, caustic, horny, drunken, self-flagellating mess of a man. And there was only one choice to play him.”: Never Forget You.

13. And, Go!!

14. If you are decluttering your house to do this, stop it: Smooth Operator.

15. And finally to my Mojo crew, Awakening Women for Men brothers, Warrior of Love travellers, Dancing Eros sisters in male bodies, Expand the Box and Possibility Lab cronies, my ISTA family and my siblings Hugo, Ruthie and Jann, two words, Fuck Yes!!

I think writing this has helped the sadness I feel in my gut for what happened in New Zealand, time to grow some and go.

I like today’s playlist, it has some of music’s icons and one of my favourite spoken word jazz tracks: 10cc with a classic head it off, Gill Scott-Heron then some diva pop from Beyonce. Then we go way back to Dorothy Day. The certified legend Bob Marley follows, next is new to me but not ten million people, The Noisettes, and we finish with the always sensual Sade: Not on my Watch, Anymore.

Do I really have to say it, We need Love and Respect for All, Everybody Included or we all may not wake up one day because we thought everything was OK and someone will prove that wasn’t true in an ultimate way.

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